Continued from Echoes of the past
Lost Island - Sugar Beach
Palm trees shade the fine-grained, pristine white sand, making them cool to the touch even when Rukbat is at its peak. Gentle waves from the sheltered bay lap the sand at water's edge. Crystal clear at the shoreline, the waters deepen to aqua then a rich azure in the cove's center. Further out, rolling billows break with a muted roar upon a reef of smooth volcanic rock that protects the cove, keeping the waters of the cove tranquil.
On either side the sand stretches to curve out of sight, flanked on one side by thick jungle, the other by the sea. Someone has tied a woven rope hammock wide enough for two in the shade of the palm trees and just a few steps from a rock fire pit. Nearby there is a path that disappears into the undergrowth.
Not so terribly long ago there was some restlessness, to say the least, on the part of Seryth and Siebith. Both taking flight out over the ocean and returning soon after a short distance down the beach. D'had and Thea are both found there as well. The Weyrsecond just stooping down to attempt to scoop the junior weyrwoman from the wet sand. Both of the human pair soaked from head to toe. "They ain't here," he replies to her, voice somewhat strained in its quietness. The two moons on their way to setting, one gone and the other steadily sinking below the horizon though the sun isn't yet up.
Thea's reply is slurred even moreso than it was before, "I know!" Irritably her hand lifts to swat him away, but it's more of a feeble hand flap. "They're on their pallets. Lemme sleep." Back under her chin goes her hand as she attempts to roll to her other side. The attempt is simply too much effort. Since she wasn't the one expending all the energy to get them out of the current, she hasn't generated much body heat, either.
That same restlessness infected Taozyuth, though his attempts to get through to his rider took a bit longer, apparently, than the other two dragons. The sound of someone approaching is neither hurried nor harried, but it doesn't take long for N'shen to pop in from the direction of the beach, his eyes fixed on the sky above as he follows the winged antics of Chanteuse and Mikado. As Thea and D'had come into sight, the firelizards break off, arrowing for them, and the bronzerider follows, brow furrowed in confusion. "Taking a swim, now?" he asks mildly. Where had he been is probably a good question, but not all that important for now.
Considering they wandered off in the middle of the night the bronzerider might well have been sleeping, but that's neither here nor there. "They ain't here," D'had repeats, trying to make it clear to her that no, they're not back home they are on the beach and he's not the one dreaming here. "The fire 'll be warm…" he tries to tempt her as he attempts to lift her up. The sound of another voice has him turning to look towards the path, but it is a voice that's familiar at least. Swim? Hardly, but that question isn't answered. "Need ta get her back to camp," he shoots back to the boy.
Thea doesn't notice N'shen's arrival or hear his voice just then. She's trying to ignore D'had. Eyes remain tightly closed while she makes an exasperated sound in the back of her throat. She knows the twins are here - they're always here at night! She flails a bit, more like fluttering hands when he sits her up, mumbling, "Y'had too much whiskey then." Because 'fire', that's just plain crazy-talk. A sigh follows that, her voice is apologetic, "And if you're in the mood- murglemumble -then go back to sleep I'm too tired to-" muttermumble. Hooray for unintelligible speech, yes?
N'shen pads up to his father's side, gazing down at the mumbling weyrwoman with one eyebrow cocked upwards. "An interesting bed, but, you're right, probably not the most comfortable. Head or feet, father-mine?" The boy's grown a tongue - or perhaps it's just the oddness of the night getting to him. Whatever the case for his cavalier attitude, he still acknowledges the importance of getting Thea warm and dry, and looks up to D'had for direction.
D'had just shakes his head at that unitelligable babble of hers. He'll save his throat for now on that matter. A brow raises at the boy's question, but he's too tired to discuss anything just now. "Head," he replies gruffly. He should be able to carry her himself, but he'd rather drop her feet than drop her on her head.
All this talk around her interrupting her sleepy-time. It's enough to have Thea cracking her eyes to peer up at the figures in the dark. Hard to see in the darkness, but the voice is recognized. Now N'shen is in her room?? "N'mind I'm go… sleep on the couch." And she pushes with uncoordinated effort to rise, hanging onto D'had's arm to haul herself up, which hopefully doesn't pull him down atop her. That could hurt. She manages to make it to her feet, swaying. "Help me get there?"
Well, at least the as yet ungrown boy doesn't have to try to carry her, even half of her. N'shen adroitly slips to her other side, offering his shoulder for her to lean on as he reaches out to slip an arm about her waist. "Come, Mama Thea," he says gently, "we'll get you there. You'll find it much more comfortable." Though his gaze lingers on his father, clearly asking questions, he doesn't appear to expect any answers from his taciturn sire, and instead focuses on keeping Thea up - at least long enough to get her where she needs to be. Above his head, bronze and green chirp encouragingly, whirling in a dizzying spiral.
D'had is unsteady enough on his feet right now that he just might. Her pulling on him doesn't help, but he does manage not to fall on her even if he does sway and nearly topple. He shouldn't do that, not normally, but cold and wet and near falling out from exhaustion himself. "Help her," he returns just that to N'shen as he slips to her other side to do what he's able to assist.
"Y'should be in bed," Thea notes softly to N'shen as his arm encircles her waist. Her natural inclination is to prop her head on D'had's shoulder as they walk, but though unsteady on her feet she pretty much only clings to both for balance. And perhaps he can lean on her a little? Movement helps warm her up enough to feel the chill and the sodden sundress clinging to her form doesn't help matters. Shivering sets in once more as her body attempts to warm itself. They leave the beach and gravel crunches underfoot, but she doesn't seem to notice right away. Her teeth are chattering too much for speech anyway.
Lost Island - Jungle Path
Thickly-growing palms cast this gravel path in perpetual gloom as it winds through verdant tropical growth, passing under massive vine-shrouded tree trunks and twisting between huge moss-covered boulders.
As you move deeper into the island's interior, the brightness of the beach dims, the calls of birds and the hum of insects replace the sound of the surf. Rukbat's light reaches the jungle floor only in isolated golden shafts that pierce the dense foliage above. Jasmine, frangipani and orchids bloom in the near twilight perfuming the vegetation-redolent air with a sweet, heady scent.
N'shen says nothing in response to Thea's words, instead concentrating on keeping her, and by proxy D'had, on their feet long enough to reach the camp. Perhaps taking a cue from his silence, the chitters from the firelizards laspe, though they continue their encouraging flight above their heads. He's a crutch - just lean on him, he'll keep you steady.
D'had manages well enough across the beach, stumbling as sand changes to gravel. Going up hill along that path to the falls however, that takes more concentration and effort. He's trying not to lean on Thea, but that leaves Nash to help her almost on his own. "Wave caught us," he tries to explain for the bronzerider's benefit.
There's a perplexed and slightly annoyed, "Where'd you put the couch, Donn?" Thea can't believe it's taking so long to cross the weyrbarn. She sways, which might pull both of N'shen and D'had just a bit, being that her arm is around both of their waists. Therefore the progress by the three ought to weave an unsteady course up that path. At least walking should help warm them up somewhat and the uphill being more effort does help, although the shivering continues.
N'shen's body presses lightly to Thea's as they walk, in an effort to leech some of the young man's heat into her own chilled body. Despite their uneven progress, his footsteps are firm on the ground, and he gives no indication that her swaying is endangering his balance. Ah, for the resiliency of youth. Still, he doesn't waste his breath trying to talk to either of his parents, instead focusing on guiding all three of them along the safest path.
Lost Island - Misty Falls
The jungle opens to a wide clearing that reveals a high, broad lip of rock over which water cascades in a thin sheet falling into a clear, wide pool that appears deep enough for swimming. The sound of the drops hitting the surface of the pool is musical and soothing to the ears. Almost level banks are thickly-carpeted with rich emerald moss shaded by giant ferns that cluster in graceful arcs, perpetually be-jeweled with beads from the mist given off by the falls.
Behind the falls there appears to be a ledge that allows one to pass behind the sheet of water and remain dry. The path skirts the clearing and continues on up towards the peak.
The path is long enough under normal conditions, but longer in his current mindset. D'had's steps aren't as sure as they should be, but he keeps pushing. "Almost there," he replies to Thea and indeed its not that much later that they reach camp. The fire however has burned down with no one keeping close watch of it through the night. "Get her settled, keep 'er warm," he directs N'shen before he's coughing. A shake of his head, clearing thoughts. "Gonna get some more wood." For the fire.
The combination of movement and N'shen beside her helps to warm Thea enough that by the time they reach camp she's uncoordinated, slow-brained but oriented enough to the here and now. Through chattering teeth she protests with a shake of her head at D'had, "N-no. D-d-don't." She was out there earlier to get wood, knows the terrain is rough and choked with tropical growth. But of course she knows she can't stop him. "Just n-need to s-sit by the fire." She hasn't noticed if it has gone out or burned to coals but she's walking towards where she remembers it was.
Once he's certain Thea is relatively situated, N'shen darts off to his bed, returning with the blanket he'd until recently been curled up under. Draping it over Thea's shoulders, he gives his father a pointed look, then gestures towards the fire. "There's wood here, I can build it up, y' should help Mama Thea get warmed up." Without giving the bluerider a chance to say, or do, anything, the boy's already wandering off after his firelizards, who have already found Thea's stockpile and begun bringing small twigs back to the campfire.
D'had narrows his eyes at them both. So what? Now he's taking orders from his son. Well he's tired enough to relent to the pair of them. If they say he doesn't need to, he'll go along with it. He moves to take a seat beside Thea, which ends up is something closer to falling on his behind next to her rather than simply sitting down. "Okay," he relents, shifting to share that blanket Nash has brought. She might have started warming up he's still cold. "Thanks," he remembers to add for the boy's benefit. His head heavy on Thea's shoulder.
"Thanks N'shen," Thea murmurs as that blanket is settled over her shoulders. Eyes warm, even if her smile up at him is a bit stiff from clenching her jaws to keep them from chattering, she approves his take-charge attitude. She's been on the end of that narrow-eyed look from D'had often enough that it doesn't phase her one bit. She patpats the ground next to her giving her weyrmate a look right back. She's not -that- warm and thus the blanket is opened to include him. Together there ought to be -some- cumulative effect to benefit them both. "Careful." This as D'had thumps down beside her and she's gently wrapping the blanket around him before resting her head atop his when it lands on her shoulder.
N'shen nods briefly to Thea, but his attention is on the bundle of wood in his arms as he approaches the fire. He sets the sticks and logs carefully to the side and studies the guttering firepit for a long moment before using a long stick to rearrange the embers and remaining tinder, managing to stir it up enough that he can start feeding in twigs one at a time to build it up. It might take him a little longer than it would one of the two more experienced adults, but he eventually gets a respectable blaze going. Still, he says nothing and asks no questions, his glinting green eyes trained on his parents as he judges their recovery.
D'had leans on Thea, fingers loose around his corner of the blanket. Eyes drooping closed only seconds after he's settled down in front of the fire. Good thing Nash was there to help out. Too exhausted to start up any sort of conversation.
Thea, too is quiet as N'shen builds up the fire, resting and warming up. As the fire gets hotter, their wet clothes begin to give off steam in the pre-dawn chill. She sends multiple concerned glances down at D'had, but doesn't rouse him, although now and then she lifts fingers to his cheek to make sure he's really warming up and breathing. "He almost drowned," she tells N'shen in a hushed voice.
N'shen's eyes flicker briefly to D'had, considering, but he doesn't encourage Thea by asking the obvious questions - namely, what on Pern happened. Instead, he merely offers her a concerned frown, then deliberately bends his head to the fire again, using that long stick of his to keep it going as his firelizards pick up twigs and spiral above it, letting the tiny bits of stick and leaf fall into the fire. Their efforts don't help much, but it;s the thought that counts.
Thea says nothing more after that frown, perhaps misinterpreting it, she sighs softly and looks down at D'had for a long time, her face guilt-ridden as she watches him sleep. Finally though, wet clothes are simply too uncomfortable to ignore and she is warm enough that she can move normally. She's not the exhausted one since she wasn't the one fighting strong currents. Carefully she eases D'had off of her shoulder and onto his back, slipping out of her side of the blanket, drapes it atop him. "I'm going to go change then I'll get him some dry clothes," she tells N'shen as she moves away to her bags over by their wide hammock, rummaging for a towel and change of clothes then steps into the jungle.
It creeps in softly, so as not to overwhelm, a gentle sense of peace that actively smothers the shadows of the mind. The light is faint, a simple dusting of gold over your mind, neither obvious nor intrusive, but evident all the same. When Taozyuth speaks, he invites Thea to listen, but acknowledges that she may choose to block him out. « He worries for you and the man, mother's rider. He wishes not to tire you any more than you already are. Be at peace, and know he cares. » Without waiting for a response, the bronze slips away again, leaving only a lingering sense of peace - and N'shen's exasperated sigh from where he continues to stoke the fire.
D'had doesn't wake when he's lowered to the ground. In fact he hardly moves for a long while before he finally shifts position a bit. Restless then, but still sleeping. He murmurs something, words unclear, but there is a name. Thea. Yet not quite, there's something else, similar yet different, mixed with it.
It is as Thea emerges from the jungle in dry clothing, sodden sundress of emerald green now wadded in her hands, that her steps pause and she tilts her head slightly, listening. The pinched worried look on her face eases. A moment later she nods, lips move soundlessly as she lifts her eyes to where the pair over at the fire are. The reply to Taozyuth from Seryth is a cool mist that curls around trunks of pungent cedar and over wet stone, « She understands and says thank you. » Thea moves on, back to the hammock to drop her wet clothes and rummage in D'had's bag this time, selecting a lightweight shirt and shorts, something comfortable for him to sleep in. She's thinking ahead. Dawn is not far off and with it the tropical heat will return. There's a quietly muttered, "Now where did I put the other towels?"
N'shen is poking at the fire. Poke poke poke. Sprays of sparks occasionally punctuate his movements, but otherwise he remains crouched on the other side of the fire like a squat little shadow, intent on keeping everything going so his parents can get warm. It's almost like he doesn't want to know what happened. Silly kid.
Sleep isn't something Donn does so well all the time as Thea should well know by now. Somehow peaceful sleep turns restless and in the end he wakes with a start. Of course waking has its issues too being that Thea isn't where he left her. It’s a wash of panic that floods his face when his hand reaches for her and she's not right there. Dark eyes lock on the shadow across the fire that is N'shen first. "Where is she?" voice still somewhat strained as he half asks, half demands an answer. He wasn't just dreaming that she was there. Right?
Over by the hammock Thea pulls another bag towards her and begins searching it, anxious to get her task done, return to the fire and check on D'had. Every now and then she glances up towards where that lone figure pokes at the fire. Her gaze wavers between the boy and the prone man, concern on her face for the both of them now. In the east the sky begins to pale to pearl, the stars still shine overhead though. D'had's voice is heard, barely from where she is and some of that anxiety eases. "Ah ha!" Thea pulls a fluffy towel out and pushes to her feet, the dry clothing and the towel in her arms.
"Gettin' dressed," comes N'shen's low, laconic answer as he leans around the fire, peering at his sire. "Mayhap you should too," he adds somewhat pointedly, eyes flickering to the man's wet clothing. "Ain't so warm yet for you not to catch a chill." His conversation exhausted, he returns to poke poke poking at the fire. Maybe he's shaken by finding the pair in the situation he did. Maybe he's just tired and a bit grumpy after being woken up by a pair of chittering firelizards.
"Whe-?" D'had starts given N'shen's answer, but halfway through the word he hears Thea's 'Ah ha!' and his head turns quickly in her direction. "You okay?" he asks of her next, turning to try and get to his feet. Yes, Nash, he's worried about you too, but given he wasn't there… Well the one who almost did drown is touch more important in his mind right now. After a second the boy's comment is realized and he nods. "Yeah." Wouldn't be a bad idea to get out of wet clothes.
As Thea approaches the fire there's a look first to note D'had's condition, her sea green eyes keenly assessing his, noting the man's color, ears catching the cadence of the words, although what he's said was muted enough that she misses most of it until that question. N'shen is next with a concerned look from her before both of them get a, "You boys doing alright?" Then she's beside D'had, her voice soothing, "I'm here, Donn. I'm fine. Let's get you out of those wet clothes before you get sick." She offers a steadying hand should he need it before beginning to undo the buttons of his shirt for him.
N'shen had absolutely nothing to do with their little adventure. He's just here stoking the fire. Why wouldn't he be alright? So he merely grunts and reaches up to rub the back of his hand across his eyes, then grimmaces and ducks his head, shifting so the fire is between him and his parents. Ew. Like a teenage boy wants to watch mom undress dad? Get a tent.
No, no he didn't have anything to do with that. That was all Thea's doing. That adventure that is. But then what else is new? That steadying hand of hers might often go unused, but today he accepts her assistance. That much of it anyway. His eyes are still tired, and he's still cold though nothing near as much as he was. Getting out of his wet clothes should help. "You're sure?" he inquires of Thea, lifting a hand to her cheek. "I kin do 'at," he says, catching up her hands then to still them from his buttons. "You get a dry blanket an' warm up."
Thea is watching when N'shen rubs at his eyes and yes, she notes the head duck but for the life of her she doesn't ascribe to that gesture what the boy's likely feeling, having never had a teenage son. And Tharen, well… things were different at home. Very different. Preoccupied with concern for D'had she nevertheless calls without looking over, "Can you please fill the klah pot with water and set it on the coals, N'shen?" It's still sitting there from their supper the night before and of course the water source is near at hand with the pool from the falls. Hand on her cheek stills hers from those buttons and she lifts her eyes to meet D'had's. She's quick to assure him, maybe overly so. "Just… tired. It'll pass." She wants him out of those wet clothes and resumes unbuttoning only to be thwarted. "I will when you're changed." She allows him control of his own buttons back, steps to their hammock to snag the large blanket there and returns. How she's going to catch him if he topples, well… she'll try.
At least preparing the klah will keep him from watching his parents make smoochy-faces at each other - even if N'shen himself won't touch the stuff. Ick. Still, he scoops up the pot with alacrity and all but runs to the stream, taking his sweet time to fill the pot before moving back to the fire, keeping his back to the blue and goldrider as he sets the pot on the tripod over the fire, making sure it's just so. Then he continues to fiddle with it for lack of anything better to do.
D'had fumbles with the remaining buttons of his shirt, fingers not quite ready to function properly on such a small task. He manages in the end however, even if it does take longer than usual. He finds his way over to the hammock to lay his shirt over it and get clothes changed somewhere a little less in the middle of things. By the time N'shen has the pot situated the bluerider is returning to the fire, settling beside the ring between the two others. "Sleep well?" he asks of N'shen. Maybe not the conversation anyone else might pick to start after the 'adventure' just he had with Thea and that wave, but …
Thea meets D'had halfway as he's on his way over, resists frowning at him for moving without her there and no, she doesn't let him go over to that hammock alone. All she needs is for him to hit his head on a rock keeling over. If he makes any protests, she ignores them and she's there, watching him out of the corner of her eyes in case he starts to sway, her plan to at least try to guide him away from any rocks on his way over - or toss the blanket down right quick to cushion his fall. It's nothing she's not seen before anyway. She does precede him to the fire, sits and holds the blanket out in a silent offer to share it while waiting for the pot to boil. N'shen gets a careful look through lashes, but no prodding questions in light of his reticence.
"Slept okay, until Chanteuse and Mikado came screaming to wake me up." The boy doesn't look up from the pot, staring at it intently. Clearly, he never heard the saying about watched pots boiling. "So what happened?" His voice is casual, hiding the concern that lurks beneath.
D'had keeps an eye on Thea as she follows him as well. He's a big boy, he can take care of himself. Not that he doesn't appreciate her watching out for him, but he's not about to admit that. He ahs silently, nodding a bit for N'shen's answer, and there's no protest against his weyrmate's offer of sharing that blanket. "Got caught by a wave," he goes on to answer his son's question.
He may be a big boy, but Thea would beg to differ on the issue about taking care of himself at the moment. Thankfully she knows not to fuss aloud. When he sits beside her, she curls into him, arranging the blanket about them both, then snuggling her head on his shoulder. She's still not over the shock of almost losing him, it seems. Poor Nash, if he didn't have to see kissy-face, he might have to endure the pair cuddling, but hey! There's a practical reason for it. With Nash looking away, she's able to give him a look-over and what she sees troubles her. She breathes a soft, "I'm sorry N'shen. That must have been an awful fright." As the question seems directed at D'had and a father-son talk might be the best thing right now anyway, she leaves it to the Weyrsecond to answer. Her only comment is, "I have no clue." And this is true, the sea is still pretty much an unknown to her, although the former sea trader's answer draws a curious question. "What sort of a wave was that anyway? It was huge, came out of nowhere and fast!"
"A wave." Nash's voice is flat, but he doesn't question his father, nor does he echo Thea. And he doesn't look at either of them. As the pot begins to boil, he takes it off the tripod and begins to prepare the klah, keeping his back to his parents. "At least you're both okay," he mutters, after a moment of silence.
D'had's focus is on the flickering flames in front of him. he might not have a lot to say, but what else is new. There is an answer for that question though. "They call 'em rouge waves. They're like that. Come outta nowhere." What more can he say about it? It’s not like anyone knows much more than that. "Good thing," he agrees with N'shen, "We're all okay." A glance to the boy including him in that statement.
Thea watches N'shen fuss with the klah and since her apology to the boy draws no response, she falls into an uneasy silence. The news about rogue waves draws a shudder, a movement the weyrsecond can certainly feel since she's leaning against him. With D'had's last statement, she lifts her head to give her weyrmate an unreadable look, slides her gaze pointedly to his son and back with a slight headshake, before replacing her head back on his shoulder.
Thea worries too much about N'shen's peace of mind. The boy is fine, if a bit agitated at having found his parents in such a state - not to mention their subsequent displays of PDA. Other than that, however, he's merely tired, and that shows as he settles down on the ground near the klah pot and rests his elbows on his knees, then his chin in his hand, dozing as the klah stews.
Silence all around and while D'had is perfectly alright with that for himself, with Thea round someone should be saying something… Dark eyes shift from one, to the other, and back to the fire. An arm sneaks around the goldrider's waist beneath that blanket. Protective and assuring at that shudder of hers. "Get some sleep," he finally speaks up, the comment directed towards N'shen with nod from him towards the hammocks. "Ya look tired," which says nothing of himself.
Thea doesn't know how to read into silences, alas. And she doesn't handle them all that well, either. As for PDA, head on shoulder or hand on cheek, at least in her mind is mild for a Weyr, so any discomfort he's feeling simply hasn't occurred to her. He just doesn't seem fine to her, especially after that message from Taozyuth and his refusal to look at either of them. She finally speaks up and fills in, since no one has really told him anything, "The Wave swept us off the beach and the current was strong. Hypothermia looks bad, but see? It's better now that we're warm. We'll be fine." An attempt to reassure rather than make light of the situation. After D'had speaks, she adds quietly, "Thanks for making the klah. I can manage it from here."
N'shen grunts softly at D'had's words, but he silently leaves off the klah pot and pushes himself to his feet. As he turns towards his hammock, he stops near the other two, then abruptly, and swiftly, swoops in, enfolding them both in a tight hug with a murmured "Glad you're both okay!", then skittering away before either one of them can protest. See? He cares.
D'had stays silent while Thea explains further. Then, as N'shen gets up to head off he turns a glance to the junior weyrwoman, "Stay warm," he notes before pushing to his feet and wrapping his half of the blanket back around her before following the boy. Hopefully out of earshot of his weyrmate he speaks again, "Look." Perhaps not the best way to start, but then Donn isn't all that great with words. Ever. "I might not be the best dad, but I'm tryin', you need anything, you ask. Right?" So maybe not as sentimental as it could be…
Thea is caught unaware by N'shen's swift hug and thus unable to get her arms free from the blanket in time to return it before he dances away. "Rest," she murmurs to his back with a guilty look and a small sigh. She's tired. When D'had rises abruptly, she answers, "I will, but you should-" then thinks the better of it. When he follows N'shen, a look of understanding flickers over her face. While the words don't reach her clearly, she understands he's likely checking on the boy. She does get up to pour two mugs of klah, one of which gets a healthy (?) dose of whiskey from that bottle left from last night, then returns obediently to wrap up in that blanket, awaiting his return. One way or another, she'll get him warmed up, tent or no.
N'shen pauses as D'had speaks, half-turning in surprise. That startlement only grows at the man's clearly confusing words. "Well, D'had, I don't really have much experience on the whole father thing," he says after a long moment, voice hovering between exhausted and cautious, "but I think you do just fine." His lips curve in a tired smile. "If there's anythin' you can do, it's make Mama Thea stop worryin' so much. I love her. That ain't gonna stop. Same for you," he adds, before turning towards his hammock again. "Other'n that," he tosses over his shoulder, "I personally think we're all good. Don't you?"
D'had chuckles, a shake of his head given in an amused sort of reply. "Thanks," he replies. "But as far as her," a nod over his should back towards where they left Thea. "That's what she does. Been tryin' to work on that fer a few turns now." Another nod. "Get some rest," he agrees. "Could all use it." That said, since the teen seems to be go on the idea he turns back towards the fire.
Thea is focused on the fire, holding the mugs close enough to the radiated warmth that they stay hot. She's sipping from hers, lifts the other silently offering it over as D'had approaches. The blanket is opened so he can take his own advice and stay warm. "He alright?" The question is asked lowly so as not to disturb the boy. "This was supposed to be fun for him, not traumatic." She makes no move to head for their hammock. Given the chill feeling of that hand on her cheek before, she's keeping him by the fire - it's warm and there's a thick bed of moss beneath them, which ought to suffice.
D'had shrugs, settling back into the warmth of fire and blanket as fingers curl around the mug she offers him. "He'll be alright," he replies. A moment later, after a sip of his klah, "Thinks you worry too much…" Which he doesn't exactly disagree with, not that he's saying it this time though. "Should get some sleep too," he notes of them, lifting mug for another, longer, drink.
Thea is mid-sip when D'had says that. She swallows hastily, wincing as the hot liquid goes down, then snorts softly. "Now that's the pot calling the kettle black. Taozyuth tattled on him. He's- was? doing some worrying of his own." Pause. "About both of us." She slides him a look out of the corner of her eye while sipping her klah, silently satisfied he's doing so well on his. Silence while the fire crackles and they down the warm drinks. "We should." She'll heartily agree with him there. Her mug is set aside half-finished; she's warmed up enough. Up to snag an extra few blankets, one of which is tenderly draped over the hopefully-asleep N'shen since he gave them theirs and she's back to settle down with D'had, waiting for him to finish so they can curl up and hopefully recover somewhat.