"Shard Fardled, Scorch Brined, Razzum Frazzum"

Eastern Weyr - Candidate/Weyrling Cavern

Huge in its own right, this series of interlinked caverns is the complex that houses both candidates and weyrlings. Fashioned out of a multitude of hollows, it serves as a central gathering area as well as classroom. A number of deep pockets have been laborously smoothed to provide comfortable dwellings for the young dragons and their riders away from the weather of the central area, and affording them some privacy but not much. Above, the cavern opens to the sky, holding out the worst of the island's weather but allowing an aerial exit and providing natural lighting to the area. Branching off from this cavern is an opening that leads to the exercise yard, and another carved passage that leads onto the hatching sands - though this entrance is typically closed tight to prevent mischief.

Protected from the worst of the island weather, this cavern is a haven in day and night. Darkness has settled over the large expanse of the complex, paper lanterns light the pathways towards the sands and the carved passage leading into the commons. All around are the speckling of lights that accompany the occupied hollows, allowing the dragons vision for those midnight snacks and such. Autumn is difficult to tell from summer on this lovely coast as the trees in this tropical paradise are given to little change. The days are once again becoming cooler, but the storms are the worst during this season.

Through the open roof of the exercise cavern, high above you can see glimpses of the weather outside, though are safe from it. Cold rain falls from a gray-black sky without moon or stars. A very light wind blows from the east.


Mahlia schlepps in to the Candidate Cavern, a smudge of stable muck across her cheek, a few pieces of grit and grime smattered across pulled back hair, huffing and puffing a bit as her dirty outer-layers are quickly changed out of. The runner-smelling heap of clothes are sent for a washing with a self spoken reflection of "Can't believe I only got through half the stables.. eesh, those stable hands sure get a good workout." In the changing area, her soiled clothing is replaced by a green one-piece bathing suit, in hopes she has time to wash-up before tending to a bit of dragonhealing research, lunch and wing-shadowing. She's whistling a happy-go-lucky and giddy tune; and fortunately for everyone, her garments are removed quickly along with the stench of the stables. Rukbat is high above the Weyr, another hot and humid day at Eastern.

Kayla doesn't smell too much sweeter, although the aroma surrounding her is a cleaner mixture of dirt, sweat, and the sweeter scent of herbs and various other plants. She's got dirt streaked across her nose, some on her cheekbones, and her hands are positively filthy, as are the knees of her pants. Dirt has been thoroughly ground into them and they look hopelessly beyond repair and worthless as anything else but work clothes. Oddly enough, though, she doesn't seem to be complaining about the work. She seems rather… well, in a word, serene. Calm. Humming a lilting little tune and breathing a sigh of relief as the cooler air in the barracks washes over her.

Fiona's boots are audible long before she comes into view as she's stomping down the hall to the barracks. As she draws nearer, the soft mutter of, "Shard fardled, scorch brain, razzum frazzum riders," precedes her entrance. She doesn't look any worse for wear except for the dark glower on her expression… which might just be passed off as normal. Odin and Anubis blip from /between/ to spiral lazily down on her cot, seemingly non-plussed by her anger. Her nostrils flare as she enters the room and is assaulted by the stench of muck work and dirt. She heaves a long-suffering sigh and mutters, "Mahlia. Sis." Then continues her stomping cross to her cot, where she spins and dumps herself unceremoniously atop the covers.

No sooner than when has Mahl exchanged the mess worn to the stables, and changed in to her public bathing attire, does a tune meet her own and is matched with the bass of boots tromping down the hall. She grabs a towel and wraps it around her waist, turning towards the muttered expletives and humming accompaniment with a wide smile on her face "Hello Fiona, nice to see ya again and congratulations in person!" The tantalizing aromas of Kayla's garden work tickle her nose over the acrid pungency still slightly lingering from a morning in the stables "And hello to you too lovely Kayla.. the rest of the bonfire just wasn't the same without ya! Some poor chap almost got eaten by Tei!" a few more sniffs of her earthy allure lends to a "Lucky.. garden work for you.. I got the stables." Tongue sticks out for a *yucky* poo-shoveling moment.

Kayla shrugs, rolling her shoulders a little bit and wincing. But she smiles at Mahlia, nodding. "Garden work's not so bad. I wouldn't mind trading for that instead of some chores. It's actually kind of soothing." Huh? Could it be? Something she actually -enjoys- and may have some gift for? She opens her mouth to reply further, but Fiona's salty oaths have her closing it again. Best not to be messing with her sister when she's swearing like a sailor. "Ummmm… sis, do I even -want- to know what happened?"

"Sharding brownrider tried to grab my behind!" Oh, yes, Fi is /livid/ and her more caustic side is showing, "At least when I had the sharding wingsecond's knot I commanded /some/ respect!" She turns to look at Mahlia, "You smell like a midden." Odin hisses and gives her a swat with his tail, eliciting a sharp, "Ow! Fine, sweet Faranth! 'M sorry, Mahlia, but you do. Stables duty is so something I'm swapping out. Can't stand the smell or the feel or the," she full-body shudders, "Eugh." With the number of chores Fi's declared she'll be swapping out, it's unlikely she'll succeed.

Mahlia chuckles a bit before noticing the grimace on Kayla's face and replacing laughter with a caring expression "Stables for gardening any day, those runners sure do make a mess!" Forehead is wiped with the back of her hand, a few dirt crumblies rubbed off in the process. Seeing as how she's not used to such strenuous work, tensed and strained muscles are reluctant and pull taut as she bends knees to lower herself and pick up the chunks of fallen sediment. "Looks like a good soak is in store for all of us.. I'm even stopping by the infirmary for their muscle-salve, probably grab some extra, m'sure we'll need it." Fiona's comment warrants a raised eyebrow and concerned facial features "That brownrider prolly didn't know who they were messing with.. sorry ya' had to deal with that Fi." Nostrils flare a bit at her scented observations, and she replies with a jokingly surly "Thanks.. stables are the best, don't ya know?" Gloves, layers, whatever you could muster, nothing makes stable work that enjoyable, afterall, it is mostly runner-dung all day long.

"Well, fertilizer for the gardens has to come from -somewhere-, you know!" Kayla quips, her nose wrinkled but her eyes twinkling. "You collect it, I use it. It works out beautifully." Laughing, she ducks out of Mahlia's way, only to have her protesting muscles betray her with a little yelp. "Gaah. I hear you there. A soak, salve, and full belly. You get the salve, I'll get the edibles, and we all go take a soak in the hot springs? Sorry, sis, but that means no bathing suits for me, not if I want to get really clean." Her expression turns dark, threateningly so, as she hears of Fiona's treatment at the hands of the unnamed brownrider. "Okay, sis, who do I have to go thump for you?"

Fiona pulls her pillow out from beneath her head and presses it against her face, her voice coming out all muffled, "Fno poi, fif. Canfafes can' figh'." She sighs and pulls the pillow off her face, "I don't need a bath, I need to scrub my skin off." She glances at Mahlia and shrugs, "Sorry you had to deal with the runners. Stable hands're probably just as handsy. Sharding Pier's the worst since it's full up with drunks'n layabouts midday. Don' care if you wear a suit, sis."

Mahlia snickers at the reasoning of her fellow candidate "Well put Kayla. It's all part of the process, I guess. N'atleast no ones gonna try n'grab my butt when I smell like a runner.. I hope." That is of course, entirely questionable she thinks, only encountering the young assistant who showed her around. The collection of stable remnants in her hand are tossed in to the garbage receptacle. "Mm, that's the ticket, soaks, salves and snacks. I'm in!" Emerald green eyes glisten with vibrant flecks of gold, hearing the interaction between sisters, she looks down to examine the suit she's wearing, necessary for the infirmary at least. "Guess we all gotta watch our rump's no matter where we're assigned eh? G'luck with the skin scrubbing Fi, see ya later.. extra sweetsand for me today. I really should get started, timeliness is everything right now it seems." She waves to them both on her way out and says "See ya at the springs in a few Kayla."

Unless otherwise stated, the content of this page is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 License