Fourth Meal [Ruby]

[Lotty]

Thirsty. She shouldn't be taking detours... well there was a time she was at full liberty to do as she pleased with the hours after a shift in the infirmary. In fact she was the ultimate of night owls, and in a weyr that never truly slept, she found herself at home in shadows and the soft pools of glow light that stretched down long corridors. Moonshine for that matter was a friend of sorts. On the rare night when both of Pern's satellites held low and bright it was as clear - and twice as beautiful - as a normal day she would take that long way home, or she would sit on the wooden porches of the weyrfolk apartments and marvel at the way even the trees were glazed in silvery sparkle. Those days had been long gone however, and she was forced into line with rules and laws and guidelines that said her comings and goings could not be without explanation. And the validity of explanations were to be decided by their Wasteland supervisors.

She wondered... but more importantly she dared, and after taking a bath she ventured to slink into the kitchens for something to calm a dry, itchy, throat and maybe even quell a bit of a hunger that she felt creeping up on her. It was probably not the best of decisions, and it wasn't exactly thought out either, which was evidenced by the way she looked; she had most definitely taken no more than a minute after leaving the bath to devise her plan of "duck and cover". The mindhealer's hair still wet and bunching in s-waves on her shoulders while a slinky satin robe was loosely tied around a short night gown. At very least the colors were darker considering her typically sunny persona, and the only true bits of color that should stick out in the dark halls would be the blues of her eyes or the touches of pink on her lips.

Shoes were forgotten and it was probably for the best. Not a noise was made by the pitter patter of her feet as she crept around a corner and shadowed along the counters of the kitchens. Raebeli knew better than to try and cook anything - she was still practicing at the boiling process after all - but in one of these stores there should be something to snack on should it be dried fruit or walnuts. The woman drifted over to a promising looking cool locker and looked before ways before nervously reaching for the handle. This would have been much much easier had she thought to at least bring Cap'n as a watch-bird, but it was much too late and she had gotten much too far for those shorts of considerations to come to mind now. After all she was fairly sure she heard footsteps coming, and she instinctually took to hiding.... in the before mentioned pantry.

Keeping the door just a crack open - come on now, she didn't want to get trapped inside - she peered out with limited vision and waited for the footsteps to either dissipate or reveal her company who she automatically assumed to be an unfriendly dragonrider. While her body was well concealed the chatter of her teeth wasn't. It was simply too chilly in the little room and she fully understood now why it was used to leave meat to cure and perishables to wait. Goosebumps were rising all along her skin, though admittedly half of it could very well be out of fear. How was she going to explain this? Getting caught with late night snacks was one thing, but then hiding like her instincts told her to made her look incredibly suspicious she realized. Well oops.

[Ruby]

Sneak, hissed a tiny voice, sounding like it was coming from directly above Rae's head. It wasn't, but Red spoke so rarely, she'd gotten very, very good at making each word count. That included throwing her mind-voice if necessary, which, now, it was. There was a sneak in the Kitchens, and a half-asleep Piden needed to be warned, and the sneak scared, all at once. Red, of course, did her best to manage both.

Reaching a hand up unconsciously to soothe the invisible, shivering green in his collar, Piden paused, a grin quirking up part of his mouth. "A sneak, hmm?" he asked aloud, adding, You know where it is, right? Can you show me? I'd love to catch one of these Wastelanders actually spying on us. Red grudgingly obliged, guiding the Wherhandler silently - and unerringly - towards Raebeli's pantry. All those nights sneaking around in the jungle made his steps both fast and nearly silent, so just to worry the spy further, he opened the cabinet right next to the one he thought they were in. He jostled some jars of mysterious substances just for effect, all the time keeping one foot in front of the door Red was so worried about, in case the sneak decided on escape.

With a quiet little "Hmm," he closed the cabinet, shifting sideways so he stood directly in front of the pantry with the door cracked. Whoever was in there would have seen him by now, through the crack, but wouldn't know who he was, as the kitchens were still almost totally dark. Piden's eyebrows pulled together a tiny bit - wasn't that a cold pantry? - but smoothed out just as quickly. He wasn't exactly one to worry about things more than they needed to be worried about, and he could find out the answer to this question any moment. Sneak, Red repeated, plaintive this time. Alright, alright, no more suspense.

Reaching out slowly, feigning an acceptable amount of worry, the redheaded Wherhandler paused with his hand on the handle... then yanked the door open, his whole attitude changing from fear to triumph. "You know, you guys really aren't that subtle, and I have clearance to be out at night. I'm not planning on doing anything stupid, so you can just..." His brain registered who was in the pantry, and he trailed off, one eyebrow climbing into the hair flopping over Piden's brow. "Oh, you aren't an invader, are you?" he asked, tone far more appreciative than it probably should have been. Leaning one arm against the doorjamb, he leaned sideways, blocking the woman's exit. "Hey," he purred, then added, "How come you're hiding in the fridge?"

[Lotty]

She inhaled sharply with a whistling sound before slapping a hand over her mouth and looking for the source of that voice. Her first instincts had her looking up, but there was nothing but stone ceiling, and so she twirled again to find nothing. Not even a man - or would it be a woman, that was a rather feminine voice that she had heard - hiding behind some boxes. Which made the whole situation that much scarier. She had never believed in such a thing before, but could the Wastelanders truly be so invisible? No, she reasoned and looked back out through the crack of the door incase the voice had in fact come from out in the kitchens, and she was left to just stand and wait some more.

At this point she was hoping that her doom would just befall her fast, after all it was sooooo cold, and she felt it get chiller with every passing moment. How long did it take for hypothermia? How about frost bite? Raebeli swore that her lips were freezing shut and that her still wet hair felt like it was icing over and at the risk of snapping off at the touch. Imaginations could and were running wild, but in all reality there was more than enough pink left in her cheeks to suggest that she was very much alive and well.

With the shaking and scraping sounds and the squeaks of cabinet doors opening the mindhealer dared again to take a glance out into the kitchen to see a man foraging around. Her eyes grew wide and her fingertips were drawn up to her chattering teeth; ready to be nervously chewed upon. An echo of that hissing accusation rang out again much to her dismay as the handle of the door was grabbed, and Rae began back peddling with tiny steps before the door swung open and she squealed with a wince, "Eeeep!" It was perhaps her favorite exclamation of them all, and seemed to use it for just about all moments of surprise; curling her arms across her chest and hunching over as if she was about to be tackled.

But after a moment, and after be berated as if it was she who was the Wastelander, she perked up with relief and a bit of puzzlement. Who was this? Why was he purring at her? And what did he do that he got clearance? All questions that had to be set aside for the moment, "I'm not an invader I thought you were an invader so I went back in here to hide because... well I don't know why but I am here and you are too..." she explained in a flurry of words before then adding on, "You know you sound like a feline when you talk like that...." and it was also slightly creepy that he was blocking her in there, but the worst of the natives was still better than their foreign overlords.

[Ruby]

Piden laughed, finally dropping his arm and stepping back so she could escape. "And you sound like a tiny avian. Peeeeep!" he imitated, but not in a nasty way. She did kind of sound like a bird, after all, with all that chattering. Quirking an eyebrow in her direction, he added, "You're in luck. Usually felines like to eat avians, but I'm not in the mood for feathers, this evening." Instead he rummaged in the cabinet next to her cold locker, coming up with some dried grains he could have with milk - clearly breakfast food. Even if she hadn't recognized his Handler's knots, his tousled appearance and the cereal would make it clear that he'd just woken up. At least he'd put on a real shirt instead of his fuzzy robe, this morning.

Reaching up to rub his neck and stifle a yawn, he abandoned his current cabinet to locate a bowl and spoon. Mostly ignoring the fridge-girl (although the short hem of her nightgown got an appraising glance as he passed), he found a the things he needed - along with a mug for Klah - and set about assembling his breakfast before she got another look. That look was with his head tilted, curious and interested, and, mostly, agreeable. Not even a touch of the usual danger; something about the woman seemed to repel it. Similar to the the way that Tira had taken any look he'd given her, amplified it, and sent it back, except this one just seemed to swallow that portion up, projecting only the pleasant parts of his emotions. Interesting.

"So how come you're out so late? You're certainly not a Wherhandler - though we'd love to have you, I'm sure - and I'd know you if you were usually around at night. Know of you, anyway." Possibly slightly creepy, but Piden did like to keep track of who was out and about whenever he was on Watch. Didn't want to accidentally set Pidesk on someone who wasn't trying to attack the Weyr. By now, he was done preparing his breakfast, and went to pour himself klah. He would have offered her some, but it looked like she was headed in the direction of bed, not coming from it. Hopping up on a counter near her, he added quizzically, "Do they" - who they was was clear enough, given how they had run into each other in the first place - "know you're up?"

[Lotty]

Rae couldn't help but laugh, "If only you knew how many times I've been told that!" She was practically flailing, though this was not necessarily a bad sign. If anything the mindhealer was excited that the term had been applied to her once again, and really there were so may worse things that she could be called. At least avians were cute, mostly, and sand pretty songs, and all in all made the world a better place. It was going down as a compliment to her, "I was called a meadowlark by E'rro not to long ago, and then a darter by those before him. I even have my own little flyer..." she caught herself, there was nothing little about Cap'n, "Well ok, maybe not little, but regardless he thinks of me like a mother, so I guess there really is something to this whole peeping noise that I make."

With that she not only completely forgot (or rather, she ignored) the whole "eating" comment and instead bounced her tippy toes and shrugged merrily, before happily hopping along behind him out to the kitchen proper. It was good to get out of the fridge and feel warmth come to her once again. Maybe even some color was coming back to her, which was good because death was not a flattering look for anyone not even Syrene, her crazy roommate (though in the efforts to keep peace, she never dared voice this opinion). But there was still a little bit of chill left, one that the mindhealer was not shy about ridding via more direct means.

Huddling up for warmth was not a concept that was lost on her, and as he propped himself onto the counter, she did too... quick snug up right close to him. This might seem dangerous with a character like him, but Raebeli was quickly piecing together some clues, and making some quick passing judgements on the wherhandler, "A wherhandler eh!? I'll have to add you to my collection... I have quite the following you know," she leaned into him as she said this, before swaying away again easily. For every bit she gave, she was very quick to pull it back again, "I have met Ariya? I think that is her name... and Quintrell, plus Nautic is such a sweetie... and Dmitriii," she could have purred the name much like Piden did his own words, "he is my oldest friend here..."

Shoving her hand in front of him and over his bowl of cereal she gave him no choice but to stop what he was doing to shake it. She was in no rush and didn't know enough about shame to feel an awkward moment, "I'm Raebeli, resident kook-whisperer... or mindhealer rather. Oh! And of course I'm bonded to green Quixoth. How could I forget?" The brunette stifled another giggle and finally got about to answering his questions. You see, she was cute and amiable, but she also knew how to take control of a conversation, "I had just gotten off my shift in the infirmary, and you see, I'm just a bit of a free spirit. I don't at all like being told when I am supposed to be awake or asleep..."

[Ruby]

"Ugh, I hope that doesn't make me a Salamandyr." Piden made a face, patting the slight lump just under his shirt's neck. Red was shivering away, hiding her face from the world. Too scary. "I've got three, plus a hanger-on who seems to have lost His, apparently I attract them like the plague." With an exaggerated slink as he headed across the kitchen, he added, "All in all, I greatly prefer feline."

Food prepared, klah poured, counter gained. Piden was all set to tuck in, spoon in hand, when suddenly his arm was restricted by a snuggle. Interesting. Adjusting his arm so it curled slightly around her back, forearm barely brushing hip (but his hand rested on the counter, not her waist), he opted for a sip of klah instead. Her incessant peeping started up again, as if she hadn't just snuggled up to a complete stranger, not to mention possible Wastelander. "You have a collection?" he asked rhetorically, inserting the question during a tiny pause for breath. Tilting his head her direction, he looked thoughtful, ticking off the handlers she knew in his mind.

"Very interesting collection," he concluded, marking the handlers she'd named on her fingers. "Ariya's never around, I wish she was. Seriously, we need some more estrogen down in those Apartments. I think all the testosterone is breaking Dmitri, who is, of course, a riot. I've never spent much time with Trell, and I think Nautic has been avoiding me since Pidesk last caught Nautsk... because, you know, my opinion on all these people was what you were looking for, clearly," he added, his tone turning sarcastic at the end. He didn't apologize, though - Piden never apologized for himself.

Setting his klah down, he took the offered hand, shaking it firmly. He let her talk herself out, nodding appropriately and paying far more attention to the hem of her robe and his arm on her back than anything she was saying. When a response was required, however, his brain kicked back in, forming words he didn't remember thinking about. "Lovely to meet you, Raebeli. I'm Piden, full-time kook and handler of Bronze Pidesk, King of Whers. Although I suppose I'll have to give that title up now, since Eikask picked Roisk this time..." But enough about him. Now that the so-called kook whisperer thought he was an arrogant asshole (or at least very self-absorbed), it was time to switch the focus to her. Nothing like a little flattery to get her on his side. "Is that so?" he asked once she finished her explanation. "I can imagine Wasteland isn't a huge fan of that, although you seem to have snuck by them just fine. Had any run-ins yet?"

[Lotty]

"Well, if you started talking in word salads like a salamandyr then yes... of course when people talk like they do we tend to consider that being 'crazy', but that aside... three - four mandyrs is quite the troop.... quite the commitment too I would think. Is it a lot of work to take care of them? I don't know I've never had one..." but she did help out a lot of people who lost them. The seemingly inexplicable sorrow they experienced was sort of beyond her own scope, especially since up until recently she didn't have any kind of bonded herself. Made it a little bit awkward to try and help really.

She seemed to somehow lean even closer as he began to give his own run down of her inventory of handlers. Oh! This was almost like gossiping and she did so much love to be a little bit bad now and again and share a few words about other people. Not that she didn't get to hear secrets all day or anything, but those secrets had to be stripped of their names and for the most part taken to the grave. This was different, this was outside of the confines of the infirmary, "I like hearing your opinion on people. It's fun? I don't know you could have kept going on and on and I would have listened..." she gave him a sly look, giving away her girlish tendency to eavesdrop.

But with the shake of a hand, a subject change was fully in order, and Raebeli played along quite nicely, "I don't know Piden, I see no problem with keeping the title King. I had always heard that the title King was declared, not necessarily chosen, but if your majesty feels so deposed you are at least in good company... I'm royalty of nothing..." she gave him a playful nudge in his side, despite his preoccupation with his breakfast, "except maybe Queen of close calls that is. Haven't met a Wastelander yet, save the Weyrlingmasters, but they are a necessary evil and I guess they think of me as more of a novelty than a nuisance," after all they gave her odd looks now and then but not much more than that. So far.

[Ruby]

"Luckily I still seem to make at least some sense," the Wherhandler chuckled, attempting to dislodge Red to show her to Raebeli with absolutely no success. "Mine are fairly self-sufficient as far as feeding themselves and such, with the exception of Red here, who is a handful all day every day. They're more a drain on patience than anything else. Thank Faranth Three - she's one of my greens - has a mate now, or I'd never be without her. I guess I oil them? Provide a warm body to cuddle on cold nights?" He'd never thought of them as much trouble, but then again, he could hardly remember a time without at least one salamandyr. He'd had Red almost seven turns, now, nearly as long as Pidesk.

She liked hearing his opinions, did she? Well, didn't that stroke Piden's ego just the right way. He matched her slyness with a skeptical look of his own, quickly deciding on false modesty as the best strategy. Because.... why the hell not? "Oh come now. A nice girl like you, trying to talk little 'ol me into gossiping about the handlers behind their backs?" He paused for dramatic effect, tightening his arm a little on her hip as he said, "Oh, twist my arm, why don't you. Do you know Eikane?"

They seemed to be moving on from that, but Piden would be happy to spill all sorts of nonsense about his co-handlers (true and not true) if it made her smile like that. All she had to do was ask. For now, though, he extracted his spoon, chowing down on cereal so it wouldn't go soggy. Her logic got a thoughtful "Hmmm..." while he chewed and swallowed. "You have a point there, but since I am fairly certain our lovely Goldhandler would have my head if I called him Queen Eikane, I'll stick with Ex-King for now. Piden the Usurped, perhaps. Especially if it means I get more of your company, Raebeli of the Close Call," he said, flourishing his spoon in a dramatic gesture, then tapping her on each shoulder and her head with the dry end. "Lady Raebeli of the Close Call, I like it. So you shall be called."

Considering Wastelanders made Piden shrug. "I think that makes at least one more than I know well. I've seen R'ril around a few times, and sometimes Ka'aen, but I don't think I've ever really had a conversation with either of them. As long as we behave ourselves they tend to let us be.... so far, anyway. It makes me wonder what on Pern they're doing here. What have we got that Benden or Fort doesn't have? Or whatever Weyr they came from in the first place?"