Thou shall not pass [L'nu]

[rii]

Swish!

Quintrell slashed the think stick to the side of his body to hear the sound the air made from the quick motion. He lifted his chin to his invisible foe at the other end of the bridge. The wind stirred his pale hair as he waited for them to make the first move. What a noble figure he must strike – but little did they know that he was a pirate. Of some sort anyway. He was standing on wooden planks, anyway, and the river stretched out below him which made it a close enough resemblance to a boat and sea. It didn't take that much of a stretch of imagination to peg him as a nefarious sea dog. He had a sword and a faithful parrot on his shoulder in the form of a complaining Guru.

And so the lone captain stood. His crew dead, washed away by the unrelenting storm. Now as the sun rose to a new day, he was left with the only thing he loved aside from the sea herself, his ship. And wouldn't you know it, bastards were showing up from the furthest corners of the world to try and board his beloved vessel.

"Avast!" He cried, leaping forward in a few bounding steps that made the wooden boards creak. He pointed his finger at the weyrling, L'nu, in clear accusation before he could make it more than two steps onto the rope bridge. "Ye be a fool ta think I'll let ye pass alive. Turn tail like the yellow belly ya'are and get out of my sight before I make it so the only body of water ye be crossing is a river called Styx."

A swipe of his stick through the air between them before Quintrell made a fencing jab at L'nu's chest. "Got balls do ya, well then defend yourself ya whore-less sap."

[dragon]

L'nu had been walking along the path, not really paying much mind to where he was going. Mostly because his attention was elsewhere. More seeing what Paglieth was seeing than anything else. The blue was having altogether too much fun flying around above the canyon, pulling stunts that L'nu couldn't hope to live through. Much less stay conscious through. As the blue was practicing these things, L'nu had decided that hanging out by himself with nothing but Rose for company just wasn't fun. So he'd decided to head for the messhall to get a bite to eat. And hopefully at least temporarily plug the loud hole that was Rose's mouth. Maybe she'd shut up if she was full.

Coming back to reality at the end of a bridge that had a youth lunging at him with a stick and yelling was not exactly what he'd had in mind. Rose took off from his shoulder in a screaming rage, charging at the avasting troll pirate of the bridge-boat. All while L'nu screamed and fled the other way. He hadn't even had time to think about it before he simply reacted to the confrontation.

He didn't even really stick to the path, instead disappearing swiftly into the bushes that lined the path. Somehow he managed to make it half way up a tree by magic before his brain started working again. Panting, he looked down again. "Oh shards." Now how was he going to get down?

It didn't help any at all that he could hear Rose raising the dead and trying to muster all the troops in the area to the war. That gold was something else. And who was it she was deciding needed attacked? L'nu had no idea. All he remembered was a scowling face and the near end of a giant-looking stick.

Nevermind sticks always looked thicker when one end of them was rushing at you.

Are you alright? What is Rose doing?

"I ... I ... I don't know."

[rii]

Apparently, Quintrell mused with a wide spread grin, he had been wrong to assume this weyrling had anything remotely resembling a spine. In fact, the only thing remotely brave was the fire lizard dive-bombing at his head. Quintrell raised an arm to shield his face from her attack. "Back off ye pox-faced sow a'for I cut yer wings right off – skewer n' roast ya over a spittin' fire."

A mental prodding went to Guru, who at the moment clung desperately to the thief's shirt to avoid being dislodged and sent flailing over the edge of the bridge. His wanted him to stop her? Utterly ridiculous. He was so not going to participate in all this madness. In fact.. by creeping down the back of Quintrell's shirt, Guru was making sure that he wasn't going to be seen by that wretched firelizard. Damn golds. It seemed they haunted him at every turn. Shoo crazy fatty.

"Harpy! Ye'll ship wreck us!" Diving toward the land, Quintrell executed a deft roll and sprinted toward the trees in the direction he had seen the coward dash. Bring the golden monster back to it's keeper, so to say. Maybe he had a means of caging her. If not, the thief was bound to come up with an idea to subdue the angry queen. Ducking behind a wide tree, Quintrell peered around trunk to try and spy Rose – or that kid – from his new position.

Stupid above, stupid below. Guru, peeking out from the back of Quintrell's color, frilled at L'nu in the branches above before snaking down into the thief's sleeve. The wherhandler tilted his head back, blinking up at the dangling foot. He whistled. "Boy, thought I made a fast getaway."

[dragon]

Rose screamed in indignation as her first fast attack was repelled by nothing more than a thrown-up arm with a sleeve on it. She ripped and tore at the sleeve though, leaving it in ribbons. Before she could clamp down a solid bite on the bared skin underneath, though, the runt was off and running.

HAH HA! Crowing victory, Rose chased after him back toward the woods. Nevermind that was where L'nu-slave was also hiding. Maybe he could be useful in subduing this cowardly foe! Screaming at the top of her raucous voice, she divebombed at the lad again, this time managing to snake her head down the back of his collar after the little worm that dared insult her. Snapping her teeth at the retreating form, she gouged at the boy's neck before back-winging off of him and out of reach again. Time for another run!

This time, she had help, though. Other flitters were starting to appear out of the canopy, wild and domestic alike, answering the Gold's summons. Though to what cause they weren't quite sure yet. But it was still an intimidating sight. Rose had summoned her troops before, and this probably wouldn't be the last time, either!

L'nu did not miss it when the crazy with a stick came toward his hiding spot. With a strangled yelp, he pulled his foot up higher into the tree, peeking down past his toes at the turd that seemed inclined to seriously hurt him. Thankfully, Rose was coming to his defense (odd as that might be, most of the time she just scolded him endlessly) Hopefully she wouldn't get hurt! "What do you want?! I didn't do anything to you!!" He protested, peeling off a handful of loose bark and flinging it wildly at the lad beneath him. Of course, naturally, it missed by a dragonlength.

L'nu was getting scared. More than just startled, but definitely scared. This was more than enough incentive for Paglieth to go see what was going on. Before his rider managed to get himself murdered. Diving through the canyon, he zipped over the bridge in question and backwinged hard to keep from crashing into the stand of trees in which L'nu was currently trying to scramble higher in. A quick look around did not reveal anything of serious threat, however. No felines, no evil dragons, no evil Riders ... just another scrap of a kid that smelled like nightcrawlers who also seemed to be hiding. What had spooked them so badly? What is going on? He demanded, clicking his dark, mutant extra talons together menacingly. Just because he hadn't seen the threat, didn't mean it wasn't there.

[rii]

Quintrell squinted hard at the kid babbling in the trees. Hm, well L'nu didn't smell like piss so he couldn't be that afraid. The thief tilted his head forward, taking the light bark bits to the head with a wry smirk. That was kind of a pathetic way to chase off a foe. Kid could have at least tried to kick him in the face with that foot that had been dangling. L'nu needed some serious pointed. Alas, more dire needs had to be met first.

Such as escaping the sudden appearance of reinforcements in the skies. Quintrell wasn't quite prepared for the fire lizard to make an attempt at shoving herself down the back of his shirt. His first instinct was to rip her off and twist her neck so she was good as dead for trying to get at his beloved parrot–Guru. He was bound to have a few scratches from her last swoops. The sword–stick whipped through he air to ward off any further dives from the plump gold.

Had to do something fast before those firelizards starting mirror the queens actions. Quintrell could only thwart off so many with just a stick. Throwing the very stick up into the air where Rose last was, the thief didn't waste any time in pulling himself nimbly into the branches after L'nu. Time for a daring escape, and the kid had provided the means.

"Dragon!" Quintrell barked, snagging the back of L'nu's collar and pulling them out to the thinner limbs to be seen by the blue. "Yer assistance is needed at once! Save us from certain doom!" The thief punctuated his statement by thrusting a finger into the sky at the grouping firelizards. If this didn't work.. Quintrell could always opt to work himself out of the pinch by means of a hostage negotiation. The thief was never without a means of escaping. "Quickly now, come closer n' we'll jump on yer back!"

No, Quintrell was not bluffing about the jumping part.

[dragon]

Rose screamed at the lad again as she twirled sideways through the air to avoid the missile that was launched at her. Her opponent thus disarmed, she called for an all out attack. Now he was going to be an easy kill!!! She swooped low, but unfortunately was not expecting him to bounce up into the tree so quickly. Disappearing into a bush as she scolded Quintrell for his audacity of making her miss, she ordered all the other flitters to get after him instead while she got herself turned around to head back out. Between was not something she was going to do as long as she had to keep an eye on the proceedings and instruct her troops.

L'nu squalled loudly when Quintrell appeared on his branch and grabbed him to haul him away. "What is wrong with you?!" He hollered, flailing. Having no idea what Quinrell was going to do next, he staggered sideways right off the limb. Landing in the bushes was not going to be fun, but it was likely going to be a lot better than anything Quintrell had in mind! But as he was headed off the branch, counting on his weight to break the pirate's grip, he spotted the blue hide that was his dragon. "Paglieth!!!" He hollered, hoping the dragon would catch him.

Paglieth, for his part, was still rather confused. Flitters everywhere, Rose was screaming ... he knew exactly why the flitters were doing what they were doing. Because Rose told them to. She did that from time to time, and he had to usually weather the results. However, having that other kid start grabbing his rider and making him squall got his attention quickly, big eyes narrowing. He didn't move for a moment, not sure what to make of it. First what the kid said, and then what L'nu seemed to be up to.

It was all too confusing!!

As L'nu headed off into mid air a-hollering, Paglieth moved. Head shooting out on long dragon-neck as he lifted up on his haunches, he caught his Rider atop his knobby head. Got you. With the agitation of the flitters, though, and well knowing that he couldn't stop them all (especially not with Rose commanding them around), Paglieth decided it was probably best to get out of there. Whatever was going on. So as soon as L'nu was aboard the blue spun around on his feet and took off at a loping trot down the path away from the river.

Of course, this elicited a lot of screaming and hollering from Rose, who was currently too entrenched in too many curious flitter bodies to really do anything about it.

L'nu panted a bit, sprawled on Paglieth's head as he hung onto the blue's ear knobs. "Oh Faranth."

[rii]

Quintrell attempted to hold onto the small of L'nu's collar when the kid made a surprisingly ballsy move to leap out of the very tree. The weight compromised his own balance too much and the thief – self-preservation first – let go with a grimace and watched the weyrling fall.. only to be caught by the blue. Quintrell didn't way to see the resolution, or the blue's acceptance of the proposal of being saved and making a fast get away. No. The thief jumped, almost blindly, toward the blue mass.

His feet caught on Paglieth's haunches, easing the contact by ducking into a roll along the blue's spine to end near his neck. The thief caught one of the straps, wrapping it around his forearm as Paglieth began to bound away from the chaos. The movements were similar enough to a runner, or even a wher, and Quintrell naturally adjusted to get proper hold.. crouched on the tips of his toes and one bare hand against the blue's hide. Wouldn't take the risk of the blue suddenly throwing a fit and trying to dislodge him. As soon as they were far enough away the thief figured he could ditch the free ride and disappear into the trees.

"Hey," Shouted up at L'nu. "Why doncha slide down n'take the reins. Can't imagin' ya want me steerin' this thing."

Grinning broadly, Quintrell canted his head to the side as the situation continued to unfold. A daring escape indeed. "What's with ya anyway. Act like ya never played a game in yer life. Running from a guy with stick like he was really gonna skewer you."

[dragon]

Paglieth hardly cared a whit to be landed on, and have the other lad along for the escape, paying him little mind at all as he hurried away from the cloud of flitters that was slowly working itself out of a confused knot. But L'nu, hearing that voice still with him, tensed. Pulling on Paglieth's ear knobs, he slid up the dragon's face to peer down the long blue neck at where Quintrell was rather brashly riding his dragon.

"Dragons steer themselves!" He answered, not at all interested in going down where the other boy was. No sir, not in the least. At least that infernal stick was gone. But the rest of what Quintrell said gave L'nu pause. "A game?" He asked. "I've played games. Sort of ... I think. Anyway, I thought you really were going to hit me." Obviously. Or he wouldn't have run. "In case you missed it, there've been a lot of events of people beating people up of late ... I wasn't going to take a chance on it." L'nu pointed out, never letting go of Paglieth's ears. "I rather like inhabiting this body, at the moment, thanks." Even if it was horribly clumsy sometimes, and everyone recognized him when they saw him, and automatically assumed he was inept.

"Who are you, anyway??" L'nu asked, quite content to have the length of Paglieth's neck between himself and Quintrell. The ride up here was rather a lot smoother, anyway. If awkward and uncomfortable.

He threatened you with a stick? Paglieth asked. No wonder his was up in a tree when he got there!!

[rii]

"Ya sure? He's still on the ground like a runner n'all. Don't dragon's fly? Need a little spur in the side does he?" So he was playing up the dumb factor. If it kept L'nu talking, the dragon moving, and didn't end with him being toss off Quintrell was just fine with how things were playing out. The thief cast a long glance over his shoulder to ensure that indeed things were going smoothly. A triumphed smile washed over his features. Damn he got a thrill out of evading such tight little situations.

He wasn't quite out of the storm yet.

"Prolly woulda hit ya if you didn't move. Most people dun stand by even in play. The proper response is to pick up a stick and fight back. Didn't you have any siblings. Shells kid, all I had was a sister n'she fought better n'you." All good humored teasing. Quintrell was at the peak of his mood. What with riding on a loping dragon down a dirt path like some trick rider on a runner – add one more rider on the dragon's snout. Behind them a storm cloud of fire lizards. Yes, the looks they were earning must be full of slack-jawed stares. Absolutely delighted the bouncy cut-purse.

"What? Can't hear ya too well up there." Lying, but hell if it got the kid to come down for a more proper jabbing. "Whatsits 'bout people beating up each other? Heard none of that." Probably some exaggerated tale of a mother swatting at the rears of her children. Quintrell wrinkled his nose at the rest of L'nu's words – gosh and he thought his accent was bad. Couldn't make sense of what the kid was trying to talk on about. Liked inhabiting this body.. as if the kid didn't inhabit it all the time. "That yer way of saying ya like being alive?"

A name? Why, he was the proud, war harden pirate black – Call him dummy, Guru supplied ever so helpfully. You scardie, she fatty, dragon runbeastie, and Guru wise. Merry crew on ship of insane.

[dragon]

L'nu rolled his eyes. What kind of moron was this? "Yes, dragons fly! You don't want him to fly, he'd pitch you right off from take off alone, the way you're setting there." He pointed out. "So yeah. Not flying." L'nu was actually rather proud of Paglieth's flying skills ... few things were faster and more agile than a young blue! Of course, he was biased, from Paglieth being his dragon, and then also from getting to see it all from Paglieth's perspective. Yay sight sharing!

"Fight back?" L'nu asked. "Yeah, I had siblings. But we worked. We didn't play." L'nu gestured with a hand. "Made pots and urns and things." Sometimes pretty ones, too. Potting was something he was quite good at. Even if sometimes it appeared it was the only thing he was good at! If anyone ever got to see him with a turntable and some clay, they wouldn't be so quick to call him stupid, he thought. Or worthless. "I never needed to fight. Until I ended up here and people started trying to kill me!" Ack, that was not something he'd bargained on at all, when he'd moved here to the Weyr. Not at all. If anyone had told him there was a high probability big people were going to come after him with toad stickers and fire, he would have insisted on staying home with his turntable. Yes sir. But ... here was a thought ... "Do you really know how to use that thing?"

L'nu paused, thought about it for a moment, then shook his head. There was no way the kid was having trouble hearing him. They were moving forward, L'nu was ahead. It would make it easier for the kid to hear him, than him to hear the kid. And he was hearing the kid talk just fine. "I do like being alive, yes! At the moment, anyway. That's why I'm up here and you're down there!"

Paglieth rumbled in amusement at the comments that Guru made. You have interesting names for people, little brother. He commented, aware that Rose had finally managed to get her troops sorted out again and pointed in the right direction. Theoretically. Some of them were discreetly disappearing back to wherever they'd come from, some of them flying after the trotting dragon. Rose at the head, of course, still screaming at the top of her not so pretty voice. Here comes the cacophany. he warned.

"Did he seriously say to call you Dummy?" L'nu asked, amazed. Apparently, the 'zard had a pretty good perception on his own person. Assuming that this kid really was the 'zard's person and not his abductor.

[rii]

Took everything quite literally, didn't he. Quintrell grinned up at the jittery weyrling. Of course the thief would adjust himself if the dragon did take flight. At the moment he was doing just fine with his grip on the riding strap. A better position, he thought, than the weyrling bouncing on top of Paglieth's head. Strange kid.

'That explains a lot," The thief quipped with a grin. What kind of kid grew up without sibling rivalries. Or a boy who didn't rough house with brothers or other boys in the town. Maybe the kid should be riding green instead – no, Quintrell took that back. Knew a few green riders that would take offense to being thought that poorly of. They at least had more spunk, more spine, to them than this kid. Come on, L'nu was being afraid of him because of a stick. Clearly Quintrell's assumptions that the weyr was doomed as far as defense and fighting went. He had to count on dragon riders like this kid to defend the weyr? Riiight.

More confusing blunder of words, Quintrell lightly shook his head to illustrate that he didn't understand what L'nu was saying. Good with what thing? The thief didn't have anything in hand aside from the riding strap. That and the kid liked being alive at the moment. Did he not like being alive at any other time? Weird kid. "Yer up there 'cause that's where the dragon caught ya and you've been too chicken shit to move."

Giving a jaunty wave a hand, Quintrell shifted further back along Paglieth to crouch behind the joint of wings. "Everyone is a dummy in comparison to the all wise n'powerful Guru. Me, you, fatty back there and blue–" the thief lightly smacked Paglieth's hind quarter for emphasis. "All dummies." Too true. Releasing the strap, Quintrell slid back a little further and jumped away from Paglieth. He met the ground in a roll to lessen the impact. A move he finished up on his feet and darting into the trees to hopefully lose Rose and her little minions.

[dragon]

L'nu watched in bemusement as Quintrell jumped off and disappeared into the bushes. "I think he just insulted me." He commented, curiously. "Why did he do that?" L'nu asked.

Probably because of the very reason why you stayed on my head, and even now don't go whack him around for insulting you. You're only proving his point you know. Paglieth answered, slowing to a walk and then stopping to look back. Not very many people jumped off of moving dragons.

L'nu rolled over and sat up, between Paglieth's eyes. "I stayed where I was because he's freaky and not at all sane I think. Waving sticks at people like that."

He didn't even have a stick anymore. Paglieth pointed out. And you were still scared of him[/color]

"Was not."

Was so.

"Was not." L'nu protested.

Paglieth snorted. Then prove it.

"What? How? What do you mean -? AIIIIEEEEEEEEE!!!!" His question ended in a wail as he found himself flying through the air, arms and legs pinwheeling. It took him a heartbeat to realize what had happened ... his dragon had thrown him!!! But he didn't get to think about it much farther than that, before he landed kersplat on Quintrell's retreating form, sending both lads tumbling through the bushes in a rather uncoordinated mess of arms and legs.

Tell him to take it back. Paglieth suggested, sitting down on the path where he was.

What? L'nu demanded, starting to figure out which of those knees was his. He rather hoped the one awfully close to his shoulder wasn't his....

You have to. Or it'll get worse. Tell him to take it back.

Take what back?

The insult of course. Tell him. Paglieth insisted.

Alright alright!! Keep Rose busy. L'nu answered, well aware the blue wasn't going to leave off and well enough alone. Pushing himself up to his knees, L'nu rubbed the back of his neck. "Take it back." He said, rather unconvincingly.

What -? How am I supposed to do that? Paglieth asked, looking balefully in the direction of the incoming gold.

[rii]

Raining weyrlings – who would of anticipated that. Quintrell didn't have much time to react, other than to duck close to the ground as L'nu impacted. The thief didn't know who to be more annoyed with L'nu for digging a knee into his back, or the dragon who had thrown his rider. Either way, both of them were ruining his attempt to escape the witch of a gold. Damn blue was like a big neon come hither sign to direct Rose.

"Make me," Quintrell childishly retorted. Didn't know what L'nu was talking about, nor did he care in that moment. The more pressing matter on the thief's mind was the fact he couldn't sense Guru since shortly after his little roll with the weyrling. A quick pat of his shirt revealed the absence of said salamandyr. Scrambling to his feet, Quintrell began to frantically scan the ground for his lost mind mate.

Out in the open Quintrell darted upon spotting the curl of bronze against the darker ground. Guru laid motionless where he had rolled right into a rock. Sliding over on his knees, Quintrell plucked the limp form up into his hands. It took a moment but.. yes.. his little chest was moving. Must have knocked himself good and silly. Dark eyes flashed back to L'nu, looking nothing short of murderous.

Screeches from above. Quintrell didn't bother looking at how close rose had drawn, instead standing and darting right past L'nu and into the trees for more cover from the gold. Needed to find a good hiding place and – there. Tucking Guru close to his chest, Quintrell ducked into a small crevice between the roots of a large tree. He pressed his back into the shadows and cobwebs.

Stupid firelizards. With a frown Quintrell poked hopefully at his salamandyr..

[dragon]

"Oof."

For what it was worth. "Told you it wouldn't work."

Paglieth looked at the flitters for a moment, as L'nu picked himself up, dusted off, and felt his head tenderly. Maybe he'd bounced it off of something. He wasn't sure. Maybe he'd bounced it off of Quintrell. there really was no telling.

Getting an idea, Paglieth straightened out, and let rip with as loud a roar as he could manage. Considering he was a full size blue, it was considerable. The sound was substantial enough that it scared L'nu right off his feet again, to collapse to the ground and cover his head with both arms. If he was whimpering, no one could tell for the noise of the roar.

However, it worked, and Paglieth sat down rather pleased with himself. There wasn't a flitter left in the area for a good few tens of dragonlengths. Rose included. That worked rather well. He decided, with a little nod that barely had the end of his snout moving at all.

L'nu slowly got to his feet, and glared at the dragon. "What are you trying to do, kill me?!" He demanded, before dusting off again as he looked around.

"Wow. I think you scared him into oblivion, too." L'nu remarked, not seeing the psuedo pirate kid anywhere at all. But then a small glimpse of something clued him in to where Quintrel had gone. Walking over, he peeked into the little slot that Quintrel had crammed himself. "Uh ... why are you in there?" He asked, before spotting the mandyr.

Who wasn't moving.

L'nu leaned his elbows on a root, looking at the thing. "Is it going to be okay?"

[rii]

The roar didn't phase the thief, who remained tucked into the crevice with concerned brown eyes on his small mindmate. Whatever anger the silly blue dragon had about any subtle insults tossed his way was an ordeal Quintrell didn't acknowledge as being his own problem. He only had one of those at the moment and it took the form of a limp, bronze salamandyr.

A face appeared over the rude and Quintrell curled his hands around Guru and tucked the mandyr close to his chest as if protecting a recently stolen treasure. The jaunty smile was gone, replaced with an impassive gaze leveled evenly on L'nu's young features.

"Yer a crazy lout, ain't you. 'Fraid of me n'a stick. Now yer followin' me." Quintrell stood from the nook now that his cover had been blown by the thoughtless weyrling. The thief quickly looked in the air around them to make sure no there were no diving gold bombs in the immediate area. If L'nu knew where he was, then so too did his fat little egg-layer.

"I have half a mind ta knock yer nose in fer gettin' Guru hurt," An aggressive step was taken toward the blue weyrling. "N'why ye think I'm in there?" Rhetorical question, as Quintrell jerked his arm forward to show off the slash marks Rose had left in his sleeve and shallow scratches on his forearm. "Yer pet needs a leash."