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The day was bright. The Threadfree skies were nearly cloudless as K'tin made his sweep with the wind in his face and the lazy beat of his green's wings filling his ears. There were people along every trail, all of them pressing together to reach the Gather in time to set up their stalls or simply to enjoy the festivities. Most of the ones that were travelling were doing so from distant Holds with plans to stay in the area for quite some time after the Gather, which gave hope that there would be craftsmen showing off new wares as opposed to the normal vendors that appeared to open booths. It wasn't often they received a long duration of threadfree days, but the charts indicated that they would have nearly a sevenday filled with mild weather. It gave the riders and dragons time to heal and time to relax, something that was increasingly valuable in both regards. The Weyr had put most of their riders on leave, with only a few being sent out on sweep rides to make sure there were no signs of interruption.

He tilted forward and strained against his flying straps a little bit as he watched one of the carts, lifting his lips with a smile as he saw one of the youngsters wave up at him eagerly as Natiath circled above them. The green was in a fine mood, her neck arched and gleaming with the fresh oiling that he had given her before they had taken off. Her eyes swirled with blues and greens as she tilted her head down to regard the travelers with interest. She remembered the last Gather at the end of the Turn, when he had danced long into the night and actually returned to his weyr still singing. For the life of him, he wasn't sure why she enjoyed his singing, but she did and often hummed along with him, though he would never sing in public. She tipped her wings to one side, waggling it before turning back to their sweep, giving the children a thrill before she leveled off.

"There will be many harpers at the Gather." She commented, her eyes twinkling slightly as he stroked a hand along her soft neck. They sing better than N'ran.

"They don't sing better, they simply have more training and harmonize together." K'tin commented and stretched himself out, peeling off his helmet so the cool air could tickle through his hair.

Perhaps they could come to the Weyr? She added hopefully and gave her wings a slow beat, turning along the line of the mountains.

"They do for Hatchings, you're simply too besotted looking at the dragonets to bother with them." He smiled fondly at her, leaning back on the neck ridge.

It was a quiet time, one of the few that they got and he savored it even on sweep. Her mood was so bright that he could feel it in the back of his mind, a solid caress of happiness that brought a smile to her face. She flicked her wing down, turning easily on the wing tip before turning towards the mountains themselves. She was never happier then when they were able to fly together simply for flying. Too often their flights were limited to a few beats in the air and going between to one errand or another, or flying Thread or running drills. He wondered if once the Interval came if they would have endless time like this, where they could simply enjoy one another's company and the wide open world around them. Natiath sent a wordless pulse of love to him as she beat her wings and rose up higher in the air where it became colder and chilled his cheeks.

There would be no Thread today, that much was obvious, there was not even a sniff of clouds or weather changing. Their Sweep was routine, something that they were assigned because he had drawn lots to be on the air during the day instead of picking up guests for the Gather. They had their area to patrol, but they could do it easily from any point within that territory. It would take them only a moment to summon the Weyr if Thread sign began to show, so why should they spend it soaring over the rather boring landscape below. Soon enough he would go back to the routine of fighting Thread and the errands that all greenriders seemed to end up running. Why not enjoy their afternoon as well as continue their duty? The blue rider that had gone out had said he would do as much with no reprimand from their wingleader, today was a day of pleasure.

"Do you know the river? The one that runs through the mountains and towards the plains?" He asked and leaned forward, seeing his green's eyes picking up speed as she turned her head back to regard him.

Yes. She answered, and there was a happy rush beneath the answer. Shall we go there?

"Yes." A smile pulled at the edges of his lips while he stroked the palm of his hand along her emerald green neck affectionately. "We will take a small break, then we can continue our sweep."

He felt Natiath's hum of pleasure through his buttocks as she turned unerringly towards the river, increasing her speed with anticipation. The river was a deep slow flowing body of water that wound its way through the valleys. It was a favorite spot of fishermen, but many dragons enjoyed visiting the place because of the depth and the fact they could submerse themselves and let the water rush over their backs and shoulders. As she dipped down he felt a puckish rush of humor rise up in him and he began to strip out of his shirt while still in the air. It wasn't an easy task, and he felt her amusement at his contorting as he clipped the flight straps to his belt and stuffed his shirt into his pack. His excitement

was augmented by his dragon, her eager wing beats arrowed them towards the distant river, picking up on his own eagerness.

Perhaps it was their own strange relationship that worked together, they were closer than most riders and their dragons. He had noticed it slowly, that their intimacy had led to them being able to hear each other far more strongly than others. He could feel her emotions almost as closely as he could feel them when she was ready to mate. It had been strange, at first, but the intimate regard that reached into his soul was something that he treasured. It made it easier for her to pick up his ideas, to sort them out and implement them. It made it easier for him to read her moods, her desires, they twined about in one another's mind and soul so firmly that he rarely was able to distinguish where one another ended. She was excited for the prospect of his jump, eager for a break in their sweep.

It didn't take long for him to strip, though it was awkward on her back and she slowed her beats to make sure that he wasn't going to go tumbling. He had no fear on her, none at all. Even if the straps had broken and he tumbled off, he knew that she would catch him up easily before he could take any harm. It was a faith that brought a smile to his face as he saw the glittering water of the river looming up before them. He stroked the line of her neck, caressing the softness of her hide while he leaned forward and shifted up onto his knees on her back. She arched her neck, twisting her head back to briefly flick her tongue against his arm, growing more excited by the moment while she dropped down closer and closer to the river.

Here? She asked and hovered, beating her wings rapidly as she came above the slow moving water.

"Exactly." He stood up carefully, his boots stuffed in his bag on her back as he balanced along the ridge of her spine as she strove to keep herself as level as possible. "Do you think you can keep in the center?"

Of course. She was humming with her excitement and pleasure, making his smile grow wide enough that he let out a laugh of delight. The water is deep enough here.

He let out a low laugh and moved back along her, balancing carefully as every beat of the wings rocked her up and down, but he had years of knowing the pattern of her flight and this was no difference. She craned her head all the way back to watch him, her eyes sparking with colors of excitement as he reached her haunches and looked down at the river. It was several dozen feet below him, farther than

even the cliff near one of the lakes they liked to swim in, but that was half of the fun. He swallowed a breath as she circled tightly, keeping herself centered in the middle of the river for him as he tensed himself up. He kept his eyes on the water, a grin playing on his face before Natiath felt a burst of amusement, his only real warning before she gave her tail and haunches a little snap in the air.

K'tin yelped out before he was tossed off her, her teasing bugle following him town as his well prepared dive turned into a tumble in mid air. The wind of her wings swept down around him as he righted himself in midair, watching the water rushing up towards him at a break neck speed. He felt his greens silent laughter behind him as he tucked his head and stretched his legs out, extending his body easily before the water crashed around him in a cold rush. The air was nearly knocked out of his lungs as he dove beneath the water, kicking his legs automatically and surging upwards as he dipped under the slow moving currents. His arms flexed, pushing himself up until he crested the water sputtering and tossing his short hair, kicking through the water easily as a shadow rushed above him, circling close enough that the wind from the wings created waves.

"Minx!" He sputtered up at the dragon who hummed down at him, her eyes swirling rapidly in her excitement.

You were thinking too long. She responded easily and dipped down further to the water. The water is nice.

Before he could do more than back peddle away the green swept her forked tail down and deliberately swept it out to send a wave of water crashing towards him. K'tin laughed and swam backwards, feeling the water hitting against his shoulders as his beloved dropped low enough to begin to backwing into the shallows. She snorted happily as her feet sank beneath the water, her tail lashing so it kicked up great waves while she waited for him to come and strip her harness from her. A day in the river and then an evening at the Gather, it had been too long since he'd had such a pleasant day, and the glint in Natiath's eyes hinted that she had something more enjoyable in her thoughts than simple swimming