Logfile from Norcon

Ivalth's irritation only increases and she suddenly bellows toward the inner caverns.

You walk down the long, winding path to the Inner Caverns.

Wilanth> Seyenth warbles affably to Wilanth, but his eyes whirl in alarm at Ivalth's bellow.

Rosmyn bites her lip as she looks up at B'rel, that hurt and her expression shows it. But she manages to say mildly enough. "Elaia, my lifemate is taking offense at your comments, it might be an idea to think before you speak?"

Wilanth> Wilanth lets her rider down and lets off a loud bellow back at Ivalth, mistaking her irrirated mood. She snorts at Seyenth - her normally foul mood heightened by Ivalth wrecking the silence of the moment.

Rats. B'rel isn't supposed to be taking this so well. "I TOLD you you were proddy," Elaia says, whist regrouping. "Oh foo, who cares about grumpy old Ivalth anyway? She'll forget it in a minute. BESIDES, she should be happy someone's going to catch her." She sidles up to B'rel and notes "But I'm sure she'd rather do it with yoooooou."

B'rel sits down next to Rosmyn, shooting a glare at the impertinent baker. He mutters to Rosmyn, "... mean... just... her to..."

Joshi comes into the inner cavern. Who wouldn't at the bellow Ivalth just made towards it. "Weyrling what's all that noise from your dragon about?" Joshi questions Rosmyn, using the hated nickname.

Wilanth> Ivalth's eyes are tinged with the red of disgruntlement but she is quiet once again when an unseen voice calms her.

Rosmyn takes a shaky breath and reaches once again for her mending. In a tone rather meek and mild, she shrugs. "That's alright, B'rel. Whatever you say." She only eyes Joshi, then nods in Elaia's direction. "Ivalth took exception at the apprentice baker's attitude."

"Did not," Elaia lies. "So are you two already humpity-pumpitying or will this be the first time?"

B'rel seems to have to hold back quite a lot to keep from raising his hand and slapping Elaia across her sneering face. Some things can be carried a bit too far.

"Ah," Joshi needs no further explanation. "Flour girl!" She says the next nickname almost surly. "Didn't we discuss this only a day or two ago?" She frowns at the girl. "If you proceed to be so disrespectful, I will not hesitate to take you outside and believe you me, you don't want that."

Rosmyn's eyes flash with outrage and she has to clutch the arm of her chair to keep herself from launching at the younger girl. "Are you telling me you are calling me a liar? Anyone from here to the topmost weyr would know that Ivalth was upset by her trumpet." The last comment by the despicable creature is met with silence and the rider begins to collect her sewing gear.

"What's outside?" Elaia says. "Anyway, you can't do anything to me. You're not my master," so there.

B'rel eyes Elaia, and then Rosi, and then Joshi. "Your master's not here, and I'm sure Greenrider Joshi would be glad to discipline you in her stead. And I'm sure I'd be glad to hold you down while she whallops you."

"A good switching if you don't keep your tongue in check," Joshi says. "And if not delivered by me, then it will be by Dendra once I speak ith her." She glances at B'rel and shakes her head slightly, warning him to stay out of it. After all if anyone gets into trouble on a regular basis - it's the greenrider. No need to drag anyone else into it.

Rosmyn glares at the girl. "I'd watch my step around the dragons, if I were you. You think they forget, but their lifemate's have long memories." She looks over toward the entrance from the bowl and quickly continues stuffing her gear into her shoulder pack. "You've got her upset."{

Elaia gets up quickly, and says "You can't hit me," to Joshi. Isn't she brave? "And Dendra loves me." Which is probably another lie. "And... anyway, huh, she /might/ get pregnant."

B'rel sips from his klah mug. "Since when was it your duty to meddle in the doings of others? None of your business, Elaia."

"You know lots of people think I can't hit them," Joshi says, "Don't make it true. I can hit you. I may get reprimanded, but you better believe," Joshi takes a step towards Elaia, "That I can hit you." She smirks, "I'm surprised Rosmyn has held herself back, I don't think I would have been so kind."

Elaia pouts. "You know, nobody tells me anything. I hate all of you." Oh how sweet of her. "Anyway, if you hit me I'll bite you."

Wilanth> Livia swings her legs over Hicerth's shoulders, sliding down onto a helpful foreleg before making the rest of the descent to the ground.

Rosmyn unfolds herself from the chair, visibly swallowing as she clenches and unclenches her hands. "I don't hit people. I promised my father I'd not hit someone out of anger. And I'm not about to break a promise to him over something so low that it's not worthy of being swept up with the rubbish off the living cavern floor."

B'rel stands, klah mug in hand. "If you'll all excuse me, Seyenth is insisting I come and scratch just under his right wing." he sighs. So put-upon. "GOod evening, everyone."

B'rel walks down a long, winding corridor to the bowl.

"I bite back," Joshi says advancing on Elaia, "Good thing I never made such a promise to my father." Her hand comes up and she reaches out and smacks Elaia - not a punch - in fact it's a girly slap for once, across the cheek.

Rosmyn chews her lower lip as B'rel leaves and the young rider moves a few feet away from the others, uncertain as what to do.

Elaia looks really surprised. "I hate you!" she yells, standing up and stamping. "I hate you! You're mean and horrible and a nasty --- person!" She bursts into tears, and aims a kick at Joshi's shins.

That does it and Rosmyn flees. Rosmyn ambles out into the Weyr's Living Caverns.

"YEOWCH!" Joshi jumps when her shin is kicked. "You're a vicious little brat! I bet even your mom wishes you weren't born!" She sticks her tongue out. She then turns and storms off in the direction of the caverns after Rosmyn.

You amble out into the Weyr's Living Caverns.

Joshi comes in, picking her leg up and rubbing her shin. "Rosmyn are you okay?" For once, concern dots the greenrider's voice for the other rider.

Rosmyn shakily pours a mug of water and gulps it down quickly, then refills the mug. "I had to get away from her. I don't want to hurt her. I wouldn't have stopped at a slap." Her mug shakes as she holds it, making it hard to fill but the girl does it with little spillage.

Joshi nods. "I know. I've been there." More than once from her look. She smiles, "Just keep ignoring her and if she really gets annoying - remember - you can blame it on .. proddiness." She grins, "Just a little advantage we greenriders have."

Rosmyn scowls. "She's not a greenrider! I can't excuse her because she is proddy. She's just a little idiot and I can't believe Dendra would allow her to stay in a weyr with that attitude. I swear, if she keeps it up, she's going to end up in the infirmary or worse."

"I was talking about you dear," Joshi says. "You could slap her and get away with it. But I myself plan on talking to Dendra about her despicable behavior. I'll make sure she learns the manners we learned in weyrlinghood."

Rosmyn is utterly confused now and she just sits with a flump by the hearth. "What about me? I promised my Da ever since I broke that /Seacrafter/ brat's nose that I wouldn't punch anyone again. I think a slap qualifies." Rosi frowns. "Dendra made me clean this whole hearth with a toothbrush just cause I sassed her back /once/. And it wasn't anywhere /near/ what Elaia said to me tonight."

"Then we need to each tell Dendra. I suspect she's getting away with half of what she does because no one is reporting it. I shall do so." Joshi stands and then says, "She won't get away with this Rosmyn." A glance to the bowl and then she says, "Excuse me." Heading out towards the bowl.

You walk out into the Bowl.

"Come on lady," Joshi heads over to Wilanth and strokes her carefully. "I'm gonna go check on the runners."

You head north along the wall of the Bowl, towards the weyrling barracks and the Hatching grounds.

You head north towards the Weyr's stables.

You leave the stables and head towards the Weyrling Training Field.

Chayil folds her arms over her chest, huddling into herself against the chill. She's no dummy, and recognized the tension. "What, what did I say? Did something happen there on sweeps?"

Livia shakes her head, "No, no. Nothing like that. I'm still...Ugh. That whole sweetner situation still leaves a bad taste in my mouth."

Chayil's expression steels. "I didn't like it any more than you did. I guess that's what it really means to support the leaders, though. It's easy when they make a decision you think is right, but when you disagree, you still enforce the rules. Harder. I'm glad that's over."

Livia twists her mouth into a slight frown, "I wouldn't exactly say it's over. It's still had a lot of residual effects." Residual. Pretty fancy word for the hardened brownrider.

Joshi comes out of the stables, leading a stallion runner all saddled up. She patting his big black head, borrowed from someone no doubt since her favorite went a few turns back with the great beast trade. She pauses for a moment, hearing voices in the night in the field.

Chayil notices, and one brow lifts. "Good word. Sadly, all too accurate an observation. I kept my armband, you know, so I could remember my part in all that. I'd rather not, but I think I'll learn more by remembering than by forgetting it."

Just overhead, Ryeth glides down cautiously. Just overhead, Ryeth flies carefully towards the main entrance.

Livia wrinkles her nose, "I don't think anyone will ever let me forget. You know, P'can didn't talk to me for sevendays even after it was all resolved. He still looks at me like I'm the enemy sometimes." She shrugs a shoulder, "Boys." Absently, she glances around again, falling quiet.

Joshi ventures closer with the runner nodding, "Evening Weyrwoman, Wingleader." She pauses for a moment. "How are you doing this evening?"

Chayil starts to answer, just as a third voice calls, and she shushes and turns to hear who's come. "Joshi, is that you? Evening. Do I smell runners?"

Livia cranes her head over her shoulder to look towards the voice, her hands shoving more deeply into her pockets. She replies, "Can't complain too much, I suppose. Going for a ride?"

"It'd be hard not to weyrwoman what with all the manure flung about." Joshi says in too polite of a voice. She nods to Livia, "Yeah, this boy here looked like he could use a release from his stall." She puts her hand over the nose of the stallion. "Want to join me Livia?"

Chayil smiles, appreciating Joshi's statement as a joke. Either she doesn't notice, or doesn't respond to, the greenrider's overly pleasant demeanor. She does, however, glance from brownrider to greenrider and back, a curious expression on her face.

Livia mmmms and gives her head a little shake, "Eh, afraid not. Hicerth doesn't like runners. Or rather, doesn't like when I ride them. Funny little quirk, that one. But he has many."

Joshi nods. "Alright." She smiles, "But someday you must come with me. There's certain places you can't get dragonback." She hitches herself into the saddle using the stirrups, touches her finger to her forehead and moseys on down the bowl path. The sherriff's leaving town.

You wander towards the field to the northeast.

Chayil is facing Livia, looking serious. The two seem absorbed in one of those heart-to-heart talks that best friends have.

Chayil is facing Livia, looking serious. The two seem absorbed in one of those heart-to-heart talks that best friends have. "...what you need to learn."

Livia gives her head yet another rub, smiling sort of sheepishly. "I should have known you'd support me doing anything that had to do with learning something. Just when I think I'm done with having to learn new things....ugh. Does it never end?" Finally, she shoves her hands back into her pockets.

Chayil holds up her right hand, not quite in handshake-formation; the little finger is held out a little further away from the other three fingers in classic pinkie-swear position. "Shardin' right you've got my support. That's what 'best friends forever' means, eh, mate?"

Not to interrupt their heart to heart, but there's a dark blur galloping through the night. There's the sound of thunderous hooves coming closer - racing past dragons, through the bowl and a scant feet away from those talking. Towards the feeding grounds they head and instead of stopping there's just a moment when feet leave the ground and "YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEHOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Joshi's definitely having a good romp with that stallion from the sound of it. The hooves fade off into the feeding ground along with laughter cutting through the night.

Livia chuckles quietly, although not entirely confidently. Again, her hand leaves her pocket to hook her pinky with the goldrider's. "Right you are, right you are....." Her head turns to watch the runner go galloping by and shakes her head, "Ah, sounds like she's having a good ride at least."

Chayil's head whips around at the sudden pounding of hooves beating their proud imprint across the receiving soil. "Son of a watchwher. You know, I don't like runners, but I've /got/ to give it to the girl. She can ride well enough to make them look attractive."

One can only go so far in the corral though and soon the pair comes jumping back over the fence. This time, Joshi slows the runner up, pulling on his reigns. The stallion is breathing hard, sides quivering but his dark head is tossing proudly and his mane looks wild and untamed. Joshi's hair has fallen out of it's bun and her cheeks are pink from the cold night ride - but they both look terrifyingly like they are having the best fun.

Livia shakes her head in bemusement, "Almost makes me long for the days when I did like riding...before Hicerth, that is. When I thought the best thing in the world was riding like that..then I thought it was sailing..But now, I know it's flying."

Chayil nods in satisfaction. "Still, you might want to take Joshi up on that offer of a ride," she says with a sideways, sly glance.

Joshi walks the runner past, not apparently hearing them. She lets him walk around the stables a few rounds, trying to get his withers to calm down. The stallion is prideful though, pulling at the bit to go for more. However she soon has him calm and walking, both of them catching their breath for the moment.

Livia glances towards the stables and the riding pair with a quiet hum. Yet again, she rubs her head and huhs, "Maybe...but no, I'm serious. Hicerth won't like it."

Livia stands where she was for a long moment, then turns on the heels of her well loved boots and starts towards the stables.

Chayil's just stepping away from Livia, waving, and saying, "...at all, at any time." Then she turns about and trots off into the winter fog. Chayil strides towards the center of the Bowl.

Joshi steps out of the stables, shaking off a saddle blanket. She beats it a few times and then heads back into the stables, apparently taking the tack off of the runner. You head north towards the Weyr's stables.

Livia comes over from the Weyrling Training Field.

Livia takes a lean inside the doorway, her hands still shoved deep into her pockets. She doesn't really say anything. She just stands there.

Joshi is halfway back along the wall. The runner stallion is tied up to a peg on the wall and Joshi has a brush, currying his hair while the runner munches happily on a treat bag. "That's a good fella." She pats his head, his neck, and combs down his side. She's not aware of anything at first until the stallion catches wind and snorts. She looks up and her eyes light on Livia. "Livia," She smiles. "Come in out of the cold."

Livia keeps her spot for a long moment then pushes off from the doorframe, wandering down the row. "Have a good ride, then?"

"Lovely," Joshi agrees. "Braum here is a good stallion. Not sure who he belongs to, but he's a fine specimen." She finishes brushing him down and replaces the comb along the tack wall. The saddle, she picks up, throwing it over her shoulder and disappearing into a small room at the end of the stone hall. She comes back out a minute later, minus the saddle. "What are you doing in here?" She ponders, moving back over to Braum, to unhook the leadrope from the wall.

Livia shrugs a shoulder, "I just came to see what you were up to, is all. Well, really, I knew what you were up to. But I came in anyhow."

Joshi flashes Livia a grin. "Well, I don't know what you were up to, but you and Chayil looked pretty serious before I left. Everything okay?" She open's Braum's stall and puts him inside, swinging the door closed. Once it's closed, she unclips his lead rope, giving his nose a pat and a small kiss.

Livia nods her head, although she's still got that lingering sense of seriousness. "Yeah. Everything is fine. We were just talking. Nothing big..." Absently, she scrubs her scalp with her fingertips. "How were your sweeps and things today?"

"Sweeps were as usual. No sign of thread apparent but then fall's not far off," Joshi states. She hooks the leadrope on the wall and moves to put the feedbag back into the room. "Livia you sure things are alright love?" She bends over the foodbin, emptying the rest of the bag into the bin and hanging it up.

Livia shakes her head, "Just a lot on my mind, I suppose. But let's talk about something else, eh? Seems like an awful lot of extra work for the pleasure of one little ride..." Not that she's ever been one to not want to work.

"Well I'm not gonna leave it to others to clean up my mess," Joshi says. "If I want to ride, I work for it." She moves over to Livia and stands up against the wall, propping one booted foot up against it casually. "After all, there's not really anyone here right now to saddle me up and since I know how to do it, seems silly to wake a stablehand to do it for me." She tilts her head, "Don't ya think?"

Livia nods her head, "Makes sense, I suppose. Nothing in life is ever free, after all." She leans on the wall next to the greenrider, hands shoving back into her pockets. "You look good when you're riding."

"Thanks," Joshi grins. " I really love it." She crosses her arms across her stomach, just watching Livia. "Livy, what are you really in here for?" Her eyebrows raise, not fooled for a moment as the brownrider rarely comes in the stables - especially after refusing the ride.

Livia's brows raise in return, "What? I can't come to see you? I don't have any big secret agenda or anything, if that's what you're asking."

"No, no," Joshi says assuringly. "I'm happy to see you, just surprised is all." She glances around the stables. "You don't come in here a lot even when I'm here so it's just.. I thought maybe you had a reason for coming to see me." She drops her hands to her sides. "Guess you dispelled that line o' reasoning."

Livia takes a deep breath, and exhales, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be snippish. Here, let me start over." She pushes off the wall and turns to the greenrider, presenting a hand for shaking, "Hi. I'm Livia. How was your day? Good? Splendid. Glad to hear it."

Joshi stares at Livia and then bursts into laughter. She takes the hand and gives it a good shake saying, "Hello, I'm Joshi. I had a mediocre day that got pretty worse when Elaia started to push another rider around in the caverns. Came out here to ride my frustration with her out and broke a new turn resolution all in one day." She smiles, "How was your day?"

Livia gives a little crooked smile, leaning back against the wall again but with only one shoulder so that she remains facing the other rider. "Pretty rotten, really. But that's neither here nor there. Elaia, huh? That girl has trouble written all over her."

"Yeah she does, but I don't really feel like talking about me." Joshi roams over to a ladder sticking up the side of the wall and says, "Come with me." She starts to climb the ladder to what obviously is a hayloft. "Oh," she calls down, "Feel safe here - Jaadun says if I ever do anything up here ever again he's going to make sure I never come back to the stables." A promise to not ... seduce.

Livia smirks slightly, "That was a pretty impressive flight...I doubt you were the first to have a tryst up there." But still, she pushes off the wall and follows.

"I'm not, I'm just the first to have been obvious about it." Joshi says laughing. "One day before Jaadun came I caught my brother Derrick up here with not one..but TWO girls. Can you believe that lucky devil?" She scatters some hay about and then plops down in a big pile, reaching out for a piece to stick between her teeth and chew on it.

IgenW-LC> Chayil leads K'than on the way to the food table, already humming about what's there. "Hm, cheese rolls in short supply. But I do see cheese, marinated vegetables, and some rolls and crackers. What do you think?"

Livia settles into her own little spot, head shaking with a laugh, "I guess that's lucky. Sounds like a recipe for trouble to me..."

"Mmhmm," Joshi inches closer to Livia and then asks, "So are you gonna tell me what ruined your day so?" She looks up at the stone ceiling as she asks that, casually not looking at Livia in the eye, to give the rider chance to respond without feeling pressured.

IgenW-LC> K'than considers momentarily. "Cheese rolls... I dunno. How well do the hot peppers go with white wine?"

IgenW-LC> Chayil considers. "After the whiskey, who's going to notice whether the peppers go with wine? Come to think of it, we'd better avoid either the wine or the whiskey. I hear they don't mix well."

Livia shrugs a shoulder, "Bad drills. Grumpy riders. Not my fault they were flyng like a pack of drunken dancers. M'rih's brown wrenched a shoulder and P'can almost lost his straps in midair. It was just a mess. Like they all forgot how to do their jobs."

IgenW-LC> K'than mms, thinking it over as he wraps a cloth around a prodigous pile of cheese rolls. "Come to think of it, I guess I've heard that, too."

IgenW-LC> Chayil scoots behind the table to where the booze is kept, usually used for flights, and pops up with a fine-looking bottle of whiskey, as promised. "Aha. Here we go, the good stuff. Someone must've put it out here by mistake, but you know... I don't think they're awake now to discuss it with. So. Shall we?" She gestures upstairs with the bottle, the dust of which promises its finely aged quality.

"Awww," Joshi sighs. "That is a very bad day. M'val didn't come down on you for it did he?" She sits up and pats the spot next to her. "Come here... free shoulder massage for the overused Wingleader."

IgenW-LC> K'than carefully shovels some of the hot peppers into a small shallow bowl, then nods and turns toward the stairs with the cheese roll bundle in one hand and the peppers in the other. "Lead on," he declares cheerfully.

Livia moves from her spot to the indicated space, hugging her knees as she shakes her head, "Not too bad. He knows I'm still getting adjusted to the position. I'm bound to have bad days from time to time."

IgenW-LC> Chayil leads on, marching with purpose up the stairs to the balcony and so forth, singing some ridiculous parody of a threadfighting song. "Fight on, mighty wherries..."

Joshi nods. "Have you talked to P'can about Wingsecond?" She queries. Her fingers lightly come down on Livia's shoulders, thumbs pressing into the muscles and starting to knead. She starts with the shoulders and neck.

IgenW-LC> Chayil climbs up the stairway onto the balcony. IgenW-LC> K'than climbs up the stairway onto the balcony.

Livia's shoulders slump slightly under the attention and her head lolls foreward languidly. "I've mentioned it. He's thinking about it. I still find it hard to wrap my mind around the idea that P'can might be my best choice for Wingsecond. P'can, who snored next to me through two candidacies and two turns of Weyrlinghood and made a total nuisance of himself."

"Well I'd suggest K'than, but then again I might be biased in my opinion of him," Joshi says. "He's a strong person." Her fingers really start to dig in, not hard, but definitely trying to relieve the pressure. She rubs the heel of her hand over the triangle of muscle at the base of the neck, between Livia's shoulder blades.

Livia grunts softly, agreeing, "K'than would be my personal choice, in all honesty. But I asked him once if he had any aspirations towards leading a wing and he told me he didn't want it. It's not for everyone, you know." She sighs quietly, the weight of the world on those broad shoulders.

"Well.." Joshi grunts as she works one particular muscle, knotting at it, to try and loosen it up. "Siara was a good Weyrlingmaster. What about her as Wingsecond?" Joshi also notes, "Eilin has a few turns of experience under her belt and she's an orderly type like you Livy."

Livia wrinkles her brow, "She deserves a break from those sort of responsibilities. And Eilin...well, I like Eilin. She wouldn't be a bad choice. But she hasn't expressed any interest to me."

"Sometimes you have to ask dear," Joshi leans in to say lowly in Livia's ear before drawing back. "Eilin may not know how to express interest." She moves up, her fingers lightly touching Livia's neck, under her ears, near the jawline, rubbing in lazy slow circles. "you know.. this is alot easier without a lot of hair to push out of the way." Stated factorially.

Livia leaves off the discussion of wingseconds as she glances aside at Joshi with a little smirk, "Oh..so now, finally, after all these turns, you decide you like my hair short, eh?"

"I didn't say that!" Joshi objects quickly. "In fact, you mistook what I just said. I said it's easier. Although." At this point she runs her hand over the small blond fuzz. "I really can't remember your lovely blond locks and wish you'd grow it out some so I can at least see it for myself." She leans forward until some of her own hair falls over her shoulder. "While yours may be easier, I rather like my long hair. Proves I'm a woman." Somehow, in her mind she feels that.

Livia's brow arches rather high, "Are you saying I'm not a woman? And I like your hair long too. It's nice. I hope you don't cut it..." As an afterthought, she adds, "Rubbing my head is lucky, you know."

"No I'm not saying that at all," Joshi states. She whispers in Livia's ear, "I'm quite aware you're a woman. You smell nice as well." And then shifts back saying, "My mother had really long, dark lovely hair. My dad loved it so much he refused to let me cut mine when she died and I suppose it just grew on me." She reaches up and rubs Livia's head affectionately saying, "Oh I'm going to get lucky now am I?" Teasingly said.

Livia reaches up for the hand rubbing her head, trying to cover it. "Now, I didn't say that...I just said it was lucky. Maybe something good will happen to you soon because of it."

Joshi puts her hands back down to Livia's shoulders and massages, moving now by rubbing little circles up and down her spine. "Wonder what that will be.." She looks up at the ceiling and says, "Money? I could use some more marks since I bought that sash for Valaris and my clothes...hmmm."

Livia nods slightly, "Could be...you never know. Maybe you'll find a nice mug of ale sitting in the living cavern unattended. You never know what it might be."

Joshi chuckles, "I think you can find those anytime Livia." She teases. "A mug of ale sounds good though, but I'm not drinking for a while to make up for that night at the lounge." She moves her hands lower, focusing on Livia's lower back. "Perhaps someone will give me a runner.. Braum even, for when the interval comes and I have more time for my breeding."

Livia mms and agrees, "Maybe. Maybe Jaadun will forgive you and give you a gift. Anything is possible.." She rolls her back slightly, trying to crack a spot or two. "You're pretty good at that."

"Yeah," Joshi agrees quietly to the second comment. As to the first she mutters, "Over his dead body..from what he's told me." She finishes massaging and then lays back on the hay again stating, "Livia.. I wasn't kidding. I broke a New Turnover resolution again. I slapped Elaia because she was trying to poke fun at Rosmyn." Joshi sighs. "But then just a few nights ago she was treating J'nol like her personal slave."

Livia rubs her own head with a sigh, "Trouble. That's all there is to it. I don't know how she manages to get away with it. I guess I haven't spent enough time around her to see these things. I kind of forget which girl she is, to be honest."

"Brat - the biggest brat even worse than I am." Joshi states. "And that's saying alot." She looks over at Livia's back and then back up to the ceiling. "Anyways.. I feel bad that I slapped her, but even worse that I don't think she learned anything from it because she kicked me in my shin."

Livia glances over in surprise, "She kicked you? Are you okay? Shells. Out of control. We should do something about that."

"I'm going to look for Dendra tomorrow," Joshi promises. "And if I can't find her, I'm dropping a note off to her offices." She reaches out with a hand to rub at Livia's back. "It didn't hurt me too much. But before I would have took a switch to her and really gotten myself in trouble, I decided to go for a ride and run out my frustration with the wench."

Livia hmms and leans back to lay beside Joshi, idly tucking her arm under her head. "That's good, though. You showed a lot of restraint. I'm proud of you."

"I'm trying," Joshi says. "It wasn't easy but I'm determined to stick to my new self." She goes quiet, looking at the ceiling and listening to the sounds of the horses below as they eat their hay, snort or just stomp their feet. Some are quiet - possibly asleep.

Livia falls silent as well, her gaze falling to the hay as she fidgets with a piece between her fingertips. Finally, she adds, "You're doing very well so far."

"Mmhmm," Joshi's seems to have run out of things to talk about so she's just quiet, staring up at the ceiling, perhaps lost in some of her own thoughts.

Livia's gaze eventually drifts up to regard the greenrider. Quietly, she ventures, "What are you thinking?"

"Mmm just thinking about things." Joshi doesn't look at Livia but her face blossoms in a smile. "Reliving that moment when you sat in front of me and said you loved me." She grins, the piece of straw sticking out between her teeth making her look ultra ridiculous.

Livia's own expression settles into one that isn't exactly the brightest. She mms faintly, brows furrowing together, "Oh...Joshi, I think we should talk about things..."

Joshi glances over at Livia. "What things?" She queries. She looks almost afraid, mostly because she can see Livia's face now and it doesn't reflec the happiness she can hope for.

Livia props her head up on one elbow, her hand growing still as it rests on her stomach. "About you and I..and these games we've been playing with one another. We're walking a dangerous line, and I don't even pretend to want to take back anything I said...but..."

Joshi glances at Livia and then away. "Games huh?" She shakes her head. "Games is it?" She rolls up to a sitting position and looks down at Livia, "Livia I'm not playing games. When I said I loved you, I meant it." This is said with total honesty and sincerity.

Livia shakes her head, sitting up as well, "I didn't mean it like that. I know it's serious business. I just..." She takes a deep breath and frowns, "I'm not sure what to say."

"Just.. say what you're thinking," Joshi says. "That's best. To be honest." She doesn't look ecstatic, but she takes a deep breath, silencing herself to hear what the brownrider is going to say.

Livia looks down a moment, then back up, frowning. "I don't think we should continue down this path we've set upon. This whole thing is my fault, and I'm sorry. I've been running around acting like some foolish adolescent, and it hasn't been fair to anyone."

Joshi freezes. Apparently whatever Livia had been about to say, that wasn't what it was. "You're doing it again.." Her voice sounds almost desparate in it's plea for Livia to stop without asking. "Why Livia?"

Livia grimaces, her face creasing into a rather unpleasant emblance of it's previous visage. "Joshi. Either way, you're going to hate me, so why can't we just let it go as this? It wouldn't work."

"You keep insisting I'm going to hate you," Joshi says. "Either way? There's only two ways Livia, together or not together. " She ticks them off, "Together I would love you, you would love me. Not together, I would love you still and you would love me still."

Livia moves her hand from her stomach to rub at her eyes briefly, putting it back where it was. "Maybe I'll hate me for doing it. I won't deny that I care for you and I know you care for me, but we can't be together. It just won't work."

"Can you give me even one good reason why?" Joshi asks. She turns away from Livia, drawing her knees up under her. "All I hear is that I'm going to hate you, but that will never happen Livia."

Livia takes an audible swallow as she looks at the greenrider. It takes her a long, sullen moment before she can find the courage to admit the truth, "Because...Because there's someone else. And I thought I could just get over it and go with it, but I can't. I'm sorry..I'm so sorry." She covers her face with one hand, a wearied defeat at having to say it.

Joshi doesn't really have anything to say to that. Her face says it all though, her heart has been wrenched from her chest and stepped on, as it's white at first. There's a flush to her cheeks that signals the beginning of emotions, but the tears are silent. She doesn't breathe for a long moment, and when she does, there's a sniffling through her nose. Two tears trickle out, making long, slow trails down her cheeks.

Livia turns her head away, her own eyes red rimmed with emotions kept under tight reign yet still try to break free. Another loud swallow and she murmurs, "I'm sorry...I really am...."

Joshi can't speak. She can only stare, her eyes so full of love, hurt, sadness, pain, mostly pain that it's almost unbearable. She finally breaks her stare, looking away as if trying to collect herself and her emotions. "Yeah, sorry..." her voice is so soft it can barely be heard.

Livia reaches a hand towards Joshi, wanting to wrap her up, but her hand recoils back towards her stomach. She takes a shuddering breath, struggling not to cry. "I shouldn't have...but I couldn't help myself."

Dragon> Igen dragons sense that Wilanth sends out extremely dark thoughts, viciously lashing out at anything and everything tearing through the mindthoughts of others heedless of her destructive voice. << GO BETWEEN ALL OF YOU! >> And any dragon in the vicinity of the bowl can hear a long low creel of unhappiness.

Dragon> Wilanth senses that Qeturath stirs from a sound sleep. << But I don't have anywhere my Chayil wants to go. She is... cloudy in her mind. >>

Wilanth> Wilanth lets out a LONG low unhappy keel. She then snarls and hisses at all the dragons in her vicinity. But then she creels so loud and so sadly, that it's obvious something happened.

Wilanth> Ryeth lifts her head and eyes Wilanth concernedly.

Wilanth> Hicerth cowers with his muzzle behind his tail, watching Wilanth uneasily from his chosen space.

Numb, Joshi is numb. She rocks slightly, and then jumps hearing a long, low voice from the bowl. "Wilanth no..." She snaps to, rolling to her feet. Heedless of her safety, she makes it over to the edge of the hayloft and doesn't even use the ladder, just jumps down to the ground. She lands on her feet, her balance off center because of her tears and she falls forward, scraping her hands on the hard stone floor.

Livia watches the quick movement with a startled gaze. Two heart beats later, she's on her feet as well, sliding down the ladder after the greenrider, "Joshi! Wait..Are you okay? Shells.."

Dragon> Igen dragons sense that Wilanth lashes out again << Go between and stay there you wherry head! >> Speaking back to a gold - that is dangerous. But there's a destructiveness and a sadness underlying all her thoughts.

"Leave me alone." Joshi's voice is pathetic sounding. It's straining under the urge to sob and cry but trying to remain strong. She rolls to her feet and repeats, "Just leave me alone Livia. Don't give me any more hope, it's all gone." She runs out of the stables, unable to stay there much longer.

Dragon> Wilanth senses that Qeturath is awake now, boy howdy. << Wilanth, you will cease before you upset the babies. >> Images of the young weyrling dragons, still not fully grown, come to round out the guilt trip.

You leave the stables and head towards the Weyrling Training Field.

Dragon> Wilanth senses that Ryeth cautiously intrudes- no words, just a questioning feel.

Dragon> Igen dragons sense that Tasieth turns her head and looks out over the bowl's interior from her lounging spot. << Wherry heads aren't big enough to hear dragons talk.. >> then she images a bronze with a head the size of a wherry. << No, I don't think so. That doesn't sound very wise, Wilanth. >>

You head south to the main entrance.

Wilanth lets out another unhappy keel and suddenly starts from her spot. But at the same time Joshi comes running, stumbling in. She's hazy, tears pouring from her eyes. "Shhh shhh, no no.. shhh," She reaches Wilanth about the same time, burying her face into Wilanth's cheek, sobbing uncontrollably as she couldn't before. "Shhhh" Who she is quieting, herself or Wilanth is unknown.

Wilanth> Qeturath senses that Wilanth is one of those dragons though that has no feelings for others wellfare other than her own. Did she not scare the living daylights out of those stupid humans she now protects and tries to bring to the clutches? << Wake them if they must! All of them must know that it is just plain WRONG WRONG!!! >>

Wilanth> Ryeth senses that Wilanth isn't as irritated now that Joshi is with her. Instead there's incredible sadness as if there was a loss of some sort, a dragon dying in between and never coming back.

Ryeth cranes her neck around to peer closely at Joshi, and she croons tentatively.

Dragon> Igen dragons sense that Wilanth just sends out those dark thoughts again. They're quieter, more distant as if something's interfering with them but they seem so sad as well << It hurts so you must hurt! >>

Dragon> Wilanth senses that Qeturath heaves a great mental yawn, probably a physical one too. << Well, now we know. Let me sleep, daughter. When mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy. >> She doesn't sound serious enough to really make it a command; she leaves Wilanth the option of disobeying, unlike most of her sort would.

Wilanth hisses at Ryeth and Hicerth. They better not even come CLOSE to touching her or Joshi right now or she'll be biting more than just muzzles in affection. She'll rip them to pieces. She lowers her head over Joshi, hiding her from the eyes of those dragons near them.

Hicerth makes no such effort. He's cowering. He'd have to be a wherry brain to drawn any attention to himself. In fact, he might be trying to creep away as discretely as possible for a great big dragon.

Wilanth> Qeturath senses that Wilanth is the disobeying sort which is why it's terrible to leave that option open. << When I'm not happy! Nobody is happy!! >> And she is extremely unhappy, the darkness that rages within her mindthoughts ready to unleash a fit of temper that hasn't been seen.

Tasieth lands carefully. Tasieth has arrived.

Ryeth recoils, and looks at the creeping-away Hicerth, then the landing Tasieth, then the hissing Wilanth. With a confused little creel, she lashes her tail once and backs off.

Wilanth> Hicerth senses that Wilanth finds your mind - she's linked to it so well like her own. The thoughts of dark wickedness are raging like a witch's brew aimed at you. She sends you vicious images, images meant to torment and distraught. Images of bodies ripped to shreds, torn to pieces, blood spilled on the ground. *BOO* She's scary. And a promise of brown hide slashed to pieces by a green talon if it even attempts to come near her.

Tasieth lands alone, leaving Junni peering from the upper ledges for a moment. The gold settles and turns a yellowish gaze on the loud green, then on the other growly green. This gold is quite awake, unlike her mental voice of earlier. Junni disappears, in a hurry.

Dragon> Wilanth senses that Qeturath has had enough of this behavior, but rather than responding as any sensible dragon would, she responds purely as a mother, with wave after wave of reassuring affection. << You hurt now, but not forever. Hush, baby. >> Images of Wilanth as a still-wet hatchling, as a very small young dragon, as a nearly-full-sized green adolescent, and as an adult flipflop over one another, a vivid illustration of maternal care. << Mama loves you. Hush now. >>

Dragon> Wilanth senses that Hicerth cowers. Physically and mentally. He's not about to tempt that rage. Fearful and sad are his thoughts, trying to recoil into himself, to hide away.

Wilanth> Qeturath senses that Wilanth wasn't a gold. Thank heavens for that. But for a green, she is pretty powerful and strong. Like the witch repelling the slayer so does she repel the thoughts of the one who created her << I don't need your love! >> If ever a colder dragon there was, it'd be hard to find.

Dragon> Wilanth senses that Qeturath sends it anyway, as many a rebuffed mother has done over the generations of all species. It doesn't wane all night long.

Joshi is wrapped somewhere in Wilanth. The only sounds are sobs coming from the greenrider who is clinging pretty tightly to her equally hurt bond. What's happened, is anybody's guess, but the fuss the wicked green put up has certainly woken the weyr and perhaps too many will soon be involved in the matter.

Wilanth> Qeturath senses that Wilanth recoils from that love, not wanting to feel it << Stop that! >> She bats it away but she's calming down << Joshi needs me. Leave me alone. >>

IgenW-LC> Junni pauses just for a moment then continues on through the room, her skirts held up so she doesn't find it attaching itself to a table.

Dragon> Wilanth senses that Qeturath doesn't stop. She is a mother. She has lots more where this came from.

Junni walks out from the Weyr's Living Cavern.

Junni stops, taking in the scene with a frown on her face and her hair in disarray. She drops her skirt's hem and looks from dragon to dragon then focuses on Tasieth. She then looks at each of the greens and slowly moves towards the sobbing (my what sounds?) green.

Wilanth> Qeturath senses that Wilanth grouses. << It will never work. >> Because she's the dominant, indestructible Wilanth who never gives a flying fig about anything or anyone but herself or Joshi. Which is why she's only speaking to you and now the entire weyr draconic population.

Ryeth retreats in Hicerth's direction, keeping a close watch on Wilanth as she does so.

Wilanth raises her head, sensing something moving in. She hisses a warning to both Tasieth and Junni. Now is not the time it seems. Something or someone is injured or hurt. And she'll do what she has to to protect that something. Hicerth shifts back even more when Tasieth arrives, his wings coming up slightly then folding tightly, as if trying to make himself small and unnoticable.

Dragon> Wilanth senses that Qeturath washes her poor hurt baby with a veritable ocean of intoxicating adoration. Her daughter is the center of her universe -- no matter that all her children are her centers. It's a beautifully devastating thing to be drowing in so much true love. It /will/ work, eventually. Mother love is almost as strong as the love of one's rider. Whatever the hurt, it cannot be greater than either of these two loves, let alone both.

Junni slows at the hiss and holds both hands outward. "Wilanth, stand down. I'm here to help and I think you know that." Confidence and that stubborness reflect on her face, as well as concern. "I am going to come up there, okay. I can help."

Wilanth lets out a low creel, warning off anyone who tries to come close.

Wilanth> Tasieth senses that Wilanth is mildly irritated by the intrusion. << Will you tell yours mine does not need her! She has me! >> Yes the fuss budget who's kickin up the weyr.

Dragon> Wilanth senses that Tasieth focuses both gently and with a line of command beneath her thoughts on you. << She has you, and that's nothing to be changed.>> Her thoughts then push a bit more, << Is she injured and hurt? You hurt her more if you don't let someone near. Let my rider near. >> The last is clear in the gold's head, it will happen.

Wilanth throws Tasieth a very unhappy, threatening look but has to do what is bid her. She raises her head and opens herself up, leaving Joshi standing there, vulnerable. The greenrider has been crying, is still crying by the tears streaming down her cheeks, but it's silent tears once again. She looks at Junni, but if she sees her, it's behind a haze of tears.

Junni slowly moves herself near, passing an unhappy Wilanth. "Shh... shh. Joshi?" Her eyes move up and down, looking for any sign of hurt other than the tears then she frowns quietly. No other words, she tries to put her arms about the greenrider.

Joshi is shaking like a leaf, not apparent until arms wrap around her. She gulps back a few sobs, not touching and not returning any comfort. Tears just continue to come, unwilling to stop anytime soon it seems. She's not injured. Nor is Wilanth injured - this is a hurt from within.

Junni, with her fuzzy hair, just hugs tighter and closes her eyes. "I'm here, you don't need to say anything." She whispers quietly. "Not until you want to." Some of that fuzz covers her face, she looks as though she'd been sleeping.

Joshi suddenly breaks the contact. She puts her hands up and forces Junni off her as if snapping out of a dream. "No!" She looks at Junni, tears streaming. "No... it's because of you... it's because of you. She loves you, not me." Assumption is the worst thing anyone can do.

Wilanth> Hicerth senses that Wilanth hasn't forgotten and just in case you're sulky, withdrawn and trying to forget, she makes you remember << SHE MADE HER CRY!!! >> And << I HOPE YOURS NEVER FINDS DRY EYES! >>

Junni stands there for a moment, bewildered. Her face reads like any book (good thing this isn't poker) and surprise and concern war there complete with a lack of immediate grasp. She then says, "Wilanth couldn't love anyone but you, and nearly bit my head off for coming here, Joshi. I made Tas ask her to move, that's all."

Dragon> Wilanth senses that Hicerth cowers and hides and sulks, but he doesn't respond. He's terrified, really.

Joshi lets out a snort stating, "Don't play dumb with me Junni." Calling the weyrwoman by name instead of by title --but then this isn't a situation where she's really thinking about titles. "I'm talking about Livia!" Just saying the brownrider's name brings more tears to her eyes. "She doesn't love me enough.." There she goes again. Wilanth lets out another raging creel.

Junni frowns a bit further then shakes her head. "Oh shards no... she's not only out of love with me, as Hic is too, but long over me. She was the one who wanted to call.. uh, whatever it was we had going off." Titles in the ear, this isn't warrenting the need for her to call them up so she doesn't. "It's long enough past that I didn't even realize... did she just break off?"

"No no.. it has to be you!" Joshi says insistently hiccuping. Her snort caused some snot to come free and she wipes her nose on her sleeve, heedless that it leaves a stain. "She has never gotten over them." She breaks down again. "Why? Why am I not good enough?" Joshi's soul is broken, apparent by the hurt and despair in her tear filled eyes. She lost a breath somewhere because now hiccups cause her to jump while her shoulders shake.

Junni shakes her head slowly, letting out a breath of air as she does. "It isn't me. She hasn't even looked at me more than a glance outside of being the Candidate coordinator, or called me by any food name. Shh.. slow down or you'll be sick." She looks almost hesitant then just crosses her arms over her middle. "Liv... tell me what Livia said?"

"She...she..*HIC*" Joshi's having trouble breathing from crying so much. "She ..she said she loved me.." This starts up another batch of tears. Fresher ones. "But ..but..she loves someone else more." Joshi stutters her way through the explanation, wiping her nose on her sleeve. "Why won't they stop?" She tries to wipe her tears away. "Make it stop ... Wilanth make it stop." Wilanth creels and lowers her head to Joshi once more, protective.

Junni says very quietly, "because you're making more.." and she pulls a kerchief from a pocket and moves closer. "I'm so sorry... I know it isn't me she loves. We're too much in the way of friends to be more: it's like having a sister and I know my sisters ... well." She tries to give the green her kerchief and says softly, "just let them out, Joshi. It's okay to cry for something like this. You've got to let them out."

Joshi takes the kerchief, shaking her head. "No.. no.. I've got to stop.." She blows her nose into the kerchief and then wipes her face. She sniffs. Her voice is somewhat hoarse and raw as she turns those tear filled eyes to Junni asking, "Why does it hurt so bad? Why?" There it is all over again. Fresh wounds keep opening over and over until time passes for them to heal.

Junni pulls a bit of hair back and looks downward, her face reddening for a moment. "I had someone once tell me that it hurts because you're alive. When.. when we broke up, I was upset too, and when Laynard left, I just wanted Tasieth to roll over me in the night." She looks up, her lips dipped in a frown. Softly she says, "it hurts even later, looking back, but if it didn't hurt, it wouldn't have been so good."

"But I didn't even get a chance..." Joshi whispers. She breaks into a new bout of tears - they won't stop coming. Everytime she stops, it starts again. "I'll wash this." She gestures with the hankie. "Junni I need to go.." She sniffles turning to Wilanth who is ready to get Joshi out of there. Especially since he's still there. She hisses at Hicerth.

Junni shakes her head a little. "Keep it, I have a lot more. Joshi?" She pauses just a moment, watching the retreating greenrider.

Joshi with Wilanth's help manages to climb into her straps. She doesn't even buckle them, possibly dangerous thing to do. "What?" She asks bleakly down at Junni.

Junni looks up, her lips still down in concern. "If you need to talk.. my weyr is always open, as a friend, not a goldrider. We're family at Igen, you know." She tries a bit of a smile to soften herself. "Really."

Dragon> Wilanth senses that Tasieth focuses again, though less like desert dust and more concerned. << My rider asks that.. if yours makes bad thoughts of things that could be dangerous, you're to tell me. Okay? >>

"Thank you Junni," Joshi reaches out to hold onto Wilanth, clinging to her neck for reassurance. Right now, Wilanth's love is probably the only thing keeping Joshi from those thoughts Tasieth's thinking about.

Wilanth> Tasieth senses that Wilanth cuts off those thoughts. << While I may have told you to go between I assure you I have no intention of going between. My rider will need no one but me for all the rest of her days. >> She is confident of that. << No one. >>

Wilanth tosses a scornful look at Hicerth. She leaps up and flies low over him, claws extended as if in an open threat on the brown's hide in exchange. She doesn't harm him though, merely flies over him before her wings sweep up and to her own weyr.

Dragon> Wilanth senses that Tasieth focuses a bit tighter, << It wasn't a request, green. You're to keep an eye on her and report to me, even if you don't like me. >> The focus fades and her contact is now elsewhere.