R'den entered the Weyr and began to climb stairs as Shempath jumped the short distance to his dragonledge. The almost bronzerider sighed as he opened the door to the room he shared with several other Sr. Weyrlings and flopped down on his bed. "This isn't fair."?
What? Shempath was not amazingly sympathetic. That you're stuck here, or that she gets to go there?
"Both." He sighed again. Oshieru, not quite understanding what all the moping was about landed on his master's back and began playing with his hair. "Hey! Hey!" The former harper flipped over, catching Oshi as he almost fell out of the bed. "My hair's already a disastor area, it doesn't need your help."
Oshieru nipped at R'den, the blue flit's way of telling him to cheer up or else. R'den did manage to smile. "Alright, alright! I'll be happy. Now you'd better go off and do whatever it is you do when I'm in weyrling class." R'den stood up and stretched. "C'mon Shempath, let's go."
Class doesn't start for another two candlemarks, rider-mine. The bronze seemed to smirk. I'm aware Kiya took your heart, but did she take your mind as well?
"Funny. Really. I'm trying my best not to break out in laughter." R'den grabbed his riding gear. "We're going to practice."
We don't need the practice. We're doing fine. Shempath hated Weyrling classes. He hated how everyone else always seemed to be watching him. He hated how he had to do the same manuevers over and over again, and most of all he hated how the Weyrling Master always seemed to ask him for a demonstration, especially when he was screwing up.
"The Weyrling Master is not picking on you." R'den read his dragon's mind. "I don't know where you get that silly idea."
Shempath pouted. It's true. Every single time he asks me to do something it's always something that I have problems with. He never asks me to do anything easy. Like that time he made us all take off from the cliffs one at a time.
R'den tried to to smile as he remembered one of Shempath's first 'bathes'. Shempath had been trying to show off, proving that he was better than all his clutchmates. He leapt magnificantly from the cliff, his bronze hide gleaming in the sun. He dove towards the water, waiting until the last possible moment to unfurl his wings...unfortunately the last possible moment was a few moments before the dragon calculated. Shempath had ended up in the water and almost didn't come out. He was sure it was possible to die from embarrassment.
"Shempath, love." R'den really tried hard not to smile. "You were trying to show off. Everytime he asks you to do something you try to show off. When you're all practicing together he sees you doing it perfectly, he asks you to demonstrate it again and it goes straight to your head. With the way your ego gets I'm surprised there's room for you in there."
The frosted bronze snorted. I'm not showing off. He shook his head. I'm just showing them how to do it.
"Really?" R'den wasn't convinced.
Shempath snorted again. Fine. The bronze stormed out of the room and glided down to the Weyrbowl. You want to practice, we'll practice.
R'den sighed as he headed down the stairs to meet his lifemate. "I didn't mean to make you mad. Calm down."
Shempath didn't answer, he simply sat in the Weyrbowl angrily flicking his tail back and forth. R'den shook his head when he saw him. "You look like a spoiled brat who just got told the world doesn't revolve around him. Everyone likes to show off now and then, it's a natural tendency when you think you're doing good. You don't have to sulk about it..."
"Hey!" One of R'den's classmates approached. "Getting in some extra practice before lessons?"
"Yeah." For the life of him, R'den could not remember the man's name. "You?"
The person was obviously cocky. "Nah. We don't need it."
See? Even humans act like they are the center of the universe too. He'll probably make himself look like an idiot... R'den smiled and tried to pretend the comment didn't rub him the wrong way.
It wasn't until he heard the anger in Shempath's voice did he realize the other dragon must have been making similar comments to the bronze. And I would love the honour of making you eat those words you wherry!! Let's go! Shempath bugled and reared, spreading his wings.
"Hey!" R'den turned to face his dragon. "Go where? Why?"
The other man laughed. "You're pampered bronze seems to think he's faster than my lifemate."
No!! R'den called mentally to Shempath. Don't!
Unfortunately, nothing could have stopped the two dragons by that point. They both leapt into the air and took off across the open fields next to the Weyr.
R'den ran to the Weyr gates to watch the race/fight. "No!" He yelled, realizing it was pointless, but feeling the need to do something. "Bad dragon!"
"That'll work." The other man was obviously enjoying this.
"What in the name of the Red Star is going on here?" The Weyrling Master, obviously not as excited about the race, approached from behind.
"Nothing?" R'den knew he wouldn't be believed. Everyone in the Weyrbowl was already watching the two flying dragons. Shempath, get back here!!
The bronze was enjoying himself. Whatever you say. Shempath dove beneath his opponent, knocked the other dragon's stomach with his tail and then took off towards the Weyr at break-neck speed. The other dragon quickly took off after him. Shempath circled the outside of the Weyr once before heading directly towards the feeding grounds, his opponent close on his tail.
Shempath! R'den mentally yelled. The old stables!! The old stables were a bunch of wooden stalls once used for holding runners, but now they were just decaying.
Shempath seemed to smile. I see them. The bronze didn't change his course.
Why aren't you turning then?!? R'den fists were balled so tightly that his own nails were cutting his skin.
Because he won't! At the very last moment Shempath pulled up sharply, just skimming the tops of the buildings. His pursuer plowed right into them. Shempath was laughing as he landed in the Weyrbowl.
The other dragon's rider took off towards the wreck, only taking the time to shout a few choice words back to R'den. The Weyrling Master turned to R'den and sighed. "I sent Kiya and Bynnkyth away in the hopes Shempath would stop acting like this." He hurried after the other rider, telling R'den to meet him in his office before class.
R'den sighed. We're in trouble you know.
It was worth it. Shempath's hide glistened with sweat.
R'den turned to glare at his lifemate. "I'll probably be cleaning out runner stalls for the rest of my life. How is that worth it?"
Shempath reared and flapped his wings, showing off again. The dragon realized what he was doing and quickly changed his plan. He lay down next to his rider, waiting for the Weyrling Master to return with their punishment. You said people who show off always end up looking like idiots. It's good to make someone else look like an idiot for a change.
As angry as he was trying to be, R'den couldn't help smiling.
Read R'den's hatchling story!
Read R'den's candidate story!
R'den impressed Shempath at Mountain's Note Weyr.
Oshieru's picture is from Dark Moon Weyr.
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