In which Nolee and Fayre watch Caity draw eggs, and new candidates are met

[noleepackrat]

Caitlyn, Fayre, Nolee, Xielar
Hatching galleries

"Well, I guess wherries and other animals deal with it, right? Oh, and 'lizards, o' course. Still, glad there's no eggs for humans. Blech." Fayre throws her arms out in front of her, dismissing the idea. "Geez, must be hard to colour in all the eggs. Some of 'em are so detailed. And shiny! How do you get shininess to come out in drawings?" Her head tilts to the side as she continues to look out at the clutch. "Yeah but...I don't know, how do they all figure it out when they're growing? I mean, how do they say 'oh, the clutch has too many blues at the moment, so I think I'll turn into a green'." Eventually, the candidate just grins and throws up her arms again. "Ah, I'm just babbling nonsense. Don't mind me." The two are seated in the galleries, Fayre emptyhanded while Caitlyn is drawing a picture of Aerianth and the eggs.

Caitlyn subconsciously grins as her fingers take up another stick of brightly-hued chalk - yellow this time - and she taps it on what looks to be the tri-colored purplish egg she likes. "Just like we *all* do. Shiny is tough to get I'll admit. I try for it by rubbing on the paper with the chalk - or with a rubbing stick or such - until the paper gets a little shiny. Best I can do with the materials I have." A look over to Fayre on her right (her supplies neatly arranged on her left), and Cait can only laugh. "I think even the dragonhealers are partially stumped. Better ask them, though. *My* head's muddled by all of that sciencey talk they go through."

A small group from the lower caverns, Nolee at their lead, make their way into the galleries. A sweeping gesture takes in the cavern's expanse. "At least it isn't wet or mildewed as it has been in the past," the blonde frowns. "Start on the far side, please. Prepare for visitors. Vis-it-ors. Ship shape. Clean enough that you'd want to sit there." She flicks back her hair, stubs her toe on a step, frowns briefly, and hobbles her way less gracefully over toward the seated figures. "Well hallo," she calls. "We're cleaning here. Not that you have to move, the rate these louts move." A sweet smile and a squint attempt to figure out to whom she's speaking.

Caitlyn
Rich, heavy waves of cool-toned brunette locks ripple and cascade thickly - woven into a thick braid who's tip snuggles home at mid-back. A wispy line of smooth bangs sweep across her high forehead from right to left, blending into the luxuriant mane. When the weather gets humid, her carefully groomed tresses can be seen to whorl and curl at both the top and ends, causing the woman a certain amount of annoyance when it dares to tickle high cheekbones or get in her eyes. An open, yet unconsciously seductive oval face is set with heavy-lidded, golden-brown eyes that seem to smile and laugh easily, arching dark brows swept up above them. Her nose is straight and strong, though not large at all, and her jaw is firm, and just a touch on the square side - though fitting very well into her features. Sensual lips of muted rose stand out against her moderately tanned skin, adding a southern tang to her good looks. The column of her throat is strong and arching, the pulse of her life thudding deeply within.

A crisp, simple winter-white 'V'-necked blouse of fine and airy fabric wreathes her upper torso - the bottom tied into a knot just above her navel. Its sleeves barely touch her uppermost biceps, and while it fits perfectly, the fabric clings a bit to a more than ample chest. Her somewhat broad shoulders and arms are big-boned, smooth and strong - with hard, but gently defined muscle - as collarbones sweep down in graceful lines from beneath the hollow of her throat. Khakhi-colored, three-quarters pants are gathered at her hips with a simple drawstring, and loosely follow the womanly curves of her form. They leave strong, but shapely calves bare, and lead into utilitarian sandals of the same wheaten shade about her large feet. At her left shoulder is pinned the knot of an blueriding Istan Wingleader - interwoven with the colors of black, orange, and blue, and on the opposite shoulder of the riding jacket which sometimes accompanies her clothing is the patch of a Belior Wing member, and the patch of a SAR member.

Caitlyn appears to be in her mid 20's, even though she's actually 29 Turns, 5 months, and 20 days.

Fayre
Fayre is what all gossiping old aunties probably looked like in their youth: plump, but pretty enough to try and woo people into telling her all sorts of gossip and rumors. Her shiny black hair would normally be waist-length, but it's almost always braided and pulled back to leave her chestnut eyes free to see. Though she's passed the most awkward of adolescent years and is now 22 Turns, 8 months, and 12 days old and has stopped growing at 5'4", a few stubborn blemishes still mar her skin from time to time.

To beat the traditional Ista Island heat, Fayre is clad in a rosy-colored sarong and casual brown sandals. An orange, black, and white knot is is delicately placed on her shoulder, marking her as a candidate at Ista Weyr.

Fayre stretches her legs out in front of her, a refreshed 'ah' escaping her lips when their joints crack a bit. "Maybe I should pick up a hobby. Don't think I could be as good at drawin' as ya, though." Another shudder runs up her spine, similar to the one brought on by the thought of being stuck in an egg. "Blech, I don't care much for science stuff either. Even calculating Thread and the like is rather dull for me." Her eyebrows quirk upwards a bit at the sudden approach of the cleaning crew. "Oh! Howdy, Nolee. Haven't had a nice chat with you in a while, eh? It's Fayre, by the by."

Caitlyn looks up at that familiar voice, and waves her multi-colored, chalk-dusted hand at the arriving goldrider. "Noles! How're you? Been a little since I saw you." A small, wry smirk for the tone the rather lazy woman uses on her 'followers,' and the bluerider gestures her nearsighted friend over. "C'mon over, Fayre's here too!" she calls on thhe candidate's heels. To said woman, "The only things that are utterly fascinating to me are dragons and 'lizards, puppies, rocks and gems, and art." What a nice, neat list.

Nolee approaches with some hesitation, but as Caitlyn hails, she brightens and makes her way right over, leaving the petite legion of workers to spread out with their cloths and their scrubbers as Nolee sits down near the women. "Well, hallo! Jays, if I didn't recognize it was you from far away, but I sure didn't. And of course I remember you" a nod to Fayre, "- I've been meaning to put down a bet on the eggs, but haven't found you timely, if you're taking bets this round?" She pulls up her toe, rubs it where it was stubbed, and peers at Caitlyn's art. "Caity! Well met, again, Wingleader. Were you discussing hobbies?"

Fayre watches the cleaning crew, a smirk beginning to play across her lips. "Shards, reminds me of the time we all had to scrub down the bathing caverns. That was just /awful/, eh? All that hair and gunk!" The smirk widens into a grin as the candidate takes out her gambling book for the second time this evening. "Was just showing my charts to Caitlyn, actually. Mostly to show off how darn messy they are, though. Can I put you down for anythin'?" Proudly, she wiggles her knotted shoulder. "I'm a candidate now, too, so you can even put a bet down on me."

Caitlyn can only smirk and roll her eyes at being so forgotten, but Nolee makes it up by remembering her actual name. "I think Fayre's *always* open to bets." Snork. "Hobbies, dragon eggs, dragons, people...lots of stuff," the bluerider murmurs, then lifting a chalk again and continuing to color in yet another egg. "How're you and Nala these days?" A screwed-up face that shows clear amused disgust greets Fayre's memory of that cleaning time. "Ugh! Don't remind me. That was...beyond disgusting. Only thing worse is poo." A rich grin for the chubby woman as Fayre points out her shiny, new knot. "Noemie's Naijath nabbed her," Cait informs Nolee.

Nolee makes an unpleasant face. "Ugh, the baths. That wasn't a highlight at all." She shakes her head, tossing her hair about. The appearance of the book elicits interest. "I wasn't much for gambling on Nala's little ones, as little help as she was in guessing them, but I don't mind it on others. Sure! I'll say there'll be at least three blues in the lot. Oh, and that you'll get one of them. Blues are nice, right, Caity? It'd be an honor to ride a blue for Ista." She nods enthusiastically, then giggles. "We've been spending heaps of time on a certain ledge at Reaches. Now that C'len's not a Wingleader, he has much more time." Tidily 'splains her absences away. "Well! Congratulations on the new knot and on different chores! Is handing Caity the right color chalk one of the new ones?"

Xielar walks up the steps to the galleries, seemingly introspective. As he notes the others, Xie blinks and moves to sit one tier behind those by the railing, one further up from Nolee. "Is that like..." Xie asks of Caitlyn, grinning. "... the word of the turn?" The candidate shakes his head and offers, "When Aidra said it the other night, it was funny, but when you say it Caitlyn, well, it's just silly." He grins briefly at the bluerider before blinking once more at Nolee, nodding to her briefly before growing quiet.

Xielar
Limp hair the hue of clay brown soil hangs evenly, medium-length over Xielar's head, framing an otherwise non-descript face that is blemished by a smattering of freckles. Were it not for the habitual finger-rakes through his hair, Xielar's bluish-gray eyes would likely never be seen, as his bangs often hide them. His 5'7 height and fair-skinned face give him the look of one perhaps younger than someone who is in actuality 16 Turns, 2 months, and 26 days years old. Unfortunately, Xielar's soft and pudgy frame only adds to his youthful appearance. There is no real defined musculature to this boy's body nor the toil of manual labour found on his hands. Instead, he merely looks as new to the world as a baby might, with a relatively clean complexion and soft tone.

Contrary to his usual baggy clothes, Xielar may have finally found a tailor somehow as all the clothes he wears tonight seem to fit him perfectly. On his upper body, the teenager wears a short-sleeved shirt of blue and white swirls, the buttons on the shirt made of small abalone. On his lower body, he wears a pair of well-fitted black pants. All clothes seem perfectly pressed and ready for a dinner or other special event. In fact, rather than wear a pair his usual pair of boots, Xielar's even gone far and beyond the call of duty and replaced them with a pair of simple, yet polished black mocassins. A knot indicating his candidate status rides on his shoulder.

Fayre jerks a thumb towards Caitlyn with a grin. "Yup, she's got me pinned. I'm up for bettin' any time, anywhere. Beats traditional games, in my opinion. Was never too great at dragonpoker. My eyes light up when I get a good hand no matter how I try. Maybe I should wear ridin' goggles or somethin' when I play." The candidate can't help but let a blush rise in her cheeks. "Aww, thanks Nolee. Blues are certainly beautiful dragons. Would love to ride one myself." She nods respectively towards Caitlyn's own blue-threaded knot before scribbling down Nolee's bets in her book. A giggle begins to escape from her lips, though she tries to cover it behind a hand. "Ah, no. Caitlyn's pretty good at picking out her chalk. Washing dishes are my duties today. All day, too!" Xielar is given naught but a curt nod of greeting.

Caitlyn can't help but grinning at the seemingly ever-chipper Nolee. "Blue are the *best* - and even Kintryth says so. But Nala is *his* favorite dragon...and she just happens to be gold and his dam, he says." A brow arches at word of a certain 'Reachian ledge, and Cait snickers playfully. "A certain bronzrider is good for you, I remember. Too bad we can't convince Vildaeth to come down more often." Xielar arrives soon after, and takes up her attention, for the moment. "Said what word? I said something funny?" Clearly, she's teasing the other candidate about the latter, winking at him before sliding her merry gaze to Fayre. "Maaaaybe I *should* make attending me a chore for all of you. Not a bad idea, Noles." Cue evil grin.

"Which word?" Nolee inquires of the pudgy newcomer. "Hobbies? Eggs? Nabbed?" Her guesses run around the subject before she tires of guessing. "I'm not any good at those games, either. I just forget all the rules before we get to the end." A shrug, and a hand waved to encourage her scattered work crew back to work, which they wryly do. Nolee manages a coy look. "Vildaeth doesn't like the heat so much - " but that's lost to laughter and nods of agreement, the woman mock-writing on an imaginary scroll. "So shall it be proclaimed! Every candidate has a day of attending Caity." Then a peer at Xielar. "That is, if you're one too. Oh, good. You are."

"Poo," Xie remarks, grinning. "I think I found it funny because it came out so unexpectedly from Aidra." His grin falls, however, as he notes Fayre again. A scowl clearly forms on the lad's face as he looks at her, before once again turning to face Caitlyn again, telling the bluerider: "I'm glad to see you in such good spirits though, Caitlyn." The Istan teen gives Nolee a brief look and another grin, adding, "Hey, I was Searched by Kintryth, I always thought it was a given that I had to attend Caitlyn." He looks over to the bluerider again, grinning. Fayre still seems excluded in jovial looks at the moment.

"Kintryth says blues are the best? My, isn't that a surprise." Fayre remarks to the Wingleader with a grin, pointedly angling her body towards the Caitlyn and Nolee and away from Xielar. Her nose wrinkles at the word 'poo' being repeated, though she stays silent on the matter. "Hey, I didn't know you had a far-off love, Nolee! Should tell Nalaieth to let his dragon catch her next time she rises. That way he'll be stuck here in the tropical heat with ya! 'cause High Reaches is far too cold for us Istans to stay in for very long." So obviously, all High Reachians must come to them. A'son did, didn't he?

Caitlyn 'ahhs' at Xielar, another smirk creeping across her features. "Well, I try to be more couth around crowds, and 'poo' fit the bill, this time. Guess I'm having a decent day..." Nolee's 'announcement' makes the woman dip her head in regal amusement, and raise that chalky finger above them all. "All of you can do my damned hidework for me, I so decree!" A belt of laughter, and then she nods at Fayre. "Vildaeth and Nalaeith are Kint's sire and dam." The odd hostility between the two candidates almost brings words, but Cait silences herself, not wanting to interfere.

Nolee tries to glean something of Xielar's expression, and, finding it masked by his hair, just blinks at him instead. "Yup, that is a given. And ugh, I have enough hidework of my own - no more for me." She shakes her head. "I was searched by a blue, so maybe it's similar." Nodnod. "Aw, C'len and me've been seeing each other for ages. His Vildaeth won Nalaieth's first flight, yup, and boy, was Vil miserable in our heat." At the mention of A'son, Nolee tilts her head, considering, oblivious to the tension between the two candidates. "Maybe ours should train in the cold, if it makes them fly better in the warm winds of Ista like Reachians do when they come here."

"I'm Xielar..." Xie tells Nolee, introducing himself plainly. "I guess that should have been mentioned." He grins briefly before leaning back and looking out to the eggs. At hearing Caitlyn, Xie nods once and adds, "Of course you do." He grins at the bluerider and adds further: "Because you have a reputation and all, right, Caitlyn?" He rakes a hand through his hair before looking from Nolee to Caitlyn, apparently oblivious to their conversation of C'len. He shudders and offers simply, "Reaches is too cold." The candidate still seems to be giving Fayre a cold shoulder.

"Shards, the gossip part of my brain has been awful if I never picked up on you and that bronzeridin' fellow before." Fayre notes with a shake of her head. "I must have it written down somewhere in my clutch book that Vildaeth won Nalaieth's flight. Oy, too many names to keep straight." The candidate looks down and rubs one temple with her free right hand. Perhaps Xielar's cold shoulder is getting to Fayre, but either way, she gets to her feet and slips her book into her pocket. "Anywho. I better get back to washing dishes. The joy of being a candidate, eh? Lovely seeing you two again." Only two? Ouch. But off Fayre goes towards the exit before anyone can notice her obvious exclusion of Xielar.

Caitlyn looks curiously at Nolee. "Who Searched you, Noles? Was it Lirit's Eleketh? 'Cause he Searched me!" A soft giggle, and then she shakes her head quite definitely. "No, I've had quite enough of cold, thank you. 'Reaches can keep it." A peer up at Xielar. "I do? It'd better be a good one." Eyeroll. "I hadn't heard C'len stepped down..." she muses to the goldrider again. "Seems I'm last in the line, as usual." More coloring of drawn eggs ensues as she drawls to Fayre, "You're getting old, Fayre. Join the crowd." Smirk. "Later."

"I'm Nolee," returns the blonde to the gray-eyed candidate, a perfunctory response that seems somewhat satisfied at his introduction. "It was a weyrling dragon. His first search! I dunno his name, though. I'sai made me say yes or no." The big-eyed expression suggests I'sai to merit name memory, at least. Noting Fayre's ignoring Xielar, she smiles cheerily after the woman leaves. "Maybe she can't count very well?" she posits weakly. "He did, and that shady fellow took over the wing." She turns with fascination back to the remaining candidate, teasingly. "She has a reputation, our Caity? What's it about this time?"

Xielar watches Fayre quietly before grunting. "Same to you, Fayre," Xie finally remarks, rolling his eyes. "If she thinks she can coddle me like I'm some kid... she has another thing coming." The candidate is clearly perturbed, but as she leaves the galleries, Xie sighs. "Girls," Xie also adds in frustration. "They think it's always okay to berate boys." He pauses and looks to both older women and adds an apologetic, "Sorry." The Istan teen pauses and finally concludes: "I'll... fix things soon with her." He nods once in response to Cait's question, saying, "Don't you? I thought all wingleaders had reputations to uphold." He pauses at Nolee's introduction and nods to her, replying back to the goldrider: "I thought you might be. It's nice to meet you."

"A weyrling? Wow! Oh, I'sai. I know *of* him more than I actually know him," Caitlyn muses to Nolee, impressed and amused at once. "Shady fellow?" Seems Cait's daft for the moment, but she moves past that question to tell Xielar, "Girls feel much the same about boys, I assure you," in a tone mixed wit humor and asperity. "That's good, Xie. Believe me, candidacy is no time for outstanding feuds. Not that everything *needs* to run smoothly then...but it *is* easier on folks. Ohh...*that* reputation. Yeah, we do. Sometimes it's a fardling pain in the arse."

"Coddle you?" Nolee repeats. "I didn't think she was even noticing you exist. Jays, boys must be more sensitive than I noticed. Oh, and well met to you, too." To Caitlyn, she adds, "He was our Weyrlingmaster. He made me learn things." A pinch of her lips for her opinion about that, then she's back to the earlier topic. "Maybe she likes you. Sometimes boys and girls argue when they really should just hold hands." Nolee smiles blithely, and nods assent to Caitlyn's comments. "And you'll sleep better without worrying if she's going to drip slime on your toes in the night. Eeew." Of reputations, she merely snickers softly.

Xielar looks to Caitlyn and then back to Nolee, telling the goldrider: "We got in a fight yesterday. Right here, actually." The candidate sighs, shaking his head, "I think we both overreacted or whatever it is you call it when we both blew things out of proportion." The candidate looks back at Caitlyn and nods briefly, telling the bluerider: "I... don't know what to tell her. I'm just angry that she keeps thinking me of as a child, you know?" Xie pauses and blinks back at Nolee, his tension melting away easily as he begins to laugh. "Fayre," Xie asks of Nolee. "... likes me?" Xielar shakes his head adamantly, saying, "That can't be it at all."

"SOMETIMES..." Caitlyn cautions Xielar, trying not to smirk. "You could just say 'sorry,' and mean it, and matter-of-factly ask Fayre that she not call you a boy, or something." Nolee gets an 'oh' and a nod - along with a knowing smirk. "How horrid, having to *learn*." An arch of a dark brow, and a curl of a wry smile. "And just what're *you* snickering about?"

Nolee nods brightly, undaunted by Xielar's explanation. "She's a very nice girl. Well, woman. If I remember right. Anyway, sure, why not? Never hurt to give it a try. Give her a nice flower or something - only, not one of the rash-y ones," an itch in memory, though the blonde tries to keep her hands in her lap and away from her neck as she mentions the rash, "Instead, just a pretty one, and see what happens." Called out on her snickering, she dons an innocent expression. "Me? Oh, nothing. Just remembering other reputations, turns past. We can all grow out of them, though, right? Even of being thought of as a child."

Tiglan
To pick one word to describe Tig is easy: 'brown.' Short, curly brown hair frames a tan face with big, dark eyes. The girl is average height, muscular, with a few curves that show she may someday qualify for the description 'woman'. Her plain brown pants and faded blue shirt are worn, but serviceable, and it's clear from her clothes and the fact that she usually lacks shoes that she possesses little in the way of vanity.

Xielar listens to Nolee and opens his mouth, nearly looking aghast. "Are you for real?" he finally asks the goldrider, shaking his head in amazement. "I'm not giving her a -flower-," Xie tells Nolee. And then to Caitlyn: "If she apologizes, I'll apologize, Caitlyn." Xielar is currently seated one tier above/behind Caitlyn and talking to them with surprising conviction. "I'm..." Xie begins, talking to both riders. "I don't even want to talk about it any more. It's just.. so over, I guess. Either that or it's frustrating me to the point where it's all I can really think of during chores and stuff."

Nolee just blinks at Xielar's open-mouthed expression, and quietly hmphs. "Well, I tried to give you some advice because I thought that's what you were looking for." She instead turns to regard the workers with rags and buckets who are cleaning the galleries, letting Caitlyn provide her succint suggestion since she knows the pair better. "Those reputations, exactly," she bemoans, then louder comes, "You there, scrub harder!" is called to a lacking worker.

Tiglan wanders in, damp hair curling around her ears. She's actually wearing a skirt, albeit a skirt in a brown pattern, and nibbling a handful of fingerroots. Oh hey, there's people! She directs her wandering feet toward them, taking a seat nearby but not intrusively so. "Evening," she offers quietly, staring at the eggs.

Xielar blinks again as he listens to Nolee, shaking his head for a moment. "How do you and the Senior Weyrwoman get along," Xie asks of Nolee, curious. "... I mean, you and she don't seem a lot alike..." He pauses and clarifies further, "In fact, you and she are like... opposites." He pauses as Nolee makes her demands to the workers cleaning. "On the other hand," he adds, grinning. "... maybe you're not -that- different from the Senior." He smiles briefly and waves to Tig as he spots her arrival. "Evening Tig," Xie greets the other candidate.

Caitlyn sits on the lowest set of benches in the galleries - right at the rail - resting a wooden board with a drawing tacked to it upon said rail. To her left are her chalks and rag, and one set of benchehs above her is Nolee. One above Nolee is Xielar. "Well, yeah, some things never change..." the bluerider comments to the goldrider of their respective mea-culpas. A roll of eyes for Nolee's ordering about of the staff, and then she notices Tiglan, giving the other Candidate a wave of her chalky hand. To Xie, "Yep, they're opposites, allright." Snort.

Nolee, who is already glancing about to keep track of her work team, notices the brunette's arrival and returns her, "Evening." Xielar's question causes Nolee to straighten her shoulders and sit upright, lips pressing thin. "I do my best at what's asked of me," she flatly replies. "Besides, she has a few nice traits. She's good with lotions, which is wonderful when one is itchy. Really itchy."

Tiglan, ever nosy, tilts her head to see what Caitlyn's got on the board. Speaking of itchy, she surreptitiously reaches down under her skirt and scratches her leg. Ooops, not supposed to do that! She takes stock of the knots and nods politely. "Goldrider, bluerider. Xie." The last with a big grin. "What's goin' on?"

Xielar chuckles some at Caitlyn as she makes her last remark. He shakes his head and replies back, "I meant..." But he doesn't go on with what he meant. Instead, the candidate merely nods back to Nolee. "Just lots of talk and such," he tells Tig.

"Indeed she is," Caitlyn agrees of Griere when Nolee speaks, noting that hint of ire in the goldrider's set of lips. Tiglan's eyeing earns her a good view of Cait's drawing of the scene down on the Sands - with a fully colored Aerianth, and about a quarter of the eggs like-colored in. Turning her head about partially at the candidate's greetings, Cait catches her leg scratching, unable to hide her grin, this time. "Just call me Caitlyn, candidate. And you'd be?" Xielar gets only a smirk and a nod. "Do what you will as long as no rules or heads get broken."

"The candidate's deciding if he has a love life or a rivalry, we're comparing reputations, and Caity's drawing, um, the eggs I think," Nolee summarizes for Tiglan's benefit, in greater detail than Xielar's words. Caitlyn's liberal advice brings a smile to her lips. "Ah, rules." Her attention turns to the newcomer, awaiting introduction as she notices that Caitlyn's prompted her name.

Tiglan grins and leans forward to see the drawing better. "Caitlyn, then. I'm Tiglan. That's a really good drawing; are you harper-trained or is that pure talent?" Wait, what? She shoots Xielar a look. "Talking about what? /Heads/ broken? /What/ are you planning?" Her expression implies that the unspoken question is 'why am I not involved?' "Reputations? Anyone's in particular?" Ahhh, Tig's incessant questions; all is normal in her world, obviously.

Xielar sighs and shakes his head at Caitlyn, telling her, "I sometimes thing people don't understand me at -all-." The teen continues looking from Nolee and Tig to back to Caitlyn, telling the bluerider: "I don't break rules. And I could hardly break anyone's head, even if I actually had tried to do that." He snorts in derision at the thought before shrugging and leaning back, seemingly relaxing finally, the tension in his shoulders releasing. And then he hears Nolee and groans aloud, "I'm not deciding anything and she's NOT a love life. Or..." He lifts his arms in frustration and sighs, saying, "You know what I mean." He mutters under his breath before glancing back to Tig as he tells the other candidate: "It's been a strange couple of days."

Caitlyn nods blithely to Nolee's apt descriptors of what's currently afoot, coloring in the latest egg to get her attention. "Yep, damned rules... Oh, nice to meet you, Tiglan. Ahh, I see you've interacted with Xie before!" she crows, then cackles of the male candidate. Xielar gets a 'cry me a river' look, which quickly alters into a loud, crass giggle as he gets a working over by the goldrider."

Nolee's attention is taken up with examining Caitlyn's drawing and comparing it to the arrangement of eggs on the sands. "People don't always understand me, either," she comments. "First impressions can be awfully misleading." She levels a gaze to the teen, then winks to add levity, only then regarding Tiglan with a polite, "Well met."

Tiglan snickers. "Oh yes, I know Xie. And I thought he'd include me in something fun like this." She mock-pouts at her fellow candidate, but can't hold the expression for long. "So who is this that's not a love life or a rivalry? Anyone I know?" She grins cheerfully at Nolee and answers, "Well met, Goldrider."

Xielar eyes Caitlyn, nearly leveling her a gaze, but instead thinks better of it and just shakes his head at her instead. "What does -that- mean?!" Xie asks of Caitlyn's 'interacted with Xie' comment. He sighs once more before running his right hand through his hair in an act of frustration. He looks to Nolee and deadpans, "I'm not surprised at all people don't understand you, ma'am." A grin twitches at his lips before returning his attention to the other candidate, saying, "Fayre. She and I had an argument. But really, we don't need to re-tread that ground again."

Caitlyn simply smirks richly to herself at all of the interplay between everyone, nodding absently to Tiglan as the bluerider colors, but finally turning a little of her real attention to Xielar. "Melodrama..." she comments, then suddenly jabbing a finger out at the Sands below. "So, which of those eggs are your favorites, everyone?"

"I'll take that as a compliment, candidate," Nolee smartly responds to Xielar. "For as to interpret you otherwise might cause great offense." She smiles blithely as the male candidate brings up the identity of his 'rival,' all by himself. Returning her study to the eggs, she points at one on Caitlyn's paper. "I like that one in your drawing. It has character. Of those out there, I like the one that looks like it's wearing a hat."

Tiglan raises an eyebrow. "An argument about what?" She's ignoring that bit about not re-treading the issue. And then Cait's asking about the eggs, and Tig squints down onto the sands for a few moments. "Um. Favorite? I guess that really bright one over there. Or maybe that pretty one, the one that looks like glass. I don't know, they're all pretty in their own ways..." She doesn't know Nolee enough to comment on Xie's remark, so on that she keeps quiet. Yes, it is possible.

"If you're asking generally and everyone's going to hear about it, then..." Xielar tells Caitlyn, pointing out the Adorned with Devotion egg. "... that one." He lifts a finger to forestall any other remarks until he can say something else. "But, between you and I and... the workers?" he asks rhetorically of the bluerider. "That one." And with that, the male candidate points out the Sanguine Frillies egg. Xie grins briefly at Nolee, saying, "It's okay, everything I say is somehow taken at offense anyways, ma'am." He pauses and then goes on to add, "But I liked touching that one too.. The one the weyrwoman's pointing at." The Istan teenager eyes Tig and adds, "You don't want to know. Or get into it."

Caitlyn grins as Nolee seems to pick the most whimsical egg of the bunch. "Yep, that seems like one you'd enjoy, Noles." To Tiglan, "Aww, c'mon now! I went through this with Basquirin and Fayre. Just pick a couple that tickle your fancy. I mean, *I* like those ones all equally," and a chalky pointfinger is stabbed out at the glassy, glittery, floral, and mardi-gras eggs. "Plus the stick-like one. I feel kinda bad for it." Xielar gets a grand nod, plus a smile at his choice of personal likes in eggs. "You like what you like, Xie."

"Ooh, you got to touch them already? That's my favorite part, when Nala has eggs. Having people touch them, like they can make a connection, maybe, with the dragons inside." Nolee makes no judgement about Xielar's favorites, not relegating gender to color or style. "One clutch, there was a droopy hideous green one and we all thought it wouldn't make it," she near-whispers, ghost-story-like. "But it did and it was all fine. And it looked better than that stick one out there. Did you get to touch them, too?" She looks toward Tiglan.

Tiglan frowns at Xielar. "Hmph. Fine, then." She turns her head away, tilting her chin up as if she's offended, but again, it doesn't last long. "I like the bright one the best," she says firmly. "It's so... bright. And distinct. And not pretty, but it's striking and memorable." She shakes her head at Nolee. "No, I had chores," she laments sadly. "But I'll get to go next time!" The prospect brightens her mobile, expressive face.

Xielar blinks before adding, "Oh yeah, that stick like one is neat too." He pauses again and adds, "In fact, I think I must've touched that one the longest when A'son let us do the egg touching." He nods again to Nolee, telling her: "It was... neat. I actually haven't experienced anything like it before." He pauses and admits, "I even decided where I was going to literally stand when I went out on the sands for the Hatching too." He pauses, eyes widening as he hears the weyrwoman. "Really?" Xie asks her. "That would have been scary for the queen who clutched it, I'm sure."

Caitlyn smiles warmly at Nolee, nodding to her friend. "I remember putting my cheek, head, hands on almost all of Nala's eggs in our clutch," she remembers fondly. "Coulda' sworn I heard strange music from Kint's at times." Blink. "Was that egg the one M'yr's Soldreth came out of?" Tiglan's response makes Cait grin and nod. "See, not painful. Yeah, there's usually always a touching happening. They're random, though - kinda spur-of-the-moment, for when Aerianth allows it. You'll get one in." Cait 'ahhs' softly at Xielar, eyeing that sad stick egg again. "I made sure to color it extra bright so it'd not get lost on here..." A poke at her drawing. A high arch of one brow. "Decided exactly *where*?" she crows. Hoo-boy.

Of the sunken egg, Nolee tells, "And folks were worried, but it was very hush-hush worry. I think the hatchling did go to him after all, to M'yr - figures!" Nolee nods understandingly toward Tiglan. "There are usually several opportunities, dam's temperment pending. Depending? Something like that." The tanned blonde regards Xielar with interest, "Did it feel like anything in particular? I don't get to go out there if they're not Nala's babies, which is usually a relief since it's so hot, but I'm curious."

Tiglan half-stands to see this stick-like egg that everyone's talking about. "I hope so," she replies to Cait absently. "It sounds like fun. Or at least," she amends, sitting back down and paying attention, "it sounds like an experience to remember." She knows none of the riders being discussed, and is actually quite interested in hearing Xielar's answer.

Xielar nods again to Caitlyn, seemingly in agreement with her decision to colour the sad stick egg extra bright. "There," Xie tells Caitlyn, pointing to the spot on the sands. "That's where I'll stand for the clutch," Xie explains to Caitlyn. "At the time Fayre and I had agreed that we'd look out for one another with maulings and stuff, you know." He blinks again, asking Nolee: "M'yr? How far back was that, anyways?" He shakes his head at Nolee, telling her: "It just felt like shell, but it was special, unique." Xielar then admits quietly, "I walked around a couple of them, just to look at some of them from all angles, then I finally touched them with one hand, then two."

"Well, at least I remembered *that* correctly," Cait comments of Soldreth's egg to Nolee. A different chalk for a different color on an egg is nabbed, then the bluerider smiles at Tig. "It can be. For good or bad. I've heard some weird stories of touchings at Weyrs...like some candidate tossing their guts on the sands, and one being followed around by the sire." Snort! "They're all unique, that's for sure," she comments again to Xie. And they're usually different on all sides." A grin at the youth. "Didja' ever think you'll stand where the 'leaders, and especially the clutchparents *want* you to?"

Regarding Caitlyn's artwork occupies Nolee's attention for a few moments, the goldrider tilting her head. "I didn't realize you'd taken up drawing - is this a study for future gemwork or did I just forget?" Xielar's question prompts some math done with the aid of her fingers, and she sheepishly notes, "I think we impressed about ten or twelve turns ago. He's at Fort now." The mention of mauling brings a nod. "It's a good idea to have someone to look out with you, but you hafta look out for yourself, too. It all happens so fast, once it gets going."

Tiglan wrinkles her nose. "Ewww. And that'd be kind of... um... unnerving?" she comments to Cait about each scenario respectively. "Wait, mauling?!" /That/ catches her attention, and she glances around nervously. "Like... death maulings?"

Xielar blinks again at Caitlyn and actually flushes in embarassment. "Uh. No," Xie finally tells the blue rider. "I hadn't thought of that, Caitlyn." He chuckles despite himself though as he hears the other stories of egg touchings, asking for clarification from the wingleader: "The sire followed the candidate around during the egg touching? Strange." He looks to Nolee curiously and nods again, "I remembered the name, but really, not how long ago it was." He nods once more to Tiglan, telling her: "It's what Ista's known for, after all. Not death, just the maulings. And it's not the hatchlings's fault really, they're just clumsy as they get out of the shell, Tig."

"I had a talent when I was young...and I nurtured it at Harper," Cait informs Nolee. "Just forgot..." she informs her friend, as if nothing unusual has happened. Color-color. Blink. "Was it really that long ago, Noles?" 'Cause Cait Impressed not long after Nolee. Yikes! Tiglan gets a wry nod. "Quite unnerving." Brow arch at both candidates. "Well, not to *death* that I've ever seen, but there are records of such happening in the past. So you really *do* need to keep on your toes." A smirk for Xielar's reply, plus a nod. "I think that one occured at Fort some turns ago. Yeah, like Xie said."

Tiglan's eyes widen alarmingly. Much more and she'll have to catch them as they fall out. "I'll be on the sands... with hatchlings... that are famous for /maulings/." She repeats the sentence again, but it doesn't sound any better the second time. "Oh, not to death," she murmurs. "That's comforting." Her face is pale under her usual tan.

Nolee's exceedingly blase regarding the subject of maulings. "It can happen. There are notes about it, in the records. Usually not fatalities to impressees, just woundings by accident, but a few casualties who were in the way. Just keep alert, as best you can." So much for comforting words, between Xielar's and her own. "There'll usually be a sort of a circle when you come in, but after that you could move to where you want to stand. If it's a clear spot and not, say, under the clutchparents." A cheery nod to Caitlyn, "It was! It doesn't seem that long, does it?"

"Actually, Caitlyn," Xie tells the bluerider. "You told me that when I got back to the galleries from the egg touching. Or maybe it was the Weyrleader." Xielar shrugs before grinning back at Tiglan, saying, "It's no big deal, really. I've seen it happen so many times." He nods again to Nolee's description before saying to all three women, "It's one thing watching it, but being down there... It's ... different."

Caitlyn regards Tiglan with someting like surprise. "No one told you before now? Yeah, woundings are mostly by accident. But try not to fret about it, Tiglan. Really, it doesn't happen *that* often." Okay, that's a partial lie from the bluerider, but better than seeing a candidate freak out. More nods for what Nolee's telling her, too. "Kint just seems so...well, physically young. I mean, he *is*, but he IMpressed me when I was twenty, I think." Headshake. "Jays." To Xielar, "Oh, I remember well enough." Grin.

Tiglan shakes her head, still pale for her. "No... I just figured... well, I guess... I don't know, I guess that everyone lined up and it was all... orderly." Fat chance. "I don't... I didn't think... oh wow." She shakes her head again, a convulsive twitch, almost, to help clear the images from her head. Caitlyn gets a thorough eyeing as Tig assesses her trustworthiness, and eventually is apparently satisfied enough to nod. "I guess." She sounds vaguely reassured, but not completely. The point is moot, though, because the hatching's not today, and a huge yawn threatens to encompass her head. "Oooh, sorry. I guess I'm tired. I guess I'll see y'all later?" Without waiting for an answer, she stands and not-quite-runs out of the galleries.

"I think Caity got a good scarring, didn't you, Caity? And M'yr did, and other people too but I forget which ones." Nolee picks that moment to add the details as she remembers them, "But they both turned out all right." She sits up again, watching as the working crew finishes up cleaning the upper tier of gallery seating and departs to await daylight before beginning anew. "I guess that's my sign that I ought to follow. I'm supposed to be supervising them in preparations." She makes no move to rise, however, startled into remaining seated as Tiglan runs off. "Do you think we frightened her?"

Xielar grins back at Caitlyn, telling her: "You're not that old, Caitlyn." He pauses and asks the bluerider curiously, "How do you mean physically young? Can dragons actually look younger than they are like us?" He looks to Tig curiously, watching her depart. He looks back to Cait then once more to Nolee, saying, "Probably not. She's made of sterner stuff than people think."

"Yep, right on the noggin'," Caitlyn replies to Nolee, then tapping her bang-spritzed forehead. A look at Tiglan's leaving, and she mouths over to Nolee, "Yeah, I think we did." Only when the goldrider rises will Cait deign to actually utter her goodbyes to her friend - she knows Nolee too well. Xielar's affirmation of age makes Cait blush just a little under her tan, then shrug a little - the bluerider lifting each chalk and stowing them carefully away in her beltpouches. "I'm old enough... and yeah, I think some dragons can look older or younger than their actual age. Just depends." Another looks to where Tiglan took off to. "I hope so."

"I'd guess Nala looks more than her age. All the extra wrinkles of hide. Or else they make her look younger." Nolee shrugs, finally rising and wishing a farewell to Cait before offering a more formal, "Evening," to Xielar. "Back to work for me." Cause she's been working so hard already. So saying, she heads down the steps toward the bowl, leaving the other two seated where they were chatting.

Xielar blinks some at Caitlyn, telling her: "Really? I had no idea." The Istan teenager pauses and shakes his head, saying: "There's actually a lot I had no idea about until I became a candidate." Xielar pauses once more, trying to find the correct words to use as he talks to Caitlyn: "And the only reason I found out is because... well, what if by some bizarre chance I -do- Impress and I don't know these things I should know?" He shrugs briefly and moves to the tier that Nolee was sitting at, just behind Caitlyn. "She's fine, I'm sure, Caitlyn," Xie says, hoping to assuage her concern. He grins briefly at the goldrider's more formal farewell to him and nods. "Good luck, ma'am," Xie tells Nolee as she departs.

In walks Balinne, her pace quick. She climbs the few steps up to the gallery, halts, and looks around at those egg-watching. She looks cross, and apparently doesn't find what she's looking for, as she swears under her breath and frowns deeply. But she does see something else - a Caitlyn. "Hey, Cait," she says, walking over.