Luverly Candie (Aliscia&Eitan)

[reqqy]

Lauranna bustled.

There was no other word for it. Her short legs were going a mile a minute, and she wasn't at all concerned about whether or not Eitan was having trouble keeping up. The recent transfer from Benden would keep up, or fall flat on his face trying, as Lauranna still had him by the wrist. She'd only let go to take the oars of the boat they needed to gain the stretch of land that housed the candidate barracks. And no, she didn't allow Eitan to row.

She might have, if she'd paused to consider it, but she was the one who knew where everything was, after all.

With a delighted grin, one she threw back over her shoulder at the young man, she came to a sudden stop before the building's base. "Here it is," the woman announced grandly. It perched in the tree, well above the heads of both woman and future wher candidate. Releasing his wrist, she pointed to the stairs jutting out from the trunk, clearly indicating that he was to climb.

Lauranna waited for him to start before following suit. Reysalth called to Tanith, careful to use as respectful a tone as she was able, Tanith. Mine comes with a new charge for you and Yours. It was early, but not now so early that the green queen of the candidate barracks was likely to be still asleep.

[ricil]

It had been an awkward trip, to say the least. He'd only kept up due to always being used to tagging along. Throughout the boat ride, he kept expecting her to offer him the oars, even though he wouldn't have known where to steer the thing. And then she flashed him a grin over her shoulder. His immediate thought was What now?

"Here it is."

Eitan blinked and looked up at the treebound barracks. It was in a tree? Still, he couldn't really question it aloud. He had begun to resign himself to the fact that these people were different from him and the ways he was used to. Still, his gut stirred restlessly as he remembered he was going to be looking up to a woman as a Candidatemaster.

Laurie let go of his wrist, and pointed at the stairs leading up the trunk. After a second's time of not getting it, he realized she wanted him to climb first. Reluctantly, he did so. He wasn't used to taking the lead. Maybe that would change if he Impressed a bronze, something big and strong... Assuming he Impressed at all. He reminded himself bitterly that he had stood beside his brother on the sands and the brown had picked then-Anten, and none of the hatchlings had come to him. He hoped fervently that the reason was because he was meant for a watch-wher instead.

[kysseh]

As was habit with the two of them, Aliscia and Tanith had been up with the dawn... or slightly before that, to be more precise. Tanith's recent trend of picking verbal fights had been wearing on Aliscia's already-thin nerves, so the greenrider had decided they should take a nice, long, exhausting early morning flight, longer than their usual daily one. Unfortunately for her reckoning, she had forgotten the nearly boundless amounts of energy that the diminutive green could expend.

Soaring high above the weyr, the green suddenly folded her wings and made a sharp dive, making Aliscia let loose with a string of very colorful swear words. Shards, Tanny, a little warning would be nice! she groused at her dragon, startled by the sudden distraction from their acrobatics. Hungry now?!

//We come.// Tanith replied shortly to Reysalth before offering up an explanation to her rider. //Reysalth's has a new brat for us to scare. I am-//

/Not/ going to land that hard on the platform! You'll break it. Aliscia scolded as the dragon half-unfurled her wings to slow their rapid descent. She could see the landing platform outside the candidate barracks, and Tanith was making a straight line for it. Gently!

The scarred green gave a low growl but complied, throwing open her broad wings at near to the last minute to touch down on the landing platform just a bit harder than Aliscia wanted. //I will scare them into submission so we do not have any more attitudes. Then we can get back to flying.// she said, turning her head to watch her rider dismount and pull off her helmet.

Aliscia shoved her chin-length hair back from her face and looked toward the stairs, patiently ignoring Tanith's eagerness to punish for the untimely interruption. She sincerely hoped this candidate did not have an attitude, wanting to get this necessary interview done with the least bit of problems. Tanith would not stand for much else.

[ricil]

Eitan slowed his ascent slightly as he saw a small green come in for a landing, just out of his sight. Was that the Candidatemaster? Surely it must be. That or a messenger.

He resumed his usual pace, only to almost collide with a petite brunette as he reached the landing corner. He avoided this by stepping back, almost stumbling on the stairs but righting himself.

"I was going a bit too fast," he said by way of apology. "You're the Candidatemaster?"

((Blah, short post. Sorry. I'm exhausted.))

[reqqy]

We come, Reysalth repeated mockingly, for Hers only. Too bad Lauranna didn't know what Tanith sounded like normally, or she might have been able to appreciate the impression a bit more. Talk about abrupt, the veteran green complained, clearly annoyed at the other's rudeness. Well, if it makes you feel any better, I'm sure it's not at all personal, her rider offered helpfully. But Reysalth was in rare form - rare pissy form, that was - and had already left her weyrledge with the full intent of giving Tanith a scolding. She was older, after all - maybe not a veteran in the wars, but she'd acquitted herself well-enough against all those battle-hardened dragons when Selenitas was attacked during Threadfall. Shards if she was scared of a perpetually nasty green hatchling!

May I remind you, miss Warrior Queen, that you are not the one closest to our lovely miss Claws. You may have no trouble with her, but I'd rather not visit Phremath's in any capacity but as a friend.[/i][/b] Scampering after her young charge, the woman added severely, In other words, lay off. Don't insult me. I'd never let her lay a claw on you. Now, if you'll excuse me for a moment... Reysalth was extra careful to be exquisitely polite and formal, just to add weight to how very rude Tanith had been. Laurie sighed. The green wasn't proddy; it was far too early for that. What was putting her in such a foul mood? Probably restlessness. Lauranna and Reysalth both shared that particular fault.

Fault? Don't make me teach you a lesson, as well, Mine. It's not nice to blame others for your shortcomings. I wasn't bla- Lauranna had been paying so much attention to her dragon's strangely cantankerous mood that she didn't notice Eitan stop directly before her and ran face-first into his back. Of course, she hardly budged him at all. It did manage to land her on her seat quite nicely though, a short squeal escaping her. "Oh, shardit!" Laurie picked herself up, rubbing at her bum with an almost comically pained expression. "A little warning would be nice!"

Reysalth was just about to issue her challenge when a familiar voice intruded. Reysalth. We need an extra pair of wings over here, and you're probably the only one small enough to fit. Mind helping out for a couple of minutes? The green hovered, uncertain, but then decided that, whatever it was, it would probably be better to do something constructive...even if she thoroughly wanted to mark up that hatchling's hide. You'll owe me a favor. Salenth's tone was amused as he replied, Oh, so that's how it is! Maybe someone el- Don't be such a wherry. Of course I'll help.

One disaster averted. Laurie silently thanked her brother's dragon, before darting forward to peer around Eitan's elbow and give Aliscia an enthusiastic little wave. "Hi! We've got a new victim for you!" Then, just because her pride was still a bit pricked, she clapped the boy on the back hard enough to make most anyone else his size stumble a little.[/size]

[kysseh]

Aliscia was startled by the sudden and rapid appearance of the candidate, scowling a bit and rocking back on her heels, her expression made even more intimidating by the scars running down one side of her face. Shardit, but she was starting to dislike this job for more reasons than one, including the fact that she had to tip her head far, far back to look the candidate in the eye. Before she could speak, she registered a squeal and glanced around the candidate to see the other greenrider picking herself up. She sympathized; being smaller than people meant that it was far easier to get knocked over.

"A little too fast with your eyes shut tight. Yes, I'm the candidatemaster. Greenrider Aliscia to you. That's Tanith," she said, gesturing at the scarred and restless green on the platform behind her. "I'd suggest not angering her," she added, though anyone with half a brain could have translated the rather huffy glare that the green was sending toward the candidate. Tanith did not like her flying time being interrupted. She took a few steps back to give him room to move. "Why don't you move to let her by? Even weyrfolk should have good manners."

Laurie's enthusiasm was both draining and amusing, but Aliscia managed a half-smile, though it still looked a bit sinister despite her lack of malicious intent. It was hard to be cynical in the face of such honest energy, even with Tanith grumbling still in the back of her mind. "I can see that. Let's hope he's a tad brighter than the last bunch," she said mildly, though she somehow doubted it. For once, Tanith agreed with her too.

[ricil]

Eitan had already pushed the fact that Laurie was following him to the back of his mind, too used to letting the women around him function without him paying any heed. So when she walked straight into him, it was surprising. He glanced back as she picked herself up and admonished him for not warning her.

At the same time: "Why don't you move to let her by? Even weyrfolk should have good manners."

Eitan found it hard to think about the small woman in front of him the same way, now that he saw the scarring on her face, and scars (and the angry look) on her dragon. Come to think of it, the green looked like it could have been a large blue at least, in build. Maybe even small brown? He swallowed. The effect was unnerving, intimidating. Would he have to deal with her until he Impressed?

"I'm sorry," he said to both women, second-guessing every word of the apology as he spoke. "I'd...um...forgotten there was someone behind me for a second..."

Swallowing again, he looked up at bulky green Tanith. He did not want to get on her bad side, no matter what. Those claws looked all too sharp for his liking, and he tried not to think about them slicing into his skin...

That was when Laurie clapped him on the back. Hard. Startled, he stumbled forward. After an oddly-comical bit of gyrating arms to keep from falling over, he managed to steady himself, suppressing the urge to yell at her for it, helped in that immensely by the sight of the intimidating green. Did Aliscia look somewhat...sinister? Whatever she had in mind for him, he definitely didn't want to know.

[reqqy]

Oh dear. Aliscia was rather harsh, wasn't she? At least the wherlingmaster would be a breath of fresh air if the boy impressed - wait, who was the wherlingmaster? Laurie frowned to herself. She really should find out, but...she simply didn't care. Her teddy bear F'rah was Weyrlingmaster, though. Thinking of him made her want to bounce off and check on the weyrlings, but that would be awfully rude, wouldn't it? Shame. She didn't want to be rude. People could see her as crazy, overly optimistic, a complete lunatic, or even manipulative - the last being far closer to the truth - but she would never want to be seen as rude. Not good for the happy-go-lucky flirtatious greenrider front.

She only vaguely paid attention to the conversation going on, until Eitan had the audacity to say he'd forgotten about her. How could he forget?! She'd dragged him about by the wrist for the better part of a candlemark. Pouting, Lauranna crossed her arms over her chest. Not that either of them could really see her reaction; Eitan had his back to her - still! - and that tall body of his was mostly shielding her from the candidatemaster's view. Even when he stumbled, it seemed he'd forgotten about her again. The boy didn't move aside. She was feeling very left out right about now, and that was not the way things were supposed to be. How was she supposed to be included in this coversation if she couldn't even see the faces of the other two people?

Well, this simply wouldn't do. Not at all.

Lauranna's eyes narrowed, a smirk tugging at her lips before it vanished - before either of her companions might catch wind of it. If he wasn't going to move, then...

The woman leapt, wrapping her arms around Eitan's shoulders. She didn't wrap her legs around his waist because that would probably just be too awkward. Reysalth's mental equivalent of a snort sounded in her mind. And jumping on him to begin with isn't awkward? Details, details. Beaming at Aliscia, Laurie was careful to make sure her arms had encircled the breadth of his chest rather than his neck; she had no intention of hurting the lad, after all. Her rider's muscles maintained the position easily. She could support her own weight indefinitely, even if she didn't often broadcast that fact.

Her grin never wavering, the greenrider stated cheerily, "Oh, no need for him to let me past, Candidatemaster! I'm quite comfortable right here, and I can see so much more from this height!" Laurie let her head rest in the space where his shoulder met his neck.

[kysseh]

"You seem to be overlooking a lot," Aliscia said simply, noting the nervousness with which he regarded her and Tanith. Oh, but he was a bit nervous. That worked to her advantage, and she gave a thin-lipped smile. Finally... a candidate with a healthy dose of respect for things more dangerous than themselves. She knew how to deal with these, and behind her, Tanith let out a low rumble of delight. Oh, joyous. A new candidate to torture! the green said privately to Hers, shifting her weight from foot to foot and watching the odd threesome.

She chuckled as Lauranna's slap sent the candidate stumbling, wishing the boy would just have the sense to move. Apparently, the other greenrider was just about to remedy that situation, and she returned Laurie's expression with a faint smirk of her own, unable to resist letting out a snicker as the woman's face appeared above Eitan's shoulder. "Isn't it wonderful being tall?" she asked dryly, making it patently obvious that that was a rhetorical question. "He could suffer being taken down a bit. Having to look up at him is hurting my neck."

Unable to resist getting a closer look at the source of so much trouble, Tanith darted the short distance across the platform, shoving her nose around Aliscia to get a better look. She sniffed him over, head tilted slightly so that one eye could look him over critically. She did not like him much, but since Hers had already welcomed him, she could not very well kick him out now. Pity. She had not thrown anything around in quite awhile, and she was itching to get her claws into something.

Giving her dragon a light swat on the nose to encourage good behavior, Aliscia arched an eyebrow up at Eitan. "Dragon or wher candidate? You'll be sharing a bunk with one of the other male candidates; you'll have either top or bottom. You can find the chores list and bunk assignments inside, when we're through with you." Oops, had that sounded threatening. Yes, it had. Good. "Do you have any pets?"

[ricil]

Poor Eitan. His brother had left too soon, leaving him in this situation with no advice. He had absolutely nothing to say to Aliscia's noting him missing details. After all, if he said what came to mind - Old habits die hard - they'd probably kick him out of the Weyr, and then where would he go? In an attempt to think up a way to explain away his rudeness (telling them he was from Benden was probably out of the question until it was actually brought up), he'd forgotten Laurie was behind him again.

Until, that is, a pair of arms circled his chest, and the rider's weight was suddenly placed on his shoulders, her head peeking over one of them.

"Hey!" he protested, completely caught off-guard.

And then Tanith was way too close, sniffing him, seeming to glare at him out of one compound eye. Luckily for Laurie, Eitan didn't fall over backwards, but instead froze, unable to tear his gaze from the dragon's eye. He felt only slightly better when her rider gave her a swat on the nose. At least it was enough to register her question with a degree of clarity.

"Wh-Wher," he stammered quickly. "No pets." He swallowed hard, shivering as he continued to stare at Tanith. "D-Do I choose my bunk now? T-top...

"U-um... I'd like to m-move in so she can get o-off, b-but..." There was a dragon's head in his way. At least this would probably get Tanith away from him. Or it could get him bitten. But Tanith wouldn't bite him with Laurie on his back. ...Would she?

[reqqy]

"Hey yourself," the greenrider returned, as if he'd simply been greeting her like an old friend.

At Aliscia's question - yes, rhetorical, but since when had that ever stopped Lauranna? - the woman made a show of lifting herself high enough to be peering over Eitan's head. "Hmmm. Still not sure. Maybe if I stood on his head..." Her contemplative tone took on a particularly dry note as she registered Aliscia's words. "Yes. We can't have that. Unfortunately, I believe I left my handax in my weyr. Want to help me go find it, Eitan?" she questioned, tightening her grip slightly around his chest.

Though, by Eitan's posture, it looked like he wasn't going be doing much moving at all anytime soon. Laurie looked into Tanith's inspecting eye, giving the green a slight nod and respectfully turning her gaze slightly away. Not to be confused with actually looking away, of course, but she wasn't staring directly at the green, which could be considered a challenge.

Oh, by the egg! This boy was absolutely hopeless. Lauranna tapped him on the skull at the end of his little stammered wash of pathetic fear, stating, "You won't be Impressing anything like that. Or anyone. Buck up. Stand tall, and speak clearly. Children these days," the small woman said with a heavy sigh, giving Aliscia a wink. "I have absolutely no earthly clue why you're stammering anyway."

Reaching forward, the older greenrider scratched along the bridge of Tanith's nose, providing the movement with enough pressure so that Tanith could actually feel it. Then she levered herself upward, leaning over such that she was bent at a ninety degree angle, one arm clinging to Eitan with something similar to a death grip. It gave her just enough extra length to succeed in reaching the green's eyeridges, which Lauranna scratched behind, making a small, soothing noise deep in her throat.

"See? She's a sweetie. Of course, Tanith will take off your arm if you misbehave, and bite off your nose if you do anything stupid, but you're not going to do any of that, are you?" She glanced over her shoulder to smile sweetly at the boy. "Now try it again. Answer the Candidatemaster's questions clearly."

[kysseh]

Aliscia could not help but laugh a bit at the hapless candidate's reaction to Laurie's attempt at a better view. Shards, but this was more fun than just intimidating the little bratlings. He did seem to be appropriately wary of Tanith, which only made her smirk all the more, her scarred face adding a new dimension of wickedness to the expression. "Shame. However, I do have Tanith here, and she prefers legs anyway. Do those look appetizing, dearheart?" she said calmly, the last statement directed at the dark head beside her.

Tanith gave a disdainful snort. As if she would eat something that pathetically scrawny. She liked her food a bit juicier, thank you. The green had to give Laurie's respectful nod a light rumble of acknowledgment, mostly because the woman was not giving her or Hers any problems. At Aliscia's nudge the green ambled a pace to the side alongside her rider, though her face stayed near the candidate and his... passenger. There... now the boy had a clear path past both candidatemaster and green, though he was still well within snapping range.

Aliscia was initially alarmed when Laurie reached out to stroke her green, hoping the green would not take the affection the wrong way. To her surprise, Tanith grudgingly acquiesced to the attention, though the set of her neck implied that she was merely tolerating. She flared her nostrils and blew out a light snort as the caress moved to near her eyeridges. Well... fine, she supposed she could stand for it. She rumbled softly, resisting the urge to shove her nose against the greenrider and the candidate she was... perched on.

Silently commending the dragon on her extreme patience, Aliscia snorted at Laurie's attempt at... what looked like making friends. Perhaps it was the fact that Aliscia was being friendly to the woman, but Tanith was not inclined to snap in response to the unasked-for touch. "Yes... a real... sweetie," she said dryly, smirking widely when Tanith let loose a growl in response. I am /not/ sweet! she broadcasted loud enough for Laurie and Eitan to hear along with Hers. Sharding idiot humans......

"No pets and a wher candidate... good. You'll be assigned a bunk already, so whichever isn't taken... top or bottom... will be yours. Ohstop acting like such a coward!" she barked out, sick to death of his stammering. "She isn't going to eat you, so stand up straight and act like a man." She caught Lauranna's wink and merely arched an eyebrow. The other greenrider might be amused by all the stuttering, but Aliscia was getting fed up. Tanith was starting to pick up on Hers' annoyance and flared out her wings in response. "Where's your home hold or weyr? And for that matter, what's your name?"