A Thorn I Wouldn't be Without

Writers: AL, Jane
Date Posted: 20th January 2009

Characters: Zelle, K'hetah
Description: K'hetah and Zelle ponder the weather and each other.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 1, day 1 of Turn 5

"If that little dragon of yours isn't up to getting you to your weyr - _and_ if the wind drops a little - Loeth and I will take you."

They weren't the most tactful words but K'hetah's attention was more on the scene of swirling rain out in the Weyrbowl. He didn't even look at Zelle as he approached the door from the dining cavern, his light coloured eyes transfixed by the gusts made visible by the downpour.

"Though I think we'll both be finding somewhere to sleep down here if this carries on."

"My lifemate could handle this better than yours." Zelle assured with confidence as she too peered out into the storm that assaulted their little corner of Pern. "Now if Loeth isn't able to make it, I'm sure we can manage to get you to yours. No point in risking his lovely bronze neck."

"It's not his neck I'm worried about. It's Rillith's little shoulder joints. Those strain injuries take forever to come right. I'd ground my greens in this," he admitted, shaking his head in disbelief. "What a place for weather."

"Seriously, I wouldn't try this weather unless I absolutely had to." Zelle cast a sidelong glance at her friend. "I'd probably ground _all_ the dragons, not just the greens."

"I was thinking about during Threadfall," he explained. When there was little choice but to endanger dragons and riders. "But you're right ... In this even a gold would have trouble avoiding injury."

"Maybe we'll have to camp out in the dining hall." Zelle cast a glance behind her, mouth twitching in amusement. "Or I suppose some good, kind dragronriders might share their weyr. Or I guess we could just request use of a weyr that isn't being used, though who knows if it would contain a bed."

"No doubt you'd find a friend who'd be willing to share. Which reminds me - I haven't seem him around for a few days. _His_ weyr's at ground level."

"Very funny, ha ha ha." Zelle wrinkled her nose in mock annoyance. "And if you're implying what I think you're implying, you've got it all wrong. Friend is all that he is. But yes, he might be willing to let me borrow his couch should it come to that."

"Well if he's only a friend, maybe he'll let us both borrow the couch?"

"You'd share a couch with me?" Zelle's eyes widened in mock shock. "My dear bronzerider, loose ears might make more of your words than I think you are prepared to offer."

The dark-haired man grinned. He loved Zelle's friendship and teasing and missed it whenever he was fool enough to put her out of sorts with him. "I don't care what people think," he said, which they both knew was a ridiculous statement. He had cared, once, enough to remove himself from his Weyr and set him down at Dolphin Cove.

"You did before." The greenrider stated quietly, turning her gaze back to the torrent that raged outside. Zelle leaned against the doorway, arm arched over her head and rested her head against her arm. Should she change the subject? They were getting into a sensitive area. K'hetah often acted like her feelings were a source of amusement. Sometimes she was willing to play along. Sometimes, however, it just hurt. She thought about saying something else, switching topics, but decided to wait. Let him do it.

"Did you ever want to ride gold?" he asked, veering away from the conversational swamp with a leap. "Before you Impressed? After?"

Zelle sighed, more from the way K'hetah wanted to avoid anything serious
- especially if it had anything to do with him. "Why do you ask?" She countered, looking at him out of the corner of her eye.

"Just wondered. If you had a gold we'd probably be able to get back to our own weyrs tonight."

"I don't know about that." Zelle's voice was tinged with doubt. "But if you want to know, I thought it would be neat to impress a gold, but I never placed that much importance on it. Besides, no gold is as good as my Rillith."

"Mmm. I wanted to Impress bronze, I think. It was a while ago, but I think I did."

"And if he had been a brown?" The greenrider queried as she tilted her head to look at him once more. "Would you have given him back?"

"Of course not. I'm just thinking some more. Do men have a better chance of Impressing the colour of their choice then women? Because there are only two colours for women and so few golds?"

"I don't know. Do they?" Zelle lifted her eyebrows. "I think most women are happy with a green. I know I am. I love my Rillith and, to be honest, I would have made a lousy goldrider. I would have gotten bored out of my head with that job."

"It's very ... administrative. Worse than any other, in that way." He looked at the greenrider. "You might be right. Any gold would have looked at you and said - 'Not for me. She's a fighting dragon sort of girl.'"

"You think so?" Zelle smirked, then asked softly, "Would you have preferred I rode a gold?"

"I would have preferred you rode bronze," he said with a smile. "Then we would have been heirs to the same roles and responsibilities."

"I would have had to be a man to ride a bronze." Zelle wrinkled her nose. "Would you prefer that I were a man?"

"You wouldn't have been Zelle, then. So I suppose riding bronze wouldn't have worked."

"Ah, but if I hadn't been Zelle, then you wouldn't have to deal with me." The greenrider pointed out. "Surely that would be a bright spot in your life, hm?"

"It would be a tragedy," he informed her gravely.

"Admit it, you'd be happy to be rid of me. I'm a thorn in your side." Zelle's tone was light as she gently and playfully poked K'hetah in his side.

He caught her hand. "Maybe so, but you're a thorn I wouldn't be without."

"I suppose it's nice to know I'm appreciated." Zelle stated lightly, her hand squeezing his gently.

"Do you think the wind's eased at all?"

"No." Zelle released K'hetah's hand. "Maybe we should find alternative lodgings."

"I think we'd better. Come on, little thorn. Let's see what the Headwoman can offer us."

"And find out how much space she can put between us?" Zelle offered, half joking. "Lead the way, oh bronzerider of mine."

Last updated on the January 22nd 2009

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A Thorn I Wouldn't be Without