[PRP]These ones grow less quickly (Nadry/Ichta)

[demon_pachabel]

Ichta wasn't looking forward to afternoon drills. She understood their important innately, and she'd still go without complaint, but the morning was still cold enough as spring came in that all she wanted to do was stay inside where it was warm. Because as much as he would try, her dear blue sun could not truly warm her. It would have been so tempting to simply stay curled up in bed with G'ran....

if he'd not already headed out.

I can't fit in the bed with you, Aurinkoth informed her, obviously disappointed. It had been almost three turns since he'd been small enough for such things. He took up so much of her she could barely remember a life without him. She understood so morbidly why those who lost their other halves often followed. I bet Menankiths' weyr is nice and warm right now, though... what with the babies. Who apparently were still all too small, hmm.

I'm sure it is, Ichta agreed, knowing precisely what it was her beloved really wanted. It didn't sound too bad, actually. With full permission, Aurinkoth nudged at his brother. Can we come see the babies?

Meepfur

 

[Meepfur]

Nadry felt like she was only just now catching up after so many months out of a fighting wing, and with so much else she had been focused on in the meantime. The return to some semblance of normalcy again had been very welcome, although things were far from just the same as they had been. Though the twins spent their fair share of time in the creche, with a trio of busy rider parents, they each spent as much time with them as possible. And they had no shortage of doting extended family, either, so it wasn't uncommon for them to be plucked up by a family member with a gap in their day and a want to hold and coo over babies.

With everyone spread out over different wings and duties, with varying schedules, it worked out well. The best, of course, was when they could all be together, but this morning, she was the one with a bit of free time. The twins had started off their morning decidedly fussy, and had only just settled when she felt Menankith perk up. Of course you can come and see the babies! he answered, before informing His that they would soon have company. After all, he knew what the answer would be regardless.

While she was hardly put together yet, Nadry was at least decent, and it wasn't as though her best friend would object either way. She did take a quick glance around the weyr to make sure nothing was too out of place and nothing in need of washing was lying about, but things were tidy enough in spite of what had felt like a hectic morning.

demon_pachabel

 

[demon_pachabel]

While Aurinkoth reached out, Ichta had peeled herself out of her bed. The chill of the weyr had nearly sent her right back under the covers, but now they had plans. Plans meant she had to get up and at least put on something resembling proper clothing. Not that she had any suspicion that Nadry would have judged her for coming over in her pajamas.

It just would have been cold.

Ichta was finishing brushing her hair into submission by the time Aurinkoth relayed Menankith's answer to her. Okay, okay. I'll put my shoes on more quickly then, Ichta replied, mentally pushing back against the flood of bouncy excitement that threatened to drown her across their bond. It would have been a grateful death, though.

It would still be 10 minutes or so before Aurinkoth would land on his brother's ledge, nearly vibrating as he tried to contain himself while Ichta dismounted. Her feet had barely touched the ground before he was off, bumping his head against Menankith's as though he hadn't seen the other dragon in 10 turns. "You'd think we'd been apart for months," Ichta said as she stepped inside off of the ledge, decidedly thankful it was warmer inside than outside. "How has the morning been for you..." Ichta quickly glanced over the room to take stock, "three?" Unless she just hadn't seen one of Nadry's beaus.

How are the babies? And how are you? What have you been up to? Aurinkoth asked his brother, as though he hadn't seen Menankith the day before.

Meepfur

 

[Meepfur]

Menankith was quick to make room for Aurinkoth, fairly prancing while he waited for Ichta to dismount so that he could initiate a proper cuddle with his brother. He thrummed happiness and greetings at both the blue and his rider; he had been quite the happy brown the last few months, between the twins, being back to his duties, and of course, their dear Macuith and His being back to their duties as well. All three dragons and riders were well, there were hatchlings to adore, and life was good.

You're lucky you weren't here earlier, they were being very noisy!
They did not like it when Viandarth's left. Other time it was C'lusi they fussed for, or Nadry, or they just fussed for reasons the brown could not discern. Human hatchlings are very sensitive! It is a good thing dragons don't wail so every time they are hungry. Or dirty, or tired, or hear a noise... Still, for all his befuddlement, he had nothing but affection for the little ones.

"Right? Like they don't see each other every single day," Nadry agreed with a laugh. Menankith was delighted to at last be in a wing with one of his closest friends, not that Nadry felt any differently. "Oh, it's been going. They got upset when the boys left, but they finally wore themselves out."

On the bed, Sir Moustache was entertaining Nasiha with gentle boops and flappies, while Sneaks endured naptime cuddles from Nadrashalu with surprising patience.

demon_pachabel

 

[demon_pachabel]

Where the bowl could have made for interesting watching a few months prior, Aurinkoth now tried to peek inside the weyr as he settled with Menankith, all but laying himself on top of the larger dragon.

Are they noisier than baby firelizards? Aurinkoth asked, briefly thinking of the brood that had been laid in their weyr....twice. Though really, his experience even there was limited. Firelizards were noisy even when they weren't babies. Will they be noisy when he comes back too? Or do they just make noise? Babies were such a mystery, and with both Ichta and G'ran being raised alone as only children neither really had the experience needed to close the gap for understanding.

"It's sure a good thing we all like each other," sure, she'd been part of a Wing for longer than they'd all been Weyrlings together, but that bond would always run deeper. They'd impressed side by side - practically in the same moment. A different kind of magic. "Is that right? You two were fussy little beans for your momma?" Ichta's voice took on an almost familiar baby-talking cadence as she directed her words towards the babies...while still quite obviously talking to Nadry.

There was a soft pop as two more firelizards cracked from between and settled on the bed. Mischief circled the babies with yellow eyes, slowly inching towards Sneaks anxiously with a soft peep of confusion. Poppa what is doing? Naughty Boy, on the other hand, was near immediately scooped up as he attempted to lay on one of the twins.

"No." Creeeeeeeeep?

Meepfur

 

[Meepfur]

Menankith of course had no objection to his brother practically draping himself over him as he tried to peek inside, and only rumbled in a mix of contentment and amusement. He thoroughly enjoyed cuddles of all varieties, an appreciation he'd developed in large part thanks to Aurinkoth and Elzebuth in their early days of weyrlinghood. He'd certainly not hatched with a warm and cuddly nature, bit with those he was close to, he lost most of his sharper edges. They are much, much louder. They may be small, but they don't sound small. He was quite glad he could at least be out here, rather than in the room, when they were really upset about something. No, they are usually not noisy when he comes back. Human hatchlings seem to make most of their noise when they are upset or hungry, not so much when they are happy.

"Mm, most of us are fairly tolerable," Nadry allowed with a chuckle. There were a few siblings that would likely never get on well, but there had never been any major conflicts between any of the riders, so at least there was that. And she was biased, of course, in agreeing with Menankith's unfavorable assessment of one or two clutchmates. "No use asking these two, they'll just deny it," she said with a grin, moving to sit on the edge of the bed and wiggle her fingers at the twins and their company. "Won't you?"

Sneaks cracked open green-blue eyes and let out a quiet peep at Mischief, not daring to move more than just the tip of his tail and risk waking Nadrashalu. He didn't want the tiny humans to be noisy again so soon! Sir Moustache turned his head to cheep at Naughty Boy, then back to Nasiha to flick out his tongue and tickle her cheek. The paler blue clearly enjoyed his babysitting duties.

demon_pachabel

 

[demon_pachabel]

All of Menankith's answers were absolutely fascinating to Aurinkoth, who was making a rather hodge-podge image of what living with a baby was actually like. Despite the babies looking, quite obviously, like small humans, he couldn't help but imagine their mannerisms more like baby firelizards who were about the same size as the small humans - and about ten times as loud. I guess they have to ask for help somehow..... he mused, about the only understanding he had really grasped.

Which meant the default state of a baby was happy as it did not require yelling! Aurinkoth practically beamed in approval of such revelation!

"Oh, is it me? Am I fairly tolerable?" Ichta asked with a half smile, settling on the edge of the bed with Nadry to get what was a gazillionth look at the little ones. They always looked a little different, though delightfully the same as well. As though they were getting just a bit more baby looking than they had been the day before. "Mmmmm, they better be honest little beans with Auntie Ichta - she'll find out, you know!"

How badly she wanted to just hold one of their little feets and play at kicking with them.

Mischief, for her part, peeped softly as she looked at the little infant, eyes whirling yellow with a lack of understanding. Could...she lay on a baby? While Naughty Boy wiggled out of Ichta's hold to loom curiously, Mischief did her best to find a spot where a little firelizard could fit, stepping over, between, and on legs before she flopped haphazardly.

Spot!

Meepfur

 

[Meepfur]

I do not know that they actually need help every time they are loud, but I suppose they might not know the difference between something they need help for and something they just do not like, Menankith mused. Human offspring were much slower to develop than dragons in every way.

Nadry made a show of considering the question, but soon grinned. "I'd say yoy meet the qualifications for tolerable, at the very least."

"They'll be able to charm their way out of anything, I don't doubt," she said with a fond chuckle. How could they not? Though there was no telling which father they would eventually resemble, they would undoubtedly inspire many a swoon regardless. Add in C'lusi's influence either way, and they were bound to be trouble. In a good way. Probably. And who knew what they'd get from her?

Nadry leaned over to very gently tweak Nasiha's toes, sparing Nadrashalu such attention only because he was sleeping. She did keep an eye on Mischief's advance and settling, but though he stirred a bit, the green's quest to get in on the cuddlepile didn't seem to disturb him. Phew. She'd love the quiet to last a bit longer.

demon_pachabel

 

[demon_pachabel]

"Oh, they will be. Especially if Macuith is any sort of an influence," because while the twins had three human parents, they also had three dragons and Ichta was already imagining what charming firestarters they were going to be. And of course, Ichta would love them every step of the way. They were family, as far as she was concerned, and such a delight.

That Nadry hadn't died horribly in childbirth also helped in that opinion. She'd worried a lot about it.

"How are the boys - the dragon ones - handling their new little attention sponges? Any sulking?" Ichta asked, as though such a thing was even a factor in her own life. From what she could see, Menankith looked perfectly content on the ledge, especially with Aurinkoth climbing all over him. Like they'd not seen each other in Turns.

Meepfur

 

[Meepfur]

"He'll be a wonderful influence, I don't doubt," Nadry said, with nothing but fondness for the blue. "And Menankith will be happy to turn them into little rebels, to boot. Maybe we'll get lucky and they'll take some after Viandarth and wind up somewhere in the middle." Not that she actually had any objections to raising a pair of charismatic little rebels on anything more than the practical level of 'sweet Faranth, they are going to be so much trouble.'

"No, no sulking," she answered. "They're all quite pleased, I think, although Menankith for one wishes they would grow faster, like dragons."

Then we will be able to teach them things, he chimed in. And play, of course! He knew Aurinkoth would like that.

demon_pachabel

 

[demon_pachabel]

Ichta laughed, "Try to keep them from being too much trouble - I'd hate for the Weyr to ship ya'll off because you're all such rebels," but there was no judgment in it. In fact, she couldn't imagine any of them being as much trouble unless they followed the lead of the bluerider who had drunkenly tried to tell their Weyrling group that the Weyrleadership needed to die.

Yeah..the bar was incredibly high there.

"Mmm, it is awfully hard to play with them when they're so little!" though Ichta imagined their little family had all sorts of fun ways they entertained babies who were so small.

Aurinkoth very much liked the idea of playing with the littles. How soon until they can play? 2 minutes? 3? Play?

Meepfur

 

[Meepfur]

"If I haven't gotten us kicked out yet, I think we're probably fine," she said with a laugh. "Maybe fine." Nadry had been very concerned, early on, about Menankith being too vocal with some of his views, and had had to convince him to keep them to himself and certain trusted individuals, so that they wouldn't end up transferred or worse. Of course, then she'd gone and punched a certain other brownrider, so...there was that, but they were still here. "Faranth knows what Candidatemaster they'll have or what he'll be like."

Which was very far into the future, but of course she thought about it. She was glad she'd had Gr'del and not F'dral, not that it really would have made much of a difference for her, as she'd very much been a rule-abiding Candidate who'd kept her head down. Then a certain someone had gotten ahold of her, and here they were.

"Sir's got it figured out pretty well. Don't you, buddy?" Nadry tweaked the pale blue's tail, and he turned to play-n** at her fingers.

At Aurinkoth's question, Menankith sighed and lamented, It could be another half a Turn before they even walk.

demon_pachabel

 

[demon_pachabel]

Ichta laughed, "I dunno, you could get these two started early if you wanted to," not that she ever imagined Nadry or her weyrmates raising their children to be like that bluerider (had he been a bluerider?) that had drunkenly suggested they overthrow the Weyr to their Weyrling class.

Ichta liked to not think about him.

"I honestly don't have a super great grasp of F'dral yet, but...things haven't looked too bad," though she was sure Nadry, like herself, had though Gr'del had been doing a rather fair job of things.

Mischief perked up as Sir moved, letting out a soft peep as she all but sat up on the baby she'd been laid across to sniff at Nadry's fingers as well.

What? Why? Aurinkoth's way of phrasing the question made it sound as though he thought it was a personal choice of the twins to not walk for that long.

Meepfur

 

[Meepfur]

"I'm sure the creche will be thrilled if we hand them little heathens," Nadry joked, though the knowledge that inevitably the twins would be spending more and more time in the creche, even fostered, hurt a little to consider. She knew why it was necessary, but they were hers and she wished she didn't have to share them (outside of a few obvious exceptions). But Threadfighting riders, even three of them, couldn't juggle all aspects of parenthood and their duties as riders. Not if they wanted to effective at either.

"Oranie and Elibrie haven't complained, but I expect they wouldn't have much to complain about, even if he is less forgiving than Gr'del. They're not exactly troublemakers." Then again, she hadn't been either.

Their legs don't work properly yet. Menankith considered for a moment, then elaborated Nothing really works properly yet.
I do not understand how they can take so long to be born, then when they finally are, they're not even proper humans yet! Not at all like dragons. We may start out small, but the only thing we can't do is fly.

Humans were very inefficient.

demon_pachabel