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Abandoned Dragons?
Wind rippled the fine blue fur covering Sylifore's body as she surveyed her surroundings, crest up and expression unreadable. It was not the first time the zalor had been to pern, nor would it be the last. In fact, this particular weyr she'd chosen to appear beside was one she'd been to before, as well. Wu weyr, where she'd impressed her two firelizards. Spectrum was curled on her shoulders, and Sky hovered by her ear, glancing up the stony path that led to the weyr.
Her reason was visiting wasn't the normal random urge to see some world she wasn't often familiar with-- sure, mindspace had a mirror pern, but it wasn't as interesting as the real thing-- she was here on business. Personal Business, but business nonetheless.
The last time she'd visited Wu weyr-- the same occasion that had earned her the two firelizards at her side, in fact-- she'd paid a visit to the hatching sands. There had been a clutch on the sands, and she hadn't been particularly interested in standing. What she had been interested, however, was a chamber to the side. She'd asked to visit it, and her guide had told her exactly what it was.
Abandoned dragons. Snarling in disgust, she started forwards, down the path. People actually abanadoned dragons. Why was something she couldn't begin to guess, but they did. The calls and cries of these beasts, like so many of what they were, deeply wounded creatures, were nervewracking and had haunted her dreams since she'd left. Whenever she woke, she heard them, whenever she let herself sit and meditate, she heard them. They haunted her and, for over two months, she hadn't been able to get them out of her head. She'd tried everything she could, and now she was trying the last thing that had occured to her-- actually going out and impressing one of the poor creatures. They needed people, and her own disturbance over the whole situation was starting to interfere with everything that she needed-- sleep, eating, and meditation. She'd even lost control of her magic once or twice, which had been dangerous to those she'd been around at the time.
And it wasn't as if she didn't want to impress anything. As she thought this, she tensed, striding forward with even more determination. She did, she'd always wanted to, but she'd.. been afraid of that intensity, wary of having someone be so close.
Some things, however, were nessicary. The Zalor sighed deeply as she stood at the entrance of the weyr, staring across the tranquil place. A beautiful lake in the center, obscured by the occasional herd of grazing runnerbeast. Dragons sunned themselves on their ledges, all manner of shaded hides shining brightly in the sun. A sight she normally would've stopped to enjoy, but today, she was on a mission. She made directly for the hatching sands, figuring she'd run into someone there. There was, if she recalled correctly, a clutch on the sands. Perhaps there would be a rider somewhere near the entrance that could tell her who to go to, in order to impress one of the abandoned dragons that haunted her dreams.

~~~~~~~

2: Re-impression
Sylifore was successful. Halfway into the weyrbowl, she encountered someone sympathetic to her cause. Standing almost as tall as the rider in question, she was led to the hatching caverns, briefly passing the clutch of eggs shining there, attended by a green and her blue mate. But these she passed, to another door not often noticed by those on the sands, from which painfully soft cries could be heard. They got louder as she approached, but never very loud-- they didn't need to be. The painful notes in them were more than enough to send a shudder down your spine, and make all your fur stand on end.
Ignoring these effects, Sylifore stepped forward, bowing as best she could to the goldrider attending the abandoned. "Zenarta & Ykaraith." she said, voice respectful as she regarded both of them. "I'm here to take one of these dragons home with me." Her voice was soft when she said the last part, introspective, as her blue eyes regarded each dragon in turn. They were pitifully dejected beasts, seemingly untouched by the warmth of the sands beneath them. It was certainly enough to inspire the nightmares she'd been having, but she did not turn away, as some would when faced with such pained gazes. She, instead, met their eyes with her own, a sympathetic look colouring usually severe features. "If any would like to come home with me."
Zenarta seemed to approve of this, nodding respectfully. "Do you have any preference..?"
"I shall let them choose?" She said, somewhat apologetically. "If any can bond to me, I bid them to do so." This was directed more to the dragons herself, and she settled back, only mildly uncomfortable on the hot sands, and met more of the dragon's pained gazes-- only now these gazes held notes of curiosity.
A sudden absence of what light there was filtering through the door caused Sylifore to glance away, for a moment, and make a little noise of surprise. "Hudenaroth? Why are you here?"
The black danachian twitched his tail, an amused expression on his face for just a moment. Evidently the same reason you are. he told her, mentally, before moving his enormous bulk to Zenarta and Ykaraith to voice his own requests. Behind him, blocked originally, came another winged shape-- smaller, this was the bonded she'd heard so much about but hadn't meat. Viays, the winged wolf. The creature didn't seem as cold and reserved as she was rumored to be, at the moment-- in fact, she looked as disturbed as Sylifore had felt, upon waking from dreams filled with abandoned dragon's callings. She kept close to her bond's haunches, almost touching his black hide with her fur, wings held to her side with such fervor it was a wonder they hadn't broken yet.
Hudenaroth was accepted as well, and he moved to stand beside sylifore, Viays as close as she had been before. Sylifore gave them an approving look, Viays for sharing the great dragon with someone in need, and Hudenaroth for offering to impress one of the abandoned in the first place, before turning back to the bondless dragons. Huden gave Viays a glance before sighing, nuzzling the wolf's neck. you don't have to be here, you know.
I want to be. the wolf replied in her thoughts, which Hudenaroth picked up over their relatively weak bond, all but trembling. I just don't like their noises, they're disturbing.
To me as well. he said, covering her gently with a wing, before turning back to the dragons as Sylifore had.
The bondless dragons were still calling, but noticeably less than before, most of them having turned their attentions to the two non-humanoid creatures before them. That was strange it itself-- not often were candidates catlike, as the zalor was, much less dragons themselves, as hudenaroth was. Add to that the fact that it wasn't often that someone came to rebond them, and you had something that focused their attention. Hope swirled about in all of their eyes, a collective emotion engulfing a crowd that so often had none. It was heartening, and heartbreaking at the same time.
One of the larger, an adult green, was giving Sylifore rather intense stares. Inching forward, she was soon at the front of the crowd, extending her wedge head long enough to give the zalor a curious sniff. For a long time, nothing happened, nothing moved-- not even the soft noises of her peers interrupted the otherworldly silence. And then the green broke away from the crowd, slowly and cautiously making her way to the zalor. Sylifore was not a small creature, but the green was, as expected, larger than she was.
I am Uniath. the green told her softly, her faceted eyes not leaving those of the zalor's, as if to assess how much she was willing to actually go through. I like you. You won't abandon me? Sylifore got the impression that this last part was not meant to be included, but was simply because the green couldn't help it. Searching for reassurance that she'd never before received.
Standing, the zalor closed what small amount of distance lay between the green and herself, nuzzling the dragon's neck. "Never" she replied softly, and she meant it. The dragon made a small noise of pleasure, tinged with sadness and regret. But here was hope, and here was a future not filled with a yawning abyss in her soul. The dragon made the noise again, slightly louder this time.
"Are you hungry?" Sylifore asked, suddenly, stepping back to regard her new bonded happily. As she spoke, she could feel their minds connecting, knitting together inseparably. How anyone could begin to give this up was anyone's guess; she didn't understand it.
A bit. I haven't eaten in a few days.
"Then," the zalor replied, another warm smile colouring her severe features, "Let's go feed you." With another bow to Zenarta and her gold, and a nod to hudenaroth, she moved to the door, Uniath behind her, the beginnings of a different look colouring the green dragon's gaunt face.
Hudenaroth turned to watch them go, nodding back politely to her, watching the green with something akin to awe. The change in the creature was very small, but noticeable already. Perhaps she would be near normal, one day, as healthy as such a traumatized individual could get. It would be a gradual change, but well worth the time.
He turned back to the other dragons with a small sigh-- perhaps he'd be able to light another similar change in these creatures assembled here?
As if heartened by the green's re-impression, another few dragons stumbled forwards, but dropped back-- all but one. A small brown, little more than a hatchling, continued to stumble forward, crying piteously at Hudenaroth. A second later, a voice spoke in Hudenaroth mind, so like his own. Hudenaroth? I am Umbareth� May I go with you, as Uniath did to Sylifore?
Hudenaroth stepped forward instinctively, nuzzling the little brown. Of course. he told it, mindvoice soft as he nuzzled the creature that didn�t even come up to half his leg, And I won�t abandon you, as your other rider did. The little brown seemed pleased with this, and wandered up close to the dragon, nestling against him. He was just a hatchling.. how, hudenaroth wondered, could anyone turn something so endearing down? He was just a hatchling! For a moment, he was angry, but this faded as he looked at the little brown�well, it was their loss. Umbareth was his little brown now. He made a little noise of paternal amusement, licking the brown�s head. The brown�s gaze, meanwhile, was focused on Viays, whose head was poking out from underneath his wing. He folded the appendage to his side, nudging Viays forward. Viays, say hello to your new little brother, of sorts.
Viays seemed reluctant, but knew better than to put on her cold fa�ade to the little creature. He was a wounded child, and not even she was so cold to do that. Instead she stepped forward, sniffing him cautiously, and finally offering him her sign of acceptance�a small lick on the forehead. Umbareth seemed delighted by this, as evidenced by the fact that he got to his feet and nuzzled her clumsily, eyes whirling happily. How sweet.
Are you hungry? Hudenaroth asked of the little brown, once those informal introductions were over. I�ll catch you something, and we�ll all share.
The little brown regarded his new bonded with delight, crooning. Yes, I am! Thank you. He waddled over to his new bond, leaning against him and crooning. It made hudenaroth dragon-smile.. no wonder he hadn�t found the right bonded when he�d hatched! His bonded was right here, always had been.
Then let�s go off then. Viays, you�ll watch him if I hunt?
The winged wolf nodded, and the three started out the door, hudenaroth and Viays occasionally supporting the hatchling dragon. Letting the other two ahead of him for a moment, Hudenaroth looked back to the other dragons, and bowed deeply, crooning to them. Perhaps riders would come for them, too, and they�d re-bond just as Umbareth and Uniath did. he then bowed to Zenarta, as Sylifore had done, thanking them, before ambling out after his two bonded charges.