[PRP] The Color Blue (Etansi, Astriana & Moratath)

[Hattaki]

Now the only person in her, admittedly small, friend group that didn't have a dragon, Etansi found that her days were far more quiet and lonely despite her constant work. Even on her free days she was taking the time out to do chores despite herself and visiting certain people. Generally Erastan and Aspalath. On this day however, there was another blue rider pair that the still growing teen was planning on visiting. On one shoulder as always was Etan and the other today was a little bronze that had recently hatched, she was looking forward to introducing him to Astriana even if he was a color other than blue.

Which was odd for Etansi to even be around, but he'd all but hatched into her lap after all.

Strolling down the beach wasn't the gruff teen's way, but Etansi wasn't in an extreme rush either, she was off for the day and had done up most of the chores that she had taken upon herself for the day. Let it never be said that she wasn't a worker, she'd growl at someone or sic her fire lizard on them. Astriana lived all the way down at the beach, though much closer than Erastan and before she even knew it she stood in the shadow of the hut's back, her dark eyes glancing at the blue in his wallow beside it. She remembered him being rather cool to the touch and she could certainly respect that, so she gave the wallow and the dragon a wide berth even as she let her eyes trace over his intricate patterns.

Blues were beautiful dragons after all.

A three rapped knock sounded on Astriana's door as Etansi tried to keep the overexcited bronze on her left shoulder calm so that Etan didn't try to n** at him again.

Dea and #Teddy#

 

[Dea and #Teddy#]

Astriana was trying to go over some star charts, to make sure once again she would be ready. She was still shaken by some of their between lessons, though the blonde and her dragon had survived. She knew they had to also be ready for Threadfall, which was even more dangerous than going between. Her mind was brought out of its thoughts when she heard the knock on the door. She walked over and opened it, to find Etansi in the doorway. A smile, that was only reserved for those she cared about came to her lips.

"Well, it is so nice to see you. I do hope you are doing well,"came the blonde's response. Moratath poked in her mind, to see who this was coming to visit. Ah, of course, she felt him think, her friend who should have been standing too.

This is the friend you have wanted me to meet. Interesting,came the blue's cool response. He would give the girl a chance, since His thought so highly of her. If she did, it meant something to the blue dragon.

Hattaki

 

[Hattaki]

A flash of a grin crossed Etansi's face when the door was opened, it had been some time since she'd seen the blonde standing before her and Astriana was looking more and more like a dragonrider every time. "Been awhile. Had to introduce you." With this statement she shrugged up the shoulder her little bronze Necklace was sitting on, the little fire lizard still enough of a hatchling that he was smaller than Etan on the other shoulder. "Newest family member. Necklace."

She really wasn't all that good at naming things but she'd tried her level best with the three fire lizards that she called her bonded. "Not as pretty as your blue though." Etansi inclined her head over to the large blue dragon that was looking at her with disinterested eyes. They said that dragons picked their perfect partners so he likely wasn't ice the whole way through, Astriana wasn't after all, she was kind deep down.

Dea and #Teddy#

 

[Dea and #Teddy#]

Astriana enjoyed when she got to spend some time with her friend, though they hadn't had much time to do so lately. She nodded her head, they had both been quite busy lately with their own work. Though, the blonde was sure that Etansi would get a dragon of her own...hopefully sooner than later. Her friend had grown since they had first met and she knew a dragon would find the other perfect for them. At the mention of introduction, she noticed the little bronze firelizard resting on her shoulder.

"He is still a handsome little thing. It is nice to meet you, Necklace. And I will say, Moratath is definitely quite a handsome thing. If you would like, I can properly introduce you to him,"Astri pointed out. She walked over to where Moratath was in his wallow and stroked his head fondly.

At least she has good taste,Moratath thought to his rider. Astri rolled her eyes to her blue, however she waited for Etansi to come closer. She mentally reminded the blue to be nice.

Hattaki

 

[Hattaki]

For once it was Etansi that was just a little more expressive than someone around her, another smile flashing and then disappearing on her face as she glanced down at Necklace on her left shoulder. Unlike Etan he hadn't wrapped his tail around her neck protecitvely so when the teen shrugged her left shoulder very lightly he bounced off of it and danced happily around Astriana, chirping and peeping excitedly as he took her in. His little fire lizard way of saying hello she supposed, which resembled Lolo's at least.

Absently she reached up to run her fingers across Etan's little head and neck, it took a little bit more to keep him calm than it did the other two. Random bursts of excitement made him protective of her, which made her feel a little warm inwardly.

"Found 'im on beach, all alone." There was a little bit of sadness in her voice when she said that, but Etansi really couldn't have been happier. It felt like there was more love in her with another fire lizard. Necklace danced back over to her shoulder when Astriana moved to her large blue dragon and the teen followed slowly her body language not nervous but respectful as possible. Still, she couldn't keep the excitement out of her dark eyes as she glanced up at the blue and his intricate markings.

"Beautiful Moratath." Etansi said in awe, nodding her head to Astriana, "Perfect for Astri."

Dea and #Teddy#

 

[Dea and #Teddy#]

Astriana felt join well up inside of her, seeing how happy her friend seemed to be. It wasn't often she got to see the other smile and the bright beam seemed to fit her quite well. She was tempted to suggest the other smile more, but realized she really was not one to talk. Though, she had been learning to try and work on it a little, while working with Moratath like they had learned in lessons. Her ice blue eyes followed Necklace as he rose into the air a little and seemed to be greeting her. It seemed Etansi had found him, she wondered if something had happened to his mother or if it had just been one of those wild clutches that others sometimes stumbled onto.

"Well, from the look of it, he is doing quite well since you found him. I still cannot believe this blue dragon belongs to me, even after all this time. However, someone decided to be one of the last to impress,"Astri spoke, the last part a gentle prod to her blue.

Hey, I wasn't ready yet, you know. Anyway, Etansi, a friend of Mine, correct?Moratath thought both to his rider and Etansi. He lifted his head and brought it closer to Etansi, to look her over more closely.

Hattaki

 

[Hattaki]

Fingers still giving a gentle scratch down the little head and neck of Etan, the teen nodded her head at Astriana's words of comfort. She'd been doing the best she could for him, for all three of her fire lizards, they were her family after all. Family, and the closest thing she had to a second part of her, with the flashes of emotions and images, colors and thoughts that they shared with her. It was more than she'd had before the moment Etan and Lolo had bonded to her, even if her brother's own blue dragon reminded her time and again that it was nothing like a dragon.

Which meant that being bonded to a dragon must have been something like lightning running through one's body, that was all she could compare it to. It made her both happy for her brother and her friend and terrified for herself.

"Last sometimes is best. For the baby." Etansi felt awkward talking about someone else's bond, she knew full well that Astriana already knew all of this and her already dark cheeks darkened more. "Sorry, didn't mean to bother you when you weren' ready." She bowed her head slightly and looked at the ground, she'd learned her lessons after turns of getting to know dragons, it was the closest thing to speaking against Pern itself to insult a dragon. "Yes, a friend of Astri's."

Dea and #Teddy#

 

[Dea and #Teddy#]

Astriana could tell Etansi was feeling awkward, she knew her friend well enough to pick up on such signs. When she heard the other apologize, she was wondering why, when it hit her. She mentally told Moratath that he needed to explain himself better. She stroked his head, reminding him sometimes people could take something said in a way it was not meant.

I meant when I hatched, not now, Etansi. If you were bothering us, I would have let you know before you even knocked on Mine's door. As highly as Mine thinks of you, then you must be important to her. So for that reason, you are allowed to speak freely,Moratath spoke, still with a bit of bite to his words. However, he knew Astri would know he was going to try and be nice, least as best as he could.

"Don't worry too much about him, you didn't insult him at all. He is pretty cool to most people, but he respects you. Any friend of mine, he is willing to give a chance. We have learned a lot from Master Liat,"Astri assured her friend.

Hattaki

 

[Hattaki]

A blink was what answered Moratath's words for a moment, a blank look crossed the teen's face and it was one of her fire lizard's trills and a flash of color and emotion that snapped her out of her unintentional reverie. It had been quite some time since she'd been 'free' to do anything at all, she had all the freedoms that a Candidate did of course, which was far more than a rider or even Astriana with all their duties and trainings. But the last time she could remember being free in the entire sense of the word had been a terrible time, Etansi had to admit she was much better now.

"Thank you, Moratath. You're a very beautiful dragon." It took an actual effort to not stammer or leave out filler words as she usually did, maybe the lessons she was taking were paying off in more ways than one? The teen was willing to take it, even if it was a forced effort. Instantly a wide smile split her face, white teeth shining out brightly, for once not disappearing instantly.

"Good match, good pair." She nodded happily, Etan and Necklace chirping happily on her shoulders in response to her own joy. "New lessons and chores, yes? Is flying... fun?" Etansi's eyes fairly glowed when she asked, for it was the one thing she wanted to know about the most when it came to dragons. What it was like to fly, to be up in the sky and off of the ground. Through her beloved fire lizards she got to feel the emotions they felt when flying, but that was it, not the sensation itself.

Dea and #Teddy#

 

[Dea and #Teddy#]

Astriana was a little worried when Etansi seemed to zone out, had she or Moratath said something wrong? She hoped not, but her friend was not seeming to reply to either of them at the moment. It took one of Etansi's firelizards to bring the other out of her thoughts, it seemed. A smile came to her lips when her friend complimented Moratath again. She couldn't agree more, but considering he was her dragon, she might be a bit biased with that.

Thank you, Etansi, I am glad you think so. Come, you can get closer, if you wish,Moratath thought to the girl.

"I would take him up on his offer, not something he allows many to do. As for flying, it is incredible. The first time Moratath could take me up, it was like seeing Pern in a whole new way. It is just amazing being up in the sky and connecting with your dragon. Though, Betweening has its moments of fear, even if it is nice to see more of our world. Threadfall...well, I will let you know when we get that far,"she admitted.

Hattaki

 

[Hattaki]

Slowly she inched a bit closer to the blue dragon, getting up close enough to feel the warmth and smell the pleasant scent that came from his sun warmed hide. It was just like Aspalath, even if he was a little chillier to the touch than her large blue dragon brother, Moratath was the same sort of comforting and all the words that she'd heard dragon riders tell her about how they were their best friends seemed to click at last.

It made her feel more than a bit guilty that she'd reacted the way she had two turns previous, when her brother had made that Impression.

Life was about growing though, she had done quite a bit of it herself and still had so much more to do after all. Her unscarred hand reached up slowly and stalled, realizing that she was reaching out when she shouldn't have. "Sorry. Habit with brother's dragon." A sheepish rough laugh left her and she bowed as she would to one of the queens or bronzes on the hatching sands.

"Can't imagine what flying's like, must take breath from body." Etansi stated when she stood back up, her eyes watching the expressions that crossed Astriana's face as her words took her through a journey of feelings from flying to Between to Threadfall. Thread had hurt her brother's two halves, she didn't want to see it eat Astri and Moratath as well, but there was nothing she could do other than hope that they learned from their training. They were warriors now after all, ones that used more than words to fight. "You just need stay safe up there." With her scarred hand she pointed skyward and Necklace followed where she pointed, twirling and dancing into the sky happily.

As if to remind her that it was still safe in the sky above.

Dea and #Teddy#

 

[Dea and #Teddy#]

Astriana watched as Etansi came closer, before the other began to lift her hand and then stop it mid air. She realized why she stopped a moment later when the other apologized. Yes, she supposed the other would be used to petting her brother's blue. She tried not to dwell on how much she didn't like her friend's bother, so focused on what was going on right now.

If you would like to touch, you may. I mean, I did allow you to come close, right?Moratath offered to the girl in a matter of fact way. This was a friend of His Astri, he would make allowances to some of the things he didn't want most others to do. He felt his rider's gratitude for him doing so much, knowing it was still not his comfort zone.

"He likes being scratched behind the eye ridges, just so you know. As for flight, don't worry, we are trying to be as careful as we can. After a bit of scare in our very first solo Between lesson, we have been as careful as we can be. We have people who care about us, we don't want any of youto worry,"she assured.

Hattaki

 

[Hattaki]

Well, if it was behind the eye ridges that he liked it, then who was she to argue? Especially since they were both being extremely kind in the moment and even allowing her this close to touch him, Astriana's most important other half. Gently her unscarred hand reached up to scratch just behind his right eye ridge and a look of pure joy crossed her face instantly. While she avoided completely reaching up to grab his head entirely in both hands, thereby not leaving him an exit other than brute strength, she felt a bit more comfortable than she had before and it showed in that, at least two, of her fire lizards were twirling around and chirping in happiness that outwardly expressed what she currently wasn't.

Etan kept his place on her shoulder, still protective despite the comfort he felt. Sassy to the bones.

"Will always worry about friends, now two friends instead of one. Or.. more friend than before, yes?" Her hand lowered as she smiled up at Moratath brightly despite her normal demeanor. "Just means you're loved, to have people worry about you." Etansi knew full well what it felt like not to be loved in the least, not to have anyone to worry about her at times, though she did have Erastan always and for as long as he was safe fighting thread as well. Very suddenly she wasn't as loved anymore by him and it had taken quite some time to understand why that was, because just like Astriana he had three hearts instead of one now and the other two hearts were most important.

Dea and #Teddy#

 

[Dea and #Teddy#]

Astriana allowed a smile to come to her lips as she saw Etansi begin to scratch Moratath right where she suggested. It made it even better to feel the wave of happiness from her blue at that. Her eyes took in the movement of Etansi's firelizards, knowing it meant she was more at ease as well. Though Etan was just sitting guard, but she had learned that was typical of him. She was proud that both her friend and dragon had been making strides in warming up a little to others. While she was still somewhat reserved, even she was making progress too.

"Yes, I imagine you will always worry about those few of us you care about. I may be in the sky now too, but I worry about my loved ones as well. It is true, people worrying mean they care. And one day, I will get to worry about you and your dragon to be as well,"Astri pointed out.

Mine is right, you will get a dragon of your own. I mean, she had to wait a bit for me, but she knows it was worth the wait. Your's is out there too,Moratath spoke. If his rider believed so much in this girl's chances of being a rider, then he knew she was correct.

Hattaki

 

[Hattaki]

Despite her best effort a grinding noise that might have been a snort passed from Etansi at Astriana's mention of her needing to worry about her and her dragon in the future. That was likely not to happen even if she had many more turns to keep trying. She knew full well what her brother's intentions were even if he still had five turns left at the Weyr before he disappeared, likely taking her with him when she didn't Impress. Personally her feelings on the matter had changed from being amenable to that in the past to being murky and uncertain at best.

While she wanted to wait all twenty two turns to see if her dragon might be out there, the thought of leaving wasn't as appealing anymore in general, even knowing that she might not Impress at all in the end. Astriana and Moratath were at Western, Khamaith and Ezyzu. People and dragons she was close to.

If only her brother could find a way to see that he might have friends in the Weyr too...

"Not sure... Maybe. Many turns from now, would be nice. But I have my boys if it doesn't happen." The grammar in the last statement was forced but she raised her scarred hand up and Lolo landed on her knuckles lightly, his eyes glowing purple with love. "Boys and I will worry for family we found."

Dragon or not.

Dea and #Teddy#