Behaving Himself (1/2)

Writers: Anaria, JR
Date Posted: 27th March 2011

Characters: S'bryn, Roana, J'klin
Description: S'bryn stops in at River Bluff, runs into Roana and causes a confrontation with J'klin.
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 1, day 17 of Turn 6

S'bryn couldn't help the smile that spread over his face as Zaharath banked
over the river and down into the bowl at River Bluff Weyr. While his itchy
feet hadn't let them stay here after graduating from weyrling training, he
had fond memories of his time here. It had been a relief to be chosen as a
rider after his height had made staying in the minecraft nearly impossible.

As the bronze settled to the ground, his rider slipped out of the harness
and glanced around the bowl. It had been turns since he'd lived here, so no
one stood out as being familiar, but that didn't mean they weren't here. It'd
just take some hunting on his part to find them. He strode toward the lower
caverns, his long legs eating the distance until a solid weight rammed into
his back and a voice call out, "Bryn!"

He stiffened. While he was friendly enough, he wasn't one for tolerating
casual touches from strangers - or even some friends. The voice was female
however, so he did catch the legs that wrapped around his hips and keep her
from sliding down until he figured out who this was. A look over his
shoulder had him letting out a snort of surprise. "Roana, is that you under
there?" He couldn't see the face under the mass of curls, but she'd be the
only person with hair like that who would have nerve to go jumping on him.

"Hi!" Roana's voice came out on a delighted laugh. "I couldn't resist when I
saw you. How've you been?" She hadn't seen him since she'd left Dragonsfall,
but it was hard to be uncomfortable around someone you'd shared furs with a
few times, even under the heat of flight lust. It had a tendency to knock
down walls that might have otherwise stayed intact, especially between two
people who were usually particular about who they spent time with.

S'bryn let her down and turned to pull her in for a hug. "You still haven't
grown any, I see," the bronzerider teased. He was a good foot taller than
Roana, and never let her forget it. "I decided to stop by for a visit and
say hello to a few people, let them know I've moved again."

"Moved? Faranth, S'bryn, aren't you old enough to want to stay in one place
for more than a couple of turns yet? Where to this time?" Roana sounded
exasperated with him. She'd heard plenty of tales about the various weyrs he'd
spent time at - and in.

"Dolphin Cove, of course. One of the few places I haven't been yet. Should
be interesting, with N'vanik as my Weyrleader and Wingleader," his
expression shuttered enough that the greenrider couldn't tell what he really
thought of that particular aspect of his transfer. "Other than that, it'll
be nice to be a plain old wingrider again for awhile."

"I'm sure Dragonsfall will miss you," Roana said, "Although you could have
come back to River Bluff. I could use a good friend here."

He looked down at her, concern putting a line between his pale brows. "It's
been months, Ro, you can't tell me you haven't made any friends here yet."

"I, uhh..." She flushed pink and looked down, not wanting to admit that she'd
been less than sociable recently.

J'klin was en route to the Dining Caverns to have lunch with Roana when he
saw her ahead of him in the corridor. She was talking to a taller rider that
he didn't recognize from this distance, so he crept a bit closer. **S'bryn,**
he thought to himself. Despite the fact that he didn't want to be "that
guy," he snuck within hearing range, then ducked around the corner so they
wouldn't see him. What was Roana doing talking to him?

Roana's voice was pitched low so her voice wouldn't carry in the hallway, "A
couple of acquaintances, but I haven't gotten close to anyone." She glanced
up at him, her expression wary, "I've been spending a lot of time with J'klin."

"J'klin! Faranth, sweetheart, didn't you learn your lesson last time
around?" S'bryn grabbed her arm - not roughly, but firmly - and tugged her
along with him toward the dining cavern. He wasn't normally a demonstrative
person, but Roana was a good friend and he'd heard plenty about J'klin from
her after the brownrider had left Dragonsfall. "He's behaving himself, I
hope?" S'bryn asked as they got into line.

"Yes... and you should know, he's supposed to be meeting me here for lunch."
Roana sighed, "So unless you want to deal with him, we might need to set a
time to catch up later on this afternoon."

J'klin frowned, feeling hurt. He didn't expect S'bryn to like him, that was
for certain. But he wasn't necessarily happy with what Roana said either.
**She's probably just trying to prevent him from causing a scene about me,
that's all,** he tried to comfort himself, taking deep, stilling breaths. He
didn't know what was so different about Roana. He'd never been completely
monogamous with Arilanna, and had only gotten bothered when his former best
friend was sniffing around her too much. But with Roana, just the sight of
her with another man made his blood boil.

S'bryn tucked Roana under his arm with an affectionate squeeze. "For you,
anything. But you let me find out he's hurt you again, and I'll make no
apologies for what happens, alright?" He tilted down enough to give her a
serious look.

Roana nodded and fell silent as they made their way through the line, the
two of them eventually ending up at a mostly empty table at the far end of
the cavern. "J'klin and I normally eat down this way, he'll find us if he
makes it for lunch."

Last updated on the April 27th 2011

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Behaving Himself (1/2)