A Bloody Breakfast (Open)

[Lady Smara]

With T’mak the first the bed the night of the hatching, it was no surprise that he was the first one awake. Rolling out of the stone couch he had stretched his back moment before digging out a clean shirt that he didn’t completely swim in. His head hurt today and that made him sigh. He had been doing better, keeping the headaches at bay after a few lessons with that healer man at the Infirmary. It took another moment for the boy to find the small pouch of willow-stuff the man had given him. With that in hand, he checked on Rusath and was glad to see the little brown still asleep.

“I’ll be right back.” He whispered, running a hand over the little brown’s neck. “So don’t wake up yet.”

With that T’mak made his way across the WeyrBowl, the morning air was thick with fog and dew was collecting on the cool rocks. But it was mercifully quiet and despite the dim, early morning light he still kept his eyes half closed as he made his way to the WeyrHall. There were only a few moving around and the boy was not surprised to even find a few passed out on tables or benches from a little too much drink the night before.

It was only minutes before the boy was carefully carrying a cup of steaming water that now smelled terrible with the mixture in it. Truth be told, it tasted terrible too but T’mak would do anything to ease his headaches and this had been working so far so he would stomach it.

T’mak? Where are you?
The surprise that he could still hear his dragon even though he was not in the room made him jump though he kicked himself instantly for it as some of the hot water spilled down the front of his shirt scalding him. He should have known better, he’d seen riders claim to be talking to their dragons from far away. He just… wasn’t expecting it.

“I’m coming, I’m coming.” He said out loud, more to himself than his dragon though it seemed Rusath had no problem hearing him anyways.
Good. I am hungry.

At that, T’mak stopped and looked toward the feeding pens, knowing very well that the little dragons could not yet catch their own food. The buckets that had slices of food yesterday sat piled and empty along the Weyrling Barracks outer wall but there were two men who were setting up tables. Perhaps they were getting ready to fill the buckets? Moving closer to them first, he decided to ask.

“Is there food for the dragon’s today?”
The man he directed the question toward laughed and pointed to the feeding pens again. This time, T’mak noticed the two dragons who were hunting above them. The first to make his kill was a blue. Instead of eating it himself, however, he began to fly their way.
“You Weyrlings will be cutting your own meat today, we were told. Go get your dragon and I’ll get you set up since nobody else is awake yet.”

Cutting his own meat? Well that sounded doable enough, though he looked down at his shirt and pants again and sighed. He would defiantly need to find time to take his clothes to the washing ladies in the Lower Caverns. He didn’t have enough spare pairs to wait any longer after this.

Turning back to the door, Rusath was already peeking out and T’mak felt that unfamiliar smile tug at the corners of his lips.

You take too long.
“Sorry, Rusath, I was looking for your breakfast. Come here and we’ll figure this out together.”

In short order, T’mak was at one table where a herdbeast had been skinned and was cutting off small pieces of meat – sawing at it with no grace or experience. One would go to Rusath, then one into a bucket. One for Rusath. One for a bucket.

[Yuu Kanduet]

Maximuth was impatient upon waking. The Bronze also appeared to be an early riser, something his rider was not. Seeing that his bonded was not yet awake, Maximuth took a moment to fully appraise the small boy. B'hari was a tiny thing with baby fat still clinging to his cheeks, but that would all melt away in time, and Maximuth would be able to watch as his beloved grew into a man as handsome as a Bronze deserved. Now though, time was wasting.

The sound B'hari made when abruptly and violently nudged by a giant Bronze snout was an inhuman sound half way between a shout of anger and a cry of alarm that couldn't seem to decide which it wanted to be more.

"Maximuth!"

B'hari hissed the words between clenched teeth as he looked at the happily swirling eyes of his dragon. The anger in him slowly drained away at the guileless look, and the young boy scrubbed his face and sat up.

I am hungry. It is time for you to feed me again.

The look B'hari gave Maximuth was largely annoyed, and Maximuth started nudging B'hari again with his large nose even more insistently than before. The movements spurred B'hari into action even though he complained loudly and vehemently the entire time he was getting ready and throughout their journey down to the food pens.

Upon being directed to take a large dead animal to a table to skin and slice for his dragon, B'hari felt briefly glad that he had yet to take his washing back to his former residence for a wash. This was going to get them ridiculously filthy. Maximuth should count himself lucky. B'hari wasn't about to slice and dice some bloody and gutty animal for just anybody.

I am not anybody. I am your dragon.

B'hari rolled his eyes, but found himself stopping abruptly upon seeing T'mak already sitting at a table with his Brown. This would be the perfect opportunity to talk to the other boy, and B'hari was known for taking advantage of perfect opportunities.

Dropping his dead carcass on the table, B'hari sat in the seat across from the other boy.

"You beat a hasty retreat last night. Upset H'nuk something fierce. He has taken a shine to you, and that means you have a powerful friend you will take care of you if you let him. We're not perfect, our little group. We're a far cry from tame, but understand that we do care for each other. We could care for you too."

Maximuth was coming around the table to get a better look at Rusath. The Brown seemed nice, and Maximuth could feel his rider's desire to form some sort of alliance with the boy that rode him. B'hari thought differently than Maximuth. All he saw was a Brown and fellow dragon he wanted to get to know.

Hello there.

[Lady Smara]

Having been distracted with both the pounding in his head and the task at hand, T’mak had not seen B’hari approach so it was no surprise that the boy had jumped nearly two feet off his seat when the other chunk of dead carcass was dropped heavily onto the table. His knife slipped, but to the thin boy’s relief missed his fingers by a half inch to land heavy on the wood of the table.

Closing his eyes, he let out a slow breath to steady his own nerves and beg his head to quiet down after the sudden movement. That was when B’hari began to talk, though T’mak had a suspicious feeling that it was more of a lecture than a friendly conversation. Of course they cared for themselves and their own. In fact, they did it so well that they forgot to avoid stepping on those they didn’t take care of.

Opening his eyes again, he finished sawing off the piece he had been working on quietly before feeding it to Rusath. “I didn’t mean to upset nobody.” He replied quietly as he started the long process of fumbling with the next piece of meat.

Hello Brother. Rusath said as he chewed slowly, having already had the conversation more than once with T’mak. He did, however, feel that T’mak needed another reminder that he could handle more.

You can cut larger pieces, mine. I will chew them too.
“I know you will, Rusath, it’s not as easy as it looks.” T’mak answered out loud to his brown as he tossed another small piece into the bucket next to him. Glancing up at the Brat Pack member in front of him, he decided he should probably add to his lousy response. “I’m sure ya’ll had fun enough.”

[Yuu Kanduet]

B'hari set to work on his bit of carcass as soon as he had finished saying what he needed to T'mak, and there were several long strips of meat already lined up ready to divvy up and between Maximuth and what appeared to be a communal bucket. T'mak seemed to be having more trouble than B'hari, and B'hari rolled his eyes.

"Look how I'm cutting. Watch how I grab the meat and slice it nice and clean. It takes a bit of sawing at first because you've got to get the flesh up enough to start a nice long strip."

T'mak's words were largely ignored. B'hari didn't want apologies or excuses as to why the other boy did anything. No, B'hari wanted T'mak to understand that they way he was acting had to stop. T'mak rode a Brown, and there was a certain standard he was going to have to rise to. It was the closest thing to caring B'hari could do at the moment. There was no real friendship or love between them, and B'hari didn't do friendly with just anyone.

"Why did you sulk out of there anyway? That celebration was for you as much as it was for us."

Unlike the wary and guarded way B'hari treated others, Maximuth came to conclusions about people and dragons swiftly. He liked Rusath. the Brown wasn't a threat, and therefore he was deserving of a companion and protector.

You must ignore my rider's tone. The fact that he speaks truth not lies already means that your rider has the potential to be his friend. Mine is odd, but he is Mine.

[Lady Smara]

T’mak made a face at the meat he was cutting, though it was not the meat he wanted to direct it toward. It was B’hari’s question of why he left. He wasn’t entirely sure how it was not obvious. Even so, he didn’t want to come flat out and say it – the last thing he wanted was to get into the middle of some fight. He’d been in the middle of enough of those and always ended up the one on the ground.

He had looked up to watch B’hari’s hands for a moment before trying to mimic the motion. He was certainly not graceful about it, but after a few attempts he did manage a larger piece to offer to Rusath, who was grateful for it.

“Thanks.” He mumbled at the table again as he attempted another, larger piece using B’hari’s instructions. Ah, but the question couldn’t really go ignored. That wasn’t proper though for a long moment the new brownrider did consider pretending he simply didn’t hear it. With them being the only two there, however, it wouldn’t work anyways.

For a moment he was tempted to just tell the boy he had a headache that night that continued over into the morning hours now, but lies always felt sour on his tongue. Not only that, but the way B’hari had phrased it as ‘sulking’ made something long forgotten in T’mak want to bristle.

“Ya’ll were fighting with a gold rider. To make it worse, you were making the Weyrwoman angry. I didn’t want no trouble, ‘specially from the Weyrwoman.” Wincing at his own truthful words, his voice fell a notch softer as he added in, much to his own dismay. “Sakorai scares me and Issarith… You shouldn’t anger a gold who attacks bronze dragons. It’s not smart.”

By now Rusath had stopped watching the bronze as he chewed and had turned his multifaceted gaze to his rider who was slowly becoming upset. There were a lot of underlying emotions that Rusath was picking up on and he didn’t quite understand all of them just yet.

I don’t think Mine always likes the truth, but you’re right. He’ll speak it anyways. I should have been there last night, something happened to upset mine. Your’s seems a bit upset about last night too.

[Yuu Kanduet]

Now they were getting somewhere! T'mak had finally done something besides skulk and cower, and B'hari felt a small bit of accomplishment at the fact that he had managed to get a real reaction out of the other boy. Perhaps T'mak wasn't as bad of a lost cause as B'hari had begun to think.

"I don't pick fights I can't win, and I can't win a fight against the Weyrwoman. What I can do is impress a certain sort of reaction and thought process on the new Goldrider. Fight when she gives you guff, and she'll learn that it's easier to just let you have your way, or at the very least compromise with you. Roll over and she learns that your opinions aren't worth her time. You have to play people. Sometimes you have to play them rough."

Tossing the collection he had worked up for Maximuth to the Bronze, B'hari took a moment to roll his shoulder that was carving the meat. It was hard work carving a carcass, but since his mother was a cook, B'hari had learned from an early age how to handle meat properly.

"Smart isn't something that can be measured in the moment. Smart is when you accomplish a goal, and we did that. Therion didn't want help from the Weyrwoman. Proud girl like that would think the old woman made her look weak. She'll think twice before running to her in a real situation because she won't want to risk having a permanent reputation as a whiner who can't do anything for herself. So not only have we begun conditioning a future leader, but we started forming a power rift between her and her mentor. That's not stupid."

B'hari gave a small shrug.

"Course I'm only speculating. I learned how to play people, but sometimes I get things wrong. That's why I need a big group to support me if I do make a mistake."

As he chewed his food gracelessly, Maximuth urged B'hari to cut faster. He was hungry and B'hari was talking too much.

Apparently from what B'hari is saying, there was a fight with the new Goldrider and the Weyrwoman last night, and they were involved. Mine is a schemer, and I don't really get what he is playing at sometimes like now. Was the Goldrider doing something bad?

[♥Rizu-Chan♥]

H’nuk of Imhoth
Enlightened Sky Bronze Weyrling

”B’riii... I’m trying to sleep, man...”

It was too early in the morning; it was way too early and he was way too tired. While the brats had not stayed in the Feast until too late they had certainly stayed out longer than usual – it had been a while since H’nuk had been able to just relax and enjoy the company of his friends and the blond had been unwilling to let that moment go too fast.

This had been the only reason why Imhoth had been patient, waiting in his stone couch as he had watched T’mak and Rusath leave; and now B’hari and Maximuth.

Mine.
”Lemme sleep...”
Mine...
”Just another candlemark... Zzz...”
Mine.

He had been patient long enough; he hungered and wished to be fed. Already his brothers were feasting outside and he could scent the fresh blood of his breakfast.

It was time for H’nuk to get up.

With an exasperated groan the boy finally moved through his bedfurs, a hand managing to smack a certain green firelizard as he tried to shift to an upright position. Unpleased at the sudden and rude awakening it took no time for Shrieker to dive at her bonded, the green flit scoring a few good scratches before the amused bronze dragonet called her off calmly. Fluttering to the dragon she landed upon his back, keeping him company until H’nuk finally tossed a piece of dry wherry skin her way – at which the flit promptly caught it and winked between to eat somewhere in peace.

”Spawn of the Red Star, that’s what that thing is...”
Now Mine, that might be a bit harsh. She is quite nice and amusing.
”Psh yeah, ‘cause you’re not the one getting clawed and bitten every day.”

The bronze couldn’t help but a rumble of amusement as he watched his charge move to change; he could sense the faint affection for the oddly hued green even through H’nuk’s façade of distaste for the creature. Knowing full well what awaited him H’nuk picked the most battered and unimportant pieces of clothing in his trunk; they’d be getting stained with plenty of ichor from the wherries and herdbeasts they’d be carving for the dragonets to feed them, no use staining his good clothing.

”Come on you big lump, let’s get you fed and later oiled once more.”

With sure and confident movements the bronze soon met his chosen, the snout bumping against the side of the boy to demand attention and affection; something H’nuk was willing to give back as he scratched the eyeridges fondly. He could see plenty of the other dragonets still in their stone couches sleeping; aside from B’ri he wasn’t sure who else might have already been up. He didn’t had to wander long as he made his way, the voices reaching him before the visual of his friends... though the blond hung back for a while instead of coming out into view and meeting the other two.

... H’nukMine?
[Give me a moment Imhoth... I want to listen for a bit.]

Though his hunger was starting to bother him, evident by the faint reds seeping into the green and blue hued whirling eyes of the second bronze in Rhiannoth’s clutch, the bronze did as asked – becoming as still and quite as a statue as his eavesdropped into the conversation taking place.

Yes, he had been hurt upon realizing T’mak had all but disappeared the night before without a trace; but H’nuk had actually expected it to begin with. They had never been close to the boy, and the few interactions of the past between them usually had ended with T’mak taking the blame (and a lot of times the physical punishment that followed) for many of the pranks of the Brat Pack in their younger years. That T’mak had hugged him had been all but a shocker back in the sands, completely out of character, and H’nuk didn’t think he’d get lucky enough for the boy to keep breaking his shell that quickly.

No, reshaping him from the hollow shape they’d made him into would take time; but it was the least he could do in return. It was their fault—no, it was his fault T’mak was such a pushover presently. He had been the leader, he had called the shots, it was his bad judgment that had lead to killing almost any potential the other boy might have had. Still had, he corrected himself, after all T’mak had impressed a brown. A non too shabby brown at that.

Mine...
[I know Imhoth, but please... Just hold on a bit longer.]

While certainly not pleased with this all, he truly was getting quite hungry now, the bronze could sense the various feelings coursing through his boy; and while he might not understand all of them he could understand this was very important for His. Something had happened last night, but more than that something had been happening for a long time; something that had begun bothering his young H’nuk now. Silently he bespoke his two brothers; if his H’nuk wished to remain hidden he would need the cooperation of his siblings to do so. He might be able to hide and fool his kin; but no human could ever fool a dragon, no matter how young.

Greetings brothers. We will join you soon, but I ask you not tell Yours we are here just yet. Mine wishes to remain unseen a bit longer; and it seems important.

He could only hope his brothers would be cooperative, of course, but he had no reason to fully believe they would not. After all surely they had noticed too that something as going on between all of Theirs.

H’nuk had to hand it to B’ri, that silver-tongued son of a wher always knew exactly how to word things out; and what was more he could keep his cool so well under any situation. While H’nuk had that ability towards grown-ups it was much more differently when it involved people he cared for. And he wasn’t sure when, or why, but somewhere down the line he had begun to care for T’mak just as much as he cared for T’ran and B’ri and Seirsha.

[Lady Smara]

T’mak’s gaze had fallen back to the table and the meat he was cutting as he listened to B’hari. That something bristled again, but it was too far away as T’mak’s blood stained fingers pulled at the meat trying to cut the slice larger than it was becoming.

“It’s not my place.” He finally answered after B’hari seemed to finish with his grand speech of shaping the Weyr and creating future leaders. If anything, that seemed like the job of the Weyrling Master, not a bunch of the Weyrbrats who had just impressed and who’s voices were just getting ready to start breaking. They were still children, T’mak’s small size only confirmed that in his own mind when near any of the full fledged dragonriders. They all seemed tall. Tall, filled out and strong. Everything that T’mak was not and held very little promise to ever become.

“I’m no adult. I might have Rusath now, but that doesn’t give me no right to play people. That’s how people get hurt and I ain’t hurt’n nobody.”

I see no reason to hide the fact that you are standing there. The brown replied to his other brother as he and his joined the pair already eating. The brown had turned to look at them, but had not broadcasted his response to his rider so T’mak, fighting with his current piece of meat, didn’t notice yet that more had joined them.

[Yuu Kanduet]

"You are missing everything I am telling you. It isn't about hurting or getting hurt. It's about making the best future or the best option happen. Nothing about now matters in the grand scheme of things."

B'hari never shouted. Shouting never got you anywhere. People tended to clam up and stop listening if you started shouting at them, but T'mak was riling B'hari to the point that he wanted to shout. The young Bronzerider took a moment to recompose himself.

"Besides, being a kid is the best time to play people. It's when you get your trial and error period because the adults come up with excuses and stuff for you. It's also when you get off with the lightest punishments. Even the Weyrleader took it easy on us. Can you imagine she would have given the same curtsy to a fully grown set of Bronzeriders? Not likely."

When Imhoth spoke, Maximuth almost gave him away right there. However, Imhoth managed to get the last bit of his comment in time, and Maximuth kept his words private with the other dragons.

What is it with all this scheming and sneaking and hiding? It makes me want to bite something.

[Lady Smara]

The brown was soon turning his head back to his rider, looking up at the boy who was now trying to wrestle with the meat through watery eyes. His eyes that had been swirling in contentment now tinged with yellow and were swirling faster. T’mak. You are upset.

Finally the boy lifted the knife and stabbed it hard into the wood so that it stood on its own, a tear breaking free to crawl down his left cheek. ”Yes, I’m upset Rusath. Because bending an arm backwards does not make it stronger, it breaks the bone. And I know exactly how much that hurts.”

Standing up, he tossed the meat he had been working on toward Rusath’s open mouth before turning around. He had full intentions of moving to another table, till he found H’nuk standing behind him. Sitting back down on the bench hard, he tried to look away from the boy as he brought a sleeve up to wipe his cheek. There was no greeting or welcome to the other bronze rider as T’mak grew quiet, wondering how long he had been there.

Through most of the conversation mine.
”Oh that’s just great.” he said, mumbling under his breath.

[♥Rizu-Chan♥]

H’nuk of Imhoth
Enlightened Sky Bronze Weyrling

Much as B’hari spoke the truth in everything he said, and H’nuk couldn’t help but feel content at that for it meant the other brat hadn’t rejected T’makas a possible friendship, the blond could also tell by the tone of their voice and the path the conversation as taking that he needed to step in soon. B’ri meant well, and he knew it, but just forcing T’mak to accept everything at once and change him on the spot wasn’t going to work.

It was a technique that Emera used a lot, and it never did work on any of them either.

They first needed to build up T’mak’s confidence, as well as trust; because much as he hated to admit it the pack had caused more than enough hardships to the young lad in the past. Things had escalated quicker than H’nuk and Imhoth had a chance to react to, however, and as the upset new Brownrider moved with the original intent to change tables he came across the blond Bronzerider instead. The sudden silence that followed, along with the outloud reply to Rusath, only served in making the newest addition into the group feel all the more guilty than he had before.

Mine?

The bronze couldn’t quite understand all the new feelings going around, his faint distress at it all also shown as faint swirls of yellow begun to tint his once content blue and green shades; mixed in with the red of hunger as they begun to swirl faster now.

”T’mak, B’ri.”

The greeting was simple, perhaps a bit too much so, as the blond placed a hand on Imhoth’s head to lead him to the other side of the table where the carcass the two other weyrlings had been working on. While they had begun to carve the front of the beast the back was still clean; not to mention that from here he could look directly at both of his friends. Still the way he gripped the skin, the way he sliced into the meat; while the motions were all fluid and pretty natural looking to the normal eye to those closest to the brat they would see something was wrong.

Why are you upset, Mine?
[It’s nothing, Imhoth. You will not understand.]
Try me.
[Perhaps later, just... not right now, Imhoth.]

The first slice he managed to carve out of the beast, decent in size and weight, went to Imhoth; the bronze silently chewing his piece as his eyes remained trained on his bonded.

B’hari had valid points in his speech; H’nuk could see that just as well as anyone else could. Their dislike for Therion was not unfounded, the same went towards Sakorai and Suynie – though the latter might be biased in H’nuk’s case. The only Goldrider the blond didn’t had an opinion on was the weyrling Marlaey and her Elynth; and that was because the girl was so good at being unnoticeable that she’d managed exactly that. H’nuk knew nothing enough to form an opinion on that Goldrider yet.

[Yuu Kanduet]

When H'nuk greeted them, B'hari couldn't help but raise an eye-brow at the other Bronzerider's method of addressing him. The Brat Pack had always been a group big on nick-names, and B'hari found it unsurprising that his new identity had already been christened with a shortened form of address. B'hari even found that he liked it. B'ri was short and to the point, but only a short list of people would be allowed to call him that. The name also sounded familiar and friendly, and B'hari didn't want everyone taking liberties with his name.

There was a moment of silence as everyone around the table just sat and sliced strips off a bloody hunk of dead meat. H'nuk had entered the conversation but didn't seem to be in a particular hurry to say anything. B'hari almost felt like continuing the current train of conversation and coming back with a retort about the bone comment that T'mak made with some clever analogy about tearing things down to make them stronger, but he refrained.

Maximuth wasn't much better in the vocalization department as the young Bronze finished his current strips of meat and was nosing over B'hari's shoulder to encourage the small boy to cut faster.

[Lady Smara]

(Sending from my phone so excuse errors and lack of pretty colors...)

It was Rusath who broke the silence between the boys, or rather got the upset T'mak back on track. T'mak, my larger brothers will eat everything if you stop cutting.

"Haven't you eatten enough?" He asked out loud, though the tone of exaggeration also held a quiet affection as he wiggled the knife back out of the table.

It was not long that soothing feelings of appreciation calmed the thin boy considerably. Enough so that he decided it was better not to go odds with B'hari. Instead he would appease him before shifting gears. The last thing the boy wanted was to be on anyones bad side that he was sharing classes with for the next couple of turns.

"I'm sorry I left early last night, H'nuk. What do you think we will have for lessons today?" There. Now B'hari might lay off. An appology and simple conversation in one swoop. Less than a seven day ago, T'mak would have just walked away again, too use to being alone to care.

But as Rusath promptly reminded him, he would never be alone again and that made the thin boy tuck his head to hide a small smile.

[♥Rizu-Chan♥]

H’nuk of Imhoth
Enlightened Sky Bronze Weyrling

”It’s quite alright T’mak, really.”

In all honestly H’nuk hadn’t been surprised too much about the boy’s sudden disappearance the night before—and while the blond couldn’t blame him he still did agree more with B’ri’s point of view. For now he’d just take it slow, instead of forcefully introducing the new brownpair into the Brat Pack family he would let him come of his own accord. He would still be looking out for T’mak for now on, just like he would with any other of his pack, but the other had no obligation to the pack and their structure.

Besides, if something ever happened to the kid now H’nuk was sure Seirsha would murder him. She really had seemed to take a shine for the once quite solitary lad, something that did amuse the leader of the weyrbrats quite a bit.

Another decent slice was removed from the carcass, once more offering it to the bronze beast besides him that quietly chewed his food as he regarded his clutchbrothers; for now Imhoth was more interested in chasing the pangs of hunger away than socializing. He would address them more soon, when his tummy did not cry out for food so much, though the soft greens and blues that begun to swirl in his eyes as the red of hunger were removed showed the good mood of the hatchling creature.

”Hmm, I hadn’t really thought much about the lessons yet.” While part of this all felt natural to the blond he was still getting used to the fact he was a weyrbrat no longer; and all the changes that would entitle. His time would now be mostly consumed by Imhoth; as well as the many lessons and chores that would undoubtedly follow.

As it was his time dedicated to the Brat Pack had shortened drastically the past months; and with his new rank and responsibilities he was sure he would have just as little or less time for them in the future. He would need to speak with T’ran and Seirsha soon about the future of the rag tag group he realized ”I suppose it’ll be mostly physical training, as well as proper lessons on dragonet care though; it’s what makes the most sense since hatchlings required much more care than adult ones.”

[Yuu Kanduet]

Now that the talk turned to lessons, B'hari became disinterested. The boy continued to listen because he hated not knowing something, but people were so much more interesting then an impending lesson. You had no control over the lesson, but manipulating people was easier. Sure you could change the focus of a lecture by asking certain questions, though if you did, you could miss something important. It was an unfortunate fact that most positions that had 'master' somewhere in the title probably knew more about what they were teaching than you did. That was what lesson plans were for. It was also why lessons were boring to talk about before the fact.

In truth, B'hari was more eager to rile up the new Goldrider. Most of the time, B'hari treated people with the same indifference as the next, but the young Therion was fun to taunt. She responded in such a way that B'hari was not overwhelmingly distasteful of her stupidity. The girl was smart. B'hari would never bother insulting a stupid person. There was no entertainment in that. The new Goldrider would be the butt of several months of cruel japes until B'hari got tired of her, and as long as H'nuk had his back, that could take even longer.

"H'nuk, you and I must gather material with which to tease Therion further. T'mak, our interactions with the Gold might be hazardous to your health, so consider yourself warned."

The sudden change in topic was abrupt, but B'hari didn't feel like easing his way into the new topic through useless talk of lessons. Besides, H'nuk was one of his closest buddies and should recognize B'hari's excitement. The small Bronzerider practically wiggled in his seat as he thought of whispering behind the Weyrlingmaster's back and starting quiet hissed fights that would put him in constant danger of being caught. He wouldn't be. B'hari was almost certain of that. Therion was a proud girl who B'hari thought would rather be reduced to fists before she tattled.

B'hari, Mine, you should not make efforts to shame your fellow riders. It is not right!

B'hari rolled his eyes and threw a freshly cut strip of meat at Maximuth's head while the little Bronze stood with puffed out chest and head held high. The stance would look majestic once he was older, but now the Bronze only looked silly with his large head and gangly body. Maximuth looked even sillier with a strip of meat perched squarely between his faceted eyes that reveled his contentment despite his fighting words.

As the strip of meat slid down the proud dark Bronze face, B'hari giggled into the fist that wasn't holding the knife.