An Unlikely Conversation

Writers: Devin, Bree
Date Posted: 29th November 2006
Series: Saving Each Other

Characters: N'vanik, Talryne
Description: N'vanik wakes up to find that Talryne has been talking to Loseth, but more shockingly he has been talking back.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 13, day 30 of Turn 3

N'vanik

Talryne

Something had disturbed his nap. Slowly, Loseth lifted the lids of one eye and saw Talryne standing there. Talryne was standing a few paces away, her new blanket wrapped around her shoulders. She shifted a little nervously when Loseth's eye opened, but didn't step back. "Hello, Loseth."

The bronze lifted his head and rumbled a greeting, his eyes whirling a gentle blue.

An ache settled in her chest as she reached out a hand, her fingers barely brushing his neck. "I wish I could hear you. My head is so empty." She kept her voice quiet, not wanting to wake N'vanik.

Loseth tilted his head, wondering if he should wake his rider. Talryne seemed sad and he wanted to help her. }:I can talk to you, if you want,:{ Loseth told her softly.

"Oh..." Talryne's hand trembled as she took another step forward, a shy smile coming to her lips. "I didn't think--I didn't know if you'd want to. I didn't want to disturb you."

}:You aren't disturbing me.:{ Talryne closed her eyes for a moment, struggling to fight back tears. It wasn't the same... it would _never_ be the same. But the terrible empty silence in her head had receded for the first time in over a month. "Do you mind if I sit down here with you?"

Talking to someone other than his rider was a strange sensation, but not unpleasant. }:No.:{ The bronze shifted, curling onto his side in case she wanted to rest against him.

Still feeling strangely shy, Talryne settled carefully on the ground, curling up against Loseth. It felt different--Ysanth had been small, for a green, and Loseth was large enough to be intimidating. But she closed her eyes and let her cheek rest against his hide, and it was comforting in a way that nothing else had been. Once she was settled, Talryne took a deep breath and gathered her courage. "Can I ask you a question, Loseth?"

}:Yes. Anything.:{ Talryne's voice was barely above a whisper. "Am I making N'vanik unhappy?"

Loseth thought for a moment. His rider's thoughts and feelings were sometimes confusing, but he knew 'unhappy' was not the right word. }:He would like to be alone sometimes, but he worries about you. Even when he is with someone else, he thinks about you. You are in his mind a lot. But it doesn't make him unhappy. When you are happy, it makes him feel good, and . . . :{ The dragon paused, knowing N'vanik wouldn't want him to talk about his feelings. He went on anyway, }: . . scared.:{ "Oh." It was a reply that brought up as many questions as it answered, but it soothed some of the guilt that had been keeping Talryne awake at night. She relaxed a little more, one hand coming up to scratch absently at his side. "I should let him have time alone. I know I should. I just get so afraid."

}:You don't like being alone,:{ It was more a comment than a question.

Talryne shook her head, unable to keep herself from shivering at the thought. She pulled the blanket back over her shoulders and sighed. "I wasn't supposed to ever be alone again. Now I'm alone all of the time, even if someone's with me."

Loseth crooned and touched her with his muzzle. }:We can't replace what's gone, but we want to help.:{ Lifting her head, Talryne smiled shakily at Loseth and set one hand against the side of his neck. "I'm just afraid that you're both going to get tired of me."

}:I like you,:{ Loseth told her. }:N'vanik likes you too.:{
**Who do I like?** N'vanik asked, hearing his dragon's comment as he was waking.

}:Talryne:{ N'vanik blinked a few times and frowned. The space next to him was empty. **Who are you talking to?**

A moment of hesitation, then: }:Talryne.:{ "What?" N'vanik sat up, fully awake.

}:She said she would like to hear me, so I am talking to her:{ The bronzerider got out of bed, nearly tripping on the bedfurs, and hurried to Loseth's couch. "You okay?" he asked Talryne.

Talryne jerked her hand away from Loseth's neck as if she'd been caught doing something wrong. "I'm fine," she said quickly. "I didn't wake you up, did I?"

"No." He took in the scene: Talryne curled against his dragon, her new blanket around her shoulders, Loseth's head turned toward her. "Loseth says he's been talking to you."

"Just a little..." Suddenly she realized that N'vanik might not appreciate that she'd asked his dragons questions that perhaps he didn't want answered. "I couldn't sleep."

N'vanik gave his dragon a quizzical look. "He's never talked to anyone else before." And rarely called anyone by name, but the bronze had been calling Talryne by name for the last few sevendays.

}:I like her:{ Loseth stated simply.

"Do you mind?" Talryne asked nervously. "I mean, mind that he talked to me?"

"I don't mind. I'm just surprised," he said. Although, maybe not _that_ surprised. **What were you talking about?**

}:She's lonely. I told her we want to help.:{ From his tone, N'vanik knew there was something his dragon wasn't telling him.

After giving Loseth's neck a brief, grateful touch, she rose unsteadily to her feet. "I think I can go back to sleep, now. I feel a little better."

"Alright." N'vanik took a few steps closer and held out his arm in case she wanted to lean on it. Whatever Loseth had told her, it had helped.

Talryne took N'vanik's arm and leaned into him, the warm steady feel of his body giving another sort of comfort. "Thank you," she said softly as she let him lead her back into the other room. She glanced back over her shoulder at Loseth once, and a small smile came to her lips. **And thank you, too.**

Last updated on the December 1st 2006

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