An Evening of Talk

All references to worlds and characters based on Anne McCaffrey's fiction are copyright © Anne McCaffrey 1967,2000, all rights reserved, and used by permission of the author. The Dragonriders of Pern(r) is registered U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, by Anne McCaffrey, used here with permission. Use or reproduction without a license is strictly prohibited. For more information, visit the Worlds of Anne McCaffrey. Many thanks to Alec Johnson for his assistance with this information!

An Evening of Talk

Leelson leaves, and Chailyn and T'al have a long talk about people and life in general
Cast: Chailyn, Leelson, Jasmyn, T'al, Channah, T'mren, Celie

Chailyn - Thursday, June 08, 2000, 4:05 PM
------------------------------------------

Maheve waves her hand and start running to go home.
Maheve has disconnected.

Jasmyn gives T'al an absent glance then looks more closely as she notes the frown.

T'mren leans back in his seat thoughtfully, waving to T'al, "Evening!"

Alenia heads over to the meal table. She greets Jasmyn before filling a plate with greens and wherry. As she slips into a table she starts eating rather quickly.

Chailyn resumes her patching once again. "Now that, Jasmyn, I can't imagine at all. So many of them, it must be complete chaos. And I bet you love every minute of it." She gives a nod to the new arrivals, arching her eyebrows a bit at T'al.

Faltan looks at Maheve's running saying to himself. "She run faster than I did at her age..."

T'al brightens as soon as he spots his sister. He joins her by the meal table and gives her a hug. "Good day, Del. How are you doing." He turns around and briefly nods to T'mren and Jasmyn.

Derendelen smiles widely to her brother and hugs him too. "I'm fine, thank you. But you seem to be worried. Do you want some klah?".

Jasmyn smiles. "Yes, I must admit, I did." She looks back up at Mikel and giggles."Having him around, and the others, along with Rosi, it is almost like home." She grins at Faltan. "Younger sisters have to move faster than older brothers. Or else they get tickled too easily."

T'al adds a wave for Chailyn, Alenia and Faltan before grinning at Del. "Oh, no... I'm, uh, fine, thanks." He looks at her mug, then shakes his head. "Depends. Did you add something in your klah, or is it just normal, plain, honest klah?" He just knows her so well.

Faltan sticks his tongue out, scratching the back of his neck. "You're right, but I'm the one who is ticklish!"

Derendelen smiles at Jasmyn words, "As far as I remember, I was always the first to tickle and T'al was always the first to be tickled..." Then she turns back to her brother, "Oh, T'al, how can you think so... I mean... Okay, I think I'd better not try to convince you I am the most honest sister on Pern, 'cause you would know it's not true". And she adds an evil grin.

Jasmyn blinks in surprise at Faltan's impudent gesture and chuckles. She stoutly defends his younger siblings. "Oh, well, little sisters always have to a secret weapon or too."

Chailyn's stitches come quickly and evenly as she finishes up that patch. Then she sticks the needle into the spool, and settles back with a sigh. "All done. Now Damina needs to figure out what to do with them."

Derendelen adds "yes, for example some secret klah-recipes..."

Mikel rights himself on the perch, spots something going on elsewhere and launches himself off to a new adventure.

Mikel flies up the stairway and swoops past the balcony up to the hallway.
Mikel has left.

"Don't care," T'al answers with a wry grin. "You're more ticklish than I am, Del, aren't you?" he reminds her with an awfully sweet smile. Well. He chuckles a bit, then turns to the others. Frowning faintly, this time. "Say... Seen Treena today?" he asks softly.

Chailyn grins as she spots the brown's departure. "How like a brown." She stretches and pops her knuckles absently. "So, Myn, T'mren, what're you all doing the rest of the day?"

Your location's current time: 19:17 on day 26, month 11, Turn 31, of the Tenth Pass. It is a autumn evening.

Jasmyn rubs the back of her neck, watching Mikel take off. She turns back to Chailyn, sipping at her klah. "To be honest, hide work and mending of my own."

Leelson ambles out from the inner caverns.
Leelson has arrived.

Faltan clears his throat and looks at Jasmyn. "Do you know where I can find Tunnel snakes here?"

Derendelen smiles widely to Leelson. "How do you do? Want some hot-and-honest klah?"

Leelson walks out from the inner caverns with two large satchels over his shoulder. He's also carrying a large rucksack, stuffed to breaking point. He doesn't look very happy at all as he trudges past. "No thanks" he says quietly in response to the offer of klah.

Jasmyn gestures towards the inner caverns. "Any of the darker tunnels. They are always hunting them back there. Any tunnelsnake you can find and get rid of, will be one less tunnel snake to chew through the storeroom inventory."

T'al considers again, and decides to pour himself a glass of ale. Not in the mood for Derendelen's klah, probably. He wrinkles his nose a bit as he doesn't get any significant answer to his question about Treena, but he doesn't comment otherwise, as if this was somehow what he was expecting. Absently waving to Leelson, he gets over to a seat not far away and starts drinking his ale thoughtfully.

Jasmyn sniffs and mutters something to herself about tunnelsnakes, looking in the general direction of Leelson.

Chailyn watches Lee, eyebrows arching lightly at Jasmyn's comment. She frowns slightly, and gathers up her mending, needle and thread. "Well, I think I'm going to give all this back to Damina, and then take a walk down to the lake or something."

Faltan smiles brightly. "In the storeroom...Thanks!" He adds to himself. "You better have to check your bed before sleeping, Ory..." Then he waves to everyone and runs towards the exit.

Leelson glances over at Jasmyn curiously but dolefully as well. Lee sighs and looks around at everything before heading out to the bowl.

Leelson walks out to the Bowl.
Leelson has left.

Faltan strides through the passageway into the Inner Caverns.
Faltan has left.

Jasmyn says "Oh dear." She shakes her head. "I didn't know that was what you wanted to do, Faltan. Might not be the best idea, you know?" She shakes her head as Leelson leaves, sniffing."Sure, can't face the consequences of his actions, runs away.""

Chailyn says mildly, "There's always three sides to evry story, Myn. His side, her side and the truth." She ducks into the caverns for a moment, and then emerges. "I think I'll head on that walk."

T'al waves after Faltan, his eyes following Leelson. "... Not recovered from his hangover yet?" he stage-whispers to Jasmyn, before motioning his sister over.

Jasmyn shrugs, looking up at Chailyn. "I know that. I happened to observe a lot of the story for myself."

Chailyn doesn't argue her point any further, instead, heading out towards the bowl.

You walk out into the Bowl.
Field outside the Main Entrance
Activity surrounds you as you gaze over the road which runs beneath the huge cliffs which form the southeastern section of the Igen Weyr Bowl. The wall opens here in three places... the middle one seems the most busy although the northernmost one is the largest. The ground under your feet is solid and rocky, and in the brightest sun it glares uncomfortably.
To the north the road continues, winding its way past the hatching grounds and barracks to eventually leave the bowl. Cutting across the bowl to the northwest brings you to the center of the bowl. To the west lies a green field full of beasts- the Weyr's feeding grounds. The infirmary weyr opens to the northeast, and the living caverns to the east.
Contents:
Leelson
Visquath
Umirieth(#15320Jaeps)
Araveth(#15241MVaes)

Chailyn comes on out a few minutes and calls, "Lee? Got a minute?"

IgenW-LC> Jasmyn shakes her head. "I have no idea about hangovers but he did break t hings off with Shilarra yesterday.."

IgenW-LC> T'mren chuckles, Leelson's single, eh?"

IgenW-LC> Derendelen looks carefully at T'al. He seems to be worried. She stares at him inquisitively as he sips her ale thoughtfully. Then she stands up as if she had just taken a decision, and goes to T'al's table. She lays her hand on her brother's shoulder and bends down to him. She whispers, "T'al, say me, what's wrong with you?". She seems truly worried for her brother.

Leelson glances back from where he's waiting to get his things loaded up onto a dragon. "Huh?" he turns about, sniffling a little. "Chai?"

Chailyn nods. "Where ya going?"

IgenW-LC> Jasmyn quirks an eyebrow at T'mren and sniffs, loudly. "That is all you can say about it? He breaks Shilarra's heart, makes a fool out of himself with a few Telgar floosies and all you can do is chuckle?" She stands to her feet, disgusted with men in general it seems.

Leelson looks down at his feet. "Home, and then to Telgar."

Chailyn blinks. "You're leaving for good? Why?"

IgenW-LC> T'mren looks contrite, "I didn't mean to sound amused, Myn. I'm not. It's pretty disgusting behaviour."

IgenW-LC> Jasmyn shrugs and places her mug in the cleaning bin. "Men.. I need to go talk to Ric, he will agree." With that illogical statement, the greenrider huffs her way out.

Jasmyn walks out from the Weyr's Living Cavern.
Jasmyn has arrived.

IgenW-LC> T'al just peers. "Oh, Faranth..." His brows knitted together, he leans a bit toward Jasmyn and asks softly, "What happened?" Del's question brings a faint smile on his face. "Oh, I'm okay, Coltling, thanks. I'm okay." A concerned gaze follows Jasmyn as she departs.

Jasmyn gives Leelson a withering glare as she climbs up on Umirieth. She turns, half way up and pointedly stares at the stablehand. "You can't run for ever, Leelson, grow up and face the consequences for your behaviour. Just because you broke Shilarra's heart doesn't mean you can give up your duties here so easily does it?"

IgenW-LC> Derendelen seems puzzled. But, after all, T'al has always been... T'al. She gives up and goes again to the meal table to pour hot klah in her always-empty-mug.

Visquath turns curious eyes to the group, head tilted. Listening to them, most obvsiouly.

Leelson holds up his bandaged hand a little and sighs. "Because Shilarra's furious with me, Jasmyn's furious with me, no doubt M'verick will be furious with me soon, if he isn't already. I tried to make a decision that will help me grow up a little on-" Jasmyn cuts him off and he looks over at her angrily. "You don't have any idea what this is about, so stay out of it!" Lee's eyes are watering and he looks away quickly, a flash of light reflecting of tears that dash to the ground.

IgenW-LC> T'al wrinkles his nose again, forgetting about his ale for now. "Always the same story, again and again. Isn't it funny?" he whispers under his breath, before swallowing hard and letting his glance drift over toward the Bowl.

Chailyn mms lightly, "Myn's got the sentiment right even if she's putting it, ah, a trifle baldly." She eyes the greenrider, and then says, "So here, why don't you tell me your side of the story Lee, since you're so upset about it? or, you could just go off an *let* everyone think the worst of you. That's certainly easier."

Jasmyn snorts, staring at the lad."Fine, I will. Go run off to mama."

Jasmyn with the help of Umirieth's offered foreleg, gracefully climbs onto her back.
Jasmyn has left.

Umirieth tenses, then springs upwards.
Umirieth has left.

Leelson wipes at his eyes and glares at Jasmyn as she heads up with Umirieth. He tenses and clenches his fists.

Chailyn folds her arms and waits a trifle implacably.

IgenW-LC> Derendelen comes back with a full mug of boiling klah and sits in front of her brother. She gives him an inquisitive glance before looking deep in the klah she is stirring.

Chailyn asks gently, "So? Are you just going to leave, or are you going to talk about it instead?"

Leelson breathes through his teeth for a moment before saying slowly "Right now, I really couldn't care less about how people think of me. Everyone can just jump to their own conclusions and think that they know someone, or know what's going on. If that's what they want to do, they're going to do it anyway."

Chailyn shrugs and says, in that same gentle tone, "You can either help yourself, or you can't. Clean up your own mess, or leave it for others to speculate on. I certainly thought you were more mature than that. Have you gotten someone to take over your chores?"

IgenW-LC> T'mren looks after Jasmyn, and simply shakes his head.

IgenW-LC> T'al ponders for a while, then just shrugs. "Dunno. They loved each other, and they broke off, and..." His eyes unfocus a bit, and he mutters something. "If you'll excuse me," he murmurs with an apologetic glance at Del, getting up.

IgenW-LC> Derendelen nods and then looks at her klah. Uh-oh. She has stirred it for a while and it's no use torturing it more. She empties her mug in one sip. Then she looks again at her brother. He'll ever be the same.

IgenW-LC> T'al just stays here for a while, hesitating, sucking air between his teeth, then heads out discreetly. "Be right back..." he just tells his sister with an unconvinced grin before leaving.

T'al walks out from the Weyr's Living Cavern.
T'al has arrived.

IgenW-LC> T'mren says, softly, "From what i heard, Leelson's a little too popular with the ladies. That tends to make a man, ah, want to be single again."

IgenW-LC> Derendelen blushes and answer, "Oh, I see... And do you know why T'al was so strange today?"

T'al makes his way out discreetly, and pauses at the entrance of the cavern, eyeing Chailyn questioningly, as if unsure whether or not he should interfere and try to help.

Leelson watches the last of his things loaded up. "If you want to know why I'm leaving, here it is. I'm leaving because in my heart, I think it'll make it easier for Shilarra. I love her still. That's right, I do. I tried telling her that, but she thinks this is all about her. Or that this is all about me wanting to go and have sex with other girls." Lee's too angry to blush at saying that. "Well it isn't. I realized recently, I'm not sure if it was going to the Lava Lounge that did it or not, that I still have a lot of growing up to do. I've never lived on my own, I was here two months before I moved in with Shilarra. I'm very very shy unless I've got drink in me and I /hate/ that. I can't even hug friends without my cheeks going red. In short, I don't know who I am right now and I don't want to turn into something that Shilarra doesn't like. I want to know who I am before I come back and tell her that I'm the man who she can love or not love." Lee's tears are back as he says all this. "/THAT'S/ why I'm leaving!"

Chailyn gives a little shrug to T'al - it obviously can't hurt - and then turns back to Leelson. "It takes an adult to admit their mistakes. I personally think running from anything is a big one, and will only allow you to indulge your immaturity. Then again, I tend to speak plainly, and don't pull my punches. Just ask F'gon. You have responsibilities here, far greater than any personal considerations. And you weren't even going to *tell* me you were leaving, and you're giving me riding lessons. That's not facing up to anything."

T'al fidgets a bit and clears his throat. "Well..." he tries, "how can you be sure you won't grow into something Shilarra doesn't like if you, uh, stay away from her?" he asks with just a bit too much intensity, as if the scope of his question was broader than just Leelson's problem.

Leelson rolls his eyes at Chailyn. "You know, there are more people here who want to be stablehands than runners. As for your riding lessons, you never really wanted to take them in the first place. I had to make a bet with you. I'm sure if you /really/ want to continue taking them, another of the stablehands will help you." Lee turns and takes hold of a strap to climb up onto the dragon and rider waiting for him to be finished. "As for that, T'al. I've been trying my hardest to be what Shilarra wants for the last two turns because I love her so much. I've never really gone into what I might want. I'm just so confused that getting away for a while is the best thing I can think of to do. And even if it is a mistake, I have to make my mistakes before I can learn from them."

Chailyn snorts. "You can't even have twenty turns yet, Lee. How in the world could you expect to know what you want? I won't keep you, if that's what you want to do." She takes a few steps back to give the rider clearance.

T'al takes one step closer to Leelson, just one. "You know," he says softly, his voice a bit coarse, as if there was a lump in his throat, "I thought that way too." He pauses, the tip of a rather dry tongue running quickly over not less dry lips. "All that I can tell you is that I was wrong. Believe me. If you love her, stay with her. Or at least, stay around." He opens his mouth as if to add something, but no sound come, and he just stays there, shivering a bit, not knowing what to say, what to do.

Visquath swishes his tail nervously, eyes whirling a bit faster. But he doesn't move otherwise, knowing better than that.

Leelson stares back at Chailyn for a second. "That's right, Chailyn. That's exactly right. How in the world could I expect to know what I want? That's what you should tell Shilarra if you see her." He doesn't explain that but then starts climbing up. He doesn't respond to T'al's comments and before long, he's gone.
Leelson has left.

Chailyn's eyebrows arch faintly, as she looks aside at T'al and his blue. Then she lifts an arm to avoid the shower of sand as the dragon takes off with Lee. She sighs. "Well. That went well. I swear, one of these days, I'm going to learn to just stay out of things."

T'al watches in silence as Leelson departs. "Always the same story. The same mistakes," he mutters after a while. "No one ever learns." Whether this was addressed to Chailyn or not is unclear.

Chailyn tilts her head at T'al, and offers, "Hindsight's always got the clearest vision. And you can tell someone until you're blue in the face - unless they want to believe, they won't."

T'al shivers again. "Poor Shilarra," he whispers, his eyes still on where the dragon carrying Leelson went *between*. "Do you think she'll forgive him for letting her down when she needs him most?"

Chailyn sighs. "Who knows? Affairs of the heart are never predictable. Just when you think it all makes sense, someone changes everything on you." She tilts her head and asks companionably, "You okay?"

T'al sighs, then nods. "Yeah. I'm okay." He turns sober eyes to Chailyn, rubbing his shoulders. "But someone isn't. And I don't know where she is."

Chailyn shrugs. "I'm sure Shilarra will be fine. She has half the weyr looking out for her well being." She pauses and then takes in that somber expression. "Are you sure you're all right? I don't bite. Much."

T'al grins faintly as his dragon trudges over and nudges him with his muzzle, begging for a caress, then he nods at Shilarra. "Yeah, I'm alright. I think. I'm concerned about a... friend of mine, is all. You don't know Treena, do you?"

Chailyn shakes her head. "Other than just to say hi in the caverns, no. Why?"

T'al licks his upper lip a bit uneasily. "Let's move inside, we'll be more comfortable, don't you think?" he suggests, without answering her question. Not now. Not yet.

Chailyn nods and shrugs faintly, following the bluerider into the caverns.

T'al heads through the main entrance, into the Weyr's Living Cavern.
T'al has left.

You head into the Igen Weyr Living Cavern.
Igen Weyr Living Cavern(#600RJMQ)

Contents:
T'al
Meal Table

Chailyn heads to the serving table and asks, "Want something to drink, T'al?"

T'al plops into a chair near the fireplace, then blinks and gets up at Chailyn's offer. "Oh, thanks, I still have a glass of ale over there," he says, trotting to the table he was before leaving the cavern. And he gets back to the fireplace with his prize, sparing a grateful smile for Chailyn, since she reminded him of it.

Chailyn collects a mug of juice and then wanders over towards the fire, though she takes a seat and pulls it back further from the warmth before settling. "So. Looks like it's a rather depressing evening, hm?"

T'al takes a careful sip on his glass and considers. "Back when I was... a clueless stablehand," he starts telling softly, his eyes on the dancing flame, "I fell in love with a girl. Her name was Treena. We truly loved each over, and even after she..." He pauses. There's a flame in his eyes as well as he continues, "... after she cheated on me with Seraphim, we decided to stay together."

Chailyn listens quietly, wrapping her hands about her mug. She nods lightly, expression encouraging.

T'al turns uncertain eyes to Chailyn. "And, well, we were Searched, the two of us, the same day. I felt all weird, of course, because it had to be a mistake or something..." His eyes unfocus a bit, and he chuckles quietly. "Well. Mistake or not, I was Searched, and Treena too. But as you certainly know, Candidates aren't allowed to be... ah, intimate with anyone. And that's why, I guess, the gap between us grew. Until she had to withdrew from Candidacy, because she was pregnant." Silence. He's shivering a bit.

Chailyn ohs softly.

T'al blinks. "If I'm bothering you with my old stories, just tell me," he notes with a kind smile.

Chailyn shakes her head. "No, go ahead. The baby was yours?"

T'al shakes his head, then looks down. His voice is low, a mere whisper, as he answers, "No. The twins are Ser's." He stays quiet for a while, then goes on. "I Impressed. Seraphim ended up breaking off with her. She left Igen. I've not seen her since a couple of days ago. It's a stupid story, isn't it?"

Chailyn is quiet a moment, and then says, "No. It's a very human one." She pauses and then says softly, "I'm sorry."

Celie comes in from the Bowl.
Celie has arrived.

Celie shuffles in from the infirmary.

T'al chuckles dryly. "Oh, no need to be sorry. It's the past." He shrugs, then waves to Celie. "Well, the problem is that I thought I still loved her, but too many things have changed." He ponders for a while, brows furrowed, as he looks for the appropriate words to explain the end of that story. It's so difficult. "And, well, when I saw her a couple of days ago, I told her it was over between us, and she was hurt, and I don't know what I should do," he blurts, before biting his lips.

Celie is pondering a piece of paper in her hands with a slight frown. After a moment, she crumples it in her hand and heads toward the meal table. "Evening, T'al...Chailyn."

Chailyn mms. "Well, I'm not one to advise you." She looks up and nods to Celie from her spot by the fire. "Evening, Celie." She pauses and looks back to T'al. "It's best ot be honest about your feelings, though. think of all the hurt in the long run if you weren't."

Celie hovers over the mealtable, something like indecision travelling over her face for a moment. She picks up several spoons in various dishes, turning them or stirring them thoughtfully. Then, with a shake of her head, she picks up a small loaf of bread and heads toward a table.

T'al sighs. "Yes, of course," he admits, nodding, "but is there a way to love without hurting anyone? I always end up hurting people," he confesses with a guilty look. "And everytime I tell someone about my feelings, they start crying," he adds in a murmur, quite sounding like it happened very recently.

Chailyn grins a trifle wryly, "Well, *that* I can certainly sympathize with. Though from what I've seen, there isn't a way. They seem to go hand in hand, like night and day."

Celie nibbles on a piece of bread thoughtfully, listening without interrupting.

T'al sighs again, with resignation, this time. "So there's no way to love without hurting, eh? I thought... Some people seem to be doing fine, though... It's just too complicated for me," he states without humor.

Celie clears her throat and adds in quietly. "Sometimes love hurts quite a bit."

Chailyn nods. "You and me both." She takes a sip of her juice. "I think I may just avoid it for a while."

T'al looks at Celie questioningly, but doesn't dare voice his thought. Instead, he quirks both brows at Chailyn, sipping on his ale. "Ah? What happened?" She's be so kind with him; he now looks like he's willing to listen carefully to whatever she may want to say.

Chailyn shrugs slightly. "Nothing much. I'm not the sort of girl men fall in love with." She grins a bit and looks to Celie. "And for that, I think I should likely be profoundly greatful."

T'al just peers. "Why not?" he asks with authentic innocence.

Celie continues to nibble on a piece of bread. "Loneliness isn't very comfortable, either."

Chailyn shrugs. "I'm not lonely. I have friends to keep me company. And I stay busy enough." Oddly, she doesn't answer T'al's question.

This doesn't escape T'al's attention, for once. He grins weakly and murmurs, "I shouldn't have asked, eh, Chailyn?"

Chailyn mms at T'al. "It's really a long story."

T'al sits up. "Oh, no need to tell me, you know," he says, offering an apologetic grin. "I mean, I'd be happy to listen to you if you're looking for someone to share your story, but of course, you don't have to tell me!" he exclaims, visibly embarrassed.

Celie gets to her feet, brushing bread crumbs off her skirt. "Excuse me..."

Celie walks out to the Bowl.
Celie has left.

Chailyn grins. "Don't worry about it. It's not much of a story, for all it's a long one." She settles back in her seat, taking a drink of her juice. "besides, I'd rather talk of happier things."

T'al frowns at Celie. "Is it something I said...?" he murmurs, waving after her, before turning back to Chailyn. His gentle smile might be a hint that he's ready to listen to her long and sad story whenever she wants, but he doesn't comment. "Well, it's a good idea. What would you like to talk about?"

Katreana ambles out from the inner caverns.
Katreana has arrived.

Katreana strolls in with the look of one whose cares have been relieved for the time being. She pours herself a mug of Klah and sips it slowly, looking around the cavern.

Chailyn mms. "Well, when do you wager Ladonyth will clutch? Seems she's hanging onto those eggs harder than a Bitran does to marks." She grins, and then nods politely to Katreana as she enters.

Katreana smiles in Chailyn's direction, and then the proverbial lightbulb seems to go on. Holding her mug tightly she heads towards the bowl with a lilt in her step.

Katreana walks out to the Bowl.
Katreana has left.

T'al waves after Katreana and considers Chailyn's question with a smile. Obviously, the comparison with a Bitran amuses him. "Oh, I have no idea. Say, in a week? Two, maybe?" While he looks rather clueless about this point, he seems determine to play the game, for the sake of it.

You say "How many eggs do you think there'll be? Clutching's always a happy time, isn't it?"

T'al nods politely. "Well, yes, it's a happy event. I guess I'm the only one who is moody when all then overs are rejoicing. Say... 24 Eggs? It's not much, but I like this number..."

Chailyn smiles. "Well, at the clutching feast, come find me, and I'll make sure you're not moody. There has to be something exciting and happy around here."

T'al grins. "Okay, I will." He looks at her, a faint light dancing in his eyes. "Thank you for everything, Chailyn." He gets up to refill his glass. "Want something, while I'm at it?"

Chailyn mms. "Some more juice would be great. Citron please?"

T'al nodnods and fills a glass with citron juice. He carries it over to Chailyn cautiously, and sits back at his previous seat. "Well! What were we talking about? Oh, yes. Clutching feast. A happy occasion, eh?"

Chailyn accepts the mug with a nod of thanks and takes a sip. Then she clears her throat. "I'd think so, though I've never seen one, really. Always something to do to keep me busy. Getting ready for the feast and all."

T'al sips on his ale and crosses his legs. "What have you never seen? A Clutching or a Clutching feast?"

Chailyn grins. "The former. I'm usually helping out behind the scenes at the latter."

"Oh, I see." T'al grins. "Well, there's not much to see. The Gold crouches for a while, and when she moves on, there's an Egg in the sand. Is all." He sighs a bit dreamily. "Of course, what's interesting is to wonder about what's in each Egg, and whose life will change forever when it Hatches..."

Chailyn arches her eyebrows. "You mean like your life changed forever?"

T'al nods, a bit puzzled. "Well, of course, why?"

Chailyn shrugs. "Just hard for me to imagine it. Doesn't it get confusing, having him with you all the time?"

T'al smiles in silence, a dreamy expression on his features. "Well, it takes some getting used to, but after a week or two, you can't even really remember how it is to live without a dragon." The smile fades some. "But of course, when you have a dragon, you worry about him. All the time. And fighting Thread is no innocuous pastime, you know," he says in a quiet voice, confessing his worst fear in that simple sentence.

Channah comes in from the Bowl.
Channah has arrived.

Chailyn nods. "That I can understand. I don't understand how you all can do it sevenday in and sevenday out." She smiles then and notes, "That's likely why I'm not a rider."

Channah comes in, actually walking like a normal person for once, but she still says, "Hi!" rather loudly before heading to fetch herself a glass of water with the ease of practiced guesthood.

Channah smiles at Chailyn's smile as she slips into a seat in a quiet (for her) kind of way.

T'al shrugs. "Well, someone has to do it. And few Riders are cowards anyway," he answers just a tad bitterly, looking away. Channah receives a quick wave and a faint smile, but not much attention.

Channah opens her mouth but then she shuts it.

Chailyn arches her eyebrows at T'al, and then looks aside at Channah. She gives the girl a smile and "Evening," before looking back at T'al. Instead she says neutrally, "No, I wouldn't imagine they were. It's hard for me to imagine it though." Her tone interjects a hint of humor, "I'd likely run like a scared spiderclaw."

Channah smiles, "Evening." She says carefully, "I haven't ever seen a dragonrider take off in fear."

T'al smiles good-naturedly, if a bit uneasily. "Oh, I know. /I/ used to run like a scared spiderclaw. But now, of course, I have no choice," he notes, seemingly addressing this to Channah as well. "It's a tough life. I don't know how many of us would be able to cope with it if we didn't have our dragons to support us." He admits it without shame. But he sounds tired.

T'mren comes down the stairway.
T'mren has arrived.

T'mren wanders down the stairs into the cavern, waving, "Hey folks!"

Channah nods thoughtfully, "It's good that you do. And of course you have our tithes and loyalty," she says, letting a bit of pride into her voice. At T'mren's entrance she turns and smiles, "Hey T'mren," she says, a bit - something different in tone. Smugly, maybe.

T'mren grins over at Channah and winks, "Hi you. HOw goes? Messages to deliver today?"

Chailyn's head tilts again as she looks at T'al. Cerulean eyes flicker slightly, and she opens her mouth to say something, before T'mren calls a greeting. "Hello, T'mren."

T'mren flashes a smile, "Chailyn! Good evenin'."

T'al waves to T'mren a bit absently. He finishes his glass of ale, then gets up. "Well. I need to get up early tomorrow. Sweeps," he explains with an apologetic smile. "Mind if I leave?"

Channah grins, "Just tithe lists actually." She glances at T'al for a moment, adding, "Which is a pleasure to do."

Chailyn sniffs at T'al. "Absolutely!" Then she smiles gently, and offers, "Rest well, T'al. Sweet dreams."

T'mren plops down in aseat near channah and grins at her, "We're always glad to see you here at Igen. Err. At least, I know I am!"

Channah nods, "Clear skies," she adds to Chailyn's good wishes. Then she chuckles at T'mren, "Well, that's something... _Ista_ bronzerider," she says a bit teasingly.

T'al grins gently. "I'll try, Chailyn. And... Thank you. Very much." He waves around, smiling to Channah and T'mren, and heads out.

T'al walks out to the Bowl.
T'al has left.

Channah watches as T'al goes and then says to Chailyn, "_Wow_ the relationship between resident and rider doing serious support right here before my very eyes."

Channah beams at Chailyn, "That's so neato."

Chailyn draws a foot up into her chair, looking after T'al for a moment. Then she blinks a bit, and looks over to Channah. "Hm? I don't quite follow you."

Channah adds, headlong, "That T'al needs someone to boost him up, imagine, he told me he wasn't _brave_. Huh. Right. Like fighting Thread doesn't take guts. It's good you can listen like that," she says enthusiastically, "He looked - I dunno - listened to."

Chailyn shrugs slightly, the tips of her ears tinging pink. "Sometimes people just need to talk."

Channah rolls her eyes a bit and says to T'mren, "That's what I need to learn next, the whole supportive thing." She winks. But then she says more seriously, nodding emphatically, "I _know_ and wow, I could tell it was working."

Chailyn clears her throat and changes the subject. "So, T'mren, what're you up to this evening?"

Channah turns her head to watch T'mren and listen, apparently actually picking up on the change in conversation.

T'mren smiles at Chailyn, "Just relaxing. Just got up from a nap, I was reading healer scrolls all afternoon. Dragonhealer, that is."

Chailyn ahs. "I was talking to Oriabel this afternoon. She wants to be a dragonhealer, but I think P'ter believe she's too young. So I suggested that she study herbs until then, to prove she's serious about it."

Channah's curls bob as she sits up, "Wow, dragonhealing. How old do you have to be?"

Chailyn rises, taking her cup with her. "I need some fresh air. Excuse me?" Without much leave, she heads out into the bowl, taking her mug with her.

You walk out into the Bowl.

PST