==== October 25th, 2013
==== Kyara, Zalara
==== Zalara gets to meet a firelizard. Then she gets to meet a dragon! Quite a way to start the day.

Who Kyara, Zalara
What Zalara gets to meet a firelizard. Then she gets to meet a dragon! Quite a way to start the day.
When Dawn. There are 10 months and 17 days until the 12th Pass.
Where Living Caverns; Central Bowl, Igen Weyr

igenlivingcavern.jpg

Living Cavern
Dim light from hanging glow-globes cannot fully camouflage the ravages of time and neglect on Igen's busy living caverns, though hints of its former glory peek through in the decorative cuts to the cave's natural limestone and the high quality of dusty, tatty-ended tapestries. Here and there, skybroom tables — stained dark by wood finish and a decade of grime — sit in loose groups, flanked by wicker chairs with pointy, broken rattan that pokes out to invariably find unprotected skin. The seemingly randomly placed furniture, however, at closer inspection, forms a sort of cross-shape of negative space. At the northernmost walls and nooks of the caverns, a long buffet table with tarnished lazy susans hosts an array of finger-foods and pitchers for the interested, refilled occasionally by drudges that shuffle in from the curtained entrance to the south, beyond which lies the kitchens. To the east is a large arch leading outside and, across from that, to the west, a set of rattling doors that open to reveal the tunnels and stairs of the inner caverns themselves.


Ah, daybreak. Rukbat's rays have not been long upon the Bowl when Kyara comes striding into the Living Cavern, stamping her feet against the cold before moving on to the fresh klah that's just been brought to the hearth. With a yawn, the young greenrider takes up a mug and fills a plate lightly with pastries, dried fruit, and some hot helpings of meat, then turns to find a table. She has her pick of the place, this early on. Setting her sights on a chair near the north wall, she parks herself at the table and settles in for breakfast. There's about a candlemark before drills start. She's got a comfortable amount of time.

Zalara comes in to get some breakfast and she has a smile on her face. She moves over to get something hot to eat and spots Kyara. She gives her a happy wave as she moves over with a plate full of hot food in one hand and a mug in the other. "Good morning."

Kyara spots the waving hand over the rim of the mug she's currently got up to her lips and lowers it a bit to see Zalara. Waving in turn, she finishes taking that sip and sets the drink back down. "Good morning, Zalara," she returns, gesturing at the empty spot beside her and pushing the chair out with her foot. "Care to join me? You seem happy this morning." She's caught off guard by a sudden yawn, which she captures most of with a forearm across her mouth. "Uff. Sorry," she chuckles, smirking apologetically. "Are you usually up this early?"

Zalara smiles as she sits down and she nods. "Yes. I'm up before all the other apprentices so I can have breakfast alone and get in some extra work before they can. It's okay. How are you doing?"

"Oh, I'm doing pretty well," Kyara replies after a swallow of food. "I'll be heading off to drills in a bit, then I'll be back to take my brother back to the River Hold around lunchtime." Nodding, she considers the girl with some amusement, once again seeing a commonality between her younger self and the Smith Apprentice. "I used to do the same," she states after a moment. "Sometimes morning is the best time to get things done." At that moment, a small bronze firelizard pops into the air above them and drops to Kyara's shoulder. There is FOOD here. He eyes Zalara, then crawls down the greenrider's arm to cautiously investigate this newcomer, a treble rumbling coming quietly as he stalks toward her. Helloooo.

Zalara smiles. "That's good. Did you go to the wedding last night? It was very beautiful, except for an annoying boy who claimed he was a firethrower. He's nothing but trouble. I got to dance most of the night with Zannen, though. He's very nice…for a boy."

Kyara shakes her head as she gets a bit more breakfast into her mouth. "No, I didn't," she answers with a gentle smile. "I heard about it, though." Her eyebrows jump up when Zalara mentions dancing with her brother, and her smile slips into a smirk. "Oh, you did?" She gives a bit of a laugh. "I was wondering where he got to! Well, I'm glad you met up with him and had a good time. Zannen is a very good dancer…for a boy." She gives a wink as she teases; she has to pick on her brother, you see. It's her job. "Hopefully that other boy won't give you trouble. Though I'm sure Zan offered to thump him for you or something, right?" The bronze firelizard suddenly gives a short, scolding warble, sitting on his haunches and looking pointedly at the Smith girl. Pay attention to meeee! "Mios! Behave!" Kyara snaps at the little bronze, casting an apologetic look at Zalara thereafter. "Sorry. He's still a baby."

Zalara smiles. "Yes, I did. The other boy is just a big brat. I was in the kitchen delivering silverware and he was there and so was a weyrwoman. She started to question him about his dirty legs and he turned all puppy-eyed and got her completely goo-goo over him. It was disgusting." She rolls her eyes. "He is nothing but trouble. He was tossing around sticks with fire on them, claiming he was a firethrower. Jhael is his name, although it should be bratty trouble maker." She wrinkles her nose. "No, it's all right; I ignored him." She smiles at the bronze. "Hello there. Can I give him a little tidbit?"

Tilting her head slightly, Kyara gives a shrug. "He very well may have been a firethrower, if he was one of the gypsies," she observes. "That doesn't mean he knew how to be safe about it yet, but. Even so. Sounds like he's certainly good at being a brat. And still young enough to wrap people around his finger, when he puts his mind to it. You can call him 'bratty trouble-maker.' I won't tell anyone." She grins, takes another drink, and nods at her bronze. "I'm sure he'd love you forever if you gave him a tidbit. He's still pretty much a flying stomach right now." She gives him a light poke in the belly, which he chatters irritably at her for. "His name is Mios. Have you ever met a firelizard up close before?"

Zalara shakes her head. "Nope; none of the other apprentices have one and only one of the journeymen has one. He is very handsome, like a mini-bronze dragon." She offers a bit of her food to Mios. "Here you go, Mios," she says in a sweet voice.

Working on more of her own food, Kyara observes as the Smith girl feeds the little bronze. Mios marches happily up to the offered food, planting a tiny paw on Zalara's finger as he nips it up, scarfs it down, and then rubs his fired-metal head against her hand. "Oh, no, you called him handsome. Now he'll be insufferable," she says with mock chagrin, shaking her head and laughing a little. "But like I said, you now have a forever friend. Food is certainly the way to his heart." She nods a bit for Zalara's observation. "Yes, that's exactly what he's like. A mini-dragon. Except he will let me know things through pictures in my mind. Dragons actually talk along with the pictures and are much smarter, though there are a few that seem to like using one more than the other." Considering the girl quietly and eating a bit more, Kyara then asks, "Have you ever met a dragon? Maybe ridden on one, to get to a posting?"

Zalara smiles as she continues to feed Mios and gently caresses the top of the bronze's head. "Well, he is very handsome. That's incredible, that you get pictures from him." She shakes her head. "Not formally. I've seen them all over the place, but never gotten to meet or ride one."

"Maybe you'll get to have one of your own someday," Kyara says. "A firelizard, that is. Or a dragon, if they allow girls to Stand again. And if you want to, of course." Mios, in the meantime, looks to be on the blissful side of life as this new friend feeds and pets him, his eyes whirling a bright blue as he croons. "Spoiled brat," she laughs, shaking her head at Mios. Then she quirks an eyebrow at the girl. "Well, you seem to get on well enough with him. Would you like to meet a dragon? I can introduce you to my Liareth, if you'd like," she offers, a bit of a glint in her eye.

Zalara grumbles a bit. "Probably when there is only a gold egg on the Sands." She smiles as she gives a little more to the firelizard before she finishes off her breakfast. "Sorry, all gone." She gives a gentle stroke to the bronze's neck, and she ums. "Sure, if you'd like to introduce me." She doesn't want to seem too eager.

Kyara sighs a bit, her eyes sad, but her smile hopeful. "Well, don't lose hope. There was no queen egg when I Stood, yet I Impressed. Things were different then, and they can be again. When someone is meant to be with a dragon, it will happen. That's what I believe." Insert mental sticking-out-of-tongue at Corelle here. Mios gazes dolefully at Zalara's empty plate, but still chirps a thank-you up at the girl before turning around to see if Kyara has anything to offer. No such luck; the greenrider has finished off her food as well, and she holds up empty hands at him to prove it. With a huff, he stalks over and perches on the edge of the table. Kyara stands up, smiling. "Follow me," she tells Zalara as she dons her riding jacket and pulls her gloves on. "Liareth is just out here, in the Bowl." She'll lead the girl out from there, once Zalara is ready.

Zalara nods as she brushes herself off. "I believe that too. I just hope it's not a disaster." She gently pats the bronze on the head. "Come on; you don't want to miss this." She follows after Kyara. "I'm not waking her up am I?"


igencentralbowl.jpg

Central Bowl
Cradled, childlike, in an easterly mountainous embrace, the steppes of the central bowl nestle cozily between lake and weyr. The latticework of dusty adobe paths spider out from the southerly Weyr Road, the wagon-ruts of which curve lazily to the northeastern bazaar, the adobe sprawl of the New Weyr reflected in the lake that dominates a large portion of outdoor Igen. A small footpath, just as abused, ambles away from the shores, travelling over rock and hill to the northern dragonet complex and branching itself due west to end at the entrance of the blessedly cool inner caverns. One cracked path, faint with disuse, leads southeast to the crumbling ruins of Igen-that-was. All around, the dizzying heights of the caldera's sharp-sloped sides are pocked here and there with ledges, the weyrs' draconic occupants needing no path to guide their way.


Mios chirps at the pat on the head, flitting up to Kyara's shoulder as rider and Apprentice leave the Cavern. Kyara laughs, shaking her head. "No, she and I have been awake for the past candlemark. We're used to being up early because our wing gets to work right away." Liareth is already well on her way, padding up to meet them about a dozen strides from the entrance to the caverns. Jade wingsails are momentarily set aglow by the morning sun as the pretty green stretches, and the Liareth settles onto her haunches, crouching down to regard the smaller person accompanying her rider. "Lia," Kyara says aloud for the Smith girl's benefit, "this is my friend, Zalara. I thought you two might like to meet. Zalara," she turns to the Apprentice, "this is Liareth."

Zalara is in awe as she watches the beautiful green dragon come over and stretch out her wings. She just stares and watches. Then, finally, she remembers herself. "Oh…hello there; it's nice to meet you, Liareth. You are very beautiful."

Liareth lowers herself even further to look at Zalara, eyes whirling a steady, sparkling emerald, and she cautiously extends her muzzle toward the girl. While not that of a brown or a bronze, hers is still a big nose, and she doesn't wish to frighten the girl, after all. A soft rumble sounds in her throat, and Kyara places a hand on her lifemate's muzzle, grinning at the girl. "You can touch her, if you'd like," she says. "She likes having her nose rubbed."

Liareth is cautious, so very cautious, brushing the slightest, most delicate tendril of warm, refreshing steam across the girl's thoughts. « Hello, young one. » And just as easily and quietly, she withdraws, humidity receding back into nothing.

Zalara isn't scared. Well, maybe just a little; it is a dragon, and even greens are big compared to a young girl. She slowly reaches out and gently rubs the green’s nose. She blinks. "I heard her in my head." She looks to the dragon. "I heard you in my head!"

Kyara blinks, glancing at Liareth in surprise. "She spoke to you, did she?" The greenrider sounds rather impressed, surveying the young Smith curiously between quick mental exchanges with her dragon. Zalara doesn't seem frightened by what just happened in the least. A bit nervous, perhaps, but not disoriented. "Interesting… She's never chosen to speak to someone before. Then again, we're always around other riders; I've never really had her meet anyone else." She watches Zalara stroking Liareth's nose, and her green gives a croon, a hint of blue creeping into that whirling gaze. "She likes you. She wouldn't have done that otherwise," she observes, her smile enigmatic.

Zalara nods. "Yes, she did. I would never lie about something like that." She ohs. "I didn't know." Gently, she continues to rub. "Is that okay? Not too hard or too soft?" she asks, and smiles brightly. "I like her, too. Very much."

Liareth whuffles very lightly at Zalara's hand in answer as Kyara speaks. "Oh, I know you wouldn't, lass," the greenrider chuckles in reassurance. "And you're fine. It's hard for us to hurt a dragon's hide. I have to climb up on her neck, and my boots," she lifts a foot, tapping momentarily against the rugged tread of the sturdy wherhide footwear, "don't even leave a mark. She'd let you know it, if you were doing something she didn't like." Rubbing her chin with a gloved hand, she regards Zalara a little more, thoughtful. "I'm glad she doesn't scare you, and so is she. Maybe, when we have the time someday, we can take you flying for a little bit. If you think that's something you might like."

Zalara smiles and nods as she continues to rub the dragon's nose. "I'm glad. I wouldn't want to hurt her." She hmms. "Well, if I'm not busy with my apprentice work and you have time, I'd love to go flying for a little bit. Do I need to wear anything special?"

Kyara chuckles appreciatively at Zalara's eagerness as Liareth gives a last whuffle to the girl's hand and gently withdraws, sitting back on her haunches with a snort of finality and then standing again, rustling her wings as she turns to look out toward the North Bowl. "I'll let you know when. As for wearing, you'll need the warmest clothes you've got, and wear leather or wherhide on top. I can probably come up with anything you don't have. Although," and she stands back, tapping her chin as she looks the girl over, "I'm a fair sight bigger and taller than you, lass. Though I'm sure we can make it work. We'll see, when the day comes. Now…" She crosses over to Liareth and begins adjusting the straps around her dragon’s neck. "We have to head off to drills, but you have my word that we'll take you flying sometime soon." Kyara then jumps to catch the straps, hauling herself up between Lia’s neckridges with a fluid ease coming from over a Turn of practice. "Sound good to you?"

Zalara nods. "I better get to the forge; I have lots of work to do. Just let me know, and I'll start to gather the appropriate clothes so that I can go flying with you." She gives a wave to Kyara and her lovely green. "I'll see you both later."

With a firm nod, Kyara grins down at the apprentice and pulls her helmet down over her up-spun runnertail. "That I will." Goggles come next, and a scarf is tightened around her neck and face. "Have a good day, Zalara!" And with that, Kyara and Liareth wing off into the morning for drills, leaving the Smith Apprentice to her own work for the day.

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