Log: Sittin' on a Log
Who: P'draig, Javeri, Sunniva, X'lar, Niala
When: day 20, month 1, turn 18 of Interval 10.
Where: Jungle Clearing, Ista Weyr
What: Tail-end of the Candidate Dinner, Paddy bumps into Javeri and they share some words sitting on a log after the hubbub of the event.
Jungle Clearing(#785RJ)
Deep within the jungle of Ista Weyr, a clearing has been made just for the festivities. The heavy underbrush has been cleared, leaving only the jungle's bright, vibrant flowers left to be navigated around the large area. Strings of glows have been hung in the trees, offering decoration if not more than sufficient light for the event. After sundown, the dark is held at bay by a medium-sized bonfire and a pair of torches flanking it. The bonfire is not as big as the ones found on the beach, but, with the help of the lit torches, the light is enough to illuminate the entire clearing.
A series of long rectangular tables with benches to sit on can be found to one side, ready to seat the masses who have come for the feast and the fun. Plates and utensils can be found sitting at the ends of the tables for anyone to use. A large Gather tent with a floral print sits nearby where a number of tables are set up for the buffet of specially made food.
On the other side of the clearing, however, lies the underground oven built days before with the help of Ista's hunters and kitchen staff. A small circular table sits nearby, a necessity when the slow-cooked porcine is finally taken out of the oven and ready for consumption. A few hunters, likely the hunters who ended up hunting down the pig in the end, stand near the space where the pig is being cooked underground.
In summary, the clearing is a particularly tropical setting with all the lush green jungle circling it. The area is especially so when the sun sets, the torches are lit and the bonfire blazes.
With one last flourish of the fire-lit sticks by the dancing harpers, the drummers suddenly stop. The harpers douse their sticks and put them aside, replaced with two pieces of rope with small glows attached to them. With an alarming speed, the musicians start beating out a rhythm on the drums while the dancers begin creating an amazing display of skill at making brilliant designs with the glows spun this way and that. In the middle of this second rhythm, one harper manages to weave her pair of glows about to mimic the sight of a flower. The other Harper spins her pair of glows around fast before tossing it up in the air and catching it.
Whatever Sunniva was going to say to Niala is temporarily waylaid when the firedancing is replaced with glow-spinning and all she can do is continue to watch. Eventually, though, she remembers her stomach enough to snag another bite to eat and remembers her company well enough to murmur, "Oh, turns, I am sure," only to be corrected by X'lar. She half-turns to look at him, "Really? In that short of a span of time?" she wants to know. "That is fantastic!"
The relief in Javeri's eyes doesn't show until Fadra is all gone. After all it would be impolite to show happiness that she's not got the brownrider around to talk to any more. She finds a skewer of grilled vegetables and takes one before heading away from the table after finding juice. Now she just needs a spot to sit where she won't have to be around a whole bunch of people. A few people great, but the large group seems to be bothering her.
X'lar looks between Idraila and Sunniva curiously before finally centring his attention on Idraila as he hears her thanks. Smiling back in return, Xie replies back, "Thanks, Idraila. It really turned out great, didn't it?" He looks to Sunni now that she's talking to him too. "I said for /this/ event," the rider explains. "They've been practicing how to do the fire dancing for a couple turns now. But I do believe this is their /first/ performance in front of non-Harpers, Sunniva."
P'draig surfaces from somewhere in the crowd and pauses to pick up one of those skewers, refills his mug from one of the many pitchers of drinks and catches sight of Javeri's retreating form. "Hey there Javeri. Pretty intense stuff huh?" This said of the performance as the brownrider moves to fall into step with the candidate.
Niala whistles. "I'm surprised they've only been training for that long. They've got some real talent there." She yawns and finishes up her drink. Standing, she stretches and straightens out her dress, moving to get some more food. The heavy and savory meats are passed over in favor of a bubbly pie and yet more fruit. She pushes the plate of fruit to the middle of the group. "I got some fruit in case anyone wants it..." Looking a little tired, she sits and starts eating, yet again. She'll have to work extra hard for the next sevenday to work off this meal!
With one last beat against the drums, the Harpers spinning their glows around end with a fantastic flourish. The drumming resumes, but the dancers are finished for the night. The drumming quiets down a bit for one of the dancers to address the crowd: "We want to congratulate the Candidates on being Searched and please, enjoy the drums for the rest of the night!" The drumming grows louder again, adding further ambience to the jungle clearing as the beat grows more bouncy instead of the previous ferocity.
"Oh, I see," Sunni replies, tone lapsing into thoughtfulness. "A few turns and then some sevendays to get that routine down -- that is still amazing." Amazing enough that she passes over the offer of more fruit with a slight shake of her head and a soft, "Oh, no thank you, Niala.", eyes riveted to the performers. And when the performance ends, she heaves a wistful sigh, a slow smile spreading across her features.
One brownrider traded for another. Javeri looks at P'draig and smiles. The fingers around her mug wiggle in a little wave. "Oh, hi! The...Oh. Yea, I haven't seen much of it. I was just getting food and talking to someone." Someone she had to pay more attention to than the performance that she only now really is getting a chance to walk. "How are you doing?" she asks. "I haven't seen you in the crowd, but I haven't seen a whole lot of people. All these people makes it hard to see just one."
"Impressive," Idraila remarks in a near-echo, nodding her head easily in time with her chewing. Looking down at her plate again, though, she finds that she's run out of roasted meat to bring to her mouth. Hesitating in indecision, she looks back and forth from her little group to the pig still being dissected. Finally, she wavers away from the brink and announces, "I think I'm going to get some more food." Then with an unsure little wave, she says, "Be back later." But she isn't. Once one loses sight of her in the crowd, she's faded into it and doesn't emerge again until the night is over.
"Pretty big crowd," P'draig agrees, side-stepping a pair of wandering candidates with a grin. "Is that a fallen log over there? We could perch there and enjoy this stuff, smells awfully good," he notes of the skewers they both hold. "I'm good thanks, and you? Surviving all the candidacy hullabulloo so far?"
X'lar is happy to just listen to the drumming and resume his eating. Though, this time it's more of the Ista porcine on his plate instead of that salad. For the time being, he's quiet, smiling as he listens to the nearby conversations.
Niala yawns again and looks down at her half eaten bubbly and the plate of fruit. She stands yet again and stretches, taking up the food. With a tired smile she nods to X'lar. "Thanks for the celebration, it was a lot of fun. However," she offers an apologetic smile, "I need to go check on Jakkal. He didn't look so good, and he didn't eat much. I'll take this to him, if he's feeling better, maybe he'll be hungry." She shrugs, not overly hopeful to anything, then smiles and takes her leave of everyone, making her way back to the barracks.
The departing Idraila is waved to, Sunniva calling "Do take care," after her fellow candidate. When she reaches to take a bit more from her place, she discovers -- much to her chagrin -- that it's empty and her drink, too, has been polished off at some point. Her gaze turns to Niala, then, and she ohs, "Do take care," being sent after her as well, which leaves her ... well, alone.
"Oh, sitting would be great," Javeri says with feeling as she does another finger wiggle wave to one of the wandering candidates that passed by. "My feet hurt all the time. And I was cleaning out stables before this and- and I'm not complaining or anything really! I just have sore feet." She goes quiet until they reach the log pointed out. "It's just all so different from what I am used to and I am not sure I've quite it figured out yet. Probably won't until it's too late."
It's getting late enough now, with both the moons high in the sky, illuminating the lush jungle clearing. Most of the younger candidates have already been sent to the barracks already (likely soon after the dancers stopped). Sure enough, X'lar soon calls out to the remaining candidates: "Alright everyone, it's getting quite late so I think it's time to end this shindig." And with that, the tropical festivities end with one loud pop from the bonfire that still blazes in the centre of the clearing. What there is to clean up will be done by the remaining staff from the Weyr.
With that proclamation made, Sunniva makes only the briefest of detours to get another tropical bubbly -- for another candidate, as she explains to one of the serving folk -- and to drop off her dirty dishes. Good nights and do-take-cares are distributed among those she recognizes (going a bit out of her way to issue such farewells to P'draig, Javeri, and X'lar) -- and a few faces she doesn't, for that matter -- and then the candidate is soon on her way, following a few other candidates as they disperse into the night.
Tracking after Javeri, P'draig joins in the sitting on the log bit. "Mm, yeah, I was standing over behind some folks, you know, because I'm tall, so it'll be good to stretch my legs out for a bit," Paddy states as he settles down. "What's giving you trouble with the whole figuring out thing?" he inquires curiously and takes a first bite of skewer.
Finally able to eat Javeri picks up a piece of the raw fish piled high and pops it into her mouth. She chews and looks up when people start going even waving at Sunniva. "Man, I totally missed the whole party. Ah, well. Huh?" Too much going on and she has to track back in her mind to figure out what P'draig said and what she said before. "Oh, I don't know. I've just been doing the same thing for so long and all of this is different and the others seem to be adjusting much quicker is all. I don't know if it's cause I'm older than a lot of them or I just- I don't know. I really don't want to sound like I am complaining because I'm not really. Please don't think that."
"There was a lot to keep up with," P'draig says sympathetically and nods, listening to her explanation. "Different people adjust at different rates," he says with a little shrug and pops another bite of food into his mouth. "And I don't think you're complaining," he continues once he's chewed and swallowed. "Are you even thinking about what might happen if you Impress, yet?" He lifts a hand to wave now and then as others slip away and provide farewells.
"I'm not entirely sure it's really sunk in that I might," Javeri says after another piece of fish disappears into her mouth. "I look at all the others and they seem, I don't know, like they stand a better chance." Shoulders shrug as she has a drink from her cup and watches the other candidates packing up to leave. "I'm not even sure what to think about what might happen, you know? It's so...I never thought about it before. And now it almost seems like, I don't know. If I think about it too much it could not happen. But if I am not thinking about it at all what if that, you know? Works the other way. It's sort of confusing I guess."
"Mm, that seems pretty common," P'draig agrees, having another bite himself. "And I don't know about chances - the darndest things can happen on the Sands. I mean in the end it's the dragonets that choose and it's however a person best fits with that dragon." He listens as she continues, nodding. "Mm. Yeah. It can drive you nuts. I think it's easier, if you're able, to just kind of roll with it. Come what may, y'know?"
"Exactly," Javeri says with a smile. "If I think too much on it then I might go crazy." Stretching her legs out in front of her she lets out a tired sigh. "I think there's aching muscles in me that would be happy to just go home, you know? It's so much work as a candidate I cannot imagine being a weyrling and having someone else to take care of. I don't even want kids!" Tiny kids. Not giant teethy creatures she's still not sure might not want to eat her hand or something.
"Heh, yeah. The first couple of months are ... pretty tough, but then it evens out and I think a lot of the training gets to be fun," P'draig says about Weyrlinghood. The last of his skewer vanishes and he chases it down with a swallow from his cup. "Aching muscles huh? Want some of those worked out?" he offers, voice mild.
Javeri's finishing up her fruit and then she sets her plate down beside her for now. "From head to toe. I should never have mentioned being bit and kicked in the nursery. I don't seem to have nursery duty as much, but I sure find myself mucking out stables. I don't even mind the smell so much as it's just dull. You can only shovel after runners for so long before your mind bends." His offer makes her smile and she stretches her arms over her head. "I would love to say yes, but if I stay out too much longer I won't want to wake up in the morning. Offer sometime when I'm closer to the cot I get to crawl into at night though. I'll trade for some baubles for your kids or something. I make great necklaces for small necks."
"Well, hopefully, if you do Impress, you'll be all ready for the drills and running and things that make a lot of Weyrlings sore," P'draig says sincerely and his head bobs as he takes another drink. "Sure. Palia likes shiny things. Maybe a bracelet?" he suggests. "And getting sleep is a good idea. I'm going to head up soon, track Mic down."
"A bracelet! I can do those. Palia. I can even write her name on some beads. I'll think on it during my next stint in the stables." Rising from her seat on the log she smiles at P'draig. "It was nice to see you again. Have a good night! I better get before I can't see and fall and break a leg and none of it matters anyway!" With a wave Javeri heads off to trek to her bed.
When: day 20, month 1, turn 18 of Interval 10.
Where: Jungle Clearing, Ista Weyr
What: Tail-end of the Candidate Dinner, Paddy bumps into Javeri and they share some words sitting on a log after the hubbub of the event.
Jungle Clearing(#785RJ)
Deep within the jungle of Ista Weyr, a clearing has been made just for the festivities. The heavy underbrush has been cleared, leaving only the jungle's bright, vibrant flowers left to be navigated around the large area. Strings of glows have been hung in the trees, offering decoration if not more than sufficient light for the event. After sundown, the dark is held at bay by a medium-sized bonfire and a pair of torches flanking it. The bonfire is not as big as the ones found on the beach, but, with the help of the lit torches, the light is enough to illuminate the entire clearing.
A series of long rectangular tables with benches to sit on can be found to one side, ready to seat the masses who have come for the feast and the fun. Plates and utensils can be found sitting at the ends of the tables for anyone to use. A large Gather tent with a floral print sits nearby where a number of tables are set up for the buffet of specially made food.
On the other side of the clearing, however, lies the underground oven built days before with the help of Ista's hunters and kitchen staff. A small circular table sits nearby, a necessity when the slow-cooked porcine is finally taken out of the oven and ready for consumption. A few hunters, likely the hunters who ended up hunting down the pig in the end, stand near the space where the pig is being cooked underground.
In summary, the clearing is a particularly tropical setting with all the lush green jungle circling it. The area is especially so when the sun sets, the torches are lit and the bonfire blazes.
With one last flourish of the fire-lit sticks by the dancing harpers, the drummers suddenly stop. The harpers douse their sticks and put them aside, replaced with two pieces of rope with small glows attached to them. With an alarming speed, the musicians start beating out a rhythm on the drums while the dancers begin creating an amazing display of skill at making brilliant designs with the glows spun this way and that. In the middle of this second rhythm, one harper manages to weave her pair of glows about to mimic the sight of a flower. The other Harper spins her pair of glows around fast before tossing it up in the air and catching it.
Whatever Sunniva was going to say to Niala is temporarily waylaid when the firedancing is replaced with glow-spinning and all she can do is continue to watch. Eventually, though, she remembers her stomach enough to snag another bite to eat and remembers her company well enough to murmur, "Oh, turns, I am sure," only to be corrected by X'lar. She half-turns to look at him, "Really? In that short of a span of time?" she wants to know. "That is fantastic!"
The relief in Javeri's eyes doesn't show until Fadra is all gone. After all it would be impolite to show happiness that she's not got the brownrider around to talk to any more. She finds a skewer of grilled vegetables and takes one before heading away from the table after finding juice. Now she just needs a spot to sit where she won't have to be around a whole bunch of people. A few people great, but the large group seems to be bothering her.
X'lar looks between Idraila and Sunniva curiously before finally centring his attention on Idraila as he hears her thanks. Smiling back in return, Xie replies back, "Thanks, Idraila. It really turned out great, didn't it?" He looks to Sunni now that she's talking to him too. "I said for /this/ event," the rider explains. "They've been practicing how to do the fire dancing for a couple turns now. But I do believe this is their /first/ performance in front of non-Harpers, Sunniva."
P'draig surfaces from somewhere in the crowd and pauses to pick up one of those skewers, refills his mug from one of the many pitchers of drinks and catches sight of Javeri's retreating form. "Hey there Javeri. Pretty intense stuff huh?" This said of the performance as the brownrider moves to fall into step with the candidate.
Niala whistles. "I'm surprised they've only been training for that long. They've got some real talent there." She yawns and finishes up her drink. Standing, she stretches and straightens out her dress, moving to get some more food. The heavy and savory meats are passed over in favor of a bubbly pie and yet more fruit. She pushes the plate of fruit to the middle of the group. "I got some fruit in case anyone wants it..." Looking a little tired, she sits and starts eating, yet again. She'll have to work extra hard for the next sevenday to work off this meal!
With one last beat against the drums, the Harpers spinning their glows around end with a fantastic flourish. The drumming resumes, but the dancers are finished for the night. The drumming quiets down a bit for one of the dancers to address the crowd: "We want to congratulate the Candidates on being Searched and please, enjoy the drums for the rest of the night!" The drumming grows louder again, adding further ambience to the jungle clearing as the beat grows more bouncy instead of the previous ferocity.
"Oh, I see," Sunni replies, tone lapsing into thoughtfulness. "A few turns and then some sevendays to get that routine down -- that is still amazing." Amazing enough that she passes over the offer of more fruit with a slight shake of her head and a soft, "Oh, no thank you, Niala.", eyes riveted to the performers. And when the performance ends, she heaves a wistful sigh, a slow smile spreading across her features.
One brownrider traded for another. Javeri looks at P'draig and smiles. The fingers around her mug wiggle in a little wave. "Oh, hi! The...Oh. Yea, I haven't seen much of it. I was just getting food and talking to someone." Someone she had to pay more attention to than the performance that she only now really is getting a chance to walk. "How are you doing?" she asks. "I haven't seen you in the crowd, but I haven't seen a whole lot of people. All these people makes it hard to see just one."
"Impressive," Idraila remarks in a near-echo, nodding her head easily in time with her chewing. Looking down at her plate again, though, she finds that she's run out of roasted meat to bring to her mouth. Hesitating in indecision, she looks back and forth from her little group to the pig still being dissected. Finally, she wavers away from the brink and announces, "I think I'm going to get some more food." Then with an unsure little wave, she says, "Be back later." But she isn't. Once one loses sight of her in the crowd, she's faded into it and doesn't emerge again until the night is over.
"Pretty big crowd," P'draig agrees, side-stepping a pair of wandering candidates with a grin. "Is that a fallen log over there? We could perch there and enjoy this stuff, smells awfully good," he notes of the skewers they both hold. "I'm good thanks, and you? Surviving all the candidacy hullabulloo so far?"
X'lar is happy to just listen to the drumming and resume his eating. Though, this time it's more of the Ista porcine on his plate instead of that salad. For the time being, he's quiet, smiling as he listens to the nearby conversations.
Niala yawns again and looks down at her half eaten bubbly and the plate of fruit. She stands yet again and stretches, taking up the food. With a tired smile she nods to X'lar. "Thanks for the celebration, it was a lot of fun. However," she offers an apologetic smile, "I need to go check on Jakkal. He didn't look so good, and he didn't eat much. I'll take this to him, if he's feeling better, maybe he'll be hungry." She shrugs, not overly hopeful to anything, then smiles and takes her leave of everyone, making her way back to the barracks.
The departing Idraila is waved to, Sunniva calling "Do take care," after her fellow candidate. When she reaches to take a bit more from her place, she discovers -- much to her chagrin -- that it's empty and her drink, too, has been polished off at some point. Her gaze turns to Niala, then, and she ohs, "Do take care," being sent after her as well, which leaves her ... well, alone.
"Oh, sitting would be great," Javeri says with feeling as she does another finger wiggle wave to one of the wandering candidates that passed by. "My feet hurt all the time. And I was cleaning out stables before this and- and I'm not complaining or anything really! I just have sore feet." She goes quiet until they reach the log pointed out. "It's just all so different from what I am used to and I am not sure I've quite it figured out yet. Probably won't until it's too late."
It's getting late enough now, with both the moons high in the sky, illuminating the lush jungle clearing. Most of the younger candidates have already been sent to the barracks already (likely soon after the dancers stopped). Sure enough, X'lar soon calls out to the remaining candidates: "Alright everyone, it's getting quite late so I think it's time to end this shindig." And with that, the tropical festivities end with one loud pop from the bonfire that still blazes in the centre of the clearing. What there is to clean up will be done by the remaining staff from the Weyr.
With that proclamation made, Sunniva makes only the briefest of detours to get another tropical bubbly -- for another candidate, as she explains to one of the serving folk -- and to drop off her dirty dishes. Good nights and do-take-cares are distributed among those she recognizes (going a bit out of her way to issue such farewells to P'draig, Javeri, and X'lar) -- and a few faces she doesn't, for that matter -- and then the candidate is soon on her way, following a few other candidates as they disperse into the night.
Tracking after Javeri, P'draig joins in the sitting on the log bit. "Mm, yeah, I was standing over behind some folks, you know, because I'm tall, so it'll be good to stretch my legs out for a bit," Paddy states as he settles down. "What's giving you trouble with the whole figuring out thing?" he inquires curiously and takes a first bite of skewer.
Finally able to eat Javeri picks up a piece of the raw fish piled high and pops it into her mouth. She chews and looks up when people start going even waving at Sunniva. "Man, I totally missed the whole party. Ah, well. Huh?" Too much going on and she has to track back in her mind to figure out what P'draig said and what she said before. "Oh, I don't know. I've just been doing the same thing for so long and all of this is different and the others seem to be adjusting much quicker is all. I don't know if it's cause I'm older than a lot of them or I just- I don't know. I really don't want to sound like I am complaining because I'm not really. Please don't think that."
"There was a lot to keep up with," P'draig says sympathetically and nods, listening to her explanation. "Different people adjust at different rates," he says with a little shrug and pops another bite of food into his mouth. "And I don't think you're complaining," he continues once he's chewed and swallowed. "Are you even thinking about what might happen if you Impress, yet?" He lifts a hand to wave now and then as others slip away and provide farewells.
"I'm not entirely sure it's really sunk in that I might," Javeri says after another piece of fish disappears into her mouth. "I look at all the others and they seem, I don't know, like they stand a better chance." Shoulders shrug as she has a drink from her cup and watches the other candidates packing up to leave. "I'm not even sure what to think about what might happen, you know? It's so...I never thought about it before. And now it almost seems like, I don't know. If I think about it too much it could not happen. But if I am not thinking about it at all what if that, you know? Works the other way. It's sort of confusing I guess."
"Mm, that seems pretty common," P'draig agrees, having another bite himself. "And I don't know about chances - the darndest things can happen on the Sands. I mean in the end it's the dragonets that choose and it's however a person best fits with that dragon." He listens as she continues, nodding. "Mm. Yeah. It can drive you nuts. I think it's easier, if you're able, to just kind of roll with it. Come what may, y'know?"
"Exactly," Javeri says with a smile. "If I think too much on it then I might go crazy." Stretching her legs out in front of her she lets out a tired sigh. "I think there's aching muscles in me that would be happy to just go home, you know? It's so much work as a candidate I cannot imagine being a weyrling and having someone else to take care of. I don't even want kids!" Tiny kids. Not giant teethy creatures she's still not sure might not want to eat her hand or something.
"Heh, yeah. The first couple of months are ... pretty tough, but then it evens out and I think a lot of the training gets to be fun," P'draig says about Weyrlinghood. The last of his skewer vanishes and he chases it down with a swallow from his cup. "Aching muscles huh? Want some of those worked out?" he offers, voice mild.
Javeri's finishing up her fruit and then she sets her plate down beside her for now. "From head to toe. I should never have mentioned being bit and kicked in the nursery. I don't seem to have nursery duty as much, but I sure find myself mucking out stables. I don't even mind the smell so much as it's just dull. You can only shovel after runners for so long before your mind bends." His offer makes her smile and she stretches her arms over her head. "I would love to say yes, but if I stay out too much longer I won't want to wake up in the morning. Offer sometime when I'm closer to the cot I get to crawl into at night though. I'll trade for some baubles for your kids or something. I make great necklaces for small necks."
"Well, hopefully, if you do Impress, you'll be all ready for the drills and running and things that make a lot of Weyrlings sore," P'draig says sincerely and his head bobs as he takes another drink. "Sure. Palia likes shiny things. Maybe a bracelet?" he suggests. "And getting sleep is a good idea. I'm going to head up soon, track Mic down."
"A bracelet! I can do those. Palia. I can even write her name on some beads. I'll think on it during my next stint in the stables." Rising from her seat on the log she smiles at P'draig. "It was nice to see you again. Have a good night! I better get before I can't see and fall and break a leg and none of it matters anyway!" With a wave Javeri heads off to trek to her bed.