Xanadu Weyr - Training Grounds
A wide, grassy expanse, nestled into the gentle bowl shape where something's taken a bite out of the mountain. It's high above the level of the beach, and there's a good eastern view of the lake and a long path leading down to that sandy shore. Granite cliffs surround it on the other sides.
While much of the grounds are left in their natural state, one area has been trampled and trodden by enough feet that the grass struggles to grow. A running track circles a set of equipment - straw dummies with wooden frames, obstacles of various sizes and shapes, and targets for flaming, archery, and whatever else.
There's a dragon-sized opening to the south that leads to the cavernous weyrling barracks, and a smaller tunnel to the northeast - large enough for dragons newly emerged from the sands, but quickly outgrown by hatchlings who are then forced to take the long way around - at least, until they learn to spread their wings and fly. Between them in both position and size, a jagged crack in the stone leads to a dim cave with the sound of water.
Early, early, morning at Xanadu Weyr so early that in some circles it could be considered the middle of the night. Baby dragons never sleep. The air is cool, almost cold outside, and there's a gentle patter of rain falling down upon the grounds sporadically. Near the far end of the grounds, in a large grassy spot is Neifeth crouched down and stalking around her rider with plaintive creeling. Nei is interesting as far as dragons go. For the last 15 days, the young green has DEMANDED that her rider butcher everything she eats, live, and in front of her. Her sweet, 16 turns old Weaver rider who before impressing spent most of her time sewing cat clothes. That girl. Today is no different, the two of them and clumsily pacing around outside with Evi looking far worse for wear. Under her eyes are dark circles, she's covered in scratch marks from holding down live Avians before killing them, and the braids in her hair are at least two days old. "Nei, can we go inside? Please?" Neifeth rolls over on her wings dramatically and kicks her legs, anyone within 50 feet of her would hear her bicker back at Evi. Bright swatches of purple sky, a forest looming, but the colors are all wrong, colorful pink trees and grass of a deep blood red. «EVI, These PEOPLE want to POISON me, they want to see me eat SLOP. Owww Evi it HURTS. THE HUNGER HURTS. EVI my HIDE.» Every word from the young mind is high pitched, plaintive, and demanding. Rude, she's plain rude and WHINEY in a way that usually gets children spanked.
Talanoath is there, he is settled within the training yard he has been waiting and wathching so to speak for the young ones to wakeup. A slight yawn escapes the large brown, wings stretch at his isdes before his head lifting to look out towards the young one that has finally gotten his attention. « No one is trying to poison you. » His mind is soft, a slight ripple in the igreen's mind, he can be rather loud but his a bit tired at the moment so his not just yet. Nailii glances slightly from her spot perched upon Talanoath's foreleg, she takes a sip from a mug she has. "Morning." Is called out towards the pair with a bit of amusement seen across her face so to speak.
Evi looks up at spots Talanoath acknowledging the brown with a nod, but attention goes back to the bright striped, tantrum-throwing green. Thrashing her tail from side to side, feet kicking up in the air and head flailing from side to side, the temper tantrum continues. The dramatic flair in the cyan beast could be funny, except you have to keep hearing her. «LISTEN UP. I don't know WHO you think YOU ARE, but NOBODY invited you into this conversation. If I needed an underlings opinion, I would ask Wyrcaelith.» A bright flash of dark tangled branches, the smell of acrid burnt wood that leaves a bitter taste on the tongue. Evi gulps and ducks her head into her shoulder, closing her eyes tightly and shaking her head. "I am-." NOPE. One of the first things the green forbid her from doing was apologizing. "Hello." The ever-changing moods of the green become evident when, with a quick SNAP she rights herself, there's a clumsy jolt forward, and her head rises, eyes whirling orange to GLARE at the AWLM and Talanoath. He didn't see that, and if he did, it was his fault. Everything is everyone else's fault, life has it in for her, and here he is just WATCHING. «Straighten up Evi.» Is barked at her rider, teeth going to grasp onto the girl's braids and cajole shoulders and hips into a proper posture. "I, do you think maybe someone could bring her some.. food?" Is yelled over towards Nailii while she slowly walks, tightrope style towards the brown pair. Evi does not question doing this, it probably is her new normal.
Nailii watches with pure amusement and goes back to sipping at her drink, she slowly stretches and then stands up before a soft chuckle escapes her. "This is going to be interesting Talanoath…" She murmurs to her brown. "No, but you can get her food yourself. There are barrels in to the right there near the barracks, the meat is cut up for now but you get to feed her deary." She watches the green curiously not seeming to care what tone the pair have. A slight wave of her and is seen. "The few weeks tend to be the hardest, it'll get easier with time." Talanoath rumbles a touch while just watching the green, his maw twtiching while a talon lightly taps the ground. « Your a spirfire one I see… I ponder what tale I shall spin for you little one. » He made a point to try and underline that 'little' one bit by the way with a slight uptake in his tone to the other's mind. His mind is calm like the sea and there is a faint sparkle of light which one could compare to amusement perhaps.
«THAT SLOP.» Loud, brash, unapologetic sparks of green lightning, "Nei!" «What. IT IS SLOP. FOR ANIMALS.» Evi's eyes are big, focusing on Nailii with intensity, they totally say HELP ME WITH MY DEMON CHILD. Her lips curling in as they continue the slow procession requiring careful attention to avoid being scalped by the too numerous, too pointy teeth that have her hair. «I will NOT be EATING THAT. Who knows where it's been? Or who prepared it? Or WHAT THEY DID TO IT.» Barbs curl around each word, every syllable emphasized with a tart, biting tone. There's no sense of kindness, or the meekness seen in her rider. The dragon is ALL bite, all push, and snarl. "She really won't." Is called to Nailii, small whimpers escaping her throat as the anxiety of being paired with a rampaging little snot upsets her. "C'con has been bringing her live animals and helping me. Um. Kill them." Proof of that is the fact that every outfit she has is now bloodstained, and there are scratches down her arms and several on her face, where Avians managed to get in one last blow before their demise. "She isn't too hungry, um. Just. Sorry." «NOT SORRY» is screamed loudly afterwards. «You seem to have enough TAIL to go around.» The barb shot at the brown, followed by a sharp, high pitched laugh trickling through the trees of her purple forested mind. She's so funny.
Nailii tilts her head looking a bit confused it seems before Evi explains, a soft ah escapes her. "Really?" The dragonhealer ponders this and soon shrugs. "Very well, i suppose this would be ok." Talanoath slowly shifts pushing himself upwards with a deep rumble escaping him in the process, large wings open and without a word the brown leaps into the air and moves up into the sky. Soon he is out of sight. "So doe she kill them, or do you then?" Nailii questions while picking up her thermas and mug and is moving on towards the pair. Her bright gaze drives towards Neifeth. "I have to say typically they don't want to at this age, and we don't allow it for fear they may get hurt after all. A hurt youngest is not a good thing as it can make lessons be put on hold after all." She pauses once a few feet away, a soft smile offered to the green. "I do love your colors, very beautiful."
Evi marches forwards toward Nailii, a sigh of relief once the request has been agreed, and Neifeth presses her green wild looking face into the back of her rider's head. FORWARD. "I kill it." Is squeaked towards Nailii, her breathing speeding up. Having done it several dozen times now, the horrible act of ending the life of something she would much rather pet creates a visceral reaction. Without any warning, the exhausted weaver girl gags, as if she might be sick and a small sob escapes her. «MY EVI WHAT IS WRONG. DO YOU NOT UNDERSTAND FOOD SAFETY? DO WE NEED TO DO A FOOD SAFETY CHANT?» The loud, demanding, insulting words carry a twinge of worry, «WALK AND CHANT. COLD FOOD, BAD FOOD, KILL YOU DEAD, WARM FOOD, LIVE FOOD, NEI WELL FED.» Evi groans, eyes closing "Cold food, Bad food, kill you dead, warm food, live food Nei well-fed." This is said three times over before her attention returns to her superior, "Sometimes C'con has his dragon kill it, if. I can't." The weakness that was there before impression comes back, she deflates in posture and grimaces her lips a straight line. "She would prefer I let her do it.. she would try. " The green moves with a feral grace, even at the slow speed of leading her rider like a pet by a hair leash. More so then some Neifeth appears to be a predator, her whole body designed to kill and eat things below her. "Thank you, though, Um. Ma'am. Uh." Stammering begins and then is cut off, « Don't look down, she's not below you.» Is pressed into any mind nearby, her inside voice not being a thing yet. "I think she's the prettiest thing in the world." A small yawn, weyrlinghood having been made somehow longer and harder by the act of continuously needing to play executioner too.
Nailii nods slightly and looks amused once more. "I see." IS offered with a soft tone, once the two are closer she offeres the other her mug which is filled once more with tea. "Do you like tea? Seems like you could use a bit of a pick'me up after all." As for Neifeth she. "You will one day have to kill your own though, you will want to at some point which would be a good thing. I have a feeling your be a lovel one to watch when it comes to hunting as well." A faint giggle is heard, don't quesiton these things. She looks back to Evi and a warm smile is seen. "I am Naili, don't have to call me Ma'am. I am a AWLM so I do support the greeting just only when it is needed ok?" She nods lightly to the bit of Neifeth being so pretty. "I agree with you." About now Talaoath has returned and he is carrying something in his maw, looks like a small wherry which is well still alive. The brown lands, hindlegs first and then front before droping the beast that attempts to stand but clearly has a broken leg, a large frontpaw is placed upon the beast before Tala is looking to the green. « Do you wish to try and kill it? Need a neck bite is all that is left. » Seems the brown is curious if she will try, knowing she is still so young he will surely make sure no harm comes to her, he is a teacher to don't you know! Nailii ahs faintly. "Talanoath is offering her to kill it. He will not allow her to get hurt I assure you."
Neifeth's gaze shifts upwards, several of Evi's hairs hanging out of her maw as she watches the brown land with his soon to be her quarry. Crouching down, neon-bright striped wings flair open, three steps forward, and she HISSES, the sound low and guttural all air escaping through her maw. More crocodilian then draconic. «I want the pleasure.» Nei sends to Talanoath, there are flickers of desire that sparkle with violet light. Her mind comes, a bright crimson sky, the clouds in the forest that she projects are blood-colored and ominous. The irony smell of blood, that metallic taste lingers on the tongue. Evi watches closely, nodding to Nailii and shuttering one eye in preparation to look away. "I'd love some, thank you." While her dragon is distracted, it's clear how sweet Evi is, warmth seeping into her body. Pale, gaunt cheeks and dark circles somehow overlooked by big brown-green eyes that seem in awe of her current predicament. "I, you know I um. I never thought I was going to impress. I wanted to escape." The impact of her ten-second decision to get on Zhelinath at Monaco hits her in waves, more so as Neifeth bounds forward quick as any feline and twice as deadly. Wings flare-up, and she throws her talons into the wherry, ripping downward with a ferocity that speaks to deeper instincts. Dark jaws snap onto the neck, the sound of bone and sinew giving as quickly as one breaks pasta in their hands. SNAP, CRACK. Blood coats her talons, and with no fanfare, she slowly starts trying to YANK the dead creature from the clutches of Talanoath. Evi gags watching, sharing none of the pleasure in death with her mate. "Only, in this does she seem to.. want to take care of herself." Do not fear; every other single aspect, including her mental health, is Evi's job.
Nailii allows Evi to take the mug of tea and nods slightly as her gaze turns back to the dragons curious to see just how Neifeth deals with the injured whery. "Your welcome… It is a wild ride, to take a chance and see what happens. I didn't think I would impress either, took a few times before Talanoath found me and I him actally." This said with a slight shrug and faint smile at the scene before them. Talanoath holds onto the wherry, not allowing it to move, any of the other's coming out would get SUCH A SIGHT to say the least. A deep rumble escapes the brown and once he is certain the animal is indeed dead he will let the wherry go. « BEAUTIFULLY done! » His words come as a slight roll like a wave almost. « You may eat now young one. » With that he shifts turning to step away and settles down once more. Nailii chuckles. "Talanoath is impressed with her wanting to hunt so young. I'm not to surprized given who her parents are honestly." Nailii glances over to Evi and nods. "She'll be fine, and your never want to escape again. You two are sort of attached now, and given some time this scene will not bother you as much. Doesn't mean it will get any easier if well if it not your cup of tea per say."
"I was, from half-moon, then a refugee in Monaco. N'on found me there." Evi says in a daze, her eyes glazed over and sharing the draconic pleasure oozing off of the barely older than a hatchling killing machine. "My um, first hatching.. was hers two seven days ago." There's regret laced in her words, "No one tells you." A shoulder up and then down, eyes finding the AWLM's face. "Will she get quieter?" The question comfortable to ask with a distracted baby DEVOURING the wherry and covering her entire upper half in blood. "I know, Ilyscaeth and Xermiltoth are loud. I heard them the whole candidacy." Neifeth takes absolute pleasure in eating, peeling the meat from the bone, and slurping blood with unerring skill. «You did not ENTIRELY disappoint me. » Is said with raking, dripping sarcasm towards the brown, though tendrils of pleasure slide out from her mind and there's lights dancing in between her words, the smell of fresh-cut flowers, of life abundant. "When will she be able to do it on her own? I um. I don't like that part, and it means leaving the barrack four times a night." On close examination, it's utterly apparent that Evi is far more exhausted than is healthy. It's questionable if she eats more than once a day, given the loose fit to her skirt and tunic. The added burden of her lifemates dietary preferences taking its toll on her physically.
"I was from Xanadu, only wandered a bit here and there for classes and the like. Seems I always came home." Nailii ahs softly and nods looking a bit amused. "I suppose it was a lot to take it, and you got to impress your lifemate at the same time. I think you did rather well." She hums softly and blinks before chuckling. "That will depend on her sadly. Some do not and them some do. I won't even get into what Talanoath does…" The brown snorts slightly before there is a swirl of his eyes as he looks back to Neifeth. « Well I am aim to please little one. Though you should hold respect for your elders to some degree in that little head of yours. You have a lot to learn of this world, of your lifemate, and the others that call this place home. » His voice is calm, the rolling waves caught one more and there is the faint twinkle of light as if there lies some amount of darkness in his mind. "It will take some time sadly, though you as the rider must also try to gain some control of her ways so to speak. We are part of them, and they are part of us. Over time it will get easier, but she also needs to understand that this can't not happen all the time." The dragonhealer lightly points to Evi. "An you must take care of youself so you can take care of her. When did you happen to eat last hum?"
Neifeth occupies herself with crunching the bones, pulling the toes apart, and eating each other separately. As Talanoath, «WHY is it that I HAVE to keep ALL OF MY THOUGHTS to MYSELF. THIS IS XANADU. I EXPECTED MORE.» HRMPH. Unfortunately, her obtuse, brazen disrespect, is as baffling as it is sharp and clawing. "I tell him that I know that she's. That I am aware." There's no apology, but a solemn nod to the brown and a grimace showing that Evi is aware of how her lifemate is. "Um, could. I maybe have food brought to her? My um, Nana, and cousins live here. They might help." The option to enforce her will upon her sassy partner is not even considered, another slow sip of tea taken. The question of food is met with a blank stare was as if you'd just asked her a complicated math problem. One, no, two. Nope. An apologetic smile, and Evi says, "Um, Ma'am, I am not really sure. I can't go now, she needs a bath and oil. Then her story." The complicated bedtime ritual of a priss like Nei, and it's not sunrise. "I think I ate yesterday, maybe even in the evening? She prefers us together."
"Of curse she does, but without you there is no her." Nailii offers with a soft tone. "I will get you something how is that?" A smile seen as if she knows, well she had to do this herself at one point in time after all. "Talanoath has offered to help it seems so you don't have to worry about trying to find someone to lend a hand or in this case a talon I suppose." Talanoath rumbles with whta could be a laugh. « Because… Everyone is needed that is here, and everyone deserves some respect to some degree. We all must help one another after all. » Thankfully the thread is gone or this would be a bit more interesting perhaps. « You may share your thoughts with whomever you wish, but some may not like it, nor want it. You will learn with time what I mean of course. » Talanoath shifts slowly and lays his head down , eyes half closing seems the brown will be staying here for now, try and move him it just won't work! A small and rather young gold firelizard finally makes it way out from Nailii's pocket and perches on her shoulder with a squeaky yawn escaping her. "I shall be back shortly with some food for you, tend to your lifemate yes?" Nailii questions while giving the little gold a soft scritch under the chin as she turns to go, her mind suddenly wanering it seems to the next task as she collects her mug and thermas.
Neifeth cocks her head to the side, muzzle bloody but most of the animal is done outside of small chunks of bone, hide and feathers. Celadon forepaws flop down on the ground, crunching whatever bone remains as the sun begins to come up. "S-" Nope, she doesn't dare say the word, a grimace as her lifemate says «Other's can be sorry. We will be right.» The cold rush of water, the water a white milky color through each thought. "Eating, we can do that." Neifeth does not wait for Evi, she doesn't wait for anyone. Oversized feet and wings barely hamper her as she struts with perfect candence towards the dragon pools. «Not everyone likes me, but not everyone matters. Do I look like I need them? NO. EVI. I need you.» Evi jumps, "I am going to get her bathed, thank you. Thank you both." The brightness in her smile is genuine warmth, hand waving to both Talanoath and Nailii. "Please, do not go to too much trouble for food. I am fine." «Mines own, how long must I WAIT for my bath? DO we always spend so much time talking to the help.» Yep. Rude.
"It is not trouble at all, I am here to help and teach after all." Nailii pauses to give Talanoath a bit of attention and rubs his eyeridge which causes the brown to nearly purr as his eyes close. « You will learn with time that not everyone is right and not everyone is wrong. There is not pleasure in being right all the time, th unknown is more interesting little spit-fire. » Somene has a new name it seems. "Be nice Tala, she is young." Nailii offers whiel she glances toward the pair that is leaving. "Keep an eye on them while i'm gone." The brown rumbles a bit and shifts to only keep an eye on the area the two are heading towards while Nailii is off to get food and the like for Evi.