Different Pursuits

Writers: Avery
Date Posted: 28th February 2007

Characters: Kapera, K'ran
Description: Kapera wants to have a little fun, but is confused after being rejected by K'ran, who seems immune to feminine wiles.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 3, day 21 of Turn 4

Kapera

K'ran

K'ran just wanted to catch what was left of breakfast. He'd slept in a little bit. There was nothing wrong with doing that on occasion. Now that he was awake, however, it was time to eat before heading out. K'ran had plans for his restday. He was just grateful that no one else was coming along on his expedition to the small waterfall inland on the jungle. If they had been, he would have had to get up earlier. Sometimes he wished he had an expedition partner, but it was easier to arrange things when it was just you and your dragon, he thought. He wasn't feeling overly social today, anyways, which is why he was heading to an abandoned place. If he'd wanted to be with people, he would have gone somewhere inhabited.

}:Perhaps you should. You could go to the Dolphin Hall again. I like dolphins.:{ Rogueth commented as K'ran mounted his neck to drop down to the dining caverns. }:And you had made a friend there.:{ He didn't really remember that on his own, but K'ran remembered the dolphineer he'd met on occasion; she'd seemed a kindred spirit.

**I'd rather be alone today.** K'ran replied simply. **You liked the jungle area last time, and there is good hunting there.**

Rogueth considered that. }:Hunting would be better with another.:{ he grumbled, but he knew his rider's mind was made up already. He returned to the weyrledge to wait for his rider to be done eating.

While K'ran chose his breakfast, he asked a cook to make him a small basket of things that he could take on his journey as snacks. He hefted the tray with breakfast and carried the basket in his other hand, then headed over to an unoccupied table in the corner. That table, and the few near it, were all unoccupied. It would be a good place for him to look over his notes on the place while eating.

Kapera was also late to breakfast. She had been up all night with an older brownrider. At first she'd been hesitant to take up his invitation- the man was almost 30 Turns older than her- but then again, older men had plenty of tricks. Riyanth's second flight had been won by an older bronzerider who had shown her several wonderful tricks, in fact. She was glad she had chosen Y'rin last night, because the night had been well worth a departure from her usual choice of bedmates.

She'd chosen simple but low-cut clothing for the day. Even though it was a restday, she was going to spend some of it working. She was still new enough to the Weyr to want to look like the good responsible Weyrwoman's Second. She wanted to make sure to attract company for the night, though, and what better way than to make herself look appealing?

She chose her breakfast, poured herself klah, and looked around for a seat. There were a few over there, mostly unoccupied, except for one man. She wondered why he was alone, and decided that it would be a good idea to go over there. Lonely men were always interesting. As she approached, she noticed he had a snack basket under the table, and a few hides spread around him. More and more curioser. A man immersed in his work- was he lacking for female company, trying to immerse himself in work to get over a bad experience, or what? Curiosity irresistibly piqued, Kapera headed over.

Ooh, she thought as she got closer, he had bronzerider knots. Working bronzeriders were always interesting. In her knowledge, they often were studying for their eventual (in their mind) rise to Weyrleader. Was this one the same? She did so love ambitious bronzeriders. She noticed before she came within speaking range that he was shorter than most. She remembered seeing him around; he was hard to forget. The small bronzerider with the small bronze dragon.

**Riyanth, who's the small bronze?** she asked. Her queen always took notice of the bronzes in her Weyr, and she was confident the gold would know.

}:Rogueth.:{ the gold told her after a moment. She glanced from her sunning spot down and saw the bronze sitting there. }:Handsome in coloring.:{ she added lightly.

**Oh, you've an interest in him?** she queried.

}:I saw him in Fall yesterday. He is very maneuverable for a bronze.:{ Armed with the knowledge of his dragon's name, Kapera decided to approach him. This would be an interesting conversation.

"Mind if I sit here by you, rider of bronze Rogueth?" she purred, already hooking a chair with her foot and swinging herself into it. "It seems like a nice, secluded corner, and I don't feel like dealing with the greater hubbub."

K'ran looked up, startled by her appearance. Usually no one came over to the quieter corners until the rest of the cavern was full, and while it was busy as a restday usually was, there were plenty of seats still. Why would she come here? He was too polite to refuse people anyways, even though he would have preferred his solitude, but his interrupter was the Weyrwoman's Second, and it wouldn't do to be rude to her.

"Of course, weyrwoman." he said. "My duty to Riyanth." He wasn't sure whether or not he was impressed by her knowledge of his dragon. They had never explicitly met before, but of course he knew who _she_ was. That she knew who he was could be taken multiple ways. It was probably just because all goldriders knew the names of their bronzeriders. No reason she'd be interested in him specifically when they'd never met before.

"Thank you." she said with a polite smile. "I'm afraid, though, I can't remember your name. We haven't met before, have we? I'm sure I'd remember someone as striking as you." He was relatively handsome, though it wasn't his face, but more his height, that she meant.

"No." he answered, ignoring her verbal flirtations. "I'm K'ran, rider of bronze Rogueth. We transferred in a little bit before you did."

"Are you liking it here?" she asked, leaning forward to get a better look at him- and, incidentally, to give him a better look at her cleavage. "I find I feel quite at home here." It was a lie, but this bronzerider didn't have to know that. Dragonsfall wasn't as comfortable as her old Weyr; it was colder, and she didn't know everyone here, and she missed some of her old bedmates, and she didn't _like_ the new workload even if she liked the power. But, no need to get into any of that.

"The leadership here is wonderful, it made transitioning easier. It's colder, though. Fortunately we can go *between* to avoid that." K'ran ignored her distractions. He just wanted to get back to his hides.

"True." she said. She eyed the basket under his table. "Going somewhere today?" she queried. Hides and a basket. Interesting combination for the morning. This bronzerider certainly was unusual. What was more unusual was the way he seemed completely unaffected by her show of cleavage.

"To a place I know in the jungle." K'ran answered, wondering why the Weyrwoman's Second seemed to care so much about what he was doing.

"What's interesting there?" Kapera queried.

"There's a waterfall and a pool, it's a gorgeous location to relax in. Rogueth likes to hunt there."

"Sounds wonderful." Kapera's mind filled with the impression of a steamy jungle, a cool pool of water, being completely isolated from everyone else, and with someone handsome. "Are you going with anyone?" Surely that was the reason he was heading to such a place. It would be a perfect rendezvous point.

"Only with Rogueth."

Why would he be going to a beautiful jungle spot like the one he described on a restday alone? That made no sense to the goldrider, who said so.

**Typical.** K'ran thought. **Only interested in sex or what she can get of it. She won't understand the joys I seek.** He'd heard tales of this goldrider already, though he didn't pay much heed to gossip. He knew she was one of the more power-and-sex-crazed ones. He accorded her the respect due any goldrider, but personally thought less of her for it. Why couldn't she be devoted to Weyr and dragon and Pern, rather than using shiny hide for her own good? Of course, some bronzeriders did the same as well. No matter who did it, K'ran wasn't fond of it.

"There used to be a minor hold there once." he said patiently, speaking none of his thoughts aloud. "I like exploring new places. There might be something of interest there." He tapped the hides he'd been studying to indicate how he'd been researching. "There's something wonderful about walking somewhere noone else has been for Turns."

"Do you do this every restday?"

"Yes." K'ran replied. She didn't seem like she'd be interested. Maybe she'd go away. He could only hope.

"Don't your partners miss you if you're gone all the time?" Perhaps that question could elicit a more interesting response.

"I'm not attached." K'ran replied calmly.

"It's a pity." she said. "You seem to enjoy exploration- what about a more personal kind?" she purred, leaning closer. "You surely don't know your way around the entirety of this Weyr yet, do you? I certainly don't- perhaps we could explore it together."

K'ran shook his head, standing up. He'd humored the Weyrwoman's Second by answering her questions long enough. "I beg your pardon, but my place is by Emerald Falls and it will be dark there soon if I don't leave now. Perhaps we can talk again sometime." His expression suggested that unlikely.

"Perhaps." she replied. "Contact me if you'd enjoy some diversions." she added with a flirtatious smirk.

"Good day." K'ran said instead, scooping up his hides and basket and leaving the dining area. he was glad to be away from the goldrider. She made him more uncomfortable than most women did, clearly being interested only in the physical kinds of relationships. K'ran certainly wouldn't take her up on her offer.

}:You know, perhaps you should.:{ Rogueth remarked. }:You don't want to be serious with a mate, perhaps a casual one would work. And Riyanth is certainly beautiful.:{
**No.** K'ran told Rogueth. **Come on, let's go see that Hold.**

**Honestly, how did he become a bronzerider?** Kapera wondered as he left. His interests seemed pedantic, uninteresting. He didn't seem ambitious. Exploring old places- though she had to admit, it did sound exotic and fun- every restday, and no girlfriends, and no interest in the physical. He wasn't the bronzeriders she knew.

}:Rogueth is a nice bronze. He must have chosen well.:{ Riyanth disagreed.

**But he's not a typical bronzerider.** Kapera didn't like that. She liked what she knew how to manipulate. He was quite intriguing, but clearly he had no interest in her. How disappointing!

Last updated on the March 1st 2007

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