Dragon Rider Play

Mellon chirped happily, ready to go.

Mark picked up his dragon and stroked his frill. "I will follow you, but please don't blame me if I don't look."

"You were not supposed to," Titnenor said calmly. "/Let's go find the Blades, little one. They will be harder than Mark and his dragon./"

Mellon nodded and went back to where he last scented Blade. The little dragon quickly became confused as Blade's trail doubled back and crossed itself several times.

Tithenor crouched next to him and stroked his back. "It's okay, keep trying, just go slow,/" he encouraged his little dragon. Then he had a thought. He stood and looked up into the trees. What if...

After a while longer, Mellon just sat down and started to cry. This was hard! His little head had started to hurt from all the confusion.

Tithenor knelt and gathered the dragon to him, stroking his back and crooning softly. "/It's okay, hush, you have done so very well! It's alright, my little one./" He kissed the top of Mellon's head. "/I am going to climb a tree. Do you want to come?/"

Mellon sniffed and calmed down. He clung to Tithenor. He wanted to go with his rider.

Tithenor patted the hatchling gently. "/You must fail sometimes to learn. It's okay. Hold tight./" He put Mellen under his shirt, making sure he was secure before he began climbing a tree.

Mark's dragon stared up. Where was Elf going with his friend?

Mellon clung unto his rider as he climbed up. This was a little scary!

Mark stroked his dragon's frill. "He's looking for Blade still."

Tithenor wasn't as at home in the trees as Blade, but he was still an adept climber. He got up as high as he could and stared down. If he could see better from afar looking up into the trees, why couldn't he see better by getting above the ground? He peered down, eyes scanning the ground for any difference. Ah. There. He slid down to the ground, landing with barely a sound. He put a hand on Mellon, checking on him. He was fine.

The frillback chirped, enjoying the stroking, then jumped when Tithenor came down. Had the elf found them? Where were they going now?

Mellon squeaked a little when Tithenor landed in surprise. Other than that, he just enjoyed being with his rider.

Mark watched the elf, and followed him.

Blade stayed as quiet as a mouse.

Tithenor patted him gently and strode off. He headed down the path at a quick, virtually soundless pace. Reaching the right tree, he reached over and knocked on it with his knuckles.

The frillback bounded after the elf, following his dragon friend.

Blade realized he had been found. "No one's home!" He called out.

"Then with whom am I speaking to?" Tithenor asked.

"Uh, a tree you weirdo!" Blade played along, although he laughed some.

"Indeed. Well, when the tree grows bored of standing here, I intend to go see how Pat is doing," Tithenor drawled.

Blade grumbled. "Okay, okay. Dragon, can you move so I can get out please?"

The Blade dragon peered over her shoulder at him. Dragon? Did he just refer to her as "Dragon?"

Tithenor ignored them and moved off, looking for Forest.

Pat slowly woke, her head throbbing, her body feeling like she was getting over a terrible flu, but she wasn't dead! She didn't think. A soft scraping caught her attention and she turned her head enough to see a much larger, whiter version of her own dragon walking through the door.

Blade frowned. "What? You are in fact a dragon. Please let me out now..."

The professor had been observing some student from up in a tree. He watched their techniques and styles for hiding and finding each other.

Pat's dragon sat on her chest and hissed at the other dragon. Her rider! No one else's!

His dragon shook herself so her spines rattled. She was annoyed, but fine, she'd move. She took her time getting out of the way then squatted waiting for her rider.

Tithenor waited patiently, seeing no need to interfere. He could wait.

The older feathered dragon gave her an amused look then turned back, letting out a soft bark. His rider summoned, he stretched out along the wall and began preening calmly.
Pat placed a hand on her dragon, staring. He was pretty! Then she noticed the bandages on the table and paled.
53 stepped in. "Ah, you're awake. Good."
Pat started trying frantically to speak, but couldn't get her lungs to work properly.
53 smiled soothingly at her. "It's okay. Anything you share with me is confidential. I treat people, I don't judge. Okay?"
Pat nodded, calming just a little.

Blade got out. He looked at his dragon. "What? Why are you so huffy now?"

After a short while, the professor jumped down from the tree noiselessly and faced Tithenor. "Yes? May I help you, elf?"

Pat's dragon growled again. If he did tell anyone, she would bite 53 hard! Hard enough to at least break skin and make him bleed!

The Blade dragon wouldn't look at him. A dragon was what she Was, not her Name. She stood and started walking the way Tithenor had gone since in her experience they always followed the elf. Her tail flicked a bit more than it needed to.

Tithenor bowed. "I have found both of my group. Are we allowed to visit our fallen comrade?"

53 chuckled and glanced at his own dragon. "Do you remember when you were that age, Thanos?"
Thanos looked up at him, purring softly. He'd settled down quite nicely, thank you.
"Yes, you have," 53 smiled, turning back to Pat. "I see no reason to tell anyone anything about your health and well-being without your consent."
"Thank you, sir," Pat whispered. "What's your name?"
"I'm called 53. Would you like some help with the wraps?"
53 was a number, not a name, but Pat didn't have the energy to inquire further. She just nodded and the medic helped her wrap her chest.

Blade sighed. "I did not mean it as your name. I meant it in the same sense I would call you 'little lady' or something like that."

Professor Blackwater nodded. "I do not see why not. Just remember that you have lunch after this, and the cooks are probably the least kind to tardiness than any teacher on these islands."

Pat's dragon growled and glared at 53 the whole time, showing off her pearly whites.

The dragon glanced over her shoulder, eyeing him critically.  Maybe she wouldn't be angry.  Maybe.

"Thank you, sir," Tithenor said, bowing.  He glanced behind him, looking for Mark and Blade.  Were they coming?

53 didn't try to talk the hatchling around, knowing words wouldn't help. Instead, he just went about his work calmly.

Mark had lost the elf. He sighed and managed to find his way back to the first clearing. He supposed here would be a good enough spot to wait for people.

Blade sighed. "Please don't be mad at me...." He asked tiredly.