[PRP] Matter of Time (Nadry/G'ran)

[Meepfur]

Well.

That had been uniquely mortifying. Helpful, yes, but profoundly awkward, and she half-suspected her face might now be permanently red. After Illa had left, she'd flopped back on her bed only to return to pacing, until she decided that she really just needed out of her weyr, which was suddenly feeling very claustrophobic. At least they had a weyr...still being in the barracks for all of this would have been a nightmare! And it was just as well that they weren't tripping over the new, surprise set of weyrlings, either. But mostly, the personal space was invaluable.

But at the moment, a little too small a space. The sky was better; even if it had still been the dead of winter - and even though she was still just a tiny bit cross with him - climbing aboard Menankith for a (weyrling-appropriate of course) turn in the air was the best escape from her thoughts she would ever find. For awhile, at least, nothing else needed to matter.

When at last they started to angle back towards the ledge of their weyr, though, Menankith caught sight of a familiar dark form in the Weyrbowl below and changed course, bugling a greeting. Elzebuth!

Nadry suppressed a groan, but there was no going back now! They were coming in for a landing regardless, and she was simply along for the ride. With others of his siblings occuppied, he was evidently happy to settle for his brown one. For her part, Nadry was not feeling especially prepared to be social after the start her day had gotten off to, but there was no way it could be worse. G'ran was perfectly safe; Faranth forbid Menankith had caught sight of Macuith somewhere instead of Elzebuth.

Tsunake

 

[Tsunake]

Elzebuth had been happily soaking up the sun, his massive wings spread to better soak up the blessed rays... and, perhaps, show off just how enormous he was to any candidates that happened to be nearby. They were all so eager for a dragon of their own that they all but flocked to him when he gave them the chance to admire and touch him. Of course, when G'ran came back, he often gruffly told them to get back to their chores--which, naturally, got him branded as 'that mean rider of the really nice brown'. No one dared to say it to his face, so it didn't bother him much. He was in the middle of stroking Elzebuth's nose when the brown's eyes widened a sliver.

Carefully, he pulled his head away to bugle back at his brown brother. Greetings, Menankith! He relayed as much to G'ran, who shielded his eyes and squinted up at the sky. From the looks of it, the smaller brown was coming in to say hello. That was just fine by him. He liked Nadry's company... which was much more than he could say for most people.

Elzebuth slowly sat up after stretching, more than happy to chat with his fellow brown. Perhaps he would have interesting news to share!

Meepfur

 

[Meepfur]

Nadry took a deep breath and gathered herself before sliding down from Menankith, freeing the brown to move closer to his larger brother with a friendly rumble. Though he wasn't by nature a gossip-monger of a dragon, there had been some very interesting developments today, and he certainly wasn't going to ignore or not talk about them! Maybe not if it had been a sibling such as Basanuth, but he knew that Elzebuth would be interested, and perhaps might have further insight into why hisNadry found it so disconcerting. Might it be the same for Elzebuth's?

Did you see Xocith earlier? he inquired as he settled to best catch some sun of his own. Aurinkoth was in the air as well.

Shaking her head as her dragon immediately broached that subject, Nadry opted to tune him out. "Hey," she offered to G'ran with a subdued smile. "Elzebuth is enjoying the warmer weather, I see."

Tsunake

 

[Tsunake]

I did not. Elzebuth sounded very interested indeed, pausing to absently nuzzle at his brother's neck before he fixed his eyes on him again. Did they fly well? His tail flicked once before it stilled. So, they were all truly growing up now. It was as it should be, and the big brown felt quite content with the knowledge.

G'ran nodded to Nadry briefly, but his lips quirked up briefly in a smile. "Can't get enough of it. It's like he's never felt the sun before." He frowned after a moment, distracted by Elzebuth's conversation. What was he going on about?

"They're huge." He said absently, eyeing both brown brothers with approval. "They used to be small enough to carry." Which seemed impossible, looking at them now...

Meepfur

 

[Meepfur]

I do not know, Menankith answered, returning the nuzzle. They were out of sight before long. We will have to ask Aurinkoth later. I imagine it is probably over by now.

"I think I know the feeling," Nadry said dryly, smiling up at the dark brown. "That sevenday I was laid up in my weyr with the flu, it started to feel like I might never see the outside of it again." And she hadn't even had one of the really bad cases, just one of the 'sucks to be you' cases.

"Small enough for you to carry, maybe," she laughed. "I don't think I'd have gotten far even if I'd tried." Maybe now she was strong enough to stand a chance of hefting a hatchling brown around, but not when she'd actually had one. Even then, it would have been an unwieldy task! But G'ran was, well, G'ran-sized. Of course he'd managed it.

Tsunake

little phone tag~

 

[Tsunake]

Probably. Elzebuth agreed, a little annoyed that he hadn't seen it. Well, no matter. He knew how fast his green sisters were.... though, of course, he could outlast them any day.

G'ran frowned when Nadry mentioned the flu. Was he the only one who hadn't been affected? Maybe all that time in the mines had heightened heartiness, somehow. "I'm glad you're feeling better." He grunted. First Ichta, now her... Shards, he needed to pay more attention to his fellow Weyrlings. ...to his friends...

His lips quirked again at that, and even a chuckle stirred in his throat. "I bet you could now, though. You and Ichta both." They'd both gotten so much stronger. Honestly, they all had. G'ran had learned more than he ever thought possible.

Meepfur

 

[Meepfur]

Is Yours ever odd about such things? Menankith asked after a moment of consideration. Nadry had insisted earlier that it was a 'girl thing,' and she did seem to feel a bit better now, but he was still somewhat puzzled. It seemed that it might be in the same vein as the stupid food rules, and would have asked Aurinkoth, but making inquiries of his bright blue brother and His would have to wait. In the meantime, he could at least surmise whether or not it really was a problem unique to girls.

"Thanks," Nadry accepted the well-wishes with a nod and a flash of a smile. "At least I didn't pass out like R'gan, or end up in the infirmary."

The smile widened when he chuckled. "We probably could! Too bad our boys are long past carrying." She glanced over at her bright brown and his dark brother. "It's hard to believe it hasn't even been a whole turn yet, it feels like so much longer. Everything seems so different...although I guess it's more us than it is everything else."

Tsunake

 

[Tsunake]

Yes. Elzebuth would have rolled his eyes if he were able. I do not understand. He should mate frequently and sire many strong clutches. Many, many clutches. It was only natural.

"Did he?" Shards. At least no one had died from the sickness, though he'd heard several people had wished they were dead.

He snorted as he turned to eye the two browns, nodding slowly with thought. "Yeah." His voice was soft. A turn ago, he was still in the mines, not sure if every new day would be his last. Now? He was well fed and cared for, and had the most wickedly-clever dragon on all of Pern at his side. Eventually, he glanced back at Nadry. "What was all that noise about earlier?" The flight, he meant. The meaning was still entirely lost on him.

Meepfur

 

[Meepfur]

Menankith made a thoughtful sound at Elzebuth's answer. Maybe he does not like human hatchlings? Mine does not, but was supposed to have very many anyway. They must be very dangerous, because they scare her.

Nadry nodded in confirmation, only to then hesitate over G'ran's next question. She went a little pale, then turned a bit red as she supplied the answer, "That was, ah, that was Xocith. Rising. I guess the greens and blues are um...old enough now."

Which meant the browns were next. Great.

Tsunake

 

[Tsunake]

He does not have to keep them. Elzebuth snorted, but looked very interested at the fact that Nadry was frightened. Hm. Well, perhaps it is best they do not have them yet. Maybe they could have them together. Then we would have worthy choices for our future hatchlings. Because naturally, they were going to sire children!

G'ran just looked curiously at Nadry's shifting emotions, a bit confused. Rising...

"Old enough?" They'd had lessons, certainly, but it was not sinking in for him right now. Sorry, Nadry.

Meepfur

 

[Meepfur]

That is true, I suppose. Riders are not expected to have time to raise hatchlings. There was more hmming from the smaller of the browns. Ours would have very good hatchlings, but I do not think Mine would have them, even with Yours or Macuith's. She really, really did not like them! Maybe Yours and Aurinkoth's?

Oh. Oh dear. It was a good thing she wasn't paying any attention to Menankith, because Nadry had more than enough to deal with as it was. She paled again, opened her mouth, shut it. Thought about how she could possibly clarify, tried again, "Old enough to, um...mate?"

There might have been a little bit of a squeak towards the end of that sentence.

Tsunake

 

[Tsunake]

Elzebuth mulled that over for a moment, also beginning to hum to himself. Yes, I can see that. Very well. They will make many hatchlings for all of us. Yes, he didn't see any problem with that. Ichta appreciated G'ran. Why would she be opposed to carrying his eggs? G'ran was a strong, extremely capable mate.

When Nadry explained, G'ran was quiet for a moment.... and then slowly turned pale. He didn't speak for a long time, clearly struggling for words. "I... I see." His voice was also a little odd, strained with the effort of trying to remain calm.

Mate. Yes. That... .definitely was a thing that they'd been educated on. He'd just conveniently buried it in the back of his brain and forgotten about it.

Meepfur

 

[Meepfur]

Menankith nodded approval as his tail flicked idly, outward evidence of the thoughts flitting through his mind. Yes, they will be very good hatchlings. Yours and Aurinkoth's are both excellent, so of course their hatchlings will be as well. And when he or Elzebuth had their own hatchlings, there would be perfect matches waiting! Yes.

She was just...destined to wallow in awkwardness today, it seemed. Nadry stood in quiet discomfort while G'ran looked for words, and then spent her own long pause searching for some herself. "It's, um. I don't know if Menankith is going to, but...well. Do you think...Elzebuth?"

As awkward as it was, she was also deeply curious. She had a lot to think about still, about what she wanted or didn't, but what was everyone else going to do?

Tsunake

 

[Tsunake]

Elzebuth thrummed quietly with satisfaction, already allowing his thoughts to drift. Yes, they would need many humans for all of their hatchlings... Best to get them started early! Though considering Elzebuth knew next to nothing about human young... well.

The big man looked absolutely stricken for a moment before giving the most solemn nod. "Uh. Yeah. A.... A lot."

Because if there was one thing he knew about his dragon, it was that Elzebuth thought he deserved the best--and would absolutely reach out to take everything that he desired. So if that meant chasing... Shards and shells, G'ran really hadn't considered this at all. After another bit of silence, the man let out a low, audible sigh.

"I'll just.... stay in my weyr."

Meepfur

 

[Meepfur]

Menankith was similarly ignorant on human hatchlings, beyond how very disquieting His found them to be, and so before now had never given them all that much thought. Thinking on that, and on hatchlings in general, he produced the idle thought, I think you will have hatchlings first. So far as he was concerned, Elzebuth winning a goldflight was a when, not an if. As for himself...if he had an interest in such things, it was in the appeal of having hatchlings, and in proving that browns were every bit as worthy and capable of it. If his brother happened to manage that, then that was just as well!

"...Oh," Nadry breathed sympathetically, glacing at the dark dragon with an expression that clearly read 'yikes.' "That...yeah." That was very much what she was leaning towards herself, as curiosity or no, it was the least intimidating option. "It's just a headache, right? Can't be that bad."

Tsunake