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 alluding 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.
Day time hours have slipped into evening, the garden vegetation now beginning to cast shadows upon the benches as well as the pond. There are a few bodies wandering about, some taking the peace of the area from this seat or that while others make laps around and round. Now there is one that has chosen an odd spot, the lip of the pool is there the girl has chosen, back to most of those in the area, eyes trained on the flashes of color within the water. Slowly Zhianna stretches a hand downward, a fingertip causing the water to ripple and a bright cluster of fish to swarm towards her as she rights herself and tosses a handful of fish food out over the water laughing as the ripple turns to a churning as the fish jump and more after each little bit.
Kera finds herself wandering among the garden after her duty shift ends, strolling among the fragrant flower beds and breathing in their relaxing aromas. She tips her head and offers a short but pleasant greeting to a couple enjoying the young evening. Continuing on, she approaches the grey stone wall ringing the pond filled with pudgy fish. Spotting someone tossing food out, and the starving reaction the chores gets, Kera laughs and makes her way around the wall to where the young girl. "Good thing they aren't starving lizards, or kittens. At least this way, you aren't being crowded and hissed at to hurry with the food."
Zhianna looks up, expression hinting towards startled as she's caught feeding the swimmers "True and these ones don't tend to try to take your fingers off when you don't feed them fast enough." is offered with a slow growing grin. Looking back at the slowly calming waters, the girl studies the fish now lazily mulling about "I like watching them, no matter how many of them there going after the food no one gets hurt." Gritty hands are wiped off on her pant legs as she slowly gets to her feet "Unlike when you set a tray of snacks down near a crew of youngsters that seem to think they are starving though they only just ate."
Kera nods agreeably and chuckles at Zhianna's thought of putting a food of tray near kids. "Sounds like the best way to clear the tray to me. Won't be so much as bubbly crumb left." With an amused wink, she glances back to the colorful fish gulping down the food as fast as they can til the frenzy calms down. Gesturing to the collage of colorful scales she cants her head to Zhianna "Do you feed them often?" At some thought, she grins "I bet ya gave them names. At least for some." Kera shrugs and seems amused by the plump fish. As Zhianna pushes back up to her feet "Hope I didn't interrupt your you time."
Zhianna shakes her head as she plunks down on one of the benches, "No, you didn't disturb me at all." she offers as she wiggles about to get comfy. "I come out every few days or so…it's relaxing and it keeps me out of trouble." she add with a soft laugh and a shake of her head. Back to the fish her eyes go, teeth biting down on her lower lip "Only a few of them..See that big on there with the black splotches on it's face? I call it Speckles and that one with the white streak on it's side? That's Flash."
Kera looks to the fish that are pointed out, nodding at the names she now has that go them, even repeating them for future memory. Casting her gaze about the pool, she points to an odd looking fish, gold on one side, all white on the other. "What about that one, what's its name?" She arches a curious brows to the young girl and bends to lean down on the stone wall's edge. After a moment, "Yea, I can see why ya come here several times a sevenday. Most always smells nice and is quite peaceful."
Zhianna looks towards where the other is pointing, canting her head to one side as her brow furrows, "I don't think I've named that one." A finger flicks towards an odd one in the whole bunch of Koi, it's a mottled blue and grey one "See that one, the odd colored one that's the biggest of them all? That's Porky." then it's back to the other one, "Call that one two tone or double T for short."
Kera might look a little disappointed that the duel colored fish hasn't been named yet. "Aww. Poor little guy." A grin flashes at the amusing name of the chubbiest fish. "Yea, that seems fitting. I hope there aren't any other fish missing? Better make sure you give them all plenty of extra food." Kera shrugs "Then again, none of them seem shy about gulping down their meals." Her attention drifts to the twin colored fish and nods "Oh, I like that. T, or maybe TT. Either work." Observing the interactions of the fish, she seems thoughtful before looks quickly skyward. "No! Don't you…" What ever else she was about to say is washed away, sorta. A few of the chubby koi get washed away, right over the stone wall in an outgoing wave of water when Moncerath drops from the sky. The green backwings quickly at the last moment, wings billowing out with a snap to check her decent before dropping down into the pond. Seems the small dragon, in her haste to see the pretty fish her rider was thinking about, has displaced a good portion of the water, and space that the fish were using. So now, there are a few fish flopping about the paths and nearest flower bed to the pond wall. If dragons could, Moncerath would look rather embarrassed at the moment. Kera gives her dragonmate a 'look' before turning her attention to trying to help the fish get back where they should be, even if there is a dragon there too.
Zhianna pays no attention to the dragon as she lands as the girl launches herself off the bench and begins trying to grab koi and get them back into the water. "OH NO! NO NO NO!!!" becomes the weyrbrats mantra as she races from fish to fish grabbing them and tossing them back into the water as fast as she can. Time and time again, fish slimy hands push loose tendrils of hair off her face leaving the stinky gunk that was coating each koi on her skin as well as hair. "Silly DragonFace." is grumped as in her hurry she splashes through a puddle that houses a pair of smaller fish, barely avoiding stepping on one of them.
Kera rushes about, tossing a mostly orange fish over the wall and hearing a soft splish on the other side of the stone wall. Moncerath remains still, watching the hurried movements of her rider and Zhianna. "Back you go T.T.." Another fish is safe, making a sploomp sound when it drops into the water. Kera looks back to Zhianna very briefly before scanning around the ground wildly after rescuing a third one. "Do you see anymore?" Seems the greenrider doesn't and turns her attention back to the green who started the whole mess "Couldn't just wait for me to get one in a big bowl to bring to show ya huh?" Moncerath warbles softly and seems to be watching Zhianna make her rescues.
Zhianna turns back towards Kera, sloshy grassy turning almost ice like as she tries to step from the grassy areas back onto a walkway and ends up on her knees in yet another puddle. "I think we got them all." There's a look of exasperation towards the green "If'n ya wanted one we could have put one is a big old vase for you to watch…But Not Eat! Fish are Friends No DragonSnacks!" a waggling finger is added as she speaks before she gets back to her feet. "I didn't think fish could fly…until now."
Kera looks around for another moment, trotting around the stone wall and looking everywhere that water landed. Moncerath lowers her muzzle to get a closer look at Zhianna when the young girl starts scolding. The green breaths her dragony breath out at Zhianna, head canting slightly so she can see the chubby little snacks stupidly swimming round and round by her paws. Kera finishes her circuit of the pond and gives a headshake "I didn't see anymore either." She'll look from Zhianna to her dragonmate and stifle a chuckle, she works to keep her expression serious, even if she seems momentarily distracted. When she speaks up, she still seems as if she's only half paying attention, like she's having two conversations at once. "So, you really like these chubby snacks then?" Kera thumbs towards the ponds new dragon stature. "Her words not mine." The green's muzzle drifts closer to Zhianna as Kera smirks briefly and clears her throat before going on. "Moncerath says you can eat first, you were here first after all. She says the one you call Porky looks very tasty." The dragon muzzle opens slowly then, giving a glimpse at very sharpy teeth.
Zhianna just stands there, her face scrunched up into one of those expressions the nannies get when trying to set one of the littles straight. "Eat?…I will not eat them…Yuck!" in and effort to block the dragons view of the pond, Zia tries to step in front of the greens head, distracting her in all hopes. "No No NO! Fish are Friends! Not DragonSnacks I said!" her voice now filled with exasperation. A foot is lifted and stamped downward, sending up a fine cascade of water that further soaks her pant legs and anything else nearby. "Silly green if you like looking at them, then see if she can build a tank for you…" turning to look at the rider, her own head canting much like the greens, "I'm Zhianna by the way. Forgot to introduce myself earlier when we were chatting."
Kera watches the young girl stand up to her dragonmate, leaning against a dry portion of the wall while listening to Zhianna. Moncerath lifts her head slightly when the girl moves to block her way. Her faceted gaze begins to swirl and Kera's mouth opens to say something but she looks to her green as if making sure of something before shrugging and turning back to Zhianna. "Moncerath says fish are for chasing and eating. She prefers them raw, but she knows people like to burn their food." Kera can't help but grin as she relays her dragonmate's words. "She'll make you a deal though, if these fish are very important to you, she'll not eat them….if you'll be a candidate for the clutch on the sands." The greenrider is shoving a hand in her pocket as if searching for something, which she finds and flicks a bit of white knot for Zhianna to see and know deal is genuine. Kera grins at some thought from her dragonmate and rolls her eyes before peering back to the girl introducing herself and nods "Well met Zhianna. I'm Kera and this fish chomper is Moncerath." A few seconds to let that sink in before she wiggles the candidate knot "So, what do ya say Zhianna? Wanna step out of the way so my dragonmate enjoy her snack? Or….." Kera trails off abruptly and flickers the white tasseled knot in front of the young girl.
Zhianna just gapes at the green, then mutely nods her head. "She promises not to eat them only if I stand?" another nod. "I'll do it if only to train her that they aren't food…least these ones ain't." she notes as she steps back from the green. "And Porky is my favorite cause he stands out from all the others." she points out as she opens her hand for the knot. "Guess this means it'll be harder to hide from chores huh?"
Kera simply nods agreeably to Zhianna's questions as they come. Tilting her head up to peer at her green, the two seem to have a quick conversation, if the slight nods, or the flicker of expression changes give any clue. "Well, then Porky gets to swim tomorrow candidate Zhianna." Kera grins and offers over the candidate knot, leaning in a bit to whisper something to the young girl as if sharing some secret, even though the green dragon is right there. "I doubt she would have eaten any, she just likes chasing them. I think they tickle her snout when she almost catches them." That said she stands back and starts directing Moncerath both mentally and verbally, out of the pond without damaging anything, beyond the already soggy grass and flower beds that is. "Out ya go Moncerath." While the dragon moves about and starts making her way out of the garden, Kera turns her attention back to Zhianna and she doesn't bother trying to cover her amused snort. "Hide from chores? There's no 'hiding from chores' in candidacy." She snaps her fingers as something occurs to her "Oh, you should make sure you have a good pair of work gloves. Will greatly lessen your blisters."
Zhianna watches the green intently as she leaves the pond, nodding as she listens to Kera. "Gotcha, Gloves…She wasn't?" Another look at the green then a shrug. "Oh well, as long as they are safe it's all ok with me." though she sounds rather relieved hearing all this. A look down at her hands, already rough, chapped, and callused, "I don't mind hard work, I don't slack from my chores either….that much."