Xanadu Weyr - Garden
An arch woven from the tendrils of a willow tree stretches overhead lightly creeping with ivy as one steps in from the meadow into this sanctuary of green. Cool gray flagstone carefully spaced enables a soft velvety moss to thrive within the cracks, and creates a single wide pathway that fluidly breaks off into two paths of stone once free of the natural arbor. It is a wonder this place, and meticulously tended from the way it seems not a single leaf is out of place. On either side of the main path expansive grassy patches are trimmed short and edged behind with natural tan colored stone selectively chosen to stack just right. Beyond these are a line of fine puffed shrubberies in vibrant green intermingled with flowering bushes of brilliant pinks varying in hue from the very light to the very dark, which causes the occasional snowy white blossoms of other scattered here and there without worry to simply pop out of the scenery.
Directly in the center of the garden is another wall of intricately stacked stone, this of muted grays, creating what from the air would prove to be a perfect circle. It's been set high for safety, but not so much as one would not be able to lean over it to admire what lies beyond, either standing or sitting at the smattering of benches whose backs are set every four feet along it. Flush to the ground inside it's protective stone outcropping, is an enormous twenty foot wide fish pond. Within one can glean the metallic glint of playful goldfish, the unhurried cruise of fat koi, and even a frog or three among pale yellow and white flowering water lilies and their thick green pads.
The trees surrounding the entire garden were planted to give the impression that they had always been here, not only lending to a rustic look, but also eluding to the beauty that can be found among the wilds if only one might just look for it. Species vary from the ordinary Birch and Pine, but the flaming red capsules of the Indian Shot to the robust orange spokes of the Firewheel tree suggest the spice of the exotic. The two paths leading away from the entrance have come full circle, wrapping around to meet each other on the other side, yet still continue on to the far left and right. One path leads off deeper into the surrounding woods, while the other wider; cheerily decorated with brightly colored slabs of painted stones.
Mid afternoon brings with it a cool breeze that blows lightly bringing with it the faint hint of rain in the air. For now, however, it's still sunny allthough clouds are building up to the northeast. Over head, big white clouds chase after each other, driving shadows across the ground. Keziah has taken the opportunity, after having worked on her mending, to seek a little solitude or something in the gardens. After being stuck indoors she's going a little stir-crazy and is presently walking barefoot through the trees. Her shoes left by the pond.
Two firelizards, one blue, one bronze, come shooting through the garden crowing happily and swooping around eachtother. A few moments later, Morlanol comes running after them, tripping over a picket he didn't see in his haste. Both flits turn back, suddenly concerned for his well-being and wing to him, chirruping curiously. He slowly gets to his feet, "I'm alrigh', I'm alrigh'. Shardin' children."
Cenlia is working in the garden, having gotten her morning chores done, though the girl's hair is still wet with soap suds. Cen is currently by the greenhouse, moving a few of the plants into larger pots. Her four flits are nearby, playing in the shrubbery, and occasionally chittering at one another. She hasn't noticed anyone else yet, as she attempts to transplant a rose without getting her face full of leaves or thorns. Her firelizards, however, trill happily, especially bronze Charmer, as he poses cutely on a branch and starts his usual crooning for attention.
No chore had been listed next to Rogawani's name on the board in the barracks. It's an easy guess that part of it has to do with the fact that he's still one-eyed at the moment, the dark bruise still quite visible over his eye and cheek. It doesn't look quite as bad as before, though, yellowing at the edges. Walking through the path leading from the meadow, the ex-messenger has a big basket thrown over one arm. "Hey guys. I snatched some snacks for everyone." He smirks a little, and raises one hand before there can be objections. "I promise I had nothing to do with making them. You're safe from poisoning by stupidity." A small golden firelizard head pops up from beneath the cloth covering the basket, offering a supportive chirp before ducking down again.
Riyontali is sprawled beneath one of the trees, perfumed faintly with the lovely odor of runners. She doesn't smell too bad, so it's likely that she hasn't been mucking, but she doesn't smell like dasies, for sure! She appears to be asleep, wearing shorts and a shirt that's got something vaguely unappetizing on one sleeve. In the grass nearby are three colorful firelizards who, also, appear to be asleep. Well — they are. It would seem, Tali is not. "Snacks?" The girl cracks an eye open and grins. "Oooh."
Keziah glances up as the gardens are inundated by the other candidates. Ahh well, they're good people so it's no big deal. And one comes bearing food. "Aren't you a wonderful fella" she says with admiration. Course, she seems to talking to the basket, as opposed to Ro. But well, maybe it's a trick of the light?
Morlanol manages to pull himself to his feet, favoring the offending picket with a scowl before he wanders towards Ro, "Ooooh, food!" The flits settle on his shoulders, peering at the basket as well. "Y' always do think ahead, doncha? Thanks." He reaches in and pulls out a couple of meatrolls, cracking the edges off of one and giving a tidbit to each of the now suddenly well-behaved lizards.
"Hey," Cenlia calls over the top of a newly-potted rose bush, waving briefly at the other candidates before stooping down to fill soil into the pot. Bronze Charmer croons in Rogawani's direction, though it's a safe bet that it's not be the messenger he's trying to attract as the firelizard flies over to a tree and continues crooning. "Food, huh?" the gardener girl is grinning as she gives the soil a final pat, and then lugs the plant ack to its spot in the greenhouse. When she emerges, she's dusting her hands off on her pantlegs, though the girl doesn't go for the basket, instead asking, "Bring anything to drink?"
Rogawani chuckles to himself as he sets the basket down. The firelizard head emerges again, and this time looks directly towards Charmer. with a happy trill, the little gold clambers her way out of the basket and starts running in his direction. "They wouldn't let me do much else today, so I figured I'd at least make it easier on everyone else." He admits, looking towards them with his one good eye. Looking towards Cenlia with a smirk, he nods. "Got a skin of juice." His eye flashes as if he were thinking of a different type of off-limits drink, though. Unceremoniously, the boy flops himself down into the grass nearby, setting the cloth out before starting to unloud his pilfered bounty.
Riyontali drags herself up with a groan, only to move over near to Ro' and flop right back down. "You're the best." She says cheerily, grabbing a random roll and chomping down on it happily. "Missed lunch today, got distracted by a foal. The big grey mare foaled last night, the little colt's shardin' adorable, he is." The girl snickers, peering at the trees and other plants around them happily. "This place looked perfect for a little nap."
Keziah grins at Tali "I heard about that. I've not been down yet to look though. Mine still have about another month, and a little longer on one." she notes as she drops down to the ground and then whispers sweet nothings to the food as she snatches up some meatrolls. There's a grin at Ro. "You're pretty snazzy too." she states. However, her love affair is with the food.
Morlanol smiles, chowing into a meatroll as he does so. He swallows a large chunk before giving smaller chunks to the flits again, "How long d' th' healers think it'll take fer yer eye t' heal, Ro?"
Cenlia sighs and takes a seat on the grass, muttering, "No sharding booze, an' a whole weyrful of work." She groans and flops onto her back, grumbling at the sky, "An' half the people I know ain't drinkin' no more." But she props herself up on her elbows and grins crookedly at Rogawani, "So who'd ya get in a fight with?"
Rather than respond to any of the praise, Rogawani just raises two fingers to his forehead and gives a half-salute. "Yup." Although his good eyebrow does raise up to give a sort of odd look at Keziah. "Sure sure." He quips, and finishes unloading plain rolls, meatrolls, the skin of juice, mugs, fruit, a few fruit spreads and covered dish which he puts off to the side. "For the lizards." He motions towards it, not lifting the lid just incase it serves to attract a swarm. As his eye sweeps towards Morlanol, he shrugs. "Few days." Cenlia's question, however, requires moer than a brief answer. "My father. Although I wouldn't really call it a fight. I hear Thea sent him packing, so I guess she can't be too mad at me about it."
Riyontali beams at Keziah. "Cute little bugger. Looks like he's gonna be grey too. Got a big blaze and a pair've legs white up to his knees! Thought I was pretty interesting." She snickers happily, then cants her head. "How many d'you have?" Morlanol and Cen are given faintly rueful grins. "You're not shardin' kidding on the work. I swear, I wonder how they do it when they don't have a swarm've us hanging about the place." A sigh is heaved, before she's slanting a glance at Ro, frowning a little. Nope, not sayin' nothin'. Well, she can't seem to resist — "Oh, did she?" Smug. "Good. And, 'course she's not mad at you."
Keziah awws softly "Well I've three pregnant mares." she notes as she peers at the layout "None of the delicious and precious sweet rolls?" she asks as she snacks up a regular roll and pours herself some juice. A look towards the basket "Or are you hidin' them?" she asks and then a glance towards Ro "I heard something like that. Was he the one you ducked away from back in the stables? Course, that man gives a bad name to us Herders. Honestly. I should send a report onto the hall. Honestly. Biologically related or not, he's a standard to uphold to, and attacking a candidate. That's an insult to Xanadu as well. No wonder Thea ran him off. Good for her."
Cenlia blinks and raises her brows at Rogawani, "Your da? How come?" She pauses a moment and then nods, "Thea's alright, when she ain't stuck behind a stack of papers." The girl wrinkles her nose, but then shakes her head, nodding to Riyontali and saying, "Seems like there's always candidates about." She stretches a bit, frowning at Keziah and glancing back at Rogawani, "Attacked?" She eyes the messenger boy curiously.
Rogawani's shoulders lift in a small shrug. "I got what I got. It's not as if I had pick of the food you know. I'm lucky they let me get this much." Of course, he probably put on the 'sad injured candidate' act to get away with it. Lifting his arms up, he pulls at the sleeves. "No hidden sweetrolls. Sorry. Got some fruit spread though, it's kinda close." Well not really, but one can imagine at least. "My Father." Rogawani corrects Cenlia, although there's a small wry smirk there. Most might not get the subtle difference, but it's there. His eye shoots towards Tali, and then the boy just smirks. "Yeah, opened my big mouth and got a fist to the face for it. Was worth it though." He mutters, and grabs up a roll for himself, trying to change the subject. "So who's the new foal belong to?" Not so subtle.
Riyontali nods at Keziah with a smile, as she takes a big bite out of a second roll. "That's cool." Comes out slightly muffled as she flops onto her stomach. The rest of the other candidate's statement is agreed with by a surly growl. "I had the big pinto with the cut up leg and swollen fetlock with me. Man should be beaten with the nearest long line somebody can find, wherever 'e is, could've spooked the poor runner and sent him off on a tangent." Grumble grumble grumble. "Weyrwoman Thea seems…nice. Dunno, didn't really expect any of th' goldriders to be too nice." There's a wince and comical grin for the next. "Well, whatever way this shardin' deal ends, I don't think I'll ever try it again. It's too confusing. Would you believe that, I swear it! those eggs *talk* to you?" Okay, maybe they don't talk, but she seems to be convinced on the point. Ro gets an impish grin and an agreeable snicker — but she seems cheerful to let the subject drop. "Apparently that trader Rhasmir's family's in. She's one've his."
Keziah grins at Tali "They're actually fairly decent sorts. I'd even had a conversation on the reproduction problems of dragons with Ethne." she notes "They're only human. Busy and all, and I'm sure the stress of keeping a place this size going can make them testy, but no worse really than others." She remarks as she snags some fruit. There's a nod to Ro "Well, Denna doesn't always part real easily with her special sweetrolls." she notes. A thoughful look for Tali's words "Well, they're certainly doin' something. Though sometimes I try to convince myself it's all in my head." Oh wait. It already is." She blinks at Cenlia "You didn't hear? It's all over the stables. Yina was havin' a time dealing with all the gossip and even Tarsin came out and knocked a few heads together." she shakes her head a little. "He doesn't really care much for disturbances in his stables." ANd there's the look that says she's first hand knowledge on that.
Cen hunhs, an eyebrow still raised at Rogawani, but as the subject shifts to runners, the gardener girl wrinkles her nose, and snags herself a meatroll. Riyontali's words get another raised brow, "Talk?" but the gardener girl is distracted, shrugging at Keziah and saying, "Been spending all my free time in the greenhouse. Shardin' awful being stuck inside with chores. Almost rather be chasin' ovines." And at this she grins, taking a bite of the meatroll, and munching on it. Brown Trouble, off in the shrubbery, hops down to the ground and begins scurrying over on the direction of Cenlia, and her meatroll. The girl's blues, Rgue and Mizzle, take the direct approach and swoop over to land on her shoulders, stretching their necks to try to nose at the food.
Rogawani chews for a moment, eating slower than usual due to the sore feeling in his face. "Thea's pretty sharding decent, except to bronzeriders. She's got something against them, I swear." He slathers some of the fruit spread onto the rest of the roll before popping that into his mouth. In the mean time, his golden lizard has been sneaking around and starts to poke at the covered platter, looking at Charmer as if to recruit his help. As the next bite his finished, he catches Cenlia's look and smirks a little. "I might have mentioned that he was a sorry excuse for a human being for up and leaving my mother when I was little." He trails off, seemingly content to leave that as his explination. His eye moves back towards Tali, and the boy just smirks. "Yeah, those eggs were sure something. Can't say some of them were that pleasant, though."
Riyontali wrinkles her nose and snickers faintly. "I sure don't envy 'em. Guess most of 'em weren't really expectin' to get stuck with that job, yeah?" A little snort and sigh. "I sure hope my head didn't make up all that. It was pretty — out there." The girl nods fervently, shuddering a little. "Strange." She nods at Cen now, expression an amusing mixture of amusement and chagrin. "Talk! Well. I dunno. It was more like they put things in my head and made me feel 'em. I dunno." She shakes her head and wrinkles her nose woefully. "Bronzeriders I've met seem pretty nice. So far." Cough, snort. "No, not all of 'em were pleasant. Some were just downright…I dunno. 'tween them and not Impressing, I'd sure run fast as I could from the sands!" It is sunny and midafternoon, and there is a small group of candidates on a patch of grass in the garden. There is a selection of meatrolls in front of Rogawani, and Tali is eating one, while a whole fair of firelizards capers about, up to who-knows-what sort of mischief.
Morlanol nods, smiling as his flits cavort with the others, "Yeah, it was wierd with th' eggs in my head 'n' stuff. Th' one wit' th' collapsed buildin' made me cry. Bu' th' real question is… who d'you think'll impress?"
Keziah grins "Yeah, some were just a little odd. Sad though, I kept getting reminded of Vivian on some of them." she remarks "Though I know it's not nice of me to say that." She hms a little "Bronzeriders are an interesting lot. And some indeed deserve the reputation they've got. But all in all no worse than any other group in my opinion." she murmurs. A thoughtful look for Morl "Well, I dunno. I've never been real good at guessing." she smiles "Though N'kor was a trip, I only jokingly betted that he'd get a gold dragon. But his bronze. Well, I think that's as gold as you can get and not have it be gold."
Slip darts wildly into the garden, a little flicker of slick and oily brown. His miniscule wings pitter patter at the air and he twists his neck to look over his shoulder playfully at Vora. She laughs at him, following at a light run and swinging a cloth sack and a meat container. Startled, she halts. People? Well of course there are people here, silly thing, she thinks. There are others around than you. There is a conversation going on -that much is apparent- but she must gain her confidence. No more hiding about the edges. Er… well, get on with it, Vora. She stands there quite akwardly for a moment while Slip lands near the other cavorting flits, looking up and over at them from the ground. Perhaps he is inflicted with the same social handicap as his owner - but no. He flits up and does a divebombing tackle-pounce into the group, an almost-graceful manuever that involves flipping around his own tail and landing on his chest. Vora sighs and jogs over. "I'm sorry, the darling hasn't a talent with his wings quite yet. Would anyone like a bubbly pie?" She holds up her cloth sack.
"'S 'cause of X'hil," Cenlia mutter's when Rogawani mentions Thea's dislike of bronzers, though the gardener girl doesn't explain her comment. Instead, she feeds some bits of meatroll to the blue firelizards on her shoulders. Brown Troule is still skulking about, and goldeny-bronze Charmer swoops down to land beside Rogawani's gold, chirping happily and then scuttling closer to the humans and crooning for attention, posing cutely with wings half-furled. Cenlia bits the inside of her cheek, listening to the talk, though she doesn't speak for a while, instead gazing off toward the meadow, a faint crease of worry appearing on her brow. But she shakes her head finally, mumbling, "Bronzers're alright." But then her firelizards are setting up a racket at the newly-arriving Slip, and Cenlia blinks up and waves a, "Hey," in greeting to Vora while Charmer chitters scoldingly at the new brown.
"You're not crazy, Tali." Rogawani says in an easy voice, running a hand through his hair and then stetching it out above his head. His eye flicks to Morlanol and Keziah and then back again, taking in the ones who had been out on the sands for the touching. "Remember I told you about the one with the colors?" He lifts his brow with a knowing expression. "Reminds me of when that one dragon who talks to everyone." The boy scratches the side of his head, but seems to give up trying to find the name. "There's certainly a few I'd never want in my head again." He mutters, and then looks towards Morlanol more thoughtfully. "No clue. Guess only the dragons know for sure, but I got marks on Donakan not impressing. That's pretty much a sure bet." Kassi, oblivious to the fact that Charmer is busy elsewhere, roots her nose under the cover of the plate, and tips it over, exposing… dun dun dun, a pile of meat. She dives for it.
Vora sits her rump down near the rest, flicking her rough bangs out of her face. Her skin is already beginning to burn from her exposure to the sun today, but she fears inhibiting Slip's social and psychological growth if she keeps him indoors -and Faranth forbid that she let him go out alone.- She opens the sack and piles the bubbly pies from inside on top of it. Slip pokes his little head over to take a whiff, but snorts indignantly at her. This isn't meat! She smiles graciously down at him and opens the container of meat, swatting at him with her hand when he rushes over in a mad frenzy. "Hey you, now, they'll think I starve you." She feeds him small chunks one after another while he does the best he can with the slightly tougher pieces, sharp little claws and teeth grasping and snatching. While continuing with the motion that has become routine to her at this point, she looks up at her companions, "I'm sorry, I don't know a single person you're talking about. Excuse my ignorance… but I would like to know what you know about the Candidates we have now." She blushes, but barrels on, "I do hope I'm not interrupting an important conversation."
"[[player:Vivian]]?" Tali asks with a lifted eyebrow and a smile. "Well, yeah. You got the dumb crazies in every group of 'em, I guess!" She winces at Morlanol, blinking. "Building? Oh…shells. I'm glad I didn't get to that one yesterday. I think I might have had to spend the night in the infirmary. Was loopy enough as it was." There's a faint giggle, and shake of her head. "I'm not guessin'. Seems weird, now that I'm…a candidate and all." As the little brown firelizard descends on the group, Dolios opens an eyelid and churrs faintly, in a friendly fashion, while the two younger ones sleep quite soundly indeed. "Bubblies? Where'd you get bubblies!" The candidate girl beams over at the newcomer, waving. "C'mon over, Ro's got us meatrolls. Not at all, silly! We're just taking a minute from chores'n all." And speaking of, she grins over at the boy. "Awww." There's a happy smile, and then a snicker and wrinkle of her nose. "That one got me in trouble, it did! Avaeth was gonna /bite/ my /head/ off!" Honest! She was! There is a smirk for the next, though. "I'd bet on him not Impressing, too."
Morlanol sighs, watching his two dive-bomb the plate Ro's Kassi over-turned as well, "Don' gobble it, take yer time, boys." He grins at the newcomer and gratefully grabs a bubblie as well, sinking his teeth into it and swallowing before he speaks again, "We're some o' th' can'dates. 'Course, like wit' everythin' else, some're nicer 'n' others." He nods about the eggs as they're discussed, throwing in, "Th' one wit' th' bubbles was really serene."
Keziah isn't one to turn down food. "Bubblies be good. Not as good as Denna's special sweetrolls, but she's very protective about just letting those go." she laments. One or two at dinner, is just never enough it seems sometimes, but she grins at the young firelizard "Oh, all of them believe they're being starved to death." she notes with a smirk as she take a bite of the bubbly." She grins at Vora "You're new around here aren't you?" she asks with a tilt of her head. "Well, this time around, most of the candidates are from the Weyr. You've Ro, or Rogawani he was a messenger. There's Tali, she's one of me stablehands. Cenlia gardener, Morl there's an apprentice miner. Myself I was takin care of the stables as assistant stablemaster as well as being a journeyman of the beastcraft, though Yina's doing that for me now. There's Vivian. I'd watch your back with her." and that's all she says about the girl "Satoris. He's also a miner, though a journeyman." She hmms a little "Oh yeah, Ruzel, handyman. Jessa, seamstress, Enk, uh.. oh yeah records guy. The others I don't know so much about."
Slip peers over at Dolios, returning the greeting churr with a muffled one of his own, seeing as how his maw is full of meat and all. He swallows quickly, snatches one more chunk -throwing it up in the air and catch-swallowing it in the manner of a show off- and skitters over to this friendly Other. Slip chitters and churrs and does all manner of annoying, poky-into-yer-business sorts of things at the Other flit. Vora smiles good-humoredly at his antics, then turns her head to the er… spectacularly normal little girl. "Hmm? Oh yes, I made them myself. Let's see, there's all sorts here. There's red bubblies, blue bubblies, and a new bubbly I've made out of some Southern fruit… I can't quite recall the name the delivery rider told me." She holds out a bubbly with peeks of yellow-orange showing through the crust. Vora recalls that the fruit itself was slightly sour, but made a fantastic baking treat. She tilts her head at Tali, "Why would Avaeth bite someone, anyhoo? She seemed particularly placid all the times I've seen her. But then, the circumstances may have been different." With Slip's disregard of her, she grabs a blue bubbly for herself, nomming away until spoken to, "Yes, I'm quite new. I'm afraid I've come from Half Moon, where my parents live. They never let me near a dragon, let alone the Weyr, but I'm happy to have found a place to be." She shakes her head, "So protective. Oh! I've met Vivian. Not particularly kind, is she?" A wry smile, "Jessamin's nice enough, though."
Cenlia makes a face when Vivian is mentioned, the gardener girl muttering, "Heard she tried to shoo A'dar's dragon away when he hatched." The pile of meat being exposed by Kassi certainly gets Charmer's attention, though it's booze-brown Trouble who suddenly dives at the dish, but Charmer heads him off. And sits on him. Charmer croons pleasantly at the gold flit while Trouble wriggles in a grumbly sort of way. Cenlia eyes her flits a moment, before turning back to Vora with a grin, saying, "Bubblies? I'll have some, sure. Ain't seen you around before." Cen tilts her head, nodding when Keziah introduces her and adding, "I'm from South Boll originally, but I been here awhile." Cenlia grins a bit and adds, "Shards, Seryth is scary enough when y'see her teeth up close. Wouldn't wanna go near Avaeth if she's all grumpy with her eggs."
As Vora joins the group with bubblypies, Rogawani seems all to happy to accept more food into the circle. "Hey." He offers, giving a small wave of his hand as he's introduced by Keziah, although the boy probably doesn't look quite himself with the bruise over his one eye. As he reaches to get a meatroll, he catches Tali's look and just chuckles. "Well I didn't know it would get you in trouble. That's all your fault." He teases, wiggling his nose towards her in a way that causes the faintest twitch of pain in his closed eye. He ignores the firelizards now raiding the meatpile, only giving them a half-glance before looking back at the newcomer. "There's Donakan, he's just a brat. Iroha, she's a gardener from Ista, I think. Sabrina works with hair." He seems thoughtful, eyebrows knitting together, "There's another girl, and some Telgari and Igenites that came through. The barracks are pretty full, and I don't know half of them." He admits. Kassi looks up, rumbling happily towards Charmer before nudging a piece of meat towards him.
Morlanol nod when Ro mentions Donakan, "Yeah, he's downrigh' mean. Bu' didja see th' look on his face durin' th' inspection when th' ass'tant Weyrlin' master took his note-thing? Tha' was classic." Both of his flits, as if trying to give him away, suddenly trill triumphantly before going back to the meat. He gives them both a dirty look, which they seem not to notice, then he turns to Vora, "I'm from upper Crom originally. Purple Rock Minehold. An Satoris is another can'date, he was th' journeyman in charge o' th' mine here. He can be gruff, bu' don' let 'im scare ya, he's more bark than bite. An' I think he'll def'nately impress."
Riyontali sits back and listens to the conversation for a moment, smiling. "Avaeth would've bitten my head of because — well —" She looks a little embarrassed. "I decided it'd be a good idea to scratch the egg instead've pet it…that wasn't real smart, but it seemed like the smart thing at the time…" She tosses the last bit of her roll at Ro and laughs. "Pfff! Suuure. All your fault, I'll wager." She snickers and rolls her eyes, and smiles over at Vora curiously — and just before she can speak up, the girl from a cothold near her own who was searched at about the same time as she was emerges into the garden quietly. She bends down and whispers something to Tali, who sighs. "Silor got 'is shardin' foot stepped on in the stables. I've gotta finish his stalls, he said he'd trade me his next day off…" Grumble grumble goes she, standing. "See you guys later." And she's off, following the silent girl.
Keziah was glas she was able to have an excuse to not be in during the inspection. Caprines having troubles birthing and her being the expert in the area. Even if it was raining again. As she hears the other girl speak "Ouch, let me know how bad it is, will you?" she calls after Tali. "Hmm, dunno if she heard me. I'll just check with Yina later." she notes and then shrugs "Yeah, you never want to mess with a gold and her eggs. They get very protective. And if they don't like you. Well, you may as well as forget about getting near the eggs."
With a finger to her lips, Vora considers these descriptions for a moment. "There was that big man that came in with the Telgari, wasn't there? I didn't know anyone could really be Searched that old, but-" With a SCREEE, Slip goes careening into the other firelizards, right into the meat. He plays "Bronze of the Mountain of Meat," glaring at the other, much larger flits. Vora scolds him. "Hey you! You just ate. Share!" This is, of course, disregarded, though it seems to be on purpose that the command is ignored. Vora shrugs, hoping the others will play nicely… "Wait, is Satoris that big man? Or am I thinking of someone else?" She scritches at her scalp for a moment, rustling her mousy brown hair and wincing as she touches burnt skin. "This girl, Sabrina, she works with hair, you say…?" She fingers her own limp, messy hair, pulling a strand in front of her face to look at it. Then she sighs and releases it, nibbling on her bubbly again. "Oh, oh, bye then!" She waves with her free hand. "Oh, I didn't even get to tell her my name! Well," to the rest of the group, "It's Vora, in any case. So, has there ever been a case where someone's gotten chased off the sands by the Gold? I'm curious." Another wry smile.
Charmer patiently seems to wait for Kassi's invitation before he finally lets Trouble go and instead hops over to the meat, crooning sweetly as he goes. Slip's meat-diving has Charmer chittering again, though he seems to have more attention on Kassi now. Cenlia waves as Tali departs, then gives up the rest of her meatroll to midnight-dark Rogue as he grabs at it from her shoulder. With a sigh, Cenlia reaches for more food, muttering, "Sammich thief," under her breath.
Rogawani winces back a little playfully from the piece of roll being thrown at him, and then just laughs, bemused. He seems about to say something else when the other girl comes up. He holds the piece of thrown roll, and then just pops it into his mouth, chewing rather than talking. He seems to sigh a little as the two leave, turning to look at Morlanol with a wry expression on his face. "Yeah, would have felt bad for him if he wasn't such a snot. Wonder who could have written that letter, though." He isn't oblivious enough not to notice the firelizards sounding off, just like they had that evening. He lifts one eyebrow towards the miner, but says nothing. Kassi is more than a little annoyed as the smaller lizard goes barreling into her plate. She hisses, fanning her wings out and crouching, her rear end wiggling like a feline about to pounce. Then, with one big leap, the little gold sails towards Slip, intent on knocking him from his 'mountain'.
At the same time that Kassi pounces, Bloodstone and Agate do as well. Morlanol spares them a quick glance, glad that most of the flits involved are still little. He blushes lightly when Ro gives him the odd look, and to cover it up, turns quickly smiling to Vora, "Nice t'meetcha Vora, y' were at th' beach hatchin', right?"
Vesuvius swoops down into the gardens, seemingly attracted by the antics of the young ones. Course, he's a vested interest in some. They're his offspring after all. Keziah looks up at the reddish-bronze sight and shakes her head a little. However, she's a little preoccupied with food at the moment so she doesn't add into the conversation.
Slip SCREEs again, clambering quickly down off of his perch as he realizes how much larger that Other flit is than himself. Oh, Shards, and here come two more! Scrambling over to Vora, he hides beneath the shelter of a knee of her crossed legs. Vora shakes her head at him, lifting an eyebrow, but scratching him affectionately with an index finger behind his knobbly little head. "You know you /should/ apologize," she mutters from behind her bubbly. Her eyes peer over the pastry at Rogawani, "Sure as a dragon I was," she motions towards Slip. "And here is my punishment," she adds fondly. Slip, as though hearing his name, looks up at her, then over to Vesuvius. There's something oddly familiar about that flit, Vora feels from him. Vague pictures of sand and veins and tight spaces and a feeling like being rolled inside of a box.
Cenlia watches the flits idly, munching another meatroll and trying to keep Rogue and Mizzle from nosing this bit of food too. When the gold flit launches at Slip, Charmer moves quickly to follow, but seeing Slip retreat, the goldeny bronze returns to the plate, snagging a bit of meat for himself, and crooning over to the gold. The rest is all for her! he seems to chirp. "Shardin' nuisances," Cenlia mutters fondly, tossing a bit of her meatroll in Trouble's direction, the booze-brown having skulked ack to the shrubbery after being sat on.
The golden firelizard seems to accept the retreat, re-claiming her mountain of meat. However, she does seem content to allow sharing among the lizards who helped her oust the outsider. Kassi snatches a piece, and then goes to curl up next to Charmer. "No kidding." The boy chuckles, apparently echoing Cenlia's observation about the lizards. With a sigh though, Rogawani gets to his feet, muttering to himself. "I've got an appointment with the healers unfortunately, but you guys enjoy okay?" He says sincerely, rubbing one hand at his bruised eye as if wishing the pain there would go away quicker. "It was nice to meet you Vora. See the rest of you later." Ro' turns, and walks off, stull rubbing his eye uncomfortably.
Agate and Bloodstone also grab some meat and chow down. After a few chunks Agate grabs a piece and flits over to where Slip is hiding and holds it out to him with an inquisitive chitter. Morl watches Ro stalk off and wonders aloud, "Will he regain use of his eye? It seems awfully bad."
Keziah watches Ro leave and then shakes her head a little. "I dunno. Have the healers said anything?" she asks after a moment "I mean, I would think it would, but." she hrms some as she tosses up a bit of meat to Vesuvius who catches it deftly and settles up on a branch.
Vora smiles at the diverse personalities that the firelizards display. She stares rather hard at Rogawani's retreating back, but doesn't comment. Poor boy's eye. It really does seem bad. Slip pokes his head over at Agate, chittering happily. Cautiously, he picks the meat from the blue, gulping it down -again, with the starvation- with quick jerks of his neck. Vora, looking down at the touching scene, notices her exposed ankle; it's red! Oh dear. "Oh, my. I hate to be a shell-cracker, but it looks as though I need to see the healers myself." During the conversation, her exposed hands, ankles, face, and neck have all turned to a painful red. She stands with some difficulty, picking up the reluctant Slip in one hand and perching him on her shoulder as he croons mournfully at Agate. Vora turns and walks toward the Healers' Complex, muttering as she goes, "Knew I was getting burned… shoulda…"
Some candidates are sitting over by the grass, eating rolls, bubblies, and a few other things. Firelizards are about, being firelizardly. Cenlia waves at the departing Rogawani, watching him leave and then eyeing Charmer, though the bronze firelizard simply croons purringly where he his, curled up next to golden Kassi. Cenlia glances over at Morlanol and Keziah, the gardener girl grimacing as she says, "Looks awful, yeah. Prolly looks worse'n it is, though. I been decked plenty of times, an' my eyes're alright. Dun think they'd let him leave if it was that bad… when me an' everybody else got sent to the infirmary, they had us all kept there till Shellie said it was okay." Cenlia smirks a little as she adds, "Practically threw X'hil an' Thea out after Seryth flew and Sir Kinseth caught her - and they were still in the infirmary at the time. Shardin' glad I weren't conscious for that." She waves to the departing Vora, grimacing again at the girl's reddened skin. Cenlia, herself, is well-tanned and appears in little danger of sunburns.
Agate lets out a disappointed sound as Slip slips away. But he doesn't stay sad for long, turning to rejoin his 'brother' at the pile of meat. Morlanol watches them play for a few moments after waving goodbye to Vora as well. He gives Cenlia an odd look, "Why? What happens when dragons have a mating flight?"
Keziah blinks a little at Morl's question and murmurs the pernese equivalent of someone needing to learn about the birds and bees and then coughs softly. "I think I'd be glad I was onconcious too." she murmurs. "Anatomy is all well and good, but oh my." she shakes her head and digs out a skin of juice and takes a drink straight from it. Course she doesn't set it back with the others either, so…"
Vivian is out for a walk, her little bronze, being chased around in flight by the older and much much bigger gold Aine. She's just idly walking along, not paying much attention to who or what is around for the moment while she watches the firelizards play.
For a moment, Cenlia just eyes Morlanol. The gardener girl opens her mouth, as if to say something, but then closes it, turning her eyes skyward and muttering, "Shards, y'really /are/ a kid." Cenlia wrinkles her nose, perhaps recalling a certain recent incident as she clushes slightly and adds, "Ask Rei." After all, what else are weyrlingmasters good for? She grins at Keziah, saying, "Was surprised Thea didn't take her crossbow at X'hil. The way she was mad at him for breakin' quarantine and all." For now, Cenlia hasn't spotted Vivian, and likely wouldn't readily recognize who she was since they've never really met, although Charmer is more alter and trills a greeting to both girl and flits.
Morlanol looks just as confused as before, "What?" Agate and Bloodstone also notice Viv's lizards and trill a welcome. Morlanol glances up and makes a quiet 'ugh' sound, rolling his eyes. He glances at Keziah, "An' how d'you impress gold flits. I ain't seen one hatch yet."
Vesuvius is just watching the playful antics as he continues to perch quietly in the tree. Keziah eyes Morl "Well, dragons breedin' indice their partners to wanna breed.' she puts simply and then grins "Well, it tends to be the luck of the draw in some ways. Usually, people try an figure out the golds, they ain't as obvious as dragons though, and so usually pick the biggest and use them to barter and such. Mine, I got via one of the survival trips. They dropped us out in the middle of nowhere and had us find our way back. I was with the pair that was the fastest back. No help from that shardin' wimp who complained the whole time about being stuck with a girl." she grins evilly "Oh it was grand indeed when we had to go through the swamp. He was the girl." There's a pause. "Shardin idiot Impressed too. Just goes to show there ain't no acountin' for taste."
It's more the firelizards that attract the attention rather than the candidates. Aine swooping in at some of the others playfully enticing them into a game. Vivian on the other hand finally spots the trio and glances around, the path she's following the only way out of it would be to just turn around and walk in the other direction, but she's been spotted and mean as she is, she still has to keep up appearances and so it's with a sigh that she continues along the path towards the trio.
Cenlia stifles a snicker at Morlanol's apparent confusion and Keziah's explanation, but then makes a face, "Swamp? That ain't so bad. Jungle around South Boll is worsen' anything. Wet, hot, stinks like rotten tubers, an' it's full of biting things. Used to dare my cousins-" Charmer's trill and her flits taking off to go play with Aine catches her attention, and Cenlia waves at Vivian with a, "Hey," the gardener apparently not catching Morlanol's 'ugh'.
Morlanol puts on a happy smile as his tiny flits cavort with Viv's larger one, "Hey, Viv, ya find time t' touch th' eggs yet?"
Keziah glances up but a moment and spots Vivian and then it's as if she dismisses her prescence and turns her attention back on Cenlia "Ahh well, when the guys a wuss, a swamp is more than enough." she remarks. Practically had to drag him through it, kicking and screaming." There's a pause "Was better than that old renegade camp we found." Another pause "There were dried bones and human skulls. One still had a broken piece of an arrow through the eye." she shudders a little "It was awful."
Vivian continues walking slowly, but apparently it wasn't slowly enough as some of them start talking! And to her as well, not their own kind. "Good day to you." She replies ever so courteously to Cenlia, so nice. "Morlanol isn't it?" She asks of the scruffy child. "All muck and disgusting." She comments, though hopefully the brief glance to Keziah means she was replying to the older girl rather than describing Morlanol.
Cenlia grins at Keziah, "Sounds like my brother, Eled. He used to be pretty tough, but then he ran off to Landing and got into computercraft. Now he's a wimp; hits like a girl an' runs off all the time. X'hil decked him, once. Eled didn't even try to hit back." Cenlia makes a face, asking Keziah, "Renegade camp? Shards, seems like there's more'n enough of that kinda trouble around here. Went with X'hil an' Thea when they went lookin' for that missing gold and her clutch the first time… shardin' creepy. And one of the riders even stuck his hand in a cesspit, ugh." But the girl trails off, shaking her head, then glancing at Vivian again, though this look is more curious than anything. There's a slight frown when 'muck' is mentioned, Cenlia looking back at Keziah and Morlanol.
Morlanol shrugs, "Muck's not a problem so long as y' can was it off afterwards." He glances around the group, "Renegades? Are those like tha' guy we were talkin' 'bou' th' other day who thinks thread's comin' back?" The poor boy is clearly in need of some education about the Weyr's recent events. He turns back to Kez, his eyes somewhat quizzical, "Are they gonna make us do survival trainin' too?"
Keziah shrugs a little "I dunno. We were told to not go back and explore it. Quite likely could have left traps and such. Or well. Maybe they all died of disease, though we didn't come down with anything." she hmms a little. Again she glances up only briefly at Vivian, perhaps out of curiousity about why now all of a sudden she's actually amongst their group. Is she actually trying to fit in? Nah. Can't be. There's more than a glance for Morl "Not that I'm hearing. I think they're wantin' to keep everyone close in this time. Because of Kefai. Which is fine by me." She grins at Cenlia "Yeah, guys can be such wimps. Sometimes I wonder what I see in them." she notes with a snicker. "But, renegades have been known to put bodies into cesspits and such. So, I guess they had to check it."
Vivian comes to a halt for a few moments while Aine sweeps by her head, the little bronze flapping in and wrapping himself around her arm, rather inexpertly it's got to be said and he ends up slamming into her chest where she does her best to catch and cradle him in. "Silly fella." She murmurs with a touch of a wince thanks to the claw marks she's now got. "At least it means you all won't be getting sent out on those darned wilderness survival camps for candidates. While Kefai is loose it's not a good plan to be out there alone or even in small groups." Wait a minute, did she just agree with Keziah there?
Cenlia nods to Morlanol, saying, "Yeah, the same - shardin' creepy, is all. Shoulda seen when the weyrwomen chewed out X'hil, Ysa said there could be renegade dragonriders…" but this thought gets more of a frown from Cenlia, the gardener girl growing quiet as she glances towards the meadow. Keziah's and Vivian's words draw her attention back, Cenlia chews on her lower lip while nodding with a mumbled, "Yeah." Vivian gets another curious glance, Cenlia apparently remembering her manners as she indicates the rolls and says, "There's plenty of food if ya wanna join us. I'm Cenlia." There's a pause, and Cenlia glances back at Keziah, apparently attempting to change the subject, "Most guys're alright, though some ain't all that smart," she eyes Morlanol sideways, but there's a grin tugging at the edges of her mouth as she continues, "An' some get more'n they can handle." Is she joking? There's an amused sparkle in her eyes, but Cenlia grabs another meatroll to munch on without saying anything more for the moment.
So the girl has sense in her head. Course, that's to be expected if she's inherited any of her mother's qualities that make her a brilliant Weyrwoman. Keziah gives a brief nod to Vivian and chuckles at Cenlia "Well, it's true, some ain't got sense, but then the same can be said about some girls I know. There was this one, a few clutches back or so. Shards. She thought the world revolved around her one little brain cell. She wasn't even that much of a beauty either." she notes "I mean it's one thing when a girls got looks, but when they look worse than I do?" She shakes her head saddly. "She never could understand why people didn't like her. Professed to know about everything as well. All she had to do was open her mouth and even a kid knew she was pulling it outta her tail."
"I got a cousin like that," Cenlia mumbles, "Got her head full of Benden Red." But the gardener girl frowns and then sighs, "Shardit, I gotta go find Eled. After what I said last time, he's gonna be mad at me…" and Cenlia suddenly gets up, apparently heading back towards the meadow at a run.
Vivian shakes her head at Cenlia's offer, it would mean eating things that a certain miner may have come within breathing distance of. "You can probably amend that to most of them aren't all that smart, they don't know what a subtle hint is usually and they don't do what they're told either, Sometimes you have to actually find a way to persuade them." And there's probably way more to that simple statement, as they say, more than one way to skin a feline? She shakes her head and smoothes the little bronzes wings back from him, spotting a few spots where he's scuffed himself and needs oiled. "I'd better go get the little fellla dealt with." She states as the bronze creels pitifully and with that she turns on her heel and heads off.