It was midnight, that time when most of Pern was safely asleep in their beds. With the slivered moon at its peak, the tunnelhold however was filled with bustle and movement. For the woman who knelt on the ground, one eye fixed to the tripod telescope she was looking through, it was an unusual feeling, to have an entire holds worth of people and whers around her as she did her work. Fortunately, given this was a hold filled with whers, there was little in the way of light to pollute the skies she studied. Still it felt so strange, to not be alone with her work.
Ilista done looking yet? That's right, She'd not truly been alone in over three turns, no matter where she went the golden queen was never far away. Ilista? The almost bronze hued gold wher flared her cream coloured wings and nosed her human "Hang on Task" The journeywoman said "Just a little bit more" Ilista ran one hand absentmindedly over the scars that ran down the gold's face, trailing the lines from their starting point at the edge of the large, slowly whirling eye, to the edge of the powerful jaw. Brushing a piece of dark brown hair out of her face, she made several notes on a piece of hide that was already covered in her tiny neat writing and clearly drawn diagrams.
Ilista should eat The queen was insistent Then clean Ilistask Ilistask's tone made it clear that she would accept nothing less than a yes from her human. "Just a little bit longer. Its a perfect night for getting a good look at some of the other planets" Ilista's voice was no less insistent "I promise I'll eat when I'm done with work." Pale brown eyes flashed for a moment to the gold who stood behind her, the wher's presence better than any blanket for warding off the chill "And then I'll give you a wash. Maybe we can get some of the starlets to join in." Neither Handler nor wher had heard of the odd little firelizard like creatures before their arrival at Atricis weyr, but both had been fascinated by the slender glowing animals from the moment they had first met one. Ilista hoped a clutch was found or lain soon, she'd love to get a hold of one for their own. Maybe she should try and get a firelizard as well.... Certainly a Firelizard would be better able to carry messages to the hall and back, and their better flight capabilities allowed for a very different range of training than that given to a Starlizard.
The human shook her head, clearing from her mind the thoughts of pets and companions other than Ilistask and turned back to the telescope, jotting down yet more observations on the night skies. Ilista? "What now Task?" There's person trying to get your attention "Huh?" Blinking the woman looked about, completely missing the young woman who stood to one side the first time she looked about.
Tall and lean with long black hair and grey eyes. A small blue firelizard was perched on one shoulder, its hide almost purple in colouration. The girl was young, maybe twenty turns at most. There was a covered tray in the other woman's arms. What really caught Ilista's eye though was the wher that stood next to the girl, his nose resting against her side. There was no mistaking what he was. If the size, only a foot shorter than Ilistask in both height and length, wasn't enough of a clue, the colours that danced over his hide in even the faint light of moon and stars marked him for what he was.
Prismatic. That rare colour which was only seen here at Isil Tunnelhold. There was only one pair that these could be, Duna and Dusk, the first ever prism and handler. A pair who had impressed over ten turns ago, and yet, had been together for only a turn or so. Duna had been one of those who had come between times from the past of this hold in order to benefit the weyr to which they were bound.
"Your Ilista right?" The beasthealer's voice startled the Starsmith out of her thoughts. Dusk greet Ilistask Dusk peered at the gold wondering about the queen who seemed just as protective of her human as he was of his. The Prism hoped he didn't do anything to get on her bad side, he still remembered being on Deirsk's bad side, before they had mated. It had not been fun. Ilistask well? He inquired, his tone hopeful for an answer. "The cooks said you'd not eaten. Asked me to bring you some food" Duna gave the gold handler a hopeful smile "Hope you don't mind, I brought out enough for myself as well. Got jumped before I could eat my own midnight meal".
Am well. Dusk good? Ilistask found the play of colour along the males hide to be fascinating. It was so different to her own metallic shine. Ilista gave Duna a return smile, the girl had guts, coming out here and trying to feed her, and smarts, since she had waited until she was done with her notes. "Come and sit" Ilista patted the blanket that she'd lain out to protect her knees from the ground "We can eat and you can tell me what it was like when this place was being set up"
Dusk well. The prism's eyes whirled happy colours at having the attention of the pretty gold. Duna moved to take a seat where Ilista had indicated. the Prismatic Handler went to unpack the food and was pleasantly surprised when Ilista helped her. Seemed the newest gold handler wasn't all that bad, though Deirdre had been nice as well. The pair ate in silence, Ilista concentrating on getting food into her as her body chsoe to remind her of just how long it had been since she'd last eaten, while Duna was just happy that she wasn't going to have to relate the story of how she impressed Dusk right away. As much as she loved her partner, she was getting sick of being constantly bugged for stories about the early days of Isil. Of course it was even worse when she got asked how the hold got its name, since that brought up memories of Isilia and Isilisk, who had been something like friends before they were caught in the rockfall that killed them.
Moriakesk's walk? Moriakesk go with. Moriakesk spoke as she watched Moriaker get dressed and prepare to go outside. It was about midnight and he needed to stretch so did Moriakesk, so for the moment Moriaker smiled and looked at the wher with a grin. Yes love, walk. Yes you come with always. Moriaker said as he looked at he dark green wher curled up in the corner.
Friends? Find, make? Moriakesk asked this time an excited tone to her voice, Moriaker loved her dearly at least she was always kind to everyone. Perseus who had adapted to the life of nights looked up from his perch and chirped happily at the two of them, he was content and let them know. "All right you two let's go." He spoke to them as he walked out of their room, Moriakesk at his right side and Perseus on his right shoulder. Why the two chose the right side baffled the man but he permitted it.
Dusk and Ilistask! Play? Moriakesk asked looking at Moriaker he smiled and nodded, the dark green wher bounded towards them then spoke to them softly. Moriakesk greet Dusk and Ilistask. Moriakesk spoke carefully to the other whers, then almost as an after thought. Ilistask and Dusk well? Moriakesk was unsure how else to proceed but she would try.
"Hello Ilista and Duna. How are you this night?" Moriaker asked as he looked at the gold handler and prismatic handler, he hoped that he remembered their names but then again he was guessing a bit. He was unsure how else to address them.
