Difference between revisions of "Logs:How Far Gone"

Star Stones, High Reaches Weyr

High on the southeastern edge of the Weyr, the Star Stones cast a now-lopsided shadow over the sheared stone plateau that holds them, a hole in the skyline left where the Eye Rock once stood. A watchrider stands guard here day and night, Pass or Interval, keeping an eye out for incoming visitors and inclement weather. Where the Eye Rock once stood, a scattering of debris remains, but nothing else; two dragonlengths south, the silent column of the Finger Rock stands alone, awaiting the balancing of the sun on its tip at the solstice to warn of the imminence of Thread. Between, and set out slightly to the side is the squat shape of the actual Star Stone, with an arrow pointing to where each of the other two stones should stand.

The view from the Star Stones is unparalleled, its closest match that from the southern rim. A full circle around the Weyr can be seen from the Snowy Wastes to the north, to Keogh in the east, the peaks of the Western Range and Tillek Bay to the south, Pars and River Bend to the west. The only way up or down from the Star Stones is a-dragonback.

The end of the first day of the third month is cold and windy, but clear enough for there to be a stellar view of the heavens above, the stars glittering points of white against the dark, Timor-lit sky. And while their own ledge affords them a decent view of the night sky, N'ky and Cailluneth are taking advantage of the extra openness that the height of the Star Stones affords. The wind whips bitterly at the top of the Weyr, but neither rider nor dragon seem to mind it, with N'ky leaning in against Cailluneth's side and both sets of eyes turned upwards. There may be conversation between them, but they're otherwise silent, and relatively unmoving save for the ends of N'ky's scarf where they're tugged about by the wind - likewise his curls.

A certain craggy blue soon vanes into dim view, Ilicaeth's distinctive wing markings hidden against the night sky, his presence becoming more and more pronounced until he's backwinging, then landing close to his sister. The motions of such leave chill winds set up by his huge wings buffeting the green pair, but soon enough he's landing, then crisply folding his pinions up...giving Cailluneth a low bit of a warble in restrained greeting. After a few moments, Alida - her presence marked by subtle glowlight from the basket of them she's attached to her dragon's straps - comes into clearer view after she descends, the woman positioning herself between her blue's forelegs after he moves into a sitting pose. Nothing is said, and quietness reigns, aside from the occasional movement of feet or claws, tail or breeze.

Cailluneth's wing curls down and around N'ky to protect him from the gusts created by Ilicaeth, her throaty, growl-like rumble a greeting reply to his warble. Once he's settled, she tucks her wing neatly back at her side, turning her head and twisting her neck towards her brother, chuffing warm breath at him before returning her gaze to the star-filled sky. N'ky turns to look at Alida, squinting through his own darkness to where she's glowlit, bobbing his head in a silent hello. Then he points at the glowbasket, making a cutting motion by sweeping his hand just below his chin - a request to extinguish the light, for the sake of the stars he then points to up above them.

"Should'a said somethin' while I was still up there..." Alida replies only a bit gruffly, the moving away from Ilicaeth. Utilizing a forelimb, the blue soon boosts his kneeling rider upon his 'hand' near his opposite shoulder, the helmeted blonde then undoing the basket from straps, and covering it completely before Ilicaeth cautiously levers her back down near the ground again. After her balancing act upon aforementioned paw, the guard steps down to stone with just a hint of a wobble, quickly getting back her land legs...and murmuring a soft thanks to her lifemate along the way back to placing herself between his resettled forelimbs.

The gruffness gets the slightest brow-crease from N'ky, if it's even noticeable in the darkness. "But I chose to say something now," he replies, just loud enough to be heard over the wind and the distance between them. Cailluneth extends a thought to Ilicaeth, a star-studded rainbow that's bordered by dark query; the fact that it's not her typical questioning grey attributes it to N'ky, and she's acting as a feeler - is it ok to ask His? The greenrider, meanwhile, runs fingers through his windblown hair, tilting his head back to look at the skies once more, seemingly unaware that his lifemate's doing a little work of her own.

"So I heard..." Alida notes back in her usual, clipped - if softer - tones. No skin off her teeth. Settling back some against the slatey blue's chest to get some of his greater heat, the blonde quiets once again, closing her eyes to allow her other senses more free reign for some moments, since she doesn't often come up here unless she's picked watch duty. It takes Ilicaeth a few moments to allow his lifemate to settle until he answers his green clutchmate, his golden sand swirl touched with a gint of mica and quartz humor. « Be gentle with 'er. » Chuff, grin. As a matter-of-fact, the blue is also physically offering Cai a grin, too, his sharp teeth bared in an expression that would cause enough humans to blanch. To dragons in the know, however, he's all wicked humor.

Gentle? That doesn't seem to settle well with whatever Cailluneth was hoping to instigate, as her rainbow dulls a little in disappointment. There's a hazy patch of thought, during which she physically gets up to move closer to the blue, forcing her rider to do much the same if he's going to keep his wind barrier. To Ilicaeth, she shares her reasons for doing so, to bring theirs together. N'ky frowns up at his lifemate, not privy to her movites for moving, but doing as anticipated; he leans up against Cailluneth's foreleg where she sits in a pose mimicking Ilicaeth's, hands dug deep into his pockets. Maybe the requested 'gentle' approach has been passed on to him, as he squints through the darkness at the bluerider. "What's up, 'Lida?"

The blue's being impish, apparently, and when Cailluneth finally shares with him, he chuffs mentally to her, his baritone simply chuckling, the 'feeling' of it almost like a brotherly noogying. He physically welcomes her with one slowly outstretching wing that she's free to take up residence under, if she wants, Alida looking over at the green and her rider, then up at her own dragon as they do the shifting around dance. After some moments, the woman murmurs over to her fellow weyrling, "Just got done shootin' the breeze with a few riders. Checkin' out various Wings." Shrug. "Ilicaeth mentioned you two were up here, so I decided ta check in before I went ta bed."

If it were anyone other than Ilicaeth, Cailluneth likely wouldn't take up the offer; but the blue's one of her favourites, and so she gets up, gives N'ky a gentle bump with her head towards Alida and the shelter she's got from her lifemate, before she thwumps down heavily against her clutchmate's side. It's probably just as well he's bigger than her, to counter her less than dainty weight. The green yawns, presses her neck almost flirtatiously to his, then rubs her muzzle along his jaw. After waiting a moment to watch his dragon's behaviour curiously, N'ky steps in towards Alida, in the direction he was nudged, waiting to be invited into her space before getting too close. "Star-gazing," he explains, gaze canting upwards, though it's hindered by his mess of curls. "Who will you fly with?"

Flirtatious? The blue's as thick as two planks, apparently, for Ilicaeth accepts the neckpressings and nuzzles as simply his brotherly due, the slightly bigger dragon - for all apparently purposes - tucking his 'baby' sister into his grip for some good, old fashioned movie watching... in this case, it's the stars. N'ky's presence is accepted, given he's a known buddy, though Alida seems just a hint reticent to let him in closer than near- shoulder to shoulder within her blue's forearms. To his inquiry, "Fuck if I know. Nothin's fer sure, right now." Sigh. "Aimin' fer Snowdrift, Glacier, 'r Hailstorm."

N'ky takes what he's given space-wise, standing with his hands dug deep into his pockets still, lips drawn in a tight, thoughtful line. "I've got no clue." He shrugs, looking from Alida up to the stars. "I missed most of the drills with them. Olveraeth told Cailluneth none of the wings would want us; he was only doing it to rile us up, but it's stuck in here," he taps his temple, "since. They don't know me to want me in their wing, I guess." Another shrug, apathetic, accepting that the situation is what it is. A pause of a few moments follows, before he pulls his hand out of his pocket, a folded-up, well-creased piece of hide held tight between his fingers. "I got another letter from my dad, 'Lida." It's held out to her, an offer for her to read, if she will.

A small frown tics its way over Alida's composed features when N'ky mentions Ollie using low tactic to get a rise out of the greenpair, but she keeps her yap shut until he's done speaking of such. Then, "Remember, Nick; *you* gotta do yer part findin' a Wing ta settle inta. Ferget Quinlys, Weyrlingmasters, that crap, as far as yer place is considered. Find what Wing dynamics suit yer personality, wants well, 'n start talkin' with people in that Wing. Make that two 'r three Wings, just ta make sure." Eyerub. "Gotta *make* yer own home." And, speaking of home... the woman looks down at what he holds out, soon accepting the hide, then opening her glowbasket upon wrist far enough to be able to read the thing.

"We'll find somewhere," N'ky says with another little shrug, not seemingly overly bothered. It's inevitable that they'll get tapped into one wing or another, so why bother about it now? He inhales deeply when Alida takes the letter, dropping his gaze first to his toes, then to Cailluneth, peeping back down to check when the bluerider seems to be done. "He doesn't know my uncle sent it to me, not Azaylia," he explains quietly, nudging his toe off the smooth stone beneath them. "I don't want her to know. I..." The greenrider pauses, frown setting in deep on his forehead, teeth sunk into his bottom lip. He doesn't look up when he continues, quietly and cautiously; "You said there were ways to keep people quiet?"

She seems slightly irritated at his take on it, Alida glancing over at N'ky for a long moment before muttering, "What if they throw ya in a Wing ya wind up hatin', when ya' could've spent at least a little damned time tryin' to find a better fit?" And then there's the letter to deal with, the wording of such making the bluie twist her lips some, her expression darkening a little more. "Uh...who's he talkin' about?" In the letter. "Anyone else seen this letter besides you?" At the greenie's inquiry, she nods tightly.

The irritation is brushed off, N'ky more concerned about the other matter he's brought to the table. Star Stones. Whatever. Alida's question - the first one, anyway - leaves him looking at her in confusion, until it hits. "Nycaen? Nicky. Me. There's only my uncle seen it that I know of. He sent it with a mark for my turnday." Hands dig deep into his pockets again, and N'ky huffs out a long breath, hunching his shoulders slightly. "I don't think he'll stop, 'Lida. He's... stubborn."

When he admits his full, given name, Alida flicks her greens over to the greenrider, looking at him in just a slightly different way for a moment...and then back to the letter go her eyes. What's she looking for that she hasn't already seen, read? "You 'n yer uncle..." is finally mumbled low, the woman then lifting her gaze out, up to the lowest stars on the horizon she can make out. After some long moments, the blonde - still not looking at her companion - notes quietly, "How far you want this ta go?"

N'ky's voice is hushed, a further precaution against being overheard, even though he leans in closer to Alida, bending slightly so his lips are near her ear. "I don't want him threatening anyone, 'Lida." A half-step back is taken, and the greenrider's expression can be clearly seen; mixed emotions show in the way he chews his lip and his dark eyes, but there's a determined set to his stubbled jaw. "The Weyr - Azaylia - has enough to deal with. Even if this goes to Devaki, there'd be something of it that gets here... I don't want it to. I want..." He exhales, breath misting slight in the cold air. "... I want it to stop. Here."

Listening to his whispers, N'ky's confiding, something inside Alida both understands...and does not...the latter likely the leftover, 'old' guard within her. A faint rumble from Ilicaeth sends a breath of warm, meaty-scented air over the pair of humans below, and the woman gives a small sigh, her gaze turned inward for a few moments before she resumes speaking with the greenie. "An' I asked how far ya wannna' go in this." She's suddenly coldly serious, gelid eyes turning upon her pal's browns, mercilessly pinning them. "D'ya' understand whatcha' might be askin' uv someone...what this could mean ta' not just yer...former family, but maybe the Weyr, too?" Her words aren't scathing or judging, but heavily weighted with unspoken implications.

"How far can I go?" N'ky returns the look with one that's unusually cold, not a typical expression coming from him. "What could it mean to the Weyr? What would anything happening at Far Reach have to do with the Weyr? It's in our coverage zone, nothing more." His hands dig more deeply into his pockets, brows sinking lower over his eyes. "Tell me what I can do, Alida."

That hardness, coldness from him gives the woman a spare moment for thought, her own gaze calmly assessing just how far N'ky's gone... and then Alida's pursing her lips slightly, and looking out to the horizon again. "Fer right now, y'gotta wait a little. Hold onta' that letter; don' talk ta anyone about it 'r the incident. Lemme' do a little inquirin'." Puff. "I'll get back ta ya soon."

The letter's safely tucked away, and N'ky nods; he doesn't look entirely comfortable, but he's got a degree of unusual confidence about him - perhaps brought on by the still-stubborn set of his jaw. "Thank you, 'Lida." His attempt at a smile is weak, the barest, one-sided twitch of his mouth. It fades quickly, and he drops his gaze back down to his toes. "Do... do you understand why?"

"I b'lieve so..." the woman murmurs low, then slowly leaning back into her blue's lowered chest. Ilicaeth rumbles softly, arching his neck down in order to very gently, carefully touch his chin atop the blonde's head...the contact felt as a light clap of a hand atop her grape. Nothing like fine-tuning via telepathic and empathic bond.

Her answer makes N'ky relax a little, shoulders sinking and a breath of relief leaving his lungs. Ilicaeth's nose, so close now, is tempting for him to stroke; he raises his hand and waits for permission to do so, if it's granted. "I trust you, 'Lida. I didn't know who else to speak to. You're the only one I can trust." Brown eyes drop down to her, apologetic. "I'm sorry. I don't know what else to do."

The blue blows another breath over the pair of humans, then giving N'ky a whirl of aqua eyes and a faint croon, first lifting his chin from Alida, then angling his great head just a hint towards the greenrider to accept that offer of a pat. It's the first time anyone else besides Alida or one of the weyrlingmasters has been allowed that perogative. "Thanks..." is murmured neutrally, the woman then shrugging softly. "I'm used ta' it." Well, she *did* come here to check out how her wingmate was doing...though she got more than she bargained for. After a moment longer for Ilicaeth to enjoy the attention to his muzzle, the woman seems to come to some decision, and steps away from both dragon chest and N'ky, moving towards the outside of the blue's neck...to start the climb up his straps.

Cailluneth moves out of the way to allow Alida to mount, moving around to stand behind N'ky. "'Lida?" N'ky follows a step or two behind her, standing by Ilicaeth's foreleg. He watches her for a moment, then calls quietly up after her, "Why did Ilicaeth ask me to be gentle?" Then, after a pause, and a wince at his own selfishness, "Are you ok?"

She looks blank for a moment at N'ky's inquiry, Alida then staring at her blue for a long moment. There comes a very wry smirk from the blonde, who passes the answer on to her fellow weyrling in a dry tone. "He was thinkin' that maybe y'd have Cai tell me somethin'. Dink was bein' quirky." A cuff of the blue's neck produces a grunt from him, and again hs flashes his 'grin' of dagger teeth for a moment, then giving his sister a light nosing of her jaw before stepping away to get more room for extending wings. "Yeah." It's sure, if tired.

Ilicaeth's nosing is returned with a chuff of Cailluneth's hot breath, and a brief rub of her dainty muzzle against his neck. She quesions Alida's answer, no doubt probing for more on N'ky's behalf, her rainbow colours muted as they seek confirmation that Alida is, in fact, alright. N'ky steps back towards Cailluneth when Ilicaeth makes his intention to leave clear, tucking himself in between her forelegs, leaning against one in a loose hug, while watching the blonde upon her lifemate. « My Heart wishes yours to be well. He apologises. » Rare and raspy words, laced with silver and warm but rough. « He invites her to drink with him, when she will. »

In his usual way, Ilicaeth informs his sister - warmly - that Alida is indeed her usual self, then wordlessly thanking the green and N'ky for their concern with an almost playful puff of multicolored sand grains that dance through her moonlight and quieted rainbow. « Like she said, she's used ta it, toots. » Being the one to approach, the one to often deal with the unpleasant things in life. The blue takes a moment to treasure the rare gift of Cailluneth's rasping, warm words, giving a pleased arch of his heavy neck just before Alida calls out, "Get some decent sleep, you two." And off the blue pushes from the Star Stones, getting a rumble of farewell from the watchdragon and a wave from the green's rider, Ilicaeth allowing himself to fall a dragonlength before pumping his wings, and gliding off towards their weyr.

Cailluneth bellows a farewell, spreading her wings as both she and N'ky turn to watch Ilicaeth leave. She shares an image with him that's sleep-tainted with lavender and lilac, speckled with stars against a pastel purple sky, beneath which she is curled tightly around a peacefully sleeping N'ky. It's an assurance that they will indeed sleep well tonight, and there's the sense that their conversation, and that between her Heart and his, has contributed to that.