Tidying Up

Writers: Devin, Yvonne
Date Posted: 16th July 2025

Characters: D'ren, Thiseta
Description: D'ren and Thiseta formally meet.
Location: Barrier Lake Weyr
Date: month 6, day 21 of Turn 12
Notes: Mentioned: Kapera

}:I want to hunt,:{ Menanth said.

D'ren paused in his gitar practice. **Well, go ahead then.**

}:I want you to come with me.:{

**Why?** There were some dragons who wanted their rider's attention when they fed, but Menanth hadn't needed D'ren to watch since he grew out of the weyrlinghood phase of wanting to be praised for his hunting skills.

}:Just come.:{

With a sigh, D'ren set down his gitar. He let out another sigh when they landed near the fence and he saw the new Senior gold feeding. **It's a little late for flirting, buddy.**

}:It is never too late to admire a Queen.:{ As soon as he dropped off his rider, Menanth dove toward the herdbeasts, keeping a respectful distance from Imbeth.

The gold had her face buried in a herdbeast's belly halfways across the feeding pen and was oblivious to his hunting prowess. She briefly raised her blood-soaked muzzle as a green dragon flew by, but her unfortunate meal recaptured her attention as soon as the other dragon's shadow passed.

"D'ren, isn't it?" A light voice came from behind D'ren as Thiseta came to stand next to him at the fence. She'd phrased it as a question even though she knew exactly who he was. "That's your Menanth."

"Yes, Weyrwoman," he said with a slightly shy smile. "I'm sorry for not introducing myself earlier, but I thought you might be tired of every bronzerider trying to get your attention."

He was cute in a puppyish kind of way, Thiseta decided. Some bronzeriders were all bluster while D'ren, she suspected, was all blush. She leaned against the fence next to him and watched as Imbeth carefully chewed off the herdbeast's head and spat it to one side. "I don't mind. Impressing a gold dragon means that all eyes are on you from the time that egg hatches. I hear it's fairly the same when you Impress a bronze."

"A bit, yes." His smile brightened. "I dreamed of Impressing bronze, like most boys do. The reality of it . . . it's a bit of a mixed blessing."

Menanth had dispatched a fat herdbeast and lifted it in his mighty jaws. Then he flew over and placed it in front of Imbeth. }:A gift for you, my Queen.:{

D'ren groaned. "Oh no."

Imbeth looked up with glittering eyes, her muzzle streaked with red. }:I already have a herdbest, but I will eat that one if you take off the bony parts. I only want soft bits.:{

"It's fine." Thiseta put a steadying hand on D'ren's arm. "She's much nicer to bronzes just before and after she rises."

D'ren shook his head and sighed. "Congratulations, by the way. Are you glad that she rose first?"

}:Of course, lovely Imbeth.:{ Menanth tore into the animal and presented her with the bloody innards.

She put a clawed foot on the dismembered beast. }:This is mine now,:{ she told Menanth. }:So go away and take the yucky heads with you.:{

**Oh, Imbeth! Be nice!** Thiseta told her.

There was a small, grudging silence. Then, }:You may hunt for me again some time if I get hungry,:{ Imbeth finally told Menanth.

}:I will do so gladly.:{ Menanth ripped the head off the herdbeast he'd delivered and then the one the Queen had felled herself. With both heads in his talons, Menanth leapt up and glided to a far corner. Dropping them unceremoniously, he watched Imbeth to see if she ate his gift.

The gold dragon huffed over the offering for a moment before taking a few bites of the soft innards, completing ignoring the watching bronze.

Across the field, Thiseta tore her attention away from the dragons' bloody mealtime drama to focus on D'ren. He'd asked her a very loaded question, after all. "It was... a surprise," she admitted. "It was always a possibility that Imbeth would rise first, but I certainly wasn't counting on it. So while I was a bit surprised, I don't think I am unprepared." She turned her soft gaze on the bronzerider. "Do you?"

He was a little surprised at the question. "Well, to be honest, I don't know you well enough to make that judgment. Whether you were prepared to be Weyrwoman or not, what matters is what you do now."

"Mmm. And what advice would you give me?"

D'ren frowned thoughtfully, not sure what advice he could give a Weyrwoman. "I'm sure you want to establish your legacy, and the Weyr needs to look to the future. But maybe leave a little space for us to remember Kapera? Barrier Lake is still so new, and she was our first Weyrwoman. And for her to lose her Queen like that . . ." The horror of it made him instinctively reach for Menanth, to reassure himself of their bond.

}:I am here. No one can ever take me away from you,:{ the bronze said, momentarily distracted from watching Imbeth eat his gift.

"It was awful," Thiseta agreed softly. "I know Kapera from Windsept Isles Weyr. We... spent some time in close quarters there." Her lips quirked in a small smile. The 'close quarters' was the Infirmary when Kapera had returned to Windswept with her own illness. It had been a strange time. "For what it's worth, I wish she were still Weyrwoman. She did a lot of work to become worthy of the title."

D'ren nodded. He already felt better about the new Weyrwoman than he did about the new Weyrleader. "It's heartbreaking to lose her as Weyrwoman, but having you and Imbeth confirmed is a relief. The waiting and the uncertainty left us even more unsettled, and now the Weyr feels calmer."

"I'm glad that we can help. Barrier Lake deserved a better start."

Imbeth raised her head from her giant meal and licked blood from her snout. }:I am finished. We will go to the lake now.:{

**Imbeth!** Thiseta turned to scowl at her lifemate. **There's so much meat left! You know you can't just eat the good bits and leave the rest!**

}:Why not?:{ Imbeth swished her tail, then turned her glittering eyes toward Menath. }:_He_ will eat my leftovers and then you will be pleased because there is no meat left to rot.:{

}:I will gladly clean up for you, my Queen,:{ Menanth said.

}:Good. It is decided,:{ she said, and then leaped into the air to soar the short distance to her rider, landing in a whirlwind of snow and dead leaves. She crouched to examine D'ren before dismissing him as she had his dragon. }:You will come with me to the lake now.:{

Thiseta sighed. "I suppose that's my cue to say goodbye. I hope we'll run into each other later, D'ren."

"It was a pleasure meeting you, Weyrwoman Thiseta," the bronzerider said with a slight bow.

Menanth glided over to the remains of the carcass and began to eat happily.

Last updated on the July 21st 2025

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Tidying Up