Congratulations on Not Dying

Writers: AL, Kastaka
Date Posted: 29th April 2009

Characters: S'ren, Zelle
Description: S'ren pays a visit to Zelle in the infirmary.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 2, day 24 of Turn 5

S'ren hadn't wanted to bother Zelle after her accident, but now she was apparently a little more coherant, he was sure she wouldn't mind a little extra company. The healers ushered him in with the normal admonitions about not tiring her out, which he'd heard a hundred times before for various friends and acquaintences he'd visited in the infirmary and ignored just as many.

"Wingrider Zelle, I hear you've been shirking your duties lately," he said jovially as he sat down by the greenrider's bed. "Care to tell old uncle S'ren all about it?"

"Yeah?" Zelle was still reclined upon the bed, the healers finding that they weren't ready for her to be out as of yet. Her injuries had been severe enough to be concerned about internal injuries as well as her other issues. Frankly, Zelle wasn't ready to move. Her gash was nowhere near completely healed and her other injuries still stung and ached enough to restrict any attempts. She did manage a small smile for S'ren upon his entrance and tilted her head slightly to better regard him. "Think I'm in trouble?"

"Only with your dragon, I'll wager," he continued cheerfully, arranging himself so she could see his face easily without having to contort herself too much. "Taking you both out of the sky like that, and with Thread falling too, tut tut tut." His big grin was hopefully enough to reassure her he was kidding, although he did study her expression carefully to make sure she wasn't taking it seriously.

"Hey, needed a break. Good way to do it, right?" Zelle might have laughed if she didn't hurt so much all over. She would be glad to get some fellis. Numbweed only went so far and only worked for certain injuries. The deeper aches and pains were only helped by fellis. "You'll have to take up the slack."

"If only we had dragons enough to have any slack in our formations," mused S'ren wistfully. "Ah well, you look like you'll be mending a while yet. How's Rillith doing?"

"She's good." Better than her rider. While Rillith had sustained injury, most of it was superficial and nowhere near to the extent of Zelle. Still, she was battered enough that even if Zelle had been able to ride, Rillith would still be grounded. "Not happy, but good."

"Well, congratulations on not dying," he continued with a smile. "Have the other riders been pestering you enough, or are you starved of company down here?"

"I've had visitors." K'hetah and J'darin and even T'marek had come. "But I like company." Having company helped to distract and pass the time when she wasn't sleeping.

"I'm glad I'm not intruding then," replied S'ren. "I don't suppose you could tell me exactly what happened up there with M'net, and what you were doing there in the first place, could you? I've had the most hopeless series of fragmentary and conflicting reports from everyone..."

"I was trying to help him learn to cope with variable winds." Zelle closed her eyes and leaned into the pillow. "He got too close to the cliffs."

"And you, being the brave and daring wingrider Zelle, went boldly to his rescue?" teased S'ren gently. "So it's not entirely untrue that you're the reason we're not down a bluerider in any kind of permanent fashion, even though we might have to be finding two temporary replacements?" he continued, very slightly more serious.

"I was trying to help him learn..." Zelle paused in the middle of her sentence then started again, "To learn how to deal with variable winds." The lesson, however, had ended in a disaster.

"So, now he knows how to deal with variable winds and a little more about how to execute emergency landings?" tried S'ren, somewhat worried that Zelle was repeating herself. There must be something seriously wrong with the girl to reduce her usual lively banter to this stuttering.

"Yeah, well, maybe." Zelle sighed then winced as the gesture brought about another stab of pain. Her head was spinning and the medications they gave her to help with the pain were worn completely off. "What a way to learn."

"You're doing okay, though, right?" encouraged S'ren. He looked concerned at her wince of pain. "Do I need to bully the healers into bringing you more fellis?" he asked jovially.

"Yes." Zelle was more than happy to accept the request. "Please." She added as an afterthought.

"I'll get right on that," he assured her, his voice turning serious. "And I'll ask if there are good times I should drop by to keep you company. If you're okay with me heading off now?" He started to get up from the bedside chair, but hovered a moment for her reply.

"Yes." Zelle smiled a little. "Thanks for coming to see me."

S'ren nodded and excused himself, heading over to harangue a luckless journeyman who just happened to be passing through. Some vague protestations about how it was someone else's job to administer fellis to the greenrider soon faded away in the face of S'ren's persistence, and the journeyman stalked off muttering about uppity riders as S'ren gave Zelle one last smile and headed out of the infirmary.

Last updated on the April 29th 2009

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Congratulations on Not Dying