Log: Ista at Last [1/2]
RL: April 17, 2008.
VR: Day 21, month 1, Turn 16, of the Interval. It is a winter evening.
(Miscellaneous pros and whispers added to a Frankenstein's monster log originally from I'daur, Caitlyn and Lujayn)
Weyrlings visit Ista. Leova has a disagreement with candidate Xielar. Afterwards, she thinks better of him. [Part one of two.]
North Beach -- Ista Weyr
Sunset at the beach: as the cool wind blows in from over the waters, the sallow sun slips below the wave-tossed sea that fades from green to black. The light of Rukbat washes the beach, the forests to your south, and the great black rock of the Weyr behind you in crimson light. The stars climb up over the Weyr and the plateau to your east, rising above the mist cast by the dancing waterfall that glows in a million firey rainbows. The black sands of the beach stretch for kilometres to the north and south, following the shoreline of the plateau. Below the pastel beauty of the blue-green sunset sky to the west, the dark smudges of the Ista Isles float on the sea, like the coils of some mythical monster.
To the northwest, a bridge arches over the stream. To the south, the beaches continue to where long docks stretch far into the bay.
Earlier: << We're going to Ista, >> Zunaeth announces, sending an image of the island Weyr as seen from above. With the weyrlings having made those first preliminary jumps around the Weyr between already, it's time to branch out further, and as Zunaeth and I'daur gather them all up in the air over the Reaches, the weyrlingmaster leads the way after reinforcing the visualization in all of them.
And after the party has been going for a while:
Xielar gapes once more at Vivy, telling the weyrling, "Shells, I should totally take notes. Andy tells me I don't know how to flirt with girls." He pauses, studying the weyrling again. "There's tons of food, actually," Xie manages to tell Viviana, speaking more seriously (especially with food involved!). "Try the fruit tarts, too. Istan fruit only, which I'm sure you don't get enough of while you're up in Reaches. But the tables have everything from cinnamon roasted herdbeast to fruit tarts, so I'm sure you'll find something that'll catch your fancy." He looks to Basq and grins briefly at him, then back to Vivy, saying, "Viviana then. I'm Xielar." It doesn't matter if he's introduced himself twice now apparently, at least, not to Xielar. He nods again to I'daur, saying, "What Fayre said." He spots the arrival of Kintryth and grins briefly, "Looks as though Caitlyn's joining us. Either that or she needs a dunking." And then back to Vivy as he asks, "How do you find weyrlinghood so far?"
I'daur just stares. And stares some more, at Fayre. Eventually, he recovers enough to take another swig of his own flask's supply of whiskey. "What kinda party--" he begins. "What kinda /Istan/ party--." He never quite gets around to finishing that, just shakes his head and clutches his flask.
Sani gets her food and smiles, bowing out of the conversations to find a quiet spot to sit near the fire and watch the party. When she gets settled in and finishes the coconut juice, she cracks the nut open to pry out the succulent meat inside.
Basquirin chortles loudly at Viviana's rebuttal, and says, "well, fine then. You're /not/ a flirt," and yet, the former stablehand can't keep a straight face while saying this. Still standing near the table, he is only about halfway finished with his herdbeast roast when he sees the succulent porcine being rolled out. "Oh, that looks good, too..." he mentions, licking his lips as he looks at the food. Food, food, food, food, food! Oh, how delicious everything looks! He takes a couple of more big bites out of the heaping pile of heardbeast roast, hoping to finish it and still have room for some of that porcine.
Another weyrling pair from the 'Reaches circles downward, this time after taking a tour over the jungle that hadn't been on the official route. Zunaeth's an easy enough target to spot, and Vrianth lands lightly near him and Ashmyth, wherever there's room. Her rider's staring. Heat. Roasts. And, "Basq?" Two buckles later, Leova quickly slides down.
Fayre becomes flustered again by I'daur's look. "Er, well...An Istan candidate kind of party, I suppose? We don't make the drinkin' rules. Besides, you can focus on how delicious all the food tastes when you're not tipsy, eh?" She hesitates when he goes for his flask and attempts another polite smile. "Um, or maybe it would enhance the flavour, y'know?"
Zunaeth and Ashmyth sense that Vrianth lets it be known that her hunt was unsuccessful. Those felines of Talurith's have not yet be found. Darkly, << Perhaps he is hiding them. >>
Food. Boys. Food...boys. Viviana is beside herself but she's polite enough. "Weyrlinghood, everything I imagined and then some." Her smile dampens for just a moment. "The hardest, most scary experience of my life. Made me grow up even though I didn't want to." She sticks her tongue out at Basq, so much for maturity, but her smile is just as sweet as a fruit tart as she exclaims. "A perfect name, Xielar, 'Lar to your friends, perhaps? But if that lovely bluerider with the charming bluerider has invited us in, I suppose I /could/ mozy on to your food table." As she gazes over her shoulder, she epies Fayra's outfit. "Isn't that the most cunning thing I've ever seen. I have absolutely no chance of being noticed with that pretty candidate struting around in that. How brave of her to wear so little!"
Close enough now to hear him, Caitlyn smirks at Xielar once she's spoken to I'daur. "Yes, I decided to risk my precious hide and come down here. B'sides, Kint wanted a swim. And if you try to dunk me, expect some world-class umbrage to be taken on your *own* hide." The bronzerider's cut-off words make the bluerider crack a white-toothed grin, and inquire, "Why I'daur, I might almost think you're out of your element." Beat. Would you care for a drink? There's waitstaff in the 'Bar that'll gladly run back and forth for a few extra coins." Fayre gets a knowing little grin, and a "How's the food? I know Xie was at the spit, and not you, so it might not be done properly." She gives smiles and little finger wiggles to Viviana and Leova, along with "Enjoying yourselves, ladies?"
I'daur looks another askance look at Fayre, shakes his head, and then remarks wisely, "Food don't have to taste good if you're drunk enough." Words to live by, those. But then Leova and Vrianth are turning up, and I'daur glances their way with a lift of his brows again. "Where you been?" he wonders, while Zunaeth rumbles once to Vrianth. To Caitlyn, I'daur drawls, "Brought my own." And he lifts his flask to prove it, though the way he's drinking it's debatable just how long it'll last.
"-Can-di-dates," Xielar remarks once more to I'daur, speaking slowly to the Reachian WLM. Xie is clearly less flustered than Fayre with regard to the tall man. "A lot of us are candidates, so there's obviously some rules we can't break. Especially with eggs hardening the way they are on the sands these days!" He blinks a couple times at Vivy again, returning his attention to her: "Made you grow up? Sounds like candidacy for me. I've gained... perspective." He pauses once more as he hears Vivy speak. "Wow..." Xielar remarks, mostly to Basquirin. "Basq, are -all- the girls from Reaches like here?" He grins briefly before nodding once to Caitlyn as she nears the party. "I'd never think of dunking you, Caitlyn," he offers to the Istan bluerider. He grabs a plate from the table and begins putting a little bit of everything on before handing it over to Viviana, asking her: "Tell me what you think of Istan hospitality?" And then over his shoulder, to Basq: "I'm beginning to re-think my whole 'Reaches is bad' theory, Basq." And then back to Vivy: "Oh, you can just call me Xie."
Bremuth and Vrianth sense that Ashmyth warbles brightly. << It's a party, a wonderful party. And look! >> She flaps her wings in pure excitement. << Water and fish and waves and everything. >>
Despite the darkness of night, the black sands North Beach seems intensely alive. A bonfire is central to this motif as it rages as the night goes on. Candidates mass on blankets, towels, while others move to the food tables by the bonfire to eat. Portions of a spitted porcine are given out continuously. Harper-turned-Candidates make music with their instruments and voices lightly in the background, creating a jovial atmosphere.
Sani smiles at Caitlyn's words. "How's Hider, Caitlyn? Hope he slept okay." she grins impishly, then takes a bite of roast porcine, sighing in delight with the taste. "I fell asleep with the little guy on my stomach and I don't know if I'd rolled over on him or not."
Basquirin seems to be in a power struggle between wanting to eat and wanting to talk to his friends. He takes another bite out of the roast, nodding as he listens to Viviana speak before he hears another familiar face call out his name. "Leova?" He calls back out to the Weyrling, recognizing her as soon as he noticed her dismounting Vrianth. "Hey!" He grins stupidly at the 'Reachian weyrling, before giving Xie a good chortle. "Perhaps. Maybe you'll have to visit High Reaches again to find out!" He teases the fellow Candidate.
"So far?" Leova answers Caitlyn from where she has been staying put, right by Vrianth. Vrianth is meanwhile making herself right at home, head turning this way and that to see what she can see past the other dragons, stretching out with her wingsails open to soak up every bit of warmth she can possibly get. Her rider, not so much. She does manage to make her way closer to the woman, at least, staying near to her weyrlingmaster and a little behind. "Sir. She had a wild hair to go looking. It's so, so green." She waves to Basquirin after that, quick and controlled.
Ashmyth and Bremuth sense that Vrianth sends agreement, << And so warm! Like our hot springs, only to be breathed. >>
Fayre scuffs her foot sheepishly in the black sand, getting a few of the sticky grains in her sandal in the process. "Aww, thanks Cait! The porcine meat is delicious, actually, even without my personal involvement. They did a good job with that spit. I was just sayin' if I end up in the kitchens again after the hatchin' that I should make sure we do 'em more often." The candidate looks physically wounded by I'daur's remark and actually takes a few shocked steps back. "What?! Food...doesn't have to taste good?! Of course it does! My whole family has made a livin' in the food trade. Um, sir." Tacking on a formal title makes the rest of her statements polite, right?
"I see..." Caitlyn murmurs to the Weyrlingmaster. "Well, unless you intend to nurse that the whole evening," and she tips a nod at the flask, "you always have the Sandbar as an alternative." Another smirky look for Xielar, and the short woman quips, "Yeah, and porcines fly." Snork. Making out Sani's voice in the noise of the throng, the bluerider smiles over at the other woman, commenting, "I think he slept like a baby. He kept sending me images of how nice your tummy felt. He must've moved before you turned...or you didn't turn." Leova gets a slight lift of a brow, then "Yep, I guess you haven't been here that long, have you?" Wink. To Fayre, "Well, I sure hope you do find your mate. But I wouldn't feel bad about having your hand in the food-making again." Already Cait's gaze is drawn toward the succulent fruits, tasty meats - and then her stomach squeals loudly. Ack!
That whole candidacy thing just seems to role off I'daur without a second thought; he's more interested in twisting his neck to look at Leova when she tries to hide. "S'Ista. Like Monaco," a bit of a non-sequitor, but he nods toward Vrianth briefly before Fayre's words pull him back. He remarks, almost apologetically with her reaction, "Mine's all drunks." Beat. "S'Leova," because introducing someone else is a great ice-breaker. I'daur shuffles a step back like it's his turn to hide behind the weyrling.
Viviana genuinely smiles her thanks, taking the plate from the lad. "Thank you. Xie, Xie it shall be and you can can call me Vivy." In a much quieter tone, she admits. "This food is very different for me, I've only had reaches area food and fish down at Tillek. Tell me, is there a secret to eating this and not getting all messy?" Her eyes roam back and forth, scanning the crowd, watching as other's eat and as she does, she frees a hand to wave to her fellow weyrlings. "We've been invited, to eat and to meet."
Leova's chuckle is awkward, but she's trying for the polite thing to do when someone spins a quip your way. "A little longer in the air, ma'am, is all." A look up at I'daur, a nod that actually gets it, and then she follows up for Fayre with, "Green Vrianth's. Her." A thumb over her shoulder marks the green in question, in case her weyrlingmaster's gesture didn't cover it, and she even dredges a smile up from somewhere or other. A smile that deepens with a sidelong glance at I'daur's shuffling, the man being taller and all.
Xielar grins back at Vivy, nodding to her as he replies back to the weyrling: "Vivy then. That works for me." The candidate smiles briefly before telling her: "I hadn't even thought that it might be different. I thought food was the same everywhere. Well, except for maybe the fruit, which obviously does better on the island than in snow." Xie grins at Vivy as curiousity gets the best of him. "What's Reaches food like?" he asks Vivy. He takes a moment to eat, quickly eating with his hands in most cases, though for the tougher meat, he uses a fork and knife. "It can get messy, but you're the best judge as to whether to use your hands or not." And then, as a follow-up, Xie also asks Vivy: "And what's your opinion on fish?"
"Well I hope you want me to impress more than you want me to run the kitchens!" Fayre exclaims with a chuckle. "But I think I'd be okay if life took me back to that." She shifts her weight around uncomfortably at I'daur's response. "Er, oh. Well...that's pretty similar to bein' involved with the food trade, right? Just the thirst-quenching variety instead. I was a bartender before becomin' an assistant headwoman, actually." The candidate bobs her head politely at Leova. "I'm Fayre, potential maul victim for the upcoming hatching here." Her eyes suddenly focus on something behind the weyrling and she waves one of her hands, nearly spilling off some of her food from her plate in the process. "'scuse me, I see my cousin over there. I'm goin' to go make sure he's tried my cinnamon herdbeast." The young woman promptly scampers off to mingle with her cousin and his pals.
Zunaeth senses that Vrianth willfully puts felines out of her mind. Completely out. No tails sneaking in anywhere. Turning her head from jungle to water, << This Monaco-that-is-not-yours, the air is sticky there also? >>
Having temporarily moved off to grab a loaded shish-kebob from over an open roasting pit, Caitlyn strides back over to the small group of people, the woman already munching on a steaming white tuber. "Secret's to grab one of *these*, I think," she murmurs convivially to Viviana, waving the kabob skewer a little, then grinning. "I'm Caitlyn, by-the-way. Sorry for forgetting to introduce myself before." Munch-munch. Noting I'daur's shuffling and slinking, Cait's smile takes on an almost brilliant quality - and a more subtle, evil one, too. "Come now, good man. You can't hide behind people who're shorter than you." The short bluerider moves over to the bronzer, trying to slide a companionable arm through the neaest one of his own limbs while simultaneously chuckling at Fayre. "I'm rooting for you, yes Fayre. Good herdbeast!" she calls out to the pudgy young woman as she moves off. Back to the hapless Weyrlingmaster, "I think you really would enjoy something less, uhm, basic than that." Another nod to that hip flask. "Sandbar's got oodles of great tasting stuff in it."
Zunaeth bespoke Vrianth with << Just like this. >> He doesn't sound happy about it; in the heat of Ista, his own warmth is muted, though it still swelters his thoughts. << S'why we hate it. >> >>
Viviana nibbles at a rib, managing not to be overly messy. "Very different. A lot of stews, warm food as it's so cold there all the time. We don't get fresh ocean fish like this either." She nibbles at a fish roll next. "You do set a good spread. To eat outdoors like this at this time of turn? We'd have to cuddle real close to keep warm...that's one nice thing up at the Reaches, you learn how to snuggle close -- it's practically a necessity. Isn't that true,L'vae and Leova?" Her eyes are wide with innocence.
I'daur frowns, not his happy face again. He straightens, too, takes another drink, and then notices the rather empty sounds coming from said flash. "I'm going to get a drink. No umbrellas," he announces then, and off he shuffles toward the Sandbar himself.
And speaking of the Sandbar - L'vae is leisurely making his way down the beach from that direction, his bare toes digging into the sand with each step. The brown weyrling sips at something icy and colorful as he wanders towards the bon fire, his gaze casting about to take in the groups of folks gathered in the night. Finally spotting familiar figures, he makes his way over in time to grin at Viviana's oh-so-innocent question. "It certainly makes for a convenient excuse," the young man answers lightly. "Evening," he adds, dipping a general nod hello as his eyes sweep out to include the people gathered in the near vicinity.
Leova finds herself repeating, "Maul. Victim. That's what the assistant headwomen have to do around here?" as she stares after the disappearing Fayre. Lower, "They all look so young." But then Caitlyn approaches and her own smile sparks that much brighter. Giving the other woman a long look as I'daur escapes, "Except for you! Thank goodness." Of course, then there's her name, heard through all those voices that can make it hard to concentrate. Her name in Viviana's voice. In that particular tone of voice. She doesn't quite dare look.
Xielar gapes again at Vivy. He shakes his head before managing to only be able to say, "Shells." in return to Vivy. "Are you Reaches people always so... forward?" he asks her, still mystified by her comments to him. "Uh... Fish. Where was I?" The candidate looks flustered now. Sure, a six foot weyrlingmaster doesn't fluster him, but a weyrling shorter than him does by leaps and bounds. "Evening," Xie offers to L'vae, blinking at him as well. "I saw you Impress too. Shells, that seems like a lifetime ago." He grins back at Leova and comments, "Ista's hatchings have a reputationg of being a little... bloody."
Basquirin has just been keeping silent, letting himself come closer to finishing all of that herdbeast roast he picked up earlier - it's never a bad thing to make a porcine out of yourself, right? He's almost finished when L'vae walks up to the group of them. He waves to the brown weyrling, greeting, "Hey Lou - er, L'vae." The former stablehand corrects himself, nodding as he does so. He grins, "enjoying yourself here?"
Viviana blinks innocently. "Forward? Don't you hug your friends here, too? I mean, it's against weyrling rules to do much more than cuddle... with a friend for warmth if needed." She shoots another glance back toward Leova and L'vae then she's back to nibbling, nodding and chatting. "I'll have to try one of those sticks of meat, they do look tempting. "Fish? Oh fish is very good, Xei, what tempts you?.." She pauses. "About food that is."
Seems like Caitlyn has met the slightly surly I'daur halfway as he moves off towards the Sandbar - her arm not quite having made it towards his. A blink, and then the bluerider shrugs, moving back over to the group while she munches. "Yeah, Istan hatchlings can be...hm...violent," the woman comments to Leova, then smirking wryly. "Thanks...I think. I'm not terribly old, though." A sigh at the retreating back of the Weyrlingmaster. "I think he doesn't like me."
Leova gives Caitlyn an even brighter smile, while pulling off her jacket and tying it around her waist. "Can't imagine why. But no, of course you aren't. Not terribly. How much violence and..." she extends this to Xielar, "Blood are we talking about?" Still not hearing Viviana. Definitely not. Not at all.
"I don't think he likes -people-," Xie replies to Caitlyn, smirking at the bluerider. The Istan teen pauses and looks back to Vivy, coughing some as he hears her last remark regarding temptation. "I don't know. I -would- say you, but shells... Fish. And uh.. long walks on the beach." He grabs a few skewers, two with mostly meat and another with mostly veggies for Vivy, putting them on another plate for her. "Oh, blood fills the sands, candidates faint," Xie says in the same moment he grabs the food for Viviana. "It's not that the hatchlings mean to maul the candidates, it's just that they're clumsy out of the shell." And then to Vivy, more quietly, he adds, "And no, I don't think I've ever uh... hugged friends before."
Basquirin excuses himself from the group with a nod, seeing that succulent porcine up for the taking. It just looks too /good/ to resist any longer, and his stomach still growls even after all of that roast that he ate! He hurriedly shuffles over to get his share of the porcine, where he runs into another crowd of people, being sucked up into a conersation there.
Viviana blinks. "Never hugged a friend?" She's truly stunned by that. "I don't mean sleeping with them, just hugging them. Shells, I've never been kissed, not like /some/ of my weyrling class." She bites into a juicy tomato slice, licking her lips to catch all the juice. "And I'm not food, so I don't kind, no matter how sweet that compliment was and no matter how clever you are.."
Bremuth senses that Vrianth touches thought to thought. << Bremuth. Are your wings sticky also? >> This air, this salty humid air.
Caitlyn shrugs off the whole thing, temporarily lifting her bangs to Leova's inquiry. On her tanned forehead are two thin, greyish-tan scars set on a diagonal. "Some maulings happen, and they're all accidents. Kintryth jumped to find me, and, well...knocked me backwards." Grin. A slightly more sober nod to Xielar's observation of I'daur. "Basically, what Xie tells you is right. But, blood winds up being shed, all the same." Munch-munch she goes as the woman listens to the talk circulate around her.
"It feels sort of like a lifetime ago," L'vae offers with a deeper grin to Xielar. His expression only brightens further as his gaze shifts to the former Reachen stablehand. "Hey Basq! I am. Love the drinks." And his glass is lifted up higher and waggled a bit in emphasis. His other hand lifts in a wave as the candidate takes off. Lifting that frosty drink to his lips, his eyes return to Vivy over the rim. There's the smallest curve of an amused smile showing about the edges as he listens.
Leova gives Xielar a long, dubious look. And then she says, "How sweet," just as he moves off. Caitlyn's got something to show her, though, and so she moves to her toes for a better look, sand shifting under her boots and making it difficult to sink back again. "Knocked you backwards with her claws? Or is it his claws." Right about then, her Vrianth loses patience with sitting and moves onward, wings folding and unfolding into a cool breeze for a few steps before she has room enough to bound towards the water. It's enough to make Leova lose her train of thought before she looks quickly back at the other rider.
Zunaeth senses that Vrianth half-fans her wings as she moves by, in and out and out some more, about all she can do in the confined space among the other dragons: a cool and purposeful breeze that starts out as just for him, before she realizes it soothes her own flanks too. But by then, she's already almost to the water. And then she's splashing in.
"That was a compliment?" Xie asks Vivy, blinking. "I didn't..." Xie shrugs before going on to say, "But no, I don't think I've hugged anyone but my mother, Vivy." He points out Caitlyn, telling Viviana: "I once thought about hugging her when I got Searched by her blue, but I re-considered." He nods again to L'vae in agreement with his initial remark. He grins once more to Vivy, telling her: "I don't think I'd worry about not being kissed though, I mean, I've not been kissed either." He looks toward Vrianth and smiles suddenly, asking Leova of her: "What's your green's name?"
Vrianth senses that Bremuth shares how the briny air clings to his hide, seeming to seep into every crevice of his folded sails. Thick, as if being submerged in this so-different place.
Viviana tsks. "And so modest too, delightful man you are, Xie.." She moves further down the beach, drawn to the waves as they lap against the shoreline. "Maybe you should try it, hugs can be very comforting." With a knowing little smile of her own, she nods as she passes L'vae.
"His," Cait smirks at Leova, then tackling a chunk of cinnamoned herdbeast on her skewer. She waits until her mouth is mostly clear before adding, "He needed to get to me, and lept up while I was looking away for a fraction of an instant." The bluerider nods to Xielar's words about her, tossing him a rich grin. "I have him convinced I'm a dangerous beastie."
L'vae is occupying himself with his drink, just listening in to the conversations about him. Xielar gets a lingering look of interest as the candidate speaks of his mother and Search, but then Vivy is on the move and grabbing up the brown weyrling's attention. He just follows her with his eyes a moment. "Has Ashmyth spotted any shipfish?" he thinks to ask as she's on her way past. He breaks from his own position, lingering his look over his shoulder towards Vivy as his feet start moving towards where those skewers are being passed out.
"Vrianth." Leova says that so affectionately, not trying to hide it, such a contrast to what she's previously said to Xielar. Vrianth's splashing in by now, and she half-misses what Caitlyn's going on about in watching her, but then she turns back. Perhaps she didn't completely focus after all, for, "Funny how things can change like that. Just an instant." Not just scars. Leaving dangerousness aside for the moment, "Do you remember it well? Or does the memory begin to fade. I, I hope it doesn't."
Xielar laughs suddenly, grinning wide as he hears Vivi, "She called me a -man-." This is more for the benefit of Caitlyn, pointedly so. "See?" Xie asks Caitlyn. "-Someone- thinks I'm a man!" Walking with Vivy, Xie nods again, saying, "Maybe I will try that. I mean, shells, with as much hugging goes on in the weyr, one little hug couldn't hurt. I mean, not unless it was some bizarre more-than-just-a-little-squishy hug!" He blinks once and then glances back to the weyrlings, Vivy especially as he suddenly asks them: "This isn't your first time to Ista is it?" And then a glance toward Cait as Xielar remarks: "Beastie my butt! Caitlyn, you might be a wingleader, but that doesn't mean you're some mean and weird..." He fumbles with the words, before pointing out to the direction I'daur left, concluding: "-Him-. You're no where near that scary-strange." He smiles again to Leova, responding back with, "Well, your Vrianth is a pretty green."
Viviana is muted compared to her former vivaciousness. "I think a five second hug or a ten second hug is allowable and safe, longer than that and people might talk. It's confusing, but it's fun, thinking about all these unwritten rules of relationships, huh?" She looks back over at L'vae as well. "She says it's hard to see at night but she's sure they are there... and yes, Xie, it our first time at Ista. The first time I've been to such a warm place. Warm in hospitality and warm in atmoshphere."
Bremuth senses that Vrianth finds it slightly less discomforting when he shapes it that way for her, and starts to send warm appreciation for his doing so. But then. Then, the flow is cut off, her attention drawn abruptly elsewhere.
Caitlyn can't help but grinning at Leova's enchantment with her green lifemate, not minding the weyrling's slight inattention since her dragon is the cause. A look out to where the young green cavorts not far from her own blue, and Cait murmurs, "She's a pretty little gal. Mhm, one second, and I went from no claw marks to two, and from apprentice to weyrling." Another tiny bite of her food, and then the Istan woman nods. "Like it was yesterday. You never really forget your Impression." An indulgent smile is sent Xielar's way at his crowing announcement. "Yeah, yeah, I heard. Still doesn't change my personal opinion. But, of course I'm all creaky and old." She seems rather startled by the candidate's vehemence in coming to her defense, the bluerider looking a touch chagrined. "I was just kidding, Xie. No, I'm not mean...unless I'm forced to be." And then she's doing damage control in Weyr relations, replying carefully to the youth, "Now, I'm *sure* the Weyrlingmaster isn't rude. He looked pretty unready for such a big crowd, too." To Viviana's words of Ista, Cait nods enthusiastically. "Yes, Ista's always hospitable. Glad you're enjoying yourself." Cue sunny grin.
Vrianth senses that Bremuth's thoughts are as warm as the tropical evening, until that moment when Vrianth is abruptly gone. In that moment there's actually a hint of a surprise from the brown, a mental blink, a cool silver flash.
Leova says to Caitlyn, "Excuse me. Wingleader." Her eyes are sharper now. "And thank you." Could be for the compliments, could be for the story, could be more. With that, she's stepping right into Xielar's space, and she's shorter than he is, but she's also been throwing firestone sacks around. From the air. And then there's that attitude of hers. "What's your name. Xie. Scared boy." Leova smiles at him, for all that it doesn't reach her eyes, just like how the nickname on her lips isn't sweet at all. "Why don't you explain where you get off telling people that High Reaches' weyrlingmaster, that /my/ weyrlingmaster, is so very, very mean."
Xielar gapes once more at Viviana's response, saying incoherently, "Shells... -Shells-." He stares back at the weyrlings before finally saying, "Welcome to Ista then... I think you'll find it's a wonderful weyr, but the Island itself is a fantastic place to be. I mean..." He fumbles with his words once again, before finally going on to say, "It's more about the people on the island than the island itself. I hope your Weyrlingmaster allows you to see more of it... and us Istans ... while you're here." And then Leova is in his face. "Uh," Xie manages to say. "I don't think me being scared is anything new. I mean, shells, I'm a Candidate. I don't know when it's going to happen, but those eggs over there are going to -hatch-." He points in the direction of Ista's hatching grounds before staring back at Leova, telling her: "He just proved me right about..." A look toward Caitlyn's voice and Xie grinds his teeth, apparently stopping whatever he was going to say. "My name is Xielar, and I apologize for saying what I did about him," Xielar finally says, every single syllable spoken seemingly painful to speak.
L'vae nods to Viviana before turning to claim one of those kebabs for himself. Holding it delicately, he wanders back towards Caitlyn even as his gaze turns out to watch Xielar and Vivy move towards the waves. Watches as Leova goes over to the candidate. He looks in that direction for a long moment even after stopping by the Istan bluerider, but then seems to remember himself. "It is very kind, of you to share your party with us," he notes with a broad smile. "I failed to introduce myself - L'vae. You are?" Polite curiosity lights in his eyes.
Caitlyn appears relieved at first when things seem to be redirecting themselves away from the subject of I'daur. But Leova's confrontation of Xielar has the bluerider inwardly cringing, while she stares at how the candidate handles himself. She notices the youth's tooth-grinding, and nods not unkindly at him when he apologizes to the weyrling. The woman nearly starts when L'vae appears at her shoulder, but she recovers with only a slightly nervous smile and darting of eyes. "Oh, hello there, L'vae. Caitlyn, blue Kintryth's. Well met. Glad you're enjoying Ista."
Viviana steps back when Leova confronts the Istan Candidate, becoming even more quiet as she presses in against Ashmyth, the dragon curling her tail to draw her in closer. "It's beautiful, L'vae.." She chews her lower lip though, unsure of what to do. "Lovely party, wonderful people.."
Anderon isn't so much late to the party as just stumbling into it by accident. He may or may not have forgotten about it; he certainly looks surprised to see all the food and the people on the beach, and it takes some time for him to sort through his internal calendar and remember, oh yeah, that one guy had that thing, and I guess that was today, huh? His gaze sweeps over all the unfamiliar riders, then alights on Xielar, towards whom he now makes a beeline. "Xie!" he bellows. "You didn't remind me!"
Leova waits Xielar out, every single word of it, no matter much it may blur in her ears until he gets to the important part. Which is not the scared part. "Apology accepted," she says not unkindly. Not that she gives him any more room. "Next time, try apologizing right away instead of making the wingleader, over there, have to say something to you. Blows the wind right out of my sails, or whoever else isn't happy with you. Know what I mean?" Now she steps back. Now there's more room to breathe. "And good luck on the sands."
Glows cordon off a large portion of the beach while a bonfire blazes in the centre. Tables of both hot and cold food sit by the bonfire while a spitted porcine continues to roast while more pieces are carved off as the night progresses. Harper-turned-Candidates play music in the background while Dunmar, a tall candidate, seems to be the host of the Istan hootenanny. Despite it being the dark of night, the beach is very well lit by both glows and the large raging bonfire.
"Actually, it's the candidates' party, but we figured it was a big beach, so anyone is welcome," Xielar calls out to L'vae while still staring back at Leova. Anderon isn't acknowledged as of yet as he continues to study Leova. "He trains you well," Xielar remarks quietly to her. After all, with her being so close, he doesn't need to speak all that loudly. "And thank you," he adds with regard to her stated luck. For a long moment, he stays standing there. Finally, as the music picks up, he pivots and glances to Vivy once again, telling her: "I should apologize to you too, Viviana."
It's unlikely that anyone is looking upward to see the moment when Rielsath appears out of /between/, and if they were it's even more unlikely they would glimpse her in the darkened sky. The gold dragon is there indeed, sunfire hide hidden by night, and somewhere between her neckridges is Lujayn. The flicker of bonfires below guide their descent, and just as she's close enough for her icy belly to be lit the weyrling pair makes a sharp turn over the ocean. Wings flicking back, neck arcing down, Rielsath is a speeding comet. There's finally a large splash, accompanied by surprised shouts from a few partygoers who were trying to have a partially dry wade, but above that a bright and cheery warble. Someone's rather pleased with herself.
L'vae gives a bow of his head to Caitlyn. "Well met," he echoes, smile wide. That said he starts in on his kebab with delicate nibbles. Ashmyth's curling draws his eye, and a worried little line comes to his brow as his gaze searches over Viviana. "It is," he agrees. Then there's bellowing, and the weyrling follows the bee-lining Anderon back to Xielar. "Ah, yes?" he remarks with a smile lifted to the teen. But it's a brief thing, turning away as the candidate goes back to speaking with Leova. Nibbling at his food once more, Lou peeks another concerned look in Vivy's direction.
Ashmyth, Bremuth, and Vrianth sense that Rielsath shines with cheery oranges and yellows, drawn straight from the bonfires ashore. << We're here! Ista, huh? What's going on? >> Already eager to get into things.
Caitlyn looks a little worried, a bit defensive while the tension still lingers between Leova and Xielar, though she keeps her place next to the young brownrider. And then Xie actually calms down some more, which lends itself to the bluerider relaxing again, too. "Well now, all's right with the world again. PLEASE enjoy yourselves, everyone. There's lots of food, many kinds of drinks, and good company." WHEW. And then the weyrling gold is splashing down in the ocean, causing Cait's blue lifemate to trumpet in clear surprise from his swimming frolic nearby - and making his human half jerk a stare over her shoulder. "What the shardin'..?!"
Though Leova meets Xielar's gaze, it's no staredown, and she lets him look as long as he has a mind to. A little later, when he speaks more quietly, she says just as softly, "Hope so. And. We'll watch for your name, when there's news." Only when the boy turns to Viviana does she slip back, back to where it's quieter, and maybe some food. Or maybe just a comet.
Viviana shrugs. "I don't think the same as /her/ so no need to apologize. he's not the nicest of men but he did train us well, I'll give that to him." The little spat of nastiness has taken the wind out of her sails though. "Many weyrlingmaster's have to be very hard and tough. To keep us alive. I'd be dead and so would she, if he hadn't been that way at times." She glances over Xie's shoulder toward L'vae, giving him a small half hearted smile of reassurance before forcing herself to be brighter. "But that's all over with, now isn't it and you don't have long before you will discover if you'll understand the inner workings of weyrlinghood. Much of it goes right over my head, all the politics and such." Oh look, a distraction. "And you'll have to meet our gold weyrling, Lujayn, she's delightful and so smart, she has to be, all that extra work she has to do, riding that big beautiful lifemate and all."
Andy's being ignored in favor of a girl, which is fine with him, because it means maybe Xielar's actually taking what he's said to heart. His attention swings now to the newly-arrived gold -- because really, how can anyone /not/ notice that entrance? -- and he hesitates before veering in her direction. "Ista's duties," he calls as he goes. "That was some landing. Are you here for the party?" There's a glance over his shoulder at the bonfire and the food, and then he grins a little wryly. "Well, of course you are. Don't think anyone's here who isn't."
Xielar nods once to Leova, tension still evident in the candidate's shoulders, neck and face. Soon, however, or perhaps with help from a meatroll he finds in his pocket, Xielar does indeed grow less tense. He shoots an apologetic glance to Caitlyn before glancing back to Vivy, nodding to the green weyrling as he tells her: "I have no doubt of that." He blinks at her distracted glance and looks toward Rielsath's arrival, blinking. "Shells, I remember her Impressing too," Xielar remarks. He looks to be adding something else, but he instead stops and offers the obvious"We have a couple weyrwomen here too.. One's cold and snippy while the other one's just... uh... ditzy." He grins briefly and then adds, "But they're both incredibly competent women... I think." He finally spots Andy and waves to his friend, commenting: "Hey! When did you get here?"
Ashmyth, Rielsath, and Bremuth sense that Vrianth's attention moves outward again, in time to realize, << You did spook some! Why don't you try it again. >>
Rielsath starts to swim more slowly towards shore, reveling in this new environment. Ocean - different from lakes, bigger, in need of a good exploring... As she pauses near Kintryth, a smaller figure hits the water with her own splash. Rielsath turns to poke playfully at the blue with her snout, eyes glowing faintly green out of the shadows as Lujayn moves ashore. "Reaches' to you," She replies to Anderon, casual despite being soaking wet. "Don't think that was /my/ idea, do you?" A wry look down at her flying gear as she answers, starting towards the rest of the party with a wave. "Yeah, I'm with the weyrling group."
Caitlyn stares for a long moment at the sopping forms of both gold and her rider, then shaking her head and removing her gaze to those closer at hand - the mutter of 'Damned crazy weyrlings...' not fully audible over the sounds of partying. Smiling warmly at L'vae, she excuses herself and then crosses over to Xielar, leaning over to murmur something near his ear, then waving at Anderon. "You're late!" she teases him, waving her warm skewer of kabob at him like a magic wand. Xie's words of two Istan weyrwomen have Cait subtly leaning back in to elbow him in the side and give him a 'look.' Smirk.
Ashmyth, Bremuth, and Vrianth sense that Rielsath is just a bit distracted. Salt water, big waves, an endless horizon of sea. << There're /huge/ fish here, ones that'll eat ya, have you seen? >> Said gleefully enough, proud emotions flashing as the blue and black heraldry of High Reaches. << Ha, I did scare 'em. Those Istans. >>
Viviana dryly looks Lujayn's way. "Quite an entrance.." Moving past the others with her half empty plate, she sets it in the cleaning bin and starts to pull her flight jacket on. "I think we'll head back with the first group..." She indicates the little grouping of weyrlings around a 'Reaches assistant. Definitely deflated, the weyrling murmurs her thanks.
Leova, once she's availed herself of fruit, kebabs, more fruit, and pretty much whatever it takes to keep her hands full, starts wandering back to where Viviana and L'vae stand. Pretty much silent. But then Viviana starts off and she's left to murmur to the brownrider, "Hate to see her smile go away."
Anderon lifts one shoulder in a shrug. "Maybe," he replies. "Know riders who'd do worse. Better. But hey, if it's not your idea, I guess the compliment's for her, then?" He'll nod towards Rielsath, but he stays safely on shore, where he can admire the gold without intruding on her play. "I'm Andy, with the candidate group. It's nice to meet you. If you want, there's -- " Here, he's cut off by Caitlyn, and he looks her way, calling back, "Not late if there's still food!" Then: "Er. What was I saying?" And yeah, Xielar is ignored, but fair's only fair, right?
Bremuth senses that Vrianth, less in the mood to play audience, returns to the warm watery sense of him. She's quiet mostly, too, but there's an electric current thrumming through her even as the waves wash around her paws.
Xielar watches Viviana and blinks back at her. "It was nice meeting you, Vivy," Xielar offers, his tone still seemingly apologetic. At Caitlyn's murmur and look, Xie smiles faintly, nodding back at her in thanks. He walks over to Anderon, smirking at the other candidate as he ignores Xie. "Fine, fine. I get you," Xielar comments to the other candidate. "Loud and clear, Andy!" He grins briefly before motioning to the food tables, commenting to his friend: "There's still tons of food. Fayre prepared a lot with the others. I worked on the spitted porcine a lot too."
"Fair skies!" Caitlyn calls out to Viviana, the bluerider's eyes showing a touch of concern as she waves her non-skewer-holding hand at the weyrling. "Hope you enjoyed your time here." Definite hope in that statement. Her gaze drifts over to the other green weyrling and L'vae, trying to interpret their looks, but Anderon's call makes the woman chuckle softly at him. "Better grab yourself some before Basq eats it all!" Out beyond the human gathering, Kintryth goes about behaving like a submarine again - diving and looking around on the oceanic bottom - as if nothing odd just occured.
L'vae tips his glass towards Viviana in acknowledgement of her look. Caitlyn's smile is similarly returned, and then L'vae is left with his dwindling kebab and drink. The skewer is nibbled clean by the time Leova makes her way over. He twirls it idly between his fingertips as he nods. "I don't know, exactly, what happened," he murmurs back with some bemusement. Caitlyn's drifted gaze is noted and he flashes a smile to the bluerider, ear still leaned subtly towards his fellow weyrling.
Lujayn approaches just in time to see Viviana heading in the other direction, a smile lost to her back as the first group departs. "Hope everyone isn't taking off," She jokes, getting to the food almost single-mindedly. "Spitted porcine? Sounds great," So saying, Lu reaches for a kebab. "How's candidacy, then? I don't suppose you're having any fun." Gray eyes gleam teasingly. Out in the waters, Rielsath plays shadow to Kintryth, diving along after and scraping the sands with her belly. Blowing bubbles towards his tail, the very image of exuberant youth.
Following L'vae's glance, Leova leans in to murmur up to his ear, "Just happened. But I'll tell you later. Should check in with her first." She tilts her second fruit kebab his way, time enough for him to snag a few pieces if he chooses, before steadily making her way back in Caitlyn's direction.
Vrianth senses that Bremuth reflects that electric current, a shimmer of silver condensing from the abstract flow of his mind. It's a distant approximation of curiosity, more akin to appreciation as it dances at the edges of his contented serenity.
Andy finally turns to Xielar then, all wide eyes. "I didn't say anything," he protests. "Nothing to hear. But oh, hey, yeah. I saw the spread on my way over, looks great. Was wondering what all'd been going on in the kitchen." He tilts sideways to look past his friend towards the food, though Lujayn's comment gets him straightening up again. "Oh, yes. Lots of fun. Always did love chores, and hey, I get to make fun of this guy daily." He jerks a thumb in Xie's direction, then adds, "I'm gonna go, y'know. Get something to eat." And he's off, scampering towards the feast and leaving Xielar to entertain the weyrling. Poor Lujayn.
Xielar eyes the food table and grabs one remaining rib on a plate, eating it happily. "Hello delicious," Xie remarks to his food, cleaning the bone free of any remaining meat. He lifts a hand in greeting to Lu, offering, "Ista's duties. I suppose, I should say that too. I'm Xielar."
Caitlyn smiles quietly at the arriving Lujayn, murmuring to her, "Your weyrmate's enjoying herself, I take it? Caitlyn, blue Kintryth's..." she introduces herself, letting her gaze slip around to all those mingling younger folk. A wave for Anderon, and then, "Pardon me, *I* need a drink..." and then the woman slips off for a few moments to snag something from the appropriate table. Out in the warm ocean, Kintryth seems to find Rielsath's bubbling, shadowing form amusing, since he increases his speed, zipping about underwater as if born to it. Chase me.
"Okay. Good idea," L'vae says with another nod for Leova, a hopeful little smile briefly curving at his lips. It broadens to something more sure as the fruit is offered. Tucking the empty skewer into his fingers holding his drink, he reaches out with his now-free hand to pluck a few pieces off. "Thanks." The hand is given a shake in emphasis before he pops the first slice into his mouth. Smiling after her a moment, L'vae takes a breath and turns his gaze away. Out to the musicians, down to his glass... giving the dregs a slosh, the brown weyrling's lips quirk and then he starts off across the sands back in the direction of the Sandbar.
Leova's doing her own chasing, although it's more in slow motion, balancing her kebabs as she heads after the bluerider. The wingleader. When the woman heads for the drinks table, she doesn't follow her all the way there, though, stopping midway between there and where Caitlyn had been standing before instead. It's an easy wait, with the fruit and all, no hurry.
Continued!
VR: Day 21, month 1, Turn 16, of the Interval. It is a winter evening.
(Miscellaneous pros and whispers added to a Frankenstein's monster log originally from I'daur, Caitlyn and Lujayn)
Weyrlings visit Ista. Leova has a disagreement with candidate Xielar. Afterwards, she thinks better of him. [Part one of two.]
North Beach -- Ista Weyr
Sunset at the beach: as the cool wind blows in from over the waters, the sallow sun slips below the wave-tossed sea that fades from green to black. The light of Rukbat washes the beach, the forests to your south, and the great black rock of the Weyr behind you in crimson light. The stars climb up over the Weyr and the plateau to your east, rising above the mist cast by the dancing waterfall that glows in a million firey rainbows. The black sands of the beach stretch for kilometres to the north and south, following the shoreline of the plateau. Below the pastel beauty of the blue-green sunset sky to the west, the dark smudges of the Ista Isles float on the sea, like the coils of some mythical monster.
To the northwest, a bridge arches over the stream. To the south, the beaches continue to where long docks stretch far into the bay.
Earlier: << We're going to Ista, >> Zunaeth announces, sending an image of the island Weyr as seen from above. With the weyrlings having made those first preliminary jumps around the Weyr between already, it's time to branch out further, and as Zunaeth and I'daur gather them all up in the air over the Reaches, the weyrlingmaster leads the way after reinforcing the visualization in all of them.
And after the party has been going for a while:
Xielar gapes once more at Vivy, telling the weyrling, "Shells, I should totally take notes. Andy tells me I don't know how to flirt with girls." He pauses, studying the weyrling again. "There's tons of food, actually," Xie manages to tell Viviana, speaking more seriously (especially with food involved!). "Try the fruit tarts, too. Istan fruit only, which I'm sure you don't get enough of while you're up in Reaches. But the tables have everything from cinnamon roasted herdbeast to fruit tarts, so I'm sure you'll find something that'll catch your fancy." He looks to Basq and grins briefly at him, then back to Vivy, saying, "Viviana then. I'm Xielar." It doesn't matter if he's introduced himself twice now apparently, at least, not to Xielar. He nods again to I'daur, saying, "What Fayre said." He spots the arrival of Kintryth and grins briefly, "Looks as though Caitlyn's joining us. Either that or she needs a dunking." And then back to Vivy as he asks, "How do you find weyrlinghood so far?"
I'daur just stares. And stares some more, at Fayre. Eventually, he recovers enough to take another swig of his own flask's supply of whiskey. "What kinda party--" he begins. "What kinda /Istan/ party--." He never quite gets around to finishing that, just shakes his head and clutches his flask.
Sani gets her food and smiles, bowing out of the conversations to find a quiet spot to sit near the fire and watch the party. When she gets settled in and finishes the coconut juice, she cracks the nut open to pry out the succulent meat inside.
Basquirin chortles loudly at Viviana's rebuttal, and says, "well, fine then. You're /not/ a flirt," and yet, the former stablehand can't keep a straight face while saying this. Still standing near the table, he is only about halfway finished with his herdbeast roast when he sees the succulent porcine being rolled out. "Oh, that looks good, too..." he mentions, licking his lips as he looks at the food. Food, food, food, food, food! Oh, how delicious everything looks! He takes a couple of more big bites out of the heaping pile of heardbeast roast, hoping to finish it and still have room for some of that porcine.
Another weyrling pair from the 'Reaches circles downward, this time after taking a tour over the jungle that hadn't been on the official route. Zunaeth's an easy enough target to spot, and Vrianth lands lightly near him and Ashmyth, wherever there's room. Her rider's staring. Heat. Roasts. And, "Basq?" Two buckles later, Leova quickly slides down.
Fayre becomes flustered again by I'daur's look. "Er, well...An Istan candidate kind of party, I suppose? We don't make the drinkin' rules. Besides, you can focus on how delicious all the food tastes when you're not tipsy, eh?" She hesitates when he goes for his flask and attempts another polite smile. "Um, or maybe it would enhance the flavour, y'know?"
Zunaeth and Ashmyth sense that Vrianth lets it be known that her hunt was unsuccessful. Those felines of Talurith's have not yet be found. Darkly, << Perhaps he is hiding them. >>
Food. Boys. Food...boys. Viviana is beside herself but she's polite enough. "Weyrlinghood, everything I imagined and then some." Her smile dampens for just a moment. "The hardest, most scary experience of my life. Made me grow up even though I didn't want to." She sticks her tongue out at Basq, so much for maturity, but her smile is just as sweet as a fruit tart as she exclaims. "A perfect name, Xielar, 'Lar to your friends, perhaps? But if that lovely bluerider with the charming bluerider has invited us in, I suppose I /could/ mozy on to your food table." As she gazes over her shoulder, she epies Fayra's outfit. "Isn't that the most cunning thing I've ever seen. I have absolutely no chance of being noticed with that pretty candidate struting around in that. How brave of her to wear so little!"
Close enough now to hear him, Caitlyn smirks at Xielar once she's spoken to I'daur. "Yes, I decided to risk my precious hide and come down here. B'sides, Kint wanted a swim. And if you try to dunk me, expect some world-class umbrage to be taken on your *own* hide." The bronzerider's cut-off words make the bluerider crack a white-toothed grin, and inquire, "Why I'daur, I might almost think you're out of your element." Beat. Would you care for a drink? There's waitstaff in the 'Bar that'll gladly run back and forth for a few extra coins." Fayre gets a knowing little grin, and a "How's the food? I know Xie was at the spit, and not you, so it might not be done properly." She gives smiles and little finger wiggles to Viviana and Leova, along with "Enjoying yourselves, ladies?"
I'daur looks another askance look at Fayre, shakes his head, and then remarks wisely, "Food don't have to taste good if you're drunk enough." Words to live by, those. But then Leova and Vrianth are turning up, and I'daur glances their way with a lift of his brows again. "Where you been?" he wonders, while Zunaeth rumbles once to Vrianth. To Caitlyn, I'daur drawls, "Brought my own." And he lifts his flask to prove it, though the way he's drinking it's debatable just how long it'll last.
"-Can-di-dates," Xielar remarks once more to I'daur, speaking slowly to the Reachian WLM. Xie is clearly less flustered than Fayre with regard to the tall man. "A lot of us are candidates, so there's obviously some rules we can't break. Especially with eggs hardening the way they are on the sands these days!" He blinks a couple times at Vivy again, returning his attention to her: "Made you grow up? Sounds like candidacy for me. I've gained... perspective." He pauses once more as he hears Vivy speak. "Wow..." Xielar remarks, mostly to Basquirin. "Basq, are -all- the girls from Reaches like here?" He grins briefly before nodding once to Caitlyn as she nears the party. "I'd never think of dunking you, Caitlyn," he offers to the Istan bluerider. He grabs a plate from the table and begins putting a little bit of everything on before handing it over to Viviana, asking her: "Tell me what you think of Istan hospitality?" And then over his shoulder, to Basq: "I'm beginning to re-think my whole 'Reaches is bad' theory, Basq." And then back to Vivy: "Oh, you can just call me Xie."
Bremuth and Vrianth sense that Ashmyth warbles brightly. << It's a party, a wonderful party. And look! >> She flaps her wings in pure excitement. << Water and fish and waves and everything. >>
Despite the darkness of night, the black sands North Beach seems intensely alive. A bonfire is central to this motif as it rages as the night goes on. Candidates mass on blankets, towels, while others move to the food tables by the bonfire to eat. Portions of a spitted porcine are given out continuously. Harper-turned-Candidates make music with their instruments and voices lightly in the background, creating a jovial atmosphere.
Sani smiles at Caitlyn's words. "How's Hider, Caitlyn? Hope he slept okay." she grins impishly, then takes a bite of roast porcine, sighing in delight with the taste. "I fell asleep with the little guy on my stomach and I don't know if I'd rolled over on him or not."
Basquirin seems to be in a power struggle between wanting to eat and wanting to talk to his friends. He takes another bite out of the roast, nodding as he listens to Viviana speak before he hears another familiar face call out his name. "Leova?" He calls back out to the Weyrling, recognizing her as soon as he noticed her dismounting Vrianth. "Hey!" He grins stupidly at the 'Reachian weyrling, before giving Xie a good chortle. "Perhaps. Maybe you'll have to visit High Reaches again to find out!" He teases the fellow Candidate.
"So far?" Leova answers Caitlyn from where she has been staying put, right by Vrianth. Vrianth is meanwhile making herself right at home, head turning this way and that to see what she can see past the other dragons, stretching out with her wingsails open to soak up every bit of warmth she can possibly get. Her rider, not so much. She does manage to make her way closer to the woman, at least, staying near to her weyrlingmaster and a little behind. "Sir. She had a wild hair to go looking. It's so, so green." She waves to Basquirin after that, quick and controlled.
Ashmyth and Bremuth sense that Vrianth sends agreement, << And so warm! Like our hot springs, only to be breathed. >>
Fayre scuffs her foot sheepishly in the black sand, getting a few of the sticky grains in her sandal in the process. "Aww, thanks Cait! The porcine meat is delicious, actually, even without my personal involvement. They did a good job with that spit. I was just sayin' if I end up in the kitchens again after the hatchin' that I should make sure we do 'em more often." The candidate looks physically wounded by I'daur's remark and actually takes a few shocked steps back. "What?! Food...doesn't have to taste good?! Of course it does! My whole family has made a livin' in the food trade. Um, sir." Tacking on a formal title makes the rest of her statements polite, right?
"I see..." Caitlyn murmurs to the Weyrlingmaster. "Well, unless you intend to nurse that the whole evening," and she tips a nod at the flask, "you always have the Sandbar as an alternative." Another smirky look for Xielar, and the short woman quips, "Yeah, and porcines fly." Snork. Making out Sani's voice in the noise of the throng, the bluerider smiles over at the other woman, commenting, "I think he slept like a baby. He kept sending me images of how nice your tummy felt. He must've moved before you turned...or you didn't turn." Leova gets a slight lift of a brow, then "Yep, I guess you haven't been here that long, have you?" Wink. To Fayre, "Well, I sure hope you do find your mate. But I wouldn't feel bad about having your hand in the food-making again." Already Cait's gaze is drawn toward the succulent fruits, tasty meats - and then her stomach squeals loudly. Ack!
That whole candidacy thing just seems to role off I'daur without a second thought; he's more interested in twisting his neck to look at Leova when she tries to hide. "S'Ista. Like Monaco," a bit of a non-sequitor, but he nods toward Vrianth briefly before Fayre's words pull him back. He remarks, almost apologetically with her reaction, "Mine's all drunks." Beat. "S'Leova," because introducing someone else is a great ice-breaker. I'daur shuffles a step back like it's his turn to hide behind the weyrling.
Viviana genuinely smiles her thanks, taking the plate from the lad. "Thank you. Xie, Xie it shall be and you can can call me Vivy." In a much quieter tone, she admits. "This food is very different for me, I've only had reaches area food and fish down at Tillek. Tell me, is there a secret to eating this and not getting all messy?" Her eyes roam back and forth, scanning the crowd, watching as other's eat and as she does, she frees a hand to wave to her fellow weyrlings. "We've been invited, to eat and to meet."
Leova's chuckle is awkward, but she's trying for the polite thing to do when someone spins a quip your way. "A little longer in the air, ma'am, is all." A look up at I'daur, a nod that actually gets it, and then she follows up for Fayre with, "Green Vrianth's. Her." A thumb over her shoulder marks the green in question, in case her weyrlingmaster's gesture didn't cover it, and she even dredges a smile up from somewhere or other. A smile that deepens with a sidelong glance at I'daur's shuffling, the man being taller and all.
Xielar grins back at Vivy, nodding to her as he replies back to the weyrling: "Vivy then. That works for me." The candidate smiles briefly before telling her: "I hadn't even thought that it might be different. I thought food was the same everywhere. Well, except for maybe the fruit, which obviously does better on the island than in snow." Xie grins at Vivy as curiousity gets the best of him. "What's Reaches food like?" he asks Vivy. He takes a moment to eat, quickly eating with his hands in most cases, though for the tougher meat, he uses a fork and knife. "It can get messy, but you're the best judge as to whether to use your hands or not." And then, as a follow-up, Xie also asks Vivy: "And what's your opinion on fish?"
"Well I hope you want me to impress more than you want me to run the kitchens!" Fayre exclaims with a chuckle. "But I think I'd be okay if life took me back to that." She shifts her weight around uncomfortably at I'daur's response. "Er, oh. Well...that's pretty similar to bein' involved with the food trade, right? Just the thirst-quenching variety instead. I was a bartender before becomin' an assistant headwoman, actually." The candidate bobs her head politely at Leova. "I'm Fayre, potential maul victim for the upcoming hatching here." Her eyes suddenly focus on something behind the weyrling and she waves one of her hands, nearly spilling off some of her food from her plate in the process. "'scuse me, I see my cousin over there. I'm goin' to go make sure he's tried my cinnamon herdbeast." The young woman promptly scampers off to mingle with her cousin and his pals.
Zunaeth senses that Vrianth willfully puts felines out of her mind. Completely out. No tails sneaking in anywhere. Turning her head from jungle to water, << This Monaco-that-is-not-yours, the air is sticky there also? >>
Having temporarily moved off to grab a loaded shish-kebob from over an open roasting pit, Caitlyn strides back over to the small group of people, the woman already munching on a steaming white tuber. "Secret's to grab one of *these*, I think," she murmurs convivially to Viviana, waving the kabob skewer a little, then grinning. "I'm Caitlyn, by-the-way. Sorry for forgetting to introduce myself before." Munch-munch. Noting I'daur's shuffling and slinking, Cait's smile takes on an almost brilliant quality - and a more subtle, evil one, too. "Come now, good man. You can't hide behind people who're shorter than you." The short bluerider moves over to the bronzer, trying to slide a companionable arm through the neaest one of his own limbs while simultaneously chuckling at Fayre. "I'm rooting for you, yes Fayre. Good herdbeast!" she calls out to the pudgy young woman as she moves off. Back to the hapless Weyrlingmaster, "I think you really would enjoy something less, uhm, basic than that." Another nod to that hip flask. "Sandbar's got oodles of great tasting stuff in it."
Zunaeth bespoke Vrianth with << Just like this. >> He doesn't sound happy about it; in the heat of Ista, his own warmth is muted, though it still swelters his thoughts. << S'why we hate it. >> >>
Viviana nibbles at a rib, managing not to be overly messy. "Very different. A lot of stews, warm food as it's so cold there all the time. We don't get fresh ocean fish like this either." She nibbles at a fish roll next. "You do set a good spread. To eat outdoors like this at this time of turn? We'd have to cuddle real close to keep warm...that's one nice thing up at the Reaches, you learn how to snuggle close -- it's practically a necessity. Isn't that true,L'vae and Leova?" Her eyes are wide with innocence.
I'daur frowns, not his happy face again. He straightens, too, takes another drink, and then notices the rather empty sounds coming from said flash. "I'm going to get a drink. No umbrellas," he announces then, and off he shuffles toward the Sandbar himself.
And speaking of the Sandbar - L'vae is leisurely making his way down the beach from that direction, his bare toes digging into the sand with each step. The brown weyrling sips at something icy and colorful as he wanders towards the bon fire, his gaze casting about to take in the groups of folks gathered in the night. Finally spotting familiar figures, he makes his way over in time to grin at Viviana's oh-so-innocent question. "It certainly makes for a convenient excuse," the young man answers lightly. "Evening," he adds, dipping a general nod hello as his eyes sweep out to include the people gathered in the near vicinity.
Leova finds herself repeating, "Maul. Victim. That's what the assistant headwomen have to do around here?" as she stares after the disappearing Fayre. Lower, "They all look so young." But then Caitlyn approaches and her own smile sparks that much brighter. Giving the other woman a long look as I'daur escapes, "Except for you! Thank goodness." Of course, then there's her name, heard through all those voices that can make it hard to concentrate. Her name in Viviana's voice. In that particular tone of voice. She doesn't quite dare look.
Xielar gapes again at Vivy. He shakes his head before managing to only be able to say, "Shells." in return to Vivy. "Are you Reaches people always so... forward?" he asks her, still mystified by her comments to him. "Uh... Fish. Where was I?" The candidate looks flustered now. Sure, a six foot weyrlingmaster doesn't fluster him, but a weyrling shorter than him does by leaps and bounds. "Evening," Xie offers to L'vae, blinking at him as well. "I saw you Impress too. Shells, that seems like a lifetime ago." He grins back at Leova and comments, "Ista's hatchings have a reputationg of being a little... bloody."
Basquirin has just been keeping silent, letting himself come closer to finishing all of that herdbeast roast he picked up earlier - it's never a bad thing to make a porcine out of yourself, right? He's almost finished when L'vae walks up to the group of them. He waves to the brown weyrling, greeting, "Hey Lou - er, L'vae." The former stablehand corrects himself, nodding as he does so. He grins, "enjoying yourself here?"
Viviana blinks innocently. "Forward? Don't you hug your friends here, too? I mean, it's against weyrling rules to do much more than cuddle... with a friend for warmth if needed." She shoots another glance back toward Leova and L'vae then she's back to nibbling, nodding and chatting. "I'll have to try one of those sticks of meat, they do look tempting. "Fish? Oh fish is very good, Xei, what tempts you?.." She pauses. "About food that is."
Seems like Caitlyn has met the slightly surly I'daur halfway as he moves off towards the Sandbar - her arm not quite having made it towards his. A blink, and then the bluerider shrugs, moving back over to the group while she munches. "Yeah, Istan hatchlings can be...hm...violent," the woman comments to Leova, then smirking wryly. "Thanks...I think. I'm not terribly old, though." A sigh at the retreating back of the Weyrlingmaster. "I think he doesn't like me."
Leova gives Caitlyn an even brighter smile, while pulling off her jacket and tying it around her waist. "Can't imagine why. But no, of course you aren't. Not terribly. How much violence and..." she extends this to Xielar, "Blood are we talking about?" Still not hearing Viviana. Definitely not. Not at all.
"I don't think he likes -people-," Xie replies to Caitlyn, smirking at the bluerider. The Istan teen pauses and looks back to Vivy, coughing some as he hears her last remark regarding temptation. "I don't know. I -would- say you, but shells... Fish. And uh.. long walks on the beach." He grabs a few skewers, two with mostly meat and another with mostly veggies for Vivy, putting them on another plate for her. "Oh, blood fills the sands, candidates faint," Xie says in the same moment he grabs the food for Viviana. "It's not that the hatchlings mean to maul the candidates, it's just that they're clumsy out of the shell." And then to Vivy, more quietly, he adds, "And no, I don't think I've ever uh... hugged friends before."
Basquirin excuses himself from the group with a nod, seeing that succulent porcine up for the taking. It just looks too /good/ to resist any longer, and his stomach still growls even after all of that roast that he ate! He hurriedly shuffles over to get his share of the porcine, where he runs into another crowd of people, being sucked up into a conersation there.
Viviana blinks. "Never hugged a friend?" She's truly stunned by that. "I don't mean sleeping with them, just hugging them. Shells, I've never been kissed, not like /some/ of my weyrling class." She bites into a juicy tomato slice, licking her lips to catch all the juice. "And I'm not food, so I don't kind, no matter how sweet that compliment was and no matter how clever you are.."
Bremuth senses that Vrianth touches thought to thought. << Bremuth. Are your wings sticky also? >> This air, this salty humid air.
Caitlyn shrugs off the whole thing, temporarily lifting her bangs to Leova's inquiry. On her tanned forehead are two thin, greyish-tan scars set on a diagonal. "Some maulings happen, and they're all accidents. Kintryth jumped to find me, and, well...knocked me backwards." Grin. A slightly more sober nod to Xielar's observation of I'daur. "Basically, what Xie tells you is right. But, blood winds up being shed, all the same." Munch-munch she goes as the woman listens to the talk circulate around her.
"It feels sort of like a lifetime ago," L'vae offers with a deeper grin to Xielar. His expression only brightens further as his gaze shifts to the former Reachen stablehand. "Hey Basq! I am. Love the drinks." And his glass is lifted up higher and waggled a bit in emphasis. His other hand lifts in a wave as the candidate takes off. Lifting that frosty drink to his lips, his eyes return to Vivy over the rim. There's the smallest curve of an amused smile showing about the edges as he listens.
Leova gives Xielar a long, dubious look. And then she says, "How sweet," just as he moves off. Caitlyn's got something to show her, though, and so she moves to her toes for a better look, sand shifting under her boots and making it difficult to sink back again. "Knocked you backwards with her claws? Or is it his claws." Right about then, her Vrianth loses patience with sitting and moves onward, wings folding and unfolding into a cool breeze for a few steps before she has room enough to bound towards the water. It's enough to make Leova lose her train of thought before she looks quickly back at the other rider.
Zunaeth senses that Vrianth half-fans her wings as she moves by, in and out and out some more, about all she can do in the confined space among the other dragons: a cool and purposeful breeze that starts out as just for him, before she realizes it soothes her own flanks too. But by then, she's already almost to the water. And then she's splashing in.
"That was a compliment?" Xie asks Vivy, blinking. "I didn't..." Xie shrugs before going on to say, "But no, I don't think I've hugged anyone but my mother, Vivy." He points out Caitlyn, telling Viviana: "I once thought about hugging her when I got Searched by her blue, but I re-considered." He nods again to L'vae in agreement with his initial remark. He grins once more to Vivy, telling her: "I don't think I'd worry about not being kissed though, I mean, I've not been kissed either." He looks toward Vrianth and smiles suddenly, asking Leova of her: "What's your green's name?"
Vrianth senses that Bremuth shares how the briny air clings to his hide, seeming to seep into every crevice of his folded sails. Thick, as if being submerged in this so-different place.
Viviana tsks. "And so modest too, delightful man you are, Xie.." She moves further down the beach, drawn to the waves as they lap against the shoreline. "Maybe you should try it, hugs can be very comforting." With a knowing little smile of her own, she nods as she passes L'vae.
"His," Cait smirks at Leova, then tackling a chunk of cinnamoned herdbeast on her skewer. She waits until her mouth is mostly clear before adding, "He needed to get to me, and lept up while I was looking away for a fraction of an instant." The bluerider nods to Xielar's words about her, tossing him a rich grin. "I have him convinced I'm a dangerous beastie."
L'vae is occupying himself with his drink, just listening in to the conversations about him. Xielar gets a lingering look of interest as the candidate speaks of his mother and Search, but then Vivy is on the move and grabbing up the brown weyrling's attention. He just follows her with his eyes a moment. "Has Ashmyth spotted any shipfish?" he thinks to ask as she's on her way past. He breaks from his own position, lingering his look over his shoulder towards Vivy as his feet start moving towards where those skewers are being passed out.
"Vrianth." Leova says that so affectionately, not trying to hide it, such a contrast to what she's previously said to Xielar. Vrianth's splashing in by now, and she half-misses what Caitlyn's going on about in watching her, but then she turns back. Perhaps she didn't completely focus after all, for, "Funny how things can change like that. Just an instant." Not just scars. Leaving dangerousness aside for the moment, "Do you remember it well? Or does the memory begin to fade. I, I hope it doesn't."
Xielar laughs suddenly, grinning wide as he hears Vivi, "She called me a -man-." This is more for the benefit of Caitlyn, pointedly so. "See?" Xie asks Caitlyn. "-Someone- thinks I'm a man!" Walking with Vivy, Xie nods again, saying, "Maybe I will try that. I mean, shells, with as much hugging goes on in the weyr, one little hug couldn't hurt. I mean, not unless it was some bizarre more-than-just-a-little-squishy hug!" He blinks once and then glances back to the weyrlings, Vivy especially as he suddenly asks them: "This isn't your first time to Ista is it?" And then a glance toward Cait as Xielar remarks: "Beastie my butt! Caitlyn, you might be a wingleader, but that doesn't mean you're some mean and weird..." He fumbles with the words, before pointing out to the direction I'daur left, concluding: "-Him-. You're no where near that scary-strange." He smiles again to Leova, responding back with, "Well, your Vrianth is a pretty green."
Viviana is muted compared to her former vivaciousness. "I think a five second hug or a ten second hug is allowable and safe, longer than that and people might talk. It's confusing, but it's fun, thinking about all these unwritten rules of relationships, huh?" She looks back over at L'vae as well. "She says it's hard to see at night but she's sure they are there... and yes, Xie, it our first time at Ista. The first time I've been to such a warm place. Warm in hospitality and warm in atmoshphere."
Bremuth senses that Vrianth finds it slightly less discomforting when he shapes it that way for her, and starts to send warm appreciation for his doing so. But then. Then, the flow is cut off, her attention drawn abruptly elsewhere.
Caitlyn can't help but grinning at Leova's enchantment with her green lifemate, not minding the weyrling's slight inattention since her dragon is the cause. A look out to where the young green cavorts not far from her own blue, and Cait murmurs, "She's a pretty little gal. Mhm, one second, and I went from no claw marks to two, and from apprentice to weyrling." Another tiny bite of her food, and then the Istan woman nods. "Like it was yesterday. You never really forget your Impression." An indulgent smile is sent Xielar's way at his crowing announcement. "Yeah, yeah, I heard. Still doesn't change my personal opinion. But, of course I'm all creaky and old." She seems rather startled by the candidate's vehemence in coming to her defense, the bluerider looking a touch chagrined. "I was just kidding, Xie. No, I'm not mean...unless I'm forced to be." And then she's doing damage control in Weyr relations, replying carefully to the youth, "Now, I'm *sure* the Weyrlingmaster isn't rude. He looked pretty unready for such a big crowd, too." To Viviana's words of Ista, Cait nods enthusiastically. "Yes, Ista's always hospitable. Glad you're enjoying yourself." Cue sunny grin.
Vrianth senses that Bremuth's thoughts are as warm as the tropical evening, until that moment when Vrianth is abruptly gone. In that moment there's actually a hint of a surprise from the brown, a mental blink, a cool silver flash.
Leova says to Caitlyn, "Excuse me. Wingleader." Her eyes are sharper now. "And thank you." Could be for the compliments, could be for the story, could be more. With that, she's stepping right into Xielar's space, and she's shorter than he is, but she's also been throwing firestone sacks around. From the air. And then there's that attitude of hers. "What's your name. Xie. Scared boy." Leova smiles at him, for all that it doesn't reach her eyes, just like how the nickname on her lips isn't sweet at all. "Why don't you explain where you get off telling people that High Reaches' weyrlingmaster, that /my/ weyrlingmaster, is so very, very mean."
Xielar gapes once more at Viviana's response, saying incoherently, "Shells... -Shells-." He stares back at the weyrlings before finally saying, "Welcome to Ista then... I think you'll find it's a wonderful weyr, but the Island itself is a fantastic place to be. I mean..." He fumbles with his words once again, before finally going on to say, "It's more about the people on the island than the island itself. I hope your Weyrlingmaster allows you to see more of it... and us Istans ... while you're here." And then Leova is in his face. "Uh," Xie manages to say. "I don't think me being scared is anything new. I mean, shells, I'm a Candidate. I don't know when it's going to happen, but those eggs over there are going to -hatch-." He points in the direction of Ista's hatching grounds before staring back at Leova, telling her: "He just proved me right about..." A look toward Caitlyn's voice and Xie grinds his teeth, apparently stopping whatever he was going to say. "My name is Xielar, and I apologize for saying what I did about him," Xielar finally says, every single syllable spoken seemingly painful to speak.
L'vae nods to Viviana before turning to claim one of those kebabs for himself. Holding it delicately, he wanders back towards Caitlyn even as his gaze turns out to watch Xielar and Vivy move towards the waves. Watches as Leova goes over to the candidate. He looks in that direction for a long moment even after stopping by the Istan bluerider, but then seems to remember himself. "It is very kind, of you to share your party with us," he notes with a broad smile. "I failed to introduce myself - L'vae. You are?" Polite curiosity lights in his eyes.
Caitlyn appears relieved at first when things seem to be redirecting themselves away from the subject of I'daur. But Leova's confrontation of Xielar has the bluerider inwardly cringing, while she stares at how the candidate handles himself. She notices the youth's tooth-grinding, and nods not unkindly at him when he apologizes to the weyrling. The woman nearly starts when L'vae appears at her shoulder, but she recovers with only a slightly nervous smile and darting of eyes. "Oh, hello there, L'vae. Caitlyn, blue Kintryth's. Well met. Glad you're enjoying Ista."
Viviana steps back when Leova confronts the Istan Candidate, becoming even more quiet as she presses in against Ashmyth, the dragon curling her tail to draw her in closer. "It's beautiful, L'vae.." She chews her lower lip though, unsure of what to do. "Lovely party, wonderful people.."
Anderon isn't so much late to the party as just stumbling into it by accident. He may or may not have forgotten about it; he certainly looks surprised to see all the food and the people on the beach, and it takes some time for him to sort through his internal calendar and remember, oh yeah, that one guy had that thing, and I guess that was today, huh? His gaze sweeps over all the unfamiliar riders, then alights on Xielar, towards whom he now makes a beeline. "Xie!" he bellows. "You didn't remind me!"
Leova waits Xielar out, every single word of it, no matter much it may blur in her ears until he gets to the important part. Which is not the scared part. "Apology accepted," she says not unkindly. Not that she gives him any more room. "Next time, try apologizing right away instead of making the wingleader, over there, have to say something to you. Blows the wind right out of my sails, or whoever else isn't happy with you. Know what I mean?" Now she steps back. Now there's more room to breathe. "And good luck on the sands."
Glows cordon off a large portion of the beach while a bonfire blazes in the centre. Tables of both hot and cold food sit by the bonfire while a spitted porcine continues to roast while more pieces are carved off as the night progresses. Harper-turned-Candidates play music in the background while Dunmar, a tall candidate, seems to be the host of the Istan hootenanny. Despite it being the dark of night, the beach is very well lit by both glows and the large raging bonfire.
"Actually, it's the candidates' party, but we figured it was a big beach, so anyone is welcome," Xielar calls out to L'vae while still staring back at Leova. Anderon isn't acknowledged as of yet as he continues to study Leova. "He trains you well," Xielar remarks quietly to her. After all, with her being so close, he doesn't need to speak all that loudly. "And thank you," he adds with regard to her stated luck. For a long moment, he stays standing there. Finally, as the music picks up, he pivots and glances to Vivy once again, telling her: "I should apologize to you too, Viviana."
It's unlikely that anyone is looking upward to see the moment when Rielsath appears out of /between/, and if they were it's even more unlikely they would glimpse her in the darkened sky. The gold dragon is there indeed, sunfire hide hidden by night, and somewhere between her neckridges is Lujayn. The flicker of bonfires below guide their descent, and just as she's close enough for her icy belly to be lit the weyrling pair makes a sharp turn over the ocean. Wings flicking back, neck arcing down, Rielsath is a speeding comet. There's finally a large splash, accompanied by surprised shouts from a few partygoers who were trying to have a partially dry wade, but above that a bright and cheery warble. Someone's rather pleased with herself.
L'vae gives a bow of his head to Caitlyn. "Well met," he echoes, smile wide. That said he starts in on his kebab with delicate nibbles. Ashmyth's curling draws his eye, and a worried little line comes to his brow as his gaze searches over Viviana. "It is," he agrees. Then there's bellowing, and the weyrling follows the bee-lining Anderon back to Xielar. "Ah, yes?" he remarks with a smile lifted to the teen. But it's a brief thing, turning away as the candidate goes back to speaking with Leova. Nibbling at his food once more, Lou peeks another concerned look in Vivy's direction.
Ashmyth, Bremuth, and Vrianth sense that Rielsath shines with cheery oranges and yellows, drawn straight from the bonfires ashore. << We're here! Ista, huh? What's going on? >> Already eager to get into things.
Caitlyn looks a little worried, a bit defensive while the tension still lingers between Leova and Xielar, though she keeps her place next to the young brownrider. And then Xie actually calms down some more, which lends itself to the bluerider relaxing again, too. "Well now, all's right with the world again. PLEASE enjoy yourselves, everyone. There's lots of food, many kinds of drinks, and good company." WHEW. And then the weyrling gold is splashing down in the ocean, causing Cait's blue lifemate to trumpet in clear surprise from his swimming frolic nearby - and making his human half jerk a stare over her shoulder. "What the shardin'..?!"
Though Leova meets Xielar's gaze, it's no staredown, and she lets him look as long as he has a mind to. A little later, when he speaks more quietly, she says just as softly, "Hope so. And. We'll watch for your name, when there's news." Only when the boy turns to Viviana does she slip back, back to where it's quieter, and maybe some food. Or maybe just a comet.
Viviana shrugs. "I don't think the same as /her/ so no need to apologize. he's not the nicest of men but he did train us well, I'll give that to him." The little spat of nastiness has taken the wind out of her sails though. "Many weyrlingmaster's have to be very hard and tough. To keep us alive. I'd be dead and so would she, if he hadn't been that way at times." She glances over Xie's shoulder toward L'vae, giving him a small half hearted smile of reassurance before forcing herself to be brighter. "But that's all over with, now isn't it and you don't have long before you will discover if you'll understand the inner workings of weyrlinghood. Much of it goes right over my head, all the politics and such." Oh look, a distraction. "And you'll have to meet our gold weyrling, Lujayn, she's delightful and so smart, she has to be, all that extra work she has to do, riding that big beautiful lifemate and all."
Andy's being ignored in favor of a girl, which is fine with him, because it means maybe Xielar's actually taking what he's said to heart. His attention swings now to the newly-arrived gold -- because really, how can anyone /not/ notice that entrance? -- and he hesitates before veering in her direction. "Ista's duties," he calls as he goes. "That was some landing. Are you here for the party?" There's a glance over his shoulder at the bonfire and the food, and then he grins a little wryly. "Well, of course you are. Don't think anyone's here who isn't."
Xielar nods once to Leova, tension still evident in the candidate's shoulders, neck and face. Soon, however, or perhaps with help from a meatroll he finds in his pocket, Xielar does indeed grow less tense. He shoots an apologetic glance to Caitlyn before glancing back to Vivy, nodding to the green weyrling as he tells her: "I have no doubt of that." He blinks at her distracted glance and looks toward Rielsath's arrival, blinking. "Shells, I remember her Impressing too," Xielar remarks. He looks to be adding something else, but he instead stops and offers the obvious"We have a couple weyrwomen here too.. One's cold and snippy while the other one's just... uh... ditzy." He grins briefly and then adds, "But they're both incredibly competent women... I think." He finally spots Andy and waves to his friend, commenting: "Hey! When did you get here?"
Ashmyth, Rielsath, and Bremuth sense that Vrianth's attention moves outward again, in time to realize, << You did spook some! Why don't you try it again. >>
Rielsath starts to swim more slowly towards shore, reveling in this new environment. Ocean - different from lakes, bigger, in need of a good exploring... As she pauses near Kintryth, a smaller figure hits the water with her own splash. Rielsath turns to poke playfully at the blue with her snout, eyes glowing faintly green out of the shadows as Lujayn moves ashore. "Reaches' to you," She replies to Anderon, casual despite being soaking wet. "Don't think that was /my/ idea, do you?" A wry look down at her flying gear as she answers, starting towards the rest of the party with a wave. "Yeah, I'm with the weyrling group."
Caitlyn stares for a long moment at the sopping forms of both gold and her rider, then shaking her head and removing her gaze to those closer at hand - the mutter of 'Damned crazy weyrlings...' not fully audible over the sounds of partying. Smiling warmly at L'vae, she excuses herself and then crosses over to Xielar, leaning over to murmur something near his ear, then waving at Anderon. "You're late!" she teases him, waving her warm skewer of kabob at him like a magic wand. Xie's words of two Istan weyrwomen have Cait subtly leaning back in to elbow him in the side and give him a 'look.' Smirk.
Ashmyth, Bremuth, and Vrianth sense that Rielsath is just a bit distracted. Salt water, big waves, an endless horizon of sea. << There're /huge/ fish here, ones that'll eat ya, have you seen? >> Said gleefully enough, proud emotions flashing as the blue and black heraldry of High Reaches. << Ha, I did scare 'em. Those Istans. >>
Viviana dryly looks Lujayn's way. "Quite an entrance.." Moving past the others with her half empty plate, she sets it in the cleaning bin and starts to pull her flight jacket on. "I think we'll head back with the first group..." She indicates the little grouping of weyrlings around a 'Reaches assistant. Definitely deflated, the weyrling murmurs her thanks.
Leova, once she's availed herself of fruit, kebabs, more fruit, and pretty much whatever it takes to keep her hands full, starts wandering back to where Viviana and L'vae stand. Pretty much silent. But then Viviana starts off and she's left to murmur to the brownrider, "Hate to see her smile go away."
Anderon lifts one shoulder in a shrug. "Maybe," he replies. "Know riders who'd do worse. Better. But hey, if it's not your idea, I guess the compliment's for her, then?" He'll nod towards Rielsath, but he stays safely on shore, where he can admire the gold without intruding on her play. "I'm Andy, with the candidate group. It's nice to meet you. If you want, there's -- " Here, he's cut off by Caitlyn, and he looks her way, calling back, "Not late if there's still food!" Then: "Er. What was I saying?" And yeah, Xielar is ignored, but fair's only fair, right?
Bremuth senses that Vrianth, less in the mood to play audience, returns to the warm watery sense of him. She's quiet mostly, too, but there's an electric current thrumming through her even as the waves wash around her paws.
Xielar watches Viviana and blinks back at her. "It was nice meeting you, Vivy," Xielar offers, his tone still seemingly apologetic. At Caitlyn's murmur and look, Xie smiles faintly, nodding back at her in thanks. He walks over to Anderon, smirking at the other candidate as he ignores Xie. "Fine, fine. I get you," Xielar comments to the other candidate. "Loud and clear, Andy!" He grins briefly before motioning to the food tables, commenting to his friend: "There's still tons of food. Fayre prepared a lot with the others. I worked on the spitted porcine a lot too."
"Fair skies!" Caitlyn calls out to Viviana, the bluerider's eyes showing a touch of concern as she waves her non-skewer-holding hand at the weyrling. "Hope you enjoyed your time here." Definite hope in that statement. Her gaze drifts over to the other green weyrling and L'vae, trying to interpret their looks, but Anderon's call makes the woman chuckle softly at him. "Better grab yourself some before Basq eats it all!" Out beyond the human gathering, Kintryth goes about behaving like a submarine again - diving and looking around on the oceanic bottom - as if nothing odd just occured.
L'vae tips his glass towards Viviana in acknowledgement of her look. Caitlyn's smile is similarly returned, and then L'vae is left with his dwindling kebab and drink. The skewer is nibbled clean by the time Leova makes her way over. He twirls it idly between his fingertips as he nods. "I don't know, exactly, what happened," he murmurs back with some bemusement. Caitlyn's drifted gaze is noted and he flashes a smile to the bluerider, ear still leaned subtly towards his fellow weyrling.
Lujayn approaches just in time to see Viviana heading in the other direction, a smile lost to her back as the first group departs. "Hope everyone isn't taking off," She jokes, getting to the food almost single-mindedly. "Spitted porcine? Sounds great," So saying, Lu reaches for a kebab. "How's candidacy, then? I don't suppose you're having any fun." Gray eyes gleam teasingly. Out in the waters, Rielsath plays shadow to Kintryth, diving along after and scraping the sands with her belly. Blowing bubbles towards his tail, the very image of exuberant youth.
Following L'vae's glance, Leova leans in to murmur up to his ear, "Just happened. But I'll tell you later. Should check in with her first." She tilts her second fruit kebab his way, time enough for him to snag a few pieces if he chooses, before steadily making her way back in Caitlyn's direction.
Vrianth senses that Bremuth reflects that electric current, a shimmer of silver condensing from the abstract flow of his mind. It's a distant approximation of curiosity, more akin to appreciation as it dances at the edges of his contented serenity.
Andy finally turns to Xielar then, all wide eyes. "I didn't say anything," he protests. "Nothing to hear. But oh, hey, yeah. I saw the spread on my way over, looks great. Was wondering what all'd been going on in the kitchen." He tilts sideways to look past his friend towards the food, though Lujayn's comment gets him straightening up again. "Oh, yes. Lots of fun. Always did love chores, and hey, I get to make fun of this guy daily." He jerks a thumb in Xie's direction, then adds, "I'm gonna go, y'know. Get something to eat." And he's off, scampering towards the feast and leaving Xielar to entertain the weyrling. Poor Lujayn.
Xielar eyes the food table and grabs one remaining rib on a plate, eating it happily. "Hello delicious," Xie remarks to his food, cleaning the bone free of any remaining meat. He lifts a hand in greeting to Lu, offering, "Ista's duties. I suppose, I should say that too. I'm Xielar."
Caitlyn smiles quietly at the arriving Lujayn, murmuring to her, "Your weyrmate's enjoying herself, I take it? Caitlyn, blue Kintryth's..." she introduces herself, letting her gaze slip around to all those mingling younger folk. A wave for Anderon, and then, "Pardon me, *I* need a drink..." and then the woman slips off for a few moments to snag something from the appropriate table. Out in the warm ocean, Kintryth seems to find Rielsath's bubbling, shadowing form amusing, since he increases his speed, zipping about underwater as if born to it. Chase me.
"Okay. Good idea," L'vae says with another nod for Leova, a hopeful little smile briefly curving at his lips. It broadens to something more sure as the fruit is offered. Tucking the empty skewer into his fingers holding his drink, he reaches out with his now-free hand to pluck a few pieces off. "Thanks." The hand is given a shake in emphasis before he pops the first slice into his mouth. Smiling after her a moment, L'vae takes a breath and turns his gaze away. Out to the musicians, down to his glass... giving the dregs a slosh, the brown weyrling's lips quirk and then he starts off across the sands back in the direction of the Sandbar.
Leova's doing her own chasing, although it's more in slow motion, balancing her kebabs as she heads after the bluerider. The wingleader. When the woman heads for the drinks table, she doesn't follow her all the way there, though, stopping midway between there and where Caitlyn had been standing before instead. It's an easy wait, with the fruit and all, no hurry.
Continued!