Flitter Manners [Sketchy]

[Sparrow]

The cooks weren't very fond of kagen on the tables, but Kora wasn't fond of putting food on the ground, so Squeak crouched over his little salad on the bench beside Kora. It was a safe enough middle ground, and Squeak liked being where he could jump into Kora's lap at the slightest worry.

Soot and Lilac were luckier and sat by Kora's plate, picking away at her dinner. As usual, she found herself shoving little flitter heads and arms off with her fork as she ate; there was something about fire-lizards and food that always made them misbehave around it.

Kora still got to eat, and it had been Turns since she hadn't looked silly going about it, so she wouldn't bother them. So long as they knew better than to steal from others' plates, she could deal with the pair. They were good about that. People didn't often seek out the Weyrwoman to sit by though, so they didn't often get to prove their obedience.

That she minded a bit more. Kora liked to have human company, and disliked how her rank had a tendency to scare it off.

[Sketchy]

Tacien was not one scared off by rank. Hazel eyes scanned the area, foot tapping just a little before he spotted Kora - one of the few people he recognized. Slightly surprised to see all the flitters around her, he paused for a second. Deciding it was worth it anyhow, he approached her, a plate of his own food (a salad and a few thick slices of bread) in his hands.

"Weyrwoman Kora?" His tone was light and polite. Vying for her attention, he stood across the table from her, near the bench. "Would you mind if I joined you?" He paused for only a second before adding, "Not that you seem to be lacking company." He hadn't seen many flitters up close before and he wondered absently how they would react to him. Hopefully in a good way.

[Sparrow]

Kora looked up at the voice, and was surprised to see the Candidate from hardly a day ago- Dacien? Tacien? Tacien, yes. Dacien was the joker. Lilac chattered to him brightly, the rare queen that was nearly always pleased to have company. Soot looked for flitters, saw none, and also greeted him with a friendly chirp.

Kora shook her head. "No, I wouldn't mind at all. I don't think my company would mind either." Squeak had even put his furry head up on the table for a moment to peer at him, and then disappeared again. The little kagen was not quite as warm towards strangers.

"The flitts are Lilac and Soot," Kora added. "Squeak's the one hiding from you."

[Sketchy]

"Tacien," he supplied, out of habit. He was used to having to identify himself, even though it wasn't always hard to tell which one he was. Unless he let his hair grow out. Even then, though, there were signs. But he wouldn't expect someone he'd just met a few days ago to remember all the details. "Hello Lilac, Soot." He peered over the table as he sat down, catching only a glimpse of the elusive Squeak. "Hello, Squeak."

Setting his food down, he picked up a piece of bread to nibble on, watching the flits as they greeted him. "Sorry little ones, I've got no friends for you." Traveling hadn't lent well to the idea of pets, so he'd never managed to acquire any.

Turning his eyes back to Kora, he asked: "Do you always eat alone?" For some reason he imagined someone would be eating with her- whether the weyrleader or perhaps a relative of some sort. Then again, he hadn't heard anything about the standing of the leaders. Maybe they weren't the sort that ended up together anymore than they had to be.

[Sparrow]

Soot liked anyone without males to distract his queen. Lilac was disappointed, she loved to be distracted. But it was no problem, she had food and that was nearly as good as a handsome Brown or Bronze, or Tan other than Soot.

"No, not always. But I guess my schedule doesn't match up well with... others I could sit with." But there were very few that she could just sit down with and feel comfortable. She usually was alone, unless someone happened along to join her. No need to point that out... it was already embarrassing enough that he had asked.

He probably expected her to be sitting with L'han, like anyone else new to the Weyr would. But that nearly never happened, and she did not want to go into it.

[Sketchy]

"Well, really, I doubt you ever eat completely alone." Tacien finished a piece of the bread deftly and started on his salad, chewing thoughtfully as he watched the flits. "I bet these two never let you alone, hm? Especially not with food. I've heard they're voracious eaters." Propping his elbows on the table, he rested his chin on his hand, watching Soot and Lilac for a moment. They were entertaining, he had to admit.

"That's the thing about being in charge. Half the people don't agree with you and the half that do are busy helping you." He smiled just a bit. "Which doesn't usually involve having a sit down meal, I'd imagine." His posture was relaxed and at ease, which was unusual for a candie- but he'd been around the block, so to say, with people in charge before. He knew what was expected and he was confident in himself. He wouldn't mess up too badly.

Not to mention, she seemed to be an okay sort.

"What sort of fellow is this L'han? I've yet to meet him." It was a polite invitation to discuss him. Politics, he thought to himself, wondering if she'd take him up on the offer.

[Sparrow]

"That would be entirely unheard of from these two. If there's ever food around, they're after it." Which was perfectly normal for fire-lizards. Eating was what they did best. Squeak, thankfully, was calmer about it. Kagen hardly had the same appetite as flitters.

Kora smiled. "Yes. And no, it doesn't. I get more time when Nayarath is on the Sands, at least." That came at the price of a bored, grouchy queen, but being spared from regularly bathing a 50 meter dragon was well worth that. Still, both were very happy when the eggs hatched and Nayarath was free again. It got dull, being stuck at the Weyr all the time.

Confident, isn't he? Of course Nayarath never had anything better to do than keep track of what Kora was up to and interrupt, but for once it wasn't a snarky remark. And since Tacien was a Candidate, Nayarath had every right to keep track of him where she could.

"L'han? He's a good leader, perfectly friendly and all. He likes to joke around a lot though, which... gets on my nerves sometimes." For all his skill and intellect, he didn't know when to stop. Kora suddenly got the sinking feeling that she shouldn't have added that though; Tacien's twin seemed the same way, so he would understand, but saying anything even slightly bad about the Weyrleader... she probably shouldn't have. "I- sorry." She looked down at her plate, very quickly emptying now that she wasn't keeping track of Lilac and Soot.

[Sketchy]

"Keeps them healthy, I imagine," he said in all innocence, knowing very well that flits, like dragons, would gladly gorge themselves to the point of being huge and sloth like.

Confident, yes. Dumb? Not so much. "Mmm, I see." It was a non-committal noise, a sort of cop-out. He wasn't going to put her on the spot for it- he knew that him and his brother often grated the wrong way on each other for that exact same reason. Tacien knew everything didn't have to be serious, but he hated that his twin even had problems taking the things that should be serious with even a bit of decorum.

Breaking off a piece of sweet veggie, he passed it to the flits, noticing the rather destructive effect they were having on the weyrwoman's plate. "How much longer before the clutch hatches, do you think? I haven't really heard anything about that, yet."

As experienced as he was with politics, he was woefully inexperienced with dragons and their routines.

[Sparrow]

Kora shrugged. "I've never seen a fat flitter." They were active enough, all the food they ate never seemed to stick on them. Dragons weren't the same way; if they could lounge, they would generally take up the chance.

A sigh of relief almost escaped her when Tacien passed over her slip. Any of her issues with L'han did not need going into with random Candidates, or anyone else. His inability to be serious was the lightest of them. She needed to talk to L'han, but that was hard to arrange.

Lilac turned her nose up at the vegetable, apparently having one of those "flitts are carnivores" moments. Soot was not one to turn down an offering of food, no matter its sort, and snatched it up happily. Meat was better, but veggies would do.

Kora watched as Lilac scolded the Tan- menial things were her favorite to get after him over- and then replied. "Not much at all. We held the Touching very late... it was hard convincing Nayarath to allow it, she usually hates them. It went well last time though, so hopefully she'll be better in the future. Traditionally they're held when the eggs are halfway to hatching... but in this case, I would guess hardly more than a week."

They were lucky they hadn't started cracking right at the Touching. If they stimulated the developing dragonets inside as much as most people seemed to suspect, it could have been entirely possible.

[Sketchy]

"I saw one, once. But it was very old. Very," he added dryly.

"Picky, I see." He handed more of the veggie (lacking meat on his plate to make a proper 'offering') to Soot, seeing how much he'd take at the berating of his partner.

He looked startled at her answer. "That soon?" It seemed unrealistic to finally make his way back to the weyr and be tossed into a hatching so very soon. His calm was cracked for just a second before he shook his head. He could do this. People all over did it all the time- his mother had. He could as well. Chewing on a piece of dried fruit, he thought it over. "Things should get better, once the dragonets hatch. It must be hard being confined- for you and Nayarath." He would hate to be cooped up for that long, not when he was sure she was used to more freedom.

[Sparrow]

Kora smiled. "I suppose it would be possible then." She hadn't ever seen an obviously elderly flitter either.

"They switch off on that." Lilac was the one controlling Kora's plate though, so Soot would be happy to get his meal elsewhere. He accepted the second vegetable, much to Lilac's chagrin, and popped it down before she could snatch it away.

Kora's eyebrows rose a bit; she was a little surprised to see even the slightest break in Tacien's cool. "Most likely. If we had an exact day and time, you can bet Nayarath would be counting hours. She has mixed feelings about being stuck on the sands, but I think overall she dislikes it." Kora leaned back. "Nayarath just likes to be talked about, and she's talked about all the time when her eggs are hardening."

It was no question that the whole brooding cycle was worse for Nayarath than Kora. Kora could still go around the Weyr, ride others dragons to leave it, and had no real part in caring for the eggs. Nayarath was stuck there except for the rare break for food, just watching colors brighten on her brood.

[Sketchy]

Dacien watched Soot with a half-smile, pushing a bit more veggie and a small chunk of sweet bread. "I'll remember to bring meat, next time, then," he commented lightly. Of course, he was implying that he'd eat with her again. Maybe a bit presumptuous on his part, but he had the feeling she didn't mind.

"There is a great deal to be said for being a man," he replied dryly with a smirk. "Though I imagine if it was my woman's dragon, I wouldn't be getting much rest either." Tacien had never really thought it over how confining it really would be. He knew that dragons couldn't go between during that time, and as that was the main way to get around with the holds and weyrs so far apart... Not to mention how protective everyone would be of a clutch. She mustn't endanger it or herself... and then after the clutch was laid, she had to watch them and wait. What a time.

"I think all dragons enjoy being talked about."

[Sparrow]

Kora's smile quirked slightly. He planned to do come by again? If he was also planning to bring food for the fire-lizards, they certainly wouldn't mind. Kora doubted she would either. Tacien seemed alright.

Yes, there was. Kora was perfectly happy as a woman though, and of course Nayarath would never even consider the other possibility. A Bronze. She could imagine the Gold just snorting at the very idea. "Quite possibly." Kora and Nayarath preferred to take care of things on their own; were she to actually be in a relationship at the time, hopefully she wouldn't be a burden. That had only occurred with Y'xem though, and she felt like it had far more been him keeping them awake.

"Oh, I wouldn't doubt that. The big ones make a bigger deal about it though." They could; people were usually more excited about the big dragons.

[Sketchy]

"Well, you do tend to notice when a gold or violet drop into your midst. They're kind of large, really." He was straightfaced as he said it, though there was a glimmer of humor in his eyes. Finishing off the last piece of his sweet bread, Tacien stood and brushed himself off. Picking up his dishes, he watched Kora for a second, debating. "I've been sitting down all day, helping in the infirmary. Good thing, too, since Dacien is determined to use up all their supplies. Would you be interested in taking a walk?"

Either way, Tacien was going to take a walk around to stretch his legs, but it seemed polite to invite Kora along. Not to mention, she wasn't bad company over all. She understood how the world worked. Tacien could appreciate that in a person. "It's not required, but I really would like to get some fresh air." He gave her his usual half-smile, one eyebrow raised. "I'm sure the flits would enjoy it, too."

[Sparrow]

"Just a little." Merely behemoths. Lilac chittered. She wasn't. Soot took advantage of her laughter to grab a final scrap from Kora's by now nearly clear plate. As Tacien got up to leave, she looked down at her own plate... apparently she was done too. Squeak as well; he never ate much. "Um, yes, alright."

A walk would be good. She picked up her dishes and Squeak hopped onto the floor. Lilac fluttered onto her shoulder, ready to head out. Soot considered, reconsidered, and stayed put. He would wait until they were moving and just fly alongside.

"No, I could use some too." She stroked Lilac's back. "They would." Fire-lizards enjoyed just about anything. Squeak hovered at Kora's heel, ready to go whenever she did, and doing his best to avoid Tacien's notice.

[Sketchy]

A full smile broke out as Kora agreed to join him- that was good. He'd almost felt self-conscious inviting her, until he'd realized that was silly. He wasn't his brother, always chasing after women who wanted to be chased. Anyhow, he still wasn't sure where the weyrleader stood on this whole thing, and overstepping would be a huge foul on his part. Shuttering his thoughts back into places they belonged, he returned his dishes to the cleaning area, covertly watching Squeak. His name should be Sneak, he thought to himself as he exited into the cool winter air. The sun had set and the wind was tugging playfully at his clothing.

Adjusting so that everything laid nicely, hazel eyes turned to watch Kora and the flitts. The dim lighting outside cast everything in shadows, but she wasn't hard to track with her flitts. "It's quiet. I suppose that'll change once we get some dragonets running around."

[Sparrow]

Kora put her dishes away, noting Tacien watching Squeak as she did so. "He's really shy," she pointed out needlessly. "But if he warms up to you, he'll be all over you." The only reason he hadn't been hanging on to her this whole time was because he didn't feel safe preening with a stranger around. Soot, tagging along behind, chattered something to the kagen, who replied with some uncomfortable snuffles.

Kora followed Tacien outside, and was a bit surprised by how late it was. It had been a while since she'd gotten the chance to glance outside. "Oh, it'll definitely change." Dragonets put everyone to work. Many herdbeasts had to be butchered and the meat made available to the ever-hungry newborns, the infirmary was filled with scrapes and overreactions, and baby Greens and Blues were everywhere, making noise, having fun.

Kora liked those times, although it was certainly nice when they all got a little older and calmed down a bit too. Just before a hatching things were unusually quiet though; most of the work was done inside, marking inventories and preparing for the feast.

[Sketchy]

"He can take his time; I'm a patient fellow." Surveying the silent area, Tacien started walking, just ambling along around the outskirts, taking in the area. It'd been a while since he'd been here- not since before he'd just left to travel.

"Dragonets are like the babies of the entire weyr, aren't they?" It had dawned on him that a lot of dragons (and their riders) were involved in the raising of the newly born dragons- from the weyrling master to the dragons who taught them everyday habits to the riders who passed on tips for getting your dragon clean. Realizing that, Tacien felt old for just a second.

"I suppose we're not too old to Impress, are we." His voice was a little wistful. He didn't even realize he'd spoken plurally, for him and his brother, until he shook his head. "Don't mind me- it's a lot to take in, you know."

[Sparrow]

Squeak was sure to take his time. Kora walked easily along beside Tacien, not particularly worried about being seen with a Candidate. Soot broke the silence by inviting Lilac to go play in the lake with him, an offer she just as noisily took him up on before speeding off.

"Yes, they are." Everyone had a part in raising them. The only exception might be the queen, who Kora would predominantly be in charge of, but everyone would want to help her where they could. Kora liked how everyone worked together with the hatchlings. They were a good thing for Weyrs, not only keeping them populated but keeping them together.

Kora glanced at him, not sure what to think of the change in tone. "You were Searched, so obviously not." The Searchdragons didn't bring back people without potential. She didn't doubt that they didn't have much time until they did outgrow being able to be a Candidate, but Stands Impressions were not unheard of. Kora smiled weakly. "Dragonriding's changed a lot over the past Turns. It's a much bigger responsibility now."

Only several Turns previous to when Nayarath had hatched, only the dragonriders would care that another queen had been born. The majority of Pernese wanted the dragons out of their lives; they were done taking care of them. What a turnaround from then.

[Sketchy]

If Tacien had thought about it, he would've figured being seen with the weyrwoman would be a good thing- but he wasn't really the type to think about that. And he was too busy enjoying the night to do anything but take it in. He took a deep breath of fresh air and let his shoulders slump just a little. Just because he had great posture didn't mean he wasn't tired by the end of the day. He was learning to slouch in his... old... age.

"Mmm. The Search dragon was so surprised." The thought of the dragon and his rider's expression as they stared at him forced a rough laugh from him. "The rider kept looking at me and back at his dragon, as if asking again and again if he was sure. Then before I knew it, I was here." He looked a little wistfully to the sky, recalling the shiver of between and the freedom of being in the air.

Seeming to snap back to the conversation, he shrugged dismissively. "Responsibility is a part of life." He grinned, looking a little more like Dacien than he knew at the moment- "You should know that before you start living."