Xanadu Weyr - Weyrling Barracks
A long and roughly oblong cavern, about a third of the space is open, used for classes or chores as required. The rest of the space is filled with couches of varying sizes, all with plenty of space between them. Some couches are obviously intended for the very young weyrlings while the largest ones at the back are for the older weyrlings.
It is so…cold… And it is also loud! And dark! With an icy wind unrelenting, shoving bursts of snow and ice against the barrack's walls, it's anything but a silent night on Xanadu. A very dark Xanadu! Where are the lights? Where is the heat? Ugh. Such things are to be expected in the winter, for it seems every turn something happens that makes the power go out. But unfortunately for Ka'el, he's not so exempt from the misery due to the fact that he's no longer housed in the forges, where light and heat are never lost. And so as he huddles with Kanekith on the bronze's (for now) too large couch, wrapped up in three blankets and with his beanie on his head (and a sullen look on his face) he can't help but wonder…what are the guys doing now? Sweating probably. Oh, to sweat by the heat of a forge! To be singed! « We could go… » suggests Kanekith, whose tail curls around his weyrling. « To the flame? » "R-right. And freeze halfway there and be blown out to sea."
Mur'dah is likewise sitting on his own brown's couch, tucked between Kalsuoth]'s forelegs and huddled in his coat and blanket and everything, while the small brown curls his neck around his rider, providing a warm and soft thing to lean against. "This sucks," he complains quietly. "Bet we could start a fire in the aisle. Wouldn't bother the floor any."
Kinda makes you wonder who's responsible for maintaining the electrical systems around here, anyway. Seriously, can't they just get this thing right and be done with it? …apparently not. Soriana sits with Luraoth, leaned back against the gold's shoulder with a pair of bright eyes peering out over her own shoulder and a blanket draped over them. "With what wood?" she asks Mur'dah. Not that she's saying no, mind you. There's bound to be something. Like… "V'dim's got a desk, right?"
Seems being tucked close to ones dragon is the idea for the night, Idrissa is settled close to Tahryth's side, half covered by a wing while her green is sleeping. Rissa has her coat pulled tight around her, knees tucked close and her arms wrapped around her legs while she works on keeping warm. Tahryth wiggles at time in her sleep, tail lashes and smacks against her couch a few times along with a slight flutter of her wings. "A fire would be nice actually." She ponders the wood idea and grins at the desk idea. "Sure, you can tell him what we used his desk for then Soriana."
Shivershivershiver. Ka'el tugs his blankets tighter around himself as a breeze that doesn't exist but he's sure he felt runs down his spine. How he loaths…absolutely loathes winter! He turns his head in the direction of Mur'dah's quiet voice. A fire? Kanekith perks. "There's bound to be wood somewhere. Better yet, coals," he says, glancing around, apparently hoping that these things will manifest themselves … and he suddenly have the ability to see well in the dark. And what was that about V'dim's desk? "You get on that, Sori. You provide the wood, we'll get the fire started."
Mur'dah smirks a bit at Soriana. "Bet one of the empty oil barrels would burn /really/ well." And he looks in that direction, pondering the trade off of moving vs staying warm where he is tucked right now.
Soriana looks in the direction she thinks is probably the weyrlingmaster's office. "Hmm." There'd be a clear case of self preservation! And yet. "It'd probably make a lot of smoke." Which is to say, uh, yeah. She tilts her head at Mur'dah's suggestion, and nods. "It probably would," she agrees. "I think there's still one that didn't get taken away yet, too." Even if it does require moving. Luraoth lifts her head from Soriana's shoulder, and sends a swirl of colors spiraling against each other. « We would be warmer together. »
Idrissa isn't really up for the thought of taking the weyrlingmaster's desk, not unless there really is no other choice of course. She takes in a soft breath while glancing towards the talk of a oil barrel. "Yes the oil in it would cause it to smoke a good amount, fill the whole place up with it I think actually." She ponders this and lets a hand slowly uncurl to rub at her face a few times. Tahryth shifts and wiggles before rolling onto her haunches and stretches out there, Rissa is shoved right off the couch and grumbles as she stands up eyeing her green. "Gee, thanks."
"Bet it'd catch everything else on fire jus' as well," quips Ka'el, voice amused in reply to Mur'dah. Coals he gets. Oil fires? Not so much. But being the weyrling class that burned down the barracks would make them … legendary, would it not? His eyes half close. Maybe sleeping and deadening his consciousness will help blot out his misery. But Kanekith isn't giving him the peace of mind to do so, still rilled up by fiery thoughts. "There's not gonna be one…" he mumbles. "Let it go." Kleptomanic dragon, anyone? « Mine will not start one. » he nearly whines, though luckily his attention is caught by Luraoth's swirling colors, suggestion, and Idrissa's fall. Haha! Look at her. « Tahryth would try to kick us out. »
Mur'dah snorts softly, shaking his head. "Well then if we're not going to burn things down, we should at least move to the middle of the room and" cuddle "huddle. Shared warmth and all that. The dragons can make a little cavern for us, wings over the top and all that. Or we could put blankets up…because I'm dying over here." Teeth chatter. Listen to his teeth chatter.
"This place is so drafty…" Soriana says with a frown. "It's not like the smoke couldn't find a way out." The cold certainly finds a way in! How bad could it be? Soriana nods to Mur'dah. "It's a good idea. I mean… it can't be worse than this." Except for the bit where she'll have to stand up in order to do it. That part makes her hesitate, until Luraoth stretches and rises to her feet and pulls the blanket partway off in the process. "Gack!" Soriana grabs for it and pulls it around her again, then sighs and stands up. « Perhaps Tahryth has found the warm. » Because that's a thing, right? It's like how the spot on the floor that had sunbeams on it is warm. So… Luraoth pads over that way to investigate.
Tahryth tilts her head, a soft rumble escaping her while the green is slowly starting to wake up it seems. « What, what warm? » This questioned with a curious tone, a spring rain falling lightly as she still seems rather tired. "Well, I guess we could try the whole oil barrel bit." Well it's a thought at least, yes? A glance is sent over to Mur'dah and then she looks around to the others but doesn't comment on it as she sends a faint glance to Ka'el. « Why would I kick someone out? » This comes from Tahryth while she turns about and sits upwards with a flick of her wings.
Psh. Yeah right. Kanekith surely wouldnt've found the warmth before Tahryth. So that mustn't be it! It must be something else. He lingers a little longer near the huddled up weyrling, but curiosity soon wins out and he must make sure that warmth wasn't found without him. So the bronze too stands, much to Ka'el's dismay as he was resting against him. "Hey!" He lumbers towards the green and gold, not exactly enjoying the chill, but not as adverse to it as Ka'el. « You did so to yours » Kanekith notes to Tahryth while Ka'el ponders this huddle idea that's taking root. "We are not tryin' the oil barrel bit," he retorts to Idrissa, again seeing the place ablaze in his mind!
Mur'dah gets to his feet with a groan, shuffling over to the others. Kalsuoth stretches before he hobbles after, hopping to settle down beside his rider and curving his body around his back. Shaking out a wing, he holds it out over his rider, offering a little covering to trap the heat. For as long as he can hold his wing up at any rate. « We will make a dragon hold, » he says, amused.
« But where does the warm go? » Luraoth asks as Tahryth reveals she doesn't have it. Soriana just sighs, wrapping the blanket around her as she steps down off the couch. "I guess not," she says to Ka'el with a heaved sigh. "But we're at least doing the blanket thing, and if it gets any colder, I'm not going to promise anything." Sothere. Luraoth looks down at Tahryth's couch… nope, no signs of warm… then turns her head back. « Yes. All ours will be warm. » Cuddlepile! The gold is all about this idea. All her friends, together. Yay!
Tahryth seems confused while she shifts and wiggles, head lifting to bump and nose back against Luraoth and then Kanekith as the bronze waders over. A soft croon escaping the young dragon before she is up, stretching in a feline like manner and is moving forward to settle next to Kalsuoth, her large wings flutter open. « This what you mean, help keep warmth? » Idrissa ahs softly. "Well, I mean.. We could try something else?" She isn't sure if a snuggle pile is such a grand idea. Though Tahryth is 'tugging' her so to speak to come join in. Rissa seems unsure, but she soon moves over, dragging a blanket with her and settles down between Tahryth's forepaws for now. "Well, this will work. No worries about burning anything down now you see?"
Kanekith knew it. There is no warm here. His head lowers to investigate the couch, which indeed is no warmer than the one he just left. Puh! « Warmth leaves until it is called back » he rumbles knowingly, not knowing at all. « It leaves and returns when it is needed. That is why they join together » To apparently … uh, worship and pray to the warmth? Uh, right! Ka'el shakes his head at Kanekith's train of thought, but…well, he's at least over there with his clutchmates on his own accord with no rustling of distemper. That's progress! He, on the other hand, eyes his own 'clutchmates'. Cuddle…huddle together in a dragon fortress? It's a grand idea! Body heat is the best type of heat in these type of winterly situations. He hangs back to fiddle with his socks. He's not putting bare feet on this frozen floor!
Mur'dah smiles a bit, huddling there in their dragon fort. And the brownling will go quiet, nestled against Kalsuoth and dozing in the warmth while it lasts.
Luraoth noses back at Tahryth, then tilts her head to Kanekith as the green scampers off, listening to his explanation. « Then we will call the warmth. » she agrees. Hers definitely seems to need it! Though Soriana gives the gold dragon a bit of a look. What… exactly… does this warmth-worship entail? More to the point, what does Luraoth think it entails? The gold continues blithely. « Will you come? You have very warm thoughts. » She offers an image of a candle to Kanekith, a flame that flickers and - gasp! - is about to be blown out by a gust of wind. She can't keep it burning on her own, nope… but that's why she's going over to join with the others of her clutch, settling in against Kalsuoth's side opposite Tahryth. There's a spot for Kanekith on the other side, if he chooses to join in, and the poor cold humans can just snuggle up in the middle. Soriana follows, bringing some blankets to try to drape onto this fort.
Tarhyth croons out as she settles down, tail tapping against the floor a few times. « Warmth comes and goes, doesn't always leave you know? Why is it so cold in here anyway? » Seems the green is /finally/ catching on to what is going on around here. Idrissa smirks while eyeing her green and shakes her head a moment while she shifts to add her blanket to the 'fort'. "How have you guys been?" Not like they have talked much lately, other than during lessons and so forth. Might a well strike up a conversation now, right?
Of course Kanekith will come. It isn't as if the brown, gold, and green could do this without him, anyway. And plus, he's already over there. Might as well help them out, yes? And plus, he could be warmer. Just a little. And the added lure of a near dying flame is all that's needed to banish away what few reservations he might have had. His wings raise, both physically and mentally, to shield the flickering flame, blocking that breeze, adding his own strength as fuel. There you go, little thing. Grow and burn and warm them all! Well…almost all. Ka'el is taking his own sweet time tending to his … uh, socks, looking more and more unsure of just how good of an idea it'd be to enter the fort of warm cuddles. "Nearly done," said, still over at Kane's cot, though he can answer from there. "I've been warmer," he snerks.
After draping blankets, Soriana gives the dragon-and-blanket hold a critical look. It's a bit lopsided, and she can't see it well in the dark, but y'know what is does look like? Not-hypothermia, that's what. Good enough! So she sneaks her way inside, carefully picking a spot that's… well, it's inside the cuddlefort, yes, but it's mostly cuddling with dragons instead of other humans. Also her extra sweaters and socks, which are definitely part of any cuddling she's doing tonight. Luraoth croons softly, pleased when Kanekith obliges, and her wings stretch as her head and tail curl in as far around the group as they'll go. Awww, togetherness. Soriana turns her head to look in the vague direction of Idrissa (it's even darker, now), then hehs at Ka'el's response. "Yeah, that. I mean, it's just been… busy, y'know?"
Idrissa has a few extra bits of clothing on to help with keeping her warm it seems. She brushes her hands off as she sees the fort is mostly standing put it seems. "Yes well I think we all have actually." A slight smirk is seen at this before she is settling down once more between a green and bronze dragon, once more pulling her coat around her. "Ya, busy busy. I think I'm still finding drool from when Tahryth had to lick at that numbweed." That isn't a pleasant idea you know!
Feet, double socked and ready to go! Pulling his blankets with him, Ka'el shuffles along the floor (hardly even feeling the cold now!) and slides in near Kanekith within the bubble of shadowed friends after draping his blankets as well, shutting out even more light and, most importantly, coldness! Kanekith croons gently upon his weyrling's arrival, glad to have him near and settling in against his front. Ok so … this is sort of nice. Good call, Mur'dah. "Kanekith and I did the rope thing the other day without falling," he reports with a grin and a proud feeling of elation from Kanekith. Sure, it only took them two or so weeks to get through it /once/ (and that was just barely, but why share all the intimate details?), but hey! A success is a success! He snickers at the mentioning of numbweed. "At least she's learned not to do that again."
Light? Who needs light? Soriana has not freezing. It's good enough. Soriana adjusts her position a bit as Ka'el joins the group, being careful to keep safe cuddle distance while still having the body warmth thing. "Nice," she says to him. "Luraoth and I have been working on the ring toss one." Sori hehs, and shakes her head. "Still haven't gotten it. Not from the full distance, anyway."
Idrissa watches Ka'el curiously, perhaps a bit surprised that he really did join in, a faint smile is seen though. "Well, I think it's already warmer in here. What do you all think?" This questions while she peers up at the dragons and then glances back to her friends. "Tahryth and I finally got the monkey bars done without a problem. Was going to start another one but then the blizzards went and got worse."
Ka'el closes his eyes and focuses on calling that warmth. Kanekith may have a point! It'll come when called. Or summoned. Or however it was he worded it. In any case, he falls quiet and listens while leaning against his dragon, wishing he would've kept one of those blankets just because having one wrapped around him is comforting. At least he has his hoodie, the hood of which is not situated over his head. "It is," he agrees in answer to Idrissa. "Good idea."
Soriana just nods about the warmth, not that it's easy to see nods in the dark. Oh well. She stays where she is, leaned in against the smell of oil and dragon. "How long you think it's going to last?" she asks after a while. "I can still hear the wind…"
"Til the morning," is Ka'el's reply. "Everything last until a morning, and then it's over. It will be done then." Despite however many mornings it may have gone on for. He sounds confident, if not a little lethargic despite the winter storm outside. Kanekith shifts a wing, though the blankets stay in place. "Felt bad for the ones that had to bring us our food here. Bettin' they're hoping it's done in the morning, to." A smirk is heard in his voice. "Probably would've been us, if we were candidates, for the old weyrlings." He would've spit in Jo's plate.
Idrissa nods a bit to the talk of the good idea and then peers out towards the sound of wind howling and whipping about just outside the barracks. "No clue. Remember a while back when it lasted for days?" This questioned while she makes a face at the idea. "I wish it would hurry up and get warm again."
"A morning, sure," Soriana says with a smirk. "But which one?" She settles back, trailing her fingers lightly along Luraoth's tail. "Yeah, but… it's probably warmer in the caverns. Even with no heat, they've got like… fireplaces." Oh, fire. If only. "I know," she says to Idrissa. "I want to give Luraoth a bath without freezing."
Idrissa rolls her eyes slightly at the morning bit. "Funny." She offers while tilting her head and peers at Ka'el at the talk of food, which actually makes her stomach grumble, and then another from a green dragon that is hovering behind her somewhat. She doesn't bring up anything about the old weyrlings, rather glad at least one of them isn't around as they would cause some craziness to say the least. "It can't stay winter forever, right?"
Ka'el nods his head at the question. It's a fair one. "The morning in which the weather stops," he says oh so knowledgeably. Yup. That morning. He smirks vaguely, staring out at nothing as he leans his hooded head against Kanekith. "Forget fireplaces. They've got the springs," he says, sighing wistfully, even though the longer they linger here, the warmer it becomes. But the steam! The hot waters! "Is the water heated with pipes or is it always that way, naturally? I wonder." Could be worth investigating. Sometime. To Idrissa, he remarks, "It hasn't done so yet."
Ka'el is definitely right. Soriana smirks back - well, more or less back. At least, she smirks and he does, though she's not really looking at him, even though it's too dark to really see. "'m pretty sure it's natural," she says consideringly of the springs, then shrugs. Either way… none for them! Stupid frozen barracks. Stupid winter. If this one does last forever, it'd be legendary!
Idrissa shrugs slightly while she shifts and leans back into the shoulder of her dragon, eyes closing for a few moments. "Then spring should be just around the corner." Makes total sense to her! Right? She ehs softly. "Sort of wishing Hotaru was around now though. She always had some sort of food thing after all."
"Hotaru.." Ka'el blinks at the name as it's repeated aloud. And then, after a moment of silence, "Garawan. .. Woah. Zahleizjah." His brows furrow in wonder. "I…haven't thought about any've them since.." Has it really been since the hatching. He thinks back of days overfull of … stuff. The first weeks of bonding. Dragon thought and curiosities and the overwhelming nature of it all. Feeding, bathing, oiling, sleeping in those few moments when one could. Then, lessons and obstacles and.. Wow. It really has been so long. He shifts a little, adjusting the press of his weight. "It's been months."
"I never did manage to see her at the feast," Soriana says of Hotaru, and sighs. She draws herself in closer, putting her arms around knees and leaning in to rest her head on them. "I guess she's gone back now. To… Fort, right?" The question's asked to nobody in particular. "Zahleizjah's still around. At least… I saw her since the hatching." But it's not like Soriana makes it out of this little bubble of weyrling stuff very often.
Idrissa nods slightly as she hears Ka'el. "Ya, it pretty much has." She offers softly while she is rather comfy fo rnot all curled up and snuggling with her dragon and friends. "I zw Zahleizjah, but well none of the others." She ponders with a soft breath escaping her. "I wonder what there all doing, if there still around the Weyr and all."
Ka'el bobs his head once, although it'll go unseen. "Fort," he confirms, brows furrowed still. "I remember talkin' to her, a few sevens before the hatching, about what we'd do after. If we did impress or didn't. She wasn't sure if she'd want to stay. Told her I wouldn't blame her, but I wouldn't let it be the end of everything, y'know? Doesn't make sense to spend all that time together and then just… stop." He pauses there, eyes flitting through the darkness and turning in the direction of Irissa. Momentarily. "I didn't see Zahleizjah at the feast. Haven't seen her the few times I've been out. But… would she've stayed with her father.. y'know. Fired?"
Soriana frowns at the mention of things… stopping. She doesn't say anything, just leaning in a bit more to her legs. Not that much can be seen, here in the dark. As for Zahleizjah… "She said she was going to stay. Even with… that." Soriana frowns slightly. "But… I haven't seen her for sevens, now. So… I dunno for sure." She sighs. "I feel like I barely even know what's going on with the rest of everything, anymore."
Idrissa is quiet as she hears Ka'el talk about that, she is soon frowning though. "Ya…" She offers softly, almost sadly. For a few moments she is quiet, trying to gather her thoughts it seems while Tahryth lowers her head and noses out at her rider with a soft croon escaping her. "I don't know if she would stay I didn't get a chance to ask her, though I hope she would. Though I could understand why she wouldn't want to if her father wasn't here." There is a pause. "Briana left too." Seems like everyone is leaving almost.
The world is a mystery to weyrlings who have adopted a new world of their own. Sheltered and small with just a handful of faces in comparison to the entire weyr. "It's weird when y'think about it," he says, lightly rubbing his fingers against a large, black claw. "It's like we're a part of Xanadu, but … not really anymore, an' the people who aren't with us now don't really fit." His thoughts wander to Briana, Kanekith recognizing her as the girl with the bundle. "Maybe Briana felt like she didn't fit."
"Yeah. We're sort of… more and less." Soriana's voice is quiet. Considering. "That's… if she didn't fit, what about us? Our dragons? Sahazyth's their mother. So…" that means what, exactly? Soriana trails off into not-knowing, and shakes her head. "I dunno. It's weird."
Idrissa ponders this while looking up to Tahryth for a few moments. "If she didn't felt like she fit in here, makes one sort of wonder why." There is a slight pause before she goes on. "Have you guys ever thought of leaving. I mean… Would you guys stay cause of your dragons?" This questioned with a soft tone at the idea.
Lots of things to think about on this snowy, blustery night. "I don't think Sahazyth has anything to do with ours," Ka'el replies. "Sure, she's their mother, but .. that doesn't mean much. At least, not to me. My ma 'n I couldn't be any more different," he uses as an example, keeping his hand on that claw. Idrissa's question draws his blind eyes though, and the familiarity of the subject causes an inner exhale. "I already left home once," he points out. "I don't know if Kanekith would cause me to stay. I'd stay if I wanted to. If I found purpose here. Ers'lan said weyrlings repay the weyr for weyrlinghood by working for them after its all done. Joining a wing and all that. I'd want to stay if I could do what I wanted to do here. If I couldn't … I'd to go a place where I could."
Soriana nods slightly to Ka'el. "Maybe. Some people do. Take after their mothers, that is." She frowns, then gives her head a little shake. "I don't really know why Briana left." She shrugs, and then… she goes quiet for a bit. "I'd have to think about a lot more than just Luraoth." Her chin sinks a little further in against her knees, and her gaze drops to her hands. She can still see them in front of her face… sorta. "It's sort of early to be thinking about that stuff, anyway. I mean… it'd be a big decision." She shakes her head. "First we've got to get through weyrlinghood."
Idrissa listens to the two, her mind wandering it seems while she shifts and uses her arm like a pillow. "I suppose so." This is offered before a nod is seen. "Sure sure, ment after all that." Her green gaze flicks owards Ka'el. "Ers'lan came to see me the other day by the way."
Yes it is early, isn't it? Ka'el just stares off in the direction of both of them, and he expels a near snorted breath through the nose in reply, and that's soon followed by a vague yawn. With the exhale of that, he shifts his attention to Idrissa, brows lifting a little. He did? "Good," he replies with a little no. ".. That's good. You like him. Was good to see him…wasn't it?" He shifts a little, though eventually gives up on getting too comfortable and stands.
Soriana's lips quirk at the snort from Ka'el. "Yeah, well," she says. Despite the fact that he didn't actually say anything. She doesn't look up, though, just continuing to stare at her hands in the dark. So exciting. So… vague blobs. Yeah. Well. As for the matter of Ers'lan, she doesn't say anything, just… listening. Quietly-like. She's probably thinking or something.
Idrissa lets her gaze settle upon where she knows Ka'el is, just watching him for a moment. "Yeah, was nice to see a friend. Tahryth even gave him a lick, was sort of amusing. She also gave him a sea shell."
So it was a good thing after all. Oh, and it even went as far as to give her some amusement! That'll give Ka'el a bit of peace of mind, and he nods to himself just once, sounding a chuckle. "A lick and a sea shell? Best gifts a dragon can give, huh?" He reaches up to touch Kanekith's neck, and the bronze lowers his head to nudge him affectionately. "Dunno how long this storm's supposed to last, but I can't sleep down here. I need a bed." Wings begin to fold and Ka'el carfully collects his blankets, guiding his dragon out of the circle and replacing the blankets that aren't his. "Still bet this'll be done by a morning.." He smirks. "Might be willing to even say tomorrow morning." Though he doesn't stick around for those wagers and instead waves a hand. "Goodnight."
"Goodnight," Soriana says. Other than that? Yeah, she's quiet. Listening. Thinking. For it being so very early to be even thinking about that, she sure is doing an awful lot of thinking. Ka'el is probably halfway back to his couch before she stirs herself enough to add, "If it's done by morning, I'll bring you a sweetroll from the caverns to celebrate." Who said he needs to actually make the bets? That's just details.
"Well Ers'lan didn't mind, I thought it was rather nice gifts she gave." Idrissa offers while rubbing across her dragon's neck a few times. The thought of going to bed crosses her mind though Tahryth isn't really moving so it seems the pair will stay here for the moment until another dragon leaves and thus makes the little area even colder. "Night." Is offered back before her eyes close once more, and she dozes off for the moment.