Rules and Regulations {Candidate Lesson}

[riki]

Zanira stood in the middle of the Candidate Barracks, her eyes partially closed as she waited for the candidates to arrive. She could already feel the tension in the room, a tension that had been there since the hatching feast had come to it's worrying conclusion. Letting out a sigh she knew that she had to inform the candidates of the changes to the rules of the weyr, and deal with the fallout from that before she even started on the lesson that she had in mind for today. Shaking her head she looked over at the semi-circle of seats that she had laid out in the room, her hand moving to her chin thoughtfully as she watched each candidate file into the room.

Once everyone was settled she lowered her hands to her hips. She knew that it would come across as motherly but she didn't care, the candidates needed to know that this was a grave situation indeed. Clearing her throat she started to talk in a grave voice "Candidates, as some of you may know Lord Kalgar fell ill at the hatching feast due to poison being introduced to his soup. The poisoning in question was caused by fireroot, and we are still uncertain as to whom the target of the poisoning was, so I urge each one of you to keep an eye out for suspicious individuals around the weyr in the next few days. I have also posted a list of symptoms of fireroot poisoning on the notice board, if you should come down with any of these symptoms then I urge you to go to the infirmary at once!" She trailing off for a moment to look around the candidates before continuing once more.

"Also in addition to this the leaders of the weyr have decided that no one is allowed to leave the weyr, and I urge you to follow this rule as anyone leaving the weyr will find themselves in a great deal of trouble. Also no one will be allowed into the weyr, so if you have families in the holds you may not see them until the poisoner has been discovered" She offered what she hoped would be a comforting smile, and then moved down the line to look each candidate down the line "Until that time I will be happy to step in as your family, I know this is not the same as your parents, but I will be able to give whatever financial or emotional support that you need" Zanira knew that some of these candidates didn't have much in the way of money, and being cut off from their families was bound to pinch their budgets.

With all that out of the way she decided it was time to lighten the mood. So she lifted her hand and blew down her shirt playfully, and with a sleepy chirp Ruby emerged from her sleeping place in her person's clothing. Once out she looked around and crooned in a playful way toward the candidates as Zanira talked "This is Ruby and she'll be assisting me today. I know that some of you may have firelizards of your own, and your welcome to use them in today lesson. Anyone without a firelizard may group up with someone that does ... providing their firelizard doesn't mind that is" She coaxed Ruby down to the table as she spoke, then moved to the corner of the room to pull a cover off the cleaning supplies she had brought to the room.

"Today is all about familiarizing yourselves with the suplies you will be using to clean your dragon one day, and practicing on your firelizard will help you learn this skill. It will also keep the hide of your firelizard in perfect health, and oil is what we use to achieve this. Before we do this is always best to wash your firelizard or dragon before you do this to clean away any residue dirt and check for minor wounds ... we will get to that in another lesson, but for now lets get on with our cleaning" with that she urged the candidates to get supplies and start their lesson. She hoped that being busy would take their minds off what happened, after all a busy mind was a happy mind as far as she was concerned.

[Night]

Freya listened as Zanira went through her lecture. The poisoning had been something incredibly unsettling. To think that someone wanted to harm them? Why? Was it the new colors that was causing all this trouble? Shaking her head, Freya tried to clear her thoughts. Her two flits chirped unhappily from her lap. The newly hatched brown fluttering his light cream hued wings. Thor trilled as well, still getting used to sharing His with the baby brown. Chittering, the bronze climbed up Freya's arm to her shoulder where he perched.

(Sorry for the short post. Major headache >.<)

[Kitsuneko]

Berengar strolled into the mostly empty candidate barracks for another lesson. He was early, so there weren't many others here yet, though he gave a nod to those who were. Semi sat on his shoulder--although the fire lizard was usually banned from lessons, the announcement of today's lesson had mentioned that the fire lizards might play a part in it, and Berengar had to admit he was curious.

He sat in silence until the lesson began. Apparently not many people were in a talking mood, and unsurprisingly, the first thing out of Zanira's mouth was about the poisoning. Specifically, Lord Kalgar, and Berengar tried to hide his scowl. His so-called father had done nothing for him his entire life, and to tell the truth, he would not have lost any sleep if the poisoning had taken his life and not just his health. Even though he knew he wasn't the only one with that opinion--he had ears, after all--he knew better than to say something about it aloud. Still, he wouldn't be shedding any tears over the issue. He and Simi had stayed away from the soup that night.

The rest of her news didn't affect him much either. He didn't have anyone else outside the Weyr to contact anyway--ironically, this was the first time in two turns he'd actually had blood relations in the Weyr, and they were stuck here. None of these thoughts, Berengar knew, would help him look innocent to others, so Kalgar's bastard son tried to keep them to himself, though Semi hummed softly in an attempt to comfort him.

Before long, though, the lesson began in earnest, and he had something to distract him. He'd heard of the fire lizard clutch the Weyrlingmaster had found, but since already had Simi, he wasn't desperate to get another fire lizard. He had heard of the new colors that had resulted from it, though, so he was unsurprised to see the garnet appear from Zanira's shirt.

He smiled. Apparently they'd be using the flitters as miniature dragons to practice on. Well, what the Candidatemaster said, the candidates did...He had seven turns of experience caring for Semi, and the blue quite liked being oiled, which made it easy for Berengar to have him settle down. Looked like this would be an easy lesson for him.

[Night]

Listening to the instructions given, Freya moved both her firelizards off of her body and onto the table. The brown hatchling crooned unhappily to be moved, but curled up on the table top. Thor on the otherhand was much more upset. Hissing, the bronze climbed back onto Freya's arm and snapped his jaws. He was staying where he pleased! Shaking her head and narrowing her eyes, Freya pulled the flit off again and held him on the table. "You stay here." The words were blunt and to the point, and thankfully worked. Thor chirped and sat down.

Moving over to the supplies, Freya grabbed some and set back to her table. "If anyone wants to share a flit with me that's fine. I have two." Though she supposed that Tala might be too young to really see too much. He was a brown though, so perhaps that was big enough. Pulling the supplies open and out, the candidate checked to make sure everything was in proper order before coaxing the fiery brown to her. "Might as well do you first so that I have that big monster to share." Thor chirped offended with the word monster.

Laughing for the first time in a while, Freya started by cleaning the brown's hide. Scrubbing at some flaky patches, the girl hummed softly. It was soothing really. Tala meanwhile was loving the attention and crooned as His went over his hide with an oiled brush. Sending images everynow and again, the flit pointed out different spots he wanted attention on. It didn't take long to get done with the small hatchling, and soon Freya was inspecting her work with a careful eye. "Looks like you're done Tala." The brown struck a pose and crooned pleased with his gleaming hide.

[Akira]

Shenzi smiled as she watched Rex chase his tail. The entire event happened when his tail had twitched, and spooked the abnormally long blue flit. Alright Rex, time to go. She reached out and picked up the blue flit as she spoke. Rex climbed up His' arm, and wrapped his long blue tail around her neck, and trilled happily as His made her way to the lesson. Shenzi still didn't really know anyone there, so she sat down in the back, hopefully going unnoticed, at least, for now. She listened to what the candidatemaster had to say, and when she said that they were going to use their flits for this lesson, Shenzi smiled at her blue flit who chirped at her. She took her turn at getting the suplies she needed, and then made her way back to her spot, where she took Rex from his perch on her shoulder, and placed him on the table in front of her. She didn't know how many of the candidates had a firelizard of their own, and wondered if anyone needed to share.

[Zara]

Jaysarrae walked into the chamber, looking around her. Her braid was pulled over her shoulder as it normally was. She looked down at the ground as she walked and quickly took a place near the back of the group, watching and listening to the CandidateMaster. She noticed a few other Candidates she had actually talked to, but she didn't say anything.

She moved to do as bidden, still trying to stay as under the radar as she could. She was used to not having the most... positive interactions with people. She was used to being the one a bit out of sorts with the others. What with a black mark to go over her eye, her neck, her shoulder, and chest, ending just below her collarbone. She looked at Mal and Lan. Mal was sitting on her shoulder while Lan was trying to hide behind his owner. She did as she was bidden and did her best to follow directions. She had to be good at this. Just had to become good at this.

---

Banalii had Il on her shoulder and the little baby flitter was in as bad a mood as she had been from the very start. She was still disappointed from not Impressing at the Hatching. She was freaked out by the poisoning. She wanted a rest. Not to attend a lesson, but here she was. And she was going to have fun. She grinned and walked up to the nearest Candidate, Shenzi. "Hey." She said, grinning, then turned her attention to Zanira.

---

Raevin sighed. Monerae gave a little huff, as if imitating him. Raevin grinned. "Well Monerae... Lets attend a lesson. Seems some of the excitement has died down for now.. but there is still plenty going on, that's for sure." The flitter crooned to his, as if trying to have a conversation, but more or less simply reacting to the tone of voice and emotions the boy felt.

Raevin walked in and took a seat not too close to the back nor too far forward. The news didn't have visual affect on him, although he was a little worried about it still. He continued to listen. He hadn't said anything to anyone other than his flitter yet.

When it came down to the lesson today, he started out, doing as they were told.

[Night]

Freya watched as more candidates came in and started in on their flits. So far they all had them. That was good, Thor didn't have to deal with anyone else then. The bronze fluttered his wings. After thinking for a moment, Freya re-did that thought. It meant none of the candidates had to deal with him. Hissing at His' thought, Thor lashed his tail angrily. He still hadn't been oiled properly and he was quite unhappy about that. Sighing, Freya got up to get more oil.

She had to go near Raevin on her way, and the girl stopped to make some idle chit-chat, Tala still on her shoulder from where he perched after getting his bath. "Hey there. I don't think we've actually talked. I'm Freya, this is Tala." The reddish brown flit chirped in greeting, fluttering his creamy wings. Thor came over then, unhappy that His had gotten distracted. Scolding her heavily, the bronze shook his head. She shouldn't be idly chittering with others, she should be over there bathing him. Didn't she love him? Didn't she care for him as much at least as she did for the baby?

Sighin, Freya pulled the bronze out of the air. "Sorry this little diva is Thor. He's upset because I was saving him for any candidates that wanted to share a flit." Getting the bronze on the table was a bit of a fight, but as soon as Thor understood her intent, the flit went with it. From there the girl went to cleaning the bronze, quickly completeling the job despite the large size. Happy, Thor stretched out his dark wings and admired how the lighter rune markings glistened.

[Zara]

Raevin grinned. "Hey. It's nice to meet you, Freya. I'm Raevin and this is Monerae," he said, motioning to his Bronze who was thoroughly enjoying the clean feeling he had right now. He stretched his wings, their green-gold mix shimmering as he moved them. He loved the feeling that being cleaned and freshly oiled gave him. He chittered at the Bronze as he came to bother his and again as he fought her. "It's good to meet you too, Thor," his tone was somewhat playful. Then he said about his own flitter, "you'll have to excuse him. He thinks he's perfect sometimes." He rolled his eyes.

Monerae turned to Raevin and squawked at him, annoyed by the feeling and thoughts of his. Raevin just laughed, which made the Bronze huff again. He settled himself down and looked up at Freya, his eyes whirling with tones of contentment.

He wasn't gently checked his flitter again. He had been taking care of Monerae for 10 Turns and, what with what his guard position, what both he and his flitter had been through for Turns... He was used to checking and double checking to make sure that his flitter was okay. His one constant companion anymore, it'd seem...

"How old were you when you attached Thor?"

[alyx]

Navir listened to the conversation around him, but only with about half his attention. He was still very bothered with what had happened at the Feast - he still couldn't believe that someone had done it intentionally. He hoped it had been a simple accident... but more than one whispered rumor pointed to people believing it have been on purpose.

The Candidatemaster's words, and the lesson plan for the day, was not something Navir didn't already do on a daily basis - or at least when time permitted it. Dorian was quite used to be treated as a fill in for the Hatchling Navir hoped some day to impress. With Iota curled around his neck like some sorta of yellow green scarf, Navir gathered the supplies he needed for the 'lesson' and claimed a comfortable spot.

Dorian lighted into the teen's lap with a chirp, eyes spinning up at him as Navir collected the Brown and set him on the table. "Okay Dorian - time to play baby dragon again. " Dorian cooed softly, flapping his wings and stretching his neck as if it indicate he was ready. Navir gave little chuckle, toss cut hair bouncing as the boy shook his head, then set to work cleaning the little lizard.

(ooc: sorry for the late post)

[Night]

Freya laughed as Thor struck a pose in response to the other flit. "Yeah I definitely know what you mean about thinking they're perfect." Laughing, the girl put a hand over her mouth and closed her eyes. She hadn't laughed that hard in a while. Smiling back at the other candidate Freya had to shake herself mentally so she could focus on Raevin's question. "Oh, I impressed him 3 turns back. Some of my...friends impressed them with me. Tai'n got Sky, Alyara got Aries, Kierah got three flits and I got Thor." The bronze chirped please to hear his name called again.

Petting the flit's head, Freya jerked her head up. "Oh I almost forgot. Tala hun come here." She turned then to where the brown was sniffing at some oil on a clothe. "He gets really curious sometimes being young and everything." Smiling as she grabbed the little brown up in her hands, Freya started to rub the flit's spine. "I wonder if it's like this." She didn't clarify, she probably didn't have to. All candidates wondered what impressing a dragon would be like. Would it be like her and her flits? Would it be even better?