[PRP] Down By the Water (Rhiyn and Ticene)

[The_Muffin_Puppy]

The smells were different here. Coming from a large hold and an above average sized family, Ticene was used to noise and lack of privacy. That aspect of weyrlinghood wasn't difficult for her. Sleeping through the noise, washing with others, eating in a communal area. All these tasks she had taken to with very little issue. It was the smell that had her displaced. The Weyr didn't smell bad, just not right. Coming from Tillek, Tic was used to the smell of salt on the air. Everything back home either smelled of saltwater, wood, or fish. The smell of fish, she was fine without that one. It was manageable, but there were nicer things to smell out there.

It was late, well past dinner now. A lot of candidates were in the barracks for their free time. Ticene was sat on her bunk, looking at a piece of wood in her hands. It was a scrap she had brought from home, an off-cut from her father's work. Her whittling knife twirled in her other hand. No matter how hard she looked, she couldn't see what the wood should be carved into. The piece wasn't large, a decent handful, but not massive. It wasn't like she could just start hacking away and see what came about from it. There was still some time before lights out, maybe she'd head out for a walk and see what she could come up with. Pocketing her whittling knife and wood block, Ticene picked up her coat and wandered out of the barracks.

Thankfully for her coat as the night air leeched the warmth from her face, the candidate looked around the weyrbowl. It was a quiet night. The wind was calm, the sky clear. Still being on a mountain was a fair bit colder than she was used to. Holding her coat close, Ticene began walking around the perimeter of the bowl, her hand idly tracing the block in her pocket. It wasn't long before her feet led her to the lake. There wasn't much reason for her to be here. From what she heard, the lake was mainly used for watering beasts and washing dragons. Looking across the water, she could make out the beast pens on the other side. The shadows from the walls of the Weyr made the water a black pit. Still, Ticene found comfort in that seemingly bottomless abyss. If she closed her eyes, it didn't smell right, but she let the sound of the water gently lapping against the shore wash over her. That, at least, was something familiar. Finding a boulder to rest her back against, Ticene sat alongside the water, her knife and block in her lap. Resting her head against the boulder, she just listened, an idea would come. Sooner or later.  

[Thaliawen]

There was a girl sitting alone at the lake. Rhiyn had quickly spotted her, more than he usually noticed the other candidates. She was new, wasn't she? And she was alone, A girl shouldn't be alone, not so late.

Maybe she was homesick? Rhiyn was Weyrbred, but he'd seen homesick candidates come. He frowned in concern and wandered up to her. "Do you mind if I keep you company?" He asked. There! No nosy questions, nothing said that might upset her--"My name's Rhiyn, I'm a candidate too."  

[The_Muffin_Puppy]

Since she was listening, Ticene heard the other candidate's footsteps as he approached. Opening one eye to check whoever it was actually was approaching her, and not just walking by. The lad looked to be about her age. A few inches shorter than she was, not that it really showed since she was sitting. He looked like a candidate. Really Ticene hadn't been here long enough to know all the faces.

His question had her lifting her head off the rock and smiling. "Of course not, free shore," she said pleasantly. It wasn't like she had come out here specifically to be alone. Ticene enjoyed company in most scenarios, so this candidate would be welcome here. "Hi Rhiyn, I'm Ticene."  

[Thaliawen]

Rhiyn sat, once she assured him that he wouldn't be a bother. "You found a good spot," he said, and smiled at her. "It's lonely this time of day, though." The shore was practically empty, other than the two of them.

"What were you doing?" He asked, curiously. She didn't seem like she'd been crying.  

[The_Muffin_Puppy]

Something about that statement made Ticene let out a short and quiet laugh. "Hard to imagine anyone ever feeling lonely here," she said, gazing out over the dark water. There were so many people. Especially as a candidate. Ticene had never had a room to herself, but there was a difference between sharing one with her siblings and sharing one with complete strangers. It made things feel much more crowded.

At the question, Ticene glanced back at Rhiyn, then down into her lap. She lifted the block and held it out in front of her, turning it slightly. "Trying to decide what to carve this into. Usually it's pretty easy to pick something, but this one has me stumped." Tapping a finger against the block she continued to examine it, as though it would eventually just state what it should be carved into.

"What about you?" she asked, lowering the block and turning to examine the other candidate. "What brings you out here at this lonely time of day?"  

[Thaliawen]

"It depends on the day," Rhiyn, said, and nodded. Sometimes, the Weyr seemed too crowded.

"Does it tell you what it should be?" Rhiyn asked. "Since you're here, maybe a dolphin? Ot a dragon? I don't know much about woodcarving." He shrugged and gave her a smile.

It faded somewhat at the question. "Sometimes it's hard to get away from the crowds here," he said. "It's nice at the water, then one of the weyrharpers won't try to sing at me." He gave Tic another smile.  

[The_Muffin_Puppy]

"Most of the time. Usually if I get a piece I can tell what it would be good as." It was just a matter of how the wood felt really. "You can get a good idea of what you can carve based on the grain, the dimensions, that kinda stuff." Maybe with everything going on she just wasn't in the right state of mind for it. Still, her parents had always said that she should push through these kind of things. If you didn't try to get out of your rut, you'd just stay in it. Worst case scenario she'd just chunk it up into tiny wherries. That was always an easy enough way to make use of odd chunks. Not exactly inspired though.

"Oh man, you have no idea how many dolphins I've carved." Ticene laughed at the thought. They were pretty simple in shape, nice smooth lines. Plus living on the coast, of course she had her siblings had been fascinated by them. Her brother had even sworn that he'd seen them when he was out on the sea. "I guess I could try a dragon." She could probably manage a bust for one at least. They didn't seem that different from runners in terms of how their heads were structured. She'd carved a few of those before. Examining the wood block, now with more of an idea of what she was looking for, Ticene let out a thoughtful hum. "Yeah, that should work," she said more to herself than to Rhiyn. Flipping her knife in her hand, Ticene took the point and used it to trace a rough shape into the side of the wood.

"The weyrharpers try and serenade you a lot?" Ticene asked with a sly grin as she continued to mark out her guiding lines on the wood.  

[Thaliawen]

"Nah, just one. His name's L'mul, and he'll probably serenade you, too. You're new here, so..." he shrugged. "He's not a bad guy, really. Two of his kids Impressed last clutch and you would've thought he was the one who Impressed!" He shook his head and grinned.

He watched her work, quietly and interestedly. "You're really talented," he complimented. "Do you think you could teach me?" He asked. "One of our free days?" He didn't figure he could ever become as good as she was, not in a million rest days. But it'd be a good way to get to know her, and they'd have something to do...

"We could go see the dolphins sometime, too."  

[The_Muffin_Puppy]

Thaliawen

"Heh, I'll have to keep an eye out for him." She'd meant it as a joke, but still it was interesting to know about the Weyr's inhabitants. Impressing the same clutch as your sibling must be a rare thing. Given how many candidates to eggs there were. Then again, maybe it wasn't. They father was a rider, maybe the kids of riders had a better chance than the other candidates. It made sense if she really thought about it. Being raised in the Weyr, familiar with dragons. They were just more experienced and prepared for it.

They continued in companionable silence for a while, Ticene slicing along her block to create a rough shape. Rhiyn's compliment had a small laugh escaping her. "It's harder than it looks." Her hands paused when the candidate asked if she could teach him. Honestly, she couldn't remember ever actively learning how to do it. Still Tic knew that just because something was instinctive to her didn't mean everyone else would necessarily know how to do it. "Sure. It's pretty simple, just about taking off the pieces t' get it the right shape. More about practice that anything else." With that she went back to carving, her back once more resting against the boulder.

"Mighty long trip to see dolphins." The Weyr wasn't exactly coastal. There were closer coasts than the one's she was familiar with, but they were still a long way from here.