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Entry 1:
Mekoth lounged on her sunning ledge and looked down on the hunting grounds. There were those greens again, they always ate more often than she herself and much less at that. The large golden dragon held her head high. There was only one green in her eyes that was anywhere near to her in stature. The green was called Vasharath and was her clutch mate. Mekoth looked over at the green who was sunning on a ledge next to her. She was the size of a small blue making her roughly half the size of her golden sister. Lately both green and gold were growing slightly proddy. Mekoth by far was much more proddy than her younger sister, and had been giving a good look at the males of the weyr. Thinking of the males again, she turned her eyes, which now a days would whirl with small flecks of red, to the bowl and the dragons whom flew high overhead. Blues were handsome enough but too enfior to actually have the smarts to catch her, or at least those were the gold's thoughts on them. White males were too small for her tastes and besides that, they would in no way ever be allowed to fly her, the same went for their blue brothers. Aside from that both males would be squashed under her weight. Her eyes soon locked on the browns and bronzes, now these were the ones who she'd see trying to catch her when she would fly. Each one was handsome in his own way. As she watched the bronzes and browns she noticed that they had taken to looking at her. Well that was nothing out of the ordinary, golds were almost always being watched by the browns and bronzes. Of course Mekoth knew that they were watching her harder than ever and she looked smug about it. She knew that each and every one of them could tell she would fly soon and she was proud of it. True Chir had only put her on the flight board the other day but she already had a few suitors, two bronzes and a brown. She was determined to keep their attention and draw attention to herself from the other bronzes and browns who had as of yet to be put on the flight list. Her eyes locked with the three males who were already on the list, conveniently they were all in the same area. Brown Myveloth, bronze Avinoth, and bronze Rezoth watched her in contentment. You three seem quite handsome, Mekoth commented smugly. At that moment the three realized that she was talking to them and figured out that each male was competition. You, Rezoth, her voice quite literally purred at the bronze, are the biggest bronze in Talor Cliff, Rezoth puffed out his large chest and looked at his two companions/rivals, but you won't be able to get within ten dragons lengths of me when I take to flight. The other two seemed to snicker at this mentally and Mekoth stood up sharply causing them to be infatuated with her golden body again. And you, Avinoth, your rider may be mute but you are far from that. I have enjoyed our talks, the bronze seems to smile at this and smirks at the other two, But talk will be of no use to you when I fly. I am the fastest queen in this weyr not including my dam Soranth or Sr. Queen Naomith, you may get closer than Rezoth but you shall not catch me! This seemed to deflate the bronze and even more the larger one. Myveloth seemed more sure of himself than ever now. Handsome brown Myveloth, truly you may be one of the quickest browns in all of Pern, Mekoth saw the brown look proudly like his rivals had done before him. Mekoth snorted smugly, a cheeky smirk seemed to whirl in her eyes as she stretched in a sensual way before mocking him like she did all who thought they'd fly her. Yet you will never catch me. There is no male alive who is quick and agile enough to catch me though from your practices you may come close; all of you may. But then I'll lay odds that none of you will be able to keep up. The three looked hurt at her mocking but even more determined than ever to catch the golden queen. A mocking thought came to her head and her eyes whirled wildly as she decided to put it into motion. The large gold roared loudly as if she were to fly that very minute. This caught every dragon’s attention. Riders of females scrambled for their riding gear and mount up. Mekoth noticed that Vasharath had not moved but didn't mind; she knew the green had figured out her plan. Mekoth stood on her haunches and roared again causing the herdbeasts bellow to scatter. What do you think, should I fly now? Not waiting for an answer, though she knew very well the bronzes and browns of the weyr thought she was serious and were wanting her to fly, she leapt off her ledge and with a sharp snap of her wings took to flight. Five strokes of her large wings took her to the far end of the bowl and she dropped to the herdbeasts catching one in her claws. She could feel the eyes of many males watching her and smirked inwardly. "MEKOTH!" the gold suddenly heard a call from her weyr. The gold turned mischievous whirling eyes towards Quachir, her rider, "Quit taunting the males, you've probably already got us in trouble for pretending to be ready to fly. Weyrwoman Falora will have our hides for this when she finds out you know. Besides, you just ate before dawn this morning, even if you were ready to fly it would not be a good flight." Do not worry, Chir, the gold smirked as she let the herdbeast go, I have already informed them of the false alarm. Naomith said she'd done the same things when she was near her first flight and Falora will not punish you because it was my doings and you were asleep until I roared. The rider could only shake her head and smile, she looked to see that Vasharath was still on her ledge sunning and knew the green knew her dragon well enough to know of the gold's idea of humor. Chir turned around to find three male riders behind her, all riders of the males her Mekoth had been taunting. "Sorry for the troubles, guys," she apologized with a curtsy, "Mekoth's proddiness is getting the better of her today, she has no intention of flying." She smiled sweetly at all three in apology as they looked down at the floor of her weyr. As Mekoth proudly flew up to the weyr bowl ledge to sun from there the three rivals followed her as did some of the other bronzes and browns who had taken an interest in her. A snort came from the young queen as she looked across the bowl to a queen only slightly older than her who had gathered, what Mekoth thought was, more bronzes and browns than herself. Those males around her could sense her slight anger at this and tried to coo conferting words to her. Mekoth calmed slightly. Chir only sighed, she was lucky Mekoth hadn't been proddy for very long. During her weyrling training she'd heard that riders of female dragons would sooner or later start to take on some of their dragon's proddiness when it came near the flight. Turning her thoughts away from that she turned to the three riders who ranged from 15 -18 turns of age, still feeling partly responsible for their recent position she smiled at them again. "For the trouble that Mekoth caused you would you like to sit with me at lunch, after all it is almost that time?" she asked shyly, "I can only try to promise that I won't cause you as much trouble as Mekoth has caused your lifemates." The oldest and youngest riders replied vocally while the other bronze rider nodded happily and wrote on his board that he'd enjoy that. As Chir lead the way down to the lower caverns flanked by the young men whose dragons wished to fly her's. She gave a quick message to the proddy gold on the ledge of the weyr bowl: Behave yourself Mekoth, I do not want another incident like that any time soon. I could not control myself, the gold chuckled, they are all very handsome as I have said, and are easy to get excited at the sight of me even glancing around them. Just be nice, Mekoth, I agree with you though. They are very handsome dragons but I'm not eager to get tired out because you want to call tunnel snake just for the thrill of having all the males of the weyr look at you. You just eat, my rider, I'll worry about the males... Besides they'll never catch me even if I flew with my belly full. Chir only rolled her eyes and left her dragon on her own knowing that, though Mekoth may say such things, her gold would be slow enough for a blue or white to catch if they were to enter the flight had she decided to fly after eating that morning. At that thought though Chir winced at what the Weyrwoman and Weyrleader would say. She'd have to keep an eye on her proddy queen, no matter how many times the metallic female would cry tunnel snake. Entry 2: Mekoth flew Chir down to the bowl floor. Chir had been feeling a bit lazy this morning and so instead of going down the stairs she'd used her brightly shining golden queen. Mekoth landed near the entrance to the lower caverns just as a rider was walking out to meet his dragon. The gold quickly identified him as bronze Avinoth's rider, X'ver, and immediately started to look for the bronze. She needn't look far as the bronze circled down to meet his rider. What if Avinoth were to fly me? Mekoth's voice seemed to smirk at her rider as the young Junior Weyrwoman vaulted off her dragon with ease. Dear heart, do we have to speak of your flight so early in the morning? I haven't even had my khal yet to know what you're scheming. The gold smiled and continued on as if she'd not heard her riders question, her voice seeming to have a humorous chuckled in it, You would not have to worry about X'ver talking back to you too quickly. Mekoth that's mean!... and sadly it's true... I don't mind that much though, if you think about it he's the strong silent type isn't he? Chir smiled in greeting to X'ver, of all the male riders she'd meet so far after announcing her dragon's flight she oddly felt more comfortable around X'ver. Perhaps it was because he had the advantage over the other rider of being able to think before he spoke. And from hearing X'ver's Avinoth whenever he came to talk to Mekoth, she knew that if X'ver had not been mute, he would have had a very nice and calming voice. Chir walked over and started to talk to X'ver half wishing Avinoth would stop admiring and talking to Mekoth to make the talk flow a bit better. Well at least he writes very clearly, unlike come riders I know, Chir thought as she silently poked fun at herself and her good friend N'tron. Mekoth was enjoying her chat and was every so often, in her proddy way, teasing the bronze before her. Good morning, Mekoth, lovely morning is it not? That it is, Avinoth. The sky is clear and there will be no Thread today, and all for the better. Avinoth's interest was peaked at this. Why for the better? the bronze asked a tinge of hope in his voice. Why to sun myself of course. Oh, of course, just what I was thinking. I just wanted to make sure, the bronze replied happily, though even Mekoth could hear the hint of disappointment. He'd hoped she'd fly today, and no doubt he thought that she'd tell him so before hand to give him an advantage. Even if Mekoth knew the exact date she'd fly she'd tell no one of it, it was too fun keeping secrets. Aside from that she loved to tease the full-grown males. Will you be sunning today as well, Avinoth? Of course I will, that is after I've had my bath. That's right, I must have one too. Couldn't be seen sunbathing with a dusty or cracking hide. Yesterday's thread was quite dusty once we reached the snow-covered mountains. That it was, but your hide looks just as bright as a newly born dragonet. I am not dragonet, bronze! I know, you are a golden queen who will never seem older than you are now. Mekoth took the complements greatly and would every so often throw some back at the bronze. Almost at the same time she would also tease him. They talked on for about another ten minutes then Mekoth turned to Chir. I'm very hungry, Chir. Avinoth watched the gold closely at the words. "Go on then Mekoth, you haven't eaten in almost two sevendays," Chir smiled and didn't seem the least surprised as Mekoth gave off a mock challenge to every dragon in the weyr before she leapt into the air. With three downward strokes of her wings landed in the mass of herdbeast. All dragons relaxed as the gold ate them and did not blood them. Chir was about to invite X'ver to join her for breakfast even though he'd just finished when she heard Avinoth bespeak his lifemate. Can you help me bath, X'ver? I must be oiled too, Mekoth likes males who are well cleaned and oiled. Chir wisely decided to make as if she'd not heard Avinoth's words and smiled at X'ver wishing him a good day and that she might see him again soon. Flirt! Chir mentally called her dragon. Why thank you for noticing, Chir, the large gold replied smugly before leaping onto another herdbeast. Entry 3: Chir yawned and looked at her glowing gold and smiled. For the past few days Mekoth had behaved herself... but then that could be because she had kept her too busy to notice her suitors. Today Chir was giving Mekoth a bit of rest before she started some agility training of her own with her beauty. Chir's three fire lizards were all asleep near or on the large female dragon's body as it moved up and down slowly in half-sleep. The only one of Chir's flits that wasn't near Mekoth was Xiptra a light green fire lizard. Xiptra was awake and her little eyes watched everything in the room as if it might attack her, lately the little fire lizard had grown proddy like the queen that lay on the dragon couch a short distance away. Chir had the funny feeling that her little green might fly at the same time as Mekoth, but tried to keep it quiet. Though now most every rider who knew that Mekoth was to fly had visited her and didn't even have to be told that her fire lizard was proddy. She hissed at most everyone and flirted with every male fire lizard in weyr. Luckily the emerald flirt had not decided to fly, as Chir had heard it was milder but just as effective as a dragon's mating flight and she didn't want to have her experience early. It could cause Mekoth to rise before her time as she remembered from her lessons as a young weyrling. Mekoth? Chir heard the exuberant voice that was unmistakably Rezoth, X'tro's bronze dragon. Are you awake oh beautiful queen who has stolen my heart? Rez, do be quiet I just got her to... Well if it isn't Rezoth, you just woke me from a nice nap. Great, now the flirting begins again! Chir thought and sat down in her chair as she listened in on the conversation so she knew what was talked about and made sure that Mekoth did no more than tease her half-sister’s half-brother's big bronze. Aren't I better than a nap though? The bronze flirted back. Mekoth seemed to consider this for a few minutes, causing the bronze to look dejected. Unbeknownst to the bronze, Mekoth was actually checking if there was anything else behind his visit to see her; Chir knew though. Mekoth let off a sigh in the end but grinned wolfishly at the bronze who wished to take part in her mating flight no matter how close the two riders had been over the turns. Depends, handsome, what's the other reason you came here for other than to drool over me? Comically the bronze took her seriously on the drool and whipped his mouth with the back of his claw. Am I that readable? Actually Tiff was in X'tro's weyr and suggested that Chir join them for lunch in the lower caverns since she's been so busy with you lately. Might I add that you are looking very fit and fine since I last saw you. Are you indicating that I didn't look fit before. Not at all, beautiful queen, I'm just saying you some how have made yourself look better than even I though possible. Chir quickly decided she'd break into the conversation quickly before it went any further. Aside from that her stomach had growled at the mention of lunch. "If Tiff and X'tro don't mind X'ver along too, I'd invited him to sit with me today; other than some of the other female riders he seems to not get talked to much because of the fact that he's mute. I think he needs a friend very much and I consider myself to be lucky enough to call him a friend of mine. Hopefully after Mekoth flies we still will be friends." If Avinoth flies me, you will not have to worry Chir. But if I fly you, Mekoth, she will, Rezoth countered sensibly at the same time as puffing out his chest because he was sure he'd fly Mekoth. . Myveloth could fly me as well, you know, Rezoth. "Enough you two, you fight like wherries at the same time as you flirt like my green flitter, Xiptra," the 14 turn old Istan chuckled as she tied a note to the little green's front right leg, "To Tiff with you now, little one," The little green launched off Chir's shoulder and disappeared between. A few minutes past and suddenly Xiptra was back in the room squabbling irritably giving off visions of a brightly glowing golden flitter. "Tecka's proddy now too? What is it, is every dragonic beast in this Weyr proddy?!?!" Chir retrieved the note that was hastily attached to her fire lizard's forearm, obviously Tiff had to do it quickly because of the proddy queen fire lizard. She looked sternly up at Rezoth and Mekoth. "OK, Rez, back to your weyr you don't get special privileges from the other bronzes and browns. Mekoth, no flirting while I'm gone, I'd like all dragons to be able to communicate with their riders at lunch, especially Avinoth with X'ver. Not that I don't mind his slate but I know he feels embarrassed at times that he has to use such a thing to communicate with people when he has a dragon who can help him much quicker than any slate could ever do." Rezoth knew Chir seemed to be getting more and more protective of her gold and so didn't argue. Instead the bronze said a flirtatious good-bye to Mekoth and returned to his weyr. Mekoth looked at her rider a bit annoyed but smiled at her anyway, walking over to her couch to have a nap again. "Sleep well and sleep deeply, Mekoth," Chir told the young queen, "when I'm back I'll have a nap myself and then we'll go to practice." The girl looked at the note again, "seems N'tron's going to join us as well." Don't be surprised if N'rian joins you as well, having two of our suitors around you might cause him to make sure he doesn't lose any ground just because of a lunch. Chir chuckled knowing her lifemate was probably right and started to wonder, not for the first time, how it was that just because her gold was close to taking flight that she'd become such an interest with the males... or as they seemed to put it, a beauty. And to think when she was younger she had trouble making friends! Entry 4: Chir sat chuckling at Mekoth's latest call of tunnel snake. Normally such a thing would not have amused her, but then it had been a few sevendays now sense both dragons and riders were calling on the pair and Mekoth's proddiness was starting to wear off on her rider. Today's tunnel snake was called directly to brown Myveloth, the young gold had challenged him with a roar making the brown think she was going to fly. Really Mekoth had only been thinking she'd been spending a lot of time around the two bronzes, Rezoth and Avinoth yet hadn't been able to ruffle the brown's wings yet, besides the others were no where near Talor Cliff Weyr at that time. The roar Mekoth had given did the trick. Less than a minute had past when the handsome brown and his rider landed near dragon and rider. Only when N'rian vaulted off his brown did Chir turn sober once again. She quickly apologized to both N'rian and Myveloth, while Mekoth looked smugly at her only brown suitor. "I'm sorry, N'rian, I guess Mekoth is starting to wedge her current proddiness into me," Chir smiled sheepishly thinking about how hard she'd always had at making friends in the past and hoped that this wouldn't ruin making friends at least with the handsome brownrider, "But sense you're here, would you like to share in my mid-day snack. I have more than enough and besides, it's the least I can do for Mekoth's tricks." She smiled as N'rian accepted her offer and sat back down on the ground with him. Myveloth, on the other, hand looked dejected and a bit mad at Mekoth's idea of fun, but quickly forgot about it as Mekoth circled examining him in whole. A sensual coo escaped the glowing gold's muzzle and she caught Myveloth's eye. Working hard aren't you? Thank you for noticing, and you are as radiant as ever. The gold seemed to look even smugger at the complement her tongue flicking out of her mouth complementing the look. And how long have you been working on your look, Myveloth? Since N'rian and I signed up for your flight. Chir felt her dragon smirk as the brown had took her bait so that she could do as she always did. Only a day? You look like you've been practicing for a few sevendays. The brown puffed out his chest proudly but then deflated himself a bit, Actually I signed up a few sevendays ago. Then you are the right size for the training you've been up to, pity I thought you'd pumped up in a day. "Mekoth," Chir called to her dragon ignoring the fact that N'rian could not hear what her dragon had just said, "You know that wasn't very nice. It's just like when you try to attack every non-rider who enters our weyr and would like to take a look at your beautiful hide." Mekoth only grinned at her rider and continued her flirting with the brown. While this happened, Chir shyly told N'rian what Mekoth had said yet Myveloth didn't seem too effected by the young queen's words. In fact, the large brown seemed more determined than ever to impress the gold before him and fly her. After a while Mekoth settled down to talking with less of her teasing. A half-hour had passed before she noticed a bronze watching her from the opening of his weyr. Chir, feeling the change in her lifemate's stature, closed her eyes as she leaded against the wall behind her still managing to listen to N'rian at the same time as talking to her dragon. What are you looking at, dear heart? Mekoth unconsciously complied with her rider's unasked request letting Chir see through her eyes. She studied what her gold was looking at and soon identified the bronze at the same time as her weyrmate. UnjIleth! As if hearing his name said at that moment the bronze walked quickly back into his weyr. I must bathe, Chir, Mekoth told her rider urgently. Chir's eyes snapped open with bit of fire behind them though she talked in her usual commanding yet calming voice, "Mekoth, you just bathed this morning." But I feel dirty and not shiny any more. Chir could tell that it was more than that and apologized once again to the brownrider whom she'd shared her snack with, "Duty calls." After both rider and dragon were gone, Chir sent out her thoughts to her dragon. Do not worry, love, Unjileth looked as if he'd been standing there for the past half hour. If he's like any of the other browns and bronzes who would like to fly you, he's probably talking to his rider right this moment to sign him up. You think so, Chir? The fourteen turn old girl didn't have a chance to answer as they saw the bronze, with his rider in tow, launch into the air from their ground weyr. The next day Unjileth's name was on the flight board under Mekoth's name. So now I have another bronze to play with, Mekoth had been heard to say later that day after Chir had told her of the new add on. Entry 5: Chir was up and about Talor Cliff Weyr long before dawn, even Mekoth was still asleep. It had been planed, by herself and a two of her female friends, to go to the beach for the day and get away from the male riders and their dragons of the weyr. Other than Chir and Mekoth, Tiff Prisim and her green Vasharath and Kare and her white Oroth were coming along. Chir and her half sister had met Kare only in just over the past turn but had quickly become friends with the fifteen turn old girl from Delaway Hold. All three had one thing in common between them: All three of their dragons were proddy. Vasharath was the least proddy of them all though she was only a few minutes younger than Mekoth and a few months older than Oroth. This was hopefully going to be a day without males.... or at least most of the day without men and their male dragons. Chir's short stature didn't hinder her from running faster than most of the boys her age at the Weyr. She ran that fast at this time in the morning, half for exercise and the other half for getting down to the lower caverns quickly so she might not have to stop for many people. She skidded to a stop at the kitchen door and walked into the warm room. She carefully found a basket and started stuffing it with things she thought they would need for the day. As she was gathering Khal bark, some cups, and a pot to brew the drink, Chir heard the scuffing of feet outside the door. At first the girl didn't look up, but then suddenly the feet stopped moving. Chir tilted her head and started to straiten up to greet the person only to be greeted by the quick steps moving away. The girl frowned as she'd only seen one of the person's feet when she'd fully turned and that was gone only a moment afterwards. Curiosity getting the better of her, Chir walked over to the door and looked to were the foot had been heading. She only caught a fleeting glimpse of the person, but just enough for her to identify him as X'ver bronze Avinoth's rider. If she wasn't mistaken, she could have sworn on Mekoth's egg that X'ver had looked back at her in a sad way just before he'd disappeared. Chir frowned in confusion, X'ver usually would wave a hello to her no matter what. Maybe he thought that she was too busy to have him say hello, or maybe Avinoth wanted him for some reason. Chir felt better at these thoughts and shrugged off the feeling of uncertainty. "You're up early, Chir," a voice from behind her said and the girl jumped. Turning around quickly she found her friend and bluerider of Zhantrenth, N'tron. She chuckled at the fixed smirk on his features and lightly pushed him as he chuckled back. "N'tron, you almost scared me into next turn," Chir mock chided him before questioning the bluerider, "Why are you up at this hour?" "Didn't'ja hear?" N'tron asked, only receiving a blank look from the goldrider, "Oh wait that's right, you've been keepin' Mekoth busy for the past sevenday or so. I was put on early morning watch with Zhan, so now we have a part time watch dragon duty." "So that's why we haven't seen you much at dinner," Chir smiled softly, "You've been going to bed early for your watches." The bluerider nodded in reply, "So why are you up so early?" "Girls' day out," Chir replied in a tone that her nickname suggested, "Tiff, Kare, and myself are going on an all day trip with our proddy weyrmates. Forgive me fore not telling you where we are going but we'd like to stay away from men and their male dragons for the day. No offence." "None taken, Chir" N'tron replied brightly, "Well I'm off to catch a little bit of sleep before we break fast in a few hours. See you then." With that said, the sixteen turn old boy from Ganatek Hold walks off. Later during breakfast... Chir sat down next to Kare and Tiff. As usual, Tiff looked half-asleep while Kare had a wild look about her brought on by her white dragon's proddy behavior. Chir herself was a bit tired and thanked Faranth that Mekoth still slept on. Had the gold been awake, Chir didn't know if she could keep her dragon's proddiness out of her own behavior. The young Istan, now Junior Weyrwoman, ate her food sparingly thinking about the food she'd packed for the rest of the day. As she was about to take another bite out of a meat roll she spotted X'ver walk in. Catching his eye, she was about to wave him over to sit with them when he turned sharply and made his way over to a table at the other end of the cavern. The thoughts of earlier that morning suddenly popped back into her head and Chir frowned in deep confusion. The young girl, so deep in her thoughts, didn't even notice X'tro had been following X'ver into the dinning caverns and seen what had taken place. A slightly protective look colored his Ruanthan features and he was torn between seeing if Chir was all right or talking to X'ver about his actions. In the end, the bronzerider opted for the latter and followed the other bronzerider. Chir only noticed X'tro briefly, but long enough to register that her half sister's half brother's Britra like eyes were determined to find out a problem. Chir knew it would be handled calmly yet would most likely have an edge to his voice. X'tro's Rezoth suddenly spoke to the confused girl, He's going to question X'ver on why he did not join you though he seemed to know you wanted him to. Though these words were helpful to Chir, they also told her that something was wrong. Before she could dwindle on it much more though she found she'd finished her meal and both her sister and her friend were more than ready to go. With a forced on smile she retrieved their day's picnic basket, waking Mekoth from her sleep at the same time. Thirty minutes later, all three pairs of dragons and their riders were in the air and flashed between to a remote beach front only excisable by dragonback, dolphin, or a small skiff, seven fire lizards were all that followed them. When they appeared over the secluded beach, a large fair of wild fire lizards greeted them. Many bronzes swooped by Chir's queen dragon causing her to think of X'ver's odd behavior. Chir, why are you sad, I'd think you'd be happy for no male riders coming up to you during a meal on the day you planned to stay away from them. I'm just deeply confused, Love. That's the second time today that he either walked away without saying hi or just flat out ignored me when I was about to talk with him or offer him a seat at our table, Chir paused in the thought as her golden lifemate landed, come to think of it I haven't seen him around much since that night after I ate dinner with my sister, N'tron, X'tro, N'rian, and himself... Has he been avoiding me for so long? I haven't had one of my flirts with Avinoth much sense than night either... but that could be because I mentioned to him that you were starting to act protective of me because of my proddy ways wearing off on you. Chir blinked and looked at the gold from her passion near the ground by the picnic basket. "You finally admit you’re proddy?" Chir chuckled before continuing with the rest of the conversation in an urgent voice that she only used with her weyrmate, You told Avinoth that? No wonder X'ver has been keeping his distance from me! He's been doing so, so that Avinoth might keep farther away from you and give us some space. So you feel better? Acttually, I feel worse, Mekoth. He's a good friend of mine... what if it's actually not about what you said but that he doesn't like me any more? What if he considers me a nuisance like the kid back in Ista thought of me? Do not worry, Chir, I doubt that is the case. Besides, a new dragon voice chimed in, you must remember, X'tro went to talk to him at breakfast because of what he'd witnessed. Perhaps everything will be straightened out by the time we get back. Both dragon and rider looked at Vasharath who had bespoken them. "Vash, it's rude to listen in on conversations between dragons and their riders," Chir chided the green though she was happy the green had given her opinion. But you listen in on other dragon's conversations all the time. That's different, Vash, I have no real way of controlling that. Chir frowned again with the thoughts that perhaps X'ver had no liking for her at all now and was only keeping his dragon in the race because Avinoth wanted to try to fly her Mekoth. Do not worry about that now, Chir, Oroth's playful voice suddenly came into her head, Put it as far from your mind as possible for now, there will be time enough to think about that after your day of fun. Chir smiled softly and nodded thanks to all three dragons. As she looked to the riders she realized that the whole conversation was heard and she blushed. "Listen to our dragons," Kare smiled. "Yeah, Sis," Tiff said giving her little sister a hug, "Just push the thought of all male riders and their dragons from your head like we were supposed to today. You'll have time enough to think about them when we get back." Chir smiled softly and agreed to do so. For the rest of the day all three girl and their female dragons swam and had fun, all thoughts of men and their male dragons the farthest thing from their minds. Entry 6: Chir sat by the Weyrlake on a large rock in the wet sand of the beach. For the past few hours she'd been doing so, ever sense she'd bathed Mekoth. Now her dragon was asleep on her sunning ledge and she had some time to think. Sadly for her it came back to the fact of X'ver ignoring her the other day. Earlier she'd been skipping stones across the small lake but now she sat looking strait ahead, knees to her chest and her arms wrapped loosely around them. At first, she didn't notice that someone had sat down beside her. It's him, Mekoth suddenly announced fully awake. Chir was mentally surprised at this but showed no feeling as she looked over to find X'ver next to her. Without real words, Chir told Mekoth to stay quiet so Avinoth would not be interrupted if X'ver should try to talk to her. To Chir's relief, moments later X'ver was talking to her through Avinoth. Chir, I am sorry. I am so sorry. I never meant to hurt you, in any way. I thought that you would feel better if you had one less dragon hanging around Mekoth. But... Avinoth wouldn't do so unless I stopped spending so much time with you. Besides, I figured that one less dragonrider hanging over you would probably make you feel better. I honestly never meant to upset you. You are my dearest friend, aside from Avinoth, of course. I realize now, that I didn't do it just because I thought that it was good for you. When Avinoth told me that you were getting protective of Mekoth, I was afraid that you would turn him away one day. Or me. I don't know what I would do if you had done such a thing. I feel ashamed, knowing that I made you feel horrible. But I want you to know that I do still like you. I could never stop liking you, if I tired. I just hope that you can forgive me. Chir sat seemingly awe struck, now a small part of her seemed ashamed that she had thought such a thing as X'ver not liking her. Yet now that she knew for sure that he in no way shape or form had even a sliver of dislike for her, she smiled in her soft way yet she did not look X'ver's way for fear of possibly braking into happy tears. She knew very well that unconsciously Mekoth was looking for a way to get her rider proddy again, even if only for a moment, and her crying might trigger it. "Thank you for finally coming to talk to me," Chir finally said in an even voice, "You're right, I was worried. In the short time that I've known you, I feel like I know better than I know X'tro and I've been around him for most of my life. I guess I was just very paranoid," With fair reason, Mekoth interrupted so both could hear, "That I might lose a friend. The day that Mekoth told Avinoth that I was protective of her I had told her to not talk with any browns or bronzes and get some sleep. True I am protective of her on a regular basest but not so much that I don't want any browns or bronzes around her. I know I'll never be able to control that. It's just some rare times I want to have time just between me and her..." Chir trailed off at that moment and finally found the courage to look at X'ver again, "Now isn't one of those times. Right now I just want to be with my friends," she paused again and a coy smile came to her features, "actually a game of dragon poker would be fun right now." Chir giggled at X'ver's features, which seemed to say something like "talk about your mood changes." At that moment Xiptra, Chir's light green fire lizard, came out of between and dropped a pack of cards into her mistress' lap, chirping happily, before landing on Chir's shoulder and wrapping her tail loosely around the girl's neck. "Care to try your luck, sir?" she asked like a dealer at a gather's game stall, dealing out the cards on a dry spot between herself and the bronzerider. She smiled winningly at having her friend back. Sadly for X'ver, Chir beat him in the game so many times had they been playing for marks he would have owed Chir more than X'tro still owed her for that green clutch she bet on around two turns back. Avinoth had better luck with Mekoth though in that they talked till dinner, and for once the golden queen didn't do much flirting or making back handed comments. Entry 7: It was a hot day at Talor Cliff as Chir checked in on her flirtatious gold, Mekoth. The gold herself seemed uncomfortable because of the added humidity. Mekoth's eyes whirled an anchase yellow at her rider, causing her proddy specks of red to scatter about the socket like a game of marbles. Can we go to the lake, Chir? I like heat as much as the next dragon but this is too much! Chir chuckled at her dragon's complaints. "How about we go for a swim in the sea?" Chir suggested, "I believe there's a group there already, including all the male dragons out to get you." Mekoth's interest was immediately perked at the mention of her suitors. Only the other day had a new bronze, Bevometh, and a new brown, Dequeth, had been added to the list making it 6 to try to catch her. Yes let's go, I must check out these two new ones. "Not like you haven't checked them out twenty times already in the past two days," her rider teased as she found her swim clothes. Mekoth merely snorted ignoring her rider's jib. Chir slipped her riding clothes on over her swim clothes and tacked up Mekoth in a matter of minutes. She was close to sweating in her gear when they launched off their weyr's sunning-ledge and quickly popped between. Moments later, dragon and rider appeared over Frethin Dolphineer Hall. Mekoth gave a bulge and buzzed the dragons and riders who were on the beaches near by. Chir turned a bright red as Mekoth came within a breath of hitting one of the bronzes with her tail. They landed and were greeted by both slightly annoyed faces and laughing ones. As the gold rider relieved her dragon of her saddle, she quickly identified the bronze Mekoth had almost hit. She winced as she saw that it was Bevometh as his rider, D'gar, walked up. To her relief though he seemed to be holding back laughter at the act. "Is Mekoth trying to give me inspiration for another song?" he asked in greeting. Chir blushed deeply, she'd heard the song D'gar had written about catching a queen and had thought it was a lovely song. To have one written of her Mekoth in general would cause her gold's ego to get even bigger. "Not intentionally," the short Junior Weyrwoman replied a bit sheepishly, "Least I don't think she did." This seemed to amuse the former Harper now bronzerider. Chir smiled with more confidence and quickly rid herself of her overly warm riding gear. A mocking whistle came form one of the riders that had come over to greet her and Chir blushed again under her dark Istan skin color. "You doing that for the newly signed up riders, Chir?" X'tro, who had been the one to whistle, chuckled. Chir gave him a mock-annoyed look. "Watch it, Rezoth's rider," Chir told him in a serious tone, only just barely noticing Rezoth's laughter at his rider being chided, "You still owe me 88 marks on green Rasonith's clutch from three turns back." "Gotta go," X'tro quickly said avoiding the discussion as he had for the past three turns and walked towards his bronze whom was chest deep in the sea. Suddenly something kicked in on Chir, and she rushed over to X'tro stopping him. She smiled winningly up at the blue-gray eyed 18 turn old boy before he. "Tell ya' what," she said and it was obvious with those three words that Mekoth's ego and proddiness had the girl for the time being, "I'll make a deal with you, if Rezoth catches Mekoth when she flies your debt will be considered paid in full. But should you loose," here Chir paused as if thinking though she knew what she was going to say, "you'll owe me 90 marks." X'tro practically fell over with the statement, he didn't dare put it down though considering the usually sensible girl's odd mood. He nodded and obviously started to talk to Rezoth. I'll be more than fast enough do not worry... Well then we'll practice every day till Mekoth flies then if it will make you happy... There you go denying again. Chir bit her lip as she realized what she'd done and glared at Mekoth. The gold only looked back smugly. Admit it, you liked doing that. "Be quiet," Chir mumbled to her lifemate. Vaulting back onto the gold's neck, Chir had Mekoth walk them into the water. A waving motion not too far out caught her sight and she smiled giving a wave to X'ver. Hello Chir, Mekoth! Care to swim with us? Maybe in a little bit, Avinoth. I need some use of Mekoth for a bit first and we have to clean her. Don't worry about cleaning me, Chir, I'll get the fire lizards for that. Chir made sure the mute teen knew her answer before going through with what she wanted to do. When X'ver nodded back with a wave, she told Mekoth to go deeper. Dolphins watched the pair with great interest. Once the water was around her middle while seated on her dragon's neck, Chir slipped off into the water and swam behind Mekoth. You might be right, was all Chir thought before giving out a quick command to her cleaning gold mentally. Chir felt the golden tail under her suddenly connect with her feet and she kept her body rigid as she rose into the air. Feeling the tail leave the soles of her feet, she flew up just a bit higher before angling herself like a dolphin and knifing back into the sea. Two dolphins happily helped her to the surface again though she really didn't need it. They seemed to grin as they talked of how well she'd preformed the move for a human. Chir thanked them and preformed many more high dive moves with the aid of Mekoth's tail. She did later swim with X'ver and many of the other male riders of dragons who were going to compete for her Mekoth. Also after a quick call to her fire lizards, she convinced some of the riders to play dragon poker with her, only one or two hands to each rider who played Chir won, other wise she won every game. Mekoth though was as usual flirting with the males, only to find that Dequeth was not very receptive to her back handed comments. Seeing this she tired even harder for some reason liking it that she found one that didn't like it much. She finally stopped when the sun was high in the sky and instead laid down in the sun for a nap. Chir did the same but laid many large leaves over her to keep from burning. Entry 8: Kare watched as a brightly glowing Mekoth dove down and gorged herself on her third herdbeast. Next to the queen was Kare's large, glowing, white, Oroth. An amused chuckle came up from the slightly younger Quachir next to her, though she had been a rider a few months longer than Kare. "They may not be from the same clutch, but Oroth and Mekoth sure act like they are, don't they," the Istan bred girl smiled. Kare nodded with her own chuckle. "So they seem, Chir," she replied flipping some of her shoulder length brown hair out of her green-gray eyes. The goldrider smiled and invited the whiterider to join her. "So I hear that you have another two after your Oroth," Chir smiled, Kare raised an eyebrow. Without the old girl saying a word, Chir chuckled, "Remember, I hear all dragons... that and Mekoth doesn't quite under stand, make that doesn't want to believe that a white could have more suitors than herself." Kare laughed in a musical way, "So your Mekoth is a bit jealous of Ro having more suitors than herself" "Yep," Chir replied pulling out one of her decks of Dragon Poker Cards, "Seems some how silly, I know but that's Mekoth for ya'. I just hope she doesn't start having a dislike of white female dragons as well now. It's enough that she trumpets at every green who comes near her males, other than Vasharath." I would never start to hate white females, there are less of them than golds so they are not much competition. Kare chuckled again. "Your gold is real trouble, ya' know that?" the whiterider asked. "Yep," Chir replied exasperated and shuffled her cards. Kare looked at her friend quizzically. "You expectin' somebody?" Kare asked then grinned, "Or ya' plannin' on takin' me on." "The former," the Istan replied in her cheery, yet commanding voice, "I figured out why I play it so much now a days. It's sort of a way to keep myself from choosing one of the riders before Mekoth's flight. I want her to be the one to choose. After having watched X'tro since we were kids, I some how developed a knack for winning the game with ease. So the men have a bit of a time when around me. It also helps in the fact that it's becoming harder to keep Mekoth's proddiness out of my personality..." "And you're afraid you're starting to like it, eh?" Kare spoke what she believed her friend left out. Chir only looked down and blushed. Kare chuckled, "I think there are some riders of female dragons who like it too. I never really fought it." "Yeah, but you've had an easier time making friends with people so you don't have to worry about that," Chir replied in all seriousness, "I on the other hand, have struggled my whole life to make a hand full of friends." "You've got more than that now," Kare smirked as her green eyes indicated that they had visitors. Chir turned and indeed there were visitors coming their way, not all of them to see her, but six of them, her suitors, were. The other eight were undoubtedly the riders of Oroth's suitors. Slowly a smirk came to her features and as she turned to her friend, Kare could easily tell that Mekoth's proddiness was getting to her again. That and both Oroth and Mekoth had seen the approaching riders. The two dragons and looked to the sky, as they had hopped, 14 males were making their way down towards them. Kare looked back to Chir and both girls smirked. "Care for a game of Dragon Poker, boys?" they called out in a sing-song way, a secretive wink pacing between the two innocent looking girls. As the young men made their way over Chir continued on their conversation about flights. "So, you've got one half of the Harper duo and I have the other?" she smiled. "You're talking about G'tat, brown Omarath's rider and D'gar, bronze Bevometh's rider aren't you," Kare more stated than asked, "Yeah, G'tat's brown Omarath was signed up just the day after V'nor signed up his blue Sovreth." "Oh, if I were a gossiped of things that dragons' say to or about their riders," Chir chuckled, "But I'll save that rider from a blushing." "You accusin’ me of perhaps mentioning what was said in person?" Kare asked with a wicked grin. The two girls had little more time for their flight talks as they were surrounded by their conversation pieces. The two dragons were as well, but of course were a bit more openly flirtatious. Chir smiled at the group. The six riders she'd come to know fairly well in the past few sevendays were already taking their seats as close as they could get to Chir. X'tro was the only one who knew better than to play. Chir chuckled at X'tro's choose just as X'ver sat down next to her. She had promised her mute friend that she would help him play better in group games a few days earlier when he had not managed to win a single hand that day. "Good afternoon, X'ver," Chir smiled, "Have you practiced some since our last group game?" X'ver shook his head and Avinoth stopped his flirting with Mekoth long enough to help his rider answer quicker. You must remember, Chir, Thread fell only the other day over Ganatek and Delaway Holds. "Sorry, having that proddy dragon of mine makes me forget some times," Chir chuckled. N'rian, seemingly not wishing to be out done by the fact that X'ver got to be close to the goldrider for a reason he didn't quite know and sat down on the other side of Chir and smiled winningly at her. "Planing on beating us all again?" he asked jokingly. Chir nodded in her serious way causing Myveloth's rider to chuckle, "Would ya' like to put a wager on that?" Chir smiled and put out her hand. "I wouldn't do that if I were you, N'rian," X'tro told the younger boy in his protective voice though a smirk showed in his Bitran eyes, "I made that mistake three turns ago and I still owe her 88 marks." N'rian looked back at the innocently smiling Chir and grinned sheepishly. "On second thought," he replied causing the group to laugh with him. "It will be 90 marks soon, X'tro," Chir smirked with her dragon's ego. "Not if Rez flies her it won't," X'tro replied heatedly so it was unclear if he was blushing or slightly angered by Chir's words. "Any new songs that you and G'tat have come up with, D'gar?" she asked the bronzerider. "None that are ready for an audience, Chir," he replied with a slight blush creeping across the bridge of his nose. As Chir saw this she took a quick glance at Kare who was in her element. Kare merely smirked at her friend. She thinks you're having fun with the rider's unconsciously even though you don't have the game going yet. Oroth informed her. And she is! She is! Chir heard Mekoth comment to Oroth before continuing her flirt with one of the brown dragons. "Well, let's start," Chir finally commanded the attention of the group of 18 riders, only two of which were young women, counting herself, "I'll stay out of the first few hands..." "In that case I'll join in," X'tro interrupted, sitting down next to Ma'ar and H'riven. "As I was saying," Chir continued with a hard look at X'tro, "I'll sit out the first few hands, but will be the dealer. So let's begin." She looked at her deck for a moment then suddenly realized there probably weren't enough cards. Moments after the thought, Xiptra appeared from between with Taka and Jester. The little green flit landed on Chir's shoulder and the brown and blue handed her the extra pack of cards she'd requested. Shuffling them in well, she dealt them out. Seating herself once more, she cocked her head just enough to look at X'ver's hand so she could help him. Giving quick messages to Avinoth to tell X'ver without letting the others know what he had. She guided him through the first hand. By the tenth hand, she had helped her mute friend win six of the hands. As she dealt out the eleventh hand, she let him figure it out on his own. X'ver won the hand. During this hand, though, Chir noticed that the other riders, other than X'tro and the riders of Oroth's eight suitors, were starting to look jealous because of the attention she was paying to X'ver. She smiled as he won. "Looks like you might not need my help anymore, X'ver," Chir nodded, "so I guess I'm in this hand." "I'm done," X'tro replied quickly and went back to standing near by. Kare laughed at X'tro's antics and Chir couldn't help but chuckle along with her friend. The next hand was dealt and quickly played. Chir blinked as X'ver won again. He had only just barely won yet he had still come through. She looked at the bronzerider and her eyes narrowed jokingly. "I think I taught ya' too well, bronze Avinoth's rider," she told him. X'ver seemed a bit sheepish as he scratched the back of his head and shrugged. They played on for another hour or so and ultimately Chir was the winner of the long match, Kare coming in close second and other male riders winning every so often. Dinner would be soon. Mekoth paced that night before sleeping on her stone couch. Her flight was close now... and she knew it. Entry 9: Chir smiled at the thought of her birthday being the next day. She had tried her hardest not to listen in on any dragonic conversations but found that quite a few riders were planning on some surprises for her. Mekoth seemed calmer theses days, the last suitor she's teased had been a brown newly added to the flight board, Jactoth, ridden by Sarnah. Both female riders had had a talk about the arrangements earlier that sevenday and an agreement had been made with Chir understanding Sarnah's predicament oddly well in so letting the brown participate. Even with the circumstances the two were able to feel fairly comfortable around each other after their talk. Chir now watched her sleeping gold, not knowing when Mekoth would take to flight. She both feared it and was excited by the fact that it would happen soon. Night was falling once again and the thought of having missed seeing gold Lelianth's flight only mildly distressed her. Had she stayed, she might have lost Mekoth between because of the two being so close to flight at the same time. With a sigh the young rider walked to her bed and fell asleep. Less then 24 hours later, Mekoth roared out her angry challenge. She was ready to fly! Entry 10: Chir stirred in her sleep. Visions of her dragon flying high and fast away from Talor Cliff Weyr danced through her head. She mildly noticed four bronzes and three browns chasing after her dragon. Suddenly the visions snapped to Mekoth over the seas and throwing a bronze over her shoulder only to be tackled by another. All passion at that moment swept over her and a vision of the dragon’s rider popped into her head. Very good dream. Chir smiled at her lifemate’s sleepy comment. Chir slowly turned wakeful while Mekoth fell wearily into a deep sleep. She could feel her lifemate’s satisfaction. It was then that she noticed that she was being warmed by something else other than her own blankets. A small movement in front of her caused her to carefully bite the inside of her mouth, she was still awake. She lay there for a time, had all that really happened? Had Mekoth really been flown. She finally let her eye flutter open. It took a moment for her sleepy vision to focus but she was rewarded by the sight of X’ver looking down at her. He had a soft loving smile upon his hansom face. Chir smiled back at him shyly as most of the nights even came flooding back at her. So it had not been a dream. All that time that she’d been trying to keep neutral between the riders, even with X’tro. She now realized that she’d been falling for X’ver quite quickly… Hadn’t she even commented to Mekoth that he was so to speak the strong silent type? Guess that might have been my unconscious way of saying I liked him as more than a friend even back then, she thought as she looked up at him, happy to have had Avinoth fly her Mekoth. From X’ver’s look seemed to share the same feelings as herself yet neither said a word, each content to be with the other. If X’ver had even wanted to say something he couldn’t considering both their dragons were sleeping deeply, most likely in Mekoth’s weyr. Long after he left, Chir sat on her bed, her head filled with visions of X’ver. He would be considered her spouse now wouldn’t he? she asked herself and hugged her pillow tightly. It was so soon but it still felt good to think. When can we go see them again? Mekoth asked her rider longingly. “Soon I hope, love,” Chir told her gold. She blushed not only at what she’d finally said but how her voice had said it. She had the same longing in her voice as Mekoth had had moments before. She hugged her knees with a happy smile upon her face. Chir heard her stomach growl loudly and she considered yelling down the shoot for some food to be sent up. Then Chir thought of something. “How long till the next meal, Mekoth?” she asked her gold as she walked towards Mekoth’s part of the weyr. Dinner for the humans should be starting soon, Mekoth seemed to smile as she stated the fact. Dinner? Had she been with him that long? Chir walked into her lifemate’s weyr and saw the sky would soon turn to shades of oranges, yellows, and purple. This caused Chir to blush once again. A firm yet soft knock came to her door at that moment and Chir quickly composed herself. Perhaps it was X’ver again. She tried not to run to her door and opened the door a bit timidly. Her heart dropped slightly at the sight of her sister standing in the doorway with a smirk on her features. “Tiff, I thought you were somebody else,” she told her sister and invited her in. “No you mean you thought I was, X’ver,” Tiff chuckled as she shut the door behind her. Chir blushed deeply and her sister smirked. “I had a slight feeling you liked him long ago,” Tiff told her, “Just as I knew back then that Rezoth would most likely join in your flight.” “You knew about that before Mekoth flew?” her sister asked. “I knew that Rezoth would be in before we even impressed our dragons,” Tiff told her, “I some how knew you’d impress a female at least.” Chir looked at her sister in awe, of course Tiff could just be saying this but it seemed as if she were telling the truth. “And as for X’ver being the winner,” Tiff continued, “It was obvious to me, and many other riders I’m sure, that you liked X’ver a lot when you were trying to give everyone else equal time. I mean you invited him to every meal with you and he’d excepted most every time.” Chir blushed at this, “So have either of you said a thing to one another yet.” Chir bit her lip and smiled shyly at her sister, “We haven’t talked since the flight.” “Well then why don’t you come down stairs for dinner with me,” Tiff grinned as Chir’s stomach growled again, “seems your stomach agrees. I’ll meet you outside in about thirty minutes.” Her Tiff winked before walking out again. For a moment Chir didn’t understand why her sister had given her thirty minutes then she looked down at herself, she was still clothed in a robe. Chuckling the 15 turn old girl went to work on getting ready for dinner. As a thought of X’ver being there popped into her head she smiled. Pulling out a soft purple-blue dress that seemed casual she laid it on her bed. She then went to her bathing pool and to her surprise found Xiptra with an unknown bronze wrapped around her. Her little green must have flown at the same time as Mekoth. The bronze seemed to be a wild one considering it had no identifying marks on him. Chir softly bathed not disturbing her green and Xiptra’s newest mate. Half an hour later, Chir was outside her door with her sister, a bright glow about her. Her sister smiled and suppressed a chuckle, she knew there was more of a reason behind the casual dress that her sister wore, yet said nothing. The duo walked down the steps, Chir smiling deeply and Tiff caring on a one sided conversation. The two found their usual spot in the dinning room and Chir’s stomach growled again. Tiff laughed, Chir would have joined in but the stabs of hunger caused her to just shake her head and start to eat. Tiff ate animatedly while Chir ate in a polite fashion. Shortly after sitting down Tiff had a smirk appear on her face. “I’m going to go talk to Kare,” Tiff told her sister and then winced, “If I can get anywhere past her suitors that is. Have fun, love bird.” Tiff grinned and shot off before Chir could ask about anything. Love bird? Chir turned to see X’ver frozen in place looking at her from the doorway to the dinning hall. She smiled and waved him over. There was no hesitation in X'ver's steps as he crossed the room with long quick strides. Chir stood up to greet X'ver, considering for a moment of greeting him with a hug or a little more. Before the Junior Weyrwoman had a chance to act upon that instinct X'ver acted upon the same thoughts. Sliding his arms around her waist he kissed her gently. As he slowly drew away from the kiss he looked into her eyes, both sets of brown eyes smiled lovingly back at the others. Hello, Chir, the goldrider heard the soft voice of Avinoth convey his rider's words and feelings. "Hello, X'ver," she replied in a bit of a shy voice, leaning into her human love's arms slightly afraid she might drown in his warm brown eyed gaze. If this was what she'd receive or she'd give to him at every meal or every meeting she could get too like it very fast. Standing on tip toe she looked over X'ver's shoulder hearing something like sheets of hide rattling. She turned a deep red in X'ver's arms without him know as she read on a sheet of hide her sister was holding the number ten. Next to her Kare held up a sheet that read twenty, and pointed a finger at it sternly while her green-gray eyes sparkled mischievously at her. Suddenly the duo stuffed the hides away just as X’ver turned to look at them. Evidently he had heard the nose but hadn’t caught the full action. Chir was still blushing a deep crimson when he looked at her. There seemed to be some slight understanding at her blush though Chir was sure X’ver didn’t quite know what it was. Would you mind if we went someplace more...private? he asked her causing her heart to skip a beat as she nodded. As his hand took her’s in a gentle way she noticed the warmth of his head; not body warmth, though that was there too, but a sort of mental warms not too different from when they’d been looking at each other when they awake after the flight. X’ver lead Chir out of the caverns and into and empty corridor. He turned to her once again, a soft smile upon his features as he looked at Chir. I just wanted to see you, alone he told her, Avinoth obviously trying to make the translation exact considering it was slightly hesitant in the end, as if X’ver was trying to figure out how to say something. She smiled at him encouragingly at the same time as trying to boost her courage, some how this was harder to do than fighting Thread; then some words started to form. “I did too,” she replied shyly, “So many things happened to us in so little time… yet it seems so right. I don’t know how… but in the back of my mind, I knew Avinoth would win the flight; I may have known it from the first day I saw you and Avinoth as I walked off the sands with Mekoth. ‘Course two turns ago I didn’t notice, but now that I think back on it, you were there, watching the hatching…” she paused for a moment as a short thought ran through her mind, We’re you watching me at least as unconsciously as I was unconsciously watching you? “All I truly know, is when you walked through that door last night, I’d known it was you. Avinoth’s only rival was Rezoth and I think they both knew it… that’s why Rezoth tried to get Mekoth first and was flipped… Mekoth knew my heart better than I, I guess… I felt something last night other than our dragons passions for one another, I think I saw it in you as well…” she finished softly with a matching smile set upon her features. Chir once again blushed, leaned against the wall behind her and looked at the floor. I’m not sure how to tell him I love him, she though in a shy way as she looked at her boots. For a moment, mentally, Chir was distracted as Mekoth’s feelings seemed to grow very loving for something and a vision of Avinoth back in her weyrmate’s weyr entered her minds eye. Least Avinoth can show he truly love’s Mekoth, I have a hard enough time getting them out… I wonder if X’ver knows how I feel. There was sighlence for a long moment then Avinoth spoke causing Chir's eyes to look up slightly. He loves you, Chir. He loves you as a Weyrmate. He always has. He thinks you are beautiful, and innocent, and perfect. He's just scared that you'll laugh at him.As the bronze made his statements, Chir's eyes turned more and more touched in her shy way, still to shy to bring her eyes fully up to X'ver's again. She watched as he seemed to turn a bit darker in his skin. Chir felt even more touched as he looked her in the eye for her reaction. X'ver closed the distance between them after another quiet moment. Softly slipping a finger under Chir's chin he raise her face towards his own and another sweet kiss that was the start of many to come happend between them. No words words were exchanged between the two again as they left the other riders two their meal. Chir made sure they had their own dinner with no interuptions with a soft invite back to her weyr considering Avinoth was already there with Mekoth. The only words spoken that night were thoughts to Avinoth from Chir before the later nights events. Thank you, Avinoth. You are the best friend X'ver could ever have. Entry 11: Chir woke up to a warmth she'd known now for a few sevendays. She rolled over having gotten a slightly larger bed from an impish Tiff and Kare, the latter of the two saying it was a gift to her for Mekoth's great flight. Shaking her head at the two female riders Chir excepted the new bed with a bit of embarassment but in the back of her mind she was a bit relieved. She'd had a big one person bed before but fitting two on it sometimes wasn't the best thing. Chir, I gotta go, Mekoth's voice whispered in her brain. Chir sat up, careful not to disterb X'ver as he slept next to her still sound asleep. Mekoth's words confused her, she'd not heard those words sence she was a hatchling. Mekoth, we just went between yesterday so you should have relieved yourself with ease then. I'm not talking about needing to relieve myself; not in that way, that is. As Chir was about to ask what her lifemate meant she suddenly realized the meaning of it. Mekoth was heavey with eggs, she wanted, no need to got to the hatching grounds then and there. Give me a minute and I'll go with you, Mekoth Chir carefuly slipped out of bed and dressed. By the lack of light in the room, Chir knew Rukbat had as of yet to rise but not too long. Gathering a few things, including some meat rolls from the night before, she started to hurry towards her dragon's weyr. Chir paused in her steps as her eye fell upon her weyrmate, sleeping peacefuly on her bed. She walked over and gentley kissed him, leaving a note of where she'd gone if he felt the need to look for her. She smiled as she looked at him again. Chir! Coming Mekoth! Careful not to make too much noise, Chir rushed towards her dragon who's tail was twitching rapidly and her eyes whirled between green and yellow. Not bothering to even put a dragon saddle on her gold, Chir sat herself between the last to neck ridges. No sooner was she settled than Mekoth walked the distance to the ledge and off it, spreading her great wings to catch the air currents. The egg heavey gold glided over to the sands landing at the entrance. Mekoth looked in, and her eyes started to flare between red and yellow at what she saw. Both walked out onto the hot sands just as Rukbat started to peak over the horrizon. Chir watched as her golden lifemate inspect the whole of the hatching sands. There were still eggshells left from the last hatching and a few from hatchings before that. Mekoth snorted and walked over to the area of the sands closest to what was to be Chir’s quarters for the next few sevendays. She carefully cleared the eggshells away from there and proceeded to lay her eggs. Hours later Chir sat in one of the lower tires half asleep as she watched her gold laid her last egg, nuzzling it lovingly as she’d done to every egg before it. “Is that the last, love?” Chir asked. Mekoth sat up on her hind legs and snorted before she bespoke her bonded, Yes, I would have been done much sooner, Chir, had some one cleared the grounds of the shells from other clutches. They cleared the sands right after mine! Chir chuckled at the young mother. “So how many did she lay?” a voice asked from behind them. Mekoth turned with Chir to find Weyrwoman Falora walking onto the hatching grounds. The young gold’s eyes whirled yellow and she crouched over her eggs making it impossible for anyone to count. Chir looked a might confused thinking Mekoth might have told Sr. Queen Naomith of the number but then remembered that Mekoth had said not a word during the long hours of laying her eggs. “Guess she’s too broody to tell anyone right now,” Chir told Falora. I’ll tell you, Chir, if you only ask. I will tell no one else… save Avinoth, the gold commented with a tinge of joy at the naming of her mate. Then how many have you lain, Dear Heart? Any gold egg? Mekoth opened her wings and turned her back on the two weyrwomen, effectively covering sight of the eggs. Chir, I’m hungery. the gold stated looking over her shoulder stopping her count. “Mekoth, your evading the question,” Chir laughed as the young gold seemed to grin wickedly about it mentally. With a rumble something resembling a chuckle, Mekoth went back to counting. A moment later the gold’s head popped back into view and her eyes whirled a blue green. Twenty seven, golds included, the new mother stated smugly. “Golds included, does that mean there’s more than one?” Chir asked aloud catching Falora’s full attention. Now that I shall never tell, rider mine, the gold seemed to snicker. “What did she say?” Falora asked. Chir sighed and shook her head. “And I thought she was bad when she was proddy before her flight,” the fifteen turn old girl chuckled to herself, “Mekoth says there’s 27, golds included. Yet she won’t tell me if that means there’s more than one gold egg or if there are a few eggs that look a bit golden in color.” “That’s pretty big for a first time dam,” Falora looked at Mekoth with a sight smile, “But Mekoth we need to know for sure how many gold eggs you have. We want your golden offspring to enough girl candidates to choose from.” Mekoth regarded the Weyrwoman as she did most every female, other than Chir and her half sister; she leered at Falora. “Mekoth!” Chir scolded her gold, Mekoth looked back at her weyrmate with an apoligenic look in her multi-faceted eyes. A little help here, Chir thought to herself. Immediately her three fire lizards appeared. Like her fire lizards had popped out of between an idea popped into her head. Holding out her arm her blue fire lizard Taka landed while her green landed on her shoulder and the brown on a chair next to her. Giving a quick mental picture of what she wanted the three to do she gave a nod and the trio flew off towards the gold. What conspired next was too confusing to follow as Mekoth roared at the fire lizards and whirled about still keeping the eggs under her and not knocking them into each other or even knocking into them herself. The three fire lizards screeched yet some how managed to keep their nerve to continue the assault. Mekoth gave a roar of rage again and took a swiped at the green flit, Xiptra. Instantly all three disappeared. Moments later a scared brown reappeared crooning at Chir. “I’m sorry, Jester,” she told him, picking up the dark brown. Jester chirped a bit more sure about himself and projected an image. There was definitely a gold egg. It was easily discernable from the other tan colored eggs, not as gold as it would be when it got hard, but enough. There didn't seem to be any more, but time would have to tell on that issue. Chir turns her head to look at the Weyrwoman, "As far as I can tell, only one gold." Falora smiles with a small nod, "So Naomith tells me." At an unasked question, the woman explains, "Naomith, though not on the sand, is pretty much connected to every dragon in the Weyr. She's my eyes and ears. The little escapade with the fire-lizards didn't go over well with her. She'll tolerate my blue, Talion, but like her mate, Treyath, she doesn't enjoy fire-lizards at all." With a definitive nod, the Weyrwoman smiles, "I'm going to go sooth her, you take care of your dragon. I'm already restraining Naomith from being overly protective of me with the leering and withholding of information from Mekoth." At Chir's widened eyes the Weyrwoman chuckles and rests a comforting hand on the girl's shoulders, "It's quite alright. I find it amusing. Only Naomith doesn't. But then, she's one of the worst broody golds there are, so I'm not surprised by her ranting. If you need anything, just ask one of the drudges." Weyrwoman Falora smiles, and turns, walking away, out of the Hatching cavern to go about her business of calming the senior queen. Quachir looks up at her gold and makes a face, mock-reprimanding her dragon, You awful lump of gold. Mekoth's whirling eyes seem to smile, You worry too much. Chir just smirks, not bothering to reply to that comment. She'd much rather a few peaceful moments than a bantering conversation with her dragon over the subject of worrying and withholding information. After a time Mekoth's stomach suddenly growled loudly as she bespoke her rider. I'm really hungry, Chir. Chir blinked and chuckled, "I can tell. Why don't you go hunt for yourself. Don't worry, I'll watch your eggs." Mekoth eyed her rider not budging from her clutch. I'm a gold dragon, Chir, I'm not stupid. If I leave to hunt my own food then you can check the eggs to see for sure how many there are and the number of golds. "That's a good idea Mekoth but you know I wasn't even thinking of that," Chir chuckled, "Why not wake Avinoth? He should be hungery too so why not let your weyrmate bring you food." A mischeivous glimmer sparkled in the gold's eye at the sugestion. Avinoth! Wake up! Could you hunt me some food? I'm guarding my eggs so I can't go. Tell X'ver the same for Chir, the gold seemed to grin as a soft bellow was heard in reply. "Mekoth!" Chir started to protest then heard her stomach growl. Mekoth seemed to grow even smugger at her rider's stomach talking. What was that you were going to say, rider mine? Chir mock-glared at her dragon, Not a word, ya' over sized lump of gold! Mekoth rummbled at her rider lovingly. As they waited, Mekoth allowed Chir to get sit on her neck in half sleep while she covered the majority of her eggs. Entry 12 Chir was in awe by the hatching of Mekoth's first clutch. There had been 11 greens, 5 blues, 5 browns, 4 bronzes, and the surprise of the hatching, there were 2 strong an beautiful golds. Chir had been startled as the smaller gold looked and acted almost exactly like Mekoth at her own hatching. The large antique gold acted very much like Avinoth. The hatching had only ended moments before and she had just shared a kiss with X'ver when the unruly drunken voice of her half sister split the air. "OH! IT'S ANOTHER 10!" Tiff hooted in her drunk way. It was odvious that the 20 turn old woman had gotten to the wine much earlier than anybody. "Ya' drunk fool, that was a 20," Kare cried out, not at all drunk if you didn't count the fact that her dragon was close to flying. Chir could just barely make out the duo's faces sitting at a table near the front of the room with Kare's harrem of suitors. Chir could feel her face turn a deep shade of red and out of the corner of her eye she caught X'ver turning a shade darker. Looking at him she smiled appoligenicly for her friends actions. Putting her arm through his they walked into the dinning hall almost unoticed. "Congradulations on your first successful hatching," Falora smiled suddenly appearing in front of them, "I suggest you eat now, and congradulate the new riders when they're done feeding their lifemates. Tonight your to eat at the head table." "Thank you, Falora." Chir smiled. Thank you, Falora. she heard Avinoth voice X'ver's comment. The Sr. Weyrwoman smiled bit them a jokingly good morning and walked to the front table. Chir smiled at X'ver in a siglent gesture to go to eat when suddenly there was a tap on her shoulder. "Chir, can I have a quick word with you?" Kare suddenly appear and yanked Chir off X'ver's arm. "Sorry, handsome," the slightly older 15 turn old winked at X'ver, "Got some female business to talk ta your weyrmate." Both Chir and X'ver looked confused for amoment and Chir smiled apoligenicly. "I'll meet you at the table, X'ver," she smiled at him softly as she was dragged off by her slighlty older friend.
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