Dragon Rider Play

Mellon churred and nuzzled his rider. Nope. He was comfy and happy with his rider.

Blade lowered his dragon so she could climb on the bed if she wanted.

Tithenor spotted a chair in the corner and invited himself to sit, resting Mellon on his lap and stroking him contentedly.

The Blade dragon cautiously stepped down.
Pat held up a hand. "Blade, I don't think that's a good id-"
Blade's dragon squeaked and tried to turn hopping in place only to fall over. The sheets caught on her spines with every move and in no time flat she was completely wrapped up in the sheets, looking like a white ball of fluff with random spikes poking out. She couldn't move! She called for Blade pitifully, begging to be saved.
The Frillback went to the Blade dragon and whined as he tried to claw her out, only making it worse.

Mellon snuggled down and closed his eyes. This was nice.

Blade yelped a little and took out a knife and cut his dragon out. After she was free, he held her close. "Let's not do that again..." He looked at the blanket tatters. "Um, I should apologize for that, shouldn't I?"

Mark rolled his eyes. "Yes Blade, you should apologize for that."

Blade's dragon clung to him, shaking. Beds weren't fun! She didn't like beds. No, no doing that again. Never!

The Frillback stood on his hind legs, whining as he looked up between the Blade Dragon and Mark. His friend was in distress. He wanted to help!

"It's okay," Pat said, trying to adjust the blankets. "I'll explain."

Tithenor eyed the damage as he stroked his dragon. "That sheet is done for. Good only for rags now."

Blade stroked his dragon and held her close as he tried to calm her down. "Not helping my conscious, Blue!" He told his friend before he hummed for his dragon.

Mark smiled and picked up his Frillback, holding him close to try and comfort his friend.

The Blade Dragon tucked her nose against Blade's neck, slowly calming down. As the Blade calmed, so did the Frillback until he was asking to try the bed again.

"Apologies," Tithenor said, bowing slightly. "Do not worry. I will find a way to replace the sheet."
Pat smiled at the elf. She was still a touch loopy from the meds, making her softer. "You're sweet, Blue. You always take care of us."
Tithenor paused, giving Pat a quizzical look. "How much medication did they give you, Patrick?"

Mark set his dragon back on his bed with a soft chuckle.

Blade shook his head. "Nah. It's my problem. I will find out what to do about it. But Pat does have a point. You kind of act like all of our mothers. I think. At least how I imagine a mother would act."

Tithenor gave Blade a miffed look. "I am not a mother!"
Pat giggled, reaching out and hugging the Frillback - much to the dragon's surprise. "You are too! Don't worry, Blade, you may not have had a mother before or a father, but you have two in one with Blue!"

Pat's comment made Blue laugh a little. "I didn't mean it in a bad way, man." However, part of Pat's words echoed in his mind and left his stomach feeling a little ill.

Pat just smiled as the Frillback pulled out of her arms and tried to scramble across the bed back to Mark. The rider was acting funny!

Tithenor stood, cradling his dragon in one arm. "I am no one's mother or father," he said, his tone just short of icy. "I will see you in at the afternoon meal." He walked out, calm, quiet, proud.

Mark picked up his dragon. Pat was acting a bit loopy on his meds. He and Blade made excuses that they should let Pat be to get his rest. However, what Mark didn't realize is that as soon as they were out of the med wing, Blade slipped away. He headed to where they kept their dragons' cages. "Hey little girl, I need to be alone for a bit, okay? It's nothing against you or anyone else, it's just... I need to be alone. I promise I will come back and pick you up after lunch." He opened his dragon's cage.

The Blade dragon hooked her claws in his shirt, hissing as he tried to put her in the cage. No! No cage! She didn't want to be put in a cage after getting tied up in the sheet. If he wanted to be alone, he could be alone with her. She wasn't going in her cage.

Tithenor left but didn't go to lunch. He took his dragon to the fight ring and picked up a bow and all the arrows he could carry. He stood as far from the target as he could and put arrow after arrow into first one than a second then a third.

Blade frowned. "Come on, please?" He begged his dragon.

Melloraumo found an arrow and picked it up. He proudly carried it around for his rider. He offered his prize to Tithenor at every target.

The Blade dragon continued to growl and hiss. She was Not going into the cage! He could take her with him, or he could continue to fight her. His choice.

Tithenor thanked Melloraumo with every arrow, accepting them and using them against the target. He let other arrows fall, giving his dragon something to do.

Blade sighed. "Then if I tell you to do something for the rest of today, you'll do it, okay?"

The little Mellon looked so proud of himself each time Tithenor took an arrow from him. He was helping!

The little dragon considered then chirped in agreement. She'd agree to that.

Blade nodded and walked out. he headed to the far part of the island, and walked to where the hot springs were. No one would be here at this time of day, right?

The blade Dragon looked around, puzzled and interested. Why here? What was here?

No one was around. Good. Blade set his dragon down near the hot water. Since he was with his dragon, he wouldn't do what he originally planned to do. "I'm sorry." He told his dragon. "I'm not a good person, and I don't even know how to make friendships and connections with people without driving them farther away."

The little Blade dragon perched on a rock and watched him, absolutely intent on his every word. He'd made a connection with her, hadn't he? And he said the other three were their clan mates. You didn't always have to like your clan mates, did you? Just respect them and have their backs.

Blade laughed humorlessly. "But what happens when enough people dislike a certain clanmate?" He asked his dragon. "You get rid of them. Either by driving them out, or by... other, means."

The little dragon growled, her spines rising. She wouldn't let anyone touch her rider! Besides, she could tell through the other's dragons. Tithenor genuinely cared for the others, even though for some reason he refused to acknowledge it even to himself.

Blade laughed softly. "You don't have to defend or protect me. I wouldn't expect or ask that of you. I'm very much used to having no one. Maybe that's why actually having people that care about me and I care for feels so weird."

The hatchling tipped her head, listening. She bobbed when he paused, encouraging him to keep going. She didn't understand everything, but she could feel his emotions so she got the gist of things.

Blade didn't go on. The hatchling could feel lots of bitter, sour, and angry emotions swirling around in her rider. Something was clearly upsetting him.