RCW: Nightmares and sleepovers

Posted on Thu Jan 9th, 2025 @ 1:48pm by Green Rider Cathlyn & Green Rider Neilla & Brown Rider T'mil & Blue Rider V'lik

Mission: 3531 AL
Location: River Cove Weyr
Timeline: M2 D20

“Dig harder and faster!” The man shouted, cracking a whip. “Do it now!” The boys cringed as the whip cracked above their heads. The youngest of the two cowered against his brother. The other held his brother close.

“Move it!” The man snarled, the whip cracking against the older brother's arm. The boy cried out as his younger brother started crying. V'lik screamed as he crashed out of his bed. Terilith bugled in alarm.

The small form who had been asleep next to him bolted awake at the scream and then winced at the bugle of alarm from the blue dragon. Sandith instantly became awake at her rider's alarm and murmured something about nightmares to the confused woman.

“What? Are you okay?” Neilla asked, confused, at why V’lik was on the floor. She could not believe she had fallen asleep there after the pair had been drinking together again. She was fully dressed as was he but it still made the situation with her wingmate confusing.

V'lik was trembling as he forced his eyes open. The dream was so real. And unfortunately, it was something that had happened quite frequently. The blue rider looked toward Neilla's voice, fear still showing. “Neilla?” He whispered.

Neilla had seen that type of fear before and scooted across the bed landing on the floor next to him. “Hey.” She greeted wrapping her arms around him tightly. She had seen Nerlyn wake up from those type of dreams after drinking sometimes.

The blue rider buried his face in her shoulder. He'd be embarrassed later but for the moment he didn't care. “I was back there,” he whispered.

Neilla was surprised by the man’s clinging to her. “The mines?” She questioned. They had been wingmates long enough to know his and K’yar’s past but she had never heard him like this before.

V'lik slowly nodded. He hadn't dreamed of the mines for a long time. And it was never good when he did. “Had to protect K'yar,” he whispered.

“And you did. He is here.” Neilla reminded in the gentle tone she used with her own daughter when she saw her or Raen.

He slowly started to relax again although his eyes still showed fear. “I don't understand why now?” He whispered. Why had he dreamed that now?

“We did drink a lot.” She commented trying to lighten the mood now that his voice calmed down and Sandith assured that Terilith was pretty much back to being asleep. “I believe you proclaimed. I survived thread score and several of us agreed. I would not be surprised if I didn’t find Imela, Cathlyn and T’mil passed out on your couch as we all came back when we got kicked out of the cavern. Shame you could not persuade that pretty healer to join the party.”

V'lik scrubbed at his face. That would explain the headache and the nightmares. “Shards,” he moaned. He must have been such a fool. “Thalia? Did I try? Please say I wasn't a complete wherryheaded.”

Neilla laughed and slowly stood up offering her hand and hauling him to his feet. At least she had stolen a place to properly pass out instead of on the couch or floor. She wanted to have a good day with no aches other than the headache she could feel brewing already. “Yes, Thalia. What other healer is available?” She teased him not giving him any more information as she glanced out into his living area and indeed saw several riders crashed on his couch and floor.

“Neilla,” he groaned. “Please tell me I didn't completely mess up.” He wanted to get to know Thalia better. Not show her how wherryheaded he could be. He accepted her offer of help and was still a bit wobbly from his dream and drink.

Neilla laughed looking back. She shook her head. “She said we were all too far gone to drink with as she would make herself ill catching up.” She assured seeing the desperation in his eyes. She smiled, she had not seen him like that since she was a weyrling and he was trying it on with Riana. “You might have told her she was beautiful and picked her up to steal to our group when she came in but she was laughing.”

V'lik flushed in embarrassment. Thalia would never talk to him now. “Would have been nice if someone had stopped me,” he whispered, but couldn't stay upset when he saw his friends passed out. Must have been some night.

“Imela was in charge of you at that point. And she doesn’t quite know your quirks, you used that to your advantage. She will not be making that mistake again. I believe Thalia also told you that if you did it on your other shoulder she was not fixing you up.” Neilla laughed, nudging him with her elbow as he took in the scene. “So a healer hmm?” She wondered smirking at Cathlyn snuggled up on T’mil on the couch whilst several people were on furs on the floor with cards scattered around revealing the end of how the night had ended.

The blue rider groaned. He had definitely made a fool of himself. “We've only talked a couple of times,” he answered. “She probably won't talk to me again now.” He did smile though as he watched their friends sleeping.

“V’lik she seemed interested,” Neilla assured as she decided to start nudging a few people to return them to their weyrs and beds. “She was smiling at you in the same daft way you were. She wanted to come and play cards and whatever else we were doing but did not want to catch up when we had already drunk enough. If I remember rightly… T’mil… wake up did the healer seem interested in V’lik?” She demanded of the brown rider as Cathlyn mumbled something incoherent from his chest.

V'lik wasn't so sure. Especially when he had acted so daft.

“Hmm?” T'mil mumbled, opening his eyes partway before wincing at the light. “The healer?” He repeated as he tried to get his mind wrapped around the question. “Oh yeah, she certainly did. She was making that same goofy face V'lik is wearing now.”

“I’ll be interested in V’lik if you all don’t shut up, especially you brown rider,” Cathlyn mumbled, pressing more into T’mil’s jacket hiding from the light. Neilla looked at her sister and laughed, her sister was more fun drunk.

“See,” Neilla said smirking. T'mil chuckled softly but fell silent. No sense in making Cathlyn angry.

“Yeah, I see,” V'lik agreed.

“Good. Now back to bed, V'lik. I am going to my bed and well these are all your problems.” She teased V’lik indicating their wingmates.

V'lik pulled a face. “Thanks for the support,” he groaned. Well, there would be no waking them for a bit so sleep it was.

Neilla just smiled and offered a wave as she grabbed up her boots from the floor and escaped out of the weyr with a quick kiss to Cathlyn’s head and scruffing of T’mil’s hair. She felt happy about her morning despite the headache that was brewing. She hoped everyone else felt better once they finally stirred.