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The Better To Klah You With, My Dear


Date:  February 8, 2000
Places:  Telgar Weyr's Southern Bowl, Living Cavern, and Kitchen
Game:  PernMUSH
Copyright Info:  The World of Pern is copyright(c) to Anne McCaffrey 
l967. The Dragonriders of Pern(r) is a registered copyright.

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Kassi's Note:  I love being proddy.  I really do. ;)  Made irritable
not only by her glowing green but also by having to watch Telgar's 
Wings rise to Fall without her, Kassi gets her revenge by brewing a 
pot of M'kla's klah and using sweet proddy reason to pour the stuff
down the throats of anyone with the misfortune to come into the LC.
Meanwhile, Lysseth tries to convince Kassi to let her maim first Tierth
and then Taralyth, and Ryi models Turnday presents that fortunately
have nothing to do with pink dresses or sadistic puppets.

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The Log:

You backwing for a landing.

<*> I'sai slips down, and leans a moment against Taralyth's's side, for all
that it's vibrating with the dragon's swift-warbled reply; after a brief
while he departs, threading his way between the other dragons to disappear
momentarily into the workroom.

<*> Kena nods to the bluerider. "Since Kassima's gone and gotten herself
with child, it looks like you'll have to put up with me leading the Wing,"
she says wryly. "How is Jareth faring?"

<*> "Kassima likes to surprise us all," M'rgan remarks to Arallia as he
adds another two carefully inspected rocks of firestone to his bag. He
weighs the sack in his hands for a moment before reaching for another large
stone.

<*> Tovith backwings for a landing.

<*> Leya slides down off of Tovith, her feet landing on the ground with a
soft *thump*.

<*> Lysseth doesn't spiral so much as drop from the sky, pinions folding in
to a tight furl as she settles in a landing place a sufficient distance
from the others. It wouldn't do to wreak glowy havoc on Threadfall
preparations. "Do I hear m'name being taken in vain?" the rider in question
growls from on high, glaring at Mart just on general principle before
sliding down.

You slide off of Lysseth's neck to land beside her easily. She rumbles,
cocking her head down at you, and you rub her eyeridges gratefully.

Jeshua looks fondly at her dragon, throwing a few more pieces into her bag.
'Doing well. Fighting fit and ready... although at this point I'm surprised
Veyath isn't already flaming at him. I think this is about the hundredth
time he's slapped his tail down on hers." She shoots a stern look Jareth's
way, and the tail twitching stops, but fidgeting begins.

Arallia coughs lightly into her glove before she grins over at M'rgan, "Aye
sir." Quickly she tosses four more chunks of stone in her bag before tying
it off and trudge toward her lifemate. Catching sight o Kassi and than
hearing her tone, the younger greenrider just closes her mouth and
dutifully goes about tying the bag to Miyath's straps. Nope she wasn't
taking anyone's name in vain, not her. Miyath just holds steady as she
strikes a pose, wings half out and neck arched.

Tovith just settles down in his usual way among the other dragons in the
bowl, he does eye Lysseth, but he keeps his distance. Leya waves to
everyone else, wincing a little as she hears her wingleader. She avoids her
and walks over to Kena, "I'm here."

Kena snaps off a smart salute to the grounded Thunderbolt Wingleader. "All
present and accounted for, ma'am," she says, keeping the laughter in her
eyes to a minimum. "Good to hear, Leya. How is Tovith?"

I'sai, bucket secured, reappears even as he slowly draws on his gloves and
secures their buckles over his wrists; it's his turn to join the line of
firestone-baggers, then, fair head lowered under his dragon's whirling-eyed
stare.

"I'd never say it *vainly*," M'rgan tells Kassima as he knots this third
sack of firestone. Tossing two sacks over his left shoulder and letting the
third dangle from his right hand, the brownrider rises out of his crouch
and steps away from the firestone pile, his direction taking him towards
Miyath.

Leya eyes Kassima warily, then answers Kena, "He's well, ready to do his
best against thread." She notices I'sai joining the firestone-bagging.
"Umm, should I go help out over there as well?" Anything get away from the
proddy greenrider and avoid her attention.

Jeshua stands straight, tying off her bag, and salutes Kassi as well before
striding to tie the bag to Jareth's straps. She throws a glance over her
shoulder at the pulsing Red Star in the sky. Another bluerider in her wing
hands her another sack, tied carefully.

"None of that friggin' frackin' fardling saluting," Kassima half-snarls,
folding her arms and giving the assembled dragon a glowering once-over.
"They're looking good," she does admit, if grudgingly. "It should be a good
evening t'fly. Even if'n *we* can't. Martigan, take note: if'n you live
long enough t'come home in one piece, you'll nay longer be in one piece
once I tear your liver out your ear." Ow.

Kena returns to Cymrith's side and starts preparing her sacks of firestone.
She smiles at Kassima's comment to M'rgan.

M'rgan waggles his eyebrows in Kassima's direction at her threat and just
whistles a bright tune. He's been around to long to be petrified by mere
words from the Thunderbolt Wingleader. As he nears Miyath he tries to catch
Arallia's attention with a series of loud coughs and a "Wingsecond?"

I'sai, with Taralyth, twitches a glance over to where Thunderbolt prepares
- and some of Thunderbolt do not - and then gets back to toss-toss-knot in
the supposed safety of Skyfire, on the second bag now, though he does have
to move over to make room for a tardier wingmate. Oh, and listen a little
better, while he's at it.

Arallia glances over her shoulder as she ties the sack to Miyath's strap
and just gives Kassi a stare before she notices Mart coming her way.
Clearing her throat a few times, perhaps she had a tickle? Or maybe some
dust from the firestone got in her throat..or perhaps she's just trying not
to giggle, tough call but than Arallia says, "Aye sir?"

See Kassi. See Kassi grit her teeth. See Kassi grind those teeth so hard
it's a wonder they don't crack. "I will nay kill him a'fore Threadfall, I
will nay kill him a'fore Threadfall, I will nay kill him a'fore
Threadfall..." she chants as a mantra. But that doesn't preclude her
producing a knife, which she does, nor sharpening it meaningfully, which
she also does. Scrape. Scrape. Eye Mart. Scrape again. "Kena, you wouldn't
mind *too* terribly much if'n I relieved your weyrmate of certain
anatomical possessions when this is over, would you?"

Kena stops looking into Cymrith's maw and shakes her head. "Sorry, Kassi.
Believe it or not, I'd miss M'rgan. And his dumb stick is a big part of
him." She pauses and adds, "A part of him." She hands another rock to
Cymrith to chew.

M'rgan takes the opportunity to rid himself, if only momentarily, of the
burden of the heavy and pointy stones by dropping his two over-the-shoulder
sacks at his feet. "Could you see that the larger dragons are arranged and
ready? Ularrith will be in his usual spot." The dragon's usual spot being
in the middle of the browns on the wing formation's left flank. "And could
you..." He leans closer to Arallia, his voice dropping to a whisper.
"...check on I'sai." Apparently the brownrider did notice the bronzerider
getting that bucket.

Leya decides not to wait for permission from the acting wingleader and
scoots out of the way to join I'sai in sacking firestone. She stops by the
line and pulls on her gloves, grabs a sack, then begins stuffing firestone
in it. She occasionally glances over, wide-eyed at Kassi, but mostly keeps
her eyes on her work.

Nyth backwings for a landing.

I'sai mutters a sideways, "Feeling better?" to his clutchmate, knotting up
the second sack with a tight twist.

Kassima starts to open her mouth, closes it again, and looks the brownrider
in question over. "'Twas about to ask whether you weren't exaggerating just
a tad," she drawls to her Wingsecond. "Watch Kilvath and Alicienne," she
then cautions, back to business even if she does keep attending that knife.
"They're still a bit rusty. Don't want 'em getting grounded *again* just
after they're off the last time."

Kena again nods to Kassima. "I will. Are you sure L'rat is ready to come
back?" she asks, referring to the ancient bluerider whose weyrmate of tens
of turns had recently passed away.

Arallia snaps a smart salute as she replies, "Of course sir." With that in
mind she finishes tying of the bags of stone to her lifemate's straps and
quickly darts around Miyath; she'll just pretend she didn't hear Kassi or
Kena's words, safer that way. Brown eyes search out the larger dragons as
she calls out, "Polete, no no, you know you're not to go back with the
greens your brown is far too large. Get up here near M'rgan, if you will.
Cailyn?" Head twisting she finally spots the green rider and she waves,
"N'vmind you're position is fine, sorry about that." The wingsecond greenie
says to the other greenie before she starts her search for I'sai, at least
she can see his dragon that's a start. "I'sai?" She calls out, ducking
around the large bronze Taralyth.

Dragon> Telgar dragons sense that Ularrith OOCly awoogas to warn y'all that
we'll be leaving the bowl for two skyrooms up in 8-10 minutes. IC weather
reports describe the winds above as mild but Threadfall is expected to be
heavy. Slow and heavy. We'll be rising just before sunset and we'll be
fighting into the night.

Dragon> Cymrith bespoke Telgar Thunderbolt Wing with << Guess it'll be just
you and me holding up the honor of Tbolt tonight, Leya :) >>

Leya nods to I'sai as she finishes filling the one sack, "Yeah, except for
Kassi scaring me." She ties off her sack and gets another and fills that
one as well.

Telgar Weyr> Arallia giggles at Leya.

Dragon> Tovith bespoke Telgar dragons with << I suppose. I'll do my best.
:) >>

Kassima considers the bluerider, not bothering to be very discreet about
it; fortunately, his attention isn't on her. "Methinks he needs t'be back,"
she finally says. "There's naught like flying Fall t'make you feel alive
again. Scared crapless, but alive."

Dragon> Telgar dragons sense that Miyath just nodnodnods.

"What did she do?" I'sai asks, working on his third. "I missed - " he
stops, turns at the sound of his name, "Hm? ...Wingsecond."

Nyth furls his wings to his back swiftly after landing to keep from taking
up too much room for long when there's so much activity going on. With an
easy glance around, Keriann notes where everyone she's looking for is, then
settles down.

Telgar Weyr> Leya grins at Arallia.

Dragon> Telgar Thunderbolt Wing sense that Lysseth waves her Thunderbolt
pennant, then sets it aside for the purple, black, and bronze pom-poms. 
<< Gimme a T! Gimme an H! Gimme a U! Gimme a bunch of other letters! What's
that spell? >>

Dragon> Tovith bespoke Telgar Thunderbolt Wing with << THUNDERBOLT! >>

Cymrith casts a quick glance towards Nyth, then turns her attention back on
her rider. Surely Ularrith didn't see that.

M'rgan rubs his shoulder for a few seconds while he watches Arallia go
about her duties, as if by massaging the skin he could rub out the bruises
the sacks of firestone gave him. Then, grabbing up the two other sacks once
more, he sets out for his lifemate.

Dragon> Cymrith bespoke Telgar Thunderbolt Wing with 
<< THUbunchofletters! >>

Dragon> Lysseth bespoke Telgar Thunderbolt Wing with << Well, actually, I
was thinking 'Thunder-Thighs,' but Thunderbolt will do.... >>

Dragon> Cymrith bespoke Telgar Thunderbolt Wing with << Well, Lysseth, if
you laid off the calves... 0:) >>

Leya stops mid-firestone dump, holding the big rock in her hands as she
stares at I'sai, "What'd she do? Haven't you seen and heard her?" She then
smiles at Arallia and remembers the stone in her hands and dumps it in the
sack.

Taralyth warbles restlessly in Nyth's direction, crowding his wings yet
closer to his sides so his wingmate has a little more room - and so does 
he.

Dragon> Lysseth bespoke Telgar Thunderbolt Wing with << Who was talking
about me? I was referring to those Skyfire louts. ;) >>

Arallia grins when she finally spots I'sai and than Leya, "Good day to you
two. How're you both feeling?" She asks quietly, pointedly looking at I'sai
before she glances swiftly back to Leya.

Dragon> Telgar dragons sense that Ularrith thinks of one last OOC thing
before going IC. If you plan on getting injured, please page me (M'rgan) so
that I can make sure the threadfall emits allow it. Thanks.

Kena turns her attention back to her Wingmates. She smiles with confidence.
They are prepared. "I expect you'll give me your thoughts when we return,
Wingleader," she says to Kassima.

"I missed that," I'sai says quickly to Leya, sincere as his grin-flashed,
"...On purpose." To Arallia, "Fine. Fine. Just work to do."

Telgar Weyr> Leya gahs. "Stupid fire alarm. I'm going to have to go, at
least for now." :P

Telgar Weyr> Arallia hugs Leya!

Telgar Weyr> I'sai hopes you can get back soon!

Telgar Weyr> Kena hugs Leya. You're leaving me alone with Kassi????!!! ;)

Kassima nods curtly, casting a glance back towards the lump-o'-glowing
dragonflesh that's her lifemate. "Lysseth will keep tabs on the Wing's
welfare, if'n I have t'be kicking her in the tailfork t'get her t'do it.
I'm certain they'll come back with as few casualties as ever." Her tone
suggests that they'd better.

Arallia eyes the bronzer for a moment before she reaches out to touch his
arm, should he let her, "Well when we get back and sweeps are over how
about a drink or two? A few of us usually have a drink before we find our
beds. You're more than welcome to join." She glances over her shoulder and
frowns before saying, "Almost ready? It looks to me like we're about 
ready.."

As Ularrith breaks his sky-watching vigilance enough to lower his neck to
the ground, his rider quickly secures the three sacks of 'stone to the
brown's straps. Then he scrambles up to his perch on the dragon's neck just
an instant before Ularrith lifts his head heavenwards once more. After
brief opening and closing of the glowbasket secured to the dragon's straps
by the 'stone sacks and the Skyfire brownrider is ready.

M'rgan clambers up onto Ularrith's back, using his straps as handholds.

Nyth's normal greeting to a wingmate is tempered to a low rumble to
Taralyth. The brown's posture is one of steady alertness, as he and his
rider wait calmly.

Kena hops up onto Cymrith's back, the dragon's sparkling eyes watching
closely.

I'sai flushes, all of a sudden, turning to look at her from wide eyes - and
then breaks off to hoist the last sack; "...All right. Thanks. We'll...
we'll see about doing that. After you, wingsecond," with a nod further past
to their wingleader.

Arallia nods and is quick to secure her helmet and goggles on her head and
over her eyes before she dutifully trots to Miyath's side. The green is
already in the back of the pack, so to say, as her rider easily climbs to
her ridges. Giving the green a pat she looks at the riders nearest her
before settling down for the fight.

Arallia easily climbs up to Miyath's ridges with the help of a forearm and
a strap.

On Cymrith, Kena waits for her wingmates to all get ready before pulling on
her helmet. She leans down and pats both sides of Cymrith's neck, then
gives the Threadfall leader, M'rgan, a thumbs up.

Kassima steps back to watch the Wings assemble, her green eyes and
Lysseth's red ones alike fixed. "Bring 'em home safe, Kena," she yells up
to her Wingsecond. "Or I'll make your liver and Mart's a matching set on
m'wall."

On Cymrith, Kena manages a smiles towards Kassima. But she says nothing.
Her mind is on the task at hand.

I'sai skitters on after her, though he has further to go to snaky-tailed
Taralyth, who's impatient with all the sacks-buckling and helmet-claiming
and, for that matter, his own rider's mounting.

I'sai swings up to Taralyth's neck.

Telgar Weyr> Leya says, "Ok, I'm back."

Telgar Weyr> Arallia says, "Yeah!"

Telgar Weyr> M'rgan grins. We just mounted up. So when you're ready to go
we'll launch. :)

Telgar Weyr> Arallia says, "We're just mounting up Leya :)"

Leya uses Tovith's leg to climb up, then sits between his neckridges.

Telgar Weyr> Leya says, "Ok, thanks. :)"

Telgar Weyr> Kena cheers Leya. "Welcome back." :)

Atop sturdy Ularrith, Only after all of the wingleaders have signalled
their readiness does Maelstrom launch into the air, its bronzes going
first. Soon, in an orderly pattern, the other wings follow.

From atop Tovith, Leya buttons up her flight jacket, pulls on her flight
goggles, adjusting them until they are just right, then straps herself in.
Tovith rumbles impatiently as he waits for his turn to launch into the air.

On Cymrith, Kena gives her wingmates a thumbs-up of approval and readiness,
then urges Cymrith skywards, Thunderbolt Wing following in her wake. They
will move into the agreed upon formation once they are near the Threadfall.

Cymrith takes flight, using the thermals rising from the bowl to carry her
aloft.

Tovith takes flight, using the thermals rising from the bowl to carry him
aloft.

Atop sturdy Ularrith, M'rgan lifts his fist high into the air, only
dropping it when Thunderbolt has cleared the airspace above them and there
is room for Skyfire to take to the skies.

Ularrith takes flight, using the thermals rising from the bowl to carry him
aloft.

Miyath trumpets as her hindlegs swiftly launch her into the air, her brassy
voice carrying quite loudly on the wind as she bugles a second and third
time. She fights thread! She shall flame well today.

Miyath takes flight, using the thermals rising from the bowl to carry her
aloft.

Dragon> Tovith bespoke Telgar Thunderbolt Wing with << You know, this is
only the third time I've RPed threadfall, as a rider. >>

Taralyth leaps after his wing's leaders, his lean bulk requiring it be an
efficient gesture for all his sharp-eyed anticipation.

Taralyth takes flight, using the thermals rising from the bowl to carry him
aloft.

Nyth takes flight, using the thermals rising from the bowl to carry him 
aloft.

Dragon> Lysseth bespoke Telgar Thunderbolt Wing with << It's a treat, isn't
it? Mind, I *am* a bit biased towards RP that involves flame and violence.
;) >>

Dragon> Tovith bespoke Telgar Thunderbolt Wing with << Oh yes. Fire and
fighting is always good for RP. ;> >>

Kassima's gaze tracks the dragons into the sky, but once they're all aloft,
she wheels at once on her heel and stalks towards the waiting Cavern.
"Listen to them, Lyss," she calls as a parting shot to her green, receiving
an irate, deep-throated growl in reply.

You walk past the lintel and into the wide living cavern.

Pierron humphs thoughtfully as the Wingleader of Thunderbolt arrives.

Dragon> Telgar Thunderbolt Wing sense that Cymrith chuckles. This is only
my second RPed Fall. And I'm acting Wingleader. Oy! ;)

Dragon> Tovith bespoke Telgar Thunderbolt Wing with << Really? Wow. >>

Dragon> Tovith bespoke Telgar Thunderbolt Wing with << Umm, are the
formations grouped by color or what? >>

Dragon> Cymrith bespoke Telgar Thunderbolt Wing with << Nope. They are
mixed up. But bronzes tend to be more sturdy, so make great point men :) >>

"Stuff it up your tailfork, you inane excuse for sadomasochistic
tunnelsnake leavings," Kassi growls at Pierron. Fortunately, between her
accent and the growl, it comes out completely unintelligible and the cook
only gives her a confused look. With a sigh of disgust, the greenrider
swoops past the food table, collecting a meatroll without passing Go, and
moves to lurk in dark sulkiness at her table. How dare they go fight Fall
without her. Hmph.

You walk off towards the kitchen.

From the living cavern, Leya walks in from the bowl.

From the living cavern, Leya waves to everyone as she passes through.

From the living cavern, Leya walks towards the inner cavern.

From the living cavern, Leya walks here from the Inner Cavern.

From the living cavern, Leya walks back in a few minutes after walking
through, the hair around her face wet from washing her face. She pulls off
her jacket, drapping it over a chair, then walks over to the serving table
to get herself a glass of juice. Just juice, she can't down much else just
yet. She smiles as she sees Akiko and walks over. "Heya, Akiko?

From the living cavern, Leya says "Did I remember right?"

From the living cavern, Akiko looks up from where she was sitting and gives
a slow nod of her head, hopping up and scampering over to try and climb
into Leya's arms for a hug. "Yes." She replies simply enough.

From the living cavern, Leya grins and crouches to receive the hug. Hugs
are always nice to get after being scared half to death. "Nice to see you
too." She quickly looks down at herself, oh good. She's not wearing her
jacket and the shirt underneath is relatively clean, even if her pants are
rather grimy.

If one listens closely, one may be able to make out that the usual sounds
of a busy and active kitchen have been replaced by the sound of healthy
female lungs singing out one of Pern's more off-color ballads, along with
ominous clankings and clatterings that surely bode no good. Kassi *has*
been in there awhile, hasn't she?

Lysseth> Tovith rumbles a low greeting to Gaiath, sidling over to her. He
lifts one of his broad wings, then warbles an invitation.

From the living cavern, Akiko blinks and looks over Leya's shoulder towards
the kitchen, whispering to the woman, "What is going on in there? Some sort
of monster?"

Lysseth> Gaiath warbles a cheerful greeting as she touches the ground,
whirling blue-green eyes resting on Tovith longer than anyone else. Once
M'dei has safely dismounted, she moves over to Tovith's side with a warm
croon. Shaking his head as he watches the pair, M'dei's mouth quirks upward
briefly before he ventures into the living cavern.

From the living cavern, M'dei walks in from the bowl.

Lysseth> Lysseth does not, most pointedly not, rumble a greeting. Nor
warble a greeting. Nor show any sign of noticing the return of the other
dragons at all, beyond a hiss whenever anyone gets too close to her. This
is *my* piece of Bowl, that is *your* piece of Bowl. Any questions?

From the living cavern, Leya turns her head to peer back at the kitchen,
frowning as she listens. She groans as she suddenly recognizes the voice
singing the awful song. "I don't think we want to know what's going on in
there, and you're pretty close on the monster part. It's a person though."
She lifts a hand to wave to M'dei as he walks in, "Whatever you do don't go
in the kitchen." Nice greeting.

From the living cavern, Akiko says, "I had to stop another spawning today!"
She confides to Leya, glancing suspiciously over at M'dei. Hmmm. Will he
try? She better stay alert.

From the living cavern, M'dei waves cheerfully to everyone, "Halloo... hm?
Oh. What's wrong with the kitchen?" he asks, looking that way.

Lysseth> Tovith drapes his wing over Gaiath lithe form, snuggling in next
her with a contented warblecroon. He's not looking a Lysseth, greens are
much nicer /after/ they are proddy. He has enough sense not to risk his
hide by getting to close them, at least until they decide to rise.

From the living cavern, Leya shakes her head at Akiko, "Oh, well, not with
that person. See, she's already spawning so it's too late. You can stop
someone else though," she adds helpfully. She gestures toward the kitchen,
"Listen." If you listen closely you just might hear the sound of proddy
greenrider.

"Ohhhhhh... the lovely lady sang so sweet! Upon her harp, she *plucked*!
The rider's lust grew great and strong; his heart thundered and *bucked*!
When she was done, he took her home, and all night long, they...."
Blessedly, there's a muffled sound not unalike an explosion to drown out
whatever the rest of that verse was, and Kassi yells, "That's done it!
Hah!" And then there's a distinct sound of something sizzling. Not quite
evil cackling... but maybe even more ominous.

[Editor's Note:  Credits go to Holly Lisle for the original version of
that song, found in _Minerva Wakes_. :) ]

Telgar Weyr> Whinde bwahahaha!

Telgar Weyr> Kassima promises, the next part of the song would have been
PG-13 only. It's only the lead up to it that sounds bad. ;)

You walk into the Living Cavern.

Pierron humphs thoughtfully as the Wingleader of Thunderbolt arrives.

M'dei smiles helplessly at Akiko, as he doesn't really quite understand
what's going on. He seems about to say something to Leya when the song from
the kitchens rings out, and he stops short. "Ah. Right."

Kassima doesn't walk so much as bound into the room, a distinctly odd sight
in her proddiness attire, a pair of slightly soot-marked flight goggles,
and thick wherhide gloves. Carried gingerly in front of her is a pot of
something that bubbles in a sinister fashion. "*Just* the thing for after
Fall," she announces, triumphant, and with a grin that shows off surely
every one of her teeth. "Even if'n I can't be drinking it. Who wants a 
mug?"

Whinde peers at Kassima, still choking off laughter at the rider's song.
"What is it?"

Leya takes a step back and wraps her arms protectively around Akiko as the
proddy greenrider makes her appearance. "Should've stayed in my weyr," she
murmurs, echoing someone else she heard not to long ago. She bares her
teeth in what is mostly likely an attempt at a smile, "Oh. How kind. I
think...I think that'll just drink my juice though." She fishes around for
some reason why she can't drink it, "I...I can't drink anything else after
a fall."

"Ah, no...but thank you," M'dei tells Kassima, eyeing the bubbling stuff
warily. "I've sweeps early in the morning."

"'Tis M'kla's Klah." Can't you just hear the pride in Kassi's voice, not to
mention the ominous chord that's surely playing somewhere at the mention?
"And assuring that you manage t'muddle through dawn sweeps is what 'tis
*for*. It won't kill. Trust me." Oh, yeah, right. Trust the proddy
greenrider. "*Someone* will certes be drinking it after I spent all that
time making it. Won't they?"

Whinde peers at the bubbling mixture in Kassi's hands and wrinkles her
brow. "Ah.. I.. ah.. What's in it?"

Kassima gives Whinde the sort of look Sionelle might give a particularly
dense Weyrling. "If'n anyone save me knew that, I'd have t'be killing
them." She sounds dead serious about that. "M'kla guarded the secret until
she died, at which point it passed t'me, and now I guard it until I pass it
on likewise. Only one person living may ever know."

Leya stares with morbid fascination at the bubbling substance that is
claimed to be klah. "Klah? It doesn't look like any klah I've ever seen."
Her eyes widen and she quickly looks around the room for someone, anyone to
drink the stuff so she isn't pressed into doing it." She spots a poor old
bluerider sitting by himself at a nearby table, "You want to try m'kla's
klah. Don't you?" Her expression overly cheerful with an underlying layer
of desperation.

"Why am I suddenly worried?" M'dei leans in to whisper to Leya, before he
makes his way to the drinks. He very nearly picks up a pot of klah to pour
himself a mug of, until he remembers that klah right now probably wouldn't
be such a wise idea. Wine, perhaps.

Leya smiles weakly at M'dei as he wanders off her leaving her to face the
horribly proddy Kassi and protect the innocence, or what's left of the
innocence of Akiko.

M'dei retrieves both wineskin and glass and returns to Leya's side, or
somewhere in that general vicinity, at least. Manners prod him into
grinning down at Akiko and saying, "I don't think I've met you yet, have 
I?"

Kassima saunters her prize pot over to the food table, to set it down so
that the liquid inside can begin the corrosive process on the container's
ingrediants. Turning to Leya, her Wingrider, she smiles a smile that's more
of a baring of fangs. "Drink," she suggests.

Akiko looks up towards M'dei carefully, before replying in soft tones.
"Akiko." She looks down, and then to the side so that she doesn't have to
face any scruntiny.

Leya takes a step back, closer to M'dei. Don't let her get me... She
swallows, hard, as she watching the liquid sizzle in the containter. "Umm,
no?" She scoots back even more so that she is practically hiding behind 
M'dei.

Whinde peers at the bubbling mass and shrugs "I will wake up in the
morning, right?" she asks, and considers the 'klah'.

Kassima corrects, quite cheerfully, "Aye." Why shouldn't she be cheerful?
She's getting a chance to be sadistic. Snaring a mug, she fills it to the
brim with the stuff of legend and extends it to the brownrider. "How d'you
know you won't like it if'n you never even *try*? I think 'twill. Though it
might be more apt t'say you'll still be awake come morning."

"Nice to meet you," the not-proddy green rider tells Akiko, then makes s if
to put his arm around Leya, providing she doesn't object. Muffling a sigh,
M'dei says to Kassima, "P'raps I'll just taste the one you've meant for
Leya, then."

Leya peeks out from around M'dei and peers suspicously at the mug extended
toward her. "What if I don't want to try it?" her tone reminscient of
sullen child. She ducks back behind M'dei, her hands clasped tightly behind
her back. She wouldn't mind M'dei's arm around her, but right now she's
prefer he was in front of her, blocking her evil proddiness from getting at
her with that stuff. "You sure, M'dei? It doesn't look safe," she whispers.

M'dei smiles reassuringly at Leya over his shoulder. "I'm sure," he
whispers back and, with a wink for the top of Akiko's head (since she's
looking down anyway), he looks back at Kassima.

Akiko sighs softly and sits down, placing her hands down onto her lap.

Whinde shrugs and grins "Oh what do I have to loose? As long as I don't
wake up in someone else's clothes again." she holds out her hand and says
"I'll try it. Why not."

"You're welcome to a mug, too, a'course," Kassi assures M'dei, offering
over the one she was holding with a flourish. Leya, however, is granted an
honestly bewildered blink. "That matters?"

Kassima nods over her shoulder to the quietly looming pot. "Help yourself.
There's enough for everyone--though 'tis even better after it's had a
little time t'be sitting." And corroding.

Whinde pours herself a mugfull and takes a sip. And then another and a 
third.

Leya stares at Whinde, "Again?" She ducks back behind M'dei with a squeek
as Kassi passes over the mug, "Yes. To me it does," comes the reply.

Whinde rolls the klah around in her mouth, getting her first real taste of
it. Her face scruntches up, and her eyes start watering. She quickly
swallows, and sets the mug down on the table, dashing for the serving
table. She scoops up a bottle of something and downs it, the entire bottle.
Straight down the hatch it goes "Oh, that's BITTER!" she calls.

Kassima frowns in deep thought. Something about this just isn't parsing in
her mind. "But that's nay in your self-interest," she points out to Leya,
helpfully. "T'refuse, I mean. So why would you?" She beams at Whinde's
exclamation. Ah, so it came out right after all.

Leya tries to make herself even smaller behind M'dei, she's not coming out.
Nope, never. "I think it is." She clarifies after a pause, "In my
self-interest." She winces as she hears Whinde, "See! She didn't like it!
So why should I want to drink the stuff?"

M'dei deftly intercepts the mug that Kassima hands to Leya, trying to make
it seem as if that's what he meant to do all along. The mug is considered
briefly before he lifts a shoulder, then takes an experimental sip.

Akiko rises up, and finds another seat, farther away than the others, and
lowers back down into it. She is quiet, unassuming and simply sits without
fanfare or notice. Not like there is much for the young girl to do anyways,
nothing noteworthy at least.

"Are seven Turns of dawn sweeps and three of latrine duty in your best
interest?" Kassi wants to know, eyes narrowing just a touch. Only a touch,
because it'd be hard for them to narrow further than they already were.
"If'n nay, then that's why." She's distracted by the need to watch M'dei's
reaction, however. Maybe, if Leya's lucky, it will entertain her to the
point where she'll forget about trying to make the brownrider drink?

M'dei's actions mirror Whinde's, at least at first. One sip, a second, a
third, and by the time the greenrider's finally able to realise just what
he's done, it's a bit too late. He peers at Kassima through watering eyes,
lifts the mug in toast to her, and tries to say something. It doesn't quite
work out that way, though; all that he's able to voice is a harsh whisper
that doesn't really resemble any sort of normal human speech.

Watch Kassima light up, to the point where she *almost* looks cheered
enough that one could forget she were proddy if it weren't for the
bloodshot, ring-shadowed eyes and the bizarre clothing. "Methinks M'kla
would be proud of me," she declares, "even if'n he's nay *quite* squeaking
soprano. Or are you? Can you squeak?"

Whinde coughs and turns back to the klah "Bitter, but.. interesting." she
rasps out and peers into the mug.

Leya cringes behind M'dei at Kassi's words. She hestitantly steps out from
behind M'dei, then gasps at his reaction to the klah, "What have you done?"
she asks in horror to Kassi. She backs up, a paniced expression on her face
as she tries to escape only to trip over Akiko's chair. She doesn't get
back up and crawls behind it, trying to disapear.

Akiko 's chair is tripped over? Well, this probably results in it being
upset and crashing over, spilling her out with a slight 'Ooof'. She just
blinks for a few moments as she recovers from the sudden shock of her world
going from horizontel, too vertical."

M'dei coughs a few times, and even manages to squeak once or twice, though
whether he actually hits a soprano note is anyone's guess. Wiping his eyes,
he clears his throat and tries again, "That's...powerful stuff, Wingleader.
M'kla's, you--" he breaks offf as he sees Leya moe, and reaches out his
free hand toward her a bit too late. "Oh, dear." Looking between the young
girl and the brownrider, he then approaches and offers his free hand yet
again, first to Akiko, then to Leya.

"I've recreated the world's most perfect klah recipe!" Kassi sings out,
pausing to do a twirl of triumph that sends her cape flaring. "The legacy
lives on! Try it! 'Tis nay as though 'tis *Flirk's*, the stuff that made
Alwyn run around without clothing--" The thump distracts her, but not the
plight of rider or girl. She's not considerate enough at the moment to be
concerned for either, no matter what her normal reaction would be. "Very
good," she approves, listening to M'dei. "Just a *wee* bit higher next
time. Don't worry. We'll train you. M'kla's klah, i'truth--a legend. Just a
bloody shame I can't drink it!"

Chairs aren't very good to hide behind when they're tipped over. Leya does
her best with what she has though, "You all right?" she whispers to Akiko.
She then blinks up at M'dei, making sure it's him before she takes his hand
and asks the smae question to him.

Akiko just lays where she is, for a moment before she gathers herself up,
and rises up, pushing the chair up as well, moving away to find a more
secluded spot to make sure she doesn't create an obstruction like that
again. Her eyes continue to remain downcast.

"Are you alright?" M'dei squeaks out at Leya, mere seconds after she voices
the question at him. In response, he shrugs, one corner of his mouth
lifting in a wry smile, "Not sleepy anymore. But are you alright? And is
she?" he asks, nodding toward Akiko, his brow furrowing. Then, he takes
another sip of that klah and mutters something to the effect of 'strangely
addictive stuff, this is.'

Kassima's smug and rather wicked grin would suggest that she was not
unaware of the addictive properties of the stuff. "I suppose, Leya," she
decides in a lofty tone, "that if'n you're nay brave or strong enough for
the klah, well, I shouldn't *punish* you for that. But you don't know what
you're missing."

Akiko stops, however, and turns to look at Leya. She moves over to her and
quietly asks. "Are you alright, Ms?" Being proper, like she is supposed to.

Leya does her best to smile at M'dei and Akiko at their concern, "Oh, I'm
all right." She looks cautiously at M'dei and his mug of 'klah'. She makes
a face at Kassi. "I want to know why you can't drink it first," she says
stalling for time.

M'dei waits until he has Leya's reassurances before he turns his attention
to Akiko. "And you?, lass?" he asks, making it quite clear that he's
speaking to the young woman. "Are you alright?" His fingers tighten
protectively around the mug, whether trying to make sure that Leya doesn't
end up with it or keep it for himself is hard to tell. He has yet to take
another sip, hoewver.

Akiko shrugs her shoulders once. "Just alittle scrap is all." She says and
shows the slightly bleeding scrap on her arm, before hugging it against her
chest. "It will be alright."

"Because," Kassi replies, with a bit of an impatient edge--she does hate
being reminded of what she can't do--"I'm pregnant. And according to the
Healers and all their ridiculous overprotective claptrap, pregnant women
shouldn't drink any kind of klah. And because Lysseth enjoys making m'life
miserable, she thus shrieks and raises the roof if'n I so much as think
about it." Her scowl could almost cause spontaneous combustion. "Healers.
They should all be dragged *between* and left there."

Telgar Weyr> Kassima giggles to Merlath. Kassi's brewed a mug of M'kla's
Klah and is using sweet proddy reason to persuade people to drink it. ;)

Telgar Weyr> Xin says, "Evilkassi!"

That 'P' word of Kassi's gets a wince from M'dei, though he tries very hard
to conceal it. Dark brown eyes continue to watch Akiko for a long moment
before he nods, "If you're certain, then."

Telgar Weyr> Xin says, "It's the Proddy Greenrider Mind Whammy!"

Telgar Weyr> Xin mutters, trancelike, "These aren't the droids we're
looking for. Move along."

Telgar Weyr> Kassima says, "It's going to get a lot of use over the next
month, ayep. ;)"

Telgar Weyr> M'dei just fears that list.

Telgar Weyr> Xin laughs, wickedly, "A guy like me best stay drunk the whole
time ;)"

Leya's winces along with M'dei, then slowly nods. She pales a little at her
thought about healers. "Oh. Well. Will I get dawnsweeps if I don't drink
the stuff?" she asks pitifully.

M'dei whispers something quiet to Leya at that, before he takes yet another
sip of the powerfully strong brew.

Kassima folds her arms close, brooding for several moments with brows
lowered. "Aye," she decides. "But nay the latrine duty." So gracious, she.

Leya smiles, a genuinely warm smile at M'dei. "Thank you, but..." her voice
lowers and leans towards M'dei. She grimaces, the smile becoming a distant
memory at Kassima's words. "Oh, well. I guess," she takes a deep breath.
"I'll try it."

Akiko lowers back into the seat, and looks between the each of them slowly,
her young mind working over -something- it seems. She pauses, and leans her
chin against the back of the chair.

"I'm sure," M'dei tells Leya, his voice quietly firm, and almost back to
normal at that.

"Excellent." Kassi's tone is not reassuring as she says this. Whirling, she
pours and brings back another mug of the odd, acrid-smelling stuff,
offering it as though it were the Holy Grail itself. "*You'll* squeak
soprano for me, won't you?"

Telgar Weyr> Aurian says, "Hmmm someone actually dared to interrupt
Telgar's union o' Proddy"

Telgar Weyr> Leya says, "Janine? Yeah, she's a friend of mine from Igen.
M'kon and I stood with her."

Telgar Weyr> Aurian says, "Not Janiene"

Telgar Weyr> Leya says, "Oh! Merryn? I didn't see her at first."

Telgar Weyr> Kassima says, "You know, if an A-named dragon were scheduled
after Veyath, the first five dragon names could spell out 'LARVA.'"

Telgar Weyr> Kassima <---Mentally unstable, yes. ;)

Leya frowns, chewing on her lips as she looks from M'dei to Kassi and back.
She finally gives M'dei a small smile, "I couldn't let you do that, but
thank you," she says softly. She turns to Kassi, taking a deep breath and
reaches out for the mug of the awful smelling klah. She stares down at it
for some moments, before taking a small, very small sip.

Telgar Weyr> Xin says, "No, this goes beyond unstable, much in the same way
a bag of mixed nuts is exceeded by the entire West Wing of the Sirian State
Mental Institution."

Telgar Weyr> Leya giggles at Kassi. "Goin' to try to recrute a A-named
green to fill that spot?"

Telgar Weyr> Kassima considers. I wonder whether Nikh might let Azeth
rise.... ;)

Telgar Weyr> Rikanda thinks ya'll are scarey with the +flights. ;) Though I
see that Igen and Fort didn't wanna be left out of the action. ;)

Telgar Weyr> Rikanda says, "Why not ask A'ser about Yasinth?"

Telgar Weyr> Kassima says, "Because Yasinth's name doesn't start with A."

Telgar Weyr> Rikanda aaahs.

Kassima bounces a bit on her toes, watching Leya like a hawk. Or, perhaps
more accurately, like a child who's watching someone unwrap a Turnover 
gift.

M'dei also watches Leya very carefully, but his expression is one of 
concern.

Leya gags on even that small sip of The Klah, her eyes watering so much
that it looks like she's crying. "Gah! That's stuff's," *cough, gag*
"awful," she squeeks. She was already a soprano to begin with so it comes
out pretty high. She rushes over to the table that she left her juice on
and down the whole glass.

M'dei bites his lip and just stands there, looking helpless, since there's
really not a whole lot he can do. Let's just not mention the fact that his
own mug of The Klah is already three quarters empty and he looks rather
like he won't be getting any sleep for the next sevenday.

Akiko slips away quietly, and unseen.

Akiko walks down the short tunnel and out into the bowl.

Kassima actually *does* bounce in place now, hair and cloak alike
fluttering behind her. "Perfect!" she shrills. "Absolutely perfect! I'm
going t'have t'be making *more* pots. Pots enough for the *whole Weyr* t'be
getting a drink." Uh-oh. And Kassi was bad enough when her only weapons
were *knives*.

Telgar Weyr> Kassima oooohs. If Kaath, Narsilth, and Isath rose before
Veyath, and then Erbith and Serriath, say, we could spell KNIVES. (I do
need a hobby. ;)

Telgar Weyr> Leya giggles.

Telgar Weyr> M'dei hides from Kassi. :)

Telgar Weyr> Kassima ooohs. And if Eilonth, Miseth, Azeth, Serriath,
Castynth (appropriate name, too), and Umirieth rose *before* Lyss, and
Teiwazth and Oerth rose between Acevedath and Rikkath....

Telgar Weyr> Erdrick erks.

Telgar Weyr> Rikanda is too tired to figure out what that spells.

Telgar Weyr> Kassima laughs. Emasculator.

Telgar Weyr> Rikanda ooohs. ;)

Leya sets the mug of evil klah down on the table with *thunk*, spilling
some of it over the edge. She cunches over the table, having another
coughing fit, bracing herself with her arms on the edge of the table. She
stares down at the sizzling liquid on the table, then turns to Kassi,
rubbing her face with her hand. "I'll be sure to warn everyone I know to
stay in their weyr."

M'dei watches Leya in silence for a moment, then rests his hand briefly on
her shoulder. "Are you alright?" he asks. "Gaiath's asking for me, but..."
He trails off, and waits for the answe.r

Kassima throws a pout--yes, a *pout*--at Leya, plunking down in her
Wing-seat and propping her boots up on the table itself. Much to Pierron's
probable annoyance. "You're nay fun. Aren't there folk you can think of
whose expressions you'd just *love* t'be seeing when they try the Klah?"

Leya dredges up a smile from somewhere and pastes it on her face. "Oh, I'll
be fine. Don't worry," her eyes still have a rather glazed look to them
though. She pulls out a chair and falls into it. "I'll tell Tovith to move
once you get out there."

Leya ponders Kassi's question her eyes staring absently at the klah
patiently eating a hole through the table. "No. I don't think I hate anyone
quite that much."

"Alright, then," M'dei tells Leya, then he picks up his mug, with which he
salutes Kassima once again. "Thanks for the klah, Wingleader," he says,
sounding entirely too genuine about it. Score one more for the addict side.
"Night, everyone."

M'dei walks down the short tunnel and out into the bowl.

Lysseth> Tovith rumbles grumpily as he's ordered to move, he slowly
retracts his wing and moves over to the side so M'dei can get to his green
without climbing over his massive bulk.

Lysseth> Akiko has been sitting out here for the past while, just watching
the dragons in that quiet manner she has. She seems to be nursing her arm.

Kassima's chortle is anything but repentant, and likewise her nonchalant
wave after M'dei. "I can't *believe* the Healers won't let me drink it,"
she grumps. "That and raw meat are the only good things when I'm proddy,
and I can't have *either*. That sucks dead green eggs. He seems rather fond
of you," she observes as an aside, with a glance after M'dei.

Lysseth> Gaiath rumbles soothingly to Tovith, nudging his shoulder with her
muzzle before she ambles closer to her lifemate. With one last backward
glance at the living cavern, M'dei shakes his head and clambers
up--carefully,.

Lysseth> M'dei clambers upwards onto Gaiath's back.

Leya stares after M'dei, an expression of pure disbelief on her face. "I
sure hope he was just being polite..."

"He's an addict now," Kassi contradicts, just radiating smugness. "Soon he,
too, will be unable t'stand any other kind of klah."

Akiko walks in from the bowl.

Pierron sits down and wipes the beads of sweat from his forehead with a big
red handkerchief.

Leya slowly turns her head to stare at Kassima. Oh no. She doesn't even
have anyone to hide behind now. "Raw meat?" she squeeks. She smiles though
at the last part, "He's sweet." She shakes her head, "Not me. Never me."

Lysseth> Tierth backwings for a landing.

Lysseth> Maylia slides to the ground, giving Tierth a parting caress and a
tender smile.

Kassima smiles back, entirely too sweetly. "Raw meat. Soaked in wine, t'be
killing the worms. You should try some. The taste of the blood, the
alcohol... exquisite." And she really seems to *mean* that, Faranth help
her. "Probably doesn't hurt that your dragons just flew, either," she
observes shrewdly; then, "Mayhaps nay, but 'tis hard t'say. Give it some
time."

Akiko steps back into the Cavern, holding her arm against her chest still,
hand clamped over where the scrap was, but a few specks of blood are
visible against her clothing. She finds a spot to sit down, and does so.
Simple.

Maylia walks in from the bowl.

Pierron twirls his moustache at the Weyrlingmaster.

Kassima would wave to Akiko, but, well, she's proddy. She doesn't take much
notice of anyone who doesn't look like a potential victim and isn't
irritating her. Maylia, however, is given a sharp look before the
Wingleader relaxes. "Tierth's nay glowing too this time," she mutters.
"Good thing."

Leya turns a truly appropriate shade of green at the description of the raw
meat. She just sits and gags for a few moments trying to not to retch. She
rests her head in her hand when she finally overcomes the feeling, "Oh,
don't talk about stuff like that." She eyes the sizzling puddle on the
table and wrinkles her nose at the horrible smell from the mug, "I don't
think I want more time."

Telgar Weyr> Maylia shrieks. Right. Kassi. Proddy.

Lysseth> Lysseth rumbles a warning note to the other green upon her
arrival. Hey. You. Stay over there on the side of the Bowl marked 'other
greens,' okay?

Lysseth> Tierth pays Lysseth absolutely no attention. None. What other side
of the bowl?

Lysseth> Lysseth favors Tierth with her best withering, scarlet-eyed glare
before turning her head to look meaningfully towards the side of the Bowl
that's not anywhere near *her*. Over there, thunder-thighs.

Dragon> Lysseth bespoke Telgar Thunderbolt Wing with << The thunder-thighs
thing is a long story, Tierth. ;) >>

Lysseth> Tovith curled up into a grumpy ball near the entrance to the Weyr.
He's pointedly not looking at Lysseth and only eyeing Tierth out of the
corner of his eye.

Maylia heads through the living cavern, giving a nod or two of greeting as
she passes riders. As many riders will do, the Weyrlingmaster mutters at
the air before her, "For faranths' sake, give her some space!" That said,
she grimaces at Kassi, shaking her head. "Won't be long, though. Shards,
I've no time for that, not now." A skeptical, yet accepting, glance is
given to the mess o'stuff on the table.

Lysseth> Tierth rustles her wings. She's innocently, blithely, unaware.
Deliberately. Right *here* will suit her just fine, thank you. Alright, so
the green doesn't actually move closer to Lysseth, but she doesn't move
away either.

Kassima is very, very cheerful for being proddy, isn't she? Things like
Leya's new complexion-color are the reason. "If'n *I'm* going t'be sicking
up every few hours, 'tis only fair the rest of the Weyr should have to,"
she retorts, "and that's the end of that. You think I *do*, May? Me, trying
t'duck Healers, *grounded* by Jal, bloody tyrant, and the gift I got for
Ryi's Turnday today someone's already *getting* her or got her or
*something*--" Her voice is getting higher and higher pitched, rising into
a half-wail, half-shriek. "Shells, shards, fewmets, fragments, and
Faranth's frigging femur on a plate! 'Tis nay *fair*! But," and now she
brightens just a bit, "there's M'kla's klah. Just brewed it." Ah, so that's
what's eating through the table.

Lysseth> Lysseth delicately draws up the edges of her muzzle to expose
slightly over-long teeth. Very sharp they are, too. Her tail begins to
swing to and fro in an agitated lashing motion, much like a feline's, but
at least she doesn't levitate her rump into the air while she's doing it. A
small, polite snarl to suggest that perhaps Tierth really would like to
reconsider?

"Bloody right, you're grounded." Maylia answers evenly, nodding calmly to
each point the other greenie makes. She's seen Kassi far worse before,
after all. "If he hadn't, I'd've. Oooh? M'kla's klah?" The prospect
brightens her, too. Must be a greenrider thing.

Leya rubs at her temples, making a face at Kassi. "Misery loves company,"
she mutters. She leans back in her chair at Kassima's outburst. She lifts a
hand in a belated greeting Maylia.

Lysseth> My, what long teeth you have, granny Lysseth. Still, Tierth
doesn't move - if she had a manicure to inspect she'd probably whip out an
emmory board. For she has long, sharp talons, too. Curling her own
dragonlips to an expression approximating the elder green's, her body
language registers brief suprise, her head swinging to peer at the living
cavern. The dainty green gives a snort, and edges back - maybe a whole
millimeter.

Leya just blinks at Maylia, then looks at Kassi. "Why am I always left with
the greenriders? Is this some evil plot or something?" she stretches out a
finger to play in the puddle on the table, but as she notices the wood
discoloring under and around it she changes her mind.

"You can't ground me!" Kassima snaps in indignation, and never mind that
the point is moot. "And why *shouldn't* I be allowed t'fly straight where I
wish? I'm still fit t'sit m'dragon, and he'll only let me fly anywhere but
to m'ledge with an *escort*. An escort! I'm nay a bloody five-Turn-old!"
Scowling, she nods towards the innocent-looking pot on the serving table.
"Over there. Made M'dei squeak." At least that seems to please her, but
what small sop that might be to her ego is neutralized by the irritated
glance she casts outside. "Lysseth," she explains, terse, "is somewhat
more... tetchy... than usual. We don't like seeing the Wings going off
without us."

Maylia frowns, glancing out towards the bowl, concentrating a moment.
"Evening there, Leya," she greets, comming out of it. "Klah?" Indeed, she's
veered from wine to the klah pots. To Kassi, she shrugs equably. "Maybe
not, but I could've found a way to. I know you don't like seeing the wings
go off without you - you'd follow, were you not grounded completely!"

Lysseth> Hey, it's Tierth who's Lysseth's great-aunt, you know. The latter
green's claws flex, then extend, to rake through the sand with a quiet
*screeeee*. The better to goose you with if you don't get out of my
territory, my dear.

"I have *every* right t'be flying straight where I will and going *between*
when 'tis allowed," Kassi grits out. "I've borne three children, haven't I?
All healthy, aren't they? And I didn't once try and do something stupid
while carrying 'em. I *am* an adult. I *can* take care of m'self. And
Lysseth, if'n you don't shut *up*, I'm going t'tie your tail in a knot and
shove it down your throat!" The last is a full-out bellow towards the Bowl,
and Leya's question receives only a glower.

Ryialla walks here from the Inner Cavern.

Lysseth> Tierth still pays her 'great neice' little mind. Respect your...
well, not elders. Ancestral generations? She backed off, anyways. The
younger green makes a show of stretching out where she is, tail drawing
lazy patterns in the bowl's floor.

Leya nods to Maylia, "Evenin', Ma'am." She jumps at Kassi's bellow, pushing
even farther back into her chair, which is threatening to tip over. A
worried expression passes over her face, her eyes unfocus and her
expression relaxes some. "Just stay there," she murmurs.

"And keep still." Leya adds after a pause.

Lysseth> Lysseth gives this changed situation due consideration, and
finally relents, relaxing back into her curl as though nothing ever
happened. Trying to chase the younger green off further would be entirely
too undignified, after all.

Ryialla pops her head out from the inner caverns, slightly wide-eyed at the
bellow. "Faranth. I've not heard Kassi like that for Turns..."

Maylia actually has the gall to look maternally amused, looking at Kassi as
she pours a mug full of M'kla's Klah. Not only does she do this willingly,
but she seems to be relishing the idea of savouring the beverage, and even
pays little mind to the pouring of what's surely a corosive liquid.
"Mmm-hmmm?" She asks, nodding. "Well, J'lyn has every right to ground you,
for the sake of your own health. If you've problems with it, go to A'lex?
Evening, Ryialla!"

Dragon> Tierth bespoke Telgar Thunderbolt Wing with << I /won/! Nyah-nyah!
;) >>

Dragon> Lysseth bespoke Telgar Thunderbolt Wing with << Try that again on
Thursday, though, Tierth.... ;) >>

Dragon> Tovith bespoke Telgar Thunderbolt Wing with << I can look 
now? ;) >>

Lysseth> Tierth looks *smug*. And inches forwards. No more ground than
she'd relinquished earlier, though, of course.

Lysseth> Lysseth pops open one very red eye. And flicks out one very sharp
claw. Watch it, sister. She's still got her eye on you.

Telgar Weyr> Leya stares at the LC. "It's a conspiracy. It has to be. Evil
greenriders unite against poor innocent brownrider."

Ryialla sniffs the air, suddenly, coming into the cavern fully. "Is
that...could it possibly be?" More sniffing. "That smells like M'kla's
receipe..."

"Lysseth's being a pain about Tierth, she's been grousing all eve about
missing the Fall, I made M'kla's klah but *I* can't drink it, and t'top it
all off, I can't give you what 'twas going t'give you for your Turnday
because somebody already is so I had t'be bribing Jirel t'go all over the
place 'til she could find something suitable. So here." A bundle is
produced from some hidden pocket on that strange outfit and tossed towards
the other greenrider. Yes, Kassi is sulking. "He does *nay*. 'Tisn't for
m'health, 'tisn't because of *professional* concern. Even *A'lex* wouldn't
ground me. And he's a bronzer! Greenriders are supposed t'be more
reasonable!" Let's all laugh in concert now.

Telgar Weyr> Maylia nahs, and hasn't been evil lately. Gotta practice up,
before we've 'lings again.

Lysseth> Tierth halts mid-creep, one foreleg extended, head low. Hmmm. She
was just getting comfortable, honest. An odd sort of comfortable, as she
lays her head on that awkwardly extended foreleg, and chuffles gently.

Leya lifts a hand in a limp excuse of a greeting to Ryialla. She does looks
somewhat curious about the bundle Kassi throws towards her, if a little
frightened at the same time. She looks back at Kassima at the last
statement, but doesn't say anything except for one word, "Reasonable..."

Lysseth> Lysseth retracts that claw, but doesn't retreat back to her nice
comfortable sulk. No, she continues to watch Tierth, wings furling and
unfurling in a restless fashion. Why, yes, she *is* paranoid, whyever do
you ask?

Maylia snaps, "Back." in the general direction of the bowl. Looking rather
exasperated, she holds up her mug, nodding to the newly arrived greenrider.
"'Tis indeed. Want a mug?" Better be a thick mug, to hold the stuff long
enough to drink it, before it eats through the ceramic.

Lysseth> Tierth might look oddly relaxed, but she's not dozing off to
sleep. Oh, no, there're such fascinating things to watch. Lysseth finds
herself the subject of a very intent pair of whirling eyes, watching her
.every. move. Except that every now and then she glances above the other
green, to a point somewhere behind her, and to her right.

Lysseth> Lysseth may be proddy--what are we saying? There's no 'may' about
it--but she's not totally lost her senses, and her low growl would suggest
that she's not at all amused. Oh, look, it's a dragon staring contest, with
Lysseth's stare more of a glare. A decidedly hostile one. Do not taunt the
Proddy Fun Green <tm>.

"Sane?" Kassi tries instead, but even she doesn't sound very certain of
that. "Well. We're supposed t'be sticking up for each other, anyway. When
we're nay both proddy and busy kicking each other's rumps across the Bowl
and back."

Ryialla looks down at amazement as a package is thrust into her arms, and
she manages to get out, "Thank you, Kassi." Another sniff of the air, and
she starts nibbling at her lip. "M'kla's klah.." Coming to a decision, she
goes and gets two mugs - a pair of thick, misshapen beasts kept in the
kitchen more for laughs than anything else. Cleaning them out, she follows
her nose over to the wonderous klah scent, then pours a little into each.
The rest of the mugs are filled with milk, and, tucking the bundle under
her arm, she marches back and puts one mug in front of Kassi. "There. I
know you don't like milk, but it's my turnday, and I say we get to have
just a little bit of M'klah's klah. The healers can go hang. And if J'lyn
complains, I'll...I'll..sit on him."

You can remove the Healer from the Hall, but not the Hall from the Healer.
Even if said Healer only really spent a few months as a very junior
apprentice. "Not a good idea." Maylia suggests, taking a long sip of her
own klah. How cruel! "Not good for the babes." Probably rather unwelcome
advice, right about now.

Leya sits quietly watching. Her eyes following the greenriders, her hands
clasped tightly together. Perhaps she's scared that if they'll notice her.
I wonder why...

Lysseth> Taralyth backwings for a landing.

Kassima blinks in sincere amazement--first at the mug presented her, then
at the prospect of Ryi sitting on J'lyn. It's a very pleased sort of
amazement, too. "I'd nay thought of this," she admits in a mumble, as close
to admitting fallacy as she'll get right now. "Thankee, Ryi. Go ahead and
open the package, if'n 'twill--'tis a small thing," and for once, wrapped
simply in black cloth rather than in the gaudy colors a non-proddy Kassi
favors--"and if'n you don't like it, I can be sending Jirel out again."
Lucky Jirel. Curling her hand around the mug, Kassi only smiles a toothsome
smile at May before bringing it up to very deliberately drain off about
half of it in two or three long swallows. "Delicious," she sighs. "Almost
makes up for the lack of bloody meat. Even *with* the milk."

Lysseth> Taralyth stretches, claws out, with a slow-whirling glance instead
of a warble for greeting: by now he's been washed, oiled even, with but a
faintly lingering miasma of firestone.

Lysseth> I'sai slides down from Taralyth's neck.

Ryialla is already drinking hers as well - smiling blissfully. She manages
to swallow about half of the contents of the mug before mean old Maylia
does anything like take the beverage away. "Oops," she says, then sets down
her mug to get open her present.

Lysseth> I'sai glances up over his shoulder at his dragon - the dragons -
and then shakes his head, and walks on in.

I'sai walks in from the bowl.

I'sai enters quietly, jacket buckled closely about him; he too had washed
after Fall, but his fair hair could have just as well been combed last
sevenday. Or season.

Telgar Weyr> I'sai says, "What did I miss? :)"

Leya brightens up as she sees I'sai enter. A non-greenrider! She waves to
I'sai and smiles as she motions for him to come over.

Telgar Weyr> Leya says, "Kassi forcing klah down Whinde, M'dei, and
myself's throat. Beware."

Within the small bundle is a slick, shiny necklace: jade, dusky jade,
carved into inch-long shapes of dragons whose teeth grasp the tail of the
sister in front of them. These greens are all proddy, perhaps? This hold is
loose enough, however, to let the curled tail slide some--creating mobile
links--and at one point, the chain is broken entirely by a discreet and
simple clasp. "Nay as fancy as I'd have liked, but...." Kassi shrugs,
affecting nonchalance. "Told Jirel t'look for something with greens, and
that's what she found." I'sai is greeted by a brief irritable glance, a
briefer wiggle of fingers. Hi. Be afraid. Be very afraid.

Telgar Weyr> Leya says, "M'kla's klah."

Telgar Weyr> I'sai bewares.

Ryialla oohs, entirely entranced. "This is beautiful, Kassi." She trails a
finger along the contours of that necklace, reverently.

Lysseth> Lysseth might, or might not, be inclined to rumble--or grumble--a
greeting. It's hard to say. She's entirely too preoccupied by glaring at
Tierth, wings rustling in a generally agitated manner. Why, no, she's not
proddy at *all*.

I'sai's return smile is warm enough, for all that exhaustion underlies it,
and walks to join his clutchmate - if with an eye for the greenriders, and
keeping open an escape route. Kassima gets a nod, Ryialla a long glance,
and Leya a whispered, "What did I miss?"

Kassima's shrug this time is slightly uncomfortable, but she mumbles, "Glad
you like it." And she manages not to say anything about how much buying two
presents cost, either, so she must really be going all-out for tact.
"Didn't know for sure whether you liked jewelry, but 'tis hard t'be going
wrong with greens." Glaring briefly towards the Bowl, she amends, "*Sane*
greens. I'sai. Come over here and try some of this klah, why don't you."

Leya peers over the necklace, finally deciding that it's not too scary and
whispers back to I'sai. "Nothing good." She points a puddle of suspiciouly
sizzling liquid on the table in front of her. "Don't drink the klah."

I'sai's eyes widen just a little, and then he says -so- politely, "Thank
you." That not a little to Leya. "That's very generous of you, but
unfortunately, I'm full up, and I'd hate to waste it. Sloshing, really."

Lysseth> Taralyth's headknobs tilt forward, a match for his wings' sleeking
back. Fascinating, aren't they, Tovith? ...Do that some more, Lysseth, says
his own warble: it's very scenic.

Leya nods approvingly to I'sai, then looks over Kassima and Ryialla.
"That's a very nice necklace." Avoid the klah subject.

Ryialla reaches a thumb down the front of her tunic, and hooks up the
simple silver necklace that she still wears, after all these turns. "I like
jewelry. Thank you /so/ much, Kassi. It's beautiful." She'd hug, but
there's all this belly in the way. Still - she goes over and offers to give
Kassi a quick head-lean in its place.

Lysseth> Tovith rumbles grumpily at Taralyth. He doesn't want that green.
She's mean. And his own /nice/ green left.

Telgar Weyr> I'sai grins at the head-lean.

Kassima gives a slow blink, then another; in a different sort of
greenrider, that could almost be read as a flirtatious eyelash-flutter, but
with Kassi it's combined with one of those 'Just precisely how foolish
*are* you, anyway?' looks that rather negates the effect. "M'kla's klah is
a *legend*. Who knows when 'twill feel like making some again?" Hopefully
not for another Turn or so. "You really shouldn't waste an opportunity.
Drink. Do." She flicks a brief smile to Leya, before freezing a moment in
startlement at Ryi's gesture--people generally don't touch her when she's
proddy, for some odd reason--but she does bring up one arm to gingerly
attempt a back-pat in return. "Quite welcome. Turnday, after all."

Lysseth> Are you calling me scenic? Are you saying that I am a piece of
shrubbery here to amuse you? Lysseth snaps in Taralyth's direction,
mantling--but quite nicely distracted from Tierth, at least.

How could I'sai turn down an experiment? Easily. But - "Do you have any
left, Leya?" the young man asks cautiously. And for all that he can't very
well see, he adds a would-be placating, "It looks to be a very nice
...necklace. What's the story behind your other one, Ryi?"

Lysseth> Taralyth may see Tovith's point, tail tidily wrapping his haunches
as he crouches, but his eyes spark a brighter blue. Maybe so. After all,
Lysseth isn't doing a very good job of entertaining his clutchmate, it 
seems.

Ryialla is fine with the backpat, but then gives the poor proddy rider a
break, still smiling happily down at the necklace. "Hmm?" She glances up
and over at I'sai. "Th' one 'round m'neck? This was m'mothers. M'one aunt -
the one that got me t'Ruatha? She took it with an' left instructions that I
was t'get it once I got better." Her voice is thick with emotion, for some
odd reason. Presents, pregnancy, klah? Who knows.

No matter which, I'sai sits back a very little with a repeated, "Thank 
you."

Leya pokes cautiously at her still mostly full mug of evil klah. It doesn't
collapse at her touch so it must not be done eating through the ceramic
yet. "Uhh, yeah. There's still some in there. Don't know if you want it
though." She quickly turns to alternate subject, "Yes, do tell."

I'sai inquires, "Mind if I stick my finger in it?" One he won't necessarily
need for the future, one might hope.

Lysseth> Disgruntled, Lysseth resettles herself, folding her wings tightly
and assuming a sulky mein. No one takes her seriously, and her rider won't
let her use claws to convince them they should. Life just isn't fair.
Nonchalantly, she does whip out another forepaw full of them to scratch a
furrow in the Bowl, though--must keep them sharp. Maybe she can claw
someone up during the flight that way, and that would make her feel better.

Leya glances around at the others, then at I'sai. "You asking me? No, I
don't mind at all." She cautiously pushs the mug over towards him, careful
not spill any one her own self however.

Lysseth> Taralyth yawns, a great tongue-curling gesture - claws are what
you make of them - though he keeps his muzzle well out of reach, too, in
case. His whirling gaze shifts to note a certain pen across the distant
bowl: there are herdbeasts there, after all. Munchies on the hoof.

Kassima favors Ryi with a quizzical peer as she takes another long sip of
the Death Klah. "What's got you sounding nigh like me in accent?" she wants
to know. "There's a whole pot over there on the table. It's had awhile to
age--" And corrode. "--So it should be drinkable. If'n it melts your finger
off, can I drink the mix? Might be as close as I'd get t'being able to eat
meat."

I'sai waves a hand, "Why not," then reaches to dip the chosen finger into
Leya's offering. Sacrificial offering. Something like that.

Telgar Weyr> I'sai has this vision of I'sai's finger gaining certain
strange powers and certainly talking all its own self. Like one of those
preachers, "...I have seen the DOOM!"

Telgar Weyr> Leya giggles.

Lysseth> Lysseth has fangs, too, did you notice? Nasty, big, pointy ones.
And you know, those green bites kan be nasti. But she is becoming abruptly
bored with the entire game--tucking her head neatly to her other side, she
turns her back on the males, indicating that they're no longer worth her
interest.

Telgar Weyr> Kassima laughs!! Is, you're twisted. :)

Kassima leans to watch what happens with great curiousity and anticipation.
Are screams of pain about to ensue?

Telgar Weyr> I'sai says, "What -is- in that stuff?"

Ryialla rubs at her eye a moment, and mumbles something about pregnancy. It
sounds pretty thin.

Lysseth> Tovith stays curled in his protective ball. He watches her claws
with detatched curiousity, then follows Taralyth's gaze to the pens. Yup,
soon.

Telgar Weyr> Kassima says, "No idea. The recipe's always been secret. M'kla
ICly passed it on to Kassi with her death, but OOCly I remain clueless.
Agenothree, human blood, and the dust of ground-up brownrider bones have
all been theorized, however. ;)"

Lysseth> That would mean a deeper yawn from Taralyth, if paired with
brighter eyes: is it his fault Lysseth's scared of putting her claws into
action? Surely not. After all, he and Tovith, they fought Thread earlier,
while she had to stay behind and watch her own wing be led by this other
green... who was it? Cymrith, and his warble makes of her name a purr.

Telgar Weyr> I'sai laughs.

Leya winces and watches I'sai along with Kassima, though her expression is
more one of apprehension and dread.

I'sai waits. No sizzling. His pointed features slump faintly in
disappointment; he lifts the finger out again, tilting it this way and that
way over the mug to look at it and still catch any drips. No, it's
apparently not that the flesh was eaten away and he just didn't feel it,
though give it time.

Kassima is distracted a moment from the experiment to squint towards Ryi.
There's a brief glimmer of the concern she'd show in full were she not
currently cast in the Lysseth Horror Proddy Show. "Bad memory, Ryi?" she
asks quietly. Her eyes slide back towards the saga of the finger as she
asks, though, and her disappointment is a good mirror for his at the lack
of destruction or dismemberment. "Mayhaps I didn't make it strong enough
after all."

Ryialla shakes her head, and says simply, "I still miss her. Miss both of
them."

Lysseth> Lysseth is paying no heed to those males. None at all. They're not
worth her time, attention, or the effort it would take to turn her head to
look at them. Still, there *is* a furtive shift, and a brief flash of
whirling crimson eye--frightened, *she*? Surely they jest. Ah, but then,
reminded of her disgrace, she abandons pretense and whips about to snarl
outright--that was her *rider's* fault! *She* should have led; the Wing is
*hers*!

While I'sai and Kassima may be disappointed, Leya is relieved. "Oh, good.
You still have your finger." She gives Kassima a sharp look, "If was a
stronger it'd've retched. Is it supposed to dissolve body parts?"

I'sai licks judiciously at his fingertip, and although pale eyes may have
shifted to Ryialla, he offers only, "...Maybe I just got here too late,
it's a little old."

Lysseth> Tovith nearly tears his own wings backing up to get away from the
wrath of the proddy Lysseth. He scoots away from her, far away. He rumbles
disgusted at Taralyth. Make a proddy green mad. Smart. Very smart.

"Oh." A moment of silence, awkward silence at that, before Kassima offers,
"Aye, well, understandable. Normal t'miss people when they're gone." So
helpful is this Kassi. "'Tis supposed t'be corroding its own container, so
'twould *think* it wouldn't be good for body parts." Abruptly, she
brightens; this can't be a good sign. "Think I should dump a fresh pot down
L'cher's pants t'be testing?"

Ryialla brightens as well, and says, "Yes..." Then she slumps. "Can't,
Kassi. We need him, remember?"

Lysseth> Taralyth, young as he is, provoking though he is, still startles -
wings flash back to show their undersides for a moment, muzzle lifting at
an angle that shields his throat. But then his warble drops to something of
a throaty croon: and did her rider make it -worth it-? Is there a reason
why she's not hunting even those lesser beasts, not satiating the
fight-lust on herdbeast flesh and forcing half the Weyr to hear the crack
of bone, those anguished wherries' cries?

Leya can't help herself. She giggles. "Actually, that might be a good use
for it if it actually does dissolve body parts." She giggles again, then
stops to peer at Ryialla, "Need him for what? You could still have him,
just not /all/ of him." And that's as close as Leya comes to saying that
taboo word.

I'sai offhandedly dips his finger again, licks his finger again. "Hey, 
now."

Telgar Weyr> I'sai says, "Pun intended."

Lysseth> Lysseth growls a note of dark satisfaction at having succeeded in
at least ruffling the young bronze, if only for a moment. Her answer is all
hiss, razor-sharp crystal and acidic lightning: there *is* no worth it for
missing Fall, for missing flame, and she isn't... hungry. Quite. Soon, but
not *yet*, much though she'd probably enjoy killing for the fun of
it--there's a frustration, too, to add to the roiling river of blood that
signifies the tally. As if she really needed another excuse to be peeved.

Telgar Weyr> Kassima finally catches it and *groans*.

"Awwwww." Kassi's lower-lip juts out again briefly in that uncharacteristic
pout. "Life is just *nay* fair. We need him t'be jumping out of a cake
dressed as a tent peg t'be surprising Mart in his underwear." She's
evidently gotten the plot somewhat confused at some point. "I guess we
wouldn't really need *that* part of him, but still, it might damage his
legs and he'd need those for the leaping."

Ryialla nods. "That's what I was thinking. Could maybe get a funnel - and
just try for specfic areas.." Fingering the necklace again, she slides out
of her seat in a motion that would, were she not gravid, be abrupt. "I'm
goin' t'go put m'Turnday presents on," she announces, and makes her way out
of the cavern.

Ryialla walks towards the inner cavern.

Leya just blinks at Kassi and Ryialla, the twins in evil. "Oh. Well," is
she manages to say. She waves Ryialla as she walks out.

Kassima thinks to ask, abruptly worried, "Nay anyone got her aught with
pink lace, did they?"

I'sai's glanced over his shoulder, hand going to the back of his neck,
something about a hiss; but then he says, "-I- didn't. Leya?" He drops his
voice, "Pierron wouldn't, would he?" and then drops his finger in again.

Ryialla walks here from the Inner Cavern.

Pierron adjusts his apron and tugs on his moustache.

Leya shakes her head,

Ryialla returns, a short while later, in a...skirt. And she looks relieved.
"Those trous were gettin' awfully tight. This is much better."

Leya shakes her head, "I didn't." She eyes I'sai and his finger, "What are
you doing?"

I'sai's turn to be abrupt, as he checks. No pink lace in -sight-, at least.
"Looks good, if I can say that - what? Oh, having a little more."

Lysseth> Taralyth lets the hiss wash over him, for all that it wrinkles
tension into the muscles beneath his smooth hide as it passes, tension
that's far slower to dissipate within his own sudden curl of talons. No
innards for Lysseth, then, no still-pulsing ropes shining in the moons'
parsimonious light; no blood-reek to fill the absence of firestone
unchewed; not even a great slab of meat to soothe the ache of a wing lost,
a fight won by others. Blood, now... blood's another story, at least if
they don't all forget.

A hiss, yes; Kassi's breath hisses out, in relief. No pink. Though the
skirt does cause her to glance at her own waist as though to check--still
in no danger of having to give up pants, right? "Looks good, Ryi," she
offers. "For a skirt. Shirt's nice. Are you going t'be an addict too,
then?" I'sai is eyed consideringly, faint interest sparking life into
dulled green. "'Tis usually only greenriders that develop the taste. You're
sure Taralyth's male?"

Ryialla asks curiously as she re-settles herself in a seat, "Didn't you
make him an honorary greenrider the other day? I think that'd qualify."
And, "Is. That stuff's highly addictive, y'know." Even pregnant greenriders
can't completely stay away from it, although Ryi's milk-laden sample seems
to have been enough for her.

Leya smiles at Ryialla, "Yes, you look nice." She peers closely at I'sai
and hmphs, "Maybe it is addictive," she muses. She raises her voice a bit,
"Sometimes I wonder about I'sai so I maybe it rubbed off onto his dragon."
She shrugs, "He can be evil enough to be a greenrider at times."

I'sai glances up from the mug, pale beneath his freckles. "No more
addictions for me, thanks. And as for Pli - Leya!"

Lysseth> Tovith just looks at Taralyth, then Lysseth and back. He back up
some more until he against the wall.

Leya raises her eyebrows and blinks wide-eyed at I'sai, "What?"

Lysseth> Lysseth curves silvered ivory claws into the sand, raking gouges
there, and the rippling of her wings gives her wing-claws the appearance of
trying to clench similarly at the wind. Rub it in, why doesn't he? No, no
innards, no meat, no metallic, coppery tang of fresh blood to tease forth
the greater appetite and prelude the slick slide of rent flesh down a
draconic throat. She'll have to make do with other violences to compensate,
don't you think? Violence against bronzes is starting to seem pretty 
tempting.

I'sai mutters over now-folded arms - the finger, yes, licked clean
beforehand - "'Evil.' 'Wonder about me.'"

Kassima gives the pot a wistful look, her own mug drained long ago, but
doesn't move to fetch more. "How many addictions d'you have?" she wants to
know. "I didn't know you drank or gambled. D'you sniff fellis, then? And
you *are* evil, bronzerider. So's your dragon. Deal."

Ryialla nods. "You are, Is. And it's not a bad thing to be at all."

Leya for once very much agrees Kassi, even a proddy Kassima. Scary. "Yes,
you are." She shrugs, "I thought you'd realized that already."

Lysseth> Somehow, backed against the wall isn't where Taralyth would
choose, although there could just as well be a transparent one between him
and the rest of the bowl, the way his hindquarters tense in case an upward
leap is needed; but since the only other reply would be backing -down-...
well. He yawns, dark-diamond eyes never leaving her: she'd have to -catch-
him first.

I'sai shakes his head to the fellis, or maybe it's the evilness, and gives
Ryialla a momentary stare; "...Am not, Leya," he challenges. Not, not, not!
"What would you say is 'evil'? I'd be.... say it's just misunderstood."

Lysseth> Tovith watches the two dragons with growing interest, now that he
is basicly safe. She's not threatening /him/, and he intented to keep it
that way.

Lysseth> Lysseth stares, eyes shining ruby, bright ruby, blood ruby,
through the dark. Her, catch *him*? Why should she bother? She could, of
course. It would be easy--she's fast, perhaps the fastest in Telgar, and
with a green's agility. The question is, why would she *want* to? No, no
threats to Tovith; Tovith is being a gentleman and doing the gentlemanly
thing. Namely, fearing her. He can stay.

Telgar Weyr> I'sai says, "#1 of Ryialla's betting lessons: don't bet. ;)"

Telgar Weyr> Leya grins, "Good lessons."

Lysseth> Taralyth yawns a little wider, no doubt counting on a head start
to let endurance be the key: no catch, no violence. So sad, especially with
Fall over and done.

"I'm evil, you're evil, we're all evil." The banister's evil! Kassima folds
her arms again, favoring I'sai with a contemptuous look. *Now*
contemptuous. "Evil's better than being misunderstood. Evil is feared;
misunderstood is pitied. Who wants *pity*?"

Ryialla mms, non-commitally. No comment from the pregnancy gallery.

Jenni walks in from the bowl.

Leya grins at I'sai, "I'd've thought you'd be honored to be considered
evil." She thinks for a few moment, then grins as she remembers something.
"Remember when you told me to leave and go get a healer for a certain
person. You, of course, wouldn't. That's evil."

Well, if that's all. "Where'd pity come into it?" I'sai inquires. "See, if
people think it's the same thing, then it effectively is till, ... Oh.
Leya. I don't remember -that- at -all-."

Leya stares at Kassi, "I'm not evil! Only greenriders and those people who
act like greenriders," I'sai is given a look," are evil!"

Lysseth> Lysseth delicately bares fangs again. How like a bronze,
overestimating himself and underestimating her. Especially her capacity for
violence. She slinks forward, a hair's breadth, two; would he like a
demonstration? A quick claw-flick, mar that pretty nose, her rider needn't
know 'til it's done--

I'sai points out, "-I- don't wear butt-less pants."

Ryialla smiles slowly at Leya, and says, "You could be evil, if you wanted
to, Leya. Not all brownriders are hopeless causes. It's just so much easier
to give in...and that's a shame, I'sai. You'd look quite fine in buttless
pants."

I'sai turns, then, and reddens all at once: "Uh, hi, ...Jenni."

Jenni stands in the doorway, smirking at the conversation, "if you wear
pants without a butt in them...why wear them at all?"

Kassima starts to answer, but breaks to swivel about and snap towards the
Bowl, "Nay maiming him, Lysseth, I already *told* you--what, so you're only
evil if'n you wear buttless pants? I don't wear buttless pants." She's
affronted now, oh, yes. "Does that mean you don't consider me evil?" She'll
leave the pity bit alone; that requires logic, and logic requires rational
thought, which she doesn't precisely possess in high quality at the moment.
"Are so evil, Leya. You're a malerider. All maleriders are evil."

Leya had already turned red at the mention of butt-less pants, "Not all
greenriders wear those, thank Faranth." She leans back from Ryialla, "I
kind of like being a hopeless case..." she says, then looks around when she
hears I'sai. "Oh, hi, Jenni."

I'sai suggests, "Why don't you ask J'lyn, Jenni? I'm sure we'd all ... no,
we wouldn't all like to hear, exactly. ...So you're saying, Kassima, that
if you're evil, and all maleriders are evil, you're like a malerider."

Ryialla waves at Jenni, cheerfully. "Heyla, Jenni. Come in and tell Leya
she can be evil. And Kassi's /not/ like a malerider, Is. She's a
greenrider. Totally different."

Leya frowns trying to muddle through all this and make some sembalence of
sense from it all. "Or are all riders, both male and femaleriders evil?
Didn't you say once we were evil in different ways? Or was that insane?"

Kassima takes a deep breath. Must keep exasperation under control. "*Nay*,"
she answers in a patronizing drawl. "There are different kinds of evil.
Greenrider evil, the good, useful kind of evil, and malerider evil, the
evil that deserves a swift kick in the pants. Whether or nay said pants
have a butt."

I'sai wrinkles his nose. "Well. -That's- not very interesting."

Jenni strolls in, hands folded at the small of her back, "oh, being evil is
fun. Depending on your type of evil. Right?" her eyes twinkle. "I mean some
people are sweet on the outside, but inside they're evil...in a good way."

Kassima throws up her hands and demands, "What's so uninteresting about it?
Just one type of evil would be *boring*! Ryi, can you maim him just a
little for me, please? You're allowed, but I'd get dawn sweeps."

Leya slowly nods, "So are riders are evil and insane, just in different
ways depending on gender and color." She considers this for a few moments,
then asks, "Are bronzeriders more evil than brownriders or all maleriders
equally evil?

Ryialla shakes her head. "Wouldn't want to deny you that privledge," she
says. "Besides, I'm much closer t'spawning than you. And therefore, dawn
sweeps are becoming a possibility again."

Lysseth> Taralyth shudders full-body, precursor to flight - and yet for all
his sudden impulse to defense, the gesture liquidly shifts into something
of a stretch, blue-black eyes shining. Pretty nose, is it. Well, well, 
well.

I'sai abruptly rubs the flat of his hand over his forehead and into his
hair. "Excuse me," he says thickly. "I think I'd better ... go. Yeah."

Kassima falls into pensive thought, rubbing at her temples. "Depends on the
circumstance," she finally decides. "Bronzeriders and brownriders are each
annoying in their own evil way. Such as now; you, a brownrider, have the
sense t'be embracing evil as a defense against the other forms of evil, but
I'sai, a bronzerider, is still trying t'deny it. So he's more evil at the
moment. You've got the basic theory, though."

Jenni shakes her head, but decides her opinion about the topic of color
making a rider evil or not might not matter in the current onrush of
conversation already at hand. She smiles prettily and saunters off to get
food.

Ryialla pouts - yes, pouts - at I'sai. "So soon?"

Lysseth> Lysseth herself shifts, back and to the side: to preen a wing.
Defensive. She didn't say that. Never said that. Never would say that.
Really. Just your imagination, and yes, she slides a carmine look back
towards the bronze to see whether he happens to be buying this.

Leya taps her mouth with fingers as she digests this, "Hmm, well..." She
looks at I'sai, then blinks her focus goes elsewhere for a bit. "Oh my."

Kassima then squints up at I'sai. "Oh, relax," she advises, not entirely
unkindly if brusque. "Lyss won't really maim him. I'd make dragonskin boots
of her if'n she did."

That pout catches I'sai mid-rising, which doesn't do his knee, or the
table, or what's left of Leya's mug any good; "Er. Yeah. I might be back.
If I can't sleep. Taralyth needs an - oiling," that handy all-purpose
excuse, for all that he'll pay for it later by making it truth.
Low-muttered: if there's anything left of Taralyth to oil.

I'sai does add, "But, ah, thanks; I'm afraid the boots wouldn't fit me,"
and takes the mug with him as he goes.

I'sai walks down the short tunnel and out into the bowl.

Jenni waves bye to I'sai.

Leya stands up as well, pushing the chair back in, then back out. "I think
I'm going to go see Tovith. Umm, get him out of the way." She waves then
hurries out toward the bowl.

Lysseth> Taralyth's quite foolishly bright-eyed and whisper-tailed, the
latter of which snakes just above the ground as he hurries to greet his
rider, who just stares, and implores easy flight before he carefully mounts
up.

Lysseth> I'sai swings up to Taralyth's neck.

Leya walks down the short tunnel and out into the bowl.

Ryialla waves to I'sai, then, shifting a little. "Shells. This gets more
and more annoying every day."

Kassima blinks after him, bemused. "Did I say the boots would be for him?"
Considering her mug, she swings her legs down from her Wing table, rises,
and moves to refill it--with mint tea, not The Klah. "Even if'n he weren't
evil, Taralyth is. Taunting Lyss like that. I thought even bronzes had
*some* brains--" She watches Leya go and only shakes her head.

Lysseth> Tovith warbles gratefully to Leya as she approaches, stretching
out his leg eagerly for her to climb up.

Lysseth> Leya uses Tovith's leg to climb up, then sits between his 
neckridges.

Lysseth> Taralyth lingers a warble with that Lysseth, since at least she
has good taste if not blood, and a lighter one for his clutchmate before he
takes wing.

Lysseth> Taralyth takes flight, using the thermals rising from the bowl to
carry him aloft.

Lysseth> Tovith takes flight, using the thermals rising from the bowl to
carry him aloft.

Ryialla simply shrugs. "Maybe he misinterpreted," is offered, casual-like.
Then, to Jenni, "I've not seen you around much. Been up to anything
interesting?"

Jenni leans her hip against the table and drinks her juice, "Oh, up to no
good of course. How are you? I heard you were...um..." she nods towards the
swell of the greenrider's tummy. "But I haven't seen you around to say hi
and congrats."

Kassima nods absently, frowning, and considering the depths of her mint
tea. With an abrupt snort, she ambles, not towards her chair, but towards
the exit. "Methinks 'twill get Lysseth up to her ledge a'fore she tries
t'pick fights with anyone *else*. G'night, you two. Happy Turnday, Ryi."

Jenni waves goodbye to Kassima, "night."

Ryialla nods, and says dryly, "Yes. I've swallowed a wherry." She waves to
Kassi, and says, "Goodnight, Kassi. And thank you again for the lovely
present."

"Don't mention it," Kassi calls back, and strides out in a swirl of black
to Have Words with a certain glowing green.

You walk down the short tunnel and out into the bowl.