Because of Me
Dragonsfall Weyr
Amber Hills Hold
Vintner Hall
Healer Hall
Hidden Meadows
Dolphin Cove Weyr
Dolphin Hall
Emerald Falls Hold
Harper Hall
Printer Hall
Green Valley Hold
Leeward Lagoon Hold
Barrier Lake Weyr
Sunstone Seahold
Citrus Bay Hold
Writers: Devin, Eimi
Date Posted: 9th March 2006
Characters: N'vanik, A'trick
Description: N'vanik visits an injured wingmate.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 10, day 25 of Turn 3
He'd almost turned back twice on his way to the infirmary, and again when he reached the desk and faced the healer on duty. After asking which room A'trick was in N'vanik stood outside the cot for a long moment before pulling the curtain aside. "A'trick?" he asked, part of him hoping that the man was asleep so he could postpone the visit.
"Yes?" the brownrider asked, his injured back and side turned away from the door.
N'vanik took a few steps closer, stopping at the foot of the cot. "I . .
. came to see how you were doing." The Threadscore was not easy to look at, but he force himself not to look away.
"It hurts," A'trick mumbled, his words slurred by the pain medicine he'd been given. "At least, it did before."
"Did the healers say how bad it was?" N'vanik asked.
"I should be all right in a few months. But they don't know about Waraith yet. They have to wait and see." The rider closed his eyes against the pain of seeing his beautiful brown's wing torn to shreds, flapping helplessly until the other dragons has brought them safely to land.
"I should have been there with you," N'vanik said quietly. Watching the Wing go off to fight Thread without him, and watching them return with injuries was like torture.
"And U'kaiah and Sarian too," A'trick muttered quietly.
"Them too," the bronzerider said.
The brownrider's eyes rolled lazily up to N'vaniks. "They would have been there too if you hadn't been such a sharding idiot."
N'vanik's jaw clenched. "It's not my fault U'kaiah cracked. If it wasn't me, it would have been someone else."
"You pushed him," A'trick mumbled, his eyes rolling back in his head a bit. "You were always pushing him. We all saw it. You wanted him to do it."
"Yeah I wanted a fight." N'vanik kept his voice quiet. "I've wanted a fight since I got here. But I never wanted _this_!"
"Well, you got both. Two for the price of one," the brownrider chuckled sarcastically. "It's better than the bakers booth at a Gather, eh N'vanik?"
"A baker's booth doesn't get people scored."
"No, but you get your mark's worth. And you sure got your mark's worth.
But, shards, you didn't even _win_ the fight."
"There's more than one way to win a fight," N'vanik said without thinking. He knew the fight had damaged U'kaiah much more deeply than physical wounds could have. The nasty part of him counted that as a victory. The rest of him knew that _no one_ had won.
The rider snorted. "Well, I'd clap for you, but I can't move my arms."
N'vanik sighed. It would be easy to get mad, but seeing the damaged skin along the brownrider's back and side, he just couldn't. "You can clap for me when you get better. When you and your dragon both get better."
"If he get's better, bronzerider. _If_."
And it was _his_ fault the pair was injured. If N'vanik hadn't been so stupid, three good riders, including the Wingleader, would not be missing from the wings, and A'trick might not have been scored. "He _will_ get better. We have good healers. You'll be flying again before you know it."
"Yeah," A'trick mumbled. "Listen, this pain stuff is strong. I think I need to sleep now."
"Ok. Yeah, you do that," N'vanik said. He wanted a drink.
The brownrider closed his eyes in a silent dismissal.
**What did I expect?** N'vanik thought as he left. **Of course he blames me. Everyone blames me. And they're right to.** How many more people were going to be hurt because of him?
Last updated on the March 9th 2006