Licking Wounds (Kalierre)

[reqqy]

The weeping wouldn't stop. She wanted it to - willed it, even. Instead, Kalierre remained trapped within her own body, listening while a stranger sobbed and pleaded with her mouth, while a stranger clung to an injured man as if she were lost at sea and he was the only thing that could keep her afloat. The dragonhealer felt overwhelming disgust for this creature who usurped her body. She was only proving them right! All those people up north who had looked upon a female dragonhealer, a female healer, with disdain, humoring her with a smile as they disregarded everything she said. Oh, Kalierre knew that Fort - that Healer Hall - was just waiting for her to self-destruct down south. That's why they refused to send her anyone but untried apprentices and problem journeymen. Now she was proving them right. She couldn't handle it. After two turns, she simply wasn't strong enough. Tears of self-loathing mingled in with the rest.

Both parts of Kalierre - the part that had broken and the one that reviled that woman-child in silence - welcomed the hand that graced her head, that rubbed at her back in comfort. It only made her lose more control. If there had been a stiffening, if he'd struck her, the dragonhealer would have been shocked and hurt right out of her hysteria - but it would not solve the problem and it would likely put a wedge between them for an indeterminate amount of time. She needed his comfort right now. Anyone's comfort, and he was the closest. Even the small rational part of her didn't so much mind, though, that it was K'von, who was one of the few who looked at her and saw a woman, not just a dragonhealer - not just a dragonrider. Not just someone to be used when you needed her. That warmed her, and caused the tears to spill faster. How long since anyone had thought to comfort her, to be her strength? Turns.

Phremath's mind touched her, tentatively, sleepy words no less powerful for all that they sounded somewhat slurred passing from mind-to-mind. KaliMine? Why are you - sad? The young green sounded unsure. All of the emotions washing to her over their bond were confusing, conflicting, and she could not find the source in the screaming cacophony. Only the fact that fear wasn't one of them kept Phremath from taking flight right away and braving Between without Hers as an anchor to arrive at the infirmary.

The dragonhealer couldn't answer. Couldn't, but still, Phremath's concern and the dragon's weight on her mind did what K'von's touch couldn't. Kalierre struggled, reaching out for the fraying remnants of self-control to pull the mantle tighter around herself. The sobbing began to quiet, and though the tears still fell, her arms slackened, no longer seeming to attempt to crush the man's middle with their moderate strength.

Of course she didn't notice Savitri. If she had, Kalierre would have been mortified. If any one of her apprentices had seen her thus, she would have been. Bad enough that Phremath's Flight had taken her across the weyr and compelled her to try to leap off a cliff. Much more of such displays and what authority she might have would surely erode. You are okay? the green tried again. Phremath had risen, on the edge of her weyrledge now, distress whirling through the colors of her eyes and causing her wings to tremble. Y-yes. I think so. Just - tired. Just tired? She sounded a bit incredulous, but didn't allow Kali time to reply. You should sleep, then. The simplicity of the green's mind made Kalierre smile through her tears. Wise, wise dragon. An uncertain pause followed. Can you get to me all right, KaliMine?

Phremath was weighing the distress she'd cause Hers by making the flight to the infirmary on her own with the need to be there and bring Hers back to her weyr. I think so. Not entirely satisified, the dragon nevertheless allowed herself to relax just a bit, determining to come after Hers if the woman showed any further sign of emotional upheaval.

Gasping as he shook her, the reddened eyes turned up to him, wide and still leaking moisture. It took a moment for the words to filter through her mind. Dohulth's will bring me, the healer told her dragon, hoping it would help remove some of Phremath's concern. At her name, she attempted a smile. It was genuine enough, but shaky. "Thank you," she whispered, squeezing him slightly, but as she tried to rise again she found her feet didn't want to support her. The woman staggered and grabbed for his shoulder before she ended up falling over his knee and smacking the floor. Her body trembled slightly.

Allowing him to bear some of her weight while she attempted to regain her equilibrium, the woman glanced toward the now-empty door. "I need to tell someone -" Clearly, just the thought of leaving for a bit was restoring her reason. Or perhaps it was Phremath's soothing presence now holding her up. Either way, she didn't look on the brink of a mental breakdown anymore, though whether or not she was back on solid emotional footing was anyone's guess.

[kysseh]

K'von was loathe to stop touching her, and despite his intentions to stop smothering her with comfort, his hand continued to caress across her head and shoulders, lingering a bit on her hair just because he could, because she had not pulled away or cried out in rejection this time. He was finally able to touch her without the fear of it being only Phremath's proddiness influencing her behavior. Despite wishing it could have been under better circumstances, he could not dispute the fact that it was enjoyable to be comforting to another human being, to be useful, helpful.

Thoughts and wishes for better circumstances could wait, though, for he had a mission to accomplish. He needed to get back to her weyr and rest, and after that, he needed to be completely knocked out in some way, shape, or form. She was not the only one who needed sleep, after all. His legs hurt, his hand hurt, and his ego smarted, though the first two were slightly more pressing.

Dohulth was suddenly alert and on the edge of his weyrledge, alerted by the sight and sounds of motion a few weyrledges down. Phremath was awake and too close to the edge of her ledge for Dohulth's comfort, and despite the fact that he was surly over her unwarranted rejection, the instinct to protect took precedence over unfriendliness. He let out a soft rumble of reassurance, eyes whirling a little quicker in cautious concern as he watched the agitated green. It is all right, Phremath. Mine has Yours and will take care of her and bring her to you. His tone was polite, if just a bit too stiff, though he could not bring himself to be abrupt with her, not if K'von's description of Phremath's state was completely accurate. Phremath's sounded very distressed at the moment.

K'von released her to very gently swipe the tears from her face, however futile the gesture was. It had always made him feel better as a child, so he reasoned that she would at least derive some measure of comfort from it. Or, so he hoped. Her smile, however hesitant reassured him, and he smiled back down at her, resisting the urge to lean forward and plant one on her, to soothe that little tremble away with his own mouth. He had to mentally slap himself to keep his mind on the present task. No, she would not want this now, and he was not sure he wanted to be the one she rebounded to after the... disaster that was the Flight. Well, he saw it as a disaster. Who knew how she thought of it?

"You're welcome," he said softly, stroking his hand along her shoulder at her gentle squeeze. He made a move to stand as she did, quickly halting when she could not seem to orient herself properly, and K'von grunted softly as she grabbed at his shoulder, disturbing his wounded arm. It hurt fairly badly, but he quickly snuck his arm around her and held tightly, waiting for her to regain some sense of which way was up. "It's all right... I won't let you fall," he told her softly, squeezing his eyes shut tight for a moment at the unintended double entendre. That had been completely unintentional.

Upon re-opening his eyes, K'von noticed that she was looking toward the door, and he was momentarily confused. Tell someone- oh! "Taken care of. Hold on, I've got you," he warned her as he rose to his feet, holding her tightly enough to bring her up to her feet with him. "Feet go underneath of you." Of course, he could not resist just a light jab at her, just for the sake of amusement. Yes, feet belonged on the ground. She looked a little more in control now, which he counted as a victory. He released her for a brief second to tuck the bundle of healing supplies under his arm; he would need that very, very soon, most specifically that fellis. His more bestial side was going to be in a huff after such prolonged time without release. Flights always got him worked up.

"Think you can walk out to the platform with me? Dohulth can take us." Granted, Dohulth was keeping a cautious eye on Phremath, but the brown would do anything his rider asked, even if it wounded his still-injured pride to look at the lovely female who had so cruelly turned him down. "I'm in no shape to row a boat like this, and you aren't either." It was statement, not question, and he slipped an arm around her waist to reassure himself and her that she was stable on her feet. "Let's go before you change your mind."

[reqqy]

Phremath actually jumped slightly as the familiar voice sounded in her head. Dohulth? Her wings still aflutter from the mild startlement, she craned her neck upwards to see him. He seemed put out. Oh...yes...Now she remembered. A stab of remorse shot through her breast, but she was too concerned about the unusual influx of emotion from Hers to entertain it for overly long. Tell Yours I appreciate it. The green settled a bit, knowing that KaliMine wasn't about to make the rowing and the climbing all by herself, at the very least. She cast a furtive glance at Dohulth, but didn't know what to say. Phremath remembered the Flight in great detail. How she'd Chosen him, but Kali's anger had driven her toward Triniath. That couldn't be something he'd appreciated. The little green wasn't one to think ill of the brown who had Flown her, though she couldn't help but wonder what it would have been like to wake up next to Dohulth. To borrow his wings. Pretty, pretty wings. Shifting lightly from pillar to pillar, she again probed her rider's mental state, not quite at ease.

Kalierre was truly attempting to keep the tears from breaking loose again. She was just so grateful for K'von's comforting touch that her eyes refused to stop stinging, and her throat was clamping up. It was one thing to touch someone naked in a bathing pool during flirtation. Men didn't normally weather a woman's emotions so well. She must look completely ghastly, too, all worn out and red-faced. Not to mention the overwhelming numbweed smell. Did he just pity her? Unpleasant thought, though it was certainly possible. In fact, it was highly probable.

She pushed that thought aside as his arm encircled her, Kalierre's head falling into the crook of his neck. It hadn't been intentional, but now, with her face nuzzled up against him, the dragonhealer couldn't help but smell his salty, masculine scent. Even over the numbweed. The woman relaxed a bit. And no, she didn't really notice the play on words, not being well-versed with that particular part of the male mind - and being generally preoccupied with what her other senses were telling her. The fact that the infirmary was already taken care of left her with nothing to do but accept and borrow his strength. A momentary flicker of concern caused her to glance at the hand she'd just bandaged, but he seemed to be okay. Relatively speaking.

Naturally, Kalierre's head slipped from his shoulder as he moved to stand, their difference in height making it impossible for her to maintain that position, and her arms encircled his waist in an attempt to steady herself. Glancing up at K'von's unfair teasing - even if she was clinging to him tightly to regain her equilibrium - the woman snorted. "Feet go under me, yes. Like this?" Quite deliberately, the healer stepped on his foot, though she didn't put much weight on it. Of course she had no intention of actually hurting him. Apparently the exhausted, emotionally distraught Kalierre thought this quite clever, and distinegrated into a sea of giggles.

Still completely enthralled in her mirth - though it could easily be argued that she was still suffering from emotional overload - Kalierre tried to sober up a little as she nodded to his question. "Y-yes," she answered breathlessly. The dragonhealer removed her foot from his and tried to show this capability by moving forward, but he'd captured her waist and she didn't have nearly the energy to try to push against that muscular arm. Or maybe not the desire. Nice, warm arm.

"Mmm," she murmured. Likely, she would have laughed at his joke, but she was afraid she'd distintegrate into another round of helpless giggles. Some part of her found this whole thing very, very embarrassing. Kalierre was not an unemotional person, but she definitely was one with distinctly controlled emotions, and to have them hitting her so strong and unexpectedly was a point of shame for her.

Beginning to walk with him toward the entrance to the infirmary, she added, "I'm not going to change my mind. At this rate, I'll drown myself in that vat of numbweed." So much for keeping away the laughter. It was a gruesome picture, sure enough, if it were to actually happen - but the mental picture had her slipping under the surface, head last, while apprentices searched frantically in all the wrong places. That would be priceless! Borrowing K'von's strength, she managed to walk with relative steadiness toward the growing patch of light that was the outdoors.

"You'll make it stop?" Kalierre asked him, suddenly quite childlike in her regard as her dark eyes fell on his face. "You'll make them stop calling me?" She might have asked if he'd let her just not go, but some part of her knew that she still wanted healing at the infirmary, even if it was just the tiniest part somewhere at the back of her brain.

[kysseh]

Dohulth witnessed Phremath's surprised reaction to his attempt at comfort, letting out a soft rumble as he watched the dragon fidget on her ledge. If there had been no occupants on the ledges between them, he could have seen her better, but this was well enough as it was. He would know if she were about to try anything foolhardy or just plain reckless. At her comment, he dipped his head and obediently relayed the message to his surprised rider. Then he opened his wings and fell over the edge of the ledge for a lazy glide down toward the infirmary, landing rather delicately on the platform outside. There were no riding straps, but considering the short distance, he doubted K'von or Phremath's would need them. He was a graceful and careful flier, after all, and would not jostle them around.

K'von almost groaned when her head managed to nestle itself into the crook of his neck, wishing she would not tempt his control so. Sure, he was upset over her rejection, but he was only male, which meant that every opportunity presented to him took monumental effort to ignore. He let out a long, slow breath to calm himself once they got to their feet and her head was no longer in the vicinity of his neck. The only problem now was that she had him around the waist, which meant she would be stuck up against him until they got out to the platform. Splendid.

Her 'gentle' step on his foot made him stumble a bit in surprise, as he had been in mid-motion. It did not really hurt so much as catch him off guard, and he was about to give her a scowl when she burst into a fit of giggles. He was not sure if that was still her wayward emotions or actual amusement, so he just let her giggle herself back into awareness, just very gently trying to lead her along and failing miserably, at first. Her breathless reply helped matters, little, so he just waited until she seemed to be under control. Then they moved.

He let the relative silence hang until she commented something about drowning in a vat of numbweed. He was initially panicked at the thought, then sobered upon realizing there was no sharding way she could pull it off. "Yes, but you'd have to drag me under with you, and I'm on to you this time," he warned her, though he couldn't keep the lighter note of play from his voice. Shardit! What had ever happened to being upset?! Now he was just frustrated and starting to like her all over again, and it made him want to beat his own head against a wall in frustration at his own lack of certainty. At least she was up and moving, though, so he just gently guided her along towards the platform, ignoring the looks a few apprentices sent their way.

"Make what stop?" K'von asked, shutting his mouth as she continued with her query. She wanted to avoid the infirmary forever? He was surprised at the thought, though he supposed that was the emotionally overwrought side of her brain speaking at the moment. She needed sleep... or perhaps just a break from her work. Regardless, she was not staying here in the infirmary for the evening. She was watching his face, and he gave her a slight smile, unable to resist leaning forward to press his lips against her forehead for just a brief moment. "No one is going to bother you tonight. Not even me." Not after he got her to her weyr, anyway.

They reached the entrance to the infirmary, and K'von was momentarily stymied by the fact that he could not get the door open while still holding on to her. "Feet beneath you," he reminded her gently before carefully releasing his hold on her waist to open the door, escorting her through to his dragon outside. Dohulth was patiently waiting, though the whirl of his eyes told K'von that he was less than happy with the whole situation. The brownrider could scarcely blame him, and he offered his dragon a silent thanks and the promise of many, many good oilings.

[reqqy]

So awkward. Phremath waited, surrepitously stretching out her sore and aching muscles. She was rather hungry, too, come to think of it, though that could wait. The small green let out a couple yips, her voice ascending into the chilling cry of one of the moonwalkers. Instantly, she felt Kalierre's attention shift to her, which pleased the green. The mind of Hers seemed to be unfocused - another phenomenon that was rare enough to cause Phremath concern. I'm hungry, she told KaliMine, matter-of-factly. Ah. There. A little more attention. Hmmm. So hungry that it can't wait? Phremath remained silent. Under normal circumstances, her bonded would be more than just a little annoyed at the green's attempt to manipulate her. Now? It easily passed beneath her notice. You'll be fine until tomorrow, the healer finally commented, after probing their bond for a moment.

And you'll oil me tomorrow, too? Have I been neglecting you so much? At the spike of concern, Phremath immediately moved to reassure her, not wishing for the woman to slip back into that uncontrolled, frightening state that was completely out of character. No, no, of course not. She only vaguely noted Dohulth's absence. It would just be nice to spend the day together. Don't you think? Away from everything. The fact that she felt some reluctance warmed Phremath. If KaliMine was having reservations, she must be climbing out of that hysteria from before. Perhaps. Yes. Just a day or two.

The conversation with Phremath was certainly helping. Kalierre, still held close by K'von, loosened her own grip on his waist. Unfortunately, it also made her keenly aware of the looks, the woman's head falling, trying to use what few strands that had escaped her braid to conceal her face from the curious. Of course they'd know who she was, but...

She laughed outright at K'von's tongue-in-cheek comment about the numbweed, however. "That might be reason enough to attempt it," the dragonhealer returned teasingly. So natural, to just shoot off the first thing that came into her mind around him. That was dangerous. Even as she continued to walk with him, however, she felt her mind drifting, her thoughts slipping away into something else. She also felt Phremath's presence in her head. The green seemed to be trying to help her focus through sheer will. And yet, for spans of a few seconds at a time, Kalierre felt her self slipping back. As her pleading tumbled out of her, it seemed she was but a spectator. Strange, strange phenomenon. Her mind was not even cooperating enough to evaluate her own words.

Kalierre stood frozen as he leant forward, a single blink her only movement, before his lips brushed her forehead. Her eyes closed, the woman stiff in her attempt to control herself - the weak, feminine part of her desired nothing more than to embrace him fully and seek out an actual kiss. The dragonhealer's rational mind rejected it, though, yet hoping that such reason would remain long enough that she wouldn't act on that impulse. If she kissed K'von now, it would only be for the comfort, for the feeling of his lips - and she knew that it didn't really matter to the frightened, weepy child-Kali whose lips she tasted.

"Thank you." Soft, soft reply. She didn't trust herself to speak any more than that. Kalierre felt her grip on reality and self-control fading again. Endless cycle. Part of her understood that this was sleep trying to enforce his will, and though she battled it, she could not defeat it. One of these times it might fell her. The dragonhealer heard herself whimper when he removed his arm, though she maintained her feet and proceeded as one sleepwalking.

The greenrider blinked at the brown. Why had she expected Phremath? I'm here, waiting for you, Mine, the green reassured immediately. Kalierre knew dragons almost better than people, and his eyes told much about his state of mind. She instinctively reached out to touch his mind with her own - and found the tattered remnants, the aching silence. Panic flared. Then subsided. Yes. That - was no longer an ability she commanded. "Dohulth. He's all right?" she queried of K'von anxiously.

[kysseh]

The loosening of her grip momentarily alarmed K'von until he realized that Kalierre was still upright and moving along. He smiled down at her, even if she could not see it. The set of her head made her seem embarrassed, but she need not have worried. No one would bother her with a cranky and injured brownrider overseeing her escape. No, there was no one in this infirmary who would dare to try to waylay her now. He had his game face on, and the normally cheerful brownrider was set on rescue and protect. Even Dohulth sensed his unwillingness to stray or delay even slightly for fear that Kalierre decide that she should stay for some ridiculous reason.

The laughter she offered in reply to his not-so-subtle teasing reassured him that she was, if not near normal, at least headed down the right path towards wellness. He would not have to concern himself too much about her collapsing and relapsing, which was a relief to him for multiple reasons. He did not want her upset, for one, and the thought of more tears was terrifying, for another. He hated to see women cry. It always made him feel guilty, even if he was not responsible. "Go ahead and try it. See how far you get," he chuckled softly, allowing himself that much amusement from her antics.

The fact that she froze beneath his touch was not lost on him, and he wished that he had the nerve and the lack of sense to push further for more. Honor and a wounded pride kept him from doing so, so he just left it, murmuring a soft "you're welcome" in response to her gratitude. The brownrider declined to verbally acknowledge her whimper as he released her, but as soon as they were safely outside, the door closed behind them, he rested his uninjured arm across her shoulders again. He was not leaving her quite yet. She needed to get back to her weyr first.

Even as he led her toward Dohulth, he noted that she was watching his dragon for some reason. He briefly wondered why, though her question soon answered that detail. Before K'von could answer, Dohulth spoke to him in mild, if a bit stiff, reassurance. Tell her that I am fine. I will carry you both up to her weyr and then you back to ours for sleep for both of you. K'von found it interesting how Dohulth had just squashed every improbable plan he had made for sharing a comforting bed with Kalierre for the night. Shardit.

"He says to tell you that he is fine, and he'll take us up to your weyr to drop you off, and then he and I will return to ours to sleep," he said, glaring up at the brown as Dohulth added a slightly more snippy afterthought. "He's just a bit upset on my behalf." That is not what I said. That was the gist of it! The brownrider shifted his injured arm, wincing slightly at the motion as he stepped up beside Dohulth's neck, releasing her very gently and holding out a hand to assist her in mounting. Dohulth, you had better-

Giving His a look of mild reproach, Dohulth lowered his neck and extended his foreleg, offering up the weary healer a soft croon to reassure her that it was all right. He was a good flier and would keep her safe for that tiny, short little hop, no betweening necessary. Of course he would be helpful to allow His and Phremath's to get up properly. He was not a poorly-mannered weyrling, even if he was a bit pridesore. No, Dohulth was better than that, for sure.

[reqqy]

A mischievous smile touched her lips. The dragonhealer was more than just a little tempted to take K'von up on his challenge, but she recognized that neither of them were really in any condition to be engaging in that sort of play at the moment. With her luck, she'd actually manage to fall asleep, and he didn't need anything to mess up his hand worse than it already was. He was probably exhausted, too. Surely, it was easier on him to run as far as he had, but not with a salamandyr attached to his arm. The only reason she was likely flagging more noticeably was the fact that Kalierre pretty much never got the amount of rest that was wise. Phremath slept far more than she did. Well, that and all the rest.

Nice to feel his warmth again, too. Some part of her must desire it - or all parts of her for different reasons - to have whined like that. Silly, silly woman. When had she become so dependent? No, not dependent, but comfortable. Kalierre resisted the urge to slide her arm around his waist again, though she did allow him to draw her closer. Glancing up at K'von's relayed message, she frowned slightly. For the first time in a long while, she truly missed that part of her mind that had allowed her to touch the minds of the weyr's dragons. No, she'd never been capable of wresting the thoughts from them - of that deeper connection - but emotions had been easily read and her own easily conveyed. She hated the not knowing. Heh, but hadn't she always? It was one of the most common traits of a healer: curiosity. The search for knowledge.

Thinking on these things prevented her disappointment from showing. Though she wanted her weyr and sleep, she didn't truly want to be parted from K'von. Why should she? On the most obvious level, his hand was still an issue, and she wanted to be there to be certain he took what he needed to and to change the dressing later. When it needed to be changed. Kalierre was too used to northern riders and their obstinance, their manliness that seemed to get in the way of simple common sense. There was no shame in admitting that something hurt. Shards, that's what nerves were for. There were other reasons, though, one of which being the memory of the last one to share her furs. The first one in turns. She didn't want to be lying there in the lingering warmth - it was not so long ago that the furs would have cooled - and think of why they were that way. Kalierre didn't sleep with children. Kalierre didn't really sleep with anyone, now that it wasn't something she needed to employ as a defense mechanism. But, if she were to have to choose, it certainly wouldn't be a boy.

Sharding Flight.

I'm sorry, Mine, Phremath interjected, clearly a bit distressed. No. No. Don't be. It's not your fault at all, sweetheart. It's just - been a long time for me. That's all. Never, actually, when it wasn't at least her choice, but that was another matter entirely. Do you like Flying? her green queried, suddenly curious. It made Kalierre blink. Flying? Oh. That type of flying. That depends on who Flies me, she replied, using Phremath's terms. But a lot of the time, yes. It's meant to be something you like. The green still seemed curious, but Kalierre had other things on her mind at the moment.

A brow rose at K'von's second statement. Upset? Over the...ah. Now Kalierre was feeling a bit like a cretin. After all, the brownrider's hand was mangled - for lack of a better word - and here she was not helping but needing to be helped. And why? Because she couldn't just keep control of her own emotions. Truly, how hard could it be? Apparently too hard for her right now. The dragonhealer said nothing, though her face colored slightly. She determined not to be any more of a burden than she already was.

Thus it was that she did not accept K'von's hand, not wishing to hurt him. Nerves were all connected. It might be his good arm, but if the angle turned strange, that would be more than enough to pain him. The dragonhealer did, however, acknowledge the offer with a smile of gratitude and a light pat on his arm, before mounting Dohulth fairly easily. "Thank you," she murmured to the brown, so his rider wouldn't hear her. "I'm sorry that things turned out this way." On more than one count. No, Kalierre had little trouble finding the appropriate place behind his neckridges. After all, though she'd only been a dragonrider for a small time, it wasn't unoften for a weyrhealer to find herself adragonback, and the woman was accustomed to mounting dragons of all colors and sizes.

Now, though she knew it wasn't likely to be accepted after her own rejection of help, she also extended her arm downward to K'von, tightening her thighs to hold her in place. Not a weak woman, Kalierre. It would be quite impossible, with the training she and Phremath underwent and constantly scrambling all over injured dragons and wrestling things into the right placement. A brow rose as her hand hovered. "The quicker we get moving, the faster we can sleep. You have to be nearly as tired as I am," she added lightly.

[kysseh]

If K'von noticed the look of mischief on her face, he chose to ignore it for the moment, largely because his hand and arm were starting to throb again. With as injured as he tended to get, numbweed was not generally effective for long unless liberal amounts were applied, so he tended to just grit his teeth and bear it. However, he knew that showing the slightest sign of discomfort in front of Kalierre would make her insist upon fixing it, and he wanted to shoo her into her weyr before he started complaining about the pain or grumbling about he and Dohulth's shared misery. Yes, it was far past time to get moving.

He did notice her blush at his edited statement about Dohulth's source of unhappiness, and he offered a silent apology to the greatly patient brown. Poor Dohulth... abused by everyone in one way or another. He would make it up to the poor dragon later, if only by oiling him until he fairly gleamed in any patch of light. He was as good as his word, and Dohulth knew it, which seemed to mollify the great beast just enough for his eyes to whirl a bit slower. There would be compensation later for such injury to his pride, and the brown and his rider both looked forward to that bit of alone time to sulk in peace.

That she turned down his hand only made K'von that much more wounded in pride, even if she did it out of concern. Trying to keep his disappointment and slight annoyance off his face at her disregard for his assistance, he merely flicked her a faint smile at the pat and smile he received instead. Well, that was a rejection if he had ever seen one, and he completely missed the fact that she seemed to be speaking to his dragon, noting only that she was comfortable with mounting a beast of Dohulth's size. He reasoned she must travel dragonback a lot and opted to make no comment.

Dohulth only faintly caught her words and turned his gray-brown head slightly to look back at her, eyes whirling a bit quicker. He would not tell K'von what she said, nor would he tell her what had really happened. Her apology was accepted with the grace with which it was offered, and he lightly flicked his wings in response, rumbling softly. No, he would not tell His about that. K'von did not need more to think about at the moment, not with his hand and ego and heart bothering him so.

K'von politely shook his head at her offer of assistance. He could not accept, anyway, with one hand injured and the other hand to be used for balance, and he stepped on Dohulth's foreleg and vaulted up with his usual ease, gritting his teeth slightly at the renewed ache in his hand upon settling. Shards, maybe not the best idea he'd had in awhile.... "Oh, I am plenty tired," he reassured her quietly as he settled into place and looped an arm around her to grip one of Dohulth's ridges. "Better hold on. He's a good flier, but take-offs are always rough."

Seeing that his passengers were settled, Dohulth wasted no time in getting airborne as delicately as he could, which was gentle for a dragon but still a bit jerky on the riders. He got a sufficient amount of altitude and then settled in for a glide to Phremath's ledge, landing as gently as he could and giving his rider a soft croon as the man gave a silent cry of pain. Ohhh, how fellis would be necessary!

K'von had the presence of mind to help her down, giving her the most genuine smile he could manage. He was in no condition make much conversation, but he was not going to be rude to her. "Good night, Kalierre. Sleep well," he said, and Dohulth echoed his sentiments to Phremath, though the brown was a tad more stiff in wishing the green a good sleep. He was a mannerly dragon too, but he was still male and very hurt by her rejection, as well he thought he should be. Then the brown wheeled around and fell off the ledge with wings widespread to head toward their own weyr, K'von clinging on grimly with his good hand, healing supplies still tucked tightly under his bad arm.

I promise I'll make it up to you. Just get me the shard back so I can dose myself to sleep...