Bloody sunset (Open)

[Rei]

Mask stalked the sleeping herdbeast with practiced silence. At the last second he barreled at the group sending them panicking, but not before he managed to clamp his jaws on the leg of a draybeast. Dragging the frantically screaming and thrashing creature back he threw it to the ground and ripped into it’s stomach. The beast gave a few feeble cries and tried to drag itself away as the wher released it. It’s entrails caused dirty red trails in the dusty soil. Mask followed the beast until it finally collapsed it’s lungs strangled with it’s own blood.

Malara watched the scene with disinterest. Mask always killed this way, the more pain the better. He also liked to feed while his victim was still alive. He told her it was because it tasted better but Malara was willing to bet he just liked the torture. Onyx skittered from her shoulder to hop across the feeding grounds.

A snarl from Mask stopped the creature cold. The wher was /not/ willing to share tonight. Onyx would have to get his own meal. Hissing and spitting defiance the small mandyr flattened his frill and started towards the nervously milling heardbeasts. He would just have to get blood the hard way then.

[Sheari]

The nagging feeling that had bothered C'ryl for the past couple days, he learned, did not come from Child. It was the hunger felt by Pagoth. It seemed appropriate. The brown had not eaten since they had arrived. Prior to that he hadn't eaten. "I guess it's because we got so distracted that we didn't notice," C'ryl said to the brown that lay in the sun on the ledge. A sigh was the only response to be received from Pagoth as he rose to his feet. Within a few strides the brownrider was next to the brown dragon. Climbing up C'ryl took his place upon his bonded's shoulders.

Much to Pagoth's dismay, Child decided to perch on his head and proceeded to croon at him encouragingly. Encouragingly? What did he need to be encouraged to do? Fly? Pagoth sighed in a sort of "humph" way. Spreading his wings he jumped from his ledge and flew to the feeding grounds, landing only briefly to allow His off. Child, whom had flew along once the brown took off perched on top of C'ryl's head and settled down. Looking incredibly like a green mother hen. She squawked for emphasis.

He watched as Pagoth glided over the scared beasts, swooping down to catch a herdbeast before landing farther off to feast. The creature was dead before it was eaten, unlike the blue wher feeding as well. He began to gorge himself on the entrails first, blood and ichor dripping off of his muzzle, before moving on to the rest of the meat.

C'ryl turned his head to the wherhandler next to him, moving his green "hat's" tail out of his face before saying, "Hi!" and flashing her a grin.

[Rei]

Malara turned toward the dragon rider and watched him with a guarded expression. Coming from Lighttower dragon riders where obviously not her favorite people even if she did now live among them. Her disdain for dragon riders was paled in comparison to Mask’s hatred of his flying brethren though. When the blue wher caught sight of Pagoth he snarled and whipped his tail, before taking an aggressive stance. His food! He had caught it, his. A growl rumbled low and threatening from his throat and he backed his meal further away from the brown, snarling in between bites.

“Hello.” Malara greeted evenly, staring at the green flit perched on the man’s head. He had impressed at the last hatching. Lucky him. Onyx too remembered and he shot out of the grass to scamper up his bonded and frill menacingly at the flit. Uglywing! UGLY! You. Bad. Ugly. After he had sufficiently scolded the little creature he wound his tail about his bonded’s neck and nibbled her ear affectionately. Mine! No you! Mine!!! Malara in turn raised a hand to trail a finger down the brown’s back. “Possessive little thing.” Was all the blonde offered. She would not apologize for her pet.

[Sheari]

The brown dragon didn't know if he should be annoyed or amused at the small blue wher hissed and growled at him, protecting his kill. Annoyed that such a small hideous thing deigned to disturb him for feeding at the Weyr grounds or amused that such a small, ugly creature thought it could intimidate a physically mature brown. Whatever the matter, Pagoth rise on his wings and flew up again, swooping low and very near the wher to catch another beast. Simply out of spite did he fly so close. Ugly, messy creature.[/color] He said to His.

C'ryl chuckled inwardly. His bonded was known for not liking Whers...or greens. Everything else seemed to be tolerated more and possibly liked. Speaking of greens, Child dug her claws into the man's hair, making little points on his scalp bleed. She flared out her wings and hissed, tail lashing, at the salalmandyr. C'ryl removed her form his head and placed her on a padded shoulder (padded for her claws). Seemingly without any knowledge of scolding him, Child looked at the brown quizzically, as if he had just recently caught her attention. C'ryl held onto her to keep her from making the mistake of flying off to examine the creature.

"Yes, it appears he is. I'm C'ryl, by the way," he said, to change the subject. He did his best to ignore the fact that her wher and his dragon were almost at each other's throats. It was best to keep that out of conversation.

[Rei]

Malara felt a surge of anger from Mask as Pagoth swooped close to him. The blue roared in fury and Malara had to mentally tighten his reins to stop a charge. Although the crimson eyed wher stopped his attempted assault, he still reared up onto hind legs to growl menacingly, bearing white fangs, his eyes deep crimson. If the big wing thought he would back down, he was wrong. He would rip it asunder. The blonde flinched and whirled around to face the dragon’s rider, some of Mask’s anger bleeding over into her. Onyx, catching the anger from both sides, hissed low and flicked his tongue over his protruding teeth.

“You C’ryl need to control your beast! I do not appreciate him riling up Mask so!” She clenched her hands into fists. “Mask warned him away. Your beast has no right to antagonize him.” Nonono! Bad. Bad. Onyx echoed, frilling in defiance. Mask no like. No. like. Malara crinkled her nose and asked Mask to return to his meal. Hissing, the wher declined. He would not eat while that eyesore stood on this spot. Instead, the blue wher stayed in his reared position, crimson eyes trained on the brown. The wherhandler sighed deeply.

“My name is Malara. My lovely wher is Mask and unless your blind you would realize he detests dragons. I would advise Pagoth to stop antagonizing him. Mask doesn’t back down. I will not allow him to attack. I have a good control over him. However, I do not appreciate my wher getting upset and if he gets indigestion I will come looking for you.” The final words where given with a glare and Onyx hissed menacingly from his bonded’s shoulder.

Stroking a finger down Onyx’s back Malara changed tracks and softened her voice. “I think the feeding ground are big enough for all of us don’t you? Perhaps we got of on the wrong foot. You can hardly blame my wher for the way he was born after all. So C‘ryl how long have you been at Selenitas?” Onyx curled his tail about his bonded’s throat and looked curiously up at Child. Another flying ugly?

[Sheari]

The harsh words flung at him were not what C'ryl had expected. He felt they were unjustified and actually felt blamed for something out of his control. "If I may point out though, your Mask started it by snarling at Pagoth in the first place," this all could have been avoided had the blue just tolerated the presence of the brown. True though, Pagoth could have just ignored him and not acted like a weyrling and retaliated.

Don't do that again.

Pagoth rumbled in his throat as he ate, disguising it as best he could so it would not perceived as growling at Mask. He ignored the creature and fed.

"I'm sorry for how Pagoth acted. He hasn't eaten in a while and isn't fond of whers...or greens of any sort." C'ryl sighed and looked at Child. She chirped and wound her long tail around his arm like a mossy armband. "As for how long I've been here, I arrived shortly before the gather started." My, wasn't this quite the awkward moment. Speaking about the gather, he reminded himself to find some marks and buy himself some clothes. At least a new shirt since Child had torn his only one. It was mended but it still looked worn at best, even when it was clean.

[Rei]

Malara stiffened at the rider’s words. “Whether or not my wher “started it” your beast should not feel threatened by something as small as my lovely. What is done is done. I have no complaints as long as your Pagoth stays away from my wher.” Nodding decisively she flopped back onto the ground and Onyx skittered down her to scramble over to Mask. Bypassing the blue, the dark mandyr slipped into the beast’s body cavity to slurp up the fresh blood. If the ugly wasn’t going to eat he certainly would. The red leak was to good to pass up.

Mask growled once more and dropped to the ground he ignored his meal however instead sitting and watching the feeding brown like a silent sentinel. His eyes flickered over to his. The big wing better not think to even come near his perfect or there would be ichor. Malara sent a soothing wave of emotion to mask and the wher’s eyes dimmed some and returned to a muddled reddish yellow. Nervous and a bit angry still. Better than the rage her baby had been feeling.

The brown rider’s words where dismissed with a hand wave. “it’s ok. Even I get grumpy when I don’t eat. Why exactly does he not like whers and greens? If I may ask. Mask doesn’t like dragon’s because they have a superiority complex and I can’t blame him. You would like a creature that thought you where worthless and ugly? I think not. Our whers even where the ones who alerted the weyr to the Siege and are the rider’s grateful?” The girl snorted. “Hardly. Anyway enough of my opinions. You just arrived? Did you impress here?”

[Sheari]

She had just cooled off enough to speak to him civilly and now he had to tell her he was Northern bred. Just lovely. C'ryl had picked up on the fact that people down here didn't like too much the Northerners and with good reason. If Selenitas had attacked Fort while he was there he would probably have hated them too. But history was just that, history and there was no point dwelling on it.

"I don't really know why he doesn't like greens or whers. He's never really told me. I guess it's because they're known for being a bit flaky and out there in the north. They sort of picked on him during weyrling training." He shrugged but didn't add that the northern greens annoyed him too. "Whers are a mystery." With that he turned his head to watch Mask. The wher hadn't returned to eating and personally C'ryl didn't care if it ate or guarded a kill. It wasn't his place to worry about it.

"I'm from Fort," he said, almost as an afterthought. Drawing on the past few minutes he'd spent with Malara he readied himself mentally for the onslaught of harsh words and possibly swearing he was expecting to receive. "You're the first wherhander I've met," and it was true. Too much went on in the north for his experiences to really go beyond dragonriders and the non. He hoped she wouldn't kill him because of where he was form.

[Rei]

Malara listened intently to what the rider was saying. “Greens are flaky up north? Perhaps that is because their riders are used to being brutalized by males. That would be enough to set me off. I hardly blame them.” Her voice was cold and she flipped her hair haughtily, before continuing in a more pleasant tone. Whers are a mystery to you all? Well Mask isn’t you average watch wher. No indeed. He came from a wild wher queen. Mask is special. Light doesn’t bother him as much and although her is smaller than his domesticated brethren he is also much more clever.” The blonde didn’t mind singing her bonded’s praises. Not at all. Besides this male seemed like the typical male chauvinist.

Mask kept his eyes on the brown as he backed up toward his meal. The blue wher didn’t eat instead he stood over the slaughtered beast as if to protect it from being stolen. He didn’t trust the big wing at all. A quick check with his assured him that she was doing fine. The brownwing’s pet better not think to upset his. Or he would have more to worry about then his bonded’s temper.

Malara raised her eyebrows in surprise when the man reveled his origin but otherwise didn’t react. He was from the northern weyrs. That explained his poor attitude towards woman. Mores the pity. He was as good as worthless to her in the long run. This conversation would be the only one she would probably ever seek with him. “A word of warning. Although we have a few riders that hail from Fort they have all proved themselves to be loyal to Selenitas. Until you do the same you are likely to be faced with distrust in almost every encounter. I would try not to take it personally if I where you. You know how it is with war.” The blue handler didn’t move away but nor did she move closer instead she kept a cautious distance between them. Although Malara was positive he wouldn’t try anything she still was disinclined to trust him.

[Sheari]

The onslaught C'ryl had expected did not come. Much to his surprise, all Malara managed to do was state the obvious. Though he didn't necesarrily want to confirm her judgement of men he had to. He presently had a low opinion of her because she hadn't really given him a reason to think any different. He wanted to say 'well, if you weren't so stuck up and arrogant us men wouldn't have a reason to think little of women like you' but he held his tongue. Riling up this woman seemed a bad idea. Especially with an agered wher nearby refusing to eat. Also, he didn't want to ruin anything he may have gotten to be on her goodside.

"Well, not all men up there are bad. I'm hoping to prove that," and he wasn't doing a good job. The brownrider carefully avoided the topic of Mask. Malara was clearly proud of her bonded and it seemed as though she could talk endlessly about how special he was because he came from a wild wher.

Child flitted to Malara's shoulder and peeped at her. With that odd brown thing gond she figured it was okay. Why was she so not happy? C'ryl hoped she wouldn't swing her moods and hiss at the girl. That most certainly would not be good.

[Rei]

Malara snorted dryly at C’ryl’s comment. She wanted to comment but thought better of it. No doubt they where already on fragile ground. No need to completely break the ice. Her thoughts where thankfully distracted by the brown riders little green fire lizard. No doubt she grew bolder at Onyx’s departure. Smart she was. The blonde raised her hand to gently stroke along the flits back. “Well aren’t you just the sweetest thing. Do you like the big brown? Does he dislike you like my Mask?” Malara cooed. The wherhandler set herself to primarily talking to the flit. She loved the little creatures. Even if, as of yet, none had even tried to bond to her. Picky they seemed to be.

Mask kept hunkered down on his meal, and flicked his tail back and forth. Gone was the crimson color in his eyes, replaced with a wary yellow orange. Onyx was oblivious to his bonded’s attention on the flitter. Otherwise the mandyr would have been quite jealous. As it was, the delicious blood of the slaughtered beast was claiming his full attention. He fully intended to drink as much as he could. Mask never shared his kills unless the blue was in a particularly good mood. Which hardly ever happened. The wher’s disinclination to feed was a rarity, and the dark brown planned to take full advantage of it while he could.

[Sheari]

C'ryl took full advantage of Malara's present distraction with his flit to talk with Pagoth. When I am standing next to a wherhandler whom is bonded to an agitated wher it is not the time to agitate said wher even more. The brownpair weren't prone to arguing, but the dragon's lack of food making him irritable was bleeding into C'ryl, making him irritable. He tried to contain it. It was funny for me.[/i] Pagoth's "tone" was that of someone laughing in a bitter way. C'ryl chose not to retort and let Pagoth be as he flew over the beasts for his third.

The next beast he caught as small compared to the other two he'd eaten. It didn't take much to break it's neck before he returned to the rock he'd perched on earlier. This one would probably be his last.

Child greatly enjoyed the attention. She leaned her head into the woman's hand. Yes! She had made the human happy! No more fighting? The green folded her wings and made herself quite happy on the woman's shoulder. This was fine as long as the big blue one and the brown one didn't come back. At that though, Child flitted over to sit on a post to the fence containing the beasts. She sat upright and chirped to the big brown one.

[Rei]

Malara merely sat back as C’ryl contacted his dragon and continued to pet his flit. As the little green fluttered away to perch on a near by fencepost she followed the creatures movements and sent a question to Onyx. The small dark brown mandyr raised his head and clambered out of the heardbeast covered in blood. Mask turned towards the near black creature and snarled once, causing the mandyr to frill and scuttle away. Mine need? Love mine love. He intoned privately as he climbed the girl and flopped down on her shoulder still covered in blood and leaving a macabre trail behind him.

The blur handler seemed not to notice and she stroked the mandyr bloodying her hands. “You need a bath darling. What have I told you about bathing in blood.” Clicking her tongue disapprovingly she pulled a handkerchief from her breast band and began to wipe the creature off. Onyx arched his body against the soft material and gave a soft trill. Malara smiled and looked towards Mask. Wouldn’t he please eat? The blue wher turned towards his bonded. He would when the brown wing left.

[Sheari]

Pagoth was right, this last small one finished him off. He was full but not overly so. He rumbled in contentment as ate the last remains of the herdbeast before flying over to rest near his. he remained far enough away to not annoy the blue wher if it did get annoyed. Not much he could do if C'ryl was standing next to her. It was just how things were.

Child promptly flew over to the big-brown-one-that-looked-like-her-only-better and rested on his head. He was back now from eating and she settled in to start cleaning the top of the head she now sat upon.

Pagoth grumbled but tolerated it with an annoyed look.

C'ryl was amused and disgusted at the sight of a blood covered lizard but left Malara to her new job of cleaning it off. The trail and spot on her shirt, however, would probably stain. "It looks as though Pagoth is ready to go." He turned his head to look at him and then looked back at Malara. "It's been a pleasure meeting you," he said, extending his hand.

Ahh, pleasantries.

[Rei]

((There really isn't much for her to do but accept the hand shake. So I decree this thread closed <3))