The current time for zone 9 is: 2683.8.25 16:02:27
Xanadu Weyr - Meadow
A large, slightly rolling meadow is set high enough above the riverbank on both sides to avoid suffering from flooding, healthy ground cover and grass spreading out from either side of the dividing river. Scattered amongst the meadow are a variety of buildings, each with a narrow path leading up to it from a main, winding road. Some are set under a few trees, while others sit by themselves.
Stables and a smithy are settled on their own plots, while trees border the western edge of the meadow, and a faint outline of a fence can be seen to the north.
Alosynth turns her head to glance over at the lass, her green eyes sparkling in the muted light. Kezi herself glances up and frowns a moment and then ahs "The girl from the springs." she notes and then nods "The Smith is over that way." she notes as she gestures in the general direction and then yelps as she gets claws and teeth wrapped around her finger. "I'm not prey you silly little thing." she says as she addresses the bundle of fur.
Avani nods and turns, offering a "Thank you, Ma'am!" over her left shoulder before starting to trot once more in the indicated direction, her Runner's bag bouncing against her hip. The mists consume her for a moment, leaving behind the greenrider and her mount, watching something otherwise hidden from view between them.
In the intervening time since Inimeth did not catch Kilaueth and D'son passed the big knot on, the bronzerider's been a little bit on the absent side. Not completely so, but apparently 'vacation' figured high amongst Dels' priorities. Right now though, he doesn't look like he's particularly vacationy as he emerges from the mist, in fact he's he's fidgeting around with some kind of bit of tech and mumbling to himself about circuits and power supplies. Getting back in touch with his inner geek?
As the mists swirl around the trotting Runner, Keziah turns her attention back down to the little furry bundle in her lap, giggling a little and yelping as well. Alosynth is watching as well until another figure emerges from the mists and there's a little warble and a croon as she turns a bit to see what he's carrying.
That'd be a deconstructed portable electronic device of some stripe, not immediately recognizable. In fact it looks almost like D'son might have actually built the thing out of spare parts it looks that odd. Warble and croon brings up hazel eyes to peer through shaggy bangs and the bronzerider blinks a couple of times. "Hey Kez!" he says brightly, suddenly as he realizes who that is there with the green and the handful of circuitry is stuffed into his pocket. "Got a new friend?" Of that furry bundle.
Keziah waves a hand in greeting and smiles "Yup, got a new friend." she looks down at the kitten "'Gar-un-tee-deed to be the best varmit catcher this side of the world'." she states with a snicker "I got her in payment of saving a herd of cattle in the swamps the other day." she notes with a bit of bemusement. "Course, she looks to be of one of the types I saw back home. Good in the snow and everything too." she notes thoughtfully and then she turns her actual attention back to D'son instead of the kitten. "So where have you been? Ain't seen ya around much."
Avani makes her way back from the Smith Forge, her pouch now shifted to rest upon her back, clearly empty. She makes her way through the mists back towards the draconian shape only to stop when she spots the new arrival. "Runner's greetings, Sir," she offers after a moment, unable to make out the exact colours on his knot in the mist. She turns her attention to the other woman and cranes her neck slightly to get a look at the bundle.
"Huh. Varmint-catcher," D'son seems amused by this description and actually keeps his distance a little. "Hope that works out," he says sincerely. "I'll just stand over here though so I don't wind up sneezing all over you," the bronzerider says with a sheepish little grin. "I'm really allergic to cats." Her last question earns a vague wave. "Visited my family for a bit, some friends at other Weyrs, and I've been down at Landing a bit learning more about computers. You? How've you been?" Avani's approach earns another blink and his hand swept through bangs to push them out of his eyes. "Oh, hey there. Message-delivering?"
Keziah wrinkles her nose a bit "Yeah, I don't need bronzer snot all over me." she notes with a smirk "Always good to visit family. Did some of that myself. Course, Da was needing a swift kick in the tail to settle himself down and let my brother start taking over more so he doesn't kill himself." She snorts a bit. "I've been good though, had to do some cleaning though of me place. First night back I woke up with bugs crawling over me. It's bad enough in the wilds and all, but in me own bed?" She rolls her eyes and then smiles as Avani "Welcome back, girl." she greets even as the little brown tabby cat rolls off her lap and sprawls onto the ground.
Avani nods, "Yes, Sir. Apprentice Smith Dalara was the last on my Run." It would seem this delivery was not of the secret sort. She pauses when Keziah reveals the colour of the man's Lifemate, but seems to decide that she hadn't been disrespectful of his rank and continues, "I was told that I may be needed to Run a reply back the other way." She glances at the kitten, a smile tugging at her lips, "We had a few around Sea Foam, but the Traces aren't overly friendly for felines." She pauses, "In fact, I might not hear the end of it if I got myself a canine either…"
"Uh … yeah," D'son says with a little amused look at Keziah for that snot remark. "What's your Da do?" he asks next, curiously, makes a sympathetic face about the bugs. "Oh, sure, kicking around for a bit then," Dels says about Avani's presumed back and forth. "Sea Foam, is that home?" he asks the runner, then swipes his hand along his pants, holds it out towards her. "D'son, by the way. Bronze Inimeth's. Well met."
Keziah glances over at Avani "Yeah, iffen you do get one, better make sure it's not a digger, I can only imagine the outcry if he dug up the mossy traces and all." she remarks and then grins at D'son "Well, he's now playing the dutiful Grandfa" she notes with a smile "Prior to that he managed and ran Lost Hold with an iron fist and a warm heart." She smiles fondly as she reminices. "Now Casar is running the hold and doing a fine job of it. Da's just having trouble adjusting and all. Figures he shoulda had more life in him and all, and I can understand that, he's only about umm 58 and all. But another attack like he had and it might be the last the healers say."
Avani takes the offered hand and gives it a firm shake as she nods. "Well met, Bronze Inimeth's," she counters. "I'm Runner Avani. Originally from Sea Foam Hold. It's on Ista." She listen silently to Keziah's tale and shakes her head. "My father has five daughters, I don't see him stepping down unless he had a son, and I don't see mother agreeing to try once more."
Sympathy touches D'son's features at Keziah's description. "Oh … yeah that must be tough to get used to," the bronzerider agrees, shakes Avani's hand firmly in turn. "Oh, you're from Ista? I was born and raised at the Weyr," he tells her with a little grin, then blinks. "Why wouldn't he pass it on to one of your sisters?"
Keziah grins "Yeah, it was tough at first, but Cassia my niece keeps hom in line. She's six and a half and has him wrapped around her little finger like a pro." She smiles fondly for the little girl. She eyes D'son and then grins "Cause some are so hide bound they don't think a woman is capable of running a place." she rolls her eyes "Course, they'll admit to their record keeping skills and all perhaps and to the managing of the household and like. But the hard labor and all that goes into it? Women are weak creatures after all." she snerks a bit. She's not in the least bit offended, just amused.
"He's rather hidebound," is all Avani offers, and that's accompanied by a shrug, nodding at Keziah's more indepth explanation. "He only let me become a Runner because he's got four other daughters to marry off and he knows he can call me back to the Hold if need be."
"Wow - that young?" D'son laughs a little then shakes his head, not really getting the whole hidebound thing. "Huh. Well, you'd think that being more practical would win out," the bronzerider says, puzzled, then shrugs. "What can you do, right?"
Keziah wrinkles her nose at the marriage bit "I'm glad Da can't marry me off. Though he never seemed of that bent, but nonetheless." she shrugs a little "Mother on the other hand is a little sad that she can't plan out my ceremony and the like." There's a pause and an eyeroll "She wanted an elaborate ceremony too if I ever took a mate. I don't think so." She snickers at D'son "Being practical would actually make sense."
Avani shrugs, "Perhaps." She gives a thin-lipped smile, "Though I plan on Running over as much of Pern as I can before I'm called back to marry some Holder's son." She glances at Keziah, "Really, Ma'am?" She shakes her head, "If I'm to have offspring, I want them with a mate who will best be able to care for them." She shrugs slightly, "There are times, I'll admit, when I feel that I might be better served by choosing him myself, but I do not distrust my father's intentions towards his daughters."
D'son just looks confused by most of what both women are saying and one hand lifts, rubs absently at the back of his neck. "I think I'm just glad that it's not that complicated at a Weyr. There's always someone to take care of kids around a Weyr," Dels says with a little grin. "Though I /would/ still like to have a family someday," he adds with a slightly distracted air, gaze focusing off somewhere in the mists. Talking to Inimeth? Maybe.
Keziah grins at Avani "Ah well, mates might be good for cuddling and all that and keeping warm. But fer me? One would likely get underfoot and all. THough I dunno. Never really had one. Least not on a semi-permanent basis or anything of the like." she shrugs some. "As fer kids. I've got my little foundling Mirai. Don't really suppose I need anymore than that. Though Mother insists on more grandkids and all. Something about perserving the family line and all. She's only got the one blood at the moment, though my brother and his wife are trying again. So she really doesn't need my help on that department. Course, I suppose if I find a proper enough specimman for a daddy."
Avani regards the pair of riders with a look of confusion in her mud-green eyes for a moment before finally just shaking her head, "I'm sure that _eventually_ my feet will stop 'itching' as the Aunties say, and I'll feel the need to settle down." Her tone of voice implies that she'll most-likely settle after being called home, or not at all. "Are you going to try to train your feline then, or just see how it does on its own with the tunnelsnakes and the like?"
"Not so much with the underfoot," D'son remarks very absently, then blinks and refocuses on present company. "And if they don't, keep on running or join the traders?" he asks Avani.
Keziah glances over at D'son and just grins. "Talking about the pitter patter of little feet or just something else that gets underfoot like critters?" she asks with a tilt of her head and then she hmms a bot at Avani "I dunno, my feet have never stopped itching where critters are concerned. I've jsut changed my focus. I'll search and rescue the beasties now." she smiles as she scoops the kitten up from where she'd been pouncing Alo's tail that was wrapped around the green. "Well, I'll likely train her to an extent and all, but I'll just as like let some of the stable cats take her in tow. They've been good about adopting in outsiders and such." A pause as she peers at the kitten "Mostly, a few times they've run some off, but then maybe was for the best. Dunno. Don't speak feline." she states facetiously.
Avani blins, glancing at the bracelet on her arm which was not there in the hot springs. Her cheeks flushing slightly, she shakes her head, "Who—" She pauses, clears her throat, "Who said anything about Traders?" Her attention is then studiously focussed on the brown ball of fur the greenrider holds. "Oh, my appologies, Ma'am, I don't believe I've forgotten my manners this long. I'm Trader Avani," she offers, though her cheeks still hold the distinct traces of red, even through the misty fog.
"No, you said a weyrmate would get underfoot," D'son explains. "And well, in my experience, they don't really." He scrubs at his nose after a moment, eyes the kitten and takes another little half-step away. "That's a suggestion," Dels tells Avani with a grin. "You know, options. For if the itchy feet don't go away …" he trails off, looking perplexed again.
Keziah blinks and then ohs "Yeah, I did didn't I?" Alosynth glances over at Kezi and chuffs "Okay, I did. Well, it's a moot point anyways. I'll worry about if there's ever anyone interested in the position." She eyes the green and then rolls her eyes "I do not deliberately scare them off." A pause. "Well, okay so I don't try to be extra nice, but honestly." she snorts and then pushes the greens nose away when she's lightly pushed with it and then she's peering at Avani "Yer a Trader? Though ya were a runner or di ya run off with that Lad from the springs?" she asks curiously. Now Kezi, she's not exactly always been one for manners, raised in a barn as she was. Or at least accused of. "Names Kezi. Well Keziah iffen ya want formal and all. And that lump there is Alosynth." The green rumbles softly as she noses the kitten very lightly. The kitten just goes limp with delight at the warm air it seems. "This here ball of fluff is, well I dunno that yet." She pauses "Hmm?
Well, I suppose you can…" there's a nother pause. "Alo says her name is Miss Kitty." The greenrider just rolls her eyes.
Avani blushes more deeply, but decides to concentrate on the later part of the discussion, it would seem. "Well met, Green Alosynth. Miss Kitty." That last is added with a small smile playing on her thin lips. She shakes her head then, glancing at the pair of riders. "I'd always heard that your dragons select your mates for you?"
Still confused, that's D'son. But if Avani's not getting into it, neither is he. "Huh. Never anyone interested?" Dels asks the greenrider, brows lifting. "That's surprising," he says earnestly, though he also avoids commentary on cats. "Well no, not quite," he answers Avani. "Sure, the riders of the dragons wind up in bed together, but that doesn't make you weyrmates. That's a choice. I mean, I was never Niva's weyrmate while I was Weyrleader."
Keziah can't help but grin a little "Bedfellows ain't the same as mates and then it's generally for the one time as well." she shrugs a little "Well, there've been some women and all interested, but ain't for me. Even if I've ended up with a few here and there and well, I guess there's been some kids and all interested and such, but I don't really like them all that young and all." she notes and then eyes Alo "I ain't picky, but I ain't robbin the cradle either. I've me pride and all." A pause and then a glare "I ain't robbin the grave either." She glances thoughfully at Avani "Course, there's times when a dragon will take a lifemates choice into consideration as well it seems, this how some pairings just seem to always be together, it's the dragons choice and all, though there does seem to be some genuine surprises and all."
Avani blinks at the mention of graves, and that seems to finally push the blush form her cheeks. "Oh," is all she offers at first. "I'd have thought that anything which can push a large group of people to mate would… Well, effect the riders for longer than the night." It seems that when things are kept theoretical, Holders can discuss them well enough.
"It's just a flight," D'son tells Avani with a shake of his head. "Even if the fondness between dragons lasts for a bit, it doesn't pull riders along with. That effect only lasts for … well it depends I guess, but usually not more than say a few hours for the riders involved. Tops. And it's more like … a half hour." He slants a look over at Kez, bemused. "I sure hope there's no grave robbing involved."
Keziah snorts at D'son "Figure of speech and all for not wanting to follow through with those old ones who hit on ya." she shudders a bit and then snerks "Yeah, generally not long and all. Just mainly the time it well takes to well, you know. Course, there was one time I did stick around for much of the day. Was enjoyable and all. But then he was a bit of a romantic and so that helped some." She smiles fondly and then looks thoughful "I wonder where he's at now?" She head shakes a little and then grins at Avani "It's all about procreation and all and not about love, so it ain't gonna be for long."
"Greens don't actually … procreate though," D'son points out, looking all the more amused. "Riders don't necessarily weyrmate to have kids. That's more about getting along and wanting to be together. But dragons just have instincts. Once the deed is done, the need satisfied, then it's over and done with and they forget pretty quickly. Golds, bronzes and browns might stick for a bit longer, but not often beyond a hatching unless they're picking each other over and over. And even then, doesn't necessarily mean anything for their riders. I mean, Niva's been weyrmated to C'ian for a really long time."
Keziah rolls her eyes "I figured procreate might have been better then just saying well you know. Still tis true, greens don't actually have eggs, which is a good thing considering we'd likely be starved off the planet with how often they rise to mate and all." she notes and then grins "Flights are about a little fun in sun so to speak. Even if ya ain't in the sun and well, iffen ya don't know the facts of life and all, well I ain't the one to well go into that and all. Me, I'd likely send ya off to watch the critters when they're in season, you'll learn quickly enough. Well there ya go, flights are like critters in season. They're good until the deed is done and then they go off to do their own thing. Mated well that's like them critters which stay together and all for the long haul. People now, well they're just a little weird and such, some'll stay mated whether they care about their mate or not, just out of duty."
Avani shakes her head as if she'd just realised where she's steared the conversation. "My appologies, riders, I didn't mean to pry." She tilts her head at Keziah's longer explanation, "The rider's concent isn't an issue then? I did understand that correctly." One might not have thought that her long, pointed nose could actually wrinkle up like that if the hadn't see it themselves. "I couldn't imagine it."
Keziah gathers up the kitten and rise and then plops her on her shoulder. "Ain't no problem Avani. It's basically one of those things that sounded good at the time. You get washed up in the heat of the moment and just go with the flow. No biggies really." A pause "Unless of course you're unlucky enough to fly your creepy Weyrlingmaster." she giggles a little "Course I never have to worry about that since he rides a green and all. Well I'd better be off now and all. See ya around if yer around." she says and then tosses a wave to D'son "Good to see you around again." and with that she heads off for the stables.
"Yeah, that'd make a lot of dragons," D'son agrees with Kez on how much dragons eat but doesn't remark on the rest. "And yeah, at the time it's just you and your dragon and .. yeah," Dels agrees some more, pushes a hand back through his hair. "Good luck with the washup Kez," he tells her with a wave as she moves along.
Avani shivers slightly as the greenrider wanders off. "You and your dragon and some other rider you might not even know…" she mutters under her breath before she seems to realise that D'son is still there. "…No disrespect meant, Bronzerider."
"Yep," D'son says, nodding. "Inimeth used to chase a lot before he caught Kilaueth. Then he mostly just stuck to her, the odd green or two. He caught a fair bit too. I'll bet he'll start chasing more often again now," the bronzerider adds with a distinct lack of concern. He shrugs visibly. "Don't really see how it's disrespect at all, so you know, wouldn't even think that. It's just the way things are with dragons," Dels continues. "It's pretty intense and while you're in the moment it's all good. After can be a little awkward but mostly not."
Avani nods, not seeming complete convinced on that subject. "I wouldn't know, Sir," is offered after a moment. "If you'll excuse me, I think I should see if that reply has been penned yet. Time is marks and dragonlenths, as they say."
"It's hard to explain," D'son agrees and nods. "Sure. GOod meeting you, Avani. Good luck with the return message and the mist," the bronzerider says with a little gesture of his hand around, then turns to resume his path across the meadow towards home.
Avani nods and trots off towards the Smith Forge once more, glancing upward once as if willing the sun to burn away the mists so that she can make her way at a faster pace. Soon, her form disappears into the fog as well as the sound of her footfalls.