The World of Pern(tm) is copyright to Anne McCaffrey (c) l967.
The Dragonriders of Pern(r) is a registered copyright.

This is a log of roleplay on PernMUSH, available online by permission of
Anne McCaffrey, author of the Pern novels, and recorded by A.S. Korra'ti
(piper@murkworks.net), player of Mehlani of Telgar Weyr on PernMUSH.
This log may be distributed freely as long as this header remains intact.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Log Date:
	5/9/98

Log Cast:
	(People) Jayna, Milani, Mehlani, Kindre, M'kla, Erdrick, Jehrina,
Aurian, Kailia, Asher, Berylle, Catalina, Orione (NPC), Maylia, Remo,
Imuna (NPC)

	(Firelizards) Holl, Buttons, Erdrick's other firelizards, Mehlani's
other firelizards, Aurian's firelizards

Log Intro:
	With Candidates pouring in daily to Telgar Weyr to Stand for gold
Leilanth's clutch, it is inevitable that there should begin to be mischief
amongst an increasingly large group of young people from so many diverse
backgrounds. Pranks have begun to spring up amongst the Candidates, such
as dye being slipped into the soap supply. In the midst of it all, shy young 
Mehlani has been rather bemused when the more outgoing Candidates have tried 
to cajole her out of her shell... and for the most part, it's not been an 
unpleasant experience, though it's definitely been puzzling for the Benden 
Weyrleader's daughter.
	However, absolutely nothing in Mehlani's experience could have prepared
for finding herself the latest target of the wave of pranks in the Candidate
Barracks...

----------
Your location's current time: 17:29 on day 31, month 10, Turn 22, of the Tenth 
  Pass. It is a autumn afternoon.

You walk through the large entrance to the Living Cavern.
Telgar Weyr's Living Cavern(#750RJM$)
This huge cavern is sufficently roomy to hold a large portion of the Weyr's 
  population without feeling cramped. There's always a bustle of activity 
  here. Fragrant dishes are constantly in prepartion for mealtimes: currently 
  for the late meal. Drudges are always present, either cleaning under 
  Pierron's watchful eye, or helping fetch and carry. A myriad of glowbaskets 
  and many ever-lit hearths make the cavern warm and inviting despite its 
  size. The scents of cooking meats, baking breads and pastries, and the 
  pungent aroma of spices hang mouthwateringly in the air. It is little wonder 
  that those seeking to relax nearly always find their way here to do it. 
A short tunnel jaunts northward out to the bowl and the merry sounds of 
  cooking, chores, and laughter echo from the kitchen at the southeast end of 
  the cavern near the easterly passage to the rest of the lower caverns. 
  Within the lower caverns is an entrance to the infirmary weyr to care for 
  injured dragons and riders.
Contents:
M'kla
Kindre
Milani
Jayna
Pierron
Obvious exits:
Lower Caverns  Kitchen  Bowl  

Mehlani(#4177POaceq)
This teenaged girl stands at 5'4" in height, and is of a delicate but sweetly 
  curved build. Her skin is pale, speaking of unfamiliarity with Pern's 
  sunnier climes. Seldom does this lass speak; when she does, her voice is 
  soft and gravely toned. But far more often than not, she simply fixes her 
  liquid blue gaze on an object or person of interest, and keeps it there with 
  an intense attention that suggests the weight of her world rides upon her 
  drinking in every detail of her surroundings through her guileless eyes.
She is currently clad in a loose-fitting, cream-colored blouse, a simple thing 
  with no ornamentation to speak of, tucked into a pair of old brown breeches, 
  in turn tucked into scuffed brown wherhide boots. Around her neck glints an 
  intricate pendant on a golden chain. A black leather vest completes her 
  outfit, though it is currently unlaced.
Somebody apparently has decided to pull a stunt of mischief on Mehlani's long 
  auburn hair, for the mass of it looks as if a fair of fire lizards -- or 
  perhaps a nest of tunnelsnakes -- has decided to nest in it. Myriad little 
  braids, knots, and bows have been made in her auburn tresses.

Jayna glances up at Mehlani with a half smile. "Heya, Mehlani," she says, 
  turning back toward the obviously distressed woman, unsure of what to say. 
  "Did you ask anyone in the Winecraft?" Surely his craftmaster'll know where 
  he is, shouldn't she?"

Milani brushes her hair back from face and sits up straight. "Unfortunately I 
  have to eat so I'd like to stay and work here while I search locally."

Mehlani creeps into the lower caverns, her hat jammed down atop her head at an 
  awkward angle, her neck seeming curiously bare -- for her usual braid isn't 
  in view. The girl's got bronze Holl riding on her black-vested shoulder, and 
  the bronze seems ill at ease, his eyes whirling yellow; he nuzzles gently at 
  'Lani's cheek as she enters the room.
Mehlani bobs her head mutely to Jayna, glancing with an unreadable gaze out 
  from under her hat brim. Holl peers over at Jayna and creels, softly.

Milani nods. "One of the first people I asked but she had no idea or wasn't 
  telling."

Jayna drains her klah. At Holl's creeling, though, she takes a closer look at 
  'Lani. "Mehlani, are you alright?" she asks, with gently concern. At 
  Milani's comment, she nods, sympathetically. "Well, I'm very sorry. It 
  sounds like quite a problem."

"I'm fine," Mehlani murmurs, very lowly, waving a hand up at Holl in an 
  apparent attempt to silence him. "I'm, ummm, I'm supposed to be serving food 
  tonight..." Uncomfortably, she moves that hand to tug her battered brown hat 
  a little farther down on her head.

Milani nods but says nothing looking at the young girl with concern.

Milani
A young lady about 5'8" tall with long blonde hair that diffuses the sunlight 
  into a halo around her head. Her blue eyes glisten like the sea on a sunny 
  day and a shy smile.
She wears a light blue dress of homespun cloth that has short sleeves and it 
  drops to just below her knees. On her feet are a pair of wherhide boots and 
  around her shoulders is a large shawl of fine blue cloth.

Glancing curiously at the hat--to which Mehlani suddenly seems even more 
  attached than usual--Jayna nods. "Food serving going alright?" she asks, 
  neutrally. She's still eyeing Holl. "Anything I need to report to Rennick? 
  I'm candidate supervisor today," she adds.

Mehlani shakes her behatted head rapidly, just as Holl lets off another 
  dismayed creel, which segues into a firm, piping trumpet. "Please," she 
  murmurs, "don't let me interrupt... do... do either of you need 
  anything...?""

Jayna watches Holl, frowning. "Mehlani, whatever's bothering Holl?" she asks. 
  "Is he well?" She peers at the firelizard.

Holl peremptorily nudges his snout up under Mehlani's hat brim, shoving at it 
  with all his might. "Holl," the girl breathes, aghast, grabbing at the hat 
  with both hands; to this, the little bronze fire lizard actually bugles and 
  lightly bops Mehlani's cheek with that snout of his. Mehlani begins to turn 
  crimson, and shakily bobs her head at Jayna.

Kindre blinks out of whatever study seemed to have gripped her mind. "Hmm," 
  she wonders eloquently as the quiet chatting of the living cavern calls her 
  thoughts again.

Jayna stands up, faintly alarmed by Holl's actions. Obviously, something's 
  gravely amiss. She takes a step toward 'Lani. "Mehlani, is something wrong? 
  Did Holl just try to actually -push- your hat off?" she asks, raising her 
  eyebrows in concern.

Holl trumpets again, fluttering to try to keep his perch -- an awkward 
  proposition, when Mehlani's still got both her slender hands grabbing her 
  hat brim. The bronze takes wing, now hovering around the girl, and he 
  insistently nudges at it several times with his nose. Mehlani flashes a 
  stricken look to Jayna and opens her mouth, but nothing comes out.

Kindre, too, turns to regard the quiet candidate and her familiar bronze 
  shoulder-mate. "'Lani," she inquires tentatively, "is everything okay? Holl 
  seems to be...well...acting very oddly for him..."

Jayna glances at Kindre, then back at Mehlani. "Uh...Mehlani? Maybe you'd 
  better take your hat off for a while. It's obviously upsetting Holl," she 
  adds, puzzled.

"I'd have to agree," the goldrider echoes the other candidate and bobs her 
  head.

Milani quietly moves over to Kindre and whispers to her.

Mehlani swallows hard; if anything, this seems to make her look more stricken. 
  But with clearly uneasy movements, the lass does as Jayna suggests. The 
  moment she does, it becomes apparent as to why Mehlani's auburn hair isn't 
  done up in its usual braid -- for the entire mass of her hair comes spilling 
  out from under the hat, and it looks as if her entire fair had decided to 
  nest in it. Someone has apparently tied the girl's locks into a tangle of 
  small braids, knots, and bows.

M'kla's brows quirk up, but she skillfully fights the urge to chuckle.

Holl announces his general dismay at the state of his young human's hair by 
  trumpeting again, his eyes whirling orange and yellow.

Milani looks at Mehlani's hair and one of her own hands involuntarily reaches 
  for her own hair.

Jayna gasps, dropping back to her seat. "Oh, shells and shards, Mehlani, what 
  happened?" she asks, surprised.

Kindre isn't as well as hiding her surprise. "Great Faranth's ivory ghost," 
  she whispers in shock, "Mehlani? What happened?"

Erdrick walks here from the Inner Cavern.
Erdrick has arrived.

M'kla offers, "Candidate prank?"

Milani walks towards the inner cavern.
Milani has left.

M'kla says "Or the latest fashion from Boll?"

Erdrick walks quietly in then stops and stares at Mehlani.
Erdrick looks at you for a moment.

"It... it was like this when I got up," Mehlani mumbles hoarsely, turning 
  positively scarlet, and immediately moving to try to put her hat back on and 
  stuff the mess that's been made of her hair up under it.

Erdrick blinks, "Maybe you should undo it?"

Jayna spares a glance for Erdrick. Her mouth's hanging open. She looks back at 
  Mehlani, shaking her head. "That's terrible!" she exclaims.

Mehlani blushes even harder and hangs her head. She mumbles something else, 
  very softly, a single word: "Tried..." Holl lands on the nearest chair and 
  creels again, plaintively.

Erdrick shaking his head in amazement, Buttons chittering soothingly at Holl, 
  he walks to the klah pot.

Kindre's expression is an obvious one to read: anger, surprise and contempt 
  swim across her features. Taking several long breaths to keep any hint of 
  her feelings out of her words, at least, she says, "Mayhaps trying to tie it 
  all back in a runner-tail might help? And a soaking in the springs may 
  loosen the knots...isn't there an herb that helps?"

Jayna looks askance at the knotted mass. "So, somebody did that while you were 
  asleep?" She looks stunned. "That's terrible," she repeats. She nods 
  agreement at Kindre's suggestions. "A soak just might help," she says.

M'kla offers, "Nay, try a bit of oil like you use for the dragons. I used to 
  get my hair in knots when I were foolish enough to fly fall with it long."
M'kla says "Slick it right up."

Jayna nods, enthusiastically. "You know, there's a jar of that back in the 
  infirmary," she says.

Erdrick blinks at Lani again, gulping down some of his klah as he plops into a 
  chair. "Who would do such a thing to you Lani?"

'Lani, still awkwardly attempting to push the beknotted mass back up under her 
  hat, glances in profound embarrassment from face to face, and murmurs only, 
  "I-I'm supposed to be serving food...
Mehlani glances sidelong at Erdrick, then, and shrugs tinily. Apparently, she 
  has no idea. And once more, Holl creels.

Jayna glances at Kindre and M'kla, uncertainly, then back at 'Lani. She shakes 
  her head again, tsking.

"Mehlani," Kindre states the name sternly, "I will take responsibility for 
  your chores getting done. An hour or so to fix you hair will hardly be 
  considered a crime. I'll tell Rennick myself if I must."

Erdrick looks around then at Mehlani, Buttons and now the rest of his fair 
  trying to calm down Holl, "I don't think there's anyone here who's not 
  capable of serving themselves, you ought to get that hair untangled or, at 
  worst, cut it short."

Jayna blinks at Erdrick's latter suggestion. "Shall I go get that oil then?" 
  she asks, half standing. "Somebody'd been using it on a firelizard the other 
  day."

"I... um..." Abashedly, Mehlani nods uneasily to Kindre and Jayna and manages 
  to conclude, "I-I have oil... for my fair..."

Kindre makes a shooing motion with her hands. "Then by all means," she 
  remarks, "get thee to the springs and take care of your hair. It can't be 
  comfortable."

Jayna nods, settling back down. "You know, I've never been a Candidate before, 
  but something like that seems criminal," she says in a flat voice.

Mehlani nods to Kindre, mortified. Still clinging to her hat as if it had 
  become a talisman of some sort, she edges away, and then bolts off as if 
  she'd been shot from a bow, blushing to the roots of her mangled hair.

Erdrick nods at Jayna, "I don't think the person who did that should just get 
  away with it."

"I agree," Kindre mutters while tapping her index finger on her chin. "Rennick 
  and Richenda should be told about this..." she muses aloud, "as well as the 
  Weyrleaders."

[Mehlani, as bidden, runs off to hide in the hot springs... but in the
 meantime, back in the Living Cavern, the matter of who did this to her
 continues to be discussed...]

Jayna sighs. "It's my day to be candidate supervisor, but this sounds like a 
  bigger problem than that. Do you want to tell them, Kindre? Or you, ma'am?" 
  she adds, addressing M'kla. "Or should I, when I make my report to Richenda 
  or Rennick?"

M'kla nods to Jayna, "Y'r the supervisor lass...it's yer duty to report it."

"I think you should," Kindre offers and nods to M'kla's words. "Exactly. I'm 
  sure they'd prefer to hear it from you since, as the Weyrsecond said, it's 
  your duty."

Jayna nods. "Alright, then, ma'am...er, ma'ams," she half-smiles. "I just 
  didn't want to be overstepping my bounds," she says. Her face tightens 
  again. "When I found out who did that...."

Erdrick nods at Jayna, "Aye."

Kindre's brows furrow. The goldrider's expression is a rather dark one, 
  atypical for the usually cheerful woman. "When you do find out," she grinds 
  out her words to Jayna, "do let me know who it was."

Jayna looks through the archway toward the inner caverns. "Maybe I ought to 
  go see if Mehlani's alright," she says, thinking aloud. "In fact, that's 
  a good idea. Holl was obviously -very- upset. And since firelizards don't 
  normally care about hairstyles, I'm assuming Mehlani was really, -really- 
  upset." She stands, heading decisively toward the barracks, bootheels 
  clicking.
Jayna walks towards the inner cavern.
Jayna has left.

"Jayna," Kindre calls after her, "See if maybe one of her firelizards saw 
  who is was? Mayhaps they can relay it to the dragons...shards..."

Jayna walks here from the Inner Cavern.
Jayna has arrived.
Jayna sticks her head pack in. "What was...oh, certainly," she nods. "That's 
  a great idea."
Jayna walks towards the inner cavern.
Jayna has left.

Kindre sighs a bit. "Whatever happened to innocent buckets of water dumped on 
  Wingleaders," is wondered generally before she stands. "I think I should get 
  back to the records. If you'll pardon me, M'kla." Managing a smile for the 
  Weyrsecond, she slips out into the bowl.
Kindre walks down the short tunnel and out into the bowl.
Kindre has left.

[And shortly, in the hot springs...]

Jayna walks in from outside the room.
Jayna has arrived.
Standing in the mouth of the tunnel, Jayna observes Mehlani quietly for a 
  moment.

Mehlani has made it into one of the pools -- and several more of her fire 
  lizards have decided to join her, floating in the water, some perched on the 
  pool's edge. There's a small jar of scented oil at the edge of the pool as 
  well, sitting next to her hat, and Mehlani is currently standing there in 
  the pool, awkwardly rubbing the stuff into her hair. Several of the fair are 
  making anxious little noises, and from Mehlani herself, comes the sound of 
  very soft sniffles.

Jayna clears her throat and approaches the pool slowly. She sits on its stone 
  edge. "Do you need some help?" she asks gently. "I could give you a hand 
  rubbing that in," she volunteers. Her voice is pitched low, her sympathy 
  evident.

Mehlani looks up, startled; so do several of her fire lizards. Even Arki is 
  here, and the fierce little green seems subdued for once, eyes only whirling 
  yellow rather than their usual baleful scarlet. Mehlani's only response is a 
  small sniffle and a bob of her head. She doesn't appear to have gotten very 
  far in her efforts to untangle that mess up there.

Jayna nods. She pulls off her boots and swings her legs around, slowly, not 
  wishing to startle the fair. Particularly Arki. She smiles gently. "I don't 
  spend too much time in here fully clothed," she jokes quietly. She glances 
  around. "Did you bring a comb, too, 'Lani?" she asks, casually.

There is, in fact, a comb; it's lying there between Elsi and Wili, and the two 
  greens are peering at it as if trying to decide it's food. Mehlani points a 
  wet and oily finger at the object, timidly. Holl, on the other hand, croons 
  at Jayna; so does little blue Brodi. Blue Enri sits sternly on the pool's 
  edge and looks exactly as if he'd like to give someone a good thrashing.

Reaching quietly for the comb, Jayna whispers to the fair. "Shhhh," she says, 
  bringing all she's learned as a dragonhealer trainee into play in her 
  attempt to sooth the creatures. "Mehlani's going to be alright," she says 
  softly. Is she speaking only to the firelizards? She dips her index finger 
  into the oil, and rubs her finger against her thumb. She smiles. "I've got 
  sisters and cousins who've had tangled hair. Shall I see if I can rub some 
  of this in? Since you can't see the top of your head?"

"Alright," Mehlani whispers, hunkering down a little in the water so the other 
  girl can get to her hair without much difficulty. 'Lani doesn't meet Jayna's 
  eyes, though.

Using her long fingers, Jayna gently massages the oil deep into Mehlani's 
  scalp. She takes care not to pull at any of the knots and tangles, glad that 
  Mehlani's not looking up to see her wincing at the damage. "I think this'll 
  do the trick, 'Lani," she says matter-of-factly, but softly. "See?" she 
  pulls one loosened lock out where Mehlani can get a look. "We'll have this 
  fixed in no time," she says, putting a smile into her voice. Her eyes, 
  though, are dark and angry.

"You... don't think I'll have to cut it?" 'Lani whispers, over a flurry of 
  soft chitters.

Jayna shakes her head. "Absolutely not," she says, confidently. "It looks 
  worse than it is. Whoever managed this didn't have a whole lot of time," she 
  says, continuing to rub oil into Mehlani's scalp,and using a gently finger 
  to unknot some of the tangles. "Oh, that didn't hurt did it?" she asks, 
  releasing a particularly vicious twist.

'Lani does jerk a little, but with what is probably an effort, she murmurs 
  "No" rather than shake her head, seeming to sense that she ought to be 
  holding still. "I-it's alright...." A few of her fire lizards continue to 
  linger, but Elsi and Wili and Munki eventually start playing in the water, 
  more restless than the others.

Jayna tsks, shaking her head. "I'm sorry. I'll be more gently," she says, 
  softly. She'd been gentle, of course, but no sense in letting 'Lani know how 
  bad some of the tangles are. "I think I'll work on one section at a time," 
  she says, still deliberately matter-of-fact. Taking the comb, the 
  dragonhealer oils it generously and starts working at the poor girl's left 
  temple. It's a tedious process, but the knots start to loosen. "So," she 
  asks, casually, "no idea at all who might've done this?"

Holl and Rianet croon their encouragement to Jayna, while Mehlani mumbles 
  dejectedly, "No..." Her voice is just about as tiny and timid as it's 
  possible for it to get, and she keeps her head bowed down, her very posture 
  crestfallen.

Jayna splashes around to stand in front of Mehlani. She puts her hands on the 
  other girl's shoulders. "'Lani, look at me," she says quietly.

Mehlani lifts her head. She's not crying, at least not at the moment, but her 
  eyes are huge and liquid, and it probably wouldn't take much for tears to 
  well up in that gaze of hers.

Trying to hold the younger girl's gaze, Jayna speaks slowly, but clearly, 
  instilling as much sincerity into her voice as she can. "'Lani, this wasn't 
  your fault. It's not anything you should be embarrassed about. Not even a 
  little bit! There's somebody down in the barracks with a twisted sense of 
  humor. That person's got a problem." Her mouth tightens at the corners. That 
  person -definitely- has a problem. "But you don't."

Mehlani digests this, opens her mouth, and closes it again. She finally 
  murmurs hoarsely, "I... think I know that... it's just... I... don't know 
  why a-anybody would d-do such a thing...."

Jayna
At 19 Turns, Jayna is tall for a woman and slim, although her arms and legs 
  are smoothly muscled, conditioned by turns of hard work. Even in winter, her 
  skin doesn't fully lose its tan, and in summer her nose is peppered with a 
  galaxy of freckles. Her eyes are a twinkling moss green, and her light-brown 
  hair (streaked blond in the summer) waves to her shoulders, held back by a 
  scrap of braided wherhide. A ready grin suggests a cheerful nature. Her very 
  practical clothing--brown pants, long-sleeved green tunic, and scuffed 
  farmer's boots--fit right in with her worn and very utilitarian belt knife. 
  At her shoulder are the knots that mark her a dragonhealer trainee and a 
  Candidate at Telgar Weyr.

Jayna takes the comb and gently works at some of the knots. The section of 
  hair over Mehlani's temple is now free of tangles. Jayna combs it down, so 
  'Lani can see the progress that's been made. Her voice is neutral. "I can't 
  either," she says. "I really can't. But it's not just you, if that's 
  worrying you," she comments grimly. "I've heard from a number of other 
  candidates. Somebody's been pulling some very nasty pranks, and I want to 
  find out who it is." She glances at the fair. "Did any of them see anything, 
  'Lani? I mean, it would've been hard for that tunnelsnake to do this without 
  waking at least one of 'em."

Mehlani swallows, and mumbles, "They weren't sleeping with m-me...." Holl 
  creels. Evidently, Holl doesn't approve of this arrangement. "I-I... I asked 
  S'lah and Sh'roun... if they would have their dragons keep them with 
  th-them... and.... Kes, too...."

Jayna nods her understanding. "Oh, I see." She sighs, taking another fingerful 
  of oil and moving around to the back again. "Well, with all the firelizards 
  down there, maybe somebody saw something. We ought to ask the others to 
  check, don't you think?"

"I guess so," Mehlani whispers, sounding troubled.

Jayna works at a particularly large tangle. "Does something about that idea 
  worry you?" she asks, noting the other girl's tone.

"Wh... what... do you think the Headwoman will do?" asks Mehlani, 
  uncomfortably.

Jayna bites her lip to contain her immediate, blistering response. She takes 
  two or three deep breaths. Her voice, when she speaks, is reasonable. Mild, 
  almost. "I'm not sure, 'Lani. I've never been a candidate before, so I'm not 
  sure what the protocol is. Extra chores, I'd guess. A lot of 'em." She 
  pauses. "Is that it? You're worried that she, he, or it might be punished 
  too hard?" she guesses. Drawing the comb through another lock, she continues 
  to make progress.

Perhaps fortunately for Jayna's attempts to keep her temper, Mehlani still has 
  her gaze demurely lowered as she murmurs hesitantly, "I... I mean... do you 
  think the Headwoman would... punish everyone, i-if we can't find out w-who 
  did it? I mean... it's just my hair..." She trails off.

Jayna nods, understanding at last. Or, so so she hopes. "No, I don't think 
  that at all," she answers mildly. "Richenda's a wise woman. I don't see her 
  punishing the victims of this...this...slime," she finishes weakly, 
  obviously restraining herself from using an epithet more blistering. "And I 
  don't believe she'd hold us responsible for finding her. Or him. She -would- 
  expect anybody with information to talk to her, though. And that'd be the 
  responsible thing." She combs out another knot.

"A-alright," Mehlani whispers. Then she pauses again, and then blurts, "I 
  just, I just don't want... I mean... do you... do you think someone did this 
  because my father is a Weyrleader?" She peeks up, looking quite miserable.

Jayna smiles gently. She's still working on the remaining knots at the back of 
  'Lani's head. "I doubt that," she says quietly. "We have to assume the 
  person who did this was a candidate, right?" she asks, smoothing oil into a 
  particularly troublesome spot. "If that's the case, it sure wouldn't help 
  her chances--or his chances--to pull something like this to a Weyrleader's 
  daughter," she says. "In fact, it'd be stupid. Candidates've been sent home 
  before, and they will again." She considers. "I wonder if the wherrybrain 
  even realizes who's daughter you are!" She starts chuckling softly.

Erdrick walks in from outside the room.
Erdrick has arrived.
Erdrick looks at you for a moment.
Erdrick walks quietly in, blinks, "Hi Lani, Jayna."
Erdrick sees the hides he was looking for and grabs them, "Ah ha, that's where 
  I left them."

Jayna glances at Erdrick. She's standing in one of the lower pools, fully 
  clothed, gently helping Mehlani work the knots out of her hair.

Erdrick nods absently at Jayna, looking at Lani, "Hope you can get those knots 
  out, your hair looks better untangled Lani."

The worst of the knots untied, and the worst of the tangles smoothed out, 
  Jayna sees that Mehlani can manage the rest on her own. She smiles, 
  reassuringly, handing 'Lani the comb and rinsing the oil out of her hands in 
  the pool. "I think you're alright now, 'Lani," she says, quietly. "If you 
  hear anything, or if you remember anything, you'll tell Richenda, won't you? 
  Or you can tell me, too, always," she says, her sincerity apparent. 
  "Although I'm not sure what I can do, except give you moral support." She 
  quietly sits on the edge, and drags her leg over, standing and dripping for 
  a moment or two, before taking her boots and padding off toward the barracks 
  to put on dry clothes, and perhaps make an inquiry or two.
Jayna walks off towards the Inner Cavern.
Jayna has left.

Erdrick yawns again and making sure he didn't leave any other records nods to 
  Lani and walks out.
Erdrick walks off towards the Inner Cavern.
Erdrick has left.

[And meanwhile, back in the Living Cavern...]

Jehrina walks in from the bowl.
Jehrina has arrived.

Pierron gives a small bow to the Weyrwoman.

M'kla glances up, and nods, completely unaware of her fate so far. 
  "Evening, weyrlady."

Jehrina wanders into the living cavern, immediately heading for a glass of 
  juice. "You'd think she was Ramoth, and that someone had stolen her queen 
  egg."

M'kla glances up at you, "Eh? Leilanth?"

Jehrina nods, taking a dep drink from the glass. "She's SO picky this time."

M'kla chuckles, "It's a new weyr, an I wager she can feel the ground trembling 
  all the way from Ista."

Jehrina rolls her eyes, "She wasn't this bad with her first clutch. And that 
  was in danger of being drowned in water."

M'kla half-grins, "Aye, well...it's just one more thing to retell."

Jehrina rolls her eyes again, and goes to sit next to the older 
  woman, "So, what've you been up to M'kla? Aside from hiding the wet socks?"

M'kla shakes her head, "Not much, not bloody much. Healer's have 
  kept me grounded so long, I swear we'll probably be Threaded the next time 
  we're up."

Jehrina shrugs, "Somehow, I doubt it. Grounded or not. The habits 
  of fighting a fall are too ingrained in you both."

M'kla ehs half-heartedly, and takes another sip of klah. "How many 
  candidates do we have now, anyway? We were near to fifty when I gave up the 
  Search."

Jehrina thinks, "Not sure. It's a decent group. I haven't checked 
  in the last day or two. Leilanth wants me on the sands with her all the time"

M'kla chuckles, "Then ye should have a candidate detail out to the 
  pair of ye...bringing food and cusions and whatnot. Ye'd get a better look, 
  they'd keep out of even more trouble, and the like."
M'kla says "Specially since this group seems content to be a 
  destructive lot."
M'kla says "Dye-ridden soap...an tyin Mehlani's hair into knots."

Jehrina laughs. "Yeah, but Leilanth doesnt' want anyone else near 
  her eggs. K'tyn can hardly come on the sands, and she pretty much only 
  suffers Prometh because she has to eat sometimes."
Jehrina raises an eyebrow, "Mehlani's hair?"

M'kla nods, "Aye...she came in here looking like a dust 
  mop...they'd tied her hair into tight knots. It'll be a wonder if they dan't 
  have to shore it right off."

Jehrina takes a deep breath, "Did she say which ones did it?"

M'kla shakes her head, "They did it whilst she were a sleep...it's 
  a wonder that foul green of hers didn't bite their fingers off."

Jehrina clenches her teeth. "If I find out who it was, they're back 
  to their hold or wherever they came from."

M'kla glances at you for a moment, but only sips her klah.
M'kla says, "She's the daughter of Benden's Weyrleader...she'll 
  take some lumps if she doesnae stand up for herself. A great lot of them 
  resent her atal."

Jehrina shakes her head, "That kind of behaviour isn't something 
  that's going to foster anything resembling a good fighting win, nor the type 
  of child to impress."

M'kla nods, easy going enough, "True, but youngsters dan't often think 
  either."

Jehrina shrugs, "S'true. But there's a difference between pranks, and 
  maliciousness."
Jehrina says "Someone thought it'd be funny to leave live crawlies 
  in my bed. I didnt' think it was that funny, but it was a nuisance, and not 
  painful."

M'kla nods again, "Aye. I haven't seen the lass since she came in."

Jehrina shakes her head, "Lovely. Oh well, I'm sure she'll be 
  alright. She's fairly resilient."

M'kla nods, "Aye. I were not that concerned for her, as much as I 
  were that this trend might get worse. The dyed hair were bad enough."

Jehrina rolls her eyes, "Who did that? Course, it's better than turning 
  Cioth pink, hm?"

M'kla shakes her head, grinning, "Praps...they were turnin hair red."

Jehrina laughs, "At least that's easily washed out, and not painfully."

M'kla grins a bit more, "This hasn't washed out yet...seems to be 
  pretty stiff dye."

Jehrina snickers, "Any of them sorry they did it?"

M'kla chuckles, "Sorry? Only sorry they washed their hair."
M'kla says "Specially that one chap..odd one. Asher I think his 
  name is. He reminds me of Kylarr...only he's got a penchant for wearin 
  black."

Jehrina raises an eyebrow, "Is that a good or a bad thing?"

M'kla says "This one? I'm not sure."
M'kla shrugs, "Ye can never guess a dragon's choice, I suppose...but I'd've 
  never ever guessed."

Jehrina hms, "True. What's he like?"

M'kla chuckles, "He's...jest..." She waves a hand, as if like a 
  loss. "Entirely too much like that Harper son of mine, only he apparently 
  cant' sing."

Jehrina laughs, "As long as he doesn't try, we're probably okay. 
  Any of the others?"

M'kla shakes her head, "I'm afraid I've nay been able to sort out 
  those that weren't from Telgar originally...no one shines out in my mind."

Jehrina nods, "Means they're not too bad of troublemakers then, I 
  guess." She grins.

M'kla snorts, "They'll be full of it by the time Kerlyn gets em."

Jehrina grins, "Could be worse, Sionelle could have at them."

M'kla chuckles, "Could...but I doubt it."

Jehrina grins, "True. They're both pretty caustic.

M'kla nods.

Jehrina shrugs, "Well, if they Impress, Kerlyn'll straighten them up, I have no 
  doubt."

M'kla snorts again.
M'kla says "IF they impress."

Jehrina grins, "Some of them have to. Otherwise, H'tor'll be all 
  smug again and I'll have to be infuriated with him. Tha's alway a hassle."

M'kla says "With our luck, this time half the stands'll impress and 
  we'll be forced to send them all home."

Jehrina grins, "Could be worse. At least that'll still be a new 
  wing of fighting dragons."

M'kla nods, "Of old aunties and fat holder's wives."
M'kla grins again, and gets up, "Care for some klah?"

Jehrina holds her juice cup up, "I'm alright." She grins, "Fat 
  holder's wives. That'd be different."

M'kla nods and pours a mug for herself, coming to sit back down 
  again. "Aye, it would be."

Jehrina grins, "Can you imagine the wheezing?"

M'kla says "I can imagine the 'eeeeeeeks' already." She shrieks 
  just like she's seen a small tunnelsnake in the flour, "And the protests 
  over cutting their hair and havin to wear trous."

Jehrina rolls her eyes. "You're right. That'd be more trouble than it's 
  worth."

Kailia walks here from the Inner Cavern.
Kailia has arrived.
Kailia wanders in. "Hello. How are you both this evening?"

M'kla smiles a bit, "Doin just fine lass...and ye?"

Jehrina nods, "Happy to be off those sands for a bit.{

Kailia smiles, "I'd be doing better if I could find a couple of 
  those candidates to help with something. Seen any of them near?"

M'kla chuckles and looks around for a moment. Oddly, in this 
  instant, the caverns are empty of candidates.

Jehrina leans over to M'kla and makes this heavy, wheezing noise.

M'kla clamps a hand over her mouth, but only to keep from snorting 
  the mouthful of klah she'd just taken all over the nanny or the weyrwoman.

Jehrina cracks up laughing, "Inhaling is not good for you, M'kla."

M'kla shoots the weyrwoman a /look/, but it's mostly amused.

Kailia flops down in a chair. "Richenda asked me to do an inventory 
  of the cloth and clothing in stores while she was gone, and I need some to 
  help me sort."

Jehrina bats her eyes, giving M'kla her best innocent look.

Kailia nods, "Well, I think I'll go and see if I can hunt a few of 
  them down. Hvae a lovely evening."
Kailia walks down the short tunnel and out into the bowl.
Kailia has left.

[Meanwhile, Mehlani, alone again, endeavors to do what she can with the mess 
 that is her hair. But she's not alone for very long...]

Aurian walks in from outside the room.
Aurian has arrived.
Aurian enters the cavern with a great deal of trepedation. Her eyes and head 
  moving from side to side.

Mehlani can be spotted in one of the pools, surrounded by her fair of fire 
  lizards. A vat of something like oil is sitting at the pool's edge, next to 
  her inevitable battered brown hat; Mehlani herself looks rather... 
  startling. Her hair is a mass of tangles and knots and tiny braids, and she 
  seems to be in the middle of trying to smear oil through it, combing it out 
  awkwardly as she goes.

Aurian enters, "Where....?" Her hair is in a similar state, the normally 
  waved lockes are about her head in an aura of red and gold. Thick braids, 
  thin braids, twists, tucks, curls, gnarls and rope like lengths. Her eyes 
  blazing in much the same way.

Mehlani starts... and looks up at Aurian... and then stares in obvious shock 
  at the other Candidate.

Aurian's eyes widen as she notices Mehlani, several rapid blinks follow.

A couple of Mehlani's fair -- bronze Holl and green Arki, keeping closest to 
  the girl while the rest of the fire lizards range further around the cavern 
  -- eye Aurian, and Holl trills on an uncertain note. Mehlani herself blinks, 
  opens her mouth, closes it, then breathes, "Y-you too?"

With a slightly exasperated nod, Aurian turns and shows you the back of her 
  head. While it looks exactly like the front half, there is a brush stuck in 
  that bramble.
Aurian says "I can't get my brush out."

Mehlani lets out a soft gasp, and then blurts, "Um... M'kla and Kindre and 
  Jayna, they sent me in here.... said I should try to oil my hair... to get 
  the tangles out... if you want some, feel free....!" Blue eyes wide in her 
  face, she gestures a wet, oily hand at the jar sitting nearby.

Aurian strips out of her clothes. She does bounce around a bit trying to get 
  the shirt off, which gets caught on her hair brush. She yelps when she 
  finally gets it off.

"Oh... here... um...." Uncertain, Mehlani moves over to push the oil nearer to 
  Aurian, and offers softly, "I can try to get that out... if you like..."

Aurian slides into the water. She closes her eyes, "Why why why why.....try to 
  help with his hair and he does this!!?" She scoops up some of the oil and 
  starts rubbing it in.

"You... know who did that to you?" Mehlani asks hesitantly, pausing in the 
  midst of trying to restore the mess in which _her_ hair has been left.

Aurian growls as she still can't get the brush out of her hair, "I bet its 
  Asher." She adds more oil to the mess.

Biting her lower lip, Mehlani murmurs, "Is he mad at you?" She lingers there 
  in the water, not sure whether to reach for Aurian's hair or not, unsure 
  whether her assistance would be wanted or welcomed.

As she shakes her head, Aurian's hair moves like a mass of tunnelsnakes intent 
  on a snack. She then pauses, "Well I don't think so," She then sighs and 
  shrugs.

Mehlani resumes fumbling with a long oily swath of her own mangled locks, and 
  lowers her eyes. "I don't _think_ I made anybody mad," she mumbles.

Aurian lifts some more slime from the vat into her hair, "Mehlani, could you 
  see if you could get the brush out."

Mehlani murmurs, "Yes, I'll try..." Soft splashings accompany her movement as 
  she steps over to the other girl. Tentatively, she reaches for the ensnarled 
  brush, and can be heard to add in dismay, "Oh dear...."

Aurian yelps! "OWWWWWWWW."

"I'm sorry," Mehlani immediately pipes, her hands rearing back as if she'd 
  just been bitten. There come a few anxious croonings from her nearby fire 
  lizards, and one disgruntled hiss from Arki, who's curled protectively 
  around Mehlani's fedora, lying there by the pool's edge. "Do... do you want 
  me to try again?"

Aurian gulps, "Ok try again," She reaches out to grab at the edge of the 
  spring bracing herself.

Mehlani murmurs, "Alright..." And reaches in, eyes full of trepidation. Her 
  fingers are already slicked up, and this is both help and hindrance, in 
  trying to get a decent delicate grip on the brush while trying to untangle 
  the hair that's snarled around it.

Aurian chews on her bottom lip, wincing until finally she lets out another 
  yelp. "OWW!"

Mehlani makes a tiny noise of dismay. "Oh... I'm sorry... I'm sorry...!"

Aurian stutters a bit, "I'm ok. Really I'm ok." She closes her eyes.

Mehlani bites her lip again, peering at the ensnared brush, inwardly grateful 
  that Aurian can't see her expression -- she's not sure, to be honest, that 
  she can get the thing out of there. She's plucked burrs out of the tails and 
  manes of both Nightsong and Tsornin, but this.... "Oh dear," she murmurs 
  again, and works as slowly and as diligently as possible. Some of the 
  strands begin to come free, but it's a painstaking process.

Tears come to Aurian's eyes as she lets Mehlani work. "Oh ow ow ow."
Aurian sighs, her eyes closed. "Well what should we do?"

"I... well, Jayna thinks that I should tell the Headwoman... um... she wanted 
  to know if my fire lizards saw anything, but they weren't sleeping with me," 
  Mehlani murmurs plaintively.

Aurian glances at her trio of firelizards. "Danae was off getting chased. 
  Sayvel was chasing. Tola went to healer to get out of the way." She sighs, 
  "I thought I heard something."

Mehlani murmurs, "My fair was sleeping with S'lah and Camelth... I don't think 
  I'll sleep alone anymore, though...!" She pauses and sighs. "This brush is 
  awfully tangled..." The weight of the thing still rests in her hands and she 
  peers at it, dolefully.

Aurian tilts her head back to look at Mehlani, she gulps as she speaks. "I 
  guess that means what I think it does."

Mehlani blows out a mournful sigh. "I'm so sorry," she murmurs again.

Aurian nods, "Me too." She bites her bottom lip as it starts to quiver, "Need 
  some help?"

Mehlani swallows and then murmurs, "We both might... need help with this, I 
  think... I-I don't know... I don't think I can do much with it..."

Aurian turns a about and reaches toward Mehlani's mane of hair. Her hands 
  works carefully tring to unravel a gnarl, "H-hold still."

Mehlani murmurs an assent, and holds herself carefully, carefully still. Her 
  eyes look even larger than usual under the snarled mass of her bangs, and 
  over by her fedora, Arki lifts her head, hissing softly. "Arki, h-hush," 
  'Lani calls out. Arki remains where she is, but her eyes take on a tinge of 
  red.

Aurian pulls her hands away, she can't help but notice Arki. "I'm hurting you."

"It's alright," Mehlani murmurs hoarsely. "Arki is angry, but not at you... 
  I'm alright..." Her hair is full of oil by now; she must have been trying to 
  work on it for some time. Some of it has managed to be untangled, but for 
  the most part, her hair is now not only a tangled mess, it's also an oily, 
  wet tangled mess.

Leaning back against the rim of the springs, Aurian's voice is a bit tearful, 
  "I think we need to get a pair of scissors."

Mehlani bobs her head slowly, eyes turned noticeably liquid under her bangs.

Aurian takes some sweetsand and starts scrubbing to get the oil out.
Aurian rinses the oil free. As she stands she just lets out a sob.

Mehlani's eyes brim over with growing tears of her own as she watches the 
  other girl, and she murmurs in pained compassion, "Maybe, maybe we can get 
  one of the rider women who wear short hair to cut it for us... to make it 
  alright...." Three of her fire lizards, on the pool's edge, creel in 
  varyingly pitched tones, reacting to the distress of the two girls.

Aurian nods, "Lets go. Its best if it were done quickly."
Aurian pulls herself from the water slowly. Her hands already reaching for a 
  towel.

Mehlani bobs her head mournfully, moving to try to scrub some of the oil out 
  of her own hair, dunking underwater several times to try and rinse it. 
  Finally, dripping, she clambers carefully out of the water and takes up a 
  towel to wrap around her hopelessly ratted mane. Then she dresses, and takes 
  up Arki carefully on her forearm; the green flaps, then hisses lowly, and 
  curls her tail around her human's elbow. Mehlani also takes up her hat, and 
  then at last bobs her head to Aurian. "I'm ready...."

Aurian finishes dressing, "same here." Her lip quivers a bit.
Aurian walks off towards the Inner Cavern.
Aurian has left.

[And in moments...]

You walk through the large entrance to the Living Cavern.
Telgar Weyr's Living Cavern(#750RJM$)
Contents:
Aurian
Jehrina
M'kla
Pierron
Obvious exits:
Lower Caverns  Kitchen  Bowl  

Mehlani slips into the cavern just behind Aurian; she's got a towel wrapped 
  around her hair, and green Arki curled around one forearm. Unsurprisingly, 
  Arki does _not_ look pleased with the world at large. Mehlani has her hat 
  dangling from her free hand, and the lass looks distinctly uneasy, as she 
  peers around the room.

Jehrina looks up from a conversation with M'kla, "Hello 'lani. You okay?"

Aurian enters, her eyes a bit tear streaked. Her hair is in a horrible state, 
  the normally waved lockes are about her head in an aura of red and gold. 
  Thick braids, thin braids, twists, tucks, curls, gnarls and rope like 
  lengths. All of it still damp.

"A-Aurian and I need some help," Mehlani murmurs dolefully. Several of her 
  fire lizards wing into the room in her wake, clustering in a protective 
  cloud arund her.

M'kla looks up...and /frowns/.

Jehrina blinks, "Oh shards. Come on over here. It'll come out, I know it will. 
  Who did that?"

Kailia walks here from the Inner Cavern.
Kailia has arrived.

"We've tried and tried!" Aurian takes a deep breath to calm herself, she then 
  turns her head a bit and the brush is suck in her hair. "We have theories..."

Asher walks here from the Inner Cavern.
Asher has arrived.

Pierron tosses some dough into the air to make it as thin as a sheet to make 
  baklava.

Mehlani can be seen to swallow hard, and she whispers plaintively, "W-we can't 
  get the brush out of Aurian's hair...." She bobs her towel-wrapped head at 
  Aurian's horribly tangled mane, the back of which sports a hopelessly 
  ensnarled hairbrush.

M'kla tsks and gestures as well, "One of ye girls come here...I can get this 
  out. If not, we'll get the aunties."

Kailia walks in, practallt dragging Asher, his hand bleeding. She stops short 
  when she sees the hair. "What the!!!!!!!!"

Asher trudges after Kailia, finger in his mouth like a sulky little. He's 
  dragging his feet, and the corners of his lips are red with blood. But than 
  his eyes light on Aurian. "My goodness!"

Jehrina frowns deeply, "It'll come out girls. Really. It wears off 
  eventually." She shakes her head, "The brush will come out. Trelina gets 
  hers tangled all the time. We just have to be careful."

Jehrina looks at you for a moment.

Speaking again, Aurian sounds a little bit more composed. "Well we've tried to 
  do it several times and used oil even. And it really hurts trying to get it 
  fixed." Only a little more composed.

Kailia shakes her head, "Well, I hope it does. You don't have anything against 
  shoer hair, do you?" she says, looking at Aurian. "Jehrina, Asher;s cut his 
  hand and it seems to need stiches. Have you seen the weyrhealer? He's not in 
  the infirmry."

'Lani stands there uneasily, shifting her hat in her hand so that she can try 
  awkwardly to soothe Arki. The green clings balefully to the girl's arm, a 
  low hiss rumbling in her little throat; the rest of Mehlani's fair perch as 
  close to her as they can get without actually perching _on_ her, no doubt 
  out of wariness of the green. "I tried the o-oil on my hair," Mehlani 
  whispers. "I got some of it, but... but..." She swallows, looking miserably 
  at Aurian -- reacting, perhaps, more to the other girl's expression rather 
  than any trouble of her own.

Asher suddenly looks ready to faint again. "Are you certain we need stiches? 
  I'm certian it'll stop in time-"

Kailia looks at you for a moment.

M'kla snaps, "If you're the least bit infirm, you cannot stand on the Sands. 
  We need wholebodied Candidates, and nto those with gangrene or crippled 
  hands.

Jehrina nods, "Yes, I know." She shakes her head, "No, I haven't seen the 
  healer. There should be someone in there though." She waves Mehlani over, 
  and Aurian, "It may take some doing, and if it's really bad, we might have 
  to cut a bit off. It'll grow back."

Asher huffs and looks like he wants a nap terribly. A long nap. In a land 
  where there are no sharp objects in the stables.

Aurian hears the mention of healer, "I can treat him. If he needs it." She 
  winces at the idea of short hair, "It wll grow...so if it must be cut."

Mehlani trails off and glances over her shoulder at Asher and Kailia. She's 
  got a towel wrapped around her own head -- concealing the mess that her own 
  hair has been left in, at least for the time being. And she falls entirely 
  silent, her face paling somewhat. Arki continues to rumblehiss, making a 
  surprisingly deep noise for a 'lizard her size.... and at last, Mehlani 
  inches towards Jehrina and murmurs, "We... came to ask if we can get it 
  cut... yes...."

Asher stares at Aurian. "I'm sure there's someone else!" he chatters in a high 
  tone, voice cracking.

Jehrina says "Oh hush, candidate. Aurian's a.. Senior apprentice? I'm sure she 
  can handle something as simple as a few stitched.""

Kailia nods, "Aurian, I'd be grateful. I've never learned how to do this. 
  Maybe you would teach me sometime?"

Jehrina nods to Mehlani, "Well, let's see if we can get some of the tangles 
  out, first."

Asher grits his teeth and bares them in a nervous almost-smile, eyeing Aurian.

Kailia shakes her head, "What I'd like to know is who did this?"

Aurian blinks at Asher oddly, "Nothing wrong with my mind just my hair." She 
  tries to run her hand through it out of standard habit, winces as her 
  fingers get stopped. She nods to Kailia, "Of course ma'am."

Mehlani bobs her towel-wrapped head to the Weyrwoman and whispers, "Aurian 
  first..."

Jehrina nods, "We can take care of Aurian, I think she'll want to see if they 
  can get Asher's hand to stop bleeding first." Without another comment, she 
  grabs a comb handed to her by another rider, and begins very carefully 
  working small knots out of Mehlani's hair.

Aurian nods, the mass of hair tumbling like a large group of tunnelsnakes 
  after some tasty idbit.

With the towel removed from her hair, it can be seen that Mehlani's hair is in 
  a state just about as bad as Aurian's. The sight of it makes several of her 
  fire lizards hiss, adding their voices to Arki's; Holl, however, trumpets, 
  silencing the lot of them. And Mehlani gingerly sets down her fedora, 
  freeing her hand to try to restrain Arki while Jehrina begins working on the 
  oily, sandy, damp mass of auburn hair.

Jehrina eyes the firelizards, "Shoo, or at least get off her shoulders. You're 
  in the way." She shakes her head, "The person who did this is going to have 
  to do some fast talking not to get sent right out of here."

Kailia agrees, "Well, let's start with a likely person to be in the know. 
  Mehlani, Aurian, any clue? Don't be shy."

Berylle walks here from the Inner Cavern.
Berylle has arrived.

Asher just sucks on his cut finger and looks upwards, seemingly bored.

Aurian turns towards the lower caverns, "lets get to the infirmary."

Berylle stomps into the living cavern in her pajamas (or whatever we call 'em 
  on Pern). There seems to be sticky stuff all over her legs, and some raisins 
  too. She marches in and spots Asher and shouts, "YOU!"

Mehlani's shoulders are bare -- the only thing on them is the very top of her 
  black vest, about as inseperable from her as her fedora. Arki remains quite 
  firmly attached to Mehlani's arm, however, and Mehlani murmurs abashedly, 
  watching the floor, "I didn't think I made anybody mad at me... a-and my 
  fair was sleeping with S'lah and h-his brown... I didn't see anything..."

Aurian opens her mouth to say something, she blinks as Berylle enters. She 
  shuts her mouth.

Kailia looks up, "Now what DID he do?"

Asher blinks his gaze dwon from the cieling on whirls, hearing his name, arm 
  outflung. Entirely by accident, the back of his hand smacks a charging 
  Berylle right across the face.

Jehrina glances up briefly. She continues to work on the knots in Mehlani's 
  hair. "Just tell me if I pull something too hard, okay?"

Berylle acks and falls over. "Why you little...!" She leaps at Asher, hands 
  going for his neck.

Asher jumps again when he finds someone right behind him, automatically 
  saying, "Oh, oh, I'm sorry! I'm so--" he sees Berylle and his tone changes. 
  "Oh, it's just you. Well that's alright than. Woah, woah-" He backs away 
  quickly, hands raised.

Mehlani murmurs a tiny assent to Jehrina, trying to hold herself very still. 
  Arki balefully watches everything, while several of the girl's lizards 
  start, in reaction to Berylle's arrival.

Kailia lunges to hold Berylle back, and misses by an inch. "STOP THIS!"

Berylle yells "I'M GONNA POUND HIM INTO THE GROUND" and lets loose on Asher as 
  only an angry tomboy can do.

Jehrina gets up, setting the comb down, "ENOUGH."

Aurian stands up a bit straighter, and says in her most authorative tone. One 
  would recognize it as sounding quite similar to the MasterHealer at her most 
  serious, "Can you wait to pound him until after I treat him?" She turns her 
  head towards Berylle.

Jehrina says "What kind of candidates are you? Telgar doesn't need this kind 
  of rider. Short of wings or not."

Kailia reaches out and grabs hold this time, and says in a very low vioce, "No 
  you will not, ."

Berylle erks and stops and looks back at Jehrina and everyone else in the 
  room, as if noticing there are other people. She looks horrifed. 
  "Weyrwoman...!" she says.

Asher finds himself falling backwards, hands on Berylle's shoulders, trying to 
  hold her away from himself. With a huff of breath, his back meets the floor, 
  the girl on top of him. "Shards! Get her off! She's nu-*gasp*-"

Berylle rolls off of Asher and looks contritely down at her feet, panting 
  panickedly. "I...I'm...I..."

Catalina walks in from the bowl.
Catalina has arrived.

Mehlani sinks down a little lower in her chair, apparently trying to become 
  invisible as she watches the chaos breaking out. The only sound she can be 
  heard to make is a murmured, "Arki, hush... easy..." And the little green 
  hisses again, softly.

Jehrina clenches her teeth, takes a deep breath, and sits back down to work on 
  Mehlani's hair. "Your choices are to either behave, or go back to your holds 
  and halls. I will not have it in my weyr."

Asher scrambles away from Berylle, hand against his mouth and looking decidely 
  blue. "Ouch," he complains, the other hand on his middle.

Catalina pokes her head in, waving to someone behind her. She stops and stares 
  at her friend lying on his back on the floor, a girl scrambling off of him. 
  "ASHER!"

Berylle bites her lower lip. "But..." she says quietly. "...he put syrup and 
  raisins in my bed...!" She's almost whimpering, unusual for her, because boy 
  is she worried now.

Kailia shoots a look at Catilina, "Stay out of it, or land in trouble also."
Kailia crosses her arms, "And hitting him is the answer?"

M'kla rises, standing well over the weyrwoman....and proceeds to glower. No 
  one make her start bellowing. She scares H'tor.

Catalina turns deathly pale. Boy, was -that- ever bad timing. "I'm sorry," she 
  says meekly, peering over her shoulder.

Asher stares at Berylle, as if he can't believe the very nerve of her 
  accusation. "Pardon me, Berylle, but when did you see me do this?" He tries 
  to stand, wincing.

Jehrina nods, "Lovely." She peers at Asher, "You, my boy, are going to be 
  having a little talk later with Richenda, or maybe me. "

Berylle turns and glares at Asher, "I _know_ you did it! Who else would?!?"

M'kla snaps, "ENOUGH!"

Kailia turns to Berylle, "Any of the weyrboys."

Berylle eeps.

Catalina begins to open her mouth to say something, but snaps it shut with a 
  second glance at Kailia.

Berylle jumps about 3 inches off the ground.

M'kla says "If there is even /one more prank/...or even the IDEA of 
  pranks...the lot of you will go back to your holds and halls in disgrace!"

Asher looks to the weyrwoman. He looks less than surprised about that. He 
  clips his mouth closed obiediantly, not answering Berylle.

M'kla snaps her fingers, and gestures. "Into a line..."

Aurian walks over to a table and yanks a napkin off of it. She quickly walks 
  back to Asher and wraps it tightly about the bleeding finger.

Kailia turns to M'kla, "Since Richenda asked me to help watch this lot while 
  she was gone, have you a good suggestion of punishment for them."

Catalina snaps her own fingers in disappointment. "I'll visit another time 
  Asher," she mouths before scurrying out of the living cavern as fast as she 
  can go.
Catalina walks down the short tunnel and out into the bowl.
Catalina has left.

Berylle is stunned at first, then moves where M'kla says, shooting 
  if-looks-could-kill dagger glares at Asher.

Asher steps back as gracefully as one can while still partially doubled over. 
  He's going to be sick, so he allows Aurian to hold on to his finger.

Mehlani glances uncertainly between M'kla and the Weyrwoman, not knowing 
  whether she should get up to join the other Candidates. As Jehrina seems 
  quite determined to unsnarl her hair, the girl stays where she is for the 
  moment, but watches Torinth's rider. Her expression seems heartsick, now.

M'kla puts her hands on her hips, "This is a /disgrace/...You're supposed to 
  be training yourselves in preparation the honor of standing on Telgar's 
  sands...what is this foolishment of pranks? Do you know how much TIME is 
  being wasted?"

Kailia looks, "Take him and get that stiched up. And make him lye down, will 
  you?"

Berylle looks down at her feet. "But..." She looks up and then decides not to 
  say anything.

Kailia shakes her head, "And fighting. Dragonmen do not fight."

M'kla growls at that, and nods.

Kailia shakes her head, "Not that a dragon'll pick any of you at this rate."

M'kla says "Now...you can happily go back and inform the /rest/ of the 
  candidates that if there is even a SINGLE further incident, you will /all/ 
  regret it. You will learn quickly enough, that a weyr lives and dies 
  together...and feels the /same/ pain. Do you want to be able to TRUST those 
  who fly in your wings and are protecting your skin?"

Aurian nods to Kailia, "Aye ma'am." She puts a hand on Asher's shoulder and 
  makes him turn towards the infirmary with a strength belying her size. The 
  pair disappear into the lower caverns.

Berylle looks down again and looks sad.

Aurian walks towards the inner cavern.
Aurian has left.

Kailia turns to M'kla, "Richenda is going to be very upset when I give her my 
  report."

Mehlani's eyes brim over liquidly, and she sits there without moving a muscle, 
  now. Arki makes a low noise that's not quite a hiss, and not really a croon, 
  and oddly, the little lizard swivels her head around and nuzzles at 
  Mehlani's chest in a gesture of incongruous affection.

M'kla just continues to stand there...glowering.

Berylle shrinks down into her shoulders. If there were turtles on Pern, she'd 
  be one.

M'kla makes an annoyed noise, and sits back down. "Disgraceful...the lot of 
  you should probably be thrashed just for good measure."

Berylle says "But he..."

M'kla snaps, "He did what? Does your father allow you to go trouncing people 
  like a shameless wherryhen?"

Kailia nods, "I can't even think, I'm so upset. There will be a meeting in the 
  morning, and I will let you all know what is going on. Right now, I want to 
  make sure everyone is alright. I expext lights out in 15 minuets for all 
  except Aurian and Mehlani. Berylle, go wash up and change your bed. We will 
  settle this in the morning."

Berylle looks down. "No ma'am."

Aurian walks here from the Inner Cavern.
Aurian has arrived.

M'kla nods to the assistant headwoman, "And Mehlani and Aurian will be 
  directly to bed after we either get their hair undone...or cut. If we cut 
  it, all candidates will be short shorn."

Kailia nods to Aurian, "Is he settled?"
Kailia looks up, "Good idea, M'kla."

Berylle timidly asks, "Am...Am I dismissed to get cleaned, ma'am?"

Aurian returns from treating Asher, "He's resting." Her hands holding a pair 
  of shears just in case. She blinks, "All ma'am?"

Kailia nods, "Yes. go."

M'kla nods to Aurian, "Aye. No one will get special treatment in this Weyr."

Berylle walks towards the inner cavern.
Berylle has left.

With a sigh, Aurian eyes one of the serpent-like coils of hair dangling over 
  her face, "Alright what should we try now?"

Orione comes out of the lower caverns, she blinks as she sees Aurian and 
  Mehlani's hair. She turns right back around and into the lower caverns.

Maylia walks in from the bowl.
Maylia has arrived.

Kailia waves to Maylia, "Hiya."

Maylia heads into the living cavern, changed into casual clothes from her 
  earlier attire of riding clothes, and thankfully no longer smelling of 
  firestone. She appropriates a wineskin for herself and a glass before 
  meandering further into the cavern.

M'kla sighs some, and looks over the messes.
M'kla finally says, "Lasses...I'm afraid the easiest thing will be to cut it 
  off past the main mass of knots."

In the faintest of whispers, "I was afraid you would say that." Aurian looks 
  down.

Maylia narrowly misses spilling wine all over the floor instead of into her 
  glass when she catches sight of multiple braids. "Aurian! What," and her 
  voice clearly states she's amazed and rather shocked, "Did you do to your 
  hair?"

Kailia eyes the sicisoes, "I think it's hopeless, gils. We'll have to cut."

Maylia's jaw drops even further as she sees 'Lani's hair, usually hidden by a 
  hat. "Shards." Is about all she can muster up.

Bursts into tears for a moment, Aurian quickly regains control however, "I 
  didn't do it!"

M'kla nods, and says to Kailia, "Cut it several inches up above the scalp...so 
  they're not shorn completely."
M'kla says "Those'll be knots we can work out."

Kailia shakes her head, "I'm really sorry, I really am. Who want's to go 
  first?"

Maylia reaches out to touch Aurian's shoulder, concerned. She certainly didn't 
  mean to provoke tears in her old friend. "Shells, Aurian, they're right," 
  she says, fingering one of the tangled braids. "How'd it happen?"

With Jehrina called off yet again by her broody dragon, Mehlani is sitting 
  there dolefully on the chair she'd been claiming for some time. Arki is 
  still curled on her forearm, and the girl's awkwardly stroking the green's 
  pale little head. As Maylia arrives on the scene, 'Lani looks from face to 
  face, silent, troubled.

Aurian wipes her eyes a touch angrily, "I was asleep and when I woke up it was 
  like this. My firelizards didn't see who did it, becuase Danae was off 
  getting chased, Sayvel was chasing, and Tola was who knows where." She 
  closes her eyes, "I'll go first."

Mehlani murmurs, "Yes... get that b-brush out of her hair..." She peers up 
  liquidly at Aurian's entangled hairbrush, still dangling off the back of the 
  other girl's head.

Kailia nods, and montions her to sit down in front of her. She studied the 
  girls head for a moment.

M'kla smiles wanly, "Think of it this way, lass...if you Impress, you'll have 
  to cut it anyway. You have to be insane to keep your hair long on a fighting 
  dragon."
M'kla says softly, "I know...my hair used to trail my calves."

Aurian's lower lip quivers as Kailia examines her head, "I know. But that was 
  still a while away. So I thought I could enjoy it for a while more." The 
  brush sticks out a bit cockeyed.

Kailia snips the brush out first off, "Fell a bit better?"

Maylia sits beside Aurian, reaching for her hand as she studies the 
  candidate's face.

Kailia pulls the matted mass up and SNIP! The whole think is off.

Aurian squeezes Maylia's hand tightly. She speaks quietly, "A little bit 
  better." Her eyes widen with shock as suddenly her head is very light.

Arallia walks towards the inner cavern.
Arallia has left.

Kailia hold the offending mass out and drops it. "Well, now, lets try brushing 
  this a bit, now. ."
Kailia nods, to Mehlani, "Let's try yours, while she's brushing a bit."

Jehrina shakes her head, "What a mess."

Aurian starts brushing the much much shorter hair. Her eyes a bit wide as she 
  does this totally unused to the sensation. The knots that remain easily 
  coming out.

Maylia reaches up, trying to gently unknot some of the flaming red braids a 
  bit, and now that they're -much- shorter, the tangles come out with very 
  little pulling.

Mehlani nods mutely to Kailia, still holding Arki _quite_ carefully.

Kailia holds up Mehlani's hair the same way and with another SNIP! her's is 
  off also. "Ok, give brushing your a try also. Then, we'll try to make you 
  both look nice."

'Lani's tangled hair goes falling down to the floor when snipped free, and 
  Mehlani murmurs huskily, "Alright... shhh, Arki, shhhh...." The little 
  'lizard hisses at Kailia's proximity, and cautiously, Mehlani sets Arki down 
  in her lap, reaching for her fedora and placing the thing over the 'lizard, 
  to let her hide for a while. With both her hands free now, Mehlani can 
  accept a brush, and she reaches up hesitantly to try to tame what's left of 
  her hair.

As Aurian begins brushing the last of the knots out, Maylia reaches for one of 
  the thicker braids, now sitting loose on the bench nearby. "Want to keep any 
  of this?" She asks, quietly, eyes darting to 'Lani as the sound of shears 
  cutting through hair draws her attention.

Her eyes drift to gaze upon the braid. Aurian's eyes tear up but don't spill 
  over, "No. I better not."

Kailia shakes her head, "Maybe I'll make them all cut eachother's hair as a 
  punishemnt."

M'kla snorts, "We dan't want them looking like drudges...some of us aren't bad 
  with the cutting scissiors."

Remo walks here from the Inner Cavern.
Remo has arrived.
Remo walks into the cavern, rubbing his eyes and more or less stumbling over 
  to the serving table, fumbling with a mug before managing to pour himself 
  some klah.

Mehlani manages to brush out what's left of her hair, the shorn strands 
  clinging damply to the brush, and several of her nearby fire lizards trill 
  in bemusement at this change in her appearance. It takes 'Lani several sharp 
  jerks to get the brush to handle what's left of the snarls.

Remo looks at you for a moment.

Aurian runs a hand through the much shorter hair. She blinks.

Remo turns away from the table after having a few, life-affirming gulps of his 
  wake-up drink, and leans against it, scanning the cavern with eyes much more 
  alert when he walked in.

Remo slowly walks over to the table where Mehlani sits, leaning down to look 
  at her, as if reassuring himself of who it is. "'Lani?" he questions, one 
  eyebrow raised. "What happened to your hair?"

Jehrina sits in her seat, glowering here and there.

With a sigh, Aurian asks, "Maylia, how does it look?"

Maylia takes a look at Aurian, trying to mask her expression. "Well, let's 
  wait till it's fixed up a bit?" She says, doing her best to look approving 
  for Aurian's sake.

Mehlani blinkblinks and looks up at Remo, and swallows hard. "Um... I, um," 
  she begins uncomfortably, blushing pink, paused with the brush still in her 
  hand. Perched on the table nearby, Holl and Rianet creel softly.

Remo glances over at Aurian as she speaks to Maylia, cocking his head. "I 
  think it looks better," he says, matter-of-factly, nodding in approval. 
  "Short hair looks good on women. More practical, too."

Imuna comes rushing in, she looks panicked. "What's this about cutting our 
  hair?" The candidate looks nigh hysterical.

Jehrina nods a bit, "It's very practical for a rider. Much easier in flight."

M'kla nods, "Aye, and ye dan't spend all the marks on the messes to dress and 
  decorate the stuff."

Remo glances over at Jehrina, and shrugs. "Well, wouldn't know about that, 
  myself, but most of the girls in our caravan cut theirs off. Kept it from 
  getting in the way when mucking pens, and the animals tended to chew on it 
  less."

Imuna's usual cool is gone completely, her eyes looking about desperate to 
  have someone tell her its all just a horrible awful lie.

M'kla glances up at the hysterical girl, "Aye, /everyone/."

Remo glances up at the horror-struck candidate, and offers her a reassuring 
  grin. "Ain't the end of the world. Just some dead part of your body being 
  culled, is all."

Maylia, feeling just a little more cruel than her normal self, holds up a 
  thick flaming red braid, obviously just shorn from Aurian's head, in answer 
  to the hysterical candidate.

Mehlani turns rather more noticeably pink, and keeps her gaze down, as she 
  fiddles with brushing out the last of the tangles in her hair. Then, at last 
  she lowers the brush and sneaks a hand under her hat, to pet the fire lizard 
  hiding under there.

Kailia nods in agreement, "'Sides, if you impress, you will want to cut it 
  anyway."

Imuna's jaw drops, all her manners and attitudes gone. "B-b-b-but its my hair! 
  I didn't do it why should I lose my hair." Her hands go to grip the long 
  lush black hair she so adores, "But"

M'kla says "If ye like it that much, lass, have a tailor bind it into a piece 
  for ye, and ye can wear it like a decoration at Gathers."

Kailia nods sharply, "Do you wish to remain a candidate?"

Jehrina says "Because no one willl confess to who did it, so everyone gets the 
  punishment. Seems fair to me."

Remo glances over at Jehrina. "Did what, Weyrwoman?" he asks, in a casual tone.

Imuna gives a little cry of dismay, and after shooting a look of anger at 
  Mehlani and Aurian. She rushes back towards the inner caverns.

Jehrina nods over at Mehlani and Aurian, "Snarled their hair so badly that it 
  had to be cut off."

Kailia shakes her head, "I'd love to get ahold who of who did do this."

Maylia rises, laying the bright red braid down again. Just as she opens her 
  mouth, the girl runs off. "Shards, and I was going to offer to do hers now, 
  to get it over with."

Jehrina rolls her eyes at Imuna, "Keep an eye on her. IF she causes any 
  problems, send her to me."

Mehlani's head remains bowed, and she's still blushing quite vividly, totally 
  silent. Arki can be heard to muffledly hiss under 'Lani's hat, but the 
  temperamental green slowly settles down at Mehlani's touch.

Kailia nods, "I will, for sure."

Aurian rubs her temples, "Why do I have the feeling that we are not going to 
  be very well liked in the barracks anymore?" She gives a slight sigh.

Jehrina shrugs, "If you have any problems, let Richenda or I know. WHoever did 
  that to you is the one who should be taking the pain for this one."

Maylia folds her arms over her chest, taking a firm stance and looking towards 
  the Weyrwoman for her answer, and nods sharply as the one she expects is 
  given.

Jehrina says "For that matter, any rider, or one of the staff."

Aurian nods to Jehrina, "Aye Weyrwoman." She touches the unfamiliar feeling 
  hair.

"Yes'm," murmurs Mehlani tinily.

Maylia looks at you for a moment.

Jehrina sighs, "I can't beleive someone'd do something that malicious. That's 
  a childish prank."

Kailia shakes her head. "Very much so."

Mehlani, unsurprisingly, is still blushing. She finally asks haltingly, 
  "Should... I got to bed yet...?" More than a little nervousness is apparent 
  in her expression, as she risks looking up.

Maylia reaches over again to run her hands through Aurian's hair, smiling. 
  "Y'know, it's not that bad. Bouncy, kinda, and I'll bet marks it'll curl 
  once you've dampened it again." At Jehrina's comment, she gloweres back 
  towards the inner caverns. "Any idea at all who might've done it?"

Kailia shrugs, "I have my suspicions."

Jehrina shrugs, "Not sure. Neither of the girls had their firelizards around." 
  She nods at Mehlani, "Yes, probably. It does look nice though."

M'kla drawls quietly, "Just cut the hair and be done with it. If there's any 
  more tomfoolery, then we deal with it...call the shorn hair the bloodprice 
  on it."

Aurian smiles a bit at Maylia, then tilts her head as she recalls something, 
  "I remember Asher asking about if he could braid hair. But that's not enough 
  to go on I guess."

Kailia humms, "Asher, huh?"

Mehlani rises, slipping Arki up onto her shoulder, and after a moment, she 
  hesitantly slips on her hat. Her cropped hair now peeks out from under the 
  brim in small spiky points. Picking up her towel, she turns to survey 
  several of her fire lizards, who offer her soft croonings.

Aurian looks at you for a moment.

Maylia grins over at 'Lani, seeing even more apprehension in the normally shy 
  and quiet girl. "Imagine the trouble whoever did this will be in, should 
  anyone find out it was them." She says, softly, one eyebrow raised. And most 
  prankers do slip up, and give themselves away, somehow.

Jehrina nods, "They're going to have some serious explaining to do."

Aurian tugs a little on one of the new almost curls. She watches it bounce.

"Pl-please excuse me," murmurs Mehlani nervously. Holl wings up to claim her 
  other shoulder, Arki be sharded; the blues and the greens pop *between*, and 
  shortly thereafter, so does Munki. She takes up her towel, and creeps off 
  into the inner caverns, dreading setting foot in the Barracks.

[End log.]