You walk toward White Sands Beach.

Leonette brightens and says, "I know something better! Maybe it's girlfriend or something got sick and a healer tried to take care of it but she died, and now he's so sad and he wants consollation" and she finishes with a dreamy look at the shipfish. There. That oughta get some strange looks.

Kayjay hmms. "Well, don't forget to spell yourselves off. Not good getting overly tired, you won't do the poor thing any good and you will make yourself ill."

Auralia wanders in, wincing slightly at the heat of the sand under her bare feet, and then wanders towards the candidates and Kayjay, hopping up and down in rapid cheerfulness. Or something. "What's up?"

Aithne complies by giving Leo a very strange look, 'Why would he come to strangers?'

Tolas chuckles, not noticing the new arrival, "Dreaming again Leo?"

Leonette shrugs, "I don' know. WHy don't you ask him" she says gesturing the shipfish. "Maybe none of t he other shipfish liked him, so he wanted some new friends," and then she grins at Tolas, "Story-weaving" she answers

Kayjay nods to Auralia. "A shipfish has beached itself on the shore. We aren't sure what the matter is, but the candidates have been ordered to keep it wet and are going to take shifts doing so..until we can figure out what to do."

Aithne is in the water with a group of Candidates surrounding a beached shipfish that occassionally whistles softly. Each whistle is answered by a chorus of chrrs and whistles from across the water. The candidates are pouring buckets of water over the shipfish and he seems to be wearing a shawl.

Stella rolls her eyes at Leo, and just continues pouring water over the shipfish.

Auralia's eyes fall on Kayjay, her brows raising as she listens to what the brownrider has to say. "Oh. Lucky candidates." Right, something like that. She casts her eyes towards the shipfish, and the canidates, nodding thoughtfuly. "Carry on. I'll watch." Watch you work really, really hard.

Alianne is sitting by said shipfish, keeping it's sides wet with teh water around it. Naturally, she looks to be getting tired, as she's been here for most of the entire time, but she doesn't look to be stopping anytime soon. Curious looks are sent between riders, candidates, and the creature subject to her minstrations, but her hunter gaze never stays focused on one spot for long.

Leonette pouts, and continues to water the shipfish, ignoring everyone and everything except for Kayjay, whom she gives a wave before returning to work.

Kayjay hmms. "There are 60 of you candidates, so don'tt over do it, any of you, you can all take short two hour shifts, then rest." She sits on a rock nearby, just gazing at the creature. "I have never seen a shipfish up close for so long. Too bad it is under such circumstances."

Auralia shoves her hands precariously into her pockets, wrinkling her nose at the shipfish. "Yeah, you've got all your other chores to do as well." Watch Auralia. Watch Auralia insert herself into leadership. Ah well. She moves towards the water, delicately paddling her toes.

Alianne chuckles a bit, looking away from the mishappen creature to regard Kayjay. "Sixty of us, are there?" She actually seems surprised. "Well, this is the first time I've ever seen one." A rather fond look is sent back to the beached shipfish. "And you're right; too bad it's under these circumstances." Guess that means Ali's going to have to do all she can to change that.

Aithne nods to Kayjay,'I won't overdo it.' No promise though..."I just want to make sure he is okay.'

Stella sighs, and rises. "I wish I could keep working, but my shoulders are a mass of knots. Sorry." she says to the group of candidates around the shipfish. Then she moves to sit on the beach, out of the water, but still close.

Aithne smiles, 'Sleep well Stella.'

Kayjay nods slowly, looking at Aithne. "You are still on double shifts, don't forget..."

Aithne nods her head quickly. "I know....and no, I won't count this as part of it." SHe adds quickly.

Leonette waves at Stella, "Bye!" but then gets back to watering the poor shipfish.

Tolas waves to Stella, and continues pouring, running his hand over the shipfish occasionally.

Alianne mms and nods after Stella. "Like Kayjay said, there're plenty to take over. And, you'll need your shoulders for chores." Wink.

Stella blinks as the byes and sleep wells are offered. "Um, I'm not going anywhere..."

Auralia smirks. "I think they're trying to get rid of you, Stella." She swishes her foot around in the water, while her hands dig deeper.

Kayjay hrrms. "I like her.. she doesn't get in trouble, or at least, not trouble that I hear ab out at leAST."

Stella blinks at Kayjay. "Who doesn't get into trouble, Kayjay?" she asks.

Alianne blinks a bit, shaking her head. Well, at least she didn't say bye. Shipfish minstrations, of sorts, anyhow, are returned to, and the candidate starts sweeping more water onto the creature's back. "I do hope you'll be okay.." she murmurs, aimed at the shipfish.

"I don't," Tolas quips up, wondering what they would say to that.

Auralia's glance moves back to Kayjay, brows raising again, but she says nothing. But her smile tells it all. Smirk.

Leonette looks confusedly at Stella, "I thought you said you were leaving?" but she shrugs and goes back to watering the shipfish and patting it from time to time.

Kayjay points back to Stella. "You.. I think?"

Alianne isn't even going to offer a comment on that train of conversation. It could prove deadly, for sure. Head is tilted to the side, and the large eyes of the shipfish are the next focus.

Stella smiles, blushing. "No, I don't. Well, only with the Healers, but that happened a long time ago." Then, to Leo. "I only said that I couldn't keep pouring water, not that I was leaving." she explain.

Leonette shrugs, "Okay..." but looking confused, "Sorry, I guess I'm just a little tired" but she doesn't stop pouring water.

Aithne ohhs! "I am sorry...I just got confused.." Tired minds do that.

Stella chuckles. "No worries, you guys." She grins. "We're all a bit tired, I think."

Are you sure tired minds do that? Alianne usually tends to act drunk whenver she gets tired. Ask Kayjay or C'ley. With a detatched attention to the conversation behind her, Alianne continues to dump water on the shipfish, rubbing the beached animal's side every once in a while.

Tolas stops pouring and looks at the shipfish, "You know, why don't we rig something to keep it from moving, and put it deeper in the sea, that way there won't be so much to keep wet."

Kayjay grins. "Well, get your rest then.. I am .. Excuse me?

Kayjay walks toward the Coastal Path.

Leonette shrugs, and tells Tolas, "Baelen said not to move it" and waves at Kayjay.

Auralia watches Kayjay walk off, grin broadening. Torture? Not Auralia! Well, maybe just a little. She steps closer to the candidates, eyeing them curiously. "Is Baelen the final word in -everything-?"

Alianne is more likely than anyone to reply affirmative to that question; if she did have anything to reply with in the first place. She's remaining silent on this one. All the more safer in the later?

Stella blinks up at Auralia. "If you don't want him to be grumpy, he is."

Leonette nods firmly, "Yes...and if yall try to move it, I'm not having any part of it!" and with that she wades up to the beach saying, "I need to rest a moment, my backs hurting." and she plops down.

Auralia steps back slightly, at this response, and sighs, "If you really think so, I suppose I can't help you. I have no use for you." The greenrider turns, wades further into the water, and dives under. Huh.

Alianne still doesn't say anything, but that omnipresent eyebrow shoots up at the greenrider's half-departure. Because of her detactchment in her current task, she seems to be lasting longer than any of the other candidates. Strange, that.

Aithne nods in agreement, "We don't know if we would be hurting it more or not...The Dolphin seems happy where it is.'

Tolas looks at his fellow candidates, "Uhh, who is /that/?"

Stella looks curiously at the greenrider. Then sticks her tongue out, very mature-like, when she disappears underwater. "Baelen must not've been /her/ head canididate coordinator..." she mumbles under her breath.

Leonette blinks at Tolas, "Who is who?"

Tolas nods under the water, "Who is that rider?"

Alianne chuckles a bit. "Auralia." It speaks!

Auralia saw that, Stella! Well, maybe not. At any rate, she comes out of the water, spluttering, just as Tolas' question is answered. Someone didn't take a breath when they went under. Ooooh, good show to make for the poor candidates.

Aithne glances after Auralia...waiting for her to reemerge. While she does so she keeps watering the shipfish.

Stella snickers, but keeps her eyes innocently on the shipfish.

Alianne frowns a bit at the sputtering greenrider, but goes commentless once again. What, is that a hint of amusement peeking from under that mask? Could be.

Tolas sighs at stretches his arms to the sky, until several joints pop. "Man, talk about a tedious job..."

Auralia re-emerges, scowling, and spluttering. Slowly, she wades inwards a fair bit, her nose in the air. One foot kicks water towards the shipfish. The other, once that first foot goes down, kicks water towards candidates. Aim isn't good, but it might succeed in getting them soaked. Maybe.

Considering that Alianne is sitting right beside the shipfish, and the second kick of water was more astray than on target, Alianne could've gotten soaked by both or one. In either case, water is header her way. Instead of catching the full blow, she ducks quickly under the water, reemerging quick enough to have missed the wave and to send her own back. Whoops. Reflexes, honest.

Aithne is already soaked..but she looks in confusion at the rider. "Do you know anything about shipfishes?'

Stella snickers again, happily out of the range of any splashes. Her eyes are twinkling, but she says not a word, nor does she make any other indication that it's Auralia who amuses her so.

Auralia's nose just goes in the air further. Bother. What a day she's having. At least Alianne got wet. She stomps back out, diving under again. Someone needs to think a bit, it seems.

Leonette waves her hand by her head in a sign of "loco" while Auralia's underwater and then giggles.

Auralia isn't loco! She's just...a good example of how being a greenrider is a very scary thing? Yeah. Something like that. She emerges again, this time not spluttering, and proceeds in swimming a few lengths with exagerated strokes. Show off.

Tolas smiles evily, "Maybe the lake beast should make an appearance," he suggests, indicating the green rider.

Leonette blinks at Auralia, then bursts into laughter. For some strange reason, she alsays thought that show-offs were funny...she's wierd that way.

Stella falls into a fit of giggles, rolling over onto her side.

Alianne got wet.. But lets not mention the fact that she is sitting in the water. A grin is flashed after the greenrider-- candidate trusting no permanent harm was done-- and a chuckle emitted at Leo's comment. Whatever it means. That eyebrow goes aloft again as Ali shifts attention back to the must-be-attention-seeking greenrider.

Lake Beast? EEEKKKKK! But Auralia don't know about it, so it can't hurt her. Swim, swim, swim.

Aithne looks skyward for a moment as she rolls her shoulders back, then goes back to her work. "Bet she has never seen one before. /either/"

Leonette calls out to Auralia, "Hey Auralia! You know I saw a Lake Beast earilier! ANd it was big! With /big/ teeth!"

Stella rises, giggles subsided, and walks over to Tolas, leaning down to say something in his ear. She mutters to Tolas, "Maybe a... should... to play..."

Auralia's head shoots up. And her arms get all tangled in the water. What a sight. "Lake Beast?" She calls, and then shakes her head, diving under. As if.

Alianne hides a giggle under the struggling greenrider, but she soon sombers her expression to neutrality, pretending to be involved in helping the shipfish. Which she sort of is.

Tolas simply smiles and nods indicating agreement, his head already starting to think and plan.

Leonette calls out to Auralia, "It was /two/ dragonlengths long and three high!"

Stella grins at Tolas. Seems Kayjay might've been wrong about her, after all.

Alianne hides a giggle under her hand, spurred by the struggling greenrider, but she soon sombers her expression to neutrality, pretending to be involved in helping the shipfish. Which she sort of is.

Auralia's head bobs up again. Fingers wipe hair back from her face, and she shrugs. "That's nice. But...We're not at the lake. This is the ocean?" Nice try.

Tolas beams evilly, "If something that big exists in a lake, imagine how much bigger one of its kind would be in the ocean...."

Leonette shakes her head gravely, "I saw it...just about right there where your swimming, and it almost /ate/ Aithne...didn't it Stella?" she says with a serious look.

Aithne manages not to snicker..well at least not let anyone /see/ her snicker.

Stella looks over at Leonette and nods seriously. "Yes. I saw it too." she says, loud enough for the greenrider to hear. Her? Be evil? Nah!

"Did you? That's nice." So says Auralia, who doesn't -seem- to be worried about it. Much. Even so, she comes in closer, stepping daintily on the sand.

Leonette calls to Aithne, "A shipfish saved ya didn't it Aith? That's why it's sittin' up there!"

Alianne isn't worried about it. She's being blisfully held in ignorance. Ah, the way to do chores.

Aithne blinks then chuckles, "No...not that I remember.'

Stella nods to Auralia, getting into the story. Her face is completely serious, not even a twinkle in her eye to give her away. "I think Leo may even have downsized it. After all, we only really saw the top of it's head. Really." She looks at Leo, as if for confirmation of this statement.

Leonette gives Aithne a /look/ and says, "Oh dear! of /course/ you remember! It almost /ate/ you!"

Leonette nodnods at Stella, "Yeah!"

Auralia simply shrugs, and sits down on the sand, rubbing sand from her toes. Which is pretty silly, since her feet are wet. But hey. "Whatever. I don't care."

Leonette suddenly springs up, looking serious, "You didn't hit your head did you Aithne, that could be serious! Believe me I know!" she says with just a hint of a grin.

Aithne laughs softly,'This is as close as I have ever gotten to one before.'

Stella, disappointed at Auralia's lack of reaction, shakes her head slightly at Leo, and if to say, 'Give it up, it's not working.'

Leonette blinks at that, and shrugs, not saying anything, but grinning, "I think I'll go for a swim," she says, and with that she runs into the water.

Dark moving shapes are barely visible in the distance...their soft whistles echoing through the night sky.

"Be careful, Leo!" calls Auralia, laughing.

In the water, a loud swishing sound begins, and a great tail raises out of the water long enough to _snap_ at it.

Leonette laughs, as she plays in the water, "Don't worry! I will!" then with an evil grin, "You could join me if you-" and then she jumps at the great tail and snap and all...looking to find out what made that queer noise.

The tail _snap_s again. Louder, this time.

It's getting closer, too.

Alianne stands up in the water, quirking an eyebrow out in the distance. Calling one of the watching candidates over to take her place at the shipfish's side, Alianne shakes her head, muttering things about the 'sea monster' and 'pranks' and other unintelligable remarks, walking off in the general direction of the weyr without so much as a farewell.

Alianne walks toward the Coastal Path.

Auralia watches, bemused. Unbothered, too.

Leonette shrugs, snapping tails...there's no such thing as a lake monster...but she looks around uneasily...there are /other/ monsters...

*splash* *splash* That would be the sound that the water makes as Aith pours it over the dolphin.

<Southern Weyr> Stella snugs Alianne. Night!

Other monsters, yes. The tail moves again, and slowly snakes around, closer to the shore.

Stella yawns slightly, and wades out of the water to sit on the shore. She's intrigued by the tail, though, so she doesn't head off quite yet.

Leonette stays in the water...being the stupid person she is...and watches the tail. Interesting thing, it is.

Auralia jumps up. Her face is a picture of...Well, maybe faked concern. "Move back! This could be dangerous. All of you."

Aithne idly watches the tail....she stays in the water because that is where the shipfish is. No sense trying to keep the sand wet.

Leonette rolls her eyes at Auralia, "Yeah, sure." She caught the 'fake' part of the concern.

Auralia steps forward, then. Time for some definitive action. "No, really. If you're eaten, then I

You say "I'll be blamed. And you wouldn't want that, would you?" The greenrider steps forward again, nose in the air. "Back up, all of you."

Stella just quirks an eyebrow at Auralia. She's safe on the beach already. But she also doesn't think it's much to bother about, though she does call, "Leo, you might want to get out of the water. We wouldn't want you getting you hurt so you couldn't Stand." There, that should get her out of the water.

Leonette blinks at everyone, "I don't see the big deal, Auralia's just being her silly self," and with that she dives under, swimming underwater.

"I can't" Aith explains...."need to keep the shipfish fron drying out." He dries out, Baelen goes on the rampage, simple as that.

Auralia? Silly? Dream on! She hmphs.

Stella lifts her shoulders in a shrug, shaking her head at Leo. She mutters something under her breath.

The tail swishes about, moving right towards Leonette's legs. Very close indeed, in fact. Too close?

Leonette comes up gasping and looking around the water uneasily, but seeing nothing, she shrugs, and goes underwater again, swimming out to where she can just barely touch the bottom, and treading water for a moment.

Stella watches Leo idly, then, with another shrug, she lays back on the sand and looks up at the sky.

The tail moves closer. You can almost hear the tense, scary music.

Tense, scary, music? Ha! Leo doesn't see any tail! she just keeps right on swimming and playing around in the water.

Fine then. The tail snaps. Does it land on Leo's head? Does it curl about her? Does it? Does it?

Stella rolls over on her side, too tired now to really care about what's going on. She pillows her head on her arm.

Aithne keeps an eye out on Leo as she works steadily..you have admit that watering a shipfish is rather tedious work.

Leonette looks at the slapping tail, and after a moments delay, she starts backpedaling away from it, her mouth working soundlessly. It just landed right /beside/ her head! An inch from hitting her! Unfortunately, she backpedals in the /wrong/ direction, and ends up headed away form shore, with the tail right in front of her.

And the tail snakes closer. And closer. And closer. And it flicks about, spraying water. Scary.

Auralia blinks. And blinks again. "Leo! Look out! Go the other way!"

Stella of course, doesn't see or hear any of this. She's fast asleep, curled up in the sand.

Aithne acks as she prepares to dive after the candidate.."Swim /this/ way!" She shouts.

Leonette finally lets out an extremely loud scream, as only she can, and continues to try to swim away from the tail...which just happens to be getting closer and leading her farther out. She doesn't seem to be able to hear anyone else who's yelling from the beach.

Fine then. The tail begins to wrap around Leo. Well, it might be. She could always get free, but will she?

Stella starts awake at Leonette's scream, and sits up quickly. "Shards! What's going on?"

Leonette screams at that....again...still just a scream, but suddenly it's cut off...she's slipped underwater! Just to come up gasping and choking, before letting out another loud scream.

Auralia yelps. And dashes for the water. Running through waves, running through water. Typical lifesaver. Show off, too. "Stop that! Stop that!"

And the tail keeps wrapping, although more reaching now. Lifebelt, perhaps?

Leonette tries to swim away from that stupid tail, but it's getting to be impossible now. And guess what she says before she's dragged into the water once again? "T'rrin!" she cries! Ooooh, this is getting interesting!

T'rrin? Auralia stares. And keeps running. "Stop that!" But who -- or what -- is she calling too? "T'rrin?"

That tail. Well, you simply can't get rid of it. It keeps curling.

Stella blinks in utter confusion out at Leo, not even moving. What on Pern?

A tail on Pern, of course.

Eep! That tail! It's certaily curling around her alright, and now there's no way on Pern she's gonna get away. But what does this mysterious tail belong to? Hmmmm...

Aithne peers over at Leo.."T'rrin? Where?'

Auralia just figured it out. Watch Auralia dive. Watch Auralia dive on top of tail, and wrestle it away. Hero. That's her. Watch one, large, green head appear from the water. IESATH? "Bad, bad girl." That'd be Iesath. "Now what's this about T'rrin?" Oh, and the tail moves away. Dejected. Lonely. Unwanted. Yelled at.

Leonette sputters and tries to swim away...she hasn't quite realized who the tail belonged to...she's just realized she's free, but she doesn't have much energy right now, and down she goes! Sputtering up out of the water, and then sinking again.

Auralia eyes Leo. And eyes Iesath. And pulls herself off that tail. "'Sath?" The green croons, and her tail is lowered into the water. Just near enough for Leo to grab onto it, if she so chooses. Otherwise...Auralia pulls up her sleeves, treading water, and watching.

Leonette closes her eyes and grabs...not even realizing it's the same tail that just nearly drowned her. Her grip is weak, but she has enough strength to hold on.

Aithne swallows and forgets to scoop water over the shipfish as she sees that Leo has disappeared.

Iesath croons again, and swivels her tail, so that it swings around, Leo connected, towards the shore. Wheeeee! Auralia wades in, following the tail and it's contents.

Stella looks very worried as Leo disappears, but she is completely unable to move from her spot.

Aithne is nudged by a candidate and she soon back to work.

Leonette grips with all her might, but *SPLASH* into the shallow water...very shallow water...and she slowly...slowly...stands...and slowly...slowly...walks over to the beach, where she proceeds to collapse into coughing and sneezing, and generally getting the water out of her lungs.

"Oh brother," comments Auralia, drily, as she follows Leonette in. "Let's all ooh and ahh and call a healer. Buck up, candidate."

Leonette glares at Auralia, and manages to croak, "Shut up" before coughing some more.

Auralia cross her wet arms, glancing back at Iesath with a mild grin. "Anyone know respiration stuff?"

Aithne shakes her head,'No...But I think she will be okay...once she gets her breath back'

Stella shoots a totally disgusted look at Auralia, then finally manages to get moving. She heads over to Leo and sits beside her. "Bend over, Leo. Keep your head down so you get the water out."

Auralia is evidently in everyones bad books now. Well, hmph.

Aithne's bad book is currently empty...have to try harder.

Auralia phews. Or something. No, she just stands there, standing tall. With a green tail curling around her feet.

Leonette does what Stella said, and finally finishes coughing and then glares at Auralia, and says, gritting her teeth, "Your dragon almost /drowned/ me" she says glaring some more. yep, she's only stupid sometimes..."That stupid green tryed to kill me!" the pitch of her voice raising with each word.

Stella looks sternly at Leo. "Enough, Leo." she says, mimicking a stern Kayjay perfectly.

"Leonette" Aithne begins..."Didn't Auralia try to tell you not to go out there?'

"You swam in to her. If you'd been in danger, she would have stopped. She has more sense than that, and if you're saying that she hasn't, then you're insulting her. Which means you're insulting me." Auralia crosses her arms. "And Aithne's right."

The shipfish seems to have fallen asleep...its whistles sounding almost automatic now.

Leonette gets up and glares at everyone, walking over to sulk under a tree. "Water is a dangerous thing..." she mutters to herself.

Auralia watches Leo walk, shrugs, and scritches Iesath lightly.

Stella frowns at Leo, then at Auralia, then back at Leo. With a heavy sigh, she throws up her hands. "Forget it. I'm going to bed. Someone can wake me up if I'm needed for the shipfish." she says to the group of gathered candidates before walking off.

Auralia waves idly at Stella, turning her back on the ground. So there.

Leonette watches Stella leave, but doesn't say anything. She's a /mad/ little candidate.

Aithne waves, 'Night Stella!'

Stella strides over to the Coastal Path.

Auralia isn't mad. She's annoyed. Because some candidates are very, very childish. She and Iesath, instead, sit together, and snuggle. Sickening, really.

Leonette /is/ mad...and /not/ childish. She practically coughed up the lake cause of that! And she still coughs from time to time.

Oh, cough, cough. Go on. Auralia isn't listening. She's got Iesath to listen to.

A group of candidates come trouping in...dispatched by Baelen no doubt to take over the care of the shipfish. Aith pads to the beach with a heavy sigh of relief. "You are okay,Leo...I know Iesath didn't mean you any harm."

Leonette sighs at Aithne, "Perhaps not," and she glares at Auralia, "But I wouldn't be too sure that her rider didn't"

"Me?" Auralia squeeks, looking horrified. "I wouldn't hurt you. I wouldn't hurt any of you. -I- didn't do anything. I didn't even know Iesath was going to do it, until she did."

"Who went diving in the minute you dropped out of sight?" Aith asks before asnwering her own question. "She reacted faster than anyone."

Auralia's a hero! Or something.

Leonette rolls her eyes, "Okay okay...whatever" and stands up, ignoring Auralia now, "I'm going to bed," and with that she shuffles on over toward the Barracks.

Auralia throws up her hands in disgust. "Fine. Be that way." She's got Iesath, that's all that matters.

Aithne shrugs before calling after "Night! Sleep Well"

Leonette grumbles as she heads into the darkness.

Leonette walks toward the Coastal Path.

Aithne pauses for a moment to consider the rider, "I think I had better head to bed too...yet another day of double duties." She sighs.

Auralia half-smirks. But not quite. "I won't ask how you landed that. No, go on, and get some sleep."

Aithne snickers softly.."It was worth it....really." With that she slips off.

Aithne strides over to the Coastal Path.