[PRP] A Green's Fascination [Valendyr/Vetica/Shanaloth]

[demon_pachabel]

Have you found some new project?

Shanaloth had been in and out fairly frequently as of late, and it was very clear to Vetica why that was. The green cheeped innocently at her lifemate as the older woman stepped out onto the ledge, drawing the dragon's head into her chest, running a hand over it idly.

Not a project, she replied, though no innocence laced her tone. No, Vetica was certain that for once, though not entirely unusual in truth, the dragon had found something beyond a poor soul who needed to cry on her shoulder to entertain herself with. A little prying was really all it took to fish through the green's thoughts. "Mmmmm, I see," she murmured knowingly. "And where did you find this?"

Shanaloth's eyes whirled pleasantly between greens and blues. Not far. I see it here and there. Do you want me to show you? she offered. Vetica, sighing deeply, climbed onto the green's shoulders. They wouldn't be going far, at least, so going without riding straps wouldn't be an issue. Certainly, she'd be frowned at by some but what business of theirs was it? Shanaloth easily pushed off of the ledge to glide down to the Weyrbowl, where her rider dismounted with just as little issue.

Oh, I usually see it around here! Somewhere! Oh, hmmmm...

Why did you not tell me sooner?

Because you didn't ask.

Vetica ran a hand down her face, pausing once to pick at one of the vicious gouges in it, before sighing. Fine. But you tell me when you find one so close. There's no need to wait for a Call Out.

Shanaloth offered apologetic waves of love to her dearest before her hunt began. Oh! She'd seen it here just before lunch! It had to still be around....right?

Uta

 

[Uta]

demon_pachabel

The dark haired-boy had been freed of his chores a bit early, and had raced to the dining hall. He'd grabbed a few meat rolls to shove in his pockets, and had hurried on his way. Instead of calling for Maveth, or waiting for S'vor, the young boy had headed out to a less busy side of the weyrbowl. The food hadn't been for him -- well, not all of it, really -- but for his newest little companions!

A little whistle, and a brown flit appeared from Between, with an even smaller, baby blue firelizard awkwardly appearing shortly behind. The brown creature gave a lazy glide around Val, but the blue went immediately for his shoulder, squeaking happily, poking at his ears, his neck, his collar, certain that His would provide. "Hey now, not yet, Switch" he warned with a grin, reaching up to stroke the little blue creature. "No eating 'til after the show." He gently scolded, completely unaware of Shanaloth's nearby presence.

While part of him had noted a green and her rider nearby, at this point, he was well accustomed to dragon riders coming and going. Unless it was Pandyr and Lazulith, or maybe S'vor and Maveth, he knew not to expect much of anything from them. They were busy Threadfighters, and he was just Valendyr.

"Come on then. Dagger, you first," he commanded. He reached up and drew a circle in the air. The little brown gave a happy cheep, and obeyed, mimicking the pattern with his flight. "Okay, one more -- Gotta pay attention, Switch," he told his little blue, trying to get the baby to mimic the older brown's display. This time, he made a few smaller circles with his finger, and watched as the brown this time gave a little barrel-roll, before landing happily on his owner's raised arm.

"Good boy! Very clever," he freely praised, reaching into his pocket to give the little flit his just reward. The brown happily took some of the roll, though the blue baby creeled piteously. "Oh, okay, just a little bit -- but then you gotta earn a treat, okay?" He gave in to the little blue, giving the greedy blue a piece, and a little scritch on his head. Having two flits was a bit more hectic than having one . . . but Val was glad for their company. He'd lucked out by winning Dagger in a bet, and his sister had gifted him Switchblade. They couldn't replace his family, or ease the pain in his heart, but they loved him, and made a happy distraction when he was alone.

Pandyr might think he needed more friends. . . but Val was pretty sure he was fine as he was. He was just an outsider, looking in; not quite a weyrbrat, and certainly not a Candidate on Search.  

[demon_pachabel]

Vetica waited patiently as Shanaloth poked her head in here or there - she was certainly a nosy little thing, taking her sweet time to trill at candidates in the middle of chores and even accepting the wayward treat here or there from ones she was more familiar with. I know you don't have to look with your eyes, dear a statement only really true in times like this. Eyes were important for thread, not for picking out a sensitive mind. The green gave a small trill of disappointment as her meet-and-greet was interrupted. Well it was here! the green insisted, leaving the candidates to their tasks as she strode out towards a farther end of the bowl.

At mid day, it was simply the farthest away from where most would be assembling for their meal. Why would someone have gone so far away from where everybody else was? Vetica looked at her lifemate, clearly unimpressed (at least, not in the not-literal sense...). So far away? she asked and Shanaloth picked up her step - though she was a dragon, and being speedy on the ground wasn't really her thing.

Though there were several people that could be seen bustling about, Shanaloth made it obvious which of the figures she was going for. At least, she seemed to think it was, pausing mid step to allow Valendyr and his flits some space for...whatever it was they were doing. See? That one! she looked down at her lifemate, almost surprised to find a look of doubt on her face. And he's not going to be your project? No secret woes or sadness you're feeling that make you want to take care of him?

Shanaloth thrummed, almost as if pouting. That doesn't mean anything! Another would sniff him out just the same! she insisted, nudging her rider over almost hard enough to throw her into the sands before drawing closer to the dark haired boy and his two tiny-friends with a sweet kreel of greeting. Oh, she was right and she knew it!

Uta

 

[Uta]

demon_pachabel

Super late tags from me. xD

Val had been so engrossed with his little fire-lizards that he didn't notice the green dragon's approach. He had managed to get his greedy little baby fire-lizard into the air, and was demonstrating the motions when Shanaloth's creel caught the entire party's attention. In fact, Switchblade squeaked in alarm, and dove right for Valendyr's shoulder, while Dagger gave a happy little peep back. Val wasn't accustomed to any dragon outside of Lazulith paying him any mind, so Shanaloth was quite the surprise. He still wasn't used to being around so many dragons, much less any of them noticing him. With the rider also approaching, Val's defenses immediately went up. "Er...Hello." He greeted the green quietly, unsure if the noise was for him or his flits.

A small whistle, and Dagger quickly returned to his opposite shoulder, the previous delight and pleasure turning into a more neutral expression. Was he doing something wrong? Was he in trouble for training his little flits? Maybe they wanted him off the beach or were going to chew him out for dallying? "I'm not skippin' my chores," he heard himself say aloud to the pair, much to his horror. "I finished early." He hastily added, just in case either thought him out of place.

But he was out of place, wasn't he? He'd gotten in Pandyr's way and wound up fostered; now he was just some displaced kid, who wasn't really weyrbred, and had no talent but tossing weaponry and doing some acrobatics and tumbling. Part of him had wondered if they weren't going to just turn him over to some Hold or Hall if he didn't find some sort of place. He'd heard rumors of others getting sent along... others who were more deserving to be in the Weyr than himself.  

[demon_pachabel]

Vetica thumped Shanaloth on the shoulder with a frown as everything seemed to happen at once - the boy’s previous enthusiasm fading almost as instantly as his firelizards returned to him. Though Dagger’s return peep earned itself another cheep from the dragon. Her rider had shown no interest in owning the little things herself, but to Shanaloth they’d seemed harmless enough. Still, when Valendyr greeted her, the green focused attentively on him with a trill. Then, she quickly drew in closer, though only close enough that in order to make any contact she’d have to stretch her neck out as far as she could.

“You’re a candidate, then?” Vetica asked, her voice sounding like something that had been drug through the most rock-filled dirt one could have found and almost painful to use, though it was no such thing. If the boy was already a candidate, Shanaloth’s excitement was well wasted. Shanaloth, however, seemed insistent on what it was she’d dragged her rider out to do. The mere thought of it sent a sharp ping of alarm across their connection.

She thumped her lifemate’s shoulder again. Stop worrying. If he’s a candidate then it’s fine.

Uta

 

[Uta]

demon_pachabel

The boy looked back and forth between the dragon and rider, though he couldn't help but focus more on Shanaloth than Vetica. He wasn't trying to be rude, but the green dragon was difficult to disregard--especially since he wasn't used to being around them! He had always enjoyed Pandyr's blue, but since they'd come to the Weyr, he hadn't seen as much of him as he'd liked. And though S'vor had a lovely green who periodically picked him up from his lessons, he also still felt as if he should keep his space. So to have a strange green dragon trundle up to him, it was hard not to stare.

Dagger's eyes whirled a bright blue-green at Shanaloth's trill, and the little brown couldn't help but puff out his chest proudly. In fact, he gave a fond stretch of his wings, and craned his neck just so for the lovely, large lady. Switchblade wasn't nearly as confident. The baby blue flit simply clung tighter to Val's shoulder, his tail as tight around his owner's neck as he dared. Val ignored them both.

"Oh, uh... No. I'm..." He struggled as he tried to figure out what he was, exactly. "I'm just a foster. I mean. My sister, she's a rider here, or will be once she's healed, and I..." He tried to phrase what he was. He certainly wasn't a weyrbrat. He wasn't a Candidate. He wasn't a crafter. "I'm not really anything, I guess."

Dagger gave an encouraging peep. The words had stung him, but they were also the truth. He was of no importance, and still very much out of place. Just because Pandyr was at the Weyr didn't mean he would be welcome to stay. The reality was, he'd probably have to find some sort of real craft and then be shipped out. At least, that was his belief.  

[demon_pachabel]

It didn't seem as though the green mind being the draw of attention, offering sweet kreels to the boy. See! I told you! Shanaloth informed her rider, clearly delighted, her eyes entirely whirls of greens and blues. Vetica idly picked her fingers against her lifemate's hide, a small frown creasing her scarred lips. "That explains it then," Vetica murmured, more to herself than to the boy who was quickly digging himself into a pile of self-doubt.

Shanaloth finally leaned in to nudge her snout against the boy's face, seeming to sense how his own words had hurt him, before offering another soft cheep laced entirely with affection and understanding. Your favorite kind, Vetica needled adoringly. It was so much like her to have a taste for someone with an ounce of personal pain.

After a silent moment between rider and dragon, Vetica thumped the green's shoulder and stepped towards Valendyr instead. If it looked like she was appraising him, it was likely because that was exactly what she was doing - though it didn't seem like she had harsh standards. She'd been made of a lot less than this boy seemed to be, after all. "Dragons have stronger opinions that are worth more than the words of people," she finally said, "and this one happens to be a search dragon with particularly strong opinions." Which, of course, meant she had the type of opinion that mattered in this sort of instance.

"What is your name?"

Uta

 

[Uta]

Valendyr hadn’t expected the green to get so close, though a small thrill did grip him when she did. Unlike some at the Weyr, he still wasn’t used to being so up close to a dragon, and the allure of having one right there hadn’t worn off. In fact, he had to resist reaching up to offer the green a scratch or extra little touch. Switchblade was all but trembling, though, so instead, he lifted his hand to offer comfort and assurance to the baby blue. Dagger, of course, gave a happy whistle.

Glancing back at Vetica, the boy gave a small grunt, unsure about what to say. While a small part of him wondered about her Search potential, the rest of him shut down any sudden twinge of hope firmly. He’d been at the Weyr long enough (in his opinion) that if he were meant to wear the title of a Candidate, he would have done so already. He was an ex-entertainer, nothing more, nothing less. “Valendyr,” he replied. “This is Switchblade, and this is Dagger.” He added, mostly because he felt it rude not to include his little duo. “Er… Am I allowed to, I mean… I don’t know who either of you are.” He finally admitted. While the Weyr wasn’t as large as some Holds out there, there were still plenty of faces, and many of them ones he didn’t know. There were names he recognized and certain Important Faces he knew to recognize as person’s of rank, but many in Western Weyr were still strangers to him.

”demon_pachabel”