faderift | (no subject)

WHO: Kain Highwind and OPEN
WHAT: Catch-all! Dracolisk bonding and brooding about the Fade-stuff
WHEN: Early half of June/Justinian (before Anders ritual 5)
WHERE: Around Skyhold, various places
NOTES: N/A, though there’s swearing if the parrot shows up

Stables

Kain heads into the stables toward the one where his dracolisk is currently waiting. Finding her off in the Western Approach had been no easy task, nor had winning her approval. But he’s managed to bring the creature back. She’s still a bit wild and stubborn, but he figures that actually means they’ll make a good pair. They've already started to bond... he doubts the dracolisk would have accompanied him back to Skyhold otherwise.

Today as he approaches to stroke her scaly neck, he catches the dracolisk’s eye. “Zephyr… that’s a good name for you. It’s about time you had one. Here. I brought you a treat...”

Outside Skyhold

Getting used to a new mount means he's got to spend plenty of time riding her. Kain takes off at a fast pace, getting a feel for how the dracolisk likes to move. He’s improved with his riding of four-legged creatures, looking confident as he rides around the surrounding area. Of course, there are some times when the dracolisk veers completely off paths… she’s got quite the mind of her own.

“Not this way!” Kain shouts in frustration, trying to bring them back to the nearest trail. Looks like he might be in for a bit of an exploration. He keeps his eyes out for signs of trouble, always wary of bears or other threats.

Tavern

Drowning his sorrows seems as good an idea as any. Many of his worst issues were shoved in his face in the Fade, and it’s all hitting him hard. He’d tried to ignore most of it as much as he could. Unfortunately, it’s getting to him.

So Kain takes a spot at the bar and orders a drink… well, two drinks. One for him, and a small one for his feathered friend. His parrot is with him, swearing cheerfully to anyone who approaches. Kain is so wrapped up in his thoughts that he doesn’t even try to silence the bird. He has a book on dragons with him, though even reading about his favorite creatures isn't doing much for him at the moment, so it's sitting there unopened.

Tower/Battlements

Up on one of his favorite high locations, Kain paces back and forth a little, before settling down. Then he takes out a map, which he starts looking over carefully. It’s a decent one, detailing both Ferelden and Orlais. He’s not sure if he really wants to leave, but he’s seriously thinking about it after the Fade. He’s too much of a danger. If he gets controlled again…

Well. It’s at least worth planning where he might go to if a need arises for him to spend some time away. He studies the map intently, occasionally pausing to just stare off into the distance.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Did Kain ever seem very sane at all, really? He semi-grins, unable to help it... he's always been so amused by people's reactions to his views on the scaly creatures. "They're better when they're larger, you can ride them then. I even cared for my father's dragon back home for a time... Of course, we had wild ones back home too, who were nothing but destructive. But there was once a time we dragoons rode our own dragons regularly..."

He looks approvingly at Zephyr, yes, she seems to be doing just fine adjusting to her new home. Kain's been unsure about having other people around her, so this is good too.

He shakes his head. That's about all he can do as Kain starts smiling at him and the dracolisk as well.

"I think this begins to explain a great deal about you, honestly." Anders' voice is wryly amused. "What's a flesh wound when you play with dragons? Still a flesh wound, though. Still something that needs seeing to. If she injures you, I don't care if you call it a love nip or what, it'll need attention."

What can he say? The absolute weirdest things make Kain happy. Like dragons. Or even other, similar enough creatures like the dracolisk, that have some sense of intimidation and danger to them.

"I suppose I could take that as a compliment of sorts..." After all, being associated with such creatures is a good thing to Kain. He knows better than to get a healer on his case though. "She hasn't bitten me yet. Well, that's broken the skin. There was also that one time that was a little harder... but my armor protected me." He's not sure he managed to be reassuring enough, but he tried. "I'll keep wary, though, if that helps any."

Surprisingly, while Kain's words aren't very reassuring, they're helping a little. The man's aware of how she could bite hard and that his armor protected him. Maybe he won't lose a limb after all.

"It helps. It means you know the risk. The ones who don't think there's a risk at all are the ones I have to see more often for reasons neither of us appreciate." Anders shakes his head. "Be safe. That's all I ask. And I'll hopefully see you more outside the healing tents than inside."

You see, Kain knows what he's doing! Sort of. At least his habit of walking around most of the time in armor comes in handy in this case. There's very little risk of him losing any limbs... by the dracolisk, anyway.

"Yes, I do know the risk. And I know to take care and be cautious around any creatures... I once cared for a dragon back home, after all." Though that hadn't been a wild dragon at all, having belonged to his father. Kain nods. "I've been careful, I promise. I've ended up in there too much for my liking, so I'll try to avoid it if I can..." By now they probably have a cot reserved just for him on the off chance he's back again. Sigh.

A part of him wants to ask why, exactly, anyone would care for a dragon. Another part decides that it's probably not worth it. Anders exhales and nods, refraining from commenting with too much skepticism.

"That's not quite the answer I'm looking for. Avoid the need for them, not the tents themselves, please. Otherwise I'll have to come out looking for you more often, just in case."

Dragoons are just... weird. There's no other way to put it. Though Kain does know that his affinity for them is especially strange in this world in particular. Back home, at least there was a history of the dragoons and their traditional dragon riding.

"That's what I said." ...No it wasn't, Kain... "Well... more or less." He sighs. "All right, I understand... I think. I'm sure I can manage not needing to visit the tents. You really don't need to go to the trouble of tracking me down, I'm sure you have more important things to deal with anyway..."

"Less, I'd say." His voice is wry. "It's rather simple. If you come whenever the need is minor, it has far less of a chance of becoming major. Your stays will be shorter, less of my time will be needed, and so on. It's truly that straightforward."

And yet people didn't come in for minor things and let them escalate. ...Or played with dracolisks. Then again, perhaps Anders should be glad of the Kains in the world - they kept him needed.

"I'll go now and let you bond more with your friend there, shall I? Lessen the risk of me treating you for your time with him."

Kain gives him a skeptical look. “A real man doesn’t complain of minor aches and pains.” Right? Right??? It seems like very strange logic to him. Healers. They really are something. He’s always been one to wait until the very possible last minute, and even then he usually doesn’t get things tended to until someone drags him in for that purpose. Which does mean that he often poses a challenge to healers…

“All right… I’m glad you had a chance to meet her, it’s good for her to get used to being around others. Anyway, I’m sure there’s nothing to worry about with the dracolisk. I’ve always bonded well with creatures like this.” Hopefully his words will prove to be true.