Alymath's Aureate Aerie
Aureate as any glowing gold, the ancient cavern of a weyr is covered in a 'mural' of such friovolity no proddy dragon could claim. The furniture seems to echo the glaring colors painted on the walls: a large, rickety bed, dominated by an orchid-purple flouncy comforter and a proliferation of garishly-hued pillows; an ornate but damaged pair of chairs done in burgundy velvet and skybroom wood with a matching ornamental table; and lastly Alymath's tapestry covered couch.
You see Gather Leathers and Donis here.

Alymath senses Yshanth brushes gentle rainfall, the smooth and easy breeze of a summer afternoon: << Are you and your rider busy, Alymath? Mine would speak to you if you are not. >> to her.

Alymath thinks to you, << I bespoke Yshanth with: Alymath rolls in a few coiling tendrils of once-incensce smoke as she tethers the connection, an exhaled puff of something cloying (and illegal in most states) carrying her message. << She is... asleep. >> A heavy sigh follows, laced with silvery wind chimes as she temporarily puts Yshanth on hold. << Alright... she may be grumpy, but at least she's /awake/. >> to her. >>

You go to the Alymath's Ledge.

Alymath's Ledge
An older ledge, this one, and smaller. The fit is tight for the bigger bronzes, and don't even /think/ of trying to squeeze a queen on here. Size seems to be no object for this weyr's occupant, but a good view of the bowl sure is; one can see any action unfolding below, the ground not far away at all. Smooth-worn stone is gouged deep with claw marks, telling the Turns of a ledge now occupied by some of the weyr's youngest.
Seated right above the living caverns, the ledge is subjected to the delicious smells of food wafting in at all times of the day.
It is a summer sunrise.

Alymath comes home.

Using a twiggy forelimb, you manage to get yourself up onto Alymath's silver-brushed neck.

Alymath [Alymath's Ledge]
The materialistic sparkle of vibrant emerald adorns the finely tapered muzzle to the point of saturation, before pouring in diluted jade against the understated arch and subtle crescendo of her neck. Like moonlight filtered through viridian, spaded leaves, silver's tapped touch airbrushes the arpeggio of sharp 'ridges, an ethereal breath across otherwise earthly, moss-touched spine. A roseate blush spreads faintly across lanky torso, a would-be gaudy pink acting as filler in places where jade fails to perform. Haze's vaporous movements end in scintillating mica rays which variate wildly over open-angled, sleek haunches. A coda of green, frosted with champagne's golden rush, twirls into a loopy tail and ends with a flash fanfare of verdant sage.
Ripe melon red are Alymath's straps, fuscia dominating with a vengance over magentas and berries. Thousands of tiny stitches, each one blooming a trace of rose, march around the leathers that encircle Alymath's last ridges with sturdy industry embodied by their seamstress.
Alymath seems to be listening.

Above the Bowl
The ocean's tranquil thermals settle within the center section of the bowl's airspace, unusually smooth and bouyant -- though oft to switch as the seasons shift. Lingering beneath spires' constant presence, the perpetual activity of the weyr can be observed from every direction: from the testing rustle of dragonet wings, to the playful games sent aloft.
It is a summer sunrise.

The lake beckons, chalky but inviting nonetheless.

Above the Lake
A panorama unfolds beneath: the bowl beaten flat as it curves out from the lake's chalky waters, dusky earth 'neath the endless stretch of sky above before the Weyr's spindles break the view. Milky blue-green waters swirl below, tempering the 'lizard filled air with gentle thermals that flow and eddy through the Walls' many cracks and crevices. Scattered ledges mark the nearby rocks, endless layers of Weyrs tucked into the wall as it sweeps right up to the Star Stones high above.
It is a summer sunrise.

The warm glow of Yshanth's weyr beckons - and you twirl closer before finally landing on her ledge.

Stairway to Heaven
The view from the stone ledge is magnificent - granite's greyness is lost in favor of the sweeping panorama of High Reaches. The primary feature, however, is the lake - even the water-touched striations in the rock beneath you seems to angle towards the striking greeny-blue mass of water. Other ledges pierce the smoothness - to the right, to the left, above, and below, other 'riders and their lifemates have carved out spaces for themselves. Several are glow-touched, radiating with the warmth and light of a home - and some are dark, for their occupants are out and about, living. Plants adorn the entryway to the weyr; potted climbers creep their verdant way up the mountain's grey'd wall, and simple bloom-cuttings rest in unadorned vases pushed off to the side for safety's sake.
It is a summer sunrise.
Inside the weyr, you see Yshanth.
Flittering about are Kuroda, Languedoc, Carini, and Khama.
Tai is here.

Down you go! Just mind the sharp dragon-elbow, there.

Alymath senses Yshanth's laughter rolls like thunder, the warm scent of grass and rain tempering the otherwise heaviness of the sound. << Well, wake her up and bring her here. >> to her.

Alymath thinks to you, << I bespoke Yshanth with: Alymath recceeds back into a smug pinkness, her husky voice lending a light-hearted warning: << I /said/ she was grumpy... >> to her. >>

Tai and Yshanth are perched in various positions on the ledge, the former sitting crosslegged with her back against the rock of the weyr and the latter coiled with her tailtip brushing her nose. "Lis!" wingleader calls, lifting one hand towards the groggy rider. "I wanted to talk to you, dear."

Lis is indeed grumpy, leathers half on and hair still showing signs of bed-head. "Oh, Tai..." One hand rests under Donis' baby butt, hastilly plopped into his carrier against his mother's chest as she aims vaguely in Tai's direction. "You... did? About what?" In other words, what'd she do now?

Tai wags a hand, smiling sweetly. "Sit. Relax. Do you want me to take Donis or something? You look sort of frazzled. If I'd known you were asleep..." Never mind that Yshanth tried to tell her.

Alymath strolls alongside her rider, managing to keep long limbs under control in a loping sort of gait. "Oh, would you take him? I can barely keep my eyes open," Lis sighs, interrupted midway by a yawn. On cue, Alymath plops suddenly to the ground, forepaws cupped against her chest to provide an odd sort of chair that her rider gratefully drops into.

Tai extends her arms with a teasing little smile, cooing at the baby to ease the transfer. "What a useful dragon you've got," she observes, bending forward faintly to gurgle comfortingly at Donis. She draws out the suspense well, doesn't she?

"Nnnf." Lis isn't at a level of consciousness that would fully appreciate the suspense, arms draped around one of Alymath's talons each in almost the manner of an evil villan, were it not for her spineless slumping. "She's useful /some/ times. Usually she's just causing trouble." Which elicits a snort of protest from the green in question.

Tai smiles good naturedly, rocking the child slowly back and forth. "So I did want to talk to you this morning, and I'm sorry I woke you, but it is rather important." Pause. Suspense. C'mon, Tai just wnats to be in control.

Lis shakes her head groggily, flapping a hand dismissively at Tai's concern. "Aw, no. I would've had to get up soon anyway, thanks to little early riser there. He likes to toddle across the rug and tug on my ear to wake me up." There's a nose wrinkle of vague disgust as she tells her wingleader more about her private life than she probably wants to know, finishing, "So, Alymath waking me up was much more pleasant."

"I'm glad to hear it," Tai says, settling back against the wall. "So, I've been operating without wingseconds since I took T'sin's place," she tells Lis, sighing faintly. "And while we're doing fine, I'd rather not do it anymore."

"Quite right," Lis agrees, slapping a fist against one limp palm. "You should find some nice, responsible and efficent people to help you out. Not that you're inefficient, of course, but wingleadering without any 'seconds is just..." Suddenly, it dawns that she's having a one-sided conversation - while missing the point at the same time. "Oh. Sorry."

Tai tries not to laugh and fails, snorting a bit under her breath and arching an eyebrow at Donis. "Anyway. Although you might not be what's considered nice, responsible, or efficient, I'd rather enjoy it if you'd wingsecond for us."

The circuts in Lis' brain promptly overload, and she slumps into a catatonic state for a brief moment before dropping her jaw. "/Wingsecond/? Me?" Then again, she survived as wingleader in weyrlinghood... "I'm..." She breaks off that tangent, not sure what the right ending to that was, settling on a more-coherent: "Sure."

Tai beams, waggling her fingers to distract Donis from tugging at her sleeves. "Good. If you're a bit too busy with Donis, I understand, of course, but when you feel ready I'd really like you to take on the job."

At least he's still leaving Tai's hair alone, though the reddish, bobbing curls are enticing to little baby fingers. "Oh, no, I'm not too busy. I think I can handle it - Donis'll just be spending more time with the nannies," Lis explains, becoming more alert by the nanosecond.

"As long as that's okay," Tai coos to the little boy, grinning faintly. "I'm really glad. You might be a goof, but I think you'll be a good wingsecond." Beam.

"A /goof/?" It takes all the reservation Lis has - not to mention a strong mental reigning-in courtesy of Alymath to keep the greenrider from launching into a longer, more vociferous protest. "Thanks. I think."

Tai grins, one eybrow lifted. "Oh, c'mon, Lis, we hung Areiah's /underwear/ from the Star Stones."

Lis has also had other exploits with underwear, including her own. "Oh, we did. Was that my idea? Off the record?" wonders the greenrider musingly, though she gives Tai a hard stare on the last question. Just between conspirators, you know.

Tai laughs. "I don't remember. I only remember that it was probably the most ridiculous thing I've ever done. I figure we can always hang our wingriders' underwear from their ledges or something."

"Oooh..." Lis' eyes light up with a mischief not lost to her Standing months, gears no doubt working away in her head to manufacture some kind of plan involving brightly colored underthings in prominent places. "Of course."

"Even though that's corruption," the greenrider adds solemnly, lightly nudging Donis' hand away from her feminine parts. Hehh. [Tai]

Donis is just getting an early start with women. Really. "Corruption? Oh." Lis looks decidedly crestfallen, pushing the plan out of her mind - for the time being, that is.

Tai laughs, shaking her head. "I mean, if we used our leadering charms to make it happen. Womanly charms is a different issue." Ooh.

A low rumble of approval comes from Lis' large, green seat at the mention of womanly charms, and her rider nods sagely. "A different issue indeed. But - still, that's a lot of effort for just a few pairs of underwear." Or is Lis on a different tangent then Tai?

Probably. Lis is a sexpot. Tai is... not. Heh. "Well, possibly. I wasn't thinking of doing /that/." Is that a flush on her face? Noooooo.

"Well how /else/ do you get their underthings?" demands Lis, face falling a bit as she amends, "Besides going through the laundry baskets in the caverns. I dunno, they're both a lot of work." Though one has potential benefits.

Tai shakes her head, laughing a little bit. "And one can end you up with--" Oh, never mind /that/ part. "You want something to eat?"

"Oh sure; haven't had breakfast yet." Lis is quite happy to steer the topic onto safer, more prosaic talk about breakfast. "And one /won't/, if you're careful." Which she wasn't.

And Tai w- oh, never mind. "I have food in my weyr or we could hop down to the caverns. You're the tired one with the kid, so."

And so ends the log...