I'm in the business of misery (Tag Fear Weyrlings)

[Rei]

Sel’n leaned against Kaaoloth’s leg as he regarded the weyrlings in front of him with a glare. Shirking chores the whole lot of them. Bunch of lazy brats. He’d teach them to be lazy. They where probably all wondering that they where called here for well soon enough they where going to be illuminated. His eyes flicked to each weyrling and he noted some of them looking at the piled shovels with curiosity and some with dread.

A slow smile spread across his face as he stepped away from the brown. “It has been brought to my attention that some of you have been playing hooky from lessons and shirking chores. In an attempt to teach you some work ethic I have devised a little job for you all.” He strode back and forth down the line eyeing them all like a military commander might eye his troops. “Your job is to take those shovels there and dig a moat around the barracks. It needs to be 3 feet deep and 4 feet wide. You have approximately four hours to complete this.” A grin lit his face as a few people groaned. “I’d get on it if I where you. Especially if you expect to eat this evening. Because none of you are leaving till the job is done.”

He gestured to the shovels before striding back to Kaaoloth and leaning back against him with a grin. He’d watch for awhile and then go back inside to do some needed paperwork. Kaaoloth grunted, his eyes whirling in green as he bespoke the dragons. You all are dismissed to do what you will. However you are not allowed to help yours. This is a punishment for them. If you seek to prevent this from happening again you best be prodding yours to complete their chores next time.

Lowering his head he snorted at his. That said don’t you think this is a little extreme? The Weyrlingmaster chuckled as he stoked the brown head. Not at all. They need to learn. A bit of hard work never hurt anyone. I’m to going to let them collapse. If they look faint I’ll pull them away for a moment. The brown just rumbled before sprawling out and extending one wing to give his a bit of shade. He felt sorry for the little ones. To bad his didn’t share the same sentiment.

~~~

What? Was this guy serious? Cr’oph looked form the shovels back to Sel’n and frowned. Bah. That’s what he got for shirking chores to go flying. Oh well could be worse. What they needed a freaking moat for he wasn’t sure but eh he’d do as he was told. Shrugging he pulled his riding gloves from his pocket and put them on. Striding towards the shovels he rid himself of his shirt, gripped one, and then walked to the start of the moat which had been clearly marked with white chalk. This was going to be boring. He felt sorry for some of his smaller classmates. This was going to be harder on them. Especially the ones who where not used to such work.

Mavenath shifted and sprawled out to watch the festivities. The nasty look his shot him made him croon in amusement. Get going Crymine. To say the bronze was enjoying this would be a stretch but he certainly wasn’t going to complain. His deserved it after all. At least supposedly. With a snort he laid his head on his forepaws and crooned to the workers. Work little ants work.

~~~

Erilena bit back a groan. Digging? Seriously? But she hadn’t meant to skip chores. She’d just been so busy studying that she had totally forgotten about them. So not fair. Biting her lip she looked at the rest of the class. Fun. She was going to look like such a failure compared to them. They could lose clothes to. Lucky them. Being female certainly had its drawbacks. Well at least she had worn shorts today. Signing deeply she trotted to fetch her shovel and stepped gingerly towards where some of her classmates where already working. Okay so she had never even used a shovel before….

Feyrianth crooned softly to Kaaoloth and sent a loving pulse to hers. Poor hers. She looked so worried. Worst of all the green couldn’t help like she wanted to. Giving a despondent whimper she flopped to the ground and fixed sadly whiling eyes on the poor humans. The teacher was being so mean. With a sigh she turned her head and caught sight of a flutterby flitting around some bushes. Oh! Springing to her feet the four winged dragon bounded off towards it. How she loved the flutterbys.

[Requiem]

Eveyth was...confused. It didn't help that Hers didn't understand it any more than she did. (They were almost always busy with something, for one, but that wasn't what was confusing the greenpair. No, it was the nature of the task.) The young green sidled up to Mavenath and coiled beside him, nudging at him lightly. He was a bronze, so maybe he would understand things a little better. Theoretically that's how this was supposed to work, right? I do not understand. What purpose is there behind digging a mini-river around the old weyrling barracks? I didn't think anyone was going to be living there anymore, she questioned quietly, watching Feyrianth's antics with some interest...though she didn't join in just yet. Her question was more important.

She wasn't the only part of the duo who had questions, though X'rx was bypassing the other weyrlings and going straight to the source: the Weyrlingmaster. Who wasn't even their Weyrlingmaster. For that matter, he was pretty sure almost everyone had been press-ganged into helping with the construction, either by moving furniture, making new furniture, helping in the outdoor kitchens, something. They hadn't signed a sheet. In the midst of the chaos and the relocation of the weyrling barracks. That was hardly reason to get all strict, was it? But X'rx would acknowledge that by not signing the sheet Sel'n did have some right to initiate a communal punishment - but this just wasn't...well, it didn't accomplish anything. And there was a lot left to be done.

Stepping forward, he tugged lightly at Sel'n's sleeve, catching it just as the man passed in front of him in that queer pacing style of his. X'rx deliberately pitched his voice so only the brownrider could hear. After all, it was possible that there was actually a good reason for...digging a moat...around an abandoned building...

"Weyrlingmaster?" he questioned. "Why are we digging a moat? There is still a lot of work to do, clearing stone from the paths inside the cliff, and if you want us to dig I know the drudges wanted to transfer more of their kitchens outdoors and need firepits dug. Then there are the latrines. We always need to fill in old ones with new earth and dig new ones." Looking up at the brownrider, he released his sleeve, waiting to either be told this reason he couldn't fathom for the digging of a moat that would make everything clear...or for Sel'n to have them do something else. Something useful. "And...you know, if we're digging...the girls and the small boys could help by bringing water. It's the height of the afternoon. Kalierre is already complaining about sunstroke patients."

Trying to help, really. No one wanted Kalierre upset at them.

[rii]

R'ven couldn't even remember the chores he had supposedly skipped. He helped out the drudges more than often enough to make up for whatever he had missed. Probably archive duty. Not being able to read and write made him conveniently forget doing those particular chores. But, R'ven took his attention off of Sel'n to look over the shovels, whatever was in store for them R'ven wasn't bothered by it. In fact, once Sel'n revealed the task to them the smith did a mental shrug.

Really, the task was only as burdensome as people made it. R'ven actually sort of liked the idea. A nice bit of manual labor to work the muscles. He shot Erilena a smile, not pausing to tease her for the confusion written clearly across her face, but instead moving to pick up a shovel and head off to a clear spot to start digging.

So.. this is suppose to be punishment. The brown was lazing off in a clearing, sunning himself in the pleasant heat. His eyes were closed but he prodded curiously at the mind of His. R'ven tossed the first shovel full on the other side of the chalked line. Yes. But it isn't to you. No. So– It's suppose to teach responsibility. By digging a hole. Well.. most people don't like it so it inspiries them to not skip out on chores..

R'ven could practically feel Trilaranth rolling his eyes, if he could, before the brown shuffled against the grass and settled down for a nap. There was no understanding people and their odd reasoning. The smith likely shook his head, amused at his dragon, and went about creating the moat. Not dallying from him. Some people liked to eat dinner on time. The task didn't have to make sense to him. Mindless labor, yes, he could manage that well enough.

His eyes momentarily lifted to see X'rx tugging at Sel'n's sleeve. A little bit of annoyance raised, but R'ven set his eyes back down to the dirt to put aside the matter.

[mierce]

Cer’c listened to Sel’n’s orders, vaguely confused. He did chores… didn’t he? Yes, he’s pretty sure he did. What they were exactly he couldn’t remember though. He scratched his head as Cr’oph and R’ven went for the shovels. Did he not finish his chores? Well that was troublesome.

Cer’cLove?

The boy turned to his dragon, flashing her a smile. It’s all right. I /looovvveeeee/ digging holes! As if to prove his point, he half skipped half jogged towards the shovels and triumphantly grabbed one. Spinning it casually in his hand a few times, he headed off to a spot and started digging with much enthusiasm. Young as she was, even Harmonyth realized that this would only lead to disaster.

[Ember]

Dy'shi bit his lower lip as he perched on Chakraith's paw while Sel'n gave the rest of his weyrling class a massive punitive chore. The man had made it clear earlier that Dy'shi was exempt from the work his classmates had to do since he'd actually done his chores. At the time he'd been thrilled that his hard work had been noticed (sort of) but now he was worried that his classmates would hate him for not helping them or for trying to suck-up to the teachers.

He also hated to see people working so hard in front of him and not help them. He generally only helped friends out but they was a lot of work and at least one of them was his friend. If helping X'rx meant helping all the others...well, that couldn't hurt right? So with a slightly put upon sigh the boy grabbed a shovel and joined his classmates in the digging. He chose a spot not too far away from the bronzeweyrling. Cr'oph, Dy'shi recalled after a moment thinking about it. He was something of a friend to X'rx, wasn't he? The boy wasn't sure though so he didn't say anything.

Chakraith was laying nearby and she watched over the work speculatively. So long as Hers did not catch a heat sickness then she thought it good for him to associate with his classmates, even if it was only to work with them. He spent so little time with any of them besides Eveyth's. She was pretty sure it was because of her and she didn't intend on letting Dy'shi sacrifice getting to know others for her sake. She knew who and what she was; others' opinions about her mattered a lot less to female blue than they did to Hers.

[Rei]

Sel’n looked patiently down at X’rx as he spoke and Kaaoloth rumbled softly at the boy. He does have a point you know. There are things that need to be done. Why the moat. The rider just eyed his brown. Because that’s what I want them to do. It doesn’t need to have a point. It’s a punishment. The dragon gave a light shrug and just turned his attention to the young dragons around him. If his wanted to be a silly human Kaaoloth had far better things to do than argue. They argued to much lately as it was.

His dragon turned aside the Weyrlingmaster raised an eyebrow. “It’s a punishment X’rx. This is just what I decided to have you all do. Maybe they can turn this building into more runner stables, or a storeroom, or a place to keep the sick beasts. I don’t know. Either way a moat is what I want to see. Now get along to your other classmates and do the work. If you want to be assigned something else I’ll be glad to do so. Just say the word. I’ll have to send Vanity with you though, to make sure you have completed all four hours.” The green mandyr was currently sleeping in his pocket and if he woke her she would not be amused but that wasn’t his problem was it?

~~~

Mavenath crooned softly to his green sister. No one is living there anymore Evie my sister. You are right. I do not see a point. However sometimes we have to follow what those in command want us to do. Regardless if it makes sense or not. He craned his neck then to nudge his smaller green sister affectionately. Do not worry one day when I am leading there will be no senseless jobs for you. I promise. Rising the bronze stretched and yawned. With a flick of his tail he trotted right past Trilaranth and flopped next to Chakraith, shamelessly laying his neck over hers. Good afternoon sister. A lazy tail flick was given to Eveyth. Come cuddle with us Evie. You are invited as well Harmonyth. He would have invited Feyrianth as well but she always got bizarrely nervous when he chose to bespeak her. Shame she was a pretty little thing.

Cr’oph was concentrating on his work and so he almost missed the catching of Sel’n’s sleeve but for a moment he paused to watch the interaction between the two and guess at it. What was going on? Was X’rx trying to get out of digging? Wiping some sweat of his brow he frowned and then caught sight of Erilena looking quite confused. Smiling he whistled in her direction to get her attention. “Hey there lovely. Staring at it isn’t going to do you any good. Why don’t you go get some water for us or something?” The fact that she jumped when he spoke made him grin and he winked at her as she gave him an odd look. Shame she was a holder.

~~~

Feyrianth flopped down by a flowering bush and busied herself with watching the butterflies flit back and forth. When they finally dispersed she gave a sigh and then reached over to snag a flowing branch. A quick glance at her clutch siblings found them busy with Mavenath. Shame really she would have liked to play a game. She might have to if not for the fact of the bronze getting upset. She just couldn’t invite him. He was a bit scary.

,Holding the flowering branch high above her head she trotted to where Trilaranth was sprawled and dropped it on him. Huffing in amusement at the sight she flopped beside the brown and spread all four of her wings to further absorb the sun. See look. Your lovely flowers have attracted a dragon flutterbye. She teased. Lucky you Trilbrother.

Erilena frowned at the shovel and turned to watch her classmates as they began their chore. She had never used a shovel in her life and though it looked relatively easy, things where often more difficult than the first appeared. Then a whistle caught the greenrider's attention and she turned to look at her bronze riding classmate. Her eyebrow edged up slightly at the lovely comment and she snorted, although the sound likely wouldn’t carry. Giving him a slightly disproving look, she nonetheless dropped the shovel and picked up a bucket to make her way to the river bank. The nerve of some people.

[rii]

R'ven tried to down out the voices and conversations around him with each strong shovel of dirt. But between each pause he would catch a word or two, and his eyes flicked up every now and then to take in an assessment of his classmates and their.. progress. Or lack thereof. A worried glance went int Cer'c's direction, knowing the kid's accident prone style, but it seemed he was doing fine for now. He gave the kid to the tenth shovel-full before he got bored and found other means of digging.

Trilaranth opened a single eye as Mavenath passed, merely seeing who is was being closing the eye and returning to his attempt at a nap. It wasn't until the small branch hit his muzzle that both eyes sprung open. What the— Trilaranth lifted his head but paused when Feyrianth spoke and he instead carefully tried to tilt his head to see his recently added decor. Have I? Blue spiraled into his eyes, and the brown made a show of crouching up from his laying position. His tail flicked through the air as he kept his head low to the ground. I must catch this shiny flutterby now. Coiling to pounce, Trilaranth gave Feyrianth ample time to flutter away.

Also hearnig the whistle, R'ven gazed in Cr'oph's direction as he addressed Erilena. A rather, displeased look crossed his features for a flicker of a second, but it was chased off by one of mild disbelief as Erilena heeded to the bronze weyrlings words. That wouldn't do. Just would not do. She best be planning to dump that bucket of water over Cr'oph's head..

A cautious glance went in Sel'n's direction before R'ven stomped his shovel into the dirt, lifted up a good spade full of pebbled dirt and... casually tossed it on to Cr'oph's turned bare-back. "Oh geez. Sorry. Didn't realize somebody was that close.."

[Requiem]

X'rx stared up at Sel'n in silence for a few very long moments. It seemed entirely wasteful to be doing this. Part of him wanted to argue. After all, even if he just wandered off to do something more purposeful for the next several hours, that still left everyone else out here in the heat slaving for no purpose. But his training as a drudge won out, and he dipped his head in silent acquiescence, silently moving toward the other weyrlings ranged around the ditch. He detoured slightly, catching up some old rags and tearing them into strips with the aid of his teeth, offering them to all the weyrlings down the line with a quiet word. "Wrap your hands. You don't want blisters...then they'll rub raw and start bleeding." If Sel'n wasn't going to have any common sense, that didn't mean the rest of them couldn't.

Tugging the strips tight around his own palms, he tied them off behind the back of his hands and bent to retrieve a shovel, pausing long enough to strip off his own shirt. The small young man had a drudge's body, used to physical labor frail though he might have seemed. He didn't like Dy'shi or Cer'c being involved in this, though. Not at all. They were too young and small to be mixed up in something like this. Sharding weyrlingmaster, didn't he know the young ones were likely to come down with heat stroke? He couldn't leave them here. Catching sight of R'ven, he winced slightly. Great.

"He's not wrong," X'rx spoke up sharply, much sharper than he usually was. "If Sel'n's determined to work us and Erilena doesn't know how to use a shovel - shouldn't be digging anyway - let her bring water. Dy'shi!" Cer'c was old enough to make his own decisions, much as X'rx would rather send him to fetch water as well. "Why don't you help Erilena? You can step in for me when I get tired," he added, offering his friend a smile that managed to be mostly genuine. The greenweyrling gave R'ven a look that was nothing short of irritable. Last thing they needed right now was to start squabbling. He gestured for the brownweyrling to give him room, deliberately putting himself between R'ven and Cr'oph. X'rx set to digging with a stroke that was violent enough to show his irritation.

How he hated doing things for no reason.

Eveyth was torn between being amused at Hers and annoyed herself. The heat was killing the littles; that made it bad. And she knew Hers was worried about the heat making the others sick. (Eveyth rather thought that he should be worried about it making him sick, too, but he reassured her that it had been hotter before and he'd be fine.) I know you would not do that, Maverick, she responded adoringly. The green trotted over immediately at his invitation and flopped on the bronze's flank, curling her tail around him so she was touching Chakkers too. Favoritest clutchsiblings, these, Tril and Fairy.

[mierce]

Dig dig dig dig dig. Like a sprinter, Cer’c focused his energy into digging as fast as he could, sending ambitiously large tufts of dry soil flipping into a pile in front of him. Alas, he probably should have approached the task as more of a marathon runner and conserve energy for the long haul. He fared better than R’ven’s estimate of ten shovels -- seventeen, in fact(!) -- before fatigue started to set in.

Jabbing the tip of the shovel into the soil for the eighteenth time, he paused, then leaned against it. A heavy inhale and slow exhale crossed his slightly parted lips. Whoa. Harmonyth flicked her tail uneasily as she watched from the shade. She sent no words to him, but the boy could feel every nuance of concern flowing from her. He glanced at her, flashing a reassuring smile and set about resuming digging slower this time.

"Wrap your hands. You don't want blisters...then they'll rub raw and start bleeding."

He turned to X’rx, smiling brightly as he accepted the strip of rag. “Thank you~~” he chimed with much more glee than one would expect from a boy trapped in four hours of grueling work under the hot sun. A rather strange attitude for the boy considering his general aversion to any sort of work… He gave X’rx an appreciative smile and did as advised, wrapping the rags comfortably around his palms. With hands somewhat protected, he took hold of the shovel again and was about to resume when X’rx sharp voice caught his attention.

Cer’c turned around to regard the other greenweyrling who by then had taken up position between R’ven and C’roph. The boy had missed R’ven’s “accidental” toss of soil, and thus was a little confused. He didn’t really understand what was the matter with C’roph sending Erilena to fetch water… in fact, he was starting to think that he’d much rather do that than dig.

Subtle, Cer’c, subtle.

An absent cough escaped his throat and he resumed his digging at a considerably slower pace while keeping an eye for Erilena and Dy’shi’s return.

[Ember]

Dy'shi was close enough to hear what sparked the dirt throwing and he winced when it hit the bronzeweyrling. Oh please don't let them start fighting, he pleaded silently. He didn't want to have to see his classmates fighting each other. Sure what Cr'oph said to Erilena was pretty rude but.... Thankfully X'rx stepped in and the blueweyrling smiled as his friend started to take care of the situation. It was hot enough without them fighting and potentially gettign really hurt. Wasn't that bad for a young dragon, too?

When his friend called his name he looked at him with a start. What? Oh, help Erilena! He could do that. With a matching smile he put his shovel out of the way and grabbed another bucket. He rushed after the girl gratefully, catching up to her and smiling. "What Cr'oph said was really rude. Are you okay?" He asked her, look at her in askance. When they reached the river he dipped his bucket in and pulled it out again. Oof! Water was heavy but he could handle it.

Chakraith wasn't too surprised by her bronzebrother's behaviour. That he would come to her, now that did intrigue her a little bit. She made no complaint when he pur his neck over hers. It was kind of nice to snuggle and she wasn't antisocial; just very quiet. Good day, clutchbrother, clutchsister, she told Mavenath and Eveyth. She shifted very slightly just to make herself as comfortable as possible and ocntineud to watch the humans dig.

[Rei]

Sel’n just looked down at X’rx as the moments stretched on for awhile. He was waiting for the greenrider to say something. However when he ambled off a small smile flitted across his face before he turned back to Kaaoloth and settled himself against the brown’s side. Crooning the large brown extended a wing as a tent of sorts over his and then settled his head on the ground to soak up the sun. The heat wasn’t to bothersome to him most of the time. Right now in fact it was downright pleasant.

~~~

Mavenath crooned softly to his two clutch sisters and wiggled companionably against them. With a heaving sigh he half lidded his whirling eyes examining the human’s thoughtfully. Humans are such queer creatures do you not agree sisters? I do not see why they must dance around things. A straight question gets such a better response. Feyrianth’s antics caused him to snort brief amusement swirling through his eyes before he extended a wing to drape it over Eveyth and adjust his neck over Chakraith. Yes he was quite fond of his sisters. Lovely they where. A flicker of annoyance from his bonded had him opening one eye to see the cause of the annoyance. Trilaranth’s? A snort was given. Keep to your task Crymine or you will never get done. Don’t be an idiot.

Cr’oph had started back to digging with a sense of purpose but faltered as the soil hit him square in the back. Growling slightly he turned and upraised an eyebrow at R’ven. “Yeah. Sure. So sorry I got in your way big guy.” He gave the brownrider a mild glare and had just decided on a further comment when both Mavenath and X’rx spoke up. Whatever. So not worth his time anyway. Shrugging and muttering something under his breath about idiocy he continued with his digging, extremely glad that he had thought to bring riding gloves. The mixture of the heat and forced physical labor was making him just a tad cranky. This whole thing was just stupid. This classmates where stupid. The heat was stupid. Faranth he needed a good lay. Stupid ten month waiting period.

~~~

Feyrianth gave a playful warble as Trilaranth coiled to pounce at her and danced away from him. Turning to face him in the next moment, her tail swished back and forth while her eyes whirled in happy blues. Oh no. How will I ever escape? The four wing green said in mock terror, dancing backwards and then in the next moment crouching in a play bow. Crooning teasingly she waited for him to make a move. He may be big but her smaller size made her quicker. We will see how easily you can catch this flutterbye Trilbrothermine. The smaller dragon baited, before pouncing forward to lick his muzzle and then dancing to the side in an attempt to avoid retaliation.

Erilena was too far away from her classmates when R’ven acted to catch the sight. Had she been there she no doubt would have laughed. Right now she was just irritated slightly. Annoying this whole thing was. It wasn’t like they had skipped lessons on purpose after all. Swinging the bucket back and forth the weyrling was preoccupied with her own thoughts when Dy’shi drew up beside her. Starting slightly the greenrider smiled at the younger boy. “Yeah. I’m fine. He’s just a huge jerk.” Snorting she dipped the bucket in the river and then pulled it out again. Carrying water wasn’t to bad. She used to do it all the time back at home.

Flicking her gaze back to Dy’shi Erilena walked companionably beside them keeping to his pace. A slow smile flicking across her face she nudged him. “Hey. You know what would be fun?” The greenrider lowered her voice to a whisper. “Everyone seems so darn cranky. I think they all need to cool down a tad don’t you?” Winking at him she examined her close packed classmates. It would be oh so easy. Motioning to the bluerider to follow her lead she approached the diggers, keeping one eye on Sel’n who looked awfully sleepy. Tsk.

Striding forward with an innocent expression she made a show of ‘tripping’ over her feet and simply flung the bucket of cold water onto X’rx, Cr’oph, and R’ven. Who where all packed too closely together to avoid it. Dropping the bucket she tried to school her expression into one of apology and failed. Instead she started laughing. “Oh…I’m…so…sorry. I tripped.”

[rii]

R'ven looked at X'rx with barely concealed amusement. He didn't say anything to the ex-drudge, but he let his eyes slip past the green weyrling annoyed look to almost smirk at Cr'oph. Having the greenie fight his battles now? R'ven held back a chuckle and merely complied to X'rx's wave to move down. Didn't really care about the logic behind the whole matter – what he had done was mild in comparison of what some boyfriends might do in response to some lout talking to their girl in such a manner. He could ask her to get water, but the winking and thinly veiled sleaze wouldn't be tolerated.

A few shovels later, R'ven caught a glimpse of their returning classmates. He opened his mouth to speak, but immediately closed it and bowed his head. Didn't move a muscle as the water splashed over him and the others. He stood silently, both hands on the end of his shovel as he let the water finish washing out of hair and down his face. His hazel eyes lifted to Erilena and he gave her a small shake of head. Really now. He gripped the wood of the shovel, raising the spade a few inches before stabbing it back into the small bit of formed mud. His brows rose, looking pointedly at Erilena – yes, threatening to shovel the muck at her if she didn't promptly flee. A jest, of course, but the lack of smile should make it believable enough.

Yes, we will see how easily. Trilaranth tilted his head, letting the branch slide off to where he picked it up in his jaws. The brown knew full and well his capabilities of movement – graceful and nimble were not his traits. On the ground his strong (read: bulky) build was magnified. A reason Trilaranth often would lay down during lessons or in company of others.

His tail raised up, flicking playfully as he lowered his head to the ground. These flowers are most alluring to flutterbyes. All I have to do is wait every so patiently for her to come near. He shook the flowers at her, sending a few petals twirling to the ground. As an after thought he shook him at his other siblings.

[Requiem]

Good, Dy'shi was going with Erilena. X'rx slowed down his pace to a familiar, steady rhythm as he calmed. Easy enough, with the warm strain of muscles that he found so soothing. Mindless work was something he'd always enjoyed, not thinking, simply moving. He was no longer paying much attention at all to anything going on around him, beyond making sure to move the dirt clear of their beginnings of a baby ditch and not get in anyone else's way.

A sound that was off drew his eyes up...just in time to get a full bucket of water in his face. X'rx sputtered, jerking slightly as the shovel missed its mark right by his foot by centimeters, slicing down into the end of his boot. He bit his lip, jerking it back up. A glance downward, blood darkening the tip of the shovelhead. Beautiful. Just...beautiful. The pain had already spread in such a way that he couldn't be sure what he'd sliced, how deeply, none of it. Shifting his weight, the foot supported him easily enough, and he plunged his shovel back into the dirt before another surprise had him doing more damage to himself.

His eyes flashed up toward Erilena, words coming out in a pained growl. Shards, it stung. "Can none of you act like adults, even for a minute? I feel sorry for the holds depending on the likes of us...might as well pack up and move north. They're safer there." Ignoring the small injury, he went back to shoveling. Not going to deal with the Weyrlingmaster right now over a scratch...he might actually give in to the temptation to hit him over the head with the shovel. And that was saying something.

Humans prefer their dances...something about being polite. Have to add a lot of extra words, waste more time, misunderstand each other... she commented, bemused. Watching Hers for a long moment, she ventured, Squirmy wormy toes are important for walking, are they not? Mine seems to have hurt his. Stubborn...not saying anything. Perhaps someone should be told? The question was directed toward both Mavenath and Chakraith, though Hers was not that concerned, so neither was Eveyth. Still, she thought that checking would be a good idea, just in case. Hers hadn't even really looked, had he?

[Ember]

The female blue considered the bronze's question and her sister's response. She agreed with her sister's conclusion but there was also something else to it. The humans like their word games because they do not live in the now. They remember the past and they think of the future and so they moderate what they say. Chakraith herself remembered the past better than most blues, or even most dragons. She didn't brag about it but it was true all the same. The heat and the comfortable snuggling had the blue's eyes drooping sleepily though she still remained quite awake.

The boy smiled with relief. He was glad that Cr'oph's words hadn't hurt her too much. "He can be," the boy agreed demurely. He trudged back to the group with the older girl and blinked in surprise at her sudden change of demeanor. She whispered something about cooling off and his eyes widened. Was she planning to...? He followed behind her at her signal For a moment he worried she really did trip but the laughter killed that idea. He approached the group of guys, nearly hiding behind Erilena.

Dy'shi was too work-minded to throw the water - of which getting was his task - but he did smile slightly with amusement. It faded quickly at X'rx's reaction and he shrank slightly. He should have stopped Erilena. Oh dear, oh dear. The boy didn't dwell on that fact long as he realized his friend's tone. He'd known X'rx long enough to tell that something was off. He set the bucket down and approached the greenweyrling. "X'rx?" The concern in the tone was pretty evident and he searched his friend's face.

Chakraith's eyes opened quickly as she sensed Hers' worry. She herself was as calm as ever and as she spoke to Eveyth it was soothing. It is hard to walk on an injured foot, she responded easily. If he has hurt his feet they should get looked at just in case. Any injury has the risk of getting worse if not looked after. The blue, seeing no real crisis, returned to her sleepy-eyed enjoyment of the sun and company.

[mierce]

With attention focused on the path Erilena and Dy’shi took to get water, he wasted no time in noticing their return. And unlike his three fellow weyrlings who were digging a ways from him, he saw Erilena’s “trip” that sent an arch of water flying towards the three males. Also unlike those who got splashed, Cer’c felt left out of the fun and wished he had picked a better digging spot.

A smile started to twitch on the corner of his lips but a sudden nudge of concern from his dragon directed him to X’rx. The green weyrling did not look amused; in fact, he didn’t even really look angry as it was in pain. Eveyth’s hurt his foot with the shovel, Harmonyth offered. It didn’t look to be a small injury, but Eveyth didn’t seem particularly worried about it so the green was a touch conflicted.

Cer’c on the other hand caught sight of the blood just as X’rx drove the shovel back into the dirt. He stabbed his own shovel into the earth and strode over to the green weyrling, firmly grabbing the wooden shaft of X’rx’s shovel with both hands. Their close proximity afforded him the view to finally see the damage done to the boot if not the toes themselves. “X’rx, you’re hurt!” He frowned, nearly forcibly prying the shovel from X’rx’s grasp. With X’rx devoid of his tool, Cer’c closed a hand over the weyrling’s arm and started dragging him to sit in the shade of the old barracks. “We need to get it looked at right away.”