Taking Matters into his Own Paws [N'gelt]

I’shan’s screaming seemed to go completely over Saquith’s head for he made no visible response to them. Inside he felt a mixture of anger and despair; could this relationship really be fixed? His shrieks at his appearance cut Saquith, he felt like he was a monster, some terror from a child’s dreams. The thought flashed momentary mirth through his mind, they were all children now, not one of the four present were truly adults anymore.

When I’shan stood again from Ilveriath’s gentle coaxing Saquith sent a wave of gratitude to the Blue, the emotion cradled in desperation. He was glad I’shan wasn’t turning around to attack him, he couldn’t harm a human, especially another dragon’s chosen. The slam of the door caused the Brown to flinch. His eyes were a slow and anxious yellow, there was nothing physically either dragon could do now unless they attempted to destroy the hut to reach their riders.

Mentally he stroked N’gelt, rousing the man from his hazy thoughts before he was bombarded by I’shan. N’gelt... Please don’t be angry... Saquith was lost for words. What else was there to say? The rain was getting heavier, seeming to reflect the sour mood that enveloped the area. Unsure what to do Saquith backed into the shelter that had been built for weather like this. It was small, only able to accommodate Saquith and no other dragon. Even if it were larger, Saquith wasn’t sure if it would be wise to invite Ilveriath closer.

N’gelt, having been blocked from the emotions swirling outside and assuming that the Blue had left, was drifting into another tormented sleep when Saquith’s presence roused him. Don’t be angry? At what? It was then that he heard the door slam. Sitting up he stared into the darkness with narrowed eyes, what was going on? He didn’t hear I’shan’s footfalls over the pounding rain and in his hungover state took a moment to register what and who had collided into him.

Confusion reigned in his mind as he lay there, I’shan’s slender body shuddering against him as he sobbed. It didn’t take long for his hands to identify the man, they had only run over his body thousands of times already. Frustrated by the lack of light and his inability to see exactly what was going on he rolled I’shan to the side and stood up, feeling around for the glow near his bed. Turning it he looked back at the shell of a man now whimpering on the bed.  His eyes narrowed as he tried to focus on him, what on pern was C’ole doing there?

“C’ole? You said you couldn’t stay.” He growled. Sitting on the bed he held I’shan upright, struggling to see what was truly there. His hands told him I’shan was the one he held, the slender dainty man. But his eyes saw only C’ole, with his haggard eyes and broad shoulders, tired of following.

“I... failed you.” He said, voice barely audible over the rain. You failed no one. C’ole is gone. Saquith said with determination, hoping against hope that maybe with I’shan there N’gelt would finally see the true man, not the hallucination. ’But C’ole... I see him here.’ N’gelt sent, frowning. No. This is I’shan.

N’gelt tilted his head to the side. Was this I’shan? He closed his eyes and placed his hands on the Bluerider’s shoulders. Eyes could be tricked. Could hands? The shoulders were thin, slender, more feminine. There was no broadness to them, but there was certainly the tone of a dragonrider. Slowly his hands travelled up I’shan’s neck and cupped his face, his fingers gently tracing across his features. The trace of stubble on a smooth jawline, rounded cheekbones. There were sunken pools beneath the eyes which caused him to hesitate. C’ole had had the same hallowed eyes. He is upset, like C’ole. He does not want to leave, unlike C’ole. Saquith supplied as he followed N’gelt’s thoughts. Believing his dragon N’gelt continued to run his fingers across I’shan’s face, finally coming to rest on his lips. Full but cracked. C’ole had barely had lips to touch, thin beyond reason.

If hands couldn’t be tricked, this couldn’t be C’ole.