The People of Fortadu

Fort Weyr - Lake Shore
This lake shares many features common to mountain lakes — a brilliant blue jewel nestled amongst the rocks. The waters are crystal clear, and the north shore slopes gently before abruptly falling away into the depths. This lake does have one significant differentiating feature, however. The south shore of the lake is a tumbled mass of rubble, rock and earth of an ancient rockslide smoothed only by the elements in the intervening years. This rubble, as well as the rather sheer east and west faces, makes for the north shore to be the only one easily accessible.
The chilly lake waters are an invigorating draw to weyrfolk and dragons alike as summer's heat bears down upon the Weyr. The calm jewel blue waters offer a pleasant respite upon which to bath, relax, or play. The shoreline buzzes with activity and at the peak of the day it can be hard to find a spot to stretch out. At night, like a great mirror the lake reflects the multitude of stars overhead with the occasionally shadow of a passing dragon breaking the serene visage.


While rain threatens upon the horizon with a promise to fall later this evening for now mid afternoon finds the weather pleasant with a cool breeze coming from the lake. Freed from her chores for this afternoon, Angelique decides to spend some time in the waters of the lake. As had others for there are several dragons bathing in the deeper parts and further up the lake shore some simply sprawl out sunning themselves. Angelique herself is clad in shorts, a simple tank top like shirt and no shoes. The reason is she's sitting cross legged in the shallows with some soap and a small brush in her hand. Skyler is a blue who's sprawled out in her lap enjoying a bath it seems! Somewhere further up from the water a towel is spread out and her satchel is partially open to reveal a change of dry clothing in there instead of the normal paperwork found.

Betweening. Ka'el has never felt so free in his life! To be able to go anywhere at any time? Amazing. Even with the stipulation of having to alert the AWLMs and tell them where you're going and why and be quizzed on the coordinates and what to do if you run into trouble, it's worth the 'getting away' aspect. And so, Ka'el and Kanekith have arrived upon Fort and glide through the air, looking for a place to land. Drawn to the glittering waters of the lake, the bronze and rider begin to descend, Kanekith calling his arrival with a throaty bugle to the dragons present. Down, down, down they go, dragon feet outstretched towards the ground. They land gracefully, and Kanekith's wings stay lifted for a while, as if striking a pose, before gradually folding. "Nice," smirks Ka'el who lifts his goggles so they rest on his head.

Despite this being a frequent occurrence of dragon's lifting off or landing upon the beach, Angelique still gets distracted by them much to Skyler's dismay. Once more she pauses in the scrubbing of the blue's hide to shield her eyes to watch the landing of the bronze. A quick grin appears in appreciation of the 'pose' that Kanekith strikes. It takes a moment but as he gaze shifts from bronze to rider she thinks she recognizes him so she lifts a hand in a wave. "Hey there!" she hollers over.

Ka'el eyes those clouds on the horizon. It's going to rain, but it's not raining yet! He still has some time. He unbuckles himself from Kanekith's back and languidly dismounts from him, crouching a bit when his boots hit the ground. He goes about the usual checking of the straps but pauses upon hearing a voice. He blinks, turning to scan the shoreline. Was someone talking to him? He scans til his eyes land upon a familiar girl in a tank top. He brightens at the sight of her, a grin curving his lips. "Hey!" he says in return. He gives Kanekith's bronze hide a pat before he makes his way towards the Fortian. "Good day, Miss Assistant Headwoman. You've gone and made this mission easy for me!"

Angelique 's lip twitches in amusement at the formal greeting. "A pleasant surprise to see you Weyrling Ka'el." her fingers get nipped by the nearly forgotten Skyler so she hastily looks down to scrub a moment, her words are to Ka'el despite the fact she says them while looking at the blue sprawled across her lap. "And what mission have I made easier for you?"

Ka'el smirks as his eyes flit to her firelizard. "Yours doesn't like bein' disregarded either, eh?" he supposes, having seen that nip. "I've a bronze. Er, not that one," a gesture is made to Kanekith, who is watching the other dragons with a passing interest. They're new faces! Older than his clutchmates and himself at that. Maybe worthy of conversation … maybe. "A firelizard," Ka'el continues to Angelique, grinning. "Alloy's his name. What's yours?" He continues to approach her til he's in her vacinity, just a foot or so away before pausing. "And the mission I speak of is official Xanadu/Fort business. And I've come seeking a representative, and lo and behold," he gestures to her, "I've found a representative within 1 minute! I'm good at this, aren't I?" said with a grin.

Angelique's gaze flickers towards the beached bronze though she does keep up a token effort of scrubbing. "I'd imagine that he wouldn't like being disregarded either." says of the larger bronze. "This one's Skyler." who perks up at the mention of his name, shifting to a sitting position now so that he can creel a greeting upwards. As for the mission, Angelique looks dutifully impressed. "Indeed that's very good work. So then…as an official Fort representative, how can I help you?" "I'd invite you to sit but perhaps that's not the best idea." since she's in water. So she stands herself. "Go rinse off you vain little beast." it's said with affection as Skyler simply falls into the water in what could possibly pass as a lazy dive.

Ka'el laughs, apparently not minding his boots getting wet but as for sitting? Nah, he'll pass! Kanekith too, for he makes no effort to heading towards the water. He has his straps on, anyway, and wet straps are a bad thing. He grins as Skyler takes to the water in his own lazy way, and his eyes soon return to Angelique afterwards. He takes a step back and bends at the waist in an unnecessarily but theatrical bow. "Xanadu's best to Fort, my lady," he says as he rises, just barely holding back a grin. "I've a message that is to promptly be given to.." he reaches inside of his riding jacket to pull out a rolled missive. He carefully unfurls it and reads, "Assistant to the Headwoman of Fort Weyr, Angelique." He blinks back to her. "Do you know of such a person?"

Angelique wades out of the water once Skyler is happily paddling around. He's content so she is too. Now she stands before Ka'el, amusement etched across her expression at his best theatrical bow. "Fort's duties to Xanadu and her queens." she replies formally. As her own name is read from the rolled missive she gives pause then shakes her head with a grin. "Nope, never heard of such a person!"

"No?" Ka'el's brows lift with mock surprise and he glances down at the paper again. "You're sure? .. Let me read the name again. Assistant to the Headwoman of Fort Weyr, Angelique." He looks at her. "Nothing? Geeze, I was sure she was a rather important person around here. You know? The type whose name everyone knows. Or at least a name that brings fear to the hearts of everyone that hears it!" He sighs mightly, body gently slumping. "Now what am I to do? I've come all this way…" He pauses there then looks left, then right, then back at her with widened eyes. "This is Fort Weyr, right?" He'll just ignore the fact that she just said that it was!

Angelique manages to keep a straight expression for her next words. "What? Fort? Shards no this is Xanadu." she spreads her arms out wide. Luckily her chosen swimwear doesn't include a knot. It is, however, most likely stuffed in her satchel. "Now…you say this person you seek is important? A women to strike fear in the very stomachs of those who must obtain tasks from her?" she tries to look doubtful indeed though she's never been the /best/ of actors. "Perhaps you could describe her to me."

Boggle! "Xanadu? But…b-but this can't be!" cries Ka'el who takes another look around, now with a bewildered (or what he hopes is bewildered) look on his face. "I just came from Xanadu. I live on Xanadu! …. Or … is it actually that I live on Fort? Or Ierne? Or Eastern?" Gasp. All this time, has he been mistaken? He looks back at her now, hands shaking a little. Shake shake shake! "Forgive me miss, I think I'm terribly lost. I'm s-supposed to be on Fort. Looking for a woman named Angelique. She's described as being tall and fair with hair the color of ink and eyes bluer than the sky. And yes, she is an important one, and if I don't give her this message, I'm afraid I'll suffer dire consequences." Dire!

"Oh goodness!" exclaims Angelique. She grasps his shaking hand in both of hers to help project that she understand the gravity of the situation. "We can't have Dire Consequences happen to you! I must help you find this Angelique with the blue eyes and inked hair." she looks wildly ( she hopes) around. Lucky for them no one else is really paying attention to their theatrics. "First though we must determine if this is Fort or Xanadu. Quickly now! Quickly!" cause certainly he can tell right? There's got be a WAY!

Ka'el looks at her with wide and hopeful eyes as his hand is taken, still a quiver. "You'd…help me? Even though I'm nothin' but a stranger to you, you'd lend a hand? .. Oh, the people of Xanadu (or Fort) are so giving! So kind! When I figure out just where I'm from and where I am, I'll tell my weyrleaders that we owe you thanks!" He wipes away an imaginary tear with his free hand that still clutches that undelivered message. "We must solve this mystery!" he says with resolve. "But how? How will we ever know the difference other than…oh! Your firelizard! He'll know!" Since firelizards know oh so much about weyrs…

Giggles threaten to bubble up and spill out from Angelique who barely manages to keep them in. It's with urgency she shakes his hand up and down to emphasize the importance of the mission that lays before them. "If we figure out who your weyreleaders are. I daresay that could be a challenge too." a look is cast to Skyler who basks in the sun's rays as he floats upon the waves. A lazy blue if there ever was one. "Oh him…yes. I suppose he could but…" doubt creeps into her tone. "Perhaps he doesn't know either! What if he's forgotten." Oh woe is them! "We shall ask though." which she does, offering a quick mental nudge to the blue who creels and launches up out of the water to fly their way. Overhead he flies with water raining down from his wings. Hovering between the two, the colors of Fort Weyr stand out plainly painted around his neck.

Humans are … totally straaaange. Kanekith can only watch their antics. Pft. Obviously, this is Fort. He knows how to Between better than all of his clutchmates and would never get them lost! But hey, no one is asking him, which usually isn't reason enough for him to keep his thoughts to himself, but this is also amusing. And so the big bronze remains a quiet observer. A watchful shadow in Ka'el's mind.

Ka'el's eyes flit to Skyler now, their one and only savior! "He must know, for if he doesn't…well, what shall we do but sit here in misery, lost forever with my message gone forever undelivered?" And so all eyes turn to blue Skyler as he flies towards them, banded with the colors of Fort which Ka'el apparently has gone blind to. "It's up to you, firelizard. Can you tell us, please, where we are? Obviously not Fort. Possibly Xanadu. You're our only hope!" On the beach, dragons lay about, sunbathing or swimming. A bronze lays on the shore, recently landed and strapped to ride. Ka'el, with goggles on his head and a message in his hand, stands next to a bare-footed Angelique. Both teens look woebegone as they seek answers from a blue firelizard.

It's certainly an interesting scene for anyone to walk into. Perhaps Borodin would be able to help them but alas he's not seen yet by Angelique. She drops Ka'el's hand that she hand in both of hers, to wipe the water from her eyes that splattered from Skyler's wings. Help me Obiwan, you're my only hope? Maybe! Skylerwon to the rescue. Skyler chitters in confusion as he clearly has no /idea/ what these humans are up too. With another creel he flits upwards to leave their question unanswered! Oh woe is us!

Borodin doesn't look like he's here for swimming. He doesn't look like he's here for sunbathing, either, because his shirt, while of a light fabric, hangs just past the elbows and his trousers go all the way to his feet. He doesn't much look like a rescuer, either! No shining armor. Maybe a bit of glistening sweat? It's warm today, after all, and there's that sun he isn't bathing in! But it's really not the same, he doesn't think. Besides, this is him we're talking about, and so as he shuffles around the shore to a point where he can see them, he does not charge to the rescue. He instead starts to give a respectful head-bobble to Angelique, then pauses in nod and forward motion both as he notices their expressions. Oh no. What's gone wrong this time?

"What!" Ka'el says incredulously as their blue savior wholly abandons them without a second thought. He looks crestfallen. .. ok, so he tries to look crestfallen, but it's actually rather funny. Firelizards are so unhelpful! So he laughs but tries to cover it up with a cough. A woeful cough, see! "We're doomed," he says after getting his laughing in check, but fighting his grin is a useless cause. "The Assistant to the Headwoman will never receive her message, and I've a feeling that it reeks of importance. And I'll never know where I am. You'll never find home. Your firelizard will never know the truth.." So much doom! He exhales a great sigh and slumps again, though at this point his eyes have taken note of another beachgoer. Borodin. He woes at him despite the fact that he's not part of the act.

Angelique can't resist the giggles any longer especially at the pronouncement of so much DOOM! They well up and escape and for now she's unable to even manage full words around the laughter. "Doom…no way home…heheheeh." maybe a blue box will turn up to help them find their way home!

There's a lot of woe here, except for the part that might be laughter or might be dust in throats. Or that rictus of dread, if it's actually a grin. Borodin is confused. "Uhm." He looks back and forth between Angelique and Ka'el, then glances up to the sun. Is this heat exhaustion? He's heard it can make people act funny. So… he shuffles closer, hands digging into his pockets. "Uh. Do you need… uhm, help?" A pause. "…like, to the infirmary?"

Probably yes, Borodin. Can you point him to the nearest mental facility? The jig is up! With Angelique's laughter and Borodin's utter confusion, Ka'el can't keep up his act and soon dissolves into laughter. He's laughing. She's laughing. Kanekith's staring. Where's a mindhealer when you need one? Luckily though, Ka'el's laughing fit isn’t' forever long, though it's probably long enough for a good bout of staring and wondering just how much help the guy truly needs, and gradually he gets a hold of himself, though his large grin remains. "I-infirmary? Haha please no! I'll never be allowed to go between again! I-..we-e're fine, really." He grins at the guy, then girl. "Right, Assistant Headwoman of Fort Weyr?"

Angelique's giggles taper off slowly and if she catches anyone looking their direction with a curious expression she'll likely dissolve back into giggles once more. Finally as she gasps for air ( though the infirmary question does make the giggles last longer), she casts a quick grin to Borodin whom she vaguely recognizes, and then a grin to the Xanadu rider. "We're right as rain, Weyrling from Xandau Weyr. Cue another smile. See? They are perfectly fine!

There's the Healer Hall near the Hold. They could do a case study? It'd probably be more complex than what Borodin does, which is… stare. He also digs his hands down into his pockets, hunches his shoulders, and just generally looks awkward about it. What do you do with a crazed bronzeling? Maybe he won't have to find out. Ka'el assures him so, anyway. "Oh." His shoulders hunch a little more, and he looks away. "Well, uh." He looks back to them as they make a big deal of titles. "That's, uhm. That's good, then. That you're fine. And, uh, it's not raining." In case Angelique was actually confused, as opposed to just using an expression, which she probably was, so Borodin looks away again.

Ka'el laughs. "Well now that we've gotten all that cleared up.." he extends his hand her way, offering that rolled up message. "This is for you, Assistant Headwoman." And when she does unroll it, she'll find it to be an invitation to a weyrling graduation. Xanadu's to be exact! Official looking and marked with the crest of his home weyr. Ka'el looks smug. "You thought I'd forget, didn't you?" he asks, chin lifting a little. Eyes sweep to Borodin afterward, and the guy is given a considering look. "..Have I met you before?" He looks familiar! Or perhaps he just has one of those faces… "It's not raining, but.." he points off in the distance where clouds gather. "It will later, I'd bet." And if the weather patterns he studied before coming here are correct.

Rain? As Borodin remarks about the lack of rain it brings Angelique's attention away from Ka'el and to the skies above. Still a tad cloudy but the threat of rain still remains far enough away for now. Aha..a missive just of her. Unrolling it she lets her eyes scan it quickly then back up to the top to take in the crest of Xanadu and then she reads slowly. "Ah…" a bright smile lights up those baby blues. She'll never admit if that she did indeed assume he forgot. Never! "I would be honored to attend." which could be good timing for her to be out of the Weyr here to avoid any odd Gold dragon rising feelings!

"Uhm," Borodin says to Ka'el. Him? Being met? By him? "I, uh, dunno, well… not really, but, I was, I saw when, when the Xanadu riders came. The, uh, weyrlings. I was, uhm, there. So, uhm, maybe, but not really." Maybe the weather will be an easier topic for him? His gaze certainly darts away from Angelique and her fancy formal letter, going to the clouds. They look like… clouds. If he were out camping, he might think they looked like rain. Of course, if he were out camping, he'd probably just assume they were rain, because it always seems to come at the worst times. "Uhm, yeah, it might."

"Great! You'll need a ride, then?" Ka'el asks, recalling their last conversation regarding graduation. "If you can't find one, I'll get you one. Kanekith loves passengers," he says with a smirk to his bronze who snorts in reply. "And he's a good flier. We've a Weyr service at home, so you can catch a ride back on your own if you'd like. But I'd recommend you stay for the party after. Kanekith an' I can give you a ride back the same night if you want, or you can stay the night til the next day." Cuz, you know.. Xanadu folk party hard! He grins. "Invite anyone you'd like! Friends, your boyfriend, weyrmate, whoever. The more the merrier, y'know…and inter-Weyr relation…strengthening and all." A snicker. He considers Borodin again, then snaps his fingers. "That's right! When we visited last. You were in the Caverns, huh? met Mur'dah." A smirk and headshake at the stories he heard after. "What's your name? I'm Ka'el." obviously the other guy's vocabulary, or lack thereof, isn't too off-putting for him not to be friendly. He is a guest on his Weyr, afterall!

So many options! Angelique dimples a bright smile towards the weyrling. "I'd need a ride yes if you're able to come and pick me up. It is your graduation day after all!" her head shakes. "I'll see if any of my friends want to tag along. No boyfriend or weyrmate though." she corrects though she's already going through the mental list in her head of her friends that might want to tag along. She falls silent to ensure she doesn't talk over Borodin's reply to Ka'el's questions. While listening to them talk she glances over to Kanekith to see what how the bronze is enjoying the beach.

"Uhm, yeah," Borodin says to Ka'el. See, he has a vocabulary! Those were an entire two words he just used. "I'm, uh, Borodin." His eyes dart to Kanekith, who makes it obvious just what Ka'el is (as if Angelique's use of his title didn't), and then Borodin returns his gaze to at least Ka'el's vicinity. "I'm a vintner… apprentice." A title might make him feel better about himself in comparison! Only, apprentice is not a very good title, so it doesn't help very much.

Kanekith senses eyes are on him. Oh, you want him to pose again, Angelique? He'll oblige! The lounging bronze indeed rises and gives his body a mighty and languid stretch. See his muscles? See how wide his wingspan is? Maybe you can't see because you're so far away! He'll fix that. Wings folding again, he lumbers nearer to the humans, his walk more of a strut than anything else. Ka'el glances his way and smirks. "You woke the attention beast," he warns Angelique good-naturedly. "And I'll pick you an' whoever else up a few hours before. Dunno how much .. prep there is for Weyrlings, but there should be plenty for you all to do in the meantime." A grin. "Well met, Borodin. This is Kanekith," he introduces his dragon. "Vinter. .. Huh. I knew someone else who was thinkin' of bein' one, too. Do you know Hotaru?"

Aha…the attention beast awakens. Angelique watches as he lumbers nearer, canting a brief look towards Ka'el before stepping forward to the bronze. "Seems typical of all younglings as they grow, no matter human or dragon." is remarked with a tone of amusement. "However I do happen to think you quite handsome, Kanekith." "A couple hours before is fine with me. It's not often I get to visit another weyr so it'll be my first trip to Xanadu. I'm certain I can keep myself busy until the festivities start. A hand reaches out for the bronze muzzle to scratch if he'll lower it. "Ah, vintner. A much better profession than what my parents wished me to join, which is the weaver craft. Clothing may be fun to make but wine is fun to drink!"

Yep. That's certainly a bronze dragon. It's very dragon… and Borodin has been around the Weyr for long enough, he no longer gives enormous beasts lumbering toward him more than a glance. There are more interesting things. Like… huh. He blinks as he looks up to Ka'el again. "Uh, yeah, I know Hotaru. She's, uhm, she decided to do it, and, she's an apprentice too, here. We have lessons together sometimes." He even smiles, just a little, then looks over to Angelique. The partial smile stays. "I, uhm, mostly end up working with beer and whiskey instead of wine. That's what my journeyman's into. I guess I could ask to be transferred to Benden, or Tillek, but…" He shrugs. "I haven't." Maybe he wants to stay here! Or maybe the beer and spirits are what actually interest him and he doesn't want to admit it.

Handsome? Oh yes, he is. Along with strong, agile, suave, intelligent.. The list goes on and on, but Kanekith will suffice with handsome for now. His regal head lowers down so that he can get a better look at this unfamiliar girl who so rightfully praises him, and she's rewarded by being allowed to touch his coppery muzzle. Ooh scratchings! He rumbles a pleased sound. "Oh boy. You don't know what you're getting yourself in to," he laughs, eyeing his content looking dragon before returning his attention to the human side of things. "If I had to choose between the two, clothes or drink, I'd choose the drink," he admits with a snicker. "Never put much thought into how it's made though. And hey, if y'know Hotaru, tell her Sticky says hi," he asks of Borodin. "We went through Candidacy together on Xanadu. Too bad she didn't impress, but maybe it's for the better if she's apprenticing now." Brows lift. "If you work with beer an' whiskey .. does that mean you get to make your own?"

Having been at weyrs long enough, Angelique knows that a good scritching is not to be turned away from! Keeping most of her attention on the conversation between the humans on the beach, she still gives him enough attention as well. Skyler returns from where ever he went off hunting along the beach and wings to a landing on the towel Angelique has set out. Ah! To bask in the sun on a towel is his everyday dream it seems for he simply sprawls out boneslessly to do just that. "It seems there's always a reasoning for things happening." she nods briefly at that. "Hotaru's apprenticeship should be good. Don't think I've met her though." a brow arches in question as she peers towards Ka'el. "Sticky?" she questions simply.

Borodin pauses mid-nod to blink. Sticky? There's a moment of thought, and then he smiles. "Uh, I will." Fortunately Angelique asks the why, so he won't have to screw up his courage to do so. The explanation of how they know each other makes him nod. "She, uh, I think she's been liking it. Mostly." A half-smile. "It's a lot of… studying. I'll get to make my own, but, uh, mostly not yet. Sometimes Ianco lets me put in a preliminary mix, but he always looks it over first and changes it. It's, uh… brewing takes a long time to get results. And if you get something wrong, anywhere along the way, it doesn't turn out right in the end and you can't fix it. So… they're pretty careful with, with who they let do what."

A pudgy fellow, somewhere in his late teens from the look of him. He's got shaggy brown hair that falls down around his ears, and blue-gray eyes over plump cheeks. He wears a light blue shirt with black pinstripes, a decently attractive cut despite his round belly. If it weren't for the stains, well… that one's tomato. That one's wine. That's grease, and the one over there is actually turmeric. No matter which shirt he's got on, there always seems to be something. His dark gray pants are somewhat better, except for the hand-wiping spots, and his low-cut brown leather shoes are just fine.

A little to the left, please. Kanekith turns his head a little so that Angelique's fingers scratch and rub exactly where he wants them. Ah, this is the life! One would think the well-kept dragon never gets any attention whatsoever! The poor, disregarded bronze. ".. He says, 'closer to the cheek…please'," Ka'el translates, though whether that 'please' was Kanekith's own words or Ka'el's is difficult to tell! The rider grins at the questioning looks given by the term Sticky. "Heh. Yeeeah. Uh.. back on Xanadu right after we were all searched, somebody messed around with the soaps and put some sticky somethin' or another in one of the jars. So, washin' my hair left it standin' up everywhere and sticky. Took forever to get it out. Ever since, she's called me Sticky. Think she only ever used my name once after that." He nods to Borodin's explanation of what he can and cannot do as an apprentice. "Do you know anyone at Xanadu? If so, you should come to graduation. Maybe your journeyman an' you could come sell Fortian Beer." Economics!

Angelique's lingers oblige to go where the head shifts to and the requested by words place as she grins brightly. "Ah…so polite." she remarks at the please with no concern if it came from rider or dragon. The story of the nickname draws a chuckle from the Assistant head women. "Oh my! I bet that did take forever to get out. What a prank to pull!"

"Girls are, uhm, like that sometimes. With names, or, uh, stuff that… isn't names." But gets used instead of names! Borodin blinks a little at Ka'el's suggestion about him and Xanadu's graduation. "Uh," he says, and then he goes quiet for a little to think about it. Does he know anyone at Xanadu? Sure, he met Mur'dah… and now Ka'el… and Hotaru used to be there… but… "I…" Wait, didn't Zaala come from there, too? …does that mean he should go, or run screaming in the other direction? He hunch-shrugs his shoulders. "…maybe I will. I'll, uhm, mention it to Ianco, and see if, uh, that's a thing. That we can do." Or if Xanadu's Economics People will somehow object. Borodin's a brewing apprentice, not a marketing one!

"I think it's one've those 'Must Do' things, y'know? Prank pullin' durin' Candidacy. We did a lot of crazy things," Ka'el says in fond memory. Back in the time when everyone was everyone's friend and the biggest worry was whether or not you had toilet cleaning duty. A simpler time in life! Angel's comment on politeness earns a smirk. Y'hear that, Kanekith? Being polite gets compliments! "Well if you do decide to come, Borodin, I'm comin' back to pick up Angelique and her friends. Kanekith has a big back. He can fit you an' whoever else too, if you can come." With beer! Please bring the beer! "As far as nicknames go, Sticky isn't the worst I could be called. I'll take that over others that I've gotten lately," he smirks, head shaking.

Angelique finishes up with the scratching and so with a final pat she moves back to join the other two, hands going into the pockets of her shorts. "You should come along too, Borodin." she encourages. "Could be fun. And we Fortians can invade Xanadu." retaliation?

Oh, Candidacy. "When, uh. When Hotaru was a candidate here at Fort… she got hogtied and left on her bed to keep her out of trouble." Did it work? No comment from Borodin, who glances up at Kanekith at the talk of a ride. He can carry riders, sure, but just how many barrels of beer can he carry? "The, uh, kegs are kinda heavy." At least if they bring a good selection! Maybe miniature samplers? "I'll, uhm, ask, but…" He glances to Angelique as she joins in, and digs his hands into his pockets as he looks away. So much for coming up with excuses. He'd better come up with solutions instead. "Maybe my sister can help, if, uh, there's too much stuff. So, uhm… I'll ask Ianco." Who will (hopefully) know what's supposed to be done for situations like this. He is a journeyman, after all. Borodin smiles awkwardly.

Fort invades! And the next thing you know, Xanadu will be known as Fortadu. Or Xanort? Ka'el laughs. "Luckily from what I've seen, you're good people. It wouldn't be the worst invasion ever." From his blissful cloud of scritchings, Kanekith snorts. Is that doubt he heard from someone out there? Doubt of his strength and stamina, no less?? "Who knows," he says to Borodin. "If y'do come with your beer, maybe your journeyman already has a dragon that delivers kegs specifically, y'know? In any case, there's usually lots to drink at gathers, anyway. Our weyrleaders know how to throw a good party!" Woo, graduation! .. Graduation. He takes a breath or two. It's an unnerving thought when he actually stops to think about it. So, let's not do that! "I've a short bit before having to get back. Anyone want a bite?"

"I think a bite sound goo…." Angelique's words are cut off as a youngling comes running up to her. "Accident…kitchens…blood…Hykler…cut…" the messenger gasps out the message for Angelique. "Shardit…okay. Run back and let them know I'm on my way." she casts an apologetic look over to Ka'el. "My apologies Ka'el. Duty beckons. Perhaps I can join you if you're still in the Living Caverns." with a wave to both guys she gathers up her belongings ( shooing the blue up and off her towel) and heads off at a trot!

Borodin glances to Kanekith warily. No, bronze, he's not doubting you, specifically, just… uh… doubting that the other passengers would want to wait during loading and unloading? Yeah, that'll do. Borodin's gaze goes back to Ka'el, rider instead of dragon, and he nods. "Yeah. I'll ask." Probably. Unless he 'forgets' to do so. "I, uh, guess we'd have to talk to them, anyhow." Those important weyrleader-y people. "Or, uhm, the headwoman or… something." He looks to Angelique, hoping she can provide answers (or at least a distraction), but she soon proves to be far more distracted than distracting. "…oh." Borodin glances to her, then to Ka'el, then… to her retreating back. "Uhm." How'd he end up here alone? Madness. But it'd probably be a bad idea to let the visiting weyrling get entirely lost. "…okay. I could eat." With company, no less! …probably.

Uh oh. Sounds like … trouble in the kitchens! Ka'el eyes that breathless young runner as he delivers his message. He waves off Angelique's apologies. "No problem. Do what you need to do. Maybe see you later," he says in her wake, waving. He grins a bit, watching her go before looking to Borodin. "Between Weyrs, there's one thing that's the same: Kitchens and Blood seem to go hand 'n hand." What an accident prone place! Or maybe it was a murder! … Ok, probably not, but still. Blood in the kitchen! He claps his hands together once. "About that food! Are you a native here? What've you got that we needn't go to the Caverns for?" He's in a hunting and gathering mood, apparently. More .. gathering than hunting, since hunting isn't really a skill he has. Or maybe there's an authentic Fortian sandwich stand out there somewhere.

"I, uhm, used to work in the kitchens," Borodin says. "You have to be careful. Lots of knives." Not so many of the knife wielding maniacs, usually, but… you never know. Borodin glances after where Angelique disappeared to, and frowns briefly before dragging his attention back to Ka'el when it's summoned by that clap. "Oh, uhm, not exactly. I'm from Fort Hold, originally." And now he's here, and possibly enough of an expert to answer Ka'el's question. But first, he tilts his head a little, pondering. "Well, uhm. It depends what you want. There's a tavern just out the tunnel, and… uh, there's blueberry fields?" Just how gathering is Ka'el thinking?

Blueberry fields! "Like, are they free, or am I going to risk bein' arrested by the Blueberry patrol if we go blueberry hunting?" Ka'el asks with lifted brows of question. He moves away from the lapping waves of the water, taking a backward step, followed by another. "From the kitchens to the brewery. That's a jump," he remarks, giving the other guy a sidelong look accompanied by a smirk. "Probably a good one, though. Kitchen work is for girls. They're usually the better cooks anyway. I tried making a cake once. Didn't come out too bad .. could've looked better though, and that was with help."

"They're, uhm, out of the Weyr. Just like… giant fields. Of blueberries." Borodin supposes maybe someone would get annoyed if there were a major harvesting operation, but… he's never really thought about it. At Ka'el's talk of the kitchens, he frowns. "I like cooking." His shoulders lift up a little, and so does his gaze… though his hands stay in his pockets. "I still do it. And I'm good at it, and brewing's not so different anyhow. It's about taking flavors and mixing them together and making something good. With chemistry and… stuff." Applied chemistry. Mostly. His eyes still glaze whenever he sees the theoretical charts in his brewing books.

"Well, I like eating," answers Ka'el, simply, grin in place. "So you and I could be good friends. I still think women are better at cooking, but I've never had your food. You may be as good as women." It's compliment! Not an insult. Ka'el is on the move now, heading to Kanekith who is looking (or rather, feeling) a bit forlorn now that Angelique has gone and taken her scritching hands with her. But oh! Now he's got a Ka'el. Even better! Rough palms fondly rub his bronze's muzzle before he moves to check straps again. "So you wanna ride to these fields? Free blueberries. Can't beat that." He's in a snacking mood, apparently! "Unless you've got to be somewhere."

"…okay." Borodin's flare of defiance seems to be over. He's been reassured that he might well be just as good a cook as those women! Whether he's 'supposed' to be cooking or not… and apparently all he's got to do with his cooking to win Ka'el's approval for it is feed the bronzer. He can do that. At the offer, he looks between Ka'el and the path back to the lake a few times. "Uhm, not until tonight," he admits. Oh wait, he just got rid of his excuse for not coming. Oops. "Uh…" A glance to Kanekith. "Okay."
So he's free? Perk. "Great!" Ka'el clambers up upon Kanekith and settles himself into the driver's seat. "Mount up," he instructs, as if Borodin knows what to do. Which he may! Or may not. If he does, then great! He'll strap him in once he's up. If he doesn't … well, then he'll help him get up upon his mighty bronze's back and then strap him in. "Just tell me which way to go and Kanekith'll do the rest. He's an amazing flier." These are words of tactic. Gotta butter up the bronze to make him feel more willing to be used as a runner!

Borodin nods to that basic instruction. Sure, he knows what to do. More or less. He's climbed aboard dragons before. Seldom ones as big as Kanekith, but… that just means he has to stretch a little more to reach the brace points. Bronze or brown, it's the same basic idea. "It's, uhm, not very far," he says as he settles in. He doublechecks the straps himself, then grips them. Despite apparently knowing what he's doing as a passenger, Borodin still looks rather nervous about it. "It's south and east. There's a hill, and a creek, and a sort of… big open space with a lot of bushes. Uhm, blueberry bushes. Because that's where the blueberries are." Obviously.

Kanekith has gotten used to people and things climbing on and being loaded onto his back. He Doesn't Like It (tm), but Ka'el's tactics do work. He's right. He is an amazing flier, and he's going to show this passenger guy just who wonderful he is in the air! And so he keeps himself still as the people on his back settle and get strapped in and all of that while he takes note of the weight of the two of them. Starting weight must be the same as ending weight, though no one's going Between so this should be easy. Everybody ready? Yes? Good! He stretches his wings, then folds them, legs braced. "Ready?" Yes and yes? Then good. "Let's fly." With a cry, Kanekith springs up suddenly, a mighty jump and folded wings lift and drop, lift and drop, flapping, ascending slowly at first, but soon picking up speed. Then, to the south and east!

(Continued in What the Dragon Horked Up)


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