boats don't bite [april weyrling chores; open]

[Avu]

Boats again.

Tr'esn was not good with boats, period. There was no getting around that fact. They did not like him, and he returned the favor wholeheartedly. They were awkward and clumsy, and even the strength that had come with Weyrling Lessons had not made him any larger, and the currents that all too often nowadays due to the rain rose were nearly impossible and exceptionally frustrating to navigate. The greenweyrling had just...absolutely given up on trying to figure out the currents, and rode Oquith as often as he could. Which was usually all of the time, since the small green was quite willing to transport Hers anywhere he desired. She probably would try to fly straight to Blossom Hold if he so asked. It would have been so, so nice, if he could simply...ignore that boats existed. Ignore ignore ignore. He was actually getting there, except...apparently the chores rotation had decided to bite him in the tail end. And not gently, either.

He stared at the boats blankly, squinted for a moment, and then sighed to himself, dragging his feet as he flopped forlornly against the shore. Oquith crooned at him a distance away, the little green curling her tail around the remains of her latest meal -- a bowl (yes. A bowl) of meat. Cooked and seasoned. The green had apparently become the favorite of a young Drudge, and she was small enough that a bowl of meat would be more than just a single mouthful for her -- which meant that anytime she so desired it and contacted the Drudge, something she didn't mind due to her near constant communication with K'iel and Vashti, the girl was quite willing to provide her with meat. Never mind that the Feeding Grounds never closed and had quite the supply of raw wherries and herdbeast. Nevertheless, Oquith had developed a taste for cooked meat, and she licked the interior of the bowl again before she rose, sliding the bowl along with her nose, and plopped down closer to Tr'esnHers.

Don't be so upset, Minelove, the green crooned. Her tone was becoming more and more musical with each passing month, Tr'esn had noticed. A sweet soprano tone, she had. And her color -- he squinted at Oquith, but there was no glow to be seen around her, and there was no sign of proddiness, either. Since the last Weyrling Lesson, Tr'esn had been extremely nervous. Upcoming Flight...the very thought made him twitch slightly. He had no opposition to sleeping with those of his sex, but to loose his virginity in such a manner...made him twitch. And he was simply too shy to ask someone to...help him with it. I hate boats, T'resn commented grumpily as he neared the bank and reached out, grabbing a boat and yanking it towards him so quickly that it hit the edge of the dock with a sharp crack. The weyrlingrider winced, dropping flat on his stomach against the dock to run his hand along the side of the boat to check for damage. No big dents or cracks met his seeking fingers, and with a slight, relieved huff, Tr'esn straightened, curling his legs under him and squinting at the boat as if he expected it to bite him.

It stared back innocently, and Oquith stared at both of them, utterly bewildered.

After a moment, Tr'esn groaned again, lugging the boat forward until it bumped against the bank and then slid softly onto the shore. It is a boat, MineTr'esn, not a runner. It will not bite you, Oquith commented, slightly amused by Hers. Tr'esn squinted at the green, huffed again, and then grabbed the hard-bristled brush lying with a leather loop around the nearest post. Pulling it neatly over the post and wielding it in much the same manner that a feline-tamer might wield a whip, Tr'esn sat down with an abrupt lack of dignity right next to the boat, and began to scrub, one hand clutching the rim of the boat, the other clasping the brush and scrubbing vigorously. His words, when he spoke, came in the jerky rhythm in which he was scrubbing. "Don't -- think -- this means -- I like -- boats," he warned Oquith. "I -- hate -- 'em -- still -- " Huff. Glare. He really did hate boats...

[Requiem]

Oquith, you shine so beautifully, I may just have to take you back to my weyr to add to my collection, Behruth commented gallantly from the air, landing in the water of the river with a splash that just barely fell short of the greenpair. He was, notably, riderless. Even stranger, the young brown had a full sapling, the roots still attached to the trunk, cradled delicately in his jaws. He approached the green and presented her with the tree as a human male might have brought a flower to his lover, cheery joy in his placidly whirling eyes. The brown was entirely sincere. Just as sincere as he'd been with the last several greens he'd addressed over the past few days. M'ta was getting the uneasy feeling that Behruth had reached his maturity, and he dreaded the thought of what would likely happen the next time a green rose.

Long before the weyrlingrider actually reached that stretch of docks, however, the second of his mental leeches - as he lovingly referred to the two creatures who insisted on driving him crazy with their spastic tendencies and incessant cheeriness - skittered over Oquith's foot and scampered up the pole Tr'esn's boat was tied to. Boats? the 'mandyr questioned the boy, peering at him curiously. What was he doing? Pretty Mandyr Shiny wrapped his tail firmly around the pole as he leaned out for a better look.

That was when Behruth's croon deepened, pride swelling his chest. I found the cloud shiny. See him, Oquith? He looks just like the sky, and he sings the flutterbye song very well, he does. Maybe we can find a cloud shiny for you. Would you like one? The brown had, of course, completely forgotten the hatching of the mandyrs, and the blue's coloring seemed proof enough to him that his idea was sound. (Or maybe he was just blocking the scary 'mandyr that had screamed at him.) Laying the sapling down at Oquith's feet, he pulled back to watch her happily, so he could see how excited she was at such a wonderful present! It was part of his collection, it was, and quite special. He hoped she'd be pleased.

M'ta arrived on the scene with a couple bucketfuls of tar just in time to see the smallest of his bondeds literally jump down the back of Tr'esn's shirt. "PMS. Come out of there," the boy commented wearily. He'd already fished the salamandyr out of a washbasin earlier today, and rescued PMS from a hungry wherry near the river after lessons. The salamandyr's head poked up and peered over Tr'esn's shoulder, the blue having somehow manuevered to the front of the greenrider in that short amount of time. Boats! he greeted his medium bonded cheerily. M'ta merely rolled his eyes and set the buckets down, glancing towards Tr'esn. "At least it's better than making scratchings in the dust," he uttered conversationally. The older of the boys much preferred working with his hands outdoors to playing scribe.

[Avu]

Oquith's croon announced the arrival of another dragon, and Tr'esn had perhaps a half-second to look up before a terrific splash of water fell just short of possibly knocking him off his feet, unprepared as he was. The small green's croon, however, had turned from a delighted welcome to almost...bewildered. Tr'esn pushed his hair out of his eyes, and pushed the boat sideways to squint at the arrival of...Hi, Behruth, Oquith offered, flattered and embarrassed by the compliments. Did she shine? Really, did she? That's very nice of you to say so, 'ruth, the green added shyly, shortening the brown's name. It was more a habit, with Oquith, than actual affection -- though she was fond of Behruth. He was nice -- starting with Vashti, whose full name had utterly escaped Oquith for awhile until Tr'esn had convinced her simply to call her Vashti, or, alternatively, Telti. Oquith's gaze fell upon the sapling that the brown carried in his mouth though, curiosity clear in her rapidly whirling eyes. It was a pretty thing, it was, but why was he carrying it around with him?

The green started in surprise as a 'mandyr slid over her foot, Oquith's eyes flickering towards Hers, the direction in which the little blue was headed. A soft warning was uttered to the weyrlingrider, who looked up -- and froze, surprised and slightly wary, as his eyes met those of a blue Salamandyr, perched on the pole to which his boat was tied. Tr'esn blinked numbly at the question that was asked of him, uncertain if the blue was asking about the boats themselves, or about something completely unrelated...and just happened to be using the word 'boats'. How smart, exactly, were the little things? And were they all as bad-tempered as rumored? Such rumors were the reason that Tr'esn violently rejected the idea of Impressing one of the 'mandyrs. Just...way too obnoxious, they were, even if Oquith adored them. "Uh, yes," Tr'esn said blankly, as the 'mandyr leaned out towards the boats. Trying to see? He curled his fingers around the brush handle, and then scrubbed once more, to sate the 'mandyr's curiosity, before he cocked his head slightly at the thing. "Boats. Yes. I'm cleaning them, see? They're...they're all icky, the bottoms of th -- "

He barely managed to bite back a squeak of very undignified horror as the blue leapt down the back of his shirt. Tiny claws prickled against his skin, and the instinctive freezing, the tensing of all muscles, responded instantly as the greenweyrling craned his neck back, one eye squinting shut against the sun as he tried to think. How did someone get a Salamandyr out of their shirt? -- what? M'ta's voice made Tr'esn twitch in embarrassment, the weyrlingrider twisting to grin at the other as the Salamandyr maneuvered to his front and peered at his Bonded over his shoulder. "He hasn't bitten me or anything," he offered. Maybe that was the problem? And then his name registered. "Wait -- what'd you call him?" PMS. PMS? Had he misheard? Tr'esn squinted slightly as he shifted the brush to his other hand, raising his arm to push his hair out of his eyes as he swiveled entirely to sit cross-legged, though he still kept his hand on the boat to keep it from running away from him. Or biting him. At M'ta's comment, Tr'esn grinned, and then rolled his eyes expressively as he commented wryly, "It'd be fun if I wasn't convinced boats were out to kill me..."

Meanwhile, Oquith looked quite fascinated by PMS. Behruth's croon drew a soft musical croon of her own as the tiny green moved closer to him, pulling herself along on her stomach. Undignified, it was, but Oquith didn't seem to notice. That is a very pretty cloud shiny, the green agreed solemnly, craning her neck to see PMS. He looks nice, too. Maybe he can sing the flutterbye song for me sometime? she added, more shyly. She adored the little Salamandyrs, she did. Firelizards, too, but Salamandyrs held more of an amazed fascination for the little green, while firelizards were merely regarded as cute and left at that. I would love a cloud shiny, but 'ruth...Tr'esnMine does not want one. We have the little Moth, and he says she's enough. And I don't think he likes them very much. There are many who aren't as nice as yours is, I think.

As he set the sapling down at her feet and pulled back, Oquith crooned at Behruth. The motions the brown made clearly displayed that it was intended for her. And Oquith loved presents, she did. She liked to give them, most of the time -- Hers, Qualuth, K'iel, Wymeth, and Vashti had received most of them -- but getting them was fun, too. And it was such a lovely present, it was. The green studied the sapling for a moment, obviously interested, and then nudged it before she rose to her feet, carefully going around it lest she hurt the pretty, pretty thing, and and nudged Behruth on the shoulder affectionately. It's for me, 'ruth? It's so pretty! The prettiest I've seen. Another nuzzle, and she added, a bit more shyly, I think it's fair if you get a present too. Would you like one? I have one. Mine has it right now, because I asked him to hold it for me. You want to see it, 'ruthbrother? I can ask him for it.

[Requiem]

So that's what the small 'humanly' - as Pretty Mandyr Shiny's large bonded liked to call them - was doing. Making the bottoms of the boats all nice and clean so they could go back into the water and get...dirty again. A curious thing to do. How did they get dirty, anyway? Weren't they in the water? Wasn't water used for baths? Twisting strangely, his frill half-flared, more for balance than anything else. The small blue's wings were even less effective than normal for a salamandyr, so he tended to rely on other parts of his body to keep him from faceplanting.

Oh dear. Why was the humanly getting upset? Pretty Mandyr Shiny glanced around, but he couldn't find any reason, instead trilling softly at the boy. His tongue flicked out to lick Tr'esn's neck. Boats, he told Tr'esn quietly, to reassure him as the trill dipped into a croon. Everything was all right. See? No one scary! He liked this one, that he did, curling his tail as far around Tr'esn's throat as he could manage. Small as he was, he'd still be able to fully encircle the boy's neck when he got to his full size...but not now. Baby salamandyrs were nothing short of tiny, that they were.

M'ta shook his head at the mandyr, glancing toward Tr'esn with his characteristic half-smile tugging at his face. "Behruth named him. Pretty Mandyr Shiny. Which is a mouthful, so I call him PMS." The weyrlingrider shrugged eloquently. Of course, he more than realized how inappropriate the name was, but by the time he got out of his snit it was kind of a little late. The salamandyr was already accustomed to the name. Besides, the irony of it all never failed to amuse M'ta; what was less likely to suffer from PMS than a happy-go-lucky blue? "And no, he's not going to bite you. There's probably not a single salamandyr alive more sickeningly sweet than that little pest." The words were uttered with clear affection, for what it was worth.

Skittering up onto Tr'esn's head, PMS made the leap to M'ta as soon as he drew close enough, filling him in on just what it was the exciteable humanly was up to. Boats. He peered down at the tar curiously, though. Now that would just make the boats dirtier, wouldn't it? Boats? Now, the weyrlingrider was quite good at figuring out what PMS was about, partly because Behruth always helped with the interpretations, and partly due to the fact that M'ta was actually fairly sensitive to subtle shifts in emotions. "It's to keep the wood from getting holes. If there are holes, water will get into the boat and make it sink." PMS trilled worriedly. That wasn't good! Sinking boats meant swimming, and he wasn't so good at swimming. Hearing Tr'esn's words, the blue suddenly shot down M'ta's shirt, quivering. The boy rolled his eyes. "Boats aren't going to kill you, silly." He flicked a glance at Tr'esn. "Thanks. Now he's got it in his head that boats are trying to drown him."

Watching Oquith curiously, Behruth dropped to his stomach as well, wondering what it felt like. He wriggled a little. Ewwww slimy. Fun! He jumped a little as she spoke, having forgotten she was there in the midst of his discovery. Very nice. We will all sing for you. No we won't. But Mine, you sing the ending the bestest, Behruth cajoled, attempting to get M'ta to relent through flattery. You'll want me dancing, next. Nope. Not doing it. Not even if I go back to get the pretty skirt for you? No!

Mine is a special cloud shiny, Behruth agreed reluctantly. Maybe Yours will get a nice one, too, though. If we fly high and fast enough. The brown practically wriggled a furrow into the ground at Oquith's compliment. She liked the shiny! All for you, he agreed, crooning thunderously. At mention of a shiny for him, though, he stood quickly, excitement running through him. You do not need to give me one just because I gave you a shiny, he replied earnestly, but that didn't keep him from following, quite curious as to what Hers had in his pocket. I would never want to take someone else's shiny.

[Avu]

Movement in his shirt. The instinct to squirm until it came out was firmly repressed by the greenrider as he craned his head backwards, one eye squeezed shut to stare at PMS. He didn't like Salamandyrs as a general rule. Firelizards were much higher on his list of favorable Impressions than Salamandyrs; they were much more even-tempered than the unpredictable, talkative little things. Generally. Sweeter, more willing to please. Anyone who intentionally Impressed a Salamandyr, Tr'esn was quite sure, had to be on the masochistic side. Frill. He saw a frill. Frilling meant they were...what? Showing off? Upset? Angry? About to attack? He managed not to twitch, mostly because he was trying not to make any sudden movements. Having tiny claws prick his neck and shoulders was not high on his list of Things to Do, and he didn't intend to push it any higher than it was. The Salamandyr's trill made him turn his head even more, curiously eyeing the sky-colored blue. Reassuring, the uttering of 'boats' was, almost. He raised his hand hesitantly, fingertips hesitating just before PMS's hide and then dropping again. The last thing he wanted to do was somehow aggravate the Salamandyr and get the ends of his fingers nipped off. But this one...was really being quite sweet. Tr'esn blinked, obvious confusion in his gray eyes, and almost opened his mouth to ask if PMS was broken.

Since M'ta didn't seem to be worried in the least about his neck's safety, however, Tr'esn just shut his mouth again. The explanation behind PMS's name drew a grin from the greenweyrling, though honestly, he could see M'ta being smacked if he called his blue that in front of any women. Actually...since the Salamandyrs had Hatched -- what? A fortnight ago? -- he'd probably already been slapped. Heh. And likely the poor Salamandyr didn't even know what his name meant. Tr'esn couldn't help the slight chuckle at M'ta's comment. A sweet Salamandyr? That was a first, it was. Oh, he knew that they typically at least viewed their Bondeds with some affection, but just being sweet for the sake of it...did not seem within the usual Salamandyr ranges of personality. Probably because all the rumors that whipped around concerning the little things were usually about the bad things they'd done. Nobody cared if a Salamandyr decided to be sweet. It wasn't as interesting as if they were bad. "Is he unique, or what? -- I've never met one of them who wasn't interested in -- I don't know -- eating someone's hand off." Comical though the phrasing was, Tr'esn was completely serious.

He resisted the urge to run his hand through his hair as PMS ascended to the top of his head, wrinkling his nose. Something heavy on his head cued automatic pushing of hand through hair to make heavy thing fall off. But he couldn't push PMS off. Tr'esn nearly twitched in surprise as the Salamandyr jumped to M'ta, alarmed as he felt the Salamandyr's weight leave his head. What? -- was he going to fall?! As the blue Salamandyr landed safely and then began to check out whatever M'ta was carrying in that bucket of his, Tr'esn took up the brush again, the bristles rubbing at the algae and muck that clung to the bottom of the boat. Said boat rocked unsteadily, and Tr'esn's hand tightened on it, trying to make it behave. Bad boat. Bad. He glanced up just in time to see PMS leap down M'ta's shirt, and at the other weyrlingrider's words, he grinned apologetically. "Oh. Sorry. Uh...PMS..." He'd never get used to that name, he wouldn't..."I wouldn't worry about the boats if I were you. The only person they want to kill seems to be me." Fortunately for PMS, he hadn't brought Moth with him. Comfortable with firelizards was the feline, but she'd never encountered a Salamandyr and he didn't want PMS being...eaten, as it were.

Oquith cocked her head curiously at Behruth as the brown lowered himself to his stomach and wriggled, too. At least he seemed to like the mud, too. Tr'esn didn't; nothing Oquith said could convince him to play in the mud. And she didn't like to play by herself, so she'd ended up just sitting in the mud. It wasn't as if it couldn't come off in the river, after all. She crooned eagerly as Behruth agreed to get PMS to sing for her, tail flicking in obvious excitement. Thank you, 'ruth, she answered earnestly. She didn't know Salamandyrs sung, too. Did they all sing? Maybe if PMS sang really well, she could convince Hers to get them a little one all of their own. Moth was lovely, but a feline just didn't cut it. She wanted a little draconic pet who understood Tr'esn and understood her. Firelizards always seemed to be so lovely, and Salamandyrs were so interesting. We'll have to try it sometime, Oquith agreed, nodding. She didn't understand how flying would get Hers a little frilly pet, but if Behruth said it, it must be true, and she was willing to try, she was.

Behruth's acknowledgement that the shiny was for her made Oquith croon again. Her soprano tones were quiet in comparison to Behruth's, but the affection in them was obvious. It's the prettiest ever, she crooned, nudging the brown's shoulder again, extremely pleased by the gift. I think you need a present shiny back, the green added. It makes it fair and then we'll both have new shinies. And it isn't anybody's. You wouldn't be taking it away. It's very pretty, but 'ruthbrother, it's kind of small. Oquith snuck a worried glance at Behruth. Size...wouldn't matter, would it? It was a very, very sparkly shiny, but it was small. Big enough to fit comfortably in her mouth, but so small, compared to the shiny he'd given her, it was...the green rose to her feet, padding towards Tr'esn and then nudging Hers lightly. Minelove, Tr'esnMine...can I have the shiny now? I want to give it to 'ruthbrother. Look, look at the shiny he gave me. Isn't it pretty? Tr'esn's eyes flickered towards the sapling, and then he blinked at Oquith. It's...uh, it's nice, he stammered, and then reached into his pocket. Fingers closed around rough stone, and he lifted it out, offering it to Oquith, who took it in her mouth and then turned back to Behruth, crooning as she offered it to him.

Small, it was, about the size of a closed fist. Had it still had its other half, it would have been larger, for it had been broken in half sometime before discovery, leaving a rough edge. However, it would have also been much uglier, for it was a geode. Rough, ugly gray stone curved in a circle around the outside, and exposed on the interior were gems. An off-white they were, and indeed quite shiny. 'ruth? Here you go, the green said shyly. Do you...do you like it, maybe?

[Requiem]

"Some are better than others." M'ta found Tr'esn's unease amusing, if only because he felt the same way about most salamandyrs. He'd actually been trying to escape the Hatching. Accidental Impressions and M'ta seemed to go together all too well, that they did. Behruth was, clearly, rather unexpected, though the weyrlingrider could at least say that with Ruth it wasn't an accident. But Jabari and PMS? Considering how many pets most of the people who had been here at least as long as he had seemed to have, it was fair to say M'ta must go out of his way to avoid Hatchings. They still managed to find him occasionally, though. A bit ironic, how many Hatchings he'd meant to Stand at and gone away without anything to show for it, while all the Hatchings he'd stumbled upon had resulted in an Impression. Then again, R'wign had a firelizard fair, and M'ta knew for a fact that his friend avoided the hatchings like a plague. Maybe it wasn't so unusual.

At least Tr'esn seemed to be calming a little. PMS truly did have a habit of climbing all over everything and getting his little curious self into a ton of trouble. "Unique...yes. I'd say that, I suppose. If he could have, he would have Impressed to Ruth, I'm fairly certain." Said salamandyr wriggled a little beneath M'ta's shirt as the brownweyrling began rolling up his sleeves and pantlegs to keep from getting too wet. A moment later, the blue's head poked out from beneath the line of the garment, watching Tr'esn in what clearly looked like concern. The boats wouldn't kill him...but why would they want to kill the little humanly? That wasn't very nice of them! And his bondeds liked the humanly and the pretty shiny green big mandyr, they did. No, it would be very, very bad if the humanly was killed by the nasty boats.

Kill! he called to Tr'esn gallantly, dropping out of M'ta's shirt and scurrying through the mud to hiss at the great hulks half-in and half-out of the water. Balancing precariously on his hind legs, with his tail curled to help aid in that balance as his tiny wings flared and the frill expanded to his full size, he snapped at the boats. They would not do anything bad to the humanly! And, if they tried to squish him, he'd get his large shiny to sit on them and flatten them into very, very sad boat pancakes! So there! Kill! he concluded firmly.

The brownweyrling had, by this point, flipped one of the boats over to get a good look at the bottom of it, pulling the vessel up until it was completely out of the water. He glanced at PMS and shook his head. "Come now. Help me check for holes; the boats won't try to hurt Tr'esn as long as I'm here." Kill? Really? PMS wavered for a moment. But the medium bonded was right, he was. He was scary enough that no one would want to hurt the other humanly. Satisfied, PMS nevertheless made sure his claws sunk in very deep as he climbed up the side of the boat to look for the holes. This was fun, it was! Bouncing a little as he tested the hull, the salamandyr was soon trilling merrily again.

Behruth didn't think he'd ever been happier! (Not much of a high hurdle, really, considering the brown didn't have the longest of memories.) Except maybe when he found His. He was sure he was happier then, even if he couldn't remember it. But this had to be the second best time. Oquith really truly liked it! As Behruth passed His, stopping a little away so as not to crowd Oquith's, his tail brushed M'ta's back companionably. Small is perfect. Some of the best things come in the smallest packages. He gifted His with a mental caress, the boy pausing to regard Behruth with an amused glance. "Stop being mushy," he muttered, running a hand along Behruth's tail before returning to the hole hunt.

Arching his neck so he might see just what it was Oquith's was pulling out of his pocket, Behruth rumbled contentedly. He delicately retrieved the shiny from her mouth, moving forward in an action that was less of a nuzzle and more like a full-body rub, not unlike a feline asking for attention, though his action was purely affectionate. Spots of gleaming shinyness! It made its own picture! He pulled back to set it down so he could look at it some more. I think it is the prettiest of all the shinies, he told her wonderingly. PMS, who had been watching the exhange, suddenly scurried down from his perch and leapt on top of the shiny, wobbling slightly as the rounded bottom rocked with his weight. Once it settled, he rubbed his little cheek between the gemstones, crooning softly. So pretty! Kill.

[Avu]

Okay. So he'd definitely been prejudiced against Salamandyrs. They made him twitchy, though. Watching them, even their Bondeds didn't seem to have much of a handle on them if they didn't want to cooperate. One had been shrieking insults at Shmee, a long, long time ago; one had decided to string the undergarments of ranking Riders all over the place; and he remembered Freckle, too. Scary things, Salamandyrs were. Tr'esn wrinkled his nose slightly, and then shrugged, staring at PMS thoughtfully. No. Maybe they weren't all bad, but that did not mean he would be trying to Impress one anytime soon. Seeing K'iel's Mushu on top of Sel'n's head had had him horrified -- and almost amused, though he'd never admit it -- and that wasn't even his Salamandyr. If his imaginary 'mandyr was as...arrogant, demanding, or snappish as most of the thing seemed to be -- and yes, again Tr'esn caught himself labeling all Salamandyrs with those adjectives -- he would die. Absolutely die. "Seems like most of them are less than cooperative," he observed, still watching PMS, without quite realizing that he was.

M'ta's comment drew a laugh that was almost bemused from the greenweyrling, whose rhythmic scrubbing started to slow as he watched PMS curiously. "He's cute," Tr'esn admitted. Very. Are you sure we can't get one? Oquith asked, plaintively. The weyrlingrider flicked a glance at the small green, who was eyeing him hopefully. It would be nice. I'm sure it would. You wouldn't attract a mean one, Minelove. You wouldn't. Utterly convinced was Oquith, but Tr'esn merely shook his head in the negative. Of course Oquith would adore it, no matter the temperament; she positively doted on Mushu, and the bronze didn't even look to Tr'esn. Oh, please Mine? Look, I think he's worried for you, look. Tr'esn blinked at PMS, and grinned faintly at the 'mandyr's look of concern. Naive, the creature was. Perhaps he simply didn't understand the concept of exaggeration, but it was sweet anyway. Maybe if you can find a few more as nice as PMS is, I'll consider it, Tr'esn offered. He couldn't just outright refuse Oquith.

Biting back the desire to laugh as his very small, sky-blue protector dropped out of M'ta's shirt and slithered through the mud to snap defiantly at the utterly innocent boats, Tr'esn grinned, the expression distinctly lopsided. Amusing was the Salamandyr: He'd give PMS that much. Amusing and cute. But still. What were the chances? "Brave of you, PMS. Thanks, but your pet over there's right -- they're only mean when I'm alone." Funny: Though he wasn't in the least fond of Salamandyrs as a whole, Tr'esn had no problem addressing them as if they were fully sentient. Perhaps they were, and simply had trouble expressing themselves. Intelligent firelizards had proved themselves, and Salamandyrs moreso than they. Right? ...but apparently, he noted, very easily distracted. Watching PMS climb onto M'ta's boat and start to help the brownweyrling find holes in the vessel, Tr'esn sighed slightly. Ew, boats...he really didn't like them. But, mental note: No more exaggerating when a Salamandyr was around to misinterpret it. As he returned to his scrubbing, he nodded towards PMS. "Now Oquith wants one. What'd you do to attract the nicest one in the clutch?"

I'm glad, Oquith responded to Behruth's statement. I don't want you to be upset because it's small. Minelove doesn't want to carry big shinies in his pockets for me, so I have to pick the small ones. The big ones hurt, he says, because they keep bumping against his leg. And...apparently the small ones hurt less? Oquith didn't quite understand why the smaller shinies wouldn't bump against his leg, too, but she didn't want Tr'esnHers to hurt. And it didn't really matter: there were plenty of small shinies around that did the trick just fine. As Behruth moved forward, rubbing against her to take the shiny, Oquith turned her head to make it easier for him, crooning as she leaned into the rub. It felt good, it did. She watched him anxiously as he pulled away to put it down to look at. What if he didn't like it? She had thought it pretty, but maybe Behruth wouldn't...? The brown's comment drew a delighted croon from the green, and Oquith flopped down on the ground again, completely comfortable in her current company. I was looking to see if there were any more like it nearby when I found it, but I couldn't find any, or I'd give you another, she offered, resting her head on the ground and peering upwards at Behruth.

As PMS approached and jumped on the geode, making it rock on the ground, and then rubbed his head against it, Oquith's croon became more curious as she leaned forward to appraise the blue Salamandyr. Hi there, PMS. You like it, too? Oh, 'ruthbrother, 'ruthbrother, can you help me convince Mine to get a sky shiny like yours? she added hopefully. How did you ask Yours to get one? Maybe it'll work on Mine too?

[Requiem]

M'ta cocked a brow at Tr'esn from his position by the inverted boat, amusement tugging at his lips. Cute. Well, yes, he supposed that accurately described PMS, though the salamandyr was distinctly less cute when he was drowning himself in barrels or getting attacked by darters. The weyrlingrider spent an inordinate amount of time rescuing the curious, energetic little beast. Behruth, at least, tended to be content staying in one place when he wasn't playing with Checkoth or shiny-hunting. PMS just never seemed to run out of energy. At least the little bugger didn't have a habit of getting himself in the same sort of trouble time and again. He learned. That was...good. Yes.

PMS decided, as soon as Tr'esn spoke, that the mean boaties should be avoided at all costs when he didn't have the scary medium bonded with him, they should. The little humany shouldn't be near them alone, either. Didn't he know that was best, if they were mean when he was by himself? Pretty Mandyr Shiny peered back at the boy curiously, wondering if this particular humanly just wasn't as smart as his own. Well, he probably wasn't. Nothing was smarter or scarier than the medium bonded - a good protector! - and no one was nicer or more cuddly than the large bonded. Such good, good bondeds. Pretty Mandyr Shiny had chosen the best, he had, though he liked the little humanly too. He was nice, even if the mean boats didn't much like him.

And he tasted good, too!

Blinking at Tr'esn, M'ta laughed. "Me? I didn't do a thing." Except try to escape by attempting to become one with the wall. That worked out just perfectly. The brownweyrling set to slathering tar over a crack in one of the boards, apparently unperturbed by the muck coating his hands and wrists. "That little salamandyr hatched and jumped right up onto Ruth's head. He claimed Ruth long before he started heading my way. You'll have to ask the 'mandyr whisperer over there how to attract nice, hyperactive salamandyrs."

Looking down at the lovely Oquith, Ruth rumbled softly. Oh, but that's no good. If there was another, you should keep it, and we could have matching shinies. He bent over the geode to nuzzle her slightly, the desire to go in search of the second half of the pretty strong in him. Behruth very much liked the idea of matching shinies. His was working on setting the brother shiny to Ebolath's shiny in his riding straps, and it would be nice to do the same with Oquith's so they would never, ever be lost and they could always have their shinies with them. But it was nice here and he'd rather just cuddle at the moment. He'd ask her where she'd found it and go shiny hunting later.

Pretty Mandyr Shiny paused in his admiration of the lovely gleaming thing to croon at Oquith. Oh, it was a very nice sparkly thing indeed. Kill, he replied agreeably. Behruth blew softly on the mandyr, who fluttered his little wings and crooned at the brown as well. I... He paused. How had he gotten his to get one? I don't remember, he finally admitted sheepishly. But maybe if I ask him he'll let you? Do you think that would help? Behruth wanted to please his clutchsister, after all. His memory just wasn't being cooperative.

[Avu]

Scrubbing took on a steady rhythm again, jerking his breath in and out to the same beat. The entire boat protested, trying to squirm out from under Tr'esn's hand, and the greenweyrling resisted the urge to growl at the innocent inanimate object doing its best to escape. The rope, tied to the dock, with a length flopping along the ground, hit his ankle, and Tr'esn twitched, wrinkling his nose at it. He was convinced -- entirely convinced -- that one of these days, the rope that was tied to the dock would manage to lodge around his ankle, and once he pushed the boat back into the water, it'd take him with it. That would be just his luck, it would. Nudging the rope away from him cautiously with his knee, Tr'esn glanced sideways at M'ta again, silently wondering why he hadn't decided to put tar on the cracks in the boats. It would require a lot less...physical work, and a lot more scanning the boat. Sigh.

The brownweyrling's explanation drew a curious blink from Tr'esn, the weyrlingrider wrinkling his nose thoughtfully. Claimed...Behruth? Salamandyrs couldn't Impress to dragons. Heh. Funny thought, that. Claimed the dragon and accepted the Rider because of the fact that the Rider was bonded to the dragon in question. He wouldn't be surprised if, someday, a dragon showed up with a Salamandyr Bonded. It didn't seem possible yet, but the little terrors had already defied a lot of rules. Tr'esn was pretty sure they could manage it. "Ugh..." he commented wryly, as a flicker of Oquith's question was caught. "I think I'll settle for a firelizard, if I can convince Qui..." Yes. Just compare Vashti's Resin to K'iel's Mushu, and really, who would rather have Mushu? Other than the fact that he was shiny, the bronze was small, useless, and apparently had a fondness for perching on top of Sel'n's head. Not that Resin was really all that useful either, but at least the green firelizard was less obnoxious. "And anyway, the queen's due to Rise before the Salamandyr's next Run, right?" It sounded right. Alternating between Salamandyr and firelizard clutches, as opposed to two Salamandyr clutches in a row, or something.

...that was really a very scary thought. The Weyr'd be overrun by Salamandyrs in no time...

He flicked a curious glance at Oquith, and couldn't help the amused grin. Behruth wasn't very big for a brown, was he? Or maybe Kaaoloth -- the brown was the only other that Tr'esn had gotten particularly close to -- was just big...but he still dwarfed Oquith. The green was positively tiny. Full-grown, she was; she hadn't grown at all for the past few tendays and his once frequent oilings had dwindled down to twice a sevenday -- and he doubted even that was necessary. Seventeen feet and ten inches, measured the green, from the tip of her nose to her tailtip. Said green was crooning at Behruth's statement, rubbing her muzzle affectionately against his shoulder in response to the nuzzle that was given to her. Oh, that's a nice idea, 'ruthbrother...maybe next time I find two halves we can do that? she suggested. The green was not impractical: She honestly doubted she'd be able to find the shiny's other half. She'd checked everywhere, and there was none to be seen. Perhaps someone else had overlooked her -- now Behruth's -- shiny and took the other half; whatever. She didn't expect to find it. But there was always a next time.

The Salamandyr's croon at the green dragon was rewarded as Oquith gently leaned down, crooning softly to PMS. So nice, he was. And Hers thought that all 'mandyrs were mean? No, no. She was convinced that he'd just been...really, really unlucky, up until then. PMS marked a turning point. She was sure of it. There had to be more Salamandyrs that were very, very nice like PMS was. It's good you like it, Oquith told the Salamandyr seriously -- she was utterly and completely convinced that the little cousins, firelizards and Salamandyrs both, could understand every word she said. Glancing up at Behruth, the green crooned again at his sheepish admission. It's okay, 'ruthbrother. But would you ask him? You don't mind talking to him? You don't have to if you don't want to... Oquith paused, earnestly crooning at Behruth. It was so nice of him! I would like it very much if you did, though, she said honestly, nudging his shoulder again lightly.

[Requiem]

"I should imagine so," M'ta agreed, though he was clearly distracted by what he was doing as he climbed up onto the boat to reach. He eyed the crack a little...uneasily. It seemed as if that particular board was going to split here soon, and a little tar wasn't going to do it much good. Only the water worked into the grain of the wood kept it from leaking already. Wiping his hands off on his trousers as well as he could, he drew the straight-edged dagger that was his spare in the event that he lost one of the other two. M'ta carefully began to pry up the board with the edge of his dagger. He'd have to use it to size a new one, although at least it wasn't one of the longer boards toward the center of the craft.

It wasn't that the brownweyrling didn't like Tr'esn. In fact, if M'ta trusted the greenweyrling enough that he was devoting next to no attention to what the younger boy was doing, that said quite a bit. He was simply absorbed in the work at hand. It was completely like the northern boy to do this, especially where wood was concerned, though he did actually make an effort to keep the conversation going. Something that...really wasn't a usual action for him. M'ta was one of those people utterly content with silence so long as it wasn't charged with tension. This had not always been true...the nickname of Muta was originally a facetious one, and some might have joked that he didn't have to breathe, because he certainly didn't pause between words. Ever. But that was several turns ago now.

Things changed. "It's already been a turn. Kind of...hard to believe. There was a time I thought I'd never Impress, and now it feels as if Behruth must have always been part of me. Is it like that for you, too?" There was some genuine curiosity behind the question. M'taMine...I love you so, so much. The boy's lips quirked. Behruth had a habit of listening in. And I you.

Come to think of it, that definitely sounded like a better idea, didn't it? If Oquith hadn't found both halves, he probably wouldn't either. She was very good at finding shinies, she was. He thought. Yes, because she liked to give them away, and you had to find them to give them away, didn't you? I will look for halves, too. Then, even when you are far, far away, you will be right here because we will have the same stone, he uttered, leaning into her slightly. Behruth was a brown who absolutely loved to cuddle. Almost as much as he loved searching for shinies. He could spend the whole day cuddling with a friend and just chatting about whatever came to mind.

The pretty green was talking to him! Wriggling happily, he hopped up onto her head as it drew close and coiled his long tail around her headknob, kneading his paws over her eyeridge while being careful not to get her with his claws. Such a lovely creature, and so nice to give presents to his large bonded, she was. Like, he stated thankfully, crooning again to her. He likes you very much, the brown commented contentedly, flopping down and curling around the halved geode to rest his head lightly on her flank. Mine likes Yours, and he is Yours, so he must be a very special humanly, Behruth responded, entirely devoid of guile. Oquith was his favorite dragon-sister, and as such Hers must be very, very special. Of course he would ask him!

Oquith's! he called softly. The sky shiny loves your beautiful Oquith, he does. I am sure that if you let her, another very nice sky shiny would want to be bestest friends with you and her. Will you think about it? She would be very happy, I think.

[Avu]

The answer Tr'esn received was rather distracted, but the boy didn't truly mind. It gave him the opportunity to concentrate more on Oquith, flicking a glance towards the green. The geode's crystals gleamed and winked in the light, and he wrinkled his nose thoughtfully. Funny, how Oquith gave away the shinies she found so easily. So quickly. To anybody, really. Usually to her favorite clutchsiblings, their Riders, or to him (though Tr'esn had assured the green that, really, he wasn't greedy and she probably shouldn't make other people jealous; he didn't need shinies), but only a sevenday ago, Oquith had presented a little pearly white shell to a little girl from the kitchens who'd decided that Oquith was pretty enough to deserve a few strips of dried meat. Generous indeed, was the little green. "Hmm." The answer was thoughtful, but didn't really make for conversation, as he scrubbed, swiping his hair out of his eyes with one hand and then returning to the scrubbing.

A firelizard...a firelizard? Maybe. Typically people with firelizards didn't Impress Salamandyrs, either, right? Even though...eh. M'ta was clearly an exception to the rule, and, according to Oquith, who adored the things and went out of her way to inquire about them, one of the Weyrlings had Impressed a second Salamandyr. Hmm. More and more crazy with every generation, the little things were. But, yes...a green firelizard, he probably couldn't really train, but a blue or a brown, or -- just maybe a bronze? He didn't expect a queen; there hadn't been a queen clutched in quite a while (unsurprising, considering the current queen's small size) -- and he didn't really want a gold, either -- but bronze wasn't too bad. A bronze or a brown could be helpful delivering messages, even if a blue might be a little too small for such work. The greenrider flicked his head sideways to dispose of his curls again -- just why they liked falling into his eyes so much was utterly beyond the boy -- and gnawed thoughtfully on his lower lip. All someone had to do to attract a firelizard was think 'happy thoughts' and offer food, right? Shouldn't be too hard. Vashti had done just fine with the egg he'd gotten her.

M'ta's statement made Tr'esn blink, the boy flicking his companion a glance that was, at first, confused, and then contemplative. Really? A Turn? So fast, the days went, when Oquith was with him. "I..." He hesitated, unused to talking about himself, and then shrugged. If M'ta wanted to know, Tr'esn would tell him. "I used to dream about Impressing," he stated quietly, tentatively. "It wasn't something I ever expected would actually happen. Just a dream. And now...I mean, sometimes I think, if I was ever lonely, or if...if I knew there was something missing, maybe, before?" He remembered the loneliness, of course. He did. It was always there, for a Drudge like him, who didn't make friends and was strictly obedient. Even in the midst of a crowd, he was ignored. Separate. But he'd never connected that loneliness, that isolation, with someone missing in himself -- he'd just assumed he wasn't good enough to be friends, to be noticed.

Oquith crooned, pleased by the brown's statement, and snuggled towards him, too. Physical touch -- it was a very large part of Oquith's mental make-up. She liked it, the comfort that it offered, the sense of safety and closeness. Her muzzle came around, bumping lightly against Behruth affectionately. Perhaps once Ours have finished with the chores we can go looking for halves? she suggested hopefully. Hers didn't have anything else planned -- Tr'esn rarely planned things. It had already been discovered that he got entirely too fretful when he did plan things, determined to follow a schedule down to the second, so Oquith had made him stop planning for his -- and her -- sanity. Unless Yours has something to do...or if you don't want to, the green added softly, just in case.

Oh! Sky shiny, on her head! Oquith kept her head cautiously low, just in case the blue tumbled off, and crooned softly, uncertainly, up at PMS. Do you want me to go higher, little one? she offered uncertainly. Mushu liked that...maybe PMS did, too? You won't fall, will you? I don't want you to hurt yourself...! It was true. The gentle kneading of tiny paws along her eye ridge drew a soft croon from the green, and her tail flicked happily along Behruth's, the green crooning as his head came to rest along her flank. Does he? That's good. I like him, too. He's a very nice shiny...and I think Mine likes him. The brown's statement that Hers was a 'special humanly' earned another pleased nuzzle as the green rubbed her entire neck along the brown's side in a show of blatant affection, and as the brown contacted Tr'esnHers, she raised one wing over her face, tucking her head along Behruth's side so Hers couldn't blame her for trying to get a shiny.

Tr'esn didn't so much as twitch at the sound of another dragon's voice in his mind. Qualuth and Wymeth talked to him too much for that. But Behruth...was a new one. The greenrider glanced curiously over his shoulder to blink at the brown as he spoke...and Oquith's position didn't escape him. An amused smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Ummm...yeah," he agreed, uncertainly. "Yeah...yeah, I'll definitely think about it." And he would, too. Maybe. Just maybe, if he couldn't convince Oquith to pass for a firelizard...