Snowfall Shenanigans (Open)

[Kila]

Winter, 6th Turn, 11th Pass

Y'nis whooped as he bounded across the Weyrbowl, sinking near knee deep in snow with each bound. The crèche brats had thought it was fun to throw snowballs out of the freshly falling snow- a trick they had been at for the past few sevendays. And it was fun! Y'nis had leapt over their puny walls and pelted them all, taking no prisoners despite the large age gap between them. He sassed the crèche worker when she came out to screech at him, mimicking her high grating voice, and ran off when she came after him, hooting like a loon. The children were left bewildered, though some of the little boys were greatly impressed by the show. The PurplRider's long legs easily carried him far from the angry woman and out deeper into the snow.

"You'll never take me alive!" he howled, simply to hear his own voice. Those who were out for the snowfall were mostly sticking to the edges of the 'Bowl, so the center was largely deserted. The thick white blanket muffled his shout. Y'nis's face split into a big grin at the silence. None of the well-bred weyrfolk were out in the wilderness. "And it only comes right to your doorstep so rarely," he chastised them. Something beneath the snow caught his foot and cut short his lecture.

Y'nis went down with a surprised "oomph," disappearing beneath the snow when he fell forward. A single, stunning purple claw reached down to fish him out. Does the snow taste good, YaMine? Yusriyath asked with mirth, holding his rider up before his whirring cyan eyes. His flamboyantly colored hide stood out like lightning against the white. YuMine! Y'nis called adoringly, clinging to the Purple's forearm. His dragon only snorted and shook him off, sending Y'nis flying and flailing back into the snow.

Is it good, though? Yusriyath asked, staring at the snowflakes melting on his snout. They can be, His replied, bursting out of a snowdrift. You catch them on your tongue- like this! Y'nis titled back his head, dark shaggy hair now clumped with snow, and stuck his tongue to the sky. You look stupid, YaMine, Yusriyath trilled, but tried to mimic him anyways. You look stupid with your eyes crossed, Y'nis retorted, jumping back up. He packed together a snowball and launched it at his lifemate. Yusriyath looked at him like a feline at a mouse when the ball exploded against his shoulder. Another! he said instead of pouncing, opening his jaws wide. Y'nis laughed as he hastily obeyed his love's wishes. Sure you wouldn't prefer a brat? Yusriyath crinkled his snout, blue tongue lolling over his teeth. They are dirty, YaMine. Throw it!

[Kiran]

Are you sure that you would not care to go out and enjoy the fresh snow?
I am absolutely sure. Snow is wet and cold, and here I am warm and dry. The difference between the two states is remarkable, is it not?
It is good for you to get out. Besides, I see a familiar dragon out there. Perhaps he and His would care to visit?
Familiar wha...? Divith, what on Pern-

Her blue leaned over the edge of his ledge, peering down at the fantastically brilliant dragon that was as obvious as a flower against the pure white snow, and the rider that was playing with him. He sent images of the pair to his rider. Kelsira considered it, then groaned. Oh. Them. One of the pairs that had participated in the gray's Flight not too long ago. She was honestly having trouble remembering which of the dragons (no, men, MEN..... maybe woman, there had been one of those as well) that she had ended up bedding afterwards. It didn't matter in the end, though. She wasn't getting up for any of them. Especially not that of a Purple!

Divith turned back towards the insides of the weyr, rumbling slightly and giving the furs a nudge. It is not good for you to be in all day. And besides, we have not had time together in a while, you have no memories of it in the last few sevendays. And you would recall such if it had happened. The blue called on the scrounging of Kelsira's recollections to reaffirm that his rider was being neglectful. That would never do. He gave her another gentle nudge. Kelsira. I miss you. Please? A juvenile plea, but true. He needed her company as much as she needed his. It was part of their balance.

And it was effective. In a mere few moments she had tossed off her covers and thrown on the warmest coverings she could, insulating herself against the cold. There might not have been a breeze, but that mattered little; She didn't want to feel the cold against her skin for longer than she absolutely had to. Divith waited patiently for her to do so, then lowered himself so she could climb aboard. No straps were necessary for the short drift down to the bowl, where they landed softly near the pair. Kelsira climbed off and glanced at the pair.

Let's play with them. Please?

Another grumble from Kelsira, but she leaned down to pack a snowball in glove-covered hands. She would. It was Divith who asked, after all. And he hadn't done a half-bad job, picking out a rather nice place near a drift she could duck behind. With that, she let the snowball fly towards the purplerider, who was aiming at his dragon. The immediate threat first. She could handle him, not his dragon.

Divith gave a low grumble, the equivalent of a draconic chuckle. Mine and I wish to join. May we also play?

[Kila]

Y'nis stamped the ground and squinted his eyes as he drew back
his hand dramatically, preparing to launch his snowball into Yusriyath's
gaping jaws.A snowball to his own face sent the would-be treat flying
askew and sent the PurpleRider stumbling backwards in surprise. The
rogue snowball flew high into the air, fell, and then burst on top top
of Divith's head, creating a small explosion of white.
Oh, said Yusriyath, his eyes whirring orange with
disappointment, I was going to eat that... The
prospect of a playmate piqued his interest though and he brightened
almost instantly. Play with us? Well, if you think you're
brave enough. Actaully I think we already are! Playing, that is. You
intercepted my snowball with your head! I think you should make me
another. I'll make one too. I bet mine will be bigger!

The flamboyant Purple wasted no time in attempting to start a ball after
his excitable dictation. He nosed at the snow with his snout and then
tried to pack it with his claws as His had done. YaMine,
how do you do this? he exclaimed as his talons pierced whatever
show he could pack and cut it back to pieces. Y'nis wiped the rest of
the powder from his face and gave his lifemate two thumbs up.
Opposable thumbs. Keep trying YuMine! Yusriyath huffed and began
to heap a pile together using his wings. Perhaps that was the way.

Y'nis left the two dragons to their play and turned to face the woman
that had appeared out of the storm and disrupted his and Yusriyath's
game. He stared her down across the small white waste, snowflakes
collecting in his hair as his face twisted into a scowl. "Yer real
purty ma'am," he finally said, donning his best frontier growl.
"An' mighty quick with a ball uh snow, but I've already taken down
three chirruns today an I wouldn't lose a wink uh sleep if the fourth
were a lady." It was a showdown. He lowered his hands to his hips
and wiggled his fingers, positioning them where- if there were ever
Pernese cowboys- his holsters would be. The wind whistled between them
while he waited to see if she would make the first move. He was
ready.

[Kiran]

Kelsira couldn't help but give a fierce grin when her snowball smacked the purplerider right in the face. Kelsira didn't like doing anything in half-measures, not work nor play, so when her aim proved exceptional a thrill ran down her spine. Divith was startled by the other snowball that went awry and got him instead. The blue blinked before shaking his head to dust off the spare snow. The purple welcomed him to play, and Divith did so with a mildly embarrassed apology. Sorry, I didn't know that you were going to eat that. I'll try to make another for you... but I think I will make mine quite large. Perhaps I will win instead? His job was to play as well, and he was determined to make the most of it! A challenge was perfect for him.

The blue attempted to pack the snow together appropriately, but he could see that neither he nor Yusriyath were having any luck. Finally he snorted. I will make one like this! The blue nudged his snout into a snowbank, then flung his maw upwards, scattering snow over himself and flinging a bit towards the larger dragon. His eyes whirred a happy yellow at his ingenious plan. If you open your mouth I can try again! He was honestly having more fun tossing it towards Yusriyath than he was trying to get it in his mouth. The blue braced himself with a playful gleam in his eyes.

Kelsira, in the meanwhile, was in a standoff. The frontier growl made a shiver go down her spine, a challenge in his eyes. She took her own stance in response. Words like that couldn't go without a response! Putting her hands on her hips, near her own "holsters" and tossing her hair back in a challenge, the bluerider gazed down at him with a fierce grin on her face. "I don't hold with outlaws in these here parts. Anyone who's rotten enough to take down some chirruns gots to be taken out... And I'm the one ta do it!" With the blatant challenge made, Kelsira made a dive to the right to try and avoid any incoming snowballs while scooping up her own bit to pack. It might have been a stand-off, but all was fair in love and war, right?

And Kelsira didn't play to lose!

[Kila]

Yusriyath abandoned his awkward wing shoveling to se if Divith
was having any better success. The Blue was similarily unable to pack
snow with his foreclaws, but he stuck his nose in a snowdrift and
launched it merrily into the air. I like your way
better! the Purple declared, prancing over to him. He shoved his
own snout into a snowdrift and gave it a try. The result delighted him.
YES! I bet I could catch it in my mouth this way! Throw it
towards me, Divith! He bounded a dragonlength or so behind the
smaller dragon and braced himself, legs splayed and maw opened wide.

Not surprisingly (to anyone else) the first volly of snow smacked him
square across the face.Yu trilled in surprise and shook his head until
his eyes were clear. No Divith, my mouth he
said sassily, opening it again and letting his tongue loll out. His back
was covered next though. I am not a snowdragon,
Divith! He threw himself to the ground and rolled, getting some
of the snow off but caking on more in other places. There was no
escaping it. He resumed the position and waited for the Blue to try
again.

Meanwhile Y'nis was still standing motionless, collecting snow while he
waited for Kelsira's reply to his challenge. The girl's smile answered
the question before her words could. The Purplerider grinned. She
dropped her hands to her holsters and growled out a response. Then,
quick as a lick, she dove into action, not wasting a second once battle
had been declared. Y'nis whooped and feinted in the opposite direction,
bending over to scoop up a handfull of snow as he charged forwards. He
packed it as he went, his long legs carrying him forward at an
impressive speed. He leapt when he got close, avoiding any snowball that
might be thrown straight at him and lauching his own straight down when
he passed above her. He tucked and rolled, the snow on the ground
clinging to him as if he were a ball to be formed himself, and popped up
quick as he could, turning to see if he'd made a hit.

[Kiran]

The purple's agreement that his idea was fantastic only spurred Divith on. As Yusriyath bounded back so he was in a better position, the marbled blue took the opportunity to glance over at his Rider. Kelsira was making friends, it seemed, and that pleased him greatly. Feeling able to leave her well enough alone about this, the blue stuck his maw back into the snowbank to prepare for the next fling. Eyeing the distance between them, Divith gave a small snort and gave another fling of snow towards Yusriyath. It, of course, missed. Divith gave a small prance at the sassy rejoinder he was given. If you get enough snow on you, you could be a snowdragon! I think you would look good as a white. His response was playful and fun, and expanded on with another fling of snow towards his purple counterpart. Though this time he did actually try to aim towards his mouth.

Sort-of.

Kelsira could tell that the pruplerider was determined to get her, and from her makeshift snowdrift fort Kelsira could see him bearing down on her. The bluerider hadn't done anything like this in years and that meant her packing skills were less than acceptable (the first ball she attempted to make where she was crouched down fell apart, much to her dismay) and her aim was little better. Y'nis was more than able to weave his way around her better-aimed snowballs, though, and with dismay Kelsira realized that he was pretty much on top of her. She curled down and covered her head as he passed overhead.

Just a moment later the bluerider let out a shriek as the snowball hit the back of her neck, instantly sending chills throughout her body, bits of it melting and slipping down the back of her coat. Kelsira jumped up with a few choice swears and an evil gleam in her eye. "Just a flesh wound, don't worry, I've still got it in me to take you down!" Such a hit demanded retaliation and she was ready to give it. Kelsira imitated his suicide charge, scooping and whooping and throwing at him with all she had. Not caring where they landed, Kelsira was heading towards a better snowbank where she would have a far better chance at cover - and a steady supply of ammo - than getting him back. Strategy was key and would bring down her opponent!

[Kila]

A suicide run it had been, but a successful one. Y'nis managed
to dogde Kelsira's snowballs and hit her square on the neck when he dove
over her. Her cold shriek measured the mark of his accuracy. She was
back on her feet fast though, her swears making Y'nis smile. "Let's
see it, little lady," he howled, dashing when she did. He saw the
bank that had caught her eye and endeavored to beat her to it. He had
the advantage of long legs, but she battered him with snowballs as they
went. Y'nis tried to hold his arm to his face to prevent the worst of
the hits the the assault continued.

As they both neared the bank and prepared to dive to win its ownership,
a huge, heavy clump of snow engulfed them and weighted them so that they
fell upon ther would-be refuge, smashing the bank and disappearing under
the snow. Oops! Sorry! Yusriyath tittered through
the white. Divith did it! The blame was his
though. The Blue, he had deduced, was more interested in throwing snow
at him than trying to get it into his mouth. Or maybe Divith just had
bad aim, but Yusriyath had growled playfully and turned to fling as much
snow as he could back his friend's way. A little too far,
maybe, he giggled to the Blue. This is harder than
it looks.

He stuck his colorful snout back to the ground anyway and tried to hit
Divith with better accuracy. I would NOT look better as a
White, he told him seriosuly. And I'm almost
offened that you would think so. What could be a better color than mine?
White is so boring. He humphed but his eyes showed no
real resentment. Instead they swam with mischeif. Perhaps
you would like to be the snowdragon? His next fling hit,
covering a bit of Divith's hide. Oh yes, it looks much
better on you!  he laughed, bounding away out of reach of
retaliation.

[Kiran]

The challenge was there between them as they dashed for the bank. Kelsira was determined to get there. No way was she going to let herself be beaten without a fight! Even if she didn't have the cover of the snowbank she had been hoping for. Kelsira groaned as she shook off the layer that had covered both her and Y'nis and had simultaneously destroyed the cover that they had been going for. "Divith!"

Tattle-tale! The blue chided Yusriyath, not meaning it seriously. The snow that the purple flung towards him flew over him almost entirely, only smacking the end of his tail. Divith snorted playfully, a draconic chuckle sounding from his throat. Yusriyath would not be turned off by an initial faliure, however, and as his smaller counterpart shook his tail free there came a small lecture. And, of course, a bit of retaliation. A snort of amusement escaped the blue once more as the snow slammed into his back, even further marbling his hide. Blue is a better color than purple, and I make a better snowdragon as well! He pranced a bit to show off how the snow glittered on his hide before taking off full-tilt after Yusriyath, intending to fling more snow on him but from a closer distance.

Kelsira's thoughts were parallel to Divith's. With Y'nis so close it seemed silly to move even farther away to get him. She decided to do similarly. As Divith moved forward, digging his maw into the snow once more to fling it, eyes whirring with the same mischief that was in the purple, Kelsira grabbed a bunch of snow and ran towards the purplerider. Excellent idea, indeed, and probably her downfall, but she didn't mind one whit. Her goal was to pin the man down and get him once and for all!

[Kila]

"Yusriyath!" Y'nis yelped accusingly as he surfaced from
the snow. He didn't believe that it had been Divith for a second.
Dillydallying was a mistake; almost as soon as he popped up Kelsira was
upon him. He was driven back into the snow, the other woman pinning him
down with one hand while she pushed snow into his face with the other.
He opened his mouth to shout at her but it was quickly filled.Y'nis was
a slippery fellow though, and a fair deal bigger than Kelsira, so it did
not take him long to escape. The Purplerider threw himself into a roll
and knocked into the arm she was using to push him down and steady
herself. Her balance thrown, he was able to slip from beneath her.
Instead of running, however, he took her place.

He wrestled her onto her back and sat square on her chest, his long legs
pinning down her arms. The thick snow was cushion enough to keep her
from being crushed, but it would take Divith or a surrender to get him
off. "Well little lady," he said, resuming his outlaw drawl.
"It looks to me like we got ourselves her a standoff." He removed
one hand from her and scooped up a heap of snow. "Whatcha say? Ready
to give in?" He hovered above her face, ready to rub it in if she
resisted.

The Purple was ignorant of the struggle going between the two humans.
Purple is WAY better than blue! I mean, no offense, but
really! That's why you look good in snow. He turned huffily to
throw his retort and was met with more snow. Apparently he was not
prancing away fast enough. He leapt to the side, flung some more snow
and Dvith, and continued to bound away. It was fun to be chased! No
wonder the females liked it.