With the Help of Dolphins

Writers: Francesca, Paula
Date Posted: 20th August 2008

Characters: Aileyan, Chalzie
Description: Chalzie manages to distract the broken-hearted Aileyan with the help of the dolphins.
Location: Dolphin Hall
Date: month 11, day 17 of Turn 4
Notes: Follows 'The Chasm of Six Turns'. Mentor approved.

}: I should have bitten his head off, :{ The green dragon grumbled unhappily. Her rider was upset and unhappy and that made her unhappy too.

**No! No biting. He's still my Eddy,** Aileyan replied vehemently. She was staring to the sea, tears rolling down her cheek, arms wrapped around her body.

}: He made you cry! And he never showed me the dolphins. :{ Kjarliheth complained.

That made Aileyan grin weakly through the tears. She felt an urge to turn to watch the direction he had disappeared to, but refused it and kept her stare in the seas. Why it had to feel so bad? This hurt more than when he had left to the Harper hall. If they had never met, she would still have her dreams unshattered.

Chalzie began lifting her hand in greeting as Ednan walked by, but stopped short when she saw the expression on his face. He looked like he was close to crying, or at the least, very distraught. Before she had time to react, he had disappeared inside. They were acquaintances more than friends, so the apprentice didn't feel she had the right to follow him and ask what was wrong. Besides, what could she do to help anyway?

Shrugging, she continued her walk to the water. However, she soon stopped again when she saw the green dragon on the beach. Even though the Hall was an easy walk from the Weyr, not many dragonriders came to visit, so seeing a dragon was a bit of a novelty.

Wherever there was a dragon, its rider was nearby, and after taking a few steps forward, Chalzie saw her looking out to sea. "Hi there!" she yelled, always glad to see a dragonrider. They reminded her of home. However, when the woman turned her head, Chalzie saw the tracks of tears staining her face. "Oh...Um, Sorry," she quickly stammered, wondering if it would be rude to just turn and walk away. The greenrider obviously wanted to be alone.

"Eh?" Aileyan turned to look hearing the voice. She spotted the young girl. "Sorry, are we in a wrong place?" she asked, trying to dry off her face.

"No! Not at all!" Chalzie said, not wanting to distress the women more. She still wasn't sure whether to stay and try her best to console the greenrider, or let her cry in peace. If only her Foster Mother were there.
Ivorwen was an expert at making people of all ages feel better.

Trying to act older than her thirteen Turns, Chalzie took a step forward. "Is there anything you want to talk about?" She half hoped there wasn't, because how could she help solve a greenrider's problems?

Aileyan didn't have a habit of confiding with strangers and she certainly didn't want to burden a young girl like her with her worries. So she just shook her head.

Kjarliheth suddenly nudged her from behind, almost sending the petite rider face first to the sand. Aileyan gave her a scolding look: "Kjarrie!"

}: Maybe she can show us dolphins? :{ she asked with excited tone.

"Ah, my green, Kjarliheth, wants to meet dolphins," she said in explanation. It explained why they were there, but not why she was in tears.

Chalzie refrained from sighing in relief, at least out loud. She was glad, that the rider wasn't going to pour out her problems, and that her dragon was more concerned with seeing the dolphins than in consoling her rider.
She couldn't be _that_ sad if dolphins were a sufficient distraction.

"Nice to meet you, Kjarliheth," the apprentice said, turning to face the green. Then, speaking to both dragon and rider, "I'm Chalzie. I just apprenticed here about half a Turn ago. The dolphins _love_ playing with dragons. See? They're just waiting for you to get in." She pointed to where she could see at least five dolphins playing in shallow water.

"You go ahead and swim with them," Aileyan said out aloud to Kjarliheth. "I rather stay on the beach, I'm not much of a swimmer, "she confided to the apprentice when the green waded to the water and dove.

"You can just wade in the water; you don't have to actually swim," Chalzie suggested. "The dolphins can get pretty close to shore." She didn't want to just abandon the greenrider and thought the dolphins would improve her mood.

"All right," Aileyan said, half reluctantly, half curiously.

Chalzie went forward a bit, until the water reached her upper arms. "There's Fess over there," she said, pointing out the young dolphin. "He's pretty young, and is a lot of fun to play with. He lets me practice hand signals with him, at least until he gets bored. And then Meso is the one who just jumped over your green's tail. He's one of the youngest of the pod." Chalzie chattered away, pointing out some of the dolphins.

Aileyan followed the apprentice to the water. Watching the dolphins did make her forget her sorrows. There was something eternally blissful in them. Their happy playfulness reminded her of dragons.

Fess saw that they were venturing nearer, and the dolphin swam over excitedly. "Hi!" he said to the newcomer.

"Hi there," Aileyan replied and her hand hovered uncertainly near the dolphin's head. She wanted to touch it but didn't know if she should.

"Fess, this is Aileyan," Chalzie said, introducing the two.

"Aleean" Fess said, brushing his head against the greenrider's hand.

"Here, he especially loves it when people rub here," she said, moving Aileyan's hand over a bit.

"Almost like dragon's hide, expect wet and kind of slippery," Aileyan amazed when she gently rubbed the dolphin's head.

Chalzie smiled and nodded. The natural exuberance and happiness of dolphins was enough to cheer just about anyone up. She was glad the greenrider seemed to be feeling better.

Last updated on the August 25th 2008

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With the Help of Dolphins