Welcome to Gaia! ::

Malvern Weyr, huh? Cathaoir stretched as he walked along the Weyr’s beach. It was nice to be able to go visit the Weyr from time to time, even if it was simply additional endurance swim training. Today was a swim to the Weyr, lunch and break to prevent swimmer’s cramp, then a swim back. It wasn’t as bad as it sounded, though – free lunch! Who wouldn’t turn it down?

The dolphineer picked a spot on the sand, also setting down his simple lunch. It wasn’t much, but it was hearty: bread, meat, an apple, and a canteen of fresh water. Cathaoir made a note to refill it before leaving.

He was about to eat his lunch when the first sea-bird arrived. He ignored it.

Then the second one arrived. Then a third. “Squaaaawk.”

“Oh, shards!” The boy exclaimed, his grip tightening on his makeshift sandwhich as the birds with their beady eyes stared at him. “No. This is mine. Miiiine Go bother someone else!”

"Oomph rah aye," the apprentice dolphineer replied through his food, taking large bites and attempting to chew it all. Cathaoir didn't turn around, busy as he was holding a staring contest with the bird in front of him. "Ahhm nom nom," he told it triumphantly, taking another bite. He appeared to be teasing the birds.

The birds did not rise to the challenge. They continued to stare, occasionally shrieking and talking to each other in their bird-language.

"Eefer oo aye!" Cathaoir replied, finishing his sandwich until only pieces of bread remained. Mmm, that was -- cough! Cough! Hack! The boy leaned over and coughed, before snatching up his canteen and chugging.

At last he lowered the empty canteen. "Whew!" He said, turning around to face the boy while waving the remaining crust of his sandwich around. "I said you are right then ahm nom nom then neither do I! See, it's a- AGH! HEY!" A bird had stalked forward as he was talking, then took wing in order to swoop and dive at the remaining piece of bread. "Mine! Shoo!"

Cathaoir continued to move the bread around, ducking and weaving as a second bird joined in the attempt. "Candidate? Eh? Nah," he said, breaking off a piece and tossing it up. It fell to the ground before a bird swooped in and claimed it. "I'm training to become a dolphineer. What about you?"

"Neat!" He replied, ripping off another hunk of bread to toss to the seabirds. This time, they managed to catch it mid-air. He threw another one up, watching as two of the birds squabbled over it before the third one snatched it away. Heh -- silly birds.

At the other boy's question, Cathaoir considered it. "Well," he began, "If you like swimming which I do, then it's great! The dolphins are really friendly. I like swimming with them and diving. They're really a lot of fun to be with!" He beamed. "How about you? What's being a candidate-healer like?"

The dolphineer in training stared. "You got to meet a gold?" he asked. "Man! You're lucky! What was she like?"

As the topic changed back to him, Cathaoir grinned. "It's amazing! Even though we have to wake up before everyone else in order to go swimming before the tide comes in, well... It has its shares of ups and downs. Overall, I love it."

He nodded in reply to the queen's description. That was similar to what he had heard, yet at the same time it made sense. Why wouldn't a queen be prideful of who she was?

Cathaoir had picked up the fruit while the other boy spoke and was quietly munching on it, occasionally tossing smaller and smaller pieces of bread towards the birds. "Mpph," he answered. He finished chewing and swallowed, then shrugged. "Sometimes we do. Today was an endurance swim from the Dolphineering Hall to here. We'll probably head back either later tonight, or in a couple days after getting used to the currents'n'things around here."

"Later?" He echoed, considering. "I dunno, to be honest. It all depends on what our teachers and the pod thinks. We might, orrr we might not. I dunno."

The dolphineer looked thoughtful before a mischievious grin quirked at his lips. "Hey!" He shouted, "Think fast!" The boy had crushed the remaining bread into a ball while they were speaking, and threw it at him. Shrieks filled the air as the seabirds shrieked and dove down, heading straight towards Jarest!