Alone... (Jack!)

[kia]

"I will be right back," M`grr said with a wink to N`tal. He climbed onto Taburith`s back and checked the straps once more. "Do not go anywhere until I get back. I now Estern Continent like the back of my hand. I am just going to check to see if the Renegades left any supplies behand when some of them became Riders of Dalibor. Think you will be fine without me, darling?" M`grr added with a purr on his lips.

N`tal glared at M`grr. He hated the man. He wanted the man gone. He never wanted M`grr to come with him that night he left Dalibor, but M`grr had made a point. Until he could figure out the land and take care of himself, then he had allowed M`grr to come with him. But N`tal did not need a lot of teaching, just needed someone to remind him what it is like to live on the run, by yourself, in the middle of nowhere. He had lived by himself after he had killed his family, he had lived by himself when he traveled to Western Continent, and now he was living on his own again, but this time with a dragon. He rolled his eyes at M`grr as the GreenRider laughed and winked betweened, leaving N`tal, Gulath, and his gang of Fire Lizards to theirselves. N`tal sat down on a rock where they hid, sighing. This was it. They had started this journey and they intended to continue it. And he would avenge Varya the best he could. A life for a life, he had told them. Well, he had already picked his victim out.

Gulath rumbled lowly as he laid down nearby, his eyes looking up in the air, watching for others that were not Taburith. The Blue also disliked the Green. She was quick to anger when displeased and was constnatly going on about her beauty. She had also tried many times to flirt with Gulath, who had ignored these attempts. Ri, Onal, and Asu were on another large rock, chirping and playing with one another. Onal was trying to take a nap, but the Pink and Green would not let him, instead they were tagging him often in their games of chase. Ian refused to join in the fun, thinking it was below him. His dignity lied with sitting on N`tal`s shoulder like a watchdog. N`tal was the only one that he liked. He put up with the others because they had Impressed to N`tal the same time he did, following him like he needed to be cared for. Well, let them follow! He was the leader of N`tal`s Fire Lizards. Even N`tal had called him the leader. Gulath chuckled at the pride of the little Black Lizard, thinking Fire Lizards were interesting little creatures.

Mine, how long do you think Taburith and her Mine will be gone? Gulath asked, looking over at his Mine with curiousity. N`tal shrugged and crossed his arms. "I hope they never come back. If they do, I hope it takes them a while, unless they are bringing others to our cause. But, even still, I hate working with that man. He thinks he is always better and smarter. He is just a flirt who is looking for someone to sleep with him. Well, he will not get it from me. I would kill him first," N`tal replied. Gulath chuckled. I know something that you will not say. And I know how deep it runs. N`tal eyes snapped to attention when he looked at Gulath. "You better not say anything more about that, you hear! Never!" Sensitive about the subject, are you not? Oh well. One day, we will be able to talk in peace about it. One day, I hope...

[jack]

It was a familiar flight they took, dragon and rider. His wings were stretched open wide, taking in that wild, free air, and his lone eye was closed in quiet solace, his instincts and familiarity with the air currents leading him easily to the land they sought. Worn hands gently stroked the silvery scales as T'el leaned down, the warmth that was Sjueth a soothing bulk between his legs. "You are with me on this?"

That lone eye opened and rolled back to look at the blackette, whose tired expression was a far cry from the wild one that would soon take over his face. Silently he nodded, and turned his attention to the ground appearing far below. The dark blue was hard to miss, and T'el scoffed softly at the sight. How idiotic was this boy, to be so easy to spy from so high above? Sjueth too was less than amused by the thought, and he made that displeasure known with a roar. There was no sense in hiding. These two children would know what it meant to be truly renegade the hard way!

Sjueth spiraled down into a dive the moment he roared, and shot down like a stone. Massive wings flared a moment before it would be too late saved them from sudden death, experienced movements sending the Iron beauty inches over Gulath's head to land in a flurry of sand and broken trees. Before Sjueth had come to even a full stop, T'el had leapt off of his bad and was already at N'tal's side, two blades out and ready to block any attempt by that sword as he violently invaded the boy's space bubble.

"So you're the stupid little runt who ran away from the big bad dragons, hm~?"

[kia]

Mine, there is a large Iron heading this way. What are we going to do? Gulath asked, his eyes watching the descending Iron. N`tal shrugged. Nothing, N`tal replied, getting up to stand where he had been sitting. He watched as the Iron came closer, not very impressed with the sight. He had not hidden. He did not see the point in hiding where he was located at. Dalibor knew who he was, so hiding was pointless for him. Ian quickly tightened his grip around N`tal`s neck, hissing at the man who came up to N`tal. N`tal was quick to draw his sword as soon as he saw T`el`s knives, but he positioned himself in a defensive position. If he had been five Turns younger, he might have instantly attacked, letting his rash nature lead him on. But he had managed to get past that point in his life. He watched T`el with defensive eyes, watching to see if the man was going to attacked. As for Gulath, the Blue had stood up and backed away some from the large Iron, not wanting any part of him to be stepped on. Gulath was, by all facts, innocent in all of this. He was merely following his Rider and letting his Rider figure things out on his on.

N`tal smirked when T`el called him a runt. N`tal could have laughed. He was not a runt by any standard of height. He was already 5 foot and 9 inches tall, and still growing. "Who said I was running away?" N`tal replied. "I am here, in the open, where people can see me. I doubt that is running away. My choice of words would be I have liberated myself from there." N`tal looked T`el over, recognizing the man in a second, but his gazing did not soften. "I know who you are. So, here is my question for you: Why are you doing this? If you are going to try to convince me to go back, you will be wasting breath. Besides, why would you want to go back there when they killed your friends? Have you no loyalty among those who only sought to help you and bring change to Pern?" Naturally, N`tal was apparently ignorant to Varya`s real reasons for going against Dalibor, but her death raged on inside N`tal, calling for vengeance among the ranks. "I have no desire to fight you. Too much blood and life was lost in the first war."

[jack]

"A child can run away from his family without hiding in the bushes like a canine with his tail between his legs." T'el purred instantly, not leaving room for the boy to finish his second comment before the blackette had gotten his own comment out. His teeth were bared in a vicious little grin, his eyes as wild and fierce as a renegade wherry, and it would be difficult to say that even a shadow of the man that had relaxed with M'kiru was here right now. The child who had been chased from his home was all that showed, the man who until his twenties had been filled with more spite and hatred than his small body could contain.

Sjueth loomed behind His, refusing to cower away as Gulath had. The Blue would learn that you are either with or against Yours--that you can't play both sides. Sjueth had made his decision for T'el turns ago--as early as when their eyes had met for the first time. Since then he had stood as he stood now--fearless at His's back. He had been a noble partner for T'el. He had fought a murderer for T'el. He had lost his eye for T'el. He had killed for T'el. He was T'el's as much as T'el was His--that was how a dragon and rider pair should be.

"That's lovely for you. A lot of people know who I am--even more who've forgotten me." His smirk twisted, his canine's flashing as maliciously as the half-stared look in his eyes, "Even more who can't forget me." He sidled close lazily, one of the blade's lifted to N'tal's neck. His action was absent, a remote movement that didn't reflect in his eyes. It wasn't a threat, a warning, or an attack. It was almost as though the blade were merely a tendril of his own thought process, quietly drifting. But abruptly it was flipped back to his wrist, and then twisted into the air.
His other hand snapped out and snatched it out of the air even as the blackette slid quickly forwards, his now free hand reaching out to grasp the other's throat. His arm moved to block any attempt at stopping his motion, and it was clear he was willing to take injury for it, if the other's sword avoided the knives. But as his fingers ghosted over the man's chin, nails just brushing but not clawing, it was clear he meant no harm.

His eyes were distant as he stared the other down, obviously not entirely listening to him talk as he investigated the other's face. Delicately, he turned the Bluerider's head to and fro, staring at every aspect of his features from his neck to his hair to his nose and cheeks, the prickles of a need to shave and the way his eyebrows moved, the flare of nostrils and a twitch of lips...and the thoughts sliding across his eyes. T'el sneered, a cruel, heartless expression, and suddenly gave a high-pitched giggle.

"I don't waste breath." He whispered as he leaned in close to the other's ear, his armed hand still up in a guard and one eye watching the sword out of the corner of its socket. "But if you want murderers...you're horribly mistaken. Renegades are the murderers. We are vicious, wild creatures. Uncontrollable--unfathomably twisted and corrupted to our very cores. We have suffered more than you can imagine...or perhaps we haven't had a thing happen to us at all. The thing is..." He suddenly bit the other's ear, lazily attempting to draw blood before with an experienced motion he was away from the other's reach, and began to circle the man with a predatory sashay. "You aren't the same."

Cackling, he continued to stalk the other, his eyes whirling like a starved wher as he licked his lips, hunching his shoulders absently as he cracked his spine with a loud pop. "I don't care what I have to do to survive. I have things to live for, unlike worthless little wherrybrains like yourself. I have things to kill for, and I have things still to destroy. I have a daughter. I have a love. I have a dragon. I don't, however, have 'friends'." His lips curled again into a sneer, and he shook himself absently, "D'ror was a distraction. A fun little side-track that I thought might be worthwhile. Wasn't really. No shardin' idea who that Orange rat was, but I suppose she contributed in her own way. As for any of the others...well...I don't really care. M'kiru is alive--and I will keep him that way. That's the only exception. I don't want change. I don't give a wher's tail to what happens to Pern or the people in it--why should I try to help that which betrayed me? I have only one reason to be what I am."

He whirled again on N'tal, slinking close, but this time Sjueth came with him. The dragon reared up and slammed into the ground, his heavy paws on either side of T'el. His neck was arched, his teeth bare, and his blind eye was turned away from both N'tal and Gulath--both cleanly in sight of the one working, whirling eye.
"To rip the bloody heart out of the man who killed me. And I don't need some false 'save the universe' plan to be secure in my murderous intent."

[kia]

"Again, who says I am running away?" N`tal replied again, looking over at T`el as the man lifted his blade`s to N`tal`s neck. N`tal did not think the man would cut him. It was more of a show of threat. T`el reminded N`tal of an old friend of his who had been very similar in personality: Threatening, always trying to appear bigger than he was, a cocky-ass fool who only sought his own desires. N`tal continued to watch without flinching as the man reached up to touch his chin and gently brush his nails on the skin. N`tal could have rolled his eyes at these movements, slight touches, everything. N`tal had seen T`el around the Weyr with another Renegade Rider, M`kiru, and knew how the man acted. He was treating N`tal like prey, but this prey could fight back equally. Then N`tal went on to observe how T`el was observing him, looking over his face, neck, everything. N`tal smirked as he glared at the Rider. "See anything you like?" he said tauntingly. Ian growled at T`el as the man was touching his Mine. He would have bitten the IronRider`s fingers off if N`tal had not mentally told him to hold back for now. N`tal was still young, and T`el was already past him in age. N`tal was also gifted with youth that kept him young. He had never been slacker, not even as a kid. He always worked for what he wanted and would do anything to get it. It was in this fashion that drove N`tal into his reasonings for ending up on Western Continent in the first place and then getting Searched. It was T`el`s high pitch giggle that brought N`tal back into reality from his thinking. He quirked an eyebrow as he looked at T`el with unamusement. He laughed like a girl!

T`el suddenly talked about murderers. Did T`el not know that he was speaking to a murderer as well? N`tal did not make is public knowledge of his deeds because they brought up interesting feelings within him that he was no willing to share at the moment, and it would be a long time before that would ever happen. As for suffering. N`tal had suffered enough. T`el did not know about his past. No one did. No one knew the truth behind it all. T`el bit his ear and said he was not the same as them. N`tal would have growled at the man if he wanted to, but restrained himself. N`tal lifted his sword up a little more, letting it be a warning to the man that it was still there and trying to put a little distance between him and T`el. N`tal had been sincere in his remarks about fighting. It was not that he was scared to fight, he just preferred there to be no more blood shed like there had been in the first war. Varya would not want blood. When he had met her, she had been like a gentle creature who wanted to protect everyone in her fold. N`tal even spoked to her on the last day before her death and she had been worried about a fight. Varya would not want a fight now, but N`tal was still determined to take a life for a life. T`el was not on that list.

T`el spoke of things that he lived for. A daughter which caused a slight snort of laughter from the young man. T`el slept with a woman, and N`tal found it hilarious. As for the mention of love, N`tal raised an eyebrow. No one but Gulath and maybe Tesla, and he hoped Tesla knew, knew about his love for the young woman. He would die for her. He had come to accept that part in his life. N`tal turned defensive again when T`el, followed by his dragon, came back up to try to intimidate N`tal. It did not work. Instead, N`tal was ready with his sword again, and this time Gulath, sensing the possibly danger his Mine was in, was by his Rider`s side, ready to snap the IronRider`s head off his shoulders should he try something stupid. N`tal had taught Gulath well when it came to danger. Gulath knew to go for the Rider. Without the Rider, a dragon would die instantly. Gulath was willing to give up his life for his Rider as much as N`tal would do the same for his dragon. The two share a strong bond despite the rought beginnings. But N`tal had never complained that Gulath had been born a Blue. Infact, Impressing a Blue was better because of their decent speed to outfly a dragon. And Ian was ready to attack to, growling lowly at the man. He wanted to bite this man`s fingers off, show the man what he was capable of doing. But, still, N`tal held him back.

"You talk of love, things to live for. You think I am selfish with my own life? I can answer that: Yes and no. I have my reasons in life for why I act the way I do. The same goes for you. But, you are right in some sense. We are not alike nor the same, but accept it. Varya welcomed me into the Renegades, therefore I was and probably still am your brother. I was a Renegade since I was a Weyrling. Oh the things Dalibor does not know. But, even if you tried to tell the Weyrwoman, which I doubt you would, I could merely feign ignorance. As for false plans, I never asked you to join me or to help save the world. I actually never told you my plans. Again, another point for me, you are an idiot who thinks you are always right. You assume before knowing the real truth. As for ripping out the bloody heart of the man who killed you, that is your own path. I have my own path, and it is filled with suffering. I have been accustomed to suffering my whole life. And it is only going to get worse with what I have planned, but I have one advantage: I am prepared for it, even if it makes me the scourge of the world," he said, adding a slight growl that was echoed by Gulath, Ian, and the rest of the Fire Lizards who had joined the group around N`tal, landing on Gulath`s back, ready to bite and claws T`el`s eyes out.

[jack]

T’el was silent as N’tal spoke, having turned away almost immediately afterwards. With his back to the Bluerider, it was clear he had to fear of being attacked, confident in his own ability to defend and destroy. No matter how trained or confident that N’tal was, T’el still had many more years of training and experience under his belt. He was older, yes, but well had many more turns of a prime before he would even begin to think of slowing down. He himself was still young, still fit. He was stronger than he looked, and faster as well. N’tal was not a small man, but T’el would be able to out-match him. If there was one thing N’tal did not have, it was a mind that worked like T’el’s.

And without that, there would be no hope of predicting him anymore than he himself wanted to be predicted.

”You are running. You’re doing exactly what I did. I don’t know your story…and frankly, I don’t care. But you’re following a path I know far too well—and know the consequences of.” The blackette seemed tired now as he spoke, his eyes distant as he shoved his hands in his pockets, the blades returned to their sheaths silently. Whatever semblance of intimidation that N’tal and his companions seemed to be attempting fell flat before touching him, gone completely unnoticed by those blue eyes. What did he have to fear from a child? Nothing, if it was this child. There wasn’t a thing this N’tal could do to him that hadn’t been done before. That he hadn’t faced. That he hadn’t overcome.

”You’re scared. You won’t admit it, but its true. Because maybe, you aren’t what they want. Maybe you aren’t what you want. Maybe, you just want to be accepted, to love? Or maybe you’re just some angry kid with his pants on too tight. I don’t know. But you’re still running. You think you’re so high and mighty, so above those around you? But you aren’t. You’re human, like all the others. You breathe, you bleed, you sleep and dream. But you’re just like I was—headstrong with your chin lifted too high to see the world around you.”

T’el glanced over his shoulder at N’tal, Sjueth’s one eye still stern on Gulath, ”The difference is that I was chased away, and just kept going. You were welcomed, and turned away from them. You’re getting the same chance that I got. Except you’re denying it because of some foolhardy reason. There isn’t a thing you can do here you couldn’t do there. Just some things you can’t do. But its your life—you can do what you will.”

With a shrug, the Ironrider slid to his dragon’s side, running his hand absently over a silver shoulder. ”We aren’t alike. And we aren’t brothers.” Eyes narrowed, he turned on the Bluerider once more, his gaze sternly cool and so distant, that it was difficult to see him through it all. ”You and me may have been alike at some point. If I’d met you when I was a bratty little runt, I probably would have agreed. I probably would be right by you right now, all for anything to get back at the people around me. But…ha. I was stupid then. Stupid and blind…and very lonely. You’ll regret this action, if you live long enough. But hey. We each have to suffer our own foolishness.”

Silently, he clambered up Sjueth’s hide, settling in easily. He didn’t bother looking at N’tal anymore, his eyes uplifted and his mind already back home. Would M’kiru be around? Probably so. He’d have to go visit that beauty. Have to give him a hug—he could use a hug. Yes…that would be nice.
”I was never one of the renegades. Not the way you think. I would have killed any of them as easily as anyone else, if needed be. As for Varya…” He shrugged, ”Just a useless woman.” Lazily, he clicked, and Sjueth readied to fly, ”But you’re too young to understand that. Maybe, when you grow up, we can actually talk. Until then, you just live your miserable life here playing hero and pretending to fight your horrors. When you learn to actually face them, you’ll see me again.”

Lips curled into a snide little grin, he gave a harsh cackle of amusement, and Sjueth leapt into the air, his wings snapping open and pumping in great big gusts. Within moments he was high in the air, and blinked out of sight a heartbeat later. ”Silly little boy.”

[kia]

Again, T`el said he was running again. N`tal could have grabbed the man, held a sword to his neck, and told him to take it back. He was not running. He was moving forward, even if people saw it as running away. He had to take two steps back in his plan to get back on the first path. Being Searched by the Renegadea and Impressing Gulath had forced him onto a path that he had not wanted or been ready for. But he had taken it, became Renegade, so he could return to his original path. With Gulath and the Lizards on his side, he could move faster in his plans. Though he believed in Vayra with all his mind, part of him wished she was still alive so she could help him with his plans. They would have been minor compared to hers, but with so many eyes watching for what he looked, his plans would have moved much faster. But she was dead, the Renegades disbanded by Kalith, yet here he remained, the only true Renegade by name. No, T`el did not see his plans. He did not care. T`el was a bastard who only went with his feelings, like a Green Rising. N`tal would continue his plans. He would find what he was looking for.

He hated T`el. He hated the man with every inch of his being. The man was not like him. They were not alike. Once, N`tal might have thought that T`el would have understand him, welcomed like a brother... that was when they were Renegades. T`el had gone soft. It was apparent in gesture. Something OR someone had gotten to him. While N`tal did have someone, he had pushed her away... for now. He did not need distraction. He did not need to get someone else involved with him. What he did was for himself. He did it for peace and revenge. He thought he found another... and then Varya had been taken from him. He held revenge even more in heart. For Varya and for what he sought. He refused to even acknowledge it in his mind because he wanted to look forward, keep eyes on the plan, on the goal, and exact his revenge where he sough fit. T`el knew nothing. He hated T`el. He lowered his eye lids and glared at T`el as the man started to walk away. "You have gone soft," he muttered.

"And I never said I was better than others!" he shouted, hissing slightly as the words dripped from his mouth. "And they chased me away! They see potential, yet they ignore it and will not even attempt to harvest it for the better. They choose fools and give them great power and responsibility," and here he was speaking of his Weyrling life, when W`al chose V`lin over him as Wingsecond, "and think they have potential when the best they can do is sit in the Healer`s area and perform work there." Then T`el said he was not a Renegade, and called Varya useless. That struck a large nerve in N`tal. "Varya was not lazy, you son of a bitch excuse of a DragonRider! You were lazy! Think about this!: Two Riders, that BrownRider and Varya, are dead, and you did not protect them both! They are dead because of you! YOU! And one day, you will have to take responsibility for it! Maybe not now, but one day! And the more you ignore it, the more it will creep into your head until you become crazy! A crazy, useless man, more than you already are.

"And Iron Rider. Never seen one so useless before. All big bark and no action. You disgust me! You make my Gulath look like a King. I thought he was a useless dragon in the past, but he has turned out to be a fine dragon. He works! Every day, so together we can accomplish whatever we want. And all you do is mope around. For what? I do not care! Do not come talking to me about uselessness until you first view yourself. As for growing up and facing my fears, I have faced them everyday! I grew up with them! They forced me to be a man at a young age! So run away, you stupid Rider and dragon! Run away! And watch Dalibor. See if they give a damn about your potential. They would sooner choose that Bronze Weyrling for special responsibility than choose your lazy Iron. And why? Because one, you are too damn lazy, and two, they care about their own Riders, the ones they picked and chose. They hate me because I was brought, Renegade Searched, and they are cowards to admit in front of my face!"