[LOG] - Aglaia: Wrap It Up!
Title: Wrap It Up!
Summary: In which porcines are wrapped for the eating!
Characters: Aglaia, Briari, Daranyl, Irkevalath, Keldan, Malaakh, M'gaal, Sundari, Zaqalekhth
Location: Lagoon, Half Moon Bay Weyr
Time: N/A
RL Date: 11/17/2014
They've been here for a little while to get things ready - M'gaal and Malaakh have seen to getting the two porcines for the barbecue, while Zaqalekhth has busied himself with the task of digging two deep pits. He looms nearby, wings mantled, while the pits are filled with wood. A pile of firestone rests nearby for reasons that perhaps need no explanation.
Aglaia's hand might still be bandaged, but that doesn't mean she can't help with that part of things. A few of the other Candidates have been wrangled to assist and a few others may yet be on their way. At the very least, the hard part - namely, cleaning the pigs out and trussing their limbs - has been dealt with. The -other- hard part is what the spare hands will be needed for!
Daranyl has totally forgotten about the barbecue thing tonight. He and Ez made plans, is all. He actually pauses when he sees the lagoon beach in such a state, but his eyes lock on Zaqalekhth. Big bronze is big. It's not that he hasn't seen plenty of dragons at this point, but part of him is still adjusting to just how huge they are. One hand comes up, scratching at the back of his head as he hesitates, clearly unsure whether or not to draw nearer. Upside: it looks like he's slept.
Zaqalekhth's coloring might not help much, either; he's a char-dark beast, save for the lurid, red-bronze that sears its way over his maw and down his throat. The beast might as well be a statue for as still as he is, but the approach of another Candidate is worthy of a rusted out rumble that reverberates deep in his terrible chest. M'gaal and Maalakh pay him no mind, of course; they're already helping one group of Candidates wrap the first porcine in leaves after stuffing all manner of herbs into the belly of the beast. Aglaia fidgets a little with her hand, then turns her attention to Daranyl with a lopsided grin and wiggling fingers. "Hey! Did you want to help out? We have a whole other porcine here." And Korovian to help, not that it will account for much. She pauses, then adds in a lower tone, "You're looking better. I'm glad to see that."
Yeah, that's probably not helping. Daranyl scratches at his scalp, looking a bit lost as he looks over the industry again. He opens his mouth, then closes it, choosing his trademark shrug over actual communication. "Sleep's always good fer wha' ails ya. I'm jus'... well... he's awfully big, innee?" And the stating the obvious award goes to....
"See? I told you that you needed to sleep." Aglaia urges Daranyl to come closer, despite the looming bronze statue of a dragon that seems to be watching everyone with some measure of rattling irritation. "Oh. Him?" It's as if she's just now realizing what poor Daranyl's talking about. "He's not -that- big. You aren't... um. Intimidated by him, are you?" The other porcine is mostly wrapped in leaves by now, with a section of burlap being applied next. A few Candidate quail a bit and M'gaal's quick to talk them down and out of their squeamishness.
If by 'helping' they mean 'eating', well, Keldan is here to help. It's hard to miss all the activity going on, especially when he knew about it ahead of time. He stretches his arms above his head though, taking a rather deep breath of the /fresh/air. Nothing like where /he's/ been for a good few hours. "Man, how long does it even /take/ to get these things cooked up right?" There may be some skepticism going on! He wanders a bit closer though, giving a slight wave as he peers at the other two candidates. "Who's intimidated? You?" A bewildered look, brows lifting somewhat as the teen looks at Daranyl. "Oh just ignore him. All you gotta remember is that if he comes in for a sniff, don't go /up/ his nose. It's unpleasant."
Daranyl snorts softly, "Knew before ya tol' me. 'N' no'.. 'timidated, per se, jus'... aware of how big he is. 'M no' afrai' of dragons, jus'... cautious." He shoots that glare of his at Keldan, "I haven' been inhaled yet, shoul' be alrigh'. He's jus'... bigger'n I expected is all." He looks at Zakalekhth again, his lips creasing into a slight frown, "Makes me wonder how big th' hatchlings'll be..."
The first porcine is finally wrapped up with wire to keep the body intact - at least, that's the explanation that M'gaal gives. The thoroughly bundled carcass is set aside for now and the first group of Candidates are allowed to wash up, while the second porcine is due to be wrapped up. M'gaal and Malaakh briefly fall into conversation, leaving Aglaia to do the meet and greet portion of the whole, weird affair. "Hey, Keldan! Want to help get this thing wrapped up?" The gutted, herb-stuffed, and neatly trussed porcine is indicated with a tip of her head. "It'll take a few days, but- trust me, it's totally worth it." There's a glance between her fellow Candidates - and then one eyebrow wings skyward. "... is that even possible? Going up a dragon's nose, I mean." Daranyl's concerns, such as they are, elicit a thoughtful wrinkle of her nose. "They can't be -too- big, right? They still have to fit in the eggs and all."
Unhelpfully, Zaqalekhth rises with a stiffness evocative of some terrible machine and takes a step or two closer - to the porcines, that is. An irritated huff escapes him, with his head tilted toward the untended carcass - and with the Candidates caught in the curve of one eye.
"Oh, I've seen the inside of Celimoth's nostril. Once. It was a long time ago and I was kinda..smaller. But still. Unpleasant, I tell you. Snot. ...Lots." Keldan seems quite serious about the whole thing, even as he does meander off a few steps to take a look at the porcine. "Well sure, I could..wrap it. Not that I've done /that/ before and really..I've been scrubbing latrines all day. Not that I didn't wash, but...still." Maybe he should keep his distance from potential contamination. He rolls a shoulder slightly though, using it to brush at the side of his face before looking back. "I've seen greens small enough to be carried fresh out of the egg. So it varies, I guess. Can't imagine a bronze or a gold being /that/ small, of course."
Daranyl shrugs slightly, "Stories say that hatchings used ta have lotsa injuries 'n' such. Can' be tha' small, either, if'n they grow up tha' big," he nods towards Zaqalekhth, "Irk isn' even half so big, I thin'." He starts towards the corpse in need of wrapping, "We shoul' help, yeah? S'ppose we'll see how big they are at th' hatchin'. 'N' if'n we impress...."
"Oh, gross." Yup, that's horror. So much horror at a dragon's nostril. Then it's further compounded when Keldan shares his chore of the day - Aglaia's horror at latrine duty registers plainly. "Yeah, that might- um. Might be best. Hopefully you don't pull that one again when these are ready to be dug up." Because that would suck. Either which way things pan out, the girl sets about wrapping the leaves around the porcine, while Korovian the hapless Candidate helps in his ineffectual way. There's plenty of carcass to wrap, though, and the help will be a good thing! She pauses at Daranyl's words, though, and works her teeth at her lower lip. "Injuries still happen," she says in a soft voice. "That's why we have to pay attention. Doesn't matter if we Impress or not; people get hurt if they're not careful."
Keldan laughs lightly, but offers a shrug. "Well it's not like you're not a million times bigger than you were when you started out, Dar." Ah, the facts of life. The teen does, however, move away from the dead animal again, smiling to himself. He has an /excuse/ not to mess with it too much! "I sure hope I don't. Not that I'm a huge fan of digging dead animals out of the ground, but I'd take it over latrines any day." His hand settles on his hip then, nodding along with both Daranyl and Aglaia's conversation. "Yep. Still happens, but they don't just toss people out there without a bit of a heads up about what to watch out for."
"Wouldn' know." Daranyl shrugs easily, working to try to follow instructions about how to prep the porcine. "I mean' tha', well, if'n we impress, we'll really know how big they are. How fas' they grow. How ta... take care o' 'em, I guess. 'S kinda scary but exhilarating at th' same time. Don' really care if'n I get a little hur' in th' process. 'Ve been hur' plen'y, really. I'll heal."
"At least this will be a -delicious- dead animal to dig up," Aglaia points out with a laugh. She demonstrates more of the leaf-wrapping for Daranyl's sake, moving along slowly to make sure it's done right. The rest of the conversation, however, leaves her with a furrowed brow for a time - she's quiet, mostly, but there's a faint noise here or there to register acknowledgement. Eventually: "We'll just have to see, I guess." Kind of a lame conclusion, to be fair, but something's clearly snagging in her headspace about the whole thing. "When you're done on that side, we can get the damp burlap up."
Keldan's lips quirk upward a bit, but he nods. "I suppose all that's true. But she's right, we'll just have to see." See whether they Impress, or get mauled, or Impress /and/ mauled. So many options! He does lean in a bit, trying to get a look at the leaf wrapping technique. "I prefer food that's ready..you know..preferably the same hour or so. It's making me hungry just looking at it, you know."
Daranyl manages to nod and shrug at the same time, still working on the wrapping, "'Ve done like this b'fore, but never on somethin' so big. 'S... diff'ren'." He glances at Keldan, then shrugs yet again, "Bes' food takes some time ta' cook. Few days is a bit long, bu' Ez 'n' I were gonna roas' soem tunnelsnakes later, if ya wanna join us." He presses another leaf carefully into place, "Ain' nothin' we can do excep' wai' 'n' see. Can' force impression."
"Well, considering how much meat this is..." Aglaia settles back a bit and starts reaching for the burlap to start pulling it up on her side, along with Korovian. "You don't want to cook the meat too fast, otherwise it gets all weird." She grins at Keldan, though her grin gets a little lopsided after a moment. "I guess you could go the other way, though. If raw meat's good enough for dragons..." But, then, there's Daranyl and his offer, which gets a thoughtful sound from her. "You know. I don't know if anyone's tried making tunnelsnake sausage, but I bet that'd be pretty good." Food talk: a lot less uncomfortable than Impression talk, oddly. And, while the talking and wrapping occurs, a fire is started in both of the pits - and allowed to burn for a while. At least the smoke smells somewhat sweet!
"You and your tunnelsnakes.." At least Keldan doesn't sound put /off/ by the idea. He crouches down on the ground a bit for a better look at things, nodding. "I'm not one to turn down food though, so sure, I'll check it out." Maybe after he gets dinner in the living cavern. After dinner /snack/. The teen snickers just a little though, making a face. "Yeeeah, I'll pass on the /raw/ meat, thanks."
Daranyl shrugs at Keldan's accusation, "Ez hunted 'em this time, if tha' makes it any better." He jerks a nod at the refusal of raw meat, "No' good fer us. It can..." he waggles his hand near his hear, "Mess with ya." He presses another leaf into place before he adds, "I've never tried ta make it inta sausage, migh' be worth doin'."
Evening is encroaching steadily, illuminated by the two fires that are burning merrily away in their pits. The still form of Zaqalekhth looms like a bronzed sentinel over the proceedings, while M'gaal and Malaakh tend to the fires. One porcine is already wrapped and the second - tended by Daranyl, Aglaia, and Korovian - is well on its way to being wrapped in burlap and wire. For her part, Aglaia seems to have some skill in the process; Korovian, not so much. The girl grins a bit at Keldan. "Have you tried raw fish before? It's really not that bad at all. Some is actually really good." Though, Daranyl's words elicit, "Some of it can, sure, but not all." There's a pause, then: "How's your side looking?"
Keldan shakes his head just a little bit. "Ahh..no. Raw meat is pretty much the line for me in foodstuffs,I think." Still, he does finally stand up again, making a slight face as he looks back toward the Weyr. "I think..I'm gonna go try and clean up again. Maybe I'll feel a bit less...filthy this time." And off he goes, shuffling his way back toward getting yet another bath. Latrine duty sticks with ya..
Daranyl nods his head, "'Ve eaten a lotta things raw when time was tigh', bu' I try not ta. Some fish is fine raw, some is..." He pulls a face, clearly translating both taste and texture in that one simple motion. He presses the last leaf into place, making sure the overlapping is right, then raises a hand in farewell to Keldan as he flees. FLEES. "Goo' luck with tha'. M' side's good, yers?"
Speaking of raw fish and look who shows up, Sundari that is. The once Seacrafter knows a few things about fish, and so does her dear dragon. Irk is moving along at a slow pace out from the water carrying a few fish along with him as he goes. Water drips off his hide, hope people are ok to getting a bit wet for the blue suddenly shakes off much like a wet dog would and sends water flying all over, and towards the ones near the fire. Sundari is making her way down the beach wearing a pair of shorts and a tanktop, carrying a fishing pole and a small bucket which holds a few fish within.
"Good luck," is practically a mirror of Daranyl's words and Aglaia barks out a bit of a laugh. "Oh, yeah. Well, some folk consider it a... delicacy, or something. Food really is a weird, weird thing." She checks her side, then leans a bit to look at his. "I'm good over here. Just pull the burlap up and over-" and whenever that's done, she'll explain the next bit of wrapping the wire around to make sure the whole thing is secure.
Oh dear. The presence of flung water and the abomination that is -fish- is enough to get Zaqalekhth's proverbial hackles up. The bronze doesn't emit his irritation but, rather, moves well away from where water and fish might make an appearance. It's enough to get a laugh out of M'gaal, at least, and the Iernian is plenty happy to wave Sundari closer. Aglaia catches onto the shenanigans and laughs, too, only to call out, "C'mon over! They're going to start banking the fire soon."
Daranyl's face lights up just a little. There's a sad lack of Sarina, so he doesn't open up fully, but he clearly likes the blue and his rider, too, not //just// the baby, "Hey, Sunny. Apparen'ly, they're cookin' porcine... for a few days from now, apparen'ly." He shrugs, just accepting the rain of Irk-water without pause, but Zaqalekhth's retreat earns an arched brow, "I... he's afrai' o' water?" No, seriously, what the crack? "Didn' think dragons were afrai' o' anythin'."
Irkevalath warbles out towards the other dragon, his wings shake out a few times as he is moving towards the other dragon, hey look he might actually share his fish! Sundari smiles while heading on over to them. "Oh yeah? Well... I got some fish here if you all want something now." She doesn't have a problem sharing it seems. A soft smile is nod to the ones she doesn't know as well. "How goes it all?"
Greetings are dispensed readily enough by the bronzerider, who angles a salute to Sundari. "I'm M'gaal, that's Malaakh. And, ah- I imagine you know Aggie. Don't mind us," he's mostly busy with the logistics of killing the fire in one pit so he and the other lad can haul the wrapped porcine into the hole. Then comes the process of covering, which Zaqalekhth would help with, but he's clearly not having anything to do with fishy offerings, well-meaning as they may be! It's definitely some kind of dark comedy - a blue bearing fish and the bronze that appears to be fleeing the scene.
"Oh, hey! That would be great. And- oh. Yeah, he's... weird about water," the last is angled to Daranyl. Aglaia explains, "He hates it - and he's not big on fish, either, come to think of it. He's not -afraid- of it, I guess, but he really doesn't like baths or anything like that." One shoulder rises and falls. "I think dragons can be afraid of stuff, same as we can," but that question is redirected to Sundari when she gets closer. "Can they?"
"Wouldn' say no ta some fish, Sunny." Daranyl shoots a look at Zaqalekhth, suddenly less concerned about the big, dark-hued bronze. Afraid of water. Pffffft. "Well 'nuff, Sunny. You 'n' 'Rorn 'n' Li'l Bit?" He pauses at Aglaia's question, turning an inquisitive gaze to Sundari. This answer could be interesting.
Sundari smiles and nods while she sets the fishing pole down and the bucket as well while she goes about pulling out her knife to go about fixing the fish up for the fire. "Well, let me get them ready for the fire then. I'll grab some sticks and there be roasting in no time." At the question her gaze flicks between the two. "Course they can be afraid of things, why not?" She questions with a curious tone at the idea. Irkevalath is busy still trying to offer that fish of his up to the bronze Zaqalekhth, faint warbles of confusion heard before he shrugs and goes about settling own then to eat hi catch, chompchomp..
Once the fish are being taken care off, the stiff, hulking bronze comes to an abrupt stop. There's a rusty sound of satisfaction and he settles nearby, watching Irkevalath while he eats the 'forbidden' thing. Explanation is just a heated rush of thought - a dislike of water and all things of it - that has a nebulous origin but a clear enough conclusion. Either way, M'gaal can be heard muttering, "Seriously, Zaq, you're too old for that."
Aglaia rolls her eyes a little at the bronze, as well, but it's the sort of long-suffering eyeroll that tends to come with familiarity. She turns her attention to Sundari when Daranyl speaks, partly to hear how she's doing and partly to hear the answer. "That's what I thought," she muses, then glances at Daranyl. "Who knows? Maybe you'll find yourself with a dragon that's afraid of fire? Or ice? Or... I don't know, trundlebugs?" Hey, it's a possibility, now! The fully wrapped porcine is allowed to hang out for a while, with the fire in the pit still burning comfortably and casting a warm glow around the area.
Heading down the lagoon is Briari with her guitar slung over her shoulder and a journal in one hand. She is wearing a pair of sandals, a simple pair of shorts and a loose baggy shirt that hangs off one shoulder. Catching the voices in the distance, she angles over towards them curiously enough as she picks out at least two familiar ones. Lifting an amicable hand upwards to wiggle her fingers in their direction, she gives a slight sniff of the air.
Daranyl snorts, then actually laughs lightly. Scaredy bronze has entertained thoroughly, "Naw, won' know until th' nigh'. Won' even know if'n we'll impress until then. The res' is jus'..." He shrugs lightly, "Any dragon's th' righ' dragon, yeah?" His gaze comes up as Bri approaches and that smile disappears, turning back to Sundari, "Ya sai' ya had some fish? We shoul' star' a fire up 'n' roas' 'em."
Irkevalath eats down the evil fish, all gone on his end and gives himself a shake and a stretch as the blue just relaxes there upon the sands. A curious look is sent towards the bronze. << Don't like fish.. or water hum? >> This seems to amuse the blue to no end. Sundari chuckles softly as she hears the two. "Perhaps." Is said with an amused tone while nodding to Daranyl. "Yep, best way is to roast 'em over a bit of fire." The fish she had hold of are quickly dealt with, scales scraped off, a few cuts across the fish to make cooking them easier. "So what all you guys been up to?" This questioned while she glances up and then over to someone new? She ahs a bit and nods to Briari.
Zaqalekhth, for his part, has settled into a naturally unmoving state, while his regard remains steady on Irkevalath. His maw gapes just a little to allow a heated hiss of a sound to further punctuate his articulated thoughts: << Things of those waters are unclean. >> M'gaal, now free of porcine-moving duty for the moment, just plants a palm to his forehead and heaves a long-suffering sigh that he's mastered over the past thirty or more turns.
"Or any rider's the right rider," Aglaia counters to Daranyl. Malaakh moves closer and between the sibling pair, the porcine is moved into the pit to be buried - but getting another fire started off to the side is easily done to accommodate the fish! The girl glances to the bluerider and opens her mouth to answer, but then Briari's arriving and she raises a hand to wave her over. The air is redolent with the smell of slowly cooking meat... underground. "Ah. Not much, honestly," she finally says to Sundari. "Chores. Other chores. Waiting." Pause. "Mostly waiting."
Offering a smile to Aglaia, Briari continues forward a bit towards her as she shuffles her sandaled feet about the sand. "Hi." She breathes out softly as she gives a nod towards both Dara and Sundari. "Evening. Just thought I'd come out and listen to the water and do some writing." Her foot toes the sandal a bit more about the sand, creating a bit of a circle with her toes. "I don't want to be a bother. Just thought I'd say hello before leaving you alone."
Daranyl blinks at Briari, "We don' bite or nothin'. 'Snot like we're gonna start throwin' sand atcha." He crouches near Sunny, working on setting up the fire while she preps the flesh, "S'ppose we'll see, 'Glaia. 'Nother sevenday or two, hopefully. Can' wai' ta at leas' know th' answer, one way or 'tother."
Sundari sends a curious look towards Briari at her comments. "I... Didn't hear anyone chasing you off." She points out, looking confused which this look is sent to both Aglaia and Daranyl before she is wiping her hands off across her shorts and sticks her knife back into its spot at her hip. "Chores.. Yeah I remember them all to well." She chuckles a bit at the thought and glances over to Daranyl and nods. "It'll be here soon enough for you all and your wonder where the time went honestly." Irk snorts as he hears the bronze. << I have no idea why you think such things... The ones from the waters are the cleanest. >>
"Yeah, feel free to join us!" Confusion registers on Aglaia's face for her fellow Candidate's response, but she ultimately shrugs off Briari's concerns. That look of Sundari's is met, of course, along with a slight shake of her head to further underscore matters. Ultimately, she dusts her hands off on her legs, only to realize how gross her hands really are. "Oh, goodness. I should go get washed up. And there's something else I need to get- Malaakh, want to come with? I can show you some of the Weyr." And probably teach him about the ledgers along the way, since that's been an ongoing issue. "Take care," is for Daranyl and Sundari and Briari, while she departs to take care of semi-urgent matters. It also means eluding conversations that might dig a little too deeply, so bonus!
M'gaal will, functionally, fade into the background as he finishes burying the meat and settles in against the bronze-turned-meat-guardian until their eventual departure - which will be long after the lagoon is empty. Zaqalekhth, too, seems content to allow his mental fires to bank into mere embers - but not before issuing a spark-laden, << The waters are full of foulness. You just cannot see, >> is cast to the blue. If there's anything more, he's not hearing it; the grinding clockworks of his mind are too busy clicking away along distant thoughts.
Summary: In which porcines are wrapped for the eating!
Characters: Aglaia, Briari, Daranyl, Irkevalath, Keldan, Malaakh, M'gaal, Sundari, Zaqalekhth
Location: Lagoon, Half Moon Bay Weyr
Time: N/A
RL Date: 11/17/2014
They've been here for a little while to get things ready - M'gaal and Malaakh have seen to getting the two porcines for the barbecue, while Zaqalekhth has busied himself with the task of digging two deep pits. He looms nearby, wings mantled, while the pits are filled with wood. A pile of firestone rests nearby for reasons that perhaps need no explanation.
Aglaia's hand might still be bandaged, but that doesn't mean she can't help with that part of things. A few of the other Candidates have been wrangled to assist and a few others may yet be on their way. At the very least, the hard part - namely, cleaning the pigs out and trussing their limbs - has been dealt with. The -other- hard part is what the spare hands will be needed for!
Daranyl has totally forgotten about the barbecue thing tonight. He and Ez made plans, is all. He actually pauses when he sees the lagoon beach in such a state, but his eyes lock on Zaqalekhth. Big bronze is big. It's not that he hasn't seen plenty of dragons at this point, but part of him is still adjusting to just how huge they are. One hand comes up, scratching at the back of his head as he hesitates, clearly unsure whether or not to draw nearer. Upside: it looks like he's slept.
Zaqalekhth's coloring might not help much, either; he's a char-dark beast, save for the lurid, red-bronze that sears its way over his maw and down his throat. The beast might as well be a statue for as still as he is, but the approach of another Candidate is worthy of a rusted out rumble that reverberates deep in his terrible chest. M'gaal and Maalakh pay him no mind, of course; they're already helping one group of Candidates wrap the first porcine in leaves after stuffing all manner of herbs into the belly of the beast. Aglaia fidgets a little with her hand, then turns her attention to Daranyl with a lopsided grin and wiggling fingers. "Hey! Did you want to help out? We have a whole other porcine here." And Korovian to help, not that it will account for much. She pauses, then adds in a lower tone, "You're looking better. I'm glad to see that."
Yeah, that's probably not helping. Daranyl scratches at his scalp, looking a bit lost as he looks over the industry again. He opens his mouth, then closes it, choosing his trademark shrug over actual communication. "Sleep's always good fer wha' ails ya. I'm jus'... well... he's awfully big, innee?" And the stating the obvious award goes to....
"See? I told you that you needed to sleep." Aglaia urges Daranyl to come closer, despite the looming bronze statue of a dragon that seems to be watching everyone with some measure of rattling irritation. "Oh. Him?" It's as if she's just now realizing what poor Daranyl's talking about. "He's not -that- big. You aren't... um. Intimidated by him, are you?" The other porcine is mostly wrapped in leaves by now, with a section of burlap being applied next. A few Candidate quail a bit and M'gaal's quick to talk them down and out of their squeamishness.
If by 'helping' they mean 'eating', well, Keldan is here to help. It's hard to miss all the activity going on, especially when he knew about it ahead of time. He stretches his arms above his head though, taking a rather deep breath of the /fresh/air. Nothing like where /he's/ been for a good few hours. "Man, how long does it even /take/ to get these things cooked up right?" There may be some skepticism going on! He wanders a bit closer though, giving a slight wave as he peers at the other two candidates. "Who's intimidated? You?" A bewildered look, brows lifting somewhat as the teen looks at Daranyl. "Oh just ignore him. All you gotta remember is that if he comes in for a sniff, don't go /up/ his nose. It's unpleasant."
Daranyl snorts softly, "Knew before ya tol' me. 'N' no'.. 'timidated, per se, jus'... aware of how big he is. 'M no' afrai' of dragons, jus'... cautious." He shoots that glare of his at Keldan, "I haven' been inhaled yet, shoul' be alrigh'. He's jus'... bigger'n I expected is all." He looks at Zakalekhth again, his lips creasing into a slight frown, "Makes me wonder how big th' hatchlings'll be..."
The first porcine is finally wrapped up with wire to keep the body intact - at least, that's the explanation that M'gaal gives. The thoroughly bundled carcass is set aside for now and the first group of Candidates are allowed to wash up, while the second porcine is due to be wrapped up. M'gaal and Malaakh briefly fall into conversation, leaving Aglaia to do the meet and greet portion of the whole, weird affair. "Hey, Keldan! Want to help get this thing wrapped up?" The gutted, herb-stuffed, and neatly trussed porcine is indicated with a tip of her head. "It'll take a few days, but- trust me, it's totally worth it." There's a glance between her fellow Candidates - and then one eyebrow wings skyward. "... is that even possible? Going up a dragon's nose, I mean." Daranyl's concerns, such as they are, elicit a thoughtful wrinkle of her nose. "They can't be -too- big, right? They still have to fit in the eggs and all."
Unhelpfully, Zaqalekhth rises with a stiffness evocative of some terrible machine and takes a step or two closer - to the porcines, that is. An irritated huff escapes him, with his head tilted toward the untended carcass - and with the Candidates caught in the curve of one eye.
"Oh, I've seen the inside of Celimoth's nostril. Once. It was a long time ago and I was kinda..smaller. But still. Unpleasant, I tell you. Snot. ...Lots." Keldan seems quite serious about the whole thing, even as he does meander off a few steps to take a look at the porcine. "Well sure, I could..wrap it. Not that I've done /that/ before and really..I've been scrubbing latrines all day. Not that I didn't wash, but...still." Maybe he should keep his distance from potential contamination. He rolls a shoulder slightly though, using it to brush at the side of his face before looking back. "I've seen greens small enough to be carried fresh out of the egg. So it varies, I guess. Can't imagine a bronze or a gold being /that/ small, of course."
Daranyl shrugs slightly, "Stories say that hatchings used ta have lotsa injuries 'n' such. Can' be tha' small, either, if'n they grow up tha' big," he nods towards Zaqalekhth, "Irk isn' even half so big, I thin'." He starts towards the corpse in need of wrapping, "We shoul' help, yeah? S'ppose we'll see how big they are at th' hatchin'. 'N' if'n we impress...."
"Oh, gross." Yup, that's horror. So much horror at a dragon's nostril. Then it's further compounded when Keldan shares his chore of the day - Aglaia's horror at latrine duty registers plainly. "Yeah, that might- um. Might be best. Hopefully you don't pull that one again when these are ready to be dug up." Because that would suck. Either which way things pan out, the girl sets about wrapping the leaves around the porcine, while Korovian the hapless Candidate helps in his ineffectual way. There's plenty of carcass to wrap, though, and the help will be a good thing! She pauses at Daranyl's words, though, and works her teeth at her lower lip. "Injuries still happen," she says in a soft voice. "That's why we have to pay attention. Doesn't matter if we Impress or not; people get hurt if they're not careful."
Keldan laughs lightly, but offers a shrug. "Well it's not like you're not a million times bigger than you were when you started out, Dar." Ah, the facts of life. The teen does, however, move away from the dead animal again, smiling to himself. He has an /excuse/ not to mess with it too much! "I sure hope I don't. Not that I'm a huge fan of digging dead animals out of the ground, but I'd take it over latrines any day." His hand settles on his hip then, nodding along with both Daranyl and Aglaia's conversation. "Yep. Still happens, but they don't just toss people out there without a bit of a heads up about what to watch out for."
"Wouldn' know." Daranyl shrugs easily, working to try to follow instructions about how to prep the porcine. "I mean' tha', well, if'n we impress, we'll really know how big they are. How fas' they grow. How ta... take care o' 'em, I guess. 'S kinda scary but exhilarating at th' same time. Don' really care if'n I get a little hur' in th' process. 'Ve been hur' plen'y, really. I'll heal."
"At least this will be a -delicious- dead animal to dig up," Aglaia points out with a laugh. She demonstrates more of the leaf-wrapping for Daranyl's sake, moving along slowly to make sure it's done right. The rest of the conversation, however, leaves her with a furrowed brow for a time - she's quiet, mostly, but there's a faint noise here or there to register acknowledgement. Eventually: "We'll just have to see, I guess." Kind of a lame conclusion, to be fair, but something's clearly snagging in her headspace about the whole thing. "When you're done on that side, we can get the damp burlap up."
Keldan's lips quirk upward a bit, but he nods. "I suppose all that's true. But she's right, we'll just have to see." See whether they Impress, or get mauled, or Impress /and/ mauled. So many options! He does lean in a bit, trying to get a look at the leaf wrapping technique. "I prefer food that's ready..you know..preferably the same hour or so. It's making me hungry just looking at it, you know."
Daranyl manages to nod and shrug at the same time, still working on the wrapping, "'Ve done like this b'fore, but never on somethin' so big. 'S... diff'ren'." He glances at Keldan, then shrugs yet again, "Bes' food takes some time ta' cook. Few days is a bit long, bu' Ez 'n' I were gonna roas' soem tunnelsnakes later, if ya wanna join us." He presses another leaf carefully into place, "Ain' nothin' we can do excep' wai' 'n' see. Can' force impression."
"Well, considering how much meat this is..." Aglaia settles back a bit and starts reaching for the burlap to start pulling it up on her side, along with Korovian. "You don't want to cook the meat too fast, otherwise it gets all weird." She grins at Keldan, though her grin gets a little lopsided after a moment. "I guess you could go the other way, though. If raw meat's good enough for dragons..." But, then, there's Daranyl and his offer, which gets a thoughtful sound from her. "You know. I don't know if anyone's tried making tunnelsnake sausage, but I bet that'd be pretty good." Food talk: a lot less uncomfortable than Impression talk, oddly. And, while the talking and wrapping occurs, a fire is started in both of the pits - and allowed to burn for a while. At least the smoke smells somewhat sweet!
"You and your tunnelsnakes.." At least Keldan doesn't sound put /off/ by the idea. He crouches down on the ground a bit for a better look at things, nodding. "I'm not one to turn down food though, so sure, I'll check it out." Maybe after he gets dinner in the living cavern. After dinner /snack/. The teen snickers just a little though, making a face. "Yeeeah, I'll pass on the /raw/ meat, thanks."
Daranyl shrugs at Keldan's accusation, "Ez hunted 'em this time, if tha' makes it any better." He jerks a nod at the refusal of raw meat, "No' good fer us. It can..." he waggles his hand near his hear, "Mess with ya." He presses another leaf into place before he adds, "I've never tried ta make it inta sausage, migh' be worth doin'."
Evening is encroaching steadily, illuminated by the two fires that are burning merrily away in their pits. The still form of Zaqalekhth looms like a bronzed sentinel over the proceedings, while M'gaal and Malaakh tend to the fires. One porcine is already wrapped and the second - tended by Daranyl, Aglaia, and Korovian - is well on its way to being wrapped in burlap and wire. For her part, Aglaia seems to have some skill in the process; Korovian, not so much. The girl grins a bit at Keldan. "Have you tried raw fish before? It's really not that bad at all. Some is actually really good." Though, Daranyl's words elicit, "Some of it can, sure, but not all." There's a pause, then: "How's your side looking?"
Keldan shakes his head just a little bit. "Ahh..no. Raw meat is pretty much the line for me in foodstuffs,I think." Still, he does finally stand up again, making a slight face as he looks back toward the Weyr. "I think..I'm gonna go try and clean up again. Maybe I'll feel a bit less...filthy this time." And off he goes, shuffling his way back toward getting yet another bath. Latrine duty sticks with ya..
Daranyl nods his head, "'Ve eaten a lotta things raw when time was tigh', bu' I try not ta. Some fish is fine raw, some is..." He pulls a face, clearly translating both taste and texture in that one simple motion. He presses the last leaf into place, making sure the overlapping is right, then raises a hand in farewell to Keldan as he flees. FLEES. "Goo' luck with tha'. M' side's good, yers?"
Speaking of raw fish and look who shows up, Sundari that is. The once Seacrafter knows a few things about fish, and so does her dear dragon. Irk is moving along at a slow pace out from the water carrying a few fish along with him as he goes. Water drips off his hide, hope people are ok to getting a bit wet for the blue suddenly shakes off much like a wet dog would and sends water flying all over, and towards the ones near the fire. Sundari is making her way down the beach wearing a pair of shorts and a tanktop, carrying a fishing pole and a small bucket which holds a few fish within.
"Good luck," is practically a mirror of Daranyl's words and Aglaia barks out a bit of a laugh. "Oh, yeah. Well, some folk consider it a... delicacy, or something. Food really is a weird, weird thing." She checks her side, then leans a bit to look at his. "I'm good over here. Just pull the burlap up and over-" and whenever that's done, she'll explain the next bit of wrapping the wire around to make sure the whole thing is secure.
Oh dear. The presence of flung water and the abomination that is -fish- is enough to get Zaqalekhth's proverbial hackles up. The bronze doesn't emit his irritation but, rather, moves well away from where water and fish might make an appearance. It's enough to get a laugh out of M'gaal, at least, and the Iernian is plenty happy to wave Sundari closer. Aglaia catches onto the shenanigans and laughs, too, only to call out, "C'mon over! They're going to start banking the fire soon."
Daranyl's face lights up just a little. There's a sad lack of Sarina, so he doesn't open up fully, but he clearly likes the blue and his rider, too, not //just// the baby, "Hey, Sunny. Apparen'ly, they're cookin' porcine... for a few days from now, apparen'ly." He shrugs, just accepting the rain of Irk-water without pause, but Zaqalekhth's retreat earns an arched brow, "I... he's afrai' o' water?" No, seriously, what the crack? "Didn' think dragons were afrai' o' anythin'."
Irkevalath warbles out towards the other dragon, his wings shake out a few times as he is moving towards the other dragon, hey look he might actually share his fish! Sundari smiles while heading on over to them. "Oh yeah? Well... I got some fish here if you all want something now." She doesn't have a problem sharing it seems. A soft smile is nod to the ones she doesn't know as well. "How goes it all?"
Greetings are dispensed readily enough by the bronzerider, who angles a salute to Sundari. "I'm M'gaal, that's Malaakh. And, ah- I imagine you know Aggie. Don't mind us," he's mostly busy with the logistics of killing the fire in one pit so he and the other lad can haul the wrapped porcine into the hole. Then comes the process of covering, which Zaqalekhth would help with, but he's clearly not having anything to do with fishy offerings, well-meaning as they may be! It's definitely some kind of dark comedy - a blue bearing fish and the bronze that appears to be fleeing the scene.
"Oh, hey! That would be great. And- oh. Yeah, he's... weird about water," the last is angled to Daranyl. Aglaia explains, "He hates it - and he's not big on fish, either, come to think of it. He's not -afraid- of it, I guess, but he really doesn't like baths or anything like that." One shoulder rises and falls. "I think dragons can be afraid of stuff, same as we can," but that question is redirected to Sundari when she gets closer. "Can they?"
"Wouldn' say no ta some fish, Sunny." Daranyl shoots a look at Zaqalekhth, suddenly less concerned about the big, dark-hued bronze. Afraid of water. Pffffft. "Well 'nuff, Sunny. You 'n' 'Rorn 'n' Li'l Bit?" He pauses at Aglaia's question, turning an inquisitive gaze to Sundari. This answer could be interesting.
Sundari smiles and nods while she sets the fishing pole down and the bucket as well while she goes about pulling out her knife to go about fixing the fish up for the fire. "Well, let me get them ready for the fire then. I'll grab some sticks and there be roasting in no time." At the question her gaze flicks between the two. "Course they can be afraid of things, why not?" She questions with a curious tone at the idea. Irkevalath is busy still trying to offer that fish of his up to the bronze Zaqalekhth, faint warbles of confusion heard before he shrugs and goes about settling own then to eat hi catch, chompchomp..
Once the fish are being taken care off, the stiff, hulking bronze comes to an abrupt stop. There's a rusty sound of satisfaction and he settles nearby, watching Irkevalath while he eats the 'forbidden' thing. Explanation is just a heated rush of thought - a dislike of water and all things of it - that has a nebulous origin but a clear enough conclusion. Either way, M'gaal can be heard muttering, "Seriously, Zaq, you're too old for that."
Aglaia rolls her eyes a little at the bronze, as well, but it's the sort of long-suffering eyeroll that tends to come with familiarity. She turns her attention to Sundari when Daranyl speaks, partly to hear how she's doing and partly to hear the answer. "That's what I thought," she muses, then glances at Daranyl. "Who knows? Maybe you'll find yourself with a dragon that's afraid of fire? Or ice? Or... I don't know, trundlebugs?" Hey, it's a possibility, now! The fully wrapped porcine is allowed to hang out for a while, with the fire in the pit still burning comfortably and casting a warm glow around the area.
Heading down the lagoon is Briari with her guitar slung over her shoulder and a journal in one hand. She is wearing a pair of sandals, a simple pair of shorts and a loose baggy shirt that hangs off one shoulder. Catching the voices in the distance, she angles over towards them curiously enough as she picks out at least two familiar ones. Lifting an amicable hand upwards to wiggle her fingers in their direction, she gives a slight sniff of the air.
Daranyl snorts, then actually laughs lightly. Scaredy bronze has entertained thoroughly, "Naw, won' know until th' nigh'. Won' even know if'n we'll impress until then. The res' is jus'..." He shrugs lightly, "Any dragon's th' righ' dragon, yeah?" His gaze comes up as Bri approaches and that smile disappears, turning back to Sundari, "Ya sai' ya had some fish? We shoul' star' a fire up 'n' roas' 'em."
Irkevalath eats down the evil fish, all gone on his end and gives himself a shake and a stretch as the blue just relaxes there upon the sands. A curious look is sent towards the bronze. << Don't like fish.. or water hum? >> This seems to amuse the blue to no end. Sundari chuckles softly as she hears the two. "Perhaps." Is said with an amused tone while nodding to Daranyl. "Yep, best way is to roast 'em over a bit of fire." The fish she had hold of are quickly dealt with, scales scraped off, a few cuts across the fish to make cooking them easier. "So what all you guys been up to?" This questioned while she glances up and then over to someone new? She ahs a bit and nods to Briari.
Zaqalekhth, for his part, has settled into a naturally unmoving state, while his regard remains steady on Irkevalath. His maw gapes just a little to allow a heated hiss of a sound to further punctuate his articulated thoughts: << Things of those waters are unclean. >> M'gaal, now free of porcine-moving duty for the moment, just plants a palm to his forehead and heaves a long-suffering sigh that he's mastered over the past thirty or more turns.
"Or any rider's the right rider," Aglaia counters to Daranyl. Malaakh moves closer and between the sibling pair, the porcine is moved into the pit to be buried - but getting another fire started off to the side is easily done to accommodate the fish! The girl glances to the bluerider and opens her mouth to answer, but then Briari's arriving and she raises a hand to wave her over. The air is redolent with the smell of slowly cooking meat... underground. "Ah. Not much, honestly," she finally says to Sundari. "Chores. Other chores. Waiting." Pause. "Mostly waiting."
Offering a smile to Aglaia, Briari continues forward a bit towards her as she shuffles her sandaled feet about the sand. "Hi." She breathes out softly as she gives a nod towards both Dara and Sundari. "Evening. Just thought I'd come out and listen to the water and do some writing." Her foot toes the sandal a bit more about the sand, creating a bit of a circle with her toes. "I don't want to be a bother. Just thought I'd say hello before leaving you alone."
Daranyl blinks at Briari, "We don' bite or nothin'. 'Snot like we're gonna start throwin' sand atcha." He crouches near Sunny, working on setting up the fire while she preps the flesh, "S'ppose we'll see, 'Glaia. 'Nother sevenday or two, hopefully. Can' wai' ta at leas' know th' answer, one way or 'tother."
Sundari sends a curious look towards Briari at her comments. "I... Didn't hear anyone chasing you off." She points out, looking confused which this look is sent to both Aglaia and Daranyl before she is wiping her hands off across her shorts and sticks her knife back into its spot at her hip. "Chores.. Yeah I remember them all to well." She chuckles a bit at the thought and glances over to Daranyl and nods. "It'll be here soon enough for you all and your wonder where the time went honestly." Irk snorts as he hears the bronze. << I have no idea why you think such things... The ones from the waters are the cleanest. >>
"Yeah, feel free to join us!" Confusion registers on Aglaia's face for her fellow Candidate's response, but she ultimately shrugs off Briari's concerns. That look of Sundari's is met, of course, along with a slight shake of her head to further underscore matters. Ultimately, she dusts her hands off on her legs, only to realize how gross her hands really are. "Oh, goodness. I should go get washed up. And there's something else I need to get- Malaakh, want to come with? I can show you some of the Weyr." And probably teach him about the ledgers along the way, since that's been an ongoing issue. "Take care," is for Daranyl and Sundari and Briari, while she departs to take care of semi-urgent matters. It also means eluding conversations that might dig a little too deeply, so bonus!
M'gaal will, functionally, fade into the background as he finishes burying the meat and settles in against the bronze-turned-meat-guardian until their eventual departure - which will be long after the lagoon is empty. Zaqalekhth, too, seems content to allow his mental fires to bank into mere embers - but not before issuing a spark-laden, << The waters are full of foulness. You just cannot see, >> is cast to the blue. If there's anything more, he's not hearing it; the grinding clockworks of his mind are too busy clicking away along distant thoughts.