Living Caverns
The rough-hewn majesty of this cavern far outpaces any delight in the multitudes of curves that form its enclosure. The glabrous grey granite is shot through with translucent obsidian, lending subtly-veined sparkle to the walls and the foot-trodden smoothness of the floor that shows centuries-old placements of the scarred trestle tables; carven hollows give homes for the glow baskets and the coat-pegs that line the walls. No mosaics, no painting, no tiles: just a few well-done tapestries mark the pathway that lead to the kitchen to the north and the inner caverns to the west, and frame the nighthearth's stew and snacks, while a heavier strip of oiled canvas shields the unwary from the wind in the bowl.
Scattered about in various perches and niches are fifty-two firelizards.
You see OOC NOTICE (look sign), Look at Me Postcard to Tatia, White Clay Egg Pot, Jaeshri, Large Picnic Rug, Kageri, Chalea, Question Deck, Streak, the Candidate's Rumor Weed, 'What's in the box?!' crate, and Gossip Drudge Maira here.

Niall walks in from the Central Bowl.

Niall walks into the caverns, glad to be out of the damp air outside. Making his way through the shadows as normal, Niall just drops his guitar in a seat, along with a couple of bags, before making his way to the klah.

Stiff and cranky, Reiko makes her way across the caverns to the hearth. Not until her hand is on the klah pitcher does she notice Niall there. Right there. She stiffens slightly, then carefully schools her features into a neutral expression and pours off a large mug, returning the pitcher to its place on the grate. "Morning," she says calmly, deliberately /not/ leaving the hearth right away.

Niall reached the hearth, his entire trip there, never noticing Reiko. He grabbed the fullest pitcher he could find, and turned to leave, back to his seat. Then he noticed Reiko, and his tired self got just a bit of concern and confusion added to it. "Mornin'," he responded, seemingly stuck to the hearth, for his lack of movement.

Emerald gaze flickers over Niall briefly, noticing his discomfort, then a smirk curls the corners of Reiko's lips. "I don't think it's spiked today," she remarks casually, glancing at the pitcher in his hands. She checks now.

Niall shakes his head, and then smiles at Reiko. It was then he started walking away from the hearth. "Not yet, but I plan on doing that myself. I need it."

Reiko's eyes narrow as Niall walks away from her, perversely annoyed now that he's /not/ plaguing her. "I can't imagine why," she intones with forced sweetness. "After that last hangover." With a toss of her head, she stalks to a different table, ignoring the stiff aching of her muscles, and drops into an empty chair to start on her own, unspiked klah.

Mechelle arrives from deeper in the Weyr.

Niall walks back to his won seat, smiling the entire way, much out of Reiko's view. He may need spiked klah for his own reason, but he was still alert enough to notice everything that was going on around him, especially when it came to Reiko. He grabbed a bag of his, and started to pour its contents into the klah, before he just got tired of pouring and just dropped the entire bag into the pitcher.

Mechelle walks into the caverns, huffing a bit under the load of a mop and bucket full of dirty water. She slowly makes her way to the door, and out, returning a few moments later with an empty bucket. Leaving it and the mop in one corner, she grabs a mug of redfruit juice and plops down into a chair with a sigh. "That's doneQ"

Julep comes out of the kitchens, the smell of fresh baking following just behind.

Reiko shifts her chair so it's facing /away/ from Niall's table, bringing the entering Mechelle into her view. Ahhhhhh. A thin eyebrow disappears behind her thick fringe of bangs and a twisted smirk curls the corners of her lips. "Feeling better?" she drawls, a wicked gleam lighting emerald eyes as she remembers the episode in the pens the previous day.

Murrough comes out of the kitchens, the smell of fresh baking following just behind.

Murrough
Nearly occluded by long, feathery lashes, a rudimentary softness lingers within moss-agate eyes, sparring with the dry wit that lurks, green-hued, beneath. Eschewing the usual glimmers of summer sun, his hair is mainly dark, surely mellow: here and there, however, contrasts of ruddy earth and honey flash briefly among the ebon. A certain and ill-defined expression, eluding easy interpretation, plays along wryly amused lips' genteel twist. Muscles wind in sensual cohesion skirls about a body long drawn in zoetic grace to sheath him in deceptive fragility.
As smooth as buttercream, as darkly rich in chocolate's distinctive flavor, a sleeveless tunic graces his torso, framing his thin hips with summer's ending. Beneath is a high necked black shirt, fitting closely to his body and trailing to cover long hands to the first knuckle of his fingers. Loose breeches flow about his long legs, their slightly shaggy ends flopping over heavy boots.
Ista Hold Tithe captain['s knot is an intricate blend of black and orange, yet on the opposing shoulder is the innocent loop of a High reaches Candidate.
Murrough is 21 Turns, 5 months, and 3 days old.

Mechelle frowns slightly. They /always/ remember the bad things, don't they? "I'm /fine/, thank you Reiko.." Oh, she even remembers the name! Small sip of juice is taken and she turns to face the candidate with a wry smile, "Now that /that/ is out of the way, maybe I can enjoy candidacy a bit better."

"Provided they don't decid we have to go and watch those dragons of thirs eat again," Murrough pithily point out. He flops into a chair, muttering. "So what debasing tasks have they set for you all?"

Niall moves the items from his seat, naming his guitar, so he can sit. Down in a chair, one mug is poured of his klah, and one mug is subsequently drunk. 1 mug down, 1 pitcher to go, but before he pours himself another mug, his guitar is grabbed, and some playing begins.

Reiko snorts, even as the smirk widens to a twisted halfsmile that doesn't /quite/ reach her eyes. "Enjoy? Candidacy?" Why does that sound impossible? Emerald gaze sweeps over Murrough appraisingly as the new arrival adds his quartermark to the conversation. "Pens," she says sourly. Of course, that was yesterday. She hasn't been collared for chores yet today, but it's not even light out. Or... she thinks, anyhow. Maybe it's just that she's looking through her eyelids a lot. She shifts in her seat, stretching stiffened muscles and trying to ignore the music.

Mechelle frowns at Murrough, not wanting to be reminded at /all/. "Candidacy can be enjoyed, if you set your mind to it." she says candidly to Reiko, "After all, chores aren't /all/ bad..." Okay, well, /some/ are.

Murrough snorts sardonically. "Forgive me if I faqil to enjoy being ordered about like a common drudge." Snippy, isn't he?

Mechelle goes home.

Niall continues his playing, and if anyone asks why he's playing he'll blame it on the klah. That's not exactly the truth or is it? All he knows at the moment is the Reiko is ignoring his music, and he's determined to make sure that doesn't last long. The tempo changes, faster and faster he brings the music, showing off the best of his abilities.

Reiko eyes Mechelle as she abruptly gets up and leaves, not bothering to add that /she/ doesn't much enjoy being ordered about like a drudge either. As someone so eloquently put it. Murrough gets another once-over, coolly appraising. "Not sorry you got Searched, are you?" she asks sweetly. Ignore the cold glitter in her eyes. One long finger begins absently tapping to the rhythm of the music until she notices and stops the motion.

"You are not going to geyt an answer to that one," Murroiugh sniffs indignantly. "So you want to stop trying to intimidate me." Even if it's working.

Murrough goes home.

Niall watches Reiko, smiling when he sees her tapping in rhythm, but the smile leave when she stops. Determined to cause that again, he slows his tempo, entering the opposite end of the tempo spectrum.

Reiko arches an eyebrow at Murrough as he slips out of the caverns, slouching indolently back in her chair. She hasn't even /begun/ to try to intimidate. But that will have to wait for another time. She sets her mug on the table with a twisted smirk at some private amusement, which slowly fades as the music creeps into her consciousness again. Emerald gaze narrows as she turns her chair to face Niall again, folding her arms across her chest with a diffident air. Not a muscle does she move, refusing to respond to the music, just watching him calmly.

Niall smiles at Reiko, not fully expecting her to actually turn around and face him. It's a start to getting her to respond to his music. In keeping with his slow tempo, near one you would hear for a ballad, Niall adds a verse to his music, as he watches Reiko.

Kinecha arrives from deeper in the Weyr.

Reiko is /not/ going to respond. Just because she knows he wants her to. Rather she sits, motionless, expressionless... watching him watching her. She's even seemingly forgotten her klah, the mug untouched on the table beside her.

A moment's peace without any chore-ordering people around and Necha had to run into those two?! Stopping in the entrance to the living cavern, she ponders for a moment turning around and heading back where she came from. Shaking her head, she walks quickly to the sideboard, picking out a few meatrolls and an orange fruit, she frowns in the direction of the two, then slumbs into a chair at a table not too close to them.

Now isn't this a sight, Niall watching Reiko, Reiko watching Niall. All the while Niall continues to play his guitar at the tempo of a ballad, and adding verses to match. All his actions directed to Reiko. All trying to get a reaction, but ever her reaction less demeanor tells him what he wants to know.

Despite the shocking lack of klah in her bloodstream, Reiko is surprisingly awake. Perhaps it's because her nerves are so on edge. But she does notice Kinecha's entrance from the corner of her eye. Oh, perfect. Are there two people in the entire Weyr she'd like /less/ to be around? Still she stays, perversely refusing to leave just because they decided to be here as well. And even though she's got the former guard firmly in her peripheral vision, her eyes are stubbornly locked on Niall.

Kinecha leans back in her chair, silently watching the two watching each other, idly wondering what had happened here before she entered. Niall gets a look that sweeps down to his guitar, then she turns her head to look at Reiko. Well, if theyt weren't going to speak, neither was the guard-candie..

Anhelica arrives from deeper in the Weyr.

Niall diverts his eyes for a moment to look for an indication of the time. Not long do they have to search, and immediately back on Reiko they are. Slowly he stood the music continuing the entire way, and then he ended the song. The finally note and his finally word intending to bury itself deep into someone, Reiko in particular. He grabs his items, and the pitcher the klah he spiked. "Just my luck, I need to go, and help someone. Until next time." Niall said to Reiko, allowing his tone to want to be a next time. And then he left.

Niall exchanges the protection of stone for the bowl outside.

Anhelica watches Niall go, a light glance is then given to the others. "Hello," She calls, tone somewhat harsh. Finding a seat she sits quickly, moving one leg over the other.

Anhelica
Her face is lightly tanned, with light golden hair reaching just below the shoulders. It is layered and waved, the shortest only comming a bit above the nose. Some blonde bangs fall on the sides of her face, and large bluish amber eyes dart around. A normal sized nose and thin red lips finish her face, creating a stern yet proud look. She is tall, around 5'11 with a large chest and long torso, that fits with her long tan legs that she never shows. Her style is both sexy and sophisticated, with just enough profession to make her almost untouchable.
A normal dress is worn, red in color. The sleeves are quarter cut, and fold once at her elboes. The neckline is a little lower than normal, but not revealing. It fits her curves perfectly, making her shape stun some. The dress trails by her long legs, ending at her ancles. On her feet are two brown sandles. Anhelica wears Anhelica's Listening Tube around her neck. Perched on Anhelica's shoulder is Mithras.
Anhelica is 25 Turns, 10 months, and 22 days old.

Reiko stares after Niall for a long moment as he leaves, until the last note hanging in the air is shattered by a harsh 'hello'. Emerald gaze narrows as she swings her head around to eye Anhelica, whom she vaguely remembers seeing around the infirmary. Maybe she even met her once. Cough. "Morning," she says coolly, fingers curling around the forgotten and now cold klah mug. Healer apprentice gets a casually appraising once-over, then Reiko returns her attention to her klah.

Kinecha's head comes 'round at the sound of an unknown voice, giving Anhelica a long look before turning back to look at Reiko, lifting her mug to take a long swig of her klah. "Morning, Reiko," she finally says, now that the other woman had started speaking herself.

Hiliza arrives from deeper in the Weyr.

Anhelica nods to them both. Really, she isn't /that/ bad is she? Sigh. She decides to eye them back, watching everything, facial expressions, any common movements, ect. "Good Morning," She finally speeks. Eyes then dart around the room, and she gives her fingernails a good click on the side of her chair.

Hiliza tromps into the 'Caverns, as is normal for the morning... or anytime of the day, really, and pours herself a mug of klha and grabs a tray of meatrolls. Cheerily, she moves toward the table and hovers only a minute, asking of any of them, "Mind if I join you?" Hiliza doesn't normally ask, but she might as well. Klah is sipped at as gaze flickers between the three people. Eh?

Lot's of eyeing going on this morning, isn't there? And here's another one to eye. "Morning, Hi," Kinecha says, forgoing her klah to eat the meatrolls she'd picked out all the while her eyes go from one to the other, eyeing all the folks in the cavern.

Reiko eyes Kinecha coolly, but doesn't answer. She already said 'morning' once, after all. She dislikes repeating herself. Hiliza, however, gets a twisted grin. Three people, three different tables. "Suit yourself," she says wryly, a vague wave indicating the myriad of choices available to the girl. Whee. Anhelica is eyed again, this time for eyeing. First time, it was for that harsh greeting. But the twisted smile is still in place.

Anhelica sighs. What is it, 'Bother Anhe Day'? Taking mental notes on the acts of these people, she tries to think of the age for each woman. She nods to Hiliza, nails now going away on the wood chair.

Hiliza looks between the three again and tentatively settles at Reiko's table, if sort of off on her own. "How... is.. everyone today?" She's rather slow in speaking because of the tension in the air and because she's attempting to eat a meatroll around her words. Lovely.

"Busy," Kinecha says, getting out of her chair, popping the last meatroll in her mouth, swallowing it with the last bit of klah. Orangefruit is picked up and brought along as she moves back into the depths of the weyr in search of her chore-partner, Vylking.

Kinecha steps into the shadows that lead back into the Weyr.

Reiko gives Hiliza a coolly appraising glance. Not quite as lingering as the one the poor girl got in the infirmary, but there nonetheless. "Well enough," she replies casually, ignoring all the eyeing. Really. It's one thing when Reiko is eyeing, but when other people start, it's time for her to stop. That perverse thing again. Kinecha's departure is noted peripherally and ignored... except for the twisted smile that spreads across her features. Much better. "How about you, Hiliza? Any fun chores?" Don't mind the sarcastic tone; it's actually mild for this one. She's even got a not-too-scary smile for Anhelica.

Anhelica steps into the shadows that lead back into the Weyr.

Hiliza swallows the remains of meatroll number one and washes that down with klah before /returning/ Reiko's gaze(what's this? Ah, Hiliza's still half-asleep, perhaps?) and half-smiling, half-grimacing, "Fun chores? Lessee..." She pauses, and ticks off the chores she's had in the last hour or so, "If you count helping the Weyrs kidlets bathe their pets," She holds out an arm, rolling up the sleeve to reveal fresh feline scratches, "fun, anyway. Really, you'd think we'd be smart enough not to let them keep animals." She grins, though, and starts meatroll number two contentedly. "Eep. The others.. left."

Reiko arches an eyebrow. "They have /pets/?" Yet another reason she's glad she decided against nannying. There are so many. Emerald gaze flickers about the now-empty caverns as Hiza states the obvious. Yes. They left. That actually happens to Reiko a lot; she's used to it.

Hiliza pouts into her klah mug, "They have /lots/ of pets. All /sorts/ of pets. For instance, I helped wash about twelve /rocks/ and a small chair today." She gives a sniff and then scootches the plate toward Reiko, inquiring, "Meatroll?" in a vauge attempt at being friendly with someone she only half-knows.

Reiko pushes her own mug aside - it's cold anyhow - and reaches for a meatroll. "Thanks," she murmurs, actually giving Hiliza a smile. So it doesn't quite reach her eyes. But her hand stops halfway there and her brow furrows lightly. "/Rocks/?" Would those be pets? Then she shrugs and regards Hiliza with a twisted halfsmile and glittering eyes. "That where you got the scratches?" Gotta watch those rocks. Vicious. She snags the meatroll and slouches back in her chair to take a bite.

Sinead arrives from deeper in the Weyr.

Sinead wanders in and heads straight for the food, sending a chipper good morning to the candidates. The girl fills her plate with various assortments of edibles and, grabbing a mug of klah, heads over towards an empty table.

Hiliza purses her lips, rolls her eyes and responds, "No, the felines... they resisted the baths rather fiercely. The firelizards-my goodness! That was insanity, if you ask me... most of children's firelizards occupying the baths..." She shakes her head and shifts foreward in her chair, to attempt not to damage the wings she's /still/ wearing further, and still drink her klah comfortably. "How about you, Reiko? Anything inte-'Morning!-resting lately?"

Loren arrives from deeper in the Weyr.

Sinead looks up to see another candidate enter the caverns, the girl acks jokingly before greeting Loren in the same chipper tone.

Loren wanders in, carting a rather large basket of ... socks, of course, and a pair of half-stuffed ... things. "Stupid socks." A small gold lump peers out from the basket, blue eyes peering at nothing in particular. "I hate socks." Sinead gets a nod in greeting, and then Lo' plops herself and her basket at a table.

Valen blinks in from ::between::!

Marcus blinks in from ::between::!

Reiko smirks. "Nothing as fun as bathing rocks," she drawls, giving Hiliza another once-over. "But if you're interested in stinking carcasses," nevermind people are eating breakfast. Or trying to... "You can trade chores with me next time I get assigned to the pens." Chipper little Sinead gets a nod and an arched eyebrow... Loren and her socks get a Look; Reiko's still not sure that Lo' is smarter than the socks.

Salea drifts in from the Central Bowl.

Salea enters, tiredly slumping into a chair near the hearth. Noting the candidates, she gives a mock salute, adding, "And how are the hard-working candidates of High Reaches! Are they keeping you busy?"

Salea
Short cropped hazel hair spreads everywhere, while sea green eyes look out from underneath the frizz. A moon face and a petite, almost pert nose gives the impression of youth. Small in stature, but now more mature in years, Salea no longer has her willowly thin body; only traces linger. A shining grin flees across her lips, but just as quickly, disappears. An inside joke? Perhaps. Her compact frame is well muscled, telling of years in her chosen profession.
Salea is wearing a simple outfit of riding breeches and tunic. Both are made out of hardy hide, and have been dyed a dark brown.
A double cord of black and blue entwine completely, leading to a double loop. A dangling tassle swishes with the gentlest of movement. A silver thread runs through the knot, denoting Salea as a High Reaches Assistant Weyrlingmaster. In the center of the knot lies her wing badge, that of Inferno.
Salea is 42 Turns, 6 months, and 10 days old.

Hiliza shivers and replies, stiffly, "I avoided getting pen duty last time and I'm going to avoid it again this." She waves a meatroll at Reiko a minute before biting off the end, chewing, swallowing, and chirrupping, "G'morning, Loren! Still working on the socks. I /still/ haven't found my boots." She wiggles her toes in emphasis and adds, "So I'm getting holes..." The heal of her left sock, for instance, looks more skin-colored than blue. Suddenly she gives them all looks, "D'you like my hair? I did it last night." And completly forgot to mention it, as well. But now that *cough*Hizaplayer*cough* has remembered, it's pink and yellow. Whee. Salea is waved and nodded towards as well.

Hiliza
Not even reaching a full five Terran feet(4'9, really), this usually cheerful woman can only be classified as short. She is more cute than pretty, with an oval face, sharp nose, strong chin, and thin, rosy lips. Fern green eyes are expressive, framed by thick lashes and thin eyebrows. Skin is pale from a lifetime inside, and contrasts with the deep onyx of her hair perfectly. Bangs cut choppily across her forehead, lengthening to chin level gradually. Now a jarring mixture of bright pink and /yellow/, still rugged layers fall to her shoulders, too long to poof out energetically. She is built slightly, with thin, delicate limbs and just the slightest hints of curves where curves belong on a woman. Though full grown, her height and build remain nearly identical to what they were at twelve.
Midnight and white snake around her body, folding and turning at any opportunity. Long, lofty sleeves clack with the sound of clay bits falling together; Little star-shaped charms glow a nearly luminescent yellow, dozens of them dangling from the seems of her sleeves. More canary-colored embellishments decorate her other seams as well. Tiny suns are stitched at the low-swooping collar, cheerful as the wearer could ever be. A row of clay flowers swing from the bottom of her ankle-kissing skirt, much as the stars do from the sleeves, and around her waist is a belt with amber half-moons. Adorning her feet are a pair of large boots, dyed a toast color with wheat laces. A pair of oversized wings hang almost liflessly, if prettily, from her back. They seem to be made from long, hardened peices of leather drapped in lace, and the straps are too large for Hiliza's body.
A ribbon holding charms, Dusty Grey Necklace is worn with pride. A necklace, glittering and loved, hangs an Amethyst Charm about her neck as well. On her left shoulder, a lithe blue firelizard seems almost smug. A rotund and odd-looking green firelizard rests comfortably on Hiliza's carrying tote. Observing from atop Hiliza's head is a smallish brown firelizard. Occasionally nuzzling her neck from her right shoulder is a good sized blue firelizard.
Again, a single loop adorns her shoulder, but the color is not black. In fact, the opposite. A pure and seemingly innocent loop of white. Worn with a smile. Flag me down: I sweep.
She is awake and looks alert.
Hiliza is 19 Turns, 10 months, and 15 days old.

"I. Hate. You. I. Hate. You. I. Hate. You." Loren stabs a couple of socks with a needle, ignoring everyone else for a moment before pausing and peering nervously towards Salea. "Uh ... fine. We're, uh ... fine." Lo' peers around shiftily, then hrmph's in Reiko's direction. Don't Look at Lo'. It's so ... mean. Right. Hack. Hiza's hair is peered at, after a moment, Lo' still stabbing that poor little sockipoothing. "It looks nice." Stab, stab.

Reiko's eyes slide sidelong to flicker over the entering Salea appraisingly. Knot is noted, and eyes narrow slightly. Ilare has one of those. Ilare who made her haul stinking carcasses out of the pens. A twisted smile curls Reiko's lips, all sweetness and light. Cough. "Fine thanks. And good morning." She turns a smirk to Hiliza, idly wondering how she can contrive to share the joy of the pens with this one, but Loren's diatribe is what /really/ gets her attention. "How's the shrine coming?" she asks sweetly.

Salea contains the urge to grin - she's never made candidates haul anything harder than their own gowns to the Hatching - and risdes, to casually stir the pot of klah nearby. "Looks k like you bunch are all tired out" she drawls, in her best mother-hen routime. "Can I get you some klah? Maybe some fresh bread or stew?"

Sinead looks up rather belatedly from her breakfast, noting a riders has joined the gathered crowd she waves and says a muffled hello before her firelizards decide to join her in breakfast. It's a good thing the girl picked up a meatroll or two before she sat down.

Hiliza bobbles, "Thank you, Loren. Why are you mending the socks if you hate them?" She peers at Salea and blinks a few times before shaking her head, "No, thank you." Hiliza sits, a bundle of confusion, now, at socks, NiceRider, and other oddities of the morning LC. Like Reiko. Bwee.

Loren continues stabbing the sock, pausing long enough to stare rather eerily at Reiko for a moment. "Shut up." Stab goes the not-friendly-in-the-mornings Loren, muttering a few curses before dropping the needle and prying Hostess out of the basket-o-socks. "You can't sleep in the socks, dear. Sleep on my head." Hostess is settled on Lo's head, and falls asleep. Aw. "...I'm mending them because I have to." The world is a cruel, cruel place. So, instead of mending socks, Lo' pulls out her half-stuffed thingamajigs and starts sewing /them/ up. "I'm waiting 'til chores change so I can see if I can get kitchen duty." Sadlo'.

Salea gathers a mug of clah for herself, then gathers up her jacket. "Love to stay and...mend socks?" Sales grins at Hiliza, "But I've got patrol. Stay out of trouible, you lot" she cheerfully smiles, knowing the fruitlessness of her own warnming.

Salea exchanges the protection of stone for the bowl outside.

Reiko smiles sweetly at Loren (don't mind the emerald daggers from her eyes). "Not going well? Oh, too bad." Salea gets another look as she disappears without providing the promised food, then her eyes return to the half-finished meatroll in her hand. Hmmm. With a shrug, she pushes her chair back and gets to her feet. "Well, as much /fun/ as this is," eyeroll, "I /must/ be going." To find a quieter place to hide, no doubt, because she's unlikely to be volunteering for more chores. Taking the meatroll with, she gives the others a vague wave and heads out.

Deeper, darker, narrower... passages kink and twist into the Weyr.