The World of Pern(tm) is copyright to Anne McCaffrey (c) l967.
The Dragonriders of Pern(r) is a registered copyright.

This is a log of roleplay on PernMUSH, available online by permission of
Anne McCaffrey, author of the Pern novels, and recorded by A.S. Korra'ti
(piper@murkworks.net), player of Mehlani of Telgar Weyr on PernMUSH.
This log may be distributed freely as long as this header remains intact.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Log Date:
	5/15/98

Log Cast:
	(People) R'val, Neliea, Kharty, Mehlani, Aurian, Jayna, Jaynelle, M'kla,
Erdrick, Ro

	(Firelizards) Mehlani's fair, Erdrick's fair, Aurian's fair

Log Intro:
	There's one advantage to having been the victim of a Candidate prank
along with Aurian -- it's solidified her friendship with the other Candidate.
And even in the midst of Candidate chores, there's always the occasional
time in the living caverns where Candidates can take a few moments to ask
the Weyr's dragonriders the inevitable questions that occur to them. Even
Mehlani, Weyrbred and a dragonrider's daughter as she is, can find something
positive in such gatherings: camaraderie. Even if it _does_ lead to her
receiving some gentle teasing, as well as an unexpected invitation...

----------
Your location's current time: 22:31 on day 26, month 11, Turn 22, of the Tenth 
  Pass. It is a autumn evening.

You walk through the large entrance to the Living Cavern.
Telgar Weyr's Living Cavern(#750RJM$)
This huge cavern is sufficently roomy to hold a large portion of the Weyr's 
  population without feeling cramped. There's always a bustle of activity 
  here. Fragrant dishes are constantly in prepartion for mealtimes: currently 
  for the late meal. Drudges are always present, either cleaning under 
  Pierron's watchful eye, or helping fetch and carry. A myriad of glowbaskets 
  and many ever-lit hearths make the cavern warm and inviting despite its 
  size. The scents of cooking meats, baking breads and pastries, and the 
  pungent aroma of spices hang mouthwateringly in the air. It is little wonder 
  that those seeking to relax nearly always find their way here to do it. 
A short tunnel jaunts northward out to the bowl and the merry sounds of 
  cooking, chores, and laughter echo from the kitchen at the southeast end of 
  the cavern near the easterly passage to the rest of the lower caverns. 
  Within the lower caverns is an entrance to the infirmary weyr to care for 
  injured dragons and riders.
Contents:
M'kla
Aurian
Kharty
Neliea
Jayna
Jaynelle
Pierron
R'val
Obvious exits:
Lower Caverns  Kitchen  Bowl

R'val smiles, nodding at Neliea. He spots Mehlani, and waves amiably.

Neliea crosses over to leave her mug with a drudge, and makes her way out, 
  smiling at Mehlani.
Neliea walks towards the inner cavern.
Neliea has left.

Kharty looks down at the tabletop, seemingly interested in the patterns in 
  the wood but answers Jayna. "I'm from a small cothold near Keroon. My 
  father.. well.. he's.." her voice breaks off for a minute thoughtfully, then 
  continues, "I'm from near the coast of Keroon." She says this as if she's 
  not mentioned her Da at all.

Not too difficult to miss in the best of circumstances -- which these are 
  not, not with her hat riding in place as per usual on her head and several 
  of her fire lizards fluttering in her wake -- Mehlani slips into the cavern, 
  glancing about shyly. She bobs her behatted head to those who catch her eye, 
  as blue Enri chitters sharply at the green trying to snag his tail in 
  mid-flight.

Aurian smiles as she sips her klah.

Jayna, by happenstance, happens to be looking in the direction from which 
  Mehlani enters. "Oh, heya, Mehlani," she calls. Loudly. She smiles, 
  cheerfully. "Join us, why don't you?"

Aurian waves Mehlani over to the table. She grins as the others have the same 
  idea.

Kharty brightens up and looks toward Mehlani. "Oh yes, do." she offers.

'Lani had, in fact, looked slightly at a loss; perhaps she hadn't had a 
  specific destination in mind when she came in here. At the other Candidates' 
  call, she smiles shyly and ventures towards them, looking brighter of 
  expression, despite the shadow of her hat brim.

Jaynelle seems almost too tired as she is half asleep in her seat. Clearly, 
  she missed most of the last set of circumstances and events.
Jaynelle yawns and covers it with her left hand

R'val glances at Jaynelle with a grin, "Sleepy already?"

Aurian swirls the klah in her mug as she watches the cavern.

Jaynelle laughs "I've been staying up late, mostly with you and some of the 
  candidates, for days. I gues it is catchign up on me"

M'kla chuckles and comments for no particular reason, "Praps ye should sleep 
  more regular hours...ye won't get a chance if ye impress."

Kharty pushes back in her chair and looks toward M'kla. "I've a question, 
  ma'am, if you've a minute?"

Jaynelle laughs and nods "I agree. But live for the day! I won't get this 
  time back whether or not I Impress"

R'val grins at Jaynelle, "That's the spirit."

Jayna sighs, and drains her klah. She starts to rise, then stops, as Kharty 
  asks a question. She glances at her fellow candidate curiously.

M'kla chuckles some, "That's not what you'll be sayin if little Dragonth 
  wails at you three hours before dawn every morning to eat."
M'kla nods to Kharty, "Aye, if you wish...what can I do for ye."

Mehlani sinks silently down into one of the chairs, half her attention on the 
  antics of the portion of her fair that's followed her in here, the rest on 
  her fellow Candidates.

Aurian waits to hear what Kharty has to say, a question she probably has as 
  well.

Kharty looks down then upwards, her eyes inquisitively looking at M'kla. "I 
  once saw someone reach out and pat a rider's dragon without asking the 
  rider's permission. The dragon practically toasted the girl's hair and skin 
  with it's hot breath and she got knocked over. Why do dragons do that?"

Jaynelle looks over at M'kla with sparkling blue-gray eyes "True, but that is 
  a possible future, not today. If little Dragonth wails before dawn, or a 
  little, I'll still complain then." She continues smiling as she stays quiet 
  for the developing converstaion.

M'kla says bluntly, "Not all dragons like to be touched by people who are not 
  their riders...do ye just run up and pat runners and canines ye dan't know?"

Jayna absently twirls her klah mug. She sighs.

Kharty wrinkles her brow as she thinks, "I'd not do that. I guess it's the 
  same thing? I thought maybe there was some inner 'law' that said you had to 
  ask permission first maybe?"

M'kla chuckles some, "Ye might say that. It's usually a guld idea...but I've 
  no idea where you got the idea that dragonbreath scorches...only does that 
  if they've been chewing stone...and the breath's not hot atal...they belch 
  the fire, not breathe it."
M'kla says "So...if they'd been chewing stone, there'd've been flame, and the 
  girl'd been burned to a crisp."

Kharty gasps a little at the mental images from M'kla's explanation. "Oh. 
  Well when she got up, she was rubbing her arms and looking upset. I thought 
  that she got burned. Do dragons let people who they know pet them if their 
  riders don't mind? Like, if I wanted to touch R'val's dragon, would he mind 
  if R'val wasn't around?"

Jayna smiles, quietly. "I'm off for a last look at the eggs," she says, 
  dropping her mug on the countertop.
Jayna heads for the bowl.
Jayna walks down the short tunnel and out into the bowl.
Jayna has left.

Aurian shudders a bit a she thinks of burns.

Mehlani glances from Kharty to M'kla and back again, lifting a hand, pushing 
  her hat back slightly on her head.

Aurian murmurs, "I've seen burns, they are..." She trails off and shudders 
  again.

Kharty nods knowingly to Aurian, "I saw a bad burn at my Da's place. There 
  were actual bubbles on the boy's skin. Can you imagine the pain.." she 
  grimaces at the thought.

Jaynelle looks between M'kla and R'val, blinking slightly. She appears to be 
  slightly confused "I thought dragons never would harm a human. Well, unless 
  the human was trying to hurt his rider."

Aurian gets a touch green as she hears Kharty's words, "Please Kharty, those 
  were the lectures I hated the most."

Jaynelle sighs as she looks between Aurian and Kharty "Sound horrible!"

R'val hrms, "YOu're right, Jaynelle. Intentionally, anyway."

A drudge shoos the layabouts out of the Living Cavern, getting them out of 
  her way.

Jaynelle nods briefly to R'val "I can see one trying to get a pesky person 
  away and accidently knockign them too hard. But breathing? Kharty, who told 
  you this story? DId you meet the girl?"

M'kla chuckles some, "Likely, she was just scared...dragons aren't the 
  smallest beasts to be batted by."

Neliea walks here from the Inner Cavern.
Neliea has arrived.

R'val hrms, "That they're not...'

Kharty hears Jaynelle's question and replies, "I heard the story, told to me 
  by a friend. I was just curious as to how to act or even how to be around 
  any of us who impress.."

R'val hrms at Kharty, "Well, I'd not treat them any differently..."

M'kla chuckles, "Not that ye'll get to see them for months, until their 
  dragonnets are suitable for company."

Aurian says "Its probably an old Auntie tail"

Jaynelle blinks once and nods "I think it is a good question, even if the 
  story is dubious." She gives Kharty a small smile

Neliea glances around the room, noticing that no one has left. Tryinf to be 
  unseen, she slips into a nearby chair.

Jaynelle nods to neliea and asks quietly if she would like a meatroll handed 
  down.

Aurian sips at her klah

Neliea shakes her head and smiles at Jaynelle.

Aurian shifts in her seat pulling her feet onto the chair lightly, "Anyone 
  else hate it when things get quiet?"

R'val grins at Aurian, "It's not much fun."

Mehlani murmurs sheepishly, "I'm quiet a lot..."

Jaynelle nods slightly "Yes. Sometimes it is too quiet." She looks ovar at 
  Mehlani with a nod "I think I'm just tired."

M'kla seems to have fallen asleep at her table, dinner only half-finished.

Jaynelle streches a little "Here's a question for the riders; What is it like 
  to be a Weyrling. We are told that the work load is even higher, and we have 
  a small dragon to look after, but what are some of the things we will learn?"

Neliea chuckles and stands, "I'm going going to take a walk. I'm usually 
  quiet too." Waving, she steps out towards the bowl.
Neliea walks down the short tunnel and out into the bowl.
Neliea has left.

Aurian sticks her tounge out to the side and blinks at Mehlani, she giggles, 
  "Sometimes you're too quiet." She returns her face to its normal form then 
  eyes Mehlani with mocksuspicion, "You know something, its always the quiet 
  ones that get into the most mischief."

Mehlani can be seen to turn a bit pink. "Not me," she murmurs, though she's 
  also smiling, just a bit.

Jaynelle laughs at aurian's comment "I agree!"

"Ah ha!," Aurian peers at the girl, trying to look under that odd hat, "Hmmm 
  I think she's smirking at us, which mean she IS plotting."

R'val laughs softly. "Being a weyrling? It's even harder work, that's 
  true...You'll learn how to look after your dragons, how to keep 
  their..err..defecation functioning properly for one. How to care for their 
  hides, how to feed them properly, and that's just the beginning."

Mehlani turns rather pinker, even with the hat brim casting light shadow over 
  her features.

Jaynelle grins mischievously at Mehlani "I think you are right Aurian. Look 
  at her."

Aurian wriggles her nose and steps from her chair, she walks over to 
  Mehlani's chair and peers down at the girl from her height of 5'2". "You are 
  a...." She glances about with an almost secretive glance, then says with a 
  triumphant cry, "Cheeky Candidate!"

"Am not," murmurs 'Lani in protest, reaching up to tug her hat down further 
  over her eyes, and conveniently hiding her expression.

Jaynelle nods rapidly as her eyes were half closed before Aurian's comments 
  "Yes, very cheeky"

Aurian crosses her arms over her chest, she then reaches over and tugs on 
  Mehlani's hat, "Confess now and things will go easier for you."

Jaynelle giggles as she remains seated nearly. She does try to look under 
  'Lani's hat though.

Mehlani, quite visibly, is blushing. But she also reflexively grabs at her 
  battered old hat, dainty fingers gripping the brim. "Mine," she murmurs.

Jaynelle shakes her head slightly and stands. She streches near her seat 
  before pulling in the seat. "Goodnight everyone" she says as she heads for 
  the opening.

R'val smiles, "take care, Jaynelle!"

Aurian looks as if a sudden temptation has over come her, she starts to reach 
  with both hands towards Mehlani's hat and thinks better of it giving another 
  quick tugs, "Are too! Confess!"

Jaynelle nods to R'val and gives Aurian a quick wink before leaving the room.
Jaynelle walks towards the inner cavern.
Jaynelle has left.

The head under the hat shakes vigorously, without commentary from 'Lani. 
  There's a brief flicker of her mouth -- is that a smile?

Aurian eyes the girl with a look of triumph, "Aha! all the classic signs of a 
  cheeky candidate!"

Mehlani's mouth flickers in a slightly longer smile, but she keeps her head 
  ducked shyly, and her hands on her hat.

With a silent and wicked gesture, Aurian reaches over and taps Mehlani's 
  nose. "Cheeky."

Erdrick walks here from the Inner Cavern.
Erdrick has arrived.
Erdrick walks in, his firelizards flitting around him, with a bit of a creel 
  Buttons lands on his shoulder, the others take up residence on the table by 
  thier pet's usual chair expectently, "Evening all." He hides a grin, noting 
  Mehlani's ever present hat.

Mehlani makes a very small, very suspicious little noise -- a giggle -- at 
  Aurian's tapping finger.

Aurian blinks wide-eyed. Then with a grin she taps again as if to test that 
  nose again.

Aye, that's a giggle. Mehlani does it again.

Erdrick makes his way over to the klah pot and pours himself a mug of klah, 
  in his Telgar Weyr mug of course, he glances over at Lani, "Did you hear 
  there's some kind of Gather over at Benden Hold?"

At Erdrick's voice, Mehlani peeks out from under her hat, distracted; she 
  shakes her head silently.

Erdrick grins at Lani, heading towards the kitchen, "Was there earlier, went 
  to visit a friend." He blushes slightly before continuing, "Might go back 
  there once I've fed these flying stomachs." He grins fondly at his flits.

Aurian laughs and bends a bit so she can peer under that hat, "A cheeky 
  candidate always knows another cheeky candidate."

R'val shakes his head at Aurian and Mehlani, with an amused smile.

That's definitely a smile tugging ever so slightly at the corners of 
  Mehlani's mouth, as she peeks back over at Aurian.

M'kla startles awake very quietly, and peers at her stew to see if it's at 
  fault.

At the word candidate Erdrick glances back at Lani before entering the 
  kitchen, "I do hope you're feeling well."
Erdrick walks off towards the kitchen.
Erdrick has left.
From the kitchen, Erdrick enters the kitchen from the living cavern.

R'val walks down the short tunnel and out into the bowl.
R'val has left.

From the kitchen, Erdrick grabs a large bowl of scraps and walks back out.
From the kitchen, Erdrick walks into the Living Cavern.
Erdrick walks in from the kitchen.
Erdrick has arrived.

"I'm well, yes," Mehlani murmurs earnestly to Erdrick, as he returns.

Aurian, with a delighted laugh, tugs a couple quick times on Mehlani's hat 
  and then drops back into her seat next to the girl.

Ro walks here from the Inner Cavern.
Ro has arrived.

Pierron tosses some dough into the air to make it as thin as a sheet to make 
  baklava.

Ro walks in, dragging a fresh killed tunnelsnake behind her.

Erdrick settles down in his usual chair and starts feeding his flits, nodding 
  at Mehlani, "Very glad to hear that." His expression betrays a bit of relief 
  at that earnest responce, if one chose to look hard enough to find it. He 
  starts parceling meat out to his hungry firelizards.

The sounds of something being dragged catches Aurian's curiousity instantly, 
  she tilts her head back and then yelps, "Shards Ro! Where do you keep 
  finding those things."

'Lani makes another suspicious noise -- a squeal -- at Aurian's tug on her 
  hat, and she protectively hangs onto it, at least until Aurian is distracted 
  by Ro's arrival.
Mehlani then glances round, blinking at the incoming girl and her kill.

Ro says "Down near that room where the floor fell in. Thought someone might 
  have some hungry firelizards."

Erdrick chuckles as Darin chooses to creel loudly at Ro, seeing the 
  tunnelsnake.

Aurian says "Ro! We're not supposed to go down in the corridors."

A trio of firelizards whirl away from Aurian's shoulders to pounce on the 
  carcass.

Ro says "I wasn't about to let it get away to breed more, and that was the 
  direction it headed."

Erdrick blinks, "You should be careful Ro, at least I got the door to that 
  room closed."

Ro nods "I am, Erd, and I made sure to not go in that room."

Erdrick nods, "Doubt you could get that door open now, was hard enough to 
  close it in the first place."

Aurian says "Well just make sure they are all dead before I have to have 
  tunnelsnake hunting."

Ro chuckles "I'm tryin'."
Ro says "I bet Kassi would be happy to take some time off to help you, if you 
  asked."

Erdrick sneaks in a sip of his klah as he feeds his flits. He looks up at 
  Mehlani with a thoughtful look, "I wonder if Benden's Gather has any 
  dancing..."

Aurian grins, "When I see my name next to that chore, I'll fall on my knees 
  and beg for her aid." She chuckles a it.

Mehlani can be noted to pinken again, as she glances at Erdrick, clearly 
  listening to him. Her hands have dropped off her hat, now.

Erdrick chuckles, "You do still owe me a dance Mehlani, and sooner or later I 
  mean to collect." Hmmm, has he taken dancing lessions yet?

Ro's lips curl into a smile "I been huntin' the things in these tunnels since 
  I was barely more than a little."

As Mehlani's hands lower, Aurian uses the ease of a practiced thief to whisk 
  the hat off 'Lani's head and on to her own.

To Erdrick, 'Lani manages a wan, anxious smile -- until Aurian strikes. Then, 
  she whirls in her seat, hand flying to her head. Then she pauses, apparently 
  struggling for a response, until she settles on waggling a slender finger at 
  the other girl and scolding gently, "That's mine!"

Erdrick chuckles at Aurian as he leans back in his chair, grinning at Lani, 
  his flits sated for now.

Aurian smiles teasingly, and mimics the girl, "That's mine!" Her hand holding 
  the hat in place. It really does look quite odd on Aurian.

The hat doesn't look exactly normal on Mehlani, either -- after all, the thing 
  is a trifle too large for her. But Aurian succeeds in making the lass blink 
  a few times, clearly taken aback by this turn of events. "Well, it _is_ 
  mine," she murmurs, blushing. "Kes--K'star gave it to me!"

Erdrick chuckles, "You look nice even without it Lani." Buttons echo's his 
  pet's words with an approving chirp.

"Aye that he did," Aurian removes the hat from her own head and tosses it back 
  onto 'Lani's where it lands at an almost cocky angle, "I would never keep it 
  from you Lani, at least not permanently."

Mehlani smiles sheepishly, blushing again, glancing between Erdrick and 
  Aurian, and reaching to straighten the hat.

Aurian leans back in her chair, she smiles at Mehlani.

Erdrick chuckles, "It's not often one gets to see that charming smile of 
  yours." Refering of course to her habit of hiding her face behind the brim 
  of the hat. He looks thoughtfully towards the bowl exit.

Erdrick's comment merely makes Mehlani blush more pinkly, her head ducking a 
  little.

Erdrick looks at Buttons, "Buttons, find K'velin, Tredith's K'velin."

Buttons has arrived.
Erdrick shrugs as Buttons takes flight from his shoulder.
Buttons flits through the short tunnel and out into the bowl.
Buttons has left.

Pierron puffs with pride as Aurian gives him the chance to demonstrate his 
  skill.

Knives fly and bowls clatter as Pierron charges through the kitchen, preparing 
  Aurian's bubbly. Finally, he returns, and gives it to her, saying "There you 
  go. I make it especial for you."

Buttons appears from *Between*
Buttons has arrived.
Buttons swoops down towards Erdrick.
Buttons chirps at Erdrick, fliting back and forth between him and the bowl 
  exit.

M'kla rises, having finished dinner, and heads outside.
M'kla walks down the short tunnel and out into the bowl.
M'kla has left.
M'kla walks in from the bowl.
M'kla has arrived.
M'kla walks down the short tunnel and out into the bowl.
M'kla has left.

Erdrick chuckles at Buttons' antics, standing up and finishing his klah.

Mehlani smiles quietly, taking the time to watch the fire lizards herself.

Erdrick looks down at himself, "Shards, I ought to change my clothes at 
  least!" His glance settles on Mehlani a moment, "Don't suppose you're 
  interested in a trip to a Gather?"

Aurian raises an eyebrow at Erdrick as he actually mentions going somewhere to 
  a candidate.

Ro pours herself a glass of juice and sits near Mehlani, sipping it quietly.

Aurian leans back in her seat on the other side of Mehlani, waiting to hear 
  what will be said.

Mehlani blinks. Then lifts her hand up to push her hat back slightly on her 
  head, and she protests, "Erdrick... I am not supposed to leave the Weyr... 
  but thank you anyway..."

Erdrick blinks, "Ohh, I didn't know that, well I'll leave you all to your girl 
  talk then." He grins slightly and winks at Lani, half teasing.

A couple of firelizards chirp as if to say 'That's That.'

Uncertainly, Mehlani explains, "Candidates are not supposed to leave the Weyr, 
  you see..." Then she trails off, and offers a tentative little smile.

Buttons chirps again at Erdrick, apparently impatient to be off.

Erdrick nods, "I understand, if you were gone and the hatching started..." 
  Having had his nose rubbed in the rule he can under stand why it was made. :)

Mehlani murmurs earnestly, "Have fun at the Gather...!"

Erdrick grins, "I'll try, won't be quite the same without you there, guess 
  I'll have to wait for my dance with you then." He grins at Buttons and 
  starts walking out, apparently having forgotten his comment about changing 
  clothes, "Night all, maybe I'll be back if the Gather's not that 
  interesting."

Mehlani bobs her head gravely by way of farewell.

Erdrick walks down the short tunnel and out into the bowl.
Erdrick has left.

Buttons flits out after his pet.
Buttons vanishes *Between*
Buttons has left.

Aurian rests against her chair wearily.

From Ro's shoulder, Rain pokes her head out inquizatively, looking over the 
  candidate lasses. Perhaps one has a bit of food to spare? *chirple*

Aurian says "Anyone feel like hitting Asher with a pillow?"
Aurian offers a bit of her now cold bubbly to the little firelizard.

Ro considers for a moment as Rain scrambles down to nibble at the bubbly. She 
  say "Sure, I could do that. Why?"

Aurian chuckles.

Mehlani smiles a little, and rises, looking distracted. She murmurs softly, "I 
  think I'd better go check on my greens... please excuse me...." And the lass 
  wanders quietly off into the inner caverns.

[End log.]