Fort Weyr - Th'ero and Velokraeth's Weyr
A chill winter rain falls outside, making the very early morning damp and clammy. The rain is light enough to fall as an irritating mist, making the outdoors a miserable mixture of snow, ice and water. Night workers have been out in intervals to keep the pathways as clear as possible, but until the rain ceases, not many will be clamouring to venture outside and many will grumble that they hope the weather clears in time for the Turnover celebrations only a few days away.
Th’ero had been sleeping. A good, deep, wonderful sleep and with his body curled protectively and all snuggled down around Kimmila’s. Even if she were to kick him, he’d not wake up. What does wake him up is a certain firelizard who lands stealthily on his pillow and nips urgently at his ear. That wakes him from his pleasant dreams and comforting warmth to the darkness and clammy chill of the room. Ugh. Uggggh. Groggily he tries to make sense of the firelizard’s need and eventually with the help of Velokraeth, puzzles it out.
Tlazio needs to drop Kyzen off earlier than scheduled and the boy is already on his way. With a surpressed groan, Th’ero carefully sits up on the bed, careful not to wake Kimmila so she can get a few more moments of sleep. She needs it more than he does. Dressing hastily, he also quietly goes about rekindling the fires to get their weyr warm again and some tea brewing (he will probably sneak a bit of klah before she wakes), as well as some hot breakfast. Quiet and stealth like, Th’ero will work away and wait on Kyzen to arrive. Little do either of them know, the boy won’t be alone…
Kimmila sleeps well, deep and untroubled, not stirring when Th’ero leaves the bed. She just curls up more tightly beneath the covers. As the fires are lit and things begin to happen, she finally does begin to stir, slowly, blinking awake. “Th’ero?” she calls, before she’s on her feet and stumbling to the bathroom to be sick.
Good thing she hadn’t woken up a few minutes prior to that or she’d have found the bathroom occupied. Mercifully, it’s empty but there are small towels strewn about at the base of the tub and it looks like both it and the sink have been used and a small mess left behind. Odd? “In here, Wingmate.” Th’ero calls back from the hall. He heard her. He also heard her being sick again and has already set a mug of that tea (yay?) to steeping. “Kyzen is here early.” he warns her next and there is something in his tone betraying that there is more to it than that.
Once she’s finished, she notices the odd mess left around the bathroom and she sighs. Kyzen here early. Okay. That’s okay. Really. She can handle this, no problem. She wanted a quiet, cozy morning, but…it’s okay. It’ll be okay. Wrapping her robe more tightly around herself she shuffles into the main room. “Is he okay?” That tone of Th’ero’s voice has her instantly worried their child has somehow hurt himself…because he does that a lot.
There still may be a cozy morning but not for a little while yet. Th’ero may sense her disappointment or he is being his usual self and thinking of her comfort first. “He’s fine. It’s what he’s brought with him that’s the… issue.” Brought with him? Slipping his arm around her and hugging her close, he will stop by the kitchenette to grab her mug and hand it to her before leading on to the couch and gesturing for her to sit and make herself comfortable. She’ll be able to see too that Kyzen is sitting on the floor by the low coffee table, his back pressed to the couch and another bundle of towels twisted and arranged in a makeshift ‘nest’ of sorts beside him. And in the center of it is one tiny, scrawny and sickly looking feline kitten. Freshly bathed, it still looks… sick. Weak and sick. Crusty eyes and stained paws, it huddles in a miserable ball and semi-dozes. Kyzen however is utterly and totally infatuated with it and obviously so when he turns to look up at Kimmila with a wide smile. “I rescued it from the snow!” he boasts with pride. So it’s his now, right?
Kimmila blinks in surprise at the feline as she takes the mug of tea and takes a sip of it. “Oh,” she says, moving forward to sit on the edge of the couch. Running her hand briefly through Kyzen’s curls, she looks down at the tiny kitten. “Kyzen…” she says, glancing up at Th’ero and then back to the kitten. “It’s good that you rescued it. That was very kind of you. But I don’t know if it’s going to live…” Brace for bawling? “Should we get D’ani in here?” Kimmila asks Th’ero, “or a beastcrafter to look at it?”
Kyzen doesn’t move away when Kimmila runs her hand through his curls, but he does peer up at his mother when she says his name and she’ll see that pride and happiness to her compliments turn to heavy frown, then a scowl of stubbornness. No crying yet, but brace for arguing? “It is too going to live! I saved it.” So there. That means it HAS to live! And it will be his. Kyzen has already set his mind to it and is determined to have it come to pass. “We’ll heal it! It just needs medicine. Medicine makes me feel better.” he mumbles and then gives the sickly little kitten a gentle scritch between the ears. Which makes Th’ero sigh. Great, he’s going to have to wash the kid’s hands. Again. “Not sure if D’ani would be available so early in the morning,” Th’ero admits in a quiet tone as he sits next to Kimmila on the couch. “Could request that a Beastcrafter come by? I know very little of the care of felines, let alone a kitten.”
Kimmila sighs softly. “It might not live, Kyzen, you have to be ready for that. But we’ll do what we can for it, okay?” She looks to her weyrmate when he sighs, puzzled for a moment. “I think we should call in a Beastcrafter. Someone who specializes in pets, perhaps…” Not one of the runner beastcrafters that scorns the very idea of pets.
Kyzen just scowls stubbornly at Kimmila, every inch his father in that brief moment. “It’s not going to die.” he states flatly but with a slight waver in his voice. No, he won’t let it! He relaxes a bit when she promises they’ll do something to help it and he turns his attentions back to watching his sickly charge. Th’ero had sighed because he is afraid of what may be making the kitten sick to begin with and doesn’t want Kyzen sick from it either. Which explains the mess in the bathroom, he probably hastily bathed the cold, muddy and filthy kitten and then scrubbed Kyzen’s hands. “Do we even have one posted here?” Th’ero mutters as he slips his arm around Kimmila again, keeping his eyes focused on her and a half-watchful eye on their son. “Suppose it couldn’t hurt, either way…” And he’ll call his firelizards and have his task relayed to them, boosted by Velokraeth’s aid before they’re sent off. Now all they can do is wait. “How’re you feeling?” Th’ero murmurs by her ear. Sorry for the surprise?
Kimmila reaches out to try and stroke their son’s hair again, seeing his father in him and loving him all the more for it in that moment. “We’ll try,” she says quietly. “Might just need some good food and some love, which I know you can give him. But it might be more than that, Kyzen. We’ll just have to wait and see.” Leaning against Th’ero, she sips her tea with a small nod. “I’m doing alright. I should go put clothes on though, if we’re to have a visitor.” With a small smile, she gets to her feet and sets her tea down, shuffling into the bedroom to get some real clothes on.
Kyzen doesn’t protest having his hair stroked again, his attentions mainly on the tiny kitten and to whatever thoughts are tumbling through his head. He nods, satisfied with the outcome now. “I can do that. I can help!” he states firmly. Wait and see! Th’ero casts their son a worried look, troubled now for more reasons that one. “I guess that would be wise, though your robe was just fine…” he drawls softly to Kimmila, letting her go to change and flashing her a brief smile. He’ll wait on the couch, already dressed, to keep an eye on Kyzen. Before she can even return though, there is a knock on the door and their son is up on his feet so lightning fast that Th’ero has only just begun to stand. “I’ll get it!” Kyzen calls and with only minimal struggling he gets the door open and immediately bombards the poor Journeyman Beastcrafter with a rush of greeting mixed with the story and how they’ll all heal the kitten and it will be HIS. For the Crafter’s credit, she keeps her calm and bobs her head politely as she steps inside and answers Kyzen as neutrally as possible when she can get a word in edgewise. “Morning, sir. Ma’am.” She’ll greet Kimmila too, if she’s returned to the room. Th’ero dips his head in return, “Thank you for coming. Can I offer you a drink?” he asks, trying not to look too uncomfortable at having a stranger in his weyr. Crafter or not! “Klah, please, if you don’t mind? Now… where’s this little kitten?” At the Beastcrafter’s prompt, Kyzen latches on to her hand and drags her over to the towel-nest, standing close by to hover nervously while the young woman crouches down to begin her gentle examination.
Kimmila steps out of the bedroom braiding her hair, moving back to the couch and sitting down. She sits silently, smiling and nodding to the crafter as she watches. “Keep out of her way, Kyzen,” she murmurs softly, watching with worried eyes as the Crafter begins to examine the sickly little kitten. If the kitten doesn’t make it, maybe they’ll get him another kitten. Or a puppy. Or a pony. Anything to make their little boy happy again…
Kyzen doesn’t heed Kimmila’s soft spoken request to keep out of the Beastcrafter’s way until the kitten begins to mewl in protest to being poked and prodded and suddenly he’s up on the couch and crawling over to huddle against her with his head tucked against her side as he peers worriedly at both the Crafter and “his” kitten. Th’ero is still fixing some klah and maybe checking on their breakfast too. The Journeyman is thorough with her work, inspecting the kitten from nose to tail, peering inside it’s little mouth and tiny ears until she’s at last satisfied and sets it back into it’s little nest. Next she is setting the satchel she brought with her down beside her and begins to pull out a few things. Medicinal things. “Well, this little girl is very lucky.” It’s a girl? Of course she’d be able to determine that! “She’s weak, but that’s from lack of food. Easy enough to fix. Mild infection in her eyes, but that’ll clear… What’s worrisome is it sounds as though she’s got an upper respiratory ailment. A— cold, if you will for felines. Doesn’t sound too progressed so she stands a chance. Only problem is is she needs to be regularly medicated.” Which is what the Crafter is doing now, while she explains her diagnosis. Poor kitten gets some salve to the corners of her eyes and some thick fluid shoved down her throat via syringe. Kyzen watches in awed fascination, leaving Kimmila’s side to crane his head forwards, balancing precariously on the edge of the couch to do so.
Kimmila slips her arm around Kyzen when he huddles close, and the two of them can watch the examination together. “It’s a girl,” she says to Kyzen. Unnecessarily, since he heard the crafter himself, but…Kimm has never done well just doing nothing. “Okay,” she says quietly. “So there’s a chance, Kyzen, but she still might die, okay? We will do what we can but you have to be prepared for her to not make it, possibly, okay?” she asks quietly, rubbing her hand against his back. “What do we feed her?” she asks the crafter. “How much, how often…wait, let me get something to write all this down.”
Kyzen beams when he absorbs the information or what little he can understand of it. “I’ll have to think of pretty girl names for her then!” he says, looking up at his mother. That frown returns, along with the confusion and stubbornness. It’s starting to sink in though, so his next words are spoken in a plaintive tone. “I don’t want her to die, mother! She won’t die, will she?” He directs that to the Journeyman, who only sighs softly and looks rather sympathetic to the child. “She’s right, your mother. There’s always a chance that even with all the best care, they still slip away.” No need to sugar coat it or beat around the bush. Just gentle but harsh honesty. Kyzen looks stricken as he slips off the couch and settles himself as closely to the kitten. Protective and possessive. At least he isn’t sobbing? Not yet, anyways.
Th’ero comes to the rescue then, handing Kimmila a sheet of paper and a writing tool, while he moves ahead to give the Journeyman a mug of klah and gesture for her to take a seat in the nearby chair. “Meat, mostly but it’ll have to be mashed and almost pureed. It’s… messy and time consuming. You can try to mix in her medication with the food but it might turn her off of it.” There’s a pause as the Crafter sips at her drink and then grimly looks between Kimmila and Th’ero. “Are you certain you’ll have the time to see to it’s care? If not… well. There’s the option of leaving it with me. I’ve an Apprentice just starting in and this can be his task to oversee.”
Kimmila takes the paper and stylus from the Journeyman, jotting down notes. “Meat? Not milk?” she asks, peering curiously at the kitten. “I thought…” But she’s not an expert, so she just writes down what she’s told. As for the last question, she glances up to Th’ero, then back to the Journeyman, then down to Kyzen. “I’ll see to it,” she says, her voice quiet but firm. She’s made a commitment. “Though I’m fine with your Apprentice checking in, taking measurements, or…whatever. It can be a learning case but I will see to its care.”
“Milk isn’t the greatest for kittens and felines. I know some folk like to leave saucers for them and they’ll drink it but…” The Journeyman shakes her head with a small smile. Not recommended! “She’s so tiny that I thought her to be younger but she’s got her kitten teeth, not her milk teeth. I think she’s a runt, to be honest.” There’s no argument from her about Kimmila taking on the care of the kitten. Kyzen looks overjoyed while Th’ero just frowns heavily. He wasn’t expecting her to agree to it! And he wasn’t even certain they were going to let Kyzen keep the kitten, even if it survived. “That’d be fine and I was going to recommend it. If you need to, you may be able to convince the kitchen staff to prepare some food from the leftovers of meat. Stuff they usually toss aside anyways.” The Journeyman points out and quickly finishes the last of her klah. “I’ll leave the salve and the rest of the medication. Salve should be applied as needed until her eyes clear and the oral medication needs to be done twice daily. She’s had her morning dose, the next should come early evening or so. She can have meals between, as many as she wants… if she’ll eat. Lots of water too.” Duh?
Understanding dawns as Kimmila listens, nodding her head and reaching out to gently squeeze Kyzen’s shoulder. She’s doing this for him, clearly. Happy turnday? As for Th’ero…clearly they’ll have to talk later. “I’ll speak with them, or that can be the apprentices’ duty?” she suggests. SHe jots down a few more notes and looks thoughtfully at the paper. “Okay. I think we can do that. Kyzen? Any questions?” Responsibility!
Th’ero doesn’t say a single word. He just observes and listens quietly, though from the look he gives Kimmila they will talk later. Not with Kyzen present, however. “I could tell my Apprentice to do that, yes.” The Journeyman agrees with another slight smile. Kyzen’s face lights up when he’s asked if he has questions and… does he ever! “Can I name her? Do I get her a collar? Where should I put her bowls? Does she get a bed too or sleep wherever? Can I help with the medications? …” And on and on it goes, with the Journeyman answering as many as she can and with others left for Kimmila and Th’ero. At last, the Beastcrafter rises from her chair and dips her head politely to them. “I’ve done all I can for now. If she worsens, don’t hesitate to call for one of us. I’ll have the Apprentice by shortly with some supplies.” Saves them the trip! “Good morning to you all and best of luck!” Th’ero will stand to help see her to the door and thank her for her time.
Kimmila nods, a little smile on her face as she listens. “Thank you,” she tells the Journeyman, and once she’s gone she looks down to Kyzen. “Why don’t you stay here and watch her for a moment, Kyzen, while your father and I go talk? Don’t bother her, let her sleep, okay?” Then she gets to her feet and nods to the bedroom, heading that way.
Kyzen has settled on the floor again by the kitten, which has now fallen completely asleep in it’s nest of towels. “I won’t,” he promises and then looks between both his parents. “Can I have breakfast now?” Th’ero has caught the hint from Kimmila and he nods his head with a ‘be right with you’ look cast her way. “I’ll get that for you.” he murmurs and moves off to prepare a small bowl of oatmeal, sweetening it a bit and fortifying it with some dried fruits before offering it Kyzen, along with his favorite juice. “Try not to make a mess, either, alright? You’ve still got to go to your lessons after this.” Ruffling the boy’s hair, he’ll leave him to his food and walks over to the bedroom to join Kimmila. He sighs, reaching for her either to loop his arm around her or to rest his hand against her arm. “Wingmate… Why did you agree to tending to it?” he whispers, careful to keep his voice low. “Are we even sure we’re going to keep it, if it survives? What good is a feline as a pet?”
Done! Dun dun dunnnn. ;) Lol!
Haha!
Kimmila moves into the bedroom, settling herself on the edge of the bed. When Th’ero arrives, she reaches out to touch his arm, and she sighs. “It felt like the right thing to do. Kyzen rescued it, we can’t just yank it away from him. He’s…already so attached to it. I’ve never had a feline as a pet. WHy couldn’t we keep it here? Are you against it? I don’t mind.”
Th’ero sits down next to her on the bed, his mouth set in a grim line and he was prepared to be stubborn, to discuss with her how this wasn’t a good idea. Yet before he speaks, he’ll lower his head and frown heavily. Considering it, thinking it over. In the end he shakes his head and makes a slightly frustrated sound. “No, I suppose you’re right. We can’t just take the kitten from him. Not without him being overly upset. I saw how protective he was.” So he’d be a fool to tamper with that. Still… “I’ve never had a pet anything in my life. Save for my firelizards but they’re not exactly “pets”. I’m not entirely against it but… I don’t love the idea either. How dependent are these felines? We’ve already so much time spread out and devoted to other matters. Will this kitten require too much? And Kyzen does not ‘live’ here. What if he wants to take the kitten ‘home’, to Tlazio? Does your brother want a kitten?”
Kimmila gives his arm a gentle squeeze. “You haven’t? I haven’t either, truth be told. I had a pony, kind of, but…that’s hardly a true pet. I think I wish I had had one though. I want to give him that experience. If it lives.” She shrugs. “Felines are pretty easy to care for. Once it’s healthy, I think they mostly tend to themselves. I…could talk to Tlazio. But…I’m prepared to keep it here, are you? I’m okay with it, if you are. As for Tlazio…it’s up to him. If Kyzen wants to take it home but Tlazio says no, then the answer is no.”
Th’ero rests his hand over hers and squeezes back. “No, I haven’t. Animals weren’t considered ‘pets’ when I was a child. They either had their uses or didn’t and if they didn’t serve a purpose then my fath— Ilentho, I mean, would want nothing to do with them.” Is that really that surprising? Exhaling heavily, he shakes his head. “So long as it doesn’t prove to be a nuisance or require more time than we can freely give it, then I’ve no issue with it staying here. You’re right about Tlazio and… perhaps we best warn Kyzen that the kitten may not be able to go home with him.” Th’ero lifts his gaze then to give Kimmila a lingering look. Is that fair?
Kimmila nods, "That makes sense." Fits in with evvvverything she's learned about Irondell and Ilentho, to be sure! "I think it'll be fine. And yes, I think we should tell Kyzen that. Honestly…I don't think it'd be good at all to give Tlazio a kitten on top of everything. I think we should keep it here."
"It'll stay here." Th'ero agrees and slowly stands from the bed and offers her his hand. "We'll explain the situation to Kyzen. I'm sure he'll be delighted. But we better get back in there…" They did leave him alone with food and drink, after all! What sort of mayhem awaits? "Are you going to be alright tending to it?" he murmurs softly.
Kimmila nods, taking his hand and getting to her feet, giving him a little smile. "Truth be told," she admits softly, "if it lives, I'm looking forward to having a pet…I always wanted one."
Th'ero chuckles and smiles back to her, releasing her hand and slipping his arm around her waist instead. "What, do I not keep you entertained enough?" he teases her gently, leaning in to kiss her briefly before leading them back into the main living area. Kyzen is still at the couch and he's managed NOT to make a disastrous mess all over the place. There is some oatmeal on the table, but truth be told it could be worse. Hearing them approach, he clambers onto the couch and looks at them pleadingly. "Is she mine?" he asks, hopeful and nervous.
Kimmila laughs. "You're not a pet, even though you /do/ do tricks," she teases after their kiss, walking back into the main room. Seeing Kyzen there, Kimmila smiles. "There are a few conditions, Kyzen. She is yours, yes, if she lives. And she will have to stay here with us, in this weyr. You'll help me take care of her when you're with us, okay? And you can come visit, like you always do."
Th'ero does do a few tricks! Only for her though. Kyzen just beams and bursts with joy, his gleeful sounds echoing about the room as he bounces off the couch and onto the floor, crouching by the kitten where it has startled awake but is rapidly falling back asleep again. The boy gently scratches her between the ears with surprising care. "You're mine now!" he murmurs and then looks up at both his parents. "Thank you! I promise I'll take very good care of her when I visit. And I will visit a lot! She IS going to live!" Stop telling him otherwise! Th'ero only mutters something about 'determined' and 'stubborn' under his breath but he's smiling widely. "Come on, Kyzen. Time you washed up and get ready to go to your lessons. Your mother will watch over your kitten." And so it starts?
And so it starts indeed. Kimmila really won't mind having the extra company while she works on paperwork. Perhaps it'll be a welcome distraction during her later pregnancy months. The kitten and her baby will grow up together. She settles down on the couch again and picks up her tea, nodding. "I will. Now you just need to think of a name."
It could be a welcome distraction or the little kitten will drive her mad when it bounces off the walls, gets into mischief and just clings to her for attention. Then again, all of that would help pass the time! Kyzen grins at his mother, rushing up to wrap his arms around her as best he can to HUG her. Squish? "Thank you!" he beams again, only to add. "I will, I will! But it's got to be the perfect name for her." Th'ero chuckles as he stands, waiting for their son to get ready. "Why not just something like Spindly or Squinty?" Since the kitten looks like both of those to him. Kyzen just pulls a face. "Nooooo, dad those are BAD names!" he protests before shuffling over to stomp into his boots and shrug on his jacket. "Mother, don't let him name it something silly," And stupid! "Okay?" Kyzen gives Kimmila a pleading look. Promise? The naming is HIS to do! Stupid Harper lessons.
Kimmila laughs, nudging Th'ero with a grin, before she nods to Kyzen. "Her name is yours to come up with," she reassures him. "Don't worry, I won't let him name her." Snicker.
Th'ero grunts at the nudge and just shrugs his shoulders. What? He thought those were perfect names! "Isn't that what felines are called usually or most 'pets'?" he mutters, but grins crookedly. Kyzen just looks relieved and grins at his mother, while giving his father a pointed look. You know nothing! Shouldering his pack, he holds out his hand to Th'ero. "I'll be back shortly, Wingmate. Just going to see him to his lessons. Did you want anything from the caverns? I've only the oatmeal prepared for food…"
Kimmila ruffles Kyzen's hair fondly, leaning in to give Th'ero a kiss. "I'm fine," she reassures him. "I'll be here, watching the kitten and reading my reports." Nice and quiet - the morning she wanted.
Th'ero returns Kimmila's kiss and smiles warmly. "Alright then," he murmurs, while Kyzen chuckles from the hair ruffling. "Bye!" he calls, waving his hand as he opens the door and slips outside with Th'ero following after him. Though not without pausing to give her one final look over his shoulder. Then he is gone and the door clicks shut. It won't take him long to see Kyzen to his lessons and duck into the living caverns quickly to grab some fresh fruit, bacon and other edibles. Kimmila said she was fine, but he is hungry and they may both be hungry later. Returning to her in the weyr, he'll have a few moments - quiet ones - with her before the Apprentice Beastcrafter shows up with the supplies and food for the kitten. Kimmila will get the run down as Th'ero is called off to attend a drill for Thunderbird and a meeting with Haast and it won't be unitl late afternoon or early evening before he can free himself from his duties again.