To Your Health

Writers: Suzee, Eimi
Date Posted: 14th February 2011

Characters: M'galec, Y'gel
Description: Two healers share drinks after a Fall
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 13, day 17 of Turn 5

Y'gel

The injuries this time around had been higher than usual. Maybe the
bad news from Dolphin Cove had had something to do with it. It seemed
that some of the riders were losing concentration out there and they'd
ended up with more injured dragons than normal.

In any case, Y'gel decided he needed a drink. He had his own stash in
his quarters but he preferred to drink with friends or even
acquaintances. Well, he just liked to drink and he knew where to find
the friends and acquaintances. He picked up a bottle of wine and a
pair of glasses and went to sit in the center of the room.

"Who'll drink with me tonight?" he called out genially.

"I would have a bit of that, if you are willing to find a quiet corner."
M'galec wasn't in the mood for a large gathering. It was rare that he
indulged, even after a Fall, but this one had been especially exhausting
and draining. And a fellow healer, even if he did heal dragons, was
better than a group of arrogant riders congratulating themselves on
surviving the Fall. He knew much to intimately how some of their
wingmates fared differently.

Y'gel nodded and stepped over the chair he'd been straddling. He
spotted a table in the corner and tilted his head at the other healer.
Setting the glasses down he turned the chair around and after sitting
down poured the first round and pushed one of the glasses across the
table.

"Rough one today," he said.

"Indeed," the other bronzerider agreed, sniffing at the edge of the
glass. It smelled palatable. Taking a sip he didn't know if it was the
vintage or the day, but it tasted rather fine. "No one knows better
than us, do they."

"Aye," he said shaking his head. "Too many M'galec, too many. It can't
continue."

"It cannot be helped, either. This is a battle, and every battle
inevitably had casualties." Though M'galec couldn't help but wonder how
many of them would have refused that call to Stand if they had actually
known the terrors that awaited them in the skies.

"Oh, I know," he said at least it hadn't been as bad as those first
few falls. Before they knew what Thread could really do to a dragon or
a human body. "There are two rules to Threadfall. Rule number one,
dragons and riders die. Rule number two, healers can't change rule
number one." He poured another drink for each of them and set the
bottle down. "It still sharding stinks!"

"It does," M'galec nodded, turning the glass around in his hands. "Did
you lose any this time?"

He rubbed his face. "It was close," he shook his head. "and I'm not
certain he's out of the woods yet." the young blue had been flamed as
he came back from between and from the report he had been out of place
in his formation. "His rider was lucky. Aughashyth caught them as they
fell from the sky above the weyrbowl."

"Yes, well, did you treat brown Colinath?" M'galec asked with a bit of a
thoughtful frown.

Y'gel set down his glass empty and poured again before holding the
bottle up for M'galec. "Yes, we did. Aug said he was very worried
about his rider."

"Yes," the healer nodded slowly. "Can he fly?"

"It will be some time before we can tell. He lost quite a bit of
sail." Y'gel's mind went over what he'd seen. "I rebuilt what I could
but it remains to be seen if the tissue will regrow from the matrix
that was left." It was possible. Aughashyth's had been worse.

M'galec didn't take that as good news. "Then be warned, his rider very
likely will not make it. We did what we could for him, but there are
some things even beyond my reach." And a grieving dragon that couldn't
go /between/ was a danger to themselves and all around them.

"Ahh," That was _not_ good news. He rarely found M'galec to be wrong
in situations like these."I'll warn them to be on watch."

"If he improves, I will ask the infirmary to let your people know."
Though the likelihood of that was slim.

"Good!" He looked into his drink. "I think we're going to need
something stronger than this."

"This is enough for me, but please, feel free." M'galec always liked to
have his wits about him, especially when drinking. Who knew when an
emergency would come up that would require his attention. Between the
infirmary and the weyrlings, he was kept constantly on this toes. He
did not judge those free to enjoy such indulgences. Too much.

Y'gel gave out a hearty and rather loud bellow of laughter and slapped
him on the shoulder. "Come on my friend," he said and poured the tail
end of the bottle into M'galec's glass. Y'gel could drink anyone under
the table and had done more than once. His size accommodated his great
friendship with alcohol. Rarely did he go over board though and allow
it to incapacitate him. He could just handle more than most around
him.

He raised his hand and called for another bottle. If the other
bronzrider was calling it a night he'd stick with the wine.

M'galec smiled slightly to appease the Dragonhealer. He tried not to
assume the man was already showing signs of drunkenness, especially
after that rather unprofessional clout to his shoulder. His companions
ability to switch from the depths of sorry to laughing merrily surprised
him, and rather made him feel a little enviable. If only he were like
other men who could forget their duties so easily! But alas, as M'galec
knew all to well, he was not like the common man. "To your health and
continued happiness," he said, raising the fresh glass of wine Y'gel had
poured.

Y'gel returned the smile and lifted his own glass.

Last updated on the March 4th 2013

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