[PRP] Bad Tidings (Ralla/Alya+Dergs)

[Meepfur]

By now, reports of the Hatching - and in fact, nearly all who'd been in attendance - had arrived back at Western, and Firith was fuming.  Oh, she and Hers had no real love for High Reaches, but disagreeing with (and even fighting!) their traditional hierarchy and views was one thing.  But to attend a Hatching as a guest, only to insult the clutch and clutchmothers?  That was entirely another.  And while she'd never had any attachment to her clutchparents, Fianth had still shelled her.  If anyone had dared to say such things at her own Hatching, when she had mauled a deadglow girl who had absolutely deserved it, she'd have climbed the Stands to have a go at them!

Leave it to a bronze, Firith seethed, tail whipping back and forth and eyes flashing orange-red even as Ralla dutifully scrubbed away at her hide. And now we all have to deal with the consequences for his fool mouth.  If things were so perfect where he was shelled, why doesn't he go back and keep his nose out of everyone else's business?  Better yet, I'll happily remove it for him.  It's been far too long since I had my claws in a shiny-

Treth's will take care of it, Ralla assured her, thumping her shoulder.  But she understood, and would have happily put fist to the face of such a disrespectful, undisciplined rider.  Thank Faranth they weren't in the same wing, or she actually might.  What a disgrace!

Tsunake

green start #1 for you!

 

[Tsunake]

Eight months ago, Alya wouldn't have cared about something as important as the relationship between High Reaches and Western. Eight months ago, she'd escaped her dull, boring life and had been living as a candidate... albeit uncertainly. The first hatching she'd attended at Western had been traumatic for her, and she'd gone into the island clutch positive, but still wary in the back of her mind. All of that had faded as soon as her wonderful, beloved Baihath had hatched. He was a playful, rambunctious baby, and even now, she still thought of him as a youngling. The truth was, he was closer to being an adult than anything.... and if High Reaches denied them firestone, he wouldn't be able to fight Thread. Though the thought of fighting Thread terrified her, Baihath was delighted at the thought of combating and winning against their hated enemy.

If High Reaches cut them off from firestone, that wouldn't be possible.

Sensing her heavy heart, the quickly growing white had urged her onto his back. Not to fly, of course, but to carry her, as she had done while he was much smaller. Even now, he was galloping across the sands, Alya laughing and flattening herself against his spine even as he sensed the angry words of another dragon.

Hello! He called joyfully, running towards both dragon and rider only to skid to a halt a few feet away. Are you upset about what has happened at High Reaches? So is mine!

Coloring profusely, Alya slid from Baihath's neck to smile with embarrassment at the other rider, ducking her head in what could be considered a bow. "I'm sorry! He's very friendly, so we didn't mean to disturb you both..." Baihath, you can't just say things like that!

But it's true! He protested, nuzzling at her shoulder and hair. And now we can't even go see the babies or our siblings or Papa! Not that they could anyway, still being Weyrlings... but that wasn't the point!

Meepfur

A reply thirty years later! Also elaborated on some things, orz.

 

[Meepfur]

As anyone with any sense should be, Firith rumbled in reply to the young white, shifting restlessly as she did so. The delicately-built green was seething with agitation, and finding it difficult to keep still while Hers went about the business of her scrubbing her down. What was he thinking?

...Hmph. He wasn't, of course. She answered her own question with a huff. I know that most males are fools, especially the bronzes, but he may be the stupidest of all. There was the occasional useful, acceptable bronze - Junenth came to mind - but she held most in contempt, and was ultra-critical of most males in general. The company of the little white, though, was not immediately objectionable. Whites, after all, were in there own unique category, however they identified, and though rare, were no less underestimated than greens.

Ralla patted the soft hide beneath her hand again, before turning to regard the weyrling pair. "It's no bother," she said with a shrug, "Gives her someone else to grumble about it to."

Tsunake

 

[Tsunake]

Oh! Baihath considered that, taking a seat so he could better watch the scrubbing, his blue eyes cheerfully whirling. The mention of foolish males didn't bother him in the slightest. Brancath also didn't seem to like boys much. Seeing how that bronze had upset everyone... well, Baihath didn't blame them. He wasn't very nice. He admitted, huffing. And now no one can go visit each other! Mine doesn't think I know, but do you think we'll still get enough firestone so we can fight Thread? There was no hiding his eagerness. Thread made everyone sad and was no fun--but Baihath thought it might be the most important game of all for him to play!

Alya paused to give her bonded an exasperated expression, but she couldn't hide her amusement. He looked back with croon, the very picture of innocence. Well, since the other rider didn't seem to mind that they were there, she saw no reason not to stay!

"It's a little embarrassing, isn't it?" She confessed, twisting her hair between her fingers. "That someone from Western would be so ridiculous."

Meepfur

 

[Meepfur]

Not very nice is an understatement! I have little love for High Reaches, the green allowed, settling just enough to lean into the scrubbing, now that she had an outlet to express her frustrations, But the antics of hatchlings are no different from one Weyr to another, and the etiquette of candidates should be no different, either. The clutchmothers were well within their rights to be upset, and he should not have interfered.

I cannot say, she answered then, with a rumbling huff. I do not think it would be right for them to withhold firestone, not when it would punish not only Western, but those we protect. But who knows? We can only trust that Treth's and Junenth's will sort it out somehow.

"It is," Ralla agreed, not agitated to the point that her dragon was but certainly disapproving. "I suppose it's probably too much to hope that they'll toss him back to wherever he came from that had such perfectly ordered Hatchings, if such a place even exists." She very much doubted it did.

Tsunake

 

[Tsunake]

They're still so small and new! Baihath agreed cheerfully, flopping down onto his side so he could begin squirming in the sand, liking the feel of the rough grains against his hide. They didn't take very long, anyway! My sister took much longer before she hatched! She made everyone wait for hours! Saith could be so funny sometimes! He missed her and his other brothers and sisters dearly. But at least he had a few here with him--and of course, his mother!

That makes sense! He paused to regard the green with a bright gaze, jaws cracked partially in a draconic grin. Yes, I suppose that's true. They both seem smart and good at serious things like that! Serious and boring things...

A giggle slipped from the young woman at that. "Maybe they line up nice and neat in a single-file line so they can pick out candidates better?" She offered. Though, that might have made the last hatching at Western less exciting... but from the stories she'd heard, a young man had been lost at High Reaches this time around, too...

She'd never hold an unimpressed baby dragon's actions against them, but it didn't mean she could think about those memories without a shiver, even now.

Meepfur