Living Caverns

Tatia is quite comfortably settled near the fire, steaming mug in hand as she stares into the flames with the look of one who's not paying much attention to anything. Her boots still drip snow, creating a puddle under her feet, while her cheeks are red from the chill of the wind - or the heat of the fire.

Niall walks in from the Central Bowl.

Reiko wanders in from the inner caverns, remarkably awake for her, and presumably having met her daily klah quota... since she seems almost to be smiling as she heads for the hearth to fill a plate with bread, cheese, and a couple of meatrolls. Snagging a skin of wine, she makes her way through the tables and chairs to ensconce herself in a comfortablish seat not far from the hearth. Near Tatia. "Morning," she greets, almost cheerfully, oblivious as usual to the actual time of day. Hey, she didn't have to go outside to get food.

Tatia glances up, obviously startled by Reiko's appearance. Her fingers tighten around the mug briefly before they relax again, and she offers what may be the flicker of a smile along with the quick tilt of her head that's meant to indicate a nod from the direction of the weary greenrider. "Something like that," she replies. She, of course, /does/ know what time it is - and 'morning' isn't quite it.

Niall walks into the living caverns from the bowl, out of the shadows he walks, quiet unusual for him. His hand runs through his hair, and a quick shake, most of the outside snow becomes dislodged. Finding a seat, so he can look out to all in the caverns, Niall happily sits. "Allo all."

Reiko is definitely in a rare Good Mood, evidenced by the fact that she doesn't immediately take offense at Tatia's response, not to mention the greenrider's demeanor. There's plenty of time for that.. but she heard a rumor that Vespurath flew not too long ago, so the Weyr should be safe. Cough. The second voice, the one from behind her, /does/ make her eyes narrow slightly as she looks over her shoulder. "Morning," she greets coolly.

Derwin arrives from deeper in the Weyr.

The weyr's quite safe, for now. Tatia's not only no longer proddy, but she's also in a relatively good mood. Wow - the coicidences. Her gaze follows Reiko's with faint curiousity, and her own eyes narrow on Niall - with interest rather than a glare. "Hey," she greets. Partially because Reiko greeted him - mostly because curiousity is getting the better of her. "You new around here?" As in, don't hold her responsible for remembering anything that took place while proddy - she does her best to blot it out. The question is blunt, as usual, and her gaze remains for only a moment before she turns it back the fire, awaiting an answer.

Derwin walks in looking gloomy and stoic as ever, his hands stuffed deep into his coat pockets as he glowers at the room. He approaches the klah, pours himself a mug, and takes a seat without giving anyone else in the room greeting, merely continuing on his grouchy way. This would be a typical day for Derwin if it weren't for the awful silly floppy hat he has sitting on top of his head.

Niall chuckles at Tatia's question, and shakes his head some. "New, no. Unseen, yes." Well he tells the truth, but it's vague. A game he starts to play, something to occupy his interest, and a way to learn. With nothing much else to do, Niall just lounges back, contemplating whether to play or not.

Not completely unseen. Reiko has seen rather more of Niall than she would strictly speaking like, actually. But she doesn't snap at him yet, as her attention is distracted by the entering Derwin, characteristically sullen. "Morning," she calls over, perversely cheerful in the face of his dourness. "Nice hat." Now, was that sarcasm? She pours a large glass of wine for herself and lays the skin carefully on the floor near her feet, long fingers idly twirling the goblet by its slender stem.

"Ahhh." Tatia draws the sound out with another glance toward Niall, this one shorter as her attention falls elsewhere. Namely, to her steaming mug, which is paid strict attention to as she sips at it, nose wrinkling when she finds the sweet liquid within to be too hot for her tastes - still. "Well then. You should come out more." That directed toward Niall again, though the lack of a gaze in that direction may cause any unobservant folk some confusion. Instead, she glances toward Derwin, head again tilting in what passes for a nod.

Grover blinks in from ::between::!

Niall shrugs, thinking the suggestion over in his mind. "I'll probably be out more. With my attention not taken up. But now's not my time." He stands, walking off to the shadows, but stays out of them for an instant. "Hopefully I'll see you around," he says to Tatia, for Reiko seems to be wherever he is. His instant up, Niall slips into the shadows, being unseen as he leaves the caverns fro someplace else.

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

Wow, isn't Tatia lucky. For her nod, she gets one whole noncommmital grunt. At Reiko's comment, he hisses a cutting, "Thanks," a look in his eyes which happens to be about the Pernese equivalent of an upraised middle finger. He maintains his reserved, silent facade, an image which would be much cooler if not for the hat, which he tugs at gingerly.
(Derwin)

Reiko eyes Derwin over her wine, emerald gaze narrowing slightly. "Anytime," she drawls, a twisted smile curling her lips. "Were the Weavers having a special? Or was someone just cleaning out their weyr?" A long, restorative sip follows that remark, and Reiko just feels better and better. Niall has made himself scarce, Tat is in a Good Mood, and there's plenty of wine to be had. Not a bad morning (for a snowy afternoon).

Ceridwin arrives from deeper in the Weyr.

Ceridwin says, "Hey Tatia, Reiko. Any luck with hot food yet? What lousy timing to shut down the ovens." Sighs and looks, nope, all cold.. 'cept the klah.. so.. klah it will be. "Has anything beed said about when they will be relit?"

Lucky Tatia? Uh huh. She's usually the one giving out those looks - on a good day. The greenrider doesn't even bother with a return glance, instead giving her mug a disgusted look as the tea again proves too hot. It's shoved toward a table and abandoned as she climbs to her feet, gaze flickering over the small crowd. "Well. As much as I'm really enjoying the lively conversation today..." she begins, voice dripping with sarcasm. "I'm afraid I must leave you." Aren't you all heartbroken? With that, she weaves her way toward the door, kicking a chair here and there as she tugs her gloves on.

Tatia exchanges the protection of stone for the bowl outside.

"I could say the same for your clothing," mutters Rwin under his breath to Reiko, sorely, though truth be told, he hasn't lifted his eyes once to look at anyone since he got into the room. A closer look at the shaggy bangs that fall over his eyes, namely the bizarre diagonal angle at which they are cut would show anyone who bothered looking why the hat is present.

Devmani arrives from deeper in the Weyr.

Ceridwin ooohs, who's the guy wit the 'tude? And why? Reiko must ahve said something to tweak him. Or maybe he is always unpleasant

Devmani wanders on in, carrying a very grouchy, very sick, very pregnant Aisha. "Ya'know, you didn't -have- to be sick on the bed..really, you didn't." His complaints are rewarded with a sneeze in the face. "..You didn't have to do that, either." A seat is taken close to the hearth..Aisha doesn't like to be cold, not at all.

Reiko rolls her eyes at Ceridwin. "Bread. Cheese. Meatrolls. Wine." Really, a feast for a Lord Holder. More wine. She doesn't bother to wave after Tatia, since the greenrider is obviously not looking, but Derwin's comment earns him a Look. "Is that so?" she snaps, truthfully not having noticed that he hasn't looked around. Not hard to slip stuff by Reiko, even when she's had enough klah. Which she has, since she's started on the wine. She does take a closer look. A good, hard, appraising look at Derwin, at which point a sharp burst of humorless laughter escapes her. "I see," she says, the good mood beginning to return a bit. "Someone's been at your head with a dull knife." Pooooor Derwin. Get Reiko some more wine, she might even be sympathetic.

Derwin pulls the flopped over rim of the hat even further down so that it's practically over his eyes. "Go stand outside in threadfall," he says miserably, hunched over with his hands on top of his head. He's not letting anybody lift this hat off to see the wreckage belief. Nooope. "It'd probably improve what you're wearing anyways."

Ceridwin says, "Hey, that's no way to talk to anyone!" Eyes to both Reiko and Derwin. "Both of you should just hush and be quiet if you can't be nice. And stop acting more like the kidlets then the kidlest do."

Devmani looks between the two..best not to get involved, most likely. But his curiousity is strong, yepyep.. "Why're you wearing that hat like that?"

Hands still tugging firmly at either side of his hat, Derwin smiles patronizingly at Ceridwin. "Gee, thanks mother. You're completely right. If everyone was nice in the world, Pern would be a happy place." His smile drops back into the shadows. "Tell me, did you just move, or have you always lived in Denial?" Dark blue eyes flash. "Absolutely no sharding reason," he wails more than snaps at Devmani.

Ceridwin says, "Funny, I was under the impression that's where you were living.. As for 'mother' if that's what you need, I'll gladly fit that title. /someone/ needs to teach you manners, it's obvious."

Reiko spares a glare for Ceri before she turns her attention back to her meal, at which point she noticed that Devmani and his sick pet have camped out next to her hearthside chair. Lovely. Lounging back in her chair, she takes another sip of wine, then drawls a response to Devmani's question. Since Derwin has decided not to answer for himself. "Someone has apparently attacked his head with absolutely no eye for style. Possibly himself." But since he's snapping at Ceri for her, she won't snap at him again. Fair's fair.

Devmani stands, getting a nip from Aisha. "Stop that.." He walks over to Derwin, taking a seat next to him. "Could I see? It can't be -that- bad." The feline mrowls..it's not warm enough here. Not at all.

"I don't live in Denial, I live in the land of Pessimism and Angst. They're two different places. As for you being my mother..." he chuckles. "I'd be better off mothered by that one," he comments caustically, flinging a thumb in the direction of Reiko. Suddenly, arms fling over his head and he nearly falls out his chair struggling to get away from Devmani. "D- ...just don't," he hisses, almost stumbling over the feline. Translation: It /is/ that bad.
Derwin. Again. ~_^

Ceridwin says, "So, a split personality and both of them unhappy." Shrugs.. "If you think you were insulting me, I'm not.. I'm really relieved.. because if I had you as a son, I would either have to do away with you or myself."

Reiko laughs, a sharp, short cackle abruptly drowned by more wine. "Don't be offended, Dev," she calls, in a rare use of the boy's name. "He's always spiteful." Now she sits back as Ceri snaps back. Oooh. Dinner and a show. A great morning indeed. More wine.

Devmani glances at Reiko. "I'm not offended, really..he doesn't seem spiteful to me." He tilts his head, looking back to Derwin. "No, not spiteful. ..Cute." Aisha flops off of her humanpet's lap, heading for some corner of the room..-sick-..

Ceridwin shakes her ehad at Dev.. "Cute? dev, someone needs to explain what that word means." She chuckles and continues to get some klah, then stops and switches to wine. It's been awhile and she ahs earned it.

"I am not _spiteful_," Derwin declares in fervent denial. His hands drop momentarily. "Oh. Wait. Never mind, yes I am." He turns back to Cerdiwin, fluttering his dark eyelashes. "Oh, please, do. Do away with both of us. Do Pern a favor." For never should the world be cursed with such hair as his. His fluttering turns to slow, astonished blinks at Devmani's statement. "Spiteful, yes. Cute, no," he growls confirmedly. Though with that hat, he does look kinda funny-cute...

Reiko privately always thought that Derwin was rather cute. In a sullen and spiteful sort of way. Not that she's about to admit it, much less agree with Devmani. There isn't that much wine in the entire Weyr. In fact, as Derwin admits to being spiteful, a triumphant smirk graces her face. And she refills her wine glass.

Devmani folds his arms, attempting to ignore the feline hacking sounds.. "You're cute." Yes, he's willing to argue over this.. "If you must be spiteful, that's fine..so, you're spiteful -and- cute." Another look at the hat..how bad is it, really?

Tokiya arrives from deeper in the Weyr.

Ceridwin shrugs, okay, so he's cute already.. Dev the point has been made. But no use speaking allowed, she will only have to defend herself against another verbal barrage. And she hasn't the strength for it right now.

Derwin crosses his arms, folding his long fingers around them. "I am not cute," he reiterates. "I am dusty and spiteful and my hair looks like someone sicced a rabid watch wher on it." That bad, Dev. "Furthermore..." Well, he's got nothing to say now, and so merely mumbles "....I need klah."

Tokiya snaps his fingers at Ensui, who spirals to land lightly on his sleeve.

Reiko smirks over the rim of her glass. "I'll second that," she drawls, fixing glittering eyes on Derwin. Just to keep the show interesting, you understand.

Like rain, a shard of ice perhaps - borne into the cavern by the winter storm, Tokiya slips in, quietly, cradling a wing-folded form in the crook of one arm, the right used to draw forward a chair for himself. Though from his appearance he'd been caught briefly in the rain, he isn't soaked, at the very least, and offers a murmured "Good evening," to the folks here.

Tokiya Blade-lithe and light of limb, whip-quick, grace and elegance embodied, this youth might at a careless glance be mistaken for female with his long hair, a pale, flawless face, blue-eyed and cold, almost too beautiful to be male. A face, icy in perfection, yet meeting his chilling gaze dispels any doubt, and hints at the implacable, cold heart, the knife-edged soul that resides beneath such a fair countenance and form.
A tall, slim young man, his aristocratic features finely cast as though in ice, a sharply carven profile set in a expression of dispassionate cold..subtle arrogance. Slightly tilted, large eyes of crystalline azure glitter beneath the thin arcs of eyebrows deep as jet, skin like a corpse's in its blue-white pallor. High, sharply defined cheekbones, elegantly gaunt, are partly hidden by the loose strands of dark hair over part of his white brow; his mouth is thinned beneath a straight, finely cut nose, chin pointed. Long, ash-silken hair shimmers, its grey depths as starlit night, tied up high upon his head in a high ponytail that falls down his back in slendering strands smooth as smoke-hued glass.
Elegant he is, lissome, imbued with unselfconscious grace, and the cool indifference of one uncaring. Tall he is indeed, slender of build, straight shoulders tapering to a rider's lean waist and narrow hips. His legs, long and lithe, if truly slender, are clad in slim black breeches merging into high boots of the same sable. The youth is garbed impeccably in a fitted coat of muted grey-white, the sleeves long and slim; beneath it is worn a high-collared shirt of silken ebony. Altogether an intriguing, handsome figure, yet strangely so.
A silver-worked belt aside from the one clasping the young man's waist girds his hips, its clasps enabling him to carry a beltknife, or any other utilities one might be imagined to need.
Perched on Tokiya's shoulder is Ensui.
Tokiya is 17 Turns and 24 days old.

Ceridwin looks up at hearing a polite greeting.. some here may want to take note. "Good evening.. Oh, you are wet and probably shilled, may I get you something hot?"

Devmani hops up and walks on over to the klah. "You're not changing my mind." A mug is poured and brought back to Derwin. "Here." He glances over at Aisha, who is still huddled over in the corner..still being sick. Then a glance at Tokiya..then a stare. Blink. "Uh.." Back to Aisha. ..He should never have left his bed..really..

Reiko's eyes are drawn to the new voice, emerald gaze flickering appraisingly over the young man as a lazy smirk curls the corners of her lips. "Evening," she parrots. Can't very well reply with her usual 'morning', now can we? Not if she's paying attention. And for a change, she is. Must be the wine.

Derwin takes the cup slo-owly from Devmani. "Thaaanks," he says warily, his arm still over his head. He takes a sip. There. Better already. Good enough for him, in fact, to even nod a quasi-friendly greeting to Tokiya. Cobalt eyes smolder in Reiko's general direction. "Which part of my previous statement were you seconding, exactly?"

"Thank you, but let me get it myself, Ceridwin. I managed to get in before it rained too hard." It was evident that Tokiya forgot few names or faces, at the very least. Nodding thanks to the young woman, he deposits the still-slumbering blue on the table, and proceeds to obtain some klah for himself, seeming more a wraith than person in the half-light. On the way he gazes offhandedly at the others sitting there, frost-blue eyes considering any glances his way, but with courtesy, a barely apparent smirk, if not unpleasant, for Reiko. Other than that he doesn't seem other than slightly tired. Not cold. "A slow night?" he asks as he returns to his place, coolly composed.

Tiareth lumbers in from the Central Bowl.

Tiareth just pokes her head in, really!

Tiareth exchanges the protection of stone for the bowl outside.

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

Nuff, however, sticks all of herself in and, spying 'Reth, shoes the rather large head out of the caverns. "Hey, you, git back outside. The storms not /that/ bad. And besides, you'll squash a resident or something." Then she looks around, not sheepish in the least. "Ah. 'Evening."

Ilitana walks in from the Central Bowl.

Ceridwin says, "Yes, thank faranth. One sore shoulder was all I ahd to do." She sips her wine, admiring the sleeping little blue. "Blues have always been a favorite of mine, he's a love." At that Bambi pokes his head out from Ceri's hair.. "Yes Dear.. and bronzes and browns."

Ilitana opts for broad stairs that lead up to the Crafting rooms above the inner caverns.

Emerald gaze slides back to Derwin, looking him up and down as she considers. "Let's see..." An amused halfsmile curls the corners of her lips, a teasing glitter apparent as she fixes her eyes on his face. "Dusty... spiteful... bad hair..." She takes a long sip of her wine. "All of it." She glances back at the newcomer as he addresses Ceri with the barest of civilities to Reiko herself, and shrugs. Whatever. Great gold head in the doorway is eyed under a finely arched eyebrow, then attention is turned to the weyrwoman entering from the kitchens.

Devmani flops back down in the chair next to Derwin. Aisha trots out from the corner, scrambling into her humanpet's lap. "..I don't have to clean that up, do I?" Siiigh..that would make it..three times today? The feline is scritched anyway..it's ever so hard to be angry with her. "But where did my lovies go?"

A slight smile on Tokiya's face had appeared at the sudden unexpected draconic guest is swiftly erased, as expressionlessly he answers Ceridwin, "I expect he won't grow that big. Surprising how he demands so much less than a metallic at that age.." The youth seems either unused to smiling in honesty or unwilling, beneath that glacial facade. And he bestows a civil, "Good evening," to Nuff, even if it was the first time he'd seen her.

"Firelizards, of course. Terribly well-behaved creatures, they are", suggests Nuff happily, and to noone in particular. "Just like dragons." And, where there was a sunlight-gold head, there is now the flash of a purple-edged tail before that too disappears. "Don't mind her, she really likes storms, really, unless we're trying to fly in one." She turns, she nods, she smiles in a generically friendly sort of way. "Yesyes, hello. Are you all behaving yourselves?"

Derwin checks off on his fingers. Dusty? Yup. Spiteful? Yup. Bad hair? Yup. Fingers reach up to delicately touch a crazily zigazagging strand of dark hair. Hmm. What will he hide behind now? The hat isn't exactly inconspicuous. "My hair wasn't always this bad..." he ventures in a barely audible mumble. He nods absently at Nuff. "Yea. Behaving. Ok. Mrrph."

Ceridwin says, "Always Nuff, always. And I like your Tiareth. It's a shame she can't fit in here and visit."

Reiko regards Derwin coolly over the rim of her wineglass. "Although now it's possible to see your eyes," she remarks, without adding whether that's an improvement or not. And he can always hide behind his sullen personality. That hasn't changed. Although she can't remember when she's heard him so... talkative. The weyrwoman gets another long look, this time for her monologue. With a blink, she composes herself to answer the question. "Naturally." Behaving herself? Why, she's practically civil - and it has nothing to do with that half-empty wineskin at her feet. Cough.

"Tiareth?" Tokiya seems slightly approving of the name. Of course. "All is well, or so it seems. The storm has no competition as yet," he remarks, idly leaning back in his chair. "I just came in myself."

Nuff focuses on Ceridwin a moment, her Nuffish-curls bobbing as she shakes her head. "Now don't you start encouraging her, lass, don't think she hasn't tried it." Nuff turns and helps herself to something triangle-shaped and vaguely cheeselike before sitting on the edge of a table. "Tiareth, yes. I belong to her, which I suppose would make me Nuff", winked, "Just in case you didn't know. I know all of you?" Should she? Sometimes its hard to tell.

Ceridwin says, "I promise I won't Nuff, and I am ceridwin. I believe we have met, but in case names were not exchanged. But I go by Ceri."

Devmani looks up, watching his lovies flutter down from above. "That's where you were all hiding?" Two blues perch on his shoulders, while the brown settles upon Dev's head. Fingers are waggled at Nuff. "I don't think you know me..I'm Devmani. Nice to meetchya! Tiareth is very pretty, she is.."

G'deon quietly strides in from the Central Bowl.

"You wouldn't recognize me with this" he indicates towards the hat " Even if we had been introduced," mourns Rwin. Ah, who would've thought that this cranky Starcrafter was the type for vanity? Oh well, strange haircuts do strange things to stranger people. "That's why I don't like it," he returns to Reiko, burying himself in his klah once more. "Oh. Right. Derwin," he says, without looking up and to nobody in particular, while waving his free arm in the air.

Nuff wrinkles up her nose, her little pug nose, and grins again. "She's a lump", large, awkard, and metal-hided, "An old wrinkly lump with a bad temper and a short attention spam. But what can you do?" But its easy to see the bond between Rider and dragon is unshakeable and endless. "Still, tell a dragon she's pretty and its hard to go wrong. Nylanth, of course, is perfect right G'deon?" And, to Derwin, "Well met." Or at least, met.

Reiko nods and smiles at Nuff as she goes on, noticing as she stops the motion that the room seems to continue nodding, and possibly smiling. Maybe she's had enough wine now? "Reiko," she says, as casually as she can manage, the twisted smirk returning as she glances back over at Derwin. "Never mind," she says, almost kindly. "It will grow, and then you can go back to being your old sullen self again." She doesn't notice G'deon enter, even after Nuff speaks again, looking closely at her glass and deciding whether she should refill it or not.

Unmoving but for the occasional sip of bitter klah, unsweetened, from the mug held in one hand, Tokiya allows this exchange of names to pass him by until near the last. "Tokiya," he gives at length, with his usual quiet reticience, to Nuff. "Merely a visitor to the Reaches."

Ceridwin turns back to her conversation with Tokiya, "What does bring you to Reaches, anyway? Surely not the weather."

G'deon leaves his coat on a hook by the entrance and turns just in time to catch Nuff's comment. "Of course he's perfect," he's quick to reply. An amused grin spreads across his face as he tries on a mockingly stern frown. Which is pretty much useless. "Who's been sayin' he's not perfect? There's plenty of snowbanks piling up you know..."

Ceridwin says, "Hey Gid, and yes, we all know Nylanth is the perfect specimen of bronze glory." Phew, can she laugh now? She love sNylanth, but.. "How is he, and Merra as well?"

Devmani eyes the hat again. "It could probably be fixed. If you have enough hair left.." Hans flutters from his pet's head towards the cookies..mmm, cookies..has been far too long.. "Not too many, lovey."

Nuff turns first to Tokiya then, hearing that, and nodding. "I hope the Weyr is to your liking then, Guest. Our comforts are not always the greatest, but we try and keep the stores adequately stocked." And, devoid of smile, "Threadwings come back allright, G'deon?", as if he should know, and as if Nuff didn't. "The storm didn't reach that far North...?"

"Weather matters little," That, not unamused, if gently said, to Ceridwin, but it did seem for such a youth Tokiya felt little affected by it. "Though it is colder than I am used to. I came here to visit...someone." Chill tones ringing mutedly, he seems reluctant to broach the subject, and covers it by drinking from his mug, stopping only when the subject turns to something else. He nods in greeting to G'deon, and leans back in his chair to listen.

Derwin twists his face into a wry half-smile. "What, and I'm not my old sullen self now?" he asks Reiko, incapable of ridding his voice of that old biting tone. "It can not be fixed, for it shall never be fixed," he informs Devmani. "I am doomed to walk the earth as a hair-freak. Either that, or seeming like a victim or really bad fashion taste in hats." His focus turns just in time to hear some of the dragon comments, and he sighs to himself, "Perfect? Hunh. Nothing is perfect in this world. Not a dragon, not anything." Don't mind him, he's being depressing and pretend-deep.

G'deon slowly takes a seat and stretches out his feet towards the hearth, ice slowly melting from the bottoms of this riding trousers. "Nylanth and Merra both are doing quite well, thank you for asking, Ceridwin." He smiles warmly and stretches towards the nearest pot of klah and a mug, giving himself a healthy portion. "The wings are doing well, if a bit colder for wear," he then adds for Nuff. "Winter always catches a few off guard you know." He winks and takes a drink of klah, wincing at the temperature. Speaking of being off guard...

Ceridwin says, "I wish I had heard they were flying today. Gid, I really think I should send along some simple warm-up and cool down exercises for the riders. It will help their muscles resist cramping in the cold weather a bit." And cut down on her workload the day after such a flight, when they are stumble in stiff as the ice they were in. "If you think they would do them, that is."

Devmani curls up in his chair, scritching under Aisha's neck. "It can be fixed, Derwin..lovey." First pets, now people? "Maybe I could fix it. I cut my own hair..it's not very hard." Not that he does a spectacular job..not awful, just quite plain.

Nuff's shoulder ease, slightly, and she settles a smidge more easily against the table that groans in gentle protest. "Wool. Wool works for everything, though the young Istan dragons have been reminding Tiareth how nice it is at Ista. How warm. And here she'd almost forgotten about it. So we'll be off for a few days, I think, tomorrow. Find her some sun."

Myrna slips in on small, silent feet in from the Central Bowl.

Reiko shakes her head. "Ah, no. This is a /new/ sullen Derwin." Perhaps never to be the same again. "One with visible eyes." She gives him a long stare now, as if memorizing features once hidden, and hauls herself to her feet, dragging the wineskin with her. "We'll see," she says, regarding him narrowly as she moves closer to his chair, "whether you don't have a new attitude - or at least a new hat - when I see you again." And leaving that pearl of wisdom - or drunken rambling, take it as you will - she weaves her way back to the inner caverns.

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