Firsts

Writers: Chelle, Yvonne
Date Posted: 11th February 2014

Characters: Harki, P'nal
Description: Harki has an invitation for P'nal
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 5, day 10 of Turn 7

"Are you ready?" Harki shouted over the wind, and felt Cerillith's rumble of consent against her legs. The wind whipped snow against her goggles and beneath her dragon's wings was an almost-pristine stretch of near-vertical snow. And Harki jumped.

And fell. Then her skies hit the snow and her knees flexed and she was speeding down the side of the mountain, Cerillith's green wings skimming the ground just above her head. The greenrider whooped as powdery snow whipped past in a cascade of sparkles. The *shuush* of her skies and the rush of wind in her ears amped up the adrenaline rushing through her body as she flew-- was so close to flying...!

The run abruptly ended in a cliff and Harki pushed over the edge in a white, sun-kissed cloud of snow. She spread her arms wide as the valley unfurled thousands of feet below in a sparkling pile of wintery trees and grey mountain roots.

And Cerillith was suddenly beneath her, and Harki caught her dragon's straps and buckled herself in, managing the awkwardness of skies with long an ease borne of long practice. She called the star stones to mind and they went /between/.

~*~

The sun had set over Dragonsfall Weyr, but it wasn't long past dinner yet. Harki and Cerillith came out from /between/ and spiralled down into the Weyr's embrace, the air feeling warm after the chill of the Northern Continent. Cerillith landed on her ledge and Harki dismounted much more awkwardly than she'd strapped herself in. She took off her skies, stripped Cerillith's riding straps from her dragon's neck, and left Cerillith to snooze.

Skiing made her muscles sore in a very pleasant way, and put her in the mood for company. After she'd stripped off the bulkiest of her layers, the greenrider found her robe and wandered off to one of the larger bathing pools in search of a soak and someone to talk to.

P'nal had already had his bath but he was sitting in one of the chairs next to the fireplace, reading. He didn't pay much attention to much else around him. The quiet was good after a long day. The Wingsecond was considering an early night. He had to get up with Jodeth in the morning.

"What are you reading?"

Looking up, he was quiet for a moment as he saw that it was Harki. Settling, he didn't move. Instead, he waited to see if she was going to sit with him. "Some story about some mountain boy and ovines and...well anyway. It's not riveting but at least it's relaxing." It was a simple story and it gave him something to keep his mind on as the time passed.

"Were you ever a mountain boy with ovines?" she asked mischievously.

"Nope. Tanner boy. Then a Weyr boy. Course the Weyr is in the mountains soo...but no ovines." He smiled and watched her, thinking she was too clever by half. Something in him was attracted to her more adventurous nature since it was the opposite of his own. He shifted in the chair, regarding her. "And what brings you here..you look like you've been running or something.."

"Skiing," she said, shrugging a shoulder. "I'm off to the hot pools now. Want to join me?"

That was an ominous offer and had many connotations. In a Weyr, P'nal was more than aware of it. It wasn't that he didn't want to, but she was his wingrider after all and there had to be a certain ability to work with her. Still, he trusted himself and his judgment calls. Besides, he could always transfer her if it came to that like J'darin said, right? Considering everything in the span of a few moments, he put his book down. "Skiing hm?" Getting up slowly, he was a study in strength and quiet grace.

Harki grinned, pleased that her suspicions were confirmed... almost. This might turn out to be a better evening than she'd anticipated. "Do you ski?" she asked.

"I have yes, but it has been some time. With Wing duties and everything else I don't get as much time as I used to. Then there is my crafting. That too, is not a priority as much as it once was." Now he usually just made gifts in his spare time. There was no serious tanning-not in a Pass.

"Well, the belt you made me was pretty nice. Maybe I should take you skiing as a reward!" Harki winked over her shoulder at the Wingsecond. "Although I highly doubt that you could keep up with me."

"My legs are longer. I suspect it would be the opposite. I'm also heavier which means I go down faster." He knew she liked a challenge, though, so he didn't say anything else. "I'll try and slow myself down though. No fun in finishing alone."

The greenrider snorted. "Don't you worry. I like to ensure that I come first."

Last updated on the March 15th 2014

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Firsts