Winged breakfast (open)

[ShadowReine]

B'can was annoyed with Apolloth. He was really trying his best not to be, but he could not help it.

It had barely been dawn when the tan suddenly announced that he was hungry, and he was going to the feeding grounds now. No rider could sleep through that...so B'can surrendered to the inevitable, got dressed and accompanied the great beast.

He stood at a safe distance as the tan made his first pass over the herd, looking for just the right victim.

"And on the one day this sevenday I got to sleep in. I swear, dragons were created to annoy their riders."

No. Riders were created to annoy dragons.

"And where would you be without me to oil you, eh?"

The tan had no answer to that...maybe because he had finally found a herdbeast he liked and was cutting it from the milling, stampeding herd.

[Sparrow]

You know what... actually, I'm not hungry anymore. Artemisth pulled up short in her flight and started to swivel around, not about to enter the feeding pens with Apolloth in there.

What?! You dragged me out here at this hour and... no. You woke me up, you're eating now. Salise, at least, was learning some commanding abilities from having such an irritating dragon. She didn't want to be up, but she was because of Artemisth, and she wasn't about to let the Barred go back on all the whining about how hungry she was they had both lived through.

I'm the one flying. Artemisth had hesitated, but was turning around now. Who cared about her rumbling stomach, she wasn't having anything to do with that Tan.

And I'm the one who didn't even want to come. You should have listened to me beforehand. Hopefully Artemisth hated the idea of being wrong more than she did Apolloth, Salise didn't want to have to come out again later now that she'd been dragged out here.

Well, I was hungry then. And thinking about it now brought that irritating twinge back, Apolloth or not. Artemisth gave her teeth an angry snap, dropped Salise off somewhat near B'can, and took off to catch a herdbeast. At least eating didn't take all that long, she could eat and get away from here.

Salise sighed. She didn't have the slightest idea why her dragon still had a grudge against Apolloth, and it was, like it had always been, nothing but annoying. Artemisth herself was a pill, and she had no clue what to do about it. Of course, as far as she could tell, Apolloth had never been much better. Salise glanced at B'can. "Sometimes I think we ended up with the most irritating dragons that could have ever lived on Pern."

Or we just got the most irritating riders. Artemisth snorted and tore into her catch.

[ShadowReine]

B'can shook his head. "I don't know what's with those two. They Hatched mad with each other...I wonder what will happen when Artemisth rises."

Would Apolloth chase her out of sheer perversity? Maybe. For right now, he was pointedly ignoring the barred as he selected a herdbeast and neatly, quickly made his kill. He settled down to feed. With his back to her.

"They're a right pair, aren't they. And there's no reason for it." Sibling rivalry. But dragons weren't really supposed to be like that or hold grudges or...well. There was nothing to be done about it. They would always be like this.

He actually hoped APolloth would not chase Artemisth. Not that he had anything against Salise...quite the opposite, in fact. Just that they would neither of them hear the last of it if he *caught* her.

[Sparrow]

Salise shrugged. “Not anything particularly good.” Artemisth was irritable enough, they really didn’t need the dragon proddy, or having an actual Flight. At least the Barred who had risen already hadn’t clutched, hopefully that meant she would never have to worry about a broody Artemisth.

As B’can continued, Salise couldn’t help but agree with him. “No reason at all.” She shook her head. “Of course, Artemisth thinks there is.” She didn’t know if Apolloth did, or if her being rude to him all the time just made him act the same.

Of course there is! He’s always just barely- Well, she wasn’t about to admit he beat her at anything. He makes such a big deal out of everything he does! I could take him. She took a vicious bite out of her herdbeast as if to prove that.

Salise rolled her eyes. You make a big deal out of everything. Hopefully neither would ever have to prove they could take either in anything too. This more mental battle was bad enough.

With that in mind, the possibility of Apolloth chasing Artemisth when she rose suddenly seemed quite horrifying (which it may have earlier, if Salise ever really thought about it). He had chased the senior queen; he was obviously daring enough. But what would the Barred do about it?

[ShadowReine]

B'can shook his head as Apolloth finished his first kill and launched for a second. "How hungry *are* you, love?"

Two beast's worth the tan informed.

"As long as they don't compete at eating..Artemisth would get a stomach-ache if she tried to eat as much as a tan." B'can hesitated. "You know, what I think we need to do is convince them that a barred and a tan *can't* compete...they're too different. Apolloth will always be better at some things and Artemisth at others."

It was true...Artemisth could not compete with the bigger dragon for stamina, but could fly wings around him. The colors, even with all the new ones, still complimented one another and formed a spread that filled all the holes a wing needed to be filled.

Well, except he was still not quite sure what they should do with the white. The white before had flown with the queens, but that had been as much to protect his Lord Holder rider as anything else...Gwen was only a wingrider.

[Sparrow]

Artemisth watched Apolloth out of the corner of her eye as she finished off her beast, but didn’t take off as she finished it. Instead the Barred stretched, her shining wings spreading out to her side and her mouth open in a contented yawn. There wasn’t any question that Artemisth, like her brother, had grown into an almost perfect example of her type of dragon… if only they could do something about her aggravating personality.

“I think she’s at least smarter than that.” Artemisth wouldn’t risk overeating and potentially make herself lose at something much more important. “And I think she realizes that too… she tends to go after everything in that middle space.” Salise sighed.

Artemisth just snorted and then lay down, settling her head on the ground and half-closing her eyes.

You drag me out here this early to eat one beast and go back to sleep?

I’m not hungry anymore. She rumbled softly. And it’s perfectly nice out here. With Apolloth in the vicinity, Salise doubted her dragon, but there wasn’t a lot she could do about it.

“Mostly she’s just weird.” Salise had been hoping for this to not take too long and get back to bed, but, as usual, Artemisth had other plans. Basically, she felt she and Artemisth still needed to reach that ‘click’ point. The dragon had Impressed to her for a reason anyways.

[ShadowReine]

"Apolloth will hurt me for saying this, but she's a very pretty barred."

She was, too. B'can might well make the same observation as Salise...that the two dragons were pretty classic of their color. That both would serve well as illustrations of barred and tan for candidate lessons.

Apolloth was airborne again, moving towards another beast.

"Barreds shouldn't eat as much as tans anyway. Smaller stomach. There's advantages to big and to small." And he knew that Apolloth was big for a tan...heck, there was no way the dragon would let him forget it. "I think the real problem is they both feel they have so much to prove. Apolloth wants to prove he can do anything a bronze can..."

Which was why he had gone after the senior gold. Or maybe that had just been natural dragon lust. Both, B'can decided, in about equal measure.

[Sparrow]

“I can say the same for Apolloth, although handsome rather than pretty.” Salise smiled. With that lean build and his light color, he had definitely grown into a perfect example of a dragon.

I think he’s much too skinny. Of course Artemisth had to put in her argumentative two bits. Salise ignored the Barred, it wouldn’t make any difference to her when she flew what a male looked like.

“And Artemisth just wants to prove she can do more than whatever any one else can.” She rolled her eyes. “But I imagine Apolloth could do anything a Bronze could, except be bronze in color.” He was a big Tan anyways, and had already chased a Gold. Had it not been the senior queen and his first Flight, he could easily have had as good a chance as the Bronzes.

Artemisth half-opened her eyes again to look at the pair of humans lazily. Our Bronzes aren’t ones to tell tales about anyways. Salise quietly reminded her that they weren’t ones to judge, seeing as neither really knew any of the Bronzes. Why did she have to end up with one dragon that hated every other creature on Pern?

It's not hate, Mine. You jump to such odd conclusions.

[ShadowReine]

B'can nodded. "You know what I think is the real problem between these two?" He glanced at the two dragons, both fine examples of their color. Both strong, healthy, good flyers.

"Apolloth is going to kick my butt, but they're too damn *similar*. They're cut from the same cloth, and although they're different colors, they're still very much..." He paused, hesitating. "Very much the same kind of person. Small wonder they can't stand each other. It's not even sibling rivalry, it's...eh. They'll push each other to greatness if we let them."

[Sparrow]

Don’t you dare agree with that. Artemisth raised her head to give Salise a sour look as B’can spoke.

It didn’t matter much what Artemisth’s opinion on that though- B’can was right, as far as Salise was concerned. But there were a lot of directions the pair could push each other, greatness was definitely favorable but… that would need to be brought about carefully.

“I think Artemisth would happily kick your butt too. And mine for agreeing.” Salise smiled. “I don’t think either would appreciate the possibility of the other helping them achieve whatever it is they’re going for. Artemisth even seems to believe she Impressed me just for formalities sake, not because she needs any sort of assistance or even companionship.”

That, at least, she knew was wrong, and not just because Artemisth had been completely dependant on Salise when she first hatched. However snooty the Barred acted, and however bothered Salise got by it, they shared a connection that wasn’t there just because dragons had a habit of finding a rider after all these Turns.

[ShadowReine]

B'can laughed. "But they don't really hate each other. It's not quite hate. It's something else."

Apolloth was, of course, the best, but when his dragon wasn't listening, B'can privately thought Artemisth was quite an attractive dragon.

Although, not the most attractive female in the Weyr. He wouldn't *object* if Apolloth chased, but his interests lay elsewhere.

"And that's because she doesn't want to admit she cares for anyone. Apolloth's much the same way."

Well, who else would get firestone for me?

I thought you were busy eating

I am. It tastes good

"I really feel sorry for anyone who Impresses who's even a little squeamish about blood," B'can added, indicating his dragon, who was taking great pleasure in tearing his kill apart. At least the herdbeasts tended to die very quickly. Apolloth was not one to play with his food.

Neither, from what he was seeing, was Artemisth. Nayarath was terrible for running weight off the herds, but she *was* senior. She was allowed her little indulgences.

[Sparrow]

Salise smiled. “No, it’s not hate.” Maybe Artemisth secretly liked him and that made her mad- but that wasn’t likely, especially considering that the way she felt about Apolloth was only a touch worse than her opinions on every other male dragon in the Weyr. “But I can’t say what to call it either, I guess.”

It would be interesting to see if Apolloth chased when Artemisth Rose though, and how that would go. Salise didn’t know of any other dragons that seemed so deterred by the Barred, but she figured anything could happen when the flightlust kicked in.

“Yeah.” There wasn’t much more to say on whether either dragon liked admitting caring for others. It had already been decided that they were alike, and it had long been known that both were vain. Salise grinned as B’can changed the subject, a little relieved but mostly entertained by the comment.

“I do too, although I think I have yet to see it.” Did dragons take into account little things like that when they were Searching? Salise wasn’t sure how they could, but it did seem like an important fact, now that she was thinking about it. “At least it doesn’t look like either of ours are particularly messy eaters.”

Artemisth wasn’t much of an eater at all, seeming to prefer eating often in small amounts rather than occasionally gorging.

[ShadowReine]

"Yeah. Or...well, no. If somebody was afraid of heights, they would probably turn down Search. Or go to the whers. Of course...somebody who was that way might Impress from the Stands. What a nightmare for the Weyrlingmaster!"

B'can shuddered. "Now there is a job I don't want. I don't think I have the patience for it. Of course, if Apolloth has his way...*he* wants to end up Weyrleader."

Could B'can do it? Eventually. But not, he hoped, for a good number of turns yet. Ten would be about right, he thought, for him to have enough experience. And he would have to buck for wingleader at some point, but there was just no hurry on it. Better to wait and do it right, than rush into things and end up getting busted.

"Although I'll be surprised if he doesn't end up catching one of the queens. He's as big as some of the bronzes, after all."

NRPG: I believe this IS before Jorindath's flight. Right?

[Sparrow]

((Yeah, that’s how I’ve been imagining it. ))

“That’s true.” Would a dragon really Impress to someone with those fears? It would be hard to do much if the rider was scared to sit a dragon while it flew. But if the personality seemed right… maybe. If there was a dragon with the same fears as its lifemate, things could work out, but Salise doubted that was possible.

Salise laughed. “I don’t either.” They sure had gone through a bunch of weyrlingmasters quickly, it couldn’t be a good job. “But I’m… sure you could make a good Weyrleader. But Apolloth would have to catch Nayarath.” It was no surprise to her at all that the Tan had such dreams, she wasn’t sure B’can sounded as eager. And could Apolloth catch the senior queen? Anything was possible, but Nayarath had such a high and mighty attitude. It didn’t seem like she would let anything but Bronzes near her.

“I bet he could.” From what she heard, Apolloth hadn’t done half bad when he chased Nayarath, he was just far too young to really impress her. “I’m sure he has a good chance with the Violets, anyways.” Golds, maybe, were still too picky, but Salise really didn’t know for sure.

“I’m glad I don’t have to worry about any of that though.” Small female dragons were the way to go, even if they had attitudes like Artemisth.

[ShadowReine]

B'can nodded. "Yeah. I would not object to him catching one of the violets, although I would prefer if he caught Voluspath."

He frowned. "Except Voluspath has made it very clear no mere tan is getting anywhere near her. Nayarath...that could happen. Voluspath...it seems very unlikely."

And that hurt. Maybe he needed to set his sights on a different rider. A safer rider, for that matter, one that would not make him junior weyrleader just yet. A barred rider, maybe.

Of course, Salise was pretty much out of the question, just from *her* dragon's attitude. Sharding dragons anyway. They messed everything up...and catching a female almost scared him.

What if she fell in love with him? Or he her? Worst of all...what if Apolloth caught a male ridden green and *that* rider fell in love with him. That would hurt everyone concerned.

[Sparrow]

“Things could turn out differently in the Flight.” If Apolloth caught Voluspath, there wasn’t a lot she could do about it. “It’s not like Artemisth has plans to let anyone near her, anyways.” Salise rolled her eyes. When the Barred flew, someone had to catch her eventually and there wasn’t anything she could do about it. “Her mind will have to change… I guess Voluspath’s could too.”

It was possible. Remotely maybe, but the chance was there. Maybe if a Tan were to catch Nayarath there would be a better chance. Could it be that Voluspath was just trying really hard to follow in her mother’s footsteps, and that brought about the pickiness? Salise really didn’t know anything about the Gold past what she had heard, and probably even less about Brylorea. She couldn’t say.

There wasn’t a lot to say on dragons until whatever about them happened, really.

But unpredictability is obviously an endearing trait. Artemisth rumbled lightly.

Kind of. It was a worrisome one too. Salise didn’t like thinking about all the not-so-good possibilities.

[ShadowReine]

B'can nodded. "So far he hasn't managed to catch even a green or barred, so...although as big as he is, he's going to have problems with the smaller greens. And maybe. And Artemisth will have to change her mind..."

He'd bet the barred would be picky. And possibly, despite her attitude, more loyal to one mate than most of the smaller females. At least the barred dragons didn't clutch. They didn't need *that* many dragons.

"I bet he'll chase her." He might insist he wouldn't, but B'can knew his dragon. There was no way he would be able to resist the temptation, just because it was his best chance to *really* prove he could outfly his sister. Heck, she would probably want him to, for the same reason.

They would see which of the two 'won'.