Shoveling Manure (Weyrling Chores ^^)

[reqqy]

Someone always got left shoveling shit.

At least Behruth was curled up in the barracks, sleeping off his most recent meal and gleaming like a small sun from the recent oiling. He'd insisted that his 'Jabber' be just as carefully oiled, and the two were quite nearly an eyesore, they shone so brightly when the light hit them. Jabari, sensible creature that he was, had decided a nap was preferable to aiding M'ta with his less than savory task. The brownweyrling was convinced that the Headwoman still hadn't forgiven him for that weyrbrat's ear. He didn't understand. It wasn't as if he'd cut it clean off!

Women.

The ridiculously overlarge boots that he'd 'borrowed' for the Hatching at least protected his feet from becoming slathered in the muck, but he still looked pretty odd wielding such a long pitchfork while mucking out the hay. M'ta was efficient enough - his strength wasn't at issue - the size of the thing was just unwieldly. Grunting, he set the implement down to wield the barrow out, then climbed up into the rafters to start laying more hay. A momentary flash of concern entered his mind, however. Behruth didn't sleep long, and if he was going to be doing this all by himself - aside from smelling so terrible all the weyrlings in the barracks would likely try to lynch him - the brown would be waking up alone.

That didn't sit well with M'ta. Even the briefest spike of concern from Behruth was enough to make his heart race, and he was fairly certain the little brown would not react well to his not being there when he awoke.

So absorbed was he in his task that the young man wouldn't have noticed anyone else entering this particular stall, much less the stables, the hay continuing to rain down from above on any unsuspecting heads.

[Ruby]

Was she SERIOUS? Raila did NOT showel manure. Whether or not she had impressed Gold, this was ridiculous. These were drudge chores, or chores for those who wanted to spend all their time with runners. Raila had never liked the beasts, and spending all day up to her knees in their muck sounded like her least favorite thing ever. Well, all day might be an exaggeration, because at some point Imprith would return to conciousness, and want to be fed or oiled. Despite her general distaste for the work that went along with having a dragon, Raila smiled. Anything for Imprith was worth the time and the dirt.

This, however, wasn't for Imprith.

This was for the headwoman, who seemed to have it in for Raila after she'd skipped chores last time. It wasn't like she'd missed them for weeks in a row! Only once had she skipped out- she'd just caught Kemma and the Headwoman both in bad moods, and both of them decided her crime was about as serious as killing a baby dragon. So manure it was.

So Raila had changed into whatever clothes she had that could stand up to this sort of thing, which were very hard to find, retreived a pitchfork, and headed in, intending to hide in a stall and let whatever poor Candidates were assigned to this chore do her share too. She was heading for one in the back, fully intending to nap or something, when someone tossed straw in her hair. Her mouth opened, a screech forming in the back of her throat... but she snapped her mouth shut before it came out, frowning and staring up at whoever had been so rude as to get something in her hair.

Mutasim- M'ta, whatever. Of course it would be him. Normally, Raila would have thrown a fit right there, but... well, she knew if she screamed she'd wake Imprith, and since she was screaming at a male, he'd probably come maul M'ta. And as attractive of an idea as that was to Raila, she figured that would probably get her kicked out of Weyrlinghood or something. For herself she wouldn't care, but for Imprith- well, that was a different story. So, through a death-glare, Raila offered "Watch where you're pitching that," and headed for the back of the stables.

[archenstone]

Kalina quickly realized that room that wasn't twice her height, wide, and with two exits disturned Uminth to no end. Not able to settle into any chores inside she and Uminth decided to find what they could do outside. Soon Kalina could hear the sounds of a stable. She smiled. Perfect, Uminth, let's go clean the stables. They're open and big and you can be outside easily. She felt a surge of relief from Uminth as the bubbly dragon padded along beside her. That's great KalinaMine. It's about time we didn't have to be in the stuffy caves.Kalina shook her head. Just how was she going to sleep at night? She couldn't sleep in Uminth's couch forever...

It felt like a great weight left Uminth's chest as she breathed open air. Her skin shone in lovely green tones. She had her Mine rub and massage oil all over her in lavishing attention. It felt so good to have her muscles massaged. The feeling was enough to keep her somewhat calm inside, for a short time. The heavy pushed in feeling always seemed to return though. Uminth tried not to let it bother her but she couldn't help it. She belonged outdoors.

She could smell the stable long before she saw it. How does anything dwell there Mine? It's stinky! She fluffed her wings in emphasis. She wasn't going in there! Not for any amount of time at least.

That's why it needs cleaning Uminth. Kalina walked into the stable. It seems like some work has been done already.. She saw someone covered in hay just as Uminth spotted Behruth

Behruth, wake up! Today's too nice to sleep away! She bounded her way over to her sleeping clutch brother and started nuzzling. Wake up Behruth! Lets play!

Behruth? That meant M'ta was here. Kalina was just starting to look up when more hay fell right on top of her. "Ack, M'ta!! You got me too!" She yelled up good naturedly. She didn't mind having clean hay dumped on her. It was the dirty hay she minded.

[reqqy]

M'ta glanced down at Raila, then proceeded to ignore her. Had he thought he wanted company? Clearly, he needed to be more specific. Raila was about as helpful as a stab to the groin. At least she shouldn't be quite as difficult to deal with now that becoming a queenrider was an impossibility. He supposed he could be thankful that he was one of the few males she didn't care to hang all over. M'ta would take her hostility over that any day.

Behruth came awake with a wide yawn, his gangly hatchling limbs stretching against the ground. Opening one eye, he crooned softly, the sound cracking awkwardly, though Behruth didn't seem to mind. H'llo byutful, he purred sleepily. It had been a rather large meal and, though he was by no means lazy, Behruth rarely hurried about unless it had something to do with pretties. M'ta Mine? Still in the stables, Behruth. Okay!

The brown rose up, stretching out his back as he went and unfurled his wings, the mahogany-hued male gleaming a dark, dull red after his oiling. A nice day, yes. And how is my pretty little clutchsister? Stretching out his neck, he nuzzled Uminth with casual affection. Unlike some others, Behruth was equally affectionate to all. Only his pretties took precedence over snuggling and chatting with other dragons, male and female alike.

Wings folded back neatly, but then Behruth jumped slightly, his neck snaking around to regard the fluttebye with its claws buried in his back. Jabari scolded the hatchling roundly and flitted forward, circling Uminth curiously. That is Jabber, M'ta Mine's flutterbye, Behruth explained, amused. He is mad I woke him. Where is Yours' flutterbye? Do you know the flutterbye song?

"Oh, sorry Kalina," he called down, adjusting to avoid dumping any more hay on the girl - what was with all these tall girls? - as he finished up that first stall. M'ta scurried across the beams and dropped the pitchfork directly in Raila's path, swinging down to land not far from the farming implement. He brushed some of the chaff off his front and shot her a cheeky, knowing grin. "It'll go faster if we all work on the same stall at once. You can just talk to Kalina if you want. But - the Headwoman gave me a couple extra pairs of gloves."

M'ta was surprisingly cheerful, but then, it took effort to be too terribly dour with Behruth's good humor enwrapping his mind now that the brown was awake. He tossed one pair of gloves dangling from his belt to Kalina, then extended the other pair to the blueweyrling, cocking his head to one side questioningly. His smirk betrayed his amusement at her discomfort.

[archenstone]

"It's okay M'ta!" She watched as he moved through the beams and sent the pitchfork right in the other girl's way. That's kinda mean. She shrugged it off though. Feeling an itch, she plucked a few pieces of straw from her clothes.

Kalina caught the gloves and put them on. Then, she grabbed the nearest fork and began spreading the hay.

Uminth beamed at Behruth's compliment.
Mine doesn't have a flutterbye. There's a song for them? She thought it would impress Kalina if she learned something ahead of her. Teach me!