This> R'io reaches into the bag of assorted rocks and pulls out one that meets his standards, nice and black, "Alright buddy, think you can do this with out scorching me?" The blue bobs his head quickly, opening his maw to be fed the stone, "Gah, bad breath!" He manages to stomach the smell and feeds the stone to his lifemate who begins to chew, "Back Teeth durn it!" R'io shouts frustrated by his blue.

Weyrling Field -- Starmount
Probably ten or twenty dragonlengths wide and almost twice as long, this large field is very flat, very smooth with years of use, and in places -- very scorched. There are spots on the walls where the dirt has been blackened from firestone practice, and others smoother than normal from the scratching of itchy-hided young dragons. Weyrlings work here, the pairs teaching each other about themselves and practicing techniques they'll need in Fall. A large cavern opens at the far end of the pocket of space, the barracks themselves. The airspace over this field is kept clear for the wobbly young fliers.
 
Away from Jharzeth, Kuasyth blinks some more, but slowly closes her jaws around the small piece of firestone. An all-too-audible *cruuunch* can be heard from within Kuasyth's mouth, and then her chewing starts to quicken. Kilari fixes her attention on her lifemate, eyebrows furrowing. "Alright...remember, think of your second stomach." << I am, >> the green assures, and then swallows, eyes whirling quicker now. << Now what do I do? >> Kuasyth calls, mental tones anxious now. Kilari sends an expectant look towards T'ela, notices Kaeralla, and nods politely to her. But soon her attention is back on T'ela again. Can't miss out on anything, afterall.

Away from Jharzeth, Leah frowns at Ularith as he refuses to open his mouth to let Leah place the stone inside of it. "But Ularith, you have to learn how to chew it! It won't hurt you!" Pause, before the dragon stubbornly answers with a curt <<I don't want to flame anymore.>> Wilting under the stare of the weyrlingmaster, the flustered weyrling shrugs. "He just doesn't want to chew it."

Away from Jharzeth, Shepoth settles himself down to croon at Ularith, though he suppresses a premature rumble a moment later. << Now, small lady, you must wait. Move over towards the pile over there, and don't look at anybody just in case the flame comes. You will feel it bubbling, and then you will burp. >> T'ela scowls as well, planting her fists on her hips. "He doesn't want to chew? Why in Faranth's name not?" Ularith is eyed as she scolds, "If you don't chew now, you can't learn to fly, and then you'll never graduate. Would you like that?" Shepoth snorts softly, tail flicking as he shifts to warble encouragingly at Ularith, but lets his lifemate deal with him and turns to croon at Rastejath. << Is your stone acceptable? You must remember to use your back teeth. It is easier. >>

Away from Jharzeth, Amentith flips her tail lazily in the snow of the field as she turns her sharp gaze towards Ularith. << It's fun to chew the stone. >> she remarks reassuringly, so calm and regal in her tone of 'voice' << I have chewed 'stone, and nothing has happened to me. >> The green turns slightly, eyeing Shepoth for a moment, as if in apology as she lowers her head, letting her rider lean against her neck for support. Kae smiles hestitantly towards her friend, her wave a little more confident. "Lovely, I remeber when Amentith chewed 'stone, it was quite an adventure." She grins reasurringly to the weyrlings. "All part of being a fighting dragon."

Away from Jharzeth, Ularith is a stubborn dragonet, he is, and even under the stern glare of T'ela he declares he doesn't like flaming. <<I'll never graduate then. I don't like flaming.>> Frowning at the reluctant blue, she looks helpless. Ularith sits still, tail twitching, through all of the encouragments and scolding. Leah digs into the sack once more, coming up with a blacker stone. "This one?" <<No.>> Digging more, she continues to reveal nice stones to Ularith. "This one?" <<No.>> "This one?" <<No.>> "This one?" <<NO!>>

Away from Jharzeth, Jharzeth lands a little ways away from the rest of the dragons, well out of flaming distance -- he's got no intention of gaining a scorched hide today. While the bronze rumbles an amiable greeting, his rider, with an irritable, annoyed expression, grumbles, "Oh, just be quiet." O'kano unbuckles straps and clambers down to glower blackly at the gathered group, observing but keeping his distance. And that distance is as far away as possible.

Kilari's eyes unfocus somewhat as Shepoth's words are no doubt transferred from Kuasyth to her 'mate. "Pile?" Confusion, there. "Which pile?" Urgency enters her tones now, as she glances from the now fidgeting Kuasyth to Shepoth. << Bubbling? >> Kuasyth echoes. << I feel...bubbling. >> That -must- be what it is, anyway. Bubbling, yes. "Oh, no...hold it in, Kuas!" Suddenly, Kuasyth shifts around, so her muzzle is aimed at one of those bundles of sticks and such, and a soft burping sound ensues. The small-ish stream of flame that erupts from the green's maw just barely reaches, and lights, that bundle. << Oh, lookie! >>

Rastejath chews, and chews, and chews, then swallows, <<That tasted funny.>> He comments, looking towards the pile of sticks, "I think your supost' to burp it up Raste, and you know what that is." R'io moves the bag out of the way and clears the path for Raste to do his thing, <<I don't feel anything, am I 'suppost to feel something?>>

<< Think of your second stomach. >> Amentith offers her advice to Rastejeth cheerily, as she flips her tail through the snow again. << And you'll feel all bubbly inside. And burp out the gasses. >> The younger green's accomplishment is met with a warble of felicitations. << Lovely flame. >> before the copper-splashed green head turns towards Jharzeth. << Hello handsome! >>

Shepoth trumpets encouragement as Kuasyth flames, letting out another powerful gout of fire. << That is wonderful, small lady! Very good! Now, try to hold it in as much as you can, and you will get more fire. >> T'ela frowns at Ularith, balling one hand up into a fist before she shrugs and turn away. "If he refuses, you can't force him. See what he has to say when everyone else is out here practicing, and then flying. He won't be flying until he can chew stone." Forcefully, and rather venemously spat out, T'ela turns to continue down the line, and either doesn't notice or pretends not to notice Jharzeth and his lifemate: quite like an ostrich, actually, burying her head in the sand.

Kuasyth would beam if it were draconically possible, but she comes as close as she can, neck straightening so her head is held a bit higher then before, in a proud sort of way. << I -did- it, >> she announces smugly, turning one muted eye on Kilari. The dragon's human counterpart just continues to sulk, arms crossed over her chest again. "Yea, well...I'm just glad you didn't flame some-one- instead of some-thing-." So there. But she -does- look proud...to an extent. Her hands reach out to grab another chunk of firestone, and she feeds this to Kuasyth, the green repeating the chewing and swallowing process of before. "Now, hold it in like he said," she reminds her 'mate, who just bobs her head in response.

"I said shut /up,/" O'kano hisses at his lifemate, half-turning to place hands on hips and glower fiercely at the bronze; Jharzeth just ignores the rider as Amentith is spotted and taken notice of. In return, the dragon offers out a pleased -- if not somewhat smug -- warble for the green, responding in kind as Puo just throws up a hand in exasperation and sulkily glares at one of the weyrlings who happens to look a little too close. << Hello! >> "Sharding bronze."

Leah droops, leaning against the solid blue with a sigh. "Stupid dragon. Now everybody else is going to do everything, and when it's time for you to fly, you wont be able to. And when it's time for us to fly, we wont be able to, because you wont know how." Ularith stands still, thoughts bubbling around in his head. <<Well, maybe I'll just try a little bit..>> Jumping up, Leah beams. "Great!" a pause, before she reveals the stone she was holding. "This one?" <<That's too big.>> is said from the blue, who is still a bit wary. After digging around, she finally finds a proper sized stone. <<Maybe in just a bit I'll chew it...>> "Ularith!"

Rastejath warbles a bit looking sort of confused, and suddenly belches up a small spurt of flame, followed by a good ammount of smoke trailing behind it, <<WOW!>> He warbles extactly, <<More!>> Demanding of his lifemate, for a seccond shot at this fun activity. R'io cannot do anything but ablidge his blue, and hands over another well chosen stone to be fed down the gullet of his beast.

Shepoth hiccups, letting out another tongue of flame. << Not too much more. One more stone or so, and then you must stop. You are not used to this. >> T'ela smiles faintly as the sounds of Ularith's capitulation reach her, though she doesn't turn around but heads towards Rastejath and Kuasyth. "Let's see now... how are they doing? Not a bad flame, R'io... though that's an awful lot of smoke. Try using a little better stone."

Leah finally manages to get Ularith to open his maw and she inserts a very small stone. with a crunch, the little blue gets coaches on how to chew. "With your back teeth, Yu, and think of your second stomach." Ularith nods, and after swallowing, starts pasing. <<I should have never agreed! Now I'll flame, and I'm scared.>> Whimper comes from the smallest blue's direction, but Leah stays back. "Awe, I'm sorry, but you better face towards a pile of sticks or else your going to flame me. And that would hurt." With a faint snuffle, the dragon waddles over towards one of the piles, still showing no signs of flaming.

Kuasyth continues to hold her 'stone, and her flame, for a few more moments, until the bubbling in her belly is audible to even 'Lari, who's standing a few feet away from the greenie. "Um, Kuas? Maybe you should let go now, yes?" Kuasyth, acting all in stubborness, backs away from the pile of twigs, and then lets out a louder burp from last time. The flame she produces now reaches a little past the bundle, and blazes the previously small flame into a mild inferno. That done, she rumbles softly. << I feel funny, >> is commented. Kilari's eyebrows furrow, and she places a hand on her 'mate's neck. "Funny?"

Amentith twitches her wings lightly as she settled back onto her haunches, letting her rider rest against her, as the two of them watch the weyrlings' lesson. Jharzeth's greeting is returned and then the sunset green's attention swings once more to the weyrlings. "They're progressing pretty well, wouldn't you think?" Kae remarks softly, and pauses, only to sneeze violently. *Achoo.*
R'io nods to T'ela, "Alright, I think I got a better one this time, we'll see in a few moments." Rastejath does his chewing like before and swallows, looking very pleased withimself, <<This is fun! Fun Fun Fun!>> Sounds like someone is having a load of a good time over here, is it usual for a dragon to like flaming this much?

Ularith is of course the opposite of the happily flaming dragons, and is waiting for the dreaded stone to rumble inside of him. But after a few minutes of waiting, Leah starts to come up behind the dragon, only to be surprised into falling backwards into the snow when the belch comes up, and tiny flame is spurted from his muzzle. The small flash doesn't even reach the sticks. <<It didn't work!>> is cried with another snuffle from Ularith, and he sits back down again. <<I hate flaming.>> After recovering from her fall and getting up again, Leah sighs. "Hmm. I wonder why it didn't work."

T'ela glances over her shoulder at Ularith, rolling her eyes as she stalks back towards them. "What *now*? Didn't you get him to flame? Then it worked." Shepoth hiccoughs, then lumbers over towards the side of the field. << It is the ash. It is wanting to come up; come, and I will-- >> A gack, then a lump of steamy grey is expelled from the brown's maw. << --show you how to get rid of it. You will feel better... >>

Another rumble resounds from Kuasyth's middle, and she shuffles along after Shepoth. A surprised bit of blinking is caused when the brown...hacks up? and she stops to inspect the stuff. Kilari makes a face then, and shoves Kuasyth's head away from the regurgitated ash. "Don't whuff at that, silly." Another rumble comes from the green, and she lifts her head to gaze expectantly at Shepoth. << It gets worse, >> she informs, eyes whirling faster still.

Rastejath holds this one in good and long, before his mouth begins to buldge a bit, and he sort of 'burp's out a small spurt of flame, that darts out his mouth. This time there is only a little bit of smoke, but it still drifts out his a smug looking blue muzzle, "You nut, had enough yet?" Rastejath shakes his head, <<Though, I feel like something is in my stomach now, is it that grey stuff?>> He questions, rather loudly.

"Ew." Puo saw that regurgitation, and makes a disgusted face as he intentionally turns his gaze away from it. "/So/ gross." Jharzeth echoes the sentiment, but with a sympathetic note. << That's why there's a ash-pit. >> Wordlessly, the bronzerider points a finger towards the edge of the yard, catching his lifemate's comment and deciding to help out. "And if you don't clean up after your dragon, then you'll ust get thrown in the pit," he adds, mock-cheerful.

Shepoth rumbles, then coughs again and expells more ash. << Small lady, you should... though you will not have so much. >> An almost sheepish expression takes over the proud brown. << I had more earlier, and so I have more now. >> As the dragons begin to expell ash, T'ela turns away from Ularith with a snort and raises her voice once more. "Alright, now your lifemates might be complaining of a sore stomach, or an odd feeling: that's the ash." Lips twitch towards a frown as O'kano's words carry over to the brownrider, and she spares a peevish glance towards him before she gestures towards the pit as well. "So take them over there and tell them to regurgitate it - don't hold it in."

Ularith rumbles, he only had one stone so doesn't need to cough up any ash. Frowning at the smug expression on the blue's face, Leah withdraws a larger stone from the bag this time, and surprises Ularith by stuffing it into his open maw. "Now chew." <<But...>> "Chew!" The blue chews, and swallows, and is directed towards the pile of now almost burnt sticks. "We're behind, so you better start flaming."

Kilari looks over at the doubly indicated ash pit, and then looks over at Kuasyth, who is starting to look a little...well, -gray- around the gills, anyway. So she pats her lifemate on the neck, and points over at aforementioned pit. "Go over there, Kuas. Then...throw up." << Throw up? >> "Yep." << Alright. >> And the green shuffles quickly over to the pit, and dips her head. Her stomach ripples, and after a moment, some steam starts to rise from within the ash pit. "Did you do it?" 'Lari calls, staying a few feet behind her 'mate. << Yes. I feel better now. >> "Good. At least now we know what to expect."

R'io turns his head as Raste begins to gack up a bit, no use in them both being temporarily sick. A smoking grey lump is the finalization of this whole firestone process, and Raste is still looking pleased with himself even if he just had to puke up ash, "I think you've had enough." The blue sort of half bobs his head, <<Oh, alright, as long as I get to do this later.>>

Leah watches the blue, and this time beams as a larger spurt of flame, still small but bigger than the last one, comes out of Ularith. "Great!" Smug expression is plastered across the blue's muzzle. <<Maybe flaming is fun.>> is agree'd, and he turns back to the other dragons, who are now starting to... cough up ash. <<I have to do that?>> "Yeah, I guess." <<Yuck.>>

Kaeralla flops limply against Amentith's neck, silent for so long as she turns to glare at the bronzerider with a narrowed hazel-green gaze. "You wouldn't dump someone into the ash pit, would you?" she asks coldly. "Else you'd have ended up there when we went through training, unless you did manage to clean up after Jharzeth, which I doubt." Amentith snorts at her rider's words. << Temper, Kae, temper. >>

O'kano can do peevish glances; T'ela's is returned by one of his own, although the bronzerider stifles the urge to stick out his tongue or do something equally worse. Then, attention slides over to the greenrider, and Puo quirks eyebrows slightly before responding, "Of course I would." A sniff. "I /always/ cleaned up." And for once, that's true; although he hardly ever did any of his chores or duties, Puo /was/ -- is -- fasticiously clean.

Leah directs Ularith towards the ash pit as he starts complaining of a sore stomach. But the blue doesn't budge. <<It hurts, but I don't want to do that.>> is said from the blue, who has been objecting to everything throughout the lesson. "But Ularith, you'll get sick, or something." <<Well... No.>> "C'mon, you stupid dragon. Cough it up!" <<Awe...>> The dragon takes slow, drawn out steps towards the ash pit.

T'ela waves a hand dismissaly at the weyrlings, calling out, "Take your sacks of stone and leave them by your couches; but no more flaming for today. I want you all to get used to carrying them around, so you can learn to *throw* them." Both of the bags she brought with her are kicked, and a demand: "Someone come and get these, too." is made - the joys of slave labor. Muttering under her breath, she stomps towards Kaeralla and half-glares up at the greenrider. "That's enough, Kaeralla. This is a *lesson* taking place - I'd thank you to remember that." A touch archly, and very dryly, she folds her arms across her chest and stares at O'kano, quite eloquently rolling her eyes. Shepoth backs away as he empties out the last of his ash, stretching out his neck as he lumbers towards Ularith. << You must get rid of your ash now, Ularith, yes? >>

"I'll just bet you are." the greenrider glares once more at O'kano. For the moment, she seems to have forgotten that the bronzerider is right. He always does clean up, and /is/ indeed fasticiously clean, as she only learned recently. Her glare shifts to the brownrider, and lasts but a moment as she backs away, closing her mouth with a snap. "Fine, I'm sorry. I've been feeling out of sorts lately." she shrugs. "If /you/ don't want me here, I'll go hole up in the living caverns, maybe a mug of klah will help." Kae turns slightly, reaching for her riding harness and resting a booted foot against Amentith's offered forearm.

Ularith looks up at Shepoth, and instead of being proclaimed wrong and arguing, the little blue pads slowly towards the ash pit. <<O-kay.>> is said with a telepathic sigh, and the dragon leans over, gacks, and leaves the small bit of ash. <<Yuck. Better now, though.>> is proclaimed from the dragon as Leah struggles to drag her sack back towards the barracks. Ularith bounds through the snow towards his lifemate, and offers his help in dragging the sack through the snow. "Thankyou, Ularith." is offered at Leah finally manages to lift the bag, and toddles in through the archway to the barracks.

"Yeah. Well. Maybe you should think before you talk," O'kano suggests, rolling his eyes sky-wards. Muttering beneath his breath, the bronzerider pitches his next words softly, as to not reach Kaeralla: "Feeling out of sorts. Hmph." Another scowl is sent after the brownrider, too, before he deliberately looks away, scrutinizing the straggling weyrlings.

T'ela scowls and generally appears tyrannical, glaring at first Puo, then up at Kae. But she can't help it - she softens, if just a little, and remarks grudglingly, "You don't have to go; you can stay if you like. We're done here anyways." Sulkiness, to be sure, echoes in her voice though she struggles against it. "Don't... worry about it." Shepoth croons, ushering several of the slower weyrlings into the barracks. "G'wan, get out of here, Shep.." is muttered after the brown annoyedly - he's gotten her into enough trouble today. O'kano is ignored as best as Tae can, and though she fidgets every once in a while to glance over her shoulder at him, she keeps her gaze steadily on Kae.

Kaeralla releases the riding straps, and leans back against her lifemate's shoulder, a hand clamped over her mouth as muffled coughs can be heard, only to be followed by a sneeze. "Sharding cold. Healers confined us to the Weyr." she remarks to the brownrider before sighing faintly. "If I'm still welcome to stay, I promise I'll be civil. Even to you, O'kano." That last comment may have come out a little forced, but she does smile faintly. "I'll be good."

O'kano does his best to outdo T'ela in the tyranny arena, expression shifting from annoyance to anger and then back again. "Done? Good." Because that means Puo can leave, and he's apparently itching to get out of the company of both women. "Then I won't stick around." Jharzeth begins to form a protest to this, but for once is silenced by a glare that passes from rider to dragon. "Yeah, right." That's the only response O'kano deigns to give to Kaeralla, words laden with sarcasm.

A hand is waved generally in Kaeralla's direction as T'ela beckons her back down. "Cracks it all, doesn't it?" is offered as a hint of a smile appears. "Good. That's a new one. C'mon, you need to get inside if you're sick - I won't have you infecting the weyrlings." But even the pretense of humor is dropped as she turns to whirl at Puo, snapping mockingly, "Faranth *forbid* you ever did more than you ever had to." Annoyed and generally pissed off, her voice takes on a dangerous edge. "Go ahead, go running as fast as you can, lordling."

Kaeralla's gaze narrows, and anger smolders in hazel-green eyes as the greenrider scowls in O'kano's direction. But a promise is a promise, and Amentith's muzzle resting against her shoulder keeps Kaeralla from losing it all together. "I did promise to be civil, you know," she replies tartly, pausing to glance at T'ela. "Somewhere warm woud be very nice. And a nice mug of klah to go with it. The living caverns perhaps?" Rotating on her heel even more, the greenrider manages to turn her attention completely away from her former clutchsib, instead focusing it on her friend.

"But you just said --" O'kano's phrase is cut off as Jharzeth echoes the brownrider's sentiment with a rumble and private words, and the young man whirls to eye his lifemate rebelliously. "Don't /you/ start." Then, glancing back to T'ela, he icily finishes his initial sentence. "You just said that everything was done. Complete. Finished. Which means there's no reason for me to be here." Stiffening, Puo glares over for a moment before snapping, "That is /not/ my name. And I don't run from things." Kaeralla, meanwhile, is ignored.

"In a minute. I can use something to, I think," is the firey comment from the brownrider. But T'ela made no such promise about peace - nor would she keep it, more than likely. Anger doesn't smoulder, it positively ignites around her, causing her to draw her slender frame up all the higher, and walk stiff-legged towards Puo. "The *lesson* is finished; that doesn't mean *we're* finished." A vein pulses in her temple as her lips twitch towards a furious sneer. "Then *prove* it to me that it's not. I thought you were better than this."

Kaeralla can't help it, in order to keep her attention on T'ela, she has to turn to follow the brownrider's path towards O'kano. Hazel-green gaze sharpens once more, but she manages to keep her lips pressed tightly together, lest the greenrider blurt out some insult or another. In the end, she settles for silence. She can ignore Puo right back, if he's ignoring her.

O'kano crosses his arms resolutely across his chest; maybe it's just coincidence that it offers a little bit of protection against any punches that might fly. Puo's not about to be caught unprepared again and have to carry around bruises for the next few days. "Excuse /me/ for not catching your exact reference," he drawls sarcastically. Then, rolling his eyes, he inquires, "So it's okay for you to leave, but not for me? I don't think so." Suspicion edges the bronzerider's tone as he responds to T'ela's final statements, querying shortly, "What do you mean? Exactly what would you have me do, since you're so all-knowing?" Gaze flickers from T'ela to Kaeralla momentarily, but when no comments are forthcoming from the greenrider, he doesn't direct any more attention her way.

T'ela does tyranny well, very well: "*I* have been here the whole time, while *you* just bothered to show up. There's a difference!" She manages to check herself - her voice is raised to nearly a screaming pitch before she forcibly drags it down into a vicious mutter. Fists are clenched but kept firmly at her side - for now - while she plants herself a few paces from the bronzerider. "You don't want to know." And he probably doesn't, too, for his sake of mind. A hand is snapped back in Kaeralla's direction, then planted on her hip as she hisses, "I thought you were past acting like you're still a child!"

Arms folded across her chest, mouth quirked into a sullen frown, the spark of anger quickens once more in the greenrider's gaze. "I am /not/ acting like a child." she bursts out in outrage, and indignant affrontry. "He's not talking to me, so why should I talk to him." her head to jerked in Puo's direction. "Better than having the two of us yelling and screaming at each other." she snaps out bitterly. "Like you do." Bold words? Perhaps not, but the greenrider pushes on. "Can we stop acting this way? And just be civli to one another rather than jealous, spiteful creatures?" An attempt at peace is made, but is it too late?

"So?" O'kano's rejoinder is defensive. "I don't see anyone else, either. Where's S'ara? Don't go blaming things on /me./" He manages to keep his tone fairly level, save for the displeasure that laces through it. "Hmph. Fine. You're right -- I probably don't want to know. So don't tell me. I don't care. And /I'm/ not the one who's acting like a child." Puo assumes that the hiss was meant for him, and responds with aggrevation. Finally, he shoots a glower towards Kaeralla, lips tightening into a thin line of irritation. "I am not -- /not/ -- jealous of her," he informs severely. "At all. She's got nothing that I want."

Spontaneous combustion happens to people like T'ela - from the particularly vivid hue of red that her complexion takes in, she might just be near critical temperature. "S'ara was here all day *yesterday*." So what if Tae doesn't really know that for sure? She can darn well pretend it's the truth. "You should care!" Then there's one of those mercurial mood changes: she whirls away, arms jamming into a fold across her chest. Mouth opens and shuts abortively at Kaeralla's... yelling? "I didn't---! I'm not spiteful! And I'm *not* jealous, either!" So there! Tone rises once more with a new tide of anger, though there's a quaver to it that's definitively not angry-sounding.

Kaeralla glares sharply at her longtime friend, watching T'ela's reaction with compressed lips, tightened into a thin line, and one hand resting along Amentith's shoulder for support as she regards the brownrider, her gaze flickering towards Puo was well. "Then why are you always fighting, as if there was something one of you had that the other wanted." Nevermind that she hasn't been on the best of terms with her clutchsib either, but she tries to act as philosophical as possible. "You act spiteful towards each other, always finidng fault in what the other does. Can we give it a rest--get some wine, or klah, and settle down in the nice warm living caverns where we can discuss this rationally?" Kae moves forwards, reaching out to try and catch the other woman's hand. "I don't want to be mad at you T'ela, or you to be mad at me. Faranth knows, we've been friends for so long. I wouldn't want this to come between us. Please?" she smiles hesitantly, the sullen anger gone from her hazel-green gaze, replaced by one of concern.

<*Jharzeth*> Privately, Amentith's normally serene, and oasis-like mind images ripple with short spurts of flashing red-gold that streak across the peaceful greens, blacks and tans of her thoughts. Concern for her rider flickers foremost in her thoughts. << My rider has been upset since the flight. She is worried that she has caused problems for everyone. >> to Shepoth and Jharzeth

"I was here yesterday, too," O'kano points out. For a very short time, yes, but he did show up. Another annoyed look is slanted towards T'ela, and he shoots, "How am I supposed to know if it's worth caring about if you won't sharding tell me...whatever it is?" Not that Puo really wants to know; for once, he trusts the brownrider's judgement that he wouldn't want to find out. The man lets out a derisive sound, remarking in a mutter, "Are too." He doesn't clarify which, though, he's referring to: jealousy, spite, or both. Hands are then thrown out with frustration as he responds to Kaeralla's question. "Because she's...she's.../annoying!/" It's not a very good excuse, but Puo checks more vehement words for once, thanks to a rather stern nudge from Jharzeth. "And I don't want to discuss anything."

<*Jharzeth*> Privately, Jharzeth's own customary coloration of crimson and mahogany lies steady and unruffled as he responds to the green, except for one small corner that pulses with agitation -- but that agitation's directed at his lifemate, not at the others. << Mine had problems before, >> he states in an attempt to reassure. << It's not your rider's fault. >> A faint spat of silver-touched amusement bubbles out. << Not Shepoth's rider's, either. Mine is just stupid sometimes. >> to Amentith and Shepoth

<*Jharzeth*> Privately, Shepoth is doing his best to stay out of this, though his mind is a riot of tan flecked with crimson whirling at breakneck pace. << It... was not the flight, bright lady. Worry yourself not. >> His tone is unusually hesitant in contact with the other two, distracted. << I am not certain what is best; I don't understand why she does things like this! >> The last is said nearly as wail, though he brings his thoughts swiftly into check once more. << I am not heeded any longer. >> to Jharzeth and Amentith

T'ela shouts over her shoulder, for she refuses to turn around, "I thought you said you *didn't* want to know!" Muscles stiffen in her neck and jaw as she fights down a particularly vicious remark, hissing out only, "Am not." Great: the arguement of a five-turn-old. Kaeralla is shouted at, though without the notable anger that's saved for Puo alone, but rather with a touch of exhasperation and... sadness? "You don't understand, Kae! You can't!" Tae's mind is far too twisted for comprehension, anyways. "He *started* it! He's unreasonable, and malicious, and stubborn, and--!" The last of the complaints is bitten off as she comes to a startling conclusion - she was just describing herself - and rejoins rather plaintively up to Kaeralla, "I- I'm not mad at you. It's not *your* fault."

<*Jharzeth*> Privately, Amentith sends forth waves of relief to the other dragons, the red-gold streaks slowly fading from the greens, blacks and tans until once more, the green's thoughts are serene, oasis-like in all the swirling mutitude of colors. << I am glad, dear ones, >> she addresses them both with gratitude and love. << My rider has not been well since the flight, and this cold does not make her feel any better. She seems different somehow, I can't quite place it. >> Once more, red-gold flickers of worry stain the peaceful thoughts. to Shepoth and Jharzeth

"I don't think I'll argue with you there, Tae. I know very well what /he/ can be like. Don't forget, we got into an arguement the first time we ever met." a glance is shot towards the lordling. "But annoying or not, O'kano, Tae is your colleague. You're both teaching the weyrlings, and what a fine example you're showing them, bickering like you are." Of course Kae's rather extempt from doing the same--she doesn't have the resonsiblity and well-being of young dragons and their riders to think about. Her gaze flickers between the two of them. "Fine, if there's nothing to discuss, then we'll just sit at different tables. But maybe it's time to go inside." Her comment is followed by a well-timed sneeze.

"I don't! You said I didn't -- I'm taking your word for it." O'kano has enough brains to know that it would be something he really wouldn't like much, and he's not about to try to pry the information out of T'ela. Although he refrains from responding with the predictable "Did too," a snort tacitly carries that sentiment. "You could," he suggests to the brownrider, "just try explaining something for once. Might help you." Vexation slides into Puo's voice as he adds on, "I didn't start anything. And I am not...all that." The reference to Puo and Kae's first meeting is ignored in favor of addressing the second bit. "They're not out here. And I think that they already know that she hates me." A thumb is jerked towards T'ela. "Besides -- they're going to have to grow up sometime."

T'ela snorts violently, standing perfectly erect in her fury. "Good. Do that, for once." Eyes narrow suspiciously up at Kae, a hint of anger entering into her voice once more as she insists loudly, "*I* teach the weyrlings; S'ara teaches the weyrlings. *He* does nothing but yell and scream-- good! They don't have any respect for him anyways! I *thought* I understood," here, a look over her shoulder is directed at the bronzerider, accompanied by a face pinched with anger, "Why he did it, but I don't think I do, now." Half-turning, she looks from greenrider to bronzerider with disbelieving outrage, and shouts, "I don't *want* to go inside now! And I *don't* hate him!" Oops? Did she just say that?

"So, you care about him then?" Kaeralla's expression changes little as she regards her friend, her gaze sliding off T'ela for a moment to linger on O'kano. Perhaps her own feeling and perceptions have changed since Amentith last rose. But she shrugs eloquently. "Fine then, we'll stay out here, if that's all it takes for you two to be civil to everyone--to yourselves, and to me--and I can promise the same." she smiles reassuringly.

"I do too teach weyrlings! And I don't yell and scream!" Insult, maybe, but not yell and scream. Usually. "That's a lie." Here, Puo punctuates his words with a sulky pout. "That's not fair. And you're no better, yourself." Rolling his eyes, O'kano snaps at T'ela, "Then why are you being like this? /I/ didn't do anything to you." A fierce look is pointed towards Kaeralla -- bad question to ask. Puo really doesn't want it answered. And what he doesn't like, he avoids.

T'ela splutters, positively livid now, though more than a little shaken. "Ye---no! I mean- but- not---!" A vague sense of panic akin to that of an animal backed into a corner flashes across her face as she defends, "I'm not being like anything! *You're* being like *that*!" Shifting her weight from one foot to the other, she glances sidelong at the bronzerider, fury replaced by a combination of anger and dread. "That's... what you think?" Surprised, but not by much, she backs a few paces away. "You-- *you* stay here. Work on... it. I'll just..."

Were Kaeralla playing dragon poker at this moment, she could be holding a winning hand, and nobody would ever know, as her gaze flickers between the bronzerider and brownrider. "Why not come to an agreement, that you're /both/ being like /that/ and call it even?" she frowns slightly, giving away to her own confusion and insecurity. "Nobody needs to argue, even if it is /O'kano/ you're arguing against. Something that Kae can admit to having done in the past.

"Am not." O'kano, on his part, just fixes a glare -- mild, compared to his earlier ones -- on T'ela. "Am not," he repeats stubbornly, stepping back towards Jharzeth. "No. You can stay. I already said I was leaving. There's no way I'm staying here. It's shardin' cold. And I don't have anything to work on." Kaeralla's suggestion is considered for a moment before the bronzerider heaves a reluctant sigh and grumbles, "Fine. Fine."

T'ela shakes her head, anger all but dissipated by the driving urge to be *anywhere* else than caught between a rock and a hard place. "Fine. You're not." The agreement is hurried, what she's agreeing to only partially understood. "Why don't... you work it out. Yes. Come to an agreement and... tell me. Okay? Good.." Dark eyes dart between both of them as Tae continues to back up towards the relative safety of the barracks, then flashes the weakest of smiles, turns, and makes a dash for it.

T'ela's rapid departure leaves Kaeralla alone, but with their dragons in attendance of course, with the one man in all of Starmount Weyr that she had been trying to avoid for the last sevenday or so. She gulps nervously, gaze flickering back to her lifemate as she calculates how much farthur she needs to step to take flight. But then her hazel-green scrunity switches back to the bronzerider. "Well, are you going or not? Because if not, I will. I don't know how to work out what Tae wants." Well, at least that didn't sound too uncivil.

O'kano watches T'ela leave with a detached, skeptical expression and offers nothing else to the brownrider besides a shrug. Attention slips back to Kaeralla, then, and after an awkward pause, Puo abruptly assures, "I'm going." Fingers flick after T'ela dismissively, and he intones grumpily, "She can't have what she wants, so she's being...like that. She'll cope." He isn't inclined to outline exactly what he thinks the brownrider wants, though, and swiftly turns around to hasten back to where Jharzeth crouches, waiting. "See you."

Kaeralla retreats to her lifemate's side, grabbing at the riding straps before stepping onto Amentith's proffered forearm. Turning, she regards the bronzerider. "Why don't you just give her what she wants," she suggests. "Then she won't be that.. the way she is. And not matter what she's said, I just hope she's not she's upset about Amentith's flight, with Jharzeth winning, and you and me..." Now Kae fidgets uncomfortably, unable to finish her comment about what obviously occured in the aftermath of Amentith's mating with Jharzeth. "See you." she adds hastily, hazle-green gaze clouded with confusion.

<*Jharzeth*> Privately, Amentith projects << Cool greens swirl lazily over the desert tans of Amentith's thoughts, occasionally broken by a flash of deepest sable and laden with amusement. << My rider is most confused. She does not know her feelings at this time. >> >> to Jharzeth

Some strangled sound emits from Puo's general vicinity as he hurries to swing himself onto Jharzeth's neck, scrambling up with both the bronze's aid and that of the straps. Once the young man recovers his ability to speak, the response is straightforward and immediate: "No. Not possible." Cheeks redden somewhat at the mention of the flight, and O'kano finds himself grateful for the distance and height that probably makes it nearly impossible to see. "I don't think that's it," he finally manages, concentrating on buckling the leather straps.

<*Jharzeth*> Privately, Jharzeth sparks carmine and crimson in his curiousity, cutting across the dark backdrop of umber with interested clarity. << I'm sorry for the confusion, >> he states, first. << I know how that is -- my rider has been like that before. >> After a pause, intrigue gets the better of the bronze and he can't help but pose a question. << What do you mean? >> to Amentith

Kaeralla doesn't seem to pleased about the situation either, and she too vaults to Amentith's neckridges--a much shorter hop, and settles in, fingers flying to attatch the riding straps. "Good, I wouldn't want anything to come between T'ela and me, we've been friends for too l-long." she pauses, stammering slightly and her gaze shifts downwards from Puo's face to that of her lifemate's back. "I just don't like to see her so angry, like that." she murmers, face still hidden by the fall of her dark-brown hair, freed from her riding helmet, and curling slightly.

<*Jharzeth*> Privately, Amentith swirls verdant greens into the darkest of blacks, adding desert tan to taste as she replies mischeviously. << Mine does not know her feelings now. >> a pause as the green blends more black into her thoughts. << Once she did not like your rider that much. Now she does not know how she feels about him since you have won my flight. She is confused. >> A spark of red-gold flickers over all. << You say your rider had these feelings too? Before the flight? Perhaps you will share what you know of this, so I might handle my own rider's feelings when the time comes. >> to Jharzeth

"Uh huh." O'kano's response is absent, distracted; he concentrates on a buckle that just won't fasten instead of Kaeralla, scowling down at the metal momentarily before it snaps into place with a satisfying click. "She'll get better," he states in a half-hearted reassurance. "Eventually." Maybe. "Besides -- she wasn't angry at you, really." No, it's Puo that usually bears the brunt of T'ela's anger. Or vice versa. "Talk to her sometime--" When Puo's not around. "--and I'm sure she'll tell you everything you want to know." A trace of bemusement enters his tone, here, quickly stifled by a cough.

<*Jharzeth*> Privately, Jharzeth brightens his traditionally dark colors of deep red and burgundy as he ponders this. << I don't think he needs to hear this, >> he remarks as an aside before responding proper to the green. << He has, yes. But I do not remember so much. >> A hint of regret enters the deep, brassy tone -- dragon memories, including his, are notoriously short. << They have to figure things out for themselves, I think, in the end. >> to Amentith

Kaeralla presses her hands along Amentith's neck, half-rising in her harness and twsiting to one side to view the bronzerider. At least she's looking at him now, even if he isn't looking at her, and she nods slightly. "Fine, I'll ask her." she comments dryly. I'm sure she'll tell me everything, and then I'll know who to blame and who to feel sorry for." the greenrider sighs deeply. "It's not like I'll be going anywhere, confined to the Weyr by the Healers, I'll have plenty of time to get the entire story."

<*Jharzeth*> Privately, Amentith sweeps the flicker of red-gold from the swirling greens, tans and blacks of her thoughts, ladling the blacks heavily into her foremost images. << You are right. >> Her tone is regal, understanding and holding all the wisdom of royalty within those three words. << We must let our riders, and Shepoth's rider, as well as any other they are in conflict with, work this out for their own. >> There is worry here, and perhaps regret that things won't ever be quite the same as they were before. << They just need time. >> to Jharzeth

O'kano pulls a face, then; in retrospect, he doesn't /really/ want Kaeralla asking about anything and finding out the entire story. "You do that," comes the griped reply. Whatever it is, it's not his fault. Really. Another grimace is made, this time for the greenrider's benefit, and he informs, "That's what his awful climate gives you -- sickness. Never got things like that in Boll..." Boll, however, has its own plethora of ailments that Puo doesn't mention.

<*Jharzeth*> Privately, Jharzeth agrees with a single swipe of butter-yellow, painting over the earlier, darker spread. << They don't listen to us half the time, anyways. >> Or maybe Jharzeth only speaks for his own lifemate. << If nothing else, it's something to learn from -- even if it's stupid. >> The first part's a bit of acquired information from Shepoth, and the last is his own insight. to Amentith

Kaeralla shivers slightly, smiling a bit whistfully at the bronzerider. See, she doesn't always yell at him, as long as he's being civil to her, she'll be nice back. "I've never really been sick before, not since coming to Starmount." she comments mournfully. "I'd better get some rest. I'll have to find a good time to talk to T'ela. I have a feeling she'll have a /lot/ of explaining to do. Take care, O'kano." Gasp, what that actually a polite farewell? Has Kaeralla lose her mind, or is just because she's down with an illness? Lifting her hand in farwwell, she pats her lifemate's shoulder as a signal for the green to take to the sky.

<*Jharzeth*> Privately, Amentith banishes the shadowed blackness in favor of bright desert gold as she ponders the bronze's words carefully, agreement finally coming a burst of dazzling emerald green. << Yes, they do not listen to us. We must let them handle this, and not interfere. >> A brief pause as the dragon communes with her lifemate, and then once more, she sends brightest green, almost in the shape of flowers, to her clutchsib. << Safe flights, dear one, we may talk again at our leisure another time perhaps. >> to Jharzeth

"That's because Starmount is awful," comes the half-cheerful opinion. "Awful, awful, awful." O'kano shivers too, despite his warm outer jacket. "Bye." The bronzerider's own farewell is simple and short, but at least it's polite. Then Jharzeth departs, too, powering up from the frozen ground and soaring away in the general direction of the pair's weyr, good-bye bugle trailing after him.

Amentith nimbly springs aloft with grace and refined poise as her red-streaked wings unfurl to catch the breezes, lofting her higher away from the clinging ground. With a shift of her wingsails, she glides towards her ledge, warbling brightly in farewell to Jharzeth.

<*Jharzeth*> Privately, Jharzeth frames that verdancy in a ribbon of pale cerulean, concurring with the green's judgement with another thread of deep azure. << Thing's will work out, eventually. >> Ever optimistic, the bronze allows that thought to fade in favor of a more personal comment. << And to you, as well. I will look forward to it. >> to Amentith