Weyrling Training - Butchering Herdbeasts
Who: Noemie, Tegara, T'ace, Izarit, Seliene, Alexiel, R'klen, and the dragons
What: Noemie teaches the proper butchering of herdbeasts for the dragonets' meal.
Where: Weyrling Barracks, Ista Weyr
When: 18:05 on day 21, month 4, Turn 13, of the Interval. It is a spring evening.
Weyrling Barracks
This huge cavern is one in a long series along the north wall of the encircling mountain, all generally rounded in shape. Massive tunnels connect the caverns, each of which contains groups of large stone couches. Each couch has a corresponding glowbasket, and more baskets are scattered around the remaining spaces. The northern wall opens up into something resembling a stage area, in front of which are lines of oil vats and meat tubs. To the east is a well-drained area where fresh carcasses are hung each day. Slate boards and samples of various gear are spread around the cavern, mute witness to the organized chaos of the barracks.
The huge entrance in the south part of the cavern leads out into the northwest side of the bowl, while the east and west exits issue into caverns similar to this one in function and form.
Noemie is a bit of a whirlwind as she enters the Weyrling Barracks, a nanny at her side to whom she's busily rattling off orders. She seems oblivious to the fact that she's made the poor girl follow her all the way here, so intent is she on carrying out her duties as both mother and Assistant Weyrlingmaster. Finally, as she reaches the mouth of the cavern, she passes the precious bundle in a sling over to the nanny. "Now go! /He/ doesn't need to be around for the butchering of carcasses." The slightly frightened-looking girl scampers off as the child himself begins to wake and cry. Then the greenrider turns her attention towards the young dragons and their lifemates, her tone much more friendly. "G'evening! I bet they're angling to be fed right about now, right?"
Seliene looks over to where Noemie enters, just as flustered and fast as Izarit did a moment before. With a sigh, she sets aside her knitting - much to Eileyth's disapproval. Seli reaches out to offer a consoling scritch. "I'm not going to get it done today, lovely," she murmurs, looking about. "Especially not with this lot running amok."
"Yeah, I s'pose she might." T'ace says with a shrug, still grinning before he looks to the cavern mouth that Noemie comes through and glances at Eldenth. "Not really, he just ate a little while ago." He calls back to the weyrlingmaster, tilting his head slightly. Eldenth simply rumbles a reply to Kajrath, watching his clutchsib idly.
Both Alexiel and Xavelth look up in unison from where they're lounging on the brown's couch, as Noemie enters the barracks and addresses them. Alex rises to her feet, dusting herself off as she prepares for the lesson. "Yes, heart, that means you're going to eat soon," Alex responds to her brown's unspoken comment before looking down at her clothing to be sure she's wearing something that she won't mind getting bloody. She can feel the edge of her lifemate's hunger, and can't help but think that the lesson is coming at just the right time.
R'klen is busily rubbing excess oil off his hands with a rag, while appraising Arsiloth's hide thoughtfully. Nodding in approval, he tosses the rag onto their couch and then turns at the comotion. He wrinkles his nose at the baby and then directs his attention calmly to Noemie, one brow lifting at her introduction. "Evening, ma'am," he notes, catching his hands together behind his back and waiting for further instructions. Arsiloth shifts into a more sphinx-like sitting position, alert and interested -- did someone say something about being fed?
Kajrath, though--Kajrath's whirling eyes light up at Noemie's words as his muzzle twitches in impatient, tail lashing. He's stopped his moving around at least, save for a couple of overexcited bounces, though that doesn't stop the broad projection of his mind in a flurry of grey-greens and the sensation of rushing along through Ista's generous undergrowth. His behavior apparently serves as enough of an answer that Izarit doesn't speak up herself, though she does toss off a quick sort of salute as she sits upright.
"Well, hungry or not, you're to learn the proper butchering of herdbeasts today," Noemie says, trying to add that authoritative-tone to her voice as she speaks. "We've been helping to make sure there's plenty of already-cut meat for your lifemates up until now, but soon, you'll be in charge of doing so-- that is, until they can catch a meal on their own. Care to join me?" She waves the group of weyrlings towards where she now heads, to the line of tubs partially filled already with cut meat.
Xavelth rises to his feet and starts to follow Alexiel as she makes her way towards the tubs of meat to join Noemie and her fellow weyrlings. A quick mental exchange between weyrling and dragon and the brown is settling back down in his couch, albeit with an eye following his lifemate and watching her closely. Alexiel, makes her way over to the tubs, smiling softly at Xavelth's eagerness to follow her around and make sure nothing happens to her. "Oi, I can't wait to get my hands dirty, ma'am."
T'ace glances down at Eldenth, who offers a rumble and causes the weyrling to nod. "Yeah, just stay here. I'll let ya know if they want ya over." The brown seems more then please with that and closes his eyes. T'ace stands from his cot and glances at Izzy, offering a grin before he heads towards where Noemie is gathering everyone together.
Seliene gets to her feet with Eileyth hopping down beside her. They both make their way toward the indicated tubs, glancing at them curiously. "This should be...entertaining."
Well, that deflates Kajrath. The brown stares after Noemie with as close to a put-out expression as a dragon can make, even as he shuffles after her, still curious even if this is more an Izzy sort of chore. Izarit herself releases a breath as she pushes up to her feet, falling into line with her brown. "How old will they have to be before they can catch it themselves? Ma'am," she asks then. "Or at least pull it off themselves."
R'klen smirks confidentally, looking as if this is one lesson he won't mind doing. Arsiloth rises and stretches in a languid manner before shuffling his wings and having a better look at the Assistant Weyrlingmaster, Noemie. While Rook heads toward the tubs, the bronze slinks a little closer, standing quietly and perfectly still where he can watch. Seliene's comment is overheard and R'klen turns to smirk at her. "Heh, cutting meat is entertaining? You're the last female I expected that out of. Well, perhaps not the -last-," he rethinks things, casting a glance at Izzy and grinning.
"Well, I'm glad that makes one of us, Alexiel," Noemie says with a laugh. "But it has to be done, in any case. Our goal tonight is going to be to fill these tubs up. When we're done, you can feed your dragons, although if they're /really/ hungry, I suppose you could sneak them a bite or two as you're cutting." She gestures to the side of the cavern, where carcasses are already hung for this purpose. "We'll be doing the actual butchering over there, then bring the cut meat back here. I think we've some pails for that." She walks towards the carcasses, waving the group to follow her. "Each dragon is a little different," She answers Izzy's question, "But it'll be another couple of months before they start to tear the meat off for themselves, and then finally hunt on their own."
T'ace nods slightly as he listens to Noemie, then glances to where carcasses are hung and wrinkles his nose. "Should be interesting." He mutters, though mostly to himself before he reaches back to quickly re-do the band on his ponytail before he nods again and is ready for whatever they've gotta do in the process.
Seliene smirks a bit in return, arms crossing over her hips. "I was being facetious," she explains to R'klen. "But this can't be any worse than the prep work I used to do in the kitchens."
Izarit doesn't notice R'klen's look at her, too busy eyeing the meat and Kajrath, who takes the opportunity of Noemie's turning away to edge forward, starting to lean back on his hind legs to eye the meat vats, even though he's inspected them a dozen times already. Izarit eyes him and plants one foot lightly on his tail, only enough to remind him of her presence; the brown, whuffing reluctantly, turns away to go look at what's going on now, the very picture of dejection, which Izarit certainly isn't falling for as she follows too, silent herself now, unenthusiastic in regard to this task. In fact, she looks mostly bored, attention wandering already, and fixing on the movements of T'ace, just in front of her, as he messes with his still too-long hair.
R'klen rolls his shoulders in a lazy shrug and grins at Seliene. "It isn't that bad, really. I bet these have already had most of the hard stuff done. You know, like gutting and skinning," he notes, moving around to get a look at the meat. "Probably only have to take it down to size. If were doing it from scratch, including killing the herdbeast or wherry...well, then I'd feel for yah," he notes, still looking smug. Behind the people, Arsiloth grins in a gaping draconic fashion, clearly amused. Glints of red flash in this eyes, hunger beginning to make itself known.
Alexiel follows closely behind the assistant weyrlingmaster to where the carcasses are hanging, eyeing them before looking around for the pails that Noemie had mentioned. Best to know where all your materials are before you start, that it is.
Xavelth continues to keep a wary eye on his lifemate from his couch. Though he would much prefer to be standing next to her, so long as he can keep an eye on her, he's somewhat content. Well, content except for the faintest feeling of hunger working its way into his belly.
"It's probably best to pair up, or get into small groups, to take a carcass down and quarter it," Noemie observes, a nod to R'klen to indicate he's right. "Everything you need his here-- butchering tools and such, knives and shears. I'll admit that some of you, perhaps some of you recently come from Holds, are probably better at this than I am. Never got used to this job. Comes from being craft-bred." She wrinkles her nose. "Anyway, if that's you, feel free to help show each other the tricks." Just then, she catches sight of T'ace adjust his runner-tail and adds, pointedly, "I know it's not pleasant, but it's one of those things that /every Weyrling must do./"
Eileyth pokes her head over Seliene's shoulder, a tinge of red glimmering in her own faceted eyes as she observes the lesson about to begin. Seliene, for her part, manages not to look disgusted at the thought of dressing out a herdbeast. She uncrosses her arms and strides forward to take up some tools and get started. "I guess the real trick will be making dragon-sized chunks, as opposed to stew-sized chunks."
T'ace glances over at the carcasses again, hmming softly to himself. It'll be something new, at least. He looks back to Noemie once more and sees her looking at him with her last words...and he frowns slightly, but says nothing. Instead he looks to Izzy, "Do ya know how ta cut this stuff up? Cause I'm not really sure."
"Not a clue," says Izarit, nose wrinkling. "I mean... Once it's off the herdbeast I've handled it before, in small chunks, but--my uncles usually do the butchering in the family," is her admission, shoulders lifting. "How hard can it be, though? Just take a knife to it--the herdbeast's not going to be complaining, after all."
R'klen smiles at Noemie when she notes that his assumption is correct. Arsiloth rumbles something softly, likely some sort of dragon 'atta boy'. Turning to Seliene, R'klen points at the meaty carcasses and then thumbs at his chest. "I'll err, help yah...if you want. Bet you'd do fine an' all, but if you need it," he notes, going a bit pink as per usual.
Seliene eyes one of the carcasses, hands resting on her hips as she does. Behind her, Eileyth watches - and waits - ever patient. "I think I'm going to need help getting it down, since you offered. If you don't mind, R'klen?"
Alexiel glances around to notice that everyone's already partnered up and she inches her way over to where Noemie is standing. "Ma'am it would appear that everyone's already partnered up. I don't suppose there's any chance you could be my partner?" If not, she could of course join any one of the already formed duos, but hey, it can't hurt to ask. And if anyone showed up to the lesson late, she could always switch to working with them, right?
"Exactly, Seliene," Noemie says, glad that the Weyrlings seem to have caught on to the idea. "Once the beast is quartered, it's easier to cut it into proper chunks. Aim for the size that you've already been feeding them." At Alexiel's question, she gives a little shrug. "Sure, why not?" Not the most formal approach to Weyrlingmastering, certainly. She walks over to the carcass closest to her, gesturing to Alex to help her bring it down and get it onto a butchering table. "Izzy's right-- hard to do this /wrong/. Main thing's to make sure the final pieces are of a good size."
T'ace hmms softly at Izzy, then shrugs and motions her over as he goes to a carcass and eyes it for a moment before he reaches up to bring it down, blinking at the weight even as he starts to lift it..."Uh...little help." He says to Izzy.
"I got one right!" Izarit says to T'ace and Kajrath in an audible whisper, her mouth curving into a grin. "So... you wanna get it down?" She fixes her brightest smile on T'ace, brows arching as she wheedles him to do it all himself. But he can't, and while she affects more sulking than even she likely feels, she steps forward to help out, if a little gingerly of the raw meat.
R'klen grins and nods, wandering over to get down a carcass. "I didn't hear," he begins, likely having not been listening well, "are we sharing this one or do I need to get one down for you and one for me?" he shoots in Seliene's direction, speaking from the side of his mouth and trying to be inconspicuous.
"Thank you kindly," Alexiel says to Noemie as she joins her assistant weyrlingmaster partner to help her haul the carcass down onto the butchering table. Not too difficult of a task when you've got two working on it instead of one. Yep, it'll be short work getting that carcass onto the table.
Seliene stands to the side, waiting for R'klen to hoist the carcass down. "I think there's enough to share between us. They're not that big yet and Eileyth eats like a lady holder." Eileyth sniffs, tossing her head back as if moving hair from her eyes. Seliene just rolls her eyes at her lifemate and manages not to grin too much. "One can only make eating raw chunks of meat look so dainty and proper, my dear," she tells the green.
"So, the best way to start is to cut the beast lengthwise," Noemie explains, "Then to cut each piece down from there. Along the haunch is easiest to do next, and from there, into dragon-eating pieces." She picks up a knife begins to cut her and Alexiel's carcass, the expression on her face betraying her slight squeamishness. But she pushes past her dislike of the job, giving the Weyrlings a good example of what to do.
T'ace gets the carcass down with Izzy's help and nods to her, reaching out to try and poke her in the stomach at the face she makes, "Don't look at me like that." He says, then grabs two knives and hands one to Izzy before he turns to watch Noemie begin cutting. After a moment, he turns to the beast in front of him and cuts slowly, wrinkling his nose a bit.
R'klen grins lopsidedly at Seliene, Eileyth receiving a glance and then the man slaps the slab of meat down. "I'll cut it in half lengthwise, as she said, then we can continue on seperately?" he half-asks, half tells. "Whatever she doesn't eat off her half, Sil might want. He has a pretty good appetite," Rook notes, bobbing his head as he shifts between listening politely to Noemie and talking with Seliene. "I used to hunt. S'how I made most of my marks while traveling, so this is easy stuff," he then tells his green clutchsib.
R'klen easily splits the carcass into two halves and shifts the pieces away so that he and Seliene can work side by side. "Well, we started out from Tillek when I was about 16 turns," he notes, looking thoughtful as he sizes up the meat. "I was just learnin', then, but many of the guys were older and so we all learned, from them. Worked are way around various smaller holds. This is the last place that our travels brought us and with Thread and all, a few'n us decided to stay," he states, more amiable then usual, likely do to the comfortable work from his past.
Noemie calls out to Tegara. "Yes, butchering. Come help us? We're still starting the actual cutting." Thankfully, she gives a nod to Alexiel. "Please do. I should be used to all of this by now... but still, anything that's all bloody is not my favorite thing." Given a respite from her own butchering, she looks around at the other Weyrlings approvingly as they choose their carcasses and start to cut. "Good, good!"
Seliene slaps her knife into the meat and starts slicing, with an approving warble from Eileyth sitting nearby. "Are you from Tillek originally or is that just where you started off traveling? I've relatives up in Tillek myself - my grandmother's brother and his family live up there."
Alexiel finishes up cutting the carcass in half with a serrated knife and then moves on to cut off the leg. Once done with all the bone cutting, she starts to cut off the various sections of the leg with a regular sharpened knife.
Tegara grabs one of the formidable-looking, jagged-toothed butchering knives, designed to cut through heavy flesh and bone and heads over to help poor Timberley, who looks like she is about to dissolve into tears. "It's not so bad once you get used to it. 'Sides, your dragon will grow out a' this quicker than you think."
Noemie watches Alexiel as she cuts the larger parts of the herdbeast up, but lets the Weyrling do most of the work, finally picking up a knife again when the chunks of meat have become smaller, paring them down to the dragon-eating-chunks she'd mentioned earlier. "See," she says, "This is about right for a hungry dragon." She fetches a few pails and distributes them about, tossing her cut piece into one of them. "When you've got a good piece cut, put it in a pail, and we'll fill up the tubs when we're all done."
R'klen nods, attention fully on his task now as he alternates between sawing through bone with the serrated blade and then cutting with the sharper knife. "I'm from there. And I en't goin' back," he states firmly, looking pleased that he won't be able to. Looking down, the man observes his worksmanship, glansing at Sil and lifting a brow as if asking his approval. From where he lurks out of the way, Arsiloth, rumbles enthusiastically, the red having grown more obvious in his eyes. "Maybe a little smaller," he says for both his own and the green weyrling's benefit. Then, he slices a some of the larger pieces again.
Seliene makes quick work of the meat, obviously having some experience dressing out a side of herdbeast. "Eileyth says those are fine...but smaller would be better." She holds up a piece for inspection, which the little green sniffs at delicately - then promptly engulfs. "Some critic you are," she jokes. Turning back to R'klen, she purses her lips thoughtfully. "Well, my Gran is actually from the Seacraft Hall, so I guess it isn't actually Tillek proper."
Alexiel works in silence, cutting larger sections of meat from the bone and then cutting those up into smaller chunks, which she throws into the pail next to her. She's quick about her work, having done it before enough times to be familiar with it.
R'klen nods at Seliene. "My da's a vintner," he offers, though that seems to be all he's inclined to say for now as the chunks of meat are dumped into a bucket. He glances at Alexiel who isn't far away and is working quietly, then looks at his full bucket. "Ma'am, what do you think? Are these okay? Can I err, feed Sil?" he asks ucnertainly, quite aware of his hungry lifemate's constant gaze and growling stomach.
Eileyth cants her head down to peer at Arsiloth's stomach. "Eileyth seems to be fine with what she's snitched from me so far." Eileyth lifts her head and huffs indignantly. "You did /so/ snitch it. /I/ certainly didn't eat it!" Eileyth's tail twitches in annoyance and she huffs again.
Noemie weaves a path around the weyrlings, collecting the full buckets of cut meat. When she reaches R'klen, she nods. "This looks like plenty," she says, "And he's been waiting patiently. Go ahead!" She glances over to Tegara. "Mind taking it from here? I should fetch Noelyn. Can't leave him for too long with the nannies."
Tegara gets poor Timberly comfortable with cutting the carcass -- or as comfortable as the girl can be -- and goes to survey the others. "Hey, y'all are doin' good," and she goes back to Timberley's carcass, expertly slicing dragon-bite-sized chunks and dumping them in the bucket. "No problem, Noe, an' I know what you mean." The understanding of one mother to another.
Alexiel pauses in her cutting long enough to look up in Xavelth's direction, her gaze going distant for a brief moment. Then her lifemate is up on his feet and slinking across the barracks to stand behind her, jaws waiting. The weyrling takes a freshly cut piece of meet and offers it over to him, watching him snap it up with greedy jaws.
Noemie gives a relieved look. "Thank you!" A bright smile to the still-working Weyrlings, and she heads off, pausing by the meat-tubs to drop the cut meat she's collected into them.
R'klen nods and grins, hauling the bucket over to where Arsiloth has been waiting patiently out of the way. "Here yah go," he notes, half-tossing a piece of meat in his lifemate's open and waiting maw. "Don't gulp it down, take your time. Slower means fuller and that I won't have to cut more now," he notes. The bronze gives a whuff, seeming to blow the comment off. Quietly now, the pair settle into their task -- dinner.
What: Noemie teaches the proper butchering of herdbeasts for the dragonets' meal.
Where: Weyrling Barracks, Ista Weyr
When: 18:05 on day 21, month 4, Turn 13, of the Interval. It is a spring evening.
Weyrling Barracks
This huge cavern is one in a long series along the north wall of the encircling mountain, all generally rounded in shape. Massive tunnels connect the caverns, each of which contains groups of large stone couches. Each couch has a corresponding glowbasket, and more baskets are scattered around the remaining spaces. The northern wall opens up into something resembling a stage area, in front of which are lines of oil vats and meat tubs. To the east is a well-drained area where fresh carcasses are hung each day. Slate boards and samples of various gear are spread around the cavern, mute witness to the organized chaos of the barracks.
The huge entrance in the south part of the cavern leads out into the northwest side of the bowl, while the east and west exits issue into caverns similar to this one in function and form.
Noemie is a bit of a whirlwind as she enters the Weyrling Barracks, a nanny at her side to whom she's busily rattling off orders. She seems oblivious to the fact that she's made the poor girl follow her all the way here, so intent is she on carrying out her duties as both mother and Assistant Weyrlingmaster. Finally, as she reaches the mouth of the cavern, she passes the precious bundle in a sling over to the nanny. "Now go! /He/ doesn't need to be around for the butchering of carcasses." The slightly frightened-looking girl scampers off as the child himself begins to wake and cry. Then the greenrider turns her attention towards the young dragons and their lifemates, her tone much more friendly. "G'evening! I bet they're angling to be fed right about now, right?"
Seliene looks over to where Noemie enters, just as flustered and fast as Izarit did a moment before. With a sigh, she sets aside her knitting - much to Eileyth's disapproval. Seli reaches out to offer a consoling scritch. "I'm not going to get it done today, lovely," she murmurs, looking about. "Especially not with this lot running amok."
"Yeah, I s'pose she might." T'ace says with a shrug, still grinning before he looks to the cavern mouth that Noemie comes through and glances at Eldenth. "Not really, he just ate a little while ago." He calls back to the weyrlingmaster, tilting his head slightly. Eldenth simply rumbles a reply to Kajrath, watching his clutchsib idly.
Both Alexiel and Xavelth look up in unison from where they're lounging on the brown's couch, as Noemie enters the barracks and addresses them. Alex rises to her feet, dusting herself off as she prepares for the lesson. "Yes, heart, that means you're going to eat soon," Alex responds to her brown's unspoken comment before looking down at her clothing to be sure she's wearing something that she won't mind getting bloody. She can feel the edge of her lifemate's hunger, and can't help but think that the lesson is coming at just the right time.
R'klen is busily rubbing excess oil off his hands with a rag, while appraising Arsiloth's hide thoughtfully. Nodding in approval, he tosses the rag onto their couch and then turns at the comotion. He wrinkles his nose at the baby and then directs his attention calmly to Noemie, one brow lifting at her introduction. "Evening, ma'am," he notes, catching his hands together behind his back and waiting for further instructions. Arsiloth shifts into a more sphinx-like sitting position, alert and interested -- did someone say something about being fed?
Kajrath, though--Kajrath's whirling eyes light up at Noemie's words as his muzzle twitches in impatient, tail lashing. He's stopped his moving around at least, save for a couple of overexcited bounces, though that doesn't stop the broad projection of his mind in a flurry of grey-greens and the sensation of rushing along through Ista's generous undergrowth. His behavior apparently serves as enough of an answer that Izarit doesn't speak up herself, though she does toss off a quick sort of salute as she sits upright.
"Well, hungry or not, you're to learn the proper butchering of herdbeasts today," Noemie says, trying to add that authoritative-tone to her voice as she speaks. "We've been helping to make sure there's plenty of already-cut meat for your lifemates up until now, but soon, you'll be in charge of doing so-- that is, until they can catch a meal on their own. Care to join me?" She waves the group of weyrlings towards where she now heads, to the line of tubs partially filled already with cut meat.
Xavelth rises to his feet and starts to follow Alexiel as she makes her way towards the tubs of meat to join Noemie and her fellow weyrlings. A quick mental exchange between weyrling and dragon and the brown is settling back down in his couch, albeit with an eye following his lifemate and watching her closely. Alexiel, makes her way over to the tubs, smiling softly at Xavelth's eagerness to follow her around and make sure nothing happens to her. "Oi, I can't wait to get my hands dirty, ma'am."
T'ace glances down at Eldenth, who offers a rumble and causes the weyrling to nod. "Yeah, just stay here. I'll let ya know if they want ya over." The brown seems more then please with that and closes his eyes. T'ace stands from his cot and glances at Izzy, offering a grin before he heads towards where Noemie is gathering everyone together.
Seliene gets to her feet with Eileyth hopping down beside her. They both make their way toward the indicated tubs, glancing at them curiously. "This should be...entertaining."
Well, that deflates Kajrath. The brown stares after Noemie with as close to a put-out expression as a dragon can make, even as he shuffles after her, still curious even if this is more an Izzy sort of chore. Izarit herself releases a breath as she pushes up to her feet, falling into line with her brown. "How old will they have to be before they can catch it themselves? Ma'am," she asks then. "Or at least pull it off themselves."
R'klen smirks confidentally, looking as if this is one lesson he won't mind doing. Arsiloth rises and stretches in a languid manner before shuffling his wings and having a better look at the Assistant Weyrlingmaster, Noemie. While Rook heads toward the tubs, the bronze slinks a little closer, standing quietly and perfectly still where he can watch. Seliene's comment is overheard and R'klen turns to smirk at her. "Heh, cutting meat is entertaining? You're the last female I expected that out of. Well, perhaps not the -last-," he rethinks things, casting a glance at Izzy and grinning.
"Well, I'm glad that makes one of us, Alexiel," Noemie says with a laugh. "But it has to be done, in any case. Our goal tonight is going to be to fill these tubs up. When we're done, you can feed your dragons, although if they're /really/ hungry, I suppose you could sneak them a bite or two as you're cutting." She gestures to the side of the cavern, where carcasses are already hung for this purpose. "We'll be doing the actual butchering over there, then bring the cut meat back here. I think we've some pails for that." She walks towards the carcasses, waving the group to follow her. "Each dragon is a little different," She answers Izzy's question, "But it'll be another couple of months before they start to tear the meat off for themselves, and then finally hunt on their own."
T'ace nods slightly as he listens to Noemie, then glances to where carcasses are hung and wrinkles his nose. "Should be interesting." He mutters, though mostly to himself before he reaches back to quickly re-do the band on his ponytail before he nods again and is ready for whatever they've gotta do in the process.
Seliene smirks a bit in return, arms crossing over her hips. "I was being facetious," she explains to R'klen. "But this can't be any worse than the prep work I used to do in the kitchens."
Izarit doesn't notice R'klen's look at her, too busy eyeing the meat and Kajrath, who takes the opportunity of Noemie's turning away to edge forward, starting to lean back on his hind legs to eye the meat vats, even though he's inspected them a dozen times already. Izarit eyes him and plants one foot lightly on his tail, only enough to remind him of her presence; the brown, whuffing reluctantly, turns away to go look at what's going on now, the very picture of dejection, which Izarit certainly isn't falling for as she follows too, silent herself now, unenthusiastic in regard to this task. In fact, she looks mostly bored, attention wandering already, and fixing on the movements of T'ace, just in front of her, as he messes with his still too-long hair.
R'klen rolls his shoulders in a lazy shrug and grins at Seliene. "It isn't that bad, really. I bet these have already had most of the hard stuff done. You know, like gutting and skinning," he notes, moving around to get a look at the meat. "Probably only have to take it down to size. If were doing it from scratch, including killing the herdbeast or wherry...well, then I'd feel for yah," he notes, still looking smug. Behind the people, Arsiloth grins in a gaping draconic fashion, clearly amused. Glints of red flash in this eyes, hunger beginning to make itself known.
Alexiel follows closely behind the assistant weyrlingmaster to where the carcasses are hanging, eyeing them before looking around for the pails that Noemie had mentioned. Best to know where all your materials are before you start, that it is.
Xavelth continues to keep a wary eye on his lifemate from his couch. Though he would much prefer to be standing next to her, so long as he can keep an eye on her, he's somewhat content. Well, content except for the faintest feeling of hunger working its way into his belly.
"It's probably best to pair up, or get into small groups, to take a carcass down and quarter it," Noemie observes, a nod to R'klen to indicate he's right. "Everything you need his here-- butchering tools and such, knives and shears. I'll admit that some of you, perhaps some of you recently come from Holds, are probably better at this than I am. Never got used to this job. Comes from being craft-bred." She wrinkles her nose. "Anyway, if that's you, feel free to help show each other the tricks." Just then, she catches sight of T'ace adjust his runner-tail and adds, pointedly, "I know it's not pleasant, but it's one of those things that /every Weyrling must do./"
Eileyth pokes her head over Seliene's shoulder, a tinge of red glimmering in her own faceted eyes as she observes the lesson about to begin. Seliene, for her part, manages not to look disgusted at the thought of dressing out a herdbeast. She uncrosses her arms and strides forward to take up some tools and get started. "I guess the real trick will be making dragon-sized chunks, as opposed to stew-sized chunks."
T'ace glances over at the carcasses again, hmming softly to himself. It'll be something new, at least. He looks back to Noemie once more and sees her looking at him with her last words...and he frowns slightly, but says nothing. Instead he looks to Izzy, "Do ya know how ta cut this stuff up? Cause I'm not really sure."
"Not a clue," says Izarit, nose wrinkling. "I mean... Once it's off the herdbeast I've handled it before, in small chunks, but--my uncles usually do the butchering in the family," is her admission, shoulders lifting. "How hard can it be, though? Just take a knife to it--the herdbeast's not going to be complaining, after all."
R'klen smiles at Noemie when she notes that his assumption is correct. Arsiloth rumbles something softly, likely some sort of dragon 'atta boy'. Turning to Seliene, R'klen points at the meaty carcasses and then thumbs at his chest. "I'll err, help yah...if you want. Bet you'd do fine an' all, but if you need it," he notes, going a bit pink as per usual.
Seliene eyes one of the carcasses, hands resting on her hips as she does. Behind her, Eileyth watches - and waits - ever patient. "I think I'm going to need help getting it down, since you offered. If you don't mind, R'klen?"
Alexiel glances around to notice that everyone's already partnered up and she inches her way over to where Noemie is standing. "Ma'am it would appear that everyone's already partnered up. I don't suppose there's any chance you could be my partner?" If not, she could of course join any one of the already formed duos, but hey, it can't hurt to ask. And if anyone showed up to the lesson late, she could always switch to working with them, right?
"Exactly, Seliene," Noemie says, glad that the Weyrlings seem to have caught on to the idea. "Once the beast is quartered, it's easier to cut it into proper chunks. Aim for the size that you've already been feeding them." At Alexiel's question, she gives a little shrug. "Sure, why not?" Not the most formal approach to Weyrlingmastering, certainly. She walks over to the carcass closest to her, gesturing to Alex to help her bring it down and get it onto a butchering table. "Izzy's right-- hard to do this /wrong/. Main thing's to make sure the final pieces are of a good size."
T'ace hmms softly at Izzy, then shrugs and motions her over as he goes to a carcass and eyes it for a moment before he reaches up to bring it down, blinking at the weight even as he starts to lift it..."Uh...little help." He says to Izzy.
"I got one right!" Izarit says to T'ace and Kajrath in an audible whisper, her mouth curving into a grin. "So... you wanna get it down?" She fixes her brightest smile on T'ace, brows arching as she wheedles him to do it all himself. But he can't, and while she affects more sulking than even she likely feels, she steps forward to help out, if a little gingerly of the raw meat.
R'klen grins and nods, wandering over to get down a carcass. "I didn't hear," he begins, likely having not been listening well, "are we sharing this one or do I need to get one down for you and one for me?" he shoots in Seliene's direction, speaking from the side of his mouth and trying to be inconspicuous.
"Thank you kindly," Alexiel says to Noemie as she joins her assistant weyrlingmaster partner to help her haul the carcass down onto the butchering table. Not too difficult of a task when you've got two working on it instead of one. Yep, it'll be short work getting that carcass onto the table.
Seliene stands to the side, waiting for R'klen to hoist the carcass down. "I think there's enough to share between us. They're not that big yet and Eileyth eats like a lady holder." Eileyth sniffs, tossing her head back as if moving hair from her eyes. Seliene just rolls her eyes at her lifemate and manages not to grin too much. "One can only make eating raw chunks of meat look so dainty and proper, my dear," she tells the green.
"So, the best way to start is to cut the beast lengthwise," Noemie explains, "Then to cut each piece down from there. Along the haunch is easiest to do next, and from there, into dragon-eating pieces." She picks up a knife begins to cut her and Alexiel's carcass, the expression on her face betraying her slight squeamishness. But she pushes past her dislike of the job, giving the Weyrlings a good example of what to do.
T'ace gets the carcass down with Izzy's help and nods to her, reaching out to try and poke her in the stomach at the face she makes, "Don't look at me like that." He says, then grabs two knives and hands one to Izzy before he turns to watch Noemie begin cutting. After a moment, he turns to the beast in front of him and cuts slowly, wrinkling his nose a bit.
R'klen grins lopsidedly at Seliene, Eileyth receiving a glance and then the man slaps the slab of meat down. "I'll cut it in half lengthwise, as she said, then we can continue on seperately?" he half-asks, half tells. "Whatever she doesn't eat off her half, Sil might want. He has a pretty good appetite," Rook notes, bobbing his head as he shifts between listening politely to Noemie and talking with Seliene. "I used to hunt. S'how I made most of my marks while traveling, so this is easy stuff," he then tells his green clutchsib.
R'klen easily splits the carcass into two halves and shifts the pieces away so that he and Seliene can work side by side. "Well, we started out from Tillek when I was about 16 turns," he notes, looking thoughtful as he sizes up the meat. "I was just learnin', then, but many of the guys were older and so we all learned, from them. Worked are way around various smaller holds. This is the last place that our travels brought us and with Thread and all, a few'n us decided to stay," he states, more amiable then usual, likely do to the comfortable work from his past.
Noemie calls out to Tegara. "Yes, butchering. Come help us? We're still starting the actual cutting." Thankfully, she gives a nod to Alexiel. "Please do. I should be used to all of this by now... but still, anything that's all bloody is not my favorite thing." Given a respite from her own butchering, she looks around at the other Weyrlings approvingly as they choose their carcasses and start to cut. "Good, good!"
Seliene slaps her knife into the meat and starts slicing, with an approving warble from Eileyth sitting nearby. "Are you from Tillek originally or is that just where you started off traveling? I've relatives up in Tillek myself - my grandmother's brother and his family live up there."
Alexiel finishes up cutting the carcass in half with a serrated knife and then moves on to cut off the leg. Once done with all the bone cutting, she starts to cut off the various sections of the leg with a regular sharpened knife.
Tegara grabs one of the formidable-looking, jagged-toothed butchering knives, designed to cut through heavy flesh and bone and heads over to help poor Timberley, who looks like she is about to dissolve into tears. "It's not so bad once you get used to it. 'Sides, your dragon will grow out a' this quicker than you think."
Noemie watches Alexiel as she cuts the larger parts of the herdbeast up, but lets the Weyrling do most of the work, finally picking up a knife again when the chunks of meat have become smaller, paring them down to the dragon-eating-chunks she'd mentioned earlier. "See," she says, "This is about right for a hungry dragon." She fetches a few pails and distributes them about, tossing her cut piece into one of them. "When you've got a good piece cut, put it in a pail, and we'll fill up the tubs when we're all done."
R'klen nods, attention fully on his task now as he alternates between sawing through bone with the serrated blade and then cutting with the sharper knife. "I'm from there. And I en't goin' back," he states firmly, looking pleased that he won't be able to. Looking down, the man observes his worksmanship, glansing at Sil and lifting a brow as if asking his approval. From where he lurks out of the way, Arsiloth, rumbles enthusiastically, the red having grown more obvious in his eyes. "Maybe a little smaller," he says for both his own and the green weyrling's benefit. Then, he slices a some of the larger pieces again.
Seliene makes quick work of the meat, obviously having some experience dressing out a side of herdbeast. "Eileyth says those are fine...but smaller would be better." She holds up a piece for inspection, which the little green sniffs at delicately - then promptly engulfs. "Some critic you are," she jokes. Turning back to R'klen, she purses her lips thoughtfully. "Well, my Gran is actually from the Seacraft Hall, so I guess it isn't actually Tillek proper."
Alexiel works in silence, cutting larger sections of meat from the bone and then cutting those up into smaller chunks, which she throws into the pail next to her. She's quick about her work, having done it before enough times to be familiar with it.
R'klen nods at Seliene. "My da's a vintner," he offers, though that seems to be all he's inclined to say for now as the chunks of meat are dumped into a bucket. He glances at Alexiel who isn't far away and is working quietly, then looks at his full bucket. "Ma'am, what do you think? Are these okay? Can I err, feed Sil?" he asks ucnertainly, quite aware of his hungry lifemate's constant gaze and growling stomach.
Eileyth cants her head down to peer at Arsiloth's stomach. "Eileyth seems to be fine with what she's snitched from me so far." Eileyth lifts her head and huffs indignantly. "You did /so/ snitch it. /I/ certainly didn't eat it!" Eileyth's tail twitches in annoyance and she huffs again.
Noemie weaves a path around the weyrlings, collecting the full buckets of cut meat. When she reaches R'klen, she nods. "This looks like plenty," she says, "And he's been waiting patiently. Go ahead!" She glances over to Tegara. "Mind taking it from here? I should fetch Noelyn. Can't leave him for too long with the nannies."
Tegara gets poor Timberly comfortable with cutting the carcass -- or as comfortable as the girl can be -- and goes to survey the others. "Hey, y'all are doin' good," and she goes back to Timberley's carcass, expertly slicing dragon-bite-sized chunks and dumping them in the bucket. "No problem, Noe, an' I know what you mean." The understanding of one mother to another.
Alexiel pauses in her cutting long enough to look up in Xavelth's direction, her gaze going distant for a brief moment. Then her lifemate is up on his feet and slinking across the barracks to stand behind her, jaws waiting. The weyrling takes a freshly cut piece of meet and offers it over to him, watching him snap it up with greedy jaws.
Noemie gives a relieved look. "Thank you!" A bright smile to the still-working Weyrlings, and she heads off, pausing by the meat-tubs to drop the cut meat she's collected into them.
R'klen nods and grins, hauling the bucket over to where Arsiloth has been waiting patiently out of the way. "Here yah go," he notes, half-tossing a piece of meat in his lifemate's open and waiting maw. "Don't gulp it down, take your time. Slower means fuller and that I won't have to cut more now," he notes. The bronze gives a whuff, seeming to blow the comment off. Quietly now, the pair settle into their task -- dinner.