[G] [C] 731.06.17 | Calming Chimes

Nirinath crept quietly out of her wallow and stretched her wings above her head. Tsuen was awake, how could she not be with the noise Krypth had just been making, but she remained in her bed at Nirinath's urging. Tsuen would probably not be much help, besides to help move Jada, though she was just as worried as everyone else, and if absolutely needed to, Nirinath could transport Jada herself by holding a sheet with the girl in it. In the meantime, she had a dragonet who was worried out of her head and needed consoling. Her sails spread outward, and she jumped and blinked between just a short way above the air. Frosty seconds later, she emerged somewhat higher than she'd disappeared above the Weyrling Barracks. She settled down next to the building, her face looming near the nearest hallway to stare down the gawkers and hopefully make them disperse. Larrikith's rider's boy was already within Jada's room, and she could see Krypth as well. Talian picked up Jada and was headed out the door when Nirinath spoke.

Krypth. Krypth, come to me child. She moved aside as Talian emerged, refraining from actually speaking to him but dipping her head to him as he passed and crooning quietly to him. Come, your girl will be fine, but the Healer will need to be able to move without accidentally stepping on you. I will keep you company until he says you can see her, which shouldn't be long at all. The senior Queen had not actually seen the wounds, but she had faith in the Master Healer's ability. She would find something with which to distract Krypth until then.

When the three of them stepped into the darkness of the night, Jada's fingers were secure in Krypth's mouth. How else could she hold her hand? The girl was unconscious, limp, mostly unresponsive. Jada's mind came and went, brushing across Krypth's like a butterfly. But it was there, which was the most important thing for the dragonet's instincts. To help, to stay with her Jada, to try and keep her here; that was an ability in the realm of the Healers, not Krypth, but in a way it was just as important. To Talian's purposes, the loss of the dragon would be a terrible blow to the spirit of an already-wounded physical body. "There's nothing you can do." the Healer told Krypth, and she crooned miserably, the nose muffled by the digits between her lips. There had to be something she could do; Krypth couldn't believe that she would be impotent in such an important matter!

Krypth. Krypth, come to me child. Nirinath stepped to the side as the three stepped out of the Weyrling Barracks. Dipping her head to the Healer, she spoke to the dragonet, whose eyes were white from worry and fear. Come, your girl will be fine, but the Healer will need to be able to move without accidentally stepping on you. I will keep you company until he says you can see her, which shouldn't be long at all.

But could she prove that it wouldn't be long? What if th- No! Krypth creeled, reluctantly letting Jada's fingers slip from between her lips, watching Talian move forward step-by-step without her. Jada! she cried after her bonded, but her body stayed where it was, wings outstretched, short and small next to her Senior. Jada was not aware or awake enough to try and countermand the quiet order.

If something happened to the Harper, Krypth would never forgive Nirinath for not letting her stay with Talian and Jada.

Then again, if something happened, Krypth would never have the chance to forgive her.

She watched until she couldn't see them anymore in the dark, her whole body rigid. Then she turned her attention to the larger shape, crooning piteously, head swinging side-to-side. She didn't like being gone from her bonded. Couldn't stand the loneliness of it. And all the people who had been in the barracks, who had responded to the dragonet's pitiful cries, would get to see the gangly-looking creature miserable.

Indivara had been leaving the Dining Hall, the lateness of her eating being the best way to avoid the ruckus of the Weyr populous and, in so doing, the staring and whispering and unwanted lectures she was prone to get when more than one person was around. The past two sevendays had the girls' face healing, though the bruising was now at least as disgusting as the lines that were the cause of it, and Indivara was truly sick of the itch, and sting, and pull and irritation that popped up between applications of numbweed.

Her musing was interrupted by the shriek of dragon voice in her mind, and Indivara stopped suddenly, blue eyes widening. That was Krypth! Even without the name ricocheted though her head, Indivara would have recognised the voice of the little dragon. The horror in the dragonet's voice caused Indivara's blood to turn to ice in her veins, and she turned, fleeing in the direction of the Weyrling barracks, shoving past people who were staring around in confusion and ignoring the dragons as they erupted into horrified chaos.

I'm coming, I'm coming! she thought repeatedly, a mantra more for herself than in any hope the dragonet would hear hear her. Her breath was ripping harshly from between her lips as she skidded through the Weyrling barracks, leaping dodging and ducking past humans and dragonets both as she came to a screeching halt outside her friend's room. Peering in, she saw it was completely empty and she swore heavily between panting breaths. A moment later, she heard someone mention that Jada had been taken to the Infirmary. Of course she has, you stupid girl! Indivara berated herself, and took off again, bounding over a green Hatchling's tail and flinging herself past a pair of gossiping workers.

"Krypth!" The little dragon, swaying beside the form of her great golden mother had Indivara shifting course and skidding, once more, to a stop before the young creature. She approached cautiously, wary of further upsetting the little dragonet. "Easy, Krypth. Jada will be fine, I promise. She's being looked after, see? They patched me up good as new, didn't they?" Slinking closer cautiously, Indivara gently stroked Krypth's nose. "Jada needs you to be strong for her, can you do that?" Any bitching she had previously been home to about her pain and stitches was cast aside, ignoring it as adrenaline pumped and she spoke clearly, without lisp or stumble.

---

[sup]If you wanted this just between the two golds, I'll have Indi slip out and continue to the Infirmary[/sup]

Would you please shut them all up! Some of us were sleeping. And Talian can fix anything. So please. Shut. Them. Up. Preferably before my brain explodes. How was she supposed to shut them up? The words joined, one of many confusing voices in her head. Her fear had spread, and now she was paying the cost of her reaction. Everyone wanted to keep her from overreacting, keep her calm, but how could she be calm? There was something wrong with the girl she'd chosen; Krypth had warned Jada that those healers were incompetent! She'd told Jada that only being with her could fix her, yet she was sick now, and why? White eyes whirled and the little gold lifted her nose towards her mother, waiting to see what the older dragon would do. Talian might be able to fix anything, but as Larri- No, Talian was the one who had come. He would- He had been so kind.

But what if-!

Krypth shook her head from side to side like just what she was: a worried child. She was about to test the limits of her mother's control, vibrating with the desire to fly (on four paws) after the dragon vanishing into the distance with her bonded on board. The gold was pawing at the ground, getting ready to rush off when she saw a familiar face approaching- approaching her. She remembered Indivara, vividly. Jada's friend, the one who imagined purple wherries and who wanted to ride a bronze when she deserved so much better than one of those arrogant little beasts. (Pot much?) She needs me! Krypth knew that Jada needed her! That was one of the things that had drawn her to the girl like a beacon. What she'd seen in the Harper had included... the trait that was causing all of their problems now. I can't help her if I can't see her! Being looked after indeed! If Krypth wasn't there, who could know what Jada needed? Krypth knew her best.

Don’t worry, Krypth! Talian is with Jada and he’ll make everything right. Valerian’s going to be with her as well. Krypth's eyes whirled to take in the little blue dragon that nuzzled her on his way to chase after his person in the direction of Healer Hall. She keened, jealous of the fact that Valerian and His could get to go cling to Jada- at least, she hoped that was where they were going! She needed someone she could trust with her most beloved person. Krypth thrust her head towards Indivara, forcing it roughly, unthinkingly against the girl's chest, anxious.

Your girl is being looked after by the very best, Larrikith's tone was oddly serious, and the dragonet wasn't sure what to think. Such an attitude coming froma  green felt off-sync to her, but she nuzzled int Indivara, listening. And he will soon have her well again... However, if he has to work in all this noise, he surely is going to take that much longer. So, if your Queenliness would be so kind as to shut up the chorus of dragons squawking like Wherries, you will find your human back where she belongs that much faster.

Well that wasn't helpful! How could she stop the train wreck she had set in motion? She wasn't the senior queen, to bend others to her will, and even if she were, they had the right to know that- that... and either way, all she could feel through the bond was the blur of Jada's pain. but Indi's small body was a warm, comforting presence, and Nirinath was there as well (even if the gold was to be blamed for keeping her away from the other half of herself.) She crooned, loudly, wobbling, and then hesitantly reached out for Jada's mind. She was trying to be- Would she be okay? The disorganized fervor was finding a small thread of organization. Did that mean Jada was going to be alright? Could she believe Larrikith?

I want to see her, Nirinath. Her tone was mournful. She needs me!

Larrikith. That is hardly necessary. Krypth does not have the experience of our Turns to fall back on. Kindly stop contributing to the din unless you have something constructive to say.

That dealt with, Nirinath turned to Krypth, who was nuzzling against the girl with the gashes across her face that had sneaked out on the sands at the Hatching. She was bobbing back and forth, clearly wanting to follow Talian, Veeth, and Veeth's. Her eyes whirling falsely added calm, betraying only a hint of the massive worry she actually felt,  I know she needs you, darling, and you her. However, you are more help to her here, keeping calm. Just as you feel what she feels, the reverse is true, so by feeling at ease you can relax her, at least to a degree.

Her butternut head dropped to nudge both girls. Perhaps Tsuen would have some Klah for Indi, and Nirinath could surely procure a bit of meat, even if she had to hunt some small beasty herself and rip it into chunks for Krypth. Anything to keep the weyrling calm till at last she could see her bonded.

+1 to Nirinath's 'Like' points for being a champ during Krypth's traumatic experience. That point was what made Krypth stop keening, crying, and headbutting Indivara. Well, it helped, at least.

It took the little dragonet a moment to wrap her young mind around the concept that her own calm could help Jada, but now that it had been said it made perfect sense. But, Krypth wondered, how was she supposed to calm down?! The theory was there, but practical application of the theorem was still in development. But even a degree was something, and Krypth's lips drew from her teeth, her snout wrinkling, eyes slitting as she concentrated very hard on being relaxing and not-tense.

It made the dragonet look very undignified, and as though she had indigestion.

"Of course she does," Indivara cooed, speaking partly through her teeth and partly without a care to the damage so much speech could do to her lips and the stitches still holding them in one piece. It didn't matter, not in the slightest, as she ran soothing hands over Krypth's head, her face, along her muzzle and down her neck. Rinse, lather and repeat. "She'll always need you, you're her everything," the girl mumbled softly, crouching down so she was on a level with the tiny golden dragon. "But you can help her so much from here, Krypth."

Indivara grunted as that tiny head pummelled into her chest, but she clung to the dragonet and continued her gentle stroking of the tiny gold's head, mumbling reassurances as she did so. "You need to be calm, and strong," the girl whispered, unaware she was echoing the words spoken by others to the young hatchling. "And she will feel that you are strong, and courageous and well and she will be strong and courageous and well, because of you!" Indivara stroked Krypth's face and headnobs, fingers light and gentle as she played over the beautiful golden hide of the dragonet of her friend. Oh, Jada! How could her teacher have been so ridiculously silly? Indivara felt the first fingers of rage fill her belly, and she embraced the emotion. She was going to kill Jada for putting her through this. Never mind poor little Krypth! While the anger grew in the little girl, her fingers and outward appearance remained calm and soothing.

She certainly wasn't going to give Jada anything to get up her goat about!


Of course Nini Larrikith purred naughtily, withdrawing her presence with the distinct flair of amusement the little green was known for as she focused on the scene before her. Silly golds!