One More Day
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Xanadu Weyr - Waterfall Cave

Cleverly hidden behind the illusion of stone, a cave has formed at the base of the waterfall itself, large enough to host several individuals comfortably, or one person and a dragon. The walls are moist and textured, with small rivulets of water draining from the cave floor down into the pond beyond. Moving further back into the cave finds a dry floor and a smooth rear wall. Two sturdy camp chairs lean up against the back wall, along with a generous bedroll, wrapped in water-tight animal skins. A small bundle of firewood rests off of the floor on a makeshift stand, drying.

The roar of the falls is loud here, making conversation difficult from any range other than close, and the sheer volume of water makes it almost impossible to see through to the forest beyond. The only way out appears to be via the water, back the way you came.


One more day. The last two times that D'had has come to this place, he's been met with those three simple words in reference to Thea and her stay there. One…more day. But perhaps today is that day. The cave is dim, and cooler than it has been over the last week's weather. Light comes from a ball of fire that floats in a metal bowl full of oil, throwing long shadows around the cave's interior. Dishes have been cleaned and stored, bedrolls have been folded and tucked out of the way. Behind the waterfall, Thea and Tenebrous are sitting in simple camp chairs, the flame between them on a third stool. Both hold simple tin mugs, hers doubtless filled with more of that Banana drink that she's been so religiously quaffing. A quiet scene. One that has departure scrawled all over it. It's about an hour after sunup…

Thea is silent, looking somewhat drawn in spite of the quiet rest she has had in this place. She's staring down into that mug as though it is the most interesting thing in the world to her, but with no real focus. "Do I -have- to take the fellis-draught for the bad ones? Nothing else helps, but it leaves me so… muddled."

D'had's arrival is much the same as the last two days. Siebith lands and the Weyrsecond finds his way to the cave looking just as scruffy as before. "Mornin'," he greets to include the healer as well as the weyrwoman letting himself in. Striding over to Thea's side he drops a hand to her shoulder, "How you feelin'?"

Tenebrous remains quite still, merely nodding to the Weyrsecond as he arrives. "Yes," he murmurs, his voice a bit rusty. One of the first things he's said all morning. "I'm afraid it's quite necessary until we can tell if you're having headaches because of neurological bruising…or other, more mundane things." He glances up at D'had and continues. "I expect trips to the Xanadu Infirmary once every two days, Weyrwoman, and confirmed visits from a healer to mark your progress. Your recovery has been slow…but steady."

If the flapping of big blue wings cannot be heard through the falls, at least the tap of boots on stone is enough to have Thea lifting her head towards the cavern's entrance. She takes in his scruffy appearance, so in contrast with her own, her hair sleek and clean from it's wash in the falls, a borrowed blouse and skirt of Phylicia's in place of her stained and muddied wherhide clothing she'd been wearing. As the Weyrsecond places his hand on her shoulder, she looks up at him, "Better except for the headaches." An up-down look at him has her asking, "You didn't sleep out there again?" She winces at the directive from Tenebrous, turns her head towards him, "I have to go -there-? Ugh." The grimace on her face says exactly what she thinks of that.

"Those should get better," D'had says of the headaches, looking to Tenebrous even as he says it for conformation. He shakes his head, "No." That's what he says, but then it might be hard to say for sure if he did or not unless one had looked during the night.

Tenebrous is still for perhaps a half-second longer than he should be before murmuring, "I can…speak with my apprentice. She's decided to head back to the Weyr for some much-deserved time off, but perhaps she would be willing to do a few house calls in my absence." His eyes flicker over to a buckle-festooned satchel, one built for traveling at high speeds. "Though I may be able to put my trip to the north off for a time."

Or unless one had a gold dragon who could press a certain blue into tattling, which by the look in Thea's eye, is done. She says nothing more on the matter, however her eyes narrow just a bit. They'll be talking later. She dutifully returns her attention to that banana drink, lifts the mug to her lips, then lowers it, quickly. "Absence? I thought… you were going to oversee my recovery? Tho Phylicia is fine, I'll just bet the other pesky healers will…" Grumpgrowl. Thea sinks down into her chair. Where was she? Oh yeah, banana drink.

"I'll let you two work that out," D'had notes. He'll stay out of who's seeing who where for that recovery. Best not to get in the middle of that. Siebith isn't exactly good at keeping things so yes, they're likely be talking bout that later.

Tenebrous looks down into the fire. "If I can…find a way to get to the Hold and back with more swiftness, I'd be delighted to oversee your recovery, of course." He rubs the back of his neck through the low hood on his coat. "Let me re-examine my traveling schedule. There may be a way to kill two 'Sports with one stone, as it were."

Thea drains the mug, lowers it and sighs, "No, don't change your schedule for me, it's okay. I'm just… I'll be fine, I'm sure." She rises, gathering her folded clothes in her arms, shifting them to hand her mug to the healer, suddenly awkward. "I… Thank you for pulling me out of there… and everything." She gives D'had an uncertain look since he's being so quiet, not that that's anything new but, well, someone should say thanks. She turns back to Tenebrous, "Tell Phylicia I'll get her clothes back to her for me?"

"We, me and Siebith that is, we could give you a ride up and back if ya needed…" D'had offers, a bit unsure of if he should have or not, but he did and he's not taking it back now.

Tenebrous raises an eyebrow. "A generous offer, Weyrsecond, but one that I think I'll have to pass on. Flying on a dragon has a tendency to make me…" One of his hands strays up to the collar of his coat. "…ill." He smiles slightly under his hood. "I hear rumors, Rider. They say that no one understands Pernese gravity like you and your blue friend, otherwise you wouldn't have survived some of the maneuvers you've been witnessed attempting." He looks up at the man. "My best friend took me up once…I haven't been the same since."

Thea blinks at D'had for that offer, her eyes widening just a bit before sliding towards Tenebrous with a silent warning in her eyes. "Siebith's flying is an unparalleled adventure," she says dryly "I can honestly say I was never the same after my ride on him." Slight tension drains from her shoulders when the healer declines the ride. Her hand with the mug lowers, since it is not taken from her and she steps towards the back of the cave to find the dishbin. Ah. The mug is placed with the others and then she's turning back.

D'had chuckles, "I'll take that as a compliment healer," he replies with a slight nod of his head. "We'd be far more careful with you," he adds assuringly. "But I understand, some don't do so well with flying."

Tenebrous stands slowly as well. Without even a flinch, he reaches into the bowl with the fireball and simply closes his fist over it. The fire vanishes with a little hiss, and Tenebrous merely pockets it again. "Thank you for confirming my suspicions, Weyrwoman," he says, a little humor in his voice. As Thea returns from the Dishbin, Tenebrous bows low to her, murmuring, "Stormhaven was honored to have you, Lady Rider. While her arms are always open to you…perhaps your next visit will be under more pleasant circumstances. I hope you've found some measure of…solace here." He steps aside, allowing the two riders access to the rocks first.

Thea watches the golden flame's death, lifts her eyes to the healer and inclines her head, "I'm honored and I did." She turns to D'had, "Thank you for understanding I couldn't rest down there in the Infirmary." Her grip on the folded hide clothes tightens for a moment before she is placing them on her camp chair and reaching for her coat.

"Thanks for takin care of her," D'had adds his own thanks to the healer with a duck of his head. "Good luck in your travel." Beat. "Suppose you're ready to get home now though.." he adds, this of course directed towards Thea.

"It's what we do, Rider. We look after people." Tenebrous looks around the cave for a moment, eyes settling on a part of the wall in the back. "We might do it from far away, or up close…We'll do our best not to get in the way of things." He turns back to look at the two riders. "But we're always there. Always."

Thea nods silently in answer to D'had, lifts her long, fur-lined coat shrugs into it and re-gathers her clothes and hugs them as she peers into the back of the cave, "I guess… there's nothing I'm forgetting. Didn't bring anything with me…" She turns towards the entrance and that rock wall, looking uncertain about attempting the climb back out.

D'had nods silently to the healer, trailing a half step behind Thea as she heads for the entrance. "I'll go first," he offers, waiting for an answer from her before descending to wait for her, just in case. Siebith waits there, and then it's just mounting up to head back to the weyr.

Tenebrous moves up behind Thea as D'had prepares his descent. "I'll be right behind you," he murmurs. "Just like last time. And don't worry. If you fall, it's just water down there." He grins. "Still awkward. But not lethal."

Thea just sort of stands there helplessly holding her clothes as D'had climbs down. She shrugs and calls to him, "Catch!" and tosses them down to him. "Don't look down," she tells herself. She blinks over her shoulder at Tenebrous and nods, "I know you will." She makes her way down to the ground, one last look back then is following D'had to Siebith. As the blue lifts off and turns back towards the Weyr, atop his back one desolate weyrwoman looks back towards the cave and the man standing there. Something bright catches the morning sun on her face that flashes once before her dark hair, wind-whipped hides it and her head turns resolutely forward.

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