Nelve groaned as light filtered into the room, and she knew that Quetensha was up, because Nelve usually kept the curtains drawn. Her roommate was a morning person, and two years at Himmel Hold should have taught her that. Quetensha had the personality of a morning person anyhow, with the bubbly cheer that she spread about. The only time that she seemed to acquire a gruff attitude that was feared by nearly all the other fosterlings was when someone picked on or taunted another, especially if that person being picked on was Nelve. She'd taken to the young woman like a mother bear, and Nelve, though two years had lessened the jeers, was grateful for her friend's protection. She wasn't a fighter, her people didn't believe in violence, and the girls usually used that against her. Lord Draesen didn't help matters any, for he favored his two ‘specials', and only Quetensha's size and shifting disposition kept her from being a target.

"Do you have to open the curtains every morning?? Can't I get a little more sleep??" Quetensha's throaty laughed followed her younger friend's whine, and she said, "haven't you any idea what day this is??" Nelve, who was oblivious to anything but the fact that her sleep had been cruelly ripped from her grasp, grumbled, "do I care??" She held the tip of her tail in her fingers, rolling the fur at the end around, a habit she was known for when she was irritated.

"You should," was the only answer that Nelve obtained before Quetensha left the room, which did cause Nelve to get up and move about. She knew that if she wasn't in the same vicinity as her tall friend, she wouldn't survive long. Squinting against the light, she gathered her bathing supplies, and hurried to the communal bath, where she knew her friend to be. Quetensha was already bathing, and Nelve quickly joined her, loving the feel of the warm water on her skin. The heat relieved some of the morning blues, as Quetensha so nicely called the mood that Nelve got in every time the sun rose, and soon she found herself calmed again, aloft from the rest of the world. The two young women dressed, and headed for the kitchen to help with the morning meal. Nelve was about to ask her older friend what was the big deal, but one of the cooks answered for her. "Hurry it up, girl!! We haven't got all day!! If it wasn't like Lord Draesen to let us know that there would be extra riders to feed, and the day of our preparation." The headcook stationed Nelve at a pile of potatoes that needed peeling, and the young woman sighed.

How could I forget this?? It's all I've heard about for a fortnight or more. I guess I never though the day would actually get here, though, and I suppose that I just... her thoughts were interrupted by the bugling of dragons announcing their arrival. Shifting in the chair where she sat, she caught a glimpse out the window, and was shocked to see the skies full of riders. If she wasn't mistaken, there were at least twenty dragons, if not more!! We might as well be having a gather day, for the flock of those beasts. To her, as long as she could remember, dragons were simply transportation to get her to another hold from the one she'd been kicked out of. Sure, they came around every once in a while, but never this many, and never in her sights.

The head cook rapped on the counter, and Nelve jumped. "Haven't ye ever seen the like of those, halfling?? While you gawk, those potatoes sit, and wait, and they won't peel themselves, mind you!! Hurry up!!" Nelve sped through the peeling, not really watching what she was doing, and, as she neared the end of the pile potato, sliced her finger open. Blood spilled onto the white spud in front of her, and she sat, stunned that she'd cut herself. One of the drudges turned, saw the blood, and grabbed a cloth scrap, flinging it to Nelve to wrap around her finger. She did so as the drudge finished the rest of the vegetables, then deposited them in front of the cook attending to the preparation of the casseroles they were to go into. The older woman turned, about to scold Nelve for pushing work off on someone else, especially since she rarely, if ever did, and noted the crimson cloth she clutched around her index finger.

"Lass!!" she exclaimed, stopping her work, and sending another of the drudges for water and cleansing agent. Using her apron, she tried to stop the bleeding, but, upon examining it, noted that she'd cut herself to the bone. The cleansing agent was brought, along with the attention of the headcook, who knew the kitchen better than her mother before her, and knew of no reason to need the agent in the kitchen when there was lye. "Vedorna!! What is..." she trailed off as she spotted Vedorna's bloodied apron. "What... find a healer, or someone to take care of this!!" she yelled to the drudge who had brought the supplies. By this time, everyone in the kitchen was aware something was wrong, and try as she might, the headcook could not dispense the curiosity. Quetensha hurried to her friend, and took over for Vedorna so that she could get back to work. Wrapping her own tunic end around the unending stream of liquid life, she helped Nelve up, and out of the kitchen. Behind her, she could hear the head cook yelling for everyone to get back to work, that the clumsiness of one child wouldn't be enough to stop the day's work.

Nelve moaned softly as Quetensha helped her to the infirmary, the dark-skinned woman trying to comfort the halfling the best she could. Carsk and Totred flitted about them, chattering loudly, trying to be of some use. They'd taken to Nelve as a friend, and someone who would help feed them, though they never were far from Quetensha's side. Lighting on the tawny-furred shoulder, Carsk rubbed his head against Nelve's cheek, trying to stop her whimpers of pain, and creening softly, as though speaking calming words.