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Survivor Igen Desert


Date:  October 26, 2007
Places:  Igen Weyr's Center Bowl; Heart of the Igen Desert
Game:  PernMUSH
Copyright Info:  The World of Pern is copyright(c) to Anne McCaffrey 
l967. The Dragonriders of Pern(r) is a registered copyright.

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Kassi's Note:  I loved this!  Mistral Wingleader Ayana ran a Search-
and-Rescue event for the Weyr, leading riders and residents deep 
into the desert to camp there overnight and learn a thing or two 
about survival.  For example, Kassima discovers tent pegs can be
tricky.  And Z'nal probably finds out some of what it's like to be
Jeff Probst.

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The Log:

You land just below in the center of the Igen Weyr Bowl.

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.

Leonneth backwings to land neatly.

IGEN-> Ayana says, "Everyone interested in the desert camping event, we're
meeting in the central bowl. You can @tel #802. :)"

With the late afternoon slowly fading into evening, the bowl seems to now
take on activity as workers bustle about with crates. Ayana and Kyreth is
in the center of the activity looking over the supplies as she hefts up her
carrysack to her shoulder. She watches those passing by and is seeming to
wait for the group to show.

Raykini comes over from the beach.

Leonneth lands in the bowl with a warble to the other dragons about her.
A'tan slides down easily enough, wiping his hands on his pants and reaching
out to scritch the ridges of the green lovingly.

Z'nal's own supplies, bundled neatly in a carrysack, are being watched over
by Uralth, who lounges nearby his rider, Zain double checking other
peoples' carrysacks to make sure they are properly packed and
supplied...and while trying to ignore the bemused looking expression his
brown wears, head knobs canted at a jaunty angle. "I can do this without
you, you know, not like I haven't survived without your company before
Ralth," is finally noted to the dragon, who rumbles amusedly back, though
the response isn't explained by the rider, save for an eye roll and
lopsided grin, before he moves on to the next person.

Lysseth swings in on freshly-oiled and gleaming wings, her landing no less
precise for the bulging sack buckled onto her straps. No less dusty,
either--so much for her fine polish. Kassi slaps her neck by reflex a
moment before sliding down. "You remember our bargain? I bake t'death out
there, you find me and pick me up and take me with you a'fore you go. Heat
does nasty things to a corpse." The dragon snorts and shifts to nearly push
her rider over; Kassi laughs and sets to unbuckling her luggage.

Raykini is just one of the people who are geared up for the camping trip.
And, judging by the handyman's expression, it's something he's been looking
forward to for a long time. He shifts from side to side in a litttle bit of
excitement, going through his things in order to check if he has everything
he needs. A little bit of this, a little bit of that...

IGEN-> Kassima says, "A pot, a pan, a broom, a hat!"

Devany's not far off from both brown and rider, amusement on her features
as she slips closer to the former, placing a hand on his hide as she teases
Uralth's rider with a lopsided grin in place, "It's alright, you know. We
can always leave him wondering what trouble we get up to without him,
'Ralth. Or we could overfly them and tease him with how much easier we have
it while he tromps about in the heat, carrying all," a gesture to the
supplies and an ever so vague, "...that."

IGEN-> Kassima has 'Anatevka' in her head now; thanks, Raykini. ;)

IGEN-> Raykini says, "what's that?"

IGEN-> Kassima says, "A song from Fiddler On the Roof. 'A little bit of
this, a little bit of that; a pot, a pan, a broom, a hat. What do we leave?
Nothing much, only Anatevka....'"

IGEN-> Raykini says, "Ah, never heard of it."

Patting Kyreth once, Ayana finally moves away from the brown to pass low
words to those near her coming along. She approaches Z'nal looking over the
supplies again, then nods a greeting his way. "Think we're ready?" she asks
of him as she catches A'tan's familiar green and sends a nodded smile his
way if he's looking. "I made sure we brought enough tents, but you never
know how many we'll actually get up." That brings a grins to her face, then
she nods to Devany and adds, "Not going to join us? You can tease him when
he fails to get a good fire going," she teases, sending a wink the
Weyrleader's way at the tease.

"Oh, I'm late, I'm going to be late!" Jaispe says, as she darts in and out
of her weyr a couple of times as she remembers other little things to do
before she leaves. Lultiath watches despairingly, with a mother's
exasperated sigh as her rider finally gets out the door and down to the
bowl to meet the rest of the group. "The kids!" the woman says then, and
starts to turn back before relaxing. "Oh, right. We did already," she
realizes, soothed as she joins the rest of the massing groups.

"Nobody has *ever* accused me of not being able to get a fire going Ayana,"
Z'nal notes, through a half smile with just the slightest twitch of his
brows to mark his amusement, perhaps another meaning to his words as he
shoots his weyrmate a 'look'. "I think we're as ready as we're going to be
really, though I had to repack a few carrysacks, and take extra time to
convince one woman she did not need to bring everything she owned," is
noted next as he raises a hand to wave towards some of the newly arriving,
gaze inspecting them and their gear before finding the Wingleader again,
"if you'd like to call everyone to order, I'll just do a quick check of the
rest of the folks coming along...most followed the orders they got on what
to bring, but some, like that woman, completely ignored the hide list sent
out."

"I thought about it," Devany drawls to Ayana, after letting her smile tilt
even farther lopsided with her weyrmate's words, "Especially the part about
it might be fun to watch and see who can set their tents up and start their
fires, and who can't..." She gives a smile and then dips a shoulder in a
shrug, "Me? Walking through the desert? Well."

Laughing at the return quip, "Must have been the same woman," Ayana notes,
nodding back over her shoulder behind her. "I caught someone carrying way
more than she should coming out of the caverns." She nods to Z'nal's
suggestion then, turning to Devany at her own answer with short laughter.
"Thought about it," she echoes wryly. "You can always have Z'nal here carry
you instead of walking it." Before the Weyrleader could either swap at her
or retort, she turns away and moves to the center waving her hands.
"Alright everyone! Get your carrysacks secure and follow me if you're
heading out. Don't take more than you can carry," and she passes a hard
look at someone in the milling crowd, lingering on something carried before
she returns with "You'll be regretting it when we get there. Once
everyone's ready, we're heading out!"

Kassima flips her long braid back over her shoulder, checks the fit of the
fraying, wide-brimmed hat that shades her eyes, and weighs her pack one
more time. "I should've brought more socks," she tells Lysseth. Lysseth has
no comment. She curves her tail 'til its tip twitches near her rider's
feet, a defiantly possessive gesture: *mine*. Even if she's fool enough to
leave me. "Stop that. Look at this crowd. If'n we end up resorting
t'cannibalism t'survive, the odds 'twill draw the short straw can't be very
high! ...See, now you won't miss me at all. You're welcome." If dragons
could only roll their eyes.... Hoisting her carrysack, Kassi ambles towards
the center with the others.

Raykini moves to shoulder his carryingsack once he's sure he has
everything. He shifts it a littl eon his back, flicking some of his hair
out of his face and slows into formation with the others. "Hopefully we
won't die out there." He murmurs quietly, passing the dragons with a faint
frown.

"So. Walking out into the desert," Jaispe says conversationally, as she
traipses on around and finds herself near Raykini shortly. "You really are
kinda pessimistic. It's sad. How are you, Ray? Are you going... Oh, of
course you're going, aren't you?" she decides, nose wrinkling. "That's why
we're all here." She laughs, sheepish.

"Nobody's dying on my watch," Z'nal comments, as he passes by Raykini,
apparently having overheard the younger man's murmur, his own tone carrying
a little more emotion than one might think it should. He nods towards
Jaispe, doing a slight double take at her own comments but saying nothing
else, though he does give her a good looking over, before making his way
back to Devany and Uralth. "Remember my friend, if I get into trouble out
there, you're to come save me...on the sly though," is said to his brown,
as he hefts his carrysack onto his broad, capable shoulders, a wink for his
tease is answered by yet another amused sounding rumble. "Give the kids my
love Dev, and for you..." a sweet kiss is produced, before he draws back,
"take care hmmmm, we'll only be gone overnight, Faranth willing."

Raykini turns over to peek at Jaispe, smiling faintly, "Well...hopefully
not anyway? Eh?" He turns to look over his shoulders at the dragons before
falling into step with the goldrider, "I'm not pessimistic. I've got my
plushie with me, so there." He laughs quietly shrugging at Z'nal's words,
"I'll hold you to that weyrleader! Ray calls out after him.

Moving through the crowd and actively making sure no one's carrying more
than they should, Ayana passes by Raykini when she hears his comment and
cannot help but to snort. Pausing to look back at him, "That's my hope too,
but don't tell anybody," she remarks in an amused low voice to him. When
Jaispe joins his side, she sends a nodded greeting her way as well before
moving on. Once she exchanges low words with one woman wearing a too-bulky
coat, she passes Kassima with a lopsided grin and then turns when she finds
Z'nal coming towards her. "Alright everyone, let's go!" she calls, putting
her hands together and moving off to the direction where the desert could
be slowly.

A'tan finally makes his way over to the group after checking his supplies.
The man is whistling to himself and seems to catch a glimpse of a small
running figure who's waving his arms. Young Kyeran is calling out loudly,
getting louder of course with each step he takes closer, "Daddy!! I want to
come too!!" he bellows. The greenrider sighs visibly with a small shake of
his head, picking up the bundle, holding him close to his chest, walking
over to the group

IGEN-> Raykini says, "We're gonna diiieee!"

Z'nal wanders off to find someplace more interesting.

Ayana wanders off to find someplace more interesting.

Raykini wanders off to find someplace more interesting.

Kiss returned in kind, Devany then leans back against Uralth's shoulder
where he rests, "Don't worry, Zain. We'll be fine for the night, I'm sure.
You go on and have fun, you know, hiking and all." While she stays
comfortably leaning on the brown.

You enter the TP room.


Heart of the Igen Desert - Igen Sweep Area(#8953RJes$)
Red-gold sand dunes curve in sinuous wind-sculpted S shapes, shimmering
with heat as Rukbat's harsh glare washes the vault of the sky nearly white.
Like walking into a furnace, the heat is dry and overwhelming. Few people
come here, and fewer wish to stay. The scanty shade of a towering dune
provides little respite. A few wiry, sun-beaten scrub plants cling to life
in whatever shelter they can find, and insects scuttle here and there,
their minute skitterings and occasional small chirpings the only sounds of
life in this desolate, sandy waste. On the eastern horizon is a shimmering
vision of either mountains or rainclouds. Regardless, both promise relief
from the relentless desert.
OOC: +TP/HELP for assistance.
Contents:
Raykini
Ayana
Z'nal
Obvious exits:
Out  


Jaispe wanders in, curiosity driving her to find something more interesting
here.

Devany wanders in, curiosity driving her to find something more interesting
here.

A'tan wanders in, curiosity driving him to find something more interesting
here.

IGEN-> Z'nal passes out sunscreen? "At least it won't be from skin cancer?"

IGEN-> A'tan takes and applies

IGEN-> Raykini wonders if they have such a thing on Pern :3.

IGEN-> U'yn waves.

"I hope not," Jaispe agrees with Raykini cheerfully. "Lulla'd be pretty mad
at me if I did. And the kids, too." Noting Z'nal's look, she offers him a
wave, grinning, while they set out. She ambles along, trailing with the
rest of the group easily. "Have you ever slept out in the desert before? I
haven't. Although we don't really have desert where I'm from, anyway.

The trek was a long one, filled with a few rest breaks to make sure no one
was going to drop to their death. With Ayana leading, she slows her steps
toward a small clearing that seems to have been cleared before their
arrival. It certainly looks likes someone has been here previously, though
it's only showing in the fact that it's cleared. She moves to the center of
this clearing, first looking around then looking to the slowly darkening
sky. "It's going to get cool here soon," she notes aloud to anyone close,
then settles her carrysack to the ground.

A'tan had taken a little bit of time trying to calm his son about the night
away, promises made and a few hugs. He waves to him, the boy's shoulder's
shaking, but he stays silent, waving his small hand to his father. The
greenrider trots to catch up, pacing himself and comes up near Z'nal and
Ayana, walking near them a while, taking a bit of time though for himself
during the small rest periods. Once arriving he drops his bag down, nodding
his head as he looks up at the darkening sky, "I'll try to find something
we can use to start a fire or at least to keep one going."

Of course, in the clearing, yet off to the side where not instantly
apparent a small fire is already burning beside a tent already pitched, a
few pillows set out before it upon which a certain honey blonde casually
sits. Devany, a cup in hand, likely filled from what ever is in the pot
resting beside the fire's coals.

Raykini lets his eyes flicker out to the sea of sand as they travel across
the desert. If there's one thing Ray dislikes more than anything, it's the
fact that there's not much water in sight. "I hope there's at least a oasis
where we're going." Ray's not very happy when he's not near water. "I'm not
a desert person, really. I rather be out at sea, ma'am."

"Remember everyone, water, food, shelter, in that order, unless conditions
warrant a change," Z'nal can be heard saying as he makes his way towards
Ayana, his eyes seemingly flickering over every face in the group to
ascertain their state of being after the long hike. "Luckily, we were able
to bring supplies with us, but there may be a circumstance where you are
not able to be so prepared. Since we have water and food, brought it with
us, we should tackle shelter first." He nods towards Mistral's Wingleader
as he drops his pack by her feet, and it looks like he's going to say more
when he notices...his weyrmate? Already here? With a...a...tent...and a cup
of something in hand? "Devany! What the shard...?" is asked, and abruptly
stopped in favor of robust laughter, and when he finishes, he shakes his
head, and clears his throat, "as I was saying...shelter. I believe we have
some tent supplies, and we'll need to set them up."

A'tan notices the Weyrleaders mate with the cup in her hand and a very
small fire he missed and sighs softly to himself with a chuckle. He picks
up his pack and moves to an area by himself, mumbling softly as he looks
around the camp. He grins at Raykini, "Sometimes I wonder if the sea is
better than the desert, but each have its own dangers." he says. The rider
goes over and checks out the tent supplies, grabbing a few items he needs
and starts on the first tent.

With a nod to A'tan's offer, "Good idea to do that first-" Ayana begins
until something off to the side of the clearing catches her attention.
Blinking, she moves swiftly away from the group to catch the distinct color
of one of the tents and the small fire. Spotting the sole occupant there,
she bites back her own laughter and steals a glance towards the Weyrleader.
She steps close enough to Devany for her to catch the wink and then turns
back to the rest of the group. "Right, shelter! We have the tents here, so
let's have those that are good at putting up tents work with those that
aren't."

By the end of the hike Kassima's gait is no longer even, the Thread-born
limp come back to haunt her as it sometimes does. She's kept up, anyway,
whistling or singing softly to herself for most of the journey. A few of
her fire-lizards play games in the air overhead. "'Twill be rather cold,
won't it?" she asks no one in particular. "But beautiful. Just look at that
thing--" 'That thing' being the dune; she stops in her tracks to appreciate
it a moment or two. "Right, right. Tents." She eyes the tent supplies
rather dubiously, especially the pegs, before taking some up.

Watching the scenery, Jaispe hardly seems to notice which way the group
goes as she walks. "You should really go back to the sea, boat, thingy,"
she tells Raykini earnestly, "if you miss it that much. I mean, you can go
back. I'd go." She shrugs. Then; "Oh, is this where we're camping? How do
you put up tents? Pegs? I'm not so sure about this now."

Raykini shakes his head, "I'm not going back." He murmurs quietly as he
follows the others, frowning when they finally come upon the spot.
"So...this is it?" He asks, slowly turning in a circle. "Where /are/ we
getting our water from? I could help you put up yours, ma'am, if you'd
like. I'm good at that sort of stuff." He smiles faintly, turning to A'tan
with a curious gaze. "Aye, I've much love for the sea. But it was because
of the sea I ended up here in the first place."

Devany lifts a hand, giving a cheerful wave before taking a long draw from
her mug, settled in, content to enjoy her drink, the scenery, the joke and
of course the entertainment she presumes ahead. From a plate beside her,
she picks up a muffin food, drink shelter, all on hand.

"If you don't mind?" Jaispe tells Raykini, scratching her head idly. "I'm
kind of not any good at these sorts of things. I'll probably roll over in
the middle of the night and knock the whole thing down on top of me." She
makes a face, though, as she settles in to do what she can to help, though
like she prophesied, she's not very good at it after all.

Ayana was going to move towards one young girl trying to erect up a tent
upside down, but one of the riders beat her to it. She moves over to A'tan,
trying to catch his attention with a brief tap on his arm as she says,
"Think I'm going to take a few of you gather brushes with me for the fire.
Want to come with? See who else will come with us as the rest put up the
tents?" Maybe it's her way of getting out of having to put up a tent
herself, but there's a flash of an innocent smile on her face before she
looks over towards Devany. The casual ease in which the honey blonde sits
has her laughing and shaking her head.

Z'nal follows Ayana's lead, and makes his way around the group, offering
suggestions, how to's, as well as just general information on the tents and
the best method of setting them up. "No, we've found the best material to
use is actually made of densely woven beast hair and vegetable fibers, they
tend to expand when wet in extreme temperatures, making them sturdy, yet
not stifling in the heat," is noted to someone who's fingering the material
the tents are made from, then to another having difficulties with the pole
placements, "use the guide ropes friend, then attach them to the pegs once
taunt...the sides can be rolled up or down, allowing any breeze to blow
through, or be blocked off...good work." That last is noted to the person
having problems, when those problems are solved, and he moves
onto..."Kassima, how are you? Need any help at all?"

It's a matter of pure casualness, the way Devany picks apart the muffin
into delicate bite sized bits. She grins mischievously to Ayana, and then
her expression is back to pure innocence as well. She gestures to the pot
by the fire, offering as she gives a wink and then resumes her watching of
the proceedings.

A'tan is working on stretching out the material, pushing the pegs into the
ground, concentration on his work when he feels the tap on his arm. He
looks over his shoulder with a smile, "Oh hey there. Sure, getting stuff
for the fire is a good idea." He catches the flash of the smile and
chuckles, "Always one to get out of the hard stuff huh?" he teases gently.
He looks over at the honey blonde, "Smart one. I'm sure it will be amusing
to watch all of us. Shay wouldn't be caught dead out here." His gaze moves
to where Kassima is, smiling at one of his former teachers when he was in
Telgar, "Different here isn't it Kassi. It took me a while to get used to"

Kassima may have no real idea what she's doing, but once she has her tent
equipment she throws herself into the task. And that's why she's a lump
under a swath of the hair-and-fiber material when Z'nal approaches her.
"Quite possibly. Methinks this thing goes here," and she shoves the pole
into something approaching its proper position, but not closely enough; it
weebles and wobbles and threatens to fall down. "Blast. The pegs aren't
right." The greenrider pokes her head out from under the material and blows
her bangs away from her eyes. "What d'you think, Weyrleader, have I got the
right one wrong or the left? Or both?" Turning her head, she grins wryly at
her onetime Wingrider. "That's understating things. Nay snow on the ledge?
In winter? 'Tis bloody unnatural, but Lyss loves it."

So Raykini has been charged with putting up tents. that's something he can
do rather easily. After all, he had to fix his boats, tents should be easy
after that? Right? One would think so anyway. He sowly starts hammering the
pegs into the ground, frowning ever so slightly at the sand, "Not sure the
ground will hold the pegs very well."

"Hey, I thought I'd give these folks a chance at putting up the tents,"
Ayana puts up the excuse with hands up at A'tan's response. "Getting the
materials for a fire before it gets too cold is honorable reason enough for
me." His added remark about Devany has her looking over her shoulder
towards her, catching the wordless offer with open interest. "I can tell
Shayera didn't show," she muses wryly. "She could have gotten a ride with
Devany." Turning to him with a nod, "Look for anything dry that could catch
fire," she adds his way before moving off, slowly making her way over to
Raykini as she examines the tents that were erected. Pausing by him, "Good
so far?" she asks him, looking over the tent he works on with interest.

Devany calls quietly back to A'tan, having heard his words, "Yes, well. As
I told Z'nal and Aya. Hiking? Not really my thing." She casts a wink his
way, smiles ever so sweetly and settles in more comfortably. She might as
well be on the beach by the lake shore, or her old stomping grounds of
Boll. Desert? What desert.

"Hmmmmm," Z'nal begins, gently mimicking Lysseth's riders cadence and
verbage, "methinks, quite possibly, you're quite lost, rightways, leftways,
and yeah, bothways." He grins lopsidedly at her, grabbing for the poles
before they can actually crack the ground, deft fingers curling around the
wood to set them correctly. "I'll position the poles, you tie off the guide
lines around the pegs Kassima, you can tie a proper knot yes?" His brows
raise to add emphasis to his inquiry, eyes studying her a moment before
lifting over to A'tan, a wink getting tossed his way, then his gaze moves
to his weyrmate, the muffin noted, and sighed longingly at, though maybe
that wasn't for the muffin, then its back to checking the group's progress
and noting Raykini's frown, calls over, "it may very well not hold the pegs
as much as we would like, but experience says they will suffice unless the
conditions become very extreme...try not to worry."

"I can. I promise I'm nay as incompetant as this might make me look,"
Kassima says in good humor, wriggling back the other way to get out from
under the tent. "I'm even trained in rescue and salvage, believe it or
nay--I'd have a hard time believing it about now if'n 'twere you. Even so."
She draws the first line taut and fixes it efficiently enough to give her
claim some credence. "Thankee for the aid. These wouldn't hold up through a
sandstorm, would they?"

A'tan bows slightly to Devany with a smile, "Well dear lady, at least you
get to have the amusment of watching. Shayera isn't much for hiking or
camping out so I know what you mean." He winks back and then turns his
attention elsewhere, walking out towards the edge of the clearing of the
camp to hunt stuffs for the fire. He chuckles softly though when he passes
by Kassima and the array of poles and tents supplies, overhearing the
question posed by the Weyrleader, "Oh she can tie a knot and is very
competant." he says in jest to Kassi, "It gets easier, really." The tall
man walks away, whistling softly to himself, looking up into the almost
dark sky, picking up whatever he can for the fires, still in hearing
distance though.

"Oh, well. I just was too amused by this whole Idea to stay at home,
A'tan." Devany gives a faint wave of her hand, a small gesture before
continuing with the thought, "Watching the kids all night, though Uralth
made a very tempting offer that I could pass the evening scratching his eye
ridges of course. This did seem apt to hold a higher entertainment value."
But as the greenrider looks away she turns a glance back to Z'nal, watches
for a time, gives a smile and picks off another bit of muffin to pop in her
mouth.

Stoppin near the edge of the clearing to examine and gather up the proper
dry brushes, Ayana settles a bunch together under one arm as one of the men
putting up tents nearly lose his hold on the edge. She moves quickly to
secure it until he can, then gestures for she and a couple of others to
pile the brushes in the center of the clearing. She goes to gather more,
passing by the group gathered by Kassima with a smirk to something said and
finally picks her way through the crowd towards Devany. She makes a show of
looking over the setup she has, then slowly shakes her head. "Amazing," she
drawls wryly to the honey blonde. "How you managed to get this all set up
quickly amuses me." With brushes in her hands, "I take it you made the
journey well then?" she asks, her amusement peeking now at the muffins she
has.

Z'nal looks dubiously at the tent now, critical gaze following along the
guide lines to the pegs that were made to hold them, "not a bad one no,
which is one of the reasons we have these excursions, to teach people how
to survive out here if caught, or by choice, though why they would make
that choice..." He leaves that to wind to answer presumably, while his
hands work with the other poles and he lifts his voice to address the group
as a whole again, "I think someone asked about what to do if one doesn't
have water? There are several ways to get water if you find yourself in the
need, and without one of the 'skins' that we brought...first, look to the
desert around you. Sounds odd, but seek, and you'll probably find. For
example? Turn over half buried stones before the sun rises, their coolness
usually causes dew to collect on their surfaces. Also, some desert grasses,
other flora will contain moisture, and if not on the inside, on the
outside, again...dew can be collected in a shirt, or fabric and wrung out
in a container. Water seepage occures in canyons, small pockets of water in
sandstone rock formations can be found by digging at the base of rocks if
you're closer to that kind of enviroment...even contaminated water can be
used, soak your clothing in it to stay cool, if not for proper drinking.
Lastly, follow the creatures of the desert, they'll know where to find
water, as they need it too, and can also be used for a food source."

"Oh, it was a positively lovely trip... We glided the last little way you
know. And T'maiv, why he's very good at the whole, you know, tent, fire
thing." A wave of Devany's fingers towards both tent and fire accompany the
words and then the honey blonde is again smiling, ever so sweetly and
offering to Aya again, though more directly this time, "Care for a muffin?
I brought a few extras. There is some klah as well."

Kassima says a bit absently with her focus on the knots and lines, "People
do strange things for strange reasons. Without Thread there'd be a kind of
freedom in it. With--" Well. She rocks back on the heels of her boots, a
heavy, sturdy pair, to listen and to learn. "Is it true you can filter
fouled water through sand somehow?" she wants to know. A'tan then gets a
fleeting grin of thanks for his endorsement. "Good t'hear you think so. I
believe you. In some respects, some, 'tis an easier change t'make than that
from Benden t'Telgar the first time. Differences in the climates and all."

"T'maiv is handy, I agree," Ayana responds wryly, lips curving into a
lopsided smile. Moving forward to snag a muffin quickly with furtive
glances about her, "Think I'll definitely relieve you of one of these," she
drawls as she hefts one into her hand once she shifts the dry brush she
hold under one arm. "You brought kalh too? You certainly didn't skimp on
this trip." She overhears Z'nal's words about survival out on the desert, a
look of approval passing through her festures as she adds aloud, "You can
be surprised what moisture you can find out here. The desert can really be
a sufficient place, provided one of you happen to get lost out this way.
Whenever you come out, make sure to have the materials for a tent and know
how to start a fire for yourself, especially at night. Which speaking
of..." and turns to lift the muffin at Devany in thanks as she adds, "I'll
be right back," then meanders into the crowd to add to all, "Who wants to
help start the fire? That way we can start making the meal for tonite!" and
dumps the rest of the brushes into the pile at the center of the clearing.

"He owed me a favor, sweet fellow, really." Devany supplies and then grins,
"Only the best, of course," she tells the wingleader and nodding her head
to the woman as she moves back to her duties and after a moment, topping
off her cup with more of the kalh.

"I've seen it done, though the results might not be appetizing to drink,
but you do what you have to out here," Z'nal says with a nod of approval
for Kassima's work with the knots and lines, "we're lucky, we have our
lifemates to depend on, but all of this is good to know in any regard, not
the least of which is to provide examples to those, teach those who don't
have dragons to look to..." He gives his head a shake, he's normal demeanor
giving way to more serious concerns, thoughts, though what those thoughts
remain hidden till its the return of his lopsided grin that marks the
openness about him, "all done there Kassima? I see my weyrmate has brought
some of muffins, and it looks like they're rapidly disappearing..." His
neck cranes slightly, an internal war of Weyrleader with lessons to teach
versus hungry man playing out teasingly on his features while he adds, "I'm
sure she'll give you a few and jays, klah too..."

"That's something I can help with," Kassima offers, tying off the last of
her lines. "I'm a lot better with fire than tent pegs. Aye, Weyrleader,
done and done; and knowledge of any kind is rarely wasted. Thankee again.
Go on t'your muffins." Some of her amusement shows despite herself. "I'd
nay mind one either although I'm nay much of a klah woman." With the tent
done she rummages in her pack for her tinderbox.

A'tan drops his load of brush and kneels down to start a fire, the former
AWLM not really stopping to take a break now that the sky is dark. "I
suppose we can't cheat and take some of Devany's fire huh?" he calls out to
Ayana and Z'nal. The rider nods to one of the others in the group, showing
her what needs to be used to start the fire, talking quietly as he
explains. He glances over at the muffins but refrains from getting one,
instead keeping to his task.

With the group digesting the information about the desert, Ayana bends to
make sure the pile of brushes was sufficient and then turns around to look
through the crowds. "The natural way to light a fire is to rub very dry and
sturdy sticks together," she calls aloud with a sweeping motion towards the
pile. "Or, we can steal any nearby fires, yes," she adds to A'tan's own as
she steps back to let the couple with A'tan approach the pile. Since she
doesn't initiate the fire herself, she moves instead over to her own
abandoned carrysack to pull out simple foodstuffs for the meal. She pulls a
pan free as well, munching on the muffin she got from Devany as she starts
back into the group passing out instructions.

Z'nal doesn't push anyone out of the way, nor does he knock any tents down,
that have been recently put up...he even manages to inspect a few of them
in his haste to get to those muffins and klah. Its only Ayana that stops
him as he notes her continuing to give out instructions and tend to her
duties, but hey, she's got a muffin too so... "Anything left for me
Devany?" is asked of his weyrmate as he reaches where she holds court, his
gaze goes to her, then to A'tan whom he passed earlier and he asks further,
"and anything for my industrious greenriding friend, who's weyrmate surely
might have come if she had known such delights were to found out here in
the desert...okay, she probably still wouldn't have come, something about
sand getting in her drawers and so forth..."

Kassima considers her tinderbox. "In a random survival situation you might
nay have flint, true." It looks as though A'tan has the fire issue in hand,
so she sticks the box back in her bag and digs out her food supplies
instead. Dried meat, dried fruit, bread--and Benden Red to make the taste
of the rest irrelevant. "'Twill cook that for you if'n you share," she
tells a rider near her who packed more appetizing fare; it's an exchange to
which he seems amenable.

"I thought you were, you know, roughing it." Devany asks, though she nudges
the muffins out for the claiming by whomever at this point, "You know, able
to survive on your own, all that." And then a roll of her eyes, "Zain. You
so so very much like to cause trouble. It'll be your luck someone tells
Shay you said that." She gives a teasing wink and grins A'tan's way as well
before asking, So are you just here to make sure everyone else gets their
things in order then? And planning to mooch off of me - Just so I know, of
course?"

A'tan hears his weyrmate's name and looks over with a smile to Devany,
hearing the last bit of her teasing to the brownrider. He finishes up with
his instructions, leaning over to blow on the small sparks now coming from
the sticks a young man is rubbing together, "Good. Keep going....almost
there" He puts on a few smaller pieces of brush, adding to it until there
is a crackling fire in front of him. "Nice work." He gets up and finally
walks over to his friends checking out the set up. "This is pretty good too
Dev. I might have to sneak in here and sleep if there are a never ending
supply of muffins."

With the group now starting to settle down at the various tents that are
up, Ayana can make her rounds much easier and does so. She chuckles to the
banter Devany tosses, and makes a show of finishing her muffin as she
passes by the Weyrleader. Once the fire is lit, she explains the various
methods used to cook out in the desert, including possibilities for food
out here in case one should get lost out there. She moves forward to help
those at the fire with setting up the pans for the evening meal, then
catches Kassima's call and adds out "Hey, you want to help cook? You seem
to have more experience at this part than me." She brandishes one of the
pots, laughing at something heard and stepping away to view the busy
clearing at large.

"Well...now that you and your 'delights' are here Dev, I might as well make
good use of them?" Z'nal asks, the picture of mock innocence, and unabashed
about it. "I was perfectly prepared to rough it by the way, wouldn't be the
first time I've had to do so, and it won't be the last, but how do I know
you'll be about with your muffin and things next excursion, nope, one of
the first rule of survival is to use what's, uh, in front of you." A wink
for that, and as his hand grabs a few muffins and tosses them A'tan's way
while calling out, "head's up!" Now, a grin marks his next comment, "oh
please, if Shay hears, what will she possibly do? Yell at me some more?"
The grin broadens, and after grabbing a muffin for himself, he strides away
from his weyrmate and out into the group again, his tone becoming serious
once more as he says, "speaking of rules to follow folks, listen up! Some
precautions to take...if you are of mind to set out into the desert on foot
or by non flying beast, tell someone you are going, and when you will
return. Also, watch for signs of heat injury...complaints of tiredness,
listlessness, skin irritation might be the beginnings of something serious.
Drink water once an hour, stay as hydrated as you can. If shade is
available, use it to rest in, but don't lay on the ground. Do not, take
your clothing off, as tempting as it may be in the heat, your clothing
protects you. Something else? Forgive me ladies present, but you can use
your urine to ascertain if you're getting enough water...light urine means
you're okay, dark means you need more."

"It is quite nice, isn't it?" Devany asks, lopsided grin returning as she
offers about the time Z'nal plucks a few to toss his way, "Care for a
muffin, A'tan?" Her gaze leveling on Z'nal, pale hued eyes returning his
gaze and then she gives a faint roll of them, grins and stretched out on
her pile of pillows, "You'd best get your work done, Zain, before you
venture too far down that trail... You know, be a good example and all..."
The tease delivered even as he retreats back to impart more information to
those who ventured on the trip in good faith...rather than with pillows and
muffins.

"Certes. Don't expect a seven-layer cake," Kassi warns, grinning, "but I
can manage something. Hold that thought," she adds to the rider with whom
she was going to trade. The greenrider stands, stretches out the leg that
limped earlier, and joins those who are cooking, rather more confident with
the pots than the tent. "What kinds of animals would you find out here?"
she asks while poking at sausages sizzling and popping in a pan.

Ayana passes the pan she was brandishing to one of the appointed cooks,
wiping her hands on her pants as she straightens. "Small ones, usually,"
she answers Kassima as she looks over the pans with interest. "Quite a few
of them live underground to stay out of the sun, but you will find those
like snakes and rats out here," and she shows just the hint of disdain to
that. "Alot of them only come out at night, too, so we should all be
mindful of where we sleep tonite, in case something decides to want to
share in your sleeping space." A few nearby cringe at this particular
tidbit, immediately looking about themselves as if an animal would show up
right then and there. "Alot of insects, too," she feels compelled to add
somehow, before she looks back to Kassima. "You can imagine the animals
here live pretty roughly compared to other places, so it's valuable to
sometimes watch where they go to get moisture to drink or eat. I'm
traderstock, so when I was young we used to do just that whenever we had to
come out this way." She straightens then and moves off, slipping Z'nal with
a wry, "Managed to take from Devany's bounty over there?"

A'tan smiles warmly at Devany, nodding his head, "Thanks. I would love
one." He catches the one tossed to him from his friend. "This is a nice
surprise considering we're supposed to be 'surviving'" comes with a grin
and tease for the Weyrleader as he retreats to give more lessons to those
who haven't experienced spending time out in the Igen sands. He breaks the
muffin and takes a bite into his mouth with a small grumble of
satisfaction, "These are good. Thanks again." He stays where he is but
listens to what's going on around him.

"Just a little Aya," Z'nal notes huskily, his gaze flickering over the
Wingleader, then to his weyrmate while he asks, "think she'll let me take
more later?" A wink for that, then a rumbly chuckle sounds out before he
raises his voice to lesson further, picking up where Ayana left off... "now
would be a good time to also mention, some precautions to take while
dealing with the other denizens of the desert? Insects of almost every type
abound in the desert. Man, as a source of water and food, attract all
kinds, and they are extremely unpleasant and may carry diseases. Anything
that you consider shelter, they will too and can be habitats for them, as
these areas provide protection from the elements and also attract other
wild-life. Therefore, take extra care when staying in these areas. Try to
wear gloves, or be extra mindful of your hands...do not place your hands
anywhere without first looking to see what is there. Visually inspect an
area before sitting or lying down. When you get up, shake out and inspect
your boots and clothing."

Kassima nods to this while turning over the contents of her pan. "Makes
sense. Tunnelsnakes aren't the worst eating, the non-poisonous
varieties--so if'n anyone catches one tonight and wants t'save it for
breakfast...." Someone's brought cheese and she slices a few thin strips to
lay over about half of the links. "You traded down through here? That
sounds like fodder for stories," she says, then takes the sausages from the
fire and starts to pass them around: on plates for people who have such, or
wrapped in chunks of bread. "Thank the stars for fire-lizards. 'Twill have
caution, but if'n I know the greedyguts they'll take care of aught that
creeps into the tent in the night."

"Probably have to convince her," Ayana quips to Z'nal in a tease that
brings her to send a little wave Devany's way. Returning to the fire,
"Yeah, my family's from here," she answers Kassima with an easy nod.
"There's nothing like having to go through desert, and that was long before
Thread showed up again." She takes one of the plates being passed around,
listening to Z'nal add to her own lecture on the animals they might find in
ther desert. She grins his way and sets about eating as she moves to sit by
the fire.

"You know me, A'tan... All about the surprises?" She smiles the
greenrider's way and selects another muffin for herself. Watching as she
dissects this one much like the first, torturously slow, small bites, a
pause to wave back to Ayana and from her expression it's hard to say if she
heard her weyrmate's comment to his fellow brownrider or not - she's
playing it aloof once more, at least mostly. No doubt she's taking in as
much as she can of what goes on around her.

"I might be able to manage that Ayana," Z'nal replies, eyes following the
wave before following the person who made the gesture. He watches the
Wingleader settle herself near the fire, then lets his gaze return to his
weyrmate, the soft smile playing about his lips tender, and thru it he
starts out on his next topic... "Now when trying to navigate your way in
the desert, you might use the ancient method of 'detouring', which is a
form of old desert proverb, "by three sides is the quickest way across a
square", and it makes sense if you have a large obstacle in your way. A 90
departure from your planned route, followed by measured distances and two
subsequent 90 turns will bring you back on course safely around any
difficult ground. During the day, if possible and available, use footprints
and observed paths to guide you, as well as measured sun shadows, and of
course, at night, the stars can help you..." He makes his way around the
camp, adding stories to his lecture, a joke or two, and at the end, a
rather 'colorful' tune about getting stuck with a loved one in the desert,
after which he laughs and bows to applause, before moving on to speak
quietly with various groups, apparently his teaching over for the time
being...

IGEN-> Z'nal heads out, "good night everyone and take care." :)

IGEN-> Kylin says, "Night Z :)"

Besides sausages and cheese are other options: stew, beans, and some sort
of masochist contributed a jar of pickled peppers. Kassi seems to enjoy
overseeing her share of the pots. "I'm just as happy nay being able
t'imagine that. Makes me appreciate Greystones the more." All the same, she
takes interest in the desert facts--listens so closely, in fact, that she
almost burns food, but manages a narrow escape. Eventually she cadges a
plate for herself to take back to her tent. "I like this better than the
times we practiced rescue in the northern wastes, just for the record;
there was never food and you froze your behind solid."

IGEN-> Luni says, "Goodnight :)"

Ayana, finishing her meal as she listens to the various stories being told
around the fire, gets up from her seat to add helpful tips here and there
to Z'nal's words on navigating the desert. Once done, she slips over by
Devany as if checking up on her sends her way, "The muffin was very good!
Perhaps every desert traveller should have your skills handy, just in
case." She makes her rounds then returns to the fires, nodding towards
Kassima as she answers with "I hear search rescue in those climates can be
just as bad. We could certainly use your expertise in the team we have
here, Kassima, especially since we're looking to add more people." Looking
around, "I hope to never have us using such a team, but it's better
prepared than sorry out here."

Devany laughs softly, remarking back at Kassima's comment, "I would think,
yes. Better in the desert than in the cold. But then, I was never fond of
the cold." Her gaze tracks her weyrmate on and off, but she watches others
as well, just returns to him most often until Aya stops by and earns a
smile, "I'll be sure to give you the name of the baker that provided them."
Her current snack finished, that bit of klah gone as well and she packs
away a few things in the basket just seen within her tent before lounging
by her fine, waiting for Z'nal's return, most likely.

"They can be difficult. With blizzards I'd see people holed up in caves,
under downed trees--I remember the time at Bitra--" Kassima breaks off. "Of
all the things t'get reminiscent about. Truth, a lot of what I learned was
specific to the climate and might nay be of much use. But I'd be glad
t'sign on." She's far enough from the fire that it's hard to see her face
clearly, but she sounds pleased. "Did you live up north?" she asks Devany.
"I somehow developed a fondness for cold on occasion, only shards know why."

Ayana looks pleased at Kassima's agreement, straightening with a sharp nod.
"Good. I'll keep your name in mind, then." With one of the weyrfolk drawing
her aside from the fire, she moves close back to Devany to call out, "I'll
hold you to that, Devany!" and continues pass her with the young man. Then
the most that could be seen of the Wingleader is her making her slow rounds
around the fire, giving small tips about the desert and surviving it here
and there. Much like the Weyrleader, she makes sure everyone is doing well
in the camp and doesn't return to relaxing until then.

A shake of her head and Devany replies, "Not really, just for the time it
took for a queen to clutch and hatch. Uralth's doing, and my former
employer was kind enough to let me out of some of my duties for those
months that it took." A fond smile and then she gives a little shiver that
might well have been part pretend. "From living in Boll to an extended
visit in a Telgar winter is not something I recommend." A slow wink, a wave
of acknowledgement to Ayana and she calls, "You do that."

Kassima blinks for her own forgetfulness. "That's right. Shells, a'course,
Uralth sired that Telgar clutch. 'Twas after m'time there." Shaking off
that thought and the flatness that her voice had taken on, she says with
better humor, "I envy you mayhaps the living at Boll, but less the other.
Did you move t'Igen after Telgar?"

"The living at Boll was something worth envy. I do at times envy those
still there, but my missing it tends to be a fleeting thing, and Zain's
good enough to take us all back to visit as often as he may." Devany shifts
to more comfortable as she speaks and smiles, "The other. Well it wasn't as
if it a thing one could refuse Uralth, and it did work out to have a few
advantages that had less to do with location and more to do with time
spent. I did move to Igan after, fairly soon after, actually." A faint, and
rare flush touches her cheeks, though hard to see in such light a a fire
gives, "I had gotten rather use to having Zain around by then, more than
just for visits anyway. I'm not sure I'd heard though, where you might have
been in between, if you'd left Telgar before our time there?"

"Probably less often than a'fore he made Weyrleader," Kassi supposes in
sympathetic fashion. "'Tis a jewel of Pern, Boll. Lyss and I also go when
we can. Aye, clutchsiring can be an--an idyll of sorts, I recall. It sounds
as though it worked out well for you both." She smiles a bit, barely
visible and more to herself. "I went home t'Benden. Was sent, technically,
but if'n it hadn't been Benden I would've told Telgar where t'stick it and
gone there anyway. I love it there. I miss it, but I find m'self liking
Igen too."

"Mmm, too true," Devany says, a hint of resignation, only just brushing her
tone as she glances to where the man in question laughs with a few of the
others, her expression softening for what she sees, "Still, it can't be too
long before a gold rises again, hmm? Though our luck may be Uralth and not
a bronze to win it, just to keep things...interesting." A roll of her eyes
and she turns back "It did work out well for us, for all that I would have
chosen a different local, especially for the weather." A smile and a
murmured as she gets to her feet and stretches, "Home is always home, no
matter how distant, is it not?" Then, "Will you excuse me? I'll just be a
moment or two, but..." She gives an apologetic smile and then steps briefly
away.