Candidates Go Camping!

Western Weyr - Lagoon Shore
A sandy beach running along the edge of the lagoon, between the sparkling waters and the bowl. Sometimes riders and dragons are seen playing in the water nearby or a dolphin can be seen cavorting. At other times seacraft can be seen coming in under the arch to dock. The lagoon is large enough to fill a quarter of the length of the bowl. A path winds out along a ledge out to the docks to the southwest, the lagoon to the west and the bowl to the east.


It's a busy hustle and bustle down at the lagoon shoreline. It seems as if an entire wing has been assembled to escort the candidates to … their doom? Or failing that, at least some chance for adventure. Riders are loading their beasts with necessary supplies, and various candidates are bustling around assisting, although Alexavier is off to one side, pouting. That's menial work! The call has gone out for the candidates to assemble on the shoreline, and a greenrider is counting off names on a clipboard. "Zwi, check, Teniqua, check. Is Meshcha here?" And here comes the Weyrwoman, taking a break from the sands as she too herds along a few candidates. "Everyone ready to go?"

Kershaw turns as Enka speaks, "Yes Ma'am I'm ready to go." His duffle is beside his feet packed with all the necessities for a successful camping trip.

Like as not, due to the minimal information available to the candidates… A good number of them are not prepared while others are over-prepared. Keelyra may fall into the latter category. She has a pack shouldered that is stuffed full. And by the looks of it, it's not like she brought a whole wardrobe — like one holder girl tried to — with her, but supplies. There's basic cooking supplies, various spices (likely she's split the supplies with Idris so neither of them carries it all), a decent knife for hunting, skinning, butchering… multi-purpose, those knives are! She's even got a new-ish coat on that looks to be seasoned against the rain. The teen is fussing with the laces on her boot and glances up at Enka. Straightening, she offers a salute to the Weyrwoman and a lopsided grin. "Yes'm!"

Kiley is among those assembled, a bag packed full of all the essentials. Laptop not included in this list, however. She is helping the riders with the supplies up until the call for them to assemble in which she falls into line along with the others. She stands at attention with arms folded behind her back while her eyes move to find Enka. "Yes. I'm ready." A smile is given and then consideration of the other candidates before facing forward once more.

There's little that Velrich brought with him to Western that wasn't meant for many nights under the open sky. Thankfully, it doesn't appear as though he's repacked everything. Essentials, it seems, are all he's stowed away. A bedroll and duffel are what he brings along with him, an unstrung bow strapped to the duffel as well. With everything present that he's bringing, at least, he helps with the loading of his and other items as well, pausing once the Weyrwoman starts checking off people. "I'm here, ma'am. Everything's ready that can be, I think."

Keelyra was missing one thing and someone from the caverns runs up to hold it out to her: "Here ya go, Keely. Took a while to find it!" Likely a fellow worker in the storage caverns. It's a bow! And there's even a cloth wrapped around a quiver with arrows. The teen looks positively gleeful… and even more ready!

"Good, good," Enka nods, noting the candidates beginning to fall into line, a look of satisfaction on the goldrider's face. "You won't need that," one of the candidates is chided for trying to lug a cot down to the lagoon shoreline. "You were told to bring your sleeping gear, /not/ what you sleep on." Enka chuckles dryly, shooing him into the line, but passing the cot back to one of the caverns workers. Keelyra is given a stern glance from the goldrider. "I'm hopin' you know how to use that, and that none of those arrows find their way into your fellow candidates." Let the teen be warned! "Now then, you've heard rumors about this trip, I'm sure. And you'll be goin' on an adventure. It'll be far enough away from the Weyr that you can't come swimmin' home, but we're not heartless souls who'll dump you off on an island and let you fight your way to survival." she grins reassuringly at that. "As you might have guessed, there'll be riders on hand for supervision, so if you have a problem, don't hesitate to bug them for their help. Any further questions?"

Kershaw hasn't packed a bow or a canon or any such weapon just some clothes, sleeping bag, a few special snacks along with a flint. He looks around at his fellow candidates then laughs as he spots one lugging the cot, he is somewhat relieved to hear that there will be help handy if needed and that candidates are not allowed to shoot fellow candidates no matter how annoying they might get. "None from me ma'am…" Kershaw is actually looking forward to this trip and the time spent away from the incessant chores.

Kiley peeks over at the candidate trying to lug a cot along, brows lifting before there is a soft bit of laughter from the computer crafter. Attention is then drawn towards Keelyra as Enka speaks to her about the bow, brows lifting a little higher before settling and attention returns forward. She nods along to the weyrwoman's words, taking it all in. The askance of questions is given a shake of her head. "No. It is all understandable." On her part, at least. Hands idly find their way into her pockets and she waits.

A break from chores? Anyone who thought otherwise might be in for a surprise, especially since there wouldn't be a lot of caverns workers around to do the mundane work. Survival, kids, it's not just a club med. "Accidents happen," Enka replies at that look from Keelyra. "I'm countin' on you to make sure that there won't be any accidents involvin' that bow." And she'll leave it at that, nodding to the assembled candidates. "All right then, pick a dragon to ride with, they'll ferry you there." With that, the goldrider steps back to allow candidates and other necessary people concerned with this venture time to select their rides and get aboard.

Velrich makes his way over, shaking his head. "I'd ask /where/ we're going, but I don't know the layout around here very well anyway." There's a faint smile for that, and a glance at Keelyra's bow with a nod, though he quickly glances again at Enka. "Kilarden and I were going to show her how to use it. ..And not not point anything at people." Nobody wants to come back to the Weyr with an arrow in their butt. He does consider what the Weyrwoman says though, lips pressing into a thin line before he speaks up once again. "You said an adventure. Does that mean there's an objective other than us just…being outside?"

Island luxury! Maybe it has a secret resort, shielded for centuries by… yeah, right. But the candidates can dream. Keelyra looks a bit abashed at Enka's warning and shuffles her way over to Velrich, clutching the bow and arrow close. Her bedroll is lashed to her pack. At the very least, the girl has done her homework on what to travel with when camping. She's fairly nonplussed at the warnings, about to speak up when Velrich does for her. She beams briefly, gesturing towards him with a thumb. "See? I been wantin' t'learn an' they offered. It's th'perfect chance!" She begins to head towards one of the blues waiting to take them over, but slows to hear the reply to Velrich's inquiry.

Kershaw just picks one of the dragons at random, then moves over to it ready to head out. He waits for the answer to Velrich's question before climbing onto the dragon.

Enka quirks a brow at Velrich's question, arms crossed over her chest as she regards the candidate. "Oh aye, there's a couple of things you'll learn on the trip, not just about bein' outside, but learnin' how to be self-sufficent. Although some of you already are. Of lettin' go of what's around you. And," she pauses dramatically, "gettin' you out of our hair for a while before the headwoman goes crazy and chases you all around with her broom." Ok, maybe the goldrider's teasing on that score. "Also, there's somethin' about this particular island, somethin' different. Be up to you to find out what." she does chuckle at both Keely and Velrich's remarks about the bow and arrows. "All right, perfect chance then. Just be careful with it." Kiley gets a smile as well, and then Enka waves at Kershaw. "Mount up then, folks. And you'll be off and away."

Kershaw moves over to Dylanth and mounts with the help of his Rider. Once settled he buckles the straps as instructed and settles down to wait their departure for the unknown island and their new 'adventure'.

Kiley's attention is drawn by Enka's answer to Velrich, mouth opening to question but then quickly closing. There's a soft laugh for the talk of the headwoman and her broom, shaking her head slightly in amusement. The smile is returned to Enka before she's heading off to one of the riders so to begin the adventure once she's mounted up and buckled in.

Is that confusion that flashes over Velrich's expression? Oh it most definitely is, and he sends it looking straight over at Keelyra. Mysteries and lessons! He shakes his head though after a moment or two, giving a quiet laugh before he checks..one more time to make sure everything is secure on his pack. "I guess we'll have to find out the hard way.." Though there's a faint grin to that which might suggest he certainly doesn't mind things being a bit..difficult. The dragons are eyed though, before he does finally move forward, finding one to climb up and settle on.

Keelyra didn't seem to attribute much to her selection of which dragon to ride with beyond liking the color. For as her things are strapped into place, she's complimenting the dragon on the hue. Once everything is put where it belongs, she's helped astride and does a decent job of getting herself buckled in. It helps to be rider-spawn sometimes. She squirms a bit; excited to find out what all this 'adventuring' is about, ohyeah.

Enka's lips twitch in amusement, the goldrider watching as each candidate has taken their place atop a dragon, her gaze flickering over the various dragons and their riders assembled before she steps back a little, and signals for one of the riders to take off. "You'll find out in a lot of ways," Enka remarks, grinning cheerfully up at Velrich. "All right, take care, and try not to come back too chewed up or sunburned." With that, the wing will lift off, spiraling upwards over the Weyr arch before they wink between to their destination.

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