The Drowning Dolly

Writers: Miriah, Suzee
Date Posted: 19th November 2020

Characters: J'ackt, Cyradis, Teriv, Temani
Description: Dollies aren't supposed to swim and a big brother gets a lesson.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 7, day 3 of Turn 10
Notes: Mentioned: Alina

J'ackt

Cyradis

Like so many others in the lake, after a long day of drills, J'ackt
found himself scrubbing Zith's hide after a drill, J'ackt concentrated
on cleaning the dust and charred firestone off of the bronze's hide.
The action was a long practiced one, so regular and routine that his
mind could wander as he waded through the water. It touched on many
things, Alina, the contract with Cyradis, what he would be doing the
next day; his mind flicked idly from subject to subject as he worked
and stretched. He was drawn out of his reverie by a shrill cry.

"Give it back, Teriv! It's mine!" There was a young, high pitched demand.

"Nyah nyah! What are you gonna do about it? I want it!"

J'ackt stopped and slowly turned to look around Zith at the beach. He
saw a young girl and an older boy, pulling at a doll between them. Not
his problem. He shrugged and went back to scrubbing.

"It's my dolly! Give it! You're gonna hurt her!" The girl sounded
frantic and wailed. "Let her go!"

"No! You let go, you little baby!" The older boy yanked the doll away and
then held it up, out of the younger girl's reach. "I'm gonna drown
her, Temani! Look!"

"No! Please! Don't!"

J'ackt sighed and looked again, annoyed by the high pitched screaming
and frowned. The young girl was jumping at the doll, stretching to try
to reach it. The boy was laughing, but when the girl seemed to stomp
on his foot, the boy angrily shoved the girl down, then threw the doll
into the water.

J'ackt didn't even think. "Hey!" The boy paused and his eyes widened.
Before he could run more than a few feet, J'ackt grabbed the back of
his tunic and hauled him back to the girl. "Don't you ever shove a
girl! Any girl, do you understand me?"

The boy stared up at him with wide eyes and nodded quickly. "I'm
sorry, bronzerider, I..."

J'ackt scowled at the young boy. "Go. Get. That. Doll." He pushed the
boy towards the water.

"But..."

"Now!"

The boy hurried into the water and began searching the area where he'd
thrown it. J'ackt exhaled sharply and then looked down at the little
girl who was sniffing and staring up at J'ackt with wide eyes. Her
elbows were scratched and bleeding where she'd fallen, but the
otherwise didn't seem hurt. She didn't seem any older than 8 turns,
but he wasn't very sure. "You okay?"

The little girl's lower lip trembled. "My elbows hurt. And ...and...he
threw my dolly. She's going to drown."

J'ackt arched his brows and glanced at the water. "Dolls don't drown.
They don't breathe."

"Mine does! She's special! My momma gave her to me! Teriv's just mean! "

**Whatever.** J'ackt shook his head and then crouched. "Can you get up?"

"Yeah." She wiped her eyes and got up slowly. "Look, it's bleeding."
She showed him her elbows.

"It's just a scratch." J'ackt looked at the wound, then over at the
boy who was dragging his feet while he approached carrying a small
soaked doll covered in lake silt. "Give it." He held out his hand.

"Sorry." The boy visibly sulked and thrust the doll at J'ackt.

J'ackt took it with two pinched fingers and grimaced. It was
definitely soiled and it was dripping muck down his arm. He looked at
the little girl. "Here's your doll. Maybe...uh...she needs a bath."

The girl sniffled and took the doll. "Did she drown? Is she okay?"

J'ackt blinked, eyeing the girl and tried to come up with something
that would work with the odd idea that a doll actually breathed.
"Uhm..no. She... swam. Now, go and take her to your mam or something
for...a bath.. or something." He rose from his crouch and stood.

"Thank you." The girl turned to Teriv and stuck her tongue out. "I'm
telling Momma what you did! You're gonna get in trouble."

The boy began trudging back to the lower caverns, but J'ackt stopped
him with a hand on his chest. "Wait a fecking minute, runt."

The boy went still and looked up at J'ackt slowly. "Yes, bronzerider?"

J'ackt glowered down at him."You're bigger than her. You're stronger
than her. If I ever see you pushing or shoving or hitting a girl, any
girl, my boot is going to go so far up your fecking ass you'll taste
it. Get me?"

The boy's eyes widened and he nodded quickly. "Yes, bronzerider!"

"Now get lost."

The little girl seemed to beam with satisfaction at the threat and
lifted her chin. "Humph!" She grinned at J'ackt. "Thank you!" Suddenly
she ran up and hugged him.
J'ackt winced and lightly pushed at the shoulders, then,looked around,
trying to figure out how quickly he could pry the little girl off. But
she released him and began to skip back towards the lower caverns, her
voice loud and sing-songing, "Feck, feck feck!"

J'ackt watched as the boy ran after the girl, wiped his hands on his
legs and walked back over to Zith, shaking his head. "Fecking kids."

Cyradis stood on her ledge looking down at the Weyrlake and the action
going on between J'ackt and the children. She couldn't help but laugh
as he handled the situation. **You'll get it right J'ackt. Just takes
some time.**

Last updated on the November 23rd 2020

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The Drowning Dolly