'The World of Pern(tm)' and 'The Dragonriders of Pern(r)' are copyright to Anne McCaffrey (c) l967, 2000. This is a recorded online session, by permission of the author but generated on SouCon MUSH for the benefit of people unable to attend.
Something Snaps!
January 21 2000, Logged by Telinda

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*> Tiarnath furls her Champagne and Pearl Gold wings slightly, backwinging to a slow, but graceful landing, hindmuscles absorbing the impact with ease. With a modicum of fuss and stirred dust, she settles with a rustle of wings, warbling an exuberant greeting to those close by.

*> N'all saunters in, and heads towards Marila. He gives K'laarn an "I'm calm" gesture, and stands by his weyrmate.

Dragon> All sense that Luiseth is going to be rising in about 15 minutes here over Southern, so come on down and join flight, if you're interested.

*> Kinoa frowns, shakes her head, and continues to run her fingers through the sand.

Telinda peers down off Tiarnath's neck and grimaces, visible from twenty paces, and still deadly is the look she gives first K'laarn, then, oh, there's another, K'tor. Hand brushes hair from her face as she unbuckles her jacket, then swings her leg over the gold.

You jump down off of Tiarnath with lithe grace, the Champagne and Pearl Gold nudging your hip playfully as you reach the ground.

Kenla walks over from the Coastal Path.

N'all nods to Telinda, "Tel."

F'loran walks over from the Coastal Path.

Kenla walks carefully on the beach. She takes one look at Kinoa, and somehow that convinces her of the reality. She sighs, and stays away from everyone else.

K'laarn is left gaping for just a moment by Marila's speech then he scowls. Then he shrugs, brushing it off and smiles again. "You do't have to like me." He calls after Marila.

Tiarnath isn't worried about protocol, or who's being ignored today, instead she just swipes her tail around in the sand, dusting up lots of grains that dance away in the wind, and then lowers her nose, butting K'laarn in the back, hard enough to knock him over.

F'loran, on the other hand, is just sorta...here. The appropriate people get waves and smiles and such, but Fol really isn't saying much of anything right now, so...

K'laarn isn't expeting the dragon-driven nudge and looses his dignity in a sharp tumble into the sand, face forward. His hands barely come up in time to save that nose that's been broken before. He gasps, wind knocked from him as he slams into the ground, knees and hands getting scraped against sharper pieces of shell and rock.

Telinda peers down. What's that? Oh, K'laarn, or is that dirt? She sticks her nose in the air, and steps over it, barely giving him another look except to dust off the sand that fell onto her shoe.

N'all just watches Telinda, and he look .impressed..

Marila draws back her fist and slams it into K'tor's jaw. The girl starts to yell, "K'tor..you..you.. I don't even know what to call you right now.. Nareisa did not need to be used like that. I never knew you could tell anyone so lightly that you were in love with them and then easily let someone else tell them that it was just a sexual relationship...you've spat not only on your relationship with her but on the one you had with me. At the very least I knew we were friends.. but now I can't even call you that..." The young assistant weyrlingmaster glares at K'tor through eyes that are rather...well cold.

N'all looks at Marila, and looks even more impressed, "I see I chose my weyrmate wisely."

K'laarn raises slowly, brushing himself off and smearing blood on his shirt. He frowns at Telinda, his gaze seething with anger. Teeth visibly grind, jaw jutting, tightening. "Ah, I see our Weyrwoman is here," He announces, "And bent on humiliation today, are we? How droll." he remarks, bitingly. "Don't worry Telinda -- dear. I'm not hurt at all."

K'tor was looking at K'laarn, and so the punch connects, and connects hard. He staggers back, and then knees give out and he plops down on his rear. One hand goes to his jaw, pain exploding across his face.

Kinoa is missing all of this, probably because she's taken to putting her sandy hands over her ears. Her little sand castles are forgotten for the moment as she rises up on her knees and looks towards the landing field. "I told you to GO BACK TO SLEEP," she calls.

Telinda flips a hand at her ear as K'laarn speaks, a vtol passing? No, but something just as annoying. A cruel smile lights up her face as she watches Marila slam her fist into K'tor's jaw, "Shame you didn't hit lower, Marila, it might have worked better for the weyr population."

Kenla looks a bit afraid, and would leave except she also looks like she's too shocked to move.

There is a roar of challenge from the clifftops, from the general direction of the landing field.

K'laarn continues "Its a shame when a Weyrwoman takes such delight in such animosity for something incredibly stupid, which makes her just as idiotic as her anger is." He scoffs, fists clenching. Oh how dearly he'd probably like to give her hers. He calms himself, controling his temper.

Marila looks at K'tor as if she's ready to say a few more choice words. In stead she just pulls her hand against her and walks back to her weyrmate.

F'loran is - well - surprised, to say the least. His slow, meandering gait halts altogether, now, and he just /stares/ at the violence unfolding before him. Wait... Is he grinning? Nah. Couldn't be.

Telinda heard -that-! She spins on her heel, and takes the two steps over towards the Weyrleader, eyes narrowing to just dark slats of midnight. One eyebrow raises, ever so slightly, and then, from out of nowwhere comes the fist, fingers curled, thumb out and heading like the rockfall toward's K'laarn's jawline.

N'all glances towards K'laarn, he's not that stupid, is he?

Kinoa just kneels there, bringing her hands down to her sides and clenching them into fists. Finally she looks around at all of the people gathered around her and her mouth gets twisted down into a sneer. "Would you all, ALL OF YOU, please just SHUT UP for a minute so I can HEAR MYSELF THINK!"

Kinoa gets slowly up to a standing position, wobbling slightly.

Baelen slows his stroll as he hears Kinoa's, umm, speech, and frowns slightly. "Well. Someone woke up on the wrong side of the furs."

K'tor moves his jaw back and forth, testing to see if it is broken. Finally, he just says, "Ask Joslyn, Marila. Or Kinoa when she's back to herself." he still seems faintly stunned, as if he might've gotten his head knocked around a little.

K'laarn sees that fist comming and ducks just in time, the fist whooshes through the air over his shoulder. He's not going to get hit like K'tor did. Hopefully it overbalanced Telinda.

Kenla shudders a moment. "Oh, Ardanth...

Marila doesn't even hear K'tor at this point. Someone might notice the girl holding her hand carefully.

F'loran wobbles slightly, all of the sudden, and shoots a quick look toward the Feeding Grounds. "No no no," he mutters, apparently to himself. Then there's a sudden nod of understanding. "Ooooh, alright. I understand. Have at."

In the northern sky, Ardanth soars to the broad Landing Field below.

N'all saves marila the indignity of anyone noticing her hand, by cupping gently in his.

Baelen spots the Weyrwoman trying to punch the lights out of the Weyrleader, at that point, and raises an eyebrow. He mutters something unflattering about riders, and folds his arms across his chest to watch. He isn't in charge here, seeing as the weyrleaders are present. Of course, they're the ones causing most of the ruckus...

Kenla eyes Kinoa a moment, and bites on her lip. Hmmm, a little smile's forming in the corner of her mouth.

Telinda has either had a lot of practice at this, or else she's lucky, either way she doesn't overbalance, and simply turns away, letting Tiarnath curl her tail into the sand to trip K'laarn should he perchance move.

In the northern sky, Rnayth soars over from the Northern Weyrs.

Kinoa doesn't notice if anyone is talking to her, or even about her for that matter. She ignores Marila and Telinda and takes a swishing step or two towards K'tor and K'laarn. "Poor boys," she practically purrs, eyeing their bruised jaws speculatively. "That must have hurt."

In the northern sky, Rnayth flies toward the sky further south.

Kenla's hand reaches up to her collar. One button undone. There. She fans herself for a moment and looks /slightly/ more comfortable now.

Telinda calls over her shoulder, "Come, love, we'll find those spiderclaws now." A pause, then "No, you won't fit, you'll have to watch."

You wander over to a grouping of rocks.

On the Beach> K'laarn doesn't move and then barks at the gold. "Get your sharding tail from around me." It doesn't matter that she doesn't hear him, hopefully his anger is conveyed readily enough.

On the Beach> N'all gently guides Marila away, "C'mon love, let's go home."

On the Beach> Tiarnath just peers down at K'laarn. Hello dust speck, did you speak?

In the northern sky, Aquariuth soars to the sky further south.

On the Beach> K'tor attempts to regain his feet, still cradling his jaw. "I wish for *once* that I could manage to get through one of these sharding things without getting the glows knocked out of me!" Frustrated, this bursts from the bronzerider as he sweeps accusing eyes over Marila.

On the Beach> K'laarn grits his teeth and says, "This sharding is enough to make me want to leave Southern for good. Bloody gold isn't any better than her rider is." He grits his teeth again.

On the Beach> N'all looks at K'laarn, "Sir, I would suggest curtailing your tongue, because if you know Telinda, she may bloody well do it."

On the Beach> Marila goes with N'all. She rests her head against his arm as she moves.

On the Beach> Kinoa has the oddest little smile on her lips as though the world weren't ending all around her. As K'tor and K'laarn seem busy, she swishes over to F'loran, laying a hand on his arm. "I missed you last night," she murmurs throatily.

On the Beach> N'all continues walking out with Marila.

On the Beach> N'all strides over to the Coastal Path.

On the Beach> Kenla sneers - "Kenla sneers? In which universe?" - at the Weyrleader and chuckles to herself. But a real glare is fastened onto F'loran.

On the Beach> K'laarn continues dusting his clothing off and shoots a dark look at N'all. "I'm sure she will. I'm surprised she hasn't already. Maybe I should beat her to it." He says in frustrated exhasperation.

On the Beach> Marila walks toward the Coastal Path.

On the Beach> Baelen settles himself down on a rock, watching all the hissing and sneering and punching and purring with obvious interest.

On the Beach> K'tor glares at K'laarn. "Oh, no. NO, nonono. You're *Not* leaving and sticking me with her, even for a sevenday!"

On the Beach> Tiarnath blinks. Once, twice, and then she steps forward, heading towards where her rider disappeared, and accidently letting one wing drop to clomp K'laarn on the back again as she passes. Talk about her like that! Ha!

On the Beach> F'loran? Glared at? Awwww... Why? All he's really doing right now is staring off into the distance, mumbling to himself. Oh, and he's slowly wandering in Kinoa's direction, too..

On the Beach> K'laarn falls forward again, the weight of Tiarnath's wing more than he can stand. He comes up from his sprawl, snarling. "That is it. IF that is what Telinda wants, thats what she gets." He snarls. "If she can't control herself, or her queen enough to maintain civility.. " His voice fades off as he seethes in silence.

On the Beach> Kenla is finally wandering into the gathering. Ah, her mentor. Kenla smiles fondly. Okay, a little too fondly. Hot for teacher?

On the Beach> K'tor shakes his head faintly, as apparently Albanth's state of mind finally reaches him. He looks around for - fardles, where *did* she go? He grunts, turning around in a half circle, which only makes him dizzier.

On the Beach> Kinoa calls back over her shoulder and in the direction of the feeding grounds, "You ARE the loveliest, my darling," her jaw tighening just slightly as she reminds Luiseth how this works. Blood. Fly. Kinoa wakes up with a raging headache. The greenrider now twirls over to Kenla, skipping through the sand. "I'm *so* glad you made it," she tells the bluerider, dribbling a bit of sand onto her shoulder.

On the Beach> K'laarn's state of mind is making him overeact as well, he starts to follow after where Telinda disappeared, rather than after Kinoa, anger is superceeding whatever lust Rnayth brings.

On the Beach> Kenla smiles brightly. "So am I, Kinoa." The way she says it is unfamilar, but you read between the lines. Her eyes dart across the greenrider's face and along her body, too, for good measure.

K'laarn wanders over to a grouping of rocks.

K'laarn walks haphazardly over rock, sand and shell. His boots gouge raw holes in the dirt as he stalks toward Telinda. "I've had it Telinda with your sharding nasty attitude. I can't take it anymore. I said a few wrong things and you've taken it all out of proportion. Well this is it." He rips his knot from his shoulder and throws it at her as soon as he's in distance enough to do so. "Have the sharding knot back. I can't stand such a cold, angry woman anymore. I love you, but I sure as thread don't care for how you treat me anymore. This isn't how any Weyrwoman treats her Weyrleader, so I guess that makes me less than your Weyrleader since you can't even maintain a public respect for me!"

Telinda was happily collecting spiderclaws, but on hearing the ranting, or is that raving, Weyrleader tromp over, she stands, lips pursing together, and eyebrows raising. "A -few- wrong things taken out of proportion? Ha! That's a joke." She stoops taking the knot back, "Saves me having to ask for it. Go find yourself a pleasant lower caverns girl and take some frustration from yourself, sounds like you need it!" She starts to walk away, "And talking of which, is that anyway to treat your Weyrwoman? The mother of your children? It just confirms every suspicion I've ever had about you. Goodday!" she shouts over her shoulder, "Come into my presence again, and I'll take more than the knot!"

K'laarn smiles coldly, "Why find a pleasant lower caverns woman when I'm having a nice , pleasant and quiet relationship with my ex weyrsecond, Shasta?" He smiles even more coldly, "She at least, knows how to keep from blowing things up out of proportion. I'd never done anything to you Telinda, never done anything to my Weyrwoman. I've never hit you, had my dragon humilate or threaten you, but having Tiarnath attack me was the absolute limit and really proved to me just what kind of respect or caring you have for me. I can't even imagine why you've done this or how, but I can't see any way past your foolish stubborn idoicy."

Telinda's face drains of all colour -- white, blanched, bleached, faded underneath her tan -- and slowly, slowly she turns around at K'laarn's words. A step forward, almost like she's about to say something, then she stops, considering, her face contorting into something ugly and possibly never seen on the Weyrwoman's face in her life. Then, faster than thought, a knife is in her hand and she makes a stab for K'laarn's chest, screaming "How -could- you!" Obviously, she's not thinking, and it's like another person's taken over.

K'laarn doesn't see Telinda's knife comming because he's been continuing his talking, "Maybe I should sire a babe on her, eh? Another kid? That'd make what, five? Six? I've lost count you know, I've so many brats running around." And then that knife comes. The glint of the knife's blade catches his eye and he barely reacts in time, and not soon enough, for his arm comes up, barely deflecting the blade which still gouges into his skin, into his shoulder, spearing deep. He stumbles back then and gasps.

Almost as soon as the knife hits flesh, it clatters to the rocks, Telinda stepping back, holding her hands in front of her, the blood dripping with a steady pitter patter to the rocks. She glances once to K'laarn, then once to the knife, then panics and runs!

K'laarn clutches at his shoulder with one hand, a bloody scraped hand with pebbles still clinging to it as blood gushes over his fingers. He collapses to one leg, kneeling on the ground.

Dragon> Southern Weyr sense that Rnayth bellows mentally, his pain shooting spasms through the link. Ripples of fear and anger throb from him, radiating outward. << K'laarn! >>

Dragon> Southern Weyr sense that Tiarnath rumbles in distress << Oh Shit. >>

You wander over from a grouping of rocks.

Dragon> Southern Weyr sense that Ceruth seems passe about Rnayth but immediately comes alert at Tiarnath << What? >>

Tiarnath croons lovingly, excited at another chance to fly with you. She lowers a Champagne and Pearl Gold foreleg and you scramble up nimbly.

You soar to the sky above.

*> Tiarnath disappears into Between.

Meanwhile....

Dragon> Southern Weyr sense that Breidith calls just a touch petulantly, << What now!? >>

Dragon> Southern Weyr sense that Saith gives a rumble of worry, << What is Wrong? >>

Dragon> Southern Weyr sense that Iesath raises some eyelids cautiously << Now what? Auralia wants to know if Tiarnath's rider is finally giving your rider what Tiarnath's rider thinks he deserves, Rnayth. >>

Dragon> Breidith bespoke Southern Weyr with << My rider seems to think that Rnayth's rider deserves something. >>

Dragon> Southern Weyr sense that Ceruth rumbles << Where? >>

Dragon> Southern Weyr sense that Tiarnath shows more images of stones and rockpools.

K'laarn is bleeding rather profusely, the knife having gone deep. Blood sluggishly flows from between his fingers as he struggles to regain his feet. His legs wobble and no sooner than he's gotten to his feet, than he stumbles forward, nearly falling flat on his face. He breathes heavily, "Sh-sha-sharding -wom-woman."

Dragon> Southern Weyr sense that Saith gives a deep rumbling murmur as she and her lifemate head to see if they can help somehow

K'laarn struggles to his feet after having sagged there for a while, and finally trips and wobbles his way along, looking pale as a ghost.

K'laarn walks over from a grouping of rocks.

Dragon> Saith bespoke Southern Weyr with << He is at the beach, we need a healer, my lifemate thinks. >>

Dragon> Southern Weyr sense that Luiseth is busy, sorry.

Shadara mutters a bit and she shakes her head as she moves over, "K'laarn, sit down and relax okay? Rnayth it'll be okay." she says softly as she moves over to K'laarn carefully, Saith crooning reassuringly and deeply to tyry and calm Rnayth

K'laarn has slipped down to the sand and is just sitting beside his dragon, who hovers protectively over him. His eyes are closed, his skin pale, and there's blood all over his shoulder, hands and chest.

Marila walks over from the Coastal Path.

N'all runs in, with a stranger at his heels wearing a Healer's knot, the healer says, "It's a good thing I was down here collecting herbs. My name's Jithan, I'm a master healer from High Reaches Weyr." Jithan rushes to K'laarn's side, "Everyone, move back, please." His voice has a confident ring of command to it.

Marila moves along a few paces behind the others as she arrives. Her wrist is bound up as she nears the situation.

Rnayth hisses at Shadara and Saith together, his head weaving back and forth to watch them both. His wings mantle across his back defensively as he snarls.

Rnayth growls at the healer master, wings fluttering in a threatening manner, his lips curl up over his teeth, showing them to good effect. K'laarn, concious still, seems to be holding off the dragon however as he weakly says "Let him in Rnayth."

Shadara shakes her head a bit as she steps towards the bronze, Rnayth, he'll be fine, calm down, se Jithan here will fix him all up, but you need to be calm so he can approach him." Her tone and Saith's is calm, soothing softly as she looks at K'laarn with worry.

Jithan smiles at Rnayth, "easy big fella, I'm here to help." He kneels by K'laarn and opens his bag, pulling out a pair of scissors, he quickly cuts away the obstructing clothing.

Rnayth growls again, threateningly at Shadara, hissing silibantly. His neck arches, neckridges prominent. K'laarn just lets his hand sag as the healer, whom he smiles haphazardly at, rips away his tunic to show the shoulder wound. The blood flows from the hole sluggishly, it looks awfully familiar to a dagger wound, thrust deep.

Jithan pulls out a stopped bottle, and says to the Weyrleader, "I'm going to rinse it with redwort, and then apply some numbweed, put a bandage on it, but we have to get you to the infirmary." He looks at N'all, and blinks, "Yes, I think you can carry him easily enough." He looks at K'laarn, "This may sting a bit, ready?"

N'all nods to the Healer, "Aye, that I can." Even though they may have had some bad blood in the past, the Weyrlingmaster is still concerned.

K'laarn replies, jaw tightening, "Yah.. ready." Then he says again, "Sharding woman." on a sigh.

Jithan defly rinses the wound, and as soon as it's clean enough places numbweed and a compress on the wound, he looks at K'laarn, "Hold that, as hard as you can." He places the weyrleaders other hand on the compress.

Shadara doesn't even bother to ask what he means, she simply does the dragonhealer thing and tries to help Rnayth to calm down, "I may need to ask one of the golds to calm him down."

K'laarn winces, his body twitching slightly. He looks up at Jithan and nods, bloodied and sandy hand reaching up to touch his shoulder.

Jithan looks at Shadara, "Then do it, it's not helping his state." Looking at the Weyrleader, he looks at N'all, "All right, help him up, if he stumbles, carry him. I'll meet you at the infirmary."

Rnayth is calming, though whether its from Shadara's efforts or because K'laarn's being fixed, its hard to tell. He rumbles periodically, though his posturing has settled down.

Jithan walks toward the Coastal Path.

N'all nods to Jithan, and reaches to help K'laarn up.

K'laarn is helped up by N'all, though he can't really grasp at the other bronzerider. He laughs hoarsely as he leans into the other bronzerider a moment as he regains his balance, "That path sure looks daunting doesn't it? I'll make it though." He starts to pull from N'all, "You don't need to help me." He grunts out, determinedly.

Marila wrinkles her nose as K'laarn is helped about. She doesn't have a thing to say. Personally. Its just a totally mess.

N'all nods to K'laarn, "Sure." He doesn't let go.

N'all, K'laarn, and Jithan strides over to the Coastal Path, then up to the courtyard and to the infirmary.

Shadara walks over from the Southern Courtyard.

Jithan is standing by a table, "Over here, if you please."

N'all nods, walking K'laarn that way, then he excuses himself, "I must return to the barracks." He looks at K'laarn, "We'll talk later."

K'laarn stumbles slightly, blanance quickly regained as he heads over to the table, silent. He's sweating now, the strain of struggling up the path from the beach to the infirmary, even with N'all's assistance having been an effort.

Dragon> Tiarnath senses that Albanth's tone is still mixed with a hint of anger and lust, as well as concern, now that his mate has finally gotten him under control. << Where is Rnyath's rider? >>

Tiarnath> Albanth senses that Tiarnath ponders that one, << Bleeding? >> Sorry, she's not very helpful.

Dragon> Albanth bespoke Tiarnath with << What happened? >>

Jithan hands K'laarn a mug, "Drink this, it's fellis. You're going to need it."

Tiarnath> I bespoke Albanth with << Blood. Lots of it. >>

Jithan makes sure K'laarn is laying down first, and helps him to a sitting position.

K'tor walks over from the Southern Courtyard.

Shadara hmmms softly and she moves over a bit, "I can help a little if you need, Master Jithan, though I'm a dragonhealer, not a human healer. I know first aid though."

Jithan looks up at the new arrival, "Keep your distance, please."

K'laarn nods and letting go of the compress, the pad sticks to his shoulder without the pressure though blood does start leaking through, and reaches for the cup. He drains all of the fellis with a wrinkling of the nose to show his distaste.

Joslyn strides over from the Southern Courtyard.

Jithan nods to Shadara, "Get me some hot towells ready, please." He looks around for an apprentice, "You! I'll need a yard of number 3 and number 6 feline gut, number 6 needs to be the dissolving kind."

K'tor staggers in, holding onto the doorframe. He doesn't appear intent on coming any closer. "What happened?" And upon seeing K'laarn and the blood, launches into an interesting string of curses.

Jithan looks at K'tor, "I'll need you to be quiet, sir."

Joslyn peeks in at first, head sort of popping around the doorway from the courtyard before the girl steps within. "What happened?" she echoes K'tor, a little tense these evening - you all can guess why.

Jithan figures the best way is to clip out, "He was stabbed." he yanks the privacy curtain closed around him and K'laarn.

Dragon> Tiarnath senses that Albanth tries again. << Where are you and your rider? >> Flight confusion gives way to outright confusion.

Jithan looks at K'laarn, "Feeling silly yet?" He holds the compress in place with firm pressure.

Eyes rather wide now, Joslyn watches the curtain enclose the Weyrleader - gawking. "Who stabbed K'laarn?" she asks naturally, turning a Look upon K'tor as if he certainly must have had something to do with it.

Tiarnath> Albanth senses that Tiarnath goes a little distant, as if asking for permission, then rumbles << Sorry, not allowed to tell. >>

K'laarn glowers at Jithan, violet eyes dark with anger and pain. "Silly? No. Sharding mad? Yes." His voice is a low growl.

Jithan nods, "Fellis hasn't kicked in yet."

Jithan mixes another mug, "Drink it."

K'laarn says, sarcasm thick, "I'm supposed to feel silly when the fellis kicks in?"

K'tor breaks off his cursing and takes Josy by the shoulders. And gently too. "Josy. I don't know, but I have my suspicions. And I need your help. Can Jeuneth find Tiarnath?"

Jithan grins, "That or really really tired. Some people go silly when they get sleepy."

Joslyn, taken by the shoulders, shoots a slightly irritated look at the Weyrsecond - do not manhandle the weyrwoman. "She prob'ly could. Why does Tiarnath need finding?" she continues, a listening ear cocked to the curtained conversation.

Dragon> Tiarnath and Jeuneth sense that Albanth sends a tendril of thought out to Jeuneth as well, though he concentrates on Tiarnath, << Your rider is with you? We want to know She is well. >>

K'laarn accepts the mug of fellis though and says with a sigh, "Not another mug of fellis,"In his best reluctant voice. He however begins to drink it, some dribbling down his chin. He laughs as he pulls it away, and then hiccups. "That woman." He starts to complain, "I can't believe she did it." He sounds angry, hurt and confused all at the same time. "Can't even respect me in front of the others, even if she hates me." He starts slurring his words, becoming very talkative. "Don't understand what I did to make her hate me so bad." He hiccups again as the fellis continues to take effect.

Dragon> Tiarnath and Albanth sense that Jeuneth just sends some affirmative thought or another.

K'tor merely jerks his head towards the curtain.

Jithan nods to K'laarn, smiling, "We'll talk when I'm done sewing you up, sir. Lay back now, and let Rnayth fully into your mind."

Shadara shakes her head a bit, "Oh boy, Telinda did this? Not a good thing, when Tel starts to act funny, things tend to be a bit strange around here for months."

Jeuneth and Albanth sense that Tiarnath warbles and projects an image of Telinda with a glass in both hands.

Jithan looks at Shadara, "Got those towells?"

Tiarnath> I bespoke Jeuneth and Albanth with << Well? I guess so. >>

K'laarn says, iritably, "Doan' wanna." His words get worse and worse. "I want to find that gel and.. and .." He looks confused.

Joslyn blinks toward the curtain herself, absently brushing bronzerider hands off of her shoulders. "Tel STABBED him?" she asks, something of a laugh stealing over her despite her best efforts to contain it. "Oh, my, my, my. He's not going to die, is he?"

Shadara nods and hands the towels over to Jithan after she scrubs her hands and rinses them in redwort. She sets them down within Jithan's reach.

Jithan looks at K'laarn, "Shh, lie back, go to sleep. When you wake up, you'll be fine." He says for the benefit of the lurkers, "No he isn't."

Jithan continues holding the compress and looks at Shadara, "How's your stomach?"

K'laarn hiccups, "Don't want to sleep." He starts to push at Jithan and stand up. "Want to find her and give her a piece of my mind." He's barely understandable now, his words slur so bad.

K'tor says, not making much sense, "If he dies, I'll kill him." He shakes his head then and says, "Josy. Can you help me get her back home?"

Jithan pushes K'laarn down, firmly, "Okay, then I'll just start cleaning out the wound now while you're awake."

Jithan looks at another apprentice, "Ankle restraints, please." The apprentice nods and expertly restrains K'laarn's ankles.

Shadara hmms, "Just fine, I can handle gore, I'm a capable dragonhealer." she says as she moves over to Jithan's side.

"Who?" Joslyn asks, sort of a lame question but oh well. "Telinda?" She shrugs up both shoulders this time, tossing her chin a little toward the courtyard. "I could try, but Tel's not th'easiest woman in th'world, you know. Figured out where she is yet?"

K'laarn grouches. "Do whatever you have to." He says ominously. "I jus.. just.." He slows in his speech. His eyelids flutter closed over violet eyes.

Jithan nods to Shadara, "Human blood and internals are different from a dragons ichor."

Dragon> Tiarnath senses that Jeuneth is never pleased to be running messages, but at least she does it this time. << I was told to ask where it is you have gone off to. So where is it you have gone off to, please? >>

Shadara nods, "I'm aware of that Master Jithan, I see a lot of Weyrlings injured, as well, I'll be fine."

Jithan exhales in relief, "Now I can get to work." rinsing his hands in redwort oil, he slowly removes the compress, dabbing with the hot towell as he goes. He inspects the wound, "Good, a nice clean edge."

K'tor shakes his head at Josy. "No. Tiarnath says she isn't allowed to tell Albanth. Has Jeuneth asked yet?"

Tiarnath> Jeuneth senses that Tiarnath thinks about this, << You want me to tell you so you can tell another bronzerider? How many does she have to stab this ... err, no, I didn't say that. Really. >>

Joslyn has yet to come to terms with the import of this whole situation - the Weyrleader bleeding to death - the Weyrwoman absent - F'loran's with Kinoa. Poor little Josy just blinks a moment and then shakes her head. "She ASKED, but Tiarnath's not telling."

Jithan pulls out what looks like a spoon, he uses it to pull the sides of the wounds apart, and he uses a glow tube to look in the wound, "A bit of dirt in there." He gets a hook and scrapes around, pulling out small pebbles and the like.

Jithan continues rinsing as blood wells up, he has another apprentice put pressure as much as possible upstream from the wound. The bleeding finally subsides and stops.

K'laarn has sagged back against the table, now happily snoring since the Fellis has completely put him out. He doesn't move as Jithan starts proping at his wound.

K'tor growls softly, "I'm going to kill *both* of them for this." He takes a deep breath. "Round up the other queens? She needs to return, one way or another. Who's elder? Remarra?"

K'laarn probing even.

"YOU are not going to kill anyone," Joslyn states matter-of-factly. "Nor am I going to call in all the queens to go chasing after Tiarnath and Telinda when they don't want to be found. So stop giving orders like you're in charge all of th'sudden. Tel will come around eventually, I'm sure, and then we'll find her and everything will be fine." She honestly believes this, too.

Jithan calls out, "There will be no killing tonight, bronzerider." He gets a scalpel and severs the skin from the muscle. What happens, surprisingly enough, is the muscle springs together, as the skin was holding it back. He nods, "This won't leave much a scar at all. Good." He grabs some catgut from the apprentice, and threads a needle.

Now that blood is cleared away and Jithan is busy with K'laarn's shoulder, it might be noticable that K'laarn's ever present weyrleader's knot is missing from his shoulder. His left shoulder, right above the wound.

Shadara nods and helps as asked, not looking like it bothers her to help, but she is a little pale, "Josy, K'laarn's lucky he didn't bleed to death, with K'laarn being out of action and Tai and Tel missing, K'tor is in charge as Weyrsecond." she says in a soft voice.

Jithan doesn't even notice as he sews together the muscle, and yes, he is wearing a facemask, "This will dissolve in the tissue, and is necessary to help the muscle heal well." He puts two levels of stitches, the mask puffing in and out with his steady breath, "Faranth, this is deep."

K'tor looks at Josy. "K'laarn's been stabbed. Telinda did it. She didn't kill him, but she could have. The very idea that she'd attack with a knife goes against *everything* that we're taught, Josy. She's either overreacted and is now hiding like a spoilt child, or honestly taken leave of her senses and run off. I'm betting the former. Right now, Southern is without its weyrleaders. *Either* of them. If there were fall right now... do you see the picture." His tone remains level, though as Shadara reminds him of this, he goes paler. "We find Telinda and Tiarnath. Or we put in Remarra as acting Weyrwoman. But I need your help."

Jithan looks up and holds his fingers about an inch apart, "This more to the right, and you'd be needing a new weyrleader. I never met Telinda, but I'd say she needs to learn temper control. Kinda like my sister."

Joslyn folds her arms over her chest and notes, for Shadara's benefit, "If you'd like to get technical, with Telinda missing, Remarra at Ierne, and K'laarn out of commission, I'M in charge. And I'm relatively certain we'll find Tel when she wants to be found and not a moment sooner. So everyone just relax. Jeuneth's asked Tiarnath where they are, and when I found out, you'll find out out."

Dragon> Tiarnath senses that Albanth tries again, << My rider is extremely concerned about you and your rider. May we come to see her? We will come alone if she wishes. >>

Tiarnath> Albanth senses that Tiarnath ponders. She projects an image of one digit, then the next, much like her rider counting off points. << Let's see. You're a bronze. I'm Telinda's lifemate. You're a bronze. Umm, no. >>

Jithan's eyes smile over his mask at Shadara, "She's not really that bad, but, sometimes she's a bit much." He then stitches the top level of the wound, pulling it closed with slight tugs. He makes very precise, very small stitches. When it's done, he looks satisfied, applies some redwort and numbweed and bandages it. He opens the curtain.

Shadara shakes her head a bit, "Josy, I'm sorry but I think K'tor's right. What happens if it's cause Tai's proddy? We've not had a gold go up for a bit, if she's proddy, then we need to get them back in the Weyr. Only time Tel acts strange is when she's pregnant or proddy."

Dragon> Jeuneth bespoke Tiarnath with << They - >> She sends images of K'tor, Shadara, and various other familiar faces. << - really are worried about your whereabouts. Joslyn can only keep them at bay so long. Do tell us where you are, hm? >>

Athne cocks his little brown head as he watches.

Dragon> Tiarnath senses that Albanth's tone is persuasive, << I am a bronze, yes. But a bronze who is concerned for You and Your mate. And my rider is as well. He wishes to be sure She is well. He does not believe me and He is very worried. >> He allows some of K'tor's genuine anxiety to bleed through. << Please? We both ask. >>

"Shar, I'm sorry, but I think I'M right," Joslyn returns, arms staying folded as she comes and goes between messages with her dragon. "Telinda's a big girl and she's not so silly as to take Tiarnath away when she's proddy. Jeuenth is trying to find her. There's nothing more we can do till then, so stop harping at me. Won't do you any good."

Tiarnath> Jeuneth senses that Tiarnath ponders and pictures Telinda face down on a table, drink in hand, << Remember, I didn't tell you, but it's where she goes to drink. >>

Jithan pulls down his mask, and washes his hands, the bandage is a neat patch on K'laarn's shoulder, and the ankle restraints are removed, he looks at Joslyn, "I don't know who your posted healer is, but he doesn't move for two sevendays."

Jithan adds, "Period."

K'laarn continues to snore, blissfully unaware of all of Jithan's prodding, probbing, stitching and pulling and cutting. A little drool even makes its way to his chin, somehow.

K'tor nods to Jithan. "When can he fly again? And go between again?"

Jithan closes up his bag, "He'll be fine." He looks down and dabs at K'laarn's chin, and adjusts his head to open his airway a bit better. He looks at K'tor studying the man's knot, "I don't know, Weyrsecond, fly, four sevendays, tops, between, 6 sevendays."

K'laarn stops snoring as soon as his head's moved, thank goodness. He breathes deeply, peacefully.

Joslyn nods over at Jithan, trying to absorb that detail among NUMEROUS others thus far. "Two sevendays," she repeats, just to prove she was listening. "And I believe I know where Tel's gone off to. Jeuneth says Tiarnath showed her passed out drunk. So I don't think she's in much condition to be Betweening home at the moment..."

Jithan pulls up the blanket and gently tucks it around K'laarn and makes his way towards Joslyn, "I will stop by in two sevendays to check on it." He laughs, "Next time they say go to Southern and relax, I shall have to look at them funny, nice climate though." He rubs his hands, "I'm hungry, where's some food?"

K'tor looks as though Jithan just pronounced his own death sentance. He nods and offers the man his hand. "Thank you for all you've done for the weyr, sir. We all appreciate it, and your discretion." Intent gray eyes lock onto the healer's face. Evidently he doesn't want this to be the talk of the continent. "Someone will get you a plate, the weyrhall is just through there."

Jithan smiles, "Call me Jithan, I don't stand on titles."

Jithan laughs at the weyrsecond, "Know will know of it up north, I assure you."

Nodding absently at Jithan who she probably didn't hear to begin with, Joslyn glances toward the Weyrleader's curtain, back at the Weyrsecond, and then SIGHS. "All right. Someone ought to go fetch Tel - at least make sure she's okay. I'll go, but going alone is kinda scary. She's armed, apparently."

K'tor nods and asks Shadara gently, "Dara, will you see to it that Jithan has a bite to eat, and a place to rest after this rather eventful day?" Then he turns to Josy, "I'll go with me, if you'll allow it."

Jithan looks at K'tor and Joslyn, "take that huge guy with you."

Jithan smirks, "It's guys like that that made me not want a dragon. Bloody huge weyrlingmaster."

Something of a grin gets at Joslyn and she notes, "If you're brave 'nough, you're more than welcome." She pauses for a blank blink at Jithan - only the fraction of a second passing before she reckons who that 'huge guy' must be. "Oh? N'all," with the customary disgust for that syllable. "Prob'ly couldn't hurt." But she's not PLEASED about it.

Brine settles to one side of K'laarn's cot, evidently keeping guard.

Shadara chuckles a bit and she nods, "Sure, this way Jithan. Don't let N'all catch you calling me Dara K'tor, you know he hates that."

Jithan nods and follows Shadara, "Lead on."

K'tor nods. "If you'd have Jeuneth bespeak Ceruth, Josy?" He gives the little blue lizard a stern look, and it cheeps softly in response, turning glowing eyes on the Weyrleader.

Jithan strides over to the Courtyard.

Joslyn flutters her fingers at the Weyrsecond, informing him breezily, "Done. I'll meet you in the landing field." She's turned on her heel and is striding off to collect her riding gear without further delay, mumbling about sharding greenflights turning the sharding Weyr on its sharding ear as she goes.

Joslyn strides over to the Courtyard.

K'tor strides over to the Courtyard.

Dragon> Southern Weyr sense that Rnayth woozily watches the other dragons leave as he hunches close to the infirmary, standing guard.

Dragon> Breidith bespoke Southern Weyr with << So why did Tiarnath's rider blood? >>

Dragon> Southern Weyr sense that Tiarnath is happy, as always, to share details, << Muinyth's rider and Rnayth's rider are having a child together. >>

Dragon> Breidith bespoke Southern Weyr with << Muinyth's rider wouldn't do that! >>

Dragon> Southern Weyr sense that Rnayth has enough knowledge left to note. << They are not. >>

Dragon> Tiarnath bespoke Southern Weyr with << But she did! He said so. >>

Dragon> Southern Weyr sense that Rnayth looks uncomfortable as he says, trying to recall << I think he said he 'should' have one with her. >>

Dragon> Southern Weyr sense that Luiseth merely croooooons blissfully at Kesath and snuggles him some more. Rub it in.

Dragon> Southern Weyr sense that Breidith rumbles at Rnayth, << YOu stay out of this!>> The green continues, << Muinyth's rider has had Ruisth's rider's hatchling.>>

Dragon> Southern Weyr sense that Albanth suggests, << Rnayth's rider sleeps. Let Rnayth sleep as well. >>

Dragon> Tiarnath bespoke Southern Weyr with << And everyone's had Albanth's hatchlings! >>

At the Dusty Dog Tavern...

Tiarnath> Jeuneth lands with a gentle gust of sand.

Tiarnath> Albanth lands with a gentle gust of sand.

Tiarnath> Ceruth lands with a gentle gust of sand.

Tiarnath> N'all nimbly slides out of his seat on Ceruth's neck, using a thoughtfully extended and lowered forelimb to land gently on the ground.

Dragon> Southern Weyr sense that Iesath chides softly << Albanth doesn't have any hatchlings. >> Or is it making fun? << His rider has. Too many, too.

Tiarnath> Albanth settles a trifle heavily and folds his wings.

Tiarnath> K'tor slides down to Albanth's foreleg, and then casually drops the rest of the way to the ground.

Tiarnath> Joslyn slips deftly down to the bent foreleg of Jeuneth, the Queen lowering herself to a crouch and watching with gentle eyes as the girl hops to the ground.

Tiarnath> K'tor considers a moment, and then pulls off his belt, tucking it and his knife into Albanth's straps.

Dragon> Southern Weyr sense that Breidith rumbles towards Albanth warningly as she goes back to yelping at her dam, << My rider hasn't had one of Albanth's riders hatchling. Has your rider has one of Albanth's rider's hatchlings? >>

Tiarnath> Joslyn sheds her riding gear in an untidy heap next to her dragon, looking up the path before she starts trudging up it - on a mission. "If you stab th'Weyrwoman," she adds, glancing back at K'tor, "I'll be forced to stab you back, you know."

Tiarnath> Joslyn takes the path to the Dusty Dog.

Dragon> Southern Weyr sense that Albanth tunes out the din for a few moments, intent on something. And not defending his rider.

Tiarnath> K'tor takes a deep breath, gritting his teeth, and following.

Tiarnath> K'tor takes the path to the Dusty Dog.

Tiarnath> N'all takes the path to the Dusty Dog.

Joslyn comes in from the clearing.

N'all comes in from the clearing.

K'tor comes in from the clearing.

Dragon> Southern Weyr sense that Kesath may as well help rub it in.. He croooons right back at Luiseth. Smug, he is.

Joslyn comes in with an entourage - well, two bronzeriders, but it's better than nothing. A quick survey finds Telinda amid the tables, and the girl has to giggle at the very notion of all this hullabaloo. "Tel?" she begins, approaching just a LITTLE timidly.

N'all stands back, and stand in front of K'tor, don't want Tel seeing him right away.

Telinda's lying, cheek resting on the table, a glass in one hand, another on the table, and an empty skin, or two, on the table. Bloody fingerprints stain the glasses, and resting right in front of her nose is a Weyrleader knot, also bloody. At the voice, one eye cracks open, then shuts, quickly.

Boru blinks into existance and settles on a perch not too far away while folding bronze blazened wings against his sides.

K'tor doesn't seem to mind for the moment. Let other women deal with crazy women. Upon seeing the Weyrwoman's bloody hands, however, he grimaces, and murmurs something to the girl hovering behind the bar. Water seems to be the gist of it.

Joslyn drags a chair over to Telinda's table and plops herself upon it, folding her arms across the tabletop and propping her chin upon them. "I know you're awake. I seen your eye open." Grinning, she proceeds, "Everyone thinks somethin's wrong with you. Well, 'cept me. I'd like to stab some bronzeriders, too."

Dragon> Saith bespoke Southern Weyr with << My rider hasn't had one of Albanth's lifemates hatchlings >>

Dragon> Kesath bespoke Southern Weyr with << Neither has mine. >>

Dragon> Tiarnath bespoke Southern Weyr with << It's not for lack of trying, right? >>

Telinda's eye cracks open once more, but then shuts again. She shifts in her chair, and lifts her arm, before letting it flop over her head. There. World all gone.

Joslyn pokes the floppy arm with her forefinger, scooting her chair over a little closer to Telinda's. "Oh, c'mon. That's no way to be. You're practically a hero back home. Which is where you REALLY oughta go. If you don't... well... I'LL be in charge, and we both know that's a bad idea. So sober up and come home, hm?"

Telinda struggles with her head, which really wants to stay on that table. But, eventually, it manages to come up off the thing eventually, unfortunately it doesn't really want to stay in one place and wavers on her shoulders like it had a mind of it's own. "Sss...im" she blurts out, not having spotted the bronzers yet. Yes, incomprehensible, but it sounds perfect to her.

The girl brings a basin of water and a clean rag to K'tor, who gestures gently for her to set it on a table. He moves slightly, to dip the rag and wring it out, darkened eyes on the pair of goldriders.

Joslyn tries not to laugh. It's a valiant attempt. But it fails, of course. "I think she's drunk," she informs the bronze contingent - just in case they failed to notice that themselves. "So I dunno how we oughta get her home, but it seems kinda wrong to leave her here, don'tya think?"

Joslyn also patpats Telinda on her head. "Yes, that's what I thought, too."

N'all nods to Joslyn, "I think that may be best."

Telinda bats Joslyn's hand away, though it takes her several attempts to do so. "Noth drunth."

K'tor glances at N'all, and then approaches Josy and Telinda warily. "Yes. Home." A pause and then, in a strangled tone, "Josy, can you get her to wipe her hands on this?"

N'all walks with K'tor.

"No, no. Her name is Ti-ar-nath," Joslyn corrects gently, looking over at K'tor and whatever it is he has to offer. "What is it, and why?" she asks, holding her own hand out for whatever it may be.

K'tor presses the rag into the coherant - well, into Josy's hands. "Help clean her up? - she's going to have a splitting headache tomorrow." He reaches back for the bowl as well.

Telinda spots K'tor for probably the first time, and eyes flash with something, but lucky for him she's too drunk. She does however, pick up the knot, and toss it towards him, but it's more likely to hit the poor drunk in the corner than the Weyrsecond. Head wobbles back to Joslyn, "Drunth, I'm noth drunth!" she repeats, shouting a little in her effort to be understood.

N'all kneels by Telinda, "Telinda, it's N'all. Let ceruth and I get you home. We're worried about you."

Joslyn looks at the rag, then looks at K'tor, then looks at Telinda, then shrugs. "I dunno what good cleaning up is going to do a hang - " She takes a moment to try and decipher Telinda's rambling, frowning thoughtfully before she oooohhs. "Uhm, you are drunk, Tel. Very much so. But N'all's come to take you home, so everything will be just fine." Chipper smile. There's a good girl.

Telinda giggles and pats N'all on the head, "N'allth tiny!" she says, then giggles a whole lot more.

N'all laughs at Telinda, 'Aye, that I am, just ask Marila, but now, I need to get you home, OK?"

K'tor looks tempted to empty the bowl of water over Telinda's head, but only for a moment. he doesn't go after the knot, instead, nodding at N'alls words. Getting no help from Josy, he offers the damp rag out to Telinda, for some reason unable to bear the sight of blood on her hands.

Telinda picks apart her fingers, and wiggles the little finger at N'all, "Weeny?" she tries through the giggles, ignoring the rest of the room for now.

N'all laughs, "Aye, weeny weeger."

Joslyn, who's a bit too busy laughing to do anything really useful, collects the knot and shoves it into one of her convenient pockets. She's going to repeat every bit of this conversation when she gets home. Several thousand times.

N'all reaches out to help telinda up, "C'mon home, and we'll have a good laugh about it." His look to Josy suggests that he knows what she's thinking, and that may not be wise.

Joslyn is always SO concerned with N'all's advice, too. So concerned that his look is returned with another burst of buoyant laughter as she gets up, too, tossing something of a mark on the table to cover whatever Telinda's had to drink this evening.

Telinda wrinkles her nose through her incoherent drunken giggles, and turns to Joslyn, "N'allth goth a weeny weeger!" she whispers, though it's more of a loud hissing. She bats N'all's hands away several times, "No!" she states admantately. "Me stay here!" and she jabs her finger at the table. "In facth, we'll hath to hath anothuver drinkie!"

K'tor is fully convinced that the Weyrwoman Has Lost It. But anything to get her home, and keep the weyr from being the laughing stock of all of Pern. He finally says, "Telinda, you can drink all you want at home. It's cheaper too. Or do you want Josy paying your tab?"

"I bet he does," Joslyn returns, laughter getting the better of her so that she just has to sit back down to catch her breath. "N'all has a weeny weeger," she repeats to herself, holding her stomach against the giggles. She apparently doesn't mind staying anymore, not with this string of conversation to attend.

N'all whispers something to Telinda.

Telinda narrows her eyes at K'tor, but then has to open them wide or she can't see a thing! Hand reaches down, and grabs her purse, dumping the contents on the table, which of course she didn't really mean to do. Marks go all over the table. "Opps!" she says through another fit of giggles, "Drinths all round!" she shouts out, banging her glass on the table.

Joslyn, rather than argue with the Weyrwoman about leaving again, stays seated and starts collecting her marks for her. "None for me," she adds absently, a pointed look at N'all. This is just too good.

N'all mutters to Telinda, "Jude's running... weyrhall, ya... And we... you... get..."

N'all whispers "Jude's running rampant in the main weyrhall, ya know. And we need you to help get rid of him."

K'tor mutters something to N'all, under his breath, darkened eyes remaining locked on Telinda.

N'all looks at Joslyn, "I think enough damage has been done tonight, Joslyn, spreading a mendacious rumor to the effect of this conversation may prove to be detrimental."

N'all looks at K'tor, "If what I just said doesn't rouse her, then aye, we'll do just that."

Joslyn informs, between slowly dying laughs, "I'm not gonna tell anyone anything that didn't actually happen or wasn't actually said." She hands Telinda back her marks - yes, all of them - and waits to see the effect of N'all's words on the Weyrwoman.

Telinda laughs at N'all, "Sowwy! Left the knife ath the pool!" she remarks, banging her glass, "Drinth, drinth, drinth!" she starts chanting. The glass of course doesn't like the awful treatment it's getting and shatters in her hand, "Opps!" again!

N'all looks at Joslyn, "I think there's enough risk of embarrassment to the Weyr as it is, without your assistance. For once in your life, Josy, know when to shut up."

N'all adds, "This wouldn't have happened were it not for you telling Kinoa the little speech to tell me."

N'all says "But that's a conversation for later, now, we need to get Telinda home."

Telinda looks up, "Hey, hey, stopth picking on Josy! Josy nice!" Josy good!

K'tor nods to N'all at his words back to him. The Weyrsecond looks as though he's aged ten turns in as many minutes. Nor is he interested in assigning blame. Though as the glass shatters in Telinda's hands, he lurches forward with the rag. "Let me get it, Telinda." He's had enough blood for one night.

Joslyn looks just a touch offended. "Oh, bother Kinoa," is all she has to say about that greenrider, getting up on her own now that her fun has been spoiled. "I won't tell anyone about your weeny weeger if it makes you feel any better, geez." Telinda just earns a superbly sweet smile: "Thank you."

N'all looks at Joslyn and K'tor, "Right, we get her home."

Telinda, like a small child, let's K'tor take her hand, "Are youth feelin' okay?" she asks the Weyrsecond.

K'tor gently cleans the glass out of Telinda's palm, and wraps the rag about it. He says quietly, looking at her hand and not her face while he works, "I'm worried about you, Telinda. And I wish you'd come home with us. If you want something else to drink there, I'll get it for you but please," and he finally looks up, "Come home, Telinda? Please."

Telinda frowns at K'tor, her whole face screwing up in concentration, "Butt, butt, err," she tries to get it out, those 't's' are difficult when you're drunk "but youth donth care for noone!" she protests, snatching back her hand and peering at the rag, already trying to unpeel it to look.

N'all grabs the hand of telinda that is bandaged gently, then with a fairly swift motion, he sweeps Tel into a fireman's carry, careful to keep the business end of the vomit orifice well away from him.

Joslyn is compelled to nod at Telinda's inebriated logic, though she actually manages to keep quiet on the subject for a change. K'tor gets a look as if to judge his reaction before the goldrider stands-up-real-quick-like. Her Weyrwoman's being manhandled. Weird.

K'tor says quietly, "Josy, please have Jenueth take care of Tiarnath so she won't protest too much." He rises, "Thank you, N'all. Let's get her home."

Telinda kicks at N'all, she can't aim, and there's not many bits, but weeny bits, down there to kick, so whether she makes contact or not is something of a miracle if she does! "Lemme downth! I wanth a drinth!" she shouts out, "Call a meeting, you canth do this!"

N'all nods to K'tor, and says to Telinda, "The council room is ready to go."

Dragon> Tiarnath senses that Jeuneth takes care of you? Uhm, okay... << Joslyn wants me to tell you that we're taking your rider home. They say she's had a bit too much to drink and Ceruth's rider will take her back to the Weyr. >>

K'tor says evenly, "Josy, When we get home, I want a word with you. In the council room."

N'all carries his burden out, and he does manage to avoid blows.

Dragon> Southern Weyr sense that Tiarnath rumbles << She's going home? Without me? But, but.. that's not allowed! >>

Tiarnath steps into N'all's way.

Dragon> Tiarnath senses that Jeuneth intimates a mental shrug. << That's just what I was told. >>

Dragon> Southern Weyr sense that Tiarnath whoops. << Loud broadcast there. Sorry. >> :)

Joslyn scurries along after the boys, looking speculatively at Tiarnath. "She's not taking this very well," the girl notes, waving both hands at Telinda's gold as she approaches her own. "She says it's not allowed..."

Tiarnath> I bespoke Jeuneth with << If I'm not going, then she's not going. >>

Dragon> Tiarnath senses that Jeuneth thinks on this for some while before concluding, << Fine. >>

Dragon> Tiarnath, Jeuneth, and Ceruth sense that Albanth croons quietly to Tiarnath. << Jeuneth and I will bring You home, Tiarnath. We will not leave You. >>

Tiarnath> I bespoke Jeuneth, Albanth, and Ceruth with << She's not going without me! I won't let you! You can't do this! >>

Dragon> Ceruth bespoke Tiarnath with << We'll get you both home safely. >>

N'all looks at Tiarnath, "Then come here, so I can put her in her straps then."

Dragon> Jeuneth bespoke Tiarnath, Albanth, and Ceruth with << Oh, calm yourself, Tiarnath. They're just taking her back to Southern, and we'll take you there, too. I'm sure we'll find a nice puddle for you to play in while your rider recuperates. >>

Telinda is still squirming around, "I'm stayin'!"

Tiarnath> I bespoke Jeuneth, Albanth, and Ceruth with << Puddle? Where? She -is- coming, right? >>

Joslyn pulls on her gear and such, watching this whole scene with lingering amusement. Doesn't happen every day, after all.

Dragon> Ceruth bespoke Tiarnath, Jeuneth, and Albanth with << We saw a big one in the corner of the landing field back home. Nice and muddy, I'll play with you, too. >>

Dragon> Tiarnath, Jeuneth, and Ceruth sense that Albanth assures Tiarnath, << She is coming. Ceruth's rider will take good care of Her. >> He pauses and then adds, << And there are bovines to tip over. >>

Tiarnath> Jeuneth, Albanth, and Ceruth sense that Tiarnath looks at the others suspiciously, << Don't try anything tricky with me, you won't like... bovines too? Hrm. Well, so long as you -look- after her! >>

K'tor says quietly to Telinda, "You're going." He never stripped off his gear, not eally even noting the heat.

Telinda pokes her tongue out at K'tor, wiggling fingers in her ears at the Weyrsecond, "You canth make me!"

Dragon> Jeuneth bespoke Tiarnath, Albanth, and Ceruth with << We'll look after her. But she'll go without you if you don't come with us... >>

K'tor asks N'all, "Do you need me to tie her up so you can get her up there? IN her state, she's liable to try to get off between."

Dragon> Jeuneth bespoke Tiarnath, Albanth, and Ceruth with << And the bovines will get away. >>

Tiarnath> Jeuneth, Albanth, and Ceruth sense that Tiarnath snorts << They won't when I'm there. No way, no how! >>

Joslyn just gets up on her dragon, a giggle as she glances over to the other gold. "Just hold her," is the sage advice she offers N'all, gloves tugged on a little roughly but at least they're on.

N'all looks at Tiarnath and grins at K'tor, "I can handle this. Lummox, unruly weyrling drill." Ceruth immediately complies and rolls on his side, N'all straps Telinda in, "Right, upright, Ceruth." Ceruth rolls upright and N'all mounts.

N'all mounts Ceruth with a nimble and practiced motion, using a thoughtfully lowered forelimb. He nestles himself into his spot between two neckridges. From the ground, he all but disappears from the view.

Joslyn steps up to Jeuneth's bent foreleg as the Queen crouches low, regarding her lifemate with gently sapphire eyes while the girl settles herself between two glittering neckridges.

From off of Ceruth, K'tor runs his hands through his hair wearily, and mounts up on Albanth as well.

From off of Ceruth, K'tor pauses for a moment to rub Albanth's eyeridges and then steps onto his foreleg. With a boost from the bronze's snout, K'tor hauls himself into his accustomed seat with the aid of the fighting straps.

N'all pulls the flight straps taut about Telinda's waist and secures the buckle.

N'all pulls the riding straps about his waist and buckles himself in place.

Dragon> Tiarnath senses that Ceruth gives you a crystal clear visual of the landing field.

Telinda giggles and leans over, "Nicccce Ceruth, good Ceruth. Are youth playing in th'mud too?"

From off of Ceruth, Ceruth croons in the affirmative to Telinda.

Dragon> Telinda senses that Ceruth sounds distant << Yes. Glad to take you home, Tiarnathrider >>

Ceruth takes to the sky above, leaving a swirl of sand behind.

From off of Ceruth, Jeuneth flies up from the beach below.

From off of Ceruth, Albanth flies up from the beach below.

From off of Ceruth, Ceruth disappears into Between.

From off of Ceruth, Jeuneth emerges from Between with a blast of cold air!

From off of Ceruth, Albanth emerges from Between with a blast of cold air!

From off of Ceruth, In the northern sky, Tiarnath emerges from Between with a blast of cold air!

From off of Ceruth, In the northern sky, Jeuneth flies toward the broad Landing Field below.

From off of Ceruth, Jeuneth soars over from the sky above.

From off of Ceruth, In the northern sky, Albanth soars to the broad Landing Field below.

From off of Ceruth, Albanth soars over from the sky above.

From off of Ceruth, In the northern sky, Tiarnath flies toward the broad Landing Field below.

From off of Ceruth, Tiarnath flies over from the sky above.

From off of Ceruth, K'tor slides recklessly down Albanth's hide, coming to rest safely on the ground. Albanth seems used to such antics and doesn't even bat an eyelid.

From off of Ceruth, Joslyn slips deftly down to the bent foreleg of Jeuneth, the Queen lowering herself to a crouch and watching with gentle eyes as the girl hops to the ground.

N'all loosens the flight straps about Telinda's waist and releases the buckle, freeing Telinda to dismount.

Carefully loosening the straps framing his waist, N'all unbuckles himself from the flight straps, preparing to dismount.

N'all nimbly slides out of his seat on Ceruth's neck, using a thoughtfully extended and lowered forelimb to land gently on the ground below.

From off of Ceruth, N'all gets down, quick.

From off of Ceruth, N'all gets ready to catch Tel.

Dragon> Jeuneth bespoke Tiarnath with << See? There's a big puddle over by the courtyard. Get it. >>

From off of Ceruth, K'tor asks, "N'all, can you put her in bed? Josy and I will be there in a minute."

Soon as those straps are undone, Telinda's sliding down Ceruth's neck to his foot, "WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE" is heard from the Weyrwoman as she does so.

From off of Ceruth, N'all nods, "I can do that. Should i put her in the infirmary?"

N'all neatly catches the sliding Telinda, and braces her upright with his arm.

K'tor shakes his head. "Faranth no. Her weyr.

N'all nods and does so.

Tiarnath peers and happily traipses over to the big puddle. Wings spread out, and then *splat*, down she comes.

Ceruth promptly follows.

Telinda staggers upright, "Drinth! Kath promised me!"

Joslyn raises a brow at K'tor - she doesn't remember saying that - but she just shrugs faintly and hangs around, laughing a little at Telinda's intoxication. "K'la - er, there's someone in th'infirmary she probably won't like much."

K'tor gives Telinda a strained smile. "I'll bring something, Telinda. I promise." Then he asks quietly, "Josy, council room, please."

Telinda shakes her head, and staggers off on her own, "Drinth! NOW!" and heads to the courtyard in a very zigzag line.

Joslyn lifts a brow at the request, glancing back to Telinda again a little helplessly. Who's going to be on her side if not Telinda? "Uhm, sure," she says, and leads the way promptly.

You walk over to the bustling Weyrhall.

Telinda throws open the doors, and shouts at the top of her voice, "Hewwwo Southern!"

Marila sips her wine, "Evening Telinda.. I'd offer you some of the red but I figure well... you really don't want any after all you had.."

C'ley blinks slightly at Telinda then at the juice he was pouring and then says "uhm, hello, well I mean this part of southern says hi back and everything so I guess I will just say hi."

Telinda beams, and staggers, with the help of some of the tables, over to Marila, sitting down next to the greenrider, "Sure! Pass ith over!" she exclaims, making to grab the skin.

Tiarnath> I bespoke Jeuneth with << My rider says to tell your rider not to let him boss you around! >>

Marila takes the skin and holds it above her head, "Telinda. He's alive you know.." She's not going to give the weyrwoman alcohol poisoning.

Dragon> Tiarnath senses that Jeuneth is almost amused by this. << She won't. Albanth's rider is not so threatening as he likes to pretend, Joslyn says. >>

Telinda attempts to snatch the skin from Marila, "Him?! HIM!?" her voice gets louder and louder, "I don't know a HIM!" Voice changes, smile adds, "N'all's got a weeny weeger, he told me so!"

Marila bounces up trying to keep it gone. "What in Faranth's name are you talking about?"

C'ley uhms slightly and then thinks that this isn't the place to be right now so he just waves to everyone, not really making a sound or anything so he will not be noticed.

C'ley walks toward the Courtyard.

Telinda giggles, "N'all toldth me" she says, crooking her little finger, and then seeing that she's unlikely to get the wine skin, grabs the set of keys from her belt and heads to the store cupboard, "Wasth in here then!?"

Marila hugs the wineskin, "What did N'all tell you?" She takes a step back.

Telinda unlocks the cupboard on the sixth try and drags out a bottle of liquor. "Ah!" she proclaims, wobbling back to her seat, "N'allth a weeny weeger willy, and K'laarn's sleeping with Shasta!"

Marila arches her eyebrows, "A weeny weeger???" She shakes her head, "And My sister IS NOT Sleeping with that that.. that.." SHe never knows what to call K'laarn.

N'all strides over from the Western Courtyard.

N'all walks over towards Marila.

Telinda nods, slugging back some of the drink and grimacing, "Woooah, thath's good stuff!" She blinks at Marila a few times -- ah, there she is, focused at last -- and nods, "Weeny!" she states, "And he said they were having a child together, and I'm going to rip out his heart with a spoon and feed it to the bovines!"

Marila is standing hugging a wine skin, "My sister has not been sleeping with..." She just tosses the skin into the air as she hears her weyrmate, "But you don't!"

N'all nods, "I know, but it helped keep her laughing."

N'all frowns, "And Josy will probably repeat it, so you may just get badgered about it."

Marila grumbles, "I'm not talking to that particular weyrwoman."

Telinda shakes her head, though it wobbles badly, "Youth saidth weeny! I heard -you-!" she says, swilling down some more drink. Eyes work back to Marila, "Your sister is a tramp!"

"Take THAT BACK!" Marila shrieks! Its probably a good thing the greenrider doesn't have a knife.

N'all mutters to Marila.

Telinda shakes her head, "Willth not!" she spits at Marila, "Costh ith true! They're scum. Worse than scum!"

N'all puts a hand on marila, "Telinda, perhaps you can explain why you speak this way about Shasta?"

Marila bounces on her toes, "Its not TRUE!" The former gardener settles under N'all's hand as she watches the weyrwoman furiouslly.

N'all mutters to Marila, "Telinda wouldn't... reason, love,..."

Telinda stands up, the chair falling back onto the floor with a loud clatter, "Tis!" she says, taking a step closer to Marila, "Do I hath to spell it outh? Sleeping," and a few other choice words come out (none PG), "with HIM, IT, WHOMEVER" she says, voice getting louder and louder. "He was supposed to love me!"

Jithan walks in, smiles to Telinda, and hands her a wineskin, "For you, weyrwoman. I had heard you returned, so this is a gift from Healer Hall to you."

Telinda looks at the bottle, then the skin. She grins, giggling a little, and tips back her head, letting the bottle empty as she swallows. Then of course, she starts on the wine.

Marila glares at the weyrwoman, "I'm sure he does love you. How else could he put up with this...." She folds her arms across her chest, "It was probably just Sex.. there seems to be a lot of this about the weyr.." She turns and leans herself against N'all, she doesn't want to think about the possibilty that her sister might have fooled around like that. Shastie was supposed to be better than that.

N'all Holds his weyrmate close, and says softly, "It's not everywhere, love."

Marila gazes up at N'all, "Love you.." She closes her eyes with a disapointed ragged sigh.

Telinda quirks an eyebrow, "So, Marilath, you're sleeping with K'laarn too?" she asks, using a finger and thumb to keep open her eyelids.

N'all looks at Telinda and smiles, "I keep Marila plenty busy."

Marila pivots on her heel in one swift move, "I wouldn't sleep with that low-life..." The rest of her statement continues for a long bit and none of it is PG.

Telinda snorts, "She just said!" she adds, pointing a drooping finger at the greenrider and taking another swig of the wine, "She justh said that everyone's sleeping around! But K'laarn, he's a complete and utter...*bleep bleep bleep*"

N'all smiles at Telinda, looks askance at Jithan, who slightly shrugs, and back to Telinda, "She said it's a prevalent activity, not that she's doing it."

Telinda shakes her head, "Well, he'th noth supposed to..." and with that all the life seems to go out of Telinda, and she falls back towards the floor.

Jithan was expecting this, and quickly moves to help her to a chair.

Telinda is all arms and legs, try getting that into a chair, good luck!

N'all smiles to the Healer, "Took long enough." He takes the Telinda bundle from the healer and herds her off to her weyr.

Kayjay walks in just as someone mentions sleeping around and pales, looking for a quick exit if possible.

K'tor walks over from the quietness of the Infirmary.

Jithan intercepts N'all, "Since she had Fellis, she should go to the infirmary, so I an watch her." N'all nods and takes her that way, then.

N'all strides over to the quiet, peaceful calm of the Infirmary.

K'tor walks over from the bustling Weyrhall.

K'tor says, "Her quarters would be better. I don't want either of them attacking the other again."

N'all sets Telinda down on a bed, a female apprentice comes over, closes the privacy curtain, and judging from the grunts and groans, is putting the weyrwoman to bed.

Jithan grins at K'tor, "Not in this infirmary it won't." He looks at two fairly burly apprentices, "You two have guard duty. Anything happens, you lose your knots." They nod in unison, "Yes, master."

Telinda is unconscious, though she isn't drooling, nor is she snoring.

Kayjay walks over from the bustling Weyrhall.

Kayjay watches as Avan flies away.

Jithan also notes to K'tor, "SInce she's had fellis, she may have a reaction, and I don't want her out of my sight. It's a tricky thing, fellis is. ANd this is a senior goldrider we're talking about."

K'laarn is snoring, rather loudly, thankfully, drool hasn't resurfaced.

Kayjay strides over to the Courtyard.

K'tor nods to Jithan and N'all both. "Thank you both for your help today. Master Jithan, can you arrange for a mindhealer to attend to the Weyrwoman once she has awakened?"

Jithan looks at his other patient, and again, adjusts the head, this time bracing it with pillows to prevent him from moving it into the wrong angle again.

Jithan nods to K'tor, "Aye, I know a couple, but let's see how she is, first, eh? If we assume she needs a mindhealer, and that's the first thing to greet her, I doubt she'd be too happy."

K'laarn's snores stop, deep breathing commences.

N'all nods to K'tor, managing to say, "You're welcome."

K'tor points out, "She stabbed the weyrleader and then took off without regard to the consequences. You understand the seriousness of this, I trust." He looks to N'all. "I'm not willing to allow her to fly Fall until we know for certain what this is about. A lover's tift gone too far..." He shakes his head.

Jithan looks at K'tor, "I trust in the seriousness of all things medical, rider. I didn't get this knot for no reason you know. I suspect the reasons she fled had nothing to do with disregarding the consequences, but probably because she was far too aware of the consequences."

Jithan motions to the door, "It's time we all got rest. I'll sleep in here tonight, if anything changes, I'll let you and the juniors know." He smiles, 'I like my breakfast just after sunrise, when does the weyrhall open?"

K'tor shakes his head. "You misunderstand me, sir. I do not speak of the medical consequences. Riders do not dual, save to first blood. Not for our sakes, but for the dragon's. For a Senior Weyrwoman to allow herself to forget that even for a moment concerns me gravely. I have serious doubts as to her mental stability." He pauses and then says, "It's always open early for pre dawn sweeps."

K'laarn stirs slightly, but, head braced by pillows, his head cannot move into snoring position.

Jithan gives K'tor a patient look, "WIth all due respect, weyrsecond, I was raised in a weyr, my parents were riders, and for all but a few turns, I have been posted at weyrs. I am fully aware of every implication. However, a rider speculating on someone's mental state would be like me speculating on the leading edge of a fall. I may get it right, I will most likely get it wrong, and the result will be disastrous. I'll leave the threadfighting to you, you leave the infirmary and my charges to me. Agreed?"

K'tor nods, still unconvinced. His entire faith in the world has been shaken by this day, and it is obvious in every line of his body. "I'll get out of your way then. Goodnight."

Jithan smiles to K'tor, "Trust me, they're both in extremely capable hands. I nursed a Sr. Weyrwoman at ista out of a dementia and returned to her to a normal lifestyle. there's more to me than a quick needle and tongue." He hands K'tor a small muslin satchel, "Here, drink this tonight, it will help you sleep."

K'tor nods numbly to the healer and says again, "Thank you, N'all, for bringing her home." Then he turns and is gone.

N'all nods to K'tor, "clear skies." He too, makes his exit.

K'tor walks toward the Courtyard.

N'all looks at K'laarn and Telinda, and just shakes his head, "If you two don't figure something out, you'll ruin this weyr." He looks at K'laarn, "Porcine headed buffoon." He looks at Tel, "And you with your unforgiving streak." He sighs, "I won't let it happen, you two. Trust me on this."

N'all strides over to the Courtyard.

Whilst Telinda's drunk in the Weyrhall discussing K'laarn and Shasta's merits, Joslyn and K'tor are having a very different conversation....

K'tor shuts the door quietly behind him. He takes a moment, and a deep breath. then he says quietly, "Sit or stand, I don't care. But we have something to discuss."

Joslyn hangs out in the doorway, standing to necessitate a quick getaway, arms folded loosely. "Okay," is all she says, waiting for whatever it is with a tapping foot.

K'tor's tone remains even and polite. "Josy, I don't care what you think of me. While K'laarn is incapacitated, I'm Weyrleader. Like it or not. I certainly don't. But the fact remains, you and I have to work together. We have Fall tomorrow. Telinda's not going to be in any shape to fly, and I'm grounding her now until I have a chance to sit down with the staff and the mind healers and evaluate her condition. Now, tell me now if you're going to support me or not." He leaves it to her decision.

Oh. It's business. In that case, Joslyn straightens up a little and tries to sound interested. "None of this REALLY matters to me, K'tor. If you want to be Weyrleader in K'laarn's stead, go right ahead. Telinda will be back on her feet in a day or two, and you two can work out the details. In the meantime, I won't bother you if that's what you're worried about. I trust in your abilities as a bronzerider to lead this Weyr in fall."

K'tor's even tone cuts through that. "I don't want to. I have to. And Telinda may not be back to normal. We'll see. Either you support me, or you don't. But the last thing the weyr needs right now is you working behind the scenes to undermine my authority. Understood?"

Little Tabby Kitten wanders in, plops down and begins licking its hind end.

"Don't talk to me like I'm a child, K'tor. It's unnecessary and I won't stand for it," Joslyn informs coolly. "You'll have my support as Weyrleader, though I highly doubt it will matter. Telinda is a perfectly capable Weyrwoman, so you ought to plead your case to her if anyone." Pause. "Are we finished here?"

Little Tabby Cat pauses a moment, and looks up at the humans in unblinking unconcern before returning to the task of cleaning its belly, one leg spearing the air.

Sneaky Weyrling sneaks in, all stealthy like.

K'tor says quietly, "I am not finished, weyrwoman." He waits a few moments, and then says, "I am not asking for your approval. You misunderstand. All I ask is that you give me in public the same courtesy I give you." His tone indicates that it isn't a request. "And weyrwoman, knowing your penchant for gossip and the distorting of facts, I do not expect to hear anything of what went on at that tavern. If I do, you're grounded until I or K'laarn decide otherwise. I don't give a tunnelsnake's hind leg what you think of me. But I do care about the reputation of the weyr. Are we clear?"

Joslyn roll her eyes ceilingward and notes crisply, "YOU cannot ground me, would-be-Weyrleader. Telinda can, yes, but you cannot. And I certainly would like to see you talk Telinda into that one. Either way, I haven't got time to bother with you anymore. You'll have your facade of respect to cushion your poor ego. But, if you EVER address me in this tone again..." She has weapons.

K'tor's voice cuts sharply over the goldrider's. "As acting weyrleader I can indeed bar you from Fall. And I will if one whisper of this gets out. Do you understand me."

K'tor says "I may not have earned your respect, Joslyn, but you sure as flaming stone haven't earned mine."

"No," says Joslyn. "I don't understand you. I don't undertand what makes you think you're so all-fired important all of the sudden. I don't care about your respect and, to be quite honest, I have very little for you. But I'll pretend just so you don't have to get any more bent out of shape. And I shall also make QUITE certain Telinda understands that you think it's your place to manage her wing." Sweetly, "Are we finished, sir?"

K'tor shakes his head. "You don't get it do you. Sit down, Joslyn and think very hard. I know you have enough brains to get it in your head. *I'm* not important. The weyr and meeting Fall is. End of story. You pull another stunt like you did in the infirmary in front of everyone else, and just think about what will happen. I don't want this position and I sure didn't ask for it. K'laarn gave me no choice in the matter. Telinda may not be able to function as weyrwoman. And if she's not, it will fall to you or Remarra. So *focus* on that, and stop thinking about your petty squabbling and backbiting. You aren't important. I'm not important. The weyr and meeting Fall are. Maybe when you understand that, you'll see what I mean. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go check on her."

K'tor walks toward the Landing Field.

Joslyn strides over to the Landing Field.