Dragon Rider Play

(I hope not off!)

Tithenor stroked Erika quietly as he watched Pat work.  "When did Patrick get to be a healer?" he asked Mark in an undertone.

(Shirt off and away from arms, chest piece still on.)

Mark shrugged. "He's in the med ward all the time. I guess he picked up a few tricks." He looked at Erika and sighed. "Poor girl. Blade dragons are some of the most proud and protective of their troves..."

"We will find it," Tithenor said simply.  "This is an island.  It has to be here somewhere."  He stroked Erika gently, trying to comfort her even a little.

Pat ignored the others, focused on stopping the bleeding.  This was so much worse than she'd feared!

Eric returned with Krudd, the half dwarf's brows lowered like brooding storm clouds.  "What happened?"

Mark nodded a thanks to Eric. "Someone stole Erika's treasure. Blade tried to comfort her, but she was worked up and her spines sliced hiss arms up pretty good. I think he got a head rush and fainted, and Pat's trying to patch him up."

Krudd muttered fiercely in Dwarven as he knelt.  Since Pat was busy with Blade, one arm patched and the other in the process of, he went to Erika first.  "Any ideas?" he growled.

"None, sir," Tithenor said softly.  "We have no ideas.  To my knowledge, other than Eric here, we were the only ones around and in this area of the rookery since late last night."

Nightshade chirped, which Mellon translated for Tithenor. Erika said she had only smelled her, Blade, and Pat, but none of them would have done it.

Tithenor translated, and Krudd's scowl deepened.  "What the hell is going on around here?  I'll look into it, but I ain't going to yank yer chain.  It's going to be hard to impossible to figure this out."

"I know, thank you for trying," Tithenor said with a bow.

"Blade is off duty until his dragon's better," Krudd grunted, standing.  "Keep an eye on them."

Mark was worried.

Blade groaned and groggily stirred as Krudd stood to leave. He felt even more awful than before he blacked out.

"Easy!  Stay laying down.  Relax," Pat soothed, putting a bundle of straw under his head as a pillow.

Warrior whined, trying to curl up with Erika, but Tithenor's lap was too small.

"Erika." Was all Blade said, as he tried to adjust his eyes to see if his dragon was nearby. he saw the blood all over the floor and frowned. "That will be a chore and a half to clean later..."

Mellon and Nightshade were already curled up on either side of Tithenor's lap. Nightshade licked Erika to clean her up. The human blood tasted awful, but she was determined to groom her friend until she looked nice again.

"I'll do it.  You stay down," Pat said with surprising firmness.  "Tithenor is holding Erika, and the other three dragons are trying to clean up the mess you made on her."  She looked up at Mark.  "Will you get the cleaning supplies for me, please?  And a washcloth so Tithenor can wipe Erika off properly?"

Erika didn't respond to her clanmates' efforts.  She lay limp in Tithenor's lap, her bright eyes dull.

Blade didn't seem to hear all of what Pat said. He tried to stand to go over to his dragon, but fell back down and nearly blacked out again. He HAD to help his dragon somehow...

Pat scowled and pressed Blade's chest down firmly.  "Stay!  STAY!  Or I'm breaking your legs myself!  Breathe."

"I need to help my dragon!" Blade shouted at Pat. "She depends on and trusts me! I need to do something to help her other than sitting on my ars!"

"How is killing yourself going to help her?" Pat yelled back louder than any of them had ever heard her.  "You will sit on your arse or I will sit on you!  You got that?  Passing out and cracking your skull open will only hurt her worse!  Is that what you want?  To hurt your dragon even more?  Lay down!"

Tithenor stared at Pat, not even realizing his mouth was open slightly.  On his lap, Warrior stared as well, his expression startled.

Blade stared a Pat, wide eyed, but remained sitting. In fact, he refrained from moving at all.

Nightshade and Mellon shared Warrior's startled look.

Mark returned with cleaning supplies. He awkwardly cleared his throat. "Uh, hi? Here?"

Pat looked up, still scowling, and snatched the supplies from Mark's hands.  "Thank you.  Tithenor, stop sitting there like a hatchling bed and make yourself useful.  Mark, make sure this patient stays put until I'm done cleaning."

Tithenor meekly took the wet cloth handed to him and started carefully cleaning off the blood.  Nightshade had managed to get one area clean, but there was a lot left, and he didn't want her getting sick.  "Mark, will you please lift this spike for me?" he asked carefully, keeping one eye on Pat as she started changing out the straw and scrubbing up the blood.

Blade had still hardly moved, lest he incur Pat's wrath.

Nightshade watched Tithenor a little before she tried to take the cloth from Tithenor and rub Erika with it like he was. Like that?

"Like that," Tithenor approved softly.  "Very good."
Erika moved her head slightly to watch Blade.  She needed to go to him.  He was hurt.  But her spirit was broken.  She had nothing in her.

Pat brought in fresh straw and laid it out then disappeared.  Soon she reappeared with a large bottle of water.  "Here, Blade.  Drink this slowly, but I want it gone."  She was quieter now, but her voice was still firm.

Blade shook his head. "Bring me Erika first." He said hoarsely. He felt his dragon's pain, and he felt the overwhelming desire to comfort and care for her still, even above his own health.

"I will.  If you promise to drink this."  She set the water where Blade could reach it and shifted to Tithenor.

"A moment," Tithenor murmured, carefully getting off the last tiny bits that Nightshade had missed. "Okay.  She is ready."

Pat gently lifted the limp Blade Dragon from the elf's lap and turned toward Blade, depositing her with great care in Blade's lap.  "There you are.  Stay down.  If you need anything, ask me."

Blade held Erika close and tightly, placing her head on his chest, where if she listened, Erika could hear her rider's heartbeat. Blade closed his eyes and rocked back and forth a little. He wished so badly he could wave a hand and make everything right.

Erika let out a pitiful little whine and nestled in.  Her rider.  Her rider was here.  He would make things right!  Wouldn't he?  He could, couldn't he?  He always made everything right.

Tithenor shifted carefully and put his hand on Blade's shoulder, leaning close.  "Jeremiah," he said softly, "I will fix this.  If this is the last oath I make, I will fix this.  I swear to you."

Pat quietly walked away and stood in a corner, wiping her streaming eyes.

Blade held Erika close and protectively. He looked at Tithenor when he said his true name before he shook his head. "We will. I need to help find it all again. I am Erika's rider, so this is part of my responsibility."

Nightshade felt her rider's distraught emotions and slipped out to Pat. She nudged her rider and whined softly. Pat? What's wrong? She could tell Nightshade anything.... right?

Tithenor nodded.  "You will help, but first you must heal.  At least enough so you will not fall over and have Pat yelling at us both, yes?"  He allowed a ghost of a smile cross his lips.  "You are grounded for now, honeg, Krudd's orders, but you still have ears.  Every singer rider in training comes through here.  Listen and see what you can pick up, okay?"

Pat sat down and pulled Nightshade into her lap, still crying.  She couldn't.  She wouldn't tel Nightshade.  Not anyone.  No one could help her.