I Know My Path [Open]

[Dragon]

Xesne's eyes swept over the Weyrbowl, very aware of Rubiculath's subtle posturing as he rested in the grass nearby. He was a wonderfully handsome bronze, and in Xesne's opinion, he had only grown more beautiful as he had aged. He was shaped exactly as a bronze should be shaped, and at nearly ten months old, he'd outgrown all signs of baby softness and passed ten and a half feet in height.

The young bronze caught the edges of his rider's thoughts and preened further, his mind nudging at hers. I am, of course, the lovliest of dragonkin, he observed arrogantly. Appreciation was, as far as he was concerned, only his due. And Xesne did appreciate his looks, not only for their own sake but also because they would surely allow him to catch queens.

As far as she was concerned, Xesne's path was clear, for all that she had to bide her time right now while Rubiculath reached maturity. Her lovely bronze would catch a queen, giving her a position of prestige, and from there, she would launch her further plans.

For the moment, though, Xesne lay back in the dying grass, gazing up at the clouds drifting across the blue sky. Soon it would be too cold to do this, but the last traces of warmth were still clinging to Fort, and for now she would enjoy it.

[Windra]

Bubovirith took every possible opportunity to stretch his vast wings. As he should! A dragon in all his glory belonged in the sky! He was a fantastic beast. And he flew much faster without L'rnia upon his back. Bless her soul, she was a large lady. Pleasantly chunky. But she was making strides in improving. The necessary delay taken in order for her to ride upon her 'steed' slapped a harsh dose of reality across her face.

While the russet brown landed with grace and dignity in the weyrbowl, he gestured enthusiastically to his bonded with wings that may as well have been a secondary pair of hand. Come, L'rnia! Just a bit farther! You can do this!

Huff! Puff!

The weyrling was jogging! As best as she could, at least. Even autumn's chill could not stem the flow of sweat upon her forehead. She was far behind, just breaching the bowl's expanse. Staggering; struggling:

Come now! You did not start to simply give up moments later! Or did I misjudge your bright determination earlier for something lazier?

" ... shut ... face ... Bub ... "

One step. Two! Seven!

FWUMP!

Her body surrendered. L'rnia collapsed in a panting mass beside Xesne. Her lungs burned! Her legs hurt! Yet she rolled over, tucked an elbow under her head, and winked. "'Sup?" Unphased. But still heaving.

[Dragon]

Xesne and Rubiculath could not have been more different from L'rina and Bubovirith. The bronze pair was all grace and elegance, while the brown pair was ... not. L'rina was short and overweight, and the young brown was a clumsy creature. As much as she wanted to wrinkle her nose at being joined by those particular members of her weyrling class, Xesne kept her face smooth and gave a friendly smile instead. "Hello, L'rnia. How are your efforts going?"

Rubiculath was slightly more willing to socialize with his lesser brother and his rider. Charmingly, he said, Bubovirith, brother, I see that you and your rider are doing well.

The beautiful, flawlessly formed young bronze stretched in his bed of grass, turning his head toward the brown. His movements, as always, were exactly as they should be, and he preened slightly at his knowledge of his own beauty.

[Windra]

L'rnia didn't miss a beat. And she certainly didn't detect a condescending note in Xesne's words of outward expression. Foolishly confident, perhaps. Or masking her own insecurities. Who knew? Not her. Nope, not now not ever. "Eeeeeeeeyyyy gimme a sevenday or two and I'll be lookin' like your hotness by the next Gather," she chirped with a very obliviously awkward wink. "Maybe sooner. We'll have competition gettin' dance partners ahaaaaa ... "

There was something about the way her last words rolled off into a faint, disillusioned silence that gave rise to the notion that she wasn't all that confident of that fact.

You are doing wonderfully, L'rnia, given how disastrous your first lap around the bowl turned out. So many scrapes ... But alas! Bubovirith's wings bolstered into the air and began weaving to and fro, as if working something between their thumb joints. One does not chisel a monument from stone without hard work and persistence! He gave a throaty rumble in response to Rubiclath's statement. Well enough, I suppose!

"Nah, we're doing freaking fantastic!" There was that dripping sarcasm, followed by a cough from her lungs' overexertion. "Never better! Please replace my chest cavity with one belonging to a runner!"

The make of your lungs won't determine your success! Nor will the hue of my hide! Perseverance is what will bring your hard work to fruition alone, isn't that right, Rubiclath? Was that a side-eye? That was definitely a side-eye.

[Dragon]

As unlikely - nigh impossible - as L'rnia ever being a slender beauty sounded, Xesne gave her best encouraging smile anyway. "I do believe you are a little slimmer than you were at the Hatching," she lied. "Certainly if you keep up this level of work, you will be trim and fit in no time."

Not that Xesne cared, past getting L'rnia and Bubovirith behind her in her eventual bid for power.

At Bubovirith's question, Rubiculath gave his brother a thoughtful little trill, followed by a flowery non-answer. Some are born great and others must strive to become great, but all those chosen to ride dragons have that potential within them.