This log runs parallel to A Sudden Storm.
Xanadu Weyr - Hysk's Den
This room is very simple and spartan. Most of the room is coated in straw, with a big bucket of water in one corner. Obviously a wher's den, the lighting is minimal and all glows instead of modern lights, and even they are mostly lidded, only tiny slivers poking out here and there along the wall. Along the opposite wall stands a sturdy if well-used bed with sheets of simple black and white colorshades. A glowbasket rests on the table next to it, seemingly there for the occupant's use. One final area is walled off with thick, light-blocking partitions, enclosing a desk with modern lighting, clearly cordoned off for the sake of the den's wher-occupant. Any exterior light is blocked off by a thick blanket hung across the cave opening. Though it can clearly be pulled aside, it is thick and heavy enough to cover the entire entrance unless forcibly acted upon.
As usual, the lights are dim in this wher den, only a few of the glows are uncovered and even those are still mostly shielded. Hysk is curled up on his hay bed, snoozing gently. At first, Hyrlon can't be seen, then his muffled curse reveals that he's taking advantage of the blue's sleep cycle to keep working on paperwork in his light-blocked nook.
Janelle pokes her head in around the edge of the den's thick curtain, "Hrylon?" she calls gently, before pushing the curtain aside to allow Jansk to crawl labouriously along inside, followed by her handler. "I'm not interrupting, am I?"
Tig isn't too far behind Janelle with Tisk in tow and a sleeping toddler on his shoulder. He adjusts her a bit and blinks to try to get used to the dim light inside, "Make that two of us not wanting to interupt..though I guess we have.. regardles.." he says.
A sliver of non-glow light peeks out from the very edge of the light-blocking partition, followed by Hyrlon's head. He chuckles, nodding to both, "No worries, just going over projected yields." He spots Tig's daughter and smiles warmly, "If you want you can put her on the bed and I'll pull out some chairs. Hysk is snoozing just now." As if determined to prove him wrong, Hysk suddenly wakes, emitting an unhappy creeling sound as he stares at the door where the cloth flap begins to move in an increased wind.
Janelle makes her way in, allowing room for Tig and the toddler. Jansk snuffles briefly, before shufling farther from the exit. Her eyes are still covered, so she moves slowly, but contrary to usual behaviour, the little green wher doesn't stray far from her handler. "It's strange.. She's not herself this morning. Usually, she's asleep by now, but today she seems like she just won't leave me be."
"Thanks," Tig answers then steps over and settles Somerly on the bed, putting a pillow to one side of her. A satchel is put on the bed too and he takes out a blanket, covering her up, though she immediately snags the upper part and tugs, cuddling up with it. Tig turns around and smiles, Tisk right behind him, eyes covered, "Tisk isn't herself either.. pacing.. not wanting to stay in her den.. she won't get far from me or Somerly.." and he looks to Janelle. "I'm Tig, by the way and my daughter is Somerly.." he comments, offering a hand in greeting.
Hyrlon nods, "Hysk didn't want to go to bed… now I guess he's up again." As he speaks he moves to one corner, returning shortly with three folding chairs. He glances at the other two as well, "I wonder what's up with them? Hysk's been normal up until now."
Janelle reaches over to shake Tig's hand, "Nice to meet you. I'm Janelle. Sera and Petrom's daughter. They both work in the mines." Then, towards the little girl, "She's cute. How old?" As the entrance is once again blocked, Jan bends down to remove Jansk's blindfold, so that the usually-social wher can move a bit more freely. "I don't know, but I think something's up.." As she moves to tkae one of hte chairs, she's followed by Jansk, who's much more content right now to curl up against the teen's legs, once she's settled.
"Nice to meet you too," Tig answers the girl then he looks to Hyrlon, "No idea.." then he waits for Janelle to choose a chair before he also sits. Tisk stays close and once it's dark again, her eye covering is removed and she croons a bit, sniffing toward the other two, head tilting this way and that. "She's nearly two turns," he answers about Somerly.
Hysk gives a happy little trill when Jansk and Tisk are both unblindfolded and they can see eachother more clearly, then he stares at the door again. The heavy black cloth is moving in the wind still… for the first time since Hyrlon had installed. He'd picked it specifically for its ability to *not* be affected by the weather. A sudden gust causes the fabric to pull back slightly, but no light comes pouring in. Hyrlon gulps louldy, "Storm." He turns to Tig, "Could you grab that stone while I get the other to weight down the 'door'?" He indicates a large rock on one side of the entrance.
Jansk hisses suddenly towards the door, pushing herself harder against her handler's legs. Janelle glances down at her, brows furrowing briefly, "Jansk. it's th-" a storm. Not just the wind. "That must be some wind, to push that door aside.. I wonder if this is what's bugging the whers..?"
Tig glances to the doorway when it 'flaps' then his brows furrow some as Tisk's trills pitch a bit, higher, worrisome. "Easy.." and he touches her neck then stands and nods to Hyrlon, "Sure.." and he walks to the other stone to move it as Hyrlon directs. "I'll bet it is.. makes sense.." he says then returns to his chair and the gold who sits there watch-dogging the situation.
Hysk hurries to Hyrlon's side as he returns from putting the other rock in place. The blue's head shivers against his leg and he reaches down to stroke and scritch the misshapen head. "I'd be-" His thought is cut off by the sudden crack of thunder that rumbles outside, causing Hysk to jump and hide between his legs, "I'd say it's the storm, yeah," He glances back at the 'door', wondering if it would keep the water out if the storm was long.
Janelle shivers briefly, at that first crack of thunder, and slides herself to the ground. Jansk promptly curls up in her lap, and warbles slowly to the other whers. "This can't be just a normal rainstorm.. somethings going to happen.. I just *know* it.." Shiver.
Just about the time Tig sits down he is greeted with a gold nose tucking up under his chin and the rest of the wher pressing close. A soft little whimper indicates the thunder crack stirred Somerly as well but before Tig can get to her, Tisk is nuzzling the babies side. Tig just shakes his head for a moment then waits and the little one settles back down so he sits and sighs, patting his leg. Tisk returns to him in a flash and he rubs her chin, "I think.. it's going to be a long day.." he says with a glance to the doorway.
Hyrlon nods, glancing at the door as well, "Something feels wrong about it… though I suppose that could be Hysk's opinion coming through." The blue croons and shudders, shoving into Hyrlon's knees so hard that he too is forced to the floor with a soft oof. The blue curls up next to him as his bronze flit emerges from /between/ and curls into his shoulder, cheeping in fear.
"Long day for sure.." Janelle agrees, "Jansk had me up all night, and now looks like it'll be a while before either her or I will be able to doze.." Somerly's stirring steals her attention for a moment, and Jansk's as well. Even though the girl remains asleep, the little green croons warblingly towards her.
Tig frowns some then nods to Hyrlon and blinks as the little flit appears. Tisk chirps at the sudden arrival too and shuffles toward Somerly, seemingly torn between her handler and the little one. "It's okay, Tisk.." he says calmly to the wher then nods to Janelle, "Yeah.." he agrees, rubbing briefly at his eyes.
Hyrlon yawns his agreement as he disentangles Vein from his neck, moving the tiny bronze next to the blue on his leg. Anything he was about to say, and his mouth is moving, is blocked out by a sudden flash of lighting and peel of thunder combined. So close he can nearly smell the ozone as Hysk hisses again.
Janelle runs a hand over her tied-back hair slowly. Jansk yelps at the suddne disturbance, visibly shaking against Jan's leg. She closes her eyes briefly, running fingers over Jansk's hide, gently rubbing between headknobs. Anything to sooth the little wher. "You know.. I bet we could use this as an advantage, to build our bonds with the whers.. and eachother." she looks between the other miners.
Tig winces at the peel of thunder and Somerly is startled awake, letting out a soft cry in the near-dark. Tisk is johnny-on-the-spot but the little girl cries even though the wher tries her best to help. "I think likely we don't have a choice.. it's either strengthen the bond or lose them altogether in this mess.." he says worriedly. Somerly is scooped up, blanket and all and then Tig retakes his seat, the little girl cuddling to his chest, "Shhh.. love.. daddy's here.." he says quietly to her then there's that gold snout, nosing in too. Tig pets Tisk and then just leaves one hand on her head and one on Somerly's back, yep, busy man.. two females to tend to… oh boy.
Hyrlon wraps an arm around his own shuddering blue, "This will be a good chance indeed." He holds the shivering blue close as Hysk mutters quietly /hhhhwwwrrr?/ He nods to the blue, "Yes, bad air… don't go anywhere, we're safe here, Hysk." He can't help glancing at Tig and feeling truly sorry for the man's current load of responsibilities, "If… If you can manage to get up there's a stuffed firelizard in that box by my bed. Morl gave it to me when I first transferred in. She might like it."
Janelle has less of a burden, and glances towards the box, "I can get it, if you want." Anything to help the poor little gal feel safe. It's her downfal. She gets up, gently dislodging her wher, assuring her with, "It's alright Jansk.. I'm not goign far.. see? Somerly's scared.. gotta help her.. Always gotta help.." as she's crooning to the wher, she's moving to the box, retreiving the stuffed firelizard, and returning to the small gathering, to offer Jansk a petting, and the little girl the toy, and a gentle backrub.
Tig looks to Hyrlon and then nods, "Thanks.." he says of the offered toy then as he's about to try to get up to get it, Janelle offers. He smiles at her then nods, "Thanks again.." he adds. Somerly gazes up at Janelle only briefly before she's grabbing at the toy, not that the light shows much but having adjusted to it, she can tell she wants it. Tig nods, "Like that love?" he asks her, planting a kiss atop her head.
There is another krak-boom, then a third and Hyrlon finds himself inexplicably shuddering in time with Hysk. Wasn't like it was his first storm. "Thanks for getting that, Janelle… Hysk wouldn't let me up." Hysk cheeps possessively and is chorused by Vein, causing Hyrlon to shake his head sadly, "The kin of dragons are crazy." Little does he know that his brother is having a similar experience with his dragon."
Janelle 's offered smile to the girl is warm, Somerly's reaction justification enough as she settles back down to allow Jansk to curl up atop her legs again. "You're welcome. Was easier for me, than to try and dislodge the lot of ya." Jansk slowly climbs up along the young woman's legs, up to her chest, nudging at Jan's arms until they are wrapped over the wher's back. For the moment, she just looks down at the wher.
Tig cuddles Somerly and Tisk is content to nose between now and then then just rest her head on his lap. He pets the wher then flinches at the loud noises, which make the little girl cry out and sniffle. "Shhhh.. it's noisy huh.." he tells her, nodding, as if it's no big deal, just some noise.
Hyrlon watches Tig for a moment, surprised at just how much he's managing to juggle. Then he smiles to Janelle, then cringes at another crash of lightning and smell of ozone. /hwr./ "Yes, Hysk." He looks to Janelle, as her what the bad air is. Find out what she calls it."
Janelle looks up towards Hyrlon a moment, then back to Jansk. hands cupping the sides of the wher's head gently, fingers stroking at her hide. /hwrumm./ "It comes back like a thickness.. like bad-darkness.. "
Hyrlon nods, "That's good. Now you know how she says 'bad air'." He was about to say more when there was a sudden spurting sound and then a flood of water flowing under his fabric-door. Hysk hissed at teh water as Hyrlon rapidly displaced both him and Vein, grabbing for a block of metal to shove across the opening
Janelle nods some, quietly. The suden spurt of water startles her, though, as well as Jansk. this time, however, they don't get up.
Hyrlon fumbles with the block of metal for a moment, then retrieves another, weighting the fabric down until only a trickle of water is entering at the sides… it's really the best he can do. Slow with fatigue, he returns to Hysk and Janelle, "This… is going to be a long day…"
Janelle slowly urges Jansk off her, as he gets to her knees. Heading towards Hyrlon, sh ekneels, "Anything I can help with then?"
Hyrlon is somewhat surprised at the positioning the girl takes, but smiles, "If you'll watch Hysk for a minute you can help me with the requisition forms…" He disentangles himself yet again from the shivvering blue. As he nears his 'office' there's an odd fizzling sound and no light streams out when he opens the door. He curses softly, but retrieves the papers by glowlight. On his way back he grabs one of the glows from the wall, unshielding it more, glad that whers weren't nearly as sensitive to them, and returns to the little huddle, paperwork and glow in hand, "You ever done requisitions before?"
Tig glances to the door then sighs, "I didn't think I'd be gone long.. I don't have her bag.. I think we'll go on back to my den for now.. you guys be careful.." he says, then slips out with wher and baby.