2024-07-18 - You're All Revolting

It's only after it has been pawed at and touched by what seems to it to be every young person in the Weyr that Neath starts noticing that those minds are not the only ones that are paying constant attention to it and its siblings.

A crafter, sad about being too old to stand. Neath doesn't understand still - he seems young to it. Was he injured in the quake? Why, then, does he think he's too old to stand? Issrodeth is far older than he and even after her wounds and her long sleep, she still stands. Walks, even! How could it or its siblings help him to stand? Its usual patience for answers wavers somewhat in the face of how confusing and nonsensical this problem seems to be - it turns away and tries to focus on something else.

Young human minds, scampering closer and further and closer again. There's mischief to them. They're easier to pay attention to than the more focused minds: these ones seem to care little for the eggs themselves and what they'll do for then. Neath is slowly developing an anxious, rotten feeling around the concept of dragonriders. There seems to be an expectation from everyone but the children that it and all of its siblings, every last one, will choose a rider. It doesn't want to and doesn't like thinking about it, and so it eagerly tries to coax the children and their unfocused, scattered excitement closer. They are easier to think about, and the flare of irritation from Mother and her Shayled is well worth the distraction.

Mother and Shayled both are soon distracted by one of the many offers to help them. Help them with what, Neath wonders - Mother is fed, her wounds cared for, the eggs warmed and watched every hour of the day. There's more expectation there, disguised behind pretty words and acts of kindness. It feels sick. It won't take any of them, it decides, not a one - it will hatch and be with its green siblings and that will be the last of it. They are lying to Mother and lying to Shayled, but Neath sees right through them and hates what it sees.