Stand By You (Tag Zen/Sk'lar & Ikki)

[Taxx]

K’zar hadn’t really had to tempt Lepsuth along here; she had followed, trusting and always keen on sticking close to her rider, the single most trusted person in the Weyr- in all of Pern, really. She might have balked if it seemed dangerous, but a trip to the lake seemed safe enough. Especially if she was with K’zar.

They’d come here before, for her baths or for K’zar to swim a bit; Lepsuth preferred the lake than the ocean for that, even though she knew K’zar preferred the salty water. He always felt an odd mix of calm and restless when he was near it, though, which made her uncertain if she should like the ocean or fear it; the lake never raised those feelings in him. He was always more apathetic about the lake. Which was better, Lepsuth thought. She hated it when K’zar was upset.

K’zar watched her fidget, wondering if there was a chance he could get her in the water. She'd learned how to swim with the rest of the weyrling dragons, but she was high-strung and there was the risk of her panicking. Small as she was, Lepsuth was still quite heavy, and the last thing he needed was for her to panic while she was in the pool and he was alone. For now, she seemed content to hang on the edge, so he decided to let her be, as he stripped down to just underwear and waded in, relaxing in the warmth of the water surrounding him.

As always Lepsuth paced, watching his progress and edging close enough for the ripples to wash over the tips of her claws. She didn’t want to go in further; she peered into the water, wavering a moment before pulling back with a quiet rumble, her tail flicking nervously.

[Zen]

Sk'lar :: Blue Ikkamath

Ikkamath required a bath. For the second time that day. Because the fool blue had decided he wanted to roll in a mud hole like a porcine. Sk’lar could not begin to fathom what had possessed his dragon to do such a thing. And not only had he rolled in the mud, when Sk’lar had tried to get him to stop he had flung mud at him too! Glaring at the blue as they made their way toward the lake, Sk’lar again wiped at his face, where some of the mud still remained despite his best efforts, not to mention the mud caught up in his hair, and smeared on his clothing.

“Honestly, Ikkamath, I’ve never wasted so much time as I do with you and all your nonsense,” Sk’lar growled.

Ikkamath laughed. He laughed. Good. You could do with some wasted time.

“I could do with a partner with half a brain!” he retorted, all annoyance, especially as his dragon only seemed immensely pleased with himself despite the scoldings, “You look more brown than blue.”

But Ikkamath wasn’t listening. He had spotted the green dragon at the lake’s edge and all of a sudden shot forward toward her, broadcasting his loud, obnoxious greeting to anyone in the immediate vicinity, HEELLLLOOOOOOOO!

Sk’lar actually clapped his hands over his ears as if that might help before he realized it, then dropped them back to his sides with a soft curse. Ikkamath quit yelling and leave her alone! No dragon is going to want anything to do with you until you’ve bathed, you giant mud ball! He jogged to catch up with the blue, who did not slow his pace at all at his rider’s order.

Taxx

[Taxx]

Lepsuth, focused completely on K’zar, hadn’t noticed the blue’s approach until he was roaring a greeting- mental or not, it didn’t matter. She still nearly jumped out of her hide, spun about with one hind foot slipping on the bank, her backside splashing into the surface of the water. Barely managing to duck the swing of her tail and sputtering at the deluge that washed over him, K’zar swam back to shore, hauling himself out before he laid a hand on the green, who instantly leaned sideways against him and just about knocked him sprawling. Clearly she’d forgotten for a moment that she wasn’t all that small anymore.

At least she could still tuck her head against him and look to him to protect her, her body quivering in startled fear at the unexpected arrival. K’zar patted her soothingly, tipping an eye up at the mud-coated blue and the man running to catch up to his dragon. “Back off,” he demanded of the blue as he stood, catching Lepsuth’s head as she pushed it into his chest and hugging her, scratching and patting her cheeks and neck to calm her.

A brief nod was the only greeting he gave Sk’lar before he continued. “Your blue giving you much trouble?” A glance back at the liberal muck that covered the pale blue’s hide, wondering just how he’d managed to get that dirty. It didn’t look like an accident- from the spread, it looked like he had all too happily rolled in the world’s largest mud puddle, and couldn’t possibly be more tickled about it.

[Zen]

Sk'lar :: Blue Ikkamath

Lepsuth’s fright was readily apparent, and Ikkamath had a moment to feel bad for startling her so much. He may be a pest but he never meant to truly upset anyone. Other than Sk’lar, maybe. His rider was so fun and so easy to get a rise out of, after all. So the blue had slowed his race to the lake’s edge as the rider made his way to the green to comfort her and she seemed to try to hide behind the man. Being told to back off hardly fazed Ikkamath, as he was often invading others’ personal space and being told similar things. Rustling his wings, Ikkamath sniffed, Don’t be so testy, I was just saying hello. I am sorry I scared you so much though, he aimed the second bit at Lepsuth, his tone at least mildly apologetic.

Sk’lar shot a glare at the blue as K’zar asked him a question that probably didn’t need answering, “Always. I’m sorry about him. Ever since he recovered from his crash landing he’s been more hyperactive than ever.” Ikkamath cast a glance at his rider, You don’t have to tell everyone about it. What, are you embarrassed about it? Good. You deserve it. I’m not embarrassed. I just don’t like how it made you feel. I don’t want you to feel that way… and I really don’t want to be the reason you feel that way. Sk’lar wasn’t really sure what to say to that. Ikkamath was rarely considerate. So he was guilty rather than embarrassed. Maybe the crash had done him some good in a way. Of course, he probably only remembered it yet because he hadn’t been recovered from it for long, and it was still quite fresh in Sk’lar’s own mind. When it faded, he had no doubt the blue would go back to being his usual careless self.

“Will you get in the water already?” Sk’lar waved his hands at him, shooing him on into the lake. Ikkamath perked up immediately, After you, oh rider. And in a surprisingly agile movement, the blue was behind him and shoving him bodily into the water. “IKKA-” Sk’lar’s cry was cut off as he splashed into the lake, sputtering as the blue laughed and waded in after him, making sure to splash as much as he could as he went. Standing in water about waist deep, Sk’lar continued to glare at his dragon, “Overgrown tunnelsnake! Stop being so sharding immature!” He waded back out, grumbling to himself as Ikkamath went for a brief dunk in the lake. On the shore again, he stripped out of his wet, muddy clothes, glancing over at K’zar and Lepsuth, “Sorry again… he’s….” He waved his hand helplessly. Ikkamath’s actions spoke for him. “I’m doing my best to teach him some discipline but… he seems to resist any and all attempts.” Discipline… I don’t like that word. It’s not even fun to say. Sk’lar ignored him, “Erm… Sk’lar, by the way. The giant blue pest is Ikkamath.”

Taxx

[Taxx]

Lepsuth gave no indication she'd heard the blue, and K'zar patted her again, glancing at the two as the weyrling approached and added his apology to his dragon's. He shrugged, his irritation not quite fading but more manageable in the face of the apology. "Don't worry about it," he replied, brushing it off and willing enough to let it go. He would have had more of a problem if the blue hadn't seemed sorry, but as it was, there really wasn't any reason to push the issue. The blue was turning his attention toward his rider now, and Lepsuth was slowly relaxing the hard press of her muzzle against his chest. Her eyes stayed tightly shut, but her fear was easing off too, happy to once again not be the center of attention.

An eyebrow raised as the hyper blue literally dumped his rider into the lake, clothes and all, and as he patted his green's nose- and side-stepped a few paces to avoid the splashing as the pale blue followed his rider- a slight quirk of his lips indicated K'zar's amusement at the antics. So long as they weren't directed at him and Lepsuth, he didn't care what they did. He hoped the blue's actions would stay directed on... Sk'lar, though, not very much in the mood to deal with the wholly unfamiliar hyperactive attitude Ikkamath displayed.

"K'zar and Lepsuth. Don't worry about it; he is who he is. As long as he doesn't bother Lepsuth." A warning directed at the both of them- at the blue in case he had any bright ideas, at the rider to ensure he kept the blue in hand at least that much. "Perhaps someone else could help you rein him in? If you meant it, trying to teach him manners. As I understand it, a brown or a bronze could enforce better behavior? Or a gold?"
Zen