Eye of the Heardbeast (Jan chores, Open)

[Rei]

The breath whooshed out of Cr’oph’s chest as he hit the ground. Having cleared the fence he had stumbled as he landed and ended up flat oh his back. “Ow…there has... to be... an easier... way... to do this.” Mavenath regarded the pawing bull over the fence and turned to look down at the gasping his. It has just showed you that there obviously is. What possessed you to try and walk over to it like that anyway. It is a hormonal male. You are clearly stupider than I gave you credit for. The red head glared darkly at his dragon. “Thanks for the confidence.” Cr’oph watched the bull prance back to the grouping of females he was supposed to be separating it from. Whoever decided this chore was perfect for him obviously had a horrible sense of humor. Or many it was revenge? Getting gored by a angry heardbeast was not on his “things to do list”.

Mavenath watched the bull and rumbled in amusement. I would help but I am afraid I would do you no good. I am not big enough to scare it and I would only do harm to it and myself if I tried. Maybe you should ask for help? “No way I can do this myself. I don’t need help.” The bronze regarded his with a steady gaze. The only thing you can do is get yourself into the infirmary if you insist on being stupid.

Ignoring his bronze Cr’oph leapt back over the fence and picked up a stick. Moving toward the heard…he immediately was forced to turn and run as the angry male bore down on him. Mavenath watched in silent amusement as his was forced to jump into the watering hole to escape the bull. Immediately the bronze dissolved into a fit of draconic laughter. Shut up Mave. Upon the bronze’s head Jiggles sat, observing with interest. Stupid meatfool ours is? Yes very much so. Shut UP!

[Sheari]

They had...almost been totally liberated. R'men and Weith had chosen to delve into a new type of chore, something outside the bounds of what they had already done before. The weyrlingpair had decided to find out what they could to at the feeding grounds. The sight of a bronze dragon caught Weith's eye and the dragon nearly bounded over to the fence. R'men calmly walked a little behind, in no rush to sit on a fence all day as far as he was concerned.

Hello, bronzebrother! Weith called, How are you and Yours? Deep down the older weyrling hoped that this one hadn't been turned by Jingth. It seemed anyone the gold talked to was turned against him and His. He just didn't understand why. It frustrated him that they would feel so sore against His, for things that apparently happened before they hatched. Why would they resent him for being the mindmate of the impressive Weith?

The bronze not being one to dwell to long on things took a spot next to the other and sat down. R'men casually walked up to the fence and sat on the top rail. The agitated bull in the pen was easy to spot, as was the head peaking out of the watering hole. The man was intrigued greatly at just what was going on.

[Rei]

Mavenath turned his head away from the amusing sight of a drenched his to see Weith bouncing towards him. The younger bronze crooned pleasantly. He saw no reason to be rude to the other bronze. Whatever rumors floated about the weyr he didn’t subscribe to them. He made his own decisions thank you very much. Besides…with the others all treating him so badly he was bound to be thankful for a kind ear. Useful Weith could be. Good Afternoon Weith. I am well as is mine. Although mine is quite damp right now as you can no doubt see. Rumbling pleasantly to R’men he touched Cr’oph’s mind.

Weith and his are here. Perhaps now you will not be so quick to embarrass yourself? If you move slowly and carefully towards the fence I think you can make it. The male is currently busy making sure none of his females are injured. Flicking his tail he tilted his head. Weith’s seems to be interested in your predicament. Perhaps you could come and explain since I have no desire to do so myself. Cr’oph ran a hand through his damp hair as he carefully waded out of his watery prison. So not amused Mave. As he moved the red head kept a careful eye on the bull. Besides a snort he seemed to get no reaction as he made his way over to the fence where the other Bronzeweyrling was sitting.

Dripping muddy water, he silently scrambled over the fence and peeled off his shirt. “Morning.” Cr’oph offered as he wrung out his shirt and draped it over the wooden structure. “I suppose you’re my help? Object of this annoying game is to get the bull into that pen,” he jabbed his finger at a open gate leading to a distant pasture, “And away from his lovely wives. As you can see it isn’t going too well.” Clearing his throat he grimaced distastefully at his drenched pants. “If you have any ideas I would love to hear them.” He tilted his head up at Weith. “I’d leave your bronze out though. He is likely to cause a stampede and I have no desire to chase a whole herd through the jungle.”

Mavenath yawned and titled his head up towards Weith. Well at the very least this should be very amusing. Bets on how long it takes them to beg us for help? Jiggles stayed silent, watching the newcomers with slight interest. He was sure they would give him plenty to snark about in due time.

[Sheari]

Yours is very damp, Mavenath. Why is he bathing in the big pond though? I thought the two-leggeds took baths in little puddles.[/color] The bronze was confused by the prospect of the younger weyrling's allowing His to bathe with herdbeasts, somehow though, he doubted that was what was going on. I bet it won't take long. Once the male is done checking out the others he will charge again.[/color] Yes, Weith had seen it quite clearly and it had been what originally made him all the more curious about acquainting himself with the other. Of course, besides sharing the brilliance that was he.

R'men looked at the gate that Cr'oph had indicated. It looked easy enough of a task that he was certain he would have tried similarly to simply chase the bull over to the pen. Weith, whatever you do, don't come in here. We don't want you to scare them into a stampede. He didn't mention Mavenath joining in because he assumed that command had already been asked. "Hmm," he scratched at a spot on his cheek, "Why don't you get his attention and then run over to the gate and I could close the gate behind you when he gets in?" Any plan was worth a try. "Or would you prefer to close the gate?"

The offer seemed polite enough, though, either way, one person would be stuck in the pen with the bull and both would probably wind up leaping the fence. Belatedly, R'men thought of the challenge of reaching the gate in the first place without being noticed by any of the animals. Silly that whoever built this pen would stick a gate in the middle of the dividing fence. Perhaps they had built it before they had the bull, but either way it seemed to make more sense to place the gate closer to an outer side.

Silly, silly pasture-builder-people.

[Rei]

Mavenath didn’t immediately answer the bigger bronze. Instead he snorted and looked over at his dripping bonded. Of course his hadn’t been bathing. Wasn’t it obvious enough? The large bull, the annoyance his was displaying, and his own comments made what had happened obvious enough didn’t they? Either Weith was extremely dense or being sarcastic. Currently he was going with dense. Pity. Seemed as if not all bronzes where as intelligent as he. Maybe Weith was like Jaymith? Arrogance without any intelligence. Ah well he could still be used. In fact this would only make him easier to manipulate. Happy with that thought, the younger dragon crooned softly. Well mine normally does not bathe in ponds. The male beast chased mine into the pond. If mine had not jumped into the water he would have been run over. Stupid. Jiggles chimed in helpfully. Although it was not clear as to who he was referring to.

Mavenath explained this as carefully as he could, although his voice contained no inkling of sarcasm or condescending note. In fact his tone was quite matter of fact. The younger dragon fell silent as Weith spoke again and Cr’oph turned curiously to his dragon as he felt the mental equivalent of a eye roll from the little bronze. Mavenath shrugged off his bonded’s questioning prod and bespoke Weith again. Yes he will charge again, but not yet. He will probably wait until ours are actually in the fence. Mavenath made himself more comfortable. Still this is bound to be a little amusing. If they where smart they would draw out a better plan. Flicking his tail Mavenath craned his neck and regarded the bull. It would be far faster than his or Weith’s after all. It had four legs where the boys only had two at their disposal. Snorting he touched his bonded’s mind lightly. If you two go with that sad plan of yours please make sure he is the one being chased. I do not want to have to peel you from the dirt and I rather you not break yourself today.

Cr’oph had been listening to R’men’s plan closely but before he could comment Mavenath had spoken. Raising an eyebrow he looked back at his fellow weyrling. “Mavenath seems to think the bull will outrun us and I agree. The distance is to far.” Biting his lip he examined the pen again. “There has to be an easier way then just letting him chase us.” There had to be an answer but what could it be? This shouldn’t be so hard. “What if we try and lure him to the other pen with food or something?” If he wanted the females more than the food though then it wouldn’t work. “Maybe we should just go with the chasing plan.”

Mavenath snorted and stretched out in the sunshine. At this rate they will both get stomped. Raising his head he looked at Weith. Does yours know how to ride a runner? Maybe they could corral the beast with runners. I have seen humans do such before and it looks easier and safer than getting run over. His knew how to ride one, well more or less. Either way it was safer than getting trampled or gored.

[Sheari]

Pride was a funny thing, making one blame other things for one's own actions. Weith decided that his attempts at mild humor were futile. He ignored the Salamandyr, decided just then to be sort of like Jingth and simply ignore the "lesser" as he saw fit. Yes, their plan does seem more far-fetched than practical.[/i] Weith ignored the fact that His had come up with it in the first place, but it wasn't as if Mavenath's had offered anything up at that moment. I am not sure if Mine knows how to ride a runner. I have never seen him do it and he has not told me if he has before I hatched.[/i] The bronze was curious now; did His know how to ride a runner?

"Hmm," R'men absentmindedly pulled on his ear. It was strange quirk of his to do when he was thinking. When he realized what he was doing he stopped and folded his arms, resisting the urge to continue pulling. "If we try to lure him with food then we might get the others, too," he said. He really wasn't up to running for his life for the sake of separating a bull from his cows. Did they do this sort of thing with runners, too? Runners were handled usually from birth and were easier to control. Somehow he doubted they had to do this with runners.

Weith watched in amusement as the two men pondered their options. Should he tell His of Mavenath's idea? The weyrling decided against it, assuming that the other bronze would tell His if he deemed them to know. "I guess the chasing plan is the only one we have right now. I would suggest staying on the outside of this particular pen. I'm sure you'll be fine inside the other one." R'men indicated the dividing fence. Considering the apparent state of Cr'oph the man deemed his more apt to close the gate than run to it.