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Getting To Know You


Date:  January 23, 1999
Place:  Lysseth and Kassima's Weyr
Game:  PernMUSH
Copyright Info:  The World of Pern is copyright(c) to Anne McCaffrey 
l967. The Dragonriders of Pern(r) is a registered copyright.

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Kassi's Note:  I had fun with this RP.  Trilana and Syrali, both then
Candidates at Telgar, take it into their heads to visit Kassi and her
newborn son; Trilana even brings the new mother a present, though it's
not entirely appreciated (or appreciable).  The discussion wanders all
over the place, going from babies to dragons to presents and back to
dragons again.

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The Log:

Dragonth alights on the ledge, complete with R'der and Trilana, who grins
at him and slides off, carrying something in her hands. "Thank you!" she
tells him, and is answered by a muted grumble before the candidate turns
around to grin inside. "Hello?" she calls into the Depths of the Weyr
towards the Wingleader. "Wingleader Kassima?"

Well, this weyr might not be the image of a peaceful, serene environment
for a newborn baby and mother, but the duo propped up in the bed at the
moment don't much seem to mind. Kassi has finagled a tray of foodstuffs
from somewhere--cheese-noodles and soup, it seems--but pauses in her
munching to offer Trilana a surprised but pleased smile. "G'day,
Candidate," she rasps. "Did Aurian send you after the Benden Wing formation
reports?"

"Not at all," Trilana says, shaking her head, "Although I suppose I could
take them from you and ferry them back down," she adds, as a polite
afterthought. "I came to see how you and..." there is just a moment's pause
as the girl searches for the name, "and Keveris are doing?" The object
she's carrying looks more and more like a covered plate as she enters
further, but it cannot yet be determined.

Kassima's smile broadens and her eyes light up; apparently, asking after
her newborn son is a way to win brownie points. "I'm exhausted, but fine,"
she reports, pushing her food tray off to the side. Plenty of room in this
bed, compared to the Infirmary cots--maybe that's why she's here? "And
Kris, as you can see for yourself, is gorgeous." She twitches aside the
baby's blanket a bit, to better reveal his sleeping face.

The soft smile Trilana offers is agreement. "Oh, he is," she says,
fingertips reaching up involuntarily to press against her collarbone in a
gesture that might be more fitting to an old Auntie than to a teenage
candidate. Yet, it is the look she gives, and she steps closer, smiling
down at the lad sweetly. "He most certiantly is." Her eyes flicker back up
to the greenrider's face and she smiles again. "Oh, I brought you
something," she says finally, grinning as her fingers tap against what is
most definitely a plate, with something on it, but covered with a green cloth.

Kassima kisses the baby's black-haired brow, then settles him securely in a
one-armed hold so as to investigate this matter. "You did?" she asks,
sounding slightly startled. "Why, thankee, though you didn't *have* to...."
With a wince, she shifts positions so that she's facing the Candidate as
much as she can. "May I?"

"You may," Trilana says, trying not to giggle, extending the plate and
lifting the cloth, under which is what the girl hopes is a Kassima-esque
concoction of wherry, spices, artichokes, and the ever-adored chutney
sprinkled on top. "I made it for you," she says, grinning. "I thought you'd
want something to... get your strength back."

Blink. Blink. Kassi stares at the concoction for a moment--does she go just
a degree paler? Hard to say; she's already pretty pale anyway. Peering down
at the baby, she asks, "See what you made me eat? I'm going t'bring this up
every time I have a reason t'yell at you, y'know, so you'd best get used to
it." Looking back up, she offers a wry grin. "Methinks I can probably
manage it, though m'tastes are reverting back to normal now that *he's* nay
longer demanding strange things. Thankee much--I can only imagine how you
made such a thing without risking retching yourself!"

Trilana giggles, setting the thing down nearby. "I did retch. I had to
leave it in the kitchen and walk around outside for a while. I didn't
expect you to /eat/ it, you see," she assures Kassima, "but I thought it'd
be a nice... token? Of my... affection? Appreciation?" she offers, now
beaming at the Wingleader.

No mistaking the relief that flashes in Kassi's eyes. "Oh, bless you. I
would've tried, but this poor bed has been abused enough without adding
vomit to it, and that without towels to catch the mess! *'Tis* a fine
token, in very deed. And hopefully, 'twill be the last chutney I ever have
to see for a long, long, *long* time!"

Trilana looks as though she's about to give Kassima a big, giant hug, and
instead grins from ear to ear. "Oh, Wingleader, you don't know how
wonderful it is to hear that."

Kassima takes a moment to pout, snuggling Keveris closer so that the vague
resemblance between natural baby pout and affected mother pout can be seen.
"Was the reign of chutney *so* terrifying for the Weyr?" she asks, doing
her level best to sound morose.

A successful deadpan nod is given to the Weyrleader and Trilana looks
terrified. "Candidates ran screaming into the caverns."

Telgar Weyr> Kassima has this sudden urge to @create an object called
'rabies' and give it to someone. I think caffeine withdrawal is starting to
play with my mind.

Telgar Weyr> T'saren laughs!

Telgar Weyr> Trilana giggles.

Telgar Weyr> Spyte laughs.

"Did women scream, strong men faint, and children flee out into the Bowl?"
Kassi asks rather hopefully.

Telgar Weyr> Leigh o.O

Trilana looks thoughtful, tapping a finger against her chin idly. "Sure,
you could say that. Hey, you made me retch while I was making you that...
that, /thing/."

Kassima beams, leaning back against her nest of pillows. "Then I've done
good," she decides proudly. "And what a promising beginning for m'lad here!
Hear that, Kris-love? You're already making people afraid." The sleeping
baby is duly unimpressed. "Ah, well. Say, I don't suppose you've seen
Kaylira wandering about at all today?"

Telgar Weyr> Syrali grins. Daring the Mother's den, Tril?

Telgar Weyr> Trilana nods!

Telgar Weyr> Trilana brought her a chutney concoction. ;)

Telgar Weyr> Syrali snugsa Tas, and waves at Leigh. ;) And everybody else,
too. "She didn't bite you?"

Telgar Weyr> Trilana says, "No, not at all!"

Telgar Weyr> Leigh says, "Mm, chutney."

Telgar Weyr> Kassima snugs a Syr, waffles to Leigh, and nopes. "Anyone
who's dared nausea in my service is safe from biting." ;)

Telgar Weyr> Syrali contemplates a visit. S'pose C'row and Servoth could be
coaxed?

"Kaylira?" Trilana clarifies. "No, haven't seen her. How come?" she asks, a
finger reaching up to push back a curl of errant hair in her normal manner.

Telgar Weyr> Kassima says, "Oh, I imagine so. :)"

Trilana turns her head to spot Syrali. "Hey!" she greets, a hand raised
cheerfully at her Candidate Friend.

Kassima explains with a sigh, "I seem to have had the extreme bad manners
t'spawn her little brother on her own Turnday. I have a feeling she's nay
going t'be happy, especially since I haven't been able t'get down there
t'see her. Simaeva promised t'bring the lasses up later today, but... ah,
well; thankee. So, tell me--how goes the Candidate's life?" The backbeat of
dragonwings that announces another visitor causes her to crane her head,
trying to peek towards the ledge. "Busy morning. Heyla, out there!"

The beating of great bronze wings long precedes Servoth's landing,
billowing wind into the weyr as the dragon lands. "Ho, in there!" C'row
calls. "We've got a visitor, now, off off off, kid, let's go, come on, move
off, got things to do."

Trilana smiles sweetly at the bronzerider, raising a hand to wave at him,
too. Turning back to blink at Kassima, she says: "Oh, I can only imagine
how irritated /she'll/ be."

Kassima calls in a cracking, rather abused voice, "C'mon in, visitor-type.
C'row, you'd better have that sweep report for me by tomorrow, or I'll have
your head on a stick!"

Syrali hastens to do exactly that, spinner-skittering down the bronze's
straps when he dips to let her off. "Th-thanks," the girl calls up, and
retreats a bit hastily inside. "Ummmm--" Hesitating, she nods toward the
two of you. "They said you wouldn't mind visitors, Wingleader."

C'row cackles a laugh. "Sure, Wingleader. Come on, Servoth." The whoosh of
their leaving is muted, as the bronze simply drops off the side to catch
himself farther down and away.

Kassima then allows to Trilana, "Probably quite. She doesn't care much for
*brothers* anyway, and nay only have I provided her with a second one, but
'tis a second one who shares her Turnday--Tamlin does, too, a'course. He's
only younger by a minute or so." Reclining on her nest of pillows, the
Wingleader gives Syrali a tired but luminous smile... the luminosity
probably a reaction to the presence of the wrapped bundle cradled close in
her arms. "Mind? Never. C'mon in; pull up a box, or what have you."

Trilana gives a rueful, slow shake of her head before she suddenly realizes
that she's still standing. So she pulls up a chair and plops into it, a
grin thrown over her shoulder towards Syrali. "So now she has /two/
brothers, and both of them have /her/ Turnday. My oh my."

Syrali chooses the box she used once upon a time, on her last visit up
here, still looking a little unsure of herself. "They said it's a boy," she
says, trying to sneak a look. "What's his name?" She grins back at Trilana,
swiftly losing her lap to Daelin. "Share a Turnday? Isn't that kinda odd?"

"Hey, ask her," Trilana says, pointing to the mother amusedly. "It's a
sign, that's what it is," she says smoothly, leaning back into her chair.

Kassima nods a happy affirmation, adjusting her hold to properly put her
sleeping son on display. "As bonny a lad as ever 'twas, aye. We're calling
him Keveris--Kris for short, by E'vrin's request, and I rather like it too.
I admit, 'tis nay the usual thing... sheer fluke, in Kris's case, though
Tamlin and Kaylira were born on the same night a'course."


Keveris:
        Wisps of black fuzz crown this newborn boy-child's head, startling
contrast to the ruddiness of the rest of him--as are, when he bothers to
open them, his slightly canted eyes that as yet remain misty blue. So very
young as he is, it's little enough surprise that his resemblance to either
of his parents is vague. For the most part, he looks uniquely like himself,
and that is how it should be. At the moment, Keveris has been snugged into
a forest-green blanket, lined with fleece to protect him from Telgar's
chill; this envelops so much of him that it's near impossible to tell what
else Kassi's found to put on her newest offspring. A rough guess would
place him at 0 Turns, 0 months, and 2 days old.


"Why of course?" Syrali wants to know, quick enough to lose her discomfort
in curiosity. "They twins? I thought you only had... three, now?"

"Three," Kassi confirms. "Kaylira, Kharisma, Keveris. Tamlin's Kay's
half-brother, T'lar and Meli's son; Meli and I were both pregnant at the
same time, and her theory is that when she panicked over my spawning, that
started off her own labor. Poor woman. So they're nay *quite* twins, but as
close as spawnlings with different mothers can be."

Trilana giggles at the last, fingers waggling on her knee amusedly. "Which
is impressive, considering."

Syrali nods, squirming a little on the box until she can cross her arms
over her chest, hands tucked away from the chill. "He's awful cute," she
volunteers, nodding at the baby boy. "Looks a little like my little brother
did, though he didn't have hair that color. Was a bit lighter, more brown."

Kassima grins, resting her cheek a moment against the baby's
head--eliciting a sleepy, tiny yawn in the doing. "I think he's beautiful,
but I'm a *wee* bit biased. Nay a chicken 'tall." Ooookay. "All of m'spawn
so far have gotten m'hair, though E'vrin's is brown. Daresay his eyes will
be green, when they change."

"Chicken?" Syrali frowns. "You weren't with us when we went to the
Beastcraft... what's a chicken got to do with it?"

Trilana blinks. "Chicken?" she asks, too.

"When he was born, screaming fit t'wake the dead," Kassi explains, "Aurian
said ''Tis a something.' And E'vrin asked if'n 'twas a baby, and I asked
him whether he'd thought 'twould be a *chicken*."

Trilana giggles, hand reaching up to clamp over her mouth to stop it.
"Sounds like something E'vrin might say."

Syrali giggles, shaking her head. "He just /asked/. Funny thing to ask,
though," she admits, still grinning. "We watched chickens hatch, though,"
she adds, shrugging. "Kinda like 'lizards." Her attention switches abruptly
to Trilana, curious again. "You know him much? I only met him that once."

Kassima then asks, "Went t'Beastcraft? What was this? Oh... well, aye. I'd
nay have been quite so volatile if'n I weren't, hrm, a bit distressed." And
that's putting it mildly. "I only threatened his life a few times,
though... i'truth, methinks he was pleased. I *hope* he's pleased. Can't
see how he could be other; 'tis a right bonny boy he's sired."

"I've met him a couple times," Tril tells Syrali before grinning at
Kassima. "Just a few times, eh?"

"My mum said some /really/ bad things when she had my little brother,"
Syrali says, tucking her nose down to hide her grin beneath the thick
collar of her sweater. "Later she said we were s'posed to forget she'd ever
said 'em."

Kassima affirms, "Just a few times. Ask Meli, or May, or Auri... they were
here! Mostly, 'twas threatening Ushu; 'twas only after he told me I
couldn't kill Ushu that I tried t'lunge for his throat. Good thing I still
had ahold of Meli and couldn't quite make it. Oh?" Interest registers.
"What kinds of things?"

Trilana turns towards Syrali curiously. "Yes, what kinds of things?"

Syrali's shoulders rise and fall, her nose wrinkling reluctantly. "Not
s'posed to repeat 'em. They were awful rude." Changing the subject--
"Ushu... is he the one kept talking 'bout rose petals when that fire
happened in the records room?"

Kassima's nose wrinkles too, but in distaste. "Oh, aye. Horrid man. He
wound up fainting again, a'course, and Auri and May played
Thread-Stone-Greens t'see who'd wind up delivering Kris. Honestly. 'Tis a
wonder I *didn't* throttle someone, all things considered."

Telgar Weyr> Kylandra kerbounces online and waves hi!

Telgar Weyr> Trilana wavse. Hi.

Telgar Weyr> Trilana says, "Look, I wavsed!"

Telgar Weyr> Syrali heyas to Kylandra, too. :)

"We all admire your self-control, Kassima," Trilana says, entirely deadpan.

Telgar Weyr> Meara sits on Kylandra.

Telgar Weyr> Kylandra eeks and is rather squished.;)

Telgar Weyr> Kindre says, "Heya Kylandra...welcome aboard :) I hope you'll
find your accomodations suitable ;)"

Syrali giggles again, still muffled by her sweater collar. "He's... odd.
Healer Ushu, I mean. They were really doing that?" she adds, untucking her
nose. "Playing games while you were birthing?"

Telgar Weyr> Kassima waffles to yon Kylandra. Welcome to the Lunatic Fringe
and the Telgarian K-Team! ;)

Telgar Weyr> Kylandra grins and is glad to be here, thanks! :)

Telgar Weyr> Syrali laughs. Welcome to the cold-outside warm-inside
mad-all-over side of town.

Telgar Weyr> Kindre has been recruiting K-teamers from across Pern ;)

Telgar Weyr> Kylandra says, "I'm gonna be busy now.;) gotta redesc the weyr
appropriately, and face the arduous task of changing my +pos info.;)"

Telgar Weyr> Spyte smiles.

Telgar Weyr> Leigh says, "Have fun."

Telgar Weyr> Trilana squees. Who else at TGW is a "T" name?

Telgar Weyr> Syrali says, "T'saren, T'lar..."

Kassima gives Trilana a droll grin. "Thankee, thankee. I'd bow, but my
muscles would be bound t'protest. They were indeed--Auri wound up the
loser, which is why she was the one to announce 'twas a 'something.'" As
the bundle in her arms begins to stir a bit, she remarks, "And speaking of
that something, methinks he's waking up a bit. Good of him; he should know
'tis rude t'sleep when you've visitors!"

Telgar Weyr> Trilana says, "/Men/!"

Telgar Weyr> Kassima says, "T'lean, T'garrick, Teyal, Tenli, Tamlin...."

Telgar Weyr> Silen thinks the S's far outnumber the T's. :)

Telgar Weyr> Trilana says, "Are they all men? I think they're all men."

Telgar Weyr> Meara says, "T'garrick, T'lean, Tiya, Thaelon."

Telgar Weyr> Meara says, "Tiya. Thera."

Telgar Weyr> Trilana says, "Tiya! She's a woman! Woo!"

Telgar Weyr> Kassima says, "Teyal and Tenli aren't. Nor Tiya or Thera. :)"

Telgar Weyr> Leigh says, "Who else is an L? Not many, I know."

Telgar Weyr> Meara says, "Tinya."

Telgar Weyr> Trilana says, "Okay, good. I'm happy now."

Telgar Weyr> Kassima says, "Uh. L. L'mis, L'nay, Lirra...."

Trilana smiles softly, neck craning forward to peer at the lad. "Does he
cry very much?" she wonders idly.

Syrali scoots off her box to pad over to the bedside, shooing back her
similarly nosy 'lizards. "Well... hi."

Telgar Weyr> Leigh finds: L'mis, L'nay, Lanryi, Leigh, Leslie, Lirra, Loki,
Lysian.

Telgar Weyr> Meara oyspams before we get to how many K's are on the knot. ;p

Telgar Weyr> Syrali snickers.

"Quite a bit," Kassi admits, "but you lucked out, visiting just after
feeding and naptime. And a diaper change, too. So with luck, he should be
content for a bit longer." The baby's eyes slowly flutter open as he
wriggles and gives another yawn, revealing cloudly blue irises that cross
and uncross as the poor, befuddled child tries to focus on these strange
shapes around him. "Methinks that serves as a 'hi' of sorts."

Telgar Weyr> Kassima quotes, "K's for the K-Team, too many to list."

Trilana stands up, too, reaching the bedside next to Syrali and smiling
down at the little child. "Hi," she says to him, in a cheerful, singsongy,
lilting voice.

Telgar Weyr> Meara eyes Xin's knot status. Oh dear. *peek at Kassi* ;o

Telgar Weyr> Syrali says, "With you adding to it every turn, too."

Telgar Weyr> Kassima says, "Not *every* Turn. Kaylira's seven!"

Syrali just leans a hip on the bed to study the baby. "I was awful little
when my little brother was born," she notes idly, tilting her head this way
and that for a different view. "Do they always look like that? Kind of..."
She hesitates, obviously searching for a proper word.

Keveris appears nonplussed by this greeting committee. One small arm
wangles its way free of the blankets, the tiny, clenched fist at the end of
it waving pretty much aimlessly. Still, it's *sort* of a wave. Kassi
captures the free hand and kisses it, then asks Syrali wryly, "Red?
Wrinkled? Scrunched-up? Aye. He'll look a bit less like a plucked chicken
in a few days, but given all he's been through, I think he looks splendid."

"Red?" Trilana offers, grinning back at Syrali. And then, she smiles at the
wingleader. Great Minds Think Alike, of course.

Telgar Weyr> Leigh says, "Of all the letters, K is the leader at 27. Next
we've got T&A (fitting) at 18. M at 17. R at 16. J at 15. C&S at 14. The
rest are single digits, with Y not represented at all."

Syrali nods. "All that," she says, shrugging again. "The 'lizards are awful
ugly when they hatch, too." See where the conversation's leading, yet? "Do
dragons look that nasty when they're hatched?"

Telgar Weyr> <Leigh> Only a geek would even check, let alone report.

Telgar Weyr> Trilana giggles.

Telgar Weyr> Kylandra grins. "Woo! Go K-team!"

"Not from what I've heard," Trilana answers quickly.

Telgar Weyr> Silen thinks we've got a lotta geeks - only reason she
reported first is I was counting slow. :)

Kassima chuckles and assures Trilana, "Oh, they do. Well... sort of.
They're wet, and their wings and tails and necks are usually too long for
'em, with their legs stumpy; some of 'em are plump, some are scrawny... but
like your own child, your lifemate will always be beautiful t'you if'n you
Impress."

Telgar Weyr> Syrali grins. If I weren't RPing, I probably would've, too. ;)

Trilana grins, a finger tapping against her chin, thoughtfully. "Well, what
I've heard /is/ all from riders, so I guess... biased opinions."

Telgar Weyr> Trilana says, "If I knew where to look, I would've."

Telgar Weyr> Meara says, "+rwho/all tgw"

Telgar Weyr> Meara says, "And then get ready to be spammed."

Telgar Weyr> Syrali opens her mouth, and Meara beats her. ;)

Telgar Weyr> Kassima says, "+rwho/all... yeah, what she said. :)"

Telgar Weyr> Canus waves to all :)

Telgar Weyr> Meara has lots of practice. ;)

Telgar Weyr> Trilana says, "Oh no, there's a Weyrbrat named Trelina..."

"Dunno... 'lizards were still ugly after I 'pressed 'em." Syrali nudges
lightly at Duin, clinging drowsily to her shoulder. "Not now, though. That
why they're clumsy, then? That they're all... out of proportion?" she says,
pronouncing the last word very carefully. "Had a lesson on 'proportion' at
the Hall once."

"Riders tend t'find all dragonets beautiful, too," Kassi freely admits.
"Beauty's in the eye of the beholder, and all that. By that standard,
they're gorgeous, flopping wings and sand-dusted tails and all. Aye, 'tis
so--'tis like puppies, where they've got paws too big for 'em, y'know?"

Syrali nods. "And runners, right? Runner foals, all legs?"

Telgar Weyr> Silen says, "Just to be confusing..."

Trilana nods, "Yeah, runners. That's what I would think of first. Leggy
little guys."

Kassima purses her mouth in thought. "Aye... save that their movements are
less stilt-legged, more bumbling. But the visual analogy is good. You'll be
seeing for yourselves soon enough--and by then," she adds, with relish, "I
should be back in the air, if'n only in drills."

Syrali nods pensively, tucking her hands deep in her pockets as she often
does while thinking. "So you'll watch?" she asks quietly, head tilted,
expression as neutral as she can manage. "When they hatch?"

Kassima reaches across the bed to drag her tray back up onto her lap, but
grimaces when she sees how congealed the food has become. "Ugh." She pushes
it back again. Cooing over Kris and chatting are better uses for her time
than eating, anyway. "Oh, a'course. I watch every Hatching I possibly can,
always."

Telgar Weyr> Leigh says, "And if you really want to knwo, the most common
endings for rider names are yn, on, an, and ar."

Syrali nods again, glancing toward Lysseth, her teeth set into her lower
lip. "What was her Hatching like?"

Telgar Weyr> A'lex says, "Not 'ex' Leigh?? How sad."

Telgar Weyr> Leigh says, "No, A'lex, you're one of a kind."

Telgar Weyr> A'lex does the Woofies dance and reworkidles.

Kassima considers this, absently allowing Kris to grab hold of one of her
fingers and wiggle it about a bit. "Chaotic," she finally decides. "We were
sitting in the Living Cavern, at dinner, when the humming started. They
herded us to the Barracks and told us t'get dressed in a *hurry*, then
shoved us out onto the Sands quick as they could. 'Twas terribly hot, and
eggs were shattering everywhere, and 'twas trying t'watch *everything* at
once. But I Impressed fairly early on... and once Lyss found me, I didn't
have much attention for aught else."

"Weren't you worried one of 'em would run into you while you were
distracted?" Syrali offers a tentative hand toward the baby, waggling her
fingers before those unfocused blue eyes. Suddenly the girl giggles. "You
know, he looks like you when you talk to Lysseth."

Keveris releases his mother's finger from his grip, reaching towards one of
those much neater *waggling* ones. Wow. Eyes cross and uncross as he tries
to focus enough to curl his hand around one of those things. "I look *that*
confused? Faranth!" Kassi laughs, tickled by the notion. "Oh, I probably
should've been. But Aph and Meli and I were standing together. With all of
us trying t'watch all, chances were good that one of us would spot a
charging dragonet. As it happens, one *did* charge, but that was Lysseth
and she stopped in time, so all turned out well."

Trilana hrrmphs. "I'm trying not to worry about the hatching," she admits,
"but I must admit I am sort of nervous about charging dragonets."

Syrali shakes her head, a slow grin lighting at the baby's grasp. She tugs
very gently, even as Dazan pokes his nose down under her chin, peeing a
query. "But... I meant... afterward," she says, a moment or three later.
"You said afterward you weren't paying attention to anything but her. What
if another one'd run into you? And I've got four firelizards," she adds,
glancing up and away from Kris. "How come two dragons can't Impress one
person?"

/peeping/

Telgar Weyr> Kassima says, "Syr, you've got to housebreak that 'lizard of
yours, I swear. ;)"

Telgar Weyr> Trilana giggles.

Telgar Weyr> Syrali just dies. My poor cold fingers aren't up to this.

Telgar Weyr> Trilana giggles.

"With good reason," Kassima says, solemn. "They usually won't hurt anyone
on *purpose*, but they're entirely fixed on finding *the* one, and anyone
who gets in their way is nay going t'enjoy the experience. Dragons... well,
I figure 'tis like this. A dragon is, for many, half your heart and soul--a
lifelong friend, a partner. Once the bond is made... there's no *room* for
another dragon. Nay that I'd want another, anyway. Lyss is enough for me."
Kris is mindless of this conversation, of course. He's too fascinated by
the moving finger and the strange pee*p*ing creature, though more by the
former; as it starts to move away, he grips even tighter, and a slight
whimper comes from his throat. Mine!

Syrali murmurs, hushed and still grinning, "I think he likes me." She
jiggles her hand a little, leaning in to stare at those tiny fingers. "He's
so very small... No room? I guess, if it's like that." She glances toward
the dragon again, giggling softly. "Can you imagine having to wash an' oil
/four/ of those? Or even two? Faranth, you'd never do anything else. Guess
it's a good thing."

"I think it's that bonding thing that keeps me from being scared," Trilana
admits, fiddling with her sweater sleeves idly. "Y'know -- having another
mind in yours. Just the prospect, the hope of that..." and the girl trails
off, sighing softly.

Kassima, smiling, agrees, "Methinks he does." She traces a fingertip along
one plump baby cheek to soothe him, and the whimpering ceases indeed; oh,
now the fingers are *jiggling*! Joy! Another hand frees itself, to take
another finger prisoner. "He didn't *feel* small when he was being born,
but aye, he is. And *'tis*. One mother-hen in m'life is enough! But the
bonding is worth a great deal, in very deed. You can never be alone, with a
dragon."

Silence reigns from Trilana's corner, and the girl smiles softly, shaking
her head in reverence. Or something.

The concept seems to be a little to abstract; or, perhaps, Syrali just
doesn't want to think that far ahead. Whatever the reason, she just shrugs,
nods, and clenches her fingers a little for Kris' amusement. "It's awful
soon, isn't it?"

Lysseth rumbles a sort of drowsy agreement from where she's curled up in
her couch, taking up a sizeable corner of the room. "Hush, beast," Kassi
tells her fondly. "Should be. Wager says within the month. Just mayhaps in
time for Turnover--now, that'd be amusing."

"Hatching Turnover eve?" Trilana asks, grinning suddenly. "That'd be simply
hilarious," she decides, grinning.

Syrali grins a little, but it's a little askew, too. "Yeah... that'd be
neat." She looks to the dragon again, smile fading away into contemplation.
"Do they sleep a lot?"

"A unique sort of Turnover gift, anyway. I'd be upstaged for Turns!" Kassi
declares in mock-horror. "Lyss dozes a fair amount, or sometimes just
daydreams. But she's tired now from worrying over me most of the night,
silly wherry-hen. Sharath, bless him, showed her how t'block me out, which
we never do so I couldn't concentrate enough to manage, but that didn't
keep her fully from worrying and fussing."

Trilana chuckles amusedly. "That's another thing about dragons. They do
share your feelings. Meaning that when you're upset, so are they." The girl
pauses to muse over that. "That's so... incredible."

Syrali nods slowly. "'Cause she could feel you hurting?" she asks, looking
back to study Kassima, her serious expression returned, though her fingers
still wiggle for Kris' amusement. "Block you out?"

"An incredible pain in the tail when you're spawning, though," Kassi
grouses. "Don't need the dragon fussing on top of all else. Nay that I
blame you, Lyss, but sheesh! Oh, aye." One last silly face is made to the
inattentive Keveris--he's still intent on investigating the Mystery of the
Wiggling fingers--before she explains, "Put up a shield of sorts 'tween my
thoughts and hers. We can't block each other out totally, a'course.
Wouldn't want to! But Sharath instructed her on how t'protect herself from
most of m'pain."

"The dragons talk a lot to each other?" Syrali asks, dropping her eyes to
Keveris rather than stare longer. "Sharath... that's Rider E'vrin's dragon,
right? A... shield?" Yes, she's far, far out of her depth now.

Kassima snorts vehemently enough that Kris actually cranes his head back to
try and see, but gives it up as a bad job; his mother has his head
supported too well. "Sharding bet they do. They're *gossips*, most of 'em.
Little's secret with a dragon. Sharath is E'vrin's bronze." Closing her
eyes a moment, she suggests, "Try and picture building a brick wall, step
by step, in your mind. Or a river slowly freezing to ice of such a density
that it can't be broken through. Or air solidifying to crystal. Something
meant t'protect. You can block things out that way--your 'lizards,
probably, if'n you tried, but nay well enough t'get clear of the strongest
emotions, and 'twould probably confuse and hurt 'em if'n you tried."

Syrali closes her eyes obediently, brows furrowing in a frown. "So... oh."
She cracks one eye open to peer at Dazan, pauses a long moment, and lets
out a breath abruptly when he chirrups in uncertain inquiry. "I never
thought of doing that. He doesn't like it, though," she says, as the bigger
of the blues pushes his head for comfort into her free hand.

"Nay worth the trouble with 'lizards. *Usually* nay worth the trouble with
dragons," Kassima comments, with a bit of a sigh. "But they tend t'distress
themselves when their riders are spawning, and 'tis just a vicious cycle,
so 'tis the one time I'd ever try and cut Lyss out or she me."

Syrali nods, studying the green dragon again with a bit of a frown.
"Doesn't she understand birthing? Dragons /do/ get hurt," she adds,
tentative. "What do they do then? They can't shut /that/ out."

"Queens can soothe them, and their riders," Kassima points out. "Pain
that's shared is pain that's halved, sometimes... sort of. But Lyss could
do best supporting me during it if'n she weren't feeling the pain, so she
shut it out. I don't think they do quite understand it. The concept,
aye--but dragons don't go through screaming agony when they give birth, so
why do people?" A fond, loving smile is tendered Kris. "Nay that 'tisn't
worth it."

"Doesn't it hurt to lay eggs, though?" Syrali, frowning all over again,
looks out toward the sky and, presumably, the hatching grounds. "Seems like
it would. A whole bunch of times." She shrugs, looking back, and drops her
attention to the baby again, turning over her hand gently to tickle at his
chin, but hesitates before quite touching. "Do they always drool?"

Kassima has to admit, "I don't know. Lyss will never do it; Kin could
probably tell you, though. Egg-laying critters don't seem t'go through much
pain." Kris has let go of Syrali's fingers sometime over the course of this
conversation, and his eyes are half-closed, suggesting sleep will claim him
again soon. "Poor lad; so tired! Nay, I doubt he'll drool much. The time
t'be most wary of drool is when they're teething or just ate."

Syrali retreats a step or two, tucking her hands back in her pockets to
warm. "Then they scream a lot," she says, this time confidently. "I
/remember/ that."

Kassima grins. "And then," she affirms, "they scream a lot. And chew a lot.
And drool a lot. But that should be some time off yet for this lad; he
won't need teeth for months."

Syrali nods, nose wrinkling up as she sinks back down with a thump onto
'her' box, hands pulled out to cross in her lap, much to Daelin's
disapproval. "The 'lizards shrieked a lot when they were little and hungry,
but they don't teeth, I don't think. Do dragons?"

Kassima snuggles Kris closer to her now that he's finished playing with
Syrali, and the baby doesn't even object much when she tucks his hand back
into the warm blanket. "Dragons are born with their fangs intact. You'll
probably see 'em; they usually bugle or shriek or the sort when they first
hatch."

"Do they bite?" Syrali doesn't seem /too/ upset about the idea, just
tracing idle patterns against the back of her knee. "Some people were
saying sometimes they claw, if you don't move fast."

Kassima shakes her head, leaning back against pillows. "Bite, nay. Never
seen it, anyway. They're nay *out* t'hurt people--'tis just
thoughtlessness, and a bite has t'be pretty intentional."

Syrali nods, finally allowing the pushing Daelin down into her lap to curl
up, and strokes him absently, feline-style. "They don't /mean/ to hurt
people? Some people were saying they do, that they're deadly 'til they
Impress."

"Never," Kassima replies. "Never *mean* t'hurt. Well... nay precisely. They
might nay be utterly innocent of the intent if'n you're in their way and
they want *past* you--they might shove you aside, they might claw at you
t'get you t'move. But all their being is focused on *one* thing. They're
nay out t'see how many Candidates they can claw up."

"Guess that makes me feel a /little/ better," Syrali says, slightly dry.
She twines her fingers in Daelin's tail, studying him though her eyes
aren't really focused on the little bronze. "So just get out of the way,
like everybody's said. Guess I can do that much."

Kassima nods slightly. "About all you can do. 'Twill be... interesting.
If'n naught else, you'll have the best seats in the house, and a Hatching
is always an event that's wonderful t'be watching."

"Talk about something else?" Syrali suggests, just a wee bit uncomfortable.
She tucks up her knees, forcing Daelin to find another spot as she tightens
her arms around them. "Been talking dragons and hatchings since the day you
brought me here."

Kassima teases, "Aye, but you started it! All right... something else. Name
it, and 'twill discuss it."

"I know, I know." Syrali ponders, brows drawing down. "I don't... really
know. That's all /any/ of us've talked about."

"Nay wonder you're tired of it," quips Kassi. "Got t'be something else t'be
discussing, though. Why the sky is blue or whether porcines should have
wings. Something."

Syrali nods suddenly, tucking her chin on her knees. "Did Rider E'vrin like
his cup?"

Kassima grins broadly at the mention. "Oh, aye. He said 'tis the most
beautiful thing he ever owned. I need t'be thinking of what t'get him for
Turnover... I won't be getting many gifts this Turn--nay shopping
time!--but I do owe him."

"For Keveris?" Syrali giggles, leaning a little for another look at the
baby. "Because you get t'change his wraps and feed him and listen to him
scream for the next few turns?"

"Oh, pish. That's nay bother!" Kassi briefly touches the tiny nose, but
Kris doesn't stir. He's fast asleep and in dreamland. "For Keveris, aye,
and for being here for me, and for putting up with me when I threatened his
life, and... for being him. Many things. So it has t'be something *good*."

Syrali nods thoughtfully, resting her chin back on her knees. "What doesn't
he have already? I mean... what's he like?"

Kassima muses, "His weyr's fairly bare... some sort of ornamentation might
work. He was a Harper, but his interests were archives, so I doubt I could
just get him an instrument or aught. He doesn't seem one t'go much in for
ornament, though. I might have t'ask him m'self what he'd like."

"Might work better. Not as much surprise, though." Syrali frowns, leaning
back again to lace her arms over her chest, shaking her head. "Maybe...
dunno. Something t'wear? A jacket? Umm..." She flashes a quick grin. "Free
dragon-washing for a couple days?"

Kassima's eyes, which were drifting closed in thought, flutter open to
regard Syrali with droll humor a moment before she snorts in reply.
"Assuming Sharath would allow? Best nay. Clothing, clothing... that *is* an
idea, if'n it could be done in a month. Dress-leathers, mayhaps?"

Syrali nods. "Something like that." She props her chin on a fist, one foot
tapping lightly at the floor. "Does he /like/ fancy stuff?"

Kassima crinkles her nose in thought. "Don't really know... he never struck
me as being the fancy stuff type, but he did seem t'like the chalice."
Brightening as a thought strikes her, she suggests, "Mayhaps a knife?"
Well, she would.

"You'd like it." Syrali looks pointedly to the knife display and back. "But
would /he/?"

"That's the question," Kassima admits. "Everyone *needs* a knife, but...
well, feh. 'Need' is such a bore. Best gifts are things you didn't know
you'd want until you get 'em. I still like the dress-leather idea, but
Igen's a rather hot climate to be wearing black in."

Syrali nods, pulling her knees up to her chest again to rest her chin.
"Food, maybe? Something fancy? My sibs always liked getting treats."

Kassima considers that, wiggling a bit against the pillows to try and find
a more comfortable position. "Food. Now that's a thought, and 'twouldn't
have t'be worrying about how long 'twould be taking t'get it finished."

"Something he couldn't get much of at Igen, maybe?" Syrali tips her head,
caught up in imagining now. "Cold stuff? Fruits?"

"Iced cream, Southern fruits, fine wine," Kassi agrees thoughtfully. A
mischievous grin plays at the corner of her lips. "Roast chicken?"

Syrali giggles, shaking her head rapidly. "Not 'less you have someone else
buy 'em. I don't think the Beastcrafters like riders anymore. Not after we
visited."

Kassima assures confidently, "They probably wouldn't mind a visit from a
fellow sister of the Emasculator." Uh-huh. "Still, you may have a point.
And given how many people kept going to Beastcraft t'get me chicken and
coming back with *Candidates*, for Faranth's sake, and *ovines*, they'd
probably think 'twas a prank and chase me from the place. What did you lot
*do* to those Beastcrafters, anyway?"

"I didn't do anything!" Syrali sits up indignantly. "Kvasith ate two of
their rare geese, and they got awful upset. Made her pay /ten whole marks/!"

"The geese?" Kassi's trying not to snicker. Really. "Geese? Kvasith? What,
did he wave pink lace at them to get them t'run into his maw?"

Syrali nods, giggling. "Geese. We heard 'em honking, then Aurian went over
to one of the Master Herders -- Master Leara, I think her name is. She said
she needed to pay for two... 'rather plump' geese."

"Master Leara?" Kassi winces, cuddling Kris closer quite by reflex. "The
Masterherder herself? Ouch. Surprised she didn't offer t'castrate Kvasith.
Geese *are* rare enough that mayhaps ten marks isn't an inflated price,
though I certes don't envy Auri!"

"She had to borrow some from Rider Meli," Syrali confirms, still grinning
crookedly. "And she came back awful upset about it, 'til after...." She
trails off, nose wrinkling. "She asked me to come watch Kvasith eat. It was
/awful/."

Kassima mutters, "If'n you think Kvasith's bad... Lyss, I fear, has one
solid vice, and that's her liking for playing with her food."

Syrali shivers. "It was awful," she says again, tucking her nose down
behind her knees, ignoring the strands of hair that fall in front of her
eyes. "Could hear 'em shrieking and then the crunching and cracking...."

Kassima asks almost idly, "Did Kvasith tear out their spines, bite off the
heads, and then spit them out again? Some dragons are fond of that."

Syrali's eyes widen almost perfectly round, her head dropping until they're
just barely visible past her knees. "I didn't watch that close," she
whispers, nearly swallowing 'that' when she gulps.

Kassima promises Syrali rather gravely, "Once you get used t'what dragon
feeding looks like, you can stomach aught, nay matter how gory 'tis."

"That's what Aurian said, too," Syrali says, not sounding the least bit
convinced. "But he was so... so.... /enthusiastic/, I guess. He just kept
chasing 'em, and they were shrieking all over. When we killed herdbeasts at
home, we just knocked 'em on the head."

Kassima allows with a wry smile, "They enjoy it. They're hunters at heart,
I suppose--of Thread and of beasts. 'Least...." She pauses for a
jaw-cracking yawn. "Mrph. 'Least they don't hunt more'n twice a sevenday."

Syrali scoots off the box abruptly, catching for Daelin when the displaced
'lizard squeaks and clings to her shirt. "I'd better let you rest," she
says, embarrassed and contrite at once. "He's real cute, though.
Congratulations."

Kassima isn't without contrition herself. "Sorry... 'twas just a long
evening. Wouldn't be so rude if'n I could help it. He is, though, isn't
he?" Modesty she has not, when it comes to her children. "Thankee. And
thankee for visiting, too."

Syrali bobs her head in a quick nod, glancing to Lysseth and back. "Can you
call Rider C'row?" she asks, giggling suddenly. "I don't think Daz'n the
others could carry me."

Kassima flicks open her eyes, and chuckles. "Oh, a'course! One moment--" A
moment only, and then the sound of bronze wingbeats is heard again. "They
just came back from errands," she explains.

"Thanks." Syrali whistles softly to gather up her fair, distributed
'roundabout save for Daelin. "Take care, Wingleader. Clear skies," she adds
almost as afterthought, and pads out to the ledge to catch her ride.