Ista Weyr Log: Lieryth and Mikhuth's Clutching - November 2008

Party after Lieryth and Mikhuth's Clutching - October 16, 2008
Logfile from Fayre.

Living Cavern, Ista Weyr(#300RIJMa)
The spacious living cavern is almost always filled with residents and visitors to the Weyr. No matter whether someone is just arriving for a meal or leaving just after having one, the hustle and bustle within the cavern is nearly constant. Tables of all sizes with accompanying chairs are spread out to fill out the enormous space. To one side of the cavern lies a lengthy buffet area where the food is available at all times.
A wide passage to the north leads out to the bowl while another to the southeast leads down toward the lower caverns. Double-hinged doors stands at the entrance of the kitchen and every time the doors open and close from the kitchen, the smell of food being made wafts into the living cavern.

Contents:
Sunniva
X'lar
Idraila


D'kai arrives from the southeast bowl.
D'kai has arrived.

Suizen arrives from the southeast bowl.
Suizen has arrived.

The buffet tables are already full and waiting for Ista's weyrfolk and guests, meaning a few hardworking kitchen assistants had to skip the clutching to prepare for the party. Traditional Istan fare is the most represented, with many dishes taking advantage of the Island's fresh fruit and spices. Great bouquets of bright orange, red, and yellow flowers are scattered amongst the plates of food, brightening up the buffet. A similar bouquet of flowers lightens up every table in the caverns.

A proud Fayre marches in from the bowl with a broad grin on her face. "Fifteen eggs, not bad I'd say, eh?" She states loudly to anyone who might be within earshot and interested. Then the delicious smells of Ista's food hit her nostrils and she's off in the direction of the buffet. Mmm.

Idraila and her family made a cursory appearance at the clutching itself, appearing shortly after the announcement was made and disappearing not long after the straining mother had dropped the first few eggs. But they've prepared for this event, it's obvious; though some show up sweaty and stained from the long vigil to catch every egg, they are all four of them polished and presentable. Not that they stay together for long. The foursome, matching in their various shades of white and pristine winter blues, disperse to fulfill their own agendas. Idraila's seems to be mingling, though there's not much actual mingling getting done at the moment; it's more staring, gawking, or awkwardly avoiding getting stepped on. One hand keeping up her long skirt, she edges her way through the crowd.

With a wave tossed to the retreating bronzerider that brought her here, Sunniva lingers just a moment longer at the entrance of the living cavern before making her way properly in. The borrowed jacket is shed and slung over an arm, a thoughtful look and faint smile surfacing as she picks her way carefully about the fringes of the others who have also arrived. Absent pleasantries are exchanged as she passes, periodically broken with her stretching up on tiptoe to see. "Oh, oh, where-?"

Javeri arrives from the southeast bowl.
Javeri has arrived.

X'lar walks into the living cavern, chatting with a blonde. "... /got/ to try it, Lorina," Xie tells the bluerider by his side. "Seriously. It's the best booze in Pern." Lorina merely chuckles and splits off from him as they enter the large cavern, moving toward the buffet table. Xie, on the other hand, surprisingly, takes a different route and moves to mingle with other people at the party. Fayre's spotted and he moves swiftly through the crowd to greet and congratulate her: "Fifteen's a perfect number if I do say so myself, Fayre, congratulations!" He grins wide at his clutchmate and spots Idraila too, waving to her with another grin. However, it's Fayre who's focused on, commenting: "And please send my regards to Lieryth too."

Fayre grabs a plate from the pile as X'lar approaches and the bronzerider manages to make the goldrider grin even wider, though it didn't seem like it'd be possible. "Why thank ya, Xie! Oh, and believe me, she's plenty proud already. I'm hearin' a running commentary in my head about 'em all still." She sniffs a few times, smelling the air with all its delicious food scents. "Mmm. I think they made some particularly good meatrolls tonight. And oh! Have I congratulated you on your wonderful hatchlings, yet? I was there, y'know, despite it being so early."

"Fifteen's a fine number," is murmured from somewhere in the vincinity of that lovely buffet, coming from a lanky bronze rider already nose-deep in some of that fantastic Istan fare, and D'kai offers Fayre a lifted hand and quirked smile. Soon that grin is broadened and offered to the cavern at large, and it's a proud, quite contented smile; and perhaps not particularly for that wide food spread. Then: "Oh, you too?" That's still directed at Fayre, with a finger dug into Deke's ear with a chuckle. "He hasn't stopped." Then X'lar's greeted with a nod, a crisp salute.

C'len arrives from the southeast bowl.
C'len has arrived.

Nolee has arrived.

Suizen makes her way in with a gaggle of local residents, most of whom are making bets on the colours to be hatched, the number of boys to girls... really, all sorts of things. Sooz parts from the group, most heading towards the drinks table, and heads towards the food table, where a number of folks already are, including the 'stars' of the evening. Peering to the one side of a passing brownrider, the potter grins at Fayre and D'kai, "Congratulations, Fay! D'kai."

There's one particular table with no food, drinks, or flowers on it; there aren't even any chairs surrounding the long wooden surface. One of the bartenders from the Sandbar comes rushing into the caverns from the bowl, bearing several large pieces of hide that look freshly used. "Just...finished...counting...eggs. Made charts." The young man puffs out, grandly laying out the hides on the long table. He takes a big gulp of air and loudly proclaims, "Betting is now open!"

Idraila zeroes in on a friendly face in amidst all of these good-as-strangers acquaintances, thin smile pressed on her lips in silent greeting for X'lar. "Weyrwoman," is her priority in the actual greetings, a short bob given to Fayre. "Fifteen lovely eggs. Hello X'lar." D'kai is glanced at, smiled at, but as the foreigner she has no knowledge of past his dragon's fertility, that's as much as he gets for now.

Off to the food tables she finally ventures, forehead creased just a little with consternation. Food: that's where everyone gathers eventually, right? Sunniva slows as another familiar face is spied and a cheerful, "Oh! Hello there, X'lar," is called with a small, finger-wiggling wave. And then- ah. That one. "D'kai!" and another wave, this one a bit more exuberant as she draws closer with a few quick steps, her free hand twitching her skirts up just a little so they don't drag. "How are you and yours?" is generally asked with a warm smile, including Fayre by association.

"Were you?" X'lar asks Fayre in surprise. "I had no idea! Lu might actually make it tonight, too, so you can congratulate her as well when she arrives. I can't wait to-" And that's when X'lar hears the m-word and his verbosity comes to a screeching halt. "Did you just say meatrolls?" X'lar asks the goldrider, grinning wickedly. It's not long until Xie slides through the crowd, snakes an arm around some poor oldster and grabs three steaming meatrolls. Two he pockets, one he begins eating right away. He's already half done by the time he returns to Fayre's side. "Mmmmm meatrolls," Xie comments, happy. But then D'kai is spotted, in addition to his salute. "Did that guy just salute me? Why'm I being saluted?" At Idraila's greeting, X'lar bows his head and smiles back at her, saying, "Evening, Idraila. You look incredible tonight." And then Sunniva's greeting him too, making him double-take. "Shells," the bronzerider replies in sudden surprise. "Hey, Sunniva!"

Unknown by most it was easy for Javeri to slip into the gathering unnoticed. There's something to be said for being tall and she uses this to her advantage to look over the crowd of people gathered to celebrate. Whatever her reason for being at the Weyr she obviously saw no reason to leave before scoring a meal. Once she's verified that, yes, there's not really anyone she knows well here she heads for where she does know someone. "Hi, dad," she greets a stork of a man waiting close to the food tables. Since she's clearly meeting her dad there's no reason to worry about if she's jumping ahead of anyone who might be waiting already.

There's congratulations; a happy nod for all of those, a wave of D'kai's fork, and then there's Idralia's smile and a little wiggle of that fish-laden utensil in response and then... A grin for X'lar, a tip of the bronze rider's head. "I - well. Then I take that back?" And reverse-salute he does, perhaps intended to be followed up with something else but quickly he swivels at the sound of his own name. "Sunni! You're here! You're... here?" But it's all entirely pleased anyway, and he extends one arm for a friendly hug, albeit one with a bit of food at the end of it.

Fayre is positively glowing now, her brown eyes wide and cheerful. She laughs as X'lar heads for the meatrolls and she takes a step back to allow him to go ahead of her; she knows not to get between Xie and his meatrolls. "That's D'kai, silly. His bronze is the clutchfather." She murmurs to her pal in a hushed voice. Then she turns to D'kai and raises her voice, "Ah, a doting sire, eh? Lieryth will love that, I'm sure. I think the two are goin' to get on real well." As for all those congratulations she's getting, Fayre looks at everyone in turn and smiles softly. "Thanks for all the compliments. I'll pass 'em all along to Lieryth. She's the one that had to push 'em all out, after all." Then it's on to the next priority: food! The weyrwoman begins to fill her plate with as much as it can handle, her hand actually drooping some under all the weight.

Idraila suddenly finds herself in a crush of people rushing to meet and congratulate the weyrwoman and balks a bit, sliding closer to X'lar's side with a hand placed along the side of her smoothed, piled curls to protect them. She glances at the meatrolls he's suddenly acquired, blinks, then smiles up at him, shaking her head with some silent, amiable joke: it figures. "Thank you," she murmurs dutifully for the bronzerider's compliment, but she doesn't seem to put too much weight in how pretty she looks. The announcement about the betting garners more attention from the scribe, a peering, craning look, but nothing more. Where would she keep marks in that outfit anyway?

"I promised I would be here," is playful chastisement from the Holdbred lass, who laughs and accepts the one-armed hug. Sunniva gives D'kai a quick squeeze, then pulls slightly away to add, "Or did you doubt that I would hold to it?" Still, she's smiling, and with another look at Fayre -- with some distant memory clicking in place -- her attention turns back to the bronzer. "Cam brought me, but he could not stay; he wanted to offer his congratulations as well. I hear they're quite lovely, but I have not yet had a chance to look at them." Regretfully. Green eyes slip back to X'lar again with an amiable, "How are you and yours? Are you happy to be back at Ista?"

"Well excuse me," X'lar tells his clutchmate, grinning. "I happen to have been away for a while and didn't know." He glances to D'kai again curiously before looking to Fayre again, replying, "He and I, we're going to have some words alone some day soon. I have a few things to give him." He looks once more to the Fortian, brows furrowing. But then he's reminded of the meatrolls in his pockets and he's back to eating his second already. Idraila's given a brief, but warm smile in return before returning his gaze to D'kai, telling the other bronzer: "Nah. I'll take the salute." Sunni's given another look and he replies easily: "It's been good to slip back into my routine again. Speared a bloody monster of a yellowfin this morning, too."

Nolee's best descriptor is awkward. Awkward is her posture, her manner of movement, and her forced expression, and they all seem to be related to the gown in which she's garbed. Lengthy and flowing, it's nothing at all like her normal near-beach-appropriate wear, and she's not quite over having been jammed into it, especially as it's meant she's missed the first of the eggs and the first of the food. Near the entry, she pauses, taking a deep calming breath, and dons a much more suitable expression with which to greet those here for a celebration, her eyes glancing over those gathered with interest and perhaps a touch of trepidation.

Dragon> To Mikhuth, Lieryth's tone is relaxed, perhaps even a bit tired, but the heat of her voice is strong, fueled by pride. <<It's a fine clutch. You were certainly a worthy chaser...I knew you were.>>

Javeri's elbow digs into her father's side to get his attention. "That's the one I talked to," she tells him quietly as she makes a gesture towards Fayre. "You should go congratulate her and introduce yourself!" If it's not the best time for business talk there's certainly no reason not to meet someone who might be able to lend you a hand later! "Can I eat first?" is the elder potter's response to his daughter's efforts to advance him. "Oh, fine!" she answers with a stomp of one foot. "Like you don't eat all the time. Ohh. Look at the fruit!"

Fayre's head tilts curiously as she peers at her clutchmate. "Give...him? Stuff? Well, y'better be nice. We treat our clutchsires well here." Unlike a certain other Weyr, hint hint. Her plate full, the rider slithers out of the food line into the somewhat less crowded general area of the caverns. "Mmm, a seat, a seat." She mutters to herself, standing on her tip-toes to try and find a relatively empty table. "I knew I should've worn my wedged sandals today, to give me a bit o' height. Hmph."

D'kai eyes Sunniva sidelong, mock-suspicious, before tossing his head, laughing, "That's right. Of course. I'd never doubt you." A close, tight one-armed hug for her, before he's released and he might go back to shovelling all that marvellous food into his mouth - clearing his plate as fast as possible so he might be polite, and such, of course. He's got a free hand, after that, to offer to X'lar with but a hint of curiosity for that intent look from the other bronze rider, and then a wide and cheery grin. "Well met, and you can keep it, then." Then, to Fayre, deeply pleased: "He's /ecstatic/, Fayre, really he is. I'm certain they will."

The noise and the press around Fayre eventually becomes too much for Idraila and she slowly begins to slip out of the circle of congratulations. "I'm going to... grab some food for myself," she explains to X'lar, her voice barely making it above the hubbub. But she leaves, whether he hears her or not, leaning in to offer a parting, "A very good clutch," to the happy bronze- and goldrider, before pivoting and struggling out of the center of excitement. The food tables are more to her taste; at least here there's an orderly line. And of course the trays of pretty fruit are a draw as well.

Dragon> To Lieryth, Mikhuth's own mindvoice is deep and rich with many rough, accented voices, and no less pride than the clutch mother herself. << S'lovely, madam, 'n y'did them all righ'. All of 'em. 'n did yourself proud, too. >>

A couple of pre-adolescent kids underneath one table play their own version of cards while their parents play a game of their own. While the game the adults play on the table is a pretty serious one, the game being played by the children beneath the table seems to be as loud and fun as possible. As a girl of 8 or 9 lays down one card, the other child, a boy of 10 or 11, lays down all of his cards, prompting the girl to begin crying. Thankfully the parents are there to sort through their card-playing debacle while playing their own game.

C'len arrives just behind Nolee, not quite sneaking up on her but his quiet movements might bring surprise. The rider seems much more comfortable in his outfit, which is fancier than normal but not overly so. "Quite the crowd," he murmurs in the Weyrwoman's general direction, before cupping her elbow, if she'll allow it, to help steer her through the group and toward the food--amidst many hellos, greetings, and other comments from those in the caverns. "Quite the spread, too!" He seems more excited about the food than the people.

"Oh, that sounds exciting," Sunniva replies to X'lar. "Are yellowfin good or-?" No, she is not a fish-person. A sidelong look is given to D'kai, as if doing so might yield some answers. But, sensing none in particular, she breaks a few steps from them with a murmured "Please, excuse me," to pick out a bit of fruit and a roll and then to track Fayre's movement. The tip-toe trick is one she's all-too-familiar with and a half-smile emerges, the young woman calling, "I believe there might have been a few seats over at the edge -- near the entrance -- but they might have filled since."

X'lar looks to D'kai, honestly studying the older bronzerider for a few beats. It's not until he finally sees D'kai offer his hand that X'lar takes it and shakes it firmly. "Well met," X'lar tells him. "D'kai." He gives Fayre a brief grin before glancing once more in Idraila's direction, only hearing her goodbye, nodding to the scribe. Sunniva's question makes the Istan teen laugh aloud and nod in response, replying, "Yellowfin's the tastiest fish you'll find." Toward C'len and Nolee's arrival, Xie stands up a bit straighter and salutes them both, respect easily seen in the teen's face however brief.

Fayre turns around to face the handy advice giver and smiles gratefully at Sunniva when she spots her. "Ah, many thanks. I'll check 'em out. Feel free to join me when you have a plate, y'hear?" Then the rider is getting ready to weave through the crowd...only to find that, for the most part, they're moving out of her way as she goes. "Lieryth should have eggs more often, with all this special treatment I'm gettin'." She mumbles cheerfully, chest puffing out just a tad with pride. Indeed, there are a few empty seats near the bowl entrance, and Fayre quickly slips into one before that can change.

"Of course, weyrwoman," Sunniva dutifully replies to Fayre with a slight inclination of her head. A glance is given to her choice of food ... and a plate is snagged, purely for putting the fruit and roll on. There. Plate of food acquired, technically speaking. A few more bits are eventually added -- more fruit, who knew? oh, and a pastry, that looks utterly out of place -- while a glass of water is snared on her way to those aforementioned seats.

Nolee is indeed startled, the flustered Weyrwoman momentarily scowling, then brightening into a genuine smile when she realizes who the slender fellow suddenly at her sight happens to be. "C'len! You surprised me." Her surprise is carried into a laugh for the steering, though it seems quite successful as they navigate the room, offering greetings to the sensible and rotund Lord Gissopy of Nerat and a quick wave back to the saluting young X'lar before admiring the displayed foods. "Jays, really went all out, didn't they? Must've had leftovers from our hatching, turned into new and fantastic dishes for the next clutched eggs. You request any of this, C'len?"

Early in the party, a rider breaks a plate waiting in line for food, resulting in the clapping and laughter of some of his nearby friends. He blames the slowness of the line. Later on, the same rider bumps into a greenrider, resulting in more teasing from his friends. "You can't blame that one on food, Y'mari!" Just to shut them up, Y'mari dipsmooches the greenrider. Unfortunately, the greenrider responds by slapping Y'mari, resulting in yet more laughter from his friends. Poor Y'mari.

Suizen grins a bit as she watches folks get mobbed by various other folks, before turning to fill her plate with a number of items, though a strong component seems to be the various native fruits. Breaking off a piece of the fruit, it's devoured, a bit of juice cleaned up with a finger licked clean, before going to find a place to sit. Passing Nolee and C'lean, the potter offers a nod to the two, "Weyrleader, Weyrwoman - it's lookin' all fantastic, an' delicious so far.." before off to find a seat.

Deke's no need of tip-toeing to watch Sunni drift away further, but he does regardless, dropping back to the balls of his heels once his hand is taken, and he returns a shake and yet another nod for X'lar. "Pleasure, then." And there's a cue taken from the other bronze rider, too, as D'kai directs his gaze towards the weyrwoman and -leader, offering a salute in their direction too - as only proper, of course. There. Formalities out of the way, and it's back to the food for the rider of the clutchfather, to reload his plate and wander back into the crowd.

Dragon> To Mikhuth, Lieryth's voice warms even more at this praise, feeling much like the hatching sands themselves. <<To be fair, I couldn't have done it without you. I'm glad you happened to be at my Weyr that day.>> The memory might be fuzzy by now, but it's not much of a stretch to assume Mikhuth and D'kai had to be at Ista in order to catch her. <<Do you have a favourite?>>

C'len dutifully greets Lord Nerat as well, then just misses being involved in the facas with the slap, having turned his back on the pair of riders in favor of eyeing the tables and tables of food. He nods to the potter, grinning, "Indeed it is," before adding to Nolee, "I did stop by earlier to see what they were making, but you know me. If it's fish, I probably like it." He might not be saying that in a few turns.

X'lar has finished his third meatroll and currently looks like he's ready for more. Maybe not meatrolls, but something else. His hands snake around a dishwater blonde woman in her late thirties or early forties, making room for him to put food on his plate. "X'lar, you show some manners!" the blonde cries out. "Sorry mom," Xie replies back in response, grinning despite himself as he piles the food onto his plate.

The incident of the broken plate happens not far from Idraila, and though it startles her initially, she faces forward again, staring at the trays of food while the laughter, clapping and slapping erupts behind her. Saving her awkwardness, she finally reaches a point where the food is reachable and soon her plate is laden with an array of fresh fruits and other savory tidbits. Skirting the knot of people surrounding the clutchparents' riders, she nears the knot surrounding the Weyrwoman and Weyrleader instead. This one, however, she ventures into. "Good evening," she greets rather formally, managing to look almost peaceful and diplomatic, except for the stiffness in her shoulders. "Weyrleaders. I just wanted to tell you that it was an honor to stand for your most recent clutch." It's a similar incarnation of the thanks she's given to goldrider's past, but never to this particular pair. She glances down at her plate, but propriety in front of them prevents her from digging into the food there just yet.

Dragon> In Mikhuth's mind, some dark man grins with a flash of gold, basking in that warmth. << Was m'pleasure, really, >> and it's genuinely felt, every bit of it. For the question, there's the drifting laugh of many young voices, and the lifting notes of a distant harp, perhaps. << Nay, lady. Pick jus' one? They're all m'chilluns! &t;> Then, amended a bit sheepishly: << Our. Our chilluns, yeah? >> (Mikhuth to Lieryth)

Now that she's set herself down, Fayre has an opportunity to examine her plate of food; she was piling the delicious looking stuff on so fast that she's not actually sure of what all she has. She snatches a bright orange piece of fruit and gobbles that down; apparently watching your dragon work hard is hard work in itself.

Nolee returns the clutchsire's respects as well, though this is done with a plate of fruit in one hand as she answers C'len. "Fish. Mmm. Any seafood. Though I imagine we prepare it differently than at Boll, but I'm glad it's still edible for you." A teasing smile. As Idraila speaks, Nolee squints at her, then at C'len, puzzled, nodding. "Um, you did? Well, that's good. I mean, it's good to have had the experience. And even better now that the chores are over." Nolee looks again at the pudgy brunette, uncertain. "Should we be offering congratulations to you as well?" Her brows raise: did this one impress?

While it might still be early in the party, two septuagenarian riders from Windward have fallen asleep. One silver-haired bluerider appears to have his long beard in his soup while his friend has managed to clear his food away and begun snoring away against folded arms on the table. It isn't until a rather angry auntie the same age arrives that they awake and shuffle out sleepily.

Ananta arrives from the west cavern workroom.
Ananta has arrived.

Dragon> To Mikhuth, Lieryth is pleased by this answer and she rumbles deeply to show such. <<I was hoping you would say that; true sires love all their offspring. They all look so promising, don't they? Fayre is already so excited to begin guessing what kind of dragons are growing inside, though I think it is a bit early yet. I am happy as long as they are all healthy.>>

And after some roundabout moments wherein she gets lost and has to stretch up on tip-toes a few times, Sunniva finally, finally, makes her way to a table that's roughly adjacent to Fayre's own. It's just her poor luck to wind up sitting with a raucous bunch of riders that are loudly discussing their bets. Repressing a sigh, she twists slightly in her seat to face Fayre -- as best as she can, at any rate -- and waits until an opportune moment to interject with a mildly spoken, "Congratulations on the clutch, by the bye," and her smile shades wry as she adds, "though I am sure you and yours are positively swimming in compliments tonight."

X'lar is clearly a happy man, his fork doing its job in grabbing pieces of meat, fish and mashed tubers all together and inserting the combination into his mouth. Chew. Sound of food-related joy. Repeat. He glances toward Idraila and her polite manner with the leadership before smiling briefly. Soon, his attention returns to Sunniva, asking the previous candidate for Rielsath and Malsaeth's clutch, "So where're you living these days? Still at High Reaches or have you moved back to Fort, Sunniva?" Just don't mind the sauce on his index and pointer fingers from his right hand. Or the bit of mashed tuber on his chin that he oh so (not) gracefully picks at with his thumb before eating it.

Balinne arrives from the southeast bowl.
Balinne has arrived.

"Ah, we're glad you enjoyed it," C'len says and, perhaps smoothing over Nolee's query somewhat, "And happy to have you remaining at the Weyr with us." The rider has managed to collect a plate with plenty of seafood on it, though it has other tidbits as well: fruit, vegetables, starches. Well-rounded. "I'm glad that the sands were clear for Lieryth to clutch," he adds. "I've heard that some of new weyrlings are a bit of a handful."

Plate in hand, D'kai drifts, here and there and everywhere, a word here, a wave there, and a faint smile for Nolee's fruit-bound respects. He finally finds himself at the betting table, observing for some long moments before patting at his pocket and, reassured he's no marks to lose at this particular moment in time, it's back to the conversation for him - or, at least, back to familiar faces. And a tabletop, because carting around a food-laden plate forever gets a bit tiring on the arm, so he places it on Sunniva's table (with some vague gesture for the boisterous riders) and leans in to catch the tail end of X'lar question, turning his head with lifted brows for Sunni's answer.

Conveniently, Fayre is also leaning as best she can towards Sunniva; though the reason for that is to hear what kinds of bets the nearby riders are making, truth be told. Still, it means Sunniva's words are much easier to hear. After downing another piece of delicious fruit--this time a bright yellow one--the goldrider smiles politely. "Aye, lots of compliments this evenin'. But I'm never one to complain about hearin' one more." That last part is accompanied by a mischevious wink. "I saw y'on the sands at High Reaches, didn't I? My memory of the hatchin' is a little foggy, so 'scuse me if I'm wrong."

Idraila seems uncertain when her simple formality blooms into a full conversation- one can imagine that with Griere this sort of thing was a very cut-and-dry affair- but she pushes on all the same. "Oh, me? No," she responds, as if it should have not only been obvious, but expected that she would go un-Impressed. "I am very glad to have the experience, though," she agrees with Nolee, nodding slightly to her, careful not to let the curls atop her head slide too far forward. To C'len, she mimics that nod. "I only know a few of them well enough to know," she offers to him, then pauses to ponder, her vacant gaze flitting away for just a second. "And, really... well, only one of them could be considered close to a handful, I think. Maybe not." Unable to resist now, she sneaks a small slice of succulent fruit into her mouth, chewing as if she wished to avoid notice.

"Oh, good." Pause. "Oh, oh, yes, I was there. It was dreadfully-" late? early? "-late and I do not think any of us slept at all that night previous." That being to Fayre, of course. Turning slightly to regard X'lar, Sunniva offers a warm smile and a slight nod of her head, "Oh, no. I have not left the 'Reaches just yet. I wanted to come here first to visit and to see the eggs before deciding whether I ought to go back to Fort or stay at the 'Reaches." Narrow shoulders rise and fall, slim fingers reaching to absently adjust her skirts. And, really, she's trying /not/ to stare at the sauce on his fingers, but it's hard not to. "It is a difficult choice, however, all things considered." And that's where a nod to D'kai comes in, smile twitching into musing lopsidedness. "I have friends at both places, now."

This time at least, Balinne's got shoes on. She's still rather informal, in a simple sundress and sandals, her hair still damp from her recent bath. But she's clean, and fresh-smelling, without a trace of the dirt and grit of earlier drills. The crowd is met with her usual enthusiasm, the little redhead slipping through under elbows and around shoulders on her quest or... well, maybe it's food? But she ends up at the betting table. Whoops.

A roar of applause is heard from one of the corners when one mousy looking server very nearly trips over her own feet while quickly walking to their table with a large platter of food. She hops on one foot and still manages to stay her course. She serves the loud patrons in that corner with a flourish.

Dragon> To Lieryth, Mikhuth murmurs some low, delighted noise for Lieryth's approval, and his mind is awash awash with the clatter and clang of a trader's camp to emphasize it. << They're beaut'ful, the lot of 'em, >> and that's the dragon-spoke truth, even if the bronze does perk and show some renewed interest at the mention of Fayre's betting. << 'S not such a bad thing, innit? Yer not curious? >>

"Have you talked to any of the new weyrlings yet, like L'rell?" X'lar asks Sunniva curiously, smiling. "I have an idea they're all going to flourish, even if they're beasts that partly came from my own beast." There's a brief pause, listening to Sunni carefully before finally telling her: "I know what you mean though, I think. But at least now your view of the world isn't as small as it used to be, huh? No more bound by the Hold's or even Fort's confines." He gestures around to Sunniva, smiling again. He licks his fingers to clean the sauce off them before waving the same hand to Balinne as he spots the Wingleader's arrival.

Nolee has added seafood to her plate, skipping the starches in favor of the sweeter fruits. "I heard that, too. Probably drive that old man to retirement." Her head turns to watch Lord Gissopy of Nerat make a stop at the betting tables after D'kai, the broad man studying the tall blonde youth intently before he marks a few considered bets of his own, and after a moment Nolee's gaze returns to Idraila, just as distracted as before after the racket in the corner. She blinks once, twice, and smiles and nods. "Somebody sure is. Gossip's even made it back to the Queen's wing in the days we've been back at drills. You'll be staying on with us, then?" To C'len, she adds, "Do you see any place open, to sit? Or will it be standing?"

"Ah, well. I take it y'didn't impress then, 'cause you wouldn't be here if that were the case. But hey, lookit that! Y'get to come party with us fun Istans instead." There's a twinkle in Fayre's eyes as she says this, but it suddenly fades. "We're much nicer here, I promise ya that." Before she can let anything else slip, the rider digs into her meal and busies herself cutting up tender piece of roast herdbeast. "Ah, right. Ista's duties. I'm forgettin' my etiquette in all this excitement!" This, luckily, is said before she starts eating the cut up meat.
Suizen finishes off her chosen piece of fruit, and considers the rest of the plate, then the crowd. A bit of a crooked grin appears, before she turns to head out to the bowl. After all, there's still the rest of the plate to eat!

Suizen heads toward the bowl.
Suizen has left.

D'kai's nodding while Sunniva speaks, though he lifts his gaze to Fayre for a thoughtful moment; after this contemplation he offers: "They are lovely, Fayre, and that's not just Mickey talking." Well, maybe a little. Only a little, though, despite how he's settling proudly and straight-backed in his chair to start picking off his plate once again. There's a laugh for X'lar's words, and a curious sort of expression as the lad tilts his head up towards him, asking, "Beast?" And finally Deke's attention is back on Sunniva, and he's reassuring, "Well, if it's any consolation, I - or, at least, Mickey, which sort of means me, by proxy - will be spending a bit of time here. And there's nothing wrong with staying at the 'Reaches, I think."

A dip of the head accompanies a warmly uttered, "I have talked to a few of them and met their lifemates. They are all doing wonderfully from what I can tell." Sunniva shakes her head, adding with a soft laugh, "Yyth in particular is definitely of Malsaeth's blood." To the rest of X'lar's words, she nods, smile evening out into neutrality, "Yes, that is one thing I am deeply grateful for. It was an eye-opening experience and I rather look forward to enjoying more traveling if I am able." A small slice of some fruit or another is nibbled on, her attention shifting to Fayre with an emphatic nod. "Well, it certainly seems ... warmer, if I dare say so." Which doesn't seem to imply temperature, given the inflection. "Oh! Oh, dear. It seems we have both forgotten -- 'Reaches duties to you and yours." And, of course: "It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Fayre."

Dragon> To Mikhuth, Lieryth takes up that image of a trader camp, illuminating a vast, powerful bonfire in its center where men are roasting food, not unlike some of the dishes currently being served in the living caverns. <<Oh, of course I am curious. But...if, say, the whole clutch is green, I will not mind. I will be pleased, as long as all of our children are well and find their partners.>>

C'len's light eyes scan the cavern for seats, and he gestures in that general direction. "I think there are some over there," far side of the room, "but maybe it'd be best if we..." the rider's hands flop some, indicating the long, flowy dress in which Nolee is clad, which makes movement difficult, "Maybe it'd be easier if we just stand off to the side?" Another set of cheers comes from over at a table where some kind of game is going on, drawing C'len's attention momentarily. "Sounds like people're having fun, at least!" There's a grin for the Weyrwoman and Idraila alike.

When the younger children have gone off to bed, a Harper-trained rider with long blonde hair gathers the older teenaged children around the hearth to tell them a story. A few servers arrive with made plates with kid-sized portions of food for them so they don't have to leave the hearth or the story being spun by the buxom blonde.

A little wince for that near-tumble, and Balinne's back on track. "Oh!" she says as she spots X'lar. She slips on over, starting with, "Hey, I need you to meet- oh." And then she's grinning at D'kai. "Well, nevermind then!" Mission complete, and she didn't even have to do anything. A curious glance is given to Sunniva, and she asks, "Why would anyone want to go *back* to the Reaches?" and she shivers in sympathy for the cold. "Ugh. No thanks."

"Uh, yes ma'am," Idraila answers shortly, hesitating before adding further explanation, "I live here." Apparently gossip isn't exactly her forte, because she neglects to mention any of the weyrlings that might be suspected of troublemaking. Taking the weyrwoman's quest for a seat as some sort of cue, she bobs quickly again. "I'll let you two enjoy your night, then," she says, "it was a pleasure talking to you." Someone taught this girl her manners. With a wide, perhaps too-wide smile, she separates from them again and wanders closer to the tables, an eye out for the different groups that gather at them.

"Sorry," X'lar asks of D'kai, interrupting him for a moment. "Mickey? Who's that?" He nods once more and answers the Fortian bronzerider's question too, saying fondly, "Malsaeth. My beast." At hearing Sunniva, especially at hearing of Yyth, X'lar's smile turns into a wide, wicked grin. "That... warms my heart." To Bali, X'lar chuckles and nods, saying, "Yeah. We met, Bali." As he spots Idraila in the crowd again, X'lar waves to her. "Coming to join us," Xie asks the scribe. "Idraila?"

Fayre nods eagerly, but that makes eating rather difficult. So she nods once more, strongly, and then she's focusing on her herdbeast. After swallowing and dabbing at her mouth with a napkin, she continues to Sunniva, "Oh, yes. We're definitely warmer here. Ah, sometimes a bit too warm, some say. When it gets real sticky, y'know? Though Lieryth seems to love that weather best." She snorts and adds, "The hot sands are a good place for her." Fayre sets down her knife and fork for a moment, to give D'kai her full attention. "They really are, aren't they? An' all so different from each other, too. I like that."

Javeri heads toward the bowl.
Javeri has left.

Ananta heads toward the bowl.
Ananta has left.

Idraila scans the table to which she's summoned by X'lar, noting each face and providing a slightly hesitant smile for each. Much of them the same as before, but now not surrounded by a host of others. "Sure," she answers after that moment's consideration. She has to struggle a bit with her dress, setting her plate down in order to use two hands, but eventually she lifts it high enough to allow her to slide herself down onto the bench. Slipping into a conversation in the middle is never easy and for Idraila it's even harder. So she sits for a bit, hovering over her food that she finally gets to eat and listening attentively.

D'kai's quick on X'lar's heels to echo that 'we've met' to Balinne, and then he's gallantly tugging at the chair beside him and motioning with his fork. "Sit, sit!" Whether she does or not is inconsequential, but there, the offer's made, and the tall lad is grinning over towards the other bronze rider: "Mickey. Mikhuth. My own beast, if you will." And so rarely does he ever actually /refer/ to the bronze by name, Deke makes a small face for the word, although it's fast to vanish under Fayre's attention, dissolved into a tender smile. "I think," and here's a rueful sort of tilt of his head, and a chuckle, "We'd be saying that even if they were the ugliest eggs on Pern. It's a parent's job, or something."

Late in the party a bunch of Timor Wingriders, buzzed from the drinking, begin singing rousing song at their table. Unfortunately, not all of them are in key and none of them know the right words to it.

"Maybe that would be easier," Nolee agrees. "If I get this caught under my shoe, I'll likely pull it off." The Weyrwoman fidgets in her gown a moment, then follows the direction of C'len's gaze, nodding. To Idraila Nolee smiles, and the expression is warm though the Weyrwoman's attention span must match that of a Vtol. "Jays, thanks. A pleasure talking to you, too." As the polite one moves away, Nolee and C'len spend a few moments with a few of the seacrafters. "Bountiful harvest, you say? I knew the currents were looking good, but I didn't realize we had such an overflow." Conversation continues for a few exchanges before they find a place to stand and snack, Nolee beaming at the lively conversations going on and wincing for the singing.

"Well, aside from having befriended a fair number of the weyrlings and a few others," but that's as far as Sunniva gets, her nose wrinkling just a touch. "The weather /is/ awful, though." And now /she's/ shivering. Not helped much by X'lar's smile, either. "She also has a tremendous set of lungs on her," is noted of Yyth. Green eyes flick to Fayre then with a slight nod, taking advantage of the moment to nibble on this bit of fruit or that and give that pastry a brief looking-over. "It does sound lovely, stickiness aside. Though it does seem like it would be dreadfully oppressive in the galleries -- let alone the sands," sympathetic, that, with another thin shiver given at the thought. To D'kai and Fayre: "So, I do not envy either of you that."

Ananta arrives from the southeast bowl.
Ananta has arrived.

"Great lunngs?" X'lar asks, smirking. "Definitely sounds like a child of Malsaeth's, that's for sure." He rolls his eyes and goes on to admit, "Malsaeth's pretty pleased about it all, his children, even if he doesn't mention it. I can feel it." But his attention returns to Fayre, saying to the junior weyrwoman, "That reminds me. I've got something for you, as a gift for the clutching, but it'll have to wait another day." He looks to D'kai, listening some to the Fortian before nodding in understanding, replying back: "Mikhuth. That makes sense. I usually call my beast Mal." He looks to Idraila and smiles to her arrival in the group again, asking her: "How's your mother been doing, Idraila?"

A bounce on her toes, and Balinne decides, "Hm, alright," and sinks into that seat. A curious look around for those crazy singers, and a quick, "Phew, not mine," is muttered. "Now, see, I've never understood that," says Balinne to the bronzeriders. "Zelieth would eat me if I shortened her name. She's even grumbly when someone else does it, though she's given up trying to make me correct them. Mal I can understand, but Mickey? He doesn't... mind?"

"Well, I am used to the hot sands. That helps. I mean, they're the very sands I stood on when I was a candidate, after all." Fayre explains with a casual shrug. She grins teasingly at D'kai, adding, "Can't say the same for our poor Fortian clutchsire, though. Promise me you won't faint on the sands, mmkay?" Her back suddenly straightens as the rider peers at X'lar; her grin fades and her eyes widen with anticipation. "A present?! Aww, Xie! That's so sweet." Before she can begin to pester him with questions about it, talks of bets again reach the goldrider's ears. She can't resist it, now; she pushes her plate to the side and gets to her feet. "I'll be back real soon, folks. I'm going to check on those bettin' hides." And off she goes in that direction.

"Well, it's not like we have to spend all the time in there. Or, that I do, at least," though it's directed towards Sunniva's words, D'kai's teasing Fayre right back, with a feigned long-suffering sigh and dramatic roll of his eyes. "Please. You shame me with the very suggestion. Fainting." The lad quirks his mouth a tad sheepishly for Balinne's query, ducking his head and staving off a response with a mouthful or two off his plate before reluctantly replying, "Quite frankly, I barely understand him half the time, his accent's so thick. So even if he does, I can just pretend like I've no clue what he's on about."

The betting tables are starting to see less action now that the party has been going on for some time. A group of three burly men, none of them sporting knots, inch over that way and begin to skim over the hides. There are a few quick flashes of movement and then the three are heading back into the crowd of the caverns, each of them going separate ways.

Idraila holds up a finger gently to have X'lar wait for her answer while she hurriedly chews the edge of a meaty tart and swallows. "She's... fine," the scribe answers him, then turning to look around the crowd in general. "She's around her somewhere. In blue." And her hand gestures to the color of her sash idly, indicating the color. She peeks over his shoulder at Fayre as she takes her leave, then asks of the table in general, an attempt to integrate herself, "Will any of you be placing bets as well?" Her tone is a bit awkward, but the smile she joins to it is warm enough.

Confirmation is another nod to X'lar, with Sunniva lapsing into silence whilst she picks apart the pastry. Then, "Well, he ought to be proud; they are a fine lot of dragons." Fayre is given a somewhat dubious look, her nose wrinkling as she concedes the point with a tilt of her head. Her expression is thoughtful when the goldrider moves on to peruse the betting hides, but that's shrugged off and her attention slides to Balinne with an idle, "Oh, I could not imagine shortening another dragon's name -- even when they're called something different, like Mikhuth. He is a dear, though." And to Idraila, a polite -- and perhaps slightly sympathetic, for the awkwardness -- "I will not, but gambling is not my strong suit."

Nolee's busily watching a few folks who have taken up a little bit of dancing, rather compact and tightly formed, in one corner, and words spoken in her direction are lost a few moments as she and C'len sneak in a few bites of their dinner, a few words exchanged about the relative tastiness of the morsels among the foot-tapping. A few words carry, comments about the rich schools of fish circling the isles, and how best to take advantage of the bounty.

"I don't normally bet either," X'lar replies back. And then begins laughing. "Well, that's not true at all, actually. I bet, just not on dragons. Runners, poker games and the occasional wherry fight, but never dragons." He gestures toward Fayre, saying, "That's her suit though. She's been doing it for as long as I've known her." He looks around, likely for Idraila's mother, before returning his glance to the scribe, telling her: "I don't see her. I think that's a good sign." He gives a mischevious look to Idraila and replies, "Without your mom around, you can cut loose." He nods toward his own mother, talking to a brownrider that looks a bit like X'lar. "Those're my folks," Xie replies. "But even if they're around, it still doesn't stop me from cutting loose and having fun." At seeing Nolee, X'lar gives the scribe a brief smile and says: "If you'll excuse me, though, I should go talk to Nolee and C'len for a moment." And with that, he heads toward the Weyrwoman and 'leader. "Ma'am, sir," Xie greets Noles and C'len. "I just wanted to thank you for the beasts you gave Malsaeth and I even though it ended up being such a big misunderstanding, the significance of your gift was not lost on me. I hope that I can be of help to you when you need it, the same way you were there for me when I needed it."

Fayre is close to the betting tables now, and is alert enough to notice those shady movements. She follows the tallest of the three through the crowd and manages to catch up to the ringleader. The weyrwoman taps him on the shoulder, gives him a stern glare, and holds out her hand expectantly. Not wanting trouble, the seedy fellow takes out a strip of hide from his pocket and gives it over before again disappearing into the crowd.

There's a shake of her head for betting. "Not for me, thanks," says Balinne. "My marks are best kept in my pocket." There's a grin for Sunniva, and she tells her, "Zelieth would thank you, if she was the type to do such things. Really, she just feels she's getting what she's owed." There's a fond grin for her green, and a quick glance for the bowl though nothing can be seen. For D'kai, Balinne wonders, "Accent? He... has an accent? I don't believe I've heard that before. You really don't understand him?" This has her thinking, apparently.

The comment from X'lar catches him with his mouth full of fish--though he'd rather savor the flavor, C'len quickly gulps it down, which results in a cough that surprisingly doesn't send any fish flying. After taking in a breath, the weyrleader grins and, though he may try to look enigmatic, he just looks a little odd. "The beasts I gave?" Mimed surprised, as if he doesn't want to admit his involvement in the whole thing. "I'm glad to hear he had enough to eat, though." Hearing Nolee's remark about the fish, he grins, "Though if not, maybe he could've come back to have some fish? At least someone's able to admit to bounty--" a quick glance is cast in the direction of Lord Nerat who is gambling away some of his bounty.

"I guess so," Idraila responds to X'lar's supposition about her mother, her smile twisting into a highly amused but wry sort of grin as she too looks about, casually, for her mother. When the bronzerider points out his own parents, she studies them from her vantage point carefully, eyes skipping back to X'lar and picking out the similarities. When he excuses himself, she nods lightly and goes about eating her appetizers again. "I'm not really a better either," she offers the others, her oddly wide smile appearing again just before she stretches it open to fit in a bite of redfruit.

D'kai shakes his head in response to Idraila's query, tacking on a, "Though mostly for a lack of marks than much else, I suppose. Not that I've ever had much luck with betting," he chuckles for this last admittance, wag his head once again. "Sorry, I don't think we've been -" so he's leaning forward to extend his hand to Idraila, offering a grin and, "D'kai, Mikhuth's. Proud clutchfather," nope, can't resist that bit. Then, over his shoulder, there's a smile for Sunniva as he says, "Yeah, hey. You've always called him his proper name." Huh. Then he's sitting back and picking crumbs off the table and sprinkling them back onto his empty plate, nodding towards Balinne. "Accent," affirmed with a helpless lift of his shoulders, "He's always had it. Like a really thick trader's, you know? And - yeah, I /understand/ him, but sometimes his actual words are... just kind of a jumble to me."

Nolee is midway through her deep-fried softshelled crab when X'lar approaches, and his greeting catches her by surprise. "Ah - what?" Utterly confused at the bronzerider's comments, Nolee tilts her head, her headband slipping a little loose and some hair falling into her eyes. "Beasts?" Nolee's eyes blur a moment, the mention of a dragon's recognizable name spurring a check-in with Nalaieth, most likely - or else it is C'len's response that prompts a nod and a smile. "We're sure glad he got enough to eat. Awfully heaps of cold there, I hear." Inside and out. No blame, no responsibility, she'll support C'len in that. "But thanks for your loyalty - Ista's glad to have you back." A peer at C'len: is this the right boy? But the shady dealings of the unknotted men bring a crimp of Nolee's lips, and she tries to make eye contact with Fayre: Everything all right over there?

Bits of pastry are munched down in between sips of water, Sunni nodding a little to Balinne with a smile before: "Oh! Oh, dear. I have forgotten my manners," /again/, such a shamefully blush-worthy travesty, "I am Sunniva. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance-?" trailing off to allow the greenrider to fill in the blank, she wipes a hand quickly on a napkin, then offers that hand to the rider. To Idraila, a thoughtful, "I would say I do not bet because of my luck, but such a thing is so terribly relative -- would it have been good luck to have Impressed and missed this? Or bad?" She doesn't know, so she leaves it rhetorical, her attention shifting to D'kai with a soft laugh, "Yes, it is only proper and polite." By her standards, naturally.

Fayre pockets the hides for later review and glances around the caverns, managing to catch Nolee's eye. It doesn't take much to notice the other woman's worried expression, so she puts on an easy smile and nods twice. Everything under control, now.

Near the end of the party, a pair of drunk brown riders from Spinaker Wing threaten to fight one another. That is, until an even more brawny looking female blue rider arrives and splits the pair up by shouting, "Don't make me knock your heads together, you doofuses!" While the enmity appears to remain, the bluerider has saved the living cavern from at least one drunken brawl.

"Oh," X'lar tells C'len, grinning despite himself. "Sorry. I should know better to speak to someone with fish in their mouth. Faranth knows I become a nasty person if someone catches me mid-meatroll-eating." He pauses before listening to both Weyrwoman and Weyrleader, nodding quickly in response to their collective remarks to him. "Of course, thank you," he replies easily. "And I'm happy to be back as well, Nolee." He looks between Nolee and C'len again, brows drawn high in curiousity before asking the pair, "And how're you both adjusting now that your dragons aren't on the sands any more?"

"Oh," Idraila mutters through her half-chewed redfruit, swiftly swallowing so she can offer her own hand and tell him, "I'm Idraila, a scribe here." Nods are offered to her other two tablemates as well, extending the introduction to those she seems to have just realized are unknown to her. Her attentive manner, however, is torn from them when a fight nearly breaks out on the other side of the cavern. "Hm," she hums to herself as she peers at the riders being escorted out, a bit of cheese lifted to her lips for a nibble.

Clearly, Balinne will never understand that, because she's staring at D'kai like he might be crazy. She says nothing more on the subject of dragon-accents, and instead turns to consider Sunniva's sudden, and proper, introduction. "Eh? Oh!" her hand is quickly extended, no crumbs needing to be brushed off, and she tells her, "Well met, Sunniva! Balinne, Zelieth's rider and Belior's Wingleader," not that she looks the part at the moment. "Thanks for coming down to celebrate our new Clutch!"

The food on the tables keeps coming despite it being near the end of the evening, servers arriving to take the empty dishes away while other servers arrive to add more food to the table. The servers spread out desserts now, mostly Istan delicacies, but some of the dishes come from different parts of the world, like those small bowls of pudding from High Reaches.

Nolee is reassured by the clutchmother's rider across the room, and she nods Fayre's way pleasantly then continues a stare at X'lar: unfortunately for him, the young bronzerider was away from Ista just long enough for her to have mostly forgotten who he is. Consequently, his easy use of her first name takes her by surprise, and she squints at him as though she should possibly recall more than she does, like that he is perhaps a relative. "Oh jays, it's wonderful as usual. Weyrlings are a bother though, I hear." Easy gossip goes easy. Though then bits of her crab require attention, so she nibbles at it with pleasure. "You settling back in all right?"

D'kai blinks, bemused, for Balinne's expression, though chuckles a low chuckle and smiles. "Well, it's how it's always been, for us, so I'm fair used to it by now." He's nodding for Idraila's introduction, and turns to follow her gaze towards that rumble on the other side of the cavern - and quickly his attention is caught by those dessert trays, puddings and all. The bronze rider murmurs an excuse and rises from the table to amble off and pick off the good ones before they're gone; Balinne and Idraila both recieve a merry wave, and Sunni another half-armed hug about her shoulders. "I'll catch up with you before you head back, yeah?" And then he's off towards those delectables, to load up his plate and co-mingle with the room at large again.

D'kai goes home.
D'kai has left.

"Well met, Balinne," is echoed warmly enough, Sunniva's grip being firm but fleeting. "Oh, I would not have missed this for the world, though I have yet to actually see the eggs," the last is paired with a soft laugh, head shaking. "How terrible, to be here to celebrate the clutch and to not have actually seen it." Is that a breach of some strange etiquette? She doesn't know. Her attention briefly alights on the scribe with a dutifully polite, "It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Idraila." The scuffle just over yonder is worth a glance, but only that much; as it's broken up, disinterest settles in and her gaze tracks over to D'kai. She returns the hug awkwardly and nods up at him with a smile. "Do take care, D'kai. We shall talk again, I am sure." And then he's gone and she shifts in her chair, rigid posture adjusting slightly.

X'lar doesn't seem slighted in the least by Nolee's stare of forgetfulness. In fact, he has somehow grabbed another meatroll in the progress of talking to the leadership, which he now begins eating. "Of course," Xie tells Nolee, smiling happily. "It took Malsaeth a bit longer, since he's all about the restlessness, so we had to travel a bit before he was happy too. But now it's back to riding sweeps with Timor and spear-fishing on my time off." He watches D'kai's departure before chuckling softly.

More food coming out is always good. C'len's finished everything on his plate, and seems to be considering more, looking over his shoulder toward the table that's now holding the desserts. Managing to return his attention to Nolee and X'lar, his lips twist in a grin, "Vil has less of a reason to complain about excessive heat, now," he says, "though that doesn't stop him from doing it anyway. How did Malsaeth take to 'Reaches?"

Her mood slightly ruined by those gambling shenanigans, Fayre takes her leave, forgetting all about her abandoned plate on the table as she slips out of the living caverns towards the bowl.