Western Weyr - Center of the Bowl
This is the center of the huge oval crater of the Weyr. Standing here you can see how immense it is. The cliff sides rise up all around you, dotted with the caves of the dragon rider's weyrs. To the west you can see the arch open to the sea. North is the hatching grounds, south you see the cave entrance to the living caverns, and to the south east the entrance to the infirmary, raised a little from the weyr wall.
The early dawn above Western is dim and slightly foggy. At first the brown that emerges from /between/ blends with the sky, but he slowly descends until his bulk is clear against sky, if somewhat camouflaged when viewed against the cliff face. His comparatively tiny rider casts his eyes about the bowl as the brown wings a neat landing, looking for someone, perhaps. Any doubts as to the rider's identity are quickly cleared when his seven flits emerge from /between/ once he's on the ground: one bronze, three browns, one blue, and two greens, all being much too loud for the early hour.
Six flits soar out from the entrance to the Living Caverns, living evidence that someone is indeed awake at this unholy hour. But, typical of what the brownrider has known, Jessamin steps out into the warm, early morning air, her snowy white tunic acting as a beacon in the twilight. She tucks a stray lock of hair behind her ear, eyes picking up on the faintest bits of light from Rukbat's rising. When she realizes where her flits are going, she races ahead to follow them. "M'nol? Shards, what brings you here?" She grins wide, catching the younger man up in a great big hug.
M'nol hugs Jessa back just as tight, "Was in the area on a sweep… okay, was on this end of Xanadu's territory on a sweep…" he grins sheepishly, "So I thought I'd come see how you were doing. Forgot how much earlier it is here."
Jessamin reaches one hand up to offer Faraeth scritchies, grinning wide. "And how are you doing, ya big fluffball?" Looking back to M'nol, she smiles. "Afraid there's just the night hearth going at this hour, but what's there, you're more than welcome to. I imagine a sweep's got you pretty hungry."
Faraeth rumbles happily silk and velvet caressing Jessa's mind, « I've missed your scritches, stitcher. » M'nol chuckles, "He's happy to be free to go anywhere we want." He smiles, perhaps with less true humor than his norm, but much better than before, "Klah would be great. I had a sweetroll before I went on patrol."
Scritch, scritch, scritch, scritch. "Well, you came to the right place for scritches, fluffball. But let's get your rider taken care of, hmmm?" She grins, lowering her hand and ushering M'nol towards the Living Caverns. "Has Faraeth eaten recently? And Shards… you only had a sweetroll?? What if you'd had to go *between*, hmmmm?"
Faraeth rumbles happily again, his first lids slowly closing slowly. He gives a resigned snort when she stops, knowing she'd be back to give him more. M'nol allows himself to be led, "One little hop /between/ didn't kill me. Sweetrolls have plenty of energy… and the meatrolls I keep in Faraeth's strap-bags." He smiles knowingly.
Jessamin says "Well, come on in, klah's always on the night hearth!" She grins wide, leading M'nol into the Living Cavern. "Looks like your whole faire came in with you, too."
Western Weyr - Living Caverns
Here is the center of Weyr life, the living caverns. These two main rooms were man-shaped from smaller caves, and are joined by a carved arch with depictions of dragons in flight and dolphins leaping in swirling waves. One room has many round stone and wooden tables and a stone fire-pit instead of a hearth. Over the round-walled, gas fired pit is a large conical hood made of polished bronze, with reliefs of dragons with their riders flying over ships guided by dolphins. This hood and chimney keeps the room smoke-free. Through the archway is an enormous hall, with long tables and benches, some carved from the rock floor, many crafted of wood. This room is a combination dining and meeting hall, and can seat over 300 comfortably. Above both rooms, angled shafts lined with polished metal bring in sunlight during the day. Electric lights also burn, day and night.
M'nol chuckles again, "They did. They were quite insistent, in fact. I think they just wanted to visit yours." He wanders over, managing to find the klah all on his lonesome and pour himself a glass, "So, how are things going for you?"
Jessamin snatches up another mug, pouring some klah as well and flopping down into a seat. Sure enough, all six of her flits settle around her, on the back of the chair, in her lap, and on the ground, all chittering happily away. Madder is preening more than usual, crooning a song to any flit who cares to listen. Jessamin just grins wide. "Not doing too badly here. Madder's been like that for a few days now. Wonder what's gotten into him?"
M'nol's fair settles around the table as well, Tourmaline shows and especial interest in Madder's song, joining in a descant. M'nol sits as well, glancing at the flit, "I couldn't say. Least not about Madder." He glances off, then, "I heard tell you guys were touching eggs recently?"
Jessamin grins wide and nods. "You heard right. I just hope my instincts aren't off this time." Madder's song deepens ever so slightly in pitch, taking on a warbling note as he spreads his wings open wide for Tourmaline. Aren't I handsome, he seems to say. "Shards, what flirts!"
M'nol cocks an eyebrow questioningly, "Good egg out there? I haven't even had a chance to see them yet." He glances over at the flits, Tourmaline cocking her head to one side coyly with a tiny croon. M'nol resists the urge to send her off… at least she wasn't showering wing-seconds with sandwich bits. "Tour, you're not old enough for that!"
Jessamin rolls her eyes and laughs. "Greens never quite seem to get it. Sekhmet here thinks -she's- old enough, even though I've tried to tell her otherwise. But she's so smitten with that bronze flit over there that it's almost adorable." Madder tilts his head in the same direction as Tourmaline, emitting that same tiny croon. Oh, so it's the mirror game, is it? "Yep, got a good egg out there. One or two others that seem like possibilities, but one that calls so strongly that well… I sort of -felt- it even before getting to touch it. It was like looking into a mirror."
M'nol chuckles, "They always did say that greens were proddier than golds, maybe it manifests earlier, too." Tourmaline lifts one wing, chirping. M'nol nods, "Farry was like that. Good sign. What was the egg like? Did it tell you anything?"
Madder croons softly to the little green, raising his wing in a mirror gesture
Tourmaline croons back, standing her back leg en pointe.
Jessamin tilts her head to one side, a soft smile curling her lips upwards in memory. "It was less words, and a lot more feeling. And there was… well, almost the hint of a song there. Makes me wish I had a little Harper training so I could write it down." She shakes her head slowly, humming just a snatch of that song… lilting, yet somehow melancholy. "It felt the same things I did… at being abandoned, left behind. Yet there was some hope there, too. It's waiting. Whoever Impresses that one, is going to have one devoted lifemate."
Madder tries to imitate Tourmaline's gesture, wobbling slightly and trilling at her
A'ven arrives, looking a little tired. He waves to the gathering crowd. Breakfast can't be too far away. "Good morning.", he says, catching just the last snippit of Jessamin's comment. He smiles, "Every lifemate is devoted…" He notes with some humor. "How are the eggs today?", he asks, surmising that she's been out to see them, as usual.
M'nol chuckles as the Weyrleader takes the words right out of his mouth, "What he said. Even Vivian figured it out eventually. And before she got herself back she was still devoted to Kelioth." He gives her a serious look, "Someday, big sister, you're going to have to tell me what you mean about being abandoned." He smiles, "But not today, I think. When you're ready." He moves on as if he'd never had the over-serious interlude, "If you could hum it for the Weyr harper I bet he or she could write it down for you."
Jessamin looks a bit abashed, ducking her head as she is perhaps a little -too- unguarded. "Heh, sorry about that. Maybe one day, but that'll be another time." She looks up as she hears A'ven's remark, offering a salute and a sheepish grin. "Actually, the last I was out to see the eggs was with the others for one last touching. A couple of them weren't quite finished talking." She tilts her head to one side. "Otherwise, I've been trying to stay clear of the gallery. It's kind of like that little brown one felt… let go, hatching day will come soon enough. So I took the little mite by their word."
Tourmaline settles back on her feet, making a sound nearly like a giggle
Madder beats his wings in the air, lifting his head and trumpeting with surprising depth for his small size. Laugh at -me-, will you?
A'ven greets M'nol warmly now, "Western's duties and mine.", he says brightly. "Good of you to stop by again…", he adds with a nod toward Jessamin, "That seems a fairly balanced approach. Everything in moderation I say. Sometimes Candidates are too frightened to even go near em, and sometimes they feel they need to sleep, eat, near them and not let them out of their sight." "Somewhere in the middle is perhaps best.", he looks at the other two, "Are you two brother and sister then? I had no idea." He starts looking closer trying to place a family resemblance.
Jessamin chuckles, shaking her head. "No, that's something from when we were both Candidates for Avaeth's clutch. M'nol Impressed and I didn't, but I'd felt right from the get-go that he was more like a little brother than anything else. It's stuck ever since… no relation by blood."
M'nol had forgotten that again… shards, "Xanadu's duties, Weyrleader." He chuckles, "Yeah, no blood relation at all. My family's huge enough without forcing her to join it." He nods, "Most of us spent our time staring down at the eggs, but not daily, I don't think. Shells, I still go look at Seryth's eggs from time to time just to look at 'em even though I've already got Faraeth."
Jessamin pages: It's just too darn precious, the flits flirting *LOL*
Tourmaline cheeps up at Madder, eyes growing over-large and disgustingly cute, did I do something wrong?
Madder bobs his head up and down at Tourmaline, chirruping at her.
A'ven smiles as the young rider reminds him of his own early times with Glyith. "I Impressed very young as well.", he explains, revealing a soft spot in his heart for those that do, in his facial expression. "You Stood together? I see! Yes, that can make a person very much like family… most of my clutchmates are still very.. very close, although sadly, we're scattered all over Pern now. Maybe, that's a good thing. Certainly doesn't keep us apart, all of us eventually Impressed, I think."
Jessamin raises an eyebrow and grins. "Seryth's on the Sands? Huh, that would explain why I didn't see much of Thea during the celebrations." She knocks back the rest of her klah, getting up from her seat. "Need any more, M'nol? And what about you, Weyrleader? Just as easy to get two mugs as one."
M'nol glances down into his empty mug, "I guess I do, thanks Jess," He hands it off to her with a grin, "I'm still getting used to not being in the barracks anymore. A weyr seems so empty compared to them. It's my first time having my own room. Ever." He nods, "Sort of, she *was* on the sands until that storm came through. It knocked out the generator that keeps the sands warm, so they had to move the eggs to the incubator in the dragonhealer's annex. Sigam says they're fine, though."
A'ven takes in M'nol's news, "Knocked out the generator you say? My… that's serious." "I hope they took no lasting harm." He adds his own thanks to Jessamin as she makes her offer, "I could have a mug of klah, if you're going anyway.", he confirms. "Thank you!" he adds, for her benefit, "The Sea Glass is almost ready." "Word got around that you were asking after her."
Jessamin nods, and smiles. "Yes, I saw her coming in on the docks with Lorena. Can't wait to sail!" Snatching up M'nol's mug, she ambles on over to the night hearth, refilling both and pouring out a third for A'ven. "Ouch. Not good. Hope the eggs will be alright." Her path back to M'nol and A'ven is a bit slower, as she does her best to keep the klah from spilling. "Should send that fruit along, too. Think Faraeth might be able to take some back with him when you decide to return?"
Tourmaline cheeps sadly. She didn't want to do something wrong…
Madder warbles comfortingly to Tourmaline, taking off from Jessamin's chair to soar on over to the little green. As if she could do any wrong!
M'nol nods, "All the dragonhealers seem to think they'll be fine, but Seryth's in a right state over them, which isn't helping Thea any. Though come to think of it I barely saw her at Founder's Day and haven't seen her at all since." He takes the mug back with a grateful sigh, followed by a good sip of klah, "A ship, huh? Hope you have fun with that. The boat trip to Xanadu was more than enough for me." He takes another sip, then perks up, "Fruit? Yeah, I've got some storage attached to his straps, so it shouldn't be a problem. /Between/'ll keep it more than cold enough."
Tourmaline cheeps happily, leaning into Madder. yay!
Madder trills softly to Tourmaline, leaning into her.
A'ven nods approvingly about the fruit even as he takes the mug, "Yes, I'd imagine she'd be nervous about the eggs… but in the end I think I'd trust the Dragonhealers. I'm sure everyone will breathe a sigh of relief on the day though."
Jessamin settles back down into her seat, curling her fingers around her mug and taking a slow slip. "True, I bet the whole Weyr will breathe a sigh of relief when the clutch hatches. Thea must have her hands full, keeping Seryth calm." Her smile brightens as M'nol mentions some storage on Faraeth's straps. "Really? That'd be excellent! It'd be great to get this fruit sent back while it's still nice and fresh. How much do you think Faraeth can safely take on?"
M'nol nods solemnly, "She's been really harried every time I've seen her. I've been worried about her, so I can't wait until the eggs hatch and she can at least rest a little easier." He nods again, then shrugs, "As much as we can reasonably fit in the bag? I honestly don't know."
Jessamin says "Well, we'll have to go through the fruit we have and pick out a good variety, send back what we can. Who knows, maybe a bit of a treat might cheer Thea up some." She smiles softly, taking another sip of her klah. "I still have that nice, madder-red blanket from the last day of Candidacy. You know, the ones she had left for us when we finally got our cots back."
M'nol nods, "That's probably the best way to get as much as possible, I suppose." He chuckles, "I still have my brown one. It's on my bed right now."
Jessamin grins, and raises her mug. "Well, here's to friends, family, and healthy hatchlings all around!"
M'nol raises his mug, "To friends, family, and healthy hatchlings. May you find your partner on the sands."
Jessamin drains the contents of her mug and gets to her feet, grinning. "Thanks… so do I. Speaking of partners, I couldn't stand the disappointed look on Faraeth when I had to stop scritchies."
M'nol chuckles, draining his own glass, then stands, "He's been winging about you or phy needing to move back to Xanadu to give him regular scrtiches practically since she left.
Jessamin laughs, executing a little dance step as she twirls on out of the Living Caverns, to attend to one of her favorite duties… scritching!
Madder croons melodiously to Tourmaline, butting his head up against her neck
Tourmaline twines her neck gently around Madders, crooning back at him.
Western Weyr - Center of the Bowl
This is the center of the huge oval crater of the Weyr. Standing here you can see how immense it is. The cliff sides rise up all around you, dotted with the caves of the dragon rider's weyrs. To the west you can see the arch open to the sea. North is the hatching grounds, south you see the cave entrance to the living caverns, and to the south east the entrance to the infirmary, raised a little from the weyr wall.
M'nol follows Jessa from the barracks into the growing light of day, blinking a bit against the sun. Faraeth gives an overjoyed croon and takes a step towards Jessamin, offering her his face and nose in a clear 'pet meeeeeeeeeeeee' motion. M'nol chuckles, "You girls spoil that brown rotten, you know."
Jessamin bursts out laughing, obliging the great big pussycat of a brown with all the scritches he can stand. "And why shouldn't we? He's positively adorable when he gets like that."
Faraeth croons happily, collapsing to the ground with an audible thunk. M'nol chuckles again, "Because when he gets like that it can take an hour just to get him back up." It's clearly more of a joke than a complaint, "Whatever dragon you impress will never lack for scritches, that's for sure."
Scritch, scritch, scritch, all around Faraeth's eyeridges and around his muzzle. "Indeed! Most dragons I come into contact with eventually find themselves spoiled as much as their riders will allow." Scritch, scritch, right up between his headknobs now. "You spoiled rotten little brown… what would you do without all these scritchies, hmmm?"
Faraeth rumbles gently in his throat, not threatening, merely happy. The silk and velvet finds its way around her mind once again, bright and smooth, ruffling gently with the laughter of the joke « Eat you. » M'nol nods, "Doesn't bother me any since it keeps me from having to do it. It'd take me hours to give him all the scritches he wants. Instead he seems to have an endless stream of girls willing to do the deed for me." He chuckles, "And greens… let's not forget the greens…" He does look a little embarassed at this last comment, but whatever it is he doesn't say.
Jessamin grins at Faraeth, thumping him ever so gently between the eyes before continuing with the scritchies. "Oh-ho, so you're quite the ladies' dragon, hmmm?" She grins at M'nol, winking. "An endless stream of girls willing to offer scritchies? But only one that you've your eye on." One hand is given over to scritchies duty, while the other is held out to draw M'nol into a hug. "How are you holding up, anyways? Any word?"
Faraeth continues to croon happily as M'nol accepts the hug, "I wouldn't say only one ever, but only one who felt the same for me." He smiles, "I sent her a present from a booth at Founder's day and bloodstone managed to get through to deliver it. She sent a thank you note back. That's the last, though." He sighs, "I'm coping better, though. Not crying myself to sleep anymore."
Jessamin nods slowly, and smiles. "Glad to hear you're doing some better, anyways." She does step back from the scritches for a minute, just to see what Faraeth will do, trying her hardest not to giggle. "I'll head into cold storage and get some of that fruit together in a minute here."
Faraeth sniffs, leaning his head, eyes still closed, further out. Where were his scritches? His eyes pop open and he gives a disgruntled snort. M'nol nods, "Kez helped some… The rider of the green Faraeth caught definitely didn't," he sighs, "She'll come back when she can." He nods decisively, "Do you need any help with the fruit?"
Jessamin smiles, scritching Faraeth just a little bit more. "Probably. That fruit is heavier than it looks. A little was slightly underripe, but should be good to go now. It's had a couple days to mature off the trees. Put the baskets in the cold storage room off of the kitchen."
Faraeth sighs at last, still seeming put out for her un-warned stop earlier. M'nol listens carefully, "Well, I'd be glad to help. Underripe is better fresh from the tree, anyway."
Jessamin says "Wasn't quite sure when I'd be able to talk someone into taking some of the fruit over, so I figured just a touch underripe was better than taking a chance on it rotting." She grins at Faraeth. "Oh, cut that out, you… you know you'll get scritchies whenever you come over here, so chin up, hmmm?"
Faraeth twines his neck, twisting his head until his chin faces the sky, and gives an inquisitive croon. M'nol can't help but chuckle at the brown's antics then he grins at Jessamin, "You know as well as I do that if you'd sent a flit with a note they'd've been picked up by now."
Jessamin squirms a little bit, looking at her toes. "I just hate asking for anything, you know? Always have, always will." She rolls her eyes a little bit, and giggles. "That's actually one of the few things that came through more in words than feelings from that egg… it knows what it wants, and wanted to know if I did, too."
Faraeth grumbles, twisting his neck back to its normal position. He'd been sure that would work. M'nol nods, "Farry's missed something. Longed for it harder than anything. It reminded me of my da more than me."
Jessamin grins and scritches Faraeth one more time. "Well, I'll go get a couple of those baskets, and see what I can do about sending on the rest. Got some good stuff… papayas, mangoes, guava, redfruits, citrus, and a couple others."
Western Weyr - Kitchen
Perhaps you followed your nose here.. the cooking aromas are tempting. This is the main kitchen of the Weyr. At any time of the day or night you find cooks and drudges busy making meals and preparing foodstuffs for storage for later use. The cavern has been shaped into a huge room with a domed ceiling. The huge ovens and cooking stoves line the outer wall, their perpetual fires fueled by natural gas from a nearby well. Vent holes pierce the cavern walls, keeping the room amazingly clear of smoke. The inner wall has long counters of smooth stone, carved from the walls. You see a large, heavy looking metal-clad door. This is the large cold storage room, much like a man-made ice cave. The walls are made of volcanic rock, known for it's insulating properties. The heat exchanger is also powered by natural gas.
M'nol follows, grinning, "Papaya? That's really good. It's surprising Weestern's giving it up."
Jessamin strides right over to the heavy door that seals off the cold storage room, gripping the handle and hauling back on it, hard. Wisps of cool mist roll out from the doorway as chill air meets the warmer surrounding air of the kitchen. Shivering a little, Jessamin ducks inside, and can be heard humming softly, rummaging around some baskets. When she emerges, it's carrying a large, pot-bellied basket cradled in her arms, and trying to nudge a second along the ground while somehow bracing it against her shins. "Not… giving up… just giving!"
M'nol moves to her side when she brings out the first heavy basket, grunting softly as he attempts to take it off her hands, "Don't over work yourself. They won't let injured or handicapped people stand, remember? And what would your lifemate think of that?"
Jessamin gladly lets M'nol take the first basket off her hands, grunting softly as she picks up the second. "True enough. I just hate asking for help in the worst way. I don't want to seem like I'm foisting off work on everyone else, like certain Candidates used to do." She grumbles softly, then grins a bit. "Did my heart good to see her Impress, and green at that. Won a mark on that bet, and now she -has- to work."
M'nol chuckles, "You'd be surprised how hard Ro found it to ask, too. Nearly ran himself into the ground before he admitted that another Weyrling could oil Nyunath if he was asleep." He does nod, though, "Vivian's… let's just say that as much as I still don't like her, I've gained some respect for her in the last turn. Shells, she's practically civil to me now…"
Jessamin says "I don't think I can ever respect her. Manipulative sort who wouldn't do her own work, I can't imagine she's changed too much. So long as she's there and I'm here, so much the better." She nods firmly, nudging the cold storage room door closed with her foot; it takes a second, harder kick back to get the thing to shut. "Maybe it's a bit of pride… but I respect those who don't shirk their duty and do my best to do the same."
M'nol nods, "That she was, probably still is, but she's come into her own some. A hard worker she's not, at least not manual labor, but she really does care about the Weyr." His mouth tightens slightly, "I might consider a transfer except I love Xanadu so much that she's just not enough to make me leave. Especially with Phy stuck on the whims of the Hall."
Jessamin says "She didn't make me leave, either. Far from it." Smiling, she ambles towards the Bowl with the basket in her arms. "Just this place grew on me so much so fast that I knew I was bound to stay, Impression or no."
M'nol smiles wide, "That's good. That's what matters most, after all. I bet you'll impress, though, with such a you egg on the sands."
Jessamin smiles, and nods. "I sure hope so. Anything can happen on the day, but still… I've some hope this time around."
M'nol chuckles, "I was certain you would last time, too. But this time you love an egg, that's a good sign." He hefts his basket, "I hope there's enough warning for me to watch."
"I don't think love is quite the word. It's… a lot stronger than that." With that, she is off towards the Bowl, humming that lilting, melancholy melody again, smiling.
Western Weyr - Center of the Bowl
This is the center of the huge oval crater of the Weyr. Standing here you can see how immense it is. The cliff sides rise up all around you, dotted with the caves of the dragon rider's weyrs. To the west you can see the arch open to the sea. North is the hatching grounds, south you see the cave entrance to the living caverns, and to the south east the entrance to the infirmary, raised a little from the weyr wall.
M'nol nods, "I know exactly how you feel. Was like a left a piece of me on the sands after I met Farry's egg." He sets his basket down and reaches up to undo the fastenings on Faraeth's carrier.
Jessamin says "That's -exactly- it. Part of me's still on the Sands. Makes you want to cry, doesn't it?"
M'nol nods, "It did make me cry, remember?" He glances up at Faraeth, then starts loading fruit carefully into the carry-bag, "Like losing myself in a dear friend."
Jessamin says "That egg brought me to my knees. All I wanted to do was hold it and love it forever, and just shelter it from anybody that would ever want to harm it. Came up with a couple of good sunburns on my knees from the Sands on that one." She laughs softly, setting her basket down on the ground so she can offer more scritchies. "Why not have a bit of fruit before you take to the air? Could only do you good."
Faraeth rumbles happily, tail thumping lightly on the ground when he's scritched. M'nol chuckles, "That's the way of it, it seems." He loads another several fruits before grabbing a particularly succulent looking redfruit and biting deeply into it, "Don't mind if I do. Partially frozen is the best."
Jessamin says "I would beg to differ, but then again, I've gotten a little bit spoiled." She grins, plucking out a tasty-looking redfruit and taking a great big bite. "Mmmm… nothing can quite beat fruit fresh off the tree when it's been sitting in the sun all day."
M'nol chuckles, "Always tastes a bit rancid to me that way. Frozen it's kind of like eating a popsicle." He takes another big bite before moving some more fruit to the carry-bag.
Jessamin says "Well, I guess when you put it that way… hmmmm, I bet the fruit skewers at lunch would be really tasty frozen, now that you put it that way. Honey covered fruit popsicles!"
M'nol nods, licking his lips, "Exactly." He finishes the redfruit in two more big bites, "Frozen klah can be good too, weird as it sounds. Makes the cup last forever."
Jessamin arcs an eyebrow, tilting her head. "Frozen klah? That's a new one on me. I'll have to make some molds or something and try klah-pops."
M'nol smiles and nods, "They make a good mid-afternoon snack when you're hot and sweaty and tired. It helps with all three."
Jessamin grins, and nods. "I'll have to suggest that be put on the menu. Bet around lunchtime there'll be a lot of people who need to cool off. Either from working outside, flying, or just playing."
M'nol nods, "And since they're klah they give you some extra energy, too." He chuckles, "Course they're the last thing you want in the middle of winter, but otherwise their great."
Jessamin waits until the last of the fruit from the first basket is loaded, then looks down at the one next to her. "Room enough for a second basket, or do you have all you can carry there?"
M'nol leans in, examining the inside of the carry-bag, "Maybe half-a-basket? It's hard to be sure but there's definitely some space left in there."
Jessamin nods slowly, and starts putting some of the fruit inside the carry bag. "The rest of this basket will have to go back into the cold storage room, then, but that's no big deal. If one of you can't make it here, I'm sure I can pester a rider here to help."
M'nol helps move the fruit into the slowly filling bag, "I don't know when I'll be free next. I'm still getting used to the schedules that go into being in a wing, but I'm sure someone could move the fruit one way or another."
Jessamin nods, and smiles. "As long as it's within the next day or so, the fruit will be good and fresh."
M'nol nods, "I'm sure that could be arranged." The last few fruits are plopped into the bag and it zipped shut against the freezing cold of /between/. He smiles honestly and truly smiles, "It's good to see you, Jess."
Jessamin hugs M'nol tightly and smiles warmly. "Good to see you too, lil brother. Give everyone a hug for me, will you?"
M'nol hugs her back, still smiling, "I'll try, but Cen might decide to knee me in the crotch again."
Jessamin says "Just tell her the hug's from me, and if she knees you in the crotch…" She winks. "…then hide her booze."
M'nol chuckles, reaching up for the riding straps, "I may do so at that. Good idea Jessa. And if ever you're free and just want to take to the skies, send me a flit and I'll give you a ride."
Jessamin step back to let M'nol mount up, smiling. "I hope that'll be possible, just hard to tell with the hatching drawing closer." She waves, her smile widening. "Safe flight and clear skies… thank you again, for everything!"
M'nol hoists himself up to Faraeth's back, the brown giving Jessa one last gentle nuzzling thank you for the scritches. M'nol nods, still grinning, "If we can work it in, I will. Clear sailing on that boat of yours."
Jessamin gives Faraeth one last scritch, then pats him affectionately on the nose. "Keep M'nol out of trouble, hmmm?"
Faraeth gives an assenting rumble, then pushes off from the ground to the skies, M'nol waving one last goodbye before the pair disappears /between/.