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Post by maggie on Jun 5, 2011 0:01:17 GMT -5
The tall brownrider strode into the mess hall, shoulders hunched in menace, a frown on his face. Mornings were not his thing. Most kitchens, he had found, usually brewed a pot of Klah for people like him without even being asked. He could tell that Warden's was no exception as he followed his nose towards where it was brewing. He had his own mug, a colourfully painted thing, in his hand. His daughter had given it to him, at some point, he didn't really remember when. She had painted it for him, knowing how much he would use it. It was a nice little reminder of home in an unfamiliar Weyr.
He poured himself a cup of Klah with a happy sigh. [color-brown]Once you're done with your klah, can you come back? I want to do some exercises with you. If you see anyone in our squad is there. Maybe they can practice with us. That would be fun. And you should meet the other squad members.[/color]
H'lak sighed. "Fine. If I see them I'll invite them over to practice." He sat sown, sipping his klah with a pleased sigh. It was rare to see a big number of people in the mess hall this early in the morning and he relished the peace and quiet.
At least he did until a loud trill announced the arrival of the little green bane of his existence and her blue sidekick. Lavina landed on his head, chirping happily. Aebischer grumbled as he landed. The little blue barely looked at him before starting to chirp angrily for food. He glared back down at flitt, wondering for the hundredth time why Aeb had decided to stick with him instead of going wild. Probably for the free handouts. "You need to lose weight," he muttered, although he got up to go get a bowl of meat for the two flitts. Lavina continued to chatter at him happily from the top of his head. He sat back down, putting the bowl on the table and removing his hand very quickly before Aeb ate it too. He went back to his klah, sighing as Lavina attacked the blue, wanting a share of the spoils. He sighed, looking around in embarrassment and hoping that no one was really around to witness his flitts' bad behaviour.
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Post by asgard on Jun 15, 2011 3:43:02 GMT -5
Tamritan stared in astonishment at the flits. He'd NEVER seen any so... enthusiastic. In fascination he watched the brownrider handle them and wondered what it would be like to have such a creature on his shoulder. So caught up in the creatures was he that he didn't stop to think as he sat down to watch, spilling his food on his tray. At his feet Keen whined curiously, and Tamritan's hand automatically rested on her head in affectionate response.
He kept watching, as he nibbled his rolls and drank his juice. The green is pretty, he thought, but that blue is trouble. He decided that no, flits were not his thing if these were a good example of their behaviour. They were worse than a big litter of puppies, and there were only two of them. Shaking his head in bemusement he began to eat his porridge.
Because he had a big day today, Tamritan had no intention of taking too long over breakfast. Intentions, however have a habit of being waylaid by circumstance. Keen had left her place to introduce herself to the brownriders flits, moving silently as was her way. It was as if the porridge in Tamritan's mouth had turned to dust.
"Keen," he called, "HEEL!"
The normally obedient canine ignored him. Embarassed in extreme, he went to retrieve her before she got too involved. Unfortunately, he was too late. She was play bowing, yipping excitedly, and basically dancing on her back legs. She bounced onto the bench beside the brownrider and up onto the table.
With shamefaced shyness, Tamritan muttered apologies as he tried unsuccessfully to grab his wayward canine. His face was red with embarassment, and he wished, not for the first time that he was taller and less skinny. Suddenly, to his horror, he started to laugh uncontrollably.
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Post by maggie on Jun 15, 2011 15:29:43 GMT -5
Lavina shrieked, her eyes suddenly bright red at the perceived attack on her owner. She divebombed the canine, hissing and screeching in warning. Aeb, much more concerned about the food, stood guard over the bowl, growling ominously. H'lak's arms darted out in alarm, grabbing the poor animal off the table before either one of his flits could do damage. He petted her, trying to hold her in his lap to calm her.
He turned as he heard the uncontrollable laughter. That was probably the canine's - Keen's? - owner. His daughter loved canines and had dragged him to visit the puppies in the Hold often, since she needed supervision. He knew the things liked to be petted and it was probably just playing. "Lavina hush," he ordered the flitt. "Drydenth, make them calm down, he ordered the dragon irritably. He looked over at the boy. "Yours? About as well behaved as mine." He motioned to his flitts, who were calmer, but still nervous. Lavina had landed on his head, glaring suspiciously down at the canine in his lap and Aeb was gulping down food as fast as he could to save it from the puppy. "She's cuter. Keen?" He motioned to one flitt, then the other. "Lavina and Aebischer."
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Post by asgard on Jun 17, 2011 18:43:18 GMT -5
Tamritan flushed, wondering whether the brownrider would be as forgiving if he knew how well trained Keen was supposed to be. He was annoyed with the canine, but knew the fault was his own. He never had taught her to ignore flits because it had never been an issue before.
Meanwhile Keen was letting her interest slip from flits to man. She licked his hands and wagged happily. In her own way she was apologising too, for she had not meant to cause a problem. He tasted good in a way only an animal would understand.
"I'm so sorry, sir," said Tamritan with a painful tone full of embarassment. "Keen is young, but does know better. I never trained her to ignore flits yet."
He was afraid the man would report him to his father, yet he knew he deserved it. He sighed, hoping the man was more forgiving than he was of himself. Hands in his pockets, Tamritan waited for the worst, a touch of premonition showing on his face.
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Post by maggie on Jun 17, 2011 22:36:59 GMT -5
"She'll learn," H'lak said. "Or not. Maybe it'll give Aeb some exercise, if he's chased." He seemed to be honestly considering the idea, eying his fat blue. "They should not be acting so, they also know better. Supposedly. I have never been a partisan of the idea of flitt intelligence." He stroked Lavina's eyeridges. She bit him, recognising an insult when she heard one.
He played with the puppy for a little bit. He had always liked canines. They were agreeable animals, and it was nice to pet soft fur rather than rough hide. "If you want, you could borrow my miscreants for training her. It would keep them nice and busy and I'm sure Drydenth wouldn't object to them being useful. For once." Lavina glared down at the puppy, making a huffy, whistling sound, almost like a tea kettle.
How dare her nice, manly human pay attention to that stupid fluffy thing and not to her! She launched herself again, landing in Keen's fur and rubbing her face against H'lak's fingers.
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Post by asgard on Jun 21, 2011 2:31:56 GMT -5
Tamritan wished Keen and the flits would settle down. He so needed advice and the brownrider seemed so approachable. Maybe he’d have an idea what he could do. When he’d been told he was to be a candidate he’d been both astonished and upset. Candidates were not ALLOWED pets who weren’t flits.
The battle of the beasts was becoming annoyingly prolonged. Tamritan wondered if the man regretted his kindness considering how silly Keen was being. The canine wriggled and yipped, panted and licked, pawed and danced. All this was in response to the flit who didn’t actually seem to be playing. It made Tamritan feel tired just watching.
Keen suddenly flopped to the floor between the rider’s feet, her own feet waving in the air along with her tail. A big canine smile lifted her lips from her teeth. Tamritan envied the canine her simple enjoyment of life.
“Sir? May I ask for some advice?” Tamritan said as the canine began to relax more. “I really need some help.”
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Post by maggie on Jul 23, 2011 22:34:18 GMT -5
H'lak scratched the canine's belly, quite amused by her antics. Lavina made a decidedly insulted sound, fleeing to the rafters to sulk. She would be unbearable for a few hours, H'lak knew, but she would get over herself quickly enough. Or she would go flirt with some big bronze dragon to try and insult him. Not that he minded, although it was always a little embarrassing.
He looked up at the candidate, nodding his head slightly to indicate that he could ask whatever he wanted. If H'lak was not able to reply, he'd redirect the boy elsewhere, but it was always good to encourage the young ones to ask questions. Not asking questions when they were unsure had gotten some candidates and worse, weyrlings, into a lot of trouble.
I want to meet the canine! Drydenth whined in his mind. The big brown was bored, he could tell. Aeb had disappeared between and H'lak assumed that he was sulking on Drydenth's head, now, but the dragon would probably not be pleased until he had gotten what he wanted, company or no.
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