Hazards of Construction
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Xanadu Weyr - Beach
The unerring range of subdued white rises and falls in a multitude of sandy dunes, creating an endless amount of tiny valleys constantly demolished and rebuilt by the frequent arrival or departure of a dragon. Smoothing out as it slopes gently to the edge of the deep blue water, the sand darkens and a shell here and there stands out for children to collect. The beach itself is set along a low cliff - the height lessoning as one heads eastwards, blocking a portion of the beach from direct access.
The wide wide stretch of water opens up to the east, the far distant shore way beyond the horizon and the beach curves ever so slowly round to east and west, distant arms of land embracing the wind-ruffled Caspian Lake. East leads up to the mouth of the Rubicon River, where the protecting cliff is merely an arms length higher then the sand, and beyond that, a winding road leading out of Xanadu's territory. Westwards, the beach narrows as the cliff swings out, leaving a path wide enough for dragons in single file before cutting in to the sheltered cove designated the Weyrling Beach. However, cut in the cliff face to the north are a variety of rough, wide staircases, providing access to the clearing and to the meadow.


Late morning and there is a crisp chill to the bright day. Kera is jogging at a lazy pace near a lumbering green dragon. Moncerath pauses every so often and snuffles at a grouping of melon sized rocks, but continues forward after an investigating wuffle. The weyrling chuckles, sliding a glance to her dragonmate and jogs on. "We can look for some later, promise." A little headshake of amusement and her gaze slips upwards. Whistling out, she scans for her lizard, but he's been gone all morning. Her path leads her along the shoreline and soon other beach goers are spotted. Kera dips a nod, and waves to those her and Moncerath pass.

Escaping the office is always a good thing. Today, it's an extra good thing, because whatever phase it is they've started in the construction is loud. [[[player:Soriana]] doesn't know. She didn't ask. What she did was flee! It's almost lunchtime. Close enough! She's taking an early one, with a packet from the kitchens taken out to… well, the clearing was busy with some supplies being unloaded from a transport dragon, so her steps have taken her to the beach, descending the steps and looking around for a convenient sort of spot. While she's doing that, she gives a few smiles and nods or waves, Moncerath and Kera included.

Kera has been jogging around the weyr for the better part of the last candlemark, minus a few brief stops to catch her breath. So when Soriana is spotted on the lower steps, her jogging slows to a stop. Bending slightly and taking some deep breaths, Kera looks to her dragonmate. Not very much later Mon is bounding out to splash into the water, "Work your wings!" A bubbling warble is the green's reply before Kera laughs and turns her attention back to her friend. Having caught her breath now, she stands to her full height and starts towards the young weyrwoman. "G'mornin Sori…um, ma'am." A quick salute and chuckle is offered her friend, while eyes flash around for weyrlingmaster knots hiding behind boulders.

Soriana's an excuse to stop jogging? Yeah, she's pretty okay with that. She watches Moncerath as the green splashes off into the water, then looks back to Kera with a smile. "Morning, Kera," she says, and takes a glance at the boulders herself. "So do they have any other rules I should know about?" she asks as her gaze returns to Kera. "Besides the salutes and ma'ams all the time." There's a wry smile tugging at her lips. "I mean, I figure I should at least know these things. In theory."

Kera flicks her gaze back to Soriana and grins. "Better safe than sorry. Just tryin to avoid getting extra duties again." Tugging the shoulder of her shirt, she swipes her forehead and the side of her face. It may be the tail end of winter, but it's a bit warm if you are jogging all about. "And here I was hoping to get a few pointers to help me get by from you. That was /my/ theory anyway." Chuckling, she looks to the water a moment, watching Moncerath using her wings to 'float' and her tail to propel her forward. "That's not what I meant and you know it." Shaking her head, she gestures towards along the beach and looks back to her friend. "Hiding from paper work for a bit

Soriana sighs, shaking her head a little before smiling slightly. "I can at least tell you that you won't be held back for not saluting well enough." For other things? Who knows. And maybe there will be extra duties, it's not like Soriana's a weyrlingmaster! Or interferes with them, usually. But for something like that… "They'd have to come up with a better excuse." She grins, just a bit lopsided, then starts toward an outcropping of boulder where she can sit for a bit. "I'm no help with salutes. I avoid them as much as possible!" She laughs a bit. "But if there's anything else…" Soriana smiles, and sets the bundle she's carrying down on that boulder. "I'm just out for some lunch." In the cold. Because sometimes the 'out' part is important.

Kera grins and follows Soriana towards the sun drenched boulders. "Well, I'll just make sure not to give them any excuse. Moncerath's been doing so well, she shouldn't be held back cause of something like sloppy saluting. Or some other such thing." Settling on an adjacent boulder and using her feet to brace herself on another large rock, Kera stretches back to rest a bit. "Anything else huh? Hmm, you happen to know how to build a barn?" A little smirk settles on her face and she gestures to the bundle Soriana sets down. "After your lunch of coarse."

Soriana perches herself atop one of the lower boulders. "I'm glad to hear she's doing well," she says with a smile and a glance out to the green in the waves, then looks back to Kera. Sloppy saluting… bah. It's not like Soriana even returned that salute Kera gave! But, well, the weyrlingmasters can't get on her case, because she outranks them. "A barn?" Soriana arches an eyebrow, then grins. "Sure." She knows how! But she makes Kera wait while she unwraps her bundle, a sandwich and a couple of rolls with stuff inside along with a thermos. "You go ask Jethaniel, fill out a form, and wait."

Kera nods, peering back to the water to see the young green using her wings now to push her along rather than her tail. Satisfied that her dragonmate is excercising the right muscles, her attention goes back to the weyrwoman bearing boulder. Another nod comfirming she did indeed say 'barn'. "Paperwork and wait huh?" Well that put a damper on her cheery mood as she signs "At least the weather is starting to turn warmer." Gesturing towards the shoreline. "I was pondering trying to scavenge some of the smaller boulders along the shoreline for it. So that it would match the cottage I was assigned. It's old Master Healer Fraille's house. So I need to see about a shleter for Moncerath." She gives a quick shrug and flashes a quick grin "I'll figure something out though, don't think she's gonna be allowed to sleep near the sands for much longer."

That's one way to do it, at least! "If you want to do it yourself, you could talk to Mur'dah. He did a lot to fix up his barn." Soriana hehs. "It was kind of a mess, when he first got it. Nice place now, though." So apparently he knows what he's doing! Or at least figured it out along the way, and might be able to help now. Soriana smiles. "The dragons can handle the cold, usually. But some of them do prefer shelters. Others like being out where they can see things." She shrugs, and though she tilts her head at the explanation of the cottage, there's no recognition from her. Maybe she's lucky, in that regard.

Kera shifts her position on the rock, rolling to her side and propr her arm up a little. Nodding at mention of Mur'dah's fixer upper barn "I remember when he was doing that." Chuckling "That's several turns back. I tried helping, but I'm not much of a builder, so I didn't help very much." Plus the brownrider kept making comments about 'crazy' healers. Considering Soriana's words, a little nod dips her head. "I know her hide doesn't feel it like we do, I don't feel comfortable being cozy warm if she isn't." Thinking a moment "So, do paperwork with the Steward and wait. Or maybe see what Mur'dah and I can scrounge up along the beach. That still leaves with I'm not much of a builder. I can collect materials, but putting them together…." Looking back to Soriana, she cants her head. "I don't remember your place being quite the fixer upper when you got it." Yes, Kera 'has' been around a few turns now it seems.

Soriana nods to Kera about Mur'dah's barn. "I think he hired some builders for the more complicated parts of it." A shrug and smiel. "He'd still know more than I do." She picks up sandwich and nibbles on it, listening to Kera. "Well, you can certainly get something built for her, one way or another. I don't know if Mur'dah would actually be able to help you drag the boulders around, but he might at least give you some advice." She mmhs. "You should probably talk with the miners, actually, if you're going to go about trying to get the rock. I mean, nobody's going to miss a pebble here and there, but once you go about looking for boulders…" she pats the one she's sitting on "…well, people might notice. So… yeah, talk to the miners. Or Jethaniel again." Who has magical steward-y powers that aren't actually magic, they just look like it to anyone who's not willing to read through twenty-seven clauses of paperwork. Soriana has another nibble of her sandwich, and laughs. "Nah, mine was more or less in one piece."

Kera laughs when the goldrider announces her places was more or less in tact. "At least you could move right in…well, I could to, but it needs some work first. Some roof repairs, tiles placed, new window frames…oh, and windows. A hunting party to clear the cellar." She adds with a chuckle "I think something has staked claim to the lower level." Looking back towards the water to see Moncerath tromping onto the beach, wings twitching and flicking to dislodge excess water. That done, the green proceeds to sun herslf for a time as Kera peers back to her friend, and smacking the boulder under her thoughtfully "I'm not talking huge rocks like this. But sorta kickball or large melon size." She holds her hands out to demonstrate her intentions. "Heavy enough, but still manageable to handle. And if I were to rig up a couple of crates to Moncerath's gear, she can help." Finally she signs and scrubs a hand across her face and chuckles. "Mur'dah, miners, Steward.. I need to sit down and write out a list."

"Oh, there were a few things I had to fix up too," Soriana says. "Just, compared to Mur'dah's place, nothing that seemed worth mentioning." She laughs, continuing to work on her lunch. Food is good! Nutrition and all that sort of thing. She nods about the rocks. "Still, enough of them to build an actual dragon-size shelter…" she glances to Moncerath for calibration "…that's likely to be noticeable. Better to be safe than sorry, right?" Soriana smiles, and has a sip from her thermos. "I'm sure Moncerath will be glad to help, though. It'll be practice for running errands to the nearby holds!" She pauses a moment, thinking. "Or is it the other way around? Have you started taking turns on messenger duty yet?"

Late morning at the tail end of winter, and it's a chilly day with the breeze from the water. But the sky is clear and bright, Moncerath is dripping onto the beach as she suns herslf and dries. Soriana and Kera are settled on a couple of large boulders not very far from the stairs. The queenrider is nibbling on her lunch, evading more reports and files for just a bit longer. "Yea, you're right. Maybe I can use the small boulders for some of it though…I'll sit down after lunch and write out what she needs and size.." She waves it off, happy for the topic change of figuring out how to build a shleter for Moncerath, Kera sits up, shifting around to sit cross-legged on the boulder "We've recently been flying up together. Just around the Weyr though. I think all the messeges we have been given to deliver were just busy work though."

Soriana nods. "I'm sure you can talk to a stonemason about that." Another person for Kera's list of consultations? Building things is complicated! …at least if one doesn't want them to fall down again. Also it's noisy. Soriana definitely knows that part of it, given the construction that made her decide fleeing to eat a lunch out in the cold was a good idea. She continues nibbling on sandwich and sipping from thermos, and nods to Kera. "Oh, they're probably less makework than you think. Even if it's stuff that could have waited, they still would have needed to be delivered eventually, which means someone had to do it. The fact that it gives you and Moncerath some practice, well, that's just a bonus!"

Kera groans when Soriana adds another for her supposed list "Ugh. Any other time I would have brought my satchel with me and scribble this stuff down." Sighing she closes her eyes and mutters "Speak with a miner, request form to the Steward, catch Mur'dah..find stonemason." Chuckling she snaps her fingers "No problem, will take hardly any time at all to get a shelter." Kera rolls her eyes in an exagerated manner before flashing a grin to her lunch nibbling friend. "Busy work or not, Moncerath was happy to be flying us back and forth. So, yea, we'll call that a huge bonus."

Really, if Kera remembers any one (or maybe two?) of the list, they'll probably direct her to the rest. But Soriana never claimed that construction and development was simple! …or that she was the best person to ask. She's just saying the things as she thinks of them! "You can probably get a tent from the stores for the summer?" she suggests with a laugh. "That way at least you'll know Moncerath's shaded while you figure out your plan." Because, well. Hardly any time at all can have a way of turning into months and months! "It's nice to get into the air, isn't it?" Soriana grins. "I mean, especially when it's your dragon, just the two of you soaring together."

Overseeing some of the racket that's going on in the administration wing is Ka'el. No, he's not constructing a single thing, but there were just a few minor blueprint things to look over before he left the workers to do their thing. Thank goodness because he needs a break from it! Out in the cold, though? Not usually his top option of places to be, but going home would make it difficult for him to come back out! Once in warm comfort, he tends to stay there! So, with that in mind he's passed the smithy too, although he gives a place a look of longing as he trudges by. On towards the beach, which he really has no business being, but perhaps it's to the Treetop Cafe that he's heading towards for an early lunch of something warm. He's heading that way, and he soon catches sight of a green dragon. Not so unusual. They're on a Weyr! And the dragon looks familiarish. Also not unusual, as he tries to know the resident ones at least by name (even though sometimes he can't always match up names to actual…dragon faces). But lo! He does know the two rock-bound figures over there! Grinning, he heads there way, hands in the pockets of his coat. "Hello!"

Kera sits up straight and blinks at Soriana's suggestion. "And that's why you get paid the big marks. I never even thought to see about one of the large tents. That's a perfect solution to house Moncerath til a shelter is built!" The greenling healer seems downright giddy suddenly. Thankfully, Ka'el's greeting whips her head around and she waves him closer almost frantically. "Excellant timing fearless Weyrleader sir!" She finishes her greeting with a not tooooo cheeky salute, one that would no doubt get her in trouble anyway if a weyrlingmaster saw it. "Ka'el, come give this awesome weyrwoman a hug and smooch! She's downright brillant. Genius I say!"

That's why, huh? Soriana hehs. "Who knew it was that simple?" she murmurs to herself as Kera exults in the possibilities, then looks up to Ka'el and gives him a wave. From the hand not holding her thermos, even. Look how very fancy she is! It might even be fancy enough for a fearless Weyrleader sir. …maybe. "Hi," she says, then turns to look at Kera as the greenrider weyrling extols her virtues with a curve of lips and an arch of brow that turns into a small laugh as she looks back to Ka'el. "So, uh… you see what happens when I actually take lunch out." She grins, and extends a hand vaguely in his direction. If he's directioning himself closer, that is. "Maybe I should do it more often."

Fearless Weyrleader? Now what did he do to earn such a title! Ka'el arches a brow, complete with a grin, as he moves closer to the two of them. "Uuhhh…" He glances from Weyrwoman to Weyrling. Back and forth, still with that inclined eyebrow. "Have I missed something?" Apparently he has! Brilliant? Genius? That's definitely nota mocking laugh that's heard from the Weyrleader, right? Of course not! He slows upon reaching the two of them, catching Soriana's hand in his as he smiles a greeting to her. "Well I've been sayin' that for turns but whenever I tell her she's brilliant or a genius, she only assumes I want something from her," He says jutting his nose up in the air a bit, but he soon laughs it off. "Soriana, you're a brilliant genius," he says, leaning in to kiss her cheek. "There! … Now," he looks to Kera, amused, "why am I kissing her and telling her that she's an amazing mind?"

Kera smirks to Soriana "Yea, slip out of the office for lunch and some a weyrling's most pressing problem. All that before you even touch your dessert." Still grinning her gaze seeks out Moncerath as the green's wings droop towards the stony part of beach she is sunning on. Kera nods since her day just got much better thanks to Soriana "If there are tents in stores, I may be able to get it and have it mostly set up by this evening, tomorrow at the latest." Gaze goes back to her friends and shaking herself out of her rambling little mutterings to answer Ka'el. "Moncerath and I were given Master Fraille's old cottage in the forest. Will be great once some repairs are done. But there's no shelter for Mon, yet. I've been worrying over where she'ld shelter til something can be built for her." She snorts and gestures with her chin to Soriana "And out of the blue, Sori here just gives me the perfect solution. To use one of the large tents, or small pavillions as temp shelter and shade."

"…but I didn't even bring dessert." Which gives her some extra time to be a problem-solving (apparent) genius. Soriana laughs, curling her fingers with Ka'el's. "…well, you usually do," she tells him. Because there are so many things he could want! Not that she's necessarily averse to the things that he might want. In fact, she likes a great many of the things he tends to want. She just likes to argue. Also, she's amused, and she smiles for the kiss before looking back to Kera. Tents! Like the ones for Gathers and parties and survival camps. "There's sure to be something." Which might or might not be the right thing, but with enough searching… "Check for mildew."

No dessert? How sad! Ka'el will have to fix her something later. Bcause … everyone knows how grand he is at making things in the kitchen! .. -.-; He 'ohs' at Kera's explanation of why the Weyrwoman Junior is a genius, grinning a bit while he nods. "Who's place did you say? Master Fraille?" He flips through the files of his memory. He knows that name becaaaaausssee…..Oh yeah! "Isn't his the one that's rumored to be filled with spirits?" he asks, glancing to Soriana as if for confirmation. Because keeping up with the haunted places of the Weyr obviously is a Weyrwoman's job, right? "I've never gone in myself, but I heard that…" He pauses there. Wait a second. Spooky stories probably aren't the best types of stories to tell about a new weyr, is it? "Er…I mean, congratulations on your new weyr!" he says with a cheerful grin, happy to continue standing as there's likely no room left for his butt to squeeze onto their perch. "Yes. Mildew. It's one of those hazards Jethaniel'll tell you about in his safety lessons, if he gives it again."

Kera grins at the couple's interactions and nods to Soriana's words of caution. "Between the stores and the infirmary, I think I can find something that will knock out and pesky mildew patches." Ka'el recollections get an arched gaze, she fidgets with her boots a bit before chuckling nervously "Gee thanks." An amused eyeroll is sent skywards then her attention goes back to her friends and she chuckles. "I've not gotten my nerve up to introduce myself to what's living in the cellar yet. Maybe's it's ole Master Fraille." Whooo. Kera can do spooky too.

Nooooo, keeping up with the haunted places of the Weyr is Weyrleader "the ghost boy" Ka'el's job. Weyrwoman "the genius" Soriana's job is solving the problems of weyrlings before dessert! …and keeping the jobs of who does what straight is… uh… nobody's job, apparently! Or if it is, somebody's been falling down on their duties, and given that they're the only one who's qualified to know that they're supposed to know… yeah, it doesn't look so good for getting that fixed, so everyone else had better just keep on muddling along. Like Soriana, who shrugs a bit at Ka'el's look of question, following it with a smile that edges toward grin for Kera's addition. "Could be. That, or it's tunnelsnakes." Tunnelsnakes and master healers… so similar, sometimes! Or maybe it's a monster with the head of a healer and the body of a snake. Or… uh… a very aggressive and well-organized colony of spinners. There are possibilities! "Hah. Half of the cleaning supplies are on that list of hazards too." Soriana grins. She's lying, though. More than half of the cleaning supplies are hazardous! Including soap and water, according to some lists.

Ka'el, scaring Weyrlings out of house and home! Whatever else are Weyrleaders good for if not to be troublesome and cause nightmares? Those bumps in the night? Obviously ghosts that will try to claim Kera's ready-to-possess body! He grins innocently at the greenling at her thanks, shrugging his shoulders. "No problem. I hadn't a clue the place had a cellar. And .. you haven't explored it yet? I'd send Minimur down if I were you. At the very least there might be tunnelsnakes down there you might want to get rid of," he says in agreement with Sori, "else risk them showin' up in your bed." He just continues to be a ray of sunshine, doesn't he? "Not sure how long the place has been empty, but it doesn't take long for forest things to move in once a person's moved out and left it to go." Soriana's hand it gently squeezed before it's let go to instead rest lightly upon her shoulder. "If you need any help with Moncerath's shelter though, let me know. I might be able to lend a hand." Hazards and all!

Kera 's gaze flicks from one to the other before a smirk creases her cheeks "I think I'ld prefer to think the ole Master Healer is lurking about down there than a disgusting tunnelsnake." cringing at the thought she huffs and stretches her legs out, bracing her feet on an adjacent boulder. Nodding at the offer to help with her dragonmate's shelter "Thanks. I need to speak with a few people, and do some request form with the Steward. Then wait." Her eyes flicker to Soriana at the last part, chuckling to the weyrwoman. "After that, I'll know more."

"Heh." Soriana gives a crooked sort of smile. "Tunnelsnake's likelier." If, y'know, one wants to bring actual facts and reality into it. There's a rueful tug to her mouth, and she's quiet for a moment, looking down to start clearing up some of the bits of her lunch and brushing crumbs off the edge of the boulder to where they can attract tunnelsnakes and spiderclaws and all the other wild critters who are supposed to stay out in the wild but… may not. She looks up again and nods to Kera's plan (such as it is). "Waiting's a part of just about everything, I think."

"Really? You'd take a spirit to a tunnelsnake?" says Ka'el with a snicker. "Well, good luck to you, either way. I'd chance the tunnelsnake, myself. That at least you can hit with a shovel, if you needed to." Poor tunnelsnake! Too bad Inkfoot is not around. That might be a .. marginally better way to go. To be squashed, or to be eaten…that is the question! The bit about waiting is agreed to with a nod. Waiting. Waiting… "Was the climb to warmth further than you two wanted to go?" he assumes with head bob to the Treetop Cafe. "Or is takin' your lunch outside in the cold the new thing to do?" A smirk follows before his hand lightly squeezes Soriana's shoulder. "Feelin' alright?"

Kera bah's at Soriana's assurance that it's most likely a tunnelsnake and looks back and forth between her and Ka'el. "At least you could reason with a spirit, unlike a tunnelsnake." The mention of Inkfoot gets a couple of nods and her gaze settles on Sori. "I was afraid to send Minimur down by himself, but with Inkfoot, they could watch each other's back. At least long enough to get down there and shed some light on the situation. Not been to the bottom yet, so can't say how solid the steps are." Kera's only been down to the third step actually, but she's not gonna admit to so few before turning and scuttering back out the door when hissing and scrapings started. "I was just out for a pre-lunch jog with Mon over there, looking for small boulders.." She waves off that last bit "..when I spotted Soriana here coming down the steps for her lunch." Stretching her back, she starts scrambling down off the boulder.

There are other things it could be! But… between them, Ka'el and Kera have both sides of the argument pretty well handled, and Soriana just listens to them while she has another sip from her thermos. It's the mention of Inkfoot which makes her look up, with a frown that tugs to the side as she shakes her head. "Can't help you there… but there's like some felines loaned out from the beastcrafters." Someone else for Kera to talk to! …not that she needs more on her list, but hey. How about a change of topic? Like… what she's doing down here, that works! Soriana looks to Ka'el and hehs. "Course it is. Everyone's doing it." Or at least… she is. That's like everyone. "I already had the lunch. Didn't want to buy a new one just for the chance to sit indoors." …by herself. Not that she couldn't have stayed in the caverns to eat, but… "I'm okay." She gives a smile to go with it.

Aw, Inkfoot. Ka'el's eyes turn to Soriana, and the soft hold on her shoulder tightens a little to a supportive squeeze. "I'm sure Minimur could handle himself," he says to Kera. "He's a brown, after all. Big enough to hold his own against most critters. If he's anything like Alloy, he probably believes he's larger than he really is." He watches her dismount from the rock, shifting a little himself to take her spot once she's clear, settling himself at Soriana's side. You snooze you lose, right? To the Weyrwoman at his sid,e he grins a crooked smirk. "I'm going to have to start asking that questiona different way," he says with a thoughtful look. "Like…scale of one to ten. Ten being Kanekith-Amazing. One being…toss me off a cliff face."

Kera hops down from the boulder, brushing off her pants, not missing the actions of her friends. Watching Soriana a second her too longer, she focuses on Ka'el and nods. "Oh no doubt he'ld scrap as well as any bronze, but all that clutter, no light.." She shrugs and gestures towards her dragonmate, who is rousing herself from her sunning slumber and stretching lazily nearby. "Anyway, you both enjoy the rest of your day. I need to go track down a few things. Lunch, tent…evidently speak with the local beastcrafters…." A little grin is flashed to Soriana, yes, she did catch the little addition to her mental list of things to be done. Wagging her fingers to wave "Later you two." Then she's trotting towards Moncerath, then the pair head off to get the dragon fed first.

Surely the cottage was at least somewhat inspected before being handed over? Just like… uh… Mur'dah's was, overgrown with greenery and open to the sky. So… eh, maybe there's a wild feline or a litter of canines living down in Kera's basement along with those tunnelsnakes and the ghost. "Good luck!" Soriana says, waving to Kera as she heads off on… a mission! Or, really, a whole series of missions. Enough to keep her busy all afternoon! And Soriana… well, she's apparently going to keep on sitting here with Ka'el, at least for a little while. She turns to look at him, and laughs at the proposed Scale of Okay. So… she's a level of okay where she can laugh! It's a start. "So what's like… a warm cookie but no ice cream on top?"

"See you, Kera," Ka'el offers to the Weyrling as she heads off, lifting a hand to lightly wave at her. Seems as if she has a busy day ahead of her. Such is Weyrling life! And life in general, no matter what the rank as long as dragons are involved. He watches Moncerath, the young green, slightly chuckling to himself before his attention swings back to Soriana to hash out their new grading scale. A scoring rubric of Okayness. He gbrins at her laughter but soon makes a seriously thinky face at her question. "Mmmm, that's tough. A warm cookie is definitely good. But…shards, add ice cream and it's nearly twice as better." He lifts a hand, rubbing at his stubbly chin. "I'd say….cookie with no ice cream would be a … six. No less than five and a half. Definitely a six. Possibly a six and a half, depending on the type've cookie." He lowers his hand away from his face after that, fixing her with a grin. "Are you a six?"

It's important that they get this scale right! Because… well… it is! Crucial for future okay calibration. So Soriana lets Ka'el think about it, smiling as she does. Also as she reaches over to trail the fingers of one hand against his side, the other one holding her thermos. "Well, sure it's better with ice cream. Even in winter." Though maybe the winter knocks a half point or so off the ice cream? But it probably adds it back in for the warmth of the cookie, so it averages out. But! The ice cream is only hypothetical. Without the ice cream… Soriana considers on it sagely, then laughs. "Six and a half." It's a good cookie.

Six and a half? Ka'el nods slowly, considering the scale. "…Not bad," he finally concludes, nodding again as if in agreement. "Not the best, but not bad. Tomorrow, we'll see if we can up it to a seven, or at least match today's six and a half." He leans towards her, lips pressing against her cheek to kiss, pulling up just enough touch down to the side of her neck to do the same once. .. Make that twice, lingering a little longer this time. And.. oh, one more time won't hurt right? Of course not, so his mouth finds her once again, against her jawline before he pulls back. Reluctantly. With an exhale. "Might be a six and a half in how you feel. You're a ten in other ways," he muses. He smirks, then lifts his brows. "Luraoth alright? Shards, I haven't even asked about her this whole time. And," he nosily peers at her thermos, "what've you got?" Mooch.

It's no Kanekith, but… what is? Other than the gleaming bronze himself. Soriana laughs a little, and nods for the prospect of trying to give her score a bump. …it's a good thing (sort of) that she's wearing a coat today, or else… yeah, let's not think about that. But today still is a six and a half. Soriana tilts her head, kissing at Ka'el's cheek in return. Then? His ear. It's a bit lopsided, but it'll do. Her head lowers a little, receiving the kiss to her jaw… which leaves a smile behind. "…six and three quarters." And maybe more a teasing grin than a smile. Or maybe just a fond one as Ka'el reminds her that she tops out other scales. "Luraoth's fine. She's, oh… eight. But the spiderclaws are still hiding." It's not warm enough for them yet, and with Soriana… how she is… there's no chance to take a trip off to a warmer and more scuttle-heavy spot. "Kanekith's still at ten?" Given that's the calibration for the entire scale! Without his awesomeness, the whole system would fall apart. And Soriana's drink is… not klah. Which is why she makes a face as she says, "Tea. Herb… stuff."

Luraoth's an eight? Woot! Ka'el himself is momentarily a nine, feeling quiete tingly indeed where her lips once touched. "The spiderclaws will be out soon enough. Snow's starting to melt at some places. Galaxy's glad. S'been a quiet winter." For them, at least. For Ka'el, it's been the loudest, most boisterous winter of his life! "Kanekith stays at a ten," he says with a smirk that's both fond and amused as he speaks of his lifemate. "Hasn't been a situation yet that he hasn't figured is a good one for him or me in some way. He…'s had two clutches already. Says my clutch will be as great as his.." He smirks and shrugs a single shoulder. "I don't think he entirely… 'gets' that there aren't going to be eggs, and I can't show him…exactly…how it'll be." Unfortunately, Ka'el has no memory of birth to share with his dragonmate! It'll be a first for them both. He shifts a little in his seat. Wiggle. Squirm. "Is it warm?" He nods to her thermos, reaching for it with a hand. "Or..wait, is it just for you?" he asks with a faintly lifted brow. Herb could mean magic potion for 'with-child women only!'

The piles of firewood on their porch were barely even touched! …but, still, better safe than sorry, and Soriana's not going to be sorry for an easy winter. Well… easy in terms of weather. "Yeah," she agrees, than laughs at Kanekith's ranking. Two clutches… huh, and so's Luraoth. One of them's even in common! "It better not be a clutch." That's said with a smirk. "Because if so, uh… you've got some explaining to do." …and so does Soriana. But there won't actually be any eggs, and there'd better not be a plural involved, either. Except for the fact that it'll be a first for… well, all four of them, humans and dragons. …make that all five. It's still a weird thought, but… she's getting used to it. Slowly, in one sense. It's been months. But… "Mmh?" Right. Her tea. "Yeah, it's warm." She extends it toward him. "Nah. It's just… tea stuff." Because she can't have klah. And while it's supposed - in a vague sort of way - to also be good for unsettled stomachs, it's not medicine. Just tea with herbs.

Oooh, just regular tea? Yes, Ka'el will take some of that! Even though the winter's been mild, it's still winter. And it's cold. And so a sip or two of warm tea just may hit the spot! What won't hit the spot are random eggs clutched by Soriana. Uuuh. No. No eggs. And no plurals of anything. Right? Right. Because although Ka'el can (kinda/sorta…at times…) begin to wrap his head around the thought of a miniature version of them in their lives, two (or Faranth forbid three?..) versions of them is just ridiculous. He sips the tea, not even allowing that thought to manifest in his head, and hands it back to her. "No clutches," he agrees with a snicker, "the healers would have the time of their lives with you if you did," he snickers, leaning gently against her and lightly nestling against her hair. Mmm, a Sori! He inhales with a semi-present smile and exhales that same breath slowly. "I've got to go." For handful of reasons, the greatest of which is that his thoughts are starting to run away from him, finding places that they shouldn't be going. And, it's lunchtime, and if he doesn't snag something now, they'll be little time for it later. And construction is still going on, yet he still has that sit-down with that one Wingsecond.. "Not staying here much longer, are you?" he asks as he pulls away from her tresses.

Mostly regular tea. It doesn't taste too funny, at least. Not once it's had sugar and a bit of milk added to it. So Ka'el probably won't find anything suspicious in those sips. The healers… won't either. Though. "Might be good for them. Keep them on their toes." If… someone else did that. Not Soriana. She just leans back against Ka'el, smiling for that until… "Mmh?" Him having to go is not the direction where his thoughts are supposed to run. Okay, maybe it's the direction where they should run, but… "Nah. I can walk back with you?" She doesn't have any other reason to stay away. Not except avoiding the noise, but if she's going to try to keep avoiding that, she should at least pick up some paperwork to take elsewhere and do while avoiding it. Not that people haven't been understanding of the random restdays her visits to the healers have required, but she shouldn't push it. So. She gathers up the bundle of food-wrappers and pushes herself off the boulder. Back to the grind?

Someone else can definitely clutch those eggs. No Soriana. If Soriana gives birth to … a bunch of eggs…well…someone may just have to pry Ka'el off the floor! Kanekith, meanwhile, will happily be crooning 'I told you so' off in a field somewhere in such a boastful tone! Pleased that she doesn't have it in mind to stay here by her lonesome, he nods at her suggestion of walking back with him and first dismounts from the boulder perch so that he can help her down as well. Necessarily or not so much doesn't matter. He's here to help whether she needs it or not! The offer, likely, will always be there. A steady hand. A strong arm and body. He's there for her! And to the little bitty person that she's home to, he's there for you too. Once she's down, his arm goes around her middle and he presses another kiss, this one gently aimed to her lips in a fond press that's followed by a smile. Back to the grind. "I say we hide out in my old weyr tomorrow. No one will think to look for us there. I'll make us sausage sandwiches." He grins as they walk back towards the meadow and clearing beyond it. Back to the work that they really can't hide from. Back to the noise of change.


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