Don't Forget the Bubblies

Writers: Ainsley, AL, Devin, Cali, Kastaka, Teresa
Date Posted: 15th March 2009

Characters: Ri'len, Sorsha, T'nel, Cosani, Meledei, K'sen, F'gol, N'vanik
Description: N'vanik takes an opportunity to see how the weyrlings are doing in their new tasks.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 1, day 24 of Turn 5

Cosani

N'vanik

Ri'len took a seat next to Sorsha, like he always did. It it weren't for the fact that weyrling training required them to be separated, most people would probably think those two were joined at the hip. Meledei too a seat across from Sorsha, next to F'gol and pretended to try and steal one of his rolls.

T'nel trailing behind the others took a seat next to Ri'len and tried not to laugh out loud at Meledei's feigned theft. He had piled his plate, as he always seemed to be hungry. He usually took enough food to feed two, but it was never wasted, he always ate it all and never seemed to gain weight.

"Hey T'nel." Ri'len greeted the brownrider amiably as he eyed the rather large pile. Ri'len generally took quite a bit - after all, he was active, tall, and a young man to boot, but even T'nel seemed to out eat him. "And I thought I was hungry."

T'nel laughed, "I seem to always be hungry. Have you ever noticed rumbling sounds in class before lunch? you know, the ones that sound like a rumbling dragon? That would be my stomach."

Cosani slid in next to Meledei before someone else could take the spot. The table was a little crowded for her taste, but she was getting used to being in a group. After all, she spent almost all her time with Shalith or with her fellow weyrlings.

"Hey Cosani, hows it going today?" T'nel asked with a smile.

She returned the smile, although hers was smaller. "Good. I'm glad I have the chance to sit down for a while."

"Yeah, I know what you mean. We certainly stay busy" T'nel smiled again as he dug into the pile of food on his plate.

K'sen quietly approached the table full of weyrlings, glad that there was somewhere obvious to sit today. He still hadn't quite worked out the protocol that governed where he ought to sit in the Dining Cavern, but 'with other weyrlings' tended to be safe at the moment. He took an unoccupied seat near the edge of the crowd.

"What are you sitting way over there for K'sen." T'nel smiled. "I know it looks like I would eat just about anything, but I promise I won't bite."

Looking embarrassed, K'sen shuffled a few spaces down nearer to T'nel. "Don't want to get in the way," he mumbled awkwardly.

Afkica settled in next to K'sen with a chuckle, "No need to worry about that. We're a rowdy bunch and will just give you shove if that should happen." The dark-skinned girl gave him a playful nudge once she was seated.

T'nel recognized the look of being unsure in a new place. He must be from a cothold somewhere. He watched K'sen a little longer then leaned over a little and said quietly. "you get used to it. It takes a little time, but most of us had to readjust to this place too. Just try to relax. it will come." he smiled warmly hoping he wasn't being
too upfront with him.

K'sen tried to ignore Afkica's nudge, and looked terribly self-conscious about briefly being the focus of attention. He smiled weakly back at T'nel, not sure whether to be grateful or defensive.

Seeing K'sen's discomfort, T'nel changed the subject. "Is it just Martilath, or does it seem like all the dragons are still eating as much as the day they hatched." he glanced briefly at K'sen then turned to the people in front of him.

"I think Tealth eats _more_! It's just less often now so it doesn't seem as bad to me." F'gol replied before biting into the roll that Meledei had unsuccessfully tried to get her greedy little hands on.

"They definitely eat a lot, however much it is." Meledei agreed,looking from weyrling to weyrling, then at Cosani. "Shalith is blossoming too. I swear, I think all the greens are as big or almost as big as Elleth. I'm just waiting for my lifemate to go through a huge growth spurt."

"And when she does just think of all the extra sweet sand and oil you'll go through," Afkica quipped. Shralyth was one of the larger greens at this point in time and Afkica wondered if her beautiful young dragon was going to be as big as a blue.

Carrying his full tray, N'vanik spotted the cluster of weyrlings, including his daughter and the new goldrider. It would be interesting to see how they'd react to him, and it would be a good way to avoid dull Wingleaders and 'Seconds. He paused at the head of the table. "Think you can spare some room for one more?"

Sorsha looked over to Cosani, but the girl didn't answer her father so she looked up and smiled politely at the Weyrleader. "Of course, we've plenty of room." She scooted closer to Ri'len to show that he could sit next to her if he wished.

"Thanks." He slid in next to the girl."How's weyrling life treating you?" N'vanik asked the group.

Cosani fought a scowl as she looked down at her plate. What was he doing here? Was he trying to be her friend or something?

Ri'len eyed the bronzerider whose dragon had sired his own. He nodded politely but refrained from making any comment.

Meledei, however, waved cheerfully from her position between Cosani and F'gol. "Hello Weyrleader N'vanik. I think we're doing pretty well, all in all."

The gold weyrling glanced around, giving an opening for anyone else who wanted to pipe up.

T'nel looked in Cosani's direction briefly before turning toward the Weyrleader. He didn't seem to be focused on any one person. "Yeah,..... I would say pretty good, I will be glad when some chores are over with, but other than that, I think it is going pretty well." T'nel smiled as he took another bite, making another dent in the pile
that was on his plate.

F'gol didn't know what he expected everyone to say, of course they were all doing well, you didn't want to appear whiny and weak in front of the Weyrleader; even one that seemed as nice as N'vanik. Instead, he decided to use the opportunity to his advantage. "With you being the Weyrleader and all, you've got sway in the kitchens right? Do you think you could get them to serve bubbly pies again? They haven't had any since Turn's End."

N'vanik laughed. "You want me to pull rank to get you bubblies?" That harper boy was a bold one. "I suppose if I tell them it's for my weyrlings, they might indulge me."

"It's not for me," F'gol assured him, although he would take his fair share if they came around again. "It's for Tealth. He wants to see what they taste like since I talked them up so much."

"Ahh..." N'vanik remembered Loseth going through that phase. "Then I'll make sure to ask for extra."

"We can always use more bubblie pies." Meledei giggled. "But I find it funny to think about dragons eating them."

"I'm not sure I'd allow Monilath." Ri'len said softly as he continued to pick at his food. "Doesn't seem like it would be good for him."

"The whole idea of kitchens and cooking food baffles Shralyth," Afkica offered, "She does not understand why we want to 'flame' our food before we eat it."

For some reason that thought was funny to T'nel and his drink almost came out of his nose An image of a dragon flame cooking food in a pit stuck in his head. "I don't think Martilath thinks about it at all, he just likes to eat."

N'vanik watched Cosani out of the corner of his eye as the other weyrlings chatted away. She was still mad at him, or confused, which was pretty much the same thing. At least she hadn't left the table yet. "Looking forward to when they can feed themselves?" he asked.

"I will be more than ready not to be elbow high in raw meat. Not that I mind because it is for Martilath, but it would be nice to not be covered in blood first thing in the morning." T'nel wrinkled his nose at the thought.

K'sen kept quiet, kept his head down and kept eating, or at least pushing his food around his plate, but he reflected that he quite liked feeding Sarath, and would miss it when she didn't need him to cut her food up any more. It was one of those simple things he could do and was good at, and who knew what kind of complicated and awkward duty would replace it?

"If it means we can sleep in a bit more, I'm all for letting them hunt." Sorsha said with a grin to Ri'len. "Roseth thinks the live meat will taste better too."

"It's always about sleep with you, isn't it?" Ri'len teased, his arms darting up to protect him from any physical retribution from Sorsha.

"Sleep is my favorite hobby," N'vanik said. "Wait ... second favorite."

T'nel grinned to himself, wondering if his assumption was correct as to what the Weyrleaders favorite hobby was.

"Oh? What's your favorite?" Meledei asked just before popping a bit of roll into her mouth - her own, not F'gol's.

N'vanik's smile was half smirk. "Not appropriate for junior weyrlings."

Cosani did her best to forget she'd heard that.

"Huh?" Meledei paused, looking confused, then suddenly groaned as it dawned on her what he meant. "I walked right into that one."

T'nel did laugh, as quietly as he could, at that remark. "Yes you did."

Afkica's laugh was not quite as restrained, "Tsk, tsk! And you weyrbred Meledei! I've told you all that studying is going to have an adverse affect!"

T'nel couldn't help but laugh out loud.

N'vanik chewed the last bit of roll behind his smile. "Well, this dirty old Weyrleader has work to get back to."

"Don't forget those bubblies!" F'gol called out with a mouth full, "For the dragons..."

"Mind is always on the food." Meledei sighed dramatically and pretended to stab F'gol'd stomach with her fork.

"I'll remember," N'vanik said as he stood and lifted his tray.

Last updated on the March 16th 2009

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Don't Forget the Bubblies