Xanadu Weyr - Beach
The unerring range of subdued white rises and falls in a multitude of sandy dunes, creating an endless amount of tiny valleys constantly demolished and rebuilt by the frequent arrival or departure of a dragon. Smoothing out as it slopes gently to the edge of the deep blue water, the sand darkens and a shell here and there stands out for children to collect. The beach itself is set along a low cliff - the height lessoning as one heads eastwards, blocking a portion of the beach from direct access.
The wide wide stretch of water opens up to the east, the far distant shore way beyond the horizon and the beach curves ever so slowly round to east and west, distant arms of land embracing the wind-ruffled Caspian Lake. East leads up to the mouth of the Rubicon River, where the protecting cliff is merely an arms length higher then the sand, and beyond that, a winding road leading out of Xanadu's territory. Westwards, the beach narrows as the cliff swings out, leaving a path wide enough for dragons in single file before cutting in to the sheltered cove designated the Weyrling Beach. However, cut in the cliff face to the north are a variety of rough, wide staircases, providing access to the clearing and to the meadow.
After a morning of flight drills, the weyrlings have been released to their own devices for the moment. It's somewhere around lunchtime - there's too many clouds in the sky to quite be certain without checking a clock - and J'o is up to his waist in cold water, scrubbing at the flank of a brown dragon who's lounging in the shallows. Kaidoth is getting on toward his full size, but he's still small compared to the adult browns. Not that there isn't a whole lot of dragon to wash!
Lunchtime! Or thereabouts. It must be, as ka-el is on a lunch break. Ever since his successful crafting of his pothooks with no assistance, he's been given … while not quite the 'royal' treatment, he has been given some liberties! Like a lunch that doesn't need to be scarfed down so that he's on time for his next lesson. A decent lunch break. Who says Orik is hard hearted?? He and Alloy are headed on to the beach, which isn't really his usual choice for a lunchtime setting, but he's hoping to find Idrissa and this seems like a logical place. He trolls down the sand, his lunch set in a pail. No sign of her, but a sudden churrr and lift from Alloy has him looking in the direction in which he flies off. There's a dragon out there. He moves nearer to the shoreline, perhaps hoping to spy a few dragonhealers out there with it.
The beach is, in fact, a usual haunt for Idrissa… but apparently, not today. There's no dragonhealers with that brown, either - in fact, there aren't many people or dragons around the beach at all. Spring it may be, but the water's still on the chilly side. Hardly ideal for bathing. "Aye, I know it itches," the shirt-sleeved J'o says to his brown. "Can't hardly reach, though." There's a snort from Kaidoth, and then he slowly heaves himself onto his side. "There ya go," says J'o, and begins to scrub further up along the brown's back, oblivious to Kale's arrival on the beach.
Ah, if he were hoping to catch sight of Soriana on the job, Kale is sorely mistaken. That's not a sick dragon being checked out by healers. In fact, as he lingers near the shoreline, that face out there is looking more and more familiar … and it's having the opposite effect than what would've happened if he had happened acrossed Sori or Idrissa. That guy. The edges of his mouth vaguely pull down as recognition settles in, and Alloy's wings spread wide (firelizard wide anyway) as he swoops by the bathing brown. "Alloy!" he barks, calling him back. Who knows, the dragon might snap at him! And, considering who is out there, Kale doesn't seem too trusting.
J'o scrubs at his dragon's back, and the brown arches into the touch before breathing a sigh of contentment as Alloy swoops past. Kaidoth tilts his head to glance up at the little bronze, and snorts before lowering his head again. J'o follows his dragon's gaze a moment later, but his only reaction is a shrug - followed by a look along the beach for the source of that shout. Hmmm… Ah. His gaze settles on Kale, and he regards the other male for a moment, his body tensing, just a little, now that somebody else is watching. Tough guy face: engaged. At least, insamuch as it can be half-soaked and in water up to his waist.
Obediently, Alloy glides back towards Kale to land on the ground neatly. Mission: Accomplished! What that mision was only Alloy may ever know, but he looks smug regardless. Smug firelizard. Annoyed Kale. Annoyed is a good word to describe the look he gives the once Candidate as he meets eyes with him. His lunch pail is set down on the shore, and when he straightens, his arms cross. This is a new experience. Confronting a guy he doesn't particularly care for. And why? Well .. mostly hearsay, and then what he saw the previous night. The evidence is piling up high against J'o, who may afterall be a totally nice guy. But 'nice guy' isn't what's on Kale's mind now. "We need to talk, Joss." Oh so he does remember this guy! Sort of. They did share Candidate barracks for a while there
J'o frowns back to Kale. "It's J'o," he says, lifting up his head. "Not Joss." He impressed, remember? There's that big brown dragon lying there. Kaidoth turns his attention to Kale as well, looking over the smither with curious green eyes. J'o stares for a moment, then wades his way out of the water to stand dripping on the shore. His arms cross. "So talk."
"Oh, right," replies Kale whose eyes watch the weyrling's progress out of the water. "As your name was so lengthy and difficult before. I understand the need to change it something so…simple. Simplicity suits you," said with a small condescending smirk. With J'o out of the water now, he steps up to him, closing whatever gap separates them to inches. "I'm glad you're so willing to listen, cuz apparently, you've got some things confused in your mind. Let me clear it for you. I don't know what you're tryin' to play at with Idrissa, but she's my girlfriend. So your offers of holdin' her up in your weyr or whatever else you've got hope in your mind to do? Not happening."
J'o crosses his arms more firmly at Kale's words about his name. "You got something to say, or you just going to flap your mouth?" he asks, his stare turning into glare. Kaidoth's head lifts slightly, his eyes turning more toward a yellowish spring green, a bit of concern reflected from his lifemate. J'o does not shrink from Kale's approach - in fact, he leans toward him, feet firmly planted and head pushed forward like he's straining at some invisible harness. "That so, huh?" If he leans any closer, they're going to collide. "Maybe you oughta make that clear to her."
"I'm makin' it clear to you" hisses Kale, his voice a quiet growl. Alloy, much like Kaidoth, watches apprehensively. Kale's anger is most definitely felt by the little lizard, and anything that's making his partner in crime feel this way is definitely worth not liking. A hiss curls from his throat, though Kale pays the bronze no mind. J'o is close, and if there's one thing one must always do with one's enemies is keep a close eye on them. With his jaw set, he does not cringe away either, meeting the weyrling's gaze with a blazing look of his own. "Next time, there aren't gonna be any words. Understood?"
Speaking of Idrissa once she took off the night before she didn't wander back towards the caverns for any of the normal meal times, almost as if she was trying to avoid people to some degree. At the moment she is down on the beach, though not on her own, well at least not on her own if you count the reddish colored runner that is with her. The pair is slowly moving through the shallow waters, Rissa upon the runner with only the reins used as she doesn't need a saddle. Well it is Rissa, she's been riding runners for just about ever. The scars across Red Feathers haunches have healed into rather nasty zig zag like patterns, broad and rough to the touch. The pair is making their way on down the beach, heading ever closer towards the two, four? There is a slight panicked look that crosses her face as she catches sight of whom is there and she gives her runner a slight kick to send him trotting forward quickly. "Kale, J'o!" This is called out as she can see just how close the two are to one another, and she can basically pick up the attitude coming off of them.
Back and forth they glare, and J'o snorts derisively. "Oh, I understand all right. What I don't understand is how Rissa has let some puffed up twit who can't even keep it in his pants long enough to listen to her call himself her boyfriend." He stares at Kale, Kaidoth peering down from above with concern. "But-" Idrissa arrives! Her voice cuts J'o off, and while he doesn't look away, he does lower his voice ever so slightly. "I ain't a cheater."
Kale can feel his blood boiling. His temperament thus far could be considered unknown to most. How many times has anyone seen him lose his temper? He is not the one known for that. Nah, Kale is more of the 'let things quietly stew' type and eventually ill feelings pass with little incident, what few things have come up to pass. But this instant is notably different. J'o is succeeding in finding all the buttons to push that irritate him further, pushing him past that barrier of irritated to pissed off. Alloy's hissing continue, eyes a swirling orangey color with licks of red, like a flame of a forge. Kale hears Idrissa's call, but not even that is enough to drown out the softer words of J'o. His arms jut out instantaneously, expression twisting into one of rage as both hands thrust towards his shoulders, hard. "Fuck you!" He may be dragon feed in a second, but death by dragon doesn't seem to be his first concern.
Idrissa eyes widen as she watches while Kale goes for J'o. Well this is not a good turn of events! The runner is pulled to a stop while she hops down to the sand a few feet from the two. "Stop it!" This is yelled out while she tries to get hold of some part of Kale in the process. If she moves she'll get a face full of sand for sure! Red Feathers whinnes out, his head pulled back and a large hoof stomps the wet sand.
J'o isn't the quick-tempered one, either. Methodical is more his style. But somehow, Kale's been downright methodical in making him angry, coming in here with his hifaluting ways and acting like he's so much better than everyone else. So, while he stumbles back a step at Kale's sudden shove, he ignores Idrissa's plea for them to stop and comes back swinging with a fist aimed squarely for Kale's face. He's no fighter, but that fist is backed by farmer muscle and a boyhood of tussles. Kaidoth lifts his head, staring with orange eyes. He bugles aloud as his thoughts reach out silently in alarm. «He hit my J'o!»
Move it, Idrissa, before you get a knuckle to the head! The unfortunate thing about starting a fight isn't the fact that he has to finish it. He unfortunate part is that he gets to finish it. Fighting is never the answer, so said some peace loving fool in history, but the feel of his palms pushing the other guy back gives Kale such a feeling of satisfaction that a part of him hopes there to be more. Idrissa's presence doesn't go unnoticed, and as he's grabbed by her he scowls, eyes throwing daggers at J'o. It may have been left at that. Maybe. If it wasn't for that fist that's swung to his face. He sees it and Idrissa is pulled away and hopefully out of the line of fire, which doesn't help him to do the same. Punch! Straight to the jaw, causing his head to turn beneath the impact. OW! It's fuel added to an already blazing fire. Face aching, he launches himself at him with a series of curses, fists flying.
Idrissa is always in the way of some sort of danger, isn't she accident prone or something? At least that is what the healers keep tell her. So if she gets hit, kicked, or a knuckle to the head it wouldn't be a surprise in the least! "J'o please just stop." Her bright green gaze turns to the weyrling clearly worried that something is going to happen between these two if it keeps going the way it is. A half yelp escapes her as she is pulled out of the way and thus tumbles down to the wet sand. At least she didn't get hit. "STOP both of you!" Rissa soon yells out while eyeing them both, an looking rather mad over it too.
Kaidoth is young and inexperienced, and that lends a tinge of panic to his thoughts. That hurts! His lifemate hurts. His J'o hurts! He bugles again, his eyes bright orange as he watches the fight. For all his worry, he doesn't try to squish Kale, though after a moment, he does lean down, hovering like he's hoping for a chance to nudge them apart. Maybe? Maybe? They're fighting-mad and fighting! J'o flings punches back at Kale, taking a few himself in the process and mixing it up with bits of wrestling. This is quickly turning into an all-out brawl between weyrling and apprentice, and neither Idrissa's concern nor his own dragon's worry is penetrating J'o's skull just this moment.
The weyrling's protest doesn't go unheard. Less than two minutes later, the shadow of a full grown dragon covers the beach as Izzuth circles once before dropping like a stone to land a few lengths away. If'an slides down his dragon's shoulder to land lightly, crossing the distance in long strides, "Oy! You boyos back off NOW!" He roars at the fighters, sparing the young dragon a quick glance to make sure that he's staying well back from the fight. Izzuth adds his voice to his rider's, roaring and making his way towards the water as well, though he avoids the fighting and focuses on trying to calm the distressed youngling.
Alloy, unlike the young brown dragon, is far more spirited with his reaction to his partner's predicament. Hurtful! No good! The bronze firelizard hisses and calls out his distemper, taking to the air to flap and flutter, darting here and there while Kale consumes himself with the fight. Punches are received and given. Idrissa's shouts ignored. Kicks and wrestling in the sand. Rolling and cursing and more fists pounding til another person arrives and a commanding yell is given, drowned out by a dragon's roar. That isn't Idrissa, and definitely not one of her firelizards. He untangles himself from the fray with a kick away from J'o, rolling away in the sand with heaving breaths and a busted lip. Sand clings to him as he scrambles to his feet, acid still on his tongue yet he keeps his words at bay. Hatred is in his eyes, body aching where the weyrling's fists landed, but he doesn't go in for more. That'd be idiotic.
Idrissa watches as Kale an J'o both keep fighting, how is she suppose to stop this? Neither is listing at the moment. She slowly stands moving forward and makes a grab for one of J'o arms now. Maybe she can pull him away? Not likely with how he boys are wanting nothing better than to beat the crud out of one another. The roar of a dragon is heard, a half meep escaping her and she looks around before catching sight of Izzuth and then If'an as he is making his way towards the fight. With the rider and other dragon here she looks back to Kale and J'o a frown seen while she just watches, unsure what to say at the moment.
Kaidoth greets Izzuth's arrival with relief. «Make them stop!» he pleads, and then… If'an has a good set of lungs on him. Izzuth has an even better one. That shout penetrates even the most red-veiled of gazes, and J'o stops fighting. He pushes away from Kale, and scrambles to his feet. He's got a black eye coming to him, and he's panting as he looks at If'an. He takes in a deep breath, and tugs at his shirt to try to straighten it out. Somewhere in there, his shirt got torn, but there's no time for that now. His expression turns stony, and he lifts his hand in a stiff salute for the older brownrider. "Sir." When the two stop, that does as much to calm the weyrling brown as anything Izzuth can possibly say. His eyes soothe to mere yellowed worry.
If'an moves to stand between the two boys, eyes narrowed as he looks them over for visible injuries. "You." He points at Kale, "Go sit down over there. I'll deal with you in a minute." He points to a dry spot on the sand a short distance from the water. He then turns to the weyrling, sparing Idrissa a quick glance and short nod of greeting, "I don't care who did what. I just want to know what in Faranth's name you were thinking?!" His massive brown watches the group of teenagers with slowly whirling yellow eyes, the tip of his tail twitching, but otherwise being completely still, "Did you even think about Kaidoth before you started pounding on someone else?" The burly rider gestures in the direction of the young brown, "Or did you even bother to consider what he would feel if you got in a fight?" He shakes his head, folding his arms, and just waits to hear what the younger rider has to say for himself.
Kale brings a fist to his lip, rubbing blood away from the cut while steadying his gaze on J'o. No. Not him. If'an now warrants the most attention. At the barked order to go forth and sit over there, he does so without complaint, sending one last sizzling glare towards J'o before moving. He glances Idrissa's way, that spiteful look softening a little now as he passes her. "Sorry.." is murmured her way before he plops into the sand. Ow. He drapes his arms over his knees, watching J'o, getting mild satisfaction as he's chewed out. Nyeah.
Idrissa watches J'o and Kaidoth a few moments, a soft frown seen before she slowly moves over taking hold of the reins from her runner. Red Feather shifts on his hooves looking a bit nervous but slowly starting to settle down now that everyone has stopped fighting. A glance is sent to If'an and then it turns to Kale as she hears the sorry. What could she possible say? A hand lifts to rub at her eyes before she turns and moves over to Kale and peers at him. "Are you alright?" She can be mad at him later.
J'o stiffens his shoulders as If'an sends Kale aside, standing there ready to be yelled at. He's expressionless up until… Kaidoth. His eyes widen, his mouth opening in a silent gasp like he just took a punch to the stomach. Kaidoth! He turns to his dragon without even answering If'an. Now it all registers, the panic, the worry his dragon still feels, all that… he stares at his brown, and murmurs, "I'm sorry." There's a catch to his voice that's a poor fit for his usual tough-guy exterior. Kaidoth lowers his head, crooning at his rider, and J'o reaches up to pat at his muzzle before turning back to face If'an. There's a glint of moisture in his eyes. Go on, Kale. Laugh it up. Here's J'o trying not to cry. "No sir," he says as he stares at If'an's feet.
"That's what I thought." If'an's expression softens slightly when J'o realizes that he just upset his dragon. Badly. The Galaxy rider nods, "Calm your dragon, make sure he knows everything is okay, then I'll hear your side of what happened." He strides over to where Kale is sitting while Izzuth settles down into the sand and curls his tail around himself, all four paws tucked under the pale brown's body as he watches his rider loom over the apprentice, "Now… What happened?"
"Yeah, I'm fine," replies Kale to Idrissa gruffly, testosterone still churning, though fight mode seems to be ebbing now that he's been forced into stillness. She can be mad at him later. He can be mad at her later. For now, the focus of his anger continues to be J'o, who seems on the verge of tears. More satisfaction comes from that, though his eyes flit to the brown dragon afterward. The smug look that has slightly claimed his face melts as If'an comes towards him, and he looks up at him before standing. What happened? There's a moment where his eyes roam to J'o again, the edges of his lips vaguely downturning. "A poor choice of words, sir," he answers, attention back on the rider.
Idrissa watches Kale for a few moments, somehow she doesn't think he is really fine. She looks sad to say the least, a soft sigh soon escaping her. What can she possible say to him? Her gaze turns to J'o as she watches the interaction between him and his dragon and she hopes everything turns out well with that. Once If'an is over near Kale her attention ia over towards him and she keeps herself rather quiet, interested in finding out the reasoning, which yes she would have to agree was a rather poor choice of words.
J'o nods, and turns without hesitation back to Kaidoth. He reaches up for the brown, who leans down to bump his large head against the boy's chest. J'o hugs and pets at his dragon, talking to him half in soft words, half in thoughts. "Sorry" appears frequently. So does, "I'm fine."
"'A poor choice of words?" If'an quirks a brow at the young man, "A poor choice of words that ended up upsetting one of th' young dragons and coulda ended with him goin' *between* if'n th' two of ya had gotten real stupid." There's a soft growl from Izzuth to punctuate his rider's words.
Not his fault at all. He's not a weyrling, Kale would love to say. But wisely, the youth keeps his mouth shut as If'an speaks to him. Alloy swoops down and comes to a sandy landing at Kale's side, giving himself a shake. Things are calming down. That is good! He sits proudly, as if all of this has been fixed because of him. What would they do without him? "It will not happen again, sir," he says, bowing his head slightly. "Now we both understand that we both have things that can be hurt with words untrue," he can't help but lift his gaze again to the consoling J'o, "or spoken out've spite." Sneer. "I apologize," is spoken to the rider.
Idrissa watches Kale quietly a few moments, pondering why he is acting this why. So much had changed recently and she is starting to wonder if it changing for the good or not. At the moment she would say none of this is good. A frown is clearly seen while she watches Kale a moment more before she turns to move back to her runner. There is little she can say or even do to help anything here at the moment.
J'o doesn't hear what Kale has to say about the fight. He could probably make out a few of the words if he tried, but he's not trying. He's too busy with Kaidoth, comforting the brown, petting at him as worried yellow eyes soften to green. Not that J'o stops petting the dragon, but now he's more trying to explain what happened. Maybe it'll be good practice for when If'an comes for his side of the story.
Izzuth growls again, a little louder this time, but doesn't move other than twitching the tip of his tale. "It's not an excuse. Don't matter if it's somethin' said in spite, still don't excuse fightin' with a weyrling." He frowns for a moment, his eyes unfocusing as he silently speaks to his dragon. When his expression clears he looks over at J'o, still frowning, but letting the boy have some time alone with his dragon, under the watchful eye of his own huge brown, that is, "What's your name?" He really has been staying too busy with his wing duties to keep up with the names of all of the apprentices at the Weyr.
Seryth and Yarovith sense that Izzuth's voice is a low grumble, « Mine wants to know what to do with an apprentice who was fighting a weyrling. »
Izzuth and Yarovith sense that Seryth answers promptly, « Tie them together by one ankle and knee for two days and have them do the Weyrling's chores one day, then the apprentice's work the next. » She is serious! Obviously this has been an issue before multiple times.
Izzuth and Seryth sense that Yarovith flickers in with blistering trails of popping fireworks and snapping firecrackers, « Their leaders should be informed. Weyrlingmaster and apprentice master. Our duty is to the one that flies, the other must be given over to those who he reports. »
Izzuth and Yarovith sense that Seryth is laaaazily reclining on her back in her wallow on her bed of blue alyssums, tail twitching suggestively in a 'come hither' beckoning to Yarovith. Cuddles? « Yes, that too. They should be reported to Isobeth's rider and the man mine says makes the boy dance on tables. »
Seryth and Izzuth sense that Yarovith has been disturbed from where ever he was and there's a happy flutter of glitter falling from an endless sky as Yarovith no doubt slithers that way, « They should dance on tables. »
"Kale," replies the apprentice, giving his name easily enough. What can he do, lie about it? And this rider is lingering entirely too long on him. He didn't start this, though dragon crybabyling over there will likely get no more than the talking to he was already given. His body is starting to ache where punches landed, and that lip of his could use a bit of icing. His eyes dance to the quiet Idrissa, his gaze a bit hard. Given time to start pointing the finger of blame, she probably deserves a bit of it too!
"Don't go anywhere, Kale." If'an isn't quite done with the apprentice, yet. He turns and walks briskly back to where J'o and his dragon are standing together, his eyes unfocusing again. He suddenly stops dead, his expression confused, but he finally shrugs, "And what do you say happened, J'o?"
J'o turns to face If'an as the rider approaches. Concern for his dragon has doused his previous fury much more effectively than a bucket of ice water, and he's got that stolid no-expression on his face as he begins to make his report. "He," a nod over to Kale, "-came here, said he wanted to talk. Wanted to insult me, more like." He frowns, but when Kaidoth lowers his head to bump his rider's shoulder, J'o's face softens and he continues. "He tried to tell me I shouldn't be friends with his girl." J'o tilts his head to indicate the departing Idrissa. "I told him what I thought of that. He shoved me. I hit him." He shrugs slightly, as if to say, 'the rest is history'.
Kale isn't going anywhere, nope! He stays put as If'an goes back over to J'o. So much for a long lunch. When the journeymen smiths get wind of this, he'll be lucky if he'll even be allowed to have lunch anywhere outside of the forge for a while. Another reason to loathe the weyrling. Ruining his good day… He focuses on the two of them, listening in from where he is, and a frown forms. "That isn't what I said, you shar-.." Fume! He holds his tongue, a hand balling at his side. Though J'o may be serene, Kale seems ready for round two. But he does at least succeed in staying where he is.
"Being pushed ain't no excuse t' hit nobody." If'an's voice is a low growl, and anyone who knew him before Izzuth found him would be shocked to hear him say that. That's when a green firelizard and a young bronze appear from *between* over the older brown, dropping a tangle of rope on Izzuth's head and vanishing between with twin squawks when the massive brown growls at them. He looks back over at Kale and motions the apprentice over, "The Weyrwoman says that the two of you are to be tied together at knee and ankle for two days. You're t' do your chores t'gether, and…" He gives another bemused shake of his head, "An' dance on th' tables in th' living cavern."
J'o is far from serene. Worried half-sick over poor Kaidoth is more like it, but that's what hiding behind an expressionless mask is for. He frowns at Kale's quick retort, shaking his head slowly, then looks back to If'an. "No sir," he agrees. Not anymore, anyhow. Not now that he's got Kaidoth. It's time to learn conflict avoidance real quick. He glances up as those ropes descend, gaze lingering on them for a moment. Now what…? His gaze snaps back at 'Weyrwoman says'. Right, it's time to hear the punishment. He takes in a breath and stands with shoulders straight, only to blink. What? No, really, "What?" he says, his brow wrinkling with confusion. He looks over to Kale, then back to If'an. "Is… you're not joking?" It would be a really, really strange sort of joke. Then again, if it's not a joke, it's… really, really strange. Also… Kale. Him. Two days?
Begrudgingly he moves towards the two, though Kale'd rather go anywhere but. Away from the beach would be nice. Back to the forges. Even better, finding Idrissa! He pauses near enough to be considered part of hte group, yet far enough away that he's not actually within J'o's vicinity. He looks at the appeared firelizards that bear … rope? What's going to happen? Are they going to be hangd? That'd be a bit … severe. Weyrwoman? He cringes a little at the mentioning of her, eyes shifting to the side. But… wait. "What??" The exclamation slips out before he can catch himself, blue eyes wide and disbelieving. "I can't be shackled up with him for two days!" The table dancing part hasn't even registered yet. But it will. Oh…it will.
It's a case of 'he said, she said, she said' here. Yes, it's possible that the message from the Weyrwoman got garbled in being passed from her dragon to If'an's dragon, and then on to If'an, but that's the pusishment that's been passed down. "You're to be tied together f'r two days, help with each other's chores, an' dance in th' living cavern." It's obvious that the older rider doesn't quite believe the punishment he's giving the two boys, but who is he to question the Weyrwoman about something like this? It's not like he has any idea what to do with them, after all! "I'll be tellin' V'dim an' your Journeyman, Kale, what ya both done here, too." Izzuth chuffs in irritation at the rope and tips his muzzle down to let it slide off, only to scoop it up against his chest once it's coiled in the sand in front of him. It's his rope, now!
Stolid has its limits. J'o scowls to Kale, his arms crossing over his chest. "Ah, don't worry. I'll close m'eyes when you're snogging your girls." He turns his attention back to If'an, only to hear the same thing over again. No, wait, not quite the same thing. He missed part of it last time. Dance. He simply stares at If'an for a moment. A long moment, and then he spreads helpless hands. "Aye, then." It's not like it couldn't be worse. It could have been V'dim decid- ah. He sighs, and nods. "Least I'm already grounded." Because it's not like he can put on his riding straps with Kale stuck on by the leg, right?
Ah, and Orik will be so pleased to receive this report. Kale can't wait. To J'o, he sneers. "A bit late to be acknowledging my girlfriends now, eh?" Oh, this will be such a fun filled next two days! Complete with … table top dancing. These are orders from the Weyrwoman? He makes a noise in his throat and slides his palm over his face, wishing this nightmare would just end. How is he ever going to do any of his work? He can't drag around an extra useless growth getting in the way of things! He eyes that rope that's been dragon claimed. No rope. No tying up! Sorry!
The older rider turns and waves the boys to follow him, "C'mon. Sooner it's started, sooner it's done." Then If'an finds that his dragon, hoarder that he is, is hiding the rope. Izzuth growls, but the blond rider just growls back for a moment before finally sighing, "Fine. I'll let ya have th' rest. Just give it over." The big brown grumbles unhappily but does allow his rider to crawl half under him to get the rope and cut off two lengths. "Just shuddup an' live with it. 'S only two days." And dancing.
Kaidoth makes a concerned noise. Grounded? No flying with his boy? Sad dragon is sad. Yet another thing for J'o to apologize for with a bit of mental reassurance. J'o keeps his arms crossed as he addresses Kale. "I ain't never said otherwise. Just didn't care to leave a lady without a place to stay." With that, he turns away to follow If'an, though he's anything but happy about this. Kaidoth is doing the closest a dragon can manage to a pout. "Aye. Two days." Two days has never sounded more like forever. Nevertheless, J'o stands ready to face his fate… if he must.
It'll be surprising if either of them makes it through two days. Bets begin at two hours before one attempts to murder the other! Kale seems likely to be the first to snap, for J'o's parting statement has him scowling. What does that even mean? "Why wouldn't she have a place to stay? She has a place to stay." What does he think she's been doing since joining the ranks of Xanadu? Living in the forest? He follows after them with that same sour look. Two days. Two years. Same difference. Shut up and live with it is the best advice anyone could give! And so he practices shutting up .. right now as that rope is cut, keeping all words trapped in his thoughts as he stands next to J'o. Such .. awful, awful words and phrases being said up there.
"Shaddup. Both a' ya." If'an kneels to tie them together, one length securely tied at ankle and another at the knee, making sure that it's tight enough that they can't slip out of it, but not so tight that it will end up cutting of their circulation. "Now get on ov'r t' th' caverns an' get t' dancin' like ya been told." He has a sulky brown to tend to.
"Journeyman was awful mad," says J'o with a shrug, not looking at Kale as he speaks. "And now she don't have a knot. Still went back to the stable, though. Guess she don't need it after all." Not that he sounds like he regrets having offered! No, not even after the fight. His opinion may change given a day or so's exposure to Kale, and/or actually getting up on top of a table to dance. Still, he shuts up as ordered, staring straight ahead at Izzuth as he's tied up. Wait what? The dancing is now? He blinks, looking down at If'an. He thought he'd have time to prepare himself for this ordeal! Maybe rehearse a bit!
Angry journeyman? No knot? That was a temporary thing … right? Kale knew there was something fishy about Idrissa's lack of a knot that day, and the fact that J'o seems to know more about it than himself is aggravating. But no. He's not going to let him know of this. He'll play along as if he knows just as much, if not more about this journeyman and knot ordeal. Luckily, he's shutting up, so he doesn't have to say a word and watches as he's bound by the leg. Ugh. But, wait a second. They dance, "Today??" But they don't even have a routine!
"Soonest started, soonest over." If'an waves the boys off, not caring that they haven't practiced. Forget the fact that he wasn't given a specific time or even day for them to do it, as far as he's concerned, his part is done with. "I'll let th' Weyrwoman know you're on your way." Better step to it, then!
Never mind a routine, they haven't even figured out how to walk together! As If'an sends them off, J'o starts to take a step toward the caverns, only to come up short because there's a Kale attached. He scowls, though he doesn't say anything. This will be… fun. Oh, and look at that flight of stairs up from the beach. Can he even bend his leg properly in this? Time to find out!
One of those curse words slips from Kale's mouth as the task of walking becomes theirs. He hangs back (on purpose?) as J'o steps, though the tug felt on his strapped leg has him feeling off balance. "C'mon.." said gruffly, as if he weren't already trying to move forth. Time to get this show on the road…and over with! Step, trip, half-stumble, curse! "Watch it!" Oh yes. Fun times are ahead!
If'an watches only long enough to make sure that they're headed in the right direction before he heads for Izzuth, giving the very demanding brown the remains of the rope and scritching at his shoulder while the older dragon tucks the rope close and rumbles happily.
*chortles* Entertaining scene, guys! Nicely-handled If'an - hope to see you in more up-coming scenes. Kale, you should stand with J'o towards the forge when doing your chores. ;)
Jessi's Iffy is so growed up now, good job raising him, Izzy! ;)