Where We Are Now

Writers: Eimi, Yvonne
Date Posted: 14th June 2008

Characters: Honalyse, Sh'vair, F'lin
Description: The three Clutchmates spend an evening on the beach
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 9, day 16 of Turn 4

"Here's to two months and no Threadscores!" F'lin said, holding up his mug. The firelight danced across tanned faces as his Clutchmates tapped their mugs against his, and Sh'vair slopped a bit of wine onto the sand.
Behind him the ocean lapped at the beach, and a soft wind toyed with his hair. Other parts of Pern were locked into winter, but River Bluff Weyr remained free of snow and biting cold. "Congratulations to us and our dragons for making it this far!"

"Isn't making that kind of toast bad luck?" Sh'vair asked, slightly concerned. He was happy they had hadn't been scored, or course. He just didn't want to tempt fate at all.

"Ah who needs luck when you have a dragon," Honalyse laughed as she tapped her mug once more against the bluriders.

"It has nothing at all to do with luck, and _everything_ to do with skill." F'lin grinned, feeling suddenly wicked. "That, and not wanting to end up on the receiving end of M'galec's 'tender care'. Shards, I couldn't imagine a worse fate than waking up in pain only to find _him_
looming over me!"

"Bronzerider M'galec saved my friend's leg, and probably his life as well," the bluerider protested defensively. He might not be agreeable all the time, but he certainly wasn't a wholly bad man. And they really should be more grateful to him for all he did for the Weyr.

"Oh like another healer couldn't have done it just as well," Honalyse snorted, glad to be rid of the man's ever watchful eye. She couldn't help but wonder if it hadn't been him that had reported her to R'syl as being too wanton during her junior weyrlinghood.

F'lin snorted. "I'm sure he did. M'galec is a _fine_ surgeon, as he likes to remind us on a regular basis. I'd just prefer a face that was a little... friendlier." Like Riveenata's.

"When you're on a table bleeding all over, I don't think you'll really care what the face of the surgeon standing over you looks like," Sh'vair pointed out. He didn't like all these negative words, especially about someone who just might save their lives one day. "This is true. I mean, I'd rather have M'galec," the greenrider nodded.
"After all, if anyone is going to make sure you'll be fit for the Fighting Wings again it's him, and I'd rather face Thread than be relegated to the Weyrlings Wings where I'd have _daily_ contact with the man."

The bronzerider snorted. "I'd transfer. K'sedel's all right, though...
and I think K'reyel'll be a good Wingleader too, at least. It's good to be in an actual fighting Wing instead of throwing firestone and ducking out of the way."

"I didn't mind that so much," Honalyse said as she settled back on her elbow. "But if junior weyrlinghood had lasted much longer, I swear I would have exploded."

"Just about? I was under the impression that you _did_!" F'lin's eyes twinkled mischievously as he stared into the fire. "I never did _anything_ that would hurt Tibith," she replied with conviction, though a smug smile spread across her lips. "Though I did give more than one rider a rather nice show..."

Sh'vair sipped at his wine guiltily, not wanting to mention that he had been the one who had told R'syl about her little escapades in the bathing pool that had gotten her called before the Weyrlingmaster.

"Which I'm sure they appreciated." F'lin was quiet for a moment as he stared into the fire. The sea breeze ruffled his hair and smelled faintly of beached seaweed. "Do you think you'll live to see the end of the Pass?' "No," Sh'vair answered without hesitation.

"Take some time to at least _think_ about it, will you?" Honalyse snapped, not liking the certainty in his voice one bit.

"It's weird to think that none of us will have a normal life, isn't it?
I wanted to build boats." The sea sighed quietly behind the bronzerider and he dug his toes into the sand. "And then the hurricane changed everything, and I ended up here instead."

"This conversation is becoming more depressing my the minute," Honalyse muttered in annoyance as she refilled her glass.

"I never expected to have a normal life," Sh'vair said as he wrapped an arm around his knees. "After they started talking about Thread coming back, I pretty much knew then that Thread _was_ going to be normal life.
Shards, for our children's generation," if any of them ever would have kids, "they'll not know what to do with themselves when Thread is _gone_."

"Mine will. If they haven't Impressed, they'll sharding well build boats!" F'lin said firmly. "And they can sharding well sail me up and down the coast in them, too."

Honalyse snorted, shaking her head. "What do you need to sail up and down the coast for when you have a dragon?" It was such a silly future he imagined.

"Getting from one place to the next isn't the point. It's the journey that matters, and there's something about sailing that's just... have you ever been sailing?" F'lin asked. Coming from a port Hold, the thought hadn't crossed his mind before.

"Never even been on a boat, and not sure I want to be. Those things can sink as easily as they float."

The bronzerider grinned. "_You_ obviously come from somewhere landlocked! Can't you swim?"

"Of course I can swim!" She protested. **Now...** "But why sail on a boat that can sink when you can ride on a dragon who can fly? I just find the whole notion silly, that's all."

"Ships rarely sink - and boats rarely capsize, if you know what you're doing. I'll have to take you out onto the ocean one day... unless you're scared," F'lin grinned - Honalyse's expression betrayed her thoughts quite clearly. It might have been the wine.

"A little healthy fear where it's warranted is no silly thing, F'lin,"
Honalyse said with a sweet smile, knowing how he was trying to goad her on. "I think you are just hoping that I'd be so scared that I'd want to grab on to a big strong man like you. Fat chance."

Sh'vair just rolled his eyes, noticing that he had been forgotten in this conversation. The two biggest flirts in their weyrling class... He wished they'd just jump each other and get it out of their system.

F'lin laughed. "You wouldn't know what to do with me if you grabbed me in the first place! And no, that _wasn't_ actually what I was planning.
I just think you're cheating yourself out of something fun simply because you're too scared to give it a try."

"Well, if it were something that sounded in the least bit _interesting_
I might actually try it. So far it just sounds like traveling slowly surrounded by water. What need do I have for that? If I want water, I have the beach. If I want to travel I have a dragon. And this conversation is becoming officially boring now," she said crossing her arms across her chest. F'lin could be such an arrogant arse sometimes. And shards, she hated that she liked him best when he acted that way.

"Can't win the argument, so she pretends she's _bored_." F'lin rolled his eyes. "Fine! Let's talk about something else. Win a flight yet, Sh'vair?"

"No," the bluerider said, actually a little relieved at that fact. Losing a Flight was embarrassing enough. "Have you?"

"No, unfortunately. Although Seneth and I have come pretty close a few times." Although what he would do if he ended up with a man... well, there was a first time for everything. All the bronze- and brownriders had to deal with it, and so would he. "When does Tibith rise?"

Honalyse snorted into her glass, producing tiny bubbles that tickled her nose. "Why, yours won't be catching her."

"Why not! It's about Seneth and Tibith, not you and me, and while _you_
might doubt _me_, there is no way anybody - or dragon - could doubt Seneth." It came out more arrogant than he'd intended, but F'lin believed it anyway. His dragon might have been young, but he was fast and strong and beautiful, and perfectly capable of catching any green he wanted. He just... hadn't. Yet.

She just laughed. "His record speaks for itself."

Sh'vair couldn't help but chuckle at the bronzerider's expense. She certainly had him there.

"Yeah, well, he's only chased a few times," F'lin muttered. "That's like saying Tibith's known for _short_ flights."

Honalyse grinned as she reached for the wine skin. "But Tibith still got hers." And through her, her rider did too.

"Only because there hasn't been a green in history that's risen and not been caught," F'lin shot back.

"My my. Touchy, aren't you," Tibith's rider said with a slow smile. "Don't worry. C'mat's green seems to have a thing for your bronze. And if not, her rider certainly has a thing for you. I have a feeling you'll get lucky soon."

F'lin glared at her but kept his mouth shut. Honalyse could be incredibly _smug_ sometimes. And patronizing. He couldn't forget patronizing. }:I think that we'll catch Tibith next time she rises,:{ Seneth whispered encouragingly, but F'lin snorted and told his dragon that he'd rather _not_, thank you.

Sh'vair gave the wineskin a mournful shake. "We're out. Maybe we should think of heading back."

"Mmm... I think I'll stay out for a little longer," F'lin said, staring into the fire. The night was warm, the air soft and humid, and the gentle wash of sound as sand and waves caressed was soothing and familiar. "You can go ahead if you like."

"All right then," the bluerider sighed as he got to his feet. "Honalyse?"

"Naw, I'll stay out here too. You go ahead," she said, leaning back into the sand.

Sh'vair looked between the two of them and shook his head. "Suit yourselves." Maybe they'd just finally jump each other and get it over with. One could only hope.

Last updated on the June 15th 2008

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Where We Are Now