Who

Miel, Vosji

What

No thanks to a dragon and a firelizard, Vosji and Miel are stuck in a cave waiting out a sandstorm. No one dies.

When

It is midmorning of the twenty-second day of the ninth month of the fourteenth turn of the 12th pass.

Where

Water-worn Cave, Igen Weyr

OOC Date 13 Aug 2018 04:00

 

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"You know, this is all your fault."
"Or is it yours for following her?"


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Water-worn Cave

Water pervades the floor of this absolutely otherworldly cave, shallow enough to wet only one's boot soles in some places and deep enough to rise to the ankles in others. With the aid of a little glowlight or a torch, the hues of blue, white, pale green and teal that ripple and swirl across every undulating formation become evident, the appearance nearly reminiscent of a water-carved glacier - without the frigidity, of course. An ancient flow of water once carved through to leave beautifully serpentine tubes and tunnels through the marbled stone here, most large enough to allow a person to pass, but several too small for anything more than a firelizard to fit through. One wide portal at the eastern cusp of the cavern roughens to a plainer sort of stone, opening out onto the swirling waters of the underground river passing into shadow beneath its lip.


There's a sandstorm outside, leading most people to need to take shelter somewhere - and that shelter is not likely to be down in the hidden gem caverns of Igen. That doesn't mean it won't be, though, if it was the closest place available to prevent getting hit in the face by swells of sand. In Vosji's case, though, she was already in the watery cave before the weather hit and has resigned herself to being stuck there a while. She's crunching on the end of an apple and looking balefully at a pale-gold firelizard, saying in a matter-of-fact tone as if one might address a human rather than a birdbrain-esque animal, "You know, this is all your fault."

"Is it?" A voice rises from somewhere behind Vosji's current seated-perch. It's followed by gentle laughter and additional commentary. "Or is it yours for following her?" Miel's grin is broad, as she teases the older woman. Nothing out of the ordinary! Save for her being here. Finding somewhere equally as comfortable to settle. the greenrider sighs. "Ivaenth told me you were out here. Figured I'd come find you, rather than rely on back and forth. If we really need to blame something… may as well pin it on the sandstorm outside."

And where did Iskanzivoth and Ivaenth go, considering they can't fit underground with their riders (or Vosji's recalcitrant, and now that we mention it, glowing golden lap decoration)? Good question, no answer. We will assume they found a nice overhang or two. "I normally wouldn't have followed her," Vosji admits with amusement crossing her features, head hung down a little, "but Iskanzivoth had wanted me to come down here for a few days now, he likes the ambiance, says it helps him think. So when Tikaya took off this way anyway, and she's always getting lost, I had to go after her and now we're stuck — and you're stuck in here too, thanks to your dragon's, er, contribution." That's when she remembers the 'back and forth' part and, "Did you actually need to tell me something in particular?"

Both their riders are mature and old enough to withstand a distance separation too! So even if Ivaenth had left to find shelter somewhere suitable, like back at the Weyr, Miel won't be too disturbed by it. It takes but a swift mental background check to reassure one another that all is well and that's enough for her. "Why do you care if Tikaya gets lost? Won't she come back?" Noting the glow, she smirks. "Especially when that's taken care of?" Shoulders lift in a carefree shrug. "I was going over your notes for preparations now that we've an idea that one of Igen's golds is readying to fly. It could've waited now that I think on it? So this is probably Ivaenth capitalizing on any chance to get out and stretch her wings. She's hated being grounded, y'know? Now that we're cleared again…"

Iskanzivoth likes adventure, but not so much he's going to force Ivaenth to join him in narrowly avoiding avalanches. Vosji at least looks amused at the idea it's really all Ivaenth's fault. "I can't blame her," she says, pulling two more apples from her rucksack and offering one to Miel. "Even I was climbing the walls last time he couldn't fly. But it's actually the glow I'm worried about, she won't between when she's carrying a clutch and she'll get overwhelmed and scared if she can't find me." It's not that Tikaya isn't smart, and she's great as a messenger for small spaces as well as a general weyrling monitor, but … some things overstimulate her. "It seemed easier to keep an eye on her. But I diverged again. We've definitely got to have a clutch soon and you have a … suggestion? Comment? Noticed a problem?"

"I'd suspected for awhile that she was nearing a cycle, but that got delayed by her injury. No sense on nature taking course when she can't fly…" Miel grimaces but soon smiles again in thanks as she leans forwards to take the apple from Vosji's hand. "Now that we've been cleared a bit, I'm going to peg much of her behaviour both on cabin fever and that she's overdue. Not sure how that's gonna affect things, but I expect to be nothing short of being hit by a wall." Fair warning? Vosji has been around her long enough to know how the greenrider handles her bonded's proddiness (very well, actually). "Well, that sure would explain why it was necessary to follow her down here. And funny you should ask," There's that teasing grin again before she sobers. "… it's about some of the revisions. You don't think it'll put strain on us, having to trade shifts so much? I mean, I know what happened last cycle was a bit of an anomaly, but we can hope that it won't happen again?"

"Oh," Vosji's expression clearly indicates she's tired of thinking about the schedule, but it is a problem that needs ironing out. "Of course it will. But these sorts of things always do, and having to move people around to make sure everyone has adequate supervision — " She stops to take another bite of that apple. The other one. The second one. "Really I'd like to expand the staff." There's something she hasn't voiced yet, but it doesn't seem like a new idea as far as she's concerned. "Not by promoting more people, but I think we'd really benefit from a … sort of part time staff. Pull some people in from the wings for some extra duties in exchange for some extra perks of some kind I haven't figured out yet. And I'm pretty sure you've taught classes proddy before, so I'm not worried," is added with a grin. "The potential candidates will just have to deal, should it coincide."

Miel's going to enjoy that apple too, once Vosji begins to explain. Mid-mouthful, she frowns but that's the only indication that she doesn't quite agree with her decision but choses not to hash it out again. She trusts Vosji's experience enough not to challenge her on this. "Oh, I know they'll test the rules. I just… wasn't expecting that!" Blinking, she'll take another bite of fruit while mulling over the rest of the plans. Eventually she comes to nod her head in agreement. "Pulling in some experienced riders to give their knowledge couldn't hurt. I'll assume we'll likely build a list? Run it by H'rik and the Wingleaders before we start messing with the ranks?" Never mind that it's not a permanent thing and likely just a day-to-day disturbance but Miel tends to prefer not meddling in another Wing's business (barring when she's called in as a reserve).

Gesticulating unclearly with her hand, Vosji nods while swallowing a bite of fruit. "I do feel like double coverage all the time at least in the beginning is something we can't avoid anymore, not with complications from incidents like what happened with the double clutch," Vosji never wants another double clutch again ever, and certainly still has some self-loathing from some of the fallout, "and unexpected out of nowhere Threadfalls. But it will make sure the rest of the weyrlingstaff is sleeping," excepting her of course, "If we can do that. Just collect some interested part-timers. Former weyrlingmaster assistants, retired wingleaders or 'seconds, maybe anyone who held rank and then got pregnant …" She just wants to collect all the experinced riders out there without outright having to promote them.

"That shouldn't prove to be too difficult… Finding good riders among the former ranked and retired." Miel muses as she finishes the last of the apple. Her nose wrinkles at the mention of the double clutch, clearing her mouth before she speaks again. "Any double clutch is hellish. Not that I've as much experience coping with it but so far they've been up there," Her hand lifts to indicate a pretty high bar. "When it comes to bad situations come weyrlinghood." Brows furrow and she'll give Vosji a 'I know you won't sleep and I'll nag you about it' look before smoothing out her expression. "See?" she chuckles. "I could've just waited for you to come back. You had an answer for everything, like I knew you would." Damn it, Ivaenth!

And now instead Miel is stuck in a wet cave with Vosji for the duration of the storm. At least Vosji brought food and her proddy firelizard isn't doing anything more troublesome than taking a nap. "I hope to not deal with another ever. Double clutch, I mean," she clarifies, though 'bad situations' could have been valid as well. Since Igen tends to rarely boast more than three queens at a go and their schedules are normally different — thanks Rajakhelath for maybe breaking your streak of rising just before or after someone else! — it's more likely that she'll be able to avoid double clutches than bad situations. Bad situations are garanteed. "I have potential answers for most things. They don't always work."

Imp is no where to be seen, either, so at least he's not being a royal pain in both their backsides right now! Miel laughs, shaking her head as she does. "Oh come on, Vosji! Don't sell yourself short." she mutters and peers back over her shoulder to the way leading out from here. "Wonder how long this storm is going to last? Hope no one actually got caught in it this time." She already knows the answer to that! "Where is Iskanzivoth anyways?"

"That is … a good question. Under some rocky overhang that hopefully won't fall on him," is all Vosji can truly conclude. "Like I said, he likes it in here, so he's more focused on looking around through me." Their bond has never been a normal one; they were not exemplary weyrlings, even if someone might assume they were due to their current status, just because their connection was considered too close. While it's mitigated, it's still a little weirder than most. "But I'm not; I hate to say this when I have no wood to knock on but I haven't faced an insurmountable problem yet in this position."

Miel laughs, "Don't tempt fate! I know some who'd love the challenge of digging out a dragon pinned under a rockfall… but we really don't need to be losing you or Iskanzivoth as Weyrlingmaster. And I sure as hell don't want your position!" Yet. From the way she grins toothily, that much is implied but she's also perfectly happy being the proverbial forever assistant weyrlingmaster. She's happy in her little bubble! "That's a relief then. I'd say the same for Ivaenth and I. Guess some of us really are just made for it, huh?" At some point, she'll tire of sitting in one spot and, whether it's just idle curiosity or some of that tell-tale restlessness, Miel will want to explore a bit. Of course she'll drag Vosji with her for as long as that storm bars them in here.

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