New Things
Dragonsfall Weyr
Amber Hills Hold
Vintner Hall
Healer Hall
Hidden Meadows
Dolphin Cove Weyr
Dolphin Hall
Emerald Falls Hold
Harper Hall
Printer Hall
Green Valley Hold
Leeward Lagoon Hold
Barrier Lake Weyr
Sunstone Seahold
Citrus Bay Hold
Writers: Miriah, Yvonne
Date Posted: 26th August 2014
Characters: J'ackt, Alina
Description: Alina and J'ackt chat during their first morning as weyrlings, and Alina reveals a little more than she'd intended...
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 8, day 13 of Turn 7
}:I am hungry.:{
"No you're not," Alina muttered aloud. But Imarith _was_ hungry-- or maybe she was, since the dragonet had just eaten. It was so hard to tell. Everything had happened so fast, and was still happening so fast, she hadn't had time for anything.
She paused on the path from the Weyrlake to the Weyrling's barracks and rubbed her tired eyes. Her stitches hurt, her head felt crowded, and her chest felt tight. After a sleepless night she'd been woken early to start her new routine, and that began with a bucket of bloody meat and a wade in the Weyrlake.
}:Alina?:{ A less-than-gentle head-butt to the middle of her back made her stagger. }:What's wrong? I don't understand...:{
The weyrling managed a rather tremulous smile as she took Imarith's head between her hands. "Everything is just fine," she whispered to the dragonet before gently bumping her forehead against the green's, the way she and Elana had used to when they were little.
"Why the long face?" A deep voice sounded beside them. J'ackt stepped forward, his face surprisingly at ease and relaxed. He peered at Alina and a brow quirked up at her expression. "Shards, you look like you've been rolled by a watch wher."
Zith sat beside him, peering at his clutchmate with curiosity. The little bronze gave a slight sniff and ambled over, plopping his bottom down in front of Imarith. }:You are Imarith. I am Zith.:{
}:You!:{ The green spread her wings protectively in front of Alina as anxious yellow flecks appeared in her blue-green eyes. }:It was you!:{
"Stop that." Alina put a hand on Imarith's head, then smiled apologetically at J'ackt. "Sorry. She's-- I was run over by one of the dragonets, and she seems to think it was... yours. I don't know his name?"
}: Was not! :{ Zith replied immediately, then stopped. }: Wait. What did I do? :{
J'ackt's brow arched. So involved with the hatching, he'd not see her get hurt. His gaze flicked to Zith. **Did you walk on someone when you hatched?**
}: A person was between you and me. They didn't move. :{
He sighed and gestured to his bronze. "This is Zith. And I think your green is right."
}:See? I am right!:{ Imarith crowed triumphantly.
But her rider merely shrugged. No matter how much pain she was in, it was... her fault. She should have been more aware. It had been drilled into them in Candidate classes. "It's all right," she said after a moment. "Zith is a baby. He didn't know any better." She turned back toward the weyrling barracks and continued limping to where she ought to be.
J'ackt frowned. She didn't seem happy at all, despite her Impression. His hands went to his hips and his lips pressed together. "What in the blazes is wrong with you? You act like the world's just crashed onto your head." He rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Balls, girl, you have a bloody dragon."
Anger flared, then faded. What did he know. Alina shook her head. "Thank you. I'd noticed," she said dryly, even as Imarith hurried and thrust her head under her rider's hand.
Then why did she look so bloody miserable? Shards, but the girl was impossible. His eyes narrowed at a sudden thought. "You didn't think you'd Impress without your sister, did you?"
"You don't get to talk about my sister," she snapped, suddenly irritated.
He met her gaze evenly. "Why not? It's all you think about." He snorted. "I don't get the twins thing, really. You act like you're less without her. The way I see it, she's less without you."
What was that supposed to mean? It actually sounded as if he was trying to be nice, and Alina didn't quite know what to make of it. Usually they just sniped at each other. "What do you want me to say to that?" she said after a moment, mostly to buy herself time. Thinking was hard this morning.
"Nothing." He shrugged. "Just saying what I think."
"She told me that she hoped I die in Threadfall," Alina blurted. Elana's parting shot had been circling through her mind ever since her sister said it. She hadn't meant to tell J'ackt, though. Or anyone. But especially him.
His eyes widened and he stared at her as his lips thinned. "It sounds like she's a little jealous bitch." His brow furrowed further. He had almost had a sibling and he couldn't have imagined ever treating the still born little sister with anything but affection. It was something he'd thought about several times over the turns, but he'd never been given the opportunity. "Why would you want to be around someone who wanted you hurt like that? Especially someone who you say is so close to you? You may have your own bitchy moments, but balls, would you say that to her or would you be happy for her?"
"I know, right?" It was kind of nice to hear someone badmouth her sister. It wasn't something Alina usually allowed, but J'ackt was right that she was pretty mad at her for what she'd said. And it was even odder that she'd confided in J'ackt at all, but then, she hadn't heard a whisper about Ervine that she hadn't started herself, even though J'ackt had been there for some of it. He could keep a secret. But even still... "But it's just... family stuff." She shrugged.
He shrugged at that. "Don't really understand family stuff, but still seems wrong to me. But you have something she don't have." He pointed at her green. "Makes it worth it."
"I-- Imarith!" Alina said, aghast.
The little green dragon spat out a mouthful of pink petals and did her best to look small and innocent. }:Yes?:{
"Don't eat flowers!"
J'ackt snickered and was not able to keep a straight face. "At least she isn't salivating over pups like mine is."
Zith on the other hand, quickly sniffed at the petals near Imarith, and the promptly sneezed. }:Ew. They don't smell like food. They smell...ew. :{
}:Smell! Smell smell smell!:{ Imarith caroled. She hopped half-ways around Zith before discovering her own tail, which needed to be chased.
Alina put a hand to her forehead and sighed. Imarith was like dealing with littles, and she was never very good at that. "We've got to _go_. We're going to be _late_. And while I cannot condone eating someone's _pet_," she said, turning to J'ackt, "At least it's... not flowers."
Last updated on the September 7th 2014