Leaf Piles!
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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. The meadow continues with gentle rolls and dips, grass tall and short waving in the slightest of breezes, and eventually those hills grow higher and steeper, ending in a large ridge that provides a fine view of that meadow and the rest of the Weyr, gazing out over the multicolored roofs of the houses and the cliff that holds the caverns.
Runner stables with the paddock beyond are to the south beyond the meadow weyrs, and a smithy and a woodcraft shop are settled closer in towards the path to the clearing. Trees border the northern side of the meadow, and more of those low, rolling hills can be seen to the northwest. A road passes through the meadow, coming from the east and used by traders and crafters alike. Wagons laden with felled trees from the forests or ore from the mountains are hauled by burden beast up the road through the meadow, over the bridge spanning the river to be processed in the appropriate workshops.


GLORY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Not the dragon, though. Glory. With a distinct lack of i because FARANTH KNOWS we only need ONE over-the-top, bombastic personality on the loose in Xanadu Weyr at ANY GIVEN TIME. CUE LEIRITH!!!! The massive queen has taken to the meadows with her itty bitty (but massive in the Disappointment Department, which is where size really matters) lifemate, sweeping up massive piles of dead autumn leaves solely for the experience of hearing them SQUOOSH-CRUNCH beneath her massive, gnarled talons. She is also spearing them on said talons but "Stop ruining it, Leirith." « The only thing ruining anything is your face HA! WHICH YOU SHOULD SEE RIGHT NOW, MINION. » Probably because Leirith just WUFFLED a bunch of dead leaf carcasses into Risali's hair, and onto her clothes, and they're all sticking there while Risali practices her BEST TOOTHLESS IMPRESSION UNIMPRESSED FACE on the queen. "Sometimes, just sometimes, I really hate you." « I will take that as a compliment! Hate is kind of like love, but it's a more angry kind of love. » Laughter, cheer, CELEBRATION. This is all there in Leirith's house-party mind, beating at the recesses of Risali's and ANYBODY ELSE UNFORTUNATE TO GET NEAR. « And you are very good at angry. » A SMACK TO THAT HIDE FROM RISA, and then the Weyrwoman is wiping foliage gore from her person to start building up another DEAD LEAF PILE again. WATCH HER.

No one is immune from listening to Llearith. Ever. And, apparently, a certain young green takes her dame's… exhuberance… as permission to shout, too, « V'orn! V'ornV'ornV'orn! » Apparently, Kyasinth is still just as excitable as she was when she was a hatchling, « V'orn! The ground CRUNCHES! » And this pleases her. She bounds ahead of her blond rider, the young man pinching the bridge of his nose in exasperation, "Calm down, Kyasinth. Please?" He's begging here! There might even be a little bit of whining involved. SIIIIIIGH… « But V'orn… » See? The green can whine right back! Another sigh gusts from the young man's chest and he shakes his head, muttering under his breath and wincing, just a little, at Learith. She's loud. Not that he's going to EVER say so! He doesn't have a death wish, after all. Though some days… well, let's be honest here. It's probably a good thing he hasn't gotten drunk since Impressing or poor Kyasinth would probably end up painted blue. As soon as he's close enough for polite conversation — no shouting from him, thank you very much — he offers Risali an elaborate bow, unable to quite hide the amused upturn at the corners of his mouth for the state the Weyrwoman is in, "Hello, gorgeous."

« It DOES crunch! » Leirith thrums, just as giddy and excited as Kyasinth. « DO NOT LISTEN TO HIM. COME, JUMP INTO THIS PILE! » Does Leirith SWEEP UP another massive pile, separate from the one that Risali is working at building? Yes, yes she does, and Risali? Risalii's eyes go from her queen, to V'orn's green, to V'orn himself — just in time to pull a face at him when he calls her gorgeous. Her cheeks flush, and while V'orn might be polite (or, at the very least, polite enough to wait until he is closer to be IMpolite), Risali has no such compunctions. The Senior Weyrwoman takes one, two easy strides to eat up the distance separating her from V'orn with not-nearly-long-enough legs, and then she PUNCHES HIM. IN THE ARM. Gently. "Shut up," comes with one extra (gentle) push at his shoulders for good measure, and perhaps a smackitysmacksmack of her hands against his if he tries to bring them up to ward her off. But there's affection in her tone, communicated in the way she turns on the tips of her toes just enough to let her body tip sideways into V'orn's SOLELY SO THAT SHE CAN SHOULDER-BUMP HIM before she starts back towards her abandoned pile. "Come on, then. We're jumping into leaf piles and since you're here now, we might as well have fun. Together." Out goes one of her hands, palm up, fingers stretched as she turns her head to look at V'orn from over her shoulder and waits. Fingers flex, indicating (without words) what she intends for him to do: to join her, and to hold her hand when he does. "Come on. We have to do it before Leirith ruins it again." CUE THE GOLD BOOMING LAUGHTER. She is shameless, and exuberant, and undaunted.

« Learith! MAMMA! » Kyasinth bounds toward the huge queen like an overly excitable puppy, nearly coliding with the much larger dragon and giving her a roughly affectionate headbutt as she barrels right through the leaf pile, her giggles a dozen cans of bolts being rattled all at once. At least she's not insisting on touching V'orn right now. There's something to be said for the excitement of autumn ground cover that the poor greenrider, for once, doesn't have his extremely affectionate lifemate insisting on being in physical contact, anyway. The same can't apparently, be said about the diminutive Weyrwoman, especially when he did earn the gentle violence. He snickers, pulling his arms up to fend off the older woman's smacking hands, grinning. Then he's being ordered invited to jump in the human-made leaf pile and his snicker turns into a laugh as he gives a mock salute, "Yes, ma'am. Whatever the Weyrwoman commands!" He reaches to grasp those wiggling fingers, letting himself be pulled along.

« MY KYASINTH! » Look. Leirith might not actually be Kysinth's mama dragon (or even her grandma dragon), but EVERY DRAGON IN XANADU WEYR IS HER BABY AND YOU CAN FIGHT THE HECK OUT OF HER. SHE WILL PROBABLY JUST HIDE BEHIND GAROUTH AND CHEER HIM ON AS HE DOES ALL THE BADASSING BUT YOU'LL ONLY DISCOVER THAT AFTER THE CHALLENGE IS ISSUED (and after Garouth probably just be's a sweet, tolerant wolf dealing — ONCE AGAIN — with Leirith's Leirithness with impossible levels of patience but DETAILS). That isn't the point, the point is that Leirith watches that little green ZOOM through that pile of leaves and she booms her approval: a flurry of feathers, a wubwubwub of sound that's heated and warm and rife with affection. It wouldn't matter even if Kya did collide with her because LEIRITH IS A BIG DRAGON, and she can (and will gladly) take it. That headbutt is returned with a bunting of Leirith's maw tapping the top of Kyasinth's head, SQUISHING HER in the cutest, most AFFECTIONATELY dragon-way possible as whirling blue eyes take in the humans from overhead. « ANOTHER. » comes then, as Leirith shifts, dragging more leaves into another pile. « SHOW ME WHAT A BADASS YOU ARE, KYASINTH. » And Risali? Risali huffs laughter at the antics of queen and green alike, interdigitating her fingers with V'orn's and giving his hand a squeeze when he joins her and she tilts her head to look up at him from beneath her lashes. "On the count of three, we run and we jump. Ready? One," she swings their joined hands, "Two," swing, "THREE!" And then Risali runs, pulling V'orn with her if he's amicable to it and letting go of him right before she leaps into those leaves. LISTEN, THEY ARE NOT AS MUCH OF A CUSHION AS MUCH AS ONE MIGHT IMAGINE, and so that is definitely Risali's breath leaving her body on impact. … But then she's laughing. This is fine. Everything is fine.

Kyasinth is in draconic HEAVEN! The playful, young, excitable one, which is THE BEST KIND OF HEAVEN THERE POSSIBLY IS. There's another metalic, rattley giggle as she's squished in the best way possible, « YESSSSSS! » Another is a very good thing, if anyone asks her. Not that anyone is, but whatever. The moment the pile is even remotely big enough, she leaps straight up, pumps her wings once to get just a little extra height, and archs into a graceful — if extremely short — dive, curling up to cannonball onto her back with her wings tucked tight against her body. V'orn can't really contain his own soft laughter as he's lead into a dive of his own beside Risali. There's a running leap into a sliding bellyflop that earns a grunt on impact and leaves him spluttering with a facefull of… well, leaves. He rolls onto his back, flopping his arm out and not really paying attention to where it lands (hopefully it's not on the Weyrwoman's FACE) as he wheezes with breathless laughter, "Okay. Why have I never done this before?" Other than the fact that he grew up at Igen and then was too busy as an apprentice when at Landing.

« WAHEEYYYYY. WHAT A LITTLE BADASS YOU ARE! » Bass and drums reach a crescendo, frenetic excitement whose SUBWOOFERS HAVE SUBWOOFERS (thanks, Soriana!) and shake, shake, shake as the gold laughs and then drops her maw to once again bunt Kyasinth. « You looked amazing, » comes with that exuberant cheer, an image of Kyasinth on impact, leaves rushing up just so that she can see herself the way that Leirith sees her. AND THAT IS IMPORTANT, like it is important that Risali drags V'orn with her into one of her TRADEMARKED TERRIBLE IDEAS and V'orn goes with her. Risali can't answer right away because she's laughing, and LISTEN, his hand DID flump on her face and Risali splutters before batting at his hand and laughing harder. A beat, two, three, and she brings her hands to rest on her ribs as she turns her head to take in the greenrider. "That's a great question, V'orn. Why haven't you done this before?" Her lips pull slightly at the corner, a hint of humor found in that clear tease as she exhales a, "I guess all that matters is you've done it now, so you know the error of your ways." One, two, three, and, "Again?"

There's nothing but giggles from Kyasinth, nudging up under the gold's chin before she bounds up to push more leaves into the flattened pile, « THAT WAS SO COOL! » Her tail lashes behind her, sweeping more leaves aside to clear and flatten a swath of dry meadow grass in her wake, « Your turn! » Which means that she needs to make a BIG pile for Learith to whump into! For his part, V'orn is full of bad ideas all his own. What's one more undignified adventure? Because, really. This is TERRIBLY undignified! Which really just makes it all the more fun. Obviously. He laughs, "Well, there really aren't a whole lot of leaves at Igen." And the ones that are there aren't really suitable for jumping in, "And I was trying to make a good impression when I ended up at Fort Weyr." He snorts, rolling his eyes and tucking his hands behind his head, leaves crunching into his hair. Oops. That's going to be a mess to clean out! He smirks, blue eyes dancing, "Yep." He's popped his leaf-pile-jumping cherry. Or something like that. When Risali proposes jumping again, he's silent for a moment before he snickers and hops to his feet, holding out a hand to help her up, "Faranth, yes!"

« YOU are so cool. » Leirith wuffs as Kyasinth nudges up under her chin, nosing her side with the tip of her nose before she rises to her full (MAGNIFICENTLY LARGE) height and waits for Kyasinth to build her a pile this time. A beat, two, three, and Leirith lowers her chest to the ground, hindquarters rising, rump shifting back and forth before — POUNCE. She slides into it with a little jump, sending leaves flying EVERYWHERE as that giddy, bombastic mind of hers beats and reverberates and lets loose with even more laughter. « AHAHAHA. I ASCEND! » And Risali rolls her eyes as she breathes out, "So make a sand pile, and good impressions are for…" a beat, and then, "… better people than me. Which isn't exactly a high bar." SELF-DEPRECATION FOR THE WIN. STILL, the important part is that Risali asks V'orn if he wants a round two and he ACCEPTS and so Risali rises back to her feet and goes about the task of gathering up leaves for a NEW pile. She could work in silence, but she doesn't; instead, grey eyes find V'orn again after a moment and, around a smile, she asks, "Are you enjoying Asteroid, V'orn?"

Kyasinth positively CACKLES, the rumble and purr of a well tuned engine joining the rattle of cans full of metalic pits and bobs though, there's something fuzzy and soft in there, too. Like a kitten as Learith leaps into the queen sized pile she made. The grean hops in place a few times, forequarters leading and the rest of her following like a wave, before she launches herself at the bombastic queen. SNUGGLE PILE! V'orn shakes his head, forgetting himself for a moment to chuckle fondly at his lifemate. Oops. Nope. No affectionate smiles for the sharding touchy-feely green that decided that she wanted him. He wrinkles his nose at Risali's suggestion that he dive into a pile of sand, "That… would probably be painful. Sand might seem soft, but it's still just dirt." Beat, "Great for rolling down, though." Then she's making self-depreciating comments and he gives her a horrified look, one hand coming up to clutch at his chest dramatically, "My dear Weyrwoman! How dare you assume that you aren't the very pinnacle of society!" There's a mockingly affronted note to his voice, half teasing, but completely sincere in his belief that she really is pretty great. After all, what other weyrwoman would lower herself to just playing with one of her newest full riders? He shrugs one shoulder, helping to gather leaves into a new pile with her, "It's okay? I mean, it's not that much different from before Kyasinth decided I was hers." He rolls his eyes, "Other than having her to take care of, too." There's a breath of silence, "It is a little easier, though, because I don't have to beg a ride if I need to go somewhere." Just hop on his own dragon and go where ever he wants, whenever he wants.

SNUGGLE PILES FOR ALL! Leirith's laughter continues, wings coming up as Kyasinth leaps at her and Leirith catches her and pins her (playfully) and PARTIALLY SQUOOSHES HER all in the name of cuddles. Which Kyasinth absolutely does get, Leirith leaning on the green as one of those massive sails opens up and then drops over the green as Leirith BOOPS HER SNOOT with her own snoot. And Risali? Well. Risali listens and… laughs. Again. "See? That would make it fun. Imagine if you got something to ride down the sand with. Like a sled." And then she's laughing harder, tossing a handful of leaves at the greenrider as she breathes out, "Shut up, V'orn," (with affection, of course) because OF COURSE she is THE VERY PINNACLE OF SOCIETY. If, you know, it was a dystopian society and the whole world was on fire and Leirith was queen and — WAIT. YOU MEAN LEIRITH IS QUEEN? … WE KID, WE KID. Still, Risali listens, dipping her head once in a nod before she breathes out, "I never thought it would get easier, having that," yes, she RUDELY hooks a thumb towards Leirith, "in my head all of the time, but…" A beat, two, five. "I think… the world would be too quiet and too dark without her now. Being able to go wherever I want to definitely doesn't hurt." She can run away, run far, explore places in a matter of seconds that ordinary transport would take her days, weeks even, to reach. BUT THAT IS NOT THE IMPORTANT PART. THE IMPORTANT PART IS THAT PILE, that now looks complete and Risali's hands finding her hips as she turns a SMUG (look at the GLORIOUS DEED THEY HAVE DONE) look onto V'orn. "Whoever jumps the highest wins. Ready?" That would be her, moving backwards to give them both space to execute a running start. "GO!" And she goes, running and jumping and … look. V'orn is going to win. He has to. His legs are longer, and probably more powerful, and Risali trips at the end anyway and stumbles INTO the leaves with a squeak and laughter, but… doesn't matter. When she sits up in that pile, laughing, she'll grab handfuls of leaves to dump over V'orn's head and… well. SHE WILL TORTURE HIM. FOR HOWEVER LONG SHE SEES FIT. And eventually, eventually, she will be called away by duties, or family, that silhouette of a bronzerider that Risali sees, and lights up to see, before she's giving V'orn a hug and then racing off to tackle (and be caught by) that MAN THERE IN THE DISTANCE. AND LISTEN, WHAT A GOOD MAN HE IS, because he is D'lei (I GOT HIS PERMISSION TO ABUSE, IT'S FINE) and he EVEN CARRIES HER AWAY, while Risali waves with too bright a smile over Dash's shoulder and calls out, "Next time, V'orn! Next time, we'll do sand!" Leirith WUFFLES THAT LITTLE GREEN, and then she, too, rises. « NEVER CHANGE, LITTLE BADASS. YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL, AND STRONG. » NOSE BUMP, and off she goes, after riders as they disappear into the distance.


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