[PRP] Fishing Kind of Sucks (Vosin/Thaideem + Dragons)

[demon_pachabel]

That is certainly not a fish, Zegurath informed Thaideem both critically and lazily, the green's tail flicking as her rider tossed aside the slimy boot that had all but cursed her line this day. "I'm aware, Zegurath," the young woman answered sharply as she peeled the rest of the muck that had gotten tangled on the line off in preparation of another toss out into the water. Surely, she couldn't do worse than catching a boot.

There are plenty of things that could be worse than catching a boot, Zegurath cut straight to the heart of the idea, something Thaideem had been ready for. It was normal for the dragon. "But they're not likely. Unless there was a mass exodus of boots into the ocean, I should be ahead of the poor luck curve," Thaideem's voice was sharp, "I can hardly do worse than you, since you're not even trying." Zegurath yawned and stretched her wings. My contribution is that I am not scaring the fish off for everybody. Thaideem raised her brows at her dragon. I'm also not eating the fish, so, I'm not straining those resources. "Yeah, well, you're eating other resources since we can't leave yet." Yet. Zegurath emphasized.

It was really one of the nicer exchanges between the pair.  

[magnadearel]

demon_pachabel

This was a complete bust. She was absolutely no good at fishing. Vosin tried to hide her low spirits as she packed up her gear. She was sure she kept getting large fish on the line only to lose them over and over. The fish were mocking her.

At least you didn't catch...... That. Killakeeth sloshed ashore then flicked her wings to send the water off of them, not really paying attention to where it went. Vosin glanced over to see a green rider fishing who had a stinky boot nearby. "Maybe, but I would have liked to pull in what I did hook." Fish in the sea didn't help fill Western bellies. If only she could go do what she was good at! Except they really didn't need more candidates, more mouths, to feed right now. If this didn't work, some of the candidates might be sent home until there was a clutch.

She wandered by with pole and tackle. "Any luck other than a nasty boot?" Vosin gave a light smile. From what she'd been hearing, Western wasn't doing too well.

 

[demon_pachabel]

Thaideem recognized Vosin in the way any former candidate recognized a goldrider. Not that Killakeeth's last clutch had held any interest in her - no hard feelings there, though. There better not be.

"Only this slimy thing so far," Thaideem, held it up for emphasis before tossing it half-heartedly into the sand. She'd not leave it there, of course, as just tossing a boot back into the water meant she'd catch it again the next week, but.... "Looks like the day may just be a bust. I plan to go a little longer though."

Zegurath's tail swished lazily against the sand. A waste of time, if you ask me.

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[magnadearel]

demon_pachabel

Vosin gave a sympathetic sigh as the girl showed off her 'catch'. "I'd had high hopes that this would work," she said softly. "Who knew there were so many boots just being thrown into the waters? I will have to speak to someone about that." It was possible they had washed ashore from somewhere else too. Maybe a ship carrying a supply of shoes had sunk!

"I sympathize with you there. A big one broke my line and I just can't seem to catch anything now. I've given up for the day. The fish are just too smart for me." She laughed. Killakeeth settled her bulk onto the warm sand and wallowed in it for a moment before turning to Zegurath. At least we are trying and holding our heads high. Perhaps another day we could fish together. We might have better luck then.

 

[demon_pachabel]

"Given how many accidents we're having with near drownings just at our Weyr, I don't want to think about how this boot got from a foot to my hook," Thaideem answered, though she hadn't been able to keep from raising a brow at Vosin's assertion that she would 'have to speak to someone' about boots in the water.

Then again, Thaideem couldn't exactly trust everybody to have their heads on enough to not just be losing their shoes to the water.

"I may just be too stubborn to let a bad haul be the end of it." It was a rather positive spin on it, where Zegurath actually, physically, laughed from the little wallow she'd made for herself. It was more of a wheeze, really, and could have been interpreted as a sneeze if Thaideem didn't know better.

Zegurath snapped her jaws and rolled to rest on her side, clearly pleased with the jab at her rider. I don't fish. Zegurath pointed out critically. Luck doesn't exactly make up for a poor location or a lack of any actual ability. It was clear that this was yet another jab at her rider rather than the whole fishing affair.

"Oh, now you have ideas?" Thaideem scathed right back, rolling her eyes as she leaned her weight onto one foot. She did love her nasty little beast despite her roughness. "I'd dare say fishing with company means a good spot yields more fish for everybody."

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[magnadearel]

demon_pachabel

Vosin winced internally. She hadn't thought about that. Nor did she really want to. She could hear Killakeeth chuckling in the back of her mind. Can't talk to someone about that eh? Well I was hoping it was more, people dumping shoes, which we really shouldn't be doing now.... she finished lamely.

She smiled as Thaideem said she wouldn't let bad haul stop her. They needed more people with tenacious spirits like that at Western! Your rider needs all the help she can get, Killakeeth pointed out. Are you saying you won't help Yours? The gold put a touch of scorn into her voice.

"Excellent Thaideem! Next time I see you fishing I'll come over and join you. Or you're welcome to come join me. Either way. I want to find that sweet spot!" Vosin clenched her fist almost to her chest. She wanted to help the Weyr out! Sure they could try to wring more from the Holders; but she wanted to be able to say They had done it, instead of groveling to the Lord Holders.

 

[demon_pachabel]

Scorn meant nothing to Zegurath, who regarded Killakeeth's words cooly. Do you mind yourself to tasks you aren't suited to? That sounded like an awful large waste of time where the young green was concerned.

Thaideem didn't move to Zegurath's defense.

"I'm thinking of walking the coast here in the next few days - we've been having poles break an awful lot and the bad weather has been making the shores more appealing for scavengers." There'd been firelizards, sure, but the scavenging sea wherries were what appealed to her. Thaideem also didn't want to have to make deals - making the Lord Holders flex the power they had over them by making it clearer was a recipe for disaster.

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[magnadearel]

demon_pachabel

I still will try to help my rider. While the gold was decidedly lazy, she could still be convinced to put in a helping wing. Seeing as this is for the good of the weyr and Yours, it couldn't hurt to help. Your rider might even appreciate it. Killakeeth looked down her nose at the younger green. But nevermind me. Clearly it is too much of a task for you, little dragon.

She looked thoughtful. "That's not a bad idea. Potentially we could fly out a bit further and get to a place less occupied." Vosin shook her head. So many things were hindering them! Was it simply bad luck or fowl weather? Perhaps a cove less traveled was the way to go? With so many from the weyr trying to help fishing, it was bound to scare the fish. Her green eyes looked at Thaideem to see if she was interested.

 

[demon_pachabel]

Again, Zegurath remained unriled. How good for her you do, there was no sass or snark to her tone. Just that same coolness that she'd been, literally, born with. Very kind of you to share your Turns of wisdom. there was a faint amount of sarcasm around the very edges of her tone this time.

Thaideem shot Zegurath a knowing glance - they were, after all, similar creatures and she knew exactly what kind of hole the youngling was starting to dig. Quickly, she looked back to Vosin. "As long as the Weyr will let us - Zegurath is still fairly young but..." sometimes a Weyrling could leave with an older rider. Would they trust her readiness for that? "I could ask Liat about it for sure."

As long as it didn't take them into a hotbed of trouble.

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[magnadearel]

demon_pachabel

Killakeeth found this green particularly boring and was quite ready to move on now. She looked over to the green's rider and inserted herself into the conversation she was having with her own rider. Tell me Thaideem. Have you tried any of the fish that has been brought back? Do you like one more than the others?

"Hmmmmm yes. I was thinking Killakeeth could carry her if she got tired, but we wouldn't want her to over exert herself. No its probably best to play it safe." Vosin smiled. "There's plenty of time for that later." She was use to how Killakeeth would just let herself into a conversation. "Dragons aren't really made for fishing. I'm glad we don't have to try feeding them with fish too." Vos eyed her massive gold. You would have to go on a diet for sure. Of all the insults, you know I am simply big boned.

 

[demon_pachabel]

It was all the same to Zegurath, who yawned lazily and was ever content to not have to entertain conversations with those who thought they knew better for....what reason now? No hide off her back at least.

"I've eaten plenty of fish," Thaideem answered Killakeeth, "I don't think anything brought back was particularly new," she confessed. Being Weyrborn, she'd been feasting on fish her entire life. "I do enjoy a good spiderclaw when they bring them in, though. Especially in those spicier stews."

Mmmm.

"Oh, Zegurath is far too proud for that," and frankly, Thaideem was too. "I dunno. If the dragons were eating fish, she," she jerked her head towards her green who had appeared to have found something off in the distance to entertain herself with. Thaideem knew better than to believe she wasn't listening in, though. "She'd probably help. I've seen a few riders have their dragons help. One of the older greenriders fishes with his all the time."

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[magnadearel]

demon_pachabel

Killakeeth settled into the sand. The green completely disregarded from her mind by this time. Probably not, she laughed. Fish was pretty common here in Western. She knew some humans preferred or didn't some types of food.

"Mmmm those are delicious." Vosin added thoughtfully. "Some of those deep fish are quite good baked. I do hope this works." Vosin had debated taking Killakeeth hunting wild game to help alleviate her drain on the Weyr. As long as no one thought they had claim to those particular wild beasties. Vos sighed to herself.

Did it make sense to hunt something else to trade it in for marks? The adult riders could hunt felines or other big animals. But it would take too long to make leather from the hides. They were dragonriders, not tanners. Could they get produce from Western to trade north? Maybe, but they could just eat and produce they found too. Why was this so tough?

 

[demon_pachabel]

"There was that fanciful display of Deepfish at the hatching feast for Killakeeth's last clutch," Thaideem mused, recalling the way the hatchlings had keened and begged for it. She'd have never allowed it from her dragon.

"The problem is, is this a long term solution? It keeps our heads above the water for now, but do we continue to strain our riders with a lack of rest?" There were already those who had lost fingers and equipment had been snapped. What would one bad fall do to the effort if it left them with less able bodies?

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[magnadearel]

demon_pachabel

My clutch was the best wasn't it? The gold asked of no one in particular. Vosin rolled her eyes at her dragon. "Every clutch is precious, just as every dragon is." She turned back to Thaideem. "The cooks really out did themselves just as they do every hatching."

She made a face. "With given how, erm, well we are at fishing, probably not. If we were better at it maybe. We'll have to see what the weyrleaders think. I'm going to guess they will try something else to be honest. I wouldn't want my riders loosing fingers if they didn't have to. We are dragonriders, not fishers. Though I guess some of us use to be fishers." Only time would tell at this point if they were making a difference or not.

 

[demon_pachabel]

"I'd be hard pressed to agree when my Zegurath came from another," Thaideem's tone was playful at least as she expressed her bias. "Hatching feasts are certainly something to look forward to." Whether they'd remain as such, given the current political situation, would have to be seen.

"Well, maybe if we have a decent month that just means they'll have time to maybe...." Thaideem gestured vaguely with a hand. "Smooth things over, I guess."

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