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Just a nice conversation in the Bowl.
Ista Weyr Bowl -- Northwest
The golden light of the evening sun outlines the corral's fences to the
west. To the southeast, the bowl widens out as it approaches the far side
of towering black rock and the high fingers, five jutting peaks, high
above. The black and gray rock of the bowl is devoid of any green or
colour, except for the hundreds of dragons seen on ledges all along the
Weyr walls. The Weyrling Barracks to the north open wide in a
double-arch.
Ruddy evening light filters down from the partly cloudy winter sky, over
the bustle of the active Weyr. Light breezes waft playfully around the
peaks, through the forests, and along the beaches, causing frothy
whitecaps on the surf. The temperature hovers in the cool range, while
visibility is good.
As has been occuring for the past several days, a dusting volcanic ash
darkens the sky and settles lightly on everything.
Contents:
Falsanath(#9966QVepqs)
G'har
Obvious exits:
Weyrling Barracks Center of Bowl Corral DragonWeyrs
You shut the gate behind you, making sure it is secure.
G'har, using Falsanath's leg as a backrest as he does something that
looks vaguely like strap-making, looks over with a grin as Gina arrives.
"Heya, there," he calls.
Gina looks up in her dash toward the lower caverns. "Oh..heya, G'har.."
she slows down.
G'har inquires, clambering to his feet, "Y'in a rush? You don't have to
stop and chat, if you are."
You say "Not really. I just seem to be running a lot, lately. Heya,
Falsanath!"
Falsanath rumbles a greeting, then nudges G'har, rumble modulating into a
hopeful croon. "Show-off," G'har says affectionately. "You know we can't
do that without one of the weyrlingmasters." To Gina, he adds, with a
grin, "He wants to show you how well he can fly. He says it's much faster
than running."
Gina brightens. "Fal! You're flying now? I'd love to see it when you
won't get in trouble for it." She approaches and hugs the big barrel
chest, arms stretching as far as she can reach. "I'm sure you're great at
it."
Falsanath rumbles smugly, lowering his massive head to wuffle gently at
Gina's hair. "Of course he is," G'har translates, sounding quite amused.
"And remarkably modest, too." That elicits a soft snort from the bronze.
Gina thumps the bronze, mere love pats against his bulk. "That's why
you're making straps?" She eyes the leathers.
G'har inclines his head. "Yeah. He's finally stopped growing so quickly,
so -maybe- I won't have to make them again before we can fly together.
I've finally got the hang of the leatherworking enough that the
weyrlingmasters will let me try for something we'll actually use."
Falsanath(#9966QVepqs)
A golden-brown shade imbues this dragon from headknobs to forked
tail, enwrapping his pinions with the sunwarmed pale ochres and
metallic-tinted tans of windswept rock heated by Rukbat's light. As if
brushed by the fronds of flora stubbornly clinging to the stone of his
hide, touches of bronzey green feather his neckridges and splash down
bulky shoulders which visibly bear strength and endurance. His neck is
long, his whippy tail stretches out forever, and sun-bronzed wings appear
like sails of resilient wind-smoothed stone; outward visage
notwithstanding, however, he carries himself with a charismatic,
expectant air. At a bit over 1 Turn old, Falsanath is 35 meters in length
with a wingspan of 58 meters.
Gina studies Fal. "I like you the size you are. You're going to be a
strong flyer with that chest, too. ALL muscle!" And she thumps it again.
Falsanath rumbles once more, wings lifting fractionally. "You keep
talking like that, Gina," G'har teases, "And he'll be in the air just
because of that ego--won't even need his wings."
Gina chuckles. "Well, can't make you do all the work of telling him how
wonderful he is!" She strokes soft hide affectionately.
Falsanath swivels his massive head to give G'har another nudge. "-He-
says," G'har translates obediently, "That I don't say it nearly enough,
and that I should listen to you, and say more good things about him. What
an ego." The weyrling gives his lifemate an affectionate slap, adding,
"Not that it he doesn't deserve it, though."
You say "How long have you all been taking to the air?"
G'har thinks for a moment. "Not -too- long. A short enough time that he
hasn't totally figured out landings. Nearly landed on his face the last
time, poor guy."
Gina winces and looks up to see if the huge chin has abrasions.
Falsanath's chin is abrasion-free, though he does seem just a bit
insulted that G'har would even -suggest- that his landings were any less
than perfect. The weyrling rubs the near eyeridge, chuckling softly. "But
he'll get the knack of it soon enough. His flying is just grand--he just
can't manage landings, that's all."
You say "Well, you'll get the hang of it, Fals." She shifts her position
slightly. "G'har, what's crafting like?"
G'har blinks, a bit puzzled. "Well, it depends on the Craft. I only know
Smithcraft, and a little about Herder and Woodcraft and Weaver." There is
a pause, where G'har regards Gina, green eyes keen. "You thinking about
joining a Craft?"
Gina shrugs a little. "I was considering it. Get a little more training
in my weaving." Her eyes are a bit red.
G'har, moving a little closer and thus noticing the red eyes, frowns just
a bit. "Hey, are you all right?"
Gina nods, ducking her face away. "Yeah. Just trying to think a little
too much. You know how that is."
G'har says slowly, "I guess so, yeah." He adds, a hint of concern in his
voice, "If you need to talk or something, Gina...well, I can listen. And
Falsanath, of course," he says, at a soft warble from the dragon.
Gina sighs. "I think you know what it's about."
G'har's gaze flickers towards the weyrling barracks. "Yeah," he agrees
softly. "I guess I can."
You say "I was really stupid, huh?"
G'har shakes his head. "Look, I don't really know all of what happened,
but from what -I- saw, D'orn was the stupid one."
You say "Well, for being so surprised, I guess."
G'har says slowly, "Well, I wouldn't say that was stupid, either, not
really. I mean, you didn't have any reason to think things had changed,
did you?"
Gina shakes her head. "None. Did you know they're weyrmated, now?" She
gives a soft laugh of amazement. "And me thinking the rules were the
rules!"
G'har frowns just a bit. "Officially, you mean? I didn't think we were
allowed to stay outside the barracks, yet."
You say "That's what I was told."
G'har shakes his head slowly. "Faranth." He shrugs slightly. "Well, I
don't think that's right. I mean, the rest of us have to follow the
rules, after all."
You say "Apparently no one else cares. And..I don't know. I'm just a
basketmaker."
G'har's frown deepens fractionally. "Well, you make -good- baskets. If
you're good at what you do, and you enjoy it, then that's what's
important."
You say "I know that. But maybe the Weyr isn't the right place for me."
G'har asks softly, "You think you might be happier at WeaverCraft,
maybe?"
You say "I don't know. Ista's my home."
G'har nods his understanding. "It's a good place to live," he says,
looking about the bowl. "Ash and all."
You say "It didn't ash almost the whole time I was growing up."
G'har grins at that. "Well, yeah. But it has since I've lived here. And
it's all Fal's ever known."
You say "Well, the ash is fading some now. And it's what makes the island
so green. Next year, everything will blossom."
G'har nods his understanding. "Sure, if we don't still have ash," he
quips.
Gina laughs! "Well, yes." She takes a deep breath. "But I'd miss you."
G'har tips his head to one side, the forelock tumbling over his left eye.
"I'd miss you, too," he says honestly. "Good friends are hard to come
by."
Gina scritches Falsanath idly. "Would you come visit?"
G'har asks, "To Weavercraft? Of course. I already promised the
Craftsecond that I'd come by, once Fal and I can 'tween."
Gina tilts her head. "You know the craftsecond?"
G'har nods, with a quick grin. "Met her when I was studying there. She's
a very nice lady. I was surprised that she remembered me, though--when
she came here to teach mending and such."
You say "What's her name?"
G'har offers, "Nalaya. If you really -do- want to apprentice, why don't
you wait til Fal and I can take you, and then I could introduce you to
her?"
Gina smiles warmly. "I'd really like that. Would we have to wait till
you're almost in a wing, or..?"
G'har shakes his head. "Actually, we should be learning sometime in the
next month or two."
You say "That would be really nice, G'har. Thank you."
G'har says, with a quick wave of his hand, "It's the least I can do."
With a roguish grin, he adds, "Besides, that gives me that much longer to
try and talk you into staying here."
Gina blinks, then smiles. "All right, it's a deal."
Falsanath rumbles, sounding quite pleased, then lowers his massive head,
trying to be subtle about insinuating it under Gina's hand. It doesn't
work.
Gina notices of couse. It's hard not to notice a head bigger than your
body when its owner wants attention. She rubs the eyeridge. "You're a
big, sweet baby, Fals. I'm trying to picture you spouting flame, but when
you're doing this I just can't."
Falsanath warbles brightly, turning blue-whirling eyes towards the nearby
firestone, and G'har chuckles. "No, we can't do -that- without
supervision, either." He adds, to Gina, "He really is -good- at
'fire-spitting'. Must be all the practice with the water."
Gina laughs! She gives Fals's muzzle a hug. "How are you at controlling
your flame?"
Falsanath rumbles smugly, and G'har chuckles. "He's actually quite good
at it."
You say "When do you start rope-drills?"
G'har says, "That's after Between, but not -much- after."
You say "Are you excited?"
G'har tips his head back and forth. "Kind of." His grin suggests that
he's a little more excited than that. "That's one step closer to
graduation, and us getting our own weyr."
Gina chuckles sofly. "Tired of sleeping in the dorm?"
G'har nods emphatically. "Not that I've ever had my own place, of course.
I mean, I was in the dorms as an apprentice, and I shared with two of my
brothers, back home."
You say "Bet you'll get lonely, at first."
Falsanath rumbles a negative, and G'har informs him, "You're not a
person, Fal...well, for some things, sure, but not everything. It's just
different." He grins rather ruefully. "There are some things that I don't
think he'll ever understand."
You say "Probably not..."
Gina flushes slightly for some reason and quickly goes back to scritching
Fal.
G'har, noting the blush, coughs quietly. "Uh. Well. I meant stuff like
talking out loud, and not having to trip over tails, and..." His voice
trails off, and he coughs once more, perhaps thinking that less said is
better.
You say "I know what you meant. It's all right."
G'har rubs at the back of his neck with one hand, head ducking
fractionally. "Good. I wouldn't want to sound like the typical
bronzerider, after all."
You say "You don't sound anything like.."
G'har doesn't fill in any names, saying simply, "Thanks. I think my
sister would do horrible, nasty, unspeakable things to me, if I did."
Gina laughs softly. "Like what?"
G'har says, with a quick grin, "Well, if they're unspeakable, I can't say
them, now, can I?" He winks, adding, "She's a big fan of tickling. And
she's gotten the worst of the stories about me from our older sister--you
know, the embarrassing ones. She'd tell them in public, very loudly."
You say "Are you ticklish?"
G'har suddenly looks just a bit wary, if still amused. "Ticklish? Did I
say that?"
You say "no, no of course not." She whispers to Fal "Is he?"
Falsanath's rumble is a little puzzled, and G'har laughs, shaking his
head. "No, no, no, that -isn't- fair, asking Fal questions like that."
You say "I can try, can't I?"
G'har nods agreeably, though his eyes unfocus before he can say anything.
With an odd little choking sound, his face turns a vibrant scarlet, and
he thwaps at the bronze's massive side, with little result.
You say "What did he say?"
Falsanath's rumble is of utter satisfaction, and he nudges gently at
Gina. "He said," G'har says, looking painfully embarrassed, "Something
that I'd rather not repeat, if you don't mind."
You say "Oh, that's not fair either."
G'har, blush starting to fade, says, "Then we're even."
You say "No, we're not. You heard what I asked him!"
G'har pauses fractionally. Caught. "Uh. Well. See, he was just teasing
me. It isn't really that important, is it, Fal? Right. Of course not. Not
important at all, no siree." As so often happens when he is nervous,
G'har realizes that he's babbling pointlessly, and shuts his mouth.
Gina looks at Falsanath. "You could try and tell me directly, except
that'd be rude. So I guess I'm going to have to...tickle your rider!" And
she pounces!
G'har yelps and recoils against Falsanath, which, of course, is not the
smartest of reactions, as it leaves him literally no escape, as the
bronze is aiding and abetting Gina. "Aie! Hey! No fair ganging up on me!"
This is, of course, said between splutters of laughter.
You say "tell tell tell!"
G'har, with a gasp of laughter, nods. "Only if you stop -tickling-!"
Gina grips your wrists. "OK, tell."
G'har says slowly, gaze averted, "He said that he didn't think I'd mind
if you -did- tickle me." The tips of his ears turn just a little pink.
Gina blinks. She turns loose a bit. "He did?"
Falsanath rumbles an affirmative for G'har, who isn't saying anything
just now.
Gina says softly "And did you?"
G'har ducks his head in a quick nod. "I did."
You say "You minded, or not?"
G'har's cheeks darken just a bit. "I didn't mind, that is."
Gina realizes suddenly she's half-laying on you and Fals isn't objecting.
Falsanath actually seems more curious than anything else, and from
G'har's expression, the bronze is pestering him with questions. "Uh.
Yeah."
Gina says quietly "Want me to move?"
G'har purses his lips briefly. "You probably should," he says, perhaps
with a hint of reluctance. "The weyrlingmasters would probably be mad if
they saw us like this. It, uh, doesn't look too good."
Gina backs off slowly, not saying what the weyrlingmasters haven't been
saying and to whom. She turns and scritches Fals gently. "You're a
sweetie," she comments.
Falsanath warbles a cheerful agreement. G'har, for his part, leans
against the dragon's side and takes a deep breath, letting it out slowly.
Gina says, without looking at you, "Hard to believe it's been a year!"
G'har's head bobs in a slow nod. "Time has really flown," he says softly.
You say "Before long, you'll be in wings."
G'har nods once more. "Flying Fall and such, yeah. Graduated." He shakes
his head, pushing his forelock out of his eyes once more.
You say "With your own weyr, and rank.."
G'har smiles just a bit. "Well, the rank doesn't matter that much. It's
just a different knot."
Gina chuckles. "It will later!"
G'har shrugs agreeably. "Well, sure," he says, with a wink, "When there
are other Candidates about, and then Weyrlings."
You say "But before that there's elevator duty.."
G'har nods, with a quick grin. "I guess that'll get old after we do it
for a while, but I'll be -so- glad to be on his back, in the air."
You say "You two fit."
G'har flashes a quick grin. "That's why he picked me, I guess. We've sort
of...grown together." He interlaces his fingers, as if to display.
You say "I think you're supposed to."
G'har, fingers wiggling as he separates them once more, nods, even as
Falsanath rumbles a quiet agreement. "He says you're very smart--and
you're not even scritching him. And, yes, I think that was a hint."
Gina laughs and goes back to scritching Falsanath. "Yep. A big sweetie."
G'har grins at that. "A sweetie," he agrees. "But he's obvious. Good
thing you don't mind scritching him--you don't, do you?"
You say "Me? Mind scritching him? You have to be kidding. Did I ever tell
you what that Hatching was like for me?"
G'har shakes his head. "We never really talked about that, no."
Gina thinks a moment as she pays attention to the bronze. "It was
like..like lightning. Striking all around me."
G'har says lightly, "Well, the 'shake in the middle can't have helped,
with that."
Falsanath's innermost set of eyelids slowly close, though the contented
bluegreen of his eyes can still be seen.
Gina shakes her head. "I didn't mean that. But out of all of you, about
ten were close to me, like within four people. You, Elle, D'orn, Lyn,
Keppa, Q'len, Polly..."
G'har ahhs softly, nodding. "Yeah," he says, a hint of understanding in
his eyes. "That must have been tough."
You say "In a way it was..and in a way, it was like..like all of the
hatchlings were part of me. Does that make sense? I was never really
upset, even if I was disappointed. And all of them like me, a lot. None
are indifferent."
Falsanath's eyelids crack open, and his head shifts to a better whuffling
position. "Fal likes you a lot," G'har agrees, with a smile. "And that's
a really great way to look at it."
Gina smiles, continuing her attentions. "So I do what I can for all of
you, because just because I didn't Impress, doesn't mean in a lot of ways
I don't feel a part of you."
G'har pushing off from Falsanath's side and walking down past his neck,
nods his approval. "It's a sharding lot more than I could do, in the same
position."
You say "What makes you say that?"
G'har shrugs just a bit. "Well, for one, I promised Master Allory that
I'd come back to the Hall if I didn't Impress, so I just wouldn't be
here. And I don't know if I would be able to be quite so...nice about it,
I guess."
You say "I'm glad you are here," she says softly. "And it's not so much
nice, as how I feel. In a way, it's presumptuous, you know?"
G'har smiles at the words about gladness, then pauses. "Presumptuous? How
do you mean? It's not like Fal -objects- to having you fuss over him."
You say "I would worry that people would think it makes your bond less
special."
Gina scritches up as far as she can reach.
G'har shakes his head quickly, with a grin. "Oh, of course that isn't
presumptuous. Rider folks are people, too--and dragons enjoy friends as
much as people do. Fal does, at least."
Gina looks at the dragon directly and says "I'm proud to be your friend,
Falsanath. You make a good one."
Falsanath cocks his head so that he is regarding Gina with one large,
whirling eye, and croons softly. "He thanks you," G'har says, with a
smile. "And for once he wasn't arrogant about it."
Gina throws her arms around the great muzzle again, pressing close.
Falsanath exhales gently, most likely sending a small gust against Gina's
clothing. G'har, leaning against the massive neck, doesn't say anything,
but just watches, with a smile.
Gina says "You smell good. You've been oiled a LOT lately."
Falsanath warbles a soft agreement. "He's almost noticing the ladies,"
G'har says, with a short laugh. "It's such a production to oil him, but I
still -have- to do it, whenever he wants, or I'll never hear the end of
it."
You say "Noticing what ladies? The greens?"
G'har nods, with a quirked grin. "He doesn't quite know what to do, yet.
He'll figure it out eventually, though, I guess." And his grin unquirks
just a bit.
Gina suggests "Nervous?"
G'har smiles faintly, and nods. "A little. I don't know which'd be
worse--if he won a flight, or if he lost."
You say "Well, you've got time to find out.."
G'har nods his agreement. "Yeah. Lots of time, I guess. It'll be a few
months, probably, until he figures it out. I hope."
Gina watches you for a moment. "I'm trying to imagine you with a huge ol'
knot on your shoulder.
G'har grins at that, his manner lightening somewhat. "Well, it's not
going to be -huge-," he protests, laughing. "Only a little bigger than
this one."
You say "It will be if it's a leader knot."
G'har snorts softly, shaking his head. "Well, you don't have to worry
about -that- happening."
You say "You could be a wingleader! You have a mind for how things work."
G'har shakes his head just a bit. "Maybe. I guess we'll see." At a rumble
from Falsanath, his eyes unfocus, and he winces. "Uhoh. We're supposed to
be in the barracks." He doesn't rush off, though, instead saying, "It was
nice chatting with you like this, Gina."
Gina nods, rising and giving Falsanath a big pat. "Yeah..we haven't
talked in too long."
G'har, starting towards the barracks with Falsanath following rather
reluctantly, calls, "We'll have to do it again, then. I'll keep an eye
out for you." He flashes a grin over his shoulder, then disappears
through the barracks entrance.
G'har walks into the huge opening of the Weyrling Barracks.
Falsanath lumbers off into the Weyrling Barracks.
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