The Dragonriders of Pern (r) is a registered copyright.
Log edited with Logedit 2.6.9pl on Tue Nov 12 21:57:30 MST 1996 Logged by Ursa Word-wrapping at 72, 0, 2 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Maarie walks in from the bowl. Maarie has arrived. Kenai nods emphatically. "Very. I love getting back outside again- not having to bundle up just to duk out for a minute, that kind of thing." Kenai waves to Maarie. Maarie strides in, her hands busy in an attempt to tie back her curls into a bun, not all together the most successful of attempts. She smiles to everyone as she takes a seat near Ursa. Ursa chuckles. "Though the hot springs just aren't as invigorating without the freezing air, are they?" she comments, waving a forkful in greeting to Maarie. Kenai nods in agreement. "True enough- fall's best for that, a nip in the air that makes the hot water feel great, but not so cold you freeze on your way back inside." Ursa shudders. "I think I actually did, this winter." Kethran smiles to Ursa, and then waves cheerfully to Maarie. "Heya!" he calls, as he takes a sip of juice. He grins at Kenai and shrugs. "Guess he wasn't hungry after all." Kenai shudders in sympathy with Ursa, and then grins at Keth. "Guess not." R'val walks in from the bowl. R'val has arrived. R'val wanders in, waving cheerfully, "Evening." Kenai waves to R'val. Ursa nods to Maarie very cordially, drawling, "And how are you tonight, Wingsecond?" Maarie sighs as half the curls manage to stay up, the other tumbling down, "Too late. 'Specially with how we met the dawn this morning." She waves a hand in greeting to R'val. Ursa yawns involuntarily. "Was that this morning?" She, too, waves hello to R'val. R'val slides into a seat next to Maarie, and grins at her as he fills his mug, "We did have quit the early morning, didn't we?" Maarie rolls her eyes, "Yes, drowned in klah." With that she lifts a mug of klah to her lips. R'val grins towards Maarie, "Better than other fates I can think of." Maarie peers at R'val, "Which would those be?" R'val Hrms, "Death by greenrider." Kenai peers at R'val. Maarie replies cryptically, "I think we've been there." Ursa glances from R'val to Maarie, then back again. She goes back to eating her dinner with just the hint of an amused smile on her lips. R'val grins at Maarie lopsidedly, "Mm. Perhaps.:" Maarie grabs a bit of wherry. Of course there is wherry. From Ursa's plate and takes a bite. "So, other than death by greenriders?" R'val strokes his chin, "Threadfall?" He says, with a shudder. Kethran blinks at the reference to 'death by greenrider' and shivers a bit. Kenai shakes her head. J'cob walks in from the bowl. J'cob has arrived. Maarie comments, voice rather detached, "Ursa, we should run some joint wing drills. Mix'em up a bit." J'cob wanders in, looking, er, flushed. Kenai looks up and waves to J'cob, commenting to Keth, "Perhaps he was hungry." J'cob wanders over, by Maarie. Pausing for a second, he peers at her. Ursa nods, agreeing without missing a beat, in the most monotone voice she can muster. "Aye, that's an idea we should consider. Would keep the wingriders on their toes." R'val glances at his wingsecond, and at Ursa. He looks suddenly concerned. Maarie looks up and smiles? to J'cob, "What?" She is immediately back into her conversation with Ursa, "They've gotten too used to the way things are set up. Won't hurt'em a bit to be switched about. A good drill in itself in case the need'll ever rise where our wings would be mixed up during a Fall." Spineth> Zuseth opens an eye to regard Siraeth, a soft hiss ensues and she tucks her head under a delicate wing, closing out the world around her. Ursa nods emphatically. "Aye. Would be a good practise in being more flexible, not just relying on patterns. Not that we don't want them to know those patterns intimately," she intones monotonously. Maarie glances back at the other greenrider and genuinely smiles, "You look...flushed...J'cob." J'cob suddenly *hugs* Maarie. Kenai blinks. Ursa shifts on her bench, sliding away from the spontaneously hugging greenrider. Maarie returns the hug, a bit akward at first, peering at Ursafrom across J'cob's shoulder with a look of confusion. J'cob goes to hug Ursa, too. Kenai eyes the huggy greenrider nervously. Ursa quickly puts on her "I wouldn't hug me if I were you" expression to see if it has any effect. R'val eyes J'cob warily. J'cob hugs nonetheless. R'val stands, waving as he strides out. R'val walks down the short tunnel and out into the bowl. R'val has left. Ursa is most definately hugged. Seeing as he seems harmless, she pats him on the back, now taking her turn to give Maarie a puzzled look over J'cob's shoulder. Kethran grins at J'cob, and then glances over at Kenai. "Possibly. Though I sense a pattern here." J'cob hugs Kethran next. Karthur walks in from the kitchen. Karthur has arrived. Karthur wanders in, rubbing his shoulder. Maarie watches J'cob move on and leans over to Ursa, "Is he leaving?" Kenai watches J'cob and nods thoughtfully. "You could be right." She blinks, yet again, as J'cob hugs Keth, who's sitting next to her. She sort of leans away from the greenrider, looking nervous. Ursa stares, simply stares, at J'cob. "Leaving? Yeah, maybe that's it? Lost his voice, too, apparently." Maarie ahs, "Yes. That's probably it. Lost his voice." Kethran blinks, a bit startled, and then returns the hug happily. "Thanks. I needed that," he murmurs quietly. Ursa quirks a grin. "Hey, he's making folks happy, though. Can't argue with that." Karthur wanders over to where Ursa sits, hopping up to perch ont he table. Ursa glances up when a Karthur suddenly perches in her field of vision, blinking like she'd been shaken from a dream. "Oh, well, hello there." Karthur smiles widely to Ursa, and speaks with that smile, "Hello there." Ursa grins impishly. "Thought you'd lost your nerve," she drawls. Karthur shakes his head. "Not I.." Karthur arches his back, audibly popping the muscles. "You?" K'nan walks in from the bowl. K'nan has arrived. Ursa chuckles slightly, saying impishly again, "Me? You could only wish." Ch'ran walks in from the bowl. Ch'ran has arrived. You might have thought he was normally a bit disordered. But no, this is special. This is unique. Ch'ran's hair is more or less out of his face, but he doesn't look like he's slept exactly, and in addition, he looks... worried over something. Still, he manages a cheerful wave, and calls out, "Fort's Duties to Benden and her Queens...." Maarie glances up at the bluerider and nods, then goes about fishing some folded hides from her jacket pocket. Kethran glances up and spots Ch'ran. He's currently in the midst of a hug to J'cob -- whom he releases with a grin and a slightly embarassed chuckle. "Thanks, greenrider. Needed that." He waves to Ch'ran. "Heya, 'Ran!" He frowns a bit as he notices the youth's disheveled state, but doesn't comment on it directly. Karthur smirks, raising a brow at Ursa. "Never." Kenai looks over and waves to K'nan, and then to Ch'ran. "Evening. Morning. Something." Ursa glances round the cavern, commenting, "Well, it seems we're safe from the worst wagers at Benden at the moment." Ch'ran runs a selfconscious hand through his hair, which utterly fails to help. "Got m'message I gather, since you wrote back...." K'nan looks more than slightly unslept and irritable as he briefly scans the 'cavern, then heads straight for the klah pot to pour himself a mug. Karthur nods to Ursa. "Shall we?" Kethran nods to Ch'ran. "I did, indeed, m'friend. You want to go somewhere and chat?" he asks. Ursa smirks. "I s'pose we shall. No time like the present." She looks around, "We'll need a judge or two." Ch'ran shrugs slightly. "Might be a good idea... 't's been a sharding long coupla days." Karthur nods. "Unbiased judges." Ursa shrugs. "Not sure who you can find round here that qualifies." Karthur shrugs. "I guess anyone will do then." Karthur grins. Kethran nods quietly and rises from his seat, giving everyone a farewell wave. He drains the last of the juice from his mug and then sets it on the table. "Where to?" he asks Ch'ran. Ursa pulls herself to her feet, leaning casually against the table. "Anyone care to come help mediate a little... contest?" she asks in a slightly elevated voice. Ch'ran shrugs a little helplessly. "Pick something useful," he suggests. "It's not like I'm at a loss for transporation." Kenai looks up and quirks a smile at Keth. "Bye." K'nan acquires his unsweetened mug of klah and crosses the cavern again without looking up from the floor, settling down at a table well in the corner and out of the way of everyone. K'nan sits down at the small table by the bowl entrance. Kethran brushes past K'nan as he walks over to join Ch'ran. Then, his eyes widen as he realizes two things: first, that K'nan is still proddy, and second, that he had therefore best make himself scarce. "Dunno. Been a while since I've been to Fort... you wanna go there and chat?" Ursa glances at Maarie. "Whaddya think. Wanna come be an impartial judge?" Ch'ran shrugs slightly. "Sure, why not?" he says, stretching a bit. "Can see who's around and all." Maarie laughs softly, "I could try my best." Karthur grins at Maarie. Kethran nods to Ch'ran. "Or we could find someplace secluded to chat," he murmurs. Ursa glances around. "Any one else? Kenai? You busy?" Ch'ran shrugs slightly. "I'm past caring at the moment," he says, with a sort of sigh. "Somewhere." Kenai turns from Keth and Ch'ran to look over at Ursa. "Guess not. What's going on?" Ursa gestures towards Karthur with her head. "A lil competition here. Firestone tossing..." Karthur nods and grins. Kenai quirks an eyebrow. "Firestone tossing? Yikes." Kethran finally realizes what Ursa's talking about, and steps in front of Ch'ran defensively. "It's not exactly fair to challenge a guy when he's not at his best," he points out. Ch'ran is completely oblivious to the other conversation in the cavern, which is most likely a good thing, especially granted how short a fuse he's running at the moment. "C'mon, Keth," he says, slightly laconically. Ursa chuckles. "Any one else?" She puts her dishes away, then turns to Kethran. "Huh?" she asks. Starratiel walks here from the Inner Cavern. Starratiel has arrived. Starratiel says "Hello." Kethran pauses, and then realizes that what he though was being said /wasn't/ being said. He smiles apologetically, and heads out of the Cavern after Ch'ran. Kenai looks at Keth in confusion. "Not Ch'ran." Ch'ran blinks slightly, being confused, but that's normal. He heads out the tunnel. Ch'ran walks down the short tunnel and out into the bowl. Ch'ran has left. Kethran walks down the short tunnel and out into the bowl. Kethran has left. Kenai waves to Starr. Karthur watches the pair go, and shakes his head. "Wow." Ursa starts to walk towards the bowl entrance, then turns around suddenly, returning to her seat and snatching up her jacket. "Can't forget this," she drawls with a grin. As she pulls it on, she watches Kethran leave, and asks Maarie, "Did he say that just to throw me off?" Starratiel says "What just happened?" Karthur hops off of the table, and moves to follow Ursa. Maarie has disconnected. Kenai snrugs and stands. "Sorry Ursa, I think I'm going to go... trin glows or something." She mutters to herself and wanders toward the inner caverns. Starratiel blinks, sits down, and looks confused... Kenai walks towards the inner cavern. Kenai has left. Ursa nods, looking slightly put out. "Oh, well, enjoy it, then," she says. Karthur shakes his head, then snaps his fingers. "Starr?" Starratiel says "Yes?" Karthur smiles. "Could you judge a little competition for us?" Starratiel says "When would this be?" Karthur looks at Ursa. 'Now?" Ursa smirks. "That's the plan." Starratiel has disconnected. Maldor walks in from the bowl. Maldor has arrived. Ursa chuckles. "well, come on, then. Stop dragging your feet," she teases, starting again to move towards the bowl exit. Karthur grins, falling into step behind Ursa. Maldor glances about the cavern as he enters and inquires of anyone in general, "Is there a Steward or Headwoman about?" Ursa pauses as her path to the door takes her near the new arrival. "Uhm, Steward just left, I'm afraid." then, belatedly, "Uhm, Welcome to Benden?" Maldor ahhs and nods sadly. "Thankyou, rider." he intones to Ursa. "I'm Maldor, Second of the Voyager Traders. I was wondering if there was someone about to which I could speak about my setting up camp at your Weyr." Karthur pauses, bouncing lightly on his feet behind Ursa. Ursa glances around, frowning. "Oh yeah, there's Starr, too. STARR!" Her frown deepens. "Where'd she go to? I thought she..." she sighs. Karthur looks up, rubbing his chin. Maldor reaches up and scratches his chin, he hmms. Then he moves to a corner table and takes a seat, "Well, I'll just wait and see if anyone turns up. Thankyou." K'nan glances up from his corner table with an irritable expression as Ursa yells for Starr, "Not so loud, Ursa...Jays...she has her own duties t'do, y'know..." Ursa turns to K'nan, and, without stopping to think, snaps back. "Yes, she does, and taking care of visitors and traders is certainly one of them." Karthur grimaces, and reaches over to touch Ursa's shoulder. Maldor raises a brow as he glances between riders. K'nan narrows his eyes slightly as he looks at Ursa, "Aye, it -is- one of her duties. But she took off -before- he came in, so maybe she's busy with something -more- important now. In any case, s'no reason to -yell-." Maldor says "'Tis no problem, I assure you both. I'll wait." K'nan snaps at the trader, "You stay out of this." He turns back to glaring at Ursa. R'val walks in from the bowl. R'val has arrived. Maldor blinks and sinks back into his seat, hrming. Karthur whispers to Ursa. R'val wanders back in the cavern, waving cheerfully as he retakes his seat. Karthur whispers "Let's just go..." Ursa snaps at Karthur, "I'll be there in a minute." Turning back to K'nan, she says cooly, "Aye, well, had I known she had left on business so important, I wouldn't have called her, would I? I had no idea you'd imposed volume restrictions on the cavern, greenrider." Maldor nods quietly to the entering bluerider, frowning to himself as he watches the display. R'val raises an eyebrow towards Ursa and K'nan. Karthur looks over at the trader, puzzled, and shrugs, shaking his head. K'nan raises an eyebrow, responding just as cooly, "I didn't - common courtesy generally states that y'should use a /reasonable/ level to yer voice in public, though." Karthur rubs his head and sighs, as if involved in a labor of patience. J'cob wakes back up to sneak over to Ursa to snug her. Ursa nods, dangerously amiably, "Oh yes, and tell me what else you know about common courtesy?" She whirls on J'cob, snapping, "Now -that- is neither common nor uncommon courtesy." Maldor blinks and mutters something to himself. K'nan turns his attention to J'cob and snarls, "I'd have t'agree with her there, J'cob - that's /totally/ uncalled for." J'cob affects his most innocent smile, "I obviously mistook you for someone else. My mistake." Ursa glares at J'cob. Some how Ursa's patience seems to have completely snapped. "Aye, you mistook me for some one who cares." Pushing stray strands of hair outta her face, she grumbles, "And I'd rather eat tunnelsnake turds than have my brown chase another shardling glowing green." She seems to find that a marvelous moment to storm outta there. You walk down the short tunnel and out into the bowl. Karthur comes out of the short tunnel from the living cavern. Karthur has arrived. Karthur walks out, picking his way carefully to Ursa. 'You okay?" Ursa strides on over to her beloved lifemate, wrapping her arms around his neck as far as they can go and burying her face in his hide. Jerethan walks here from the south. Jerethan has arrived. Ellia walks here from the south. Ellia has arrived. Jerethan waves cheerfully to everyone. "Heya! Someone said somethin' 'bout a contest?" Karthur stops several feet behind Ursa, and speaks quietly. "Maybe another time." Ursa sighs heavily before pulling her face out of brown hide, looking up and starting. "Okay?..." She blinks when Jereth arrives, sighing, "Oh shards, yeah, the contest." Ellia trails in a bit behind Jereth, eyeing the gathered people a bit warily. Karthur shrugs lightly, taking a couple steps nearer Ursa. "If you need to be left be, I, uhm, understand." Ursa turns, leaning against her dragon's side. The brown regards his Rider with... to the relief of observers... calmly whirling eyes. Her eyes flash from person to person rather like a cornered wherry before she composes herself. "Jereth... how nice to see you..." she manages, and gives Karthur a tight lipped shake of the head... "You don't have to go." Selchin comes out of the hatching cavern. Selchin has arrived. Ellia seems to fold even more into herself than she usually does when presented with new people, and manages to more or less successfully hide behind Jereth, peering around him at the others and trying to figure out what is going on. Jerethan catches the tension, of course, but is powerless to do anything about it. "It's good to be here, Ursa. How've you been?" he asks her, failing to make any o his normal teasing comments about why she hasn't visited him. Karthur bites his lip. "Well, you looked like you could use a hug." Veyath spreads her wings slightly then folds them back, shifting uncomfortably at the presence of so many active people nearby. Ursa's eyes still shift back and forth as she tries to collect her thoughts. "Uhm, lemme take a rain check on that hug," she says, just a little defensively. If she were a bird, her feathers would still be ruffled. "Uhm, I've been fine, Jereth, oh, just fine." Jerethan eyes the glowing green, and makes a mental note to avoid K'nan. He smiles at Ursa. "Ursa, I'd like you to meet Ellia, full 'prentice Harper -- and hopefully someday my life-long companion. This is Selchin," he adds, indicating the third member of the group. Selchin bows politely to Ursa. Karthur nods, looking around and walking backwards at a slow pace. Selchin nods at the others, and smiles. Ellia blushes a lovely shade of rose, and bobs her head slightly, as hiding behind Jereth doesn't really seem to work all that well. Not if he's going to do silly things like that at least. Ursa manages a polite nod. "Well met, again, Ellia, well met, Selchin." Eyes still darting suspiciously around. "Uhm, this is Karthur, uhm, here." Karthur freezes at mention of his name. Ellia nods slightly, again, and sort of blinks at R'val's rapid sweep through the area. "Well met," she manages after a long moment, her normally soft voice even more muted. Ursa stands up straight suddenly, saying with a cheerfullness as warm as the north wind. "Welcome to Benden, all of you. You're just in time to witness a lil competion here." Jerethan * bleah. Jerethan inclines his head. "Well met." Then, to his companions, he says, "Meet Ursa, rider of brown Spineth, here at Benden." He turns back to smile at Ursa and catches sight of her new knot, and blinks. "And wingsecond of... Skyfire, was it, Ursa?" He peers at her patch from the intervening distance, and nods. "Yeah. Skyfire." Ursa nods, the perfect picture of composure, really, "Indeed, Skyfire. Best wingsecond they've ever had," she drawls. Raj lands close to Ursa. On Spineth's talon, actually. He chirps at her encouragingly. Jerethan laughs, and shakes his head. "From anyone else, that'd sound like nothing more than boasting. But from you, Ursa, I believe it. So what's the nature of this so-called contest?" he asks, his eyes sparkling. Ellia rocks back a little on her heels, curling her arms around her stomach. Well, one arm, the other one brushes a wisp of hair back out of her face. Ursa opens her mouth to speak, but gets distracted by a lil chirp at her side. She pauses to stare at the lil thing, then turns back to folks to explain. "Well, Karthur here and I are going to throw some firestone around. See just who can throw it farther." Her smile turns opportunistic. "Would you two harpers care to judge for us?" Selchin moves to stand slightly behind Ellia, in order to see a bit better. Karthur scratches his chin quietly. Jerethan chuckles. "Sounds easy enough," he admits. "The judging, not the throwing!" he amends hastily, lest he get drafted into the competition as a participant rather than as a disinterested and lazy observer. "Who all's competing?" Ursa smiles. "It's just Karthur and I at the moment, unless any one else wants to participate?" She really does seem to be gaining back some semblance of composure. Ellia closes her eyes slightly, and then nods. If she's going to get drafted into this as a judge anyway, she might as well actually do it willingly, right? Jerethan chuckles. "All right. We oughtta technically make sure they're the same weight. Best way to do that is to have each of you lift each sack before throwing, and you can take your pick. That sound about right?" Jerethan adds, "And we'll alternate who goes first." Karthur nods. "Uhm, okay." Ursa strides over to the sacks of firestone purposefully. "Sound perfect," she says carelessly. "Now let's throw some stone." Her eyes have a dangerous *glint* to them. Ursa turns, leaning against the sacks. "Alternate? How many tosses?" This question is directed more at Karthur than anyone. Jerethan grins. "I think Karthur should go first, since he's the non-rider," he suggests. Karthur shrugs. "Uhm, two? Three?" Jerethan pauses. "I think three would make it clear. What do you think?" Karthur shrugs again. Ursa smiles, a dangerous smile to folks who might know her well. "That sounds good. Three throws, Karthur goes first." Karthur nods, "Sounds fine..." Ursa drags a couple sacks off of the stack always kept under an enclosure here, picking one up to heft it thoughtfully. Ellia nods slightly, taking note of the terms, and takes a step to the side. She's doing something, so she can focus on doing something and stop being timid. Really. If she repeats that to herself often enough she just might believe it. Karthur picks up the other one, looking surprised at it. Ursa drops the sack to trade with Karthur, commenting, "they're evenly stacked, don't you think?" Karthur nods. "They look fine. Ready?" Ursa nods, eyes still possessing that wild glint. "Aye, ready." Jerethan watches with interest, then steps forward to draw a line in the dirt of the bowl floor. "Need to be behind that line when the sack leaves your hand," he advises. And I'm ready when you are. Karthur nods, stepping to the line and hefting the sack in one hand. Karthur plays the sack a bit, and gives it a good spin over his head before sending it aloft at a high angle, perhaps a full dragonspan. He furrows his brows slightly, as if frustrated at the result. Ursa eyes the throw, grinning like a maniac. She hefts her sack confidently, and taking aim, sends hers in a neat arch right towards Karthur's sack. In fact, it hits his sack with a loud "thud" sending both sacks spinning in opposite directions. Karthur steps back from the line, and looks over at Ursa and Jerethan. Karthur blinks. "Wow." A slow sort of smile speads across Ellia's face, and she nods, slightly, all signs of her timidity gone for the moment. It's a rather notable change, actually. Ursa blinks as well, looking rather surprised by the results. Karthur points. "You even aimed it right. Wow." Jerethan chuckles. "I'd have to call that a tie," he says amiably. "Re-throw 'em?" he suggests. Selchin thinks Ursa would be good with a fishing rod in her hands. Veyath shifts her muzzle slightly to watch the sacks flying through the air, almost looking a bit interested. Ursa smirks. "I was aiming for -beyond- your sack," she says. To Jereth, she comments, "Only if necessary. My throw, isn't it?" Jerethan nods to Ursa. "I believe it is." Ursa moves back to the pile, selecting another two and hefting them both, checking weight. One is discarded, but the next bag passes. Ursa waits until Karthur has approved the sacks as well. Hefting a sack thoughtfully, she stands at the line, shifting from foot to foot. Sudden, quick motion, and the sack is thrown again in a neat, shallow arc, landing about two sacks' length beyond the scuff marks in the dirt where the first two sacks collided. Selchin slipsquietly off to the guest weyr. Selchin moves down a short passage and past a curtain, moving out of sight as she enters the Guest Weyr. Selchin has left. Karthur picks up the other sack, hefitng it a couple of tims before stepping up to the line. Karthur tries to imitate her throw, sending the sack in a wobbly, uneven arc, It fals short of his origional throw, and skids to a stop almost as far as her second. He sighs and steps back from the line, looking embarassed. Jerethan smiles. "That one's yours, Ursa," he says, and watches a pair of drudges clearing off the sacks. Karthur, your throw again." Ursa, once again, looks rather surprised. "Hey, that's nothing to sneeze at," she comments. "You need to remind folks you're doing this without having any sort of practise." Karthur picks up a pair of sacks, dropping one after only a moment or two. He look sover at Ursa, and mumbles something almost intelligible, looking at his feet. Karthur steps over to the line, and bites his lips, getting a look of concentration. Ursa steps back to watch the throw, still grinning like a maniac. Indeed, looking like she's having the time of her life. Ellia folds both arms across her stomach, observing thoughtfully. She bites idly on her lower lip, watching. Karthur sucks in a breath, and shucks his cloak, pausing to crack his back. He picks up the sakc, and begins to spin it over his head. It gains speed, and he begins to bob slightly at the knee. the bag of stone beginning to whistle slightly.. Jerethan's eyes widen, and he prepares to duck in case the fabric of the sack proves not to be strong enough. Ursa watches this spinning trick with a bemused expression on her face, curious to see how this technique works. Karthur turns witht eh last rotation, and lets the sack go with a tremendous grunt of effort. It traces a high, sloping arc, landing far beyond any of the throws yet achieved. Ellia smiles slightly. "Hard to do dragonback," she says, her voice almost impossibly soft. Jerethan chuckles. "Useful in competition, but not much good in 'Fall. And not much... what Ursa said," he grins. Jerethan * what /Ellia/ said, rather. Ursa watches the sack, her eyes, her whole head, even, following the arc. When it lands, she laughs out loud, a sharp sound, and she says one word. "Well!" Still chuckling to herself, she bends her knees to pick up her sack. Bad typist. No biscuit? No biscuit. Karthur steps back, rubbing his chin. "Guess not. But I've never ridden.." Ursa stands at the line, knees flexed, rocking back and forth. Finally she bends her knees, and with an unladylike sound, sends the sack hurling. The sack traces another neat arc, actually managing to make it past the first throw's length, but not coming close enough to Karthur's hurled sack. Jerethan smiles. "Looks like Karthur won that round -- assuming you want to allow that unorthodox throw," he murmurs. Karthur exhales, puffing out his cheeks. He blinks at Jerethan. Ursa stands there looking at the two sacks, and repeats herself. "Well." Laughing, she turns to the harper. "We said nothing about -how- to throw. I certainly can't fault him for having.. ah... creative techniques." Karthur bites his lips to keep from grinning, but fails. Ellia smiles slightly, and speaks, her voice coming clear for the first time this entire scene. "Well, the competition could be called a tie - or we could pace out the differences in those throws - or you could go to a fourth to break the tie." Jerethan nods and grins. "Kinda my opinion. Okay. Ursa, your turn." Jerethan * eeeps and did /not/ say 'Okay.' Jerethan nods and grins. "Kinda my opinion. All right. Ursa, your turn." Ursa takes a deep breath, and then addresses her voice towards every one, "Well, best out of three has us evenly matched. Shall we end that way, or do another round?" She smirks as Ellia says nearly the same thing. Karthur looks at Ursa. "Uhm, I thought it was just three, right?" Jerethan nods. "But you decided to re-do the first one, 'cause it was a tie?" Karthur shakes his head. "No, we left it, didn't we?" Ursa shrugs ambivalently. "I'm quite happy to stop here. Or we could proceed..." She smiles, taking another deep breath, savouring the cool spring air. Veyath silently stretches out a taloned emerald paw and slams it to the bowl floor over the farthest-thrown sack. She closes her talons around it and slowly draws it back to herself. Karthur blinks. "Uhm, stopping is fine." Ellia takes a sudden hop back, the veneer of confidence going, quite neatly, pouf. Ursa turns suddenly to watch Veyath. "Uhm, looks like that's the end of the games..." she says quietly. Veyath very slowly curls up around the sack of firestone, taking her attention from the humans altogether. Ursa bursts out in another, sudden, loud laugh. "But shells, what a disappointment for those who wagered." She doesn't look too worried about this fact. Karthur grins a little. Ursa jumps up, trotting over to the scattered sacks, and starting to return them to their pile, commenting, "Well, this sure has helped break up the 'stone a little," Jerethan grins quietly. "I guess it'll have to be a tie," he agrees, then watches the disappointed faces mixed in among the looks of relief. "Thanks for letting us come, Ursa!" Karthur looks at Ellia, givers her a smile, then looks back over at Ursa and grins. Ursa is in constant motion, never stopping. Sacks piled, she doesn't stop moving, until she finally almost forces herself to stop the frenetic energy. She smiles, "Thanks for judging, Jereth. Glad you were here." she smothers a yawn unsuccessfully, her mouth opening incredibly wide. Karthur purses his lips slightly at Ursa. "Well, uhm, you look tired." Ellia bobs her head again, full timidity again in force, to the brownrider. She eyes the green again, sort of warily, and takes another step away just to be certain of being a bit more out of her range. Jerethan chuckles quietly. "My pleasure, Ursa. Any excuse to visit Benden!" He regards Karthur's look at Ursa approasingly for a moment, his eyes twinkling. "YOu both did great, though, as far as I could see." Ursa takes that yawn as her cue, nodding to Karthur. "I really should see if I can get some sleep out of the night. I still have a drill to run before noon." Nodding to both the harpers, she repeats her thanks, with an added, "I wish you much happiness with Jereth," to Ellia. Turning to Karthur, she grins impishly. "'Twas a good competition." And finally, "Good night." Karthur nods, eyes on Ursa. "Yeah, uhm, rest well." Ellia looks completely bereft of speech, in addition to being shy, and just nods to Ursa, in response to her comment. Something Something seems to not quite get said. Ursa wanders off dragonwards, thumping her mate soundly on the muzzle, laughing to herself. Climbing up the straps seems to be more effort than usual, though. Spineth(#8674Oaepq$) --> Karthur tilts his head, watching quietly. Ursa waves from adragonback, hoping no one notices when she drops her arm suddenly, massaging her upper arms briefly before hanging on. You spring into the air and catch the thermals rising from the bowl floor to carry you aloft.