Just a spoonful of porridge {Bre}

[Lan]

E'an had woken up early, per usual, and together with Kaslimeph had made her way down to the feeding pens first. Already daring to pass her height, Kaslimeph was still growing at a tremendous rate and as such seemed to still have an insatiable appetite. Therefore, as opposed to hearing his groans and feeling his hunger all throughout her breakfast, she had taken to feeding him first in the morning and then going and getting her own meal while he lounged outside the kitchen caverns. After the past few months, the routine had become an easy one and the smell of chunks of meat and nutmash became a familiar smell that served to wake her up from the rest of her groggy state. Actuallly, the smell even made her hungrier for her morning meal.

E'an-love... you have gotten shorter. The blue commented, staring at her with dark grey eyes as they approached the kitchens. It was odd to him, seeing almost eye-to-eye instead of looking up at her. He tilted his head, somewhat expecting an answer from her. With a snort of a laugh, the young woman smiled at the corner of her mouth and patted him on the shoulder.

'You've gotten taller, Kas. I'm not any shorter, really.' She gave another brisk laugh and then they continued on in silence again.

E'an had taken her time with breakfast this morning. Some warm porridge, barely seasoned, fought against the cold winter air and she was grateful to savor it as it delightfully heated her throat and her stomach. She was almost finished, however, when Kaslimeph's presence invaded her mind. His voice was getting deeper as he grew older, although much of it stayed the same as well. The brunette couldn't quite put a finger on it. Maturing maybe? Yeah, that was it. Well, it sort of made sense, considering Kaslimeph was quickly growing into an adult.

Any sign from Canph? She asked, knowing how the red simourv and his rider liked to spontaneously dump lessons on the Winglets. No... there are just chores. Garden-work... E'an could feel the blue sighing through his thoughts and felt obliged to mirror the action. Growing up in the city of Chydyn with a blacksmith, ex-guard father and a tanner mother, she had never had any real experience with farming and found it rather dull. While she was in fine physical shape, it was in shape for fighting, not breaking her back tilling the earth and planting seeds. Still, it was her job in the Eyrie for the moment, and she tried to perform it to the best of her ability... but not without some occasional grumbling under her breath. Character-building it may be, but she didn't like it

Her eyes scanned idly what caverns she could peer into, wondering at the emptiness this morning. She wasn't up that early. With a shrug, she went back to focusing on spooning now lukewarm porridge into her mouth. It's not like she could complain about a bit of silence.

[Bre]

Spoonman, come together with your hands . . .

M'rion hit stride about two hundred yards away from the main entrance of the kitchens. The early morning air blew against her face, refreshing and cold. She felt alive and Romaph was singing in her head, the jaunty tune full of senseless sounds. Having finally learned that she could never really run in the kitchens properly, the green was enjoying some sunbathing on a large, flat rock by the animal pens after having been fed. It was a little lonely not to have Romaph at her side, but M'rion still regaled in the feeling of ground flying away beneath her feet. There was really no need for her to be running. Walking to the kitchens would have taken little more time and she had no place to be. Lessons wouldn't be called until way later that day. The morning was for chores and work, things she saw no need to start early. She ran just because she could run.

Reaching the kitchens, M'rion skittered to a stop, slowing over the course of six or seven paces. They were still putting out porridge in big pots in the hearths and preparing everything, a delightful sight of industry to her. Sticking her hands in her pockets to get rid of the chill on her skin, she ambled over to fetch herself a bowl of porridge and a bit of bread. Both were warm against her skin. Though the hot meal was already getting a bit dry, they were at least still toasty hot as she carried them away. To her, a hot meal was better than a good meal. Fancy food didn't suit her, not with people dying around the continent and whatnot. Turning away from the warm hearth, she scanned the room. Not many people were out, but there were a few brave souls. When she made her selection of who was available, Romaph immediately approved. Kaslimeph!

Dropping into the seat across from E'an, M'rion's butt hitting wood made a sound rather like gunshot, not that most people on Pohono were familiar with the sound. She did not sit with any grace or elegance, hunkering over the table like a starving wolf. "Hello there;" she greeted the bluerider, flashing her a lopsided grin. Then she started to shovel porridge into her mouth. It burned her tongue at first, but that sensation soon faded. She was hungry and not particularly polite about it, sticking spoonful after spoonful into her maw without much chewing. She only occasionally broke it up with bites of bread, the hunk that she had grasped in one hand without fail. Table manners had never been her forte, even when she had been a polite little girl. She found it easier to simply eat and get it over with, savoring a meal beyond her comprehension.

However, the emptiness in her belly quickly lessened and with Romaph chattering away in her head, M'rion did eventually return her attention to E'an. While they were both Alphas, she really didn't know any of her classmates very well, aside from perhaps G'rael. She had no particular reason to dislike any of them, so she didn't mind sitting with E'an. She simply wasn't truly friendly enough to bother getting to know anyone when it wasn't easy or convenient for her. "So, how is Kaslimeph?" She wouldn't have known the blue's name if Romaph couldn't list off all her brothers and sisters with ease. Half the time they would show up for lessons, the green would go ahead and name them all just for the heck of it. "It's a nice morning, eh?" She nodded to the rather cold, empty room and tables around them with a large grin.

. . . save me, I'm together with your plan.

[Lan]

The sound of a large whack on the seat across from her startled E'an from her food reverie. In her process of all but inhaling her food, she hadn't heard the footsteps of her fellow winglet coming closer. Her eyes getting over their initial wideness from the surprise, she proceeded to try to procure a name for this woman sitting across from her. It wasn't as if she didn't recognize her --after having lessons together for such a long time most of her classmates faces were familiar. Names were just never her strong point.

"'Ey." The bluerider offered in return, her lip curling in amusement at how vigorously her peer attacked her own porridge. Well, E'an could respect that. None of this dabbling in formalities when it was much more efficient to just guzzle the food down. It wasn't as if there was much free time in the Eyrie. Seeing as her new tablemate seemed not intent on talking any further, E'an felt free to return to her own breakfast with the same zeal. It was silent for a while, save for the soft slurping and chewing from both women at the table that echoed emptily around the caverns in the early morning hush.

"So, how is Kaslimeph?" While E'an had slowed down on eating, the question still caught her off-guard.

"Puzzled at the fact that I'm gettin' shorter." E'an replied, the memory of her conversation with her lifemate still fresh in her mind. She chuckled softly. In her mind Kaslimeph's disapproval was evident. He didn't take lightly to being teased. The bluerider knew she'd probably pay for that comment later, but that was something she could live with. She rather liked teasing him, even if it meant she would have to deal with him being in a foul mood. "And, aye, it is a nice morning."

Some time passed before conversation continued. E'an took the liberty of downing a few more spoonfuls of porridge before she suddenly felt obliged to continue the conversation with a return question. "And how is... Romaph?" There was a pause as Kaslimeph supplied the name. Convinced he was as good as any red or better, the blue had taken to learning all of his siblings' names just out of the idea that one day he might command them. At least he had determination... had to give him credit for that.

"You'd think the Eyrie was full of a buncha late-risers, eh?" E'an glanced around the moderately empty caverns. There really wasn't much to look at.

Hello, Romaph... Kaslimeph decided he would join into conversation with the green, as it seemed only polite since His was talking with Hers. How are you doing this morning?

[Bre]

Feel the rhythm with your hands . . .

M'rion grinned wide to show her understanding and amusement at E'an's comment about their simourvs and size. Romaph had been a small baby, not too large for her to carry, but the green would soon tower over her with grace and poise. Well, not poise, but she'd tower with something like that. The young simourv already stood over everyone with exuberance. "Romaph is well. It's really a nice morning. Nothing wrong to report;" she drawled, nodding a few times, the gesture silly and pointless. Their conversation was meandering, so she dragged it along by considering what the bluerider said. The hall around them was most definitely empty, only a few souls in sight. It was as if they lived in a ghost town, though M'rion found that concept hard to consider with Romaph constantly bouncing around in her head, making it all seem brighter.

"I'm sure if someone yelled koxi, they'd all be out of bed real quick. Training starts early on that one." M'rion spoke lightly, but there was a darkness behind her words. Firstly, all small children of Pohono are taught to fear the koxi. When they come, you run and you hide until the guards finally get them, they wander off, or the simourvs come. Secondly, that aspect, that overarching idea, signified an obedience that a younger M'rion had held many years ago. When the koxi come, you hide. However, now the fledgeling greenrider would soon be fighting the vile beasts, a simourv at her side. She did not relish violence, but the idea of killing the evil creatures put happy butterflies in her chest, as if she was actually falling in love. Perhaps she was. After all, she had few eyes for anyone but Romaph, who dominated most of her time.

Romaph wiggled happily when Kaslimeph spoke to her. She found it very hard to sit still and wait, so conversation with someone other than M'rion, who provided only one sound of the multitude that she enjoyed hearing, would help her stay focused! Her logic wasn't very sound, but the green wasn't meant for logic. She was meant for enthusiasm and energy. Hello Kaslimeph! A false sunniness filled her voice. It had little to do with happiness, though she was quite happy. It was just energy and color. Her voice never quite stayed the same. Her thoughts were constantly moving and she liked to play with sounds. I am stupendous this morning! I hope you are too! She liked to play with words too. M'rion was mainly a bad influence on her vocabulary, but she actually knew quite a few words and was very good with both synonyms and antonyms.

. . . steal the rhythm while you can.

[Lan]

E'an smiled, snorting a soft laugh at the greenrider's comment. Too true of a statement it was. She had been getting up at odd hours to fight koxi for longer than some of the other winglets here, and too strong had she known the adrenaline that pumps a person up so their groggy state is banished in exchange for fevered battle. There really was nothing funny about it, but one could suppose they laughed to keep from crying. Or at least E'an heard that somewhere from someone she couldn't remember. There was a momentary lull in the conversation again as E'an picked at the remaining lumpy pools of her porridge. Such silences didn't bother her with the right company... and most people were the right company for an occasional lapse into silence.

"What sort of chores have the reds got ya doing?" the bluerider asked, suddenly curious. She had, for the moment, deemed her current companion worthy of more time and thought that perhaps if they had the same set of chores a bit of occasional, if sparse, chatter might make things run smoother. It was an idea, although probably not a good one. If they had the same chores, she would have been likely to have recognized M'rion better. For the moment, though, she could scarcely remember her name. What she could remember was that she had never been a candidate. Or at least not for very long. Something like that. "And what's your name?" she added, "Can't seem to remember..." E'an offered no apologies for that fact.

I... am... this morning. Kaslimeph replied, finding nothing further to say about his status. He was full and he was fine. There was really nothing further to report other than that he still existed. Sorry to disappoint. He added, thinking it pertinent to apologize for ruining someone's simple hopes. Crushing someone's hopes for victory was something he could stomach quite well, but crushing simple everyday dreams just seemed wrong. Also, he wasn't quite sure what the word "stupendous" meant. Suddenly, he realized that for all he knew she could be wishing him ill. Is stupendous like stupid? Seems a rotten thing to hope for. Is it a happy stupid? He was quite serious with his questioning.

[Bre]

Speak the rhythm on your own . . .

"Stuff;" M'rion replied with a shrug, suggesting she had little passion for chores. She did them and did not mind them, but she didn't think they were worthy conversation, even if the term reds was a good one. She picked at her meal with her spoon. However, when it became apparent that her name wasn't known, she smirked. It wasn't an unkind smile, but she drew some satisfaction from being so wonderfully forgettable. She didn't like fading to the background like that, but it just made her aware that she needed to keep trying. "I'm M'rion." She stuck her hand across the table for a handshake, the gesture formal enough to solidify the introduction. She didn't say anything but her name. She didn't bother with more pleasantries. They were getting acquainted and such things were truly done with blood and sweat, not with words and pointless manners. She didn't mind talk, but it all gave way when push came to shove in the end.

Romaph wasn't quite sure what was up with Kaslimeph, but she was going to prance anyway. She clicked her beak at him when he questioned what she meant. Didn't he know? If he didn't, she could explain! She was full of words and brilliant colors. Stupendous has nothing to do with being stupid, though I guess you could be stupendously stupid. It means to be impressive. I am feeling stupendously splendid today. Aside from being easy to distract, Romaph was quite the language teacher. However, she found just words boring. She needed to move! Done explaining, she pranced to the side, failing at staying down on her feet. Her long tail, slender and so disproportionate to her body, waved about behind her. In her opinion, Kaslimeph was a bit boring. She never just existed. She lived. She felt. She moved. She danced. She didn't exist; she thrived.

. . . speak the rhythm all alone, spoonman.