Living Caverns
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.
Scattered about in various perches and niches are thirty-six firelizards.
You see Old Auntie sit-by-the-fire, OOC NOTICE (look sign), Hobbes, Generic Sign-Up Sheet, and Kageri here.
Nefertiti, Pyrene, Tyara, and Tafne are here.

A snort emerges from Tyara - poor girl, that Jacquia. Pyrene is eyed then, the nanny awaiting her reply. "How nice of her," she repeats wryly, shooting Kynance a glare. Bad lizard. No cookie for you tonight.

Pyrene flicks fingers thoughtfully at Tafne and then suddenly 'O's. "It stopped!" A pleased tap of her stomach and she shrugs off the Jacquia matter. "Well, advise her to do her research next time. But... let me know the next time she visits High Reaches." Kynance chirrs happily at Tyara and settles himself comfortably on Pyrene's shoulder, preening for all and sundry.

Nefertiti reaches over now and snags a meatroll of her own.

Doing her usual rutine, Kinecha goes to get her klah, wondering why there're so many people here this time of night. On her way past the counter she picks up a redfruit, and brings klah and fruit to a table.

P'rru marches with clipped steps in from the Central Bowl.

Tafne might advise Pyrene. Or she might not. It depends how evil she's feeling at the time. "She did. It's why she thought you might find it amuseing. Afterall, you don't want the child to think blues don't exist. Heaven forbib - it might even fail to be scared of them that way." Is thta logical? No. Should you expect logic from Taffy? No. (well, not unless it's guard stuff.) "Did I ever tell yo my mother is a blurider, Pyrene?" Innocent tone. Too innocent. But a glance is spared for newcomers and she waves to Kinecha and P'rru.

A great...purple thing clips into the caverns. Nuff would be proud at least. P'rru is wearing her favourite colour in the shape of a blanket, draped from around his shoulders to trail the floor behind him. Well you can take the brownrider out of Igen.....Anyway, he nods as he's waved at by Tafne before he burrs further inside "'Lo Pyrene, Kinecha..." and Tyara and Nefertiti just get a pleasant smile. He never remembers names, don't blame him.

Pyrene decides that she won't be baited. "It's up to Tyara how she raises the child," she replies to Tafne. "And how nice for your mother. I'm glad to see you've inherited sense from somewhere. H'lo, Kinecha, P'rru." Who's been taking fashion tips from Nuff apparently.

Nefertiti grins back at the incoming person. Sanity! Male, and therefore, not pregnant! "Morning already is it? Ack. I should be in my pit, asleep then"

"Pyrene! I thought you'd want to raise it yourself - I never thought you liked my ways of raising children," Tyara states quickly, cringing internally at the thought of raising Pyrene's child. Ugh. Spare her. "Hello," is tossed out sourly towards those new arrivals who're daring enough to even look at her. Hrm.

P'rru is definately male, and definately not pregnant. Last time he checked anyway, there's no telling what a certain brown bag of bones could have done to him while he was sleeping. Ahem. As the talk of child minding drifts up to the man's ears, he actually cringes. No parental advice from his chair which he sinks into neatly. One of his offspring is eternally perky while the other definately has issues. Egads. "So I hope this chill is warmed away soon.." he mentions. Idle conversation about the weather. Leave the babies to the chicks.

Kinecha gives nods all 'round and sips her klah. Not really awake or even wanting to be awake, she observes the people here, and suddenly discovers Nefertiti here, so she goes to join her. "Hiya, how're you doing?" she asks, as she takes a seat.

Nefertiti shrugs "Doin' fine, but a little tired. I keep on drawin' the late night duties, so I'm always aslep durin' the day. Not had much of a social life. Quie though. Never any trouble this time in the mornin'." she eyes Pyrene thoughtfully "Well, not most of the time, anyhow."

"After you've been trained by the best?" Pyrene asks her one-time colleague archly. "Anyway, who am I to care? Just bring it up with your own brats and we'll see who corrupts who. It's nearly summer, P'rru," she calls across to the older rider swiftly. "Or you could get pregnant. Extra insulation that way."

Kinecha grins, nodding, "I know what you mean. I'm not on the late shift a lot anymore," she says and takes another sip of klah. "How 'bout the training? How're you dealing with that?"

Tafne listens to chatter now, usily finishing off the last of her meal. She does chip in with, "It's definately summer. You shoudl try Telgar or even High Reaches hold if you think it's cold here." Dig. Taffy's in that sort of mood.

Nefertiti rolls her eyes "I don' mind the kickin' and the hittin' so much, and I can even stomach bein' yelled at like I were a buffoon. I just wish that I didn't have to have me hair all messed up when I'm on duty. Plays havoc with me locks. Takes ages to comb the tats out

P'rru bundles himself in his big purple blankie some more, a slight grimace shot Tafne-wards. "I was thinking about a nice holiday in Igen" where he could sweat off this 'winter-weight' he's got since moving here. Blame the abundance of cookies. "Are there more women preganant?" he asks, almost meekly. Don't wanna get dragged into baby-talk afterall.

"That's when it's an advantage to have short hair," Kinecha says, "all it takes it a little water though it and then fingercomb it." Smile comes to her face and she glances at P'rru at the p-word and shivers. No way /she'd/ ever get pregnant.

Pyrene shrugs lazily. "I don't think so," she replies to P'rru. "I've not heard of any new ones." Hearing Nefertiti, she flushes. "I'm sorry about earlier?" The question for forgiveness, not for uncertainty.

Nefertiti places a hand on her hair protectively "I'm not cutting it off!" and then she looks at Pyrene with a small smile "Ah, don't ye worry. I don' take offense. I know it's coz yer a little mussed up inside. I don' imagine I'd be much different if we were in reversed positions"

Tafne has heard of a new one. "Fanada. She's expecting her..." Quick, count. "Seventh." Innocent tone still. "Of course, I'm sure there will be someone else too. Soon."

Glance at P'rru and shiver? Well he's not about to be a little-guy brownrider dna-donor anytime soon. Not if he can help it. "Hmmm" is all he replies to the offered information, hazel eyes resting on Pyrene for a moment. "How is Cadgwith faring?" yup almost forgot to ask.

Pyrene snorts. "Fanada /again/. And here I always thought she had them just to spite me." She accepts Nefertiti's apology however willingly. "Anytime you /want/ to reverse positions, just say. Cadge is fine, thanks. Fast asleep, lucky thing..." she adds to P'rru ruefully.

Kinecha holds up her hands, smiling, "didn't say you had to, just that it's easier to manage," she notes, and slides down in her chair, stretching her legs out in front of her. Time for that redfruit.

Nefertiti laughs "I'm doin' fine as I am, and ain't had many offers from folks tryin' to put me in that condition either. More's the pity." she grins impishly

Tyara walks out.

Nefertiti strokes her hair "It stays. It's one of my few redeeming fatures"

Pyrene suddenly yawns and stands. "Right.. I'm going to go and see if I can catch some shut-eye after all. See you later..." And she's out of here.
Pyrene goes home.

P'rru shifts in his blankie-cosey hole, sqidging down into his chair. A few firelizards make their way out of tight spots, to lounge on the brownrider. "Yes, yes Kinecha...how are you, lass?" he seems to cast a rather scrutinising gaze on the young guard "That cut healed well enough yet?"

"Hello, P'rru," Kinecha says nodding. "Yes, I'm fine thanks. I think the stitches are 'bout ready to come out." And if she couldn't find a healer to do it, she might just do it herself.

Tafne goes away.

P'rru clears his throat "Looked more than 'nothing' to me..." he clarifies with a snort. "Dsalth has become rather...wary of strangers now, and he's been avoiding the guards like the plague, I keep trying to tell him there is nothing to be worried about..." not like the dragon is a scardey cat. He's just non-confrontational like his lifemate.

Nefertiti cocks her head "Avoiding us? Why'd he want to do that? We're all sweetness and light, aren't we?" She grins impishly

Kinecha looks down into the table in front of her, "I'm really sorry 'bout that P'rru. I never meant for it to get that far." After all, it /had/ been her uncle, who'd come looking for her.

Nefertiti ponders, and wasn't even going to mention all this. She's too tactful. Too late now, though

And it /had/ been the brownrider's dragon that started it. Well in the dragonpairs eyes anyway. P'rru clucks his tongue, hand waving airily "Neither of us are blaming you at all lass...in fact that bag of bones keeps asking about you. I think he even remembers your name- and he rarely does that- so chin up. I thought you handled it marvelously..." well as marvelous as one could.

Kinecha looks up again, surprise showing in her eyes. The fact that a dragon actually remembered her name made her feel awfully small and... well, proud. "Really?"

Nefertiti grins a little "That's quite the compliment"

P'rru cants his head to the side just so his fingers can scratch idly at his temple. "Uh huh, of course, why would I make that up?" he ssays blandly. Where's the shock?

Kinecha is speechless. What could one say to a compliment like that, anyway?

Nefertiti laughs "That's a first. She don' know what to say to that. How 'bout 'thanks.'

P'rru blinks. He really can't see what the fuss is. "Aye, close your jaw, lass.." he teases, fingers flickering over his brow. "Don't get too excited, that lughead forgets my name now and then I'm sure" prolly early in the morning when he just bugles 'hey yo, brownrider dude'

Kinecha nods slowly, trying simultaneously to broadcast the thought to the brown, "thanks." So what if the dragon forgot his rider's name? Just the thought that he might remember /her/ name was something she'd never imagined.

Nefertiti laughs "I heard dragons had short memories, but isn't that a lkittle unusual?"

You sense that Dsalth whispers, vaguely in umbers and swirling mustards. <<Do not yell it..I am trying to sleep, Kinecha>> they trail off, a cloudless mid-dawn <<Thank me not, however>> yawn.

Kinecha jumps in her chair, eyes wide, and she turns to P'rru staring at the rider. "Did I hear that?" she asks, not sure that she'd actually heard something or if it'd just been her imagination.

P'rru shrugs at Nefertiti "I've only Impressed once, lass, how should I know what is unusual and what is not?" nothing for comparison you see. But one Dsalth is more than enough for Purrman. "He's curled sleeping tightly in a ball, Kinecha- what did you hear?" the brownrider closes his eyes and listens for a moment. "There is nothing, all's quiet.." but there's something twitching at the corner of his lips. Shhh.

Nefertiti blinks and peers at Kinecha. "What? I heard nothing? You're imaginging things!"

Kinecha shakes her head slightly, thinking that it must have been her imagination after all. "I just thought I heard someone say; Thank me not..." Or something like that.

Nefertiti swigs her klah and bites into her food. Around a moist mouthful she says, "Prob'ly nee' more sleep!"

Kinecha nods, smiling crookedly, "I should think I do," she says, taking another sip of klah. Yeah, overactive imagination. Must have been.

P'rru pulls his blanket further around his chin, lanky legs hidden beneath it's weight. "You tend to hear a lot of things around here I found" but amusement tickles his cheeks duskily pink for some reason. "Sleep does tend to cure most ills, I agree" yes.

Nefertiti shivers and peers up to the ceiling "Place like this is always full of echoes. Don' get surprised by them. 's jus' your mind playin' tricks on you."

You sense that Dsalth stirrs, a restless cloud of yellows and ambers mingling, twining as words lift from them <<How could you imagine me? I am certainly not to be ignored..>> a pause, a shadow filtering down in your mind <<But I am going back to sleep, this patch is warm>>

"Yeah," Kinecha says and drains the rest of her klah. "Sleep would be a good thing." She gets out of her chair, nodding to both of them, and then stops short, halfway out. "He just told me that he's not to be ignored," she whispers, standing halfbend over the table.

Nefertiti blinks and looks about, but can't deny that nobody is there to whisper. "You...you what?" she boggles. "You're kiddin' me, yes?"

P'rru chuckles, huskily to himself as he blinks slowly, eyes shifting. "Perhaps I'd best take him for a swim, lazy good for nothing is more awake than he's letting on" Purr just takes Dsalth's mindvoice for granted. And after 22 turns, it rather gets on your nerves.

Nefertiti swallows "What was it like? How does he sound?"

Kinecha slowly comes to a standing position, shaking her head. "No, I'm not kidding," she says and turns her gaze at P'rru, and continues to Nefertiti, "I-I can't explain..."

P'rru rolls his eyes "I didn't think you were, lass...and he sounds just like you'd imagine he would...like a lughead with wings.." oy such a loving relationship between lifemate's indeed. Then again, isn't that normal? "Don't encourage him- you'll regret it if he begins offering you his advice all the day long..." believe him. he knows.

Nefertiti bites her meatroll again, eyes rather wide now. And she gets a mouthful of hair in there too, and only after a moment's chewing does she spot it and fish it out "Uck. m." she swallows "That's just weird."

Kinecha is exhausted, and overwhelmed, so she gives them both a nod again, and turns to leave, "thanks for the talk, Nefertiti, P'rru." Almost in a daze she walks across the floor to the exit. "I think I need some sleep," she mumbles to herself.

You sense that Dsalth sends a warm, heated blast that envelopes and clouds the mind, scents of husky winds, dank shadows and a definate P'rru smell <<He looks ridiculous in that purple thing...and I sound like myself, now hush, I will not talk to you if you act so irrationally everytime I oblige>> see? Purr was right. He's bossy. <<Sleep well, young little hands>>

Nefertiti chuckles "Later, Kinecha. Sleep well."

Kinecha nods slowly, and sends a thought to the dragon; you too, Dsalth. Unless you're going swimming, of course...


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 before dawn. The air is calm and a bit chilly still. The sky overhead is clear, and a constellation of stars dust the sky from horizon to horizon.
Clinging to footholds in the boulder-mound are thirteen firelizards.
Brown Revnath, blue Lainnoth, and Brown Dsalth are here.
You see a wagonmaster, Cattysaur, Box, Dustina, and Wagon Two here.

Kinecha walks slowly across the Bowl to the Headquarters, sending long glances to the brown, and even giving him a smile.

P'rru steps out from the Weyr's living caverns.
P'rru goes home.