
Xanadu Weyr - Forest
This broad path that leads from the main clearing into the forest has been designed in such a manner so as to be not only wide enough for wagons to travel through, but also providing ample space for dragons. The path appears only worn in the center though, as most of the traffic moving through this area is that of the two-legged kind. Flowers sprout up and speckle the lush grass with bright saffron and cheeky rose, creeping all the way up to the bases of the trees that rise upward in their aged magnificence, gargantuan limbs casting often welcome shade, the general atmosphere and scent of the path is one of freshness and wild abandon.
The path winds its way leisurely through the trees, deeper into the forest and a number of less traveled paths branch away from it. Southwest leads to the forest's edge near the base of the tumbled rocks that mark the wilder areas of the forest and the mountains that rise behind Xanadu. West leads to the Firelizard Theater, northeastward the path leads to the feeding grounds and beyond that the gravel road that bisects the paddocks leading to the bovine complex. East leads to the meadow where it joins both the road that crosses the bridge over the river leading to the clearing and the the coastal road that leads out of Xanadu bypassing the beach and the Caspian Lake. Here there are secluded spots where one might picnic.
This foggy autumn evening is chill and damp, the sort that seeps into everything and makes you want to curl up at home by the fire. Alas, Mur'dah isn't doing that. He's doing some work on the forest trails tonight, raking leaves and dumping them into buckets to be carried to the compost piles. Though with the fog and the sun about to set, his work outdoors is likely almost done. Which is good, because it's starting to get very chilly and the brownrider is starting to sniffle a bit.
And out of that fog arrives another as it swirls and shifts, then parts to reveal that the mystery person is none other than Kiena. Why she is out this late is anyone's guess, but the bluerider could have been hovering about the forges and maybe someone finally took pity on her (without actually say it, because that would make her mad) and gave her some paperwork to do. Easy stuff that requires she tally this number down or note that. Boring, easy work that now that it is done, she is wandering aimless. She's dressed for the cooler temperatures… at least for the long sleeved coat she wears. That long skirt she has? Not so warm, even if made of a heavier fabric. The sound of sniffling and the captured movement of one at work as Kiena pausing long enough to recognize the brownrider. "Mur'dah! Hey. Outside chores today, huh?" she drawls by way of greeting.
The /tink-tink-tink/ of a small herdbeast-bell can be heard off in the foggy distance. Every few seconds the tinking sounds continue, echoing against the forest's edge before as they grow a bit louder. Voices ahead draw her attention and she makes out bluesmith and brownrider chatting. The fog grows thinner the closer she gets, or so it seems to her. Still shaking the little bell, so that it may still be heard and responded to, Kera steps closer to the rider, wiggling her fingers in greeting. "G'day rider Mur'dah, Kiena." Her attention imediately goes to the bluerider, to her hand rather, brow lifting curiously. "You're well today I hope?" She wiggles her fingers again to Kiena, though it /could/ be taken as a taunt since Kiena an't do the same right now.
Mur'dah leans against his rake and gives Kiena a crooked grin as she approaches, before he's turning his head to sneeze into his sleeve. Ugh. "Yeah, just working on clearing some of the trails. You? How's the hand?" he asks, before turning to peer at the bell sounds. "Beast get loose? Oh, hey, Kera! How're you?" he asks her with a warm smile, though his tone is a bit cautious.
Kiena frowns when Mur'dah sneezes into his sleeve and mutters a low curse. "You're going to catch something, doing all this pointless work." she grumbles to the brownrider and when he mentions her hand, she smirks. "Healing but still proving to be a pain in my side! I've discovered more and more how wonderful it is to have two hands for tasks. Can't even wear a sharding pair of pants for Faranth's sake because it's such a bi—" Oh hey, what's that? A bell? Kiena's head turns, canted a bit as she tries to orient the location of it. "Dunno." she mumbles, only to blink as it's no animal but Kera. The bluerider grins, "Hey Kera and yeah, I'm fine." That finger wiggle is met with a snort and a grimace. Ha ha! "What's got you out here, anyhow? And… why do you have a bell?"
Kera glances to the sneezing rider a, scanning him for potential patient status, before giving an appologetic shrug over the wiggling fingers and grins to Kiena. "No problem with the stitches then?" She absentmindedly jiggles the little bell as she gestures to the bluerider's hand and nods to Mur'dah. "Busy with duties and studies as usual." A chuckle over that before sighing and waving an arm towards the forest "The little brat took off this morning, so I was tryin to call Minimur back with the bell. Haven't seen him all day and with it getting dark…" She shrugs and wiggles the herdbeast-bell again as she glances between the riders "How are you both doing?"
Mur'dah glances down at her and then up in surprise. "Buttons and zippers?" he asks, unable to keep a /slight/ smile from his lips. Because it's all so silly. There's a shrug for her remark on pointless work. "It's my punishment." Thus, it is what it is. Then the brownrider is frowning, looking around and then he whistles, shrill and piercing, and hollers, "Minime! Er, Minimur! And I'm doing fine. Punishment duty for pulling a prank on Ka'el."
"None, aside from being itchy now and again. That salve helps for that though and I've been keeping an eye on it carefully for any swelling…" Kiena dutifully informs Kera, still grinning to reaffirm that she's been a good patient and tending well to her wounds despite her grouchiness about the whole situation. "Yeah. Those." she drawls to Mur'dah as she eyes him sidelong and then snorts. "Utter banes of my existence right now, right up there with buckles and most everything else." And on and on! "Punishment or not, you getting sick isn't sharding worth it!" Kiena points out firmly, mouth curving into a thin and tight line. Usually a sign she's stubbornly set on something. Blinking for the shrill whistle Mur'dah gives, Kiena darts her eyes from brownrider to Healer. "You mean you're calling back a firelizard with a bell?" That's new to her! "Maybe he's caught sight of a glowing green or gold…" That'd be why he wouldn't come home when summoned, right?
Kera grins as Mur'dah calls out for Mini and looks between the forest for any little brown blurs, then to Kiena. Nodding agreeably enough that the bluerider isn't ripping out her work. "I'm glad you aren't disregarding the Journeyman's instructions. He'll still want you to come in and have your hand checked. Make sure there are no nerve damage issues and such." Not to mention, she has to come to the infirmary if she wants the stitches out. Nodding to the bluerider "I trained him to come to whistles and this bell when he was further away. And yea, I think that's exactly what happen, but he's missed two meals now so he needs to bring himself back." Mur'dah's mention of punishment by Ka'el causes her to cant her head curiously, even though she doesn't ask.
Mur'dah rakes a few more leaves and then gives up, shouldering the rake and hefting one of the buckets. "You ladies want to go get a drink? My treat, I'm ready for something warm. And maybe when you're warm and thinking happy thoughts, Minimur will come back."
Kiena shakes her head, "I'll be sure to set a day for that. Don't want nerve damage…" Again, her nose wrinkles in distaste for even thinking about it. Ugh, no. "Must be a proddy female then, if he's skipping food. I'm sure he'll come back and Mur'dah may have the right of it. What's that expression… uh… whenever you're looking for something, if you stop, it'll be found?" Did she get that right? She peers between the two of them and then with a low chuckle she steps forwards and aims to snatch the rake right out of Mur'dah's grip (with her good hand of course) if the brownrider doesn't evade or stop her. "Drinks sound wonderful. Warmth sounds wonderful. So where to?"
Kera 's gaze slips between the two riders, before she finally nods "I suppose you are both right. He'll be back when he get's hungry enough." Chuckling quietly, she slips the little bell in her pocket for now and watches Kiena try and steal the rake. Smirking over the bout of silliness and can't help but be the annoying little vtol buzzing in Kiena's ear "Careful you don't rip my stitches." The suggestions of warming up appeals the the short wearing apprentice and gestures ahead with a shrug "Sure, why not. Lead the way you two."
Mur'dah lets Kiena take the rank, but he sticks his tongue out at her. "Fine. Let's go get some drinks." And off they go to the tavern to find some drinks and some enjoyment. And, as promised, Mur'dah pays.
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