A kiss to wings
Who: Various NPCs(Roa, Limerri, Vanya, and Dara), Tavaly, T'zen, Vanya, Essdara
Where: Baths, Bowl, Guest Weyr
Comment: Immath rises, but Dara gets a present before she does.
Word in the Living Caverns is that one of the greenriders isn't doing so well today. A few older riders nod their heads and watch as the girl slips from her table and exit. What they don't see is the twitching she does on her way out and down, pausing by the guest weyr to grab a few things, then disappearing into the lower caverns. And then into the hot baths. There are very few people in here. Next to none. One old auntie already wringing out her hair and getting ready to leave, and then there's Tav. Farthest back pool, towel in an alcove, girl sunk down to her chin in the steam and water. Mm.
The quiet part of the day, when noone else is around. The best time for a girl seeking solitude to get clean. Like her greenriding friend, she heads for the most remote and secluded pool. It's not until she's half naked that she notices it's taken, though when she sees who it is she relaxes from the sudden tensing. She completes her disrobing and slips into the water. "Hey there, beautiful." She says, in a falsely chipper voice.
"I'm as beautiful as a plucked wherry in the hotest season Pern knows." Tav grumbles, opening one eye. Oo! Dara booty. Uh. Blink. A sudden pink comes to Tav's cheeks and she closes her eyes, turning her head. "You doin' arright t'day?" The greenrider asks, starting to fidget with wet strands of hair.
Essdara settles into the water with a soft purr as the heat settles into her tired muscles. "I get by." She says, with a shrug. A smile, though, slides over her features. "And Tava, you know better than that. You are quite definately and obviously beautiful." A glance over, "What's up?" Curiousity.
One eye opens and peers. Oh, good. Naked is under water now. "Long.." Story. "..day, so far. Lots of things to do, and I can't settle down long enough to focus on hardly any of it." Is the greenrider's lament, she sinks down again and her hair fans out, floating on the surface of the water in a dark, almost black halo. At talk of beautiful, Tav.. blushes again. "You're still more beautiful than me, but at least I ain' disagreein' with ya this time." So let's stop talking about it before Tav gets bad ideas in her head.
Essdara snorts, softly. "Not hardly." She scootches around to be sitting next to her; naked /and/ close. "You sound rather tired, though. Been a heck of a turn, not surprising." A concerned look over towards Tava. "Not gotten to talk you in a heck of a long time, though, Tava. I've missed it, you always have good perceptions on everything. Or at least, a comforting hug when the world overwhelms, which is most of the time lately. How're Immath, and Uneth and T'zen?"
That one open eye follows Dara's path and the girl will find Tav a little.. stiff. A little closed, a little twitchy. Nervous. "I hear you. About the overwhelmed part. And I'm sorry; I haven't been ignoring you.. or anyone else. Just.. there are a lot of things happening right now and.. uh.." Stare. Huh. Look at that. Dara's got boobs. "Uneth is good. T'zen's getting stronger. Immath.." A momentary glitch in Tav's system. "She's eating."
Essdara gives a sympathetic look, "I can see how that might make you want to hide out in the baths." A hand is found, a sympathetic squeeze given. "And I know you're not. What with T'zen and all, you've had enough on your mind. Sorry /I/ haven't found /you/." Hand is released, arm put around Tava's shoudlers with a light squeeze. "I should be watching out for my sister more."
She should be watching out for that sister's hand that's.. well, it's moving. Where, exactly, not even Tav knows. Doesn't want to know. Then it's pushed, suddenly, right into... Dara's hair, where a stray piece of wind-blown fuzz is plucked and dropped on the rim of the big bath. "It's all right. We all needed some alone time, I think. After.. after all that's been going on. We'll be getting better, though. Soon, I think. Things are starting to look up." Subconscious says: Look up, you idiot! You're staring at Essdara's boobs! LOOK UP!
Essdara is oblivious to the staring, it would seem; it's Tava, right. She rests her head on the greenrider's shoudler with a smile. "I was pretty bad there a while. Alone was better. Even got a friend drunk and took advantage of her. With a bronzerider." A soft snort. "Was fun, I guess, though. Also had a long talk with R'vain the other night..."
Whether or not Dara can hear it depends on how well she's paying attention. but the thumping of Tava's heartbeat is tell-tale. Fast. Drumming like a battle in her chest. "Drunk." She repeats, nodding. Yup, she's paying attention. "Bronzerider? Who?" Then long talk. "Whadja.. whadja talk about?" Booooooob. Tav's hand is twitchy again.
Essdara shrugs a little bit. "Lots of things. Some I can't really speak about. But... it's good, for both of us, I think. Confusing, but good." A wistful sigh. "Still, he's not a girl. Why can't I meet someone like you, beautiful, smart, adventurous... And not hopelessly taken and attached to men? It's a sad world, there."
"You don't want someone like me, say truly. I'm nuthin' but a big.. mess." Big. Big like the ripest redfruit Tav's ever seen. Then a pause. Wait, Dara's mouth is moving. "Sad?" Tav's brows knit together. She hates it when Dara's sad. What can she do to make Dara happy again? Hey! Tav leans in for the kill and plants one. Serious. Smooch on the girl's mouth.
Essdara squeaks at the sudden onslaught of greenrider, and for a moment goes very tense. but, still, Dara is Dara, and it doesn't take long before she's returning it with rather too much enthusiasm. After a long moment, she does manage to pull away a bit. Her voice is a bit confused, if breathless. "Tava?"
As soon as Dara's pulled away, Tav's eyes are open. Wide. Saucers. Saucers and dinner platters. She stares at nothing for a moment, then, as if nature is allowing them to go beyond normally huge, her eyes open wider still and she looks *at* Dara. Her face. "Oh, Scorch it.." She mutters, wearing the mask of someone who is just finding out something very important. Not like missing an anniversary important.. like forgetting to cover up the dooms-day switch important. "Oh, Shards. Oh, Faranth.." So many oaths. The girl jolts, hauling her nekkid self from the bath and scrambling to a wall. Where her clothes are. Fighting with them. Which way does your head go in again? "Sharditsharditshardit!" Nekkid Tava fights with clothing. Pause. Wait, Dara's still here. Wide eyes turn toward the girl and she almost weeps. "Forgive me.." A small voice wails, and the girl begins her panic-dance anew.
Essdara is surprised at the reversal, and the swearing. As Tava is out of the water, Dara follows, heedless of the water dripping off her as she all-but pounces on the greenrider. "Tava, what's wrong?" She asks, concerned. "Tava, you know you don't have to apologise for that..." She's disconcerted; Tava is, apparently, afraid, and a scared Tava is a scarey thing. "Tava, stop!" She tries, again, to get her to stop fleeing.
Thumpthumpthump. Like liquid lightning, a surge travels through the greenrider and she all but has a seizure. "Can't! She's not.. Dara, Immath's.." Hey, pants! She squeezes from Dara's grasp and throws on the knee-length breeks and the sleeveless tunic, belting it with a speed that belies her trembling hands. "I can't stop her." This said plaintively. "She's going up." A quick hug, towel snuck, and Tavaly's running, barefoot, out of the baths.
Out of the baths, out of the lower caverns, Tavaly's bare feet are pummeling earth and grass, her wet hair streaming behind her. Seems that ankle injury isn't bothering her at all, these days. She stops, skidding to a halt as that voice - that bellow from the grounds beyond - confirms her assumption. Her fear. The girl's hands curl into fists and she throws her head back uttering a barbaric curse that shall remain unspelled. Not very nice, that. The towel she'd grabbed, for whatever reason, is dropped and she turns her head left and right. Gotta.. gotta get somewhere. Hidey.
Drawn by the odd noise from outside, Vanya steps out of the Infirmary and makes her way toward a crowd that has gathered. She's not certain what's going on. She hears the words "green" and "rise" and pauses. She's still new enough to weyrlife she doesn't recognize or connect things. Not at first. Then, reality dawns. "Who's green?" She asks of someone, anyone.
Essdara isn't far behind Tavaly. Similarly wet, and similarly barefoot, she comes out into the bowl with an almost eager expression on her face, tense with excitement. Vanya's voice comes to her, and she moves in her friend's direction. The movement is more a prowl than anything, and she smile a feral smile to the healer. "Immath. Tavaly's green." Is Dara's tense comment, as her eyes scan the sky; nothing yet. "Should be a great flight, Immath's one of the best flyers in the weyr." Her voice is full of pride, happy at the chance to watch it.
From the Weyr's outside entrance, comes T'zen. He's not been bothering too much with clothing these days, between summer, bandages and therapy, and now wears a pair of comfortable slacks, worn out shoes, and upper body free to the open air, including the fresh scars strafing his stomach. His hair is getting a bit on the poofy side now.. as if it wasn't manageable before. It's the coming of evening that first draws him in. The sudden horrible cry of a nearby dragon stops his casual walk. He peers in the dragon's direction, and sees the telltale sign of other dragons flocking down. Only then, does he feel it as well. Oh boy. "Une, watch yerself now. I ain't in no condit-" That's when he pales. "Oh. Shells." His pace takes off again, first heading towards the guest weyr, and then seeing a familiar person suddenly appear, and look lost, he turns that way, rambling off to his unseen dragon. "You sure? Right, sorry. No no.. I mean it. Stay where you are. Yes. No. Yes! Shardit!"
It was a *good* dinner too. The meatrolls spiced just right, his favorite stew, even the klah was particularly well-brewed...so when the long pale-haired figure of H'dal comes loping out of the living cavern, it's with a mug of that superior klah in one hand and a meatroll clenched in the other. Knuckles are white around the prized items however, and much as the rider would like to continue on with them, his appetite is already waning. Dark eyes are scanning the feeding grounds to spot the dragon who will be altering his evening plans and the green he's decided to fancy. "One of the weyrlings..." he murmurs, eyes moving now around the bowl and over to a...nude and dripping Tavaly. A small groan. "Girl weyrling."
Vanya takes note of Dara and gravitates toward her. "Tavaly's green? Rising for ...?" And then something hits her. "Wait, Immath's rising for a mating flight?" She recalls what she's heard about those flights, and her brow knits. "Oh... oh, wait! T'zen ..." She does know their relationship, after all. And her first concern is her patient. A patient who is still recovering from a stomach wound. A patient who has a vested interest in this flight, perhaps. "T'zen ... do you see him, Dara?" there's urgency in her voice now.
Essdara shakes her head to Vanya, watching as another brownrider, J'rad, comes out of the caverns with a knowing grin. She shakes her head a bit and lays a hand on Vanya's arm. "This one, Vanya, stay out of. If Uneth gives chase, then he gives chase. And I don't think there's a thing you or I could do to stop him. And, honestly, I doubt there's another dragon in the weyr who could outfly her, other than him. Just... He'll be ok."
Limerri is not here. ...no, wait. She's here, she's over there near the entrance to the main cavern, watching the sky with huge gray eyes, one hand pressed to her mouth. Oh boy--she's been around for flights before, of course, but this is the first time one of her /classmates/-- Needless to say she's not going to be trying to get anyone's attention right now, because... Wow.
Also here is a solid-looking older fellow with a bit of a paunch--and from the shoulder-knot, a brown dragon as well. He's out of breath, visibly so, though the sight of Tavaly staring off at the feeding grounds seems to revive him. "This late? Who--" He coughs a bit. "Who is it?" Ladies and gentlemen, meet X'bar.
Each of several senses has the girl taking everything in all at once. The approach of several riders she.. well, /ew/ that one's just /old/. And then the comment. Dark with fury, glacial orbs twist toward H'dal and she barks, "2C Wingrider, you runner's hind end. Not a weyrling." And that's that. However, now that she's found she has a voice, that seems to bring her back. And then there are faces for the voices. Dara, Vanya, that.. one guy who called her a young'un. But.. where is.. Another voice, this one Vanya's. And the look the girl delivers is near murderous. Not surprising, as at that moment, Immath is giving the same look to any number of would-be suitors. Dara's pause of her, though, lessons the burning, seething anger on her face and she turns it, instead, to X'bar. If she were further out of her head, she just might snarl at someone. As it is, Tav is inching toward the southern bowl. Stealthily. Taking short steps at a time. She can hide there, right?
"Tav!" T'zen calls out, getting in range of the other gathering riders. The look he flashes them crackles with lightning. For all he's been a part of these, this is the first one involving his weyrmate. The game is changed. He pushes through the riders, finding Tavaly trying to slowly scoot away. "Tav. Y'know what this is, right? Y'know? Get you back inside." He's breathing hard from the quickened pace. He starts for the girl, intent on guiding, not considering whether that's smart or not.
"No, Dara, you don't understand. I don't want to /stop/ it, just ... please, help me look for him, all right? If things get too rough, those stitches could be torn, and we'd be right back where we were with him!" Urgency, right? Vanya actually reaches out and grabs Dara's arm. "Just ... just help me find him, and I can maybe ... do something to make it safer." Her head turns toward the Guest Weyr and she stops. "All right, never mind, there he is," and without another word, she turns her feet in that direction.
H'dal's hands lift and would be held palm up except...klah and meatroll. Don't bite him, he's a helpless pawn! But as his blue watches and suffers hearing loss at the hands of Tavaly's green, his own dark gaze takes on a quiet and careful intensity as he regards the dripping girl. He swallows, wets his lips, swllows again. "My mistake," and his voice still sounds scratchy. Was he holding food and drink? Oh, not so much now. They've fallen, forgotten, to the bowl so palms can wipe themselves down tha sides of H'dal's tunic. As Tavaly inches, he inches right after, attention shifting from girl to competition.
Essdara grabs for Vanya, but is too slow. "Shard it, Van, you're gonna get yourself killed! Or worse!" She pads off after the healer with a frustrated growl. "You don't know what they are like right now, best thing to do is get out of the way,and mop up afterwards, ok?" That earns her an amused look from J'rad, though he quickly looks back to Tavaly. Like his dragon, he's haning back away from the actual people involved, and spending time watching and waiting. Also like his dragon is the tense eagerness, the hands clenched at his side, his teeth locked togetehr behind that lascivious grin.
Focused. Intent. Yes. Now that he can see the competition arrayed before him and Brigath, X'bar's breathing takes on a steady rhythm, his pupils dilate, one hand tangling itself in his jacket as he struggles to undo the fastenings. That loses its import as he notices the greenrider begin inching away, with another rider already attempting to muscle in on her-- Oh, this won't do. "Hey, what do you think you're at?" the paunchy man demands, though of whom, it's unclear. He's moving to try and catch up with Tava, though, catch her by the upper arm and hold her firmly in place. Can't have the subject of all this commotion running off on them.
"That's a chance I'll have to take," Vanya calls over her shoulder, intent on her quest. She doesn't seem to notice the riders gathering, or the tension displayed in their faces and posture. Her only goal is to minimize the risk for T'zen, wanting him made as safe as possible for what's to come. If she gets hit, well, she does. "T'zen!" she calls, quickening her steps, gathering skirts up to run, if need be. No one's paying attention to her, so what does it matter? "T'zen! Wait!"
Tav? What is.. Wait. That's her name! Right! And who is it calling it? Hey.. that guy.. "NO!" And suddenly the murder abates. "No no, you can't.." She wants to say. Wants to. But nothing comes out, and there's a hand on her arm. Oh, there the murder went. Whirling, X'bar is about to aide Tavaly in reinacting the epic barfight that earned her a black eye, bruised ribs, and a telling off from her older brother. Only this time she's not laughing hysterically. One fist, previously clenched, curls around her body like a snake and seeks the man's face with an energy shared between two beings. Herself, and the green who now leaps into view over the walls of the Weyr.
"See," H'dal mutters, eyes glazing, "this is why I don't like the new girls..." A glance is thrown to the lauching green and for a moment, the sight rivets him to the spot. But he tears himself away, wipes his hands again and charges forward towards Tavaly and X'bar and those other riders converging on the poor girl. "Flight's barely-" Oh. Voice cracks. Ahem. "Flight's barely started, better take a step back." Hard to tell if this is addressed to the puncher or the punchee, however.
T'zen at first ignores the other rider's complaint towards him, reaching Tavaly. "It's happenin' Tav. Don't fight it.. Control." And on cue, Tavaly takes control, and lays with fists of death on another rider, and T'zen himself gets bumped back, stumbling. He gives a frustrated laugh. "Heh. Okay. Fight." He shakes his head, shoving away another rider eager to send him to the back of the group. "Back off!" Seeing the energy building around him, he back-pedals a bit. "Ah.. I mean.. we're gettin' 'er inside, is what. Tav!" Yelled as though she were across the bowl. "Inside, girl! The weyr over yonder. Leave 'im alone. Nobody's touchin' ya." Yet. And then.. "Faranth.. No! Une. Wait for it. Let 'er up-" He flinches. ".. or just do that."
X'bar turns his head aside as Tavaly's fist comes streaking in, catching the blow on one of his fleshy cheeks instead of his eye. He grunts at the pain and doesn't seem much moved by it--but the blow serves its purpose as a warning, as do H'dal's words from somewhere behind the brownrider. He relents, shuffling back a step or two but ill-concealing his dragon-fueled desire. "Inside," he gets out. "Guess that would be for the best." His eyes scarcely budge from Tava, just the barest flicker of a glance over in the direction of the guest-weyr. Poor Vanya is completely ignored as so much noise directed at somebody else.
"You've done this before," grumbles H'dal towards X'bar, "You know better. Shells. Fast." This is in response to the blazing green blur that his blue is now chasing after frantically. "Inside. Good. Let's go." One hand reaches up to tug at a too-tight collar. "Let's go now."
Did no one teach these boys manners? "Don't you put your filthy hands on me." Okay, now she's growling. Backing away from one rider only to turn around and find another. What, are they CIRCLING HER? What is she, a herd beast? The word 'Inside' catches her, and she turns those fierce, ice-eyes towards the one who suggests it. And that face once more twinges in her sight - tweaks her rage. T'zen. "Fine." She says through gritted teeth, shoving her way through the ranks of - oh, shells, is he wearing pants at all? - men whose dragons are getting the workout of their lives. Tav stalks purposefully toward the Southern bowl, and then the Guest Weyr beyond. Her hands are collected into fists and her shoulders quake with barely contained aggression. It takes all of her limited control not to break into a dead run.
Essdara stays on Vanya's heels, though now she is looking around with a more wary look to her. "Well, do what you have to, but do it /quickly/. These thigns don't wake long, and you don't wanna be here when it's over, trust me." A smirk. "Unless Morelenth is up there, then I guess maybe you do.":
And, Vanya puts on a burst of speed, finally reaching where T'zen is near Tavaly in time to hear him ushering the greenrider inside a weyr. "T'zen," she gasps. "Your ... your stomach ..." She tries to control her breathing. "You need ... bandaging ... before ..." She looks around, tries to find someone to send for what's needed. No one. So, she does the next best thing. Perhaps not the wisest, and she's all too aware of the energies building around her. Up comes the skirt. A hapless seam in her under chemise. Torn. Strips of white cloth, long enough, hopefully, to do the job. Not thinking about E'sere or his dragon at the moment, the words and smirk are ignored. "Dara!" Looking around. "The infirmary. Bandages. Second shelf on the right, inside the doorway. I'm not stopping anything, just keeping him from opening his wound again."
"Shards no, I'm not leaving you here on your own!" Dara says, sharply. "A flight's never killed anyone before, and I don't expect it will now. So he pops a few stitches, that should happen anyway if you're doing it right." J'rad, for his part, sidles away from the main crowd, heading south to beat the rush to a more secluded sanctuary, experience telling him where it will end up.
T'zen catches his name, and turns intense eyes towards Vanya. Eyes that both see her and see through her. "What." he growls, and then blinks at the white cloth, and then his own exposed mid-section. The implications dawn on him. And he's got a better clue than most just what kind of implications those might be. "Quick 'bout it, Vanya," he says, stopping his stride not far from the weyr entrance, eyeing the other riders streaming in after his girl. "Wrap it tight. Tie it so ya can't /untie/ it." He suddenly staggers back, eyes closing briefly, before popping open, looking wildly about. "Hurry!"
H'dal follows. What more can he do but trail after Tavaly and her self-proclaimed protector and her self-proclaimed attacker and the others. Each is eyed and the bluerider' jaw works, tightening a little. Too many of them. He wants them gone,
Vanya's quick all right, wrapping the too-short pieces of cloth around his midsection. "Dara, do what I ask! Do you want him out of the air longer?" Vanya snaps, working as fast as she can. "I need bandages, shard it!" There's an edge of panic in her voice now. "I'll clear out as soon as I'm done, trust me." Oh, yes. She'll do that all right. From the look on those rider's faces, she's not going to be anywhere near here to wind up with one of the losers. She's been warned, after all. "Please ...!" Her attention goes now to T'zen. "I'm hurrying, believe me." More strips are torn from the chemise, but none are long enough.
Huff, puff, huff, puff. X'bar can hustle when he wants to, and he certainly does to get to the guest weyr. He offers something of a grumbling, blustering snort to H'dal, but doesn't bother beyond that. All right, into the guest-weyr, after the prize. Once again he fumbles with his coat, this time managing to get out of it. Too hot. Much too hot. He doesn't notice the look H'dal is giving him--much too hot, too busy for thinking right now. His mind is with his dragon's.
"Shard it!" Is Dara's comment, dissaproval and reluctance on her face. Still, she gives in and sissapears for a long minute before returning with the items requested, muttering the entire time.
She is here. In the Weyr. Standing at the ledge-space beyond the stairs, watching with a strict gaze the actions of her lifemate. Hah! Look at them. Their paltry attempts. Tav's lips curl into a smirk. Then voices. Oh. They followed. Eh. Wait, who's that? T'zen, and.. a woman. Near him. Controlled, measured steps take her close. Tav reaches out slowly and puts Vanya's upper arm in her vice grip, her mouth leaning close to the healer's ear and hissing a whisper before she retracts the hold, steps away from the bandaging. But not before catching sight of the wound that, since it was first bound, had gone unseen. Now she chooses her space carefully. Still near the ledge with the wall behind her. She wants her escape route, if she has to use it. And each of the men entering are given deadly glares. Don'ttouchme.
The hand on her upper arm hardly feels good, and Vanya gives a cry of pain. Her eyes cut to the woman, Tavaly, as words are ground out in a harsh whisper. She doesn't stop what she's doing, even one-handed, but nods her assent, eyes filled with concern and an edge of panic. Once she's released and has the bandages from Dara, she goes back to work, hands far more steady than the rest of her. Once she's triple-wrapped T'zen's mid-section with strips and bandages, she grabs another bandage and puts one more layer there, covering him from below the naval to his pectorals. "That's the best I can do," she tells him. "Try --" A beat. "Just try to be ... careful." Careful? Sure, as if. "I'll be here ..." That's all she can say and releases the bluerider. "Go to her."
T'zen's eyes go wide as Tavaly is seen approaching them. Every muscle goes tense. "Tav..?" He watches the healer get snagged, and is getting ready to prevent an early death for the healer when Tavaly's moving away again. Without a healer arm in tow. Whew. Sweat drips down his forehead. The moment Vanya gives her okay, T'zen's moving away from the woman, joining the circle of other men, his eyes focused intently on Tavaly. "Thata girl," he whispers, mostly to himself. "Control." He sways with his dragon's own turns.
Essdara sighs "Done? Can we go now?" Dara's voice is tense now, nervous. "Far from here, where we won't be seen?" In the guest weyr, J'rad has found a place to lean against the wall, watching the others arrive with a muted expression, distracted; his thoughts are with his brown.
H'dal's a courteous sort. He finds a corner to sulk in and slks, his gaze not really here anymore. He's with Diskorth, and when the blue gives a moan of unhappiness, the rider mimicks it in his own voice.
Vanya nods, remaining outside the guest weyr now. Not going inside. She looks to Dara, and there's a concern on her face. She rubs at her upper arm where Tavaly's vice-like fingers grasped her. Closing her eyes, she shakes her head. "I was asked to ... stay close," Vanya says, voice hollow, reluctant. "I'd like nothing better than to leave, but --" She leans close and whispers something in the girl's ear.
Vanya whispers "Tavaly asked me to stay near, and if I heard T'zen scream, I was to come in and knock her out."
Where: Baths, Bowl, Guest Weyr
Comment: Immath rises, but Dara gets a present before she does.
Word in the Living Caverns is that one of the greenriders isn't doing so well today. A few older riders nod their heads and watch as the girl slips from her table and exit. What they don't see is the twitching she does on her way out and down, pausing by the guest weyr to grab a few things, then disappearing into the lower caverns. And then into the hot baths. There are very few people in here. Next to none. One old auntie already wringing out her hair and getting ready to leave, and then there's Tav. Farthest back pool, towel in an alcove, girl sunk down to her chin in the steam and water. Mm.
The quiet part of the day, when noone else is around. The best time for a girl seeking solitude to get clean. Like her greenriding friend, she heads for the most remote and secluded pool. It's not until she's half naked that she notices it's taken, though when she sees who it is she relaxes from the sudden tensing. She completes her disrobing and slips into the water. "Hey there, beautiful." She says, in a falsely chipper voice.
"I'm as beautiful as a plucked wherry in the hotest season Pern knows." Tav grumbles, opening one eye. Oo! Dara booty. Uh. Blink. A sudden pink comes to Tav's cheeks and she closes her eyes, turning her head. "You doin' arright t'day?" The greenrider asks, starting to fidget with wet strands of hair.
Essdara settles into the water with a soft purr as the heat settles into her tired muscles. "I get by." She says, with a shrug. A smile, though, slides over her features. "And Tava, you know better than that. You are quite definately and obviously beautiful." A glance over, "What's up?" Curiousity.
One eye opens and peers. Oh, good. Naked is under water now. "Long.." Story. "..day, so far. Lots of things to do, and I can't settle down long enough to focus on hardly any of it." Is the greenrider's lament, she sinks down again and her hair fans out, floating on the surface of the water in a dark, almost black halo. At talk of beautiful, Tav.. blushes again. "You're still more beautiful than me, but at least I ain' disagreein' with ya this time." So let's stop talking about it before Tav gets bad ideas in her head.
Essdara snorts, softly. "Not hardly." She scootches around to be sitting next to her; naked /and/ close. "You sound rather tired, though. Been a heck of a turn, not surprising." A concerned look over towards Tava. "Not gotten to talk you in a heck of a long time, though, Tava. I've missed it, you always have good perceptions on everything. Or at least, a comforting hug when the world overwhelms, which is most of the time lately. How're Immath, and Uneth and T'zen?"
That one open eye follows Dara's path and the girl will find Tav a little.. stiff. A little closed, a little twitchy. Nervous. "I hear you. About the overwhelmed part. And I'm sorry; I haven't been ignoring you.. or anyone else. Just.. there are a lot of things happening right now and.. uh.." Stare. Huh. Look at that. Dara's got boobs. "Uneth is good. T'zen's getting stronger. Immath.." A momentary glitch in Tav's system. "She's eating."
Essdara gives a sympathetic look, "I can see how that might make you want to hide out in the baths." A hand is found, a sympathetic squeeze given. "And I know you're not. What with T'zen and all, you've had enough on your mind. Sorry /I/ haven't found /you/." Hand is released, arm put around Tava's shoudlers with a light squeeze. "I should be watching out for my sister more."
She should be watching out for that sister's hand that's.. well, it's moving. Where, exactly, not even Tav knows. Doesn't want to know. Then it's pushed, suddenly, right into... Dara's hair, where a stray piece of wind-blown fuzz is plucked and dropped on the rim of the big bath. "It's all right. We all needed some alone time, I think. After.. after all that's been going on. We'll be getting better, though. Soon, I think. Things are starting to look up." Subconscious says: Look up, you idiot! You're staring at Essdara's boobs! LOOK UP!
Essdara is oblivious to the staring, it would seem; it's Tava, right. She rests her head on the greenrider's shoudler with a smile. "I was pretty bad there a while. Alone was better. Even got a friend drunk and took advantage of her. With a bronzerider." A soft snort. "Was fun, I guess, though. Also had a long talk with R'vain the other night..."
Whether or not Dara can hear it depends on how well she's paying attention. but the thumping of Tava's heartbeat is tell-tale. Fast. Drumming like a battle in her chest. "Drunk." She repeats, nodding. Yup, she's paying attention. "Bronzerider? Who?" Then long talk. "Whadja.. whadja talk about?" Booooooob. Tav's hand is twitchy again.
Essdara shrugs a little bit. "Lots of things. Some I can't really speak about. But... it's good, for both of us, I think. Confusing, but good." A wistful sigh. "Still, he's not a girl. Why can't I meet someone like you, beautiful, smart, adventurous... And not hopelessly taken and attached to men? It's a sad world, there."
"You don't want someone like me, say truly. I'm nuthin' but a big.. mess." Big. Big like the ripest redfruit Tav's ever seen. Then a pause. Wait, Dara's mouth is moving. "Sad?" Tav's brows knit together. She hates it when Dara's sad. What can she do to make Dara happy again? Hey! Tav leans in for the kill and plants one. Serious. Smooch on the girl's mouth.
Essdara squeaks at the sudden onslaught of greenrider, and for a moment goes very tense. but, still, Dara is Dara, and it doesn't take long before she's returning it with rather too much enthusiasm. After a long moment, she does manage to pull away a bit. Her voice is a bit confused, if breathless. "Tava?"
As soon as Dara's pulled away, Tav's eyes are open. Wide. Saucers. Saucers and dinner platters. She stares at nothing for a moment, then, as if nature is allowing them to go beyond normally huge, her eyes open wider still and she looks *at* Dara. Her face. "Oh, Scorch it.." She mutters, wearing the mask of someone who is just finding out something very important. Not like missing an anniversary important.. like forgetting to cover up the dooms-day switch important. "Oh, Shards. Oh, Faranth.." So many oaths. The girl jolts, hauling her nekkid self from the bath and scrambling to a wall. Where her clothes are. Fighting with them. Which way does your head go in again? "Sharditsharditshardit!" Nekkid Tava fights with clothing. Pause. Wait, Dara's still here. Wide eyes turn toward the girl and she almost weeps. "Forgive me.." A small voice wails, and the girl begins her panic-dance anew.
Essdara is surprised at the reversal, and the swearing. As Tava is out of the water, Dara follows, heedless of the water dripping off her as she all-but pounces on the greenrider. "Tava, what's wrong?" She asks, concerned. "Tava, you know you don't have to apologise for that..." She's disconcerted; Tava is, apparently, afraid, and a scared Tava is a scarey thing. "Tava, stop!" She tries, again, to get her to stop fleeing.
Thumpthumpthump. Like liquid lightning, a surge travels through the greenrider and she all but has a seizure. "Can't! She's not.. Dara, Immath's.." Hey, pants! She squeezes from Dara's grasp and throws on the knee-length breeks and the sleeveless tunic, belting it with a speed that belies her trembling hands. "I can't stop her." This said plaintively. "She's going up." A quick hug, towel snuck, and Tavaly's running, barefoot, out of the baths.
Out of the baths, out of the lower caverns, Tavaly's bare feet are pummeling earth and grass, her wet hair streaming behind her. Seems that ankle injury isn't bothering her at all, these days. She stops, skidding to a halt as that voice - that bellow from the grounds beyond - confirms her assumption. Her fear. The girl's hands curl into fists and she throws her head back uttering a barbaric curse that shall remain unspelled. Not very nice, that. The towel she'd grabbed, for whatever reason, is dropped and she turns her head left and right. Gotta.. gotta get somewhere. Hidey.
Drawn by the odd noise from outside, Vanya steps out of the Infirmary and makes her way toward a crowd that has gathered. She's not certain what's going on. She hears the words "green" and "rise" and pauses. She's still new enough to weyrlife she doesn't recognize or connect things. Not at first. Then, reality dawns. "Who's green?" She asks of someone, anyone.
Essdara isn't far behind Tavaly. Similarly wet, and similarly barefoot, she comes out into the bowl with an almost eager expression on her face, tense with excitement. Vanya's voice comes to her, and she moves in her friend's direction. The movement is more a prowl than anything, and she smile a feral smile to the healer. "Immath. Tavaly's green." Is Dara's tense comment, as her eyes scan the sky; nothing yet. "Should be a great flight, Immath's one of the best flyers in the weyr." Her voice is full of pride, happy at the chance to watch it.
From the Weyr's outside entrance, comes T'zen. He's not been bothering too much with clothing these days, between summer, bandages and therapy, and now wears a pair of comfortable slacks, worn out shoes, and upper body free to the open air, including the fresh scars strafing his stomach. His hair is getting a bit on the poofy side now.. as if it wasn't manageable before. It's the coming of evening that first draws him in. The sudden horrible cry of a nearby dragon stops his casual walk. He peers in the dragon's direction, and sees the telltale sign of other dragons flocking down. Only then, does he feel it as well. Oh boy. "Une, watch yerself now. I ain't in no condit-" That's when he pales. "Oh. Shells." His pace takes off again, first heading towards the guest weyr, and then seeing a familiar person suddenly appear, and look lost, he turns that way, rambling off to his unseen dragon. "You sure? Right, sorry. No no.. I mean it. Stay where you are. Yes. No. Yes! Shardit!"
It was a *good* dinner too. The meatrolls spiced just right, his favorite stew, even the klah was particularly well-brewed...so when the long pale-haired figure of H'dal comes loping out of the living cavern, it's with a mug of that superior klah in one hand and a meatroll clenched in the other. Knuckles are white around the prized items however, and much as the rider would like to continue on with them, his appetite is already waning. Dark eyes are scanning the feeding grounds to spot the dragon who will be altering his evening plans and the green he's decided to fancy. "One of the weyrlings..." he murmurs, eyes moving now around the bowl and over to a...nude and dripping Tavaly. A small groan. "Girl weyrling."
Vanya takes note of Dara and gravitates toward her. "Tavaly's green? Rising for ...?" And then something hits her. "Wait, Immath's rising for a mating flight?" She recalls what she's heard about those flights, and her brow knits. "Oh... oh, wait! T'zen ..." She does know their relationship, after all. And her first concern is her patient. A patient who is still recovering from a stomach wound. A patient who has a vested interest in this flight, perhaps. "T'zen ... do you see him, Dara?" there's urgency in her voice now.
Essdara shakes her head to Vanya, watching as another brownrider, J'rad, comes out of the caverns with a knowing grin. She shakes her head a bit and lays a hand on Vanya's arm. "This one, Vanya, stay out of. If Uneth gives chase, then he gives chase. And I don't think there's a thing you or I could do to stop him. And, honestly, I doubt there's another dragon in the weyr who could outfly her, other than him. Just... He'll be ok."
Limerri is not here. ...no, wait. She's here, she's over there near the entrance to the main cavern, watching the sky with huge gray eyes, one hand pressed to her mouth. Oh boy--she's been around for flights before, of course, but this is the first time one of her /classmates/-- Needless to say she's not going to be trying to get anyone's attention right now, because... Wow.
Also here is a solid-looking older fellow with a bit of a paunch--and from the shoulder-knot, a brown dragon as well. He's out of breath, visibly so, though the sight of Tavaly staring off at the feeding grounds seems to revive him. "This late? Who--" He coughs a bit. "Who is it?" Ladies and gentlemen, meet X'bar.
Each of several senses has the girl taking everything in all at once. The approach of several riders she.. well, /ew/ that one's just /old/. And then the comment. Dark with fury, glacial orbs twist toward H'dal and she barks, "2C Wingrider, you runner's hind end. Not a weyrling." And that's that. However, now that she's found she has a voice, that seems to bring her back. And then there are faces for the voices. Dara, Vanya, that.. one guy who called her a young'un. But.. where is.. Another voice, this one Vanya's. And the look the girl delivers is near murderous. Not surprising, as at that moment, Immath is giving the same look to any number of would-be suitors. Dara's pause of her, though, lessons the burning, seething anger on her face and she turns it, instead, to X'bar. If she were further out of her head, she just might snarl at someone. As it is, Tav is inching toward the southern bowl. Stealthily. Taking short steps at a time. She can hide there, right?
"Tav!" T'zen calls out, getting in range of the other gathering riders. The look he flashes them crackles with lightning. For all he's been a part of these, this is the first one involving his weyrmate. The game is changed. He pushes through the riders, finding Tavaly trying to slowly scoot away. "Tav. Y'know what this is, right? Y'know? Get you back inside." He's breathing hard from the quickened pace. He starts for the girl, intent on guiding, not considering whether that's smart or not.
"No, Dara, you don't understand. I don't want to /stop/ it, just ... please, help me look for him, all right? If things get too rough, those stitches could be torn, and we'd be right back where we were with him!" Urgency, right? Vanya actually reaches out and grabs Dara's arm. "Just ... just help me find him, and I can maybe ... do something to make it safer." Her head turns toward the Guest Weyr and she stops. "All right, never mind, there he is," and without another word, she turns her feet in that direction.
H'dal's hands lift and would be held palm up except...klah and meatroll. Don't bite him, he's a helpless pawn! But as his blue watches and suffers hearing loss at the hands of Tavaly's green, his own dark gaze takes on a quiet and careful intensity as he regards the dripping girl. He swallows, wets his lips, swllows again. "My mistake," and his voice still sounds scratchy. Was he holding food and drink? Oh, not so much now. They've fallen, forgotten, to the bowl so palms can wipe themselves down tha sides of H'dal's tunic. As Tavaly inches, he inches right after, attention shifting from girl to competition.
Essdara grabs for Vanya, but is too slow. "Shard it, Van, you're gonna get yourself killed! Or worse!" She pads off after the healer with a frustrated growl. "You don't know what they are like right now, best thing to do is get out of the way,and mop up afterwards, ok?" That earns her an amused look from J'rad, though he quickly looks back to Tavaly. Like his dragon, he's haning back away from the actual people involved, and spending time watching and waiting. Also like his dragon is the tense eagerness, the hands clenched at his side, his teeth locked togetehr behind that lascivious grin.
Focused. Intent. Yes. Now that he can see the competition arrayed before him and Brigath, X'bar's breathing takes on a steady rhythm, his pupils dilate, one hand tangling itself in his jacket as he struggles to undo the fastenings. That loses its import as he notices the greenrider begin inching away, with another rider already attempting to muscle in on her-- Oh, this won't do. "Hey, what do you think you're at?" the paunchy man demands, though of whom, it's unclear. He's moving to try and catch up with Tava, though, catch her by the upper arm and hold her firmly in place. Can't have the subject of all this commotion running off on them.
"That's a chance I'll have to take," Vanya calls over her shoulder, intent on her quest. She doesn't seem to notice the riders gathering, or the tension displayed in their faces and posture. Her only goal is to minimize the risk for T'zen, wanting him made as safe as possible for what's to come. If she gets hit, well, she does. "T'zen!" she calls, quickening her steps, gathering skirts up to run, if need be. No one's paying attention to her, so what does it matter? "T'zen! Wait!"
Tav? What is.. Wait. That's her name! Right! And who is it calling it? Hey.. that guy.. "NO!" And suddenly the murder abates. "No no, you can't.." She wants to say. Wants to. But nothing comes out, and there's a hand on her arm. Oh, there the murder went. Whirling, X'bar is about to aide Tavaly in reinacting the epic barfight that earned her a black eye, bruised ribs, and a telling off from her older brother. Only this time she's not laughing hysterically. One fist, previously clenched, curls around her body like a snake and seeks the man's face with an energy shared between two beings. Herself, and the green who now leaps into view over the walls of the Weyr.
"See," H'dal mutters, eyes glazing, "this is why I don't like the new girls..." A glance is thrown to the lauching green and for a moment, the sight rivets him to the spot. But he tears himself away, wipes his hands again and charges forward towards Tavaly and X'bar and those other riders converging on the poor girl. "Flight's barely-" Oh. Voice cracks. Ahem. "Flight's barely started, better take a step back." Hard to tell if this is addressed to the puncher or the punchee, however.
T'zen at first ignores the other rider's complaint towards him, reaching Tavaly. "It's happenin' Tav. Don't fight it.. Control." And on cue, Tavaly takes control, and lays with fists of death on another rider, and T'zen himself gets bumped back, stumbling. He gives a frustrated laugh. "Heh. Okay. Fight." He shakes his head, shoving away another rider eager to send him to the back of the group. "Back off!" Seeing the energy building around him, he back-pedals a bit. "Ah.. I mean.. we're gettin' 'er inside, is what. Tav!" Yelled as though she were across the bowl. "Inside, girl! The weyr over yonder. Leave 'im alone. Nobody's touchin' ya." Yet. And then.. "Faranth.. No! Une. Wait for it. Let 'er up-" He flinches. ".. or just do that."
X'bar turns his head aside as Tavaly's fist comes streaking in, catching the blow on one of his fleshy cheeks instead of his eye. He grunts at the pain and doesn't seem much moved by it--but the blow serves its purpose as a warning, as do H'dal's words from somewhere behind the brownrider. He relents, shuffling back a step or two but ill-concealing his dragon-fueled desire. "Inside," he gets out. "Guess that would be for the best." His eyes scarcely budge from Tava, just the barest flicker of a glance over in the direction of the guest-weyr. Poor Vanya is completely ignored as so much noise directed at somebody else.
"You've done this before," grumbles H'dal towards X'bar, "You know better. Shells. Fast." This is in response to the blazing green blur that his blue is now chasing after frantically. "Inside. Good. Let's go." One hand reaches up to tug at a too-tight collar. "Let's go now."
Did no one teach these boys manners? "Don't you put your filthy hands on me." Okay, now she's growling. Backing away from one rider only to turn around and find another. What, are they CIRCLING HER? What is she, a herd beast? The word 'Inside' catches her, and she turns those fierce, ice-eyes towards the one who suggests it. And that face once more twinges in her sight - tweaks her rage. T'zen. "Fine." She says through gritted teeth, shoving her way through the ranks of - oh, shells, is he wearing pants at all? - men whose dragons are getting the workout of their lives. Tav stalks purposefully toward the Southern bowl, and then the Guest Weyr beyond. Her hands are collected into fists and her shoulders quake with barely contained aggression. It takes all of her limited control not to break into a dead run.
Essdara stays on Vanya's heels, though now she is looking around with a more wary look to her. "Well, do what you have to, but do it /quickly/. These thigns don't wake long, and you don't wanna be here when it's over, trust me." A smirk. "Unless Morelenth is up there, then I guess maybe you do.":
And, Vanya puts on a burst of speed, finally reaching where T'zen is near Tavaly in time to hear him ushering the greenrider inside a weyr. "T'zen," she gasps. "Your ... your stomach ..." She tries to control her breathing. "You need ... bandaging ... before ..." She looks around, tries to find someone to send for what's needed. No one. So, she does the next best thing. Perhaps not the wisest, and she's all too aware of the energies building around her. Up comes the skirt. A hapless seam in her under chemise. Torn. Strips of white cloth, long enough, hopefully, to do the job. Not thinking about E'sere or his dragon at the moment, the words and smirk are ignored. "Dara!" Looking around. "The infirmary. Bandages. Second shelf on the right, inside the doorway. I'm not stopping anything, just keeping him from opening his wound again."
"Shards no, I'm not leaving you here on your own!" Dara says, sharply. "A flight's never killed anyone before, and I don't expect it will now. So he pops a few stitches, that should happen anyway if you're doing it right." J'rad, for his part, sidles away from the main crowd, heading south to beat the rush to a more secluded sanctuary, experience telling him where it will end up.
T'zen catches his name, and turns intense eyes towards Vanya. Eyes that both see her and see through her. "What." he growls, and then blinks at the white cloth, and then his own exposed mid-section. The implications dawn on him. And he's got a better clue than most just what kind of implications those might be. "Quick 'bout it, Vanya," he says, stopping his stride not far from the weyr entrance, eyeing the other riders streaming in after his girl. "Wrap it tight. Tie it so ya can't /untie/ it." He suddenly staggers back, eyes closing briefly, before popping open, looking wildly about. "Hurry!"
H'dal follows. What more can he do but trail after Tavaly and her self-proclaimed protector and her self-proclaimed attacker and the others. Each is eyed and the bluerider' jaw works, tightening a little. Too many of them. He wants them gone,
Vanya's quick all right, wrapping the too-short pieces of cloth around his midsection. "Dara, do what I ask! Do you want him out of the air longer?" Vanya snaps, working as fast as she can. "I need bandages, shard it!" There's an edge of panic in her voice now. "I'll clear out as soon as I'm done, trust me." Oh, yes. She'll do that all right. From the look on those rider's faces, she's not going to be anywhere near here to wind up with one of the losers. She's been warned, after all. "Please ...!" Her attention goes now to T'zen. "I'm hurrying, believe me." More strips are torn from the chemise, but none are long enough.
Huff, puff, huff, puff. X'bar can hustle when he wants to, and he certainly does to get to the guest weyr. He offers something of a grumbling, blustering snort to H'dal, but doesn't bother beyond that. All right, into the guest-weyr, after the prize. Once again he fumbles with his coat, this time managing to get out of it. Too hot. Much too hot. He doesn't notice the look H'dal is giving him--much too hot, too busy for thinking right now. His mind is with his dragon's.
"Shard it!" Is Dara's comment, dissaproval and reluctance on her face. Still, she gives in and sissapears for a long minute before returning with the items requested, muttering the entire time.
She is here. In the Weyr. Standing at the ledge-space beyond the stairs, watching with a strict gaze the actions of her lifemate. Hah! Look at them. Their paltry attempts. Tav's lips curl into a smirk. Then voices. Oh. They followed. Eh. Wait, who's that? T'zen, and.. a woman. Near him. Controlled, measured steps take her close. Tav reaches out slowly and puts Vanya's upper arm in her vice grip, her mouth leaning close to the healer's ear and hissing a whisper before she retracts the hold, steps away from the bandaging. But not before catching sight of the wound that, since it was first bound, had gone unseen. Now she chooses her space carefully. Still near the ledge with the wall behind her. She wants her escape route, if she has to use it. And each of the men entering are given deadly glares. Don'ttouchme.
The hand on her upper arm hardly feels good, and Vanya gives a cry of pain. Her eyes cut to the woman, Tavaly, as words are ground out in a harsh whisper. She doesn't stop what she's doing, even one-handed, but nods her assent, eyes filled with concern and an edge of panic. Once she's released and has the bandages from Dara, she goes back to work, hands far more steady than the rest of her. Once she's triple-wrapped T'zen's mid-section with strips and bandages, she grabs another bandage and puts one more layer there, covering him from below the naval to his pectorals. "That's the best I can do," she tells him. "Try --" A beat. "Just try to be ... careful." Careful? Sure, as if. "I'll be here ..." That's all she can say and releases the bluerider. "Go to her."
T'zen's eyes go wide as Tavaly is seen approaching them. Every muscle goes tense. "Tav..?" He watches the healer get snagged, and is getting ready to prevent an early death for the healer when Tavaly's moving away again. Without a healer arm in tow. Whew. Sweat drips down his forehead. The moment Vanya gives her okay, T'zen's moving away from the woman, joining the circle of other men, his eyes focused intently on Tavaly. "Thata girl," he whispers, mostly to himself. "Control." He sways with his dragon's own turns.
Essdara sighs "Done? Can we go now?" Dara's voice is tense now, nervous. "Far from here, where we won't be seen?" In the guest weyr, J'rad has found a place to lean against the wall, watching the others arrive with a muted expression, distracted; his thoughts are with his brown.
H'dal's a courteous sort. He finds a corner to sulk in and slks, his gaze not really here anymore. He's with Diskorth, and when the blue gives a moan of unhappiness, the rider mimicks it in his own voice.
Vanya nods, remaining outside the guest weyr now. Not going inside. She looks to Dara, and there's a concern on her face. She rubs at her upper arm where Tavaly's vice-like fingers grasped her. Closing her eyes, she shakes her head. "I was asked to ... stay close," Vanya says, voice hollow, reluctant. "I'd like nothing better than to leave, but --" She leans close and whispers something in the girl's ear.
Vanya whispers "Tavaly asked me to stay near, and if I heard T'zen scream, I was to come in and knock her out."