Down in Wherling Rock (tag: Avidian)

It had been a long night.  Or at least it felt like it had been, even if he hadn't done much but watch Kanesk and his clutchmates hatch, then deal with feeding and oiling the bronze wher.

It was likely the adrenaline rush that had accompanied it all, especially the hatching-- Kanesk had come out fighting, and for a few seconds, Kane hadn't known if he was going need his knife to fend off the angry infant wher, or to create a bond with the little beast.

It was almost surreal when he looked back at it-- he couldn't recall the exact moment of Impression with true clarity.  One moment he'd been waiting for Kanesk to throw off his confining shell, the next, he was staring into whirling red eyes.  He could only imagine how strange things would feel once he'd gone to sleep and reawakened, unused to having another life tied to his own the way the bronze's was.

Not that it wasn't strange already-- the presence he felt was like nothing he'd ever experienced before.  It was so completely different from any bond he'd ever held with a runner that it couldn't compare.  He hadn't decided yet how he really felt about it, either.

It wasn't like he could change it, though, if he came to the conclusion that it was too bizarre, too disturbing.  He hoped it would be easier to deal with as time went on and he got used to it-- Dividia had never seemed to be bothered by her bond with Divisk; perhaps he would as her how long it had taken her to get used to it all.

Running a hand over his face as it once again struck him how weary he was, the smuggler glanced over at the cushion he'd found for Kanesk.  The reddish bronze was strangely fluffing the thing to get it into the shape he wanted.  For the third time.

It brought the tiniest of sideways smiles to Kane's lips, the expression tinged with amazement that the little wher hadn't immediately crashed upon returning to the quarters they would be occupying for the time being.  He could tell Kanesk was tired, was almost ready to sleep, but he seemed determined to fight it, to get the cushion in just the right spot, before he let go and fell into slumber.

Stubborn, he was.  Which Kane'd already had a taste of.  Several times, in fact.  The cushion, at least, didn't pit its will against the bronze's, which should have made it easier for Kanesk to conquer.  That apparently wasn't the case, given how much the wher had been kneading and pushing at the thing.

Finally satisfied, or just too tired to care, Kanesk flopped down on the cushion, curled up, and heaved a great sigh.

Perhaps he would be asleep soon, Kane thought as he watched.  And then he could get some rest, himself.

Not that this bed was going to be as comfortable as the one he'd been using for some time-- he knew that already, just from sitting on the edge.  But that seemed to be right in line with how the rest of his new quarters differed from his old ones.

Sure, the alcove might be bigger, of a size that could accommodate an adult bronze wher along with himself, but the trek to it had been long.  Most of it had been spent traveling through a single long tunnel, one that had been previously little used.  Not many of the canyon dwellers wanted to be as far away from the common areas as they were.  Plus, those who had managed to work their way up the ranks preferred living quarters above ground, instead of deeper inside it.

Besides the distance, how long it was going to take (and how painful some of that distance might be) to get to the mess hall and elsewhere, the thing he was going to miss most about his old quarters was the view.  He'd sharding well earned his spot high on the canyon wall, where he could watch the sun rise or set, see the storms roll in and blanket everything in a haze of rain.

And now… now all he had was rock.

Everywhere.

It was definitely going to take some getting used to.

And perhaps a bit of re-exploring once Kanesk was old enough that they didn't have to spend so much of their time near Alden.

"Tenacious, isn't he?" Avidian said from his observation point in the shadows. When Kane looked up, the stillmaster stepped forward, into the dim glowlight that illuminated the rough alcove. "But I suppose that's to be expected for a bronze. Congratulations. What is his name? Kansk?"

Unsurprised that Avidian had come to visit-- the man had surely heard the news soon after Kanesk had chosen him, if not a little later, once the rest of the eggs had hatched-- Kane's half smile kicked up again at the stillmaster's words.  "Close.  Kanesk," he responded.  "He's a fighter.  And so far as I can tell, almost more stubborn than I am."  He wasn't sure if he should say thank you for the recognition of his achievement when it had been Avidian's mission for him to Impress.  But then again, the man hadn't specified what color he should try to bond with.

"Divisk didn't seem too impressed when he hatched."

Avidian snorted. "That brown monster. Likely a bit of competition will do him a world of good. Dividia will keep him in line," he said with perfect confidence in his favorite daughter. "And it'll be good to have a bronze monster to match. You say he's a fighter. I believe it. In fact, I want you to keep that in mind for him, during his training. Try not to kill any of our other whers, especially the queens. Those are going to be a moneymaker for sure. But when Kanesk is old enough, you'll be taking him out with you on your runs, and he'll need to enact swift violence wherever you direct him. Can you do that?"

Avidian, himself, was certain that Kane could. He wouldn't have pushed him towards the whers otherwise.

The corner of Kane's mouth turned up at the older man's description of Divisk.  Accurate as it was, it was still amusing-- and he privately wondered just how well Dividia would be able to keep the brown wher in line when Kanesk was around.  He was pretty sure she'd had a tough time of it when the bronze hatched.  She'd pulled it off, but was it possible that other situations would be worse?

Glancing at Kanesk, who'd finally dropped off to sleep, the smuggler considered Avidian's outline for the future.  Dividia took Divisk with on runs, so he was expecting to be doing something similar once his bronze was old enough.  But from the sound of it, his boss was encouraging him to indulge Kanesk's darker instincts at times-- just to keep him in top form.

Of course, there was no question of whether he could do it.  He'd already proved he was willing to do it himself, if necessary.  But letting Kanesk tear into someone only when directed to do so… would likely be the difficult part.  "Of course.  The toughest part will probably be convincing him not to turn on me once he's done," Kane added, the faint upturn of his lips turning wry.

Avidian looked at him with a smile as cold as his black eyes. "I am confident that you will find a way," he said. "In the meantime, as you go through your training, I want you to watch your fellow... wherlings, I think you're being called? Rather tongue-in-cheek, but that suits as well. Wouldn't do to let our dragonriders take themselves too seriously. Anyway, watch them. Make notes on personalities and who's excelling, who's not."

Avidian tilted his head. "Will you be tapped for leadership because Kanesk is a bronze? Or is that our decision to make, I wonder? Find out from Alden. I'll come again in a few nights. Have a report ready for me then."

Kane nodded in understanding.  He wasn't surprised Avidian wasn't willing to place all his trust in Alden's assessments of their abilities.  They hadn't known the man all that long, so he was likely still worth watching, along with the other wherhandlers.  But that didn't need to be said.  

He'd wondered about the leadership question, himself.  Especially considering there were two golds among the infant whers, as well.  He'd make it a point to bring the topic up the next time they met.  And pass along whatever he learned.  "You'll have it."

Avidian nodded, and clapped Kane on the shoulder. "Good man," he said. "Good luck with your monster. Let me know what you need from me."

And with that, he faded back into the darkness from whence he'd come.