'The World of Pern(tm)' and 'The Dragonriders of Pern(r)' are copyright to Anne McCaffrey (c) l967, 2000. This is a recorded online session, by permission of the author but generated on SouCon MUSH for the benefit of people unable to attend.

K'tor comes in, already pulling off tunic and slipping off sandals. Apparently, he's finally been tapped, a rider's knot pinned to the tunic. He goes to a shelf and rummages for a towel.

Auralia only just entered, really. Just before K'tor, actually. She looks up and nods to him, already half undressed and sliding into the water, without a trace of modesty. "Evening, Kat." She grins at the riders knot, laughing, "You too, finaly?" Hers is on the floor, with her clothes, of course.

Nareisa has been here for a while, but may not have been noticed by anyone, since she's sitting in the steamiest end of the large pool, steam practically obscuring her from view.

K'tor nods to Aura, pulling off shorts and following. "Evening. Yeah. I got moonsweep." His tone is decidedly neutral.

A sniffle comes from the direction of that not-quite-visible person. The sort of sniffle that's deliberately being muffled.

Auralia parts her lips in a soft smile, not even commenting on K'tor's neutrality, "Starflame for me." Splashing just a little, she misses Nareisa's sniffle. Almost. She blinks, "What was that?"

K'tor shrugs. "I didn't hear anything." His tone is absent as he slides into one of the larger pools. "How're you liking it so far?"

Nareisa scurries back in the steam, causing it to swirl. Other than that, any sniffling is better muffled.

Auralia returns the shrug, "Alright, never mind then." She sinks lower into the water, the steam causing her hair to stick to her face, and even down her neck as far as it reaches, "Alright, I think. Different from what I expected."

K'tor submerges up to his shoulders, leaning his neck back on the lip of the pool. "Yeah? Me too." He shrugs. "We'll get used to it, I imagine." He pauses as he sees the swirling of the steam and wisely decides to say no more. "So how's Iesath tonight?"

Auralia nods -- although through the scene the action is probably not visable -- and replies, "I guess so, most things are like that." She pauses, and half smiles, "Iesath's...good. Not proddy, at least." That brings a smile to her face, obviously something she is happy to announce.

Auralia adds, "And Albanth?"

Nareisa very slowly and carefully picks up her jacket, cradling it in her arms like a baby, and looks from one rider to another, and then back again. She wipes her cheek, puts on her brave face, and apparently having decided sneaking is ridiculous, she wanders up, attempting a little smile. "Er... hi, bathing are you?" her voice is overly casual. Her jacket is over one arm and other than that, she hasn't seemed to have changed. Well, duh Reis, it's a baths.

K'tor laughs at the 'not proddy' declaration. "He's good. Curled up around Breidith I think. She's got him rather firmly wrapped about her little talon... Oh, evening, Reis."

Auralia chuckles, about to answer, when she hears Nareisa, "Thats what people usually do in the steam baths, Reisa." She grins, nodding to the other girl, "Evening!" Turning back to K'tor long enough to say, "She does? Smart green," She turns back to the other girl, offering, "Join us?"

K'tor's lips quirk faintly at Aura's answer and he nods. "Might as well, Reis. Plenty of room."

Nareisa blushes just slightly. She knew that, really. "Um.." she says, glancing between them uncertainly. "Well," looking around "I guess."

Auralia chuckles, pointing to the pool, "Come on then. Don't be shy." She grins up at the older girl, rubbing her eyes as if the steam is irritating them.

Nareisa hms. "I guess," boy, she can use that phrase twice in a row. "Or maybe I could just sit here on the edge and talk to you."

K'tor sighs faintly. "Whatever you want Reis." He rubs a hand over his face. "So you guys are wingmates. Must be nice. At least you know each other pretty well."

Auralia shrugs, admitting, "You could do that, too, I guess." Nodding to K'tor, she grins, "Yeah. The best wing, of course." grinning back at Nareisa, she adds, "Isn't it?"

Nareisa seems to decide that's enough of an assent to the plan, and sits a little back from the water, draping the jacket over her arm carefully. "Er.. well, yes, Marila's in our wing too. Quite a few of us ended up in Starflame. You got tapped Kat? Er... well, Moonsweep's a pretty good wing." She injects a little more enthusiasm into her voice. "So, er... congratulations. I knew you would be."

K'tor nods, his tone faintly dry, "Well, Albanth's only a bit too big for Starflame, so I guess that's why they put us in Moonsweep." He shrugs a shoulder.

Nareisa sighs a little, and edges a little towards him, a sort of crawl in the sitting position. She leans over when she's close enough and kisses the top of his head. "I think you're special anyway. I know it's not the same but..."

Auralia chuckles, and calls over to K'tor,"Don't worry, we'll still love you even if you aren't in our wing." She giggles at Nareisa's move, and adds, "Yes, we still love you, K'tor."

Nareisa didn't use that l-word. Oh no.

Nareisa is allergic to l-words.

Nariesa mightn't have, but Auralia did.

K'tor, unaccountably, actually flushes a bit. Mm. Well, it could be the steam. Then he responds with his usual gallant tone, "Well, that's extremely comforting, ladies. I shall, as always, endeavor to meet your expectations." He grins then and is unable to resist adding, "While in the baths or out of them."

Auralia snorts, her voice echoing through the room, "Don't start acting like a bronzerider, Kat, or I'll have to start being a greenrider flirt." And by the way she pushes those last words out, that isn't a good thought.

Nareisa, despite the bronzeridering, kisses Kat on the top of the head once again, and says, in the a light tone "And apparently blueriders are supposed to seduce entire wings."

K'tor's tone is light. "There's nothing wrong with a bit of harmless flirting. Shells, by the way some women stamp on it, you'd think it was a crawlie that must be exterminated at all costs."

Auralia shudders under her cool exterier, "Not -mindless- flirting. Can't stand that. And what about bronzers? Are arrogant, egotistical, macho bronzeriders any better? Or, as Nareisa mentioned, blueriding walking seducers."

K'tor blinks a bit. "I am not arrogant."

Auralia laughs, shaking her head madly, "Never said you were! But its the stereotype." She obviously, and visably, gives up, "Never mind, don't worry about it." She's too intense about this subject, obviously.

Nareisa makes a non-commital noise. Fat help she is. "That's what I hear about blueriders anyway..." she says in an absent tone.

K'tor teases Aura gently, "I'd *hope* you'd think I was macho - most men would. Egotistical... well, it comes from not thinking with the right head on occasion." Did he *actually* say that? "You also forgot charming, attentive and devoted to the wooing of sensitive females."

Auralia giggles, and sends a splash of water in K'tor's direction, "Don't play macho on me, Kat. And, " she sends another splash over, "I've yet to meet a man sharming, attentive and devoted to the wooing of sensitive females, so I haven't been able to add it to my list yet."

Nareisa makes another "mmm" noise, mainly watching half-heartedly.

K'tor duscks the splashing, grinning. Then he puts a hand to his chest. "Aura, you wound me. Do tell me what qualities I lack and I'll improve upon them immediately." Grey eyes seem entirely sincere.

Auralia wrinkles her nose at Kat's duck, and laughs, "Pelt him for me, will you Reis?" Then putting on her best simpering face, she flutters her eyelashes - for what gain since its so steaming in the cavern visability is impaired - and replies, "Oh K'tor! Theres nothing you could do to make you better. Nothing!" She drops the facade quickly, once again wrinkling her nose to add, "Thats the kind of greenrider I don't like."

K'tor laughs! Then he waves away the steam in front of his face. "Neither do I. But I was serious." He looks up at Nareisa, and offers, "C'mon, Reis. Do tell me where I can improve. Aura seems determined not to take me seriously. And that could be the problem right there."

Nareisa laughs at Aura. "He's not so bad," she says, between giggles. "When he's not showing off, that is." She sobers a little. "Kat, you know I think you're special. If you want somebody else to think that, you'll have to ask them. Personally, I don't think you should change to suit someone else's expectations." So sayeth Reis.

Auralia giggles, "No, not that bad," she pauses, adding evily, "Yet? Nah, I don't think so." Drawing herself out of the water, she yawns, "I agree fullheartedly, Reis. Not the first bit - sorry Kat, you're just Kat to me, nothing more - but that you shouldn't change to suit anyone else." Wrapping a fluffy towel around herself, she adds, "And I'm for bed, night all and thank you for an...interesting chat."

K'tor watches Aura go. "Evening, Aura. Sleep well."

Nareisa smiles a little at Auralia. "See you in the morning."

Auralia waves behind her as she heads out, having tossed her clothes over her body, the towel wrapped around her hair, "Of course...darn sweeps."

You walk toward the Salt Caves.