Greeting the Dawn (OPEN)

[Ghost of Fire (Fëanáro)]

3077.01.15 | Early Morning | Runnerbeast stables

There was a little bit of a breeze near the stables, but summer was well and truly settled in in the Southern Continent, and there was little enough of the breeze to keep up with the humidity. It did make the fruit grow well though. A black and white runner came cantering up to the stables, followed by a black and tan canine, the rays of Rukbat’s golden light just starting to kiss the ground behind them.

As the runner came to a stop in front of the stable, the young man riding it sprang off to land on the ground. Both runner and rider seemed to be in high spirits still, though there was an edge of tiredness about the runner’s movements. The youth slid the saddle from the runner’s back with practiced ease, then paused, the saddle swung over one arm, as the runner raised its head to gaze towards the far side of the stable.

“What’s there, Palavaris?” the rider asked, carefully setting the saddle on the ground. It wasn’t the idle open thinking that it might have been with a different runner. If Palavaris recognized the scent of the creature approaching he had a small repertoire of signals with which to communicate identification to his rider. It was limited to things like “threat”, “friendly human”, and “unknown”, but it existed. As of the moment, Palavaris clearly considered this to be in the “unknown” category, pawing the ground and shaking his mane.

Catching up, the black and tan canine sat down, panting heavily. He was rather large, standing nearly hip-high on M’brey, and covered in long, silky looking fur.

“Hello?” M’brey called out, starting to step around Palavaris. With a glance, he directed Kaaratos to remain seated. The large black and tan canine could unnerve some people. There weren’t normally too many people here this early, which made an unknown person (and it was probably a person, since Paavaris rarely noticed herbivores and carnivores fell into the “threat” category) all the more interesting. Palavaris knew all the people who were commonly around here, and would have signaled them as friendly humans.

[SlasherV]

Early morning, she had always been an early riser, and her move to the Weyr hadn't change anything. The sun wasn't even up yet, and the teenager could be found slipping out of the Barracks, padding on quiet feet southeast, towards the Jungle, and the main path down to the Stables and farmlands. She had promised herself she would get down there to visit the beasts. So many new ones to meet, and she felt awful that it had taken her this long.

She had gotten used to herdbeasts and runners, instead of dragons, and as much as she loved dragonkind, she found she missed the earthy, dust-leather smell of furred animals. It didn’t take long, and she stuck to the main path. It wouldn’t do to get lost in the dawn. Emerging from the foliage, she smiled as the sight of the stables and barns met her.

Walking quietly, but not sneakily, into the barn, she exhaled softly, letting herself wander from stall to stall, patting a velvet nose here and there that stuck out, curious. She finally ended up at the back of the barn, and as she turned, the sound of hooves and the hiss of leather and clink of buckles hit her ears. Someone had just come in.

She wasn’t worried about getting in trouble, but it would be silly to not step out and see the person and acknowledge that she had been ‘found’. So she did. A few steps brought her back into the main aisle, and she blinked at the handsome paint runner, a small smile touching her lips as she took another couple steps. Oh wait, right, there was a boy too. She paused and moved her gaze to him, ”Um, g’morning.”

[Ghost of Fire (Fëanáro)]

M’brey glanced over as Palavaris cautiously stretched his nose out towards the young woman who’d some back into the isle. She was around his own height, with red-brown hair and matching eyes, and she was clearly a fellow lover of runners, for her first focus went straight to Palavaris.

He grinned when she glanced over to him. “Good morning,” he returned, giving a slight bow in greeting. It wasn’t something that the clan had been keen on, but he’d had to learn dragonrider’s manners after Impressing, and that included those slight bows.

“M’brey S’Oneri, of DarkBlue Nellielth,” he said, offering his hand in introduction. Palavaris, meanwhile, had stretched out his head and was sniffing the girl, introducing himself like the runnerbeast that he was.

[SlasherV]

The young lady nodded and returned the half-bow, stepping closer and extending her own hand to briefly clasp the Rider’s, ”Keket Tarrenvale, Candidate. Most people call me Kiki though, I think its easier. Um, it’s a pleasure to meet you…Who’s this?” She had offered a polite smile to the young man, but as the runner snuffled at her, she smiled lightly and raised a hand, lightly caressing the beast’s nose, mindful of sudden bites. This wasn’t her first barn to hover around.

Another glance of brown eyes and she had to raise her other hand to brush red-brown strands behind one ear as she noticed the canine, ”And this handsome fellow?” It was obvious she was enthralled by the beasts, comfortable to talk about them. Though other than the greeting, she hadn’t made a whole lot of eye contact with M’brey, her gaze more intent on the animals.

She seemed to realize this, and let her hand drop from the runner’s nose as she turned to look at the boy, suddenly feeling a little guilty. Quit being rude, Keket!

[Ghost of Fire (Fëanáro)]

Another person might have considered the girl’s behavior rude. M’brey didn’t really think it that unusual at all though. Even if it was rude, who was he to care if another young adult found comfort and happiness in the presence of furry creatures.

“He’s Palavaris,” M’brey answered, “an’ the canine’s Karatos,” he continued, anwering her second question.

Karatos, hearing his name, started wagging his tail. It thudded into the near wall, but the canine didn’t seem to notice, his mouth gaping open in a happy panting canine smile. Palavaris twitched his lip, as if checking the girl’s palm for treats, then lowered his head slightly, attempting to solicit a rub to the front of his face.

M'brey smiled. “I think they agree that it’s a pleasure to meet you too,” M’brey said, suddenly realizing that he hadn’t replied properly to the girl’s first statement and thereby closed the greeting properly. He felt his face heat, and unfortunately for him, he had rather pale skin, when it wasn’t pretending to a sunburn in embarrassment.

He hoped that his jury-rigged greeting closer was acceptable.

[SlasherV]

Keket's gaze flicked towards the runner as M'brey stated the animal's name, and she nodded, almost as if to herself. And then looked towards the obviously happy to be there canine, another quick dip of her head. As Palavaris dipped his head, her hand seemed to automatically go on its own and slide up the beasts broad face, pausing at the broadest area between the eyes and obliging with a hearty rub. She was obviously not afraid to get her hands dirty...or hairy, as the case may be.

As the greetings drew to a neat close(in her opinion), she glanced curiously at the boy. And she had to blink at his state. She could have sworn he was reddish now? Had he always been pink-tinged? "Are you alright? You seem flushed...I didn't think the sun was high enough to burn yet...Perhaps you need some water?" This, all the while as she continued to rub at the runner's face. She hoped he was alright. She was pretty sure they were the only one sin the stables this early, and the Weyr was a decent run if he needed a Healer.

[Ghost of Fire (Fëanáro)]

M’brey felt his face heat a little further. For a few seconds, he couldn’t think of anything to say. There wasn’t to his knowledge, any good way to say that one was simply so embarrassed that one looked burnt. His mouth started to open, closed, then opened again.

“Ah… no, I just, that is, I’ll be fine.”

It was a woefully inadequate response, but at least there was good news. His face was flushed enough that any further flushing would not be readily apparent.

Oblivious to M’brey’s embarrassment, Palavaris leaned slightly into the girl’s hand. He loved head rubs!

((might be starting to come to a close, unless you have any ideas))

[SlasherV]

Keket grinned at the runner, pushing harder against the broad head, her hand now littered with dust and loose hair, but it was obvious she didn't care in the slightest. Finally, she lifted her hand, and looked at M'brey, "Do you want any help putting him away? I have chores to get to after here, but there's no rush, I don't mind helping."

She smiled at him. The fact that his animals were so happy seemed to have helped relax her, and she didn't mind talking to the young man so much. Shifting a little, she reached and offered a light pat for the canine as well, waiting politely for the DarkBlue rider's answer.

((Im fine with wrapping up :3 ))

[Ghost of Fire (Fëanáro)]

M’brey grinned. He’d take help any day. There weren’t many of his follow young riders who understood why he liked being in the stables so much, and it would be good to be near a person who did.

“Sure, that’d be awesome,” he said. Of course, he wouldn’t get to spend as long on the task with two people, but that would be worth it for the company. Maybe she’d be here tomorrow at around this time too.

As predicted, it didn’t take as long as normal. It was also fun in a good, calm sort of way, to be near someone who understood the draw of a stable.

((Call it either after this one or your next one?))

[SlasherV]

With a grin, she helped him, brushing off Palavaris, and setting the tack where it all belonged. Once they were finished, she emerged out into the sunshine and sighed, "Thank you for letting me help! I was refreshing to play with a runner again. I need to go to lessons now. I hope I see you around again, M'brey." With that, she waved, and wandered towards the Candidate Barracks.

((Fin! Thanks so much for the RP. :3 ))