Zatani awoke quickly, startled awake by the nightmares ravaging his dreams. He looked around, trying to remember where he was; this place... So strange and unfamiliar... Boys slept in beds all around him, but there was no sign of Kaymor. He whimpered softly, hunkering down in the covers, trying to remember where he was.
Someone in the bed next to him, apparently a light sleeper, caught the whine and looked up to see Zatani trembling under his sleeping skins. He made a face, groaned, and rolled over. The little queer kid was crying again, he thought to himself, though that wasn't entirely true. Zatani was frightened, this much was true, but not to tears.
As he woke up a little more, and sleep fogged his memory less and less, he remembered where he was. Not at Talis Weyr anymore, no, this was the candidate barracks at Dark Moon Weyr, his new home.
For now, anyway.
He curled up beneath his sleeping skins and tried to go back to sleep, but he already knew that it would not come easily. It never did for him. He wanted someone to hold him tight and keep him warm and safe, so if the nightmares that frequented his sleep so often now bothered him again, he would wake up and be cuddled back to sleep by someone who loved him.
He wanted Kaymor.
Slowly, he crawled out of bed, careful to do it quietly so that he wouldn't disturb anyone. The stone floor was icy under his feet, and it made him shiver involuntarily. He slipped on his shoes, which lay beside his bed, and got to his feet.
Everything was quiet. The full moon shone in the open entrance to the Candidate's Barracks, illuminating the stone walls with a cold, eerie gleam. Throughout the room were the sounds of other sleeping men and boys, who, like himself, waited here to one day, perhaps, Impress one of the dragons from this Weyr. The day was fast approaching, as Green/Blue Cesiyath's clutch was hardening on the sands, and the young dragon was growing restless. All the signs of an imminent hatching!
Slowly, making his way carefully across the darkened room, he made his way to the door and out into the Weyrbowl.
Outside, the watchdragon peered at him scrupulously, and Zatani slipped nervously into the shadows. The dragon, fortunately, did not alert his rider to the young boy's presance. His rider slept peacefully at his dragon's side, unaware of the goings on in the Weyrbowl below. The watchdragon knew the boy belonged here, and if he was caught wandering around after dark, the Weyrlingmaster would deal with him. But it was not his own business, therefore, he did not find it an important enough matter to awaken his slumbering rider over.
Slowly, Zatani withdrew from his hiding place. When he looked up at the watchdragon, he saw that he was looking the other way. Zatani gave little thought to this matter, however, and was merely thankful for it.
He carefully made his way over to the next doorway. Another entrance, this one to a different section of the barracks. He slipped inside, looking around for his weyrmate Kaymor. He found him almost immediately, sleeping in the bed almost right next to the doorway. Sleeping uncomfortably, Zatani thought. The furs were twisted about Kaymor's body in an unfashionable manner, as to suggest that he had been tossing in his sleep. Had his sleep been tormented with nightmares as well?
Zatani crept up to the side of his bed, then, tentatively, reached out a hand and nudged his weyrmate's shoulder. Kaymor, who was known to be a heavy sleeper, simply groaned and rolled over. However, Zatani persisted, and finally, Kaymor opened one eye.
"Go awaaaay..." He moaned groggily, "It's too early to get up..."
"Kaymor, it's me!" Zatani whispered, and Kaymor opened his other eye.
"... Zatani?" He croaked, his sleepyness very evident in the sound of his voice, "What are you doing here?..."
"I... I could't sleep..." Zatani whispered in a sad, childish voice, "I don't like it here, it's too unfamiliar... Can I sleep with you?"
Kaymor grinned, now completely awakened by his weyrmate's request.
"... Alright," Kaymor said at length, "But, if you want to sleep in this bed, you gotta pay the due tithes, my friend..."
"Tithes?" Zatani asked, utterly confused. However, it became rather clear what Kaymor meant as the man grabbed him about the waist eagerly and pulled him into bed with him...
**********
Almost a full candlemark later, Zatani lay curled up at Kaymor's side, their jostling activities over with for a while now. Zatani was smiling contentedly, feeling comfortable and, more importantly, loved. However, Kaymor appeared thoroughly exhausted, and seemed to be already going back to sleep. He never was one to show his affection very easily, but Zatani knew that he was smiling on the inside.
Zatani sighed softly and snuggled deeply into Kaymor's chest, and though he was tired, Kaymor wrapped his arms around his little weyrmate and cuddled him appropriately and adequately.
"What's wrong, Zatani?" Kaymor asked him, pressing his lips against Zatani's forehead as he spoke.
"I'm... It's nothing..." Zatani whispered, squirming uncomfortably at the thought of being questioned.
"Oh, come on! Don't tell me that you came all the way out to the older men's barracks, risking being caught and punished, just so you could satisfy your urges! Now, come on, tell me what's bothering you, little one."
"I told you," Zatani insisted, "It's nothing!"
"No, it's not nothing," Kaymor repeated, "Nothing couldn't make you this quiet. Now tell me what's wrong!"
"I..." Zatani stammered, "... I don't want to Impress! I wanna go home, Kaymor..."
"Why?" Kaymor asked quietly, stroking his weyrmate's silky black hair fondly, "I thought you wanted to Impress a dragon, Zatani! That's why we agreed to come here in the first place when we were searched!"
"I... I know, but..." Zatani stuttered, "I... I've been having these dreams..."
"What kind of dreams?" Kaymor inquired gently. It was times like this he acted more like a parent than a lover, but that seemed to suit Zatani just fine. Nothing else could ever appeal to him as much as his weyrmate gently mothering him, displaying his affection, as well as making Zatani feel cared for.
"Well... I dreamed that I was on the sands here, just standing there, watching the dragons hatch, and... and then I look down and I realize that I don't have on the white robes, the ones for impression..."
"Yes, go on," Kaymor urged him.
"Well, then I turn to leave, and there's a big bronze dragon standing behind me. And... And before I can get away, he swipes at me, and... I fall on the ground and the sands go all red... and I see him standing over me... And then I wake up..."
"Zatani, it's only a dream," Kaymor cooed at his frightened weyrmate, "There hasn't been a reported death, or even injury, on these sands in the entire history of Dark Moon Weyr!"
"I... I know, but... When I go out on the sands, during weyrling excercises, when we're suppoused to be touching the eggs... I just... I get this feeling... Like if I look behind me..."
"Zatani, there's nothing to be afraid of! Bronzes don't just go around killing people! My father was a bronzerider, and his dragon was as tame as a well-fed feline, I tell you!"
"But, Kaymor..." Zatani whimpered, "What if the Hatching happens, and I get out on the sands, and I freeze up? Everyone would be watching, and they would laugh at me... I don't want to do this! I wanna go home!!!"
Zatani buried his face in Kaymor's chest and began to cry softly, holding him so tightly that Kaymor was sure he would rip his skinny arms out of thier sockets with that grip of his. Kaymor smiled warmly at him, taking his chin gently in one hand and turning Zatani's head up to look him in the face.
"There's nothing to be afraid of, Zatani!" Kaymor cooed reassuringly, "I'll be there, right beside you, the entire time. I won't leave you."
"... You promise?" Zatani whimpered, sniffling slightly. He wiped his tear-streaked face with one arm, gazing up into Kaymor's eyes with hope and adoration.
"I won't leave you," Kaymor stated softly, holding his little weyrmate tightly, "I promise..."
**********
Neither of them slept much that night, through Zatani's crying and Kaymor's constantly having to comfort the frightened boy. Zatani eventually exhausted himself from sobbing and fell asleep in Kaymor's arms, and Kaymor gradually joined him. No more nightmares came that night for Zatani, but Kaymor had one, in which he stood on the sands and saw Zatani being ripped apart by a wild hatchling dragon. In the dream, no matter how fast Kaymor tried to run his weyrmate's side, he legs just wouldn't move.
When they awoke the next morning, neither of them had much to say, as neither wished to speak of Zatani's fit last night. Kaymor knew he must be embarassed enough about it, with him having to bring it up, so he kept silent.
And life, for them, continued as usual.
For a while, anyway.
**********
"Zatani?" Kaymor said gently, placing a steadying hand on his weyrmate's shoulder, "The Weyrwoman has informed me that the eggs are hatching soon..."
Kaymor felt Zatani tense, and he put an arm around his shoulders comfortingly.
"Are you sure you're up to this?" Kaymor asked him tenderly, "We can pull out at the last minute, if you want. I won't force you to do it...
"No," Zatani assuered him, "I'm fine. I want to do this!"
"There will be other hatchings..." Kaymor reminded him, "You don't have to Impress at this one!"
"No!" Zatani exclaimed suddenly, shocking even his weyrmate, who was used to his antics by now, "If we don't do this now, we never will! I don't want to mess up your chances to Impress!"
"But I can just go somewhere else later," Kaymor reminded him, "It's not like this is the last dragon's clutch on all of Pern!"
"No..." Zatani said quietly, curling into Kaymor's arms, "... But this is the only chance we will have to Impress... If I don't go out there now, I doubt I'll ever be able to come back without you there to support me..."
Kaymor smiled and held his little weyrmate, stroking his long, silky hair.
"Alright," He said finally, "Let's do it."
Together, they gathered their white candidacy robes and put them on (Zatani going to great lengths to make sure his was worn in exactly the right way). Then, hand in hand, they followed the other candidates out onto the sands, where some of the eggs were already rocking.
"... Kaymor?" Zatani whispered to his weyrmate quietly, just before one of the dragonets began to break shell.
"Yes?" Kaymor replied softly, diverting his attention from the rocking eggs to his beloved weyrmate when he spoke.
"... I love you..." Zatani whispered softly to Kaymor as the first egg broke...
**********
"Shards, Tryth!" Z'tani exclaimed as he tried to oil his dragon, "Don't squirm around like that!"
I can't help it... Tryth whined, ducking her head sheepishly, It itches! I want to scratch!
"It'll stop itching once I oil your hide, so hold still!" Z'tani commanded playfully, then looked over at K'mor, who was oiling his little brown. Yindath was standing still and obediant, allowing K'mor to oil the brown dragonet appropriately.
"See, Tryth?" Z'tani said, indicating to the brown, "Why can't you be nice and still like Yindath?"
The little green/silver dragonet looked over at her sibling and snorted with disgust.
He's such a showoff! Tryth said bitterly, He's stuck up and in love with himself, and I don't like him!
At least I'm not a little midget like she is! Yindath shot back, You're such a snob, Tryth! Why don't you go crawl back into your eggshell!
"Now now, Tryth! No calling my Weyrmate's dragon names!" Z'tani scolded her affectionately. K'mor caught the comment and looked up from his job at Z'tani and his dragon.
"I really hope they don't argue like this forever!" K'mor commented, "After all, I'm not allowing Yindath fly any dragon but yours, Z'tani!"
Both hatchlings loudly exclaimed their disgust, both at the prospect of mating, and with one another. Z'tani and K'mor chuckled to themselves, then, sparing each other a short, affectionate glance, they set back to work.
**********
"Z'tani, you're not fastening those straps right..." K'mor said helpfully, "Here, let me do them for you..."
"No K'mor! I need to learn how to do these the right way! Leave me alone!" Z'tani exclaimed, batting K'mor away from Tryth half-heartedly. K'mor have him a hurt glance, and Z'tani whimpered and rushed to his side.
"I'm sorry, I love you, don't be mad at me!" Z'tani cried, burying his face in K'mor's chest. His weyrmate smiled, stroking his silky hair affectionately.
"I'm not mad," K'mor said, "And you're right, Z'tani, you DO need to learn how to do the straps on your own..."
"... But I want you to do them for me now..." Z'tani whimpered, refusing to let go of his lover, "Just stay with me forever..."
K'mor sighed. It was a lot of stress on his poor little weyrmate... Neither of their dragons, though more mature now, showed much interest in each other as potential mates, and now Z'tani's nightmares of bronze dragons were replaced by visions of Tryth's mating flight, where she is caught by a strange dragon and Z'tani is torn from his lover's arms and forced into another's...
Tryth, catching her rider's discontent, cranned her long, graceful neck and nuzzled the back of Z'tani's neck.
Don't worry... Tryth said soothingly in her rider's mind, That won't happen for quite some time... And I certaintly won't disappoint you!
I want you to be happy as well, K'mor, Yindath thought to his own rider, So I will consider Tryth. For you.
CONSIDER me?!? Tryth exclaimed, You'll be lucky if you can even keep up with me!
Z'tani smiled, in spite of himself, as their dragons began to argue as usual. Something would happen, that was for sure. He just wished he knew WHAT...
**********
Z'tani awoke, as usual, in K'mor's arms. He stretched comfortably, snuggling deeper into the sweet warmth, in hopes of falling back to sleep...
... But something was obviously amiss. He could feel it. Was it his proddy Tryth? Was she going to rise today?...
Worried, he sprang out of his bed, wearing nothing at all on his body to warm him in the chill of the morning air. He crept out to see where his Tryth was... And sighed with relief as he saw she was sleeping on the dragon couch. Her tail was twitching like mad, and it looked like a restless sleep, but she did indeed lie. Satisfied, he turned around to retreat to the comfortable warmth of the sleeping room...
You worry for her?... And yourself, I guess... Yindath commented quietly, raising his head from his forepaws. Z'tani turned and glanced in Yindath's direction. How unusual it was, to have a dragon's voice in his head, other than Tryth's. Every now and then, he could hear him speaking, much to his surprise. Was it because of all the time he spent with K'mor?...
"You of all dragons should know I'm worrying..." Z'tani said miserably, "... What am I gonna DO, Yindath?..."
The great brown dragon yawned contentedly and closed his eyes. Obviously, he did not know the answer to that one...
"Simple. You'll let what happens, HAPPEN," A soft voice cooed behind him. K'mor was awake.
"K'mor, I..." Z'tani whimpered, then threw himself into his weyrmate's arms. K'mor smiled and held his young lover tightly.
"You worry too much, my darling..." K'mor said softly, "When your Tryth rises, she will be the brightest star in the sky... And my Yindath will be present to chase, my dear..."
"And if he doesn't catch her?" Z'tani whined, "And I'm paired with another rider?... I won't lose you, K'mor... I love you..."
"Tryth will mate. As will you, my love," K'mor said gently, "... And if she takes another partner? So will you. A lucky man of woman THAT will be..."
"K'mor..." Z'tani said softly, "Are you saying..."
"No I'm NOT!" K'mor cried, "I love you, you little imp! But, should Tryth be won by someone else? Then you will meet with their rider, and return to my arms afterward. It is nature, my love. Cannot be changed..."
Z'tani sighed, but said nothing. He gazed over at his lovely dragon... So peaceful now... She wouldn't betray him like that...
K'mor scooped him back up into his arms, carrying him off to their sleeping room. Z'tani did not protest. He was beyond words...
**********
|
Tryth's Stats |
|
Name |
Tryth |
|
Rank |
Green/Silver Dragon |
|
Age |
Adult |
|
Sex |
Female |
|
Color |
Green/Silver |
|
Hatched From |
Dark Moon Weyr |
|
Appearance |
A rather smallish dragon, normal sized for a green. Her body is a dark grren color, but her wings membranes are silver |
|
Personality |
Kind of bossy, but overall good-natured. Loves to be the center of attention! |
|
Yindath's Stats |
|
Name |
Yindath |
|
Rank |
Brown Dragon |
|
Age |
Adult |
|
Sex |
Male |
|
Color |
Medium Brown |
|
Hatched From |
Dark Moon Weyr |
|
Appearance |
Medium sized for a brown, and is of medium color. He has good confirmation, and long, strong wings. |
|
Personality |
Well behaved and very obediant. Likes to obey his rider, and now puts up with Tryth a lot easier. |
**********
Dark Moon Weyr
Main Talis Weyr Page
