Swim Free (Wide, wide open)

[kysseh]

It was the hottest part of the afternoon, the sun warming all the rocks of the rivershore to the point that they were nearly too warm for a human to touch. They were not, however, too warm for a dragon, and Raiyth had sprawled herself out on the largest available rock, her hide soaking up every bit of sunlight that she could manage. Her wings occasionally flapped and then extended themselves out to their full length, draped almost casually to maximize the available surface area. Oh, but that warmth felt marvelous! She never wanted to leave this spot, oh no. At least... not until she got hungry.

Or until Hers decided to leave, Raiyth reasoned, but given how contented Fiona seemed to be, there was little reason to fear that leaving-time would come soon. For the first time in many, many sevendays, the pair had managed to break free of their flying practice, their drills, and Fiona's chores to take a rare afternoon for themselves. Fighting and maneuvers did not come as easily to them as to some, and Fiona could be of a nervous constitution at times. Only repeated practice made them any more skilled and acclimated the young woman to anything they could expect during flight or Threadfall. She was far more experienced now than she had been, which made flying during drills much easier. Less nervousness and panic attacks were always positive.

Fiona agreed with this, but she was also of a mind that all work and no play made Fiona a very dull and unhappy girl. In fact, the young woman was so ready to throw away all pretense of civilized and somber behavior that she had taken her free afternoon to the extreme. Here, in this part of the river, there was less traffic than normal, and the water here moved more slowly, though it was still plenty deep enough to swim in. A nice little pool for her, it was, and she had stripped herself right to the skin and left her folded clothes under Raiyth's body to keep them from migrating away downriver. The dragon did not even seem to notice her mini-mattress, though she did notice that Hers was prancing around on the shore in her bare hide. This was not unusual for Fiona, but it was rare for her to do it in such a public place. Strange.

Shall I warn you if anyone comes by? the green inquired curiously, tilting her head just a bit to watch as Fiona flung herself happily into the water, snorting softly as a few stray droplets made it far enough up the shore to land on her nose. Eww, cold water. Cold.

At the dragon's question, Fiona happily surfaced and flung her long, dark curls back from her face, giggling and shivering in the shoulder-deep water. "No, it's fine. Not like I have anything different to hide," she acknowledged with a casual shrug. At the green's rumble of amusement, the young woman only giggled and flipped her hair again, rolling over to float around on her back. Brrr, cold! "But do let me know if dragons start flaming overhead. I'd rather not get firestone dropped on me." A strange creature, the greenrider was, and she was completely at ease with this fact. Normal people were bashful and monogamous, which was odd and unhealthy, in her mind. She was neither. Thus were her thoughts.

Circling above the river was someone who objected stridently to her nudity, huffing and puffing with indignation at her exposure to the world. Ego flapped his bronze wings once and flipped gracelessly in midair, uttering chirped protests at the lazily-drifting young woman. How dare she go without her hide! Bad, Fiona, bad! He gave her an imperious set of commanding chitters which she proceeded to ignore other than to flick water at him, an offense that earned her a most reproachful glare. Ego was officially angry with her now.

[Lotty]

"Pleaseee" Mi'rah begged in his soft voice...well slightly elevated voice. The man could hardly shout, not at his dragon, his friend, but he could take that fatherly tone. The one that was part begging, part condescending, and very disappointed in the child in question - Kierjaarth. Sometimes the bronze dragon could be a big baby, like this day when he was refusing to be bathed. Seemed like something dragons universally liked, but this specimen sometimes prided himself on being oh-so contrary, and purposely refused to go down to the river....even as Mi'rah tried reasoning, and then finally shoving him off of the ledge (which of course was a giant fail).

"Kier, you need to be washed, and a good oiling too. You're supposed to like these sorts of things..." Mi'rah waggled the big scrubbing paddle out in view of the beast, as if it would make the idea seem more appealing. It was all wishful thinking. Now really mine...do we have to do this now? Why can't we just hold off for tomorrow? He just didn't understand. He had to be clean and sparkly and healthy looking for drills. People were already going to be snickering at his own appearance, at very least his dragon should look well cared for, "Your hide is going to dry and crack and I can't have you going between like that." Snort, snort. Do we really go between enough to care? Besides I'm not itchy...

"You know I only insist because I care..."

Needless to say the rider finally won the battle of wills. Perhaps cheaply, but he still won, and was trucking to the river with his lovely bronze. The dragon only bothered to casually mention there were others around, something that Mi'rah completely missed at first. He cared little about who else was around, he only wanted to get this little chore done. Well it wasn't too much of a chore, it was something to do, it was fresh air, it was better than Benden and that was really all that was important.

So Kierjaarth landed with ease, and the rider dismounted, merrily minding his own business. He would have been completely oblivious to the greenrider (and the green dragon at that) if it wasn't for the chirrups and protests of a firelizard. After one glance Mi'rah was able to make a cheeky comment, "Oh look Kier, a little version of you," but on second glace....well it wasn't even a glance anymore. He was staring, and he couldn't help it. He was a man, and he was a Bendenite, and holdbred all at once. It was a very conflicting position to be in. He knew he shouldn't gawk because it was rude, and he also knew that a naked body wasn't anything new or mysterious, but then at the same time he had spent far too long up north...where women were there for the taking. He couldn't get over how dangerous it seemed for her to be flaunting herself....

Staring is rude.

I'm not!

[kysseh]

Ego's protests became more strident all of a sudden, and Fiona finally paid enough attention to the flitter's behavior to realize that the bronze was well and truly upset. One of her dark eyebrows raised, head inclining to one side as she reluctantly straightened herself in the water, placing her feet firmly on the river bottom. Such a strange beast, Ego was. What was he carrying on about? Surely, there was nothing dangerous about. "Come down here, you," she laughed quietly, holding both hands up toward the irate flit. "I promise to not splash you. Just come-"

Look, Mine! Raiyth said suddenly, lifting her head to watch the bronze dragon come in to land on the shore. The green crooned a greeting, eyes whirling a cheerful blue-green. Rudeness was something that did not come naturally to Raiyth. She positively adored company, even if it was large and bronze and unfamiliar. Welcome, stranger. Please do not mind the little cousin. He gets very annoyed when Mine does not act as he wishes. she greeted the bronze, her tone woefully apologetic at the mention of Ego. A shameful creature, that one could be. I hope the day finds you well. Did you come here to sun? Because, of course, who wouldn't come out here to sun or to swim? Days of such beautiful weather were not to be wasted.

Alerted by the shadow and her mindmates' attention, Fiona watched the bronze and his rider, giggling in quiet amusement as Ego promptly threw a loud and screeching tantrum upon the arrival of the newcomers. Her hands sought to snatch the bronze flit from the air, but he was too quick for her, instead staying just out of reach until he finally winked between to go find somewhere else to be. The young woman shook her head in a mixture of exasperation and amusement, hoping her little mindmate had not found trouble elsewhere. Such a severe little creature! "The water is a bit cold, but the sun feels wonderful," she called to the bronzerider on shore, lazily dropping back onto her back to float again.

Only when Raiyth privately made it known that she was being stared at did it occur to the greenrider to be bashful or modest. Should she be? Probably so, but Fiona lifted her head enough to look again at the man on shore, curious as to his expression. Why was he staring? It was not as if he had never seen a naked woman before, and she, though she blushed a bit under the attention, was disinclined to cover up merely for propriety's sake. Bodies were nothing to be ashamed of, and she liked hers just fine, even if she really should have at least covered the naughty bits. "You don't have to stare," she managed to giggle out, sculling at the water with both hands to keep afloat. "I don't have anything strange, I promise. You can come in the water; I'm not embarrassed." Embarrassed, no. Flattered?

Most assuredly.

[Lotty]

Now normally, to the browns, blues, and other bronzes, Kierjaarth was just a big jerk and gave curt responses that made it hard to converse at best and were borderline offensive at their worst. Luckily, Raiyth was a green and that gave her a pass, she was free from his prickly barbs he tended to throw others ways. The bronze would be more than willing to turn on the charm, and it was noticeable too, especially to Mi'rah who got to witness the Ladies Dragon at work every day. So, what was once an unwelcome trip to the river was now looking up. He cooly crooned to the green in question, sliding up the shore with casual steps and completely disregarding his silly rider and the fact that they were there very much to get chores done, not to fraternize. Well my day has gotten much better now...what may your name be? I'm Kierjaarth and Mi'rahmine had insisted on a bath, but honestly soaking up Rukbat's rays would be enough for him.

Sadly, Mi'rah was not smooth with women, he didn't know how to talk to them or even what to make of them half the time. All he knew was that he liked them and was secretly intimidated by them all at once. No, he wasn't worried that he could be hurt or endangered by one, it was much more abstract - they represented something - their vulnerability was supposed to support his own machismo. However if there was ever a Bendenite who had his advances denied it was he, and so he had something of a suffering ego when it came to the fairer sex.

So the man was all kinds of blushing and embarrassment...and very, very hesitant. Go into the water? With her? In his own opinion he wasn't exactly in her league, and he definitely didn't think he mixed with water all too well anyway. Wouldn't he have to get undressed? For some reason this little issue never cropped up when he thought he was going to be on his own washing Kierjaarth, but now there was an audience (and lets not forget that his dragon walked off without him) well, that made everything totally different. This was just great.

He ambled over towards the water and Fiona, much more apologetic than excited, and stuttered out his typical explanations and excuses, "I uh. I didn't mean to stare. I'm...new," and he left it at that, as if his foreign eyes explained the fascination, as if the fact that he caught himself looking again and again was for the sake of research and journalism and not because he was a typical male. It would almost be believable too with his affable grins and saccharine inflected voice.

[kysseh]

It did not escape Raiyth’s notice that the bronze was making charming noises toward her. A cheerful dragon, Raiyth was, but ‘stupid’ was not on her list of attributes. Thankfully for all, though, the green was also a pleasant and forgiving sort of creature, so she decided to let his flattering attitude go without comment. If he proved to be too patronizing, she would gently reprimand him later. Now was the time for befriending him, after all, and she gave him a melodious croon of welcome as he inched his way toward her.

Hello, Kierjaarth! I am Raiyth, and that is FionaMine. The little bronze cousin is Ego. I am afraid he is very well named, darling creature that he is. the green said with a mixture of apology and pride in both Hers and the bronze flitter. Ego is a lot of noise and not much bite, though, so do not be afraid of him when you see him again. This last bit of assurance was added very quickly and only after the green had ever-so-helpfully passed on the name of Kierjaarth’s to Hers. Fiona always liked to know who she was dealing with, after all. It made life much easier to know one’s company. A bath, hmm? Perhaps Mine can help Yours to bathe you. She is already wet, after all. Raiyth could never be faulted for being impractical in that sense.

Fiona, however, did have her occasional moments of silliness, as in the moment where she took in the bronzerider’s flushed face and seeming embarrassment and responded with an unhelpful giggle. She was ever so flattered by his response, even if it was not wholly because of her. Still, she was slightly concerned over the fact that he seemed so overwhelmed by her present nudity. That was a shame. Were not bronzeriders very popular and accustomed to human contact? Perhaps he was just embarrassed for her sake, she reasoned. But he was rather too old to be like that. Maybe he was holdbred?

At his stuttered explanation that he was ‘new,’ though, the young woman became instantly cautious. He was from up north, wasn’t he? That must have been it, why he was strange and staring and awkward. Now a bit nervous, the greenrider fidgeted, watching him with wide brown eyes that bespoke a mixture of curiosity and wariness. “From Benden or from Fort?” Both were bad places, so that mattered little. But maybe if she got him started... then she could know if he was safe or not. “Raiyth says your name is Mi’rah. I’m Fiona.” Her friends called her by a shortened version, of course, but he wasn’t her friend yet. He was strange and somewhat damaged-seeming, but he was still from up north, which meant he could be scary. She would keep a bit of distance for now, even if she did nothing to cover up her nudity. Why bother? He had seen it all already anyway.

[Lotty]

"Benden..." it was said with utter neutrality. It was a fact, he wasn't going to apologize for being searched and Impressing at Benden, it wasn't a source of pride either, but it was what it was. If it made things any better he could tell her that he wasn't born there, but he doubted it would make too much of a difference, "I was born in Lemos," he said it almost as an afterthought, but he regarded it as a cushion. See, he wasn't all bad. Most of the crueler riders he had come in contact with...they were all the weyrbred ones, through and through. At least he had a childhood, but nevermind that, "Nice to meet you Fiona," he would have shaken her hand or whatever they did in introductions down here, but she was too far away. Now that he was branded for what he was he didn't wish to scare her off by stepping any closer.

Fiona, Fiona....he had heard that name somewhere before and recently at that. A-ha, "You're in S'rei's wing? Right?" then not one to pass on a totally lame joke he chuckled, "I'd say we'd be seeing more of each other, but I think I've seen all of you," ha ha? Ok, that might be a tad inappropriate, "I just kid of course," and he glanced up at the sky as if there he would find a way out of the situation. Maybe she would think it was funny. Maybe she would see that of all the northern riders he was the least of her worries. He was outside of his element, and almost harmless. Almost.

Kierjaarth could have groaned and snickered at his rider's attempts at charm, but he wasn't exactly paying much attention to the goofball. He was working on chatting it up with the pretty green himself, and she needed his undivided attention. He flicked his tail in an elegant show of flair, dragons couldn't talk with their hands like some of the livelier people do, but he still had his own rules of body language. Raiyth? I like that name. He mused for a second, considering the little bronze cousin. The dragon was getting quite accustomed to seeing the little miniatures flapping around here, I don't mind the little bronze one either... Then the subject of bathes....Oh...four hands would be better than just two. It would get the little chore done with faster An idea to pass along to Ours I suppose? Maybe it would give His something to talk about after all.

[kysseh]

A Bendenite.

It made Fi’s skin crawl and her pulse jump to the point where she thought she might pass out. But… he seemed safe. Raiyth was radiating curiosity and contentment, and… well, Selenitas had a paranoid weyrleader. A paranoid Selenitas weyrleader like Ka’rys would not let a nasty Bendenite in, right? Because he was from Fort, wasn’t he? And Fort hated Benden, and Benden hated Fort, and northerners (especially Bendenites, since they had come and killed so many people and dragons) tended to be nasty with everyone hating each other. All Bendenites weren’t bad, though. Just some. Lots… a few.

At his question, she tilted her head to one side like a curious canine, unable to hold back the giggle that arose at his attempt at humor. Anyone who made silly jokes couldn’t be completely bad, and since Raiyth was not shooing the bronze away, Fiona made the decision that Mi’rah was safe to be around. Safe. Oh, good. “Yes, I’m on his wing. It’s okay. I don’t mind you seeing me or me seeing you,” she commented quietly, turning her body side to side in an unconscious gesture of shyness. Her eyes were more curious now than frightened, and the greenrider waded toward the shallows, not bothering to cover her nudity even as she got into knee-deep water and was largely exposed.

Thank you for the compliment. I like my name too. Raiyth said with complete honesty, lifting her head up to watch Kierjaarth’s tail move. Oooh, movement. That looked promising. Still, he was talking to her, so she did him the courtesy of paying attention, crooning affectionately at his response to her suggestion. I will tell Mine to offer. Then Yours does not have to be awkward in asking. Her suggestion was kindly meant, and the green gently gave Hers a mental prod. Time to bathe the bronze, it was.

The suggestion perked Fiona up considerably, and the greenrider made her way over to the man, tossing a long, dark curl over her bared shoulder. “You need help bathing him? That sounds like fun to me. It’ll be good exercise.” Good exercise. This was Fiona’s excuse for many things. Her eyes sparkled, and she grinned broadly now, all thoughts of Bendenites aside. “But only if you promise to play fair.”

[Lotty]

She liked him! She really liked him! He was flattered by the giggle alone, and had an adolescent smile smeared across his face as she coyly turned her body and approached. He was somehow saved! Mi'rah didn't know how he had endeared himself to her, even after admitting his origins, but he was hoping his luck wouldn't run out as he continued his awkward interactions with her. Still, he found himself a bit speechless to her comment even with his ego boost and continued to just grin; shrugging only to seem casual and not at all as excitable as he really was. Yet again he was delivered though, oddly enough by Kierjaarth this time and not the seemingly divine force that aided him earlier Raiyth and I...we decided that you two should work on bathing me together...

And then the dragon scooted off, dipping himself into shallow water, just deep enough to submerge his legs and belly while sitting. He craned his head not over to his rider and his new friend though, he was looking right at the green, quietly wondering if she too would come into the water or if she was a creature of the sun and land. It mattered little to him what she chose, as long as he remained her company, That was very considerate of you to pass that along. Mine is very odd about asking for favors... Actually you would very rarely ever catch Mi'rah ask anyone for help since it interrupted his ideals of self reliance and usefulness... but Kierjaarth also knew that pretty girls made for good excuses. It was then the dragon turned to watch the silly humans on the beach.

So it was true..the dragons were conspiring. Ugh, never trust the bronze round the green ones, that always equalled trouble, but at least he couldn't say that he was caught off guard by the girl's offer, and he also couldn't help but take her up on it. She seemed especially excited about helping after all, so it wasn't like he could just say no. He chose to not hear the part about exercise, because we all know how he felt about that....running with S'rei was killing him...and he was getting his fill of physical activity, that was for sure. He started off towards the dragon and the brushes and bucket left in the sand along the way, pausing to look over his shoulder and say, "Oh, I promise to play fair, but you have to tell me the rules," he wasn't aware that this was a game. Interesting.

[kysseh]

His boyish smile was charming, though Fiona had a sense that the man was far from innocent. Her giggles didn’t stop, though, instead just turning silent as she blushed and turned her face aside again. He was flattering her with his attentions. Fiona liked it, for sure, but… it was rare that she was so openly admired. Normally, she had to work for it. Of course, being naked certainly helped that. She shifted her weight from foot to foot, leaving herself exposed to his gaze as she eyed him over with a mixture of curiosity and interest. He seemed strangely uptight, even for all his cheeriness over meeting her. Northerners seemed to be very reserved about bedplay. She knew women were not treated well up north. He wasn’t like that, though, was he?

How does the water feel? Raiyth inquired of Kierjaarth, watching the bronze settle down in the shallows. She sprawled out on her rock, legs and wings splayed in a most ungainly fashion, comfortable to soak up the sun’s rays for the moment. The water was tempting, but perhaps she could wander in later to chaperone the two riders. She thought the bronze was very nice, but he was not as skilled or practiced in the art of the chaperone. You are welcome, sweetie. Mine understands oddness and shyness. She is shy herself at times. Not about her body, though. the green responded to the larger dragon’s question with the utmost sincerity, turning her head slightly to watch Fiona approach Mi’rah.

Well, she was trying to approach the bronzerider, but he seemed bent on heading right for his dragon. Fiona trotted quickly to catch up, looping one of her bare wet arms through the bronzerider’s. “Slow down, slow down!” she said, her breath catching lightly in her throat as she laughed. “The rules…? Oh!” Her hair flipped about with a toss of her chin, eyes sparkling with childish mischief. “The rules are… since I’m naked, you have to be naked too. And no cheating either!” The greenrider leaned against him, unbothered by the fact that she was certainly unclothed and all over him. Oops? It wasn’t intentional, at least. “Come on, hurry up! Your poor bronze won’t wait forever.”

A rumble from Raiyth had the greenrider glancing in that direction, sighing dramatically as the green gave her a look. “Oh… and Raiyth says to tell you that you’d better take your clothes off before I get you wetter. Sorry.” The young woman patted ineffectually at his shirt. “Didn’t mean to. I completely forgot I was soaking wet.”

[Lotty]

Mi'rah had to suppress a frown. He didn't like these rules all too much, but he had to play by them, he promised he would. Sure he could just call it off, decide to go off to do this on his own, but it would be awfully rude, and well...well she was touching him. Yes she was wet, and yes she was dripping all over his navy blue shirt, but he really didn't mind all that much. He could wash a shirt, but he would never be able to rinse away the guilt he would feel if he were to so rudely shake her away. Besides, it was refreshing to spend time with a woman who didn't play pretend because he paid them, or obligied his requests because of his shiny knots. So he slowed down, just like she asked, but still hesitated to take off his clothes.

Did they really need to have their clothes off to have a good time? His free hand hovered over the collar of his shirt, but was afraid to pull at it, to bring the shirt up and over his head. He wasn't very keen on being exposed, "If its about being fair then maybe you can put some clothes on....and then we'd both be clothed..." he suggested it meekly, so much so that his voice trailed off and defeating himself before the girl could even protest. At very least he could at least take off his boots, he really shouldn't be wearing them into the water, and he unwound her arm from hers to pull each shoe off, one by one. When he was done, he was left to his hesitations again; hands pulling at his shirt but not particularly getting anywhere.

The water is good, you should give it a try... it was warmer than the waters in Benden. That uneasy chill that came with northern bathes were half of the reason he was avoiding the task all along, but this was enough to convince him that this might not be all bad after all. Then Raiyth's other comment caught his attention, mainly because he had noticed Mi'rah's little fears about his body. How cute was it that he thought he was the only one that was shy, Raiyth tells me that Hers is shy too Mi'rah. You should just play Her game, I'm sure it will make her feel better... The dragon stretched out in the water, admittedly half of his intent with the little comment was to get the two riders out to bathing him faster.

Kierjaarth encouraged him to finally pull his clothes off....quickly as if he was peeling back his own hide, as if it was painful, and quickly crossed his arms over himself. It didn't do much to hide him, but there was still that small sense of security in a situation that made him feel very insecure. Here he was with hardly a tan - especially compared to the girl - and hardly with the muscle bound physique she was hoping for. It was very unfair this game was.

[kysseh]

Northerners were a shy bunch about showing off their skin, weren’t they? Fiona quirked her head to one side, watching the man’s hand float above his collar. So indecisive… and hesitant. Was it so bad to go without clothing, to enjoy the warmth of the sun on all areas of one’s body? Mi’rah seemed to think so, and the young woman gave a patient sigh, shaking her head in amusement at his question. Silly man. Whyever would they get dressed?! “Why should we be dressed if we’re just going to get soaking wet bathing him anyway? It doesn’t make any sense. Besides, we’re adults. We’ll be fine.” Indeed. It was not as if they were two weyrlings gallivanting around the river in their skin whilst their young mindmates fretted in concern. No, Raiyth and Kierjaarth were old enough to be well-accustomed to such behavior.

It seemed Mi’rah was fighting a losing battle, though, and the young woman giggled quietly as her arm was gently disentangled, taking the limb back without a second of hesitation. He needed both hands to get his boots off and not fall, after all. “You can just pull it off. It’s all right. You’re seeing all of me too,” Fiona pointed out giving him a sincere smile meant to soothe his anxieties. It would be nice to be on even footing with him, both of them naked as the day they were born. He was of a different body type than she normally preferred, paler-skinned than the dark southerners, but Fiona was hardly one to judge or be picky. She just liked bodies.

A low rumble of amusement drifted over from the sprawled green, though the lovely creature made no move to get up and make for the river. Raiyth was far too comfortable where she was, watching the scene unfold with unmistakable amusement. Hers seemed to make others so happy and so nervous and so scared all at once. It was a gift, no? I will come test the water later. Right now, the sun feels very warm on my hide. It is comfortable. the green stated, delighted at the heat soaking into her bones. Oh, Yours will take off his extra hide too?

Indeed, Mi’rah would. And he was doing so rapidly, as a matter of fact. When he folded his arms over himself, the young woman could not contain her giggles, tugging lightly at his forearms in a feeble attempt to dissuade him. “Don’t cover up, silly! I’m not, am I?” With that, the young woman released him and fairly skipped over to the abandoned bathing supplies, snatching up a brush on her way over to the lounging dragon. “Roll over and get wet, bronzey. You don’t want me scrubbing on a dry hide,” she scolded the bronze, her voice anything but severe. Even a loving scold from Fiona sounded like a plea. She lacked the capacity for anger or sternness, much to Raiyth’s chagrin at times.

[Lotty]

For a second he was worried. She was laughing at him. Mi'rah would have curled up into a ball if she hadn't come over to him and pulled his arms apart and away from his body. It took a moment for him to realize that he wasn't being laughed at so much as there was humor in the situation. There was no reason why he should be so shy, not when she was bearing all too. Besides, he did stare there for a while, this was at least equal revenge. On top of that she didn't seem to mind him so much, she wasn't running away or throwing up or anything. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all. He watched her trot off with a brush before trudging along behind.

Oh yes. He usually does what he is asked, he just takes coaxing. Kierjaarth so expertly waited for his rider to come to the water before listening to the girl's request. Although Mi'rah could swim, he wasn't exactly gifted at it, and nobody would be saying that he swam like a fish. Really, he didn't bother with water all too much, and it wasn't a surprise to the bronze dragon that he wasn't getting very wet; just standing there with water up to his calves and too busy fussing with a brush to be paying any attention to his surroundings. So the dragon would not-so gently shake him back to reality. With a crude flop, he rolled over to his side, making careful consideration to slap his tail against the water and splashing the pair. It probably meant little to Fiona who was already soaked, but Mi'rah didn't exactly appreciate it judging by the sour frown he delivered.

Sighing, and knowing this was just another defiant act from the dragon (did they never grow up?) he swiped some river water from his eyes and went after the dragon with a sudsy brush, scrubbing at his broad side for a moment before looking over his shoulder to assure himself that the greenrider was alright. Because you never know, she cold have gotten a nasty case of water up her nose from that. A true emergency, something that he had to at least apologize for a little bit, "I'm sorry about that Fiona. Are you ok?"

[kysseh]

Mi’rah was following her, Fiona noted with pleasure. He was not afraid or ashamed, and he was just settling into the situation. She liked this and tossed her head again, glancing over her shoulder and through her dark locks at the nude bronzerider. He was not the most enthusiastic, but this would do for the moment. Her continuation down that thought-path, however, was abruptly ended by a sudden splash that coated her already-soaked body in yet more water droplets. She shivered and giggled aloud, prancing in place. Cold!

“Oh, I’m fine. He didn’t get me any more wet than I already am,” the greenrider chuckled, watching Mi’rah’s motions for a moment before moving in to the bronze’s side and renewing her attempts to scrub. “It is a little cold, though.” That admission came right after another shiver, but the greenrider laughed it off, diligently working at the bronze’s hide. He needed to get clean. Kierjaarth was ever so much bigger than Raiyth, and it was far more work to clean him than it was to clean the little green that lounged on the shore.

Mine looks amusing when soaked. You should do that again. Raiyth suggested, watching Hers work at cleaning the large dragon. It was work, it was, and Fiona was getting a good bit of exercise. Healthy for her, it was. But… Raiyth was feeling just a bit too warm up on her rock for the moment, and the green levered herself up off her impromptu couch, leaving Fiona’s clothes behind. The little female slid gracefully into the river and sprawled out in the shallows near the bronze, amused by his posture. You seem comfortable. Is Mine doing a good job scrubbing you? She added a pleasant croon to her query, watching Fiona scrub repeatedly at a particularly stubborn patch.

Fiona was grateful that she was not a bronzerider. Imagine having to clean something this large on a regular basis. Being a dragonrider required one to be in good shape, but this was something else entirely. “How do you manage this on a regular basis?” she giggled a bit breathlessly, eyeing the bronzerider over before returning her attention to the matter at hand. “Kierjaarth, you’re huge.” A bit dramatic, to be sure, but Fiona was quite genuine on the matter.

[Lotty]

It was of great relief to Mi'rah to hear that she was ok. Although when she mentioned that she was cold, he couldn't help think of the worst (best) things. He tried to play it off, and reminded himself that he was the oldest dragonrider ever (which was blatantly untrue) and that saying what he was thinking of saying...even in the context of a joke was a very, very bad idea. So instead of smoothly and suavely offering to help warm her up like the little devil on his shoulder told him to, he instead sheepishly grinned and continued scrubbing with her next to him, only saying, "Well I'm sure you'll warm up fast from all the work we are doing..." So modest and chaste...he should have been a friar not a dragonman.

Kierjaarth was quite pleased as what he saw. Raiyth decided to slink down off the rocks and into the water with him. Good, good, good. Not only was the closer company nice, but this gave him another person to splash. He just couldn't leave people (or dragons) alone could he? Thwack, he thrashed his tail around again hoping to spray the green this time with water, before so calmly stating, I am quite comfortable...and Yours is doing quite a fine job... He really should be a bit more direct with his thankfulness and he craned his neck so that he could momentarily look at the pretty two legger that His had decided to befriend...Thank you, he projected quite clearly before laying his head back down. He couldn't twist his neck up like that for too long after all.

After feeling a bit of the dragon's splashing...again...it was back to the scrub-a-dub-dub. Perhaps because he relished keeping busy, he never noticed how long it would take to wash the dragon. In a way washing Kierjaarth all on his own wasn't even a chore, it was therapeutic, he could take pride in his work, so he really didn't know how to answer the greenrider's question on how he managed it. He reasoned it out well enough though, "Well, I guess I just got used to it as he grew up, and well, I've been doing this all by myself for a while so I don't really notice too much..." and at Selenitas it wasn't like he had much to do anyway. He was just a regular rider again. He went to drills and did his short list of daily tasks, the one now void of the billion or so favors he would have to do for C'leon.

He had to resist inappropriate joking around again, and warmly said, "But now that you mention it, this really is an overwhelming task isn't it?"