Main Beach
This long stretch of white sandy beach is one of the main gatheringspots at Ista Hold. A large uprooted tree, felled in the big storm, makes for a
great bench, for people or firelizards alike. To the east, the crystal blue waters of the Hold cove roll up in gentle waves onto the beach, hissing softly as they ebb and flow. To the south, Ista Hold juts out of the cliff. Just west of here, a low bluff leads up to the grassy field that serves as the Hold's main gather grounds. Beaches stretch away to the north and south. It is an autumn afternoon.
Curled up in the sand are Gaea, Nicodemus, Vertei, Beats, Anarchy, Deception, Champagne, Squeaks, Chibiryus, and Forest Mist.
Brown Tyrodinth is here.
You see Mesha, OOC rules!, Mistopholase , Mystic, Istan Wagon, and wherry meat here.
Helyne and Azalea are here.
Obvious exits:
Shallows Steep Trail Gather Meadow Courtyard Sea Hall

Yiddae slides off her dragon, shooing the dark brown away before Tyrodinth goes anyway to sunbake. Quick wave to the girls already there before she heads for the Hold proper.

Helyne
Shiny, honey coloured ringlets get tossed nimbly from her face to be placed behind one ear, as soft brown eyes return your gaze. A slightly big nose is fixed 'tween almond shaped, intelligent looking eyes that seem to have an elvish tilt to them. Warm peach lips bloom into a smile as a smooth contralto voice calls out a greeting to you. A smooth and creamy complexion is drawn over high, usually flushed cheekbones, and down around her strong jawline. Her hands and mind are quick and nimble, while the rest of her body proves to you that she's no slouch as it is well defined with strong muscles. You can tell that she's blooming into adulthood as her height, 5'7, her gracefulness, her voice, and her chest can tell you.
Thrown carelessly onto her body is some clothing that would be acceptable to be seen in public in. A shining emerald green bikini covers her ample bosom, while an airy white s-sleeved shirt protects her shoulders from the sun. A royal blue sarong covers the bottom half of the bikini, and seems to accent her long and gracefully legs. A small picture of a firelizard is painted expertly onto her taunt stomach. Curled protectively around Helyne's neck is Harmony.
Proudly worn on her shoulder is a...faded and run out knot of a Harper. What used to be white is now a murky aqua, and the other bright blue chord is now a run out teal. She's a Senior Apprentice...really she is.
Helyne is 18 Turns, 1 month, and 19 days old.

Yiddae tags softly off the beach towards the courtyard.

Jillian walks in from the courtyard.

Helyne meanders onto the beach a bit groggily, her tongue licking over her seemingly dry lips as an idle hand smooths out her mass of golden curls. Turning around at the sound of another person entering the beach, she smiles as she spots Azalea, "G'afternoon Azalea! How goes it?" she calls out with a wave directed towards her. Her head turns to see a dragon land onto the beach, a pleasant smile and nod given towards the rider as she watches.

Azalea meanders barefoot down the sand, fire lizards swooping and diving over her head to drive her to the water. Brief nod accompanies a smile to the 'rider, a wider one for her friend Helyne. "Good afternoon, Helyne," she returns, shifting her direction to that of the Harper, leaving her fair to play in the water. "I'm doing quite well. And you?"

Tyrodinth wallows in the sand, scubbing his head along the sun-scorched surface before lifting it again to blink at two girls. A soft rumble of interest should be more felt than heard.

Jillian hobbles languorously along the bleached sand, chin propped in one hand, which is supported at the elbow by it's neighbor, the pair crisscrossed lazily over Jil's chest. The steward makes it apparent she's nursing broodiness behind her gaze, doing so with a dissolving scowl.

Helyne bounces as she too lets her small fair of fire-lizards swoop towards the welcoming waters. "I'm doing exceedingly well today. I was 'bout to go fer a swim, wanna join me?" her last statement is apparent with the towel carelessly slung over her shoulders and her bikini that she's adorning. Blinking, she turns her head to gaze at the dragon lounging in the water, a quirk of a smile tinting her lips upwards.

Tyrodinth rumbles again, backing up so more than his tail gets wet. Wings are half unfolded for a moment before a fair of firelizards pop out of *between*. They fall on him in delight, scrubbing with clawfulls of sand and scolding any other near until they join in.

Helyne releases Harmony, who launches into the air.

Azalea looks out to the gentle waves lapping softly at the sand, which look rather inviting right now. "A swim would be nice," she says with a nod, watching her own fair dive eagerly to join the others with little prompting.

Jillian's nervous glance drifts from Helyne to Azalea; singular fingers rake slowly through her already-disshevelled brown locks, setting them into an even mussier glob of oiliness. But then, one could scarcely expect to get a chance to bathe when you're kidnapped. Either way, the girl doesn't look terribly pleased about it.

Harmony chirples as he too wings in towards the brown dragon to help give him a good scrub down. His eyes whirl happily as he continues to scrub and babble in chirps and twitters.

Azalea releases Seiko, who launches into the air.

Tyrodinth backs up enough to finally submerge most of his bulky body. Dragons are big things after all. But his gaze stays on the humans, watching them while a small, half grown queen marshalls fire lizards to scrub away itches. Including those who don't look to his rider.

Helyne just gives a simple nod before tearing towards the water, her unsandled feet churning up the steadily darkening sand as she nears the water. A rather giddy laugh bursts from her as she hits an on coming wave, the water rushing up the front of her to cause water splashing all around her. Turning back around to face she shore, she waves before falling backwards, disapearing underneath the turquoise waters.

Seiko swoops over to the dragon at the queen's command, eager to help. (especially when such a lovely lady as herself is ordering it) He grabs a handful of sand and finds an empty spot on the dragon's hide, where he begins scrubbing vigorously to show off for the gold, chirping loudly in his excitement.

Jillian continues her uneasy inspection of the beach, pausing every now and then to peer at some article in her way. A patch of semi-dampened sand finally meets her high standards, and she kneels to remove her boots. After some minor wrestling with the suede, two feet are easily immersed in the pull of the waves, and Jil indulges herself in hiding behind that excuse. Even feet that normally go untouched by the sun need cleaning.

Tyrodinth snorts softly, rolling over much like a large muddy dog for firelizards to scrub his belly. Lazy almost as he enjoys it. And dragon sized waves are caused by this large object in the water, washing over anyone who comes near.

Azalea slips out of her tunic and leggings to reveal her own bikini, waving to the stranger standing by herself on the sand as she follows Helyne down to the water, diving head-first into the first wave heading for her. Moments later she bobs up again in the midst of another, glancing at her fair one last time to assure herself they're behaving.

Harmony chirples amicably towards the brown that belongs to her humanpet's friend, diving down to the sands below to pick up some more sand before swooping up to commence scrubbage.

Helyne sputters as she rises in the midst of an oncoming wave caused by the brown Tyrodinth, a slight cough coming from her before she rubs her eyes from water. Treading water, she peers towards the dragon and laughs as he turns belly up quickly turning towards Azalea as she splashes into the water. An utterly sly look washes over her face as a finger slips out of the water to motion Jillian closer as she starts to swim towards her Harper friend.

Relieved of boots; but clothing is, as of yet, a barrier. To swimming, anyway. Jillian's hands tentatively strip off tunic, trews, to reveal - /gasp!/ - another bathing costume. The no-frills, no-opulence navy suit fits her to a pinch, though the stark white skin beneath's a little embarrasing. This girlie stays out of the water's path, however, rewarding Helyne's beckon with a look of discomfort.

Tyrodinth wriggles, causing more wavelets and watching again. And whuffling softly in apology as one little green scolds him. Well, he did almost drown her.

Azalea smiles at Helyne, catching on. She turns back to the beach, smiling and waving to Jillian in hopes she might coax the girl in. A bemused glance is sent over to the dragon/fire-lizard crowd, giggling a little at the antics as the fair tries to clean their larger cousin in all those waves.

Jillian does, finally, sidle close enough to the waves to completely drench herself, albeit her positioning's decidedly /right/ between the Harpers and the dragon, so to maintain a healthy distance from both groups. Not a wary distance; merely a polite one.

Seiko returns the blue's chirple, but dives down ahead of him in an attempt to snatch choice sand before the other can. But instead of reaching his destination he becomes swamped by a wave, shriek cut off in a sputter as he swallows water. He bobs up to the surface again quickly, chittering at the brown angrily. That green isn't the only one getting more of a bath then they bargained for!

Helyne watches Jillian for a moment before shrugging, still bobbing up and down in the small waves. That impish expression now taken up again, she starts to swim closer towards Azalea, an evil expression on her face as she cocks her arms in front of her. With a swift push of the water ahead of her, a wave of clear water rushes towards the Harper, followed closely by taunting laughs.

Tyrodinth makes a soft rumble-whuffle that sounds suspiciously like contriteness. Not laughter, not from him as he heaves himself to his feet and fans his wings again, water running off then a glistening in the hot sun.

Azalea's shriek isn't that different from her bronze's as she gets doused herself. "Hey!" she shouts when she stops sputtering, sending her own wave at the girl. "You have to /warn/ me first," she scolds before sending another, stronger wave and ducking underwater, Jill now forgotten.

Jillian waddles to one side of the dragon and his immense wingspan, tripping over her own feet in the process and making a grand effort not to submerse herself in the water. The stumbling leads her toward Zelda and away from the splashing Harpers: "Hm? High Reaches? That-a-way," she jabs a thumb Northwards; /Loong/ way that-a-way,

Helyne laughs again, catching the wave that came rushing at her in her mouth. Coughing and sputteing comenses before she giggles, "Warn you? What fun is that?" she asks rhetorically before looking down around her. A foolish smile broadens across her face as her jasperine eyes watch the water, waiting for the time when Azalea has to come back up.

Tyrodinth folds his wings most carefully, not causing more waves right now. At least, not more than he can help. Jillian is looked at for a moment but only a moment before his huge eyes turn on Helyne and Azalea's antics.

Azalea bobs up again on the other side of Helyne, perhaps splashing more than needed. "Gotcha!" she says with a giggle as she grabs at a handy ankle in the water.

Harmony chitters in laughter as Seiki plumets to the water, his attention turned towards the fire-lizard long enough not to notice the great brownwing heading his way. With his own squack of surprise, he finds that the water he had been looking down upon is nearing--and rather quickly. With a light splash, he's under the water only to pop back up and start to cough.

Jillian shuffles back to dry - or somewhat so - sand and collapses, eyes lidding themselves promptly; /sigh/. Now resting peacefully, the only movement made is when a spiderclaw decides it admires Jil's legs and goes for a taste. Then she screams. Loud.

Seiko bobs up and down on the water, chittering his amusement at Harmony's distress. But at the shriek from Jillian he leaps into the air with a start, ducking ::between::

Even more sputtering is heard as Helyne lightly curses at the salt water dribbling off of her chin. "I shoulda sucked on some yellow fruit before I came in." she mumbles as she slicks her now straightened hair, caused by the heavy water, with one pruning hand. Whipping around to face the shore, she opens her eyes wide as she looks at Jillian. Not being able to see the spiderclaw from shore, she frowns, wondering what had got into the woman. Maybe what she had heard about people in 'Reaches going crazy is true...

Seiko suddenly disappears ::between::!

Azalea stops trying to grab Helyne's ankle at Jill's scream. She stops and stares, blinking at the girl, and her own thoughts are rather like her friend's. /What/ on Pern is the matter with that Steward?

Tyrodinth makes up his mind on -something- it seems, wading lumpishly through the water to swing one four-feet long brown head down. Peering at the spluttering object. Or perhaps testing the air. Jillian's scream, that's irrelevant to him.

Jillian isn't crazy. But she's screaming; who wouldn't, with a spiderclaw scrambling up their ankle and sinking his claws into their flesh? "Get--that--/off/ of me--"

Helyne blinks, simply stunned as she watches Jillian giving a little cough as more water seems to be trapped in her lungs. Fluttering her eyelids, she looks to the side to see the big brown dragon looking at her, giving a tentative smile as she does so. "Uuuuh, Aza? Do you know what's going on here?" she asks lightly, her auburn eyes darting from flailing Steward to brown dragon.

Fire lizards that were swirling around above Tyrodinth show an interest however, one brightly coloured blue fluttering over to reach for the hapless spiderclaw. Lovely snack for a firelizard. The dragon doesn't
move because of Jillian but he does start to croon softly before backing up again. But his gaze doesn't leave Helyne.

Yiddae walks in from the courtyard.

Azalea continues to stare at the girl, but eyes now travel down the leg and see something on there. "I have no idea, but I think that thing on her leg" she points "might have something to do with her screaming?" she suggests,
oblivious to the dragon's interest in her friend for now as she watches the writhing - and far more interesting - Jill.

Jillian swoons clean away. Eee-yah.

Yiddae slips back onto the sand, evidently finished her errand and talking aloud to herself. Or rather, to her lifemate though she ceases before she is within hearing distance. Tyrodinth lifts his head above the water and lets out a soft bugle and Yida answers him. "Shush, love. I understand." Sky blue eyes turn their gaze on Jillian and the blue making darts at the spiderclaw. "Shards." she mutters, slipping over.

Helyne nods before starting to giggle, a burble that quickly erupts into a full blown laugh. Her cheeks rush up to make her eyes squint as she lightly treads water, watching to scene on the beach with loads of mirth. Not even noticing the dragon's backing away, she turns to look at her friend beside her.

And once again it is proven that laughter is infectious as Aza joins in Helyne's giggling, watching the blue darting towards the 'claw. Hope he gets there soon, doesn't look like Jill can take much more of this...in her concentration on staying above the surface while laughing, she doesn't notice either rider nor girl as they come down.


Yiddae sees to the removal of the offending spiderclaw and shoos away the skeering blue before turning to eye the other girls. "That one?" she queries, looking at the brown in the water but pointing to Azalea. Tyrodinth rumbles his disagreement.

Laughter is always infectious, but Helyne starts to slow down as her reasoning tell her that the woman just /might/ be hurt. With a slight grimace, she starts towards the beach and towards the Steward and the 'rider, starting to wish that her sudden burst of laughter hadn't seemed harsh. Jogging up the rest of the way once her feet could touch ground, she goes over to assist Yiddae. "Is she hurt?" she asks lightly before realizing she came a tad to late.

Yiddae shakes her head as the Steward picks herself up and fends off help. "She doesn't seem to be... What's your name?" Non sequiter? A little. Yida shifts her weight casually, beckoning Tyrodinth out of the water and shooing away the firelizards that swarm them.

"M'name's Helyne, Harper Senior Apprentice at yer service." she says with a flourishing bow towards the rider after seeing that Jillian was alright. Standing back up, she grins as her impishly gleaming eyes watch Yiddae, and idle hand reaching up to smooth back her slowly drying hair as she does so.

Yiddae chuckles softly, glancing at her lifemate again. "Sure?" she queries, but not of Helyne. At Tyrodinth's soft whuffle of confirmation she looks back. "Well, Helyne, Senior Apprentice Harper. Are you willing to have your life turned upside down and given a good shake by agreeing to stand at Ista Weyr as a candidate?" Sky blue eyes sparkle warmly and the rider waits for the answer.

Helyne lets her jaw go slack as her jasperine eyes peer at the rider carefully, "M...Me? Why me? I've got the craft, and my project that I'm working on." she finally snaps out of her hiatus, motioning towards the general area of the hold and pointing to Azalea. Her head sweep back down to look at brown Tyrodinth, before her eyes dart to look at the 'rider. "You sure?" she asks a bit hesistantly.

Yiddae manages not to laugh... reminded of her reaction several turns back. "/He's/ sure." Yida corrects firmly. "And more to the point, he's really being quite insistant." Azalea is cast a glance, slightly sympathetic but that's the way it goes.

Azalea walks back down the beach to rejoin her friend. Seeing the look on her face, she stops, looking from 'rider to girl to dragon, and turning quite pale. "Helyne?" she manages to stammer, barely above a whisper. "Wha - what's going on?"


"The Weyr is stealing her." is Yida's intepretation of what's going on and she sidles round Helyne to check the straps fastened neatly to the dark brown neck. Inquiring glance is thrown back. "Ever been on a dragon before?"

"But this is just...irrelevant! It's not /supposed/ to happen this way! Azaa, tell her how hard I work." Helyne prods Azalea in the side, not even waiting for her to answer before launching off again. "But what'll my parents say? Or even the masters?! Oh...I don't know." she stumbles a bit in her nervousness, her hands suddenly becoming cold with her excitement. Deep down, she really wants to do this..."Uuuhh...yeah." she says, swallowing deeply as she watches Yiddae.

Azalea claps a hand over her mouth to stifle the gasp. "Y-you mean she's being Searched?" the girl's voice goes rather high on the last word, proving long hours at voice lessons may not always be beneficial. Turning to Helyne she practically squeals, "But you have to go, Helyne dear! Come on! Think how many people want to be Searched and don't get to...out of millions of people, they want you!" She pauses, incredulous that her friend wouldn't want to go.

Yiddae slaps the stocky dragon neck at some comment from her lifemate before looking back to Helyne. "Tyrodinth thinks you would make a good dragonrider. Don't ask me if it's a good idea. I still don't know. But he wants you to Stand and it isn't for me to tell him no." Quirky smile and she keeps on talking. "The Masters won't object, and your parents probably won't either. You're old enough now to be beyond their censure. And you'll work even harder." Impish.

Helyne's wide eyes flounder for a minute, closing back down so the whites of her eyes are no longer visible as she listens to her friend beside her. With a nod, she turns her head to gaze at Yiddae, the quirk of a smile even showing itself there. Work. She's always been good at that..."Okay. Yeah. Just lemme get a tunic on." she mumbles as she unslings her bag. Searching for her tunic, her eyes suddenly light up with the excitement she feels, standing back up and clambering into her tunic with her smile a broad as she can flash it.

Yiddae waits, fingers checking straps carefully before she catches them to climb up the muddy brown shoulder. "Need a hand hopping up?" she queries scooting forward so there is room behind her. (OOC: mount tyro)

Tyrodinth [Main Beach]

Helyne looks towards Azalea confidently before opening her arms to give her a brief hug. Not saying a thing as she lets go of her friend from her grasp, the Harper shakes her head at Yiddae, shouldering her bag before scrambling up the brown's foreleg.

Helyne scrabble's up Tyrodinth's neck with the assistance of the tough straps to settle amid thickset neckridges.

Yiddae passes back the straps, buckling them herself rather than letting Helyne do it. "I'll tell Tyrodinth to go up. And when I lift my hand, it'll be a signel we're about to go *between* - and I promise we won't lose you there." Another irrereverant smile and a wink. "Sound ok?"

Harmony chirples and flutters in confusion around his humanpet's head before deciding to swoop back towards Aza and land on her shoulder.

Azalea hugs Helyne tiight, watching her go. "Bye, and have fun!" she says, smiling as she waves to her friend. Unbidden, a tear springs into her eye, but she blinks it back, waving, not wanting her to see her upset. She steps
back out of the way to allow the brown room to take off, she continues waving, other hand reaching up to scratch the blue, for the comforting of both her and the fire lizard.

Helyne nods as she lifts her arms up to get straped in properly, watching Yiddae's hands carefully before nodding. "I've been ::between:: before. I understand. Okay." she says clearly before swallowing. Her eyes roam around
the beach before settling on Azalea's, her calloused hand rising to give her a wave. It's not good-bye...

Yiddae nods and looks away from her passenger.

You jump into the sea breeze and unfurl your wings to fly!

Above Ista Hold

Yiddae lifts her hand, a heartbeat before dragon and riders vanish.

Tyrodinth flashes into ::between::, leaving only empy air where his muddy
form used to be.

:::BETWEEN!:::

Sky High Over Southeastern Bowl

You circle downward.

Sky Over Southeastern Bowl

As Tyrodinth glides lazily down the spirals, caught in the occasional updraft, Yida glances back at Helyne. "S'ok?"

Helyne flashes another big grin, nodding her head a bit dumbly as her hands move rapidly up and down her arms, trying to recapture the warmth that was stolen ::between::.

You spiral down for a landing in the bowl.

Southeastern Bowl

Yiddae winces at Tyrodinth lands somewhat lumpily. Ungraceful on the ground. "You hop down first and I'll be taking you straight to the Candidate Barracks." She instructs, unbuckling straps and nudging her dragon to put his foreleg in the most helpful spot.

Hoth's nostrils begin twitching the slightest bit at he sits there, his muzzle turning from the golden sparkle towards the cliffside.

Helyne doesn't mind the landing at all...her thoughts are to wild and rushing about her head to even bother. "Okay." she says, that seeming to be the word for tonight before she slides down the offered forearm.

Helyne swings over a broad neck and climbs lightly down from Tyrodinth with the help of straps and a foreleg.

Yiddae swings over a broad neck and climb lightly down from Tyrodinth with the help of straps and a foreleg.

Ignoring the /queeeeen/? Lissie twerples with all her tiny imperiousness at the dragon who could just as easily inhale her. Several more chirps and she comes to rest on top of his head, craning her slender neck downwards so her little face is directly in front of one whirling eye.

Yiddae lands lightly on her feet and holds out a hand to Helyne. "This way." she says with another one of her smiles.

Yiddae tags softly to the Living Caverns.

Hoth watches the harper dismount nearby and he's instantly interested in her now, instead. Yes, well, he's a little distracted today. He gets slowly and ponderously to his feet, golden speck and all, and begins truding towards Tyrodinth and the little group there.

Helyne walks with a skip and a smile to the Living Caverns.

Jeshala thinks about the prank, face alight momentarily 'fore she remembers something. "Oh, I would, but trundlebugs're ICKY. 'Sides," and her face falls, "I can't play pranks anymore. I did somethin' bad and got caught and now I have to act like a /lady/." Ah, puberty. What wondrous times (?!).

Yiddae enters, Helyne behind her as she heads for the inner caverns, managing a quick wave to Tati as she passes.

Lilian laughs. "Ahh but the sun can hurt your skin too, I've gotten a sunburn every time I come down here it seems." Then eyes go to Jesh, not hearing about this incident. "What did you do Jesh?"

Helyne walks with a skip and a smile in from the Living Cavern.

You go to the Candidate's Barracks.

Helyne walks with a skip and a smile in from the South Caverns.

Charysli shakes her head, scowling. "I wasn't trying to pursuade you. I was trying to do you a kindness, but you obviously don't understand the meaning of such a word." Arms crossed as she glares at the food in front of her, she seethes.

Yiddae waves at the other Candidates as she guide Helyne towards the handiest cot. "Now then, here's where you stay. The others can no doubt tell you all about it."

Latenna just blinks. Worried looks go to the other two, and she drags herself into a sitting position. That is, legs dangling, hands supporting her from behind. "Guys." Snort. Odd creatures. A curious glance is flicked at Charysli. "Are you gonna do it?"

Helyne set as a Candidate (Searched).

Yiddae sends a drudge running for a cot. After a few minutes the drudge returns dragging a big heavy cot for Helyne.

Helyne searched.

[IstaCan] Helyne has joined this channel.

[IstaWeyr] Helyne has joined this channel.