Apehroth regarded her meal distastefully. Are you sure this is the only kind of meat they'll give us?
Unless you plan on flying over the feeding grounds and killing something for yourself, Ulikori replied, the words sounding a bit harsher than intended. She loved her green more than she'd ever thought it was possible to love anything, but that still didn't make it any easier to get over her lack of sleep.
If I could, I would. This is too stringy and it tastes funny, Apehroth concluded as she took another bite, repelled by the taste but driven on by a growing dragon's hunger.
You don't have to eat it, Ulikori reminded her, wiping her belt knife on the grass as she finished carving the little gobbets of meat from the larger herdbeast carcass. Just don't complain later.
You'd think they'd feed us better. How're we supposed to grow if we eat old, stringy beasts? Apehroth grumbled but continued to eat anyway, her eyes whirling irritatedly and her tail cricked in a way that Ulikori had come to know meant that she was annoyed.
Complain to the Weyrlingmaster if you must, I think it was his dragon who killed your meal for you, Ulikori suggested, drawing her knees up and resting her head on them in a feeble attempt at sleep.
Don't think I won't, Apehroth grumped as she finished off the last few bites of her meal. That wasn't even filling.
I'll bring some scraps back for you when I go to feed Takka, Ulikori promised. As though the thought of him had summoned him, Takka appeared in the air above Ulikori's left's shoulder and told her he was hungry.
As if I would lower myself to the level of eating scraps intended for flits, Apehroth scoffed as she eyed the brown with much the same disdain she'd been eyeing her meal a few minutes ago.
I'm sure he'd share, Ulikori said with a shrug, reaching up to scratch Takka's eye ridges. The brown crooned and leaned his head into the caress and Apehroth said something about needy flits which Ulikori chose to ignore. If this was a green's dignity, she didn't envy goldriders anything.
If you're done stating the obvious... Apehroth drawled, craning her head back over her shoulder to eye her rider. I'm going down to the lake. You coming?
No, I thought I'd let you run along, Ulikori replied, climbing to her feet and putting a hand on Takka's back as the brown squawked. Does the Lady desire a bath? Ulikori asked as she followed her green.
It might make up for breakfast, Apehroth said loftily as she pranced up to the water, snaking her neck out and dipping her muzzle in before splashing the rest of the way in until she was standing with water up to her chest.
You've got to be the most conceited green lump ever to roll out of an egg, Ulikori told her green lovingly as she scrubbed at the light green hide.
Probably, Apehroth agreed, drenching what of her rider that was still dry with well manuvered flick of her tail. And you're stuck with me.
Ulikori smiled and reached out to wrap her arms around her green's neck. I wouldn't have it any other way.
