Northern Bowl
Seasonal winds lash up against the wall of the bowl, whipping the already hard-packed dirt into tiny dervishes of dust and debris: grit catches in the narrow clefts that crack upwards, branching out around ornate arch of the Council chambers to the north and higher about Weyrleaders' ledges and Riders' more distant niches and nooks. Westward, the junior queens' weyrs slant to the bowl floor, while to the northwest, wind roars through the tunnels that lead into the Hatching Sands. Off to the east lie the equally well-tended Weyrling grounds.
"Keris!" This time the name is whined plaintively by greenling Lis as she runs after her dragon. "Keris, you've got to help me. Alymath's been insisting she's just got to /look/ at you. And this time she's being /especially peevish!" As opposed to regularly peevish. Lis' face softens into a pleading, begging one as her eyes turn towards Keris. Help?
Keris spins around on one heel as someone yells his name. "Lis!" Joy is soon overtaken by slight worry. "Erm, look at me? Why?" he asks suspiciously, peering at the green dragon. It's too big for his taste, really... Saphir is big enough for him!
Lis can only give Keris a shrug in response before her eyes unfocus in that odd way rider eyes tend to when their dragon makes a comment. "Oh. Dear. Well, um, Keris, thanks for helping, and we'll be going, right Alymath?" The green dragon has different plans, it seems; her ever-lengthening tail curls itself around Lis from toes to waist. /Stay/. Good Rider.
Keris smirks - what else can he do? "Uhm, /why/ does she want to look at me?" he inquires, hoping it isn't some looking-out-food-thing. "I mean, she only eats herdbeasts, right?" One can always hope.
Lis steels herself with a little shiver against the mass of dragonhide holding her prisoner. "She, Alymath, wanted to make sure /you/ were the man she kept seeing when she asked about... um..." Lis doesn't want to say too much where she can't conveniently run and hide. Alymath just rustles her wings smugly - she's getting what she wants.
Keris sends the greenling an expectant look. "When she asked about...?" he prods, eyes darting between green dragon and her captivated rider. "Erm, not food, I hope?"
"Something," Lis answers through gritted teeth, "she /oughtn't/ be /worried/ about for a /few/ more /months/ yet..." Rolling her eyes, the greenling adds: "And no, it's most definately /not/ food." If she could cross her arms, she would, but in lieu of that she just glares up at her overly smug lifemate.
Keris takes a few steps closer to the greenling-pair, carefully watching the dragon to make sure there're no teeth showing or anything. "Erm, and what's that?" he ponders sincerely, his knowledge of dragon-cycles being close to non-existant. They eat. And flame. That's all he knows.
They ask awkward questions, too. At least, Alymath does. "The whole thing she's gone and called 'clutching'. She's been asking if I've ever clutched, and I keep saying no, and..." Lis' cheeks start to flame as she continues. "Then you come to mind, and she wants to know what you've got to do with clutching."
Ohhh, what a lovely shade of red Keris' cheeks seem to take on them. The StarCrafter smirks, seemingly embarrassed, and uses the tip of his boot to make /really/ interesting patterns in the dust. "Erm, oh," comes the mumbled answer to that. "Clutching, huh? You mean, she knows that when she rises and someone catches her, than you and..." Uh oh, touchy subject? At least he shuts up all of a sudden.
Lis' head nods. It's the only part of her that moves freely, currently. "Uh-huh. So, what are we going to tell her?" she asks, peering thoughtfully up at Keris. Note the 'we' in that question. "/Trust/ me, unless she gets an answer, she'll do something worse. Like ask other dragons!" The green in question just lets out soft burbling noise, something shared between her and Lis, which makes the rider groan. Not good, nope.
Keris giggles nervously. He noticed that 'we'. "Erm, we? Well, uhm, first of all I can't hear what she's saying so you'll have to tell me," he points out, glancing at the dragon. "And, err, I don't know. Maybe we could, uhm, I mean, we could say that, eh..." At a loss for words, are we? "Maybe we should tell her that... well, isn't she satisfied with knowing that you never.. clutched?" he groans, trying to escape the easy way.
"Well, she just said that she only wants the answer to her question, and she'll get it how she likes," Lis relays to the crafter. An ominous warning if ever there was one. "I tried telling her I've never clutched, and that worked until you showed up, and she wanted to know who you were..." Her head drops, again, in a sigh. "And then, she starting asking about clutching again."
Keris smirks ruefully. "So, until I showed up she was satisfied, eh?" he sighs, tilting his head backwards to give the green dragon a stare. "Hmm, don't s'pose she'd be satisfied if you told her I'll leave again in a few days anyway?"
After a bit of pleading and wiggling, Lis finally gets an arm free, all to point at Keris. "Correction, there. She didn't /know/ you before. If you leave, she'll still know you..." Until that draconic memory fails, that is. The tail around her torso starts to twitch ever so slightly, a sure sign on antsiness - at least to the rider. "I think we'd better decide this quickly, hmm?"
Keris grimaces. "Err, I guess," he sighs, then tilts his head, getting that too-familiar mischevious twinkle in his eyes. "Well, if she's so interested in clutching, maybe we just ought to show her how it's done?" he suggests gravely, taking a step forward while reaching an arm towards Lis, as if he seriously considered doing just so.
Lis bats at Keris' arm as she recoils back into that safe - or at least Keris-free - tail of Alymath's. "No!" she squeaks hurriedly. "First of all, we're outside. Second of all, do you have any idea what those kind of /emotions/ would do to her? Not to mention me?" Her eyes are all innocence and honesty as she huddles in a bundle of green hide.
Keris giggles delightedly - he just loves seeing girls squirm, oh yeah. "No, I've no idea," he says, as truth is, "that's why I wanted to try it." Ok, so maybe he doesn't give a hooch about the dragon, at least regarding /that/ subject, but hey. "Hmm, what /would/ it do to her?" he asks then, narrowing his eyes. "I thought it was mostly.. err, the other way around?"
Lis hunkers down even farther into the dragonhide. At least she got a straight answer... "It's actually a reciprocal kind of thing... So, I can't subject her to anything that would, erm, damage her. And anyway, everyone knows that mating flights are intense anyway," she states with an arrogant tone. Duh...
Keris chuckles lightly. "Hmm, remind me to be around when she takes off then?" he says teasingly - well, ok, semi-teasingly. "When wil she do that anyway?" he asks, out of curiosity of course.
"Rather you than some of those other riders," Lis teases with a wink, confident as long as she's got a large dragon on her side. "Hmm... It's been nearly seven months, hasn't it? So-oo, maybe in half a year? More, I'd think..." Her shrug shows her less-than-sure knowledge. "No one really /knows/."
Keris nods, and smiles. "Well I'd need to know at least one day in advance," he frowns, "otherwise I wouldn't be able to make it." Oh wait, he's not actually /considering/ this, is he? Hmm, could be, judging from that thoughtful expression on his face.
Lis rolls her eyes, her head shaking dissapprovingly as she starts to emerge from the dragon-imposed cocoon. "Sure, sure, and you'll beat off all the riders trying to get at me? Not to mention the one who /catches/?" Lis can admit that much, at least. "It'd be funny to watch, that's for sure." Pah. She scoffs at the idea.
Keris tilts his head. "But what if the one who catches has a female rider?" he asks, innocently of course. "Wouldn't you prefer me then?"
"There's... other riders. Other male riders who's dragons don't necessarily catch. I'm not /stuck/ with you," the greenrider explains haughtily. "'Sides, I know a few people who'd love to stand in. Cute, male, riders." Lis just has to add the bit about them being cute.
Keris isn't taken aback that easily, oh no. "Aww, Lis. You mean you've done with others what you'n'me've done?" he asks, pouting slightly. Alright, so maybe they haven't clutched, but still, he's something special, right? Right?
Lis manages to get the last of Alymath's tail off of her form, the dragon herself soaking up the last rays languidly. "Of course not," Lis snorts in Keris' direction. "Not lately, anyway. Candidates and weyrlings can't do anything like that, you know." He'd better know; she's told him time and time again.
Keris smiles impishly. "Too bad, since I'm finally up here, hmm?" he asks, flashing her a smile. "But well, I'm sure Adar needs my help another time. Soon, maybe," he smirks, peering at the green dragon. Oh well, she doesn't seem to glow right now...
"You..." Lis hasn't found the right adjective for him yet, but she will. She will. "Oh, you. You're horrible, don't you know? Serves you right if I picked some other rider when Alymath flies." Arms - now free - cross over her chest as her face takes on its usual smirk.
Keris chuckles. "As far as I understand, you don't have much to say?" he points out. "Why knows, maybe if I'm there, next to you... and remember, my mind'll be clear since I don't have a dragon in flight," he smirks, winking. Ohh, sounds good, doesn't it? "And well, if another woman's dragon catches, I might happen to be closer to her, hmm?"
Lis shakes her head as Keris, still beaming arrogantly. "Depends on the dragon, depends on the rider, depends on the flight." Lots of variables, there. "And personally, I don't give a wherry wing whether you end up with me or not." That said, Lis leans against Alymath's elbow with a defiant pose in the casual lean.
Keris arches an eyebrow. "You don't? Then what're you complaining about?" he smirks, trying to find a comfortable position while standing in front of a huuuuge green dragon. "Hmm, she satisfied then?" he asks doubtfully, peering upwards.
Lis arches and eyebrow right back at Keris. "I never complained." And Alymath? "Well, if she's been listening to our conversation at all, she most certainly is." Just a bit of deviousness taints her smirk now, pride showing through as well. "I think we did well."
Keris chuckles lightly. "I'm glad she is," he nods, taking a few steps backwards since Lis won't.. err, demonstrate with him anyway. "Hmm, so, you think a blue'll catch her?" he asks curiously, "I mean, I heard that blues often catch greens?"
"Well, blues are generally quicker and more agile than the larger colors..." Lis'll admit that much, but she doesn't usually give Keris a straight answer, and she's not about to start now. "But Alymath's almost blue-sized, so she'll probably have more stamina than other greens." Another nonchanlant shrug bobs her shoulders. "You never know..."
Keris nods thoughtfully. "Hmm, Quara rides blue, doesn't she?" he asks then, looking completely innocent of course. "Imagine if her blue caught your green." A sly wink is given. "I'd give anything to be in the middle of /that/!"
Lis sighs despondently, - "I bet you would!" - leaning against Alymath with even more support from the great beast. "Of course, F'reud rides blue too. And that man's been pining for me since /last/ Candidacy. Not to mention that Sigmunth's a fair-sized blue..." She'll make him jealous, somehow.
Ah, but it isn't that easy a task. "Oh, yes, F'reud. Nice guy. Told me a lot about you, too," StarCrafter nods, face grave. "Of course, I /am/ under the impression that he has a hidden desire for... well, what to call it... men?" Hee, the sweet torture. "Of course, one way to hide it would be to obviously 'long' for a specific girl..." And who died and made him a mindhealer?
Rita wanders in from across the bowl.
Rita wonders in idly, flashing a grin at both Keris and Lis, "Heya, Lis! Heya, Keris! When are you goin' back to Gar?" She asks.
"You," Lis begins with a pointed finger at Keris. Watch out, she may have something here... "/You/ are just plain evil!" There we go. She huffs loudly, sliding down her lifemate's oiled hide to sit on the ground. Keris got the poor greenling all wound up. Rita only gets a glare, as even Alymath starts to wake again.
Rita raises an eyebrow, UhOh. "Lis? Are you okay? What's wrong?" Her eyes widen as she rushes over, "What's happening?" She bites her lip bitterly.
Keris bites back a grin, waving at Rita. "Oh, I don't know yet," he answers to her question, then turns to Lis. "Oh c'mon Lis, it's not my fault that he, well," StarCrafter tries to say say in a subtle way, but can't, "likes that... and hey, I could be wrong. Just got the impresion when he leered at me, that's all." Of course, he could just have had a sandcorn in the eye, but well, interpret it as you will...
Rita peers, what's goin' on here? She slips away quietly and stands abck to watch.
"Well," Lis begins in a huffy sort of tone, "there are people who, well, aren't just one way or the other." Nice way to put it. Rita gets a glance, but since Lis is using up a good bit of her mental capacity arguing with Keris, that's all Rita gets. "'Sides, I guess just about /everyone/ finds you attractive." That's Keris; Pern's perfect little Adonis.
Rita raises an eyebrow again, Oh, Dear. Should she interupt, Naw. She slides down to sit on the cold floor of the bowl and watch the weyrling and StarCrafter arguing together.
Keris snickers, which may be dangerous since Lis looks like she could punch him any moment. "They do, do they?" he asks, looking very pondering. "Hmm... and well, I guess he could overwin his natural urges in a mating flight," he continues, tilting his head as he beams a smile at Lis. She wouldn't hit him when he looks so cute. Would she?
Lis curls up into a little ball of sulking greenling, arms wrapped around knees that are slowly brought to her chest. "Oh, sure they do, sure. And F'reud's business is none of yours," the girl states, even if her mouth is burried in her knees. Sulk.
Keris regards the sulking 'ling for a moment. Aww, who can resist her?? Certainly not this StarCrafter, who is now advancing her. "Aww, Lis, I'm sure he's as charmed by you as everyone else," comes the would-be reassuring remark.
Rita purses her lips together and peers at Lis, she /really/ wants to know what's going on, "Uhhh, Keris? Lis? WHat's going on?" She asks, against her better judgement and cringes slightly after saying it, just hoping Lis doesn't attack her.
"Humph." That's all Lis has to say on the matter Keris brings up. Her head peeks up just for a moment to look at Rita - and blatantly ignore Keris. "I was trying to have a conversation with /him/, but he's always so difficult." Ask an annoyed weyrling, and ye shall recieve and annoyed answer.
Keris giggles in sheer delight. Oh, he just loves being difficult, yup! "I'm just telling Lis that her admirers might not be as many as she thinks," he smirks, winking at Rita. Ooh, she's gonna hit him soon, he can just feel it! So a few steps are taken away from the greeling - and her dragon! Never know what Lis might do. Like, ask Alymath to 'tickle' him a little...
Alymath decides to nudge her way into the conversation, first whuffling her upset darling rider before leveling her gaze with Keris' by an odd craning of her neck. While Lis sulks in a ball, the green's muzzle gets closer and closer to the journeyman's face. Youuu...
Rita wrinkles her brow and states flatly, "I see. Isn't that a little dangerous?" She asks and cocks her head at him, flicking a strand of loose hair out of her face, "I'm not sure Lis likes it." She shoots a wary look at the weyrling.
Keris leans back in the same speed as Alymath approaches his face. "Ehh, Lis?" he asks, just a tinge nervous. Afterall, Lis just assured him that the dragon wouldn't eat him, didn't she? "Eh, dangerous?" he asks Rita, smirking despite of the large, green head just in front of his. "I hope not..."
Rita shrugs, "It's your head, if you feel like getting it eaten that's not my affair." She replys cooly and again flicking away her hair, walks over to squat by Lis, "You 'kay, Lis?"
"Oh, I'm just fine and dandy," comes Lis' reply somewhere in the middle of that blue and black girl-shaped lump. Alymath, meanwhile, stares right into the brash human's eyes. Frighten my rider, will you? The dragon just sits there and glares as her rider sulks, both eerily silent.
Rita's eyebrows shoot up at Lis's reply, Yeah, Right. But she lets it pass, "if you say so, Lis." She shrugs and wanders over to sit cross-legged on the cold floor of the bowl.
Keris tilts his head at the dragon. "Hmm, you wouldn't do that, would you?" he asks, trying a smile. He hasn't yet tried to charm a dragon, but it ought to be easier charming a green than any other color... right?
Rita snorts softly at Keris. Real smart. Flirting with dragons. Now, /that's/ something new. She sighs impaitiently and fiffles with the hem of her tunic, watching Lis sulking and Keris trying to charm the dragon. Wow. Never thought I'd see that.
fiffles/fiddles
Lis' head just barely appears, chin perched on her knees. Keris, charming her dragon? This she's got to see... Alymath still stares at the human form before her, a casual sniff given to take in the scent, and - Oh. Niiice... Her jade-garnished head slowly coils back to her rider, eyes now whirling lovingly down at the lifemate. "Alymath says you smell wonderful."
Keris grins at that. Wow, it worked... "Uhm, she does?" he asks, giggling slightly. "Hmm, guess that's one more female to find me irresistable then, hmm?" he adds teasingly, sending lis a wink. Hey, she said everyone liked him...
Rita smirks, just smirks. "Right." She mutters, "Are we done with dragon-flirting and weyrling-sulking now?" She asks innocently and glances at the two.
"Oh, I wouldn't go so far as irresistable." Arguing with Keris is enough to drag anyone out of their sulk, even Lis. "Just nice-smelling. Being attractive isn't the same thing as being irresistable, you know." The girl turns to Rita with a slight affirmative nod. She is, if Keris behaves himself.
Keris chuckles lightly. "But it's just as good," he states, slowly meandering towards Lis now that Alymath's head isn't blocking his way. "So, Rita, how are you doing?" Yep, going on to next female object...
Rita nods, "I see. That's good then." She turns to Keris, "When did you say you were leaving? Peri hasn't gaven me an answer yet." She grins and tilts her head up at him, "Fine. You?"
Keris shrugs. "Dunno. Might be tonight though," he tells, "all depends on when there'll be a rider available for a ride."
"F'reud's available." The comment comes from the weyrling pair, blonde rider doing her best to look as innocent as humanly possible. Alymath's got the whole innocent thing down already.
Rita bites her tongue, "Scary, it's already almost 7:00, Listen, I'm gonna go ask Mom quick, Listen, don't go anywhere you guys.
Rita meanders south 'neath spires' watchful spikes.
Rita wanders in from across the bowl.
Rita skips in, eyes twinkling, "Keris! Keris! She said yes! I get to go to Gar! Oh, Keris, should I pack now? Do ya' think? Huh? Huh?" She giggles excitedly and peers up at him earnestly.
Keris blinks at Rita. "Uh, she did?" he mutters, eyes darting to Lis for a second. "Hmm, yeah, you'd better. I might leave any minute," he explains.
Rita grins happily, "Hooray!" She cries and skips off again.
Rita meanders south 'neath spires' watchful spikes.
Rita wanders in from across the bowl.
Rita skips in, rucksack thrown over one shoulder, humming happily, she tops between Lis and Keris, grinning at them both.
Lis blinks a bit dazedly. "What, Keris. Leaving already?" A moment ago, she's sulking at him and now she misses him? "Have fun at Gar Rita. I know /I/ did!" Wink. "Need a ride? I can always get F'reud for you... Sigmunth never refuses Alymath..." Like rider, like dragon.
Keris chuckles at Lis. "Hey, easy now. I'm not leaving just yet... actually, one'f the Istan riders promised to come pick me up sometime. He owes me a favor..." Of course, he doesn't say which. Heh.
Rita grins at Lis, "So hurried to get rid of us, eh?" She asks, then turns to Keris, "I do live at the weyr but I've never been between before, what's it like?"
Keris chuckles at Rita. "Well, it's hard to explain. It's... nothing," he says, peering at Lis. She'd be better at explaining.
"Lucky for you then, hmm?" Lis asks of Keris, stretching languidly as she uncurls from her ball. "'M not hurried at all, just a little confused..." Now that's an understatement. "Actually, between's colder than the coldest cold, blacker than the blackest black, and one of the scariest things I know of..." Lis explains helpfully.
Rita shoots a dry look at Lis. Thanks. Just what I needed to know. But she grins against her will and plops on the floor as if to wait.