All references to worlds and characters based on Anne McCaffrey's fiction are copyright © Anne McCaffrey 1967,2000, all rights reserved, and used by permission of the author. The Dragonriders of Pern(r) is registered U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, by Anne McCaffrey, used here with permission. Use or reproduction without a license is strictly prohibited. For more information, visit the Worlds of Anne McCaffrey.

27-04-01: This is what we do
Weyrlingmaster S'va lectures the weyrlings on their new life; later, some of those weyrlings sit and talk.

S'va heads northwest, to the weyrling's area and barracks.

Quietly standing at the place within the Barracks that he always does, when he wishes to give a lecture, S'va leans back against the wall there, in a familliar manner; arms crossed over his chest, an unreadable look upon his face. He's probably in a bad mood. Then again, has any Weyrling ever seen him smile properly, since the job started? Good question. Of course, he's been seen to be kidding around, outside of duty....but never with one of those under his charge. Hmmph. Who'd have thought a lackluster like S'va would be so disciplined? Either way, he doesn't do anything more than nod, as he waits for the Weyrlings within the group he's going to lecture to, to arrive.

Llysereth is faster than Lyddie, and she's not really being lectured--she settles herself away from the group, as out of the way as is possible for one her size, even at this youthful age, while Lyddie takes some time further, eventually, covering a yawn with one hand, and buttoning her shirt with the other, moving towards assembling in the group in front of S'va. If he's in a bad mood, she'll just remain expressionless--or is that just tiredness?

J'ey chivvies Tiregeth along "Come on, you don't want me to get in trouble do you?" He swallows deeply so his adam's apple bobs about as he tries to find a place to settle to listen to the lecture. Tiregeth settles down and J'ey salutes S'va "Where do you want me Weyrlingmaster?" He says, hopefully correctly and he waits.

Lileu noticed the Weyrlingmaster as soon as he came into the barracks -- she's getting good at that, and decides to just sit there, on her couch, beside a sleeping Lyrinth, and watch him, for a while, head tilted. But then, as the other weyrlings begin to assemble, she bites her lip and hops down, breezing over and taking a seat, near the back. Lyrinth's crystaline eyeridges move as she unlids her eyes, and wakes up, head shimmering as she lifts it regally, and takes in her surroundings.

S'va nods to J'ey as the young fellow salutes, not really returning it. Only the nod. Lileu is noted, across half of the Barracks, and he raises his voice, towards her. "Weyrling Lileu!" He states. "If I am not mistaken, you are ment to be in this group? Lyrinth may sleep if she wishes. This is intended for you, not her, this lecture. Furthermore, after the lecture is done, you are to fall out of rank, and come and see me." He speaks this rather gruffly. Hrm. Whatever could he want with her? To J'ey, he gestures towards the ground. "Pull up a piece of floor." He states. "Any bit of the floor you want." Lydiere is noticed, and S'va begins watching Llysereth with a practiced eye. "Growing fast." He states, to nobody in particular, as he waits for everyone to take a seat.

J'ey nods and takes a seat on the floor, leaning up against Tiregeth, or more like she snuggles into him, curling her body so that she almost surrounds him "Tiregeth!" J'ey hisses under his voice "You are getting too big for this, others have to sit here you know?!" He shakes his head and scowls slightly and then brushes a hand along Tiregeth's muzzle and shakes his head but the scowl gone and he looks up expectantly at S'va to hear the lecture.

"Yes," agrees Lyddie, who can't help but say so, regardless of whether the statement was made towards her or not. She shifts onto the floor, mumbling something beneath her breath as she does so; something about not being young enough for this--poor, old, Lyddie. Rather than exchange comments with her fellow weyrlings, she goes silent, hands folded within her lap, lips pressed together.

Lileu blinks big brown eyes, startled at the Weyrlingmaster's tone of voice. Her cheeks are suddenly much pinker. "Um, sorry. Yes, sir." She says in a shocked, shy manner, attempting to hide behind the taller weyrling seated in front of her, but peeking out over his shoulder, to watch the lesson.

S'va gives Lileu a strange look, one that's not quite hostile, nor not quite friendly either, his eyes strangely narrowed. He grunts. "Now, I'm sure that one of the assistant Weyrlingmasters already gave you this talk, but, I'm going to give it to you again. They're two months old, so, we'll hope that you've learned how to do all of this properly, but it never hurts to make a repeat. Weyrling minds are like spongues, they tend to forget important things.." He shrugs, and lifts a foot to rest it on the rung of a chair, nearby. "Any of you having trouble sorting out your own feelings from your lifemate's, still? Or is it getting a little easier to tell, for example, your hunger from their own?"

Lydiere's posture straightens, her face remaining impassive--except with a hint of annoyance crossing by her lips. "I beg to mention that your analogy is perhaps a stereotype; I don't believe many of us are having problems with memory loss." So there? She twines her fingers between each other, shifting her seat again as she attempts to get at least partially comfortable. "No problems, Sir."

J'ey laces his hands together and glances at Tiregeth and he shakes his head "No not really, she just talks alot so I suppose I can tell now." He pauses and he considers the question a bit more and shakes his head "No I can tell, it has a different feeling to it when she is hungry."

Lileu doesn't answer, she's too busy hiding and watching and listening.

Now, what's this about loss of memory? M'kan, for once, isn't one of those folks -- nope nope. However, he's certainly not one to be short on ... er... attention. Of course he doesn't have attention deficite, that's absolutely perpostrous -- or is it? Well anyhow, he just is pretty quiet for the time being, listening or maybe pondering on when he's going to have to cut up the meat again. After all, that is soooooooooo MUCH fun. Gushing blood, dripping juices.. yumyum.

S'va snaps his fingers at Lydiere. "Quiet, if you would, unless you have a constructive comment to add to the discussion, Lydiere?" He grunts. "If you think I have no basis for saying what I say, you will find yourself rather wrong. Most new Weyrlings have a particularialy hard time, at first, soaking up new memories, due to the preoccupation with their lifemates, and the new situation that they find themselves in." He nods, at J'ey. "Good." He states. "That's another fairly common problem. I myself fell prey to that one. I kept feeding Vsonath, and neglected myself, for quite some time." He considers. "Have you had any difficulty in keeping them oiled? As you know, they ought to be bathed, and oiled daily, before their late meal.."

Lydiere shuts her mouth, although her scowl indicates that it's done so without acceptance. Eyes graze the floor, focusing on their as she twines her fingers through, and through--snicker snack? "Oiling, fine." There's too much of it, but it's fine. She remains quiet, as if attempting to avoid further confrontation.

Of /COURSE/ M'kan's been keeping his dragon bathed oiled and .. fed. Just not in that order, necessarily. Figure, neh? As he allows his attention to drift between S'va, his brown and the others, the lad stops instantly the moment he /hears/ about neglecting -- and from the Weyrlingmaster, he stops. However he mms under his breath. Well, there goes the thought that the 'elder' riders are perfect. Well, they had all been weyrlings -- just a LONG time ago. He glances at Lydiere, grinning more to himself than anything -- something about her is so amusing.

J'ey shakes his head "Oiling would go much better if Tiregeth would not try and get the oil all over my clothes, she is trying to ruin them I think." He shakes his head "I could not neglect her oiling because when she gets itchy she gets very very.." He trails off "Well you do Tiregeth" He wrinkles his nose and looks up at S'va "Is there a way I can get her to stop putting her head in my lap, it is getting a bit too big and large and heavy for it now but she insists on doing it after she has been oiled?"

Lileu stays carefully quiet, as before. She keeps Lyrinth nice and oiled and washed and groomed... more than neccessary, and in excess. It appears this vain trait from her dragon has reflected upon Lileu, as she's been taking extra care with her hair lately, and has even been seen wearing some form of red coloring on her lips.

S'va smirks quietly, at J'ey. "Probably not, if she really wants to." He says. "Although, you could explain to her, once it's getting heavy enough to cause real discomfort, how much it bothers you. She'll sense your discomfort, and should back off, a little." He grins, a rare expression. "And about the oil on your clothes? Get used to it. You'll probably be putting up with it for the rest of your life." He shrugs. "That's why you'll see me oiling Vsonath without a shirt, most of the time. The stuff's the very evil, for getting out of the material that clothes are made out of." Thoughtfully, he considers. "Really, if you've all been shown how to do it, unless you have specific questions, the only thing that I can say to be extremely careful about, is keeping your oil free of grit. Now, that may sound rather stupid, but...if you have sand, or the like in it, oil's a thick liquid, and you might drag that grit up with your paddle, and end up working it straight into your lifemate's skin. It's not so bad, once their skin has hardened somewhat, but at the moment, with it being so soft, you have to be VERY careful with it."

Lydiere is amusing, is she? She, thankfully, hasn't noticed M'kan's grin towards her--noticing would not be good for his health, or hers. The former (still?) seacrafter holds her face in its near scowl, watching S'va. She simply nods, muttering something beneath her breath, to which Llysereth, head raising from her forelimbs, upon which she had it draped, warbles softly--delicate soprano touched with concern. "Oh, do shut up," she murmurs.

And then there is a moment to pause. He's lucky, definitely and hasn't gotten the goo on his shirt -- as of yet. Not unless Xaeloth's interested in putting some on /there/. Which is rare. The lad then blinks a few times and hmms. "Not too hard, I hope?" He mumbles more to himself than anyone. Besides, he doesn't want to be touching rock hard hide. However, he's only lightening things up -- smart boy knows that's not true. Comes with being son of riders. .. and one to hang round the other 'lings. As he leans against his thrumming brown, he turns about and rubs along the neck -- inducing a rich throaty croon of delight.

J'ey wrinkles his nose, he will just keep oiling in his clothes then, he is not going to start oiling without a shirt on and he shrugs "Oh well maybe I will just have to remember to wear the same outfit when oiling." He wrinkles his nose as he thinks of the outfits spoiled and he nods as he listens to S'va's advice, listening quietly.

S'va tilts his head towards Lydiere, face softening slightly. "Lass." He says, quietly. "You really shouldn't respond to her like that.." he says, quietly. "It might confuse her, at her age.." He says, quietly. "Afterall, she loves you with absolutely no strings attached. Nothing that could ever happen could possibly make her stop loving you, and she just wants to try and help you. Just keep that in mind." He tilts his head at M'kan. "You know what Vsonath's hide feels like.." He says, quietly, glancing towards Xaeloth for a moment. "Which also reminds me. I want you folks to start talking him for walks, around the Weyrling area, but no further...you still aern't allowed into the main bowl of the Weyr, or any other place beyond the beach to bathe them, yet, without permission from R'mar or myself. A candlemark of walking every day. It'll build their endurance in preparation for the exercize, that they'll start next month." He crosses his arms, and quietly reaches behind him, holding up a full sack of firestone. "I'm sure you all recognize this?" He asks, quietly.

Lydiere's cheeks take on a pale flush, and her gaze goes steely towards the wall rather than face S'va, or any of the other weyrlings. "She has far too much of a tendancy to want to help." Empathy gone out of control. Her face lightens slightly at the mention of walking--escaping from the barracks is certainly looking to be a good prospect, for Llys as much as Lyddie. "Firestone," she murmurs, "Although we don't really have so much use for it these days, do we?"

J'ey glances at Lydiere, glad she answered the question and looks back at the sack, now he knows what firestone is, well at least a sack of it. He nods and feels Tiregeth's hide gently, to feel if it is any harder, not quite sure what M'kan was talking about "Walking?" he says curiously.

The eyes, the blue eyes regard the sack. The rest of the words are but lost and he ends up silently groaning. No, nothing but that. He just looks ready to fall. M'kan, as you know, hates firestone tossing. Yes, he's been there.. just the backup.. for practice. How utterly time consuming. However, he nods but once, "Yes, sir." He strives not to sound too dull, but heck, it's BORING. For once he agrees with Lydiere's inquiry, but doesn't dare add to it -- no way, folks. This lad isn't stupid, he has his head twisted on right. And then the other things come into thought -- oh yeah, walking around, sure. What exercises for next month? He ponders this and then ohs. Well, he's already started on the walking.. sorta, anyhow.

Lileu straightens up a little, to see. "Firestone?" She breaths, chin lifting and neck arching. "So that's what it looks like. Er... in a bag."

S'va tilts his head at Lydiere. "She wants to help you, because she loves you." He says, firmly, before he nods. "Aye, that's right. A sack of firestone, more specifically." He tilts his head at M'kan's expression, a noted grin on his face. "And, if you're thinking you're going to be throwing it, that's right, too. Your lifemates aern't the only ones who need to build up muscle mass. You, as well, and there's no reason that you can't start now. There's a practice field, with a post where you stand, and a rock pile. Throw the sack, which is rather heavy, to the top of the pile. Do this for a candlemark a day. No exceptions. If I see you neglecting it, I'll double the time, and have an assistant Weyrlingmaster watch you while you do it."

J'ey looks aghast at this, tossing a sack onto a pile, seems quite pointless but he is not the one to point this out but he asks another silly question "OK, once the sack is on top of the pile, what do we do?" He winces, the question sounded more sensible in his head, Tiregeth warbles softly.

Lydiere shrugs her shoulders diligently, sparing a glance back towards Llysereth--who doesn't seem to be at all ruffled by her weyrling's words or actions. "Throwing firestone," she murmurs, giving the muscle tone upon her arm an appraising glance. "Yes, sir." Never let it be said she isn't diligent--if not always entirely agreeable.

Lileu blinks, again, and looks down at her scrawny arms. She swallows, and opens her mouth to protest.. but decides against it. S'va does not seem to be in the mood to put up with her holdbredness. So, she slinks back down -- a mental note from the carefully-watching Lyrinth causing her to sit up straighter, and brush her hair behind her ears.

He needs more muscles like he needs another head. But then M'kan simply.. sighs but looks clearly exasperated at the thought. Shaking his head, he then mumbles about throwing muck is enough for him. He is definitely not going to start just yet. Great, he's going to have that salve around. "Good for me.. I have an aunt for a healer." is his only dry comment. Here he thought he wouldn't have to do /this/.. but the logic of it just.. sucks. Gravely gazing to the Weyrlingmaster, he all but nods -- once. "Okay." is offered. "Head starts are good.." meaning he has a touch of experience, even if he let it rust a bit.. Not just a bit.. more like a few turns since he last threw the smelly rocks.

S'va glances at J'ey thoughtfully, leaning against the wall, still. "Pretty simple." He says. "Walk to the sack, get it, walk back to the post, and throw it again." He tilts his head at M'kan, quickly. "Judging by your expression, Lad, you think yourself fit enough? Tell me, how fair would it be to every other Weyrling, to watch you do nothing, while they work? Nay, you'll do it just as well as everyone else." He brushes his hand through his hair, quietly. "I suppose that'll be all, for today. You all, fall out, to your assigned chores. Lileu, I want to talk to you." He pauses. "Any questions, ask them before you fall out."

Lydiere shakes her head without vigor, rising from her seated position with a long sigh of relief--advanced age setting in, without a doubt. Rubbing herself off, under the gaze of Llysereth who appears to be precipitating the motion, Lyddie moves back towards her lifemate, passing her--which only causes the young gold to follow Lyddie further. Evidently, not what had been planned.

Feh, S'va had to bring up a good point -- one that M'kan hates a /whole/ lot. Sighing, he makes a face and then subsides to his muted grumbling. Rolling his eyes towards the ceiling, he nods slightly and then waits until dismissal. At that, he pushes from the couch and then absently stands up. The last thing he'd want to be doing is throwing sacks. Ick. Anyhow, he glances to Lydiere, but peeks at Lileu. With a quirked brow, he quickly averts his attention elsewhere and checks said chore... chore board..

J'ey stands and fastidiously brushes his pants off and shakes his head "No questions thank you Weyrlingmaster." Tiregeth rises and begins pacing around, her muzzle butts gently into J'ey's stomach in sympathy that he actually asked a stupid question aloud. He moves off so he does not have to listen to S'va and Lileu talk and he glances at Tiregeth "Want to go for a walk?"

Lileu nods slowly, underlip disappearing as she re-adjusts her hair, and purses her lips at S'va in a curious way. Well... any time with him is good, so she smiles, and looks around as the other weyrlings start to get up, trying to decide if she should get up too, or just wait for S'va to come to her.

S'va watches the Weyrlings disperse, wordlessly. Lydiere might feel his gaze upon her back, almost burning in it's intensity, before his gaze swings away, to peer down towards her face. Wordlessly, he points at the ground in front of him, obviously wanting her to come forth. Nothing is said, as of yet. Uhoh. She must be in trouble. Poor Lileu..

Lileu hops to her feet, long hair glinting with the movement. She shuffles forwards catiously, chin lowered as she watches the Weyrlingmaster warily through her lashes.

Lydiere stiffens, evidently feeling said gaze, but continues upon her path towards her couch, Llysereth still following. Giving up, she moves towards M'kan, peering at the chore board--at least Llysereth doesn't follow her that far. "If I'd wanted to muck, I would've joined the beastcraft--" she begins, before glancing back towards Llysereth, "Of course you understand. That's all you do." Calm down, Lyddie--and seemingly, she does, her face softening.

As Xaeloth follows behind him, M'kan pauses to move aside, "Oh.. right, that walk, I know, Xae, I know." Rubbing the soft eyeridge, he grins partially and then murmuring softly to the brown, he then moves about -- most likely heading around the other parts of the area. Where is the weyrling area again..? Okay, where did it go.... However, he pauses and then nudges Lyd, the minute he's mostly besides her, "Don't worry... it's not like we'll be doing to forever."

S'va peers towards Lydiere a moment longer, before he crosses his arms as Lileu approaches. For a moment, he doesn't say anything, before he steps towards her, a gruff expression on his face, and lowering his head towards her slightly, he speaks very quietly, as not to be overheard.

J'ey grins and nods at Lydiere and murmurs to her, hoping that S'va does not catch it "I thought we had left chores behind with candiacy, especially mucking." He wrinkles his nose and smiles at M'kan as Tiregeth shoulders up to Xaeloth "Walking time?"

Lydiere turns her head towards M'kan, attempting a slow smile, "I know, I know. I'm vaguely impatient, these days." Llysereth's influence, perhaps. She grimaces towards J'ey, nodding; "Faranth, yes. That'll remain a chore of ours for--far too long." She watches the other two, head shaking, "I'll do my chores, I think. Walking can wait." Until she's less annoyed with poor Llysereth.

[ Break in the log; some time later ]

You take the southeast passage into the bowl.

Llysereth takes the southeast passage into the bowl.

J'ey :'s forehead furrows "Why should I tell her to listen, if your brown won't stop nipping her." He shakes his head and scowls slightly, not wanting to admit that Tiregeth is not listening to him. Tiregeth creels shrilly as she is nipped again and she dances after the horrible brown again >>stand still!<<

Lydiere's mood, in case one really wondered, doesn't seem to have gotten all that much better, no doubt not in part thanks to the mucking that is probably just now completed. "See, Llysereth? We're walking, just like the Weyrlingmaster said." She attempts to keep ahead of the gold, although the gold, so many times Lyddie's size already, has no trouble keeping up. "Hey," she notes, somewhat dismally, as she takes note of M'kan, J'ey, and their respective lifemates.

But Xaeloth's only moving a bit here and there, all mostly calm for the time. He's being the kindly father or brother as his brown form stops and switches spots again. The green is amusing as it may seem. He rumbles a greeting to Lysereth, the gold whom he pretty much thinks is rather lovely -- but she doesn't need the ego boost, now does she? He barely allows himself to be distracted and does it this once. M'kan warns, "If you stop.. you're going to get it.." and Xae's at it again, moving away from the smaller green.

Tiregeth notices the gold but is more intent on teaching the brown a lesson, who cares if he is bigger and stronger than her, she is prettier. She squeals as he ducks out of her range again. J'ey nods "Finished already Lydiere? Tiregeth has decided she prefers a faster pace than walking."

Lydiere, somewhat acerbically, and definitely sarcastically, rolls her eyes. "I thought we weren't supposed to threaten or tell them in any way? Or does S'va's statement only apply to me?" Barbed words are likely enough only meant for herself--not as an insult to anyone else, and she stops, heaving a sigh. "Sorry." Llysereth warbles cheerfully, peering towards the green and brown with some amusement. "Finished? Not walking. Chores, yes."

He would beg to differ on the whose prettier but Xaeloth continues to elude being hit. Rumbling and reminding -- a lesson is something which the little green should learn. This brown has learned quite a few, but still continues to learn. Warbling once again to the gold, he subsides. M'kan watches his lifemate, J'ey's and then looks over to Lydiere, pensively and then ers, "Explain?" He then blinks, confusedly so.

Tiregeth gets tired of chasing the brown and decides the best way is to get him to come to her. So she pauses and raises her head in the air, a look of superiority and she crosses back to J'ey and then proceeds to complain to him about browns who don't want to be caught and who bite and J'ey shakes his head, still unable to listen to his lifemate's complaints and others at the same time. "Shhh, Tiregeth, you started it and probably good that you stopped." His words to his lifemate means he misses Lydiere's and M'kan's words and just catches their faces "What?"

Llysereth straightens, limbs stretching about her as she peers with some confusion between green and brown. What are they doing? She warbles again, somewhat less sure, and Lyddie promptly ignores her again. A match made in somewhere far less than perfection. "Nothing, nothing," she mutters, head shaking. "Sorry, I'm just a bit--out of it."

But then Xaeloth returns to his lifemate instead and subsides, contently looking over his rider. M'kan's eyes flicker over and up to his dragon but then he sighs, "I don't want to know.." He only states and glances at J'ey, "She doesn't seem too happy 'bout how things .. came up?" He inquires, but strives to keep.. well, quiet, and placidly so.

J'ey shakes his head, Tiregeth behind him, looking around him occasionaly for the brown, she still owes him a nip or two but she is willing to wait. He nods at M'kan and at Lydiere "I am still struggling with it all myself, I think the only reason I have not sat down and fully thought it over is because Tiregeth does not give me a moment to think for myself." He pauses "Well you don't but yes I love you." He sighs as he says the words and shakes his head and glances back at Lydiere "You sure you are alright?" Tiregeth croons towards the gold >>Stay away from the brown, he bites<<

"No," murmurs Lyddie, although in relation to what is less than obvious. The weyrling parts her lips into a smile, "Quite true, J'ey. I--well, anyway." She's avoiding the topic, now. "I'm fine." Llysereth huffs, nudging at her weyrling with her tail, but warbles towards Tiregeth with some interest. << He bites? Oh, I'm sorry! >>

>>Believe her, and you'll believe the ground is tasty.<< But it isn't, and it seems Xaeloth's the one with the head screwed on right. Rumbling, but shaking his head, the brown subsides and nuzzles his rider again. He dips his head over towards both dragons, seemingly calm about it. Curling around M'kan, he let's the lad quietly lean up against his side.

Tiregeth casts a triumphant look at Xaeloth and then she simpers up towards Llysereth and nods >>Twice! For no reason<< Her voice is a girlish giggle and then she pauses and looks on with awe at the larger dragon.

Llysereth evidently doesn't know who to believe, and simply warbles with innocent fascination--she's sweet, really. << Oh, that's nice! >> Yes, nice would be the word that most sane people would use, indeed. Lyddie moves to lean up against a wall of her own accord, noting, "Walk, Llysereth, that's why we're here."

>>You were asking for it...<< Xaeloth's tone is rather amused but he shrugs off the look -- and subsides more, crooning softly to his lifemate, indicating -- that green can't be his sister, can she? "Yes she is.. but everyone's different." Smiling a little, M'kan rubs the smooth brown muzzle affectionately. And the subject ends there. The brown quietly wonders if his rider is eating enough? He looks way too skinny. "Hey, I eat a lot!" So who.. *pause* and as the comment from the gold is relayed to Mik, he blinks. "That's nice...?"

Tiregeth tosses her head >>was not<< she snaps at the brown and then decides that her rider is the best and she nudges alongside of him, careful this time not to overbalance him. She sighs as the older dragon disappears and shakes her head while J'ey glances over at M'kan "Hungry again?"

Llysereth croons again, noting, << Don't fight! It's horribly silly, isn't it? If neither bites, then we're all happy. >> "That'd be right," says Lyddie with a roll of her eyes, "'that's nice'. She's so--sweet, and innocent." And, evidently, it annoys Lyddie right out of her tree.

Tiregeth pauses and tosses her head, not concerned about it anymore. J'ey scowls at M'kan's words "She did not!" He says hotly "She only nudged him." He might have been telling her not to do it but no one else will do.

A shrug and M'kan leaves it as is, heading inside and not bothering to touch the subject. He won't necessarily offer any comments of it but then again, with what he's seen -- it's all protectiveness and nothing more. Nudged, poked, whatever. The brown of his rumbles apologetically to those around and follows his brooding rider inside.

Lydiere raises her left eyebrow after M'kan, saying nothing, while Llysereth warbles after the brown--she likes him. She likes everyone. Weyrlinghood, emotions high, reactions harsh--the soap opera? "Oh, hush, does it really matter?"

J'ey glares at his green, as if surprised at his harsh words "Now don't you be telling me what to say, you want to eat or not?" He shakes his head "Let's get indoors, I think we have had enough exercise for today." He keeps Tiregeth to one side of him so she cannot nip at the brown's tail "Even if you are not hungry, I am Tiregeth."

Xaeloth heads northwest, to the weyrling's area and barracks.

J'ey heads northwest, to the weyrling's area and barracks.

Tiregeth heads northwest, to the weyrling's area and barracks.

M'kan heads northwest, to the weyrling's area and barracks.

M'kan has left.

As M'kan makes it for the serving table, he stops to allow his lifemate a bit of space. Moving again, he grabs himself a plate and loads it -- simply with more food than his eyes can .. look at. Or something like that. He moves aside with untensils and starts to wolf down his meal.

Tiregeth stalks unconcernedly to her couch and settles herself like a queen on it, lounging, even though there is a gold, she can still act queen like and dismiss the brown from her thoughts. J'ey follows M'kan to find something to quiet his stomach "Too much hefting firestone sacks around." He looks curiously at Lydiere "Since Llysereth does not use firestone do you have to heave the sacks around Lydiere?"

Llysereth just to be a contrast, goes helter-skelter towards her couch, her limbs too long for her body, proving a difficulty to graceful movement. Lydiere, as if thankful for a reprieve, lets the young gold go, settling herself down upon a chair--and avoiding at all cost the meatrolls. "Yes, I do; it's the whole strength-building part, I believe."

Xaeloth rumbles a pleasant croon to both his sisters -- even the regal-like green Tiregeth. He might as well, as if it would change much. His attention settles gently upon his golden sister but then he looks over to M'kan, who is now finished with his meal. A nod from him to J'ey, "Definitely." He murmurs and nods again, but to Lydiere.

Tiregeth keeps up her pose a moment or two but then a light rumble in her chest, sounding almost like a giggle erupts and she lowers herself down to curl up on her couch and she croons back at her brown brother, he is forgiven for now. J'ey grazes on the foods, not really hungry but nibbling and he wrinkles his nose "Too much emphasis on strength I think."

Lydiere takes a quaff of her juice--energy moving her hand fast as she sinks it down, wiping her hand over her mouth in a particularly unladylike gesture--to which Llysereth warbles darkly, eyes whirling as she regards her rider. "Sorry, sorry," she mutters, eyes moving between J'ey and M'kan. "Maybe," she agrees, in response to J'ey, "I don't know."

"She determined to make a lady out of you?" M'kan's quick to come to conclusions, but then again -- it was pretty obvious the lad figured from the sounds, well, Llysereth didn't like the way Lydiere wiped her mouth? Xaeloth warbles under his breath and subsides, shaking his head. He's got to learn to endure his sister green's behavior. At least he's safe from somethings.

J'ey looks slightly confused "Sorry?" He finishes his grazing and pours himself a cup of klah "She's correcting your behaviour?" He looks at the gold in a new light and then wanders back to his cot and takes a seat. Tiregeth curls up on her couch but continues to watch Xaeloth, her rider and the others

"Something like that," agrees Lyddie, ruefully. "She thinks it's crude, so she's working on me." As yet, without much success. Llysereth rests her head upon her forelimbs in an often seen movement, tail flicking behind her as she watches in cool understanding.

M'kan quietly makes it back to his little spot as Xaeloth guides him along. Anyhow, the moment both settle in -- sounds of soft steady breathing can be .. heard.

J'ey grins as he watches the two fall asleep and shakes his head "They are highly opinionated aren't they, though TIregeth seems to change hers often." He kicks off his boots and slides them under his cot and continues sipping at his klah and nods "Indeed I will oil you soon, I have not forgotten.

Lydiere agrees with a firm nod of her head; "I think they forget, too, that we had life before them. Maybe they'll get better when they're older." It isn't as though she hates Llysereth, after all, and the gold, who croons lovingly towards her weyrling, knows it.

J'ey nods "That is true." He points at M'kan "Though he is still young, maybe that is why Xaeloth fathers him but yes you and I definetly have seen something of this world, more than they have." He smiles "Maybe they will just get used to us as they are and quit harping at how we look and dress and..." He trails off and hurridly gulps his klah which luckily has cooled. He shakes his head as he finishes his mouthful "We can only hope"

"You're still, what--four five turns younger than I? But yes, I know what you mean." She's cheering up, sort of, as she sits there, nursing an empty glass. "We can only hope, indeed. I hate to think of what other surprises they might have in store for us, though--in times that come."

J'ey glances at Lydiere and nods "Not quite that much, I am almost 20 turns" he says proudly. He sets his empty mug aside and sighs and goes in search of oil and paddles and commences oiling his lifemate as commanded "I don't think I want to know if they have anything more in store for us." He shakes his head "Bad enough as it is." He glances back at Lydiere "You missing your son?"

"Oh!" Lyddie blushes, murmuring, "I'm sorry, I thought you younger. Two turns, then, almost." She shifts, stretching out her legs in front of her with a yawn escaping from within. "Neither, but I can bet that there'll be something. Fussy about things, or whatever." She yawns once more, rubbing at her eyes. "Keid? Oh, yeah. And my boat, my crew--except that they're not mine, any more."

J'ey waves his hand, the one containing the paddle and oil splatters everywhere and he shakes his head and returns to the task at hand "That's alright." He smooths the oil over Tiregeth's green hide which sines in the light "Must be hard to leave the freedom of the seas but soon you will have the freedom of the skies." He shakes his head "Though that still seems so far away and we are locked away in here, least they are encouraging us to get out more now." He scowls "no time for anything now." He clucks gently at Tiregeth "Not your fault I know love."

Lydiere rubs at her eyes, agreeing with a rueful nod, "Yes. With all my luck, Llysereth will turn out to be scared of the sea, and I'll never get near." A brief glance is centred upon the gold, with perhaps a touch of love nestled within her eye. "The skies, yes. Faranth, a long time away. I mean, it's only been two months, as it is. Another--sixteen to go?"

J'ey frowns "Sounds right, til we graduate anyway." He glances at the gold "I don't think she would be scared of much?" He shakes his head "ANd so much to do til then and learn and ..." He shakes his head "R'yn did warn me that my life would change." Oiling done he sets bucket and paddle aside and wipes off hands and settles back down on his cot "No Tiregeth, no. he saps at his green and shakes his head.

"True," admits Lyddie with another wry chuckle, "I don't think she's likely to be, but perhaps wary, or perhaps she just won't like it. Or," she grins, "perhaps I'm just worrying over nothing." Going silent for a moment, she finally adds, "R'yn seems to like doing that--he comes in here and tries to council me about how my life has changed, and how it must be so hard for me. How we need to be friends." Her eyes roll somewhat, as she sets her glass down.

J'ey grins wryly "Might as well worry about it at the time and not now, plenty of time to find out." He grins "You have seen R'yn? I am not sure if he is avoiding me or just busy but I never get to see him." He settles back and reaches out a hand to gently caress Tiregeth's tail, who croons lightly and then snatches it away, sulking again. J'ey sighs and shakes his head and moves from cot to couch to comfort his green "You and he need to be friends?" he asks somewhat confused

Lydiere laughs. "Sensible advice, J'ey, sensible advice. I guess I'm not very good at listening to people." She rubs at her foot, scratching as if to an itch, before she adds, "Yeah, he came in here, and ended up helping to oil Llysereth. Talking to me about--duty, and settling in, and all this weird stuff. I hate people making a fuss over her colour." She pauses, then nods, "Yep. Because we're going to work together, or something."

J'ey shrugs "I try." He lies down next to Tiregeth who is mostly dry now and he props up his head so he can study Lydiere "Cause she is gold you mean? Must mean suddenly they expect alot of you now don't they, future weyrwoman and all that? R'yn thinks Zippith is going to catch Llysereth? You think he would be happy just being weyrleader?" He shakes his head "I suppose you have the most duty of all of us though, I suppose you might as well be prepared for it."

Lydiere chuckles softly, leaning back within her chair with an easy nonchalance that suits her. "Something like that, I guess. I don't know about the catching part; as long as Zippith gets Ysmalath, he's fine, but--working together, being Important People. Fardles, that's the last thing I want." She manages a smile, "I suppose. Still--why are we talking about such dismal stuff? How's Tiregeth?"

J'ey wrinkles her nose "So you are an important person now?" He shakes his head "Glad that I just got Tiregeth, much easier being a green than a bronze or a gold, higher expectations I think." He pats Tiregeth who thankfully just wants to curl up around him "Besides wanting to spoil all my clothes, she is doing fine, her mood swings though go so quickly I don't know how I can keep up."

"No!" Lyddie twists her lips into a smile. "No, I'm just an average weyrling. We're going to ignore the future for the rest of weyrlinghood." She chuckles, head nodding, "She's lovely, though. Very sweet--and opinionated, I suppose? She suits you, somehow."

J'ey grins and nods "Some of my own advice back, lets get through weyrlinghood before we worry about the rest?" He nods "I just want to surive the next few weeks." He runs his head over shining hide "Yes very sweet and loving and opiniate but also not so sure of herself so she tries even harder." He grins "And llysereth - besides wanting to make you over?"

Lydiere grins cheerfully, "Excellent decision. There's far to go before anything else." She twines her fingers about each other, now that her glass has been discarded upon the table. "Ah, I suppose I can see that in her, as much as I see her." She gives the green a smile of sorts, adding, "I'm sure she'll gain confidence as she grows up. Llysereth? She's--innocent, sweet, gullible. Far to willing to agree with everything I say."

Tiregeth croons softly at Lydiere, appreciating the words and she settles down again, happy to be snuggled up with her rider "Definetly much to get through before all is done." He nods "Maybe she will, she always wants reassurance from me, if I say one wrong word she immediatly thinks it means I don't love her" He shakes his head "You want someone to argue with you?"

Lydiere twists her lips into a short smile once more towards Tiregeth, adding towards the green's weyrling, "I've seen plenty of people like that, too. I hope she'll gain confidence, anyway, not that she's not perfect as she is." More slowly, quietly, the weyrling nods, "Something like that. I want backbone, and she isn't showing that."

J'ey grins broadly at the compliment and TIregeth warbles sleepily, her eyelides, all 3, almost all closed and J'ey grins "Maybe, I just have to be careful with my words and with what I say but she is lovely." He glances at the gold "Well she is still young, still unsure.." He pauses and grins wryly "Though not unsure enough not to lecture you about other things, maybe somethings she really does not care about, and if you argued with her about what she does, then she might show backbone?"

Lydiere reclaims her glass, almost disappointed to find it empty--she shakes it, holds it upside down, and eventually gives up, putting it back upon the table. "Yes. I'm sure." She chuckles, nodding, "At least she's doing that with me, I suppose. A sign that she's not going to sit back and do nothing, and have no opinion."

J'ey nods "Exactly. At least she has opinions." He shakes his head "I sometimes wish that Tiregeth had less opinons and was less sure of herself and demanding and loving and well all that." He grins as she plays with the glass "Why don't you refill it?" He covers his mouth as he yawns, his green's dreaming thoughts and warmth lulling him.

"I can't be bothered?" Lyddie admits this ruefully, stretching out again. "I'm exhausted. You'd think that working on a boat'd have me set for life, but it doesn't feel that way." She adds, thoughtfully, "Seems we've all got things about our lifemates that we'd almost rather swap about."

J'ey yawns again, hand belatedly covering his mouth and he grins "I know how you feel, everything is too tiring, I don't think I can move from this spot." He shifts slightly so his bones don't dig into the bare rock "Though I don't know why Tiregeth thinks it is comfortbale, I much prefer my cot." He grins "Would be good if we could but then they wouldnot be them."

Lydiere yawns, the contagious nature of the movement causing a smile to draw itself upon her face for a brief moment. "Nor I, from this. At least mine isn't stone." She indicates Llysereth's sleeping form, adding, "She wanted me to sleep in there with her, but there's no way, no matter how tired I am. It can't be good for one's muscles." She adds, after a long pause, "Too true."

J'ey shifts again "I wish I could just say no but she nags me anyway but I usually wait til she falls asleep and then move to my own cot though there have been nights when I have woken with cricks everywhere from falling asleep here, all I can say at least Tiregeth does not roll over and squash me." He sighs softly

"Kind of her," says Lyddie dryly, wiping her hand across her face, and pulling dark hair away from it. "I usually just refuse, if she asks, and I think she's used to the idea now, of sleeping alone. She never complains, which is something."

J'ey smiles and shakes his head "Very kind of her indeed." He pauses for a moment and then wearily moves from couch to cot "I feel bad for saying no to her, well at least she mainpulates me so I feel bad for saying no to her, M'kan said I had to be more assertive, I am sure he would like to try against her babble."

Lydiere draws herself to her feet, stretchng out with some hesitance. "M'kan can't talk; it's not as though he doesn't have any problems with Xae, and that brown's tendancy to father the poor guy. And I can't talk, because I still rebel entirely against Llys. I'll bet we've all got our failings."

J'ey grins and yawns, his eyes threatening to close "No, though he does argue with Xaeloth, though Xaeloth seems to win most of the time." He yawns and looks apologetically at Lydiere "I am sorry, I cannot keep my eyes open."

"So I've noticed," agrees Lyddie, who stiffles another yawn of her home, "Sleep, then, and I'll do the same. Faranth knows, we need it at the moment."

J'ey grins and nods and rolls himself up in his blanket, too tired to undress and he quickly drops off with a muttered night