Living Caverns

Siannen ahhhs. "That's nice. Your'e fairly new here, aren't you?" She knows most of them, at least their faces, if not names. "Does your coat have a winter lining?" Yet another dig at Pyrene, though goodnatured. "Eventually, sure ya did..." Bakerlet's entrance is noted, and after a brief hesitation, Sian grins and hails, waving her over. "Lo'! C'mon in outta that snow...." Have a cookie?

Cassio nods to Pyrene and Sian, glancing at Loren as he continues to nod for no reason. A bit more roll is broken into crumbs and finds quite a bit of itself under Cassio's chair.

Loren shuffles in, huffing faintly and dusting snow from her hair and shaking out her skirt. Siannen's greeting is met with a blink, bakerlet becoming narrow-eyed for a moment before managing a beam and a handflap. "Siannen! Hullo, hullo.. oh, no thank you. No cookies. I'm not very hungry." Sagenod. Or something. Another nod, and the bakerlet shuffles towards a pitcher, pouring herself a mug of juice and shuffling towards the nanny to plop into a seat. "Juice." Cue a grimace. "Ick."

Pyrene waves brightly to Loren. "Loren, come and get warm! We're just meeting Cassio here. He's..." Pause. "Are you related to anybody or are you a fosterling or something?" she wonders quickly.

Cassio sets down the rest of his crumbs in his hand andtaps his chin for a second,"Well...My momma's a trader but she dropped me off with here 'cause my Uncle R'sli lives here." He nods solemnly then glances at the newest entrant to the room. Another smile is given to everyone, not anyone inparticular now.

Siannen shrugs at Cassio's response, then grins at Loren. "Yeah...s'why I stick to tea, and stuff." It's nice and hot, but it's not klah. Ick. Pyrene's question is blinked at, then ohhh'd over. "Good thing to ask." That way, you know who to butter u...*blink* *blinkblink* Nanny gawks, barely amanging not to tumble off her seat in suprise. Siren's sorta...juggled, and everythign settles, but still she gapes. "Unc...Uncle /who/?" She had to've heard wrong. He woulda remembered to mention it, wouldn't he?

Kinecha stamp the snow off her boots as she enters the caverns, quickly making her way to the hearth and her usual mug of klah. "Morning," she calls out to the people already here, giving each a nod, while she fills a mug. Detouring to get a handful of rolls, she finally takes a seat.

Pyrene ahs calmly, taking all this in her stride. "He's R'sli's nephew, Loren," she explains rather unnecessarily seeing as Loren's sitting no further from Cassio than Pyrene is. At any rate, the weyrwoman's had enough family relations that she's not going to worry about this one. At least, not while she's still getting the feeling back in her toes. "Morning Kin, come and get warm with the rest of us."

Cassio blinks at Siannen, slightly confused and says again,"Uncle R'sli." He sweeps away extra crumbs on the table with his arm before leaning his elbow on it. He cocks his head at the nanny's gawking,"Why?"

Loren huffs faintly. "I don't like tea -- so I gotta drink juice." It's a personal denial that she's allowed to drink klah, now. A vague nod, and then a blink towards Pyrene. "R'sli's nephew? Ooh. Tha's neat." Nod, nod. And such. "..and stuff. I don't think I have any neices, or nephews, or anything. Or anything." Another nod, and then a wave towards Kinecha. "Hullo." Wave. And such.

"He's my dad." Siannen's answer is...well, to the point, for once. Redhead slumps, shaking her head..."You must be Daget's brother, then?" SHe knows about him. He lives in her room. Along witht he rest of the Riskin horde. Kinecha gets a slightly out of it grin, and a wave. Hi. I'm in shock. Bakerlet is blinked at, though, and nudged gently. "Sure ya do. Y'got Siren, here, 'cause Pup's kinda like her...uncle, or something." Or something.

Kinecha shrugs out of her jacket, leaving it hanging on the back of a chair as she picks up her stuff to join the others, taking a bite of a meatrolls as she takes a seat by their table, not really following the conversation at all.

Cassio's mouth gapes open, much like Siannen's a moment before,"So then you'd be my...What? Cousin? Yeah Daget's my brother..." He looks at the baker, then his own mug of juice and shrugs.

"You can have Sephne too," Pyrene tells Loren hopefully. She's going to be auctioned off to the highest bidder as soon as she's weaned. If Pyrene can persuade Cadgwith this is natural. "You're a new child of Ris'?" she wonders of Cassio. "I can't keep track with his relations. Or at least, not with everybody else in the Weyr who expects me to know their ancestors all the way back to the crossing."

Loren huffs again, then shrugs. "I guess." This is directed towards Siannen and Pyrene, bakerlet then according Cassio with a wary glance. "R'sli has children?" She's behind on that. "I never knew that." Indigo optics blink, and the bakerlet snatches up a meatroll as soon as someone passes with a tray of them. "..I don't think it'd be easy to keep up with anyone's relations, up here. Everyone seems to have hoardes of 'em." Lo' nods, then sets herself to nibbling.

Family. Not a subject Necha was very comfortable with, especially after her uncle had come looking for her in the Weyr. She takes a long sip of her klah, then bites into another meatroll, chewing slowly, while just observing the others.

Siannen eyes Cassio, then shrugs. "Yeah, guess we're cousins. You -did- say you've got a winter lining on your coat, right?" Now she's related to'm. SHe has to check for real, this time. "Lotsa 'em, Lo'....there's me, and Cr'ash, and Jasper, and Daemon, and Shelby, and now Aries and Ashli. An' those're jest us who're fostered to'm, or actually his..." Come. Share my family. "He says all my other brothers and sisters aren't his, though. And that if our mom sends any more here to be fostered, he's not fostering 'em." A moment or two, as she thinks, then continues to chatter. "You know...I think I've got brothers and sisters who're actually -older- than Daddy...isn't that strange?"

Cassio nods,"'Course I do." He pats his nice warm jacket which lays on the floor next to him. Spotting one of his friends sneak around the door he smiles to everyone,"See y'all later..." He hops up from his chair, grabbing his jacket on the way and follows his fellow Brat out to the play room.

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

Yullie walks in from the Central Bowl.

Yullie says, "Could one of you tell me where Firelizard Haven is? I'm afraid I've gotten myself terribly lost."

Yullie looks completely flustered. She is covered in dust.

Yullie exchanges the protection of stone for the bowl outside.

Pyrene sticks her tongue out at Siannen. "Oh, it's your own silly fault. You were old enough to know you needed a winter lining." She stands suddenly, grimacing at the bowl and turning cavernsward. "I'd better find Sephne. I said I'd pop in to feed her before lunch. See you later."

Pyrene goes home.

"I only have one sibling," is Loren's response, bakerlet poking irritably at her meatroll. "And he's a jerk. I wish I had more sibs, though." A vague nod, and then a polite wave towards Pyrene as she exits. "Bye, Pyrene."

Siannen waves vaguely in the direction of the retreating goldrider, then thbbpts. "Bye, Py...." A faint snort, and she turns back to Loren, explaining, "It was my first winter here...we didn't get weather like this, back home...How was I supposed to know?" But she's alive. And none the worse for it, really. Lo's comment is blinked at, and she grows quiet for a moment, then offers, "You can have one of mine?" Or even better, "Or me, if y'want..." Ooh. Then she'd be related to L'ark too. Which means she could beat him up. Oooohhh....

Loren wouldn't mind Siannen beating L'ark up. Loren wouldn't mind a lot of people beating L'ark up. "You wanna be related to me?" Offer is accorded with a blink, and the bakerlet twiddles her thumbs a bit. "That'd be okay. Then I'd have a neice. And lots of other sibs. R'avey's got lots of sibs, but -- I haven't really met any of them. So sibs'd be nice." Nod-nod. Nod.

Reiko arrives from deeper in the Weyr.

Reiko makes her quiet way across the caverns to hearth and klah, a faint herbal/medicinal scent following her from the infirmary. As she pours, she wonders idly how long it will take for her to not notice it anymore and reminds herself that it's better than bratbarf. Or something. A quick glance around the caverns - ah, she's had her first pot of morning klah already, apparently. "Morning." It /is/ still morning, isn't it?

Kinecha doesn't have any sibs, though family she had plenty of. Uncles and cousins especially, whom she doesn't like talking about. Looking up at the familiar voice she smiles at Reiko. "Afternoon, Reik," she says, correcting the woman. Guard had been up for hours, training the new recruits.

Reiko shrugs. Morning. Afternoon. Day. Night. It all looks pretty much the same inside the caverns. She takes her mug over to Kinecha's table and sits down, fixing a twisted halfsmile on the guard. "Whatever. How are you?" Not still broody and irritable, she hopes.

"Pretty good," Kinecha says, shrugging, willing to forget all about any conversation about family. "I'm on the daywatch again." Which meant she was actually on duty right now. Just taking a break, see?

Siannen can even get Oren to help. And probably Kare. And Cr'ash, f she asks nicely enough...or threatens to haul him off to the baths. "Yeah, I think it'd be kinda...nice, bein' related to you." Considering that the girl -is- weyrmated to her best friend...and another good friend, at that. "Yeah...and hey, that'd even make you kinda related to Ris...and Areiah, too, 'cause her kids are his." Be related to Sian, be related to Ris. Be related to Ris, be related to his other spawn, and to the weyrwoman. Ooh.

Reiko nods acknowledgement. "Taking a break," she observes, lifting an eyebrow. The nanny's comments draw her attention, and emerald gaze flickers over to eye her appraisingly. "One big happy family?" Shudder. She doesnt' even know half these people.

Loren gets to be related to everyone now, hmm? Neat. "Hum. That'd be nice. Being related to Areiah and R'sli. They're nice." Bakerlet nods sagely, prodding at her meatroll again and waggling a hand towards Reiko.

Siannen nods, still grinning. "And Ty, too, kinda, 'cause he's sorta my dad, too." Just not officially. That one's Ris, all the way. "So...how're you'n Pup doin', Lo'?" She's gotta ask. "Don't think I've seen'm really, lately...you, I've seen, 'cause I'm talkin' to ya now, y'know?"

Loren ponders this, for a moment. "We're.. okay, I guess. I dunno, really.. but we're okay. And stuff." A vague nod, and she takes a bite of her 'roll. "How've you been doing? I haven' seen you much since.. since, um, Siren was born. And stuff."

Aiana strolls barefoot in from the Central Bowl.

Nobody panic. Aiana is clean today, wearing clothing...more or less...and not a trace of fish stink anywhere.

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, 10 months, and 4 days old.

Reiko pays no attention to Aiana, clean or dirty. But the topic of conversation appears to be Siannen's family, or Kinecha's work schedule. Or she could sit quietly and sip her klah... shards, it's empty. She gets up to fetch the pot. "Anybody for more?" So she hasn't been paying attention. Kinecha's usually up for some.

Kinecha looks into her mug, noticing it still half full. "No thanks, Reik," she mumbles, having noted Aiana's entrance, but deciding to ignore her. Reaching out, she grabs the last roll left on the table in front of her, to take a bite, chewing it slowly.

Aiana smirks, knowing Reiko can't stand her. Not that the foul-mouth seafarer really cares. Her emerald eyes lock on Reiko, "Aye, I'll have a mite bit...don't usually drink klah...but if'n her offering t'pour...I'm game."

Siannen has been cunfused. But only because everyone else is, it seems. "Not too bad...I'm doin' good on my own -not that I'm really on my own, but it's like..dunno." She shrugs, then blinks down at Siren, who now seems to be sleeping, thankfully enough. An associate passing through is snagged, and the babe handed off. Freedom...wehoo! Until she wakes up and wants to be fed, that is. "I don't 'spect Oren to be anything other'n Oren...but I think Kare's still...frustrated, 'cause he is. And Kare keeps sayin' that he'll be a dad for Si...but...jays, she's not gonna neeed him t'be." There're enough candidates for 'father-figure' in that child's life than anyone ever really needs. "I could come'n visit some time, if y'd like?" She hasn't been up to the weyr since...well, since she conned Soquilith into taking her up there...and then got stuck, as he refused to take ehr down again. Thankfully enough, Ris -is- her dad...and eventually he and Zaquith came to the rescue. Which is lucky, 'cause otherwise she woulda been havin' Siren up there....fun.

Liuea arrives from deeper in the Weyr.

Jossie comes down from the workrooms above.

Reiko doesn't blanch or look away, returning Aiana's stare coolly. She tops off her mug, then fills a second, leaving it sitting on the table and returning the pot to its place. There ya go. Without a word, she returns to her seat across from Kinecha.

Jossie nearly steps back to whence she came upon wandering in on the commotion in the cavern. She tries to stay far away from people, really, but her hunger is overly dissatisfying. SIlently, she makes her way to a table off to the side after snagging a few meatrolls on her way.

Aiana chuckles, "Might want t'be careful sittin' down...wouldna want t'squish those trundlebugs crawlin' round yer backside..." she comments shuffling her way towards the mug and also directs herself to a large piece of peach pie. She meanders across the cavern floor bare feet making a smack smack sound and then...she just sits herself right down at Kinecha's table. Down goes the mug, down goes the plate, and plop goes her bottom on an empty chair.

(OOC: Aiana says "notes that the bug comment was for Reiko. isn't she lucky :)")

Loren is the miraculously moody baker. Sort of. "..Oren gave me a cookie, once." This is said for a distinct lack of anything else /to/ say, and she huffs faintly afterwards. "Tha's nice'a Kare. Since Kalette had Karette, and all.. and.. stuff." Blink-blink. "Yeah. Babies." Twitch. "..visits'd be nice. Make sure you send a 'lizard up, or somethin', 'fore you come, though." Loren's never had much luck with unannounced visits. Don't ask why, though. She'll fling things at you. "..or somethin'. But it'd be nice if you came to visit. I'll show you th' squirrel costume I got for th' Vintner gather a while back." Sagenod.

Kinecha ignores Aiana pointedly by looking at Reiko instead. "So how's it coming along in the infirmary?" she asks, taking another sip of her klah. "Still nothing happening there?" She sets her mug down on the table with a careful motion, smiling to Reiko as she talks.

Reiko's body language makes it clear that she's too close to Aiana by half a room, but she doesn't bother to comment, not being in the mood for swapping vulgarities with the creature. "Infirmary's fine," she says lightly. Still nothing particularly of interest to report, but at least it keeps her from hanging around the caverns all day. "How are the new guards? And did that Teigh ever find you? He was in here looking for you the other day."

Aiana is amused watching Kinecha do her best to ignore her presense, it just makes her smile all the broader to know that she's so far under Kinecha's skin that the woman can't even stand to breathe in her direction. Aiana fills her spoon with sticky peach pie and plops it into her mouth before digging in again but turning the spoon around she forms a mini-catapult aimed at the touchy guard. Will she or won't she?

"They're coming along," Kinecha notes to Reiko, shaking her head at the comment about Teigh. She was sure she'd heard the name before, but he'd not been in the headquarters as far as she knew, though she /did/ remember someone asking her about guarding. She just wasn't sure if it had been Teigh. Seeing Aiana's movement out of the corner of her eye, she turns her head to give the girl a look saying 'don't or you'll regret it', before turning back to Reiko. "What'd he wan't?"

"Icky, aren't they?" So she's got one. They're still...bleh. Siannen's attention is caught, however, by goings-on other than her own conversation. Namely, the spoon-catapulting Aiana. "Aiana, /don't/." So it likely won't do any good...ah well. "It's bad enough that I have to deal with things like that from the riderspawn around here...I -don't- need someone starting a foodfight." A moment, then a slight chuckle, "Especially when I'm off-duty." Attention returns to Lo', and she grins, "I could do that...yeah. Squirrel? Wasn't Pup a squirrel when we had that...costume-thing, durin' our candidacy?" All she really remembers was the tail, and that she used her old MWP costume, which somehow still fit her...and that that's when things were still...yeah. Nannylet blinks rapidly, having drifted slightly as she remembers. "I miss then..."

Reiko shrugs. "I didn't ask him." If she notices Kinecha's look to Aiana, she doesn't comment, nor does she add one of her own. Even Siannen's spoken warning is ignored. She lounges back in her chair, stretching her legs out in front of her, and takes a sip from her mug.

Aiana tilts her head licking sticky juice from her lips, "Is that an empty threat 'er is it a promise..." she languidly lets the words roll off her tongue not releasing the mini-missile but she does pull the spoon back farther...

Liuea goes home.

Loren ponders. "..nah, I like babies. There're just.. too many babies. Everyone's having babies, so.. there're.. to many babies. Y'know?" A sage nod, and she nibbles at her meatroll again. "Yup, R'avey was a squirrel. He made a nice squirrel -- I was gonna see if he wanted to go with me, in his squirrel costume, but I didn' wanna bother him, or anything." Bakerlet nods again, then sighs, twiddling her fingers. "I don' think I was up here much, when R'avey was a Candidate. I had t'go t' th' Master Sea Hold, for a while. I came up for the Hatching, though." A sage nod, and she manages a dim beam. "R'avey was dashing."

G'deon quietly strides in from the Central Bowl.

Kinecha doesn't actually turn her head to look at Aiana this time, and doesn't say a word to her. Keep calm, she tells herself. Wouldn't want that nasty little girl to make her lose her temper. Though she might take action if she was splattered with pie. Couldn't ignore something like that, now could she?

Pia comes down from the workrooms above.

R'ave skulks broodily in from the Central Bowl.

Aiana snorts at Loren...oh puhleeeze...dashing? By the egg, what whishy washy drivel. Aiana turns back to Kinecha and then her finger pulls back almost effortlessly and the spoon flips...the sticky peach pie archs in the air quite nicely towards Kinecha as fast as a vtol....

Siannen nods, grinning faintly. She'll just ignore everything else. Yeah, that works. "Aww, that woulda been cute....and yeah, he was a good squirrel..." Former bratlet folds in on herself, tucking knees up to chin, arms wrapped 'round her legs. "Rauve was my Puppy...I miss him, you know? He kept me safe." Or from going crazy...though in a sense, then contributed to the gradual slide into insanity. "You're really, really lucky, Lo'...and you're right, he was dashing...what I can remember, that is..." It's really still all just a blurr...

Pia saunters down the stairs, skirt swirling lazily around her legs as the drafts billow around her. "Afternoon," is her careless greeting, directed at no one in particular.

A clean getaway from the bustle of annoyance doesn't seem to be in the miner's vision. No, not at all. She'd probably catch some backfire of pie with all her luck. A lucid eye of warning is casted in the direction of the ones who enter, waving them over to a safe table to the side.

Kinecha gets up from her chair, slowly, wiping pie away from her cheek. Moving toward Aiana, she glares down at the girl, her eyes icy cold gray, as she blink slowly. She leans forward to place her hands on either side of the girl's chair, her face close to hers. "You really shouldn't have done that," she whispers, her voice raw with anger.

G'deon steps into the shadows that lead back into the Weyr.

R'ave seems to have a talent for appropriate entrances, eh? Not so dashing, perhaps, but squirrely to a fault, the boy-rider slides around various objects, furniture and the like, vaguely aiming for a wineskin. How adorable. Right. He falls listlessly to the side of the beverage table, rifling for the Most Full 'skin.

Loren isn't wishy-washy. "..I know." A vague nod, and she tucks her legs up under her, poking at her meatroll. "I'm very lucky, yup. I dunno why he asked me t' be his weyrmate. It's nice, though. Bein' his weyrmate, and stuff." Another nod, and then a vague sigh. "I wish I could'a hadda baby for 'im. You're lucky, too, y'know, Sian?" Another vague nod, and then R'ave is noticed, bakerlet directing a vague handflap and dim beam towards him. "R'avey! ..hullo." Wave. Melt. And all that stuff.

Aiana smirks and rakes her tongue along Kinecha's cheek to help 'clean' up the pie perhaps. "Oops..." she smirks, "Y'know yer quite attractive when yer all riled." she offers dryly, not looking the least bit intimidated--prepared to accept the consequences of her actions. Green eyes remain cool.

Pia idly sorts out mugs from the pile by the hearth, discarding a few for some seemingly invisible fault before selecting one and ladling in to it a generous measure of cider. At the sound of a spat -- and one she didn't cause, no less -- the vintner twists and peers over one shoulder at the conversing crowd.

Kinecha blinks. The slow surprise kind of blink, then draws back from the girl, almost going for her knife, thinks twice about it and gives slaps Aiana in the face instead, turning her back to her and in the same motion draws her arm up to wipe of the wet spot on her face with a sleeve. If it hadn't been for her training the outcome might have been worse. "Consider yourself lucky, Aiana," she says coolly as she returns to her table.

R'gis strolls in an unconsciously seductive manner in from the Central Bowl.

Pia nearly dumps her freshly filled mug on the floor in an attempt to smother delighted giggles at the cavern-echoing slaps. "By Faranth," she exclaims, brows arching in twin surprise, "what on Pern was /that/ for?"

Siannen blinks a time or two, as Rauve's entrance comes right in time for her comment...Loren's is noticed, though, and her head titls to the side. Blinkblink. You can almost see the light bulb going off in her head. "L...Lo'? Do y'think...maybe...since /I/ think you're soso lucky, 'cause you got Pup...an' /you/ think I'm lucky, 'cause I've got Si...but Oren's not daddy material, or anything...we could like...share, and stuff." A pause, while she fiddles with her sleeve. "Not the like...weyrmate-y stuff, that's jest for you...an' I'll handle the spitups and dirty diaper-ness...but...well..." Please say it'll work, c'mooon...Rauve's presence is ignored, for the most part, though he does get a bit of a finger-wiggle. No time to do more, really...she's tryin' to see if she can get her heart figured out, and make her friends happy. Yeah.

R'gis strolls slowly into the living caverns, shrugging off his riding jacket as he does. After stowing it on a peg to drip-dry he saunters to the hearthtable, hips and long silver braid swinging slowly from side to side. A small smile curves his lips as he nods a greeting to everyone he makes eyecontact with before pouring a large mug of klah and selecting a few sweetrolls. He moves slowly toward the others, seeking an empty chair.

Aiana head gets whipped to the side by the slap, cheek smarting red, "Fiesty..." she draws a lazy finger over the pring on her cheek. She leans over the table and licks the spoon before speaking, after Pia's voice echos inthe room, "Seems Kinecha ain't so all fired cool as she pretends t'be..." she eyes the guard, eye watering but she shoes no sign of being sorry or regretful, "Y'know...yer the one whose lettin' thin's get t'ya, Kinecha. Seems kind o' silly t'get worked up over a bit 'o pie isn't it?"

Jossie stands up slowly from her chair, scurrying over to gather herself a glass for her wine skin, returning just as quickly as she left. After all, this is all starting to get interesting. Not so much entertainment elsewhere, so she sits back, taking small sips of the vintage, keeping a keen eye on the others.

Pia gazes sidelong at the duo, pale eyes clear and sparkling with open amusement. "My goodness," she drawls, settling into a far-away table. "Hello R'gis," she greets absently, catching glimpse of the rider close at hand.

Loren ponders this, for a very long time, she being the type to ponder things for very long times and all that sort of thing. "Share? R'avey?" Blink-blink, ponder-ponder. "I dunno.. maybe. There's /some/ stuff I don' wanna share about R'avey --" Doesn't she turn the most interesting shades of pink? "-- but.. I dunno. That sounds nice. R'avey could be Siren's.. kinda-daddy, and.. I could help take care of her, and.. stuff. Or.." Blink. "Something. And then we could all dress up as squirrels for gathers." Yes. This is Lo's Bright Happy Point of Light in all of this. It's a squirrel quartet. Complete with fluffy-tails. And all that rot.

R'gis raises an eyebrow at the exchange between the young woman in a guard's uniform and a young woman he hasn't met yet and decides that end of the table might not be a good place to sit. Hmmmm....there's a bronzer, and then there's a Pia....who shall have the pleasure of his company. "Oh, hello, Pia....it's been a long while since I've seen you." he murmurs, his soft tenor husky with emotions, though which ones he'll never tell. That greeting settles his decision as he settles gracefully into a chair next to the Vintner. "How have you been?" Greenrider sips slowly at his steaming klah and tears small bites from a sweetroll...rather prissily at that.

Kinecha slowly sips the rest of her klah, giving Aiana a cold look over the rim, but doesn't respond to her comment. The look in her eyes clearly warns the girl off doing it again. She might be trained as a guard, but her patience and training only went so far. The guard's past might re-surface if she was provoked too much. And the guard's past wasn't a pretty one.

R'ave blinks. Loren's greeting isn't ignored, really, his eyes are just straying toward R'gis. Only for a moment. The winskin is grasped to his chest as his eyes balloon toward Sian and Lor. He drags it along with him. There's safety in numbers. Sure. "Um. Hi." He scoots toward the two girls, an eyebrow raised.

"Lovely," replies the Vintner airily, long fingers wrapped comfortably 'round the warm glazed clay of her mug. "And it has been a while." Not that Pia's mourned the absense, mind you. "Have you been busy? And how is your Peorth doing?"

Aiana kisses the air at the guard, but that is all before she slides back in her chair props her barefeet up on the table and finishes the peach pie that had a part in that zinger of a slap.

Siannen beams happily, nodding as Loren talks. "Yeah, just like that....an' you wouldn't have t'share anythin' you didn't want to share, 'cause he's your weyrmate firstest." And stuff. Cripes. "And we -could-...wouldn't Si look cuuute as a li'l bitty squirrel?" Rauve's approach is also beamed at, as she informs him, "Lo' an' I are gonna get to share." Happyburble.

The guard's eyes narrow to a slit, as she takes a deep breath, trying to control her first impulse at the girl's fingerkiss. Her hands tighten around the mug, to the point where her knuckles turn white. Must be a well-made mug, 'cus it doesn't shatter between Kinecha's fingers. She really should leave /now/ before she loses her temper completely...

A truely interested smile curves the greenrider's lips, with just a hint of mischief and flirting in it, as R'gis takes another sip of klah. "I'm so glad. Yes, I've been quite busy what with the children and Fall and trying to learn as much as I can about healing dragons so I can help Thesy....it's been quite a challenge to find spare time." he says, voice pitched softly. Though he concentrates on his conversation with Pia, his eyes travel over the others congregated in the caverns, pausing occasionally when he catches sight of a rider that he likes the look of. A slight wink is sent in R'ave's direction, wondering how it'll make the bronzer react. He turns back to Pia and nods toward the entrance, "She's doing just fine, flirting with a few males out there, I'd say."

Loren beams up at R'ave, fluttering her eyelashes as cutely as she can. "We can share, right? And we can all take care of Siren?" Beam, glow. Cuteness. "And we can all dress up as cute little squirrels, 'cause I still have my squirrel costume, and you might have yours, and Siannen and I could make one for her and Siren." Sagenod. Beam. "I think it'd be good to share. Except stuff I Siannen said I don' have to share." Beam, glow. Cuteness. And stuff.

R'ave is clueless in regard to the two Fates, Lo' and Sian. Or squirrel one and two, respectively. After a long draught of wine, he turns his attention back toward the pair. "That's nice," he murmurs, tilting his head. "What're y'all sharing?" A dazed little grin wanders back R'gis's way, cloudy eyes overbright. "You're sharing Siren.. who? Squirrels?" Poor, poor R'ave.

Dry amusement is evident in the set of Pia's lips, in the crinkle of her eyes. "What /are/ they talking about?" inquires the girl in a sidelong soft voice to R'gis, indicating Loren and Siannen with a toss of her chin.

And on the other side Aiana is decidedly unperturbed, actually humming a tune and enjoying the last remnants of pie scraping the dish with the fork. "Yer gonna implode..." she speaks seemingly to the air but obviously talking about Kinecha, "ain't good fer the blood pressure t'git all riled."

Aiana answers Pia, "Ah they ain't talkin' bout nothin important...just gossip bout riders and babies and all that sort o' lot. Frightfully boring."

"I don't recall speaking to you," Pia responds coldly, handily ignoring the fact that she herself was shamelessly evesdropping.

Siannen giggles, beam alternating between both Lo' and R'a, and answers the all-important question: "/You/, Pup...we're gonna get to share -you-. An' all three take care of Siren, 'cause then Kare'll leave me 'lone, too...and we're gonna get t'dress up like squirels." That's the most important part, after all. Is it just me, or is Loren slightly contagious? Hee. "An' Lo' won' have to share anythin' she doesn't wanna share, 'cause I said so..." She'll just go outside and play with Soquilith. Ooh.

R'gis shrugs slightly at Pia's question. "No idea really....Yeah...what she said, probably swapping babysitting services and that sort of thing." he replies just as softly, ignoring the other woman's interruption. He smiles sweetly at R'ave when he catches that dazed look before turning back to his conversation with Pia. He also takes little notice of the dry amusement Pia shows, he's well used to it having gone thru candidacy with her.

Aiana smirkes at the frilly girl Pia, "I didna say y'did. Didna know there twas a rule 'gain'st anyone answerin' a question. Does it bother ya t'be caught at listenin in on folks conversations?" she glances at the girl while licking her fingers, "Don't get yer corset in a bunch 'cause someone catches ya at somethin' y'don't wanna be caught at."

"R'avey's not /boring/," Loren whines, turning multiple shades of pink again before attempting to latch onto her weyrmate and talk at the same time. "R'avey's a very exciting and dashing person." Beam-beam, and then she adds on to Siannen's comments. (Contagiously.) "Wouldn' that be nice, R'avey? We'd all get t' take care of Siren, and be squirrels -- you thought I made a nice squirrel, right? -- and.. stuff. Yeah. What Sian said. She said I don't have t' share anything I don't wanna share." Which is, really, only limited to a very narrow category of things, but that's okay. "Wouldn' it be nice?" Eyelash-flutter. Flutter.

Kinecha hasn't even /heard/ any conversation going on, as blood is rushing in her ears, and her intire focus is on Aiana. /Why/ was they girl acting like that, she wonders, as her finger loosen their grip on the mug, and her muscles relax one by one in a tremendous conscious effort of will. Wondering why this girl was annoying her to such an extent.

With a haughty lift of her nose, Pia turns her back on Aiana and regards R'gis mildly. "They are letting anyone in the weyr these days, aren't they? Just the other day I saw one of those dirty Holdless in the lower caverns, sneaking /porridge/ of all things." Words are delivered lightly -- chit-chat, but little more.

Aiana is what she is. Loose tongue, big mouth, no fear, and certainly no feelings of regret--at least not so far. She responds to Pia, "Aye, that is so....they let /you/ in didn't they, eh?" she is smiling as it has been a very amusing day. "Faranth!" she admonishes towards the cooing Loren, " R'avey this and R'avey that y'make 'im sound like a babe in arms. An' they say /I'm/ annoyin'? Least I don't spew drivel like an absentminded auntie wit no teeth..."

Loren sticks her tongue out at Aiana. "No I don't. I say nice things about R'avey because they're true." So hah.

R'ave whimpers. "How.. nice. All of us." As squirrels, no less. A regular rodential Brady Bunch, no? And he was getting so in to greenrider leering, too. As Loren latches onto him, he re-latches onto his wineskin. "Uh.. yeah. There's plenty of room in the weyr, I guess. Soquilith likes the idea." Soquilith likes girls. "Will Oren mind?" The mother of all stupid questions, right there. Aiana is met with a cooly dismissive smile. "No one asked for your opinion on the situation, though I'm sure you're more than qualified to give it. We appreciate your concern." No go suck on a wherry. Ahem.

R'gis tsks softly and chuckles a little at Pia's words. "Now, now....you know that anyone is welcome in the Weyr, Pia." he murmurs goodnaturedly. "All these turns at High Reaches and you've still not forgotten your upbringing? No one needs to sneak food and you know that, it's out here for anyone and everyone to partake of." He can't help teasing the Vintner a little though he bristle slightly at the attitude Aiana seems to be taking. "That is no way to speak to a Journeyman, young woman. As a fellow weyr resident she deserves as much respect as you would want displayed to you." He may be just a wingrider but his lifemate is proddy and that sets his temper a bit on edge, though no one has ever been able to say they've actually -seen- Rage get angry.

Kinecha looks from Aiana to Loren to R'ave and then R'gis. Yeah, let other people deal with Aiana. That way the girl would hopefully forget about the guard for the time being and the guard wouldn't have to injure her worse than a slap on the cheek.

Pia flicks a rather appreciative brow at R'gis, faintly surprised -- and irritated -- at defense and rebuke, if not in that order. "So should I abandon my proper holder training, along with my scruples, and sleep with everything in the weyr that stands still?" drawls the Vintner, in an oddly good humour despite the season. It /is/ winter, after-all. Brrrr...

Aiana chuckles, "I don't ask fer respect. Don't see how a bit o' title qualifies a snoot t'any more respect than anyone else. I's got more respect fer folks who got gumption than those who scamper about pretendin' one thin and sayin' another and thinkin' other thing's still." she tilts her head to the guard, "Seems the guard is th' only one about this place wit any realness to 'er. She don't babble and she dishes as good as she gits..." then Aiana says dryly, "I'll bet a months wages that that vintnergirl wouldn't know where t'begin unlacin her garmets t'even get t' the pettin' much less the sleepin'"

Skiyra walks in looking around. It's obvious she's not usually here.

Siannen goggleblinks. Hey. /Hey/. That's her friend your'e talkin' about, there. And though both Loren and R'ave seem to've handled it nicely, she still wants to get her word in...and she's short, so it's up on the bench, at least long 'nough to make sure she's seen...or heard. "Hey, you cut that out, willya? Everythin' Lo's sayin' about Pup is true. 'Sides, it's our business, so butt out." And then she's back to sitting and beaming and trying not to wiggle. "Oren mind? Why d'ya think Oren'd miiind..? I mean, that means that he's gotta take even less 'sponsibility for her, and...well, we just kinda do our own things anyway." Beam. Burble. All that jazz. "Soquilith like it? Hey, ask'm if he'll let me go'n sleep out with him, when...yeah." Pia is blinked at, and former fellow-candidate gets a random cookie-bit chucked at her. "Aww, lay off, Pia...y'know ya love us...otherwise, y'wouldn't've stayed here." Nosewrinkle. She likes Pia well enough, oddly...go figure.

R'gis grins brightly at Pia. "It wouldn't hurt, you know." he teases one he hopes it's okay to call friend. "No, really, Pia. I just mean that you can't hold so tightly to those Holdbred traditions. I'm not saying that you should sleep with anything in the Weyr....just be a bit more understanding and lenient?" He frowns slightly at Aiana and shrugs. "I beg your pardon for not slapping your face then, if you'd like to come over here, I can oblige you quite readily." His tone is matter of fact and even as he gives her a blank stare, she's quite beneath his Peorth's talons so of little consequence to the green's rider...or so she says.

R'ave eyes Pia briefly. "I feel as though I should start jogging," he mentions, most directly toward his wineskin. His attention lifts to Aiana, with a sigh. "Then why don't you go look for people who're more tangible, if we're such a horrid display of reality here? Besides, I happen to knwo for a fact that Pia means /every word/ she says." He's still unruffled -- thank you, Mr. Wine. "Yeah, that's what I thought.. well, it's fine with me.. and Soquilith wouldn't mind, he just doesn't see why you can't just joi-- nevermind." Bad lifemate. Bad.

Kinecha's one eyebrow comes up in surprise as she hears Aiana's words about her. Something had certainly changed in the girl's view on the guard. As far as she remembered Aiana had more or less despised her after they'd first met. Shaking her head, the guard decides that she must have heard wrong. Couldn't be that Aiana actually /liked/ her now.. Eww!

Slightly off-kilter by the various offerings of support, Pia sips carefully at her still steaming cider before sparing a sly little sneer in Aiana's direction. "Understanding and leniency are not my strong points," she admits frankly, words tumbling easily over each other.

Like is such a strong word...respect yes...but it would take more than a slap to get Aiana to...like the guard. Aiana despises no one, that takes far too much energy -- though there is a person or two on Pern whom she cares not to see again. Kinecha need not fear, she's safe...though it /is/ a wonderment why the guard gets so riled up--maybe supressed feelings of...something? Aiana stands up then and pads over to R'gis, and shows off her red right cheek, "Be so kind as t'slap the left so I'll have a matching set, eh?" she says planting her hands on the table and leaning over towards the rider who threatened a slap, or at least implied it. "Don't think y'got the..." she looks down at the rider but leaves the sentence unspoken, but she leans closer to R'gis ...not touchign him but clearly near nose to nose.

"Because Lo' doesn't wanna, an' if Lo' doesn't wanna, then that's okay with me." Siannen nods sagely, "You can tell'm that, too." All this is being backed up by Loren, nodding and beaming and clinging to Rauve's arm. Happiness. Ahh. "I'm so...happy now, Puppy..." That last is just a little more quiet, just a little less burbly than the rest, though not terribly so.

"Another undeniably true statement," R'ave points out, wagging a hand toward Pia. He shifts a little in Loren's (oh-so-loving) vice, expression lightening considerably. "He knows, Sian." The he is unidentifiable, but it doesn't really matter. "Well, it's good that you're happy.." R'ave just feels increidbly lucky. That Loren's not hitting him with a plush llama, or anything sharper. "Whenever you want, I'll help you move Siren and her stuff up to the weyr.."

R'gis chuckles softly at Pia and shrugs. "I was just like you when I first got here, you know. Though I'd had nearly a turn of travelling to loosen up, I wasn't thrown into the Weyr straight out of my Hold at Search time so it wasn't such a difficult time." he says, turning slightly to find himself nose to nose with the girl. He sets his mug on the table and stands slowly, finding himself eye to eye with her. His quicksilver eyes spark angrily though his face doesn't show a bit of the emotions he's feeling. Turns of hefting firestone sacks have made his arms whipcord and bone, the backhanded slap he unleases could easily send the girl sprawling. "Does that gain me anything more than the knowledge that I was goaded into laying hands on another human?"

Pia merely blinks, perhaps recalling all the time she'd taunted R'gis herself. "By Faranth," she breathes, brows arching in a combination of admiration and amusement.

Skiyra watches the goings on with great fascination, having pulled up a seat far from the others in the livign caverns. It seems she is working devotedly on her embroidery, though an ear once trained for gossip is an ear always on the alert. her head snaps up at the most recent of the events, but quickly looks back down at her project.

Kinecha gets halfway out of her chair, but doesn't react as she should. It /was/ her job to prevent such things from happening, but two factors played into the fact that she chooses not to interfere. First, she'd only just slapped the girl herself, and second Aiana had asked for it herself. So, the guard just stands beside her chair, crossing her arms in front of her chest, a slight smile playing on her lips.

Loren beams cutely, cuddling against R'ave's arm. "You wouldn' have to sleep out with Soquilith /all/ the time, Sian." Just because she sleeps in the same bed with R'ave every night doesn't mean they're doing something that doesn't need witnesses. "You'd have t' come in during the winter. 'cause it's cold. An' you'd get sick, or something." And that'd sort of ruin the whole big-happy-atmosphere, then. "..you gotta move in 'fore my Turnday, though. So we can have a party, and get cake. And Siren can have cake. An' I wanna help." Loren wouldn't hit R'ave with a stuffie, anyway. Only under very-special circumstances.

Aiana staggers and fumbles a moment but doesn't fall, she lifts a hand to brush back hair from her face and she licks her bruised corner of her mouth with a rake of her tongue accross the crack. "Gain's ya a mite o' somethin'..." words slurred a bit, "Mark well that y'got y'self one mighty short fuse...y'might be thinkin' on that. D'ye feel proud, eh?" she steaps up to the rider, "Ain't nothin' y'kin do t'me that ain't been done a'fore by better." she moves close to him and boldly plants a bruised kiss on his cheek one hand patting his other cheek, "Wit rage comes responsibility...eh? Might ask y'self how y'feel 'bout that." then she gives the rider a hard shove, hard enough to push him back into his chair before she licks her swelling lip again with an amused smirk and exits the caverns...

Aiana exchanges the protection of stone for the bowl outside.

R'gis falls back easily into his chair, the anger slowly dying from his eyes as his gaze goes blank, obviously reining in a perturbed green. "I didn't think I had that short a fuse...but she did ask for it." he murmurs almost to himself. He takes up his klah for a long drink as he slowly calms himself and his lifemate.

Simbi> Peorth rumbles deep in her throat, her talons digging gouges into the stone of the bowl floor. Her eyes whirl an angry red and her gaze doesn't leave the girl coming from the caverns though something is holding her back from moving aggressively.

Pia eyes R'gis curiously beneath lowered lids. "She did deserve it," she agrees mildly. "More than deserved."

Simbi> Aiana sits herself on a stone lifting a hankercheif to her slightly bleeding lip, "Oh, don't get yer tail in a knot." she says to the dragon, "I'm the one who got slapped, 'e ain't got a scratch on 'im...eh? Yer smart ain'tcha?" she wave a hand, "Ach, ain't like yer listnen'. No matter none."

Draining the last of her klah, which is now cold, Kinecha decides that it's time to leave and get back to her duties. After all, she was only supposed to have been on a break, right? "I'll see ya all later," she calls out, lifting her hand in a wave, as she picks her jacket off a chairback and puts it on, then moves to the bowl.

Central Bowl

Aiana is here.

Living Caverns> "Sian, you won't sleep with Soquilith," R'ave answers grainily. "My bed's fairly large." His mouth quirks thoughtfully as he leans against Loren. "Or we can move you up a bed of your own. if that's more socially acceptable." At the weyr? "A party. Right." His relatively high-spirits are doused only by knowing he'll soon be haboring a miniature Oren.

Aiana is just sitting on a rock, wiping at her swelling lip with a hankercheif.

Peorth rumbles again and shuffles forward a pace or two, dragon pace that is, her head dipping low and sniffing deep. The whirling of her eyes slowing though the sparks of red and orange still flicker in the depths.

Living Caverns> Siannen doesn't like getting cold and sick - she's nearly died that way. Twice. Thought he second one was really more her fault than the first. "Sounds like a deal to me...oooh, yeah, that'd be nice...Siren'd be able to have cake by then, right?" Yeah, like she knows. Rauve's suggestion is blinked at, then she turns to Lo', blinking owlishly. "could we share, an' have anotehr bed f'me, f'when you don't feel like sharing? I mean...Pup an' I pushed our cots together when we were candidates,a nd all..." Oh, just look at that face...how can you refuse? And don't worry, R'a...she shouldn't be too bad until she gets older.

Living Caverns> Jossie goes home.

Living Caverns> R'gis sighs softly and finally glances back to Pia. "I suppose....I should have been able to keep my temper a bit better though, despite Peorth being close to her flight." he murmurs.

Living Caverns> Pia opts for broad stairs that lead up to the Crafting rooms above the inner caverns.

Okay, so Necha might be a weyrguard. But that didn't include fending off dragons did it? And just who was the green so angry at? Her eyes sweep the bowl and spots Aiana to be the target of the dragon. Just keep your distance, she tells herself, though some instinct tells her she should warn the girl. "Aiana..." she starts, her eyes going back to the dragon.

Living Caverns> Skiyra watches as all of the people seem to leave, and thinks maybe there's really nothing to gossip about after all. Angry people are no fun, and not fun to provoke, either. She looks back down at her embroidery, and smiles at how much she has done.

Aiana turns her head slightly, letting her hand drop a moment. Her face will have some nice color come a few candlemarks, "Ach, she ain't harmin' nothin'...just being protective ain't nothing wrong wit that. Don't matter anyway," she would smile if her lip would allow it, "thars folks who woudln't mind me gettin' mauled 'er thrown out anyhows."

Living Caverns> Loren isn't letting any older-miniature-Orens get near R'ave, anyways. "Yup. That'd be good. Two beds, and such." A sage nod, and she lowers her feet again, swinging them idly as she snuggles against her weyrmate. "It'd be better to share in the winter, anyway, and in the fall. 'cause it gets cold a bunch. And then we could get you extra-pretty and fluffy sheets and blankets for your bed, and for Siren's crib, and then when.. um.. yeah." Insert: 'when I feel like jumping my weyrmate' here. "..you'd be warm. And we could put it near Soquilith's couch, too, maybe. So you could sleep near him. And we could get you a roll-up-thingy when you wanted to sleep on the ledge, or something." She'd do that, but she'd freeze and turn into a pink-haired popsicle. "And lookit th' stars with Soquilith. S'nice, up there." Sagenod. And stuff. "Maybe. Maybe?"

Living Caverns> R'gis sighs softly and drains his mug, suddenly without appetite. He stands and moves to retrieve his jacket. Shrugging into it he waves slightly at those remaining in the caverns and heads out to the bowl to keep his lifemate out of trouble.

R'gis steps out from the Weyr's living caverns.

And Kinecha might be one of those folks, but ultimately it was her responsibility to see to it that people weren't killed in the Weyr. "Just don't upset her, will ya," she notes giving Aiana another look.

R'gis moves toward his green and notices that she's almost hovering over Aiana. He frowns and looks from dragon to girl and back again, shaking his head at an internal conversation. He continues in that direction, laying his hand on the green forearm when he makes his desination. "She'd not hurt anyone....There's only one time a dragon will knowingly hurt a human, and she's long past that time." he says.

Living Caverns> Siannen just...beams. "Loren...Loren, that sounds /great/...in fact..." The redheaded nanny manages to make it to her feet, nearly bouncing in exitement. "I'm gonna go let Daddy know right now...okay? Okay." Another set of beams and burbles, and then she launches herself at the pair, arms 'round Lo' first, kiss plunked on the bakerlet's cheek...and then R'a gets the same treatment....and she bounds off. Wehoo!

Living Caverns> Siannen goes home.

Melphina walks in.

Aiana snorts, "I ain't doin' nothin' but sittin' here nursin' a fat lip, eh? I ain't upsettin' nobody. Y'should be pleased." she says to Kinecha. "She's fine..." she refers to the dragon, "She ain't doin' nothin' -- it ain't like R'gis is the one that got slapped."

Melphina says, "Hello?"

Living Caverns> Loren nods, rubbing her cheek against his arm idly. "I know, silly. I don't mind. It makes Sian happy, and you're happier when Sian's happy, and I want you to be as happy as I can make you." A sage nod, and she tugs on his arm, attempting to pull him into her lap. "'sides, I get to help take care of Siren, now. And I wanna help take care of a baby." Flutter.

R'gis smiles slightly and nods to Kinecha. "She's right....she is the one with the fat lip." he says. He notices the newcomer and nods a greeting. Glancing up to the green towering over them all, the rider pats the forearm tenderly and nods. "I am sorry, but you did ask for it. I normally don't have that short of a fuse, but with her so close to rising I find I'm having a difficult controlling my temper. Please....accept my apology?" he says to Aiana, offering his hand for her to shake.

Kinecha shrugs, leaving Aiana to nurse her lip and R'gis to take care of his dragon and turns to get back to the headquarters, giving the stranger a glance in passing her. You wouldn't see the guard apologizing to Aiana...