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It was hard to tell, sometimes, where Aurinkoth's hunger ended and where her's began. The little blue dragon certainly kept up with the best of them through the basics of their lessons over the last month (almost a whole month, she could barely believe it), but somewhere between him and Lemath, was a wish that she could just give him snacks throughout the day.

And sometimes, it was only halfway through feeding hers that she found that it wasn't Aurinkoth, but herself that had been the nuisance. Or was at least a lingering one. Aurinkoth stared up at her lovingly from her knee. You can have a piece. I wouldn't mind. he offered cheerfully and Ichta found herself smiling down at the dragon for all of his sweet offers. You do know that would make my stomach upset, yes? she asked. Aurinkoth seemed to also laugh. Fruit is good even if you say it is not good for me, he countered.

Yes, but a sour belly isn't what either of us need. she reminded, smoothing both of her hands over the perfect wedge shaped head of her blue. He leaned into her touch.

Still, while the day had been (mostly) relaxing, her shoulders slouched just enough to betray how tired she felt. Every day felt like a tiring day, but some days were just a little harder than others - but wasn't that what she'd wanted? Weren't the eyes that looked up at her adoringly as she continued to cut up dinner for him work every tired moment? Aurinkoth creeled adoringly up at her as the thought went through her head and it was hard to not feel the surge of love that came from her soulmate.

Her mother had always said that only perfect people became bonded with dragons, and while she doubted the validity of that now, Aurinkoth certainly seemed to think she was perfect. Even when tired. Her brain was a little bit everywhere, and it only took a moment of distraction for the knife to slip and the blade to sink squarely into the side of her hand. While she didn't make any pained noises, Aurinkoth's eyes whirled with the secondhand pain and he broadcasted a very pointed MINE IS HURT with gusto into the mind of any nearby sibling.

Ichta had already started cleaning up the cut, her brow particularly set - it almost made her look angry and it was a strange look to be certain on her gentle face. She hadn't even noticed that her dear sweet blue had called out on her behalf and instead looked up in surprise when G'ran reached out for her hand. She relinquished it with far too much ease as she stared at him with a daft sort of expression.

"Oh, it's..." she turned her hand to actually look at the side of it. It bled fairly freely, but... "it's not the worst thing, I don't think." yet with her uncertainty, she pulled her sleeve down to her wrist and smeared the spot free of blood. It took a few seconds to start flowing again. "That should...heal itself. Definitely." Which didn't really answer the question as to if it was 'deep', but perhaps it answered the other question; 'Is it serious?'

Aurinkoth keeled with some anxiousness, poking his head up to try and see what was going on. Is everything okay? Mine? he looked from the hands then to Ichta, keeling in a tone that was perhaps more worried than he usually was capable of being. But he was a baby, and in some ways, he'd felt it too.

Well, he doesn't look worried at least. But I know if I didn't say anything, mine wouldn't have and it would have made a mess. Aurinkoth butted his head back against Elzebuth's, then looked up at their bonded. It was hard to tell if something was serious if he went just off of either of their expressions, after all. Their eyes just stayed the same color all the time (and his' didn't even make sense!), and both sort of had...serious expressions by default.

"Feed Elzebuth first, I'll worry about Aurinkoth. But thank you. I'm just..." was there an excuse for spacing out enough to slice open her hand? If so, she didn't offer one up. At her hip, Aurinkoth kreeled, then honked brightly. Oh dearest Ichta, there was no need to be gloomy! "It'll be fine."

She was not very convincing.

And I can't swallow another bite until you're looked at. Aurinkoth offered as well, kreeling up at the young woman. Seeing her little blue so...blue perhaps was a very successful guilt trip as she sighed, seeming to relent. Well if everybody was going to insist....

"Okay....." her voice was small, and her shoulder drooped a bit as she relented to take the offered hand. She pointedly didn't focus on that too much. It wasn't like it meant anything. The entire gesture perhaps shouldn't have been read into, but it made her insides knot up as she rose to her feet. Aurinkoth was clearly delighted as he circled Elzebuth, watching the pair and honking at them (he would get that bugling sound down eventually).

They better go fast or food might be gone by the time we get back!

Well I do know where the kitchen is.... Aurinkoth didn't offer that perhaps he and another of their siblings had maybe gotten into a little trouble down there (but it was fine. They hadn't broken anything, after all). If not kept in check, his happy ways combined with Elzebuth's ever so indulgent ones, would be a lot of trouble.

Unlike G'ran, Ichta stared transfixed as her hand was sutured up, though all of the color faded from her face as she did so. In fact, she was so absorbed into it that when he squeezed her shoulder she nearly jumped, and the healer gave her a look and reminded her to hold still. She managed a 'sorry', but beyond that didn't even hiss with discomfort or out of a pain response triggered just from looking at it. The weaver in her was fascinated to recognize the style of stitch, looking it over and offering her own thanks to the healer before they were off again.

She was still looking over it when he spoke up with his question, color still somewhat gone from her cheeks. "The whole area was already sore before, but the numbweed did it's job." Mostly. Still, she ran her fingers over the stitching and flexed her fingers testingly. "But...thank you for staying with me. You could have left me, you know."

Why would he? It was a fair question and it made her arms shrink in a bit until she finally just shrugged. "I've just never had anybody stick around before, I guess...." it was perhaps an unconscious effort, but the second she felt her fingers touch the scar on her face her hand jerked away as though she'd touched fire. She didn't comment on it at all and instead looked at G'ran with a sort of confused look.

Was she going to - oh!

"I have to watch. I..." she frowned down at her hand again, "even if I don't want to, I have to. I'll be fine once these two," Aurinkoth chirped appreciatively, "are fed and I just..." she had to keep herself from picking nervously at her new stitches, frowning at her own blasted fingers before she pointedly pulled both sleeves up over her thumbs. There, stop that. "I may need to drink something, but it can wait."

Only if you want to! Elzebuth and I could go to the kitchen! Aurinkoth asked and Ichta stared down at him with a frown. "Why would you go down to the kitchen?" For food! Oh boy.

Things were different. This wasn't home - if a place of origin could have been considered such. It wasn't her craft hall, and even here the Weyr had secured a place for both of them; or perhaps it was the young dragons that were now cheeping about the kitchen that had done that.

"Klah is fine as long as it's not overly sweet," Ichta agreed. She could see the appeal of a sweet beverage to some, but perhaps fruit was - oh, the thought of fruit had made Aurinkoth perk up with interest - the best she could do when it came to that.

"If you two start feeding yourselves in the kitchen, does that mean you don't want to spend time with us anymore?" Ichta asked and Aurinkoth reeled back slightly, yellow tinging his eyes. Never! They won't play with me! he contested, kreeling at his bonded who gingerly took his head and planted a kiss on his forehead. The yellow ebbed out immediately.

Still, the plots of a small adventure amused Ichta, who just smiled over at G'ran. "Perhaps we should feed them before they plan too much mischief." What's mischief? Is it fun?

While G'ran's concern was well placed as Ichta settled in next to him, she couldn't help but tilt her head a little. "I didn't slice my dominant hand, so it'll be fine," she assured, patting his arm and offering a smile up at him.

Aurinkoth practically glued himself to the edge of the table, looking up at the pair with a delighted trill. Ichta ran her good hand over the top of his head before she started to cut up a few pieces of meat, measuring out several pieces before she set the first one on Aurinkoth's nose, allowing the blue to 'play' with his breakfast as he tried to get it back in his mouth.

You seem happy right there, mine! You should sit next to your friend more!