Leap of Faith (LESSON;WHERLINGS)

[Zephyr]

I don’t think this is going to work. Kaiusk said, her tone slightly uncertain. She and Kaius were standing at the edge of the weyrbowl, the wher sitting in the shadiest part. She had a blindfold tied around her eyes, and it wasn’t the sunniest part of the day. Still, the practically newborn wher had her reservations. Kaius had less. He hated the transition from day person to wherhandler, and he was bent on proving to the wherhandlers that it could be done. He was convinced that the reason people thought whers couldn’t be out during the day was that they’ve just never tried.

“ It’ll be fine.” He said, glancing up to the sun, then down to the gold. Her hide was pale in the darkness and he was sure that if he could see her in the sun, others would be dazzled by her gorgeous, sparkling hide. He was just a little apprehensive about bringing her out into the sun, even with the blindfold on. Probably for good reason. She intoned, hunkering back into the deepest, darkest shadows. “ Don’t be a baby.” Kaius said. “ Prove to them all that you’re the best wher of them all. Imagine being the first wher to be able to live in the light. Wouldn’t that be nice?” I think I’d rather leave that to Sydsk. She said lightly. They had found out that the teal wher was able to permit more light than your average wher, the extent of which they weren’t sure yet. This was another reason why Kaius was determined to show the others that Kaiusk was the best of them all.

“ Come on.” He said, crouching down in the shadows near his wher. “ I promise you’ll be fine. We’ll take it slow. If it hurts, let me know and I’ll put the blindfold back on.” The gold whined lightly. Can’t you just go back to oiling me? That felt very nice. I think I feel an itch coming on. “ You’re such a baby.” Kaius said in a slightly exasperated tone.

[Sebz]

It hurts to much Casandra, the wher complained again, skirting the sunlight. Unfortunately with his bulk, Casansk had a hard time skirting anything at all. "We can go back," the blonde insisted with just as much patience as she had the first time this exchange had taken place. Casansk seemed to keep forgetting that this little excursion had been his idea in the first place. But I want to see sister, the brown said, remembering, before rushing ahead. Her hide had been shining very prettily and I need to tell her.

Amused Casandra jogged to keep up. She was worried, wher's were not supposed to be out in the daylight, that could hurt them. "Let me at least cover your eyes," the blonde said, taking out a cloth she had kept in her pocket for just this purpose. Casansk bounced in place, an amusing sight for one so large, as Casandra fumbled to tie it in place. Better? Good! Casansk rushed forward again, pressing himself into the side of the wall.

Sister, Sister! Where are you? My eyes are covered but I am sure your just as sparkly as before, so pretty you are! What are you doing out in the sun, don't you know we should stay in the dark? Casansk pranced in a small circle with excitement. Casandra shielded her gaze from the sun and she nodded to Kauis. The nocturnal cycle had made it difficult for her to get up at this time of day, she had fallen into the nightlife quite easily. "What are you both doing," she asked him, a little disapproval tainting her voice. Didn't he know that the sunlight was bad for whers?

~

Holy Shit. Holy shit. Was that Kauis with a gold? C'loy leaned precariously over the lege he was on to look down. It would seem to Mine, Kallandrith answered dryly, but his interest had been picked. The boy his seemed to be so found of was bonded to a gold? Yes, perhaps he could use that at a later time. Storing this information in the back of his mind, the bronze nudged C'loy playfully. I believe congratulations are in order, don't you agree? The blonde's eyes were shining with amusement. "I think so."

Kallandrith crouched down and C'loy leaped onto his back. The dragon's from that clutch had gotten large enough for short glides with their riders, something which the pair enjoyed very much. The bronze had grown so large that C'loy wouldn't be surprised if the dragon could fly for extended periods of time, but he didn't want to try it. At least not yet.

The bronze lept into the air, and C'loy held on tightly. Not nearly as graceful as Feyrianth was but he was sure they would get there eventually. The glide was short and Kallandrith landed lightly, folding into a crouch. C'loy stood up but didn't dismount- if he jumped off he might have missed the ledge and that would have been unfortunate indeed. "Is that you Kauis," he crowed. "Care to introduce me to your knew friend?" he asked scrambling down the back of his dragon, looking for a safe place to dismount.

"Hello Casandra," he said in surprise as he slipped off and grabbed the bronze's side for balance. "Didn't see you there. Actually haven't seen either of you in a while. Whers... well ain't that something." C'loy addressed them both but his gaze was only for the gold wher and the boy bonded to him. This was just to perfect. "What's her name," he asked again. Kallandrith dipped his head in greeting to both Kaiusk and Casansk , not wanting to allienate them.

[Zephyr]

Kaius was wondering how to get the gold wher out in the sun. She was a baby, but she was a gold, and any golds, even one as small as Kaiusk, were bigger than most whers. If it had been Cainisk or even Sensk, it probably would have been easier to drag the wher out…but he most certainly couldn’t drag Kaiusk out into the sun…not that he would have wanted to. He cared for his wher, no matter what he told other people. He wouldn’t honestly make her do anything that she didn’t want to do, but she had come out here, hadn’t she? Suddenly, the gold perked as images came to her mind…very familiar images. She stood tall, neck stretched out.

Brother! She cried out, not bothering to hide her broadcast from her human. “What?” Kaius said, eyeing the gold, and then in the direction she was looking…even though she couldn’t see. Kaiusk didn’t answer him though. My eyes are covered too, but I can see you! Or rather, his thoughts, but she didn’t say that to him. Mine wanted us to try and live in the light. The darkness is nicer though…it doesn’t hurt as much. She pouted lightly until Casansk got there. She greeted her brother lovingly, while Kaius was left to deal with Casandra. “ Oh…us?” He eyed the girl carefully, wondering what to say to her that wouldn’t make him feel guilty. “ We were just hanging out. What about you and Cassansk?”

Just then, he heard the flapping of wings over him. Instinctively, he stepped in front of the baby whers, who were safely in the shadows, eyes flying up. “ Who’s…” He was about to ask before the dragon landed. A young bronze. The only young bronze he knew of was…“ Cas?” He said lightly as the blonde boy said his name. He blinked at the dragon, a little bit of jealousy welling up in him, jealousy that unsettled Kaiusk and caused her to headbump him hard in the back of his thighs. Kaius was never one to take hints though and he turned to glare at the wher. “ Kaiusk? What the hell…” Even though her eyes were covered, he could see her gazing in the direction of the dragon and rider. “ Oh…yeah.” The tall boy said, turning to look at his friend. “ Hello Cas…or should I call you C’loy?” He didn’t really want to call his friend by so formal a name, but it was up to him, wasn’t it? “ Her name is Kaiusk.”

The gold looked to the bronze dragon. She couldn’t see him, but she knew exactly where he was. Being adapted to living in the dark had honed her other senses. Greetings, bronze dragon. How are you today? The gold stuck close to her brother, just in case this dragon held the same thoughts on whers that most others did. That didn’t mean she had to be uncivil…just protective.

[Sebz]

Casask plopped down in the ground, drawing his tattered wings towards himself. Yours wants to live in the light? Is yours... slow? The light would be no good for us sister, you must know that, even if it makes you sparkle oh so brightly. Wait, what was that? The brown took an uncertain step towards the direction of his gold sister. Should he protect from the... thing? The dragon, the dragon, oh it was a dragon! Casansk creeled in surprise, picking the image up from Casandra's mind. Should he be afraid of the dragon?

Casandra folded her arms, not even pretending to not notice was Kauis had been up to with his wher. Nor was she impressed. "Well actually... we were following you. Casansk was following Kauisk, so of course I followed. You do know that sunlight can hurt a wher's eyes?" As she began to scold she began to feel guilty herself. She was being rather hypicritcol, allowing Casansk out in the daylight. But it wasn't like she could stop the brown if she wanted to, he was far to big!

Wait, what was that? Casandra sheilded her eyes in time to see the bronze dragon land not far from the four of them. Of course. "C'loy," she said curtly, eyeing the bronze testilly. Casansk plodded next to her and pushed his head against her knees. She loved him more than any dragon yes? Casandra quickly bent down to massage the wher's hide. "Of course I love you, now why don't you go make friends?" Casansk seemed to agree because he trotted towards his golden sister and peared at the dragon. Hello? Will you be my friend?

~

"C'loy the Magnificent seems to roll of the tongue quite nicely. Nah Kai, you know you can call me Cas. Though would you like to call you Kauis of Gold Kauis, queen of the whers?" Yes, C'loy thought he was freaking hilarious and not even the sarcastic Kallandrith could not bring him to see the truth.You are so funny C'loy. Soo so funny. Would you like a round of applause? Yes, I would, he responded, immensely pleased with himself.

C'loy walked towards Kauis, pausing only to take a good look at the whers. "Well ain't that something," he muttered under his breath. "Who would have thought you would end up with a wher, and a gold at that," he said a bit louder as he sidled up next to the taller boy and clapped him on the shoulder. "I hope she's making you toe the line. How you been Kai, I haven't seen you since..." well since the impression really, but C'loy didn't want to say that, unsure if it was still a sore subject for his friend. I mean, he had impressed now, but C'loy wanted to tread carefully.

Kallandrith watched the whers in silence. Wher's were not dragons, and he did not particallry wish to associate himself with the... creatures, but he sensed C'loys companion ship with the boy, if not the girl, so at least he could pretend. Greeting small ones. The bronze, who was as large as most gold's his age, opened his wings and held them, to cast a shade of the whers. There you go little ones, he practically purred, infusing his tone with all the sweetness he could muster. I think you will find yourself more comfortable. The dragon was a smart one, and did not want to alienate the young whers, they could be an asset later afterwards, and Kallandrith took any opurtunity he could to cultivate his assets.