Soothing Sounds (Open)

[kysseh]

((This is a post-Hatching RP, by the way. People with adult or weyrling dragons are most welcome. <3 Actually, anyone is welcome, but I don't think people want to submit their poor defenseless humans to the wrath of Tanith.))

Dawn was a candlemark or so off, but there was a pair of lifemates up early before Rukbat's rise, watching the slowly-lightening sky. The drumheights offered a place of solitude in the early morning, and the sounds of the waterfall offered a peaceful background to the already tranquil scene. Few creatures would be up at this hour of the day, and Aliscia and Tanith were among those rare few. Peace was a rarity in this weyr, with so much activity leading up to the Hatching. The greenrider was well and sick of dealing with whiny, snobby, and arrogant candidates. These few moments of peace were most welcome in their hectic lives.

Bending her neck from where she had been staring at the sky, Tanith bumped her wide head against her rider, crooning softly in a rare show of wholehearted affection. The green was grateful for the end of the candidatemaster duties for the moment, hoping that the duties would not come back around to Hers. She wanted Aliscia all to herself. Aliscia did not need the annoyances of the young hopefuls; she needed peace and quiet.

The gesture surprised Aliscia, and the greenrider hesitated a moment before raising a hand to scratch the green's dark eyeridges, looking into the whirling blue-green eye. It was rare that the aggressive green calmed as such, and the woman was grateful for the respite. Tanith was unruly at best, so a moment of quiet time to reaffirm their bond was a rarity. The greenrider had dressed rather sparingly in a lightweight shirt, boots, and pants, an outfit that outlined the femininity of the woman's petite figure. She usually dressed a little heavier to hide her wider hips, but since she was not expecting company, she had foregone such measures.

As it was, the two made a temptingly vulnerable scene there on the heights, a safe distance from the falls. Tanith, her neck arched around to watch Hers, was crooning loudly. Aliscia had an unusually soft expression expression on her scarred face, leaning against the green's well-muscled shoulder. It was a tableau of devotion, a scene just begging to be disturbed by some catastrophe or another.

[rynnti]

S’dar slipped into his loose-fitting dark brown clothes shortly after light began to filter into his Weyr. He was one of the few who had actually gotten a good night’s sleep after the Hatching, but that was probably because he wasn’t out celebrating with any of the new weyrlings. He had considered visiting his younger brother, but he decided that Desi would rather he didn’t. His younger brother was generally out with his watchwher as soon as the sun went down, and the bronze Dessk wasn’t exactly fond of his handler’s older brother. S’dar suspected that it was because of Edenth. Desi used to talk about how much Dessk disliked dragons, firelizards, and salamandyrs. The bluerider knew that not all watchwhers were so reserved, but it only made sense that whers would have as wide a variety of personalities as their larger cousins. After all, Edenth was fairly reserved for a blue dragon. Not so reserved that he hated all draconic species outside his own, but Dessk just happened to have an extreme personality. A lot of bronzes did, as far as S’dar knew.

The bluerider gently stroke his Bondmate’s neck. It had been ten Turns since the Hatching where they were brought together. S’dar smiled fondly at the memory. He had always tried to explain it to Desi. The younger boy just never understood. Well, now he did. Desi even came to S’dar to apologize after he Impressed Dessk. “I don’t understand how anyone can live without their better half,” he crooned to Edenth. The deep blue dragon rumbled in agreement. /That’s why hatchlings go between when they don’t Impress./ The dragon lovingly nudged his rider with his head. “But dragons are born with more sensibility than people,” S’dar replied.

/Would you like to go for a short flight, Mine?/ Edenth’s eyes began to swirl excitedly. It had been a while since the two had been able to simply enjoy each other’s presence. There was no better calm than that the morning after a Hatching. “There is nothing I would rather do,” S’dar agreed as he crawled onto the neck of his dragon. “I don’t believe we need any of our riding gear.” Edenth crooned his wholehearted agreement and the pair began their excursion around the Weyr.

As they neared the Drumheights, Edenth began his descent. /Let us land here. It should be quiet and peaceful this early in the morning. Caressing Edenth’s neck, S’dar agreed. /It will be nice to get away from everyone./ Edenth landed softly, following his rider off of his neck with his head. Edenth crooned to his rider, playfully nudging him with his head. It had been so long since they had actually been able to play! A wide grin quickly appeared on the almost 30 Turn old’s face. He knew just the game, although now his dragon would have a ridiculously unfair advantage. S’dar tapped Edenth on the shoulder and began sprinting off in the other direction. Edenth rumbled excitedly. They had played tag in the last five turns. Unfortunately for the pair, S’dar wasn’t looking where he was going as he dashed away from his Bondmate. After all, he had to look over his shoulder at Edenth to make sure he could avoid the blue’s tag! S’dar ran right into Aliscia. Edenth managed to stop in his tracks before he, too, collided with the green and her rider. “I’m so sorry!” S’dar stammered, completely caught off guard by the unexpected collision.

[kysseh]

Tanith heard the intruders a brief instant before she saw the impending disaster, and the green's body language changed from affectionate to hostile in an instant, tensing from head to tailtip as she angrily shrieked a warning. The warning went unheeded, of course, and she snapped her powerful jaws at the offending man, her eyes whirling a furious red. //Get away from Mine!// she snarled angrily, aiming her comment at both the man who had collided with Hers and the blue who just barely avoided collision as well. How dare they intrude upon the time of Tanith and Hers! She snapped her jaws in the air just above the man's head as a more forceful warning, not willing to give them an second more of time in her little space.

Tanith's sudden shriek alerted Aliscia, and then she found herself slammed into, staggered drastically off balance by the sudden hit. Furious at herself for being caught off guard, the greenrider used a hand on her dragon's shoulder to catch herself and then spun around, hand instinctively going for her belt knife for protection's sake. She relaxed her guard almost immediately as soon as she saw the pair, snorting in annoyance as she realized it was a Selenitas pair. Soft ones, these dragonriders, in comparison to those she knew before. They were nothing to fear, except as a source of extreme annoyance.

"You're forgiven, so long as you don't do it again," she replied bluntly, upset that she and Tanith had been seen in such a vulnerable state. She glanced up at Tanith's head, which was snaking back and forth, the green dragon emitting furious hisses in an attempt to get the pair to back off. Shards, Tanny, let it go. They're too soft to fight you. she told the green. The petite greenrider immediately rolled her eyes as the green refused to back down, "Shardit, Tanith, knock it off! They wouldn't last ten minutes in a fight," she growled up at the dragon, gratified when the green reluctantly toned down her aggressive display. She fervently hoped this was just a freakishly sudden response on the green's part. The last thing she needed was Tanith Rising soon.

[rynnti]

Edenth snarled at the green dragon as she snapped at the air above His. What about this being an accident didn’t the other dragon understand? Edenth moved a few steps forward, some red beginning to whirl in his eyes. He was normally a calm dragon, but he wouldn’t stand for it when His was threatened. /It was only an accident, do we really need to react so harshly?/ The blue was still trying to avoid some kind of confrontation. Maybe he could reason with the strangely aggressive green? Honestly, he couldn’t figure out what had made the dragon so… mean. It was only a bump, and both riders were completely fine!

S’dar backed away as the green dragon began to snap and hiss at him. His arm immediately went out to his side, searching for his own dragon’s shoulder. He found it a bit sooner than he had expected. Great, Edenth was moving closer to protect him. He’d rather backup even farther away from the aggressive pair. “It won’t happen again. We were simply taking advantage of the solitude the Drumheights can offer,” he looked momentarily away from the hissing dragon and her rider to stroke Edenth’s face. He didn’t approve of the red beginning to join the blue dragon’s typically blue-green eyes. Some of the red faded with the rider’s touch, but Edenth refused to look away from Tanith and Aliscia. He didn’t trust them. S’dar shouldn’t either. The bluerider patted his dragon’s face before returning his gaze to Aliscia. He was trying to tune out her dragon’s hissing. With such an aggressive display, S’dar half-expected the green to begin glowing and Rise here and now! /If she did, I wouldn’t Chase her./ Edenth informed his rider as he snorted at the green dragon. At least she had stopped hissing at them. Honestly, it was like the other dragon was expecting them to fight! Where did she think she was? Benden?

“Why were you two up on the Drumheights?” S’dar asked. He had explained himself, now it was her turn. After all, she and her dragon had seemed so critical of he and Edenth enjoying each other’s company. Now it was his turn to be critical of her and her green. S’dar’s gaze softened for a brief moment: he couldn’t quite place this pair. He would have remembered them, for he had never met a dragon as violent and harsh as hers. /Should we introduce ourselves, Edenth?/ He asked his dragon. He knew what the answer would be. /Mine, why would we introduce ourselves to these two? They’ve been nothing but hostile towards us!/[/color][/i] S’dar sighed deeply as he pondered the idea. /It’s only polite, Edenth./ The blue dragon snorted again. /They aren’t polite to us, so we shouldn’t be polite to them./ The dragon wasn’t about to change his opinion anytime soon. S’dar, on the other hand, felt horrible being so cold to the greenrider simply because her dragon wasn’t friendly. That’s how wars began: when two sides got into a scuffle and both were too proud to remember their manners.

“I’m…” He paused briefly, was he sure this was what he wanted to do? He knew Edenth didn’t approve, but his dark blue Bondmate would take a while to accept this pair after such a hostile greeting. “I’m S’dar, and this is Edenth. I really do apologize for interrupting you two.” /And don’t you dare tell them otherwise!/ S’dar warned his dragon before the blue told Tanith and her rider that he didn’t apologize for anything.

[kysseh]

The blue's angry snarl registered a bit belatedly in Tanith's mind, and she responded to it with an enraged hiss of her own. Stupid blue... thinking he could boss her around! His had made the mistake in getting near Hers, and she was taking the appropriate measures in scaring the puny human male off to make sure that such an offense would not be repeated. //You, perhaps not, but I will protect Mine, even from idiots such as yourselves.// she told the blue, a tone of distinct disdain in her mental voice.

Seeing that the other rider was at least attempting to soothe his dragon, Aliscia took a moment to focus her attention on the angry green beside her, performing a few quick mental calculations. No, Tanith was not near that point in her heat cycle yet. She narrowed her eyes in her scarred face, looking up at the head that swayed back and forth above hers and trying to get a sense for what had so enraged Tanith. It had been the shock, she decided, as well as the instinct to fight. Well, they were not in Benden anymore, and if they wanted to stay, it would require some adjustments. Tanith, stop it. They're not going to attack, and /you/ are not going to pick a fight with that blue... she began warningly, only slightly mollified when the dragon arched her neck to bring her head back closer to Aliscia, her attitude more possessive than aggressive. That was an improvement, at least.

"We were escaping the remains of the candidates. After a few sevendays of trying to beat some sense into their brains, we needed a break. By Faranth, I'm glad the Hatching is over," she said a bit more sharply than she intended to, blowing out a frustrated breath at the memory of the quarrelsome and arrogant group, with the few worthwhile exceptions, like the weyrborn girl who had Impressed the little green and, of course, Savitri. At the very thought of that, she caught a faint feeling of smugness from her dragon, and she turned to look at the green, whose eyes were slowly fading from red. "What now, Tanny?!"

//I told you so.// the green replied smugly, loud enough for the blue and His to hear. She had known all along that the healer was a worthy candidate, and Hers had not believed her. She would now!

Seeking patience, Aliscia chose not to respond and turned her attention back to the pair of males in front of them just in time to hear the introduction the man offered. His apology seemed genuine enough, but she was not about to let her guard down. Old habits died hard. "Aliscia. This is Tanith," she replied shortly, her dragon punctuating the introduction with a loud snort. "Don't be offended; she doesn't like much of anyone." Tanith, I swear by Faranth's egg, if you hiss like that /one/ more time in my ear...

[rynnti]

“I can understand wanting to escape the Candidates,” S’dar replied calmly. Good, things were starting to calm back down. Her dragon was no longer snarling angrily, and they were having the beginnings of a conversation. “One of the boys Edenth and I Searched Impressed the brown with markings around his eyes. Moritz, I believe,” S’dar added, just as much to himself as to Aliscia. He hadn’t been sure about the tiny lad, but Edenth hadn’t had any doubt. Not to say that the blue ever doubted any of those he Searched. Nearly all of the Candidates Searched by S’dar and Edenth Impressed at their first Hatching. Those that didn’t Impress the first time, most certainly did the second. His dragon was simply good at sensing whatever it was new dragonets looked for. /Naturally./ His dragon smugly added. Very few had the amazing Searching record that Edenth did. Certainly this Tanith was mediocre, at best, when it came to finding appropriate Candidates. After all, Searchdragons had to be calm and relaxed. Such violent behavior would only scare off potential dragonriders.

“Really? She definitely came off as the overly-friendly type,” S’dar joked. He hoped the green dragon wouldn’t be offended by it. She seemed like the type who would want to maul him for simply saying the name of her rider in the wrong pitch. /If she even moves her head too close to you, I will step in. / Edenth comforted His. He didn’t understand how S’dar could be so…jovial towards such a hostile pair. His was simply too forgiving. If he was that forgiving… Well, not too much would be different actually. He’d be letting his guard down against this pair, that’s what would be different. Edenth didn’t want to let his guard down, only to have His ruthlessly mauled by the vicious green Tanith! /Edenth, I really don’t think I’m going to be viciously mauled. Calm down, you’re starting to sound like a Weyrling again./ S’dar looked up to Edenth once more, happy to see that nearly all of the red had disappeared from his eyes. The blue was simply overreacting to the harsh welcome. Edenth wasn’t used to being treated so poorly, and he clearly wasn’t taking it well. /I am calm, Mine. I am only keeping your well-being in my best interest./ S’dar nodded. His dragon had calmed down a lot since Tanith had snapped at them.

He turned his full attention back towards Aliscia, this time looking over her carefully. He had kind of been too focused on her dragon before. The first thing he noticed, of course, was the heavy scarring on her face. Shards, what had done that? Would it be okay for him to ask her what had happened? Well, it couldn’t hurt too much. He only had to worry about her dragon’s wrath, and he did have Edenth to either help protect him or help him to escape. “What happened to your face? The scars?” It looked like the girl had been attacked by some kind of draconic creature. Had her dragon gone on a rampage? The only reason S’dar knew what that looked like was some scar tissue on his leg. His family hadn’t had a chance to tell him that his younger brother had Impressed a watchwher, and Desi’s young bronze hadn’t been expecting company when S’dar came in to surprise Desi. Dessk had gone for S’dar’s leg, waking up Desi and forever preventing any kind of close friendship between Edenth and Dessk. Not that Dessk would ever tolerate the company of a dragon… /Nor would any dragon tolerate the company of that impudent watchwher./ Edenth added.

[kysseh]

Aliscia chuckled dryly, chin-length hair brushing her face as she shook her head with something resembling a smirk. "When you've attempted to teach a candidate lesson with a room full of arrogant, self-assured brats, we can speak about escaping candidates," she informed him. The greenrider reached up to scratch her green's eyeridges, pleased to see that the dragon had calmed from her anger and was merely sulking now, giving Edenth a look of intense dislike. Rolling her eyes at her dragon's finicky tendencies, Aliscia otherwise ignored the green's mental grumblings about the soft bluffing of the other dragon. Commenting would only incite her further.

"M'ritz now, I'm assuming. Tanith and I don't Search, but she was the one who convinced me that the healer was worth putting on the Sands. She doesn't get a good read often, but her instincts were right this time," she said, giving the green a light slap on the nose when the dragon let out a smug snort. She almost regretted saying it, simply because she knew that Tanith would be fixated on it for months to come. "Yes, you were right. Shut up," she growled up at the dark and scarred head hovering near her own, the whirling eyes returning to a contented blue-green. "I still say it was a fluke."

//Whatever the case, I was right.// Tanith tossed her head much like a runnerbeast would, neck arched to keep her head near on level with Aliscia. The blue was calmed down and looking relaxed, which amused Tanith to no end. She had a brief thought of feinting an attack while he was not alert, but a stern thought from Hers quickly changed her mind. She returned to sulking. Fine. She would get back at the dark, dark blue later, in some way.

Aliscia, having been momentarily distracted by Tanith's plotting, did not see the look that S'dar was giving her until his gaze focused on her face, and then instinct made her turn her face sharply toward the bluerider, aware that she was being examined. She snorted lightly. Of course they would look at her face first. "Dragon on dragon combat. I didn't duck fast enough," she said simply, feeling Tanith's rumblings of discontent at the memories. She scarcely minded the scars now but for the tightness in the skin on the occasion, but Tanith had been livid at the time. The unfortunate dragon who dealt the blow had found himself suffering from two sharply-taloned forefeet in his face, and one of his eyes had been destroyed beyond hope of recovery. Tanith had been content with that damage, if not wholly satisfied.

[rynnti]

“Oh,” the bluerider replied as he looked away from Aliscia. Well, that was one of the last things he had been expecting. It certainly explained her dragon’s violent personality, though. The green’s hostility probably came in handy in dragon-on-dragon combat. S’dar shuddered a little bit at the thought. The North was really going too far. Fighting, killing the weyrlings of other Weyrs, and carrying on this unnecessary war. He just didn’t see how anyone could do such wretched things! Realizing that if he looked away much longer it would be a noticeable pause, he brought his dark blue eyes back up to meet Aliscia’s. “That certainly sounds…pleasant, S’dar had a hard time trying to sound nonchalant. Since he had been in the Weyr, he had never found the concept of dragons fighting other dragons. /Edenth, do not instigate anything with Tanith./ If Aliscia had gotten so scarred up while fighting other dragons, S’dar felt certain that Tanith was a more than capable fighter. She certainly had the personality and build of a fighter. His protective blue wouldn’t have a chance…

/Mine, I think you need to stop worrying so much. You were completely fine when Tanith was threateningly snapping at your face. But now when she has calmed down, and you hear that they were in dragon-on-dragon combat, it’s suddenly not okay?/ Edenth paused, letting his rider think about what he had just said. When he could tell it was sinking in, Edenth began again. /You place too much emphasis on words and history. The threat has clearly passed./ The blue dragon paused briefly, keeping his eyes focused on Tanith. /At least for now, anyway./ The blue dragon was not going to trust the green. No, she would have to earn that. He was, however, not going to judge her by her past. It was not her fault that she had been born at Benden and placed into a fighting wing. There was no way she could have helped that. What she could have helped was the way she overreacted when His bumped into Hers. If Aliscia had been running around and accidently collided with S’dar, Edenth would never have snapped at her. /But I have a hunch that Tanith isn’t as forgiving or understanding as you are, Edenth./ He was glad his dragon had finally completely calmed down. The last thing he needed was the very dark blue dragon trying to start something with the very masculine green. Even if Edenth felt that one’s past was not something to hold against them, S’dar was very aware that Tanith had fighting experience and that Edenth did not. /I could fly faster than her, Mine. She’s too bulky./ S’dar looked up at Edenth, raising both of his eyebrows. /But she probably has more stamina./ Edenth snorted at his rider. All he would really have to do was fly a little bit farther than the green, and then go between to escape. He had already gotten all of this planned out when S’dar was trying to become friends with Aliscia. S’dar shook his head before returning his attention to the greenrider.

What else could he talk about with her? This was why S’dar didn’t have too many friends. With people that he didn’t know very well, this was generally the point in the conversation where both parties said goodbye and went their separate ways. On the Drumheights, with clearly no work to do, he couldn’t exactly pull that off without making it seem like he was frightened or intimidated by Aliscia and Tanith. And though he was a little bit intimidated, it would be just plain rude to let that show. “How long have you been at Selenitas?” It was the only thing he could think to ask. Well, the only question he could think to ask that wasn’t ridiculously personal. Otherwise, he would have simply asked something about her past. Hopefully she would start opening up and asking him some questions soon… He had no idea where else to steer their conversation.

[kysseh]

Aliscia was unsurprised, if a little nettled, that S'dar turned his face away so soon. Most people could not stand to look at her for long without wincing, whether because of the sheer ugliness of the scars or the thought of how she received them. She honestly cared little what they thought, but it did rankle that no one could look her in the face. He must think we're some sort of... savages. she mused up at Tanith, earning a disgusted snort from the green in response.

//He just does not understand the concept of fighting. They are too simple-minded for it.// Though the green was still sulking about not being able to pick a fight with the dragon before her, her tone was still a tad too gleefully bullying. It pleased her to think of the two as helpless idiots.

"No, not pleasant at all. Gratifying, though, to wipe the self-assured smirk off a bronzerider's face when he thinks he can rip you out of the sky simply because you're smaller," Aliscia stated bluntly, noting their silence. She had a feeling that the blue and his rider were conferring about her and the scarred green that was hovering protectively just beside her, and it was slightly amusing. She had to wonder if they feared she and Tanith or were simply trying to decide how best to respond. Either way, it was both irritating and mildly engaging to watch.

//The Dark One does not like me. He is too soft.// Tanith said all too smugly, seemingly unbothered by the unworthy male's lack of attention for her. Aliscia minded little. The rider's mildly feminine appearance gave her the inclination that he did not care for her too much that way, which suited her just fine. She had had enough of openly lusting gazes and groping hands. The next one to try it would receive the butt of her knife to the nose and a swift kick to the groin.

His attempt at conversation startled the greenpair from their quiet amusement, and Aliscia arched a graceful eyebrow. "Since just before Aslath clutched. You've been here since Edenth hatched...?" It was as much statement as question. She doubted he had been anywhere near the mess in the North, or else they would be sporting far, far more scars. "You haven't seen any fighting," she added, her tone a mixture of envy and faint smugness. Shards, but she wished for the kind of peace he took for granted, the kind she would never get. At the same time, though, it pleased her just a bit to know that she was far safer here than she thought. Apparently, the softer Selenitas-born riders were not as prone to violence. That was a distinct advantage.

[rynnti]

Hearing Aliscia talk about the bronzerider, S’dar could only manage an awkward smile and nod. Hearing talk of dragonriders fighting other dragonriders was so foreign to him. He just couldn’t grasp how such horrible violence could become so commonplace. The green pair was acting as if the story could have happened on any normal day. They would probably be surprised to hear that he and Edenth had never been in a fight. Shards, S’dar hadn’t even gotten into fights when he lived at Hyphen Hold. He had never even been truly bullied. On second thought, Aliscia and Tanith probably wouldn’t be that surprised at all. They had been interrupted by a full-grown bluerider playing tag with his dragon. They were probably expecting him to mention how much he loved cooking and sewing. (Granted, he could make an excellent bubbly pie, but that was only because he used to help his mother out in the kitchen.)

“Yes, I have,” S’dar replied. A small smile began to reappear on the bluerider’s gentle face. He could never think of Edenth’s hatching with anything but happiness and fondness. He was starting to realize how sheltered Selenitas Weyr was. It was obvious which riders were from the South: they were the only ones lacking in scars. He shook his head as Aliscia asked her next question, “Never.” He felt so inexperienced around Aliscia. He was a good Searchrider and a good Wingrider, but he had never had to resort to violence for anything. He just didn’t get into fights. That was either the curse or the blessing of being so laid-back and quiet. He was already continuing the conversation with Aliscia far longer than he would normally continue any other. /You have had conversations this long before./ His dragon reminded him. /Since when?/ S’dar had to actually stop and think about it. He was drawing a blank. By Faranth’s egg, whatever was his dragon talking about? /And always with greenriders. Usually they happen to be better equipped than this one./ S’dar didn’t find the statement nearly as funny as his dragon did. /Jabs at my sexuality are way below the belt, sir./ S’dar warned his dragon. Edenth had to keep in mind that it was S’dar who oiled him and scrubbed sweetsand over the really itchy places on the blue’s back.

“You know, I really think you two would get along with my brother’s watchwher,” he had a warm smile on his face. He couldn’t think of anyone else he would rather see interact with Tanith. Then again, he and Dessk really didn’t get along. /S’dar, I don’t particularly like Dessk either, but I do believe that Desi would kill you for putting his watchwher into harm’s way./ The dragon said this for Aliscia and Tanith to hear as well. As interesting as a fight between the watchwher and the green dragon would be, Edenth really didn’t want to see the result. “I was joking.” S’dar clarified, waggling a slender finger at his dragon. “I wouldn’t actually want Dessk to meet Tanith. I have a feeling that the two would have clashing personalities.”

[kysseh]

S'dar was uncomfortable with their conversation topic, it seemed, which both amused and annoyed the greenrider. There were few people on this continent who could understand the thrills and terrors of dragonback combat. She enjoyed taking pride in Tanith's abilities, in her own abilities. But the thought of rending such helpless creatures to pieces was... disturbing, at best. What shreds of maternal instinct she had left were festering at the idea of it, and she tamped it down as firmly as she could. The last thing she needed right now was to think about children, by the Egg.

Born and raised in the South, never having been forced to fight, never having to see friends and family--and weyrmates--brutally killed... yes, they had had a soft life. Aliscia was very glad that the two males seemed to be distracted with talking to each other, for the expression of envy that flitted across her face was one that she could not control. They seemed to take their happiness for granted, and the greenrider had a brief thought of what her life could have been like if she had spent her life and Tanith's here. A weyrmate... a child or two... no uncomfortable scars.

//I would've been bored, though. Besides, this is a good weyr. I will find you an appropriately subservient mate.// Tanith reassured Hers, tilting her head to look fondly down at the petite rider who stood with her arms crossed. Hers was slightly jealous of the peace that the males had, and it bothered Tanith that the males should be so rude as to upset Hers.

Both females gave an undignified snort at the thought of Tanith interacting with a watchwher, though Tanith's was accompanied by a hiss of displeasuret. "'Clashing personalities' is too mild," Aliscia stated firmly, having no doubts that Tanith would happily smite the wher and continue on with her life as if nothing had happened. The greenrider privately thought she would rather enjoy the show, but she would rather them not get kicked out of the weyr. She shook her head, rolling her dainty eyes at the very thought of it. Shards, but that would be an unmitigated disaster. "She would probably eat the creature alive if he so much as looked at her wrong.... or just inhaled improperly, for that matter."

Curiosity finally got the better of her, and Aliscia walked forward, toward the blue and his rider. She ignored S'dar for the moment and stepped to the opposite side of Edenth's head, much to Tanith's hissing displeasure. "He's a fine beast. Not too big or too small. Fairly good camouflage for night raids," she commented about Edenth as she looked over him with a critical and well-practiced, though she privately thought that her dragon was far better suited to flight and fighting. This blue did not look too terribly useless, though, even if he had been raised in a rather sheltered environment. "Not that either of you would ever get involved in one," she added dryly, extending her hand for Edenth to sniff at.

Behind her, Tanith was hissing softly with displeasure, not liking Hers so close to the Idiot and the Soft Blue Idiot and wishing that Hers would just allow her the tiniest bit of a heckle at the two. Really, they would be much more interesting with a facial rearrangement, courtesy of a pair of sharp claws...

[rynnti]

“It would not take him long to offend her. There have been days where Edenth wanted to eat Dessk,” S’dar admitted. He really did like visiting his brother; it was good to see the family. It was true that Dessk currently had a truce with the bluerider and his dragon, but who knew how long that would last? There had been a previous truce between S’dar and the watchwher, but it had been broken when S’dar joked about buying Desi a flitter egg. As it was, S’dar still planned to actually purchase an egg for his younger brother. He would never be able to be around the bronze watchwher ever again, but it wasn’t like he actually enjoyed being around the watchwher. It would just be much harder to visit his sibling. He could handle the inconvenience.

S’dar raised an eyebrow as Aliscia stepped forward to examine his dragon. He stifled a chuckle as Tanith hissed. He found it interesting how her dragon clearly couldn’t stand the inspection of Edenth, whilst Edenth only regarded Aliscia with mild curiosity. The blue dragon brought his head closer to Aliscia, inspecting the greenrider as she inspected him. He pulled his head back a little bit as she mentioned night raids. He may have the build and color for night raids, but he certainly did not possess the temperament for it. /And I most certainly do not judge you for that./ S’dar comforted his Bondmate. “No, we’re not really the raiding type,” S’dar agreed. Was that a hint of disappointment in her voice? What did she expect from a Selenitas pair? She was fully aware that he and Edenth had never been involved in fighting anything that wasn’t Thread. Edenth stretched his head back out to Aliscia’s hand, gingerly sniffing it. She wasn’t a bad person, really. She just had bad roots. The dark blue dragon gently nudged the greenrider’s hand, his form of approval. /She is nicer than she looks./ Edenth admitted to S’dar, making sure that both Tanith and Aliscia could hear him. /If she had an honorable contraction, I’d suggest that you start showing some interest./ The dragon added, this time so that only his rider could hear him. The bluerider turned towards his dragon, not at all enjoying the humorous glint in Edenth’s eyes.

/If Aliscia was a man, you would be trying much harder to attract Tanith’s attention. You’ve been trying to find me a weyrmate since you first participated in a Flight./ The blue dragon pulled his head away from Aliscia to snort at his rider. He wasn’t trying nearly as hard as S’dar made it seem like he was. At least he was courteous enough to only participate in Flights where the green’s rider was male. Some dragons didn’t keep the sexual preferences of their riders in mind and Chased every female dragon. /And, even if Aliscia was a man or I liked women that way, I really doubt you could earn Tanith’s favor./ Edenth snorted at his rider again before turning back to Aliscia. If she had a gentle streak, perhaps Tanith did too? The low hissing from behind Aliscia seemed to say otherwise.

Trying to sound a little less sheltered, S’dar inspected Tanith. He completed his look-over without moving closer, for he was certain the green would rearrange his smooth face if he got any closer. “I take it Tanith’s muscular build and broad wings make her very good at flying and fighting. And her mottled color provides excellent camouflage. I take it you two utilized her specialized body before coming to Selenitas?” He was trying as hard as he could to open his mind to the kind of past the green pair had endured. It was very possible that they were only so aggressive because of their upbringing. Shards, if his dragon could overlook their less-than-savory first impressions, he could too. He would probably never be morally okay with dragon-on-dragon combat, but he would try his hardest to stop dancing around the subject whenever Aliscia mentioned it. It was the least he could do.

[kysseh]

The petite greenrider chuckled wickedly at the thought of the blue attempting to gnaw on a bronze watchwher. She shook her head, smirking faintly. "Oh, I think Tanith would fight Edenth just for the privilege of eating the poor wher," she stated as Tanith nearly simultaneously added, loud enough for the two males to hear: //I'd get first bite. The Fat Soft Blue Thing is too slow.// The gleefully taunting edge to Tanith's voice made Aliscia want to swat the fearless green on the nose. That would only encourage her, though, so ignoring her jibes was the best option available.

"I didn't think you were. You'd get used to things quickly if you had to, though," the greenrider stated bluntly, offering up a faint but genuine smile as the dragon gave her hand a sniff. No, there was nothing even remotely dangerous about this pair, and she silently offered that point up to Tanith. The green's hissing slowly calmed until the dragon was merely grumbling about such an intrusion upon the attention that should be hers. Aliscia sent a soothing thought at the restive green, her smile broadening a bit as the blue nudged her hand and distracted her. She lightly patted his nose, standing on tiptoe to scratch his eyeridges a few times. Somewhere in the pit of her stomach, she felt ill at the memory of a long-lost weyrmate, of a blue that used to beg her to divide her attention between Tanith and him every morning.

Edenth's appropriately timed comment made her laugh, the action lighting up her eyes in a way that made Tanith let out a sudden croon. "Thank you, Edenth. Nice to know that I look that bad," she replied drolly, giving the blue an extra scratch to the eyeridges to let him now that she wasn't angry. She dropped back down to her heels and pulled her hand away when he looked toward his rider, knowing they were having a private conversation that she did not want to hear.

Tanith used the opening to dart forward and butt her head against Aliscia's side, glaring at the two males with obvious dislike. She was mollified by Aliscia's dutiful scratching of her eyeridges, though she let out an obligatory hiss when Edenth turned back toward Hers. //Shove off, Fat One. She is /Mine./// Her mistrust and dislike were obvious, though she made no move to aggress, satisfied by her rider's ease. She did not like them, but she would tolerate it, even though Aliscia raised a hand to pat the blue head that had turned back toward her.

S'dar's amateur overview of Tanith was amusing to both dragon and rider, and the green flared out her wide wings in response, unable to resist showing off the broader wing surface. "Good for camouflage and night flying, moving through trees. Wider wings give her greater maneuverability in tight spaces. Deep in the barrel for good flight muscles. She can flap her wings more often and harder to go faster, so she's no slower than the average green. She's worth more than a wingful of bronzes in the air. You don't want to get on the other side from us in a fight." The greenrider smirked a bit, eyebrow arched as she watched the bluerider flounder a bit with the explanation. "We have a nice diving attack that can smash pretty much anyone out of the sky if we have enough momentum." He seemed incredibly uncomfortable with the topic, which only amused her quite a bit.

[rynnti]

As Aliscia scratched his eyeridges, Edenth closed his eyes contentedly. There was a reason he enjoyed being a laid-back dragon: this was one of them. Calm, friendly dragons generally got more positive attention. Sure, he probably couldn’t fight another dragon to save his life. Out of the air, however, he was more than capable of distracting another dragon’s rider with his sweetness. The docility that would forever keep him from surviving in the North was helping him exceed in the South, as far as Searching went anyway. Holdbrats loved the gentle blue, and he could generally deal with their shenanigans.

“You don’t look that bad,” S’dar told Aliscia. “It’s more of the way you carry yourself,” he decided. When Tanith angrily glared at him and Edenth, S’dar raised a single eyebrow. “You’d also come off as nicer if Tanith didn’t feel the need to try and intimidate everyone you meet.” He was becoming less worried about being mauled by the green dragon. Aliscia was doing a very good job of calming her vicious beast. And even though the green had more fighting experience, he trusted that Edenth would be able to produce a counter attack to protect his rider so that the two would have a chance to flee. Not exactly a plan of bravery or courage, but pacifism is just as honorable as fighting. Isn’t it?

/You would be receiving more attention if you were a bit kinder./[/color] Edenth suggested. His would have given her a hand to sniff if she wasn’t so aggressive and hostile. S’dar was likely to lose a hand trying to scratch Tanith’s eyeridges. /And I’m not making her pet me or scratch my eyeridges. She is doing that of her own accord./[/color] He added as Tanith hissed yet again. That noise was really starting to get a little old. Must she always hiss? Maybe if the green were to lighten up a little bit she would discover the wide range of vocals that dragons possess. There were many more ways to display annoyance and anger and dislike that hissing. Their vocal chords weren’t put there just for speaking telepathically to their riders. Even Dessk was more creative with the spiteful noises that escaped his jaw.

S’dar was almost taken aback by the long list of advantages Tanith’s masculine body held. Was there any flaw in her, as far as a fighting dragon was concerned? Being very uninformed, and fairly uncomfortable, on the topic, S’dar couldn’t really. He certainly doubted it. “I’ll make sure I’m on your side next time I’m out fighting other dragons,” S’dar replied, more jokingly than sarcastically. Well, if he was ever going to have to fight other dragons, he certainly did want Tanith on his side. After this morning, he was certain the mottled green would love an excuse to severely injure himself and Edenth. Not exactly a pleasant thought, but the other dragon was still being extremely possessive. And Edenth enjoying a nice eyeridge scratching from Aliscia was not helping matters.

There had to be a way for him to tweak the subject a little bit. For Faranth’s sake, he felt like a virgin trying to have a conversation with a group of people telling sex stories. It was not allowing him to be as eloquent as he usually was. “Edenth wasn’t really built for fighting, but he certainly has the advantage over many dragons when it comes to a Search,” S’dar had tried to find a relatively similar topic to change to, and had already begun to fail. “The same solid dark blue that you feel would give him good camouflage at night is very pleasing to the eye during the day. He’s built very proportionately, also making him nice to look at for those who don’t often see dragons. He is built large enough to be impressive, yet small enough to prevent him from intimidating anyone. Most importantly, he is very calm and docile. He can deal with the tomfoolery of the youngest at a Hold, and liven up the day of the oldest. And, naturally, he’s just really good at finding potential dragonriders. Edenth is usually a good judge of character.” S’dar wasn’t sure if his short rant made him sound more or less suited to be a dragonrider, at least from the green pair’s point of view. /Always a good judge of character./[/color] Edenth added, not bothering to block his thoughts from Aliscia and Tanith.

[kysseh]

Aliscia was unable to keep an amused half-smile off her face as the blue closed his eyes beneath the attention, her amusement only growing at the mounting dislike that Tanith was emanating. Hush, Tanny. You know you're always first in my heart. she told the restive green, one hand on each dragon's eyeridges.

Her demeanor changed instantly at S'dar's comment, and her body tensed, shoulders straightening unconsciously. "If we wanted to come off as nicer, we'd do so. Unfortunately, good manners tends to be translated as submission, and I've learned the hard way that that usually yields trouble. Women are not looked kindly upon at Benden," she said abruptly, her eyes hardening a bit around the edges. His naivete was startling and disturbing. "Neither are men fond of other men. You'd have found yourself facing things far worse than ridicule or disdain." Her bluntness was not borne of dislike but of simple resignation. She had no wish to return to that life, to being manhandled and beat upon. She had been toughened by the experience, though she had her doubts that S'dar would have lasted that long. He seemed too... soft.

//Of her own accord and against my wishes. I do not need the attention of /Yours/. Only Mine's attention matters.// Tanith turned her head lightly to regard Edenth with one whirling eye, the arch of her neck and back portraying her tension. She did not like Hers being so close to such males, even if the human male was not interested in Hers. The green had long had to be witness to violent males hurting Aliscia, and she was not about to stand by and watch it happen again, no matter how kind the male seemed.

S'dar's attempt at a joke lightened the mood of both females, Aliscia letting out a dry chuckle while Tanith gave a low rumble of amusement, the green's eyes whirling just a bit faster. "I wouldn't worry about that. Tanith and I would much rather take an arrogant bronzerider out of the sky than waste our skills on a few soft creatures like you two," she said, though the faint hint of a smile and the softening around her eyes communicated her attempt at teasing. Many Turns of teasing only Tanith had left her social skills rusty, at best.

"I have no doubts of his abilities as a Search dragon." The greenrider gently gave Edenth an extra scratch to the eyeridges. "If you're a good judge of character, then why haven't you flown for the hills at the mere sight of Tanith? She is not very kind, you know," she inquired of the lovely blue, earning herself a rumble from her own dragon. //You are too kind, Mine. That is why you are broken and I am not.// the green said privately to her rider, crooning softly as she felt the flash of distress cross Aliscia's face and mind. It was true, if painful to face. //Do not let them touch your heart and hurt you.//