Runner Talk

Western Weyr - Center of the Bowl
This is the center of the huge oval crater of the Weyr. Standing here you can see how immense it is. The cliff sides rise up all around you, dotted with the caves of the dragon rider's weyrs. To the west you can see the arch open to the sea. North is the hatching grounds, south you see the cave entrance to the living caverns, and to the south east the entrance to the infirmary, raised a little from the weyr wall.


She was wearing working clothes as she entered the central bowl, making her way to the runner stables. There was only one thing on her mind, getting those things clean. No matter how many times someone mucked then out she felt like they were never truly clean. Well today she was going to fix that. Naris walked with her head held high and determination in her step. This was serious business.

Parallel paths run together, divergence ending as her own booted feet carry her in the same direction, although Enka's own clothing might not be easily termed working attire to be sure. Her left hand curls towards her shoulder, fingers clasped around the crownpiece of the headstall within her grasp, the reins swaying slightly with the movement of her walk. "Hey there," Enka catches sight of the girl with serious business on her mind, indeed, with such a determined step and direction, the weyrwoman's almost having to ease out of the way to avoid a traffic jam. "Headin' somewhere in a hurry?"

Naris is surprised by the voice of another woman, giving a little jump upon hearing her. Her eyes narrow a she turns around to face her, fully prepared to chew her out for bothering someone clearing preparing to do something. However, the annoyed look on her face vanishes as soon as she sees who it is. Although she's never met her personally Naris has lived in Western Weyr her whole life and knows the weyrwoman when she sees her. She gives a small curtsy out of respect before saying in a even voice, "weyrwoman. I was just going to much out the stables, those things are never clean." She fidgets slightly as she speaks, clearly uncomfortable.

"Considerin' that runners just stand around and eat and poop all day, I'd hardly be surprised if the stables are ever clean. You've got quite the task ahead of you," Enka gives Naris a wry smile, "muckin' can be a hard job, but it's a good way to work up a sweat." She chuckles a little, swishing the headstall forward with a flick of her elbow, the reins bumping against her thigh. "At least, I can make it a little easier for you, and have at least one runner out of her stall so she won't go messin' it up again soon as you've cleaned it." There's a bit of a teasing wink from the goldrider, the woman clearly at her own ease, even if the younger girl might not be.

Naris gives a small shrug, her eyes looking everywhere but at the Weyrwoman. Her voice is cool and collected as she says, "well, there's nothing wrong with a little work. And sweat is good, it will build muscles and make me stronger." When the goldrider says that she can make it easier for her by removing a runner a small grin crosses her face and she actually looks at her. "Really?" she asked. "That would be…" her voice trailed off as something occured to her. A frown found it's way onto her face as she murmured, "no, no. It's good if it's harder, more of a challenge. Proves that I can get it done."

Enka is smiling in that rather benevolent way that an older person would bestow upon the younger generation, amusement perhaps, or just tolerance. And if the taller teen hadn't been avoiding looking at her, well, that's the expression she'd be seeing. "Aint ever nothin' wrong with a little work," Enka agrees with another soft chuckle. "Sometimes in my case, it turns out bein' more than just a little, " there's a pause, and she shrugs, the bridle's bit jouncing with the movement of her shoulder. "Sweat is good, I plan to work up a good healthy sweat myself." Naris's comment makes the goldrider's lips twitch, definite amusement now. "Well, easier or harder, I was headin' to the stables to take The White Lady for a ride. So I'm not just doin' it to help you out."

Naris fails to notice the look on Enka's face until she finally glances at her to see her lips twitch in amusement. Momentary surprise crosses her face before she manages to cover it back up. When she says that she's going to go for a ride so the stall will be empty either way a small frown crosses her face but she doesn't argue, she knows her place. Instead she shrugs and comments, "oh well, I guess easier it shall be then." There was a pause before she asked, "what's it like, riding a runner?" There is something in her voice, something that hints on her not knowing if it's okay to end the converstation and starting a new one out of desperation.

"Easier indeed," there's nothing dry about the reply that Western's senior gives the teenager, "although I'm sure there'll be many an opportunity to try for harder in the future, especially if I aint takin' my mare out for a good gallop on the beach." The pause allows the weyrwoman to size the younger girl up, tilting her chin somewhat to regard the black-haired girl with some interest. "Well, it depends if you're ridin' Bubblies or the Lady," she replies. "One's a fat pony that my kids have all learned to ride on, and then there's the race mare that the Weyrleader got for me." Before he was the Weyrleader, mind. "The pony's rather slow, but steady, and the mare is rarin' to go all the time." It's a simple enough answer, really. "In any case, I probably spend more time ridin' the runners than I do Mir."

She nods when Enka says that she will have chances to try for harder in the future, a momentarily grin actually crossing her face. There is interest on her face as she listens to her talk about the runners, eagerly soaking up every word. It appears that her demenor concerning the conversation has changed for the time being. Her voice is light, almost talking to herself as she comments, "interesting. The pony seems more like something you would go for a relaxing ride on, a lazy day. The mare on the other hand sounds like you could get places rather fast, useful. But then again riding a fast runner could probably be dangerous." There is a pause before Naris asks, "Mir? That's your dragon, right? Miraneith if I am correct?"

Enka's posture is entirely casual, one of relaxed ease as the woman nods with some enthusiasm to Naris's words. "He's a gem, that Bubblies is," praise lavished upon the pony that's kept her offspring from meeting untimely ends a-runnerback. "Just perfect for slow relaxin' beach rides or for beginners who don't exactly know what they're doin'. He's been worth all the marks I paid for him." The turn of topic to The White Lady still has Enka waxing eloquent upon the virtues of that worthy. "She is fast!" the goldrider agrees, "won some pretty big important races before she was retired to be a broodmare. Still hasn't slowed her down any. And it can be dangerous if you can't sit 'em right. She'll light out from under you like that," she doesn't exactly snap her fingers, but the idea is sound enough. "Ayup, Mir. Sleepin' the sleep of the just right now. Been that way ever since she was hatched. Sleepin' durin' the day, roamin' around the Bowl at night."

Naris is getting sucked deeper and deeper into the conversation, her earlier nervousness fading away with every passing moment. By now she is even making eye contact. At the mention of races her grin widens momentarily. When the weyrwoman finished speaking she replied, "I've seen a couple races in my day, not many but a couple. It's always fun to see them run about, exciting to see which one will win. Never actually rode a runner though, couldn't bring myself to get on their back. Something about seeing them run that fast makes me nervous. No, when I've traveled I mainly used dragons." There is a pause before Naris give a little chuckle and says, "creature of the night, eh? Can't say I've ever heard of a dragon acting like that, most of the dragon's I've seen are mostly out during the day."

"I love watchin' the races," Enka agrees with a broad smile. "It's fun to watch them run. The White Lady's first colt is racin' these days in her place and doin' pretty decently on the Keroon circuit. Livin' up to his dam's image anyway." She pauses, chuckling again. "Well, there's runners that run fast and there's runners thatyou could probably walk faster than they can run. Just have to find one of those and give it a go." The shift of the conversation to the senior queen has her rider nodding. "She's just that way, I suppose. Enjoys the dark and the night, but she can be budged durin' the day, which is a relief for me. I'm far too fond of my sleep to cater to her whims and change my habits."

Naris listens with interest, nodding every now and then. When the weyrwoman finishes speaking she comments, "I think I'd be most comfortable riding a runner that's somewhere in between fast and slow. Well, once I get a little experience anyway. And I think I'll have to go see him in one of those races one day. What's his name?" Her speech seems to melt together without pause as she continues to say, "and it's good that she can be budged, I imagine that it would be rather chaotic if the weyrwoman was only awake at night."

Enka shifts the bridle from one shoulder to the next, grinning a bit as she does so. "Well, I'm sure there are quite a few runners in the stables that are between fast and slow. And plenty of people willin' to let you get the experience you need to go ridin'." Which the weyrwoman's about to do — riding, that is. "His name is White Lightning. And he's as fast as his namesake." How not, with champions in his parentage. "It is, it'd be terribly awkward to be on an entirely different schedule than anyone else. Now, I'd better go for a ride, have fun muckin'." There's a soft wry smile at that, and then with a jaunty wave, Enka's pushing ahead towards the stables and her waiting mare.

Naris nods and gives a small laugh when Enka tells her to have a fun time mucking before waving as she walks away. She then straightens up and continues heading for the stables, a small grin on her face in place of the former serious expression.


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