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Must.  Resist.  Blue.  Fire-Lizards!


Date:  March 17, 2008
Place:  Igen Weyr Living Cavern
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:  Honestly, I haven't seen such a well-attended and 
well-run Hatching in years. :)  (Nobody should be offended by that,
though.  It's not like I've been to many lately. ;)  Kyana did a 
great job in descing and posing this clutch--ICly the progeny of a 
wild gold, found by her and relocated to Igen.  A lot of great 
visitors came out to play.  Several of them left with particularly
temperamental flying stomachs.  After it's all said and done, Kassi,
A'deth, Sria, and Lanisa remain behind to be casually social; and at 
the very end, the two greenriders exchange affectionate threats.

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The Log:

Public announcement: Kyana announces "Just a reminder that there's a
firelizard hatching starting right now in the Igen Weyr Living Caverns.
Come visit us in the desert and take a chance to get a flit! :)"

You head into the Igen Weyr Living Cavern.

A'deth comes in from the Bowl.

Looking a little winded, a tall, thin figure makes its way in. Shoulder
length blonde hair hangs down, curling against the thin neck. On the
figures shoulder the knots of Tillek Hold and the Weavercraft. Sesquina 
looks a little harried as she makes her way inside. Pausing she looks 
around, spotting the Tillek Baker heading towards the kitchen she sighs 
in relief and eases in, moving towards the drinks, parched.

Amaris carefully watches Danika as she takes her seat before placing her
attention back on Fyra. "There weren't, you just imagined it." She says
while taking a chomp of her fruit. "And," She starts before swallowing
properly. "I told you there would be a gold too, so that don't count."
Noticing that her friend is making her way towards the baker she follows,
pushing past her fellow Istan to sit in front of Danika.

Laukori doesn't seem to mind the heat, tossing around cheerful grins to
anybody who notices him. "Afternoon," He winks at Danika as he goes to grab
a glass of juice as well. "Hello!" The two girls are also greeted, their
escort followed with wary eyes. Somebody shouting 'behave' is never a good
thing! He steps back when he's gotten his juice and sips at it, smacking
his lips. "Good." Then the young man is glancing around again, taking in
the sights.

T'aren comes in from the Bowl.

IGEN-> A'deth says, "Go Kyana. :o"

Today would be that day that Juliri decides to visit home -- a brow is
arched as she meanders into the living caverns, unsnapping her riding
jacket and slinging it over her shoulder. Calling out a cheery 'Telgar's
duties', Juliri moves towards a chair and drapes her jacket over it, though
she remains standing to survey the caverns.

IGEN-> Lanisa nodnods!

Kyana is sitting at a table in the corner of the cavern, working on some
sewing. A simple green basket is perched next to the hearth behind her, and
she looks around, smiling at the activity in the cavern.

IGEN-> Kyana grins

IGEN-> Juliri gleams.

IGEN-> Kyana wonders if someone with lizards would start up a hum for her?

R'layn strolls in from the bowl, his jacket over his shoulder and his hat
swinging by its straps from one hand. A drink is his destination - the
Istan heads straight for the meal table and the cold drinks, pouring
himself a glass of redfruit juice. The rider guls back a huge mouthful,
lowering the glass and swallowing before letting out a loud, satisfied,
"ahhh."

T'aren makes his way into the busy Living Cavern, a package carried under
one arm. Juliri's call of Telgar's duties is echoed by the bronzer's call
of "Fort's duties!" to the room at large before he makes his way too far
into the room, appearing not far behind Juliri after a moment, "And
especially to Telgar's good queen Malaith. Teusath sends his regards, ma'am."

Danika blinks as she suddenly has visitors. Though isn't she the visitor?
"Hi there," she says to Amaris as she sits down in front of her. "My name
is Danika, what's yours?" She is about to take a sip of her drink when she
notices Sesquina come in and gives the other a wave. "Over here! He might
be awhile from the looks of things." She looks from Fyra to Amaris. "You
talking about the hatching? You guys bet something? That's a little
daring." He smiles at Laukori at the greeting and returns it with one of
her own. She watches as people start entering. "You know, I think I've
forgotten what it's like at a living cavern. The hold isn't ever this busy,
at least not at one time."

A'deth's wanderings set him on a course for the meal table, though he
pauses when he's about halfway there as the little blackened bronze on his
shoulder starts to hum. "...What, really? Already?"

"Now, poison's good, and daggers, and arrows in the back; and if'n you're
really desperate, you can try a front attack, but are they really worthy of
the risk of being caught when tunnelsnakes in the privy need nay be bribed
nor bought?" Kassima's in a sunny mood when she's singing cheerful songs
about mayhem. "Faranth," she breaks the tune off to say, "people. There'd
best nay be a gold rising and I haven't heard about it--excuse me, pardon
me. Igen's duties, all that." It takes some winding but she makes progress
towards the meal table. Slow but sure. Her fire-lizard swarm isn't much
interested in food, for once, when they can settle on perching places near
the hearth and set up a multi-voiced chorus.

[Editor's Note:  Credit goes to Heather Rose Jones for that stanza 
of 'Black Widows In the Privy' I borrowed. :) ]

The little green basket, unnoticed by the crowd, seems to move ever so
slightly, and one of the flock of lizards in the rafters starts up with an
almost imperceptible hum, which gradually grows a little louder, but still
soft enough to be ignored over the buzz and bustle of the cavern. As
A'deth's little bronze starts humming, Kyana looks over and frowns. "Now?"
she frets, and heads toward the kitchen to arrange for bowls of scraps.

"More than four," Fyra says with a stern nod. "'m sure of that. Mum said
that Saynth was counting, and she's never wrong. Though she doesn't quite
remember the /exact/ number." She leaves the rest of the redfruit on the
edge of the table, frowning at the other girl as she takes the seat she was
aiming for. "Fyra," she says to Danika with a shrug, even if it wasn't
directed to her. "An' 'm going to get some cookies, cause Rissy here can't
remember her bets." And so she's back towards the food table, this time
passing the woman with the basket, and curious eyes glance over warily a
moment. "What's that?"

"And Malaith sends her to Teusath," returns Juliri, flashing a grin towards
T'aren and bobbing her head in acknowledgement. "So, what brings you down
here today? I know I just decided that it was a good day for a visit,
really," the goldrider remarks before spying a rather familiar head.
"Kassi!" A sudden outburst of humming gets the Telgari to cant her head,
eyes roaming the room for the source of the sound. "Ah, firelizards, I
see." That is to anyone within hearing distance.

Sesquina retrieves some juice, nice a cold and after taking several small
sips, crosses over to where Danika is sitting. "Is he patient enough for it
to take awhile?" she asks finding a place to sit and working on catching
her breath. "Either that or we need to shorten his legs?" she suggests.

Amaris seems to focused on the bakers knot for a moment, her brown eyes
examining to make sure that's what it is. At Sesquina's words she looks up
at him, giving a brief nod and sweetly smile before saying. "Do you know
how to make bubblies and cookies?" She asks Danika, her eyes moving around
the cavern as it grows more crowded. The heat of Igen does not seem to get
to her yet and she forgets drinks. "Rissy." She provides after a long
pause, seemingly deciding if she should reveal her name. "We went, saw the
gold impress too. I knew there was going to be one." She with a bit of
smugness in her voice. At the sound of humming she turns her attention to
the little bronze on A'deth's shoulder, her face dropping a bit.

Laukori swats at an ear, frowning. "Ringing," He mutters to himself,
shaking his head and grinning down at the girls at the table. "Spectacular
hatching," The young man asserts, before moving off a little bit to a
vaguely familiar face. "Rider," He greets R'layn cheerily. "Lots of Istans
about today. I got Anissi," He names an Istan greenrider, "To bring me
along, never seen Igen and she was coming anyways." There's a friendly
smile. "Nice place."

R'layn frowns at the sound of humming. He pauses a moment for effect, then
spins on his heel and stares in the direction of first A'deth and his
bronze. His gaze travels to the subtly moving basket, and realisation
strikes. "Ah! Huh. I wonder where my two are." But not even saying that
summons up the pair, who are no doubt off doing their own thing. Ril steps
forwards then, towards the basket, to get a look at the contents. If he's
not careful, he'll step on Sesquina's toes, on the way.

Kyana looks up at Fyra as she passes, and shrugs. "That would be firelizard
eggs, that me and some of the weyrbrats found on the beach.." she says as
she comes back with a large bowl of scraps, and a drudge follows with
stacks of small bowls to fill, setting to her task quickly as Kyana frets
over the basket, taking the cover off and examining the eggs for signs of
movement. "They look to be hatching soon!" the excited woman says, although
with the growing hum, that's an obvious fact to everyone else in the room.
As she scans faces, she waves to Danika, Kassima and A'deth, the only
familiar faces, then grins.

Terra Cotta Egg shivers slightly, knocking against the Summer Thunderstorms
Egg in the process.

Danika smiles as A'deth speaks. "Hi! Remember me? Look!" She points at the
new knot of a Baker on her shoulder. "I became respectable and everything.
Didn't really plan to but some things just happen like that." Her attention
turns to Sesquina when the weaver joins her. "Well, I don't know about
patient, did you see how fast he walks? But it was the only way to get out
of Cook's way. She didn't like my last experiment in the kitchen. Though
since we're here, we're going to probably have to help carry everything.
Maybe the weight will slow him down." She smiles at Fyra. "Well, food is a
great win for a bet. Much less troublesome then losing marks or something."
She nods at Amaris. "Bubblies were the first thing I learned to make, even
before I became a baker. Tillek and Baker's duties to everyone," is
directed to the room in general since there are too many for her to greet
individually. She finally notices all the humming and looks around. "Oh
really? Mattan would be sorry he missed it."

Sesquina shifts her posture, just time to avoid the painful sensation of
toes going crunch. She is sipping from the glass of juice when things get
noisy. She listens, eyebrows rising with the presence of eggs.

Fyra forgets about cookies as she stops right by the basket with wide eyes.
"Ya /found/? Shells, that's good luck there!" She looks towards the humming
lizards, turning over towards where her other blonde friend is with the
bakers, waving her free hand up. "Hey Rissy! There are firelizards
hatching!" She snickers, hoping to get a reaction from the girl. She
wanders back over to them with a toothy grin. "Food /is/ a good bet," she
answers, catching Danika's comment. "An' mum wouldn't be too happy if I
started better her marks, either." She's definitely a little giddy,
standing between the table and closer to the basket with curious eyes. So
far, she only has her mug of juice with her.

Kassima ducks her head while the 'lizards usually occupying her shoulders
take off to join their brethren in hovering over the clutch in a fashion of
which Alfred Hitchcock would approve. "*That* explains it," she realizes
wryly. "--Juliri! Heyla! This is a reversal, isn't it? Last time I saw you
here, methinks 'twere the native." Grinning, she finishes her shouldering
to the food, but now it's meatrolls instead of cheeserolls she's interested
in. The greenrider liberates a couple and then edges towards the basket in
the center of all this madness. "They're yours?" she asks Kyana with a
finger-wiggle for greeting.

"Ah, I got to be rather good friends with the Weyr Smith over here and
we've been working on something together. Brough the prototype back for him
after I tested it out." T'aren nods to the package under his arm to
indicate it to the Telgari goldrider. At the mention of firelizards his
interest is piqued. "Oh shells, perhaps I ought to hurry on out -
Teusath'll be insufferable if I get one - he'll want a whole crew if
there's one."

A'deth blinks bemusedly as Muerte's crooning nets him several glances, and
peering back at the lot of them. "Igen's duties to everyone, ah. Pardon the
inevitable flying raw meat and general brouhaha, but at least Kyana might
send some of you home with demanding little gifts." And he resumes his
course towards the food. Or, more particularly, the drinks-- and, most
particularly, the wine, two glasses of which he collects and one of which
he brings to Kassima. To Danika, he says, "I remember you. Respectable?
You? I don't believe it. I'm sure you'll come up with some /outrageous/
bubbly pie fillings."

Laukori is pushed out of the way by a drudge with a bowl of raw meat. How
curious. The young man's eyes follow it -- over to a girl with a basket and
firelizards perched all around. "Well," He lifts an eyebrow. That would
account for the raw meat, more than likely. "Interesting." Here's a
mischevious gleam in his eyes as he sidles closer, trying valiantly to look
nonchalant. "Afternoon." He greets Kyana, though it's probably lost in the
din -- he doesn't look too upset at the prospect. Force of habit, trying to
blend in with the crowd! For no reason, too. Silly boy.

A tall harper arrives on the scene, a heavy-looking case strapped across
his back. Slinky eyes scan the cavern, apparently to make a delivery,
though a crowd is something no harper can ignore. Moving over casually, he
peers, a brown bursting from between and alighting on his shoulder, joining
in the humming. Derindrel recognizes a face, moving towards that one.
"Danika." He greets, quietly. "Harper Hall's duties to the Bakercraft."

Amaris nods at Laukor's words before ungluing her eyes from the humming
firelizard, her face a bit more solemn. "There was a boy that passed out
and another one cried." She adds, her nose wrinkling a bit. "The
'Reachian's a bit funny from what I saw. /Loads/ of browns too." When
Danika starts talking about the bet she butts in though. "Fyra likes to
/think/ she won but she asleep for half of it." Her head ducks down a bit
at her friends words, and her eyes turn to her dryly. "I know, but these
should be alright." And she gets up to follow her friend forgetting her
manners, if she has any, and not excusing herself. "They're wild so they're
okay." She adds the last a bit uneasily as she watches the eggs.

It's a good thing Sesquina moved - R'layn doesn't even notice how close he
is to the young woman. He's too busy trying to peer into the basket, acting
like a nosey old Aunt. Then he hears Kyana speaking, and it seems she, not
the basket, should be the centre of attention, Taking a step back, helmet
a-swinging, Ril aims a friendly grin her way. "Ista's duties - sorry
t'intrude on you, there."

Juliri grins over at Kassima, again nodding her head. "Probably. It's been
a long time, hasn't it?" comes her call to the greenrider, coupled with a
bright glint of her eyes. "How've you been, by the way?" Some helpful 
weyrbrat comes running by, shoving a bowl of food into Juliri's hands while
the goldrider peers down at it, obviously befuddled. "Ah, might as well."
Though she does sit down on a chair close to the clutch rather than settle
herself down on the floor, using a free hand to move tendrils of hair from
her eyes. This is -much- cleaner.

Kyana smiles around at the people, waving to those who greet her and
pratically beaming at Fyra. 'Yea, we staked out the beach where some had
been seen, and were lucky enough to catch a gold visiting her nest.
T'wern't able to get all the eggs, but these ten we got before she came
back.." Kyana shows off a healing scratch along her forearm. "Hard won
too..." she waves to Kassima and nods at A'deth. "That's right, I don't
want to have to feed all of em....I get enough of that in the Nursery! Take
a bowl if you're interested."

T'aren watches the interaction between Juliri and Kassima for a moment
before his brow furrows as he stands in indecision. His eyes flick over to
the basket that is now the attention of many, carefully considering, before
a hand goes to his temple where he rubs before muttering, "Fine, Captain,
I'll stay, I'll stay already." He meanders over to stand behind the chair
Juliri has chosen, placing his package down one of the empty tables on his
way.

Danika grins at A'deth. "I'm trying to come up with the most interesting
things. If you have any ideas for me to try, just let me know." She smiles
as she notices the harper. "Hello there. My duties to the harpers as well."
She downs the rest of her drink and nods at Amaris. "I know what you mean.
I went with the group from Tillek who were routing for our holders. I
noticed at least a couple impressing. I stayed on a bit to visit my family.
Most of them are there, you see." She stands up and walks closer to Fyra
and the firelizards. "Well. Aren't they interesting looking?" At Kyana's
mention of bowls she looks around and locates one to take. "Might as well.
Ashton would be jealous." She glances at Sesquina. "Have you had the
displeasure of meeting Ashton yet?"

Terra Cotta Egg shivers again, then gives a hard shake.

Sesquina shakes her head to Danika. "Not yet, I don't think. Then again,
the last few days turned into such a blur."

Fyra snaps her head away from the basket. "Was not! I saw the whole thing!"
She frowns to the other brat before huffing and stalking closer towards the
basket. She tilts her head up towards Danika and bobs her head. "Just like
miniature dragons. Pocket-sized and easy to travel in caverns to help ya
around." Well, help is usually what you expect of them. She bobs her head
back to Kyana with a big grin and then 'oohs' for effect on her scratches.
"I wish I could find a few eggs like that, though mum hates the critters.
Says she has enough from her dragon." And she gives the caverns a
purposeful look to make sure her mother wasn't around, before taking some
food and stepping back to give the hatching critters some space.

Kassima beams at A'deth, O blessed provider of alcohol. "Will you try," she
asks, accepting the glass, "or stay far away with the sane ones? I don't
think you're sour enough t'be escaping if'n you dare stand close." So many
people she doesn't recognize--she glances over the crowd, and shakes her
head in wonder. "Longer than I care t'be figuring out," she admits to
Juliri. "I'm nay doing badly 'tall. Assisting Sria with the Weyrlings, if'n
you can credit it, and they'll graduate in a handful of days; you should
come. The more the merrier. Y'know we get Benden's wine tithe!"

Terra Cotta Egg shakes violently.

Laukori chuckles softly. "Shells, got ya, didn't she?" He mutters towards
Kyana, wrinkling his nose up and leaning against the wall near the hearth.
"Nasty little buggers!" But if he had ears that moved, they'd perk at
mention of alcohol -- the young man glances around with half-narrowed eyes,
grinning brightly. What? Can you blame a fellow for wanting to be a bit
loopy if trying something stupid?

Desert Dawn Egg rocks in its bed of sand.

R'layn obediently takes a bowl, then backs off to let other people into his
spot. The tanned Istan takes a seat a little down the table, nudging his
way as politely as he can past some people. Drink in one hand, bowl in the
other, dangling helmet, jacket on shoulder - he's multitasking well.
Carefully, carefully, Ril sets down first the glass, then the bowl, and
finally the helmet ont he table, then puts his jacket over the back of his
chair. "Right. Noemie's gonna kill me if I Impress another one, probably.
The girls'd love another baby to coo over, though," the man comments to
himself, with a little sigh and wry grin. Still, his eyes are on the basket
and his heart's set. Big softy.

Terra Cotta Egg shakes violently and shatters, sending shards flying around
the basket, bouncing off its clutchmates.

Rich, deep tones of red-brown flow along this firelizards hide in
concentric but irregular patterns, not unlike rings in bark. Lighter swirls
flow over his flanks and up onto his shoulders, then extend to his wings,
creating interesting swirls of gradient color along his mainsails.
Everything from pale tan to deep red-brown can be observed, and his
headknobs are a brilliant umber. His body is disproportionate, his tail
extra long but his neck short and broad, his wings seemingly too big for
his frame, so that they drape to cover his entire body when folded..

Amaris listens to Kyana's explanation silently, the scar noted with great
interest. "She put up a good fight then?" She asks as her brown eyes remain
fixed on the wound, nodding her head approvingly. At the mention of bowls
she looks around but is hard pressed to find one. Finally she manages to
find a plate with some meat scraps and grabs them up. "Rupa's gonna kill
you if you manage to 'press one." She notes with a grin as she gets as near
to the basket as she can but then scoots back a bit, seemingly unsure of
what she's getting into.

A'deth looks about, again. "There are enough empty shoulders and younger
faces here today who might care to try their luck," he says to Kyana and
Kassima. "But I'll keep a bowl at hand, if one decides that I'm sweet
enough." And so he takes one. And says to Juliri, "You're a friend of
Kassima's, then?" And to Danika, "I will. You should also speak to Celane
here, one of our cooks. She loves coming up with new fillings."

Juliri tilts her head upwards as though to try and see the bronzerider
standing behind her, giving him an unusually warm smile. "Teusath demanding
that you stay?" Juliri snakes out a hand to grab the empty chair beside
her, pulling it closer to her own and gesturing for T'aren to seat himself.
"No point in you standing up the whole time," is her quip before she
glances back towards Kassima, crossing her legs at the ankles. "That's
good, really. Have Lysseth talk to Malaith so I know when to come,
otherwise I'll be so lost in records that I won't know up from down."

Kyana nods to Amaris and the others admiring her scratches, and nods. "We
left her at least three....didn't want anyone to get hurt over eggs..." she
says, then turns and oooos as the first egg cracks to reveal a brown.
"Fantastic..." she says with a smile, and sits back, watching.

Danika nods at Sesquina. "I know what you mean. It was like that my first
few days at the Hold. You'll get used to us, we're really nice. Even me."
Her attention is drawn to the shaking eggs and she sits down crosslegged
with the bowl in her lap. She sticks her hand in the meat and mushes it
around a little. This girl doesn't mind getting messy, it seems. She nods
at A'deth. "I will, while I'm here. Thanks for the suggestion. She watches
the brown and at first she forgets to actually put meat in her now slimy
hand that is getting her dress dirty. But she corrects the mistake and now
hand is slimy and full of meat.

Mesquite Brown Hatchling creels hungrily, eyes whirling as he looks around
at all the pink-things.

Booze, booze -- hatchling? Too late! Laukori winces at the sound of
breaking shell that's quite close. "Shells," He laughs, snatching a bit of
meat from somebody who's passing's bowl. "Might as well." If Anissi finds
him crooning and wiggling a bit of meat to some small creature, she'll
likely tease him, but she's busy -- so he has the time to try. Ah, logic!
"Hey, you." The meat is wiggled at the hatchling as the other hand finds an
unattended bowl, which is drawn closer.

Everyone's a friend of a friend of a friend it seems, and so it is that
A'deth and Kassima get polite nods from T'aren. After a moment's hesitation
when Juliri gestures, Tru grabs himself a seat and settles. "I thought that
bit about having a whole crew a little too loudly. I foresee
beach-searching in our future for wild clutches. Unless I can get him
distracted by some more interesting idea. Perhaps Malaith can help with
that?" He inquires.

R'layn pushes his stuff to one side so that he's leaning forward with the
bowl between his elbows. He takes a chunk of meat out slowly, letting the
worst of the blood drip off into the bowl rather than onto the table. Once
he's satisfied he's not going to ruin Igen's furniture while he's here, he
holds the squishy lump out, short nails digging in slightly to keep a good
grip on the thing. "Hey, a brown," he states, being Captain Obvious and
sounding proud about it.

Sesquina sips her juice, getting her throat to stop resembling dry desert.
She gives in to the urge and accepts a bowl herself. "I'm sure it will. Mic
is having a fun time of it, though. Would make for a fun ride home,
wouldn't it?" she asks of Danika as she shifts her weight to get close
enough to see what is going on.

Desert Dawn Egg :shivers and shakes, bumping against it's clutchmates.

Fyra snickers again at Kyana's comment. "Three? Well, it's a good thing ya
brought 'em here. Invade the rest of the Weyrs with the little things." She
fingers the meat, watching the first hatchling with a good nod. Her blue
eyes swirl back to Amaris with a shrug. "She won't be able to do 'nything
once I bring it home, will she? Maybe I'll see if the nastiest lil' guy
will come my way. Saynth would /love/ that." Another snicker. "And she
won't hate the lizard, either. Mum will have to deal." She rocks back on
her heels, still standing and watching the other eggs in the basket,
letting those closer up to tend to the brown's hunger.

With the meat grasped in her hands Amaris wathes as the little brown
emerges from his eggs. "Brown." She says, a grin spreading over her lips as
she selects a strip of meat, picking a nice fat and juicy one to hold out
to the hatchling. She dangles the meat a bit high, wondering if she'll
catch his attention. The rest of the meat she holds on to tightly, the
juices spilling through her finger cracks, growing warmer and wetter due to
her body heat. "Don't mean she won't give ya a good beatin' over it." She
replies to Fyra, sparing her a friend a smirk.

Kassima agrees with a little rue, but mostly good humor, "I've so many that
wiggling meat at 'em seems almost selfish. Definitely masochistic. Odds are
'twill nay stop me, mind you, since logic never does. We can be doing
that," she decides, nodding to Juliri with one of her grins. "Aught
t'deprive the hidework of another victim. Igen's duties t'Fort and her
queens." That's to T'aren and accompanied by a friendly enough nod of
greeting. For the moment she's more interested in her wine than joining the
spectacle, but she smiles for the little brown. "He's a pretty thing."

Mesquite Brown Hatchling creels again and looks around, eyes whirling red
as he stumbles this way and that, tripping over his oversized wings at one
point, creeling piteously as he gets a claw snagged in his eagerness to get
close to the meat he can smell all around.

"She could," Juliri says to T'aren, propping the bowl of meat that she was
given on her left knee, a tiny tidbit dangling half-way out of the bowl.
"What kind of interesting idea would it take to get Teusath's mind off of
beach-searching? I mean, if he's set on having a whole crew," comes the
goldrider's amused murmur even as she's tilting her head to regard the
brown. Then, to Kassima's words, "Good, I won't be missing it, then."
Another one of those wide grins. "So, you like this clime better than
Telgar, Kassi?"

Danika nods at Sesquina. "Might be an excuse to stick around longer, don't
you think? And not our faults at all." She watches all the dangling meat,
including hers, for a moment. "It's interesting, don't they tell candidates
not to think about food when they go out on the sands? So it's just
interesting that you're *supposed* to do that witha firelizard. They've
probably got claws that are just as sharp. Just proportionately smaller."

The firelizard on Derindrel's shoulder bellows as another brown is released
into the world. With a hand wrapped in a handkerchief he takes a bowl and a
chunk of meat, tall figure quiet and still amongst the growing chaos. He
shifts uncomfortably, heavy delivery case giving him a bit of trouble.
Sharp harper eyes take in every face and knot, a few of the gathered
earning particular looks. Namely a certain, somewhat familiar greenrider.

Desert Dawn Egg starts to shimmy again, then a slight crack develops on one
side.

Crispin comes out of the kitchens with another plate of meat, which he sets
on a nearby table before trying to edge into the crowd beside Derindrel.
"Glad we decided to come with Master Geri, eh?" he says with a smile. His
own four firelizards are perched around the room, humming to their heart's
content to welcome the new hatchlings into the world. "Think we should play
something?"

"And Fort's to Igen, of course." T'aren replies to Kassima automaticaly. A
bowl of meat is shoved at him as its circulated about the crowd and he
picks up a few pieces before offering the bowl to Juliri. "Well, if she
called him Captain, it'd wrap him up in a nice little package for a few
hours at least. Or suggesting they go dragon-sailing together. Or maybe if
she just talked about glowing." The bronzerider replies to the Telgari
goldrider.

Fyra turns her face fully towards the other younger blonde. "If she can
/catch/ me," she tells Rissy with and mischievous grin. Of course, that is
a rather easy task seeing that she lives up in the weyr with her mother.
"Do people get mauled from firelizrd hatchings? I've never really been at
one." She mushes the meat between her fingers and finally decides to take a
seat on the ground, her back against the leg of a chair. "Being cramped up
in the caverns with all this meat being waved around, I doubt any of 'em
will go wild, will they?"

Mesquite Brown Hatchling creels again, at the nearest pink-thing.

Laukori pulls back as the brownling starts bawling, having tangled himself
up. "Oops," He chuckles, reaching forward daringly, risking his poor
fingers, to poke at the hatchling, attempting to detangle him from himself.
"Careful there, lad."

A'deth's Muerte just croons away, flittering over to perch beside Kyana and
peer at the hatching clutch. Bony and as dark as lightly rusted wrought
iron, he makes an odd harbinger of joy. A'deth inclines his head to T'aren,
too, before he sits on the edge of the table with a noted lack of decorum,
and drinks wine, and trails the fingers of his empty hand in the bowl
beside him.

Mesquite Brown Hatchling studies the pink-thing that helped, and his tongue
darts out to lick the meat-bloodied hand. With a cry, he sinks needle-sharp
baby teeth into the poor boys thumb. /FEED ME/

Mesquite Brown Hatchling stumbles towards Laukori.

Amaris watches the little brown as he stumbles about, cocking her head ot
the side. "What's it with browns?" She asks again to no one in particular
as she begins to sway the meat slowly in front of her. "Reminds me of that
one brown though, that big clumsy one, that was at 'Reaches, though." She
notes to her friend as she continues to try and tempt the little flit.
"I've never heard of someone gettin' mauled, though I have hard of peoples
fingers gettin' bit." She says, moving her finger further back to grasps
the very tip of the meat she is offering.

Sesquina watches Danika, as if not sure exactly what to do here. She looks
at the meat in her bowl and eyes it, back to watching Danika jiggling strip
of meat in her fingers. With a sigh, she reaches into the bowl looking for
a piece of meat long enough to hold out.

Desert Dawn Egg shudders and shakes before exploding in a flurry of shards.'

Dark blue, almost black zig-zags down the neckridges and back of this
little blue, giving him the appears of being burnt down the middle, shading
to indigo and then lighter to a shale-grey on his forelimbs and wings. His
underbelly has stripes of shale and indigo interspersed, winding their way
along to meet his scorched tail. The little blues eyes whirl red with
agitation, and he tends to hop everywhere rather than walk when he's not
flying.

Kassima hesitates in answering Juliri. A corner of her mouth quirks; then,
she flashes half a grin. "I miss snow sometimes," she admits. "Rain often.
Nay broiling t'death in m'own skin, even more often, but the warmth's
beautiful--and," brightly, "it gives me an excuse t'wear this hat. The
world needs more enormous floppy hats!" She picks up an end of the overlong
blue sash to waggle it, though this doesn't really make her argument.
"...Oh, *ouch*. Felicitations, lad, if'n that's the word."

Scorched Shale Blue Hatchling looks around, a haughty look on his face as
he hops over the side of the basket onto the table, fluttering his wet
wings slightly.

Laukori lets out a startled yelp; having turned to comment at somebody
behind him, he finds that it's a grave mistake. "Aieee!" The boy squeaks,
turning back around to find that the hatchling has sunk his little fangs
into his finger. "Hey, now! That's not the best bit've gratitude out there,
you silly beast." He whines, retreating back to his bowl.

Danika notices Sesquina's hesitation and smiles at the other girl. "You're
doing good." She glances warily in Laukori's direction. "Just hopefully
most of them won't take a bit out of our unedible bits before they decide
to eat some real food." She watches the blue curiously. "Is that just his
color, or did he get too much heat in his egg?"

Juliri brings her free hand up to tap idly at the tip of her nose,
apparently poring over T'aren's suggestions in her head. "Yeah, she just
told me that she -said- that she refuses to call him Captain," comes her
reply even as she refuses the bowl offered by the bronzerider, pointing
down to the one propped up on her knee. "The dragon-sailing, though, she
said that might be fun." Juliri will just ignore all mention of glowing,
with the exception of a quirked eyebrow and a lopsided smile. Reaching out
with nimble fingers to pluck the piece of meat dangling half out of the
bowl, Juliri leans slightly forward and props her elbow on her thigh,
wiggling the bloody meat about. Here, 'lizardlizardlizard. "Come to visit,
then," Juliri suggests to Kassima, turning her head to regard the
greenrider. "I mean, that's what I do whenever I miss Igen." Hence why
she's here today.

R'layn winces as the brown catches his wing - and again when he chomps on
Laukori's hand, inciting a yelp. "That's gonna sting," the Istan notes,
then tears his eyes away with difficulty to look at the newest-hatched - a
scorched-looking blue. "Huh. Never seen a blue so dark as that," the rider
comments, scratching at his hairline with the non-meat-holding hand.
Wriggle-wriggle goes the meat in the other hand, Ril's lips pursing.

Fyra keeps her bloody fingers closer to her body, no daring to put them out
in the world just yet. She even brings in her legs, crossing them in a more
comfortable position. "Browns seem to be really popular. Though I'll prefer
a nice big /bronze/ someday. I don't think there were any bronzes in that
hatching, either..." She trails off, only to jump at Laukori's squeak and
her eyes dart to the boy. "Fingers bit! Ya were right, Rissy!" She can't
help but laugh at the poor boy's misfortune. "Let's hope that's the last
time his finger gets attacked."

Crispin pulls out a small reed pipe and begins to play, the sound a calming
but happy tune, one designed to soothe rather than excite. He tries to
match the pitch to the firelizard's humming, glancing at his own four.
Cedar takes from his perch to wing over and settle on the Harper
Apprentice's shoulder, humming along with the playing. Crispin closes his
eyes for a moment, loosing himself to the music and the simple joy of the
occasion. He's not trying for any - not yet.

Sesquina nods to Danika's positive reinforcement. "I think I'll just watch
what happens a moment or two," she looks back at the bowl. "and get used to
the raw meat as food idea."

Amaris gives a rather loud laugh as the brown hatchling chomps down on
Laukori's thumb. "Like that." She says, nodding her head towards the
unfortunate boy. She's so preoccupied with the brown's attachment to the
unfamiliar boys thumb that she misses the arrival of the blue. "Oh, blue
now." She says as she begins to wiggle the meat a bit more roughly for the
hatchling. "There's always something gettin' bit at hatchlings for flits."
She says matter of factly to Fyra. "I've seen /loads/ of 'em."

T'aren nods slightly. "Yes. That was an important point he made to me about
their first interaction, and that he hasn't already forgotten says
something. Dragon memories being what they are, generally." He gives a
little shrug to his shoulders. "Its always easy to distract him - I just
hope she proves to be distracting -enough-. Or maybe I'll ask for more
hidework so we're too busy to go egg hunting. He settles the bowl of meat
in his lap because it doesn't occur to him to pass it along, but he takes
the few strips he plucked up and starts waving them rather half-heartedly
towards the hatchlings in the basket.

Derindrel seems relieved, actually cracking a smile and grinning over to
Crispin's suggestion and movement. "In a moment I'll join you, I'm sure
there will be cause for celebration at the end." A boy gets bitten and he
eyes him warily, almost darkly. To Crispin he speaks quietly, "I know that
face from someplace. And that one." A subtle harper movement towards that
particular greenrider. "Don't you?"

Scorched Shale Blue Hatchling hops along the table, sniffing at various
pieces of meat but not finding anything, and starts up with a demanding creel.

Shifting Dunes Egg rocks once.

Despite Kassi's intentions and common sense, what there is of it, she can't
resist leaning in for a better look at the blue. Nor tearing a strip from
her meatroll, almost unconsciously. "Sometimes I visit Kimlyn. She and her
M'zir are in m'old weyr there, makes it a bit surreal--" The greenrider
gives Juliri a wry grin. "Otherwise... isn't he something?" She probably
means the blue--probably--and quickly looks back to him, fingers twitching
but not quite enough to twitch the meatroll. "Must. Resist. Blue.
Fire-lizards."

<Weavers> Tayse signs off. Good luck over with those firelizards. ;)

Shifting Dunes Egg rocks again, and a faint tapping can be heard from the egg.

At the younger girl's confirmation about bitten fingers being common, Fyra
pulls her legs in tighter as she stares at this new arrival, her fist
closing in on the meat. "Maybe this is why mum never really let me see
firelizard hatchings. Maybe she thought I'll pick up some infection from
their biting." She surveys the rest of the eggs with some hesitation,
wondering what next will appear. "I think I need more meat, 'less they
decide my fingers are more tasty." And she pushes up from her position to
wander between people towards some of the bowls still offered, better than
her little strips.

R'layn stares at the blue when it starts creeling. "All this food being
offered, and it sits cryin'?" The rider says aloud, astonished. Shaking his
head, he grins - he's joking about, just...badly. "C'mon, there's plenty of
food," he adds, talking like one might to a child and holding the meat in
his hand a bit closer to the blue hatchling, glancing at Kassima.

Crispin continues playing as he listens to Derindrel and glances in the
direction indicated. He fades off his song for a moment to murmur quietly,
"That's G'ehir from Fort. The one who came to complain that the Harpers
weren't doing enough to educate people about the dangers of riding unbroken
runners. See the limp?" The lad grins, "I've started working on a ballad
for him. It starts off, 'Runners aren't always sweet / all roses and
wuffles and being elite / a young one that hasn't been broke / is about as
safe as trying to feed a clutching dragon an oak. That's as far as I have,
though. Any ideas?"

Amaris watches the blue's quest, frowning a bit as she continues to swing
her offering in a pendulum fashion. "Picky, ain't he?" Pushing a few
wayward golden locks back she continues. "Think he'd be hungry 'nough to
take the first thing he comes by." And she gives Fyra a curious glance as
the older girl gets up to gather more meat. "Get me one too?" She asks her
before turning her attention back to the hatching.

Juliri again favors T'aren with a crisp arch of her brow. "She could always
try her best, but who knows, she'll probably want to go beach-searching
too," the Telgari says, quirking her lips into a half-hearted frown and
wriggling her meat around idly. Kassima's words prompt the goldrider to
find said blue hatchling, eyes lighting up even as she's giving an
enthusiastic nod. "Yeah, he is. You gonna try for him?" Too bad there's so
many different pieces of meet floating around.

Scorched Shale Blue Hatchling :sniffs at a gob of meat and turns his nose
up, still creeling. Seems this boy is p-i-c-k-y, much to the consternation
of the weyrbrat with the meat. He moves on down the queue, determined to
find just the /right/ strip.

Shifting Dunes Egg tap-tap-taps emerge from the shell.

Danika chuckles a little at the blue. "This one is going to be an
interesting problem for someone to take care of." Sort of like her. She
holds the meat out but doesn't make an attempt to get her fingers too
close. That was a lesson that didn't take much to learn.

T'aren's expression is crest-fallen at Juliri's words. "Oh, no. Then it
seems you're going to be stuck with me for company digging holes in the
sand." He manages a slight laugh for that idea before looking to Kassima,
"Oh, you really ought to." After all, if she manages to get the blue's
attention he can stop with his slight movement of the meat between his
forefinger and thumb.

Scorched Shale Blue Hatchling :finds a gently swinging gob of meat and
stops, eyes trying to focus as he darts his head forward, snapping at it
and missing. Feh.

Shifting Dunes Egg rocks in its bed of sand, shimmying around, knocking
against the other eggs before reaching the edge of the basket and cracking
around the top, revealing a hatchling peeking out before the rest of the
egg cracks in half.

This hatchling's body is lined in vibrant green, alternating with dull-grey
green along it's entire length. Along the lighter stripes are circular
splotches of the same green-gray, creating an almost geometric hide. A
horn-shaped blaze of yellow edged in white spreads from the each forelimb
up onto the wing, a dramatic contrast to the green-gray of the mainsails
everywhere else. For all the color and strangeness of this hatchling's
hide, the little green seems almost sluggish, or perhaps sedate.

Kassima protests halfheartedly, "I really shouldn't. I have so *many*."
Because that's ever, ever stopped her before. Ever. In the history of the
world. "Picky eater, I suppose," she offers R'layn as explanation, and
gives in to the inevitable and adds her offering to those being dangled all
about. "I oughtn't at all," she assures T'aren, "but, well. Blues. They're
t'me like wine to... also me."

Saguaro Green Hatchling lets out a single chirrup, surveying this strange
new world, and attempts to crawl back into her egg.

Sesquina watches how cautious Danika is. She is just puts her own hand and
fingers into the positions of Danika's, although without the meat. She nods
at this and decides to try it. Reaching into the bowl, she withdraws a
strip of meat and again extends her hand in front of her, elbow against her
side, and tries holding the meat out."So that's how it works." she comments
softly.

A'deth, instead of watching the eggs, watches those who do-- and those who
watch the people here, too. His gaze settles on the harper apprentices
briefly, but his expression doesn't change from what it's set to
currently-- bland affability. To Kassima, he comments, "Igen's a hard weyr
for the unacclimated to adjust to, though you've done very well." About the
blue, he adds, "Have another glass, then, instead? I can fetch a skin. Any
hatching's a good reason to get drunk."

R'layn's eyes follow the blue as he moves on, pursing his lips when the
weyrbrat's meat is passed over. The rider deigns not to move from his seat,
but he does call encouragingly to the child, "there'll be other chances,
don'tcha worry." Smiling, he manages to catch the hatching of the green,
and his gaze softens. "Aww. Poor little thing, just look at that - she's
terrified."

"I wouldn't mind, if you didn't," Juliri asides to T'aren, glancing up at
him with a warm regard. "You -should-," she then insists to Kassima,
waggling her own piece of meat as emphasis for her words. "She has a -ton-
of them," is what the Telgari offers by way of explanation to T'aren,
inclining her head towards the snapping blue and thumbing with a grin
towards Kassima.

Derindrel smiles into his free hand, shaking his head at the older boy. "It
sounds solid now, if you ask me. Will you place his name into it?" He
clears his throat, wriggling the meat again at the creeling blue, and now
at the sleepy little green. "Though, I did mean that one, just there, with
the silver top. I've seen him with Master Emmi." Upon being spotted, he
does not sway his glance, only staring blank and outright.

Amaris finally decides to change meat strips with a frown, noting the blues
extreme reluctance at all those offered to him. Now that the meat has been
crushed by her fists she chooses a rather thin strip. "Maybe they're too
big for him?" She says as she dangles this new slice. "He is pretty small
after all." She concludes, keeping the offereing before her as she watches
the blue move about from person to person. At the greens arrival she
frowns, staring at her. "Odd clutch." She comments and finally, looking
down at her meat and back at Fyra who has yet to return with a bowl for her
she gets up and looks for more appealing offerings.

Danika laughs cheerfully at the new green. "Wow, now wouldn't we like to do
that some days? Not get out of bed?" She places the meat she was holding on
the ground in front of her and grabs a new one. Doesn't hurt to have two
ready.

Fyra picks up a bowl, and snags another even as someone else was aiming for
it, grinning at their loss. "Coming, Rissy," she calls back to the other
girl. With bloodied fingers, after dropping the strips back into the bowl,
she takes up a few cookies from the food table before meandering her way
through the crowd towards the other weyrbrat. "Are those really
firelizards?" She says as she makes it back, staring at the blue still
being picky and then towards the latest green, who, well, doesn't want to
go out into the crowd. "Ya think they'd be more..." she shrugs as she looks
for the word. "'lizard-like. Active." She hands the bowl over.

Saguaro Green Hatchling looks around, and finally the hunger gets to be too
much. Finding a strip of meat that is not /completely/ revulsive to him, he
latches on with a vengeance to a thin strip of meat lying all by itself on
the ground, then looks around for me, creeling imperiously and snatching
the second strip as well.

Scorched Shale Blue Hatchling looks around, and finally the hunger gets to
be too much. Finding a strip of meat that is not /completely/ revulsive to
him, he latches on with a vengeance to a thin strip of meat lying all by
itself on the ground, then looks around for me, creeling imperiously and
snatching the second strip as well.

Crispin grins, "It depends on if he comes around complaining again," the
apprentice says with a sly grin and a wink to his friend. Crispin's eyes
seek out the man Derindrel truly intended for him to notice. "Oh! I think
that's...hmm. A something, I think. I can't recall. Really? I hadn't
noticed." The boy's been too busy. "I wonder why. Think he's in love with
Master Emmi?" He grins and leans back a bit, to make sure Derindrel has the
prominent position to impress of the two of them. He tucks his flute away
and reaches up to scritch Cedar's belly fondly.

"Well, I'd never mind your company, Weyrwoman, but the sand does have a
tendency to get in my boots." Of course, with a lifemate like Teusath,
T'aren likely has constantly-sand-filled boots. Then he glances to Kassima,
quirking a brow. "Maybe I can convince the Captain that we ought to just
borrow your brood rather than taking the time to get our own." He glances
further over towards A'deth, "If you're offering to the lot - I'm certainly
taking you up on it."

Scorched Shale Blue Hatchling stumbles towards Danika.

Danika seems surprised that both pieces of meat are already gone. "Wow,
that was fast. What were you waiting for, if you were so hungry?" She dips
her wet hand back into the bowl to pull out another piece to feed to the
hatchling.

Saguaro Green Hatchling lifts her head cautiously, then gets startled out
of the basket as another egg starts to move. Reluctantly, she edges around
the basket, looking around with wide whirling eyes.

Summer Thunderstorms Egg shifts in its sandy bed.

R'layn smiles with - relief? - as the blue goes to Danika. "Hopef'ly he
won't carry on being picky, eh?" The rider says aloud, grinning
good-naturedly over at the girl. When the green edges out from behind the
basket, Ril can't help but smile fondly at the little hatchling. "So cute."
He's really not helping his masculinity here. He wriggles the meat in his
hand absently, and a drop of blood plinks onto the table's surface. Oops.

Amaris halts in her tracks as Fyra comesback with two bowls. Taking up a
cookie too she settles back down, taking the fresh meat. "Maybe these are
sick? It was a wild clutch after all." She notes, moving the various pieces
of meat around, loooking for one she thinks might land her a flit. "I've
heard stories of sickly flits, they usually go 'tween in a few days after
hatching." Her voice contains not much emotion as she states these 'facts'.
"Ah, this ones' nice and juicy." She says and pulls out an almost circular
shaped strip of meat which is almost completely fat.

Kassima's grin for A'deth isn't hesitant at all. "Igen's folk have all been
friendly and welcoming. It helps enormously. 'Twouldn't be trouble? I'm
saving up the choice drunken bender for graduation night for tradition's
sake, but the day I get sloshed on two glasses of wine they should tip me
into the sea and be done." She claps for the young woman who's lured the
blue. "Congratulations! G'luck with him! Oh... wee green, she is scared.
'Tis a lot t'be facing your first moments of life." After munching on one
of her meatroll strips herself, she drops her tone to a lower one. "I think
you've admirers," she tells A'deth. To T'aren, "I could certes spare a few.
'Twill nay take responsibility if'n they drive you mad with their creeling
and zipping and general madness, though."

Saguaro Green Hatchling lets out another chirrup, putting on her brave face
and venturing forward a bit, then jumping back and fanning her wings as she
catches the blood drop falling in the corner of her eye.

"Shouldn't you be used to that sensation now?" Juliri jokes to T'aren,
cheeks flushed a little at her words. "I mean, Teusath -does- seem to
rather like the sand." But then again, what dragon doesn't? Hearing
A'deth's proposal, Juliri lifts up her hand that's clutching at a piece of
meat, echoing T'aren's words with, "I'll take you up on that as well, if
you're offering." Then, with a vague look towards the shy green, Juliri
again props her arm on her thigh, shaking the piece of meat around. Just
-look- at those bloody gobs. "'Grats," is said towards Danika, who ends up
with the picky blue.

A'deth's gaze shifts back to the harper who stares, and he gazes back,
raising his glass in a toast to Derindrel. T'aren's comment catches his
attention, though, so he just slips stiffly off the table to quickly fetch
a skin of wine and several glasses.

Sesquina turns and nods to Danika, smiling brightly. "Great! This one I at
least have already met." deciding to give it a real try, she extends her
arm out and offers the piece of meat in her hand, trying the jiggle and
wiggle thing.

Summer Thunderstorms Egg shudders again, tapping against another egg.

"Oh sh-" R'layn bites off the curse, remembering the younger people about.
Ahem. Back to the matter of the poor green he's just accidentally dribbled
meat into the eye of. "I'm so sorry, littl'un." He withdraws the meat, a
worried expression on his face as he watches to see if she's alright.

Salt Beds Egg shatters into pieces so fine it appears to turn to powder,
and falls away from the hatchling ensconced inside.

Tiny swirls of drab green interrupt the greasy brown of this tiny
firelizards hide. His wingsails shade to a deep mocha color, while his
spars and neckridges continue in the greasy theme, the color winding it's
way up his neck to his head, which is veined in thready tan, fine thin
lines crisscrossing his muzzle and outlining his eyes. His somewhat squat,
tiny body combined with the coloring gives the effect of age, and this
hatchling appears wizened and drab, despite the fact that his eyes whirl
colorfully.

Saguaro Green Hatchling wipes at her eye with one forelimb, tongue snaking
out to taste it. She lets out a surprised chirrup and looks around, tongue
licking again. Nictating membranes are a great help it seems, and she sets
out again, homing in on a strip of meat across the table.

Danika nods with a smile at all the congratulations. "Thanks." She feeds
the blue slowly and carefully, but is also curiously awaiting the results
of the other shaking eggs. She smiles at Sesquina. "Go for it. We can learn
what to do together. What a nice way to come to the Hold, don't you think?"

"Sickly?" Fyra asks, surprised by the younger girl who is definitely more
versed in firelizard knowledge than she is. "I don't want to take home a
'lizard only to have it die on me after awhile." Her blue eyes stare in the
direction of the green before finally settling down and focusing on her
cookie first. "Ew," is her reaction towards the brown. That's when she
finally notices where the blue went, and she smirks towards the baker.
"Congrats on 'im," she calls over before chomping the rest of her cookie
apart. "I bet mum would be happy, too, if I get a sickly 'lizard instead."

T'aren gives a shake to his head at Kassima's words, "It won't me be
they'll be driving up the wall. Teusath is the Captain. I'm-- just the
first mate." He gives a little shrug to his shoulders passing all
responsibility of the lot of firelizards off to his lifemate. Then there's
a bit of a wrinkle to his nose, eyeing Juliri as she teases him. "'Scuse
me?" He replies in a playful tone, "That familiarity certainly exists, and
then he leans a little closer, muttering something in her ear before
leaning back quickly - looking as though he might duck to pre-empt a first
strike back against him. An appreciative smile is shot over to A'deth as he
moves to fetch the wine.

Sesquina giggles softly. "I am just surprised to get to be back home again.
I never realized how much I missed it." she watches the moving green. "Then
again, I hadn't really thought about it either."

Clearly having missed the blues selection Amaris looks around for him,
waving the meat. "Where'd that picky thing go?" She asks Fyra, dangling the
fatty chunk of meat by the tips of her fingers. "Oh, 'nother brown." She
notes as the slightly plump hatchling emerges. "He's not very handsome."
She says with a wrinkled nose. When Fyra congratulates the baker she nods
as she realizes where the blue went. "Guess he was hungry after all."

Danika nods to Sesquina in realization. "I'd forgotten, you're originally
from Tillek, aren't you?" She smiles at Amaris. "That would be me that got
the picky one. At least one of us is. I'll do almost anything."

Saguaro Green Hatchling :peers at the strip of meat in front of her, then
tentatively reaches out and grabs it in needle-sharp baby teeth, seemingly
ready to run away if it moves suddenly. Thankfully, the pink-thing its
attached too doesn't seem to be paying attention to the little green, and
she starts to munch contently.

Saguaro Green Hatchling stumbles towards T'aren.

Crispin waves over to A'deth with a wide smile and even winks at the rider.
Then he shrugs. "Who knows. I'll be sure to ask Master Emmi the next time I
see her, though. Whew, did you think that last composition class assignment
was hard? I stayed up half the night trying to figure mine out."

Greasewood Brown Hatchling lets out a loud chirp and looks around,
scratching at the sand in the basket, then hopping out and onto the table,
nose high in the air.

R'layn breathes a sigh of relief as the green moves on, apparently unharmed
after the incident. He allows himself to be distracted by the brown's
hatching, fixing the almost green hatchling with a long look before he
catches the green's Impression to T'aren. He doesn't know the face, but he
offers a smile and a, "congratulations" nevertheless. Now he swaps the meat
in his hand for a fresher piece, not caring about dripping blood on the
table any more and just holding it out instead.

Kassima nods approval to T'aren. "That's a sane way t'be doing it. He wants
fire-lizards, he can be dealing with the fire-lizards. I tried that with
Lyss the time or two she got enchanted by one in particular." Wryly,
"Stress 'tried.' Ah, shells, you won't need t'borrow, will you? Congrats!"
She's rather amused by that Impression. Given the conversation, no surprise.

"You heard me," Juliri replies back playfully, maintaining a careful
wriggle of her fingers as though to entice any wandering firelizards
closer. As the bronzerider leans forward to mutter in her ear, Juliri's
face goes through a careful collection of expressions. "Is that so?"
Amusement definately shades the goldrider's voice and there's definately a
distinct lack of any fists heading towards the bronzerider's face. "Oh,
look, T'aren. One more for Teusath's crew." Juliri points towards the green
at around the same time Kassima gives her congratulations.

Gravel Beds Egg shifts to the left, then to the right, then to the left again.

Fyra points to Danika even as she announces that she had charmed that
little blue with her food. "The baker," she says, nodding once back towards
the Tillek girl. "An"

Gravel Beds Egg practically hops in place as the hatchling inside struggles
to get out.

T'aren doesn't notice the little munching green who's got her little teeth
now sunk into the meat he holds, attention more focused on the conversation
with the other riders. So its moments later before T'aren says, "What the-"
Attention directed to the green by Kassima's comment and his surprised look
to the little thing, "Oh shells." Is muttered before he gives it as
cautious a look as it is giving him. After sizing each other up for a
moment, T'aren moves one hand ever so slowly to nudge the bowl still in his
lap towards the little green. "Now, if only the Captain could fit in here
to take care of this bit of things."

Gravel Beds Egg shivers in its bed of sand, then rocks violently once,
twice, and on the third rock splits along the splotchy markings of its
shell, which fragments and falls away from the hatchling inside.

Pudgy and low-set, graceful is not the way of this green firelizard. Her
wings are slightly rounded, the mainsails a pale green, with wingtips and
spars in a darker, almost grey-green, which flows down her flanks. Her
underbelly has more of the same pale green, with whitish specks set here
and there on her chest and limbs. Her tail is also shorter than normal,
making her look somewhat squat and awkward, but when flying, she is as
graceful as any of her sisters and brothers. Her temper, however, far
exceeds that of her kin, and she is quick to anger when provoked.

Amaris moves her hand back at the sight of brown hopping onto a table,
clearly rethinking her offering. "This is the most interesting clutch I've
ever seen." She notes as she drops the fatty piece into the bowl, looking
over to Fyra. "Guess you dont' have to worry 'bout 'pressing the green,
she's someone elses' problem now." And she gives a smirk as she gives a
quick waves to those that have been claimed by the flits so far. "Brown,
blue and green." She lists, her brown eyes turning to the newly arrived
greasy flit. "An' him, browns are winning again."

Prickly Pear Green Hatchling glares around the table, hissing and hopping
down to shove her clutchmate out of the way, eliciting an angry hiss from
the teeny-tiny brown.

Derindrel nods over to A'deth solemnly, speaking out of the corner of his
mouth to Crispin. "Yes, it's him. I've heard... things. I'll tell you
later." On the subject of the assignment, he shrugs his shoulders. "I'm a
little ahead of that, being Jenufa's apprentice after all. Though if you
need help, I'd be happy to oblige." The greasy brown gets a favorable look,
and he wriggles his meat in that direction.

Fyra points to Danika even as she announces that she had charmed that
little blue with her food. "The baker," she says, nodding once back towards
the Tillek girl. "An' it looks like the lil' sickly green finally got some
food in her, too." She nestles the bowl of meat in between her legs,
looking at the brown with a wrinkled nose. "Ew. How 'bout ya drag that one
back, Rissy?" And the new green is noted with a lifted brow, waiting to see
just how this one reacts. "Weird clutch!" She agrees with a bob of her
head. "That one's completely different than her sister."

Crispin smiles winningly at his friend, "I'd really appreciate it. I know
where my talent lies - making instruments - but unfortunately I have to
take all the other Harper stuff that goes along with it. Just wait until
you hear my solo recital. It's going to be hilarious. I'm going to try my
best at it but I guarantee you someone will have to leave in the middle of
it. My marks are on Master Feril. He's never had a high tolerance for
off-key singing, what with him having perfect pitch and all."

Greasewood Brown Hatchling snaps at his clutchmate, then moves down the
table to get away from his unpleasant sister, his nose swinging this way
and that, looking for food.

Kassima's eyes widen for the little hissing creature. "Pale green," she
observes, "and grey-green. Clearly desires t'murder us all in our sleep.
Look, A'deth, 'tis as if'n Lysseth and Jaelith mated and had a
fire-lizard." There's a loud enough draconic har-*umph* from the Bowl to
carry inside, at least to ears not far from the entranceway.

"Congratulations," Juliri murmurs to the bronzerider, moving a hand to
steady her own bowl of meat as she leans down to peer at T'aren's green.
"Just in a bit, you could go outside and shove her at Teusath, see what he
says," comes the suggestion as she continues to wriggle the bit of meat
around towards any of the roaming firelizards. Kassima's wry comment is
overheard and Juliri does her best to stifle a laugh, shaking her head at
the greenrider.

Prickly Pear Green Hatchling doesn't let the little runt bother her and
stalks around the table, hissing and snapping.

R'layn looks at the squat green with the same adoration he had for her shy
sister. Someone's got a thing for the greens, apparently. He wriggles his
offered meat again, though by now he's propping up the arm with the hand
holding it with his free hand. "Hrm. 'bout halfway hatched, are they?"

Stepping into the Caverns to grab herself a bit of refreshment before
moving on for the day, Carmen spies the rather conspicuous crowd of people
and moves quickly over to investigate. That draconic 'har-umph' makes her
jump, but then her attention is caught by the little greens and brown
moving about. One of them catches her eye as she hisses and snaps. "Fiesty
little thing," she says with a smile, reaching up to stroke an eyeridge of
her own humming green.

Danika smiles. "She's going to be a handful, don't you think?" Luckily her
hand is already full, as she continues to feed her new blue hatchling
cradled in one arm.

T'aren raises a brow still dealing with the little green in a very cautious
manner. After a long few moments of her munching the green begins to fill,
so she moves a little closer and a little cloesr as the bronzerider uses a
finger to pull it nearer and nearer to him. "Soon enough." He agrees,
glancing to Juliri, "But, if I've got one, you'd better get one so they can
play with each *other* and not bother us while we're digging on those
beaches."

A'deth pauses on the way back, and leans over to purr to Derindrel, "Igen's
duties to the Harper Hall." And then he's off, heading back for his former
seat. "Wishful thinking, Kassima?" And he peers at the green, too. "I see.
Well." And he sets the glasses down -- safely away from the parti-colored
baby lizard -- and begins to pour. "That's as good a reason to any to
celebrate, isn't it? It could do worse than take after such marvellous
beasts as they."

Amaris takes another while before selecting a very long strip of meat,
holding it up high to examine it better. Her brown eyes focus on the sliver
as watery red juice falls off of it into the bowl. "Maybe she bumped into
the weaker greens egg a few times and that's why she's so slow? She seems
to have the energy for it." And her words trail off as she watches the
green snap and hiss, dropping the meat back into the bowl and bringing her
body a bit closer in to hide it. "And the attitude."

Greasewood Brown Hatchling walks around the table, eyes going quickly back
to blue-green as he puts space between himself and his sister, and looks
around, studying all around him.

Fyra jerks her head out towards the bowl, startled by the dragon's noise.
"Wonder what that was 'bout," she says to Rissy with a chuckle. "I wonder
if mum knows 'bout the hatching yet through Sayn. She won't run 'way from
her errand, though, but I hope they keep her busy there." The caverns get
another look around. With both her hands empty, she uses one to squeeze the
meet in the bowl, getting it nice and bloody before releasing it and the
proceeding to smear the crowd before her in meat-juice. She'll attract
them, but she won't get her fingers bit. She laughs at Amaris's comment.
"That's probably it. Won't be easy to train, that's for sure. Neither would
/she/ be." She points one bloody finger at the new hissing green.

Zenith steps into the cavern, fresh off a dragon's back, and his eyes
immediately open a little at the flurry of frenzied activity occuring in a
more remote section of the cavern, obviously not expecting quite so much
hustle. He nears the crowd, curious as to what could have drawn everyone's
attention so acutely.

Prickly Pear Green Hatchling stalks around the table again, spying and
smelling some fresh, juicy bloody meat, and stalks towards a pink-thing,
snapping at an extended finger, then hissing as she misses.

Kassima elects to encourage R'layn, for every green deserves an admirer:
"She'd make a good one for protecting things. Touch what's hers and she'll
take your fingers off, I bet." Maybe 'encourage' isn't the right term?
She's well-intentioned; she's also keeping her meatroll in hand, although
technically it's within reach. "Wishful. This is where I don't try t'reckon
which would fly which because I'd like Lysseth t'keep speaking t'me.
Thankee," with a warm smile of thanks for the wine, when it's poured. She
raises her glass in a toast. "To impossible genetic combinations!"

Greasewood Brown Hatchling continues his slow, stately walk, looking around
at each offering as he goes.

Dry Streambed Egg rolls slightly onto its side in the basket, shuddering.

"Doubt I can," Juliri says, idly looking down at the piece of meat that's
remained curiously intact due to lack of firelizard attention. "We'll see,
though." And that glimmer of hope is the thing that keeps Juliri's fingers
at the task of wiggling the meat around, eyes flicking back and forth from
the brown to the green, brows furrowing together. "Teusath still insist on
having a whole crew even with the addition of that one?" Head is inclined
towards the green to indicate her, eyes glancing up at T'aren curiously. To
the wine -- and the glasses -- Juliri aims a grateful grin towards A'deth,
coupled with a loud, "Thanks!"

Amaris wrinkles her nose in displeasure as Fyra spreads a bloody line on
the floor. "That's a new way of gettin' their attention." She comments, now
smirking at her friend. "I once saw a boy impress a flit by sprinkling meat
juice around him." And she shrugs as she begins massaging the meat in the
carefully hidden bowl, getting the meat nice and warm. "Might work. Also
saw a boy dangle some from his teeth."

Crispin pulls out his flute again and twirls it between his fingers before
stashing it again and pulling Cedar down to rest in his arms. "I could
watch firelizards hatch all day," he murmurs. "It's just...so beautiful."
He shrugs, and then has one of those sudden moments of enlightenment.
"That's what my song will be about! I'll write a song about this firelizard
hatching for my project! Finally, something that I think I can actually
finish."

Kassima's voice clicks with something in Carmen's mind and she moves
towards the source, only recognizing the rider at the last second. "Ah,
Kassima. A pleasure to find you here," she smiles coolly at the rider and
turns to watch that snapping hatchling. "I like her," she comments,
ignoring the fact that Sham is curling into her, trying to do her best to
hide while humming.

The hairs on the back of Derindrel's neck may or may not have risen, though
his face has remained a blank mask. "An Igenite. It's him, I knew it." He
fights hard to keep color rising from to his cheeks, eyes stalking around
the activity before returning to the center. "Feril walked out on me, too.
Apparently he didn't take well to the nasal bit in my voice." He says,
conversationally. At the mention, he brightens. "Right! That's a fine idea
for the project, Crispin. Mine will be yet another love song. I'll be
performing it up at the Fortian party alongside Llany."

Calliosae comes in from the Bowl.

Crispin grins and leans over to nudge Derindrel, "And do you have a person
to whom you'll be doing private performances of these love songs for?" he
teases. "An Igenite? What's wrong with Igen? We'll have to talk later," he
agrees, glancing around quickly.

Fyra looks down at her work. "Well, better than wiggling meat out. I bet
it'll grow tiring after awhile." And she eyes those people that are doing
just that. "Plus, I don't want bitten fingers..." She begins to smear a bit
more of the blood into a fuzzy shape of a dragon, returning her hand to the
bowl to get it bloodied up for more. She flicks a bit at Amaris. "Then
maybe it'll help get them to /ya/, too. I dare ya to dangle it in your
teeth. I don't want to get my tongue bit off, or my lips."

A sassy, saucy young woman, Carmen is as enchanting as she is shallow. Her
dark sable hair falls in artfully arranged curls down over her shoulders,
accentuating an even face with large grey eyes and full pouty lips. She's
thin, but her figure is built to entice, not for hard labor, and her hands
are soft and free of callouses.

Prickly Pear Green Hatchling stops as she sees a whole huge smear of yummy
blood, and darts forward, nose sniffing the table, then rising as she fixes
the nearest pink-thing with a predatory stare, then lunges forward again.

Prickly Pear Green Hatchling stumbles towards Fyra.

Dry Streambed Egg shivers and shakes and rolls to the other side, crushing
egg shards as it moves.

Zenith chuckles at a bit of overheard conversation about dangling meat in
your teeth to attract a firelizard. Stroking his own bronze Nevo, who has
suddenly begun to hum, joining the rest of the firelizards in the cavern,
he shuffles through the crowd, trying to get a good luck at some of the
hatchlings he knows must be around given all the banter.

T'aren frowns slightly, "Apparently the Captain won't be kept waiting." His
eyes shift to the wine that will go undrank by him and offers a quiet,
"Thank you for grabbing it, all the same." To A'deth, and then a hand
reaches to touch Juliri's shoulder lightly (though plenty of time for her
to move away) as he rises with the green tucked in one arm, "Just have
Malaith bespeak the Captain if she wants to go digging on the beach." He
then moves to gather his package and with a nod to the lot, he makes his
way towards the bowl.

T'aren walks out to the Bowl.

Amaris curiously watches as Fyra attempts to draw a dragon out with the
blood but then she's getting showered with blood and closes her eyes tight.
"Fy!" She says harshly, her eyes opening just in time to catch the prickly
green lunging towards her friend. "Oh, Rupa ain't gonna be happy when she
sees her." She notes with a smirk, wiping off the blood from her face as
best she can. "And I ain't gonna dangle the meat from my teeth, like you
said, might end up getting my face bit."

Danika nods at Amaris. "That would probably do it, yup." She smiles in
Fyra's direction. "Congratulations. I think."

R'layn gives his meat a little wriggle, though by now his arm's aching too
much. He swops hands, using his left hand to gently move the meat to try
and attract a hatchling's attention. The movements are more jerky, though,
as it's not his dominant hand. "Congrats," the Istan tells Fyra when the
temperamental green lunges at her. Er. "or, good luck?" Heh.

"Carmen," Kassima greets in return, nodding an amiable, yet still slightly
formal greeting to the younger woman. "Igen's duties t'Bitra and Lord
Vorlin. She reminds me of m'Lysseth, so I'm partial, naturally. There!" She
offers Fyra a grin as the little green makes her choice. "Felicitations.
G'luck t'you, too."

Greasewood Brown Hatchling continues around the table, sniffing at each
piece of meat until he pauses in front of a particular piece, sitting back
on his haunches to grab it, then pulling, not that he has a whole lot of
leverage.

Juliri glances up as the bronzerider touches her shoulder, nodding at his
words. "Will do," she calls after him as he moves away, raising her hand
clutching the piece of meat in a gentle wave (so not to spatter blood
around, really). Then, it's back to the wriggling of the meat, extended
towards the remaining firelizards, though she does tilt her head as though
to look at whomever Kassima's talking to.

Fyra looks down as she realizes the green had come her way. "What do /ya/
want?" She asks of the firelizard, only to let out an undignified squeak
when she lunges. She picks up the bowl out of instinct and lets the green
hop into it to fill her belly to he heart's content. "Mum /will/ kill me."
She looks up towards those congratulating her and sniffs. "Yah, thanks, 'm
going to need lots of that." She tries to rub at the green's neck, but
feasting the little critter manages a hiss, and she holds back for now.
"Well, not 'less this thing does, first. Ya silly creature, there's better
meat 'round." But there's a growing smirk on the edge of her lips at the
possibilities the green can cause.

Greasewood Brown Hatchling stumbles towards Amaris.

A'deth toasts Kassima and Juliri, and shrugs after T'aren. "More for us to
drink, I'm sure. To obscenely enticing genetic combinations! And lots of
raw meat. And, ah. Curious but welcome guests."

Calliosae wanders quietly into the living caverns, delayed it seems but the
young apprentice seems not to care. She trails towards the food and her
gaze moves towards the firelizards hatching. She doesn't notice the other
harpers as she trails over and takes a bowl of meat offered to her.
Watching the others curiously before she settles in a spot near the
hatching eggs and offers meat out with a slight frown on her brows. A
glance towards the meat and she slightly leans forward with a bit of
unease, yucky meat in her hand.

Dry Streambed Egg shimmies and shakes and finally cracks appear on the top
of the egg.

Dry Streambed Egg shudders and splits open into two perfect halves,
revealing a regal looking hatchling.

At first glance, this lizard appears drab yellow, but as she stretches she
reveals a brilliant, glittering chest and underbelly. Her spars and
mainsails flash as well, creating a delightful contrast with the drabness
of her back and neck. Her head, gracefully formed and muzzle delicately
pointed, glitters, setting the gentle whirling of her eyes at a delightful
contrast. Her body is lithe and lean, well proportioned, and she cares
herself with easy grace and confidence.

Sesquina sets aside the now dried up piece of meat in her hand and starts
looking through the bowl for another good bit of meat, eyes going from bowl
to eggs to Danika and her blue and back again, broad smile across her face.

"And Bitra's duties to Igen and her queens, Carmen returns the formal
greeting. "I could understand a partiality to her then, certainly." She
turns to watch as another egg shatters to reveal a rather drab looking
gold. "Oh goodness, what /is/ wrong with that one?" she asks the rider.

Hidden Fool's Gold Hatchling stretches her wings, showing off her brilliant
underbelly.

R'layn's eyes widen at the sight of the gold. "Well-well. But it's the
brown's Impression to young Amaris that gets his attention, and the rider
turns to smile and offer his 'congratulations' to the girl. Back to the
matter of attracting a hatchling, then. "I guess I scared 'em all off after
I hurt that little green," the man notes guiltily, though, as usual, he's
being jocular about it.

Amaris is just in the process of laughing at her friend when the greasy
brown jumps at her. "Shards!" She lets out as the flit creels for food.
Looking over to Fyra she can't help but smile. "Now Rupa's really not gonna
be happy." And she places the bowl in front of the flitter and feeds him a
few pieces.

Desert Cliffs Egg has small cracks appearing on its surface to those looking.

Zenith can't help but smile as he finally glimpses the hatchlings wobbling
around, hungrily in search of food. He unconsciously begins to stroke
Nevo's browridges. He's content to watch... for now... but he grabs a bowl
of meaty raw chunks, just in case.

Sesquina hears the egg crack, drawing her attention. Before she even
realizes what's going on she chooses a nice, fresh strip of meat and again
repeats Danika's grip and offer from earlier. She stops as she sees the
stretch. "Now that I can feel for." she says, glancing aside at Danika,
grinning.

Crispin perks up as the gold hatches. Yes, he's elitist, and wants one of
each color. Having all of them but gold, he's always on the lookout...and
now he spies one. His flute is toyed with for a moment before he reaches
out to grab some meat, edging forward. He's polite about it and doesn't
shove anyone aside, but he does get closer to the eggs, crouching down with
Cedar trilling away on his shoulder. "Hello, lady." He's calm and tries to
radiate love and food at her. Of course, you can't be that close to the
hatchlings and ignore the other colors, and his gaze begins to drift before
he gets a grip on himself. "No. One of each, that's what I said. One of
each color. I can't take care of more than five."

Danika smiles as her firelizard has finally fallen asleep for the moment,
full of food. She glances at Sesquina. "I'm thinking of the name Flare,
what do you think? He's got a burned look to him, doesn't he? And he's got
some flair to him as well."

Juliri doesn't see the hatching of a new firelizard because she's looking
towards her glass of wine, lifting it up and inspecting the liquid inside.
With a tip of her glass towards A'deth -- who's probably not paying
attention anymore -- she takes a sip of the wine, meat dangling uselessly
from her hand. The impressions of firelizards prompts Juliri to return her
attention back to all the shards and creeling things, calling out,
"Congratulations," to Amaris who secures the brown. Then, the gold is
glimpsed. "Ah. You're. Hrmph." The desert egg is glanced at curiously
before Juliri returns to sampling her alcohol.

Kassima thinks to introduce, "Juliri, have you met Carmen of Bitra? Juliri
rides gold Malaith at Telgar; Carmen is the scion of a Bitran family, and
one which Holds vineyards. She's likely healthy enough," the greenrider
says, after a moment spent studying the gold. "Her color's only muted.
Conformation's good. I'd try, but Zabreneva would never stand for it." Of
course she'll drink to the toast, hiding a grin not-too-well all the while.

Zenith has been trying to resist the temptation so far -his idea of fun
doesn't include drinking and shortly thereafter traveling *between*- but
gives up, and snags an unattended cup of wine from a nearby table.

Fyra handles the bowl carefully in her arms, watching the green eat her way
to the bottom. Except by then the Weyrbrat definitely has to scoop her own,
bitten fingers and all. "Shards! Ouch, you're going to explode at that
rate!" And the green's swollen belly of food is definitely an indication,
though she still spits out hisses and tries to claw her way back. Fyra
pushes the bowl away from them and tries to nestle her into her lap,
watching her whirling eyes. "Well, maybe we can convince Sayn to take off
without mum, before she beats us /both/ for taking these things home."

Calliosae blinks at the gold hatchling, tilting her head slightly. A glance
towards the others trying for a firelizard and her cheeks flush a shade of
pink, her attention returns to the little hatchlings and she wiggles her
meat out in no particular direction at the moment. Her brows draw into a
slight frown, scooting a bit closer and not looking to others to correct
herself.

Derindrel's brown Beazle trumpets from his shoulder as a new queen is
revealed. His perch gives him a sly look as he leans forward, still again
in the throng. "Five, Spin? That sounds like a ridiculous amount of
responsibility. Need them to send messages to all your girls across Pern,
do you?" He jokes, casting his eyes about the room again and waving to
Calliosae.

Sesquina nods to Danika. "He certainly does. Would explain his choosiness,
too. Should make a good test subject for your culinary creations." a
friendly grin.

Desert Cliffs Egg splits along the colorful striations, revealing a large
hatchling.

Long and lean, this blue seems like he stretches on forever, already an
impressive size at hatching. His underbelly is a pale blue-grey, which
shades into a brighter sky blue up his flanks and onto his back and wings.
The sails continue in the sky blue shade, with the tips and spars a darker
blue, almost indigo in the right light. His muzzle joins in with the
length, stretched until it looks almost wolfish, and his eyes whirl
sedately, taking in his surroundings with a zen-like calm.

Hidden Fool's Gold Hatchling preens as she stretches her wings to their
full span, then hops down onto the table, balancing as she does so.

Amaris watches as the small queen emerges as she feeds her new pet. With
her free hand she takes a few strips of meat and places of them in all
around her, trying a variation of Fyra's technique. "Look, Fy." She says,
totally oblvious to her friends pain, pointing to the little gold. "Well,
if we're getting in trouble for them might as well try for another." She
says, a finger pointing to her attempt at impressing another firelizard
while still feeding the brown.

Cirrus Sunset Egg shudders slightly.

Danika smiles brightly at Sesquina. "I hadn't thought of that. Except if he
stays picky, he won't want to try what I make. But then I'll know, if he
does try something, that it *must* be good."

Crispin glances back at Derindrel with a grin, "They're all well trained
and self sufficient - you know that. They're very useful and I've /always/
wanted a gold." "Yes, all my messages to all my girls across Pern."

Muerte bugles in response to the baby gold's arrival, and fans his wings,
too. A'deth, who'd been paying enough attention to beam at Juliri and
Kassima, glances over-- and blinks. "She looks like a stone hidden in the
desert, worn smooth like a secret." He glances down at his bowl, which is
still there, and then -- shaking his head at himself -- reaches for a piece
of meat that's not particularly drippy but from some choice part that's
such a deep red that it's almost purple. And offers it to the gold. "I
don't think Muerte would stand for it if I didn't."

Hidden Fool's Gold Hatchling looks around, torn between all the offers for
her regal attention.

R'layn smiles at the gold's antics, apparently not caring about her
unusually drab colour. "Quite the little gold. Oh-" And now the lean blue
gets a onceover, Ril wriggling the meat with newfound enthusiasm. "He looks
calm. Would probably get along with Macca well enough."

Forever Skies Blue Hatchling stretches his overly long body, and
practically slithers out of the basket.

Carmen hails a drudge, who brings her a bowl for her green as well as one
to entice hatchlings. Sham seems content to munch on her treat from the
tabletop, and that leaves Carmen free to talk and watch. That she's elitist
is no secret, and so long as the creature's healthy, a gold's a gold.
Speaking of golds, she turns and offers a cold smile to Juliri. "A pleasure
to meet you, I'm certain." But then she reachs to dangle meat for the gold,
shaking it a little to catch the hatchling's attention.

"'Lo, Carmen. Nice to meet you," Juliri greets, offering the girl a smile
and a bob of her head. "Vineyards, eh? No wonder why you know her," the
goldrider jokes to Kassima, comically waggling her eyebrows about to the
best of her ability. Once again not paying attention to the hatchlings,
Juliri needlessly wiggles the meat around though keeps her attention on
Carmen and Kassima, grinning at the pair. "None of mine would protest a
gold, but Malaith said that -she's- better."

Calliosae notices Deri's wave from the corner of her eyes and she turns to
smile shyly at the older boy before her attention moves to the gold
hatchling with a curious look. Her head tilts again as she balances on the
table and shyly she reaches her meat out in that direction along with the
others. She shifts nervously, slightly leaning in and wiggling the meat.

Sesquina's eyes are drawn from the gold to the new arrival. "Whoa. Look at
that." she watches him exit the basket and giggles softly. "Now there's
trouble looking for a place to happen." her eyes turn back to the gold.

From Zenith's shoulder, Nevo loosens his grip on Zenith ever so slightly
when the gold is hatched, trumpeting loudly, a declaration of his approval.

Hidden Fool's Gold Hatchling looks around again, spying a particularly
juicy offering, and takes a few steps towards it, then is distracted by the
bugling of the males in the room.

Forever Skies Blue Hatchling slithers around the table, his sleek body
darting to and fro with a wolfish grace.

Cirrus Sunset Egg gently falls to pieces around its inhabitant.

An almost uniform rich blue-green adorns this graceful firelizards hide,
flowing evenly along well-proportioned haunches and forelimbs, up over her
neck and in a blaze down her muzzle, edged in coppery-yellows. Looking
closer at her hide will reveal myriad splotches, almost indistinguishable
until you examine her closely, and then revealing delicate gradiations in
color from sea-foam to deep green, but shading so slowly they appear to be
a lesson in patience. The overall effect is quite stunning, and the
somewhat haughty personality of this green indicates that she is well-aware
of the effect.

"I think if we bring 'nother, mum will drop us /and/ the creature
:between:," Fyra notes to her friend. The gold is eyed now, frowning. "Is
that even a healthy color on a gold?" She's still trying to wrestle her own
lizard down, who apparently isn't ready to quit just yet. "I've dealt with
worse!" She hisses to her firelizard before finally settling her into her
lap. Her bitten fingers are stared at in one hand. "I don't know what to
call her, now," she huffs, though her train of thought is definitely
turning towards the worse as she regards the teeth marks in her hand.

Crispin holds out the meat on the flat of his palm towards the queen, not
saying anything but simply watching her and trying to reach out with his
emotions. Cedar shakes his entire body and puffs up, as though trying to
make himself look very good to the young gold.

Sesquina turns to look over her shoulder at the calls of the assembled
bronzes, eyebrows going up. She turns and looks to Danika. "So they like to
impersonate Harpers?" she asks with a good natured giggle, wiggle, jiggle
goes the meat in her hand.

Danika glances over at the weaver. "You know, you could try a trail of meat
slices. Might lead a firelizard to you from afar if it works. Not sure if
it would work, but there's plenty of meat if it doesn't."

"She is a bit pale." Amaris agrees with Fyra, watching the little gold for
a moment longer before turning her attention to the blue and green. "Oh,
I'm sure she wouldn't drop us, Saynth wouldn't let us," But uncertainty
hits her and she turns to face her friend. "Right?"

Kassima readily steps aside to leave A'deth more room to try, and the gold
more room to see that purple offering-- "An appropriate color," she quips,
laughing, "for an Igen-born queen! A blue lad, and--green? She's green?
They're hale-looking." She eyes the somewhat tattered meatroll in her hand,
but though she plays with a ragged edge she doesn't rip a strip free. Not
yet, anyway.

R'layn smiles fondly at the blueish green fire-lizard just hatched, then
leans back in his seat to rest his arms a moment. "They've all been rather
unusual," the rider notes to those nearby. "All kinds o'funny colours and
the like." He gnaws at his lower lip, thinking.

Derindrel holds out his scrap of meat, hand still wrapped in silvery cloth,
watching with breath held. Calliosae gets an excited twitch of a smile,
which travels down to the meat. Twitch. "Easy, now..."

Calliosae blinks again at the gold's distraction, giggling softly in her
amusement. She leans forward again, slightly squishing the meat between her
fingers and letting out a small squeak in surprise which she quickly
attempts to cover. Her cheeks grow redder and she sends Deri a quick and
nervous look.

A'deth chuckles at Juliri. "Indeed, there's simply no comparison." And he
calls to the buglers, "She's too young to flirt back yet, you know, you
tiny reprobates!" His long arm remains outstretched, his scarred fingers
wriggling the meat very gently. And he nods at Kassima's words. "Perfect
for a little Igenite queen."

Forever Skies Blue Hatchling slinks around the table some more, snatching
bits off the table, then tiny nibbles from multiple pieces of meat.

"I'm sure your lifemate would be most correct, weyrwoman," Carmen informs
her with a courtesan's practised laugh. "Malaith, was her name?" she
inquires, the opposite of Juliri in that her eyes never leave the
hatchlings, though she does keep up her end of the conversation. "Oh,
Kassima, did you receive your wines all right?"

Sesquina considers the bakers suggestion for a moment. "Not a bad idea.
Maybe lay them out in a nice straight line?" her eyes flash in humor. "If
nothing else would make it fun to see if any of it got eaten after the
hatching."

"Oy, these ones are loud," Juliri says, turning her head and narrowing her
eyes at all the male firelizards bugling in the room, causing her meat to
wriggle even more from her movement. The bowl of meat on her knee moves as
though to tip over dangerously, but the goldrider's quick about it and
reaches out with a slender hand to keep it upright and stable. "So, how
many 'lizards do you have now, Kassima? I recall a rather large grouping,"
comes her idle question to the greenrider even as she watches the stumbling
and confused hatchlings. Drip drip goes the meat. "Right. No comparison at
-all-, but that doesn't stop Malaith from saying anything," the Telgari
notes with a faint wrinkle of her nose, head inclined towards the bowl
where an irritated rumbling can be heard by those nearest to the exit. To
Carmen: "Malaith, yes. She's out in the bowl."

R'layn laughs at the blue's nibbling, the corners of the Istan's eyes
wrinkling. "We're a buffet to him, I reckon." He renews his efforts at
luring a hatchling towards him, cheered by the slinky blue, though he looks
away from the baby fire-lizards to survey the various adult ones about.

Hidden Fool's Gold Hatchling pauses again, then spies a brilliant flash of
purple and takes a step forward, watching it wiggle, her head following the
movement, darting side to side. This tidbit looks fit for a queen - and she
lunges for it.

Hidden Fool's Gold Hatchling stumbles towards A'deth.

Crispin smiles towards A'deth despite not Impressing the queen. He tosses
the bit of meat towards the blue and then stands, so he won't inadvertently
impress. "Looks like our mystery man got her," he says with a grin to
Derindrel.

Summer Thunderstorms Egg shudders

Windswept Mesa Egg shivers and shakes.

Sesquina watches the queen lunge and chomp. "Wow, once they make up their
mind, they don't second guess, do they?" she shakes her head, leaving the
one piece dangling from her hand she turns her eyes from the two hatchlings
to the bowl. "Lets see if I can find enough good pieces to make that line...."

Fyra finally turns her full attention away from her green, seeing that she
was now dozing off. "Saynth? Well, she likes /me/, but she does obey all of
mum's orders." She watches the gold and when she finally makes her
decision, she grins over at the greenrider. "Congrats," she calls up to him.

Calliosae squeaks as the gold darts away and takes a breath, her hand moves
away and she drops the meat she squished. A glance around and she wrinkles
her nose slightly, wiggling her hand to get the juices from it before
gently reaching for another piece and holding it more gingerly. She doesn't
offer this one out yet, glancing to Deri with a curious smile.

R'layn whews faintly as the gold goes for A'deth. "Golds can be nasty, so's
I hear. Then again, that green wasn't exactly very nice," he notes quietly,
though without malice, watching the blue intently and purposefully flicking
the meat he's offering.

Forever Skies Blue Hatchling slinks up to an waving piece of meat, then
snaps at it, stretching his considerable length towards the strip.

Forever Skies Blue Hatchling stumbles towards R'layn.

Summer Thunderstorms Egg splits into five or six large pieces with a sharp
cracking sound as the hatchling stumbles out, creeling.

The muzzle of this little bronze is wreathed in deep reddish-bronze,
feathering down his neck in what can only be described as flame-like
patterns, slowly diffusing along his body until reaching a dark, almost
blackened tail and hindlimbs. Here and there on his wings and chest there
are bursts of yellowish-bronze and brown resembling sparks against the
darker hide around them. His body is whip-thin and agile, invoking a
feeling of quickness and a snappy disposition, and his eyes whirl red
often, revealing quite the temper.

Kassima brightens at mention of the wines. Of course she does. "I did,
Carmen, thankee. The two Reds I'm saving for a reward for m'self after the
Weyrlings graduate, as they'll do in a few days. There'll be a grand party.
The bubbly white I've a mind t'share with someone in particular. If'n
you're ever in the market for wines, Juliri--I'm well-pleased with the deal
I received." And so the promotional scheme begins to work. Darting a glance
up to where her fair perches amidst the throng, "Over two dozen, under two
score, and that gives you a clear enough picture of how insane I am. Oh,
A'deth." A bright smile. "Felicitations indeed. She's lovely."

After eating his fill the greasy brown hatchling curls up in Amaris' lap.
After examining her new pet she strokes his headnobs gently. "He just needs
a good bath." She says before her eyes catch the bronze's arrival. "Look,
Fy, guess this clutch will have a bronze after all." With a frown she
states. "These flits sure do have some attitude."

Aged Copper Green Hatchling peers around, watching her sister and brother
find pink-things, and slinks out of the basket herself, eyes whirling
hungrily.

Zenith watches as the gold and the blue hatchlines both stumble towards
their new Impressed, but quickly turns his eyes back to the area
surrounding the basket as the dark grey egg shatters to reveal a bronze
baby. From his shoulder, he can feel Nevo tense up the tiniest bit, but
disregards it, and leans over on his knees, dunking his fingers in his
bowl, getting ready to join the fun.

Indeed. Carmen's smile widens slowly as Kassima praises her vintages to the
goldrider. Grey eyes narrow as she notices the gold going for A'deth.
R'layn's impression earns him a cool nod and a crisp, "Congratulations,
indeed," before she turns back to watch the basket, having forgotten about
the meat dangling from her hand.

Windswept Mesa Egg rolls in a circle around the basket, bumping into the
angry looking bronze as it moves.

"Congratulations," Juliri says over to A'deth as the little gold lunges at
the wriggling piece of meat, taking care not to spill her bowl of meat as
she turns in her chair to regard the said greenrider. "Not so much in the
market as a casual enjoyer of them," Juliri notes to Kassima, flicking a
somewhat bloodied finger to regard her mostly untouched wine. "However,
I'll let you," she nods to both Kassima and Carmen, "know if I happen to
feel the need for some of my own."

Fyra looks down at her friend's brown now. "I think that's natural, on
'im," she says with a chuckle. And then her head whirls about at the
mention of bronze. "So there is! An' here I thought she left 'em all back
with the mother gold." She kicks at the bowl at the end of her feet where
she pushed it out to for anyone to take, if they've come in meatless. "So
whatcha going to name yours? I can't really decide at the end. I think I'll
toss Sayn some names an' see if she approves."

Despite those snapping jaws, R'layn can't help but beam at the blue
hatchling stretching towards his meat strip to take it. While the hatchling
nibbles on that, R'layn lets a hand venture forth to stroke the length of
the lean 'lizard, fingers delicately tracing the blue's ridges. "C'mon,
let's get some space." He scoops a hand carefully beneath his new
companion, so that he can grab his jacket and helmet awkwardly in the other
hand, put the blue into the bowl of meat, pick that up and leave for a
quieter corner. Complicated.

Sesquina is suffering from the sort of thing a Weaver will, focusing in on
detail. "Too stringy." another piece of meat is looked at. "Maybe, but not
for the first piece." quickly she gets two, three and even four pieces of
meat sorted out. Readjusting the bowl she withdraws the current offering,
which is showing the results of being jiggled about. Going through the ones
she has selected, she picks one out. As she bends over to check the floor
to see how much space she has to work with, one strip, one of the rejected
ones, takes advantage of the chance to escape, plopping to the floor at the
side of her foot, unbeknownst to her.

A'deth releases the meat only once the drab-backed gold's sunk teeth and
talons into it, and when she's devoured it, offers more of the same-- each
one a little closer, a little closer, until he might carefully gather the
baby lizard up into his palm and feed her there. "Thank you," he says to
Fyra and Kassima, grinning crookedly-- and then he laughs at R'layn, too.
"And you've a sly one. I'm surprised that he didn't choose a harper." For
his part, Muerte bugles again, and then leans over to nuzzle Kyana who is,
after all, the hatchlings' honorary mother.

R'layn walks out to the Bowl.

Calliosae glances at the new bronze, gingerly reaching her meat out in his
direction. Then the green comes out and she shifts to place her meat in
between the two with a slight wiggle. She slightly shifts, leaning in once
more before turning her head slightly to peek at the others gathered with a
quirk of her brows.

Wildfire Bronze Hatchling spreads his wings and lets out a tiny bugle in
audible challenge to the other males in the room, then stalks around the
basket, hissing at the last egg.

Derindrel chuckles into his hand again, smirking at Crispin and shaking his
head. "Mystery man. I've definitely got to talk to you after this." A
bronze is revealed and he raises his eyebrows at Calliosae from over the
basket, flipping his meat this way and that, nearly losing grip on it for
but a moment. It's begun to soak into the material, though Derindrel seems
not to mind. Beazle, ugly creature that he is, only responds to the the
little bronze with tight regard.

Kassima beams more for R'layn's attachment of the little blue. "And t'you!
Congrats. Shells, I love these things," she adds to no one in particular,
bouncing a little on her feet. Even without a blue in the basket now she
surrenders to the spirit of things, ripping off a long, thin piece to offer
the little green--and bronze, why not?--although without seeming too intent
on success. "Nay in the market for wine," she murmurs, and shakes her head
in sad disbelief. "What a strange, strange world we live in."

Amaris looks back down to the brown snoozing away on her lap, her brow
wrinkling. "Dunno, maybe something with a 'P'?" She says, her mouth
slightly agape before she says. "Pan?" She tests out, her eyes moving over
to Fyra's to see what she thinks.

Aged Copper Green Hatchling regards her brother with disbelief, and spreads
her wings, looking for a likely admirer.

Windswept Mesa Egg bumps into the bronze again, cracking a bit.

Stormy eyes are drawn to the newest arrival on the scene, an angry-looking
bronze that has an attitude which makes her smile almost genuine. "What a
bronze," Carmen breathes with calculating admiration. She suddenly
remembers that she's got meat to attract him with, and she reaches out,
dangling and wriggling the meat bits to catch his eye. "Come along, you
beauty," she mumbles, more to herself than anything, gaze never leaving the
prowling creature.

Windswept Mesa Egg shivers into four or five large pieces, as a tiny
hatchling tumbles out.

This scraggly-looking brown is covered in a criss-crossing pattern of tan
lines, branching from a central darker tan line that traces from headknobs
to tail-tip. His wings are veined in green, with the undersides also
criss-crossed, but the spars are a dark, almost mocha color, which shades
down his forelimbs and along his chest and belly. His eyes whirl
green-blue, in contrast to the slight twitchiness that seems to shudder
over his body every now and then. The criss-cross patterns also give the
illusion of movement to this little firelizards hide, creating a
restlessness accentuated by the random twitches.

Fyra shrugs her shoulder back. "Pan sounds good. I don' know much 'bout
names... I'll probably call her Shells or Shards cause it'll be what I'll
yell when she keeps biting me." And the little green is looking just a bit
peaceful in her lap, but the young girl knows better. She rubs at her head
now that she's asleep. "Is that still an egg left? I didn't notice it
there..." But then it bursts open and she blinks at the new arrival.

Wildfire Bronze Hatchling hisses at the newly hatched brown and pushes him
out of the basket, mantling his wings.

"I'm not so much a drinker of it as you are," Juliri remarks wryly to
Kassima, eyes dancing with a great deal of amusement. "I'd be glad to come
and 'enjoy' some with you, though," comes her offer of companionship, given
as she wriggles meat all tempting-like towards the remaining hatchlings.
"This is a feisty clutch, isn't it? More brutal than some dragonets."
Unless you're Istan, of course. Then the dragonets are infinately more
threatening.

Aged Copper Green Hatchling hisses at the bronze, then stalks off down the
table, away from all the undignified ruckus.

Tumbleweed Brown Hatchling turns and hisses as he picks himself up from the
table, his tiny size not keeping him from challenging the bigger bronze,
twitching.

Sria comes down the stairway.

Zenith gently holds out a piece of meat, waiting to see what he'll attract.
He knows well-enough by now that untrained flits do pretty much as they
please, and no amount of vocal coaxing will likely sway them.

Lanisa comes down the stairway.

Crispin grins back at Derindrel and nods, "I'm looking forward to it."
Other than that he steps back, to let his friend have the best chance of
Impressing.

Sesquina giggles. "Well, at least one of them has some common sense." she
grins. "All of them are all so beautiful in so many different ways." She
starts to arrange the meat strips on the table before her, a simple
organized straight pattern, three of them. The fourth she holds out with a
jiggle and wiggle, watching all three of them.

Calliosae gasps softly at the bronze. "O-O-Oh! H-How mean.." She murmurs,
stuttering nonetheless. She leans in with her meat towards that poor little
brown. A glance between the two fighting firelizards and her lips form into
a slight pout. "H-How awful..." She murmurs, wiggling her meat out in hopes
to stop the fight of the two.

Derindrel gasps as the little brown goes tumbling out of the basket,
instinctively reaching with his free hand for a catch. He snatches his hand
back, though, biting his lip in concern. After he's righted, though, the
harper says to his partner, "Looks like we've a fight on our hands! Bets?"
The meat he holds has gone somewhat dry, though it's certainly shiny.

Aged Copper Green Hatchling folds her wings carefully and minces around the
table, stopping in front of an interesting configuration of meat. She
reaches out a forelimb and pulls one strip towards another, then grabs
another and starts bolting down meat.

Aged Copper Green Hatchling stumbles towards Sesquina.

Sria is saying, "..and by the time I got around to even thinking about it,
a Turn had all but passed, so it hardly seemed reasonable. Pink and teal,
it's not -so- bad. In some lights." She grins at Lanisa, then nods toward
the crowd. "What do you suppose?"

"The bronze reminds me of Lysseth too," Kassima offers to Juliri; Istans,
and native Bendenites? "Although even Lyss doesn't go about attacking
clutchmates, shells and shards." If she were sane the bronze's violent
tendencies might make her rethink even her desultory meat-wiggling. She's
not. They don't. "A'course you're welcome t'visit," she adds, smiling.
"There's a lot of time t'be catching up on."

Wildfire Bronze Hatchling turns to the little brown, hissing and mantling,
hopping down onto the table to circle the little brown and snap at him.

"Wild, I heard," A'deth says to Juliri. "Kyana brought them in, clever girl
that she is. But savagery just means they'll be vigorous and healthy, I
think, now that they'll have human friends to temper their temper-- look,
see, that brown's no worse for wear." And to Kassi, he leans in to murmur
softly, "Good luck." He hasn't stopped feeding his tiny gold, though her
appetite's begun to slow at the rate at which her belly has begun to distend.

Watching the bronze bully his sibling, Carmen finds a wicked grin spreading
across her face. "Oh, Kassima, look at that one," she exclaims with
barely-concealed excitement, nodding towards the scrapping 'lizards. "He's
beautiful, and he doesn't take any beef from anyone." She nods again and
looks away long enough to grin up at the rider. "I like him!"

Amaris nods her head at Fyra's name choices. "How about Shardin? Or maybe
Snake?" As she eyes the evil green flit she continues. "Oh, fight!" She
says excitedly as she watches the brothers anxiously. "Maybe there'll be a
mauling after all." The newly named Pan seems to stir from his slumber,
staring over at his siblings, his eyes whirling rather fast, seeming just
as excited as Amaris. "Oh look, that green finally picked someone." She
says as she catches the little hatchling bolting down Sequina's offering.
"Just those two now."

Crispin shakes his head, "No bets today, no. I left my marks at home for
that reason."

"And it's good that she doesn't," Juliri notes with another wrinkle of her
nose to Kassima, continuing with meat wriggling just like Kassima's. "Ah,
wild then?" Eyes flick consideringly towards the remaining hatchlings at
A'deth's words before the goldrider replies with, "Perhaps. Hate to see
what'd happen if they don't mellow." Carmen's excitement prompts a quick
smile to flash across Juls' face before she remarks, "Oh, I'll visit more
often, definately. Good to see that you're doing well, here, though," to
Kassima.

Sesquina focuses in on the green who seems to have spotted the careful meat
line. "Its all yours if you want it." She watches the bits disappear
quickly. "Wow! Like dinnertime at the Crafthall." she giggles as the green
looks up at her and gives a loud chirp. /More!/ Sesquina giggles, pulling a
strip from the bowl and offering it. "Well, I guess you will get a chance
to help me with my stitches, hmm?" the meat is dispatched in short order,
another bit offered.

"Huh. Well, I suppose. I mean if you say so and all. I'd have made the kids
do something about it though, or ask what else there might be and all.
Well, hardly seems to matter now though, I expect." Lanisa seems to agree
on the timing at least if not the rest. The rest she eyes sidelong, the
telltale signs leaving her shaking her head, "More mouths to feed, I'd wager."

Calliosae makes a face at the pair again. "O-Oh.. Y-Y-You're a bully..."
She mutters towards the bronze, pointedly offering her meat to that brown
in an attempt to bring the poor thing closer to herself. There's a glare in
Derindrel's direction and her cheeks flush a dark shade of red before she
glances back at the fighting firelizards.

Fyra arches both her brows at the fighting male hatchlings. "Well, maul the
/crowd/, I hoped." She can't help but chuckle at the antics, though. "Now
there's a bronze to match with this little green." She nudges said green in
her lap, who lets out a sleepy hiss at being disturbed. "Bring both of 'em
an' Mum won't even look at us before going home." She glances at the newly
match green, head bobbing. "Yah, she did. Better to get 'way from her
brothers. I bet the bronze will win any match he comes up 'gainst."

Tumbleweed Brown Hatchling hisses back at his brother, although he retreats
in the face of direct confrontation, hide twitching and eyes whirling,
seeking shelter in the sea of pink-things.

Crispin gently nudges Derindrel and nods towards Calliosae, "Looks like
you've got some attention yourself," he murmurs with a grin.

Tumbleweed Brown Hatchling stumbles towards Calliosae.

An adult queen, red-gold, swoops down from her high perch to claim
Kassima's shoulder and hiss down at the two young combatants: stop that at
once! "Mayhaps flick meat at him, then, Carmen," Kassi suggests, eyeing the
two with some concern. "Distract him. This can't end well otherwise." She
wiggles her offering a bit more energetically, in case that will help
somehow. "I'm doing very well," she confirms to Juliri. And sounds as
though she means it. "He might better suit Carmen," she murmurs to A'deth.
"But thankee; 'twould nay complain, either."

Wildfire Bronze Hatchling continues to hiss at the brown, following him
towards the pink-things, eyes glittering evily. At the hiss from the gold,
he turns and hisses back half-heartedly, then retreats, complaining all the
way.

Calliosae squeaks softly as the brown comes towards her, smiling happily.
"There..." She coos softly, shifting to feed the brown meat. She does eye
that bronze carefully, frowning and shifting to shield the poor brown and
tossing a piece of meat out to the bronze in an attempt at a distraction
before returning to feeding the brown.

"Many options, not nearly so much time to act upon them." Sria smiles,
though it's less bright as she adds, "Temporary, anyway." - "I suspect
you're right, in one form or another. Oh, I did see that basket of eggs
this morning." As she sees it, she notes: "Looks like the little brown just
chose. Do you have many of these, Lanisa?"

Carmen listens, and then hastens to follow instructions--the woman's a
rider after all, she likely knows what she's saying. Flinging a bit of meat
towards the bronze, she follows up with another bit halfway between that
one and her before grabbing more meat from her bowl. "Thanks Kassima," she
remembers her manners belatedly, though she doesn't spare a glance for the
rider. Her whole attention is rivited on that feisty fighter bronze. Her
nose wrinkles in distaste at his brother's retreat. "Not much of one in
that brown though," she says with condescension, her voice cold.

"Good, good," Juliri says, wriggling her meat a little enthusiastically,
making it bop to and fro in an interesting manner. "Yeah, maybe you could
throw some pieces at him," is her oh-so-helpful suggestion given to Carmen
as she again takes her eyes away from the hatchlings, quirking a brow
upwards and wriggling her meat to indicate the bronze. "Who knows, maybe
he's really a glutton for punishment, for all his bravado."

Wildfire Bronze Hatchling hisses again, and stalks around the table,
snapping at fingers and making one of the smaller weyrbrats cry out in fear
as he bolts random pieces dropped before him, then stalks further.

"Does make one wonder... Did she find it like that, or set it up all
special, eh?" Lanisa muses though her attention is now split between
gathering and Weyrlingmaster, "Hmm? Oh, just the one. Tisiath tries to get
me to paint the poor chap blue at irregular intervals.

"Browns defer to bronzes," A'deth states quietly to Carmen. "Just like
dragons do. It can't be helped. Just like the bronze couldn't naysay
Kassima's queen. No sense in scorning them for what they do naturally, is
there?"

Amaris eyes the bronze and brown fight with great amusement and as the
brown runs off and impresses she turns back to Fyra. "If they both 'pressed
you I think you're mom would leave you here." Watching as the bronze snaps
at the brats she laughs. "And with good reason."

Sesquina giggles as the green, appetite satiated, climbs her tunic and,
wrapping tail around neck, settles on her shoulder and nestles into her
blonde hair. Her hand follows, gently touching the green.

Wildfire Bronze Hatchling bugles and stalks around the table, then finally
snaps at a shiny piece of meat, pulling it hard as he bolts it down, then
bugles for another.

"Between him, Darvan, Koreyn, and Kevazyr, anyone who ever tried t'filch or
do mischief on m'things would *suffer*," Kassima mutters, and since she
swings the meat to and fro, an edible pendulum, the thought must have
appeal. "Throw in Zabre and... why do I have so many fire-lizards that want
t'murder things, anyway? Is this normal?"

Zenith is still wiggling the piece of meat. Despite the green being
Impressed, there're still the bronze and the brown to contend with.

Fyra grins as well once the brown chooses. "Wuss," she calls to the
recently impressed firelizard. "Didn't want to stick 'round and lose to
him." She turns her toothy grin up to Amaris. "Well, Igen doesn't seem that
bad of a place, right? An' I bet eventually I'll find my way home." Most
likely after being kicked out, too. She flicks her sticky hand, nearly
dried out but still tainted red, at the younger girl.

Calliosae glares at the bronze again, shifting away with the brown and
gently cradling him in her arms. She lets out a gentle hum in an attempt to
soothe him and once away she glances back at Derindrel to watch him
carefully. The feeding of the brown continues with her eyes on the other
apprentice.

Wildfire Bronze Hatchling stumbles towards Derindrel.

Sria grins. "No idea. I've the one that's -already- blue. Sort of. Grayish
blue. Sruth takes very little interest." The same might be said for Sria,
though Kassima's sound more fascinating, as she overhears: "Murder things?
That adds to the intrigue factor, at least."

Sesquina turns to Danika, glancing at her green and Danika's blue. "Yep.
Going to be an interesting trip back home." she observes, reaching for her
juice again. "That was interesting. Very interesting."

Carmen heeds Juliri's words too--after all, two riders can't be wrong can
they? She'll listen as A'deth explains, and she nods, though she doesn't
leave it at that. "But do we not scorn those who naturally lack talent or
the will to try hard at something? They come naturally by that as well."
She turns back to the hatchlings, only to watch the bronze impress to the
Harper Bitran. "Shards and shells!" she hisses, throwing her remaining meat
on the ground before regaining herself. "Oh well, at least he went to a
Bitran." That, apparently, makes it all better.

Kyana watches the last egg hatch and the last hatchling impress with a
smile. "Well worth the scars.." she murmurs as she looks around.

There's a warning rumble from just outside of the caverns, which causes
Fyra's head to snap up, well aware of that sound. "That's Sayn. Mum's
probably done. We better get outside or she'll just leave us here if she
sees we got 'lizards." She gets up, rubbing at her clothes with the sticky
hand even as she picks up the sleepy green in the other. "Let's get out of
here," she hisses to Amaris before trailing away from the crowd and towards
the bowl.

Danika smiles and nods at Sesquina. She carefully stands up, trying to keep
the blue in the crook of her arm as she does it. "I'm going to look for
some oil for him. And we'll still have to help carry supplies back with us
so I want to make sure to take care of this." With that she sets out in her
search.

Danika strides through the passageway into the Inner Caverns.

Juliri deposits the piece of meat back into the bowl, shifting it from her
knee to the table with a grin. Wiping her hands on a nearby towel, the
goldrider picks herself up from the chair and bobs herself towards Kassima
and Carmen, reclaiming her jacket from the back of the seat. "Nice to see
you, Kassi, and nice to meet you, Carmen. Malaith's rumbling something
fierce, though. Wants to get back to Telgar." With that, the goldrider
takes her leave after giving the two a smile, heading out towards the bowl
and her waiting gold.

Juliri walks out to the Bowl.

Sesquina nods, sighing. Torn for the moment between oil and juice. So to
solve the problem, she downs the juice and moves to follow the baker.

Sesquina strides through the passageway into the Inner Caverns.

A'deth rolls his eyes at Kassima. "Like rider, like 'lizards?" And he spies
the impression of that troublemaking bronze. "Hah! Congatulations, lad!" In
his hand, his newest friend lets out a dainty belch and falls quite
abruptly asleep. Carmen's words haul his attention back. "I don't scorn
anyone," he replies evenly, "Who's had the the misfortune of being born
with what might seem to be lesser aptitudes. That brown might well outfly
that bronze... he might be good at remembering to run errands better. He
might well not alienate every queen in sight. Talents aren't always
obvious. We won't know, he's only just been born."

Zenith stands up straight, and pulls a napkin off the table to dry his
juice-covered hands. Despite not having Impressed any of the lizards, he
smiles at the crowed still lounging about the cavern, fussing over the new
collection of tiny flits. He rubs Nevo, who's still perched on his shoulder.

Amaris gently craddles her the sleeping brown in her arms as she sets off
after Fyra. "We'd better get on her before Rupa sees us with these things."
And she runs out to the bowl, hoping to beat the greenrider to the dragon.

Fyra walks out to the Bowl.

Amaris walks out to the Bowl.

"Greyish blue, eh? I expect that would satisfy Tisi, but he's having ever
so much fun at being annoyed that Nex is brown." The next is added under
Lani's breath, "Silly creatures, really." A brow arcs and then, "Murder, is
it?"

Derindrel's eyes follow Crispin's and his lip tweaks a little. "What do you
mean, Lios?" He shakes his head. "Lios is a friend of mine." Speaking of
which, there's an impression made, and a congratulation to be made. Before
he can he impresses his own, smiling over. "I guess there'll be more
battles to come!"

Kassima straightens, and without further ado pops the strip of meatroll
into her own mouth; no point in waste. "Mmmph, mmph," she answers Sria.
Swallows, looks sheepish and tries again. "Three of mine are never so happy
as when they're hunting tunnelsnakes in the Caverns, and I don't want t'be
discussing how many times I've cleaned out under the press, or the table,
and found severed heads. I swear they do it on *purpose*." She blows A'deth
a raspberry. "You realize," she says as the queen lapses into
unconsciousness, "you've just argued your manners are... colorful."

IGEN-> Kyana whews. My fingers are tired.

IGEN-> A'deth thanks Kyana! <3

IGEN-> Kassima says, "Awesome Hatching, Kyana. :) Be proud!"

Sria smiles. "They do look happy, though. I do hear rumors that they're not
all so horribly tempered as the blues that seem to grace my family." She
laughs at A'deth's surmise, and then, to Kassi: "I suppose perspective all
depends on whether you'd rather find the heads, or the entire tunnelsnakes
still alive while your firelizards sit idly by."

IGEN-> Kyana grins and takes a little bow. "I'm glad it went well, and with
minimal mavs"

Zenith walks out to the Bowl.

IGEN-> A'deth says, "And the poses were cute, and the descs marvellous. :o
And we got a bunch of nice visitors."

"Ah, well.. Who isn't happier hunting." Lanisa muses. "T'was simpler days
when that was all I had to worry over, no doubt." She gives a wink and
slips hands into pockets as she adds with a grin, "Horribly tempered blues
though? Surely not?"

IGEN-> Kyana grins. "Yay for me!" and basks for a moment

Sitting back and wiping her bloodied hands on a nearby napkin, Carmen turns
to eye A'deth coolly as she listens to his response. "That brown might well
do any of those things you suggest, or he might do none of them, I agree
that we cannot know those things now." She sits up a bit, moving to arrange
her skirts into a better position. "My only point was that he hasn't the
fighting spirit of the bronze, a spirit I've seen in even greens, and so I
see no error in my judgement." She raises her arm for Sham--who gladly
alights on it to scramble up to her shoulder, where the zippity green
finally seems to settle.

IGEN-> R'yki says, "Unfortuantly I wasn't on soon enough to join :/."

IGEN-> Kassima might hold another sometime. I haven't started work on it
yet, but post-grad... yes, I think the 80s Music Clutch of Death must occur.

IGEN-> Kyana is so there...someday Kyana will actually impress a lizard
instead of just descing them :)

IGEN-> Lanisa grins :)

IGEN-> Kyana bribes Kassima to make a david bowie hatchling

IGEN-> Sria somehow doubts you'd need a bribe for that one, Kyana ;)

IGEN-> Lanisa agrees ;)

Sria considers, and relents, slightly: "My aunt's is quite horrible, yes.
Les has another who's just horribly overweight. And my Fieru... well, he's
not all bad. Mostly lacking in punctuality and reliability. All blues,
though." She grins. "Don't tell Tisiath."

"Your family Impresses ill-tempered blues?" Kassima asks Sria, interested.
"Oh, I'd rather the heads. Probably. 'Twould nay always mind if'n they left
a few more for me, nay that I've gone hunting in an age. We should go,
Lani--mayhaps it should be a Weyr outing, bringing home a bit of wild
game." It's an idea fit to brighten a knife-loving greenrider's eyes.
"'Twas a fine, full clutch, Kyana; I'm sorry you took scars in the finding,
but glad you did find it."

A'deth blinks at Kassima, and then down at his own hatchling, and then
shrugs... and delicately licks his fellow greenrider's cheek. "What
manners?" To Carmen, then, he shrugs gently and his smile is bland. "Scorn
as you like. And cast those cold eyes elsewhere, child, you'll not make me
quail."

...And being licked is something fit to redden a knife-loving greenrider's
cheeks, substantially. "Excellent question, reprobate."

Crispin grins and claps Derindrel on the shoulder. "Congratulations. I'm
going to go get some fresh air and all. I'll catch up later."

Crispin walks out to the Bowl.

Lanisa says "Aye. Probably better to leave him in the dark on that score,
mind you, he's good natured about most things like that. Could be he's just
used to his clutchbrother though." She shrugs and then grins Kassi's way,
"We should. Seems like it's been far too long since I escaped dusty old
hides for much more than Fall and the like."

Calliosae glances at Deri, noticing him looking towards her and she grows
red. Slowly she glances downwards at the brown and continues to offer him
meat until he falls asleep. Her brows draw forth into a frown and she
resettles the brown as she relaxes against the table she stands near. A
curious glance towards Deri once more.

Kyana smiles at Kassima and shrugs. "Scars fade, and twas worth it to see
what sort of beasties would hatch.." she says with a grin, then giggles at
A'deth and Kassima.

A'deth's reprimand earns him a raised brow and an amused smirk, but no
more. Turning to Kassima, Carmen offers a more genuine smile. "When will
you be up to Bitra next, greenrider? I'm in sore need of a decent opponent
at cards." She moves to tuck a bit of hair behind her ear. "Bring your
flitters, we'll enter them in the races."

"Not all of us," Sria replies to Kassima. "Many do. Jos's bronze is all
right." The idea of the hunt seems to interest her, as well, but the last
makes her glance over to poor scarred Kyana, sympathetic. "Ouch." The
nanny's giggle is enough to bely permanent injury, however, and for its
cause she reserves comment. "Yes," to Lanisa "you are quite surrounded by
blues as it is."

A'deth looks to Kyana. "If you like, as you saw fit to bring us a basket of
lovelies and keep none for yourself, I'll take you out hunting."

Kyana smiles at A'deth. "I'd like that.." she says with a grin as she
gathers up her basket and yawns. "I think I'll go dump this out and hang it
up till the next time.." she says with a smile, and a wave. "Just let me
know; I'm usually in the Nursery, and I'd be happy to go..." she says with
a smile.

Kassima shakes her head. "I'm beginning t'think 'tis m'life's calling
t'rescue persons from dusty hide durance vile," she sighs, but her
amusement shows through. "Suggest it t'Yaz, Lani? If'n all else fails,
we'll go out ourselves and bring back things with daggers through the eye,
and march 'em through the Living Cavern for the edification of all who do
nay yet fear us, but a group trip has such promise. By the by," shifting
subjects, "Juliri was here, earlier. Said she might come to the
graduation." She leans to bump A'deth's shoulder with her own, just
because. And tells Carmen cheerfully, "Once m'belt pouch digests that new
meal of marks I fed it. Fire-lizard races, now?" Color her intrigued.
"Putting all of mine in would stack the deck considerable. Nay saying I'm
opposed to the notion."

"You mean there is someone that doesn't yet, Kassi? Shards but I have been
at the hides too long in that case." A wink and a lopsided grin before she
nods, "We'll do it, one way or the other." It's back to Sria that Lanisa
turns, "You should join us at it, eh? And yeah. I've seen her bronze and he
seems well enough behaved."

Derindrel gathers up his new firelizard, Beazle looking none too pleased,
and follows Crispin out of the Living Cavern. "Now, to find that Tanner..."

Derindrel walks out to the Bowl.

A'deth just listens to the banter, shoulder-to-shoulder with Kassima. He
transfers the hatchling very gently to his other hand, and shakes the first
one out, flexing stiff fingers.

Calliosae glances at those left in the living caverns, smiling shyly and
flushing a shade of red as she trails out as quickly and as quietly as she
can.

Calliosae walks out to the Bowl.

"Yes, firelizard races. Sham's already won me three of them." Carmen
informs her friend. "They've become more fun over the turns as more people
have been Impressing the little things."

"Love to," Sria replies. "And Sruth even moreso. He's getting antsy, now.
Shame that the hidework involving weyrlings seems to stack that much higher
when they're no longer underfoot quite as much. -- Oh, I hope to see her
there, then," she says, of Juliri, and then to Carmen: "Do you find one
color to be especially talented, for winning races, or does it vary?"

"Reminders are good," Kassima assures Lanisa, grinning brightly indeed.
"Very often worthwhile. You should, Sria; I've never seen you with a
weapon." It's not occurring to her at the moment that Sria might not use
any. She asks A'deth, "Would you hunt with us? --And there's gambling on
'em," she supposes of the races, statement more than question. Remembering
her wine, she takes a leisurely sip; sighs with quiet contentment with the
drink, and the company. "I'd put Kayvist up against anyone."

Carmen shrugs, glancing to Sria. "I've seen all kinds. It depends more on
the build of the flitter than the color. Though the greens and blues seem
to have a definite advantage, I've seen queens and bronzes take it too."
She looks at Kassima out of the corner of her eye. "Oh of course there's
gambling, Kassima. Otherwise it wouldn't be Bitran races."

A'deth blinks at Kassi, pleased. "Certainly, though I've not done so in a
while. I'll try to keep up."

"Flitter, is it? Is that what folks are back to calling them these days?"
Lanisa says with a chuckle and a shake of her head, "Mind you, if the point
is to wager, well..." She grins Kassi's way while giving Carmen a curious
look and then saying on to Sria, "Maybe we can make a day later this
sevenday then. Should be fun, and we could all blow off a bit of steam, eh?"

Kassima interprets that look as another fair cue for an introduction.
"M'manners clearly aren't at their best either, even if'n," droll humor,
"I'm nay licking anyone's face at present. Carmen of Bitra, Lanisa, blue
Tisiath's and Weyrsecond of Igen; Sria, brown Sruth's and Weyrlingmaster;
A'deth, green Jaelith's, Senior Dragonhealer." Naturally, Lanisa gets an
enthusiastic nod. "Blow off steam! Practice our skills! Feast! 'Tis a
win-win-win proposition."

Sria just smiles at Kassima, "No?" - "I'd imagine they would, greens and
blues - though the ability to follow directions, get from point A to point
B, probably helps as well. Carmen of Bitra," she adds, upon introduction.
Lanisa earns a grin: "Sounds like a plan, Weyrsecond."

IGEN-> R'yki would want one too!

"Flitters, yes." Carmen nods in greeting to each in turn as Kassima passes
'round the introductions. To Lanisa: "But Weyrsecond," she begins with a
sly grin. "Isn't the point always a wager?" Sria's comment gets her
attention and she turns to her with another nod. "There are different kinds
of races too. Some where the bonded sends their flitter between to the
starting line, and the critters must fly straight back to their masters.
Others have the people with the creatures at the start, and send them to a
familiar location, others still to an unfamiliar location. There's so much
variety."

"Are there prizes involved in winning?" Kassima's thoughts are absolutely
transparent, aren't they? She's calculating in her head how many marks
thirty fire-lizards could make her, perhaps envisioning stacks of fabulous
prizes... goodness knows what she thinks they'd be, but in her mind,
they're fabulous. "'Tis Bitra. Bitra gives *knives* when you win." Oh, boy.

A'deth just murmurs pleasantly to Carmen, "Well met." Delicately, he
strokes a fingertip along his new firelizard's neck, half of his attention
on the conversation around him and half on she.

Lanisa wrinkles her nose and sighs, rather as if long suffering for one
reason or the other before she then shrugs and shakes her head, "There are
many reasons for things beyond wagering." The smile she gives is friendly
though, but her attention drifts as listens, and it's A'deth she steps
closer to for a moment before asking, ""Think up a name yet?"

"I think it's far beyond anything I'd attempt to get mine to do, but I wish
you luck with yours. And on all your wagers," Sri adds, perhaps for
Kassima's benefit. She turns slightly to hear A'deth's reply, glancing over
the tiny firelizard.

"Well, that depends on a lot, Kassima," Carmen begins. "Like who's hosting
the race, which race you win, and what time of turn it is--or if it's a
special occasion..." She trails off with a ladylike shrug. To Sria, she
nods gracefully and offers a cool smile. "Thank you." A'deth's quiet
greeting earns him a long, hard look--Carmen apparently trying to decipher
something from him. "Well met indeed, Dragonhealer."

Judging by that increasingly hazy expression, Kassi's somewhat lost in
fantasies that have moved on from a few stacks of marks to a weyr floor
covered in them, and every clear space of wall lined in emerald-studded
throwing knives. She shakes them off--eventually--but says all the same,
"'Twill have t'be looking into this, certes." A firm nod. "Although nay
a'fore the Weyrlings are nay longer Weyrlings, at the earliest."

A'deth considers, his brow furrowed very lightly. "Pyrite? Would that be
too common? She looks like the stuff." Drab yellow on her back, glittering
on her belly, she does indeed look like a chunk of fool's gold trapped in a
sandy matrix. His gaze shifts to Carmen again, as placid as hers is hard,
and he tilts his head inquiringly. "Something's going 'round and 'round in
your pretty head. What is it?"

IGEN-> Kassima says, "Every now and then Kassi reminds me why, when I make
a Sim version of her, she is invariably of the Wealth Aspiration."

IGEN-> A'deth XD!

IGEN-> Lanisa snickernods :)

"Not long to go on that score, Kassima," Sria says, however needless the
reminder might be. "And speaking of, I'm going to get some work done, and
maybe enjoy this weather I've finally gotten used to." She smiles, adds:
"'Pyrite', that's not bad, A'deth." - "Take care, all. Let me know about
that hunt plan."

Visions of marks might be dancing in Kassi's head, but aside from the both
knowing and amused look that greenrider gains from a blue's, it's the other
that holds Lanisa's outward attention, "Pyrite seems quite fitting to me,
A'deth, in truth." She gives the little 'lizard a good long look and then
looks up to Sria with a smile, "Guess we can't keep saying it never ends,
eh? Not with their graduation so close. Take care, Sria, we'll do that."

Sria climbs up the stairway onto the balcony.

"Good!" Carmen exclaims, turning a rather wicked grin on Kassima. "I'll
certainly keep a lookout for you then. My family will be hosting a set here
in the next few months. When I know more, I'll contact you?" Then A'deth's
words reach her ears and she returns her attention to her previous study.
"There's always something going 'round and round' as you put it,
Dragonhealer. It's one of the hazards of being brought up in Bitra, we use
our brains." She laughs softly at this. "Could you be a bit more specific?"

"It works," Kassi agrees with the rest, nodding encouragement. "It even
works as a sort of layered joke. G'deve, Sria--we won't go off hunting
without you." Dropping to a murmur she asks Lanisa, "What is her weapon of
choice? D'you know? Aye," more audibly, "I'd appreciate it, Carmen. Thankee."

A'deth nods to Lanisa. "Pyrite it is, then... we've wine left over, you
know, would you like a glass? Carmen as well?" And he reaches for the skin
and, indeed, there are empty glasses nearby. To the Bitran, he states, "The
look in your eyes made me wonder."

It doesn't take more than a moments consideration, "A glass would go nicely
just now. A small one though, I still have hide work to get back to after."
Lanisa's lips take on that lopsided cast again, "That is one thing that
doesn't have an end after all, excepting of course, it's not always the
same poor soul doing it, eh?" She winks and then sobers, considering Sria's
retreating back, "You know. I've never hear her say. Maybe she takes to a
crossbow, eh? I could see her with something of that sort... I can't
suppose we'd be lucky enough to find her another knife person..."

For the first time, the other part of this conversation clicks for Carmen,
and she turns to the two women riders excitedly. "A hunt? You're proposing
a hunt? How delightful!" She claps her hands together once. "When will you
go?" To A'deth, she's more serious, though her tone is bland. "Oh? I'm
surprised. I've always been told the look in my eyes made people
uncomfortable."

Kassima shifts her weight, swinging a booted foot to tap the toe idly
against the leg of an unused chair. She speculates, "Could be hand-t'hand
fisticuffs. M'rek could've taught her the art. I've heard rumors, a'course,
about High Reachians and whips, but--surely nay." There's an image to make
a Weyrling tremble! "Aye, 'tis the idea," she confirms for Carmen, "mayhaps
a big group outing if'n A'zric fancies. Don't know the when yet, or the
where for that matter. The Benden lands?" she hazards, glancing at Lani.
"If'n a look could discomfit A'deth, I'd be truly surprised."

A'deth quirks a brow at Carmen. "It made me curious." And he pours Lanisa a
glass, and one for Carmen, too. And tops off Kassima's, while he's at it.
"If you've too much hidework, Lanisa, I'll certainly offer to help. Night
shifts in the infirmary are long and -- fortunately -- usually very dull."

IGEN-> R'yki snickers.

"Hand-t'hand would certainly make sense," Lanisa allows, still dwelling on
Sria's possible choice, "Still, she probably did a lot of the patching him
up after, she might prefer some distance from her target. You might be on
to something with the whip though... I heard S'din had a thing for them and
he trained her." She considers, "Benden with it's forests would give us an
added challenge... I'll have to talk to A'zric about it all. When and
where, as well as if he'd care to join us, eh?" Her glass she accepts with
due grace and a smile, "My thanks. And I may well take you up on that.
Would be nice to get done in time to tuck in the kids for once one of these
nights if not this one."

Kassima murmurs thanks, so seldom one to turn down wine and this no such
occasion. "She must be expert, then, at straightening broken noses. I asked
a 'Reaches rider t'teach me t'use a whip once," she remembers. "Amilin,
methinks? It *could* be so. I hope he does--don't know what his weapon is
either, but given his mother I'd wager knives."

A'deth inclines his head to Lanisa. "It would be my privilege to assist
you, then. I've no such quandaries, so it's no trouble at all."

"Does she have one? Shards, doesn't really surprise me, all things
considered." Lanisa replies with a chuckle while in the same moment
claiming a seat to sit backwards on, "We'll have to ask him, but for that
matter...Which do you prefer to hunt with, A'deth?" She smiles wider then,
"Lovely. I don't mind a little of the stuff, but I'd far rather do active
things."

"Didn't imagine you'd grow up t'be doing hidework all night when 'twere
running about terrorizing the place, did you?" Kassima teases her friend.
"There are Harpers back at Telgar who'd probably call this naught short of
*justice*." She shares Lanisa's curiosity and waits with interest for
A'deth's answer.

"Knife." A'deth shrugs. "It's not the same sort of thing as using a
scalpel, granted, but it would insult my pride were I to be mediocre with
any kind of knife." That, and the recoil from firing a crossbow would make
for a very uncomfortable jolt, given his infirmities. But that he leaves
unsaid, though it's plain enough for either rider to infer, at least.

[Editor's Note:  Carmen's player had to leave at this point.]

"Da still thinks I've gone off the deep end, I'm sure." Lanisa shares
brightly with Kassi between sips and then mock groans. "You think it's too
late to give it all back? Shards and shells, can't let the Harpers get the
last laugh. There's just something innately wrong with the thought." She
gives a wink and a grin after the mini performance, "Knife as well? Makes
us three of a kind so far then, eh?"

Kassima shakes her head at A'deth, with a slight smile: "Then I've faith
your pride's safe from insult," she says, and there's a hint of underlying
amusement. "Your taste is beyond question where weapons are concerned. Nay
that I've a bias. Your Da is, a'course, correct," she tells Lanisa every
bit as brightly. "'Twould disappoint him if'n you hadn't! And certes
disappoint me." No comment on laughing Harpers, no.

A'deth considers his own wine. "My taste in most is impeccable. Even if my
manners aren't." The banter makes him tilt his head, though. "Her Da?"

"I'sai," Lanisa replies before taking a drink and chuckling, "Good to know,
Kassi. Good to know. You know how hard I'd take it if I were to
disappoint." another of those winks and a deeper pull from her glass before
it's lowered. "And there are some who think Da infallible, or at least so
it seems. So of course he's correct." She winks again and then covers a
yawn. "Sorry."

"Hah." Kassima slants him a look from the corner of her eye. Then, before
decorum can get the better of impulse, solemnly, absurdly returns licked
cheek for licked cheek. "Manners are occasionally overrated." Of course,
she still colors. She hasn't had *that* much wine. "Is is her father," she
seconds. "'Infallible.'" That is a wryly amusing idea. "This of the man who
totters up t'Lady Holders and tells 'em about their breeding hips. Are we
keeping you from sleep?"

A'deth arches a brow. "I've a grandchild by a daughter of his, so that
makes us almost kin. We almost had an argument the other day, but he
decided to be safe about it all. The nape of his neck is quite beautiful,
you know."

And he beams as he's licked. No blush here!

"He didn't?" Lani starts, her interest perking up in an instant, though she
shakes her head, "No, no. I believe you. Of course he did. And don't tell
me where he finds that lot. The ones that think so... But he does. It's
rather uncanny." She winks and then turns a suddenly speculative look to
A'deth, "We are, are we? I guess I should have made that connection, aye."
She grins and half teases, "That mean I should call you Uncle now?" Only
then does she turn back to Kassi and add, "It's been a long day, I'm
afraid. Trust me, it's not the company..."

No comment on I'sai's nape, either. Kassima polishes off a good quarter of
her glass. "I'm t'have one by one of his sons," she observes, "and nay even
the one who's also m'son, that's the frightening thing. I don't know if'n I
should ask about 'safe'--are we kin too?" There's laughter sparkling in her
eyes for the notion. "Nay offense taken, Lani, none in the least. Who
wouldn't yawn after a day of hides?"

A'deth snorts softly at Lanisa. "Only if you want me to take you over my
knee. Now-- go to bed like a good girl." And he laughs quietly at Kassima,
and shakes his head. "As long as the tree branches now and then, I suppose
it's all good."

Lanisa cracks a wide smile and takes a long pull again from her glass,
tipping it back to finish it, "Good wine, and thanks again for that." She's
still just a moment and then gives a nod, "Aye, to bed with me seems just
the thing. I can dive into more hides soon enough tomorrow, eh? Good night
you two." She gets up from the chair with the easy grace of one still more
used to activity than hides, despite her complaints, "I'll let Kassi sort
out who all else I'm related to and how for that matter. I'm too tired to
defend my brother even if I had a mind to anyway." She winks again and
heads to place her glass in a bin of those destined for washing.

Lanisa climbs up the stairway onto the balcony.

"Even Is suggested I should stab him," Kassi tells Lanisa altogether
brightly, "and I may yet, I haven't decided, but you'll be glad t'know I
decided nay t'bury Is alive in sandwiches yet. He bought his life with
alcohol, y'see." Sure, that makes sense. She waves after her friend--a bit
late, as usual--then grins for A'deth. "A very appropriately Weyrlike
attitude."

"Alcohol," A'deth only opines, "Has so many marvellous uses." And to that
last, "I have endeavored to refashion myself as a weyrbred man, yes."

This message brought to you by the Booze Council. "Which 'twill spend the
rest of m'life happily discovering," Kassima says, "I daresay. You've done
a fair job of it. And you'll note I'm nay complaining... even if'n it means
you fulfill your threats." A soft chuckle. "Or promises."

A'deth reaches up to trail a fingertip along the line of her jaw and chin.
"They're usually one and the same. Particularly where you're concerned, I
think."

"Perhaps," and Kassima smiles, a rather sweet smile even with the
characteristic amusement present in its curve, "I shouldn't say 'even
if'n,' then. Especially if'n." She's not bold enough to lick his cheek
again; but kiss, certainly and warmly.

A'deth doesn't quite blush... quite. Almost. Maybe just a little? She's so
sweet! "Wicked girl. I'd make you a threat to curl your hair /and/ your
toes, I would, but I've this child to mind..." And he glances down at the
sleeping gold still curled up in his hand.

Kassima grins for the touch of red, too, almost gleefully. "And making a
threat like that but nay getting back to it for a time would, a'course, be
pure evil," she feigns solemnity to agree. "All right. But if'n you'll make
a different promise--t'be threatening it when you don't have a hatchling on
your wrist?"

A'deth nods firmly. "I promise to threaten you with iniquitous, terrible,
ah..." I solemnly swear that I am up to no good~ "...Iniquities."

"Heard and witnessed," Kassima declares, to sign it and seal it; "Now if'n
you don't I get t'be challenging you to a duel. Which could be interesting
too."

A'deth salutes with his free hand, and then arches both brows. "Beltknives,
or hand to hand?"

Kassima mulls this over. "I'd be more likely t'win with knives. But--hand
t'hand, methinks. Somewhere other than here, somewhere with dirt, just
after a rain."

"...Maybe I should break my promise," A'deth muses, "Just so you'll make
good on your threat."

"I could make good on it either way?" Kassima offers, magnanimity itself.

"It's a good thing I've got that private bath. Unless we need witnesses to
the match, if not the outcome?" A'deth beams at her.

Kassima drawls, "Although I'd enjoy being the focus of wild envy...." She
crinkles her nose at him, mirth in her eyes. "We are honorable enough t'be
trusted without witnesses. Right."

A'deth snorts softly, and rises. "Indeed we are-- but it's not you they'd
be envying. Now-- I must go, I've neglected my duties for the pleasure of
your company. You may come keep me company after I've been properly
observant, of course... but I must away or it won't be wrestling in the mud
that'll be my punishment!" Even if it would be himself doing the punishing!

"I may do that," Kassima promises, threatens, in her turn, her grin both
crooked and pleased. "But as I'd never want t'get in the way of duty,"
which is sincere, "or see you punished," which is scrupulously
straight-faced, "'twill let you go. Alas! And see you a'fore so very long,
methinks."

A'deth just leans down, carefully, to gently return the kiss to her cheek.
"Thank you," he says softly. And he rises, turns as swiftly as he might,
and strides away.

A'deth enters the Infirmary.

You walk out into the Bowl.