Time Flying By (Rhia)

[Kiran]

Kira was ecstatic to go down to the lake this morning. As she went with Twuth to get some food, she caught sight of her favorite iron rider. A grin lit up her face. Perfect! She could introduce Tauth to him, since he had missed her Impression. And that was handy as well, since now she would be able to have them face to face, instead of just from the stands. That was wonderful.

Even if it still hurt a bit that he had missed it, after a turn and a half of waiting for it.

She sighed. Mine, it is fine. There was no rush to meet them. Now it seems it is the perfect time. But we do not need to run to get there. Tauth nuzzled her gently as he finished eating, having sago red every bite. Kira turned her attention back to the blue. He was the slowest to do anything in the class, so she often ended up getting up early to feed him in time for his nap. Today wasn't any exception, but it did leave her with a good amount of time to bathe and oil him (two other wonderful activities he preferred her to take her time with). And, of course, able to talk with Z'dyn. Tauth followed her down to the lake, ever amused by Kira and her need to get about and do things, but willing to look about and examine the world around him. He was still young, and he had the whole world to take in! Why should he rush that? He took the time to take in the iron and the rider in particular as Kira called out to them.

"Z'dyn! Z'dyn! I haven't seen you in forever! Z'dyn, so much has happened! You missed it, I Impressed and this is my dragon and everything is so different now that I'm a weyrling and I didn't think that I'd do it, and Z'dyn! I missed you! I'm so busy since he's still a baby, but I can't wait for him to grow up some more, and I've made even more friends and I didn't think for a second that I would Impress because there were so many Candidates and the Hatching was so hectic that I got so scared for a while, but I made it out and didn't even get hurt and... And..."

She ran out of breath, and words, unable to really express how excited she was, but Kira made up for that with sheer enthusiasm, wrapping her arms around Z'dyn in a tight hug.

"I can't even believe it. Thank you so much for getting my dad and sister, they were so excited to see me Impress though they left right after that because of everything that was going on, they just wanted to see me Impress and get safely off the sands. And they did! They got to. Oh, and did you know that sis had her baby? I'm an aunt besides! To the cutest little girl ever, Kira says she looks just like me!"

Her enthusiasm and happiness was boundless, but for the moment she was thoroughly winded from her words. Pulling back, Kira grinned up at him while the blue sat directly in front of Baihujinth, his eyes whirring with amusement.

King Iron, I apologize for Mine's enthusiasm, as it has made her forget the introductions. I am Tauth. It is a pleasure to meet you and Yours.

Kira blushed deeply as she overheard that - though that wasn't unusual since they heard everything the other said, blocking wouldn't come until he was older and they were further in their lessons. "Ah, Z'dyn, sorry about forgetting! This is Tauth. He's.... He's mine.[/color] She couldn't resist the last part, since it was still hard for her to believe it was true.

[RhiaBlack]

Baihujinth had insisted on a bath, as sharding chilly as it was out. Not precisely cold, but the air was certainly more than a bit crisp. The Iron had settled from removing the grit and such from his hide, and Z'dyn was in the midst of oiling his gargantuan Iron when he was suddenly pile-driven by the smaller Blueweyrling.

Z'dyn tossed the brush back into the bucket as one arm wrapped Kira's frame, and he picked her up to spin her around with a laugh.

"By the First Egg, don't think I've ever seen y'so excited! An' aye, sorry I missed it. Was there an' all, an' then somethin' come up, so I had t'go. Didn't wanna, by any means, but couldn't deal wi' anythin' else at the time. Good t'hear 'bout yer sister, though! An' yer Blue! You'll make a good Searchrider, one day, get the feelin'. Prolly Search lots'a people from all sorta Holds, I bet."

He turned his gaze to Tauth, who Baihujinth was peering curiously down at. Given they were in Upper Flight, more of their time than not was spent preparing, training, and drilling. It didn't leave him much time for personal matters, even less for checking in on people he was fond of. Work was hellish these days, but thankfully when it got colder, it would slacken up a little bit. Cold always meant less thread.

Baihujinth craned his head down, and turned sideways to get a bit better sizing up of the Dragonet before him. Well this one was certainly respectable enough. Showing proper respect where it was due, of course, and the King could certainly appreciate that. Z'dyn pushed Bai mentally, and the Iron looked towards His before shifting his attention back to Tauth.

::Introductions will arrive eventually, I'm sure. I am Baihujinth, Mine is Z'dyn.::

Polite enough for Z'dyn's tastes, before he settled back on his haunches and peered at the dragonpair. Z'dyn rubbed at his forehead with the back of his wrist, before he blew a breath out and studied the sky a moment. Not a Threadfall day, but they still had patrols later to handle. Bai pressed Z'dyn's thoughts a moment, which noticeably tugged the Ironrider's gaze towards his bonded. Whatever was discussed was set aside, and he looked once more over Tauth.

"How's yer lessons gettin' along? I'd ask if y'were bored t'tears yet, but Faranth they kept me an' Bai so busy we never had time t'be bored. Always somethin' t'do. Y'oiled 'im yet? I got a spare brush, y'need."

[Kiran]

Kira laughed as she was swung around and put down. "Yeah, traveling will be great fun! K'var and Argotath mentioned at our first lesson that they could teach Searchdragon training, and I said that Tauth and I would sign up for it. He should be a great Searchdragon, he notices everything! Even if he is a bit lazy." The last bit was said with obvious fondness. She didn't mind him taking his time at all, and when he made her do it with lessons or anything else, she ended up doing a bit of a better job. "Still hard to believe he only hatched a few weeks ago. And it's okay if something came up, I'm just glad you get to meet him now after I forced you to be at all those hatchings when I didn't Impress." Kira patted Z'dyn's arm, then took the brush he offered.

Turning to the iron, she grinned up at him. "Haven't forgotten you, Baihujinth. This is Tauth. Tauth, Baihujinth. Baihujinth and Z'dyn were the first dragon and rider I met here, and they're my best friends." Lili was just as good, but in a different way, but Z'dyn would always have a special place in her heart for being such a strong support for her. The blue watched the iron and his rider as they looked at each other, unable to hear the discussion going on between them but aware that something was going on though Kira remained oblivious.

The blue weyrling dipped the brush into the oil and began to studiously take care of her dragonet's hide, as slowly and meticulously as he liked. "Lessons are going well. Tauth and I are still getting used to each other, so sometimes we don't do so well when we're working as a team. And it doesn't help that when he's tired or sleeping, I want to crawl onto the couch with him! And I'm more often in the dragon's infirmary than in the regular infirmary since he'll be too big to come in the infirmary soon, even if he is small for a blue. But I've been a little lax about studying healing. I'm sharing study time with, ah, with Harpering."

Kira flushed slightly as she said that, both embarrassed and proud of it. "Made a friend who's a Harper, and we'd taken to playing together sometimes, lessons, and I got a beautiful harp from her and her mother! When I get my Weyr, Tauth and I will bring it out and show you before we haul it up there." Heck, as soon as he was big enough and if the weather was nice enough she would be bringing it out on rest days (that weren't Fall days, obviously) and practice on it. The thought of having her hands on those strings made her fingers twitch with anticipation.

She cuts her time for rest as she wishes to get good at both. It is no wonder My Kira is tired when I am, when she does that, Tauth shared as he leaned into the feeling of the brush and the oil being slathered on his hide. But she learns quickly, so it is not as tiring to her as it could be. Though she needs to slow down with it a bit, I worry she makes mistakes.

Kira flushed a bit. She had taken a lot on her plate at the moment, what with a dragon and lessons and Crafting. But she loved it all. What would she give up?! "But I try to keep things evened out a bit. If I get overworked, I don't practice the music the next day, but I like playing when putting Tauth to sleep. It's just a little lullaby thing." That turned into a quiet private musical session when he was fully unconscious. But even so!

Tauth nudged her a bit, trying to alleviate some of her worry. I like you playing as well. The music is slow and steady and peaceful. But it is too much with everything else.

[RhiaBlack]

Z'dyn listened with a measure of amusement, the brush in hand slapping back down against Bai's immense shoulder. The Iron craned his head down to peer at the Blueweyrling and Hers, but all the same he nodded.

"Harperin', huh? That's a surprise, true enough. Never pegged ya for the music sort, but it's a good thing all the same. Jus' take't slow, yeah? Don't wanna make any of the Weyrlin'masters mad at you cause y'been neglectin' yer Blue, or yer lessons. They get pretty mad 'bout that."

Baihujinth crawled out across the ground, flattening his frame back out so that Z'dyn could reach most of him. As big as he was, and as small as Z'dyn was by comparison, it made it rather engaging work to oil the King. All the same, Bai seemed disarmed by the feel of oil against his hide, and set his head down on a nearby section of rock to wait.

"Never sorted a craft of m'own, was always just a Drudge before I got Searched. Dad says I should pick one up, told 'im I'm too old. Would take me too long t'get Master knots, like he's got. I'd be what...some sixty, mebbe seventy before the chance ever came up, an' already lookin' at the last'a m'days before that ever happened. If Threadfall don't kill me first."

There was an odd sense of amusement to the Ironrider's expression. Z'dyn had always felt that he wanted to go out doing what he'd been put on this world to do - kill Thread, save Pern. Part of him knew that he'd probably die of old age in a bed somewhere, with Bai lingering beside him to take him Between when it happened. There was no burial for a Dragonrider.

"All thin's considered, can't really say I'm th'sort would be all right gettin' old an' useless. Fig're when I can't do much'a nothin' anymore, just have Bai take me b'tween. Both'a us jus' gone, let people 'member us how we were. Course, it'll be peaceful, that happens. Won't be Thread t'fight, after th' next wha...fifty years, somethin' like that. But, I'm gettin' inta depressin' stuff. What're you an' Tauth doin' after lessons these days? Keepin' busy, or th'pair'a you just like takin' it easy?"

[Kiran]

Kira giggled when he mentioned that he hadn't pegged her for Harpering, but then grew very serious. "I won't ever neglect Tauth. I would rather lose both the Harpering and the Healing than do that. I waited so long for him. I never want to lose him for being stupid." She concentrated on oiling her blue for a few more moments before the hard look that had come over her softened.

"Harpering is just something I did a little of when I was younger. Father is one, and he taught my sister and I to play a bit and sing, and we did it together. Especially after mom died. It... It kept us together, sane. Grounded us. And I can't not, not now that Lili gave me the harp from her mom. When Tauth is big enough to bring it out, when the weather is nice... And he should be able to next spring on both counts... You should come see. It's nicer than anything my father had. It's real Harper stuff!" Her enthusiasm returned quite a bit, and Kira risked a glance over at him. It looked like Bai was relaxing quite a bit , happy to be oiled. It brought a smile to her face, as Tauth imitated him, enjoying the relaxing that the iron was doing. It was just his speed.

The movement of discussion to Z'dyn growing old and dying made her stop everything, though. That was okay, because she had essentially finished oiling her blue, he wasn't that big to begin with even a few weeks into his growth, but her face grew pale and eyes grew wide. Death. She had watched her mother die turns ago, but it still stung to think back to it. Imagining Z'dyn in the same situation... She couldn't stop her shoulders from shaking slightly, but not wanting the iron rider to see, Kira turned her face away.

"Taking it easy. Tauth likes to take his time with things, and he is slowing me down to do it. I don't mind that at all. It's good for me." Her voice was still thick, so Kira cleared her throat quickly to try and make sure that it wouldn't show too much. "Taking it easy means playing the harp for him. My craft lessons are still Healing, though." She wasn't able to say much else, his words weighing in on her mind.

And she couldn't shake it. Finishing oiling Tauth, Kira moved to look over at Z'dyn, her blue following closely behind. "You could take one up just to take up a craft, to have something to do. It's not always bad to just... Learn. I might never get my Master's knots, but I'll know enough to help people when they're hurt or in pain. And with Harpering, I'm not doing it for my masters knots. I'm doing it because I love music. And when you die... Well.... Then you'll be able to know that you did things you liked. Doesn't have to change Pern." Her lips thinned and she couldn't help but give a quick, light thump to his arm, water going to the cir ears of her eyes. "And don't ever think that you won't be any use to anybody. If people love you, then you're good to have around."

After that, Kira had to turn away to wipe away the tears that had crept down her cheeks. She felt ashamed for them. All the same, Kira couldn't stop them, and Tauth wrapped himself about her legs, giving a small croon at her distress. He didn't quite understand why she felt the way she did, but the vague thoughts if her mother were enlightening. Tauth glanced at Z'dyn. He was going to do something about his, wasn't he?

[RhiaBlack]

Z'dyn frowned at the appearance of tears in her eyes, and it struck him suddenly that he'd said something that had upset her. Bai nudged him mentally - talking about the day he would no longer be taking to the skies with his Iron was probably not the best thing to say. Z'dyn looked indignant, and Baihujinth's chest rumbled; it wasn't immediately obvious to anyone but Z'dyn of whether it was a growl or a voiced sigh-groan. The fact the Iron didn't so much as flinch from where he lay was a good indication it was directed at his rider.

"C'mon, now. Don't go gettin' upset, I'm not gonna go nowhere anytime soon. Not for a long while yet, even, I'm only wha, twenty-six turns. I got a ways t'go b'fore I gotta think 'bout gettin' that old. Dad's still goin' strong't forty-four, I got least twenty more years left, an' then some. Don't y'fret."

One arm reached around her, and he yoinked her in against him to one-arm hug her tight.

"Still gonna be 'round t'look after you, y'know. Not 'lowed t'die yet. Still got Weyrlin's t'look after. You, couple others. Too much work t'do, long's I got work, can't go slackin' off, huh?"

He slapped the brush against Bai's barrel-chested side, and the Iron let out a huff of pleasure at the oil sliding down his hide. He shuddered, a ground-shaking movement that made Z'dyn laugh. Bai opened one whirling green-blue eye to peer at His and Tauth's, before shutting it again. Don't judge me, runt.

"So yer gonna have somethin' fer me t'listen to, I come see you this Spring with this harp y'got, right? Mebbe next Hatchin', can get you an' Nara t'play somethin'. Mebbe this Lili, too; she a Harper? Or she somethin' else, an' her Mom's th'Harper? An' she teachin' you?"

[Kiran]

Kira was only slightly mollified by Z'dyn's apology and hug. She wrapped her arms around him and sighed. Thought she was still upset, it was good to know he wasn't planning on doing anything rash... And not anytime soon. Of course he couldn't go yet. It's not his time. And there's plenty of it before he is ready to go. Just like there is plenty of time before we Between. Tauth's words didn't make it better, but they did make it easier to forgive the words. There wasn't likely anything to forgive, but they had hurt.

Thinking about death hurt.

She sighed, then gave a small giggle at Baihujinth's enjoyment of the oiling. It was amusing to see the iron as relaxed as a dragonet, enjoying something just as much as Tauth did. Her blue came over and hummed in amusement as well, glad that Kira was feeling better. She didn't need to be sad, not for this. Kira reached down to scratch him between the headknobs, eliciting a lowing croon from the blue.

"Ah... Play something? For a hatching?" Kira's cheeks turned a bright pink. "I don't think I'm nearly good enough for that! Especially not with a Master Harper. Lili, though, she might. She's a Harper, yes, and her mother as well. Her mother sent the harp because Lili told her she was teaching me a few things. I'd mentioned that father had taught me a bit on the harp, and, well..." The memory of receiving the harp still managed to bring a grin to her face. "But yes, this spring I will most certainly play for you and Baihujinth. It'll be fun."

Exciting, amazing, wonderful! And that will be plenty of time to prepare. You'll play very well. Tauth deeply enjoyed when she played to him as he drifted off to a nap. Kira giggled again at that. "You know, Tauth has begun to sing to the lullabies I play. It's really sweet. I think he's more musical than he lets on. If he keeps up like that, he might be willing to sing with Naras and Lili."

Tauth cocked an amused eye at Kira. Perhaps I shall, if they don't mind. He let Z'dyn hear him as well, so that the iron rider would be in on the exchange.

Kira gave an amused hum of her own, then glanced up at her friend. Her thoughts went back to what he had said. "Sorry I got sensitive about what you said. I just.... I don't know how you can talk like that. I saw my mother die, and know how much it hurts when someone loved goes. And someone like you, I don't ever see someone not caring about you and being heartbroken when you die." She squeezed his hand tightly. "Even when you think you're useless, maybe you'd have grand kiss dangling on your knee that would still adore you and cry if you up and disappeared."

Her expression had gone serious again, as sober as her voice. Tauth settled down at her feet, watching the exchange between the two. Wanting to see how this played out.

[RhiaBlack]

Z'dyn maintained the one-arm hug without much reprieve; a show of strength that he hoped would at least elicit some lessening to the sting his words had obviously had. Thread didn't care how strong or weak you are. All the same, sometimes it helped not to think about it, and after the past Hatching Kira had just been through, any talk of death was probably unwise. Way to go, dimglow. Bai cracked on him mentally for the slur against himself, but Z'dyn only voiced it in a slow breath.

"I think you'd do jus' fine. Thinkin' if Lili's Ma sent y'that Harp, wasn't just 'cause y'took ta bein' taught by 'er. Thinkin' might be somethin' else, then 'gain, lots'a them Holdfolk see Graduatin' t'be just as big's we do here at the Weyr."

He finally let her loose, and part of him was inwardly glad that Tauth was both male as well as a Blue. Z'dyn wouldn't know what to do, had Tauth been female and something Baihujinth would chase. That was a sitation he didn't hope to be in with any of the younger Weyrlings he'd met over the course of his time here - thankfully, he had Nara to go to in most of those times, but his desire to protect his friends and allies from people who could potentially harm them, it hadn't sat overly well with him. She had said she wasn't new, but it didn't stop him from worrying.

"We'll see. Don' think they'll let a Blue inta the Dinin' Hall, big's they get. Course, yer still gonna be a Weyrlin' next hatchin', I think. So who knows?" He shrugged slightly. "Time'll tell."

His half-missing ear moved only a tad, as the brush was dropped into the bucket and Z'dyn went to using his hands to rub the oil in against harder-to-brush parts of Baihujinth's hide, like the backs of his paws, his elbows, his knees. Places that tended to need oil the most. Bai lifted his paw to let His get in at those places, and Z'dyn shook his head.

"Death's a part'a life, Kira. Thread don't care how strong'r weak y'are, it don't care what y'ride or what yer rank is. I face that ever' time I go out, so's everyone signs up for this way'a life. We take that inta account, we accept bein' Searched. It's a low chance, lower'n Flight y'are, but Bai an' me, we're right up there, first responders. 'Course, long's Threadfall's been happenin', we got knowledge on how t'do it, so it's not all so un...uh..." He trailed off as he groped for the right word. Brows furrowed, Bai obviously nudged him with it. "..Unpredictable. Bai knows what he's doin', so do I, so does ever'body up there. But t'think nothin'll ever happen, it's daft. I'd be foolin' m'self t'think I'm immune t'death up there. Nobody is."

He dunked his hands into the oil, and went right back to rubbing the slick liquid into Bai's paw. The enormous Iron spread his digits out, flexing his claws. Z'dyn smirked a little bit, and shook his head.

"Almost treat't like a game, sorta. Y'don't always win games, sometimes y'lose. Life's a lot like that. One big game, all sorta pieces, we are. Every piece, it's got a role. Us? We're meant fer protectin' everybody else. You're gonna be fillin' that role someday, too."

He wrapped a hand around the lower base of one of Baihujinth's claws, examining the lethal weapon for any sign of cracks or injury. Each one was checked in kind, and once he was done, he slapped his hand against the back of Bai's paw, then gestured for the other one.

"Somebody wise, they told me once - people get put on this world fer a reason. Don't know what it is, mebbe never know, but y'don't meet people fer nothin'. Me, I'm not lookin' t'have kids, less somethin' happens t'Nara. She don't want 'em, I'm not lookin' t'have any, so grandkids, they're not fer me. I've made m'peace that m'Dad's prolly gonna go b'fore me. He's almost twenty years older'n me. I'd hope people, they'll be sad when somethin' happens t'me, but hopin' it's not gonna weigh so bad on 'em that they can't keep livin' their lives. We don't got long, an' I'm not gonna sit 'round an' wonder when my turn's up, but I'm not gonna fool m'self an' not be ready for it, either." He examined a crack in Bai's paw, and the Iron snorted at him. Z'dyn smacked his shoulder.

Why you not tell me this was here earlier.
You were going to get there eventually.

Z'dyn narrowed his eyes at his Iron, and Bai twitched his tail and narrowed his own eyes right back. Z'dyn cracked a grin, and Bai chortled as he laid back and yawned.

"M'point is, nothin's gonna happen t'me before next threadfall, prolly not fer a long time. I plan on gettin' old an' gray, like Dad. Plan on mebbe pickin' up a craft or somethin', just t'keep the time. But, 'nough'a that talk. How's yer Healin' goin'? I fig're they got you helpin' out a lot, with all this stuff goin' on last Hatchin'. Jasmine gone all Red on you all since?"

[Kiran]

Kira was silenced and shamed by Z'dyn's gentle reminder that death was something that she risked more than anyone else on Pern by virtue of being a Rider. She looked down at her feet, Tauth having wound himself about her legs. Yes, she would risk death. But she would be saving others, and that was what she did as a Healer. As a Rider? It was just on a bit of a bigger scale. She could handle that. Couldn't she? Kira hoped so. Leaning down to scratch Tauth's eyeridges, she figured that she would figure it all out later. There was a Turn and a half before she faced it herself.

She wondered if any of the graduating weyrlings were scared.

A small smile slipped on her face when Z'dyn said he wasn't planning on kids. "Then you gotta think about all the kids and grandkids I'll have and make you dandle on your knee. They'd miss you. And I will, too. I don't think I'd let it stop my life - I've seen what happens when grief does that, I've already lived through that - but I just don't see the point of just.... going. I think some of it's the Healer in me. We work hard so that people can live every second of their lives. The only time we cut it short is for the Dragonless, the ones that break when their dragons Between. Now that I have Tauth I can understand why, if Tauth went I couldn't live after it, but beyond that we fight for every breath that someone takes." She finally had the courage to look back up at him. "So I don't understand it when you say you'd just go. Especially since I know I'd want to breathe my last in Tauth's claws, and have him meet me Between."

If she had a choice in the way she went, if Thread or illness or assassins or monsters or fire didn't take her before then. She wondered if any of the Riders here would actually live out their full lives unimpeded. Perhaps once she reached a certain age she would retire to a more sedate Weyr. Something to contemplate.

When Z'dyn decided to change the subject Kira followed willingly. Sometimes there was all that you could say on a subject. She coated her hands in oil and moved to Baihujinth's other side, giving a few gentle strokes to his hide. Tauth followed, quiet and paying attention to every word said between the pair. "Yeah, I helped a lot with the injuries. Since I'm still an Apprentice I was only allowed to tend minor injuries by myself but helped the journeymen as they worked. And Jasmine? As red as red could be. She got a few Candidates flit eggs to try and calm them down, and I heard that she lectured them all on romantic relationships - zero tolerance. A lot of the candidates left are really young so I don't know if any of them have even gotten the hormones to make them attracted to anyone."

A chuckle escaped her at that. "K'var has his eye on us. Weyrlingmaster, now, and head of our class. He let us know he has eyes everywhere, and it's true. Haven't pulled anything, don't want to try. Though I can't honestly say I've felt the urge, either. It's hardest on Lili. She.... Well. She was involved. Before her Impression. Another Candidate, and they liked each other a lot. K'var caught 'em trying to sneak away together for alone time when they were both still Candidates. I don't know how they're going to work out. I hope they do, though. I know she's hoping that he'll Impress at the next hatching so that they can be together when her dragon Rises.... She got a pink."

A pink, and boy that was still awkward to think about! She shoved it from her mind and looked over at him. "So did things work out between you and Nara? I know that you said earlier that things weren't so good, but...." Kira didn't want to pry too much, but she did want to know that her friend was okay.

[RhiaBlack]

Z'dyn tapped her chin with an oil-covered hand the moment he saw her head drop. No weakness around him, he wouldn't allow it. She didn't have anything to be ashamed of, as far as he was concerned, and it stood to reason just in that gesture alone, that it was what he thought.

Bai's tail flicked lazily to and fro, careful not to hit anyone or anything, before he craned his head to one side and laid it back down.

"That's good, though, yeah? Givin' y'practice. Gonna need't, yer thinkin'a walkin' the tables one day."

The thought of finally betweening for good wasn't something he took lightly. Even at that, there were reasons. He ran a oiled hand through his braids, lacing both hands there for a time and standing to sweep Baihujinth's frame with critical eyes to spot any places he might have missed. There were a few, but even at that, he filed them away for when he'd caught them all. He didn't seem to mind the oil much - what was good for his Iron was good for him. It wasn't anything that sweetsand wouldn't get off him, after all.

"Truth to it's that I'm not th'sort ta stick 'round when I'm useless. Time comes I'm old an' miserable, can't barely get outta bed, always sick an' such, then time t'just turn't in. I got a real long time b'fore that, though."

The aspect of her having children and grandchildren hadn't escaped him. He cocked a brow her way with a half-marred smirk.

"Already decided, have ya?" He broke into laughter. "Me an' kids, never was the sort t'get along with 'em. I mean...I get 'long with 'em fine, just don't want none'a m'own. Mebbe if somethin' happens t'Nara, but fer now, no. I got a while t'decide, anyway."

He scratched the side of his face, before dunking his hands into the oil and one-arm swinging himself up onto Bai's back with the assistance of the Iron's massive tail. Crawling his hands up the length of Bai's spine, he dug his fingers into the small crevices between his Iron's neck ridges and neck. Bai shuddered with a hard slap of his tail, enough to shake the ground around him, and Z'dyn broke into laughter.

"Gimme the bucket, lunkhead."

Bai's tail curled around the handle, and he lifted it upwards. Z'dyn took it, sat it against Bai's shoulders, and worked his way along his King's spine - from headknobs to back, and down the length of his tail. It was a painstaking process, but one that had to be done. A few small cracks were regarded with a sigh, but all the same Z'dyn was adamant and vigilant in making sure his Iron stayed oiled. It was harder to keep track on a bigger Dragon than a smaller one, but for Bai's size, Z'dyn did a remarkably good job. It helped that Bai tended to inform him when he missed anything.

Z'dyn hitched one foot up, and pushed himself up to reach up and grab one of Bai's wings. Walking the length of the Iron's broad back, he examined the length of the membrane between the wing's long digits.

"Well, I know I don't gotta worry 'bout you gettin' inta any'a that foolishness. Yer a smart girl, an' worked real hard t'get where y'are. Don't see y'riskin' anythin' on account'a losin' Tauth. S'bad for y'friend, but anythin' worth havin', worth waitin' on. If this boy she's inta, he's worth the effort? He'll still be there, she's graduated an' he has, too."

Nara. It was inevitable, and while Z'dyn wasn't all that keen on talking about it, she deserved an answer. He rubbed the back of his neck, exhaling. Bai tucked his legs up under himself, tail forming a half-circle around Tauth and Kira.

"We're managin', I s'pose. She's...got issues with 'er Pa, an' I'm not real keen on 'er actin' like she does 'round 'im. Any other time, wouldn't have no right sayin' anythin', but she's m'Weyrmate so I kinda do, I guess."

There was an awkward sort of unease to how he seemed to evade the topic, but give an honest answer all at the same time. It was a hard issue for him to grasp - he hadn't had any sort of problems on that scale with his own father, so it was difficult for him to see Nara's point of view as far as Naras went. Something he knew, and something he had tried to adjust to, but continued to be a sore spot for him. His fingers ran across a place on Bai's hide where the Iron had a run-in with a piece of thread. They had barely evaded that one. A quick dart between had saved both of them, and Z'dyn reached back inadvertently to grab at the missing length of several braids. There was a reason he wore his hair long, and another reason why it was never bound when he flew thread. It was easier to cut off lengths of hair than lengths of skin. His jaw hardened, and he looked to Bai. The Iron stared back at him, almost in a manner that came across both stoic as well as warning. Z'dyn slapped his Iron's shoulder in a pat, and Bai chuffed at him before Z'dyn was back to examining his wings.

"It's complicated. I think she knows, Va'an ever comes back, gonna be some pickin' an' choosin' with 'er. She's m'heart, I trust 'er more'n any other woman here, least it comes t'personal stuff. She knows me better'n most. Don't judge me fer what I've done, don't hold much 'gainst me. There when I need 'er, an' I try t'do th'same for 'er, but it's hard. She's'n a diff'rent flight, so we're not awake same times an' such. Sometimes I wake up an' she's there, sometimes she's not. Jus' how't goes."

He swapped to the other wing, and Bai got up, circled, and laid back down so that Z'dyn's back wouldn't be facing Kira. It was almost like clockwork, how the pair of them moved. Z'dyn's psyche was so ingrained into that of his King by now that Bai moved without a second thought.

"So y'got yer eye on any'a them unsuspectin' boys? Girls, mebbe?"

[Kiran]

Z'dyn wasn't one to let her wallow in sadness and feelings. Instead he tapped her chin and asked about her walking the tables. She glanced up with a small smile. "Suppose it is. Makes me work harder at learning to Heal. And I'd like to Walk the Tables sometime. I hope when I'm done being a Weyrling, I'll split my time between Healing and Harpering. It'll take me longer to become a Journeyman, but I don't plan on becoming a Master. Don't need to be. I'll just study and learn and do my best." Thinking about that made it easier to hear him talk about Betweening. She knew that there were times that Healers gave mercy draughts, times when Riders took themselves Between when too injured to live on. Kira supposed it wasn't much different from that.

A blush tinted her cheeks when Z'dyn caught onto her comment about having children and decided to pull on that for conversation. "Well, not right away, but maybe in a few Turns. I love my father and my sister, and I can't imagine not having a few of my own. And it won't be like there won't be plenty of opportunities. Tauth might Chase once a day when he's old enough, for all I know." She tilted her head and grinned at his own laughter. "If you're not wanting any of your own, I don't see a problem with it. Just know that you'd better be ready to help out with mine!"

She eyed Z'dyn's careful examination of his enourmous iron. Tauth, would you like me to work you over like that? I am not so big, but if it pleases you. I am fine either way. Though she had just finished oiling her blue, Kira decided another once-over wasn't unwarrented. Even though Bai's antics made the ground shake and Kira fell over with a giggle, she was back on her feet quickly enough and taking a more careful look at her blue's hide. It did well to hide her blush as Z'dyn complimented her and said he trusted her. Kira was unbelievably flattered and knew she wasn't going to betray that anytime soon. Not when she had her beautiful blue. Tauth nudged her, amusement whirling in his eyes. They had each other.

Tauth listened intently to what Z'dyn was saying, perhaps even more closely than Kira was. The blue was intense on occasion and learned about people quickly. He was about to say something when Kira was thrown off by a question about whether she had her eye on anyone. A deep blush colored her cheeks. "Well..... Boys are really my thing, and there is a black weyrling that is really nice, I like him a lot. But I don't think he really knows I exist. We've only spoken once and I've only seen him in passing since then, he's one of the ones that Impressed at Wenth's hatching. I don't really like anyone beyond that. Though Lili and I talked about how she has a pink and I have a blue at some point our dragons might Fly each other. But that's different, I like her but she's just a friend." Lili was wonderful, finding time to hang out with her even though they were so busy, and was so perky and happy. If Kira were into girls, she would probably been half in-love with her. And even though that attraction wasn't there, the healer knew that she wouldn't mind it if they did end up in bed together. She trusted her friend and knew it wouldn't be too awkward.

Tauth shuffled a bit and wrapped his tail about Kira's ankles, putting his paw on her knees and lifting his face to hers so he could nuzzle her properly. Kira wrapped her arms around him in a brief hug. The blue was still a touch iffy on some of the feelings that his felt, but no matter what Kira always told and showed him that he was first in her life. That was true, right? Kira silently assured him that it was, always and ever, enforcing that with all the love she had in her heart. Peranzath would like the idea of weyrmates. Two people and two dragons. Two by two. She likes twos. Since Kira loves me best, I know I will always be her first friend for these things, but it is good to have human friends as well. Weyrmates are good, as then they are as trustworthy as dragons, and it is good that you have someone human to help with your personal matters. Kira, I hope you do find a weyrmate. Then you will have another good friend to confide in and know. The blue's words weren't silent, broadcast to the ironrider and Baihujinth as well. Tauth wasn't entirely clear on all the aspects of weyrmates, but figured that he had a good enough grasp on it to speak about it.

Kira gave a small chuckle. "That's a long way away, Tauth." If she ever took a weyrmate. Maybe? Plenty of Riders didn't, and there was no guarantee she would ever like someone (or vice-versa!) to ask them for that. Her fingers managed some of the finer dips and cracks in Tauth's skin as she spoke, moving the conversation back to Z'dyn. Things weren't good with Nara now, but... "So you and Nara are Weyrmates now, but did you both like each other as weyrlings? I mean, I know that you were fond of Va'an, but how did you and Nara.... Find each other, after that?"

[RhiaBlack]

Z'dyn's fingers twisted to get into some of the harder to reach places on Baihujinth's neck; the crease where his neck met shoulders, before he hooked his legs around Bai's tail and the big Iron essentially held him upside-down. Z'dyn flailed, grabbing hold of Bai's neck and putting an arm around Bai's foreleg. Arching his back, he followed the length of Bai's side to reach the back-side of his wing.

Mine is half tunnelsnake, I think.

It was a sided comment that saw a slap to Bai's side, before the rumble of amusement reached through the ground from the Iron's frame. Z'dyn grabbed hold of his Iron's wing, and examined his handiwork before Bai finally let him down. A twitch of his head to one side, and the King launched himself up into the air, leaving Z'dyn grounded with Tauth and Kira.

"Y'got a ways off b'fore y'gotta worry much 'bout kids'r Weyrmates," his eyes never moved off Baihujinth, "Still got wha, two turns, least? Time t'focus'n Tauth an' sort yerself, though I don't gotta tell y'that."

He followed the matte-gray form of his freshly-oiled Iron as Bai winged through the air overhead, circling around them; far enough not to spook anyone or anything, but close enough that Z'dyn could closely monitor the big male for any sign of twitch in his wings or slack in his frame that may not hurt, but would effect how he moved.

Pick up yer back leg. No, other'n. Yeah. Tail up. Yer hitchin' your shoulder, too. There y'go. How's bankin'?
Sore, Mine.
Why?
We banked a little hard the last patrol. When that flock of wherries came out of the alcove.
Ones't spooked you?
Nothing spooks me.
How'd y'get sore, then?

Baihujinth bugled into the cold air, a jet of steam furling from his nostrils, before he hovered a moment and set back down. He paced the ground around Z'dyn and the Blue pair, though the conversation he had was purely with His. Wordlessly, he was soon off looking to eat, leaving Z'dyn alone with Tauth and Kira. He watched his Iron sail off towards the ocean - Bai would be gone for a little while, at least. With herdbeast still questionable and limited, it was fish for his King.

"I'm thinkin', might be better t'focus jus' on Healin', mebbe dabble'n the Harper stuff - get what y'want for the main Craft first, then go back an' dabble'n yer Harperin'. Don't want the one yer actually studyin' for t'suffer 'cause it don't have all your attention, yeah? Jus' my opinion, though. Take't or leave't. Might be easier, when you're lookin' at Patrols, Wing Drills, an' Threadfightin', won't have a whole lotta time at first. Pushin' both same time an' still tryin' t'keep up what you gotta's gonna be pretty hard on you. Plus Tauth Chasin', gonna run yourself all sorts'a ragged."

He finally turned his attention back towards her, bending to put the brush back with the bucket in-hand, and rinse his hands off in the lake - cold as the water was, once he'd managed to get most of the oil off, he used the tail of his shirt to dry them. Plopping himself down on the stone, he swung his legs over the ledge and made sure his boots weren't going to fall off. He peered up at her curiously.

"Weyrmates're almost like bein' espoused. Jus' not official, I guess. I mean, still big deal when y'take one, but it's nothin' for people t'decide they don't get 'long well enough, an' split off."

Z'dyn ran a hand through his mane of braids and dreads, checking the ends before he wound several of the shorter ones thread had forced him to cut off into and under some longer ones. Hopefully she wouldn't ask. He did his best not to make it obvious. He checked several others for good measure, before the whole mess was left alone. Leaning back on his hands, he yawned slightly and shook his head.

"Sometimes y'think people aren't lookin', but they are. Guys, we're good for that. Y'think we don't notice nothin', but lots'a us, we see more'n anybody thinks we do. Ones yer age, they got more'n their heads y'think they do, can tell y'that from experience. Pretty girls, whether they got weyrmates'r not, whether I got one or no, I notice 'em. He'd be fool not t'notice. Even though, guess I can't say just girls, since I got feelin's fer Va'an still." He shrugged, peering out across the bowl and studying several distant Riders and their Bondeds - in patrols, drills, some oiling, others just out for a walk or a fly.

"Hard t'say. She was real quiet. Didn' talk much, real shy. Gettin' Simhath sorted 'er. Made her outspoken, made 'er get m'attention, I guess. I don't...trust people. Not when it comes t'Flightlust, scared I'll do somethin' wrong, lots'a things. Nara knows. Don't know what happened't Fort, but knows I got..." He trailed off, obviously pushing Bai mentally for the word he was looking for.

Inhibitions, Mine.

"...inhibitions, Bai says. Havin' a Weyrmate helps wi' that. Nara don't do anythin' outside'a Simhath risin', so works out good. She'll handle me, Bai decides t'chase, but not often he does anymore. Sometimes he drops me off there, flights he don't think he'll win. Tries t'push me outta m'fears an' such. Don't always work, but that's th'risk I take. Anywho. Gettin' inta stuff I don't wanna talk 'bout. Nara talked t'me, little bit b'fore I made Wingsecond for P'ryt, then some stuff went sideways an' Fort needed some extra help, so Bai an' me, we went t'help 'em out. Didn't fit in there, lotta people like Q'sis there. Got chips on their shoulders, think they're untouchable. Made me real aggressive. Figured out pretty quick-like, wasn't gonna get no respect from any'a 'em, I didn't throw m'weight 'round like some of 'em did. So I did. Bulked up, got bigger, body an' mind. Started not takin' no shells an' shards from nobody. They come t'me with lip, I give 'em lip back. Come back when I heard 'bout th'Plague, an' run inta 'er. Always liked hearin' 'er play, an' Simhath an' Bai decided me an' her should set up t'gether, least for a while. He calls her his Emerald, been that way fer a bit now."

He scratched the back of his neck, before re-propping himself back on the stone.

"Anybody ever said anythin' t'you, 'bout you talkin' t'me? Heard they been crackin' down on Weyrlin's an' Candidates, don't want y'gettin' inta trouble, though I figure they won't say much. Not like people don't know I got a Weyrmate, an' not like nobody seen me helpin' you through t'now. But wasn't sure."

[Kiran]

Kira nodded emphaitcally as she delicately caressed Tauth's membranes, the movement and care making the blue slump in happiness. Yes, it was a good thing she had offered. "Yes! Turns before I even want to think about having a family. I'm not even twenty turns yet. And even if I were, I would I want a few turns with Tauth and myself even after Weyrlinghood, especially since I have so much I want to do besides. And who knows what will change by then? But someday. Perhaps when I'm about your age, that seems like it would be nice. Old enough to have myself and what I'm doing set out, young enough I could have a few of them." It wasn't right away, not by a long shot. Tauth approved quite a lot.

She continued to pamper Tauth as the iron lumbered about them and took wing, probably heading towards the sea. Kira knew that there was still some risk with the herdbeasts, but Tauth wasn't affected particularly. Or if he was, she certainly couldn't tell. Her attention turned back to Z'dyn, taking in his advice about studying and the Crafts. Her lips pursed but Kira certainly couldn't argue. "Yes, that's probably what will end up happening. I'm.... making myself tired, trying to keep up with it all. And I don't want to be held back because I can't keep up with classes. Harpering will probably be relegated to rest days, so I can keep up with everything else." Tauth had caught her falling asleep with him when she napped him. THe blue gave her a gentle nudge. Yes, you should rest more. You will learn eventually, just slower if you take your time with it. But you will learn. She scratched his headknobs gently at that thought. He was right. She didn't need to push herself.

That interlude was interrupted by Z'dyn talking about weyrmates. "I realize. I don't want to rush into anything with anyone, even if I like them. But R'nar-" She broke off for a moment, flushing as she realized she had mentioned his name. But that faded and after a moment Kira forged on with the conversation once more. "There are prettier girls in the weyr. I'm not worth noticing, not like that. And I like having a room to myself and, when I become a rider, the freedom to come and go when I please when I'm not busy with my other duties. I suppose the only thing I'd really look for is maybe a partner for Flightlust." Though, truthfully, she wouldn't mind if her partner liked her enough to stick around after that....

Tauth rolled onto his back, trying to balance his body with his wings splayed to either side. She couldn't help but chuckle as he had given her full access to his belly, and she proceeded to rub the oil into it as though she were petting a dog. Tauth snorted in amusement at that thought. That would make three, not two, Kira. A chuckle escaped his rider. Two, indeed. Peranzath was rubbing off on him.

"I think it's really cute that Simhaith and Baihujinth set you up together. I guess they'd know better than you both that you needed each other in some way, liked each other enough to end up together. Makes sense, since our dragons are supposed to be the missing pieces of ourselves. And when they know us so well...." It made Kira wonder what other things dragons could eke out based on their knowledge of their riders. She wondered what Tauth would do if he got it in his mind to do that.

Why rush? You are good at making friends on your own, My Kira. He flopped down on his side when she was done with his belly, sighing from the sheer enjoyment of the feeling. Yes, Kira following Z'dyn's lead on this was a fantastic idea, indeed.

She chuckled slightly, then was caught by the question posed by the ironrider. Her expression turned serious and worried. "No, no one has. Think I should bring it up with K'var, before he does? I mean, I don't want him to misunderstand anything. I think you're fantastic and all, but you're the big brother I never had. I wouldn't want anything.... more." Kira's face scrunched a bit at the thought, a bit creeped out by it. He was handsome and sweet, even with the scarring, but he was too old for her and not quite her type. A flutter of R'nar went across her mind before she shoved it back. "I might as well. Don't want either of us to get in trouble for something that's not happening on any level."

[RhiaBlack]

Z'dyn's hands went up near defensively, and he chuckled.

"No, no, not like that," he affirmed. "Jus' don't want n'body runnin' their traps 'bout me spendin' any amount'a time wi' you. Should prolly tell K'var m'self about you an' Sora. Been talkin' with 'er for a lil' bit, rather m'Pa does. I just happen t'be there sometimes. Nice girl, that'n."

He didn't mention what abouts, or how often. Things Sora more than likely didn't want anyone to know, and he wasn't about to betray the girl's already fragile trust.

"Don't want nobody gettin' inta trouble wi' the Weyrlin'master. Or Jasmine, that rate. Been runnin' inta some Candidates as'a late, too, so d'pends. Not'n the market t'ask people rank b'fore I talk ta 'em. Not right."

It was a weight off his shoulders. If she thought of him that way, then it was a relief - he wouldn't have to worry about anything uncouth with her. Blowing a breath out, he found his gloves amid the stuff beside the bucket - mostly his jacket and such - and pulled everything back on. With Baihujinth out feeding, the lack of movement had served to see the chill touch Z'dyn. He disliked being cold. He disliked cold weather period. Give him Spring and Summer any day. Hunching his shoulders, he stomped his feet to warm his legs and snorted.

"Beauty's'n the eye'a th'person lookin', an' I think you're plenty pretty 'nough. Don't bad-talk yerself like that. S'like me sayin' I got th'looks'a the backside'a herdbeast. I'm not a sunrise'r nothin', but Nara wouldn't gimme two looks, she weren't attracted. Yet t'meet anybody here's not decent-lookin' one way're another."

Color actually crept into his face at the mention of being set up by his own Iron and Nara's Green. He rubbed his face, before crossing his arms across his chest; the gesture of embarrassment shifted at the shove of his hands into his pockets, before they were crossed back across his chest again.

"He's...when Va'an left, was pretty upset. Guess he thought I needed somethin' else t'think'a. Nara an' me, we'd...well, not really flirted, guess, jus' sort'a always found ourselves kinda 'round each other, an' seemed like Bai an' Simhath thought somethin' more solid should'a come'a it. I dunno."

Shrugging his shoulders, he rocked back on his heels as he looked after where Bai had gone. An involuntary shiver coursed across his frame as the Iron snapped up a mouthful of fish, the water splashing across his hide and the sensation of cold doing much the same across his bonded.

"It's still takin' some gettin' used ta. Never had nothin' serious b'fore now, so goin' from bein' a Drudge an' bein' pretty much jus' me an' Dad, t'havin' Bai an' Nara both's...diff'rent." He scratched at his still-whole ear, pulling his hand forwards as several braids came loose in turn. They drifted lazily in the cold breeze, and he looked over both her and her Blue.

"Hard t'believe weren't a few months ago, y'were tellin' me y'weren't sure you were gonna be able t'handle all this. How times've changed, huh?"

[Kiran]

Kira had to slump a bit in relief when Z'dyn clarified that she didn't have to go running off anywhere making excuses to anybody. All the same, she would say something to K'var so that he wouldn't be surprised when the ironrider came to talk to him as well. "It's good you don't ask. A lot of riders do put emphasis on rank. Some of us don't care. But others... It hurts more. I like that you don't. You may have Impressed an Iron, but you didn't let it get to your head. You've got a good one on your shoulders." She gave him a playful wink, knowing she sounded turns older than she was and not caring.

It didn't stop her from snorting at his talk about her looks. Sure, someone probably would find her attractive, but Kira wasn't holding her breath about it. Especially not the boy she was fond of. "True, everyone has something about them that can be attractive. I'll put mine down as my sparkling personality." Another teasing smile. "Scars make anyone look dashing. Yours are so there that it's amazing half the weyr isn't in love with you." Kira moved to his side and gave him a small nudge, her smile gentling. "Truly, if I'm not to say things so harsh about myself, you aren't either. If I were a few turns older I'd be jealous of Nara. Handsome and gentle and sensible - those are traits most should want in a weyrmate." She stuck out her tongue at him. "Now I have to find someone to live up to that standard, and that's hard!"

Giggling as she moved the few feet back to Tauth, checking him over for the third and last time, Kira listened with amusement and happiness for her friend as he spoke on things about Va'an and Nara and himself. She thought it rather romantic that he had been brought together with someone who fit him so well. Hopefully things worked out for her as well...

"Things have changed, indeed. I was really scared about this then, Z'dyn. See.... The thing is...." Kira's brow furrowed as she hesitantly stood up and faced him, shifting from foot to foot. She hadn't told him this, ever. Hadn't told anyone. "When I was brought here, it wasn't as a willing Candidate. I was approached by a rider when I was in Healer's Hall back North and they wouldn't take no for an answer. I was snatched and then dumped at the Barracks. I was so scared I just... I didn't know whether to say something, or who to say it to. For all I knew no one would care. So I just went along with it. So when I came asking about dragons and saying I was scared it was because I wasn't just scared. I was terrified. Especially after that first hatching. I thought that I had been brought here to die."

Her fingers twisted together as she spoke, all the feelings from when she had first been abandoned to her fate welling up Tauth butted her knees gently. You did not die. You were reborn. The words were gentle comfort but didn't quell everything in her soul. No, time would only do that. Now that she had a dragon she didn't regret being brought here but those long months, the turn it had taken for Tauth to find her, it had been absolutely agonizing.

[RhiaBlack]

Z'dyn frowned at the truth behind why she had been so upset. That didn't do, not at all. He didn't look pleased. The aspect of anyone essentially kidnapping someone and dragging them to the Weyr against their will wasn't something he had known they were allowed to do. When K'var had searched him with Argotath, they had given him the option to come with them, or not to. He of course had come willingly, but then again he wasn't completely sure if it was against some law of some form for anyone to be forced into Candidacy.

Something he would have to check on with Rayna or Avalle. If someone from Dalibor was physically dragging people here, there had to be something not right about that.

"Somethin' like that ever happens 'gain, y'don't hesitate. Y'tell somebody, Kira. I'm not sure'f it's somethin' they're 'llowed t'do, but even't that, it don't seem right at all. Somethin' real wrong wi' that, an' I'm glad y'at least trusted me 'nough t'help with how y'felt about it. I'm sorry they did that t'you. K'var an' Blue Argotath, they searched me, they asked me if I wanted t'stay'r go with 'em. Weren't no forcin' to it. Gonna check wi' Avalle'r Rayna, see if there's somethin' I'm missin' somewheres. Always thought they had t'ask first, if y'wanted t'come, but I could be wrong."

That was going to bother him for a while. A really long while.

The compliment, however, had made his cheeks color; more than what working over Bai had from exertion. He didn't get compliments often, and if anything Baihujinth made a complicated game out of harassing His about his hair. Z'dyn wasn't the most handsome thing in the world, he knew as much, and the scars he wore - along with his half-missing ear - had stacked the collective odds against him. He had done his best not to let anything inflate his ego; he was, and had always been, exceedingly humble. Now was no exception, and the more she praised him, the darker his face got.

"Don't see any reason t'be mean t'nobody, they're not mean t'me first. Try t'teach Bai the same, sometimes he listens, sometimes not, but can't nobody tell me I haven't tried. Way I see it, I got lucky, gettin' 'im. Gonna work hard t'make sure I'm worthy'a the honor, from time I got it til the time this world don't need me anymore, which's not gonna be for a real long while, I got anything t'say about it. Dad always told me, y'gotta be attractive from the inside b'fore anybody notices the outside. If anythin', glad I'm not all that good-lookin'. Glad I got m'scars an' all that, makes people look past 'em, they're worth m'time."

He peered up towards her, then past her to the lake.

"Not always gentle. Most times, yeah, but I got m'own mean streak, too. Be lyin' if I said I didn'. Been a time'r two I threw down an' shouldn't've, but sometimes talk an' posturin', it don't always work. Been fights I couldn't talk m'way outta, stuff I couldn'..." Another reach to his Iron for the right word, and Bai uttered it with a mouthful of fish.

"...negotiate. People wanted t'square off, an' weren't nothin' I could do t'stop 'em. Had t'get inta th'middle an' pry 'em off, an' when people get t'swingin', don't care who they're swingin' at."

He sighed a little bit, almost dejected. He hated violence, always had. Words first, fists later. It had always been the motto for him, and how he lived his life. How he expected everyone to live, but people were unique. Individuals, and for him to expect everyone to live like he did, it was selfish and a little bit ridiculous. It would suck shell if everyone was the same.

"Not th'smartest glow'n the hall, an' talk worse'n most, but most people, they know I'd give the shirt off'a m'back, they needed it. Always have. That's how people're supposed t'be. We're all'n this t'gether, an' people gotta realize that makin' enemies....well, pretty soon, that's all they'll have. No way t'live."

[Kiran]

Kira nodded at Z'dyn's order. She had been more than appalled that it had happened to her, but what could she have done about it? Their own tiny hold hadn't had Riders come to it. Ever. And Kira had been more than a little ignorant to the ways of weyrs. "I'm very sure they're not encouraged or allowed to do it, at least from what K'var says. He's been helping Tauth and me start Searcher training and that was said, though not gone in-depth with since we're not nearly ready to actually Search anyone yet. I think that the one that took me just... bent the rules. I suppose I can understand to a point - if I hadn't been brought here I wouldn't have Impressed Tauth, he would have gone Between and I'd never have even known it - but I wasn't happy with it then. Still am not entirely, even with how things turned out." She shuffled her feet a bit. "I haven't heard anything about anyone else getting snatched, so I don't think that what happened to me wasn't normal for how the Searchers work. Most everyone else came willingly. I'm glad for that, it means that I'm the odd one out." Only for that. She loved her dragon just as much.

The color Z'dyn's cheeks took on made Kira giggle, a change from the seriousness of the conversation before this. Humble, indeed, couldn't take a compliment for the life of him. Kira determined that she would start going out of her way to do it. His reaction was adorable and made her happy that it (hopefully) made him happy. The man needed to hear good things about himself more often.

"Your scars also draw people's attention, though, and not always in a bad way. You get scars like that, people know that you've seen a lot, have gone through a lot. Have the authority to speak on things. It's actually quite fitting that an ironrider has those scars, truthfully, because people will take you more seriously for them. They might not be pretty, no, but I would bet all the Marks I ever will make that they make people listen." She cast him a grin. "And like I said, you're more than pretty enough on the inside to make anyone else who's too much of a dimglow to notice that forgive everything else."

Her grin faded a bit, then simply transformed into a reproachful stare. "Z'dyn, don't be a wherryhead. No one's perfect. You have your issues, I have mine, Nara has hers.... If people could be hale and whole on their own, they wouldn't ever need other people. We're all broken in some way. Other people help us deal with it. Can't fix it, not always, but deal with it the best we can." She shifted so that Tauth could lean against her legs more comfortably. The blue was tiring out and it was getting close to when she would have to nap him, but there were still a few more minutes she could spare. Kira was determined to milk everything she could from this conversation.

"You've got your flaws handled well, better than most. And I still think that your generosity, that willingness to 'give the shirt off your back', the patience, the understanding... That's still priceless. Those are traits that everyone needs and few have. You're absolutely right that it's how people are supposed to be. But that's why the bar's been set high for me. I know you, you're my friend, and I think you're absolutely wonderful. And that's why if I ever go looking for a weyrmate, the bar's been set high. Finding someone who comes near how sweet and sensible you are is going to be a challenge. I have to have standards, after all." Kira gave him a friendly wink. She didn't go around stealing weyrmates - she was a weyrling to begin with, but even without that she would have found the idea distasteful - and Z'dyn was a brother to her in every way but blood in her opinion. But he most certainly was a good man and one day she hoped to find one like that of her own.

"The enemies... I don't hold a grudge against the Rider that took me. I can't, after seeing dragonets Between or die. It's not right, but I can't hold it against her. Knowing that there was someone out there, someone who might have been their Bondeds but not there, possibly from having refused the Search, that's heartbreaking. I can understand why a Rider would feel so strongly about it that they would break a rule to see it didn't happen to another. Especially now that I have my own. I can't.... I don't know how I could have...." She broke off, unable to say anything more on it for a few precious moments. "I won't go doing it myself, not when I know how terrifying it is to just be taken, but I'm not going to be upset over it either. So don't let it weigh on your thoughts too much."

Unlikely. He was too responsible for that. Bai influenced him as much as he influenced his iron. He was a good kingrider. Kira glanced down at Tauth, the blue's eyes whirring slowly as sleep gnawed at the edges of his mind. She gave him a light smile. There is no rush to end the conversation, My Kira, he tried to reassure her. The weyrling gave a soft huff at that. No, no need to rush it. But to end it, most certainly. Kira glanced back up at Z'dyn.

"It's time for Tauth's nap. He's falling asleep sitting up. I'm glad you were here so I could talk to you. See you later?" She gave him a soft nod goodbye, slowly matching Tauth's pace as they headed back to the barracks.

[RhiaBlack]

Z'dyn reached up to rub his scarred side absentmindedly, almost habitually. He wasn't ashamed of them in any measure, but he did get a bit self-conscious when people talked about them. He relatively dismissed the discussion about his scars, turning instead to the mention of her being pilfered and brought here.

" 'Bout the only redeemin' part'a all of't, you gettin' Tauth outta it. But don't make't all righ', them takin' you. Better ways t'go about it."

The praise from her about his demeanor, of all things, only darkened his face. He couldn't help but turn away a little bit to keep from showing her how hard it made him blush. He was proud, certainly, but he wasn't the sort that took compliments well.

"Hopin' weren't nobody like me, but better'n me for you," he finally eeked out. "Deserve someone's able t'make y'happy, whether they're similar t'me or no. Wouldn't expect y'ta settle for anythin' less, hopin' Tauth won't either."

One hand raked through his braids, his stance shifted to move his weight from one foot to the other as he did a bit of in-place pacing. He wasn't sure how to react to her sometimes, she always kept him on his toes. Unpredictable. Part of him loved it, the other part of him found it frustrating, but in a good way. Bai winged back overhead, shaking the frozen water from his hide in a shudder before he picked his way across the ground towards them. Z'dyn's eyes settled on the behemoth with all the adoration a man could have for something that belonged as much to him as he did to it. Baihujinth's pleased rumble could have mirrored a purr, before he settled down beside Z'dyn.

As she bid him farewell and took her Blue with her, Z'dyn watched her go. Baihujinth curled his tail around His' feet loosely, more encircled than anything else - he hadn't actually touched His - and observed.

"Yeah. I'm pretty much always 'round, y'need t'chat, know where t'find me."

He followed her departure until long after she and Tauth had dropped out of sight. Bai nudged him with his nose, and Z'dyn laid a hand on his snout.

Well I don't know how, and I don't know why...
But when something's leavin' you can't say bye..
You feel like laughing but you start to cry-
I don't know how and I don't know why...
Oh, darlin' my heart's on fire...

Bai bent his foreleg, and Z'dyn stepped up onto it, before the big Iron's tail lifted to help His onto his shoulders.

What do you need, MineOwn.
Fly.
Where?
Don't care. Jus' fly.

Baihujinth lifted off in a shock of coiled muscle, and winged off into the afternoon's cold light. Z'dyn closed his eyes, hooked his legs against his King's neck, and crawled his fingers up Bai's neck ridges. The Iron bellowed a roar, before there was a raw surge of power and his massive wings displaced great quantities of air in an upward sweep, leaving the Bowl far below them.