Finding Lizard Eggs

F'ren's gold has hidden eggs somewhere in the weyr. Jenna found them and then so did some of the others.

NCpern - Friday, January 05, 2001, 5:36 PM
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Your location's current time: 18:50 on day 26, month 5, Turn 34, of the Tenth Pass. It is a spring evening.

Inner Caverns(#944RJL$)
Lower than the Living Cavern above, this room is still a large, bustling place. Hearths heat some of the areas here, allowing elderly and ill residents to rest here rather than mount the steps to the Living Cavern above. Rooms open out to the storerooms, the children's areas, the private rooms of staff members and some of the residents. Laundry rooms and bathing areas down one set of stairs draw near-constant traffic throughout the day.
Two long corridors lead off of here, one to the east and one to the south, going to the crafters' and staff quarters respectively. Noise drifts out from the curtain to the northeast that leads to the residents dorms, and a small door to the north leads to the guest room. A short flight of stairs to the west leads back to the Living Caverns.
Obvious exits:
Records Room Hot Spring Candidates' Barracks Resident Hallway Staff Corridor Crafters' Quarters Residents' Dorm Guest Room Living Cavern

Saphan emerges from the Candidates' Barracks.
Saphan has arrived.

Kiryn emerges from the Candidates' Barracks.
Kiryn has arrived.

Jenna is stuffing something into her pockets, and headed further into the caverns. It looks to be dried bits of meat and some cheese as well. She pulls up short upon seeing the other candidates and attempts to look nonchalant. "Hey guys."

Saphan stops to fix his boot, which wasn't laced up properly, and waves to Jenna. "Heyla."

Kiryn comes wandering out of the barracks, pulling one of his arms back in a stretch. One of those recurring sores, no doubt. "Hey," he returns, waving as well, once he's got that kink worked out. Addressed equally to each of the other two candidates, he asks next, "How's it going?"

Jenna darts a glance deeper into the caverns. "Oh, fine. Fine. Um, why aren't you guys at dinner? You get finished early or something?"

Saphan grins up at Kiryn as he tightens the lace. "It's going well." He glances over at Jenna. "I finished awhile back and was just reading some history."

Kiryn switches arms, pulling the other across his chest. "I had a few extra chores to do. Just grabbed a quick bite, and went back to work. Might go for seconds now, though."

Jenna fidgets, still darting nervous glances down into the caverns. She shoves her hands deeper into her pockets, and a cube of cheese tumbles out. The girl pretends not to notice, "Oh? Fort history or something? Ah, yes, seconds. There's still plenty left." Sounds like she's trying to get rid of the pair of you, and darts another glance down further into the caverns.

Saphan picks up the cheese, since he's still half-kneeling on the floor, and hands it back. "Here, you dropped this."

Kiryn doesn't appear to be that perceptive, and while he glances down, the scrap of cheese does little to keep his attention. "Yeah, I'm sure. Either of you want to come with me? Better than eatin' alone, y'know?"

Saphan starts to answer, then closes his mouth. "Nah, I might be in later." He looks sideways at Jenna, a gleam appearing in his eye.

Jenna flushes. "Oh, did I?" Her voice is a trifle guilty. "Uh, thanks, Saphan." She takes it on up and shoves it back in her pocket. At Kiryn's announcement, she brightens, "Oh, no, really. You go on ahead. I'll... come in after a while. Maybe for a cup of cider before bed." Saphan gets a nervous look as well, and she edges towards the bathing caverns. "I may just go have a soak. Extra bagging that I did today, trying to get ahead for tomorrow."

Saphan brightens. "That sounds like a good idea." He looks over Jenna's shoulder towards the hot springs cavern. "I bet the water is real warm."

Jenna's face falls slightly. "Uh. Right. It is..." She trails off, chewing on her lower lip.

Kiryn rotates his sore shoulder, and looks over, pondering that idea for a moment. "Hmm, you know, that might be just the thing." So much for ditching them, although the young man remains rather blissfully unaware of most of the 'suspicious' behavior. "Dunno. I should grab a bite, but there'll probably still be leftovers, for a bit."

Saphan nods. "There are always leftovers." He pulls absently at one sleeve that appears too short for his arm.

Jenna sheepishly offers out the cheese to Kiryn. It's in decent shape, save for only a wisp of pocket lint. "Oh. okay." Stuck with this course of action, she turns to lead the way to the baths, chewing on her lower lip in thought.

Saphan pages to Jenna and Kiryn: very vague hints. I don't wanna feel like a huge dork when I find it.

Eh, dusty cheese is still cheese. Kiryn accepts the morsel, and pops it into his mouth, giving a quick chew and then a satisfied 'mmm'. "That'll hold me, for a bit. And I could use a quick dip."

Jenna is suddenly not in such a hurry to go. Feet drag a bit as she mounts the stairs, "If you both are sure..."

You step out of the corridor onto the sandy beach.
Hot Springs
The first thing which draws your eye when entering this vast subterranean cavern is the sheer height of it - a massive bubble hollowed out of rock by the pressures of volcanic gases at some time when Fort's volcano still spurted flame. The eye is drawn up and up into the darkness of the ceiling, where occasional flecks of mica reflect the light and catch the eye, flickering like solitary fireflies. Towards the northern end of the cavern, the ceiling disappears and the sky can be seen where the volcano eventually released built up pressure so long ago - now it forms an entrance to the hot springs for dragon and rider, dropping down through the open ceiling to the rocky lake shore or to various ledges high in the walls - from which the more daredevil riders have been known to dive on occasion.

Down at ground level, the warm lake laps the shore gently, never completely still. Steam rises from the surface and ripples stir from the movement of the hot water seeping in from hidden springs. The lakeshore closest to the Weyr entrance is smooth and gently sloping, a safe place to bathe and talk, but further out there are various rocky coves that can be reached by swimming or by dragon. At night, glows set in the walls reflect their glimmer onto the water; by day, the light from the ceiling gives the lake ever changing shades of blue and gold, deepening to soft opal at dusk and dawn, casting shadows that seem to harbor small crevices.
A wide corridor leads off to the southeast, curving back to the Inner Caverns.

Saphan steps out of the wide corridor onto the sandy beach.
Saphan has arrived.

Kiryn steps out of the wide corridor onto the sandy beach.
Kiryn has arrived.

Jenna drags her feet, and sits down on a bench, taking her time finding a towel. Her feet are bare already, and she starts rolling up her trous. Her attention is kept studiously on the water, not looking around the cavern. "So, um, ah, what chores did you guys have today?" She's desperate for a topic, clearly.

Saphan disappears seemingly into the rock wall of the cavern.
Saphan has left.
Saphan seems to have popped out from the very rock walls that make up the hot springs.
Saphan has arrived.

Saphan emerges from the crevice with a huge grin on his face. "I think I found a clutch!" he says excitedly. Understanding dawns on him as he looks at Jenna. "That's why you're carrying cheese."

Jenna evidently didn't see Saphan disappear. She shoots to her feet, "Saphan! Don't you dare disturb her!" The demand is blurted out before she thinks. And then she flushes, aware she's given herself away. "I'm carrying cheese cause you never know when you could get hungry," she finishes lamely, darting a look at Kiryn.

"Ah, I just had some cleaning to do, around the living caverns," replies Kiryn. He watches Saphan dart off, then chuckles a little, seeing where he's headed. "So ah, guess it's not much of a secret anymore." Apparently nonplussed by the whole affair, the young man goes and finds a rock to sit on, near the water's edge.

Saphan blinks. "I'd never hurt the eggs," he tells Jenna. "Or the gold, if I saw her." He sits down as well. "I like firelizards. I just wanted to see the eggs."

Jenna blinks at Kiryn, "You knew too! Shells!" The exclaimation bursts from the usually easy-going girl. "She's prolly left the nest if we've all been traipsing in there to see. How're they going to hatch if she's left them?" She plops back down on the bench, discouraged.

Kiryn shrugs, leaning over to pull off his boots. "It's just a lizard nest. They leave eggs alone all the time, nothing too unusual about that." Footwear is set aside, and he glances over at the crevice. "And I'd just as soon avoid getting stuck with another one of those things. Nip is more than a handful already."

Saphan grins. "Maybe I'll be here when they hatch." He looks at Jenna again. "Don't worry about the eggs, they'll be ok."

Jenna gives Kiryn a doubtful look. "And they still hatch, after they're left alone? Not like wherries then?" She frowns. "Erith tends her eggs all the time. And Firelizards are just tiny dragons, aren't they? No one at the station ever had the time to impress one..."

Kiryn nods. "They hatch, mommy to watch 'em or no. If no ones around, they just go wild, I guess, we used to get a few of those back home." The young man begins working out of his shirt. "They're sorta related, I guess, but more like wild animals, than dragons, I think."

Saphan rubs at his chin. "I heard that golds keep an eye on their eggs more than greens do, so tunnel snakes don't eat 'em."

Jenna states firmly, "If there's a tunnelsnake left in the entire weyr after I spent three whole days hunting them, I'd be surprised." She pauses and then asks Kiryn, "You've impressed one? How'd you manage it?"

"Eh, the gold belonged to a friend of mine. She had the eggs and took good care of 'em, and I just happened to be visitin' her when they started to hatch." Kiryn rises now, and stretches once again. Does that alot. "Just feed the critters, when they hatch."

Saphan takes off his boots and wades into the springs. "Ah...the water is nice and warm." He splashes around and faces the others. "Never found a clutch before."

Jenna stares at Kiryn for a moment. Must be the advice, for she asks, "Just feed them? That's all you have to do?"

Vaelyn steps out of the wide corridor onto the sandy beach.
Vaelyn has arrived.

"Just feed them, yeah. Wait for one to come crawlin' out, they're really hungry when they hatch, so you just have to dangle a little food to bring one to ya." Kiryn moves toward the water, now, pausing finally at the water's edge where he shucks off his trousers before heading into the water.

Vaelyn looks pretty ragged from her daily duty of chores, and smells as though she's just gotten off firestone sacking. A pleasant nod is given to those in the springs already, and soon she's stripped and slipping into the warm waters to relax. "Hello, everyone."

Saphan splashes back towards the others. "We should take turns keeping a watch on the eggs so we know when they hatch." He suggests.

Jenna remains seated, though she averts her eyes from Kiryn. And from Vaelyn. Saphan gets a faint glare. "Or maybe we should just leave well enough alone so nothing happens to it." A deep breath and she says, "Hey Vaelyn, come to soak the soreness out?"

Vaelyn exhales and bob her head lightly as her eyes draw heavy from the relaxation already creeping over her body. "Indeed. Hopefully the warmth will heal the aches and pains. It's suppose to get better later on. It just takes a while to get use to it." She leans back and wets her hair. "The firestone sacking that is."

Kiryn cups his hands and uses them to scoop up a good quantity of water, which he promptly splashes over his troubling shoulder. "Doesn't matter much to me. I don't want to be around, when they hatch." Wading deeper, he finally just ducks his head beneath the surface, coming back up a moment later and shaking the water from his hair.

Saphan emerges from the water long enough to finish taking his clothes off and then splashes back in far enough from Vaelyn to keep from disturbing her. He grins at her. "I sure hope so. It's hard."

Vaelyn chuckles and nods at Saphan. "Me, too." She pauses again, glancing over to Jenna and Kiryn. "I've got too much to do right now to have to worry about oiling and feeding a little critter like that. I probably won't go out of my way to be around when they hatch. But it would be fun to watch."

Jenna nods. "I got ahead on my sack for tomorrow. There's always more to do." She sighs and asks, "I don't know why I was hoping people wouldn't find that thing. I guess there's just no secrets in a weyr."

Saphan shrugs. "We've all been looking around for eggs since that gold was seen flying back here. Did you want to Impress the whole clutch?" He asks this honestly, looking a bit concerned for Jenna.

"None. 'Course, that's what she gets for planting a nest right where everyone comes to bathe. Bound to have people stumble on it, with all the traffic in here, y'know?" Kiryn sinks down so the water comes to stay just below his shoulders, and he lazily floats about. "One's more than enough. You wouldn't want them all, trust me."

Vaelyn only smiles towards Jenna at her last comment. "I never actually found it, and I've no interest in it." She turns her eyes briefly to Saphan then as she begins to scrub gently at her arms.

Jenna shakes her head. "Course not! But I thought the dam'd abandon them if the nest was disturbed. I didn't realize they'd be fine if it was." She gives a nod towards Kiryn for his last advice and shrugs. "Nobody at the station was ever able to find the time to impress one. Are they really a lot of trouble?" She frowns slightly. "We spend so much time on chores..."

Saphan lets himself float in the warm water. "I just found the clutch," he admits. "And I sorta followed Jenna in here."

"Nip's useful, sometimes, and he generally keps to himself, otherwise. But they do pop in, sometimes, expecting attention... or food." Kiryn continues to scrub and treat his weary muscles and old injury. "Good for carrying letters, though."

Vaelyn glances about, as of yet unaware that the clutch was in here. "Oh, well I only came for a bath." She reaches for some soapsand, working all the grub from her skin. "Kiryn, how old is your Nip?"

Jenna snorts slightly at Kiryn. "I still wouldn't trust a letter sent between getting there all right."

Vaelyn turns to Jenna quickly. "Actually, Roan's bronze has been delivering my messages to my parents. They always get there."

Saphan looks interested. "If I had a firelizard I could send messages to my mother at Igen," he muses.

"Half a turn, maybe," estimates Kiryn, as to his 'lizard's age. "And yeah, they're great for that. As long as it's a place you know, makes for really fast communication. I'd never talk with some of my friends, if I didn't have him for that."

Jenna shrugs at the lot in the water. "Trade standard. And since no one at the station has ever impressed one to see if they're effective or not..." She shrugs. I'd rather go with a little slower and definately reliable, rather than risk something getting lost between." She shudders, grimacing.

Vaelyn leans back once her hands finish with her feet and toes. "How long did it take you to train him to run messages?" Her question is asked as she slips Saphan a glance, noting an interest in the answer for not only herself. She too shudders at the mention of between. "Well, I've yet to lose one. But I can understand why it might be intimidating."

Saphan looks interestedly at Kiryn as he sinks back down in the water and begins scrubbing.

Aluren steps out of the wide corridor onto the sandy beach.
Aluren has arrived.

Aluren leaves a trail of cookie crumbs falling from her hair and clothes as she comes in. Her face is covered with little baby finger size and shaped smudges. "Hi everyone" she greets, looking very much like a 'nanny for the day'.

Kiryn stops to think about that for a moment, floating in place. "Oh, I don't know. You don't really train them to carry a message, you just tie it to their leg, and tell them to go somewhere you're familiar with. Didn't take long for Nip to figure out how to make it back to Ista."

Chavaun steps out of the wide corridor onto the sandy beach.
Chavaun has arrived.

Chavaun grins, coming in slowly, "don't bother to wait up." he teases, holding a plate of cookies. "Hello everyone."

Saphan sighs. "That's faster than sending it by runner," he says. He swims out a little way and comes back, enjoying the warm water.

Vaelyn nods, contemplating that. "You just have to know what the place looks like. I got it." She lifts her fingers and waves to both Aluren and Chavaun.

Jenna sniffs at Saphan, "*If* it gets there, sure." She's at least willing to concede that. She nods up to Chavaun and Aluren from where she sits on the beach.

Kiryn chuckles at Jenna. "I don't think the lizard would go, if it didn't think it could get their. Self-preservation, it's a natural instinct."

Chavaun sets the cookies down near the edge of the pool, "I brought you all a little snack. You don't mind more folks in the pool do you?"

their = there, gah

Vaelyn doesn't seem bothered that there are going to be more folk in the springs. "Come on in! The water is fine," she states, grinning as she splashes it a little bit towards the man.

Aluren doesn't wait for everyone's opinion. She is stripped to swiming form and dives in. Surfacing she wonders, a common occurance for her, "What are we all talking about?"

Saphan floats out of the way. "Sure!" He looks eagerly at the cookies. "Those look good." He swims closer to the snack and snags a cookie.

Chavaun uses a hand to block the water from the cookies, "hey now, I have valuable sweets here." Grinning he steps back, dribbling a bit of water down the side of his face and strips down. With a loud whoop he leaps into the hot springs as well.

Vaelyn squeals, slightly and ducks with a bit of laughter from the cannonballer. "Look out," she calls as she submerges.

Kiryn holds up a hand, shielding himself as the young man paddles away, slightly, avoiding the densely-packed part of the pool. "We were talking about firelizards, I think, but now it might be cookies," he offers, for ALuren's sake.

Chavaun comes up, shaking his head, and his long hair, spraying anyone near with warm droplets with a chuckle, "Rah!"

Aluren catches Vaelyn's wave right to her face and sputters. Laughing she splashes with her hands at the other girl.

Vaelyn appears to squint when she laughs whole-heartedly. "Ah!" she cries, splashing at both Chavaun and Aluren. "Hey, no picking on the tall girl!" she protests, trying to sound innocent.

Saphan swims closer and giggles as the others splash themselves. "You all are acting like the littles," he teases.

Chavaun grins, sputtering as he catches faceful after faceful of water, "What?" cough, "are you talking about?" Cough sputter.

Kiryn is probably the only one keeping out of the splash-war, at this point, and he seems fine like that. Hovering to one edge of the fray, the young man finishes up a bit of scrubbing, before returning one splash that happens to get out his way. "Hey! Watch it."

Jenna stays out of the watersports, though she watches with a hint of amusement. Better to stay on the bank, fully clothed. "You guys, I swear." She laughs. "I thought you folks were sore, at least most of you were. ;)

Aluren gulps a deep breath, then dives.

Vaelyn snorts quietly and ducks under the water again.

Saphan swims about in the hot springs before finally clambering out to sit on the shore near the cookies.

Vaelyn finds her way to the surface again over towards the other side of the spring. Both hands roll over her forehead, pushing the wet mass of hair out of her face. "So, besides eggs and cookies, how has everyone else's day been?"

Jenna smiles faintly. "Busy, as everyone, I guess."

"I was," replies Kiryn, "But the water always fixes up my shoulder, at least for a while. It's all I can do, really." He too, however, has apparently had enough of the water, and begins to swim back. "Tiring," is the answer, called back to Vaelyn.

Chavaun coughs one more time and then looks around the water, afraid that he's going to get pulled down by the mysteriously vanished Aluren. He starts to make for a side of the pool.

Saphan shrugs as he munches another cookie. "My day was okay," he says. "Busy, but fun."

Vaelyn nods in compliance with that. "I'll agree. Say, has anyone heard how hard the bigger eggs are? I haven't had a chance in the past two sevenday to take a peek, or even talk with Ariandra or F'ren."

With a fountain of spray Aluren erupts from the depths of the warm pool, Using the momentum as she falls back she grabs Kiryn's shoulders and tries to dunk him.

Vaelyn chuckles and dodges away from the dunkers.

Kiryn flails a little, as the mad-dunker victimizes him. After a moment's struggle, however, the fairly experienced swimmer lets himself sink into the water, only to maneuver and dart back around the girl, somewhere out of sight. Dun dun dunnn.

Chavaun lets out a thankful sigh as someone else falls pray to the 'dunker' and quickly makes it to the side of the pool, sliding down the wall to sit. "I needed this."

Aluren treads water, one shaky hand trying futely to push her long hair out of her eyes as she scans the murky depths for the coming retaliation.

Saphan shakes off the last of the water and dresses quickly, starting to shiver.

Jenna gives Chavaun a sympathetic look, and then ducks her head slightly as people begin to emerge.

Chavaun grins back at Jenna and shrugs up his shoulders. He gives his firelizard a dark look, "Settle down. Little beastie."

Cue 'Jaws' music. Now where did Kiryn go? Growing up at sea has it's advantages, one of them being strong lungs that hold a good bit of air, and he remains submerged for longer than one might expect. Until...

Vaelyn chuckles, crawling out of the water. "Aaah... I think it's time for me to go get dried up. I still have to help prepare some things for breakfast in the morning. It's actually nice to prepare before hand what you can. Then it's not so much of a burden all at once."

Jenna grins at Chavaun, "What's his name? - Oh? You've got kitchens tomorrow, Vaelyn?"

Vaelyn shakes out her hair then quickly pulls it up into a loose bun. "I think so. I had it today too. Sometimes I have chores two days in a row. Even if I don't, it will mean less work for someone tomorrow. And I don't mind helping out like that."

Chavaun waves to Vaelyn, flicking water towards her playfully, "see you later Enjoy the kitchen." The bronze flutters down into the shallows with a loud warble, like he owned the place. Vaun just checks to make sure he's not going after fingers or toes. "He's Diego. I impressed him when I was about eight I think. My father and mother almost had a fit."

There is a startled gasp and Aluren sucks air just before she starts going under. Her wide eyes and flailing hands mark the Kiryn has his revenge. A small trail of bubbles poppes in the wake of her disappearance growing smaller, less frequent, and then none.

Vaelyn wiggles her fingers towards Chavaun and smiles. "See you all later."

Saphan stands up. "I think I'm going to go see if there's something to eat."

Saphan steps into the wide corridor leading towards the Inner Caverns.
Saphan has left.
Vaelyn steps into the wide corridor leading towards the Inner Caverns.
Vaelyn has left.

Chavaun grins, "I'll come check how the kitchen is coming," he teases and chuckles.

Jenna waves after Vaelyn and Saphan. She casts a suspicious eye towards the splashing, and then asks Chavaun, "Eight? Really?"

When Kiryn breaks the surface again, it's with quite a splash, and he immediately starts swimming back, with a strong stroke, until back near where it becomes too shallow. There he turns, and looks back to see if he can spot his victim.

Chavaun looks towards the splashing as well, a bit worried, but how much trouble could there be? He turns back to Jenna, "Eight. Yup. My Auntie Selandra...well, she's not really my aunt but she was a candidate with my mom...anyway, I sort of snuck one out of her clutch without anyone knowing."

Aluren makes scarcely a ripple as she surfaces behind Kiryn, the only thing that could give her away would be the soft AH of catching her breath. Hovering between the other candidate dunker and the safety of shore in the shallows she looks over and winks at Jenna and Chavaun.

Jenna ahs. "You did say your parents were riders." She stifles a laugh at Aluren and Kiryn and offers louder, "I think you just may be safe, Kiryn."

Chavaun grins over at Kiryn and gives him a thumbs up as though all is well. "Yeah, my parent's are. I think that's why they didn't want me having a firelizard at that age. They knew the...problems."

Jenna arches her eyebrows, "Problems? Are they really that much of a pest?"

Kiryn does not, apparently, hear that breath. Maybe he's got water in the ears, or something. Glancing around, he begins to turn back, intending to head back up onto shore, in all likelyhood.

Aluren circles to the opposite side as Kiryn pivots. She tries to stay behind him, out of sight. Small ripples from her movement make little waves that ring out and then rebound off the rocks and shore as she holds her breath to keep from making any more noise.

Chavaun coughs into his hand, "Lets just say that when there's a proddy gold around it was....interesting as I was growing up. Talk about mood swings. It's better now, since I know what to expect and I'm not....uh....well, I'm older." He blushes and smiles impishly. "Say Jenna, why don't you get into the water? It's warm in here."

Kiryn starts back to shore, once again oblivious to the girl stalking him. That, or he at least pretends to be. The young man is smiling, after all, maybe even grinning, but that could just be a leftover good mood from the long swim, or his last dunk.

Aluren stalks softly after Kiryn as the lanky man draws closer and closer to the pair on the shore.

Jenna sniffs and starts primly, "I'm /quite/ comfortable out here, thank you. I'm not that sore."

Kiryn walks along casually, coming mostly out of the water, now, and heading for the rock he set his trousers out on to wait for him. Still, he doesn't seem to notice the stalker.

Chavaun chuckles almost darkly and reaches out, grasping Jenna with one big hand on her arm, "now, the water is just wonderful! Nice and warm!" Grinning boyishly he gives her a little yank towards the water.

Aluren slipped right into Jenna range while the hapless girl thought she was stalking Kiryn. With a happy crow of laughter she grabs Jenna's other arm and joins in the tug to water enticing "It is all swirly and hot!"

Jenna heys, windmilling her arms, or as much as she can, with Chavaun on one, and Aluren on the other. Bare feet are dug in, leaving trails. "Woah! Oh, nonono!" She's trying hard not to laugh, overbalanced and with her rear stuck out, making a perfect target for Kiryn for that final push over in.

Kiryn does a little glance around, realizing that he was being followed, but quickly catches on to the little game of toss-the-Jenna going on. As she stumbles by, he just grins, and well... who can resist a nice stuck out rear? Nono, not like that! Still, it makes a good target, and the tall young man gives a quick *push*, dooming the poor girl.

Chavaun lets out a little war-cry as he gives a good finaly 'tug' at the arm he has, grinning from ear to ear. "You'll like it!" He assures the struggling victim.

Wrapping both hands around Jenna's wrist, Aluren lets heself fall back into the water as she tries to get gravity to break Jenna's stubborn heel troughs on the sand.

Jenna gives a scree of protest, and is indeed doomed, with the push being the straw that broke the cartbeast's back. Tugged forward by Chavaun and Aluren, she manages to just miss him and Aluren, as she plunges straight into the shallows, headfirst. Heel holds are no match for assault from both ends. And that's not really the funny part. The funny part is: She's still fully dressed.

Chavaun bends over double in laughter at the sight of Jenna going in all unwilling inthe springs. He slaps his thigh with a hand. Diego perks up and screams a protest, zipping around the cavern as though his tail as on fair. He wants to cause trouble too!

Kiryn isn't, but who's counting. Grinning broadly, he walks to stand nearby, in the water, and peers over. "See? It's nice, isn't it?" A quick grin, turned upon both the fallen girls, now. Woohoo.

Aluren kicks water up at the two laughing men, splashing waves of water as she sits rump first (how else are you supposed to sit) in the shallows and laughs along with them at the sodden Jenna. "And you can clean your sweater at the same time" she helpfully adds.

Chavaun points a finger at the splashing Aluren, "Watch it."

Chavaun mutters to Kiryn, "... we dive bomb... the middle of the..."

Jenna surfaces, spluttering and utterly soaked. She slicks back wet hair and says sourly, "Gee, thanks." Then she rolls over, to also sit on that spot that Kiryn so helpfully lent a hand to. Then she starts to giggle. "I think the boys ought to come back in for that, don't you, Aluren?"

Aluren sticks her tongue out and then taunts "Was that a threat?" backing her comment up with a double footed kick of water towards the Steward.

Kiryn wordlessly nods to Chavaun, and, without a pause, simply grins all the more broadly, and jumps. Where, you ask? But right between the girls, the intent obviously to splash them all the more severely. That, or to catch a quick feel. No wait, the first one. Really. He's a good boy.

Chavaun hoots and jumps in at the same time as Kiryn, balling up his body so that the impact into the water causes a great SPLASH! in the pool. "RAH!"

Jenna actually squeals! So maybe there is a girl under there afterall. She flips over on her back and kicks water hard at where the two are likely to surface. Easy to see why she's a runner from the veritable fountain that erupts from her bare feet.

Chavaun does surface and does catch a face full of water. He chokes and sputters, falling back into the water again.

Aluren yipes, slapping water after Kiryn with a sputtered string of indignant broken words that could maybe be swearing. With a growl of playful anger she gathers her haunches under her, knees to chest and then launches herself at Kiryn.

Kiryn lands face down in the water, but pushes himself back up, just in time to be caught squarely by that big splash from Jenna. Cough. Sputter. Cough cough. GRIN! Yes, all the water in the world couldn't wipe that look from his face. Playfully, Kiryn splashes Jenna with one hand, to make sure she's fully soaked, only to be caught off guard by the leaping Aluren.

Jenna is definately fully soaked, no worries on that score. She yells encouragement, "Go get 'im, Aluren!" The flipping feet pause, and she looks around for Chavaun. This was all his idea anyway, wasn't it?

Aluren tickles Kiryn for just a moment to prove she can before abandoning him to round on Chavaun laughing "And you!" With a grin of mischevious glee she raises her hands and wiggles her fingers threateningly at him.

Chavaun comes back up again, swinging his arms through the water to send splashes to Jenna and Aluren, hair streaming over his face, or at least part of it, one eye squinting towards the next splash victim. "wait...wait...Hey now."

Kiryn laughs and squirms, under the tickle-assault, but quickly gets back up and watches as the two females prepare to descend upon their new target. He crosses his arms, and watches, looking for an opportunity, and decides to go for Jenna this time, stalking her even as she goes for Chavaun.

Jenna sniffs. "Oh? And why should we wait?" Apparently, the boys are all to blame for this, and she's firmly on Aluren's side. Nevermind that all three of them tossed her skinny rear into the water. Heedless of her wet clothes, she arches her eyebrows, catching Kiryn's movement out of the corner of her eye. "Don't even /think/ about it," she tells him sternly - though from the amusement in her eyes, she doesn't seem to mind too terribly.

A splash slaps across Aluren's face, making her cough and sputter and lifts her hair across her eyes. Blindly reaching out she tries to locate Chavaun, heading towards the armfuls of water is was scooping. Follow water, find Chavan. Hopefully.

Chavaun pushes hair back from his face, grinning from ear to ear as he fixes his attention on the incomming Aluren. He makes a sudden reach out for her, as though he's going to pull her into the water again, if only he can grab her when she gets close enough.

Think about it? Ok. No problemo, he won't think. He'll just act. As Jenna turns to look back at him, Kiryn leans down to scoop up a large quantity of water, in both hands, and then tosses it at her in one big heave. He, of course, follows the water, going for a tackle of sometime. Admit it, dude, you just like restling around with wet women. I mean, who doesn't?

Aluren gets grabbed with an eeep and paradoxally clutches closer to Chavaun for support as he pulls them into the water.

Jenna is apparently more girl than she lets on. Her glaring and intimidation didn't work - likely because her heart really wasn't in it, and she gets a face full of water. Momentarily blinded by it, she doesn't see the danger until too late. Easily tackled, she gives an 'Eeeeek!' and goes under.

Carissa steps out of the wide corridor onto the sandy beach.
Carissa has arrived.

Chavaun doesn't hold onto Aluren very long, but falls into the water as well. *GLUB* There's a nice big splash before he vanishes in a frothy wave.

Carissa peeks in and watches for a moment, face half hidden.

"Carissa!" Aluren yells, and starts scrambling for the shore begging "Save me" between laughter.

Chavaun comes up from the water, shaking himself all over and sending a shower of water all around him. "She can't save you!"

Kiryn has just tackled the fully-clothed Jenna, out in the shallows of the springs, and sits imperiously above her, grinning. "Give up yet?" Hands keep her shoulders pinned down, in the water, but he lets go with one, only to give her a little splash, and possibly a means of escape.

Carissa blinks slowly, "From what?" she asks, at first surprised she was spotted in all this, and then giggling too.

Caralain steps out of the wide corridor onto the sandy beach.
Caralain has arrived.

Jenna laughs, half choking on water. "I give, I give! Ugh! You're heavy, Kiryn, geroff!" She pushes at the lad, trying to get up. She is soaked, fully clothed, and appears to have gotten the brunt end of things.

Caralain saunters in, obviously having been doing a bit of mud-diving. Though all that covers the Candidate is mud and underwear, it covers quite thoroughly. Sizing up the situation with approval, Cara grins. "Heya."

Chavaun splashes half heartedly at Aluren's back and grins at Carissa, "Hello hello! Coming to swim too? Oh hello there Caralain. You too?"

Aluren rests in the shallows, hands on her knees and half bent over as she pants "Save me from umm " she gulps for more air "From uhhh" Standing she rests on hand on her hip and grins at Chavaun "Save me from what?" just in time to get another faceful of water. From that.

"Some'n' said I had to get clean," Cara says sadly, gazing down at that splendid outfit of mud. "I don't see why. It's dry enough now 't I don't leave tracks."

Yes. It's all very naughty. Aluren bent over for Chauvan, and Kiryn sitting atop Jenna, wearing quite a bit less than she, although they're both thoroughly wet. Really, it's not as bad as it looks. Kiryn grins, giving Jenna a last little splash back in return, before rolling off into the water beside her.

Carissa moves forward and grins, "D'you want to pin me down, Chavaun?"

Chavaun looks up at Carissa and blinks, going bright red, "...er...do I what?" He falls back. Dazed.

Aluren crosses her arms, then shakes herself looses and sprints for a deeper pool. Diving in she starts to pull with a strong overhand stroke for the far side of the cavern.

Carissa grins and waves after Aluren, "Works every time." she says, tossing Chavaun a wink.

Chavaun frowns up at Carissa, "you're an evil woman." He makes for deeper water. "C'mon in, the water's fine."

Jenna noses another little splash at Kiryn and then hauls herself dripping out of the water. "I better get this stuff dry. I'll see you all later." She grins and gives a wave, before heading out of the cavern.

Caralain settles down on the edge of the pool, reluctantly submerging legs up to bony knees, idly splashing a bit, still frowning.

You follow the wide corridor, finally reaching the Inner Cavern. A warm, moist breath of air follows you.