A Feast for the Ages [Phlox]

[Dragon]

Spring in the weyrbowl was beautiful. Amaata had been in High Reaches for a turn now, and she very much enjoyed her new home ... even if winter was cruelly cold. It was warm enough now, late in the season, that Amaata had packed a basket in the dining hall and brought dinner out to eat in the grass so she could watch the stars come out.

She had a bottle of wine, although she hadn't bothered to bring a glass, and some bread and cheese and hard sausage and last year's apples. The apples were actually still in pretty good shape, the hardy sort that stored well instead of a more delicate variety. She did not have a blanket with her, but she also didn't object to sitting in the grass with her back resting against Kuroth's bulk. Even as compact as he was, the six-and-a-half-turn-old blue took up a great deal of space and provided a pleasant warmth at his rider's back.

Amaata felt him perk up at the sound of someone approaching, although he didn't so much as twitch a muscle. As always, he would observe first and foremost; anything else could be plotted out later. Skatha, ever more aggressive than Kuroth, landed beside Amaata and coiled with a threatening gaze for whoever was approaching. Of all three of them, Amaata was the most relaxed; she was the one who merely watched with curiosity to see who had come across her impromptu sunset picnic.

[FirebrandPhlox]

It was just sunset, and Raev had woken from another fitful day's sleep. Still too early for Rask to be stirring, Raev decided to take advantage of a rare chance to actually see some sunlight, even if it was fleeting. She got out of bed and dressed in her leathers, then headed into the weyrbowl to catch a little bit of sun before breakfast. Just as she was finishing pulling her boots on, Rask stirred from her sleep.

Where Raev go? the wher asked with a large yawn.

"Out to the weyrbowl. If you want to come with, I'll grab your goggles." Raev told her wher, feeling generous today. Rask bugled happily, so Raev strapped the dark lenses on the wher and the pair headed to the weyrbowl.

Once they were walking on the grass, Rask quickly spotted a dragon, a blue, lounging on the grass with his rider. Without hesitation, she bounded forward, greeting the new friends. Hello! Am Rask! What name? She called to the pair wriggling with anxious joy.

With a sigh, Raev picked up her pace and hollered after her bonded. "Don't charge them! Most people don't take kindly to a wher barreling at them!"

Rask forced herself to slow to a hurried walk as she approached the dragon. Am friend! Good evening!" She greeted the what she now saw was a trio that included a flit.

[Dragon]

Amaata started slightly when she realized who was approaching. "Raev! Rask!" They'd met once before, fleetingly, also around sunset, back when Amaata had barely arrived at High Reaches. It had been Raev who had warned her to buy furs before winter fell, and she'd taken the advice to heart and stockpiled them over the summer.

She hadn't, she supposed, actually expected to meet the wherhandler again. It was hard for dragonriders and wherhandlers to interact very much, given the dichotomy of their normal schedules. Still, it would have been nice to see the shorter woman again before now, and she passed the memory of their previous meeting to Kuroth, reminding him of the pair.

Things would be much more convenient if dragons had longer memories.

"This is Skatha," she said, motioning toward the slinky, mottled green whose eyes were swirling orange in annoyed suspicion. "She's not very friendly."

Kuroth rumbled in amusement at that pronouncement, cracking open one large eye, currently the dark green of deep contentment. The evening is delightful, he greeted the wher and her handler. You should join Amaata for her dinner.

He didn't see Amaata give him a look, because he closed his eye again. She knew that her dragon was of the opinion that she didn't have enough friends, and she hadn't had any other sort of company since before she'd come to High Reaches. "Kuroth's being pushy, sorry. He thinks I'm lonely." She hesitated. "You are welcome to join me if you're hungry? I think I have enough for two."

[FirebrandPhlox]

Amaata! Kuroth! Rask called happily upon recognizing the pair. They were nice! And friends! A wonderful surprise for their walk.

"Oh, hello Amaata, Kuroth," Raev addressed the pair now that she was close enough to recognize them. She considered the offer to dine with them for a moment, knowing she and Rask still had a full day of tasks ahead of them. "That's nice of you, but I we'll have to pass. Long day of work ahead of us."

Just little bit? Rask pleaded. Raev could feel the burning desire of the wher to stay and socialize. It was still early, and they wouldn't be expected for their post for a few more candlemarks. Raev sighed reluctantly.

"Fine. We'll stay, just for a bit though," she said. Rask happily trumpeted, then ran a circle around the rider and her dragon. With a groan, Raev sat near Amaata as the wher did her celebratory lap. "Sorry to interrupt your peace and quiet."

[Dragon]

The wher, at least, was eager to see them again; Amaata gave a small smile in response to her enthusiastic greeting. Raev was less keen, but perhaps that was just the wherhandler's nature.

"I understand -" Amaata started, but Rask seemed to have something to say on the subject, and Raev relented. The bluerider smiled a little as the garnethandler took a set near her and Rask ran a lap around them both.

"It's really no bother," she said lightly as she pulled out her bottle of wine and worked the cork out of it. "I didn't bother to bring a glass, but if you want some -" she held out the bottle to the shorter woman. "I've got bread and cheese and sausage, too, and apples."

She knew what Kuroth thought about her peace and quiet even without the blue speaking on the subject, and she really wasn't opposed to Raev's company.

[FirebrandPhlox]

"I'll pass on the wine," Raev said, holding a hand up in rejection of the offer. "I still have a whole night of work ahead of me." It might be time for Amaata to start winding down, but Raev took her job seriously, and refused to partake in any alcohol until her duties were done. After a moment of consideration, she added,[/i] "I'll take an apple, though."

Rask finished her lap around the group, skidding to a halt near Kuroth's head. Kuroth sleep? She asked, tilting her head at the dragon. Is still early! Rask and Kuroth play! The wher insisted.

"I'm sorry about her," Raev said in a low voice to Amaata. "She's got more energy than a herd of runnerbeasts. I don't know where she gets it from."

[Dragon]

Amaata nodded in understanding and took a swig of her wine before digging out an apple to toss to Raev, trusting that the other woman would be able to catch it. At the same time, Kuroth turned his ponderous gaze on Rask. He was small for a dragon and she was big for a wher - as big as some browns and bronzes! - but he was still over twice her length. Idly, Amaata wondered how much difference there was between them in weight; whers were heavy for their size, whereas dragons were relatively light so as to be able to fly.

I have been up all day; I am not as fresh as you, Kuroth answered. Then he reached out a foreleg toward the flit between him and Amaata. Chase Skatha.

"She's fine," Amaata answered a little awkwardly. "I remember how energetic she is."