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Kentucky Fried Apprentice?


Date:  February 19, 1997
Places:  Beastcraft Hall's Landing Field and Apprentice Lounge
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:  Meli and Juliath kick off their Searchriding careers
in style by picking up an Apprentice when they're *supposed* to be 
picking up a chicken.  It isn't in my version of the scene, which 
unfortunately cuts off where I had to bamf, but Tria was rather firm
on an Apprentice not satisfying her pregnancy cravings. ;)

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The Log:

You wing your way downwards slowly.

<*> Juliath wings down from the sky above.

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.

Aphrael climbs down from Prefeth's neckridges with practised ease, reaching
up to give her lifemate a thankful scritch as the blue dragon crooons.

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

Meli tucks her helmet into her belt, ruffling her hair. "Gah, I hate
th'summer heat. Least here it's not so shardin' humid." Glancing about, she
peers at the lounge. "That where ev'ryone hangs out?" she asks Aph.

Aphrael shrugs out of her jacket, glancing around to the lounge. "There?
Yeah.. we could probably get a drink while we're at it."

Juliath settles in for a wait as the riders stand about looking lost.

Meli goes west, entering the lounge.

You stoop, and enter the poorly-lit lounge.

Aphrael stoops as she comes into the lounge.

Mordyn chuckles. "They say, 'Thank you, Tiera, we'll take those.', right?"

Lusani looks up and nods. "Heya, riders!

Meli pokes her head in, glancing about. "Erm, 'scuse me, is Leara about?"

Tiera nods her head to Mordyn. "Exactly." She looks towards the riders.
"Beastcraft's duty to....." She squints. "....Benden."

Tasaren laughs, nodding. "I was just telling Gala the same think." He looks
up at the riders and nods politely. "Beastcraft's duties," he pauses to
check their knots, "to Benden and their queens."

Aphrael wanders in behind the two greenriders, nodding in greetings, though
she sands somewhat back.

Mordyn smiles to the riders. "Beastcraft's dutoes to Benden Weyr."

Meli continues to peer about, in the dim lighting. "Hey, Kassi.. they've a
knife board" she murmurs as an aside. "An' Benden's duty t'the Hall" she
replies rotely.

Kassima follows Meli in, still shaking in amazement. "Chicken, she says.
Chicken!" Spotting people, Kassi nods politely in greetings. "Benden's
duties to the Beastcraft," she says with a smile. "I'm Kassima, green
Lysseth's rider; this is Meli, green Juliath's rider, and that's Aph. She
rides blue Prefeth. Well met, and all. As Meli said, we were wondering
where we might find the Craftmaster?"

Mordyn looks around then speaks up. "I haven't seen her all day."

At Mordyn's words, Meli's face falls a tad. "Shells! Hrm. Well, is there
someone else we can talk to 'bout gettin' a chicken?"

Tasaren thinks for a minute, frowning. "I haven't seen her either. But
she's bound to be around somewhere."

Mordyn chuckles. "A chicken? Umm, I guess you could try the cook...."

Lusani grins. "I'm Lusani and I dunno.

Kassima ahs and slides a look over to the board, eyebrows quirking with
interest. "Sort of like the one I have... but I digress. I don't suppose,"
she turns back to the apprentices hopefully, "that one of you might be able
to sell us a chicken?"

Damarie comes in from the hallway.

Damarie sticks her head in. "Heyla all!"

Aphrael smirks faintly, loitering.. loitering?! .. near the door as she
listens.

Damarie shrugs as Caerul takes flight from her shoulder.

Tasaren chuckles. "We were just talking about chickens." He looks up at the
rider, Kassima if he heard her right. "We apprentices aren't allowed to
sell animals..."

Tiera raises her eyebrows, watching the apprentices with an avid gaze.

Caerul finds a place to settle on the perch.

Mordyn nods with a grin. "That's right."

Meli scratches at her nose, looking rather peeved. She mutters to herself,
" Shardin'.... silly cravin'... Tria... " 

Damarie raises an eyebrow. "Chickens? Dare I inquire?"

Tasaren hears his mentor's name and perks up, smiling.

Mordyn waves to Damarie then turns backto the riders.

Tasaren realizes Damarie has come in during all the fuss and waves to her
belatedly.

Lusani laughs. "Maybe...

Meli quirks a grin at the latest arrival. "Let's jus' say I hope I never
drink th'Water at Benden... tends t'give y'all kind o'strange cravings,
sending y'friends hither an' yon across th'continent."

Kassima clicks her tongue in dismay. "That might leave us with a bit of a
dilemma. You see, Tria--Craftsecond Caitria, I should say--had a craving
for chicken, and...." She lifts one shoulder in a shrug, with a rueful
smile. "'Tany rate, this seemed like the logical place for chickens to be."

Mordyn chuckles. "I would have thought so, yes."

Aphrael, distracted from her friends talk of chicken, ambles over towards
the bar, idly ordering some water. "Hrm? No water?" She mutters, sighing
with regret.

Tasaren laughs quietly, looking at the riders. He grins at the mention of
his mentor's name again. "Well this is definately the right place for
chickens."

Tiera laughs. "Are you talking about the apprentices or the real thing,
Tasaren?"

Meli steps in a step further, eyeing knots and badges. "Y'said apprentices
can't sell animals... any journeyrankers here? I really hate t'go back
w'out one."

Mordyn smiles and points to Tiera.

Kassima grins. "Thought so. We don't want to be a bother, but Tria was
really rather insistant." Glancing over her shoulder, she asks of her
companions, "Any chance we can do something to a wherry to make it taste
just like chicken?"

Aphrael shakes her head. "Where's some sharding good unBenden water when
you want some?" she mutters, once more making her way back to peer with
interest at the knife board.

Tasaren chuckles at the Journeyman. "I was talking about the real thing,
but I guess it could be taken either way." He winks to her.

Tiera smiles coyly. "There's no Journeyman here." She covers her
shoulderful of knots.

Meli's nose wrinkles up at Kassi's suggestion, but comment comes there
none. Rather, she steps closer to Tiera, clearing her throat. "Evenin',
journeywoman. Think th'beastcraft could spare one scrawny chicken f'a poor
pregnant herder-type?"

Lysseth> Lysseth folds her wings close to her sides, leaning down to peer
curiously at the lounge entrance. Her head raises after a moment, with a
mild rumble as she backs away.

Lysseth> I bespoke Prefeth and Juliath with << I thought I sensed... but
I'm not sure. Do either of you sense someone special? >>

Lysseth> Juliath swings her head round to follow, and rumbles in reply.

Tiera rubs her chin with her free hand. "Perhaps."

Tasaren raises an eyebrow at Tiera, but doesn't comment, keeping quiet in
front of the riders so as not to embarrass the Hall.

Dragon> Prefeth bespoke Lysseth and Juliath with << Hrm, Special? Oh you
mean *besides* our riders? >> He peers curiously towards the lounge. <<
Maybe.. maybe. Hard to tell. >>

Dragon> Prefeth and Lysseth sense that Juliath extends a thought. << There
is a strange *feeling*. Is that what it is like? >>

Kassima adds hopefully to Meli's statement, "'Twould be for Craftsecond
Caitria, to be exact. She was talking about how marvelous chicken would be,
to help feed her and her babe nay yet born...."

Meli begins fingering her belt pouch, as she prepares to dicker. What a
chicken should cost, Faranth may know, but Meli certainly doesn't. She'll
just have to do her best. Unfortunately, as she opens her mouth, a loud
*bugle* seems to emerge. From outside, that is.

Mordyn smiles as he sits back and listens.

Damarie quietly takes a seat in the background, enjoying the conversation,
but without anything really to contribute.

Lysseth> I bespoke Prefeth and Juliath with << It might be. Shall we try
and get closer to the entrance? One of us could be able to determine for
sure. >>

Lysseth> Juliath bugles, ayep.

Tiera gets to her feet, her words stop when the bugle interrupts her.

Aphrael straightens at the bugle, dropping the knife she was idly
fingering. Frowning, she exchanges a glance with the other two riders.

Tasaren jumps at the bugle. He suddenly hopes the riders' dragons aren't
hungry or anything like that.

Mordyn starts at the bugle.

Lysseth> Prefeth holds his wings aloft, trying to sneak in between the two
greens as he tries to peer deeper into the lounge.

Damarie jumps a little, wondering what's up.

Kassima turns her head in startlement to ask something of Meli, but instead
of words, there's just a rather audible trumpet. Kassi abruptly snaps her
mouth shut, but the trumpet continues--it's evidently coming from outside.

Meli's head twists 'round towards the door. "Silly proddy green..." she
begins, then stops short, eyes unfocused, as she talks to her lifemate. A
muffled thumping rattles the door for a moment.

Lysseth> Lysseth trumpets in reply to Juliath, fanning her wings wide as
she extends her head to sniff at the Lounge entrance. There's more than
enough room for other noses, though.

Lysseth> Juliath bumps her nose against the door as she gets too close, and
retracts it with a confused whirl of faceted eyes.

Tasaren looks at Tiera with a frown. "Well it /is/ for Master Tria..." He
looks back to the riders, grimacing as the dragons continue to make noise.
He hears the mention of 'proddy' and frowns deeper, thinking of what
happened at the Spring Festival.

Aphrael takes a step towards the lounge door, muttering under her breath.
"Get.. sharding door.. room."

Damarie looks even more startled at the thumping. SHe's torn between a
desire to run outside and see what's happening, and a feeling of gladness
she's inside.

Tiera looks to the door, then Tasaren. "I'm not going out there when it
sounds like a mating flight going on."

Meli furrows her brow. She mutters to Kassima, " You've done... before...
now... " 

You sense Meli furrows her brow. "You've done this before.. now what do we
do?"

Mordyn nods at Tiera's words. "Nor I."

Tasaren scoots a little fartehr over on the bench, watching the door
warily. He shrugs at Tiera's words. "It wasn't a pretty sight at the
Festival..."

A strange sniffing sound can be heard outside, and something nudges the
door hard enough to make a muffled sound. This is followed by a rumbling
*snort.* "Lysseth," Kassi mutters under her breath, "if you're reacting
like this just because I mentioned chicken... oh, nay. Again?" Sighing,
Kassi gives the Herders a sheepish look before leaning towards Meli to
reply in a murmur.

You whisper "Get 'em to file outside, all the ones lower than Journeyrank.
They've got to be 'tween thirteen and thirty-three, and unwed, with nay
physical disabilities. The dragons can look 'em over out there." to Meli.

Tiera crosses her arms, looking to Tasaren. "It's not suppose to be a grand
display."

Aphrael glances over to Kassima and Meli, then after a moment shrugs and
goes back to eyeing the knife board.

Meli nods at Kassi's words. Straightening and clearing her throat, she
faces and addresses Tiera, as the most senior crafter pointed out to her.
"Beggin' your pardon, but" she clears her throat "seems th'dragons feel
there might be someone here suitable t'stand for Herath's fine clutch at
Benden Weyr. May we have y'permission t'Search?"

Meli senses Kassima eyes the Herders again, then mutters, "Want me to ask
permission while you get 'em lined up, or vice-versa? Sooner we get this
done, the sooner we can get gone. I *don't* think Craftmaster Leara's going
to appreciate this."

Tasaren wonders at the sounds coming from the other side of the door, but
refuses to get up and look. He turns to Tiera. "That's not what it sounded
like when that green rose here in spring..."

Damarie looks around, wondering who it is. "That's what all this noise is
about?" She covers her mouth at the disrespectful tone. "Oops, sorry."

Tasaren looks surprised. "Search?" he mumbles under his breath. Are they
going to take another friend of his away like they did for Ista?

Tiera raises her eyebrows, frowning a bit at Tasaren before addressing
Meli. "I know how Leara gets about dragons, but yes."

Mordyn gasps softly at Meli's words.

Kassima chuckles wryly. "Neither of the greens are rising," she assures the
Herders. "Of that, I think you can rest assured. If we've your permission,
'twould be vastly appreciated if those of you 'tween ages thirteen and
twenty-three, unwed, and below Journeyrank could step outside and form a
line? Dragons seem to find folks better if things're orderly."

Tasaren nods at the rider's words and slowly stands. "I guess I fit those
categories... You too, Mordyn."

Damarie shrugs, glances around at the others. She shoves herself out of the
chair and goes to stand at the door.

Meli relaxes a trifle, now that the request has been made and Kassi seems
to have things under control. "Silly green..." she seems to be muttering
over and over.

Mordyn nods and stands. "Aye, I do."

Tiera chuckles lightly. "COme on. Up to your feet and outside." She stuffs
her hands into her pockets.

Meli leaves the lounge through the door to the Landing Field.

Damarie leaves the lounge through the door to the Landing Field.

Tiera leaves the lounge through the door to the Landing Field.

Tasaren moves carefully towards the door, not knowing what to expect on the
other side. He steps through almost reluctantly.

Tasaren leaves the lounge through the door to the Landing Field.

Aphrael ambles out after the others, in no particular hurry.

Kassima follows the various folks out, thumbs hooked into her belt.
"Coming, Aph?" she calls over her shoulder.

Aphrael leaves the lounge through the door to the Landing Field.

You blink as you emerge from the lounge.

Mordyn blinks as he emerges from the lounge.

Damarie eyes the dragons warily, after all that noise.

Juliath continues to back away from the door at Meli's request, her eyes
awhirl, a continuing low rumble coming from her throat.

Mordyn slips into line with his fellow apprentices/

Tiera stands off at a good distance, just here to watch and report who gets
Searched.

Tasaren stands next to Mordyn, watching the dragons closely and, he'd never
admit it, but a little afraid.

Aphrael stops short, taking a few more steps over towards Prefeth. He peers
over curiously but doesn't appear all the excited as the two greens do.

Damarie moves next to Tas and Mordyn, wondering which of them it'll be.

Lysseth backs up farther from the door as people come out of it, tail
flicking back and forth restlessly. "Calm down, lump," Kassi soothes as her
hand reaches up to rub the green chin. "Nay like you've nay done or seen
this a'fore, eh?"

Meli crosses her arms over her chest, waiting til the line is straight.
"Ok, luv, go to work..." Juliath cranes her neck forward towards the small
cluster of people.

Meli pages to Aphrael and Kassima: Aph, are you going to have Pref check
any of them, or shall Lys and Jul do it?

Tasaren tries to keep from backing away from that big green head as it
comes closer.

Damarie can't help but grin up at the dragons. This is definitly an
experience she's never had.

Mordyn starts to grin happily as the green dragons looks along the line.

Juliath stops just short of Mordyn's face, her great glowing eyes a
near-hypnotic whirl before him, her breath hot.

Tasaren takes a quick glance at the other two and can't help but start to
grin with them. It's not like he's never been near a dragon before...

Mordyn pulls his head back a touch as he peers into the great whirling eyes.

Tiera sits under a tree some way from the snuffling.

Tasaren looks over at the green's head next to him, trying to keep the grin
on his face as he watches her sniff Mordyn.

Juliath pauses a moment longer, craning forward further as Mordyn pulls
back. After a seemingly long while, however, she whuffs lightly and moves on.

Lysseth raises her head and spreads her wings to their full extension,
before folding them about her once again with a whoosh-sound of air. Eyes
whirling brightly, she lowers her head to inspect the lads and lasses. The
wedge-shaped head turns to its side to regard Damarie closely for a moment,
but Lyss doesn't seem to find quite what she's looking for. A faint rumble
emits from the green throat, neither apologetic nor angry; merely
noncommital. The tip of her tail twitches back and forth in the grasses as
she passes along the line.

Damarie snickers, glad such close scrutiny isn't centered on /her/.

Mordyn breaths a sigh (relief?)

Damarie looks into the dragon's eye, and shrugs when she moves on.

Tiera chuckles with great amusement.

Damarie slants a look at Tas. "Guess who's left...?"

Mordyn grins to Damarie then at Tasaren. "I wonder?"

Juliath shifts slightly, with a rumble-thumping of heavy feet. Lowering her
head again, she hangs it above Tasaren, slightly cocked to the side. She
*whuffs* as she settles in for a good look.

Tasaren looks over at Mordyn with the barest of true smiles, starting to
recover his nerves. He hears the others and goes wide-eyed, then
practically jumps out of his skin as the dragon whuffs right in front of him.

Mordyn grinshis support to Tas.

Damarie bites her lip to keep from laughing out loud at the look at Tas' face.

Tasaren's hands and knees are shaking at the intense scrutiny of the
dragon. He looks back at the big head and manages just the barest hint of
of smile again.

Juliath whuffs again, experimentally, then shifts her feet to move down the
line. Suddenly, however, with a *snap* she unfolds her wings to their full
extension, rising up and giving a mighty bellow across the grounds.

Tiera covers her ears. "Ayup, she found what she was looking for..."

Mordyn cringes as covers his ears.

Damarie winces a bit as the sound reverberates in her eardrums. "Ouchie!"

Tasaren winces and takes a quick step away from the dragon and her bellow,
staring at her.

Lysseth pauses several more times, craning her head to interesting angles
to regard each member of the line-up objectively. Finally, her rumbling
takes on a hint of pleasure as she stops and curls her tail around the
ankles of a rather scrawny young lad. "Well met," Kassi says to her
dragon's choice with a broad grin. "Your name?" As it's supplied, she
chuckles and informs him, "Then Farosti, lad, 'tis you that I must ask
first--Lyss seems to think you're something special--" A wince, "Even if
she's *nay* as noisy about it as Juliath...."

Meli winces as well, shaking her head. Stepping forward quickly, almost as
if in a strange sort of mirror dance with Tasaren, she grins and says
clearly "Well, lad, seems Jul here finds y'suitable... will y'Stand for
Herath's clutch?"

Mordyn grins widely and gives Tasaren a clap on the back as he moves away.

Lysseth bugles with surprise as Juliath's wing thwacks her soundly on the
tail end, and Kassi cringes. "Okay, I was wrong," she admits sheepishly.
"She *is* loud. Anyway, Farosti--what say you, would you care to Stand for
the clutch of Benden's golden Herath?" The affirmative, though stuttered,
is understandable enough to cause Kassima's grin to widen even farther.

Damarie whoops congratulations, not near as loud as the dragon though, and
steps back.

Tasaren sighs slowly, rubbing his ears as he watches the other boy get
Searched. At least it's no one he knew really well... The words of the
rider slowly penetrate his brain and he turns to stare at her. "M-m-me?
O-of course I'll stand..."

Mordyn chuckles and shouts out his congratulations to Tasaren and Farosti.

Tiera smiles broadly. "Good going, Tas."

Meli chuckles lightly, her eyes shining. "Ah, brings back mem'ries, it
does." Glancing about, she finds Tiera with her eyes. "Seein' as how Master
Leara's not about, d'we have y'permission t'take him?"

Tasaren grins at all the congrats he gets from the others. "Thanks Tiera,
Mordyn, Damarie. I never thought..." He trails off, finally realizing what
just happened.

Damarie whispers to Mordyn. "It's not as if he /needs/ permission - the
dragon looks about to carry him off anyway!"

Meli almost, but not quite, adds "Take him, /an'/ a chicken..." At least,
not so's anyone could hear her over the general commotion.

Kassima heys! over to Meli. "Whose Candidate are you calling a chicken? 
Oh, you meant... never mind."

Mordyn giggles to Damarie. "Looks like it."

Tiera looks at Tasaren. "Sure, but make sure he gets to Benden in one
piece." She winks to Meli with an aimable smile.

Tasaren chuckles softly at the riders' bantering, wondering what he just
got himself into. Too bad Jerry's not here to see this...

Juliath continues to whuffle in Tasaren's direction, as Meli quirks a grin
at Tiera's words. "Well, then... uh, Tasaren?" she guesses, from the varied
comments of his friends, "go an' get y'things an' we'll be off."

Damarie shakes her head, grinning almost as if wide as if it was her.
"Can't /wait/ to tell everyone about this - especially the look on your
face Tas!" She calls over at him.

Mordyn grins to Tasaren. "The Hall is going to be abuzz."

Tasaren nods and practically bolts for the Hall and his cot.

Tasaren goes west, entering the lounge.

Tasaren blinks as he emerges from the lounge.

Mordyn chuckles. "Quick."

Tiera chuckles and shakes her head. "Watch Tasaren wake up any male
apprentices that are asleep."

Benden Weyr> Kassima wafflesnugs the knot. Night, all; must bamf. :)

Aphrael leans back against Prefeth's side, muttering something under her
breath about chickens in general.

[Editor's Note:  And since I had to poof, the log ends here. :) ]