The Vault
No more than a hideaway amidst the gothic grandeur of the StarHall, this cozy lounge is a place of laughter if not greatness, warmth if not splendour. The close stone walls are insulated with tapestries of all shapes and sizes, most a little worn, several faded and a good many depicting scenes from childhood stories. The mismatched chairs and sofas are in a similar state, rescued from cellars and rubbish-heaps but perhaps more softer and more comfortable for that, scattered in a rouch circle on a hardwood floor. A low round table in the centre of the room holds cards, discarded hides, mugs, and a pot that holds klah as long as someone remembers to fill it. The one window at the back wall lets light and air into the warm, cozy room.
It is noon of the forty-eighth day of winter.

Cress sits in deep concentration fiddling with a piece of midnight-blue cloth and needle-and-thread. He doesn't hear anyone come in but suddenly says, "ouch!"

Linora wanders in from the dorms, looking like she's on her way out. She doesn't even notice the vault isn't empty until she hears a familiar voice. She whirls to face Cress, smiling widely when she sees what he's doing. "Hey! Ya got some fabric!"

Cress nearly falls out of his chair as he hears the voice. Looking up with something akin to shock in his eyes he sees Linora standing there, having seemingly come out of the blue. "Huh? Oh, yeah, I did. I met a trader who sold it to me cheap," he says, his eyes turning milder as he explains how he came about the fabric. "It was the last piece he had left."

Linora grins and steps up for a closer look. "Great color." She kneels on the floor near his chair to examine his handiwork. "Who taught ya how to sew? Or didja figure that out for yourself?" Teasing, a merry twinkle in her eyes.

Cress grins, slightly, not really sure whether he should be sitting in the Vault, while sewing. "My mother taught me," he says, shrugging, "she thought it would be a good thing for me to know." Neat stitches goes into the fabric, as he talks. "It's almost done."

Linora just watches, her chin resting on her hand, thinking that Cress is /way/ more patient than she could ever be. Then, too restless even to /watch/, she shifts and flops back on the floor, examining the ceiling. Finally she looks up at Cress again, grinning, still flat on the floor. "Done yet?"

Cress looks up, then shakes his head slowly, "no, I still need to attach a sleeve and make the holes for the draw-string." She sure didn't have a lot of patience did she?

Linora sighs and flops again. "That's why I don't sew much," she admits. "Can't sit /still/ that long." She rolls onto her stomach and picks at the cracks in the hardwood floor, momentarily distracted by the stuff stuck down in there. This place could use a good cleaning...

Cress's eyes are concentrated on the piece of cloth he's attacthing to another. The needle moves carefully along the seem as he makes neat little stiches, and then - finally - finishes off by tying it in a tiny knot. "It's not really that hard," he says, biting the remaining string off with his teeth. "You'll have to have patience too, when watching the stars."

Linora stops picking. For a long moment she's very still, then she scrambles back up to a sitting position with an extremely contrite expression, her gaze still on the floor. She hugs her knees, uncharacteristically silent.

Cress sticks the needle into the armrest beside him, then bends to rummage through his pack, coming up with a smallpouch. Looking up at Linora, he wonders what happened to her questioning. "What's wrong?"

Linora chews her lip, still looking at the floor. "You're right. I'm gonna be a lousy StarCrafter. I shoulda stayed at Ista. I'da been better off on a ship or something, where you get in /trouble/ ifya sit still too long."

Cress shakes his vigorously at her statement, "I didn't mean it like that, Linora," he notes, shocked that he might have scared her away already. "There must be a specialty where you don't need to sit still for a long time.... Navigation, yeah. You'd be on a ship then."

Linora blinks and looks up at him, then remembers to close her mouth. "You can do that?"

Cress nods slowly, the opens the pouch he removed from his pack, shaking out three tiny metal rings. "I should think so. Sailors navigate by the stars, so why shouldn't starcrafter be able to learn too?"

Linora grins widely, relieved to think there's a place she might fit in. "Yeah..." She flashes him a grateful look and opens her mouth to say something before she seems to reconsider. Instead she looks at the metal rings. "What are those for?"

"Oh, they're for the draw-string," Cress says, lifting the shirt so she can see the V-neck, where he's made holes for the rings. "So the cloth doesn't unravel, see. I sew them into the holes."

Linora nods slowly. "Oh..." She takes a closer look. Definitely more than she's got patience for, but nice work... She abruptly gets to her feet and brushes off her trousers. "Hey, d'ya mind if I clean up around you? I don't wanna just sit here, and the floor /is/ kinda dirty."

Cress peers at the floor. He hadn't noticed any dirt, but shrugs, "no, go right ahead." He takes his needle out of the armrest and starts with the task of sewing the metal rings into their holes. "I could use a magnifier for this," he says, bending his head close to the cloth as he sews.

Linora is banging around the edges of the room looking for something to sweep with. Finally she comes out with a dilapidated broom that looks dirtier than the room. "Ahhh." She looks disgusted. "This is worse than nothing." Casting it aside, she goes to flop in a comfy chair. But she can't even sulk more than a few seconds, and turns to watch Cress with interest. "That'd prolly help," she muses. "Wouldn't wanna hurt your eyes with all that close work."

"Ohh, as long as I don't have to do it everyday, like the weavers," Cress notes with a slight smiled, concentration etched across his face. "It's just that I have to find these tiny holes in the rings, see." He nods to the remaining rings that he's laid out on the armrest, waiting for their turn to be sewn in.

Nyota strides confidently in from the Female Apprentice Quarters.

Linora slides out of her chair for a closer look at the rings, standing by the armrest of Cress's chair. She glances up at the sound of footsteps and greets the other apprentice with a wide smile.

Nyota
Stark black like distant smoke curls wispily around a sharp-featured face, snagging occasionally on prominent round ears and snaking around them, brushing silkily against the soft black-coffee of her skin, and cuts off abruptly, the curling tips barely brushing the tops of slender shoulders. Almond-shaped sloe-black eyes peer out from under thin coal-black brows, close-set beside a sharp, slightly hooked nose. Soft, full lips part to reveal even, pearly-white teeth, save for one of the two front ones with a chip in it, lending a raffish air to her smile even when she doesn't want it to be there. An angular chin works in tandem with high, chiseled cheek-bones to lend her face definition. Her body is neither slender and waifish, nor stubby and stocky; the ample swell of womanhood present at hip and chest, the waist neither waspish nor heavy but average, she is of healthy proportions. Her legs are long and skinny, lending to her respectable heighth of 5'8 1/2; she'd probably make a lousy showgirl.
Soft cloth dyed a bland beige relaxes 'gainst smooth dark skin down long arms, the sleeves clasped tightly to the flesh; and looser about the torso, discreet and simplistic in style, caught up and out by the swell of her feminine bosom, allowed to collapse against her stomach, and cuts off at the waist. Belted at the waist with a dark charcoal-grey leather belt trimmed in aureate, trousers in soft wherhide dyed a gentle sepia trace the lines of her legs to cut off, the cuffs rolled up, at the ankle, a hint of beige stocking visible before the soft sepia leather of her low-topped two-inch-heel'd boots takes over.
A single cord and loop of red and silver designate Nyota as a Starcraft Probationary Apprentice.
Nyota is 16 Turns, 1 month, and 16 days old.

Jerek walks in from the Male Apprentice Quarters.

Nyota strides confidently to the Main Hall Balcony.

Cress finishes sewing in the metal rings on one side of the V-neck, and picks up another to start on the other side. "But it can be really hard finding those tiny holes, you know. That why I could use a magnifier," he looks up as he hears footsteps, nodding to Jerek as he comes in. Hadn't he heard other footsteps as well?

Linora blinks at the tall girl's abrupt exit, then shrugs and decides to wait and see what Jerek feels like doing before she tries another wave. She looks back at Cress's project. "Wouldn't there be one around somplace?" she asks. "I mean, what are the distanceviewers made from?"

Cress shrugs, "well, it doesn't really matter now," he says, picking up the last ring. "I'm almost done." Blink, blink, and he tries to refocus on the small object he's sewing into the midnightblue cloth.

Linora grins. "Almost done?" She flops back into her comfy chair, figuring she can wait a /little/ longer.

Cress nods, while fiddling with the last ring, and then quickly makes the stitches to secure it to the cloth, "yep, just a few more stitches," he says as the needle finds one of the tiny hole in the metal ring. Last stitch, and he makes a knot to finish off the job, and then bites the string with his teeth. "There, all done," he says holding up the shirt his face beaming with pride.

Linora sits forward to take a good look. "It's terrific," she says, a wide grin of appreciation on her face. She tilts her head to look at him. "Good color for ya, too."

"Thanks," Cress says, his eyes glinting with pride, "that's what the trader said too. About the color."

Linora's eyes flicker from the newly finished shirt to the rather ragged one Cress has been wearing more or less constantly since she met him, and back. She grins. "So?"

"So?" Cress repeats, not catching her drift, but seeing her eyes flickering from one shirt to the other. "Is there something wrong with it?"

Afton pads carefully and quietly in from the Male Apprentice Quarters.

Linora giggles. "Ya didn't make it just to wave it around, didja? Put it /on/." She flops back in the chair, rolling her eyes up to the ceiling. Sometimes he can be so /dense/!

Afton wanders distractedly out of the Appy Quarter's, brushing distractedly at a fly-away piece of hair.

Afton
While a gangly teen appears before you now, with arms and legs seeming to go in all directions, there is a charisma about him, and a promise that his appeal can only increase. A thatch of chestnut colored hair falls forward in his narrow face, nearly covering his warm golden eyes, which contain a nearly perpetual twinkle of mischief and merriment. A razor-thin scar running along the jaw line on the right side of his face from chin to mid-jaw stands out, a livid white against the tanned complexion.
Black form-fitting trousers, allowing freedom of movement, culminate in nearly knee-high leather boots and are topped off by a loose fitting white flax shirt which he wears, almost without fail, untucked.
Double cords of red and silver bound in a single loop marks Afton as an Apprentice in the Star Craft.
Afton is 15 Turns, 1 month, and 18 days old.

Cress shrugs, his eyes widening with understanding, "ohhh, yeah. Of course," he says and pulls off the worn darkgreen shirt he's wearing and pulls the new midnightblue over his head. "So, how does it look." Standing he turns around, then waits for an answer.

Afton blinks slowly and raises his head, quickly ducking his head as the sight of stripping elders greets his eyes.

Cress
Standing at only 5'5 this young man's size is not impressive. His blond hair is bleached by the Istan sun, which has also darkened his skin to a bronze color. Narrow gray eyes are framed by light-colored lashes and brows, and his cheekbones are angular as is his chin. His muscles are hardened, from long hours of hard work, done in his previous life as a trader. A scar runs along the right side of his neck and his most obvious feature is a missing inch of his right little finger.
A brand new midnightblue shirt with draw-strings at the V-neck is worn loosely over charcoal-colored trouser, which are hardly new by the look of them. Having been patched in several places these trousers look as if they've been handed down for generations. A shine on his black wherhide boots doesn't hide the fact that these are also hand-downs from someone who's grown out of them. Perched on Cress's shoulder is Idoru. Perched on Cress's shoulder is Dixie. Cress' Pack hangs heavily from Cress's shoulder.

Kaltia walks in from the Female Apprentice Quarters.

Linora grins widely. "Looks great." Then she notices Afton ducking and stares. "Whatsa matter? Don't you guys get dressed in the dorms?"

"Sure we do," Cress says shooting a glance at Kaltia as she enters. "Err, hello Kal..."

Afton glares and retorts, "Sure, butcha get /some/ warning then."

Kaltia blinks as she walks in. "Sure we do what?" Glancing around at the full room, she giggles and plops herself down on her now favorite spot on Cress's armrest.

Linora giggles, then looks over at Kaltia. "Cress just changed his shirt, and /he/.." pointing at Afton, "... looked like he was gonna crawl away." She rolls her eyes expressively.

Kaltia blinks a few times, shaking her head. "Why, Afton?" Boy is she confused. "But what was the 'Sure we do'?"

Cress squirms a little as Kaltia, settles on the armrest next to him. "I just made a new shirt is all," he says modestly. As if he could have done that everyday if wanted to.

Kaltia sighs. "So the Sure we do was to the fact that you made yourself a shirt?" Humph....that didn't help any.

Afton humphs and plops down on one of the only unoccipied couches. "Jus' caught me off guard is all...and Sure we change in the dorms together...jus' wasn't expectin' to see a half-naked Cress roaming around /outside/ the dorms.

Cress' face is starting to turn red as he finds himself the center of attention. "It's just that Linora wanted to see how my new shirt looked, when I put it on."

Kaltia nods slowly, ahhing a bit. "Okay, I get it now." Glancing at Afton she blinks a few times. "Right....whatever you say Afton... it doesn't seem that surprising to me?"

"And it looks /nice/." Linora smiles at Cress, then looks back at Kaltia. "Don't it?"

Afton sighs and keeps his mouth shut, prefering to pick at the cover of the couch.

Kaltia
Her pale green eyes glimmer, and appear yellow in a certain light. Their unusual color makes it seem that she could look right into minds if she wanted to. They are framed by long, dark lashes, which make them stick out even more. Her small, high-bridged nose is unblemished by freckles or scars. Her mouth is pulled back into a smile, revealing straight, white teeth. Her hair pale hair has been cut short to make it more manageable. Although it has been bleached blonde by the sun, her pale skin shows no change to either a burn or a tan. Her tall, lean body is strong from years of swimming in oceans waters. Small scars cover her legs and arms; some are very old, while others appear newer.
She is wearing a short weyrhide skirt that barely reaches her knees. It is dyed a deep green and appears to be well worn. Hold it up, is a leather belt with a 'phin as the buckle. A lighter green sleeveless tunic clods her, showing off her lean arms. Heavy brown weyrhide boots cover most of her calves and provide protection from the many dangers one can encounter while traveling over the countryside. Kaltia's Backpack hangs heavily from Kaltia's shoulder.
Kaltia is wearing a delicate chain made of gold. Dangling from the chain is a lead crystal pendant that captures the rays of light and displays them again in a different range of beauty. Kaltia is wearing a small 14k gold ring with a band of merry dolphins swimming along its surface.
Kaltia wears the knot of a StarCraft Senior Apprentice.
Kaltia is 19 Turns and 24 days old.

Kaltia turns around on her armrest to peer at the shirt, nodding a bit. "It looks very nice." Carefully keeping her balance, she flips back to look out at the rest of the room, leaning backwards against a bit of the unoccupied chair back.

"Thanks," Cress mumbles as he shrugs. "I got the cloth cheap from a trader.."

Wintermute blinks in from ::between::!

Kaltia giggles, shaking her head. "So what if you got it cheap? It still looks nice." A soft pat is given to an unoccupied part of his shoulder.

Linora takes another look at Kaltia, a thoughtful expression on her face. Then she shrugs and slumps back in her chair.

Kaltia blinks a few times, shaking her head at Linora. "Hm?" Now what did she do? It always seems like she's doing things wrong.

Cress grins, lopsidedly "well, thanks again," he says, shooting a glance at Linora. What to do? Oil the lizards? Well pack the sewing gear first. And that's just what he does. Bends down to put his needle and thread into a small pouch he keeps in his pack.

Afton's curiousity overcomes his reticence and he queries, "Where'd ya learn ta sew, Cress?"

"Oh, my mother taught me. She thought it'd be a good thing to be able to do on your own," Cress explains, "especially since she rarely had time to help, you know, she'd be busy with the caravan and all."

Afton cocks his head and sends a quizzical look. "Busy?"

Kaltia grins a little. She had the right idea in her mind, really she did. "Well, I guess it never hurt anyone to know how to sew?"

Linora stretches. She's been sitting in one place too long. Then she leans forward, her chin in her hands, and peeks at Afton.

Cress shrugs, "well, most people in a caravan are busy. That's why it's a good idea to be able to sew your own clothes, or you'll have a long wait to get it fixed."

Kaltia giggles a little, shaking her head. "Then I'd be in a lot of trouble? Sewing and me have never gotten along to well." Well, its no wonder with how she never seems to be able to sit in one place for more then a few minutes.

Afton nods and leans back, catching Linora's glance. "What? What'd I doo now?"

Linora straightens and looks at Afton again. "What? Shells, I just looked at ya." She shrugs, then looks back at Cress, unable to resist teasing him a bit. "Sometimes ya got a long wait even if you /can/ sew."

Kitryo sneaks though the area, making sure nobody is noticing him in from the Main Hall Balcony.

Cress winches as a thought comes into his mind. If this comes out around the hall, he might get more sewing done than he'd like! Looking at Linora, he says "whadda mean?"

Linora giggles and points at the discarded green shirt. Really. /How/ many Turns did he wear that thing?

Kaltia giggles, tilting a little on her armrest, but not really in danger of going anywhere. Not with those needles there anyway.

Cress shrugs, "well, Linora. When you're in a caravan you sort of inheiret older people's clothes."

Afton jumps up, an expression of alarm on his face. "Shards!" He bellows, racing throught the door.

Linora blinks at Afton's sudden departure. Shells, he's sensitive. Then she looks back to Cress. "I didn't mean anything," she says, suddenly worried from his expression that she might have offended him or something. "I just thought you'd been at the hall long enough that you /might/ have had a chance..." she shrugs. No point making it worse.

Cress' face softens at Linora's words, he can't stay angry at her for long. Especially for something so petty as a worn shirt. A shirt which is still lying on the floor. He picks it up and puts it in his pack, as he grins, first to Linora and then to Kaltia, not quite knowing what to say.

Kaltia sighs, remembering something she has to do, and slips off the armrest and into the dorms with a soft goodbye.

Linora looks back up to see Cress grinning, a relieved expression coming across her open face. Then she hears Kaltia's goodbye and swings her head around to see the other apprentice disappearing into the dorms. She blinks and looks back at Cress. After a long silent moment, the little blue firelizard on her shoulder rouses and lets out a pitiful creel.

Kezzra walks with a light step, in from the Main Hall Balcony.

Cress turns his head as he hears the creel from Linora's shoulder, "is he hungry?" Is all he can come up with at the moment, sending a grateful thought to the blue for giving him an excuse not to persue whatever the subject at hand was..

Kezzra curls herself into an empty chair, babe in her arms.

Jerek falls asleep.

Linora reaches up reflexively to soothe the hungry firelizard on her shoulder, turning to smile at Kezzra as she enters with the baby. To Cress she says. "Prolly... he's usually hungry anytime he's awake." She sighs. "When do they start to get interesting?"

Cress shrugs, "well, 'Mute is around 9 months and he's becoming more and more independent by the day, so..."

Katran wafts silently in from the Male Apprentice Quarters.

Linora grins. "Yeah," she says, remembering the fish. She looks up as Katran enters, nods politely.

"He caught a fish the other day," Cress explains to Kezzra. Seeing another come in he nods to him, although he can't recall the name.

Katran nods to everyone when he comes in, sniffling a bit. "Shard it... Has anyone else got a cold, or is it just me?" he mutters, taking a seat, then a hanky from his pocket.

Linora blinks and takes a step or two away. Doesn't have it, doesn't /want/ it.

Katran
This young man is slightly below-average in height, yet seems to stand tall. Incredibly blond hair, mussed as usual, sits atop a squarish face. Deep brown eyes look out at the world above a Roman nose, a somewhat economical-lipped mouth and a scarred chin, which mars his fine looks. Despite his slight build, he is stronger than he looks, often underestimated.
Katran is wearing a dark maroon tunic, with four dark blue buttons up the front. On his right breast is embroidered a stylised dragon, on his left, a large pocket. The hems of the shirt are trimmed with double stripes of royal blue. His trousers are navy blue, supported by a sturdy leather belt threaded through six belt loops. His feet are covered by dark blue socks, and a pair of fairly new boots, polished up to highlight the rich mahogany of the leather. Perched on Katran's shoulder is Wakko. Perched on Katran's shoulder is Aegteskab. Perched on Katran's shoulder is Kaerlighed.
He wears a double cord, single looped knot of red and silver, with a small tail of red, signifying his StarCraft Apprenticeship.
He is awake and looks alert.
Katran is 19 Turns, 11 months, and 2 days old.

Cress shakes his head, "no, sorry. It's practically summer for me," he says. As warm as a northern summer anyway.

Kitryo steps a bit back "that happens to me, in spring" he said.

Katran rolls his eyes. "Figures. Only I would get a cold in winter." He sneezes as if to prove his point. "Gah! And my hanky's getting saturated..."

Kitryo step a bit back more "Well, I'm sleeping the observatory for the rest of the winter" he said.

Katran eyes Kit. "Pardon? You're sleeping in the observatory?"

Spray creels more insistently, sharp talons digging into Linora's bare shoulder. "OW." She gently but firmly lifts the little blue off her shoulder, nestling him in the crook of her arm, talons /up/. "I'm sorry... I hafta go feed him." She looks at the sneezing apprentice and figures a little distance would be a good thing anyhow. She starts to glance at Cress, but quickly lowers her eyes and slips out the door.

Kitryo nods "Well, it better then getting sick, that for sure" he replied.

Main Hall Balcony
You stand upon the runnershoe balcony of the Main Hall, from which doorways open into the adjoining halls of the StarCraft living quarters. On the western wall stand the great doors of the observatory.

Kezzra walks with a light step, in from the The Vault.

"Linora. Right?" Kezzra questions.

Linora is on her way down the stairs, trying to subdue a creeling firelizard until she can get him to some food. She stops when she hears her name called and turns to look at Kezz. "That's right." Her expression questioning.

Kezzra nods. "There's just so many new apprentices around here it's hard to keep them all straight." she explains. "Mind if I join you?"

Linora grins. "Sure, but d'ya mind if we hurry?" She looks apologetic. "He's kinda impatient." Like his humanpet, no doubt.

Kezzra nods. "I know the feeling."

Linora grins and hurries down the stairs.

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.
On the perch are Etoile, Shift, Rebellion, Ribbon, Mother, Cute One, What in the Name of Faranth is That?, FirstFrost, Arthur, Etereo, Thessalonike, Bright, Confection, Moss, and Darken.
You see Dartboard, Chess Set, Firelizard Feeding Tray, Rainbow Food Platter, Vase with Roses, and Bubblies here.
Jesk and Tierza are here.

Kezzra walks with a light step, in from the Gar Hold Entry Hall.

Kezzra walks with a light step, to the Entry Hall.

Linora heads for the feeding tray, a squirming, creeling blue firelizard in her arms.

Tierza looks around as she slowly comes back from her reverie.. Where did these folk come from? Well, okay they are starries, but when did they come in? Waves anyway and nods. "Jesk.. you okay over there? You haven't moved since I have been in here."

Emeril circles around the top of the room then lands on Jesk's head. Ah...heads...my favorite spot...

Jesk glances up as he hears a voice directed at him, the FireLizard un-seated as he does so, "Yea, I'm fine Tierza," he replies, his eyes are blood shot and there are bags under them...

Linora scoops a handful of scraps and thrusts it into the now shrieking blue's face and is rewarded with a thorough clawing as he attacks his meal.

Tierza looks closer at Jesk and shakes her head. I a sofer voice she asks.. "Jesk? When was the last time you ate? Can I get you some of our kitchen's world famous stew?"

Jesk pauses for a moment lost in thought, "Back at Ista Yesterday morning I guess..." he replies then nods, "Yes.. That sounds good.." he smiles at her...

Tierza says, "Be right back then.." Shaking her head, she heads for the kitchen.. some folk just don't know how to take care of themselves. Then catching the eye of the starcrafter. "May I get you a bowl as well? It really is wonderful."

Linora flashes Tierza a grateful smile, both hands fully occupied. "Thanks!"

Emeril launches off Jesk's head seeing that the person may not have the energy to carry any extra weight.

Tierza walks to the Kitchen.

Emeril suddenly disappears ::between::!

Tierza walks in from the Gar Hold Entry Hall.

Tierza returns with a tray laden with three bowls of stew, utensils and a few loaves of fresh bread. "here you are, Nora, Jesk.. Have you two met? Well you just did. Now eat before it gets cold." And taking her bowl, she settles at Jesk's table. "Join us Nora."

Jesk nods to Nora, "Pleased to meet you," he says, then takes Tie's advice and starts on his soup, tearing of a little bread to dip in it...

Linora dumps the last couple scraps from her hand onto the tabletop, nudging Spray a bit closer to them. With a quick glance to make sure he's okay, she returns to the feeding tray for seconds. When Tierza enters she turns, a pile of gloppy scraps in her right hand, and grins. "Just a sec," she says, walking over to retrieve her firelizard, who's really kinda too small to be left alone long. She lays him across her right arm with his head near her hand, where he continues picking as she walks to the table.

Tierza says, "He's a beauty," referring to Spray.. "How old is he?"

Spray
Blue and silvery white are the two main colors of this small firelizard's soft, supple hide. Each shade is as pure as it can be, with little variation except where they meet. The silver forms a cap over his headknobs, forehead and the very top of his neck, though his fully rounded muzzle is a contrasting pure blue. Strong wings are translucent, also blue, but a band of thickly opaque white edges the fabric allowing for flight. The bottom portion of the rotund body is also silver white: muscular hindlimbs and the serpantine tail each with only a hint of the blue over the rest of his body.
Spray is 4 months and 1 day old.

Linora nods to acknowledge Jesk before answering Tierza. "Few months, I guess," she says, giving the little blue a gentle scratch. "I got him when got apprenticed."

Jesk continues to eat, after only a few moments less then half the bowl of stew remains, and not much more of the loaf of bread he started on..

Tierza pushes another loaf of bread at Jesk, and seeing how little is in his bowl, shoves her own untouched stew at him as well. "That's wonderful. I actually Impressed my darling green on my here to Gar on my first trip. I rescued her egg from a nest that had been ravaged from a tunnel snake. The rest of the caravan told me it would never hatch. Well, look at Sweeting now." She grins at her green beauty. "But don't mention K-e-r-i-s around her... she screehes something awful!"

Linora giggles and reaches for a spoon; it's a little awkward with her left hand, but the right is still busy. She leans in over the bowl to keep from dropping stew on herself and takes a bite.

Jesk smiles yet another thanx to Tie as he finishes his bowl and starts on hers, again after a few moments the other loaf of bread and bowl of stew are gone, how does he manage it? "Thanx Tie.. I didn't know I was that hungry..."

Labelas walks in from the Gar Hold Entry Hall.

Tierza says, "Do you need more? There's lots in the kitchen, it's no big deal to get it. Why /are/ you so burned out anyway?"

Cress moves slowly in from the Gar Hold Entry Hall.

Cress releases Idoru, who launches into the air.

Linora somehow manages to get a few bites in as Spray begins to settle down. At length he seems to be sated, and she gently dumps him into her lap and takes the spoon with her /right/ hand instead. That's better. She peeks at Jesk, who has just finished his second bowl, but doesn't say a word.

Jesk shakes his head with a smile for Tie, "No, I'm fine," he says, then glances at his klah mug again, his nose wrinkles, "Though a warm pot of klah would be nice," he skillfullly avoids answering her question...

Idoru soars to the bar where she's spotted... Food!

Labelas walks in, the bandages still wrapped snuggly around his head. He gets a mug of Klah and takes a seat at a table in the far corner, watching and listening as he waits for any sign that his brother may be around. Then he notices the klah is cold, and sets the nearly full mug down.

Cress follows the green to the bar, where he manages to snatch a handful of meat for the smaller brown on his shoulder. Noticing Linora, he takes a seat near her, although not too close, and starts feeding Dixie the meat-scraps he rescued from the feeding tray.

Tierza says, "Fine Jesk. Good thing I'm in a good mood today." she chuckles and flashes her dimples at him. But gets up and grabs a full mug of fresh hot klah. "Any for you Nora? Cress?" And nodding to the newcomer, waves the pitcher. It's fresh."

Cress tilts his head, "yeah, sure, thanks Tierza I'd appreciate it," he says shooting a sideways glance at Linora.

Linora is really fixated on that stew, evidently affected somewhat by her firelizard's hunger... or maybe it's that she hasn't eaten all day. In fact, she doesn't notice Cress has entered until she hears Tie say his name. She glances over, her eyes lighting up when they find him, then looks back at Tierza with 'the klah face'. "None for me, thanks."

Labelas nods his thanks, but remains seated with his hands folded in his lap as he watches his surroundings, trying to find something that will lead him to his brother.

Jesk smiles at Tie, "I don't know what I'd do without you," he says by way of thanx as he awaits his warm klah...

Tierza hands Jesk his mug and laughs. "Find someone else to wait on you hand and foot. With that face it would happen within 30 seconds of my falling of the face of Pern." Laughs a hearty laugh, the dimples really flying now. Since she is up, she wanders over to the newcomer. "May I help you? You look a little confused or lost? I'm Tierza, a Garish Gardener."

Jesk snickers at Tie as he sips at his klah, his eyes following her over to the newcomer...

Linora goes back to the stew, her other hand idly stroking the dozing firelizard in her lap.

Cress shrugs and keeps feeding his young brown, while keeping an eye on the green on the bartop, tending to her own needs. Finally. Seems he's been handfeeding her forever.

Labelas nods to Tierza, snapping out of his trance, "Oh, sorry. My name is Labelas, I'm just trying to find out how my brother has been doing, nothing important."

Tierza says, "an ewhat name does he hgo by?"

Labelas nods, "His name is Solonor."

Linora finishes the stew and sits back, closing her eyes for a moment. Mmmm, that was good. After a moment she looks up again to see if Cress is still there, smiling when she spots him and abandoning her chair for a closer one, careful not to wake the 'lizard. "Just the one now?" she teases lightly.

Cress looks up from feeding Dixie juice pieces of meat, then he smiles nodding, "yeah, it seems Idoru's had enough of the handfeeding, thank Faranth.."

Linora chuckles. "How soon ya think she'll start fishing?" She leans back in her chair.

Cress looks over his shoulder to the green, who's decided she's had enough and has curled herself up into a ball. "I wouldn't know. Maybe 'Mute'll teach her soon," he says grinning.

Labelas stands, stretching, "Well, I'll try to find something out about what he's been up to on another day, g'night, miss Tierza."

Linora follows Cress's eyes to the sleeping Idoru. She grins. "Yeah, give you a break," she says. She looks down at the sleeping Spray, now curled in her lap with his limbs sprawled in interesting directions, and gives him a fond scritch. "I wonder when this little guy will be ready to fish?"

Cress looks down at her tiny blue, "well, how old is he now?" He looks from the blue to his own brown comparing sizes. Not much of a difference he thinks.

Linora shrugs. "I think he's just a bit younger'n Dixie; didn't you impress him right 'fore I apprenticed?"

Cress nods, "yeah, that'd be about right. And he did come from Riina's clutch, didn't he?" As did Dixie, of course.

Labelas walks to the Entry Hall.

Linora nods. "Yeah. Her green dropped the egg practically on my lap!" She chuckles a bit at the memory.

Cress grins, "that's one way of getting an egg, isn't it? But then I found my first two on the beach." As she well knows, since he's told her that already.

Linora shakes her head at that. "What beach? The lake?" Not ever having seen anything as interesting as an egg at Crystal Lake.

Tierza says, "Gee Jesk, so we are so boring" There go those dimples again. "Now, drink the klah before it get scold again."

Cress shrugs, "well, maybe I've been lucky, 'cus that's where I found 'em," he says almost letting irritation come to his voice.

Linora blinks and backs away a bit, surprised at his tone. "Guess you have," is all she says, her tone quiet.

Cress looks down at the young brown, and finding that the lizard is still hungry he rises to get some more meat from the tray. "You sure is a hungry little one, aren't you," he says, when joining Linora again, "I can't understand how there can be so much meat in his stomach."

Linora chews her lip as she watches Cress leave and come back. Then she looks intently at Spray. "They do eat lots," she says softly.

Cress continuesly puts small pieces of meat into the maw of the brown, "they sure do," then he looks up at Linora, "you're not mad at me are you, Lin?"

Jesk smiles at Tie and shakes his head as he takes a sip of his klah, "No, y'all arn't boring, I'm just.... " he shrugs, "Not much here... " he finishes after a slight pause..

Confection suddenly disappears ::between::!

Linora's eyes widen, and she shakes her head. "I just thought you were gonna take my head off when I asked you about the beach," she tells him, too honest to make something up. "I mean... aw, I dunno what I mean."

Jesk walks out.

Cress smiles reasurringly, "oh, no, no.. It's just that.. that.. oh, well, nothing." He get a somewhat concerned look in his eyes, and reaches across the table to squeeze her arm.

Linora looks down at Cress's hand on her arm, hating unfinished sentences. She takes a deep breath, then lets it out, and looks back up with something of her usual smile.

Cress leans back, bringing his hand with him. He needs it to feed Dixie, and smiles back her her. "Let's just forget it, okay?" He tilts his head, waiting for an answer. Hopefully a positive one.

Linora shrugs. "Sure." After all, he doesn't hafta tell her /everything/... if she tells herself that enough maybe she'll start to believe it. But when she looks into his eyes she can't help smiling.

Cress noticing that Dixie has stopped taking his tidbits, he stops feeding the brown and goes to the counter to replace the remaining meat. Turning to look at Linora, he supresses a yawn, "I think it's time to get back to the Hall," he says scooping up Idoru from the bartop.

Cress calls to Idoru, who flies over and lands on his shoulder.

Linora nods. "Yeah, you're prolly right," she agrees, starting to feel tired herself. Full stomach, dozing lizard, yawning friend... oh, yeah. She's going down. She gets to her feet, careful not to wake Spray.

Cress moves to the exit, then turns and says, "coming, Lin?" Yes, that's right, he's starting to use his own personal nickname for her. Or at least he thinks no-one else calls her that.

Linora grins widely and nods, half skipping to catch up to her friend.