Welcome to Gaia! ::

Yvoth’s roar of greeting could be heard through the door. K’la appeared not long after the sound, wearing a smile and one of her plainer gowns. It was a cream affair with white piping, made elegant by its rich fabric and careful accessorizing. A few white narrow white ribbons stiffly tied back the upper layer of K’la’s curls, and the rest fell and made a dark border between cleavage and neckline. Her sandals were simple, but had piping to match the dress. “Oh, Canoaka, it’s been a while, hasn’t it?” She drew the younger woman into the weyr with welcoming gestures. Thanks to her influence over Hinalle, her apartments had been cleaned while she’d been out on Search, and everything was orderly and clean as if she’d never left. Although it was commonly rumored that K’la had very little common sense, fiscally she was more devious than a tunnel snake. Thanks to her careful management of her marks, the greenrider’s quarters, though small, were more voluptuously decorated than some bronzerider’s. Decorative rugs and furniture gave the room a light, warm, feminine look without being oppressively ‘girly’ and overcrowded.

“I haven’t seen you since before I got into that business with Trine – it’s been so nice, coming back and running into everyone again. Would you like some klah?” Her mouth ran idly as it occurred to her about how long it had been she’d last seen the Candidate. She hadn’t thought about her small duty to the younger woman while she’d been gone. Perhaps she should have been more thoughtful and arranged something, but, well, here was Canoaka, and judging from her expression, everything was just fine.

Yvoth rumbled pleasantly at the compliment. She stretched and shook her head from her lounging position on the ledge, showing off her bright green hide. K’la had very little aptitude for regular cleaning and handling dirt and grime, but her dragon’s hide was the one exception to her fastidious rule about getting dirty. The green, contented now, recurled herself on the ledge and watched the two through slitted, sunbathing eyes.

K’la smiled a bit more, glad and a little thankful to have someone else dote on Yvoth a little. She went to pour a cup of klah (no longer piping hot, but warm enough to serve at least) and served them at a now cold, but swept hearth in the far corner of the small weyr. “I haven’t heard any of the rumors here, but over there, they were quite atrocious,” she said once they were settled for conversation. “Yvoth gets along with most everyone, so she heard some of the more outrageous ones from those Trine dragons before that silly bronze killed that brooding crimson of theirs.” Seen first hand, the incident had been blood curdling, but it was too dreadful a thing to describe now in pleasant conversation. Easier to call it silly and stay distant from the violence. “I think the worst was that they expected us to steal their queen egg.” She shook her head and sighed in exhasperation, as if vexed breathless by this.

Yvoth gave another pleased rumble, but she was apparently done with the conversation, because her lidded eyes sealed shut. “I doubt they’d say that if they ever went to that southern continent. Their heat is so different on account of all that humidity. Even sitting still it’s entirely suffocating. As for those healers…” She took a sip, drawing the moment out. “As for them, Masterhealer Givon spent so long mucking about the Hatching Sands I thought we’d never leave. I think he found something though. He looked smug as a tunnel snake coming up under a clutch of wherry eggs at Alumanth’s rider’s funeral.” Her mouth twitched in distaste. That funeral had been nothing but an affront. “I don’t think even S’raid, the only bronzerider that stayed, knew what the man was smirking about though.” This was gossiping of the worst sort, she knew, but rumors were always uglier than the truth. Let Canoake remind people that there wasn’t a real answer yet.

“It’s not my place to say so,” K’la mentioned, then said so anyway, “but he better have a good reason for being so secretive.” A few dainty slips of klah put the subject to rest, at least for the moment. “So have I missed anything interesting here while I’ve been away?”

K’la nodded sagely in agreement, though she honestly felt inadequate in those sort of romantic politics. Oh, she played a fair game of flirting and favors and so on in public, but in the sheets her only method was to close her eyes and wait for it to end. Even when Yvoth rose, K’la’s only interest was in having her pick a dragon who’s rider was short of… stamina. She sometimes found herself jealous of Canoake’s fluid handling of the subject, though she’d never actually accept that sort of ‘social deftness.’ She fumbled along well enough by using a suggestive tone and giving clever sayings. “The poor thing has enough to edgy over as it, what with healers poking about her all the time. Maybe her clutch will be better this time.” She doubted it, but really did hope so, for Canoake’s sake if nothing else. She imagined the young woman would be an excellent rider.

She started to rise. “While we’re on the subject though, unless I can’t count, I think it’s about time we go look at Ista’s beeches, or do you have another preference?” By which, of course, she meant it was time for them to make their hop Between.

K’la gave her a winning smile and went to sweet talk Yvoth out of her nap while Canoake cleared the tray. The green gave a pitiable sort of grumble at the request but positioned herself sleepily so K’la could put a strap the saddle to her.

Now was the point where she should have changed out of her dress and ribbons, put on some proper boots and riding gear, but instead she removed her thin sandals and Yvoth, accustomed to this, swung her head back. K’la caught on of the sturdy horns on her head and was carefully lifted and slid into place on her dragon’s neck. She would never have done this around her fellow riders, but she was competent at riding Yvoth side saddle. Yvoth was an exceedingly gentle flyer. The only trouble would be the cold of Between, and the chill would be dissipated when they arrived over the beeches. She settled herself in place and beckoned Canoake. “Would you like her to help you up, dear?”

Yvoth gave a more cheerful rumble now that she was waking and turned her sinuous neck to whirl a green eye at Canoake.

K’la gave her green mute direction, and the green knelt and tilted her head toward Canoake, offering a headhorn. Moments later, the trio was ready, and Yvoth gave a rumble of warning. She surged forward and with a smooth leap, flung herself from the edge of the weyr. Her wings snapped out, and with her light frame and delicate load, and leap turned into a smooth glide. Moments later, Yvoth blinked her companions Between from the weyr.