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The Caprine and the Carpenter


Date:  March 9, 2005
Place:  Telgar Weyr Lake Shore
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:  For the record, the caprine is the billy that Tegara 
talked about, and not Tegara herself. ;)  That settled:  a pair of 
visitors to the Weyr wander by the Lake Shore late in the evening,
finding a pensive Kassima there--Our Heroine has just learned 
something important, but she's not of a mind to share it yet.  The
caprines and quarries of High Glen are discussed, as is the 
prospect of liquor in exchange for carpentry.

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The Log:

Tegara heads over from the central bowl.

It might seem at first look that Lysseth is alone at the shore, her dark
hide shadowy against the more verdant green of the grass and the water that
sparkles a short stretch from her foreclaws. Only certain angles would let
one see the rider who sits beside her, her back braced against the dragon's
warm side. Kassima gazes off into space--or into the Lake--in silence and,
it would appear, thought.

Tegara looks at the two, so perfectly paired in thought beside the bowl's
lake. She's a bit reluctant to interrupt them in their contemplation of
whatever it is dragons and their riders contemplate. So Tegara moves a
little bit away, but not too far, and joins them in their quite
contemplation of the night.

Lysseth may indeed seem contemplative, although the twitching of her tail's
end in the grass might reveal to those who know dragons better that she's
closer to bored. As such, it's not surprising that she notices the new
arrival and turns her head enough to watch Tegara with slow-whirling blue
eyes through the gloom of evening. Kassi's still oblivious. Whatever she's
thinking about, it has a hold on her, and she watches the ripples in the
Lake without really seeing them. One thumbnail is between her teeth, being
absently chewed.

Tegara can hear something rustling in the grass, and then notices the
dragon's whirling, blue eyes looking in her direction. She knows that the
riders can 'talk' to their dragons telepathically, mind-to-mind, and tries
the trick with Lysseth. "Hello there, green dragon," she says, mouthing the
words.

If the trick does work, Lysseth gives no visible sign of it. However, after
a moment, her rider wakes--somewhat--from her daze of thought, letting her
hand fall and shaking hair back from her eyes with a sigh audible enough to
carry. Either chance or silent prompting calls her to glance over towards
where Tegara sits. "Oh," she says, surprised. "Evening--sorry, I didn't see
you there."

"Uh, hi there, greenrider," she says. "Hope I'm not disturbing you at all
or anything...," and her voice trails off in her usual reticence. "I'll
leave if I'l bothering you two at all," she says.

"'Tis a free Lake Shore," answers Kassima, shaking her head quickly. "Nay
need for you t'be leaving, whether 'twere disturbing or nay--and you're
nay, nay really. I'm nay doing aught important out here. Just thinking."
She bends her head to rub at the back of her neck, and casts a wry,
sidelong smile. "'Tis a fair place for it."

"That it is," Tegara nods in agreement. "Kinda reminds me of a small tarn
up in the hills where I live -- catches the sky in a small, clear mirror."
She lays back in the grass surrounding the lake, taking a stalk and chewing
on it thoughtfully.

Kassima repeats, "Tarn," as though unfamiliar with the word. After a
moment, though: "Oh, a'course. Aye, like that... I like it at night,
without the dragons swimming in it, because it reflects the stars so well.
When there *are* stars and the bloody snow-clouds aren't obscuring 'em,
this being the Icy Wastes and all." She makes an amused sound. "But even we
don't get too much snow in summer, thankfully. You're visiting us?"

"Yeah," she says. "I came from High Glen Hold, helping bring in a herd of
caprines," and she looked proud that her hold still remembered its ancient
obligation to the weyr that protected it, and your Weyrleader invited me to
stay for a while -- a full sevenday maybe even -- to see Mirrath," and the
name was spoken with an upward inflection, as if she isn't sure she got it
right, "clutch."

"Aye, sure, nay reason you shouldn't stay on a bit--he thinks 'twill be
within the sevenday?" Kassima considers this, her head turning to look
towards the distant Hatching Grounds. "Interesting t'be knowing. I guess it
could be... she's getting rather egg-heavy, they say. I imagine the
beast-tenders were happy t'see those caprines?"

Tegara nods, her gesture half-shrouded in the dim light. "They were most
relieved to see the caprines in," she says, "save for that one cantenkerous
billy that we let go of -- he was gettin' downright _mean_. An' your
Weyrleader also wanted me to help with the herdbeasts -- I'd like to make
it to Beastcraft if...." and she let her words trail off, too shy to say
what she is actually thinking.

There's an amused sound from Kassima's direction. "The dragons may be glad
enough t'see that one," she speculates, stretching a leg out in front of
her. "If'n nay anyone else. 'Tis always good t'be receiving the tithe,
though. I'm sure K'ran and those of the beasthold already gave thanks, but
your Hold has mine as well, for what they're worth--oh, you're wanting t'be
a Herder?" Not a disapproving question; it's raised the greenrider's
interest. "Makes sense, if'n you like working with the beasts. What's
stopping you?"

Tegara turns and takes a hard look at Lysseth. A companion -- for life,
'tis said. "Well, there was a blue rider a few generations back on my
father's side o' the family, an' one o' my uncle's impressed a watch-wher
and works mine safety just outside Crom, an' I was thinkin'," and she
stopped, almost afraid to say what she was thinking. "I wouldn' mind bein'
a dragon rider...."

The green dragon returns that look, but her gaze is impassive, inscrutable,
and perhaps made the more so by darkness and distance between. "Ah." The
sound is a soft one, as much exhalation as reply. "Aye, there aren't a few
who wouldn't mind being a rider if'n they can be. Perhaps more now, with
the Interval here--but you know, aye," Kassima asks, peering at her
conversation partner through the shadows, "that 'tisn't up t'you or t'us
whether that's possible? And that the odds get slimmer all the time? Nay
t'say 'tis impossible, because 'tisn't, only 'tis a hard thing t'get your
heart set on."

"I don' _'zactly_ got my heart set on it, but with the queen here all
broody like and gettin' ready to clutch, this might be the chance of a
lifetime." She leans back on her elbows, still nibbling on that stalk of
grass. "But iffen I don' Impress, I can always go to Beastcraft -- it's
jus' that I'm gettin' a bit tired o' caprines all th' time. Runners -- now
that'd be somethin'."

Gustive heads over from the central bowl.

"High Glen doesn't have much in the way of runnerbeast stock?" Kassima
supposes, relaxing against her dragon's side and looping her arms around
the one leg still folded, bent so that its knee is at chest-height.
"I'truth, even if'n you aren't Searched here, you might still be able
t'Impress somewhere and sometime. We come and find our Candidates; I don't
think half of 'em actually come from the Weyr... I should look at the
statistics for that sometime, just for fun. Regardless of whether it
happens for you, a clutching's worth seeing. 'Tis sounding as if'n you
haven't a'fore?"

Tegara shakes her head. "Nope --'tis too rocky to be a proper runnerbeast
hold -- that's why we breed caprines -- lovely, long-fleeced caprines that
also make good dragonfood when they get too old an' the fleece gets kinda
scuzzy. An' it's a quarry too -- best granite on Pern -- or so my pa says."
And with that she smiled, a warm and sincere smile.

Kassima digs her boot heel into the grassy ground. "I'd have t'be arguing
him with that on that, I'm afraid," she points out with a grin, one
friendly and amused. "Greystones Hold has the best granite on Pern--you can
take this Greystonian's word for it. But we haven't much in the way of
caprines. 'Tis for the fleece that you breed? I really don't know that much
about the creatures save as food for Lyss or me."

Tegara laughs. "Nice to meed a fellow quarry brat," she says, holding her
hand out in greeting. "I'm Tegara, daughter of Master Mason Ricarl of High
Glen Hold. Pleased to meet you, uh, greenrider...?" and she let the
sentence trail off in a question.

"Technically speaking, Da's Holding was more agricultural--farming,
y'know--but m'grandfather was a Master Stonemason, and m'uncle too, and I
spent a bit of time hauling or picking through stone for 'em. So mayhaps I
can qualify as an honorary. Kassima," Kassi introduces herself, scooting
over until she's close enough to cover Tegara's hand with her own to
complete the greeting. "Daughter of Keyran and Yvani of Greystones Hold.
Green Lysseth's rider, riding for Telgar Weyr."

Off key singing in a tenor that could almost be pleasant, except that the
vocalist seems to be trying for a baritone, announces the lad before he
rounds a large bush. With a large wine skin slung over one shoulder he
lopes into the area oblivious to the fact that there are others near.
Starting to do a jaunty dance to his song, Gustive stops in surprise,
finally noticing the two women. Clearing his throat, one foot raised mid
jig, he almost falls over himself. "Oh, er.. ah heh, good evening, ladies."

"Pleased to meet you, Kassima," Tegara says, firmly clasping the
greenrider's hand. "I've done m' share o' pickin' through th' stone, but my
little bro has more the knack for it -- he was startin' to stack blocks by
th' time he was three. With me, I was always in the beast pens, helpin'
with the caprines." Then, all of a sudden, her little spiel is interrupted
by a stranger who comes waltzing in, sounding a bit in his cups as he
nearly trips over his own two feet.

Seated as she is against the shadowy bulk of her lounging dragon, Kassi's
easy enough to miss at first take. This time she notices the newcomer
straight off and her head turns immediately toward him: "There are ladies
here?" she wonders, amused. "Evening back t'you. Please, don't let us stop
you." Indeed not. She draws back to settle against Lyss again, asking
Tegara, "When did you decide you'd rather work with runners, given the
chance?"

"Caprines are nice enow, but they're a bit dumb, an' stubborn -- _really_
stubborn," she says. "An' you can' ride a caprine."

Gustive coughs a bit and straightens, trying to regain his composure.
Pearing at the two he recognizes one, "oh! The Lady Archer!" He sweeps a
deep bow at her and eyes the other's knots. With a more formal bow to the
other woman, he grins. "Wingleader. I'm sorry to disturb you two, I just
thought I'd come out here and fish maybe." Realizing his manners his holds
the skin out, "would either of you like a drink? Fine Benden white, took me
all day repairing chairs to get it."

Tegara looks up as she hears a semi-familiar voice. "I remember you -- you
outshot me at the archery targets a while ago. Well met," and she smiles
winsomely. "Benden red, you say?" she says. "I would'n mind a swig o' 
that -- at High Glen we usually have ale, or some such herbal concoction 
that someone feels like brewin'."

Raising one black eyebrow at Tegara, Kassima repeats, "The Lady Archer? I
sense a story there. Oh, shells," she says to Gustive, "you needn't bow
t'me. The sheer absurdity of anyone bowing t'me threatens t'make the world
collapse in on itself. Fish away all you like, for all of me...." The
thought trails off as her eyes find that wineskin. That beautiful, tempting
wineskin. "Would only that I could. Who's giving away 'skins of good Benden
in exchange for chair repair? That makes me think I should take up a new
hobby."

Gustive grins and hands the skin off to Tegara. "All day and all last week,
been doin a bit of traveling around, repairing the odd wood work for my
keep. Most places offer it freely, but I usually feel guilty."

Tegara gets up and stretches. "I'll be headin' off to th' dorms now. It's
been a long day for me." She then heads off down the bowl and towards the
living quarters.

Tegara heads in the direction of the central bowl, leaving the shimmering
lake.

"Been travelling around... where, the Weyr?" Kassi wonders, watching Tegara
depart. "If'n anywhere offers you *Benden* for free, I'd say just take it.
They surely either have plenty t'spare and so can be affording it, or don't
realize the quality of what they have anyway. Only right it goes t'someone
who does," although she is, perhaps, not entirely serious in saying this.

Gustive laughs. "They don't offer the wine free, just the stay and food."
He settles himself on a good boulder and uncorks the wine. With a satisfied
sigh he takes a deep whiff. "Been traveling around the Weyrs, holds and
halls. I know it's a bit crazy, but after I was told I was too old to
Apprentice at the Beasthall I needed to do something." Taking a deep pull
from the skin he brushes the hair out of his eyes irritably. "Would you
care for some?"

Kassima repeats with a bit of a grimace and more than a bit of regret,
"Would that I could. Good Benden is one of the dearest loves of m'life, but
I'm currently forbidden its charms--nay bad thing for you, although I'd try
t'be kind and nay decimate your *entire* 'skin if'n I could drink." There's
mischief enough in her grin that one might question just how hard she'd
try. "A bit," she willingly agrees. "A craziness Pernese enough share these
days. You're so old as that, then? Hard t'really see in this light, but you
don't much look it."

Gustive eyes Kassima. "Turning down good Benden? Mind if I pester you why?"
After taking another pull from the skin he pokes around half-heartedly at
the fishing gear stacked nearby.

Gustive takes out a fish-line and a hook. Baiting up, he casts it a long
way out into the water. And waits.

Gustive tugs rapidly on his line, hauling in a wriggling yellowfin

"Healer's injunction," is Kassima's morose reply. "Aught less and I'd
probably flout it. I'm tempted t'flout it anyway, but they'd just chase me
down and natter chidings into m'ears until I went insane, and who wants
that?" She wriggles a bit in the grass, adjusting her slouch against
Lysseth until it's comfortable again; she shows no sign of wanting to fish
herself, but watches him do so with vague interest.

Nodding absently Gustive unhooks the fish and sets it next to him. "Well,
if the healers tell you not to, then it's probably for the best. I've known
a few people who might still be alive if they'd listened to the Healers
instead of being so headstrong. I'll just have to drink for the both of
us." Two large swallows were followed by another cast of the line.

Gustive takes out a fish-line and a hook. Baiting up, he casts it a long
way out into the water. And waits.

Gustive tugs rapidly on his line, hauling in a wriggling fingertail

Kassima snorts under her breath, a certain droll humor in the sound. "Aye,
and I suspect I've known many too who'd be *happier* if'n they ignored the
Healers' molly-coddling and really lived--well, but I say that and if'n
truth be known I'd probably have the ears of any Wingmate who flouted
Healers' orders. So."

Gustive grins wryly. "I suppose it's easier to say it when you aren't the
one on the other side of the orders. I've never had fingertail, any good?"
Setting the fingertail with the other fish he takes another drink for good
luck.

Gustive takes out a fish-line and a hook. Baiting up, he casts it a long
way out into the water. And waits.

Gustive tugs rapidly on his line, hauling in a wriggling flatfish

Kassima lifts one hand and waggles it back and forth in the universal
gesture for 'so-so.' "I'm nay much for fish in general, mind, so don't take
m'word for it. I prefer shellfish, if'n we're talking food that comes out
of the water. Isn't it just! How would you take it, think you, if'n 'twere
told you couldn't have any wine for a time?"

Gustive eyes grow wide at Kassima. "Drink more beer? I should really try
fishing at night more often..."

Gustive takes out a fish-line and a hook. Baiting up, he casts it a long
way out into the water. And waits.

Gustive hauls in his line, having caught only a long green weed.

"'Twere told you couldn't have *any* alcohol, then. You knew what I meant,"
Kassima good-naturedly accuses. "Just watch it with the drinking and
fishing at the same time. That way lies madness, or at least chaos."

Gustive holding up the tangled weed and eyeing it with a cocked eyebrow he
nods. "I would say chaos. Oh, I know. I wouldn't drink, it would be a
sharding pain but I'd rather be alive and mildly annoyed than the other
alteratives. Mind if I ask why you aren't allowed?" Quaffing more wine he
untangles the annoying weed.

Gustive takes out a fish-line and a hook. Baiting up, he casts it a long
way out into the water. And waits.

Gustive hauls in his line, having caught only a stringy weed.

Kassima muses, "Living in a perpetual state of mild annoyance versus dying
in drunken bliss--that might be a hard call, actually. You'd think 'twould
get to one, soon or late, t'be going through life being chafed by
something. A'course, you'd probably just get used to it. But I refuse
t'believe there's any getting used t'nay ever drinking." A firm nod, as if
to emphasize this theory. She's silent a moment; then, "I don't mind your
asking, but I'm nay sure I should be telling anyone until I've told some
specific individuals. Although I suppose you wouldn't go blabbing it all
over the Weyr; you've nay reason to."

Sighs at the weed tangled at the end of his line. "I should never have said
anything, luck always runs out when you say something about it." Wrinkling
up his nose he begins to slowly untangle the wet and slimy thing, taking a
break he swigs from his skin again. "It's true enough I wouldn't tell, I'm
not a gossip and I hardly know anyone here to gossip to even if I were."

Gustive takes out a fish-line and a hook. Baiting up, he casts it a long
way out into the water. And waits.

Gustive hauls in his line, having caught only an old boot.

"A'course it does. Way of the world." Kassima toys idly with a blade of
grass near her hand, winding its free end around her finger. "That's
probably true if'n you've been spending most of your time wandering Pern.
But it seemed you'd met Tegara, so you've been here a'fore? Or to that Hold
of hers?"

Giving up on the fishing he unhooks the boot and tosses it back into the
lake for some other poor fool to pull up. "I haven't been traveling that
long. I spent most of my life close to my hold, only really going out for
Gathers and the occasional trading with my father. I met her not long ago
at a weyr I was at, I think she said something about herding caprines.
Rather fond of the beasts she seemed."

Kassima agrees, pulling up the grass blade and two more to go with it,
"Sounds as if'n they're one of her Holding's main products. 'Twas at
another Weyr you met her? I'd nay have guessed she was so well-travelled
yet. 'Twas in hopes of Apprenticing that you did leave the Hold?"

Gustive's eyes cloud for a moment and he takes a deep pull from the skin to
cover it. "Yeh, My father always wanted me to follow in his footsteps... I
was never the natural wood carver he was." He holds out his hands in the
moonlight showing the scars. "As you can see. I can fix things alright and
make simple chairs and the like, just don't ask me to make anything
pretty." Laughingly he takes another drink. "I used to sneak off to the
stables as much as possible, when my father died my mother toild me to try
to be something that *I* wanted to be. I figure I'll go back to the
Beasthall after I've seen more of Pern." Eyeing the line he decided to give
it one more go.

Gustive takes out a fish-line and a hook. Baiting up, he casts it a long
way out into the water. And waits.

Gustive tugs rapidly on his line, hauling in a wriggling flatfish

"It happens. Talents don't always run in the blood in full--and," Kassima
adds, idly braiding the bits of grass she holds, "sometimes a new talent
will crop up out of nowhere. I can't draw t'save the lives of all in the
world, and m'second-eldest daughter is a brilliant artist. Who knows?
A'course, m'whole family's like that." She holds her braided grass up to
the larger moon to examine it. Making a face, she flicks it away. "A pity
about your father. What d'you think you'll do there, if'n nay Apprentice?
Learn enough t'work in a Beasthold at your home, or elsewhere?"

With a small shrug and another drink he eyes his fish piled up near his
feet. "The Master Herder told me I was more than welcome to stay on as
staff. I'll most likely do that." Gustive spreads his arms out expansively.
"Pern is a big place and there is always a need for a good stablehand. I
doubt I'll go back to Bitra, never much got along with most of the people
there."

Kassima crooks her elbow to slide one hand behind her head, smallest finger
toying with a piece of hair straying from her braid. "I don't doubt he
meant it, either. Craftmaster Learan doesn't seem the sort t'be turning
away anyone who really wants t'be working with animals, even if'n the
runners aren't his favorites... Bitra. You're from Bitra?" She sits up
straighter at that. "I've heard good things about that Hold's bloodstock in
runners. But--nay a good place t'be at odds with the people."

Gustive says "We have beautiful runners at Bitra." A fond smiles appears on
his lips at the thought of his favorite beasts. "Unfortunately I was teased
quite a bit by some of the other men." He tugs a bit at his white hair with
a laugh. "What can you do?" Running a bit of line through the fish he
stands and tosses both skin and fish over his shoulder. "I'm afraid I have
to go, I promised to help fix some things in the morning. It was a pleasure
to talk to you dragonrider, hopefully we'll run into eachother again"
Waving as he walked off he shouts over his shoulder, "let me know if that
Healer ever lets up on that drinking ban!""

Gustive heads in the direction of the central bowl, leaving the shimmering
lake.