Xanadu Weyr - Forest
The trees grow thickly here, avians nesting in their branches and flitting about after insects. Flowers sprout up and speckle the ground between, the green of small plants and their blooms of bright saffron and cheeky rose that creep all the way up to the bases of the trees and adorn the fallen leaves and mulch of the forest floor. Those trees rise upward in their aged magnificence, gargantuan limbs casting often welcome shade, the general atmosphere and scent of the path is one of freshness and wild abandon.
A path winds its leisurely way through the trees, wide enough for wagons to pass. As it goes through into the forest, a number of other trails branch away, both more and less traveled. Many of them lead to private weyrs, but there's a few more trodden paths - notable among them a road to the feeding grounds, set against the western slopes.
The forest grows wilder the further north one goes, deep growth and ancient places, and the road splits in two against it. One branch leads to a clearing with a large stone building finished with wooden cladding, while the other turns back toward the meadow. Just before it emerges, a trail veers off to the Firelizard Theatre.
It's typical summer day at Xanadu the breeze is blowing gently through the forest. Some wild life, and not so wild life, can be heard just up ahead as soft, yet upset yipping echos through the trees. A little fluff ball, mostly white and grey, is chasing around a trunk, stopping every so often to argue a bit more forcefully, each bark almost lifting the small dog from it's paws. What's got her excitable? Perhaps it's the wild flitters taunting it with pre-gnawed bones from the feeding grounds. When they do let one hit the ground, it's mostly stripped of any juicy meaty goodness. The small canine is quick the pounce though, taking it between her dainty jaws and circling the tree some more before finally adding it to a little pile and turning her snout upwards again.
Zaria is looking everywhere but in front of her as she enters this clearing. She has a small piece of hide she is scribbling furiously on. When she hears the yipping, she looks up with a start. Eyeing the small canine wearily, Zaria moves a little closer, glancing every so often up at the firelizards teasing this little animal. "Um, hi there little guy, or girl." Sexing the furry animal from this distance is just not happening. Crouching down she holds a hand out, "Here little..umm canine. Where's your master? That's it Zaria, just pretend you know what you are doing." that last is muttered with a touch of self-deprecation.
"BARKBARKBURP!" Yes, the tiny dog burped. Seems she may have sampled part of her growing stash of bones already. Pacing partway around the tree, the small canine whines and stretches first one, then the other front paws up on the rough bark. After a few seconds 'fierce' barking demand for more bones is sent to the taunting flitters above. The little winged beasties seem to be laughing at the tiny grounded fur ball. When a scarred up brown seems to do a little victory dance, a bone is dropped and fur ball leaps before it hits the ground. Doing her own victory lap around the base of the tree, she freezes with a paw midair at the new voice and person in her sights. Sensing her bone pile may be in danger, she backs a couple of steps and drops the bone before barking ferociously, just like she's seen the big canines do. Snout lifts as she sniffs to new person for any kind of threat. 'Better not try and take my bones! They're mine!'
"Whoa there!" And Zaria stops and holds up her hands in what she hopes is the most non-threatening gesture she can think of. "Hey now. I am not an animal person, I don't want to bother you and I most certainly don't want you to maul my face off. And I know I am talking to you as a person, and maybe I am going a little soft in the head, I don't know. But I really don't want you to bite me." She reaches into her pocket and rummages a bit. Half a sandwich wrapper in a napkin is brought forth, obviously lunch leftovers. She pries the bread apart and pulls out a substantial piece of roast. Breaking off a couple pieces, she throws them in the direction of the pup, hoping to at least distract it enough to go back the way she came.
The smell of tasty meat, much more than the measly offering on the bones, soon smacks the small canine's snout with a vengeance. her eyes are glued to the sandwich and she can't help but lick her chops. Glancing back to the bare bones she has gathered, then to the nice lady offering food. She's gotta be nice, she's got food. A cautious step is taken, nostrils flaring with each sniff taken, then another step til she attacks the tasty bits. And that seems to be all it takes to win this little fur balls trust. Once the tossed bits are scarfed down, she practically trots right up to her new friend, muzzle raised as if trying to sniff more out. When she lifts her head a collar with a dangling tag can be seen. If closer inspection is allowed, the tag reads: 'I'm Rabbit. My mama is Kera, please take me home.'
Well that was easy. Zaria visibly relaxes and is able to read the tag now. "Oh good, you have a home. That's good." Looking around her and then looking back at her small piece of hide she was pre-occupied with when she walked up. "Um, you wouldn't know the way back to your home would you?" she says absently, again forgetting this is not a person she is speaking with. "It's just, I am new here, and I was already lost myself. I thought I had mapped things out, but I got turned around." She even makes a motion to show the scrap of hide to Rabbit, but then stops herself with a giggle, "As if you can read." Standing up, Zaria tries to get her bearings back.
Rabbit is sniffling about for more of the good smelling meat, maybe even trying to lick hands if they get within her range. Head cants cutely when asked where she lives, the small canine peering first behind her, then ahead, before proceeding to chase her tail in a few circles. When she can't catch it, she runs circles around Zaria instead. But the map lowering to her is something new and interesting. Rabbit stretches up, bracing herself on the woman's leg, barely reaching her knee. *Sniffsniff* not food and no longer interesting. A cure little whimper squeaks out of the canine and the cutest gaze that can't be refused is directed upwards. One little paw is given a shake, as if to point out the tiny little legs. 'Not gonna make me walk all the way back are ya. You're sooo big, I'm sooo little.'
Zaria examines her map one more times, then gest distracted by the cuteness overload in front of her. "Wow, you sure are a sweetie. I bet your momma is missing you." She lets her fingers be licked but she puts the rest of the sandwich away. "Ok, I think I know where I am going. I am pretty sure the clearing is back that way. If I get you to the Caverns maybe someone will know your momma." Holding out her hands she hesitates a little bit as she places them on either side of the pup, but doesn't move to pick her up right away, just letting her get used to her proximity.
When hands reach close, Rabbit is quick to shove her wet snout right at them, but no food in either. How disappointing for Rabbit. Never the less, the canine truly is a sweetie and stands perfectly still, waiting to be picked up. She likes being carried about, the view is soo much better than her normal ground level one. Her tongue lolls as she pants gently, a puppy smile coming easily to her furry face. Go ahead, pick me up her body language seems to say. And who knows, probably won't need to go all the way across the weyr to the caverns, cause this little bit lives just up the path, round the bend. She'll know her fence when she sees it.
Zaria smiles a little as she picks the little fur ball up and holds her close to her chest. Walking up the path she thinks is the right way, Zaria absently rubs the pup under the chin. "You are so soft! I wonder how much work it takes your momma to keep you so soft."
And another servant enter Rabbit's service. The canine squirms a bit as Zaria settles her nice and cozy. Tongue lolling as she goes on another adventure. 'Oh, never seen over that stone fence before. That bush looks dry, I'll water it tomorrow.' Totally thrilled with her mode of travel, her small paw bat playfully at Zaria, as if trying to give her a hi five. A couple of soft yips as she chatters on and on to her new friend, probably giving her the lowdown on each yard. It's hi, and lows, which are probably those mean grumpy cats. 'They live just there.' a quiet whimper no doubt meant as a warning.
Zaria can't help but giggle at the antics of the little pup. She's is quite surprising herself with her boldness since arriving at the Weyr. After she gets the idea, receiving a puppy hi-5 becomes her favorite thing ever. As they walk, well she's walking, Rabbit's riding, she looks in the different gardens, hoping to catch a glimpse of someone or something that will indicate she's going in the right direction.
As Rabbit's minions carries her home, the canine in the know continues to enjoy the better view while filling her in on the locals. A playful yip from the fluffy girl and a paw wave, as if gesturing to the next area. The yip is followed by a warning growl, and she seem to try to hide her head so she can't see the moated yard. Yes that crazy gold rider has a moat around her weyr. Along the next fence an old looking brown flitter perches on the post. Rabbit begins yapping excitedly at the firelizard, which earns a few scolding chitters from the winged stomach before he begins to trill harshly like he was sounding the alarm. Rabbit squirms a bit and both paws waving in unison. 'Hey! there's my yard there.' At least one person can be seen from the path, crouching down next to a flower bed near the porch. Going by the canine's reaction, this much be the place.
"Woah there!" Zaria cries as the little one wriggles in her grasp. She has to adjust her hold so that the little fuzzball doesn't escape her grasp. This has to be the place. She walks purposefully towards the path and the person she can see there in the garden. "Ho the weyr!" she says in way of greeting, "Are you Kera by any chance?" she asks as she walks a little slower, allowing for a response as is polite when entering someone else's living space.
Xanadu Weyr - Moncerath and Kera's Sanitarium
A narrow but deep two story stone cottage is nestled at the end of a long, winding dirt road through the woods. Most of the greenery had been cleared around the cottage and several young trees have been planted around the yard, both fruiting and flowering. A couple of planting beds are scattered about, barren for now they are ready to be planted with the coming season, dragon-paw stepping stones lead to the small covered porch in a gentle curve. Rounded stones make up the walls, while tiles slope steeply downward across the peaked roof. If asked, some will whisper that this cabin used to belong to Fraille, the crazy Healer lady. Now it belongs to a new crazy Healer lady!
Inside, the cottage is brightly decorated with curtains and other personal little touches and knickknacks. A couple of old bookcases stand by the wall, the shelves only partially filled. None of the acquired furniture matches, not even the soft, inviting chairs and couch poised near the small fireplace. But the patterned sheets covering the pieces match, so why worry about it too hard. A couple of poofy flat pillows look randomly tossed about, but nothing random about it, they are where Kera's lizards dragged them to curl up. There is a small simply decorated kitchen, a work room; where many open books and papers are scattered, and another bedroom to complete the cottage's lower floorplan. On her work desk, a novelty pen designed to look like an old style syringe rest on a little custom stand. The far end of the cottage is a large 'windowless' window with a heavy green drapes hanging in front of it. This allows the rider's dragonmate to peek in to their rider, or rider to peek out to their dragonmate quickly. One of the little modifications made to the cottage when Moncerath's shelter was being added on, it also allows quick passage to the dragon shelter in bad weather. The stairs to the side of the window lead up to the master bedroom. Nothing to see there but a couple of wardrobes and probably too many pillows on the bed.
One more oddity graces this abandoned little home. In the kitchen there is a door set into the floor. Opening it leads down a creaking set of wooden stairs to the stone-walled basement. This is clearly where old Fraille did most of her work. It's been cleaned out some, but the new owner obviously doesn't go down into the basement very often, maybe worried about upsetting an unseen cottagemate. Tables are littered with jars and bits of paper, odds and ends of rusted Healer tools, shelves lined with jar after jar after jar of herbs and plants, dried and soaking, hanging from the rafters, and decaying. What a delightfully creepy little room. It's almost as if the walls are whispering, 'Why, yes, actually, Fraille /was/ crazy.'
It seems that some furry little escape artist has been at it again. Thankfully, this time, the winged Calvary doesn't have to be sent out to hunt her down. It seems that with already being busy at her task, Kera didn't even realize her fur ball had gone missing, yet. Patting down the soil around a newly planted shrug, the greenrider frowns around to the harshly trilling Minimur who is still perched on the fence. "Mini, quiet down or you'll get no treats la.." Her voice trails suddenly as the Rabbit carrying woman ask her name. A nod offered while getting to her feet and brushing dirt from hands. "Yes, that'd be me." A quick glance to her adorable little pooch and she smirks "Where'd you find her?"
Zaria puts the little pup down after she enters the garden. She smiles at the woman tending her garden and waves awkwardly. "Yeah, she was just out in the forest, playing games with some wild flitters. Luckily I got lost in that exact patch of forest. Saw her collar and figured I'd try to get her home." She giggles nervously at herself, shoulders shrugged up around her ears as if she could retreat into her own neck, no such luck. With a thick swallow to clear whatever lump had crawled up her throat, she takes a couple steps forward. "I'm Zaria by the way." and she extends her hand in greeting.
C'rus sits comfortably on the couch, and when he hears the sound of voices he looks up from the book he was reading to find that Kera is back, and there's someone else as well. He gets up from the couch setting the book down on the table and moves across the weyr toward the door, "Hello." he says cheerily enough. He'd caught enough of the conversation to gather that one of the many creatures that inhabits this weyr had gone loose. No surprise there, "Having a busy day I see." he says to his weyrmate, "Who managed to escape this time?"
Kera gives an amused shake of her head as Rabbit bounces around excitably once she is back on the ground and chuckles as she trips over her own paws and plants her snout n the grass before scampering back up and dancing about happily. Kera give the fur ball a ruffle before the tiny canine bounds off to circle C'rus's legs when he steps out. Kera reaches to shake the woman's hand before giving it a second thought and withdrawing it back. But only long enough to wipe excess dirt from her hand before extending it once more to shake "Well it's not the first time she vanished. Tiny little thing can disappear quicker than a rider can drain a mug of ale." The greenrider grins and nods once more "Thanks for returning her." The bluerider's question gets a chuckle "Rabbit vamoosed again. At least she brought back a more pleasant friend this time." A head tip towards Zaria before the woman gets Kera's attention again. "I swear, we can barely block up one escape route before she's found another and off again." A commotion at the barn signals a green dragon lumbering out with some lazy, feline like stretches.
Zaria feels the color rise in her cheeks at the compliment, shakes Kera's proffered hand and then holds it up in a wave to the bluerider exiting the cottage. "Hi there. I'm Zaria." She's been saying that a lot lately, but smiles genuinely. "Well I-I'm glad to have been of service to the bitty thing. She's awfully sweet. And so soft too! She must need brushing like mad with a coat like that." Another little nervous self-laugh escapes before she manages to supress it with a clearing of her throat. She visibly jumps at the commotion coming from the direction of the barn and her eyes go really wide when the green dragon comes out. "Oh! You're a dragonrider!" she says without really thinking and then blushes with embarrassment. "Sorry, that didn't come out right."
C'rus looks down at the itty bitty fuzz ball running about his legs. Yes! That is Rabbit. No doubt about it, "No it isn't, and it probably won't be the last time either." he adds as he looks down toward the canine, "You've been very very naughty. Who knows what sort of trouble you could have gotten yourself into. Playing with the wild lizards, my goodness, as if you don't have enough to play with around the cottage." After he's done scolding the dog he'll lift a hand to wave at Zaria in return, "I'm C'rus. Nice to meet you." he gets out before Moncerath makes her appearance. As she emerges he'll wave a hand toward her, "Hi Mon. Good to see you." he greets when Zaria's surprise draws his attention, "That she is." At that moment a blue dragon emerges from the barn following in Moncerath's wake, "And so am I." He points toward the green, "She is Moncerath, and he is Jaicoureth."
Kera chuckles at Zaria's startled surprise and nods agreeably. "Among other things yea." Guilty as charged, she's a dragonrider, no deying that with a big green one lurking by her. While C'rus finishes the introductions, she moves to give her dragonmate an affectionate hug and rubs along the green's neck while said green warbles a greeting to the bluerider. Kera cants her head a bit, smiling at something that passes between the duo before both turn their gaze on Zaria. "I don't recall seeing about around the Weyr, have you recently arrived?" Another few seconds of bonding with her dragon before she moseys back towards the others.
Zaria grins and fair beams at the proximity of the dragon to her, and starts to giggle again a little nervously, "Wow! She is massive!" she exclaims, her mouth again getting way ahead of her mind. "Sorry, yes, I'm new, haven't been here a sevenday yet. Born and reared at Black Rock Hold. First time at the Weyr, first time really leaving home and my family, first time being so close to a dragon. I've seen 'em, since I been here, but not this close. I haven't wanted to bother anyone. But wow! She's just..just.. great!" Her words come in excited rapid fire before she can rein it all back in with a little cough and clearing her throat again. "It's a lot of firsts. I am just trying to take it all in." she says apologetically, feeling the color rush to her freckled cheeks as embarrassment sets in.
C'rus glances up to Moncerath as she makes her approach, she is a big girl indeed. His attention turns toward the new arrival, "Black Rock hold huh?" he lifts a hand to scratch at his chin as he ponders, "I think I was there once. It was awhile ago though." all the holds blend together after you've visited enough of them, though he can relate to her experience, "It's a whole new world really. Takes alot of getting used too. The people here are probably stranger than back home. Though there's probably strange folks there too. Strange seems to make the world go round." he glances over to Kera and smiles before looking back at Zaria, "You'll see loads up close if you stick around. The place is crawling with them." Jaicoureth moves to plunk himself beside Moncerath, looking down at this new human. Curiosity goes both ways.
Kera tilts her head back to peer at Moncerath a moment before shrugging slightly back to Zaria. "For a green yea, she's got some size on her, but compared to most of the dagons flying about, she's one of the smaller ones." Kera is quick to add for her dragon's peace of mind "But she's the perfect size for me." Mon warbles softly to Kera, before gently butting her head against Jaicourath's shoulder when he settles down. Kera can't help but snort and nods to Zaria, waving off the woman's worry. "When I was first posted to Xanadu from my Hall, I kept getting lost for at least a month." The greenrider winks in amusement "And /I/ had a map." Flashing a grin, she glances to C'rus, nodding agreeably with the bluerider "Yea, toss a stick in any direction and you're likely to see a beasty with wings. Large or small." Zaria is observed before Kera speaks up again "So, what are your plans Zaria. Just visiting or looking to settle in around Xanadu?"
Zaria relaxes a bit as she smiles to Kera, pulling out a smudged scrap of hide that she holds up and which would have one maybe been legible, but there are so many corrections, and things crossed out that there is no sense to it. "I tried to make myself one, and still got turned around in the forest. Luckily your Rabbit was there and seemed to know her way around, or I would still be wandering." She crosses her arm in front of her body and grabs onto the opposite arm's elbow, trying to stand nonchalantly, well as best she can muster, as she answers Kera's question. "I don't really have any plans, I am a fisherman by trade, dad's training me up to be his first mate on his ship." she swelled with pride a little bit at that, but quickly deflates, and then says in a quieter tone, "I'm going to go back eventually, just trying to get over someone, figured some space would help that along." she says with a small shrug of her shoulders.
Jaicoureth will in turn gently bump the green's shoulder. Though his curiosity will turn once more toward the young human that is telling her story. A romance problem! Oh how sad! Jai then turns his attention to converse with C'rus, though unheard by the others. C'rus can only shake his head in response. No he isn't going to tell someone he just met what to do with their with their romance, despite the urging of his lifemate. Despite his distraction he tries to focus on what Zaria is saying, "Sounds like a good family." he says with a smile, "Fishing is a good career option."
"Perhaps." Kera replies vaguely to Zaria's mention of leaving eventually. While Kera's listening to the younger woman with a curiously arched brow, the green simply tosses her head and snorts, sending a bit of dust to scatter in the air before Kera nods and focuses on Zaria again. "Well, none of us can really know what we'll be going in the turns to come, no matter what we intend now." Kera flashes a quick grin to C'rus before carrying on to Zaria again. "For instance, Moncerath has it in her head that you'll be sticking around Xanadu for quite a while." She shoves fingers into a pocket and continues. "That is if you're agree to be Moncerath's candidate for Meirath's clutch. You're aware there are newly clutched eggs on Xanadu sands, yes?" While she speaks, Kera fishes out a Xanadu candidate knot and flutters it for Zaria's gaze to catch.
"Oh they are the best! None better." Zaria says vehemently in response to C'rus and her eyes begin to glisten slightly, but with ones sniff and a little shake of her head, she regains herself. "It really is, there will always be a need for fish, and it's in my blood. I've had my sea legs since before I could walk." Turning to Kera, she listens to what the greenrider is saying and at first her expression is quite blank, slack-jawed half-open mouth, wide confused eyes as she hears her mention the eggs. "W-what? You mean a Candidate? For those eggs on the sands right now?" Bless her, Zaria is not always the quickest on the uptake. At the fluttering white knot, a grin spreads over her lips and she clasps her hands together. "Yes! Oh dear sweet Faranth YES! I accept." she says, the strong emotions overflowing in her bringing happy tears to her eyes that she doesn't try to tamp down. Turning to the green and blue dragons, she bows her head deeply, "Oh thank you for choosing me! I would be honored to represent you Moncerath, at the Hatching. I just hope I do you proud." she has no idea what to say or how to react right now, but elated seems to be the emotion of choice at the moment.
C'rus shouldn't be overly surprised. Moncerath is a prolific searcher and so on that note it's unsurprising. He's just not usually there to see it, but only hear about it second hand. It seems the reaction is positive. VERY positive! C'rus looks over toward his weyrmate and shrugs with a smile before he turns his gaze back toward the new candidate, "Your life is about to change in ways that quite frankly you haven't thought about yet, but you will and your about to meet alot of new people. Candidacy is an enlightening experience." Jaicoureth pulls his head back to look toward the green, who has made her choice it seems. Interesting.
Moncerath lifts her head and seems rather smug with her choice as Kera hands the knot over to /her/ candidate. The greenrider dips her head a couple times, agreeing with her weyrmate "Enlightening yes, but also trying and exhausting. But you'll be stronger for it…" If you survive' can almost be heard whispering on the breeze. Clapping her hands together as if something major has been decided "Alrighty then. I suspect you'll get very tired of seeing me over the next few months, seeings how I'm one of your AWLM's." Looking up to C'rus as she gives him a hug "Would you mind watering that bush I just planted while I get her settled in the barracks sweetie?"
Zaria shoots a beaming grin in C'rus's direction, "I can't wait." she says with enthusiasm. "It was a pleasure to meet you sir, and your handsome fellow over there." she nods in the direction of Jaicoureth. Turning at Kera's mention of getting her settled in, she nods emphatically, "That sounds great. Oh, I'm so glad I got lost today." she exclaims as she almost jogs towards the path leading out, completely forgetting that she is still lost as she is swept up in her own amazement. She pauses and then turns around to wait for Kera to catch up, offering a departing wave to C'rus and the dragons.
C'rus wouldn't be C'rus if he wasn't just a touch contrary, "Just remember that you can always quit if you find that it isn't for you right up until the moment that you find yourselves on the sand. It isn't something that is for everyone. No one will look down on you for changing your mind." That being said he finds that unlikely given her enthusiasm. Kera's comment and hug gets a grin, "I suppose I can water the thing." he says with a fake huff, "I'll keep an eye on Rabbit make sure she doesn't bolt again too." Since that is what she seems to want to do. He'll hug her in return and offer a wave to Zaria, "Good luck to you. Try not to let them work you too hard."