Unsettling [Fox]

[Quill]

Above, the moon crept over the towering canyon's wall. It, in its half moon form, was already hard to see, especially as it hugged the left canyon, ready to disappear from the girl and simourv's sights. Her feet scraped the dusty ground as she strolled under the small amount of light it gave. Trailing at her side, Sydnyph kept his steps high and his head up. He looked at the faraway stars with a curious expression. Sal'a, however, focused on the ground, at the tumbling rock she kicked as she walked. Her arms wrapped around her torso as she cupped her pointed shoulders.

There had been many times when she woke in the middle of the night. It was easily remedied with a quiet stroll down the candidate's quarters, but Sal'a's mind wandered farther than the gaping Winglet hallway. She thought her bonded had stayed asleep, but as soon Sal'a creaked the door, Sydnyph's head shot up and his soft ears twitched. "Mine, you need to sleep. There could be a lesson tomorrow."
"I just need some fresh air," she answered.
"Then I shall follow you. Without me you'll surely lose track of time."

Normally, Sal'a would disagree with the blue, but tonight she never felt this alert yet distracted so he was right. She waited for the simourv to stand and creep, keeping his blue claw from scratching the ground and waking their room mates. From there, it only took an hour to find their way down the rocky path to the canyon bed. All the way Sydnyph clung to her mind, reminding her of the importance of sleep and how silly she was. Sal'a always retorted back, only halfheartedly.

Now they were here, wandering on the ground. Sal'a's head looked up for a moment as she noticed a pond where she sometimes went to collect water from her candidate chores. She wondered if, as a winglet, she would do it again. Her lips curled into a smile as she thought of Sydnyph, older and flight-capable, carrying her to fetch water. Of course, the feeling of flying made her queasy, but she swallowed the nervous lump and watched as Sydnyph crouched in front of the water, slurping water as fast as he could manage and wetting his claws with great speed. "Sal'a, it has been long enough. I'm tired. Can we go back?" begged Sydnyph as he settled in front of her feet. Sal'a nodded. The rocky and rough ground had tired her enough.

[Fox]

We really need to stop taking the strange shifts, Mine. It's very late, and flying in the dark isn't pleasant.[/color] Seronaph's voice as it flitted through K'ean's head carried a distinct note of tiredness in it, and it made the young man feel somewhat bad for dragging his simourv to Itnala and back at such an odd time of night. He didn't bother to answer in words, though. Silently, he sent his simourv acknowledgement and some of his own feeling of tiredness to say that he didn't think he could take it much more either. They had stayed later than needed after Xo'li and Shadoph had finished their Watch, even into a good portion of Fe'ra and Liliph's Night Watch. They'd flown out across the ocean for a bit, circling Itnala in consecutively larger circles to watch for any changes in terrain that could signify a koxi attack. As a result, the shining half-moon was already high in the sky by the time the large red simourv, rendered black in the darkness of night, propelled himself over the rim of the canyon and down, down into the heart of Eyrie.

Even through his tiredness and the veneer of disembodied feeling that was Seronaph, K'ean could appreciate the beauty of the red stone walls splashed pale in the moonlight. Few people were awake at this time; not like Sayaie. Eyrie was still a very young settlement; barely four years old. And with almost all of the population employed here with a purpose- few families, certainly not as urban as Sayaie proper- it wasn't surprising that the night life would be somewhat lacking. Quietly, the red-pair glided over the canyon bed, heading in the direction of their shared eyling when movement below caught Seronaph's eye. Tilting his head to get a better look, his awareness translated into K'ean's exhaustion-fogged brain. It took a moment before the redrider realised that what Seronaph was looking at were in fact a simourv hatchling and a winglet.

What in the world are they doing out so late?[/b] K'ean thought incredulously to Seronaph. He himself was drooping in his seat. And was it really safe for a girl- it had been a female winglet- to be out on her own walking in the middle of the night with just her hatchling for company, even in Eyrie? Let's find out.[/color] The short, curt reply that stemmed partly from a longing for his own ledge in the eyling was given bare moments before Seronaph turned the slow, swooping glide into a steep dive, clapping his wings to his sides and simply freefalling out of the sky. It was lucky that K'ean was used to such stunts or he was fairly sure that he would have left his heart and possibly the contents of his stomach back up where they had been two seconds ago. The ground loomed up at an almost frightening speed before Seronaph's large, black-tipped red wings suddenly opened with a crack and he backwinged into a neat, if dusty landing. With his eyes adjusting stinging slightly from the small dust storm that Seronaph's wings had stirred up, K'ean's face turned in the direction of the girl and her simourv. They weren't too far away, and he could see them almost clearly, what with their faces thrown into relief by the stars and asoft moonlight. His voice, when he spoke, was tired and grumpy and bore a note of unconscious arrogance. When he was tired, K'ean no longer really cared what he sounded like or how rude he seemed. He really just wanted to sleep. "The both of you shouldn't be out here so late. Go back to bed."[/size]

[Quill]

At the first step of her journey back to her room, Sal'a froze. Her eyes darted to the sky where a familiar shape loomed above. She wondered for a few moments why a Simourv was flying so late at night. Of course, the same could be asked of her. "A night watch, perhaps? No reason to fear, Mine."
"I'm not afraid. I don't do fear, and I'm only cautious.
"Whatever pleases, Mine. It does not matter because it seems we have company.

His beak pointed to the sky as the large Simourv veered toward the ground. Sal'a wondered who it was and then she frowned at the Red colorings. She looked at Sydnyph for a moment, but he thought calming thoughts as he realized what was about to happen. When the rider landed, Sal'a took confident strides toward him despite her the cloud of dirty dust that the Red's wings had swept from the ground.Sydnyph attempted to grab her, but his beak fell short of her boots. Groaning, he followed her, his blue claws shifting nervously. "And who are you to say how long I can stay up, my mother? Sydnyph is with me so I am fine."
Please do not drag me into your quarrels. His dark head dipped in despair for the trouble His had entered so quickly.

[Fox]

It was late, K'ean was tired, Seronaph was tired, and neither were in the mood for sass. Which was exactly what this winglet was giving them. Before his rider could speak, though there was already a snippy retort on his lips, Seronaph's low snarl rumbled through the air, accompanied by an empathic wave of annoyance and exhaustion. The simourv's head loomed above the two humans and one chick, casting a dark shadow over his rider where he blocked the moonlight. Little one[/color] He began, his voice heard by all, yet aimed towards Sydnyph, You should perhaps inform your rider that most sensible people, especially winglets with a chick to care for, would be in bed by now and not dawdling out in the open in the middle of the night.[/color] As his short speech pogressed, Seronaph grew increasingly annoyed at being kept away from his own ledge. With a snort of disdain and ill-humour, he eyed his rider. Mine, we should really just leave them to get in trouble on their own. I doubt Canph is asleep; we could pass the problem to him and His.[/color]

K'ean hushed his simourv gently. Calm, calm. Seronaph was not at his best when tired, as he got more grumpy and snappish and less likely to listen to reason. But for now, he subsided at his rider's urging, a rumble of displeasure still audible deep in his throat, and his feathers ruffled, but otherwise silent. With a sigh that was half tiredness and half exasperation, K'ean turned to eye the girl. "I am not your mother. But you should not cite your simourv as a means of protection. Not yet. He is still young, and until he is grown you have a responsibility to take care of him." The red simourv above them all snorted in agreement. "In fact, he should be asleep. Whether or not you sleep is up to you, but the care of your simourv comes first." The man did not truly like chastising people in such a manner, but this girl warranted it. She could not ignore the needs of her simourv chick in such a manner, especially when the little hatchling was still so young. K'ean knew this. Any rider worth their salt knew this. The girl was perhaps still too new to the responsibility of having a simourv partner to realise it, but the fact was still that her simourv was too young to be pulling strange hours like Seronaph and he were used to.[/size]

[Quill]

The winglet scwered her expression into an unamused frown. Inside, she was burning though. Being next to this redrider caused a torrent of dissatisfication. Sydnyph looked at His and shook his head. When the older simourv's voice boomed in his head, he nodded respectfully. Truth be told, he was not tired, but he knew he should have been. The blue assumed His gave him energy, but he could feel Sal'a tire. If it wasn't for this encounter, they would be heading back in only a few minutes, but Sydnyph knew the problems His had with men. All this commanding would not help.

Sydnyph nodded again and wanted to speak, but what could he say? Looking around, he decided to keep his beak closed and he leaned against Sal'a, not daring to put all of his weight against her warm body. The winglet looked at the displeased red and scoffed at him. If commanding her was such a tiring task, then why stop? She decided that it was just men couldn't help lording over others.

Perhaps it is best if we leave. We can relax until we're tired in the room. Sydnyph urged to His only. He knew there was little point, but he did not want the rider and His to fight. No, we will leave when they leave. Then came the idea of Syd not protecting her. "I'm fully aware of that," she said. By citing his as protection, she only meant comfort in the darkness. "Besides if the riders do their job, I won't have to worry about koxi, now will?" Then the idea of how she was not paying enough attention to Sydnyph. The very idea! "I think I know Syd more than you. Why don't you mind your business and fly away," she said, dismissing him with a wave and she took a few steps away, farther from the Winglet barracks. Sydnyph paused and glanced at the red and His rider and then remained sitting. What was the point? The redrider would react to Sal'a "confident" tone and she would stop to retort again. Why was His so predictable?

[Fox]

K'ean had to fight to keep his lip from curling at the sheer audacity of this winglet, but after a moment indulging in his annoyance, he sighed. It was too much effort to be angry when he was so tired. And the redpair were well and truly exhausted; Seronaph's wings were aching enough already that K'ean could almost feel them, and it was a strange thing to feel an ache in muscles that did not exist in the human form. Unbidden, a sigh slipped past his lips, audible in the stillness of the night air. Above him, the large red curled his long tail around His, aware that the man was drooping where he stood, normally ramrod-posture slumped. But he was also too proud to let go of this argument and leave now.

"The riders cannot be everywhere, little one." K'ean admitted tiredly, the nickname escaping without his really noticing it. "Have you noticed how few of us there are? Twenty-four simourvpairs. Two are our commander and phoenix. One is your wingletmaster, another the candidatemaster. That leaves twenty to guard four settlements every day, around the clock." The memory of so many koxi attacks, of the destruction that followed in the wake of the giant lizards, haunted the man's voice. He was one of the few who, in his life, had been lucky enough to never have lost a family member to the koxi despite the family's prevalent occupation as guards, but enough friends had become victims that K'ean would not take the koxi lightly. For a long moment after he stopped speaking, he eyed the girl and her simourv, taking in the sheer stubbornness written plain across her face. And he decided.

Turning to his simourv, he rested a hand against one gray-scaled leg. With a light push, he suggested gently, Go up first, Seph. Sleep. You're tired.[/i] A pair of dulled amber eyes turned to K'ean, and Seronaph's voice rumbled in all their minds. As are you, Mine. We have an early shift tomorrow.[/color] It was a pointed comment, aimed not at his rider but at the inconsiderate girl keeping them from their beds. A glare shot Sal'a's way before K'ean scowled and clapped the simourv on the ankle. "Just go and get some sleep, old bird, you need it more than I do. I'll be up... eventually." And failing that, he could strap himself in well tomorrow and try to nap on the way to Itnala.

Because if this girl and her blue refused to listen to reason, the least K'ean could do was not leave them out alone, regardless of the low probability of an attack on the Eyrie. He had his sword strapped to his waist, just in case. With a further snort and the snapping open of black-tipped wings, Seronaph did not reply and took his rider's suggestion gladly, stirring up a brief dust storm as he launched himself into the sky. K'ean remained still for a moment, staring after the retreating form of his partner, before turning a faintly exasperated, resigned look on Sal'a. "So. Are you planning on listening to me at all? Or will we both be stuck out here arguing until we're blue in the face?" He paused and glanced to Sydnyph. "No offense meant." And K'ean stifled a yawn behind his hand.[/size]

[Quill]

Her annoyance on the matter was deepening, evident by an unpleasant expression and a tapping boot. She'd imagine that would not work, but it was worth a try. Words were never her strong suit. Sal'a hands had always gotten the message across before, but rider or not, combat was a silly answer. His size did not scare her. Common sense, his experience, and his sword stopped her. And she was too tired. She had nothing to say to his rider statistics. The winglet was well aware there was not enough, but she head no idea the forces were so strained.

Huffing a breath, Sal'a gave a strange look at the red simourv, wondering what they could possibly be saying to one another. And then the next second, she didn't care. Hopefully, distracted by their conversation, Sal'a could escape this rider's watch. She marched away, horizontal to the barracks. Tiredness was starting to take over, but she refused to give the rider the satisfication of sending her to bed. Then, before going too far, she stopped, hearing the red's voice in her mind. "Well, it's not my problem," she snapped to the simourv before standing. Old bird is right, she thought.
Mine! Have a little respect for the red.
I will give it when he and his rider deserves it.
Why must you be so difficult

[/color]

After the his question was asked, Sal'a stopped and patted her hands on her side. It was getting a bit cold now. Though it was early autumn, the cold still held the later day's chill. "I don't know," she answered. Spotting a rock, she sat on it and crossed her arm, then her legs. "All depends on when you leave me alone and mind your businesss." Sydnyph gave the rider a wry look before calming down. Sal'a had explained what the metaphor after he asked how humans could change colors, but it was a phrase that threw him off time and time again.

"Would you forgive Mine, redrider? She's quite stubborn when it comes to orders and men. You cannot blame her. Sydnyph stepped back and went back to His. There was many traits Syd loved about His. Her stubborn was not one of them though he was aware of it. [/blockquote][/size]

[Fox]

What a stubborn one this girl was. Perhaps under other circumstances, K'ean might have been amused by her, or even approved a little of her spunk, but he was too tired, too weary, to have very much of an opinion. He just knew that this girl was keeping him from his bed, and would not go to hers, because they were both too stubborn to give in. In this case, the like-mindedness of the two combatants was probably going to result in neither getting much sleep. K'ean sighed faintly in frustration, as he trudged after the winglet, tiredness sapping the energy needed even for a flare of his icy temper. "You are my business." He informed her flatly. "Every winglet is my business, just as it is the business of the other simourv riders." The redrider shook his head and crossed his arms over his chest, scrutinising the girl disinterestedly. He didn't feel very much like lecturing tonight, and if all went well when Altaph's clutch hatched he would need to save his lecturing skills for his very own winglet class.

K'ean shrugged faintly, shoulders lifting underneath his thickly-padded riding jacket. "And I'll be a Wingletmaster too soon enough." He said, a hint of excitement managing to translate over into his weary voice. It wasn't much though, considering the time of night, and the prospect of teaching winglets still seemed like an unreal one to K'ean. The man was glad of the appointment, though, since he honestly preferred to teach the winglets than be flying shifts to Itnala; it was less tiring and infinitely more rewarding. It was something that he could definitely look forward to.

The blue's words were unexpected, and they made K'ean's eyebrows shoot upwards, but as a result a small smile twitched at his lips. The chick was a polite little fellow; so unlike what his rider was proving herself to be. "Indeed I cannot, little one." He conceded to the latter statement. "And she is forgiven, if she wishes to be." Consideringly, K'ean tilted his head at the pair, eyes narrowing to really take in the girl's appearance for the first time that night. The moonlight was not very much to see by, but much as he could tell by it that the little hatchling was a blue, K'ean rather thought that he'd be able to recognise the winglet henceforth. "What are your names?" He asked, striving for at least some semblance of politeness. "I am K'ean. My simourv that you met is Seronaph."