Treasures of the Sea [Tan]

[Mikki]

Ah the South, what could we say about the South? Well first off it wasn't cold enough to freeze the family jewels off a man. Then there was that bit about there being no snow. The weather was usually always nice and most folk in the hotter climate didn't have to worry about dying from a winter induced famine. Yeah, the South was looking pretty darn good in terms of geological placement when it concerned the survival of the Human species.

But there were other bounties to be had than just from the weather. Foods were plentiful, be it in the form of fruits or meats. Wild herdbeasts left behind from the first crossing had flourished in the untamed landscape. Many folk had gathered up these wild herds for their own stock. And if cooked just right the meat was rather tasty.

However the thing in question that one woman was looking for was not six legged or on land. Instead what she quested for lived on the bottom of the ocean floor and secured itself to rocks most of the time. Oyster flesh wasn't her only quarry though. Instead she was more interested in the pearls that grew in the mantle of some. Depending on coloration and size, they were worth quite a few marks. Northerners especially valued them, more so the black ones.

Luckily for her there was a reef not far from the shore. She had accidentally discovered it while swimming one day. Having swam out farther than usual, she'd dived down only to find the tropical fish infested ecosystem. The oysters were also another accidental discovery, this time by her Gold firelizard. She'd dived in and pried one off a rock, ripping it open with her talons to slurp up the still wiggling meat.

And Milune was no fool. Where there was one oyster, there were bound to be more. More oysters meant more chances at acquiring those Pearls, and Pearls meant marks in her pocket or gifts for back home. All of this she kept relatively to herself. She didn't want any of the other Weyr folk or even the more privileged prisoners to find out about her potential source of income.

So about a week later she set off for the beach, armed with a thickly bladed knife meant for scraping and a drawstring oil canvas sack. A blanket and a towel were stuffed under her arm, a tinder box in there somewhere. She wasn't a fool. No matter how warm the water was and how hot the sun was, she didn't want to take any chances getting sick.

The Healer wasn't exactly wearing much either, as contradictory as that was. Sandals were her footwear of choice, with breathable but thin white shorts hugging her hips. Her top managed to be somewhat modest, for the most part. After all, she wanted to keep her dignity. Still, it was thin and only two spaghetti straps held it up on her shoulders. Though it was at least black in color, so it wouldn't be see through when she got wet.

Predictably, Glint was with her. The gravid Queen rarely left her side these days, and the promise of free oyster flesh was a bonus. A few moments later and both were on the beach. Milune was quick to suck off her sandals and pin up her hair. Yet before scurrying off she made sure her blanket was laid out well, held fast to the sand with stones. She also secured her knife in a belt sheath that was looped around her waist, then dived into the ocean.

The water was clear, blue, and warm. It was comforting and the weightless feeling was nice. But she was all business, stroking out to that reef strongly. Initially as she dove down the eight feet to the reef the salt water stung her eyes. But after squinting and allowing them to adjust, she got used to it. The gleaming gold hide of her firelizard diving into the water with her to help her find some of the more camouflaged Oysters was a welcome distraction. And after an hour or so of repeatedly diving down, then swimming back up for air, the canvas sack was full.

Fast forward a minute or two and she was on the beach again. Glint was already there, preening herself free of the salt water. Later, Milune would have to oil her. But for now she would be alright. Yet before she did anything with the Oysters, the Healer made sure to gather up some drift wood. She dug out a pit in the sand with a shell she found and used dried sand-grass as kindling. Then under the gentle coaxing of her hands and a few gentle breaths, fire bloomed in that pit.

Once she was satisfied that it wouldn't go out the lass turned her attention to the canvas sack Glint was eying hungrily. After draping her towel around her shoulders, the would be candidate set to work. "When I give you the meat, chew," she admonished her 'lizard before even cutting open the first Oyster, not even looking at her. And predictably, the gold just grumbled and bobbed her head, sitting as patiently as she could as the knife was slid in to cut the muscles holding the shells together.

[Zen]

Perhaps this sevenday was the sevenday for bad dreams. Five times this week, Tanyrion had woken up with some form of bad dream or another, and once the dream had scared him so much that he forced himself out of bed and out of the guard barracks. That was when he found Z and his golden wher (who stood, no lie, around seven feet in height) fishing. The chat had been eventful, and he didn’t doubt that if he and Z ever ran into each other again, Z would call him Jumpy. It wasn’t his fault that he was just a little afraid that Zalmask would jump on him and crush him. But his worries had been for naught, for Tany was still alive. At least he thought he was still alive, it was hard to tell with these nightmares.

In actuality, though, this latest ‘nightmare’ was no nightmare at all but rather a ‘daymare.’ He’d fallen asleep in his bunk without a worry in the world. Luckily for him, it was his day off, so he could do whatever he wanted. Unluckily for him, nightmares didn’t just confine themselves to the nighttime sleep cycle. He awoke in the cold sweat he was beginning to associate those nightmares with and quickly shrugged Bitmap off of his chest. The firelizard, true to his nature any other time he had a nightmare, was right there, trying to get him to wake up. After giving Bit a pat on the head and telling him that, later, Tany’d give him some choice meat, Tany rolled off of his bunk and stood. He stretched.

Then Tany decided to distance himself from his bunk as much as possible. Since today was his day off, and his guard squad leader had told him that this was, in fact, a day off and not some scam that the leader was going to pull and call them back to practice midday, Tany decided to distance himself as far as he could, and that meant going to the beach. The beach was an interesting place to be, yes? Certainly more interesting than, say, the barracks, where the bed would probably haunt him. Besides, not one person wanted to play cards with him, or wanted to throw around a ball. Such hideous companymen he had!

The stroll to the beach was not a long one, especially since Tanyrion jogged there. Bitmap, his trusty nearly-black firelizard, flew behind him, chirping to himself and randomly darting off to check some imaginary thing before coming back to fly next to Tany’s head. The blue really was a one-of-a-kind thing. He wasn’t meant for this world, certainly, because Bitmap never took interest in anything other than Tany and perhaps a random shiny thing that he promptly stole and stuffed into Tany’s pants pockets or shirt pocket, if his shirt had a pocket at that time. But Bit’s constancy in his mind was a reassuring factor, something Tany supposed he must have in order to survive his life as a guard here at Warden’s Weyr.

Someone was already upon the sands of the beach when Tanyrion arrived. Judging by the person’s back, Tany assumed that this person was a woman. She had a golden firelizard next to her who, had Tany not seen the bulge in the firelizard’s stomach, might have looked Bronze at the range Tany was at. Tany slowed his jog to a walk, and san skidded away from his boots as he slowed. Bitmap took this opportunity to land on His’ shoulder before looking noncommittally at the Gold, almost as if sizing her up. But Bitmap soon forgot about the gravid creature and stared out into the surf before chirping into Tany’s ear almost wistfully. Over what, Tany had no idea, for all he could see were waves and Rukbat’s reflection… or perhaps that was just more waves.

Tany was not the type to start a conversation, but without the girl looking at him, Tany was left with little options. He could stroll up like the suave gentleman and ask what she was doing, but Tany realized that might be invading her private property and might, indeed, be a little rude. He considered standing where he was and being a stalker just because he could, but then he remembered his nightmare and a visible shiver shook his body. No, he would not be a stalker today. He had had enough of stalkers, their antics, and their disgusting ways; and he wanted to know why stalkers kept showing up in his dreams.

Instead, Tany decided to angle himself so that he was not close to the woman as he walked down to the surf. That was, after all, why he came here today. To get away from dreams and to find reality. He would not confront the girl because he had no business in confronting her. He strode, his strides long and confidant, and passed her perhaps half a dragonlength away from her. He continued to the surf and stopped when his boots touched the wet sand. He felt the wet sand suck at the leather material before he lifted them again and strode forward, just enough so that the surf just licked the tip of said boots. He could smell the salty air and for a moment, just a moment, the man closed his sky blue eyes and wondered.

[Mikki]

For the most part, Milune was too busy to pay the man much notice. She was shucking Oysters, most of the meat going down Glints gullet. The greedy gut was slurping them up like they were a rare treat. Well, they were. Even the Healer had sucked a few of them down. But as tasty as they were the girl was more pleased with what she was finding inside them. Already she had herself a small pile of pearls. Most of them were white, but there were a few pink and gold ones there. There was even a single black one about the size of her pinky nail hidden in the mix.

But even as the healer didn't notice the man, a set of firelizard eyes did. Belching once the Queen found herself full and was up for a bit of fun now. Strangers were always fun, and she was feeling in an amiable mood after a feast of shell fish. Licking her maw and paws one last time the Gold went airborne, twittering off to investigate the man. For her part, Milune just arched a brow and shook her head. She'd be back.

With the focus now on Glint one would find her next antics amusing. The usually volatile flitt just flew right over to Tanyrion and perched on his shoulder. She sat there, staring at him, then out at the ocean. Was there something tasty out there? Maybe, those shell fish were tasty. Dainty fore-paws set on his upper chest as she leaned out to take a look at the ocean. Nope, nothing interesting there. Was he confused? Did he want to go swimming?

Curious, the gold looked back to the man and let out an inquiring cheep. Was he okay in the head? She tilted her own, then looked back out at the ocean. Hmm, just what was so interesting out there?

Meanwhile her owner was sitting on her blanket looking fascinated. The 'lizard didn't taken to people that often. In fact, she'd never seen her that friendly with anybody but her. A brow shot into her hairline. Yet she didn't want to ruin the moment, so just sat there and watched. Hopefully Glint wouldn't bite him. That would be bad, very bad.

[Zen]

Well, this was interesting, now, wasn’t it? Was that a Gold who landed on his shoulder? No, it wasn’t just any Gold, it was the Gold, the one from the girl. Judging by the bulges in her stomach, just discernable but there because she was pushing her weight onto him, the Queen would likely soon be gravid. As per his otherworldly ways, though, the blue firelizard on his other shoulder showed no signs of anything wrong happening in the picture at all. He just kept looking out at the surf.

It wasn’t fear that stilled Tany’s hand, at least not fear from the Gold. She could bite, and she could probably bite hard, but he was more fearful of the woman who sat on the sands behind him. If he were to make sudden movements, would she throw one of those sharp oyster shells at him? So Tanyrion stood there, placed his hands in the pockets of his hands, and rocked back on the heels of his feet. He felt his boots sink into the sand.

After another moment of silence, Tanyrion spoke quietly, though whether it was to either of the firelizards or to himself, it was not quite known—not even to himself. “There’s a wide world out there, and those who cannot see it stand behind the high walls of fear, uncertainty, or oppression.” He said, and Bitmap actually turned to him then.

As if realizing who she was for the first time, the dark blue firelizard chirped a surprised chirp at the Gold. Then he flared his wings, but he was not warning her off nor was he proclaiming any semblance of ‘like’ and ‘ownership’ of the man whose shoulder she sat on. No, Tany knew why he flared his wings. It was a trick of light, something that he had never really gotten—in the shadow of his wings, his bright almost white blue markings shown more. He was showing her his markings, something he rarely did with any other thing, person, firelizard or not.

Tany laughed and shook his head, “Bit, sometimes there’s no hope for you. Other times I wonder where you came from. Still others I realize that you are a miracle, though from whom and for why I have no idea. If I didn’t have you, I’d be lost, I think.” He said, and it was true. “Now, Miss Gold, does your own have the same feelings for you?” Great, he was talking to someone else’s firelizard.

[Mikki]

Unknown to the man currently speaking to the firelizard, the owner was now making her way over to them. She had positioned herself in such a way that he would not be able to see her in his perepherals. It wasn't that she was trying to ambush him or anything. No, more like just being a little sneaky. The woman was curious to see, or hear, what was going on between her firelizard and him. Her intentions weren't cruel either, in fact she even had a treat for the blue. There was a half opened oyster in one hand, a treat should the blue want it.

Even as hers was making her way over, Glint just kept her position on the mans shoulder. She looked at him with one eye, just stared at him as he talked. In a way she was listening, but mostly she was feeling this one out. Hmm, he felt old inside, like what made him up wasn't supposed to be in such a young body. The Gold was slightly confused by this, but didn't retaliate in any matter due to her confusion. Instead she just chirruped and nuzzled his chin with her wedge shaped head. For her part, Milune nearly died right there and then when she saw that. Her 'lizard never nuzzled people she just met. What had gotten into her?

Well, she was pregnant and it was her first clutch. Maybe it was just hormones? In either case she was distracted, the 'lizard, by the blue. Ooh, pretty. His markings had her instantly interested and she made to move to get closer to him. She accomplished this by curling around the back of Tanyrion's neck, anchoring herself by wrapping her tail around his throat. The now smitten gold twittered to the blue, nudging her nose against one of his wing membranes in an inspecting manner.

But the man did get an answer to his question, even if it wasn't from the firelizard. "I feel very much the same about her. Glint is as much a part of me now as my legs are. I don't know what I'd do without her.", came the sudden reply, the healer no more than three feet behind the man. If he turned he would see that she had her head tilted in a curious fashion, inspecting almost, her eyes giving him the once over. For some reason she was sure she knew him, at least in passing. Maybe?

[Zen]

Tanyrion stood still when the firelizard-that-wasn’t-his moved to climb around his head to stare at Bitmap’s wings. He even stayed still when Bitmap refolded those wings, scratching his ear-tip in the process. How the shards Bit had found a way to clip him in the ear, he had no idea. In fact, he had no idea about the silly creature most times, anyway. He looked carefully at Bitmap, judging what he’d do, but the Blue, obviously no longer paying as much attention to the Gold as he was. If he could have apologized for the Blue, and if the Gold could have understood him, he would have apologized for Bit’s… otherworldly behavior. Seriously, he had no idea what was up with his Blue, and the moment he learned, he’d tell everyone, and he ensured this.

Although he had been very surprised about the sudden voice behind him, Tanyrion still did not move. Well, he did move, he rocked back on the balls of his feet as if he were contemplating what the woman had said. “And we meet,” he said to her, now looking back at the water. He had before been looking at the Blue as he resettled onto Tany’s shoulder. “I am glad that you feel so much like I do with my firelizard.”

With a sigh, Tanyrion turned and smiled at the woman, “I’m not too sure, but I’d like to know if she will eat my face off or not. I’ve never had anyone else’s firelizard land on my shoulder.” He was a little unfazed by the firelizard on his shoulder, at least now that he had sort of gotten used to it. He could feel her weight, so much more than Bit’s weight times Bit’s weight combined. Yes, that was two Bits—she was heavier than two Bits. She was a sort of strange weight, though. Tanyrion had to admit that it felt like an ‘eggy’ weight more than not.

[Mikki]

So far so good, was the womans initial thought when this stranger spoke. He didn't seem the aggressive sort. The fact that he wasn't yelling at her or threatening to dash her 'lizards brains against the sands helped that notion. Most people of Warden weren't exactly friendly, she had learned. Many had been down right nasty to her, especially when it came to her firelizard. But she seemed to have lucked out. This man seemed to be...nice, thus far.

Tentatively, she smiled at him when he turned around. "Yes. We meet," she parroted back while looking at his firelizard. He was a queer little blue. She'd never seen a 'lizard of that coloring or with such intricate markings. The blue looked almost unreal. In another time and another place she would have thought it was paint. Yet the way the sun glinted off them made it plain that they weren't. Catching herself staring, the healer quickly turned her attention back to the man. It would be rude not to pay him any attention.

His question though, made her laugh. "No. She won't bite your face off. She's very cuddly when she's pregnant, I've noticed." Shaking her head a bit, the lass smirked as her eyes danced with mirth. She knew that if Glint had wanted to eat his face she'd of done it by now. In the past she'd taken a chunk out of a canines muzzle for staring at her wrong. Milune had no doubt she'd do it again if she wanted to.

The eater of faces in question twittered and cocked her head to one side, eyeballing Tanyrions face. Was it chunk-taking-time? Nah, she was full. Besides, all that facial hair got in the way of her teeth. Instead the gold just butted her head under his chin and jumped off his shoulder, gliding over to land in her bonded's instead. Her eye ridges were appropriately scratched and she thrummed softly in response before settling down to curl around the girls neck.

"I'm Milune by the way, one of the healers. Big, bold, and shiny is Glint." Yay introduction time. At least it wasn't a strained or awkward one. She was being genuinely friendly. Speaking of which, she held up the oyster. "I don't know if he'd be interested but I've got a treat for your boy. Glint sucked them down like they were going out of style." Casually shrugging she quirked a small smile. A peace offering perhaps? Maybe, depending on how the man looked at it. But it didn't hurt to try and make friends, which she was going for. After all, it was pretty hard to make friends at a place like Warden, where most people wanted to kill you.

[Zen]

“Well met, Milune.” Tanyrion said, “I realize I was rude when I did not introduce myself first.” He said, and was able to bow now, as Glint, the golden firelizard, had fluttered over to her owner. “I am Tanyrion, a guard of the Weyr.” He looked the woman over. She was a rather pretty woman and she was shorter than him by a few inches, but he didn’t have to look down too far to meet her eyes. He smiled at her. She had nice brown eyes and her brown hair was medium-length. Tanyrion’s smile widened. She was a very agreeable woman to look at. “The blue boy on my shoulder is Bitmap. He’s quite a strange creature; I don’t think he’d like—” The man’s mouth hung open.

Bitmap had disappeared between right after leaving Tany’s shoulder and appeared from between over Milune’s shoulder. He landed on her shoulder about as lightly as any blue could, but quickly stepped onto the girl’s arm and reached out to grab the oyster in his paws. Then he skittered back up her arm to settle on her shoulder, completely ignoring Glint and even Milune herself as he slurped up the oyster meat. Then he looked at the empty oyster shell and whined low in his throat and started licking the shell.

Tanyrion, who’d stood, open-mouthed, while the blue had done what he’d done, immediately snapped back into action. “Oh, oh, I’m so sorry.” He said, scratching his head, unsure of whether he should pick the blue up off of her or just let him be. He was more worried of what the Gold would do, seeing as the Gold would maybe feel more protective of Hers. “Should I…?”

(( Sorry it’s so short~ ))