Searched - Erith and Zyanth's Clutch

T'shar and Toniath search Jenna for the first time.

NCpern - Monday, December 18, 2000, 10:50 AM
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Your location's current time: 13:02 on day 6, month 3, Turn 34, of the Tenth Pass. It is a spring afternoon.

Fort Weyr Living Cavern(#199RJa$)
Approaching half the size of the Hatching Grounds, this cavern echoes with voices during the day, and the soft patter of feet during the night. Dozens of tables are spaced throughout, each with open space around to provide small amounts of privacy for the discussions carried on at each. The night hearth, with a cluster of pots of stew and klah, is situated near the large entrance to the Bowl. Several other hearths are spaced around the huge chamber, lending light and some heat to the room.
Broad marble steps to the southwest lead up to the impressive Fort Weyr kitchen. To the east, a short flight of stairs leads to the hallway to the inner caverns. A stout door to the north has a healer's emblem on it, marking the Infirmary. To the south is a wide tunnel, leading out of the weyr, and a wide opening to the west leads to the weyr bowl.
Contents:
Meg and Peg
Fort Weyr Firelizard Perch

T'shar comes in from the bowl.
T'shar has arrived.

Jenna is settled in a chair, lacing up boots with a rather gleeful expression on her face. There is a pouch next to her, fairly bulging with hides that have harper and healer stamps on them.

T'shar walks in, stripping off his heavy riding gear and muttering something about nature having an odd sense of humor. He heads for the klah, occasionally letting out a rattling sort of cough.

J'tal comes in from the bowl.
J'tal has arrived.

Sovalin comes in from the bowl.
Sovalin has arrived.

J'tal nods to the bronzerider and guest as he walks through with Sovalin in tow.

Jenna looks up at the cough, in time to see J'tal and his charge come through. To the bronzer she asks, "You're not sick, are you?"

Sovalin is indeed in two, just three paces behind the bluerider a bemused expression on his face.

J'tal walks down the eastern stairs to the Inner Caverns.
J'tal has left.

Sovalin walks down the eastern stairs to the Inner Caverns.
Sovalin has left.

T'shar mostly ignores J'tal, preferring instead to cough squarely onto the klah pot. "Don't think so," he replies, squinting into the depths of the pitcher and swirling it slowly. "I should have asked to be posted at Boll for the /whole/ winter."

Jenna grimaces faintly, though whether at the coughing or the klah it's difficult to tell. Yet another reason to avoid the stuff. "That sounds like it could get bad though. Have you seen one of the healers?" She pauses and then says, "Course, it's none of my business, really, but..."

T'shar makes a derogatory phhhhbting noise, slugging himself a mug of klah and leaning back against the table. "I don't believe in healers," he says, wiping his nose on his sleeve. "Meddlesome bunch."

Jenna takes note of the nose wiping and her mouth draws down even further at the corners. "If you don't want to see the weyrhealer, I could tell someone at the hall about you - I've got to run down there and the Harpers to deliver a few messages before I go on to Peyton. That wing got the passes clear, and there's a bit of a thaw, so..." She shrugs.

T'shar shakes his head, taking a slurp of his klah and making a face. He reaches behind himself for the sweetener, replying, "Don't bother. All they'll do is send me to bed and smear stinky stuff all over my chest, and make me drink horrible tasting things, and in the end I won't get better any faster." He shrugs, spooning copious amounts of sweetener into his mug. "But, ah, thanks for the offer," he adds, clearly as an afterthought.

Jenna sniffs. "Yeah, but everyone else - including your weyrmate - might not get sick that way." She takes a shot in the dark, and shrugs nonchalantly. "But oh well." She adds, "I'm Jenna, by the way. I don't think we've met?"

T'shar smirks. "Who do you think got me sick in the first place?" he asks, nodding. "T'shar," he introduces himself. "We probably haven't met, I don't really keep track of new people around the Weyr."

Jenna grins a bit. Well, that particular tactic didn't quite work. "And I'm in and out often enough to always be a new face anyway. It's usually my uncle's trace, but he's holed up at the station with a twisted knee." She shrugs faintly and then grins, "Don't think I'm rude if I ask you to keep your distance? Been stuck inside the last sevnday or more, and if I get sick and can't gt out, I think I'll go starkers."

T'shar shrugs again, tipping his head back and draining his klah, then sticking his finger into the goopy mess of sweetener that's still rimming the bottom. "Sure thing," he replies equably, looking over his shoulder. "It looks like the snow might let up a bit tonight, Toniath and I flew a sweep over Gar, and the mountains are clearing."

Jenna grins. "Now that's the best news I've had in days. Back to the traces soon. So you were at Boll you said earlier?" Her tone is curious. "I've never been there. My da' says it's too far of a route for me."

T'shar digs the last bit of sweetener out of the mug and actually licks his finger clean, setting the crusty mug back down onto the table. "I'm usually there at least once a day," he replies, picking over the lunch selection. "Watchrider duty's pretty cushy, and it helps when your weyrmate's in charge of the rotations. And Boll's the best place to do it." He grins. "Good weather, and half-dressed women."

Jenna shrugs. "The weather would appeal, not the women part." A pause and she inquires, "Are they really half dressed?"

T'shar says "Well, all the best parts are usually covered," frowning slightly."

Jenna sniffs faintly. "I very much doubt that, but then, I don't think we think the same parts are the best." She crosses her arms almost reflexively over her bony chest. Hard to do that and fuss with shoes though, so the laces remain untied for the moment.

T'shar grins. "The men don't wear much either, if that helps," he admits. "But Lady Dyane's great about taking care of watchriders, so I'd rather deal with the commute back and forth than take my chances out at Peyton or somewhere."

Jenna grins. "That's my next run. What's it like? I've never been there before." Her tone is eager, and she goes back to lacing up shoes. Comments about half dressed men are forgotten in her excitement.

T'shar hms. "It's alright, I suppose. They have some of the best herdbeasts in the whole Fort region. And their baker makes pretty good bubblies, too. Their Lord and Lady are a little on the fussy side, but they always give respect where it's due."

Jenna mms. "Bubblies, huh? And fussy? I'll make sure I clean off the snow before I trot into the great hall then." She laces up one shoe swiftly, flexing her foot in the bindings, before working on the other. "It sounds awful, but I'm kinda glad my uncle's laid up. Least I get to run more this way."

T'shar raises an eyebrow. "You run? All the way from here to Gar? Or Peyton?"

You say "Haven't ever been to Gar. And it's my first time to Peyton. Usually I'm on the stretch for Fort to Fort Sea. About an eight candlemark run, really. From Harper to Peyton should be about that, if I don't run into any ice." She pauses and then says, "It's only a two day run to Boll, but with Fall, my da' won't let me. He did a Crossing before this pass started. And I'll do one after it ends." Her tone is certain."

T'shar whistles. "Even in all that snow?" He gestures out towards the bowl, then shivers. "And I though /I/ had to work out a lot."

Jenna laughs. "The stationmasters keep the traces pretty clear. And one of your wings helped clear the passes down to the Halls." She lifts a foot to show the small cleats sticking out. "And we have special gear for traction. I'd rather be running than doing anything else in the world."

T'shar still looks dubious about the whole setup. "Don't you get cold? Or, heck, don't you get bored out there by yourself all day long?"

Jenna grins. "Layers. You should see me when I step out to start a run - all scarves. They're easier to deal with than wherhide. And you get warm running. I usually come in and roast by a fire. As for getting bored, no, not really. Count your paces, try to beat your best times. There's running songs too, but..." She shrugs slightly.

T'shar crosses his arms over his chest. "Huh. Do you do sprints, or just distance?"

Jenna's expression is pure innocence. "I've been known to windsprint on occasion. Course, I'm better at distance."

T'shar looks doubtful. "I'll bet you're not that fast."

Jenna's tone is deceptively bland. "Care to make a wager on that?"

T'shar responds with another of those deep-chest coughs, then nods his head. "Sure, I'm always up for a bet. What do you think? Hundred meters, out in the bowl?" He has an alarmingly smug expression on his face. "I'll even give you a head start, toots."

Jenna laughs. "With that cold, I better give *you* the headstart, just to be sporting. I wouldn't want your weyrmate after me with a frying pan or something." She finishes tying off her other laces and rises, pulling a scarf around her neck and head. "Shall we then?"

T'shar fastens his jacket and nods, strolling out towards the bowl.

T'shar heads out the cavernous entrance to the bowl.
T'shar has left.

You head outside to the bowl.

Center of the Fort Weyr Bowl
The Bowl of Fort Weyr, a large, featureless plain surrounded by steep mountain cliffs, stretches out around you. It is approximately oval in shape, about 2700 meters along the long axis running southwest to northeast, and about half that distance across the short axis. You stand in its approximate center. The soil of the bowl is somewhat sandy.
To the northwest is the large cavern used for the Weyrling barracks. To the west is the fenced off area where the Weyr's herds are kept, and the lake shore is to the southwest. To the northeast can be seen the ledges for the junior queens and the weyrleaders. The large entrance to the Hatching Grounds can also be seen to the northeast and to the east are the Lower Caverns.
Contents:
T'shar(#13670PJacemq$)
Toniath
Ice Skating Rink

Jenna shades her eyes against the afternoon sun. The bronze is given a polite, though uncertain nod, and she asks, "Okay, where's the marker for a hundred meters? That's what.. five dragonlengths?"

Toniath is studiously engaged in avoiding any melting puddles of snow that might remain in the bowl, one soggy spot scraped clean to accommodate his bulk. He rumbles loudly at his rider as he emerges from the interior. T'shar nods. "Something like that. Toniath," he calls out to the bronze. "Come here, and then walk a couple lengths across the bowl for us."

Nonetheless, the bronze lumbers over towards the entrance, plopping down beside the pair and regarding them curiously.

Jenna offers magnanimously to the bronze, "I /am/ going to give him a head start. What with that head cold and all." She eyes the bronzer. "Here, you can't breathe in cold air like that." She starts unwinding one of her scarves. "Wrap it about your neck and breathe through it."

T'shar frowns, holding the scarf in his hands. "But I won't be able to /see/ anything," he complains, gesturing crossly towards the bronze. "I told you, go walk over there, and then stop so we can see how far it is."

Toniath stays put. This is much more amusing than walking across the bowl.

Jenna stifles what sounds suspiciously like a giggle, and wraps one of her scarves about her face to demonstrate. "See?" Her voice is a trifle muffled. "You can still see, and not breathe in cold air on your lungs. Here," She reaches out, in an implicit offer of help. "Want me to fix it?"

T'shar allows Jenna to swaddle his head in the scarf, which provokes another series of rumbles from Toniath, also sounding suspiciously amused. "Don't start with me," his rider warns, pushing one stubborn bronze forelimb in vain. "Go stand by the finish line and you can decide who wins."

Jenna has a hard time keeping a straight face as she swaths the knit about the bronzer's head. She /does/ manage it, though blue eyes are clearly amused. "Now, make sure you breathe in through the nose, out through the mouth, or you'll end up with a sore throat, the way your cold is going, I'm sure of it." She turns to the bronze and asks politely, "Would you mind so terribly? Deciding who wins, that is. And I promise, I won't make him sicker." If he behaves himself... the words remain unspoken but clearly implied.

Toniath rumbles cheerfully at Jenna, but he still ain't moving. Lowering his massive bronze wedge of a head, he favors her with a soft whuff. T'shar, on the other hand, facepalms. "You can't do this /now/, I was going to wipe the bowl with her! Why can't you just cooperate?" A petulant bronzerider is nothing fun to see, and this one caps off his whine with a sniffle. "He doesn't want us to race. He's afraid you'll run away."

Jenna stands her ground, eyeing that massive bronze head. "Oh, no, I wouldn't run away. Honest. We've a wager, your rider and I. And after I win my - you know..." She pauses, directing her words but warily not taking eyes off Toniath's head, "We never did decide on the terms of the wager, T'shar."

Toniath pulls back slightly, seemingly satisfied. He lumbers across the bowl, pausing periodically to look back at his rider expectantly. T'shar sighs, then turns back to Jenna. "How about, if I win, you have to make up a song about me and sing it at dinnertime." He pauses, then clarifies, "A /good/ song, and if you win, then you get to Stand for Erith's clutch?"

Jenna warns, "I'm a runner, not a harper. I can make it up, but you /really/ don't want me to sing it. And I'd rather have a mark for the next gath..." She pauses and does look at T'shar, now that that huge head isn't looming over her. "Besides, you don't stand just by winning a race." Her tone regains some of its equilibrium and takes on an amused tone, "If that was the case, I'd have stood a full dragonsweight of times by now."

T'shar's expression is, thankfully, hidden by the artfully wrapped scarf. "Fine. You can stand even if you don't win." From across the bowl, Toniath bellows a reprieve, and the bronzerider stoops, reaching up to cover his ears. "Oh /fine/!" he calls out, then turns back to Jenna. "Toniath and I would like to formally extend to you the invitation to be presented as a candidate for Zyanth and Erith's clutch." He raises an eyebrow and looks back at the bronze. Happy?

Jenna flinches at the bellow, her expression first one of alarm and it rapidly changes to disbelief at the bronzerider's words. "Me? Really? A candidate?" She pauses, chewing on her lower lip. "To maybe impress a dragon?" She takes a deep breath and manages a short laugh. "Well, if I did, it's sure make that Crossing a whole lot sooner." She nods. "I, um, accept the invitation." Her voice gains more confidence, "I'll have to send a message to my da' and all. I've a younger brother that could take my routes."

T'shar keeps his hands firmly over his ears as Toniath lets out another bugle upon her acceptance. Straightening, he nods. "Good. He gets kind of cranky when people say no. And it shouldn't be a problem to send a message. You'll be here for months and months, so I guess you'd better get used to running around the bowl." He looks around said bowl and then asks, "Do you know where the barracks are and everything?"

Jenna shakes her head, ducking it slightly at the bugle. She grins at Toniath, and then looks a trifle sheepish. "No. I was just staying in the dorm while I was waiting for the snow to clear."

T'shar waves his hand vaguely. "I can show you where they are. You'll need to talk to Norri and, um, I guess phoenix is in charge of you too. They can see about getting you a knot and stuff." He's so helpful. "And tell you all the candidate rules. You're not allowed to do much."

Jenna seems a little dazed. "All right. Rules?"

T'shar umms. "You're not allowed to leave the weyr, and I don't think you're allowed to have sex with anyone," he looks marginally disappointed by that rule. "And you'll have chores, that'll be posted in the barracks, and, um," he scratches at his chin. "Well, come on, I'll show you."

Jenna flushes scarlet, "Not that having sex is a terrible problem." Her voice is kept low and the words are half mumbled before she nods for him to lead the way.

T'shar smirks. "Right." He heads inside.

T'shar heads into the Living caverns.
T'shar has left.

You brush aside the curtain and enter the Candidates' Barracks.
Candidates Barracks
This large low-ceilinged cavern provides temporary housing for the Weyr's Candidates. Various tapestries hang from the walls, lending an air of color and cheefulness to the dark grey walls. Neat rows of cots fill the back of the cavern, a small press at the foot of each. Numerous shelves dot the walls of the cavern. Littered with various containers and odd items, they seem to lend themselves more to firelizard perches than anything else. A few tables with chairs have been placed towards the front of the cavern, providing a place to visit or do handicrafts.
Contents:
T'shar
Sovalin
Sign: Welcome to Fort!
Chore Board
Fort Weyr Firelizard Perch

T'shar leads Jenna into the barracks, waving his hand around. "You're one of the early ones, so you should be able to grab a cot wherever you like. That's the chore board, and I'm sure Norri will be along to see about your knots and the like."

T'shar says "Is there anything you'll need from home? We can send for it, but you can request the basics from the stores."

Sovalin is at a cot sitting in the first rows of cots, unpacking and folding clothes press. He looks up at the sound of voices and waves. "Hello!"

Jenna follows along behind T'shar, still looking a trifle dazed. "In here? I just pick a cot?" She nods. "Right. The headwoman. Um... I've just my running clothes. I wouldn't want to have to get all my things from stores..." She trails off and gives a smile to Sovalin.

T'shar grins. "Your clothes'll probably be dirty all the time anyway, especially if you have hearth duty. But let us know, and we'll send someone to fetch it for you."

Jenna nods. "If it wouldn't be any trouble? I'd bet it's just a short flight. And I can write a letter to them as well."

T'shar nods. "Sure thing. I'll let you settle in. See you around." He scoots out before she remembers that they have yet to race.

T'shar brushes aside the curtain and heads back to the Inner Caverns.
T'shar has left.