When he Wings Away {Sakky!!}

Neras chirped a warning again when His didn’t seem to notice the people and creatures before him but it was far too late for His. They ran into one another and Neras chattered with worry, eyes swirling. His hadn’t been like this in so long… Not since Big Brother had disappeared. He recognised that there was another black firelizard and chattered at him sadly, trying to communicate his concern for the healer.

Tedaon stumbled back and steadied himself. He must have tripped on his way out to the Weyrbowl or something. He had been spending a lot of time in the Lower Caverns as opposed to in his Weyr with his dragon. His eyes took in very little even though, technically speaking, he was actually awake. He knew where he was going but was still in a dream-like state.

S-sorry…
Why was Diasith apologising for that? It didn’t make all that much sense at all. Perhaps it was merely because his black was not yet waiting for him resulting in how he had stumbled. It didn’t make sense even to him but it was the most logical explanation he could figure.

“That’s quite all right, nothing to worry about.”
U-um... are y-you okay?
“Of course Diasith, I don’t know why you would ask that?”

He was confused to say the least. Much of what he wanted to say he felt he needed to say it aloud for Diasith didn’t seem to be reacting to his thoughts. Perhaps he, Tedaon, was keeping some of his thoughts from Diasith accidentally. It wouldn’t have been the first time he had accidentally kept his thoughts from the black. Occasionally, when he was really tired, his brain worked a little slower than normal and he spoke the words as well as thought them.
“Should we go?”

Neras chirped at the other black worriedly, was His ok? He had seemed to come off worse from the collision than Tedaon… Then again, the healer didn’t seem any different than he had been before and that was perhaps more troubling.

This was… Strange to say the least. Why was Diasith acting so strange? What did he mean he wasn’t Diasith? What cruel trick was the black playing on him now? Of course, he loved the dragon with all his might but sometimes Diasith sure played some strange jokes on him. Shaking his head he supposed that Diasith was just being a little silly again, trying to trick him.

The dragon had spoken again and Tedaon laughed at the question. Of course they were going somewhere! They were going to go for a fly! Why, it was the black that had suggested it in the first place. The healer shook his head his grin remaining as he tried to figure out what Diasith was saying.

“Well, of course we are going somewhere, we’re going for a fly! You suggested it you silly little black. Goodness, I don’t know what’s up with you lately.”

Tedaon frowned and reached out to the black, pulling him into a hug. Perhaps there was something worrying the dragon. That was always a very real possibility. Diasith had been even more quiet than usual lately. Maybe the black did not really wish to go for a fly but rather just wished to see him out of the infirmary. He hugged the dragon closer and then froze.

This was not a dragon…

It felt nothing like a dragon…

Tedaon tracked his hands upwards slightly and then felt something else, sort of like… Clothes? Was Dia wearing clothes!? How strange…

“Are you wearing… A hat Dia?”

Neras chirped back at the black and sent him a couple of images of a black dragon disappearing and then a confused black firelizard searching for the dragon. Neras wasn’t sure where Diasith his big brother had disappeared to but he knew that he had disappeared a while ago. He must have been hiding somewhere. He chirped, happy to see another firelizard and flitted about in a circle. Well, perhaps if they just played with some of the others His would finally find some way to accept that the dragon was not going to be found any time soon.

Neras crooned back to the other black and then flew over to join him on the brim of the wherling’s hat with extreme excitement. His did not have many of these sorts of thing! He would have to find one to play with sometime! This seemed to be a lof of fun.

Tedaon was sure something was wrong with Diasith. The dragon was not acting at all like a normal one telling him all these strange things. The healer grabbed the hat from the dragon’s head, Neras screeching indignantly as he fell from his perch, and held it before he realised what was wrong. Petting the head of the creature he frowned and stepped backwards releasing it from his hug. This was no dragon but something quite different.

He tried to refocus his eyes, a difficult feat to accomplish in the dark of the night, and noticed a pale outline. That must have meant that in his hand he held not a dragon’s hat but a human had. Not wanting to relinquish the garment just yet he twirled it around his hands to distract his thoughts. If Diasith had led him here, to this Wherling, then was there something he needed from the male before him? He’d said that he was a Wherling but how could he be sure of that fact? Perhaps this person, whomever it was, was hiding something from him.

“… If you’re not Diasith… You must know where he is. He led me here y’see. Where is he? You have to tell me.”

He kept twining the hat around his hands in an agitated manner, a worried expression on his face. Perhaps they were supposed to be playing some sort of game! That explained it! As a rider it was important to get to know those whom would protect the Weyr at night and perhaps Dia wished him to get to know this male whilst they looked for him. Yes, it was uncharacteristic of Diasith but it must have been the truth!

He could neither consider nor fathom any other option.

Neras was, by now, rather happy with his new friend and chirped at the black to reassure him that they could easily find another perch. At that he flew close to the Bronze Wher and trilled at the creature excitedly. Perhaps they could sit here!? That would be most fun indeed! This creature looked to be a lot of fun to sit on!

As soon as the Wherling said he would assist in finding Diasith Tedaon was torn. Perhaps this was what the black wanted but perhaps it was also a test! To see whether Tedaon would cheat in their game of seek. Then again… It was night and having a wher to help him would be much better even if sort of was cheating. He immediately cheered up and threw his arms in the air in excitement with something of a cheer whilst a deranged grin passed over his face. This was all so exciting! Finally, a chance to look for Diasith with another person! Even if they couldn’t find him tonight they would try again and again until they found his black dragon! For there was only so long a dragon could hide.

“Yes! He always likes hiding in the Weyrbowl! We’ll look there first! Good idea little Wherling!”

He knew the Wherling was not precisely little and that his name was not that but rather Khemres but he much preferred this. Belatedly, he wondered what wher the man was bonded to but decided that would just have to be part of the mystery of the night! For the Wherhandlers were the most mysterious of the Weyr and this knowledge served to reinforce the idea that he was supposed to get to know this handler. Putting the man’s hat on his own head for safe-keeping, for it was a clue to finding Diasith, he reached out to grab Khemres’ shoulder.

“I can’t see as well as you so you might have to lead me!”

Neras trilled with excitement when the bronze-pet said he could sit on him. What an honour! Why, he’d never been able to sit on one of these before! His Black-brother had been much, much larger than this creature. This wher also had strange bits sticking up everywhere. Landing next to Zetri-pal he turned and chirped happily at the other firelizard as the bronze moved off. HOW EXCITING!!! Immediately he started chattering away with excitement asking his new friend where he could have possibly found such an awesome creature.

He sure was lucky that he had run into the Wherling for the other man seemed very intelligent. Perhaps he had been searched for dragons and then aged out but had chosen to impress a Wher and that was why he knew so much about dragons. He followed the handler through the Lower Caverns with something of a bounce to his step pleased that someone was finally helping him. He wasn’t insane! He knew that! All those people who had told him that Diasith had gone were so stupid… Even E’don. Tedaon didn’t know why his brother had told him Diasith had betweened…

Yes! Diasith had always loved hiding in the water, perhaps he was hidden there. Tedaon wasn’t entirely sure why the black would bother hiding in the lake but dragon were mysterious beings, not to be toyed with anyway. They approached the entrance of the Bowl and Tedaon looked out into the darkness with a cheerful expression on his face. It fell a moment later when he could not spot the dark shape of a dragon moving about.

Well, the Wherling had mentioned the lake so he couldn’t straight away dismiss the Weyrbowl as a potential Dragon hiding place… He turned his gaze on the man as he asked for his hat back and immediately became agitated.
“But it’s a clue… I need it! It’s a clue… Good gracious what’s wrong with your hair!?”

For in the moonlight he was finally able to see the pale ghostlike appearance of the Wherling leading him to his Diasith. Tedaon frowned curiously at the albino. At least he knew a little about those with poor skin pigmentation… He shook his head. That wasn’t important… Unless this was an apparition of some kind. That was also a possibility. However, he was solid so that was thoroughly unlikely.

“Nevermind for we are searching for my Diasith!”

Neras chattered back to Zetri with excitement. Perhaps he could find one of these perches for His! If he could only find out where exactly they had found this wonderful seat. He chattered back and then gestured a wing to the creature’s tail with excitement. It had always been one of hit favourite places to sit because it almost always moved!

Tedaon barely noticed when the hat was snatched off his head but he flailed ever so slightly intending to snatch it back. Well, there was some logic to the reasoning from the Wherling he supposed but if Diasith had led him to the clue… Surely that meant he needed to wear it in their search. Then again, if Khemres wore the hat then it was the same as him wearing the hat.
“Well… I guess… I just thought Diasith would need me to wear it.”

He wrung his hands around one another again but then shook his head and stepped out into the moonlight, turning to look at the Wherling’s wher. Oh! It was a Bronze! That was most good because it meant he had found someone who could be a leader and lead him to his dragon. How fortunate! Diasith sure knew the people in the Weyr really well if he had picked the Bronze Wherling of all the other handlers in the Weyr! Perhaps the Alpha would have been better but Tedaon could only assume that the Alphahandler was busy at the moment.

“Well, perhaps he is swimming! Shall we go little Wherling!?”

At that, Tedaon started making his excited way over in the direction of the lake humming vaguely. Every now and again he glanced back at his companion to ensure he was following. If he lost the clue then all else would be lost.

Neras watched as Zetripal scurried his way down to the seat’s tail. He chirped excitedly when the other black seemed pleased with the spot. Yes! It sure was an awesome place to sit! He chirped again and sent his friend an image of a big black firelizard and of himself sitting on the tail in something of a heroic sort of fashion. Black seat was HUGE and so much fun to sit on! This was still awesome and maybe the bronze seat would grow as huge as the black one!

Tedaon’s hopeful grin could not have been more heartbreaking as the approached the lake. Diasith was probably hiding. It was just like him to do something like that. Tedaon placed his hands on his hips in agitation as the bronze wher descended into the depths. Anticipation now as the wher started swimming around in the lake, presumably, for Tedaon could barely even see the ripples of the water.
“Tell him thank you kindly. If Diasith refuses to come I may have to speak very sternly with him about Dragon manners.”

He nodded firmly and seriously but then started tapping his foot for something tp do. This was absolutely one of the best nights of his life. Well, for the past few turns anyway. It was so great that he had found such a wonderful leader to take him to Diasith. He would most certainly comment this Weyrling to the Alpha for the assistance rendered. Even if Diasith’s hiding place was too tough for them to find this night they could look again the following night. And the night after that! Until they finally found his black! Of course, if the Wherling had chores he wouldn’t be able to help but whenever he had some time they could look together!

“Has he found anything yet?”

Hopeful once more, he stood on the tips of his toes to look into the water as though this would make the black appear sooner.

It had certainly been most awesome! Neras had been such a great friend to his black brother! The brother was decidedly one of the most awesome things he had ever seen around His. Oh that sure looked like fun too! And the tail moved more than it did with his black brother! It was shorter too. Even though Zetripal might never be able to ride his BronzePet nobly Neras was sure he could have loads of fun with this tail.

Oh wait! No that wasn’t right. Neras crooned sadly as his tiny claws entered the water. Bad pet! No that was wrong. He jumped into the air and was suddenly tagged by ZetriPal. Oh he supposed he could play a game. He should really keep an eye on His though… But this was also fun! And he could see His anyway. Neras darted after the other black firelizard chasing him and aiming to tag him back.