Logs:Alida's Luck
| |
|---|
| |
| RL Date: 24 July, 2013 |
| Who: Azaylia, Hraedhyth, Alida, Ilicaeth |
| Involves: High Reaches Weyr |
| Type: Log |
| What: The gold pair invite Alida and Ilicaeth along for a day at the beach. Alida's luck has them stumbling upon a firelizard nest. |
| Where: Southern Continent |
| When: Day 9, Month 5, Turn 32 (Interval 10) |
| Mentions: Barnabas/Mentions |
| OOC Notes: Forward-dated! Many thanks to Alida for running the firelizard hatching. :D |
    |
| Southern Beach Golden stand stretches in both directions for as far as the eye can see, broken only by the occasional encroaching cliff, the ancient stone formed into rockpools and outcroppings. Inland, open sand is gradually taken over by lush greenery: dense forest extending all the way back to distant mountains that might even be days of walking from here. The ocean, too, stretches out unbroken: there's no other land to be seen, nothing but blue and blue and blue until the point at which it hits the horizon, where blue meets another kind of blue, in the endless, cloudless sky.
And Ilicaeth's right there beside her, but not glued to her, nor intrusive. The blue has just waded out from a cooling swim himself, and finally splays himself beside the gold, with his head resting upon one of her haunches as he opens his wing sails to let them dry and warm up. On occasion, his tail twitches, or coppery claws lightly flex. Alida herself is dressed in cargo shorts and a tank top, her sandals buckled close around smaller feet and shedding sand as she appears from within the tree line bearing double armfuls of fallen wood for their campfire, later. Upon seeing the pair of dragons and hints of Azaylia beneath one golden 'sail, a low chortle and a grin are given, the blonde moving closer at her leisure. Hraedhyth's lids open as Ilicaeth drips on her haunch, and it's a wonder the water doesn't sizzle when it trails down her sun-warmed hide. Like the well-worked beast that she is, the gold is content to relax and gently touch her muzzle to the blue's. Beneath those dusty-dark sails, Azaylia is leaning against her dragon's side while working on some hidework-- the stack she's brought with her today. With dual buns secured against sand and wind, the Acting Weyrwoman is in a turquoise two-piece, a sheer wrap saucily knotted on her hip in feigned modesty. "I'm almost done," Her soft voice calls out as Alida approaches, "As much as Hraedhyth would like me to-- I can't just drop everything." Despite what many may think when they see the pair disappear in the morning. Dipping down to a crouch and sorting her bundle of various sized sticks into piles, Alida's ears are perked for Azaylia's voice, greens glancing up on occasion to take note of how relaxed the two dragons are, and the lovely scenery all around them. Her own hair is braided, then looped once and secured at the back of her pale head to keep it from getting in the way. "Better ta' do it down here, get it done as soon as ya can." Because it's *beautiful* and warm out...and who the shell knows when they'll get another chance. Part-way through her sorting, Alida can't help but quirk her head again and smile quietly at that muzzle-touch from dam to progeny, Ilicaeth wriggling just a little to settle himself perfectly in his own wallow, then giving a gusty sigh of pleasure at both the contact from the gold and at his present circumstances. Noted low, "Lemme know if ya' wanna do anything in specific, like walkin', fishin', whatever. I brought a bunch'a things ta keep us happy while we're here." A look over to the blue's flying straps and rigging - hanging from the lowest branch of a tree along the verge of the jungle - shows one of the packs upon it opened up...and likely containing at least some of the things the blonde's speaking of. Azaylia takes a moment to read over what she's written before her loopy, feminine signature at the bottom makes it an official document. "I don't like people to worry..." She admits, distracted as the page is added to the stack next to her. All of it's weighed down with a painted caprine skull, keeping her work safe from the steady breeze. "But I don't like to say no to Hraedhyth, either." Guess who wins in a rider's heart? "A walk sounds nice..." She slips out from under her dragon's wing, giving a nearby haunch a few pats. "Thanks for coming with us, by the way. I asked Bones but... well, he really hates flying." To speak from experience. "Does that include yerself?" Alida asks around a small smirk-grin, finally standing up from her sorting task. "In a way, they're like humans: give 'en an inch, they'll take a mile. Don't give 'em anything at all, they'll just take *off*. Period." Grin. Dotting her sweaty brow against a lifted up, lower portion of her tank top - the motion giving a quick view of pale, hard belly and bra beneath - the bluie plucks a small jar out from one large cargo-shorted pocket, unscrews it, and dips a finger into it before lifting it to slather some white, coconut-scented cream over her face, upper chest. "Yer welcome...and we were dee-LIGHTED." Not only for the break from Wing stuff, but that Zay would consider them so highly. As she applies more sunscreen, "Where ya' wanna' walk? We could explore the jungle some...though Ilicaeth said he thought he saw a nice stretch uv' white beach 'n pretty rocks on the shoreline about 2 miles from here." After a long, luxurious stretch, "There's no real reason why we shouldn't be able to have a few days to ourselves." Sounds as though the queen has fully convinced her rider that all is well. "You and Ilicaeth know we'd never abandon the Weyr..." Azaylia's confidence is short lived, realizing that the blue pair might not actually know. "...right?" As precedence has been set by several leaders at this point. "Could I?" And should Alida share some of her lotion, it's smoothed mostly on the weyrwoman's cheeks and forehead, the rest of her already several shades darker from earlier. "I'll trust Ilicaeth's judgment. Let's head for the pretty rocks... we could even run most of the way?" Offered like a tempting treat for the blonde. "Damned tootin'..." Alida comments about a firm nod and a quick smile, then giving Azaylia a quirky little look and a droll, "Ya' sure ya' don't wanna stay down here fer good, then?" Smirk. A quick nod, and the blonde walks the jar over to the other woman, then noting pragmatically, "Might wanna' getcher' shoulders 'n such again. I did mine again while I was lookin' fer wood." It's much more crucial for a pale-skin like the bluerider to be protected from sunburn, but she knows that even darker skin like Azaylia's can bur in heartbeat. As for the running, the often energetic blonde grins, notes, "Nice two mile jog sounds great. Lemme' get my water skin." And off to Ilicaeth's packs she strides, nabbing the skin up and returning before Zay's done. Alida's grin is returned, Azaylia taking the container of lotion and doing as the bluerider says-- if only to soothe any worries. "Even if Hraedhyth likes it now, she would eventually get homesick. But this is a nice place." She won't deny, rubbing the lotion into her shoulders and chest. Closing it up, she'll hand it back to the blonde before ducking underneath the gold's wing to retrieve her own water skin. "Jogging in sand. We'll be exhausted by the time we're done." Said with an even bigger grin. Doesn't that sound great!? On her way to the shore, she'll pause and point at where Ilicaeth's head is resting near Hraedhyth's, "You're in charge of guarding my paperwork. I know you can do it." She doesn't specify which dragon, but if the blue is inclined he's welcome to the job while the two riders go for a run. "Yeah; I think Ilicaeth would, too..." Alida confides, looking over her shoulder at the blue, whose eyes are mostly lidded, by now. "Now we see why flyovers 'n sweeps *really* originated: ta locate the best parcels uv' land ta' vacation on." Accepting the jar back, repocketing it, then buttoning said pocket shut, the blonde adjusts the waterskin along it's padded string, drapes it crosswise over her torso. "Near enough ta' qualify as such, anyway." Perhaps only she, Zay, and K'zin might understand the pleasure of endorphin highs and the utter, petered-out relaxation derived from intense exercise. As the woman paces over to meet with Azaylia on the shore, Ilicaeth lifts one outer eyelid slightly to show that he hears the goldrider, giving her a lazy little chuff of assent before returning to his former, basking state. "He says she'll have ta' keep 'im awake, then." Smirk. Azaylia mimicks Ilicaeth's breathy chuff, all the while smiling, "That's alright, Hraedhyth will stay awake." The gold has always preferred taking the first watch, anyway. Rather than try to keep the blue awake, the queen's drums thunder in a long-forgotten lullaby to help relax the smaller dragon. Readjusting the strap of the water skin that rests across her chest, the goldrider is eager to reach the shore in order to begin the trek. Only when Alida is also ready do long legs stretch out in an unhurried, but steady pace. The sand puts up the expected resistance, calling forth more effort from the two women as they run beneath the high, afternoon sun. « First watch it is. Wake me up in a couple if I ain't there already. » He's casual, down to earth, even with a gold, though Ilicaeth offers a pleased rumble of thanks to his dam for obliging him his nap, his delight noted in a puff of sparkling, multicolored dust. She's a peach. (To Hraedhyth from Ilicaeth) The flames crackle with amusement, barely heard over the lullaby that she doesn't mean to remember, but will likely never be forgotten. « As you wish. » As the sparkling dust lands in her fire, puffs of smoke appear, lazily floating upwards along with the gold's relaxed thoughts. « Sleep, Ilicaeth. » (To Ilicaeth from Hraedhyth) "He's great with that. I think 'is swim finally drained the last uv' 'is short-term reserves, along with the straight flying." Though he seems to have more endurance than the typical blue, Ilicaeth's no match in such with Hraedhyth. And, once everyone's adjusted, off the wingless humans go! Alida wastes no breath with talking - unless it's necessary, of course - on their jog, the blonde moving smoothly, though with greater effort, as her legs aren't quite as long as Zay's...and since they *are* running in damp sand. Sweat (none of that 'glowing' crap) issues from every pore to cool her down some, though the light breeze certainly helps. On occasion, a pointed finger or quick nod point out nice things to view along their path to the other woman. Even soaked with sweat and out of breath, Azaylia is considerate. She makes it a point to keep to a pace that won't have her too far ahead, while still not going easy on the bluerider. It's unnecessary, as Alida is a more than capable jogging partner. She takes in the various wonders that Alida points out on their way, encouraging the weyrwoman to do the same as they begin to enter a rougher terrain. While the sand-smoothed stones that litter the beach are hard, they're aren't any jagged edges that could bite into Azaylia's bare feet. Still, they do cause her to slow as distraction mingles with thirst, "Think this is what he meant?" Not falling still, but no longer moving forward as the glittering stones earn a second, longer look. Good of her to not make the pace too brutal. A nod or smile are Alida's reactions for Azaylia's pointing out of those sights, the blonde able to keep up decently, her sandals bumping lightly off one shoulder from their leather tie that makes them depend over it. She too slows when they near their destination, the blonde not wanting to injure her own bare feet through bruising contact with those glinting, somewhat colorful stones. "Gotta' be..." the bluie huffs through her fast draws for air. "He sent the image as we took off runnin'. A little diff'rent..." breathe "...from the air. But still accurate." As the pair soon begin to walk about to prevent leg cramping, the guard's curiosity leads them in the direction of those smooth, washed-up nuggets of jasper and agate, sometimes even quartz or amber. "It always does." Azaylia manages to utter, breathing heavily through a smile, "From up high it's hard to tell how tall anything is, or how big-- everything looks small." But it's no wonder the blue noticed the beach with stones that bring Alida closer. The goldrider follows, bringing her water skin around and taking the smallest sips she can, just to wet her throat. "They're pretty. Think you could fit some in your pockets? I don't... really have any." Said sheepishly, ill prepared as she is. "Somethin' a 'rider's gotta' get used ta'..." Alida comments between deep breaths, the blonde finally opening her own water skin and doing the same as Azaylia. "Mhmm..." the shorter woman comments as they pick their way along the verge of the land and sea looking for the choicest nuggets. As for pockets... "Lots uv 'em...and these too," 'lida notes around a smirk-smile, patting not only those upon her cargo shorts, but also the various-sized belt pouches still kept about her hips upon a slightly slackened belt. And, of course, there's knives about the bluerider, as well as a small throwing dagger. It's about this time that Pyrite appears from Between not far above the two women's heads, the still youthful little gold making chirples of inquiry, and mentally offering her human feelings of satisfaction for her own, earlier explorations within the jungle. Azaylia can only laugh at how Alida's preparedness completely outshines her lack of anything more than a water skin. "It must be a guard thing?" She asks, tentative in probing around what came before Ilicaeth. "Always being prepared, I mean." The weyrwoman bends over to pluck up a glassy blue stone, and just as she straightens is when Alida's gilded firelizard decides to appear. "Oh." Awe mingles with surprise, "She's beautiful." Never mind earlier introductions, where Hraedhyth wasn't terribly impressed, the goldrider is still in awe at the little 'lizard. "As well as possible, yeah..." Alida assures Zay around a humored quir of lips. "I think the only folks more prepared than us 'r Hunters. Uv' course, *they* practically live out in the wilds, so..." It follows. "Gotta be ready fer almost anything, especially if we pull caravan duty." And then there's Pyrite, who - after chirpeling at Alida - notices Azaylia's motions and her surprise, and nearly immediately starts to croon at the taller woman...then trying to land upon her shoulder. "Quit bein' a pest...begger," the bluerider notes dryly to her pet, then dipping down herself to pluck up a nugget of banded agate in her fingers. "Pretty..." is noted with some pleasure. "I think Hraedhyth would like to do a little hunting. I've got a tanner friend, and I know she'd like having trophies to line her wallow with." Since Alida's brought up Hunters and all. It may be proof that the weyrwoman is only half-listening at this point, too enamored with the firelizard as it tries to land on her shoulder. Should those claws bite at dark skin, Azaylia's not going to complain, standing still to make an easier time for the creature to land. This time the coo is for Alida, and the rock she's found, "Ooh. You should keep that one. Do you have a fireplace? You should. Just think, all the stones sparkling on the mantle..." "'Caeth said he would, too. Get 'em fed up while we're dow here *and* maybe bring back a brace uv' wild wherries fer the Weyr," Alida notes as she turns the nugget in her fingers, peering at all its pale colors, from grey through beige to palest blue. Pyrite lands lightly, and - given how the guard's been training her well - leaves her little talons out of Azaylia's flesh, at least for the moment. After a rub of her tiny head upon the woman's jaw, the young flit almost immediately starts peering down whatever folds of fabric Zay's form holds, only the firelizard's neck and head, shoulders moving as she does so. "I'm gonna'..." Alida confirms to the Weyrwoman, then looking thoughtful as she ponders the goldie's idea. "If I c'n keep that little pest from makin' off with 'em..." Said pest being Pyrite, who's now trying to see if there's something delicious down Zay's cleavage. Breathless, bubbly laughter spills from Azaylia's lips as the 'lizard nuzzles along her jaw, motions slow as she strokes along that long neck. "That's a good idea. A lot of riders have been doing that-- it just takes a while to make sure that the animals aren't going to make ours sick." Wild, filthy beasts that they are. "You think she'll steal your pebbles?" She manages to get the question out before a ticklish squeak is uttered, careful in trying to push the firelizard's head away from her cleavage. "I'm sorry! I don't have food-- it'd be messy if I did." As if the critter will understand. Greens look over at Azaylia again for the other's laughter, Alida smirking softly at the show of affection between two 'golds,' then slipping her little prize into one of her left side cargo pockets. "I'll put *yer* rocks on my right side..." the blonde informs her as she moves around, continuing to eye the various rounded stones upon their portion of beach. A pair of nods for Zay's caution soon is translated into a slightly distracted, "'Caeth's been eatin' wild ones from various places...deep southern Boll, Ista, Southern lands. Nothin' from this specific spot, uv course." No ill blue dragon, so far. Another flashy something is spied between more common rocks, and the guard putters over towards it, then bending down to start picking the prettier bit out from the others. Yech; slimy, left over seaweed. "I've discovered 'er with a scrap uv' Ilicaeth's coverlette in 'er paws before. Dunno, though." It could be something else entirely, not a misguided attempt at stealing. And while Alida's excavating, Azaylia's squeaking, the sound drawing an instant peer from the now-squatting woman then a clipped, no-nonsense, "Off. Here." She's a little slow about it, but before the blonde can call her pet to task, the flit is launching off of the Weyrwoman's shoulder, and taking up a perch upon the bluerider's own. A fumbling of her free hand's fingers at a smaller beltpouch soon nets her a small stick of jerky, which she offers to the delighted little gold. Omnomnom. To Zay: "If she bugs you, just be firm with 'er 'n tell her ta go." Either that, or offer the still-growing little blighter some food...in which case she might *never* get rid of Pyrite. Azaylia looks only slightly disappointed when the firelizard leaves her shoulder, even as she's adjusting the contents of that bikini top. Contents that are not edible. "Visiting different places is good. Don't want to thin the wild heards too much." After everything is supported and seperated, she glances back at Alida. "Oh, she wasn't bothering me... Not really." But now the weyrwoman is able to bend without fear of knocking the 'lizard off, so she's able to gather several rocks that have caught her eye. The ones closer to the surf seem to be smoother, and she begins a slow, hunched trek thereabouts. There's one trip back to homebase, Alida, to drop four or so stones into the right side of her pockets before the goldrider has her nose back to the sand. "Best she gets her chow from me most uv the time right now, anyhow. I mean, I know Impression's instant 'n full from the first moment, but I think gettin' 'er food from a steady, recognized person'll only help with makin' sure she's got it all straight inner' mind who she looks to." There's a quick glance of a pet to the nomming gold's back - the flit churring around her jerky treat - and then a glance over that happens to coincide with Zay's rearrangement of her assets. Alida instantly looks back down to her rock collecting, trying to hide her small blush, the bluie giving a nod as she too gets back down to rock collecting. This time, it's a thumbnail-sized nugget of rich, deep amber - in color *and* in reality, Alida mostly forgetting her discomfiture with the discovery as she holds it up to the sun, and squint at the slight transparency of the bauble. "Hey Zay... Look fer yellow 'n orange colored rock bits, too. This thing is really pretty!" "I read that they're... different from dragons." Azaylia recalls with her head tilted towards the bluerider. She catches that blush, "Make sure you haven't sweat all the lotion off your face. Drills might be extra uncomfortable with a burn." If she realizes the true cause, then she's merciful indeed. Or just that oblivious. "Yellow and orange?" The example Alida holds up earns a soft murmur, "Oh..! I will. Some of these are flat on one side. I could add them to Hraedhyth's skulls after I paint them." Now the weyrwoman looks for some amber of her own to go with the cleanly banded few cupped in one hand. A mound of pale sand beckons her closer, and though the oval mounds aren't shiny, they are large. Perfect fireplace size. "Yeah, they are..." ALida comments about her roaming around, dipping down to examine more rocks for 'prettiness.' "It's all emotion with her...no words. She's nowhere near as intelligent as Ilicaeth..." grunt "...but she's easily as smart as a canine, if not smarter." Apparently the little gold could give a hoot about this conversation of her brains, the flit crawling around to the back of the guard's neck - under her looped braid - to continue eating her jerky in *balanced* peace. "She c'n send images, too, uv' course, but they're not as crisp as Ilicaeth's." Over to the other woman the bluie peers once more at that 'oh,' 'lida nodding enthusiastically, then pocketing her little treasure... the blonde suddenly laughing for a few moments. "Pretty stones with skulls in'er lair. She sounds like those imaginary dragons I got told stories about as a kid: hoarding riches, burnin' an' eatin' people who dared disturb them." Snert. As for burning, Alida can only nod softly, and apply more sunscreen to her cheeks, thankful that Zay has hopefully misread her former coloring of cheeks. It's about this time that Pyrite lifts her head from her eating, quirks it, and then swiftly launches herself from the blonde's neck, a small graze of one talon to skin making the woman wince, and glare at her pet. Over to the mound of larger rocks buried under sand zips the flit, Pyrite then landing upon it...and starting to dig with her tiny paws. The sight earns a snert, and a laconic, "Mebee' she's found some shellfish ta stuff 'erself with. Better 'n jerky, fer sure." "I've always wanted one." Comes the not-so-surprising reveal from the bent goldrider. After a moment she adds, "A firelizard and a canine, I mean." Azaylia clearly intends to turn her private weyr into a zoo of sorts, or would if she had the time. The glint of firelizard wings in the sun lifts the weyrwoman's gaze, catching Alida's wince. "Are you okay?" Concern turns into confusion as the creature lands next to her and proceeds to dig. Careful to keep her hands clear, she goes back to dusting the sand off of a nearby mound, "Maybe. Or, you were right and she likes shiny ro-- oh. Oh! Oh oh oh oh oh!" Airy voice spikes again and again, hands fanning in the air once one of the lumps is revealed, "Alida..!" A spike of emotion. Fear, excitement, wonder. (To Hraedhyth from Azaylia) To Azaylia, Hraedhyth is here. She is always here, but now she's up in arms at the unexpected rush of... pleasure? Fear? Delight? The uncertainty alone is enough to rouse the queen, fire already burning hotter as she seeks out the source. "Sound like a gal after my own heart. I want a dog, too..." Alida confesses brightly to Azaylia as she pockets yet another pretty nugget of rock. "Gonna wait until I'm more settled, with more marks, though. Want one that'll be good at doin' a bunch u' different things... Gotta train it right. Lotsa' time 'n effort." More moving around nets another, more weighty, and much tiner golden nugget, which Alida simply pockets quickly, then continuing onward. "If ya' c'n wait, mebee you 'n I c'n get a pair uv pups from a reputable trainer/breeder. I know what ta look for." She does? Zay's next words of Pyrite perhaps having a penchant for shiny things makes the blonde groan softly and shake her head, 'lida about ready to launch into some words about not wanting such...and then the goldie's air-fanning and exclaiming all those 'oh's.' Immediately, the guard's jerking her head up, and slowly grinning, noting wryly, "Didja' find the mother-load uv' rocks?" Dusting sand off her hands, the woman stands, clips off, "Lemme see..." while moving closer. Just after the blonde starts picking her way towards Zay, Pyrite sets up a small humming. « No..! » The exclamation itself is one of concern, this time for her lifemate's temper. Calmer, « No. Hraedhyth, we just... we found eggs. » Through their bond the gold will be able to see exactly what she means. A cluster of firelizard eggs, and Alida's very own helping to dig them out. (To Hraedhyth from Azaylia) « Eggs. » Hraedhyth's husk is unimpressed, « I will not attack eggs. » Her fire dances to the jovial beat of her drums, amusement just as intense as her urge to protect moments ago. « This is your battle, Mine. » (To Azaylia from Hraedhyth) Surely Azaylia would have more to say about canine breeds and pups if not for her most recent discovery. She doesn't reach for the unearthed firelizard egg, hands scooping up sand to cover it back up-- that is until the much older creature begins to hum. "Not rocks!" The goldrider squeaks, now dusting off one after the other, though there's no telling just how many eggs are in this one cluster. "She's humming and I don't... Should we leave? We should leave." As if they've somehow stumbled upon something sacred, rather than just a clutch of little ear-biters about to hatch. It's familiar, the lack of focus that settles in her eyes, and in the next moment she's letting out a breathy laugh. At least she seems more relaxed, now. Not? Pyrite's humming grows in volume and intensity, the tiny gold not bothering with her leftover jerky right now as her blue eyes whirl speedily, her throat vibrating as she voices her joy...inviting the unhatched *out*. Wait-whut? And *then* it hits Alida like a ton of bricks, the look of aghast surprise on her face almost comical. Immediately, she's starting to backpedal, then finally looking around for... "Where's the parents? The faire..." Nope, there's no screeching grown-up flits looking to drive them off with tooth and claw. And then Zay's vapor locked between possibilities, Alida just about ready to voice her own opinion...when the goldrider goes all distant-eyed and silent. Yeah, the bluie knows what *that* expression means, and she shuts up while remaining a good fifteen meters away from those eggs. It's only after Zay's done laughing that the blonde inquires low, "What'd she say?" Shrugging her shoulders, Alida starts to open up one of her beltpouches while summoning Pyrite, the little gold grabbing up pieces of jerky her pet human leaves behind in a pile on the sand and rocks and transporting them over to Azaylia. And the guard? She's moving off to prowl the tide pools not far away, plucking up whatever life that might be stranded within to serve as firelizard food for Zay. There's not quite enough jerky to sate a starving hatchling. Still laughing, "Hraedhyth thought I was in trouble. When I told her what we found... she says I'll have to go into this battle alone." Azaylia paraphrases, smile wide at her dragon's particular humor. Her expression drops, "Wait, where are you going?" Alida's the one who has done this before! Floundering is most unbecoming of an Acting Weyrwoman. She reaches over to try and shoo the munching 'lizard away from that pile of jerky, "No! That's for the babies. Baby? They need food-- Oh." She finally realizes what the bluerider is up to. Crouched next to the clutch as she is, she's able to watch as one or two eggs begin to shudder in the sand. There's a low brushstroke of laughter from Alida - quickly over - at Hraedhyth's words to her rider. "Good thing Ilicaeth ain't awake, 'r he'd be offerin' his own eighth mark on it, too." Snerk. After Zay figures out the lay of the land, so-to-speak, the blonde calls out loud to her, "Unless ya want a whole faire, y'd better step back, then pick 'n choose! Save summa' the jerky for yerself', then let the others eat it without yer interference." That way, they'll go wild, and not leave the goldrider burdened with multiple mouths...if that's her desire. Now busy transporting little sea creatures back and forth to growing pile of food, Pyrite bites and claws whatever of them she can to render them dead, incapable of fighting back, her hum continuing to grow. Talk about happy in your work. There's little spiderclaws, fingerling fish, invertebrates...the first beasties the only thing the 'lizardless woman might have to kill herself with a rock to crush their shells. Azaylia is unsure about managing one little 'lizard let alone a whole faire! Gathering up some of that jerky, she's not shy about plucking up the mostly-dead critters and shuffling backwards on her knees. The sand that bites into her legs and the rocks that might bruise are ignored for now, the weyrwoman's eyes on the cracking shells. It's inspirational, it is, for she then begins to use the largest of her rocks to try and crack open the spiderclaws-- her frantic motions may look downright vicious, the way she snaps their legs at the joints. NorCon: Dice Roll 7-sided die x 1 by Azaylia: 2 She figured that having tons of shrieking mouths to tend would frighten off Azaylia, and the other woman's reaction to Alida words has the blonde snickering as she gathers up more living food from the tidepools, piles it up for Pyrite to happily continue transporting. Looking up often to keep track of things, 'lida notes Zay's frantic pounding, and once more she's left giggling softly. After another half handful of minutes, there's no more tidal pool chows to be found, and what's leftover in the pile is what Alida scoops up in her hands, and carries back over towards Zay. She's *not* getting too close, though, instead underhand lobbing the sea life towards the gold rider. A small frown is quickly followed by the bluie's assessment, "If they eat the amount this lil' piggie did... there's not gonna be enough ta sate even half the clutch." And then the first of the rocking and shivering little eggs seems to hiccup, and suddenly splits down its long axis, belching forth a tiny, green bit life and leftover egg goo into the sands. Said 'lil piggies hum breaks into an ecstatic bugle for a moment as the green emerges, Pyrite then settling down into humming once again. "I don't plan to-- I mean, I don't want them to starve but... half the clutch?" No thank you. Azaylia's fingers are slippery with spiderclaw meat, the raw scent not wholly appetizing to a non-firelizard. The goldrider doesn't seem to mind, too enthralled in watching the little gooey green break free. It's no secret Azaylia enjoys hatchings, but it's never been her responsibility to feed one-- not since Hraedhyth, three or so turns ago. "I'll... you don't want another one, do you?" Even if Alida did, it isn't as if they have enough food, a problem that both gold and rider intend to fix. Now it's with some panic that Azaylia reaches out, « I don't have enough food. » (To Hraedhyth from Azaylia) To Azaylia, Hraedhyth's fire gives a thoughtful flicker. It would do no good to have them starve. In an instant, the gold's drums become even louder, meant to be heard from a distance as she reaches out to those of her tribe. It's a random few, and some show no interest, but soon there will be riders and 'folk alike with food enough for a firelizard of their choice. NorCon: Dice Roll 6-sided die x 1 by Azaylia: 6 "Good fer you...for restraint..." Alida notes around chuckle for Azaylia's words, her eyes peering at those wobbling eggs. "Trust *my* luck ta' find *another* frickin' 'lizard clutch." That's mostly to herself, the blonde then quickly shaking her head. "Shells, no! This one's more 'n enough. I ain't got enough time even fer her, yet." Eyeroll. The wee green scraws her hunger, and immediately pounces upon the pile of mixed jerky and sea life, gnoshing down upon whatever's at the top, even as the next egg...and the third start to split. Each shell releases it's contents - a brown, then another green - the two tumbling into each other and shrieking their surprise, upset, and hunger as they roll. The second green almost careens into the nearby rocks, while the brown skitters to a stop somewhat nearer Zay, both climbing to their feet, shaking it off, and looking around for that SMELL. FOOD, their red eyes scream! The stuff hanging from the Weyrwoman's fingers seems appetizing enough... With a shriek and a sudden glide, the (John Gotti) brown affixes himself to the mass, and starts snarfing. Hopefully Zay's fingers aren't part of his chow. Azaylia's head is turned towards Alida, even as her peripheral is filled with hatchlings, "We've called some others. I know a greenrider's little boy has been wanting one--" With a sudden squeak, quick reflexes are the only thing that saves her fingers from being devoured. She watches the hungry brown make short work of what was once a sizable meal, wide eyes holding little wonder when faced with ferocious reality. This isn't like the romanticized harper tales at all. And then-- much larger versions of the firelizards appear overhead, circling and trying to find a place to land in all of the commotion. Alida peers at Zay's announcement, then nodding and shrugging to the goldrider. "Better 'n havin' 'em turn cannibal. Heard they c'n do that...little twerps." Up to the sky she looks with hand-shaded eyes, but the other woman's squeak has the guard glancing back down again, to note the ravenous brown eating from Azaylia's hand. "Welcome ta' bein' a mommy all over again." Smirk. And then there's a scant handful of dragons and their passengers arriving, Alida trying to direct them away from the immediate proximity of the eggs, even as the second little green rushes up to the pile of leftover food, and starts eating like a tornado. The first green soon enough lifts from that pile, and quietly wings her way into the jungles just beyond them. Pyrite, by this time, is simply a humming machine, her vocalizations crescendoing with each egg rupture. The goldrider looks horrified, "Do they?" The books never said anything about that! What time she'd spend asking Alida more gruesome facts is stolen away by an impatient creel from the brown in front of her. Another bluerider comes to the rescue, the redheaded man giving a smile as he hands over a bowl of soggy stew beef-- chilled from its trip between. Still, it'll do. "O-oh, thank you. Wouldn't you rather..?" But already he's gone, returning to his dragon's side for the food he's brought for himself. "A mommy?" Now that others have arrived to help feed the rest, Azaylia's able to smile some. Rather than hand over the whole bowl, she'll toss bits of meat to the brown hatchling, "How long do they, ah... stay like this?" A danger to ones digits. Alida simply grunts, sort-of-smiles, and nods to the other bluie who hands over that bowl of beef stew to Azaylia, the woman then stepping behind the goldrider to allow the rest of the small throng to step up and claim their hatchlings with their own food. "It's one way ta' see the relationship," the blonde smirks at Zay. "Alpha, leader, boss... Whatever works." As they wait and talk, hang back, Pyrite's hum crescendos four more times, welcoming a blue, another green, a bronze, and lastly a second brown into their lives, post-shell. There's a few more eggs, but they're not stirring at all, and when a curious dragonhealer - who now sports that little blue in one hand, snoozing after she's stuffed him full - examines the lifeless, rather soggy eggs, she finds little bodies within, apparently drowned. "Now what kinda gold would leave 'er nest behind?" Alida inquires rhetorically of the scene, the women shaking her head, sighing a bit. Watching that child of the greenrider's impress the second brown - the very last of the clutch - the guard murmurs to Zay's last inquiry, "Since I'm assumin' ya' don't mean 'little,'" *smirk* "... I'll say as long as ya let 'im. I mean, hatchin' hunger's the worst, uv course. But the faster ya teach 'im discipline - *not* ta chew yer fingers off - the faster e'll learn that that's bad behavior." With Pyrite's flick of her small body up to Alida's shoulder - a headrub of the bluie's chin, then a resumption of her own jerky-grawing - comes a pet of the flit's back, then a low, "Boundaries, discipline, affection. In that order. Be assertive, be calm as ya can, be consistent. Like with dogs...probably kids, too." It's only when the unnamed brown begins to slow that Azaylia looks up once more, "I was a Beastcraft apprentice, you know." She reminds, not pointed or sarcastic, but proof that she'll be able to raise the little beastie just fine. The goldrider is all smiles once she feels comfortable in reaching for the gooey hatchling's back, stroking along it with one finger as he lethargically gnaws on some beef. There's no way he can swallow, but he'll try... or fall asleep before he can attempt it. Soon, Azaylia will be able to cradle the unconscious brown, holding him to her chest while watching the dragonhealer inspect those waterlogged eggs. When all is said and done, when the 'riders and 'folk leave with their new flits-- the gold and bluerider will be able to continue their rest day. But, on the way back home Hraedhyth will blink between-- to give those otherwise forgotten eggs a proper send off. Alida notes around a bit of a chagrined smirk to Azaylia, the woman then settling down on her rump as people and dragons circulate around them... until everyone's gone again, leaving the two women to themselves once more. More rock-finding is had, along with the oiling of a new brown firelizard, and when the odd quartet return to their camp, it's to find Ilicaeth still napping - though his head's now upon a hummock of silt. "Lazybones..." the blonde grins indulgently to the blue who slept through it all. Later on, there's a game of horseshoes, more 'lizard feeding and oiling, plus the pleasure of fishing and a campfire to roast their catch upon. Bedding down beneath the stars and protective dragon wings is a warm, rare treat as well, and by the time the six beings rise, break camp, and head back the next morning, hopefully there's a long-lasting, good memory to help tide them over in the rough times that are surely ahead. |
Leave A Comment