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Juliath's Third Flight


Date:  December 6, 1996
Places:  Benden Weyr's Living Cavern and Northern Bowl
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:  This, unlike most of the logs I've reposted when the 
old links went dead, is not much like its original version, and the 
title is somewhat deceptive since I didn't include the flight itself.
What I loved about this scene was the attack of Proddy M'rgan in the
beginning!  There were other interesting things too that I thought 
were worth leaving in:  a broken romance, Lal's last night at Benden,
Alisa in distress, a glimpse of the trouble with Cav and Ursa I think
was yet to come, and quality time for Kassi with M'kla and Sayla.

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The Log:

M'rgan walks in from the bowl.

Kassima chuckles. "'Tis worse when you're an only child, I think, and your
mum knows she can't have any more... thank Faranth I wasn't the sickly
sort, or I would've been smothered by maternal anxiety, I'm thinking."

M'rgan strides into the cavern with the purposeful, confident look of
someone who knows exactly what he wants. But this air fades moments later,
turning into befuddlement, as the room he is looking at isn't the room he
thought it was. He starts to turn around to go back outside, as if stepping
back and coming back in will cause the room to change.

Kassima smiles widely as she spots M'rgan and starts to wave, then blinks
at his bemused demeanor. "Uh... Mart? Something wrong?" She offers,
tentatively, "Benden's duties to High Reaches and her queens?" As if that
will help somehow.

Channa walks in from the bowl.

Lysseth> Adonith backwings for a landing.

Dragon> Adonith bespoke Lysseth with << Visitors? >>

Lysseth> Alyssa slides down the beautiful purplish blue flank of her
lifemate to come to a rest on the ground, Adonith swinging his head around
to regard her adoringly.

Lysseth> Adonith senses that Lysseth rumbles warmly in welcome. << Yes,
from *Igen* and *High Reaches*. The brown's rider is a friend of my rider. >>

Kindre's head bobs again in agreement at Kassima, "Crackdust, I'd rather
not caution to guess what mother would have been like had I been an only
child instead of the only daughter." Grinning, she pushes the half-consumed
bowl of soup away and crosses her legs under her lap to get more
comfortable in her seat. Her attention taken while she asks a passing
drudge for some citron, she then turns and notices, "Benden's duty to the
Reaches...hi, M'rgan, right?"

Lysseth> Alyssa smiles softly to Lysseth and to Spineth before nodding in
S'jan's direction.

M'rgan almost bumps into Channa as he starts to go back outside again. What
saves him from even more embarassment is Kassima's voice. Did someone say
his name? What /is/ his name? He spins back towards the voice, hoping
someone can help him. "Hello?" he says to everyone in general.

Lysseth> Adonith lumbers over to Lyssseth and lays his head across her neck
in a possessive manner.

Channa scuttles into the cavern, sticking to the walls and shadows, an
expression of suspicion and intrigue on her face. Skulking around to where
Riders congregate, she takes what she thinks is an unobtrusive position at
a table. Except...she's rather noticeable, sitting on /top/ of it.

Kassima nods absently to Kindre as she gets up, confusion and concern
warring in her expression as she walks over to her friend. "Mart, is there
aught wrong? You don't look--sound--look *or* sound, for that matter, like
yourself."

Alyssa walks in from the bowl.

Lysseth> Lysseth whuffles Adonith in her best display of draconic
affection, curling up contentedly beside the blue.

"Evening, all," Alyssa says quietly as she arrives, unstrapping her riding
helmet and making her way to the hearth.

Kindre notices Channa and waves her over, "Hi there! How in Faranth's name
did you get here? Good to see you, here, come sit..." heaaring someone
enter again she waaves and smiles brightly at Alyssa before finally
recognizing something wrong with the High Reaches rider. "Kassi," she asks,
"is M'rgan okay...?"

Channa snaps her head around -- Mart! That name, she knows it! Mart.
From...Mart from...oh, yes, Back at Home. Ruatha. But...Mart is long gone
from there. Concentrating intently, she does not hear Kindre's greeting.

Alyssa's eyes narrow faintly at Kindre's inquiry before she approaches the
weyrwoman and rests a hand on her shoulder. "Everything all right, Kindre?"

Kassima flashes Lys a quick smile and nod of greeting, then turns back to
M'rgan. "I've nay idea, Kindre," she replies as she peers into the
brownrider's eyes, trying to see if he's able to focus them properly.
"Mart? Heyla?" Lights are on, but... is anyone home?

M'rgan listens as two people address him differently. Hmm. Maybe he has two
names. Doesn't that make him special. He smiles charmingly at the woman
closest to him, a bit of a leer coming to his muddled eyes. "I'm just fine"
he remarks as two glowing greens, who were hiding in his jacket, make their
escape and begin whirling around the room.

Alyssa looks at the glowing greens, then at M'rgan, then at Kassima (who
receives a sweet, affectionate smile), before whispering, "F'hlan all over
again," to herself. That said, she sets aside her riding gear and goes in
search of drink.

Kassima eyes the greens and gets a look mixed of comprehension, amusement,
and still a bit of concern on her face. "Ah, Mart, good to hear it, then.
What brings you to Benden? Here, you should probably come sit down...."
Before he falls down, she doesn't add, but it's pretty plain that's what
she's thinking.

Channa springs from her table-seat and creeps towards M'rgan as if she were
approaching a rabid canine. "Marrrrrt." She tastes the name, rolling the r.
Yes, familiar..there was more, though. Mart-somethingelse.

Kindre blinks a few times and then nods over to where Kassima and M'rgan
are standing, "I'm fine, but he..." she shrugs, "Kassima seemed kind of
alarmed. I don't know him as well is she does..." She pauses and leans
aaway from the taable as a glass of juice is set in front of her. "How
goes, 'Lys?"

Kassima returns Lys's smile and chuckles. "Looks like," she murmurs in an
aside to the bluerider, then peers at Channa. "Well, M'rgan now, t'be
precise, but old habits are hard to break and all that."

"Well enough, thank you, Kindre," answers Alyssa softly while pouring milk
for herself. "How have you and Herath been?"

Lysseth> Juliath backwings for a landing.

Lysseth> Adonith lifts his head from Lysseth and peers at Juliath, then
peers more closely. And bugles.

M'rgan allows himself to be lead along by Kassima. Why ignore the
attentions of a pretty woman? "Umm," he comes up with in answer as his
feeble brain tries to remember. As he slides into a seat near Kindre, he
smiles at her, purring "Hello there."

Lysseth> If dragons could roll their eyes, Lysseth would. As it is, she's
limited to a quiet snort.

Channa waves an impatient hand at Kassima, "No, I don't know a M'rgan. I
know a Mart...a..wait, a gan. Mar..tigan! Martigan. There, that's who I
know." She nods and folds her arms across herself, looking very smug.

Lysseth> Astride Juliath, Meli mumble-grumbles to herself, sliding
precipitously down to the ground, Juliath doing little to help in the matter.

Lysseth> Meli slips smoothly down from Juliath's neck to her foreleg and to
the ground, giving her a gentle caress.

M'rgan suddenly exclaims, "A song!" His blue eyes widen with his brilliance.

Kassima nods. "Aye, but he Impressed Ularrith a few Turns agone and took
the honorific...." She shakes her head at Mart's behavior and sits down,
keeping a wary eye on him. "Want something to drink?" she inquires.
"Citron? Cider? Song?" Song? Wait a sec.... "What about a song?"

Alyssa blinks at M'rgan's greeting of her friend and weyrwoman, and she
begins to speak before something in the bowl arrests her attention, and her
amethyst eyes glance away/

Lysseth> Juliath, not finding sufficient room, snorts and claws at the bowl
floor, sending up a cloud of dust that effectively obscures her sight of
the other dragons.

Kindre takes a long swallow from her glass and sets it back onto the table
near her half-empty bowl of cool soup. "She is doing well. Getting a bit
moody every once in awhile, but I believe that is mostly because she's just
getting older." Shrugging she adds, "I've a cold, of sorts...think I'm
allergic to some of the flowers 'round here during summer." Blinking at
M'rgan, she then smiles, "Hi....song," she asks curiously.

Lysseth> Meli beats a hasty retreat to the cavern, still rumble-mumbling.
Between coughs.

Meli walks in from the bowl.

Channa blinks, "Impressed? Mart Impressed? The dragons didn't like me." Her
face becomes almost inexpressibly sad. "I know a song, about dragons. Do
you want me to sing it?" 'No' would be a good answer here.

Meli strides in, batting at her clothes, her jacket, her hair, sending dust
flying in a little swirly cloud about her as she moves.

Kassima looks up warily at Meli from where she's standing--well,
sitting--careful and concerned watch by the glow-besotted M'rgan. "Heyla,
Meli," she offers in tentative greeting.

Kindre turns her head again as her eyes scan the entrance, "Evening Meli,"
she waves before adding to Alyssa, "how fares Adonith? You know he keeps
Herath thinking herself perfect too often," and then winks.

M'rgan slaps his hand down on the table as he looks over at Kassima.
"That's why I'm here. You were going to sing me a song." He's not as sure
about the latter statement as the former. He twists around to look towards
Channa. "Are /you/ going to sing me a song?"

Looking up at Meli's entrance, Alyssa smiles at her friend and greets her
with a smile that lingers slightly longer than usual before Kindre's
question tugs at her attention. "Uh, sorry, what? Oh, Adonith's fine. In
fact, he's very happy right now, thanks."

Channa brightens, "I can sing you a song. Would you like a song, Mart? I
made it up myself, you know." Vurry proud, vurry proud is she. COulda been
a harper, you know.

Arriving near Kassi and the others, Meli stops short, shaking her gloves at
Kassi's face. "Evening!" she near to shouts at the greenrider, before
nodding to the others. Espying a Martigan, she lifts a brow and actually
stands agape a moment.

Kassima ums. "I was?" This is obviously news to her. "Well, if'n y'say
so... 'twould hate to have you come all the way here and nay get what you
came for." By this point, Kassi looks pretty confused herself. "Did I
mention what song? Or what 'twas about?"

Lysseth> Adonith looks once again at Lysseth, his chosen source of
companionship and affection, then he croons again at Juliath.

Two more greens and a single gold swoop into the cavern from the bowl,
joining the two other greens in a whirling, screaching dance for a minute.
One by one the proddy dancers leave the dancefloor, taking up perches all
around the cavern.

Lysseth> Juliath all but ignores the others, turning to face away, flipping
her wings to her back with a near snap.

Kindre leans back physically at the firelizard aactivity, mumbling
something of being glad her brown is too shy to show his face around this.

From Kassima's general vicinity, the twenty or so blues currently with the
greenrider aren't blind to the sight of those gloriously glowing greens.
Much though Kassi might wish they were. Hopping closer, a couple of them
dare to croon to the females, while the rest of Kassima's total of
thirty-three azure 'lizards rapidly pop out of *between* to make an
appearance themselves.

Waving her hands about her head to ward off errant 'lizards, letting loose
the last of the dust in the process, Meli kerplunks down onto a bench and
nudges Kassi. "Shells, what's -he- doin' here?" she asks over the general
din and ruckus, indicating the 'Reaches rider.

Alyssa, for a firelizard friend and dragonhealer, seems relatively
oblivious to the antics of the little cousins of the dragons while she
keeps a watch on Meli from Kindre's side. The hand still resting on
Kindre's shoulder squeezes softly, and her eyes grow brighter still. Then,
when she's buzzed directly by the gold firelizard, her attention is
arrested by the arrival of her bronze, Taliesin.

Channa gapes and forgets song. Look at all of the /lizards/! She gives a
trill of joy, almost identical to what a firelizard might make. Too much
time without human contacts, and you learn to speak other languages.

M'rgan cocks his head at Kassima. " You promised me a song about love," he
burbles. Behind him, Salless quietly moves to the kitchen door, giving the
young, befuddled rider a small glance before disappearing into the other room.

Kassima shrugs to Meli and replies, "He says I said I was going to sing him
a song."


Alyssa blinks again, looks toward the bowl, and frowns heavily.

Kassima blinks, and blinks again. If she'd just drunk something, she'd
probably be doing a spit-take right about now; fortunately for those
sitting nearby, she hasn't. "I did? Erm... when did I promise that, Mart?"

Meli shakes her head, eyes tight as she surveys the scene. She mutters to
herself, "... silly... shardin'... 'lizards.... drive you.... drink. " 

Kindre simply sits, Alyssa's hand on her shoulder, odd, glazed over rider
on the other side..."Um," she gracelessly mutters before another sniffle is
heard. A connfused look is afforded to those near her as each speaks,
mumbles, and stares.

Lysseth> Juliath's hide reflects the distant sparkle of a thousand points
of light, yet pales in comparison to the sparks from her swirling eyes.

You can just about see the smoke rising from M'rgan's ears as his brain
drives to shift gears. With a popping of the clutch and a horrible grinding
noise, he manages to make it into first. "When we were in your weyr," he
says brightly, happily. "Don't you remember?" He glances over the sniffling
woman next to him, eyes narrowing as he tries to decide if maybe it wasn't
/her/ weyr.

Alyssa massages Kindre's shoulder silently while she studies Meli, her face
mottled by the alternating pallor and blush she is affecting.

Kassima hrms. "I think I said something about songs," she agrees
hesitantly. "Don't remember saying I'd *sing* one, but my memory's about as
bad as Lysseth's sometimes... you sure you want to hear me sing?" This last
is in a rather incredulous tone; apparently, she doesn't get very many
requests to sing.

And with this, Meli's attention, all of it, turns to Kassi. Loudly,
especially considering she's nearly got her mouth next to the other
greenrider's ear, she says "Song? Y'goin' t'sing a song? Hey, tha' sounds
like a grand idea. Haven't heard one o'your songs in ages. Really like 'em,
too. Well, mostly, anyway, 'cept for that one about the tuber..." This
continues for some time, although the volume does drop a bit.

Alyssa kisses Kindre's temple, excuses herself softly, and fetches a glass
of wine that she carries to Meli. Along with a smile. "Here, Meli. Would
you like something to drink? It's Benden red."

Kassima smiles at Meli, though a bit painedly as she resists the impulse to
clap one hand to her ear. "Well, I've nay written any songs about love
m'self... I do *know* a couple, but...." Can we say 'completely confused'?
I think we can.

Lysseth> Areseth backwings for a landing.

Lysseth> Lal takes a LEAP off of Areseth's neck ridges with consummate
ease, sliding down the last few meters on his legs. The dragon visibly
flinches, fearing for his rider EVERY shardin' time she does that.

Lal walks in from the bowl.

Lysseth> Dulath backwings for a landing.

Lysseth> Adonith rumbles at Dulath and Areseth, though he maintains his
steady regard of Juliath.

Lal walks in quietly. "'lo," she says, barely above a whisper.

Lysseth> Dulath warbles to all the dragons.

Lysseth> C'vadan slides off Dulath's shoulders to the ground, turning to
give his lifemate a quick salute and then an affectionate pat on the neck.

Lysseth> Areseth rumbles back.

Meli's head snaps round, her brown eyes fixed on Alyssa's face now. Slowly,
they drop to the glass in her hand. "Red wine? Eeeeyech. Got any brandy?"

Kindre smiles a bit nervously to M'rgan and then Alyssa. Her eyes then
search for Kassima's, squinch with Meli's rather fondness for speaking so
loud, and reflect the same confusion hers hold. Seeing Lal enter, she
brightens a bit, "Hey there Lal...come sit here," she asks almost pleadingly.

Lysseth> Juliath, equally determined, ignores Adonith.

Lysseth> C'vadan blinks as he looks at Juliath. "Uh-oh," he murmurs as he
watches his lifemate move closer to the green.

"Brandy? Most assuredly. That is, I can find some." Alyssa smiles winsomely
at Meli, sets down the unwanted wine, and begins a quest for said brandy.

Lal shrugs a little, "Awright..." and sits down.

C'vadan walks in from the bowl.

Salless returns from the kitchen, a mug of something steamy in her hand. As
she stops by M'rgan's side, she picks up his right hand and cups it around
the mug. "Drink," she says, her tone brooking no argument.

C'vadan waves as he enters, pausing to look over his shoulder towards the
bowl.

"Hey!" Meli exclaims. "Wha's that? Looks good..."

Lysseth> Lysseth is carefully avoiding looking at Juliath or Adonith either
one, instead choosing to curl up a short distance away from the other green
with her head tucked under one wing.

Dragon> Adonith bespoke Lysseth with << What can I do? She's glowing! >>

"Tea," the head cook remarks simply. "No brandy in it."

Dragon> Dulath bespoke Lysseth with << Greetings, lovely one. >>

Kindre waves to C'vadan before confiding to Lal, "Things are...odd...in
here." Reaching for her juice slowly, she takes a long sip before going on,
"proddiness, I think? Don't know. I've got a cold, too, so maybe," she
sniffles to clear her throat, "I'm just not thinking right, either."

Meli wrinkles her nose up, her attention quickly turning elsewhere then.
"Yech. Tea." She spots Kindre finally, and gives her a salute. Nearly.

C'vadan pours himself some juice, glancing about the room and gauging the
mood.

Dragon> Flight sense that Juliath gets all glowy, ayep.

Lysseth> I bespoke Adonith with << Glowing, schmowing. She's still another
green. >>

Alyssa rummages around Salless's selection of drinks, comes up with
something that smells like brandy, and hurries to Meli's side with a glass
of it and a bright smile begging for approval. "Here, Meli."

Dragon> Dulath bespoke Flight with << Woowoo! :) >>

Dragon> Flight sense that Ivarath acks, not yet!

Dragon> Adonith bespoke Lysseth with << But...but she's glowing! >>

C'vadan takes a seat, remaining oddly quiet, even for him.

M'rgan buries his nose in the mug as tea is something he's become /very/
familiar with lately. For some reason, almost everyone he meets hands him a
mug or two of the brown stuff. Smacking, slurping sounds come from him as
he chugs the liquid down.

Dragon> Flight sense that Prometh peers interestedly. << Glowy is good. >>

Lysseth> Dulath senses that Lysseth rumbles a cordial enough greeting in
reply. << Greetings, yourself. >>

Meli nearly gets whiplash, what with her gaze moving from distraction to
distraction at lightning speed. There's only one neuron working up there,
and it can only handle one thing at a time.

Lysseth> I bespoke Adonith with << Isn't that still the same green that
used to call you names? Or was it the other way around? I don't remember. >>

Dragon> Flight sense that Ularrith waggles his eyerides. << So I noticed,
lil lady. >>

Dragon> Adonith bespoke Lysseth with << Alyssa says it was someone else. >>

Kassima peers at Mart's drink, still contemplating this whole strange
phenomenon of being *asked* to *sing*. "Best drink that, Mart," she
advises, then smiles as he does so. "Ach, good. 'Twill likely clear your
head some, aye?"

Lysseth> Adonith senses that Lysseth sounds confused. << I could've sworn
she called *someone*... oh, never mind. Go on, stare at her like the...
the... the *male* you are! >> With that, she snorts and withdraws farther
into isolation.

"Huh?" M'rgan states intelligently as Kassima speaks to him. It's obvious
that the restorative doesn't work instantly. "I thought you were going to
sing me a love song," he states as he plops the empty mug back onto the table.

Lysseth> Adonith pouts at Lysseth then croons to Juliath.

Dragon> Flight sense that Ivarath warbles to the glowing green.

Meli takes a sip of the brandy, slowly, pondering a moment. A pleased
expression grows across her face, and she nods. And then with a quick move,
she downs the drink. "Ahhh!"

Alyssa settles in at Meli's side and maintains her bright smile. "Can I get
you more?"

Kassima ohs. "Erm... well, I guess. If'n you want." The shock of being
asked to *sing*--her! Asked to sing!--is enough to make her forget all this
other oddness. She glances around the cavern with upraised eyebrows. "D'you
mind if I sing?" she asks tentatively.

Kindre blinks and ohs! returning Meli's belated salute with a belated nod
of her heaad. She, obviously though, is taken now with Alyssa's attentions.
Just as well. Kindre still looks a bit confused and simply sips her juice.
"I don't mind, Kassima," she returns, "do you know any, um, love songs
though?"

Above Cav's head, a glowing green turns her head demurely away from the
blue romancing her, enticing him closer.

Benden Weyr> Kassima giggles. Poor Kassi, getting asked to sing with a
bunch of people in the LC. Sing a love song, no less. If she was the type
to get embarrassed, she'd probably be absolutely red right now.

Meli plops her mug down as well, blinking a moment as she disentangles
Mart's comment from lys's. Finally, she says "Yes!" and "No!" to one or the
other. Or both. When Kindre speaks, she just gives up and starts cleaning
her nails.

Lysseth> Caitria greets the dragons as she passes, hmmming a bit as she
spots Juliath.

Caitria walks in from the bowl.

Alyssa bolts out of her chair, spins around Caitria as she arrives, grins
stupidly at the herder, and fetches more apricot brandy for Meli,
delivering it with another ridiculous smile.

Kassima blinks. "Aye? Nay? Aye *and* nay?" Very confused greenrider here,
oh yes. "Um...."

Caitria blinks. "Uh. Hiya, Lys. Everyone."

Benden Weyr> K'tyn can sing a lovesong. Sad ones, though.:)

Kassima waves to Tria and asks, apparently out of the blue, "D'you think I
should sing, Tria?"

Caitria blinks again. "Sing? Oh...how about that one about the bovines?"
She grins. "I like that one."

Dragon> Adonith bespoke Lysseth with << You are not glowing. She is. When
she stops glowing, you will have me again. >>

Benden Weyr> Kassima can, too. I know several. A couple wouldn't take any
work to Pernize. But it's so weird to be *asked* to *sing*. Kassi's not a
bad singer, but no one ever *asks* her to. :)

"Tria? Where?" from Meli. She turns abruptly, sending the newly acquired
brandy mug flying. Ewww, sticky.

M'rgan starts to tap his foot in time with the music, not yet realizing
that the music hasn't started. But from the cheery expression on his face,
it's obvious that he doesn't mind.

Benden Weyr> Alyssa says, "What, Tria? "I'm In the MOOOOed for Love"?"

C'vadan looks up from his disentagled thoughts. "Evening, Cait," he says
softly.

Lal says "Whoa."

Benden Weyr> Caitria wants Kassi to sing, "Pretty Bovine". It's hysterical. ;)

Kindre waves to Caitria, that what-in-Faranth's-name-is-going-on-here look
still evident in her features. "Apparently," her head nods to the High
Reaches rider sitting next to her, "M'rgan says Kassi promised him a love
song..."

Lysseth> Adonith senses that Lysseth rumblegrumbles. << Sure, you say that
now, but if you catch her, then what will you say? >>

Benden Weyr> Meli says, "Yeh, but she's never been cornered by a proddy
greenrider AND a proddy brownrider at once before :b"

Lal observes the room, and mutters something about thanking and browns.

Benden Weyr> Kassima giggles and would, but doesn't think it qualifies as a
love song, Tria. ;)

Caitria yeeps, and dodges flying brandy, looking utterly perplexed.
"M'rgan? Oh...M'rgan. Hiya. How's Kena?" She gives the brownrider a rather
vague nod, heading for Cav and, she hopes, safety.

Kassima eyes the foot-tapping Mart. "What," she just has to ask, "are you
tapping your foot to?"

Dragon> Adonith bespoke Lysseth with << You are mine, and I am yours. >>

Benden Weyr> C'vadan says, "Proddy brownrider?"

Lysseth> Adonith senses that Lysseth uncurls a bit and warblesighs, but
with a hint of amusement. << All right, I'll accept that. But remind me to
feel really silly for doing so if you wind up changing your mind about that
later. >>

Dragon> Adonith bespoke Lysseth with << I'll probably forget. >>

Benden Weyr> Kassima says, "Yep. Poor Mart has the
all-greens-and-gold-glowing-at-once-syndrome. ;)"

Benden Weyr> Meli says, "M'rgan's taking F'hlan proddy lessons :)"

Benden Weyr> Caitria ooos and giggles. Poor Mart.

M'rgan stares at Kassima as if she's the crazy one. "Can't you hear it?" He
spins around to see who's addressing him now and leering openly as he eyes
take in Caitria's form. Oooh, another woman who knows what a catch he is.

Alyssa smiles at the tapping foot, then at its owner. Her gaze flutters
past Meli and to M'rgan, and her smile dissipates. "What's HE looking at?"
she mutters a bit testily.

Not being one to miss out, Meli cocks her head to the side, nodding it a
moment. She starts to tap her foot along with Mart, drumming her fingers on
the table right in the sticky syrupy brandy puddle.

Lal peers oddly at M'rgan. "What in daylights....?"

Caitria blinks at Mart's expression. Then blinks again, shaking her head
and muttering about -men-. "Kena," she repeats. "How's -Kena-? Remember?
Your weyrmate?"

Kassima pokes Mart and murmurs, tactfully, "Uh, Mart... Tria's weyrmated."

Lal bahs at Kassi. "He knows that--I thought he was a BROWNRIDER. Er some
other animal that ain't green!"

Kassima nods to Lal, but points to all the glowing fire-lizards. "They're
his, all of 'em," she explains succinctly. "So, he's a bit, erm...." She
glances at Mart, wondering how to say this tactfully, then just shrugs.
"Well, y'can see for yourself."

Meli frowns. "I thought some o'these were yours, Kassi..." she mutters,
glancing at all the attentive blues covering the cavern.

Kindre shakes her head slowly, muttering mostly to herself though it is
easily heard, "No more firelizards...uh-uh, no -way-..."

"Who? Oh, she's fine," M'rgan replies automatically while he waits for the
cobwebs and small rodents to clear out of his brain and give him an actual
image of this Kena-weyrmate person. As Meli starts to drum with him, he
begins to bob his head, swaying with the 'song'.

Lal nods at Kassima. "Glad I got just browns n'bronzes."

Kassima nods. "The blues, aye, but the glowing ones aren't mine. Thank
Faranth for that. I've sent 'em all away for now; don't want to risk 'em
getting set off...." She sighs as Mart sways to nonexistant music, and
pulls her multiple pipes from one belt pouch, beginning to play a sweet
melody to go along with the drumming and swaying.

Caitria looks at Meli. Then at Mart. Then she shakes her head. "Riders,"
she says, with a grin.

"Glowing? Glowing." Meli repeats witb some confusion, still tapping,
nodding, and drumming in time.

Kassima studiously ignores the way her blues are giving all those greens
the fire-lizard equivalent of leers, and just pipes. She's been practicing
some more with Lysseth, apparently, as the tune isn't only recognizable but
manages to stay on key most of the time.

Kindre bobs her head to Lal, "I've one brown...think, mayhap, he's too
young to be interested." Chuckling a bit, she adds, "nevermind being afraid
of his own shardinng shadow." Her head tilts as she absorbs the melodic
sounds Kassima's pipes make.

C'vadan sits quietly and observes, hand straying to his pouch, but not
opening it quite yet.

Meli's fingers slow in their drumming, her nodding stops, she sighs, her
face sad. "Ah, tha' part always near t'makes me cry."

M'rgan starts to sniffle sadly as he approaches the end of the Ballad of
Moreta's Ride. His drumming slows as tears well up in his blue eyes.

C'vadan finishes his juice and puts the empty cup on the tray of a passing
drudge.

Meli sniffs softly. "Tha' was really nice, Kassi. Thanks."

Caitria gives Cav a rather random peck on the cheek as she settles next to
him, mug in hand. "Got the hidework done," she says with a smile. "So I'll
be able to join you and Cail tomorrow."

Kassima puts down the pipes and tugs handkerchiefs from her ever-ubiquitous
belt-pouch, handing them to Meli and Mart both. "Thankee, Meli," she smiles
faintly. "I daresay you're glad I didn't actually sing it, eh?"

C'vadan smiles at the kiss and the good news. "Well, swimming is a family
type thing after all, Cait."

Kindre bobs her head, freeing a few locks thaat the hairband was supposed
to keep back. Idly pushing them from her forehead in vain, she concurs,
"That was lovely, Kassi..."

Meli blinks. Double-blinks. Takes the hankie and dabs at her eyes. "Didn't
sing it?"

M'rgan slumps forward and buries his head in his arms. "Thanks," comes his
muffled, sniffling comment before he goes back to being quiet and motinless.

Alyssa blinks, the expression on her face clearly saying, "Was there
music?" as she turns away from Meli to regard M'rgan, then Kassima and Kindre.

Caitria smiles at Cav, nodding, then blinks as Mart slumps forward, peering.

Kassima points to the pipes. "Can't sing and pipe at the same time," she
explains. She taps Mart's shoulder and again proffers the 'kerchief, with a
murmur of, "Might as well nay drip your nose all over your jacket and the
table."

Benden Weyr> Kassima suddenly knows, for the first time in her life, what
it's like to be the only sane one in a room. ;)

C'vadan arches a brow at the High Reaches brownrider, curious.

Benden Weyr> Caitria is sane!

Benden Weyr> C'vadan is sane!

Benden Weyr> Caitria wells...sort of. ;)

Benden Weyr> Alyssa is too. It's just that Meli looks so lovely tonight... ;)

Benden Weyr> C'vadan eeeps.

Benden Weyr> Kassima says, "That's debatable, you two. ;)"

Kindre leans down a bit to peer at M'rgan's slumped head. A bit cautiously,
she offers, "Would you like another mug of tea? Mayhap some wine? 'Twould
help, I think..."

Benden Weyr> Caitria giggles at Lys, and nudges Cav outta her head.

Benden Weyr> Mehlani warily eyes all this headsharing, then meeps at +flights.

Benden Weyr> C'vadan notes that Meli is quite lovely. But Caitria is here
and he doesn't need his shoulder dislocated ;)

Lysseth> Prometh backwings for a landing.

Meli holds her fingers, the sticky ones, up near Alyssa's face. "S'at
redfruit or apricot?"

Lysseth> Dulath pauses in his vigil over the bowl to warble softly to Juliath.

Lysseth> Ivarath backwings for a landing.

Lysseth> Above, From the Benden Star Stones, M'nar's mint green Gelth rears
on hind legs and bugles a greeting to bronze Zmeth and his rider, K'tel of
Igen Weyr.

Lysseth> Above, From the Benden Star Stones, M'nar's mint green Gelth rears
on hind legs and bugles a greeting to brown Choloth and his rider, Cellia
of Igen Weyr.

Lysseth> Ivarath rumbles a greeting.

Lysseth> Sabra slides down Ivarath's side and lands on the ground beside him.

M'rgan's hands snakes out to snatch the 'kerchief, pulling it back into the
protection of his arms. *honk*snort*spluf* "Tea?", he asks querulously,
with perhaps just a bit of interest in his voice.

Lysseth> Zmeth backwings for a landing.

Lysseth> Prometh rumbles absently to the other males in the bowl as he
peers most interestedly at the lovely glowing green nearby.

Lysseth> Zmeth warbles a greeting.

Lysseth> K'tel waits until Zmeth crouches low, then grabs a hold of the
riding straps and slides quickly down his side, landing in a crouch. He
straightens up and slaps Zmeth affectionately.

Lysseth> K'tel grin at Sabra, "Didn't take us too long."

Lysseth> Juliath near to snarls, eyes awhirl, and shifts again so that she
doesn't have to look at the Silly Males.

Kassima nods and gingerly pats Mart's arm in her best comforting manner,
still not sure that he wasn't blowing his nose on said arm or something.
"Tea... y'should drink it, Mart. 'Twill make you feel better."

Lysseth> K'tyn slides down Prometh's fiery bronze flank to come to rest on
the ground. Prometh swings his head around to regard his lifemate gently.

Kindre again does the bobbing thing with her head. "Mm-hmm, tea," she
repeats and smiles a little, "See? Even Kassi agrees..."

Lysseth> K'tyn shakes his head at Prometh. "Silly Bronze."

Lysseth> Sabra shakes her head, noticing the green. She blinks, looks at
Ivarath, then at the green again. She shakes her head and heads inside.

Lysseth> Zmeth peers over at the green and rumbles softly.

C'vadan runs his hand through his short hair, then yawns. He blinks and
apologizes.

K'tyn walks in from the bowl.

Lysseth> As more dragons appear in the bowl, Ularrith shifts his bulk
slightly towards Juliath, as if that will stop any of the usurpers.

K'tel walks in from the bowl.

Sabra walks in from the bowl.

Lysseth> Dulath resumes his vigil of the bowl, always keeping an eye on the
glowing green.

Lysseth> Lysseth rumbles a greeting to the Igen dragons, though there's a
draconic sigh at the end of it. She prudently shifts herself farther from
the other green, rumblegrumbling to herself.

Caitria hms at Cav, asking him quietly, "Long day?" As she spots K'tyn, she
lifts a hand in greeting, including the other riders as well. "Quite a
crowd today," she comments. "You'd almost think something was about to
happen."

Lysseth> Choloth backwings for a landing.

Lysseth> Cellia uses the straps for handholds while descending from
Choloth's neck, arriving on the ground with a thump.

Lysseth> Choloth extends a foreleg to help Cellia dismount.

Sabra waves as she walks in. "Igen's duty to Benden and her queens. Has
anyone seen Lily?"

Alyssa turns away from her regard of Meli to smile almost dreamily at
K'tyn, then she starts, narrows her eyes at him, and turns away and back
toward Meli.

C'vadan chuckles at Caitria. "Oh, Kiat wanted to take Cail for a tenday or
so, Cait."

K'tyn wanders back into the LC. "Quite a gathering, I see," He says to no
one in particular. "'Tria, Cav, Lal..." He nods a greeting.

Lysseth> Cellia shakes her had, thumping Choloth's shoulder. "Sorry about
that. Hard to find landing space around here." She looks around, "Err...
Igen's duty?"

Kassima waves to K'tyn and the riders she doesn't know. "Benden's duties to
Igen and her queens," she greets formally. "Lily? Nay, afraid nay today."

K'tel chuckles at Sabra and nods to the rest, "Igen's duty."

Meli waggles her sticky fingers in Alyssa's face again, determined to get
an answer .

M'rgan peers over his arms with tear-red eyes, warily glancing between
Kindre and Kassima before saying a bit more assuredly, "Tea."

K'tyn stops and a real smile appears on his face. "Lys. Been long time."

Caitria blinks at Cav's words. "_Ten_ days?" From that look on her face,
she's not sure that she wants to part with her son for quite that long.

Sabra nods, seeming distracted. "I'll go look for her." She disappears into
the lower caverns.

Sabra walks towards the inner cavern.

Kindre pulls her attention from the weeepy rider to wave,
"Evening...Benden's duty to Igen and hers...Lily?" She thinks a moment
before shaking her head, "I've not, no, but also spent most of my day
hidden in the records room."

Kassima nods and summons a smile. "Tea. Tea. Drink the tea."

Cellia walks in from the bowl.

C'vadan winks at the bronzerider, then his weyrmate.

Lysseth> Ivarath peers at the green, a soft croon barely heard deep in his
throat.

K'tel strips off his riding gloves and peers after Sabra, then looks at
Kassima, "I don't suppose you've seen Kenai around then?"

Lal nods. "'Scuse me, I got some packin' t'do." She gets up and heads on
out. "Too many folks tonight."

Alyssa replies after a long moment, "Oh, er, Meli, apricot it was, and
K'tyn, why are you smiling at me like that?"

Cellia wanders in, smiling. "Sorry. Hard to find landing space around
here." She glances around and spies her friends. "Ah... Igen's duty?"

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

Sabra walks here from the Inner Cavern.

Kassima nods. "Earlier, aye, but she said she was retiring to get rest for
the evening."

C'vadan pushes himself from the table and stands. "I need... something," he
says vaguely. He goes towards the kitchen.

C'vadan walks off towards the kitchen.

Meli, content now, sticks her fingers in her mouth and sucks on them a
moment before wiping them off on Kassi's hankie. When they are dry, she
offers the fine bit of linen back to the other greenrider.

K'tyn moves and sits down. "Just been a long time. I'd forgotten what you
looked like," he teases gently.

Caitria blinks, and peers after her weyrmate.

Sabra nods, and, spotting Cellia and K'tel, waves.

From the kitchen, C'vadan roots around the cupboard.

Cellia grins to Sabra. "Delievered?"

Kassima accepts the hankie with good grace and carefully tucks it into
another belt pouch.

Lysseth> Adonith glances at Lysseth when she moves away, though that leaves
him free to stare anxiously at Juliath, his tail flickering ever so
slightly in the bowl.

Kindre's nod echoes Kassima, "I had heard the same of Kenai..." before
watching Lal's retreating back, "What does she mean packing?"

Sabra nods, looking around. "Found her, and delivered. Shall we go back, or
do you want to stay here a while?" She looks around, the room, frowning
somewhat.

Lysseth> Choloth rumbles softly, in greeting.

Alyssa doesn't seem too keen about K'tyn's proximity to Meli, who's on the
other side of her, but she manages a light smile. "I look the same. Tall
and thin and blonde. Hair's a bit longer."

Kassima shrugs, bemused. "I've nay idea... hand me that tea, would you,
Kindre?"

Sabra mutters to Cellia, "Did... see... green outside? A... too... ya..."

Cellia shrugs. "I don't know... it's nice to be away from Igen for a bit.
If they don't mind us staying, that is."

Lysseth> Juliath, unable to find sufficient room amongst all these silly
sharding Males, her blood rising and running like fire through her veins,
launches skyward with an enchoing shriek.

Lysseth> Juliath takes flight, using the thermals rising from the bowl to
carry her aloft.

From the kitchen, C'vadan apparently finds what he is looking for as he
makes even more noise. "Great!"

Kindre, glad for a distraction and reason to move, nods. Retrieving the
tea, she hands it to Kassima.

C'vadan walks in from the kitchen.

Caitria snaps her fingers as she hears Cellia. "Igen. That's why you look
familiar." She grins. "You were there when Shayne and I were picking on
poor Cav."

K'tyn nods, "Of course." He smiles again, this time a little more sharply.
"Forgive my intrusion."'

Kassima accepts the tea and pushes it towards Mart. "Drink tea," she
insists firmly. "Drink it. 'Twill do you a world of good."

K'tel sighs and grins, "It figures." He smiles at Kassima, "I'm K'tel, her
cousin. Could you tell her I stopped by."

Cellia nods to Caitria, smiling. "Yes, that's right. You're Caitria." She
grins. "Sorry I didn't help all that much, C'vadan..." She stops, blanching.

C'vadan returns to the living cavern with two apples. "Here you go, Cait,"
he says, handing his weyrmate one of them.

K'tyn moves toward a less populated part of the LC and sits down. To Wait.

Sabra blinks, looking fuzzy.

Alyssa's head snaps toward the bowl, and she half-rises from the seat she's
taken. "Now?" she whispers.

Wiping his nose with the back of his hand, M'rgan takes the restorative tea
being presented to him again, exchanging it for one well-used hanky. He
downs it in one long gulp. "Aaaaahhhhh."

Kassima turns her attention from trying to force liquids down a
brownrider's throat to smile at K'tel. "Aye, that I will. Well met, by the
by; m'name's Kassima, rider of green Lysseth. She's the nay-glowing one out
there."

Caitria takes an apple, and blinks. "Uh. Thanks?" She nods at Cellia. "Yup.
Tria, that's me."

Meli's head snaps round, she really will be sore tomorrow, and rises.
"Shards!" she exclaims, pushing her way through the crowd towards the bowl.

Cellia shakes her head a little. "Sorry, I..." She trails off altogether,
looking outside.

C'vadan blinks as he is about to take a bite into the apple and looks at
Cellia. "Hello," he says softly, his deep voice carrying well.

Kassima tries not to grimace as she takes the second hanky. This one, she
just hands to a drudge, who doesn't bother to hide his disgust as he takes
it away. "Good, Mart," Kassi nods. "Very good. Feeling better now?"

K'tel looks back out toward the bowl, "Ah. And who's the glowing one?" He
blinks at Meli, "Yours, I take it?"

Meli can barely spare a quick reply, muttering something about 'should have
known' as she exits.

Kindre sniffles quickly, her small allergy retaining its hold despite her
attempts to twart it with juice and soup. Waving to K'tel, she says, "We
met awhile ago at Ruatha...Kindre?" she offers before her attention is
grabbed by Alyssa.

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

Cellia nods distractedly to C'vadan. "Uh... Igen's duty." Belatedly, she
salutes, forgetting she's no longer a weyrling.

"Aaaaaaaaaahhhhh shards!!!!" becomes M'rgan's comment as a sudden surge
from his lifemate signals the beginning of the flight. The tea has barely
touched his belly as he jumps to his feet, knees shaking.

Kassima smiles faintly. "Aye, Juliath's Meli's. Or Meli's hers, whichever
way you wish to put it. Doubt you'll get much of a coherent answer from her
right now," she adds in a more confidential tone. "Blooding and all that,
y'know."

Sabra pales, swaying slightly.

Cellia takes Sabra's arm, "Let's get outside," she mumbles.

K'tel blinks and then smiles at Kindre, "That's ri...Hey!" He turns
suddenly to look out towards the bowl.

Caitria blinks, then hms as she hears Kassi, her lips curving slightly.
"Flight, is it? Thought Juliath looked a bit greener."

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

"Meli, wait," Alyssa murmurs and slips out, her long legs carrying her
rapidly after her friend without their owner looking backwards.

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

C'vadan drops the apple. "Shards," he murmurs, forgetting his conversation
with Cellia.

K'tel quickly follows Cellia and Sabra.

Sabra blinks, suddenly focussing on Cellia. She follows, still looking
stunned.

K'tel walks down the short tunnel and out into the bowl.

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

Kassima eeps and catches the mug before it can tip over. "Mart, in the name
of Faranth's glowing golden tail, y'can barely stand, much less...!" She
leaves that thought unfinished, and just sighs, looking towards the Bowl.
"Aye, Tria, that'd be it."

K'tyn sighs. "I just sat down," he grumbles.

C'vadan leaves without a word to Caitria.

C'vadan walks down the short tunnel and out into the bowl.

K'tyn walks down the short tunnel and out into the bowl.

Caitria looks after Cav's retreating back with the faintest of sighs, then
shakes her head.

With a tumultous cry of anger, five firelizards, all glowing, launch from
their perches and slip into *between*.

Kindre sits as her head turns to follow each retreating rider as they leave
for the bowl. Sipping at the last of her juice, she sniffles again and
says, "I think I'll just stay here...flits were barable...I can't watch
flights."

M'rgan stares at all the doors in overwhelming confusion. "Ularrith!", he
calls out.

Kassima sighs and glances at Kindre and Tria with a 'Don't you just love
these flights?' look clear as day on her face, before pointing out the
right exit to Mart. "The Bowl's through there," she explains helpfully.

Caitria gives Kassi a rather wry smile. Then, realizing that the apple is
still in her hand, she takes a large bite. *crunch*

M'rgan races outside without a backwards glance or even a thank you.

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

Caitria, peering after Mart, can't help but mutter, "Men!"

Kassima sits back down with an audible thump. "At least Meli wasn't too bad
this time," she opines philosophically, then grins wryly at Tria. "Ach, his
fire-lizards... proddy as they are, I think he can be excused a bit. Plus
the whole blooding thing."

Caitria shakes her head. "All right," she says, with a slight grin.
"Riders! That better?" She winks.

Kassima laughs. "Much! I think. After all, we *are* all lacking in sanity
to a degree."

Kindre laughs, finally pulling out of her thoughts, "Herath is rooting for
Juliath in a sense...thinks there is no way any of those dragons will catch
her." Shaking her head a bit, she wonders, "Bad? Meli is bad, too, when
Juliath is glowing?"

Caitria smiles slightly at Kindre. "As long as Dulath doesn't catch her,"
she murmurs, though her smile holds a tang of unease.

Kassima smiles. "Used to be. She chopped off T'lar's braid with one of
m'knives, once. She's gotten a bit more tempered with time, though...
more'n can be said for many."

Caitria smiles at Kassi. "And I didn't even mention that wherry, hmmm?"

Kassima grins. "Well, I'm nay that bad anymore! I mean, I haven't killed a
single wherry since that first time... nor beheaded tunnelsnakes in here. I
don't think. I'm pretty sure I *did* behead tunnelsnakes, but nay in here."

Caitria nods. "I'm sure we all appreciate that," she says dryly.

Kindre gives Caitria a hopefully reassuring smile, "If his heart isn't into
it, mayhap Dulath's won't be, truly, either..." Bobbing her head to
Kassima, she frowns just a little, "Tempered with age? Jays, it still
worries me if I'll act oddly when Herath goes up..." Quirking a brow, she
chuckles, "I've heard that story...the wherry one, a few times. Better than
watching Flan eat raw meat, I think."

Kassima nods, and shrugs. "Well, 'least I didn't get blood all over the
floor either. Just chopped up a few tunnelsnakes and fish, 'tis all." She
sighs with rueful amusement. "I know, I know--nay anyone's ever going to
let me live the wherry down. But! Contrary to some rumors, I did *nay*
strangle it with my bare hands, nor did I lynch it in here, nor did I tear
it open with my own fingernails and eat it as a dragon would. Really. None
of those things."

Kindre blinks and chuckles, "Hmm, well then," she jokingly says
matter-of-factly, "'ve been told the wrong story then."

Caitria ohs? at Kindre. "What'd you hear?" she asks, eyes wandering briefly
towards the bowl.

Kassima hrms. "I'd be interested t'know the other versions of the story
floating around, m'self," she chimes in.

Kindre says "That Kassima," she cautions a glance over to the greenrider,
"drug the bloodied head of a wherry in here, something about it being
weilded around a bit, too...it actually was rather incredible a story, so I
was more shocked than fully listening after the first part of it...""

Caitria mumbles something under her breath. One word sounds oddly like,
"polo".

Kindre's eyes widen and she shifts in her seat a bit nervously. "I was a
weyrling at the time," she stammers, "and mayhap it was said to scare
us...I don't know. I can't even recall who said it, to be true...I'm
sorry..." she says apologetically.

Kassima blinks at Tria, then shakes her head at Kindre. "Nay true, nay
precisely. Feh. Ever since Jereth wrote that song about proddy greens and
their riders, I've been ribbed about it at Gathers as well as at home...."
She looks sad for a moment as she adds, "When I met J'bal a couple Turns or
so ago, he recognized m'name from that story. Snapped his fingers at me and
said, 'Ah, the bouncing wherry head!'"

Caitria laughs at Kassi. "Oh, shards. Not really!"

Kassima smiles faintly at Kindre. "Would you be surprised to hear there's a
strong grain of truth in it? What I did was kill the wherry with two knife
blows, out in the grounds, then drug it through here... but it didn't bleed
*that* much. Then I gutted it in the kitchen, but the head flew off at one
point and bounced in here. Then I had to come out and sharpen m'knives with
K'nan's whetstone he'd borrowed from me when they dulled, and I guess some
people thought I was a little gore-splattered...."

Caitria hehs quietly. "A little? Kassi, the way I heard it, they could have
used you to repaint the living cavern. If they'd wanted it in red, that is."

Kassima nods vigorously to Tria. "He did! I couldn't believe the rumors had
reached that far, but Nie *was* there, so...."

Kindre just blinks...and blinks and blinks...a smile slowly forms on her
lips and then turns into a chuckle. "Crackdust..."

Kethran walks here from the Inner Cavern.

Kassima wrinkles her nose. "'Twasn't as bad as K'nan! Just had *some* blood
on m'person... hair, arms, tunic, a bit on the slacks, face, and hands of
course... nay to mention the knife...."

Kethran wanders back into the Living Cavern, a solemn look on his face.
He's carrying his once-again-empty mug of juice, which he promptly refills,
and settles into a seat. He waves to everyone, and then nods to Caitria. "I
see what you meant about hidework," he says without preamble.

Kindre waves a hand to Kethran, "Evening Ket," she says and smiles before
returning her attention back to he conversation. "I can hardly believe a
song was made of it!" Quirking a brow, she wonders, "K'nan?"

Kethran nods somberly back to Kindre, and lets out a quiet sigh.

Kassima nods. "You hadn't heard that story? K'nan came in here once cloaked
in blood, so much that it dripped *all over* the floor. And nay anyone's
writ a song about it *yet*, but there's a line of that one song that
mentions hiding the knives, and you want to bet I don't get a lot of
rib-nudges and comments when that comes up? You'd lose."

Caitria gives Keth a faint smile. "Lots of hidework, hm?" she asks, praps
glad for an excuse to not discuss flightfoo. "Me, too. Spent all afternoon
on it." She wiggles inkstained fingers.

Kethran nods back to Caitria, absently. His mind is clearly elsewhere.

Kassima adds on reflection, "Though there was one verse of a song I
commissioned once, that mentioned wherry blood and the like... shards. I
have a feeling that when I die, when people remember me, the first thing
they're going to say is, 'Well, at least she'll never maul another wherry.'"

Kindre shakes her head, eyes wide at the thought of the other rider
drenched in blood. Swallowing hard, she blinks before speaking again,
"No...I think...I would have recalled that." Catching Kethran's sigh, she
asks, "You alright, Keth?"

Caitria leans over to Kassi and asks, words clearly audible throughout the
living cavern, "Think he'd notice if we painted him green again?" The
Herder nods towards Keth.

Kassima hrms contemplatively. "Nay, but... let's try another color this
time. Say, purple? Or pink?"

Kethran smiles to Kindre. "Just worried, is all," he admits. Then, he snaps
his head around to Caitria. "Please don't," he says, in a quiet voice.

Caitria's eyebrows incline a bit. "Worried? S'matter?"

Kindre seems mildy confused and echoes Caitria's words, "You're much too
quiet for you, Kethran...what is going on?"

A look that says 'spoilsport' more clearly than words flashes across
Kassi's face for an instant, but she merely nods. "As y'say, Keth... aye,
Kindre, I was there for it--'twas a'fore you were at Benden, I believe--and
'twas one sharding mess. I'm just glad that K'nan's never been too bad to
me when he's proddy. Mayhaps 'tis because I'm another greenrider, mayhaps
because I used to be his mentee... I don't know." The others' questions
finally penetrate that reminiscing brain for a moment, and she peers more
concernedly at Keth. "Something's wrong?"

Kethran shrugs again, and takes a long pull from his mug of juice. "Nothing
I need to be talkin' 'bout in the Cavern," he says. "Forget I said
anything." He tries to smile reassuringly, but it comes out as a near-grimace.

Caitria nods slightly. Then she glances out to the bowl again. She mutters
to herself, "... wish it... -over-... sharding flights... "

Kassima shrugs at Tria. "'Twill be over when 'tis over; there's naught that
can be done to speed it along, I fear. Juliath's nay taken such a time
about it as, say, Veyath in the past... mayhaps 'twill nay be long." She
sighs. "I never mind others' flights, but I've really nay reason to unless
Lyss starts getting tetchy."

Kindre giggles a bit more at Kassima and bobs her head, "Must've been
before I came here...again, I think I would have certainly remembered such
a portrayal of -that- scene. I'll be sure to stay clear of him when Veyath
glows." Her laughter subsiding, she peers at Kethran aggain. Sniffling back
some more pollen effects, she sounds almost stern, "You're not very
believable Keth..what the shards is wrong? Seriously, we're your friends
after all."

Caitria nods to Kassi, then glances at Keth as Kindre speaks again, taking
a gulp of her klah. "Bleh. Cold. Yech."

Kethran shakes his head firmly. "It's nothing you can help with," he points
out. "S'my own shardin' fault."

Caitria hms. "And those two statements go together because....?"

Kethran grimaces, and rises to his feet. "Shouldn't have come in here," he
mutters, and heads toward the inner caverns.

Kindre frowns, "Fine, Kethran...jays, we were just trying to help...you're
mood obviously is more important."

Deri walks here from the Inner Cavern.

Kassima nods to Keth. "If'n y'don't want to talk of it, fine... but know
this--we're friends, and we do care 'bout what's bothering you. Still, 'tis
your choice whether or nay to talk." She looks around the room. "Think I'll
get the wineskins together. We'll likely need 'em."

Deri walks in and smiles, "Hello." then blinks, "Uhm everything okay?"

Kethran whirls back to face Kindre. "And maybe there's something else going
on that I /can't/ talk about, for fear it might really come to pass," he
points out. "And maybe it's something that shouldn't be broadcast across
the entire cavern." His voice is calm, even, measured perhaps, but his eyes
flash angrily.

Caitria says calmly to Keth, though there's an edge to her words, "Whatever
it is, you needn't take it out on your _friends_, who're just trying to
help you." She nods to Deri. "Everything's okay. Or, at least, everything
that folks'll talk about."

Deri mutters to Kethran, "... Keth?"

Kindre's eyes are measured and cool, "As I said, fine. Keep it to yourself.
If you need to talk, you've friends who will listen. That's all I meant to
say."

Kindre also waves to Deri belatedly as her half-stare is removed from Kethran.

Kethran's expression softens a bit, and he just shakes his head, looking at
each of you in turn. "Please... I can't... talk about this here. Not now."
His voice is quiet, and he glances out toward the bowl nervously. "Have
you... seen Kiat?"

Kassima inclines her head, nodding towards the Bowl. "Prometh's chasing, I
believe. Juliath flies tonight."

Caitria's hand flutters towards the bowl. "Out there. With the others." She
gets to her feet, moving restlessly about the cavern.

Deri mutters to Kethran, "... to... hot springs,... I'll... if you... can..."

Kethran blinks, and then nods to Kassima, swallowing. "I... ought to wait
for him to get back," he murmurs, and then shakes his head to Deri.

Kassima watches Tria for a moment. "There are times even above others when
I'm glad I'm nay weyrmated," she murmurs to herself, then nods to Keth,
standing up herself. "I'm just going to get some wineskins; they'll likely
be needed, I daresay."

Deri sighs and get some klah, "Okay."

Kethran blinks to Kassima, coming a bit out of his mood. "Let me help with
that. Supposed to be my job, anyway," he points out.

Kenai walks here from the Inner Cavern.

Caitria glances at Kassi as well. "If y'need help...more than Keth, that
is." She shakes her head. "Shardit, I'm not usually this bad about them. I
hope."

Kindre bobs her head to Kassima, "I think you're right, on both counts..."
Smiling, then, to Caitria, she sighs, "I'm sure it'll be okay...I think , I
really do." Waving to Kenai, she adds her intention to help if Kassima
needs it.

Kassima nods to Keth and heads off to the kitchen, and storerooms,
appropriating V'dan to help her and Keth out. They start making trips with
the wineskins, apparently trying to cover all the surface of a small round
table with skins and bottles.

Kethran smiles to Kenai as he passes, returning with Kassi a few moments
later with a few wineskins, which he strategically places around the
Cavern. He then wanders to Kenai's side and stands there nervously, totally
uncertain.

Caitria lifts a hand in greeting to Kenai as she ducks briefly into the
kitchen.

Kethran glances back at Deri. "Look... please... I can't talk about it?"

Kenai yawns hugely as she wanders back into the living cavern. "Woke up..."
she mumbles. She blinks at the activity, then turns to Keth.

Kassima waves to Kenai inbetween one of her trips, and smiles to Tria and
Kindre. "Thankee, but I think me and Keth and Vale can get it done...."
V'dan grumbles good-naturedly as he places two bottles on the table, then
goes back to the storerooms for more.

Deri shakes her head, "Didn't ask that Keth. Asked if I could help somehow.

Kethran glances over to Kassima. "I think that's enough," he comments, and
then, managing to keep his expression neutral, he shakes his head to Deri.
"No one can help," he points out cryptically.

Kassima ohs and snaps her fingers as she finishes her last trip, pointing
to Kenai. "Kenai! Some bronzerider named... hrm... K'tel, 'twas it--he was
here looking for you. He's out with the rest, now, but asked me t'tell you
he was--is--here."

Lysseth> K'tyn emerges from the passage leading to the guest weyr.

Kethran pauses, racking his memory, and then grins to Kenai. "Your...
cousin, right?" he asks her.

Lysseth> C'vadan emerges from the passage leading to the guest weyr.

Kenai blinks, still a bit muzzy with sleep. "M'brother's here? The rest?"
She shakes her head sharply, then stops, looking at Keth, looking at the
wineskins... the others... "Oh. Oooohhhhhhh."

Deri looks down and then back up, "Well you know I'm willing to listen if
you need Keth. You've listened to me often enough."

Lysseth> Dulath backwings for a landing.

Lysseth> Adonith backwings for a landing.

Lysseth> Zmeth backwings for a landing.

Kassima mmm-hmmms. "Aye, Juliath is rising--rose, I mean. She's caught now."

Lysseth> Sabra emerges from the passage leading to the guest weyr.

Lysseth> Choloth backwings for a landing.

Kindre mumbles a 'no-kidding' in Kethran's general direction before perking
up and nodding with Kassima, "He got, well his dragon, was distracted and
he's left for now..."

Lysseth> K'tel emerges from the passage leading to the guest weyr.

Lysseth> Ivarath backwings for a landing.

Lysseth> Lal walks out of the records cavern.

Lysseth> C'vadan moves to his lifemate, leaning on his shoulder. "You did
well, Duly," he murmurs.

Lysseth> Alyssa emerges from the passage leading to the guest weyr.

Lysseth> Lal walks out, surprisingly calm. She breathes in the air.

Lysseth> Ursa looks up as the flood of riders emerge from the guest weyr.
"Shards!" she says suddenly, looking round to if there's skins available.

Kenai holds her hand out to Keth with a somewhat concerned look and shakes
her head. "My younger brother."

Lysseth> Cellia emerges from the passage leading to the guest weyr.

Kethran turns to face Deri. "Look, how can I phrase this without you
getting all depressed, guilty, or otherwise moping? No. I can't talk about
it. There is nothing you can do to help."

Lysseth> Zmeth rumbles at his rider, who places a sympathetic hand on his
shoulder, "Time for a swim, eh, my friend?"

Lysseth> K'tyn sighs, resting against Prometh. He niether sees or hears.

Lysseth> Cellia's face is streaked with tears as she stumbles from the
weyr. She runs up to Choloth, burying her face against his hide.

Lysseth> Alyssa stumbles from the guest weyr and collapses on her knees at
Adonith's side, burrowing her head in his foreleg as she whispers
unconvincingly, "It's all right, love...I know you did your best. It's all
right."

Lysseth> K'tel glances back at Sabra and Cellia and waves. Then without a
word, turns back to his dragon.

Lysseth> Sabra stumbles toward Ivarath, sobs choking her. She leans up
against the brown's shoulder, and he sighs wearily.

Kindre frowns at Kethran, "Jays, Ket, she was just trying to show her
concern...no reason to remove her head for it."

Lysseth> Lal shrugs. She smiles gently to herself.

Lal walks in from the bowl.

Lysseth> K'tel vaults onto Zmeth's extended foreleg and hauls himself up
between his neckridges.

Lysseth> Erinyth backwings for a landing.

Lal breathes in a heavy dose of air. She smiles. "I feel....real good."

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

Kethran sighs at Kindre's words. "Why can't everyone just leave me
/alone/?" he asks the room in general, and dashes off toward the inner
caverns.

Lysseth> Prometh seems worn, somehow, smaller than he was before. K'tyn
comforts him, and recieves comfort, silently.

Kethran walks towards the inner cavern.

Lysseth> Cellia nods after a moment, sniffling. "Yes. We'll go home, love."
She glances over at Sabra, slowly rememebering that others exist.

Deri looks at Keth < "I do believe we've had a particular discussion
concerning the habit of airing private things about me Keth, I didn't ask
you to talk now, I stated a fact Steward, and if you don't like that, stuff
it in your hat and eat it raw."

Kassima nods to Lal, and picks up one of the skins from the table, which
she peers at. "Eh, Tria, Kindre, either of you want a glass? May as well
nay let the other riders have it *all*."

Lysseth> C'vadan glances at Ursa, then Cellia, then Alyssa, then back to
Dulath.

Lal sits down, smiling. She asks a passing drudge for a glass of redfruit
juice. Hot.

Lysseth> Sabra stands, her face still buried in Ivarath's hide. He nuzzles
her, and she raises her head, blinking, then clambers up his side, avoiding
Cellia's look.

Lysseth> Ursa dashes to get a skin, taking it quickly, though not suddenly,
to Cav's side. She hands it almost shyly to her friend, saying with sad
compassion, "Here."

Caitria nods at Kassi. "Please. Definitely."

Lysseth> Karise slides off of Erinyth with practiced grace.

Lysseth> Sabra climbs up Ivarath's side with the help of the straps and
settles between his neckridges.

Kindre waves to Lal, though her frown is still in place, "Shells, not to
sound terribly mean, but thank Faranth he walked ooff. I hate to seem him
so sharding amiss, but..." she shrugs before sighing. Blinking, she nods,
"Oh, please Kassima?"

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

Kenai looks out toward the bowl, in toward the inner caverns, over at Deri,
then at Lal, and looks completely, utterly overwhelmed.

Lysseth> Cellia glances around to the others, then. A soft, sympathetic
smile comes to her face as she grabs hold of Choloth's straps.

Lysseth> C'vadan accepts the skin gratefully and drinks long and hard from it.

Lysseth> Cellia takes hold of the well-oiled straps and climbs onto
Choloth's back, with the aid of a helpful foreleg.

Lysseth> Choloth rumbles pleasantly and cranes his neck back to look at
Cellia.

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

Lal says "What's wrong wi'Keth? I thought he'd be happy...."

Lysseth> Alyssa gasps for breath as she strokes Adonith's flank, seeking to
sooth him as she herself is in need of soothing. Her gaze meets K'tyn
momentarily, her pale cheeks flush, and she forces herself to look away.
"Wine?" she croaks.

Lysseth> C'vadan wipes his mouth with his forearm, then looks at Ursa. He
blinks. "I... I...." He hands the skin to Alyssa.

Caitria says to Lal, rather dryly, "He won't talk about it." She peers
towards the bowl, and mutters to herself, "... over -yet-?"

Kassima pops open the skin with her thumbnail and collects three glasses,
pouring each brimming full and setting two down beside her friends. She
sits herself and the third glass in a chair nearby. "Here's to flights,"
she quips. "At least they spice things up 'round here. And by the by,
Tria... 'twas nay Cav and Dulath that caught Juliath; Lyss says they're
outside."

Kindre shrugs, "Donno...being unusually sensitive. I've never seen him like
that."

Deri mutters to Kenai, "Why... if... can get... jealous fit he's... of
people... at..."

Lysseth> Alyssa takes the skin from C'vadan, fingers touching his, and she
shivers as if jolted by electricity. "Thank you," she murmurs numbly and
takes a long drink from the skin.

Lysseth> K'tyn pats Prometh a last time, pulling away from him as he moves
toward the LC.

Lal peers at Deri and Kenai. And shakes her head.

Caitria takes the glass, suddenly looking much more cheerful. "It wasn't?"
She lifts her glass high. "Aye. To flights. Most of 'em, at least."

Karise walks in from the bowl.

Lysseth> Ursa puts a hand tentatively on Cav's arm. "You'll be fine," she
says softly, understanding well. She looks at the brownrider closely, then
frowns. "I..." she shuts her mouth.

Lal smiles at Tria. "Think it was M'rgan's dragon--looks liek it, from wha
Areseth's showin' me."

Kindre smiles, gratefully accepting the glass and holing it up, "I'll drink
to that!" Grinning as Caitria, she then tips the glass and takes a long
swallow. As her head comes down, she sees Karise, "Hi Karise!"

Lysseth> K'tyn doesn't speak, doesn't look left or right. His only goal is
to get away from everyone.

K'tyn walks in from the bowl.

Kenai jumps up and throws a rather wild-eyed glance around the cavern.
"Just... butt out, would you?"

Kenai walks towards the inner cavern.

Lal snorts. "Th'Krazy K's."

Caitria wuhohs softly. "Mart. Kena's not going to be...." Her words trail
off as she peers after Kenai, and she nods at Lal's words. "Seriously..."

Lysseth> C'vadan shivers not from the cold, but the nearness of two close,
and very desirable, friends. He blinks several times.

Kassima ahs and nods. "Ularrith, then." She looks pleased by that, though a
bit concerned. She spots Kiat and nods towards the skins. "Help yourself,
Kiat, if'n y'wish."

Kindre quirks a brow and watches Kenai's retreat. Smirking at Lal and
Caitria, she tries to look offended, "Hey now..."

K'tyn slumps into a chair. "Wine, Ale. Drink. Now, please," he requests
tonelessly.

A drudge returns with a glass of steaming redfruit juice for Lal. Lal
smiles pleasantly, and takes the drink, sipping it slowly.

Deri rubs at her head, "Lord is that entire pairing so sharding unhappy and
nasty

Benden Weyr> Caitria hms at Lal. Hot redfruit juice? Never heard of that.
Interesting. :)

Karise waves, rubbing an eye, blurting "Not crazy.....normal deficiant."
She glances at K'tyn, grabbing a mug of wine and giving it to him.

Lysseth> Alyssa straightens up stiffly, wipes her eyes, and turns away with
uncharacteristic briskness. "Time to take a bath," she declares in a
strained voice and heads for the south bowl.

Lal nods. "They all're, Deri. Glad I'm leavin', t'tell y'th'truth."

Benden Weyr> Alisa says, "Hot cider."

Benden Weyr> Karise says, "Any spices in that? *thinks apple cider*"

Benden Weyr> Lal says, "It could....Lal hasn't invented it yet. :)"

Lysseth> C'vadan watches Alyssa leave, then turns to Ursa. "I..." Again, he
cannot finish.

Caitria peers at Lal. "Leaving?"

Kassima shrugs. "'Tis naught Mart could help. Surely Kena will understand
that...."

Kindre blinks, too, "You said when you left you had to pack...where are you
going," she wonders with furrowed brows.

Caitria turns back to Kassi, looking like she's watching the Pernese
equivalent of a pingpong match. "Understanding and accepting are two very
different things," she says quietly, her gray-green eyes serious.

Lal smiles to herself, looking into her mug. She nods to Tria. "Just
waitin' fer th'official word."

K'tyn glances at Deri, a sudden snarl twisting his harshly planed face into
something demonic. He relaxes at Karise, taking her mug and downing its
contents rapidly. His voice still toneless, he asks for more.

Lysseth> Ursa watches Alyssa leave, then turns back to Cav. "Oh! Uhm... you
want me to help you..." but she fades out, not willing to finish that.

Dragon> Lysseth senses that Adonith whimpers. << I lost. >>

Caitria ohs? at Lal, with a faint frown. "Where're you going?" She blanches
at K'tyn's expression.

Lysseth> C'vadan suddenly pulls Ursa close and kisses her.

Lysseth> Adonith senses that Lysseth rumbles consolingly. << You have lost
before. It was all right then; it will be all right now. >>

Dragon> Adonith bespoke Lysseth with << You still *like* me? >>

Dragon> Lysseth senses that Adonith whimpers again.

Lal says "Well, I'm hopin' me request t'go t'Igen comes out...if naw, Ista.
Warmer, further south, close t'me daw..."

Karise nods, motioning for a drudge, a quiet "Keep them coming," heard as
she hands the next mug to K'tyn. She glances at him, before peering about
the room. Jays, she can really sleep through anything now.

Lysseth> C'vadan releases Ursa suddenly and blinks. "I... I'm sorry, Ursa,"
he says, stumbling away.

Lysseth> Ursa is suddenly kissed, and she instinctively starts to wrap an
arm around CAv's waist before pulling back herself. "I mean..." she says
hoarsely.

Caitria nods slowly. "Ista's nice," she says, her tone somewhat neutral.
"Nayth was there, before he transferred here."

Kassima nods to Tria. "A'course," she says wearily. "I know; I know.
'Course," her smile twists, "'Tis nay all that easy for the *riders* to
accept either, 'least nay at first." She holds the cold glass of wine to
her cheek and murmurs, "'Tis why I've made m'self a promise: if'n I ever do
weyrmate, which is frankly sharding unlikely, 'twill be to a rider who can
understand and accept both if'n such a one exists."

Lysseth> Adonith senses that Lysseth warbles, surprised. << Of course! Why
should I not? >>

Dragon> Adonith bespoke Lysseth with << She chose that *ugly* brown over
me. She did not want me. *whimper* >>

Deri rubs at her head, "Man everyone is moody, sorry I said anything.

Lal shrugs. "Igen's fine too."

Lysseth> Ursa indulgently leans in and gives Cav another kiss before
breaking away again. "I'll go find Tria, okay?" she blurts out, almost
urgently.

Kindre blinks several times at Lal. Her face betrays her disbelief. "You
are...transferring?" Swallowing after hearing more neutral responses, she
sighs, "well, if it'll put you near your 'dah' and all...I'll hate to see
you go, though," she ends and takes a long drink from her wine glass.

Lysseth> C'vadan nods and finds Dulath's foreleg to lean on.

Lysseth> Ursa stumbles away, shaking her head to herself.

Ursa walks in from the bowl.

Caitria nods a rather vague response to the conversations around her, with
another gulp of wine.

Deri walks towards the inner cavern.

Lysseth> Adonith senses that Lysseth rumbles in faint chide, << Ularrith is
not bad, for a brown. But Juliath is fickle. Maybe she doesn't appreciate
true perfection? >>

Lal smiles slightly. "I appreciate yer feelin', Kindre. But, t'be
honest...I think I need t'start over. And be closer t'wha family I got left."

Ursa rushes in, then screeches to a normal walk, skidding on the floor.and
ruining all chances of looking non-chalant here. Deep breath, and she
strolls to Tria's side, leaning on the table near her.

Dragon> Adonith bespoke Lysseth with << I failed. I am less than a brown.
Me! >>

Lysseth> C'vadan climbs up onto his lifemate's shoulders and gives Dulath
an affectionate pat on the shoulders before checking his straps.

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

K'tyn drinks mug after mug of ale, quickly, efficiently to get drunk,
passed out, away from this horrid feelings he is having.

Ursa starts out, "Uhm, Tria? Uhm..."

Caitria glances up from her wine. "Heyla, Ursa. Want some?" she adds,
nodding towards the wine.

Kethran walks here from the Inner Cavern.

Lal smiles, more like smirks, at Kethran. "'Lo."

Kenai walks here from the Inner Cavern.

Ursa shakes her head. "No, thanks. I... uhm.. I think..." and she ducks her
head down closer to Tria's ear.

Kenai follows in behind Keth, a rather set, blank expression on her face.

Kethran enters the Cavern and walks straight toward K'tyn, his eyes
immediately taking in the number of mug of ale that have been consumed. His
gaze darts toward Karise, and then back to K'tyn. "Karise... let's get him
up to the weyr. He doesn't need to be drinking that much," he points out
quietly, his expression concerned, his voice worried. He ignores Lal.

Kindre nods slowly to Lal, "Still....jays is all, I'll miss you is all. You
better come visit," she grins vaguely and then turns hearing more enter.
Frowning a bit, she returns to sipping her wine. "Hi Ursa," she waves
finally noticing her throught the shifts of entering people.

Karise gets up quietly, following K'tyn, murmuring, "Ready to go up to the
weyr?" She nods to Kethran as he approaches, standing just a bit to K'tyn's
left.

Lysseth> I bespoke Adonith with << You are not less! So you did not catch
Juliath. Have you not caught Pliarth? Tyrrath? Myself? >>

Caitria nods slightly at Ursa's words. "Okay, thanks." A broad grin
flickers just briefly across her face, and she gets to her feet. "See y'all
later." Whistling brightly, she heads out of the living cavern.

Lal smiles. "There're many things I'll miss about this place."

K'tyn growls to himself, lost in some inner musing that is, evidently, not
pleasant. As Kethran and Karise approach, he hisses, suddenly. "So, going
to take me up to the weyr, is it? Give me herbs and make me sleep, hm?" His
voice is a rought rasp that grates.

Lal sighs.

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

Ursa thunks heavily into the chair Tria vacated, and just lets her head
droop to the table.

Kassima nods to Tria with a smile. "Clear skies, m'friend. Lal, I'm sorry
to hear you're leaving, i'truth... you've been a good wingmate; you'll be
missed. But if'n 'tis what you're wanting, then 'tis what you're needing to
do."

Lysseth> Caitria zips through, with a quick greeting to the dragons.

Kethran takes up a place to K'tyn's right, and he blinks at the
bronzerider's tone. "We're going to make you feel better, Kiat -- if you'll
let us, that is." He reaches out for his weyrmate's shoulder.

Lal nods to Kassima. "I'll yeh too, Kassi."

Lal flicks a glance at Kethran, and shakes her head.

Alisa walks in from the bowl.

Alisa moves along slowly, tears streaking her face as she holdsb akc soft
sobs. She holds a somewhat dazed Nalisa in her arms, who actually seems to
be behaving for once. Both of them are wet, their hair soaked, and their
clothes still sticking a little to their damp skin.

K'tyn seems to vibrate with some violent inner emotion. "Don't touch
me...don't touch me!" His voice lowers to an intense whisper as he stands
suddenly, knocking his chair backwards. "Don't come near me." His voice is
a promise of violence.

Karise blinks, taking a step back. She glances to Kethran a bit anxiously,
looking back to K'tyn. She doesn't say anything at the moment,
more....glancing in introspect.

N'ren walks in from the bowl.

Lal murmurs softly to Kethran, "Please, fer yer an'his, leave him be."

Kindre chuckles, "Kassima and I'll just have to come searching you out
then, if your transfer comes through." Peering over at the trio of
weyrmates, she frowns.

K'tyn growls again, stalking outside.

K'tyn walks down the short tunnel and out into the bowl.

Ursa lifts her head enough to peer when she hears the ruckus.

N'ren comes in, glancing in Alisa's direction briefly, but then continuing on.

Kenai, following behind Keth, stops in her tracks and just stares.

Lal raises a silent hand at Kindre. Her expression is definitely saying,
Leave it.

Kethran hesitates, his movements stopping all at once, and he finally hears
Lal's voice. He takes a step backward from K'tyn, his eyes fixed on the
bronzerider's face. "Kiat, please..." His voice trembles with fear.

Karise sighs, then wonders outside.

Lal says "Kethran, he's drunk. He lost a flight. Let him sleep it off in
his way."

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

Kindre bobs her head at Lal, her eyes promising silence.

Kethran turns back to Lal. "Maybe you ought to keep your nose in your own
affairs, and stop trying to screw up everyone else's life just because your
own isn't going the way you want!" he shouts, and then storms outside.

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

Kassima watches the scene and grits her teeth. "Greenrider or nay, naught
to be upset over or nay, there are still times that I hate flights," she
mutters, taking a deep drink from her glass.

Kenai stares after the other three, eyes wide, for a long moment, then
looks around the cavern. She blushes furiously, suddenly realizing just how
many people are there. "I.... I'm sorry..." she stutters, and flees.

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

Lal blinks. She looks up at the ceiling. "I'm leavin', I'm leavin'..."

Lal says "Krazy K's."

Kindre, in a vague attempt at humor, pokes Lal lightly, "Not all of 'em..."

Alisa looksup at all thecommotion, tears still streaming down her face,
then slowly back to the floor, murmuring softly, "Anyone have an extra
space in their weytr I can use tonight?"

Alisa says "Nalisa and I'll be going back to the The Reaches in the Morn..."

N'ren wanders over to the Wingsecond of his wing, and leans down to whisper
something in her ear.

Lysseth> Kethran storms out of the Cavern, his eyes seeking out K'tyn's
face as quickly as possible. "Shardin' Lal," he mutters under his breath,
and approaches K'tyn and Karise, keeping a bit of distance.

Alisa Seems to have some trouble getting her words out properly, swallowing
a few of them, and having to repeat.

Lysseth> Karise wanders out, calling, "K'tyn? Kiat, slow down,...." she
murmurs, making a face as Erinyth lowers her head by her.

Lal turns to Alisa. "Yeh cin stay at me weyr...it's kinda quiet an' plain
but..."

Lal ohs and notices Kindre's poke. "Point taken."

Alisa nods quietly, "Thank you... I'm not looking for anything fancy. Just
a corner of a weyr for a night..."

Ursa glances up when some one appears at her side, lifting her head to hear
what he has to say, then nodding quietly, sitting upright so she can
whisper back.

Alisa pulls Nalisa a little closer to her, and looks down again, swiping
roughly at her eyes.

Kindre smirks, "'least not yet."

Kassima inclines her head. "I'd offer, but most people don't care for
sleeping with so many fire-lizards watching them... are you all right, Alisa?"

Lysseth> K'tyn is with Prometh, the Bronze nearly asleep from his
exertions. He looks up at Karise's voice, his face twisting once more as he
sees the whole crew tromp out after him.

Lal walks to Alisa, and gently pats her shoulder. "I have room....wanna
talk, ma'am? I'm Lal, by th'way."

Lysseth> Kethran stays back from Prometh and K'tyn. "Kiat... what is it?
What did I do?"

N'ren straightens upwards as Ursa sits up, nods at what she says, and then
says something else to her.

Alisa shrugs a little, "I'm.. I'm alright I guess... "

Lysseth> Erinyth snort concern at her rider, butting her back, closer to
multi-hued hide. And Karise glances up, nodding at something unsaid.
"You're right. I don't need this....we don't." She touches her stomachm
before adding, louder, "Kiat, if you need me, I'll be up in the weyr," she
says evenly, climbing up Erinyth's straps.

Lysseth> Kenai doesn't even blink, not moving her wide-eyed gaze from Kiat
as she reaches out and plucks at Keth's sleeve.

Lysseth> Karise grabs a one-handed hold of Erinyth's riding straps and
vaults to her lifemate's shoulders.

Held gently in Alisa's arms, Nalisa Seems to sense her mother's mood, and
just stays quiet and still.

Lysseth> K'tyn nods as Karise leaves. "Thank you," he says softly.

Lal bends down and gives Alisa a hug, just because. 'When would y'like
t'see me weyr? There's room fer you an' another..."

Alisa says "I just.. saw my brother for the first time in nearly 3 turns..
and he had to leave.. for some.. postflight help for a female rider.."

Lysseth> K'tyn snorts, his eyes raking over Kethran. "Why does it always
have to be something you've done?"

Alisa looks away again, "He spent all of 10 minutes with me... if that..
and didn't even say goodbye.."

Lysseth> Atop Erinyth, Karise nods, as she pats Erinyth's shoulder. The
green whuffles Prometh for a moment, before rising.

Lysseth> Erinyth takes flight, using the thermals rising from the bowl to
carry her aloft.

Lysseth> Kethran pauses. "Kiat? Do you want me to go, too?" he asks. "And
if so, how far?" He pauses, and then shakes his head. "I don't know, Kiat.
I just know that I love you, and I want to be with you, and help you,
but... you won't let me."

Skye walks here from the Inner Cavern.

Lal sighs, 'Well, dear, sometimes, people....neglect yeh. They do things
fer people they claim t'love, an'ferget th'ones that love them."

Lysseth> K'tyn grimaces, "You don't want me!" He hisses, "You want to /be/
me!"

Alisa Shakes her head, "He doesn't claim to love her..."

Skye walks out, hand clasping her gitar.

Lysseth> Adonith lumbers here from the south.

Alisa sighs, "Nalisa and I were supposed to go back to Igen with him for a
few days visit..."

Lysseth> Alyssa walks here from the south.

Ursa's eyes flicker across N'ren's face, and she looks at him carefully,
very carefully, eyebrows furrowed, before she smiles slighty, and nodding.
"S'a nice offer. Thanks."

Kassima shakes her head. "Nay, you're nay, but... if'n you're nay wanting
to talk, I won't press. Some things are personal... ohhhhh." She grimaces
and nods. "I see. Aye, I can see where 'twould be... um...." She shrugs,
uncomfortably, and settles on, "unpleasant. But... ach, listen. When y'see
your brother next, I'd say y'should be asking him about it--he may yet have
an explanation for you, of why he did what he did."

Lysseth> Kethran blinks, and gapes at K'tyn. "What?!" he asks, stunned by
K'tyn's words. "I don't want to be you, K'tyn. I want to be /with/ you, but
that's not the same." He takes a step closer to the bronzerider, hesitantly.

Alisa looks over to Kassi, and shrugs a little, "I likely won't see him for
another 3 turns."

Lysseth> Lysseth turns her head and warbles softly to Adonith and his
rider, lightly whuffling the former.

Lysseth> Kenai, still with a corner of Keth's sleeve caught in her fingers,
stays put, her arm stretching out to keep contact with Keth as he steps
forward.

Lysseth> K'tyn turns around, shuddering. "You are so close to me that I am
not me! I. Am. Not. Me." His voice rising in self-ridicule, he adds, "Not
that I know who I am."

Lysseth> Alyssa pads through the collection of people wordlessly and heads
for the living cavern, deaf and blind to all around her. For his part,
Adonith lies down at Lysseth's side and croons very pitifully at her.

Alyssa walks in from the bowl.

Alisa says "He' proven how important I am.. not very..."

N'ren moves his hands from Ursa's shoulders to her jacket, and says to her,
"Lift your arms?"

Skye has just walked into the cavern, 'Thos is somewhere behind. She has
her gitar in one hand. Her skirts billow out around her, capturing the air.
Seeing Alyssa walk in, she waves.

Kassima shakes her head firmly. "Now *that* need nay be true. If'n y'can't
be getting someone at the Reaches to take you there, then have the
watchrider bespeak me, and I'll provide an escort the moment I'm off-duty.
This I promise you." Spotting Lys, she calls, "Lys, if'n 'tis wine you're
wishing, there's skins in plenty--" She gestures to the table loaded with
wine.

Lysseth> Kethran blinks at K'tyn. "What..." He's totally confused by his
weyrmate's words. "Kiat... have I been that stifling? Is that it?" He
shakes his head. "Am I so awful as that?"

Lal nods in agreement with Kassima. "Or, I cin take y't'Igen if yeh need."

Kindre sits quietly with her glass, watching, almost gauging in fact, that
small fall-outs of the evening. Waving over her glass, she smiles at Alyssa.

Ursa lifts her hands surprisingly obediently, shaking her head quietly to
herself.

Alisa shrugs a little, sniffling, "Thank you... your offers are very kind...."

"I'm fine, Kassima," says Alyssa quietly as she heads in, still dripping
from her bath. "Thank you. Well...perhaps a bit of wine."

Lysseth> K'tyn snorts, pressing his forehead into Prometh's hide. "You
aren't awful. There's naught wrong with you! It's me, can't you see that?"

Dragon> Adonith bespoke Lysseth with << I'm going to sit at the Star
Stones. >>

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

Tanghos walks here from the Inner Cavern.

N'ren casually helps Ursa out of her jacket, first one side, then the
other. Then he folds the jacket as it hangs, and lays it on the table. He
places his hands back on her shoulders.

Lysseth> Adonith senses that Lysseth raises her head to peer up at the
'Stones. << Why? >> she asks curiously.

Dragon> Adonith bespoke Lysseth with << It's quiet here. And I do not need
to hear the riders prattle. >>

Lysseth> K'tyn holds up his hand, his face masklike and hard. "Though...
you have taught me things I must now unlearn. Things like irresponsibility.
Imprudence."

Lysseth> Kethran shakes his head angrily. "No, I can't see that! Maybe it's
because I'm stupid, or blind, or something. Or maybe because there /is/
nothing wrong with you except the wherry-dung that /that brownrider/ has
been filling your head with because she's so shardin' jealous!" he
half-shouts. "I /love/ you, K'tyn. I am your friend, your weyrmate, your
bondmate. I have told you that... and yet you won't believe me. Won't
believe that you are /good/." His voice softens, and takes on a pleading
tone. "Kiat... let me help you to see the truth?"

Lysseth> Kethran blinks. "/I/ have taught you irresponsibility?
Imprudence?" he asks K'tyn. "In what way? Tell me that, Kiat. What have you
done that's so irresponsible?"

Lysseth> Adonith senses that Lysseth agrees. << They *are* rather loud. But
my rider says I should listen, so that she can know what is happening
through my eyes. She says there was a time when my watching helped cure a
bad situation. I do not remember. I think she is making up stories again. >>

Alisa walks to a seat slowly, somewhat numbly, and settles Nalisa into her
lap as she sinks down. She wipes again at her tear-covered face, staring at
the floor.

N'ren leans back down and murmurs something in Ursa's ear.

Kassima nods and picks up Tria's still mostly full glass, offering it to
Lys. "You can refill this, or drink from it, as you will. 'Tis good wine,"
she adds, holding up the skin as proof of some kind.

Lysseth> Kenai drops her hand, taking a step back, almost tripping over her
own feet.

Lysseth> K'tyn turns to look at Kethran, disdainfully. He glances at Kenai,
and then upward, at the weyr, where Karise is. "You must ask?"

Lal goes and sits next to Alisa. "I wouldna worry."

Alyssa takes the glass and settles beside Kassima, returning Kindre's smile
bleakly before murmuring, "I hate flights."

Kindre smiles and pushes herself up from the table she7s been parked at for
most of the evening. Drowning the last of her wine, she says, "Well, I most
likely should retire my snniffling self to my weyr. Doesn't sleep and rest
help to clear the head? Or the like?" Seeming to ponder this point for a
moment, she shrugs. "In any case," she goes on, "thanks all for a
truly...memorable evening. Lal? Please come say goodbye before you leave,
'kay?" Walking over to give Alyssa a warm hugs, she smiles, "I know, love,
you'll be okay, though."

Ursa tilts her head, listening quietly. She turns to say, a little
awkwardly, "Hey, uhm.... thanks," before letting her head droop, taking a
compliant deep breath.

Alisa shrugs a little to Lal, "Thank you for trying to cheer me... but I'm
not sure how well it will work at the moment..."

Lal smiles at Alyssa, and notes rather cheerily, "I'm fine wi'this one.
Areseth...wasna interested."

Lysseth> Kethran blinks. "What in the /shard/ to you mean. Are you telling
me you regret me? That you don't want me anymore?" His face takes on a
fearful expression.

Lal nods to Kindre. "Yeh cin be sure I will."

Kassima smiles faintly and lifts her glass. "They have their down sides,"
she agrees. "Though I personally have little to dislike about them, save
for what they do to m'friends sometimes... which is really quite enough."

Deri walks here from the Inner Cavern.

Lysseth> Kenai follows Kiat's glance, and pales. "I.... I uh..." she
stammers, and gulps audibly. "I'm sorry," she whispers, and turns, actually
running back the way she came.

Kenai walks in from the bowl.

N'ren straightens back up, and begins to flex his fingers a little.
Replacing them on Ursa's shoulders, there's no immediate difference.

Lysseth> K'tyn shakes his head and crosses his arms. "The children,
Kethran. Or are you so....immature yourself that you cannot see the
responsibility that you have...even as I have... impulsively undertaken?"

Kenai dashes toward the inner caverns, completely oblivious to everything
around her.

Kenai walks towards the inner cavern.

Alyssa glances at Kassima quietly and says across the rim of her glass,
"They make the riders of male dragons act idiotically. It's part of being a
rider, but after a few turns I still cannot stomach it well."

Deri sits down at the quiet table by the night hearth.

Kindre smiles to Lal, "Thanks, I appreciate that." Waving a hand, her smile
becomes more genuine, "Good night, all. I'll see you when the sun comes up
again."

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

Lysseth> Kindre does a rather hesitant wave, cautioning to say,
"Everythinng okay?"

Lysseth> K'tyn pastes a smile on his face as Kindre comes out. "Sure,
Kindre. Just great."

Lysseth> Kethran blinks. "Maybe I am immature. Maybe I am someone who
doesn't deserve you. That's probably true, my love. And impulsive, I'll
admit to. But shells, Kiat... does it mean you have to shove me away? Does
it mean we have to make Kenai and Karise upset like this? Does it mean you
have to drink yourself into a stupor? That's not very responsible, either!"
he points out, a pleading tone in his voice. "Kiat... it's scary. I'll
admit that. But the way to handle it is /together/, not by pushing away
everyone you love."

Ursa lets her head droop even more, her eyes drifting open a couple times
as the discussion nearby gets too distracting until she manages to tune it
out.

Lysseth> Kethran looks ready to say more, but then hesitates as Kindre
emerges from the Living Cavern.

Lysseth> K'tyn grits his teeth, saying nothing.

Lysseth> Kindre frowns a bit, and concern is betrayed in her eyes. She
turns her eyes to Kethran before looking up the stairwell to her weyr, "I
see I am interupting. Forgive. I'm going up to study," she stammers quickly
before doing just that.

Lysseth> Kindre walks up the stairwell to Herath and Kindre's weyr.

Kassima grimaces and nods. "It can," she agrees. "But I can't help but
think that it must be worth it, to have a lifemate. I don't like acting
like an idiot for the sevendays a'fore Lyss rises much m'self, but...." She
shrugs, and drinks again. "'Tis the way it must be, since the beginning of
dragonkind and riderkind."

Gwynden walks here from the Inner Cavern.

"Oh, it's worth it," says Alyssa with that little sad smile as she drinks
her wine, "but I still hate it."

Lysseth> Kethran turns back to K'tyn, eyeing the expression on the
bronzerider's face. "Kiat... I just need to know, now. Do you want me in
your life? Or out of it? If it's the first, I'll do everything I can to
help you, to work through this. To change myself, if that's what you want.
TO help you change, if that's what you want. But there's no reason to do
that if I've managed to make you stop loving me," he adds in a very quiet
voice.

Deri blinks and gets some juice, "Is that what's made everyone moody/"

Kassima lifts her glass with an ironic smile of her own. "Aye to that.
Seems to be a pain in the neck to all concerned, save mayhaps the winning
dragons."

Alyssa murmurs after finishing her glass of wine, "I could not concur more
with that, Kassima."

Lal ahems at Alisa. "Well, would y'like t'go up t'me weyr? I cin get th'bed
set up fer yeh an'yer little girl...."

Ursa shakes her still-drooping head, back and forth, before lifting it,
tilting to speak quietly to N'ren.

Lal hears Alyssa and Kassima, and comments sardonically. "Th'dragon I love,
th'rider's life I cinna stand."

"Aye, well...." Kassima chuckles. "Contrary to popular belief, now and then
I *do* make sense. Just a bit. And nay often. But stranger things *have*
happened." To Lal, she turns and nods, quietly. "It has its downfalls, aye.
I'm sorry the benefits don't outweigh them for you."

Lysseth> K'tyn swallows, then clears his throat. "Do I want you? Now, that
is the big question isn't it. It all comes down to that stupid word. Yes, I
do want you." He pauses, his eyes glittering. "However, I do not want you
to...keep taking over my life, keep pulling me to be this .... thing that
you want me to be that is NOT me."

Lal shrugs. "I wouldna give up Areseth fer nothin'. I'm surprised--he
grounds me."

Alyssa glances in surprise at Kassima and Lal before rising gracefully but
wearily to fill her cup again. "Torinth's awake," she comments to no one in
particular.

Lal blinks. "M'kla! Well, 'allo!"

Lysseth> K'tyn shakes his head, his mouth twisting. "This is not coming out
right, shardit."

Alisa nods a little to Lal, "Now's fine yes... thank you.."

M'kla saunters in from the bowl, honest, and runs a hand through her
closely shorn hair. She chuckles at the greetings, "Hola."

Saluting M'kla before she can even think, Alyssa greets the Weyrsecond
quietly before conveying her wine to the seat at Kassima's side again.

Kassima smiles at Lys. "Aye, so Lyss tells me." She nods to Lal. "Can't
think of a rider who would. But the life... ah, that's different, isn't it?
Me, I love it. I have m'lifemate, useful work, something to do for the rest
of my days until we're too stiff to fly anymore. I can travel where I want
on m'time, and see the world the way wherries see it from Lysseth's back.
I've m'dearest friends here... I've home. I don't love the flights, but the
rest makes it worth it. What else could I need?" With this speech
delivered, she realizes that she rambled on a bit, and sinks back into her
chair after nodding to M'kla in respectful salutation.

Lal gets up, and beckons Alisa to follow. "Now, I'm real high up,
an'y'cinna get down wi'out Areseth t'bring yeh. That awright?"

Lysseth> Kethran blinks. "Kiat..." He glances around. "Let's go up to the
weyr, and talk about this?" he pleads. "I... I've never meant to force you
into anything. And if I have, I'm sorry." He lets out a quiet sigh. "Kiat,
let's talk about this. Don't push me away. Tell me what I've been doing
wrong. Please."

Lysseth> K'tyn looks up at the sky. "I don't mean to...Argh. Keth, you pull
me from my duties, from my responsibilities. And I pull you from yours."

Lysseth> K'tyn shakes his head, slowly. "No. I'd rather... I'd rather you
didn't."

Ursa sighs heavily, letting the massaging fingers to their work on her
shoulders.

Lysseth> K'tyn adds, "It's not you, Keth. Not you at all."

Lal nods slightly to Kassima. "I know th'perks....some o'us just cinna
handle th'downs o'it too good." She frowns, mostly at herself.

M'kla chuckles, heading towards the klah pot, and sniffs it curiously.

Lysseth> Kethran pauses for a long moment. "Maybe I do, Kiat. But maybe you
need a bit of time that /isn't/ spent on duty or responsibility. There's
such a thing as working /too/ hard, you know, love?" he says, his voice
softening now. "I've done some irresponsible things, in the past, my love.
I admit that. But choosing you was /not/ one of them. It has made me happy,
and it used to make you happy. Teach me how to make you happy again? Let me
help you?" He pauses for a moment. "Maybe it is, and maybe it isn't my
fault. Fault doesn't matter. Let's fix things. Together. As it should be.
Please?"

N'ren briefly stops massaging Ursa's shoulders to slide his arms around
them. He whispers something in her ear, and his face is one of concern
well-hidden.

Sayla walks here from the Inner Cavern.

Kassima nods, and shrugs. "I suppose so. I've always been blind to some
things, and frankly I don't see enough of a downside to make me even
faintly dislike being a rider. Call me crazy. You'll be accurate in the
assessment, at least," she adds with a quirked, demi-impish half-grin.

M'kla peers at the thin stuff, the pours a mug anyway.

Lysseth> K'tyn shakes his head. "I need time for myself. To adjust, and
accept the changes that will happen. " He sighs. "I love you Keth, but I
cannot be with you. I can't. Not right now, and not for a while."

M'kla turns and lolls her way back to a chair, flopping down near the main
knot of chatting weyrfolk.

Sayla walks into the living cavern with a yawn and a snuffle that announces
the existance of her summertime cold, and she makes her way to M'kla's side
without preamble. "Hey, Mama."

Lal smiles slightly. "Yah."

Alyssa looks up slightly and tilts her head. "F'nar's back from High
Reaches. Excuse me, all."

M'kla glances up, and grins, reaching to snug Sayla to her side, "Hullo
there sweet."

Lysseth> K'tyn swallows again. "Maybe things will change, but for now..."

Alisa nods, "that's fine. I just have to keep Nalisa from the edge. But
that shouldn't be hard as long as Areseth is there. Reveth keeps her away
from the edge at home.."

Kassima nods to Alyssa, lifting her glass in a sort of salute, sort of
wave, sort of weird gesture. "Clear skies, Lyss. Give Adonith and F'nar my
regards?"

Lysseth> Above, Adonith leaps from the Star Stones to sail over the Bowl.

Lysseth> Adonith backwings for a landing.

Alisa prepares to follow Lal.

Lysseth> Kethran's eyes widen. "You want me... to leave," he states flatly.
Then nods quietly. "So be it, then. Will you at least give me a ride up so
I can gather my things?"

Ursa looks up, head tilting thoughtfully. Even her eyes blink slowly,
thoughtfully, before she replies.

"Of course, Kassima." Alyssa finishes her wine hurriedly, hands the glass
to a drudge, and after kissing Kassima's cheek moves toward the bowl quietly.

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

Lysseth> Kethran's mood suddenly grows cold as he speaks.

Sayla smiles, snuffles, smiles, and says, "Um...guesth what?"

Lysseth> K'tyn nods, to Kethran, and to his sister behind him. "Yes."

Lal cocks her head at Alisa. "C'mon then."

M'kla cocks her head to the side, looking up at Sayla, "Yes lassie?"

Lysseth> Alyssa once again does not appear to see much of anything besides
her lifemate as she enters the bowl quietly, and she mounts him with nary a
word or glance about her.

Lysseth> Kethran nods again. "So be it, then. Shall we go? I shan't pain
you with my presence any longer."

Lysseth> Alyssa uses the oiled straps and an extended foreleg to mount
Adonith and, once settled between his neckridges, she rubs his hide
adoringly and receives, in return, a loving warblecroon.

Lal says "I'll give th'watchriders notice t'check on yeh if I'm naw there.
They cin bring yeh down."

Lysseth> Kethran adds, quietly, "Or will you just throw my things over the
edge of the ledge, like Maarie did?"

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

Sayla replies after a moment, clearly realizing her mother's oblivious to
whatever she's getting at, "Um...I got thome new clotheth today."

M'kla ahs softly, "Did ye now..." She reaches up and strokes her daughter's
hair. "Who'd you con into those?"

Sayla smiles. "Um, well, Kylarr gave them to be becauthe today ith today.
You know."

Lysseth> K'tyn blinks, then looks directly at Kethran. "If I had not wanted
to take you up there, I would not have offered," he pauses. "I will have
your things returned to you," he says icily.

Lysseth> Kethran nods. "Very well, bronzerider. Clear skies," he says
formally, and then turns on his heel and departs into the Living Cavern. "I
hope you and Lal are very, very happy together."

Lysseth> K'tyn doesn't deign to respond to that.

Kethran walks in from the bowl.

Lysseth> K'tyn uses both oiled straps and an extended foreleg to mount
Prometh. Once settled into Prometh's bronze neckridges, K'tyn thanks
Prometh politely, recieving a basso rummble in return.

M'kla chuckles a bit, "Aye...did you now...why'd he do something like that?"

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

Gwynden smiles, "Hi Kethran."

Sayla pouts, then exclaims, "Momma! Today'th my TURNday."

Kethran storms into the Living Cavern, a stone-cold look on his face. He
/glares/ at Lal, and heads toward her. "Congratulations," he says firmly.
"Your fondest wishes are now fulfilled. Go and claim your bronzerider." He
stalks on through toward the inner caverns.

Kethran walks towards the inner cavern.

Lal just watches Kethran walk by. "Krazy K's," she comments almost inaudibly.

Lal says "WHA?"

Gwynden looks suprised.

Deri blinks, "What in the world is going on?"

Lal blinks. She looks after Kethran. "What in Faranth's name...."

Benden Weyr> Kassima resists the urge to mutter into her wine glass, "This
must be a Thursday. I never could get the hang of Thursdays."

Lal throws up her hands. "I'm leavin', I'm leavin', I'm LEAVIN'!" She
sounds more reliieved than angry.

Benden Weyr> Lal resists her urge to say: "KRAZY K'S!" Oops. She said it. :)

Benden Weyr> C'vadan says, "Some are crazier than others ;)"

Benden Weyr> Kassima cheerfully admits to being insane, demented, bemused,
befuddled, confused, confusing, abnormal, freakish, and yes, crazy. ;)

Benden Weyr> Caitria isn't a K. Thank goodness. I am, however, way tired.

Benden Weyr> Lal hugs Tria. "Night."

Gwynden says "Your... leaving? Are you taking a bronze rider? Won't his
dragon be mad? Im... I'm confussed..."

Benden Weyr> Kassima snugsaTriababe. :)

Alisa shakes her head a little, and sighs, looking to Lal, "Shall we go end
our terrible days?"

Benden Weyr> Karise kerpounces Tria!

Benden Weyr> Sayla hugs the Moowoman.

Lal nods. "MY day's fine. S'all th'people around me...." She shrugs.
'Whatever."

Kassima blinks, and shrugs. "I don't know. There are times that I totally
give up on understanding things around here." She did, however, understand
Sayla's proclamation, and turns to grin at the girl. "Congratulations,
then! How many Turns have you?"

Benden Weyr> Caitria hugsnugacks! *grin* In that order.

Benden Weyr> K'tyn sorries, and really hopes that this scene that happened
did not ruin people's rp. This is planned character growth for Kiat. :/

Lal calls for Alisa. "Let's went, shall we?"

Benden Weyr> Lal is leaving, so she don't care. :)

Benden Weyr> Kassima is just confused. This is quite normal for her. :)

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

Ursa nods, pulling herself to her feet wearily. She nearly forgets her
jacket, scooping it up at the last moment.

Benden Weyr> K'tyn grins. :) Thought you'd say that.:)

Benden Weyr> Sayla hugs Kiat.

Benden Weyr> Kethran grins. And possibly for Keth.

Sayla smiles to Kassima and says proudly, "Fourteen."

Gwynden still a look of confussion on her face, smiles and says, "Yeah,
happy Turnday."

Benden Weyr> Kassima still thinks she's more of a Pernese Arthur Dent than
R'val. I just sit around, look confused, and wonder where the cider is. Not
tea, but still.... ;)

Deri sighs and continues to drink her juice.

M'kla chuckles gently and HUGS Sayla to her side, digging in her pocket,
"Aye lassie...I remember...well enough." She chuckles, tossing a glance at
N'ren for a moment, then produces a small velvet pouch.

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

Lysseth> Lal whistles loudly. "I know he cinna hear me, but it makes me
ffel good."

Lysseth> Above, Areseth leaps from Areseth's Ledge and flies into the air.

Benden Weyr> Caitria gives Kassi some cornflakes.

Lysseth> Areseth rumbles to Lal, who explains to him that they've got a
guest. His eyes whirl.

Sayla bounces, literally. "Momma! You did remember!" She claps her hands
and looks at the pouch, though she's more happy about being remembered than
about the gift itself.

Lysseth> Lal says "Here he is. C'mon."

Kassima's grin broadens. "Well, then! Congratulations t'you in very
deed--fourteen's a fine age to be, for what my opinion's worth."

Lysseth> Dulath backwings for a landing.

M'kla grins a bit at Kassima, pulling Sayla into her lap despite the girl's
lanky frame.

Lysseth> C'vadan slides off Dulath's shoulders to the ground, turning to
give his lifemate a quick salute and then an affectionate pat on the neck.

Lysseth> Lal waves to Cav.

Lysseth> Lal takes a flying leap towards Areseth, who cringes in
anticipation of her approach. With a whoop and a yahoo, Lal lands on
Areseth's shoulder, then scrambles up his side with reckless abandon. With
a last heave, she lands on Areseth's neck ridges, having anticipated
Areseth's FLINCH in her acrobatic manuever. Areseth SIGHS contentedly, Lal
having succeeded again.

Gwynden turns to Kassima, "Is 8 a fine age too? I just want to know."

Lysseth> C'vadan waves to everyone as he heads for the LC.

C'vadan walks in from the bowl.

Lysseth> Astride Areseth's back, Lal waves down to Alisa, "C'mon. I'll help
y'up!"

C'vadan arrives in dry clothes.

Sayla hugs her mother tightly and calls to Kassima, "Thankth! I'm a woman
now, like my Momma."

Lysseth> Astride Areseth's back, Lal climbs sort of halfway down to reach
for Nalisa.

Deri chuckles, "8 is a great age Gwynden.

Benden Weyr> Kindre wows, coming back from th potty to mucho
spam...whoa...adding that she is one of the not-Krazy K's, least not yet :)

Kassima hmmms? "'Tis an all right age," she nods. "From what I remember of
it, which admittedly isn't that much."

Lysseth> Alisa is escorted up Areseth's riding straps by Lal slowly.
Areseth seems none too pleased, but is well-behaved.

Benden Weyr> Lal is leaving. She will transfer to the weyr with the least
K's in it. :)

Gwynden grins, "I like 8... But I guess 14 won't be bad."

Sayla nods to Gwynden, beaming. "It'th great. Ohhh, Caravan! Hi! Lookit
what my Momma gave me!"

M'kla grins a bit, and just comments offhandedly, "Aye...my Meesh, he's 8
now. I think." One wonders how she keeps up with her brood at all.

C'vadan takes a seat and pulls out his journal.

Gwynden says "Meesh? Oh he's my age isn't he? There arn't many of us here
you know."

Benden Weyr> Kindre still will pout over this, Lal! :)

M'kla chuckles, "Aye...Meesh's fostered at the Healer Hall with an old
friend..."

Benden Weyr> Lal phbts at Kindre. Get over it. :)

Gwynden takes a seat on a bench and swings her feat. They don't eve reach
the floor.

Benden Weyr> Kindre says, "waaaaaah ;)"

Benden Weyr> Alisa says, "Leaving Benden Lal?"

Benden Weyr> Alisa says, "come to The Reaches."

Benden Weyr> C'vadan has been around, Lal. K's are everywhere... like the
plague ;)

Kassima grins. "So you are," she agrees. "Of sorts. I hope the Turn is a
fabulous one for you--and interesting without being *too* interesting, eh?"

"Oh, " Gwynden says with a frown, "I thougth he might be here for me to
play with."

M'kla chuckles softly, "Sorry lass...he'd wanted to see what being a Healer
was like." She snorts in amusement at that.

M'kla says "He'll be back, come Turnover."

Sayla smiles at Kassima, then pouts a bit. "Everyone'th at other hallth.
Like Healer."

Lysseth> Areseth vaults into the air gracefully, looking down briefly at
the ground below as he rises.

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

Gwynden grins, "I... Id like to see what being a dragonrider is about
someday. But I'd like to see what having a firelizard is about first."

N'ren stands up, stepping around where Ursa is sitting. On the way, he
grabs her jacket, holding it open for her.

M'kla jiggles Sayla on her knee, "Aye. It's about not getting sleep or food. "

M'kla chuckles, "And a dragon be worse."

Ursa shuffles her jacket with a nigh-puzzled look about her and a murmered
thanks.

Gwynden tilts her head, "Worse? I thought it was a wonderful thing?

Kassima laughs and nods agreement. "Oh, aye. And if you've dragons and
several fire-lizards, then you'd best resign yourself to a life of insomnia."

M'kla chuckles, breaking a wry smile, "Aye. That too."

M'kla says "An' opinions weather ye want em or no!"

Sayla says as she oofs on M'kla's knee, "Momma, I'm too big for thith!"

M'kla grins a bit and ruffles Sayla's hair, "Aye sweet, but I won't be able
to do it much longer, either..."

N'ren then offers his arm to Ursa, preparing to escort her out.

"Oh, Momma," Sayla exclaims and hugs M'kla tightly. "Sure you will!"

Gwynden sombers up a bit from her usual childish mirth, "My dad used to
bounce me. Take it while you can..."

Kassima nods. "And the ability to refuse to go somewhere if'n they don't
think you should, and the ability to drag you off somewhere if'n they want,
and more stubbornness than a wall of stone, and...." She chuckles. "Well, I
could go on and on."

Gwynden shakes her head as if clearing it and swings her feet a little
harder,.

Deri grins, "I'm sure you'll get your chance Gwynden."

Gwynden says "Would you give them up?"

Ursa takes N'ren's arm with a bemused look on her face, the gesture clearly
one she's unused to.

Kassima blinks, surprised. "Of *course* nay," is her automatic reply.

Gwynden smiles at Deri, "Thanks. I... hope so too."

N'ren escorts Ursa out of the cavern, heading for the bowl.

M'kla laughs a bit, "Nay lassie!"

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

N'ren walks down the short tunnel and out into the bowl.

Sayla exclaims, "Thoon I'll be thent off to a craft and *I* will have to
leave too. And I'll misth you!"

Gwynden says "Then... I guess it coulden't be too much fo me either.
Someday.""

M'kla laughs and HUGS Sayla, "Aye...but it's not like I canna go find you
like I do the others."

Kassima raises an eyebrow. "Mayhaps nay. If'n you're suited to the job, the
dragons will know."

Sayla shrugs, not convinced. "You're alwayth too buthy, Momma. Hey, maybe I
can be a dragonhealer or thomething. I mean, do I have to leave Benden?"

Gwynden says "How... how do they know?" Her speach takes on a 'rushed'
tone, "Mother told me not to ask that when I got here... but I just want to
know."

M'kla chuckles and taps Sayla's nose, "Aye, you could always stay an' be
lower caverns girl..."

C'vadan closes his journal and heads for the bowl.

C'vadan walks down the short tunnel and out into the bowl.

Lysseth> Ursa brushes stray strands of hair from her face. "You're being
nice to me tonight," she comments softly.

Lysseth> C'vadan climbs up onto his lifemate's shoulders and gives Dulath
an affectionate pat on the shoulders before checking his straps.

Lysseth> N'ren escorts Ursa to Spineth, smiling. In fact, he winks, "My
dragon or yours?"

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

Lysseth> N'ren grins, "You say that like you're completely surprised by it?"

Sayla makes a face. "Aww, do I hafta? An' clean up latrineth all the time?"

Kassima smiles faintly. "Now that, I'd very much like the answer to,
m'self. Nay anyone knows. They do, but they can't explain it... when 'tis
Search, they'll just say there's someone 'right' or 'special' and root them
out. On the Sands, 'tis anyone's guess."

Gwynden musses to her self. "So no one knows untill the dragons tell them?"

M'kla laughs a bit and pats Sayla's hip, "Aye, that might be what you'd do.
Now where'd you rather go, mm? Ma was a runner healer afore that green lump
found her."

Deri blinks, "When is the next Search for Benden?"

Lysseth> Ursa looks up at her brown, answering first, "Spin... since we're
right here," before shrugging, "I don't expect it... usually."

Gwynden says in excited tones, "Is it soon?"

Kassima shakes her head. "There're nay such things as Searchriders that can
find Candidates without a dragon's aid. And nay sure way of telling who'll
Impress and who'll be left Standing. As to the next Search, whenever one of
the queens rises and clutches would be m'guess."

Lysseth> N'ren asks, "Don't expect it from me, or don't expect it in
general?" There's a certain urgency in his question.

Gwynden Ohs.

Gwynden says "And you can't tell that either I suppose?"

M'kla chuckles a bit, "When a gold takes it in her head to rise, lass. We
can't boss'm around like we do bronzeriders."

Deri smiles, "Well I guess the Dragon herself knows that."

Gwynden says "I didn't know you could boss a bronzerider around."

Lysseth> Ursa lays a hand on Spineth's side, grounding herself there before
replying, "I get caught up in my own world. Don't expect it in general..."

M'kla chuckles a bit, "Aye. They don' know that either." She winks. Teasing.

Kassima nods, grinning. "Aye. Only time we know 'twill be soon is when a
queen's actually glowing, eh? Till then, 'tis anyone's guess, really."

Lysseth> N'ren nods, "Let's go?"

M'kla chuckles and tsks, "Aye...or Jehrina or Merla comin down the stairs
weilding whip er chair."

Lysseth> Ursa nods briefly, turning to give the straps a short tug before
hauling herself up them in one quick motion.

Lysseth> Ursa clambers up onto Spineth's back with the assistance of an
extended forelimb.

Kassima shudders. "Truth, truth! Wonder what Kindre will be like. 'Tis hard
to imagine her with a whip in hand, but then...."

Lysseth> N'ren clambers up onto Spineth's back with the assistance of an
extended forelimb.

Lysseth> Atop Spineth, N'ren asks, "Which weyr? It's your choice, of course."

M'kla laughs a bit.

Sayla whispers loudly to M'kla, "I can't be a healer. HE ith at Healer."

M'kla says "Aye, aye, lass...true...."

M'kla stops and peers at Sayla, "He who, lassie? Meesh?"

Lysseth> Atop Spineth, Ursa cocks her head. "Why not yours, like you said?
Change of space for me." She shrugs, mostly indifferent.

Sayla shakes her head and reiterates, "Him."

M'kla laughs a bit, and guesses, "R'val."

Deri smiles

"No, no, NO, Momma," Sayla says exasperatedly. "HIM. Fahloran."

Lysseth> Areseth backwings for a landing.

Lysseth> Lal takes a LEAP off of Areseth's neck ridges with consummate
ease, sliding down the last few meters on his legs. The dragon visibly
flinches, fearing for his rider EVERY shardin' time she does that.

Lysseth> Atop Spineth, N'ren wraps his arms around Ursa's waist, and nods,
"Fine with me."

Lysseth> Spineth turns, looking at his passengers with his overlarge eyes,
waiting for a decision before bunching up his muscles, ready to take off.

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

Lal walks in from the bowl.

Lal walks back in, "Alisa's all put in bed--jays, me life's too complicated."

Lal says "Anybody seen Keth? That nutty steward."

Deri mutters to Lal, "... say I'm sorry... apology... out about drinking."

M'kla laughs a bit, and lifts a brow at Sayla, "Aye....Fahloran...what's
that to do with bein a healer?"

Kassima shakes her head. "Nay since he stormed through here in a huff," is
her response.

Sayla replies with a roll of her eyes, "I can't go to Healer Hall if HE ith
there swooning over all the girlth!"

Lal narrows her eyes at Deri. "Just leave it....I got other stuff t'worry
about."

Lal repeats, 'Anybody seen Keth?"

Deri sighs, and shakes her head, "Not since he came in here and said that
wierd thing about the Bronzerider."

"Um, who'th Keth?" Sayla asks.

Lal says "Kethran, th'insane overemotional steward."

Lal snorts.

M'kla laughs a bit, and nods slightly. She thinks she understands that teen
logic. Aye.

Lal says "Where'd he run off to, anybody know? Prolly his office."

Kethran walks here from the Inner Cavern.

M'kla shakes her head, "Nay, Lal, I didn't see where he went. Sorry."

Kethran strides into the Living Cavern, his expression totally neutral,
distant, and icy. He walks over to the klah pot and fills up his mug, then
turns immediately to depart without meeting anyone's gaze.

Lal says "Keth! Wait up! What'th'daylights is goin' on?"

Sayla points. "That would be him. He lookth overemotional and inthane, Lal."

M'kla acks and puts her hand over Sayla's mouth.

Sayla mrpfpls.

Kethran pauses as he hears his name, and then turns to regard Lal. His
expression is absolutely emotionless, almost blank. "I mean that you have
taken my weyrmate, Lal. As you have been trying to do for some time now."
His voice is nothing more than a monotone. "You should feel proud."

Lal stifles a giggle. "Well, right now...since somethin' happened--what?
Kethran, I'm leavin' Benden. Wher ein daylights am I gonna "take" yer
weyrmate, who, BY th'WAY, is havin' a a baby wi'Karise?"

M'kla tsks softly to herself, and lets Sayla go, turning her around so she
can talk to her. "Aye...so if not the Healers, were lassie?"

Lal achs. "Yeh've lost yer mind."

Sayla looks at Lal and Kethran, tells her mother loudly that she doesn't
understand riders at *all*, let alone boy riders, and shrugs at the
question of craft. "Maybe Harper like Auntie Melora?"

M'kla cocks her head a bit, "Aye...Kylarr could keep an eye on ye there."

Lal nods at Sayla. "Good idea! Harpin's a fine business!" She makes certain
peopel get the pun.

M'kla chuckles softly.

Sayla beams. "I like Kylarr. Um...Momma, do you think Fahloran mistheth me
at all?"

Kethran shrugs noncommitally. "It worked, brownrider. You should be proud,"
he repeats. "Leaving? Why leave? I'd think you'd be happy now. Of course, I
helped a lot," he admits, though his tone doesn't change. "Immature little
brat that I am. But that will change," he states flatly, and resumes his
course toward his office.

M'kla chuckles a bit, "Aye. Likely no one else makes him half so miserable.
" Teasing, "Why don't ye ask him? Write him a letter an send one of my
dratted fair to deliver it."

Deri blinks.

Lal says "You eejit, Kethran!"

M'kla snorts, "Kethran."

Kassima laughs, grinning at Sayla. "Who *does* understand riders, I ask
you? Nay anyone I've ever known, up to and including riders themselves...
eh, Harpering 'twould be a fine thing, aye! Think you'd like playing an
instrument, then?"

M'kla says "Lal's right....yer a dimglow sulkin man"

M'kla chuckles and stands, rising and offering Sayla her hand, for a walk.

Lal says "What kind o'a person d'yeh think I AM? I don't want K'tyn--he's
got a baby on th'way!"

Kethran nods solemnly to Lal. "I am an idiot, and a dimglow. And also
alone. As it should be."

Lal says "Yer right, if yeh keep actin' a crazy fool! An' what about Kenai,
eh?"

M'kla pfts at Kethran, "An makin sure ever one knows it too. Bah."

Lal says "Stop sulkin' an'go an'care fer th'kid y'put on her!"

Deri shakes her head and sighs, "Keth you have Kenai, you are far from alone."

Lal is genuninely angry now.

Sayla puts her hand in her mother's, surprised she's so close to M'kla's
height.

M'kla turns and shakes a finger, "An I've been here at Benden longer than
most...an I've seen more than m'share of having t'watch this sort of
thing...if ye can't stand the heat...stay away from the firestone." She
snorts, and heads out, muttering to herself.

M'kla gestures Kassima can follow if she'd like as well.

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

Kassima wrinkles her nose. "As if'n you've nay anyone else to be turning
to? There's Kenai, there's your friends... and I tell you, people'd be a
sight faster to be wanting to be in your company if'n you'd stop insulting
yourself and looking to place blame." She blinks and follows M'kla, waving
to the room in parting.

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

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

Sayla bounces over to Torinth and gives the green a big hug around the snoot.

M'kla chuckles and shakes her head, "Fardling sulkin men. Bah." She watches
her girl go to wake the surprised and sleepy green.

Torinth SNORTS, blowing Sayla's hair back.

Benden LC> Kethran raises an eyebrow at Lal. "Whatever you say, Lal. It's
what I'm trying to do. Please excuse me if I do feel just the tiniest bit
hurt. Not all of us can be like you, and so unable to feel any pain." He
simply shrugs to Kassima. "Friends? Who needs friends?" he wonders, and
shakes his head. "I need to learn to stand alone. On my own two feet.
Certainly you can see that."

Sayla grins and kisses Torinth lovingly. "It'th my turnday, Torinth! Do I
get a kisth?"

Benden LC> Lal snorts. "It amazes me how s'many people around here t'take
eveythin' na'naw keep a shardin' thing! K'tyn an'Kethran're both spoiled
brats who can't just BE wi'one person, 'cause they want their cake
an'eatin' it too!"

Kassima nods a greeting to Torinth and the other dragons, immediately
reaching up to give Lysseth's muzzle a scritch; the green, of course, is
there to receive her rightful due from her rider. "Eh, males. Go figure;
they're all insane, so far as I can tell."

Benden Weyr> M'kla waves, passing out opinions left and right.

Torinth rumbles and slurps Sayla contentedly.

Benden LC> Lal says "Yer awways hurt bevause y'duunna get what yeh want!
Yeh need t'worry about that BABY, an'stop messin' about wi'everythin' that
moves!"

Benden LC> Lal says "I got naw pity fer yeh, naw sympathy--yeh CREATED this."

Sayla giggles and declares, "That'th the besth Turnday gift of all! Oooh,
Kasthima, did you thee what Momma gave me?"

Benden LC> Kethran shakes his head to Lal. "Not anymore, Lal. Not anymore.
Your words struck home with him, and you convinced him. He made his choice.
And I wasn't it. Thank you so much for helping both of us to be happier.
Oh, I am worried about the baby. I will do whatever I can to make sure it
is healthy and happy."

Kassima shakes her head, smiling. "Nay, I didn't--too crowded to really see
anything well in there. What did she get you?"

Benden LC> Lal says "Good--then stop poutin' an'snortin' about here, liek
some snivelling fool."

Sayla holds up a TINY little dragon pendant...but very adult looking.
Enameled metal, green, set with opaled eyes on a gold chain with little
'drops' along the chain, representing thread.

Benden LC> Lal says "An' by th'way, I told naw such thing t'leave yeh'er
whatever. He left on his own, I guess. At least ONE o'yeh has sense."

Benden LC> Deri cringes in the corner trying to get out of the way

Benden LC> Lal snorts, and rolls her eyes. "I'm leavin'," she says to the
sky. "Thank Faranth."

M'kla chuckles gently, leaning on Torinth's broad head.

Benden LC> Kethran nods to Lal. "Indeed he has. And, according to you, if I
had any sense, I'd go drink fellis and die. Lal, please go get on Areseth,
go *between*, and stay there." He says this in a perfectly calm voice and
then strides off toward the inner caverns.

Benden LC> Kethran walks towards the inner cavern.

Benden LC> Lal rolls her eyes again. "They're crazy, an' it's my fault. I
dunna get it..."

Benden LC> Lal chuckles ironically to herself.

Benden LC> Deri shakes her head and sits in her corner quietly.

Sayla gives M'kla another big hug and announces, "I love you, Momma. I feel
thorry for all thothe other people who don't have you ath a momma."

Kassima ohhhhhhhhhs, obviously impressed. "'Tis in very truth lovely,
Sayla!" she says with all sincerity. She wrinkles her nose. "A'course, you
didn't see fit to tell me 'twas your Turnday, silly. So I'll just have to
give you...." She flips open Yet Another Belt Pouch--how many of those
things does she *have*, anyway?--and pulls out a simple silver hair clip,
stylized into the shape of two dragon-heads back to back. "'Twas mine, and
I'm sorry I couldn't get you something new, but...." She shrugs,
uncomfortably. "I'm afraid I don't carry around my stock of gift-items in
m'pouches all the time," she admits with a rueful smile. "Will that do,
d'you think?"

Benden Weyr> Lal bahs! as she gets KAssi-spammed1

Benden Weyr> Kassima says, "Zhai, Kiat! :) Sorry, Lal. I wish I had some
thing to beep at me when I start to write out those overlarge poses. :P"

M'kla laughs a bit, and ruffles Sayla's hair, looking a bit wistful.

Benden Weyr> Lal says, "Just...split 'em up. :"

Sayla beams and races to Kassima, hugging her as she accepts the gift, then
she states in a rather adult way, "All I would really want ith a hug from
you, though, Kasthima. That'th a great gift. Honetht."

Benden LC> Lal walks towards the inner cavern.

Benden LC> Lal walks here from the Inner Cavern.

Benden LC> Lal bahs, "Stupid me....she ain't here...well, I'm off. I'm
ready t'drink again, an'Faranth knows I dunna wanna do that."

Lal comes out of the short tunnel from the living cavern.

Benden Weyr> Kindre snugsa a Kiat big! and got Kassi-spammed, too :b :) my
idol ;)

Benden Weyr> Kethran notes that tomorrow, Keth will be closer to his usual
self. Lal's words hit home. He'll hopefully be over it.

Benden Weyr> Sayla pouts at Kindre for Alyssa's sake. :)

Kassima blinks, and smiles warmly, obviously touched. "Ach, Sayla, a'course
you can have that." She bends down just a bit to hug the lass, as Lysseth
rumbles with something that might be amusement and might be something else.
With Lyss, it's hard to tell.

Torinth rumblesnorts chattily at Lysseth.

Benden Weyr> Kassima bows. Thank you, thank you... please, hold the
applause.... ;) Hey, I did get my 'Hi, I'm EVIL <tm>!' badge for
spamminess. Gotta live up to it. :P :)

Benden Weyr> Lal Whaps Kassi ever so affectionately. :)

Sayla obediently puts the clasp in her hair, hugs Kassima, kisses Lysseth,
and shows her gift to her mother.

Lal smiles, watching Sayla and Kassima.

Benden Weyr> Kindre snugsa Sayla and tells her to pass it on to 'Lyslove :)
*giggles at Kassi!*

Lysseth warbles conversationally in reply, then snorts indignantly as a
fire-lizard perches on her muzzle. She does pause in trying to shake the
poor blue off long enough to rumble to Sayla, though.

Benden Weyr> Kassima is bewhapped, giggled at, and merely decides to hug
the whole knot in reply. @set me=In warm, mushy, sentimental mode. :) But
accuse me of trying to turn this into the Barney show and die. :P ;)

Lal chuckles.

M'kla smiles a bit, nodding to Sayla, then says, "Would you like me to put
your hair up in it?"

Benden Weyr> Kindre almost thru the kids' barney bath doll into the garbage
disposal this lst nanny visit >:)

Sayla nods eagerly and turns her back to M'kla. "Yeth, pleathe. Um,
Fahloran liketh long hair, I heard. Not that I care."

Lal stifles a giggle.

M'kla chuckles a bit, and quickly braids her long hair up into a loose
knot, then a bun, using the silver clasp to hold it in place.

Kassima chuckles. "Long hair can be a pain," she says, in the tone of one
speaking from experience; she fingers the waist-length braid hanging over
one shoulder absently. "But I think it looks nice, if'n y'take proper care
of it. Nay that I'm the most unbiased person, mind."

Lal interjects, "I like mine a little shorter, but I guess y'cin see why..."

Lal runs a hand through her frizzy hair, and pretends that it gets stuck.

Sayla smiles at Lal, then giggles. "I like your hair. And yourth too,
Kasthima."

M'kla chuckles, "Aye...I lopped mine off just afore Sayla here was
born...it were long...to my ankles." She sighs a bit, "But long hair an
Thread doan mix."

Kassima nods. "*'Tis* a pain," she admits. "But the braid makes it easy
enough to care for, and 'tis possible to stuff under a helmet if'n you wind
it right." She grimaces faintly. "Which I always make sure t'do. The horror
stories about Thread getting in a person's hair are more than enough to
make me wish to be very careful, for true."

Lal nods. "I agree. Hurts me when I put the cap an'goggles on."

"I should maybe cut my hair," Sayla ponders.

Deri comes out of the short tunnel from the living cavern.

M'kla laughs a bit, and ruffles Sayla's hair, "Nay lassie...not unless ye
get a dragon of yer own."

Lal says "Now now, yer naw a rider Sayla. Yeh cin do as y'wish, but shards,
even Kassima has her hair long!"

Sayla pokes out her tongue. "I'll never get a dragon. That'th why I have
Torinth!"

Lal chuckles. "Ah, I hear an echo."

Kassima grins and shrugs. "The Swarm needs something to hold on to when
they insist on perching on my head," is her reply. "If'n they didn't have
the braid, they'd be sinking their little claws into m'head, and that'd
be... well, ouch."

Deri blinks, "All's quiet again inside, iffen you all want some more to eat
or drink."

M'kla laughs a bit at Deri, and nods, "Aye...an we forgot to talk about
what I'd meant to...want to split a sweetroll, sweet?"

Lal shrugs. "S'awright Deri--we're havin' a nice time out here."

Sayla nodsnodsnods, then pouts. "No. I can't, Momma."

M'kla laughs a bit, "Why not, lassi?"

Sayla replies with a sigh, "I'm getting fat and thweetrollth make you fat."

M'kla laughs a bit, and pats Sayla's hip, "Fat lassie? Yer getting yer
curves...boys like thos."

Sayla shakes her head so that her braid fwaps her face. "I don't want
curveth. And...you know whatth." She motions toward her breasts.

Deri laughs

Lal laughs! "They dunna get in the way sooo much!" She points at hers.
"Y'manage."

M'kla laughs a bit, and nods to Lal. "Aye!"

Sayla peers at Lal. "I don't want them. I liked being flat."

M'kla chuckles, amused. "Y'may not want em, but yer like yer Ma...y'll have
em."

Kassima chuckles and folds her arms, leaning against Lysseth's shoulder.
"Afraid you've nay much choice in the matter, Sayla."

Sayla blurts out, "But thome people don't have 'em. Like Alystha."

Lal nods, "But it's naw a horrible thing t'have 'em. Better t'put meat on
yer bones."

M'kla laughs a bit, "Aye..."

Lal flexes a rather formidable muscle. "Th'more t'sculpt wi."

Sayla nods to Lal and surpresses a yawn. "Boyth like them too, right?"

Lal snorts. "Oh yah."

Sayla hrms. And hmmms again.

Lal says "An' they like curvy girls."

Kassima chuckles. "That's luck--or curse--of nature, and kin-line,
etcetera. Can't choose those sort of things; 'tis decided when you're born,
mayhaps even before. Don't know. I'm nay a Healer; wouldn't know about such
stuff."

Benden Weyr> Lal of all people corrupts Sayla. MUAHAHAHA!

Sayla regards her mother thoughtfully, then looks at her blossoming bosom.
"Maybe they're no tho bad."

Lal stifles a giggle again.

Sayla supresses another yawn.

M'kla laughs a bit, and hugs the girl, "Aye, they're not. If nothin else,
they give yer bedmates a comfortable pillow."

Sayla huh? "Bedmateth?"

M'kla chuckles, and pats her hip, "Go on to bed lass...afore you fall
asleep out here."

Benden Weyr> M'kla grins a bit. No worries. M'kla'll do worse. *cough*

Benden Weyr> Sayla heys.

Benden Weyr> Kassima yays, M'kla! Hurrah for the corruption of innocents
and even the corrupt! ;)

Sayla hugs her mother tightly, then hugs Torinth and kisses her, then does
the same for Kassima and Lysseth, then hugs Lal. And starts the cycle over
again. "Okay, Momma.

Lal smiles.

M'kla kisses Sayla's brow, "G'night, sweet."

Deri grins.

Kassima laughs and smiles. "Sleep well, Sayla. Sweet dreams t'you."

Sayla walks beneath the lintel and disappears into the living cavern.

Benden Weyr> Sayla hugs her mother to bits and waves to everyone else.
G'night!

Lal smiles, and sighs a little sadly. "Sure must be nice t'have a child
o'yer own."

Benden Weyr> Lal says, "Night!"

Deri nods, "Must be."

Benden Weyr> Kassima snugsaSayla. Night!

Lal nods. "I'm gonna get one...someday. I hope. An'mebbe e'en a daw tgo
ei'it."

M'kla chuckles softly, "Aye...aye Lal lass...mebbe you will..." She settles
back on the sleeping Torinth's claw, "I just got my brood...no da to go
with em."

Kassima smiles. "Ach, I imagine it has its points. If'n that's what you're
wanting from life, Lal, then best of luck trying to find it; it may be out
there somewhere, waiting to be found. Me, I'm happy with my dragon and
dozens of fire-lizards for now."

Lal nods. "I gotta admit..I really want a family."

Lal sighs. "Mebbe there's somethin' out there...past these walls."

M'kla chuckles a bit, and shushes, "Aye...there is...butcha doan find it
runnin away, lassie....I've wanted to leave a million times...and instead,
built my family here."

Lal wrinkles her nose. "But me daw's down south....I'd liek t'be near him."

Kassima glances up, into the sky, and nods. "There's bound to be something
out there. 'Tis what I thought, when I left home to travel... thought I'd
found it, when I met all the friends I had at Ruatha. Thought about
settling there, breaking away from m'kinsfolk. Then m'future came and found
me, instead." She grins. "Life. Go figure."

Lal nods, a little thoughtful. "Yah. I was a drudge an'thought t'be a
feeblemind just a few turns ago."

Lal snorts. "Look at me now."

M'kla chuckles a bit, "Aye. Yer a drudge like the rest of us, to a great
big lazy lump."

Torinth snorts softly. She resembles that remark.

Deri chuckles.

Kassima laughs, grinning. "Ach! About six Turns ago, I was the only
daughter of two cotholders, related to a whole bunch of nutcases whom even
Thera cannot represent in their insane entirety. Now, I'm still all of
that, 'cept now I'm also Lysseth's oiling slave and the pet of a bunch of
bottomless pits."

Lal laughs. "I'm sorry, I got yeh beat on bottomless pits."

Areseth snorts. HE resembles THAT remark.

Kassima wrinkles her nose. "Bet my Swarm can out-eat yours, though."

Lal says "Well dragon's bones, I only got three!"

Kassima grins. "Precisely!"

M'kla laughs a bit, "Aye..."

Deri chuckles

Kassima quips, "Some people look over their lives and think, 'How did I get
where I am? What would have happened if I'd done such-and-so? Where did
blah-blah go wrong?' Me, I've only got one question. 'Where'd all these
fire-lizards come from, anyway?'"

M'kla laughs at that, and shakes her head, "Aye...I could ask the same of
my brood...but I think I do know where they come from." She winks.

Lal blinks, and clears her throat.

Deri giggles

Kassima grins. "I think," she comments, "that they secretly lay clutches in
Lysseth's couch and then hatch and Impress to me while I'm asleep. Ryi's
told me I'll probably never have kids, y'know--m'lizards will just develop
hands and learn to talk."

M'kla laughs a bit, and nods, "Aye...aye." She looks mournful for a bit,
"Aye...I won't have any more after Meesh. Pity."

Kassima nods. "Well, you've still got the several. I think Mum would've
liked to have had more children, but," she shrugs, "she couldn't. Just as
well, really. I had enough chaos dealing with m'dozens of cousins without
sibs, too."

M'kla laughs a bit, "Aye...you should foster if y' get the mood."

Kassima wrinkles her nose good-naturedly. "Ach, nay. I think I'd rather be
friend to some of the weyrbrats, who gets to spoil them rotten and teach
them important things like why tubers are evil. Tria says Cail still won't
eat his, after I told him that story," she adds proudly.

Lal rolls her eyes. "I'd rather teach mine t'eat as much as they cin
stand....never know when that's all there'll be t'eat."

M'kla laughs a bit and nods sagely at Lal, "Aye lass."

Kassima grins ruefully. "Eh, well... call it a habit. I think I'd
personally rather eat dirt; 'twould probably taste better." She grimaces.
"Truly disgusting things, tubers."

M'kla laughs a bit.

Lal shrugs. "I liek 'em fried."

Deri smiles, "Tubers are good baked."

M'kla chuckles, "I just like em."

"In fact," Kassi adds upon further reflection, "I think I'd even rather eat
m'mum's cooking. Though I'd still prefer dirt over both."

Lal clears her throat. "Well, now."

Kassima grins and explains, "Mum's cooking is something of a family joke.
Even Mum won't eat it if'n she doesn't have to."

Lal says "Me maw cooked pretty good. But she's naw longer wi'us."

Lal sighs. "I miss her friend tubers. She could make grubs taste good."

M'kla nods a bit, slowly, "Aye...my ma and da both er gone."

Lal says "I'm goin' down further south t'be closer t'mine. He's got nawbody."

M'kla chuckles, "So I started m'own brood..."

Lal mumbles, "then again....neither do I."

Kassima ahs and nods, expression more serious. "Sorry to hear that, Lal."
She sighs and reaches up to scritch Lyss. "'Tis good to count the blessings
now and again, I guess... family, even if they're crazier than vtols.
Friends. 'Tis all one needs in life, really... well, and some wherries. Got
to have wherries. Else what will everyone eat? They'd all starve, and that
wouldn't be much good."

Deri smiles and yawns, "Excuse me, I need some rest after today's tensions."

Deri walks beneath the lintel and disappears into the living cavern.

M'kla chuckles a bit, and mms, "could always eat flits, if it came to it."
She snorts, at the slightly tasteless joke.

Lal says "Stay away from mine. They're family at the moment."

Areseth nods in response to M'kla. His eyes go blue, whirring in
anticipation. "Areseth! Dunna say things like that!" Lal snorts.

Kassima makes a face. "Oh, now that sounds tempting. Fire-lizard stew. Nay,
thanks... even tubers mught be better than *that*." Irate chirps, squawks,
cheebles, and various other sounds come from the swarm of blues perched all
over Lysseth.

M'kla chuckles softly as she gets an annoyed CHEEEERRRITPP! from the
ancient green perched between Torinth's headknobs, and an echoed one from
the smaller green and gold on her ridges.

Kassima raises one eyebrow at the noissome fair, which is considerably more
so since the greens, gold, and brown have added their voices. "What, you
want me to say you'd be *good* food? Sheesh."

M'kla laughs a bit, "Aye...dratted things." She doesn't sound so harsh though.

M'kla tsks, "I lost most o'mine...in the bad Fall about 5 turns ago....they
got i'the way."

Lal says "Sorry t'hear."

Lal yawns.

Lal says "Faranth's clutch, it's late. I gotta go an'sleep."

Areseth nods.

M'kla nods a bit, and chuckles, "Aye...I've got late late sweeps here in a
bit...I'll have t'go freeze myself 'Tween."

Kassima sighs. "They really don't have much sense, i'truth, poor little
things. I've one that will keep himself occupied for *hours* if'n you just
give him his rattle to play with. A'course, that gets kind of annoying
after awhile; I may just have to try and get revenge on Mart for giving it
to him in the first place after all, one of these days." She nods to Lal
and smiles. "Clear skies, then, and sleep well."

Lal waves. "I'll see all yeh around....I shoudl be here still a few days."

Lal takes a flying leap towards Areseth, who cringes in anticipation of her
approach. With a whoop and a yahoo, Lal lands on Areseth's shoulder, then
scrambles up his side with reckless abandon. With a last heave, she lands
on Areseth's neck ridges, having anticipated Areseth's FLINCH in her
acrobatic manuever. Areseth SIGHS contentedly, Lal having succeeded again.

Areseth vaults into the air gracefully, looking down briefly at the ground
below as he rises.

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

Kassima watches Lal ride away and hrms. "Shame she feels she has to
transfer, but she seems to be in a better state since she made the
decision. 'Tis good to see her closer to happy. Which is true enough for
anyone, I suppose; 'course, if'n things were happy *all* the time, they
wouldn't be very interesting."

M'kla shakes her head a bit, and snorts, "Aye..and If I'd transfered each
time I got m'heart scraped...I wouldn't have a Weyr left on Pern." She
sighs softly, and leans back against her green.

Kassima nods and sighs. "There's that," she agrees. "Don't think I'd
personally want to transfer unless the reason were pretty sharding dire. If
there's one thing that's good to have stable in life, 'tis your home."

M'kla nods softly, "Aye...and the sands that hatched yer lifemate."

Kassima nods, looking up at Lysseth with an expression of affection.
"Indeed. 'Tis good to know, anyway, that Lyss would probably do anything
under her considerable stubborn power to keep us from moving if for some
reason I wanted to... she likes the 'Springs too much, and teasing Prefeth,
and talking with Adonith, and calling Juliath names, and... ach, everything
that makes this place home now, really."

M'kla chuckles a bit, "Aye...I hear you."

Kassima yawns. "Well, 'tis late," she says, "and I think me and yon lump
had best get *some* sleep a'fore dawn. Clear skies, M'kla." She smiles and
waves, then vaults aboard her lifemate, much to the dozing Lysseth's surprise.

You place one hand on Lysseth's neck and she warbles down at you fondly.
You grin and scratch her eyeridges once before climbing up onto her lower
neckridges, using the riding straps and Lysseth's thoughtfully offered
foreleg.

You spring into the air and catch the thermals rising from the bowl floor
to carry you aloft.