The Vault

Cress slowly walks in from the Male Apprentice Quarters.

Linora looks up from oiling Spray to wave at Cress with a greasy hand. "Hi," she calls with a grin.

Cress nods at the girl as he sits down in a chair, removing a brown lizard fromhis shoulder, "morning, how're you doing?"

Spray creels and bumps his head into Linora's hand. With a fond sigh, she returns to her task, glancing up at Cress to answer. "Pretty good. I'm starting to get used ta the hours, but I kinda miss the sun." She grins. "How're you?"

Smiling, Cress finds a small bottle in his pack. Opening it he pours a small amount of oil into his right hand and starts rubbing it into the hide of his smallest firelizard. "I'm fine, although I still miss the snow."

Linora shivers at the very thought. "Never seen snow," she remarks, carefully smoothing the oil into the little blue's hide. Spray rolls to his back, crooning in an excess of pleasure.

Cress grins at the look on Linora's face. "You should. See snow that is. It really beautiful, the way it covers every inch of the ground, especially when it's fresh, without footprint or marks of any kind." More oil is smoothed into the hide of Dixie, while two other lizards wait, more or less impatiently, for their turn.

Linora's hands stop and her eyes take on a distant look as she tries to picture it, then she shakes her head, looking at Cress a bit apologetically. "I dunno," she says. "I mean, it sounds pretty and stuff, but isn't it kinda /cold/?" Spray wriggles back to his feet and makes his way up Linora's blouse to curl around her neck, dropping his head with a tiny huff and lidding his eyes. Linora looks a little surprised, then half shrugs... carefully, don't wanna wake the little guy...

Luthin walks in from the Main Hall Balcony.

Luthin
A young man of approximately 5' 10, with shoulders just broadening into manhood.
His light brown hair is neatly braided down his back and bound with a black weyrhide thong. Hanging from the thong is a simple bead, a deep blue stone. His eyes are a restless shade of blue, as mercurial his mood and rimmed with deep, dark lashes that match his hair. His nose is a tad long for traditional handsomeness, and his lips are a bit too full, but in general he is a fine looking lad. His body is lithe more then strong and his is wiry more then muscular, but he can more then do his share of work.
He wears a rumpled linen tunic, that was probably a rich burgundy color at one time, but has faded to an odd shade of maroon. It falls to mid thigh and with it he wears dusty brown trous and worn black weyrhide boots. About his waist is a black hide belt and from the belt hangs a small dagger of the type used for eating or emergency defence. Perched on Luthin's shoulder is Phobius. Perched on Luthin's shoulder is Palladin.
He is wearing a simple red and silver braided cord, denoting he is a Starcraft Jr. Apprentice.
Luthin is 16 Turns, 8 months, and 11 days old.

Cress shrugs, "sure it's cold, but you get used to it. And if you dress warm it's not a problem," he says, laying Dixie on the armrest next to him and picking Idoru from his shoulder to start oiling her. "Of course, it /does/ present a problem when you have a wagon train trying to get though several feet of snow."

Luthin nods and looks to Cress. "Mind if I borrow some of that oil? I lost my bottle and Palladin could use a good rub.. he's growing, again..." *sighs* How to keep up with a growing 'lizard's appetite?

Linora giggles. Look who's giving advice on how to dress... although it's much cooler around Gar these days. "I can't even imagine," she says. Then she notices Luthin. "Oh, hi again," she says with a smile. She looks back at Cress. "Want some help with 'Mute, since I got a little break?"

Cress nods, "sure," he says and pours some oil into Luthin's hand, then smiles at Linora, "if you don't mind." Grabbing 'Mute from his shoulder he hands the brown to his helper for the day. "I appreciate it very much."

Luthin says, "thanks, he's so much more work then Phobius ever was..." Proceeds to rub the oil onto Palladin's skin, making it glow with a deep bronze gleam. "How do you manage with three of these guys to satisfy?"

Linora grins and gently pulls 'Mute onto her lap, giving his headknobs a gentle rubbing. "Hiya, little fella," she says fondly. Not the same as her own, but she really likes 'Mute a lot. She dumps a bit of oil into her hand and sets to work, gently but firmly massaging the oil into the brown's hide. She glances up at Luthin with a grin. "I dunno how he does it /alone/," she remarks, "since he's always so glad to have the help!" A wicked little grin for Cress... but, hey, she likes him too.

Cress grins, "I try to teach them patience," he says, then nods to 'Mute, with Linora, "and get people to help me." Grinning to Linora, he rubs more oil into the green hide of Idoru.

Luthin says, "now, there is an idea, even with just the two." Great way to attract friends too probably. "So, do I just look helpless, or do I have to ask?" Smiles his shy grin and gently rubs Palladin's wings. He is growing so fast the old hide seems to shed in strips. "I'm good at looking helpless."

Cress laughs, "well, first of all, it's a good idea to find someone without a lizard," he says with a wink in Linora's direction. "That's how I got Linora to help."

Linora tickles 'Mute under a forelimb, nudging him onto his back so she can get at his soft belly. A bit more oil... that should do it. Catching Cress's comment, she giggles. "Yeah. 'cept now that I got one'a my own, I just do it to be /nice/."

Wintermute croons and close his lids halfway, almost slumbering, enjoying the treatment very much. Not as busy as his own humanpet.

Luthin says, "Well, I guess I can find someone who wants to be nice." Let's palladin hop back up to his shoulder and takes Phobius into his lap. "May I have just a bit more? I should see about getting some at the store next time I am headed to the Harper."

Linora holds out her own bottle... well, the one Cress gave her so it's hers now, kinda... and pours a bit into Luthin's hand, then returns her attention to 'Mute. "What a beauty you are," she croons, working the oil into his delicate wingsails.

Wintermute spreads both wings as he recieves this wonderful oiling from Linora. Still crooning his eyes are now almost completely shut, and if it wasn't for the crooning you'd think he was asleep.

"Looks as if he likes it, Linora," Cress says grinning. On his own lap a green lizard is also enjoying her oiling, lying on her back having her belly oiled.

Luthin says, "Thanks 'Nora." See, he /does/ remember... ostly. And slowly works the oil into his best friend... "There, bet that feels good, huh?" Reaching all his itchy spots and gently handling the tail as well. Phobius isn't really in need of an oiling, but it feels so good... "I think he would purr if he could, look at him all stretched out."

Linora giggles. "They sure do love this," she says, still a bit awed by the proximity of these beautiful little creatures. She works the oil up 'Mute's neck, gently massaging his jaw, then back down his back, knob by knob, easing him back onto his belly as she works her way down his tail.

Cress nods, still massaging oil into Idoru's belly, "she loves it when I oil her belly. She'll hardly let me do the rest of her body."

Luthin nods at Linora's comment. His two do anyway. "I wonder if they all like this much attention? And I wonder if all of us give it toour friends here? It would be interesting to find out." Okay, maybe not. But he has a kinda scientific bend of mind. Try and put anything into statistics.

Linora lifts an eyebrow. "I've never seen anyone's flits get as much attention as Cress's," she remarks, with a grin for her friend. "I think he likes 'em better'n people." She gives 'Mute a little nudge. "I know I haven't missed a scrap of your hide, you little monster." But her voice is gentle. "Go on back to your humanpet."

Wintermute protest a little over beeing chased back to Cress, but hopples across the couches and chairs none the less.

Cress grins and gives 'Mute a scratch on the eyeridge as he comes back to him. "Don't you look pretty now?" he says. "Thanks for the help, Linora."

Luthin says, "Ya, I have noticed. I know it's silly, but I tend to be protective of mine, even if Phobius is almost 2 turns and perfectly capable of caring for himself. And this little one.." reaching up and scritching Palladin, "well, he /is/ just a baby still."

Cress nods at Luthins comment, "mine are still young. All of 'em," he says nodding to the three lizards crowding him. "'Mute's the oldest and he's only some 8 months old."

Linora shrugs. "Anytime," she says to Cress. "I like 'Mute." Then she takes a closer look at Luthin's little bronze. "Spray's no bigger," she remarks. "But I guess blues don't get so big anyhow." She reaches up to give the sleeping 'lizard a scritch. "Don't matter."

Cress nods, "I think he likes you too," he says, scratching 'Mute with one hand while the other is still rubbing Idoru's belly although the oil /has/ been thoroughly been smoothed into the hide.

Luthin still caressing Phobius. "I guess, and from what I have seen, Palladin will be a big bronze. But Phobius is a special friend."

Linora grins at Cress. "Leastwise they're all too snoozy to wanna /eat/," she says, quietly... don't want anyone to get any ideas.

Luthin says, "Shhhhhhhhh, mine will /always/ want to eat...."

Luthin goes home.

Cress grins, "I hope you're right," he says, hoping they wont wake up now that Linora said the e-word.

Spray shows no signs of waking, in fact snoring lightly from his position draped across Linora's shoulders. She looks a little apologetic. "Um.. I'm kinda hungry myself."

Cress shrugs, "I guess I could do with some sweetrolls myself," he says, gathering the slumbering 'Mute into one arm and Idoru in the other, while Dixie is crouching on his shoulder.

Linora stands up and sticks her hands out. "Need some help? I mean, since it was kinda my idea to get up and stuff..." She tilts her head inquiringly.

Cress takes the offered hand and heaves himself out of the chair with the help of his fellow apprentice. "Thanks," he says, trying not to disturb the slumbering lizards too much.

Linora grins. "You're welcome," she says. "Um... the dining hall, or the Harper?" Doesn't really matter to her, long as she gets something to eat...

Cress shrugs, "whichever, but I think the Harper is more cozy isn't it?"

Linora considers that a moment. "Never really thought about it," she says with a little shrug. She heads for the door, looking back over her shoulder at Cress. "The Harper then?"

Cress nods, "allright. And there'll be the feeding tray in case these guys get hungry," he says on a low voice.

Linora giggles and heads for the Harper.

The Happy Harper
You find yourself in the well-lit Happy Harper. It seems to be perhaps one of the most cared for items of the hold. The walls have deep-red wood panelling, and glow baskets placed at a very regular interval. There are about six tables for eight and four booths in the corners. All the tables and chairs seem to be of a very nice quality and very well taken care of. Serving also as the center of social interaction at Gar hold, it is usually where one looks to find anyone. A somewhat lumpy mound of sand almost goes unnoticed here.
Jesk and Nherys are here.

Cress slowly walks in from the Gar Hold Entry Hall.

Jesk nods slowly, "Not the first time I've not recognized someone that I've had in my hold for several turns," he shrugs with a faint smile, as he starts to claim Gar again, "But I think I'm starting to learn all the faces now," he adds on a higher note as he takes a long sip of his klah..

Linora glances at the two strangers before finding an empty booth and sliding in, looking about to see if anyone's serving this day.

Cress follows Linora into the booth seating himself at the opposite side of the table. Leaning back he also looks for a drudge to get them something to eat.

Nherys nods to the new arrivals, then turns her attention back to Jesk..."That's always a good thing...hopefully mine's a face you'll remember, aye?" And with that she returns to sipping her klah, peering at him over the rim of her mug...but only for a time. "Sow what brings you back to our lovely hold?"

Jesk nods with a grin, "Aye, I'll remember your face.. For a short time atleast.. I'm sure," he grins and winks as he nods at the new comers, then returns his gaze to Nherys, "What brings me back? The thought that Natch would kill me if I didn't return soon.." he grins..

Linora finally manages to flag down a passing drudge who looks none too happy at being bothered. "Can we get some sweetbread? And juice?" She glances over at Cress. "OH, and klah too, I suppose." She makes a face.

Cress nods, "yeah, that'll be fine. Make it two of that order," he says, as the drudge waits for his order.

"A short time is sometimes all that's needed, though..." Nehi eases back in her chair, smirking quietly. Innuendo? You betcha! "Ahhh, the Holder...had a fairly interesting conversation with her, not too far back..." Voice lowers, slightly sleepy drawl all for effect. "She...well, it seeems that the holder...was hung over." Klah mug is raises with a grin, "Which is why /I/ tend to stick to klah, and the like..."

Jesk chuckles and shakes his head, "Just like Natch to do such a thing when I'm not around to enjoy the after affects..." he mock sighs, then grins, "Look who your drinking with here.. I'm off duty right now, so who's to say my Klah isn't laced with something?" he grins...

Uh-oh. I'll bet you didn't know that eyes could get that wide-open, now did you. For indeed, those emerald orbs round out in dismay. "Oh, /tell/ me you didn't, though? It would be ever so much more pleasant that way..." Now, as to /what/ the girl thinks would be more pleasant...that's for your imagination.

Linora slumps back in the booth, careful not to wake the sleeping blue on her shoulder, and waits.

Jesk grins and shakes his head, "Nope, actually it's not got anything in it right now.. It seems that while I was away my private stash... Disappeared... Though with the latest news you've brought me I can guess where it went..." he grins and makes a mental note the speak with Natch..

Jesk
A little bit ragged, and not been cut recently, Jesk's soft brown hair falls around his broad shoulders when not tied back by a wherhide strip. A deep dark brown once, it has been lightened considerably by the burning rays of Rukbat. Skin, too, has changed and seems to be staying permenantly at a dark tanned brown though it was probably fair once. Guard life and travel has done wonders for this young man's build, standing powerfluly, pulling his clothing at the seams. A light scar runs across his left cheek, easily overlooked and faded, just a mere memory.
A squarish tunic in shades of green covers his powerful upper body, barely fitting and definately well used as there are patches of thin leather on the elbows. Where the thigh length tunic ends a pair of dark brown wherhide leggings appear, reinforced at the shins by another layer of stiffened wherhide. Boots, a soft matte black, encase his legs nearly up to the knee, lacing tightly up the sides. A quiver and bow are generally slung across his back, and his usual sets of knives and sword is belted to his waist.
Jesk wears the knot of a Guard Sargeant.
Jesk is 26 Turns, 8 months, and 7 days old.

Cress carefully lays two slumbering firelizards on the table next to him, then leans his elbows on the tabletop and his head in his hands. Eyes fluttering he looks as if he's about to fall asleep. "I think it's a good thing you ordered klah," he mumbles to Linora.

Linora grins over at Cress. He can have it all, nasty stuff. She reaches across the table to muss up his hair. "Don't fall asleep on me," she teases.

Cress raises his head slightly, grinning, "I guess I'm more tired than I thought," he says putting his arms down on the table, "what time is it anyway?"

Nherys hides a faint smile at that, expression settling into what's considered more...normal. "Soooo...do you have any plans for your stay?"

Jesk shrugs and shakes his head, "Not really, probably gonna keep on the lookout for some new guards I can leave here when I have to go back to Ista next time.. But other than that and training them nope," he replies..

Linora giggles. "Past your bedtime, apparently," she teases, then looks thoughtful. "'bout midmorning, I guess. Late for a starry, huh?"

Cress nods, "you ought to know," he tells her with a grin on his face. "But I just have to get past that point, you know, where you wake up again.."

Sya sidles sideways in from the Gar Hold Entry Hall.

Linora nods. "Yeah, well, I'm still kinda getting used ta that myself. I /like/ the sun, 'member?" Just then the drudge returns with a tray laden with sweetbreads, juices and klah. She drops it on the table with an unceremonious bang and shuffles off wordlessly. Linora shrugs and snags a piece of sweetbread.

You notice Sya looking at you.

Sya
Wildfire brush burns red-hot tendrils with a touch of harvest gold: Istan sun bleaches weyrling-cut, illuminating the shorn curls that tangle around her pert ears, longer strands curving under the defiant jut of chin. Sun's touch extends from fey tilt of nose to narrow shoulders; those harvest colours claim extremities as well, but spring captures the green of her wide-eyed gaze. For all the slender, supple length of limbs, the subtle strength in her frame is disorganized, clumsy, and reckless.
She's starting to round out, stomach only -- but it's noticeable only because of her thin frame. Is she just getting fat, or is it something else?
Rough rope loops -- once, twice, thrice -- around narrow hips, securing rough-worn cloth of cut-off trousers against slender legs. Ista's colours mark choice of clothing; camisole is blushed a livid peach against pant's night-dark sable. Practical and utilitarian, beige twine criss-crosses around ankles and over feet to fasten plain, flat-soled sandles.
Knotted lengths of Istan colour lay claim to a narrow shoulder, eclisped by the narrow ribbon that twists through both double cord and single loop with a measure of slate-green sisal, a small tail trailing down shoulder.
Sya is 25 Turns, 11 months, and 1 day old.

Taking a mug of klah from the tray, Cress takes a deep sip from it, after having blowed at it to cool it. "Ahh, that's good," he says before taking a piece of sweetbread to nibble at.

Sya wanders slowly in, claiming a table for herself and neatly grabbing a glass of water from a passing drudge -- the glass was intended for someone else, but she's thirsty enough not to care. And, with that, she turns awkwardly to watch, one hand smoothing over her widened stomach. Sya's gaining weight! The horrors.

Derfel walks in from the Gar Hold Entry Hall.

Derfel returns the looks with an icy stare as he enters the bar, sheding his cloak and leaving it on a chair at the door.

Linora wrinkles her nose and takes a mug of juice. "Have it all." She takes a big bite of her own sweetbread. She glances over at the door, chewing slowly and watching as people continue to arrive. "Busy today," she remarks.

Derfel
Derfel is a medium man of medium height but of a strong build. His hair is blond and close cropped, his eyes are a stunning blue. They are like orbs of lightning and are very cold to those they gaze upon. His high cheeks and shaven face make him hansom but his manner is so cold that people sometimes fear to approach him. His face never shows much emotion other than a scowl which he wears with a passive air. His shoulders are wide but not overly muscular. His eyes are strange to stare into and show nothing but a loners spirit.
He wears a under shirt of grey over which is an open neck, long sleeved jerkin made of a soft cream fabric. Over the jerkin he wears a smaller sleeveless jacket that is made of the same material as his jerkin. The grey shirt shows at his neck and hands where his sleeves hang loose. Derfel wears a pair of cream trousers that are held with a black wher-hide belt and allows his jerkin to be tucked in. His brown boots reach to just below his knee and allow easy movement. Travel Bag hangs loosely over Derfel's shoulder.
Derfel is 24 Turns, 1 month, and 13 days old.

Cress grins, "thanks. You don't like klah, then," he says, not quite understanding how anybody /couldn't/ drink klah, since he takes his without sweetener. Shrugging he says, "guess that'll leave more for me then?"

Derfel walks to the bar and pour himself some klah, before sitting and looking at all the new faces about him.

Markus walks in from the Gar Hold Entry Hall.

Linora nods solemnly. Yup. More for Cress. Another big bite of sweetbread as she looks around at the gathering crowd.

Daine walks in from the Gar Hold Entry Hall.

Daine
A large pair of hazel eyes look out at you from bangs that have grown into the young womans eyes. She looks to be about 5 feet 4 inches. Her brown hair is tied back into a runner tail yet you notice a few escaped hairs. You can tell she spends a lot of time outside by her sunburned, freckled cheeks and her tanned arms.
Daine is wearing a warm jacket to keep out the wintery cold of High Reaches. She has a light blue scraf wrapped around her neck. A couple layers are worn underneath her skirt and tight leggings peek out at her ankles. Wherhide boots cover her feet to keep out the wet of melting snow.
Daine proudly wears the knot that denotes her as a High Reaches stablehand.
Daine is 14 Turns, 2 months, and 15 days old.

Derfel sips his klah and looks at all the firelizards in the rafters.

Taking another sip of klah, Cress absentmindedly scratches the eyeridge of 'Mute, who's peacefully slumbering on the table next to him.

Diwrnach walks in from the Gar Hold Entry Hall.

Diwrnach enters and smiles at all the young folk, enjoying themselves. He sweeps to the bar and grabs a warm glass of klah.

Linora finishes chewing the last bit of sweetbread and drops her chin into her hands, looking across the table to watch Cress's hand scracthing 'Mute's head... and smiles absently.

Markus finds a vacant seat at the bar and waves to a barmaid in passing, ordering some Klah and a plate of roast wherry with tubers.

Diwrnach takes a seat near Markus and starts to stroke his little firelizard, the newly hatched flit chirruping every so often.

Markus takes his cup of Klah and takes a warming sip then starts in on the plate of wherry and tubers, his hunger saited by the plateful of food in front of him.

Cress breaks off a piece of sweetbread and offers it to the green lizard on his shoulder, who seems to be waking up. Smelling it first Idoru decides that it's edible and gobbles it down, with a vengance. "Guess she likes it," Cress says, with a grin.

Linora blinks. "Wow. I thought they just liked meat and fish and stuff." She twists her neck to regard the slumbering blue on her shoulder. Nope, still out of it. Good.

Cress grins, "me too. Maybe she's just strange..."

Diwrnach grabs a bubble from a tray and bits into its warm crust. He looks over to markus. "Your the stablemaster aren't you?"

Diwrnach has disconnected.

Diwrnach falls asleep.

Markus turns towards the person speaking to him and nods his head, "Aye that I am...I am called Markus.."

Linora peers at Idoru, wondering exactly how one judges the relative strangeness of a firelizard. And shrugs. "Pretty, though."

Sya sidles sideways to the Entry Hall.

Markus walks to the Entry Hall.

Cress nods. "Yeah, she is, isn't she?" Giving the green another piece of bread, he shakes his head as she eats it again. "I think she really /does/ like it..."

Idoru
Rose-tipped muzzle compliments the deep azure-green of her delicate head. running smoothly across her soft throat down onto the fore of her slender, feminine neck. Eyes a-whirl with fragmented, crystalline color glitter within a pool of leafy beauty, whirling through each shade of the spectrum, and then some. Elfen headknobs are tipped with softest bubblegum pink. Svelte figure is enveloped in lacy frills, pin-pricks of color enhancing her form, spread across each lithsome limb in a plethora of greens, blues, browns and... pink. Delicate wings has the deepest apple-green structural bones, supporting fragile, translucent bubblegum and baby pink membranes.
Idoru is 4 months and 27 days old.

Diwrnach wakes up.

Diwrnach peers around as he lifts his head off the bar. "Was I asleep?"

Diwrnach walks to the Entry Hall.

Linora shakes her head, watching wide-eyed as Idoru gobbles up the bread. "Guess she /does/ like it. Funny." She slumps further forward on the table, chin resting on the backs of her folded hands, staring through Idoru with glassy eyes, lids beginning to drop as the sleepless night catches up with her.

Derfel goes home.

Cress grins, both at the lizard's strange eating habits and Linora. "Now you're the one who seems to be falling asleep," he says, taking more sips from his klah-mug.

Nherys has disconnected.

Nherys falls asleep, reaching out and securing the nearest male harper in her grasp and murmuring something about 'Harper-Boys....' and pillows.

Linora blinks and shakes her head, sitting a bit straighter. "Wha..? Um.. sorry." She looks around, a bit sheepishly. Don't wanna end up like all the other sleeping people in here... maybe some fresh air would help. She slides to the edge of the booth and stands up a bit unsteadily. "I think I wanna go outside for a while," she says, with an apologetic glance at Cress. He probly doesn't feel like following her around the hold, but she'll be pretty lousy company anyhow if she dozes off in the Harper.

Cress shrugs, "wouldn't mind some of that air myself," he says, picking up the two sleeping lizards on the table and some more sweetbread for the green on his shoulder.

Linora smiles broadly, glad of the company. "I bet the lake's nice right now." She turns to go.

Cress nods and follows Linora.

Crystal Lake
As you walk along the path, you find yourself near the center of the valley. Situated here, is Crystal Lake. This lake is named for its clarity. At nearly 100 feet, things can still be seen as if they were closer! Unfortunately, this is also a danger, as one has trouble gauging depth, so swimmers beware! A natural spring feeds the lake from underneath, keeping it a nice 80 degrees, even in the winter, though it can get much warmer in the summer. A large square has been set up a short distance for the shoreline.
It is a winter midmorning. The sun seems blindingly bright in the southeastern sky. Its warmth soon dispels the previous night's chill.

Cress slowly walks in from the Hold Field.

Linora stops about a dragonlength from the edge of the water, just looking at the sun sparkling on the surface. "Oh, yeah, good idea," she murmurs. She turns back to wave to Cress.

Cress nods, "it's nice here," he mumbles as he sits down on the grass, taking care not to wake up the slumbering lizards in his arms. One lizard awake is quite enough.

Linora sits down not far from Cress, then flops back to look up at the sky. Okay, so there's no stars. But what a sky...

Cress nods and lies down aswell, three lizards to keep him warm, although he doesn't find it cold here. Turning his head to look at Linora he says, "it's s'posed to be winter now, isn't it?" He's not feeling it, though, beeing used to the cold and the snow.

Linora nods, grinning. "Yeah, what passes for winter on Ista island." She nudges Spray onto her stomach, then throws her arms back, lacing her fingers behind her neck. "Never really gets that cold."

Cress shivers. Not from cold, but the thought that it never really gets cold here. "I don't know if I'll ever get used to it...."

Linora chews her lip thoughtfully. "I s'pose once you start journeying you can go back to the cold places," she muses. "I think it's kinda nice to be warm."

Cress shrugs, an awkward movement when lying down. "That would be nice. I think the cold suits my nature better," he says giving the green lizards another piece of sweetbread, and eating the rest himself. "I still can't believe that she's eating sweetbread... D'you think it's any good for her stomach?"

Linora drops her head to one side to look at Cress. "I dunno," she says thoughtfully. "But if eating rocks don't hurt 'em, I don't guess a little bread'll do much damage."

Cress grins, "I s'pose you're right, though I've never heard of a firelizard eating bread," he says, giving out scratches left and right to lizards waking up from their slumber. "They better not be hungry," he mumbles.

Linora laughs. "Not hungry? You dreaming?" She reaches down to caress Spray, and make sure he's still sound asleep. Good.

Cress laughs too. "Well, maybe I can get 'em to forget it... Or they'll have to go fishing 'cus I'm not going back to get meatrolls for 'em."

Linora mmms and closes her eyes, loving the feel of the sunshine on her face. "Yeah, they like to fish, don't they?" she kinda murmurs. "I mean, what do they do when they're wild and stuff?"

Cress nods, looking down at his three lizards, "yeah, I guess you're right. It's not like they can go out and catch a herdbeast, is it?"

Linora giggles. "Kinda."

"Although I've never seen any of mine fish," Cress notes.

Linora looks thoughtful. "Well, Spray's kinda just a baby still," she muses, "but I dunno... d'ya think they just /know/ howta fish, or do they hafta /learn/?" She pushes up off the ground, letting Spray slide down her stomach and onto her lap. Still out cold, the little blue flops onto his back, his head kinda lolling over her leg.

Still lying on his back Cress muses, "I'd think they just /know/. Who'd teach them anyway? Other lizards?"

Linora leans back on her hands, looking over at Cress. "I dunno. Prolly." She grins. "Who taught /you/ stuff?"

Cress sits up as well, displacing all three firelizards and getting disgruntled sounds from all of them. "Taught me what? My parents taught me things before I came here. Like how to read and write. When I came here it was the journeymen who taught me...."

Linora nods. "What did you learn on your own?" She eyes him, noticing the scars and half remembering a kinda overheard conversation the first time she met Cress. Then she answers herself. "Not much, I bet." She grins. "Me neither."

Cress nods, "good point..."

"So..." Linora shrugs. "Someone's gotta teach 'em. They prolly learn watching each other." She flops back again, Spray finally noticing all the jostling and hissing a bit. "Sorry..." Quickly she reaches to soothe him, gentle fingers caressing his headknobs until he croons softly and drops his head on her lap, eyes lidding slowly... Then she looks over at Cress again. "Any place around here where wild flits gather?" That'd teach him.

Cress shrugs, "I've no idea. I never seen any wild ones around here," he says, scratching the eyeridges on two lizard, while the third, which happens to be 'Mute, is still asleep. "But maybe they'll teach themselves if they get hungry enough."

Linora grins. "Well. I'll see what happens when /you/ try not to feed /them/," she teases, eyes twinkling.

Cress grins, "they'll keep me up, I think," he says, looking down at the three lizards with something akin to affection in his eyes. "But they wouldn't let me keep food from 'em."

Linora giggles, but she's watching Cress's expression closely. Before he looks up again, she turns her face back up to the sky and closes her eyes. "Yeah, I'll just bet." Nice sun. Warm.

Cress is looking at the lake, wondering what it would take to teach a lizard how to fish. "You really think they'd need someone to teach them?"

Linora sorta shrugs in a lying down kinda way, eyes still closed. "I dunno. Who's awake over there? Toss 'em in and see, if the lake's not too warm for fish..."

Cress grins, looking down at his sleepish firelizards. "I don't think they'd appreciate it very much if I just tossed them in," he says, raising his hand to stratch the scar on his neck. "They're kinda sleepy now."

Linora opens her eyes and looks over, yeah he's right. They're kinda sleepy. Eat, sleep... tough life. She grins. "Another time." She's beginning to wonder if Spray would fish... if he ever wakes up, that is.

Cress lies back again, enjoying the warmth although you'd never get him to admit it. The three firelizards covers his body from belly to neck giving additional warmth as he lies in the grass. "I'm sure they'd find it amusing to fish," he mumbles, more or less to himself.

Linora closes her eyes again, lulled by the warm sunshine and the gentle sounds of the lake. "Prolly..." she murmurs.