More Often

Writers: AL, Jane
Date Posted: 24th February 2009

Characters: Zelle, K'hetah, Ylisahn
Description: K'hetah speaks to Ylisahn and Zelle tries to make sense of the conversation.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 1, day 13 of Turn 5

K'hetah held up his hand to stop - or at least slow - the approach of the greenrider as he stood beside the Headwoman.

They weren't speaking; though they had been until Ylisahn had turned her head slightly and frozen. It wasn't the first time he had thought he had seen that reaction in her, but it was the first time he was close enough to study her as it happened.

He knew from other instances that if anybody spoke she would carry on, even if it seemed to be a struggle. She would answer or reply and excuse herself and retreat toward her office. But it wouldn't be there she would end up. At the last moment she would skirt the office door that led onto the dining cavern and slip around the walls until she could escape into the Bowl. And it always looked like an escape.

Zelle raised her eyebrows but understood what it meant. She came to a dead stop and waited. For some reason he didn't want her near, so she hovered right where she was. What was going on? The expression upon Ylisahn's face didn't bode well.

For a long moment the bronzerider just watched, then the woman's abstraction was broken by a clatter of pots behind the kitchen doors and she glanced around.

"Excuse me," Ylisahn said, waving a hand absently in the direction of her office. "Something urgent I'd forgotten."

And away she went.

"Come with me," K'hetah said turning to Zelle and waving her close. "Just stay out of her direct line of sight. She'll be heading for the Bowl."

That was odd. Zelle opened her mouth to ask what was going on, then shut it. She'd find out soon enough. She stuck close to K'hetah as they wove through the hallways toward the bowl. Had something happened? Something wasn't quite right and Zelle was about dying to know what was going on.

When Ylisahn got out into the Weyrbowl she stopped, feeling the tension in her start to ease and the panicky feeling of approaching doom subsided to little more than an abstract anxiousness. She took a deep breath and tried to relax, lifting a hand to see if it was steady.

"Do you think it's happening more often?" K'hetah asked gently stepping forward after he had let Ylisahn have a few moments to gather herself together. He waved Zelle to his side so that the Headwoman would be aware of her presence.

Zelle did as indicated, then leaned over to whisper softly to K'hetah, "Is what happening more often?" She truly had no idea what _was_ happening, but watching the Headwoman was making her nervous. What was wrong?

Ylisahn asked the same question with a tired smile in the bronzerider's direction. "What's happening more often, K'hetah? Hello Zelle. I didn't see you there."

"Hey Ylisahn." Something told Zelle not to continue with the subject - not unless K'hetah brought it up. "I just walked up." That was...sort of true. "I've been looking for this lug," She jabbed her thumb at K'hetah, "and I finally caught up to him."

"Well you just take him away and make him enjoy his evenings for a change," the Headwoman advised. "He spends too much time holed up in that weyr of his."

"Yes, I know. He lives right next to me." Zelle cast a glance to K'hetah but it held a silent question, one that was impossible to answer in front of the Headwoman. "Speaking of which, I think I'll just drag him away for a little while - that is, unless you need him, Ylisahn?"

"No. No, don't need him for anything," Ylisahn assured the greenrider, not looking in K'hetah's direction in case he was still studying her with that worrying intensity.

"I'll come and see you tomorrow morning," K'hetah told the Headwoman. "Before breakfast."

"I'm sure there's -"

"Make sure you're in your office," he continued, not allowing her to protest. It was rude to demand her attendance for a Headwoman was too well respected a position to be treated like a drudge even by a Wingleader, but he felt it important enough that he could get away with such behaviour.

"Better listen to him, Ylisahn." Zelle warned playfully, hopefully lightening the mood just a bit. "He'll hunt you down if you don't do as he says. I know - he used to be my wingleader! He can be quite scary when he wants to be."

"Scary!" K'hetah laughed, allowing Zelle's comments to turn the conversation. "As if you've ever been scared by anything I've said or done."

"You've scared plenty of people." Zelle waved her hand dismissively. "I just know that you're bark is worse than your bite."

"That's only because I've never needed to bite you," he said, laying an arm around her shoulder. "I'll see you tomorrow, Headwoman."

"Certainly, Wingleader," Ylisahn said with calm courtesy and watch the pair of them disappear back into the dining cavern. Somehow she thought the warning about the bronzerider's bite was meant for her, and not for young Zelle.

Last updated on the February 25th 2009

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