Two of a Kind
Who: Noemie, Nolee, Sephie, Kamia, V'lano, M'yr, Jascela, Caitlyn, Aion, Charis
What: In an impromptu gathering by the Docks, Noemie and Kamia learn that they share more than just the color of their dragons and their wing in common... they're both pregnant. There's plenty of advice, a few odd cravings, and some reminiscing.
Where: Ista Docks
Ista Weyr: Docks and South Beach(#2557RJs)
The black sand stretches for kilometers to each side of these long docks,
curving from the south to the southeast as the plateau's gentle slope curves
towards the forests. These docks are obviously brand new and recently
expanded, stretching far into the harbour. Metal rings adorn the wood at
regular intervals, providing places for ships to berth, and several smaller
sets of docks jut out from the main. Beside the docks to the northwest the
beachside tavern rests, offering more places for sailors to dock and seek
refreshment. Sunset drenches red, glorious light over everything, and what
the black sand absorbs, the sea makes up for, in a million dazzling
reflections of fire from the blue, rolling surface. The sky shades to a
flaming red to the horizon, where it meets the sea in a bright line unbroken
except for the distant dark smudges that rise out of the sea far to the west
and southwest: these are the beautiful Ista Isles.
Two sets of recent footprints, one human, one draconic, make a long trail down
the black sand of the beach. The draconic ones end somewhere near the
water's edge, the human's making a trail to one of the docks. And at the end
of each trail, the owner can be found-- Naijath splashing in the sea, Noemie
watching the green from a perch on the end of the dock. She absentmindedly
dangles her legs off the edge, seeming a bit lost in her own mind, but
content.
Winding down the path toward the docks comes Nolee, tear tracks cleaned off
her face but her nose at least a little puffy still. Intent steps carry her
along the bumpy dock as though one of her hide-out points of refuge were
along here somewhere, and hm...there's someone sitting there. She hesitates,
then strides forward anyway, taking up a seat a few dock-pegs down and
immediately tugging off her sandals and seeking the water with her toes.
Then she notices that the other is familiar, and she offers a tired wave.
"Hallo, Naijath's! You tell Soldreth's you're having his littles yet?" Alas,
not quite right, she is.
Noemie doesn't seem to mind the intrusion on her quiet dock, and as Nolee
finds her own seat she scrambles to her feet, going to join the goldrider.
"Hello! No, because I--" she pauses as she notes the slight after-a-cry look
on Nolee's face, but as she settles herself cross-legged on the dock near
her, decides to pretend not to, for the moment. "I'm not having /M'yr's/
little." Best clear that up, before rumors start!"
Nolee sniffles once, a good loud sound designed to chase away all further
hints that the sniffles ever were. "Jays, you're not?" This gives Nolee
pause, and as Noemie sits down, she eyes the greenrider's midsection
thoughtfully. "I guess you don't look much like you're having a little
anyway. Maybe like you had too much pie." Her ample hips are patted,
comfortable enough. "I always look like that, even if I didn't have any pie
at all." Her feet kick at the water, comfort found there and in the other
woman's company.
Noemie gives her head a shake. "Not /his/. R'layns-- Talurith's. Shards! Do
you really think I ate too much pie?" The girl pretends to be insulted,
looking down at her stomach. "Since I sure didn't look like this a couple of
months ago. Or did I?" A mock-worried look, but she's comfortable enough
with her body, in and out of pregnancy, that she knows she /has/ gained a
bit of roundness.
"His?" Nolee repeats. The confusion's doing well to distract her from whatever
was aimed to be pushed out of her mind when she came down her, so she even
smiles a slight smile for Noemie's statements. "Jays, no," she's hasty to
add. "Not too much pie at all! Just, um, the right amount. Of pie." Nolee
looks down at her toes instead, trying not to stare at Noemie's midsection
though the goldrider can't help but cast sidelong glances that way. "Does he
know yet?" she whispers. "Talurith's?"
Noemie pats her stomach protectively. "Well, then. Good!" A broad smile to the
goldrider-- this is what happens whenever you get her talking about her
growing child. "And yes, he was the first to know. Unfortunately, once
again, Nai and Tal did the telling." Somewhere out in the water, a green
tail makes an amused splash. "Those dragons just can't keep things to
themselves."
Wanding around down to the docks in just a fit of boredom, Sephie is trying to
keep up with the sweltering heat. "This is sooo hot." She offers, gasping a
bit more as she approaches both Noemie and Nolee, grinning when she notices
them. "Hey!"
Nolee's sitting on the end of the dock with Noemie, her feet dangling in the
water, sandals at her side. Her face is a little puffy, nose a little red,
but that's getting only noticible if one looks very closely. "He was the
first? How'd you manage that? Jays, I'd want to be the first. Not the sire."
Her head shakes in amazement. "Ohh, they told you. Listen, Naijath's? I know
a way to, you know, between? If you didn't want Kintryth's any angrier." A
frustrated sigh. "She's been on a rampage lately." She hushes as Sephie
approaches, falling quiet and scuffing at the water.
"Well, the first to know besides me-- and Naijath," Noemie explains. There's a
wave in Sephie's direction as the girl approaches, but a slightly hurt look
falls over her face as her former mentor suggests... alternate strategies.
"I couldn't," she says finally. "It's lucky enough that, with all the
betweening I've been doing lately, it managed to happen, right? I couldn't
do it on /purpose/. I thought about that, the first time I became pregnant,
and just couldn't bring myself to. I'll take Caity's wrath!" She pats a
place near her on the dock, inviting the haircutter to take a seat near the
two riders.
"Hello you two." Sephie says before she moves up to the pair and moves to sit
down next to Noemie. "What's this?" She wonders, tilting her head to the
side. "Couldn't do what? And know about what?" She asks, looking over at
Nolee. "Hello Nolee" She waves to the Goldrider.
A small giggle escapes at Noemie's confession. "Jays, that'd be a handy trick,
just the same. Though it's easier for me, not knowing. Then I don't feel
guilty." This last comes brightly, then her face falls at Noemie's hurt
look. "Ooh, I didn't mean that, if you wanted some? I just know I never
would." Nolee shakes her head. "Not me. I'd take anything else. Well. Almost
anything." Her chin tips up, proudly, for a moment, then falls again, and
she mumbles a polite hello Sephie's direction. "S'up to her to say," she
gestures to Noemie. "Specially if you haven't told you know who yet."
"Well, she actually has told me before. The first two times. This time, I kind
of knew." Noemie can't help but brag slightly about her dragon's ability.
"Sephie, remember the time I was asking you whether you thought it'd be
selfish if I had another little? Well, I'm being selfish." She wrinkles her
nose slightly. "I do feel bad, being grounded when I'm needed."
Sephie almost pounces Noemie as she beams. "Really? That's so good! I'm so
proud. Congrats!" She giggles, looking over at Nolee. "Did you hear? She's
going to be a mommy again!" She says excitedly. "That's so great!"
"Two times!" Nolee's brown eyes widen, startled. "Jays, I forget who has had
how many littles by now." She shakes her head. "I can't imagine having to
get up early to take care of someone else's dirties for years and years --
those two tending Nala before she could were just awfully long." She
shudders, then nods slowly. "If I could do something to get out of it,
sometimes, I would. It's scary. Except, not that."
Kamia slides from Nari's neck very carefully, streaching out and rubbing her
lower back a bit, looking for some fisherman to barter with. She looks
around for a moment to see what's going on.
Noemie giggles. "And /that's/ why I found nannies to help tend them, and
fostered them. Although mostly it was because I was so... /sharding/ young.
Well, I still am, really." A heavy sigh comes from the girl, though. "I
admit I have thought more about *betweening* at the right moment more than
I'd ever considered it before. But I just don't think I could." She notices
Kamia's dragon-back arrival, and waves cheerfully to the other greenrider,
switching back easily to her happy demeanor after a mere moment of
seriousness.
"Oh no, I'll help you." Sephie says, "Remember my promise, Noemie?" She asks,
nodding her head at Noemie. "I'll help." She looks over and waves at Kamia
before she looks to Nolee. "What about you Nolee, waht's going on?"
"It's really easy," coaches Nolee. "A few extra seconds and then you don't
have to worry at all. And it saves the work on the nannies." A shrug. "To
each their own, I suppose. I heard someone say that once. I hope it means
what I think it means." A youth passes by with strips of salted, smoked fish
for barter, and she takes a hunk of it on credit, popping a piece in her
mouth then offering bits of it to her companions. "Ooh, this. It's going on!
This is just in season, and smoked. It's delicious."
Kamia heads on over, giving a faint smile to Noemie as she hugs herself a bit.
She's definately pensive, especially as she eyes the fish. She doesn't seem
to want any of that. "Seen anyone with fresh spiderclaws?"
Noemie takes a piece of Nolee's fish and pops it in her mouth. "Mmm, that is
delic--Oh! Kamia, did you say spiderclaws?" She's forgotten her manners,
having only half-eaten the fish as she talks. "No, I haven't, but... yum."
Back to Nolee-- "To each their own... you know, I think it does." And Sephie
gets a smile. "I appreciate it, Seph. That still leaves a long chunk of time
that I'm not able to do my job. You know, protect Pern and all that."
"I haven't seen any." Sephie says before she looks over at the others. "Have
you two seen any?" She wonders before reaches out and snags a piece of
Noemie's fish. "ha!"
Chewing occupies Nolee's time for a few moments, permitting the others a break
from her chattiness while she eats a few bits of the smoked fish, only her
facial expression moving from rapture at the flavor to headshaking for
Kamia's question to a nod for the importance of Noemie's occupation.
Kamia frowns a bit as that reminds her of the Huricane she still needs to
face. She looks around nervously. "You haven't seen Caitlyn around.. have
you?" No spiderclaws, and she got reminded of the badness to come. She
settles on the ground, and kicks off her boots.
Noemie's eyes grow wide. "Caitlyn? No, I haven't seen her-- why, have you!?"
She seems ready to jump to her feet and run, and a split second before she
actually does, something occurs to her. "Wait. Why are /you/ worried about
running into her?" That they might have the same reason doesn't occur to
her, but the irony that they're both afraid of their wingleader certainly
does.
Nolee, Noemie, and Sephie are seated at the edge of the dock. Nolee's toes
dangle in the water, sandals at her side. Her face is a little puffy, nose
red, but fading to normal fast. A boy wanders about, bartering bits of a
fragrant freshly smoked and salted fish, some of which Nolee's sharing with
those nearby. "Unfortunately, yes," is the goldrider's reply to Kamia. "She
was in a foul, foul mood. We had...a disagreement." Nodnod.
"I might have every idea. Think about how it might feel when someone calls me
'that Telgari.'" V'lano walks alongside M'yr, stride matched to the younger
weyrleader's, a blanket draped over his arm; the two men come along from the
north down the shore, past the longer beach and the treed cove beyond. "Not
that people say that to me so often anymore. How quickly people forget where
we come from in favor of who we are. - Ah, here we are." Squinting, V'lano
can make out the shapes of figures down the length of one of the docks; he
must have some insider knowledge as to one of their identities, for he
points M'yr's attention that way.
Kamia sighs softly. "She's going to kill me.. the healers are grounding me..
she's really going to kill me." She leans on Noemie's shoulder for support.
"I think I need someone to go with me so they can protect me from her."
"Another one?" Sephie asks, laughing a bit more as she looks from between
Noemie and Kamia as she grins a bit more. "Another one? Everyone seems to be
having loads of fun 'round here."
Noemie shakes her head, looking down at Kamia as the other greenrider leans
against her.. "Not me! She'll slaughter the both of us right at the same
time--- oooh." Suddenly things click in the girl's head. "Spiderclaws. No
wonder we both want some spiderclaws." A careful eye looks down towards
Kamia's stomach. "Shards. Caitlyn is /not/ going to be happy."
M'yr walks with the assistance of a stick of driftwood, purchased from the
secluded beach from where he and V'lano originated. Cradled in his other
hand is a bottle of spirits the two men have been sipping on, some remaining
but not much. When his boots touch the dock, he hesitates as if stepping on
red hot coals, then takes a faltering step. Dark eyes mist yet again, but
not from a talk with Soldreth. "How true." he agrees with his Weyrleader
friend, then summons his attention to those gathered. "Heya!" is called out
in greeting with a wide smile.
"Sorry, but it's not going to be me." Nolee's rather firm on this point,
leaving Kamia and Noemie on their own to face the bluerider's wrath, and her
statement seems to assure Sephie that no matter how much 'fun's going round,
Nolee's not a part of it. The approach of the Weyrleader and his companion
cause her to raise her head, shielding her eyes to better see, then waving
in a cheerful enough return greeting.
Kamia looks up, and smiles, waving to M'yr, though she settles back into her
funk. "Who said it was fun.. my wingleader outright hates it when one of her
riders gets grounded... I sort of understand her point.. I mean I tend to
not go around the males often and that's part of the reason."
V'lano follows M'yr a half-pace back from the younger man's left shoulder,
squinting into the misty sprinkle of light speckling rain or sea-spray or
both. His bare feet slap the wood of the dock, sandals left away somewhere
else. "Hey, weyrwoman. Riders. Miss." Though he does not trouble to salute
any of the women, he does offer out a bit of a wave for them all. "What's
not going to be whom?"
Noemie nods at Kamia's words. "I can understand it, too. I feel guilty enough
already. Maybe we /should/ go talk to her together. That way at least she
gets all of the news at once. Nolee, I wouldn't expect you to, don't worry."
She looks over to the pair of approaching Weyrleaders and gives a friendly
wave, explaining for V'lano's sake, "Caitlyn's not going to be happy. /Very/
not-happy." She worriedly bites into what's left of her fish, thinking a bit
as she chews.
M'yr manages to put aside any personal feelings he has over his visit,
clearing the way for a friendly smile to stay attached to him. "I believe
we've stepped into a dubious discussion of who's going to be upset with whom
and for what?" Not totally understanding the jist of this conversation, he
pauses near Nolee, sending her a warm grin then shrugs to V'lano.
Kamia nods in agreement with Noemie repeatedly. She gives V'lano and M'yr the
helpless look, despite she's now a rider. She's still wrinkling her nose at
the fish. "It might be best.. strength in numbers and all.. I really wanted
spider claws.. roasted spider claws with spices.
"They're in a family way, and I'm not gonna soften the news to that
Kintryth's," Nolee announces, queen of listless lack of tact. She's still
trying to cast off the remnants of a foul mood, though its tendrils hand
cloak-like over her shoulders. "I've told you, a few extra seconds between
at just the right time, and you avoid this altogether." She smiles
indulgently to the women, her voice raising to call a bemused, "Hey,
Weyrleaders," back at them. "Have some fish?" The smoked treat is offered
up, wiggled tantalizingly M'yr's way, and she even works up a smile.
"Seems to me that's the kind of request you put in with the kitchen," V'lano
informs Kamia with a good-natured smile, an aside before turning his
attention to first Noemie's answer - which gets a befuddled look - and then
Nolee's less tactful, but at least comprehendible, one. It's Noemie the
Istan weyrleader looks on then, brows high, mouth thin: "Again?" But he
affords her a trace of a smile, a long-suffering ever-patient smile, and
shaking his head puts out a hand to welcome their visitor to a prime spot on
the dock near the ladies and, more to the point, the fish Nolee's offering
as snack.
Kamia frowns a bit at Nolee. "I don't want to take care of it like that
though.. we don't know how long these falls will happen, do we really? It
might be a personal choice for some riders, but Nari and I don't want to do
it." She doesn't mention that Nari only agrees with her to agree with her.
"It would be," Noemie says a bit sadly in response to Nolee, sounding dejected
that this is the only real solution to her (and Kamia's) problem. But the
idea of spiderclaws seems to cheer her in the moment. "Spiderclaws.
/Freshly/ roasted, still all hot. And lots of spices. Maybe we should go
fetch some." A look up at the Istan Weyrleader at his single word. "Yes.
Again." After all this talk about Wingleaders and *between*, whether that
word is cheerful or slightly exasperated can only be judged by each person
hearing it.
M'yr notes slowly, "They?", repeating what Nolee said as he leans down to take
the snippet of fish she offers him, the staff held at his side by his
underarm. Focusing his attention on Kamia and Noemie, he mouths toward
V'lano, 'Them?'. Not waiting for a reply, he munches on the fish, listening,
then during a pause in the conversation, he gets out to Nolee, "Belated
congratulations on Nala's upcoming clutch." His tone is level, sincere.
Kamia smiles up at V'lano, atleast the weyrleader doesn't seem mad at her for
it. "I was thinking I could go back to dragon healer classes in the mean
time.. it would meake me still useful to my wing in a good way. And yes me
M'yr.. " She smirks at him a bit. "I know some people got this idea I just
did not like boys, but it happens." She's pretty cheerful now that she's
made her opinion clear. "It's been.. umm about two months for me since
well.. now about those spider claws..." She waves at the boy with the fish,
distractedly.
The smoked and salted fish goes wiggle, Nolee's hand unable to be still.
"Should've gotten more of it. Tasty." She licks her lips, then frowns at
Kamia. "No, we don't know how long they'll go on. But you accepted the
challenge to fly and fight with the weyr, and --" she breaks off, the beach
with visitors hardly the place for such a discussion. "Jays, thanks! Though
I'm sorry Nalaieth's occupying so much of Jesk--Jek--that brownrider
Weyrlingmaster's time. You know how she is, so demanding." A goodnatured
shrug, then a bright thought. "Ooh. Wonder if -she- gets cravings for
spiderclaws, too."
The Istan 'leader fixes Kamia with a rueful smile. "I recommend you assume
that they'll last at least a handful of turns. A little lizard said to me
that the streaming star could be in the sky for a while." V'lano's tone is
apologetic, though whether this may be due to the fact that his advice is
bad news or because his sources are of unreliable make is up for debate. A
glance at M'yr and a nod, then a shrug: who else? "Nalaieth? Does she even
-eat- spiderclaws?"
Kamia shrugs a bit with a rueful smile of her own. "I want the baby.. and the
father wants the baby.. and I still intend to fight as best I can and work
for the Weyr. And you can bet Nari still wants to help." She begins to see
if she can tempt the fisher boy to do something about her spiderclaw
craving.
"Two months for me, as well." Noemie offers in response to Kamia's report.
"Maybe dragons have other cravings?" She wonders aloud, after V'lano points
out that Nala probably doesn't eat anything so small as a spiderclaw. "Sure
is useful that greens don't clutch, isn't it?" Since apparently their riders
can't help but doing so.
M'yr sends a brief nod to Kamia and Noemie, attaching his own response to the
news with a bright "Congratulations to both of you, then! And Noemie, one of
my finest memories is of Soldreth searching you. Remember that?" He's not
buying into the texture of this gathering, it seems, remaining of good
nature in the midst as the fish is finished. "Thanks." is sent to Nolee
without correction of the clutchsire's rider's name, "You're right, it's
tasty." V'lano's mention of the streaming star brings the slightest of
winces, hardly noticable.
"Actually, I wouldn't mind about now if they -did.- Except that it'd be a
nuisance to the queens on the sands - we could use the extra dragonpairs."
V'lano shrugs, grinning, head shaking, and spares a quick wink for Noemie's
jest. "Oh, Fara - you all do -know- M'yr, right?" A glance particularly for
distracted Sephie. "This is Fort's Weyrleader, Soldreth's M'yr." Quieter, an
aside to the younger man: "I'm as well-mannered as you ever knew me to be,
see."
"It's from the streaming star, then?" Nolee's question to V'lano is almost
eager, like he's a font of information denied her. "Someone's sure of it?"
Her brown eyes widen, looking skyward for any early afternoon traces of the
comet's trail. "Oh, and sure she does. Whole, if she can find them with her
nose, and often a mouthful of sand, too." A sigh. "So far, no other ones,
except, well, Jesk--the pop? His company." Eyeroll. At the intro, Nolee pops
up, offers M'yr her hand, and possibly a hug as well if he's still long
enough. "How're things at Fort? I heard you just had graduations!"
Kamia chuckles at M'yr, smiling. "Of course I know M'yr, we met at the first
Canidate's dinner I ever attended, he and I had a dance I think, and in the
end, when I had a bit to much to drink, he made sure I didn't go overboard."
She grins up at him. "Sounds about right? I was such a gawky thing back
then."
Whatever her mixed feelings about her pregnancy, the memory of her Search and
subsequent Impression of Naijath bring Noemie nothing but joy. "Of /course/
I do!" Is said to M'yr, with a wide smile on her face. "It's one of my
fondest memories as well." A slightly bewildered look to her own Weyrleader.
"Really, you wouldn't mind dozens of Naijaths in this Weyr?" Said in a tone
that says, are you /crazy/?
M'yr grasps Nolee's hand in his, drawing her to his chest in a gentle hug.
"Good to see you again." he whispers to her confidentially with a downward
smile. "Most of our weyrlings have been tapped, we're celebrating with a
party in their honor soon. You should stop by. It should be rather
interesting." Then to all the others, "You're all welcome to stop by and
watch the festivities, of course. And yes, Vel, I know these two." Confirmed
with yet another smile and subsequent nod, he releases Nolee partially, a
hand on her waist til she should slip away.
"It's - ah - " Right. V'lano lifts a hand to the back of his neck and rubs it
there, though it's been many turns since his last sunburn. "There's reason
to believe Threadfall out of season's related to that star, yes." -No more
questions- burn his eyes at his junior weyrwoman, not that he really expects
it to help - but maybe M'yr's hug will take care of that for him.
Distraction! The weyrleader turns toward Noemie and laughs, "Well, of course
-you- do. And no, not right now, I wouldn't mind at all. A dozen greens
would make a third of a wing, the quick third. I'd take it." A beat.
Glancing at Kamia, then: "You make him sound - I don't know. Honorable."
Another beat, and a grin. "Stop it."
Kamia smiles a bit. "Well he's always been honorable to me! Like a big brother
almost. I never had an older brother or anything like that, and he was one
of the first people I met when I moved here."
Nolee looks brightly from M'yr to Noemie. "Really? I didn't remember that. I
mentored her, so we both got to help. And she turned out all right!" Nolee
winks at M'yr, mischief in her brown eyes, smoked fish clenched in one palm,
her fuss of a mood brighter already, comfortable with their friendly
closeness. "Really? I had such a nice time at the dance, I might try to do
that. Thank you for the invitation." Distraction seems to suffice, for the
moment, while she laughs for a clutch of greens and an honorable M'yr, both.
"Gives us the inspiration to hold a party of our own, I think. Of course,
you'd be invited, since you're still like family to us here."
Noemie looks up at the embracing pair, the bronzerider who Searched her and
the goldrider who mentored her. "I turned out okay, did I? Well, that's a
relief!" Her eyes dance with amusement as she laughs a bit. "I'd sure be
proud to see the children of my dragon, but given the way that she preens
and dotes over /my/ littles, I don't know if I could handle her, brooding
over a clutch of eggs!" More laughter, then, "Oh, a party! That's a
wonderful idea."
Kamia shrugs. "Nari would never make a good clutch mother. To flightly. I have
to fight to keep her attention. It's like she's always searching for the
next shiny adventure. Even when she has had a flight, she's usually bored
quickly and moving on before the other dragon can do anything about it"
M'yr is close enough to attempt a launch of an elbow toward his Istan
Weyrleader friend, sending him a mock-glare. "I /am/ honorable!" is his
quick comeback then a laugh. "Sometimes." Then to the group, he adds, "It'll
be in the northeast bowl at Fort if you can make it. There's...." a pause
for emphasis, "been a lot of construction going on just for this event.
So... be sure to stop by if you can."
"That must be a new trend," laughs V'lano, taking the elbow in the arm and
backing off in case there's going to be another like it launched after. He
backs off a little after that, folding his arms loosely over his chest; he
is content for a moment, it seems, to merely preside over the edge of the
gathering and watch on from the sidelines.
Nolee laughs more easily now, bemused at the idea of flighty Naurimeth or
flirty Naijath as a clutch mother. "Nalaieth's bad enough. At least she
remembers they're there, and does what she should do tend them." A beat.
"Or, gets the clutchfather to." A quiet giggle, proud of her Nalaieth on
some level. "Construction? Did something fall in, like that time in the
cavern? Or is this a good construction and not because something broke?"
"Naijath's always looking for the next shiny object, too," Noemie says, "But
the color of that shiny object is usually bronze, brown, or blue." More
laughter, then her curiosity is sparked as to what's happening at Fort as
well. "Yes, what sort of construction?"
M'yr's dark eyes turn reflective at the mention of the cave-in in the lower
cavern. "Shards! I had almost forgotten about that, Nolee!" He sighs, quiets
for the moment then lets the memory go. "Nothing fell, just having," a
pause, "some items built for the party." Smiling mysteriously to Noemie,
Kamia and then down to Nolee, he winks. "You'll just need to come see,
right?" Watchful eyes note V'lano's position, just in case.
Kamia smiles a bit at him. "If I have the time M'yr, seeing as I'd have to fly
straight or take a boat. I should get over and talk to Zi'ya sometime
though."
V'lano's eyes, when M'yr looks upon him, are rolling skyward.
"Mysteeeeerious," observes the Istan weyrleader, good-naturedly
long-suffering.
While M'yr's busy watching for an elbow from V'lano, Nolee casually tickles
him in the side, then waits to see if it has any effect. "Things here have
been steady, at least, no volcanic movement like before, so no more awful
cave-ins," she reassures, at his solemn expression. For V'lano's comment,
she laughs, and nods. "I'll try. I'd have to get it on my slateboard or I'd
forget. And it depends if Nala can go then, or if I'm here with her, same's
the girls."
Noemie laughs. "Well, I'll have to fly straight as well, of course," she says,
"But I admit now I'm curious to know just what's been built." An eyebrow is
lifted in Kamia's direction. "Talk to Zi'ya? Is that... um, the father?"
Curiosity is now directed in a totally new direction.
Kamia lokos over at Noemie and nods a bit, hugging her stomach. "Yeah, his
flew Nari.. he has someone else, but he's still not upset about the baby and
wants to help with it."
M'yr mouths 'Zi'ya' with a puzzled expression sent to the speaker, then eyes
flicker to the Istan weyrleader as if it were his fault. He's just about to
come up with a clever excuse to blame him when the tickles hit. "Hey!!" he
blurts out, set into a mire of laughter as he wiggles to get free. Huh. Yes,
this'll work. Still with his arm around her, he lifts her up to sit on his
hip, a teasing expression more like a nyanya given to the Junior. "V'lano,
do you have any rope?" is asked with a grin sent to the other women.
V'lano has nothing to say about Zi'ya - just a twitch of brows as M'yr gets a
hit of his own medicine from Nolee. "Well, I -might- be able to find
something. These docks, you know, there might be some rope somewhere. But
you know how I get lost aboard ships..." The Istan weyrleader casts the
Fortian one a wink. "You'll all excuse me, I'm sure. Kamia, Noemie,
congratulations." A nod and a smile if a strained one to each of the
pregnant women, and a little salute for his junior, and then V'lano's headed
off toward shore.
Kamia chuckles up at M'yr's expression. "I thought you would of known, I mean
his dragon was practiacally gloating when he left here. What happens in
flights, right?"
Nolee tilts her head, fascinated by this discourse about the possible identity
of the father, and caught unawares when she's hefted up into the air and
balanced against M'yr's hip. Her toes wiggle, not quite touching the ground,
and she laughs brightly. "Stays in flights!" she hollers, mirthful. "Only if
you tie tight! And promise to fly high! Jays, even in one of those baskets
you guys made, that'd be even better!"
So distracted is Nolee that she misses the Weyrleader's departure; alas.
Jascela heads toward the group of people just as V'lano departs. She smiles
and nods to her Weyrleader as she passes him.
"Well, that's weyrlife for you, I suppose," Noemie says to Kamia. Her words
are half cut-off by her suddenly noticing M'yr's kidnapping of Nolee and her
own subsequent giggles. In between laughter, she manages to say, "Good
evening, Weyrleader, and thank you." And because of her own distraction, she
probably missed the strained undertone to his smile, and a genuine one is
flashed in his direction as he departs.
Kamia grins up at M'yr and Nolee. "It's to bad Fort had to kidnap you from us
M'yr. We miss you here, as you can see."
M'yr leaves Nolee there while he watches V'lano take his leave, turning back
to his companions. "It's been good to be back, if not for a while, you know?
If it weren't for your weyrleader and delivering his Istan peppers to P'ter?
Well.. life may have been different."
Kamia smiles some more. "You know, you two are very sweet together. Always
have been.. I miss Tannim." She sighs a bit and leans on Noemie again.
An earnest nod comes from Nolee, even as she wiggles a little bit just to make
M'yr have to hold on tightly. "Things can change in an instant, what with
dragons, that I've learned for sure." She leans her head up, smiling at
M'yr. "We've known each other since before we were Weyrlings. It's lucky to
have a good friend, even though he lives over there now. I imagine he's
doing good things for them. Always did for us." Her tone is complimentary,
even in the third person discussion of the man who is right there. "Look at
what peppers can do!"
"Isn't life odd like that?" Noemie observes. "All the little things that could
have made everything different. I think we all have those moments." An arm
is wrapped around the girl's pregnant-Dawnsflame-greenrider twin as she's
leaned against, and the other is lifted in a wave to Jascela as she'd noted
approaching.
Jascela flashes the two Greenriders a bright grin and waves to them, then to
the others. "Good evening everyone."
M'yr clamps against his 'captive' to ward off the wiggles, noting, "We took
care of each other for many turns, and yes, it's very nice to have a good
friend. I have to admit it's awfully good to come back to Ista, even if it's
for a visit." All that said, he releases his tight grasp of her, allowing
her to slip gently back to the ground. Free now, he shifts the bottle V'lano
gave him to his other hand, still maintaining the staff. "So how is the food
here? Still excellent?"
Kamia grins. "I just sent someone off the find us some spiced spider claw!"
She grins up at him. "Noemie and I are having cravings for it."
Noemie nods. "Why spiderclaws though, hmm?" She wonders. "Why isn't it... say,
roasted tubers?" Her head tilts contemplatively. "Maybe next month, it will
be. Mm, tubers, those are good, too."
Kamia is pretty distracted, chating about food with Noemie. "Roasted tubers
with butter.." She groans a bit. "When is that kid getting back?"
Nolee stills as she's clamped into place, a giggle still on her lips as the
group visits near the edge of the dock. "Visit often! It's a wonderful place
for a short vacation, just a between-hop from your home over there." Ever
the tour-guide, she's quick to nod, slipping apart from M'yr and flashing
him a bright smile. "Still fabulous! Mmm, especially the spider claws. With
citron and some meltys? Very good. Tubers can be too, but seafood, so much
better."
Caitlyn arrives with Aion, the woman's hand tucked neatly into his proffered
arm as the two descend from the plateau's path down to the beach, then the
dock area. Yes, the reckoning is nigh, greenriders - but Cait's polished
smile leaves nothing of the inner turmoil roiling within to be seen. As she
approaches, all are smiled to, even Nolee - but it's only M'yr who gets a
heartfelt one.
Noemie spies the approaching pair, and both of them are flashed a winning,
cheerful smile. But just like she almost did when she /thought/ Caitlyn was
coming, she scrambles to her feet suddenly, giving an awkward and unusual
salute. "Good evening, wingleader!" She knows what's coming, all right.
Jascela eyes Noemie and Kamia both, grinning amusedly at them both. "Cravings,
eh? How're you both feeling tonight other than the cravings?"
Kamia blinks herself as she suddenly loses her leaning post, and scrambles to
her feet, also salute as well. She has to bite her lower lip as well.
M'yr actively situates himself on the edge of the group, among the first to
spot Cait's entrance with Aion, a bright wave sent to the Istan wingleader.
Of course that's preliminary to Kamia and Noemie's jump, and secondary to a
wave sent to Jascela. "Hmm." he mutters, backing up a pace or two just in
case there might be flying debris.
Nolee stiffens as Caitlyn approaches, though her expression doesn't betray a
flinch, and she's all propriety, nodding a welcome to all the recent
arrivals. "Good evening," she hails. "Of course you remember Kintryth's,
Soldreth's," are the abridged introductions. "Tansith's," a nod to Jascela,
"And this...?" a pause for Aion to insert an introduction as well. "We were
ruminating about Istan delicacies." Ahh, the marvels of formality.
Aion releases Caitlyn's arm so she can better greet the others here, or - at
least, that's what most would probably think he was doing. He blinks a
couple times as Nolee doesn't appear to recognize him, even though it's
definitely the second time they've met. "Journeyman Healer Aion." He offers
anyways, since some of the others aren't familiar with him.
Caitlyn remains as calm as she can, on the outside, tossing both greenriders a
smart salute back, the woman's smile slowly turning into a smirk. M'yr gets
a pleased glint of her brown eyes as well as a large wave, and Jascela also
receives a smaller wave. She seems to ignore the other blueie's words about
cravings, if she overheard them at all. And Nolee, yes, even she gets a
smirked smile, and a level nod of the Wingleader's head, as if not much ever
happened. "Hello all," the bluerider drawls out in a darkly pleased manner,
then focusing her dark gaze on the two greenriders standing before her. If
she notices Aion's slight 'leavetaking,' the short woman gives no sign - her
back straightening from its relaxed position to one of something more firm,
ready.
Kamia shudders and moves closer to Noemie for umm.. emotional support, yes,
that is it. Even on the sand, Nari is perking up to watch the dock herself.
"Hello ma'am, Healer." She is difinately looking scared and perhaps a bit
green, not just in the dragon.
Noemie observes her Wingleader's greetings with a careful formality, and her
own bright blue eyes flash in a near challenge before they turn to regard
Aion as well. She, too, makes a step closer to her fellow greenrider, but
it's a move in solidarity more than support, her posture straight, looking
ready for anything after taking a moment for composure after her initial
salute.
Kintryth backwings to a landing only a little farther up the beach, warbling
to the other dragons gathered. Slowly, he paces over towards the humans,
then lazily flopping down onto the warm sands - stretching long neck and
head out towards the group in order to get a better view.
M'yr levels a nice, well, stare at the two wingriders in their wingleader's
presence, the very slightest of twitches shown as he measures the situation.
"Ut oh." he mutters to Nolee, raising one brow at the upcoming predicament.
Clearing his throat, he asks her, "So I hope Nala is feeling well?"
Nolee's very casual, finding the crushed bits of a smoked fish in her palm and
popping them into her mouth, chewing to fill the silence, fascinated by the
Healer's expression, and puzzling at him -- does he look familiar, that
impractical blonde hair? M'yr's question draws her focus, however, and she
nods, complacently, pleased enough to converse on cheery subjects with him.
"She is. She's enjoyed Jesk--Kesji--that brown's tours of under the lake,
and other places at Fort that are all pretty. And Soldreth?"
Despite the tense back-and-forth the green's receiving from her rider as
Noemie braces herself for Caitlyn, Naijath croons toward Kintryth as he
alights on the beach. She heads back to shore from the water where she'd
been splashing and swimming this whole while. It's not that she wants to be
closer to her clutchbrother, no! It's so she can show her rider some
support, of course.
Charis slides down off Qeteth, brushing back some hair from her eyes, a smile
on her face as she looks around at the people gathered on the docks. She
squints her eyes, possibly looking for a familiar face, sighing softly she
makes her way to the serving tables. Qeteth lets out a croon of greeting to
those around him.
Caitlyn plants her sandaled feet a little widely, almost appearing to rock
from heels to toes a bit as she surveys her two greenriders. It seems as
though, maybe Kamia and Noemie might get off lightly for a moment,
especially as another dragonpair from far away arrive. But Cait isn't in a
terribly forgiving mood, and she sets in without hesitation. "Aion tells me
you're both pregnant." Immediately, her smile is gone, the ruse unable to be
kept up any longer, at least right now. "He also implies you're both keeping
the babes, and says you're both to be transferred to the Queen's Wing for
the duration." A small pause, and she leans in, muttering darkly to her two
wingmates - though her words carry further on the watered-air near the
ocean. "How damned *selfish* can you both get?!"
Jascela is just standing quietly nerby, just watching the others nearby
curiously and tugging at one of her huge ear-hoops. She smiles at Charis and
nods a greeting before glancing over at Caitlyn and the Greenriders.
Kamia flinches as she starts to get chewed out, looking down at her feet.
She's not arguing, not answering, and in general she's just keeping quiet
rather then to irritate her more.
M'yr repeats back to Nolee, "Tour? Of Fort? That was very kind of him." Sable
eyes dart from person to person in the group before going on, "Sol's as
stubborn as usual. No changes there. He's been a little anxious about this
last batch of new riders. Some of them have him concerned, but not me."
Nolee turns fully toward M'yr, brightly taking up a new conversation. "So, I
hear I'm to have two new wingmates flying in Twilight for at least a turn.
Jays, that'll be nice. It's a pretty shifting group, really, and we could
use the solidity of two experienced fliers." A nod, pleasant, to Jascela,
and to their visitor "You've flown with us before. Rather light on the
drills, but then, we have to be." Louder, she hails, "Welcome! Duties from
Ista's queens."
Charis nods her head politely to Jascela as she walks closer to Caitlyn,
canting her head a bit when the bits of words hit her ears, furrowing her
brows in interest. The rider glances about, letting her gray eyes find
Kamia, not saying anything though from what she hears.
Noemie looks sidelong at her fellow, silent greenrider, and takes this as her
cue to be the one to speak out loud. "Selfish enough to shirk our abilities
to Weyr and Pern," she says. "Selfish enough to think only for ourselves.
And /sentimental/ enough to know that we'd regret doing what everyone seems
to think is the right thing to do." She owns up to it, all of it, throwing
it out in the open herself so that Caitlyn can't throw it in her face. All
others seem to not exist at the moment, and rude as it may be, no notice is
given to the new visitor.
Kamia looks up at Noemie with a faint smile as she stands up for them both,
smiling at her wingmate. "It's not selfish to want children Caitlyn, even if
you yourself don't want that choice yourself... I intend to make good use of
my time so that when I rejoin the wing, I'll bring something new with me
other then the baby. I didn't ask to get pregnant, but I would hate myself
if I let go of it."
Aion isn't offering his opinion one way or the other for the time being, and
since Caitlyn is no longer close to him, he simply clasps his hands behind
his back and watches as the events unfold. He just watches the others, even
the interactions with those that aren't involved in the little situation
that's unfolding.
Caitlyn seems to utterly ignore the going's on of those around her, focusing
her wrath on Noemie and Kamia, honing it to a knife-edge when the more
experienced greenrider speaks up for both of them. "Did I say you could
speak, greenriders?!" she barks loudly, golden-brown eyes flashing
dangerously, Cait's frown slowly altering to something darker. "You'll have
your turn to speak your piece, after I've had MINE." The words are spoken in
clipped tones full of both heat and cold, the bluerider glowering
dangerously to both. She continues in somewhat more modified tones, "Your
ultimate duty is to Ista, and Pern! You know damned well how badly we need
every pair right now, and yet you baldfacedly *choose* to indulge
yourselves, and leave the rest of us to try and make up the burden." A
finger stabs out at both of then, then turns like a weathervane onto Noemie.
"*Especially* you. You've had other babes, and I've never begrudged you the
time to keep them. And this one's not even from a Flight!" A glower back at
Kamia. "I could almost forgive *you* for being too young and foolish to know
better, but you've had the same training as others!"
M'yr has to chuckle softly to Nolee's proclamation of the two new wingmates.
"It seems like a definite advantage to me!" Winking at her, he rotates to
view the rest of those gathered, then his eyes glaze over. Offering Nolee an
apologetic smile, then the rest of the group, he mentions, "It seems like
Sol's not happy anymore to take care of matters while I indulge myself with
old friends. I.." he pauses, "should get going before I'm left here with no
transport home."
Kamia sighs and wraps her arms around her belly protectively. She was always
sentimental, it was a well known fact on her. She waits for Cait to finish
her ranting, her eyes glassing over a bit as she does.
"They'll iron out, I'm sure. Soldreth himself gave his weyrleader worry as
well." Nolee winks at M'yr for that. The goldrider hesitates uncertainly as
M'yr seems uncomfortable, then takes a few steps away from Dawnslight's
wingleader and her two greenriders, her steps and her intent to direct the
others in the small gathering down the docks a bit more, further from the
more personal conversation nearby. "If you must go, of course. Our duties go
with you. Oh, look. There's one of our ships returning home. I'll wager
we'll have fresh shellfish this evening, if I recognize the flag."
Noemie's icy blue eyes flash, cold as the Reaches. Her mouth tightens into a
thin line as she listens, unflinching. Then, finally, she says softly,
"/Now/ may I say my piece?" Still, all others and all else has evaporated as
attention's on her Wingleader, on regaining composure, on making it seem, in
a careful performance, that she's not close to tears.
Caitlyn suddenly jerks her thumb at Noemie and Kamia, signalling them further
up the beach, the woman stomping off from the main group.
Charis blinks a few times, not sure she wants to be in the middle of the
fighting, instead heads back over to her blue and leaps up strapping herself
in tightly.
Nolee's eyes flash briefly, betraying future ire at the Wingleader's behavior
driving away their dockside visitors. Gathering her shoes, she slips them
on, and curtsies to the remaining folk politely. "I'm afraid I too could use
a bit of fresh air. If you'll excuse me?" Without waiting further, she heads
for the beach, gulps of air sucked in as she goes.
Kamia still stays close to Noemie, she clearly doesn't want to follow her, but
she does start to slowly head in that direction.
Noemie follows as well, her footsteps terse as her words and demeanor.
What: In an impromptu gathering by the Docks, Noemie and Kamia learn that they share more than just the color of their dragons and their wing in common... they're both pregnant. There's plenty of advice, a few odd cravings, and some reminiscing.
Where: Ista Docks
Ista Weyr: Docks and South Beach(#2557RJs)
The black sand stretches for kilometers to each side of these long docks,
curving from the south to the southeast as the plateau's gentle slope curves
towards the forests. These docks are obviously brand new and recently
expanded, stretching far into the harbour. Metal rings adorn the wood at
regular intervals, providing places for ships to berth, and several smaller
sets of docks jut out from the main. Beside the docks to the northwest the
beachside tavern rests, offering more places for sailors to dock and seek
refreshment. Sunset drenches red, glorious light over everything, and what
the black sand absorbs, the sea makes up for, in a million dazzling
reflections of fire from the blue, rolling surface. The sky shades to a
flaming red to the horizon, where it meets the sea in a bright line unbroken
except for the distant dark smudges that rise out of the sea far to the west
and southwest: these are the beautiful Ista Isles.
Two sets of recent footprints, one human, one draconic, make a long trail down
the black sand of the beach. The draconic ones end somewhere near the
water's edge, the human's making a trail to one of the docks. And at the end
of each trail, the owner can be found-- Naijath splashing in the sea, Noemie
watching the green from a perch on the end of the dock. She absentmindedly
dangles her legs off the edge, seeming a bit lost in her own mind, but
content.
Winding down the path toward the docks comes Nolee, tear tracks cleaned off
her face but her nose at least a little puffy still. Intent steps carry her
along the bumpy dock as though one of her hide-out points of refuge were
along here somewhere, and hm...there's someone sitting there. She hesitates,
then strides forward anyway, taking up a seat a few dock-pegs down and
immediately tugging off her sandals and seeking the water with her toes.
Then she notices that the other is familiar, and she offers a tired wave.
"Hallo, Naijath's! You tell Soldreth's you're having his littles yet?" Alas,
not quite right, she is.
Noemie doesn't seem to mind the intrusion on her quiet dock, and as Nolee
finds her own seat she scrambles to her feet, going to join the goldrider.
"Hello! No, because I--" she pauses as she notes the slight after-a-cry look
on Nolee's face, but as she settles herself cross-legged on the dock near
her, decides to pretend not to, for the moment. "I'm not having /M'yr's/
little." Best clear that up, before rumors start!"
Nolee sniffles once, a good loud sound designed to chase away all further
hints that the sniffles ever were. "Jays, you're not?" This gives Nolee
pause, and as Noemie sits down, she eyes the greenrider's midsection
thoughtfully. "I guess you don't look much like you're having a little
anyway. Maybe like you had too much pie." Her ample hips are patted,
comfortable enough. "I always look like that, even if I didn't have any pie
at all." Her feet kick at the water, comfort found there and in the other
woman's company.
Noemie gives her head a shake. "Not /his/. R'layns-- Talurith's. Shards! Do
you really think I ate too much pie?" The girl pretends to be insulted,
looking down at her stomach. "Since I sure didn't look like this a couple of
months ago. Or did I?" A mock-worried look, but she's comfortable enough
with her body, in and out of pregnancy, that she knows she /has/ gained a
bit of roundness.
"His?" Nolee repeats. The confusion's doing well to distract her from whatever
was aimed to be pushed out of her mind when she came down her, so she even
smiles a slight smile for Noemie's statements. "Jays, no," she's hasty to
add. "Not too much pie at all! Just, um, the right amount. Of pie." Nolee
looks down at her toes instead, trying not to stare at Noemie's midsection
though the goldrider can't help but cast sidelong glances that way. "Does he
know yet?" she whispers. "Talurith's?"
Noemie pats her stomach protectively. "Well, then. Good!" A broad smile to the
goldrider-- this is what happens whenever you get her talking about her
growing child. "And yes, he was the first to know. Unfortunately, once
again, Nai and Tal did the telling." Somewhere out in the water, a green
tail makes an amused splash. "Those dragons just can't keep things to
themselves."
Wanding around down to the docks in just a fit of boredom, Sephie is trying to
keep up with the sweltering heat. "This is sooo hot." She offers, gasping a
bit more as she approaches both Noemie and Nolee, grinning when she notices
them. "Hey!"
Nolee's sitting on the end of the dock with Noemie, her feet dangling in the
water, sandals at her side. Her face is a little puffy, nose a little red,
but that's getting only noticible if one looks very closely. "He was the
first? How'd you manage that? Jays, I'd want to be the first. Not the sire."
Her head shakes in amazement. "Ohh, they told you. Listen, Naijath's? I know
a way to, you know, between? If you didn't want Kintryth's any angrier." A
frustrated sigh. "She's been on a rampage lately." She hushes as Sephie
approaches, falling quiet and scuffing at the water.
"Well, the first to know besides me-- and Naijath," Noemie explains. There's a
wave in Sephie's direction as the girl approaches, but a slightly hurt look
falls over her face as her former mentor suggests... alternate strategies.
"I couldn't," she says finally. "It's lucky enough that, with all the
betweening I've been doing lately, it managed to happen, right? I couldn't
do it on /purpose/. I thought about that, the first time I became pregnant,
and just couldn't bring myself to. I'll take Caity's wrath!" She pats a
place near her on the dock, inviting the haircutter to take a seat near the
two riders.
"Hello you two." Sephie says before she moves up to the pair and moves to sit
down next to Noemie. "What's this?" She wonders, tilting her head to the
side. "Couldn't do what? And know about what?" She asks, looking over at
Nolee. "Hello Nolee" She waves to the Goldrider.
A small giggle escapes at Noemie's confession. "Jays, that'd be a handy trick,
just the same. Though it's easier for me, not knowing. Then I don't feel
guilty." This last comes brightly, then her face falls at Noemie's hurt
look. "Ooh, I didn't mean that, if you wanted some? I just know I never
would." Nolee shakes her head. "Not me. I'd take anything else. Well. Almost
anything." Her chin tips up, proudly, for a moment, then falls again, and
she mumbles a polite hello Sephie's direction. "S'up to her to say," she
gestures to Noemie. "Specially if you haven't told you know who yet."
"Well, she actually has told me before. The first two times. This time, I kind
of knew." Noemie can't help but brag slightly about her dragon's ability.
"Sephie, remember the time I was asking you whether you thought it'd be
selfish if I had another little? Well, I'm being selfish." She wrinkles her
nose slightly. "I do feel bad, being grounded when I'm needed."
Sephie almost pounces Noemie as she beams. "Really? That's so good! I'm so
proud. Congrats!" She giggles, looking over at Nolee. "Did you hear? She's
going to be a mommy again!" She says excitedly. "That's so great!"
"Two times!" Nolee's brown eyes widen, startled. "Jays, I forget who has had
how many littles by now." She shakes her head. "I can't imagine having to
get up early to take care of someone else's dirties for years and years --
those two tending Nala before she could were just awfully long." She
shudders, then nods slowly. "If I could do something to get out of it,
sometimes, I would. It's scary. Except, not that."
Kamia slides from Nari's neck very carefully, streaching out and rubbing her
lower back a bit, looking for some fisherman to barter with. She looks
around for a moment to see what's going on.
Noemie giggles. "And /that's/ why I found nannies to help tend them, and
fostered them. Although mostly it was because I was so... /sharding/ young.
Well, I still am, really." A heavy sigh comes from the girl, though. "I
admit I have thought more about *betweening* at the right moment more than
I'd ever considered it before. But I just don't think I could." She notices
Kamia's dragon-back arrival, and waves cheerfully to the other greenrider,
switching back easily to her happy demeanor after a mere moment of
seriousness.
"Oh no, I'll help you." Sephie says, "Remember my promise, Noemie?" She asks,
nodding her head at Noemie. "I'll help." She looks over and waves at Kamia
before she looks to Nolee. "What about you Nolee, waht's going on?"
"It's really easy," coaches Nolee. "A few extra seconds and then you don't
have to worry at all. And it saves the work on the nannies." A shrug. "To
each their own, I suppose. I heard someone say that once. I hope it means
what I think it means." A youth passes by with strips of salted, smoked fish
for barter, and she takes a hunk of it on credit, popping a piece in her
mouth then offering bits of it to her companions. "Ooh, this. It's going on!
This is just in season, and smoked. It's delicious."
Kamia heads on over, giving a faint smile to Noemie as she hugs herself a bit.
She's definately pensive, especially as she eyes the fish. She doesn't seem
to want any of that. "Seen anyone with fresh spiderclaws?"
Noemie takes a piece of Nolee's fish and pops it in her mouth. "Mmm, that is
delic--Oh! Kamia, did you say spiderclaws?" She's forgotten her manners,
having only half-eaten the fish as she talks. "No, I haven't, but... yum."
Back to Nolee-- "To each their own... you know, I think it does." And Sephie
gets a smile. "I appreciate it, Seph. That still leaves a long chunk of time
that I'm not able to do my job. You know, protect Pern and all that."
"I haven't seen any." Sephie says before she looks over at the others. "Have
you two seen any?" She wonders before reaches out and snags a piece of
Noemie's fish. "ha!"
Chewing occupies Nolee's time for a few moments, permitting the others a break
from her chattiness while she eats a few bits of the smoked fish, only her
facial expression moving from rapture at the flavor to headshaking for
Kamia's question to a nod for the importance of Noemie's occupation.
Kamia frowns a bit as that reminds her of the Huricane she still needs to
face. She looks around nervously. "You haven't seen Caitlyn around.. have
you?" No spiderclaws, and she got reminded of the badness to come. She
settles on the ground, and kicks off her boots.
Noemie's eyes grow wide. "Caitlyn? No, I haven't seen her-- why, have you!?"
She seems ready to jump to her feet and run, and a split second before she
actually does, something occurs to her. "Wait. Why are /you/ worried about
running into her?" That they might have the same reason doesn't occur to
her, but the irony that they're both afraid of their wingleader certainly
does.
Nolee, Noemie, and Sephie are seated at the edge of the dock. Nolee's toes
dangle in the water, sandals at her side. Her face is a little puffy, nose
red, but fading to normal fast. A boy wanders about, bartering bits of a
fragrant freshly smoked and salted fish, some of which Nolee's sharing with
those nearby. "Unfortunately, yes," is the goldrider's reply to Kamia. "She
was in a foul, foul mood. We had...a disagreement." Nodnod.
"I might have every idea. Think about how it might feel when someone calls me
'that Telgari.'" V'lano walks alongside M'yr, stride matched to the younger
weyrleader's, a blanket draped over his arm; the two men come along from the
north down the shore, past the longer beach and the treed cove beyond. "Not
that people say that to me so often anymore. How quickly people forget where
we come from in favor of who we are. - Ah, here we are." Squinting, V'lano
can make out the shapes of figures down the length of one of the docks; he
must have some insider knowledge as to one of their identities, for he
points M'yr's attention that way.
Kamia sighs softly. "She's going to kill me.. the healers are grounding me..
she's really going to kill me." She leans on Noemie's shoulder for support.
"I think I need someone to go with me so they can protect me from her."
"Another one?" Sephie asks, laughing a bit more as she looks from between
Noemie and Kamia as she grins a bit more. "Another one? Everyone seems to be
having loads of fun 'round here."
Noemie shakes her head, looking down at Kamia as the other greenrider leans
against her.. "Not me! She'll slaughter the both of us right at the same
time--- oooh." Suddenly things click in the girl's head. "Spiderclaws. No
wonder we both want some spiderclaws." A careful eye looks down towards
Kamia's stomach. "Shards. Caitlyn is /not/ going to be happy."
M'yr walks with the assistance of a stick of driftwood, purchased from the
secluded beach from where he and V'lano originated. Cradled in his other
hand is a bottle of spirits the two men have been sipping on, some remaining
but not much. When his boots touch the dock, he hesitates as if stepping on
red hot coals, then takes a faltering step. Dark eyes mist yet again, but
not from a talk with Soldreth. "How true." he agrees with his Weyrleader
friend, then summons his attention to those gathered. "Heya!" is called out
in greeting with a wide smile.
"Sorry, but it's not going to be me." Nolee's rather firm on this point,
leaving Kamia and Noemie on their own to face the bluerider's wrath, and her
statement seems to assure Sephie that no matter how much 'fun's going round,
Nolee's not a part of it. The approach of the Weyrleader and his companion
cause her to raise her head, shielding her eyes to better see, then waving
in a cheerful enough return greeting.
Kamia looks up, and smiles, waving to M'yr, though she settles back into her
funk. "Who said it was fun.. my wingleader outright hates it when one of her
riders gets grounded... I sort of understand her point.. I mean I tend to
not go around the males often and that's part of the reason."
V'lano follows M'yr a half-pace back from the younger man's left shoulder,
squinting into the misty sprinkle of light speckling rain or sea-spray or
both. His bare feet slap the wood of the dock, sandals left away somewhere
else. "Hey, weyrwoman. Riders. Miss." Though he does not trouble to salute
any of the women, he does offer out a bit of a wave for them all. "What's
not going to be whom?"
Noemie nods at Kamia's words. "I can understand it, too. I feel guilty enough
already. Maybe we /should/ go talk to her together. That way at least she
gets all of the news at once. Nolee, I wouldn't expect you to, don't worry."
She looks over to the pair of approaching Weyrleaders and gives a friendly
wave, explaining for V'lano's sake, "Caitlyn's not going to be happy. /Very/
not-happy." She worriedly bites into what's left of her fish, thinking a bit
as she chews.
M'yr manages to put aside any personal feelings he has over his visit,
clearing the way for a friendly smile to stay attached to him. "I believe
we've stepped into a dubious discussion of who's going to be upset with whom
and for what?" Not totally understanding the jist of this conversation, he
pauses near Nolee, sending her a warm grin then shrugs to V'lano.
Kamia nods in agreement with Noemie repeatedly. She gives V'lano and M'yr the
helpless look, despite she's now a rider. She's still wrinkling her nose at
the fish. "It might be best.. strength in numbers and all.. I really wanted
spider claws.. roasted spider claws with spices.
"They're in a family way, and I'm not gonna soften the news to that
Kintryth's," Nolee announces, queen of listless lack of tact. She's still
trying to cast off the remnants of a foul mood, though its tendrils hand
cloak-like over her shoulders. "I've told you, a few extra seconds between
at just the right time, and you avoid this altogether." She smiles
indulgently to the women, her voice raising to call a bemused, "Hey,
Weyrleaders," back at them. "Have some fish?" The smoked treat is offered
up, wiggled tantalizingly M'yr's way, and she even works up a smile.
"Seems to me that's the kind of request you put in with the kitchen," V'lano
informs Kamia with a good-natured smile, an aside before turning his
attention to first Noemie's answer - which gets a befuddled look - and then
Nolee's less tactful, but at least comprehendible, one. It's Noemie the
Istan weyrleader looks on then, brows high, mouth thin: "Again?" But he
affords her a trace of a smile, a long-suffering ever-patient smile, and
shaking his head puts out a hand to welcome their visitor to a prime spot on
the dock near the ladies and, more to the point, the fish Nolee's offering
as snack.
Kamia frowns a bit at Nolee. "I don't want to take care of it like that
though.. we don't know how long these falls will happen, do we really? It
might be a personal choice for some riders, but Nari and I don't want to do
it." She doesn't mention that Nari only agrees with her to agree with her.
"It would be," Noemie says a bit sadly in response to Nolee, sounding dejected
that this is the only real solution to her (and Kamia's) problem. But the
idea of spiderclaws seems to cheer her in the moment. "Spiderclaws.
/Freshly/ roasted, still all hot. And lots of spices. Maybe we should go
fetch some." A look up at the Istan Weyrleader at his single word. "Yes.
Again." After all this talk about Wingleaders and *between*, whether that
word is cheerful or slightly exasperated can only be judged by each person
hearing it.
M'yr notes slowly, "They?", repeating what Nolee said as he leans down to take
the snippet of fish she offers him, the staff held at his side by his
underarm. Focusing his attention on Kamia and Noemie, he mouths toward
V'lano, 'Them?'. Not waiting for a reply, he munches on the fish, listening,
then during a pause in the conversation, he gets out to Nolee, "Belated
congratulations on Nala's upcoming clutch." His tone is level, sincere.
Kamia smiles up at V'lano, atleast the weyrleader doesn't seem mad at her for
it. "I was thinking I could go back to dragon healer classes in the mean
time.. it would meake me still useful to my wing in a good way. And yes me
M'yr.. " She smirks at him a bit. "I know some people got this idea I just
did not like boys, but it happens." She's pretty cheerful now that she's
made her opinion clear. "It's been.. umm about two months for me since
well.. now about those spider claws..." She waves at the boy with the fish,
distractedly.
The smoked and salted fish goes wiggle, Nolee's hand unable to be still.
"Should've gotten more of it. Tasty." She licks her lips, then frowns at
Kamia. "No, we don't know how long they'll go on. But you accepted the
challenge to fly and fight with the weyr, and --" she breaks off, the beach
with visitors hardly the place for such a discussion. "Jays, thanks! Though
I'm sorry Nalaieth's occupying so much of Jesk--Jek--that brownrider
Weyrlingmaster's time. You know how she is, so demanding." A goodnatured
shrug, then a bright thought. "Ooh. Wonder if -she- gets cravings for
spiderclaws, too."
The Istan 'leader fixes Kamia with a rueful smile. "I recommend you assume
that they'll last at least a handful of turns. A little lizard said to me
that the streaming star could be in the sky for a while." V'lano's tone is
apologetic, though whether this may be due to the fact that his advice is
bad news or because his sources are of unreliable make is up for debate. A
glance at M'yr and a nod, then a shrug: who else? "Nalaieth? Does she even
-eat- spiderclaws?"
Kamia shrugs a bit with a rueful smile of her own. "I want the baby.. and the
father wants the baby.. and I still intend to fight as best I can and work
for the Weyr. And you can bet Nari still wants to help." She begins to see
if she can tempt the fisher boy to do something about her spiderclaw
craving.
"Two months for me, as well." Noemie offers in response to Kamia's report.
"Maybe dragons have other cravings?" She wonders aloud, after V'lano points
out that Nala probably doesn't eat anything so small as a spiderclaw. "Sure
is useful that greens don't clutch, isn't it?" Since apparently their riders
can't help but doing so.
M'yr sends a brief nod to Kamia and Noemie, attaching his own response to the
news with a bright "Congratulations to both of you, then! And Noemie, one of
my finest memories is of Soldreth searching you. Remember that?" He's not
buying into the texture of this gathering, it seems, remaining of good
nature in the midst as the fish is finished. "Thanks." is sent to Nolee
without correction of the clutchsire's rider's name, "You're right, it's
tasty." V'lano's mention of the streaming star brings the slightest of
winces, hardly noticable.
"Actually, I wouldn't mind about now if they -did.- Except that it'd be a
nuisance to the queens on the sands - we could use the extra dragonpairs."
V'lano shrugs, grinning, head shaking, and spares a quick wink for Noemie's
jest. "Oh, Fara - you all do -know- M'yr, right?" A glance particularly for
distracted Sephie. "This is Fort's Weyrleader, Soldreth's M'yr." Quieter, an
aside to the younger man: "I'm as well-mannered as you ever knew me to be,
see."
"It's from the streaming star, then?" Nolee's question to V'lano is almost
eager, like he's a font of information denied her. "Someone's sure of it?"
Her brown eyes widen, looking skyward for any early afternoon traces of the
comet's trail. "Oh, and sure she does. Whole, if she can find them with her
nose, and often a mouthful of sand, too." A sigh. "So far, no other ones,
except, well, Jesk--the pop? His company." Eyeroll. At the intro, Nolee pops
up, offers M'yr her hand, and possibly a hug as well if he's still long
enough. "How're things at Fort? I heard you just had graduations!"
Kamia chuckles at M'yr, smiling. "Of course I know M'yr, we met at the first
Canidate's dinner I ever attended, he and I had a dance I think, and in the
end, when I had a bit to much to drink, he made sure I didn't go overboard."
She grins up at him. "Sounds about right? I was such a gawky thing back
then."
Whatever her mixed feelings about her pregnancy, the memory of her Search and
subsequent Impression of Naijath bring Noemie nothing but joy. "Of /course/
I do!" Is said to M'yr, with a wide smile on her face. "It's one of my
fondest memories as well." A slightly bewildered look to her own Weyrleader.
"Really, you wouldn't mind dozens of Naijaths in this Weyr?" Said in a tone
that says, are you /crazy/?
M'yr grasps Nolee's hand in his, drawing her to his chest in a gentle hug.
"Good to see you again." he whispers to her confidentially with a downward
smile. "Most of our weyrlings have been tapped, we're celebrating with a
party in their honor soon. You should stop by. It should be rather
interesting." Then to all the others, "You're all welcome to stop by and
watch the festivities, of course. And yes, Vel, I know these two." Confirmed
with yet another smile and subsequent nod, he releases Nolee partially, a
hand on her waist til she should slip away.
"It's - ah - " Right. V'lano lifts a hand to the back of his neck and rubs it
there, though it's been many turns since his last sunburn. "There's reason
to believe Threadfall out of season's related to that star, yes." -No more
questions- burn his eyes at his junior weyrwoman, not that he really expects
it to help - but maybe M'yr's hug will take care of that for him.
Distraction! The weyrleader turns toward Noemie and laughs, "Well, of course
-you- do. And no, not right now, I wouldn't mind at all. A dozen greens
would make a third of a wing, the quick third. I'd take it." A beat.
Glancing at Kamia, then: "You make him sound - I don't know. Honorable."
Another beat, and a grin. "Stop it."
Kamia smiles a bit. "Well he's always been honorable to me! Like a big brother
almost. I never had an older brother or anything like that, and he was one
of the first people I met when I moved here."
Nolee looks brightly from M'yr to Noemie. "Really? I didn't remember that. I
mentored her, so we both got to help. And she turned out all right!" Nolee
winks at M'yr, mischief in her brown eyes, smoked fish clenched in one palm,
her fuss of a mood brighter already, comfortable with their friendly
closeness. "Really? I had such a nice time at the dance, I might try to do
that. Thank you for the invitation." Distraction seems to suffice, for the
moment, while she laughs for a clutch of greens and an honorable M'yr, both.
"Gives us the inspiration to hold a party of our own, I think. Of course,
you'd be invited, since you're still like family to us here."
Noemie looks up at the embracing pair, the bronzerider who Searched her and
the goldrider who mentored her. "I turned out okay, did I? Well, that's a
relief!" Her eyes dance with amusement as she laughs a bit. "I'd sure be
proud to see the children of my dragon, but given the way that she preens
and dotes over /my/ littles, I don't know if I could handle her, brooding
over a clutch of eggs!" More laughter, then, "Oh, a party! That's a
wonderful idea."
Kamia shrugs. "Nari would never make a good clutch mother. To flightly. I have
to fight to keep her attention. It's like she's always searching for the
next shiny adventure. Even when she has had a flight, she's usually bored
quickly and moving on before the other dragon can do anything about it"
M'yr is close enough to attempt a launch of an elbow toward his Istan
Weyrleader friend, sending him a mock-glare. "I /am/ honorable!" is his
quick comeback then a laugh. "Sometimes." Then to the group, he adds, "It'll
be in the northeast bowl at Fort if you can make it. There's...." a pause
for emphasis, "been a lot of construction going on just for this event.
So... be sure to stop by if you can."
"That must be a new trend," laughs V'lano, taking the elbow in the arm and
backing off in case there's going to be another like it launched after. He
backs off a little after that, folding his arms loosely over his chest; he
is content for a moment, it seems, to merely preside over the edge of the
gathering and watch on from the sidelines.
Nolee laughs more easily now, bemused at the idea of flighty Naurimeth or
flirty Naijath as a clutch mother. "Nalaieth's bad enough. At least she
remembers they're there, and does what she should do tend them." A beat.
"Or, gets the clutchfather to." A quiet giggle, proud of her Nalaieth on
some level. "Construction? Did something fall in, like that time in the
cavern? Or is this a good construction and not because something broke?"
"Naijath's always looking for the next shiny object, too," Noemie says, "But
the color of that shiny object is usually bronze, brown, or blue." More
laughter, then her curiosity is sparked as to what's happening at Fort as
well. "Yes, what sort of construction?"
M'yr's dark eyes turn reflective at the mention of the cave-in in the lower
cavern. "Shards! I had almost forgotten about that, Nolee!" He sighs, quiets
for the moment then lets the memory go. "Nothing fell, just having," a
pause, "some items built for the party." Smiling mysteriously to Noemie,
Kamia and then down to Nolee, he winks. "You'll just need to come see,
right?" Watchful eyes note V'lano's position, just in case.
Kamia smiles a bit at him. "If I have the time M'yr, seeing as I'd have to fly
straight or take a boat. I should get over and talk to Zi'ya sometime
though."
V'lano's eyes, when M'yr looks upon him, are rolling skyward.
"Mysteeeeerious," observes the Istan weyrleader, good-naturedly
long-suffering.
While M'yr's busy watching for an elbow from V'lano, Nolee casually tickles
him in the side, then waits to see if it has any effect. "Things here have
been steady, at least, no volcanic movement like before, so no more awful
cave-ins," she reassures, at his solemn expression. For V'lano's comment,
she laughs, and nods. "I'll try. I'd have to get it on my slateboard or I'd
forget. And it depends if Nala can go then, or if I'm here with her, same's
the girls."
Noemie laughs. "Well, I'll have to fly straight as well, of course," she says,
"But I admit now I'm curious to know just what's been built." An eyebrow is
lifted in Kamia's direction. "Talk to Zi'ya? Is that... um, the father?"
Curiosity is now directed in a totally new direction.
Kamia lokos over at Noemie and nods a bit, hugging her stomach. "Yeah, his
flew Nari.. he has someone else, but he's still not upset about the baby and
wants to help with it."
M'yr mouths 'Zi'ya' with a puzzled expression sent to the speaker, then eyes
flicker to the Istan weyrleader as if it were his fault. He's just about to
come up with a clever excuse to blame him when the tickles hit. "Hey!!" he
blurts out, set into a mire of laughter as he wiggles to get free. Huh. Yes,
this'll work. Still with his arm around her, he lifts her up to sit on his
hip, a teasing expression more like a nyanya given to the Junior. "V'lano,
do you have any rope?" is asked with a grin sent to the other women.
V'lano has nothing to say about Zi'ya - just a twitch of brows as M'yr gets a
hit of his own medicine from Nolee. "Well, I -might- be able to find
something. These docks, you know, there might be some rope somewhere. But
you know how I get lost aboard ships..." The Istan weyrleader casts the
Fortian one a wink. "You'll all excuse me, I'm sure. Kamia, Noemie,
congratulations." A nod and a smile if a strained one to each of the
pregnant women, and a little salute for his junior, and then V'lano's headed
off toward shore.
Kamia chuckles up at M'yr's expression. "I thought you would of known, I mean
his dragon was practiacally gloating when he left here. What happens in
flights, right?"
Nolee tilts her head, fascinated by this discourse about the possible identity
of the father, and caught unawares when she's hefted up into the air and
balanced against M'yr's hip. Her toes wiggle, not quite touching the ground,
and she laughs brightly. "Stays in flights!" she hollers, mirthful. "Only if
you tie tight! And promise to fly high! Jays, even in one of those baskets
you guys made, that'd be even better!"
So distracted is Nolee that she misses the Weyrleader's departure; alas.
Jascela heads toward the group of people just as V'lano departs. She smiles
and nods to her Weyrleader as she passes him.
"Well, that's weyrlife for you, I suppose," Noemie says to Kamia. Her words
are half cut-off by her suddenly noticing M'yr's kidnapping of Nolee and her
own subsequent giggles. In between laughter, she manages to say, "Good
evening, Weyrleader, and thank you." And because of her own distraction, she
probably missed the strained undertone to his smile, and a genuine one is
flashed in his direction as he departs.
Kamia grins up at M'yr and Nolee. "It's to bad Fort had to kidnap you from us
M'yr. We miss you here, as you can see."
M'yr leaves Nolee there while he watches V'lano take his leave, turning back
to his companions. "It's been good to be back, if not for a while, you know?
If it weren't for your weyrleader and delivering his Istan peppers to P'ter?
Well.. life may have been different."
Kamia smiles some more. "You know, you two are very sweet together. Always
have been.. I miss Tannim." She sighs a bit and leans on Noemie again.
An earnest nod comes from Nolee, even as she wiggles a little bit just to make
M'yr have to hold on tightly. "Things can change in an instant, what with
dragons, that I've learned for sure." She leans her head up, smiling at
M'yr. "We've known each other since before we were Weyrlings. It's lucky to
have a good friend, even though he lives over there now. I imagine he's
doing good things for them. Always did for us." Her tone is complimentary,
even in the third person discussion of the man who is right there. "Look at
what peppers can do!"
"Isn't life odd like that?" Noemie observes. "All the little things that could
have made everything different. I think we all have those moments." An arm
is wrapped around the girl's pregnant-Dawnsflame-greenrider twin as she's
leaned against, and the other is lifted in a wave to Jascela as she'd noted
approaching.
Jascela flashes the two Greenriders a bright grin and waves to them, then to
the others. "Good evening everyone."
M'yr clamps against his 'captive' to ward off the wiggles, noting, "We took
care of each other for many turns, and yes, it's very nice to have a good
friend. I have to admit it's awfully good to come back to Ista, even if it's
for a visit." All that said, he releases his tight grasp of her, allowing
her to slip gently back to the ground. Free now, he shifts the bottle V'lano
gave him to his other hand, still maintaining the staff. "So how is the food
here? Still excellent?"
Kamia grins. "I just sent someone off the find us some spiced spider claw!"
She grins up at him. "Noemie and I are having cravings for it."
Noemie nods. "Why spiderclaws though, hmm?" She wonders. "Why isn't it... say,
roasted tubers?" Her head tilts contemplatively. "Maybe next month, it will
be. Mm, tubers, those are good, too."
Kamia is pretty distracted, chating about food with Noemie. "Roasted tubers
with butter.." She groans a bit. "When is that kid getting back?"
Nolee stills as she's clamped into place, a giggle still on her lips as the
group visits near the edge of the dock. "Visit often! It's a wonderful place
for a short vacation, just a between-hop from your home over there." Ever
the tour-guide, she's quick to nod, slipping apart from M'yr and flashing
him a bright smile. "Still fabulous! Mmm, especially the spider claws. With
citron and some meltys? Very good. Tubers can be too, but seafood, so much
better."
Caitlyn arrives with Aion, the woman's hand tucked neatly into his proffered
arm as the two descend from the plateau's path down to the beach, then the
dock area. Yes, the reckoning is nigh, greenriders - but Cait's polished
smile leaves nothing of the inner turmoil roiling within to be seen. As she
approaches, all are smiled to, even Nolee - but it's only M'yr who gets a
heartfelt one.
Noemie spies the approaching pair, and both of them are flashed a winning,
cheerful smile. But just like she almost did when she /thought/ Caitlyn was
coming, she scrambles to her feet suddenly, giving an awkward and unusual
salute. "Good evening, wingleader!" She knows what's coming, all right.
Jascela eyes Noemie and Kamia both, grinning amusedly at them both. "Cravings,
eh? How're you both feeling tonight other than the cravings?"
Kamia blinks herself as she suddenly loses her leaning post, and scrambles to
her feet, also salute as well. She has to bite her lower lip as well.
M'yr actively situates himself on the edge of the group, among the first to
spot Cait's entrance with Aion, a bright wave sent to the Istan wingleader.
Of course that's preliminary to Kamia and Noemie's jump, and secondary to a
wave sent to Jascela. "Hmm." he mutters, backing up a pace or two just in
case there might be flying debris.
Nolee stiffens as Caitlyn approaches, though her expression doesn't betray a
flinch, and she's all propriety, nodding a welcome to all the recent
arrivals. "Good evening," she hails. "Of course you remember Kintryth's,
Soldreth's," are the abridged introductions. "Tansith's," a nod to Jascela,
"And this...?" a pause for Aion to insert an introduction as well. "We were
ruminating about Istan delicacies." Ahh, the marvels of formality.
Aion releases Caitlyn's arm so she can better greet the others here, or - at
least, that's what most would probably think he was doing. He blinks a
couple times as Nolee doesn't appear to recognize him, even though it's
definitely the second time they've met. "Journeyman Healer Aion." He offers
anyways, since some of the others aren't familiar with him.
Caitlyn remains as calm as she can, on the outside, tossing both greenriders a
smart salute back, the woman's smile slowly turning into a smirk. M'yr gets
a pleased glint of her brown eyes as well as a large wave, and Jascela also
receives a smaller wave. She seems to ignore the other blueie's words about
cravings, if she overheard them at all. And Nolee, yes, even she gets a
smirked smile, and a level nod of the Wingleader's head, as if not much ever
happened. "Hello all," the bluerider drawls out in a darkly pleased manner,
then focusing her dark gaze on the two greenriders standing before her. If
she notices Aion's slight 'leavetaking,' the short woman gives no sign - her
back straightening from its relaxed position to one of something more firm,
ready.
Kamia shudders and moves closer to Noemie for umm.. emotional support, yes,
that is it. Even on the sand, Nari is perking up to watch the dock herself.
"Hello ma'am, Healer." She is difinately looking scared and perhaps a bit
green, not just in the dragon.
Noemie observes her Wingleader's greetings with a careful formality, and her
own bright blue eyes flash in a near challenge before they turn to regard
Aion as well. She, too, makes a step closer to her fellow greenrider, but
it's a move in solidarity more than support, her posture straight, looking
ready for anything after taking a moment for composure after her initial
salute.
Kintryth backwings to a landing only a little farther up the beach, warbling
to the other dragons gathered. Slowly, he paces over towards the humans,
then lazily flopping down onto the warm sands - stretching long neck and
head out towards the group in order to get a better view.
M'yr levels a nice, well, stare at the two wingriders in their wingleader's
presence, the very slightest of twitches shown as he measures the situation.
"Ut oh." he mutters to Nolee, raising one brow at the upcoming predicament.
Clearing his throat, he asks her, "So I hope Nala is feeling well?"
Nolee's very casual, finding the crushed bits of a smoked fish in her palm and
popping them into her mouth, chewing to fill the silence, fascinated by the
Healer's expression, and puzzling at him -- does he look familiar, that
impractical blonde hair? M'yr's question draws her focus, however, and she
nods, complacently, pleased enough to converse on cheery subjects with him.
"She is. She's enjoyed Jesk--Kesji--that brown's tours of under the lake,
and other places at Fort that are all pretty. And Soldreth?"
Despite the tense back-and-forth the green's receiving from her rider as
Noemie braces herself for Caitlyn, Naijath croons toward Kintryth as he
alights on the beach. She heads back to shore from the water where she'd
been splashing and swimming this whole while. It's not that she wants to be
closer to her clutchbrother, no! It's so she can show her rider some
support, of course.
Charis slides down off Qeteth, brushing back some hair from her eyes, a smile
on her face as she looks around at the people gathered on the docks. She
squints her eyes, possibly looking for a familiar face, sighing softly she
makes her way to the serving tables. Qeteth lets out a croon of greeting to
those around him.
Caitlyn plants her sandaled feet a little widely, almost appearing to rock
from heels to toes a bit as she surveys her two greenriders. It seems as
though, maybe Kamia and Noemie might get off lightly for a moment,
especially as another dragonpair from far away arrive. But Cait isn't in a
terribly forgiving mood, and she sets in without hesitation. "Aion tells me
you're both pregnant." Immediately, her smile is gone, the ruse unable to be
kept up any longer, at least right now. "He also implies you're both keeping
the babes, and says you're both to be transferred to the Queen's Wing for
the duration." A small pause, and she leans in, muttering darkly to her two
wingmates - though her words carry further on the watered-air near the
ocean. "How damned *selfish* can you both get?!"
Jascela is just standing quietly nerby, just watching the others nearby
curiously and tugging at one of her huge ear-hoops. She smiles at Charis and
nods a greeting before glancing over at Caitlyn and the Greenriders.
Kamia flinches as she starts to get chewed out, looking down at her feet.
She's not arguing, not answering, and in general she's just keeping quiet
rather then to irritate her more.
M'yr repeats back to Nolee, "Tour? Of Fort? That was very kind of him." Sable
eyes dart from person to person in the group before going on, "Sol's as
stubborn as usual. No changes there. He's been a little anxious about this
last batch of new riders. Some of them have him concerned, but not me."
Nolee turns fully toward M'yr, brightly taking up a new conversation. "So, I
hear I'm to have two new wingmates flying in Twilight for at least a turn.
Jays, that'll be nice. It's a pretty shifting group, really, and we could
use the solidity of two experienced fliers." A nod, pleasant, to Jascela,
and to their visitor "You've flown with us before. Rather light on the
drills, but then, we have to be." Louder, she hails, "Welcome! Duties from
Ista's queens."
Charis nods her head politely to Jascela as she walks closer to Caitlyn,
canting her head a bit when the bits of words hit her ears, furrowing her
brows in interest. The rider glances about, letting her gray eyes find
Kamia, not saying anything though from what she hears.
Noemie looks sidelong at her fellow, silent greenrider, and takes this as her
cue to be the one to speak out loud. "Selfish enough to shirk our abilities
to Weyr and Pern," she says. "Selfish enough to think only for ourselves.
And /sentimental/ enough to know that we'd regret doing what everyone seems
to think is the right thing to do." She owns up to it, all of it, throwing
it out in the open herself so that Caitlyn can't throw it in her face. All
others seem to not exist at the moment, and rude as it may be, no notice is
given to the new visitor.
Kamia looks up at Noemie with a faint smile as she stands up for them both,
smiling at her wingmate. "It's not selfish to want children Caitlyn, even if
you yourself don't want that choice yourself... I intend to make good use of
my time so that when I rejoin the wing, I'll bring something new with me
other then the baby. I didn't ask to get pregnant, but I would hate myself
if I let go of it."
Aion isn't offering his opinion one way or the other for the time being, and
since Caitlyn is no longer close to him, he simply clasps his hands behind
his back and watches as the events unfold. He just watches the others, even
the interactions with those that aren't involved in the little situation
that's unfolding.
Caitlyn seems to utterly ignore the going's on of those around her, focusing
her wrath on Noemie and Kamia, honing it to a knife-edge when the more
experienced greenrider speaks up for both of them. "Did I say you could
speak, greenriders?!" she barks loudly, golden-brown eyes flashing
dangerously, Cait's frown slowly altering to something darker. "You'll have
your turn to speak your piece, after I've had MINE." The words are spoken in
clipped tones full of both heat and cold, the bluerider glowering
dangerously to both. She continues in somewhat more modified tones, "Your
ultimate duty is to Ista, and Pern! You know damned well how badly we need
every pair right now, and yet you baldfacedly *choose* to indulge
yourselves, and leave the rest of us to try and make up the burden." A
finger stabs out at both of then, then turns like a weathervane onto Noemie.
"*Especially* you. You've had other babes, and I've never begrudged you the
time to keep them. And this one's not even from a Flight!" A glower back at
Kamia. "I could almost forgive *you* for being too young and foolish to know
better, but you've had the same training as others!"
M'yr has to chuckle softly to Nolee's proclamation of the two new wingmates.
"It seems like a definite advantage to me!" Winking at her, he rotates to
view the rest of those gathered, then his eyes glaze over. Offering Nolee an
apologetic smile, then the rest of the group, he mentions, "It seems like
Sol's not happy anymore to take care of matters while I indulge myself with
old friends. I.." he pauses, "should get going before I'm left here with no
transport home."
Kamia sighs and wraps her arms around her belly protectively. She was always
sentimental, it was a well known fact on her. She waits for Cait to finish
her ranting, her eyes glassing over a bit as she does.
"They'll iron out, I'm sure. Soldreth himself gave his weyrleader worry as
well." Nolee winks at M'yr for that. The goldrider hesitates uncertainly as
M'yr seems uncomfortable, then takes a few steps away from Dawnslight's
wingleader and her two greenriders, her steps and her intent to direct the
others in the small gathering down the docks a bit more, further from the
more personal conversation nearby. "If you must go, of course. Our duties go
with you. Oh, look. There's one of our ships returning home. I'll wager
we'll have fresh shellfish this evening, if I recognize the flag."
Noemie's icy blue eyes flash, cold as the Reaches. Her mouth tightens into a
thin line as she listens, unflinching. Then, finally, she says softly,
"/Now/ may I say my piece?" Still, all others and all else has evaporated as
attention's on her Wingleader, on regaining composure, on making it seem, in
a careful performance, that she's not close to tears.
Caitlyn suddenly jerks her thumb at Noemie and Kamia, signalling them further
up the beach, the woman stomping off from the main group.
Charis blinks a few times, not sure she wants to be in the middle of the
fighting, instead heads back over to her blue and leaps up strapping herself
in tightly.
Nolee's eyes flash briefly, betraying future ire at the Wingleader's behavior
driving away their dockside visitors. Gathering her shoes, she slips them
on, and curtsies to the remaining folk politely. "I'm afraid I too could use
a bit of fresh air. If you'll excuse me?" Without waiting further, she heads
for the beach, gulps of air sucked in as she goes.
Kamia still stays close to Noemie, she clearly doesn't want to follow her, but
she does start to slowly head in that direction.
Noemie follows as well, her footsteps terse as her words and demeanor.