What happens when a dragon gets involved in a snow fight?
Who: T'zen, Aida
Where: Southern Bowl
What: Introductions and a snowball fight, not necessarily in that order.
When: No timestamp! Still, in general order with the other logs.
Sometime in the night, the rain turned to snow, temperatures dropping enough that the lake's edge sparkles with thin ice, and the rest of the water looks chillingly uninviting. It's not much, but there's just enough during the morning hours to find the bowl floor covered in white, with hazardous ice beneath. Even at High Reaches, where the sight of snow will be so commonplace to be all but ignored soon enough, first decent snows still bring a certain amount of excitement to the young. And T'zen. The bluerider is out in the bowl, running along the slippery surface of the bowl and attempting to catch the right patch of ice to slide across. Uneth perches nearby, looking somewhat envious. Various gouges of ice and snow reveal his failed attempts at the same. A few weyrbrats are playing in the snow near the blue dragon.
She's not coming out to play in the snow. Of course she isn't. Aida is huddled in her jacket with her hands shoved in her pockets, picking her way out of the morning bustle and the noise of the caverns. Once she's made it far enough away from the tunnel that the chill doesn't bite as much as it did in the first shock of air, her hands come back out of her pockets and at least most of the shivering stops. Gloves are tugged out as she continues to make her way down to the bowl proper, tugged onto her fingers. A toss of her head and a heavy exhale of air, a few booted stomps, and she's all situated. Of course, she can't help but notice the presence of others, her attention caught first by Uneth and the children, lingering there. The grin that appears a moment later is entirely unconscious.
T'zen leaps after another run, and attempts to slide, but to no avail. A couple of kids zip past him, having found a sweet spot. He points at them, "I'll get it yet!" One of them giggles, before slipping on another patch and going down a tumble. But no harm done. One little girl, only about 5 turns old, a wisp of red hair peeking out of her bundling of clothes, shelters next to the blue dragon, watching the others with wide eyes. Uneth turns his head to see who recently emerged from the caverns, and gazes at Aida curiously, though silently.
There's a nod for Uneth when the dragon looks her way, Aida's attention promptly slides away. No staring on her part. Really. The young woman picks her way down closer, then starts to circle around, heading for a path that leads down in the direction of the lake shore. Curiosity does draw her eyes to the tallest of the playing forms, and instead of watching dragon she watches rider as she moves. For whatever reason, she does suppress her grin after a moment. Not amused at the playing with the little ones. Not. Really.
The bluerider comes around, and this time spies where the spot of hidden ice is that the kids have been finding. "Ha!" He takes a running leap at it, and off he goes! Sliding across the ice and snow for a few feet before he catches rougher terrain, and down /he/ goes. This is heralded by laughter from the nearby werybrats. Uneth watches his rider do this last stunt, and warbles an amused note, before resettling himself in a more comfortable position, taking great pains to look out for the little ones around him as he does so. T'zen finally recovers, giving an exaggerated glare at the nearby kids, before noticing Aida. "Hallo," he says easily, as he raises himself back off the ground. "Enjoying the new cover of 'Reaches?"
Wince. Aida is already starting to turn in the direction of the fallen T'zen when he recovers, habit haven taken over. She draws up again when he rises, the almost-started jog dying off as she skids a step or so in the snow. "It's nice," she agrees, one hand coming up to brush through her hair, the motion coupled with a sheepish smile. "It'll probably be gone in another few hours, but it's pretty while it lasts. Been happening more the last few days." Beat. "You look like /you're/ certainly enjoying it all." There's another glance towards the kids, taking note to make sure all little faces are still up.
T'zen grins back at Aida as he brushes snow off him, though it's clear his clothes are now in need of a good wash. The kids make another slide attempt behind the bluerider. "Aye, won't last long. And, aye, enjoying it while I can. Between 'Fall assignments, finally getting a bit of sleep. He glances behind him as one of the kids squeals down the icy patch, managing to stay upright. T'zen wrinkles his nose. Hmph. Facing the young woman again, he considers her a moment, and then ventures. "Ain't seen you around yet. Name's T'zen.. and that's Uneth." He nods his head towards the blue dragon, who knowing he's being mentioned, offers a rumble. The little red-head who had started leaning against the blue hide startles at that, and giggles, running around the foreleg of the dragon to see what caused the dragon to make the noise, and stops short, peering wide-eyed at the two non-kids of the bunch. T'zen eyes Aida after introducing himself. "So, Caucus or transfer?"
It's with habit that the young woman keeps half an eye on the weyrbrats as a whole; monitoring the slides and the squeals and the giggling absently. The other half of Aida's attention remains on T'zen, promptly shifting to her *full* attention when he actually gives his name. There's a flicker of amusement in that smile of hers, and then she offers a hand out in his direction. "Aida," she introduces herself, nodding again towards Uneth. There's a flashed smile for the little girl, but she's soon enough refocusing. "No -- none of the above. Nothing quite so interesting or exciting. I just work in the infirmary."
The little red-head simply gapes as the older person smiles at her. And then, inexplicably, looks up at the massive head of Uneth, as though trying to glean what to make of it. And just as inexplicably, Uneth seems to sense the look, and returns the gaze at the little one. T'zen takes Aida's hand in a brief, firm, dirt-smudged grip, and nods curtly, though grinning still. "Well met, then, Aida." He raises his brows, stepping back a bit as though to appraise the young woman once more. "Wait. Not Caucus.. or transfer? Why haven't I seen ya before? Don't claim to know ever'body, but I generally recognize the regulars."
Giving the rider's hand a light shake, Aida shoves her gloved hands back into her pockets after, rocking back on her heels. Her smile settles into something easy, as relaxed and casual as her posture is. There's a laugh given at his reaction and response to her answer, and she's quickly shaking her head. "I'm only recently arrived," she points out. "That doesn't mean I have to be either a Caucus or an actual transfer of anything. I...well, I got the impression that 'transfer' is for people who actually are notable. I'm an aide, not even a proper healer or apprentice or anything. I'm sure you've heard the story before; cothold too small, Weyr oh my goodness so fascinating and exciting and wow, leave cothold come to Weyr." She shrugs one shoulder, smile giving way to another grin.
After some reassurance from the dragon, the little 5-turn old girl ventures out. Not towards the older people. No way. She doesn't even stay far from the blue, but does near the other children, as they've now taken to digging about the snow and making snowballs. T'zen's back is to this development as he listens to Aida explain herself. "Ah," he says, not fully understanding. "Just decided to come, eh?" He chuckles, tone unreadable. "Well, I suppose that ain't a transfer. 'Been meetin' a lot of new riders lately, seems. Funny we keep getting the grown ones.. but no young ones." And a significant glance is taken towards the distant hatching cavern, still empty. The rider does not dwell on that however, focusing on the person before him again as he folds his arms against a sudden chill. "So.. healer.. er.. aide, then. Hm. Well, welcome then." As though she'd passed some test.
When his gaze goes in the direction of the hatching cavern, Aida's eyes flick there briefly, then come back. If she's any thoughts on the matter though, they stay veiled behind the smile that is left once her grin fades again. She goes back to keeping half an eye on the children, especially now that there's snowballs potentially involved, but there's no warning spoken of the target his back may end up presenting to them. "Just decided to come," she agrees. "I'm more helpful here than I was where I came from; it's not much more elaborate than that. But thank you, for the welcome." There's another pause, a very brief hesitation, and then she's pointing out, "New riders can't be bad, grown or not. At least, I can't imagine that it would be bad for all of you. I've been led to understand that there's been many a new face around these parts, but I wouldn't know. Being new myself, and all."
T'zen scuffs at the snow, growing somewhat restless in the chill. He shrugs, "Aye, new faces. No, rider's ain't bad." He snorts, "So long as they're transfering in. Transfers get put to work. Caucus riders go to class." He wrinkles his nose at that. "Just basic duties for them. And now that winter's a-coming, mark my words, this Weyr'll be full of complaining 'guests'." *Paff!* And with that, a slushball right to the back of T'zen's head. Somebody's got good aim. The rider whips about, hollering, "Who did that?" And the weyrbrats bust up in laughter, pointing, tossing other snowballs that aren't nearly so well aimed, though with T'zen's movement, Aida is now exposed. Without waiting for another answer, T'zen drops to the ground, gather his own snowballs. "We'll see who laughs, last, ya little wherry!" It's spoken with a challenge to the anonymous thrower, but the kids' squeals are hardly ones of terror. Uneth continues to watch, silent again, eyes a content blue. His tail tip cracks against the icy short as it whips about idly.
"At least they're-" Aida cuts off at the launched snowball, and she can't help but laugh, bright and amused. That is, until she gets pegged in the shoulder. The dark haired young woman lets out a startled squeak and blinks twice, and then she's darting off to the side and crouching to pack her own snowballs. "I happen to be a champion shot," she calls in the direction of the children, voice playful. "You're so in for it now!" Of course, once she finally does start throwing, she just happens to throw too short, too long, or just off to the side of any of the kids.
It becomes quickly evident who really is the best shot of the group. And it's not T'zen. Or Aida. The oldest of the weyrbrats, slugs snowballs at the two older folk with disturbing accuracy. T'zen manages to land one on the boy's leg, but otherwise it's a potshot to hit any of the three kids they face. The fourth, the little red head, merely watches, frozen as it were in place somewhere between the fight and the protective custody of the blue dragon. T'zen laughs a triumphant note at his one mostly-hit, and keeps at his own work scrounging the thin snow into something tossable. He glances at Aida briefly, grinning widely as he notes she's actually on his side in this fight. It doesn't matter so much where the snowballs land, as long as there's a quantity being hurled. "You missed! Ha!" he yells back at the kids after dodging yet another volley, and then returns his own.
Gather snow up, bounce away from getting hit again, throw. This is Aida's mode of operation, and she keeps it up. Still, though -- easy to hit or not, she's not landing a single shot. Even those that look like they could hit are tossed slowly enough and timed so that they're easily enough dodged. She squeals quite enthusiastically every time she's nailed, sputtering or squawking in mock-protest, but it's all entirely playful. "No fair!" She eventually hollers. "I can't hit a single one of you! You're too /fast/!" Oh, poor, poor her. "That's it. Truce!" That's directed to the oldest weyrbrat, coupled with a wink as she packs together one more snowball. This one is thrown with the actual intent of pegging T'zen in the shoulder.
T'zen's got his system down as well, mostly taunting the kids, laughing if he hit somebody, or furiously building another snowball if he doesn't. He does pause a moment when he hears Aida call a truce. "Say, what?" he starts, turning towards the young woman. This gives him an excellent view of a snowball flying right under his nose, missing, but somehow felt anyway. His eyes go wide. Betrayed! And then *paff!* goes another snowball to his side as the kids, laughing hysterically at the turn of the tide, if it could be called that, continue to throw snowballs at the rider. "Okay, that's it. Une!" The kids stop short, expectantly. They at least know to watch out when T'zen calls for backup. And Uneth does not disappoint, as he raises a foreleg, and casually bats at one of the muddy snow piles he had created earlier in his own attempts at sliding. The sight of the exploding pile of snow and mud heading their way has the kids reacting with much more believeable sounds of terror, however brief. Of course, as tends to happen. Everyone is hit, including T'zen. And the little red-head is caught inbetween, outer layer soaked, in wide-eyed shock.
Pausing only long enough to offer an innocent smile in the direction of the rider, Aida gives a flutter of her lashes and then jumps to gather up another snowball. Her grin is brilliant when it's flashed towards the kids and their hysterical laughter -- score. That may very well have been exactly what she was going for. She's just straightening up and pulling her arm back to throw the next snowball at T'zen when she registers the call for backup, and the inevitable result. There is just enough time for her to turn her head and look that way when there is exploding snow and she finds herself covered. Blink. Blink. Blink. She looks down at herself, then back up towards the dragon. Then? There is laughter, and she lobs the snowball at the blue instead of his rider. "That is /so/ beyond not fair!" she declares, tone threaded with amusement.
The blue dragon would be an easier target, one would think, as the snowball lands only partway to the dragon. Well, he was a bit further away. Still, the lobbed snowball is noted by the dragon, and he warbles another amused note, and begins looking about for something else to whack. T'zen, meanwhile, shakes off snow and mud, laughing. "Aw, shells. Shoulda known to run or somethin'." The weyrbrats, completely overrun in snow and mud, retreat upon noting Uneth's search for more artillery, calling back playful threats to the bluerider once they are safely out of range. T'zen grins smugly back at them, despite not looking much better than they are, and then looks at Aida shrewdly. "Well, now. Throwin' snowballs at Uneth and I, are ya?" He hears a sniffle, and peers around again at the little red-head, lower lip now trembling. "Oh. Ah.. eh, Une? No more." Uneth pauses, foreleg poised over another pile. The dragon then peers at the little girl, and lowers his head to the ground, crooning at her. The rider flashes a sheepish grin back at Aida. "Got a bit more than she reckoned."
Laughing again when the dragon goes looking for another pile, Aida promptly dives to roll up another snowball, only freezing when she hears the little sniffle as well. There's a glance that way, then back to T'zen, and she drops her own ammunition when word for 'no more' is called. "Just a bit," the young woman comments agreeably, straightening up and brushing a chunk of loose hair from her face. "I think this is where I request a truce from the both of you, as well." Beat. "Truce?" This is followed by her brightest, most hopeful smile. She even holds her hands up in a gesture of surrender, scuffing a toe in the snow behind her. "I...suspect I /may/ lose." There is another glance sent over towards the wee one, and after only a brief hesitation she calls, "You alright, little one?"
T'zen watches the little one's lip tremble, not so sure what to do himself. Except stand by, and regards Aida with a smirk. "Truce? Make it a surrender, and I accept. Else, look out later." The little red-head realizes she's now being addressed, and turns wide, shining eyes at Aida, before fleeing back towards Uneth and hiding behind his lowered head. It doesn't seem to matter much that the dragon was the source of the initial offense. T'zen rubs his neck, looking a bit more relieved as his own dragon takes care of the child. "Ah. That one. Taken a real shine to Uneth this past turn. Dunno why." He shrugs, "But Uneth tends to attract the youngin's." An auntie, having seen the commotion from across the bowl, and noting the other weyrbrats departing, makes her way over to retrieve the remaining one by Uneth.
Starting to turn and move in the direction of the little girl, Aida catches sight of said auntie. Relief washes over her face that she doesn't actually have to approach the child, and she's soon enough turning back to grin at T'zen. "I don't surrender," she points out. "I just don't have it in me. I may be entirely incapable." She eyes her gloves for a moment, then just wrinkles her nose and looks up again. Cold fingers. "Children are generally well aware of who will tolerate them and who won't," she says. "They are likely attracted because he's fond of them in some form or another." Beat. "That would be my guess, at least."
The bluerider is equally glad to see the auntie once she comes into his view, and simply beams back as she glares reproachfully at him for the state of the little one. Soon the pair are walking away, Uneth giving them a farewell croon. T'zen grins mischievously at Aida. "No surrender, eh?" He looks over the young woman and laughs. "Not so clean as when you started," states the bluerider, who undoubtably is worse off himself. "I do hope you weren't headed anywhere important," he adds, rather insincerely, grin still in place. And he simply nods at the children comment. "Some days, I'll have a dozen of the little brats climbing all over Uneth. Me? Eh, can do without."
"I suspect I'm going to have to take a second bath today," Aida agrees, glancing back down and inspecting her clothing. She wrinkles up her nose again and crouches enough to brush at both of her thighs, trying to get rid of the last bits of snow and mud. When she straightens, there is a bit more stomping, and then she's refocusing back on him and grinning once more. "Thankfully, no, nowhere important. Just came out to get out of the noise for a little." Beat. "And no. No surrender." She does give an understanding nod at the notation of the little brats, but doesn't comment on it.
The bluerider starts making his way towards the caverns, shaking some water off his arms and hands. "Well then, Aida. Next time we meet, beware." He snickers, and then says, "And I'm gonna find some nice hot klah, and hope the sun comes out later." Uneth rumbles in agreement. T'zen throws a hand in a wave over his shoulder as he walks.
First sending a look down towards the lake before she looks back to the caverns, Aida abandons her initial trek in that direction. She's a wee bit muddy -- and soaked -- to continue hanging out in the chill weather. There's a wave sent after the bluerider whether he sees it or not and she calls, "I will keep an eye out, believe me." Plenty of time is given for him to head on away before she shifts on her feet to follow after. Warmth. Warmth good.
Where: Southern Bowl
What: Introductions and a snowball fight, not necessarily in that order.
When: No timestamp! Still, in general order with the other logs.
Sometime in the night, the rain turned to snow, temperatures dropping enough that the lake's edge sparkles with thin ice, and the rest of the water looks chillingly uninviting. It's not much, but there's just enough during the morning hours to find the bowl floor covered in white, with hazardous ice beneath. Even at High Reaches, where the sight of snow will be so commonplace to be all but ignored soon enough, first decent snows still bring a certain amount of excitement to the young. And T'zen. The bluerider is out in the bowl, running along the slippery surface of the bowl and attempting to catch the right patch of ice to slide across. Uneth perches nearby, looking somewhat envious. Various gouges of ice and snow reveal his failed attempts at the same. A few weyrbrats are playing in the snow near the blue dragon.
She's not coming out to play in the snow. Of course she isn't. Aida is huddled in her jacket with her hands shoved in her pockets, picking her way out of the morning bustle and the noise of the caverns. Once she's made it far enough away from the tunnel that the chill doesn't bite as much as it did in the first shock of air, her hands come back out of her pockets and at least most of the shivering stops. Gloves are tugged out as she continues to make her way down to the bowl proper, tugged onto her fingers. A toss of her head and a heavy exhale of air, a few booted stomps, and she's all situated. Of course, she can't help but notice the presence of others, her attention caught first by Uneth and the children, lingering there. The grin that appears a moment later is entirely unconscious.
T'zen leaps after another run, and attempts to slide, but to no avail. A couple of kids zip past him, having found a sweet spot. He points at them, "I'll get it yet!" One of them giggles, before slipping on another patch and going down a tumble. But no harm done. One little girl, only about 5 turns old, a wisp of red hair peeking out of her bundling of clothes, shelters next to the blue dragon, watching the others with wide eyes. Uneth turns his head to see who recently emerged from the caverns, and gazes at Aida curiously, though silently.
There's a nod for Uneth when the dragon looks her way, Aida's attention promptly slides away. No staring on her part. Really. The young woman picks her way down closer, then starts to circle around, heading for a path that leads down in the direction of the lake shore. Curiosity does draw her eyes to the tallest of the playing forms, and instead of watching dragon she watches rider as she moves. For whatever reason, she does suppress her grin after a moment. Not amused at the playing with the little ones. Not. Really.
The bluerider comes around, and this time spies where the spot of hidden ice is that the kids have been finding. "Ha!" He takes a running leap at it, and off he goes! Sliding across the ice and snow for a few feet before he catches rougher terrain, and down /he/ goes. This is heralded by laughter from the nearby werybrats. Uneth watches his rider do this last stunt, and warbles an amused note, before resettling himself in a more comfortable position, taking great pains to look out for the little ones around him as he does so. T'zen finally recovers, giving an exaggerated glare at the nearby kids, before noticing Aida. "Hallo," he says easily, as he raises himself back off the ground. "Enjoying the new cover of 'Reaches?"
Wince. Aida is already starting to turn in the direction of the fallen T'zen when he recovers, habit haven taken over. She draws up again when he rises, the almost-started jog dying off as she skids a step or so in the snow. "It's nice," she agrees, one hand coming up to brush through her hair, the motion coupled with a sheepish smile. "It'll probably be gone in another few hours, but it's pretty while it lasts. Been happening more the last few days." Beat. "You look like /you're/ certainly enjoying it all." There's another glance towards the kids, taking note to make sure all little faces are still up.
T'zen grins back at Aida as he brushes snow off him, though it's clear his clothes are now in need of a good wash. The kids make another slide attempt behind the bluerider. "Aye, won't last long. And, aye, enjoying it while I can. Between 'Fall assignments, finally getting a bit of sleep. He glances behind him as one of the kids squeals down the icy patch, managing to stay upright. T'zen wrinkles his nose. Hmph. Facing the young woman again, he considers her a moment, and then ventures. "Ain't seen you around yet. Name's T'zen.. and that's Uneth." He nods his head towards the blue dragon, who knowing he's being mentioned, offers a rumble. The little red-head who had started leaning against the blue hide startles at that, and giggles, running around the foreleg of the dragon to see what caused the dragon to make the noise, and stops short, peering wide-eyed at the two non-kids of the bunch. T'zen eyes Aida after introducing himself. "So, Caucus or transfer?"
It's with habit that the young woman keeps half an eye on the weyrbrats as a whole; monitoring the slides and the squeals and the giggling absently. The other half of Aida's attention remains on T'zen, promptly shifting to her *full* attention when he actually gives his name. There's a flicker of amusement in that smile of hers, and then she offers a hand out in his direction. "Aida," she introduces herself, nodding again towards Uneth. There's a flashed smile for the little girl, but she's soon enough refocusing. "No -- none of the above. Nothing quite so interesting or exciting. I just work in the infirmary."
The little red-head simply gapes as the older person smiles at her. And then, inexplicably, looks up at the massive head of Uneth, as though trying to glean what to make of it. And just as inexplicably, Uneth seems to sense the look, and returns the gaze at the little one. T'zen takes Aida's hand in a brief, firm, dirt-smudged grip, and nods curtly, though grinning still. "Well met, then, Aida." He raises his brows, stepping back a bit as though to appraise the young woman once more. "Wait. Not Caucus.. or transfer? Why haven't I seen ya before? Don't claim to know ever'body, but I generally recognize the regulars."
Giving the rider's hand a light shake, Aida shoves her gloved hands back into her pockets after, rocking back on her heels. Her smile settles into something easy, as relaxed and casual as her posture is. There's a laugh given at his reaction and response to her answer, and she's quickly shaking her head. "I'm only recently arrived," she points out. "That doesn't mean I have to be either a Caucus or an actual transfer of anything. I...well, I got the impression that 'transfer' is for people who actually are notable. I'm an aide, not even a proper healer or apprentice or anything. I'm sure you've heard the story before; cothold too small, Weyr oh my goodness so fascinating and exciting and wow, leave cothold come to Weyr." She shrugs one shoulder, smile giving way to another grin.
After some reassurance from the dragon, the little 5-turn old girl ventures out. Not towards the older people. No way. She doesn't even stay far from the blue, but does near the other children, as they've now taken to digging about the snow and making snowballs. T'zen's back is to this development as he listens to Aida explain herself. "Ah," he says, not fully understanding. "Just decided to come, eh?" He chuckles, tone unreadable. "Well, I suppose that ain't a transfer. 'Been meetin' a lot of new riders lately, seems. Funny we keep getting the grown ones.. but no young ones." And a significant glance is taken towards the distant hatching cavern, still empty. The rider does not dwell on that however, focusing on the person before him again as he folds his arms against a sudden chill. "So.. healer.. er.. aide, then. Hm. Well, welcome then." As though she'd passed some test.
When his gaze goes in the direction of the hatching cavern, Aida's eyes flick there briefly, then come back. If she's any thoughts on the matter though, they stay veiled behind the smile that is left once her grin fades again. She goes back to keeping half an eye on the children, especially now that there's snowballs potentially involved, but there's no warning spoken of the target his back may end up presenting to them. "Just decided to come," she agrees. "I'm more helpful here than I was where I came from; it's not much more elaborate than that. But thank you, for the welcome." There's another pause, a very brief hesitation, and then she's pointing out, "New riders can't be bad, grown or not. At least, I can't imagine that it would be bad for all of you. I've been led to understand that there's been many a new face around these parts, but I wouldn't know. Being new myself, and all."
T'zen scuffs at the snow, growing somewhat restless in the chill. He shrugs, "Aye, new faces. No, rider's ain't bad." He snorts, "So long as they're transfering in. Transfers get put to work. Caucus riders go to class." He wrinkles his nose at that. "Just basic duties for them. And now that winter's a-coming, mark my words, this Weyr'll be full of complaining 'guests'." *Paff!* And with that, a slushball right to the back of T'zen's head. Somebody's got good aim. The rider whips about, hollering, "Who did that?" And the weyrbrats bust up in laughter, pointing, tossing other snowballs that aren't nearly so well aimed, though with T'zen's movement, Aida is now exposed. Without waiting for another answer, T'zen drops to the ground, gather his own snowballs. "We'll see who laughs, last, ya little wherry!" It's spoken with a challenge to the anonymous thrower, but the kids' squeals are hardly ones of terror. Uneth continues to watch, silent again, eyes a content blue. His tail tip cracks against the icy short as it whips about idly.
"At least they're-" Aida cuts off at the launched snowball, and she can't help but laugh, bright and amused. That is, until she gets pegged in the shoulder. The dark haired young woman lets out a startled squeak and blinks twice, and then she's darting off to the side and crouching to pack her own snowballs. "I happen to be a champion shot," she calls in the direction of the children, voice playful. "You're so in for it now!" Of course, once she finally does start throwing, she just happens to throw too short, too long, or just off to the side of any of the kids.
It becomes quickly evident who really is the best shot of the group. And it's not T'zen. Or Aida. The oldest of the weyrbrats, slugs snowballs at the two older folk with disturbing accuracy. T'zen manages to land one on the boy's leg, but otherwise it's a potshot to hit any of the three kids they face. The fourth, the little red head, merely watches, frozen as it were in place somewhere between the fight and the protective custody of the blue dragon. T'zen laughs a triumphant note at his one mostly-hit, and keeps at his own work scrounging the thin snow into something tossable. He glances at Aida briefly, grinning widely as he notes she's actually on his side in this fight. It doesn't matter so much where the snowballs land, as long as there's a quantity being hurled. "You missed! Ha!" he yells back at the kids after dodging yet another volley, and then returns his own.
Gather snow up, bounce away from getting hit again, throw. This is Aida's mode of operation, and she keeps it up. Still, though -- easy to hit or not, she's not landing a single shot. Even those that look like they could hit are tossed slowly enough and timed so that they're easily enough dodged. She squeals quite enthusiastically every time she's nailed, sputtering or squawking in mock-protest, but it's all entirely playful. "No fair!" She eventually hollers. "I can't hit a single one of you! You're too /fast/!" Oh, poor, poor her. "That's it. Truce!" That's directed to the oldest weyrbrat, coupled with a wink as she packs together one more snowball. This one is thrown with the actual intent of pegging T'zen in the shoulder.
T'zen's got his system down as well, mostly taunting the kids, laughing if he hit somebody, or furiously building another snowball if he doesn't. He does pause a moment when he hears Aida call a truce. "Say, what?" he starts, turning towards the young woman. This gives him an excellent view of a snowball flying right under his nose, missing, but somehow felt anyway. His eyes go wide. Betrayed! And then *paff!* goes another snowball to his side as the kids, laughing hysterically at the turn of the tide, if it could be called that, continue to throw snowballs at the rider. "Okay, that's it. Une!" The kids stop short, expectantly. They at least know to watch out when T'zen calls for backup. And Uneth does not disappoint, as he raises a foreleg, and casually bats at one of the muddy snow piles he had created earlier in his own attempts at sliding. The sight of the exploding pile of snow and mud heading their way has the kids reacting with much more believeable sounds of terror, however brief. Of course, as tends to happen. Everyone is hit, including T'zen. And the little red-head is caught inbetween, outer layer soaked, in wide-eyed shock.
Pausing only long enough to offer an innocent smile in the direction of the rider, Aida gives a flutter of her lashes and then jumps to gather up another snowball. Her grin is brilliant when it's flashed towards the kids and their hysterical laughter -- score. That may very well have been exactly what she was going for. She's just straightening up and pulling her arm back to throw the next snowball at T'zen when she registers the call for backup, and the inevitable result. There is just enough time for her to turn her head and look that way when there is exploding snow and she finds herself covered. Blink. Blink. Blink. She looks down at herself, then back up towards the dragon. Then? There is laughter, and she lobs the snowball at the blue instead of his rider. "That is /so/ beyond not fair!" she declares, tone threaded with amusement.
The blue dragon would be an easier target, one would think, as the snowball lands only partway to the dragon. Well, he was a bit further away. Still, the lobbed snowball is noted by the dragon, and he warbles another amused note, and begins looking about for something else to whack. T'zen, meanwhile, shakes off snow and mud, laughing. "Aw, shells. Shoulda known to run or somethin'." The weyrbrats, completely overrun in snow and mud, retreat upon noting Uneth's search for more artillery, calling back playful threats to the bluerider once they are safely out of range. T'zen grins smugly back at them, despite not looking much better than they are, and then looks at Aida shrewdly. "Well, now. Throwin' snowballs at Uneth and I, are ya?" He hears a sniffle, and peers around again at the little red-head, lower lip now trembling. "Oh. Ah.. eh, Une? No more." Uneth pauses, foreleg poised over another pile. The dragon then peers at the little girl, and lowers his head to the ground, crooning at her. The rider flashes a sheepish grin back at Aida. "Got a bit more than she reckoned."
Laughing again when the dragon goes looking for another pile, Aida promptly dives to roll up another snowball, only freezing when she hears the little sniffle as well. There's a glance that way, then back to T'zen, and she drops her own ammunition when word for 'no more' is called. "Just a bit," the young woman comments agreeably, straightening up and brushing a chunk of loose hair from her face. "I think this is where I request a truce from the both of you, as well." Beat. "Truce?" This is followed by her brightest, most hopeful smile. She even holds her hands up in a gesture of surrender, scuffing a toe in the snow behind her. "I...suspect I /may/ lose." There is another glance sent over towards the wee one, and after only a brief hesitation she calls, "You alright, little one?"
T'zen watches the little one's lip tremble, not so sure what to do himself. Except stand by, and regards Aida with a smirk. "Truce? Make it a surrender, and I accept. Else, look out later." The little red-head realizes she's now being addressed, and turns wide, shining eyes at Aida, before fleeing back towards Uneth and hiding behind his lowered head. It doesn't seem to matter much that the dragon was the source of the initial offense. T'zen rubs his neck, looking a bit more relieved as his own dragon takes care of the child. "Ah. That one. Taken a real shine to Uneth this past turn. Dunno why." He shrugs, "But Uneth tends to attract the youngin's." An auntie, having seen the commotion from across the bowl, and noting the other weyrbrats departing, makes her way over to retrieve the remaining one by Uneth.
Starting to turn and move in the direction of the little girl, Aida catches sight of said auntie. Relief washes over her face that she doesn't actually have to approach the child, and she's soon enough turning back to grin at T'zen. "I don't surrender," she points out. "I just don't have it in me. I may be entirely incapable." She eyes her gloves for a moment, then just wrinkles her nose and looks up again. Cold fingers. "Children are generally well aware of who will tolerate them and who won't," she says. "They are likely attracted because he's fond of them in some form or another." Beat. "That would be my guess, at least."
The bluerider is equally glad to see the auntie once she comes into his view, and simply beams back as she glares reproachfully at him for the state of the little one. Soon the pair are walking away, Uneth giving them a farewell croon. T'zen grins mischievously at Aida. "No surrender, eh?" He looks over the young woman and laughs. "Not so clean as when you started," states the bluerider, who undoubtably is worse off himself. "I do hope you weren't headed anywhere important," he adds, rather insincerely, grin still in place. And he simply nods at the children comment. "Some days, I'll have a dozen of the little brats climbing all over Uneth. Me? Eh, can do without."
"I suspect I'm going to have to take a second bath today," Aida agrees, glancing back down and inspecting her clothing. She wrinkles up her nose again and crouches enough to brush at both of her thighs, trying to get rid of the last bits of snow and mud. When she straightens, there is a bit more stomping, and then she's refocusing back on him and grinning once more. "Thankfully, no, nowhere important. Just came out to get out of the noise for a little." Beat. "And no. No surrender." She does give an understanding nod at the notation of the little brats, but doesn't comment on it.
The bluerider starts making his way towards the caverns, shaking some water off his arms and hands. "Well then, Aida. Next time we meet, beware." He snickers, and then says, "And I'm gonna find some nice hot klah, and hope the sun comes out later." Uneth rumbles in agreement. T'zen throws a hand in a wave over his shoulder as he walks.
First sending a look down towards the lake before she looks back to the caverns, Aida abandons her initial trek in that direction. She's a wee bit muddy -- and soaked -- to continue hanging out in the chill weather. There's a wave sent after the bluerider whether he sees it or not and she calls, "I will keep an eye out, believe me." Plenty of time is given for him to head on away before she shifts on her feet to follow after. Warmth. Warmth good.