A Precious Gift

Writers: Miriah, Suzee
Date Posted: 29th May 2013

Characters: D'arvn, Bahji
Description: Bahji's gift hatches and she bonds with a new friend
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 1, day 7 of Turn 7

D'arvn

A soft pip-pip noise drew Bahji's attention from her loom. Her brow
furrowed and her head tilted to listen to the sound more carefully.
There was a shuffling sound and then another soft tapping. Realization
caught hold of her quickly and she bent to lay a hand on her flit egg.
Never far from her, she had been waiting nervously for it to hatch.
She rose, hurrying out to the main room of the weavery. "D'arvn? Are
you there?" Faranth, let him be there...

Though his hearing wasn't as keen as hers D'arvn had heard the noises
coming from the tiny egg and picked up the bowl of meat he'd been
refreshing over the last few days. "I'm here," he answered and picked
up the little bowl to come and crouch near her. He guided her hand to
it "There's the meat. I'll hold it for you."

She was nearly dancing in excitement as the pip-pip from the shell
became more distinct. Relieved by D'arvn's presence, she sat and laid
her hand on the meat. "You'll have to guide me to it for the meat, I
think. Or at least tell me if it's coming close." Bouncing in her
seat, her face was flushed and a wide, excited smile grew on her face.
"You'll tell me what color it is, right?"

They didn't have long to wait. With a sudden burst, the egg shattered
sending egg shards about in a blast of strength. A small bronze flit
unfurled his wings and gave a stuttering shrill cry.

"Here," he said softly in her ear and moved her forearm to place her
hand with the piece of meat right in the little flit's view. His tiny
eyes whirled with hunger and he hopped up onto Bahji's wrist to gobble
the meat in almost a single gulp. "More," he told her.

Eagerly, Bahji grabbed more meat, her hands trembling in excitement at
the weight on her wrist. She pushed the meat towards where the flit
was settled and giggled when it was quickly snatched. "There you
go..." Her voice was soft, her brown eyes warm as she reached for more
meat and handed it to the flit, only to have her fingers slightly
nipped in its eagerness. "He's greedy..." She grabbed for more meat
and offered it. "How much will he eat?"

"Everything he can," D'arvn said from behind her shoulder. He got a
momentary glance from the little bronze but was immediately dismissed
as not the possessor of food. "Until he goes to sleep."

Bolting down food as quickly as Bahji offered it, the little flit's
belly was extended by the time he collapsed against her forearm with a
sonorous belch. Waves of satisfaction rolled off of him and Bahji's
face nearly melted in complete adoration. "I can feel him. Feel what
he feels. Is..is that normal?" Her hand gingerly moved to stroke along
the soft hide of his neck. "So soft...what should I call him?"

"That is absolutely normal." he said softly. "The first thing you
should know is he's a bronze. Lucky you." He squeezed her shoulders.
That means he'll be smart and very trainable."

She turned towards D'arvn slightly. "I can't tell you how much this
means to me and I can't thank you enough, D'arvn." Her eyes were moist
as she turned back to the flit, her fingers stroking the soft skin
with reverence. What about the name? She smiled as he nestled closer
to the skin on her arm. "What should I call you, little man?" She
thought back to the sound of the egg shattering. "What do you think
about the name Burst, D'arvn?"

"Don't think on it dear," he said with another squeeze. It had been a
far more economical purchase than that trader would ever know. **A
bronze** and all he'd been hoping for was that it wouldn't be a
flighty green.

"I like that name," he said with a smile in his voice. "He's going to
grow fast so we'll have to teach you how to bathe and oil him."

"When? I don't want him to be uncomfortable at all." Suddenly even
more eager, she gave a happy grin.

"Don't worry," he said. "You'll know, he'll let you know when he feels
itchy. Just bathe and oil him then."

Bahji nodded. "Okay." She slid her hand lovingly over the small flit,
luxuriating in the feel of his soft hide. Her sudden connection to him
was a surprise. If anything, she could understand, at least in some
minute way, the connection that riders had to their dragons. She had
never imagined it before. "I still can't believe it. He feels
beautiful."

"He _is_ beautiful," D'arvn said. "Just like you."

Last updated on the June 4th 2013

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A Precious Gift