Sandcastles {Taylor}

[Zirin]

It is so nice, U'waMine, you should really come in, I want to play. The young green dragon splashed about in the waves, warbling and chortling her delight. She was a simple dragon, easily pleased and always looking to have fun, and though she whined when her rider rejected the idea, they both knew she would be back to splashing about within a few minutes. U'wa smiled as he watched her, always enjoying seeing her in a happy mood. The lanky boy, much too tall for his thin form, preferred to sit back and watch. Part of it was that he was a nervous fellow and didn't like the idea of someone coming across them while he was half naked, but another part was that he truly enjoyed sitting back and watching.

"Don't go out too far Peniath," He called out, as always the worry-wart when Peniath began going deeper in chase of some fish. She lifted her head, giving a short chirp-like sound back at him to in an 'I'm okay' way. Smiling softly to himself, the teen began running his hands through the sand, letting his mind wander to thoughts of home, of family and the things he left behind. He truly wasn't meant to be here... too softspoken and jumpy to be of much use. He knew his shortcomings, but try as he might he just couldn't improve himself. Glancing down, he was surprised to see he had begun forming a makeshift sandcastle, it's shape reminiscent of Trelis. Mine.. someone is coming! Without a second thought, U'wa launched himself into the bushes, as if that would stop the stranger from finding him. Afetr all, it was hard to hide with a full grown green standing nearby in the water. Hello!

[Taylor]

Jallis had taken to walking along the beach each day since arriving here. It was strange being this close to the ocean and she found she quite liked it. It was soothing. That and...much as she would deny it if someone were to ask, she missed her family a bit. Or...more specifically, her brother. And looking out over the ocean, she knew that he was out there somewhere. Sure, it was far away, but they were both by the same ocean, was the point. If she had all the patience in the world, she could get on a boat and go see him. Well...and all the luck in the world - she had no gift for navigation and was likely to capsize before she could even get out of sight of Rindell. Still! The potential was there!

Hello! Jallis' head jerked up at the greeting. She'd been looking down, watching the way the damp sand changed color as she stepped on it, and had managed to miss the presence of a dragon. She froze, staring at the green for a few seconds before realizing how rude that was and blinking rapidly, trying to get over her surprise. "H-hi!" She walked a little closer, stopping just in time to avoid trampling the little Trelis in the sand. She gave it a curious look, glanced briefly around, and then turned her attention back to the green.

"Are you just...swimming? Swimming around out here?" Perhaps not the strangest idea but... "Aren't you supposed to be flying? I mean that's like...a saying, practically. That whole thing about fish and birds not being able to love each other? But you are both." Oh good, she was babbling. She looked down for a second, clearing her throat, and when she looked up again, there was a hint of a blush in her cheeks. "O-of course you can do whatever you want. Swimming is nice." She hesitated then took a few steps towards the dragon, head tilted, clearly curious of something. She went up on tiptoes as if that would allow her to see into the water. "Do you use your wings? For swimming? Or you dog paddle?" Names? Introductions? Pft, what were those? Learning about dragon swimming methods was entirely too important, and her curiosity had erased any memory of proper social protocol, it seemed.

[Zirin]

Despite the worried feelings from her rider, Peniath was excited to meet someone new, especially since this someone seemed friendly! She loved when people were friendly. Peniath watched her approach, coming out of the water just enough to be able to take off if necessary, though only because her hidden rider was being so insistant. She cocked her head to the side as the questions began.

OH yes! Swimming is fun, I wanted to come to the beach to swim with Mine, but he doesn't like swimming. I think it's sad, don't you? I want to swim together! She stopped and gave a brief stretch of her wings. I can't swim in the air silly, and I dont think I can fly in the water... but what fun would that be! Oh oh! I want to try it. As the green dunked herself under the water and attempted to use her wings, U'wa stumbled out of the woods.

"Peni! What are you-! Come back!" He was a tall lad, easily towering over Jallis, though with his scrawny, lanky frame and his habit of standing hunched over he was anything but intimidating looking. Looking at Jallis, he opened his mouth to say something, but only managed a quiet "H-hi..." before he started wringing his hands nervously. Peniath popped up from the water again. That was hard! Wings are not meant for swimming, not at all! Oh but look, look I caught a fish! Proud of herself, Peniath trotted up on the beach to drop the fish in the sand, clearly believing she had accomplished something spectacular. Silently, U'wa reached out and rubbed an eyeridge.

Oh oh oh that was fun, wasn't it MissyMiss?

[Taylor]

The green seemed to say a lot of things very fast, and Jallis felt a smile forming. It left her a little unsure what the green wanted her to reply to and what was simply happy babbling, but at least it made her sound excited to be in this conversation with Jallis. Much better than when people were clearly trying to find a way out and edge away when she was talking. "What if he sat on your back while you swam? Then he's not really swimming but you'd be in the water together?" Or perhaps her rider (where was he, come to think of it?) objected to the water part, not necessarily the physical act of swimming...

She giggled as the green disappeared beneath the water. She quite liked greens, she'd decided. This was the second she'd met - both in the water, oddly enough - and both had been nice. Or at least not hostile - she wasn't sure the first had been overly fond of her, since it spent the conversation peering at her rider and Jallis from the water. Jallis' thoughts were derailed as a man - presumably the dragon's rider? - appeared from a bush. Wait...a bush? Why- Her questioning thoughts were interrupted yet again as the man called out in alarm. Her eyes widened, amusement fading to horror. Oh Faranth, was it bad? What if the dragon drowned? Oh shards what if Jallis had just killed a dragon?!

She cast her eyes breifly towards the man as he greeted her, saying a quick "hi" in return before turning her anxious gaze back to the water. She let out a sigh of relief as the green reappeared, amusement quickly returning as the proud green trotted towards them. Jallis was impressed, giving the fish a surprised look. "You managed to catch it even with your wing swimming?" Fish were fast, after all, and it hadn't sounded like Peniath's attempts to fly underwater had been too glorious.

Jallis just grinned at Peniath's question, nodding. "I'm Jallis. Who're you?" She paused and then gave U'wa a curious look. "And you're her rider, aren't you? Why were you in a bush?"

[Zirin]

U'wa's dislike of swimming stemmed from a number of different reasons. Mostly, it was that he wasn't an incredibly strong swimmer and spent most of his time just trying not to drown. Part of it had to do with his self-confidence though; if he stripped down to swim he felt horribly underdressed and awkward and didn't want anyone to see him. If he kept clothes on, they stuck to his thin frame and made him look even more gangly than he already looked. No, for U'wa, sitting in the sand and watching his dragon was more than enough.
　
Oh Mine, you are such a worry wart! I didn't go out too far I swear. Worried that she had sent her rider into a panic, the green dropped on her haunches and pouted, or at least that's what th epose looked like. She was always causing hers to panic! U'wa himself was fretting over upsetting his dragon, and the two fell into an all too common downward spiral of guilt. Luckily though, Peniath wasn't one to be bothered by things for long, so the question about her fish hunting made her perk right back up, her entire body wiggling in excitement.
　
Oh yes! I am quite the master of hunting, or fishing rather, I like chasing them. So shiny and pretty in the water. Ooh but... but I guess it was luck. Silly fishy swam right into my mouth! Maybe it wanted to be friends? She regarded the fish curiously for a moment, before shoving her nose down and pushing the fish closer to Jallis. Oh, we're friends now, so have this fish as a... as a token of friendship, from your good buddy Peniath! And this is U'waMine. U'wa shifted uncomfortably at her question. He wanted to lie and run away, but lying was wrong and U'wa knew he'd never successfully get away with whatever answer he could come up with. So, he had to be honest.
　
"I um... I-I... was... hiding." He mumbled sheepishly, unable to meet her eyes for more than a moment before he flushed in embarassment and lowered his gaze again, shifting uncomfortably. "S-sorry if Peniath b-bothered you."

[Taylor]

Jallis couldn't help but giggle at Peniath's sad look. It really was strange being around dragons, now. Harper tales told of their nobility, their successes against Thread. They didn't tell about them swimming and scaring their riders, or pouting on the beach. She should have realized there was more depth to them than was seen in tales, of course, but...somehow it came as a surprise to her, seeing them with so many emotions and quirks. They even differed between colors! Again, not something that should surprise her, but the differences between this green on a beach and the last green she'd seen on this beach were startling.

She shook her head a little, shoving away the thoughts and trying to remain in the moment. She could analyze all of this later. Sometime later, when analyzing it wasn't making her miss out on the very conversations she was trying to analyze.

Jallis gave a little laugh at Peniath's words about the fish wanting to be friends. "I hope it didn't want to be friends; that would be a rather sad end to its friendship." As the fish was shoved towards her, a token of friendship apparently, Jallis grinned. "If I wanna be your friend, are you going to bite me, too?" It was nice, though. She was honestly quite touched by the dragon's gift of a fish. She had never been given a gift by a dragon, before. She moved to pick it up and bring it closer to her, to be sure she brought it home with her when she left, then answered the question. "Nice to meet you both. I'm Jallis. I'm a Candidate."

Jallis tilted her head. "Hiding? From what?" She looked around, concern furrowing her brow. Was there something dangerous? Oh shards, what if someone from a hostile weyr was here to take down the rebellion and they started with the three of them?! She dropped her voice. "Am I being too loud? Should we hide again?" She shook her head at his final question, her response still in a whisper. "Of course not. She's lovely. So...who are we hiding from?"