| Akurei woke the next morning with a sense of insatiable hunger, and wondered why. He had not been so hungry in a long... Aurezinc! He opened his eyes, and the slate coloured flit was staring at him, eyes whirling gently. He cheeped a query, cocking his head to the side. Akurei smiled. "Of course we can get you fed now, sorry I took so long to wake up," he said reassuringly, rubbing the neck ridge of the little creature. It chirruped happily in response, and nuzzled his cheek. Akurei sat up slowly, letting Aurezinc slide slowly down his chest. He stretched, yawning, and picked the flit up. He walked to the doorway, pausing to look at Nyroath. The red seemed a bit pale, but that could be attributed to all the galaxy hopping they did yesterday. He hoped that a good meal and some rest would put him back in top form; they were both anxious to get permanently settled somewhere. He wandered down the hall to pick up some food and a broom. Returning to his weyr, he set the small bowl of scraps down and fed Aurezinc first, taking small sips of his coffee as he did. He noted that there was still half the bowl left. He looked around, expectant... sure enough, the little rainbow speckle flit arrived, chirping inquiringly. "You gave us fish, so have some scraps," Ak'rei said almost laughing, pushing the bowl over. Daintily the flitter picked a piece up, turned it all around in his claws, inspecting it, and popped it in his mouth, chewing complacently. Then the two chittered at each other for a bit, and it seemed to Ak'rei that they were having introduction time. The rainbow turned back to his meal. "You know, we need a nickname for you," Ak'rei said thoughtfully. "How about Coloured Snow? It's what you look like, all those colours splashed across you like snowfall." The flit chirped in agreement, accepting the name. Finishing his coffee, Ak'rei picked up the broom and began to sweep, pushing all the sand towards the bathing room where it would be carried off and sifted to the bottom of the lake. He only hoped nobody was taking a bath downstream of him. Just in case they were, he pushed it in little at a time. He turned back to his sleeping quarters and noticed that Nyroath was now awake. "Hungry?" he asked the still somewhat-pale dragon. <Starving, rider-mine,> Nyroath replied, yawning. <I'll go catch some breakfast, then we can be off to find our home.> "Okay. Don't push yourself too hard now, finding a home isn't worth getting trapped between," Ak'rei warned. <Don't be so worried. I will always get us home,> Nyroath reassured him, padding to the ledge and spreading his red wings wide. <Be ready to go, okay? I've heard some very promising things about 'Earth' and it's smaller islands.> "Earth? That's a silly name for a planet," Ak'rei said to himself, then shrugged and went to get dressed, mumbling how it may as well be called Land or Dirt... Aurezinc flew up to him once he'd pulled a shirt over his head and perched on his shoulder, chittering happily. "I suppose Coloured Snow's informed you about between, huh?" Ak'rei asked. Aurezinc cheeped, disappearing and reappearing in the air, looking and sounding immensely pleased with himself. Ak'rei laughed and settled him on the desk, finishing dressing. Nyroath reappeared on the ledge then, looking far better. His colour was back to normal and his eyes whirled with excitement. <Ready to go?> Nyroath asked, bending down so Ak'rei could mount. <I've got the coordinates and everything!> "Ever the prepared one," Ak'rei said laughingly. "I'm ready, and Aurezinc's coming with us so we have a third input. Where to on.. Earth?" he asked, settling himself aboard. <Some little island near "Japan" called Iriomote,> Nyroath replied. Ak'rei nodded. "Well let's go then!" he said, and they launched off the ledge, disappearing between three wingstrokes later... |
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