Black Is Back (Minute)

[Kiran]

Kira had been sent to bring supplies up to the dragon healer's area. It was a place she hadn't spent much time in, her focus was on human healing (and she wouldn't be allowed to specialize in dragon healing until she walked the tables, anyway) but it was still fascinating to see them at work. Occasionally she was allowed to sit in and help in little ways, handing over bandages, helping clean wounds and the like.

Kira deeply enjoy it. If she aged out and finished up her apprenticeship, she wouldn't mind doing this at all!

But today was simply manual labor, delivering and stocking bandages and numbweed and the like. She was busy in the closet for a while, listening as patients came in and left, handing out supplies as she worked, trying to get in and out of everyone's way as soon as possible. Once in a while she popped her head out when she heard a familiar voice. One of these times she glanced out and saw someone she knew vaguely, from the last hatching. But they had been Candidates together before that for a short while. Kira smiled to herself and went back to work.

When she was done, Kira stepped out. He seemed to be settled down with his dragonet. Kira hesitated for a moment, then moved over to talk to him, and smile on her face. "Hi, Ra-.... R'nar now, isn't it? I never got a chance to congratulate you on your impression. Your black is quite handsome." She ran her eyes over the growing dragon. He was still rather small, but a handsome dragon nonetheless. "You look like you're doing a lot better. I'm glad. We were all worried for you." It only seemed polite to address the dragon as well. She always felt uncomfortable leaving the dragons out of a conversation.

"How are you both doing? Nothing wrong, is there?" It had dawned in her that there might actually be a reason that the two were in here, and a frown suddenly creased her brow. She liked R'nar, he was always kind in class, and was really worried that his dragon was sick again.

[Minute]

Before he had impressed he had never visited the dragonhealer's, not even once. Anything and everything that went on in there was a sheer mystery to him. However, since impression Mulonimath it had reached a point that he thought that he knew the place like the back of his hand. It seemed like they were constantly in there, for while the dragonet was not nearly as sickly as he once was regular checkups were a must. So every other day or so, more if Mulonimath showed signs of being sick, they would find themselves among the healers.

Considering how they had been in there yesterday they weren't supposed to be going anywhere near the healer's today. However, much to R'nar's surprise and slight annoyance they had been summoned. Oh, there was every chance he would have dragged his dragon in there later on anyway, but if he was going to be called they could have at least scheduled it. Apparently they needed to take a look at Mulonimath's size again and see how he was growing. The current estimate was that he would grow to be the size of a small white if he was lucky. The rider himself was not overly thrilled with that, if you asked him they were underestimating his dragon. But his optimistic little black was perfectly fine with it. Noticing his rider thinking about it again he pointed out, look at it this way, when I first hatched they were talking about me only growing to be twelve feet long! Puffing out his chest slightly he proudly added, who knows, I might become a giant.

This got a smile and a bit of a chuckle from R'nar. However, before he could say anything a girl approached. He recognized her, yes, but he wasn't personally familiar with her. As she spoke he searched his brain for a name to attach to her face. Oh shards, and she knew his name, both pre and post-impression. A bit of red began to make his way up his face until Mulonimath supplied, maybe she is Kira? I think I heard one of the healers calling to a Kira a little while ago. Oh, and please thank her for me, and tell her that she is very nice. As he spoke to his rider he looked at the candidate, eyes whirling green.

R'nar sent a wave of relief and thanks to his dragon at his words, her name finally clicking in his head. With a small smile he said, "Kira, right? And it's fine if you call me Ragnar still, I have trouble remembering to honorific-ize my name at times honestly. As Mulo has pointed out, it wasn't really easy to work with. I'm just thankful that he didn't decide to make me R'ar." With an amused shake of his head he added, "and thank you, from both me and Mulonimath. He says you're very nice. And there isn't anything wrong, at leas I think there is, not more than there usually is anyway. We're just waiting for someone to check on his size, apparently we might make the records for the smallest black on Pern." Despite his easy words there was no hiding the tinge of worry in his voice when he talked about his dragon's health. As he spoke his eyes slid over to the black, as if something might go wrong with him at any second.

[Kiran]

Kira's smile only grew when he guessed her name right. He was incredibly kind about her almost forgetting his new name, and she listened as he explained why they were there. Trying to assuage the worry that hid in his voice, she glanced over Mulonimath. "I'm no dragon healer, but I think Mulonimath looks just fine. He might be small, but I'm sure he will still fly just fine." She shrugged. "I hope his hatching is a good sign for the one coming up. We were all scared that he might not make it, but he did! So... So I really hope that it will be the same for the double hatching."

Trying to distract herself from her nerves about the upcoming hatching, Kira decided to focus on R'nar. Her eyes glimmered with laughter as she considered his name. "I think R'ar would have been a good renaming, though! Dragonriders are supposed to be strong and fierce, and that name would have gotten that across quite well." She was serious (somewhat) but couldn't hide the bit of laughter that threatened to spill over. "I'm glad they don't give females honorifics anymore. My name is so short already. Only thing they could make it into is K'a! And that's dreadful."

Any more conversation was interrupted by one of the healers coming over and beginning his examination. Kira was asked to stay and help measure, which she was happy to do. As she held the rope between the wings of the black, giving him a soft scratch there while she did, Kira chattered on a bit meaninglessly. "I'm asking my family to come and see me Stand again. I've been in three hatchings, but this will only be the second that they will be there for. They didn't come to the first, I'm grateful for that all things considered. I still have a few a turns before I age out, so I don't think I'll Impress this time around. Did you have any family there to see you Impress? I bet they were really proud of you."

Kira couldn't imagine anyone being anything less than proud! She moved from place to place as the other healer took measurements and examined the dragon more closely. As the examination ended, she reluctantly left the dragon's side, glad that his rider seemed to care for him a great deal. Kira also looked a bit closer at the rider himself. She hadn't seen him that often or closely, but now she could see that he was lanky and angular, possibly something that would soften the older he got (though he looked to be about the same age as her), and was very pale as if he didn't get enough sun. When the healer gave the black, Kira had to hold back until he had gone before chiming in with her own words.

"You know, I was just thinking. Time outside in the sun, getting fresh air, it would probably be a good thing for the both of you. Mulonimath is healthy enough for it. And besides, it's summer. The good weather won't last forever, it would be a shame for it to go to waste." Not official dragonhealer stuff once more, but Kira was of the opinion that sunshine and fresh air could help a host of ailments. Especially when it was pretty clear that R'nar worried about his Bonded's health, and might keep him cooped up unnecessarily because of it.