Xanadu Weyr Region - Open Plains
Open plains stretch in every direction, the tall grass interrupted now and then by a group of rocks suddenly thrust upwards from the ground or a copse of trees gathered around a spring-fed pond. The high grass looks like an ocean as the wind causes it to ripple back and forth, creating the illusion of puddles here and there, even as the ground slopes gently upwards towards the mountains that can just be seen on the southern horizon.
Despite the remoteness of the southern stretches of the plains that stretch south all the way to the Southern Barrier Range, the northern edge of the plains begin but a half-days trek from Xanadu Weyr by foot, three hours by fast-trotting runnerback or ten minute's straight flight a-dragonback. There are signs that travelers pass this way - lines cut here and there amongst the grasses of the prairie, most in pairs as they track from one direction to another. The campsites of former travelers can be seen occasionally where a tent was once pitched, or a campfire once burned - and the remnants of some shelters remain.
Behind a knoll, within a small stand of trees, a hidden campsite has been assembled while quite a distance away, out on the plains there is a large rail corral built, one entire side left open, wing-fences on either side to funnel whatever is driven towards it into the corral and swung shut afterwards by three or four people. Off to the side there are several pens and all are brush-covered to disguise them. A trap well-laid and ready to spring.
As the last of the evening light is darkening even still, A'dmar appears in the camp. It's likely he took a ride in on runner beast to ensure his Yarovith didn't spook or stress out the herd beasts which are already set away in the makeshift pens. The dragons must be kept close but distant at the same time, to reduce the risk of losing animals due to heart failures and the like. However the method of his arrival, A'dmar is taking stock in the camp and the way it has been set up, disapproving in areas where it is too open and weak for defenses, making suggestions to tighten up fencing in one spot or the next. People move to attempt to please the man, but what would really please him is the end of this round up and the weyrfolk back inside where they belong. His eyes shift out toward the fading darkness, the last licks of the sun gaining his full attention until a point that it slips completely behind the horizon line. At which point, he turns and continues his inspection. At least, for now, nothing has happened to anyone that he is aware of.
There have been assorted bruises and scrapes. Jethaniel's been speaking with one of the healers on site, and receiving that information. None of those injuries, however, are sufficient to be of any lasting concern. Thus, the situation may be simplified to state that nothing has happened to anyone without any loss of actionable data. The Steward is just finishing up with that conversation now, emerging from the tent and sliding a folded piece of paper into his jacket pocket.
There are only minor injuries from those here: scratches from brush, bruises and the like, so nothing to worry about. People start moving to take care of what the Weyrleader suggests. Garait is done helping with note-taking since the light is fading. As we walks, he thinks of going back to the Weyr and the eventual bringing of the herdbeasts back. He Good day?"pauses as he sees the Weyrleader and greets him, "Evening Weyrleader, sir.
A'dmar notes the stirring of a certain Steward out from the corner of his eye. There's a squint of distrust in his eye for the man, Thea's man, so instead of greeting him, he carries on as if he hadn't spotted him at all. Instead, it seems his path eventually leads him close enough for an apprentice to greet him. "Evening Garait," an appraisal of the immediate area, only to revert his gaze back on the apprentice, "About finished for the night?" Clearly, since the light is fading upon the horizon.
Instructions received from A'dmar are also processed by Jethaniel, and yet it seems the signatures of Steward and Weyrwoman cohabitate far more documents than those of Steward and Weyrleader. If Jethaniel notes the presence of A'dmar here, he makes no comment on it - though perhaps that's simply an artifact of the fact that the Weyrleader is turned partly away from him and seems unlikely to notice a gesture. He continues on with his own plans, approaching one of the cooks only to be brushed away by the busy man with an impatient, 'Later!'
Garait nods at the Weyrleader, "Yes I am. Need to talk to Journeyman Pharse before I turn in, but it's not urgent, What brings you here?" He glances at the horizon then, sighing a little and turns his attention back to the Weyrleader."
"Do not let me keep you then Apprentice," as this was an affair that the crafts were taking care of, overseen for security purposes and for safety by the Weyr, thus, delaying an apprentice to report in is not his intention. A'dmar lifts a hand to gesture away any concern that Garait may have, "I thought to look in on operations." A pause as he nods with some reassurance a the peacefulness of the camp, "Clearly, matters are well in hand." The impatient 'later' does draw his attention over his shoulder, "Steward," he says with sharp alacrity to reach the man, lingering only for a moment to ensure the man responds. While there may be more documents that process through with the Weyrwoman's name successfully, that may not be due to the Weyrleader being unable to get things approved, but for the simple fact that he's not weeding out the poor applications. Instead, he's ensuring the whole volume of requests floods the Steward's office. A majority should've been long denied before reaching the Steward, but, the Steward has to earn his pay, so his office continues to grow with requests for approvals for building permits and sometimes the same request comes in ceaseless amounts of time, with only a slight change in data.
Jethaniel had no intentions of pursuing the busy cook. There will, after all, be other opportunities; since his purpose was merely to ensure that the kitchens here had sufficient supplies for the next day, the failure case is that they do not and breakfast becomes an improvised affair or a dragonrider or two has to make an emergency supply run. Hardly a serious fault. A'dmar's speaking of his title does reach Jethaniel's ears, and he approaches to give the source of his overflowing inbox a nod of acknowledgement. "Weyrleader," he says. His tone is carefully neutral, as is his expression.
Garait heads to check in with Journeyman Pharse, talking about good points and bad points of the day, and a quick synopsis of what he learned, and is reminded that there will be a paper due on this in a few days with suggestions for breeding purposes and the like. Garait then goes to sit with a couple other Beastcraft Apprentices, waiting on food and such.
In the distance, toward the direction of the forests, a dragon's battle cry echos over the valley, distinct enough to make even the drowsy beasts perk their ears up. The roars are repeated by anxious sounds caused by the dragons within the camp area. A majority of riders, if not all within the camp stir at the sudden tidings - some are standing from meals half split, others are throwing tents back to dart out, there might be one running back from a piss behind rocky outcrops, other's merely looking toward the forested horizon with interest.
As Garait slips on by to continue his report, that's when the dragons begin to rumble and the herd beasts already in the pens begin to stir. A'dmar is one of the latter responses, chin tilted toward the direction of the news, as if he could interrupt the physical noises the dragons were making. However, with one sharp mental crackle from Yarovith, the dragons in the immediate area silence themselves, hopefully before the herd beasts become stressed. A'dmar suddenly shows a bit of tight smugness, not entirely happy to be right, but thankful he was, "It seems as if we caught one, with the pits." The pit traps were stationed far from the plains, in the forest, but it still meant he was right. He turns sharply, doing a turn about, and in his haste to go back the way he came, to get to the trophy that awaits for him, he didn't realize Jethaniel had approached him so quickly, so his elbow, arm, and shoulder jars into Jethaniel as A'dmar half stumbles by, an actual human mistake from the Weyrleader. "Oof… I apologize but next time Steward, keep your distance…" He's striding away during those words, while Yarovith creeps out from where he was tucked in amongst the rocks, nodding to a few of the riders who wish to venture along - those who are off duty until their rotation next in the camp.
Jethaniel is prompt and responsive to the bidding of his Weyrleader. For this, the Steward receives an elbow to the gut and a shoulder shoved against him. He makes a sharp inhalation, his body hunching in slightly for a moment before he slowly straightens up again. It might have been accidental, certainly. For that matter, all those duplicate and poorly written requests that come into the Steward's office might be accidents as well. It is entirely possible that A'dmar is not malicious at all, merely incompetent. Regardless of the facts of this matter, Jethaniel's neutral expression has now given way to a frown. "Yes, Weyrleader," he says, and though his voice is no longer entirely neutral, the clipped nature of the words could easily be attributed to the fact that he's still catching his breath.
Garait was about to get up when he hears the dragons and he pauses, discussing things with the other Apprentices as a Journeyman comes over, speaking to them.