Who D'had, F'inn, K'zre, & L'gan
What Summary line if you want.
When Winter - Month 3 of Turn 2721
Where Living Caverns, Fort Weyr

Fort Weyr - Living Caverns
This cavern, having been created by bubbles in the volcanic flow of this extinct volcano, has a breathtaking ceiling — a vast dome that arches high above the heads of the weyrfolk that scurry around beneath it. A hollow echo can be heard from loud enough noises, and the chatterings of various firelizards are consequently multiplied into a chaotic babble. All in all, the living cavern is a loud place.

Tables are scattered around the room, apparently in no particular order. Over to one side near the kitchens, two medium sized serving tables are constantly spread with snacks, klah, and other goodies. The tables look worn, yet perfectly fitted to the atmosphere of the caverns. In the 'corners' of the cavern, smaller two and four place tables are set up for more private talks or just a less chaotic atmosphere in which to eat.


The living caverns aren't always the best place to try and get anything done, but somehow D'had has managed. Or at very least he's attempting to, the old rider seated at a table with his back against the wall somewhere far enough from the entrance to not be too cold and far enough away from the kitchen to keep from being too warm. To his left a mug, to his right a forgotten plate of lunch and in front of him a relatively short stack of reports.

For once, L'gan doesn't have a stack of paperwork to deal with, just a heavily laden tray and he makes his way towards the back, out of the way of general traffic. D'had has the right of it, with this changing weather, the spot is a comfortable one. He's sure to settle down at a separate table close by, in case his food spills by some chance occurance. Nothing worse than ruined reports! "You're keeping very busy it seems." The bronzerider picks up his fork and begins to move things around his plate.

It takes a minute, or two, for the man to realize he's the one being spoken to. "Hmm? Oh." D'had starts, lifting his attention from those reports to look over towards the bronzerider. "Yeah, seems to be evening out." At least for now he seems to say. "You?"

"Things are finally slowing down for me right now, which is weird," he says, taking a quick bite of tuber while glancing around. "But I'm not about to question a break when it's there. Once it warms up, it'll be busy again." L'gan leans back in his seat, and holds his napkin in his hands before tossing back on the table top. "I just need to stay on top of things, and on top of the apprentices so if something happens, we'll have a cushion. Whether that cushion is in supplies or support. Better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it."

"Wouldn't complain either," D'had agrees easily enough, when a break shows up in between busy best to not question it. His gaze flicks back to the report at the top of the stack but he nods again, "Know what you mean." To all of the above. "Spring could be .. messy."

"It warms up just the tiniest bit and then you get all the brazen idiots going out there to see what they can get away with… Then there's also all that natural disaster stuff, too." L'gan nods his head, sympathetically. Changes in weather brings out all sorts! He continues on his meal, eyes scanning the rest of the room for familiar faces. So far, none yet, and his tiny stomachs with wings are out hunting for their own food for a change.

D'had chuckles wryly. "Yeah." Does anything else really need to be said about that? Not so much. Those are exactly some of the things he's worried about with the weather changing too. "Still, will be nice to have it warm up," he adds after a moment to finish scanning that page and flip it to the next. Nice to have spring, despite everything that comes with it.

The Spring isn't all sunshine and rainbows, that's for sure. "I can't wait to take the kids camping and exploring through the woods. It's one of the things I loved doing growing up. Show them how to forage, how to make things out of what they find. All the animals we come across. They're at that age where they're prone to wandering so I'd rather they know more than less. The world is a scary place when the blinders are taken off." L'gan plucks a cooked green from his plate and he rolls it up between his fingers before putting it in his mouth.

D'had hmms, nodding. "Suppose they are," he agrees of being at an age for wandering, not having really thought of that so much yet himself. "Sure you'll have an interesting time of it," the bluerider goes on a bit of amusement in the idea of it.

"Oh yeah, at least this time I know which plants not to relieve myself around. Learned that quick as a kid, healers wouldn't let me forget it. Bet if I went back to High Reaches, the Infirmary would still have jokes." The itching and burning is not a fun thing to deal with when it comes to those troublesome plants. L'gan picks up his bread roll, tearing it open, and then he begins to stuff a little of everything in it. "Won't be long before the kids are going to want to do their own thing. I want to enjoy my time with them when I can."

D'had can't help but chuckle at that admission. "Bet they would," he replies flashing a smirk towards the bronzerider before his gaze is turned once again back towards his work, which while appearing more interesting isn't getting any more done. "They're lucky to have you to do all that with them."

L'gan glances across to D'had and opens his mouth to say something but he pauses and glances down at his tray. Can't let his food get cold. Part of him wants to extend an offer but then he wonders if it would help or hurt things for either D'had or his weyrmate. Screw it. "I'm sure they'd enjoy the company with one more, if duty lets you come out for a night or two? Nothings planned in stone yet, there's still time away til the weather is favorable."

D'had and L'gan are seated next to one another, at separate tables somewhere in the middle not too close to the door or the kitchen. The bluerider at least has his back against the wall, both mug and food forgotten in favor of reviewing the reports in front of him and conversation with the bronzerider. "They might," D'had repeats, a touch skeptical himself if only for their parent's thoughts on that matter. "But if they, and you, want me to I'll make time." One of the perks of being the Wingleader, he can set the schedules if needed.

"Then I'll make sure to check the supplies between now and then and make sure they're sound for all of us." L'gan grins and glances over to his own mug, pulling it over so he can carefully take a sip off of the top. How he got it to the table without spilling is a mystery in itself, but somehow the bronzriding tanner did it.

K'zre has recovered from his bout with the flu and, as of that morning, returned to regular duty. Bundled up tight against the winter chill, he wanders into the living caverns with an eye toward the stairs leading to the administrative wing. But it is the serving tables that he goes, collecting something hot to drink and a small plate of something hearty to eat, before slipping into the crowd to find a vacant seat.

Its about then that D'had notices K'zre, raising a hand to direct the greenrider's notice to the empty space at their tables. "Mind I haven't been camping in ages," he's giving fair warning though there is an unspoken appreciation for the bronzerider's invitation. "And never here," at Fort that is, but certainly he knows enough to at least pretend to be useful when the time comes. He reaches for his mug next, taking a drink only to make a face as he swallows, the drink having cold likely longer ago that he realizes but he'll drink it all the same.

"It's been a while for me, too. I've spent a night or two outdoors, though, I'd hardly call that camping." More like getting drunk in the woods so Granaeth can torture him during whatever mating flight he decided to join out of spite. "Still, something planned would be fun. My siblings and I used to do it a lot as kids. Shame the permanent camp site isn't kept clear during these months, otherwise I'd say we could do it sooner." Still, there's fun in roughing it, too. K'zre is given a nod in greeting before L'gan goes back to his mug.

Indecision flashes briefly across K'zre's face, but he only hesitates a moment before heading for D'had and the open seat. Taking his seat, he offers a curt nod of his head to D'had first and then L'gan, brown eyes lingering a bit longer on the bronzerider before moving back to his own mug and plate. Silence. At least from the greenrider, who tries very hard to look interested in his meal and not the conversation happening between the other two.

"Same," D'had replies. "Spent plenty of nights outdoors." Its just not camping so much. A page is flipped before he adds a "Never went as a kid," for L'gan, a fact that doesn't seem to bother him in the least, and then to K'zre follows a "Glad you're feeling better." Beat. "You are feeling better, yeah?"

Never went as a kid? The possibility is a far one, but L'gan is going to stare at the bluerider rather owlishly for a moment while his fork hovers beside his face instead of aiming correctly into his mouth. The bronzerider is just gonna poke at the side of his face instead. Blink. L'gan eyes the fork and eats the morsel, then quickly takes the napkin to his face. "Well, then I hope the weather is favorable enough that you can be free for it. Nothing beats the full experience, and more the merrier, too. If my current apprentices weren't eyes deep in Crafthall training, I'd drag them along. These ones want to fast track so the hall has them on double-duty. I don't know if I got lucky with them under me or not." K'zre isn't afraid of spinners and wild animal noises coming out of the unknown dark, is he? There's dirt Kez.

"Yes," confirms K'zre. "I am feeling better." A beat. Two. Three. "Thank you." Because that is the polite thing to say, even if it sounds rather forced on the part of the greenrider. A flick of his gaze between L'gan and D'had once again, but he opts for a bite of his food instead of speaking. Chew-chew-chew. Squint. Another frown at the pair before, after swallowing, he simply can't contain himself and wonders, "Are you going somewhere?" of the pair of them. Scared of pinners and wild animal noises? Nope. Social situations and awkward conversation? Yup.

Perhaps thankfully, at least for L'gan's sake, D'had didn't notice that mishap in fork finding mouth. "Me too," he returns on the hope for favorable weather. A nod for K'zre then, "Good." As for the bronzerider's apprentices, "Get a fresh set sooner, keeping busier with them." He shrugs, that's a tough call, lucky or not. It's the greenrider's question that has him looking up from reports again. The answer matter-of-fact, "Camping." Obviously.

"I'm thinking of taking my kids camping out in the woods when the weather warms up and we're past the point of possible danger. I'm usually busy with my craft so when I have some down time, I like to do something memorable with my kids," L'gan fills in K'zre. "I used to camp with my brothers and sisters over in High Reaches and had a blast doing it so I want to do it again as soon as it's safe. At least I won't have to worry about avalanches here like I had to do there." At least, no so close to the weyr.

Camping. "Oh." Obviously. Another bite, and K'zre chews in silence as his gaze ping-pongs between D'had and L'gan. A swallow, and he adds, "You're never past the point of possible danger." So encouraging. "I assume you mean past the point of frostbite and hypothermia, though depending on where you go, those may still be a concern." So cheerful. A heartbeat or two later and he thinks to add, "I'm sure it will be fine." Because L'gan's totally got this, right? Sure. Sounds like it, at least. "Are your kids very young?"

F'inn strides into the the living cavern with a pretty sizable box under his arm. Pausing at the entrance, pale blue eyes search the room, his free hand raising in a wave as he spots K'zre, D'had, and L'gan and makes his way toward the table. Course, he pauses along the way, just long enough to grab a mug of klah, before slidding into a chair and setting the box on the floor at his feet. "Hey," is murmured as he leans to kiss K'zre's cheek, one arm settling around the greenrider's shoulders before he sinks back in the chair and stretches his legs out in front of him. "How's it going," is directed to the table at large, the question followed with an immediate swallow klah and a pleased sigh.

A nod is returned to F'inn's wave when D'had happens to spot it. His gaze narrows at the greenrider momentarily for his comments. Frostbite, hypothermia. Right. "Are you always so negative?" half question, half statement really. He's known K'zre long enough now to realize the answer is likely yes. Then to F'inn, "Finally getting caught up on some of this," the reports in front of him that is. Which only means that some of them at least will find their way to his next.

F'inn is given a nod in greeting and L'gan finishes his mouthful to answer K'zre. "My eldest is ten turns, then the twins are six. The youngest would stay at home, he's only three turns. Kids at his age are rather inquisitive and can find all sorts of adventures but they can also find all sorts of trouble, too. I'm thinking of going during the warmer months once the ground has had a chance to thaw and firm up a bit." So hypotermia should hopefully not be an issue. Just poisonous, disease carrying critters. At least the weyr can take solace in the fact that there's none of those giant flesh eating flowers that smell like a decomposing corpse in the region.

K'zre frowns at D'had, eyeing his Wingleader for a moment or two before he opts to answer with, "It's not being negative to point out the truth." And while there was definitely more he could say, the appearance of F'inn has him distracted enough to not launch into some sort of lecture about the 'Dangers of the Outdoors'. Picking up his mug he tucks himself a bit tighter against his weyrmate's side, happy to let the conversation on paperwork happen without him. Instead, L'gan gets his gaze and his attention, a stubborn frown persisting as he listens, thoughtful rather than disapproving. "Oh," is all he can really say on the matter. Well, that and, "Do you hunt?" Because there might not be flesh-eating plants, but there are plenty of other dangerous creatures roaming around!

"Take all the time you need," F'inn encourages D'had. Cause yes, that paperwork is eventually bound for his desk. "No rush, at all." Taking another swallow of klah, he sets the mug on the table, his lips twitching in a lopsided smile as he slants a glance at K'zre. "It's not negativity, it's the realistic assesment of potential threats on a day to day basis. Three turns? My uncles used to take me hunting when I was three and four," he notes in nostalgic tones. "We didn't do much actual hunting, but we had a wonderful time crashing around in the woods." Course, as he speaks, he's making himself more comfortable, pale blue eyes crinkling at the corners as he smiles at K'zre. "No more hunting for us," he reminds. "Yasminath," is added for the other two."Is the unofficial leader of the Bunny Right to Life league."

D'had just shakes his head for both K'zre and F'inn. Same thing only different if you ask him. As for hunting his answer is a shrug, "Never had much need for it, been a couple times." Then again that question may have been more for L'gan than him.

"It's been a while since I've hunted. These days I just work the hides, I'm a Tanner. I might go for something smaller if the need arises but I think we'll stick to fishing this time around. I might be able to negotiate on behalf of my older children but I think Marel would skin me if I hunted with our youngest." L'gan offers a nervous smile, because he can picture the brownrider skinning and processing him just as he does with his own job. At F'inn's words, L'gan grins nodding his head. "Fair warning, don't tell Granaeth that. He'll cause trouble." Thankfully he's dead asleep with not a care for anyone but himself, at the moment.

"No," agrees K'zre with a sigh. No more hunting for them. And while he might frown about it, there's really no arguing with Yasminath on this one. "Don't tell Granaeth what?" is wondered before he can stop himself, furrowed brow and stubborn frown turned once more on L'gan. D'had gets a glance as well, though there's no surprise in the greenrider's gaze — they've talked about hunting before. Or rather, the bluerider's lack of it. "Hunting is an important skill," he adds, reaching out to pull his plate closer so he can much on a few veggies. "Everyone ought to know how. Fishing, too," he agrees.

"I've always prefered fishing," F'inn admits with an easy nod for L'gan. "Course, I never did manage to catch much in the way of fish. We still had a wonderful time with it." At the last, his lips twitch in a smirk, pale brows rising and falling in a slow twitch. "I'll keep that in mind. I think," he affords to Kez. "That he means Granaeth will tease Yas. That," is added with a more pointed look at L'gan. "Would not be good. She's very sensitive. Nymionth would get upset, she'd get upset, I'd end up getting upset, just no good for anyone." At least, he seems pretty sure of how that chain of events would play out. He does, however, glance over at D'had and chuckle quietly. "I'm sure he /could/, if he absolutely needed to?"

D'had chuckles at L'gan's thoughts. "Try teaching her to fish," he comments of the brownrider in question before taking a sip of his now still cold drink. "If I needed to?" half a question to F'inn's last. "Sure, prefer fishing any day though." That is one thing he's good at.

"Yeah, he'll be relentless. There's very little he's sympathetic about if he knows it'll bother me. Picking on Yasminath would definitely bother me." Interesting relationship they got! L'gan takes another sip from his mug, then carefully places it down while he finishes up his meal. "We'll have to see what bait is good."

Granaeth tease Yasminath? "Why would he do that?" And if the greenrider sounds defensive, it is because he is. When L'gan goes about answering that question, K'zre's frown just deepens. No, it would not end well for anyone. Least of all Kez. Curling his fingers around his mug, he lifts it close to sip at, allowing silence to reign for a few more seconds. "Are you going to teach them to hunt?" he wonders, eyeing L'gan. He means the children (apparently a safer topic than dragons). And then, because perhaps he's trying to build an argument, D'had is asked, "Did you teach your kids to hunt?"

"I can't even imagine," F'inn notes to L'gan with a chuckle. "I got really lucky with Nymionth," he admits. "Well, maybe not. He feels /everything/." And he means /everything/. "Which means I tend to get a lot of the byblow off that when it's particularly strong." Kez's tensing his hand twisting, long fingers brushing lightly over the nape of the greenrider's neck. "We should all go fishing when the weather gets better," he decides. "I'd suggest ice fishing, but I'm pretty sure K'zre will absolutely not allow that."

D'had is staying out of the discussion of dragons, occupying himself with his drink instead. K'zre's question brings shake of his head in answer as he swallows the most recent drink and sets the mug back to the table, hand still around it however. "Pretty sure the girl's ma woulda hunted me if I tried. And the twins, their ma was the one with the crossbow." A shrug then. "Other two didn't know til they were older. Taught 'em to fish though, tried anyway." Which is likely more about his family than he's said to any of them. Then to F'inn's idea of going fishing, "Why wait? Weather's better south." No one said it had to be fishing in Fort.

Since he's not awake to defend himself, "His heart is in the right place, but sometimes? He can be just a grumpy old curmudgeon. We'll just wave hello to the bunnies and stick to fishing and foraging to give him less fuel for his fire. Hopefully he'll be too content basking in the sun and bathing in the lake to notice what we have going on." D'had's suggestion does have him grinning though. "You think Marel would let me bring the kids or should we just let this be a trip to uh, shake the dust off with us adults?" Nothing wrong with a little bit of fishing and drinks. Also, no harm to rabbits. Speaking of grumpy old curmudgeons, L'gan rolls his eyes and shoves himself to his feet. "I'll have to pick your brain later, D'had, but duty calls. I'll see you guys around." At that, his tray is picked up and the bronzerider strides to the kitchens to drop off the dishes with a purpose.

K'zre considers this for a moment before he decides, "Ice fishing is alright." It's swimming in that icy water that he'll definitely scowl about. "You just have to stay warm." Which is easier for F'inn than it is for Kez. Listening to D'had, the greenrider's (still warm) drink is sipped at slowly, dark brows furrowed as he follows along. "They were opposed to their children learning a survival skill?" Is it a rhetorical question? Possibly. For grumpy old curmudgeons, K'zre has no words. Yasminath is about as opposite as one can get from that. But he does at least understand the duty to your dragon, and so offers a dip of his chin to the departing L'gan, a murmured, "clear skies," offered because it is polite to do so. A final sip of his tea and Kez opts to set the mug aside in favor of winding his arms around F'inn instead.

"Fair point," F'inn notes with a quiet chuckle. "But I like being in Fort," he admits. "Course, it couldn't hurt to think about going. You know, you could make a team building exercise for Thunderbird. Take the whole wing out for a weekend trip." Could be fun, could be a huge pain in the rump roast, as well. "But right now? I gotta grab a bath." Or, more pointedly a good long soak in his tub. It's been one of those days. "Take care," he offers as L'gan rises to take his leave, as well. Letting his arm slip down to loop around K'zre's waist, he draws him to him his feet with him, adding. "I'm going to steal K'zre, D'had. If you do decide to the team building thing, let me know? I might opt to come with." But right now, he's opting for a hot bath, a steamy chamber and big old bottle of wine.

D'had shrugs to L'gan. "Dunno. Could always ask. She'll be onto me about something sooner or later." If she's not okay with it might as well be that for a reason than something else. "Later," he agrees a second later as the older of the two bronzers excuses himself. A second shrug is shared with K'zre for his question. F'inn's idea finds the bluerider staring at him for just a moment. And just who is supposed to coordinate that wing exercise? Chances are that, a least on that scale, is not happening. "We'll see. But you two have a good night."


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