Birthday Wishes [K'ton]

Today was an important day. Today was in fact a day of celebration and joy and fun. However, that didn't stop Casa from feeling down. After all, today was her birthday. She turned 13 Turns today...and yet here she was in the gardens, all alone. She knew that she couldn't expect the Weyr to come to a stand still because it was her birthday, but...she would have liked to have spent the day in the company of someone. However, most of her friends seemed to be otherwise occupied with chores or work. Her father likewise was probably busy with dragonrider business; she knew better than to bother him most days, even if she did want to see him.

Still...what was a birthday on its own, especially this one? She was all but on her way to be an adult! Sighing, she wandered out towards the edges of the Weyr at a slow and meandering pace. At least she had been given a little bit of leeway in chores, and had managed to get them all done fairly early in the day. She had been sent off with a half-hearted request that she bring in any fresh flowers or herbs from the gardens, so off she'd gone towards the farms to see what was growing.

Luckily, she mused, it was warm out. As she approached the flowers growing along the edges of the holding pens for the feeder beasts, her senses were assaulted with the fresh smells of dirt and growing things, and she flopped down, inhaling deeply. She loved the smell of the growing plants, and she had a good view of anyone or anything that decided it was a good time to come out and feed while she idly played with the blossoms that had started to grow along the sides of the big open space.

You know.. I think I may be hungry Ironth commented to his rider and K'ton rolled his eyes. Ironth's words gave the impression that the dragon had no real idea whether he was actually hungry or not and K'ton couldn't figure out how you couldn't know if you were. "If you're hungry why don't we go find a herdbeast or three at the pens?" K'ton replied dryly. Ironth rumbled and agreed that this would be the best of choices. After all even if he wasn't hungry it didn't hurt to choose a beast for his next meal.

With a snap of his wings Ironth lifted off, K'ton scrambling to grip the neck ridges before him. That was uncalled for Ironth. You could've at least waited until I was completely seated before taking off, K'ton screeched at the brown. The only response he received was the vibration of Ironth's amused rumble. The beasts in the pens scattered at the approach of the brown and K'ton gave an amused snort. Silly animals herdbeasts were. Their attempt at escape was thwarted by the high fencing that contained them and they began to mill and bellow in fear.

Sliding from Ironth, K'ton gave him a hearty smack on the shoulder, "Go! Find your next meal!" With a whirling eye, Ironth regarded the man next to him and snorted a negative. There is someone here, the dragon whispered, And I don't think I can eat while she's here. I don't want to frighten her. Shaking his head at the idiosyncrasies of Ironth, K'ton glanced about to find the source of the brown anxiety. "It's just Casa Ironth! For Faranth's sake. She's been around dragons her whole life, its not as if she's never seen a gorging dragon before," he said, tone a touch testy. I know but... She's just a little girl and little girls don't like blood Oh how would you know? K'ton asked in answer to the ridiculousness that was his dragon.

Turning from the brown the rider made his way to the sunning girl. He knew her father and had known of her mother and her untimely death at the birth of her daughter. The resulting death of the woman had thrust the tiny baby into the care of an entire weyr. Not only did the child have one father, she had several "uncles" and various "cousins". Casa was a sweet girl and often curious though K'ton didn't mind. Curiosity was what made a person tick in his opinion. "Casa, my love!" he greeted her with his usual over exaggeration and flare, "how are you this fine afternoon? Been enjoying the sunshine?"

It seemed she was destined for some company; after a short time, she saw the shadow that began to fall over the pens, and she glanced up casually. A pretty brown began to float down towards the feeding, sending the herdbeasts into a frenzy of terror as they tried to run away. They didn't do a very good job, of course, but she knew they couldn't help themselves. She would probably be scared witless too, if something that big wanted to eat her. Luckily, she wasn't them. She stood and stretched as Ironth came to land, a smile lighting on her features.

K'ton jumped down gracefully enough, and she loped over to him, giving him a big hug. He was one of her most favorite riders - friendly, always with a cheerful comment and a wink. She'd heard he was quite the catch from the older girls, but this had always just made her grin wryly. She didn't have to worry about that. She was treated like a favored niece or nephew, not a sexy piece of meat to be eaten up. Or whatever it was that adults like to think of their sexual endeavors as.

"Hi, K'ton!" she said, glancing up at the sky and then at Ironth. "I'm alright...they gave me the afternoon to go out and play how I want. I'm 13 today...almost an adult now!" She beamed at him as she stood beside him, watching Ironth eye the herdbeasts but surprised to see him not going after one. "How're you? How's Ironth? Why isn't he eating?" She tilted her head curiously at the dragon, confused on why one would come to the pens but not eat. Maybe he liked scaring the herdbeasts. But that didn't seem very likely.

He laughed as Casa dashed towards him to wrap her little arms in a tight hug. He placed his own around her and squeezed gently. He did so enjoy the company of children. One of these days. All it took was one day and he'd find out whether or not he had kids of his own.

"Thirteen!" he exclaimed and clutched at his chest, "Say it ain't so! Little Casa all grown up. Faranth forbid, I'm getting old!" He just couldn't resist the little tease as she told him it was her birthday today. "Have you gotten any good gifts yet?" he asked, glancing down at her.

You do not have to tell her why, Ironth told him with a hint of desperation, In fact don't tell her at all. Just eat, Ironth! I promise it won't bother her a bit you silly beast! K'ton countered. He watched him dragon start and stop, hesitation written every where on the lean brown body. K'ton sighed as he answered Casa, "I'm fine and Ironth's fine. Or rather he would be if he'd stop being shy and actually eat something. You see, for some reason that brown lout thinks you'll squeal at the sight of blood."

Snorting, Casa swung herself up on the fence, shielding her eyes as she glanced at the hesitant dragon. "Ironth, you great big lump! GO EAT!" She giggled and waved to him, before turning and jumping down again. "I've seen dragons eat a thousand times! What a silly wherry." She was fond of the brown dragons - all brown dragons, really - but this seemed like a silly thing for a dragon to worry about. She wasn't one of those pansy girls who thought dirt was the scariest thing on the planet. Dragons had to eat too!

"I haven't gotten anything yet," she lamented with a wrinkle of her nose, pretending to be upset. "Granted, haven't seen many people about. I guess light duty is a form of a present." She thought back to how busy everyone was, and that did make her a little sad inside. But that was life in a weyr - training, chores, productivity. And she wasn't completely alone! She was with K'ton and Ironth.

"I'm not that old yet, K'ton!" She laughed, shaking her head. "You make me sound like I'm old as the aunties and uncles tucked up out of the way. I'm only 13." She still seemed to take pride in saying that. It meant that if she was going to find a special talent to specialize in, she might do it soon; if not, then she would likely continue to work with several of the crafters, and she'd be able to put her efforts into the Caverns. Her mind flitted to be a rider briefly, but she shook off the thought, watching Ironth amusedly and waiting for him to hunt.