I'll Survive

Writers: Eimi, Shelly
Date Posted: 20th January 2006

Characters: Kamira, U'kaiah
Description: Kamira shows her concern for U'kaiah
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 9, day 8 of Turn 3

Kamira grabbed her knees to her chest, grateful for the shelter from the cold that the weyrlake offered. Even the short walk from the weyrling barracks to the weyrlake was long enough for the cold to sink into her bones. The whole weyr was quiet and still, covered in snow and mourning Jaela's death.

** Just a bit longer, Tayanth love. I still have some more studying to do before curfew tonight. **

U'kaiah walked out of the water, Kalamath keeping pace with him as his riders hand rested easily on his great bronze neck. Though his lifemate did not need to be bathed that day, he had been grateful for the physical, automatic activity. Everything was right in the world if he just concentrated on the mundane.

Kamira saw the bronzerider - her was hard to miss - but didn't call out a greeting. She had known him long enough to know that he prefered to block out pain until he felt strong enough to deal with it and was loathe to bring him back to reality if he had successfully blocked it out.

He glanced up and noticed the young woman curled up next to her green.
It seemed life in the weyrling barracks hadn't changed much in the past few days. It was strangely comforting. "Studying, Kamira?"

She smiled a little and looked up at U'kaiah. "Not at the moment, but I probably will later. It's something to do." She shrugged. "Finished bathing Kalamath?"

"Yeah," he nodded, patting the great neck absently. "Now I get to oil him."

"Want help?" Kamira didn't really feel like helping, but she did feel like being charitable and being in U'kaiah's company. "My darling green has taught me great respect for you bronze and goldriders and, no disrespect to Kalamath, the considerable size of your dragons."

"Sure," he replied with a hallow smile. "A little help would be nice."
And company.

Kamira hauled herself off the ground and approached the massive dragon.
"You're looking well, Kalamath - staying healthy..." She stole a look at U'kaiah to gauge his reaction.

"He's always handsome," the bronze's rider said with a proud smile, though there was a hint of sadness in it as well. He had always thought that someday his dragon would be gauged the strongest and most handsome dragon to a certain gold. "You're both handling things quite well, I think." She said gingerly.

"Well, everyone in the Weyr is in the same situation. I'm doing no better or worse than anyone else," he muttered as he took his time looking for his oil bottle and rag.

"Not _everyone_ is in the same situation. You and Jaela were... close."

"I suppose we were. But even had we not been, she was an amazing Weyrwoman. Her passing is a loss for us all." It was almost frightening how easilly U'kaiah could slide into his Wingleader-to-wingrider voice.

"All right, pretend she's not the woman we were refering to that night in the dinning caverns. I'm just trying to make sure you're all right."
Kamira made sure to duck behind one of Kalamath's outsretched wings for shelter.

U'kaiah tried not to feel irritated at her words. He hated being pitied. And yet, he found comfort in it, and that aggravated him even more. "Thank you, Kamira, for worrying about me. But I will be fine."

"I hope so." She peered out from her hiding place. "Two more months and I'll be wearing that dress again..." He needed a distraction after all...

The bronzerider moved around to the other side of his bronze's great head, feeling Kalamath's mind reaching out to touch him. He knew Kamira was just trying to help, but it was too soon to be teasing so lightly about such things. The comfort she hinted at was tempting. Too tempting. "So what are you learning in weyrling training now?" he finally asked, trying to keep his tone light.

"Ground drills and weyr politics for now, but we'll be flying soon." She was quite hopeful about the next few months. "And then I'll finally know what it's like to be a true dragonrider."

He could hear the anticipation in her voice as he rubbed away at Kalamath's hide. "Don't rush things. What you learn in Weyrlinghood will save your life later." "Yes, sir." She tried not to roll her eyes because she knew it was true.
"And one of the first things we learn is not to disobey curfew, which means I have to be off now if I'm to make it in time."

The bronzerider nodded, keeping his eyes still on the metalic hide ahead of him. "Yes, I wouldn't want to see you in trouble on my account."

"You're really all right?" She offered him another chance, but she knew he'd brush it off again.

"We'll all get through this. It will take some time for all of us to..." Shards, there was his Wingleader voice again. It wasn't some wingrider he was talking to. It was a friend. "I can't... Kamira... I just can't think about it now."

"Promise me you won't let yourself break down again, all right? Deal with it in your own way, but don't do that."

He gave her a small smile. "I'll survive."

Last updated on the January 21st 2006

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I'll Survive