** Day 4 of Month 7 of Turn 2714
Half Moon Bay Weyr - West Bowl**
The western end of the great bowl of the Weyr. You can see the steep walls of the crater to the south and south, with small openings and ledges in the cliffside. These are the individual weyrs of dragons and their riders. To the west you can see the great natural arch, and the lagoon, to the east, the center of the bowl. To the south you see a large natural cave opening that has been made into a tunnel. It is the main entrance to the Weyr from the road to Half Moon Bay Hold.
Either Xvyette has earned herself a few hours off from the barrage of physical therapy she's having to endure every day or those keeping a close watch on her have decided that seeing her children would be good for her, since both she, Nehehkath and her son and daughter are out in the bowl in the late afternoon. One of the brown's paws is serving as a marker, with the tip of his curled tail the other, while Xander and Tressie take turns hitting a ball with a bat and running between those markers while Xyvette and their sibling hurry to bring the ball back to Nehehkath's paw. All in all, it looks like an odd form of cricket, and, even if Xyvette limps her way after the ball more often than not, at least she's smiling.
Light steps, to light for a man his height and size, carry Riohra into the bowl from the Hatchling Grounds. Seems he is on a nostalgia run walking places he has been, it has been easily a few months since he has visited the weyr. Longer still that he has seen anyone else besides his cousin, he will stop and watch the game with interest. Not wanting to disrupt a mothers time with her children he is content to watch and learn what the rules are in the game as best he can.
As is often the case with children, the rules seem not to be terribly consistent, and with Nehehkath not of a mind to strictly enforce anything and upset them, some points that would be considered out are permitted and vice versa, allowing the game to continue without arguments erupting. Almost to her lifemate's paw with the ball she's caught, Xyvette unwisely chooses to make a run for it and stumbles as her ankle gives way, sending her tumbling to the floor. She's learnt how to fall and keeps from cracking her head on the ground, lying there on her back in the dirt as the ludicrous need to laugh wins out over any pain she's in. "Hey, mister! You a Healer?" Tressie calls to Riohra as she trots to her mother's side, braid of her dark hair flying behind her.
Riohra shakes his head but strides over to the family time nodding to Nehehkath as he moves "No, but I know the basics." He smiles down at the weyrling as he will neal next to her and say "afternoon Xyvette, I have to say that was an excellent roll." He gives her the once over look, but is also focusing on the dragon too as they can tell you more about a riders problems. He does give the children his friendliest smile as he looks back to there mother saying "how much pain are you in?"
For a few moments, Xyvette does nothing but laugh up at Riohra and Tressie, Xander having positioned himself at Nehehkath's elbow to observe the proceedings in a manner not unlike a guard might. There's no panicked reaction from the brown, who watches his rider without interfering with what's going on, save to whuffle at Tressie to coax her back to where Xander stands. "You two keep playing; I'm okay," Xyvette tells her children, both of whom regard her with expressions that convey just how unconvinced they are, yet another low sound from Nehehkath has them doing as she asks. Xyvette plants her hands down to steady herself as she sits up, telling Riohra just the same. "I'm okay. The muscles are weak, that's all. Nothing broken."
Riohra grins and nods "Good, you want a hand up?" He offers one but doubts she will take it. The tall hunter knows this brown rider well enough now that her actions are not out of malice but pride in her self and what she has to show the world. He glances back to the game they are playing and has to ask "So what are you all playing here?" Yup curious as always even if he is abit taller and broader at the shoulders.
He's right: Xyvette doesn't accept the offered hand, yet in pushing herself up from the ground in a way meant to avoid putting too much weight on that ankle means that her balance threatens to betray her and she has to grab for Riohra's arm to keep herself from falling back down again. A muttered apology follows as she rights herself and presses both hands into the small of her back, where there will undoubtedly soon be bruises. "I actually don't know what it's called," she admits. "He keeps getting me to go back to the books and look up more games, but whatever I bring him inevitably ends up getting altered along the way. You score a point every time you run between his paw and tail." Brushing dirt from her trousers, she asks, "How have you been?"
Riohra grins at her as she does use him to steady her self and says reflexively "you don't apologize to me remember" he is still watching the kids and dragon play. "A very strange game in deed." His face goes sad for just a moment when she askes him how he is doing and his replay is "I am well, Kassala got asked to stand at Igen. This time by the Queen on the sands her self. Or so I am told, I slept through it you see"
Without a person to bowl, Xander improvises and throws the ball in the air, hitting it with the bat for his sister to go chasing after as he runs. "If she Impresses, are you going to move from Fort to be with her?" Xyvette asks, clasping her hands behind her. "Or… Well, I suppose, if she Impresses, your being nearer might make it more difficult for the both of you. In all honesty, I was glad L'mal was not here during Nehehkath's early months. Not that I really had time to think of anything or anyone." Looking Riohra up and down, she enquires, "Do you… accept her decision?"
Riohra grins again as he can always trust Xyvette to give him the straight truth, "I do accept her decision. And No I am staying at Fort. At least till she sends for me to live there, I still visit when I can now. But should a dragon choose her there on the sands then we will wait and see." He looks over at his friend saying "I know she will need time, it isn't about me it is about her finding the balance and then in time we can be us again. Just with another heart in the mix." His view of life and love haven't changed no matter how much they go against the grain of the excepted society.
"Or without one. You ought to be prepared for her to return with no dragon and be ready to deal with that as much as to potentially accept one." Xyvette's amber gaze briefly follows after her daughter as she hurtles back towards Nehehkath. "You're right to believe it's about her. Too many interfere where they aren't needed, because they think that their feelings are more important. Her independence isn't yours to grant her." She shrugs one shoulder. "There's no telling whether you will be asked to Stand again yourself. She may well end up experiencing your side of things, sooner or later."
Riohra nods and looks at Xyvette with a sly grin "Like I could tell her no even if I wanted to, she would blacken my other eye and we both know it." He watches the childern play more and will chuckle adding "If that is the case, I may see if she can come down here to check on you. Can't have you thinking your friends don't care about you now can I" He is only half teasing because there is truth to his words about caring about her and about being her friend. "But the alone time gives me the chance to learn new things, I have picked up quite a few new hobbies."
"You never know. One of these days I might actually get off the ground and be able to travel to visit you instead." She must have meant for it to be a joke, for her voice starts out dry, only to become progressively more tainted by low level frustration. That Xyvette doesn't wish to address that hint of a darker attitude around her children is clear in how she momentarily distracts herself to catch the ball that Tressie inadvertently hits their way, lobbing it back to Xander. "How about we go and get something to drink and you can tell me about your new hobbies? Nehehkath's happy to watch the children for a bit."
Riohra nods and smiles saying "that sounds fine with me, I could use a good a mug of Klah." He will wave to the dragon and children turning to walk with her into the living cavern saying "Did you know tunnelcat's can be trained to open things like jars and retrieve items?" He will make idle conversation as they walk hoping to lighten the mood and tell her about how his playing the guitar and other such things in his life.