Living Caverns

A nod, and druge is sent away again. Book closes with a snap, and rider peers at the miner thoughtfully. Or is Ilare just looking at the miner while talking to her dragon? Hmm.. Yes, thats a good question, Chan.. "So, what sort of things do miners do? Other than, well, mine firestone and the like?"

"Well," Iisana looks up from her hides, blinking rapidly. This is something she can easily expand upon, and her words seem to flow more fluently than they usually do. "Firestone digging is kind of our reason to be. We dig it, ship it, and it gets eaten. Er... to put it simply." she shrugs lightly. "But we study all sort of rocks. Dig up ores, extract metals, dig tunnels, new weyrling, cut stone for building. We even dig up gemstones and the like, although that's like the smallest portion of our work."

And probably a specialised part too. There's perhaps too lengthy a pause before Ilare replies, relaying this information for her dragon to mull over, even as she ponders the words herself. "Chan - that's my brown - says to ask if you can dig up stone that tastes better. Nylanth's complaining about taste is annoying him." Snicker. Cough. There's a faintly amused and horribly indulgent look shot towards the entrance to the bowl, before a faint shrug of apology is given and the common sense question is asked. (And yes, Ilare DOES have sense, before anyone says anything.) "Sounds like a lot of work. Do you specialise in any particular thing?"

Iisana tilts her head, wrinkling her nose slighty and looking at her somewhat calloused hands. "Try digging them up for nearly seven straight turns. You get sick of the smell, texture, taste..." Yes, she has gotten flakes in her mouth on occasion. "But I'll pass it along." She looks up. "Specialise? Oh yes, my speciality is in mineralogy and crystallography. Minerals and crystals, in other words."

Ilare ohhhhs, eyes going round a little. Inter-est-ink... Then head cants to the left and she chuckles. "He," this being her dragon, "says that humans can't possible imagine how bad it tastes." So hee's biased. It's a dragon taste bud thing. An eyeroll shows the rider doen't take him seriously in this matter, and IIsana shouldn't either.

Iisana bobs her head, her 'I'm a miner, I know best' attitude taking over. "Yes they can..." she asserts, tapping a nail on the table. "You know how it's slightly flaky? Well, when you strike the quarry wall with a pickaxe, you quickly learn to keep your mouth shut, otherwise flakes tend to get into the mouth. And hair. Into hair as well." Hence why hers is so short.

Ilare's hair is short for one simple reason - you wouldn't have much fun with threaded head thanks to a long mane. "Oh, I believe you. No worries, there. Although I bet the smell's not as bad as when it's been turned into fire." Wrinkling her nose, it's clear that Ilare's not fond of that whiffy pong.

Iisana smiles somewhat. Rocks and their associated smells. Not a common topic of conversation, but one she certainly knows about. "Ah yes, those lovely combustable gases meeting the air." It's clear she's had the experience of both the rock and the flames, and doesn't care for either.

Ah, a kindred soul! A grin touches Ilare's lips and she leans forward in her chair, as though she were about to share the biggest of secrets. Or a juicy drip of gossip. "If you're here when the next set of weyrlings are Impressed, and they get 'round to learning to feed their dragons firestone, I'd stop to watch if I were you." Horribly amusing. More so if you've a voice in your head, but never mind..

Iisana purses her lips slightly, her voice very suddenly a lot colder and more neutral. "Hmm. Yes." she mutters. "I might just do that. Might be interesting." She ahems to herself, and straightens, attempting a vague smile to dispell her sudden mood shift. "It might be interesting to see if they burn down the weyr."

The shift is noticed, registered only by the rise and fall of an eyebrow, but no comment from Ilare - Cayl and Tatia have mood swings at the drop of a hat. Iisana doesn't phaze her at all it seems.. "Oh, thats been tried. Doesn't work. Now, burning down their own barracks? I've heard that has happened, but I doubt you'd be able to burn down a place as wet and cold as 'Reaches." Is that a goos or bad thing? Or is it even meant to make sense? Who knows..

Iisana tilts her head. "Burning down the barracks... hmm... well, it's save them having to clean the place, I suppose." Well, if you think that's a plus.

Tekin comes into the cavern, his eyes scanning the people here, looking for a particular rider, wanting to have a chat with him. Not seeing him, the recruit moves to the hearth, filling a mug of klah, then taking a seat near the others.

Weellllll... By that point, they normally have their own weyrs, but.. Recruit is noticed, and a friendly wave offered - just because she doesn't know his name doesn't mean Ilare can't be polite. Turning back to Iisana a slight shrug is offered. "Well, by that point, the dragons go between to.. uh.. relieve themselves, so.. But that is a good point."

Iisana nods her head slowly. "I see..." she says, bobbing her head to Tekin as she sees Ilare's wave. "Well, it's save them having to clean... anything in there. Ever again."

A vague laugh escapes the rider, and her head nods lazily. "Aye, indeed. Very true. I'd hate to been in the shoes of the rider who's dragon does that though." That'd be a crime as big as.. as.. Breaking a hold, or something. Wait, thats been done...

Iisana remembers. She saw the reports and how much material was needed to repair it. But she doesn't know much more than that. Except her response was something along the lines of 'typical'. "I'd imagine they'd be very scorched shoes." she comments absently.

Tekin offers nods to the two, recognizing the rider, though not the others one. "Morning," he mumbles, moving a bit closer, looking a bit shy, as he talks, "have any of you... Errr, seen P'rru?" The young man had only heard rumours, as to what had happened to his superior, who had dissapeared from the barracks. All he knew was that it involved brownrider P'rru and his dragon.

Well, Ilare was never involved with that whole.. thing.. Before she can give an answer to that, Tekin is smiled at as he approaches. Head tilts thoughtfully as she asks her lifemate, before shaking her head. "No, I've na seen 'Salth's rider. Why do you ask?" No, she's not heard about what Dsalth has done. Really. She hasn't. She just knows he was looking for a mate for P'rru is all. "Something wrong?"

Tekin pulls out a chair, sitting slowly with his mug between his hands. "That's what I wanted to see P'rru about...." he starts, looking from one to the others. Swallowing a lumps in his throat he turns back to Ilare. "Seems his dragon, Dsalth... Kidnapped Ne.. Kinecha," he whispers, his eyes showing doubt. He wasn't really sure he believe that. Which was why he wanted to speak with P'rru.

Iisana is halfway through taking a sip of her klah, and gasps, resulting in much spluttering from the miner. "Kidnapped?" she gapes, looking shocked. "Why in Faranth's name would he kidnape anyone?"

Dsalth.... What? Gold-amber orbs blink rapidly, before a faint trill of laughter escapes the young brown rider. "He wha? Oh, I'm sure tha can't possibly be at *all*." For one thing, Necha isn't interested in guys.. "I'll have this sorted in a moment.." A hand waves for them to wait as she looks towards the bowl to ask someone who might be able to check for her..

Tekin shrugs at Iisana's question, then looks at the other, his eyes almost desperate. He /liked/ his superior. Particualarly because she could deal with the brothers, who were now running more or less wild, knowing she wasn't around. "I'm sure it's just a rumour...." he offers.

K'sair doesn't quite stomp into the caverns, but the male brown rider doesn't look none too happy. "Well, they can't say I didn't try," he declares to the room, before sulking into a chair opposite his clutchmate. "That old dragon is completely off 'is nut." Three guesses as to which dragon HE is talking about...

Iisana blinks, looking up at K'sair. "Who's is?" She doesn't know most of the dragons around here, after all.

Iisana blinks, looking up at K'sair. "Who's is?" She doesn't know most of the dragons around here, after all.

The recruit drops his jaw as yet another brownrider comes in, looking from him to Ilare and then to Iisana and back to K'sair. Not the one Tekin was looking for, and what was he talking about? The dragon who had napped his superior?

Ilare shoots K'sair an amused look, which automatically pales as her dragon gets back to her. "He what?" She's not done yet. "She *is*?" Rapid blinking, before a fist hits the table. "Oh for the love of Faranth.." Stupid old dragon.. Ilare glances at Tekin, faint unease filling her voice. "Ah.. so it *is* true then?"

Snort. "It's true, all right. Dsalth won't leet us land on his ledge - not even let us tap it with a talon." Tekin's glances are not quite glared at, but the usually good natured ex-herder is not in the best of moods. "Poor Necha - hope P'rru has food in that weyr.." With that K'sair sighs and leans back in his chair, arms crossing his chest.

"It is," Tekin whispers, staring at Ilare. He hadn't actually believe the other guards when they'd talked about it back in the barracks. He almost drops the mug in his hands, hearing K'sair's words. "But, but... We /need/ her!"

Iisana looks from one to the other. "/Why/ would P'rru kidnap anyone? Or is it... Dsalth?" Iisana wasn't clear on that point y'see. "What's he planning on?"

Need? Thats a bit of a strong word.. "Surely your guard Captain can manage you lot?" Annoyance at the almost clingy-ness of the young recruit edges into Ilare's voice, before she turns with a not-so-amused smile to Iisana. "Well.. It's like this. P'rru's dragon Dsalth has decided that his rider needs a mate, and he's going to search the weyr until he finds her." Or him. But she doubts Dsalth thinks like that. Maybe? "P'rru has absolutely nothing to do with it. I dopn't think that he knows. Or rather, knew that was what his dragon was up to." A snicker, devoid of humour, escapes her lips. "I'm betting he does now."

Iisana's eyes narrows sharply. Since Jossie's on a 'find-Iisana-a-man' crusade, this is not something she wanted to hear. "Really. Remind me to steer clear, far clear, of Dsalth. Although, has he found someone?" Ah good. She's safe.

"A mate?!" Tekin exclaims, looking more than surprised at that statement. "But..." and he's not sure if he should go on, "but, Kinecha doesn't... Well, like men in that fashion," he mumbles, still wondering why the dragon would have picked /his/ superior out of all the women in the Weyr.

K'sair nods at Iisana's question. "He found Kinecha - she's one of the guards here." Running a hand through short brown-gold locks, the blue-green eyed ex-herder shakes his head. "Quite frankly, I think P'rru is pretty horrified. The bloke's stuff-like," IE He's *old*, "And certainly wouldn't just.. I dunno, go between to a hold and snatch some unsuspecting 'innocent flower' from her father's fields.." Gee, sarcastic much? Sounds like someone's been getting an earful from the holderfolk on sweeps lately.

Ilare nods at K'sair, managing a sympathetic look for Iisana. Tekin's question is answered with a genuineely amused snort. "Necha prefers those on her own side of the fence, it's true. But P'rru - and thus Dsalth - knows her pretty well; that might be why he snatched her." K'sair's 'flower' comment earns him a look, followed by laughter, before she shakes her head free of a thought. "For all we know, Dsalth could be gathering P'rru a hareem or something.."

Tekin leans back in his chair, more surprised than horrified. And maybe a bit worried. Hearing K'sair's comments on the dragon's rider made him relax a bit. Though not a lot. So it was Dsalth's idea, not his riders. Nodding to Ilare, he attemps to give her a slight smile. True enough. Kinecha had been talking quite a bit about P'rru and his dragon.

Iisana blinks, then looks as if she's rather just go back to bed, right now. "A hareem? No one's safe." is her comment.

Nope, not a single person. And that also goes for.. "Ilare, that means you're in as much danger as uhh.. what's your name?" Typical. It's only now K'sair realises he DOESN'T know who Iisana is. "As she or any female in this weyr is of being snatched for his.. uh.. Hareem." Snicker.

Ilare hadn't thought of that. Sitting up straighter, she stares at K'sair a long moment, before shaking her head, grinning. "Chan'd never let him take me." Alive. Or dead, for that matter. Or something along those lines.

Iisana rests her chin on her hand, blinking at K'sair. "Iisana. The new miner journeywoman?" she prompts, tilting her head. "I don't know. Mining for turns builds up muscles. I can run pretty sharding fast."

Tekin swallows another swig of klah, looking from one to the other. Maybe Dsalth would let Kinecha go if he gathered a harem. It wasn't as if she could do a lot of guarding, or training for that matter, up in some dragon's weyr. Too bad the dragon wouldn't take boys... That way he could offer the Terrible Two to the dragon. *Heh*

Ah, but fast enough to escape a dragon? Even if Dsalth is old and decrepit and.. Uh.. He didn't say that aloud, did he? Oh good.. "Well met. K'sair, brown Raveth's rider." There, all introductions done. "Well, i hope you don't have to worry about such things occurring.

Ilare grins at Iisana, nodding. "Exactly. Dsalth's gonna have to catch us first before he even thinks about that sorta thing." Poor Kaslarna's gonna get snatched next, mind. The poor dear believes Dsalth's just a strange staring draggie.. Tekin's expression is noted, and tsked at. "I'm sure Necha's fine. I'll see if I can do what 'Sair there couldn't and get her back." After all, Dsalth likes her and Chanti.

Tekin nods, giving the rider another smile. "That'd be good, thanks," he mumbles, setting the mug down on the table, then rises from his chair. "I should prolly head back to the barracks, thou'...." He straightens the blue cloth of his tunic a bit, then turns to leave.

Ilare tosses the lad a wave, before flicking a meat roll at K'sair. Just because she's a brat. Mwahaha. "No problem, lad." Lets forget he's around her age, eh?