Hypocrisy (Ka'rys)

[kysseh]

It wasn't all the same to her, and Savitri opened her mouth to protest to that fact when he was suddenly away and moving towards the available food. She waited calmly, though 'calm' was perhaps not the most accurate word considering her state of exhaustion. Really, she was just sort of tiredly sitting there, looking bleary-eyed at the activity going on around her. Ka'rys seemed to be having a quiet conference with one of the drudges, and she wanted to scowl when she saw he was returning with a full bowl of soup with bread on the side. She could not finish that; oh, not a chance! Still, it was food and nearby, and she eyed it hungrily as it was set before her, flicking a smile up at Ka'rys until she saw the accusing stare he aimed at her. Oh... was that because of the klah? Oh well.

The plate of cut fruit and the half-bow were both something of a surprise, but she nodded and murmured a quiet 'thank you' to the woman as she moved away. Then she picked up her spoon and sort of stirred it a bit, more out of ritual than any real need. It dawned on her that it would take energy to get the food from her bowl to her mouth, via spoon, and she sighed softly. Then she glanced over at Ka'rys and scowled. "I know, I know. I'm eating..." she grumbled before a spoonful of soup disappeared into her mouth. Ohh.... wonderful! That one bite made her crave more, and she set to eating instead of stirring, slow and steady spoonfuls.

His chatter about fruit had her raising an eyebrow at him, and she idly licked her spoon and glanced over. Now she was suspicious. He never made small talk like this... or, not that she recalled anyway. Her mild surprise to learn how deprived the north was of good fruit was visible on her face, but she gave no other comment besides, "Sounds like a lot of things grow smaller up north." Fruit... the herdbeasts... probably the fish too. It belatedly dawned on her tired mind that that could have sounded like a pointed insult. Ah well. The fact that she was not watching him for a reaction should have told him she had not meant it that way. Or... she thought she hadn't.

A stray thought from Hepaticath meandered her mind's way, and she had to busy herself with another spoonful of soup to hide a smile. Ka'rys liked her, hmm? More than he was willing to admit... though he admitted verbally to very little, so Savitri found that was possibly not as much of a compliment as she had supposed. Still, it was nice to know that he was at least a bit fond of her. And, apparently, he was enjoying his new role as her parent. "I guess you're really enjoying this parenting thing, aren't you?" she remarked, feeling a bit more like her usual self with half a bowl of soup in her belly. Wait... half a bowl already?! She eyed the dish in front of her. Well, it was disappearing rather rapidly.... ah well! She took another spoonful, patiently awaiting a flustered answer.

A very unlucky tree indeed. I would be very upset if it took me Turns to grow to a proper size. Hepaticath remarked, tilting her honeycomb-colored head to one side at the very thought. How miserable! To not be able to fly or to hunt or play games in the air... for Turns! The thought was almost beyond comprehension. His nudge surprised her, and she let out a muffled noise of surprise around her mouthful of shirt, ducking her head to push lightly against his shoulder in affectionate response. Ahhh, His liked Hers, did he? I think Yours should tell Mine that he likes her. Mine would be very happy to hear it, and then they could play together more often. They do not spend nearly enough time playing. Always serious. The little gold huffed a small sigh at that and then waggled the purloined shirt at Ciceroth. Would you like to try to get this back?

[glamourie]

For all of her fussing, it was obvious that she was hungry, and Ka'rys silently considered pointing out to her how fast that one bowl of soup was going down. Just a little fruit, she'd insisted; he was betting she managed to down the entire plate. He wanted so badly to tell her, "You see what happens when you don't eat right?" but refrained. The main reason for that was her next statement, which drew a visible scowl from him, despite himself. Whether Ka'rys wanted to admit it or not, he was highly insecure about his height and size in general. He'd always been the smallest bronzerider and having it neatly reinforced in his mind wasn't exactly pleasant. Thank Faranth for K'dran, who was actually shorter than him. Otherwise he probably would have sulked insufferably for an indefinite period of time. He had enough trouble being the second smallest of the bronzeriders. Yes, he found his size to be a problem. Aside from the fact that a lot of people did not take seriously someone who came up to their shoulders in height, there was the fact that he hated having to ask taller people to give him things from high shelves. Ka'rys was very, very bitter.

"Didn't we cover earlier that it's not exactly 'new'?" Ka'rys scoffed slightly, then added, almost as an after thought, "And not all northern things are small." He huffed. "Ciceroth isn't." There. That was about as close as he was willing to go to admit he was insulted. Maybe it was petty that he let the statement bother him but he was used to being described that way. No one ever claimed he only got annoyed or angry over realistic and fair things -- not even Ka'rys himself. At least his point was valid. Ciceroth was by no means small. Even for a bronze he was on the large side, leaning closer to a small gold than anything else. Sadly, as soon as the words were out, he half-expected Savitri to retaliate with, "Egos don't seem to be small from the north either" and she wouldn't have been wrong. He settled for not tacking onto it, though, instead indicating her fruit.

"Eat up, Savitri. I need to go see if I can't find a proper pair of pants. If I find out you've tossed that or something ridiculous, I'll make you regret it when I get back. That's a warning," the bronzerider proclaimed, before hopping off his stool. He'd promised to get at least a towel once he saw her eat and half the bowl of soup was gone. He kept his word, usually.

Without waiting for a response, he bustled off out of the kitchen, and Ophelie fluttered from between to land on the stool he'd previously occupied. Her gaze lingered on Savitri, and it was clear from the intelligent way she cocked her head to the side that the little green was playing babysitter. Hers had asked her to watch the goldthing's pet and she fully intended to do so. Her wings folded neatly at her sides. Elsewhere, Hers was attaining a new pair of pants, and it didn't take him long to return - no more than ten minutes. He came back wearing an outfit from the stores that fit him better than his own clothing did; a pair of black pants that were less loose than his usual, and a reddish-brown shirt that actually fit him close to properly. One of the drudges from that area had helped him grab the clothing - although, he wasn't exactly pleased at the choice of color. Ka'rys resented color.

Fluting, Ophelie flew up to land on her bonded's shoulder, as Ka'rys reclaimed his stool. His position could only be described as perching and he sniffed, indignantly, his gaze lingering on the goldrider. "There. A proper outfit. Are you happy now?"

Ciceroth's eyes whirled in amusement, half-disguising the alarm he felt. He knew His well enough to know that only under pain of torture would he even begin to consider admitting he liked anyone. He so rarely even told him that he was fond of him. Ciceroth, fortunately, just knew. But trying to convince Ka'rys to admit anything close to real emotion was tough. Anger he did. Sometimes annoyance. Hurt, periodically. Resentment. Good emotions, though, were almost never given voice. RysHis just wasn't fond of such things. Ciceroth decided not to say anything about it, instead rumbling at Hepaticath before half-snapping at the shirt, his tail wiggling behind him playfully. Are you going to make it difficult for me? You will have to run; I can take it from you right now.

[kysseh]

Savitri winced a bit as it was made blatantly obvious that her statement had gone over exactly as she feared it would. She had not intended to insult him, as she could find no significant physical flaw in him to fault. She rather enjoyed his less imposing stature too; it was nice to not have to put a crick in her neck to look up at him. Still, Ka'rys seemed incredibly insulted, if the scowl was anything to go by. She felt badly and paused in her eating, turning toward him with the intent of an apology and an explanation. His timing in making a smart comment had her making a small face. No, not all northern things were small. The overinflated egos of their bronzeriders were definitely quite, quite large...

But he escaped her with a threat before she could respond, and after giving Ophelie a faint smile, she returned to her food, noticeably subdued. The soup went down smoothly, and it did not take her more than another few moments to polish off the whole bowl of it and start nibbling at the fruit and bread in an alternating fashion. Few bites of bread... bit of tasty, tasty fruit. More bread. Had he actually thought she'd ridiculously avoid eating? No, she was hungry, and she was surprised to note how quickly she was nibbling her way through the small meal in front of her. Ka'rys had better stop his fussing when he returned, she noted grimly, though she doubted he would be so reasonable. At least he was going to get dry clothing. Her klah remained untouched still, but she carefully edged the mug closer and then lifted it for a sip.

She probably still had that mildly euphoric expression on her face when Ka'rys returned, and she didn't bother to disguise it, just calmly setting the mug down and returning to her nibbling. Of course, the young healer did have to do a double-take at the sight of Ka'rys' new outfit, both of her eyebrows raising at the sight of him wearing something not gray. "More than. You're dry, and... you look good," she conceded before another piece of fruit went down with ease. Had she taken another good look at the plate to see how much bread and fruit left, she might have been dismayed by the sheer amount she had put away thus far, though her attention was kept by her bronzerider companion's new... attire.

"Err... you do realize you just sat on a wet stool, don't you?" she inquired, squinting a bit. Shards, but she was still tired. A full--or approaching full--stomach made her sleepy. The mention of wetness somehow brought back the memory of the conversation just before he took his leave, and she flicked him an apologetic smile. "Sorry about... the short thing. I wasn't indicating you at all. You're not the first I've heard to speak of smaller crops and livestock up north, so that's... what my mind was on." She shrugged and then glanced down at her plate, eyes widening. Wait... where had most of that food gone to?!

Hepaticath was naive at times, but she was not so clueless as to miss the fact that Ciceroth clearly did not want to talk about Theirs. Either he wanted to play much, much more, or something was bothering him. She crooned around the shirt and nudged him lightly just for the sake of being affectionate... and partially to apologize for making things mildly awkward in that sense. Her croon turned into an undignified snort as Ciceroth made a grab for the shirt, and she hopped away as quickly as she could, glancing back to see him wiggling his tail like an excited canine. Silly bronze. He was not a drooly, furry beast. Of course I will make it difficult! Perhaps I should call you CanineMine with what you use your tail for. Should I be afraid that you will start to drool all over me? the young queen said with mock horror, making a rare dramatic show of flailing in terror at the thought. Then she darted into the shallows and happily stomped around in water that did not even reach her belly. Come and get me!

[glamourie]

"Thank you," Ka'rys replied as he made himself comfortable on the stool. He resituated himself slightly, perching on the very end, his hands curled underneath the seat. His gaze lingered on Savitri, noting how much she'd eaten. Good. She'd put up quite a fuss getting there, but he was betting she would feel much, much better when she finally did go to sleep. Which reminded him that as soon as she was done eating, she'd need to. He hoped Ciceroth was doing a good job exhausting Hepaticath, although he had the strongest feeling that it was more likely the gold weyrling was running circles around him, leaving the bronze wanting to sleep somewhere. Ciceroth tended to like sleeping way too much to be normal. That thought was pushed out of his mind to be dealt with later. Food first. He'd make sure Savitri stuffed herself full, so that when she slept, she could rest comfortably without hunger pains waking her up constantly. Contrary to what she likely believed, he had a good idea of how she was feeling. He'd gone about a sevenday without eating or sleeping right and she'd even seen the effects it had on him. True, he'd slept after um... activities with her; when he got up, however, he'd eaten then gone right back to sleep. And slept almost a whole day. He'd felt wonderful when he got up for real.

As for the stool, Ka'rys glanced over his shoulder at it, and then shrugged slightly. He was sitting on the very end and really it was more damp than wet. Still, he stood up and took a moment to dust the sand off the back of his pants, then grabbed a towel to wipe the stool off. Carefully returning to his seat, he perched again, making himself comfortable. People could say what they wanted but it was quite relaxing; he liked stools, though. They reminded him of when he was a child and would sit on them to feel so very high up. High enough to be at grown-up level.

"The pants are black. Wetness barely shows," he replied honestly before rolling his shoulders in a shrug. "I didn't really notice, no. The fabric is thicker than most of my clothing is..." It felt strange, actually. He wasn't entirely sure he liked it. Ka'rys was generally very resistant to change and suddenly wearing a different type of clothing was... odd. If he had to do it every day he'd feel like a big part of his routine was disrupted. That was the biggest reason he disliked comments being made about his shirts. He'd had the same kind since he was at Fort, and it was odd to think about trying to change them. Odd and unwelcome. He liked his life just as it was. Everyone was so eager to change things. He was eager to keep everything the same.

Her apology earned a slight nod, though he did not explain anything in regards to the livestock or crops in the north. Truthfully, everything seemed to grow wild and uncontained in the south. The biggest differences were in fruit, vegetation and yes, the livestock, but there were other things too - like the mountains and the riverbeds. The felines. The felines in the south were positively horrendous. Northern dragons on the other hand tended to be larger in his experience. Salenth was decent-sized and Hepaticath was shaping up to be, but Hepaticath was half-northern if one wanted to be technical. Aslath was small, and most of Fath's brood were. Grenostith's were huge. Baith's clutches were rarely anything to scoff at, either. Funny how that worked.

Why have a tail if I can not use it to express myself? Ciceroth countered with a light rumble, adding slyly, You are feline-like. His wings flapped and his eyes whirled his amusement at her obvious teasing. As she backed into the water, however, he cocked his head to the side... and then launched himself into the air in a half-glide, landing with a wide splash behind her, prominent enough to more than douse the little gold - as was intentional. The water rippled back and he splashed into the shallows before leaning over to nudge her. Devious feline gold. Rysmine says to tell you he's gotten Yours to eat an entire bowl of soup and a plate of fruit, and that should sustain her for a little while.

[kysseh]

It appeared that Ka'rys was going to be less than talkative, though he at least acknowledged her compliment about his attire. She nodded once and then returned to eating, mildly dismayed to find that she had only a few bites of bread yet. Had she really put all of that away?! Shards, but she must have been starving. She was not much of an eater, and ingesting this much in a short span of time was new for her. She finished off her last few bites of bread and then sipped gingerly at the klah, taking care to not burn her tongue and throat on the way down. Tongue..... she smiled a bit at the memory. A shame she could not persuade him to do that again, indeed.

"You should look into getting clothes like that. They look rather nice on you. I'd recommend a slightly darker shade of brown, though. It'd better accent your eyes," she said mildly, taking another sip as she almost lazily looked him over. A full stomach was making her sleepy, and being sleepy for that reason made her a great deal more easygoing, as a general rule. She just felt rather contented with the world, and the fact that Hepaticath was having fun with her 'playmate' made Savitri's mind rest even more at ease. Yes, life was very good right now. "I should get Hepaticath and go back to the barracks. She'll be... tiring soon. Very soon." Not as soon as Savitri would have liked. The gold had nearly endless amounts of energy some days.

The weyrling gold's mind touched on hers, briefly, making Savitri smile again. It was gentler this time, though. More affectionate... loving. For as much as the young woman cared, her face rarely displayed open and honest affection except where Hepaticath was concerned. That sharding dragon had changed everything. Savitri would not have had it any other way. "I think Hepaticath agrees with me on that. She's going to want a nap too. I think she's... saving up energy for our next lesson. She wants to fly very badly," Savitri admitted quietly as she finished off her mug and used a cloth to carefully wipe any remaining drops from her lips. Her green eyes were half-closed, and she had to stifle a massive yawn with one hand. "I'm tired."

Hepaticath had to give the bronze points for a quick comeback, but she angled her gold head to one side at his proclamation that she was 'feline-like'. She was? She didn't make feline noises... nor randomly steal into places to eat people. Ohh, perhaps he meant her actions. A canine and a feline... are we supposed to not get along, then? she asked teasingly, uttering a loud rumble as she was promptly soaked. It took a few moments to snort the water from her nostrils, and by then, Ciceroth was at her side and nudging her. She mock-huffed and promptly shook herself all over with the intent of spraying him. Silly great beast! Her mock-ire evaporated at his words, though, and she crooned happily, eyes whirling deep blue with gentle affection toward Hers. I am glad he made her eat. Thank him for me, please?

[glamourie]

Clothes... like the one he filched. Ka'rys frowned and reached one hand down to smooth the wrinkles in his shirt, an absent look of disappointment prominent on his face. Did he think much of the color and cut? Not really. Given a choice, yes, he preferred gray; steely grays or stormy colors, things that lacked in the extra vibrancy that other hues possessed. The shirt was too bright and even going a shade or two darker would have been irritating to him as well. He didn't like color. Color stood out. Gray blended into the background. Trying to explain to Savitri that, unlike most bronzeriders (it seemed?), he did not enjoy being in the spotlight by any stretch of the imagination was - simply put - rough. She did not seem to recognize his desire to meld into the shadows and go unnoticed. Had he ever outright told her though that he preferred the shadows and going unnoticed to a large circle of people acknowledging him? Groups made him uncomfortable. His dressing style was meant to repel. So too was his quiet, cold attitude. Everything he did was to that end -- to avoid being noticed. Ciceroth had ruined it, but that didn't change that he preferred being left alone.

Then again, cramming his tongue down a goldrider's throat, spending an unusual amount of time around her and the evident fondness his bronze had for her winged half was not exactly staying out of the spotlight. Not by any means. Why he hadn't protested more to Ciceroth hanging around Hepaticath was beyond him. He just... was not entirely sure of how he felt; the only thing he recognized was that while he knew he was walking head first into a mistake, he didn't mind it all that much.

Shards, he was losing his mind.

"I will see about getting new clothing, if you promise me that I won't have to see you in this state again any time soon. It's worrisome," he said with a slight frown. "That sounds to me like a fair trade-off. I will get Ciceroth to take Hepaticath back to the Weyrling Barracks. It's not that far from where they are and we'll go faster if we head straight there. Odds are, they'll beat us anyway." He paused, glanced at the goldrider, then smiled slightly. "You need to rest up for that. If you and Hepaticath aren't the best in flight there, both Ciceroth and I will tease you mercilessly until you are. I'd hate to have to give you private lessons because you decided not to sleep."

Hopping up from the stool, the bronzerider held out his hand for Savitri to take, the playfully teasing expression lingering on his face. He wouldn't have minded, though. After F'rah taught them the beginning of flight, they'd have to practice, and Ciceroth was certain to want to teach Hepaticath more himself. For some reason, he seemed to see it as his responsibility to make sure Hepaticath was the best of the golds. Why that was, Ka'rys couldn't say, other than the blatant fondness the bronze had for the little gold. The dragon certainly didn't remember he was her sire, and Ka'rys was loathe to remind him. Things like that mattered very little with dragons anyway. But -- he doubted that Savitri would want him around her enough to help teach. Even if she liked being around him a little, it didn't seem as if that would hold true for whatever free time he happened to have...

Ciceroth half-jumped in surprise as he was most thoroughly sprayed by the water lingering on Hepaticath's hide. Rumbling his amusement, he nudged her back before plodding onto the sunning rocks. Once he was far enough away, he shook himself completely too, then stretched. He says you are welcome. He did not make her eat for your sake, though; he asks that I tell you that. Why he must be contrary is beyond me. But he was more concerned for her well being. Why did His insist on ruining a good thing? Ciceroth snorted. At least he'd admitted he was worried, though. Rysmine says he is going to head back to the Barracks with Yours. Do you want to head over there and meet them? He is right -- you and Yours should rest for your next lesson. His wings flapped slightly and he crooned again. Amused.

[kysseh]

Why did he seem so disappointed by her assessment of his attire, Savitri wondered? Was she supposed to tell him he looked horribly different because he was wearing clothes that fit and were not an ugly, worn-out gray in color? If that was what he had been anticipating, then he was going to be sorely disappointed when she failed to be insulting and dishonest on that count. He did not look terrible. Of course, the red-brown was a few shades too powerful for him, but a nice dark brown to match his eyes would suit him nicely. Perhaps a dark red or purple too. Dark blue. Dark colors, yes. He was not the type for brilliant blues and greens and reds.

It was... worrisome to him? She was touched by his concern for her and for Hepaticath, and it brought a tired smile to her face as she took his hand and got down from the stool. His playful expression did not go unnoticed, but she was too contentedly full and sleepy to tease him right back. The strap of her bag was draped over her shoulder, the pillow still clutched tightly to her chest as she made sure her feet stayed firmly on the ground beneath her. "I won't do this again anytime soon... if you'll let me hide with you the next time Millieth or Aslath Rises. I'd feel safer with you," she admitted, squeezing his hand lightly. "I don't like feeling vulnerable or out of control or anything. Makes me nervous."

Did she just admit that aloud? Oops. Oh well. It was too late for that now. She stepped closer to him and kept a good grip on his hand to steady herself, snuggling the nice-smelling pillow into her chest. There was little to no chance of him reclaiming it at the moment. Her grip was too tight, and he'd have to pry her fingers off. It smelled faintly like him, it was comforting, and she wanted it. She could relinquish possession later when she was feeling better. "Neither Hepaticath nor I would mind extra lessons. We're both excited to fly. I'm sure you could help us even if we're not... 'the best'. We'd appreciate the help regardless." Was that expecting too much of him? Maybe it was, but he had offered, after all. "Can we... get to the barracks now?"

Hepaticath crooned softly as she followed her playmate out of the water and then shook herself again. At the rate they were going, they were going to just soak each other repeatedly until the water all dried off their glistening hides. I know that he did it for Mine. But I am still grateful that he took care of her. Only I look after her normally. Hepaticath replied honestly, still clutching the sodden shirt in her golden jaws. She opened her wings and rattled them to shake out the water and then hopped a few paces off, quirking her head to one side to stare inquisitively at him. Yes, I want to go meet them. Mine needs to sleep, and so do I. Thank you for playing with me. she said kindly, extending the shirt to him to give back to His.

[glamourie]

Her request made him inwardly flinch, but fortunately, Ka'rys managed to keep his facial features blank. Let her hide with him. That was, of course, assuming that he was not going to be a part of the flight. Truthfully, he did not want Ciceroth to Chase Aslath, but it didn't seem likely that he'd have a valid excuse to leave when she took to the air. He couldn't just up and walk off for no reason. He'd gotten out of it before because no one knew he existed enough to care, but there was no ignoring him anymore, and he didn't think Ciceroth would want to leave. It would take a lot of effort to convince the bronze to leave and ignore a queenflight. He had trouble in the past, but now that he'd caught one -- well, there was no going back. Things were changed and not necessarily for the better. Cursed dragon and his arrogance. He'd caught a shiny gold and would probably be insistant on a chance for a repeat performance. Probably. No time to ask.

"If Ciceroth doesn't Chase, you're welcome to hide with me. If he does, you can hide in my weyr. I won't be there." That sounded fair enough to him. Also honest. He didn't stay in his weyr during flights... no male did; they all went to find the females. He mentally scolded the bronze, who ignored him with an expertise that spoke of Turns of doing exactly that. Typical. Ka'rys resisted the urge to scowl and laced his fingers with hers before leading her out of the kitchens again. Over his shoulder, he offered a nod of thanks to the drudges who immediately turned to deal with the mess. There was almost certainly a disgruntled set of complaints that he'd hear later from Shmee, but for the moment, Savitri's health was more important than anything else.

Wait, they were holding hands. Odd. He glanced down at his hand for a moment, but chose not to question it. Instead he lead Savitri off toward the stairs downward, intending to move in front of her so that, again, if she fell it would be against him rather than onto her own face. He did not miss the way she clutched at his pillow as if it was a lifeline and in some ways it was flattering. He assumed, however, that her attachment came more from the fact that it was a pillow than anything else. He would not delude himself into thinking she was attached to it just because it was his. A coincidence. Nothing more. "Yes, yes. Back to the barracks," he answered with a curt nod, though... teaching... "I'm not exactly an exceptional teacher, 'vi. Surely you've deduced that by now. I don't explain well. Ciceroth would probably think it great fun to teach Hepaticath, though. He does so like spending time with her. If I didn't know him better, I'd assume he had a crush." As it was, he knew that Ciceroth simply liked having someone he deemed an equal to talk to. Self-absorbed? Definitely. Nice though he often was, Ciceroth was a bronze through and through.

Ciceroth regarded Hepaticath for a moment before leaning down to take the shirt from her. Gingerly, he swatted it at her nose, as if to bop her, then stretched his wings out as far as they would go and up as much as he could. His entire body stretched and he raked his claws back on the stone with an earsplitting scraping sound. As soon as he was through, his eyes whirled sheepishly and he shook the shirt lightly, as though to apologize. He wasn't exhausted, exactly, but he would have liked to rest. Then again, Ciceroth liked to rest in general. Given a choice he would lay around most of the time. Play with Hepaticath then sleep the rest of the day. Alas, RysHis would not let him. Just as RysHis wouldn't let him tell Hepaticath that they were teaching the next lesson. He huffed.

You are welcome and you need never thank me, he countered as he started back toward the barracks - on foot. Flight was preferred, but as flying was out of the question for Hepaticath, he would stay land bound for the most part. You can rest assured that RysMine fully intends to spend as much time as he can fussing over her. He does not like that she looks so sick. Now he knows how it is when he does that. I like that sense has been knocked into him. Thank you and Yours. It is nice to know he will be reluctant to neglect his own health in the future.

[kysseh]

Considering that he interlaced their fingers and kept a hold on her hand, Savitri kept quiet as he spoke, not wishing to interrupt. It was apparently quite important to him that she understand how terrible a teacher he was. Well, his explanations were not the best, certainly, for he tended to be rather vague, ambiguous, or just plain enigmatic. Ridiculous bronzerider. She wearily nodded her thanks at the drudges who moved to clear the dishes and then stepped to match pace with him, leaning her head--just a little, of course--against his shoulder. He was quite comfortable, and she was quite tired. Surely, he wouldn't mind this little indulgence?

"Not a good teacher in the theoretical, but... you are very good at relaying technique," she pointed out, yawning widely. That kiss had been particularly informative and educational, after all. But... Ciceroth... crush on Hepaticath? Well, he'd said if he didn't know his dragon that well, so perhaps there was another reason that the bronze was doting on her not-so-little gold mindmate. Hepaticath was certainly quite fond of the bronze, though Savitri could not come up with a reason beyond that she enjoyed her playtime. Dragons were confusing creatures at times... as were human males. Ka'rys' rather brisk tone had her turning her gaze up toward his face as if to wearily inquire what she had done to irk him this time.

Maybe he was just upset about the possibility of having to teach her again. Yes, that was probably it. She sighed softly as they approached the stairs, just hugging his pillow closer. "All right... barracks. Hepaticath says she wants to sleep." Had she told him that already? She was not sure. In fact, she was not entirely sure if she was even speaking coherently. It sounded a bit mumbled to her own ears, and she had to force her eyes open, the eyelids insistently trying to droop shut. "Umm... can I keep your pillow for now? I like it; it smells like you," she informed him, bringing the object up closer to her chin whilst still keeping it close. Shards, she was getting sleepier. "I'll give it back after I wake up..." Was she whining now? She shut her mouth before she could further embarrass herself.

Watching as the bronze took possession of the shirt, Hepaticath snorted in surprise as he lightly swatted her on the nose with it, backing off about half a hop to figure out what she had done to earn it. Ciceroth was obviously distracted with stretching, though, so she just watched in bewilderment and cringed at the ear-splitting noise that his claws made. She was distracted by the sheer size of his wings, though, and she hopped closer and then raised herself up on his hind legs to try to nose to the underside of one of the massive appendages! Such impressive wings! She envied him for that but got out of the way quickly enough to follow after him and towards the barracks.

I hope Yours learns to not neglect his health the way Mine does on occasion. At least they are even now. They have scolded each other for being silly. she observed as she moved along behind him. The tail... it waggled in front of her as the bronze moved along. It was there. It was tempting.... and she made a clumsy pounce for it, mouthing very gently. Mine has learned as well. She will not be doing this anymore if she can hide with him. I do not understand why she hides....

[glamourie]

Good at relaying technique. He resisted the urge to laugh, but it was hard. If she'd had anything to compare it to, it was doubtless that Savitri would find his so-called 'experience' embarrassingly lacking; his teaching skills would certainly leave her laughing and rightly so. He wasn't a good teacher. He did far better when it came to learning, at least, as far as he believed. He could see most things done once and mimic them very well; more often than not he could quote people verbatim or draw entire, elaborate scenes from memory when he tried. His art skills were lacking but tiny details lingered. That was excellent for the learning experience, but not everyone learned the way he did, and it left trying to teach... well, bad. Ka'rys was slightly flattered that Savitri seemed to think he was decent, though, and for once he chose not to argue with her. He was beginning to believe that on some subjects, it was better to indulge than correct. She seemed to take corrections as some kind of personal attack or an attempt at being deliberately difficult anyway and he was tired of bickering with her.

"You mentioned she wants to sleep," he replied as he moved down the stairs, though he made no effort to prevent her from walking beside him. He was sure that they were going to earn a few odd looks as it was definitely strange behavior (he could just foresee the teasing) but his priority was getting Savitri back to the barracks in one piece. He was half-tempted to scoop her up and carry her, though he strongly suspected the goldrider would fuss a great deal if he so much as attempted. Something about how she could walk just fine, or was not a cripple, didn't need his help; she seemed to take even the slightest showing of vulnerability as some kind of great offense. It really was ridiculous, considering she was very, very far off her game. Sometimes it was better to admit when out of one's element, but Savitri was still young enough that she did not appear to grasp that. Maybe in the future.

Her question made him glance over at her, as they reached the base of the stairs. Their boat was still there. Goodie, goodie. He snorted and nuzzled her hair with his nose, unable to keep the amusement off of his face, but beneath the playful edge was a hint of flattery. "You can keep it as long as you want it, 'vi. Just as long as you promise to sleep." He would want it back at some point but truthfully, his focus was more on Savitri resting than on his pillow. He could snag one off of his couch in his weyr to sleep on. It wasn't as if he had a shortage. Worse come to worst, he could always use Ciceroth as a pillow. The bronze seemed to exist for that purpose anyway. He was surprisingly comfortable to lay on. More than any dragon ought to have been. How he lucked out and got a comfortable dragon was anybody's guess. "It's mildly concerning that you think it smells like me and like it, though. Don't most women complain about the way men smell?" Both eyebrows raised. He was making conversation as an attempt to keep her awake more than anything else. If she fell asleep he really would have to carry her.

Moving over to the boat, he nudged it with the tip of his foot and then nodded slightly before looking over at Savitri. "You get in while I get it untied."

Squawk! Ciceroth jerked his tail in surprise and spun around rapidly, eyes whirling his confusion. He wasn't hurt so much as startled, and the source of the sudden feeling at the end of his tail had him rumbling. Amused, he leaned over and nudged the weyrling with his nose before bounding ahead. Again he wiggled his tail, baiting. If she wanted to chase it, she'd have to work harder. He was not a standing still target, no ma'am; he was perfectly happy to be difficult.

She is welcome to stay with us. You are welcome to stay with us. Our weyr is your weyr. He didn't ask Ka'rys if that was okay and why should he? It was as much his as it was RysHis's, and he fully intended to share it with one of the few people he liked, if she felt so inclined to visit. I believe she hides because she is confused. Rysmine explained once that when females Fly, even if I am not Chasing, he wants to Fly, too. With queens it is perhaps harder to ignore? I do not know. I am not a human. Rysmine used to be afraid of flights, too... although I do not believe he ever exhausted himself. I do remember once he had me sit on him. That was funny. Funny enough to merit remembering, clearly. I don't believe I hurt him....

[kysseh]

Her graceful, lightly tanned fingers lightly tightened their grip on his paler hand, shoulder pressing lightly against his for reassurance as they moved down the stairs toward the dock. She trusted her own feet, but his steady motions she trusted far more at the moment. The world refused to stay unblurred, her green eyes squinting against the daylight and loudly protesting having to remain open. Ka'rys was speaking, but only half of what he said actually registered in Savitri's overtired brain. His nuzzle was vaguely returned, though it mostly consisted of her sort of rubbing her cheek on his shoulder. She hummed softly, enjoying his touch. This was allowed, wasn't it?

He was nodding, and she glanced up at him and then down at the boat, considering. Oh... time to get in, hmm? She kept a tight hold on his hand and rather gingerly climbed in, wobbling a bit. Her balance returned soon enough, and then she settled herself down on one of the seats, releasing his hand and clutching the pillow like a lifeline. Pillow... he'd been babbling something about the pillow's smell. She snuggled it up beneath her chin. "Smells... well... not bad. I like it," she mumbled softly, sitting very still in the boat as she waited for him to untie it and get moving. Her gaze flicked to the oars, but she thought better of it. She had not the energy.

Sitting as she was, shoulders hunched and chin resting tiredly atop the pillow, the young healer looked almost like a child. Had she been in her right mind and able to see the image she painted, she probably would have thrown a massive fit. Unfortunately, exhaustion had her past the point of caring, and being in a seated position certainly was not helping. "'m gonna sleep," she mumbled in promise, inclining her head to one side to look rather crookedly up at him. Her hair was coming loose, the shorter strands curling in tendrils around her face, and she halfheartedly blew at one of them to get them out of her face. It failed, of course, and she gave up quickly. "Sleep for a looong time. Me 'n Cath both."

Oh, shards, she didn't sound that off, did she?

Ciceroth's squawk and rapid reaction had Hepaticath letting out a soft whine of apology, withdrawing a bit to leave his tail alone. She had not meant to hurt him! Apparently, he was not injured, though, for he proceeded to nudge her and then move right off again. What... did that mean? She was forgiven? She felt terribly for having hurt him, but then he began to purposely waggle her tail at her. Oh, that was no accident. She quickly darted along after him. True, she had to take two or three hop-strides to his every one, but she had energy on her side. She would sleep that night, certainly!

I appreciate that... Mine feels safe with you and Yours, and I would like to see your weyr. she told him as she tried to snag his tail tip between her forefeet. Darn! Missed again! She listened to his explanation with great attention, despite her efforts to capture his tail, rumbling in appreciation at the image of Ciceroth sitting on His. She would have to share that with Hers when poor Savitri felt better. I hope she does not become like this every time. She was very frightened.

[glamourie]

Silly female. Liking his smell. It really wasn't fair, how open she was leaving herself to teasing; he wanted so badly to jump on every opportunity, but all it would earn him was a tongue lashing he was sure. Thus he kept his comments to himself for the most part, though he couldn't keep the slight smile off his face. It wasn't entirely teasing, either - that one expression was also half genuine. He was... flattered. Honestly flattered. It wasn't often that anyone liked.. well, anything he did. Other than Ciceroth, at least. The dragon seemed to adore him so long as he wasn't being intentionally obstinate, but people - people usually seemed to think little of his personality and his looks. True enough, that likely stemmed from the fact that he went out of his way to be unapproachable (by wearing drab and ugly clothing, being sarcastic and biting and generally avoiding conversation) but even when he tried, it wasn't uncommon for people to just... dislike him. Savitri was a rarity that was disconcerting, but for the moment he decided to focus less on the confusion and more on the strange giddy feeling she caused inside of him. He'd probably kick himself later for it.

Carefully, Ka'rys untied the boat, throwing the ropes onto the dock for another's use. Then he climbed back into it and grabbed the oars to row, but continued to speak - if only because the idea of carrying her around was growing less and less appealing. Not that he didn't like the idea of carrying Savitri, he just did not fancy the fight that would inevitably come from it. They seemed to be... getting along for once. No bickering. It was strange and he liked it better than the constant arguing, so he was doing his best not to make trouble. She was too exhausted to fight anyway.

"Good. Like I said: I want you and Hepaticath to be the best in your class." He tilted his head slightly. He had no doubt that Ciceroth shared his opinion for purely selfish reasons: the bronze was looking forward to the chance to fly with Hepaticath. Silly creature that he was, he greatly enjoyed the young gold's presence. There were not many dragons who would play with Ciceroth. They seemed to often assume (incorrectly) that because he was among the largest bronzes at Selenitas and the senior queen's latest mate that he was rigid and unfriendly. He wasn't. He'd have happily played with any of the weyrlings if they approached him. Maybe not the other bronzes though. Typically dragons of equal or higher rank to him annoyed Ciceroth. The fact that they all seemed to think they were better than every other dragon and then treated them with disrespect irritated the bronze. He'd explained it once to Ka'rys that it was better to treat even his inferiors well, as they would respect him more - and he liked being respected. It made some sense.

Pushing those thoughts from his mind, Ka'rys glanced over Savitri, then laughed quietly. "Since he just... said it, I guess I can confirm it. When Hepaticath can fly, you're both welcome to visit." Odd as it was, he meant that... and actually hoped Savitri would take up the offer. "I think Ciceroth just secretly wants someone to cuddle with when he sleeps, though. And yes, I'm trying to keep you awake until we get back to the barracks... unless you're okay with me carrying you?"

Ciceroth rumbled as Hepaticath took the 'bait' he'd offered, and his eyes whirled in what was undeniably an affectionate hue. He crooned back at her and flicked his tail quickly, determined to make her chase a challenge. If she wanted to catch it she'd have to work for it!

It is very high up, and I have a very nice ledge, he happily replied, leading the way toward the weyrling barracks with light, bunny-like hops. I also have a very nice couch. You can share it when you can fly up to it. He paused in his hopping, then added cautiously, I don't understand why she was afraid. Rysmine was not afraid. Were you? Maybe he could understand better if Hepaticath was also afraid. But -- it confused him, too. He did not understand why Millieth's flight would bother Hepaticath's. It wasn't as though Hepaticath was going to Chase her. Didn't Hers know that? It didn't make any sense to him... Maybe she was afraid the bronzeriders would be confused and Chase her? That might have made sense. Aslath said something about humans sometimes Flying each other even when they weren't Rising.... A troubling thought indeed.

[kysseh]

They were moving, Savitri noted. Ka'rys was obviously far stronger and more fit than she had guessed previously, and she had given him a very, very favorable sort of guess. Her gaze drifted to his upper arms as he made motions to row, and she felt a need to run her hands over those arms, that chest, to feel the power as he moved. That definitely was not allowed, though, so she stayed put where she was, just hugging his pillow to her chest and watching him. His voice was putting her to sleep, but she fought to keep her eyes open. She would watch him, yes. That would keep her from nodding off here in this highly unsafe position.

They were getting close, she noted, her eyes flicking to the surroundings before alighting back on him. Wait... what had he just said? Something about her and Hepaticath being best in the class, she thought. They wanted to be the best, sure, but that was not the first thing on her mind right now. No, her mind was on his beautiful muscles and on her nearing bed. Bed... blessed bed! She wanted to bury herself in it and not come out for awhile. "Wanna visit you. Your bed is too squishy, though. Bad for the back," she muttered, snuggling the side of her face into the pillow and closing her eyes to-

She lifted her head just enough to give him a look of mild annoyance. "Carry.... no, no carrying. I c'n walk on my own," she grumbled. Tired and bleary green eyes kept closing and then jerking open. She wanted to sleep, but she had to wait... had to wait until she got back. "Cath wants to cuddle with 'im... later sometime." She wanted to cuddle with the two dragons as well, but that was not going to happen until she got proper sleep on a proper bed. That would be more important. "We there yet?" She wanted to get to sleep now.

He was teasing her, Ciceroth was! Hepaticath chased him with gusto, trying to snag that tantalizing tail that was wiggling and waggling just out of her short reach. She was quick, but he was twice her size still. Not for long, though! No, she would catch or surpass him in size, and then it would be a far more fair competition. She was having fun, though, so she could scarcely complain. The little gold crooned affectionately at her much larger playmate as they hopped along, enjoying it very, very much.

There was a suddenly halt in movement, and Cath, head lowered, ran slap into Ciceroth's rump end with her head. She crooned her apologies.I am sorry. I was looking at your tail and was not paying attention very well. she admitted with much chagrin, moving up beside him to nose his shoulder in obvious apology. His questions had her tilting her shining head, wondering. Had she been afraid? No, I was not afraid of anything except that she was afraid. That made me upset. Mine is not a silly creature and does not get frightened often. That admission made her pause, thinking. I think... she was afraid that someone would try to Chase her. I do not know why. She was thinking something about it some, but then she told me to not worry.

Hepaticath had worried anyway.

[glamourie]

His bed was too squishy? Ka'rys squinted, then huffed indignantly. His bed was just fine. Warm, covered in furs, lovely and so deliciously comfortable. It wasn't bad for anything. It was like piling into a great big mess of pillows, and he adored it. Honestly, he'd tried the whole cot-with-furs approach most riders had, and if he had to, he could sleep on that well enough... but Ka'rys liked his big pile. Spill-off from sleeping in abandoned furs as a child, it likely was, but he still liked it nonetheless. There was something entirely comforting about his furs. Everyone had their triggers; that was one of his. He chose not to argue, though, as he doubted Savitri would ever understand and it would be unfair to get into a debate with her when she was clearly not at her best. Especially not one he was sure he could win. He was too proud for his own good, and most thoroughly convinced that if he was going to argue, he was going to argue to win. That might have been childish, but Ka'rys never claimed to be an excessively mature sort. He didn't like wasting energy.

Besides, she was definitely falling asleep, although her protests to him carrying her were amusing. He'd once been told that women enjoyed being treated as if they were fragile from time to time. Savitri definitely implied that to be a lie. She seemed insistent on proving her own capabilities, which was funny, since Ka'rys did not think her helpless by any means. He kept that to himself, probably wisely, and instead continued to row. Just as she questioned, they arrived at the docks and he snorted.

"Yes, we're there. She's welcome to come visit him any time she wants. Ciceroth likes her," Ka'rys replied as he climbed out of the boat and secured it to the dock with the ropes that hung into the water. The layout of the Weyr really was irritating. Sometimes he wished that it was possible to simply walk everywhere. Definitely a minus in the defense department, too. No real escape routes. Keeping his condescending thoughts to himself, Ka'rys held his hand out for Savitri to take and then inquired curiously, "When is your next shift in the infirmary?" He was going to tell Kalierre that Savitri would not be able to make it - whether Savitri liked it or not. She wasn't ready to be going back to work. What she needed to do was rest for about a day. That thought brought another, and he added to his question quietly, "And what chores do you have for today - or classes?"

Just as he stopped, a weight hit him in the backside and Ciceroth rumbled slightly before looking over at Hepaticath. His eyes whirled in concern and amusement; he was unharmed, but of course, that could be attributed to the fact that he was still considerably larger than she was and most definitely more firmly rooted to the ground. Was she hurt? From the apology, she didn't seem to be, but Ciceroth leaned over to nudge the young gold in the side just to be sure. She didn't seem to be going that fast. Hmm, there was a slight stinging in his rump. Comically enough, he was reminded of the little tree and her warning that it would swat him if he was not careful. In his opinion, she was much more dangerous than any baby tree.

That's all right. Are you hurt? he inquired, nudging her again. She didn't look hurt... and from her speaking he was guessing she wasn't. He flipped his tail and then bounced forward a step, waiting for her to catch up. They were almost there. Rysmine would not let anyone Chase her unless she wanted to Fly. He wouldn't. It was meant to be comforting, but also truthful; he'd felt just how worried His was at the very idea that anyone could hurt Savitri. There were few people who RysHis cared about, but she was one of them, and he'd been most certainly alarmed. Protective, yes. He was protective. She should worry less.

[kysseh]

"She likes him too. Likes all the bronzes but likes him best. She wouldn't tell anyone but me, though. It's rude..." Savitri murmured as she recognized the shoreline. The weyrling barracks were near. Some stairs, some hallways... and then she would be free to crash into her bed. The pillow in her arms and the blanket in her bag would make for cozy cuddling-things too, and she very much looked forward to nesting herself into the small quantity of blankets and furs on her bed. She liked nests. They made her feel warm, secure, safe. Nothing could compare with a comfy nests of pillows and blankets. Well... a kitten like Aliscia's Pie would help, but Savitri could not have one of those. Not yet, anyway.

One graceful, capable hand lifted to slide into his, and the young woman clung tightly to her pillow and his hand, climbing wearily out of the boat and onto the dock beside him. Shoulder to shoulder, she felt more stable and secure, and she stayed for a moment to take strength from that. Then she moved off toward the barracks and tugged him along. Her pace was somewhere between trudging and a slow walk, but she was moving fairly quickly for how tired she was, or so it seemed to her biased opinion. She wanted to sleep, and she wanted to sleep now.

"Done with chores. Not on a shift for another... day or so, I think. I'll remember when I wake up," she added, tugging insistently, if a bit weakly, at his hand. "Hurry up. I need sleep." Never, ever argue with a woman on a mission, and Savitri's eyes were fixated in the direction of the barracks, wanting to get there much faster. Did she realize how whiny and childish she sounded? Yes? Did she care? Of course not. "Are Cath and Ciceroth here... I don't see them."

I am not hurt. I am sorry, Ciceroth. Hepaticath said with a gentle croon, responding to his nudge with a little flurry of wings to indicate her appreciation of his easygoing attitude toward her youthful inattentiveness and clumsy movements. She lifted her shining head to nuzzle him, but he was already moving off. Her legs splayed in initial clumsiness at her surprise, and then her legs moved in quick succession to follow, her whirling eyes focusing on his moving tail. She would catch it... eventually.

Ciceroth's comforting words meant a great deal to her, and she hopped quickly to try to match his pace, rumbling affectionately to her much larger playmate and companion. SavitriHers would be very reassured to hear that, Hepaticath was sure. I am glad that Yours would protect her like I do. I hope she worries less. When she thinks too much, she can not sleep well. She does everything else well, though. Yes, even while sleep-deprived, Savitri was a productive personality.