The Dragonriders of PernŽ is a trademark, Registered U.S. Patent & Trademark Office, of Anne McCaffrey. This is a recorded session, generated by Harper's Tale MOO on Monday, December 21st, 1998, for the benefit of members unable to attend. Logged by Pyrene.

Sand-dragon Building

Beach
Ancient dunes have been flattened by the endless parade of people and dragons that tramp northwest across the bowl, leaving a mere skiff of sand here along lake's beaten edge. Footprints litter the curve of beach, some left turns ago and caught frozen in the heavy clay earth near the water's edge. As the sun sets, shadows invade, creeping like fingers across the gently sloping ground and darkening the distant ledges on the far side of the lake.
To the north, dust rises from the redolent pens while the flattened disc of the main bowl is just a step to the northwest.
It is a winter evening.
On the perch are Zhaneel and Bandit.
Bronze Rennth, brown Zenzorath, and blue Erranth are here.
You see Jessie, Question Deck, and Glyph here.
Annalee, Rade, and Tiberia are here.
Obvious exits:
Stables Feeding Pens Central Bowl Lake

Tiberia giggles and hugs Erranth's head happily as she is whuffled.

Annalee laughs, waving Pyrene in as she rests against one harper-blue dragon shoulder, Erranth's mouth open to receive a hoped-for next cookie.

Azrieth lubbies cookies; soggy or not. Crystalline eyes note Pyrene, gives another his type sss-vonk, awakening Rade from friendly swimming, she peeps up, waves: " Pyrene!"

Pyrene stops abruptly-- escape from the current head nanny and run into the old one. Still, Rade's authority is gone right, "Hi, Rade! Tiberia... Alee..." She peers carefully at Annalee, still no apparent change.... "Bathing the dragons or something?"

Tiberia takes no notice of Pyrene as she searches her pockets for more soggy cookies, frowning as she only comes up with soggy crumbs.

Rade flicks water into Azrieth's face; he can't help but gape at the cookie giver. Aw. Azrieth's in loo-oove. She answers, not caring who the question was directed towards -- it doesn't /really/ matter, does it -- and continues to swim. " Yup."

Annalee pulls herself up half-way onto Erranth's back, yes, it's nice to float here. "That's exactly what we're doing."

Tiberia makes a tiny, sad noise, not being able to find anymore cookies.

Pyrene walks tentatively to waters edge, "Isn't it a little cold?" It being winter in the mountains and all. She looks over at Tiberia, waving slightly to get the girl's attention. "What's wrong?" she asks, quizzical expression apparent.

Erranth whuffles Tiberia again, trying to show her it's okay.

Rade goes home.

Tiberia huggles on Erranth happily, eyes drifting over to look at Pyrene a moment.

Tiberia goes home.

Pyrene nods to the leavers and attempts to skip a stone across the lake. It simply plunks to the bottom of course, making her shudder as if it were her going in. "Are you sure it's healthy to let them swim in that cold?" she asks wrapping her jacket tightly around her, "And after eating too..."

Annalee nods, still floating against her Erranth. "C'mon in. The water's heated."

Pyrene raises skeptical eyebrows, "are you sure?" She's not been in the lake yet, so presumably Annalee has a more informed opinion, but Pyrene's not one for trusting people who say things like that.

Annalee splashes up at Pyrene, see, warm water. "Come /on/..."

Pyrene gets wet. With a sigh, she strips off her jacket and outer garments, standing shivering a moment before plunging fatalistically in. She comes up spluttering slightly and wiping hair out of her eyes, "It's not /that/ warm..." Some people are never happy.

Erranth
Bumbly-round and just the slightest bit stubby, this pudgy young dragon is a clear, bright harper blue; rubbed in, polished with care, his hide does not vary but for the barest, careless scatter of darker indigo dimpling his padded back. The freckles fade once more as tripping 'ridges reach his head -- a head that is just a bit too big for his foreshortened neck, for all its darling, snub-nosed muzzle. Still, his legs are also short, finished with neatly curved talons that gleam a glossy black. Rounded wings hang from harp-smooth wingspars, their sails resined with a bit of mischievous chalk that also roughens his uneven tail. Those extremities -- sail and spar, tail and talon -- all mirror his mood in a way that innocent eyes do not.
Erranth is 4 months and 16 days old.
He is 11 meters long, with a wingspan of 18 meters.
Erranth seems to be listening.

Annalee grins at Pyrene, making no move as Erranth's long blue tail curls around under Pyrene. Gotcha.

Bandit suddenly disappears ::between::!

Pyrene squeaks and flails her arms wildly, "Aleeee! Please tell me that's Erranth!!" All those sea monster stories she used to shiver at as a little girl are suddenly coming back to her.

Annalee bursts out laughing as Errie whuffles Pyr's shoulder. "It is... Don't worry, he'll keep you afloat, sit on his tail."

Pyrene sits, not having too much choice in the matter. It's surprisingly difficult to tread water when there's a dragon tail waving around your legs. To make up for her earlier scare, she splashes some water at Erranth, "No wonder Ranae liked you so much. You're her in dragon form!"

Annalee looks at Pyrene in obvious confusion, Erranth echoing the look with a confused sound. "Pardon?"

Ciriana, Tategoto, and Aijin suddenly appear and chirp at Annalee.

Pyrene flicks some more water, "Ranae... one of the brats, liked Erranth when he hatched. Pretty little girl but..." She elects not to say the part about being wickedness personified. Annalee probably has a higer opinion of her dragon than that.

Annalee pulls herself up so she's effectively sitting on Erranth's shoulder, legs in the water. "Aye... I see." Her fair settles, cheeping importantly, onto Erranth's ridges.

Rowann walks in from the Central Bowl.

Rowann waves.

Rowann walks to the Lake.

Rowann scrambles out of the lake, slipping slightly on the bank's slick clay.

Rowann heads along the fence towards the stables.

Pyrene grins at the lizard trio, "And how do /they/ feel about him? I can't imagine what mine'd be like if I impressed. At least I hope I can't." She grimaces for a moment, then chuckles self-consciously.

Annalee smiles warmly, nuzzling her newest--little Aijin. "Ahhh, they love him as much as I."

Pyrene shifts carefully along the tail, to get a better look at the little brown, "He's cute, isn't h--?" the rest of the sentence disappears as she loses her balance slipping back into the water with a splash. "Eesh! Kostya prob'ly wouldn't be pleased if she saw this..." she gasps, resurfacing with an anxious glance at Erranth as she swims closer again.

Aijin
Sinew-of-muscle is what makes this waif of fire lizard, goodness hidden in the depths of hallowed bones to the trebling of hefty harp-twang vocals, he cares to help those midst his presence for all eternity. Wing-sails hung pearly, butterfly soft in touch, bring out the authentic harmony that rests in the invisible hallow resting 'tween bon a petite head knobs. Shyly, he offers a slender look under fey eyes in your direction.
Aijin is 2 months and 8 days old.
Aijin is awake and seems alert.

Rowann escapes the redolent dust of the pens.

Rowann walks to the Central Bowl.

Erranth croons comfortingly, tail curling under Pyrene again.

Pyrene sighs and clings on to harper hued tail. Less tiriing than swimming after all, "How's weyrling life? They working you hard?" She's going for the sour grapes type of teenage angst.

Rowann walks in from the Central Bowl.

Rowann bends down and inspects the sand.

Annalee laughs lightly, shaking her head. "Actually, no. Though Areiah's pushing for me to visit Catia--something about insomnia."

Pyrene waves to Rowann from the water, carefully maintaining her balance with the other hand. "Insomnia? Erranth snore or something?"

Rowann doesn't notice the two others, she is so engrossed in playing withthe sand.

Annalee shakes her head, eyes closing. "Nope. Just, it's wierd, hun. I've never been one to sleep much. I still don't. I just--can't. So when I /do/, it's like unconciousness-deep, and I feel bad because even Erranth wakes up before I do. Then I'm running again, I likely won't sleep again until tomorrow night."

Pyrene ponders, "That is strange... maybe you aren't getting tired enough... or maybe you're getting too tired?" And /that/ is why Pyrene's not a healer. She idly watches Rowann out of the corner of her eye.

Rowann cautiously approaches the water, slightly startled by the sight of the two girls. She smiles slowly and waves. "Hello"

Annalee nods to Rowann, smiling warmly, before turning back to Pyrene. "Who knows? Farranth knows I'm /tired/ enough..."

Pyrene turns to grin at Rowann, nearly giving herself another dunking in the process, "You settled in OK?" She squeezes Alee's shoulder both to give comfort and gain balance. "drink less klah?" is her next expert suggestion.

Rowann nods. "Nobody to pway wif."

Rowann flops down and begins to use the wet sand to build a sandcastle.

Annalee laughs softly, shaking her head. "Pyrpet, hun, this has been happening long before my Errie claimed me."

Pyrene helpfully throws water at the beach to make more wet sand for Rowann to build with. She shrugs at Annalee, "You never drank klah before impressing?"

Rowann laughs, and begins to dig a cave in the sand.

Annalee shakes her head. "I wasn't a klah-addict like some..."

Pyrene shrugs again and continues kicking water towards the beach, "I never drink klah and I sleep fine."

Annalee shakes her head again slightly. "Ah well."

Rowann finishes her cave, then pulls a crudely carved dragon out of her pocket and places it in the "weyr".

Rowann asks. "Pyrene, you haf a dwagon?"

Pyrene leans forward to get a better look at the sand weyr and ends up face first in the water again. with a sigh she swims over to the shallows and lies there with just her head poking out so Rowann can see her lips properly. It's too cold for her to get right out of the water, "Faranth no! They're far too much work!" she peers at the sand speculatively before looking back at Alee. "Maybe you should try sleeping outside, I had an uncle who swore by it."

Annalee just stares at Pyrene like she's punch drunk. "Outside in /this/ weather? Shells, girl, maybe if Errie and I transfer to Ista, but before then, no..."

Rowann sees Pyrene speak, "They're too much work" and nods. She flies her dragon out of its weyr and circles around the hollowed out sand mound.

Pyrene giggles, "you're /swimming/ in this weather..." she points out, "Besides, you could do it on a clear night. Just take half a dozen furs with you... Or bury yourself in sand! Sand's very warm!"

Annalee laughs, kicking up water to splash it at Pyrene, not noticing as Erranth pulls her closer and closer to Rowann. Another youngling?...

Pyrene does notice Annalee's increasing proximity. Maybe she could prove this warm sand theory. Slipping out (and hastily into her dry clothes) she starts innocently digging a trench in the sand, scooping out the odd bit of snow with care.

Rowann has yet to notice the dragon present. Continues her little game, shouting something that sounds like "Fight Thread!"

Erranth croons--right in Rowann's ear.

Rowann doesn't hear the dragon, but feels a whoosh of air on her head. She turns to see a big blue face next to her "Dwagon!"

Annalee laughs, dragging her sodden form onto the sand and calling her fair to her. "This is Erranth."

Pyrene giggles at Erranth and Rowann. All young dragons are cute after all. While Alee's distracted, she continues to dig her trench, setting a nice pile of sand next to it.

Rowann gingerly holds out a hand, hoping Erranth will let her pet him.

Erranth will indeed, and croons encouragingly as he extends a muzzle gingerly towards Rowann while his lifemate slips into her dry clothes.

Pyrene shifts Kynance on her shoulder muttering soothingly to the rather irate little flit, who for some reason objects to being soaked and sanded in short succession, "Alee? Can you come over here and look at this?" This being the trench which is just about harper-weyrling length now.

Rowann strokes the pretty dragon, smiling as she sees his friendly whirling eyes.

Annalee, satisfied that Erranth is occupied with Rowann, wanders over to Pyrene. "Hm?"

Erranth continues to croon to Rowann, eyes whirling bright blue as he's petted and pat.

Pyrene smiles sweetly at Annalee, "I just want to show you something, um... how comfortable the sand is... If you could just try sitting down in here?" Lying's fine too of course. Innocent face looks earnestly at Annalee, with a wink for Rowann when the weyrling's not looking.

Annalee crosses her arms under her chest. Harperling's not fooled. "Um, no, Pyr dear."

Rowann shows Erranth her draon. "See? I haf dwagon too."

Erranth rumbles happily, whuffling at the tinytiny thing. He sees.

Tategoto flutters over to perch on Erranth's neckridge.

Ciriana flutters over to perch on Erranth's neckridge.

Aijin flutters over to perch on Erranth's neckridge.

Rowann watches the flits. "Little dwagons...."

Settled 'tween Erranth's harper-blue ridges, Ciriana trills as she flies into ::between::.

Settled 'tween Erranth's harper-blue ridges, Tategoto circles once then vanishes ::between::.

Aijin lets go of Erranth's neckridge and flies off.

Pyrene tugs impatiently at Annalee, "C'mon! What do you think I'm going to do to you with your dragon right here?" Which would be a very good point, if Pyrene didn't have a notion that half grown dragons are less effective than their elders.

Annalee blinks in confusion as her 'lizards scatter, then squawks as she's tugged, effectively stumbling to the ground.

You release Kynance, who launches into the air.

Rowann scratches Erranth's neckridge, not noticing Pyrene dragging Annalee across the sand.

If dragons could smile, Erranth would. So long as no harm comes to his Annalee, he won't budge--he's too busy enjoying this youngling's scritches. Crooning, he whuffles again at Rowann.

Pyrene is always quick to grasp an opportunity and swiftly crouches down, peering at the harper, "See? Just wanted to know if it's comfortable..." And in the meantime her hand is going to that sand pile and starting to push...

Annalee squawks again, shooting a look of betrayal at her occupied dragon. "Ooo lemme go Pyrene!"

Kynance escapes the sand to investigate Rowann and Erranth, warbling a bright greeting.

Erranth croons to Kynance as well. Okay, blue dragon is effectively in heaven...

Rowann keeps petting the blue, a smile on her face. "I like you dwagon. What's your name? I'm Rowann."

Pyrene blinks llama eyes at Annalee, "But I'm not holding onto you!" Maybe not, but there's now rather a lot of sand piled over the older girl's legs, and Pyrene is already scooping more over the rest of her body.

Erranth rumbles softly to Rowann. He likes her too...

Kynance trills at Rowann and Erranth. Whether giving them his own name or simply showing off his dulcet tones isn't clear. Like Erranth, he doesn't pay a blind bit of attention to what the other humans are doing. He knows what Pyrene's like.

Annalee stares momentarily at Erranth before turning sapphire eyes to Pyrene, finally trying to scramble. "I am /not/ a sandtable!"

Rowann blinks in surprise as she hears Erranth's voice in her head. "I hear you...." she stutters. "But I don't hear. I tawk, but haf to read lips."

Pyrene hastily places both hands on where Annalee's shoulders should be, "don't get up! You'll mess your blanket! I can make you a pillow too... and if you don't want to be a sandtable, I could make you into a... a... Sanddragon! Rowann'll help, right Rowann?" She waves at Rowann hopefully.

Erranth continues on like nothing out of the ordinary has happened, merely nudging Rowann. You were scritching, yes?

Rowann continues to scritch Erranth wherever he wants her to.

Annalee glares at Pyrene, effectively trapped. "PYRENE LET ME OUT!!!"

Pyrene shakes her head as she packs sand round Alee's head, cushioning it nicely. "No, no, you're much more confortable and warmer there!' she assures her, piling wet and therefore heavy sand on top to make sure, she can't escape and take revenge, "Besides, you'll make a lovely sand dragon... and you'll have the most ornate bed in the weyr." She returns to the head, dragons have headknobs after all.

Kynance alights on Rowann's shoulder, and leans down along her scritching forearm, apparently to inspect blue hide.

Jesse scrambles out of the lake, slipping slightly on the bank's slick clay.

Jesse glides to the Central Bowl.

Rowann pats the flit on her shoulder with her other hand.

Kynance croons at Rowann, rubbing his cheek along her hand.

Rowann say "You're nice too"

Kynance does a smug trill, eyes whirling a blissful blue. He /likes/ being liked.

Rowann says in her version of a whipser. "I wanna nice fi'elizar' jus' like you."

Erranth watches amiably, utterly content.

Annalee screeches, about to kick up a storm. "Shardit, Pyrene, LET ME OUT!"

Kynance preens himself, peering back at the definitely unmusical sound emerging from Annalee's sand pile.

Rowann looks in the direction of Erranth's gaze and sees Annalee trapped by Pyrene. "I fink your fwiend is in toubble."

Pyrene considers putting sand over Alee's mouth as well, but regretfully decides it would be best to let her breathe, "Shh Alee! Don't be a killjoy!" Having finsihed headknobs she retreats to the quieter end and starts on a tail. It's been awhile since she's really let herself go like this.

Erranth sniffs once, twice--Oh, she deserves it anyways.

Annalee settles to glaring at Pyrene. "Just you wait, Pyr. Just you wait..."

Rowann giggles tonelessly at the 2 girls, seeing that Erranth doesn't mind.

Pyrene smirks at Annalee, "You'll wait longer than I will." She beckons to Rowann to come and help her with the tail. That looks about the right length, just fork it...

No she won't. Erranth to the rescue--/finally/. Blue tail curls around, okay so he's not huge but he's big enough, and pulls Pyrene a few inches up into the air.

Rowann hesitates, not wanting to leave the blue. He is letting her pet him.

Pyrene lets out a shriek of her own, "Wrong length?" she babbles trying to keep some sense of bravado, "I didn't fork it right? Obviously it's not as beautiful as your tail...." Which she is getting all too good a view of right now.

Kynance swings his head round at Pyrene's screech and just /stares/, brown tail coiling uneasily about Rowann's neck.

Erranth stares at Pyrene, eyes whirling blue-green with glee. "Oh, Pyrene, Pyrene...." is all Annalee says as Erranth lifts the girl up a tad higher.

Rowann watches wide-eyed. She absently pats Kynance's tail and takes a step away from Erranth as he lifts Pyrene in the air. "You're stwong"

Pyrene points her toes and kicks her legs wildly, frantically trying to get some hold on the ground, "Ok, Alee, I'm sorry! Please?" Kynance continues staring, fascinated but making no move to help.

Annalee smiles in satisfaction as Erranth settles Pyr to the ground, not releasing her however. "Will you undig me? He'll do it again unless you undig me."

Pyrene looks crestfallen, "But Alee, that'd mess it up and, I know you can't see 'em, but those headknobs are /perfect/!"

Rowann watches Pyrene and nods. "Looks like a weel dwagon. Jus not as pretty as Erranth." She scritches the pretty blue.

Annalee is /not/ a dragon. Erranth is. "Pyr, hun. If I let you finish, will you undig me then?"

Erranth croons again, swinging his attention back to Rowann.

Pyrene, pushing her luck as usual, appeals this sentence, "Can't you just stay there for the night, it's not cold and it might help you sleep. It just seems a shame to waste all that effort." Ky twitters in Rowann's ear, reminding her how pretty browns are.

Annalee raises one eyebrow, watching as blue tail sneaks around again. "No. As soon as you're done, Pyrene. Or do you want to help Tiberia, baking cookies for her to feed Erranth?"

Rowann pets the blue dragon with one hand, and the brown flit with the other. "I wanna dwagon someday, but I don't fink they'd let me have one." SHe nods seriously, then smiles at the dragon and flit paying attention to her.

Erranth thinks they would... But then, this dragon is all Search Dragon, for all he's still a weyrling dragonet himself.

Pyrene dodges the tail, high-stepping like a trained runner. "OK, OK. Once I've finished..." she agrees hastily, facing Erranth nervously, "I can't make her as beautiful as you though, I mean how could I reproduce those cute little forefeet?" Weyrbrat rule #27: when in doubt, flatter! And she begins working on said part of dragon anatomy.

Rowann giggles at Pyrene's efforts. "He's watching you."

Kynance chirps brightly at Rowann. He thinks she's a little small for a dragon. None of the weyrbrats ride after all, and Ky's not good at the concept of growing up.

We now return you to your regularly scheduled program. Annalee laughs softly as Erranth playfully nudges Pyrene before turning back to Rowann yet again.

Rowann confides in Erranth that she wants to paint her little dragon toy blue. But she also gives extra stratches to Ky so he won't be jealous.

Erranth rumblewhuffles happily as he settles fully down on the sand, satisfied now that Anna's no longer screaming in his mind to /get her out of there/. Aijin settles next to Ky--geez, they all love lil' Rowann now don't they?

Pyrene casts one last wary glance at Erranth before settling back to moulding front legs on Annalee's chest, "You can breathe alright can't you?" She asks with absent sollicitousness as she piles and nudges sand about. Not listening for an answer, she pulls herself up to stare at her handiwork. Hmm, not bad. Lets just shape that toe a little more... And now for the... "Umm, Ky, can you just show me what you do with your hindlegs when you fly?"

Kynance snorts in Rowann's ear and chitters excitedly to Aijin. Blue, indeed! Pyrene's request is ignored. He doesn't want to get in trouble as well.

Rowann sees that she's collecting lizards now too and smiles happily. Too bad she doesn't have enough arms to go around! "Too bad san dwagons don fly"

"I always wanted to be a dragon when I was younger," Annalee comments offhandedly. "I never thought I'd become one."

Aijin chitters delightedly back to Ky as Erranth sets his head square down in front of Rowan.

A wicked grin steals over Pyrene's face, "Believe me Alee, Rowann, if I had the faintest idea how it could be done, this sand dragon would fly..." Wondrous images of a sandy Annalee shooting over the seven spires and away are springing to her mind.

Annalee stares at Pyrene, then bursts out laughing. "Oh, Pyrpet, there are things out there that would make me fly--or at least, make me /think/ I was flying."

Rowann says, "You're lucky. You'll fly on Erranth someday"

Pyrene blinks at Annalee in confusion, "I'm sorry Alee, but they'd never let me bring wine out here... I'm too young and you're not allowed it anyway." Literal minded child is Pyrene.

Annalee tries to hold back the laughing--but can't and erupts in giggles for the second time that day.

Rowann gives Erranth a hug. "I go to bed now. An your rider needs you. I can visit you 'gain."

Rowann yawns mightily and waves to Annalee and Pyrene. "I go now. Bye bye"

Pyrene waves at Rowann, "If the nannies ask, I'm coming, really!" She turns back to the giggling Alee with a frown.

Erranth croons again, nudging Rowann one last time before she heads off.

Pyrene continues sculpting the hind legs which aren't quite as polished as the front ones, "Can you stop laughing Alee, you're shaking the sand." And making her paranoid.

Annalee does try, she really does, but it's /hard/...

Pyrene glares at Annalee and gives up on the legs. "That'll have to do then. And it's your own fault you're crippled!" she informs the other girl, her own eyes starting to sparkle again, "Don't worry, though. I'll just be extra creful on your wings. Sand is fanned outwards from either shoulder with care.

Annalee giggles again, utterly caught up in the humor of the situation finally. Erranth trundles over to peer. He's curious. But then he always is.

Kynance follows Erranth, hovering over Alee seeking a neckridge to perch on. Unfortunately, Pyrene's moulded Alee belly up. He scolds idly as he circles, while his human friend tries to get a good look at his wings as a reference.

Annalee closes her eyes but stays awake, no way is Pyr leaving her here.

Pyrene finishes the wings and stands back to admire her handiwork (while keeping well out of the range of Erranth tail. She murmurs softly to Kynance, "See how relaxed she is? I knew it 'd work!"

Annalee has her eyes closed but she's most certainly awake. "Don't even think about it Pyrene."

You call to Kynance, who flies over and lands on your shoulder.

Pyrene starts to step silently away then catches sight of Erranth's tail again. "I wouldn't dream of it, Alee," she sighs and starts digging. Hind legs go first, they weren't any good anyway.

Annalee is going to have to take another bath after this. "Pyrene, fair's fair... I get to make you a sand dragon tomorrow." Sapphire eyes twinkle mischieviously...

Pyrene pauses, wondering if she should abandon the harper after all. Unfortunately Alee still has that draconic advantage over her, so she finishes clearing away the sand, "Umm, OK, Alee. If I have time..." It looks like she'll be spending the rest of the winter ensconced in the living caverns then. "There you go! But I still think you should have slept there. Careful of the wings... don't need to mess them after all."

Annalee stands up, hands full of sand... "Oh Pyree-eeene.... Come heee-eeere...."

Pyrene may act like it sometimes, but she really isn't stupid, "Umm, I think I hear Kostya calling me.... G'night Alee, Erranth." And she /runs/!

[In case you were wondering, Alee did get her revenge. I was in Italy at the time, so there's no log and I had to leave halfway through because the room was closing for the night. I left myself to be @emitted at their discretion though, possibly a little rashly seeing as when I left, I was being contemplated by both Sardrinth and Erranth while the latter dangled me from his tail above the weyr lake. Apparently I got wet. Since then, I've started PD'ing Erranth. Perhaps now I'll be able to keep that tail away.]

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