Why Can't We Be Friends?

Writers: Devin, Steel
Date Posted: 18th May 2026

Characters: R'zen, M'sar
Description: R'zen vents at M'sar and they throw knives
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 3, day 10 of Turn 13
Notes: Mentioned: K'resh, N'dhavi

Follows "Patience, Uncooperative Patient"

~~~~

"_There_ you are." R'zen declared, like he'd been waiting for M'sar to appear. Maybe he had been.

He straightened and approached.

Ibranth bounded right past him, ruining the affected disinterest as he charged for Nazoth. }:You have returned!:{

}:Ibranth. The fierce one.:{ Nazoth looked down at him, eyes whirling with interest.

M'sar arched an eyebrow. "Been looking for me?"

}:I am indeed fierce!:{ Ibranth declared, and strutted, neck arched proudly.

R'zen eyed his blue, and then M'sar, still smarting a little from the previous indignity of being denied proper training time. "So what If I _was_?" He muttered. "You gonna tell me I can't?"

M'sar snorted. "What crawled up your ass?"

Ibranth sidled toward Nazoth, head held low, swaying side to side. }:Teach us to fly.:{

R'zen glared at him a moment, then huffed. "... Daft Healer put me on light training." He muttered. "And her dragon ratted to the Weyrlingmasters so I can't even train anyways. It's _dumb_. How can I make the Weyrleader's wing right out of graduation if I'm not going all in?"

"The _Weyrleader's_ Wing, huh? Well ain't you got fancy ideas."

}:Flying is easy.:{ Nazoth started to spread his wings, then tilted his head at the blue. }:You are very small. Are you big enough to fly?:{

"... So what?" R'zen muttered again, though his shoulders slumped almost dejectedly. "Can't do anything if they took me off training."

Ibranth considered, and then spread his wings, gave them a flap. }:Maybe I will be the first in my class to fly.:{

"What did they take you off training for? You get hurt or something?" M'sar looked him over.

}:You must jump as high as you can, and flap your wings so they carry you up.:{ Nazoth demonstrated, kicking up wind as he took to the air.

"Hey!" M'sar turned and realized his dragon's intent. "Wait, wait. No! Don't let him fly yet, he's too little."

"Ibranth!" R'zen snapped, sensing his dragon's intent even as the blue gathered himself to spring. "Don't you _dare_!"

The blue jerked back reflexively, stumbled and tripped over his own tail. He squealed in indignant outrage as he went sprawling. }:I can _too_ fly! I am mighty!:{

R'zen stared at his dragon in disbelief for a moment, and then couldn't help but laugh. "You're mighty ridiculous." He huffed. "... C'mere, Ibranth." He added, crossed over to his blue. "Here-- lemme move your wing so you don't step on it."

M'sar let out a breath. "I get it. Nazoth wanted to do everything early, too. But he'll hurt himself if he tries to fly too early."

"It's still _dumb_." R'zen muttered, but his shoulders eased a little bit as he helped Ibranth fold his wing back in, gave him another pat. "And... yeah. Dumb Healer said I was doing too much, and 'cause my right arm got hurt, it's weaker than the other one." He made another face.

"Dunno how having to sit around is better than building back up." R'zen said, and slanted M'sar another look. "Maybe you could show me some advanced stuff?"

"Advanced stuff like weyrling training?" M'sar asked. "Or how to throw a knife with your good arm?"

".... Both?" R'zen suggested slyly. "... My right arm's usually my better one, but. Couldn't hurt to learn with both? And they can't complain if I'm hanging out with you, cause I'm taking it easy."

"I'm tired of training. Let's play with blades." M'sar pulled out his belt knife -- the only one he was officially allowed to have. The handle was smooth and familiar in his grip. "This is Talon. I'll let you touch her if you ask real nice."

}:Let's wrestle!:{ Nazoth told the blue that wasn't even a third his size.

}:You'll have to come _down_.:{ Ibranth huffed. }:Mine says I am not allowed to use my wings.:{

"Oh yeah?" R'zen eyed the knife, then M'sar, and then the knife again. Then he held out his hand. "Can I touch.... Talon?" Faranth, this was weird. But he _was_ curious.

Nazoth landed. }:Yes, you must grow more before you can fly. It is hard to wait. But we can wrestle!:{ He charged Ibranth.

"Say please." The corner of M'sar's mouth turned up.

Ibranth needed no further urging to charge the much bigger dragon in turn, skidding to the side in a feint at the last moment. }:When I can fly, we will chase each other in the air as well!!:{ he declared.

R'zen glared at him, but without real heat. "Can I _please_ touch the sharding knife?" He parroted.

The feint surprised Nazoth and it took him a moment to turn his bulk and charge the blue again.

M'sar laughed. "Alright." With a neat flick, he flipped the knife and held it by the dull side, offering the handle to R'zen. "Go ahead."

R'zen made another face, but took the knife, hefted it. "... Huh." He said. "... Now what? Just... toss it?"

Ibranth squealed delightedly, and met Nazoth with his own charge.

Nazoth knocked the blue over and then pinned him with a paw, though he used gentle pressure.

"Let's go over to the guards' practice area." M'sar nodded toward it. "They got targets and stuff." He led the way, feeling twitchy about letting someone else hold Talon, but it wasn't like R'zen was going to run off with her.

}:Let me up!!:{ Ibranth demanded, and squirmed, writhing free. }:Let me up! Mine, wait for me!:{

R'zen followed M'sar a few steps, then paused to wait for Ibranth, before he continued. "... How long have you been able to do knife throwing stuff?"

"Since a little after I was made holdless." During their walk, M'sar had produced another knife, seemingly from nowhere. "Takes some practice. Watch." He pointed to one of the targets and then in a flash, his knife hit the center.

}:You can do that too!!!:{ Ibranth declared with utter certainty as he bounded toward his rider at near full speed. He skidded to a stop only just in time to avoid plowing _into_ his rider.

R'zen huffed, and rubbed a blue eyeridge with his free hand. "I think knife throwing is going to be a me thing." He told Ibranth. "You don't have hands. Now back up. Give me some room."

}:Oh. You are playing with the sharp things you like.:{ Nazoth laid on his belly to watch.

"You gotta hold it like this." M'sar went over and positioned R'zen's hand. "Then you look at the target and think about hitting it. Aim. Then throw."

Ibranth hopped backwards, awkwardly. Then spun, and leapt at Nazoth's head. }:I've got you now!:{

R'zen ignored his blue's antics with a little bit of difficulty. He took a deep breath, eyed the target, and then... flung.

It landed cleanly, a ring out from the center, and R'zen grinned. "... Like that?"

M'sar arched an eyebrow. "Have you done this before?"

Nazoth saw the blue coming and his paw came out, surprisingly quick, to bat Ibranth away.

Ibranth hopped to the side, but still went tumbling with a squeal of delight.

R'zen considered, then shook his head. "No." He responded. "Lucky first try?"

"Huh. Well if you go fetch the knives I'll let you have another try," M'sar said.

Nazoth pounced on Ibranth, though he was careful not to let his bulk crush the much smaller dragon.

"Tch." R'zen scoffed, but went. He collected both knives, and came trotting back. "Next time, _you_ go get them." He huffed, but held out one to M'sar.

Ibranth dodged, bounded a pace away before spinning almost in place and leaping to pounce at Nazoth in turn.

Nazoth let the blue land on him and then grabbed Ibranth to start wrestling him.

M'sar took Talon back, his thumb caressing along the handle. "All right. Let's see you get lucky again." With familiar ease, he threw the knife and it stuck solidly in the middle of the target.

"You're pretty good at that." R'zen commented. "... Bet it could be useful. Like... for hunting wherries or whatever. I mean... even though we have dragons for that if we want."

He threw the knife again.

}:I could hunt!:{ Ibranth agreed, squirming in Nazoth's gentle pin. }:We should hunt, Nazoth!:{

Nazoth tilted his head. }:I think some of the herdbeasts are bigger than you. Perhaps we should hunt small things.:{ He went for a play bite, his mouth nearly engulfing the younger dragon.

"It was useful when I had to fight," M'sar said.

Ibranth squeaked, and leapt back, bapping Nazoth's muzzle with one forepaw as he did so. }:Maybe there are tunnelsnakes... :{ he said, though the way his head turned, he was comparing Nazoth to the nearest doorway.

"... So you have fighting experience." R'zen huffed. "Maybe sometime you could teach me a move or whatever? And K'resh, too." He added.

}:I have not hunted tunnelsnakes. The others say they are dangerous.:{ Nazoth's eyes whirled with interest. }:Hunting them would be good.:{

"Who's K'resh?" M'sar asked.

}:Then we shall hunt them!:{ Ibranth declared, and snorted, turned and trotted towards the nearest doorway that might fit them both. }:We must find a tunnel, I think.:{

"... My other friend." R'zen huffed. "Aside from you. I swear, half my class is _useless_." He shook his head. "K'resh is all right though."

M'sar snorted. "Friend? You hardly know me."

"So?" R'zen shrugged. "You're still a lot more tolerable than half my class."

He paused, then added, "I mean, I guess if that's how you feel, I _could_ call Ibranth back and go do something else." He tossed the knife. Again, it struck the target.

"Didn't say I don't like you." M'sar frowned, hating the little flutter of half-fear, half-hope in his chest. R'zen was just a _kid_, though. "I'll take being tolerable."

"Oh hey. I hit it again." R'zen said, and grinned. "Maybe I _am_ good at this."

He slid a glance in M'sar's direction, huffed. "Da said I'm impossible to get along with. Proved _him_ wrong."

M'sar looked over at the target without seeing it. "My da said I'd be alone and miserable for the rest of my life."

"Proved _him_ wrong too." R'zen offered, if awkward. "You got Nazoth. Yeah?" He exhaled. "I mean... I get along with you, right? With N'dhavi. K'resh. You don't think I'm daft, or fight too much." He hoped.

"You get along with _N'dhavi_?!?" M'sar laughed incredulously.

"He's not so bad!" R'zen defended himself. "And Ibranth played with Malzyveth okay." He glanced at M'sar again. "Ibranth likes Nazoth though."

"Nazoth likes having a little dragon to play with. He's good with him, ain't he? Not too rough or anything." M'sar smiled as he watched the dragons heading toward a wide entrance, warm pride filling him. M'sar didn't care about hurting people (who deserved it), but he didn't want Nazoth hurting other dragons.

}:Of course I would not hurt dragons,:{ Nazoth said. }:Ibranth is very small. I am careful not to squish him.:{

"He wears Ibranth out good." R'zen agreed. "And Ibranth's not daunted by him." He added. "Plus all that hopping and dodging has gotta be making my blue stronger, too."

"The size difference is pretty feckin' funny, ain't it?" M'sar said. Nazoth's head was the size of Ibranth's whole body.

"He'll get bigger!" R'zen flared, defensive, before he relented. "... I guess it _is_ kinda funny. Lookit them. It's like... like a boulder and a rock."

Ibranth was, in fact, prancing.

"Or like a kitten and a herdbeast." M'sar laughed. "Wanna keep throwing knives, or do you want to follow them and see what they're up to?"

Last updated on the June 4th 2026

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Why Can't We Be Friends?