All references to worlds and characters based on Anne McCaffrey's fiction are copyright Anne McCaffrey, 1967, 2000, all rights reserved. The Dragonriders of Pern is registered U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, by Anne McCaffrey. This is a roleplay log from PernMUSH at pern.mccr.org port 4201.


You walk west into the living cavern.
Sonya walks in from the bowl.
Pryth sticks his face in from the bowl, and croons to the nice people inside.
Zacharia walks in from the bowl.
Langley's sitting over at table by herself with her finger busily attempting to make tiny plaits in her long, red hair. She leans over, peering at the dragon face, blinks a time or two, then falls back to the task at hand. "Does that often?" she asks of the bluerider.
Sonya strolls in, a bunch of hidework in her hands. Unfortunatly at the same time a young girl is running for the exit to the bowl, giggling widly. Sonya and the girl meet, the hard way. Hides go flying everywhere. Then Pryth sticks his nose in and croons in worry for his rider. "Shard it, get out!" Sonya doesn't even hear Langeley;s question.
Nirvana dips a wing and comes soaring into the living cavern from the lower caverns.
Sonya strolls in, a bunch of hidework in her hands. Unfortunatly at the same time a young girl is running for the exit to the bowl, giggling widly. Sonya and the girl meet, the hard way. Hides go flying everywhere. Then Pryth sticks his nose in and croons in worry for his rider. "Shard it, get out!" Sonya doesn't even hear Langeley;s question.
"Guess that answers that," says Langley, smirking as she tugs on one of the half-finished braids impatiently. Sighing, she unravels the thing and starts over, patiently weaving thin strands.
Sonya , still grumbling starts picking up hides. From where she sits. Finally they get all picked up and she moves further into the cavers, dumping those hides unceremoniously onto a table at random. And yes, that radomness happens to land her at Langley's table.
Langley quickly swipes all of her ribbons over toward her side of the table, holding the ends of her braid with a painful-looking wrest of her fingers. "Join me. Please," she mutters a bit drily at Sonya and all of her hides.
Khadira enters from the narrow corridor.
Khadira walks outside, into the bowl.
Sonya plops into a chair at the invitation. "Thanks." she says, equally droll in her tone. In the next breath she gives Langley a smile. "Whatcha working on there?"
Zacharia walks outside, into the bowl.
Yanking on the current braid, Langley replies, "Plaits." She thought the fact should be *obvious*, of course. "Do you want some? I've got a handful of girls waiting, but I'm sure I could find time if you're interested?" Braid, braid, braid.
Sonya watches with some interest in her eyes. She's made no attempt to move the hide that are spread in scattered piles on the table. Some maybe even dangerously close to Langley's space. Finally she shakes her head. "No thanks. I don't think my hair is long enough for that."
Chattily, almost vacantly, Langley comments, "It doesn't have to be long, you know. Mirielle was in here this morning doing this to Br'nal's hair. And I've seen lots of girls with short hairs doing the same." Deftly, she ties off the end of that braid; apparently, this is her *only* real skill.
Sonya leans back in her chair, shakeing her head with an amused smile. "Naw, i'll leave my hair the way it is. Thank you for the offer." now she picks up a hide, peering at it with disgust. "Now if you could help me with Weyrlings that'd i'd apprieciate."
"Uhh. No," says Langley, that moment of hesitation more for show than anything authentic. With her fingers free for a moment, she very lightly plucks a few of the more wayward hides from *her* part of the table and gently scoots them down toward the Weyrlingmaster. "Is that what all this is about?" Yes, she's very likely going to snoop at those hides whilst moving them.
Sonya shrugs, not noticing or not mentioning that the girl is takeing a peek at the hides as she moves them. "Mostly." she answers, cryptically maybe. Suddenly she pauses. "Your'e Langley, right? I'm sure we've met but I tend to be bad at names. Pryth can remember better than I am, sometimes." she adds with a snort.
Langley's gift for subterfuge is minimal to say the least. She peers and then slides, peers and then slides. Nothing catches her interest, of course, and eventually she has her area relatively cleared. "I'm Langley, right," she replies self-importantly. "You're the Weyrlingmaster Sonya, huh?" This as she sections off another piece and gets to more braiding.
Sonya thinks nothing of the self-importance. Or at least her expression changes none. Now that they have the names out of the way, and the hides are once again back into some sort of order Sonya relaxes some more. The hides don't get another glance, she seems very interested in what Langley is doing with her hair. "You seem very good at that." she comments.
Pryth sticks his face in from the bowl, and warbles a greeting that shakes some plates.
"I am. You ought to let me - " Langley cuts herself off, snorting unhappily as the dragon's announcement interrupts the work of her fingers. "Great," she mutters darkly, undoing the braid in process just a touch ruthlessly. "As I was saying," with a narrowed-eye glance at Pryth. "You really ought to let me do your hair this way. It only takes a little while, and it makes nice little crimps when you take it out."
Sonya swivels quickly in her seat towards Pryth. So the look given to Pryth by Langley isn't seen by Sonya. Might be a good thing too. "Out!" she tells the blue muzzle as it withdraws. "I don't care." she replies to an unheard comment before looking back to Langley. She contimplates the plaits again, Langley maybe being near to convincing the bluerider to change her hair style. "Maybe. Though not tonight. I've plenty of work to do. I shouldn't even be sitting her chatting with you. But I've been so busy, I need some sort of break."
Langley mutters something about not caring, either!, but doesn't let it break her braiding stride this time. "Well, of course not tonight. I'll barely be able to move my hands when I get this mess finished. But definitely another night. Though you'll have to promise not to go smashing all my hard work under some ugly riding cap." Fingers working without thought, she adds, "I heard you got the job in a silly way. Don't you like it?"
Jai walks in from the bowl.
Jai walks down the corridor.
Sonya sighs gustily, the time draws closer in which she'll have to leave the comforts of the cavern and venture back outside. And they were haveing such a Lovely conversation. Briefly her eyes unfocus, to most likely bespeak her lifemate. When her attention returns to Langley she hears from the point where she says not to crush her hair under some riding cap. She grins. "No worries, I wouldn't do that." "At least not right away." she adds in a mutter. She stands. "I really need to get those items." her gaze rivets to you, a thoughtfull look crosses her face. Then you distract her with that last question. "Hmm? Oh of course I like the job. I'm well suited for it." she can have an air of arrogance around her too at times.
Alaida walks in from the bowl.
Fortunately for all, Langley is so busy with her braid that she doesn't pay enough attention to catch the mutter, but instead tosses on a smile. "Oh, good. Then I'd be just thrilled to do the braids for you. They look cuter on people with short hair sometimes." Yes, these are the types of thoughts that float around her head. "Really?" she adds, doubtful about the last part: The liking or the suiting, it's tough to say.
Sonya nods. "I've got to get back to work though. I've got some things set aside for me in the stores, getting ready for the next batch of weyrlings." she explains for whatever reason. "I could certainly use a hand getting them and carrying them to the barracks. Would be a dear and give me a hand?" yes, she asks though the tone of her voice doesn't make it sound like it's a question to say no too. Her back is to the entrance from the bowl so anyone who enters most likely will not be noticed.
Alaida steps into the living cavern and glances around then moves over to the serving table to get herself a mug of juice then a plate of wherry strips. She turns to head to a table and takes a seat, but she gives a smile to all those she knows.
Langley blinks. Twice. Just to make sure everyone caught it at least once. "But I'm busy," she protests right off the bat after that blinking duo. An irritated sniff leaves her unchecked even as she grabs all her ribbons, a bit ruthlessly, and shoves them into her pocket. "Which ones should I carry, ma'am?" she adds, holding out bare hands and obviously seething. (For Alaida's benefit, half of Langley's hair is in those little braids; the other half is damp and loose.)
Sonya seems very pleases Langley has accepted her offer to help. Such a good helper she will be. "Oh." she says airly as the empty hands are held out. "I haven't anything /here/. My stuff should be in boxed in the stores. Just this way, with two of is carrying them out it shouldn't take but a few minutes."
Sonya strolls into the lower caverns.
Sonya walks down the corridor.
Langley's eyes send daggers after Sonya, but she follows anyway. Her steps drag a lot, though.
You walk down the corridor.
Nirvana flies in from the living cavern.
Langley's not in any hurry to keep up, for the record. In fact, she's literally dragging her heels several paces behind the bluerider. Oh, and let's not forget the muttering!
Sonya looks around, frowning in thought. Duke, her brown swoops over to land on her shoulder, tail wrapping around her neck. "Hullo luv." Sonya says absently. Then what she is searching for is spotted and she leads Langely over to the corner. "Here. Take this. And this and these." she thrusts several containers (full mind you ) and serveral oddly wrapped packages towards the girl. She doesn't leave herself empty handed either. She takes just as much as Langley has. She starts back towards the Living Caverns, though pauses to make sure Langley has everything ok and is following.
Nirvana dips and swoops through the entrance to the living cavern.
Langley is not the most deft person in the world when it comes to most things. She nearly drops several of the parcels, only keeping track of them in the end by tucking one under her chin, one under each arm, and holding the others close against her person. "...get dirty and look stupid..." The rest of that comment is fortunately lost as she turns to follow Sonya sulkily.
Sonya walks west into the living cavern.
You walk west into the living cavern.
Sonya walks outside, into the bowl.
Langley, laden with bundles that look altogether awkward, follows in Sonya's wake, cursing under her breath.
You walk outside, into the bowl.
Sonya just goes quickly through the Living Caverns and out to the bowl. Pryth's big blue head isn't in the way to impede them. She turns her head, watching Langley's process.
Pryth is very energetic tonight. Nothing uncommon for this blue. He is indeed very close to the entrance, head down between his legs. As people emerge though he sits up, yawning hugely. The stench that comes from that open maw reminds you of herdbeast. One that's been dead and left in the sun for several sevendays.
Langley does drop one of the packages then, grumbling decidedly, "Oh, gross!" Irritated both at the smell, holding her breath against that, and the fact that she dropped the package, she stops to collect the latter rather clumsily.
Sonya watches Langely, debateing if she should go and help her. She does, but unfortunatly when she bends down to help pick up a package, on of her own falls. Then when trying to pick that one up, she looses another one. And another. It's not easy. Pryth just watches on, his tail moveing all happy like behind him. He lowers his head to take a closer look at Langely and her packages. Does she have anything interesting?"
Langley is apparently suffering from the same problem that afflicts Sonya. Just as she manages to balance a dropped package and starts to straighten, another one tumbles free, cluttering about with a merry disregard. "Is he going to stare at us like that all night? It's infuriating. And he smells bad." Foul temper has reared its ugly head.
Sonya gets several packages up, standing up straight herself. She regards Langley with a cool expression for several long moments. "He's merely trying to see what we are doing." the blue does indeed look interested. His tail curls around to tap at Langley's arm and he suddenly takes very deep breaths. Sniffing. *sniiiiif* "And if you must know, he doesn't think your breath smells any better." she informs her with a sly smile on her face.
"Well, it should be pretty obvious what I'm doing," says Langley, reaching to collect the last of her packages. Teeter; drop; sigh. Two more attempts it takes before she's got everything tucked away and the balancing act begins again even as she turns a frown on the blue. "I do *not* smell bad. Definitely not like *that*."
Sonya has her packages pretty well gathered together. Her head shakes, a small spark of anger in those eyes. "It's not obvious to him. He simply wants to know where you are takeing that stuff and why. I don't see how it bothers you." the sniffing of Langley continues. In fact he's gotten pretty close to her. His head anyways. "Why don't you say hi to him. Maybe then he'll be satisfied and let us continue on our way."
Langley says drily, "If I knew what I where I was taking this stuff and why, I might tell him." She looks at the Weyrlingmaster for a bland but pointed second then tries to issue a partial curtsey to the dragon, obviously fuming. "Hi, Pryth. Pleasure. This is all rather awkward, so can we just go by and get this over with? Thanks."
Pryth watches, eyes whirling a contented blue/green. He whuffles Langley as she speaks to him. He raises his head back up high and for a moment it appears he's just going to let them pass and continue. After all, Sonya is started to look irriated and eager to get finished. Then just as suddenly he bugles, lowering his muzzle down and effectively blocking Langely from moveing forward.
Sonya watches, haveing taken a few steps back. She smirks. "It's only going to the Weyrling barracks. It's not like I'm makeing you trek across the Igen desert." she says in a dry tone. "You are ever so kind to help me out. I know how painfull it must be. Now, lets get this done with, I /don't/ have all night to be standing around." she turns and makes to head across the bowl.
Er, switch those two poses around please. Make Sonya's first then Pryth's. :)
T'mren arrives from the center of the bowl.
T'mren walks into the huge living cavern.
Khadira arrives from the center of the bowl.
Khadira walks into the huge living cavern.
Not quite under her breath, Langley mutters, "Might as well be." She takes a few steps, then brakes to a halt with a pained sigh. "This is not funny. How about I just leave this stuff here with you, and you take it on to the barracks? That'll save a lot of time and trouble." She tries to affect a smile, but it's shaken by Pryth's bugle so that it looks more like a sneer.
Sonya turns, eyes flashing again. This time the anger not so subtle. Before she can say anything Pryth bugles, which would of course drown out anything the W'lingmaster would have said anyway. "What? You smelled her and said she didn't smell good. What more do you want?" she drawls, stretching out the word more. Pryth snorts but seems to pay no heed to his riders words. His eyes, which have picked up speed a little are all for Langley. He sniffs at her, taking in deep inhales of breath. Her hair gets ruffled and all messed up. Her clothes get wrinkled.
Langley drops all the packages then, letting them clatter to the bowl floor, heedless of what might be inside. "I've had just about enough of this," she fumes. "Look at me? I refuse to walk around like someone's ruffian little errand girl. No, I'll not have it." Tossing her chin, she attempts to put both hands between herself and Pryth's muzzle, as if she means to physically distance the two of them.
Sonya blinks, a little taken back at what Pryth is doing. "Hey. Hey calm down." she sets her own stuff down to stride closer to Langley. "I doubt he needs you to walk around." Pryth sniffs at Langley some more and warbles, obviously pleased this time with that he smells. "He finds you...interesting." is all the explanation Sonya can give at the moment. Pryth warbles, softer this time. Maybe in agreement. He seems very interested and eagerly nudges at the hands outstretched, mistaking them for an offer to scritch him.
So Langley, customarily perverse, shoves them behind her back and steps away in two long strides. "Calm down," she scoffs. "Calm down. You're not the one getting dirty and running around with her hair half undone and..." These are the trials and tribulations of Langley's life.
Sonya starts to say something but stops, gasping at what Pryth does next. Apparently he didn't want Langely to go too far from himself. As she steps away his tail darts out and wraps around her waist, effectively holding her where she stands.
Langley slaps ineffectually but temperamentally at that tail, trying to wriggle. So much for dignity. "Can't you make him stop?" she asks, exchanging ire for pleading as she shoves at the tail and turns big, watery blue eyes at Sonya. "Please?" (Aww.)
Sonya can feel sympathy for the girl. It must be very unverving to have this blue tail wrap it's self around you and prevent you from moving. She moves to in front of Langley and starts trying to pry the tail off, talking aloud to Pryth. "Now stop it, you've gone and scared her. You have no reason to act....." she trails off, moving the conversation to a quiet one. She gets this 'oh, I get it' look on her face. She regards Langley thoughtfully for a long moment. Not saying anything.
Langley nods after each of Sonya's comments, echoing them in a sort of pathetic way. "Yeah. No reason," and the like. "Don't stand there staring," she frets, still trying to push the tail. (Unnerving to say the least!) "*Help* me," and she wriggles some more.
Sonya smiles. "I'm sorry. It seems Pryth here has found you acceptable for Qirith's current clutch that resides on the Sands." Stands to her full height, which is still short, she asks formally. "Would you do Ista the honor of being a candidate for our current clutch of Qirith and Tuoth?"
Sonya laughs outloud. "I'll take that as a yes." Pryth's tail unwinds slowly as if unwilling to let go of his prize. "Go on Pryth. That's enough now." the tail withdraws completely, leaving Langley free.
Langley gives Pryth a heated look. "Not funny, blue dragon. Not funny at all!" She takes the following moment to attempt to put herself back to some sort of rights, smoothing down her rumpled dress and raking fingers through the unbraided half of her hair. "Can't they just *ask* normally and leave off all the squeezing and drooling and whatever other nasty things they do?" she asks irritably.
Sonya looks very amused as she watched Langley. "I thought he asked very nicely actually. You didn't get /sneezed/ on or drolled on. Though I can still ask him to do that if you would like." she shakes her head, still laughing softly. She stands beside you now, slapping you on the back. "For some reason, I don't think you really know what you just got yourself into. No matter, your new chores will start tomorrow. In the mean time, I need to get you to the candidate barracks to pick out a cot. You can move in your stuff when you've some time."
"Nonono," says Langley quickly, shaking her head at the bluerider as she puts several feet between herself and Pryth. "I've had enough dragon drool for a lifetime, thank *you*." Missing a step at the clap on the back, peering over her shoulder as if she fully expects to be marked, she adds, "I've been a candidate before. I remember how bad it is. But I'd rather go through that again than be a permanent tail ornament." Snerk.
As far as all the stuff on the ground, some poor candidate who was walking by all innocent like gets drafted to take the stuff to their original destination.
Sonya nods. "That's one way to look at it. I don't really think Pryth was going to let go untill you said yes, you know. Now lets go, the barracks are just this way." with that said she drapes an amiable arm around your shoulders to lead you into the Living Cavern.
Sonya walks into the huge living cavern.
You walk into the huge living cavern.
Khadira hehs, crossing her arms over her chest like she were suddenly on top of the world.
Mikael sips his wine. "I'm glad I'm not a candidate. Best of luck to those that are, though."
Khadira smirks at Mikael. "You just wait til you're on the other side of the knot.." is her slightly acidic comment.
Alaida giggles, smiling. "I think life might get more....interesting. " and she glances again to Khadira. "Right? "
Khadira adds to Alaida, "Ohhhh, yes."
Sonya walks inm one arm draped over Langley's shoulders. She seems to be steering her towards the inner caverns. "Now don't forget to report to someone for chores tomorrow." she is saying as they walk.
Mikael raises and eyebrow. "That's not likely."
Alaida giggles again. "If you say so. " She glances over at Langley and Sonya, smiling still.
T'mren smiles at Caite, "Ah! High reaches. Enjoying our nice weather then?"
Langley, who is looking *very* dishevelled, follows in a few steps behind Sonya, trying not to stand out despite a rumpled dress and half-braided hair and a generally dishevelled look. "Yeah, I know," she sulks after the bluerider. Not a happy candidate.
Alaida laughs suddenly, almost falling out of her chair!
Sonya walks down the corridor.
Alaida quickly moves to Khadira and whispers into her ears.
Khadira leans in, as is appropriate.
You walk down the corridor.
Sonya walks down the cavern to the east.
You walk down the cavern to the east.
Sonya makes her way past the curtained exit to the southwest.
You make your way into the candidates' quarters to the southwest.
Sonya sweeps her arms around the room. "Find a cot, move your stuff in and you are set." she says lightly. "I'd stay to help you get settled in, but I must get back to the barracks." with that she's gone.
Langley mutters something about "love 'em and leave 'em" blueriders, and very sulkily goes about selecting a cot.
Naw, that's the Bronzeriders that do that!
Sonya pushes aside the curtain across the exit to go out into the east cavern.