The rough-hewn majesty of this cavern far outpaces any delight in the multitudes of curves that form its enclosure. The glabrous grey granite is shot through with translucent obsidian, lending subtly-veined sparkle to the walls and the foot-trodden smoothness of the floor that shows centuries-old placements of the scarred trestle tables; carven hollows give homes for the glow baskets and the coat-pegs that line the walls. No mosaics, no painting, no tiles: just a few well-done tapestries mark the pathway that lead to the kitchen to the north and the inner caverns to the west, and frame the nighthearth's stew and snacks, while a heavier strip of oiled canvas shields the unwary from the wind in the bowl.

          **********************

It was all very well going on about pure logic and how the universe was ruled by logic and the harmony of numbers, but the plain fact of the matter was that the disc was manifestly traversing space on the back of a giant turtle and the gods had a habit of going round to atheists houses and smashing their windows.

          **********************

Tucked into a glowlit niche are Kate, Sin, Brannt, Tangaloor, Kelpie, Azule, Rappa, Lava, Dogma, Yum-Yum, Yakshini, Zephyr, Tigger, Shaber, Bow-Wow, Kynance, Warren, Cavort, Kageen, Kythe, and Etoile.

You see Fantastic Triple Layer Bubbly Surprise, Tsunami Banner, Old Auntie sit-by-the-fire, Fluffernut, and Siai here.

Rita, Ximane, and Lis are here.

Obvious exits:

Bowl     Kitchens     Inner Caverns     Crafting Area

Keris stretches and peers around, blinking a couple of times to get through the sleepy haze.

Khloe arrives from deeper in the Weyr.

Etain arrives from deeper in the Weyr.

Khloe waves as she enters.

Etain takes her usual seat and a cup of Khla.

"Oh, hello again Rita." Keris smiles slightly. Uh oh, please don't let her drag him outside again. "Well I'll be staying for a while..."

Etain says, "Hihi Rita"

Adar comes down from the workrooms above.

Khloe sits down quietly, watching the others.

Rita's eyes twinkle with merriment and a casual wave is thrown to Rita, turning back to Keris she asks, "Have you been shown around yet? I'd /love/ to show you around." She adds with a small smile.

Keris blanches slightly. Show around? Eek! "Erm, actually," he starts muttering, then spots his savior. "Adar! Hey!" Journeyman waves wildly, almost bouncing towards Adar.

Etain says, "Hi ummmm, new person."

Lis comes in innocently, looking for nice, prosaic little cookie things, when who should appear but Keris. "You!" the weyrling half-shouts, half-squeaks. "You're /staying/?" Rather than a joyful tone, her voice is colored with stark incredulity. A blink, and the greenling's eyes take in Other People. Blush.

Khloe wonders if Etain is talking to her. "Hello, I'm Khloe."

Adar wanders in from the crafters' area, nodding to those she recognises and doesn't - and looks again as she hears her name and sees frantic waving. "Keris! You're here?" Well, obviously. "When did you arrive?"

Etain says, "Keris? Why does everyone love you? You aren't a cute brat or anything."

Keris blinks, haulting on his way to Adar. Lis? "Lis!" he exclaims, grinning brightly at the weyrling before turning back to Adar. "Well, not long ago," he explains, "F'reud gave me a ride. I came to give you some of the hides you forgot," he tells, winking at Adar, "and then I figured I might as well stay. For a while."

Rita pouts slightly and follows after Keris, "Well? Would you?" She asks of him and looks up disaprovingly.

Adar colours slightly. Oh yeah, the whole purpose of her trip south. "Thank you." One of those non-teasing glints appears in her eye, and she grins. "So are you planning on trying the wine?"

Oh dear... Lis could deal with a day of Keris, but a while is a bit much. While Keris' attention is directed Adar-wards, the weyrling goes off to a nice, shady, cookie-full corner where she can gorge in private. Cookies are secured, and the greenling munches away happily. Sweetener: the solution to life's problems.

Etain slowly sips her klah. She disapperes for a moment into teh kitchen and returns with some cookies. Anyone want some?

Keris looks confusedly at Rita for a moment. "Hmm? Oh! Err, not right now," he says, sweeping a hand towards Adar and Lis, "but maybe later?" Adar gets a grimace. "Very funny!" is snorted, though the StarCrafter's eyes are shining. And where did Lis go?

Etain gives Khole and Ximane some cookies.

Khloe , for lack of a better idea, takes some pale bronze fabric from her goodie bag and begins to sew.

Rita sniffs, Hmph. Be that way then. She sighs, "Maybe later." And wonders pff to nibble on a cookie.

Rita smiles thankfully at Etain, "Thanks, Etain." She says grinning and takes a bite out of it, humming to herself some well-known harper teaching song.

Adar * has to go, and will bbl. :)

Adar slides into unconsciousness.

Adar has disconnected.

Crunch go the cookies at Lis gobbles them up. Keris gets a strange peer out of the shadows from the greenling, but the girl does her best to lay low until all the Keris-groupies are gone. Unfortunately, the sudden need for klah forces her to let out a squeek. Th'pot's just out of her reach.

Rita watches Adar leave and smiles softly, slipping over to keris, "Now then? Since she's gone there isn't anything better for you to do." She points out and looks up to watch his face for reaction.

Keris sends Rita a charming smile. "Well I'd really love to, but I have to... talk with Lis," he rambles, nodding towards the girl in the dark corner.

Rita sighs, "After? Promise?" She asks and smiles up at him wistfully, eyes twinkling mischieviously, "It shouldn't take /too/ long." She adds.

Keris grins. "No? I thought this place was big," he smiles, winking at Rita.

Rita laughs, "it'll only take about 1 turn." She  jokes and grins at him.

Keris chuckles lightly. "Well I'll be back at the Hall then, sorry," he smiles, peering towards Lis.

Lis smirks at Keris, drawn out of her cookie-munching shell by any chance to pick on Keris. "You incorrigable...you." Wonderful insult there, really. She scoots her chair forward, closer to the klah pot - and more cookies.

Ximane often gets himself confused

Keris half-flees towards Lis - and the cookies - quickly scooting into a seat. "So Lis, how're you doing?" he inquires. Of course, it's only been a few days since he last saw her, but still...

"/I've/ been taking care of Alymath. And you've been attracting every female within walking distance." Leave it to Lis put it blantantly, if a little skewed. "I can't blame 'em, though," she adds with the hint of an admiring grin on her face.

Keris squirms in his chair, expression a little uncomfortable. Better not tell her what he did to Adar then... "Uhm, well," he mumbles, "it isn't my fault. I was just showing them the constellations." Oh yeah, and he's really naive too!

Lis coughs something under her breath. Could that have been a 'Sure, right'? "Mm-hmm," she states in a completely innocent, believing way. "And I'm sure that's the reason they wanted to see you, isn't it?" Smirk.

Keris tilts his head, trying to look the cutest he can. And it /is/ really cute. "Aww, Lis, you know me." Probably why the girl's acting like that. "I was just explaining a few things to them."

Rita shoots a sucpioucious look at Keris and Lis talking and sighs, wondering over to them, "Well, Keris? Shall I show you around the weyr now?" She asks of him while winking at Lis.

"That's the problem: I /know/ you." That remark is directed with a good natured wink in Keris' direction by Lis. "Well, Rita, if you really want to. I wouldn't trust this one with a queen dragon by my side." And this is someone who's his /friend/.

Keris sends Lis a glare. Gee, thanks! "Uhm, erm," he stutters, then sight, peering up at Rita. "I guess I could spare a minute or two..."

Rita nods and smothers a laugh, "Yes, I'm fairly sure. C'mon, Keris." She smiles royally and leads the way to the Inner Caverns.

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

Inner Caverns

Ancient caverns unfold in an endless maze of tunnels and stairs, the Weyr's cavities a labyrinth to the uninitiated.  Here, trimmed by the last of the stone cutters, arched walls and vaulted ceilings retain the soapy smoothness of well-worn stone, as do the endless tunnel floors kept clear and tidy.  Shadows creep and flicker across these glowlit mountain walls, creatures of non-light wending their way east to the main caverns and bowl, or branching out in a web of caves to the Weyr's living spaces.

Shadowed on stone-smooth ledge are Iniquity, Phyar, Reno, and Chrono.

You see Delphin and Karena here.

Rita and Ximane are here.

Obvious exits:

Living Caverns     Hallway     Dorms     Candidate Barracks     Baths     Brat Cave     Infirmary     Guests' Quarters

Rita nods to Keris, "These are the Inner Caverns." She informs him and nods towards the Brat Caves, "Those are the Brat Caves." SHe tells hims and slips in.

Rita runs at her fullest speed, grinning evily all the time, to the Brat Cave.

All hope abandon, ye who enter here!

Brat Cave

Extremely large room is awash with dustcovers and sheets spread all over the place. Paintpots are scattered around, over and beside the covered furniture and workers saunter in and out, painting, fixing and building. There's also a near constant cluster of brats by one wall or another as they excitedly add to the slowly growing mural--at times clambering onto something to reach the higher blank portions of the wall. Brushes have been left out for any visitor, and it may be wise not to linger too long unless you want your assistance to be volunteered.

Sweet and yummy, scents of cookies and candy waft about the room.

Poking through the paint pots are Cheep, Taybi, Poldhu, and Melissande.

You see Toy Box, Mud Colors, Aurae, Atai, Stuffith, Verdigrith, Plusheth, and Cuteth here.

You notice Kalla asleep here.

Visian, Tyara, Rita, and Ximane are here.

Obvious exits:

Sleeping Quarters     Inner Caverns     Rooms

Rita smiles at Keris, "The Brat Cave." She announces ceremoniously, "Well, I guess c'mon now." She sighs and heads out.

Keris walks out.

Central Bowl

Seven spindles brush the clouds -- quite literally -- overhead, a jagged, spired cotillion grey-stoned majesty. The bowl from here is expansively large, extending a full half mile in both directions, and although sometimes a bit of a stretch, 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: carven, hand-worn and foothold-full, it gives a bit of centerpoint to the otherwise vast emptiness of the area.

To the north lie the hatching grounds and leadership weyrs, while the lows of herdbeasts mark the feeding pens to the northeast. A flurry of ever-present activity marks the living caverns to the west, and another time-traveled path the ground weyrs just adjacent to the southwest. Southeast, a glint of blue shows the lake, glittering and cold.

  It is a summer evening. 

Clinging to footholds in the boulder-mound are Zhaneel, Spice, Kier, Fiannan, Wilt, Tremayne, Quenn, Dratini, Tirone, and Bastet.

Blue Mrrdynth, brown Azrieth, and green Yshanth are here.

You see a wagonmaster, Emerald, and TumbleWeed here.

Rita is here.

Obvious exits:

Pens     Northern Bowl     Caverns     Ground Weyrs     Lakeside

Keris walks in.

Rita grins up at him, "You'll know the Center Bowl, this is where we were looking at stars last night, pretty, huh?" She mentions and continues.

Rita runs at her fullest speed, grinning evily all the time, to the Lakeside.

You go to the Beach.

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 summer evening. 

Brown Revnath and bronze Dhavalth are here.

You see small wooden raft here.

Rita is here.

Obvious exits:

Stables     Feeding Pens     Central Bowl     Lake

Rita grins at him and steps back to admire the sunset, "Wow." She murmurs softly and slips her hand into his subtly, "Pretty, huh?" She asks and unconsciously steps closer and leans her head against his shoulder.

Keris sends the hand in his a glare but doesn'thave the heart to remove it. "Hmm, yeah, very," he agrees, tilting his head slightly backwards to watch the sunset. "So-err, how's being 16?"

Rita looks up abruptly, "You're not that much older then me." She notes purposefully, "Only about 2 or 3 turns." She points out and smiles up at him cutely, "Very likely the same as being 18 or 19." She tells him.

Keris smirks. "Actually I just turned 20," he points out, "and well, I've been busy since I was 16. Hardly remember what it was like." Ok, so he's exaggerating... a little...

Rita sniffs, "Just." She says, "Do you really think 16 is that much younger?" She asks and looks up sweetly, fluttering her lashes flirtingly enough to at least pry at almost any heart.

Keris grimaces out a smile. "No, of course not. Some girls have children at 16," he points out dryly, trying his best to ignore her flirting.

Rita (#18413)

female High Reaches Weyrfolk

Golden brown hair tumbles down her back to her slender waist, blue-green eyes peer out with courage, curiousity and friendship. Her healthily tanned skin shows how much time she spends in the sun, she looks like a good strong worker, agile, quick and strong. She is about average size at 5'3" and 118 lbs.

She is slightly musculaur and her hair is highlighted with blonde streaks. Rosy cheeks show on either side of a mischievious mouth, her blue-green eyes twinkle behind long lashes and highly arched eyebrows, above a small, pointed and delicate nose. Her ears are small and from her right ear to her cheek is a slightly gashing scar. Her curves are just beginning to show though she still looks mostly like a boy and when she smiles her sweet little smile, her dimples show more easily as her face isn't always as dirty as before. It seems, like it or not, Rita is FINALLY maturing.

She wears an old oversized light brown tunic and pants. Her hair is tied back in a ponytail behind her back with a thin rope and her feet are barefoot.

She wears the knot of a high Reaches Weyrfolk...just barely from her look.

IC Age: 16 Turns and 23 days

Rita smiles sweetly, "I'm not quite ready for /that/ yet." She grins then looks up at him, "QUite scary." She adds.

Keris grins slightly. "Know what you mean," he nods, blue eyes momentarily going towards the lake, then back at her. "So what're they making you do now that you're old enough not to be a brat anymore?"

Rita shrugs, "Well, Nanny Perisienne and Birlon adopted me. I'm an orphan you know." Her eyes cloud over and she looks down at the ground then back up again, "Well, just normal chores I suppose."

Keris ohs softly. "Well good thing you have a family now, then," he smiles, patting her arm. "Chores, huh?" A smile spreads on his face. "I don't have to do those anymore."

Rita looks up at him and giggles softly, "Lucky." She mutters and almost forgets to flirt, falling into more the way she acts with her friends, "Not fair, I say." She sniffs.

Keris chuckles. "Well now I have to teach the lazy Apprentices instead," he points out, winking at her. "Can't believe the Journeymen could stand me for so long," he adds, grinning mischeviously.

Rita grins, eyes twinkling, "I'm sure you weren't that bad." She protests then pauses to look up at him, "...then again.." She trails off giggling girlishly.

Keris laughs softly. Gee, they can tell just by looking at him?? "Hmm, thanks I guess," he grins, "but really, I /was/ bad. Very." Uh oh, did that come out like flirting?? Nah...

Rita doesn't seem to notice and looks up, eyes continuing the glistening twinkling, "I believe it." She tells him, "Very." Then laughs lightly and letting his hand fall sits on the ground, bare feet digging into the sand.

Pingouin> Pingouin takes her small body ::between::, leaving nothing but a flash of gold and a soft warbling sound.

Pingouin> :::BETWEEN!:::

Pingouin> You hang, senseless, in the dark nothingness of ::between::... absolute darkness surrounds you, and the profound cold stings you... you wait, and count...

Pingouin> Black...

Pingouin> Blacker...

Pingouin> Blackest...

Pingouin> The Vault

Pingouin> No more than a hideaway amidst the gothic grandeur of the StarHall, this cozy lounge is a place of laughter if not greatness, warmth if not splendour.  The close stone walls are insulated with tapestries of all shapes and sizes, most a little worn, several faded and a good many depicting scenes from childhood stories. The mismatched chairs and sofas are in a similar state, rescued from cellars and rubbish-heaps but perhaps more softer and more comfortable for that, scattered in a rouch circle on a hardwood floor. A low round table in the centre of the room holds cards, discarded hides, mugs, and a pot that holds klah as long as someone remembers to fill it.  The one window at the back wall lets light and air into the warm, cozy room.

Pingouin> Scattered troughout the rooms are numerous glowbaskets. Thin hides, that would be transparant if they weren't coloured in light shades of red green and blue cast a colourfull and happy athmostphere troughout the room. Small bells and sticks, hung near the window, create soft, eerie yet comfortablly soft sounds.

Pingouin> The window looks out over Central Garden.

Pingouin> Through the open window, you notice that  It is a summer evening. 

Pingouin> On the perch are Pudding and Saturnax.

Pingouin> You see A pile of books, tray of bubblies, tray of drinks, tray of food, and Gold Stuffed Toy Dragon-hatchling here.

Pingouin> Nyx and Indrah are here.

Pingouin> Obvious exits:

Pingouin> Main Hall Balcony     Female Apprentice Quarters     Male Apprentice Quarters

Pingouin> Pingouin is nothing but a slim streak of gold as she blinks in from ::between::!

Pingouin> Nyx peers at Pingouin.

Keris chuckles. "Glad someone does," he smiles, letting himself drop to the sand next to her. "So, how long have you lived here?"

Pingouin> Pingouin peers back at Nyx.

Pingouin notices Nyx looking at her.

Pingouin> Nyx peers one more time and decides that this new golden flit seems to belong around here. "Know anything about this tray of bubblies?"

Rita looks up, "Dunno...all my life maybe?" She suggests and looks up to see his face, relieved to see he's smiling she continues, "It's really a great place." She tells him.

Pingouin> Pingouin warbles a soft tune, skippedi-hopping towards Nyx. Ooh, food? Small, golden muzzle goes forward to smell. Mmmm!

Pingouin notices Indrah looking at her.

Pingouin> Indrah releases Melchiah, who launches into the air.

Pingouin> Indrah releases Mew, who launches into the air.

Keris nods. "It is," he agrees, "I should come more often," he continues, smiling slightly at her. "I'm sure Adar could use a helping hand with all the people around here interested in the stars."

Pingouin> Nyx peers at this gold, again, and then looks at Indrah. "Yours? Or whos?"

Pingouin> Indrah shakes her head. "Not mine. Just Melchiah and Mew are mine, that one's Keris's or something."

Pingouin> Nyx goes 'oh'. Then looks at Pingouin, again.

Rita nods, "Yes, I've always loved the stars but I don't know that much..." She trails off and looks up, "When did you decide to join the StarCraft?" She asks curiously, cocking her head slightly.

Keris smiles softly. "Oh, I decided that... when I was old enough to see them," he says, chuckling lightly. "Didn't join before I was 17 though. My father wanted me to be a Smith, like himself. Said that StarCrafters were nothing but a bunch of misfits."

Pingouin> Pingouin warbles again, eyes swirling a bright blue as she peers from Nyx and Indrah to the food and then back again.

Pingouin> Nyx peers at Indrah. "The flit wants food, it seems."

Pingouin> Indrah shrugs. "So? Tell him to go tell his pet."

Rita laughs softly, "Well, you know what? I couldn't disagree with your father more." She tells him and falls backwards to look up at them, "Are they all stars? How many there are." She murmers from a lying down position, watching them half-dizzily.

Pingouin> Nyx nods at this. "Well, I think it's best. I remember seeing the bubblies from earlier. So, queen, who's your humanpet?"

Keris grins. "Me neither," he states, then peers upwards agin. "Oh, there's a lot! And yeah, we believe them all to be stars. At least those who look alike."

Rita pushes herself up again, "What about the sun? Is it a star?" She asks curiously of Keris, turning to examine the Starcrafter.

Keris narrows his eyes. "Yes, it's just much bigger than the others," he nods, smiling at her.

Rita grins, "Wow. I wonder if all the stars are suns." She murmurs and looks up for his reaction, "Do ya' think?"

Keris chuckles. "Well call them what you like... I know some people who call the stars small suns," he explains, smiling. "But to avoid confusion we call the stars stars and Rukbat the sun."

Rita nods, "That makes sense." She notes, "But are there other planets for each sun then?" SHe asks peering up, "Are there other people?" She suggests, eyes widening at the possibility of it.

Keris bites his lip for a moment. "Ehh, we can't check all the suns," he chuckles, "but there are five other planets around Rukbat. But I don't know if there are people..."

Rita murmurs, "Wouldn't it be amazing if we could go to another planet and see?" She asks, eyes twinkling with enthusiasm, "Wouldn't that be great?"

Keris nods. "Hmm yeah, it would. But we can't," he shrugs. "Even dragons need to know where they're going." This much he knows...

Rita nods, "Yeah, but if we could imagine what it looks like and if we were right..." But then she sighs, "...and if we were wrong." She adds then glances up at the sky, "We better get going, we've been out for a while..." She glances upa nd blushes, "I'd like to stay but...well, tomorrow?" She asks, looking up at him.

Keris chuckles. "I'll be here," he promises, reaching over to squeeze her shoulder lightly. "See you then."

Rita grins and tosses him a wave, "Bye." She calls lightly.

Rita goes home.

Pingouin> Pingouin warbles towards Nyx, fluttering her wings for balance as she tries to reach the tray of meatrolls.

Pingouin> Nyx peers at Pingouin. "Er, that tray's been there for a couple of nights..."

Pingouin> Melchiah creels. Old meatrolls better than no meatrolls.

Pingouin> Pingouin warbles again, only louder this time, and does a skippedi-hop on her clumsy feet. Yup, a meatroll is a meatroll is a meatroll...

Pingouin> Nyx watches as Pingouin goes and goes for one... "Indrah, you think that the flit's going to die from those overly-old meatrolls?"

Pingouin> Pingouin creels now, in protest over these 'pets just standing there, idle, while she's hungry. Creel. Creeeeeeel!

Pingouin> Nyx gets a meatroll from tray of food.

Pingouin> Nyx idly wonders if this is indeed Keris' flit, and ponders if Keris would appreticate the flit starving or dying due to Tainted Meatroll... "You sure, flit?"

Pingouin> Creeeeeeeeel! Yes, Pingouin is sure. In fact, she's practically jumping up and down, red-swirling eyes fixed on the meatroll in Nyx' hand.

Pingouin> Nyx resists the urge to laugh and gives Pingouin the before-mentioned meatroll.

Pingouin> Pingouin almost bites Nyx' fingers off, trying to get to the meatroll.. At least she can't creel while chewing, but it certainly is close.

Pingouin> Pingouin finishes the meatroll, warbling sweetly as she peers up at Nyx again. Good 'pet.

Idari says, "Mind if I ask with what?  I'm afraid I don't know much about the Starcraft..."

Pingouin> Pingouin croons, pushing her small, golden headknobs against Nyx' hand. Definitely a 'pet to bother for meatrolls...

Lis swishswishes in flare-legged pants in from the Central Bowl.

Idari nods, then waves to Lis.  Turning her attention again, she focuses on

Keris chuckles at Idari. "It's ok, he doesn't bother me," he assures, turning around to see who she's waving at. "Lis!" StarCrafter beams.

Eek, she's been spotted. And just coming in for some innocent bubblies. "Keris. Still here?" It's only been a day or two, and she's already accustomed to his presence. Carefully skirting an errant weyrbrat, she passes the bubblie-tray by - gasp! - in favor of the last bits of soup on the heart. "Mmm..."

That was Lis.

Keris smiles brightly. "That glad to see me, hmm?" he asks innocently, reaching out a hand for a bubbly. Blocking the way, anyone?

Idari tilts her head, watching the exchange with curiosity.

"Of course," Lis quips back at Keris with a half-smile. Mudpool eyes suddenly notice Idari - if a bit belatedly, the girl feeling a pressing need to introduce herself between spoonfuls of cubed wherry. "Hello there, I'm Lis. Former Starcrafter, and now stuck here as a weyrling," she states, tagging a wink onto her introductions.

Keris sends Lis a smirk. "Stuck, hmm?" he asks, just as innocently as before. "While I'm working hard at the StarCraft Hall?" A mock-frown appears on the Journeyman's forehead.

Lis' brows arch as she swirls her broth around. "Working hard or hardly working? 'Sides, you're not even /at/ the Starcraft Hall anymore." The greenling then returns to her soup, muttering something about ungrateful pompous studmiffin journeymen.

Keris giggles shamelessly at Lis. "I /am/ working hard," he claims, "everyone wants to learn something." It's a sin, he knows it. "And I am too," he continues, "you just don't notice it 'cause you're /stuck/ up here." Ahh...

Idari stands and makes her way to the main table.  She grabs a piece of meat and walks back to her seat, but doesn't sit down.

"Sure, sure." Lis dismisses Keris' 'accomplishments' with a wave of her spoon. "You," and now the spoon points at Keris, "don't have to oil, bathe and /feed/ something the size of the dorms nearly every day." Her eyes suddenly go shifty. Watcher beware. "Say, either of you two terribly busy right now?"

Idari grins.  "Sit," she commands, then when Azlan has sat, she commands "Up up!"  He hoists himself up with the assistance of the chair, and places his front paws on her shoulders, panting with the trouble but still wagging his tail.

Idari awards the meat to Azlan as he plops back down.  She turns to Lis.  "Not me," she says cheerily.

Keris sends Lis a suspicious look. "Hmm, busy? Not really, I'm waiting for Adar to return. Why?" he inquires.

Lis takes one last slurp of her soup before setting it on the table. "Good, good. Good good good. Just follow me, now." A swish of pants, and Lis is walking towards the door, doing her best not to make eye contact with anyone. Might give her away...

Keris sighs and gets up, following Lis. "This better be good," he smirks.

Idari shrugs and follows, motioning for Azlan to stay

Lis exchanges the protection of stone for the bowl outside.

Idari exchanges the protection of stone for the bowl outside.

Bundle up 'gainst snow or sun! The bowl is open to seasons' wrath.

Central Bowl

Seven spindles brush the clouds -- quite literally -- overhead, a jagged, spired cotillion grey-stoned majesty. The bowl from here is expansively large, extending a full half mile in both directions, and although sometimes a bit of a stretch, 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: carven, hand-worn and foothold-full, it gives a bit of centerpoint to the otherwise vast emptiness of the area.

To the north lie the hatching grounds and leadership weyrs, while the lows of herdbeasts mark the feeding pens to the northeast. A flurry of ever-present activity marks the living caverns to the west, and another time-traveled path the ground weyrs just adjacent to the southwest. Southeast, a glint of blue shows the lake, glittering and cold.

  It is a summer late night. 

Clinging to footholds in the boulder-mound are Zhaneel, Spice, Kier, Fiannan, Wilt, Tremayne, Quenn, Dratini, Tirone, Bastet, and Warren.

Blue Mrrdynth, brown Azrieth, and green Yshanth are here.

You see a wagonmaster, Emerald, and TumbleWeed here.

Lis and Idari are here.

Obvious exits:

Pens     Northern Bowl     Caverns     Ground Weyrs     Lakeside

"This way," Lis calls in an all-too-cheery voice as she heads towards the lake.

Lis swishswishes in flare-legged pants to the Lakeside.

You go to the Beach.

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 summer late night. 

Darting here and there is Gai.

Brown Revnath and green Alymath are here.

You see small wooden raft here.

Lis is here.

Obvious exits:

Stables     Feeding Pens     Central Bowl     Lake

Idari walks in from the Central Bowl.

Idari sighs at the sight of more dragons, her eyes taking on a happy, far away look.

Idari turns to Lis, a smile on her face.  "Why did you bring us out here?"

Lis stands against one slim forleg of Alymath's, arms crossed over her chest and one sharding evil grin on her face. "Well, since I complain about work so much, I thought it was only fair that you could actually get a feel for it. 'Sides, I don't know too many people who wouldn't want to be near a dragon." Well, there's one, but that's a special case there. "Alymath here's been complaining that she wants a bath. Wanna help?" The evil grin widens, if such could be possible.

Keris eyes Alymath. Eek.. Impressive, for being so young. Of course, he's seen her once before, but then he didn't have to touch her... "Hmm, sure," he says though, always up for a challenge. Shrugging off his jacket he looks at Lis. "So how do we start?"

Idari beams.  "I would /love/ to," she says happily.

"First of all," Lis starts at the beginning. Good place to start, that. "You'll want to take of any jackets, sweaters, and pretty much any upper layers. It /is/ summer, but you don't want all your clothes wet." The greenling herself strips down to Alymath-bathing attire - undershirt and shorts - while she waits patiently for the others. "Yes dearish, you'll be in the water soon."

Keris smirks as he sends Lis an approving look. "Nice..." Shirt goes too, leaving the StarCrafter in his pants only.

Idari picks up her long dress and tucks the bottom half into the waist, effectively shortening it and allowing free movement, then rolls up her sleeves.  She slips off her sandals and places them aside.

Lis wrinkles her nose at Keris. "You don't look so bad y'self," she chirps back, above all that petty oogling stuff. At least until she's allowed to anyway. "Now just wade in, and I'll make sure Alymath doesn't wander out too far." Her eyes glare up into an innocent pair of luminsecent ones, reminding the green of other bathing memories.

Lis swishswishes in flare-legged pants to the Lake.

Alymath saunters with lanky grace, a hint of gold flashing in her steps, to the Lake.

You go to the Lake.

Lake

An irregularly shaped lake - like a great murky teardrop - curves along the southeast corner of the bowl; the clay bank falls off sharply at the shoreline to form a natural bench just ideal for sitting and dabbling one's feet into the calcium-rich waters. The lake is not terribly deep, but it rarely warms up to a comfortable temperature, even in the height of summer. The southern shore is far more swampy: a muskeg estuary that is home to a multitude of avians and insects.  The boggy, mossy ground there makes for treacherous footing, but provides a variety of marsh plants invaluable to the healing profession.

Above the lake, a series of ledges climb the volcanic wall to overlook the chill waters, and far above those, the star stones themselves perch on the rim of the volcano.

  It is a summer late night. 

On the perch is Solo.

Green Alymath is here.

Lis is here.

Obvious exits:

Lakeside     Lakesky

Idari walks in from the Beach.

Keris sighs and kicks off his boots as well. "She isn't going to dunk me, is she?" he asks, eyening the green again. She looks like a man-eater, yes she does...

"Not unless she's got reason too," Lis replies cryptically, following the dragon out to waist height. Lis' waist-height insn't all that deep, either... "We're going to let Alymath dunk /herself/ first, 'cause she likes to swim around, and then we'll start scrubbing her with lake sand." Lis demonstrates, reaching down to the bottom and pulling up some grayish muck. Yummy.

Keris stays on shore. "What d'you mean reason to? You'll tell her to, won't you?" he exclaims accusingly, pointing a finger at Lis with a smirk.

Idari tries not to gasp as the cool water easily seeps through her dress as she wades in next to Lis.  She turns.  "Oh come /on/ Keris.  So what if you get dunked?  The water's not going to hurt you," she grins.

Lis' reply isn't much better than the one she gave before to a question of Keris': "Not unless /I've/ got reason too." Alymath wades back in, laying in the water like an tiny chain of islands; head, neck, body and tail. "Alright, you both. Pick up some sand and start scrubbing. Don't touch the wings, though, and mind her eyes." Even if Alymath does have several eyelids - a point she makes clear by opening and closing almost a few of them - Lis is still protective of her lump. 'Specially around Keris-type people.

Idari ducks under the water and grabs a handful of sand.  A nice night swim isn't so bad.  She pops back up, her hair plastered around her face.  She wades over to Alymath, her eyes practically sparkling.  She carefully begins to scrub.

Keris scoops up a good handful of sand, walking into the water while muttering something to himself. He decides to start on Alymath's neck, eyeing the green closely just in case she looks like she's going to bite him or anything like that...

Alymath gently holds her neck still for Keris' benefit. Like most dragons, she does enjoy a good scrubbing. "See?" Lis asks, quirking a brow at the journeyman. "She's not /horrible/..." Turning to Idari, the girl adds, "Alymath says you're doing a nice job, there." Lis herself tackles the job of the wings, gently massaging sand into the outstretched plane of the green's left wing.

Keris smirks at Lis. "Never said she was horrible," he points out, "just 'fraid she's gonna dunk me..."

Idari smiles and sighs contendedly, looking around while she scrubs.  A beautiful night, shining lake, and a dragon--perfect, she thinks to herself.

"Well, she's not going to do that either." The weyrling lets out a mirthful, silvery giggle, giving one last rub against the last wingspar before announcing (while getting out of the way): "Watch out, and stand back. Alymath needs to dunk!"

And again, I had to log /off/ in the middle of things... but fear not, the tale continues:

"Keris!" This time the name is whined plaintively by greenling Lis as she runs after her dragon. "Keris, you've got to help me. Alymath's been insisting she's just got to /look/ at you. And this time she's being /especially peevish!" As opposed to regularly peevish. Lis' face softens into a pleading, begging one as her eyes turn towards Keris. Help?

Keris spins around on one heel as someone yells his name. "Lis!" Joy is soon overtaken by slight worry. "Erm, look at me? Why?" he asks suspiciously, peering at the green dragon. It's too big for his taste, really... Saphir is big enough for him!

Lis can only give Keris a shrug in response before her eyes unfocus in that odd way rider eyes tend to when their dragon makes a comment. "Oh. Dear. Well, um, Keris, thanks for helping, and we'll be going, right Alymath?" The green dragon has different plans, it seems; her ever-lengthening tail curls itself around Lis from toes to waist. /Stay/. Good Rider.

Keris smirks - what else can he do? "Uhm, /why/ does she want to look at me?" he inquires, hoping it isn't some looking-out-food-thing. "I mean, she only eats herdbeasts, right?" One can always hope.

Lis steels herself with a little shiver against the mass of dragonhide holding her prisoner. "She, Alymath, wanted to make sure /you/ were the man she kept seeing when she asked about... um..." Lis doesn't want to say too much where she can't conveniently run and hide. Alymath just rustles her wings smugly - she's getting what she wants.

Keris sends the greenling an expectant look. "When she asked about...?" he prods, eyes darting between green dragon and her captivated rider. "Erm, not food, I hope?"

"Something," Lis answers through gritted teeth, "she /oughtn't/ be /worried/ about for a /few/ more /months/ yet..." Rolling her eyes, the greenling adds: "And no, it's most definately /not/ food." If she could cross her arms, she would, but in lieu of that she just glares up at her overly smug lifemate.

Keris takes a few steps closer to the greenling-pair, carefully watching the dragon to make sure there're no teeth showing or anything. "Erm, and what's that?" he ponders sincerely, his knowledge of dragon-cycles being close to non-existant. They eat. And flame. That's all he knows.

They ask awkward questions, too. At least, Alymath does. "The whole thing she's gone and called 'clutching'. She's been asking if I've ever clutched, and I keep saying no, and..." Lis' cheeks start to flame as she continues. "Then you come to mind, and she wants to know what you've got to do with clutching."

Ohhh, what a lovely shade of red Keris' cheeks seem to take on them. The StarCrafter smirks, seemingly embarrassed, and uses the tip of his boot to make /really/ interesting patterns in the dust. "Erm, oh," comes the mumbled answer to that. "Clutching, huh? You mean, she knows that when she rises and someone catches her, than you and..." Uh oh, touchy subject? At least he shuts up all of a sudden.

Lis' head nods. It's the only part of her that moves freely, currently. "Uh-huh. So, what are we going to tell her?" she asks, peering thoughtfully up at Keris. Note the 'we' in that question. "/Trust/ me, unless she gets an answer, she'll do something worse. Like ask other dragons!" The green in question just lets out soft burbling noise, something shared between her and Lis, which makes the rider groan. Not good, nope.

Keris giggles nervously. He noticed that 'we'. "Erm, we? Well, uhm, first of all I can't hear what she's saying so you'll have to tell me," he points out, glancing at the dragon. "And, err, I don't know. Maybe we could, uhm, I mean, we could say that, eh..." At a loss for words, are we? "Maybe we should tell her that... well, isn't she satisfied with knowing that you never.. clutched?" he groans, trying to escape the easy way.

"Well, she just said that she only wants the answer to her question, and she'll get it how she likes," Lis relays to the crafter. An ominous warning if ever there was one. "I tried telling her I've never clutched, and that worked until you showed up, and she wanted to know who you were..." Her head drops, again, in a sigh. "And then, she starting asking about clutching again."

Keris smirks ruefully. "So, until I showed up she was satisfied, eh?" he sighs, tilting his head backwards to give the green dragon a stare. "Hmm, don't s'pose she'd be satisfied if you told her I'll leave again in a few days anyway?"

After a bit of pleading and wiggling, Lis finally gets an arm free, all to point at Keris. "Correction, there. She didn't /know/ you before. If you leave, she'll still know you..." Until that draconic memory fails, that is. The tail around her torso starts to twitch ever so slightly, a sure sign on antsiness - at least to the rider. "I think we'd better decide this quickly, hmm?"

Keris grimaces. "Err, I guess," he sighs, then tilts his head, getting that too-familiar mischevious twinkle in his eyes. "Well, if she's so interested in clutching, maybe we just ought to show her how it's done?" he suggests gravely, taking a step forward while reaching an arm towards Lis, as if he seriously considered doing just so.

Lis bats at Keris' arm as she recoils back into that safe - or at least Keris-free - tail of Alymath's. "No!" she squeaks hurriedly. "First of all, we're outside. Second of all, do you have any idea what those kind of /emotions/ would do to her? Not to mention me?" Her eyes are all innocence and honesty as she huddles in a bundle of green hide.

Keris giggles delightedly - he just loves seeing girls squirm, oh yeah. "No, I've no idea," he says, as truth is, "that's why I wanted to try it." Ok, so maybe he doesn't give a hooch about the dragon, at least regarding /that/ subject, but hey. "Hmm, what /would/ it do to her?" he asks then, narrowing his eyes. "I thought it was mostly.. err, the other way around?"

Lis hunkers down even farther into the dragonhide. At least she got a straight answer... "It's actually a reciprocal kind of thing... So, I can't subject her to anything that would, erm, damage her. And anyway, everyone knows that mating flights are intense anyway," she states with an arrogant tone. Duh...

Keris chuckles lightly. "Hmm, remind me to be around when she takes off then?" he says teasingly - well, ok, semi-teasingly. "When wil she do that anyway?" he asks, out of curiosity of course.

"Rather you than some of those other riders," Lis teases with a wink, confident as long as she's got a large dragon on her side. "Hmm... It's been nearly seven months, hasn't it? So-oo, maybe in half a year? More, I'd think..." Her shrug shows her less-than-sure knowledge. "No one really /knows/."

Keris nods, and smiles. "Well I'd need to know at least one day in advance," he frowns, "otherwise I wouldn't be able to make it." Oh wait, he's not actually /considering/ this, is he? Hmm, could be, judging from that thoughtful expression on his face.

Lis rolls her eyes, her head shaking dissapprovingly as she starts to emerge from the dragon-imposed cocoon. "Sure, sure, and you'll beat off all the riders trying to get at me? Not to mention the one who /catches/?" Lis can admit that much, at least. "It'd be funny to watch, that's for sure." Pah. She scoffs at the idea.

Keris tilts his head. "But what if the one who catches has a female rider?" he asks, innocently of course. "Wouldn't you prefer me then?"

"There's... other riders. Other male riders who's dragons don't necessarily catch. I'm not /stuck/ with you," the greenrider explains haugtily. "'Sides, I know a few people who'd love to stand in. Cute, male, riders." Lis just has to add the bit about them being cute.

Keris isn't takes aback that easily, oh no. "Aww, Lis. You mean you've done with others what you'n'me've done?" he asks, pouting slightly. Alright, so maybe they haven't clutched, but still, he's something special, right? Right?

Lis manages to get the last of Alymath's tail off of her form, the dragon herself soaking up the last rays languidly. "Of course not," Lis snorts in Keris' direction. "Not lately, anyway. Candidates and weyrlings can't do anything like that, you know." He'd better know; she's told him time and time again.

Keris smiles impishly. "Too bad, since I'm finally up here, hmm?" he asks, flashing her a smile. "But well, I'm sure Adar needs my help another time. Soon, maybe," he smirks, peering at the green dragon. Oh well, she doesn't seem to glow right now...

"You..." Lis hasn't found the right adjective for him yet, but she will. She will. "Oh, you. You're horrible, don't you know? Serves you right if I picked some other rider when Alymath flies." Arms - now free - cross over her chest as her face takes on its usual smirk.

Keris chuckles. "As far as I understand, you don't have much to say?" he points out. "Why knows, maybe if I'm there, next to you... and remember, my mind'll be clear since I don't have a dragon in flight," he smirks, winking. Ohh, sounds good, doesn't it? "And well, if another woman's dragon catches, I might happen to be closer to her, hmm?"

Lis shakes her head as Keris, still beaming arrogantly. "Depends on the dragon, depends on the rider, depends on the flight." Lots of variables, there. "And personally, I don't give a wherry wing whether you end up with me or not." That said, Lis leans against Alymath's elbow with a defiant pose in the casual lean.

Keris arches an eyebrow. "You don't? Then what're you complaining about?" he smirks, trying to find a comfortable position while standing in front of a huuuuge green dragon. "Hmm, she satisfied then?" he asks doubtfully, peering upwards.

Lis arches and eyebrow right back at Keris. "I never complained." And Alymath? "Well, if she's been listening to our conversation at all, she most certainly is." Just a bit of deviousness taints her smirk now, pride showing through as well. "I think we did well."

Keris chuckles lightly. "I'm glad she is," he nods, taking a few steps backwards since Lis won't.. err, demonstrate with him anyway. "Hmm, so, you think a blue'll catch her?" he asks curiously, "I mean, I heard that blues often catch greens?"

"Well, blues are generally quicker and more agile than the larger colors..." Lis'll admit that much, but she doesn't usually give Keris a straight answer, and she's not about to start now. "But Alymath's almost blue-sized, so she'll probably have more stamina than other greens." Another nonchanlant shrug bobs her shoulders. "You never know..."

Keris nods thoughtfully. "Hmm, Quara rides blue, doesn't she?" he asks then, looking completely innocent of course. "Imagine if her blue caught your green." A sly wink is given. "I'd give anything to be in the middle of /that/!"

Lis sighs despondently, - "I bet you would!" - leaning against Alymath with even more support from the great beast. "Of course, F'reud rides blue too. And that man's been pining for me since /last/ Candidacy. Not to mention that Sigmunth's a fair-sized blue..." She'll make him jealous, somehow.

Ah, but it isn't that easy a task. "Oh, yes, F'reud. Nice guy. Told me a lot about you, too," StarCrafter nods, face grave. "Of course, I /am/ under the impression that he has a hidden desire for... well, what to call it... men?" Hee, the sweet torture. "Of course, one way to hide it would be to obviously 'long' for a specific girl..." And who died and made him a mindhealer?

Rita wanders in idly, flashing a grin at both Keris and Lis, "Heya, Lis! Heya, Keris! When are you goin' back to Gar?" She asks.

"You," Lis begins with a pointed finger at Keris. Watch out, she may have something here... "/You/ are just plain evil!" There we go. She huffs loudly, sliding down her lifemate's oiled hide to sit on the ground. Keris got the poor greenling all wound up. Rita only gets a glare, as even Alymath starts to wake again.

Rita raises an eyebrow, UhOh. "Lis? Are you okay? What's wrong?" Her eyes widen as she rushes over, "What's happening?" She bites her lip bitterly.

Keris bites back a grin, waving at Rita. "Oh, I don't know yet," he answers to her question, then turns to Lis. "Oh c'mon Lis, it's not my fault that he, well," StarCrafter tries to say say in a subtle way, but can't, "likes that... and hey, I could be wrong. Just got the impresion when he leered at me, that's all." Of course, he could just have had a sandcorn in the eye, but well, interpret it as you will...

Rita peers, what's goin' on here? She slips away quietly and stands abck to watch.

"Well," Lis begins in a huffy sort of tone, "there are people who, well, aren't just one way or the other." Nice way to put it. Rita gets a glance, but since Lis is using up a good bit of her mental capacity arguing with Keris, that's all Rita gets. "'Sides, I guess just about /everyone/ finds you attractive." That's Keris; Pern's perfect little Adonis.

Rita raises an eyebrow again, Oh, Dear. Should she interupt, Naw. She slides down to sit on the cold floor of the bowl and watch the weyrling and StarCrafter arguing together.

Keris snickers, which may be dangerous since Lis looks like she could punch him any moment. "They do, do they?" he asks, looking very pondering. "Hmm... and well, I guess he could overwin his natural urges in a mating flight," he continues, tilting his head as he beams a smile at Lis. She wouldn't hit him when he looks so cute. Would she?

Lis curls up into a little ball of sulking greenling, arms wrapped around knees that are slowly brought to her chest. "Oh, sure they do, sure. And F'reud's business is none of yours," the girl states, even if her mouth is burried in her knees. Sulk.

Keris regards the sulking 'ling for a moment. Aww, who can resist her?? Certainly not this StarCrafter, who is now advancing her. "Aww, Lis, I'm sure he's as charmed by you as everyone else," comes the would-be reassuring remark.

Rita purses her lips together and peers at Lis, she /really/ wants to know what's going on, "Uhhh, Keris? Lis? WHat's going on?" She asks, against her better judgement and cringes slightly after saying it, just hoping Lis doesn't attack her.

"Humph." That's all Lis has to say on the matter Keris brings up. Her head peeks up just for a moment to look at Rita - and blatantly ignore Keris. "I was trying to have a conversation with /him/, but he's always so difficult." Ask an annoyed weyrling, and ye shall recieve and annoyed answer.

Keris giggles in sheer delight. Oh, he just loves being difficult, yup! "I'm just telling Lis that her admirers might not be as many as she thinks," he smirks, winking at Rita. Ooh, she's gonna hit him soon, he can just feel it! So a few steps are taken away from the greeling - and her dragon! Never know what Lis might do. Like, ask Alymath to 'tickle' him a little...

Alymath decides to nudge her way into the conversation, first whuffling her upset darling rider before leveling her gaze with Keris' by an odd craning of her neck. While Lis sulks in a ball, the green's muzzle gets closer and closer to the journeyman's face. Youuu...

Rita wrinkles her brow and states flatly, "I see. Isn't that a little dangerous?" She asks and cocks her head at him, flicking a strand of loose hair out of her face, "I'm not sure Lis likes it." She shoots a wary look at the weyrling.

Keris leans back in the same speed as Alymath approaches his face. "Ehh, Lis?" he asks, just a tinge nervous. Afterall, Lis just assured him that the dragon wouldn't eat him, didn't she? "Eh, dangerous?" he asks Rita, smirking despite of the large, green head just in front of his. "I hope not..."

Rita shrugs, "It's your head, if you feel like getting it eaten that's not my affair." She replys cooly and again flicking away her hair, walks over to squat by Lis, "You 'kay, Lis?"

"Oh, I'm just fine and dandy," comes Lis' reply somewhere in the middle of that blue and black girl-shaped lump. Alymath, meanwhile, stares right into the brash human's eyes. Frighten my rider, will you? The dragon just sits there and glares as her rider sulks, both eerily silent.

Rita's eyebrows shoot up at Lis's reply, Yeah, Right. But she lets it pass, "if you say so, Lis." She shrugs and wanders over to sit cross-legged on the cold floor of the bowl.

Keris tilts his head at the dragon. "Hmm, you wouldn't do that, would you?" he asks, trying a smile. He hasn't yet tried to charm a dragon, but it ought to be easier charming a green than any other color... right?

Rita snorts softly at Keris. Real smart. Flirting with dragons. Now, /that's/ something new. She sighs impaitiently and fiffles with the hem of her tunic, watching Lis sulking and Keris trying to charm the dragon. Wow. Never thought I'd see that.

Lis' head just barely appears, chin perched on her knees. Keris, charming her dragon? This she's got to see... Alymath still stares at the human form before her, a casual sniff given to take in the scent, and - Oh. Niiice... Her jade-garnished head slowly coils back to her rider, eyes now whirling lovingly down at the lifemate. "Alymath says you smile wonderfully."

Keris grins at that. Wow, it worked... "Uhm, she does?" he asks, giggling slightly. "Hmm, guess that's one more female to find me irresistable then, hmm?" he adds teasingly, sending lis a wink. Hey, she said everyone liked him...

Rita smirks, just smirks. "Right." She mutters, "Are we done with dragon-flirting and weyrling-sulking now?" She asks innocently and glances at the two.

"Oh, I wouldn't go so far as irresistable." Arguing with Keris is enough to drag anyone out of their sulk, even Lis. "Just nice-smelling. Being attractive isn't the same thing as being irresistable, you know." The girl turns to Rita with a slight affirmative nod. She is, if Keris behaves himself.

Keris chuckles lightly. "But it's just as good," he states, slowly meandering towards Lis now that Alymath's head isn't blocking his way. "So, Rita, how are you doing?" Yep, going on to next female object...

 

Rita skips in, eyes twinkling, "Keris! Keris! She said yes! I get to go to Gar! Oh, Keris, should I pack now? Do ya' think? Huh? Huh?" She giggles excitedly and peers up at him earnestly.

Keris blinks at Rita. "Uh, she did?" he mutters, eyes darting to Lis for a second. "Hmm, yeah, you'd better. I might leave any minute," he explains.

Rita grins happily, "Hooray!" She cries and skips off again.

Rita meanders south 'neath spires' watchful spikes.

Rita skips in, rucksack thrown over one shoulder, humming happily, she tops between Lis and Keris, grinning at them both.

Lis blinks a bit dazedly. "What, Keris. Leaving already?" A moment ago, she's sulking at him and now she misses him? "Have fun at Gar Rita. I know /I/ did!" Wink. "Need a ride? I can always get F'reud for you... Sigmunth never refuses Alymath..." Like rider, like dragon.

Keris chuckles at Lis. "Hey, easy now. I'm not leaving just yet... actually, one'f the Istan riders promised to come pick me up sometime. He owes me a favor..." Of course, he doesn't say which. Heh.

Rita grins at Lis, "So hurried to get rid of us, eh?" She asks, then turns to Keris, "I do live at the weyr but I've never been between before, what's it like?"

Keris chuckles at Rita. "Well, it's hard to explain. It's... nothing," he says, peering at Lis. She'd be better at explaining.

"Lucky for you then, hmm?" Lis asks of Keris, stretching languidly as she uncurls from her ball. "'M not hurried at all, just a little confused..." Now that's an understatement. "Actually, between's colder than the coldest cold, blacker than the blackest black, and one of the scariest things I know of..." Lis explains helpfully.

Rita shoots a dry look at Lis. Thanks. Just what I needed to know. But she grins against her will and plops on the dust as if to wait.

 

How's that for Weyrlife? Thank Heavens Keris isn't posted there huh? ;-) Well, he had to rush home to promote an Apprentice and thus didn't get to say properly goodbye to Lis. But he gets around to it, and this kinda sets an ending to their romantic relationship. *sniff

Central Bowl

Seven spindles brush the clouds -- quite literally -- overhead, a jagged, spired cotillion grey-stoned majesty. The bowl from here is expansively large, extending a full half mile in both directions, and although sometimes a bit of a stretch, 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: carven, hand-worn and foothold-full, it gives a bit of centerpoint to the otherwise vast emptiness of the area.

To the north lie the hatching grounds and leadership weyrs, while the lows of herdbeasts mark the feeding pens to the northeast. A flurry of ever-present activity marks the living caverns to the west, and another time-traveled path the ground weyrs just adjacent to the southwest. Southeast, a glint of blue shows the lake, glittering and cold.

  It is a summer late night. 

Clinging to footholds in the boulder-mound are Zhaneel, Spice, Wilt, Quenn, Poldhu, and Searcher.

Brown Azrieth, gold Chayath, and green Alymath are here.

You see a wagonmaster, Emerald, and TumbleWeed here.

Lis is here.

Obvious exits:

Pens     Northern Bowl     Caverns     Ground Weyrs     Lakeside

Keris walks in.

Lis rubs some oil into a spot at Alymath's elbow, dipping her fingers into her pocket-sized emergency oil jar. For 'lizards, really, but it works well for dragons too. She's engrossed in her work, and her lifemate, and not paying too much attention to the rest of the world.

Keris saunters towards the green-pair until he's just a few feet away from the more human part of the couple. "Boo!"

"Eeep!" The high pitched squeak comes from Lis as she whirls around at an all-too-familiar voice. "You, again," she states a bit breathlessly. Not even a proper 'Hello, how are you?' from the greenling.

Keris giggles. "That glad to see me, eh?" he chuckles. "Yup, just came back to fetch my book.. realized I forgot it..." He beams a smile at Lis. "So, how're things?"

Lis puts the lid back on her oil pot a bit shakily, jamming it quickly into a pocket. "Just surprised, that's all. Things are things. Alymath's growing, there's chores to be done..." Her shoulders bob in a matter-of-fact shrug. "The usual."

Keris nods. "I see," he says with a small smile. "Anyway, I should get back soon. D'gree is waiting for me." He pauses, biting his lip. "I just wanted to say goodbye, since I didn't get a chance before rushing off.. I had promotions to do."

A faint smirk appears on Lis' face. "Yeah, I noticed. And I just wanted to say that I'm sorry, for being such a terrible brat to you." It's easily, really, but this time Lis is actually apologizing for her actions.

Keris grins lightly. "Oh, you were never a brat to me," he assures her, smiling faintly. "But, well, I shouldn't have said that about your friend," he mumbles. What, Keris feeling guilty?

Lis peers up at Keris through her brows, wide-eyed. "It's alright, really. Blueriders are, more often than not. F'reud's got an ego twice the size of Rukbat... He probably would've taken it as a compliment." Lis does her best not to take advantage of Keris; she's not really evil.

Keris can't help but giggle at that. "Yeah, aren't men evil," he smirks, winking at her. Not him, of course! But all the others... "Well, uhm, I'll see you soon hopefully? Adar told me to stop by more often..."

Lis giggles herself, adding with a wink: "I'd like that. But do steer clear of F'reud. Alymath tells me Sigmunth has caught twice in two sevendays. Faranth knows what's gotten into that man's mind." Faranth knows Lis has been hiding in the barracks from him. "Have fun and enjoy your craft, Journeyman."

Keris grimaces. "Hrm, thanks for telling me," he snorts, though eyes are dancing with laughter. "Well, just stay out of trouble," he says with a mock-groan, winking at her. Then he turns to leave, but changes his mind and darts back to Lis, arms going around her in a tight hug. "Take care. And just send a message if you need me." Faranth knows what for. Releasing his friend, the StarCrafter then bends down to kiss her cheek briefly.

"'Course I'll stay out of trouble," Lis replies with a smile as her face starts to turn from faded tan to pinker and pinker. "It's /you/ who should be worrying about it." She pokes a little fun at the boy - nearly a man, by now - and ducks a bit behind her lifemate's leg.

Keris chuckles and squeezes her shulder once more before darting across the bowl towards the waiting brown. "Bye, Lis!" is yelled out as StarCrafter mounts Fahrenheith. Then, "Love you!" before the brown launches off and ::between::.

  Aww... of course, Keris'll still get around to bug Lis, oh yeah ;-) But enough for now! More to come :-)