You begin the long walk down the hill, eventually ending up in the lower meadow.
Lower Meadow
You stand in the middle of a meadow, nestled in the side of a hill. The Telgar river rushes past towards the southwest, forming the southern boundary of the meadow. Buildings are spread out in all other directions. In the middle of the meadow is a large firepit, often used for craft cookouts.
To the east, atop the large hill, sits the Main Work Hall. Several smaller buildings are clustered around it. To the west are the masters' cots. A road follows the river to the southwest.
Contents:
Valkki
Pyrite
Nite
Davidson
Water Wheel
Obvious exits:
Masters' Cots Main Meadow (to the Work Hall) Telgar Road

Valkki alternates between walking around the firepit and brandishing about her work-in-progress-but-mostly-done wherry spitter in a fashion designed to approximate the stabbing of a wherry and process of getting said skewered creature over the firepit and in position for cooking. Great pantomime it isn't, but perhaps there's a practical explanation.
Nite nickers softly.
Annik wanders down the hill and smiles as she watches Valkki. "Getting ready for tonight?" she asks, walking closer to the firepit. The question has an obvious answer, but Annik doesn't seem to care.
Valkki is in mid-stab...at least it looks like it's probably a stab. "Checking the balance. And the weight. Wouldn't do to get the wherry on the spit and then have it wobbling its way to the fire."
Annik looks over at Nite and grins. "Sorry Nite, runners can't have wherry, so you'll just have to stick with grass." She nods at Valkki. "That's why we're doing this... To make sure it works right."
Valkki gives this a moment's thought, "I thought we were doing this because you wanted to have a barbeque."
Annik shrugs, "Well, yeah... But mostly to test that Whespi of yours. That's what gave me the idea in the first place."
Valkki doesn't seem entirely convinced but also doesn't seem quite so dumb as to say so to a craftsecond. Instead, she settles for fishing a rag from a pocket to use to polish the spitter blade.
"Besides," Annik continues, "there's nothing wrong with wanting to have a barbeque." She looks up at the sky and smiles. "Anyway, it's a good day for outdoor cooking."
Valkki takes extra care to clean the edges of the blade, "Unless some stray and random storm suddenly develops and halfway through the cooking decides to descend upon us."
Annik shakes her head. "I hope not. I don't even remember the last time we had a barbeque here. The fact that the firepit exists says that it must have happened before, but it had to have been many turns ago."
Valkki does some more circling, "In that case, are you sure it's safe to use. If it hasn't been used in awhile, there might be some sort of..er...pitfall."
Annik nods assuredly. "Oh yes, it's safe. I had one of the cooks come out and look at it earlier today. She said it was just fine."
Valkki debates this a moment with herself, "Are you sure cooks are the ones who know the most about firepits. Sure they cook on them. But do they build them?"
Annik nods again. "Cooks have to know a lot about what they're cooking on. If they didn't... Well, it'd be like you not knowing how to use the forge."
Valkki gets as far as "That would be sort of stupid" before she gets the point. "Oh. I guess that's true."
Annik grins, "Trust me, it'll be fine."
Valkki nods, after a suitably thoughtful pause, "That's why you're craftsecond." she says with what hopefully sounds like conviction.
Annik shrugs, "Trustworthiness isn't really a requirement for the position of Craftsecond, but I would hope that the rest of the hall trusts me."
Valkki sort of tries to clarify, "What I meant was that if you think it's okay, then it must be okay because you have all the experience which is attested to by the fact that you're craftsecond."
Carissa comes down the hill from the main work hall.
Carissa has arrived.
Carissa snaps a lead to Pyrite's headstall.
Annik nods in agreement. "Whatever." She looks up towards the main meadow. "The cooks and Bakers should be coming soon with the wherries and stuff."
Carissa says "hello, pye"
Carissa heads out of the complex and down the road.
Carissa has left.
Pyrite heads out of the complex and down the road.
Pyrite has left.
Valkki starts to give some definitely serious attention to seeing that the length of her experimental slayer of dead wherries is going to be long enough to extend over the firepit. "Rule #1: Always take measurements before you start."
Annik smiles approvingly. "Very good. Taking notes on your classes?"
Valkki pauses in mid-study of the diameter of the firepit. "Notes? You're supposed to take notes?" Uh oh.
Annik quickly shakes her head. "No, no. You don't have to, but some people do."
Valkki nods carefully. "I've seem some of the other apprentices taking notes. But then they have to figure out what they wrote later, and it isn't always clear. Or their pages get out of order. It's easier just to listen to everything and watch and then recall it when you need it."
Annik nods, "Yeah, I never took notes." Just then, a line of cooks, drudges, and Bakers come walking down the hill. "Looks like it's about time to start."
Lokee comes down the hill from the main work hall.
Lokee has arrived.
Lokee rushes down from the upper meadow, looking hungry.
The cooks surround the firepit, setting up spits, spearing wherries, and adding fuel.
Lokee smiles and nods to Annik and Valkki. "Oh, good, I'm not too late!" he exclaims.
Annik shakes her head. "Nope, they've just started."
Lokee grins in relief. "Anything I can do to help?"
Annik shrugs as she watches drudges set up a few tables and chairs. "I don't know, but you can ask."
Valkki prudently retreats from the immediate vicinity of the firepit before she can get recruited into some terribly complicated job like holding something.
From above, Januith slowly wings downwards from the sky high above.
From above, Januith bleeds air speed to glide down to a landing in the lower meadows.
Januith glides in for a landing.
Januith has arrived.
More cooks come down the hill, carrying plates of food and pitchers of beverages. This is all set on a long table near the pit.
From above on Januith's neck, Bryl waves hello to the group of people on the ground.
Annik grins as recognizes the greenrider. "Bryl! Good to see you."
Lokee watches the drudges for a sec, then says, "Well, it looks like they've got everything under control." He smiles, then turns to Annik. "I've been thinking a lot about what I want to specialize in later on, but I'm not sure. I like working with glass, but I also like architecture and metalwork." He sighs. "I'm glad I don't have to decide right now!"
From above on Januith's neck, Bryl grins, recognizing Annik, as she removes her straps.
Annik chuckles at Lokee. "I had the exact same problem. It took me forever to decide on my subcraft."
Bryl swings down from Januith's back, and gives her lifemate a pat upon landing on the ground.
Bryl has arrived.
Lokee looks up in surprise at the green dragon and her rider, then smiles a greeting. To Annik, he says, "Oh, I'm relieved to know I'm not the only one!"
Bryl smiles brightly as she approaches Annik. "Ista's duties to Smithcraft! How are you Annik?"
Januith wuffles lightly at a few people near her, obviously smelling her /favorite/ food...wherry!
Annik smiles at Bryl. "And Smithcraft's to Ista. I'm doing great. Incredibly busy sometimes, but it comes with the knot, so I don't mind too much. How have you and Januith been?" She turns to Lokee and Valkki. "Lokee, Valkki, meet Bryl. She was an apprentice here before she Impressed at Ista."
Bryl grins at Valkki and Lokee. "Nice to meet you. Best craft on Pern!"
Valkki has stopped waving about her wherry spitter and busily inspects the possible candidates for skewering, studying each dead thing in its turn. She does pause long enough to say, "Hi. Pleased to meet you."
Bryl turns back to Annik. "We've been just fine. Ista is quite busy right now with our newest group of weyrlings."
Lokee smiles at the greenrider, and extends his hand, palm up. "Well met, Bryl."
Argothe comes down the hill from the main work hall.
Argothe has arrived.
Bryl smiles and grips the hand offered her and gives it a firm shake. "Glad to see that smithcraft is still drawing in good people," she replies as she lets go of the hand.
The cooks busy themselves with setting the spitted wherries over the firepit. Among them is Garrek, who walks over to Valkki and asks, "Didja wanna set up yer spit? We're gonna start the fire soon."
Januith spots the Craftmaster and immediately gives him a good wuffling over.
Lokee blushes at the compliment, then looks over at the Craftmaster. "Evening, Sir.".
Valkki must be studying the conformation, such that it is, of the various wherry candidates for the skewering attempt. "It has to be just the right size." Which apparently requires an exceptionally large amount of time to find.
Bryl 's smile brightens slightly as Argothe appears and Januith inspects him.
From Lokee's shoulder, Chimera chirrups sleepily, then curls back up and promptly falls asleep again.
Argothe saunters down towards the group and stops when he gets wuffled, "Why hello Januith, how are you today?", he nods in Lokee's direction, "Evening Lokee."
Annik grins mischievously and whispers loudly, "He actually came out of his office!"
Lokee watches Valkki choose her wherry with a bemused smile on his face.
Bryl giggles at Annik's whisper and strolls over to Januith and Argothe. "Ista's duties to you and your craft," she greets him with a grin.
Valkki finally decides on a wherry that's big, but not too big, heavy-looking, but not too heavy-looking, and, of course, near the bottom of the pile. "That one will do just fine."
Argothe bows formally, with a florish, "Smithcrafts duties to Ista and her Queens.", he says in a jovial tone, "How have you been Bryl?", he asks with a smile.
Bryl chuckles as Argothe bows before her. "Quite well. How have you been?"
Annik walks over to Valkki. "About ready to spit that thing?" she asks, pointing to the wherry.
Argothe chuckles, "Chained to my desk lately. Other than that I'm doing well.", he gestures towards Januith, "And how is this beautiful lady doing?", he inquires, smiling.
Lokee has been stealing surreptitious glances at the green dragon, moving every now and then as if worried the dragon will step on him.
Bryl grins, "Quite well. She's having a blast playing with all the new weyrlings around," she replies, patting Januith on the shoulder before the large green lumbers off in the all to general direction of the unspitted wherries.
Lokee grins towards the wherries. "Hey, Valkki, you've got competition for those things!"
Valkki approaches the wherry of choice from different angles, looking for the best way to yank it out of the stack without toppling over the pile. "I don't suppose someone wants to eat about half a dozen of these before they're cooked. They're sitting on the one I want."
Januith conveniently stops near the table full of wherries, her large head hovering over the pile, eyes whirling slowly.
Annik grins, "I'm sure Januith wouldn't mind, but I don't know how the cooks would feel about that. Just pull it out."
Argothe grins, "That's good, when did she last eat?", he asks looking towards the table.
Smoke curls up from the pit as the drudges finally start the fire. Several cooks stand nearby to turn the already set up wherries.
Valkki shrugs and gets ahold of her wherry and tugs, not paying too much attention to the fact that, by removing a support from beneath a pile, you risk having the pile come down. In a heap. She holds up her wherry with satisfaction. "Got it."
The pile of wherries trembles unsteadily, but stays together.
Bryl chuckles, "Don't worry. I figured with this much wherry around, she might try to cause trouble, so I made her eat a couple of days ago. She's not hungry, just mischievous," She adds, watching Januith carefully.
"She's probably got a bunch of questions for you as usual.", Argothe says to Bryl with a wink and a grin.
Valkki now has a wherry and a wherry spitter. Two things, two hands. Which seems to make the actual task of getting the wherry in a position secure enough for skewering to be a major hurdle.
Annik nods, "Now you'd better spit it and stick it over the fire, or all the other wherries will be done before yours starts."
Bryl grins back at Argothe. "She's growing out of it, thankfully. She can figure most of it out on her own now."
Annik adds, seeing Valkki's predicament, "You want me to hold it while you skewer it?"
Januith watches the skewering process going on all around her with open curiosity.
Argothe nods and grins, "I'd heard that they do grow out of it. I'm glad she finally is though."
Valkki, having a remarked lack of success at running the wherry through as is, nods, "I think that might make this go faster."
Bryl nods in agreement, "And is about time she did!"
Annik grabs each end of the wherry and picks it up. "Okay, go ahead and skewer it."
Valkki carefully polishes up the blade on the spitter and takes aim. Not that her aim is necessarily the best. She apparently hasn't had many lessons in the art of skewering a wherry. But she has enthusiasm and makes a bold lunge at it.
Argothe watches the possible Craftsecond skewering with a grin.
Annik jumps backwards as the end of the spitter comes through her end of the wherry, pointing right at her. "Looks like you got it all the way through. Let me move a little before I get skewered too." She steps to the side while still holding on to the wherry.
Valkki clearly wants to see the end result and steps forward, which of course pushes the skewer forward. Oops.
As the skewer is pushed forward, it catches on Annik's tunic. "Hey, try not to stab me, okay?"
Valkki peers over the top. "Oops. Sorry about that. That's why I'm not a cook." Obviously.
Annik carefully moves her tunic away from the skewer. "Let's go put this thing on the spit and see how it cooks."
Argothe chuckles, "Almost Valkki, better luck next time.", he says grinning at Annik.
Januith watches curiously as Annik holds a dead wherry while Valkki pokes a metal stick at it.
At the firepit, the rest of the wherries seem to be cooking nicely. The drudges turn the spits slowly, while the cooks smother the meat with sauce.
Lokee grins. "I don't know about you, Valkki, but I'm really not in the mood for roast Annik tonight."
Annik raises an eyebrow in Argothe's direction. "Do you really want to have to take me to the infirmary?" she asks, hiding a grin of her own.
Valkki has things well in control now. Mostly. She's been practicing the next move quite a bit it seems as she unhesitatingly swings Whespi, the wherry spitter (complete with skewered wherry) around in a nice arch, the descent headed on a perfect intersecting path over the firepit.
Lokee watches the meat, wondering if it'll survive Valkki.
Laws of physics and gravity get into the act as the spitter describes a beautiful arc. Unfortunately, Whespi, the wherry spitter, lacks one vital accessory: Stoppers to keep the spitted wherry from sliding around. With all inevitability, the skewered wherry starts to move on the stick as the arc rises.
Argothe watches the arc and just stares at the sliding meat like a sunstruck werry.
Lokee's eyes widen as he watches the wherry. "Any bets on whether that thing will fly again?"
Bryl grins slyly as she and Argothe watch the BBQ for the edge. "You know, if you don't get out much, don't you think you should take advantage of this opportunity to mingle with your smiths?" she asks casually, slipping an arm around Argothe's. She stops suddenly as she notices the sliding wherry, and places her other hand over her mouth, trying to stifle a laugh.
Januith seems to know what's going on too, and moves closer to the swinging apprentice.
Annik just watches the sliding wherry from her place dangerously near Valkki. "Uh oh."
Valkki has just turned to the craftsecond to say, "This isn't so bad, is it." when the spitter begins its downward half-circle. Again, gravity and physics play their role. The sliding wherry that had been sliding toward the handle, now reverses direction and goes sliding toward the opposite end. Which seems to lack anything to stop its course. As a result, there is quite a bit of puzzlement as the skewer reaches its final parallel position above the firepit sans wherry.
Argothe's eyes follow the arc of the now unspitted werry.
As the wherry flies through the air, a purposely placed green dragon seems to almost bite it out of the air with her powerful teeth. A look of sheer delight is obviously displayed on the green's face.
Januith seems to consider what to do with her 'catch'. A stern glance from her rider and probably a mental note to go with it keeps her from chomping down on the carcass. She then lumbers slowly over to Valkki and drops the wherry into her hands again.
Annik breathes a sigh of relief as the flying wherry causes no harm. "Well Valkki, back to the beginning, or was that brief moment enough to test the spitter?"
Valkki, busily trying to figure out where the wherry went to by tracing each step from pile of wherries, to pulling the selection free, to the skewering process....Then it reappears. Attached to a dragon. "Nice dragon." she says, in a manner one might use with a strange canine of indeterminate friendliness.
Januith seems quite proud to be able to deliver the wherry back to its owner. She wuffles Valkki good-naturedly to show she had /absolutely/ no intention of eating her wherry.
Argothe blinks when Januith catches the werry and laughs when she returns it to Valkki, "Here's another chance Valkki, or would you rather try to skewer someone else this time?", he says with a chuckle.
Bryl grins, "Ok, Januith. We better get going. We got some stuff to do, but we'll try to get back soon."
Bryl swings up onto Januith's neck with the grace and ease of one who does this often. She slides into place on her lifemate, giving her a pat as she does. Januith warbles happily to her rider.
Bryl has left.
From Lokee's shoulder, Chimera yawns, open's his eyes, and looks at Lokee.
Januith soars upwards from the meadow in a flurry of wingbeats.
Januith has left.
From above, Januith soars up from the lower meadow.
Annik grins at Argothe. "How about you? You're due for a good skewering."
Lokee looks over at the little lizard. "Huh? Oh, ok." He looks up. "Heck these little things sure can put out some emotion. I just got a strong sense of my cot, so I'll just put this little guy up and be back in a bit."
Lokee goes off towards the dorm, mumbling.
Lokee heads up the hill towards the Work Hall.
Lokee has left.
Argothe watches Bryl leave then turns to Annik, "What and deprive you of the honor, I wouldn't think of it.", he says with a chuckle.
A cook suddenly calls out, "Come and get it!" Several apprentices form a line by the firepit, each holding out a plate.
Annik shakes her head as she heads over to get a plate of her own. "But you deserve it much more than I do."
Valkki is the picture of puzzlement. "I musta forgot something." She gives Whespi a good long look. Pointed end, check. Big blade, check. Handle to hold, check. Crank to turn with, check. Something to keep the wherry on the stick, ....oops. "I'm definitely missing something. I bet I can fix it though. Just a little bit of rummaging in the workshop."
Argothe heads for the plates, grabbing one for himself, then goes to the head of the line tapping the apprentice there on the shoulder, "If you really want to Valkki, go ahead, we might even save some werry for you.", he says with a grin.
Annik waits at the end of the line, like a good girl (yeah right) who doesn't pull rank. "Oh, I think there'll be plenty of wherry left."
Valkki trundles off toward the hall, Whespi in one hand, a very bedraggled looking wherry in the other.
Valkki heads up the hill towards the Work Hall.
Valkki has left.
The apprentice at the head of the line mumbles, "No cutting, I don't care who you are.", over his shoulder, without looking to see who it is.
Gasps and chuckles come from the rest of the Smiths in line.
Argothe clears his throat, "Are you sure about that, Dural?", he asks pointedly.
Now the other Smiths begin to laugh at poor Dural.
Dural slowly turns around and looks up at the Craftmaster. His face drains of color, but he stubbornly squeaks, "Yes, sir."
From the end of the line, Annik starts laughing louder than anybody else. And she's not laughing at Dural.
Argothe looks rather bewildered, obviously not expecting that answer, he harrumphs, "Well I guess I'll just have to go to the end of the line then won't I Dural?", he says with a tight smile.
Dural looks like his knees might give out on him any moment, but he nods resolutely. He mouths what looks like "Yes, sir" but he appears to have lost his voice.
Annik is having trouble standing as she laughs even harder.
From above, Januith emerges from Between with a blast of cold air!
From above, Januith bleeds air speed to glide down to a landing in the lower meadows.
Januith glides in for a landing.
Januith has arrived.
From above on Januith's neck, Bryl waves hello again as she dismounts.
Bryl swings down from Januith's back, and gives her lifemate a pat upon landing on the ground.
Bryl has arrived.
Bryl says "Hi. Did you two get stuck with cleanup?"
Annik tries to wave back to Bryl, but can barely manage it because she's laughing too hard.
Argothe looks up when the dragon lands then leans over, "You know riders always go first here Dural?", he asks.
Bryl notes her mistaken judgment as she approaches and sees the tables laid out with hot food, ready for eating. She grins at Argothe, "Oh that's quite alright. You all go ahead."
Argothe looks up, rolls his eyes, shrugs and strides to the tail end of the line.
Dural looks uncertainly at Bryl, then back to the Craftmaster. "No, sir," he says, getting his voice back. "She doesn't want to be in line anyway."
Carshena comes down the hill from the main work hall.
Carshena has arrived.
Annik laughs harder, if that's possible.
Carshena slips in softly, quietly. That is until she trips over her own feet and runs over another apprentice.
Bryl laughs as she watches the craftmaster walk /all/ the way to the end of the line.
Argothe glares at Annik as he passes her on his way to the end of the line.
As soon as Dural gets his slice of wherry, he skips the rest of the food and nearly runs to the edge of the meadow. He gets as far away from the Craftmaster as possible.
Loren comes down the hill from the main work hall.
Loren has arrived.
Lokee comes down the hill from the main work hall.
Lokee has arrived.
Lokee returns from his errand.
Carshena gets up from the ground and dusts her rump off.
The glare from Argothe causes Annik to loose all control she might have had, and she falls to her knees, laughing.
Bryl smiles and waves to Loren and Lokee as approach.
Loren walks over to the group and looks about. "How's it going?" he murmers to Annik then waves to Bryl, Carshena and Lokee.
Lokee smiles and waves to Bryl and Loren, then casts a puzzled look at Annik.
Carshena meekly gets to the back of the line, giving the cackling leadership lots of space
Annik picks herself up off the ground and grins at Loren. "Great. You're just in time to eat. No cuts in line though."
Bryl chuckles at Annik's comment and points to the end of the line for Loren, where Argothe happens to be standing.
Loren shakes his head. "No? Well, Ok." he gets inline behind Carshena, giving her a shoulder squeeze. "How's the glass work coming?'
Malan comes down the hill from the main work hall.
Malan has arrived.
Carshena flashes a brief, shy smile over her shoulder at Loren, leaning back into the squeeze for a moment. "How have you been?" she quietly asks.
Malan strolls down from the Work Hall.
Lokee stands behind Loren, the smell of the barbequeing wherry making him sniff appreciatively.
Lokee says "Hi, Carshena, Malan."
Malan nods, "Evening."
Loren smiles, looking at the food wistfully. "The Tillek Gather was good. Even if there was still snow on the ground. Did you get any commissions?"
Now that there aren't any Craftmasters holding up the line, trying to get cuts, the Smiths move through quickly, getting their wherry meat, then walking to the long table full of food and drinks.
Loren turns and nods to Malan. "Evening. Smells great doesn't it?"
Malan grins, "It sure does. I could smell it all the way back there."
Bryl strolls over to the refreshments and pours a glass of wine while watching the smiths orderly proceed through the food line.
Carshena passes up the food to join Bryl by the wine, helping herself to a glass and drinking half in one gulp.
Loren follows Carshena past the wherry, filling his plate with juicy slabs of the smokey flavored meat. He joins Bryl and Carshena at the refreshment tables and searches for a drink he likes. "I don't see any. Do you?"
Bryl raises an eyebrow slightly as Carshena gulps down the glass. "Thirsty?" she asks with a smile.
Annik eventually gets her meat and fills her plate full with other food. She pours herself some juice then takes her meal to one of the tables.
Bryl grins at Loren with a wink. "I don't know about your stout, but I found my wine!" she replies.
Carshena flushes pink, whether with wine or embarrassment isn't clear. She simply nods and tops up her cup. "How are you?" she diverts Bryl away from her drinking.
Malan fills his plate and moves off to find a place to sit.
Lokee follows Loren, snagging himself a plateful of succulent wherry before heading for the wine. He pours himself a glass, then sits down to eat.
Bryl smiles, "Very well, thank you. And you?" she asks before sipping her wine.
Loren finally finds the stout pitcher hidden amongst the klah and cider pitchers. "There you are!" he pours a mug full then turns to the girls. "My! You both look stunning tonight." He watches where Annik sits as he waits for a reply.
Tilting one shoulder by way of answer, Carshena takes the smallest piece of wherry possible and slides onto the same bench as Lokee.
Annik grins as she sips her juice. "You never stop flirting, do you Loren?"
Loren chuckles. "I'm still breathing." is his short but pertinent answer.
Bryl chuckles at Loren as she glances down at her riding leathers. "I wore them just for you," she replies, fluttering her eyelashes momentarily before giggling.
Lokee grins at Carshena as she sits by him. "That's an awfully...small...piece," he gets out between mouthfuls. "It's really...good." He swallows, washes the food down with a gulp of the wine, and gestures that Carshena should get another piece.
Loren laughs and shakes his head. "Bryl. It's so good to see you again. Januith is well?"
Argothe finally get to the food having let everyone go before him and takes modest portions of everything except the wine which he takes a whole unopened skin of.
Bryl grins at Loren. "Quite. She's excited about having the new weyrlings around Ista."
Carshena wrinkles her nose at Lokee and smiles. "I'm still too hot to eat." she excuses herself, picking at the wherry until its slivered. But not a single piece has been eaten off her plate yet.
Annik slowly eats a big bite of wherry before grinning at Argothe. "Wow, Dural really bruised your ego, didn't he?"
Loren nods towards Annik's table, his eyes stopping momentarily on Carshena, then moving on. "Join us?"
Malan eats quietly, watching the others with a curious eye.
Lokee nods to Carshena, smiles encouragingly, then goes back to eating.
Bryl smiles at Loren's invitation. "Argothe, would you and your wineskin like to join us over here?" she asks with a grin.
Argothe glances towards Annik and shrugs, then sets down his plate and busies himself with breaking the seal on the wine. Once he get it open he picks his plate up a heads over towards Bryl.
Loren sets his plate and mug on the table and holds out a chair for the green rider. "Allow me?"
Bryl smiles at Loren, "Thank you," she replies, allowing Loren to seat her at the table.
Annik sighs and leans closer to Loren, whispering something.
Loren chuckles and nods. "No... couldn't be."
Carshena glances sideways at Lokee and then over to the leaders table. Turning to the apprentice next to her she arches and eyebrow and whispers to the both of them.
Annik turns her attention to her food and eats quietly.
Lokee takes a sip of the wine, glances at the antics of the leaders at the table over the glass rim, then leans towards Carshena to whisper back.
Argothe sets his plate and wine down before sitting down and digging in to the werry.
Loren joins the rest, finally sitting down. "Now this is a feast. The whespi obviously worked. Any troubles?" he says just before taking a bite.
Bryl glances over at Loren, "Whespi?" she asks.
Loren grins. "Well, Annik knows the story best. I better let her tell it."
Malan blinks, "Story? There's a story behind this?"
Annik grins very slightly and only for a moment. "Oh, I almost got stabbed, then the wherry flew off the skewer because Valkki forgot to put the stoppers on," she says quietly. To Bryl she explains, "Valkki wanted to name her skewer. First she thought of Wherry Spitter, then I shortened it to Wherry Spit, and finally it became Whespi."
Malan chuckles at that.
Carshena pushes her plate away laughing "And spit is not what I wanted to hear right now". SHaking her head and chuckling she sips her wine delicately.
Argothe looks up, "And Valkki did get that wherry back.", he says with a little chuckle.
Bryl nods and grins at Annik's story.
Bryl chuckles knowingly at Argothe's comment. "Indeed she did."
Lokee laughs. "With only a little dragonspittle."
Loren chuckles. "Allright, and how did you nearly get stabbed? Surely there wasn't a fight."
"And Valkki survived almost skewering you?" the senior apprentice chimes in behind Loren.
Annik shakes her head. "I'm not /that/ bad am I? No, I was holding the wherry so Valkki could skewer it, and the Whespi nearly caught me on its way out."
Carshena gulps, accidentally with a mouthful of wine. After some coughing she asks "I hope the wherry was ummm out of its misery already?"
"She'll do better next time Annik.", Argothe says with a grin.
Malan chuckles, "Next time she might succeed in skewering you."
Loren takes another byte and washes it down with stout. "No, don't want that to happen. Maybe a better technique is what's needed to be safe."
Annik nods at Carshena. "Yes, it was." She turns to Argothe. "With a little coaching from you, she'll do an excellent job."
Lokee grins. "Of course, it was rather interesting when the wherry flew again."
Bryl giggles as she listens to the evening's events retold.
Argothe grins, "Well if you really want me to I can give her a few pointers.", he says then pours himself a glass of wine.
Lokee chuckles innocently at his Craftermasters humor.
Loren leans back to give his expanding stomach some room. "I hope there's more. This is the beast I've had in turns. I wonder what Ikal thinks of this?"
Bryl giggles slightly at Argothe's comment as she holds her empty wine glass towards his wineskin hopefully.
Annik shakes her head. "How do I know you haven't already? You seemed eager to have her stab me earlier today. How do I know you two haven't been conspiring against me all this time?"
In the back of the apprentice tables a food fight breaks out. Wherry bones fly.
From Lokee's shoulder, Chimera has arrived.
From Lokee's shoulder, Chimera warbles, sniffing the air.
Lokee grins and gives his brown the last of the wherry on his plate.
Loren stands and looks sternly to the offending area. "That'll be enough of that or a little extra chore time will be allocated and restdays canceled for a month." he warns.
Argothe scoops up the wineskin and sloshes Bryl's glass full, then stops when the food fight breaks out, and waits to see if Loren's warning is enough to stop it.
Wherry dripping off ears, collars and dropped from fingers, the apprentices try to look innocent. Some of the youngest ones even point out ringleaders with 'But it wasn't me' expressions on their faces.
Annik shakes her head sadly as she looks at the apprentices. "What a waste of good wherry."
Lokee ducks to avoid flying food.
Bryl glances at the misbehaving group in back with a slight look of disapproval on her face.
Malan ignores the food-covered apprentices as he finishes his meal.
Lokee moves over to sit next to Malan, since he seems immune from the food fight.
Loren points out several apprentices. "Dinner is over for you. Go get cleaned up and report to the apprentice master. I'll be along shortly. "
All of the meat has been stripped off of the wherry carcasses. The cooks and drudges unspit the wherries, leaving a nice fire in the pit.
The apprentices singled out trudge away up the meadow and head for the bathing room. One boy gets poked and bumped more than the others.
Lokee watches the apprentices trudging off and sighs, shaking his head.
Annik finishes her dinner and hands her plate to a passing drudge. "There's always a few that have to make trouble."
Loren sits back down. "My apologies, Bryl, but you know how it is." He resumes eating and sipping stout. "Let's have a sing-along afterwards. It'd be a shame to waste such a good fire."
Carshena slumps in her seat, hiding behind her wine glass and avoiding the eyes of the apprentices that had to leave.
Malan puts his plate in the pile and moves to the drinks table to select some wine.
Lokee heads off tot he dorm for a sec.
Lokee heads out of the complex and down the road.
Lokee has left.
Bryl makes a face at Argothe and pinches him on the arm before turning to Loren. "Quite alright. Afterall, there are a couple of past apprentices here, myself included, who weren't always perfect." she replies, picking up her wine glass again.
Loren chuckles. "Yes... I remember some clothes on the water wheel once."
Annik hides her grin by picking up her glass of juice. "I think that's going to turn into a legend some day."
Loren nods. "Along with Grego's exploding tuber."
Argothe tries to look offended, but can't help chuckling, "They were being /washed/ really they were."
Bryl glances at Argothe and then turns toward Annik with a smile. "Every craftmaster needs an embarrassing moment in his past."
Annik nods, agreeing with Bryl. "Well, we shouldn't worry. This one has several."
Malan laughs.
Bryl grins over at Annik, "Anything new I haven't heard yet?" she asks eagerly.
Annik shakes her head. "Unfortunately no. At least, nothing that I've heard of."
Bryl looks at Argothe. "Darn! Well, he's bound to do something sooner or later," she comments teasingly.
Annik shrugs, "If we're lucky."
Argothe blinks, "I've been trying /not/ to repeat that 'ride' Bryl.", he says then grins.
Bryl laughs! "You were a brand-new apprentice when that happened! Its not like anyone would do that to the Craftmaster himself!"
Malan sips his wine and stretches lazily.
"What ride?" Carshena finally gets up the nerve to ask.
Loren cleans his plate off and leans back to enjoy his stout. "Ah... that was a proper wherry. Who wants to sing first?
Bryl grins at Loren, politely trying to ignore the question Carshena asked. "Why don't you Loren?"
Carshena puts her wine glass down and asks slightly louder, since she knows she is too quiet "Umm, what ride?" looking at the main table.
Lokee arrives from the road.
Lokee has arrived.
Lokee wanders back from the dorm.
Bryl quietly sips her wine, determined not to be the one to answer the question.
Lokee picks up his glass, goes over to the table, and pours himself some cider, then goes back to sit and join the group.
Loren looks to Carshena. "Well, after Argothe put Bryl's clothes on the water wheel, she put Argothe on the water wheel." He looks to Bryl. "I only know a few teaching songs. Would one of those do?"
Malan takes out a pad of paper and begins idly drawing on it.
Lokee grins at the tail end of the story Loren told.
Bryl nods to Loren, "What ever you'd like to sing would be great," she replies with a smile.
Annik finishes her juice and grins. "I probably should be able to sing, but I really can't hold a tune to save my life."
Bryl grins at Annik, "I can't either. I just don't have the voice for it I guess."
Loren leans forwards again begins tapping on the tabletop... he sets a medium speed rhythm and starts.

Let's have a Gather
with laughter and wine.
Gather together!
We'll have such a time.

Loren takes a breath and a sip of stout then begins the second verse.

Let's have a Gather
with tanners and smiths.
Selling their crafts,
Such wonderful gifts!

Loren grins and looks about as the third verse starts.

Oh Gather together,
Cuz this is the day!
Gather together!
Come out and play!
Oh Let's have a Gather, today!

Carshena whistles and claps her hands, then teases "But we just got back from a gather, with snow!"

Loren chuckles and sips more stout.

Oh Gather together,
Cuz this is the day!
Gather together!
Come out and play!
Oh Let's have a Gather, today!

Bryl grins and claps for Loren. "Very good! That's a wonderful song."
Raina comes down the hill from the main work hall.
Raina has arrived.

Loren nods to Carshena and continues...

Let's have a Gather
With people and fun.
We'll rest in the shade
And talk in the sun.

Loren stands and delivers the final verse.

Oh Gather together,
Cuz this is the day!
Gather together!
Come out and play!
Oh Let's have a Gather, today!
And we'll have a Gather TODAY!

Malan looks up and smiles at Raina, murmuring quietly, "Evening."
Raina walks out into the meadow, wiping her hands on her smock, she looks around and blinks, waving to those she knows.
Annik smiles and applauds. "Where did you learn that one?"
Lokee smiles and nods to Raina. "Good evening, Raina."
Raina hears Malan and waves "Hiya..." she moves toward him, giving a wink and wave to Lokee as she passes.
Bryl cheers at the final verse. "Yes, where did you learn that one?"
Malan applauds Loren as he finishes singing.
Lokee claps along with the others.
Loren sits back down and nods to Annik. "I heard it long ago.. the residents at Katz Field where singing it while I was helping get the tent set up. It's a nice tune.... Now who's next?"
Raina chuckles as shakes her head, as she reaches Malan's side "Not me..."
Malan grins, "I'm not a Harper..."
Loren shrugs. "Anyone can sing... it's not against the rules. They just do it better than most."
Malan produces a second glass of wine, which he hands to Raina with a smile, "Here love."
Carshena me commanders some glasses around herself, fills them with different levels of wine and starts tapping or "Moira had a little ovine"
Raina smiles, with a twinkle in her eye "Thanks, it's Tillek?"
Malan chuckles, "And much much better than me.
Annik shakes her head. "No, I really can't sing. That's why I became a Smith and not a Harper."
Malan laughs, "no, love. It's not Tillek."
Loren pours more stout into his mug then sits back to enjoy Carshena's song.
Raina chuckles softly and nods "Alright.." she takes a sip, leaning a bit against Malan "I just finished up for the night.." this said softly.
Bryl sips her wine and grins. "I'd sing a few of Ista's songs, but most of them would sound odd being sung by a female!"
Malan smiles at Raina, sliding an arm around her, "Did you get lots done?"
Raina nods "I did, a start to my Telgar stock, for the trip..."
Malan nods, "So you're planning a trip to Telgar?"
Raina nods "Well, you knew that, but not soon....I need a decent stock of things"
Malan nods, "That is good to have."
Loren smiles. "Well there's a handfasting song I know. Should I sing it?"
Raina nods over to Loren "I think you should"
Malan grins, "Sure, I'd love to hear it."
Bryl says "It might be better than me singing bronzeriders' songs.""
Softly Carshena chuckles "And better than me singing songs I learned from blueriders" nodding at Bryl.
Annik nods at Loren. "Go ahead."
Bryl nods to Loren to go on.
Loren looks to the others. "It's from a relative of mine's handfasting. He's a smith at Island River Hold. A bronze rider wrote it for the couple as a wedding gift, then performed it with the master harper of Southern. Ready? Here goes." He sits for a moment to compose himself then in a clear baritone, begins.

I saw her that day and my heart met its match
Rivers of gold in a mold straight and true
There was nothing at all I could say or e'en do.
I thought of her often - her hair gleaming silver.
And I followed her over to Island's sweet river.
Loren begins the chorus.

Silver and gold
Rivers and meadows
Iron and steel
Love shall abound
Copper and bronze
Hear how my heart sings
Silver and gold
The love that we've found.

Malan smiles at Raina as he listens to Loren sing.
Loren attempts a woman's falsetto, not doing to badly, and sings:

I saw him and knew that I'd found my true mate
One with the strength of a forest of trees
My heart soared aloft on a summery breeze
His eyes and his grin both set me a-quiver
So I brought him back to my sweet Island River

Raina returns Malans warm smiles and slips her arm around his waist.
Loren repeats the chorus:

Silver and gold
Rivers and meadows
Iron and steel
Love shall abound
Copper and bronze
Hear how my heart sings
Silver and gold
The love that we've found.

Carshena sighs, sniffles and tops her glass back up to the rim.
Loren takes a deep breath and sings one half of a duet, the notes sounding a little odd, without the accompaniment expected.

he heat of the forge will temper our joining
The fruits of the orchard will sweeten our turns
Our hearts beat together - the love that we've learned
Our lives have twined like gold and like silver
Twixt the flames of the fire and sweet Island River.

Loren sighs and takes a deep, long sip of stout. "Lucky relative." he comments.
Bryl smiles softly and nods, "Indeed. That was beautiful Loren."
Annik smiles, "That's lovely song."
Malan smiles once more at Raina, then nods, "That was a nice song."
Raina nods agreeing with everyone "It was Loren, they are lucky"
Loren smiles. "Thanks. Last I heard from my cousin is that he's soon to be a father."
Carshena raises both eyebrows for a second, coughs, sips her wine and agrees "Sharding lucky relative"
Raina chuckles softly "That's great..."
Bryl smiles and raises her glass slightly to Loren. "Congratulations to your cousin then."
Annik nods in agreement with the others. "You don't find something like that often."
Loren grins. "Ok.. now that's two I've done, who's brave enough to try?" he looks around, embarrassed and hoping to shift attention off him.
Raina grins and hides behind Malan.
Malan chuckles, "I really can't sing."
Lokee grins at Malan. "Me, either."
Bryl grins, suddenly stifling a yawn. "Oh my. Actually I have to get going." she apologizes as she quickly finishes the last little sip in her wine glass before standing.
Loren stands and offers Bryl a hug. "Allright, apprentice. Good to see you again."
Annik stands as well. "Yes, thanks for coming Bryl."
Lokee smiles at Bryl. "Nice meeting you."
Bryl grins as she stands up and hugs Loren. "Good to see all of you again too. I hope to see you all again soon." Januith seems to appear out of the dark behind her.
Bryl smiles to Annik and Lokee and the others, as she takes her leave of everyone.
Bryl swings up onto Januith's neck with the grace and ease of one who does this often. She slides into place on her lifemate, giving her a pat as she does. Januith warbles happily to her rider.
Bryl has left.
Januith soars upwards from the meadow in a flurry of wingbeats.
Januith has left.
From above, Januith soars up from the lower meadow.
From above, Januith disappears into Between.
Raina blinks a few times as the dragon takes off "Shards, I forgot how they were.."
Malan grins at Raina, "You should be used to it, love."
Raina grins and nods 'I should be, but..it's been a while..."
Malan nods thoughtfully, "It has, hasn't it, love? A whole Turn at least.
Raina nods "At least that love...if not more"
Raina sits down next to the fire, holding her glass of wine..
Malan scoots down next to Raina and looks into the fire, "Fire is always so neat."
Now that the food is all cooked, the specially prepared 'colored lights' logs are brought out by the apprentices in the chemistry class. Under the chemistry master's watchful eye they are carefully arranged over the pit.
Loren sips more stout, getting mellow. He murmers softly...
A fleck of red in a cold night sky,
A drop of blood to guide them by,
Turn away, Turn away, Turn, be gone,
A Red Star beckons the travelers on.
The first log catches, sputting through green sparks to fizz into a true violet flame, yellow dancing above it.
Loren stares at the flames and red/yellow glowing embers, lost in his own thoughts.
Raina blinks in surprise "Oh, look at that!...."
Malan smiles at the colors, "Oh, that's nice."
Raina blinks again "How do they do that!"
Lokee watches the multi-colored flames dancing around.
Annik smiles at Raina. "You'll learn in your chemistry classes."
Raina shakes her head "Oh no, I'll blow something up, you don't want me in chem class"
"Oh, blowing things up is how we know you were born to be a chemist, haven't you heard the Grego stories?" Cashena teases Raina, setting aside her wine to watch the logs burns.
Malan chuckles, "Maybe we should take chemistry at different times, love."
Loren stands and walks closer to the fire pit then sits down, indian style.
Annik stares into the fire and, quietly at first, begins to sing,

Listen children to a story that was written long ago
'Bout a Hold on a mountain and the valley folk below.
On the mountain was a treasure buried deep beneath a stone
And the valley people swore they'd have it for their very own.

Raina snickers and gives Malan a nudge "Reallllly" she says then giggles.
Loren turns to look Annik's way, nodding in time with the beat.
Malan grins at Raina and hugs her, then listens to Annik.
Annik softly sings the chorus,

Go ahead and hate your neighbor, go ahead and cheat a friend
Do it in the name of Faranth, justify it in the end,
There won't be any trumpets blowin' come the judgment day
On the bloody morning after, one tin soldier rides away.

Raina chuckles softly, listening.
Loren looks sadly back to the flames.
Annik continues,

So the people of the valley sent a message up the hill
Asking for the buried treasure, tons of gold for which they'd kill.
Came an answer from the Hold, "With our brothers we will share
All the secrets of our mountain, all the riches buried there."

Annik repeats the chorus,

Go ahead and hate your neighbor, go ahead and cheat a friend
Do it in the name of Faranth, justify it in the end,
There won't be any trumpets blowin' come the judgment day
On the bloody morning after, one tin soldier rides away.

Loren taps a foot in time with the sad song.

Jutal comes down the hill from the main work hall.
Jutal has arrived.
Annik lowers her voice for the last verse,

But the valley cried with anger, "Mount your runners, draw your sword,"
And they killed the mountain people so they won their just reward.
Now they stood beside the treasure on the mountain, dark and red
Turned the stone and looked beneath it, "Peace on Pern" was all it said.

Annik sings the chorus one last time,

Go ahead and hate your neighbor, go ahead and cheat a friend
Do it in the name of Faranth, justify it in the end,
There won't be any trumpets blowin' come the judgment day
On the bloody morning after, one tin soldier rides away.

Loren sighs and turns back to Annik. "That's a good song. Thanks."
Carshena waits in silence for the song Annik sung to sink in, then wiping her cheeks dry she husks "That was lovely"
Annik nods, "My father taught it to me. It's the only one I ever really liked to sing."
Raina is staring into the fire as the song ends, then gives a smile to Annik.
The normally fairly quiet Carshena offers "I think I've got one..." then blushes and lowers her eyes.
Carshena clears her throat and starts singing in a low, warm contralto. Unfortunately she is also ever so slightly flat.
Loren listens attentively.

Prepare you sweet flowers, for winter advances And drink well the sunlight that touches your form Draw strength from the ground, and repay her with beauty For the dark days are comin', oh, and they'll do y'harm

Malan listens to Carshena with a smile as he leans against Raina.
Annik turns to listen to Carshena.
Carshena glances over at the couple with the slightest of smile, lightening her voice to take away any bitterness in the face of that umm love?
Jutal has left.
Lighting her voice Carshena goes into the chorus.

When the chill eastern winds replace summer breezes And the long summer days are remembered no more Then you'll know how it feels when a man's love changes When at last he has told you he loves you no more

Carshena looks down at her folded hands, then into the fire blinking faster. Her low voice grows rougher, like the rasp of velvet.

I saw him today when he walked with his new love In all the fine places that we'd walked before They kissed by the rocks where he told me he loved me And soon he'll be using those same words once more

Raina gives Malan a soft smile, listening to the song.
The lighter chorus is sung again.

When the chill eastern winds replace summer breezes And the long summer days are remembered no more Then you'll know how it feels when a man's love changes When at last he has told you he loves you no more

Carshena holds her hands out to the fire, the row of apprentice logs flickering stained glass hues up to her face as she finishes the last verse softly.

There's none that could blame me for wanting his beauty But it lies like a snowflake in the hands of a child When the warmth of my love tried to reach out and hold him It's then he was gone, to prove he's still wild

Malan shivers a bit and scoots closer to Raina.
Raina sighs softly, looking sadly into the fire.
Annik blinkblinkblinkblinks. And blinks some more. She looks down at the fire as it starts to glow a bright pinkish orange.
Annik smiles, "I just thought of another one. She starts to sing,

Each campfire lights anew,
The flame of friendship true,
The job I've had in knowing you,
Will last the whole life through.

Gerlon comes down the hill from the main work hall.
Gerlon has arrived.
Annik sings the second and last verse,

And though the embers die away,
We wish that we might ever stay,
But since we cannot have our way,
We'll come again some other day.

Gerlon says "meanders in, fiddling with a toy of sorts and smiles to those he knows."
Carshena looks up as Gerlon enters and then giggles "Oh shards, is it that late? Don't you emember we are never supposed to be awake at the same time" and hefts a wine skin at him.
Gerlon chuckles and with a deft hand swipes the skin from the air. "Hello Carshena, and I know we aren't supposed to be awake, but then it isn't MY bed time yet." He winks and makes way to sit next to the green eyed lass.
Gerlon says "how have you been ?"
"Drunk, I think" Carshena answers, then looks to Loren for confirmation since he has seen her drunk before.
Loren nods. "Near that, I'd say." he confirms. Then he gathers up by eye a few other journeymen and whispers the them when they join him. "All right. I have a song. ... It's called 'When a 'prentice is not engaged in his employment.' Care to hear it?"
Raina chuckles as she listens to Loren.
Gerlon says "I see, and how much have you had this fine night?" He takes a long tug at the skin before handing it back. ahh. I needed that."
Carshena blinks t the skin and hands it right back. "Its all yours then" lifting her glass.
Annik grins, "Oh, this one..."

Loren grins and stands in front of all the other journeymen and looking at the apprentices begins:

Gerlon smiles softly, taking a sip again, then placing the skin in his lap, "right then. I shall be righteously drunk should I finish all this. but so be it i suppose."
Loren:
When a 'prentice is not engaged in his employment
Smith Choir:
His employment
Loren:
Or persuing his promotion project plans,
Smith Choir:
Project plans,
Loren:
His capacity for lacivious enjoyment
Smith Choir:
'vious enjoyment
Loren:
Is just as great as any lustful man's.
Smith Choir:
Lustful man's.
Loren:
Our feelings we with difficulty smother
Smith Choir:
'Culty smother
"Hey!" Carshena shouts laughing "Man? Are all apprentices men?" then shuts up giggling.
Loren:
When a smith master's duty's to be done.
Smith Choir:
To be done.
Loren:
Ah, take one consideration with another,
Smith Choir:
With another,
Loren:
An apprentice lot is not a happy one.
Gerlon pokes Carshena softly with a spriteful smile. while quietly, "shhh" he grins and chuckles with the apprentice.
ALL:
Ah, when a smith master's duty's to be done, to be done,
An apprentice lot is not a happy one, happy one.
Loren:
When the enterprising jeweler's not a-jeweling
Smith Choir:
Not a-jeweling
Loren:
When the apprentice isn't occupied in grime,
Smith Choir:
'Pied in grime,
Loren:
He loves to hear the willing girls a-giggling
Smith Choir:
Girls a-giggling
Loren:
And listen to a merry lover's sigh.
Smith Choir:
Lover's sigh.
Loren:
When the appy's finished hammering on his anvil,
Smith Choir:
On his anvil,
Loren:
He loves to lie aside a loved one.
Tanon comes down the hill from the main work hall.
Tanon has arrived.
Tanon, head cocked to one side, slowly comes into view from the main part of the meadow, his hands folded neatly behind his back. His hair is worn loose tonight, moving gently in the breeze, and the blue eyes of the Istan search about, curiously.

Smith Choir:
A loved one.
Loren:
Ah, take one consideration with another,
Smith Choir:
With another,
Loren:
An apprentice lot is not a happy one.
ALL:
Ah, when smith master's duty's to be done, to be done,
An apprentice lot is not a happy one, happy one.
Loren bows and quickly takes a defensive place behind a table as the other journeymen leave. "That's it."
Carshena sticks her fingers to her upper teeth and whistles, then starts clapping her hands. Yes, she has had some wine folks.
Malan laughs and applauds, "Well done."
Annik smiles as she applauds. "It's been a long time since I've heard that."
Loren grins. "Yep... nearly three turns I think." he agrees with Annik.
Lokee claps and smiles.
Tanon hmmms gently to himself, smiling softly, "Singing, are we Loren?"
Lokee clears his throat, and says rather shyly, "I've got one if you want to hear it."
Loren nods to Lokee. "Go ahead, please."
Annik smiles at Lokee. "Of course."
Lokee nods, and clears his throat again. "It's been Turns since I used to sing with my parents."
Lokee sings:

~When Pernese eyes are smiling
~Sure it's like a morning spring.
~In the lilt of Pernese laughter,
~You can hear the dragons sing.
~When Pernese hearts are happy,
~All the world seems bright and gay.
~And when Pernese eyes are smiling,
~Sure, they steal your heart away.

~There's a tear in your eye, and I'm wondering why,
~For it never should be there at all.
~With such power in your smile, sure a stone you'd beguile,
~So there's never a teardrop should fall.
~When your sweet lilting laughter's like some fairy song,
~And your eyes twinkle bright as can be,
~You should laugh all the while and all other times smile,
~And now smile a smile for me.

~When Pernese eyes are smiling
~Sure it's like a morning spring.
~In the lilt of Pernese laughter,
~You can hear the dragons sing.
~When Pernese hearts are happy,
~All the world seems bright and gay.
~And when Pernese eyes are smiling,
~Sure, they steal your heart away.

Lokee smiles shyly, then cuddles with Chimera.
Tanon speaks up some moments after Lokee's song, though softly, "I've... got a song. If anyone would care to sing it?"
Loren chuckles. "You can sing it, Tanon. It's your song."
Annik nods at Tanon. "Sure."
Tanon shakes his head a bit to Loren, "I've got a terrible voice," he answers, so simply, before nodding to Annik. "Let me write it down," offers the Istan, pulling a bit of hide out of a pouch, and some charcoal, which he always carries with him, and begins writing.
---*---
Malan stands and waves to everyone, "Goodnight."
Tanon mutters to Annik, "I'll... a bit... But... really quite..."
Tanon whispers "I'll warn you... it's a bit strange. But it's really quite pretty."
Raina waves "Night everyone, thanks for a great evening"
Loren waves. "G'night Malan, Raina."
Malan offers Raina his arm and heads off toward the buildings.
Annik smiles and waves to Malan and Raina.
Malan heads up the hill towards the Work Hall.
Malan has left.
Raina heads up the hill towards the Work Hall.
Raina has left.
Tanon waves, almost idly, to the couple, continuing his writing.
You sense Tanon hands you the piece of hide, and upon it is the song:
I sang of leaves, of leaves of gold, and leaves of gold there grew.
Of wind I sang, and wind there came, and in the branches blew.
Beyond the Sun, beyond the Moon, the foam was on the Sea,
And by the strand of Ilmarin there grew a Golden Tree.

Beneath the stars of Ever-Eve in Eldamar is shone,
In Eldamar beside the walls of Tirion.
There long the golden leaves have grown upon the branching years,
While here beyond the Sundering Seas now fall the tears of I.

O Lorien! The Winter comes, the bare and leafless Day,
The leaves are falling in the stream, the River flows away.
O Lorien! Too long have I dwelt upon this Hither Shore
And in a fading crown have twined the golden elanor.
But if of ships I now should sing, what ship would come to me,
What ship would bear me back across so very wide a Sea?

Tanon explains, softly, "I must've heard it a million times as a child. It has some made-up places in it.. but I think it's pretty, myself."
Gerlon pick up a now close to empty skin of wine and downs the rest in a long draw. tossing it aside nearby he leans back upon the grass and smiles up at the stars.
Annik smiles, "That's beautiful."
Gerlon stands and heads up the hill towards the dorms.
Gerlon heads up the hill towards the Work Hall.
Gerlon has left.
Tanon smiles, just a bit. He mutters to Annik, "... mother... so." He offers, softly, sitting then on the soft grass.
You sense Tanon smiles, just a bit. "I'll tell my mother you said so." He offers, softly, sitting then on the soft grass.

Annik smiles and starts to sing softly,

When it's campfire time again
When we sing the sun to rest
And it's quiet in the pines
That's the time of day that's best.

Annik continues,

When the water's calm and still
And the moon comes drifting out
When my day is at an end
Then my friends will gather 'round.

Annik sings a little louder,

Singing songs that we know
When the fire's burning soft and low.

Loren sighs and listens to Annik.

When the embers start to fade
When the heavies hit my eyes
And I head back down the trail
Underneath a starry sky

Annik begins to sing softly again,

When I lay down to my rest
And the sandman passes by
Then the songs will come again
From the campfire in the pines.

We were singing the songs that we know
While the fire's burning soft and low.

Tanon listens in silence, sitting back against his hands on the grass.
Loren smiles. "That is a wonderful song, Tanon. And you sing it so well, Annik."

Annik finally nears the end of the song.

When it's campfire time again
When we sing the sun to rest
And it's quiet in the pines
That's the time of day that's best...

Annik grins, "That's /my/ song. I didn't sing Tanon's."
Lokee grins and looks at Loren. "How much of that stout have you had, Loren?"
Loren chuckles "Oh... sorry. It's still the best I've heard... makes me want to get to bed.... even if alone."
Tanon lets slip a small chortle, but he remains otherwise silent, just listening, eyes closed.
Annik smiles, "Here's Tanon's..."

I sang of leaves, of leaves of gold, and leaves of gold there grew.
Of wind I sang, and wind there came, and in the branches blew.
Beyond the Sun, beyond the Moon, the foam was on the Sea,
And by the strand of Ilmarin there grew a Golden Tree.

Beneath the stars of Ever-Eve in Eldamar is shone,
In Eldamar beside the walls of Tirion.
There long the golden leaves have grown upon the branching years,
While here beyond the Sundering Seas now fall the tears of I.

O Lorien! The Winter comes, the bare and leafless Day,
The leaves are falling in the stream, the River flows away.
O Lorien! Too long have I dwelt upon this Hither Shore
And in a fading crown have twined the golden elanor.
But if of ships I now should sing, what ship would come to me,
What ship would bear me back across so very wide a Sea?

Tanon lays back on the grass, looking up at the sky, utterly silent for some moments. "You really do have a very nice singing voice, Annik," he comments, softly.
Annik shrugs, "It's probably the turns and turns that my father spent /trying/ to turn me into a Harper. I'm glad it didn't work, though."
Tanon laughs softly to himself, "Well, it's always good to have extra skills. I bet you could earn some decent marks singing, though, you know."
Annik shakes her head. "No way. I'd rather work at the forge."
Tanon's eyes open, and he blinks a few times, though his eyes don't move. "Do you dislike singing, then?"
Loren nods and covers a yawn. "I'm off. This was fun. Got to do it again." he stands.
Annik nods, "Very much."
Tanon sits up, giving a bit of a wave to Loren. "Sleep well, Loren."
Annik stands as well. "I should be going too. I'm glad this turned out as well as it did."
Loren waves to the others and heads up the hill.
Lokee waves to Loren.
Tanon waves, then, to Annik. "You too, Annik." he offers, softly.
Annik waves to Loren, then to Lokee and Tanon. "Goodnight."
Loren heads up the hill towards the Work Hall.
Loren has left.
Lokee yawns and heads up the hill. "Gotta get Chimera some food before he wakes up and bites me."
Lokee heads up the hill towards the Work Hall.
Lokee has left.
Annik waves and starts up the hill.