Family and Crafting

Writers: Ainsley1, Avery
Date Posted: 11th July 2007

Characters: Kalesia, Yara
Description: Kalesia and Yara catch up on events since they came South.
Location: Dolphin Hall
Date: month 5, day 10 of Turn 4

Kalesia always enjoyed swimming with a pod of dolphins, since they were always lively and cheerful creatures, and the pod at the Southern Dolphin Hall was certainly no different. In fact, they were perhaps more exuberant than the old pod she'd swum with, though perhaps that was because she was new to them, and new meant exciting. It was fun, even if it was part of an assigned chore. Because of her weariness, she was looking forward to going in and eating. But that would have to wait. One of the dolphins had a bloodfish attached to a particularly sensitive area of his anatomy, and Kale wasn't sure she could fix it herself, not without some more experienced advice.

Fortunately she spotted someone on the beach who could help. A new face, like all the faces at this Hall. She was a journeywoman, or so she thought. Swimming into the shore, she smiled as she recognized the woman and hailed her. "Ho, Yara! Can you help me?" she called.

"Hello, Kalesia," Yara smiled heading toward the familiar apprentice. The two had met at the Northern Hall, and just become reaquainted recently as they had both transfered South. "What do you need?"

"Large bloodfish on this young male in an interesting anatomical region," she replied with a grin. "I thought I should ask for help fixing it."

"Ah," Yara said with a nod, moving to take a closer look. "Oh, that is a tricky one," she winced at the location and removed her belt knife. "You were right to be cautious. If it were any closer, I'd want to take a hot poker to it rather than use the knife. As it is, I think if I put the knife on this side," she moved so that Kalesia could get a better look at what she was doing, "I can get the sucker out without too much pain or damage. There!" She finished the procedure, ridding the dolphin of the parasite.

The dolphin rolled and then blew water from it's blowhole squeeing in relief. "Many t'anks Yar! Many t'anks Kale! Good, good, good!"

"I appreciate you showing me how to do that." Kale said with a nod. "I didn't want to hurt him. This part's still new to me, the dolphin healing."

"I probably should have had you do it, I'm sure you would have done just fine, but I find it's much easier for me to demonstrate on this type of thing. Dolphin healing is probably my greatest interest, though, so if you _ever_ have any questions, please let me know.
I don't promise to know the answer, but I'm sure between the two of us we could track it down."

Kale smiled. "I appreciate the help. I'll probably be knocking on your door constantly, though." she joked. "You know this isn't the part of the craft I'm good at yet."

"Just give it time," Yara gave the other girl a grin. "And knock as often as you want. I will welcome the company."

"Thanks." Kale said. "How is it, seeing your grandfather again?" she asked.

Yara's smile reached all the way to her grey eyes which sparkled with delight, "Unbelievably wonderful. Despite the distance between us all of these turns our letters have kept us close. He is one of my very best friends. Do you miss Skeltia a great deal?"

"I do." Kale admitted. "I wish that she would come down here. You know, she says she might take a ship out again instead of teach, but I'm not sure if she really will or not."

"What she needs is to teach _and_ take a ship out. She should run a practicum ship. There would be lots of visuals, lots of hands on, and they could definitely weed out those that weren't cut out for ship life!"
Yara was half joking but even as she spoke it seemed like a decent idea.

Kalesia laughed. "I think the biggest problem with that would be that she'd throw the troublemakers overboard! When I was a child, she might have thrown *me* if I misbehaved." She grew more serious. "She's not cut out to be a teacher." she said. "But after a second shipwreck, she feels like being on a ship isn't for her anymore. I felt the same, you know."
Yara was one of the few that knew that her own shipwreck was why she'd become a Dolphineer instead.

"Yes, and that's understandable," Yara replied. "And I think the shell cracks with purpose rather than by chance. You have great potential as a dolphineer, Kalesia," here Yara paused to make sure no one was within hearing distance. "And your previous apprenticeship gives you an excellent breadth of knowledge despite what anyone said up North."

Kale smiled. "I was so nervous about changing." she admitted, pleased that someone thought she was doing well in the craft. "But I really love the dolphins. And I know I'm good with weather and cartography. I just feel like I'm behind on dolphin knowledge, and you can't be a real dolphineer if you have problems with that."

"So you learn," Yara said with a smile. "You have survived far too much to allow such a little detail to be a strong undercurrent to your amibtion."

"Thanks, Yara." Kale said. "I'm sure I won't make journey rank for awhile yet, though. There's too much to learn and I'm not confident yet, and I'd honestly rather be held back then be promoted and given too much to do immediately. The sea will destroy the unprepared." It wasn't so much maudlin as it was a fact.

"That's an absoulte, Kale, and I'm glad you can see it. Many don't.
Better to learn it well and in time than to rush it and lend oneself to fatal errors."

"I've had enough of sea accidents." Kale said fervently. "Have you ever done any rescue?" she asked.

Yara nodded. "Some. I am far from the best in rescue, but I've helped out. They can be rather gruesome."

"I haven't learned that yet. I mean, I know it's part of the duties, and we've all been taught that we'll have to learn and why we will and techniques, but there haven't been practicals yet. Do you know when in my training those lessons will start?" she asked. "I wouldn't want to be a rescuer, but I feel like I should know how anyway."

"As a senior apprentice, you should be getting to it soon. It's hard to say with the transfer and the difference in Halls, but I would be surprised if it wasn't coming up VERY soon in fact."

"I'm not sure if I'm scared or not. I know it's useful, and I'd like to save someone else like dolphins did for me, but..." She shrugged. "I'm worried about screwing up."

"That's understandable, Kale. It's important work, but you're an apprentice and it's your job to learn, not to already _know_ how to do all of this. I've a good friend, a senior apprentice as well, Laram. He's worked hard to overcome his difficulties with rescue. You might want to speak to him."

"I will." the apprentice said with a nod. "Thanks for pointing me that way."

"No problem. Well, I'm off to an appointment. We should get together for a swim are something, Kale."

"I'd like that. Maybe next restday?"

"That sounds good. I'll plan on it."

"Great." Kale said, heading off with a wave.

Last updated on the July 14th 2007

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