'Round the Klah Kettle (Open)

[jalynn6]

The air was cool and crisp, and it felt great on Janisi's skin. She rose early in the morning to check her riding straps again. All this training was bound to wear them out. After checking the straps and checking on sleeping Storith, the greenrider decided to get some air and then some klah. She stepped outside through the dinning hall and took a deep breath. The sky was clear as crystal and the air still held onto some of the chill from the night.
After several moments, she headed back inside and straight towards the main source of her energy after a long, restless night. She kept having dreams and waking up, but she could never remember them? Stress most likely, but nevertheless she wanted klah.

At the kettle she started with a heafty serving of sweetner, then topped the cup off with hot klah. She sat at the nearest table and immediately brought to mug close to her face and inhailed deeply. Half the joy of klah is the smell. She didnt know what it was, but it was always a delight! For a moment, the only thing on her mind was the hot drink, the smell, the smoothness of it as she risked a sip before letting it cool. Of course, she got over it quickly and suddenly noticed the table were she was sitting wasnt vacant. She smiled and said hello to the others seated there as she sipped at the klah.

[Rowana]

T'ke had been completely absorbed in his breakfast, so he didn't even notice another person sitting at his table. He'd had a lot to think about lately, not the least of which was what to do with himself now. Relaxing, came to mind, now that they didn't have to fight each other anymore. Still, without the constant worry about his life, he was finding things almost too good, at least from his prospective. Maybe he'd been tense for far too long, but he just kept waiting for the other boot to drop and ruin the good times.

When Janasi spoke, he looked up in confusion. "Oh, um, good morning," he offered shyly. He didn't know the greenrider very well, though she'd been a rider even longer than he'd been. Not that that was hard, but it seemed Selenitas riders had notoriously short life spans. It once more made him wonder how he was still alive at all. It was Pern's great joke on the them all. Good good! Tasty klah? Shard suddenly slivered out from his color and T'ke sighed. He should have know she'd be happy to talk to a girl. Brother gone. He gloom, she confided in Janasi. Girls had to stick together!

[jalynn6]

Janisi was all but nose deep in her klah when the young blue rider spoke up.
She watched him as she swallowed and smiled, about to ask if his dragon was doing well, when a curious tiny green salamander poped her head up and addressed Janisi herself.

The smile turned to laughter at the small creature that could be so forward. But when the message registered in her mind, she looked at T'ke with consern.

"Your brother, or hers?"

[Requiem]

It was, apparently, impossible to go out without primping (not that he usually did anyway) with Griffin about. The bird apparently was of the opinion that his chosen 'mommy' should be as striking and wonderful as he himself was, and as such threw a collossal fit when the greenrider's hair wasn't sporting feathers, acorns and shiny stones of every type. Griffin also adored colors. More than X'rx ever had. The man somehow managed to put together something colorful (mostly through stealing scraps of various cloths and using them as accessories) without disrupting his personal functional style. Anything that couldn't be hunted in or worn under leathers was not something featured in the man's limited wardrobe.

Griffin was also intent on breakfast, so after X'rx ensured that his clothing was arranged for the minimal amount of talon penetration, the pair swept into the dining hall, the greenrider flashing smiles at the drudges he'd worked with all his life before Impressing Eveyth. They even had his customary breakfast all ready for him, and something for the baby razorclaw as well. Sweet people. He took his tray and went to the nearest table, flashing a friendly smile at the two people closest while half-holding on to Griffin to keep the bird from diving for the meat just yet...and from taking a chunk out of that 'mandyr. Baby was kind of hard to teach that salamandyrs weren't for eating. (He really didn't like anything already dead, but he couldn't really hunt for himself so well yet so he had to eat sometime.)

"Morning," the greenrider greeted them both cheerfully. He remembered seeing her around the kitchens and of course had seen T'ke around, too, but he didn't even know their names. Something that should be corrected. Especially when pretty girls were involved. (No one had ever said that X'rx didn't get around.) "I'm X'rx, this is Griffin, and he really wants to eat your little 'mandyr," he commented to T'ke, "so if he gets away from me you should probably keep her close. And you, lovely lady...that I don't know your name is a crime." He flashed her a winning smile as he took the seat near them both.

[Rowana]

T'ke shook his head, trying not to sound as embarrassed as he was. "Just another salamandyr who decided to bond to me," he explained with a defeated tone. Honestly, after Shard he thought he would be free of more trouble. Yet here he was, with a gender confused fire lizard and a doom and gloom salamandyr added to his mix. At least Garaeth truly loved all the amusing company. Shard was bobbing her head in affirmation. Gara is gloom, she added. And male. Males no like Shard. Males like you? she asked hopefully.

Before the conversation could progress much farther, X'rx arrived to add much more cheer to the table. Frankly T'ke was relieved. Now maybe he could slip away without seeming rude to Janasi. Not that he didn't like her, he was just sure it wouldn't be long before he made a fool of himself. The razorclaw had him stiffening, though, and he wrapped a protective hand over Shard. The salamandyr was only too glad to hide now that two strange males had arrived, and one of them looked far too hungry. "Thanks for the warning," T'ke said.

[jalynn6]

Janisi was confused for a moment at T'ke's answer, but then the information registered and she smiled fondly at the small creature. "I love klah! And yes, girls should stick together!" The greenrider's laugh was full of mirth. The little 'mandyr had tickled her with her comments and she was still grinning when a young man joined the table. She smiled openly at him as he introduced himself with a compliment.
"Janisi, of green Storith who is sleeping soundly. And you?"

[Requiem]

X'rx blinked at T'ke and the 'mandyr that had suddenly disappeared down the bluerider's shirt, a half-apologetic look to his face. He hadn't meant to upset them. Just give them a head's up, just in case. He was usually good at catching Griffin before he did anything. (Something probably aided by the fact that the bird couldn't really fly yet.) Before he might have said anything, though, Janisi was responding to him with a smile.

And was her response ever confusing. "Um...X'rx," he repeated, blinking at her curiously. Hadn't he just said that? "Of...green Eveyth? Was that what you were asking?" Was this girl perhaps maybe just a little slow in the head? He'd heard that some of the dragonriders had gotten clocked on the noggin in the earthquake. Rather than just assume that the poor girl was suffering from brain damage or just genetically cursed, he searched for the next viable explanation.

"Oh, she must mean you," he concluded, turning his gaze to T'ke with another winning smile. The guy wasn't bad-looking either...though he seemed a bit too shy. "And if she doesn't, I don't remember your name, either, so you should tell us anyway." He offered some meat to Griffin, then, hoping that if the razorclaw was fed he'd stop eyeballing the 'mandyr like some sort of delicacy.

[jalynn6]

"Oh! You said that already! Its early yet. So X'rx, how have we managed to miss each other?" The rider was certainly attractive, and Janisi hadn't hathe opportunity to flirt in a while. She
smiled openly and wondered what trouble she could get into with X'rx.

[Rowana]

So much for sneaking away to eat in peace, T'ke thought. He should have know X'rx wouldn't let him escape so easily. Lucky Shard got to hide in his shirt while he had to actually try talking. Oh well. As Garaeth was constantly telling him, he needed to talk more anyway. At least Janasi was paying more attention to X'rx for now. T'ke never seemed to have much luck with women at all.

"Sorry," he mumbled, almost hoping they were too distracted to remember he was there. "T'ke of blue Garaeth." That they didn't really know him didn't bother him or surprise him. The only thing he seemed to be known for was fainting and being very clumsy. He'd even fallen off his dragon once!

[Requiem]

X'rx glanced from one to the other, then back again. Oops. He had to admit that he almost felt bad for coming over to join them. Strike that. He did feel a bit guilty. Griffin, on the other hand, was happily gnawing on his meatroll and not at all bothered by this third wheel situation the greenrider seemed to have created by coming over. Of course the females all swooned after his human. That was why Griffin had chosen him, after all. The handsomest razorclaw had to have the handsomest pet.

Not sure how to fix this situation at all - and very much tempted to simply flirt shamelessly with the greenrider who was clearly very interested in him, to the point of not fully paying attention to what was being said - X'rx flashed a smile at T'ke. "That's right. T'ke. You used to work in the infirmary, right? Eve says Garaeth is adorable." Maybe...T'ke would gain some confidence if someone showed interest in him. And who said X'rx had to be exclusive with his interest? "Garaeth's not the only one," the greenrider added with a wink, brushing his hair back behind his ear.

His smile switched to Janisi, then, as he 'accidentally' brushed a booted foot along her leg, leaning forward slightly. "For the life of me, I have no idea. I don't hide away. Do you? You must have been hiding somewhere if it's taken me this long to find you," he commented, smile broadening. It was a little weird to find himself dominating this little conversation, but X'rx was flexible. And these two were quite interesting, if nothing else. (Hopefully he wasn't laying it on so strong as to scare off T'ke.)

[jalynn6]

The klah was getting cold, but Janisi didnt mind. She reached for Storith and found her still sleeping soundly. Her attention was mainly on the rider X'rx and some on T'ke. His shyness was evident and she loved to help someone out of there 'shell', and she noticed X'rx seemed to have much the same idea.

"No, I havent been hiding, per se, just incredibly busy! I'm grateful things have slowed down for now! Maybe I can make time to make new friends?" She winked back at X'rx and sent him a mischeivous smile. She then looked over at T'ke and gave him a light knock on the shoulder.
"How do you manage to keep up with that tiny little thing, anyway?"

[Rowana]

T'ke nodded absently, trying not to show his discomfort at being put on the spot. He wasn't used to people remembering him for anything besides his failings. The comment about Garaeth was a surprise though. He couldn't recall his blue mentioning having his eyes on another green. Thoughts of dragon romance, however, were quickly turned aside as X'rx's next comment caught him off guard. "Me?" he spluttered, glancing around. Maybe X'rx meant Janasi. Not many people ever implied he was adorable, much less other guys.

At least the conversation had turned back to Janasi for the moment, giving T'ke a second to recover his wits. Shard wasn't helping, still trembling in his shirt at X'rx and Griffin's presence. "What?" he jerked at little when Janasi tapped his shoulder. "Oh," he glanced down at Shard and shrugged. "She's not so bad. Mostly keeps to herself." Especially when boys are around, he thought. It still amazed him that for a creature so shy around the opposite sex, that she wasn't afraid of him.

[Requiem]

Allowing his smile to answer for him - though considering T'ke seemed to be quite intent on finding alternative explanations, no doubt the bluerider would continue to deliberately misunderstand the meaning behind the smile - X'rx kept most of his attention on Janisi while she spoke. "One can never have too many friends," he agreed easily, propping his chin on his fist to watch the interaction between Janisi and T'ke.

"Salamandyrs are rather more trouble than they're worth, usually, though yours seems well-behaved thus far," X'rx commented idly. Then he had to adjust to keep Griffin from going after something shiny at another table. The greenrider added ruefully, "Though razorclaws really aren't much better, I suppose. This one has been keeping me up for a couple sevendays." Granted, that would supposedly change as the bird got older. Supposedly.

"So then, T'ke...are you in the business of making new friends, too? Because if no one has drills right away maybe we should go out and do something a little more exciting than sitting here staring at cups and plates. I don't suppose either of you hunt? Or are the least bit curious as to what the lay of the land looks like?" X'rx did not often like to rush things when it came to cute new riders he'd just met.

[jalynn6]

Hunting? Now didnt that sound like fun! Janisi reached to her dragon's mind and found her still fast asleep. She doubted her ability to lure the dragon out of the weyr.
The greenrider was becoming more and more worried over the behaivor of her dragon recently, but it must be due to the move.

"And what, X'rx, did you have in mind to hunt?" Janisi may as well consider it, though going without Storith would make for an uneasy time.

[Rowana]

T'ke nodded with a little smile. It was easier to take compliments that were directed at Garaeth or his other bonds than at him. Shard really wasn't all that bad and Gara wasn't either, for all his doom saying. T'ke had to admit he knew little about these razorclaws, though. In fact, it was the first time he'd seen one so close before. "Does he?" he asked, honestly curious. "I didn't hear they were nocturnal."

The conversation turned then and T'ke lapsed back into uncertainty. "Friends? Well...I...that is...Garaeth is always saying..." He gave up and shut his mouth. Why couldn't he talk without sounding like an idiot? He shook his head and focused on the other suggestion. "I've never been hunting," he admitted, a little nervous at the idea. Hunting usually meant killing, and that usually meant blood. And blood, well, he wasn't sure fainting was the best way to make new friends.