[PRP] Spa Treatment (Sylfie/Iathe+Dergs)

[Meepfur]

"Let me see, hmm?" Sylfie tapped gently on her dragon's foot, trying to catch her attention, but the gold was quite occuppied with taking in the views around the lake: both looking for handsome boys with freshly-oiled hides to admire and keeping an eye out in case a friend happened by - or better yet, one of her children. They were no longer nearly so small as they once had been, all graduated and sorted into proper wings, and seeing them all in one place was now quite rare. Many of them could still fit under her wings, but she missed when they had climbed and crawled on her. "Excuse me, ma'am? I need your foot."

Sylfie nudged her a bit harder, and Hesperith finally clued in and carefully held her forefoot so that her rider could inspect her talons. She'd cracked one the sevenday prior, and it needed watching and tending in hopes that it wouldn't split.

Tsunake

 

[Tsunake]

Skerath's claws always seemed to grow longer and sharper than other dragons, and Iathe took special care to keep them trimmed down so they wouldn't hook or snag on things. A soak in the lake would help to soften them up a touch--and Iathe wanted to get a good oiling in anyway. The green dragon rumbled ominously at the sight of a sparkling hide already present, and Iathe made a hushing sound. Skerath had little fondness for queens save a rare few.

As they grew closer, however, Iathe did brighten when she recognized the pair on a more personal level. "Sylfie," She called, raising an arm in greeting. "Hesperith, good morning." Skerath said nothing, her eyes taking on a surly orange swirl as she looked elsewhere.

Meepfur

 

[Meepfur]

Though hardly oblivious to Skerath's orange eyes, Hesperith was still nothing less than pleased to see the green. Iathe was an excellent young woman, and Hesperith couldn't have been happier to see her Impressed (well, perhaps just a bit, if it had been to one of her own children, but she wasn't the type to hang on such things). She had been sure from the start that Skerath was an exemplary dragon, to choose such a worthy one as Iathe. Cautious of crossing boundaries, however, the warm pleasure she gave as a greeting was gentle and brief. Skerath, Iathe. It is a delight to see you both. The day finds you well, I hope?

Looking up from her task, Sylfie returned the wave and offered a soft smile. "Good morning, Iathe. Skerath." She nodded respectfully to the green. "I'd ask how you are, but," a gesture up at her dragon and a little laugh with a nervous edge, "She beat me to it."

And it would be awfully silly to repeat the question.

Tsunake

 

[Tsunake]

It did until now. Came the waspish reply, and Skerath's head swung back around, jutting forward almost aggressively at the older Queen. Iathe, unperturbed, reached up to place a hand upon the green's cheek. Hesperith and Sylife were very kind to me when I was a Candidate. She isn't going to steal me away, or make me wish I had anyone else but you. Skerath pulled her head away with a low rumble, saying nothing but secretly a bit satisfied. Sylife would be eyed wordlessly with only the slightest flare of her nostrils as the green took in the other woman's scent.

Iathe rolled her eyes apologetically at the queen and her rider, smiling back. "We're doing just fine, thank you. Her nails have gotten wickedly sharp again, so... How are the pair of you doing?" It was finally beginning to warm up at last. Sylfie should appreciate that!

Meepfur

 

[Meepfur]

Oh. I am sorry it has taken such a turn, Hesperith answered gracefully, her earlier warmth now much subdued. She had adored Iathe, and would be forever grateful for the help she had been while Hers was ill, and it stung a bit that Skerath would very likely never like her. But she would accept it regardless.

Sylfie patted her dragon's leg, offering her quiet, wordless comfort. "She cracked a nail the other day, so we're trying to keep it from splitting, but we've been doing fine. Same as ever, really, though she's been fretting about her babies ever since they graduated." Ever since they'd started their Between training, really.

Tsunake

 

[Tsunake]

The green dragon said nothing more in response, but she was somewhat mollified that the queen did not continue to push and press. She could only handle so much of that from one queen in particular... and only sometimes.

Iathe was torn. Part of her completely understood that Skerath would never change who she was and wanted to be accepted for it--but she knew how her irascible dragon's nature could be off-putting. She grimaced at the mention of a cracked nail, shaking her head sympathetically. "I hope it heals quickly." She smiled at the queen soon after. Hesperith would be one to care about her children, wouldn't she? She knew some golds persisted only until their little ones were hatched--then their maternal instinct was gone.

"I'm sure they'll be just fine. They had a wonderful mother and a strong sire." That didn't prevent accidents and the chaos that came with Threadfighting, but... Iathe liked Hesperith and Sylfie too much to be as blunt as she could have been.

Meepfur

 

[Meepfur]

Much as she would have have liked to converse with her fellow dragon, Hesperith knew she was out of luck this time, and wouldn't presume to even try to push past Skerath's boundaries. She knew well that not everyone was sociable, and there was nothing inherently wrong with it, even if a part of her pined for the friend that would never be.

But that didn't mean she and Hers couldn't still be Iathe's friends; at least Skerath didn't seem so bothered that she would try to prevent that. I'm sure it will be fine in no time at all, thank you. She was most pleased to be called a wonderful mother, and to have her choice in sires praised, and she thrummed her happiness.

"That's what I keep telling her," Sylfie said, returning to tending the problem claw while carrying on the conversation. "They've all made it this far, and the Weyr's training is the best there is." That a clutch of over thirty had all made it through weyrlinghood was nothing to sneeze at, even if the danger was far from over.

Tsunake

 

[Tsunake]

No doubt it would--she knew Sylfie wouldn't let it get any worse if she could help it. It was... a little bizarre, if she was being honest with herself. She'd accepted the honor of assisting the queen with her bath while Sylfie was sick.... hoping, praying that one day, she would ride an equally magnificent queen. It had seemed like the only way she could ever truly help the Weyr.

By blinding herself, she'd completely discounted her strength and drive--her ferocity. She was a warrior through and through.... and it had been Skerath to make her realize it.

"It is." She agreed quietly, focusing back on Sylfie to shake the daydreams out of her head. "High Reaches... People have plenty to say about us and our traditions, but they work." Her tone grew more firm. "Anyone trained here have the best chance against Thread, and the best teamwork to rely on."

Hesperith's children.... She hoped they would all continue to survive for many more Turns to come. Skerath's clutchmates.... her fellow weyrlings--they hadn't been quite as lucky.

Meepfur

 

[Meepfur]

"They were able to catch us up well enough," Sylfie said with a nod as she continued her work on Hesperith's problem nail. It was possible she was being overly fussy about it, but she'd rather be safe than sorry. She'd rather not have it split, or worse, get infected. "Not that Ista didn't train us at all, but not for Thread."

Nothing against Ista, of course, as no one had been training for that - apart from High Reaches - and the rest of Ista's training had been pretty solid. Dragoncare, flying, Between, even Flights, all of the essentials had been covered. Still, catching up upon arrival at High Reaches had been a daunting task for Sylfie.

Tsunake

 

[Tsunake]

Iathe shrugged unconsciously at that. "Pern never expected Thread to return." She understood that, even if she felt it was short-sighted. "Ista sounds like it did more than some places." From what she'd heard, there were Weyrs that only covered the bare minimum for their weyrlings. She understood her biases, but it still left her feeling incredulous. To compare the careful, diligent training of High Reaches to the thought of being simply tossed out to fend for one's self... No, she was extremely grateful to be where she was.

"I hope to see one of her clutches." She continued, finally kneeling so she could begin to examine Skerath's own wicked claws. "Faranth knows we could use another strong batch." There'd be some very lucky Candidates, if Hesperith rose... Though, not nearly as lucky as she'd gotten.

Skerath, for her part, didn't even snort.

Meepfur