An Introduction To Water [O'wain]

Today, Benden was twelve weeks old. With the cooling weather Volfetti had saddled herself up after an early breakfast and set out to the lake south of the Weyr. It was a long walk with many pauses to rest, though she was determined to reach the lake. Most of the time Benden slept in his sling as she walked, having been woken up earlier than normal to make the trip, which Volfetti was quite content with. The last thing she needed was a squirming nine pound baby as she tried to walk for extended periods of time.

Common sense would have dictated that she ask a dragonrider for a lift to the shore but even with Volfetti's recent, though somewhat hesitant inclusion of herself in the Katilian population opposed to the stolen Northerners, she still had little positivity or desire to interact with a rider excluding R'nd. Knowing his bachelor habits, Volfetti suspected that he had spent the night curled up with another rider, or at the very least planned on sleeping until noon, so she hadn't deigned to bother him. Even if he had been awake, Volfetti had a determination about her that she would prove herself to be self-sufficient, that she had no need to hang off a rider. They hadn't needed riders back at her home in the north, why would she need one in Katila? Nevermind that her home Hold hadn't spanned such a distance that Katila did, the point still stood! In her mind anyway.

A soft wind tugged at her hair, it was a clean scent straight off the water that sparkled before her. It wasn't the same as the salty breezes from home. Reaching up she pulled the leather band that had kept her hair off her neck as she walked south, running her fingers through it as she did so. Benden gave a little gurgle, stretching his limbs as best he could from his position. She looked down, at the child she hadn't asked for but was given. She didn't have the strength to stay angry at him, it wasn't his fault, he was innocent. Yet it still lurked in her mind.

Pulling the second sling from her back she spread it across the sandy shore, shifting the food and drink to the side so that she could sit on the fabric. Undoing Benden's sling she laid him down on it, smiling softly as he kicked out and gave a gurgling laugh. Rummaging amongst the items she pulled out a soft rattle, handing it to Benden before leaning over and pulling her shoes off. She reached out with her feet, wriggling her toes into the sand. It was warm, even in the late autumn months the southern continent was yet to reach a state of coolness like early autumn in the north. Laying down on her back she watched the clouds floating above to the sound of the waves and Benden's giggles as he shook the toy.

O'wain was only half awake lying on the sands of the lake. For the first time since spring he was actually clothed as he snoozed on the shore of the lake. It felt good to be away from the hustle and bustle of the weyr and even though it was too cool to bake nude it was still nice and relaxing by the water. Beside him Nishkath was stretched out, gentley itching the scar on his face.

"You know you shouldn't scratch at that." O'wain thought teasingly to his dragon. The scar had been irratating Nishkath ever since their botched attempt at flying Niranath. The poor dragon was always absent mindedly rubbing it and if he got too hot it was almost painfully itchy. O'wain was constantly trying to keep it cool and clean, even rubbing numbweed on it if it got too bad, but he thought it added a certain charming ruggedness to his companion. More then once he'd even managed to woo another girl to help him care for his poor, suffering dragon, right before they helped care for the "poor and suffering" rider as well.

You know shouldn't hide at the lake when you should be doing your chores. The brown replied, carefully grooming the pale strip of hide. Casually the dragon peered along the shore of the lake.

Come on now O'wain thought defensively "They can't honestly expect me to fix clothes can they? I mean really if it were up to me we wouldn't even need them."

No of course not. That would be horrible wouldn't it. Nishkath crooned condescendingly, still gazing up the shore. By the way you should hide a bit better, someone is here.

"Shards!" O'wain swore aloud, rolling over and scrambling towards the shrubbery at the sands edge. "Well come on you great oaf!" He thought angrily to his dragon, "Go between or something!"

Why? Nishkath replied, returning to the all important job of scar itching, I'm not the one doing anything wrong.

Rolling his eyes O'wain dejectedly settled into the brush. So much for a day of relaxation.

Unseen to Volfetti, Benden was taking his time to gaze around. Even with his long-range sight underdeveloped, he could still manage to see the large Brown dragon that was sprawled on the shore. The movement of O'wain darting into the shrubbery caused a loud squeal to erupt from the babe, the rattle flying from his hand and hitting Volfetti on the head in his excitement. Frowning she rubbed her head where the toy hit and sat up slightly, twisting to face Benden.

Glancing out across the shoreline to where her son was now pointing and giggling at she finally saw the Brown stretched out rather languidly. The scrub that O'wain had chosen to hide in didn't prove to be rather good at hiding him at all, as Volfetti could pick him out quite easily. She peered at him, wondering why he was doing what he was.

"What do you think the silly man is doing, hm?" She asked Benden, grinning when he continued to just point and laugh at the dragon. Of course, even at this length he would know the figure as a dragon, it was pretty easy to identify one even with newborn eyesight.

Sitting more upright she lifted her arm and waved to the Brownrider, certainly an inviting gesture. With her little set up she wasn't about to get up and move, though she did have enough food to share if he desired. Reaching into her basket she pulled out some of the fresh bread and meat she had collected from the kitchens that morning, giving the food a brief wave in O'wain's direction before putting it onto a plate. She also pulled out some fruit, fresh and preserved, and put it into a small woven bowl. Of course, while she initially had no intention of being accompanied down to the lake, but it wouldn't hurt to have come company now as she relaxed. Perhaps a lift back later would be nice too...