D'baji peeks along the sandy stretch of the beach, giving a shake of his head and a grin towards Nverath. "See? No one here," the man positively coos to his dragon, more than enjoying the audible talking that will sometimes take place between himself and his Companion. "An undisturbed walk. I doubt even Yuli and Miya will interrupt us," is added a bit chidingly. "So, what would you do?" The bronze gives a rumble in reply, stretching his wings so they might bask in the setting rays of Rukbat, D'baji more than obviously admiring his lifemate's wingspan, and the muscles in the bronze's chest. "You are a dragon after my own heart," rider admits, easing to a sitting position as Nverath settles himself on the volcanic sand.

Saria makes her way slowly up the beach, black sand squinching between her bare toes as she strides easily, her boots carried in one hand as she goes. As she moves closer to the figure seated on the beach next to a rather small bronze dragon (as bronzes go), she realizes why Quarith was beckoning her to come northward.

"Oh aye?" D'baji drawls towards his bronze Familiar, eyes stopping on several small clouds. He nods, pointing out to another pink-tinged cloud along the horizon. "Well, maybe that one's the meat scraps they're all after, eh?" A rather throaty laugh rings out from the human, accompanied by a swish of the tail from Nverath for the idea, who swivels his head slowly towards a particularly round cumulus and comments in that mellow rumble that is solely his. "You think? Didn't know dragons eyes could be pink like that... Maybe when they're angry and proddy, though? Like, instead of that red, y'know, when they're feeling a bit flirtatious, yes minorly annoyed?"

Saria cuts a rather indirect path toward the Weyrling pair, whom she now (unfortunately for them) recognizes all too well.  At the same time, Quarith lumbers out of the water, dripping buckets from her gilded form.  She shudders as she exits the surf, and then ambles closer to D'baji and Nverath, her graceful bulk slowly casting a shadow over what remained of the sunset light until those pink-tinged clouds are pretty well blocked from their view.  A low, disgruntled rumble emanates from her otherwise still frame - and it is not a pleasant sound at all.

D'baji gives another laugh, rolling to his side to rest his cheek against the golden-tinged toe of his lifemate, eyes closing for a moment. Nverath's head swivels Quarith's way as she approaches, the bronze not particularly noting the significance of the great gold being there, and satisfying a greeting for her through a low bob of his head, and a small rumble. "You can't honestly have found a cloud that looks like a Queen," D'baji snickers, putting a hand on the toe and leaning up to blink blearily. At which point his face blanches just a bit. "'Evening," he starts out slowly to the dragon, pushing himself back towards Nverath just a bit more.

Quarith, who isn't accustomed to being backed away from at all, extends her long, lithe neck down a little bit farther toward the pair in response.  Her hot breath chuffs down on the Weyrling pair.  Then, all of a sudden...           "D'baji!" ..a /very/ familiar voice from behind you rings out clearly in the gathering quiet of the Istan dusk. A very familiar, and /very/ displeased voice indeed.

D'baji straightens his shoulders as the golden head comes that much closer, doing his best not to wince at having been discovered. Nverath swivels his head around, craning it just a bit towards the Quarith when the interruption from behind comes. D'baji's head spins about, a curst starting on his lips, and smothered into a simple "Oh schmff" as he rather pointedly stuffs his forearm into his mouth, a makeshift gag for the time being, as he can't really trust willpower alone. Should've known whose lifemate this gold was on sight. Why hadn't Nverath told him? Limb is removed from between his teeth, a forced smile dawning on his face. "Good... Evening. Senior Weyrwoman Saria." 

"I think, bronze Weyrling D'baji, that that arm of yours would be better placed in a properly-executed salute than as a snack, if you'd recall."  Saria's tone is all icing sugar.

D'baji can't quite stifle a grin for the comment, scrambling to his feet, with one toe trailing beside Nverath's foot, as he performs one of those slower salutes reserved for those who actually know and care what to look for in salutes. "Forgive me, if you will. I was caught a bit unawares..."

Saria nods.  "Indeed, I'd imagine you were, given that you were caught in a particular location that is, if I am not mistaken... which, I recommend you remember, I *never* am... off limits to your Weyrling class. Is that not so?" There is little room for anything but the *right* answer, here.

"If you were ever mistaken, /Senior/ Weyrwoman Saria, I'm sure the whole social and political structure of the Weyr would collapse," D'baji agrees with an emphatic nod as his saluting arm is lowered to his side. "And possibly even the physical part of the Weyr as well. Yes, that would probably be why we weren't ready for you. But, in my defence, they only reason Nverath and I are here is because we're attending to each other's needs. As is, I believe you yourself said, the first priority?"

"You are treading on some shifting sands, there, D'baji, with remarks like those.  I will remind you to keep a civil tongue in your head when you are speaking to me, or I /will/ make the rest of your Weyrlinghood, and possibly the rest of your /life/ a misery and make no mistake about it. I don't take kindly to smart mouths like yours."  Saria pauses only briefly before continuing, "Your lifemate's needs, and your own, can and /WILL/ be attended to within the confines of the areas which are within your limits.  This beach is off limits.  The needs of you and your lifemate include food, water, a place to sleep, and in Nverath's case, oiling - and now that you've decided to break the rules yet again, I've decided that your needs include additional drills, separate from the other Weyrlings.  You will be put through your paces for an extra hour each day after the others have been excused, from now until I see fit to change those orders."  Her voice is clipped and if she was angry the other day in the barracks when she assigned the knot-tying, she is *furious* now.  A scary thing, indeed.  "Now.  YOu will *immediately* return to your and your lifemate's couch.  You will not speak to anyone but your Weyrlingmaster or Assistant Weyrlingmasters for the next three days, and everything you say to them will be addressed to them in a proper and RESPECTFUL tone."  She draws herself up to full height, and then tilts her head down a bit, looking over her nose at him. "You do *not* want to make me any angrier at you than I already am, D'baji."

D'baji bites his lip rather pointedly, providing a good way to keep from responding to her immediately, and desperately resisting the urge to chomp his arm again. He stands a bit taller, chest puffing out just a tad, and waits for her to finish her tirade, giving a curt nod at the end, and then tilting his head forward ever so slightly. "Though, with all due respect, of course, I would like to note that we have our reasons for being here," he adds in as proper a tone as he can muster, nodding to Nverath for the bronze to rise from his relaxed position on the sands. Or, once relaxed, though with recent events that word might be a bit pourly used.

"Your reasons for being here are immaterial and inexcusable, whatever they may be, D'baji.  This area is off limits, you broke the rules, and now you will pay.  I don't want to hear another word from you, except to your Weyrlingmasters or the Assistant Weyrlingmasters, for the next three days. I'll make sure that your fellow Weyrlings know why you're not speaking to them."
Saria points toward the path that leads back to the Weyr's bowl.  "Go.  Now. Not *one* more word, not one."

D'baji positively frowns at the woman, forcing his brow to unfurrow just enough so that he might not be glaring at her. That most likely won't help his case. Opening his mouth for a final comment, it's closed quickly along with her reminder of not speaking, and he turns smartly, pausing in wait for the bronze. Nverath, particularly confused by the whole ordeal, ducks his head to Quarith again, and then to Saria, giving a slight croon before taking up stride along D'baji, who doesn't hunch his shoulders until he's a few good paces down the beach, at which point he even adds a bit of a stomp in his walk.