Xanadu Weyr - Caverns
A massive cavern in it's own right, this one has been skillfully adapted for human habitation. The high ceilings have been painted a light, soft ivory, as are the walls where numerous tapestries hang to provide brilliant color and insulation from the stone. The floor has been left in its natural state, pale pink granite speckled through with glittering mica and dark flecks of basalt, leveled carefully but kept sufficiently rough to avoid slips.
The cavern itself is loosely divided into areas, each one set up to be suitable for some segment of the Weyr's population. The most frequently occupied area, however, is the one near the Kitchens where tables of varying sizes provide a place to sit down and eat or chat and a buffet of consumables is almost always kept stocked. Its plain that on most days, this area wouldn't accommodate anywhere near the full population of the Weyr and equally plain that on such occasions when a formal meal is laid out, tables are appropriated from all the other areas.
A big fireplace is set into the wall near the Kitchens as well, several comfortable chairs nearby providing haunts for elderly residents or riders who like a good view of all that happens. Rugs cover the floor in strategic spots, all of them abstract or geometric in design and most in the softly neutral colors of undyed wool.
Mikal is hungry! No really, he's so hungry there's a rumbling from his stomach. It sounds deep and dark and…oh wait, that's not him. That's a small green firelizard all tucked into his coat stomach and she's hungry. Well he most likely is too but then that's cause he's a growing boy! So he flings the coat towards a coat hook, misses, and then heads for the food to see what's good for both human and firelizard.
At the same time? Well, there's some roasted wherry. Soriana's already here, leaning back with her chair on two legs and petting a Haruhi curled up in her lap. She's got a plate in front of her, about half eaten.
Idrissa can be found over near the fireplace, ever since her run in with the ice and a rather large runner she was told to take a few days off from the stables. The last thing her journeyman was to have a broken candidate on his hands after all. So she is there reading a book while Willow is curled up around the little bucket where the blackish-blue firelizard egg is settled within the sands. Rissa's left wrist has a bandage upon it, and there are some slowly healing brusies across her left forearm.
Mikal can totally pull off this whole eating and feeding the hungry green at the same time. Just watch him! With her hungry sounds motivating him he fills two plates, both with large slices of the roasted wherry. He's sure to put plenty of gravy on one of the plates. Several other sides gets places on the one then it's a balancing act to walk towards an empty chair.
Soriana brings her chair back down to all fours with a thump that makes Haruhi chitter a complaint. Sori pets the gold, then pokes at her plate again, tearing another piece off a half-shredded roll to scrape up the last bit of one of the tastier sauces. She gives a wave over to Mikal, though he'd better not give her one back.
Idrissa peers up slightly, hey she knows that chittering complaint. She catches sigith of Soriana and smiles. "Hey Sori." She called out towards her friend. An there is Mikal too. "An Mikal." Willow chirrups out and slowly stretches in a rather feline like matter befre hopping up onto the back of the chair that Rissa is upon.
With both eyes on his plates and his feet, Mikal traverses a path towards the tables. Ending up nearish Soriana he sits without a spill. "Oh, heya you two. Are you guys like tied together at the hips? You're always together." asks Mikal despite the fact that the two girls aren't even sitting with each other.
Soriana laughs, scritching under Haruhi's chin. "That'd be awfully inconvenient," she says to Mikal, though she waves over to Idrissa. "I mean, really. We'd always be bumping into things."
Idrissa grins as she hears Mikal and winks over at Soriana. "Well ya.. But look at all the fun we could have." She stands herself up, Willow on a shoulder, bucket in hand, book under arm, and mud of cider in other hand while she moves on over to where Sori is and settles down. The items she is carrying are all settled down once there.
Soriana smirks, and shakes her head to Idrissa as Mikal starts attacking his dinner. "Yeah, fun…" she goes. "So, speaking of fun, what happened to your wrist?" Why, however did she guess, what with the bandage there and all?
Idrissa ehs softly while she leans back in her chair and sips at her mug of cider. Willow hops down onto Rissa's lap and curls up there. "Well.. Edise didn't finsh getting all the ice off places around the stable and paddock. An I wasn't paying full attention when I was leading a runner out to the paddock and we both went sliding." It wasn't fun to say the least. She wiggles her fingers. "Got a nice good scrape across it and plenty of bruises on top of it." She peers over at Mikal. "Mikal actually took care of me when I was told to get to a healer."
"Oh yeah?" says Soriana, with a glance over to Mikal. "Well, glad it's not broken, anyway. So they chased you away from the stables while it's healing, huh?"
Idrissa nods slightly. "Ya, my journeyman told me to take a few days off. Think he is a bit more worried about something happening to me being a candidate now. An Shellie told me to take it easy for a few days too."
Soriana nods, and pokes at a bit of roasted tuber. She lifts it up, stares at it… sets it back down again. Yeah, maybe she doesn't want it, actually. "Well, y'know, healers." Whatever that means! She's so lucky Mikal's distracted by feeding himself and his firelizard. "Guess it means you can't do much outside either, though. Indoor-only vacation."
"Hey! What's that mean?" says the Mikal who's evidently not as distracted as one might think. The previous bit of conversation though was unheeded.
Idrissa hums and nods slightly to Soriana. "Ya pretty much. Another day or two I guess an then I can reek havoc on someone again." This said with an amused tone while she takes another sip from her mug. She grins hearing Mikal.
Soriana nods to Idrissa, then grins as Mikal takes notice. "…that… you shouldn't argue with them when they tell you to rest?" The words, perfectly innocuous. The tone, teasing.
Mikal makes a face. "I would never argue with anyone." suuure!
Idrissa just peers at Mikal, a soft laugh escapes her. "You.. really?" Is questioned while she grins. "I have a hard time believing that."
Soriana grins. "Course not," she agrees, then finally gives up on her plate and sets Haruhi on the table while she goes off and puts it in the dish bucket.
Mikal gives a firm nod. He's quite confident in his no arguing. Attention goes back to feeding him and the green fl.
Idrissa shakes her head while she peers at Mikal an his green a few moments. Willow chirrups out softly while she hops down to the table and inches ever so closer to Haruhi. The green chitters and chirups out to the gold.
Haruhi goes oh! It's Willow! She hops right over to the green, and leans up to put a foreleg around her shoulders. Chitterchirpchirr, she says, with a little trill at the end. Sori comes back before too long, with a refilled drink, and sits herself back down. Thump. "So… what else is new? Anything?"
Willow chitters out and tilts her head to bump and nose at the gold a few times against the neck. More chitters and chirrups offered, and a soft trill escaping her as well. Idrissa shrugs slightly. "Other then runners and ice don't mix not to much I suppose." Though Rissa already knew that about ice and runners. She curiously watches Willow and Haruhi smiling at the two. "I'm glad they get along so well." Rissa was a bit worried there at the start. The little egg in the bucket near Rissa is starting to slightly twitch within th sands, just a faint bit of movement.
Elsie splays out across the table with a contented burp. Mikal also looks content as he's cleaned his whole plate but he can't stretch out on the table. A shame. He does burp though.
Haruhi chirrs sweetly, and hops down again. She's done now, time to go investigate other things. Elsie gets a quick inspection, and a chirp, but after due consideration, the gold decides she's not actually hungry. It's important to keep track of these things. "Yeah, me too," agrees Soriana, and nods. "I guess mostly things are just… waiting, right now. Y'know."
Elsie chirrups softly to the gold though she doesn't show any indication of actually moving. Mikal stretches his legs out and simply seems content to watch the people mingling.
"Ya.. Waiting.." Idrissa said with a faint murmur and a slight sigh escapes her while she leans back in her seat and closes her eyes. Nap time perhaps? Within that bucket upon the table there is another little twitch of the egg and a faint peck perhaps heard. Oh movement! Willow chirrurps out after Haruhi and hops after her a few times before pausing to eye the bucket.. Hey something /moved/.. Was it just the sand?
Soriana sighs, glancing out toward the clearing, then back to the table in time to see Haruhi headed over to peer into the bucket, her paws on the edge as she chirrups inquisitively. Hello? Anybody there? "Hey, Rissa?" says Sori. "Better get some meat."
Elsie sits up and gives a questioning chirrup. Flitting up she sails over to land on a nearby chair with her full attention to the bucket. This gets Mikal's attention so he stands and ambles over to check it out. "Think the bigger eggs will hatch soon?" he asks.
Idrissa hums and blinsk while she peers at Soriana. "What fo.." Oh that is why… with a half errr she hoping up from her chair and is off to the ktichen. She is on a misson! A misson for meat!.. Willow chirrups as she hangs out at the other side of the bucket eyeing the darkly colored egg. A soft soft chitters escaping the green and her wings wiggle and pulle close to her sides. The little blackish-blue egg wiggles and rocks a few more times which makes the sand fall off of it more, a faint crack is seen as just a slight white line across the top of the egg.
It's Saunter Time. A teenager comes sauntering through the Store Room exit with a couple of long leather rectangles tossed over one shoulder, humming to himself as he does so. Datsun pauses at the far end of the Cavern for a moment to trade words with a passing apprentice, waggling his finger at the younger boy and shaking his head. Then the apprentice is sent on his way and the young man resumes his course through the Caverns.
Mikal's question makes Soriana frown for a moment. "Well. It's been about long enough." More than that, she doesn't say, on account of she gets distracted by watching the smaller egg. Haruhi chitters as she watches the egg shake rattle and rock, and as it gets closer to hatching, her interest brings Toral from between to take a look for himself. "C'mon Idrissa!" calls Sori, with a glance over toward the kitchens. What's keeping her?
From within the ktichen the is a crash heard, a few raised voices in the process and Idrissa is still gone. "I'm SORRY!" Rissa nearly yells out to the cook and has to explain /again/ why she cam running into the kitchen. The cook is about to kick her out, with a heavy wacking of a spoon until he seems to understand. Firelizard, meat. Rissa is making her way out from the kitchen. "I got it!" Though she looks as if she managed to run into someone carrying a tray of food as her shirt is covered in bits of dinner. Of course it is. Willow trills out as she rocks about on her haunches, her head hunkered down upon the edge of the bucket, eyes swirling about. The egg continues to rock and there is more cracks across its dark surface before a talon is poking out from it and is wiggles about.
Mikal runs a hand through his hair. "Getting too long." he mutters. The crashing causes a wince from the lad who used to spend so much time in the kitchens. He watches the egg with detatchment. After all he's already got his own lizard now and his thought are on larger eggs than this.
Datsun jumps backwards as Idrissa nearly runs into him, staring after her and gaping. His jaw snaps shut and one eyebrow raises, deciding to follow the girl, albeit at a more lesiurely pace, calling out, "Oi, your dinner goes /in/ you, not /on/ you." Always very helpful.
Toral flutters his way to a landing, and joins the firelizard brigade watching. He chirps, settling back to be the dignified one. Sori, having only had kitchen duty rarely, has a bit of a grin for the crash. At least she doesn't have dish washing today. Though Idrissa may, after the excitement has died down. Sori's grin can't last long, though, and she beckons Idrissa closer (not that Rissa wasn't already doing that) as the egg cracks, and frowns again to Mikal… but it's a frown with a nod. "Getting there, but not yet." The 'quite' is left unsaid.
Mikal ignores the frown easily enough from Sori. He settles into a chair, spinning it so he can lean against the back and he watches the egg. His little green is humming strong as she stares at the cracking egg.
Idrissa turns about and is nearly running into her table for her efforts. "I'm sorry Datsun!" She calls out while she slides up to the table where Soriana, Mikal and the firelizards are all hovering over the bucket. She sets down a bowl of meat bits and doesn't care about the clinging bit of dinner that is over her shirt, is that a tomatoe in her hair? Possible.. Willow trills out while shifting and goes so far as to poke at the egg a few times, and an as that happens the egg starts to crack and splinter more across the surface. It looks like a piece of broken glass, save for that talon that has stuck itself out from the egg shell. More wiggling bouncing movements is seen and Rissa pushes the sand off and away and picks the egg up and then gently sets it upon the table. This movement is all that is needed and the egg splits in a bunch of pieces and shards leaving a rather wet blue firelizard there upon the table, bit of egg shells clinging too him while he trills out sharply so all know he is there. Rissa errs softly and is picking up a few pieces of meat and eagerly dangles them near the blue, which doesn't even look at the meat just yet.
Dull, dark blue. The blue of insect-carapaces glistening. The blue of the depths of space, where no one can hear you scream. That's this firelizard. Sharp angles and edges, hard planes only barely smoothed by muscle. The bones of his spine are hard knots beneath his hide, protruding as though thrust there by some horrible accident; doubtless the same that gives his skull an elongated appearance, his head-knobs joined to a single brooding ridge over his swirling eyes.
His wings spike up from his back, long and pointed. At rest, their tips lie across his thighs, concealing the corded muscles of his haunches from view. The legs themselves are slender. Less weight to carry, once hes leapt from ambush. His paws would look almost delicate, save for the curved sabers of his talons. His gait on the ground is awkward because of those claws, his thick knuckles adapted for rending instead of walking.
When his wings are spread, he shows a glimpse of one thing not dark and deadly; a sight to startle his prey. The sails of his wings are lighter than the rest of him, royal blue like a deep ocean; tinged with dark algae-green raggedly across the edges, and with a faint speckle of seafoam-white along their inner joints.
The ocean is deadly; it only looks serene from a distance. Behind his spread wings sways a long and whiplike tail, the bones articulating against each other in rapid motion. A lithe, flexible appendage, save for the last three joints. Those are fused together, bent back toward his hunched body in a hook.
Finally arriving, Datsun peers about curiously, hearing the weird humming happening and the others staring at something, "What's goin' on, eh…" But the sentence never makes it into a question as the Crafter finally spots what it is that has everyone's attention and Idrissa all in a huff. "Oh dear Lord Holder, this ain't happening, man… This can't be happening, man! This isn't happening!"
It's not a frown really directed at Mikal, anyway. More a frown for the whole situation, and it fades out around the edges again as Sori watches the egg. Her firelizards hum, Haruhi leaning in, Toral more distant but still watching… and then the egg shatters, and leaves behind a… "Huh," goes Soriana, looking at the little blue, then huh she goes again as she looks back to Datsun. "…what?"
The litle blue, rather wet and strange looking firelizard scrambles about to right himself and is soon there peering up, there are people, and lizards and.. Meat? Oh that is totally for him right? A faint hiss escapes the blue. a bit of eggy droll clinging to his face before he is there going for the meat, chompchomp! The meat is grabbed and swallowed down while Idrissa grabs a few more and is busily feeding the blue, though she is totally wondering about why he looks that way for a moment before both blue and person are having the moment that causes everyone else to get ignored around them. Everything save for the meat getting offered to the blue. Willow churrs out softly as she watches, head tilting, a faint trill escaping her once more and she inches over to peck as it was at a bit of the egg that is there on the table.
Mikal leans in a bit to see the newly hatched blue better. "He's quite striking." he compliments.
"Never seen one just hatched. He looks… slimy." Datsun says as he watches the firelizard, noting the hunger that the flit has. Deciding to be safe than sorry, the teenage edges away from the firelizard, choosing a spot that puts him past arm's length from the little blue. "And hungry."
Soriana chuckles softly as she watches the little blue accept his meal, and reaches a hand down in invitation to her own. Toral takes her up on the offer, hopping to her shoulder and curling up there. "Yeah, they always hatch hungry. And slimy. I mean, that's kind of what it's like inside an egg, he'll dry off quickly."
Mikal stifles a yawn, his mind a few years away as he sits there with his eyes closed. Someone's pretty tired. Elsie trills, pleased that she could help with the hatching even though she didn't actually do anything but offer some singsong crooning.
Idrissa hums softly while blinks a few times while she continues to feed the little firelizard before her that is so hungrey. "What did Datsun say?" She totally didn't catch any of them. The little blue shifts and wiggles, moving closer to the person feeding him and creels out a few times until his maw is full so he can't and has to think about chewing. Silly little blue! "Geezs.. Your a hungrey little thing!" Willow trills out a few times before hopping over and rests upon Rissa's shoulder to peer down at the the blue that she is going to be sharing her time and person with it seems!
Haruhi chirps, and takes a piece of the meat as her due, not that she does more than nibble is casually as she watches the baby blue be fed. Soriana chuckles. "That the firelizard's hungry," she answers, and smiles as she watches. "Though I think you've got that under control."
Mikal stands and slips out quietly into the night.
Idrissa ehs softly while shaking her head, she continues to fed the little blue until he seems full, well his belly sure is swollen looking. "I don't think I've ever seen a blue like him before." Of course Rissa would get something diffrent looking! Willow nips at her person's ear and with a fiant grumble escapes the beastcrafter she offers a few pieces of meat to the green which chomps and swallows it down.
"Maybe something happened to his egg," says Sori. Not that damaged eggs are on everyone's mind lately or anything. "I mean, up in space… and then coming down here…" She trails off, and shrugs a little. "I dunno. He seems to be acting pretty normal, though."
Idrissa ohs and nods at this while smiling at the little lizard. "I didn't even think about that." She offers softly while going about picking up shell shards and the like so there isn't a mess to be found. Willow is checking on the little blue. "His sorta cool looking at the same time. His like an alien from space for something." This makes Rissa grin at the though while she sits down to watch her two lizards.
"…or something," agrees Soriana, and reaches out to give his tailtip a light pet. Haruhi chirrups, and on the way back, Sori's fingers give the gold a pet as well. An alien? "You read that story from the files too, huh?"
Idrissa glances to Soriana and nods a moment. "Ya I've read a few stories on them." She looks back to the blue and leans over to pick himm up and settles him upon her lap hugging the sleeping lizard. "I dono.. His sorta cute too.. In that strange sorta way I suppose." Yes she totally called him cute! Willow churrips and hops over to flutter upon Rissa's shoulder and her head bobs a few times.
Soriana laughs, and nods. "So what're you going to name him?" she asks, petting Haruhi as she leans back in her chair and Toral nestles closer.
Idrissa chews on her lip a few moments and ponder. "What about Ripley?.." She questions with a soft tone. The little blue coos out and is giving a few soft head scritches in the process. Rissa nows with a smile. "Ripley sorta fits I think."
Soriana smiles. "Well, he seems to like it," she says. Admittedly, a full baby firelizard would probably like most names, but nevertheless! Sori watches for another few moments, then stands up. "I'd better get going. Good luck." Good luck? Yeah, 'cause the cook from the kitchens is making his way out into the caverns, and he doesn't exactly look happy. Time for Sori to flee!
Idrissa hums and nods to Soriana. "Thanks.. I'll need it.." There is a pause and she blinks as she looks up, her eyes widen and she uhohs.. Can she escape? Not fast enough. "IDRISSA!!" Is hollard as the girl attempts to move.. A faint squeak escapes Rissa.. "Coming.. I'm sorry!!" Willow and Ripley are left for the moment, cuddled up on the seat while Rissa goes to clean up the mess she made..