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K’thael… K’thael… K’THAEL… K’THAAEEEL!! Sprilth twitched on his ledge, sticking his head through the curtain and letting in a gust of air with a few dancing snowflakes.
What? Between the yelling and the blast of cold on their feet, the bluerider startled awake. It was sometime in the middle of the night shift, they estimated, as a small sliver of moonlight had broken in over Sprilth’s head. Are you ok?
I have a feeling!! His wide eyes swirled in a dark shade of orange - he was fully awake and excited.
Um… ok… describe it to me. K’thael’s brow furrowed. What could possibly warrant this reaction from a dragon who should be sound asleep?
It’s almost like being hungry, but in my mouth instead of my belly. My belly isn’t empty, but my mouth really wants a fresh wherry. He opened his mouth wide, twisting his tongue around in demonstration. Can we go hunting?
K’thael sighed in relief, pulling the covers back over themselves. Just a craving. In the morning. Not right now. Sprilth pulled his head back out onto the ledge and his rider closed their eyes, considering the conversation over.
Can we take it out of the Weyr? Sprilth was back, staring at them again only a moment later.
What?
The wherry. Can we take it out of the Weyr? He paused just long enough for K’thael to blink a few times and process the question. Fendalth told me that fresh herdbeast tastes really good when you roll it in the sand. But we don’t have any sand here. Only snow and ice and sometimes mud.
K’thael rolled over and covered their head with a blanket, hoping he would get the hint. The curtain closed once more, and K’thael breathed another sigh of relief. Do other people’s dragons act like this? They couldn’t imagine Orth waking up his rider in the middle of the night, or Selgrith either, for that matter.
A third blast of frigid air hit the end of their bed.
We wouldn’t have to go anywhere if I tried rolling it in mud. Do you think mud-covered wherry would be any good? He huffed at his rider before disappearing again. Never mind. You wouldn’t know. I’ll ask Fendalth.
Yet again, the fleeting hope of going back to sleep was cruelly snatched away when Sprilth dipped his head over the edge of his ledge and bugled into the darkness. FENDAAAALTH!!