| They burst out of between above the weyrbowl, Shire and Tsuki-Neko gasping at the drastic change from tropical weather to winter. Tsuki-Neko's fur stood partially on end, and if Shire had fur, hers would have too. "I tried to warn you," Ak'rei said sheepishly. Coloured Snow and Aurezinc popped in a few moments later. Coloured Snow cheeped and flew to Shire, settling himself on her shoulder as they glided in for a landing. Backwinging gently, Nyroath alighted on the ledge of the Lower Caverns. "The candidate sign in sheet is over there," Ak'rei said, pointing, "and even if you don't get accepted you can still hang around for a bit to watch the hatching." Shire and Tsuki-Neko nodded, and went to go sign in, still looking a bit shaky. Ak'rei went into the kitchen area to find them some coffee; it always help him get rid of the afterfeeling of between's cold in his bones. They returned and he offered them the coffee, which they accepted gladly. "I think I would like to explore some," Tsuki-Neko said, nose twitching. "So many new scents to figure out and so many places to see." He turned and was about to go. "Are you sure you don't want something to keep you warm? Snow isn't much fun without anything extra on," Ak'rei said. "I'm sure Ikara won't mind finding you something, she loves to mother the new candidates." "Well, I suppose. Since we'll be here a while," Tsuki-Neko relented. "Shire, you coming too?" "Yeah, might as well so she doesn't have to do you and then me later," she replied, shrugging. They wandered around and found Ikara in the storage rooms, checking over some of the gear. "Hello Ikara, brought you a couple of friends who need some winter gear," Ak'rei said, motioning to Shire and Tsuki-Neko. Ikara looked them over appraisingly and began to hunt through some of the chests. "Here you are, sugar," she said, handing Shire a blue scarf and dark green earmuffs, along with a green jacket and blue mittens. "And for you, deary," she added, giving Tsuki-Neko a red wooly hat with a white puffball on the top, a matching scarf, and a dark purple jacket. "Now, about those hands," she said thoughtfully, inspecting Tsuki-Neko's fingernails, or rather, claws. "Do they retract?" she asked, looking up at him. A little disoriented by the woman's behaviour, he merely nodded bemusedly. "Hm..." was all she said, then shuffled through a different chest. "Ah, here you go," she said, handing him some tipless black gloves. "Some candidate or another left them on his bed by accident, so we brought them here when he left. I expect they'll work for you just fine. Now shoo, I have to finish inventory," she said playfully, pushing them all out the door. "That's Ikara for you," Ak'rei said laughingly. "Would you like a tour? Until you get officially accepted as candidates by the Weyrwoman, you can bunk with Nyroath and me." They agreed, and went off to look at what the Weyr's rocky facade kept hidden deep within. |
| (For pictures please click here.) |