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Meet My Folks


Date:  September(?), 1996
Places:  Benden Hold's Fireheights, Great Hold, and Courtyard
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:  Kassi's part in this is small; I like it mostly because
it's a nice little piece of the C'vadan-Caitria TP.  I *believe* this
was the first on-camera appearance of Cav's family, though I couldn't
swear to that.  Anyway, Cav's bringing Tria, who's not yet his 
weyrmate at this time, and Cailivan--who might or might not be his
son (I think it was later determined that he was, but again couldn't
swear)--to meet his parents, Oridan and Ramey.  As might be expected,
this entails some embarrassing questions for both parties.

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The Log:

A gentle wind current caresses your wings as you glide down to a landing on
the fireheights.

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

Dulath glides down from the sky, landing near the watchdragon.

Seated upon Dulath's neckridges, C'vadan helps Tria get loose from the straps.

Seated upon Dulath's neckridges, Caitria smiles slightly. "Neither is
Cail," she murmurs. "Hm...I think I can get down with him."

Caitria climbs down from Dulath as the brown watches attentively.

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 settles herself on a wide expanse of cliff, with an excellent view.
Kassi is busily double-checking Lysseth's straps, giving a quick wave over
to the other two as they dismount. "Fine flying, Cav, Dulath!" she calls
with a broad grin.

C'vadan pats Dulath on the muzzle. "You okay, Duly? That was two trips in
one day." The brown warbles.

C'vadan smiles. "Thank you, ma'am." He takes a deep breath. "Ready, Tria?"
he asks, sounding more calm than he really is.

Caitria smiles, and gives Dulath a scritch, as well. "Thanks for the ride,"
she murmurs. She turns to Cav and nods slightly. "As I'll ever be, aye."
Now her smile is rather jittery.

C'vadan turns to Kassima. "You going to join us, too, Kassima, ma'am?" he
asks in a hopeful plea.

Kassima sighs. "The best thing about you lot getting closer to graduating,
Cav, is that I won't have to put up with being ma'amed much longer." She
smiles to show the jest of her words and hangs her riding helmet up on a
peculiar hook set on Lysseth's straps. "I believe I will, aye, if you don't
mind. Been a bit since I've been here on anything other than business."

C'vadan smiles. "Allow me to lead, then," he says, heading for the familiar
steps.

C'vadan climbs down the stairs to the courtyard.

Caitria takes a deep breath, and follows.

Caitria climbs down the stairs to the courtyard.

You climb down the stairs to the courtyard.

C'vadan pushes a hand through his hair, then checks his clothes. "Okay,
then..."

C'vadan opens the metal doors and steps into the Great Hall.

Caitria opens the metal doors and steps into the Great Hall.

The metal doors slide open at your touch, and you step into the Great Hall.

Oridan blinks...it seems his words have summoned them. He gets to his feet,
hollering, "Ramey!"

Ramey walks out of the kitchen.

C'vadan bows. "Lord Holder, Headwoman," he says softly. "Benden's duty."

Della winces at the volume and sighs, eyeing Oridan, "Was that really
necessary?"

C'vadan smiles when he sees his parents. He glances back at the other two
women and then moves forward to hug his mother.

Della responds appropriately to the greeting, faintly amused.

Ramey bursts out of the kitchen at her husband's shout, quickly wiping her
hands on her apron. As her son approaches, she smooths back her hair and
extends her arms to him. "You came," she whispers.

Caitria stays somewhat to the back, letting the family greet each other.
She takes a moment to study Cav's parents while (she hopes), they're not
looking.

Oridan frowns slightly at the reprimand, mumbling a "Sorry." He smiles
broadly upon seeing his son, stepping back for a moment in order to be out
of the hug's way.

C'vadan steps back, smiling. "Hello, father," he says softly.

Kassima follows Cav and Tria in, staying back behind both of them so as not
to be obtrusive. A smile plays on the corners of her mouth, though, as she
watches the reunion.

Oridan grins at his son, just -beaming- with pride. He holds his arms out a
bit, "Hello, Cav."

Ramey turns her smiling face from her son to the woman holding the baby.
That must be her grandson and the child's mother. She approaches Caitria,
her arms open to give the woman a motherly hug.

Oridan slaps his son heartily on the back, asking, "Well, how's my Weyrling?"

C'vadan steps back again and clears his throat. "Mother. Father. This is
Kassima, rider of Lysseth, who was my escort here, since we are not *quire*
ready to solo yet."

C'vadan smiles as his mother takes the iniative. "Mother, this is Caitria
and her son, Cailivan."

Caitria blinks a bit, but smiles and hugs Ramey--one-armed, since using two
would make the baby rather unhappy. "Hello," she says...starting to
introduce herself when Cav does it for her.

Della sends a drudge to the kitchens for some refreshments, giving the lad
a sharp look when he mutters about already having done this once today.

Ramey forces her gaze away from her possible granson for just a moment to
nod her thanks to the greenrider. Her eyes beam with explosive pride at her
son the dragonrider.

C'vadan looks to his father. "I am well, father. I hope you will come out
and meet Duly... Dulath today, too. He is one of Benden's larger browns."

Kassima smiles and nods, in her best friendly-style greeting. "Well met;
'tis a pleasure to meet the both of you."

In Tria's arms, Cailivan babbles for a moment, the string of nonsense
ending when he stuffs his fist in his mouth.

Oridan smiles at Kassima, nodding his thanks to her, then turns his
attention to the young woman holding the baby. For a moment, he looks her
over appraisingly, then nods with slight approval. "Well met, Caitria." He
grins at his son, nodding once again. "I'd like that."

Caitria murmurs, "Well met." She slowly relaxes. . o O ( Maybe this won't
be as bad as I thought. They don't look like they're going to eat me. )

Madrigal steps in from the courtyard, the metal doors sliding shut behind him.

Madrigal nods.

Della clears her throat slightly and comments, "Standing is nice but
possibly you'd like to have a seat? There are plenty of chairs."

C'vadan blinks. "Oh, thank you, Headwoman Della," he says gratefully. He
points Caitria to a nearby chair.

Ramey laughs a bit at the baby's expression, remembering when her youngest,
Cavadan, was that small. She sees bits of a resemblance in the child,
though she knows it could all be just in her mind. "He is beautiful."

Caitria's lips quirk into a quick grin. "How sensible, Headwoman." She nods
at Cav, with a soft chuckle, then smiles to Ramey. "Thank you. I think so,
too."

Oridan casually wanders over to Caitria's side, peering over her shoulder
at the baby, nodding. "He is indeed."

Kassima nods, quirking a quick smile. "Aye, 'tis a good suggestion,
Headwoman. My thanks...." She selects an out-of-the-way seat and settles in
it, with the faintest of sighs.

The drudge returns with a large platter piled high with pastries,
meatrolls, a pitcher of juice, clean glasses, and some stew.

Caitria turns her head a bit...then turns it up. . o O ( Goodness, he's
taller up close. ) "Thank you, sir."

Oridan smiles warmly at the young woman, then finds himself a seat,
settling into it. "How old is the little one now?"

C'vadan sits down, watching his parents and Caitria.

Caitria smiles and finally does take that chair Cav had indicated. "Near
six and a half months," she says, settling the baby in her lap.

Ramey waits for the others to get settled before taking the chair next to
her youngest son. She reaches out, fondly squeezing C'vadan's arm. She
speaks to him quietly. She mutters to C'vadan, "... beautiful son... I...
so proud... you.... strong,... son." 

Della quietly mentions, as everyone seems preoccupied, "Help yourself to a
snack or some juice. I'm sure we can find something else if you'd prefer."

Oridan glances over at his wife and son, a pensive look crossing his
features, then smiles a bit, turning back to Caitria. "And you're...a
Master Herder, Cav's said?"

C'vadan blinks and flushes slightly. He mutters to Ramey, "... mother....
Cail's mother and that... is to it." 

Caitria nods. "Aye, sir. I've been at Benden for...goodness, it's nearly
been three Turns." She smiles, not realizing it had been so long, then
flickers a brief, curious glance at Cav and his mother.

Ramey can't help but smudge off a bit of dirt that was on Cav's cheek.
"Possible son," she remarks with a smile.

Oridan follows the young woman's glance, offering a slight shrug, then
asks, "You've been a Master for that long?"

Caitria chuckles, and shakes her head. "Not quite, thank...goodness." Quick
substitution? You betcha. "That happened just over a Turn ago, if I'm
remembering correctly."

Della shakes her head to herself, picking up some correspondences to sort
through.

Oridan quickly notices the substitution, saying nothing, although he can't
quite hide the faintly bemused expression that creeps across his face, then
nods slightly. "I see. How old are you, then?"

Caitria absently shifts a nearby pitcher from Cail's reach. "I've
twenty-two Turns, sir."

Oridan nods, taking that information in. He looks down at the baby,
grinning broadly. "He's an active little fellow, isn't he?"

Caitria chuckles. "Rather, aye. But he's a good lad."

Ramey glances at her husband, inwardly smiling as he asks all the questions
that she wouldn't dare to. They make a good team. Remembering the
headwoman's words as she notices Cailivan make his grab, she leans across
the table, grabbing some of the dishes and urging them at people, most
especially the quiet greenrider who could use some more meat on her bones.

Oridan nods, replying, "I can see that." He reaches over, poking the baby's
stomach, completely oblivious to the fact that he may very well knock Tria
over as he does so.

Caitria grabs the table with her free hand, and so manages to keep her
seat. Cail, on the other hand, finds this rather entertaining, and smiles
right up at Oridan.

Oridan grins down at the baby, still oblivious, and tweaks his nose
lightly. Completely captivated, ayup.

Kassima laughs and surrenders, taking one of the dishes and munching a
meatroll from it. "Thankee, ma'am," she says with a smile, glancing over at
Tria and Cail with one of her pretty infrequent 'mushy expressions' for the
latter.

In Tria's arms, Cailivan makes a noise somewhere between a gurble and a
laugh, and tries to grab Oridan's finger.

Oridan leaves his finger where it is, allowing the little one to take hold
of it.

C'vadan smiles at Cailivan and his father. "How are my brothers?" he asks
his mother.

In Tria's arms, Cailivan nearly gurgled, actually. Not gurbled. He grins as
he succeeds in capturing Oridan's finger, then, naturally, tries to get it
in his mouth. "He does that to just about everything," his mother observes,
with a slight smile. She's still bracing herself against the table, yup.

Madrigal,looking bored, fiddles with his belt knife.

Kassima chuckles. "Is he still trying to munch on fire-lizard tails?"

Caitria turns towards Kassi. "Aye. Tried to get my runner's mane when we
went riding, too." She shakes her head, with a tolerant laugh.

Ramey watches her husband and the child with delight. No matter what her
son may say, Cailivin is there grandson. "A mother's joy, " she says to
Cav. Her voice becomes quieter. "But not as much joy as you've brought me
today."

Oridan looks up at Caitria, realizing that he's almost knocking her over,
and leans back a bit, giving her more room. "Sorry about that, lass." He
holds his finger back out to Cail, this time giving the herder plenty of
space.

C'vadan shakes his head, smiling gently to his mother. "Thank you, mother,"
he says, hugging her again.

Caitria chuckles softly. "Tisn't a problem, sir. M'da's almost as tall as
you are. Daresay he'll be the same way."

C'vadan blinks. "You haven't taken Cail to see your parents, Tria?"

Kassima smiles. "That doesn't surprise me much, given that I seem to recall
him trying to take a bite out of my mane once as well...." She grins at the
Herder, then sets into a second meatroll.

Asmit steps in from the courtyard, the metal doors sliding shut behind him.

Oridan chuckles, nodding. "I'm sure he will." He wiggles his finger,
pulling Cail's arm up and down gently.

Asmit walks in quietly, taking in the sights.

Caitria's thought is almost visible--oops. She shakes her head. "Not yet,
Cav," she murmurs. She flickers a faint smile to Kassi, and nods.

In Tria's arms, Cailivan blinks. His arm is moving...and he's not doing it.
Cool!

Ramey tries to catch her husband's eye. When she does, she subtley cocks
her head in Caitria's direction while latching firmly onto her son's arm.
"Why don't you show your mother that big dragon of yours while your father
plays with Cail."

C'vadan stands, helping his mother from her chair. "Duly is looking forward
to meeting you both."

C'vadan glances at Caitria, giving her a 'you sure you will be okay with
him alone' look.

Oridan catches his wife's gesture, giving a tiny nod in reply, then returns
his attention to Cail, replying to his son, "Oh, aye...I'm sure."

Caitria lifts one shoulder briefly, then nods to Cav. That look of panic
was only there for a second, really.

Ramey says, "He's probably a lot bigger than he was the last time I saw
him." She tilts her head in her husband's direction as Cav helps her rise.
The smile on her face suggesting that they leave him be for a bit to have
fun with the baby.

C'vadan leads his mother out to the courtyard.

Madrigal yawns sleepily.

C'vadan opens the metal doors and walks out into the courtyard.

Ramey opens the metal doors and walks out into the courtyard.

Madrigal winds his way up the stairs to the second level.

Siella enters the Weft Family Wagon.

Kassima, perhaps to lend Tria support--or perhaps because there's still
food on the table--waves to Cav and his mother and chooses to stay right
where she is.

Besander shifts in his chair.

Oridan looks up at Caitria, still playing with the baby. He asks casually,
"So...d'you think he's Cav's?" Subtle as a brick in the forehead.

Caitria blinks. "Sir?" From the look on her face, she _really_ wasn't
expecting that question.

Lysseth> Dulath warbles to his lifemate and his mother.

Oridan nods, then offers a slight smile. "Well?"

Della clears her throat pointedly from her seat.

Oridan blinks at Della, then makes a concerted effort to lower his voice in
the future.

Caitria takes a deep breath, then says, "I don't really..." At Della's
rather pointed throat-clearing, she shoots Benden's Headwoman a look of
profound gratitude.

Kassima nearly chokes on a mouthful of meatroll, trying to stifle her
resultant coughing without too much success.

Asmit opens the metal doors and walks out into the courtyard.

Oridan frowns slightly, then nods. . o O(Okay...subtle, subtle...let's try
that approach.) "Sorry, lass." He tickles the baby's stomach, asking a
safer question...sort of, "You're a good friend, Cav says?"

Caitria nods slightly, with a faint smile. "I'd like to think so, aye."

In Tria's arms, Cailivan grins, and makes another grab for Oridan's finger,
still trying to get it to his mouth.

Della, eyes resolutely focused on her reports, comments "Propriety and
decorum...at least within the bounds of the great hall."

Oridan acquiesces to Cail, allowing his finger to become baby fodder. He
nods to Della, stifling the urge to roll his eyes, replying, "Sorry,
Headwoman."

In Tria's arms, Cailivan gleefuly gums on Oridan's finger...nope, no teeth
yet. Caitria shoots an apologetic look towards Della as well--and she
definitely looks just a mite relieved.

Oridan glances at the baby, grinning a bit at the fun he's having, then
says to Caitria, "You're planning on staying at the Weyr?"

Caitria nods, with a smile. "Aye. Even if the winters get a bit cold for my
taste--definitely so, after Keroon--I like it there. The people are
wonderful, and I like most of the work."

Kassima recovers some of her decorum and swallows, taking a quick gulp of
citron after making sure it's not The Water in disguise. She suppresses a
grin at the overheard exchange, trying to eavesdrop without *looking* like
she's eavesdropping.

Oridan chuckles quietly, and nods. "It -is- quite a change from Keroon...is
that where your family is?"

Benden Courtyard> Ramey notices the pause, but mistakes her son's reasons
for stopping. She thinks it is due to her son being chocked up because he
wants to continue the relationship and Caitria does not. "She seems like
it, Cav. I'm sure that if you spoke more to her...We would welcome her into
our family in a moment."

[Editor's Note:  Unfortunately, I seem to have lost whatever poses led up 
to that point on the +watch.]

Benden Courtyard> C'vadan smiles at his mother. "Would you be disappointed
if we do not?"

Caitria nods. "I doubt you've heard of it, though. Curved Hill Hold, near a
branch of the Keroon river. And then I 'prenticed at the BeastHall in south
Keroon." She smiles. "Th'weather's just lovely there. Warm all the time."

Benden Courtyard> Ramey hesitates before speaking honestly. "Yes, but only
for a little while. We've been waiting for you to find someone and bring us
back a grandchild. She seems very kind and we would love the child with all
our hearts, even if he may not be yours."

Oridan shakes his head. "Never heard of Curved Hill, but I've been told it
-is- rather pleasant in Keroon." After fixing you with an almost stern
glance, he says in quiet voice, "Caitria, Cav's grown rather attached to
you, I hope you know."

Benden Courtyard> C'vadan blinks, this time to hold back the tears. He
pulls his mother into a tight hug. "I do so wish I can bring him back as
your grandson, mother," he says, finally admitting what he wants.

Caitria blinks, then nods slowly. "Aye, sir."

Oridan nods, still looking the young woman in the eye. "You'll be fair to
him, I also hope."

Benden Courtyard> Ramey comforts her son, stroking his back as she hold
him. Her own heart breaks as she feels his suppressed sadness. She longs
for the days when he was a small child and she could solve all of his
problems with just a hug. "Have you told /her/?"

Caitria blinks again, and a hint of temper, quickly controlled, flickers in
her eyes. "Of course," she says, very carefully. "I'd never do otherwise."

Oridan nods slightly, not missing the flicker of ill temper, then explains,
"Lass, I'm not saying that to be cruel. He's my son." He smiles slightly,
adding, "And I like you...Cav's shown good judgement."

Benden Courtyard> C'vadan sighs. "I... I don't want her to feel any
pressure from me, mother." He swallows as he steps back from her. "She is a
very independant woman."

Caitria nods slightly, then allows a pleased smile to cross her face.
"Thank you, sir." She pauses, then says, "I _do_ care about him, you know."

Oridan gives an approving nod, his smile widening. "Good, good. Then you'll
keep him out of trouble?" Giving a wink, he pulls his finger from Cail
mouth, then makes a face at the baby slobber.

Caitria chuckles. "If I can, aye." Noting the slobber, she rummages in her
belt pouch for a moment, then emerges with a bit of cloth. From her
half-apologetic, two-thirds amused expression, this happens often.

Benden Courtyard> Ramey loops her arm through her son's again. "Joining
with her won't change that, dear. And she may just be waiting for you to
ask her, as she's too afraid that you might not want her." Her advice comes
out of her own tempetuous courtship with Ori.

Oridan chuckles heartily, taking the cloth and wiping his finger. "You
know, young lady, I have yet to meet this dragon of my son's. Is he as
handsome as Cav claims?"

Caitria thinks for a moment, then nods. "I've not heard Cav's claims, but
Dulath is a wonderful creature." She smiles; apparently, she gets along
well with the dragon.

Kassima grins and pipes up, "If anyone could keep a Weyrling out of
trouble, Tria, 'twould surely be you; all that practice with apprentices,
and whatnay...."

Benden Courtyard> C'vadan nods. "I know, mother. But it is... complicated."
He looks away. "There are the other men."

Oridan nods, then grins at Kassima. "She has a point." Getting to his feet,
he offers Caitria a hand, adding, "Well, I think I'd like to meet one of
the creatures my son's told me so much about. I've already met the first two."

Caitria ...blushes? Wow. With a smile, she takes Oridan's hand and gets to
her feet.

Oridan leads Caitria to the courtyard.

Caitria flickers a "come, too, please!" kinda look at Kassi. She's
relaxed...but not that much.

Kassima neatly stacks what dishes she's managed to empty--not a lot, as
even hungry greenriders can't eat *that* much--and gets up to follow after
the others. She flashes a grin at Tria when she catches the look, and nods
almost imperceptibly.

Oridan opens the metal doors and walks out into the courtyard.

Caitria opens the metal doors and walks out into the courtyard.

Leaving the congenial atmosphere of the Hall behind, you open the doors and
walk out into the courtyard.

Ramey hmms at her son's words, "And is she interested in these other men?
That may be why she hasn't said anything to you. Not that she likes these
others, but that she's worried that you may fault her for them." She shakes
her head before Cav can speak. "I don't fault her at all about Cail's other
fathers. Things happen. Especially in weyrs. I will fault you though, Cav,
if you let your worry stop you from joining with someone you truly love."
She quiets as the others come out.

Oridan leads Caitria out of the Great Hall, and crosses to where everyone
is, looking at the dragon carefully.

Dulath :warbles down to all the people.

C'vadan remains quiet, hoping Caitria did not hear too much of what his
mother just said.

Caitria catches some of what Ramey is saying to Cav, and her brow furrows
slightly. Naturally, she heard all the wrong bits. ;)

Oridan let's go of Caitria's hand, then grins at Dulath. "Well...it's about
time we met."

Dulath glides down from the fireheights.

Dulath warbles softly.

C'vadan blinks. "I didn't call you down, you silly thing."

Oridan looks at his son, an eyebrow raised curiously, then looks back up at
the brown, grinning.

Caitria smiles, and murmurs a quiet greeting to Dulath, drifting a bit to
the back of the crowd. She's seen the dragon before, after all.

Ramey lets out a soft breath as her son's lifemate glides down. She gives
the dragon an almost shy smile.

Kassima chuckles. "Mayhaps he decided he'd had enough of the 'Heights," she
suggests, letting her own glance wander up to where Lysseth is perched.

C'vadan chuckles as he shakes his head. "Dulath, you have met my mother.
This is my father. Father, this is my lifemate, Duly."

Oridan gives a slight bow, saying to the dragon, "Well met, Dulath."

Dulath warbles to the man that looks like a much larger version of his
lifemate.

Oridan smiles broadly at the brown, then glances at his son. "You were
right, Cav. He's a handsome one."

C'vadan grins broadly to his father. "Thank you, sir. I am pretty proud of
him." He glances at Caitria and gives her a wink.

Ramey stands on her tiptoes to give her son a kiss on his cheek, whispering
to him.

C'vadan blinks and smiles at his mother.

Caitria smiles faintly at Cav, flickering a brief glance at his mother.

C'vadan clears his throat. "Well, I can't imagine this night air is all
that good for Cail, so we'd best be getting back. It *is* a long flight,
after all." He turns and hugs his mother. "It was so good seeing you again,
mother."

Oridan continues looking at the dragon, then looks at his son. He nods
slightly, looking vaguely disappointed.

Kassima comments quietly, but with a faint smile, "They fly well, do
C'vadan and Dulath." To Cav, she nods. "Aye, 'twould be best--if you're
ready to return, I'll call Lysseth down and we'll be away."

Ramey notices her son and her son's...friend exchange glances and she
smiles, very pleased. She returns her son's hug, saying "Now let me get you
one of those pies..."

C'vadan chuckles softly. "See, Tria, I told you there'd be pie."

Caitria looks interested, despite herself. "I hope Cav passed along my
thanks for that last one, ma'am." And then, for some unfathomable reason,
she grins at Cav.

Okay, maybe not so unfathomable, now. :) ;)

Heh.

Oridan crosses to his son, then pats his shoulder. "Cav...I'm proud of you."

Ramey laughs, giving Cav a light smack on his shoulder, "Were you making
fun of your mother?" She starts back into the hold.

C'vadan mock stumbles at his mother's slap and then hugs his father. "You
cannot believe how much that means to me, sir."

Oridan rolls his eyes, his only reply being, "Would you stop calling me sir?"

Kassima gazes towards the Fire Heights with blank eyes for a moment,
rewarded with a stirring from the formerly immobile green form stretched
atop them. "She'll be down in a moment," Kassi reports, then adds with an
impish grin, "But Faranth forfend we should have to go too quickly and
leave a pie behind."

C'vadan glances at Kassima and Caitria. "Sorry, controlled condition now,
father."

Kassima rolls her eyes good-naturedly. "He calls *everyone* sir or ma'am
these days, sir."

Ramey comes out a minute or so later with a wrapped pie in her hands. She
heads towards Caitria, wanting to say goodbye to her. "If you'd like
anymore, you just have Cav let me know. For a piece of pie, B'zors will do
what I want." Talking about pies is the only way she knows to tell Caitria
that she's very much welcome to join the family.

Oridan chuckles quietly, nodding. "Alright, alright." He looks over at
Caitria. "It's been a pleasure meeting you, lass. I hope we'll be seeing
more of you?"

Caitria flickers a slightly unsure smile to Ramey, and nods, then blinks at
Oridan. "I'm not sure, sir," she says, glancing briefly at Cav. "But t'was
nice to meet you both."

Caitria said thankyou to Ramey, as well, of course. :)

C'vadan pulls on his gloves and settles on his helmet. "I will be back as
soon as I'm able, mother."

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

Ramey smiles, "Take care, dear." In her mind, she adds, 'of all of you.'

From Dulath's neckridges, C'vadan reaches down to help Caitria up.

Kassima unhooks her own helmet from Lysseth's straps and tugs it on. "'Twas
a pleasure to make your acquaintance, sir, ma'am," she says as she puts on
her gloves. "Benden's duties t'you and your Hold." With that, she climbs up
onto Lysseth's neck.

Caitria takes care to see that Cail's securely in his carrier, then moves
to mount Dulath.

Kassima would do that if Lysseth were *here*, anyway....

Caitria climbs up to join C'vandan on Dulath.

Lysseth glides down from the fireheights.

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.

<*> Ramey approaches Dulath, extending the pie towards the people perched
on his neck. "Don't forget this."

<*> Oridan crosses a couple steps to place his arm around Ramey, giving her
an affectionate kiss on the top of her hair, then waves to everyone.

<*> From Dulath's neckridges, C'vadan checks to make sure Caitria is
strapped in well.

<*> From Dulath's neckridges, C'vadan waves to Kassima, waiting for her to
leave first.

<*> Ramey pats her husband's hand after the pie is taken. "They'll be
back," she says softly to him, to reassure them both.

Kassima buckles her flight straps and pulls down her goggles, nodding at
Cav's signal and giving Lyss the go-ahead.

<*> Lysseth spreads her wings to their full extent, bringing them down with
a rush of wind as she leaps nimbly into the air.

Launching off the ground with your legs, you soar into the air with
powerful sweeps of your wings.

<*> Dulath flies up from the courtyard far below with powerful sweeps of
his wings.

<*> Dulath flies off towards the mountains and Benden Weyr.

Catching a gentle breeze beneath your wings, you soar over fertile fields,
winging your way towards the mountains which house Benden Weyr.