High Water Line

[Kino]

[Okay. You know what? I needed a title, darnit. That's all that title means xD It sounds way more ominous than this is going to be. ....I think. I mean, nothing's plotted, so for all I know it might all go wrong. But we're hoping not.]

These were the days between the hatching feast, and the beginning of weyrling chores and whatever other work and training would be given to them, including anything that might be added due to the flooding. The few days that he'd been looking forward to, to explore the parts of the Weyr grounds they were allowed to explore, and perhaps find a spot of quiet to do some thinking as well. The flooding on the grounds made that a bit trickier, but there was still dry land to walk around on without being in danger.

J'kiran had been planning on going out for a walk with his newly bonded dragonet, and he thought that walking over to the lake to see how far the water rose from the past hurricane might be interesting. So he and the young bronze made their way out towards the water; J'kiran was more than sure to keep a safe enough distance between them and the water, as there was no way he wanted to put the young dragon in danger. They'd made their way along the broken 'shoreline' and had eventually stopped at a group of rocks that had probably once been above the lake's beach. There wasn't any sand to be found, but the pair had climbed a short distance onto a large flat stone and had settled down.

It was fairly sunny out today, and Kaenith was enjoying the feel of the sun on his hide, laying down with his hand resting on his front legs. His wings were partially spread out to soak up as much sun as he could, and one of them was opened and back a bit so it would rest on the shoulder of J'kiran, rather than on his head. The red-head was laying down on the stone as well, since the sun had by now made the surface dry, and was resting his upper back and head on Kaenith's side. One of his hands, the one held down by Kaenith's wing, was holding a piece of parchment and a small piece of wood. The other, the free-to-move one, was holding a writing utensil.

Why is Mine scribbling on that flat thing?

J'kiran glanced up from his writing, and looked over to where Kaenith's head was turned and his gaze was focused directly on the weyrling. The red-head smiled and looked back down to the parchment. I'm doing what's called writing, and the flat thing is called parchment. I'm writing a letter.

What is a letter?

It's when you write words down onto a piece of parchment with the intention of having someone else read them at a later date.

Oh. The bronze seemed satisfied with the answer, but a moment later it was clear that one only led to another. Why does Mine not just say the words to the person?

J'kiran smiled at the dragon's curiosity. Because, he said. When a person writes a letter to another person, it is because the person they are writing to is not near enough for them to speak directly to them. For instance, I am writing to my parents back at the farm where I was raised by them. I want to tell them that I am doing well, and to inform them of what's been going on in my life.

What is Mine telling them?

I'm writing to tell them that I've found a long lost brother. J'kiran looked back at the bronze and smiled warmly. And, of course, I am also writing to tell them that I've impressed you.

They will be glad to hear that I chose so well. Kaenith agreed, his eyes whirling with deep blues and greens contentedly.

They most certainly will. J'kiran replied, smiling once more and then turning back to his paper to continue his letter.

[Dragon]

Kira was bored today, that was for certain. But she decided to make the most of her day. She would spend time with her newly impressed copper. Her outfit was simple enough. Trousers that clung well to her legs and hips. Her shirt fit just as well with enough of a dip at the neckline to make it obvious she had something to show off. Around her neck was a simple necklace with a trinket that rested nicely down her shirt and between her breasts. Though it was obvious it was something special, she wanted to keep it as near to her heart as she could.

Why does Kiramine wear such clothes?

Kira smiled to herself and answered. I find guys' reactions to such things amusing. It's easier to... She paused, trying to find the right words. Play with them.

Is this what some people call a tease? The copper asked bluntly.

Kira looked over at the dragonet walking beside her with a confused look before laughing as they walked closer to the lake now and within hearing range of another weyrling Kira was yet to note. Now where did you hear that term Ayerith?

One of my clutchsiblings. He said his thought you were such. But he did not understand the word. Ayerith explained to her bonded as they neared the stones. But now I know what the word means! It means Kiramine likes playing with the boys.

Kira only shook her head and laughed, this time speaking out loud. "Yes, that's what it means. Congradulations. You're probably the first of your clutchsiblings to understand this word!", she exclaimed. As she climbed over one of the rocks she noted a weyrling and his bronze dragonet. The boy seemed to be scribbling something. Kira's interest was now honed in on this weyrling.

Oh no. Kiramine has found another boy to play with. The dragonet said to herself.

Kira settled on a flat stone next to the one the bronze and his bonded were on and sat down. The copper curled up next to her bonded and looked at the bronze.

Good day Kaenith. You and yours are looking well. The copper greeted the bronze in a calm cheerful tone.

"Hello there. My name's Kira. A fellow weyrling", Kira introduced herself to her fellow weyrling.

[Kino]

Will Mine be able to write a letter with others nearby? Kaenith had lifted his head up to look towards where his clutchmate and her bonded were coming from. J'kiran looked up from his writing, first over to his dragon, and then over in the direction that the bronze was looking. He'd looked up just in time to see Kira and her copper climbing up onto the rock with them. The red-head offered a smile and lifted the hand with the writing utensil with a wave.

Good day to you too, Ayerith. He tilted his head a bit. What's wrong with playing? From what he understood of the word, playing with another was all in good fun. He didn't see what was wrong with her bonded playing with his.

"Hello," he said in reply to the girl's introduction. "I'm J'kiran; this is Kaenith." He nudged the bronze's wing with his shoulder gently, and when the wing was let up he pushed himself into a more seated position instead of a reclining one, crossing his legs indian style. "I'll admit I didn't expect anyone else to be out, what with the water so high, but the company is not unwelcome."

[Dragon]

Oh! You overheard that? Kiramine is a tease. I just learned this word. I don't think it's the kind of play we do with our clutchsiblings. It's different. The copper was blunt, but sounded a bit concerned for her rider and the boy.

"He's a lovely bronze", she said sweetly with an appreciative smile. She then turned back to look at J'kiran. "I know. But I was bored and felt the need to spend some personal time with my Ayerith", she said as she looked over the murky waters, wind blowing in her hair. She then turned back to J'kiran with a coy smile. "Glad my company isn't unwanted", her tone flirty.

[Kino]

She is a tease? That does not sound very nice. Kaenith looked back to J'kiran. Ayerith thinks Hers is going to tease Mine. She made it sound like a bad thing.

J'kiran had glanced back to Kaenith when the dragon commented to him, blinking in a mildly confused manner. Kira spoke once more afterwords and he looked back to her, offering another smile when she gave her reason for being out there. "It is quite the lovely day to spend time outside with one's dragon," he replied, giving a nod. After her next comment, and the tone of her voice, his smile seemed to gain a hint of awkwardness, but he offered it to her all the same.

"Good company is always welcome," he replied, and then ducked his head down a bit to look back to the letter he was writing, pressing his writing utensil to the parchment as well. He wasn't horribly shy, but he still wasn't sure how one was supposed to react to such things.

[Dragon]

I don't think it's meant to be not nice. I think it's just how she likes to play. Kiramine cares for people, but she likes to have fun. Her fun is worriesome and confusing though.

Kira only smiled sweetly in his responses and scooted closer to him, looking at the pad in his hand. "So what are you writing?", she asked him, intrigued. "Isn't a love letter is it?", she questioned teasingly as she scooted ever closer to try and read some of the words. Maybe she was being a bit nosey, but there was some genuine friendliness to her nature in her words and moves.

[Kino]

I am starting to see what you mean. Kaenith replied, folding his wing against his side as Kira scooted closer to his bonded.

J'kiran lifted his head when he felt Kira move closer to him, his face gaining a light reddish tinge to it; he cleared gently cleared his throat once, as if getting his voice in order. "It isn't," he replied. "It's a letter to my parents. I haven't sent anything to them since I was searched, and I imagine that they're likely worried sick over my well being." He wasn't really embarressed about anything that he'd written in the letter, so he didn't do much to hide what was on the parchment, simply added a bit more to the end of the writing. "I thought now would be an appropriate time to send a letter home, what with so much having happened."

[Dragon]

Kira noted J'kiran's discomfort, but thought it was cute more than anything. Couldn't the boy atleast handle sitting close to her? What would he do if she went any further? She had to stifle a smirk on those thoughts. "That is very good of you. I'm sure they'll be proud to hear of your newly impressed bronze", she said with a genuine smile. She then paused and looked down at her chest, tracing the chain of the necklace resting high on her chest. Maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea to write to some of her family as well.

She looked up and back over at J'kiran, then scooted a bit closer and leaned in as if to do so just so he could hear her better. "Infact, that wouldn't be a bad idea for me to start one soon. My family didn't make it for the hatching, unfortunantly, she said with a smile that soon faded as she leaned back, but still stayed just as close as she had scooted.

I think your family would be proud to hear I chose you. The copper chimed in merrily, letting her bronze clutchmate in on her words.

Kira smiled sweetly to her dragonet. "Oh yes. They'd be very proud to hear what a fine dragon I've got", she said as she looked over her shoulder and at the dragonet curled behind her and just to the side of her.

[Kino]

J'kiran smiled in reply to her comment, nodding in agreement as he wrote a bit more on the parchment. He was just about to the bottom of the parchment, and had a feeling he'd be flipping it over to continue. "They haven't met him yet, but I think they'll be proud of X'ion too." His smile grew a bit as he spoke of his newly found brother. "The two of them have the sort of character that makes them take well to just about anyone. And I'm willing to believe that in this instance, they'll treat him as just as much of a son as they've treated me, simply because we're brothers."

He glanced over to her when she moved closer, his face gaining that reddish tinge once more, but it was the sort of red that - if he hadn't been paler in color - might've been mistaken for being out in the sun. He finished the sentence he was on, and then turned the parchment over (There was still time for her to look at the paper if she wanted to) to continue onto the other side. "I think my brother is a bit reluctant in all of this, though," he admitted, and he was still smiling, but it was a bit less in size than it had been before. "I believe him when it says it's nothing against me, but it's just a bit...well.." he paused for a moment in thought. Apparently, he was going to latch onto this random encounter to talk about life problems. What else are you to do with a stranger? J'kiran looked over to Kira, apparently doing fairly well with her close proximity, though he might just be distracted.

"Suppose you were alone your whole life - not really alone, but you felt as though even though you did belong something made you a bit alone. And then you find out you have a family member - a sister - who's related to you by blood, you share the same parents even though neither of you have ever met them. Would you be excited about it? Or would you be..." he fished around for the word. "Would you be tentative?"[/size]

[Dragon]

"I see. So you found a long lost brother when you came here", Kira commented, simplifying what he'd just said. It didn't seem like something that happened often. You come to a weyr, impress a dragon and just happen to find out a guy on the hatch sands with you is your brother and he just impressed to and now you're in the same weyrling class. Well, maybe it didn't happen like that.

She scooted closer, now shoulder to shoulder with him, as she leaned in and caught the first line of the letter, but then turned away to look at him and nodded quietly with a smile. "I guess he's just reluctant. Maybe he just needs time to get use to the idea?", she suggested innocently.

Kira listened further and thought on what he said. She'd known what it had been like being alone, being the outsider. That's how most of her childhood went. It was her brother that always kept her safe, her brother she'd latched onto until she was forced to develop on her own. "I would be excited about it", she answered plainly, then shrugged casually and continued, "But that's just how I am. Different people have different reactions to a situation." Immediately she thought of this situation right here. How many guys would hit on her just as hard if she were shoulder to shoulder with them, touching them? But just how many would shy away quickly?

"So, J'kiran. I'm thinking I will call you Jil. You can consider it a pet name. I know how guys can enjoy an affectionate pet name", she teased him lightly, nudging him with her shoulder playfully while they were shoulder to shoulder.

That kind of play I know. Ayerith commented to Kaenith on the shoulder nudge.

[Kino]

He hadn't really expected to be seeking advice from someone he'd just met, but he was pleasantly surprised with the results when Kira did reply. J'kiran nodded at her initial comment. That was, after all, what X'ion had said, but hearing it come from another person helped him to hear it without the veil of feeling as though he'd disappointed the other boy, as though he were unwanted. The other had said he was the sort to keep to himself, and this situation would to some extent force he and the other to interact even moreso than X'ion would've been forced to interact with the other werylings. If he'd been by himself, X'ion could have interacted with everyone to the minimal extent of being classmates and future wingmates; not he would have to interact with J'kiran on a more sentimental level.

He nodded again to her response about how she would react to it. He'd looked down in thought as she was talking and so hadn't fully realized how close she'd gotten until he'd looked up back at her. Of course when he did realize it he looked back down to his paper with another bit of red in his face, nodding shortly in agreement. "That makes sense," he replied. "I'm very grateful for your insight into the situation."

J'kiran was just about to continue writing on the paper when she spoke up again. He looked up in surprise at the mention of an pet name. "J-Jil?" he repeated, as if not quite sure he'd heard her correctly. "But that's..." He paused for a moment, trying to figure out where she'd gotten it from, and then realized she must have seen it on the letter, of course. "Well that's...my mother only called me that a few times, and only when I was very young." He smiled, shyly, when she nudged his shoulder with her own, looking once more down to the paper. "Well I suppose it isn't...so bad. I don't mind."

J'kiranmine is feeling uncomfortable Kaenith thought to inform his clutchsibling. But not in a unhappy way. Then, in a curious tone of voice, Mine is wondering if he should add this into his letter later. The young bronze tilted his head a bit. Would it also be something that your parents would be proud of? J'kiran glanced over to Kaenith at the question, but instead of replying simply ducked his head a bit to look at the letter and gained a bit of color in his face again.

[Dragon]

"You're very welcome", she smiled sweetly. She never really thought she would be the one giving sage wisdom to some boy she just met. Kira's game was usually to flirt and see how far she could push the limit. She got the feeling she might reach her limit with this poor guy soon. She easily noted how his face was gradually turning brighter red.

She gave an amused look as he seemed startled, perhaps, over having a girl have a pet name for him. "Yes, Jil. I'm certainly not your mother though", she spoke coyly to him and leaned against him, already shoulder to shoulder. "I don't look that old do I? Do I come off as motherly?" she teased him with questions. She gave him an innocent, pouty look as her lips pursed and frowned and her eyes blinked up at him.

Kiramine is feeling very comfortable. I think she enjoys her game very much. I am sorry if yours is uncomfortable. Perhaps I should ask her to stop? The copper responded to the bronze.

[Kino]

J'kiran blinked and lifted his head up when Kira leaned against him further, straightening himself from how he'd been bent over his letter, and using his height to lift his head up from where she was leaning in. "Oh no, Miss Kira," he replied. "You're not acting anything like my mother." He swallowed once, tapping his writing utensil against the parchment. "You look...fine."

Mine is fine, I think. He is only unsure how to react properly to the game Yours plays. If J'kiranmine wishes for her to stop, he would say so. The constant chatter from the bronze was only minorly distracting to J'kiran, but if he hadn't been so distracted at the moment he would probably have found it quite amusing how the two dragonets seemed to be keeping an ongoing commentary about their riders.[/size]

[Dragon]

"Miss Kira?" she questioned with a giggle. "Giving me a pet name as well?", she added, still giggling at the idea of being called that. Well, so far he didn't seem to throw up a stop sign. She was already leaning against him, perhaps he secretly enjoyed it but was too embarrassed to let on or flirt back.

Then a compliment, perhaps weak but a compliment all the same. "I look fine, do I? I'm glad to hear you approve of my appearance", she responded back. She then smirked, a thought in her head. She rested her head on his shoulder. "You know, you might give a girl the wrong idea if you keep this up. Compliments like that might just be going straight to my head", she mused teasingly. Which, to be honest, it did go to her head a bit. Not that she didn't think she was fine, but the simple fact he thought so.

Kiramine likes this one and his compliments. Ayerith commented to Kaenith.

[Kino]

"Well," he said. "I didn't intend it as a...a pet name. It's only, well, you are a Miss, aren't you?" He inclined his head a bit more when she then rested her head on his shoulder, swallowing once more as well. "I am very sorry," he said. "It wasn't my intention to give any wrong ideas." He'd given up any hope of writing more of his letter with her there.

"Ah, Miss Kira," he said. "I am new to life in a Weyr, and I haven't yet gotten the chance to hear from the weyrling master myself, but...If I'm not mistaken..." He lifted a hand to scratch lightly at the side of his head under his headband. "If I'm not mistaken, there are rules, I believe? About..." And then he lost whatever he was going to say. He knew there was a word to finish that sentence, but he wasn't entirely sure what it was any more.\

Mine is enjoying talking with Yours as well, and he is feeling a little special. Kaenith's blinked once. I am not sure what 'special' means.

[Dragon]

"I am a miss", she answered him cooly. She actually thought it quite nice, to have a guy to lean on from time to time. She felt the wind blow through her hair once again while she rested on him. "And there's no need to be sorry, silly", she looked up at him with a smile.

Her gaze turned curious when he started stuttering about rules of weyrlinghood. She could only giggle aloud and shake her head while it rested on her shoulder. "You really are silly", she put emphasis on the word 'are'. "Just what do you think we were going to do? Hm?", she questioned him now, very teasingly. It was true. She certainly didn't imply yet what he just did, atleast not so heavily.

Kiramine? What does this word, special, mean? Kaenith is confused of this as well but says his feels this way. The copper decided it best to just ask Kira. She seemed to know what all these words meant anyway.

Kira only blinked once at her copper's question. Special is...like when you think you've got alot of worth. To explain it in this situation. Jil, here, likes the attention I'm giving him and thinks it's something most other guys don't get. Kira tried her best to explain to her copper.

She turned her attention back at Jil. "You know", she said with a bit of a sigh. "I really don't have many good friends here. No one I can really go to", she said to him, suggestingly. If he wanted special, far be it from her to let him be special. Kira didn't have any guy friends really. She just flirted and went about her merry way. Maybe this one was more of a keeper, he certainly was a gentleman and he was worth hanging around.

Kiramine thinks yours is a "keeper", whatever that means. I think she just made a new friend. The copper exclaimed cheerfully to the bronze.

[Kino]

"Silly? I..." He looked genuinely surprised at her question of what he thought they were going to do, and turned a much more noticeable shade of red, and he shook his head adamanently. He gripped onto the wood with his parchment on it and moved away from her so that he was facing her in his sit, thus putting them far enough apart that her head would no longer be on his shoulder. He lifted his hands up, holding onto the parchment, and waved them in front of himself. "N-no, Miss Kira! I didn't mean to imply anything by my question!" The boy seemed genuinely upset that he had caused any sort of misunderstanding. "I was only unsure of what the rule entailed as far as...as proximity goes." Even with his vocabulary, he seemed to be having a bit of difficulty in explaining. He dipped his head forward and closed his eyes tightly, the red color still evident against his freckles. "I'm terribly sorry if I caused any sort of misunderstanding." He'd laid the wood with parchment on it on his knees, and was gripping onto it with both hands.

J'kiran kept his head ducked down in his apologetic bow until she spoke up again, after which he looked up at her. "Friends?" He blinked, and then after a moment his mixed expression of shock and apology turned into a relieved smile. J'kiran nodded. "Yes. Of course." He nodded a few more times, swallowing once. "Yes. Miss Kira, I would be honored to be a friend."

I think both of Ours made a friend today, Kaenith agreed, his eyes whirling happy blues and greens. And then, wanting to back up his rider, he said, J'kiranmine really is sorry for what he...implied. The word was unfamiliar to him. Mine? What does 'implied' mean?

J'kiran looked over to Kaenith, taking a moment to clear his thoughts before replying. It means to say something, and to have your words gain a meaning that you may or may not intend them to gain. In this case, I did not intend any implications - that's a different form of the word 'implied' - to be carried with what I was saying. And I dearly hope this lady will understand that.

Kaenith seemed satisfied with the answer. Mine very much hopes that Yours understand he did not mean to imply whatever Mine implied. I am not sure what that was, but he is not lying.[/size]

[Dragon]

Kira couldn't really stop herself, she giggled loudly and it soon turned into a hardy laugh. It took some time before she could finally calm down enough to address him. "My silly, silly Jil. You'll find it very hard to offend me. Even if you had meant it, I wouldn't have cared", she said, still giggling a bit.

She lightly put her hand on his shoulder and rubbed it gently. "Loosen up a bit. I doubt proximity was a problem. I'll do nothing to break the rules", she soothed him sweetly. She lifted his head up slightly, her other hand on his chin. "If we're to be friends, there's no use looking at your feet", she said with a smile before removing both her hands from him. "But if I'm really bothering you this much. I can back off a bit and give you some room. I tend to like proximity with guys, however. Sorry to cause you such discomfort", she said mock apologetic. Not so much that she was sorry for her actions, but now was a bit sorry that she'd caused him so much fluster. He was obviously a stand up gentleman.

Kiramine does not mind at all. Perhaps yours will loosen up now? That's what mine is hoping. Ayerith answered Kaenith again, projecting what her own bonded's thoughts were.

[Kino]

The laughter she'd been having had been done while he'd had his head kept down, and now he was looking up at her with her hand on his shoulder and his chin. Once she moved her hands away he seemed to calm down quite a bit, his back not held quite as straight and his expression less nervous than it'd been before. "It wasn't quite that you were bothering me," he replied. "It's just that I've only just met you, and I didn't want to say or do anything that could have offended you in some way." He offered up his usual warm smile. "The only discomfort I had was caused by my worrying if I was causing you discomfort by saying the wrong thing."

J'kiran brought a hand up to scratch at his hair under the cloth around his head. "I will admit that you're only the second lady friend I'll have had, so I haven't much experience in the ways of speaking to lady's." He looked back to Kira. "My other friend is Kestrel, you see, and she is not quite as..." he paused for a moment to find the right phrasing. "She is not quite as physically affectionate as you seem to be, Miss Kira." Maybe once he knew her better he would stop calling her 'miss' Kira', but for now it was a formality that he was going to use instinctively.

J'kiran took up his writing utensil and looked down to the parchment he had, writing a few more lines on the letter to make the reverse side have a small paragraph of text. Then he moved his hand down, and signed the letter as 'your son, J'kiran of Bronze Kaenith.' He set the piece of wood on the ground beside him, along with the writing tool, and picked the letter up to fold it gently. "There," he said, looking over to Kira. "Now I've updated my parents on all the interesting things." He tucked the letter between two buttons of his vest for safe keeping, leaving a corner of it hanging out so it wouldn't fall completely underneath.

I do think Mine will begin to loosen up now, yes. He was very worried about hurting the feelings of Yours, but now that Yours made it clear he was not, he does not worry so.[/size]

[Dragon]

"Jil, sweetheart, you're not going to cause me discomfort. It's more likely that I'll be the one pushing your limits. Not the other way around", she spoke sweetly to him. Not that they were some item, using the term sweetheart. It was just a term of endearment to a friend.

She smiled at him. "Well you're going to get plenty of experience with lady friends if I'm going to be one of them dear. And I really can't help the way I am. I'm a very physical person, I like the contact", she admitted to him, practically purring with the last couple of sentences. "But to be honest", she started, a bit calmer in tone. "I've only ever been close to one guy. So I'm sure it'll be an experience for me too", she continued, looking at him again a bit cheerful with the last sentence.

She glanced down at the parchment he just folded away. "Did you happen to mention the pretty girl that was just hitting on you? I think they'd be proud of that. Parents are fickle about that sort of thing", she said teasingly again, going right back into her routine. This time, however, there seemed to be more personal affection behind it.

Mine does seem a little less playful now and a little more caring towards yours. I think she's still playing her game though. Ayerith admitted to Kaenith.