Feed Me

Writers: Halyonix, Yvonne
Date Posted: 10th October 2024

Characters: Ketlyn, V'dryn
Description: Some weyrling dragons are polite. Some... have some work to do.
Location: Barrier Lake Weyr
Date: month 13, day 1 of Turn 11

"Zhomoth, my beautiful friend, you cannot possibly eat _this_ much," V'dryn remarked even as he offered another handful of bloody scrap meat to his dragon. Zhomoth bolted it down with the same voracious manner as the first handful.

}: I can and I shall because I am hungry! Oh, hello Varinth, how are you? :{ The last bit was directed to the green dragon ambling their way.

"Ketlyn!" V'dryn greeted brightly. "Ah, how good it is to see you amongst the new weyrling group!"

"Hi.... ah..." Her face crinkled in confusion. "I don't actually know your name anymore. Or your new name. I'm sorry."

"I decided upon V'dryn," he answered. "Zhomoth agrees that it suits me. How is your Varinth this morning? As starving as Zee here?"

}: Zee? :{ Zhomoth queried.

**Short for Zhomoth. Just a nickname. Does it bother you?** V'dryn asked the blue, who was chewing thoughtfully, thinking it over.

}: I suppose not. Zee. Hm. Between you and I, it's fine. Zee and Vee. :{ His eyes whirled a sky blue, pleased with his clever rhyming.

Varinth scrambled over and nudged up next to Zhomoth. }:Tell him he must feed me!:{ she demanded, opening her mouth expectantly.

"Varinth! You can't do that-- I mean, I meant to say that inside..." Ketlyn sighed and turned her attention to V'dryn. "I'm sorry. It's weird to think things instead of saying them. I guess I'm slow." Varinth lashed her tail and Ketlyn sighed again. "She wants Zhomoth's food. I can get you your own meat," she told her dragon.

V'dryn tossed a chunk to Varinth with a grin. "How about a deal? You retrieve another pail and I'll get started feeding her."

Zhomoth gave Varinth a playful shove with his wing. }: Just don't eat it all! I'm still hungry. Share! :{ he said.

}:I will share if you will share,:{ she told Zhomoth. Varinth sat and opened her mouth wide, waiting for V'dryn to give her something. }:Ketlyn, tell this person to feed me!:{

"Varinth!" Ketlyn put her hands on her hips, aghast. "Mind your manners and be patient!"

The little green growled, but with her mouth open it sounded more like a gargle. Then her belly growled.

Ketlyn turned to V'dryn apologetically. "I'm so sorry. We're working on patience and being less bossy. If you do feed her, make her be polite about it. I'll fetch us both a bucket. And _you_--" she pointed a finger at Varinth. "Mind what I said!"

V'dryn chuckled as he followed her directions. "It's quite alright," he said to Varinth once her rider was gone. "I understand that you are hungry and have the patience of a VTOL at this point. We will all work on our patience and manners over the coming months."

}: What are manners? :{ Zhomoth asked as he chewed.

"Etiquette. Politeness," V'dryn explained to both young dragons. "Maintaining respect and consent with the people -- and dragons -- around you. A customary code of behavior, if I were to quote the dictionary on it."

}: What is a dictionary? :{ Zhomoth asked.

V'dryn immediately began to see his folly as he tossed Varinth a piece. "A very large book, filled with many words," he answered while giving Zhomoth a look about asking too many questions. But, honestly, how else were young dragons supposed to learn?

Varinth huffed impatiently, clearly less interested in listening and more in how fast V'dryn was able to fish food from the bucket from her. She perked up considerably when her rider walked back in with a fresh bucket.

"Here," Ketlyn said, setting down the bloody bucket of meat next to V'dryn's nearly empty one. She picked up a fist-sized chunk and tossed it to her green, who snapped it out of midair. "Still have all your fingers, V'dryn?"

He wiggled a bloodied hand at her and grinned. "Currently. Though I am certain I'll be testing that possibility more in the coming sevendays." Now that Ketlyn was in charge of feeding the two, he had a moment to ask, "Is she as inquisitive as Zhomoth?"

Ketlyn nodded. "It's like living with my siblings all over again. 'What's that?' 'Why' and 'I want to!' constantly..." Varinth bared her bloodied teeth in a mock-growl, and her weyrling rider smiled. "I kind of like it, though. It's good to get reminded how amazing Pern is, when you really look at it."

"Zhomoth is the same!" V'dryn agreed. "Constantly full of questions. I feel as though I am seeing Pern through new eyes because of him. It's...oddly invigorating, if that's the correct word."

She tipped her head to one side, thinking. "I think so? You're better at words than I am though, so whatever you think is probably right."

"I'm certain they'll get into all sorts of trouble once they decide to begin exploring on their own," V'dryn pointed out. "Thank Faranth they cannot fly just yet! I can't imagine trying to get Zhomoth down from some of those heights."

"Hopefully he won't figure out he can climb," Ketlyn said, her mind full of dragons scuttling over hot rocks like fire lizards. She held out a piece of meat to Zhomoth. "Please mind my fingers."

}: I will, :{ Zhomoth promised, relayed through V'dryn, as he deftly took a bite. The blue dragon made a disappointed sound as Varinth ate his next intended one. }: Share! :{ he said to his clutchmate.

Varinth growled.

Ketlyn rocked back on her heels. "Absolutely not. You are going to wait until Zhomoth is finished before you eat _anything_." Then she held out another chunk of meat to the little blue while her green dragon curled into a pouty ball, her stomach gurgling unhappily. "I'm so sorry, Zhomoth."

"He says it's okay," V'dryn relayed as Zhomoth made an endearing sound at Ketlyn. "He understands that Varinth is hungry too. I believe he's just latching on to the etiquette thing I referenced earlier."

}: Being polite is a good trait, :{ Zhomoth said to both his rider and Varinth, though his tone was completely forgiving towards his clutchmate.

Varinth sighed petulantly, her breath sending a puff of dust across the floor as she pointedly didn't look at either Zhomoth or her rider.

Ketlyn handed Zhomoth another chunk of meat. "What about you, V'dryn? Have you had anything to eat yet?"

Caught off-guard, V'dryn replied, "Me? Oh, no, I tend to eat after Zhomoth has. He naps after a meal and that gives me some uninterrupted time to eat without rushing. You?"

Meanwhile, Zhomoth had taken the latest bite, swallowed, and then accepted the next one, only to lay it down in front of Varinth. }: I forgive you for eating my piece, :{ he said.

Varinth hesitated, then accepted Zhomoth's offering with a snap of her jaws. }:I am so _hungry_!:{

Ketlyn sighed. **We'll work on manners,** she thought, holding out another slab of meat for her petulant dragon. "I haven't eaten this morning either. Want to go to the Dining Hall together before classes?"

"A wonderful suggestion," V'dryn agreed. "Classes on an empty stomach is a terrible mistake." He grabbed a nearby cloth and began wiping off Zhomoth's bloodied mouth. "You and Varinth can curl up for naps after we get you fed and cleaned. How does that sound?"

}: I like that idea. Varinth? :{ Zhomoth asked.

}:I get fed first!:{ Varinth crowed as she snapped another bit of meat from mid-air.

Her rider sighed. "Chew your food. And let's get something that's _not_ bleeding, V'dryn. Or red. Maybe a green food, or brown. I could settle for a brown food today."

"Biscuits with herdbeast gravy would make a fine breakfast," V'dryn wished as he finished cleaning Zhomoth and gave the blue dragon a loving pat on the nose. "Or with berry jam."

"Only if you promise the jam isn't red."

"Ah, yes, good point. Deal."

Last updated on the October 10th 2024

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

Feed Me