Lick of approval ( Bowyn is Searched)

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.

Exits lead off in all directions, a big archway the largest and that leading outside. Shallow stairs to the west lead to the offices and administration area while tunnels to the east lead to the infirmary, kitchen and resident's quarters. Southwards, a sloping tunnel leads down to the hot springs.


For a moment…a giant blue head blocks the entrance. From past that blue head you can hear. "Hey…Xeosoth. Move out of the way!" and away goes the head and in strides M'kal grumbling.

Standing at 5'5" is a slightly androgynous youth with dark green eyes and a rich shade of chestnut hair. What stands out the most is a very distinct haircut: the hair on both sides of her head is shaved close to the scalp, leaving a strip of short, moderately curly hair in the center of her head (much like a runnerbeast's mane). Another defining feature is a long, thin, white scar running horizontally for about four to five inches on the left side of her head. Her cheekbones are high and her eyes a bit narrow, giving her a rather stern appearance at first glance. Her body is somewhat lanky and athletic with a lack of typical female curves (very straight-framed like a boy; it takes effort to notice breasts), and her lightly tanned skin guards very toned, lean muscles throughout her body.
Her clothes probably looked quite nice at one time, but now they're torn or patched in some areas and lightly stained in others from many days working outdoors. She wears a cream undershirt and a faded, crop-sleeved tunic that bears a number of small holes and runs in the fabric. Her pants are made of a thick, tan material and are tucked into a pair of dark, chocolate brown boots that come almost up to her knees. She also wears a belt that matches the color of her boots, with a small knife and leather pouch hanging by her right hip.

Bowyn was sitting alone, chewing on a huge mouthful of food and staring off into space out the main entrance to the cavern, when suddenly /blue/. The hunter freezes for a moment, blinking slowly and then smiling as much as she can with a mouth full of half-masticated food. "Ttbd ee cnnpt!" she says, half directed at the grumbling rider.

Said grumbling blue rider slips off his jacket. A faint whiff of firestone can be smelt from him as he passes on his way towards klah. Klah is obtained and then M'kal turns attention towards what could be spoken words directed towards him. "Right!" he says with a firm nod at whatever was said. "Mind if I join?" he gestures the klah mug towards an empty chair at Bowyn's table.

Bowyn swallows some and manages "Naaa," as she takes up a meatroll from her plate and rips it in half. Thankfully, for the sake of conversation, she doesn't shove it in her face immediately. A glance is cast over M'kal's shoulder as she says, more clearly, "Too ba' 'e can't fit!"

Ah..that makes more sense. "Oh sure…he could sprawl out over there." one hand waves dismissively towards the back of the room. But M'kal offers a smile at the end of that then gives his name. "M'kal. Rider to Xeosoth."

Bowyn snorts, and finishes the food in her mouth. "I'm Bowyn," she says, after wiping her mouth on her sleeve. "Hunter. What were you grumbling about, then?" Half of the meatroll disappears into the toothy abyss. "Ba' day?"
M'kal grins toothily. "Naw, just a long day really. Worked with firestone today." hence the smell. "Bowyn. Well met then! I've not seen you around or have I just been out of the loop hmm?"

Bowyn winces as she swallows the meatroll and sniffs the air. After a second she says, "Oh, firestone. Couldn't smell you over the food." When the question of being out of the loop comes up, she shrugs a shoulder. "Dunno, s'pose you're just out of the loop. I 'live here' but I don't 'live here'. I spend the majority of my time in the woods. Only come back to the Weyr to sell stuff. And bathe sometimes." She looks him dead in the eyes, expressionless. Is she kidding? Only sometimes?

M'kal misses the sometimes bit evidently as his eyes are unfocused briefly. "Shh." he mutters then quickly assures Bowyn. "Uh. Not you. Xeosoth is complaining about bathing right this instant." and clearly M'kal wants to sit and enjoy some klah. "What do you do in the woods?" he inquires.

Bowyn raises a brow. "He likes being clean, then? Not one of the ones to play in the mud?" She takes a breath and reaches up to scratch the side of her head as she tries to think of a brief answer, her shoulder shrugging once more. "Well…I hunt! I hunt feral cats and other beasts. I craft bows and arrows…I build shelter, make my own food if I run out of rations. Speaking of," she trails off at the end, producing a few pieces of jerky from a pouch at her side. She puts one in her mouth and she stretches out her hand to M'kal, offering some to him. "What do you and…Xeosoth?…What do you two do?" The hunter jerks her chin in the direction of his knot.

"Naw, he'd rather be cleaned as soon as possible. Today though he can wait." and perhaps M'kal will bathe along with as well since even his hair seems to be reeking of the 'stone. As the jerky is offered he takes some. "Thanks. Hunting hmm? Good. You going back out to the woods soon or staying around for a few days?" as for what he does he offers a shrug, his wing second knot for Galaxy shifting a bit. "I'm currently WingSecond for Galaxy wing. Here soon I need to hold some drills for the wing." he adds thoughtfully.

Bowyn chuckles a bit. "I dunno, I wouldn't keep him waiting long. Might refuse to do anything for you later…is he fussy?" She flaps a hand to illustrate her uncertainty and replies to his question with, "I might go back out tonight but I haven't actually visited my parents in a while. Might stick around for the night to see them. Dunno yet." She narrows her eyes, trying to remember what Galaxy's duty is. "Wingsecond, huh? That's impressive. What's Galaxy do, then? I can't keep them straight. I'm never around long enough."

A squawk heralds the arrival of someone else. It's a black haired trader-man! The source of the squawk is a dark brown firelizard that's almost black. Said firelizard is perched upon the shoulder of said black haired trader man. Garawan enters the caverns at a leisurely walk. Once he notices Bowyn and M'kal, he offers a respectful bowing nod. It's food time, according the the firelizard! The little brown starts to fly over to the food table, but Garawan reaches up and grabs him. "No-no. You are NOT eating off the main table again. You wait until I get a plate."

Twisting a bit as someone else arrives, M'kal gives a wave and a smile towards Garawan. "Heya Garawn." attention shifts back to Bowyn then. "Where are your parents at?" he asks absently, sipping his klah as it cools quickly. "Galaxy is search and rescue." he supplies the answer to her question. A mere shrug though is all he casts as she mentions his rank.

Bowyn's gaze flicks upward to Garawan as he grabs the flit, and she smirks at the situation. "Hungry little thing! Don't let him near the stew." She focuses back on M'kal. "Mam's in the kitchens. She makes a lot of the pastries and breaded things," she explains, holding up the rest of her meatroll. "Dad's just…around. Don't know what he gets up to, really. Used to be a hunter, too, but he heart his leg pretty bad and doesn't get out as much anymore. I think he just works with wood now." Then, "What about yours?" The hunter snaps her fingers when he explains that Galaxy is search and rescue, pointing to nothing in particular. "That's it, search and rescue. Shards, should've known that one. Do you guys see much action anymore?"

"Hello," Garawan replies pleasantly to M'kal. And all the while the firelizard is squirming around, he offers a nod to Bowyn as well. He chuckles, "I'll keep control of him, don't worry." And he will, as he gets a plate, he deposits the firelizard on his shoulder, holding up a finger to the brown for a moment. And though the firelizard whines /horribly/, he stays in place while Garawan gets a plate. There's quite a bit there on the plate, maybe the firelizard is a big eater?

"Both my parents are at Ista actually." replies M'kal as he leans back. "See enough action I suppose. Like everything else there are dull times and busy times. Right now is fairly dull though Xeosoth is thrilled to be at the weyr more with the eggs on the sand now." his eyes go distant once more then focus again on the room around him. "Works in the kitchens hmm? Then you can sneak pastries and goodies I imagine, yes?" he grins once more. "Once he's fed then it's easy enough to keep 'em under control." he notes of the firelizard.

Bowyn smiles at that. "Oh that's /right/, the eggs were just laid! I missed it. I didn't know until right after it happened. The question of sneaking pastries is answered with a devious smile and the hunter producing five bubblies out of the pouch she keeps the jerky in. "Yyyyyyup! Want one?"

Garawan nods to M'kal's mention of keeping the firelizard under control. "Ah… yes, he will calm down. He's just… very enthusiastic. He also chuckles to the mention of having snuck things out… and that it seems it's actually happened! Though he doesn't comment. He finds a seat nearby the pair— far enough to invade their space, but close enough that he can still hear. If they wish. And sure enough, the firelizard is already there by the time Garawan sits down. One could almost swear he has his mouth open and is pointing to it with a claw.

M'kal loves sweets. And soup. And…well food. His eyes light up and just as he's about to confirm that yes indeed he would like one a big blue head blocks the opening /again/. There's a sound of him sniffing. Perhaps the blue wants a bubbly pie?? "Xeosoth!" M'kal stands with a groan as he looks to Garawan and then to Bowyn. "He's insistent on this bath." and he was about to get fresh bubbly pie! Well…fresh out of a pouch that also carries jerky in it as well. "Give me a hand?" he asks pleadingly towards Bowyn.

Bowyn chuckles at Garawan. "Mind if I feed him some of this?" she asks, holding up her meatroll. As she waits for his yay or nay, she digs out the meaty center in preparation for 'lizard feeding. Soon after, though, she's asked for a hand in bathing Xeosoth and she furrows her brows, confused. "A hand? You want me to help clean him? Hmm." She thinks for a second and then shrugs a shoulder. "Well I suppose I could…don't have anything else to do for now. I guess it's kind of a pain to wash a full sized dragon as opposed to one of these little guys," she thinks aloud, gesturing to the hungry flit.
Garawan chuckles at the appearance of the blue. "Greetings there," he offers to the blue, with a smile. He also nods to Bowyn's question. "If you like. Be careful though, sometimes he forgets there are fingers underneath." And as for the dragon bathing, he offers, "If you like I could help you. I have been through Candidacy once, learning about the dragons was something I thought was a good idea." He won't take offense if M'kal says no, though— a rider's dragon is a personal connection.

M'kal seems relieved when Bowyn agrees. "Xeosoth is being increasingly /insistent/ that I get help. For some reason!" grumble mutter. M'kal abandons the rest of his klah and strides out without a look back, assured that Bowyn's agreed so she'll follow him. "C'mon out too if you want Garawan." he adds over his shoulder.

Right outside the entrance is Xeosoth. Like he's there. Hovering. As soon as people come out he gives a long sniiiif to each one who steps out.

Bowyn blinks and holds out her hand as they all exit the caverns, offering the chunk of baked meat to Garawan's lizard. "I'm Bowyn," she says to him. "Who's this?" she asks, in reference to his flit. Suddenly, she's /sniffed/. She stops short of the dragon and just /stares/, confused yet again, and slightly scared of the nose in front of her. Though she doesn't show it, holding still and staring into his lucious blue…nostrils. "Hello there, Xeosoth," she says, softly. She gives M'kal a sidelong look. "Does he always smell people?"

"Oh my goodness," Garawan gasps quietly. He didn't expect the blue to be RIGHT THERE. It didn't scare him, just startled him a little. He chuckles anyway, and bows to the dragon politely. "A pleasure to meet you… Xeosoth, was it?" he inquires. A businessman must remember customer's names, so Garawan has gotten pretty good at remembering names in general. And all dragons seem to be called something that ends in -th, so that's easier— just remember what comes before the -th! As to whether Xeosoth always sniffs people? That he doesn't know. But! "Some riders I have done business with in the past have asked their dragons to smell me. They were under the impression that they could smell dishonesty." Chuckle. "Not that there was any to smell in the first place, mind," he amends quickly.

"Actually…no." M'kal seems a bit baffled by the blue's behavior. "What? No no..I said that as a figure of speech…" he blinks a few times as only half the conversation between him and the blue is heard by those outside now. "Sniffing…" he mutters. If Bowyn thought sniffing was bad then the next action that Xeosoth takes will certainly be confusing as all the shells. For he licks her. Or will at least attempt to lick her if she doesn't dodge. M'kal can only groan. "Sorry…" he utters towards both Bowyn and Garawan.

Bowyn looks over to Garawan and says, "It concerns me, slightly, that you've been sniffed by dragons several times before and are fine with it." Before she can say anything else to M'kal she sees the dragon tongue coming toward her and braces herself by closing her eyes and mouth, scrunching up her face and clenching her fists. "Mmmph! Why is he licking me??" she asks out of the side of her mouth. She opens one eye to look at the blue and says, "I'm not your lunch!"

Garawan covers his mouth to preclude the chuckle when Xeosoth tries to lick Bowyn. He waits until he can speak without laughing before he answers M'kal's apology. "Not to worry. I'm told dragons are just as individual as their riders, and if that is true, they will be prone to certain… quirks in their behavior." He has to stop then because… her response to being licked is quite humorous. He again covers his mouth. Then he answers Bowyn, "It may just be another way they perceive us— sight, smell…" Pause. "…Taste." He's teasing her a little bit.

M'kal chuckles with a bit of distraction at Garawan's assurance that some dragons simply like to sniff people. As Xeosoth succeeds in actually licking Bowyn that draws a shake of his head and he steps in to get between the blue head and the girl. "No…I didn't mean literally sniffing people out for Search!" he insists again out loud. Caught somewhere between amusement and embarrassment M'kal turns slightly to face the freshly licked girl. "He wouldn't eat you." he assures. "But he is perhaps overly excited at his 'sniffing out candidates' ability and would love if it you stood for the current clutch out on the Sands. Soriana's Gold and So'l's Bronze being the clutch parents." he shoots the blue a look. "I'm sure she knows which eggs goofball!"

Bowyn says to Garawan, as an aside, "Thing tries to taste me I'll taste back!" As she wipes the dragon spit off of herself, her eyes shoot wide open and her jaw drops somewhat. "Wait…what?" She looks up at the blue and blinks, stammering when she tries to speak. "Does this mean I'll have to live inside?" she asks M'kal after a moment's pause.

M'kal's expression is amused at the questioned posed. "During candidacy yes you'll be living within the candidate barracks with the others. Though don't worry if it is anything like /mine/ you'll get a chance to sleep outdoors plenty!" he grins wickedly.

Garawan smiles. "You see?" He looks to Bowyn. "Though he may be overly literal, there." A chuckle. "But congratulations nonetheless." He'll quiet then, while M'kal fills Bowyn in on her new life.

Bowyn looks back at Garawan as he leaves and spits out a "bye!" before focusing back on the riding pair. "I…you got to? So I might have an option?" She doesn't know his backstory. She can't tell what the implication is. But she'll take it! "Well I don't like being around other people much," she says, thoughtfully. "And I certainly don't like living inside." And? "But…if it means a chance to find my own dirty, sniffing, licking companion…I'll do it. I accept." She cracks a smile now, scratching the side of her head, slightly nervous but excited. "Thank you, Xeosoth!"

M'kal grins wryly. "You will have to be indoors some of the time and there'll be other candidates but it won't be bad. I won't ruin all the surprise though on what might happen!" his green eyes flash in amusement. As soon as she accepts he digs out a white knot from his pocket. "aha…glad I grabbed one of these this morning before duty!" he exclaims, holding it out to her. "Here you go then. Candidate Bowyn. Do you know the way to the barracks?" he asks. "Also as official candidate there are some rules. no drinking. No sex. No leaving the weyr without a rider escort and permission. ( npcs count)." he pauses. "I think that's it." it's been a while for him! Xeosoth is pleased with her acceptance and lifts his head to bugle loudly.

[Dragon/Xanadu] Xeosoth sends out waterfalls of excited thoughts across the weyr. « I sniffed one out and she tastes yummy. She is Mine! »

[Dragon/Xanadu] Luraoth sends pink fish to dive through those waterfalls, and little rainbow sprays. Because tastiness! She approves.

Bowyn takes a deep breath, wincing at the rules but groaning an "Oh al/right/ I'll be good" as she drops her shoulders. Xeosoth's bugle catches her off guard and she laughs. "What a voice!" She accepts the white knot, pinning it to her tunic. The contrast of the stark white knot against her dirty clothes makes her frown. "Guess I'll have to be better at, uh…staying clean. This is going to be hard," she says.

M'kal shakes his head a bit before giving a c'mon gesture. "I'll show you the barracks. Just be yourself because…well that's what Xeosoth /likes/ about you." he points out. After all it got her Searched!


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