Difference between revisions of "Logs:Confrontation"

Sheltered Lakeside Ledge, High Reaches Weyr

The far side of the lake gets much less foot traffic - there's less grass, due to the poorer soil, and the bed of the lake is muddy and not at all as nice to walk in. But a small stand of four willow trees with long branches hanging low and swinging in the breeze provides some relief from the sun during the heat of the day. A pair of small curved benches sit underneath the trees. The ground rises up sharply towards the northwest end of the lakeside, and the waterfall that feeds the lake thunders downwards there, foaming the water and creating a fine mist in the air that distorts the light.

The stars are out in the clear sky above, Belior's full globe casting silvery light down on the already moon-struck hide of the green dragon at the furthest end of the Weyr's lake shore. Cailluneth is curled tight by the plunge pool, her face to the stony wall from which the waterfall cascades. The growl that is her typical purr might be picked up on by more sensitive ears, and, even from behind, it's clear that one wing is stretched out at an unusual, but not uncomfortable-looking angle towards the Weyr's wall - providing a sealed off-shelter for a certain someone who is undoubtedly hiding beneath it.

It was a subtle palette of muted pastels that sleepily reached for Cailluneth in an unspoken request for N'ky's location. « My K'zin wishes to apologize. » He offers, a brief flash shared of the intense self-loathing K'zin has felt since the botched attempt to motivate his friend. That was earlier though. The palette was met by nothing but silver moonlight, and so K'zin has had to find N'ky the old fashioned way. Eventually, he gets to the lake and heads to the far end where he comes upon the lifemate of the object of his search, "Cai?" K'zin calls as he nears. "Is-- Is Nick here?"

From the moment she heard his approach, Cailluneth's gaze has been fixed on K'zin, whirling faster as he gets closer, and shifting from turquoise calm to less happy yellow and white. Her wing clamps down tighter, 'spars hugging the ground with her tail curled just so to seal off the little haven. Not that K'zin can see that side of her, since it's presented to the wall and opposite to the direction of his approach. « I'm not here, Cailluneth. I don't want to see him. » The rumbling purr turns a note darker, more protective growl than raspy lullaby, and she flexes her claws against the sun-baked ground as she lowers her head to bare her teeth at the weyrling. Not truly threatening, not yet, at least - but a warning, and a reaction that is probably a confirmation that N'ky is there, if the teen's habits weren't enough to go by.

To N'ky, Cailluneth forms a protective, silver-rainbow bubble around her Heart, a promise to keep him safe.

K'zin halts where he is. The hope certainly is that Cailluneth wouldn't attack him, but he doesn't want to become threatening or provoke her any more than his mere presence already has. "Okay. I won't come closer." He calls, but his voice does rise in volume. "Nick, I hope you can hear me." He clears his throat. "I was an idiot and an ass trying that stupid say the opposite of what I really think and want with you. I was trying to help and I just fucked things up a lot worse." What's new. K'zin has a real talent for that. "I know you probably hate me right now because I hurt you, badly, and I just wanted to say I'm sorry. And I wish I could take it back and do it over again, better. But I don't even know what the right thing to do would've been. I don't know how to help, Nick. I really want to, but I don't know how." He sighs, now that it's all out. He waits.

« I don't want to see him. » N'ky repeats himself, mentally curling into the cool moonlight of his lifemate's mind. « Can you keep him away? » (To Cailluneth from N'ky)

The bubble grows stronger, more dense, protection amplified as the colours darken to form a shimmering fortress. Nothing will get in that her Heart does not want with him. (To N'ky, from Cailluneth)

A few moments pass after K'zin finishes talking, during which nothing changes. Then the growl is ramped up a notch and Cailluneth's lips draw back further from her teeth, and she lowers her neck as her shoulders hunch, like hackles raising on a canine. Her eyes whirl an angry red, and the silvery wing closest to the weyrling tenses as much as the rest of her does, as if she's ready to spring into action. What action, though, is unclear. From the far side of her there's the sound of a muffled cough.

He waits. And waits. Then Cailluneth moves. K'zin takes a step back. He watches for a moment longer, taking in the shape of her form. "I wish-- I wish you'd talk to me." He pauses another moment and then licks his lips before calling, "But I'll go now. I don't want to make things worse. I just-- I need you to know that I'm here for you. If you ever want or need. Wish I'd thought to add no act of udder idiocy to our pact. It'd make this conversation-" This one-sided conversation. "-easier." He waits again, even though he's said he'll go.

Save for Cailluneth's growl and the sounds surrounding the waterfall, there's silence - or a lack of words, to be more precise, for a long, long time. Cailluneth doesn't move other than the whirl of her eyes and the rise and fall accompanying each breath; she continues to stare down at K'zin, until he might look as if he's given up and is about to leave. And then, there's a quiet, muffled and very badly stuttered, "Sh-she w-won't h-h-hurt you," which doesn't quite fit with the accompanying increased intensity of the green dragon's warning.

K'zin does something stupid. It's been at least five minutes since he has, so he's about due for it. As soon as the badly stuttered words are out, he's breaking into a sprint, right past the green dragon, trying to find N'ky. The significance of the stutter might be lost on others, but it's enough to make K'zin's face practically wild with concern. "Nick! Are you okay?!" As though Cailluneth wouldn't be doing something more than just hovering with rigid protection if N'ky were hurt or something.

An outburst of white-hot anger, the feral touch of youthful ire spawned from the need to protect and shield - accompanying a threatening roar for those close enough to the lake to hear it. White turns to moonlight, a protective bubble drawn around a golden pink sphere, while a wolfish heart beats a warrior's tattoo of warning. (To High Reaches dragons from Cailluneth)

Cailluneth doesn't like the sprinting, and she outright bellows deafeningly at K'zin - she looks almost as if she's about to spring at him, then she jerks down, hunkering low, snaking neck and tail around her body to protect the wing that arches down to the ground to create a canopy haven, a sealed little den. N'ky, hidden beneath, says nothing more; but there's the sound of movement, bootsoles scraping against the ground, perhaps.

It's instinctive: Ilicaeth roars back, echoing his sister, an echo of her threat spelling potential aggression to whatever, whoever disturbs the green so. No words are used, the blue's black-sand whirlwind instantly demanding to know just what bothers her. Big bro's hiking up his sleeves and brandishing knuckles. (To Cailluneth from Ilicaeth)

The bellow is indeed deafening and K'zin is stumbling back as a result, disoriented by the ringing in his ears. Hands go to the sides of his head, covering his ears. "Nick!" He calls, though louder than before. "Nick?"

Drums do not skip a beat, a flawless shift from usual rhythm to ferocious, heavy impacts. Maternal instincts have her reaching for Cailluneth, « WHAT. » Concern weighs heavily on what falls shy of a question, a demand to know what has upset the weyrling. Fires dance in the reflection of bared jaws, tense with the need to protect, and a dam's worry. (To High Reaches dragons from Hraedhyth)

He keeps his own concern and defensive bristling on a strict, narrow beam this time, Ilicaeth instantly linking in with his dam as his thoughts form a thick wall of gutrock about his green sister, seeking to protect her even as he wades into the thick, fists up, readied for blood. (To Cailluneth and Hraedhyth from Ilicaeth)

To High Reaches dragons, Rasavyth's mind might be missed by dragons not paying close attention. His presence is insidious and currently acidic. He is displeased, and more than that, there is a flare of anger and annoyance that he was yanked from the blissfulness of sleep by abrupt danger. He's even annoyed by the audacity of anyone to threaten his K'zin. Wings are beating; he won't be a simple mental presence for long.

« What's he done... » is demanded of his bronze brother without hesitation or compunction, Ilicaeth standing shoulder to shoulder with their dam as his narrowed eyes inspect Rasavyth mercilessly. Since Ras is protecting K'zin...it likely is K'zin's fault. Those gutrock fists are slowly lowered, but there's still offense taken, accusation aimed. (To Hraedhyth and Rasavyth from Ilicaeth)

A rustle in her peripheral. Hraedhyth pays attention, and Rasavyth's flare only adds to that primal need to defend. « Who threatens him. » A low rumble, choked past gritted fangs. Surely his and Cailluneth's are under a common threat. The bronze's annoyance adds fuel to hungry flames, « Who threatens ours. » (To Rasavyth from Hraedhyth)

To Rasavyth and Ilicaeth, Hraedhyth tolerates, encourages, understands Ilicaeth's rising to the call. What she doesn't tolerate, even in her own haze of tense instinct, is blame. The blue is scruffed, perhaps not as quickly as he should have been, « Hush. » The queen will not have them turning on another, not when she has yet to understand.

To High Reaches dragons, Cailluneth's anger subsides quickly, though doesn't die; it shifts to protection, steel and flames in white and silver with no hint of her typical rainbows. A flash of colour is her Heart, a fluttering heartbeat is scattered emotions, a red-gold flash a third party - Rasavyth's. No threat, nothing physical; but her Heart is shielded as he needs to be.

To Hraedhyth, Rasavyth's response is simple. The ooze is bubbling, popping, annoyed. « Cailluneth. » His sister does have a temper, he knows. But it doesn't remove his perceived need to protect even if Cailluneth would never intentionally bring a rider to harm.

The ooze of Rasavyth's mind blisters in his annoyance. Other than the initial flare, he is not now angry, just very annoyed. « He went to speak with Cailluneth's. » That's as much information as he's giving at this moment, especially in the face of accusation. (To Ilicaeth and Hraedhyth from Rasavyth)

The low rumble of Hraedhyth's drums do not slow, though her flames brighten with this knowledge. Enlightened. Roiling ooze is cast in the glow of her fire, crackling with a dam's warning not to fight. She will not stop him from rushing to his K'zin's side, to his defense. It is as it should be. (To Rasavyth from Hraedhyth)

Scruffed he may be, but Ilicaeth's still protective of his sister, the blue grumbling darkly and grating his black sand whirlwind against his their dam's drums, her incendiary flames. He *does* quiet down, however, though his narrowed eyes and rocky prominence remain beside Hraedhyth, awaiting an answer. Apparently Alida's awake too, and concerned...plus ticked off. (To Rasavyth and Hraedhyth from Ilicaeth)

It's almost too quick when Cailluneth drops her head to the ground, her growl lessening, but not quite disappearing. Teeth are no longer bared, though her back remains hunched, muscles tensed in a huntress's instinctual pose. Her wing lifts enough to reveal a sleep-dishevelled N'ky, sitting with his back to his lifemate's side and his knees curled up to his chest, though only in that position for a moment as he rocks onto his knees and starts to get to his feet. Besides looking tired, he looks far from pleased to see the bronzerider and he doesn't approach him once he's standing. He sways unsteadily as he leans back against Cailluneth, arms cross over his chest, eyes narrowed as he glares tiredly at K'zin. "Wh-wha-wha--" The teen tenses, every muscle clenched as tightly as his green dragon's as he takes a deep, frustrated breath, that has Cailluneth raising her head to touch her muzzle to his shoulder, her tail curling around to touch his legs. Even with the physical reassurance of his lifemate, N'ky struggles harder than ever to talk. "Wh--what, K'zin?"

« Wait... » His memory's not that of the bronze, fading already, but it's still just fresh enough - and now fueled by Alida's awakening mind and its better capacity for long-term memory - to finally be tripped off. « He told N'ky... » is suddenly rapsed out by sands whirling in a slightly less abrasive manner. You know...about the whole Weyrhealer/weyrlingmaster thingie. (To Rasavyth from Ilicaeth)

Snap. On top of Cailluneth's own steel come down Hraedhyth's jaws, stained bars forming a cage meant to protect-- not imprison. No longer left wondering, her hackles are slow to smooth, but there is no longer that readied fury. Finally, she understands. In the wake of her rage, she offers comfort to those who might need it, though there is still a heightened sense of being watched. Mind's eye is soon made real, the gold dragon stopping far enough away from the two weyrlings to serve all of their needs. Her concerns, as well as their privacy. (To High Reaches dragons from Hraedhyth)

To Hraedhyth, Rasavyth's annoyance is already being smoothed over by his usual charm, though it still bubbles beneath the surface. On the surface however, he sends a reassuring sensation more than words; he will not fight. He goes to reassure himself, to be there in case the world should go crazy, for if that should happen, the right place for him is wherever K'zin is.

There is nothing overly hindering about that scruffing, Hraedhyth releasing Ilicaeth once he complies. She stands down, expecting the same from the protective blue, though it is not given as an order this time. Though calming, they unfortunately have roused her attention, and that will be difficult to shake until some resolution is made. Good or bad. (To Ilicaeth and Rasavyth from Hraedhyth)

To Rasavyth, Hraedhyth will not hover over him more than she is the rest. Neither does she close the borders of her territory, not so much an invitation as it is much the same. Needed or wanted, she is here. And Rasavyth is in the right place, where he belongs.

"What?" K'zin calls back, shaking his head. The ringing is distracting; not long-term damaging, surely, but temporarily impeding of this communication. His hands pull away from his ears and then return. "My ears are ringing!" He calls, again too loudly, by way of explanation. Despite the fact that he apparently hasn't heard N'ky, he shouts, "Are you okay? You sounded like you might be-- I dunno -- hurt or something!" The look on his face is still an echo of his former wild concern. Of course, he can see N'ky now. Brown eyes scan the other man's familiar form, looking for outward sign of the wrongness he was concerned about. He stays on the sand feet away from him. A glance goes toward the sky, but the bronze is still a distance away, though now close enough to be defined in the air.

To Hraedhyth, Rasavyth's flight is swift, but his arrival is yet in coming from the barracks to the far end of the lake where his rider shouts. It's likely that Hraedhyth, even with her respectful distance might be able to overhear. It's not anger. There's something wrong with K'zin's ears. From Rasavyth is translated a disorienting, but mild ringing; an ill-effect from being too near and too much the target of Cailluneth's angry bellow moments before.

N'ky's brows are furrowed low over his brown eyes, his lips drawn into a tight line. Where he did have his feet crossed at the ankles, that clearly wasn't stable enough as he wobbles, one hand automatically going to Cailluneth's nose to stabilise himself until he plants both feet more solidly on the ground. The green dragon knows Rasavyth is drawing close and adjusts her stance; drawing herself closer around N'ky. He looks almost like he's about to speak, but stops - a typical reaction when he knows he's about to stutter.

There's a lot happening at once, so his response to Ilicaeth is a little delayed as he wings toward the lake shore, having gotten up from his bed and shown that he's not so slow or so bad with a quick take-off as some might have thought. « No. » It's not particularly informative, other than to unquestioningly answer whether or not that is what transpired. (To Ilicaeth from Rasavyth)

To Cailluneth, N'ky reaches out in desperate frustration. « Please. Tell him. I can't. » Not the first time he's been frustrated by his stutter.

Moonlight of a silver so pale as to be almost white bears a single, simple word - « What? » Spoken by someone unused to echoing words and in a poor representation of N'ky's voice, whirled with goldenpink. (To K'zin from Cailluneth)

There's undeniable swirls of ochre in Ilicaeth's usually golden sands as he reaches out slowly, yet surely to contact his sister, but the irritation of those fine particulates are mostly withheld from Cailluneth as smoother granite cups her form like a protective couch. « What happened. » (To Cailluneth from Ilicaeth)

Smoke is set to churning as Hraedhyth snorts, black plumes laced with a faint floral scent: That's not good. The queen's contralto cuts in, « Mine says when Yours is able, he needs to go to a Healer. » The goldrider's being aware is likely the reason behind such a polite distance, for all that the gold is still able to hear some of it. (To Rasavyth from Hraedhyth)

Very well. Ilicaeth retains his dignity through acquiescence, the blue's skin upon his shoulders rippling after their dam mentally sets him down quickly enough. Hrmph. He's still left staring at Rasavyth, a soft grumble of protest and leftover irritation, a sense of looming starting to overtake the blue's presence. (To Rasavyth and Hraedhyth from Ilicaeth)

Well, standing here isn't doing K'zin any good. He's not getting an answer, certainly. So he with another glance and slight frown from the sky advances on the former ferrier. It's a stumbling advance, equilibrium being connected to the ear drums and all that. He stops a handful of paces away as an unfamiliar presence touches his mind directly. He winces; for whatever reason, it doesn't sit well with his mind. He doesn't even understand what the information N'ky is looking for even with the question. Perhaps he thinks N'ky can't hear him either, so he continues forward. "Are you okay, Nick?" This time he exaggerates the words with his mouth. And *whump*. Rasavyth lands on the sands a safe distance away and then heads towards them, a rumble low in his chest that is not entirely friendly, though also not particularly confrontational. It's probably closest to 'K'zin, you idiot, get away from there.'

To Ilicaeth, Cailluneth's mind is clear, pale moonlight, a silvery bubble shielding what's within. The edges are tempered with the jade of concern, but the main, steely message is one that says protection.

He understands completely, being quite protective of his own lifemate...and so speaks Ilicaeth's now warm granite couch. He would never willingly hurt the green or her lifemate, and this too is made clear without any need for words...but he *is* still her blue brother...and he's awfully concerned. He needs to know what happened to try and help. (To Cailluneth from Ilicaeth)

To Hraedhyth, Rasavyth transmits understanding; in fact, it transmits total agreement. Even had the goldrider not insisted, he certainly would have. « I will make him go, as soon as I am able. » Because convincing his rider to go right now, before K'zin knows N'ky is okay seems unlikely, or so the bronze shares. There's also a mild frustration there; he is unable to interfere, a self or perhaps rider-imposed restriction. One he seems to wish now he had not agreed to.

The blue can no longer say Rasavyth never gave him anything. His gift is this knowledge, « My K'zin approached too fast for Cailluneth's liking. It has already begun to go wrong. » He is vexed. (To Ilicaeth from Rasavyth)

Cailluneth's head whips around to confront Rasavyth with a warning growl and a flash of her teeth, while her tail curls more tightly around N'ky, pressing him back against her side. He turns to place a soothing hand on his lifemate's side, looking up at her with a frown that's not the tired anger that K'zin got, but one that's laden down concern, and concentration. His gaze flickers worriedly to K'zin, lingering only for a second before he's looking back up at Cailluneth, stroking at her side with increasingly more determined strokes. The longer he does it, the deeper his frown becomes.

Disregarding his discomfort, Cailluneth tries again, with a softer smoke bearing the answer to the question... though that smoke is fuelled by cold, hard fire. « No. » (To K'zin from Cailluneth)

To Ilicaeth, Cailluneth is in no mood to explain, and makes no attempt to, but she does reach a strained, softly-coloured rainbow towards the blue, curling it around him. Lingering anger erupts briefly in a shower of ruby and ember sparks, that fizzle and fade as quick as they came, melting into her cool silver moonlight, before a wave of crimson laps the edges of the goldenpink parts of her thoughts; her Heart hurts. A vague explanation, but the best the distracted mind can come up with.

He seems a bit surprised that Rasavyth would offer up such information at all. But a gift is a gift, and Ilicaeth's savvy enough to be at least somewhat grateful...showing such in withholding any excess ire towards either bronze or his lifemate. « The mating thing again, I take it... » is grumpily rumbled out, some of Alida's irritation bleeding over into his 'speech.' Ochre and golden sands swirl rapidly upon parched desert ground, but they're not whirlwinds anymore. (To Rasavyth from Ilicaeth)

To Rasavyth, Hraedhyth gives a low rumble, her acknowledgement easy to hear over drums that have not quieted, but calmed. Mild frustration is still enough to be noticed, but months of slowly gained independence are not cast aside for curiosity's sake. « Good. » Little reason to question the bronze's word, especially in regards to the health of his lifemate.

Rasavyth's response to the warning growl is to deliver one of his own. He's not there to provoke her, he's there to protect his own, just as she is doing. The sentiment is delivered mentally, but he's not going to let her bully him into doing anything other than the duty he is here to do. K'zin glances backward. "Cut it out, both of you," He demands of the dragons, looking to N'ky for assistance in getting them to cool their heads. There's another little wince, but at least this time he's expecting it more. He reaches out a hand, letting it drop on N'ky's shoulder, prepared to remove it if it seems objectionable. "I'm an asshole. I'm sorry, Nick. How can I help?" He cops to it, he apologizes, as he did from a distance. But more important to him right now is how to help. Shit's gone haywire and he knows it.

There's a deep, heavy sigh of quartz and mica from a frustrated Ilicaeth, but he lets his sister be, understanding her want of privacy. « You c'n share with me if y'ever feel like it... » is offered to the pudgy green, along with the rock-solid warmth of that encompassing granite couch of his just for her. Addended as he quietly withdraws, an image of wildflowers, the scent of lavendar, the sound of a keen blade being drawn from metal scabbard...a glint of deadly steel. This is *his* lifemate, and N'ky should feel basically free to talk with her, if he wants. (To Cailluneth from Ilicaeth)

« No. » The misunderstanding only adds to Rasavyth's general annoyance. He was sleeping, damnit! And now this. This time he spells it out for Ilicaeth in crisp images. It's a series. It shows K'zin arriving where Cailluneth was balled at the lake shore, wings out. It shows K'zin's mouth moving, shouting from a safe distance after Cailluneth growling a warning at him. It shoes weird little marks that must mean sound and the text overlaid like a comic from where N'ky must be, "She won't attack you," it reads in extremely shaky font. It shows K'zin sprinting toward N'ky. It shows Cailluneth bellowing her displeasure, K'zin stumbling back, the feeling of Rasavyth's perception of danger then the story ends. « He approached too quickly for Cailluneth's liking. » He repeats. He means it exactly as it is said: K'zin ran up and Cai didn't like it. That's the whole story. Nothing to do with mating. (To Ilicaeth from Rasavyth)

N'ky flinches away from the touch, which has Cailluneth swinging her head around to angle her muzzle between the weyrlings, her growl amped up to shudder through her. If K'zin's not quick to back up, way up, she leaves no doubt that she'll force him to, and no doubt that touching is not ok. Not now. Half hidden behind his lifemate's head, N'ky snakes his arms as far around her muzzle as they will go. "S-s--- s-stop." Possibly for Cailluneth, possibly for K'zin, but whoever the word's for, it's laced with frustration.

To Cailluneth, N'ky projects, « Don't hurt him. » A panicked thought is overwhelmed by the need to calm his lifemate's fractious mind, and he soothes as best he can. « Tell him to go. »

Confusion colours Cailluneth's angeredmind in whirls of yellow-green, darted through with bitter black questions; go? No - she disagrees. The whirl of goldenpink for her Heart, the cinnabar-gold for Rasavyth's, twine together, with a burst of what would be soothing white, if she weren't so wound up, but that is how it should be - together. (To N'ky from Cailluneth)

« No. » N'ky is firm in that; for his sake, her sake, K'zin's sake. « He should go. »

She's heard, but that doesn't mean she has to obey. Still, Cailluneth acquiesces, breaking through her anger to wrap her Heart in a blanket of heart-throbbing love.

This time the moonlight has a touch of crimson, a burst of amber-red sparkles fizzling angrily over her lunar landscape. « Go. » Then, confusion, a flicker of yellow-green, and a silvery « Stay. ». Not an imitation of N'ky's voice, this time. (To K'zin from Cailluneth)

After receiving his brother's irritated images, words, Ilicaeth ripostes with an almost wry hint of left-over irritation, « Can ya' blame me for thinking y'meant something more? » After all, Rasavyth usually does *not* mean exactly what he says. There comes the image of Alida rolling her eyes at K'zin, followed by the blue's loud snort of low humor. Still, he *does* finally understand...and he leaves it alone. For once. (To Rasavyth from Ilicaeth)

K'zin backs the hell up, fast. Not so much because he's concerned with what Cailluneth might do, but of Rasavyth's sudden advance, drawing near enough to be considered a threat himself. He's not a threat, but he doesn't take kindly to what transpires. K'zin reaches out a hand and Rasavyth's head is there, no need to look between them. Both sets of eyes are on the green and her lifemate. K'zin looks confused, torn, and he turns to Rasavyth, expression pleading.

To Rasavyth, K'zin's mind is a mess. There's shock, there's frustration, there's annoyance, and pain. There's regret, apology, sorrow. It's just a freakin' mess. « Tell me what to do. » The plea comes softly from boy to beast. He is in the moment, just a boy. A boy who doesn't know how to fix what he broke.

To K'zin, Rasavyth's touch is pained. He feels it most keenly. His own regret is felt strongly. « My K'zin-- I-- I wish I could. But I cannot. You asked me to not. I cannot break my word to you. I cannot. Even when you would wish me to, even when I would wish me to. » It is perhaps the only agreement he will never willingly break; the first and most important one made between them. It is too much a part of who they are together and how they conduct themselves. It is too slippery a slope to start down and not end up back where they started. So he refrains with deep apology.

A wave of warm, honey-gold appreciation washes towards Ilicaeth, catching up those wildflowers, the lavendar, the glint of steel, and emphasising them, weaving them into a strong, powerful abstract portrait. Yes. This is what his looks like, though in her mind the steel is blue strength, not deadly black. (To Ilicaeth from Cailluneth)

"Ss-s-stop." N'ky's stutter becomes a shout; it has Cailluneth's wings drooping by her sides, her head lowering, her eyes whirling no slower, but with increasingly less fire as those heated colours are cooled by hint of purple and white. With his green's head no longer blocking him out, N'ky can look at K'zin, and it's clear that he's not only angry, but frustrated and upset. He's biting down on his bottom lip, chewing worriedly on it as he looks away from the weyrling and to his lifemate, trying very hard not to cry.

K'zin's eyes close briefly and with a final touch to his lifemate's bronze head, he steps closer toward the greenrider again. He crosses half the distance. "Nick." He starts again, expression serious, "I know you probably hate me right now and I deserve that. I was a terrible friend. But I am a friend. And I'm not always a terrible one. I was trying to help and I messed it up. You need a friend right now. So can you just-- hit me or something or be mad at me later and just let me help you now?" It's probably impossible, but he doesn't know what else to do but ask.

N'ky sinks down Cailluneth's side until his butt hits the ground. He curls his arms around his bent knees, hiding his face as his shoulders start to shudder as the tears flow freely. Cailluneth's growl becomes a purr, her eyes whirling in white concern, muzzle reaching out to gently touch her weyrling's knee, giving him a comforting nudge. Then she looks at Rasavyth, at K'zin, then back to N'ky with a raspy, concerned croon.

"Cai." K'zin's voice is quiet, but he knows she can hear him. "I'm coming in. I care about him too." With that being all the warning he gives to the green of his intentions, he strides with squared shoulders to N'ky's side, dropping down beside him. He angles his body toward the greenrider and then begins to try to wrap his arms around the man. His hands are insistent as he tries to more or less gather N'ky into his arms. He's ready to be a shoulder or a punching bag.

Cailluneth raises her head out of the way to let K'zin past, but she hovers protectively close, lips twitching to show her teeth, breath hot on the bronzerider. N'ky pulls away from K'zin, resisting the attempted hug by leaning away, but with his dragon's tail on one side and a once-Smith on the other, there's nowhere for him to go - and that's when he gives in. It's reluctant, but he doesn't pull away any more; then when Cailluneth bumps insistently at his side with her muzzle, he puts up no more resistance at all, falling against K'zin as a sobbing mess... and drawing his fist back to sock the other weyrling with a punch full-on to his gut.

Look at that, a two-fer-one! His arms flex around N'ky when the man gives in, holding him firm as he sobs. The blow, in the wake of the surrender comes as a surprise, and it knocks the air out of K'zin, a grunt of pain escaping before he screws up his face and flexes other muscles to help absorb any subsequent blows. His arms tighten; he's not going anywhere.

Rasavyth shifts. The situation makes him uncomfortable. But the protection he was bringing was from dragonly wrath, not human. So he stays where he is.

There are more blows, but they lack the true intent to hurt that the first one had, and taper off in strength until the last one leaves N'ky clutching at K'zin's tunic as he curls in tight against him. Eventually the sobbing has to subside, because no-one can cry forever - in the case of this distraught weyrling, it ends with him trembling from exhaustion and gasping for breath with his face buried against his friend's neck, fingers vice-like where they still clutch his clothing.

K'zin endures the blows the best he can, grimacing with each new strike. Rasavyth becomes a little more agitated with each landed strike. Once the blows have subsided, however, he finds himself slowly rocking, arms still tight around N'ky's shoulders. He remains silent. He doesn't really know what to say; he doesn't even really know what to do. Everything happening now is following some instinct he didn't know he had.

When he's finally under control, N'ky remains pressed to K'zin's side for a few moments, sniffing wetly against his neck. Then, slowly, he peels himself away; it starts with his fingers loosening their hold, and ends with him rocking back solidly onto his backside, hunched over his crossed legs. Cailluneth flexes her wings, stretching them barely a foot before tucking them back against her side with a rustle of her pale 'sails; she's calmer - much calmer- but the protectiveness hasn't lowered one bit.

K'zin takes a moment to pull himself together too. It's no easy task to be the rock for someone else, let alone one that takes a few knocks. He touches his stomach gently, then shifts. He stays silent a few moments longer before confessing quietly, "I'm afraid to talk. Afraid I'll say something stupid and make it worse."

The dark look N'ky gives him states that he, too, thinks that K'zin will say something stupid. He turns his gaze back down to the ground, runs his fingers through his mussed-up curls, and sighs heavily, as if shifting the weight of the world from his shoulders. "D-don't... say a-anyth-thing." When he sniffs he runs his hand under his nose, then scrubs both hands over his tear-streaked face. "Y-you... y-y-you can g-go now."

"I could have gone before." K'zin points out quietly, "I didn't." As though it weren't obvious. "I won't now, either. Nothing is fixed, yet." His hands clasp in his lap after one rubs across his neck where it had been wetted. "I'm sorry for saying what I said. I was trying to get you fired up. Only it didn't work and it turned out horrid." He takes a deep breath. "I bet it felt like I gave up on you. And I'm sorry. I didn't. Not once. But I know it sounded like I did." His face shows frustration and annoyance with his own stupidity. "I know it seems like I abandoned you. I didn't. I was just-- I said the wrong thing. Did the wrong thing. I'm so sorry." He takes a deep breath. "I know I'm an idiot, Nick. But I'm an idiot who's on your side."

N'ky shakes his head. "N-no. You're n-n-not on m-my side." Still shaking his head, he starts to pick at the hem of his shorts, fiddling aimlessly with the fabric. "You s-said e-everything I-I... I-I th-th-thought you f-felt. It d-d-d--- d-doesn't matter th-that it was all... a-all... wh-whatever. You s-said it. You c-can't s-s-say s-stuff l-like that if you d-d-don't mean it, n-not on some l-level. H-how c-c-can I s--stay your f-f-friend if you... i-if you th-think I'm n-not as g-g--... as g---" N'ky huffs, then tries again. "... n-not w-w-worth it?"

K'zin's head bends, expression darkening steadily as N'ky articulates himself. "Nick, I know you're worth it." Not think. "You are the best of all of us. Honestly. You work hard, you do your best always," Except recently, "You're friendly with everyone, you follow the rules, you're a good person." He takes a deep breath, "I read about this leadership technique where you tell people the opposite of what you want them to do and they're supposed to decide you're wrong and prove it."I didn't even think I sounded convincing. How could you ever even be a quitter? I was trying to get you mad at anyone who said you weren't good enough so you'd see for yourself that you are are. Cai knows you are. I know you are. Don't believe me? Ask her to take it from my head. I'll show her."

"Cailluneth kn-knows I'm me, a-and th-that's all she c-c-cares about. All I c-care about is her." N'ky raises his hand to waggle his index finger at K'zin - and his hand shakes, seemingly involuntarily, as he does so. "I-if you ever t-talk to me l-like that ag-gain, it w-won't be your s-stomach that I p-punch." The hand drops back down into his lap, and he leans back against his lifemate's side with a sigh. His eyes close, and he clenches and unclenches his fist where it rests against his thigh, each movement showing that he's still quivering from... well, something.

All he cares about is her? That hurts worse than the punches. K'zin grimaces. It's not that he feels he doesn't deserve it, but as with a child who tells their parent they hate them, it hurts in the tender spot. He bobs his head. "Don't worry. I won't speak like that again. Ever." One botched attempt at reverse psychology is enough to make K'zin hands off from now on. He pushes himself up onto his feet. "Take care of each other." He murmurs, directing the comment to rider and green. "I'm-- ... I'm always your friend. If you want me to be." But for now, he's hit some internal limit of abuse for the night. He steps away from them now, moving to Rasavyth's side, one hand going to his muzzle briefly before he starts moving down the shore, meaning to make a stop in the infirmary before returning to the barracks.

N'ky doesn't say anything as K'zin gets up and walks off; he just watches, running his fingers through the curls that fall over his frown-creased brow. Once the bronze pair are out of the teen's sight Cailluneth takes over watching them, while N'ky curls up against her side, allowing her to him in beneath her wing again. Middle of the night or not, he's going to lie out under stars for a bit longer.

Cailluneth waits until darkness makes it almost impossible for either pair to see each other, before sending a tiny, rosy puff of smoke - a delicate cloud of thanks - to both dragon and rider. (To Rasavyth from Cailluneth)