Gray
Wingrider 
grayct[M:-350]
Posts: 870
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Post by Gray on Jan 25, 2012 0:17:12 GMT -5
Tasia was glad of her purchase. She looked in the mirror and preened a bit. She felt necklace helped soften her features some. Plus it reminded her of home. Behind her, Ercuth snorted.
You look like an over puffed wherry. The green stretched out, muscle rippling under her pale hide.
Tasia glared over her glasses at the green. She snarled a retort, but it wasn't anything understandable. Ercuth 's eyes just whirled with amusement.
I think we should go out. We should see those we have not seen for a while.[/i] Standing, the dragon shook herself a bit and arched her back and shoulders some.
You want to see people? How unlike you. Tasia simply strode across the room and rifled through her things. Ercuth snorted again and turned her head to follow Tasia's movements.
We are going. Now.[/i] Ercuth's voice was a hiss in her head, the dragon's tone always menacing, even when she was attempting to be friendly. Which right now she was not. She moved like a lioness all prowl and muscle.
If you do not come, I will go with out you. I want to see Unath.
Unath? Tasia was truly perplexed. It had been quite some time since they leisurely spoke with Q'sis and Unath. In fact, they had only seen each other in passing, or in lessons. With a shrug, Tasia grabbed her riding straps and started to place them on Ercuth.
So why Q'sis and Unath?
I like Unath. She is... sweet.[/i] Ercuth had a hard time picking a word. She just could not stay upset at Unath. It bothered her. She did not like that she could not see herself ripping into the tan. But she had to admit, she liked her.
Fine. Tell them to meet us in the Weyrbowl. There is plenty of room there. With that, Tasia climbed onto the dragon's back.
Moving to the edge of her weyr, Ercuth prepared to take off.
Unath, it is Ercuth. Let us go and sit I nthe weyrbowl so we may sun. It is a good day. She tried to soften her tone, to not sound as malicious and demanding as usual. She did not want the tan's rider to be upset with hers. She knew Tasia would become all huffy again.
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Azhdarchid
Jr. Weyrwoman 
azhct[M:-1490]
Totes.
Posts: 1,627
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Post by Azhdarchid on Jan 25, 2012 12:52:59 GMT -5
Unath replied to Ercuth as she always had, since even the day of their hatching. The Green's attempts at sounding less demanding did not sway the big subqueen:
No.
Q'sis stepped out on her ledge just then, and Unath looked over at him when he slapped her arm with all his affections. The Tan dropped her jaw to the ground, crooning, eyes shimmering with lime-green pulses along a bright blue backdrop.
"Good girl."
The dull brown-gray beast wiggled her tail forks. Q'sis gazed over the outcrop of stone, down the long walls of the Weyr that flowed beneath his home at its ridge. Ercuth really should have figured out by now that there was only one entity Unath understood well enough to obey. Q'sis also liked to think that the Tan had flecks of royalty in her, and that the no really came at her own instinctive impetus. He looked over at Unath's face. She flexed her tongue out and licked some dirt away from her snout, but failed to completely retract the appendage till he took a mental step in and corrected her. "Let's see what she wants." He looped on a couple straps over his dragon's neck, stepping up her arm into the throne conceived just for him between her last two neckridges.
He pointed Unath, gave her a target, but did not marshal the operation of her wings for the quick glide down to the Bowl floor. His lack of control did not lead to a lack of that wondrous sensation: limbs not his own weaving through the wind, muscular tail straight as a rudder or supple to whip eddies of inefficiency away. Unath, by herself, could manage all this. Without his help she was only a little more ponderous, and she had yet to forget she was flying while in the act.
I am a dragon, she insisted, repetitively, needlessly. She could do what dragons were supposed to do: fly. She could breath fire too, but that was really where the contention had come from in the first place: she did not breath enough of it. Unfortunately that was also where Q'sis' thoughts ran every time she betrayed that hint of self-consciousness, and thus Unath would never let go of the notion that she needed to inform him of her existence.
Unath closed her wings and touched her massive, tripod-like back toes down on the stone, followed sharply by her smaller but worthy front legs. She folded her neck back, tilting her head toward Rukbat. She remained that way as Q'sis dismounted.
When Tasia had joined him, he began the conversation with a proposal: "Ercuth remains the best-looking Green in the class. And you haven't scored her." Q'sis did not smile, but he raised his eyebrows at the greenrider.
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Gray
Wingrider
grayct[M:-350]
Posts: 870
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Post by Gray on Jan 25, 2012 21:04:18 GMT -5
A bit of orange-tinted annoyance seeped into Ercuth's eyes, she sulked a bit, giving a look to Tasia who just grinned at her. She reached over and patted the green's thick neck. Ercuth did a sharp spiral anyways, just to vent some anger, thankfully Tasia was used to the mood swings and the changes in her flight. She just braced herself and lay her body low along the dragon's neckline.
The two spiraled, Ercuth adjusting her wings and tail accordingly. As usual, her landing was a bit heavy, but Tasia had stopped caring. Neither of them were ever really hurt from it. It was just the ground.. Well the ground was always a bit worse for the wear. This time deep furrows scared the ground.
You know,you could try being nice. Tasia just smirked a bit and draped herself over the dragon's neck in a leisurely hug. Ercuth just snorted.
She is odd. I do not understand her. Tasia just laughed a bit.
They both are. You should be used to it. But then again, people thought Tasia was odd. Adjusting her glasses she watched the skies.
Do not worry, they will show up. They always do.
Shielding her eyes, she took a deep breath, the smell of fall mixing with the faint spicy scent of washed dragon hide.
See, I told you. Tasia stood as she spotted Unath's dark form in the skies. She didn't want to look lazy to the tan rider.
“Hello!” She called out, waving her arm above her head. Ercuth raised her head to watch them descend. She noted the larger dragon's landing was more graceful than her own with a small snort.
Tasia reflexively moved over to scratch Ercuth's eye ridges before joining Unath and Q'ss, Ercuth standing to follow.
“Why thank you. She has grown into a fine green. I'm sure it's just luck.” She wasn't in the mood to brag. No, she had enough of that for the time being. Carefully, she looked the tan over.
“Unath has grown rather well. She's big and healthy. I wouldn't expect anything less from your dragon though.” The idea of Q'sis lapsing in the care for his dragon was one that never crossed Tasia's mind. She knew he would care for her impeccably.
How are you Unath? Ercuth had calmed and was now just pacing back and forth like a caged large cat.
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Azhdarchid
Jr. Weyrwoman
azhct[M:-1490]
Totes.
Posts: 1,627
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Post by Azhdarchid on Jan 31, 2012 12:07:50 GMT -5
"Yes, you shouldn't," Q'sis grumbled. "And there's no such thing as luck." He gave Unath's forearm a slap and the Tan shuffled off along the lakeshore. She did not enter the water, and her head shifted from one compass point to another with aimless blue-eyed adoration. Her thick tail dragged along through the dust behind her, the forks at the tip curling up when Ercuth spoke. She jerked her neck from side-to-side, then coiled her head upside-down in an effort to look behind her. Luckily the Green occupied the shoreline too, and it did not take Unath long to find her. She slinked back over to the enormous equine fighter, cocking her head at the gait of Ercuth's pacing. It was a grace unique to the Green.
Good, she gurgled after some two minutes had passed from the original question. I am Unath. She offered the statement not as a re-introduction, but as evidence to her point. Was Unath the Tan ever not-good? You are Ercuth. Now she was just showing off, giddy for her own memory. A mental giggle trickled over to Ercuth, and of course to Q'sis, who smirked. He looked down Tasia, eyes hesitating over the glimmering chain at her neck.
"You're supposed to have your man win that for you," he advised her. He dropped fists to hips; Unath's piqued mood was contagious. "But that does first require the interest of a man, so I cannot fault you for being honest about your situation." The ex-trader frowned more than he meant to over the sour joke. No matter how attentive Tasia was to her duties, or how courteous she was to him...she'd taken a fighter. Her capacity as a woman would be limited by her service to the Weyr, by the chill of Between. Even before he had learned of certain technicalities in blinking women from place to place, he'd never approved. Now that there was a tangible (or not-so-tangible) consequence right in front of him, there was no point in even thinking of Tasia, or Delilah, or any of the others as female. He retained the veneer of tradition that kept him above them, but nothing more.
He couldn't deny them the fight. No, Dalibor needed the dragons, and dragons wouldn't fly with other than their rider. He found himself considering another "impossibility," mentioned a few months ago by another fighter-woman: the dragon that spoke directly to humans other than their Impressed. Agnith managed it. Q'sis could force Unath to do it, though it was easier to lead her speech to another dragon. So on the day when the rest of the dragons got over their unexplained block on telepathy with other riders, they might also better grasp a rider beyond what they'd Impressed. They could be given men, and the women could stay back to care for the wounded.
Don't be sad.
"Don't tell me what to do."
Unath offered no visible reactions, and she didn't brush closer across their bond. In a clear moment, she had been able to speak her mind. But Q'sis did not want to hear it, so she did not continue. Of course he had betrayed their inner discrepancy by speaking aloud-- he'd never been much of a mind-chatter man himself. He narrowed his eyes at Tasia, with a frown that insinuated the Greenrider was at fault for being close enough to hear. "She's been uppity since that deadglow lost his dragon."
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Gray
Wingrider
grayct[M:-350]
Posts: 870
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Post by Gray on Feb 3, 2012 21:43:56 GMT -5
She simply shrugged. She didn't believe much in luck either. She just figured life was mocking her. Ercuth was probably the toughest, meanest dragon in the weyr and she had yet to get scarred. It was odd. The green wasn't even particularly graceful in the air. She was sure she'd have that happen soon enough, her gut clenched a bit at the though. As much as they fought, she did not want Ercuth hurt. Still, she knew it would happen one day. She just hoped it wouldn't be fatal. The idea of being dragonless terrified her more than the deepest, darkest water.
Ecruth her self had started to settle down some, but as usual there was faint agitation lurking under the surface. She knew hers was thinking dark thoughts, and sent a tendril of reassurance. She could not focus when Tasia's head was buzzing with dour thoughts! Her tail lashed a bit.
That's right. It is good that you are well. She stretched out languidly on the ground, trying to soak up as much sun as she could until winter got there.
It is nice today. Very warm.[/i] Blue colored her eyes for a bit, the usual fain orange edging gone. She could not deny the sun felt good. The heavily built green stretched out her wings a bit as a small breeze washed over her. It was summer's lasy hurrah, probably. Soon bitter cold would steal their warmth.
A hand reached up to touch the shell and metal dolphin on her necklace.
“I could not trust someone to get something like this. No, they would surely mess it up. Sometimes you have to do things on your own. Besides, I think I scare the others, and fear is not an attractive trait it seems.” Tasia rolled her eyes a bit. She doubted it was her who scared people. Ercuth was not beyond snapping at those who got too close.
“Ercuth is really all I need right now anyways. Maybe one day I'll find someone suitable.” She doubted it, really. She wasn't even sure if she could actually love another person. They all had so many faults. Friendship was fine, but to trust someone with such affection? It sounded dangerous to her. She had know Q'sis enough to know the answer might upset him. He was odd to her. Too much like her father. He had not been happy she would fight thread either.
Her train of thought was broken when Q'sis spoke again. It didn't make much sense. Though she was quick to assume he was speaking with his dragon. She had met others who spoke aloud to their dragons often. It had taken her time to get the knack of telepathy when among others. She preferred the privacy though. It made their fights less of a spectacle. His frown was met with a simple, bored stare. It wasn't her fault he had spoke, and she would not accept that blame.
“Ah, the little black from Couineth's first? I heard of that. Quite the shame. I do not know how he could let his dragon wander freely. The thing could not even fly yet!” She shook her head again, tsking under her breath. It was that incident that had started those fearful feelings. Before, she hadn't even thought of it. It happened to other folks, not to her. But this was near. This was in her home. Tasia had no desire to be a haunted woman, no matter how tense their relationship got, Ercuth was hers and she was Ercuth's. Another wave of reassurance washed over her consciousness, and when she looked over she saw Ercuth staring at her.
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Azhdarchid
Jr. Weyrwoman
azhct[M:-1490]
Totes.
Posts: 1,627
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Post by Azhdarchid on Feb 7, 2012 13:28:40 GMT -5
"Clearly no one could ever peg you as a fish lover, fish-girl."
Unath tracked the whip-flicks of Ercuth's tail, but soon the green dragon settled down on the Bowl floor for a bask, and her immense tan companion had nothing more to follow. She mantled her wings out a bit when Ercuth spread hers, but soon flexed them shut again, the starry speckling of the dark membrane reduced to a wrinkly coverlet over her back. The heat did not entice. The Tan shuffled toward Ercuth's front end. She attempted to rest her chin on the top of the basker's eyeridges for a moment, then slinked off again, this time toward the lower cavern openings around the base of the western wall. Q'sis would not let her block any of the entrances, but she did inch right up to the corner of the dining hall's opening and sat there watching weyrfolk stream in and out on their various tasks. She was joined in her acute observation by various firelizards that dotted the crags in the wall nearby, though they were more interested in the dining hall's scents than its sights.
Q'sis sensed a dull satisfaction permeating their bond, and took his eyes off Unath, even if he could still see all that passed before hers. "In addition to the aforementioned, your inability to trust is highly unattractive," he advised the Greenrider before him. "And you have done nothing to assist your figure. Like eating." Tasia's body had certainly afforded some changes, but only towards the muscular, angular end of the spectrum. She had not an inch of softness about her. It would be like laying with one of the spiny fronds that grew beside the ocean.
He followed Tasia's sideward glance to her dragon. Ercuth was hardly so terrible as gossip dictated, and she was a Green besides. "I am not surprised. He was probably indulging himself somewhere and scared the beast off. But now he further insults this Weyr by remaining, eating our tithe, sleeping in our stone, and sucking at the concentration of our healers. Additionally..." Q'sis considered the girl before him, sharp-eyed despite her required assistance. "You must inform me if you see him with any of ours, or the Junior Weyrlings." Sebolaren had been scarce since the incident; it was only through hearsay that Q'sis even surmised he was still alive. "He nearly killed one of us before. I see no reason why he would not drag who he can with him into despair. He is that kind of monstrosity."
This subject, even if it had been brought up by the Tanrider in the first place, did little to encourage him further. "I thought you called me down because you needed something," he informed Tasia, cold even though the outrage had been smoothed out of his face. "If you only want Unath to play with your fighter then it's better to just send her up to my weyr. Then Unath will do as she likes." He shifted his weight, prepared to turn away. "If there's nothing else, Greenrider."
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