7/21/2003

10:56 PM

Logfile from Kibai.

 

Central Bowl

Seven spindles brush the clouds overhead, displaying a jagged, spired cotillion grey-stoned majesty. The bowl from here is expansively large, extending a full half-mile in both directions, and though a bit of a stretch at times, most of the hubs of activity can be easily observed. Hard-packed ground shows the common pathways, all of them meandering about the craggy bunch of boulders that form a centerpiece within the middle of the otherwise vast emptiness.

The hatching grounds and leadership weyrs are located to the north, while the sounds of herdbeasts noisily allude to the pens slightly east of there. Constant traffic marks the entrance to the westward living caverns, and a glance... [look closer]

  It is a winter afternoon.  A light snow falls from the clouds as they hide the sun falling down the western sky.

To the north, you see a gold and a brown dragon.

To the southeast, you see a gold and a blue dragon.

Clinging to footholds in the boulder-mound are twenty-nine firelizards.

Green Kelitath, brown Sevareth, green Zhesteth, green Miravith, blue Valedath, green Myrrheth, and green Alymath are here.

You see a wagonmaster, Shafirah, and Wagon Two here.

Lis, Lauria, and Lylia are here.

Obvious exits:

Pens     Northern Bowl     Caverns     Ground Weyrs     Passageway     Lakeside     Guard's HQ

 

Lis sits atop Alymath like some kind of erstwhile beauty queen on fidgeting parade float, already assembling a crowd - of sorts. "Alright. The snow's already starting to pile up, so I want everyone to grab a shovel and start moving it into piles. /Not/ in front of any entrances, please!" she adds, addressing a group of the young and able-bodied, candidates and young weyrfolk alike.

 

Above, Druseth heads in from above the lake.

Above, Druseth drops down towards the Bowl.

Druseth drops in from above, landing with a light *thud*.

 

Kibai trudges out of the cavern, follow the path so many other feet before him had trodden. He pulls his fleece-lined coat a little closer about his body, pulling up on the collar to protect the back of his neck. "Will you and Alymath be assisting as well, rider?" Kibi asks with a hint of polite reproach, moving over to find a suitable shovel.

 

Lauria has her wonderfully thick dress on, long sleeves-- it nearly suits her as a coat, and therefore, she needs no other covering. Unless you count a hood, which she has none. Her hair is long-- down-- and works just as well. "Shovel... shovel, shovel..." She mutters, obedient as ever. "... can't find one..."

 

Lylia is not a queen. She's more the court jester... or drunkard. But she's quite sober as she leans against her dragon, whose tail is currently swishing in the snow. Swishswish. "Neat piles, too! ...Do you need help liftin' a shovel, candidate?" She manages a smirk, though it doesn't hide her chattering teeth.

 

"Dragons don't make such nice little piles, candidate," Lis chirps back to Kibai, nudging Alymath to clomp through the few inches of snow blanketing the bowl. "Dragons tend to get bored too fast, too. Besides, this builds character! Lylia, be nice."

 

Kibai finds a shovel, only to plunk it in the ground and lean against the handle rather casually. He peers over at Lylia, arching dark brows, "I just might, rider. Care to come over here and give me a hand?" Again, his voice is toned to the absolute epitome of politeness, bright gaze peering through the the fringe of his dark hair to her. His gaze drifts up to Lis, smiling up at her. "My... I should have more than enough character to go around after this then."

 

Lauria heaves a shovel onto her back, staring at the whiteness with utter disgust. "I usually spend winter inside," she mutters, still not really taking part in the conversations. "I don't need character, I've got enough, thank you..." this is still muttered as she rams the shovel into the snow in front of her.

 

Lis beams happily as her minions get to work, debating whether to waste the energy in chiding the few small groups that are doing a bit more talking than shovelling, or forgoeing her image as scary-black-leather'd-authoritarian. Or she'll just team up with Ly, and ssee if their combined frightfulness doesn't add up to more than each alone. "It's so /nice/ to see industrious candidates. Get those blisters now, before you have to serve raw meat with them."

 

"I'm always nice!" Lylia protests with a little pout, but she can't hold it long. She gives Kibai the same pouting look a moment later. "Shovels are heavy." Sniffle. "Druseth could give you a hand though. Right, baby?" The dragon just rumbles, his tail swishing more. Swishswish. Little bits of snow go flying.

 

Kibai finally figures he really should actually do some work other than working his jaw. He bobs his head to Lis, offering her a salute as well, before the teenager turns his back and begins to shovel. Lylia's pout is noticed, and a wry smile turns at his lips. He shakes his head from side to side, shooting a glance at Lauria.

 

Lauria is unhappily shoveling along, grumbling, glancing at her fingers every-so-often and rubbing them on her dress. "... frostbite..." she still mutters to herself, still grumbling, not very happy at all. Kibai's glance is noticed though, and Laur forces herself to grin knowingly-- it's polite and all-- before she takes a deep breath and begins shoveling again. "... work-work-work..." More muttering. "... conspiracy..."

 

Alymath wanders over towards Druseth, taking a curving, curling path around the back of the brown as she stalks through the snow, flicking little flurries of it at him. Watching this, Lis snorts, and turns her gaze toward Lylia. "Uppity, aren't they?" Obviously having forgotten her own days as snow-shoveller.

 

Kaesa steps out from the Weyr's living caverns.

 

Lis presides over a group of snowshovelling adolescents - at least in theory. In reality, she gets lost among the bundled bodies, many of which are a head taller than she is.

 

"Just remember, if you freeze anything off, you get out of work to spend time in the infirmary. So be happy!" Isn't she cheerful? And isn't it scary? Lylia gives an absent nod to Lis, turning to grin at the greenrider. "Yep. We were /never/ like that." Druseth offers a little croon to Alymath, with a purring note on the end. Purrrr? Rawr.

Kibai hasn't complained once. He simply soldiers on, shoveling away, Dig-scoop-toss. And on and on it goes. Fairly boring work, but it is supposed to build character, or something like that. Whatever. Wary eyes is flickered at the dragons as some of the powdery stuff flutters over his newly shoveled walk. Grump. More shoveling.

 

Lauria is watching the dragons too, though continues to shovel. She's probably not getting much done-- she's been shoveling a place about four feet length and width so far, and continues to empty it when someone else's snow piles over her empty spot. It doesn't seem to be too worrying for her- she can get used to doing the same thing over and over and over rather easily.

 

Kaesa comes out.  The head of a group of Candidates caught, snagged, bagged and directed to this general area.  Or so it would seem, because the group of four heads in the general direction of Lis, Lauria, Lylia and Kibai.  Kaesa looks to be the only one putting up much of a debate about this, one hand flapping ineffectually around her as she argues with the knotted man leading them right up to the side of the shoveling group.  And once he's there? He disappears quickly enough.  Leaving Kaesa to look begrudgingly about.  The begrudging expression settling into one of amusement however, once Kibai is spotted.

 

Lo and behold, a coherent, clear path actually shows in the accumulating snow, extending from the living caverns towards the middle of the bowl - kept clear by dragon take-offs and landings. "Just make sure you're making the path wide enough," Lis calls, "and then we can all go inside for klah and treats."

 

Zana walks in.

 

Lauria mutters still to herself, watching her 4-foot by 4-foot area for more snow. But as Lis reveals, the snow has been moved. Ah, the power of lots and lots of people all doing just a little bit. In a slightly better mood at the mention of 'treats', Laur stands up from her job, leaning her shovel on her shoulder. With the arrival of Kaesa, though, comes an idea. Laur backs up slightly to the mounds of snow flanking the trail, and packs a snowball-- lobbing it quickly at Kaesa with a look of pure innocence.

 

"Hey. Wanna shovel? It's the cool thing to do!" Lylia beams at Kaesa. Beam. Note the lack of shovel in her hand as she lounges, leaning against Druseth with a sunny smile. "Doesn't it look /fun/?" Druseth lowers his muzzle to the snow, using it to push a bit into a small pile. It's an attempt to be useful, at least.

 

Kibai is being the model candidate. Oh yes. Watch how he shovels so efficiently, of course not doing more than in necessary and only in his little area. His head comes up though as Kaesa and her amused smirk are spotted. Okay, that is simply too much of a temptation. And he is so weak when confronted with temptation. Gloved hand reaches down to scoop up some accumulated snow still stuck to his shovel, and lops the wet ball towards Kaesa with what could honestly be something of a rare and honest grin upon his features. "Work, slacker." *fling*

 

Alymath lowers her muzzle into Druseth's pile, looking up at him coquettishly, clutchmate or not. Lis, on the other hand, behaves. "Now stop that!" she barks, bouncing from one worker to the next as more than a few begin to ape Kibai and Lauria's example, tossing snowballs at each other.

 

..who said brothers were good for nothing?  Poor Kaesa, indulged in the thought that her brother was actually being /obedient/ for once, breaks her gaze away from him long enough to give Lylia a smile.  A response nearing on her lips, but then there's a nice snowball hurtling in her direction.  Which, given /who/ threw it, does hit.  And does cause the girl to glance in his direction.  Brows lowered as she narrows her eyes.. Oh, it was on.  "I'd be delighted," Comes the chipper response.  Met with her heading in Kibi's direction.  A small, though amused whisper of, "You've asked for it, brother.." Being offered as she bends down to begin scooping snow up with her hands.  No shovel?  The girl has creativity.  Or.. she's just making a /really/ big snowball to throw at Kibi.

 

And everyone knows Druseth probably likes her more for being a clutchmate. He moves back with a start as Alymath gets in the way of his pile, but after a moment, the brooding brown moves back, again giving his soft, mournful croon. Lylia just shakes her head, content to sit back and watc the shoveling. "Hey! That doesn't quite look like working!" Though it sorta does, from an angle...

 

Lauria notes that her snowball didn't even get near to Kaesa-- who, fortunately, is still soaked with Kibi's snow. Ah well, he did it for her. But she's going to lob another snowball at Kibai this time, attempting to get hers in before Kaesa manages to make hers. Distraction. C'mon, Kaesa, work with her!

 

Zana stands off to the side with a grin and then moves towards Lylia "Still the taskmistress I see?" she comments lightly, glad that for once it isn't her. Not that she doesn't work hard of course but Braezyth makes all that trouble worth while. Snowballs.. hrrmm.. she would have been tongue lashed for that kind of trick 3 turns ago.

 

Kibai looks onto Kaesa rather smugly as his snowball does explode against her. "Outstanding," he fairly purrs, watching as his sister approaches, and with that look in her eyes. His eyes twinkle with mischievousness, anticipation in his gaze when he watches Kaes roll up a rather large ball of snow. His head tilts to the side, flickering a glance at the riders, only to look back at the other candidates. He pulls up some more snow from the ground where he is shoveling, patting it in the palms of his leather gloves. A flicker of white hurtling towards him is noted, the boy barely ducking under it only to be nicked at the shoulder. "You don't have a shovel, sister dearest. You really should get one. That could take some time doing it by hand."

 

Lis decides to cut it short before her nicely-organized snow shovelling turns into bedlam - and undoes all their hard work. "Alright, alright. Inside inside inside! Warm up with some hot klah and fresh pastries." She makes mother-hen gestures, shooing her brood towards the caverns and generally being a party pooper.

 

Kaesa would double-team with anyone going against Kibai, true.  But the girl would get her revenge first.  And she seeks to do as much.  However stealthily it can be done.  That large clump of snow is lifted and patted into a ball.  Kaes' bare fingers doing the work -- no gloves for her, she was tuff<tm>.  "Shovels, brother dearest, are for those who can't handle the cold."  A faint glimmer of something passes over her eyes before the ball of snow is tossed into the air.  In the general direction of Kibai.  A wide grin worn by Kaes as the intent is more or less meant to scare.  And hopefully distract so that she can hit him with a smaller snow ball, "Besides.  You wont leave your poor sister out here to deal with all this snow by herself, now would you?"   Lis, her words are just barely caught. Kaesa glancing towards her even as she palms a palm sized snowball in her hand. Hidden, hopefully from Kibi's view.

 

"Watching candidates sweat til I retire," Lylia responds lightly, grinning a Zana. "And how are you?" She glances at the candidates, before shooting a dark look at Lis. "Inside? But. There's still so much snow! Shouldn't they freeze a body part off first?" Though Lylia does like warm... Oh well.

 

Zana flashes some teeth and a giggle "I remember this oh too well.." she shakes her head then calls "Come on, put some back into it!" Hehe, she likes this part better for sure "I'm well. A little tired after the thread but I count my blessings that neither Brae or I was hurt."

Lauria is actually pushed to stick her tongue out at Lis, though is hoping that through all of the fight, it'll be a miniscule thing that won't be noticed. "Hey!" She notes Kaesa's attempt to lodge a huge snowball at her brother-- and offers her own shovel, jogging towards the two. "I've got a shovel, Kaesa, looks like they probably work better!" Unknowingly repeating Kibai-- though using Kaesa's wet appearance as proof-- she continues to hold her shovel out in front of her.

 

Kibai eyes that rather large ball in Kaesa has in hand, taking a couple of steps back to try to edge away from her. "Of course I would. You should have came out here earlier, sister-/dear/." Lis' gestures cause the boy to flicker a glance at the woman, only to stumble back into his pile of shoveled snow and fall neatly on his arse in it, snow powdering up about him. *floof* Ack.

 

Lis just shakes her head, clucking at the stragglers - including Lylia and Zana. But she's entitled to it; note the maternal hips, and that curly-haired candidate running around calling her 'Mom'. "Well, we'll be inside when you choose to join us. And if that path is spoiled, guess who will be re-shovelling it at half past moonrise?"

 

"That's good. I almost took some thread, but Druseth, bless his heart, was quick." Lylia's gaze never leaves the candidates, except for one quick glance back at Zana. "Ahh, but now you get to be on the watching side. Much more fun." She likes to watch candidate chores. She glances at Lis, eyebrow raising. "I know! I know! The candidates will!" Beam. Does she get a cookie?

 

"Chores," Kaesa comments almost primly to Kibi as he falls to the ground, "I was just so busy with them.  It couldn't be helped.  Honestly." Though if anything can be said from that statement, it'd be the word Oxymoron.  As in Kaesa and honest.  Now with her brother quite defenseless, Kaesa does drop that snowball right in his direction.  Aiming in the general area of his head and or shoulders -- she's not going to be picky. Lauria, once she's spotted, earns a brilliant grin. "Lauria! A shovel.. great idea.  Help me here, will you?"  Poor Kibi.  He took the wrong time to take a 'break'.  Kaesa quite quickly, begins shoveling snow atop her brother.  Quite quickly, at that.

 

Zana nods and mms "Definately a good side to be on. Though I must admit, they'll appreciate all this work later when the baby dragons come along." she humms a little tune and crosses her arms against the chill "If you need any help keeping them in line, I'd be glad to help...."

 

"'Course!" Laur gets the idea pretty quickly, shoveling, herself. Strange how she can do so much so fast when she's actually got good motivation. Digging and dumping on Kibi, she'd soon have his legs covered as long as he's not too squirmy. And even if he is. Shovels can carry a lot of snow, if they're used right.

 

Blissfully ignorant to candidate hazing, Lis lurks by the edge of the door to chat with a passing bluerider. Alymath, however, wanders over to the burrying victim, nosing a pile of snow helpfully. Lis didn't say she wasn't allowed to do /this/.

 

Kibai comes close to actually squeaking as a ball of snow is dumped upon him. An arm immediately comes up to try to cover over his face, but the majority slips right over it, cascading over the boy. No grumbling or cursing. But what is that sound, it is actually laugher. Honest and very, very rare laugher coming from the boy. "Kaesa!... Lauria!" comes the yell of protest, still laughing and trying to cringe away.

 

"Nah, they'll still resent it. 'Cuz candidacy is a little overboard, I mean, a dragon isn't as snarky as a rider. Usually." With certain exceptions, of course. Lylia eyes Alymath for a moment, watchful as Druseth creeps a little closer to the green and looks at the snow himself. "Hmmm. Dragons and snow. Doesn't seem a good combination."

 

Zana shakes her head "Nope, I'm waiting for Brae to throw me in. He's like that." she pauses a moment as her thoughts change "But candidacy shows who really wants to be here."

 

"Do you hear something?"  Kaes' innocently inquires of Lauria, still plodding that snow onto her brother.  Mindful to keep it away from his face.  It wouldn't do to cover his mouth so he couldn't breathe.  "And just where did Kibs go?  Honestly, the boy never could handle work."  Jesting, ribbing.. oh yes, Kaesa was hard at work. The snow does continue to pile on, though lightly enough that Kibi could easily break out of it if he so wished.  And considering Kaesa does make it a point to catch his gaze and deliver quite the mischevious grin.. she might just want to start running now.

 

Lis smacks her blueriding friend on the hindquarters as he yelps and darts off. Some 'friendship'. "You're right, Lylia," agrees the greenrider thoughtfully as she strolls over, arms across her chest.

Lauria grins at the laughter-- heartened that it, well, isn't cussing and threats-- and when they get his torso well covered drops her shovel to pat at the snow, quickly. She's smoothing it out. And promptly she writes D-O-R-K in the snow. Mature, isn't she?

 

Well, at least Kaesa doesn't want to suffocate her big brother, so that is a good thing, right? Hands cover over Kibi's face, trying to twist away, but not succeeding very well. Although that is getting awfully cold. Very, very cold -not to mention heavy. Gloved hands curl around some of the snow, trying to toss it back at the girls. But after a moment, he is finally trying to wrestle and break free.

 

"True. The weakest fall beneath the broom," Lylia says with a laugh, shaking her head slightly. "And they /do/ accept to be here, but still. It's funny how brutal we can be with chores." Just a little funny... More like hilarious for Lylia, however. She grins at Lis. "And creative." Evilly so. Eeevil. "Y'all okay in the cold?" she calls.

 

Kaesa does grin at her work.  A covered big brother.  The squirming attempts of the other are met with delighted laughter.  Real enough in it's meaning as well.  "Are you comfortable, brother dearest?" Yes, well she has to rub the fact in that he's the one wearing the snow and she's  not.  For now, at least.

 

Lis goes home.

 

Ulimi steps out from the Weyr's living caverns.

 

Lauria promptly adds to her work, stepping to the other side of Kibi only to inscribe K-I-C-K M-E in the snow above DORK. "There. Now, I'm finished. And I think he looks comfortable-ly chilled." She stands back, arms crossed.

 

Alasse steps out from the Weyr's living caverns.

 

Alright, that is about it. Kibi is pushing hard at all of the snow packed upon him and then *Whoosh!* it cracks away and the teenager is stumbling to his feet. Shivering. Oh, how he shivers. My, are his lips starting to turn blue. Look how they match his eyes. "Naughty."

 

Ulimi cradles something in the crook of her arm, a little squirming mass inside a pair of tan breetches wadded up into a bundle.  She cooes at it, smiling and extatic, making little baby faces and talking in baby voices.  The top of the lump shoves aside a pant-leg and pops its head out of the bundle, climbing up Ulimi's tunic.  It's a small, gold firelizard, which promptly starts tugging on her hair.  Squeal.  "Ghani! NO."  And the firelizard almost stops for a moment before tugging further.  But then Ulimi's attention is caught by Kibai, enclosed in ice, and her 'plight' doesn't seem so dire. "Uhh..." she stares dumbly.  "What's all that about?"

 

"Aww. Nice." Lylia has slid over towards Lauria -- slid being the proper word, as she nearly fell on her backside on the snow in the process. She can't hide the giggles at the 'kick me' in the snow, shaking her head for a moment. "Very... productive. We're shoveling snooow!" Lylia calls to Ulimi, attempting to look excited. See? Excitement. /Shoveling/.

 

Kaesa is all smiles.  A blue-lipped and shivering brother was normally a bad thing yes.  But now he'd think twice before he threw a snowball at her.  Still, Kaesa isn't an entire block of ice where the heart is concerned.  Once she's relatively sure her brother has learned his 'lesson', she's moving towards him.  One arm outstretched in assistance.  All the signs point to her being quite remorseful about her actions, "Ooh.. Kibi.  You're all blue.."  A tsking sounds as she shakes her head, her fingers waggled lightly, "What say we go get those cookies and klah, hmm?" And the work?  What work?

 

Lauria turns towards Lylia, grinning briefly. "I thought so," she answers-- but that's all before Kibai has hoisted himself to his feet. Staring straight at him and surveying his now-matching blue lips, she can't help but grin. "And I always thought that when you buried yourself in the snow, it actually got a little warm." She turns towards Kaesa-- who seems to have allied herself with Kibi, again. "Could I possibly follow you two in? I'm getting cold, myself."

 

Is anyone still shoveling snow now? Kibi sure knows that he isn't. Shiver-shiver. He shakes once, sending a cascade of snow tumbling off of his shoulders to fall onto all of that freshly shoveled area. Hand comes up to rub at his red nose, peeping down at Kaesa with a smirk. "Very, very naughty. Yes... inside would be very, very good."

 

Ulimi gulps as she views blue candies.  "You need to set yourselves down by the fire, I don't know how you manage being in snow like that..."  Ulimi's concept of snow certainly doesn't include it as a substance to /play/ in.  She's from warm-like climes. Exclusively.  "I'm sure there are some cookies done- A baker was making some earlier today. Nice big batch."  Of course the baker apprentice would be in the kitchen, even on her day off.  The little baby gold has thankfully stopped tugging on her hair, she's now started to dig in the pockets of the pants, searching for something imaginary, probably.

 

Well she did learn from the best..did she not?  Kaes quickly attempts to slide her hand around her brothers.  They were related afterall.. in the end it would always be him and her vs.. well whoever.  "Well come on then.  Don't poke around in the snow. You're frozen." And the tone would imply ignorance on Kaesa's behalf on just how he got to that point.  "Honestly, Kibs.  You'd think someone with your learning would know enough not to play in the snow." A semi rueful glance is sent Kibai wards, though it does float past him and towards Lauria, "By all means.."

 

Lauria smiles, happy she's invited-- and promptly follows along. "Yes, playing in the snow..." She doesn't have much to add to the conversation, anymore. She's sort of slipped into what she was when she originally came out here, only she's not grumbling.

 

Kibai rolls his eyes after Kaesa, flickers her a wry grin, and then makes his way into the caverns. Bet you anything that in a couple of days the poor boy is going to be sporting a fine case of the sniffles.