Sandy Misadventures!
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Xanadu Weyr - Shore of Lake Caspian
The cliffs that run along the shore come and go, various weyrs nestled along the tops of them or dug into the walls, but eventually they recede enough to expose a beach. The white sand echoes the rise and fall of the cliffs with a multitude of sandy dunes, endlessly creating tiny valleys that are constantly demolished and rebuilt by the frequent arrival or departure of dragons. The dunes smooth out as the gentle slope approaches the edge of the deep blue water. The sand darkens, and a shell here and there stands out for children to collect.
The beach narrows to the southwest, leaving a path barely wide enough for dragons in single file before cutting in to a smaller, more sheltered cove. The sands are the same white, the waters the same blue, but they're calmer and more tranquil, more protected from the winds that ruffle Lake Caspian and the currents that tug beneath the surface.
Rough, wide stairs lead up to the meadow above and the road that runs along the top of the cliffs, passing through the fields and heading for the river mouth that can be just barely seen from here. The largest of the staircases up the cliff is located near the docks that jut out onto the peaceful blue waters.


For as long as she's been here - which isn't very, in the grand scheme of things - the beach has been compelling. Sure, Igen has its lake. She's been to Ierne. But this? This is a different kind of water, a different kind of place, and once Ligeia is free of the bonds of responsibility for the day, she makes her way to the beach with her usual bag, a rolled up towel, and an insulated thermos of water to keep it cool against summer's heat. Once there, she unrolls the towel, sheds her socks and shoes, and plops down onto the material to start digging into her bag for something or another. Hers is an expression of thoughtfulness, eyes looking but unseeing, while fingers work through her bag on muscle memory alone.

Daejienth HAS NO RESPONSIBILITIES! Just kidding. He likely has a bunch but it is the end of the day so whatever chores/tasks/ responsibilities the bronze and his rider has are over with. Woohoo! Freeedooom. Or something like that. The bronze lumbers onto the beach just mere moments after Ligeia has made her Xanadu beach debut. In face his path is mere feet from where she's plopped down. Close enough his right wing which is slightly out will brush across and potentially snag the towel and take it with him on his path to the water. Somewhere waaaaaay behind him is likely a rider but for the moment there's no rider here. Just one small firelizard perched on the bronze neck.

It must be nice to be done with one's daily duties. Of course, it could be argued Kyszarin is never done, being he chose the kind of Craft that is always on-call - but in this case, he's not strictly acting as a healer. For all he's been told that Craft-bound Candidates are expected to continue to serve their Halls, and not do Weyr chores… he somehow still managed to be drafted into nanny duty. No hardship, this, it seems, as he's got a pair of kidlets about six turns of so of age in tow and an arm full of towels and buckets and a grin on his face as he lets the female of the pair decide where they're going to camp out. She squeels as she catches sight of Daejienth and angles towards him - and consequently Ligeia - her brother and Kyn in tow.

What do dragons really have to do? Maybe that's the question that leaves her lost in thought. Or maybe it's nothing at all? Impossible to say at a glance. Ligeia's so occupied with her Deep Thoughts that she doesn't see the approaching dragon, nor does she hear the squealing of a child; no, it's not until her towel is snagged and dragged a bit that she jolts into awareness and utters a startled squeal of her own. She clutches at her bag, her search abandoned, and reaches to try to yank the towel free of Daejienth's wing-claw while she's probably dragged in his wake. "Oh no. Oh no no no, whoa, buddy! Whoa! Hey!" Wide eyes fix on the dragon, then her attention swings wide, a desperately searching gaze hunting for someone, anyone, that might be able to intervene.

Daejienth would have made it aaaallll the way to the water if it weren't for that sound. What sound you ask? Why the happy squeal of a youngling about 6 turns who is barreling right towards him. Not barreling? Well, at least a quick pace with this short legs of a small human. He stops to briefly watch the progress. This means the towel is not yet in the water but the danger is still there. Flicking that one wing open there is a snort of surprise as Deji notes the added object(s)?. Wing is lifted several feet off the ground. Where'd that come from?! Surely he didn't have it when he left his weyr. DID HE? Only he or the still unseen rider would know.

Barrelling? Not on those stubby legs, but not for lack of trying. Kyszarin says nothing as the girl dashes up to the bronze and tries to find some place to get purchase on him for demanding hugs. Her brother, probably another turn or two older, hangs back, inching in behind the healer-candidate as they near the group. Catching sight of Ligeia, he angles his steps towards her, his steps quickening once the dragon's wing goes up with the towel - and quite possibly with the other Candidate as well. "Hey, woah - hold up," he calls to Daejienth. "She's already a Candidate - no need to kidnap her twice, hey?" He drops his own armsful of supplies upon the sand, tapping the boy on the chest in a signal to mind them as he strides closer.

WELP. How many days has it been since Ligeia was last injured? Better set that counter back to 0, because as soon as the bronze lifts his wing, Ligeia's trying to scramble off and ends up tumbling bum over teakettle onto the sand. "Seriously?!" Such a protest is as aggrieved as it is muffled; she's faceplanted into her bag (the bag's fine, no worries), but the sprawl looks uncomfortable as all heck. The bronze will have a fine addition to his wing, though; it's a pretty nice towel! Nice, fluffy, just a little bit sandy. With a groan, Ligeia rolls onto her back to stare up at the sky, the bronze, and probably Kyszarin if he's close enough. "I dunno," she half-laughs after the world stops spinning, "I'm kinda wondering if being kidnapped would be better."

Finally. A bronzerider shows up! Well, hard to know he's a bronze rider to be honest for he's dressed not for work…well he is dressed for work but work is subjective. Clad in a pair of shorts only he is lumbering with all the items needed for…dragonwashing! Fun? Work? The jury is still out on how to define this particular activity. "Shells and shards what do you mean you knocked down a girl??" he's uttering this towards the bronze as he strides right towards the towel wielding Daejienth. His eyes are towards his lifemate and not exactly on the ground before him so he nearly walks right over poor Ligeia. A short whuff of sound escapes Daeji just in time though to stop Zach in his tracks. Za'ariah blinks down in surprise at the sprawled out candidate. "What are you doing?" there's genuine curiosity in his tone. Meanwhile Daejienth is offering little snorts and licks to the small human trying to climb his form. And he's still waving that towel. « MINE! » He projects briefly to everyone on the beach. The question is though is he claiming the small human or the towel?

Kneeling besides Ligeia, Kyszarin reaches out to halt her before she can get up. "Hold up," he murmurs, his voice a mixture of anxious and amused, "slowly. You know, if you want some time with me, all you have to do is ask. You don't need to hurt yourself for my attention." He's teasing, really. Glancing up, he motions for the boy to bring the things over. "Mind if we set up with you? Seems you might be short a towel - I have an extra, I think." And if he doesn't, well - the kids are small. They can share one. Anyway, the girl's more interested in trying to hug the tongue that keeps flicking out to lick her, while the boy is manfully dragging his things over to his caretaker and the other Candidate. As Za'ariah appears and nearly trips over Ligeia, Kyszarin shoots him an irritated look. "That belong to you?" Towel, dragon, or kid? Maybe all three - who knows, the girl's awfully familiar with the bronze.

Laughter starts and turns into a coughing fit as Ligeia manages to get sand in her lungs; insult to injury is just par for the course at this point, but at least she's good-natured about it. "Trust me, I don't want this to be how it happens," but that's just how it happens. The broadcasting of the bronze is enough to prompt a scrunching of her nose, but only a little. "Yeah, that towel sure is yours now, buddy," she calls up to the beast - regardless of his possessive stake on things, the towel's punctured and she's not going to fight for it. "Hi," is likewise offered nonchalantly to Za'ariah when he queries (and never mind that he nearly trips on her; nothing surprises her at this point), though she's a little slow to sit up; things are still a little off-kilter. "I was sitting on that towel, but I guess he figured he wanted it for his bath." Dots are being quickly connected, at least. Kyszarin gets a lopsided smile. "But, since you're here? We might as well sit together, right?" Even with the kiddos - dragon-enamored as one is.

Za'ariah blinks once. Twice. "Huh? No. I don't own her?!" he gestures vaguely towards the still prone Ligeia. He's standing still just short of having stepped on the candidate. "Um…hi. Are you okay?" he's completely ignoring the antics of Daejienth who is now playing tug of war with that nice fluffy towel with a tiny blue firelizard. Tug. Tug. Riiiip. Oops? "Wait? Daeji took your towel? Why?" his brow furrows briefly in confusion.

Like rider, like dragon it seems. Kyszarin stares at Za'ariah for a moment, then sighs and shakes his head, leaving Ligeia to deal with him. He'll take the things from the boy and begin spreading towels upon the sand, placing buckets and toys to the side for the kidlets to use as their fancies take them. Occasionally he tosses a glance at Daejienth and the girl, just to make sure she hasn't been squished or inadvertently eaten during one of those licks. Nope - not squished or eaten, but she has managed to wrap herself around one of the beast's ankles and is… licking him in return? "O… kay. Your sister," he remarks to the boy, "is weird." A vigorous headnod is given to the healer, then the boy grabs one of the floats they had brought and runs for the water. "Stay in the shallow!"

She'll leave the dragon to do what he will with the towel; instead, Ligeia finally does get to a sitting position and, eventually, gains her feet and starts to dust herself off. Fortunately, there's no blood to be seen; at worst, she'll be a little bruised up for a bit. "I'm fine," she reassures Za'ariah, a tilted smile offered. "And I dunno. His wing must have been dragging pretty badly to catch a towel on the ground. Do his wings always hang like that?" Curious, that, though she won't press further. A shoulder rises, falls, and she scoots out of the way to go put her bag and- oh, wait, where's her thermos? Somewhere in the sand that's been all churned up. Oh well. She'll look later. The bag gets put somewhere near where Kyszarin's set up. "See? I'm not bleeding this time." That's a first! The kids are side-eyed all the while, but mostly to keep an eye on them in a peripheral kind of way.

Za'ariah says, “I dunno…I didn't see it?" Za'ariah offers. Helpful he is not. A glance is spared to Kyszarin, briefly watching him set up all the stuff kids need to cram sand into their pants, shoes and other unmentionable areas. Returning his attention to Ligeia he returns the smile briefly. "Sorry. I think I owe you a towel." more ripping sounds promises the demise of said towel. A return lick to the little girl is given. Hard enough to topple the little one backwards onto her rump. Kid free now Daejienth returns to his original goal of heading into the water. BATH TIME! "You guys candidates?" the question is aimed to both Ligeia and Kyszarin.”

"I dunno, I might have to check closely later," Kyszarin replies to Ligeia, straight-faced. "Just to make sure there's nothing not immediately… obvious." How he manages this with a straight face is a question for the ages; his eyes grin wickedly even as his expression remains perfectly smooth and polite. "But for now…" He trails off, glancing sidelong first at Za'ariah, then at the children and the dragon. Ahem. He watches keenly as the girl is deposited on her bum and the bronze heads towards the water - but as she bounces right up and turns to dash towards Za'ariah, he relaxes slightly. "Yes, we're Candidates," he confirms to Za'ariah as he settles to the towel - just in time for one of the AWLMs to appear and begin beckoning to he and Ligeia. "Oh, what did we do now?" Implying they've done something previously?

"You- don't know if he usually drags his wings?" Ligeia rubs a little at her head, as if maybe she must have knocked something loose in her tumble. "No, no, it's fine. I just got one from storage; I can get another later!" There's a flicked look to Kyszarin and an elbow aimed (gently!) for his side, but he's already answering for the two of them; the look she shoots at him is for his straight-faced commentary, though. And, as if on cue, that AWLM seems to manifest as if sensing trouble and that's enough to prompt a low groan out of her. "There's no way this is about something we did," or is it?! No time to explain, apparently, because she's lifting a hand to Za'ariah, "Bye and, um-" oh, the kiddos are still there "-good luck?" A flicked look to Kyszarin follows, and then she's setting off after the AWLM that's a-beckoning with a careful step and a fierce folding of arms around her bag to keep it secure.

"OOoh, it's that time?" Za'ariah's interest is peeked as he looks towards the AWLM's who APPEARED FROM NOWHERE! Really? It's like poof. They are JUST THERE! Whatever response he may have to whatever conversation WAS going on is dull and void now. Cause…EGGS! "I'll um…" he looks flustered but he gets it together. "I'll watch the kids. Or return them." like books to the library? HERE'S YOUR KID I BORROWED. I DIDN'T LIKE HIM! Can I have another?

"Thanks!" Kyszarin leaves everything in Za'ariah's care - towels, buckets, toys, and kiddos, and is busy following in Ligeia's wake.


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