[PRP] An Education in Straps (L’nik, Shahera, & dragons)

[faesinger]

After a good night’s sleep of the sort only obtained from the overworking the body Shahera was still sore. Therianth had been released from the healer’s care with a stern instruction to not exert herself for a week. Today it seemed she was still tired enough to not complain but Shahera was already imagining the arguments a few days from now.

They had found a nice out of the way spot to rest in the sun and Shahera had her straps used during the Fall laid out in from of her. She was examining them to see what was salvageable and what would have to become scraps. The thread had eaten through parts of them to the point that she was glad she hadn’t had to do a full stretch up in the air. They would have likely survived. But it was best she hadn’t had to test it. “It is a wonder any rider gets anything done besides training and strap making, Therianth, if Falls are this hard on straps.”  

[demon_pachabel]

Hessianth had come back in better shape than most could say they were in after their first Threadfall. While initially he'd been combative about getting some rest, he'd only been able to keep it up for so long once they'd gotten to their ledge, and both boy and dragon had slept like the dead with no desire for nighttime exploration shenanigans for once. They perhaps would have spent the morning sleeping had Eosphoth's gentle voice not stirred Hessianth, and in turn L'nik. Breakfast was spent with his mother and grandfather, both keen to see how the young man of the family was holding up and when L'nik had mentioned his straps had shifted loose repeatedly, even longer had been spent looking over hardware.

Danren had a lot of opinions on how said hardware had held up. With a pocket full of advice, and a weyr full of this or that he'd been handed to play with in fixing his trouble, L'nik had instead put it off to go out and stretch his legs - and let Hessianth spread his wings.

The place Shahera and Therianth had settled into was seen first by Hessianth, who was more than happy to drop in, landing not far away and offering a bugle of greeting first to Therianth before he reached out. Good morning, Therianth! How are you feeling? he inquired, while his rider nudged him mentally to not bother them if they asked him not to. Hessianth, frankly, was offended that his dear L'nik would ever think that he was bothering them, but L'nik would follow after on foot before long to keep an eye on just that.

faesinger

 

[faesinger]

Therianth, who though too tired to actually do anything, was rather bored. Straps were boring. When Hessianth bugled she perked up a little. Hessianth! I am tired and it still hurts. There was a distinct outing quality to her speech. I am not allowed to play! You will keep me company, won’t you? Never mind she was too tired to play it still was annoying she was forbidden.

Shahera also looked up at the bugle and smiled at L’nik. “What are you doing out here in essentially the middle of nowhere. Or as close as you can get in the Weyr.” She was glad he was there all the same. They had been spending a lot of time together of the last few months trying to perfect his tug-o-war toy. He was comfortable and she could relax around him. Not a feeling she got often.  

[demon_pachabel]

The brown crossed the way to bump his head gently against Therianth's. My L'nik said once that the pain is just a sign you will continue to live. Those hadn't been his exact words, but Hessian the remembered saying that to Vedmath as he and his settled for their first meal, and it had lingered as a significant notion. Properly invited, though, he seemed content to settle in the sun as well, resting on one side with a content thrum. What will you spend all of your new found free time doing if you can't play? he asked, though there was a distinct note of teasing in his voice.

"I was making sure I could drag my big lump away if he was bothering you," L'nik answered with a smile of his own. He didn't keep pace as well as Hessianth, so he'd still be lingering as few steps behind to cross over to the pair. It was only up close he could tell what it was she was looking at, and he crouched to get a better look at the straps, humming thoughtfully to himself as he did so.

"I'm glad you two are alright, it looks like you two took quite a few hits..." and he knew at least one of those had been because Therianth had called out to warn them of danger.

faesinger

 

[faesinger]

But does it have to be so unpleasant? Therianth all but whined. She seemed to consider something and then told Hessianth, you will just have to come visit me more and tell me stories. She looked at Hessianth laying in the sun. She wasn’t feeling well and that translated to her wanting physical contact for a reason she wasn’t sure about. But she also didn’t want to weigh anyone down so she kept quiet. Still, she looked on longingly.

Shahera blinked at L’nik in surprise. “Why would he bother us?” It was honest confusion not the type she sometimes took on for show. Then she grinned sheepishly. “Yeah. We made a few mistakes. Therianth and I will recover though. It could have been a lot worse. You and Hessianth were quite a pair out there.”  

[demon_pachabel]

It was a good question, and one Hessianth relayed to his lifemate. Certainly the young man would know better answers to a question like that than he would. I will have to find you some grand stories to tell! he decreed, though he had only a few then. They weren't bad ones, though. It was one of the charms of hanging around those who were older than him - full of stories. It was a momentary thought, however, as Hessianth seemed to notice the look she was giving him, though he wasn't sure what it was. Is everything alright?

"Sometimes people don't want company and he has a hard time not doing whatever he wants to," L'nik explained, glancing over at his lifemate. He wasn't sure how to answer the question that had been sent over on behalf of Therianth, though. He'd stew on it for a bit longer. Instead, he looked back to Shahera. "You two did great. Saved our butts, at least. I can't help but appreciate that much," he rubbed a hand along his jaw as he spoke, the other tracing along her straps. "So what were you thinking about with these?" He was a well of ideas, sure, but he didn't want to just offer up if she didn't want to hear any of it.  

[faesinger]

She hadn’t expected him to notice or ask, but it was Hessianth, she supposed. Therianth only waivered on what to do for a moment. It was Hissianth. He wouldn’t mind. Right? I… She stopped abruptly as she had no idea how to phrase it. If a dragon could blush she would have. She paused and then just kept pausing as she couldn’t find the words.

“He is still learning.” Shahera assured L’nik as if Hessianth only needed time to be more socially adept. “I think we all did a lot of saving up there. It was nice to see us work as a team that way.” Secretly she had been worried about some of the dynamics between Weyrlings and how they might play out up in the Fall. She held up a strap that was almost cut in two pieces. “This will not stand up to another fall. It is a wonder it didn’t snap while I was flying. So I am trying to see what is salvageable.”  

[demon_pachabel]

She seemed to hesitating in answering him, and for someone as forthwright as Therianth usually seemed to be, that was a concern to Hessianth. He clacked his jaws once before offering a mental wave of assurance. I won't judge, if that was perhaps the reason why she did not speak up. Some did have such worries, and as they got older it made all the more sense that perhaps she would as well.

"Maybe," he didn't think it was about learning, but Hessianth remained perhaps 30% trouble free on most days, so there was only so much he could fuss about there. "Yeah, he did really well. There were a few times I though his personal feelings were going to get in the way," like Tinanath or Illiandanth...or shards, even with Strigonth. His brown had a lot of strong feelings - and they weren't secrets. L'nik looked attentively at the strap that was held up, nodding in agreement with Shahera's assessment. "That's fair. I think pieces at any joints that don't look like they're pulling would be a good start. Check the hardware, too. I had a piece that just wanted to pull my straps loose all over."  

[faesinger]

Therianth was still struggling and the wave of assurance from Hessianth only confused her more. Shahera sensing Therianth’s confusion took a moment to check in but Therianth didn’t want help. She wanted to do this on her own. Respecting that, Shahera turned back to the straps and let Therianth work it out. Therianth knew that Hessianth wouldn’t use this against her like she was sure some of the other dragons might. And cuddling was just…cuddling. Only it wasn’t. That surprised her and she stiffened physically and mentally.

Shahera, while giving her dragon time was also paying close attention to Therianth, and noticed the distress. She also knew that Therianth would not be happy to have her interfere and she started frowning. Focusing back on the straps again as there was nothing she could do to help Therianth, Shahera picked up a buckle. “Hardware is hardware. Isn’t it? How do you tell what will stretch the strap?” She remembered the times she slipped while flying. Maybe it was more than just the leather?  

[demon_pachabel]

Therianth seemed to like this even less, and it drew a stream of concern from Hessianth that even L'nik could feel. Everything alright there? he checked in privately, feeling the brown turn the thought over and over again like he'd been handed something to weedle at as he considered it before nudging it back to him without a word. Instead, he stirred from where he laid, moving closer to nudge his head back against Therianth's with a low kreel.

"Well, a piece that has been worn a lot can not want to hold in place anymore and put some give into everything, rather than holding taut," L'nik made a gesture almost like he was tying a knot with his hands, as though this helped, "So it may not be that it stretched it, but rather that it's not holding it anymore." He drew a hand over the straps to find one of these pieces he spoke of, holding it up to point along where it fit together, "A little wiggle can make way for more that wears out how securely it holds itself. They're not too tricky to replace if you know to do so...or actually know to check it."  

[faesinger]

Therianth whined in frustration. It’s not fair. They were the first words she could get out. They didn’t make much sense and she knew it. She head butted Hessianth. It’s not fair. She repeated forcefully.

Shahera was getting very distracted by her dragon’s inner turmoil as much as she was trying to let Therianth work through it on her own. To counteract that distraction she tried to focuse on the hardware L’nik was holding. Taking it from him she turned it around and moved the straps attached to it thoughtfully. “If it slips to much the leather starts to twist. Which then creates stress on the straps and allows for the overall harness to slip. So it wasn’t so much the leather stretching during the Fall as the hardware was worn out from all our practicing?”

demon_pachabel

 

[demon_pachabel]

Hessianth had never seen her like this before! The more and more frustrated she sounded, the more his concern grew, drawing him in closer until he could tuck a wing over her. What isn't fair? Is it something I can claw and rend and fix? his voice was low, like a conspiratorial secret being whispered. But all of his thoughts were colored redder shades of violet, and he'd keep those no secret.

L'nik listened intently as Shahera talked her way through the wear and tear of the straps, nodding along. "Yeah. We should be checking our straps probably every other sevenday," he mumbled. "Or at least 2 days before Threadfall. That'd give time to replace a faulty piece like this and reinforce worn leather joints." At least, as long as everybody didn't need a repair like that all at once. "What I can take from this damage, however, is double layered leather will suit whatever you replace these with."

faesinger

 

[faesinger]

Therianth tucked up against Hessianth’s side. No. She tried to sort out her thoughts and make some sense of everything. But it wouldn’t fit back together. There was a piece missing and she didn’t know what it was. No maiming. Though to be truthful she added, not today anyway.

Shahera laughed. “At least Threadfall is predictable I guess. Would be terrible if everyone waited until the last few days though.” She turned the hardware over a little more in her hands before putting it down. Running her hands along the straps she hummed thoughtfully. In the back of her mind was a thought she had had before when dealing with the straps and she shushed it. This was not the time for such things. "Okay, oh knowledgable one, what is salvageable?"

demon_pachabel

 

[demon_pachabel]

With her tucked against his side, Hessianth at least tried to calm his upset over what unknown cruelty had upset Therianth so. It would be a temporary peace, however. Then when it rears its face in such a way I can do something, I will help. She was perfectly capable on her own of handling it, but he felt an itching need to see it settled, whatever it was. For the time being, he'd simply nudge his head back against hers in silent support.

L'nik traced over the pieces with one hand. "If it's still in one piece between the joints, it'd pass my first check. Something like this," he tapped a rather chewed up looking section, "wouldn't pass the stress test of being pulled on, so even though it technically holds together, it's no good." He paused to quietly add, "I only say that because grandpa has had riders argue that with him in the past. I know you can tell that much, it's just how I was taught." L'nik almost wished he had his own straps to go over everything with as well. "If its in one piece and won't pull apart with a significant tug, it's worth holding onto and reinforcing the seams."

At least knowing a thing or two about riding gear made him feel like he was a useful rider.

faesinger

 

[faesinger]

I don’t think that will work. Therianth half laughed half cried. How could they attack it when there was nothing to attack? It was more of a lacking. Something isn’t there. Something is missing. Maybe Hessianth would know why things wouldn’t go back together. Not that she was explaining it all that well.

The mental effort that it was taking Shahera to not get wound up due to Therianth’s distress was beginning to take a toll on her own control. She wanted to fight something just like Hessianth did. There was an urge to go hunt down what was distressing her Therianth and kill it. Only the thing that seemed to be distressing Therianth was… Oh. Shahera knew better than to get involved with that issue without Therianth asking for help.

She eyed the more mangled pieces speculatively. There was that thought again. It did sound like fun. “So what does a strap maker do with all the left over pieces that are removed?”

demon_pachabel