Xanadu Weyr - Meadow
A large, slightly rolling meadow is set high enough above the riverbank on both sides to avoid suffering from flooding, healthy ground cover and grass spreading out from either side of the dividing river. Scattered amongst the meadow are a variety of weyrs, each with a narrow path leading up to it from a main, winding road. Some are set under a few trees, while others sit by themselves.
Runner stables with the paddock beyond are to the south beyond the meadow weyrs, a smithy and a woodcraft shop are settled closer in towards the path to the clearing, while trees border the western edge of the meadow, and a faint outline of a stone wall and low rolling hills can be seen to the north. Wagons laden with felled trees from the forests to the southwest or ore from the mountains to the southeast are hauled by burden beast up the road through the meadow, over the bridge spanning the river to be processed in the appropriate workshops.
An early autumn morning finds the Weyr shrouded in a thick blanket of fog thick enough to make it hard to see anything more than half a dragonlength away. The air is chilly, just cold enough to call for sweaters to be brought out of the bottom of clothes presses. With morning duty in the kitchen, as usual, Lorelai left Ers'lan's weyr with plenty of time to get to the Caverns so that she can get an extra mug of klah before she actually has to get to work. Unfortunately, she didn't consider that it might be this foggy when she started out…
The petite baker-candidate peers into the thick fog shrouding everything and making the Weyr look… different. Somehow, she managed to wander off of the beaten path and finds herself standing in front of an unfamiliar weyr instead of in the clearing where she'd expected to be.
Muir walks up from the beach with his hands in his pockets, his chunky cream colored knit sweater thick, but well tailored to his trim form. Meandering along, he whistles softly (and on key!) while the bronze firelizard on his shoulder chirps along in relatively good tempo. "Hey," he calls to the hazy figure he sees standing in the fog.
Fortunately for Soriana, her work and sleep are in the same building right now! Not so fortunately, she got sent out with some bundles supplies for delivery to riders with injured dragons. Even more unfortunately, some of the recipients were in weyrs she hasn't been to before. She got directions, but those only help so much when everything is covered in fog. Grumble! She hears the sound of whistling, and starts in that direction.
Mikal doesn't have a sweater but then he was up even earlier than some for a jog around the weyr and thusly he's clothed in baggy shorts and a short sleeved tunic. His path takes him several different ways and this time he's cutting through the meadow. Not so foggy, that he noticed, when he started out but the fog's dropped down pretty good to leave him in the middle of the fog. He slows his pace to a stop to look around, head cocked to one side to listen to any sounds coming through the fog.
Hotaru isn't really the type for a sweater. Instead she's got on her overcoat, though it's not zipped and flaps at her sides as she walks. The fog is making it hard to see, and Muir's cream colored sweater isn't helping, and she nearly walks right into him, stopping at the last second. "Whoa! You again? This fog is something else." Hotaru is on her way back from the caverns it would seem, her fingers are still wrinkly from washing dishes. She pulls a redfruit from her pocket and uses her shirt to buff it off. Then she peers around. "Hello?"
Idrissa is pondering where about and when the fog came rolling in, it wasn't like this when she was off delivering newly mended and clean clothing to a few weyr's as part of her chores. She had to make sure the owners of the clothing were happy with the work after all. She is making her way back along the path, Asher her faithful canine is at her side. The large canine is tantannishish gray in color, about the size of a small Irish Wolf hound, and wearing a work harness that for the moment has two baskets strapped in place on either side so he can carry things along. For Rissa she is wearing a short sleeved tunic, pants and boots and wishing she had a jacket at the moment. Voices are caught through the fog and she pauses while peering one way and then another while she tilts her head. "Hello?…" Is asked back to the voice she heard. Where in the shells is she? Asher seems relaxed so for the moment she doesn't get too worried.
Voices! Mikal thought he heard something. "Hello?" comes the common greeting that he hears the others saying as well. "Who's out there?" he squints to try to figure the direction the voices are coming from.
Muir stops in his track and tries to steady Hotaru, blinking at her. "Why do you keep running into me?" Literally! He sounds amused at least as he waits until he's sure she's not going to fall over, and takes a step back. "Hey!" he hollers, cupping a hand to his mouth and watching the fog swirl with the gesture. "We're over here. Idrissa?" He kind of recognizes her voice.
And now there are voices in the fog! Definitely something to head toward. Soriana's just got her wherhide jacket tossed on, open in front and with a near-empty bag over her shoulder and one package in hand. "Hello!" she calls back to the questioning voices. There is, there is, there is someone here! And if not, if this is another trick of the fog, then she'll just talk to the empty meadow with certainty. After all, nobody there means nobody to see her look foolish! Hah, not like they could see her anyhow, though as she comes up closer and squints, she can actually kinda make out people, or at least Muir and Hotaru. "Hey. Don't suppose either of you knows where…" There's a pause as she lifts up the package to squint at it. What was the guy's name again? "G'…mar's? weyr is?" She glances out at the fog once more, looking for a sign… or maybe just Idrissa? It did kinda sound like her.
Hotaru grins to Muir and she's steady on the ground again. "I dunno. You must be attractive, since I keep gravitating towards you." She holds onto Muir's arm, so as to not become lost again enough to run into him. "I was on my way back to the barracks… I think I overshot it." She clears her throat. "Hello? It's Hotaru… We're this way! Idrissa! Guy whose voice I sort of recognize?" Hotaru blinks when Soriana appears through the fog. "Hey! Uh… who is G'mar? I think the weyrs are… Um." She looks one way, then the other. Which direction had she been walking in? "Shard these weyrs without a bowl. At least in Fort you can just keep walking straight until you hit a wall!"
Mikal makes his way over to the shapes int he fog that he spies. Hopefully they match the voices. Indeed they seem too as he comes within sight of them. "Hey guys." he shakes his head to Soriana. "Sorry I don't know where anyone's weyr is. Except for maybe If'an's now. He's got the coolest from what I've heard. Has his own private bath and it's underground!" he sounds impressed at it.
Muir blinks at her when she keeps her arm through his, but hey, who he to argue? "Yeah, you're not near the barracks. Soriana? I think it's that way," he says with a point. "But I'm not positive. Hey, Mikal." Look, he's got a girl on his arm. Then he snorts. "It's not that cool." Maybe he's just being contrary. Odds are he's never been to it.
Idrissa ohs at the voices, one of them knows her name, well that is a good thing right? "Come on boy." This said with a soft murmur to Asher and the two make their way towards where the voices are coming from. Asher has his head to the ground for a few moments, sniffsniffsniff. His ears flick forward and his head lifts as the pair start to head towards the voices of others. It takes her a few moments until she can see them, a smile and wave seen. "Hey guys. Crazy weather huh?"
"A rider," Soriana says informatively. "Whose blue has an ingrown claw." Sadly, this information - while true - does not actually help when it comes to finding the sharding fellow, and she sighs. "They're all around. His is supposed to be near the stable… I think?" Or was that G'don's? Now she can't remember. D'oh. She gives her head a bit of a shake, then looks to Muir. Ooh! Actual directions. "Thanks, she says, and grins… and yes, she does see that girl on his arm, before she looks in the direction he indicated. That is to say, at the fog he indicated. …sigh. She glances back over to Idrissa, and nods. "If it keeps on, the dragons might be grounded today." Which always makes for such good moods.
Mikal refrains from snorting and rolling his eyes at Soriana but he does mention. "The name kinda sounded like a rider." he feels inclined to point out. "Heya Muir!" the girl on the arm is noted but clearly nothing seems outstanding on it. Mikal doesn't seem to mind he doesn't have one of those on his arms. "Is too that cool." he argues with Muir. "At least I think so!" he looks around. "I wouldn't try to go there now Sori, you'll get lost in the fog!"
Hotaru sighs a bit. "Dangit… I thought I knew that section of the weyr well enough." Hotaru waves when Mikal comes into view. "Hey!" She is immediately distracted by the canine though. Sorry, Muir, but she's leaving you behind to squat down and pet the dog and scritch him behind his ears. "Ooh, hi there pup! Is he yours, Idrissa? This is some crazy weather for certain." The red-head winces at the notion of an ingrown claw. "Bleh. Claws can get ingrown? It might not be a bad idea to ground them today. Of course maybe the fog doesn't reach up too high. I'm following someone else back to the barracks." She stands back up and gives Muir a look. He seemed to know where he was.
Muir doesn't seem to mind, slipping his hands into his pockets. Looking back at Hotaru, the boy lifts his brows. "What? Me? I'm not a Candidate." Ha. Haha. Ignore the /slight/ bitterness there. "Yeah, the weather is simply fascinating. You know what's awesome? Watching it on the ocean. And watching people walk into things and get lost." Amused, he lifts a hand to rub Kenpo's muzzle, while the bronze eyes Hotaru warily. She's the tuber flicker.
Idrissa smiles and nods to Hotaru. "Yes, this is Asher. Handsome fella isn't he?" She questions while giving her canine a good scratching pet across the head. Her gaze turns to Muir at the candidate bit and she ehs softly while attempting to hide that white knot that is now on her shoulder. Where is one of her firelizards when she needs it covered? "How Are you guys doing?" A wave is sent to Soriana and she smiles to her, listening curiously to this bit about dragon's getting an ingrown claw.
It's okay, Soriana knows that Mikal is snorting and rolling his eyes in his heart. Because he cares. "Yeah, well. I can at least make something clear today," she retorts to him good-naturedly, then nods to Hotaru. "I think it's from an injury. Anyway, he's supposed to be soaking it in this herb stuff." She hefts the package, and stares again at the fog. By will alone she doesn't manage to make it swirl aside and show her the right path. She glances back to Muir at his mention of non-candidacy, and her mouth twists in a frown as she successfully resists saying anything about it. How about that weather? "It's neat to watch from up a tree or something," she offers. "Never really been out at sea, though."
Mikal peers out into the fog too but sadly there's no parting in trembling fear at Soriana's willful glare. His gaze slips to Muir briefly as he hears just the hint of bitterness at no candidacy for him. "Still plenty of time for the right dragon to sniff you out." he says good naturally. He has nothing much more to add on the fog conversation though so he simply shoves his hands in his pockets and rocks just the tiniest bit on his heels.
Hotaru peers at Muir. "No, but I know you know where the barracks are. Anyways, like Mikal said. Plenty of time there for you to be searched. How do you watch people who are lost in this fog anyways? I can't even see three feet in front of my face." The red-head grins to Idrissa. "Asher, I like that. He's a nice dog!" Hotaru nods to Sori about the ingrown claw. "Ah. That makes more sense." She looks around then. "It'd be nice if we could find a tree. I might be able to see something from up there."
Muir looks around and squints, clearing his throat. "Oh. But…you all are. Awesome." The boy tosses his hair, and then reaches a hand up to push his hair away from his face and then his grin is switched on, swift and wide. "Congrats and all. Here, Soriana, his weyr is this way," he says confidently, and begins to stride off in a direction through the fog. Maybe it's the right one? "Never have before!" he says cheerily to Mikal.
Idrissa feels a bit bad though even while Muir offers his congrats on the fact that she and the others are candidates. "Well Don't give up Muir, never know." Well, it's an attempt to help. Though he is striding off now. A soft sigh escapes her and she looks to Hotaru and nods with a smile. "his a great dog. The guards even use him for search and other stuff when they are working off in the forest. His big enough to not get lost but also small enough to not get tangled up in anything when working." She ponders while looking around and then glances upwards. "Well, what about someone's firelizard?" She turns to poke around in one of the baskets that Asher is carrying and pulls out the sleeping brown that was getting a free ride.
"You listen for the crashing noises?" Soriana suggests to Hotaru with a grin as far as people-watching goes, then nods to Muir with that awkward face again. "This time. Yeah," she says to him, and then lapses into silence again before nodding to him. Directions! Right. She strides along after him to hopefully-maybe the right place. Stupid early-morning fog, making these things challenging.
Mikal wrinkles his nose a bit, having not much more to offer on any current conversation. "Hope you find it ok." he says to the departing pair. He shivers just a bit in his cooler clothing. "Think it's too foggy to go peek at the eggs from the galleries?" he asks those still here.
Hotaru peers at Muir, then tries to pinch him through his sweater. Was that sarcasm? And here they all were, encouraging him! "I just want to find a tree." But she'll tag along for fun. "That's cool, Idrissa! He does seem like a good dog. A friend of mine at Fort might get me a puppy when one of her dogs has a litter. Hm." She ponders the notion of firelizard, and then her bronze flitters out from the hood of her jacket. Hotaru laughs at Soriana. "Or listen to people yelling 'hello?' as they walk around. I would think the heat would burn off most of the fog in the galleries, but you never know. It's pretty foggy."
Muir shrugs a shoulder, hunching his shoulders. Hotaru's attempted pinch earns a hiss from Kenpo, but Muir pushes at the bronze's muzzle until he stops. "A tree? Lots of 'em about," he says, grin going crooked again. As he walks down the path, he murmurs to himself. Sounds like he's counting. "The heat from the sands probably has the fog all burned off, Mikal."
So. Tired. It's with a wide yawn and a bad case of bedhead that Kale trudges out of the forge, feeling and likely looking as if he slept on an anvil. Which he might've. Who knows? The fog is a blessing, for any extreme sunlight likely would've had him hissing and cowering back into the depths of the firepit he calls home. The back off his arm is rubbed against his eyes as his hand is grazed against his hair, pushing the disarray of dark locks to another position that looks no better than what it was before. Eh. He tried. "C'moooaawn," he yawns, the word unintentionally stretched as his mouth opens wide and eyes squint. Meh. What day is it? Alloy, his trailing bronze firelizard, looks annoyingly as perky as always and flits forward through the mist, leaving Kale in his invisible dust. Who's he telling to come on? Puh! The smith heads forward, not caring (or realizing?) that the soft yet overlarge cottony fabric of his grey pants are indeed sleepwear and not trousers more appropriate for daily duties.
Idrissa would rather not listen to the crashing sounds of people bumping into one another, or well the screaming sounds of someone falling off a cliff, not that she is thinking about that at all. A squeaky yawn escapes Hidalgo while he hangs there in his person's hands peering around and looking ever so confused, why did he get waked up again? "I don't think Hidalgo would be good for the flying part, his still young after all." Asher settles do his haunches, tail curling about his side. She listens to the others that are still around somewhere and talking, not that she can see all of them.
"Thanks," Soriana says to Mikal. "If we fall in the river instead, you'll hear the splash." She grins, then nods to Hotaru's comment about the heat of the galleries. "It's sooo hot in the Annex. You can't even tell summer's pretty much over. I'm almost looking forward to winter, just to cool things down." She continues after Muir, keeping him closely in sight as she carries her package along.
Mikal offers a grin. "Um, you're welcome?" he doesn't get why she's saying thanks! "Oh no…never too soon for winter!" he does protest this. "I'm going to go find the galleries. Maybe the fog won't penetrate inside there." or maybe it will?
Muir is leading Soriana down the path of the weyrs, unsure if anyone else is following him (other than Soriana anyway). Matching his pace to the girl's, he gives her a little smile. Perhaps apologetic for his earlier bitterness? "Are you excited?" he asks her quietly, and he looks genuinely interested.
Hotaru peers at Kenpo. She wishes she had thrown the tuber at him instead. "Or maybe I'll wander over to the galleries with Mikal and see if I can tell what colors are in what eggs." Hotaru blinks at the approaching Kale, or rather in his direction really until he gets close enough. Was he in his pajamas? "Volendrung can find us the galleries at the least. He's big enough to fly wherever." Hotaru giggles to Soriana and gives her a wave as she heads off with Muir. Then she starts trudging off towards the galleries.
The sound of milling and passing voices is too common for Kale to pay immediate attention to. Somewhere in his foggy mind he has a mission. Food or a hopefully awakening hot bath or something. Another yawn escapes, and he looks overhead, the disappearing tail of his firelizard who seems intent to fly above this fallen cloud. More voices. His eyes squint ahead as figures begin to take shape as the mist seems to part with each footfall that brings him closer. Two legged shapes. Four legged shapes. Or are those six legs? He rubs an eye, banishing away that duet of extra limbs on a canine. "This all could be a dream," he notes as he moves towards Idrissa, who he now recognizes. "This is what dreams look like, eh? A bit fuzzy around the edges…" Blue eyes settle on Hotaru, "With people you've never seen before…an' small firelizards." Attention to Hidalgo. "Maybe I can fly. What do you think?" This may be his sleepy mind drunk way of saying hello. Maybe. Probably. Hello everyone!
Idrissa smiles and nods to Hotaru. "Well that'll work at least. We're have an idea where to go for one direction that doesn't involve a cliff or something like that." Hidalgo trills out as he looks to Hotaru's bronze, the little brown looking very eager to meet him it seems! Hearing Kale's voice Rissa looks to him and smiles. "Kale, hey. Found your way through the fog did you?" There is a pause while she glances to Hidalgo whom has his attention on Kale and chitters up at him. "Ah.. Thea gave me another firelizard." Cause Ripley and Willow needed a friend of course!
"Hope you find them!" Soriana says to Mikal's plan of the galleries, and gives him a crooked grin before waving to him and Hotaru and returning her attention to Muir as they walk along. More voices in the fog draw her attention, but not for long. They're on a mission! So, she returns Muir's smile, and then hmms at the question. "Kinda. I mean… Yeah. I am, but I'm nervous too. I know the sands are fixed and all… So it's kinda silly." She shrugs, then tilts her head to the side to consider him for a moment. "You could ask to stand, you know.
Hotaru doesn't get very far when Kale moves over towards them and distracts her. She looks up at him and blinks. "Hello there muscle-man in his pajamas." Her own firelizard flutters back down to land on her shoulder, then jumps back into his hood-pouch. She giggles. "If you want to try, be my guess. Even if you can't I'll give you a mark if you try really hard." Hotaru looks to Idrissa. "Where are you heading, anyways?" Did they allow canines in the galleries? Hotaru wasn't sure. Mikal's already gone running off without them.
Muir tilts his head a bit at her. "What do you mean? Nervous about…the sands? They'll be fine," he says, firm and confident. Though who knows if it's misplaced or not. "Here," he says, stopping and gesturing proudly. "This is his weyr." Hopefully. Otherwise Soriana is about to be embarrassed, walking in on who knows what.
"The fog parts for me like…like…" Like some biblical comparison that wouldn't make sense here, and that he doesn't know about, and so the simile ends flat. Kale peers at Asher, as if to further confirm that the canine has the correct number of appendages before letting the thought go. Comments regarding the young brown firelizard focuses his wayward attention back to Idrissa and her new little friend. "I heard," he says, taking a risk and jutting a finger out to try to rub the little lizard's head. Will he be a Ripley or a Willow? His finger is about to find out! Hotaru, the unknown face, is eyed next, and those eyes linger on her with an uncomprehending look. Pa …ja…ma…s… Wait a second! One can see the dawning on his face as he looks down, spying comfy pants. "..Huh. Somebody stole my pants, forced me into these, an' drugged me up so I wouldn't remember." Obviously that's what happened! He gives a shifty eyed look to Hotaru, then Idrissa. Prime suspects numbers one and two. But oh wait, a mark? "And two if I lift off the ground?"
"I was heading back to the caverns to drop off the baskets and the laundry that I have left over from the few people that wasn't home to get it back." Idrissa offers while looking to Hotaru. "Where you going?" At the 'muscle man in pjs' catches her attention she looks to Kale seeming to just not catch on that he isn't in his normal clothing. "How did you hear about that?" She questions curiously and soon ohs. "Well Soriana was there so I suppose she told you?" A soft laugh escapes her. "Who would steal your pants?" Hidalgo trills out to Kale and leans into the little rub across his head, the little lizard is basically purring at the attention it would seem.
"Yeah, I know they will," says Soriana. "I told you it was silly." Emotions, irrational? Never! And maybe that's just her convenient excuse to herself as to why it's not pure excitement, too. As they reach what is, hopefully, the right weyr, she nods. "Thanks," she says to Muir, and strides bravely forward!
Like… well the first thing that comes to mind isn't very appropriate, so Hotaru doesn't finish the simile either. She watches Kale stick his finger out at Idrissa's new firelizard. Scary. The little ones always bite! Hotaru just looks back up at Kale. "Cute. Though if I was going to steal someone's pants, I don't think I'd leave them a replacement pair. They do look comfy though." The red-head gets a sly look on her face. Perhaps she's planning a pants-heist? That might answer Idrissa's question! She peers at Kale skeptically. "You can't just lift off. You'd have to fly someplace." Hotaru shrugs to Idrissa. "I was gonna head back to the barracks, then I was going to go to the galleries. Now I'm just standing here chatting." She laughs.
Muir will be a gentleman and wait for Soriana, hands in his pockets and picking up his whistling again.
Oh look, it's a nice one! Kale, who is looking less sleepy by the moment, though still a bit bedraggled, crookedly grins at the happy looking firelizard. And, for being so nice, the headrub continues for a few seconds longer before he pulls his hand away. Idrissa's question has him nodding in reply. "Yes. Soriana. I think it was her who told me… It was likely her who told me. But…to be honest with ya, I don' have a shardin' idea who told me." Short term memory loss? And at such a young age! "Who would steal my pants? That's what I'd like to know. But, she has the right've it," he says, nodding to Hotaru in gesture. "They could've put me in a worse pair, so I can't complain. These are my favorite." Loose all over. Extra warm. Nice and soft. Pajamas should be a uniform! But he sees Hotaru's greedy eye, and he uses both hands as a makeshift (and shoddy) pants shield. "Get your own," he smirks. "And I would fly, but.." his eyes lift, "vision would be impaired, y'see. Not safe. But keep your marks on you, as they'll be mine soon. Who are you, anyway." Candidate barracks. Galleries. …telltale white knot. Must be a candidate!
Idrissa rolls her eyes a moment. "What was you doing to make you lose your memory anyway? Sleeping half the day or something?" Hidalgo croons while leaning into the attention. "See, his nice. Not like Ripley at all. Which even I'm thankful for I have to say." A slight shake of her head is seen. "Maybe that one girl stole them that is always following you around? I can't remember her name." Which is a reason because she doesn't really like her to start with. She peers over at Hotaru at the wiggling hand movements at her possible stealing Kale's pants. "No stealing his pants. He would die of embarrassment I'm sure." Speaking of white knots there is one on her shoulder as well, an no firelizard is hiding it. "This is Hotaru, she's from Fort Weyr, over cause of being searched an all." There now he knows! "This is Kale, ah… He's a smither apprentice and well my boyfriend." There she got that little bit out there, not often she has to tell people that but has Hotaru is new, well there it is.
Noknok, and a muffled voice says, "Come in!" so Soriana does. Inside, will she find success or embarrassment? Good question. She's in there for several minutes, certainly, so whatever's going on, the invitation to enter has clearly not been immediately rescinded. When she finally comes back out, it's with a bemused expression on her face, but… there's no package in her hand! Success!
Muir grins when he spots Soriana returning, sans package. "So was I right?" he asks, offering her his arm to help them both navigate back through the fog. Can't have either of them getting lost.
Hotaru grins to Kale. "I'll give you two marks for the pants. Or just to see you walk around in naught but your skivvies. Or just naught but your hand-shield. What do you think, Idrissa?" She laughs a bit at Idrissa. "Would he now? Somehow I doubt that very much." Him dying of embarrassment. Apparently she's already made up her mind about Kale? Hotaru grins to Kale as Rissa introduces them. "Nice to meet you Kale, Smithy with the pants. Also Idrissa's boyfriend. Anyways, I think I am going to go have a look at the eggs, so I'll leave you guys alone. Don't do anything I wouldn't do!" Hotaru waves and scampers off in the direction she hopes the galleries are.
"Huh. The harper girl?" muses Kale in answer to Idrissa, expression turning thoughtful. "If her thievin' skills are anywhere near her singin' skills, she's not the one I'm lookin' for. She's awful… I heard she cracked glass once. I heard she once sang so loudly that all the firelizards that could heard went between and wouldn't come back for days. I heard.." Ah, he's heard so much about this poor girl and her lack of singing prowess, all of which is even more exaggerated than the last story he heard. But, what's this about dying? Embarrassment? "Ha, right. You'd die of embarrassment before I would," he quips with a grin, eyes indeed glancing over that white knot of hers. But he says nothing of it immediately, instead choosing to nod to Hotaru in introduction before his hands make a move for the elastic waistband of his pants. "Two marks, y'said?" he asks with lifted brows. Is he really going to do it? Alas, if he was, Hotaru's exit stops him. Without her, there are no marks. Aw man! "Well met!" he offers in her wake before grinning cheesily at Idrissa. "You want a pair've ultra comfortable pants?"
Idrissa blinks a few times at Kale. "What harper girl?" Seems like she has /missed/ this so called unable to sign harper person around the weyr. Where /has/ she been? Oh that's right stuck at the sables pouring herself over the lessons she has missed. "I would not die of embarrassment. I have no clue what you're talking about." She states with a slight huff. Pausing as she eyes Kale mess with the waistband of them pants. "You're not really going to go running around in your shorts for two marks are you?" She glances after Hotaru as the girl is running off and waves to her. "Later Hotaru!" At the question from Kale she blushes a moment and coughs. "Um.. No I'm good really. You keep 'em." Hidalgo trills out now for no reason at all.
"You were," says Soriana, and accepts that offered arm. The bemused expression lingers as they head back together, and a moment later, she reveals why. "Not only that, I managed to deliver my other package as well. Turns out, Verzth's rider happened to be there." As for why a greenrider and a bluerider might just so happen to be in the same weyr on a foggy early morning, well, she'll give you three guesses, and that look on her face counts for the first two of them.
"Other package?" Muir asks, confused for a moment until he at least clues in to the implication there. "Oh shards, I'm sorry. Maybe we should've yelled from the path?" A blush creeps up onto his cheeks at the very thought, and he gives his hand a firm shake. "Yeah, real sorry," he mumbles, leading her back towards the group. "Hey, Kale's here." Kale, his two girlfriends and…Muir. At least a fourth wheel is functional!
"You weren't meaning…that girl?" Is there another girl that's been following him around? Hmm! Kale needs to pay more attention if he has admirers. Stalkers. Whatever you want to call them! You have to keep a close eye on those sorts, else end up a buried limb in the sand. (Girls are crazy) He doesn't pursue that topic though and instead laughs as Idrissa denies his offer, thus dashing his hopes of becoming two marks richer. "I dunno. I might. Two marks are two marks," he points out, pulling the waistband out about and inch and then letting it go with a soft thwap. Shadows in the fog turn his eyes, and he can see familiar shapes heading near. A red faced Muir. Soriana on his arm. Definitely nothing to surmise from that, right? He lifts a hand and plucks at the knot on Idrissa's shoulder. "When'd that happen?"
Idrissa eyes Kale a few moments. "How many girls do you have at the forge that follow you around and like to try and make me mad?" Well that should narrow it down right? She shakes her head a moment at the talk of making two marks. "I suppose it is a easy way to make marks but still. I think you'd regret walking around in your underthings until you found more pants." She tilts her head to look towards the appearance of Muir and Soriana whom she waves towards. The plucking of the knot is felt and she ahs. "Well just the other day actually. Over at the stables Laera and her blue stopped by and well he wouldn't take no for an answer." As if she would say no to such a question.
"He said come in," says Soriana. Which, no doubt, she repeated in her head many times over the course of handing over those packages. "Next time, I'm leaving it by the front door and running." There's a slight smirk there, so she's proooobably joking. It'd be bad for the package to get wet prematurely. Nevertheless. That was so not part of the job description, and she is most definitely glad it's done with. Other things she's glad about: Kale has shown up in the intervening time! She smiles at the sight of him, though her arm stays linked with Muir's. Can't have him getting lost in the fog, after all. "So he is." At least it means there's somebody else without a candidate's knot? "Heya!" Sori calls out to Kale and Rissa, and then her gaze drifts down. "…nice pants."
Muir nods, "Don't blame you," he mutters to Soriana. "I would've just thrown the packages at him and ran. And damn his blue's ingrown talon. "Dude," he says to Kale, shaking his head. "I've got some pants that'd probably fit you…those don't flatter you one bit."
OH! Kale knows the answer to that question. He smirks smugly at Idrissa. "Zero," he says, lifting his chin proudly. "Well…" he amends, letting his heroic look dissolve a little. "Soon to be zero. Her request for a transfer's been approved, and she'll be off to Telgar within the next two sevendays. Or so she's been sayin' for the past sevenday. An' lately, everyone's been rather pleasant an' cheerful.." he muses, stroking his chin in thought. Her knot story causes a grin though, and he quirks a brow. "You would've said no?" he asks, voice filled with doubt. "Luck's watchin' you. First a firelizard from the weyrwoman. Now a candidate. You've done somethin' to get you fortune." To Muir and Kale, he snickers. "Apparently," is spoken to Soriana. "Already have had offers for'm. I'll be rich soon. And," he points to Muir, "I know secretly inside you're ragin' jealous at my sense of style."
"Yeah," says Soriana to Muir. "Next time…" She trails off for a moment, then adds, "There should be signals, you know? Hang a sock on the door or something." A brisk shake of her head, and she returns her attention to Kale. "Excellent. Be sure to let me know what the winning bid is!" she says with a grin, then glances up at where the sun is just starting to burn enough of the fog to be visible, and sighs. "I should get back to the Annex, they'll be expecting me." Sigh. Maybe it at least won't involve more deliveries? Or at least, the deliveries won't involve… sigh. Back she goes!
Idrissa peers at Kale and shakes her head a moment. "Zero, ah alright got you. Well I bet your happy aren't you that she is getting out of here?" She chuckles. "Well there isn't anything wrong with someone being cheerful. It's rather nice then what it could be." Like you know when she is dealing with Jarse. She shakes her head. "No I wouldn't have but still, he wasn't going to take no so says his rider." There is a pause and she chuckles softly. "Maybe it is, I'll just take what I can get and not complain." There is a grin at the conversation goes back to kale's stunning (not) pants. "I keep telling him that Muir. His in a fantasy world that they are stylish." Hearing Soriana she waves after her. "See you later Soriana!"
Muir smirks. "You see right through me," he says wryly to Kale. "It's going to start a trend, I'm sure." Looking at Soriana, he nods. "Yeah, the sock on the door is a good one. Or a hair tie, or scarf." He knows this how? When Soriana heads off, Muir glances from Idrissa to Kale and back again, and then clears his throat. "I'm, uh, going to make sure she doesn't get lost again…bye!"
"Speakin' of following around," remarks Kale who watches Muir tag along after Soriana, a vague touch of annoyance creasing his face. It passes quickly though, more of a shadow than an actual touch. "My world," he says, looking back to Idrissa, "is not a fantasy. These are wonderful. Here," he moves a leg towards her. "Have a feel. Bet it's the softest thing y've ever felt!" Besides, you know … really nice soft and fancy clothing. "Have you moved in the barracks already?" he asks, tilting his head a bit and unable to not half smirk at the deja vu. Didn't they already do this once here? A long time ago that seems like yesterday.
Idrissa glances after Muir and Soriana, pondering it seems before she looks to Kale and eyes him a moment. "Don't get jealous." Like how he was with J'o. " Really, your that thrilled about wearing them all over the place?" She eyes his leg as it is moved closer to her and finally leans down to give the pants a slight curious tug a few times. "Well, I guess there sort of comfyish." She ponders and then looks him and nods with a smile. "Ya I got it all moved in last night. Didn't take that long really." It is like last time, just not with kale being there. "Going to be lonely without you there though."
Get what? Kale furrows his brows at the word, as if he's never heard it before. Or doesn't know what she's talking about. "Jealous? Of that kid?" Emphasis on kid. He snorts. "She'd just be careful with who she hangs on, else next thing she knows he'll be humpin' her leg. I've seen how he works," he says, sounding unimpressed. But he looks pleased as she obliges with getting a feel of his pants. "See?" he says, smugly. "An' no, I'm not plannin' on wearing them all day. I'll change after breakfast or something. I can't let the weyr in on all my secrets of style. Plus, Xanthius'll get jealous that he didn't think of it first." The mentioning of her being lonely without him has his expression dampening a bit, though he shrugs. "Yeah well, I guess this clutch isn't meant for me. Doesn't matter though, as it's not like I'm not still gonna be here, right?"
Idrissa eyes Kale a few moments and smirks. "Hey Muir isn't that bad. We went on a ride together and everything." She shakes her head a moment. "I saw the look you sent them." This said with a shake of her finger at him. She eyes those pants again. "Well I hope you're not going o wear them all day. Especially near the hot fires I bet that wouldn't be to comfortable." Hot fires near certain areas can be bad after all. A soft laugh escapes her at the Xanthius bit. "Is he back yet? I haven't seen him around for a while." She catches that dampening look and she leans closer and gives Kale a hug, no reason why she can't give hugs. "I know, but Still." She liked having him there last time.
Kale has no clue what she's talking about. He didn't give a look! -.-;; Nope. Not gonna comment and will just let the topic of that fade. "I know he isn't that bad. I like him well enough." Just without the thought of his fourteen turn self all over his girlfriend. Though, “fourteen turns” does make him feel better. What does a fourteen turn old girl crazy boy have on a near seventeen turn old man like himself? Surely, Soriana isn't all googly eyed over children. He leans into her hug. Surely hugs aren't against the rules, yes? There's likely some heavy rulebook out there that'd tell them for certain, but nevertheless his arms curl around her and he snugs her against his chest a little. "Hey, if you want, I can go change out've these if they bother you so," he remarks, smirking humouredly at her. "Nah, Xanthius is still gone. Haven't heard word for him in a while, actually. He'll probably show up soon enough. You miss him?" he asks, just barely keeping a snicker from escaping.
"It's alright, I don't mind you wearing them really." Idrissa says while she just leans against his chest, her arms curling around him in that hug after a moment. "Miss him? Please every time I see him he manages to make me mad somehow or way." A soft mutter escapes her at the idea. "You darn well know that Soriana only has eyes for you too, so just don't think about it too much." Hidalgo perches on her shoulder, the little brown seeming happy on his new perch. Not that he can see anything with all the fog that is rolling around this place. It is early morning, and there is fog basically rolling all over like waves might in the sea. Though as the morning goes on it is at least starting to let up to some degree.
"You don' give him enough credit," remarks Kale, sounding amused. "Of all people to not like, he isn't one've them. Have you really given him a chance?" he asks with a quirked brow, amusement not leaving his eyes. "He's … unique." Yes. That's a good word for his old friend. As for Sori, that's already been put out of his mind, and he exaggeratedly rolls his eyes at her just as Hidalgo clambers up to find a new perch. "I like this one," he says, nodding in approval to the brown. "…Wait. That makes three for you, doesn't it? Ripley, Willow, an' this one." A brow arches. "Are you startin' a menagerie? You nearly have a full set." Kale is dressed rather comfortably this morning, if not somewhat strangely. Looks like the fellow only got half dressed, with a tunic coupled with too-large, extra soft pajama bottoms. That plus his 'I just got out of bed but kinda tried to comb my fingers through my hair' look he sports makes for a disheveled looking smith. But with his arms looped around Idrissa who's tolerating it all, it's obvious that it isn't his looks that keeps his pals around.
Continued in How to Burp a Goat
