Fort Weyr - Tunnel
This tunnel has a gentle upward slope that leads the way in or out of the weyr. The smooth walls are softly illuminated by the lights strung overhead, and the stone has been etched with images of tithe trains, dragons, riders, and weyrfolk who almost seem to be moving along with you through the tunnel. The tunnel beings to widen up ahead, echoing voices and pleasant laughter.

Look! Outside! There's been rain falling, but now it has slowed and finally stopped. Everything is blanketed with a sheen of wet that allows it to glimmer in the faint light of glows as it leads off into the distance. Hazelon stands right at the doorway to the weyr (NOT breaking the rules about going out) and watches the forest in the distance. There are guards here, of course, but they stand on the far side of the tunnel, apparently content to leave the teenager be.

Therynn has kept mostly to the Weyr proper since 'the event' wandering from Infirmary to Barracks, doing chores, a few conversations and a whole lotta recovering. Today is a special exception, a moody green fire lizard forcing the group out from some fresher air and adventures. It's been around a seven day since they've actually gotten out and about like this, the hobbling from Rynn finally subsiding and most of the bruises fading away. There's something about the smell of rain that always intoxicates the girl and so she's gone to one place, within the boundary line, she knows it can be enjoyed. It comes as some surprise that there is anyone else down here besides some guards, recognizing the silhouette in the glows. "Hazelon.." she steps up beside him in the doorway "Y'alright?"

Hazelon's visits to the healers have been brief to nonexistant, though the large dark bruises from Ustrr's foot still linger deeply upon his ribcage. Bruises heal. His attention on the woods stays for another moment before he finally drags his eyes away and turns to look at Therynn. Silence for a moment. "You healed?"

Therynn takes a leaning position against the opposite side of the doorway, her hazel eyes flickering as the slow pitter patter of rain ceases and gives way to a steamy fog rising from the ground. Gaze lingers out there in the distance until she feels the piercing mahogany irises of the gent burning in to her. Lashes flutter and she's looking back, comfortable in the silence yet ready to answer the question with a nod "Aye.. still feelin' it a little." More silence "You knew them?"

Hazelon examines the woman for a moment, then his eyes drift back outside. His stance isn't relaxed, he's always seeming to be prepared to move in one way or another these days. Not, that he's been around a whole lot. Her question is met with a shrug. "Some've them better than others."

Therynn could be considered, a bit hunched at the moment. Sure, the cloud hanging over her head has lifted quite a bit and things are on the up, but her stature is not held quite as proudly as it had been in the past. She notices the tenseness in her fellow Candidate, slowly a hand reaching out to squeeze his shoulder gently. Again she asks "Are you ok?"

She… touches him? Hazelon's eyes travel down his arm till they rest oh her hand, then move up to her face. The's a clear frown there, but he doesn't jerk away. Mostly because that would still hurt right now. "Ain't nothin' they done to me what ain't been done before." Which… is probably fairly true. "Why're you down here?"

Therynn knows this is uncharted territory, and maybe it is her own yearning to be touched that provokes this notion. The interaction is brief, and definitely retracted at the frown, which elicits the same expression from the huntress. "I'm sorry to hear that.." is said softly, hand falling to her side and focus reset on the skies beyond the doorway. "I just needed to get away…" pause "…do some thinking. Clear my thoughts."

This actually seems to be an answer that Hazelon can accept. His arms cross his chest as he leans against that doorway and continues to stare outwards. For all the rain, it really is a beautiful night. "Good on you for gettin' one of them. Ain't none of them what was there were deservin' walkin' away."

Therynn has always been fond of nights like this. The clouds clear away and stars begin to peek through and shine brilliantly, a few winged creatures passing 'cross the black backdrop sky. Rynn takes a deep breath in, letting out a slow and steady exhale. A scowl creeps on to her face, brows knitting in the center. "Y'really think so? Bad to the core? No hope for those guys t'ever come around." It's clear she's still uncertain that she'll be able to sort through the mental mess of taking the life of another human being.

Maybe somewhere deep down it bothers Hazelon the lives he has taken. But if it does, the expression doesn't show on his face, ad those eyes of his reflect the little light that comes into the tunnel. He considers telling her his experiences, but then with an almost visible shake of his head simply doesn't. "No. They made them choice long afore you seen them."

Therynn has and will always continue to wonder that about those who've shared this experience. Maybe it is the hardening of the heart that buries the associated emotions so deep so that such fervid empathy may never see the light of day. A glint is seen in the deep brown irises of Hazelon's, and she can tell he wants to share something but doesn't. She will not press the subject, the extent of their friendship not warranting such probing inquiry. "But some change.. I've seen it. Even in ones who've been dark for long.." there is no insinuation regarding Hazelon though she imagines he too is one of these.

"There ain't nothin' dark 'bout these renegades Therynn." Hazelon's voice holds all the conviction of someone who believes what they're saying. "They be likin' what they be doin'." He falls silent again, and seems to have exhausted the amount of words that he holds within him. Arms fall from his chest and he pushes away from the wall.

Therynn considers this, one brow raised in contemplation before murmuring "Rotten to the core and loving it." Head shakes and tongue clicks. She will never understand why one would chose a life of such appalling disarray. Despite rather enjoying hunting, it is done out of necessity and what Renegades do… well, it is just seen as shameful in her eyes. Shoulder that is not propped against doorway is scratched with the opposite hand, neck craning to examine how looming the guards are. Now is as good a time as any she figures, asking "What'd they want with ya anyway?" which is likely out of line given the depth of their friendship. "You don't have to answer that." Is quickly self-corrected.

Hazelon is about to walk way, back into the weyr, but he pauses at her question. Slowly his head turns towards the girl. "They was wantin' to be killin me." Delivered matter-of-fact in a way that might come off as utterly chilling. "But they ain't succeeded. So now it be my turn to be returnin' the effort." His gaze turns away from the ex-huntress as his feet begin to move back into the weyr proper and away from that view of the woods.

Therynn knew that very clearly they wanted to kill him. D'uh! That was totally obvious by the way Ustrr singled him out. The harshness in his words still strikes deeply, but the kindness in her eyes in unwavering."Yeah, that seemed t'be the intention." Is said back just as astutely. Pushing away from lean a step in front of the dark haired gent is taken. "But why? N'why did you even wander from camp t'begin with if you knew they had a mark on your head?" She may be tiny, but she has questions and apparently demands answers.

There's not a lot of people that Hazelon can look down on. But Therynn totally fits into the group of 'shorter than Hazelon.' He stops in his tracks when she plants herself right in front of him and an eyebrow shoots up. Some of the others had demanded answers, but none had put themselves in physical danger to do so. He stands there, silently, just watching her for long long moments.

Therynn is comfortable with her height, TYVM! And is also used to being looked down on, despite her larger than life (or at least larger than 5ft nothing) presence. She may be meek and reserved at times, and has come a long way from her super boyish former self, but it has truly been in the past few fortnights that the most evolution has happened. Physically attempting to stop someone and making demands is something new to her, but still she does not stand down. After the ordeal in the forest she's become one tough fritter. Lying in a pool of blood after removing a dagger from someone's lung can do that to a person. There's a bit of gruff huskiness tied in to the honesty that follows. "No really. You are cared about here Hazelon, by all of us. Questions like this are reasonable and should've been expected."

More silence meets Therynn's words. Slowly, Hazelon shakes his head. "You be pinnin' your care where it ain't goin' to be doin' you no good." His tone is detached completly now, and he lifts his gaze upwards to look past her. It's a brush off to an unimaginable degree. "Ain't none of you was needin' to be followin' me into the forest. Could've been movin' faster and silent without all of you there."

Therynn shrugs it off. "S'not about doing /me/ any good." She wasn't looking for reciprocity. "Whether you want it or not, you accepted that there white knot on your shoulder. Makes you one of us, and we stick together. It's called loyalty." There's ferocity and conviction in those beliefs. "I wasn't 'bout t'let you go off in the woods by yourself at night after what happened to Rayathess. I can't speak for anyone else's reasoning or skill ,but the forest is my forte. And anyway, I coulda trailed you for days without you so much as having a clue." A scoff. "Sides if those oafs had gotten their hands on you, no telling what kind of mayhem would've fallen over Fort." She softens "Or what could've happened to you. We're here for you Haze.. like it or not friendship comes with the territory." A rule of thumb she's been trying to learn herself.

That stillness changes abruptly when Therynn mentions Rayathess name and the attack on the harper. The indifferent look turns to a full on scowl, and he steps forward into the woman's personal space. Reaching out he grabs her chin in his hand, and is going to make sure she doesn't break eye contact. "Rayathess was a fool and I was tellin' him that before he took himself off to be talkin to Lyreh. Should've let him die in that forest, then ain't no one would be knowin me nor be havin' no problem with Fort." Each word is spoken almost as if it was clipped off. "This knot ain't got nothin' to do with none of you. Wearin' it because I'm owin' Abigail and now that weyrleader've yours my life. Ain't none of you meanin' nothin' to me. Don't be peggin' no friendship, beccause you ain't gettin' none back."

Therynn puffs up her chest and juts out the chin he reaches for. She makes a good little wall, fists clenched and not a flinch for Hazelon's bubble invading. "You've no right to say sucha thing.." is gruffed back, intensity shot in daggers between forced eye contact. "Rayathess is one of our own. We protect each other. It's code." Or something like that. Lips tighten and the meanness Hazelon hides erupts from deep within. Rynn does not understand, and was maybe fooled? She definitely had no idea that he had anything to do with Rayathess, nor that he could be so cold. "You coulda said no.." she lashes back angrily "If ya dislike us so much n'we mean nothing to ya, why even bother? Why even stay? There's the door! You owe us nothing! Not Abigail, not Th'ero, not any of us. It doesn't work like that. Some people say and do things out of the kindness of their hearts, unlike those worthless renegades out there." A frown for friendly offerings thrown back in her face, head whipping from side to side to rip her chin from his hold, stepping back a few paces. "Don't matter if y'give it back, or say awful things, or even almost get us killed. For whatever reason, you decided to accept the offer to become and Candidate and for a person like me, that means we are bonded through thick and thin."

"I could have said no." Hazelon is actually agreeing with her. He releases her when she jerks away, and is just going to step around that wall of hers. "I ain't got no need to be explainin' myself to you nor none others. The Weyrleader's asked me to be stayin'. You want to be bondin', go be doin' it with them what is lookin' to be formin' them 'bonds'. It ain't me." And she's not going to get a chance this time to stop him. His steps are longer than hers and the effort it would take to stop will draw attention to them. (Not that she couldn't try anyways but Hazelon doubts the girl wants he attention. Especially if she is as battered as he is at the moment.) "You go and be askin' Rayathess about what happened in the forest if you be wantin' more."

Therynn blurts without thinking regarding his decision to become a Candidate "Well maybe you should have.." At this point, she will make no motion to stop him, especially after the little tizzy in reference to answering basic and logical questions. "Well suit yourself then. It's a lonely life being a jerk of a hermit y'know.." because Rynn definitely knows a thing or two about the whole misanthropic thing. "I was just trying to be nice" is snapped, no effort to get in the way of his departure, and little desire to be shut down again. Rejection-a bittersweet must for those new to branching out and attempting to make friends. Arms fold over each other and she's definitely in a grump of a mood now. Turning on one heel she'll call out "Maybe some day you'll stop placin' the blame else where and do some self-reflecting. And maybe then y'can start acting like a civilized human being!" This is probably not the most well formulated come back, but as Hazelon tromps down the tunnel back towards the Weyr it is the best a socially awkward huntress can do. The guards pay no mind to the silly Candidates, so long as they don't try and leave. Clouds roll back in and the pitter-patter of the next storm hits the ground in the form of tiny droplets that will soon increase in both size and intensity. Rynn will not be in a hurry to follow or head back to the barracks, sighing with a huff and leaning back against the doorway. Operation feel better and make friends: disastrous.