The following is a log of roleplay from PernMUSH . The World of Pern(tm)' and 'The Dragonriders of Pern(r)' are copyright to Anne McCaffrey (c) l967. This is a recorded online session, by permission of the author but generated on pernMUSH for the benefit of people unable to attend.

9/24/02

Telgar Weyr Lake Shore

The vegetation thickens near the lake, becoming a meadow that runs along the edge of a narrow, sandy beach. The sands spill down into a crystal lake to the north, lapping against the crater walls to the north and east. A fence runs northwest-southeast, blocking off the lake from the feeding grounds. The grass is thick with autumn, and the long strands are beginning to seed. The few trees that stand on the banks of the lake are in their full splendor with leaves of red, gold, and brown. There are dark green water lilies on the lake, but they are no longer blossoming. In one corner of the meadow, Telgar's herb garden makes the air thick with the smell of mint and thyme, and the chives are in full bloom. Around it, a few fall flowers are blossoming. The red shades of sunset cast the meadow into deep, but peaceful shadows.

You could probably catch a 'fish' or two if you tried.

Contents:

PLAYERS: Shawnah Cheni

OTHER: Time-Weathered Boulder

Obvious Exits:

Bowl Lake

Cheni wraps her coat around her snuggly as she strides across the meadow's frozen ground. She stops half way up to the lake to look up at the sky then continues on her path.

Shawnah is leaning against a rock, staring out at the water, as if watching the ice crystals form. She probably shouldn't be idle, but from the dust clinging to her cloak, it's apparent she's at least been somewhat productive today. She turns at hearing the crunch on the frozen ground, and turns slightly, grinning when she spots the bundled figure. "Evenin'!" she calls cheerfully.

Cheni lifts a mitted hand in greeting as she walks closer. "Evening." She isn't quite as cheerful but her expression is determinedly pleasant. "I decided I'd brave it and come out for a walk, needed to clear my head any my ears."

Shawnah laughs, shaking her head. "Just wait until the /real/ snow comes." she says, and then tilts her head, moving a little away from the rock. "Ears? What've you been doing today? Nursery duty or something?"

Cheni giggles. "Good guess and a right one. I was the main attraction it seemed, they wanted to know all about the South and wouldn't believe me I had never seen snow. And they all wanted to tell me again and again and again the stories of snow they had seen. Amazing the stories a four turn old has.." She shrugs. "Well, I'm trying to get acclimatized and I'm not used to be inside so much without windows to look out of. This reminds me I'm not living in a cave but there is a sky out here." Noting the dust on Shawnah's cloak by a pointed look at the girl's shoulder, she laughs. "You escaping as well?"

Shawnah snickers, rolling her eyes, "/Amazing/, huh?" she asks, voice dripping with sarcasm. "I mean, the kids are cute and all.. but.." her nose, practically glowing red in the cold, wrinkles up, and she shrugs. "Huh?" she asks then, and glances down at herself. "Oh! I was helping out the healers and just about pulled a Parm-- I mean, just about fainted, and so they let me go and help out Rikki instead. The back of those storerooms get dusty /way/ too fast."

Cheni blinks. "A Parm? Someone else mentioned him .. now who was it. Kichevio? Or is that a she?" Laughing, she admits. "I heard about that prank, the poor dear." She doesn't look as if she feels too sorry for the person, in all actuality as her eyes dance merrily. "Who is Rikki? And the healers? All they had me do was wash out jars all day long. Seems a shipment of numbweed is on the way up."

Shawnah bobs her head. "Parme.. he's kinda infamous around here. He Stood with me last time.. well known for fainting. And he'd been a Healer Apprentice." her nose wrinkles again. "He Impressed too.. I don't remember if he fainted when it happened though." she winces then, "Yeah.. someone slipped on the ice and cut their head. Found out head wounds bleed. A lot."

Cheni hmms. "I think Kichevio said he did but she could have been confused. How would someone impress when they are fainted. Being mauled, perhaps." She pales and frowns. "Well, I'm glad I wasn't in there, then. I wouldn't have been much good either. Just like I scurry past the feeding pens when dragons are eating." She wrinkles her rapidly chilling nose. "Rather messy."

Shawnah laughs. "Y'know.. for some reason, that doesn't bother me. I think it's because that isn't /people/.." she shudders.. which turns into a shiver. "Okay, it /is/ a little cold out here. You're not hungry or anything, are you?"

Cheni makes a face. "Having a wherry head roll out at your feet with a green dragon peering over at you apologetically isn't exactly pleasant either." She blinks. "I don't know who was more surprised, me, the dragon or the wherry." As she claps her hands together to keep them warm, she looks up again at the sky. "Late enough the weyrbrats are tucked into bed, you think its' safe to go back in?"

Shawnah quirks a brow. "Okay, now that's gross." she states the obvious, and then chuckles. "Here's /hoping/, anyway. I'll help you put them to bed if they're still wreaking havoc, if you want? I'm finished in the storerooms." and with that, she pulls her cloak closed and quickly makes for the bowl.

Telgar Weyr's Living Cavern(#750RDJM$)

This huge cavern is sufficiently roomy to hold a large portion of the Weyr's population without feeling cramped. There's always a bustle of activity here. Fragrant dishes are constantly in preparation for mealtimes: currently for the evening meal. Drudges are always present, either cleaning under Pierron's watchful eye, or helping fetch and carry. A myriad of glowbaskets and many ever-lit hearths make the cavern warm and inviting despite its size. The scents of cooking meats, baking breads and pastries, and the pungent aroma of spices hang mouthwateringly in the air. It is little wonder that those seeking to relax nearly always find their way here to do it.

A short tunnel jaunts northward out to the bowl and the merry sounds of cooking, chores, and laughter echo from the kitchen at the southeast end of the cavern near the easterly passage to the rest of the lower caverns. Within the lower caverns is an entrance to the infirmary weyr to care for injured dragons and riders.

Shawnah hurries into the living cavern, heading straight for a lit hearth. "Ahh.. much better." she murmurs, stripping off her dusty cloak. After letting her hands warm off a moment, she plops into the chair nearest to said hearth.

Cheni races in behind Shawnah, being pushed from behind by a wind against her back. "Shardin' cold, worse than the ice caves back at Braddle." She stomps her feet at the entrance to warm them. "I don't see any around, weyrkids, at least, but who knows, one might pop out when you don't expect it. Be on guard." She winks. "They can't take us if we are aware of their every move." She stops by the klah and raises a mug. "Want one?"

Shawnah glances back at Cheni. "You've /ice caves/?" she asks curiously, and then casts a suspicious glance around the cavern before leaning back in her seat, relaxing. At the question of klah, she makes a face and shakes her head. "Eew.. no, I try to stay away from the stuff. I don't get enough sleep as it is.."

Cheni grins. "We have to keep things cold somehow. We pay a premium, you know, or the lord Holder does ,to have ice and snow flown in to keep perishable's cold. Doesn't last long." She shrugs. "But the caves are always cool, ice or not." She shrugs as she carries her mug over. "I can sleep any time, believe me, any time that kid doesn't snore. You know, the one two cots down and one across?"

Shawnah quirks a brow. "Really? It's hard to imagine not being someplace that stays cool enough year 'round to keep things fresh for a fair amount of time. 'Course, it's not /quite/ so cold where I'm from, but still.." she pulls off her boots then, holding out slightly damp socked feet toward the warmth of the hearth, nose wrinkling.. hopefully not because of the feet. "Yeah.. one reason it /is/ so hard for me to sleep. Not easy getting used to sleeping with a crowd again after having a room of my own for so many turns."

Cheni nods as she sits, tucking a foot under her. "Honest, it gets so hot at Braddle in the heat of Summer that we have to keep things buried practically in caves in order to keep them safe for people to eat. Where are you from again?" She sighs. "It's a luxury for me to have my own cot to sleep on, so I don't mind the quarters much. Just some of the younger ones, they are a bit whiney, don't you find?"

Shawnah just shakes her head. "Weird.. though, I can't even /imagine/ how people around the Igen area ever get anything not already cooked." she chuckles then, "Fort Hold, mostly.. though we were mostly moving between the Hold, Weyr, and Harper Hall.. and even farter sometimes. And yeah... they make me feel /old/ though!" she whines herself, and then blinks, "You even had to share a /cot/? Gosh, I've been spoiled!"

Cheni hmms. "Well, not a cot exactly, a bed, only three of us to the bed until my cousin was wed last turn and now, only my sister and I. And now, she probably has the bed to herself, until I return." She giggles. "Honestly, I don't think it is that hot there, I was at Igen for the day and their caverns were quite cool, but not as freezing as Fort, perhaps."

Shawnah laughs. "Okay.. that makes me feel a /little/ better... I shared a bed with my younger siblings for a while, myself.. and Fort's.. warm, compared to here.. didn't take me long to get used to it, though. Something about cold weather just makes me feel like actually going out and /doing/ something."

Cheni shivers involuntarily as she grabs her mug in her hands to ward off the winter chill. "Only thing it makes me want to go do is sit in the steam baths until I turn out like a prune or a wizened old auntie."

Shawnah just chuckles. "It'll pass.." she promises, for perhaps the millionth time. "I mean, what happens if you Impress? You'd prolly be looked at oddly if both you and your lifemate were just all wrinkly all the time.."

Cheni hmms. "I haven't thought ahead that far. Been too busy getting lost around here and running from anyone below this height." She gestures out to measure about a ten turn old's height. "Oh and trying to also not point attention to myself about some other things as well." She smiles innocently. "You know, sometimes, it's just not good to be the center of attention."

Shawnah tilts her head, though she grins. "Don't I know it.." she murmurs, and then, "You've been getting too much attention?" she asks curiously.

Cheni shakes her head. "No, no no." She looks utterly too innocent for words or for belief, if a candidate coordinator happened by. "I just like to keep it that way. Low to the ground, more stealth in my approach, you know what I mean?"

Shawnah's brows raise even more. "Okay, I know that look way too well." she says, mouth quirking up slightly. She glances around, and then crosses her arms, voice lowering a bit. "What /are/ you planning?"

Cheni chuckles. "Me?" She points to herself. "What -am- I planning? Well, nothing, nothing at all."

Shawnah squints now, though that grin gets wider, "Okay, what /have/ you planned then?"

Cheni darts a secretive glance around the cavern to make sure no one is listening. She mutters to Shawnah, "... that... who does nothing... get... about... touching... wonder... had... accident in his cot..."

Shawnah senses "Cheni darts a secretive glance around the cavern to make sure no one is listening. "You know that Paanarad who does nothing but tattle and complain and get so picky about people touching his cot? Well, ever wonder -why- he had that .. unfortunate accident in his cot the other day?""

Shawnah blinks, looking surprised, before she laughs. "That was..?" and before she blurts it out, she glances about again, and just snerks.

Cheni smiles sweetly. "The poor lad." Shaking her her head in sympathy. "And he was beside himself when he discovered that all the clean sheets had somehow been misplaced until mid afternoon, you know, when the barracks are usually full with people getting ready to head off to more chores?"

Shawnah shakes her head, looking at Cheni with a new appreciation. "You know..." she cuts off then, as someone else enters the room. Giving Ryklin a cheerful wave, she stands. "I think I'm gonna have to talk to you later.." she says with a grin to Cheni, "But for now, I should check in and see if the Healers need anything, since I kinda abandoned them earlier.." and with that, she heads out.

Ryklin saunters in, looking much cleaner and fresher than before. He gives Shawnah a friendly wave in response, and grins. "Leaving so soon, no matter." and nods, heading towards the klah.

Ryklin grabs up a plate of something, and heads back to the table Shawnah just left. "Hey Cheni. Mind if I join you?"

Cheni giggles as Shawnah heads off but smiles innocently and with a welcome in her tone to Ryklin. "Of course, join me, just warming up after a brisk walk around the bowl."

There's a low chuckle as Ryklin picks up on the humour of that statement. "Aye, No doubt it would be He slides the plate and mug onto the table before settling down in his seat. "So aside from braving the less endearing corners of the weyr, have you been having a busy day?" he says, finding a little smoked fish on his plate. With a sigh he eats it, but follows it with a swig of klah. "One of these days, I might even manage not to scare Shawnah away." he notes, grinning wryly.

Cheni smirks. "Oh, it's been an endearing sort of day all around, when you put it like that. I was putting up with endearing snot nosed, run off the mouth, insistent questioning weyr darlings today who somehow, like me?" She giggles at the thought of that. "Shawnah? Afraid of you? But why would anyone be afraid of you?"

Ryklin grins appreciatively. "Can't say why they wouldn't like you." before he removes the smirk from his face. , before adding with a sardonic grin. "Why indeed." leaving it at that.

Cheni pouts, not sure if she's been insulted or not. She decides to take the high road and smiles back. "So what about you, what had you dashing through here a while ago, did I sense a certain aroma wafting from behind you?"

Ryklin throws back his head and laughs heartily. "Oh aye, indeed you did.." The man shifts in his chair slightly so he can reach his mug. "And as to why? Nothing much, just needed a bath. What a guy can't have a decent bath around here?" he says, eyebrows raised half in challenge.

Cheni smirks. "Well, yes, I don't note any restrictions about baths around her, decent or indecent. Although I am not quite sure what an indecent bath would constitute in a weyr." Her eyes glitter with mischief even though her cheeks pinker.

Ryklin just chuckles in answer to that. "One of these days, I might have to endeavour to find out." he notes.

Cheni wags a finger. "Not until the eggs hatch, from what I hear, they are rather strict on such things. A greenrider was telling me last night of some trouble she got into, even though it was an innocent rendezvous she had with a rider, during her candidacy."

K'ran's muttering to himself as he enters -- something about ice -- and leaving a trail of wet bootprints in his wake. The serving tables are his first stop, and he's drawing himself a tall mug of cider there; and the smells of the evening meal are enough to push some of his scowl away.

Cheni looks up from her spot near the hearth and hugs her klah mug to herself as a sympathetic shiver goes down her spine as she overhears the word ice. She hesitantly calls out. "Good evening, K'ran. I hope all is well on the sands?"

"Fine." If K'ran's answer's terse, it at least avoids carrying the young man's clear irritation; and that much more so after he permits himself a pull from his drink. "They're getting harder, the eggs. I expect they'll be ready for touchings, soon."

Cheni purses her lips and her brows half raise at the curt edge in the back of K'ran's voice and replies rather vaguely. "Ah, well, I'm glad to hear that."

K'ran shrugs both shoulders diffidently as he throws himself into a chair at Starblaze Wing's nearby table; as he sets down his drink and begins pulling off his boots. "Sure? Not even a few jitters?"

Confused, Cheni backtracks the conversation in her mind and her eyes widen. "Oh, no, I meant, I am glad to hear everything is fine, sir, that's all I meant and I certainly wouldn't want to disturb the eggs, no, not at all, wasn't even thinking about that."

Ryklin just grins back at Cheni, looking away to call out a greeting to the Weyrsecond as well. "Evening K'ran." as he chews on his food.

K'ran stares, puzzled, at Cheni for a few long moments, his boots still in hand -- 'til, at length, he offers a, "Evening, there, Ryklin," and tosses the sodden footwear over toward the hearth to dry, with the complaint, "I'm going to have to oil those, shardit," following along after. "I meant, Cheni, are you sure you're glad that the eggs're nearly ready for touching?"

Cheni stares, just as puzzled, back at K'ran, and rubs at her upper teeth, wondering if there is broccoli stuck there. When her finger comes back clean, she shrugs and takes a sip from her now cool klah. "Oh, -those- eggs. Well, should I be glad? I mean, I really don't want to sound over eager or anything."

Ryklin gives another wry grin. "Half the weyrlads can't even wait to get a chance to get close to those shells Cheni." he murmurs in a voice barely audible to carry to Cheni. He shifts in his chair again, before standing to get another mug of fresher klah. "Having some trouble with your footwear K'ran? Mam always told me to watch my footing in the deeper drifts." he says, shrugging as he says it.

"Was testing the ice on the lake," K'ran explains, sourly, to Ryklin. "Seeing if it was thick enough to skate on." And as he turns his scowl back toward the abandoned boots, he adds, rhetorically, "It's not," with a shrug. "Well. Are you looking forward to getting a closer look at them?"

Cheni blinks, her eyes widening with shock. "You were out there walking on that stuff?" The next question.

Ryklin grins at that. "I can see that, sorry K'ran." he adds, - well, at least he's not chuckling mercilessly - as he heads towards the klah brewing at the hearth, and the sodden boots. .

Cheni blinks, her eyes widening with shock. "You were out there walking on that stuff?" The next question. "Are you utterly mad??!?" remains off her lips but it's written in plain script across her face. "As far as the eggs go, I don't want to do anything that would make the dam and sire uncomfortable."

"Barking," K'ran confirms, for Cheni, though her incredulity floods his expression with amusement. "Walking around 'til I fell through up to my shins. Lucky I was still close to shore, I guess."

Cheni giggles over her mug, and again shivers involuntarily and mutters. "And we have to scrub rider's dragons out in that."

Ryklin returns to the table with another couple of mugs. Putting one down in front of Cheni casually, he nods. "Why can't we scrub 'em in the hot springs?"

K'ran, after another pull from his mug, laughs, "You can. You just have to clean up the hot springs afterwards. And that's a *lot* of filth."

Cheni reaches for the mug from Ryklin and smiles gratefully and places the empty beside her elbow. As K'ran speaks, her worse fears are realized. "You mean, I'sai wasn't just pulling my leg, riders actually expect candidates and residents to plunge into the icy depths of the lake to scrub their dragons?"

A rumble of laughter escapes from Ryklin as he catches Cheni's drift of thought. "Geesh Cheni, they're not nearly that cruel. At least, even the one's wanting to drown me aren't."

"Well," K'ran points out, reasonably enough -- and gestures Cheni's way with his mug, as if to amplify her point -- "it's not as if the dragon's rider's standing around watching you freeze to death. Or, I should say, I *hope* the rider's not doing that. If he is, you ought to tell Yash or L'han or Mirie."

Cheni eyes Ryklin. "I wouldn't be so sure of that. How clean can a person, or a dragon get, without warm water anyhow?" She only snorts at K'ran's reassurance. "So they come and join us so we can all die of hypo .. hyper... that thing you get when it gets really cold and your toes fall off."

Ryklin grins. "I've seen 'em do it plenty of times Cheni." he explains. "You scrub the dragon down first, and have 'em dunk themselves in the lake. That way you don't risk nearly so many fingers and toes." he adds.

K'ran lifts one foot, the better than Cheni might view his toes -- clean but for the dye that's bled from his boots onto flesh. "Plenty clean," he chuckles. "Unless you've got color that's running, and that's not usually a problem with dragon hide."

Cheni has to look twice to make sure that it's not frostbite on K'ran's toes and asks anyhow. "Are they always that color? Mine are pink all over." She edges her feet under her skirts hem for safe keeping. "If it's a chore and they say we have to do it, no use complaining about it, I guess."

Ryklin grins. "Less griping, work's done much quicker anyhow." the lad turns in his chair then ay another crunchy footfall and grins widely. "K'than, hey there greenrider, welcome to Telgar and it's wintry environs." he says cheerfully.

K'ran favors Cheni with a droll look, and assures, "They're not always mottled black, no," while tipping a nod toward his drying footwear. "Well, look at it like this, Cheni. Suppose -- just for the sake of argument -- that when the eggs hatch, you've found your lifemate. Think that little dragonet's going to care whether you're cold or not, when she's needing a bath?"

K'than hesitates inside the entrance, peeling off his gloves and stuffing them in his pockets. Seeing Ryklin, he grins, and heads that way, offering the customary greeting - "Igen's duties!" before he adds, "Hey Ryklin. Get into any trouble lately?"

Cheni smiles hopefully. "Umm, well, maybe -he- or she might consider the fact that I might like to be warm and toasty as I scrub his or hers hide?" She frowns. "Honestly, if I knew swimming in the winter's lake was a requirement for being Telgari candidate, I'd have probably run back to my nice warm cot." At the call of the Igen rider, Cheni turns to smile pleasantly.

Ryklin chuckles, standing now to greet K'than. "Always old man, but you probably know that best. Come in and get yourself warm."

K'ran dances his attention away from Cheni for the moment, long enough to warm a smile toward K'than and welcome him with a pleasant, "Duties to Igen," and a gesture toward the nearby chairs. "He, Cheni? Mmm. I'll have to see what Indrath thinks of you on a brown or a blue. But, is the cold really so awful? I mean, think of all the *fun* that winter brings."

K'than waves at the others as he passes them, throwing in a grin for good measure, and shivers melodramatically in response to Ryklin's comment as he plunks into a seat. "Brr. Remind me to visit in the summer instead."

Cheni nods in firm approval at the Igenite's common sense. "See, it's nippy here, definitely nippy." She smiles to the older lad. "I'm Cheni by the way, from Braddle, near Southern Boll." Niceties done with, she turns her attention back to K'ran. "Well, I don't know about winter fun, this is my first winter and so far, I'd say it's cold. That's about all I can tell you. And Indrath would even notice me? Why?"

Ryklin grins back at Keth. "Well, you would come in from that oven of yours now wouldn't you." he says, but he's happy to see his old friend nevertheless..

K'than offers cheerfully, "K'than, green Ryeth's," to Cheni and the rider, and then laughs. "Oven! Hey, I'll have you know it snowed there... once. Or twice. In my lifetime. Oh, hey," he pats his pockets and then yanks something lumpy out of one of them. "Here. Some of Dendra's dough dots. No one makes them like she does."

With a dismissive shrug of one shoulder, K'ran answers Cheni's question with trite question: "Why not?" But he's smiling that much more broadly as he reveals, "He likes to think he remembers all of you who turn up to stare, but some he's better about than others. You're there a lot, so you stick out in his mind. As to winter fun? Sledding. Skating. Snowman-making. Last winter we had the Smiths come and put on a fireworks display for us." With K’than’ S introduction, he offers up, "K'ran, bronze Indrath's. Nice to have you here in the wild north, K'than."

The beam that splits Ryklin's face is something amazing to see. "Good man." he notes, you folks have just got to try these.'" he notes to K'ran and Cheni, as he gets a plate for the 'dots.

Cheni nods politely. "Well met, K'than." Then she demurs back a bit as the two old friends greet and exchange pleasantries. Doughdots do grab her attention but she politely shifts in her chair as to not interfere. A worried little frown furrows her brown. "I do hope I'm not bothering him, he's awful big and all and I don't want to cause any undue anxiety." As the list of activities is recited, her frown turns more blank. "I really have only heard of such activities but never participated in them. Snow is thought of more as a myth, perhaps, where I am from. A pleasant Harper’s song at Turnend but not part of our life." As her head turns to look out to the bowl she mutters. "And that isn't any myth out there, it's cold cold reality."

K'than tilts his head a little and glances toward the doorway with a reflexive shiver. "I lived in the cold til I was four, and I remember things like snow sculptures and sledding and ice-skating, but barely. I'd never want to go back to it now, though!"

"He only *looks* fearsome," confides K'ran, and mirth lights his eyes that much brighter just a moment later. "Which he denies, of course. Don't worry 'bout bothering him, hm?" He does venture a look toward the dough dots, and teases K'than along the way, "That desert you're living in the middle of, it's spoiled you."

Cheni quirks a brow in slight disbelief. "I've been around pregnant mothers and anxious fathers and they can be fierce at any size, no matter multiplied many times to a dragon's size. I'll be swift to follow orders to the finest detail when the egg touchings commence." She shakes her head in sympathy to the Ignite and murmurs. "The same could be said of some who travel from the north to the south in high summer."

Chuckling in the background at Cheni's comment, Ryklin says. "She's kinda got us there hasn't she K'than." "What are you drinking anyhow?"

K'than grins at Cheni. "Yeah," he says, looking at K'ran as if that proves something. "Well, to each their own, I guess. And Ryeth thinks it's fascinating."

Cheni slowly rises from her chair. "I had better be getting to bed, chores come early." Smiling at K'than, the candidate chuckles. "Nice to have a ally here even for a short while." Nodding to Ryklin, then K'ran, Cheni grabs her coat and heads down into the inner caverns.