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Are you done yet? Are you done???? The brown had just barely touched down on the ground when he started badgering his rider, who merely raised an eyebrow from where he sat upon his beast. I want to be done, so we can go play or sun or eat. F'ell slipped off his dragon and onto the sand, reaching up to unbundle a satchel he'd tied to his saddle. Teth responded to the movement by shaking and pulling the bags just so slightly out of reach.

"Teth." The rider spoke, his voice cracking a little with disuse. He frowned and cleared his throat, continuing on mentally. We just landed. There's no way I've made my delivery already, so you'll need to wait patiently. The dragon settled, allowing for the bags to be untied and draped over F'ell's shoulder. Teth looked positively pathetic, his wings slooped and his head low, prompting a sigh from his rider. He reached out and patted the brown's neck, sending him a small bump of affection. Tell you what, when I get done we can go and take a swim together. Would you like that?

The noise Teth made to show his approval was the send-off F'ell needed, and the teen started towards the healers with his delivery in tow. Being out and about for painting supplies could often come in handy for the healers, as herbs were just as likely to be around the areas he was harvesting. His arrival in the healer area was announced by clearing his throat faintly and looking around, hoping someone spotted him before he had to speak. Honestly F'ell couldn't remember the last proper conversation he'd had and he was't sure he wanted to break the streak. " ...... "

Well.....shards. This wasn't someone F'ell recognized, someone who he'd dealt with before and was able to just hand things over like normal. No, this was someone new and also someone who'd addressed him and now he needed to talk. Teth wasn't anywhere around to do the talking for him (even though he could hear the dragon babbling to a tree, or something) and he doubted this person would very much appreciate the sudden appearance of a voice anyway.

So, sadly, he was going to have to speak. Honestly F'ell could have just handed the man the bag and been done with it, but what would have happened if the items inside were placed somewhere and forgotten? They were fresh and needed to be used within a set period of time or he'd wasted his own time. Shards.

". . . . .su....su...supplies." The sound of his own voice sounded so weird to his ears, and beneath the hair that covered his eyes and most of his cheeks he was wincing. Rough and gravelly, with a hint of hesitation as he spoke? Not exactly a great way to start things. "For...the hea....healers."

He should have just gone swimming with Teth.

F'ell winced internally at the question and at the man's clear attempt to be kind. It made things more awkward, to be honest, and F'ell found himself reaching out to grab his dragon. Maybe if he could convince him to come over he'd knock the door in or something and F'ell would have the excuse to leave and pretend this conversation wasn't going to happen.

Sadly, Teth was currently napping on the sands. Just that quickly his dragon had outright betrayed him to the warm of the sun and there was plenty of bitterness to be had.

"I.....p.p..paint. So when I go, I br..bri..bring back herbs." His voice held a little more confidence this time around as he answered, absolutely refusing to take the man's charity and his bowing and the weird respect someone was showing him just for the knots on his shoulder. From the looks of it this newcomer was far older than he was and it was....silly. "Al..so. No...nnneed to bow to me. I'm....I'm not anyone s...spe..special." Just a normal rider, really, just barely out of weyrling training. "Yo....you ar...e...new?"

He likely wasn't new, but F'ell had the observation skills of a stone in the dark when it wasn't something he cared about.

For a moment, just a very brief moment, F'ell had a strong debate about pushing aside his bangs so he could look at the scars closer. There was a small thump in the back of his chest, likely his heart pounding at the sight before him, and never more than now was he thankful that his face was generally inexpressive. "I....see. I.....just....arrived at th the Weyr....a little less than tw...two Turns ago." He could only imagine how long the man might have been holed up inside the infirmary if he had those scars; the injuries were likely nearly fatal and thus it made sense F'ell had never really seen him before. "I....im...Impressed my fir...firs...first time...Standing."

His words were getting a little more confident so long as he spoke slowly and picked his way through this conversation as though he were navigating a patch of briers. Slow and steady would allow him what he needed to do, though all the while he was nudging at a certain sleeping brown to wake up and join him. "You...I...do not think...you were...on the sa..sands the same time...as me." F'ell would have remembered him, if only for the scars. "I...think you are better...than...me." He motioned at the area around them. "Fo..for help...helping them like this. I....I...just do it...be..because I am already o..out."

F'ell snorted. He was nothing as great as this stranger was making him out to sound, and even though he knew that fighting Thread was huge and helped out Pern, for him it was just something that needed to be done. Thread threatened to destroy so much and if he was left without then he'd be bored and angry. "Fighting is....sca..ry sometimes. I...don't...like get...get..getting hurt, or...Teth hu..hu..hurting either. Fig..fighting is...expected of...us. It...it isn't like I...have a choice to...say n..no." Maybe it sounded like he was complaining and being selfish, but he did come to the Weyr to Impress and help fight thread - it just wasn't like he enjoyed the aspects of it or saw it as something amazing and selfless.

Talking like this made him seem so petty, and were he the type to be concerned he might have noticed it. "Bu...but. If...figh..fighting...protects....people like you...and others, then." He paused, trying to pick at his words as he felt Teth stir in his head. All of his nudges seemed to be working and the brown was waking, despite the protests. "T...Teth...would be sad...if we...we couldn't he..help. He....loves people."

F'ell gave an ungracious snort at the remark he could have 'left or gone somewhere'. There was nowhere to go when Thread was falling, and he doubted Teth could have survived very long without the constant company of fellow dragons. The rider would have been fine, he didn't need someone at his side at all times, but the brown? Teth's need outweighed most anything else F'ell wanted. "I....will not leave. I must....do what is right. Eveveven if it-"

Before F'ell could continue talking there was a massive commotion outside, the sound of something getting knocked over and knocked into. Apparently there were also people around as the teen could hear their upset voices, and he sighed as he knew what was coming. The rumble of movement was getting closer, and closer, and F'ell looked towards the man again. "Lo...looks like you-you are going to me..me..meet him right n-"

Again his words were cut off, though this time it came in the form of a massive brown dragon head peeking inside the healing hut. With eyes whirling a mixed shade of green and blue, the dragon opened his mouth and grabbed at F'ell's side. The rider's clothing was quickly taken into his jaws and more or less the teen was yanked away as the dragon backed up and pulled him with. F'ell, to his somewhat credit, looked mildly surprised as he reached towards the stranger in the tent, as if he could actually be stopped from going if the man held on to him.

"!!!! He-hey heeey!!"

For his credit, or bragging if he wanted, Teth wasn't even really trying when it came to moving the two men. He was large and strong, probably the only two good things he had going for him, and it took no effort to pull F'ell and his tag-along completely out of the tent and almost into the air. If it wasn't for the sound of F'ell's clothing being ripped by sharpened teeth he'd likely have tried to lift him up that way, as a canine would a toy. F'ell's not to subtle slaps at his jaw might have also been a sign that this wasn't okay, and the brown released the pair rather unceremoniously onto the ground, with his rider landing atop the cling on.

".. . . . . .. .. " He hurt, a lot but probably not nearly as much as the poor fellow who'd been reduced to a landing pad. Groaning, and ignoring the stares of the gather crowd, F'ell managed to push himself a bit off Aerden and roll to the side into a more sitting position. "Teth, you....a**." F'ell wheezed on the words, trying to get air to properly roll into his lungs. He turned and looked down, softly tapping Aerden's face. "You....okay...?"

But!!! But!!!! You called for me, so I came!! And I brought you and your new friend!! You promised you'd be quick anyway, and you always keep your promise!! I came to pick you up too!! Is your new friend okay? Are you okay???? Seemingly deciding he was going to ignore being scolded, Teth followed the actions of his rider and bent his head down to nuzzle at the poor candidate. Mine, I think you hurt him. F'ell's answer to Teth was a boot to the neck.

Teth shrugged off the kick the same way a person would shrug off a strike from a child, and he continued to nuzzle at the man who was now touching his snout. A few heavy puffs of warm air washed over Aerden as Teth seemed to be doing something, though whatever it was passed away as the dragon's eyes world bright blue with a sudden delight. Oh, I like you!! I like you a lot I love you!!! The brown shoved his head against the candidate, all the while making mental kissing noises as he showered his new best friend with the ultimate affection; if he had actual lips they'd be puckered and slobbering all over. You smell so good!!! You smell like Mine!!

It's because you dropped me on him. It's your fault. F'ell's lungs still hurt, as did his back and everything else. He'd have a headache on the morrow, not that his dragon cared or understood. "This is....my Teth." It was likely obvious by the fact the dragon had called him 'mine', or that he was able to slap at him and kick him without someone running up and screaming him down. "He.........." What was he going to say? ".....He's large." Such an obvious statement, but what else was there? Calling Teth...unique wasn't a stretch but.

I didn't hurt him on purpose!! I wanted you to come back and swim with me!!! Can he come too? Do you want to come swimming too??? Do you know how to swim???? Why are you marked up??? Are they like my markings?? Before F'ell could warn him off, the massive brown had started his questioning of the poor candidate. Really, deep down, F'ell liked when Teth did all the talking since it prevented him from having to do any speaking of his own.