Logfile from PernMUSH.

Julisin heads through the entrance to the inner cavern. You head through the entrance to the inner cavern. You walk through the large entrance to the Living Cavern. You walk down the short tunnel and out into the bowl. You push aside the curtain and enter the workroom.

Telgar's Workroom Telgar's workroom is usually aflutter with activity. When the skies are clear of Thread and the main caverns taken care of, many of the residents gather here to work on hobbies and projects of one sort or another. Leather strips hang neatly on pegs along the northern wall, while varying hues of threads in an array of widths dangle beside them. Thin strips of wood are gathered into baskets that line the wall beneath the pegs and, one would assume, are used in making other baskets. The eastern wall boasts a long, if narrow wooden table. Materials and hides litter its top which are likely works in progress left by owners for the now. A small hearth and nearby table complete the room as they occur by the southern-most stone wall. Mugs, cups and small plates claim the table as home while there always seems to be something brewing over the heat. Glowbaskets are scattered about the cavern for use by whomever needs them. They manage to add a warm glow that tends to pervade those who enter here. There is 'roomhelp' available. Contents: Yselle(#6520PJac$)

Even heavily pregnant riders have to work on their straps. Yselle has hers stretched over her abdomen, and accordingly, they occasionally seem to be moving all on their own. She doesn't seem to be too engrossed in her work, putting a stitch in now and again, but mostly staring dreamily into space, and even occasionally, taking a sip from a steaming mug of soup which sits on a table beside her.

Amarie comes into the cavern. She's got a wet towel knotted around her waist, the scent of flour all about her. And there's that streak on her cheek, plus the speckles of flour on her wrists and arms, even caked flour embedded in the cuticles of her nails. Someone's got kitchen duty. She looks around and spies Yselle. Wiping her hands on the towel, she walks over towards her saying, "Excuse me Weyrsecond?" She sounds timid and uses her title properly. Looks like I'sai has them trained already.. weyrling or no.

Yselle looks up, smiling politely. "Oh hello Amarie.. kitchen duty?" she's so observant. "How's candidacy going?" she picks up her mug to take another sip. "Yes," Amarie nods. "I'm on a break and someone told me they had seen you come in here." She sits down near the woman and asks, "Would I be bothering you Weyrsecond Ma'am if I sat here, watched adn talked? Or should I go and leave you alone?"

Yselle waves a hand easily in a 'feel free' gesture, "Not at all. In truth, these straps don't need much mending, it's just good when I have a free moment, to go over them to be sure. Wait until I have the baby, then you'll see what I mean. Dianneth's - well, you want your straps to be pretty secure when riding her, not that you wouldn't otherwise, but, well, she turns flying into something of an artform. You might have seen her on her own?"

Amarie shakes her head, "No I haven't Weyrsecond." She leans onto the table with her elbows and scoots closer to Yselle. "But I'd like to see it. And I'd like to know..how old were you when you and Dianneth were impressed together?"

Yselle grins, "Nineteen," she says, putting her mug back down. "A little older than you, Levarn was two. A lot of my classmates were your age too, B'haus, I think, was only about fifteen, Gay, I think was a bit younger than me, I think I was one of the oldest in my class." She pauses, and says, "Now that Leeana, I hear she's older than I was back then. I guess there's no telling who the dragons will choose."

Amarie nods. "So you had already left your family by the time you found Dianneth?" she guesses. "Was there anyone in your weyrling ranks who had homesickness?"

"Well, only just," Yselle says. "I'd been here, two months or so. I wasn't sure if I was staying either, but Tel was here, and I wanted him to know his son, so, we were staying to see how things worked out." She pauses, looks carefully at Amarie as if just now getting what this is all about. "Of course there were. I certainly did, and plenty of the others, not that they'd always say, you know, but occasionally, at night, you'd hear someone crying. Sometimes, they'd tell you why." She starts to curl her straps up, "It's a great honour to be searched, isn't it? But it doesn't make you any less you, and I think..." she smiles, "I think that candidacy is particularly hard, because you don't /know/ what's going to happen. You say yes, because the dragons choose you, and it's an honour, but you don't know in the end if you'll be staying or not. So you can't really let go of your old life."

"But you have to let go if you do impress," Amarie says. "And that's where I get scared." She admits this freely, ducking her head down. "I know it's an honor to some people. I've also heard it called duty." She reaches out, picking at the table with one nail. "I don't really know what it is for me." She glances up at Yselle. "When those eggs hatch and it's all over, I could be changed or not." She has a lost, helpless look on her face. "The waiting is the worst. It's been so long since I've seen my baby sister. She's already seven months old!"

TGW-Galleries>> Niella walks out into the bowl.

Yselle smiles gently. "I know what you mean," she says. Once the straps are all coiled up, she slips them onto the table beside her mug of soup, "I missed Levarn so much when I was a candidate. Oh he was here, in the nursery, but I didn't /know/ if I'd have to foster him, if I'd be back there, and before that, we'd always been together, you know? Half the time I wondered what insanity had made me say yes when Kassima asked me." She pauses, weighing her words, "You may be changed, you may not. Come hatching day, you could find yourself in the barracks with a big hungry stomach crying out for /you/ to fix it, or you could be standing amongst the shattered remains of the eggs, listening to K'ran offer a place here if you want to stay." She looks slightly apologetic as she ennumerates the possibilities. "I guess whichever it is, how it turns out for you, is how you make it. Even /if/ you don't impress, still you will have stood on the sands, and that's not something many people can boast. You'll have seen many of your friends find the other half of them, hopefully you'll see them all uninjured."

Amarie nods at Yselle's words, showing she understands them. "I figured that," she agrees. "I really wish all my friends would impress. I know Jaleran says he would consider it an honor. Kind of like he's following in his Dad's footsteps you know?" She scratches at the tabletop again, finding a little knothole with which to pick at. After a few moments in which she stays quiet she asks, "How does it feel when it happens?" She tilts her head to the side. "When they speak to you? Does it hurt?"

"Do you think even Jaleran really understands it?" Yselle asks, tilting her head. "Oh he probably understands a lot of it, if his father's a rider, the commitment, the fact that after you impress, nobody, not your family, not your children, nobody, stand closer to you than your lifemate, and the duty to go out into danger, and the need for discipline, but..." she smiles, "What it's like? You know, I can really only tell you what it was like for /me/." She sits, adjusting her position on her chair, as if preparing herself for sitting there for a while. "Dianneth was - one of the last hatched. I'd been out on the sands for a long time. I was hot, sweaty, my feet hurt, and I really wanted to go home. A lot of my friends had impressed by then, and that was wonderful, but you know, you wish it was you, when you see their faces. Dianneth hatched, and she was..." she laughs, "Oh she was unique even then. She looked up at Palineth - he's her sire, as if she didn't want to come out at all."

Amarie tucks her feet up on the stool she's sitting on, listening to Yselle's story. "And then what happened?" Her gray-green eyes are rapt with attention for finding out.

"And then... she was... wow, she ruled the sands," Yselle laughs. "It's all a bit fuzzy in a way, because what happened next is what I remember the most. She came up to me, and suddenly she was /there/ inside my head," and even now, so many turns later, the memory produces a warm, bright smile from the weyrsecond, like the sun had just come out. "And I knew who she was, and she knew me. She was /hungry/, but she wanted me more than she wanted food. I don't really even remember how I got off the sands, someone - I don't remember who - must have helped me, but all I could think of was her, and well, the fact that she needed feeding /right then/." She pauses thoughtfully, "I guess I didn't even think who was left behind or where they went. She was so overwhelming."

Amarie smiles at the picture painted by Yselle. "So it was worth the wait?" she asks. She props her elbows on her knees and leans forward, hunching over her hands on her chin. "And you didn't miss your son as much after that?"

Yselle smiles. "Oh yes, it was..." she glances at the bowl. "Oh shells, what's going on? What's she... Oh no. That's not good at all."

Amarie blinks. "What is it?" She glances out to the bowl.

"Dianneth's really upset. She's gone off to sulk, Amarie... I really want to talk to you about this, but I think I need to have a word with someone," she sighs.

Amarie nods her head. "Alright." She uncurls herself from the stool and stands to her feet. "Thank you for taking time to talk to me Weyrsecond."

Yselle manages to get to her own, more awkwardly. "No problem at all," she says distractedly, "yes, dear, I'm /coming/, Amarie, you're always welcome to come to me if you need to talk... yes, I /am/ coming." She sighs. "Dianneth insists.'

Yselle leaves the workroom and heads out into the bowl. After a long time, you leave the workroom and head out into the bowl. You walk north. You head in the direction of the shimmering lake, leaving the central bowl area of the Weyr.

Lysseth still isn't paying *much* heed to the human-types, but she does turn her head enough to cast a look of vague interest towards Yselle. One might guess she'd recognize such symptoms, oh, yes indeed.

TGW-Bowl>> The winter air is cold. The cloud cover lessens until the sky is partially cloudy.

Amarie comes along, a pair of ice skates slung over one shoulder. Seems she found the time to actually *try* what she'd been talking about with Kassima.

"Right now, I think," Yselle says, her voice showing some strain now. She pauses, looks up, and murmurs, "Oh have you? That's wonderful, dear." Wincing, she murmurs to the two candidates, "I need to get inside." Once the pain is over, she begins to toddle back towards the bowl, slowly, slowly.

At some silent impetus, Lysseth launches herself abruptly from her snow-bed in a flurry of charcoal wings and dislodged flakes. It takes her some minutes to fly to the south, liberate her rider, and return--plus Kassima now, but still sans straps, which probably makes her skidding landing rather nearer Yselle and her company a joy. "You do remember that labor takes *hours*, beast?" But the greenrider doesn't really seem to mind the haste, and loses no time in sliding down. "Hey, Candidates, Yselle--a certain green tells Lyss that there may be a clutching going on here. Here, Ys, take my arm? We'll have t'dare the Infirmary, I fear."

Kassima slides down from Lysseth's neckridges to land beside her with ease. Lysseth cocks her head at her rider, rumbling quietly as Kassi gives her eyeridges a grateful scratching.

Jaleran heads over from the central bowl.

Niella says "Ahh, so that is what ails la..the Weayrsecond!"

"It's too soon," Yselle tells Kassima worriedly, apparently relieved the other greenrider is here. "It's not supposed to be for another /month/ yet." Once Lysseth is down here, the green shape of Yselle's lifemate can be seen circling above. "I... it's not meant to be yet," she says once again, taking Kassima's arm, and then, wincing, putting a fair amount of pressure on it, "Sorry."

Amarie pauses in her trek to the lake. She glances over at Yselle and down to her protruding pregnant stomach. "It can't be time is it?" she asks looking worried. "She needs to get to the healers. They'll be able to give her something that will lessen the contractions." She sounds certain of it. "Mum went through the same thing with Diwa. She needs her feet up and nothing stressful." She glances at Niella as if wondering /what/ caused the Weyrsecond to start her labor.

"Mayhaps," Kassima answers. "Mayhaps. Seems a bit... it *is* early, then; I thought so, by the gossip, but y'never know. Shhhh, don't worry about it." She lightly pats at the hand on her arm, and keeps her grimace to herself. "Might be false. And even if'n nay, eight months--you might be all right. But you need a Healer. Here we go. Want a mint-stick?" She doesn't stop walking Bowl-wards at any time during this chatter, mind you.

Niella shakes her head at the Weyrsecond, and the arrivals, Amarie and Kassima. "THe littles come when they decide, not when it's most convenient and best for their parents. Even *I* know that. I watched Mother and Father do such things. Is there anything I might do to help? I do have a supply of clean laundry, though it's owners might be unhappy if they're ripped up for bandages. Can she travel? Should we get her to her weyr?"

Dianneth wings her way down and rumbles at anything or anyone that might get in her way. Kassima, she tolerates, although now /she/ moves to the side of her rider, the other one, and offers support. "I'm not having this baby in the snow," Yselle mutters through gritted teeth. "Do you think the mint stick will help?" she allows herself to be led. "Have you done this before, Amarie?" since the girl seems to know what she's talking about. As for Niella, well the best response the in-pain weyrsecond can come up with is "What are the bandages for?" Amarie's cheeks bloom up in a blush. "No Ma'am!" She insists. "I've not -- not ever.. done that!" She blushes. "But I've been there when my Mum has given birth and I've seen lots of them since I was little!" Cheeks are on fire, slowly paling in the cold of the night.

Jaleran comes plodding across the bowl, a distance behind Amarie, grumbling to himself about beastcrafter girls and their strange ideas. He calls ahead to the girl, "What's so great about being out when it's this /cold/?!" His hands are jammed under his arms and he scowls slightly whenever he looks and sees his breath fogging in front of him. But when he gets close enough to start overhearing the conversation, and sees Dianneth wing down with eyes whirling the yellows and reds of concern, he loses the scowl and runs forward, "What's wrong?" The comment about having the baby in the snow widens his eyes, "The baby? What do you need me to do?"

Niella says "For the Healers to use. Sometimes if a baby comes early, there's need of it! Holder Sienna needed many such when her time came! Especially if it's early..."

Kassima uses the hand not attached to a death-gripped arm to unfasten her jacket and rummage in its inner pocket for her silver mint stick case, which she flips open in order to offer the pale green sticks to Yselle. "Couldn't hurt," is her opinion. She flicks a look over her shoulder towards Niella that is distinctly wry, and distinctly amused. "After eight of m'own, I'm well aware of that. Bandages probably won't be necessary. Towels, though, aye--towels, hot water, pain-dulling tea... but a Healer and a cot most of all. Mayhaps someone could run ahead to the Infirmary and let 'em know there's someone coming in, hey?" Dianneth gets a nod, and Jaleran too.

�I meant... ow," Yselle's explanation to Amarie is rather cut off. "I'm so sorry Kassi," she mutters, still clinging on. "I forgot how much this hu..." she has to stop there, take a breath, wait for the contraction to pass. "R'sel," she mutters.

"If'n 'tis any consolation, if luck's with you, it should be faster than Levarn." Kassi's attempts at reassurance may leave something to be desired, when one is fearing that a baby will come in the snow. "Can Dianneth get ahold of his... oh, thankee, Lyss--his Svaroth? Don't *worry* so. You aren't going t'break m'arm. D'you know where 'tis, Amarie, Jaleran? There's probably nay a ton of rush, unless... did your water break, Ys?"

Amarie glances only once at the lake, her skates still on her shoulder. "You need warm water, not too hot because you don't want to scald the baby," she advises. "Of course you do want to make sure your hands are washed well for catching the baby and you need the scissors to cut the cord with." And then she amends, "Not that any of that matters. This baby is too early. We have to try to stop it by getting her into bed and calming her down to stop the contractions."

Niella says "I think she needs to be in her weyr, actually! This cold is not going to be good for anyone! I know how I hate to be unclothed in this, and you can't have a little while you're still dressed?"

Yselle shakes her head. Momentarily, she leans on Dianneth to allow another contraction to pass. "No, not yet," she murmurs. "Just the pains. "It started whilst I was out here. I'm /not/ going to have this baby in the snow. Jaleran..." she looks 'round, having heard his voice, "Are you still there?" Resolutely, she takes Kassima's arm again. "I need to be in the infirmary," that should answer that question.

Jaleran nods to Kassima. He still looks anxious and uncomfortable in the way that men tend to be around women in labor. "I know where the infirmary is, yes. And I can run ahead so they'll be ready when you make it there." He pauses only a second to gaze incredulously at Niella's babbling, but he keeps his tongue behind his teeth on that matter. Now isn't the time. He nods to Yselle, stepping up to be next to her, "I'm here, Yselle. What can I do?"

Kassima bobs her head in agreement, but adds, "But boiling too for sterilizing instruments--well, but the Healers will worry about that. If'n the baby comes, then it comes, but the Healers will worry about that too... at least one of mine was a bit early, Ys, and y'know they're all fine and healthy. The Infirmary isn't cold." That's said not harshly, but firmly. "They'll put her in blankets besides. 'Twill be well. Sounds as if'n you probably have a few hours left then, Ys, even if the labor's true and the baby comes." *So* reassuring. "You won't have it in the snow. We'll get you there."

Niella says "Just let me know if there's anything I need to do. I'm here to help! I don't know much about birthing littles, but I'm willing to get numbwee d and towels! I know where both are!"

"You can carry her," Amarie says sensibly. "Niella, you should run ahead to the infirmary and let them know Yselle is in labor. Let them know they need to prepare." Amarie sounds like she's taking charge and steps back a bit. It's not up to her to take charge.

Niella says "All right! But I bet the dragons get there before I do! They're quite speedy, and I still have to find the place. I'll let them know you're coming!""

Niella disappears down the tunnel that leads out of the Telgar Caldera.

"Would you help?" Yselle looks up at Jaleran, "I'm sorry to keep bugging you for your strength all the time, but..." she winces "ow, oh that hurts." she can't even deal with mint sticks right now. Pausing in her tracks yet again, she mutters whilst she has another contraction. "The healers will know what to do," she says, out of breath.

The winter air is freezing against you. The cloud cover increases until the sky is mostly cloudy.

Jaleran simply nods to Yselle and wraps one arm around her shoulders while bending down slightly, "Of course. Now deep breath..." In a single, smooth motion he reaches his other arm under her hips and leans her back. He takes her weight in his arms, carrying her as gently as if she were made of spun glass and wisps of air. "Now let's get you to the healers, and I'll hear no more talk about taking advantage of my strength. It's what I here for, and it's no imposition."

Kassima seems to have figured that out; the stick case has disappeared to the pocket from whence it came somewhere along the way. "D'you want t'be carried? Will he carry you? That might at least expedite matters... or we could try and get you onto Dianneth if'n you could take it. Though I'd recommend sitting side rather than astride, all things considered." Niella gets a nod as she runs off; Amarie, a look with some amusement in it. She steps back as Jaleran answers her question with action, presumably managing somehow to free her arm.

Amarie is watching Yselle carefully so she misses whatever looks she might get. She hurries towards the healers, singleminded for now. Nevermind her skating.

You go beneath the rocky overhang that protects the Infirmary entrance.

Niella seems to have already prepared the infirmary for the Weyrsecond's arrival. bright eyed healers await her arrival, and there is the sharp smell of boiling water with astra leaves, and the even sharper smell of readied numbweed. The healer on duty steps foward, towards her patient.

Yselle closes her eyes and allows Jaleran to carry her in. "Thank you," she manages to whisper. Occasionally her hands tighten on him rather tightly, maybe even uncomfortably. She wets her lips and mutters "Thirsty," as they enter, she breathes a sigh of relief, "Oh thank Faranth," she just looks at the healer, who, seeing the crowd of candidates, raises his eyebrows and mutters, "Well, this is a rather interesting situation."

Amarie leaves the infirmary for just a moment through the caverns entrance. When she comes back, she comes through the bowl entrance, stamping her feet. She's got a mug of water and the tiny crust of ice indicates she put snow inside to make the water cold. "Pregnant women always do get thirsty," she says in response to Yselle's request.

Kassima trails the group a bit at this point, the better to discreetly rub at her abused arm where Yselle won't see. "Births attract the strangest crowds," she quips at the Healer's mutter, quirking a rueful grin. "If'n that's what this is. Aye, Amarie, and that's probably why they go to the bathroom every five minutes too. Try nay t'do that on Jaleran, Ys. He'd probably be nonplussed."

Niella nods, and busies herself getting towels and warm water ready. "I don't know if there's any redberry around" she says, hoping that the sweet juice is available to aid in the thirstiness of the expectant mother. "Is there anyone else who should be here? Relatives, aunties, that sort of thing?"

Jaleran looks to the healer as to where he should take Yselle to set her down. He also, to the point of biting his lip, focuses on ignoring Niella's rambling chatter. But right now he's fulfiling his life's purpose as a load-lifter and the dragon's share of his attention in on Yselle and making certain not to jostle her.

"Right you lot, how many of you are related to the weyrsecond?" the healer shoves his hands on his hips and glares around in a rather equal-opportunity manner. "Think she all wants you to see her most intimate parts?" More kindly, to Jaleran, he says, "Thank you, candidate, what's your name, by the way? I'll be talking to your coordinators about you. Can you bring her over here?" He indicates a couch. "Faranth's toes girl," to Niella, "Your heart's in the right place, but let the apprentices take care of that." He does, however, indicate that Amarie can give Yselle the water. "Greetings wingleader," he says to Kassima, "In for another one yourself?"

Niella says "I'm sorry! Well, I don't want to be in the way!" she says. Message delivered, dismissal occured. She knows when it's time to leave. Well, no, that's been proven wrong. She actually got it this time that she should be leaving. There are enough people here, and she's not one of the "family and friends" the Weyrsecond would want around! "I hope everything works out for the best!" she says, as she edges for the door, past the heavy crowd."

"Did Dianneth get ahold of Svaroth? Or did you want t'wait and make sure they can't stop the labor first?" Kassima asks. She doesn't seem all that nervous or concerned, beyond a couple of wary glances flicked towards the Healers themselves. At the question she gives a vigorous headshake: "Shells, nay! Nay yet, and 'twill nay be too heartbroken if'n nay ever--I've likely been fruitful enough for one lifetime."

Amarie remains suprisingly quiet and she's usually the chatterbox. She moves forward to hand the mug of water over to Yselle if the woman can take it. Then she moves back out of the way, keeping far away from Yselle and her 'intimate parts'. She knows when to leave it up to the professionals.

Yselle takes the water from Amarie, sighing, "Thank you," the contractions appear to have eased off a little, "Thanks Amarie," Kassima gets a rather startled look, and then a surprised, "No, I think I'm okay with that, unless my waters break on him," gratefully, she tells Jaleran, "thank you, I don't know how I would have got here without you." For Kassima's last question, she mutters. "No, I... oh shells, but..." she frowns, "It's not so bad right now, maybe we could see what the healer says?"

Jaleran steps over to the indicated couch and tries to catch Yselle's attention, "Down we go." Slowly, with a degree of careful strength gained from spending the years he has climbing and swimming, he lowers himself to his knees by the couch, then settles Yselle down as best he can and still extract his arms. As soon as she's settled, he stands up again and steps back out of the healer's way. To the one that asked his name, he answers, "Jaleran." Then he's out of the way standing back by Amarie.

Niella slips out the door

Kassima's reply to this? "Good. That's a good thing." She's so good with spotting the obvious. "Sounds like a plan t'me; nay need t'roust him until you're sure... judging by the men I've known, he'll probably flash over here like lightning when and if'n you do, so I'd guess there's time enough. Lucky lady, getting carried so!" That's a gentle tease. "I'm all over envy!"

With a swish of curtains, and a wink, not to mention a "We'll see," at Kassima, the healer disappears to examine the weyrsecond. It's not an exciting event, by any means, although some low talking, an occasional groan from the greenrider, and the obvious removal of clothes for the examination can probably be made out. "Well!" he suddenly exclaims, poking his head out. "Still here?" he says cheerily. "More of that water then, hm?" that to Amarie. "And you," to the fleeing Niella, "If you want to help, how about you get one of the apprentices to show you how we handle our supplies. Good to know, if you're thinking about healer," swish goes the curtain again, without anyone having a chance to reply. His voice floats out, "I'll be commending you, Jaleran."

Amarie moves closer to Jaleran almost unconsciously. She glances at Kassima a worried look on her face. To Jal, she inclines her head murmuring, "It's good you carried her. If she had walked further that would have put stress on her back and the baby." Her voice is low and it fades off as the healer pokes his head out to speak to them.

"She'll be fine," Kassi murmurs in response to that glance. "Even if'n 'tis time, she'll probably be fine. Don't fash yourself. If'n there's one thing the Healers here know how t'deal with almost as much as Threadscore, 'tis a birth." She breaks this off to make a playful face at the Healer, however. "You'd best nay be meaning aught by that wink! Oh, dear. Sounds like you're up, Jaleran. We salute you."

Jaleran's face has a seemingly permanent embarassed flush darkening his tanned skin. First from the healer's remarks, then Yselle's, then... it's coming from all directions and he tries to murmur remarks to the effect of he was just at the right place and time is all. Funny, not a half-hour ago he was annoyed to be dragged out to the frozen lake for some kind of food northern game and now all he can think about is how much he'd rather be out freezing his rear off than under so much scrutiny.

"I'm next!" the healer calls back to Kassima. "If you're looking for another father," mostly though, he's concentrating on his charge. After a while, he swishes the curtain back, not far enough to make the Weyrsecond visible, tromps across the infirmary, grabs something, tromps back, disappears, more noise is heard, and then finally, he thinks to stick his head back out and say, cheerily. "Well she's not dilated. No baby today. Which one of you is the father?" he looks at Jaleran expectantly. "Must've been searched since, hm? Well, sorry, Dad, not today. But it won't be that long, she's pretty close to her time, I'm thinking."

Amarie's eyes widen, much akin to the way she looked when the eggs on Ista hatched and those mauling dragonets started bloodying up the candidates. She looks between Jaleran and the curtain. "How did-?" The question lingers. Jal claimed he was elsewhere so how did that happen?

Dryly, Kassima assures, "'Twill keep that in mind and add you t'my list of volunteers. Such a very long list 'tis, though, that I certes can't promise you aught. 'Tisn't me!" she also hastens to assure. "Kalirielle will just have t'wai... *shells*, Jaleran, *you* knocked her up? Why didn't you *tell* us?" Her look of surprise is exaggerated, and in fact she's--fairly clearly--trying very hard not to laugh.

Jaleran's sense of the absurd might normally rise to such an occasion, but just now, it's in something of an overload. The healer's remarks cause his blush to darken so much that his dusky face seems almost black and he stammers an attempt at a negatory answer. But when Amarie, then Kassima start in, his jaw drops and he holds his hands out in front of him, "I wasn't even on /land/ at the time!"

"Oh you're not the father?" The healer's all cheeriness. "Well, never know with these greenriders," he levels a wink at Kassima and adds, "All due respect to the Weyrsecond of course, and she's a nice girl, and I know she wouldn't importune a candidate, which is why I say it'd have to be /before/. "Well then, she's okay, I think the contractions have died down somewhat and you can talk to her if you want, but don't get her excited." He swishes back the curtains, grins, says "Really Kassima, it's because of your vast beauty," and swans off, leaving them with the rather sheepish looking Yselle. "Sorry about all the fuss," she says.

"You wouldn't have t'be on *land*," Kassima muses. "You could knock up a woman on a boat just fine... or in the water... or, theoretically, while riding a dragon, but I've sure as shells never tried it. I'm quite content t'take L'cher's word. Anyway, 'tis hard t'picture Dianneth going for that." She makes a show of throwing a speculative look out towards the Bowl all the same. "Hah, you; come over here and say that, and you'll get a mint stick through the eye," she threatens the Healer, with nothing like real menace in her tone. And yes, she does color a little at the compliment. "Ridiculous man! Ys, you've got t'stop with this apologizing. 'Twasn't trouble. 'Tis well that it didn't turn out another way."

Amarie blushes at all of Kassima's words. "I'm glad you're okay ma'am Weyrsecond ma'am," she begins to take teeny baby steps backwards towards the bowl entrance. "We really should be going. This place isn't no place for candidates.." She swallows, her gaze landing on all the medicines, funny bandaging stuff and everything 'healer'.

Jaleran keeps pace with Amarie as she starts to back out of the infirmary. His blush has started to cool, but it has a distance to go yet. "I'm glad things turned out well, Yselle." He nods along with Amarie, "Yes, we should get out from underfoot, really."

The healer blows Kassima a kiss. Meanwhile, Yselle just mutters, "This never happened with Levarn... oh Amarie? Thank you," she still has the water, which she's sipping. "And you of course, Jaleran. And of course, you, Kassi." - "I suppose it's better that it didn't come, especially with R'sel so far away."

Kassima shakes her head. "Nay need for thanking, Ys. But you're welcome all the same, for what 'tis worth. You can't tell me you don't think he'd *between* here in a twinkling?" Another headshake. "Men have a way of rushing at times like those, I promise you--at least those worthy of being called men. But we probably should leave Yselle in peace. Aught else we can do for you?" That to the other greenrider.

Amarie keeps backing up as she says, "Good night Weyrsecond.. and yes we should go so you can get some sleep and rest." She's out the door a moment later. Away from all things -- medicine!

You walk out into the bowl. Jaleran emerges from the infirmary.

Amarie comes out of the infirmary looking a bit nerve-wracked for a moment. She has her ice skates, the ones borrowed from the storage caverns, still slung over one shoulder. "I hope Lanisa isn't waiting on me," she says. "She told me she'd teach us to skate."

Tobay has been up to the dragon washing duties. Oh yes, and it is quite obvious in the wet mop of his hair, down to the squishy wetness of his soaked boots, and including the array of damp to completely sopping towels over his shoulders and in his arms. He's singing, too, a passable song that sounds like a teaching ballad, with a few words absent here and there where he can't quite remember them. He walks with steady steps that only favor one foot slightly.

To the point of limping for the day, Metri exits the work room with little more to do than go soak himself somewhere and make his muscles a bit less tense. He looks no better now than he had this morning, save for the fact that he's moving. The sight of Amarie gets him moving a bit faster than normal. "Hey, Am!" he calls, an attempt to make her slow down or stop, and then he spots Tobay. "Hey how's your foot?" he inquires, drawing up to a steady pace beside the other boy.

"Foot's doing well, thanks...looks like you've traded me for the honor of the pained toes, though." Tobay's eyes trace downward to Metri's feet, uncertain about what he'll find.

Jaleran is walking alongside Amarie, having left the infirmary with her. As soon as they reach the bowl, he's got his gloved hands stuffed under his arms to keep them from freezing more and to hold his coat more tightly against him. "About that... what is this skating? How are knives on a boot supposed to be used for anything?" After a minute he draws up the hood of his coat to try and keep more heat for himself.

Amarie ventures over saying, "Hi Metri. We're going to go to the lake and learn how to ice skate. You're welcome to come along." She glances at Tobay and says, "I hope your foot is okay but you should go inside and get some dry clothes on or you'll catch sick." She waves as she and Jaleran walk past saying to him, "Well it's supposed to be fun!" as if that's a good point.

Metri simply gapes at Amarie. That /wasn't/ the discussion he wanted to have with her. There's a glance to Tobay, a grin, and "You're still on that? I can hardly walk and you want me to skate?!" Though, that's not a real protest, because he grabs one of Tobay's sleeves (he's not going to suffer alone) and falls into step behind him. "Listen to Jaleran, he's a smart man Am.."

Wet Tobay shivers along his journey, no gloves, boots or skates in his water-pruned hands. "You headed after the skating crew, Metri? As Amarie says, I could probably use a good change of clothes and something warm, maybe a good soak, before subjecting to any further cold." He looks toward the group heading in the opposite direction, sparing an almost mournful glance after as the girl and Jaleran move along on their way, though he grins as his sleeve is caught. "Knives on a boot?" he repeats, confused, stifling a shiver. "Oh! Skates. Not much good for that with a bum leg, but maybe, ah, Metri and I can bring by some warm drinks, if they'll stay hot?" Yeah, that might save the poor limping fools some sliding around on the ice; that's it.

Jaleran nods slightly to Amarie after giving Tobay and Metri quick waves before tucking the hands under his arms again. "We'll see how fun it can be if it has to be this cold to do it." He stomps his feet in place a few second to warm them up. "How, by the Shell, is it possible for anywhere to be /this/ cold?" He continues walking towards the lake, however, as movement keeps at least a little warmth in him. He nods to Tobay, "Now /that/ sounds like a genius idea."

Turning back once Amarie smiles and says, "Sure Tobay! We'd love that. Don't overstress yourself though!" She waves and heads for the lakeshore.

You head in the direction of the shimmering lake, leaving the central bowl area of the Weyr.

Lanisa's already got her skates on, and judging from the ice she's either been out there already, or someone's beat her to it. But for now, she's sitting, looking out at the frozen surface while she waits.

Amarie walks in from the bowl. "Lanisa!" She spies the figure on the ice, even in the dark of night. "Lanisa we're here!" She seems excited. She races the last few feet over to the lake shore, dropping the metal blades of the skates in the snow. "Sorry we're late! Yselle almost had her baby tonight!"

Jaleran arrives with Amarie, but with a good deal less enthusiasm about being out on the ice this late in this cold. "Turned out to be a false alarm. Kassi's with her at the infirmary now." He smiles over towards Lysseth and Dianneth, then ducks his head back towards the pair of skaters as he reaches the edge of the ice. "So... What's the big deal about this skating?" Yeah, he seems enthused about this.

Hroth flies in from above.

"Amarie! Hey!" Lani greets with a smile then pauses, "Oh?" A greeting to Jaleran, "Heya!" Then polite interest, "She's okay, isn't she?" followed by a grin, "It's fun, really."

Hroth circles down, buggling a greeting to Dianneth and Lysseth as he lands.

TGW-LC>> Tobay walks in from the bowl.

Amarie sits down in the snow. It's not bothering her one bit because she's bundled in her wool coat. Her cheeks are turning pink though out in the cold. "She's going to be fine. That's what the healer said." She reaches out to pick up the straps on the ice skates. "How do you put these on?" she asks.

F'lone climbs down off the big brown and gives him a pat on the leg. Hroth gives a curious gurgle and F'lone chuckles. "All right. Go on. Have fun." he says after removing the browns straps. When released, the large brown runs towards the lake and slips onto his belly and propels himself across the lake, with an excited bugle.

Dianneth turns her head to watch the brown, but seems more intent on a single spot in the weyr, where most of her focus is, right now.

TGW-LC>> Tobay catches up with Metri, walking with care along the slippery ground. "Ahh," he murmurs, "Much w-warmer in here. I'll just hop over and change clothes into something dry, and maybe an overlayer, and return in a moment to help carry." A wry look is given to Pierron, Tobay's wink toward the gold suggesting he might steal on her behalf on his way through a line if need-be. He steps away toward the candidate's barracks, returning shortly with a warm set of clothes.

TGW-LC>> Nimatu flits in behind the two candidates, chittering a greeting to Pierre.

TGW-LC>> "Oh, she's not nasty," Metri mutters. "Prettier than you," he adds in an undertone, before looking at Tobay and nodding in assent, taking his own steps towards the serving tables and picking up three large serving trays, on which he starts piling up warm klah and cider, and fresh pastries for those at the lake. Nimatu gets a smirk. "Would you like something to eat?" he asks curiously, reaching over the counter and withdrawing a bowl of scraps reserved specifically for the creatures.

Jaleran is standing just at the edge of the ice, near Amarie. He's not really willing to sit on the snow, or even step on the ice. That is, until he spots the brown doing a belly-slide across it, showing that it can hold not only his weight but several tons more as well. He watches the dragon sliding across the ice with a bemussed grin, "That I can do. Walking on knives under my feet... I think I'll pass for now."

Lanisa shifts to show her own skates to Amarie, "See? Like these are. And be sure to get them on tight. If they are loose you're going to fall a lot." She looks up then at the brown and turns to give F'lone a wave, "Heya!" And the after thought, "Sir." For Jaleran she laughs cheerfully, "You wont slide as well with out..."

F'lone chuckles at the browns antics before turning towards the group gathered and smiles. He gives them a nod. At the one girls question he smiles and explains to her how to put them on by demonstrating. He pulls out a similar pair and, sitting on a nearby rock, slips the straps over his boots and tying them around his ankle. "The big loop fits over your toes while the smaller one slips over your heel. then just tie the strap around your ankle to complete." he instructs.

TGW-LC>> Tobay's laugh carries him out of the area, and he is still chuckling when he returns, all warm and dry. "Say, they have stocks set aside for 'em?" he marvels at Metri's awareness. "I had no idea! Been feeding 'em straight from the lines if any approached." Somewhat sheepish, he runs one hand through his hair, his tone lowering in concern. "Since we're away from the others, Metri, what happened to you? Sore from duties, or did you get hurt somehow?"

TGW-LC>> Nimatu chitters happily and lands next to Metri and gives an expectant warble.

Amarie glances over at Jaleran. "You're not going to skate?" She looks crestfallen that he isn't going to skate. She nods at Lanisa, examining her skates before attempting to put her own on. She has to lace up the straps, pulling them tight to her ankles and up her shins.

F'lone looks at Jaleran and grins. "He loves sliding on the ice like that. But you wana know what he really loves to do on the ice?" he asks a bit mysteriously.

Jaleran is suddenly torn between the strong desire to put a smile on Amarie's face and the only slightly weaker desire to remain standing on his own feet... waitaminute, feet! He sits down next to Amarie and points to his feet, "I doubt they have those that would fit the river skiffs I walk on." And indeed they are rather large feet. F'lone's remark gets a quizzical look, "What's that?"

TGW-LC>> "Duties," Metri admits. "I haven't sat still all day. Don't know why the sharding crafters can't deliver their own messages and run thier own errands. I've never..." He's stacking up mugs like a pro, but Nimatu gets his attention as she flutters over. "Hey, sweetie," he offers nicely, snatching up a piece of the meat and offering it to her. "I haven't ever seen you," he tells her. "Aye, they've always had 'em. Just have to ask Pierron...but, you know, I don't think it matters, particularly." Onto the hot foods!

TGW-LC>> Nimatu flits over and grabs the sweet from Metri's hand before flitting back to the table to munch on her possession.

Lanisa casts a glance at Jaleran's feet and just has to suggest, though with a grin, "You could always look and see what they have, you know. It's possible there are some." She's so helpful, but then, "Or you can just slide like that. Just, like I said, won't get as far or anything."

TGW-LC>> Tobay ahhhs softly. "Errands seem to be one of the most difficult duty tasks, from what I've seen. No peace for the wicked, I suppose," he teases. He moves over to watch the little gold be offered the meat-tidbit, shaking his head as he marvels and she flits aside. "I don't think I've seen her, either," he observes, taking a tray and adding to it, "Something to see...they seem so small, so graceful. Miniatures of the grand ones in some ways, nothing like in others."

F'lone grins and gives a crescending whistle. Hroth veers around and returns to the shore with an excited, questioning bugle. F'lone nods. "That's right. Lets show them." he says with a chuckle. Hroth turns around and, setting his tail down beside his rider, lets out an impatient warble. F'lone chuckles and reachs down and grabs the brown's tail. Their off. The big brown runs out onto the lake, using his claws to keep from slipping, dragging his rider behind him. F'lone begins laughing as he gets dragged around the lake behind the brown. Using his skates to steer, he veers first one way, then another as he follows behind the dragon.

TGW-LC>> "Flying stomachs," Metri corrects, very nimbly swiping up one tray of drinks and and then, after a heated debate with himself, a second, this of the meat. He leaves the half-and-half tray for Tobay, saying, "We're missing all the good falls, I can just tell."

Amarie just gawks a bit at the rider and dragon. "Oh! I can't wait to try it!" She gets to her feet, looking all set to just *zoom* around and that's when her feet go flying out from under her. They wobble at first and then *Zoom* go every which way as she goes flailing backwards.

TGW-LC>> "Missing them!?" Tobay exclaims, fastening his jacket closed against the upcoming cold. "We can't have that!" He even manages to sound wounded, gathering up the tray carefully and pushing a few of the mugs around to offset the weight of the other items. "I think we're set. Lead the way to the lake, o brave one." Passing the firelizard, he adds, "We're going to the lake, to watch people skate. Then we'll probably go to the infirmary, to watch people be patched up." Grinning, he signals an 'all ready.'

Hroth runs around on the ice, his claws only diging in far enough to give his feet purchase. With a mischevious warble, he veers towards a ramp near the far shore. Just before reaching it, he veers off and flings his tail around. F'lone, laughing, lets go of the tail and goes flying up the ramp. There he hangs, for what seems an eternity before he comes down in a very large snow pile on the opposite shore. After a moment, F'lone digs himself out of the snowbank, laughing and skates back towards the brown, then he, and his dragon return to the shore, face red and snow still clinging to his jacket. "That's what he loves." he says with a chuckle.

TGW-LC>> "Aye, the second will be the best part. As long as they're not out there making ammo while we're distracted," Metri adds thoughtfully, but this doesn't hinder his steps. They're careful enough as it is, but unjostled as he thanks Pierron and edges out, carefully. Last thing he needs is a bath of scalding klah and cider, with a hint of raining meatrolls.

TGW-LC>> Metri walks down the short tunnel and out into the bowl.

TGW-LC>> Nimatu looks at the two boys before chittering and flitting out to the bowl.

Lanisa laughs, though for which she doesn't say. Instead she's getting to her feet to help Amarie. Just maybe not quick enough, "Take it slow and easy Amarie. It's like learning to walk again, only it doesn't take as long to figure out."

TGW-LC>> Tobay seconds the thanks to Pierron, then follows the rest of his company.

TGW-LC>> Tobay walks down the short tunnel and out into the bowl.

Nimatu chitters happily as she flits in, ahead of the two boys and glides over to land on F'lones shoulder.

F'lone winces a bit as his gold lands on his shoulder. "Hey beauty. Did you snag something from Pierre?" he asks with a grin as he notices the sweet still cluched in the little gold's claw.

Amarie lands in the snow on her butt. "Ouch!" She reaches up for Lanisa's help up. "This is harder than it looks." She tries to pull herself to her feet once more.

Burdened with trays of sacraficial steamed drinks and pastries, Metri strides in only seconds after Nimatu, looking over his shoulder as best he can with the huge serving trays. He's balancing them almost-expertly, with minimal wobbling, and meanders towards the nearest large boulder on which to set them, grinning at F'lone sideways. "No, I gave it to her," he says, shifting the trays so there's room for Tobay's. There's time for a laugh at Amarie's fall, however much he shields it by pretending to make more room.

F'lone chuckles and nods. "Ahh. She's conned you into stealing for her, huh. " he says with a grin.

Lanisa holds out both hands, offering them to help pull Amarie up. "Take it easy. Like I said, nice and slow. Might be easer to try and just keep your balance and I'll pull a bit, eh?"

Amarie lets Lanisa help her up. Once she's on her feet, her ankles wobble once more, not quite sturdy enough to hold her on her own. She doesn't let go of Lanisa's hands, in fact seems to be clinging on them for dear life. "This is /not/ as fun as it looks," she decides, saying it aloud. "But if you can do it.. I surely can." She nods at Lanisa. "You can pull me around."

"Nah...Pierron keeps bowls off to the side for firelizards. He does it so that we can keep them out, I think," Metri responds to F'lone, shrugging. There's a pause before he says, "Name's Metri, by the way. I don't think I've seen you either, which is why it's no surprise that I had never seen her."

Tobay, now warm and dry, approaches, following in steps Metri has cleared, a tray of food and drink held aloft. He watches the firelizard find her dark-haired owner, then gives the man a smile. "She's a beauty indeed, a lady and a flirt." With a gesture of bowed appreciation, the servers arrive! His laden tray joins Metri's on the rock of evenness. "And lo, once the crashing of our comerades is complete, we will prove victorious." Carefully, he arranges the tray to balance it. "Not bad. Not bad at all." Lifting his head, he nods as though he'd meant that as encouragement for the skaters.

Jaleran's eyes bulge as he watches F'lone and his brown pull of what even he, who climbs seacliffs for fun, would call crazy. His shock causes him to move too slowly to catch Amarie when she falls, but he's quickly fixed that and is out on the ice next to her and Lanisa. He stands just to one side, within reach but not so close to crowd, "You'll get it. But you need to learn to stand on those things before you can go flying along on a dragon's tail."

F'lone grins at Metri. "Just teasing there. She actually gets along great with Pierre, though he doesn't like to let it be known." he says with a chuckle. At the introduction, he smiles. "Well met, Metri. I'm F'lone. And this large brute here is Hroth." At the sound of his name, Hroth turns his large head towards the two boys, lowering it to almost eye level, whuffing at the boy. His breath smelling like fresh kill could be quite daunting.

"You sure you got the blades tight? If your wobbling..." Lanisa asks with a grin, "It's okay. I've just had a few turns practice is all." She looks up and grins at Jaleran, "Exactly. It's just learning to move differently." She takes a single step back, more walking than gliding herself as she tries to help Amarie balance as she pulls her, "Keep your ankles steady."

Amarie's eyes widen as she's suddenly pulled along. She scrunches up, still holding on to Lanisa, but she squats on her skates, her knees drawing together and her calves bowing outwards as she tries to stay balanced and move at the same time. "Oh!" She really clutches poor Lanisa's arm. It's going to be bruised tomorrow. "Look! I'm skating!" Or being pulled around. The two are the same in her mind. She smiles brightly at Metri, Jal and Tobay saying, "Look I'm skating!"

"Well met, indeed," Metri says with a nod to the brownrider and his dragon. He angles a wave, stepping back at the snort not because of the smell but because of the force. At Amarie's call, however, Metri manages the time for an "excuse me" before about facing in the snow and grinning right back. "Well, when you lot are done being completely insane," he notes, "Tobay and I have brought klah, cider, and fresh pastries which Pierron gladly gave away to us. We went through absolutely no trouble lugging it, so if you want to wait till thier all cold, we will hold nothing against you." End sarcasm here. "By the way, did I say that skating is insane?"

Tobay steadies his own feet against the solid ground of the lake's shore, then tightens his jacket against the cold, though quite a bit of his healthy color drains from his face when Hroth whuffles bloodbreath in his direction. "Well met, rider F'lone, Hroth," he manages, coughing to clear his lungs, his eyes raising in mirth toward the skaters on the ice. "I'm Tobay. Have a warm klah, or a roll? We've come prepared. Pierron was good to us." Adding his voice to Metri's, Tobay echoes, "Yeah, but you all look great!" Lowering his voice, he adds, "Firestone on the foot, any day over being out there. Crazier than a wherry!"

Lanisa giggles, and bruises in a good cause are not to be complained about, just now anyway. Besides, maybe the cold air makes her notice less just now? "Your doing good, Amarie." Never mind it's just a slow glide. She's upright! And it's her turn to call back, "Marvelous, save some for me! And hey, we're not insane. This is fun! - Right Amarie? Here we go again." And that's all the warning she gives as she pulls them along some more.

The tiny squeal that emerges from Amarie's lips is part excitement and part fear. She really does hunch over, not standing upright at all as Lanisa pulls her along. And her ice skates are at a big huge tilt, her ankles turning inward to compensate for the fact all her weight is now riding on those thin blades.

Jaleran keeps pace with Lani and Amarie as best he can given they're on skates and he's only walking. Of course they're not going too fast, so he's not too far away. He calls encouragement to Amarie, including several remarks about keeping her feet straight. Not that he knows anything about skating, but having her ankles bent at that angle can't be comfortable. To those on shore he waves back, "Keep it warm for us, ok?" The remark is made in a humorous tone since he knows full well that anything they brought out is likely already as cold as the ground.

Kassima heads over from the central bowl.

Tobay and Metri are along the lakeshore, and the former spares a sidelong glance for the pile of goods on the trays, then calls back toward the others who are in varying stages of success skating the lake, "I doubt we could eat it all. Though," he laughs at Jaleran's advice, "as Metri says, it may be colder than the lake by the time you want a drink." A slanty-eyed gaze shifts to his shoreline companion, and Tobay casually kneels down near the trays, gathering snow into a tidy pile. "I'll just build a hearth over here, then gather some wood, keep everything toasty warm." Mmm hmm, that's what he's up to.

Lysseth's eyes, the first two sets of lids of which are closed, open fully perhaps a minute before Kassi makes her appearance; she looks in the direction of the Bowl, and only lowers her head again when the creak of snow lets her know that the greenrider has arrived safely. As indeed Kassi has, with her skates slung over her shoulder and a rather ludicrous red-and-black knit cap on her head. Its pom-pom waggles merrily. "Please tell me," she calls to no one in particular, "that nay anyone else is going into labor here tonight. Because, y'know, having escaped midwifery once, I'm really of nay mind t'risk it again."

"Jaleran's right, Amarie. I'll keep pulling like this, and now you try and get everything straight. Now that your used to this." Lani says as she she takes yet another step along, pulling Amarie so that they are never too far from the shore if they need to stop. But still, they move a bit farther from the gathering as she calls back with a laugh, "I solemnly swear - I wont go into labor tonight, Kassi!" Like there was really a risk?

Amarie turns her ankles outward, trying to do as Jaleran and Lanisa instruct. "I won't either Kass!" she promises just as her legs suddenly tangle up together. The little points on the end of the skates grab the ice wrong and Amarie yelps, letting go of Lanisa's arm as she tumbles forward on the ice. Toe pick!

Metri looks down at Tobay curiously at his comment, not quite paying attention to what the other boy is doing until he looks a bit closer. That small pile earns a very sly grin and he says, "Well, you dimglow, you can't make a hearth like that," before crouching down beside him. As much as Metri's enjoying watching Amarie's success, the tidy pile loses a rather large chunk as he sweeps his bare hand over the top, using the end of his jacket sleeves to pad it into a tidy little ball. "Kassi!" is his greeting, even as he turns to face the group again. "Actually," and Metri pauses to make a big show of being top-heavy as Yselle was, "I think I might be very close, my dear." There's a hoot of laughter at Lanisa, and then he saunters closer to the edge of the frozen water. Target! Amarie falls and Metri is given a rather clear shot of Lani, which he takes as is his duty. She who said, "your snowballs will miss", will pay.

Jaleran sees the fall coming a half-second before it happens. It just can't be good when one part of the foot stops and the other wants to keep moving ahead. He lurches forward, trying to catch Amarie enough to soften her fall if he can't fully arrest it. But as he's leaning forward, his hood blows back from the movement and he gets an earfull of snow! The impact, while not all that heavy, does catch him off guard. He growls vaguely as he checks to make sure Amarie is alright.

Tobay's eyes open wide wide wide as the green rider approaches, his snowball-forming motions at a halt. "Labor? A dragon?" He shakes his head, as if to clear it, sending snowflakes idly adrift. "No, of course not. I mean, a person. A rider? Oh!" He stands upright, "Weyrsecond Yselle? Is it her time? I mean," remembering his manners, he adds after Lanisa, "I promise I, uh, won't either. Go into labor, I mean." Weakly, he holds up a not-so-steaming cup of klah, his eyes tracking Metri's approach to the lake's skaters, planning his target in advance--oops, he just took a box to the ear. Hm, back to looking hopeless. "Thirsty?"

Kassima ambles until she's reached a tall and craggy boulder, which she promptly appropriates to perch on while binding her skates to her riding boots. "You'd *better* nay," she calls out to Lanisa. "Because even odds are *I'd* get blamed for it somehow; don't even ask me how, because I don't think anyone would want t'know--and Amarie, I'm very much relieved t'hear that. Particularly given how Jaleran knocked up Yselle and all. Metri, dearheart, sweetest wife I've ever had, if'n you don't hold it in 'twill give you what-for. Nay son of *mine* is going t'be born on the ice. It just isn't dignified. He'd slide all over the place, and the ice would *never* come clean." By the time she's rattled all this off, she's finished with one skate. "Nay quite her time. She went into false labor today with a month t'go. Which is as well, because I've a wager on Iridyne spawning a'fore she does." On goes the second skate. Falling? What falling?

Lanisa's grab for Amarie has troubles of it's one, after all she was traveling backwards when the other girl let so suddenly go. She manages to keep to her feet, anyway, but her attention is all in balance and Amarie now, she doesn't even see the snowball coming, much less Jaleran get hit -- until after the fact.

"Sorry Jaleran! It wasn't meant for you ol' buddy ol' pal friendly man who wouldn't /dare/ squish someone half his size if there's any sort of luck in my life....sir." Metri's to begging for mercy before he can even hear the growl. "That was for her!" There's an accusatory point at Lanisa, as though she may have pushed the stupid thing away so it'd hit him. Right...that's how it /always/ works.

Amarie slides on the ice, coming to a stop a few feet from Lanisa. She looks a bit dazed as she tries to push to her feet. "OOOwww, that hurt." A pout forms on her face. There's a dark spot on her chin that's slowly becoming redder.

Tobay looks quite relieved at the news that Yselle is not quite ready to let loose another little Tel offspring into the world, and he sits back down over his would-be 'hearth' project, rising with a compacted ball of snow in his hands in time to catch Kassima's verbal meanderings on the topic of birth and delivery. This roots him to the spot, his holdboy's ears reddening in a telltale manner. Must be the cold. Instead, he steps up beside Metri, and aims for little Lanisa while she's distracted, letting a lobbing snowball go while giving into the urge to giggle at Metri's aim toward a call for mercy. "Wait...Jaleran knocked up Yselle?" Poor Amarie's tumble is missed at first but starts to sink in, "Ohh, are you all right?"

K'ran heads over from the central bowl. Julisin heads over from the central bowl.

Metri would have felt really guilty if he had taken that first impulse to aim at Amarie. However, there is no time to pity her, because it appears Metri is debating on the best way to hide behind Lysseth or Kassima...he's still debating which would be more dangerous. Probably Kassima...and because she's available, Metri takes a couple skirts towards her, hip-swishing aside. "Sorry!" he calls again, edging gradually behind the greenrider.

Kassima might've missed the falling, but blushing Holders? That she rarely misses. Her eyes are dancing a little too much for the serious mein she's trying to adopt. "Well, according to the Healer, he did. Certainly surprised *me*. I'm starting up a new pool now, on whether the child will have a J-name; care t'join?" Finally the fact that there's been some slipping and sliding actually sinks in, and she looks back over to the Lake. "Did you break your rear end after all, Amarie?" she asks, genuine concern belying the light words. "What hap--Metri, why are you hiding behind *me*? Have you been spending too much time talking t'R'ehn?"

Jaleran pulls himself along the ice to Amarie's side, his intention being to offer her a hand up. But when he spots the bleeding, he bites his lip as Metri and the snow in his ear are ignored. "Are you ok, Amarie?" He keeps his voice low so the raw concern in it only carries a few paces. He quickly pulls off one of his gloves so he can more easily retrieve a (mostly) clean rag from a pocket.

Perhaps attracted to the lakeside by the small crowd -- visible at a distance by a dragon's sharp eyes, if not a human's -- K'ran drifts over, bundled not in riding leathers but a long wool coat that he gathers around himself more as nightclothes than outerwear. "Jays," he remarks through a smile, the words steaming on the frozen air. "Did the coordinators give you all a break from tomorrow's chores? Not you, Kassima; if you're doing candidate chores I'm worried."

Lanisa was a good target before? She's an even better one now. All bent over trying to check on Amarie, "I think you scraped your chin. We should put some snow on that." And about than she gets caught in the back. Course, not seeing the real source, or where he she accuses has taken refuge, "Metri!"

From afar, to Amarie, Lanisa, and Metri, Jaleran is more concerned as to whether or not he's wearing anything under that coat :P You paged Jaleran, Lanisa, and Metri with 'Ask him :D'.

"Owww..it stings," Amarie puts a hand under her chin and pulls it away. She scraped it good, probably a scab will form over where the skin was pulled off, looking raw. She tries to stand again, wobbling on those skates. "I don't think I like skating." She looks really sad by that fact. She accepts Jaleran's rag, "Thank you," and presses it up under her chin where it took part of her fall.

Tobay retreats from the lakeshore, seeking comfort away from his flushed cheeks (it's the cold, really) in the trays of food and drink, and allowing Metri to take credit for the landed Lanisa snowball. "A J-name? A pool? You mean betting?" He runs one hand through his hair, still frowning lakeward at the ice-skaters. "Funny...she never said anything about Jaleran being responsible." Worried, he adds, "Oh, looks like Amarie took a hard tumble." Realizing he's included in the being spoken to, he studies the dark-haired Weyrleader. "A break? Um. No? No. No break." He lifts a mug of cider from the trays balanced, "Here, sir, enjoy some cider? Only it might be cold by now."

"I didn't throw /that/!" Metri protests over Kassima's shoulder. And then a hiss of, "Because you wouldn't let them lynch me, I'd hope!" After a few moments, he skirts back out, making his way closer to the shore and hitching up his pantlegs. "Y'okay, Am?" he asks with genuine concern, letting Tobay field the question from K'ran. "I hate to say I told you so," he adds, "but I told you so. You should have just sat in the barracks making that awful ruckus with your instruments."

Kassima slides down from her rock with care for the skate-blades, but has the decency--or dubious good sense--to not yet depart for the Lake and leave Metri on his lonesome. "Alas, the Coordinators said letting them bribe me t'do their work was probably a bad idea," she answers gravely, mouth corners twitching upwards. "Ach, did you never steal time after chores were done t'do something fun? Could be worse. They could be wreaking havoc on someone's underwear, like far too many Candidate classes t'name." She grins after that, and murmurs over her shoulder to Metri, "Well, *probably* nay," because she's good at reassurance that way; finally, to Tobay, "Right, betting. I'm betting *against* a J-name. Would you care t'bet for? Poor Amarie--anyone have any numbweed on 'em? I might have some here somewhere."

Julisin hurries along the snow-covered path, his own jacket pulled tightly about his slender form. Icy blue eyes stare out into the frozen lake, Julisin catching a glimpse of the other candidates. He offers a wave in their direction, drawn closer by the noise of the group. Pale hands are tucked well into deep pockets, Julisin walking forward - a distinct puff of white cloud forming in the chilly air from his hot breath. He grins as he gets closer, "Hello." His gaze is drawn to Amarie, a look of concern flickering over his face, "You right, Amarie?"

K'ran waves off the offer of cider with a laugh -- "The cold'll make it go right through me, Tobay, and then, then we'll have a yellow lake, which will be much ickier to skate on." He walks confidently out onto the ice on booted feet, toward where Amarie's wobbling. "Wait, Metri. She has... instruments?" The word could have reverb, the way he intones it. "I thought it was not *allowed*, for candidates to be checking out each other's instruments. Times have changed. Lemme see, Amarie? The cut, I mean; let it bleed a little, to clean itself out."

Jaleran nods to Lanisa, "Snow? I've got a good chunk right here." He brushes some off of his shoulder (not the stuff melting out of his ear... ew) and balls it up some to hand to Amarie, his voice still too soft to carry far. "Here. It's not numbweed, but with the way it steals the feeling from my toes, it should work wonders." Seeing Amarie's expression fall he is suprised at how strong the knot that forms in his stomach is in response. "Don't let this stop you!" He bites his lower lip, and what he says next takes him by suprise more than his reaction to her sadness. "Tell you what. I'm going to find, buy, borrow, or barter skates that will fit me and then we can both learn this, ok?"

"If you didn't throw it, who did?" Lani counters Metri, starting a search of who's where and apperently coming up with 'K'ran, right there, find out about the snowball later'. At least from the quick about face, "She only has one. A drum, sir," her reply. She skips mention of her flute, funny that, "Snow's good, to stop the bleeding and yeah...Numb it."

Tobay frowns, though weather it is at a view of Metri's ankles, the idea of betting against a J'name, Kassima's unwillingness to do their chores, or Amarie's instrument 'playing,' is unspecified. "She tripped forward, I think," the green-eyed boy explains to Julisin. "No, no numbweed. Ice a plenty, though, if that helps." His cup of cider goes from held in an outstretched hand, to limply held out, to limpwristedly emptied against the ice with a splash. "Uh, sir...right, sir." Looks like the effort to keep-away the full-face blush ended right there. "I don't think you have to show him that if you don't want to, Amarie. Even if he is the Weyrleader." He must mean the drum, not her fabled 'instruments.'

Amarie accepts the snow from Jaleran in her other hand. She removes the rag from her chin, tilting her head up and letting out a tiny little alligator cry. The scrape is bright red - nothing serious, just noticable in the skin beneath her chin. It's just a flesh wound! She lowers her head a moment later, putting the snow to it. She holds out the rag to Jaleran. "Really?" she asks looking at him. "You'd really do that?"

Kassima pushes herself onto the ice with a hiss of blades now that she's freed from being Metri's sanctuary. She doesn't yet join those gathered around Amarie, but takes a slow circuitous path around, the better to keep an eye on them. "Have you looked in the Stores, Jaleran? There've been Weyrfolk your height or better--if'n nay sharding *many*. Mayhaps there'd be some." Her hand's been rummaging in her belt pouch and, at length, comes up with a pair of small jars. She skids to a halt to investigate the contents. "Oil. Here--but there's nay much left, I'm afraid. Kaisan's been running into *everything*. Nay, nay, nay showing your instruments to the Weyrleader. Pierron would *never* let that die down." She flashes Tobay a smile, though, for his offer of ice, and perhaps also for his confusion. "D'you want the 'weed, Amarie? Doesn't look too bad, best I can see from here."

Velano heads over from the central bowl.

"Aww," K'ran re-assures. "That's nothing. It'll be healed up in a couple days, 'specially if you get it bandaged up right." He appears to speak as one with experience with the Healers' ministrations, and eases back off the ice to the shoreline, with Tobay and the viands. "Does Pierron ever really let *anything* die down, though? I mean, he's still ogling Tarien and Yashira, for all that one or both have threatened to carve off his dangly bits and replace them with a naughty-shaped tuber." Back on snow-strewn soil rather than ice, he's flashing Julisin and Velano both a quick smile. "Evening, there."

Jaleran nods with K'ran, "He's right. Probably not even be a scar from it. We can stop by the infirmary again on our way to the barracks after this." He smiles to Kassi as she hands the jar of numbweed oil over. "Thanks, Kassima. I'll check stores tomorrow while I'm inventorying them." He opens the lid and dabs some on his finger, "Here, move the snow aside and we'll get some of this on proper." As to her question to him, he simply nods. "I would and I will."

"Evening," comes a reply from the butcher, his approach marked by crunching steps in patches of snow frozen over with night-chilled melt. Pulling on belated but warm woven mitts, he pauses grinningly to take in those present, amending his reply with a "Sir," low-voiced, for the Weyrleader. That's as best he does before the cluster of concern formed around Amarie catches his natural attention, and he moves for the lakeshore, querying to no one particular, "Infirmary? What happened?"

Lanisa skates backwards a bit, leaving Jaleran to the tending, even though she doesn't actually go far away. "See. I told you there might be some there." Then for Amarie, "Everyone tumbles a time or two when learning. So you've already got those out of the way. You'll be even better next time."

Metri gives Lani a sideways look at the small interaction between Jaleran and Amarie, rising and sweeping the snow off his pants. Probably better not to offer anything here; instead, he meanders back to the cider and klah (cold now, if it wasn't earlier), and picks one up. He pulls a bitter face at the taste of the cold liquid, scowling at the mug and washing the flavor away with a just-as-cold roll. "Yeah, Amarie...you were doing fine, until you got distracted...."

Amarie smiles wobbly at Lanisa and nods. She lifts her chin so Jaleran can apply the numbweed on the underside. Staring up at the sky she says, "I told you there would be skates there for you." Her own legs wobble again but she straightens her legs, staying up this time. A slight sniffle comes from her. "Jaleran? Will you pull me over to the shore. I think I just want to watch Lanisa and Kassima and drink some cider. Even if it is cold."

Tobay manages a thoroughly confused expression, which is stuck on his blush-tinged boyish features quite firmly. "Ah...tubers." Unconsciously, he tugs his knees closer together, "Evening, ah, sir. No tubers here. Just some frozen klah." Weakly, he leans against the rocks, glancing out to where Amarie had fallen. "Everything going all right out there? She's not too badly off, then?" He catches Lanisa's words, barely, then nods, reassured. "Evening, Vel," he calls toward his Holdmate. "Bring your skates?"

"Probably because it's too late. I heard a rumor that he replaced those bits with a naughty-shaped tuber Turns ago. Of his own volition. T'van's in for a surprise if'n he ever *does* seduce him." That delightful mental image thus doled out to the masses, Kassi returns Jaleran's smile and gives a nod. "Shouldn't be too hard t'find, if'n they haven't been moved. I used those sets for Turns a'fore I finally bought m'own. Hmm? Oh, hey, Velano--" Another smile, this one flashed to the newest arrival. "Infirmary? Naught recently. Some of us were there earlier t'escort Ys, but she's fine." The array of food gets a thoughtful look, but she's started skating again--still just circles, but picking up speed--and that evidently has more appeal right now. "Frozen klah," she opines, voice terribly, terribly serious, "just doesn't go with tubers or instruments at *all*. Looks like Jaleran's taking good care of her."

K'ran can actually be seen to shudder -- through the coat, and clearly not from the cold -- at the picture Kassima paints. But it's words that bring him up short. "Ys is in the infirmary? She alright?"

Jaleran nods to Amarie as he closes up the numbweed jar, "Not a problem." He winks at her from about eye-level as she stands and he is still kneeling. He gets his feet under him and stands carefully. No point in him losing balance and sending them both tumbling. He holds his hands out to her to grasp, then hears K'ran's question about Ys. "She's fine," he calls over his shoulder. "Healer said it was just a false alarm." He doesn't report on what else the healer said, though. He's blushed enough today, thank you.

"T'van, Pierron, tuber." The darker-haired Lemosian youth tallies off conversation tidbits with increasingly nonplussed upraising of his brows, finishing off with, "Frozen klah. Skates? No," he frowns at his travelmate. After pause to listen with due concern to the report on Yselle's state, Velano's consternation gives way quickly enough to a wry grin, and he approaches Tobay with one hand pressing a stretch into the small of his back. "No one told me Weyrs had lakes," he drily explains.

Lanisa smiles reassuringly to Amarie before she moves a bit farther back after her friends request of Jaleran. To Metri she shruges, before she sends a glance from Kassi to K'ran at the mention of Yselle again. But for her part, she stays quiet a moment, just gliding along as she listens.

Amarie takes ahold of Jaleran's hand to let him lead her to shore. "She's okay sir," She tries to reassure K'ran. "The healer says it was false labor. It happens." She sounds like she knows about it. She reaches up with her free hand, rubbing her cold and red nose on her sleeve to warm it up.

Tobay grins at Velano, "You didn't ask? We fished here, remember? Before it froze." He holds up the tray, prepared to offer its wares, cold or no, then takes a deep breath of a sudden, which exhales forcibly and unexpectedly in a fierce sneeze, bathing the food and beverages before him in a light misting rain. "Shards," he murmurs, taking a few crunching steps to cross Velano's fresh entry-prints. "That was not appetizing. If Amarie's recovered, perhaps I'll head off to warmer quarters? I'd be awfully distraught if I spread a cold around, so I'd best take my tray of possibilities with me. Unless anyone wants a bite first?"

"Brr.." Metri, from his perch near the food, finally decides that there's enough cold and injury and total insanity for one night, and, after wrinkling his nose up again at his mug, he agrees with Tobay. Dropping his mug to the trays he brought, he announces, "This is the last call for food, drink and anything else that you want and we brought out to waste and make cold." He grins wryly. "If how tired I am now is any indication to my functioning tomorrow, I'm in trouble," he adds to no one with a yawn, drawing up one tray.

Nor is Kassima beyond a wicked grin at that shudder, though she has the decency to duck her head. Her nod to the question is rather more serious. "Oh, aye, fine. False labor--Dianneth asked me t'come down. Some of the Candidates helped. Jaleran carried her; Niella ran ahead and told the Healers; Amarie fetched water and such. They wanted her t'stay overnight, but it didn't last very long and we were making cracks about two-headed babes ere I left." Pause. "Actually, five-headed babes. One head will be named after me!" She beams after delivering this additional tidbit. "Oh, and Jaleran's the father, apparently." If he won't report it, she surely will. It's a very deadpan statement. "Kind of you t'offer," she adds to Tobay, "but if'n it's been sneezed on, methinks 'twill pass. If'n there's any that *hasn't* been, though...."

K'ran exhales, a bit tensely, and runs a hand back through his hair. "Good to hear," he murmurs. "Ah, no, Tobay; thanks all the same." This said with eyes for residue of the sneeze. "But I'll mosey back toward the other end of the bowl with you, if you li-- two-headed? Five-headed? Mmm. Wonder if I could finagle a name..." And then, then he's picking up his feet and heading away from the lake, with a pleasant, "G'night, all of you!" offered up.

K'ran heads in the direction of the central bowl, leaving the shimmering lake.

"Before we left!" Velano's improvement on his earlier remark is harsh through a softening grin, teasing at his travelmate, though his expression sombers as Tobay moves past him and toward the bowl path and sneezes there. "Don't be sick already," he murmurs, "You haven't even taken your jewelry notes yet." The words are not unkind, and he raises a hand toward the departing Weyrleader as well as to Tobay after them. He crosses his arms over his chest, then heads for those coming off of the lake. "I thought I was supposed to be here to help you fall," he notes for Amarie's benefit.

Jaleran stays with Amarie to the shore, then offers her a hand down so she can get the skates off. He waves to K'ran with the other before shooting Kassima a look when she continues to spread that remark about his fathering Yselle's baby. When the food and drink gets sneezed on, he quirks an eyebrow to Amarie and deadpans, "I think maybe we should see what's hot on the night-hearth when we get in, instead of sampling the frozen klah. What do you think?"

Lanisa drifts back over to the edge and sits down in the snow for skate removal, "I'll go back with you all. I forgot to check what I have tomorrow. So I suppose it's better I get some sleep first." Then glancing too, at the sneezed on 'refreshments' "Aye, I'll pass."

The tray of sneezy not-so-goodness held by Tobay makes its exit, the carrier and perpetrator of the watery ruin trailing behind. "I know! I've been so lax. I spent most of the day wet and in this cold...I need my beauty sleep to fight of the sneezing." Grinning, he shrugs. "Sorry...I think Metri's trays are clear, but this one is contaminated. The night hearth might be the best plan after all." He gives the rest of the group a wave, and heads carefully across the ice, using reinforced miner's boots to break the ice layers.

"I'd agree with Jaleran, were I not collapsing." Metri yawns widely, plucking up his two trays expertly even in his exhaustion. "I'm taking these back, you should all take care not to get sick anyways and listen to o wise Jaleran." More grovelling, perhaps? Nah. "I'm not going to stick around, however. The weyrleader was right; I'm a mess today, and if it's any indication to how I'll wake in the morning, I'd better go now." And with that, Metri trundles after Tobay, one tray balanced in each hand, his path not quite as straight as it was when they arrived.

Metri heads in the direction of the central bowl, leaving the shimmering lake.

Kassima indulges in a little showmanship and skids to a sideways stop on the ice near Metri's spit-free trays, a minor spray of ice flakes rising from the blades. "G'night, all who are leaving... which is starting t'sound like nigh everyone. Shells. I missed the falling *and* the food." She heaves an exaggerated sigh. "Just the story of m'life. And m'wife didn't even say *good-bye*, sob sob."

Tobay heads in the direction of the central bowl, leaving the shimmering lake.

Amarie sits down on shore and works with frozen hands to get those skates off. "I think that would be fine." She nods her head agreeably and after getting the skaates off tsays, "Good night Kassima. Good night Weyrleader."

At the greenrider's lament, a strange look comes onto Velano's face, then a blinking smile. "She didn't?" He half-turns, a gaze seeking among the gone-missing a female and, finding none, turns back. "I think I missed the better part of it too." He shrugs. He turns to Lanisa to crack, "You check the night ahead? Huh, that would be a good way to prepare, I suppose. Or to lose sleep in dread. Perhaps I'll give it a try, since I seem to be a little too late for the festivities." A teasing grin for Amarie, then a less teasing one for the taller candidate who helped her off the ice.

Amarie tries to be a help. She slings the skates over one shoulder and goes to pick up some of what Metri and Tobay brought out with the other. No sense in everyone drinking 'cold' hot drinks by any means. She walks, normally towards the caverns, not falling down now that she's not on the ice blades.

*** Disconnected from PernMUSH ***