Knots and Dolphins and Traders, Oh My!
caverns.jpg


Xanadu Weyr - Caverns
A massive cavern in it's own right, this one has been skillfully adapted for human habitation. The high ceilings have been painted a light, soft ivory, as are the walls where numerous tapestries hang to provide brilliant color and insulation from the stone. The floor has been left in its natural state, pale pink granite speckled through with glittering mica and dark flecks of basalt, leveled carefully but kept sufficiently rough to avoid slips.
The cavern itself is loosely divided into areas, each one set up to be suitable for some segment of the Weyr's population. The most frequently occupied area, however, is the one near the Kitchens where tables of varying sizes provide a place to sit down and eat or chat and a buffet of consumables is almost always kept stocked. Its plain that on most days, this area wouldn't accommodate anywhere near the full population of the Weyr and equally plain that on such occasions when a formal meal is laid out, tables are appropriated from all the other areas.
A big fireplace is set into the wall near the Kitchens as well, several comfortable chairs nearby providing haunts for elderly residents or riders who like a good view of all that happens. Rugs cover the floor in strategic spots, all of them abstract or geometric in design and most in the softly neutral colors of undyed wool.


Now is the time for the eating of lunch! Here is the Soriana with the lunch before her. She's at a table with a group of harper apprentices, occasionally adding a comment into their conversation as she eats cornbread and spicy bean chili. It's all sociable and such, up until one of the others notices the time. Oops. Is that their class starting in five minutes? It is! So all the rest of Soriana's table is hastily picking up their plates, some of them grabbing rolls or other hand-sized food as they make a hurried exodus and leave Sori behind at a suddenly open table.

Idrissa is making her way towards the tables after finding some food stuffs that she could get for the lunch thing. It took a bit of work seeing how it was at the end of lunch but she was able to find some spicy rice and wherry dish, along with roasted tubers, a few cheesy buns, and even three sweet rolls that she snagged from the pan before someone carted it off to the back. She catches sight of Soriana and smiles, heading over that way and takes over a free seat across from her friend. "Hey." This said with her plates set upon the table before she settles upon a seat. "How goes?" Clothing wise is about the same, including some hay sticking from her hair that she couldn't reach, or doesn't know is even there. The new bit that is back would be the beastcraft apprentice knot back on her shoulder.

That's a voice Soriana recognizes even with her gaze on her plate chasing down a particularly agile bean, and she smiles. "Hey. I'm good, how're- you got it back!" Before, she had a smile. Now, she has a grin. "What happened? How'd you do it?"

Idrissa picks up her fork and goes about munching on a bite of the rice mixture, which isn't to bad actually. Her bright gaze drifts upwards, a bit of confusion crosses her face before a slight oh escapes her. She ahs a moment. "Well, it was strange. Jarse made me go into his office for a talk. He asked me what I'd learned and everything and after a long talk he tossed it back to me." A slight shake of her head is seen while she eyes her plate a moment. "It didn't make a lot of sense at all in how he did it."

"Huh. So… like it was all some kind of… lesson or something?" Soriana's nose wrinkles up for a moment. "That's stupid." She shakes her head, then returns to the grin. "Anyway, what's important is you've got it back!"

Idrissa shrugs a moment and glances back to Soriana. "I suppose in his mind. He said it was a lesson to prove that I was the right drive for the craft. Talked about how it wasn't all about riding runners all day and how it was hard work." A soft huff escapes her at that, yes she's still a bit offended over that comment. A smile seen and she nods. "Yup, and I'm going to work on getting another Journeyman too."

Soriana shakes her head. "If you didn't have the drive, why would you be doing it in the first place?" she frowns. "And every craft's got hard work. I mean, that's kinda the point of apprentice chores, to make sure you know that." She pauses a moment, then adds, "Well… and because the journeymen'd rather not…" The frown lingers, growing thoughtful, and then she glances up again and nods firmly. "Yeah. One that doesn't suck." There's a flash of grin. "I still say you shoulda talked to my mom. She could have gotten things fixed real quick." If she'd had time. If Idrissa managed to speak with her in the first place. Details. "But I'm glad you're back now."

Details indeed! But that was then, and this is now. "Maybe, but I dono. Jarse is a tricky one, one of the other apprentices told me that the Weyrleader was in there talking to him before Jarse wanted to talk to me." Idrissa says after a moment. "I don't think Jarse likes me very much, and I dono if deals with the whole fact that Keziah bought Red Feathers for me or something else that I have no clue on. He just seems verymean" Well yes that is one word for it. "I have a few to talk to, so I'm hoping one of them will be willing to do it or who knows what could happen if Jarse was to get made over something again." A smile is seen and she nods. "At least the teachers are going to let me do all my missed work. A few of the apprentices are going to help me do with notes an all so at least it's going to work out." She'll be busy for the next few sevendays trying to get everything taken care of at this rate.

A brow rises at the mention of the Weyrleader there, but Soriana's only actual comment is a, "Huh." As for Jarse not liking Idrissa, she nods, with maybe a trace of a smile. "Understatement of the turn," she points out, then has a few forkfuls of her lunch before nodding again. "Suppose we won't be seeing much of you for a while, then… but if there's something I can help with, lemme know." She hehs. "Not that you aren't way past what I know about runners, these days."

Idrissa smirks a moment and shrugs. "Ya ya.. I know, I state the obvious an all." She murmurs out while munching on another bite of food. There is a bit of amusement seen at the part on not seeing her much. "Well it's possible. As much work that I missed I have a lot of catch up on. Like stuff dealing with illnesses which I had only just started on. An then more work with hooves and teeth." She makes a slight face. "They're going to show us has to float he teeth, one a runner that isn't fully sedated. They said it is in case of a runner that can't be given sedation, so we know what to do." Oh ya, lots of run with a 1000lb runner has just a thimble of sedation on board and they need to grind the teeth down.

Soriana grins a bit, then nods, listening as she continues to eat her meal. "Ooh. That'd be… yeah." She gives her head a shake. "We've sometimes got to work on dragons without numbweed, but at least there, the rider can tell the dragon to hold still, it'll just be a moment. Even so… Deterik got whacked by a tail once, knocked him over. He was working on a broken claw, and the green just… twitched." Pause, a moment, wince. Coulda been Sori. "She was sorry after, but still. The bruise was pretty impressive."

Idrissa makes a slight face. "Quinnet and Ren was working on the hooves of this work runner one time, and Quinnet hit something that sent the runner kicking and bucking. Ren got hit in the chest with the head and nearly hit his head into the post. All fun and games right?" Rissa questions with an amused tone and shake of her head. "Runners don't always listen even when there sedated, there so big they can still yank someone off their feet."

Soriana winces. "Ooh, yeah." Dragons are bigger, but they also have better self-control! Far better, once you consider that a queen will be holding them for anything major. "So, uh… try not to get kicked into anything, okay?" Soriana's smiling, but her tone is halfway serious. "You can't make up lessons from the infirmary. At least not very well."

Idrissa looks amused and grins. "Hey, I haven't been kicked in a while. Though I was dealing with stable hand work lately so that could be why too." She is known for being clumsy after all, always getting into some sort of problem, as an accident of course! "Though the healers all know me By name Suppose that isn't a good thing is it?" She makes a face while thinking about this, while chewing on another bite of food, a slight cough escaping her from the spiciness of it.

Noooo. Soriana smirks and shakes her head slowly. "All the dragonhealers can recognize Serena and Akiith, too. Doesn't mean it's a good thing. I mean, don't get me wrong, they're both perfectly nice! But… yeah. You're supposed to know people for social reasons, not because they've patched you up so many times." She grins. "Speaking of… well, sorta… have you heard there's a trader caravan in the area?"

Idrissa rolls her eyes some and chuckles before pondering. "You know how I am with social reasons." She points out with a slight tap of her fork against the plate. "Ya, Kale got a pair of boots from them not all that long ago actually. They're staying around until after the hatching and all."

"Needs Improvement," says Soriana, miming writing on a progress report, then grins and nods. "Yeah. So maybe we should go take a look, see what they've got. Y'know, when your brain's so full of facts you can't stuff anymore in for a little bit." She sops up a bit of sauce with her cornbread, the two sitting across from each other at a table at lunchtime, then sighs. "Yeah. With the two flights so close, the sands barely even got to cool in between."

Idrissa ponders that and rolls her eyes before a slight chuckling escapes her. "I didn't want to go before, though now I think I might be interesting in seeing what they have you know?" She munches on a sweet roll and offers the plate on over to Soriana for her to get one. "Ya that's what I thought, sands are working double time." She pauses a moment, pondering. "Have you thought about standing again?" This questioned with a curious tone while she peers at Sori.

Soriana snags the offered sweetroll, and nods. "Better to go together. Traders'll try to convince you everything they've got is a fabulous, one of a kind, you'll be sorry you missed it offer." She grins. "But sometimes, it's actually interesting." She nibbles on the pastry - mm, sugar - while nodding about the sands, then lowers it to tilt her head to the side. "Well, sure. I mean, it's not up to me who stands, but of course I have." A pause. "What about you?"

The sound of whistling can be heard moments before n-talya appears in the entrance to the caverns, skipping along as she moves towards the serving table. The normaly shy young dolphineer appears absolute beside herself today as she collects her meal.

Idrissa ehs softly at the thought. "Ya I'd rather not go through that and have to run away when they wouldn't take no for a answer." Either that or Rissa would buy whatever the item could possibly be. She chews on a bite of rolls and ponders a few moments while looking at the table, a nod seen. "I think I would do it again." Last time was just a hard thing to deal with for everyone included; it's had a lasting effect on her as well.

"And that's why you go in groups," says Soriana. "That way, they can't completely surround you." Wait, is she talking about traders or battling wild felines? Eh, either way. She tilts her head as Idrissa ponders, then nods. "It'll be Sahazyth's first. D'ren's been practically pacing." She grins, then looks up at the sound of a whistle and laughs as she sees Natalya go by. "Somebody's in a good mood today."

Natalya looks up to Soriana and smiles brightly, "I just got in from swimming with the pod. I think I made a friend out there." she giggles and sets her plate down near to the pair.

Idrissa makes a face at the thought of getting surround and not able to flee. "The horror of getting surrounded by traders, they could drag someone down and make them by pieces of glass!" She grins a moment. A smile is seen and she nods to Soriana. "I bet he is. Do you get to help any?" Her gaze turns to Natalya and she waves to her with a smile. "Sounds like you had fun. I spoke to Zaala last night, she's going to take me down to see the pod sometime."

Gasp! "All the shinies! …maybe they're in league with Inkfoot." Soriana grins, then shrugs about the other. "Maybe. They don't like to let potential candidates get too close to the eggs except as part of the candidate stuff. So usually, if there's something to be done with those, it's the dragonhealers who are riders who do it. I'll probably get to see the charts, at least. I did last time." She grins wryly, because it's really not the same thing, then gives a more earnest grin to Natalya. "Oh, cool. I've seen the dolphins swimming around out there…"

Natalya smiles and onds, "Echo…the friend I met today would like to meet my othere friends." she looks between the two older girls shyly..

"Indeed all the shines." Idrissa says with a soft chuckle. She finishes her sweet roll and rubs her hands across her pants a few times. "Well, ya that does sort make sense. Still I bet its near to see the charts and hear everything that is being talked about. I know I've caught on to some of the stuff when it deals with the runners that are expecting." Not that it's like dragons. Her gaze turns back o Natalya, a soft oh escapes her. "Really?" She smiles and nods. "Well, that sounds really nice."

"Yeah, it makes sense," acknowledges Soriana. "It's a little frustrating sometimes, because it's like… I'm still doing the same things as usual, even though there's big news going on right next door. She's going to be clutching soon, they think." But then, since when do these things actually stay on schedule? It'll happen when it happens, and until then, no use worrying about it. … oh, look. Dolphins! Let's talk about dolphins. "Echo… hmm. Is that a boy name or a girl name, for a dolphin?" she asks with a bit of a grin.

Natalya giggles and says, "He is a boy, a handsome fellow." she looks between the pair slowly trying to catch where there conversation was before she arrived.

Idrissa nods a moment as she ponders that. "I bet it is a stressful time for everyone involved." This said with a soft tone. Onwards to dolphin talk, she looks t Natalya. "Echo huh, nice name for a dolphin and all." Not that she knows too many dolphins' names to start with!

Soriana nods to Idrissa, then smiles to Natalya. "Well, it's already a good summer for swimming. A chance to say hello to a fine dolphin fellow seems like an even better reason to go!" She grins cheerfully, then huhs. "Does the pod like… go out for their own things? I heard they're pretty independent… I mean, they lived for turns without humans, after all…"

Idrissa tilts her head while she peers at Natalya pondering the answer before a soft ah escapes her. She shrugs and glances over to Soriana. "I think there all independent sorts. We should maybe go by and see about swimming with them. Zaala says they like getting visitors as well."

"Sounds fun to me," says Soriana, and nods to this proto-plan, then tilts her head curiously. "How is Zaala? I haven't seen her in a while, but I heard she's been looking around, trying various crafts to see what suited her."

Idrissa smiles and nods, it is good to have plans! "She's doing good, been looking around in different crafts to see what she might want to do. Her and Datsun have been going out and stuff as well."

"Still looking, huh?" says Soriana, then nods. "Yeah, good luck to 'em." She shrugs, though it's with a smile. "Muir's been thinking about a craft too. Don't think he's gotten to the point of actually trying them out, though. Just thinking."

"Marel said he was thinking about being a smith. That Muir was going to talk to Kale an all even." Idrissa pauses and eyes Soriana a few moments. "Everything between you and Kale have been worked out… Right? I mean he said that you and he talked."

"He changed his mind, I think," says Soriana. "Least, last I heard." She shrugs, and stretches herself a bit, glancing around the caverns before returning her attention to Idrissa. "Huh? Oh. Yeah. Things are good between me and Kale." She smiles. "We talked, yeah. Got some things figured out. It's all good."

Idrissa ahs and nods at this while pondering what Muir might want to do then. "Muir and I went for a rider the other day to the beach. His not a bad rider actually." She smiles and looks happy at this. "Good, I'm glad you two finally /talked/. What I was saying to do the whole time."

"Muir's a good kid," says Soriana from her oh-so-much-older vantage point. She smiles. "He'll figure out something." Then Idrissa is saying I told you so, and Soriana laughs. "Yeah, yeah." She grins, and then her face grows a bit more serious. "I dunno. Maybe it wouldn't have helped. I mean… from what Kale said… he had an awful lot to think about. I dunno if… if things'd be the same, if we'd rushed into it. Maybe… maybe sometimes you don't realize how important something is until it's gone."

Idrissa nods while watching Soriana a few moments. "I suppose so… I mean one never knows really what they have until its gone sometimes." She looks to her empty plate, which is a surprize for anyone that knows her, she rarely ever finshes a meal. "I know I really missed you guys when I was lost in the swamps. I was starting to think I'd never see you guys again."

Soriana ponders for a few moments, then hehs. "Which kind of sucks, I mean, who wants to lose something just to find out, 'oh wait, shoulda appreciated it more while it was there'?" She grins wryly, and leans over to give Idrissa a bit of a friendly nudge. "But you did. Things worked out okay."

"Well no one does, but it just doesn't get figured out until that thing is lost I think." Idrissa says and looks to Soriana. A smile seen and she gives Soriana a hug back. "Yes, it worked for both of us you know?"

Soriana just shakes her head for a moment. There goes the world being imperfect again, along with the people in it. "Oh, well," she says then, and laughs. "Let's stick with good things for a while. I'd rather learn about dolphins and traders and that sort of thing. Deal?" As if they actually have a choice in the matter.

Idrissa grins and nods at this. "Deal!" She says with a happy tone while she shifts to pick her plate up. "I should get on back to the stables. How about our next rest day we go to the docks?" This questioned with a hopful tone.

"Yeah, okay. Go on and be your apprentice beastcrafter self!" Soriana grins, then nods. "Sure, that sounds fun. Maybe we can meet the dolphins, and if we can't, we'll just go swimming instead. Win, win." She waves.

Idrissa chuckles and smiles before nodding. "Sure, sounds like a plan." She says happly and waves as she is off to put her dishes in the right places. "See you later!" This said as she is on her way out of the cavern.


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