Shasta walks over from the main room of the weyrhall.

Aislinn strides over from the main room of the weyrhall.

Khyam walks over from the main room of the weyrhall.

Moira strides over from the main room of the weyrhall.

Shadara walks over from the main room of the weyrhall.

Telinda smiles and waves from the cosy confines of a hearth-side chair. The kitchen itself is oddly devoid of staff, but a number of chairs and blankets circle the hearth, and in the midst is a vast variety of foods and drinks. Some hot, some cold.

Shasta carries the pot used for klah into the kitchen, her own mug in her other hand. Like the good candidate she is, she sets about making another pot, since she finished this last one. As explanation to any who might think this odd, she mutters to herself, "Gotta be done, no sense in leaving it for someone else to do." Funny, though, she seems a bit more cheerful about it than one would think is required.

Khyam looks at the setup and grins, "Camp out! Errrr, in... camp in?"

Aislinn grins at Telinda as she follows the group in. She makes a vtol-line for one of those blankets and sits cross-legged on it...not bothering to get anything to eat or drink yet.

Nerian strides over from the main room of the weyrhall.

Tandrum finds a quiet spot and sits down.

Moira peers curiously at the setup, then shrugs and deposits her basket of berries on the hearth. "A dishwashing party?" she inquires, as she finds her own seat.

Telinda grins, "Whatever you prefer" she says to Shasta, "Take a seat everyone, grab something" she gestures to the food and drink in the middle, "to eat or drink."

Shadara grins and grabs a hot Bubblie off the trys near the stove, "Have one, they're redberrys.

K'laarn walks over from the main room of the weyrhall.

Khyam grabs some RIPE fruit and another mug of juice...

Ysanne walks over from the main room of the weyrhall.

K'laarn follows the bulk of candidates and others into the kitchen, while giving Telinda a rather rakishly goofy look over their heads. "Brought some company." He explains to her as if it weren't obvious, once he joins her side.

Tandrum's nose twitches at the bubblies but he keeps his hands to himself and stays where he is.

Telinda giggles and stands, gesturing for K'laarn to sit in the chair, she obviously going to sit in his lap. "Looks like it" she remarks fondly and then to the others, smiles, "We're doing to do a storytelling evening. Since it's dark outside, and we've not much light, I thought it might be fun."

K'laarn easily sits down in one of the big chairs, long legs stretching out in front of him while his hand sets his cup on the closest table.

Khyam ooohhhhs and sits, "I've not heard stories in a LONG time."

Nerian says "we're not going to have to sing teaching ballads, are we?"

Ysanne slips into a seat.

Telinda giggles at Nerian, shaking her head as she takes a seat on K'laarn's lap, squirming herself comfortable, "No teaching ballards. Nope. We're going to make this one up all on our own!"

Moira, her features flickering in the firelight, smiles just a bit at that. "My aunties liked doing that," she notes, to nobody in particular. "They thought of the oddest stories."

Khyam says "Odd can be good..."

Shasta smiles over her shoulder to Telinda, and putters around in the firelight, preparing the pot of klah before leaving it to simmer a bit while she joins the rest.

Ysanne mms. "I'm not great at stories, but I like to listen."

Kytiara walks over from the main room of the weyrhall.

Tandrum merely scoots himself back into the darker shadows against a wall, setting his mug down nearby and crossing his arms over his chest as he prepares to listen and perhaps memorize the tale created.

Shadara giggles and grins, "Well when shall we start?"

Telinda grins, "Well, we're all going to participate in this one. So get yourselves comfortable, grab, yes Tandrum, the bubblies are hot, especially for you, but not all for you, something to eat and something to drink if you like and we'll start. I'll start, then name the next person and then that person names the next. Everyone understand?"

K'laarn offs softly and then shifts, hands coming to brace against Telinda's hips to help hold her against him before circling around her expanding waist. He smiles then, a man who is completely happy before he rests his face against her side and looks out over those gathering around.

Aislinn bites her lip at the instructions, looking around a little nervously. But she nods that she understands and smiles at Telinda.

Moira nods agreeably, after getting up briefly for klah and a bubbly. "Sounds fun."

Shadara chuckles and nods as she gets herself a plate of food and some fresh juice and a few bits of candies for desert, "Whenever you're redy. she says as she plops down on a couple of cusions by the hearth.

Shasta figures that the klah is ready, and heads to the hearth where she'd been preparing it. Back turned to the Ome7T9Herw{1

Ysanne looks vaguely worried. "You mean each of us has to help with the story? What if we're not creative?"

Khyam nods.

Telinda grins and nods to Ysanne, "It doesn't matter. We've all been creative enough to cover up pranks, so we're creative enough to make up stories. Doesn't matter if it's good or bad, it's the participation that's important."

Ysanne pulls a face, and pours a klah. This just might be a two klah occassion before it starts, and she's preparing.

As the bubblies go round, Tandrum makes an expert snatch, the motion a slight blur as he passes the plate onwards sans one bubbly.

Khyam takes the plate from Tandrum, also snaging a bubbly in the process...

Telinda grins, hand reaching back to smooth K'laarn's hair from his face, then turns to the gathering. "Our tale starts on a dark night, much like this one, on a shoreline somewhere on the Southern coast. Well, you know how badly the currents can have you lost! Anyways, our main character, Juslin, was a smith by trade and he'd worked his passage here from the Crafthall and then decided to stay. Problem was, noone was here to meet him. Was he in the right place? Was the place deserted? What had happened?!" She grins and turns to Khyam, "You're next."

Shadara grins a little, "I hope you all like my bubblies."

Ysanne leaves the bubblies, settling back with her klah.

Khyam sputters for a moment then picks right up, "With only his knap sack, and a bag of clothes, he set off up the beach in search of a path... a trail... SOMETHING that might lead him to civilization. Guided only by the light of the moons he slowly made his way along the sandy strip of land between sea and tree." He looks to Ysanne, "Next."

Shasta decides that the pot of klah's brewed long enough, and heads to fetch it, smiling over her shoulder at the tale that's being woven. Giving the pot one final stir, she carries it over to the spread of food and drinks, murmuring, "Fresh klah for anyone who wants it." And with that, she takes a seat.

Telinda smiles her thanks to Shasta, but grins and grabs a glass of wine from one of the trays being passed her way, offering one to K'laarn before she passes it on.

Ysanne coughs. "Me?" is squeaked out. "Well, uh.. I guess he walked along, *thinking* he ws heading the right way. Um..because there was a light ahead, sort of dim, like it could be someone or maybe a place where several people lived. He'd been walking a while when he realized he wasn't near sand anymore. Instead he..." She looks about thoughtfully. "Shasta.."

Tandrum sets the bubbly aside for later, the story beginning to capture his attention even to the exclusion of pie-eating.

One of K'laarn's hands begins to massage at Telinda's lower back while the other remains across her thighs and against her slightly bulging waist. His head tilts as he listens and looks up into the face of his weyrmate before she passes the story along to Khyam, and then his attention turns.

In the flickering light of the fire, does Shasta look a bit relieved for a moment? Doesn't matter, as whatever expression was there is now replaced with panick. "He... He... Instead, the coastline had turned and he was now following the side of a river, no longer on sand but on rocks, slowly working it's way uphill. But still, it leads towards whatever source of light lies ahead." She nods to herself, eyes still wide. "The light grows brighter, and brighter as he approaches... Moira?"

N'all strides over from the main room of the weyrhall.

N'all comes in, looking in hope of a snack. He blinks at all the people.

Telinda grins and waves to N'all, "Take a seat and grab something to eat, that is if you've time to be sitting and chatting for a bit."

"And he thought," said Moira after a moment, "That there might be glows ahead, which would put him in a better position than any of -us-. Of course, he was wrong. As he grew closer, he realized that the light was too bright for just glows. In fact, it was the light of Timor and Belior, reflected on a very large, very white rock. Must've been scrubbed by Candidates, hmm?" She winks, then continues, "He thought this rock was a really odd thing. He stepped around the rock, and gasped as he saw...." Her gray gaze settles on K'laarn, and she nods towards him in a request to continue.

N'all smiles to Telinda, "For once, aye, I have some time."

Lily strides over from the main room of the weyrhall.

Everyone is sat around the hearth, some in chairs, some on blankets, and in the middle is an array of food and drink.

Lily slips in and finds a place to sit down next to Kyti with a little wave to everyone.

N'all heaps a HUGE plate of food for himself, mainly meats; a few breads and a mug of klah. He eats like a fresh hatched firelizard and MMFFMMMS to some people by him; who, miraculously enough, understand him.

K'laarn had been listening and as soon as he's indicated he jerks with a start and says, "My turn is it?" He chuckles and then nods as he says, "AS soon as he stepped around the rock, he gasped as he saw the clutch of a firelizard queen in the process of hatching! Firelizards swarmed down around him, scolding him as others fed the newly emerged firelizards. He yanked his knapsack off and started digging for some food. He was in luck! Maybe he could Impress one? As he crouched down into the sand and started to explore his bag, and found.. " He turns his head and spots Nerian. "How about you go next Nerian?"

Haven strides over from the main room of the weyrhall.

Haven comes in, baby in arms

Moira nods over to Haven, her expression softening as she spots the kiddo.

N'all sits on a table, using a bench as a footrest and his lap as a table as he listens.

Haven lifts an eyebrow at the gathered crowd and quietly makes her way to obtain a small bowl of oatmeal from the night hearth

Lily smiles at Haven as she grabs a mug of klah and a sweatroll, then glances to Neri for the next part of the story.

Nerian begins "and found that he was glad he'd skipped lunch, since that meant he had two meatrolls. He help one out, and a cute little blue began gnawing on it." She stops, smiles impishly, and says, "and Lily gets to decise what happened next."

Telinda waggles fingers at Haven, sat how she is on K'laarn's lap, smiles and then turns her attention back to the storytelling, sipping from her wineglass as she looks from Nerian to Lily.

Xavier walks over from the main room of the weyrhall.

Xavier sneaks in the back.

Haven takes a chair in the back, settling Darven to eat his oatmeal

Kaleum strides over from the main room of the weyrhall.

Kaleum smiles and waves.

Moira turns her gaze briefly from Lily to smile at Kale.

Vira strides over from the main room of the weyrhall.

Lily takes a gulp of klah just as Neri sends the story her way, but swallows quickly, cocking her head. "The little blue was rather fiesty. After gulping down the meatroll, he decided that those dangling fingers looked rather tasty too, so he bit at one. This attracted the attention of several of the other hatchlings as well...." She looks around the room, "And Khyam knows what happens next."

Vira steps out the swinging door and into the Weyrhall.

Tandrum leans sideways and grabs a pillow, sticking it behind his head. Considerably softer than a wall it is, and he adjusts his lounging position slightly.

Khyam blinks, "I do? I had a turn... but okay... Soon he was surrounded by two greens, another blue and a brown. When they.... what did they do Tandrum?"

Squishing his head back against the pillow a few times, Tandrum considers Khyam and the others and begins his part in a deep voice, quivering a little as if he's imitating the mental state of the hero now. "Well, poor Juslin seemed to be in a bind here. Hungry firelizards to the left of him, starving ones to the right. He even had a nice little blue one trying to eat his fingers. Juslin quailed at the hungry creels and whirling eyes staring at him steadily. What now he asked himself?" Turning his dark eyes on Shadara, he winks a little. "So what now young lady?"

Telinda chuckles as the story continues, turning her head to follow the path it takes through the various people seated in the kitchen.

N'all smirks, "Too bloody many firelizards."

Ysanne sips her klah, making herself a small figure; having gone already didn't help Khyam. Maybe skulking works better.

Shadara hmmms, "Well he suddenly remembered, wait a minute, he'd gotten fresh fish on the ship to hand over to the Cooks as a sort of help for coming during the dinner hour. Well he pulled out two of the large yellowtails from the bag the ship master gave him and he started cutting it into slices to feed the hungry buggers, soon he had four of them, in assorted colors clinging to him, even one bright, shiney gold one when suddenly there was... N'all, your turn."

Shadara chuckles and grins

N'all chews his food, "Mmmffmmhnkmmmfizffms!" He swallows, "When suddenly there was a great resounding noise. The poor chap was wondering what was going on and in a flurry of activity and an orgy of chaos wherries descended upon the hatchlings!!! They gobbled and gobbled and eventually what happened only Xavier can say."

Vira walks over from the main room of the weyrhall.

Tandrum splutters on the water he'd taken, choking hard for a few minutes at N'all's part of the story. He recovers finally, only the occasional leftover stifled *hack* escaping him as he waits to hear what Xavier comes up with.

Aislinn's mouth falls open at this turn in the story!

Xavier says "the Wherries scattered all of the Young Firelizards that had not impressed with the feedings. Some of the went between and therefore went wild. Juslin managed to dive into a small crevice nearby and protect his Firelizards, including the young gold. After the flury of activity had expired, quiet once again fell over the area. Juslinnwas just to about crawl out of his hiding place when he suddenly heard the sunds of someone sneaking through the area. Peering out he sees the glint of (moonlight/sunlight) off of what must be a Long Sharp blade. Suddenly He .... " Aislinn?"

N'all grins, "Sacrifices his firelizards to save his own hide!!" Does he dislike 'lizards? Oh. . .yes.

N'all commences to resume his meal.

Khyam snickers...

Nerian glares at N'all and mutters something about Mirfle.

Lily hmps at N'all. Maybe Cloud and Mirfle should team up.

N'all smiles at Nerian, "I like Mirfle."

Moira flashes an amused grin over to N'all.

Telinda grins at N'all, "Maybe he had a N'all left to sacrifice instead!"

Shadara hrmphs at N'all and tosses a bubbly, a cool one, at him, "Here, catch."

N'all smirks, "Then who would whip our worthless lots o' weyrlings into shape?" He says this very clearly around a titanic mouthful of food. He manages to snatch the bubbly out of the air without even bursting its crust, he has to catch all sorts of interesting things as a weyrlingmaster, "Thanks!" He beams to Shadara.

Aislinn stares at Xavier for a long moment before continuing. "Juslin jumps back into the crevice. He didn't know *what* that was after all. A silhouette appeared then at the opening of the crevice...the moonlight still glinting off that object." Aislinn looks around at everyone before saying "Then Juslin heard a deep voice say..." she stops, pointing at Telinda.

K'laarn continues to listen, as he carefully rubs Telinda's back. His other hand moves and heads toward his cup as he lifts it for a drink.

Telinda smirks at N'all, then leans back into K'laarn's embrace as the story comes back to her once more. "Brave Juslin decides the only recourse to this is to step out and count his blessings. If there were any to be had. He creeps out, behind the other fellow, he's not stupid after all" she takes a sip of her wine, "and coughs, loudly, turning the large man around to face him, someone taller than our own dear assistant weyrlingmaster, if that is at all possible!" A pause, then, "The huge shiny, long object was not a sword but a ...Tandrum, what was it?"

N'all just chews his latest herculean bite o' food.

Khyam manages to look elsewhere...

Nerian whews.

T'san strides over from the main room of the weyrhall.

Nerian waves at the greenrider.

T'san waves.

Xavier waves.

Tandrum looks up. Him? Clearing his throat, he drums fingers slightly as he thinks. "Err...the long shiny object was a scythe. And not just any old scythe but the kind that's sharp enough to whack the heads off of wheat...and wherries, in one fell swoop. What was even more interesting was the fellow holding it and looking down at Juslin." He eyes T'san but has mercy and picks instead on Moira.

The crowd of people sat around the fire -- on blankets and chairs -- listen to the story as it travels around different people, each adding new parts and unexpected twists. Noone mention the wherries!

Moira wrinkles her nose at Tandrum, but, after a deep breath, launches into her continuation. "Like the weyrwoman said, he was tall--taller than N'all--and about the biggest man Juslin had ever seen. But the oddest thing of all was his face. And Xavier'll tell us about that."

Tandrum merely grins innocently at Moira. After all, he didn't go into details. He glances around the kitchen mentally putting stories and names to faces. That done, he starts in on the bubbly that's been forgotten until now. If he's stuffing his face, he won't be able to talk.

Xavier says "the fase was, well, it was masked. But this was no ordinary mask for it only covered half of his face. Stark white in contrast to the tanned color of the rest of his skin. Could this be the famed Harper Justin wondered to himself? The stranger opened his mouth and .... We will be told what came forth from his mouth by Nerian."

Nerian says "and he said "why did you scare away all the wherries? I haven't had dinner yet, and now it looks like I won't be able to." and now it's Kaleum's turn."

Zale strides over from the main room of the weyrhall.

Nerian looks over at Kaleum after dumping the story in her lap.

Telinda's hands rest lightly in her lap as she smiles, her face glowing in the soft light from the hearth. She grins, tilting her head slightly as she listens to the next part of the story.

Kaleum grins. "As Juslin looks into the face he sees that it has been thread scored and he looks away. The man gently touches his shoulder and says... Zale?"

Telinda blinks. He knew Zale? Hear she was thinking it was a story. Ah, no, Zale's turn. She grins and looks over to the greenrider.

Tandrum's bubbly disappears. The pillow gets moved from behind his head to another location as he turns to watch the greenrider and better hear her part of the story.

Ysanne downs a goodly portion of almost cold klah, the drink forgotten in the midst of the tale.

K'laarn looks around and whispers in Telinda's ear. "Who's got the next bit?" His arms circle her comfortingly.

Telinda grins, and mutters "Zale" over her shoulder to K'laarn, kissing his cheek before turning back, eager not to miss the next part of the tale.

Shadara yawns a little and sighs, "I need to get to sleep, I have to get up for cooking breakfast in the morning."

Telinda smiles and waves to Shadara, her eyes flickering quickly back to Zale and the story.

Xavier waves. "bye.

Nerian waves as she listens.

Shadara waves and heads out with a grin, 'It was fun."

Shadara steps out the swinging door and into the Weyrhall.

Zale's nose wrinkles as she looks at Kaleum with a 'Gee thanks' expression. "He said..'Does it hurt you to see me like this?'. Juslin.." She briefly scans the room before grinning a touch as she sees Telinda, "Your turn!"

Shasta leans forward in the firelight, breath held in anticipation as the story reveals itself. Her attention turns to Telinda, eyes wide with expectation.

Leaning back, Vira looks at Telinda, grinning. This ought to be good.

Aislinn grins...she wasn't picked after all...and her eyes are on Telinda for the grand ending.

Telinda eeks. "Me again?" She looks around the sea of faces, and grins, "Juslin shoke his head, "Hurt? Whyever for, it's not me that looks like a ... N'all, finish the story up!"

N'all devours that bubbly pie that was tossed to him earlier like a black hole devours light and time, he blinks around the mouthful. He nods, "Just stares in horror at the man, "But, sir, those scores, they're from threadfall. that could only mean that you were exiled; as you don't have the haunted look of an ex-rider. That means that you weren't hunting wherries! You were hunting. . ." with a lightning flash, the scythe slashes the lad's head from his shoulders, "Aye, I was hunting lazy weyrlings who were shirking their chores!!!!"

Aislinn squeels with laughter.

Telinda blinks, then slaps her thigh, laughing hilariously, "N'all!"

A pillow sails across the room at N'all.

N'all ducks it fairly easily.

Xavier grins, "Great Ending!"

Ysanne laughs, then groans.

Kaleum laughs!

Nerian just looks puzzled.

Zale puts a hand to her mouth to try and cover the snort of laughter that emerges at N'all's ending. But fails miserably.

N'all stands up, looming over the assembled Candidates, his wide frame blocking what scant light there is. The shadows form dark circles under his eyes, "If you think I am jesting. . .just try me." A booming laughter rolls forth.

K'laarn just sighs and shakes his head, looking disgusted with Na'll's finish up. "Is that all you could think of, N'all?" Then he booms with laughter.

Tandrum shakes his head and starts grinning not intimidated in the slightest. "And so do all slothful weyrlings meet their end. Speaking of which..." He gets up and walks to where the pillow landed, tossing it into the central pile. "This lazy candidate's going to get some sleep." He bows at Telinda and K'laarn. A deeper one goes to N'all and he walks out, chuckling quietly.

Ysanne mutters "I think I'm pitying those who impress again."

Moira nods to Tandrum's words. "Chores tomorrow again," she says, with a mournful sigh.

Nerian echoes Moira's sigh.

Tandrum steps out the swinging door and into the Weyrhall.

Xavier nods and stands up, "I do need to get to sleep too.

N'all grins as Tandrum leaves and he reclaims his seat.

Telinda shakes her head, still grinning and waves at Tandrum as he leaves, then laughs at Ysanne, "Considering whether you want to impress again?!"

Xavier waves "thanks for the interesting story, everyone."

Xavier steps out the swinging door and into the Weyrhall.

Kaleum waves to those leaving.

T'san stretches. "That has to be the *strangest* story I've heard since one of the nannies tried to put me to sleep when I had a fever."

Moira gets to her feet with a yawn and trails after the others.

Moira steps out the swinging door and into the Weyrhall.

Telinda grins at T'san, "Oh, you'll have to tell us that one, one night!"

Aislinn follows, still giggling.

Aislinn steps out the swinging door and into the Weyrhall.

T'san says "I'm not sure I remember it. I was awfully sick."

N'all smiles at T'san, and grins at K'laarn, "Nay, I also think much of Rose. Rose and 'lings. Yup."

Nerian just shakes her head.

N'all smiles at Nerian, "What?"

Shasta just sits there, rather stunned.

Nerian appears to be taking this quite literally "if he was after Weyrlings, why'd he care about a Smith? And why wouldn't holdless people hunt food?"

Ysanne shoots Nerian a look. "You're kidding, right?"

N'all ppts at Nerian, "You just impress; and I'll show you new levels of . . . something."

Shasta turns her stunned look to Nerian. "Cause... cause... that's the fun of it..." She blinks several times. "You see?"

Ysanne grins as N'all threatens someone other than her for a change.

Kaleum grins. "and I'm sure it will be something."

Nerian just shakes her head again. "Weird."

N'all grins and looks at Ysanne, "Oh, you're already number one on my list of "special people."" He grins at Nerian, "You always tell me the nicest things."

K'laarn just shakes his head and muses, "Chores? I don't think my chores ever stop." He remarks with a laugh.

Telinda elbows K'laarn, not too gently either, "Chores! Ha!"

K'laarn sighs then and says in a tired voice, "Telinda, you tired?" he gives her a little pinch for elbowing him.

Nerian says "keeping Rnayth from eating the candidates is really that hard, K'laarn?"

Ysanne makes a face to herself. "Thanks, sir. I'm looking forward to it."

Telinda giggles and nods, "Hungry, tired" she remarks, standing and offering K'laarn a hand, "But the hungry can wait, I need some rest first."

K'laarn laughs at Nerian then and retorts, "No, not really. He's not always on the sands. We have to fly thread, and do drills and sweeps and the like." He informs her. "When he's with Tiarnath, he's relaxing for the day."

Nerian nods.

Telinda hrmfs. "Some sort of relaxing, least _I_ get some rest when he's with her!"

K'laarn turns then to Telinda and asks, "Which reminds me, Rnayth wants to eat something. What about Tiarnath? We can go ahead and let Rnayth prey her a few bucks."

N'all stands up; stretches, the fabric on his shirt stretches dangerously as his massive frame expands, N'all waves to all through a yawn, "I think I'm needed at my cothold."

Telinda nods to K'laarn, "Yeah, dump them on the sands, she won't leave now. Thankfully the rain will stop her from smelling too bad!"

Nerian hmmms. "Maybe I'll skip looking at eggs before bed, then."

Telinda giggles and pokes N'all in the stomach, "You need bigger shirts!" she remarks, playfully, "Either that or you're getting fat!"

N'all looks outside, and bellows, "Tell Ialyth to tell Rose that I'll be right. . ." He cuts himself off, but not before the damage is done. He scampers outside.

N'all steps out the swinging door and into the Weyrhall.

Vira steps out the swinging door and into the Weyrhall.

Telinda tugs once on K'laarn's tunic, grins and heads to the weyrhall, "I need my bed" she says, nodding to the remaining folk and heading out.