Like a Nomad (Open)

[Zenniel]

The girl shifted nervously. She was waiting very quietly for the right moment to spring. She knew this game. He knew this game. It didn’t make it any less fun.

The Bronze fire-lizard was walking, which wasn’t wholly unusual for him, and he seemed unaware of the female crouched behind the rock formation. He knew she was there. He knew she as going to spring on him. And he knew exactly what she was thinking of doing if she caught him. Similarly, she knew that the Bronze was walking. She knew that the Bronze knew she was there. She knew he didn’t care, and she didn’t care either. When she caught him, she would take him to the sea water that lapped gently onto the beach only five feet away. This was a game of theirs.

It was a game they liked to play.

The girl barely dared to move, but could feel a spot start to tickle as her hair fell out from behind her ears. If she moved, the game would be over. If she stayed stock-still, the itch would become unbearable. She scrunched her eyes, willing her mind to forget about it. But the more she thought about it, the worse it was. She just could not shake the feeling. She reached up and itched the spot.

Nomad jumped up into the air, chittering happily. She always lost at that game. She always itched some place or another, or she lost the feeling in her arms or legs for so long that they started tingling. It was always Nomad that won, but then, fire-lizards were renowned for doing things right when they put their minds to it. Nomad always put his mind to it when playing this particular game.

“Alright!” Zenniel cried, giving up as she pushed her hair behind her ears. She sat back on her rump, and then sat crisscross applesauce style (for lack of a better Pern name). She signaled for Nomad to alight on her shoulder, which he happily did, then looked at the surf. “Today would have been a good day to go swimming.” She said dreamily, her eyes gaining a far-off look.

Nomad squeaked, bringing Zen back from her thoughts. “Wha--? Do you want to go swimming, you little loner?”

Nomad seemed to nod, and Zenniel, laughing, took off her wherhide clothes, stripping down to her underclothes, then raced to the water. It was freezing! Shouldn’t the Southern Continent have warmer waters? But Zenniel was not complaining. She would much rather be swimming and having fun doing so than staying in the Hold and being bored. And alone. She would much rather have fun with herself, where at least she could be herself, than be stuck with people of the Hold (many of whom she knew by name and face, but not much more than that).

[E]

Tain had been sunning in the sands with a wild green flit when there was a cry not far off. The bronze bristled as the sound startled the green and she quickly betweened to safer shores. The tame bronze, however, had learned curiosity and instantly decided to investigate the noise. Who knows, perhaps there would be something shiny in it for him!

Taking flight, it was not long before he found another bronze, younger than he, at play with a human. Landing on a rock not far off, he watched them race to the waters. Well, that looked like fun. Sending a picture of it to his own chosen, Tain decided to join in, whether his own pet would or not.

Gliding over, he dipped his dirty bronze hide into the water to come out not far from the pair. Letting out a playful little warble, he asked in his own way if he could join the fun.


_{((Sorry it took so long to reply, I wasn’t sure if Chedest would be best for the thread, but I don’t want to leave you hanging either. ^_^ My boy will be along shortly, thought I’d have some fun with his flit first. ^_~))}

[Zenniel]

Nomad was under the water when Zenniel came out from her submerged state. Confused, the girl searched for the Bronze around the place where he should have been; all but under the water. Nomad was still, waiting for His to come forward so he could scare her. In fact, he was so oblivious to anything but her that he didn't see the tiny shape that flitted toward them.

But Zenniel did. She let out a gasp, at first thinking this new fire-lizard was wild. 'Of course!' She realized suddenly, 'This little thing is curious! He isn't at all wild, he is someone's fire-lizard!' She semi-forgot about her own fire-lizard, and instead looked at the new, strange Bronze. Then she smiled. As long as there were no other humans around, Zenniel was usually very outgoing. But if you made friends with her, she'd still be as outgoing as if she were alone.

"Hello, little one!" She cooed. "I don't have any treats with me, they're all with my stuff, but if you stick around a while, I could give you some meat later." She motioned to the pouch that she usually wore around her hips, which was now on top of her clothes on the shoreline. That pouch contained the meat that she fed Nomad for snacks.

Nomad, sensing that she wasn't going to try and find him, splashed out of the water to land on Zenniel's shoulder. He chirped inquiringly at the new fire-lizard while showing His mental pictures of the Bronze's owner. Too bad Zenniel didn't know the boy.

[E]

Tain let out another little croon as he caught the idea of a treat. The little bronze was a sucker for food and he splashed closer as if to tell them he would play as well. Just as he did, he received a picture of Chedest looking for him. Pausing in his antics, he sent again a picture of the girl.

~~~

“Thanks Tain, that bloody helps.” the young man thought as he handed the reigns of the herdbeast to Risran. “Keep going Risran, the animal will give you no trouble. I have to find Tain before he causes mischief.” The taller brother nodded in understandment before concentrating fully on the reigns and plow ahead of him. It took the poor dimglows full attention to keep the plow traveling in a straight line.

Patting his older brothers back, Chedest knew he could handle it for a short time and started walking across the field. Now the bronze lizard was being very unhelpful. Twice now he sent a picture of a girl that Chedest did not fully know in explanation of where he was. The only clue he truly received was that the girl was swimming. Alright, he’d start his search at the beach that was not far from there…

[Zenniel]

Once again Nomad chirped. What did Nomad want, was what Zen wanted to know. He couldn't possibly be hostile around another fire-lizard. Or maybe those pictures he was sending here, mere flickers of a boy she didn't know, maybe he was telling her something. Nomad tried again. This time it was a picture of the fire-lizard, and then the boy. Yes, Zen thought unhappily, yes, I know! I know that the boy is his keeper!

But Nomad would not give up. He was telling her something. What!? She was confused, utterly confused. Then suddenly...

"You want treats?" She asked the other fire-lizard. Then she sloppily crashed toward the beach. In the end a wave washed her ashore. Nomad was up and flying, chittering angrily at her. She smiled back at him, but withdrew her treats back. He quickly quieted down, wanting a treat.

"Tell the other one, your friend, to come here, Nomad." Zen said as she fished two meat chunks out of her bag. Nomad chirped excitedly then swooped down to catch a piece of meat that Zen had thrown up into the air.