Brothers of Bronze (Attn: Jah'vi)

The buck rent the air with a scream as Manticath swooped and attempted to shy away but the momentum of the bronze dragon was too much. He came down hard in flying turf and crunching bones, blood spitting from the animal's nose and mouth as the dragon sank his talons into the soft underbelly. After his run in with Cosenne, Z'ash had sought his old weyr. He wanted to give Teagan space and the sun had rose to find the bronzerider sleeping in the crook of his dragon's arm. Manticath had made note of his extreme hunger and Z'ash hastened to get him to the feeding grounds. The emotions that rolled off the dragon as he fed, satisfaction and relief, did much to mollify the young bronzerider.

"Don't stuff yourself, Manticath. Eniseth will rise soon. Eat more blood than flesh." he instructed. The bronze rumbled but obeyed.

"This is going to take some getting used to," a voice said, and suddenly Jah'vi was leaning against the pen next to Z'ash. Nolinth swooped in a moment later, grabbing himself a fat buck and taking it back up to his favorite eating perch.

The older bronzerider gave him a slap on the shoulder. "I didn't get to say it last night, but I'm glad to see you," he spoke, his voice earnest. "I know you're not a kid anymore, but the entire plan...," he shook his head. "I'm just glad the two of you are okay."

Seeing the man standing where just yesterday had stood one of their youngest riders was still disorienting. Nolinth didn't seem to mind at all; Z'ash and Manticath were Z'ash and Manticath no matter what, apparently.

Z'ash turned but before he laid eyes on the other bronzerider, he knew it to be Jah'vi. He was as tall as he was now, so looking up would come in a more metaphorical sense.

"The plan was solid, if theoretical. It worked out as best as we could have hoped for and between Eniseth and Manticath, we have ensured that Pern will continue to have dragons."

It the last was meant to be said in great pride, it may have surprised Jah'vi to hear pure and thankful relief. Z'ash closed her eyes for a moment and then exhaled.

"Pern would be awfully boring without them." he said finally, managing a smile.

Jah'vi grinned, also, watching their bronzes feast. "Good on you," he said, sincerity in his voice. "What the two of you have done is incredibly brave, and from what Teagan said last night you two aren't done yet."

He was silently gauging the younger man's attitude. He was more than entitled to that pride, and it relieved him to notice relief in it. Not done for entirely for the glory, he confirmed; Z'ash had done his duty for Pern.

"What was it like, suddenly being five Turns in the future?" he asked, honestly curious. "Couldn't have been easy, thinking you were just going on a quick jump and then spending the next five turns of your life there." He gave a slightly sad smile. "Don't give away too much... I still like surprises."

"It's a strange thing." Z'ash began, rubbing the back of his head with a calloused hand. His short, brown hair prickled at the ragged edges of the worn flesh. He dropped his hand and sighed.

"So much of this was a breath of a moment for the Weyr and for us it was a fraction of a lifetime. I have experienced the privilege of having a woman of such loyalty, worthy love and sustained partnership; the peace of always having someone by your side in a human way. I have had the overwhelming pleasure of Manticath winning ninety-five percent of Eniseth's flights, rising through the ranks of the Weyr, having the honor of advising young men and woman as candidates who went on to Impress at Eniseth's and Manticath's Hatchings. I've seen those weyrlings become brave and skilled riders. " he breathed softly, almost tenderly.

"If it wasn't part of the plan to return, I may not have. After the last couple of days, I've had doubts. " and he frowned slightly. Folding his arms across his chest, he looked over at Jah'vi and said very softly.

"My words were not a demand. Does no one want to resurrect Eastern but me?"

Jah'vi listened intently, trying to imagine himself in Z'ashs position. What the man said was true; he had obviously done something to earn those knots, and his closeness to the shadowrider was unmistakable. He felt a little bit of jealousy. Nolinth had never caught a queen, not that he'd had as many opportunities as Manticath.

"You need to understand, Z'ash," Jah'vi said gently, reminiscent of their time at Eastern but still with the respect he would give any other Wingleader. "When you two showed up yesterday, we weren't expecting any of this. You were supposed to come back the same Z'ash and Teagan. Suddenly you both have more experience, more flights, seen more clutches hatch than any of us." He shook his head, letting out a gusty sigh. "This is a very big change for all of us. And, frankly, between Teagan acting like a bit of a brat and your reaction, it did sound like a demand."

He smiled, hoping to take the sting out of the harshness those words might have carried. "Believe me, you do deserve your rank. You earned it. But if what Teagan and you have said is true, Eastern soon be populated by its future inhabitants? Don't think I didn't notice that frosty behavior from her last night. That wasn't something you discussed, was it?"

"You mean it was perceived by others to be a demand. If I intended to be demanding, my words would have been different. 'Give Teagan Eastern Weyr!' is a demand.  'Give us Eastern or you will regret it.' is an ultimatum. 'Once Teagan is installed at Eastern Weyr as Senior Weyrwoman, all will become clear.' is an opening statement and yet, I was not allowed to pose my possibility before being shouted down by all sides. I should have consulted Teagan before hand and I would have if I had known the emotional reactive space I was walking into."

He frowned and thumbed at his lip. How much proof did he have to lay down at their feel that they needed to consider all possible threat and avenue of success to ensure dragonkind would never be threatened again?

"Teagan has had an immense amount of stress and responsibility placed upon her which has forced her to have to grow up over a very short amount of time. I find it hypocritical that she be called a brat for daring to exhibit that very strain of her graces, especially given some of the behavior I have witness since I returned and before I even left. Never mind her queen has been on the razor's edge of her next mating flight, which is enough to put anyone on edge. " he said, his tone mild but his eyes hard.

Jah'vi raised his hands, cursing himself silently. "Sorry. It's just a difficult change... two nights ago Teagan was a little girl who never so much as rolled her eyes, let alone snipped at anyone. You're right, her queen is about to rise, on top of the stress of trying to explain something impossible to understand... if anyone has a right to be a little short, it's her." The intense attachment to Teagan took him aback, but it shouldn't be surprising. The two had spent 5 Turns together, and Manticath seemed to be the shadows mate of choice.

"I'm not criticizing her. Or you," he said, earnestly. "You've both done something amazing. We realize that, Z'ash, I promise. And things got out of hand last night." He sighed, running both hands through his hair.

"I'm used to you coming to me for advice," he continued with a sigh. "But it's all changed now. You aren't that kid. We're going to need time to adjust to this. Please try to understand." He gave a small puff of laughter. "Br'son couldn't have made this easier?"