The Dragonriders of Pern® is a trademark, Registered U.S. Patent & Trademark Office, of Anne McCaffrey. This is a recorded session, generated by Harper's Tale MOO on Friday, December 4^th 1998, for the benefit of members unable to attend. Logged by Pyrene.

A New Relation

 [A note about the setting: This was the night before Rhyath and Infernoth's clutch hatched (obviously only known OOCly), and as well as the candidates making dinner, the herders were at High Reaches on a herder trail. Also, I had arrived home from Italy for my Christmas holiday only the day before and hadn’t seen most of the people here for over a month. Towards the end, Pyrene leaves to RP elsewhere, while her lizards carry on with the main dinner. The log diverges at that point, providing a link if you want to skip the Pyrene RP which has nothing to do with the candidates.
    As the scene begins, Pyrene and Flarra are in the Living Cavern, teasing Conlan as he attempts to finish off his candidate robe. It should be self-evident who everybody is at this time, but just to list it here: Pyrene is a weyrbrat; Adianna, Areiah, Conlan, Jezabel, Niyanne, Risli, Tylendel and Zirade are candidates (plus assorted NPC's); Ethree, Kumiko, Nuff, Pita and S'phen are riders of assorted colours; Damista, Flarra and Kabes are visiting herders.]

Tylendel arrives from deeper in the Weyr.

Conlan turns his burnt brown eyes upon Pyrene once again. "/I/ never said that it was. /You/ were the one bothering me about not having it done quickly enough."

Pyrene is inconsistent. It's one of the charms of 14turn old girls. "Is your robe done yet?" she asks the latest arrival.

Niyanne arrives from deeper in the Weyr.

Tylendel smiles at the girl, "Ahh..not quite."  He smiles a little hesitantly then, "Sorry to interrupt, ladies, but mind if I borrow the candidates?  We're cooking dinner tonight, so..."

Conlan looks mournfully at his robe. "But I was working on this..."

Flarra chuckles softly as she catches Pyrene's question, "Trouble? Harlan? I don't know.. Haven't had him all that long, though I know he seems to dislike Taman a bit.. But it appears to be mutual so I don't worry about it too much.."

Pyrene sighs, men. "One second," Niya's a girl, she'll be ready right? "How about your robe?" If the dragons start humming now, she's going to be seeing quite a lot of male bodies, by the looks of things.

Oh, yes -- They were to cook tonight, weren't they? "We do have to cook, don't we.." Niyanne looks a little resigned, but a slight gleam does cross her eye. "My robe was finished a while ago.."

Tylendel tries to give him a stern look but end up chuckling, "Don't worry; we'll work on it after dinner." *really* He gestures towards the kitchens, "But we'd better get goin' on this right now, okay?"  Grinning, Tylendel adds, "Riders'll be getting hungry, and all that."

Conlan shrugs. "I'm not perfect like you, Niyanne." Apparently his black mood isn't reserved for Pyrene alone." He shoulders the robe and slouches off toward the kitchens behind the other candidates.

Pyrene beams triumphantly at Conlan. See? "Girls are just more organised." Just as well she isn't standing... "It must be a blue brown thing flarra. Like Ky, wal and Pol." If you can cope with these conversational about turns and ignore all the other happily coexisting blue and brown flits, Pyrene makes perfect sense.

Niyanne never claimed to be perfect. She's just a weaver. "I just learned how to sew fast.." A faint look of upset flickers across her eyes, but is dispelled quickly. "We should get going.. We have to feed them /all/?" It'll take a while.

Tylendel shakes his head at Pyrene and shrugs, "I don't know that I'd agree, /but/ we've got to be working.  Unless you wanted to help?"  But no, he's just teasing, as revealed by the light voice and sparkling eyes.  He nods at Niyanne, gestures to a few candidates in the back of the room, and turns towards the kitchens.

Oh, sure she does. Conlan doesn't even /look/ at Pyrene as he leaves the cavern. Not even a little tiny look out of the corner of his eyes. Grumbling as he goes, of course. "I sew fast too-- who do you think made all those stupid llamas? But I just can't finish this stupid thing."

Tylendel heads north into the redolent depths of the kitchens.

Pyrene calls helpfully after them. "Make cookies!"

Tierras comes out of the kitchens, the smell of fresh baking following just behind.

Niyanne heads north into the redolent depths of the kitchens.

Pyrene grins at Conlan. "I can make Llamas too." As he should know. "I hope you're quicker at cooking."

Conlan has the other candidates shoring him up. He can look quick, even if he is not. "Mm," he murmurs-- and slips into the kitchens.

Conlan heads north into the redolent depths of the kitchens.

Kynance heads north into the redolent depths of the kitchens.

Pyrene stretches and gives flarra a wry look. "Faranth knows what we'll end up eating. I hope they can cook." you can never be sure with candidates.

Flarra chuckles slightly and nods quietly, looking first to Pyrene and then to the two little blues happily conversing up on a perch.. Or at least her's is happily conversing.. Don't know about the other one, "Hmm.. I wonder what they're planning.." She says quietly, pointing up to the two little flitters, though her words could relate to both situations equally well..

Risli arrives from deeper in the Weyr.

Risli heads north into the redolent depths of the kitchens.

Taman suddenly swoops silently up and into *between*..

Pyrene isn't looking and sighs. "Herdbeast I hope. Or maybe wherry. Anyway, enough of candidates... Are you still at the hall?" She peers curiously at the knot. Poldhu snorts to Harlan, smalltalk, eh?

Ethree comes out of the kitchens, the smell of fresh baking following just behind.

Flarra grins and just shakes her head, absently reaching out to gently touch her knot and then looking back to her cousin, "The Hall? No.. I've been posted now.. I stay at Blacksands Hold.." She says quietly and puffing up slightly, almost in pride, "I stay there with my Mentor, Journeywoman Damista, best runner specialist in the Hall and now best in the Hold too.."

Pyrene sidles slightly behind flarra. Blueriders /and/ candidates in the kitchens? perhaps she should get dinner elsewhere. "Blacksands? I think I may have been there once. you should come here though." then you can see Pyrene all the time. Won't that be nice?

Ethree exchanges the protection of stone for the bowl outside.

Flarra chuckles slightly and nods, "Blacksands is a nice place, really it is.. You should come visit once in awhile. Right next to the Weyr and everything.." She says quietly and chuckles again, "Well I just might soon, I'm already Sr. Apprentice and everything.. Soon as I make Journeywoman I might just do that.."

Ethree stomps, making sure you hear her in from the Central Bowl.

Pyrene nods and remembers another herder friend, "Any idea how Kabes is doing these days?"

Kumiko walks in from the Central Bowl.

Flarra blinks and then flushes slightly at that name, "Hmm? Oh Kabes? I dunno.. He got posted too so I don't see him much anymore. In fact I haven't for a few sevendays, but I expect his Mentor is keeping him quite busy now.."

Kumiko wanders in, fingers pushing her jacket from her shoulders. "Hello," is caroled. Not cheerfully, not loudly. Just caroled. "How is everyone?"

Pyrene waves to the riders, admittedly Ethree's is less sincere than Kumiko's. "Fine thanks, except the candidates are cooking so it might be best to eat elsewhere." She grins at Flarra, "I haven't seen him in months. He's still a herder too? what rank?"

Kumiko pauses, at that. "You know... cooking up in my weyr is suddenly becoming a good idea." She begins to turn, heading for the way out. "Thanks for the warning."

Ethree grins and shakes her head. "Who left them in the kitchen alone? With fire?"

Flarra nods quietly, trying hard to hide her still lingering blush at the sudden mention of his name.. Nope. Nothing's going on with her.. Nothing at all.. "Yeah, he's an Apprentice posted at Grinstead with Master Myra.. He's there to help her recover from her injury and everything.."

Pyrene makes a face. "If you've got any leftovers, Kumiko..." they do have enough sense to not let the weyrbrats play with ovens. "What injury, Flarra?"

Harlan gives a sudden cheep in confusion, appearently just now noticing the little brown's disippearence.. Both of them in fact and appearently not noticing the other brown still in the room.. Good! Probably better that way, more attention goes to the blues.. Where it rightfully belongs..

Poldhu agrees heartily with a series of smug chitters.

S'phen quietly strides in from the Central Bowl.

Tylendel comes out of the kitchens, the smell of fresh baking following just behind.

Pyrene waves to s'phen and looks nervously at tylendel. The moment of truth has arrived...

S'phen strides in, looking around as he headed for the klah, wave is given pyrene kumiko, and the others he knows while he pours a mug of the hot liquid and heads for an empty seat, to sit, alone. "

Kumiko sees the line of candidates coming in, face plastering a smile on. Shards, didn't get away. Instead, she takes a seat, an empty table occupied.

Flarra looks up and waves to the sudden rush of people and then turning back to Pyrene, "Hmm? Oh? What injury? His Mentor broke her arm somehow.. Don't remember exact details but he went up there to help her out.."

Ethree squirms into a warm, creaking chair, legs curled under her. The approaching line is eyed dubiously. Their orginised. That can't be good.

Pita leaps recklessly about, a distinctive spring evident with each hop in from the Central Bowl.

Pyrene is already at the table and looking as if she rather wouldn't be. She pours redfruit juice for herself and Flarra-- they may well need it. Firelizards, being rarely fussy, converge.

Tylendel pokes his head out, glancing around at gathering riders and weyrfolks.  Stepping fully out of the kitchens, sure to shut door snugly behind him -- but not before the hint of a warm, sweet aroma permeates the air.  Clearing his throat, he announces, "Dinner will be served in moments, if you'll please gather 'round and take a seat."  With that, he grins unceremoniously and heads back to the kitchens, not answering comments and pulling the door shut again after him.

Tylendel heads north into the redolent depths of the kitchens.

Kumiko is worried. "I should've ran to my weyr. I can cook up there." But that means invading the kitchens, and there's candidates in there. Sigh.

Pita enters the caverns; her gait's subtle sway crossing through the entranceway, the bluerider's vision narrows upon those in the room. Suspicious and wary, one brow raises in a silent inquiry.

Kumiko murmurs, "Pita... run... candidates... cooking." She trusts herself, of course; she was cooking before she ever got searched. This batch, however... she's heard stories, as she begins to slouch in her chair.

Pyrene stares at the table, gloomily picturing what horrors are about to appear thereon. "Why didn't those wretched eggs hatch yesterday?" She asks nobody in particular.

Flarra blinks slightly and taking the poured redfruit juice with a small "Thank you.." peers over to watch the canidates.. Perhaps they know what that.. Umm.. Interesting smell is.. "Oh.. Its food.. Or at least I think its food.." Is whispered quietly, more to herself then anything else as she turns to give Pyrene at confused and questioning look.. Perhaps she arrived at a bad time?

Candidates. Cooking. Those words alone could strike fear in any reasonable dragonrider's soul -- but Pita is not reasonable and far from being fearful. "What are they cooking?" she inquires, her hunger apparently speaking.

"They cooked." Ethree states, an all-telling answer to Pita's silent inquiry. She swipes hair behind her shoulder with hand's backside, and lets a not-gonna-be-impressed expression steal over her features.

S'phen sits, drinking his klah and glancing about the cavern from time to time, hi, pyrene." bronrider finaly greets, slipping to a seatnear said girl, "how have you been? it's bee awhile."

Taman silently floats out from *between*

Flarra calls to Taman, who floats silently over and gently alights on her shoulder.

Jezabel arrives from deeper in the Weyr.

Pyrene squeezes Flarra's hand as much to gain courage as to give it. "It'll be OK," she says with little conviction. For once she's with Ethree. "Hi, s'phen. I was at home and I've sort of been busy since I got back." Avoiding this type of situation.

Jezabel heads north into the redolent depths of the kitchens.

Adianna arrives from deeper in the Weyr.

S'phen sips his klah and nods slowly, not entirely sure of what to reply, "evening, flara." he smiles, giving a half wave to the afor mentioned girl. "how are you?"

[The candidates troop out of the kitchen with their offerings]

Adianna shuffles in rubbing her eyes, she fell asleep in the store room....well those sacks of wool looked so comfy and she couldn't help it.  Is she late?  No doubt she is.

A rolling cart, familiar only to those in the know, rolls out, proudly pushed along by Risli.  He grins at the assemblage, and parks it near the featherfern centerpiece on the food table.  He grins, and moves to uncover the treasures within..

Pita collapses to the floor--a final mental caress sent towards her beloved lifemate Odeleth. She then drools. Yummy.

Pyrene swallows watching the candidates come out. Flarra and S'phen get slightly despairing looks. Kynance, coming out with the evening's cooks seems less concerned as he settles near her, but then he'll eat anything.

Second in the line of Candidates bearing food, Niyanne trots out of the kitchens with a container of rather brightly colored fingerroots filling her arms. Brilliant orange is sunk beneath strobes of neon lime, a few scarce flicks of a yellowed mauve and a single dart of raspberry. "Heyla.."

Kumiko watches, though she's about to slip under the table at this point, if her slouch continues. Flee, flee, she wants to flee. And get far, far away from cooking candidates. Well... maybe after she has a fingeroot. Or three.

Ethree leans forward, nose twitching, brows raised. Hrrm.

Flarra smiles slightly and turns as she hears her name mentioned, "Oh.. G'eve Brownrider.. S'phen is it?" She asks quietly, still slightly confused at all this.. Canaidates cooking and all.. Not to mention all the wonderous smells coming from down there.. "Been awhile.. How've you been?" She asks still quiet and unsure.. And hoping that he's not offended by her addressing him so casually, never sure how some will react to something like that..

The lids on the rolling cart are pushed back, revealing...cheese?  At least it looks like cheese, except cheese isn't supposed to be that green color.  Or smell like that, for that matter.  Risli chuckles, and pulls out a bottle of brandy, dumping its contents on the cheese with flair.  He pulls at an imaginary mustache, much like the oft-lauded Cook.

The housekeeper arrives to cart Pita off to bed.

S'phen watches the perade of candis nd there food. what was that old proverb, 'be 'bweare of candis baring gift before hatching?' no, that wasn't it, but S'phen was alway getting his quots mixed up, though it did fit though ocction, didn't it.

Areiah affects a very proud beam, shifting her glass dish and moving to follow Niyanne, setting it neatly upon the table beside the other already arranged dishes. The towel covering the still-warm handles and lid is lifted, revealing a combination of orange, amber, and crimson, mixed into the cheese and tuber casserole. Appetizing? Depends on how hungry you are.

Tylendel comes out of the kitchens, the smell of fresh baking following just behind.

Ethree makes a gurgling sound as the green cheese and brandy -thing appears. Now light it on fire!

Finishing the first bottle, Risli turns up a second bottle, getting brandy all over the cheese...and the tablecloth as well.  A third bottle soon joins the other two, and Risli finishes with a flair.  And now to light it...

And Conlan? Right behind Areiah he comes, taking the lid off his dish at just the right moment to reveal--- Well. It is brown. Deep brown. Dark brown. And, er, lumpy. Could be mashed tubers with some kind of strange gravy, could be some weird meatloaf, could be-- well, he hasn't been hanging around the Weyrling barracks, has he?

Kumiko sees that last dish, before straightening. That's it. She's out of here. Time to go, and quickly, as the rider, slowly pulls herself away from the table.

ohh, and there the candi S'phen was afraid he's see, areiah herself. 'um, i'm well," brownrider shifts his gaze to flara, keep him occupied with talking to other, that's it, and maybe Trebint will give up the idea. "how have you been?" oh wait, he already asked that, "and you family?" he adds, to change the question slight so as not to totaly repte himself.

A taper is produced, and the flame applied to the cheese and brandy.  WHUMPF!  Well, that's certainly no fireball like Cook ever produced.  The size and volume of the sudden blaze send the nearest candidates scurrying for cover, and the featherfern centerpiece is something folks will discuss for turns to come.  Risli poke his head up from behind the cart to peek at the blazing cheese.  "Um...it's ready."

Pyrene eyes candidates and food with equal suspicion. Some of them used to be her friends which means she knows all too well what they're capable of and candidates and fire are always a bad mix. As for Conlan, she wasn't intending to sample any of his food and certainly not now.

Rania comes out, blonde Salianne at her side as usual of late.  The two brandish a tray, held aloft somewhat unevenly between them.  On top, sliding slightly, it appears to be a mass of /raw/? wherry strips.  But...surely not... Still, there is a suspicously sticky red liquid dripping steadly from the tray.  Hmm, kinda' makes you wonder; doesn't it?

Flarra quietly watches the procession of canidates bearing food.. Or what she supposes is /supposed/ to be food, "Oh my.." Is muttered softly before turning quickly away and taking a sip of her redfruit juice.. Much better though she imagines her face is probably about as green as that cheese is now.. With all these interesting dishes coming out.. Perhaps she /did/ come at a bad time..

Ethree curls tighter, farther, smaller in her chair. Those entrees- Alive, on fire, sticky, and and they just keep coming. Hide her?

Pyrene catches sight of Ethree scrunching down in her seat. If she's scared.... Right now, Pyrene can almost bond with Ethree. She'd rather throw snowballs at Wiranth than partake of such garish and fearsome-- delicacies?

Caila is near the tail end of the Candidates, a rather cumbersome bowl of greeny-brown pudding -- A scent of klah almost rises in force from it. Behind her, or next to, is a shorter Candidate -- Enai -- who holds a bowl of a brilliantly red whipped topping. "Caila, Enai -- Set those on the table?" Niyanne continues trotting forward to settle her container on the table, shifting it about 'til aesthetic sense is satisfied. "Risli.. I think you over did it on the alcohol.."

Jezabel comes out of the kitchens, the smell of fresh baking following just behind.

Tylendel steps out, flourishing a large tray.  The contents?  About 20-odd circular pies, each looking quite delicious -- on the outside anyway.  An oddly familiar smell is added to the other scents invading the cavern.  Surely these are harmless, no?

Risli nods as he watches the merry blaze that is the cheese.  "Maybe I should have asked Cook the measure," he admits to Niyanne.  The cheese takes on a whole new smell and color that defies description.  "But it sure looked pretty, didn't it?"

From Kumiko's shoulder, Natsume chrrs -- fire!, fire! -- but doesn't move from relative safety. Kumiko, however, is slowly edging herself to the doorway.

about the onlything that looks even partly appitising is the tuber salid brought out by reiah, but even that S'phen thinks looks questionable. finishing his klah, S'phen could use a nice glass of wine about now, but he'll just remain seated, and watch, and look for another person to chat with to stay oocupied with so he doesn't have to think.

Areiah observes the gathering of people with a subtly amused expression, a broad, delighted smile on her lips. A wave for Pyrene - goodness, must make some time to catch up with her - and a quick look at S'phen. Smiling, blushing, and now looking back down at her dish. Proudly, too. The color doesn't seem to bother her.

Traipsing in, Jez twirls -- oy, she's regained a touch of that gracefulness that Jez's sometimes have -- slightly, tray in hand while beaming almost /wickedly/ at the pitchers held within, "Green Klah, coming right up!" she calls, tilting one pitcher to reveal the vicious liquid that slowly bubbles and froths, within. There's no disguising the smell, either, as Candidate plops it onto the table.

"I don't know, Risli. Sorta.. odd." Niyanne settles a spoon into her dish, whilst Caila does the same, and Enai -- Poor Enai -- gets stuck in the outsides, randomly muttering to herself. "Would anyone like some fingerroots?" Bright smile is tilted 'cross her face, and one of the steamed 'delicacies' is shown off upon the serving spoon.

Conlan proudly puts his dish on the table right next to Areiah's, reaching over to get a serving spoon: surely /hoardes/ of riders will want to sample this delicacy. He hisses over to Areiah: "What are they all /staring/ at? It's just Igen Weyr's special spicy mashed tubers." Around all that, he smiles, standing at the ready to serve whoever wants to eat anything that looks like ... /that/.

Pyrene doesn't want to be waved at. She's trying to remain inconspicuous. How come she can never get attention when she /wants/ it. She swallows again at the sight of Jezabel's green klah. And at one time she had /asked/ for Jezabel to be abducted and brought here.

Flarra just swallows quietly, already stuck at the table.. No chance of escape here.. She ventures a quick look once more at all the offered plates and then looks away again.. "Oh, such.. Umm.. Interesting aromas.." She says quietly, probably turning various shades of green at that moment.. Sure, she's /trying/ to be positive but really.. All those smells.. And then when you look at them, uhh.. She doesn't even want to start trying to think about what they resemble..

The cheese shows no sign of extinguishing, and is slowly being reduced to a cheese-dip looking stuff, with a cheery blue blaze topping it off.  Risli stands, a bit humbled by the mystery of the Flaming Cheese, and its elusiveness.  "Um...come and get it," he invites with a grin.  If he can get it put out, that is..

Rania makes a face, strangely at home on her tiny form, and lifts her arm higher to adjust for the supertall (to such a shorty, anyway) girl at her side.  Carefully hefting the tray over to a table, the two set it down, Rania blushing slightly at the rapidly spreading stain -- which she'll no doubt have to clean.  Then, she brushes her hands quickly together and steps back, looking at tray with satisfaction.  Salianne, meanwhile, stares blankly around the room before eyeing certain bits with obvious hunger, despite the appearance.

Looking aside and grinning at Conlan, Areiah murmurs, "I have no idea. It looks positively delicious." Of course it does. Delusional Candidate at three o'clock. Raising her voice a bit, the grin fades, being soon replaced by an amiable smile. "Anyone up for some tubers in cheese sauce?" she offers to the general crowd, searching out a serving spoon and holding it up.

"Maybe you could use of Jezabel's klah to put it out, Risli?" Niyanne casts a mournful look at the tables of food, and trots over towards Tylendel. "Can we eat some of it?" So the girl's hungry. Humph. "The tubers look good, and so do my fingerroots.. And the pudding."

Ethree sucks in her breath with the intention to hold it fo a good while. Eyes dart about the room, searching for someone to plead with. "Pretty, all very, pretty." Edible? That's another matter. She seeks to scilence the devine cheese flame with a pitcher of citrus juice. Up she stands, over she scurrys. Splash. Floom. Sizzle...

Pyrene says nothing, but Kynance politely chitters to the food servers. Poldhu is just fascinated by that flaming cheese.

Ramses blinks in from ::between::!

Tylendel follows the redhead-and-blonde pair to the table, setting his own tray down with a quiet thump, the edge of his tray scraping slightly against the girls' tray.  He grins at fellow candidates and nods, "Dinner is served.  Take whatever pleases you, and remember: looks can be deceiving." And this advice, perhaps, works both ways as he glances down at the pies lined up on his tray, each about 3 fingers' width in diameter.

Well that solves the cheese problem, and Risli is visibly relieved.  "Thank Faranth," he breathes, and produces a spatula.  "Grab some of that bread there, and try some," he offers the closest person.  "It tastes wonderful."

The housekeeper arrives to cart Jezabel off to bed.

Pyrene obligingly grabs the bread and takes a bite of it, "Yep, nice bread." The cheese is kept at a safe distance.

Kumiko steps into the shadows that lead back into the Weyr.

reia's blush is noticed, and S'phen looks away as he stood, walking over to the candidtes. he'd might as well be the brave one. finding himself in front of the one candi he wished to avoid, brownrider speaks quietly to Areiah, "i'll have a /small/ serving of your dish, candidate, if you will?"

Risli goes home.

Rania scampers over towards the boy with the lumpy mixture, sidling up close to brightly whisper, "Was that a pudding?"

Slowly, the realization seems to come over Conlan that no one is rushing forward to be served any of the yummy brown stuff in his bowl. He bites his lip. "Maybe they're not hungry?" he wonders as an aside to his fellow candidates.

Plate is grabbed, and Niyanne settles hefty scoops of just about everything on to it. "Cooking is hard," she observes almost philosophically, settling into a seat with a glass of unadulterated redfruit juice in front of her. "And hungry, thirsty work. A little worse then sewing." Serving? Let Caila or Enai do that -- That's the whole point of involving those two, isn't it?

Ethree plops back into her chair, empty pitcher goes clunk on the table. "I will try one of those pie-things though. What's in them?" She points to Tylendel and cocks a brow. Watch out, or she'll dump a pitcher of citron on your entree too!

Areiah blinks in surprise. A willing volunteer? She beams, as is the part she's playing, stirring the oddly colored tuber slices with her serving spoon before searching out a plate with her other hand and dishing a serving onto it. "Of course, S'phen. Enjoy." she says lightly, turning back to the browrider and holding out the plate. Giggling, then, she looks back at Conlan and shakes her head. "He seems hungry enough." And a nod is given to indicate her victim.

Pyrene overhears Conlan and nods eagerly, "Yep, I'm stuffed. Ate too many cookies you know." Just then her stomach gurgles loudly. Betrayed by her own body-- oh the humanity!

Tylendel grins at Ethree, inclining his head towards said pies, "These?" He's the picture of innocence, "Why, they're just your typical pies, Ethree." Looking perfectly puzzled, he asks, "What else would they be?"  Ever the polite server, he takes a knife and slices one in half, revealing soft, moist bits...dirt?  But, who would feed people dirt?  Still, the texture is filled with little lumps....

Kynance and Poldhu decide that Pyrene isn't going to do her job of feeding them and so shuffle over to Tylendel to examine those pies for themselves. Mudpies? They get fed those by the weyrbrats sometimes.

Tylendel points to the pie, filled with soft brown bits, and at last leans over to whisper in Ethree's ear, "Actually, shh.." He peers furtively across the room, "Don't tell, but...it's klah!"  His surrepticious gaze falls on the two firelizards who wing over becomes a bright grin.  It seems to ask, 'want some?'

"thank you, candidate. S'phen uses the girl's knot-title again, no matter how hard he wishes he could force himself to call her reia. turning to face conlan, he asks, "and how about a /small/ serving of your's, conlan?" od that he calls con by his name, not by knot-title? maybe.

Ethree chooses not to look to closely at the pie and its contents, a wave of the hand allows no delays. "Right, bring it on. Any other leftovers?" Bluerider eyes the canidates. "My plate's still got room." Now we wonder exactly what effects those flames-cheese fumes had on her.

Kynance trills hopefully at Tylendel, Pol is less reserved, hopping right up to the plate and sniffing at the pies. Wait a minute! That's not mud! He chitters crossly at Tylendel. Getting innocent lizards' hopes up like that!

Conlan smiles happily and dishes up a small serving of the special tubers, nice and dark brown and lumpy-- well, except they /smell/ like salty mashed potatoes with some difficult-to-place Igen spice mixed into them.

"Oh, Ethree, would you like to try some tubers in cheese sauce?" Areiah offers at the mention of a plate with room. She tilts the bowl forward, displaying reddish-orange tuber slices in a vibrant yellow sauce. Conventional food is for wimps!

Pyrene watches S'phen and Ethree prove her theory that all dragonriders are at least a little bit insane. She gives her plate a hopeless look and pushes it in the general direction of the candidates. "I'll have something." She may as well show somewhat willing.

Conlan takes a cue from Reiah and holds out his dish as well. "It's good, Ethree!"

Nuff trundles in from the Central Bowl.

Ethree nods, lips pursed. "Sure, yup, pile em' on." Her chair groans as she scoots back to allow breathing room. Nuff is sot a wild glance. Get out before they notice you!

Nuff missed dinner, she knows she did, she always does when Tiareth needs to be bathed, oiled, nutured, coddled, and paid attention to without the harrassment of children.  She moseys on in, looking freshly bathed hserself, with allt he tranquil serenity of a weyrwoman having spent the day with her indolent, somnolent dragon. "G'eve."

Pyrene is less of the "good evening" opinion. "Evening Nuff, don't worry there's still plenty left..." twisted grin is fixed firmly on her face now as she awaits the fate of her plate, out there on the table all alone and helpless against those candidates...

Flarra nods quietly and just swallows slightly, stomach growling as hunger too overtakes her, "Ok.. I'll eat something.." She says quickly, trying to keep from looking at the food she's sure will be placed in front of her soon and breathes through her mouth instead.. Better to not smell.. 

S'phen smiles warmly at con and reia, then returns to his seat and dares to atempt to eat the food. bite of reia's dish is taken first and brownrider isn't sure what to think, nor does he let in exspression show anything, purposfully looking anywhere but at the candidates, S'phen ate his food in silents.

Conlan smiles happily as he piles the um, stuff onto Ethree's plate. "Hi, Nuff!" he calls, waving happily. "You're just in time for dinner!"

Areiah smiles brightly at Ethree, dishing two scoops onto said rider's plate, tapping it lightly. "There you go! Enjoy!" Yes, she looks /very/ proud of that.. food. Grinning at Conlan, she turns back to the table, rolling her shoulders back slightly. "Can we eat?" she lowers her voice to ask him.

Ramses chirps happily and lands on flarras shoulder..

Conlan shrugs. "I hope so, if they'll ever come up and get served, that is."

Nuff follows her nose, heading for the food. "Oh?", she sniffs at the air, "Smells edible, anwyays. Any disasters in the kitchens we need know about?" She waves back to Conlan and then slips into a chair. "So I'm not late? Oh how handy."

Ethree eyes the mushy, sauce-laden entity on her plate, and taking a deep breath, stabs it with her fork. Stab, stab! Into the mouth. Long face twists into an expression of...somthing.

Conlan scans the cavern for empty plates. Oh, look, there's Pyrene. He hefts the big bowl of brown /stuff/ and obligingly serves her some. And that friend of hers too, Flarra. "There you go; enjoy. You shoudl have some of Areiah's, too."

Pyrene tentatively pulls her plate back and looks at it. The bread that she ventured to try earlier is threatening to come back up. She looks a little despairingly at Areiah and just nods. Can't get worse now.

S'phen just happens to be sitting across from pyrene and flara as he ate, "you alright?" brownrider asks in awhisper, leaning toard pyrene as last bite of his food is eaten.

Zirade arrives from deeper in the Weyr.

Nuff peers at Pyrene's plate with just as much caution, peeking at Ethree from under drowsly lashes. Her own plate stands clear and empty, and she lays her hand on it in hopes of keeping it that way. "So... how's it taste?" Asked of anyone daring enought to try it.

Areiah takes Pyrene's plate next, grinning just a bit, heaping a scoop of her concoction onto it. Now doesn't that look delicious? "Ever tried tuber and cheese casserole before?" she asks of her friend, tapping the serving spoon on the side of the main dish, cleaning it off. "This is special, though. Enjoy."

Tylendel goes home.

Flarra smiles faintly and takes the offered plate of brown /stuff/.. "Thank you.." Is whispered quietly as she tries hard to look at the stuff and not lose any of her previous meals in the process.. Well, it could be worse, but to actually eat that stuff? Hmmm..

Pyrene blinks at her now colourful plate and recklessly takes a stab. And feeds it to gaping flit maws. Reactions are carefully gauged.

Ramses exchanges the protection of stone for the bowl outside.

Kynance and Poldhu eat with every evidence of enjoyment. Of course they also do that with firestone. The more important fact is that they aren't keeling over and emboldened Pyrene takes a bite herself, redfruit juice at the ready. She blinks... and chews, nodding, "It's not me who doesn't like nuts, conlan." she reminds him. He couldn't have meant her to like it after all.

Flarra looks up quietly just now noticing the little blue and his sudden disappearence.. "Hmm.. I'll be right back Pyrene.. I need to go check something.." She says quietly, slowly pulling out her chair and standing before striding towards the Bowl.. Yes.. Let someone else deal with that /stuff/ while she goes out for a moment..

Flarra exchanges the protection of stone for the bowl outside.

Conlan, perhaps a wee bit overexcited about his culinary success, winks at Pyrene. "I remembered," he says, softly.

Ethree chews the chewy bits, wipes her lips of the juicy bits, and just gulps down all those bits that defy classification. "A very diffrent mixture, of very diffrent things. Yes."

The scent of mothballs waft in as Zirade stumbles in, trailing after Adianna. Flutter of blue material draps one of her shoulders, dangling to almost fall off, feet mix matchedly patterning their steps on the floor. " Wha do I smell?"

Adianna yawns from her seat near the hearth and rubs her eyes again and isn't going to even try to digest any of that she even stiffs the klah warily. *yawn*  boy she does need to wake up.

"was good, con." S'phen venures alowed for all to hear, "different, but yes, good." S'phen will save his coment to reia till later, if at all.

Kynance promptly attacks flarra's plate since she seems not to want it. Poldhu looks hopefully to Pyrene for more, before joining the young brown. Pyrene looks rather suspiciously at Conlan before sampling Areiah's dish. "'Reiah! You can cook!" Learn something new everyday.

Blushing slightly at Pyrene's 'compliment', Areiah just smiles, nodding. "Believe it or not. You like it?" she asks, perhaps a bit hopefully, eagerly. "Anyone else?" May as well get it served while people are praising it.

Nuff eyes Areiah, the dinner, and her emptyy plate. "Okay. I'll try anything, once."

Zirade groggily squints, snorting up the phlegm caught in her throat, " Adi? I think we've been attacked by my bratlings; something seems to be wrong with the food." She gathers a silver fork in her hand, poking the dizzily spinning food as if it's a creature to be scientifically something done to.

Areiah positively beams, hefting a scoop of the tuber-cheese casserole onto Nuff's plate, nodding her head slightly. "Enjoy!" the young Candidate says lightly, the beam directed squarely at Nuff before she straightens back up, turning back to the table. "Wow. Y'know, this has actually been a fairly good Turnday after all." is murmured to Conlan. She'll talk between serving until she's able to get a plate of her own, see. Easier to combat boredom that way.

Pyrene gets carried away and tries both Conlan's mash and Areiah's tubers at once. OK, that definitely doesn't do anything for her and redfruit juice is (for the first time since she started eating) used to clear /that/ taste. She tugs at Conlan's sleeve for more of that brown stuff. Her appetite is back with a vengeance. She's just got to not /look/ too hard at the food.

Adianna pokes at .... somethng with a finger...."Maybe we should count' ourselves lucky we slept through it." she giggles then blushes looking at Riah.

Nuff's plate is glopped, and the weyrwoman stares at it with a skeptic sort of grin.  She pokes at it with the very tip of her spoon, and then sticks a finger into it as if she could taste it through the end of her hands. "Hrm? Turnday? Whose got a turnday?" She blinks at Conlan, trying to see if perhpas he might look older.

Conlan blinks, and turns to Pyrene with the bowl of tuber stuff. "Here you go," he says, dishing out some more. "Anybody else want some of this?"

Flarra walks with a quiet grace in from the Central Bowl.

Kabes walks in from the Central Bowl.

Ethree pushes herself to an upright position, 'food'-laden plate still in hand. "You know what? I think Wiranth would enjoy some of this. I'm just going to let him finish mine off on my way out..." That's it, tourture the dragon and blame it on the candys. "Erm, Thank you canidates!" Woosh, Vroom, Gone is The Eth.

"sure, con. i'll take another go at it." S'phen grinned, "and another serving of the other candidate's as well." he refured to reia as his eyes shift to endcater her. "if you will?"

Ethree exchanges the protection of stone for the bowl outside.

Pyrene takes a bite and helpfully mumbles to nuff "I had a turnday recently, but the eggs didn't hatch on it so I lost my bet." Yes, she's bitter about such things. Kynance and Poldhu look rather guiltily at flarra from the remains of her meal.

" Actually, " begins Zirade in a voice unmeasurably sharp for one who just woke of from a nap, her life being saturated with them these days. The food is shifted a bit around her plate as she takes a bit - this being the poo-pattie stew - and stuffs it in her mouth. Chewing, for a moment, she smiles; perhaps the sleepiness left her immune to taste. " This tastes pretty good. It's different. Like Nyara's cooking. Very - something. I can't think of the word."

Adianna giggles and offers, "Scarey?" to Zirade.

Flarra quietly enters the living caverns and then gingerly approaches her recently vacated seat but soon moves away, turning a slight shade of green once more as she notices her flit ransacked plate.. "Umm.. I guess I'm not hungry afterall.."

Kabes walks into the caverns following Flarra. He squints lightly at the brightness and glances around at the somewhat familiar face stopping on the one that is the most recognised. "Pyrene" Kabes eyes grow at her sight along with his smile as he walks over to her. "Hi. How have you been."

Conlan obligingly seves more to the brownrider, too. "Anybody else?" Sure, it looks like (well, nevermind), but apparently it tastes pretty good!

Zirade shakes her head, conversation bubbling in her throat as she peers towards the occupants of the tables. " Pyrene?" she gasps, and oogles in delight. " What a marvelous surprise! So, how've you been keeping the kids for me?" She notes the others with a sly smile, nodding towards Adianna. " Kind of. More like, close your eyes and eat, or, like, something."

Yes, yes, it's /Conlan's/ Turnday. Areiah gives him a brief, pleading look, tugging on his tunic sleeve gently before turning, stirring her creation again. Kabes - oh, a familiar face and a distraction all in one! "Have you eaten yet?" she asks suddenly, an empty plate now in her once-free hand. "We've got plenty, I'm sure." S'phen's plate is next as she waits for an answer, another scoop of her 'special' casserole scooped onto it.

Pyrene grins delightedly at Kabes and swallows her mouthful a little too hastily. Choking, she manages to express with vague gestures that she's fine and pleased to see him.

Conlan blinks, remembering Chapter two of the Male Adolescent's Guide to Life: How to Completely Miss Female Signals. He smiles blandly at Areiah. "Want some tubers?"

S'phen set to the task of eating the seond round of food now on his plate, sparing reia a warm smile as she dishes up her portion, "thankyou, candidates."

Flarra shakes her head slightly and backs away again, "Umm.. I think I'm going to go now.. You can eat now Kabes.." She says quietly and then turns to Pyrene, "I think I'm going to get some fresh air or something.."

Pyrene drinks some redfruit juice hastily and waves to Zirade, "Kids... are... fine." So's the food. Really, ignore her choking.

Kabes glances quickly at Areiah and smiles politely not knowing how she knew his name. "Are you Ok?" He chuckles lightly at Pyrenes coughing "Its been a long time since I seen you, dont cut it short by choking" A wry smile cross's his face as he hears Flarra and  turns to face her "Flarra?"

Two more apprentices appear with a three tiered cake that looks like its listing too far to the right and the icing, just plopping down in gobs.  On top are 18 candles all ablaze and sendin up white puffs of waxy smoke.  on the face of each tear are dripping sof icing colored in blue green and yellow the words "Hoopy Thurnday Riah"    well it used to say Happy Turnday but it got all smooshed somehow.  The candidates don't look like they can hold on to it for much longer...actually one has to push the third tier back into place leaving a hand print in the frosting.

Zirade notices Arieah's popular; smile hidden slyly as she grins to herself. Eyes alight, she cocks her head to the side, watching Areiahs' expression hopefully.

Pyrene blinks and hiccups. It's one up from choking anyway. Torn between cake and cousin, she looks from one to the other, finally settling on Flarra, "Are you-- hic!-- OK?"

Kabes walks over to Flarra and place shis hand on her back "I will join you" his eyes shift back to Pyrene and give her a *come join us* nod with his head "YOu dont look so good" he heads towards the door following Flaraa.

the candidate's turnday. nice, just what S'phen needed tonight and the rider didn't even bring a gift. S'phen just sat there, watching the cake, nd the shifting his gaze to reia to watch her reaction. Trebinth would /love/ this.

Nuff goes home.

Pyrene gets up from her chair, still hiccupping and quickly scurries over to Areiah. "Happy Turnday! Save some cake for me!" A quick hug, a furtive swipe of some frosting and she hurries after Kabes and Flarra.

Adianna goes over to smother Riah with a hug too, "Happy Turnday!"

[Flarra, Kabes and I make our way to the barn. My flits, on the other hand, stayed for dessert. For simplicity's sake, their view of the rest of the dinner (which is more generally entertaining) is at the end. You can skip to it here or keep reading to see what happened to Pyrene.]

Barn
Nestled against the weyr bowl, protected on side and rear by the towering stone cliffs, the smallish structure of the barn sits comfortingly overshadowing both stables and pens. The low ceiling houses a hayloft above, stairs leading up to small quarters for the weyr-herders, as well as the stacked haypiles. Boxstalls, few in number but adequate, house the variety of weyr animals, a few herdbeasts lowing from the farthest stall, a runner's head whickering out from a stall on the left. A tack room and grain room at the dimly-lit rear, the wide aisle lighting up gradually as it tapers to the large double doors of barn red, of course, opening to the sands of the beach shore and pens. Windows alight the entire right side of the building, as if making up for the windowless left side.
To the east, you see one person.
Warmly cozened above the stall doors perch are Tawno, Corn Flakes, and Hungry.
You see Canvas Tent, Herder Sales Booth, Herdercraft Corral, Runner's For Sale Corral, Runner Bean Bag Toss, Dunking Booth, Sleigh, Jordan, and Sunfire here.
You notice Taida and Kirai asleep here.
Damista and Flarra are here.
Obvious exits:
Stables     Feeding Pens

Kabes glances around the stables and notices Damista "Journeywoman" He nods happily at her sight, his hand still pattinf Flarra lightly on the back "How are you?"

Flarra quietly peers into the barn apparently looking for someone and there! She practically runs up to her Mentor once she spots her, so excited is she, "Mentor! There you are.. I have someone I'd like you to meet.." She says quietly, nevermind her own sudden appearence or anything..

Pyrene looks rather bemused, "What's going on? Is something happening?"

Damista looks at Kabes and smiles.  She walks up to him even as she says, "Kabes, I am well.  When are you coming to Blacksands for another visit?"  She then hears Flarra and smiles at the girl with her.  "And who is this?"  She asks with a smile on her face.  One would never know that she was a temper horror just yesterday.

Kabes grins happily and glances back at Flarra "I hope to be visiting Blacksands soon" He watches as Damistas attention is turned towards Pyrene and smiles.

Flarra blinks slightly at her Mentor's reaction to Kabes but that doesn't throw her off too much, "Journeywoman Damista.. I'd like you to meet my cousin.. Pyrene." She says quietly, turning to gesture to the girl to step closer, "Pyrene, this is my Mothe- Err.. My Mentor, Journeywoman Damista.."

Pyrene nods quietly to damista, with a worried look at Flarra, "Nice to meet you." Some of those manners Zirade was teaching her did stick after all, "Are you here with the runner trail?" And what is up with flarra? Kabes too, for that matter.

Damista smiles broadly and nods, "Indeed I am.  I am selling runners and trying to educate people about them."  She flashes a smile to Kabes and nods.  She heard him alright.  She just files the information away.

Pyrene nods absently to Damista and tugs at Flarra's sleeve, "Are you OK? Why've we come out here?" she half whispers, manners, as per usual, forgotten once more.

Kabes grins happily at the introduction and leans up against the nearest pole. his hand reaches up and strokes his content little blue "Trying to seel runners? Any luck"  he glances towards damista and smiles

Flarra nods quietly and turns to Pyrene again, "I'm doing much better, the fresh air helped and I wanted to introduce you to.. My Mentor.." She says quietly, carefully choosing her words before sending a brief glance to her Mentor.. Not quite sure if she should tell her dear little cousin yet.. About their relation..

Damista chuckles and opens her mark bag.  There are plenty of marks inside indicating very good sales.  "I have been getting by."  She smiles.

Pyrene smiles although, truth to tell, she's not much the wiser. "It's nice to meet her..uh you. I've heard so much about you from flarra." Some of it was even good.

Damista nods.  Some of it?  Maybe what little time there are between tempers when she happens to be in a good mood and awake.  Just doesn't happen often.  "Well that's good.  I hope we get along together.  Families are never strong if they don't."

Flarra nods quietly and gives Pyrene a small glance out of the corner of her eye.. Some of it? She thought all she had told her dear little cousin was good.. In fact she doesn't remember saying anything bad at all about her Mentor.. Though there was that one time when Pol watched.. Perhaps he sent some images of something.. She just continues to watch the two, looking towards her Mentor as if expecting her to explain.. She could probably explain better then Flarra ever could..

Pyrene starts looking somewhat wild-eyed. Such attention is rarely good in her experience.

Kabes grins at Flarra and then back to Pyrene "So how have both of you been?" Excitement boils in his stomach for the girls, but for each girl it is for a different reason.

Pyrene sinks down onto a handy perch, "Fine... is that your lizard there?" she asks, motioning with one hand.

Kabes smiles to his little blue on his shoulder "Yes.. He is my companion." A rand is raised and placed gently on the crooning blues head "His name is Ramses"

Pyrene manages a grin and a wink, "Maybe next time you'll be luckier and get a brown." Wal and Pol are absent, she can say that in safety.

Flarra blinks slightly and looks down momentarily and then back up at Kabes, "I've been ok.. How about you?" She asks softly, though its pretty obvious things have been less then ok back at the Hold.. At least some things.. She's coping.. 

From Flarra's shoulder, Taman gives a small cheep of agreement, Yup.. Browns are good! Blues are.. Ok.. He turns small brown head to regard the girl, silent once more and eyes whirling various different shades of blues and greens as he looks at her.. Yup.. He likes this girl..

Pyrene reaches out and squeezes Flarra's arm. "Are you sure you're OK?" she asks tentatively, looking at Kabes for added reassurance.

Kabes chuckles lightly thinking of his brothers brown devil "Naw I love my little blue." blue eyes sparkle with Flarras voice and turn to take anouther look at her "I have  been great Lo....... Flarra" he glances at Pyrene hoping she missed that and then he focusses back at Flarra wondering if something is bothering her.

From Kabes's shoulder, Ramses chirps in dissagreement.. Blues rule!

Pyrene seems to be missing a lot of things. She's still completely confused. Ramses chirp needs no explanation though and she grins at the little flit, raising one hand to stroke his eyeridges in apology.

Flarra shakes her head again and then smiles, "Don't worry you two, I'm fine.." She says quietly, tone of voice lifting slightly as she trys to stay positive.. Yup! She'll be alright.. Just has a bit to think about lately, but she's relaxing now so she can think about stuff like that later.. Should enjoy her time with her cousin as much as she can, while she can.. She turns to give Kabes a brief glance, eyes also sparkling slightly.. Though Pyrene may have missed his slip.. She sure didn't.. *grin*

Kabes nods happily at Flarra and smiles again at her reaction to his slip "You just seem so.." He catches himself and decides to change the subject "Nevermind..  So Pyrene how has my other favorite blue been?"

Harlan flutters noisily down and out of *between* before circling and looking for a good place to anchor himself before yet another sudden gust blows him up and away..

Flarra calls to Harlan, who flutters noisily over and pounces, grabbing onto her shoulder for dear life.

Pyrene frowns worriedly. and she thought she was having problems at home. She smiles hopefully at Flarra, wondering just what has been happening.

Pyrene blinks up at Kabes, "Who Pol? or wal?" She concentrates, getting rather sticky images from her busy friends.

Kabes considers the question and furrows his brow "Pol of course.. But how is wal also..." A large grin cross's his face as  he remembers the good ole EASY times back at the HRW. "Been a while since I have seen either of them" He casts a glance at Flarra and  thanks the fact that he did go to the hall..

Pyrene grins idly, "Well Ky and Pol stayed at the party and I think Wal must have found it as well. I'm getting lots of cake images." which means lizards on a sugar rush and no sleep. Sigh.

Kabes grins "Well Ramses really does not spend much time away from me unless he is with Flarra. he craves allot of attention but only from people who he knows well" a obvious smile is cast to Flarra again "he is kind of a scardy cat when it comes to people who he does not know.."

Pyrene reaches out a hand to the blue, "Well Ramses, it's nice to meet you. I hope you'll come visit me sometime." she has no food but there are still some drops of the mash on her hands. Pol and Ky seemed to like it.

Flarra blushes slightly but tries hard to hide it and chuckles, "Yes.. I'd say Ramses spends quite a bit of time 'round me.. So he must know me well by now.." She says with another small chuckle and then turning to Pyrene, "How's Wal been? I still have yet to see him.. Only seen Pol and Ky since I arrived.."

Pyrene quirks a smile, "He's guarding seats for the weyrbrats. We're all going to cheer Zirade on, and Shaela and the others and we want to make sure we have good seats."

From Kabes's shoulder, Ramses pokes his head up and chitters happily in Flarras direction. My favorite girl

Kabes chuckles at his rude little blue "He will get to know you I feel.. I will have him send you a few messages so he has some one on one contact" his attention sways to Flarra again. "Yeah he really does like you.. Images always are in my mind of you from him."

Pyrene grins, "Flarra has a way with blues. Remember when Pol and Wal adopted you?" She's feeling more relaxed now. firelizards are always something she can relate to.

Damista gives a crooked grin, "Queenie seems to think that everyone who is my family is her pet."  Queenie also tends to think of herself as a small gold.  Silly girl that she is.

Flarra chuckles and blushes slightly, "Blues like me? Well.. I don't know but Pol and Wal did hang around me alot for that one time and then Ramses.. Now I have a little blue of my own.." She adds, reaching a hand up to gently stroke the dozing blue on her shoulder and then turning back to her Mentor, "Oh.. Mentor.. Your back.." She says quietly, though tone somewhat confused.. Had she left? She doesn't remember..

Kabes goes home.

Pyrene ohs to Damista, "Do you have a large family then?" Small talk she's not so good at.

Damista chuckles and looks at Flarra, "Not really.  I have Flarra and I have Rhom.  My sister and I don't talk anymore."  She won't say why.  Her temper has caused a lot of distances.

Pyrene looks in confusion at Damista, "Flarra? As your mentee?"

Damista chuckles and shakes her head, "Flarra is my daughter as well as my mentee."  Everyone at the hall knows it.  To Dami it is common knowledge.

Pyrene blinks, reels and jumps all at once. "What?? Flarra?" Did she hear correctly? What.../how/?

Flarra just shakes her head and takes a seat on a nearby bale of hay to watch.. She won't say anything right now, her Mentor is far better at explaining stuff like this.. Far better then she could be but she gives a small nod to Pyrene anyway.. She is a Mentee and a daughter at the same time, "She's right 'Rene.. My Mother now /and/ my Mentor.." 

Pyrene bites her lip, half smiling and still completely lost, "But how?"

Damista smiles and takes a seat, "I adopted Flarra a while ago now.  I looked at her as a daughter for so long that I wanted to make it official."  She shrugs.  Many times, she thought of Flarra as a runner.

Pyrene breaks into a full grin and hugs Flarra in delight. She then rather shyly approaches Damista, "I'm so glad-- Flarra needed a mother. I... know how much she envied me my family." which she has always taken for granted.

Flarra looks up quietly, blinking in confusion.. See? Even she is confused a bit.. "Just how long before you adopted me was that? When you thought of me as your daughter?" She asks quietly, though waiting to see if Pyrene has anything else to ask or say first.. She's very curious about that part.. Hmm.. Though she seems to recall her Mentor saying something like 'taking her under her wing' when she was first Mentored.. Perhaps it was that long ago? Nah.. Probably not.. But either way she's happy..

Damista tilts her head as she considers Flarra's question.  "Not sure when.  I know it was when we were working in the stalls with the runners."

Flarra blinks again and looks towards Pyrene, almost blushing in embarrassment.. She didn't envy anyone or their family.. At least not that she could recall, and who said she /needed/ anybody? She took care of herself almost all of her life.. Though truthfully her life had been quite empty till she had been taken in and everything.. And until she had found a few relatives like her dear little cousin here.. *grin*

Pyrene grins squeezing, Flarra's hand again. she's a little dazed and it's late, but she's so unbelievably happy.

Damista chuckles and goes to Flarra and hugs her.  She knows that she needs her.  She smiles as she yawns.

Flarra smiles and hugs them both back, one after the other.. Don't know where she would be without either of them, each special to her in they're own way.. Flarra looks up again and then glances between the two of them curiously, "So.. If you're my Mother and you're my Cousin.. Wouldn't that make you Neice and Aunt? Or something like that?"

Damista chuckles and nods, "Yep."

Pyrene grins, "or another cousin. Hard to tell, I always get confused with these distant cousins. Aunt's better though. If you don't mind?" She turns again, nervously, to Damista.

Damista chjuckles, "Being you aunt will be fine. I don't think cousin will fit us."

Pyrene nods, "Aunt... Damista then." A dazed smile has plastered itself across her face, "And you have nothing against weyrs either?"

Flarra suddenly yawns too, hand reaching up just a little too late to hide it, "Hmm.. It is late now.. I hope there's a dragonrider who'll be able to take me back tonight.. I'm supposed to be back at Blacksands.." She says with a small sigh, torn between needing to go back and staying here for the night with her Mother and Cousin... She gives a small chuckle, "I think Aunt fits better.. I mean if you don't mind taking her in too.. Mother.."

Damista shakes her head, "Why would I?  I just rather be on a runner then a dragon." She chuckles and says to Flarra, "May as well stay for a bit.  Those eggs are ready to pop anytime now.  And of course I don't mind."

Pyrene blinks sleepily, "I need to get to bed. The Nannies'll kill me." she flashes a brilliant smile at Damista. "That's good." Means a lot to her that. "Well godnight."

Damista yawns and heads to bed herself.

'Twas the night before hatching
And all through the Weyr
Only fire lizards were stirring
And Zirade and Areiah

    [Look! It rhymes (sort of) and everything! OK, no more of my attempts at poetry and onto the log. It ended up just being Zirade and Areiah, but it starts at the point where Pyrene goes out with Flarra and Kabes. This is what my lizards saw.]

Pyrene exchanges the protection of stone for the bowl outside.

Conlan stops short of hugging Areiah, but he does smile. "Do you like the cake?"

Niyanne goes home.

Poldhu swoops over to Areiah with a bright chirp. This is the way to get cake, yes?

Sigh. Someone has to get Areiah a copy of that handbook one of these days. At the apprentices, she simply blinks, cheeks flushing thoroughly. Hiding under the table is, rather obviously, not an option and she manages a slight, shy smile. "Who planned /that/?" she inquires of the nearest Candidate, returning Pyrene's hug, however briefly, nodding slightly to Conlan. "Yeah, it's realy pretty, but.. oh good grief." This comes as Zirade begins to get a group singing, entire features now colored an incredibly vivid shade of crimson.

Kynance happily warbles along with the singing as does Pol although the blue is hideously off-key.

Zirade partakes in the delicacy's of 'finger nail taters' whilst smiling as she raises her voice to a high, squeaky soprano, " Haaaaaaaaapppy Turnday to yooooooou!" It's wonderfully song, full of joyce, and life, and robust quality -- the actual singing is a little less then ordinary; but the effort is certainally good enough. " Come on ev'ryone. Happy turnday to yoooooooou!"

Conlan joins in the singing; his baritone is passable if nothing to write home about. "Happy Tuuuuuurnday, dear Areiaaaaaah,"

Adianna lends her own voice, a harper she's not, "Happy turnday dear Riiiiiiiiiiaaaaaaaaa"   are there canines barkin and howling?

Poldhu cheerfully echoes 'Rade's "Yooou!" with what can most kindly be described as a ear-wrenching howl. Kynance looks positively offended by such amateurism. 

S'phen remians quiet, eye unfocuss in a look that could only mean one thing with a riders, he's talking, or is it argewing with his lifemate.

Conlan finishes singing and puts his bowl of tubers down. "Pyrene, you can have the rest or share 'em if you want-- I have to go take care of something." And then he's gone, just like that.

Conlan steps into the shadows that lead back into the Weyr.

Crawling under the table should be an option. Really it should. "Conlan! Zirade! Guys! Oh, guys, please.. this really is /not/ neccesary.." Areiah tries, but the chorusing voices and firelizards drown out her protests and she gives a resigned sigh, moving to quickly hug each of her friends, smiling bashfully. "Thanks.. thank you." Yep, this has certainly been a memorable Turnday.

Poldhu and Ky wing close to Areiah's face to rub against it briefly. and of course mess up her hair. Now get with the cake and give Pyrene the wonderful present of firelizards on a sugar rush.

S'phen's eye snap  back into focus and brownrider stands and slowly makes his way over to areiah, "happy turnday, Cadnidate." Brownrider says quietly, looking at the cake, and not the candidate.

Adianna hugs Riah tightly, "Happy turnday." she says giggling despite her efforts to remain straight faced.

Zirade cackles as she reaches the infinity of loudness in the chorus once more, " Arieah, you wonderful girl/ Every time I think of you/ I just want to ... " she pauses, trying to think of a word that rhymes with 'girl'. " ... be a curl!" Blue whippet of material flutters in every direction, flying and whipping about like a hurricane, as she dances to her own little poem.

Areiah grins wearily at her friend's firelizards, nuzzling the pair gently, quieting the chirps from her own just-roused pair. Must've been the singing. "I want to know which of you had a hand in this." she states simply, looking for a utensil with which to cut the cake. Turning to the brownrider, the girl smiles slightly, nodding. "Thank you. Feel like a slice of cake?" Yes, Areiah wants a knife. Giggling suddenly at Zirade's impromptu tune, she can't help but shake her head, lifting both delicate hands to applaud. "Very nice, Rade. Very nice." Yet another nickname'd Candidate.

Adianna sits down she is giggling so hard at Zirade's 'tune'.  she send her lizards squawking but she doesn't mind and shoos them way to sqwawk on a perch somewhere high in the cavern.

Zirade pauses, lifting a thoughtful finger to her chin. " Areiah," she begins in a soft, reminiscing tone. " Would you like a present? Perhaps? Beside my wonderful expertise at song-making?"

Poldhu breaks off from his cracked rendition of Zirade's song to swoop over to Areiah and cling to some handy part of her. Kynance is equally ready for cake but, smart enough to figure out that cake cutting is quicker for people unburdened by a lizard, chooses to perch near the plate gazing at the cake in near worship.

"A present?" Areiah echoes softly, nose wrinkling at the notion. "Zirade, you really don't have to do that. Hey, I've had a fantastic Turnday already. Really." Despite being totally humiliated, of course, but that's all part of the terrific memory her friends have made for her. Poldhu is stroked absently as still her brilliant eyes search out a utensil.

S'phen releases Miryam, who launches into the air.

Sly grin fits almost ugly face - as it is now - while Zirade gracefully begins, " Now, I /insist/. Do you like firelizards? Lei went proddy, and her eggs have been hardening in a cradle for a while, I think that they'd be ready to be given away, at the least. Would you like that?"

Only your best friends can /ever/ humiliate you enough on your turnday.  Its like the law.

S'phen shakes his head as he step closer to the candidate  and slips his arms around her, pulling her close and hugging her /tightly/ before reaching out, one arm still round candi, and fetching a knife and slipping it into her hand, gently squeezing her fingers closed around it, "i can't stay, i have night sweept, but you make sure everyone else gets a piece." suddenly brownrider reliece cadidate and turn without a second glance and strides out the door with, "happy turnday again, reia." called over his shulder.

S'phen exchanges the protection of stone for the bowl outside.

Poldhu accepts the caresses but would obviously prefer the cake. Even mentions of eggs are ignored. Sugar frosting is his world now. Oh, yeah, he likes Areiah too.

Best friends indeed. Hesitant as she is to admit it, Areiah appreciates the gesture from those she considers near and dear. "I have two of my own," she explains to Zirade before being hugged by the brownrider. A startled blink as he disappears, and another as she realizes she's now holding a knife. Yes, yes, yes, everyone needs a slice of cake. She shakes her head slightly, slowly, and looks to those remaining with somewhat blank smile. "Who wants the first slice?"

Poldhu chirps eagerly. closely followed by Ky.

Adianna smiles brightly and hasn't said a word just watches from her seat and watching Poldhu...looks like someone wants a piece really bad.

Zirade pauses, dreary look lost in slate eyes as she shrugs, " Oh, fine, be bothersome. Just promise not to be too annoying when you're a weyrling and I'm not ... " the first statement that's she's even slightly worried is pondered before cake is lost in a drunken stare, she seizes up the moment then to gather plates and such, which she hands out too people on the way to the - Cake -. Trust Zirade to find a job in a party.

The Turnday girl all but beams. She won an argument. Areiah giggles, then, at the chittering flits and cuts a slice large enough for the pair of them. They can share. Pyrene doesn't need them /too/ wired. Adianna's slice is cut next, handed, and Areiah smiles over the cake at Zirade. "You mean when we're taking Weyrling classes together and I'm doing better than you are, right?" Well. From wishing the table could provide shelter from embarrassment to teasing in under a minute. Not bad.

Adianna hugs riah again and takes the cake,  "I promised to help conlan.  I'll see you later riah.  Good night."

Adianna exchanges the protection of stone for the bowl outside.

Kynance and Pol promptly fall to squabbling. Frosting and crumbs fly but some does go down throats. needless to say, Areiah doesn't get so much as a cheep by way of thanks.

Zirade munches on iced crumbles, licking the bit of sugar from her fingers as she eyes Areiah, sighing almost dutifully that no one else is there. " Hey, do you want to go and eat cake in the galleries?" she asks, at last.

Not that Areiah much expected it. Zirade's slice is cut, placed upon a plate, and handed, before finally, she fixes herself a plate. "You know, that sounds like a great idea. A perfect end to an.. interesting.. day. You guys coming?" This question is directed at the cake-devouring firelizards, young Candidate unable to keep the amused grin from her lips.

Zirade says, " We'll bring some cake, " Zirade offers temptingly."

Poldhu licks around iced mouth and face and shares a glance with Kynance. There's competition in the galleries, this they know...

With a grin at Zirade, Areiah scoops the plate holding the cake both flits were working on up with her free hand, adding another thick dollop of frosting to the mess. "C'mon. We'll go and stare at the eggs." And with that, she's gone, out into the bowl.

[Zirade and Areiah head to the galleries with Kynance and Poldhu following. The girls still have the cake after all.]

Galleries
Row upon row of stone benching rises above the Hatching Grounds, seats for those who come to watch the incredible experience that is a hatching. Each individual seat is embellished with a worn cushion, the only concession to comfort in a place that traps heat, holding it within so that those who watch are inflicted with its intensity, though on a milder level than those who must stand and face the dragonets. The expanse of sand that is the hatching grounds spreads out in front of the benches, a huge stage for a spectacular show.

Gunwalloe heads a long line of firelizards in the front row, all bearing the hallmarks of the enthusiastic if sticky care of a weyrbrat. It seems the bratlings have staked out their prime viewing position in the hopes that they're actually going to palm their nanny off onto a dragon.

Bone of fingers brush the pink of her ear, letting off shattering crystalline light from butterfly earrings as plops easily to her seat, stretching stick like arms infront of her; cake gracefully let to sit on her lap. Zirade's eyes roll across the sands and the mass of eggs lying across them; and she cannot help but feel a soft flutter-width of breeze crawl up her spine. " It's amazing ... they say they'll hatch any time now. "

Areiah was, unfortunately, not as lucky as Zirade in the ear-piercing expedition, though fortunately, thick onyx tresses have strayed to cover the slightly crimson-touched lobes. Blossom's soft chirr announces her agreement with the others, Tremeyre adding his low warbled song to the melody before, after a weary look from his pet, silencing. "Oh, I hope they don't.. you know, Candidacy has been one of the best experiences of my life, Rade.. I don't want to see it end." What she really means is finding friends and other folks and actually getting /close/ to them - knowing they care - has made her more confident. "It's been great, hasn't it?"

Zirade swallows a bit of tears trickling down her cheeks, making her throat ache as she gets mushy - " Yes, " she nods, finally. " It will be horrible to end. Back to the kids. I'm sure they missed me." She rolls her eyes as an intake of giggles marks a throaty smile. " Those brats. Hmm, they can be so cute, can't they?" Sentimental girl, she is.

Gunwalloe chitters as he hops over seats to the two girls. How come Pol and Ky get cake. Other kidling lizards are perking up too. Fire lizards have no sense of moment. Poldhu is contemplating the eggs, but he's still licking his lips.

"But, Rade.. what will you do if you Impress?" Areiah is curious now. Doesn't the girl think she stands a chance on those Sands? Sentimental isn't a bad thing at all; in fact, the tears begin to well for Areiah, too, and she chooses a seat. One fairly close to the railing, mind you, but a seat just the same.

Zirade let's out a laugh at that. " Me? Impress? If I'd impress anything, it'd be a wherry. I'm a Posida at heart, " Posida as in she'll never impress. Vertibrae curves into metallic grey as she rests thick ankles 'top the chairs infront of her. " The only reason they searched me is because they like to search all the weyrbred kids."

Kynance, Wal, Pol and all the other flits croon softly. They know Zirade and know that their human friends don't want her to return to the nursery for the best of reasons.

Areiah just sighs, picking up a dainty bite of cake 'tween two fingers and popping it into her mouth. Slender legs are dangled over what would be the armrest of her seat as she leans, comfortably, into the position. Licking her lips post-swallow, she begins to slowly speak. Words of wisdom? Nah. But a brave step for Areiah, certainly; it's an opinion. She rarely pipes up with those. "I think," And she pauses, popping another morsel of cake and icing into her mouth, licking usually dainty fingers clean. "that you stand a good chance of Impressing for a number of reasons. You're warm and funny and sweet and sensitive.. and you're wonderful with children.. a dragon would be.. well, a piece of cake." Pun intended. "You've taken care of Weyrbrats and everyone else in the process. Zirade.." Letting her voice dip to a softer, more serious tone, Areiah leans over to catch her friend's gaze evenly. "You and everyone else I've gotten to know in the past.. however long it's been.. have saved me. Saved me from a life of being on my own by.. by caring for me, and by supporting me, and by teasing me and humiliating me. You made it okay to be myself, and I love you for that."

Poldhu and the others chitter in enthusiastic and loving agreement. There's not a one of them that hasn't seen their human friend been comforted and helped by zirade at some point. If they were dragons, they'd search her in a heartbeat.

Blossom and Tremeyre add to their pet's sentiment with soft, affection croons; Areiah simply smiles, blinking furiously, uselessly at the film of tears now in her eyes.

Zirade tries to wipe the tears from her eyes, but they keep on flowing, and flowing, and will not stop. " Oh." She's not quite the one with words. Instead, she enraps Areiah with a hug, drawing a tiny gasp as she crosses her arms o'er Areiah's own spine, before letting go. " Thank you. Areiah, you've always been there for everyone, too, you're that person who is there - is there to encourage, to laugh, to experience things with us. Us candidates. We - I - apprieciate ... it ... so ... much." Voice turns to a high squeaked pitch as she cannot control the highest point of beat. " All of us will do fine on the sands ... I'm sure ... wether we ... impress, or not. We'll all do fine, we'll do it together, just like everything else we've been through. "

Zirade releases Lei, who launches into the air.

Crying outright, despite a brilliant, beamed smile, Areiah nods, drawing back from the embrace slowly, carefully. "Together. That's the way we have to do it. It will really be great. Really." Her light soprano, surprisingly steady despite being heavily laden with emotion, is now extremely soft, with a subtly tender aside. "Just as long as we stick together, we'll be fine." Tears are blotted at absently with the back of her hand, the icing still lingering on her fingertips just barely missing loose strands of hair. "Thanks. For the Turnday paraphanalia, I mean. It meant a lot. I've had a weird couple of sevendays, and this.. this.. this was just really nice." She giggles, then, still crying, but happily. "Even though I wanted to crawl under the table when the lot of you started singing.. it was a nice thing to do. It's a nice memory; one I'm probably going to cling tenaciously to until I'm really old and start forgetting things." Not that her memory is all that fantastic now, but she's joking to lighten the mood.

Gunwalloe chirps cheerfully at the brightening mood of the two girls and sets about scolding all the lizards back into their positions on the seats. What if somebody stole them?? how would those tiny little bratlings see? The lizards bear it for the most part with resignation although some do decide that they're sleeping in a cot tonight and flick between.

Blossom croons. Shouldn't scold people like that, it's bad practice. Snuggling is just so much more effective. See? And to demonstrate, the little green parades over Areiah's shoulder, snuggling up next to her bronze shouldermate.

In a steady staccato beat; Zirade's voice continues to screel like some male adolescent who's voice had just broke, but the reason was quite different in the obvious streaks of glistening salt water lining her round cheeks, dripping on to the color of her shirt to stain it as she continues to upheave her voice in hefty trebling vocals, voice crackling in soft, half laughing, half crying voice, " You'd better like today, it took ages to get the lumps out of the dough." Not that anyone wants to know that story. Icing melts o'er top fingers in sticky sweet syrup, but she ignores it so that her own petty firelizards can lick them their selves. Then a bare, dry whisper begins to fill the galleries - " happy ... birthday ... to ... areiah ..."

Tears are blotted at again, a faint smile touching Areiah's lips as she leans back, not blushing nor protesting this time. "Thank you, Zirade. You're a good friend." she murmurs softly, stretching further in the chair, finally licking at her own frosting-coated fingers. Cake and humiliation and all, she thoroughly enjoyed her Turnday.

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