A morning for Whers (Garrik)

[FaizahPandora]

Lakeesk stalked the shadow of the little blue Mentari had brought. Lakeen and Mentari were standing outside as well, Lakeen enjoying a cigarette and Mentari enjoying a chocolate bar.

Lakeesk had grown to rather love the nights, just so long as Lakeesk was in a good mood. As she watched Christopher landed and Lakeesk pounced. The hulking bronze front paws caught the forked tail of the blue flitter with pride.

Mentari laughed. "Hes in a wonderful mood tonight, isnt he?" she asked.

[Stormy]

Garrik wandered away from the Hatching Ground, excited that he had earned a chance to Stand at the Hatching of Samarsk's clutch. Even if he didn't Impress, he'd be happy enough just having been there and watching everything unfold.

He was unsure if Virika was stil behind him or not. She had stopped him just outside the Hatching Grounds and had talked to him for a few minutes, but his awkwardness had kicked in enough that he needed to be moving. He had told her he wanted to explore the Weyr and stretch his legs after being stuck for four months in the infirmary, and that she was welcome to walk with him. He thought he saw her start to follow him, but if she was there now, she had grown awfully quiet.

Garrik was about to turn around and say something to Virika if she was there, but a slight commotion on one of the ledges caught his attention, wrinkling his nose slightly at the smell of cigarette smoke. He approached the two, trying to stay out of the way of the smoke. "You know, those cancer sticks can kill?" he asked.

[FaizahPandora]

Lakeen looked over, taking a deeper drag as her eyes found the stranger. She smiled "I see youre finally ou of the infirmiry."

Mentari smiled at the stranger. "Faizah and I have been telling her that for years."

Lakeesk and Christopher looked over. Lakeesk ran quickly over to his handler and her sister, snarling at the stranger. Christopher trilled happily and few towards him, eyes whirling blue and green.

[Stormy]

Garrik nodded. "You're..." He paused, putting his hands up to show he meant no harm and backed away a few steps to try and appease the snarling Bronze. "Lakeen, then? Virika told me you were the one who found me out in the snow." At least the little Blue flit and the girls weren't too against his suddn appearance.

Seeing the Blue approach, he held out an arm slightly, wondering if the flitter would settle on it. After all, he was a complete stranger, but the swirling green and blue eyes didn't seem worried. Garrik looked back toward the two. "Blues are males, right?"

[FaizahPandora]

Lakeen looked down at Lakeesk. "Its fine. Go back to enjoying yourself." At the same time she told him mentally that she would be fine and he was near, not that she predicted a problem.

When Lakeesk moved off a few feet and stopped snarling, Lakeen smiled at the man. "Yes. Im Lakeen and that is bronze Lakeesk. We did find you in the snow. Nice to see they finally released you."

Christopher alighted on his arm, very gently and slowly. The little blue wasnt known for his balance. Mentari smiled. "Yes. Blues, browns and bronzes are male. Greens and golds are female. Whites are genderless, but most assume them to be males. Although white Sashask is referred to as female."

[Stormy]

Garrik shrugged slightly, trying not to jostle his arm so the Blue would have a better chance of settling. "Perhaps it's different for whers," he said, offering the flitter a better perch on his shoulder. "He's certainly friendly, though, isn't he?"

He then realized he hadn't given them his name, he chuckled nervously. "And, uh, I'm Garrik Reed." He turned to Lakeen. "Have you...found or seen anyone else in the mountains going by Emily and Jack Reed?" A brief hope flickered in his dark eyes.

[FaizahPandora]

Lakeen shook her head. "Im not the one to ask. Ive been here less than a year. Faizah would be the one to ask, shes been here since before the weyr was created. And if she doesnt know then ask Kain. Hes spent nearly his entire life around here."

Mentari smiled. "Maybe. And yea, Christopher loves people. Not as much as he loves to play, but he adores people."

[Stormy]

Garrik sighed, shoulders slumping slightly and the hope in his eyes dying as quickly as it came on. "I don't think I should bug the...Kain? Did he use to live in Montana? Or at least visit that area a lot?"he asked, eyebrows knitting together slightly.

Shaking the errant thoughts in his mind, he turned toward Mentari. "Christopher, eh?" He looked at the flitter, stroking the Blue's head lightly. "Is that your name, litle guy?"

[FaizahPandora]

Mentari nodded at the same time Christopher crooned at the mention of hs name. At the attention Christophers eyes began whirling faster.

"Im not entirely sure. Hes not much of a social person. Ive seen him only a few times since Ive been here."

At that moment Virika appeared, carrying a few canisters. She unscrewed the top of two and handed them to Mentari and Lakeen. As she was unscrewing a third one she turned to Garrik. "Would you like some hot chocolate?"

[Stormy]

"That's just great...an anti-social Weyrleader," Garrik muttered to himself, continuing to stroke Christopher on the head. "Alright, little miss mysterious, can I ask your name? Or are you going to remain an anonymous face?" he asked, looking toward Mentari.

When Virika appeared and offered the hot chocolate, he blinked, looking at her. "Hmm? Oh, um...sure! It's been about nine years since I last had any," he replied.

[FaizahPandora]

"Really?" Virika asked, a small frown of disbelief curving her lips.

Mentari smiled. "Im Mentari Pandora. Lakeen and Faizah and Nakia's little sister, and Virika's cousin. Christopher is my firelizard, Faizah's gold Reyna's son from her clutch with Liam's brown Spock."

Lakeen nudged the chatty pre-teen. "Youre rambling, Mentari. Its not polite."

[Stormy]

Yes, really," Garrik sighed, looking toward Virika. "I was travelling the whole west of the Rockies since I was barely eleven. I couldn't afford any luxuries...every cent I had went to food, water, travel and hotels, if I couldn't find someone I knew or would take me in for a night or two." He shrugged. "Not what you'd call a great childhood, but I just couldn't accept..." He trailed off, eyes hazing over as his mind went elsewhere.

Gaze still slightly distant, Garrik turned toward Mentari and Lakeen, "No, it's alright...I'm used to listening to people rant, when I'm around people at least." He laughed slightly, but the smile and laughter didn't reach his eyes.

[FaizahPandora]

Virika stayed silent, sipping on her hot chocolate. She'd traveled her own fair share, and has hated it. She had even been to South America, but it hadn't been all it was cracked up to be. She herself was much happier here at Rocky. Heck, most of her family was here as it was!

Mentari frowned, then spontaneously hugged Garrik. Christopher crooned, his eye whirling a mixture of colors, some even Mentari didn't notice. Her family had traveled alot, but she hoped the man would feel as welcome at Rocky as she did.

Lakeen sighed. Lakeesk had wandered to lay behind her, and looked to be asleep even though she knew better. He was listening.

[Stormy]

Garrik quickly snapped back to reality when Mentari hugged him and his typical unease around women soon followed. With a nervous chuckle and a slight blush, he stuttered, "Th-that's quite...Umm, honestly, it's okay. Traveling wasn't the bad part, it was the fact that I had to be looking for my parents..."

[FaizahPandora]

Lakeen gasped and grabbed Mentari, pulling the girl away from the man.

"I apologize. She's very exuberant." Lakeen said hurriedly. Lakeesk raised his head in alarm, snarling at the man. Lakeen shushed him curtly.

Virika watched silently, having stepped back when Lakeesk snarled. She was still surprised when the bronze did that. She then tried a small smile to Garrik. She thought over the conversation, then gasped in inspiration.

"I do remember a Reed. There was man they referred to simply as Reed in the papers when I first got here." Virika looked at Garrik as she spoke.