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.
Whatever it is, it's buried in that hole. There's a flurry of sand tossed as the black dog heels after the toy, abandoning any dignity. Ulixes whoops, grin wreathing his features as he leaps all legs and long-limbs into the air, "You did great! Great!" The joy is quick as the youth realizes how silly he must look, and the hatbrim comes down again, hand going up to rub at the sparse beard there. He will, however, stride over, unaware that Cassie had gotten up to join the celebration and now tags along behind him. Margo returns, panting with a drool-covered toy, to drop it at Raelin's feet.
Not about to actually dig at the hole herself just to sate curiousity, Raelin looks up at Ulixes and grins broadly. She feels all that much better now. It didn't go /exactly/ as he said it should, but it went nearly so. Good enough, right? She grins as Margo returns and crouches, reaching out to ruffle the canine's ears. "You did so well! Thank you." She picks up the toy and looks at Ulixes. "Can I throw it again for him? Or is it only a reward? He did do /really/ well." The last is said in a somewhat sly fashion, the girl grinning just a little.
"Oh yes. Or, you can have him do another one. There's three out here. I swear he can probably count. Just keep it and —" Ulixes nods toward the rest of the half-acre field of waving red flags in which he and Raelin stand, the black dog near Raelin, attention on his nasty toy that she holds. "Tell him to do it again. Say 'Find again'. Don't give the first command again." Then Ulixes notices the other little dog and he'll reach to rub Cassie's ears, as he turns to herd her off the course, to the side, to the shade.
Nicca doesn't look very happy as she makes her way up the beach, dragging a small bag along behind her. It's promptly forgotten, however, as she sees the canines. With a delighted whoop, she runs over to join Raelin, dropping the bag somewhere behind her. "Canines!" Yes, Nicca, those are canines. "Whose are they?" Overhead, a brown wings down to dive into the water, sending a splashed, laughing rider through the shallows onto the sand.
"Okay. Two more, then?" Raelin makes a little face at the slimy, icky toy, but she deals with it nonetheless. She's had worse, she reminds herself. Plus, this is actually rather fun. The girl announces, to Margo: "Find again!" And whether the canine goes off properly, she jumps slightly as Nicca comes up behind her, looking to the girl. She blinks, before gesturing — with a hand holding a slimy, drooled-on dog toy — towards Ulixes. "They're his. He's training them." A brief glance towards the water, but then she's looking towards the black dog again, head tilted. "He's gotta find things at the blue flags," she says quietly to Nicca. "It's… training, I think."
The black dog willingly launches back into his search — until the dragon appears. And then, with a look that could only be described as horrified, the black dog turns tail and bolts for the underbrush. Both Ulixes and Cassie appear to have expected that, the expression on the former's featurs looking rather resigned as he shoots a pure-neutral look over to the rider. "Cassie stay." And Ulixes will look at Raelin, briefly raising his voice, "He's afraid of dragons. I'll go see if I can find him. Don't let anyone mess with the blue flags or what's in them, please." The final word is quieter, but the pause, the hesitation might imply it. Then the thin long fellow turns to slide into the tangly embrance of the thick underbrush.
Nicca looks surprised as the canine bolts, peering curiously at all of the flags. "Training. Neat-o." Allyson grimaces a little as she approaches the group. "Terribly sorry about that, " she says apologetically. "Ontarith didn't mean to frighten him. He says he's really sorry." Moments later, the brown's head pokes out of the water again, eyes whirling as he peers toward shore.
Wide eyes blink a few times in surprise. She lifts a hand — /not/ the one holding the toy — to scratch at her cheek, considering for a time. A look to Nicca and she shrugs a bit, helplessly. Then she waves after Ulixes. "I'll do my best!" As the brownrider approaches, the teen grins at her. "I think it's okay, just, uh… don't disturb any of the flags, yeah? He's… training them, to find stuff." She begins picking her way out of the mass of red and blue flags, to stand somewhere on the fringes.
Emmot grumbles as he contends the point with Lystra as they both walk onto the beach. "The samples I took were from here. I record them very carefully." Lystra states softly but the sight of the canines frightens Emmot. He doesn't want to appear that way however since he is a burly man of 29, older than Lystra. "Yes! Yes, I see that, Lystra. Just finish your experiment." His lips purse some as he eyes the canines that he can see. "I need to go watch the pot I'm brewing. The tincture has to be done rather precisely or the healers…" He doesn't wait for her response, leaving rather abruptly and Lystra doesn't wait for him at all. Her legs take her down the beach towards Ulixes, eyes giving a glance at Nicca and Raelin, "Hello?!" And all is forgotten about the tift with Emmot.
"Got it, " Ally replies immediately, shoving her hands into her pockets. "Train them to find the /right/ stuff and they'd make a great search team. Could go where our dragons can't." Nicca wanders a bit closer to one of the flags, staring at it with some interest. "So they learn to go after the flags?" She's a mite confused. Lystra gets a brief glance and then a, "Hi!"
And Ulixes has just disappeared into the brush. The merle though, will rise to greet Lystra. Fortunately, this time, the search for the black dog doesn't take long, and the lean man will return, his attention split between the cowering dog slinking along at his heel, and the crowd that suddenly converged on his carefully-set up search training area. The apprentice stands within the shade, then, of one of the larger palms, before he spies Lystra's direct approach, and dips his hatbrim down, partially hiding his features, "Now then, miss." A glance over toward Raelin, as well. Ulixes tries to send the dog that-a-way. But Margo shivers, hunkering down behind the man and staring at the dragon.
Nodding to Allyson, Raelin grins a bit. The rider got it faster than she herself did at first. Nicca gets a shake of the head, though. "Nuh… The flags are for us, I think… Uhm… he said that the… right ones are the three blue ones and the red ones aren't… I saw him digging holes. So… I guess he was trying to throw them off of just following his scent and actually finding whatever he places in the holes at the blue ones?" She shrugs a little, biting at her lip. A glance up as Ulixes speaks again and she beams at him. "I forgot- my name's Raelin! What's yours?" She points at the dogs, this seemingly for Nicca's sake. "That one's Cassie and the other one, the one hiding, is Margo."
Lystra smiles down at the merle, "And hello to you too. Not sure if you remember me?" talking to the canine. "Not sure you're trainer will remember me either." When Ulixes returns with the Margo, she smiles at him as well. Her ears listen to the others, "How are you all?" She scans the area slowly with her eyes but falls silent to let the training continue. "Lystra." is said softly.
Faced with a whole assortment of females, Ulixes nearly shuts down. He gets a good look at all their feet, and apparently the youngest is non-threatening enough that the tall youth can study her features, send her a wane smile, "Bones - miss." And a hurried glance at the dog huddled behind him, is followed by a glance to Raelin's mid-section as he evidently addresses her, and her question, "You did great. He did great. I'm sorry — I thought it was early enough that there wouldn't be dragons. We need to work on that." A swallow, Adam's apple bobbing, before Ulixes addresses the brownrider with a nod, not meeting her gaze, then Lystra, "Lystra." He remembers her name, at least.
Ontarith huddles down in the water a little, trying to make himself look a little smaller. "He's truly sorry for frightening the canine — er, Margo, " the brownrider reiterates, directing her apologies to Ulixes. "Hiya Margo, " Nicca beams, adding for Lystra's benefit, "I'm Nicca." Allyson glances around at the flags before directing her attention back to the waves. "Allyson, " she adds as Raelin begins the introductions. "Well met." The woman gets a funny look on her face for a moment. "Ontarith, " she says slowly, "thinks that training the canines is a great idea. The beach is worth searching." She casts a look back at her lifemate, who emits a quiet rumble. "Er — wait a moment. Someone on the beach is worth searching? Ontarith, you're making no sense —- /oh/." Frowning a little, she directs her attention to the group at large. "Could I ask all of you — excluding Nicca, that is — to step closer to the water for a moment?"
Search? Ulixes will give full pale eyes, daring a brief and fabulous hope, to first Allyson, then the brown dragon in the water. He'll turn, slowly, and touch the shivering black dog on the shoulder, lightly, "Down, Margo. Stay. Cassie - stay." And with a look over to Lysta's hips, Raelin's knees, he'll nod to let the two women head over there, before he'll follow. Another swallow, and Ulixes' hopeful regard lingers on the brown in the water.
"Bones. What an odd name." Raelin has no concept sometimes of what may or may not be the best statements to make. This is one of those times. She looks at Margo and grins a little. "Well… what better place to work on that than a Weyr?" She scratches her cheek again. Bug bite. Ick. It'll bleed if she keeps that up. But then she looks to Allyson and past the rider to Ontarith. A few blinks. Well, the girl was already making her way towards the edges of the flags. Still holding Margo's toy — the dog slobber sticking thoroughly to her hand by now — she steps her way over to the water. She lets the cool liquid lap at her bare feet, for her boots are currently knotted at the laces and slung over her shoulder.
Lystra raises a brow at Ulixes first, "Sure we can move closer to the water." Although she waits for the merle to stay and not follow her, walking slowly towards Ulixes, "Are you alright?" a hushed whisper to him. A little look at the dragon in the water, nothing she hasn't seen before, then the look returns to the others. "It's Ulixes right? And Bones is like another name to call you since you train the canines for find bones and people?" asking him to ensure she said it properly. A pause as a thought comes to mind, "Search?" to Allyson, "Oh you mean for the clutch?" trying not to seem rather dense but failing so.
"Yes." Quietly, the one word spoken can serve answer to all those questions. "Except they call me 'Bones' because I'm skinny. My brother's nickname is 'Brawn'." A few more words than usual, though they're again addressed at Lystra's midsection, as the lean man's eyes stay hidden behind the rim of his cap. He'll send a glance over toward Raelin, delayed one-word answer to her remark, "Nickname." And a look back toward the canines, who — both panting with the undertone of sudden excitement and accompanying anxiety that washes through the scene from humans to canines. Ulixes, not wanting to get his boots wet, stops short of the water's edge.
Ally follows the group into the shallows as Nicca pouts behind her, waving Ontarith over. The brown approaches slowly, careful to move with the flow of the waves as best he can. He doesn't want to frighten the canines again, after all. Dipping his muzzle toward the three, he whuffles from one to the next, eyes picking up speed as he pauses in front of Raelin. "Raelin?" Allyson repeats aloud, surprised. "Well, then." Pulling a white knot from her pocket, she turns toward the girl, eyebrow raised. "Would you do Ontarith the honor of standing for Mellonath's clutch?" she asks then. Rather formally, to be sure.
"Nickname! Oh! I've got lotsa those…" Not all nice ones, though. Raelin is briefly distracted by the water washing over her feet. She giggles and wiggles her toes more. This causes the sand that might've been washed off to only become more hopelessly stuck to her feet. She blinks at Ontarith, however, as he pauses before her. Confused a moment, her eyes then go to Allyson. A look to the white knot. It's her turn to be dense. The girl has seen many clutches over the years she's been at Xanadu, so it's become old hat for her. But to be actually asked? Suddenly it clicks into place and a deep blush comes across her features. "Oh! Oh! Yes, yes I would!" Won't her cousin be /so/ happy? Poor, poor Ethne.
"Splendid!" Allyson grins, handing over the shoulderknot. Ontarith croons, delighted. "There, now. Ontarith's awfully glad you've accepted. Shall we get you settled in? Won't take but a few moments, since you already live here." Stepping back onto the shore, she gives Ulixes and Lystra a grateful smile. "Thanks for indulging him. He wasn't very clear about which of you it was." Nicca, meanwhile, has picked up her bag and is trudging back toward the clearing — resuming her crawler-hunting duty, no doubt.
Lystra watches the exchange between the rider and Raelin, then a brief clap is given, "Wonderful. Congratulations, Raelin!" She giggles softly, but she steps back to the flags and the other canines now, "Have some fun both of you, settling in and all." Her nose gently wrinkles with the wide smile she gives to Raelin and Allyson. A bob of her head is given to the dragon, "Thanks as well!"
Upon the beach are arranged a half-acre of little red flags, with three blue ones mixed in. Two canines, lay in nearby shade, nervous panting as their regard rests on the five people — Ally, Nicca, Lystra, Raelin, and Ulixes — who are near the brown dragon, almost in the surf. Something momentous has happened, and now movement begins anew.
Dire disappointment directly hidden beneath the rim of his hat, and Bones' will immediately turn back toward the sand and canines and flags waving merrily there in the water-front breeze. "Not a problem, dragonrider," Allyson is answered, sotto voice. And to Raelin, toward whom Bones turns, another near-silent word: "Congratulations." The young man's trajectory eases near Raelin - without actually entering the water — fingers reaching for the sticky dog-toy. "Congratulations. I'll take that." Businesslike again, Bones' careful-neutral public voice lacks particular animation. "Good luck." A look is cast sidelong at Lystra as well - the lower 2/3 of her, anyway.
"Oh, right!" Raelin gives Ulixes the toy before she takes the shoulderknot. So white. So pristine. It won't be that way in… maybe a day. Two, tops. She's quick to replace her basic resident's knot with it, before looking up at Allyson with a grin. Excitement is settling in. Her! A candidate! Won't mom be proud? "Could Ontarith pass onto my mom, that I was Searched? Green Sarith." She provides her mom's dragon's name as an afterthought, before wiggling just a little. She beams over at Lystra and Bones, remembering their congratulations. "Thank you!"
T'lek steps on to the beach in time to see the young lady change her knot. "Oh, right. That time again, ain't it." He nods a greeting to Bones, and then smiles at Raelin. "Congrats, little'un." He pats his head. "Feelin' better t'day, as y' can tell."
"Sarith, " Allyson repeats, nodding at the girl. "Certainly." Her eyes briefly slide out of focus and then clear again. "Duly conveyed, candidate." She grins again, gesturing toward the clearing. "Shall we? Pleasure meeting you both, Lystra, and er - Bones." And then she's heading for the Weyr proper.
Xanadu Weyr - Candidate Barracks
A long, low ceiling room opens off the entrance hall to the arena, one wall slightly curved as it is set against the outer wall of the arena itself. Cots are set evenly the length of the room, in two rows, each with its own small press at the foot, for personal belongings. Wide windows are spaced along the outside wall, letting sunlight in, while other lights are available for the night time hours.
"Your new barracks, " Allyson announces cheerfully as she enters, waving Raelin on in. "Girls to one side, boys to the other. Grab an unclaimed cot, move your belongings into the press at its foot." She pauses. "There are, ah, rules and such, of course. Limitations on alcohol, sex is frowned upon - the usual. Any questions?"
Harleanne is arranging objects in the press at the foot of the cot she's chosen when Allyson enters with a new candidate. She looks up and quirks an eyebrow, but she doesn't say anything just yet, choosing to observe before acting.
Honey brown eyes are wide as Raelin enters the barracks. Sure, throughout the years — especially when younger — she would sneak into the barracks during Search times and take a peek around… but this is the first time she's actually been in here with proper permission. The girl looks to Allyson and blinks a few times. Ew. Sex. Yes, the girl is not /quite/ to where things like that appeal to her. And alcohol… well, she sneaks it sometimes, but she can be good. At least she can try to be good. She shakes her head. "Nuh-uh. No questions."
"Fabulous. Best of luck to you, Raelin." And with an off-hand salute, Allyson's slipping out as quickly as she entered.