[Log] Illegitimate Impressions, Pt. 1
Who: Amarie, Breena, Cashie (NPC), Claret, Crispin, Gustive, Eilidh, Kassima, Lanisa, Lyliasha, M'tri, Nikadis, Perouze, Riadur, Stavren, T'bay, Tegara, V'lano
When: Day 16, Month 8, Turn 2
Where: Lakeshore, Telgar Weyr
What: Riadur accidentally impresses a blue firelizard when Kassima's gold's eggs hatch.
Notes: Find Pt. 2 here and Pt. 3 here.
Telgar Weyr Lake Shore
The vegetation thickens near the lake, becoming a meadow that runs along the edge of a narrow, sandy beach. The sands spill down into a crystal lake to the north, lapping against the crater walls to the north and east. A fence runs northwest-southeast, blocking off the lake from the feeding grounds. The grass and trees around the lake resound with the bright green of summer. The lake, and the meadow around it teem with life and activity. Warmth -- the gift of summertime -- seems to lift the spirits of everything around here. Firelizards zip about the lake, taking full advantage of the season. The red shades of sunset cast the meadow into deep, but peaceful shadows.
Contents:
DRAGONS: Tisiath Daikoth
PLAYERS: Kassima Crispin Gustive Tegara Riadur
OTHER: Sand-Intensive Basket
Obvious Exits:
Bowl Lake
Crispin flops onto the sand after offering a bright wave to the two blues present, "Hi!" he calls, and then sits with his chin in his hands, watching the eggs. He smiles at Zabre, "I won't hurt them, I promise. I'll stay right here. I know how to stay put." He nods empathetically and half listens to the adults talking.
Daikoth grumbles his own hello, obviously lacking in the sleep area for the time being. Ah, well, it will have to stand, it seems. For now, he'll just watch, his head on his forepaws and his gaze intently held on the trio, just in case. After all, with Lysseth gone, he might have to take some action.
Giving a wink with a rogueish grin at the Lady Rider he flourishes another bow. "If I made you cry then I am at your service till I'm forgiven." Gustive casts a look at Crispin and whispers, "never make a lady cry but if you do, always make up for it."
Zabreneva would not seem much appeased. She stretches her wingsails over as much of her precious clutch as they can cover, and watches both Gustive and the small human warily; Kassima sighs, and observes, "Zabreneva is a horror when she's brooding. Don't pay her any mind. Look all you like, if'n you like--just don't touch, even though they're hard enough now that you probably wouldn't hurt 'em. Ach, don't say *that*," she advises Gustive. Mirth gleams in her green eyes. "You don't know how long it can take me t'forgive. I doubt you truly, truly want t'be at m'service, fetching me mint sticks and esoteric foods, until the end of time, although if'n I'm wrong about that by all means feel free." Letting her eyes drift towards the dragons, the greenrider calls to Daikoth, "Kaisan's going t'be jealous if'n you try t'claim this one as little-rider too!"
Tisiath will only deign to glance when Daikoth rumbles, but it's not to any fuss made over eggs. Instead he looks, arching his neck to catch the best light on a well oiled hide. He shifts his wings, spreading them slightly and then draping them with deliberate care over his back once more.
Shameless creature that he is, Daikoth still peers intently at the three, quite taken by the lad (as he tends to be with children) and sighing long-sufferingly at Kassima. He turns a bored, slowly whirling eye towards her briefly, flicking his tail up and around to curl it towards his forepaws, and making a huffing sound.
Tegara laughs as she watches the dragon's antics. "Yes, Kassima -- iffin I got your name right -- I'm the one who came here wit' the cranky ol' billy who'll prob'ly be dragon chow real soon -- that is, if he hasn't been et now...."
Crispin nods at Gustive, taking the man's information and tucking it away in his little mind. "Right," he whispers back. "Like when I threw the snowball at Lyrina and it hit her in the back, I said I was sorry and said I'd find her a flower." He beams, swelling with pride, "It was winter, but I did find one!" Of course he had to steal it from a nanny's sheltered garden, but that doesn't matter, right? "Mint sticks?" Crispin asks, springing to his feet, grubby hand digging into his trouser pocket, "I've got half of one left from Boll, want to split it?" He holds the mint stick out to Kassima, covered in bits of dirt and sand and lint. Good as ever, right? He tilts his head curiously, "Little rider?" He turns and looks with big blue eyes at Daikoth. "I'm Riordanth's little rider," he brags proudly. "He even lets me clean his talons for him."
"No, no. Go on without me," Riadur tells another candidate, waving the young boy on toward the living cavern. "I'll be along in a little bit. I just want to--er." He frowns as his companion runs off without letting him finish. Riadur stands on the shore a moment, then sets off around the curve of the lake, hands in pocket as he takes an evening stroll, heading vaguely toward the knot of people and dragons.
Tisiath might not be the one addressed, but he heard something loud and clear. A glance at his own talons, the stout blue gives a light rumble and levers himself up. Tail held so it wont drag he starts on his way towards the little lad his clutchsib would claim. One eye fixed on him, the other seeming to keep tabs on the clutch, least he get too close.
Gustive settles himself cross-legged on the ground and eyes the basket. Laughing at the grand gesture from the boy he pats his back. "You'll win many hearts that way" Grinning at Kassima he adds "Well if I'm around to make up to you, then by all means..." Eyeing the basket again he nods "Hoi, Crispin did you see an egg that caught your eye?"
mint stick from the case and slipped it into her mouth, she sets to folding the hides as well, and stows them and the case alike in her trouser pocket. "I'm guessing," she asks Gustive, "that you're still wandering, then? Find anywhere else that wanted t'gift you with good liquor?"
Daikoth wrinkles his nose back in a fair imitation of his own riders' grimace at Tisiath's rising. Well, there goes another mini-psuedo-rider. And he's not prone to sharing. That settled, Daikoth's attention strays away - first to Tegara, then to Gustive, then back, as though he's terribly bored with both of them and wishes they would do something interesting - like tapdance.
Tegara laughs at the blue's expression of disgust -- at what, she doesn't know. "I neva' knew that a dragon's face could be so 'spressive," she says, cocking her head from side to side, like she sometimes does with the caprines.
Crispin watches Tisiath walk towards him without a hint of fear, only curiosity. He smiles, "Hi there." He looks back at Gustive and smiles, "They're all perfect," he says, half to Gustive and half to Zabreneva. Of course he has a favorite already, but that's his little secret. He grins, showing his teeth. He nods at Kassima, looking a little crestfallen that she didn't want to share his mint stick, and back into his pocket it goes for later. Spotting Riadur the six turn old boy gives another almost violent wave of his entire arm, calling, "Hiii!" He looks back at Daikoth and smiles warmly.
Tisiath works his way as close as he dares, and then settles himself once again. Mimicking his earlier posture with one exception once he's finished. One foreleg is offered out, talons spread, and there he'll wait expectantly, with all his focus now on the young lad.
Closing in on the group, Riadur smiles slightly as the child hails him. "Hello," he offers as he comes to stand on the fringes of the gathering. He glances over to the others, giving the familiar Kassima a brighter smile of recognition. "Kassima. And--?" He glances at the basket by her foot, brows arching curiously.
Gustive grimaces a bit. "I've mostly been blessed with, uhm, some extremely wonderful Tillek." His grimace seems to deepen for a moment before he bursts into laughter at the shifting glances from the dragon. He waves at the great beast. "That they are Crispin, a good clutch." His gaze follows the exuberant wave and he follows suit with one of his own. "Hello!"
"The eyes can be telling you a lot if'n you know how t'be reading them. Dragons' eyes change color with their mood," says Kassima--then she laughs, and glances down at the queen in the basket. "Fire-lizards are the same. Otherwise, some seem t'bother more with trying t'do *expression* than others." Zabreneva doesn't deign react, but the compliments to her clutch do inspire her to furl her wings in... grudgingly. "You can't kidnap the boy and give him t'your riders or aught, either," she murmurs while looking towards the two blue dragons. Oh, yes, she's entertained. "Riadur! Evening, there. And--oh, this is Zabreneva, and her eggs. Watch for the claws. She's testy," the rider advises with wry humor. "Nay such thing as wonderful Tillek, Gustive, but I daresay they'd be appreciating your diplomacy."
Tegara looks down in the sandbasket at the queen firelizard jealously guarding her clutch. "My, what loverly eggs ye be havin' there, Zabreneva," she says, hoping the openly admiring compliment might just get the little queen to furl her wings just a tad.
Daikoth snorts contemptuously at Tisiath. Oh, yeah? If he's going to take *one* small one, he's going to take *two* bigger ones. And so does, fanning his wings out half-way and stalking forward with very deliberate movements. He surveys everything closely, then drops into the same position -- tail curled up around his forepaws, wings folded neatly on his back, and head resting on his forepaws -- evenly near both Tegara and Gustive. Whether or not they're laughing at him. Or even paying any attention to him.
Crispin takes a deep breath and replies to Riadur. "I'm Crispin, son of Mohria, rider of blue Riordanth, and F'min, rider of brown Voldrath." He's got this introduction thing down pat! He tilts his head at Tisiath and flops to his knees, pulling out a rag from his pocket and shaking some sand from it before he - quite boldly - reaches for the blue's first talon and begins polishing away. "So," he asks conversationally, "How are the winds treating you?" He startles at Kassima's words, "Kidnap me? My mom wouldn't be happy about that. She doesn't even let me leave the weyr by myself." Well he is only six.
Tisiath blows a puff of air Kassi-wards. Never mind that it'll fall short regardless. His eyes whirl in a relaxed fashion and in a deep medium blue edging to green. He rumbles again, fixing that gaze back on the boy as he watches to see what he'll do. His rumble resumes, low and almost conversational as he waffles a softer puff of air at the boy's head, pointedly ignoring Daikoth for the moment.
"Nothing if not diplomatic." Gustive stretches a bit with a smile at the little queen. He applauds at Crispin's perfect recitation. "I'm going to have to brag about your manners to your mother."
Tegara /has/ noticed the dragon slowly pacing around the lake shore to eventually settle at her side. She looks over and sees that the dragon's head is at about the same level as her own, so she does something that she saw Mohria do to her dragon -- she gently begins to rub the eyeridges.
Hope springs eternal. Zabreneva doesn't seem of a mind to be mollified further, but Kassima seems to recognize the situation and, with a laugh, adjusts her position on the rock until she can lean down and caress the 'lizard's eye-ridges. It doesn't relax the ruddy gold right away. But eventually she allows her wings to tuck a degree or two in closer to her sides as she leans into the touch. "I hope they hatch soon so I can get m'only *somewhat* irate fire-lizard back. Never mind Kazander. He's been puffing out his chest ever since he won her." She gives a soft snort in the direction of the dragons, but there's a grin accompanying it. "Tisiath and Daikoth seem t'like children, or at least the idea of children, I've gathered. But I don't think you really need fear kidnapping. M'tri and Lani would stop 'em." Sure.
Riadur glances down at the firelizard, nodding; he takes a step back just to be safe. After that movement, he turns back to look at Crispin, giving the little boy a smile. "I'm Riadur, son of... Well, it doesn't matter," he answers, grinning. "Where are you from, Crispin?" As Kassima addresses Gustive, Riadur flicks his eyes over to the other man briefly, then does a double-take. Afterward, though, he looks relieved and inexplicably abashed.
Crispin continues expertly polishing and buffing Tisiath's talons, making sure to get all the dirt from where the talon goes into the skin. He beams at Gustive, again puffing up with pride. "Mabie she'll finally let me dive from Riordanth into the lake when he's flying." As if that has anything to do with having good manners. He smiles at Kassima and nods, "That's good. I like where I am right now and don't want to leave. He turns and looks up at Riadur, "'course it matters! I'm from High Reaches, but we're leaving there 'cause I get sick when it gets cold, and it does that a lot. Riordanth found an island and we're going to live there! But," his face falls a bit, "I think Mom doesn't want to leave, and I feel bad 'cause we have to leave 'cause of me."
"Yes, he is quite th' proper li'l gentl'man," she says as she continues her gentle ministrations. "An' divin' into the weyr lake from Riordanth's back /when he's in th' air?/" Her tone is utterly incredulous. "An' your only how many turns old?"
Daikoth has a new friend. Oh definately, this is a new friend, this girl whose got enough common sense to rub at his terribly neglected eyeridges. Yes, indeed, this deserves a rumble of pleasure. A deep one, even, that starts from his chest and barrels out through his mouth.
Gustive shakes his head. "Diving off a dragon whileflying is hazardous even for an adult, Crispin. Maybe she'll let me teach you a few of the more *dangerous* wrestling moves, instead." Glancing up at Riadur he smiles and offers his hand in greeting. "Name's Gustive."
Tegara knows happiness when she hears it, and this dragon is most certainly happy, his deep, throaty rumble resonating in her chest. "I think you're enjoyin' this," she tells him as she keeps rubbing away.
Stop them? But, he polishes so very well! Tisiath shifts only enough to place out the second foot beside the first. More talons to be polished. Ahh, but wait. Now the blue's attention will wonder and he rumbles instead at Daikoth. His tail snakes out behind him as he stops watching what wonders Crispen works in light of this other development. Eye ridge rubbing!
Kassima laughs, pushing herself back up to a seated position on her rock. "Makes sense enough. Even if'n you did, I've a hunch your mother wouldn't thank 'em for stealing you away--" She breaks off, however, to look entirely bemused by this 'live on an island' plan. Shaking her head a bit, she quips, "Daikoth sounds so happy, you'd think there was something gilded around here somewhere."
Crispin beams proudly at Tegara, pausing in his buffing to hold up six fingers, "I'm this many!" Distracted from the thought of diving by the thought of dangerous wrestling moves, the boy springs to his feet, "Can we start now?" he asks. Then he remembers his duties and drops back to the ground, taking up his polishing again. "I'm sorry," he tells the blue, "I didn't mean it, Mom says I'm easily distracted." He looks over at Tegara and then back to Tisiath, "What do you want?" he asks earnestly, eager to please.
"Well, then, Ria and Adurnal, holders from the south," supplies Riadur to Crispin, still smiling. His smile becomes more forced at the boy's last words, however, and Riadur tells him apologetically, "Oh. I'm sorry." After that, he falls silent and shifts, not sure what else to tell Crispin. Instead, he focuses on the other man addressing him. "Riadur," he extends the introduction to Gustive, extending his own hand. Then: "You, ah, are you from High Reaches as well?"
"It's jus' me, rubbin' at his eyeridges, that's all," Tegara says. "I think that ta' say that he's happy would be a bit o'an unnerstatemment
"Ahh, no, actually from Bitra." Gustive smiles and tugs absently at his hair. He absently pokes Spin lightly in the ribs. "I don't think anyone wants to watch me train you at wrestling right now, but I promise we will later."
Kassima slants a look between Riadur and Gustive; she didn't miss that double-take from the former, and wonders, "Have you two met a'fore? I don't mind if'n you wrestle away, Gustive, so long as 'tisn't too close t'Zabre's sharding eggs. For what 'tis worth."
Crispin smiles at Riadur, "Ria and Adurnal," he repeats. "Okay." He squeaks when he's poked and frowns, "I don't like being poked," he says with a pout. He shakes his head at Kassima, "Oh we wouldn't hurt them at all, promise. Kids of Bluerider's honor!" He holds up a hand, fingers parted into three groups. Thumb, index/middle, and ring/pinky.
Tisiath puffs air at the boy again when he resumes his task. Ahh someone that knows how to treat a blue. And yet, he swings his head back around to watch what Daikoth's up to. What attention _he_ gets in place of his brother and ledgemate.
Riadur nods to Gustive, replying simply, "Ah. I see." Then, turning to look at Kassima, he shakes his head firmly. "No, we've not. He--You--" he glances back to address the man in question "--just... looks like someone I know. Knew. Not really, but when you glance..." He trails off with a shrug. "How close are they to hatching?" the candidate finally asks the wingleader lamely.
Gustive ohs. "I will remember not to do it again, Crispin, sorry." Cocks his eyebrow at Riadur but seeing that he doesn't want to elaborate decides not to question further. He gives a great shrug. "Well Crispin, I wouldn't mind if you want to, but I don't want to pull you away from the honored duties of tending a dragon."
"I know 'twouldn't. But Zabreneva's apt t'take any rolling around too close as a threat, y'know, and get all huffy, even if'n there's nay reason for her t'be. She's like almost any mother--absolutely mad about protecting her children." Kassi's gaze turns inward as she speaks, the words bringing some thought to mind that distracts her attention and softens her grin. Riadur's answer: "Shouldn't be long. Any day now, if'n fortune's in. I've been putting up with Zabreneva's moods over 'em ever since I found 'em in the laundry--I told you about that, didn't I?"
Crispin returns to polishing Tisiath's talons, starting on the other foot. He looks at Gustive and studies him for a minute before he looks at Riadur. "He doesn't look like anyone." Well...you know what he means. He shakes his head at Gustive, "I think he needs me right now," he says about Tisiath. "And I don't want to make Zab upset." He shortens the gold's name because he can't remember the whole thing.
In response to Kassima, Riadur nods. "Oh. Not long at all, then. And--yes, you did mention something about it one day, I think," he tells her, frowning thoughtfully. As Crispin speaks again, Riadur casts him a glance and an agreeable smile. "Oh, no. Of course not," he goes along with the boy.
Smiling at how studious the boy is at tending to the dragon, he lowers himself to his back and stares skyward. "Right you are with that, wouldn't want her upset with me, those talons look quite sharp." Gustive contemplates the heavens quietly for a moment almost frowning.
"Eggs in with the dirty clothes? I picked up the sack and she almost bit m'hand off?" Kassima supplies to jog Riadur's memory, and never mind the obvious exaggeration; Zabreneva's head isn't nearly that large. Attention wandering over to Gustive, she watches him watch the skies a moment or two. At length, "Thirty-second for your thoughts?"
Crispin beams at Riadur, pleased someone agrees with him. His eyes follow Gustive's gaze skyward. "Mom and I and Riordanth stargaze a lot. It's really special to my Mom. I just think they're pretty," he says softly. He unconciously leans against Tisiath's leg, forgetting for a moment that the blue he's tending to isn't Riordanth.
Tisiath just gives the young boy a side long look, quite literally turning his head sideways as he looks down at Crispin and then croons low before swinging his gaze at the others gathered once more. Arching his neck as he holds his head aloft.
"They are," Riadur continues his agreement with Crispin as he glances up at the stars. "They're... very different from the ones I grew up with, down south--not that I, er, was very familiar with the skies back home." His voice takes on its usual apologetic tone as he admits that.
Gustive gives a soft half laugh with an almost imperceptible glance at Riadur. His eyes scan the sky quickly. "Not much really, I was just trying to find a constellation, I've never been much good at it. Can you point any out, Crispin?"
Nikadis drags his feet through the bowl, and then the sand of the Lake Shore. He's not tired, he's just being him. Shuffling over, he heads towards a familiar face, and raises his hand in greeting towards Riadur. ""Riadur! Didn't think I'd see you out and about in the scary 'outdoors!'" He peers curiously towards the others gathered and bobs his head in greeting.
Tegara looks up from where she has fallen into a sort of a trance while rubbing Daikoth's eye-ridges. "Oh, hullo there," she says in greeting. "Name's Tegara -- Tegs for short," she says.
Kassima waits a moment, but when answers aren't forthcoming she takes it fairly well and sets herself up to start reading again, tugging the folded hides from her pocket and crunching the last remaining tidbit of the mint-stick tucked in her cheek. Nikadis, being unfamiliar, gets a curious look after her nod of greeting and offered, "G'devening."
Crispin turns and looks at Riadur, the energetic boy seeming to have reached a moment of 'down time' as he relaxes against the blue, still oblivious. "Why is that?" he asks Riadur. He nods at Gustive and lifts his hand, "Lots of them," he says. "There's the Gather Circle right there, and there's Boot, Red Butte, Gather Tent, Dragons' Eye, Tanners..."
And on cue, Nik's eyes turn towards the female voice. "Tegara eh? Pretty name." He smiles brightly and offers another little wave. "I'm Nikadis, Nik for short if you're so inclined." He makes a beckoning motion. "When you're done rubbing on the dragon, come and talk with us, if you want." He's just friend... really.
M'tri is hand-in-hand with Lani as he walks to the lakeshore, not looking particularly surprised at the gathering. His gaze isn't on the clutch, however; he's glaring sullenly at his dragon, whose rumbling catches his attention even early. "You!" is his accusatory cry. "You *sang terribly* because you said you *wanted attention*!" The next breath, the young Thunderbolt rider is sputtering, saying, "Thanks, I caught on to the fact that you lied." It seems to be the best course of action now to ignore his dragon completely, and he does that very well. "Evenin' Kassi, Tegara, Riadur." Pause, and then a glance to the others he doesn't know, as though maybe he's waiting for them to provide names.
The calling of his name attracts Riadur's attention; turning, he glances around and offers Nikadis a sheepish smile. "I, er, well. I ventured out for a bit," he finally tells the other candidate, shifting his weight. He explains to Crispin, "I'm just not... much of an outdoorsy person. I never paid that much attention to them." M'tri and Lanisa are offered a wave as the blueriders join them.
Gustive tilts his head back on the ground and gives a smile and a wave at the newcomers. "Gustive here." He's gotten comfortable on the warm ground and decides not to sit back up and instead he points up at a grouping of stars. "What're those?"
Well, helping run errands got her away from the BeastHall, but weyrs are seldom Pero's favorite place. And, unfortunately, in searching for a quiet place, the girl has, instead, found a crowd. She blinks and her eyes widen...and her gaze seeks a familiar face, hiding a little behind her hair. "Wow...half of Pern is here," she half-whispers, looking like she can't decide whether to stay and find out what the party is about or...vanish again.
"Nik," is Nikadis' reply to Gustive, giving him a friendly smile. Movement catches his eye, and he smiles towards the Herder lass. "You from around here?" he asks Perouze, questioning curiously.
"Daikoth *sang*?" Kassima repeats, looking at first M'tri, then the blue dragon in question, and finally M'tri again in disbelief. "Let me officially note that this idea traumatizes all the shards of the Egg out of me--evening, Trii. Lani." Both blueriders get a wiggle of fingers. "Busy evening tonight. To understate the case somewhat."
Crispin scrambles to his feet as all the new people arrive, and he bows, torso flinging itself towards the ground and then jerking upright. "I'm Crispin," the six turn old boy announces, well practiced, "Son of Mohria rider of blue Riordanth, and F'min rider of brown Voldrath." He looks almost sadly at Riadur, "You should stargaze more. It makes you happy." He follows Gustive's pointing and supplies, "Those're the Four Queens. I remember 'cause of that red one there in the eye of one, and if four queens get together one of them's usually not happy."
Lanisa suppresses a grin as she listens to Trii with Daikoth, but says nothing, for this is a familiar thing for her. She just gives his hand a squeeze and then looks about at the gathering, or more specifically, she spies the boy at her blue's feet, "Ahh. So that's who he's trying to keep now. Tisiath thanks you for the polishing lad." And then more generally, "Good eve, Kassi. Riadur, and others I don't know." Well that covers everyone else, right?
Crispin scrambles to his feet as all the new people arrive, and he bows, torso flinging itself towards the ground and then jerking upright. "I'm Crispin," the six turn old boy announces, well practiced, "Son of Mohria rider of blue Riordanth, and F'min rider of brown Voldrath." He looks almost sadly at Riadur, "You should stargaze more. It makes you happy." He follows Gustive's pointing and supplies, "Those're the Four Queens. I remember 'cause of that red one there in the eye of one, and if four queens get together one of them's usually not happy."
Spotted. That sort of means she has to stay, and thus she approaches the gathering a little closer. "I'm Perouze. Beastcraft's duties." Which is about all the manners she can manage right now. Her eyes glance up to the stars, she didn't quite catch the line about dragons singing, but she does notice the kid and gives him a suitably silly wave.
"Nikadis," he replies to Perouze. "And Til..." he stops and chuckles a bit, running a hand through his hair. "I guess it's Telgar's Duties, now," he states, laughter still in his voice. "Beastcraft? A bit of a way from the Hall, aren't you?" he probes questioningly.
Tegara's head turns as she hears the girl's voice. "Beastcraft, ya say?" she says. "I'd like ta 'prentice there, but I wanna wait an' see the hatchin' o' the eggs here first. Name's Tegara," she says, by way of introduction.
Crispin smiles brightly at Perouze and returns her silly wave before he turns and resumes his buffing of Tisiath's talons, absorbed in the task for the time being.
M'tri recognizes Perouze, at least vaguely, it seems. Her name escapes him, but after a few moments he seems to recall *something of the girl. "Beastcraft," is his murmur before she introduces herself, givign M'tri the chance to extend, "Telgar's duties," to her. As an afterthought, he gives it to Gustive and, of course, the young Crispin, whose introduction has M'tri laughing. "Well met, Crispin. I'm M'tri, son of Telani and Maris and rider of that lump over there, that doesn't want his claws shined.
As the group at the lakeshore grows, Riadur looks and feels more out-of-place, overwhelmed by the influx of people. Shifting away from the center to the fringes of the gathering, he scans the faces in turn and quiets. "Does it? I'll try, then," he vows to Crispin solemnly. And, since everyone else is offering their introductions, he says shyly, "I'm Riadur."
Gustive nods taking in his sky gazing lesson. His eyes bob from person to person, sure he will never remember everyone's name he just waves cheerfully. "I don't suppose anyone brought something to drink?"
Perouze nods. "A couple of the bovines have some kind of fungal infection, so the Herder here called in a specialist and he hauled me along to assist...then went off with a rider he knew and said I could feel free to visit for a while...I have to be...you know, back at a certain time." She tilts her head at Tegara, and ventures, "It's hard work, but fun..." And then she moves to sit on the sand, staying having apparently won out in the shy girl's mind.
"Hey right back t'you, Lani. Faring all right?" Kassima wants to know. She glances at the hides--only seeming then to realize that the light has failed too far for reading to really be plausible, and after making a face, she has to tuck them away again. "I'm never going t'get this letter read. And," she confides in an undertone, "methinks--if'n I just overheard that snip of introduction right--that mayhaps I shouldn't make any more comments on Tillek swill. Tonight, at least. Faranth, but the Lake's swarmed tonight."
Tisiath precedes to look after this person or that, though he doesn't move an inch as the boy polishes his talons. Lani watches a moment and then shakes her head before says quietly to M'tri, "Where do you want to watch from?" She gives him a warm smile, still joined at the hand to the other bluerider, "Better out here, Kassi. The galleries are too warm these days. You?"
Amidst a fair amount of hustle and bustle, the entrance of one lost-looking little healer is not enough to cause any amount of stir. Lyliasha wanders the bowl area, stoop shouldered and quite alone, swinging her angular nose first to the right, then to the left, and back again at a vaguely frantic pace. As she goes, the apprentice healer -- for so says that knot -- studies one face after another in the crowd. After more than a few near-bumps with passerby, it becomes quite apparent that she's searching for someone, and desperately. Anyone near enough might have a chance to hear her ask occasionally, "Do you know the journeyman in the infirmary. Erm, what's-his-name? You haven't seen him anywhere? I was so sure he was headed this direction..." and onwards.
Nikadis blinks towards Lyliasha before shaking his head gently. "I'm sorry, I don't. I don't know anyong, really." That said, he flashes her a grin and adds on, "I'm Nikadis, though."
Kassima grins at Lanisa. "Nay too poorly. A bit tired, but! I haven't thrown up on aught or anyone today, and that's enough t'make a day a pretty sharding good one." Pause. "Which I realize is pretty sad. Never mind." Craning her neck to look Lyliasha's way, the greenrider asks, "Yancy? Ushu? I can swear neither of them have been here. I'd have sensed 'em and chased 'em out with an Emasculator by now."
Amarie walks over slowly from the bowl. Her gait isn't the mark of one who is in unfamiliar territory. She's just enjoying the evening as she enters the lake area. Especially since she calls out, "Oh.. sonny boy!" Raising her voice so that her 'son' can hear it. A grin lights up her face, her gaze on M'tri.
Crispin smiles at M'tri, "Well met." He stands up in front of Tisiath and puts his hands on his hips, surveying his work. "There, is that good?" he asks of the blue. Looking around, he's dismayed to see even more people he doesn't know. He looks around and then gets an idea. Picking up a stick he carefully spells his name in the sand with an arrow, and then sits where the arrow points. There. Crispin -->. Here. He smiles, quite pleased with himself.
Volath tips a wing toward the lake and spirals down from the sky, a wary eye on Daikoth. If the lake was swarmed before it's no less tight now, with the new arrival's waterfall-winged bulk taking up a space not far from shore. It takes a few minutes for V'lano to uncinch himself from the dragon's neck, throwing off his goggles and his gloves. His helmet gets hung by a strap from his beast's fourth neckridge up, which leaves the dragon shivering his neck to try to dislodge it - not too seriously, that trying - while the rider climbs the rest of the way down and leaps from proffered foreleg to the sand. "Great grey shells," he mutters, hailing a hand toward Kassima - if she can even see him! - then M'tri next as his approach brings more and more members of the crowd into view. "What's the hubbub? Someone picked up? Someone put down a bit too hard?"
"Indeed, Kassi, Daikoth was singing...as he's doing now -- be quiet you..." Insults seem to fail him in the face of his lifemate, whose now turned to peer quietly at the gathering. Someone's certainly not uncomfortable -- matter of fact, this is more opportunity for eyeridge scritches. M'tri leans down to point at a spot near Kassi, remarking, "I can't make it too far away. Daikoth's convinced that I'm lucky enough to get him another gold to fawn over." He doesn't seem to hear Amarie, right away. As a matter of fact, he's focused on Daikoth, whose mood has visibly soured in the face of Volath's arrival, even if M'tri's hasn't directly. He responds to the bronzerider, "Ah, firelizards. Word spreads like wildfire."
"Firelizard eggs -- but I didna think they'd be such a fuss in a weyr..." Tegara says to no on in particular and everyone in general.
Nikadis grins towards Tegara, shrugging gently. "Firelizard eggs are always a fuss. Like babies. Everyone has to coo and aww over them." He makes a show of disinterest, but after a moment, is peering forward, straining for a look. "Think we can get closer?" he asks.
"An..." Riadur can't even say the word. He just gapes at Kassima for a moment, and edges back just that much further. Someone's nervous. He clears his throat and rubs a hand through his hair, peering up as the bronze lands and his rider disembarks. "Sir," Riadur offers in meek greeting to V'lano.
Perouze finally...hears eggs. And notices eggs. "Well...they /are/ rather cute little creatures..." She tails off, realizing...that she's sitting on the sand rather close to a clutch of those cute little creatures. "Does...does anyone have any meat?" Surely somebody came well enough prepared to help her out...at least she hopes so.
Gustive stands and shakes the sand from his hair. Glancing about with a cocked eyebrow, feeling decidely out of place among all the riders and dragons, he shifts and looks about at familiar faces. "I'm pretty sure any Hatching is considered a joyous occasion, Tegs."
Placing a hand on her hip, her lips curling into a curious sort of laughing pout, Amarie pauses long enough to throw M'tri that look before she proceeds to walk up behind him, tapping at his shoulder for attention. "M'tri," she says his name to get that attention verbally as well.
Lyliasha's lips make a distinctly downward turn. "Nikadis? Where are you from, if not here?" Two dark blue eyes belatedly seek out a knot, and finding it, cast themselves downward to avoid the easily-triggered blush that just begins in too-pale cheeks. "Oh, a candidate. Congratulations?" The word is awkward, stumbled over just a touch, as though the girl is quite unsure of the proper response to such a thing. She's soon distracted from her social dilemma, however, by what would appear to be unwelcome news, if furrowed brow is any indication. "Ushu, Ushu," she repeats to herself, testing. "That might have been it." And then a few hasty steps back in the direction from which she came; Emasculators appear to be on the to-avoid list.
"Shards. You're not getting sick from it? Care to tell me your secret?" Lanisa gives Kassi a longer look there, but one accompanied by a bright smile, "Not so sad unless you were wanting to hit someone with it." She too misses Amarie's arrival at first, waving with her free hand to V'lano and then then eying Daikoth, "What's with him, Trii?"
Crispin's nose wrinkles at Nikadis, "Sometimes people do that to me. I /hate/ it," the six turn old boy says forcefully. In the crowd he suddenly gets uncomfortable, and abandons his name sign to go stand by Gustive, pressing close to the older lad and leaving Crispin --> pointing at Tisiath. He suddenly becomes very quiet in the large group.
"Eggs. And I think I know who to blame for that," V'lano mutters, sliding between people where necessary and treading right on through the wet spots at the lake's edge to get closer to the greenrider whose gold looks over that basket. "How do they all -know-, is what I'd like to know," he tacks on once within muttering range of Kassima. Louder, he offers a "Hey," to the candidate who saluted, returning amiably confused, then pleasantly grinning for Riadur's offering of meek.
Nikadis grins and shakes his head towards Lyliasha. "Congrats works. And I'm Tilleki by birth." He shrugs gently and motions towards the clutch. "If you're here, take a break from looking and admire the clutch?" he suggests, forgetting his earlier indifference. Crispin is noticed just enough to earn him a grin. "It's cause you're young. Later, they'll be drooling over younger kids and you'll be free," he tells the lad, adding a wink to the comment.
Such a shadow across the sky as Volath casts is hard to miss, and Kassima does look directly towards it--perhaps not recognizing the bronze at first with Lysseth not present, but lifting her hand in return anyway, and breaking into a broad grin when V'lano's voice is heard. "Vel! I have half a suspicion--they haven't started humming yet, but the bloody things are as reliable as dragon eggs when it comes t'drawing people in," which might be a bit less than helpful. "I *hope* they'll hatch tonight. I'm tired of hauling meatrolls around. Getting sick from which, Lani, the heat?" It's an offhand question, before a thought seems to hit her and she gives the younger rider a double-take. "Or... shells, Riadur, don't worry, I don't really have the Emasculator *on* me. Wasn't anticipating needing it. Don't make me regret that, M'tri." Laughing, she extends her hand to try and ruffle Vel's curls: "A mystery of life, methinks." And speaking of mysteries of life, the gold dam inside the basket rears up on her haunches, abruptly, and begins a hum--with several other fire-lizards from Kassi's swarm joining in shortly thereafter.
Perouze doesn't get an answer. Then she remembers the meatrolls she pilfered from the living cavern...she tugs one of them out of her pouch and removes the pastry from it...and, not being one to waste anything, munches on that herself as the firelizards start humming. Okay. /Now/ she has meat, and she falls silent, regarding the eggs. Maybe...just maybe...
Cheerful Canary Chocobo Egg gives its first twitch a bare moment after the hum starts. The motion is so faint, however, that only a keen-eyed watcher would really notice.
Stealthy doesn't describe Eilidh as she makes her way in from the bowl. Loud, obnoxious, well, no. Just excited, as per norm. And cheerful. Obnoxiously so. The wingmate she chatters with blithely looks like he wants to club her over the head with his dragon. But she remains oblivious like the bubblehead she is. "And then, he did this, and I did that, and the he fell splat on the ground, but not until he .. eh?" Eloquently she eyes the gathering crowd and falls silent, much to the relief of her head (about to be clubbed) and the other rider.
Riadur gives Kassima a wide-eyed look, blushing and still not looking entirely trusting of the greenrider. "Oh. Well. Okay, then," he tells her uncertainly. Eyes sliding from her, he gives the crowd, the firelizards, the eggs all long looks; his eyes are on the eggs when that first one twitches. "Did that--surely not?" he says, staring.
Gustive kneels and circles Cris with one arm and uses his free hand to cup his mouth close to Crispin's. "Do you remember any of their names? Because I sure don't." He eyes the gathering curiously, "it's like being at a Gather, only in a smaller place. Cris, look, look at the eggs."
Crispin nods a bit at Nikadis, getting some of his courage back, "I hope so. When they pinch my cheeks...?" His face screws up into an expression of disgust, "Yuck!" He looks over curiously at Kassima. "What's an 'e-mas-cu-lay-tor'? he asks, repeating the word painstakingly. "Is it a toy?" His eyes light up. Then when the humming starts he jumps, tugging on Gustive's sleeve, "Look! They're hatching and we're /here/!" he squeals in his high pitched, youthful voice.
M'tri inquires sweetly of Kassi, "Have I ever made you regret not having it? Excluding drills, we can't count those." It is after that the bluerider gives curious and confused glances between his weyrmate and his Wingleader, alternating for a few minutes before demanding, "Why do you girls never have to say anything for the other to understand?" Whether he was going to get an answer or not, Trii glances in surprise over his shoulder, before saying, "Amarie! What are you doing here? Surely you didn't hear about these things," and he jerks a thumb towards the eggs, "all the way at the Beasthall?"
Tegara's head is abruptly turned away from her ministrations on Daikoth's eyeridges -- the firelizards are humming, meaning that hatching will be imminent.
Lying In Wait Egg shivers in seeming excitement, awakened by the draconic - firelizardic - thrum. Then it lies still, mind perhaps changed about all that.
"Don' we need meat iffn' we're ta' Impress?" Tegara asks. "Iffn so, I'll run an' be back wi' a big ol' bowlful o' scraps."
Perouze manages to quell her nerves by taking a few deep breaths. It's the crowd, really, not the hatching mini-dragons. "That one definitely moved...and I think that we need meat..." She was looking for it earlier. "At least...I think it moved...but if the queen's humming...that /does/ mean they're going to hatch, right?"
Some questions really shouldn't be answered. And yet, they beg to be answered. Kassi presses her lips together to stifle a laugh before agreeing very solemnly, "A special sort of toy. Nay the sort most lads care for, though... for some strange reason." Her wink to Riadur is probably going to help him so much with this discomfited thing. "Every day that you cheat on me, M'tri, sweet wife. I've got meat, don't worry about it--" Again she plucks up her jacket. There's a second basket underneath it, and with some wriggling around on the rock, she's able to bend and hook its handle to scoot it out towards the crowd. "Only meatrolls, since I didn't know when the buggers would finally Hatch--but help yourselves."
"What things?" Amarie asks of M'tri even as the news of firelizard eggs reaches her ears. "Oh no," she shakes her head, "I hadn't heard. But how lucky for me, I'm visiting." She grins at M'tri, but her smile drops a second later as she asks, "You haven't seen J'len have you?" Perhaps she came to talk to the bronzerider.
With just a slight tilt to her head and a thoughtful look in those downcast eyes, Lyliasha seems to mull over Nikadis's suggestion for far longer than ought to be necessary. "I'm not sure he'll like it." She must be referring to that what's-his-name, quite possibly Ushu. "But, after all, I was looking for him in the first place." Rationalization? Absolutely. "Not my fault he walks quick enough to outpace a runner." That last is mumbled under the girl's breath; no need to broadcast lest that journeyman be here to catch her mutinous statement.
The clear evening draws in a fellow with orangeybrown hair, one hand tucked into the pocket of his trous, the cheerful jangling of fresh marks the probable cause of his half skipping pace. T'bay even whistles a little bit as he approaches, though the pitch jumps a several notes higher in surprise as the gathering grows in size. "Eh?" Lucky for him, he's missed the 'emasculator' part, "A candidate event already? No, no. I hear other voices. And humming." Peering at the group, he makes some identifications, which causes his smile to broaden and his other hand to tuck his ever-present snack into the empty. "Oh! Of course. It's a firelizard choir session! What's our subject tonight, eh? Ballad of the harem collector?"
Daikoth does his part - especially if he's to be ignored now for creatures that are not even half his size but seem to be getting all his attention. He starts a little thrum in his throat, urging the little creatures on. Hurry up already, you're taking my fans.
Tisiath puffs more warm air Crispin's way, but then he's back to people watching and Lanisa's smiling far too sweetly at Kassi's double-take. Yet she says, "Not because of the heat, no. It just is too warm in there. Makes it sharding hard for a girl to place her bets." She turns an innocent gaze on her weyrmate for his demand, "You want to be shouting such things from the Star Stones now, Trii? I'd have expected that from Daikoth first..." She gives him a quick wink, before she too greets, now that she's noticed who else is there, "Amarie! So good to see you!"
Nikadis grins cheerfully towards Lyliasha. "Good! Come watch," and he begins to wiggle his way through the gathered group for a better seat. Peering once back to see if the girl is following, he makes his way through and plops himself down near the basket of eggs. "Ah, much better view."
Cheerful Canary Chocobo Egg twitches far more enthusiastically now--no mistaking that movement for an optical illusion. Bounce! Bounce! Weeble-wobble-wibble!
Breena's brow is furrowed as she comes over toward the lakeshore, nd once she notes the goings-on, she can't quit help but scowl a little bit--an odd expression on her face, for those who are familiar with her. Hearing Eilidh's voice, she makes her way over in that direction, brow furrowed thoughtfully.
Riadur winces as Crispin repeats that word, shaking his head. "It's, er--don't worry about it," he falters to the boy. Then, he gives the rocking eggs another nervous look. "Um. Shouldn't we not--I mean, shouldn't I not--Nikadis," he glances at the other candidate. "We're not supposed to be at hatchings, are we? We should probably leave, right?" He looks worried about this, but wavers indecisively nevertheless.
Gustive takes out a meatroll and starts to munch on it until he realizes it's not for him. Well, maybe he can eat it later. His eyes widen as he watches the egg bounce, mirroring Crispin's enthusiasm.
Crispin ohs at Kassima, "Okay. I'll ask mom if I can get one for Lyrina for her turnday." He smiles brightly and scrambles for some meatrolls. Though he's excited he's still polite, and waits his turn bouncing on the balls of his feet before grabbing one for him and one for Gus and racing back to his friend.
"We're not supposed to /Impress/," Nikadis stresses towards Riadur. "We're allowed to Watch. I mean.. heck, it's right here on the Beach, we might as well!"
"I have a whole suspicion," V'lano asides to Kassima, but only after the humming's begun, so he can't sound -too- mysteriously all-knowing. But the greenrider's revelation of meat makes him sidestep off away from her, a faint horror mixing with bemusement, and in case she might have grand ideas he lifts his hands to wave off that bait she's got - until the familiar notes of T'bay's mocking catch his attention and his head jerks up. He scans, then finds that brownrider, ears red. "The ballad of the brawl, take care it's not," he grins nonetheless.
Claret strolls toward the lake, for once moving in a relatively straight line, eyebrows slanted quite high on her forehead as she notes the crowd with interest, though as she approaches she stops at the fringes, announcing to herself, "Well, she was right when she said there was a fuss!" Bending down to try to see what's going on--under people's legs rather than over their heads--she wrinkles her nose.
Tegara frantically searches her pockets for something to feed the new-hatched firelizard. Finally, finding slightly the worse for wear meatroll in her pocket, she takes it out and delicately nibbles away the bread part, leaving only the meat inside.
Stavren comes wandering in, a girl of about ten wandering at his side. He's talking to her softly, one arm around her shoulder. She smiles at something he says, then cranes her neck around to watch the crowd and their focus. "I can't really--eggs! Fire-lizard eggs! I'm gonna try for one, Stav, don't tell Mum and Dad!" She races to join the group, leaving Stavren to make his poor abandoned way to where the two Candidates are sitting. "I think that's right," he seconds Nikadis. "So long as we don't try to lure one of the little things, we're good. And I have /nothing/ foodlike on me. I'll make sure Cashie doesn't get nibbled to death, though."
Perouze dismantles a second meatroll, just in case, her eyes on the eggs, then she glances around. "Just hold it out and hope?" she inquires of those present, not entirely sure exactly what to do here. She also checks her distance from the Supply of Meatrolls. Again, just in case. Her hair has fallen across her face and she doesn't really want to do anything about it...she has meatroll crumbs on her hands now, after all.
Kassima suggests to Lanisa, "We'll talk after--" Or is it more a warning? It's accompanied by a Significant Look. "More like 'clutch of eggs nay Hatching one sharding second a'fore their time, but which are now probably, finally going t'put me out of m'misery,' T'bay! Bit of a long title, though. 'Twill have t'think on how t'shorten it. Grab yourself a 'roll--oh, Vel, c'mon, don't you want one? They're very tiny and cute." And she is teasing him, only too clearly.
Cheerful Canary Chocobo Egg rolls over and over and over in its bed of sand, nearly reaching the edge of the basket before the efforts of its occupant are rewarded and the first small piece breaks away. It's only enough of a hole for a tiny green foot to stick from, but the energetic wiggling of its claws promises that the baby 'lizard has plenty of moxie; she's not about to stop there! Nor does she. Soon her head bursts through, and then wings, and then the egg is nothing but memory and a few fragments of yellow scattered around her.
Silly Spoiled Streaked Green Hatchling
There's a certain charm to this small green, in the coy way she has of canting her head and the clumsiness of her too-long wings. Her look is also appealing, with that meadow-green hide streaked intermittently with a paler and more yellow shade. Whichever person she chooses might have a time with her, though! Even at this moment of birth, she turns to her dam, creeling so sweetly and so demandingly. She doesn't seem to have the slightest notion of how to fend for herself--nor the slightest interest in doing so. Left to her own devices, she's exactly the sort who might starve to death before finding food or even looking for it very hard; she needs a protector, a caretaker, and judging by the increasing shrillness of her creels, she won't be content to let her plight be ignored!
Lyliasha is quick enough to follow Nikadis into the crowd, now that her justifications are made and her caution about angry journeymen thrown to the winds. And, in an unusual bout of courageous socialization to fit with her rebellion, she answer back to Riadur, "Yes, I really don't see how candidates aren't at least allowed to watch. Just keep away from the meat, and they ought to ignore you." But this apprentice has no such compunctions; a hand goes straight to a platter of raw 'lizard-food that someone's been thoughtful enough to begin passing around.
M'tri's interest is now on Lanisa. "No, but I want to know!" he says, sticking out his lower lip for a pout that was likely more effective years ago. It's not that it's lost all of it's charm, but it does look rather silly. After a moment of trying that technique, the bluerider reaches into his own pockets, asking, "Do you want to try? I've got some jerky, but I don't tend to keep anything raw on me." Can't imagine why, really. And the same offer is extended, now, to the assistant headwoman near him, as he offers out the sack to both women absently before adding, "And we'd better get our seats."
"But, er," ventures Riadur. But there's no arguing with that logic, or the crowd hemming him in. He sighs resignedly, then catches sight of Stavren. "Oh, good. Stavren," he greets the other man, shifting his weight uncomfortably. "Another candidate. I feel better now." And then--a hatchling. "Look, there's one," he points it out, then glances distractedly to Lyliasha. "Stay away from meat. Shards, everyone around us has it, but--" he breaks off this rare burst of bad humor quickly.
Nikadis sends a small, comical salute towards Stavren, grinning. Lyliasha's meat grabbing is noted and approved. "So, you'll try, eh? Good luck!" he encorages, grinning. "I think I'll stick away from the meat, just incase one of 'em get any ideas in their little firelizard heads." Settling back, he takes this moment to assess Lyliasha. "So, where're you from?"