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Post by sorra on Sept 24, 2010 8:17:21 GMT -5
Kikaya sat by the lake with her knees pulled up to her chest. Railth was splashing around happily in the lake. She looked over at her young rider, wondering why she seemed so down. Ralith couldn't remember ever seeing her rider like this. Kikaya was a fighter.
Mine? What is wrong?
The young gray rider shook her head. I'm okay, Ralith, she promised. Just thinking.
Ralith snorted. She didn't believe her, but she couldn't make Kikaya talk. The girl was too stubborn for that. Kikaya managed a weak smile for her dragon's sake as she rested her chin on her folded arms.
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Post by Mik on Sept 24, 2010 13:32:55 GMT -5
M'cal and Lukath were headed for the lake for a swim in warm waters and a good scrub to the blue's hide when they spotted Kikaya and Ralith. M'cal smiled as his little dragon trotted ahead to greet them. The dark, icy looking blue had begun to fill out and looked so much more healthier since they came to Nova Weyr two months back. Even his sister's gray was looking better. His sister...she had been different since they had been released from the rule of Lord K'ain, more quiet and almost shy. Oh, yes, he had noticed. He had only spent the last four turns practically glued to her in worry. So, as his dragon beat him to where she sat, he jogged to catch up, loving the feel of good food for once. It was still hard not to take what he really wanted. It was so massively available to them...
Hi, Ralith! Lukath said cheerily as he splashed into the lake waters. Oh, so warm! he told the gray merrily.
M'cal stopped next to his sister, dropping the bucket he had his bathing gear in before sitting down next to her. "Hey, Kika. What's wrong?" he asked, knowing that something was weighing heavily on her mind. He would talk. He was always around for her to talk to or he tried to be.
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Post by sorra on Sept 24, 2010 13:50:15 GMT -5
Kikaya hadn't even noticed her beloved brother or his blue approaching. When they had been with Lord K'ain she had known where he was at all times. Today had just been different. Being in an actual Weyr was different. Some of her friends had been hurt during the rescue and the girl wasn't sure what to think. Everyone had been nice, but it was still hard. It had been so long since she had been around anyone nice. She glanced back at her gray. That was another worry.
Ralith bugled happily. Wanna play Lukath? the gray asked hopefully. She loved playing with the blue.
It was only when Ralith bugled that Kikaya noticed Lukath, which meant her brother was close. The young teen sat up straighter when M'cal sat beside her. She shook her head as she looked over at her brother, her hazel eyes showing a bit of nervousness. "Everything is so new here," she said quietly. She wasn't sure if she wanted to tell him about her other fear yet.
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Post by Mik on Sept 27, 2010 11:03:34 GMT -5
The dark, icy-colored blue looked at his rider closely for a long, contemplative moment before answering the younger dragon. Yes, we can play. What do you want to play? he asked as he stuck his head under the water a moment, his dark hide glistening where it was currently wet at.
M'cal smiled fondly at his sister, golden-hued eyes studying her as if he could find his answer without her saying so. "Ev'rything is new, but it's nice. This is how it should have been all along," he said cheerily. While he had a temper, when it was just him and his sister, he was cheery. She was something he had clung to over the past four turns. "The Lessons're nice," he commented, glad to have Lessons that did not center around fighting and submission to their elders. "How do you like 'em?" Of course, he already knew most of her answer, but it was always nice to let her answer for herself. He knew it gave her confidence.
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Post by sorra on Sept 27, 2010 17:25:15 GMT -5
Ralith nearly bounced up and down for joy when Lukath agreed to play with her. It was obvious that the gray was still young. I don't know, she said, flapping her wings and causing waves to splash toward their riders.
Kikaya actually smiled a little as she watched her dragon. At least Ralith seemed happy. She turned back to her brother, her hazel eyes glistening as she ran a hand through her shoulder length hair. "It it nice," she said softly. She wasn't normally this uncertain. Especially around M'cal, but she couldn't help worrying. "Ralith is doing well and Lukath looks great." The girl nodded. "I've liked the lessons. I've learned a lot." She wasn't going to mention that she still didn't have any friends or her true worry with Ralith.
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Post by Mik on Sept 28, 2010 13:43:24 GMT -5
Lukath crooned at the younger dragon, then gazed at his rider another moment before giving the gray his attention once again. His was alright. There were no others near, so His would be fine. How 'bout a race? he asked of the younger dragon.
M'cal grinned at his sister, reaching up to gently touch her chin in that brotherly fashion of his. "Nova's full of opportunities. Everything'll be just fine." Then he gazed at her with that knowing look in his gold-hued eyes. There was something on her mind that she had yet to speak of. "What else ya' thinkin' 'bout?" he asked in that same cheery tone he had held before as if all were completely well now.
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Post by sorra on Sept 28, 2010 14:26:06 GMT -5
The gray looked back at her young rider. She knew something was bothering her, but M'cal was with her, so Ralith wasn't too worried. Let's race! she said excitedly.
Kikaya shrugged a little. She almost reluctantly looked up at her brother when he touched her chin. "There does seem to be a lot of opportunities now," she agreed. The girl sighed. This one time she wished her brother wasn't so good at reading what was bothering her. She hesitated briefly. "Ralith," she said simply, not sure if she wanted to expand on that or not. If she knew her brother he would understand already or else keep asking questions.
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Post by Mik on Sept 29, 2010 12:06:58 GMT -5
Lukath crooned at the gray before looking about the lake. How 'bout that rock over there? he asked her, giving her the image of the exact rock that he was looking at across the lake.
M'cal thought for a long moment about what the name of his sister's dragon meant, added to worry. He turned to gaze out at the two young dragons and studied the gray closely another long moment, his mind working through the various events and lessons that they had been through in the last two months. He touched on a possibility, but he decided to question more before settling on that subject. "She's much healthier now. And ya' have a wing ta fly in 'at's trainin' ta fight Thread instead of other dragons. She not doin' as good as she used ta?" he said, a touch of confusion to his voice, though he hoped that her answer would drive him toward that possibility he had been thinking of.
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Post by sorra on Sept 29, 2010 12:48:13 GMT -5
Ralith looked out over the lake. Okay. That rock looks good, she agreed. The gray was up for anything. She just wanted to play and be with others.
Kikaya watched Ralith with her soft hazel eyes. Her gray did look extremely healthy and she was glad for that. She had always been worried about her dragon, but now she knew that Ralith would be alright. She glanced over at her brother. She could see that he was trying to work out what could possibly be wrong. The girl shook her head. "No, Ralith has been doing fine. She seems to like these lessons as much as I do. I didn't like having to fight others." Being in a wing and learning new things hadn't upset her at all. The young pair loved it. So that definitely wasn't what was bothering her.
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Post by Mik on Sept 30, 2010 10:08:54 GMT -5
Lukath crooned. Ready, then? He readied himself in order to race, angling his glistening body in line with his destination. Sure he would let the younger one win, but only her. Any other dragon and he would give it every effort he had in his little body. Set? He paused for effect just a moment, watching her ready herself for the race. Go!
M'cal studied his sister a while quietly, his gaze neither intimidating nor discomforting, just calm and curious as his mind mauled over the world of information that he had learned in the past two months. Then it dawned on him. Chrysoberyth was the first to Rise from the clutch that Ralith came from. It was only a matter of time before Ralith followed suit. "Ya' worried 'bout 'er Risin'?" he asked carefully, if not slightly blunt.
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Post by sorra on Sept 30, 2010 10:39:17 GMT -5
Ralith seemed to laugh as she turned toward the rock. Ready! she said cheerily. The gray prepared herself for the race. Her tail flicked with excitement. She was gone the instant Lukath said go.
Kikaya went back to watching her gray. She couldn't help but notice that her young gray was a bit bigger then her brother's blue. She sighed softly, resting her chin on her arms again. She couldn't bring herself to look back at M'cal just yet. Kikaya tensed up slightly when he got it right. "I am," she whispered. "I don't know anyone here and I'm no fool. I know what happens during a Flight." She hadn't been with anyone and she wasn't ready yet anyhow.
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Post by Mik on Oct 4, 2010 15:05:00 GMT -5
The blue bugled merrily before darting after the younger dragon, quickly finding his way close in her wake, dark body shining from the water's spraying about.
M'cal smiled when his sister confirmed that he had guessed correctly. The former BeastCrafter reached over to pull Kikaya close to him in a comforting hug. "I'll help ya' meet some guys an' I promise ta be right there when Ralith Rises. That sound good?" he told her with confidence, a hair bit of teasing at the prospect of meeting other guys. Big brother got to play matchmaker and there were plenty to choose from.
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Post by sorra on Oct 4, 2010 15:54:33 GMT -5
Ralith glanced over her shoulder once as she playfully swam across the lake. The warm water felt good on her hide. And she hadn't played like this in a while.
Kikaya leaned her head against M'cal's shoulder. She was trying not to tremble and not think about Ralith's Flight, but it was scary. She was only 15 and knew no one. "Why would anyone want to know me?" she asked softly. Her fiery streak was gone when she was with her brother. That was the only time she would let down her guard. "We're outsiders and I don't want them getting to know me just because of Ralith." The girl made a face at that thought. She knew how some men worked and she didn't want to be around any like that. She nodded slightly at his offer. "I'm scared," she whispered. "I'm more scared of this then the day those riders threatened to take you away from me. I knew then that I wouldn't let them."
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Post by Mik on Oct 8, 2010 8:26:31 GMT -5
They had made it halfway across the lake in their race by the time Lukath had seen Ralith glance back at her competitor. Better watch where you're goin'! he playfully scolded her. He did not want to see the young gray wreck into another dragon or something.
M'cal rubbed his sister's arm in comfort and smiled at her words, his voice full of the love for a sibling when next he spoke. "It'll be alright. I'm here. No one's separatin' us." After a pause, he continued, "'Cause yer pretty and very nice once ya' let someone close. This Weyr's accepted us as riders, not outsiders. We're practic'ly family already. The boys I drag outta the caves won't be gettin' to know ya' just 'cause ya' ride a gray, but 'cause there might be a interest there," he added, knowing pretty much what type of man he was going to hunt down for his sister. If she had a preference during the flight, then nine chances in ten, Ralith would choose that man's dragon as victor.
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Post by sorra on Oct 8, 2010 9:53:13 GMT -5
Ralith quickly looked back over at Lukath's warning. Oops, sorry, she said as she just managed to avoid an accident. She had been worried about her rider's mood change.
Kikaya leaned her against her brother's shoulder. She closed her hazel eyes and took a deep breath. She was still scared witless. "But I'm only fifteen," she whispered. She didn't know if she was ready for this. She loved her dragon, but still. She snuggled closer to M'cal's side. "I'm not worried about being pulled away from you. If K'ain couldn't do it, then no one can," the girl said softly. She wasn't losing her brother. The gray rider looked up at her brother. "How can you be so sure?" she whispered. "We don't know that many here. How did you get through the first time Lukath decided to chase?" She knew it had been different for him.
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