The Welcoming Feast

(OOC)

Just noticed that if you want to tag Tig, you have to put admin after the @ symbol and it will automatically change it to Tig. 

Harbinger

Dagmar took it in stride when Norra held her hand--that was just Norra. If you knew her, you knew that she was erm, friendly. She didn't mean anything by holding Dagmar's hand. The Greenrider allowed herself to be towed in the wake of her friend, glad she had someone to talk to in the throngs of people. She felt quite overwhelmed in these Weyr-wide events and lost in the shuffle. Poor thing had too bland of a personality to be the kind that anyone talked to for long. Oh sure, she could small-talk with the rest of them, but once all of those shallow topics were exhausted, Dagmar felt quite lost.

Also, she was not the type to walk up to another person and introduce herself. She was friendly, but also quite shy. Some people saw her and assumed that she was stuck-up because she didn't approach others, but rather preferred to hang back. That really bothered Dagmar, but she just couldn't bring herself to change. Marlith tried her darndest to help her rider out, but even the emerald-hued dragon couldn't get Dagmar to be more outgoing.

Now, if she was with someone like Norra who talked a lot, then the Greenrider did perfectly fine. As most quiet people, Dagmar made a fantastic listener. And when people told her things, she could formulate questions and little statements in response to keep them going. Then, she would never ever have to speak about herself--and this suited her fine. When people tried to get her to talk about herself, she felt uncomfortable, feeling as if there was nothing to tell.

You could always just talk about me, Marlith reminded Dagmar. Now that was a topic that the Greenrider could expound upon! The Green was resting comfortably on her stone couch, as it was much too rainy for her to be on her weyr ledge. The Green cast her thoughts out until she found Blue Hezzath and she said, Hullo Hezzath! I am so glad yours found mine. Dagmarmine really isn't good in these situations. She is shy, but I don't understand it. I've never been the shy type myself. How are you? Yours seems to be doing well! I am so glad you two decided to come to Xian Weyr, too! It's like we have built-in friends already! Her chattering was friendly and harmless; Marlith loved to talk.

Meanwhile, Dagmar had found herself bobbing nods now and then as Norra spoke, her blond waves shifting over her shoulders as she did so. Glitter chittered happily as they headed towards the food. Even though the Gold flit had already been to the food table once, she would never object to eating more. The red-gold hued fire-lizard launched from Dagmar's shoulder to get more meatrolls in her claws, leaving the Greenrider feeling strangely bereft.

She gratefully took the wine from Norra and took a gulp. She could do to loosen up tonight. Drinking usually helped with that. Dagmar had drinking just enough to make herself feel more comfortable down to an art. Her other hand picked up a plate, and she allowed a kitchen drudge to serve her. She indicated what she wanted--some tubers, redfruit, braised wherry and a few more meatrolls for Glitter--before returning Norra's question.

"Oh, um, me?" She disliked questions, but at least this one was easy, "I've been fine." And she quickly shifted the conversation back to her companion seamlessly, "That's a shame about the blanket. Maybe you can find a comparable one here. Since the Weyr isn't fully populated yet, I bet they have a lot of extra linens. Of course, I understand when you have a really comfortable blanket like that, a replacement doesn't quite do it for you."

She was done gathering her food, and so she waited rather awkwardly for Norra, hoping that she would be up to the truly terrifying task of trying to pick a place to sit. The tables were all occupied--and Dagmar felt uncomfortable picking which one they should sit at. She took another large swig of her blush wine. She usually preferred whites, but this blush wasn't too bad, she noted.

"Well, I'm glad you wanted a change. It's nice to already know someone here!" The last was spoken fervently. People usually discovered that once they talked to Dagmar, she made them feel comfortable and at ease. She was the conversational equivalent of klah--warm and somehow familiar. The fact that she never spoke much about herself usually didn't occur to most people. Rather, they'd walk away feeling as if perhaps they liked the Greenrider. That's how Dagmar liked it--she was nothing if not a people-pleaser.

Tig (and anyone else that wants to join in and/or be intruded upon)

What a strange dichotomy they were - a chipper rider with a reserved dragon attaching herself to an introverted rider with a chatty dragon. At least, between the four of them, they made some kind of interesting whole. Norra was content to follow Dagmar as they were given bits and pieces of the various cuisines from all across Pern. Braised wherry was always a favorite, an interesting multi-grain bread from Nerat coupled with Benden cheese specked with their famous walnuts, pilaf from Igen's rivergrain, vegetable salads out of Nabol, and several things from the . The only thing Norra truly recognized was the perfectly baked fish, garnished with citrus and butter, a Tillek dish. Each addition had a little comment ("That looks... interesting." "Oh, I love that stuff!" "Maybe I can get Cerai to eat this...") but it was mostly just idle chatter, which both women seemed to be enjoying. Norra didn't catch Dagmar's discomfort at being singled out, instead shrugging a shoulder at the comment of the blanket.

"Oh, I doubt I'll need it down here. In fact, I doubt anyone is going to be using a blanket or fur here. Everyone will be sleeping in the nude to stay cool." Norra chuckled at the idea despite Hezzath's clamor in her mind that her comment was completely out of line and wasn't proper in public poor Marlith's is probably ready to run off. Actually, that last comment brought Norra's attention to Dagmar's face, wondering how she would react. Maybe she'd flush in that cute way Norra remembered from some previous encounters. The Greenrider might not be interested in Norra's attentions, but that didn't mean she couldn't look.

"I guess it's more nostalgia. An old, well-crafted blanket I inherited from whoever owned the weyr before me. Just a decoration and something cozy for cold nights." Her gaze turned towards the tables, searching for a pair of chairs that were unoccupied so the friends could stick together. Norra wasn't uncomfortable being in a crowd of people she didn't know, but having one familiar person helped ease the transition into becoming acquaintances with everyone else. "There's some seats," Norra said, nodding towards two she spotted in a lightly-occupied table. Time to mingle!

Hezzath let his mental sigh touch Marlith so the Green knew how he felt about this unfolding situation. Oh, he loved his lifemate, but she could certainly be a handful. He was half-tempted to just let her fumble through the night, wake up grumbling the next day, and learn her lesson. That never lasted long, however - his instinctual need to keep her safe always overrode that.

Hello, Marlith, he then replied, his voice reserved but not near as shy as he normally was. After all, he knew Marlith already. Or knew her through Norra's memory. I am well, thank you. And you? How are you faring in this rain? There was a bit of a stiffness in his response, if just because the Blue was trying desperately to be as polite as possible to make up for Norra. Mine finds Yours very interesting, though she's... talking a lot. The last part was spoken quite dryly. Talking was an understatement.

Harbinger

Despite her naturally serious demeanor, Zoryana had to admit that she was the slightest bit entertained by how enthusiastically Telenon was going on about every topic they had even brushed against. Most candidates she met were either brazenly confident or rapidly hushed when they encountered a Rider of her rank and duties - something to be said for staying on the good side of a woman who could one day be responsible for treating a serious injury of theirs. Not this one, though. When his flit, Rings, popped up from within the towel and chirped a hello, she couldn't help but to laugh. It was just too perfectly suited for the boy.

"Good evening, Rings." She greeted the firelizard, before tilting her head curiously to one side. "Who is your sister? I've been here for a few days, getting settled in - maybe she and I have met?"

***

Rae Tig Thunder Norbert

Oh, thank Faranth. His bid for small talk had actually worked. Mentally, he made note of their names as they introduced themselves and was quick to offer a polite, "Nice to meet you too," every time he heard a name, just in case. Feeling a bit more relaxed, he took a big gulp of wine to further steady his nerves. He could do this. They were all just people mingling at a party and he had been to plenty of parties before. Of course, he'd usually had a brother or cousin or friend to back him up, but this wasn't so different.

"It's my first chance to Impress, too." Jorah figured it was only fair to share his own answer, once the others were done with theirs. He couldn't believe some of them had been waiting for so long - a full turn? He couldn't imagine it. If he didn't Impress with this clutch, he fully intended to find someone to take him back home.

He liked Aislyn already, primarily for the fact that she was dressed more practical than most of the other revelers. His plain attire didn't feel so misplaced next to a fellow Candidate who wasn't bedecked in their formal best. Her relaxed, cheery attitude helped too, and it was difficult to ignore the pretty, flaming locks of hair. Jorah liked Jaimes & Cabriel as well, especially since they seemed to be somewhat normal guys. Well, Jaimes at least - Cabriel apparently had serious moves, if his smooch with Oakley had been any indicator.

Berelai, though... when she asked for a meatroll, he instinctively pushed his entire plate a few inches in her direction, only to notice that both James and Cabriel had already responded to meet the request. His cheeks grew warm at Aislyn's suggestion that perhaps he or Jaimes could take Berelai out onto the dancefloor and he pulled his plate back wordlessly. She was absolutely gorgeous, actually, but Jorah hadn't been planning on competing for someone's attention. It wasn't that he hadn't been involved before, but he did prefer to map out his flirtatious events well in advance.

Finally, he smiled at Aislyn and Berelai both and gave a very small shrug. "Whatever the lady likes." Whatever the very shapely, smoldering lady liked indeed.

*

When her eyes caught onto the ballooning group of candidates near the front of the room, Craiss made a beeline to join them. Holding her food up to avoid bumping anyone and possibly tipping over the dish, she grinned as she pulled up a chair and set both the food and klah down. "I've found my new roomies, looks like." She said by way of greeting to the table at large. "I'm Craiss!" Jorah was easy to recognize from the flight over, of course, and he gave her a nod of acknowledgement.

*

Tig

H'skal took a seat reasonably close to the stage, stretching back so that he could lounge with exaggerated casualness over the chair that was woefully inadequate for how comfortable he wanted to be. When Oakley retook the stage, he picked up his glass of wine and listened to her lovely performance. Perhaps he might occasionally (definitely) be checking her out as well. He waited patiently as he enjoyed the music, biding his time for when her eyes passed over where he was sitting, at which point he grinned and raised his glass in a toast to her, then took a drink.

~Does she not appear to be spoken for?~ Conleth asked curiously, having caught his rider's undisguised stream of thought with ease.

}By a candidate? First of all: Hah!{ H'skal snickered to himself before popping a piece of food into his mouth. }Secondly: Have you seen that dress? It'd be criminal not to show some appreciation.{

Conleth chuffed his amusement from where he lay on the stony outcropping of their weyr. It was a wonderfully relaxing rain and he was content to lounge there for the time being, letting nature do the work of cleaning the muck that had glommed onto his impressive claws during the time he'd spent chatting with the pretty green in the Weyrbowl.

Rae

K’ron was distracted for a moment by the music. The music reminded him of his beloved weyrmate and the evenings he serenaded her with his harp. He put down the mug and touched the harp still strapped to his back, that was why he missed the man who almost collided into him.

“It is perfectly all right,” K’ron managed a slight smile to support his words, “I hope you are right abou the klah,” he replied, “because I certainly drink enough of it.

The bronzerider nodded his thanks to the other rider for showing him the klah pitcher. He lifted the pitcher and poured a generous portion into the mug. He was about to turn down the rider when he second guessed himself. He needed to meet his new weyrmates and now was as good a time as any.

“Let us find a quiet corner,” K’ron said, “I am K’ron by the way, rider of Nymanth. You are?”

--K’ron

==

Harbinger

“Thank you for the welcome, Taralo,” Ala’n said giving her a slight smile, “let me guess, you are one of the people who helped to get the weyr ready for us latecomers. My most profound thanks. The weyr is in marvelous condition.”

He gestured to a nearby table, “Do you have other plans for this evening or will you join me? I would love to hear about your adventures in an empty weyr?”

--Ala’n

vleap Tig

Ad'rastos grunted in response as he and K'ron took their mugs of klah and searched for an empty and quiet table. The Brownrider gave the rowdy table with the Candidates a wide berth. Their loud laughter and erratic up and down off the benches were very off-putting to the aged Rider. He finally claimed a seat in a far corner near that surly Blackrider fellow.

Ad'rastos didn't extend an invite to the other man, but he left space near the Blackrider. He could take the seat or leave it, didn't really matter to Ad'rastos, but the option was open. 

"Ad'rastos of Brown Aetosth." He finally replied to the earlier question. "Good to meet a Bronzerider. How much experience do you have Fighting Thread?" No pleasantries nor small talk, the grizzled man got right down to brass tacks. He wanted to know what kind of man this was and how comfortable he would feel being in the same wing as K'ron. "We need good men... and women," he added belatedly, "in our Fighting Wings." All this green vegetation will have to be protected. Grubs or no grubs."

Aetosth kept to himself on his ledge, outer lid closed to allow him to keep an eye on things through the continued drizzle. He was a fine specimen of a Brown, with a trace of graying about his muzzle, the only concession to his age. He would continue to serve his Weyr well, though. And he was an experienced Thread Fighter, may not be as quick and agile as he once was, but his many Turns of training and fighting made in an indispensable part of a less experienced wing. The quiet bearing of the Brown made him a calm teacher to other dragons.

Rae

Shards! Ad’rastos got right to it, didn’t he? K’ron thought to himself. He could respect a rider like that.

“Ny and I have seven turns flying Thread,” he replied, “eight if you count the turn we did as weyrlings when we were only responsible for bringing in firestone, “not as much as you I and Aetosth wager, but it was our honor to lead the weyr in ThreadFall on several occasions when the WeyrLeader was laid up with injury,” hopefully that would prove his experience in fighting Thread.

For a moment, K’ron looked up, the harper was playing one of his weyrmate’s favorite songs. He felt as if a dagger were stabbing his heart. Then with a fierce control, he pushed the pain back in his mind and returned to the conversation, “I arrived late today. Leading my runner through the jungle was hard work. Have you had a chance to assess our other weyrmates? Do you think they are up to the duty of protecting this area of Pern?” he asked

With his rider conversing with Ad’rastos, Nymanth decided to take the time to make the acquaintance of Aetosth ><I see your rider and mine are talking and I thought I would introduce myself. I am Nymanth and I am honored to meet one of such experience.>< he said from his couch.

--K’ron and Nymanth