Xanadu Weyr - Weyrling Beach
With a gentler slope to the water from the main beach and the way it is cut in like a cove, this is the most sheltered spot for bathing. The sand is the same white hue, there are just as many — or perhaps more — scattered shells. From here, one has a beautiful view across the lake, a scene more often tranquil than not.
It's a bright and sunny early morn about a sevenday after the eggs of Seryth's and Solaith's have hatched. The weyrling beach is a-crawl with hatchlings having their first look at the lake and bathing is about to get underway. The Weyrling Master is there, along with his Assistants, helping to corral curious young dragons and new Weyrlings alike. Into this delightful confusion comes Xanadu's most junior weyrwoman and a clutchmom, eager to catch up with how the babies are doing. They stay well back against the overgrowth at the edge of the beach. Seryth is curled upon the sand with her neck outstretched towards the activity, head resting on the sand. Thea's sitting upon the crossed forearms, perhaps to help keep the curious young queen from romping amongst the offspring.
On any normal day, there wouldn't be much reason for Rogawani to be down near the Weyrling section of the beach. However, with dragons so recently impressed, the messengers have been getting a glut of packages and mails from congratulatory families and friends. So, with a bag filled with care packges, letters, and other things set to be given out to the weyrlings, Ro' makes his way carefully down towards this section of sand. "Let's see." He says to himself, pulling the bag infront of him as he plucks out a small wrapped parcel. "T'eri? S'alyn, letters from your aunt." He's closest to the two Rubicon brothers, handing off the letters. The parcel is grabbed up by T'eri, who bounces excitedly at the prospect of something from back home.
Green Lesirauth is on T'eri's heels, her neck snaking out and around her mate's body to peek at Rogawani with blue eyes awhirl with curiosity. The package in T'eri's hand gets a small sniff, then her neck stretches towards the messenger and her tongue flickers out to that bag he's holding. There's a tiny high-pitched warble in a questioning tone. From her spot over by Seryth, Thea laughs, but doesn't comment. Likely with all the racket on the beach Rogawani wouldn't hear her greet him anyway. Seryth raises her head slightly and rumbles a half-pleased, half anxious sort of greeting to the boy.
Some of the tiny dragons have managed to reach the shallows and begin splashing about. Hey! This is fun! A water fight erupts between a few of them and the weyrlings involved whoop and join them.
"So that's your little green, huh?" Rogawani comments to T'eri, offering the younger boy an approving smile. However, the smile shifts slightly into a smirk as the dragon begins to inspect his carry bag. "Smell something good?" He asks, not expecting an answer. Chuckling at the dragon, he pulls his bag up a little, and begins rooting through it again, trying to find other items addressed to the weyrlings. Seryth's greeting rumble causes him to look up. "Oh, good day Seryth. They're doing well, huh? Wonder where Xali… err A'li is." He still can't help using his friend's former name. As his eyes sweep towards the sound of the dragonets playing in the water, he just ducks below a spray of water and smiles, too busy with his job to join too much in the fun.
Thea pats Seryth's foreleg, rubbing it bit to help keep her calm, "They're doing fine, Seryth, see?" She lifts a hand, waving it in greeting to Rogawani, but then the smile on her face turns to a mouthed 'look out!' as her handwave turns into an urgent gesture. Behind the trio the sound of gallumping can be heard getting louder on approach as two awkward hatchlings play a game of 'catch me if you can'. Their trajectory is taking them right towards the messenger and S'alyn.
Lifting his hand to wave back to Thea, the boy's smile brightens a little as he cups his hand to keep the sun out of his eyes. "What's that?" He asks, seeming confused at the urgent gesture, lowering his hand slowly. The world slips into slow-motion as he turns to spot the hatchlings making their way over. S'alyn is faster though, Celaenth butting him out of the way as she flares her wings a little to ward off the other dragonets. Rogawani is… not quite so lucky. "Yeeee." It probably would have turned into a 'yipe' but there isn't enough time for that as he throws himself forward in a not-quite acrobatic jump that leaves him sprawled arse-first on the sands. Unfortunately, he's just a few inches too short to avoid the entirity of the game… and a tail ends up thumping him right across the back of the head. Blink. He sits perfectly still, eyes closing up just slightly as he reaches a hand up slowly. "… Ow."
Thea's hands fly up to cover her eyes, it's a childish gesture, but is partly just reflex. She opens a wedge between two fingers and peeks though with one eye to see Rogawani and S'alyn upon the ground. Having missed the head-butt and tail slap, she can only imagine the worst. With a sharp, "Stay Seryth," she's sliding down and running across the sands, slipping between the cluster of hatchlings to kneel beside Rogawani. "Are you hurt, Ro?" She's looking him up and down, concern writ upon her face, "I don't see any blood… Ah!" Apparently Seryth has filled her in. "Ya didn't get overrun with sharp claws." A wealth of relief colors her tone, "How about you, S'alyn, you ok over there?"
Slower to respond are two Assistants, who shuffle up to inspect the group, hands running lightly over the dragonets involved. There's a few choice words about learning mind-control over their charges to Weyrlings involved and a look or two tossed Thea and Rogawani's way.
"Fine fine." S'alyn replies, looking a little disgruntled but otherwise okay as he dusts himself off. He shoots an appreciative look towards his dragon, and then a scowl towards the others who were playing so recklessly.
Rogawani, on the other hand, just sits there for a moment, staring off into space as he pulls his hand down and finally looks at it. No blood. That's a good thing at least. "Depends on your definition of hurt." He says slowly, reaching back again to touch the spot on his head again, checking to see if there's swelling yet. Pulling his legs up, Ro' braces himself to stand, wobbling a bit before finally seeming to get a decent footing. "Ow." He says again, this time giving his rear end a good rubbing and a few pats of his trousers to knock the sand off. "Should have paid more attention." He grumbles to himself, squinting his eyes a little as he carefully turns his gaze to check where all the young dragons are, just incase another decides to give him further head trauma. "Did you get the color of that dragon who hit me?" He asks, looking up at Thea questioningly.
Thea's lips quirk into a half-grin and she offers a hand to steady the lad. "Uh, I think it was a brown?" The uncertainty clear a moment later and there's a half giggle and a glance thrown Seryth's way. "Was Atsath." Further down the beach poor M'ren is getting harranged by none other than the Weyrlingmaster himself. Thea gives a sheepish shrug to the Assistants glaring as them. "Might want to back up just a bit, Ro and have them come up one by one to get their parcels." Another keen look at the boy, "Ya feeling dizzy or anything?"
Other hatchlings are ambling about the beach, sniffing here, finding a rock there. There's more than one sneeze resounding across the area as bits of foliage, sand, trundlebugs, what-have-you go flying up nostrils. There's more than one "Euuwww!" From weyrlings as they are sprayed with the ejected stuff along with baby dragon snot. Bathing for two now, pairs begin making their way towards the buckets of sandsoap and brushes.
The steadying hand seems appreciated, as Rogawani's hand returns to his head just to double check that his skull is intact. "Nah. I'm fine. Hard head." He comments, keeping his sentences short as he shakes his head experimentally. "Yep, haven't scrambled my brains yet." He reaches down to grab his carry bag from where it had fallen onto the sand. "Probably a good idea. This is my first time working with the weyrling area. The head messenger said it would be good for me. Now I know he just didn't want to get trampled." A half-scowl shows on his face, but then lightens a little as he looks towards Thea again. "I bet he knew what it would be like today." Lifting one foot, he dodges a bit of snot and politely walks to keep Thea between himself and the nearest sneezing dragonet.
Thea withdraws her hand from Rogawani's elbow when he seems steady, throwing an apologetic look to soothe the Assistants. There's a bit of a chuckle in her voice as she says, "Naptime on the Barracks might be a safer time to deliver." A raised eyebrow in query to one of the hovering Assistants get's a, "After the noon feeding," to which Thea adds, "Ah, yes. Ro, right after the Caverns eat, the Weyrlings will be settling them." Her legs receive a bit of a sneeze-shower just then and she pauses momentarily to look down. "Good thing I'm wearing my swimming shorts," is muttered.
The chaos sand-side moves out into the shallows leaving the beaches relatively safe as the hatchlings become preoccupied with the new sensation of water. There's a few mini explosions as the water itself is snorted.
A sheepish, but not apologetic look passes Rogawani's face as he watches the Weyrwoman's legs get snot-blasted. Throwing his bag up onto his shoulder, he gives a small chuckle, still rubbing the back of his head as if that would somehow get rid of the growing bump that he'll probably have for a day or two. "Well, someone could have told me that first." He grumbles, although his eyes seem slightly amused. "I swear the other messengers give me the tough jobs just to laugh. I bet they have marks on me coming back covered in snot." He finally lowers his hand, and then gives his best disparaging pout. It's an act, and it shows through his eyes. "Probably should come back later then. Try not to end up being a dragon doormat next time."
A bit sharply, though not aimed at Rogawani, "Dragon doormat would get you killed." There's an affectionate growl in the next words, "I want the Healers to have a look at your head before the day is done." It's not a request and if the boy knows Thea, she'll be following up. She reaches down absently to scratch at the quickly-drying mucus spattered on her legs. "I'll be having a stern word with the head messenger, smacking a few of those young messengers heads together as well directly after Seryth's bath." There's a bit of thunder to her brow and a glance at the Weyrlingmaster. "Will be taking him along." One hand raises to forestall any objection the lad might make. "I won't have you injured, Ro." She offers him a bit of a lop-sided smile to take the weight off of the stern words.
"Keep them to the shallows! No, you be firm, now. They're not strong enough to be swimming." The words from the Weyrlingmaster carry up the beach as scrubbing commences and foam churns and laps along the waterline.
"Yeah, dying isn't high on my priority list right now." Rogawani admits, scrunching his nose up slightly as he steps around Thea, finally looking a little bit sorry for using her as a human shield. "I'm fine." He tries to object to seeing the healer, but then just raises his hands up. "Alright, I'll go. But no promises of being nice about it." He chuckles wryly, and then tightens the strap of his pack over one shoulder. "They're just razzing the new guy, ya know?" He asks her, lifting an eyebrow a bit. "Don't give em' too much of a hard time. They'll think I tattled on them or something. It's worse than being with the weybrats sometimes." Trying to dismiss her concern, he steps forward a bit and smiles. "You wouldn't want them complaining 'bout you too much. You're too nice for all that. I'll just be more careful next time." Straitening his shoulders Rogawani lets out a small sigh and glances back the way he came.
"Hey now, You've work to do. Getting all splattered won't bother me - kinda used to it." Thea's relaxing a bit, "Be as surly with the Healers as you want, but you'll have to deal with their subtle revenge." There's a dance to her eyes as she says that, then a headshake, "It'll be up to the Head Messanger to come down on them, Ro, though I'd like to have Seryth drop them from a height into the lake. Shardin' fools!" Another growl there, directed towards the other messengers and more heartfelt in ire than affection this time. I'll make it clear I witnessed the incident and you weren't complaining." There's a warble from Seryth and Thea adds, "She's ready for her bath. I'll see ya." She gives the lad a significant brow-raise and points towards where the Infirmary is.
The washing is well underway in the shallows and it's not really all that peaceful as buckets are overturned, suds battles ensue and Weyrlings shriek. Weyrlingmaster and Assistands wade through the waves striving for calm, but it's really a lost cause at this point.
Well, how do you argue with that? Rogawani's lips set into a thin line, perhaps thinking about arguing the point further, but instead he just shrugs one shoulder. "If you say so. I'll -try- to behave." He mumbles, and then shoots the Weyrwoman a smirk of a smile. As for the fate of the other messengers, well… for now he leaves that in other hands. "Maybe I'll prentend to have a concussion." He ponders to himself in a quiet voice, rubbing at the back of his head again before muttering one more "Ow. That really did hurt." Of course, this is only after Thea is far enough away that he can drop the bad attempt at being 'tough'. Wrinkling his nose once, he sighs and heads in the direction he's been pointed, although if one were to glance fast enough, they might catch just a hint of pink as Ro' gives a small stick of his tongue towards Thea's back.