Wander Lost [open]

[Jabberwoky]

It was...

A day.

Not good. Not bad. Just a day.

Time was aware that he was outside. He had been walking. Being outside helped him sometimes. His thoughts were a haze. Focusing was impossible, but walking was easy. Just walking with his eyes unfocused and his body just moving. He was just going to keep going. He didn't know when he passed the borders of the Weyrbowl. He didn't know when he crossed the most common road paths.

He found himself growing weary. Worn and frayed more and more.

Time finally stopped walking, falling onto his back in a field of blooming flowers, sending petals up in the air as he did so. Where was he, and where was the Weyr? He wasn't sure where, and he was pretty sure no one was going to search for a Dragonless man. Maybe it was better this way, to stay lost.

[Dragon]

Cyan and Cyask weren't looking for anyone. As new members of Pavane, they were familiarizing themselves as much as they could with the area around the Weyr in their free time, ranging farther and farther afield in order to make sure that they wouldn't get lost while on tracking or search and rescue missions.

Neither of them had expected to find a man from the Weyr lying in a field of flowers. Cyan wouldn't even have noticed him in the lush grass; it was Cyask who stopped, inhaling deeply and pondering the scent in the air.

Turning more toward the middle of the field they'd been skirting around the edge of, Cyask trotted over with Cyan at his heels, stopping to peer down at the blonde man in the grass.

You are far afield from the Weyr, Cyask observed. If you are lost or injured, we can help you home.

[FirebrandPhlox]

TW: Death mention

Ygbir and Pothecath were supposed to be doing inventory on the wood stores for the weyr, but that task had long been abandoned in favor of seeing who could find the biggest insect. The pair had wandered deep into the jungles surrounding Semaca, ignorant to the danger they had put themselves in.

Just admit you lost, Ygbir. You're not gonna find anything bigger than this jeweled beetle," Pothecath gloated, watching the iridescent-shelled insect shuffle across his leg.

"Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!" Ygbir yelled as he stomped through the brush. "I'll find a bug that's even bigger than you, you oversized lizard!"

Pothecath scoffed as the pair stepped into a clearing filled with flowers. Upon entering the field, he froze. There's people here! Quick, act like we're doing something, he shot over to Ygbir through their mental link.

Ygbir stiffened, going into alert as he peered across the meadow. There was a handler and his wher, a blue, and someone laying in the grass. Ygbir scampered halfway up Pothecath, squinting at the person laying down. "Yo! Did you find a body?" He hollered to the handler, scurrying down off Pothecath and over to the wherpair with the excitement of someone who had never truly experienced loss.

He looked down at the ground, seeing not a body, but a man. "Oh shards, you're that dragonless guy, right? Thyme or something?" He asked the man as Pothecath gave his rider an annoyed shove. "Hey! Watch where you're going you lug!"

Be sensitive. This guy lost his bonded. You don't know what kind of mental state he's in. Pothecath mentally muttered to Ygbir. Looking down at Time, he did the draconic equivalent of clearing his throat and addressed the scene below him. Are you, uh, ok, sir? Like the wher said, we can help you back to the weyr. I'm Pothecath, my rider is Ygbir.

"Yeah, man," Ygbir added. "It's dangerous to be out here by yourself, we should get you back. With a dragon and a wher, we'll be able to keep you safe."

[Jabberwoky]

Wher.

Voice in his head.

Dragon.

Second voice in his head.

People were talking and he could barely concentrate. The mindspeak was an assault on his senses, instantly reminding him that Naviteth was no longer here. His blue was gone. These were not his blue, and yet they were speaking. It only tore the hole in his heart bigger and bigger. To know they were not his bonded, his soulmate, his other half.

He flinched away from both Cyath and Pothecath, unable to even concentrate on what their humans were saying. The sorrow on his face multiplied, and he brought his hands to his ears as if he could block the mindspeak from his head.

[Dragon]

STOP.

Cyask's voice was calm, definite, and he circled around the dragonless man like he might an injured wherlet. He was not exceptionally good with human facial expressions or body language, but the golden-haired man's distress was obvious. He was young, he did not know all of the intricacies of how those around him interacted, but he thought that perhaps giving the poor man a moment to simply breathe at the very least could not hurt.

They obviously had to get this lost one back to the Weyr, but past that, Cyask was lost himself. He needs a Healer, perhaps, the eloquent wher mused to his handler. I do not know what kind of Healer could mend the heart and the mind.

I'm not sure there is one, Cyan admitted, watching the blond man carefully. A lot of dragonless ... don't survive.

[FirebrandPhlox]

"Hey don't yell at him!" Ygbir hollered at the wher. "Man's clearly hurt his ears!"

Do I need to remind you that we project our voices into your mind and don't actually speak? Pothecath asked, his tone dripping with ire.

Ygbir waved his hand dismissively, making a pssshh sound with his lips. Sure, dragons didn't actually talk, but it sure did feel like they were, with how their voices resonated in his head. That didn't matter right now, not when this guy on the ground was clearly in distress.

"Calm down, man!" Ygbir shouted, reaching his arms towards the suffering Time. "You're safe now! We'll get you back to the weyr, maybe get some food in you. A tart and some klah always makes me feel right again!" Ygbir smiled at the man, oblivious to the depth of his sorrow.

[Jabberwoky]

Time moved before he could think, though he would not have stopped himself if he tried.

In a jerky, awkward movement, he staggered upright and took a swing at Ygbir, trying to keep him away. They all needed to get away from him. He managed to get to his feet, stumbling away from both bluepairs. His vision was blurry, his skin grew pale. He could barely focus on them, but he could certainly see blue upon blue.

He was shaking, his body felt hot and cold at the same time, and sweat was starting to gather on his brow.

[Dragon]

Cyask had been yelling at the blue dragon and his rider, but this was hardly the time to argue over it. No, as the dragonless man jerked to his feet and tried to punch Ygbir, Cyan took a step back as he and his wher tried to assess the situation.

I certainly don't know how to handle this, Cyan admitted to his wher. He'd only been in a Weyr for a little longer than Cyask had been alive; he'd moved to Semaca in late spring, and Cyask had hatched in early summer. Dragonless didn't really live in Holds or on pirate ships, at least not any that Cyan had ever encountered. Actually he was pretty sure most of them just ... gave up. Maybe it's a good thing that he's got enough spirit left to lash out?

Cyask watched the man warily. It would, he supposed, be utterly devastating if he lost Cyan ... and whers could survive the loss of their handlers, unlike dragons and their riders. The mid-sized blue retreated a little. Speaking only to his handler, the other blue, and the rider, he said, Let's give him a little space. He seems to be reacting badly to something. Perhaps it is Poethecath and I?

[FirebrandPhlox]

Ygbir screeched as Time's swing connected with his arm. It wasn't the worst punch he had ever endured, but he wailed as he held his bicep and recoiled from the man.

"Dude! I'm just trying to help!" He hollered, blinking back tears.

Hey, that's really not cool! Pothecath chimed in, his typically even-keeled demeanor flaring into temper on behalf of his rider. We're just trying to help you! It's dangerous to be out here alone!

At the suggestion of the wher, Pothecath backed off slightly, but stayed at the ready. If the dragonless was in so much distress, maybe giving him some space was the right call. He couldn't be sure though, since it was the jungle, and not a place for a solitary traveler to be hanging out in.

Ygbir was not so reasonable.

"I'll show you who's boss!" He yelled, pouncing at the larger man. He flailed his arms inefficiently, swinging wildly at Time. Beating up a guy he was trying to rescue was not a rational choice, but Ygbir was not a rational man.

[Jabberwoky]

Both dragon and wher were completely ignored as the rider jumped at him.

Time brought his fist back, catching Ygbir in the nose. Something hit him, probably the other rider, but he wasn't sure. He was ready to fight. That was the only thing he could focus on, fighting. This other person attacked, he had to defend.

There was no real realization that he had swung first, just reaction to a volatile situation already exploding. Nothing good could come from this.

[Dragon]

... Well, this was going just swimmingly. Cyan took a second to just stare helplessly at the other two men - then waded in, determined to put a stop to this. At least he was taller than either man, and significantly taller than Ygbir.

Trying not to get hit, but not wanting to involve the blues, Cyan made an attempt to wrap his arms around the short dragonrider and drag him back from the fight. He didn't quite believe it was going to fully work out, but he had to try something!

The dragonless has some excuse, but if the rider hits you, I may bite him.

[FirebrandPhlox]

CW: Blood

Ygbir squealed as Time's fist connected with his nose, which broke with a sickeningly audible crack. Tears welled in his eyes as blood gushed from his nostrils. He doubled over in pain, ducking out of Cyan's grasp as he held his hands to his face.

"Augh!" He yelled, gingerly pulling a hand from his face to inspect the damage. His palm was red and slick with blood. "What is wrong with you, man?"

That's it! We're done here! Pothecath roared. Normally he was fine to take a step back from confrontation and let the issue get settled by others, but now his rider was genuinely hurt. The blue lurched forward, reaching with his forelegs to grab Time.

We're getting you back to the Weyr. You can either calm down and let us do it the easy way, or keep thrashing and do it the hard way, Pothecath growled. He didn't like playing the bad guy, but if someone had to step up and actually produce results, it might as well be the dragon in the situation.

"And if you do the hard way, I'll kill you!" Ygbir screeched.

No, he won't. Pothecath interjected with a glare at his rider. But you'll be much better off if you just calm down, man.

[Jabberwoky]

Time's entire body went rigid at being grabbed by Pothecath, and then he may as well have been boneless. He collapsed into himself, just holding his head and trying to hold back uncontrollable sobs. He was not in his right mind, as dragonless were known to be, and he was trying so dearly to just come back to himself, to come back to the now.

It wasn't working.

It was probably best for him to be taken back to the Weyr for the Healers to handle.

[Dragon]

Oh. Well, that was probably a bad thing. Cyan made a face as the dragonless went limp. "Yeah, that's ... can you carry him back, or should we put him on Cyask?" He addressed Pothecath instead of Ygbir; he seemed to be the more sensible of the two.

And at this point, all Cyan really wanted to do was get Time back to the Weyr and into the proper hands.

[FirebrandPhlox]

CW: Blood

Pothecath's eyes went wide as the man went limp in his claws. For a man that had just been swinging wildly at his rider, the blue hadn't expected the dragonless to limp like a discarded sack. Time really was as broken as the rumors around the weyr said.

Oh no. I didn't hurt you, did I? Pothecath gently asked the man in his grip. I didn't mean to if I did! I just wanted you to stop attacking Ygbir.

"That's what you get!" Ygbir squealed as he wiped the blood from under his nose. "You mess with the herdbeast, you get the horns!

Shut up! Pothecath scolded his rider. Ygbir might not have been the first one to throw a punch, but he had absolutely been the one to escalate the situation. We need to get this guy back to the weyr so the mindhealers can help him. We're not here to beat up a mentall ill dude.

Ygbir crossed his arms and grumbled to himself, but didn't address Time further. It wasn't his fault this guy was out of his mind! He'd only been defending himself.

Yeah, maybe Cyask should carry him back. Pothecath replied to Cyan. I'm not sure this guy's really in a state to be able to hold on, so being lower to the ground might be for the best. You can help keep him upright, too.