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.
Asiree peers at Tabearin. Now it's time for a random game of meet a person who is drawing. A fun game that is, full of adventure and uh… meeting people. Yeah! "Hi, I'm Asiree… whatcha doing?" Are all the candidates artisans of some kind?
Tabearin umms a little "I'm Tabearin, just drawing the scenic view." he murmurs softly. "Nothing real spectacular, I am was just an apprentice."
Matteo mildly ignores the activity occurring farther down the beach. he's content at the moment to sit high up upon the shore, a wher-hide bound notebook in his lap and pencil in his hand. He scribbles over the cream paper in his ornate and scrawly handwriting, so unfitting for someone like himself. Far too elegant for a sailor.
Miiriel is perched upon a rock a little ways out in the water; her entire body wet from swimming there. SHe is in view, forcoarse, not being *that* far from shore and she gives a sailor's whistle to Matteo. "Hey there." She says with a grin, before turning back and splashing her feet in the water. Beaches were meant for getting wet, and Miir is doing just that.
Hotohorith tromps down from the forest, grinting wickedly at the candidates and shuffling right over the sit behind Tabearing, rumbling at him faintly. "Alrightie Candies, here's your first lesson. Its not raining today, its nice and warm. Git yerselfes in the water! You're gonna wash Hotohorith, and beware the wings, they're fragile." T'ea notes, leaping off his dragon's shoulder to land in the sand of the beach before Hothororith nudges Tabearin then tropms into the waters.
Tabearin blinks as he looks up. First Lesson? More like the umpteenth where Hoto is concerned. He looks around though for a safe place to put his pad, far be it for him to ignore an order.
Asiree would pay more attention to Tabearin and comment on what he just said… except a dragon just appeared behind him. Ree takes a step back and half-gawks at the large creature. A bit of composure is regained and she nods weakly to Tabearin and then looks around. Get in the water now? No warning to grab towels or change or … anything like that? Hmm. Well, if Ree has to, perhaps that would be fine.
Matteo looks up sharply. It's that one girl, the blondish one. Yeah her. What was her name again? Did she ever say? Miiriel, right? "Uh… hey." He greets rather blankly. He really should learn everyone's name at some point. The brown and his rider call his attention however. Dragon bathing? Yessir. Proper sailor-boy. Yessir, nossir, do what you're told. He sets down the notebook in the dryest sand, wrapped in his shirt and vest he's now removed. He hauls off his boots and lays them beside then, on his way down the beach, rolls up the pant legs.
T'ea nods slightly and waves the kiddies into the water, "Come on, Hotohorith likes being pretty." the rider notes, grinning gleefully at the candidates, even as the tawny, feline colored dragon treads into the water,
Miiriel looks blankly up then as she sees the water ride a little higher onto her rock and with dark stormy eyes- sees the bulk of Hotohorith coming towards her little perch. "Um, washing?" She comments idly before taking the final hint and *standing on her rock, so as to get a good look at the large dragon. "How long would that that us to wash..?" She gulps a bit before coming closer and diving into the water, popping close by to Hoto - which makes her look *extremely* small at the moment. And she is feeling it. "So where do we start..?" And her head swings to take in all of the hide of the beast.
Tabearin pulls his shirt down a bit, no belly button licking today. "Okay, off into the water we go. I should have brought something a little more water wise." but then he was making his way through the forest so he had on heavy pants. He glances at the dragon and follows into the water "Might as well start from the bottom, unless someone's climbing up on him?"
Asiree follows the general candidate migration towards the water, pausing at a spot above the high water mark to take off her shoes. The dragon is eyed, and a brief glance is given to the other candidates. Poor Ree is rather new at this whole dragon washing thing.
Matteo wades on into the water after the dragon and awaits till the beats settles himself somewhat. With teh smallest of bows to Hoto, he scoops up a handful of wet sand from the ocean floor. Best ever makeshift scrub brushes, sand is. The water is up to his collar bone. "Would you mind, great one" He asks the dragon. "If I climb up on you?"
T'ea grins slightly as he watches the candies, plopping himself, in his swim trunks, down on a towel on the beach near the water. Hotohorith just rumbles softly, then turns to grunt at Matteo. »Feel free.« the brush of hot plains, dry grasses, and a predator briefly touch the minds on the candidates, but mostly focus on Matteo. "Beware the wings!" T'ea adds, again.
Tabearin glances at the wings, personally they look stronger then he does, but he's not one to argue. He moves towards the tail, though a curious look is given the dragon, that was interesting.
Hotohorith spreads his wings so that the candies can easier avoid them.
Asiree hangs back from the group, and the dragon, for a while yet. She'll just stand there, knee-deep inw ater and watch. Oh, she will probably join in eventually, but only after she sees what is going on and figures out what to do and how to do it.
Matteo nods, having been bespoke by a dragon once before. He clambers up with skill of a rigger-man, upon the dragon's shoulder, perching upon his neck and scrubbing gently at his warm brown neck, making sure to get in the ridges.
Miiriel raises a brow at the brown dragon, having seen what he showed and wonders if she should wince at this idea of washing him? Stormy eyes also follow Matteo's progression up to the brown's shoulders before getting some sand herself and finding a patch of hide to scrub, happening to be near the dragon's belly. "Whatever you do, don't move. You could probably drown us." She states calmly as her fingers and hands move in a circular motion before stopping. She looks over at T'ea then after eyeing Hoto's belly. "He isnt ticklish, is he?" Her brow props in curiousity and she backs away, wondering..
T'ea shakes his head, "Nope, not ticklish." he notes, grinning as he watches the candidates work, work, work away…
Matteo proceeds dilligently up the dragon's neck, now and again glancing down at the others to see their progression. He gives a small snort as Asiree just stands there. He turns himself around now to work down the dragon's shoulders and back, having to swing down a moment to aquire more sand, then climbing back up.
Except one of them isn't working. Oh, wait.. nope… there she goes. Asiree picks up a handful of sand, like the other candidates, and then pads towards the dragon. There's really nothing to be afraid of, right? She gently touches the sand to the dragon's hind leg, watches the others, and rubs at the dragon's skin carefully.
Tabearin eye's Hoto, good thing he's not ticklish, now where's that tail. Ahh hah. "How often does he get bathed anyways." he could swear the dragons always getting a bath or something of the sort. "The sands not going to hurt his hide is it?" he asks as he proceeds to scrub. Least it's better then laundry, womens work that is.
Hotohorith rumbles faintly, his head swivveled around to watch Matteo closely, scruitinising him slowly. Hmmm, rummmmmble. T'ea laughs, "No, Hotohorith. He already has been Searched, you can't Search him again." he notes to the dragon aas he watches the 'dates absently. Then T'ea shrugs, "He gets a bath at least once a sevenday. No, sand won't hurt him. He likes it.."
Matteo lifts a brow a moment at the obvious dialogue between the dragn and his rider. A half-grin passes across his face, but he continues his work, of course, though now it wasn't quite like work anymore, knowing the dragon appreciated it. He proceeds down now between the dragon's wings, being careful as he can. Just like sails really… They could easily tear or rip if you slipped and fell into one.
The bit of conversation about the dragon liking sand seems to give Asiree some confidence and she scrubs at the dragon's legs… gently still, but a bit harder than before. The candidate is getting used to this, perhaps, although it is definitely not her favorite chore at the moment.
T'ea grins slightly and then nods to himself, hopping up to slips up the brown's side and get out there to help clean the dragon. "Mm, he likes you guys, yer all good." he notes, grinning.
Matteo hums to himself as he goes about scrubbing. As he gets beyond teh wings he hops down again for more sand. He climbs up the side of teh dragon's haunch and goes back to scrubbing, now singing, quite obviously, a shanty of sorts.