Who

Bonifas, Willimina, Ziniel, Zisiene

What

The Zingari caravan is on high alert after Tallel left, but even spylings and leaders have to eat.

When

It is afternoon of the first day of the twelfth month of the tenth turn of the 12th pass.

Where

Red Butte

OOC Date 13 May 2017 05:00

 

bonifas_default.jpgwillimina_default.jpgziniel_default.jpgzisiene_default.jpg

"That is good to hear then, still, eyes on even those we trust and know. These are dangerous times. "


igenredbutte.jpg

Red Butte

Far removed from Hold and Hall, out in the utter midst of the plains of Keroon, sits the unique, solitary stone dome that every weyrling most likely knows better than any other landmark on the face of Pern - the Red Butte. Rings of eroded bedrock and sandstone ring this small mountain like long-frozen ripples worn by weather, upheaval, and time. Valleys and scarps surround and fade into the varied strata of the plateau itself. From both the ground and the air, the strikingly-hued Red Butte remains one of the most impressive and recognizable features of the entire Northern Continent.


It may be fiercely unpleasant in Igen right now due to the whipping sandstorms, but out on the road to Red Butte the weather is fair, with clear skies. The Zingari have stopped just a couple of leagues short of Red Butte for the night. Camp has been set and dinner is being prepared, the air thick with the scent of Zingari mixed spices. Willimina, leader of the mother clan, drifts amongst her people. She greets them and asks after them, checks that the guards and spylings are at their posts and sends lizards to the DauDin and Armida clans to join them for supper.
Tensions have been high since Tallel departed, everyone feeling the danger the Elders pose. All are on the alert for anyone suspicious, including Willimina herself. She peers in on Timotin, who's become her children's unofficial nanny for the time being. Seeing that her children are in good hands, she hugs them and heads for the main fire and dinner, where she'll be pouring over hides while tensely waiting for a message from Tallel.

Sitting quietly in a deep shadow there is a set of blue-green eyes scan the area in front of the petite young woman they belong to. Zisiene has already had a light meal, and her pair of firelizards are tucked away where they can see without being seen. A hand drifts through a complicated pattern of fanning sans fire fan just to help pass the time. Isie is in no way distracted from her primary task.

The unease that is clinging to the caravan has dampened even Bonifas's normally happy go-lucky demeanor. The teen had been on guard duty all afternoon, and showed the duty all the seriousness that the situation deserved. Eventually his replacement did arrive, and Bon quickly made his way to the fire and the food, his stomach letting out a loud growling right as he takes his place in line.

Ziniel is all too aware of the deepening tension within the camp. Still she's volunteered to help with the cooking, and clean up after the meal. The girl manages a pleasant smile to each person that she serves, and she even manages a few names. Her young green firelizard has curled up among a pile of stones, and looks for all the world like just another bit of moss, "Here you are, enjoy," is said as yet another person is served. Smile Zini, that always seems to help ease nerves doesn't it?

There are perks to being leader, Willimina's dinner is waiting for her at a table set in front of her wagon. Also awaiting her, is a stack of hides meant for review. How glorious it is to be leader. She slides into her seat in enough time to see Bonifas slip into the dinner line, a face she recognises but doesn't know all that well. Willimina sighs and turns her eyes and attention to her dinner and her work. Some passers by greet their leader and she greets them back, but focuses more on the hides in front of her. She'll be taking reports from the guards soon enough, better to get this done now.

Not a guard, Zisiene is still fond of going through the combat training. Still she's on look-out, so her attention is focused outward. Watching, and listening to idle humming of one of her 'lizards just by the tone and the fact that there is humming tells the young woman exactly which of her two is making noise. She'll have to work on that with him later. It does no good to have a couple of sets of eyes to help watch if one of those sets belongs to a noisemaker.

Bonifas manages to spot Zisiene in the crowd and gives his fellow spyling a nod of greeting, but since she isn't eating and looks like she's still on lookout, he's not going to interfere with her work. Willa is spotted as she passes by and he gives her a polite nod. Eventually he does work his way to the front of the line and Ziniel gets a smile like she's his very favorite person in the whole world. And at that moment, since she's the one controling how much food will go onto his plate, she probably is. His stomach also chooses this as a very convenient time to let out another grumble.

Smile is returned with another smile, and the grumble from Bon's stomach earns him a slightly larger helping than otherwise would have been given, "You oughtn't to skip meals," Ziniel chides gently, never mind the girl is younger than Bon she's going to chide anyway.

Willimina would never deny anyone food unless they were in a state of emergency. And as far as food goes, the Zingari are set for the moment. Willimina grins at the conversation as it starts. Ziniel is right, after all.

Settled in her deep shadows as she is, Zisiene never the less gives a slight smile to Bon before she's back to watching. She's fairly sure that few can easily spot her as she's carefully chosen her 'pile o'rags' clothing which helps her to blend with the shadows. Nimble blinks, and then he's lidding his eyes again to mute the glow of his eyes. At some point Isie will be relieved, but that point is not now.

"I never skip a meal, ma'am," Never mind that Ziniel is younger than Bon is. It never hurts to be polite to the cooks. "I'm just a growing boy or something." His smile grows into a grin as he starts to go find a seat to eat his meal. Don't want to stand in the way of other people getting food. The boy isn't even going to wait until he's seated to start eating. Food shoveling into mouth begins as soon as he turns around. He's not picky about seats and the first one available seems to be conveniently positioned halfway between Isie and Willa and he takes that one.

Ziniel shakes her head in amusement as she continues to serve people until, "Fix y'er own plate Zin. You should take y'er own advice," a smile is given, and soon she's seating herself next to Bon, "Don't mind do you?" not that there's much in the way of options that is.

Willimina sits eating as she scans several hides, missives written in code that she must decipher. She chews methodically, eyes roaming up and out over the PEOPLE every few moments to keep her vision from swimming. So much reading!!! Eyes land and focus on Ziniel and Bonifas for now, watching the interaction between the two.

Bonifas will give a quick wave towards one of the vacant seats, indicating Ziniel's more than welcome to sit, although it will take him a minute before he finishes his current mouthful of food and can talk. "Never. Nobody was using that seat anyways. Seems like a shame to waste it." Just going to ignore Willa's watching for now. That seems normal enough for the time being.

Relief comes with a soft tap on Zisiene's shoulder. No words needs be spoken, she knows that it'd be ill advised to go too long without eating something so it's off to the food line she goes.

"Thank you," Ziniel says with a smile, "Nothing on the road ever goes to waste," Zini's teasing of course, and now she watches to see if Bon catches on.

Willimina sits eating as she scans several hides, missives written in code that she must decipher. She chews methodically, eyes roaming up and out over the PEOPLE every few moments to keep her vision from swimming. So much reading!!! Eyes land and focus on Ziniel and Bonifas for now, watching the interaction between the two.

"Oh, I know. I've volunteered a time or two to help make sure that any excess food won't go to waste at the end of the night," And by a time or two, Bonifas means more often than not. Isie leaving her post and heading for food is noted. He'll point a thumb over to one of the other conveniently empty seats next to them, an invite if she wants one.

Willimina finishes the encrypted messages and scans through the unofficial documents, but nothing is really retained from these, her mind keeps wandering to Tallel and what might be going on with him. To distract herself, Willimina shoves the homework aside (meaning into her wagon) and takes her dinner to join Ziniel and Bonifas, company sounded like a much better idea in this moment. "Good evening." She greets as she sits and continues her meal.

Food gathered, Zisiene finds her way to a flat rock where she sits to work with Adorbs. The bronze 'lizard succeeds only in looking adorably goofy as he tries, and fails to sit quietly. Nimble on the other hand remains where he was while Isie was on watch, he can sit for hours without moving so much as a muscle. Willa's joining of Ziniel and Bon does see the spyling moving to join the small group, "Zin, didn't anyone tell you to stop growing?" she's teasing the girl, and she gives Ziniel a wink to let her know that.

Bonifas is making vast inroads on the plate of food. It's at least halfway done by now. "Isie! How's things?" Cue big smile in between another bite or two of food. Willa's arrival gets a slightly more dignified response. He gives a sort of salute/wave type gesture with the hand holding his fork. "Evening, Willa."

"Evening Willimina," Ziniel offers as the leader joins her and Bonifas. Zisiene's comment earns the other a small mock pout before she's grinning. She just can't seem to not smile, or laugh when she's amused and Zisiene can be amusing. Bonifas' enthusiastic greeting to Isie is given an amused snort, then the tease is addressed, "I've heard the suggestion many times. I'm thinking about it."

Tease returned for tease earns a wry chuckle from Zisiene, "Not trusting the stillness tonight, me," Isie is good at worrying. The more she worries, the more apt she is to run through fan patterns. It helps her to focus on what is bothering her, "Any word?" not that she expects Willa to answer. A moment goes by before she looks at Bonifas, "Try to not be so obvious when you acknowledge a fellow spy," she's heard that many times in the past, so she'll pass it on to Bon.

Willimina grins at them all, glad that smiles can come so easy with all that's going on. "How was guard duty Bonifas? Anything to report?" Willa steeples get hands together and looks expectant. Willimina is right with Zisiene in that she doesn't trust the current calm. "None yet." Willa's belief future and her worry shows through a little.

Zisiene gives a nod to the answer. More than was expected, but brief as expected should there be one in the first place, "I didn't see anything," but that didn't stop her from leaving her blue to watch, "Left Nimble to watch. He's good at giving an alert without causing chaos," something she has yet to teach the bronze perched on her shoulder.
Will combine the two Isie poses into one.

"Noted," Bon will say to the older spyling's advice, but with a bit of sigh. It's not the first time he's heard that recommendation either. As for the leader's question that he'll answer with a headshake and a more serious expression. "Nothing of note for me, either. Everyone that came into the camp was folks we were expecting to be coming in."

A blink is given as Ziniel watches from one to the other as the conversation swirls around her. It's over the girl's head as she's a dancer, and an arialist (if she can get her rig back that is).

Willimina nods. "That is good to hear then, still, eyes on even those we trust and know. These are dangerous times. " Willimina gives a stern sort of look at the group and stupid from her mug.

Zisiene gives a nod as she finishes her meal, or as close to as she ever gets. What remains is discreetly transferred to Bonifas' plate, with a bit of the meat held back for the bronze 'lizard on her shoulder. It's Isie's private opinion that just because they know who's coming in, it doesn't mean those people can be completely trusted. The former baker's apprentice is far to cynical for that to be a thing she'll ever do.

"Yes, ma'am. And I made sure to give Griggs a full report of every single person that walked by during my shift. None of it seemed particularly noteworthy for right now, especially since it matched up exactly with who were told to be expecting in. I could try to recite that list from memory if you really wanted…" But Bonifas will give a small shrug. A copy of those reports may have already made their way to Willa's hide pile, but he'll attempt to recite it if the leader asks. The addition of more food from Zisiene was unexpected, but he'll gladly accept with a nod. "Thanks, Isie." Leftovers will not go to waste with him around.

Did Zisiene not make a report of her time on watch? Ziniel watches as it appears that is precisely what the other is doing, "Isie, you should eat more," mothering, it seems Ziniel has that instinct in spades, "Seriously, you don't eat enough," which will likely earn a glare from the spyling.

The comment from Ziniel gets ignored as Zisiene works on her own report. She looks up briefly at the admonishment to eat more, but says nothing. Just because she doesn't plow through an over full plate of food doesn't mean that Isie's not eating. She's more of a 'many small meals during the day' kind of person.

Zisiene gives a nod as she finishes her meal, or as close to as she ever gets. What remains is discreetly transferred to Bonifas' plate, with a bit of the meat held back for the bronze 'lizard on her shoulder. It's Isie's private opinion that just because they know who's coming in, it doesn't mean those people can be completely trusted. The former baker's apprentice is far to cynical for that to be a thing she'll ever do. *Repose to err on the side of caution.

Bonifas is clearly an eat as many meals as you can kind of person. And he'll be sitting there eating the food on his plate, watching the back and forth between the girls, but he's not going to weigh in on that. Nope. Unless Willa is going to actually request that very boring list of names, he's going to be putting most of his concentration on finishing more of that food before Ziniel might try to relocate it back to Isie or something.

Willimina won't bother making Bonifas recite the list, she has her own food to finish up and that's exactly what she's doing. "So tell me Bonifas, how goes your training?" And no, she doesn't mean the performance side of it. She quirks a brow in question. Anything to get her mind off the current situation for a bit.

"It's going well, I think?" Bonifas is going to pause with the food while he briefly thinks of a more detailed answer. "Knife work is fun and tracking is too. Herbology has been tougher than I expected though. And there's a lot more to math than I thought." Like, he sounds surprised there's more to math than just addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.

Willimina chuckles, shaking her head a bit. "Mind you pay attention in your herbology, it's important and Igraine is an exacting teacher." Willimina looks pleased at the thought of his liking the knife work however. "If you ever need a sparring partner come find me, there are a fair few of us adept with those skills but I'm one of the best." Willimina winks, it's a great dirty pleasure of hers that she knows how to weild a sharp so deftly.

Bonifas nods quickly about paying attention. "I try. And she definitely is and with reason. A lot of those herbs look a lot alike. And one tiny difference might be the difference between killing you and saving you." And his tone is completely serious about that. For the offer of sparing partner, he tilts his head a little, looking surprised. "I.. uh, yes?" So eloquent.

Willimina grins. Igraine's concoctions were the stuff of legends, not even Willa would dare get into her cabinets without Tallel or Igraine there to guide her. Bonifas' oh so eloquent response has her grinning wryly. He's an amusing sort, this one, and Willimina finds herself liking the lad for it. "What is your favorite of your lessons then?"

"I like crowd work, and tracking and weapons work. The things where we're moving." Bonifas says this with a smile. Sitting still doesn't come natural to the boy, which is probably why he was so good at tumbling. Even now after a long day and a very large meal, he's fidgeting a little with his fork and the now empty plate.

"Very good then." Willimina takes one last look at Bonifas before beginning to gather her things. "I hope to see you continuing to flourish Bonifas, it seems as if you have found a niche to fit in." One more soft smile for the lad and Willa is turning to leave. "I hope the evening is peaceful, be well Bonifas. I must go and try to contact our Second in command, the silence is driving me mad." And it really is too.

"Uh, thank you, ma'am," The unexpected compliment takes Bonifas offguard, but it doesn't take him long to recover his composure. He'll nod as Willa goes to make her lead. "Good luck. And if you need anything…" Well, he's another one of those that are always ready for what orders she might have, even if he is still learning. But now that his food is finished, it's time for Bon to put his plate and fork away and go off to do whatever other things he had planned for the evening. Probably more watching.

"I shall let you know…" Willa responds. With a nod of her head, the Zingari leader sweeps off towards her wagon, and the awaiting message in her head. Some watch her leave, and some go unnoticed in doing so.

Add a New Comment