[G] [P] 734.08.12 | Just a Little Smile

It had been a rough month or so for the weyr as a whole, with the lasting effects of the landslide that devastated the wyer. A toll had been taken on N'kal and Torath as well, such heavy losses was something no one could ignore or avoid. The heaviest toll of course, was on those that had lost family, friends, and worse, dragons. He himself had no one really close to him so where he felt no heart wrenching loss, he had still been consumed with an overbearing sadness for the losses they had suffered, after having fought so hard to stay alive.

Even Torath, as level headed a dragon as he generally was, was upset occasionally by the memories of the situation that he got from N'kal. He wasn't as bad as he had been when it first happened, but it did tend to bother when brought to his attention. They had helped, and still helped, rebuild from the time they woke, until the time the sun dropped, and occasionally longer. When not working on rebuilding, N'kal tended to reflect on the situation, and Torath tended to do the same, unless N'kal was paying attention and kept it from him.

Several thoughts went through N'kal's mind as he sat on Torath's leg. They were on the outside edge of the new housing area that had been constructed, out of the way for the most part. He sat there idly whittling away at a piece of scrap wood. He hadn't planned on actually making anything, he hadn't bothered whittling wood in next to forever, he wasn't all that good at it really. However, his thoughts on dragons that day had him absently forming a small figure of a dragon laying down. Doesn't seem to look like me..., Torath said after shifting his massive head to look at N'kal. His voice was low and quiet, still the hints of sadness there, but there was also the faintest bit of amusement. Yes well, I don't have a big enough piece of wood to make it look like you., N'kal replied, equally amused, though glad to hear a bit of spirit in his dragon. He knew it was his own fault, he needed to block his feelings from Torath, especially when they were this bothersome.

Look! Little ones!, the bronze said, lifting his head a little as several small children half ran and half walked in their direction. N'kal looked up at Torath, glad that something seemed to break into his sour mood, something needed to break into HIS sour mood. He smiled a bit as the kids ran by, save for one little girl who only had eyes for Torath, or so it seemed. It never failed to make him grin, when a child who grew up with dragons, would still get a little awed by them. She walked right up to him however, then spotted N'kal and walked up to him. She couldn't have been but five or six Turns, but said, "You have a nice dragon." She spoke rather quietly as if she was afraid she would get in trouble for bothering him. Give her my thanks., Torath said as he dropped his head to the ground and turned so that he could look at the girl more closely.

N'kal relayed Torath's message and chuckled when she gasped and looked up at his great bronze. "I'm gonna ride a gold dragon some day!", she said, very proud of herself. The girl just made him smile and after telling her to hold on a moment, made a couple of adjustments to the wooden dragon, smoothed out the edges, then slid off of Torath's paw and handed it to her. The girl's face was more than enough to melt any one's heart, and when she thanked him and latched onto him in a hug before running off hugging her new toy. You should make one of those for Rislan., Torath added as he too watched the girl run off. I could do that, might make Ameris smile too/

A while later there were children climbing all over Torath's paws and tail while N'kal had begun working on another little dragon for Rislan. Torth was quite content to provide amusement where there wasn't always something to be amused about lately. The crazy dragon liked human children almost as much as hatchlings and other dragons.

She turned to watch the little girl that darted through the weyr with something wooden clutched in her hands. Ameris had no idea what the small little 'brat could be up to as she darted for a group of youngsters with a giant smile on her face. Ameris laughed out loud when she was forced to turn her body this way and that to avoid the crush as the group shot past her with bright, "Hello Ameris!" shouted amongst the giggles. Curious the woman turned and began following them.

What could they possibly be up to? Ameris adored the children of the weyr and loved to be around them, their bright nature tantamount to the fact that they were so very resilient. That the lasting effects of the landslide hadn't dimmed their outlooks on life. It was with them that Ameris had allowed herself to begin the healing process, R'nya's words always in the fore of her mind. 

She has been given something special, Mizeath told her as she landed next to the woman. The gold had spent much of the morning doing some solo hunting, her independence showing as she demanded to be allowed to do so alone. 

"Nosy," Ameris admonished the gold for her comment. She trailed the children, stepping lightly as she listen to the sound of their laughter. Laughter that was slowly becoming louder and louder. She'd obviously found the source of their amusement. 

I asked and she was happy to answer, though she did not tell me exactly what was so special, the gold was a little put out by that fact as she walked beside Ameris. "Not to worry dear, I believe I know," she said with a chuckle as she came into sight of Torath and N'kal, the former being used as a jungle gym by the laughing children. N'kal appeared to be carving away at something as she walked closer.

What ever it was it was wooden and small in his big hands. It surprised her that he had the dexterity of movement to accomplish whatever it was he was doing and a giggle escaped her as a small boy used the dragon's backside as a slide. "You are both suckers for a little face, aren't you?" She called as she walked into his sight, Mizeath in tow beside her.

Torath rumbled happily at the children that ran around him as others climbed up on his paws. He twitched his tail back and forth lazily, some of the older children ran back and forth, jumping over it when it moved. Yet other children had climbed up beside N'kal and were watching him make his little carved dragon. There was an amused smile on N'kal's face that he couldn't seem to erase. It had been a long time since he had felt the urge to simply smile. Children being around, laughing and playing even after so much tragedy, was the only thing that could have made him smile that much. They are young and unspoiled., Torath observed with a deep rumble as he puffed out a breath of air from his snout, sending several children running and giggling, only to come right back for him to do it again. I would have to agree, he replied, amused at his dragon's antics, while he asked the boy sitting next to him his opinion on the carving.

He was told he thought a bronze should have bigger wings and N'kal laughed out loud before agreeing. Sadly the piece of wood he had wasn't as big as he would have liked, but it would make for a decent dragon, laying down with it's wings folded against it's back. N'kal continued to shape the wood into a little figure, losing himself in the task for a bit until Torath's warm voice washed over him. We have company.. Hmm? Of course we do..or have you had a senior moment and forgot the herd of children running about., he answered absently. Torath grunted at him, but before he could answer another voice washed over him like a breath of fresh air. He looked up then, at hearing Ameris' amused voice and granted her a rare true smile. "Well now, I wouldn't say we are suckers for them...", to which a couple of children giggled and he laughed. "Okay...maybe a little. It is good to see you Ameris, how are you? And where is little Rislan?", he said in a rather uncharacteristic amount of words while Torath picked up his head, slowly as not to injure any of the children, and turned to look at Mizeath. Greetings Mizeath. You look radiant as always. Care to join me in the amusement of the little ones?, he rumbled at the young gold, as courteous as always.

N'kal turned to look at Torath when he caught the movement from the corner of his eye. He shook his head at the bronze, who was just beside himself with so many golds roaming around and growing well. He certainly hoped the great beast did not intend to try and chase them all..he might have a hard time with that himself, he was rather fond of waking beside the same person rather than next to just any or ever one Torath wanted to chase. Luckily thus far, he had been more than willing to only chase Okalinath, but if he decided to chase all the new golds when they rose. You worry too much, rumbled at him deeply. I am entitled...you pay far to much attention to these young golds for my nerves to be able to handle., he teased Torath lightly then turned to Ameris and offered her a hand to pull her up beside him. He liked Ameris, she was level headed and smart. She was a good mother and though she had had a rough time of it in her past, she was a good woman and was an excellent Jr. Weyrwoman in his eyes. "Care to sit a while with us?", he asked her casually.

DeeStar Jenn

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