Stubborn vs. Stubborn {Thorn}

[Akira]

Pandora glared at her brown dragon from where she stood in the Weyr Bowl. Thank you very much Guarximuth, but there is NOTHING we can do about the way the schedules are. We have night watch again so just get over it! It would be the fourth time in a row that the two of them had been put on the night watch. Guarximuth didn’t really mind it all that much, he just wished that his rider would sleep more if they would be on night watch, and since she had refused to do that, they had gotten into an argument about being on night watch so much. I just think it would be better if mine rider was better rested, and she can’t be that way if she is staying up all night long! There was a deep growl in the brown’s chest as he brought his eyes level with those of his riders.

[Thorn]

Jisene watched the brown dragon and its female rider from the shadows. She frowned-it looked as if the two were fighting for some reason. Perhaps because of how tired the woman looked...?
Stepping out into the light of the nearby torch, she blinked as her eyes adjusted.
The dragon was one of the browns, but in her eyes, it was still beautiful. She couldn't help the smile as she bowed to dragon and rider both. She'd been hoping for a quiet place to study for a while, but this might be even better.
'I'm sorry for the interruption, Sir Dragon, Lady Rider, but may I sit with you a while...?' She straightened up calmly, her blue eyes flashing in the light from the torch. 'Everywhere else is full of chatter, and I can't study when it's like that.'

[Akira]

I told you Guar, I’m just fine! Pandora was starting to get irritated with her dragon, and it seemed the same could be said about Guarximuth. The two of them had been together for four turns now, but it seemed as though neither of them had quite given up on over-powering the other in a battle of wills yet. Both of them turned to see who was approaching them when they heard footsteps. Guarximuth dipped his head to the stranger as she bowed to him and to Pandora. Pandora just crossed her arms over her chest and regarded the strange girl with a mix of curiosity and suspicion. You may sit here if you wish. What is thine name? Curiously swirling eyes focused on where the new comer now stood, studying her, trying to find out whether or not she was on the side of justice or not.

[Thorn]

Jisene's eyes widened as the dragon's face came closer to hers, the brown creature's breathe broke across her face. Still unused to feeling other's voices in her mind, it took her a moment to reply.
'Jisene, Sir. My parents own one of the holdings on this island. Thank you for letting me sit with you.'
She nervously made her way around him and sat on the ground, spreading her books out so she could look through them a little more easily.

[Akira]

Guarximuth rumbled softly with laughter as he saw the girl’s eyes widen. Pandora rolled her eyes at her brown, and punched the brown’s neck. You’re going to scare her if you keep that up Guar. There was disapproval in the twenty-three turn old woman’s voice, but there was also love there too. The brown lifted his bridal marked head and shook it. I’m not scaring her. Am I Jisene? His eyes swirled with a mixture of curiosity and concern. A creature as big as you could scare just about anyone, even if you didn’t try Guar. Pandora leveled a serious gaze on the brown as she spoke. Anyway, I am Guarximuth, and this serious looking one is Pandora. He crooned softly as he spoke to the little human girl. Pandora just nodded her head as she was introduced.

[Thorn]

Jisene smiled in response. 'Ah, no, I'm just still getting used to the feel of it all.' She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear ruefully. 'I'd never even seen a dragon up close before when two stopped by with their riders. It felt so odd, like I was being pulled towards them...'
She blushed at the memory, at how incredible it had felt-and still felt, if she was honest. One of the weyr cats had padded out behind her, and she automatically obliged its demands for attention, scratching it behind the ears.
'I've always had a connection with animals, but... I never thought that I could be a rider. To find that there was something more to it...' She shook her head, surprising the cat into running from her.
'It's... overwhelming, if I'm honest.'

[Akira]

Guarximuth snorted at Pandora as they got Jisene’s response, Pandora just rolled her eyes at him. Pandora had never been searched, she had never had the experience that Jisene had, so she didn’t really understand what she was talking about. Guarximuth gently put his large brown muzzle against Pandora’s chest and crooned as she scratched it. Just wait till you find your life-mate and make the bond. If you think getting searched was overwhelming, you have another thing coming. Pandora’s voice wasn’t exactly kind, but it wasn’t mean either. She just wasn’t a very social person. Yes, but at least her bonded won’t have to yell at her to come down from the stands so they can be fed. Guarximuth rumbled with laughter at the memory of their bonding. Again, not my fault Guarximuth, I was just there to watch, not to impress a dragonet. Pandora swatted the brown’s muzzle as she spoke, knowing full well that she wouldn’t have wanted her dragon to be any other way.

[Thorn]

Jisene smiled at the obvious love between the two-this was the closest she'd been to a dragon and rider yet, as she hadn't really spoken to the two riders of the dragons that had found her.
'It sounds amazing. A lot of people have said about how you feel not just your own emotions, but your bonded's, too. In some ways, I'm looking forward to it. It's far better than being married off to someone who's just after my father's farm.'
The memory of the men discussing it filled her mind and she frowned. She'd never told her parents about it, but it was that that had pushed her into the decision of never marrying someone who didn't love her for who she was. She'd fought with her parents a lot, but in the end, she'd made it clear to her so-called 'suitors' that she wasn't interested in them or their power games.

[Akira]

Pandora nodded her head at Jisene, she had never known her parents, and had never had any “suitors” either. Guarximuth crooned softly, sensing his rider’s feelings. Trust me, you’ll be regretting those words not long after you impress. It isn’t always easy to keep anything private after you impress. Especially if you impress a brown. Guarximuth pulled his head away from Pandora and snorted at her words. Thee keep plenty from me mine Pandora. Thee can be very secretive mine little one. Guarximuth tilted his head and looked down on the two humans with one swirling eye. Oh don’t give me that Guar. Pandora walked over and punched the brown’s leg as she spoke. I guess the best thing about impressing is, for me anyways, is you’re never alone anymore. You always have someone there to listen to you whenever you’ve had a bad day, or just need someone to talk to, your dragon will always be there for you. No matter how annoying they can get. Pandora smiled up at her brown dragon who crooned down at her.

[Thorn]

Jisene couldn't help the small laugh that burst out, despite trying to cover her mouth with a hand. The relationship between the two was clear and easy for all to see, and she couldn't help but like the both of them.
'Being alone... Never held any problems for me, really.' Her smile was a true, genuine one that lit up her eyes, making them sparkle brightly in the torch light. 'I was always running off into the jungle when Mother and Father tried to make me choose a suitor. In the end, I had to insult all of them in order to put them off. Oh, Mother's face... Father just laughed, but Mother didn't take it as well. I was cleaning out the runners for ages afterwards.'
The wind blew across her face, catching some of the strands of her hair. 'When I was searched, Mother looked so relieved that I would have a purpose in life. She'd long since given up trying to get me to marry.'

[Akira]

Pandora raised an eyebrow when she heard Jisene laugh. I never had any problem being alone either, I don’t remember anything before I was ten, and then I was living on the streets of Sollace Hold. You never really know how alone you truly are until you have someone else in your life. A dark shadow seemed to cross Pandora’s face as she spoke, her eyes taking on a sad look before quickly becoming blank again. Guarximuth gently nudged his rider, turning a concerned, swirling eye on her. There is no need to remember thine past, we must look to the future, and the safety of the Weyr. Guarximuth’s words seemed to have done the trick, for she slapped the browns muzzle. You know, the Weyr is plenty safe without you constantly searching out trouble. Pandora shook her head as she spoke. At least once you have a dragon, you won’t have to worry all that much about guys pestering you for marriage. Pandora shrugged her shoulders as she spoke.

[Thorn]

Jisene grinned, an almost surprising sight from her. 'They don't now, not since I called them all 'addle-brained bunch of fools'.' She toned the grin down, simply smiling happily at the memory. 'That was at the meeting where I was meant to make my choice known, and none ever came back after that.'
She tilted her head back, looking up at the sky as she did. 'I just hope... that my dragon will love the jungle as I do. I know it's difficult to move around in it for dragons, but there's so much that you can see there, it really is amazing.' She'd noticed the brief shadowing in Pandora's face, but hadn't wanted to say anything, instead saying something else to help try and distract her from the bad memories that had briefly surfaced for the other woman.

[Akira]

Pandora raised an eyebrow at what Jisene had called those men that had been her “suitors”. If I were in their shoes I wouldn’t have come back either after being called “addle-brained”. She shook her head while she spoke, and shrugged her shoulders. Not all dragons have as much trouble moving around in trees as you’d think. It all depends on the rank, size, and motivation of your dragon. Pandora looked up at Guarximuth as she spoke, knowing full well that if he thought something evil was in those trees, he wouldn’t hesitate to charge in head first. I am more careful that that mine little one, thee should know that by now. There was a slight reprimand in his voice as he looked over at his rider.

[Thorn]

Jisene smiled, a slight hint of jealousy at the relationship the two had. Reaching for the first of her books, she opened it to a detailed diagram of a dragon and started looking it over, frowning at the symbols.

She understood most of what was being said, but she was a doer, not a reader, and learned best by seeing or taking part in the activities described in the book. While she knew that a dragon's hide had to be thoroughly cleaned and oiled on a regular basis, it was still difficult to transfer her knowledge from the page of the book to the dragon itself.

Annoyance was starting to fill her, and she huffed with it. 'These books...! Why do they give them to us to read when they're just telling us things that we can't even transfer from the page...?!'

[Akira]

Pandora looked down when she saw Jisene pick up one of her books. She tilted her head to the side curiously as she watched the girl reading. She didn’t really remember reading anything like this, but then again, she didn’t have to go through the same training as Jisene had to go through either. Guarximuth tried to look over the two humans to see what was going on, but he had little knowledge of books, and the writing was just too small for him to read in the first place.

What do you mean? Pandora wasn’t sure she had really wanted to ask that question, but unfortunately for her, the words were out before she could stop them. Guarximuth snorted, not at all happy with not knowing what was going on. What is wrong Jisene? Did thee not understand something? After not knowing what was going on, he finally felt that he might be able to help somehow, though, he wasn’t really sure how he could help at the moment.