Just Like People

Writers: AmajoS, Suzee
Date Posted: 18th May 2019

Characters: Benna, Loella
Description: Benna decides to visit the Vintner Hall, giving Henerath a chance to people watch at the Hold, and make a new friend.
Location: Amber Hills Hold
Date: month 10, day 14 of Turn 9

Loella

Benna carefully lowered the last bundle down to the Journeyman
standing at Henerath's side, beside a stack of similar bundles. "Got
it?"

"Got it, greenrider, thank you." The man replied, setting this new
item with the rest. He then passed up a half-mark which she took with
a pleased smile and slipped into a pocket on her flight jacket. "And
thank your dragon for me, I know that was a lot to carry."

}:It was not heavy,:{ Henerath commented smugly. }:I am very strong.:{
She craned her neck to look at the journeyman herself and blew a
gentle puff of air at him.

Benna laughed, "She says it wasn't a problem at all." She knew some
dragonriders didn't like pulling transport duty, but she didn't mind
at all. She liked going places on her dragon, and so what if it meant
carrying a passenger or some cargo? Did that make the travelling any
less travelling? Not a bit. Plus, most passengers were happy enough to
tip and she enjoyed the income. All her needs were met by the Weyr, of
course, but it was nice to be able to treat herself to extra when she
wanted to.

And, speaking of which, the Vintner Hall was not too very far from
here and she had plenty of time before her next scheduled transport.
**I'll be back in an hour or so, Henny, will you be alright?**

}:Yes, the sun is very nice today and the people are fun to watch.:{
With that, the green dragon took off for a short flight to a small
hill nearby, close enough to see everything but far enough away to not
be in the way.

Benna grinned after her dragon and then made her way toward the Hall,
leaving the green to her people watching.

Loella saw the dragon up on the hill, she seemed less imposing then
many of them she'd met at the Weyr. Maybe if she hid and didn't show
herself she could have a conversation. She walked back into her
little cot and closed the door. **Hello beautiful green,** she said as
she leaned against the door. "Is the sun very pleasant today?"

Henerath had been watching several children running around in a big
circle with two canines. She didn't know why they were doing this, but
it looked like great fun. Sometimes she wished she was small enough to
run around in circles with children. Of course, if she were, she would
be too small to carry Benna and that was no good. Unless Benna was
very small too. Didn't her rider read a story to her once about a boy
who got shrunken down to the size of a trundlebug and rode his
father's firelizard around like a dragon? But someone might step on
Benna by accident and that would be horrible.

The rather distressing turn of her thoughts were interrupted by a
voice speaking to her. This was unusual! }:The sun is very pleasant
today, yes.:{ She lifted her head and looked around to see who was
speaking, but couldn't find anyone who seemed to be her. }:How can you
see me,:{ and Henerath knew the woman could because she was, in fact,
beautiful, }:but I can't see you? Are you invisible?:{ Benna had read
her a story about a man who could be invisible once, she remembered
suddenly.

**No** Loella chuckled. **I'm inside my house. I'm... um... a little
afraid of dragons. But your voice seems very nice.**

Afraid of dragons! Henerath didn't understand. }: But why are you
afraid of dragons?:{

**Big and loud and sometimes it makes my head hurt when you're flaming
the 'Fall overhead. I can hear you all yelling and hear when one of
you gets hurt. Where do you go all of a sudden when that happens?**

}:We go to the Weyr when we get hurt. To the dragonhealer.:{ Henerath
thought for a moment and then added, }:I got hurt once by Thread on
my wingtip. It hurt very badly and my Benna was upset. But it didn't
hurt for long because the dragonhealer put smelly numbing medicine on
it. This was before, at the old Weyr.:{

**I bet that really hurt,** she answered.

}:Until the dragonhealer put the smelly numbing medicine on it, it
really did!:{ Henerath hadn't thought of that long ago wingtip scoring
for a long time, but now that she was thinking about it, she
remembered how much it hurt. She tried to think how long it had been
since this had happened, but time was a nebulous thing. She did better
thinking of events that occurred or places visited than amounts of
time passing.

}:When did I get hurt by Thread?:{ She asked her rider, knowing that
Benna would be able to tell her. She felt her rider's surprise and
curiosity when she replied.

}:Benna says it was our third time fighting Thread, after joining a
fighting wing. It was nearly five turns ago, at our old home,:{ the
green dragon relayed.

**Benna? is that your rider?**

}:Yes, she is mine,:{ there was a wealth of love and pride in the
dragon's tone when she said that.

Loella picked up on the overtones in the Dragon voice when she talked
about her rider. **I bet she is a lovely person.**

}:Benna is the best person. She reads me stories and answers all my
questions. Well, most of them. Sometimes she doesn't know the answer,
but that's fair.:{

Loella could hear how much the dragon cared for her rider. **Well
thank you for talking with me. Maybe someday I can meet your Benna.**

}:You would like her,:{ Henerath replied, unable to conceive of
someone -not- liking Benna. }:And you are nice, so she would like you
too.:{

""Thank you,"" Loella tried putting her smile into her mind voice.
**It has been very nice to talk. Maybe next time I can come out and
see you.** Loella thought that if all dragons were as nice she might
be able to really meet more than just the couple she'd met already.
She shuddered at the memory of the hatching. She never wanted to
repeat that experience but maybe she didn't have to be quite so afraid
of them. They sounded just like people.

Last updated on the June 3rd 2019

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Just Like People