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.

G'deon has just started poking among the various pots and pitchers near the hearth when he hears Reiko enter. He looks up and smiles, waving to her. "Good morning, Reiko, how are you?" he asks cheerfully before grabbing three empty pitchers. "I'm going to go see if I can get some fresh klah from the kitchens, would you like anything?"

Reiko perks up visibly at the mention of klah, fixing a twisted halfsmile on G'deon. "Klah's always good. Oh... and I'm fine. You?" She makes her way to an empty table near the hearth.

G'deon laughs softly and winks over his shoulder. "Fantastic, thank. I'll be right back," he adds before ducking into the kitchens. Then, true to his word, he reenters the caverns with not three but four pots of steaming klah, two in either first. He quickly makes his way over to the hearth and deposits the pots, rubbing at his slightly burnt knuckles. "They should really look into some of those pitchers the Smiths make," he mutters as he fills two mugs and approaches Reiko, holding one out to her.

Reiko takes the mug gratefully, noting with approval the appearance of four full pots of steaming klah. Enough for even her. "Pitchers?" She doesn't know a thing about Smiths, after all. She lounges back in her chair, crossing her ankles, and blows the steam off her mug before taking a sip.

G'deon takes a chair across from Reiko and grins, nodding. "Aye, it's something they'd been working on when I left. Works wonderfully," he explains, always happy to talk about his former craft. He sets down his mug and sort of makes a cup with his hands. "It's this wooden container," he begins, "sort of like a tiny cask like the Vintners use. After that there's a layer of this... shoot, what did Paric call it... insul... something. Anyway, it's basically just this fluffy stuff we got from the Weavers. After that there's a glass container. You can put stuff in there, hot or cold, and it'll stay that way for almost half a day."

Reiko lifts an eyebrow. "That /would/ be an improvement." Not that a pitcher of klah lasts anything like half a day anywhere near Reiko. She pauses for another sip. "I didn't realize you'd been a Smith." Teigh gets a bit of a nod as he enters.

Teigh takeing his cup he goes over to sit down near to G'deon.

G'deon smiles at Teigh and waves him over before nodding to Reiko. "I left High Reaches for the Smiths when I was almost fifteen Turns old. Then I stayed there as an apprentice until I got Searched. I was just getting ready for my oral exams for journeyman rank, too."

Teigh laughes "Life isn't fair is it? But I bet i know which you prefer know!"

G'deon chuckles at Teigh and smiles. "I'll admit, I would have been content as a Smith, but with Nylanth it's perfect," he answers quite candidly. "I still practice woodcrafting when I have time though. No use loosing the skills I spent Turns learning."

Cassio arrives from deeper in the Weyr.

Reiko mms thoughtfully, regarding G'deon over the rim of her mug. "How is Nylanth faring?" she asks, suddenly mindful that she'd neglected that formality.

Teigh hugs G'deon back, "Just typical. I find you again and I have to go!"

G'deon waves to Cassio as the young boy enters then smiles at Reiko. "My other favorite topic," he teases her. "He's doing very well, thank you for asking." He waves to Teigh as the other lad leaves.

Teigh waves good bye as he leaves the room.

Teigh goes home.

Cassio first peeks his head around the corner, checking for people, before fulling entering the room. A glance is given to the three others and he sidles in to the shadows, deciding to watch people first, and hope he isn't seen. Eying G'deon he steps out of the shadows and waves back.

Reiko chuckles, the sound coming from low in her throat. Favorite subject, indeed. "Glad to hear it." Emerald eyes slide over to the little figure in the shadows, regarding the new brat thoughtfully and without comment.

Cassio gives a winning smile to Reiko as she looks him over. He glances at the people once more then decides to make his way over to them and slowly takes a few steps forward.

G'deon pulls a plate of rolls towards himself and picks a plain breadroll before offering the plate to Reiko, and even gesturing towards Cassio to come join them. As Kinecha enters he raises his mug in salute to her, a warm grin on his face.

Kinecha walks swiftly to the hearth to get the second or third mug of klah of the day. "Morning," she calls out to G'deon, seeing Reiko there too, giving her a smile as she comes to join them. "How are you this beautiful day," she says, pulling out a chair to sit in. The guard is certainly in a good mood today, isn't she?

G'deon smiles again at Kinecha but can't answer quite yet, as his bad manners have allowed him to stuff an entire roll in his mouth all at once. Silly boy.

Cassio takes Gid up on the offer andfinshes walking over to them and selects a roll. He bites into it and smiles to the people with his mouth half full,"Hi," he says in a muffled voice. A look is given in the direction of the newest person and smiles to Kinecha too.

Cayl silently, suavely, glides in from the Central Bowl.

Cassio
Before you stands a small boy, quite scrawny in fact. Brown hair is usually disheveled and long bangs hang into his eyes. Eyes half covered by hair seem to be a brilliant green in color. Medium tanned skin is lightly freckled upon his hihg cheek bones and arms. Although he may be quite slim he is also quite tall for his age. A shyness shows slightly through his eyes, but as the eyes are a window to the soul you can see that he is a trouble maker at heart.
Hanging from Cass' shoulders is a dark blue shirt, that looks to be slightly large on him, falling to his thighs. On his legs are ankle length trousers that are a maroon red in color. On his feet are sandals, lightly colored, showing his toes, that are usually wiggling.
Cassio is 9 Turns and 3 days old.

Reiko helps herself to a roll and sits back in her chair. Kinecha's smile is returned with a finely arched eyebrow... largely lost behind too-long bangs, but the thought was there. "Someone's in a good mood," she remarks. She looks at the brat again, emerald eyes sliding up and down the small figure, sizing him up. "Hi," she returns, a bit diffidently.

Kinecha turns her head to look at the boy, then shrugs. She didn't recognize him, but didn't feel the need to know who he was. That would be a job for the nannies, after all. "It's winter again," the guard grins, taking a sip of her klah. "Been outside yet this morning? It's beautiful out there." She tosses her head toward the bowl, her eyes glittering more green than gray. A sign that her mood is positive.

Cassio scooches into a chair next to him and chews on the end of his roll. Nose is wrinkled up at the mention of winter. Yuck, winter. He glances at the bowlas Kinecha's head moves and snorts slightly. Beautiful. Ha!

Reiko shakes her head. "Been in the infirmary," she says lightly. "Waiting patiently for the next medical emergency." Or birth... which is likely to happen sooner? Who can say, at Reaches? A snort draws her attention back to the brat, and she regards him through narrowed eyes. "What? Don't all kids like to play in the snow?"

Cassio shrugs to Reiko,"Too cold." He glances towards the bowl again then turns back to the table and his remaining roll,"If there was such thing as warm snow then it'd be fun." OOh yeah... Warm snow'd be fun.

Kinecha laughs, putting her mug on the table to take off her jacket. Too warm to wear indoors. Shaking her head at the brat, she picks up her mug again to sip the klah. It would take a lot for her to feel it was too cold. Like the blizzard last night. Turning back to Reiko she smiles, "so none of the guards have been in yet?"

"In the infirmary?" Reiko turns surprised eyes to Kinecha. "Something you're not telling me?" She lounges back in her chair and washes down a bite of her roll with a long sip of klah. The brat is eyed. "You /do/ know that winter is generally cold, right?"

Cassio blinks,"Course I know winter's cold. Cold isn't that bad. But when when you're /wet/ and cold...." He leaves the sentence trailing, figuring the adults can figure it out for themselves. He nods solemnly at Reiko then rips another bite from his roll.

Kinecha shrugs, "well, guards are notoriously prone to injury," she says grinning, letting Reiko know that she's teasing. "No, really. Some of them tend to get bruises and such in training." She does her best to ignore the brat, as her attention is turned toward the other woman.

Reiko doesn't care for wet and cold herself, but she sees no reason to elaborate on the topic. "So I'll be seeing you in the infirmary sometime, then?" She lifts an eyebrow inquiringly.

Kinecha grins, shaking her head in an exagerrated motion, "'course not! I don't get injured," she says, a glint in her eye. Very good mood she in today.

Cassio watches his topic of snow roll away and just sits, looking around and observing everything in the room.

Aiana strolls barefoot in from the Central Bowl.

G'deon shakes his head slowly, just staring into his klah mug... or beyond it, you really can't tell.

Reiko shrugs lightly and lifts her mug for another sip... only to find it empty. Her eyes slide across the caverns to fix on the fresh pots of klah by the hearth, and she gets to her feet. "Anyone else need a refill?" She looks from Kinecha to G'deon questioningly, then steps across the caverns to retrieve a pot. She'll be able to hear the answer from the hearth. If there is one.

Aiana shuffs into the room, sooty and blackened...literally as dark as cromcoal from crown to toe. She's scowling clad only in a 'tank' tee and shorts her clothes cathered into a bundle that she tosses onto a chair and a chimney brush gets left upon the floor. "Farding sweeping chores..." she mutters swiping a dirty hand with dirty nails across her filthy face.

"Refill," G'deon echoes, finally looking back up. "Oh, refill! Yes. Please. Thank you." He's working on his manners, honest. "Sorry, my attention drifted a bit there..."

Kinecha doesn't hear Reiko's question as she stares at the figure just come in the caverns. Frowning she recognizes the person as she talks, shaking her head, and turning back to the table. "Hope she's heading for the baths," she mumbles into her mug, then shakes her head to Reiko. "No thank you, Reiko."

Cassio glances, slightly surprised, up at G'deon and giggles a bit. Hearing something from some one else he looks over at Aiana and smiles to her, while chewing on his roll.

Reiko snags one of the pots and brings it back to the table with her, pouring off a mug for G'deon before refilling hers and sitting down. The filthy grumbling mess is ignored.

Aiana
A young woman, looking nigh on eighteen turns, has large forest green eyes hooded by thick dark lashes. Her hair has grown long and lustrous and hangs in waves and curls down to the backs of her knees in rich golden brown curls and is usually french-braided or pulled intoa runner-tail. Long legs are strong and well-muscled. When she smiles, a deep dimple appears in her left cheek and she's grown up lanky, tall, with obvious curves of womanhood.
A plain, cream tunic of thick, soft cotton covers her upper body in a soft mold. The v-neck is held closed by draw string that always seems to be precariously undone partway down--clearly indicating that she does not bother with undergarments. Hued a burnt sienna, trousers are niether tight nor loose, allowing for ease of movement and though the denim-weave looks deceptively stiff it is acutely strokable. A black vest hangs open with multiple pockets for holding a fish-knife and other tools holds no decoration except for three carved shelled buttons. Her feet are usually bare (she does not wear shoes indoors), but in the winter months her feet are encased in pull on hemp boots thickly lined with felt and stuffed with warm wherry down coming up to mid calf though they can be folded down to the ankle. Otherwise, the supple footwear stay tucked away in a brown satchel that often hangs from her shoulder.
Aiana is 15 Turns, 9 months, and 23 days old.

G'deon just grins at Kinecha and shrugs, turning to glance over his shoulder. "Aiana, right?" he calls over. "Aren't you... cold in that outfit? I could build up that fire in the hearth a little if you want..." He smiles and nods his thanks to Reiko.

Aiana is too starving to go to the baths first. She plucks her fish knife from the clothes bundle and unsheaths it and pads over to the food table to speark a roll with it and snaps at a drudge to stop staring and just ladel out a bowl of vegetable stew. She proceedes, with roll on knife to dip it in the stew and use the knife to eat the stew with the sopped bread. She looks up hearing her name and being talked to,"Name's right..." she lifts a brow, "If'n I twer cold I woldna be able t'hide it neh?" she says pointing to the thin scrap of dirty cloth. She fills her mouth and cheek and slurps the foodstuffs and out of know where a word she doesn't often use flies out of her mouth..."Thanks anyhows". *gasp*!

Cassio watches Aiana as she eats, not really doing anything else, slightly amazed at her. He's not exactly neat and cleanly himself but compared to some other kidlets...

Kinecha drains her mug in one long swig, then turns back to Aiana, frowning. And she was in such a good mood just a moment ago. "Don't ya think you might need a bath?" she tells the girl, more than asking her.

G'deon barks out a short, amused laugh at Aiana's comment and nods. "Point taken," he replies, winking at her. He picks up another breadroll and splits it in half before dumping a few slices of roasted herdbeast on one half.

Rishal walks in from the Central Bowl.

Rishal smiles hello warmly realising he know everyone.

Pyrene wanders distractedly in from the Central Bowl.

Aiana smiles black-lipped at G'deon as she spears a tuber from the stew then follows it with more bread, "Sense 'o humor y'got...tis good..." she turns then to Kinecha and speaks dryly as if bored, "Neh, I rather like havin' soot up m'backside, grit under m'arms, dust in m'hair and itchy soot all over. Why the shards do y'think I would want t'bathe?" she spears a finger root and points it at the guard, "Dontcha think y'should mind yer sharding business?" she asks not caring wether Cassio hasn't heard such mild vulgarity before...stick around and he might learn some new stuff.

Reiko lounges back in her chair and sips her klah. Emerald eyes flicker from Aiana to Kinecha and back, wondering how much longer those two can keep from killing one another. Should make the morning a bit more intersting, anyhow.

Pyrene yawns as she enters, head listing sleepily to one side. "M'nin," she mumbles, blearily finding her way to a chair. And when she finds the chair she stares at it for a moment and then remembers to sit. Oooh. That's nice. "H'wis ev'rybody?" she asks, manners coming through on automaton.

Rishal settles himself next to a pot of klah and poors himself a cup. Noticing the strong smell of soot off of Aiana "Well mabey for everyone elses sake?."

Cassio smiles to Pyrene as he fingers his roll, watching Aiana in amusement.

G'deon has the decency this time around the swallow his late morning meal before greeting Pyrene. "Good morning," he calls out, the last syllables lost as he turns to his klah. "We're doing just fine," he replies to the other rider's question, the 'we' implying him and his lifemate of course. "How are you, Cadge and the little one doing?" He grins at Cassio again and pushes the plate of sweetrolls towards the young'un. Kids like sweets still, right?

Kinecha raises an eyebrow and lifts a shoulder in a half-shrug. Actually, it was her job to mind other peoples' business. More or less. At least to the point of keeping the peace. Leaning back, she smiles crookedly at Aiana, looking at her for a long time. "Well, if that's what pleases you... But what would Cayl say?"

Pyrene shakes her head, vaguely realising that she's supposed to answer now. "I'm fine... Cadge's fine. Seph's asleep." Praise Faranth. Now that she's been roused from her fuzzy stupor, her unerring instinct for gossip leads her attention to Cayl, Aiana and Kinecha. Hmm. "Gid? Reiko? Anyone?" she hisses oh-so-subtly. "What's up with them?"

G'deon blinks at Pyrene, rather dumb-founded, and shrugs. "No clue," he replies, voice in it's normal rumble of a baritone. Forget whispering. He glances over at the Seafarer again and chuckles.

Reiko turns to regard Pyrene with a faintly amused halfsmile. As if the weyrwoman couldn't see that Aiana is even more offensive than usual, sootcovered and half-naked. "Couldn't tell you," she says wryly. Kinecha gets a wink.

"What would Cayl say about what?" Cayl asks as she strides into the living cavern, perfect timing as usual. She looks none the cleaner, dust and sand streaking nicely up her riding leathers and gloves tucked under her armpit. She glances around at the rather large grouping before arching a brow and looking directly to Kinecha. "Hm? What's goin on?" She doesn't seem to spot the sooty covered creature over there just yet.

Aiana lifts the bowl to her lips and drinks the fluid inside shlurping as she does so then letting out a loud belch not bothering to curb it or excuse herself. She puts the bowl aside and finishes the soaked bread, "Cayl kin say whatever she likes...it ain't like she smells like a bottle o'verbena after threadfall or riding on a dragon all day, neh? An' it ain't like guards always reek o'lilacs neither..." she sniffs...and makes a hawking noise to clear her throat. She looks to Rishal, "Yer welcome t'leave I don't see no sign that says I have t'bathe afore eatin...an I ain't et all day."

Pyrene drags herself into full consciousness to study the scene-in-development. "Who let Aiana stay here away?" she asks next--although this time she has the sense to keep her voice to an undertone. "She doesn't know the first thing about manners. Hey... has she met Pia yet?" Pyrene would give good marks to see that encounter.

Kinecha looks up to see Cayl come in, then nods toward the soot-covered Aiana. "She apparently refuses to take a bath," she notes, raising an eyebrow before returning her gaze to the girl. "And most of the guards at least wash off after a day's training."

Reiko snorts lightly, almost a laugh, as she's close enough to catch Pyrene's murmured words. But she doesn't bother to comment, merely tops off her mug from the pitcher on the table.

Rishal smirks looking at the cloud of soot around Aiana while pushing the meatroll away from him "I do belive I've found the one thing that can keep me from eating."

Cayl remains with that curiously puzzled look on her face, if a slightly amused wink escapes her as she sets down next to the Sooty One, and nods to Kinecha. "Funny, she's never complained about bathing before." She passes a glance to Aiana and wrinkles her nose. "Then again, stay there. I'll bring the bucket of lake water to douse you off. Shells, what've you been doin to get /that/ dirty?" She blinks to Kinecha. "Isn't that a bit compulsive? Even I don't bathe but twice or thrice every sevenday."

"Compusive? I wouldn't say so," Kinecha says and shrugs once again. "The quarters can get... Stuffed, if we don't at least wash the sweat off." Obiviously bluerider had been living on her own for too long to remember what it was like to live among other people.

Aiana smirks at Cayl and then looks briefly at Kinecha, "Like I said...it ain't like Cayl smells like o' field o' spring blossoms most days..." she sidles over to the rider, dirt and all and plants a sooty kiss on the rider's cheek. "It aint that I'm complainin...just wnted t'eat first." she smirks and leans back in her chair once again and takes a long draught from the mug of ale she'd gotten a moment a go, "Been crawlin' about in chimneys...it ain't a clean job but less smelly than ashpit detail neh?"

Loren strides confidently, hips swinging, in from the Central Bowl.

Jager, one of Aiana's firelizards swoops down and pilfers the unwanted meatroll from Rishal...it wont' go to waste as it rests huge between the critter's jaws.

Rishal smiles at Jager and mummbles "Just like a lizard to eat and run."

Reiko is rapidly losing her appetite herself. Not just from the filthy creature with the bad manners, but from the continued talk of bodily odors. Really, must we? She pushes her mug away from herself.

"Oh come on, I'm not /that/ smelly. And if even us ex-healers don't waste water bathing every day, then obviously it's not unhealthy." Cayl shrugs , though quickly reaches up to attempt to wipe the black smear off her cheek, not really succeeding. She glances towards Rishal, her manner and expression souring almost immediately. "Yes, firelizards are more then evil little creatures, no?" She shakes her head and continues on with her ranting. "That blasted green of mine went and layed a whole clutch of eggs right on m'blankets the other night, and I was nay close to dumping them off the ledge before Mzadith stopped me. What in the shells am I going to do with firelizard eggs? Mzadith won't let me boil them." The inhumanity of it all.

Pyrene watches in curiosity before shrugging at Reiko. "Blueriders," she explains. Only Cayl maybe a bluerider, but Aiana is damned by association. "Can we clear the air a bit here?" she calls over suddenly. "Literally?"

Cassio perks up from his daydream at the mention of firelizards. Even if they are 'evil little creatures' Cassio wouldn't know,"I'll take 'em," he directs towards Cayl. An innocent grin is added to the sentence.

Rishal smiles brightly odviosly thinking of /something/ she could do with them. Rishal looks over at Cassio and says "What would you do with a whole clutch.?"

G'deon suddenly comes out of yet another lifemate-induced daydream and glances at Pyrene and Cayl. "Clear the air?" he asks curiously, glancing about the cavern.

"Maybe you two should go roll in the snow, if ya don't like wasting water," Kinecha says, her good mood having turned 180 degrees. She wouldn't ever talk to a rider like that, if it hadn't been for her assosiating with Aiana.

Aiana smirks, "Nah, y'ain't that smelly but it ain't zactly like stickin' yer nose in a bowl of rosewater neither..." she says dryly finisheing the ale and setting down the mug. "Aye...clear the air, but Kinecha keeps openin' her yap..." she shoots out sarcastically.

Rishal shivers at the mention of snow and pulls his jacket closer to himself.

Loren ignores any comments of firelizard eggs and the like, trundling in with a blink and keeping her path directed sweetroll-wards. "Boil? Boil what? Boiling things is /very/ hard, you know. I always manage to burn something or another." A sage nod on the bakerlet's part, and she snatches up a roll, bronzerider-companion trailing after her with a mug of something or another. The pair plop into a couple of seats, and Lo' nods again, blinking around warily. "Boiling things is /very/ hard." Sagenod. She'll just.. ramble a bit, since she doesn't know what's going on.

Cassio shrugs to Rishal, grinning mischieviously,"Prolly impress one of them and then give the others to my friends." Oh yes he would... Sure.. Everyone knows this weyrbrat's ever so generous. Another glance is given towards Aiana then back to grinning innocently, what he hopes is sweetly, at Cayl.

Rishal looks hopfully at cayl. Crossing his fingers he is thinking 'Green' Green'.

Reiko gets to her feet, a gesture indicating Cassio and Rishal. "Looks like you've got some takers for your eggs, Cayl," she remarks dryly. The interchange between Aiana and Kinecha is ignored. Really. Loren's comments get only a slightly amazed look.

Pyrene waves lightly to Loren and shrugs at Gid. "Aiana's stinking the place up and now she and Kinecha are picking a fight," she says with relish.

Cayl doesn't seem bothered by Pyrene's 'bluerider' comment, used to, and even occasionally amused by the goldrider's use of her dragon's color as judgement. However, as Kinecha makes her suggestion, Cayl blinks, looking towards the other. "And what's that supposed to mean?" Roll in the cold snow? Like a canine without a home? Her expression is completely neutral, except for that slight look of surprise in her eyes. She'd never heard the other speak contritely. Cassio and Rishal almost seem forgotten for the moment, a hand waving of dismissal. "Wouldn't want to see even more of those buggers flitting about here anyways. Side's, they're not hard enough as it is." Though she's still staring towards Kinecha as she speaks.

Cassio sighs as he's forgotten and goes back to picking at his roll, popping a crumb in his mouth every once and a while.

"Ah," is the bronze rider's intelligent response. "Well, why not take a bath," G'deon adds after a moment. "It would feel good to get cleaned up. I know I have trouble /leaving/ the baths once I drag myself down there."

Kinecha couldn't actually go 'round picking a fight, being a guard and all. Her eyes sweeping around the cavern to end on Cayl she shrugs, "t'is what I did when travelling," she says, tilting her head slightly. "Gets you just about as clean as bathing in water." Looking cool on the outside, but revealing nothing of her boiling inside the guard gets up to refill her mug with klah.

Loren wiggles her fingers towards Pyrene and Reiko, prodding at her weyrmate until she manages to get him directed kitchen-wards. "Eggs? Oo. Eggs are scary. My green had eggs, once." Twice. Same thing. "../two/ browns. That makes three. She's never clutched anything but a brown." The bakerlet takes a moment to look sage and stuff, then curls up in her seat. "Yup." And stuff. She'll just.. keep rambling. Ah-heh.

Aiana puts her dirty bare feet up on and empty chair as she leans back...pretty black soles they are, "Take a bath when the notion hits me, not before." she lifts a brow at the rider, "Yer such a passive agressive Kinecha. If'n y'got a problem wit me thats all right and fine. Don't matter none t'me but dontcha be takin out stuff on Cayl 'cause yer t'busy crawlin on yer belly"

Pyrene yawns. "Kernow's had eggs several times. Cute little things they were. Except that one clutch. That one with all the crazy blues. That was just sick--I'm sure D'renn must have given her food poisoning." She studies the scenario a moment and then mutters to those within earshot. "My mark's on Kinecha. It's always the quiet ones who turn out to be nasty in a fight."

Reiko looks from the pitcher on the table to Kinecha's retreating back and shrugs. Guess she wanted warm klah. With a shrug, she heads for the inner caverns. About time she found her way back to the infirmary anyway. "See you later, Kinecha." Don't kill anyone. She doesn't want to be /that/ busy in the infirmary. "Cayl, G'deon, Pyrene, Loren." A nod acknowledges each in turn - pointedly ignoring Aiana and not bothering to acknowledge those she hasn't yet met. Just not in the mood.

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

Kinecha slowly returns to her seat, holding her mug between her hands, giving Aiana another long look. "You planning on cleaning those chairs, or leaving it to the drudges," she asks coolly ignoring the girl's remarks about her. Words didn't bite her as much as they used to. Or at least she'd learned to control her temper in her time with the Guard.

Cayl just shakes her head after a moment before leaning back in her chair. A hand continues to rub against that black smudge as she thinks, then glances over to Aiana and arches a brow. "Least it's not my chair this time." She smirks softly before closing her eyes. A hand reaches up to rub the bridge of her nose.

G'deon nods to Reiko, then turns back to the others, carefully staying out of the conversation for now.

Aiana turns her green eyes on Cayl and smiles broadly, her teeth startlingly white against the black soot of her face. She does lift a dampened cloth to wipe the soot from Cayl's cheek gently befor she answer's Kinecha, "What I do bout m'feet an th' chair ain't no concern o' yourn. Y'assume t'much."

Pyrene tips her head, keeping one eye on the scene. "So... you've not found anyone in the weyrmate department yet, Gid? Or are you saving yourself for the next unwashed, uncouth urchin to show up?" She's not had much sleep and she's grumpy. Is that excuse enough?

G'deon's cheeks turn an odd shade of pink, just a hint really as he stares at Pyrene. "Um... weyrmate. No. Nylanth is more than enough for me," he replies carefully, voice neutral. "I've only been at the Reaches a couple Turns now, give or take a few months. I'm in no hurry."

Kinecha almost gets out of her chair once again, but manages to control herself at the last second. Relaxing her muscles one by one, she takes a sip of klah to hide the cold look of pure resentment in her eyes. Her eyes falling to the floor, she suddenly discovers the tracks Aiana had dragged though the cavern. Not that she should care, she was used to living in dirty places, and of course there were other tracks on the floor. "Somebody needs to be cleaned up," she mumbles, raising her gaze again, deftly avoiding Aiana's figure.

Pyrene chuckles and shakes her head. "And the hearts of numerous girls are broken? No, I'm only teasing you, Gid. I'm sure Nylanth prefers you footloose and fancy-free. I often wonder how Cadge prefers me."

G'deon smiles at Pyrene, his eyes twinkling merrily. "Unless she starts complaining, I'm sure you have nothing to worry about, Pryene," he replies quietly. "Nyls and I are still just figuring out how to live, you know? We're still young, we have time."

Pyrene chuckles. "Well, s'far as I'm concerned I prefer to be single and pick and choose. I just think Cadge is more family oriented, and I /know/ Lis is. Still, I had Sephne--not that that seems to have shut them up. You don't have any kids, do you, Gid?"

Cayl tenses ever so slightly as she feels her cheek rubed, though notices it's Aiana's touch. Smiling slightly, she then looks back to Kinecha, raising a hand. "Now hold it a minute. Someone's going to clean it. That's what the drudges are for. She's not hurtin' anyone. What's -wrong- with you Kinecha? I've seen the brats drag in ten times as much dirt as this and you not say a word..." She stares at the guard tightly.

G'deon laughs quickly at Pyrene's question and shakes his head. "None... yet." He finishes off the rest of his klah, long gone cold. He glances at Cayl and Kinecha and shrugs a bit, sitting up a little more in his chair. "There will be time for that I'm sure. In the meantime, I'll keep up with my weekly visits to the infirmary for that red stuff."

Pyrene shudders faintly. "Don't give up the red stuff, trust me Gid. It's not really fair to put a woman through that. D'you know women /die/ in childbirth?" Pyrene knew that even before she gave birth, but somehow it becomes a lot more forceful when it's you narrowly missing that fate.

Nothing wrong with Kinecha. Not at all. If Cayl hadn't been just a little biased, she'd see Aiana for what the girl was, wouldn't she? An antagonist. "Nothing at all, Cayl," she says coolly, lifting her mug to have another sip of her klah. "Aiana and I just disagree on some thing." Most, if not all things, to tell the truth.

Loren manages to insert herself into a conversation once more, directing a nod towards Pyrene and G'deon for no real reason. "Mm-hmm. S'true. M'momma died in childbirth." Sagenod, sagenod. And all that sort of thing.

G'deon nods slowly to Pyrene, an odd smile on his face. "Well, I think it's unfair for a man to assume it's the woman's duty to take her, um... what's that word? Cayl, what do they call the green stuff? Contra... ceptive!" He beams at remembering the correct word, then blushes. He'll have to remember not to shout that word out in public. "Anyway... yeah." He smiles softly at Loren and nods. "It's always a possibility..."

Aiana hears the underlying coversation and comments idley, "Sometimes folks die..." that's just the way it was sometimes. By thread, by water, by illness, old age...sometimes people were alive but dead too. Her eyes turn to Cayl and a finger tip strokes the woman's collar bone affectionately, absently, and familiarly.

Pyrene flushes, remembering Loren's recent stay in the infirmary and sends the runner a nervously sympathetic look. "Well, I suppose we should all just be grateful for what we've got," she murmurs feebly.

Loren rubs at the side of her nose idly, beaming R'ave-wards as he returns with a plate of cookies and nibbling at one idly. "Tha's right, Pyrene. Mm-hmm." Sagenod, and then a shrug towards Aiana. "Tha's right. Ev'one's s'posed t' die 'ventually, I suppose. So we should just do stuff when we're alive, an' not worry 'bout it." Another sage nod, and she returns to cookie-munching. Pyrene's sympathetic look is vaguely ignored, though the bakerlet pauses in her munching to eye her midriff for a moment.

Cayl pauses for a long moment before finally nodding and shrugging. "We all have our problems I suppose..." She mumbles. Her shoulder twitches slightly the other's touch, then relaxes, and the rider shakes her head, raising a hand to rub just behind her neck. "I think I'm getting a headache. I'm going to take a nap." She glances towards Aiana and smiles quietly, her eyes weary but affectionate. "I'll send Mad back down to pick you up when you're ready to come up."

G'deon reaches for a pitcher and pours out the last bits of juice into his mug, regardless of the fact that it held klah only moments ago. Can't waste good juice though, it's inefficient. He eyes Cayl and the others, then goes to sipping said juice, only wincing once at the odd taste.

Pyrene shakes her head suddenly and stands as a little brown flips in briefly, chittering peremptorily before vanishing again. "Well, my little scrap of responsibility is awake. I'd better go feed her and then get on with the day. See you later."

Aiana nods quietly, "Give me about 1 and one half candlemark..."

G'deon stands as well, waving to Cayl and Pyrene as they turn to go.

Cayl nods and stands, waving towards G'deon and the others before she simply shakes her head to some thought or another and heads towards the bowl.

Cayl exchanges the protection of stone for the bowl outside.

Loren huffs faintly as everyone departs, blinking around idly and waving towards Cayl and Pyrene in departure. "..so." Blink-blink. Blink. "Um."

Kinecha looks over her shoulder at the folks departing, then back to looking at the table-top as her temper was still boiling inside. "And this had started out as such as nice day..." she mumbles to herself.

Rishal goes home.

Aiana nibbles on a orange fruit skewerd on her fishknife, "Y'might considert getting that pole outta there...might make yer day more comfortable..."

Cassio goes home.

G'deon takes a seat again and peers at Aiana. "Pole?" he asks curiously, glancing around. Forgive him, he's scatter-brained today.

Aiana smirks at G'deon as she chews the fruit, "Aye, a big one Kinecha got where Rukbat don't shine..." she explains to the dense rider.

Loren glances blankly at Aiana, looking confused. "That's a funny thing to say. There're lots of dark places in the Weyr." Forgive her -- she's naive and blissfully ignorant.

G'deon blinks at Aiana, mouth wide open. "Oh," he simply replies after a moment, glancing at Kinecha quizzically. "Listen, um... since you two obviously started out wrong this lovely morning, maybe you should just, um, take a deep breath. And wait before you speak again," he tells both of them, voice a bit harder than normal. "This really isn't necessary, is it?

Kinecha tilts her head slightly to stare at Aiana again, the color of her eyes gone from green to gray. "Funny, that," she says placing her mug on the table. "Tell me something. Did you make it your life's mission to insult people, Aiana?" The guard hadn't either heard G'deon suggestion or decided to ignore it. After all, she wasn't about to go attacking the girl, was she? And that counted as taking it easy for the guard.

Johannah walks in from the Central Bowl.

Aiana titles her head and leans back lazily in the chair one leg ben and one outstreched, one arm leaning over the chair's back, "D'ya make it yer life's mission t'let folk push yer buttons. If'n y'recall twas you who started th' insultin' this morn tweren't me."

Johannah shivers into the room with a smile, sending a small wave to all the folkses as she makes a beeline for the klah pot.

Loren huffs towards Kinecha and Aiana, waggling a hand towards Johannah as she enters. "Hi." You're not going to make funny comments and insult people, are you?

Kinecha shakes her head, just a tiny motion. She might have started the argument this morning, but thinking back long enough Aiana was the one who had turned people against herself. Not the most friendly person you'd meet. "Why don't ya just go take a bath, Aiana," she says, repeating her initial appeal to the girl. "People are eating here..."

Loren goes home.

Aiana smirks, "Why don't ya just shut yer pie hole Kinecha? Y'ain't the boss o'me...what d'ye care if'n I bathe er not..if'n ydont' like it y'kin leave, neh?"

G'deon goes home.

Kinecha would hate to give Aiana the satisfaction of a win, but the fact was, that her watch had already started quite a while ago. Getting up from her chair, she drains her mug, gives Aiana one last icy look, then turns to leave.