Questioning Friends
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Xanadu Weyr - Stables
The Stables of Xanadu Weyr are composed of one long building, lined with box and standing stalls that are kept thoroughly clean by the resident grooms and stablehands. Runners nicker and neigh at everyone who enters, save for the obstinate ones that just flicker their ears in indignant curiousity that they dare not make visible. The foremost stalls near the door to the Barn Yard are the grand box stalls which are home to the prized runners of Xanadu, as well as the most pregnant, those which are so far along that they require constant observation by the Herders, so as to ensure easy foaling.
However, the primary design of stall which lines the broad pathway that is covered in saw dust which is the main avenue of the Stables, is that of the Standing Stall. Many runners are in the standing stalls, with ropes strung across the front so as to keep the runners from leaving their designated containers. A few hay bales sit here and there along the avenue, some of which act as seats for the stablehands and grooms on their breaks, others as snacks for those runners who can reach out their necks far enough. Buckets and baskets of grooming supplies, brushes and combs, and the like also sit here and there, occassionally knocked over by a wayward hoof or inquiring muzzle.


It's been a snowy day, with the last of the season's flurries blowing off and on, but it's at least not a blizzard. ka-el is on delivery duty again. Cold or not, the runners need their shoes! It's a light load today though. His sack is easily carried with one hand and he pushes the stable door open with his free one, letting in a cold breeze. He shudders a little, brushing off the cold before he gets to work! He reaches into the bag, pulls out a sweet roll, and begins to chomp on it while he moves further in.

Idrissa is busy mucking out a stall it seems, there is a wheelbarrow over near the stall door and she is busy raking through the hay and the like picking up any dirty hay and pushing it into the barrel in the process. A green and blue firelizard is hanging out in the rafters of the stables, Willow catches sight of Kale first. So much for him sneaking up on her anymore! "Hey Kale." Rissa calls out from where she is working, pausing to rub off her hands across her jeans a few times.

So true. No more sneaking up on Idrissa. Kale will have to do something with Willow. Have Alloy distract her or something! Too bad the bronze is nowhere to be seen for the moment. "Hey Idrissa," Kale says in return, taking another bite of his dessert as he makes his way towards her, dropping his satchel down on the ground. "Woah.." he pauses some feet away, seeing what she's doing. Nope! Not going over there. "You look…busy," he says with a smirk. "An'…y'smell nice." Snicker.

Idrissa eyes him faintly at that and smirks while shaking her head. "Gee.. Isn't that nice of you.." She huffs out softly while making her way out from the stall. "Sorry I can't smell like smoke and ash all the time like you." This said with an amused tone. "How goes?" Is questioned while she picks up a towel to try and knock some of the dirt and grime off of her.

Kale smirks. "Y'should hang out at the forges more. It'll get the musk right off ya in no time," he says confidently, nodding. He sits on a hay bale, eyeing the half of his sweetroll that’s left. "Y'want?" he offers, holding it out her way so she can see what it is. "Eh, I'm alright. Light load today," he says, nodding to the bag that he left behind on the ground. "Alloy should be poppin' in soon. Had him go take a hammer to Journeyman Orik. He's gettin' better at deliverin' stuff," he says a little proud sounding. "He used to …heh, like, jus' go flyin' off anywhere."

Idrissa smirks at that and huffs out softly while she moves over to sit next to him. "Funny.." She offers with an amused tone before taking hold of what is left of the sweetroll. "Thanks." Seems she won't turn it down! She munches on it happily. "Well good for you. I'm trying to get Willow to do something but she keeps chewin off the harness. An Ripley is still too young for that thought."

"Welcome," he offers with a smile and nod, leaning over towards her a minute. But he pauses just an inch away from her cheek, cringing a little. Ripley! Where is that little terror?? He glances around. Left. Right. He has a feeling a certain blue firelizard is going to swoop down and chomp his head! "Uh…where is Ripley, anyway?" he asks with a smirk and quirked brow. Regardless, he kisses her cheek anyway before leaning back. "I bet Willow would do somethin' without the harness. Alloy didn' like his either. Gave up on it, an' figured he'll have to learn without it."

Idrissa smiles and is expecting the kiss and then he is asking about Ripley? "He’s around here somewhere." Yes indeed, the blue is actually resting above the haybale next to Kale, peering down at the two. "Why?" Is questioned curiously. She leans close and gives him a kiss back after chewing down a bite of sweetroll. "So is Alloy just carrying something then without a harness?" She questions curiously. Ripley is so crouching there just watching the two from his perch, as if pondering about pouncing it seems..

"Cuz…" Kale pauses, glancing around again, though he never does actually look up, "I think he's out to get me," he says, shuddering a little and looking comically scared. Fear the little blue! The returned kiss is received with a smile, and he leans against her a little. "Yeah. For now. Jus' light things he clutches in his claws. Sometime I'm gonna get'm trained enough to pull an' carry heavy things…but unless I pull out all his teeth, I don' think that's gonna happen too easy." He grins over at her. "You been in here all day?"

Idrissa rolls her eyes slightly as she hears him and chuckles as she chews on another bite of the roll. "I see, well that's cool." She offers with an amused tone. "I wouldn't if I can get Willow to do that." She ponders at the idea. Ripley still sits there and watches the pair, waiting still it seems! "Ya.. I.. Sorta got in trouble yesterday. An Weyrwoman Briana said I had to clean the stables with Datsun and Zaala.."

"Bet she would," answers Kale. "Wasn't hard for Alloy. He likes scratchin' an' grabbin' on things anyway. Mos' times before I trained'm, I had to tell him to stop grabbin' eveything. So I think it'll be easy for Willow. They're…sister an' brother, so they probably sort've…think the same." He playfully pushes his shoulder against hers, grinning. But…what? He pauses in his play, quirking a brow. "You? … in trouble?" He stares at her, then laughs. "You're jokin'."

Idrissa ehs softly and shrugs at this while she scratches at her neck a moment. "Datsun came into the cave last night acting well.. Like himself." Which isn't always a good thing right? "He was complaining ‘cause a auntie didn't let him walk in, so he took 'em off. He said something and then starts flicking his muddy shoes all over the place, hit me and Zaala with the mud." She says a moment. "Zaala went and stomped on his foot, and I dumped some cider on his head cause it got mud in it.."

Like himself. Kale nods, seemingly understanding that well enough, and he doesn't interrupt as she continues on. He quirks a brow as she tells their reactions of the mud slinging. "She stomped his foot?" he echoes, snorting a sound that could be a snicker. Maybe. "That girl's odd. An' random. An'…" what's the word he's looking for?… Childish. But he never does come up with it. Besides. He's the type to talk about the prospect of peeing out in space, so does he really have any room to call anyone else childish?? "You did what?" He gawks at her, though can't help but grin at the same time. Go Idrissa. "Would y'do the same to me if I got mud in your drink?"

Idrissa nods slightly and peers over at him curious like. "Well.. Ya.. I did.." There is a pause. "An I might!" She smirks. "Naw.. I most likely wouldn't do it again." She leans back against the wall rubbing her hand a few times across her jeans. "But.. It's what Datsun did after all that. He was really rude to Derin, I mean nasty to him. Pulling rank and putting Derin down cause his a wehrhandler." She glances to him. "An it got me thinking, he’s been rude to you before and stuff."

Kale slightly tips his head to one side as he listens, a bit of his grin fading at the end. Rude to him? He glances away from her, idly rubbing the back of his neck before he too scoots back to lean against the wall. "Eh, s'alright. I mean… it isn't too bad, is it?" It's all just boy stuff! He's not supposed to let it get under his skin right? Even though it does at times. "But this .. Derin guy. I don' think I know'm. Wherhandler? Those are those…things, right? The ones that work in the mines?"

Idrissa nods at that. "Ya, he’s really nice.. I talked to him some today an all." She tilts her head. "But it isn't right for him to do such a thing. I mean.. Pulling rank, acting all better than everyone else?" A frown is seen at the idea.

"Well…" begins Kale, thinking, "if…he keeps doin' it, someone's bound to say somethin' to someone who'll do somethin' about it, eh?" he says, nodding as he talks, as if agreeing with himself. "But you're right. He's sort've..different than what I first met'm sometimes. I dunno what it is. Guess…he's been here long enough that he's feelin' comfortable. Maybe too comfortable. Startin' to forgot what polite means, even if he is a Journeyman."

Idrissa chews on her lip and then shifts to lean close to Kale if he'll allow it, seeing how she is sorta dirty and all. "I dono why he has to do that… I mean one moment his nice and then that?" She shakes her head at the thought. "Maybe.. I mean Briana was there and she didn't say much to him really. Maybe she was just waiting to talk to him later. I dono."

"Maybe…" says Kale, not sounding entirely sure. "She's like…a Junior, right? Maybe she won't say anything. Maybe it'll take Weyrwoman Thea or one’ve the Seniors to see somethin'." He shrugs a shoulder, not seeming to mind her closeness, despite her stinkiness! Or rather, her dirtiness. "I dunno Briana much. Datsun jus' needs to … I dunno. Figure himself out. I don' like people that change who they are when they're around different people, y'know what I mean? S'what Wakua's problem was. Dependin' on who she was with, she acted like a total different person." And just look where that got her.

Idrissa nods slightly at this. "I've met her a few times. She's really nice though." This said softly at the idea before shrugging. "Ya I know, I just thought maybe he would be different I guess. I mean he seemed different when he got here. But then so did Harlin and look what happend there."

Kale never likes it much when that name is brought up, remembering…well, how clueless he was during that whole time period. He didn’t even know of the guy til the fateful day of the blowup! What kind of friend was he, to let his two closest friends be strung along and so badly? Never again! He inhales and exhales, though lightly begins to grin as he pokes at her thigh. "Hey, well you've still got me," he points out. "I mean, I met ya a long time ago, and I'm still as amazing now as I was then, right?" Beam!

Idrissa hums at the poke and peers at him, she chuckles softly and nods with a smile. She leans over to give him a quick hug. "Ya, you’re the same. Just as amazing as you was when I first met you… Well maybe a bit cuter." She grins at this and winks at him.

"Cuter?" Kale hmms and rubs his chin, runs his fingers through his hair, then gives a hairflick that doesn't really work with the short length of his hair. "Hard t'believe, cuz I was already such a looker when I got here. I mean, the moment I stepped food on Xanadu? I had to push girls to the side jus' to get to the forges!" He looks serious for about three seconds.

Idrissa chuckles and shakes her head. "Right.. Which girls was them again?" She questions with an amused tone. "An ya I suppose you are sorta on the handsome side. Even covered in ash an grime.."

"Y'know. The girls down the way…" says Kale very vaguely. "Those girls!" Heh heh… suuure. Kale grins brightly at her, lifting his chin up proudly as she use the word 'handsome' to describe him, which is so much manlier sounding than ‘cute’. "An'…I suppose you're alright even covered in…muck," he says, eyeing her up and down. Muck! He grins, though for a second, his expression turns a little serious. "Hey, though about Datsun. .. If he's ever mean to ya, like you said he was with Derin, tell someone. If y'don't want to tell Thea or someone, maybe you can, y'know, tell me."

Idrissa chuckles softly and smiles to him. "Totally.. An I am huh?" is questioned with an amused tone. She grins at him and pokes at him playful like. Her gaze settles on his a moment and she takes in a breath. "I'll tell you, promise." She offers with a soft tone and she moves to give him a hug. "I don't think he'd be mean to me.. I mean I'd hope he wouldn't at least."

"He'd better not," says Kale, returning the hug. "Cuz if he does…" he pulls back and holds up a threatening fist. Bullies, beware! "Journeyman or not, he'll get a knock right in the face." Beware an angry smith! He slides off of the hay bale now. "I need to find Alloy. He should've been here by now. This means either Orik kept'm .. or he's out huntin' bugs somewhere." He rolls his eyes but smiles after, leaning forward towards her. "Don' muck around here too long, if you can help it."

Idrissa shakes her head slightly. "Don't even joke about that Kale. I don't what you to get in trouble or anything." Especially not for her. "I'll deal with it if he should." Datsun may think she is timid but she isn't always! She shifts to lean forward and she nods slightly while offering him a smile. "Alright. I'll catch you later for dinner maybe?" She grins. "Me? Naw no worries there. I'm almost done and I'm so going to the hot springs after all this." Ripley is wiggling on his paws and suddenly springs into action. A hissing snarl escapes him as he lands upon the hay next to Rissa and lashes out with his tail towards Kale. Rissa eeees and moves to try and grab hold of Ripley. "NO! Do not do that!!"

Kale wrinkles his nose as she mentions going to the hot springs. "Yeah. Soak in there all night. You need it," he says, wrinkling his nose again, as if he's smelling something awfully foul! But, haha, he's only joking with her, and he's soon starting to lean in, because he's definitely not going to leave before stealing a kiss. Buuut…hisssss snarl!! "Woah!" Ripley's sudden appearance on the hay startles him enough to stop, but he doesn't expect that tail lashing! He leans away a little too slowly, and *whap!* he's whipped on the cheek. There's no blood, but there is a red mark that's left behind. "Ow!" He winces, pressing his hand to his cheek, glaring at the blue. But.. eh. He can't glare too long. This is Idrissa's firelizard, afterall! "Heh, he needs to learn a new way to say hello, eh?"

Idrissa sighs while she holds onto Ripley close to her chest, and the blue continues to hiss and growl out at Kale. "Kale.. I'm sorry I dono why he is acting this way.." Great her new firelizard is a terror! She smirks at the springs bit. "Hey.. Funny.. I'll remember that when you want to go some where and kiss again." Ha, take that! Though she does lean forward to press a soft kiss to his cheek. "I'm sorry about Ripley.." She murmurs out softy.

Meh. Well ….. at least he still got a kiss. All is not lost. Nyeah nyea, Ripley! Kale lowers his hand from his face and smirks a little at her, rolling his eyes. "Yeah right. If I wanna go somewhere with you, there's no way you're gonna not come." Another grin follows, but he doesn't risk getting too close again. His cheek still stings! "I'll see ya at dinner," he concludes, waving before he moves to reclaim his bag of shoes, depositing it on a table for the stablehands. Then, he's off.


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