Polite Pays [Wolfkitt]

[Dragon]

Swearing under her breath, Xesne pushed a few loose, sweaty waves back from her face. She was old for a weyrling, recently twenty-nine, and she didn't want to be outstripped by her younger classmates. Rubiculath had been the only bronze in the clutch, and he'd chosen her, something that Xesne was fiercely proud of.

She'd been running through some basic sword exercises, and she grounded her practice blade in the dirt, looking over at Rubiculath lazing at the edge of the training ground. He was a gorgeous bronze, and Xesne was looking forward to the future he was going to bring her.

You don't have to work so hard. No one else does.

Xesne eyed Rubiculath and shook her head softly - then straightened as she saw she was not alone. "Am I in your way?"

[Wolfkitt]

Lazy days were not something Ca'to enjoyed... Not even a little bit. But his routine had not taken him near as long as he would have liked and he found himself with some time to kill. Raseth voiced interest in stretching his wings even though they had enjoyed a flight early that morning. So he had indulged them for a while before spiraling down toward the Weyrbowl. There was no scheduled training sessions for anyone at the moment as far as he knew so Ca'to would wander off toward the training ground. He had been neglecting his own personal training and he felt it.

Don't be silly, Mine... You get plenty of training. It's just different.
You should be spending your time doing other things. His voice drifted over Ca'to's mind in his unspoken constant suggestion. "We are fine on our own Raseth. What use is the idle prattle you seem to insist on? What should I talk to the Bronze riders about? The weather?" A soft scoff rang out in his mind but then changed to that odd slightly distorted chuckle in his mind.

If that's what you really want to talk about... Looks like you'll get your chance. Before Ca'to could inquire, he walked into the Training area only to find it wasn't actually empty. A woman he didn't readily recognize was already utilizing the space for exactly what he planned on doing. Well there was no reason that they couldn't both use the space, even if he wouldn't say that out loud. He would watch for a few moments, observing her form and her technique. Having been around swords all his life, it was one of the things that immediately captivated his interest. Yet as she seemed to be finished, and dug the tip of the sword into the ground, he felt his lip curl in an instant dislike of the treatment of the weapon. Sure it was just a training sword, but still.

Steps carried him past the woman even as her question filled the air. He didn't look back at her, moving to the rack where some of the practice swords could be found. Hand moving over to peruse them as he sought out one of the less dinged up horrendous looking ones to utilize himself. He chuckled softly to himself and quirked a brow as he finally acknowledged her presence. "Not unless you are determined to fill the entire space by yourself." Lifting his gaze to meet her own for a brief moment before engaging in a few small warm up moves of his own making sure to give her a respectful space for the time being.

A soft sigh in his mind was heard. We have got to work on your people skills... Raseth moved over toward the young Bronze giving out a light call so not to startle the young dragon. Afternoon Rubiculath. I hope you are well? How is training going? Already it was likely that the young Bronze was larger than the Blue that approached him even though he was his senior by a few turns but that didn't seem to dissuade him from engaging in interaction. Now Raseth was not always one who was sought after for company, but he was nice enough especially if your hide was bronze or gold. Eh, they could give this social interaction thing another try even if it was clear who was more practiced at it.

[Dragon]

Despite being not quite ten months old, Rubiculath was larger than Raseth. He stretched slowly, flaring his wings slightly to emphasize his elegance and size, how he was already the essence of what a dragon should be. Good day, Raseth. My Xesne insists she needs extra training, but I think she is doing quite well. Look at her - she is almost as graceful as I.

Xesne smiled at Rubiculath in amusement. Vanity was, perhaps, his largest flaw - although she had to admit that he wasn't wrong in his perception of himself. He was very much the ideal bronze. "I will do my best not to get in your way, bluerider," she said, respectful and pleasant. She needed to continue to press herself, to improve. Xesne kept her smile small, restrained, and professional. "I am afraid I am a good bit older than most of the other members of my weyrling class, and the last thing I want is to fail Rubiculath and the Weyr."

She would be the ideal of the upstanding dragonrider. It would get her far, and she would climb the rest of the way herself. And Rubiculath ... he would bring her the power she so craved. For now, though, she was only slightly elevated by riding bronze. She was still only a weyrling.

[Wolfkitt]

Raseth settled down not too far from Rubiculath, giving the young dragon a respectful amount of space and tucking his wings as he relaxed. His gaze moved appreciatively over the young Bronze's form giving him the admiration that he so clearly seemed to be looking for. He liked this one. But he'd keep that to himself for now. He was strong, large, and confidant. Yes. His own should certainly be associated with this one's bonded. So too would he do his job in helping that along. At his indication, Raseth would turn his narrow face to look upon Rubiculath's Xesne. He watched her movements and nodded in agreed appreciation. She does move quite gracefully indeed. I understand what you say though. Mine is here for a similar purpose. A soft chuckle drifted across his mind voice though it probably didn't come off quite as he intended with it's odd dissonance.

Ca'to had moved into a bit of a fairly slow and purposeful set of movements just meant to prepare himself for his own training routine. But though his movements were slow and purposeful, there was a fluidity to them that seemed automatic. At her words, he cringed just a little. The slightest hiccup in his careful movements as his voice leapt forth a little more sudden and severe than he meant. "Ca'to." Moving in a slow turn as he swung toward the opposite side to try and hide his slight social misstep, he turned back to face her, softening the sudden flare. "Just Ca'to is fine. Unless you'd prefer going by titles, that's just as well." His tone was gruff. It held the same practiced carefulness that his movements seemed to, none of the pleasantness that Xesne exhibited, but not overtly hostile either.

Ca'to finally would pause his movements realizing he was likely being a tad rude in his approach. Or at least that's what Raseth would say. He turned to fully face her now as she spoke of her age and desire to not fail the Weyr. "Nothing wrong with being on the older side of your class. Just means you're likely more matured and ready to take on the tasks you're expected to. You care. I hardly imagine you'll be a failure to the Weyr or your partner." Too many words... Ca'to immediately found himself very uncomfortable and moved again into his routine slipping back into it as if he hadn't paused at all.

[Dragon]

Behind Xesne's politely friendly expression was cold calculation. Raseth was only blue - but that certainly meant that, brought to her side, Ca'to and Raseth would be allies and not competitors. And she had to respect someone who put in the extra effort that Ca'to seemed to.

Yours seems to be quite skilled, Rubiculath observed. Ca'to was perhaps a half decade older than Xesne, and quite practiced at the skills of involved in being a dragonrider. There was much that Xesne could learn from him. Would they not get more out of their weapons practice if they faced off against each other?

The actually helpful suggestion surprised Xesne, not that she allowed more than a flicker of that to show on her face. Well. Perhaps her dragon would be a very useful compatriot after all, once he had matured a bit more. They could, perhaps, be one in their goals.

They did, after all, both seek the esteem of others.

When Ca'to introduced himself, Xesne inclined her head slightly, polite and respectful. "Xesne. It is pleasant to meet you, Ca'to."

Xesne would do anything to reach the top, anything at all, and that meant that in part, she needed to make the right connections. Ca'to and Raseth could, perhaps, be some of those connections. "I do hope that Rubiculath and I will do well. We all play our parts in keeping Pern safe, and I would hate to fall short in that."

Though perhaps pretty words were not the way forward here. Xesne watched for a moment as Ca'to practiced with his sword. Excellent. Elegant. Skillful. "Would you, perhaps, appreciate a partner? I doubt I am yet up to your level, but a challenge would not be unwelcome."

[Wolfkitt]

Xesne wasn't the only one sizing someone up. Both the Blue and his rider held a critical eye although both held their own forms of camouflage that they shrouded it with. Raseth watched the movements with a bit of a passive air, simply under the guise of hanging out with the larger dragon beside him. Ca'to did catch glimpses even as he seemed to focus on the movements he made. They were so ingrained in him, he hardly had to think about them at all though, so this allowed room to study the woman before him. Threat? Ally? This was constantly the judgement he did make, although so far the judgements of those in the Weyr were mostly positive. Ca'to didn't seem to feel any different for Xesne. She seemed polite enough, if not a bit soft. But at the same time, Ca'to had come to understand quite well that appearances could easily be deceiving... If Raseth was any example. If he was honest? It hurt his brain. Why couldn't everyone be straight forward and without agenda... Ah well, perhaps he was hanging with Raseth too long and this woman had none of the like.

Ca'to became semi lost in his own movements despite the short introductions. The young Bronze's mind voice rang out in his mind as well, his suggestion was sound. Raseth rumbled his appreciative agreement. You are not wrong... He has done this kind of dance since before I can remember. But you are right, practicing your craft with others does tend to sharpen it further. There was no small amount of smugness that Ca'to felt through their bond and it was all he could do to hold back a glare or a groan. But he was not wrong... In a slow bit, he would nod in acknowledgement of her name and pleasantry. "Likewise."

He listened as she spoke of not wanting to let the Weyr down and as he spun the training sword, he whirled around to face her with a bit of a severity in his eyes. "Then don't." He spoke back in a manner that was much more sharp than he meant it. Even he knew that not everything was quite that black and white, but for him it was. That was the choice, was it not? Do or do not.

At her invitation and echoed sentiment of her Bronze, he would finally slow his movements down to a stop once again and face her with a bit of a guarded expression and stance. "Couldn't have said it better myself." He would prepare to engage in a friendly duel with this woman. He quickly sized her up in a bit more of an obvious fashion, clearly used to this manner of reading his opponent, even more so than trying to read intent.