WL Lesson 6: Land on Your Feet! (Vellani)

[Rowana]

Kyr'n and Yeomenth strolled across the weyrbowl to a small hill where they'll be meeting their partner for today's lesson. Kyr'n is in his usually grouchy mood, especially since today he was to work with one of the girls. It was bad enough he had a prissy green dragon to deal with, without adding more females to his day! Yeomenth, however, is quite pleased, since soon she'll be able to show everyone how wonderful a flyer she will be! Of course, she would be magnificent, was there any doubt?

"Well, here we are," Kyr'n glanced around, but couldn't see Vellani or her dragon yet. Maybe they would get lucky and the girl would skip. It will do, Yeomenth said, unimpressed as she poked around the hill. True, they were only practicing gliding, but she still wanted a spot where all the Weyr could see her beauty. Kyr'n resisted the urge to make a sarcastic comment. He was learning it was better not to encourage Yeomenth to argue. She usually won.

[Zephyr]

Where are we going? Gweneveth asked, stretching out her wings languidly as she and her rider walked out of the weyrling barracks. Vellani didn't answer right away, preoccupied with the little puppy asleep in her room. Of course she couldn't hide anything from her dragon, who looked at her in an amused way. The fuzzball will be fine, mine. Perienmoth's wouldn't let any harm come to him while we're away. Now. Tell me where we're going! Vellani looked at the dragon and shrugged. " The weyrbowl, I think. I don't remember who our partner is."

At this, Gweneveth's eyes produced a touch of yellow. Yeomenth and her's, if I'm not mistaken. The blonde sighed. Gwen wasn't mistaken very often. Yeomenth was the very dragon who had scarred her during the hatching. She wasn't looking forward to spending any time around the dark green and her rider, who seemed to be an equally unpleasant boy. " Do we have to do this?" Gwen didn't say anything though, and they left the question hanging in the air. Of course they had to. Vell knew Gwen didn't want to do this anymore than she did.

The pair walked across the weyrbowl, Vellani keeping her eyes peeled for Kyr'n and Yeomenth...which wasn't hard because the green was ridiculously hard to miss. Approaching the other weyrling pair, Vellani put on her friendliest smile. " Hey guys. Ready to practice?" Gwen sat next to Vellani, eyes the usual genial blue shade that denoted her usual friendly mood. Hello sister. You are looking as lovely as ever.

[Rowana]

Kyr'n watched Vellani approach with resignation. He was learning to at least tolerate working with so many women. The infirmary was full of them, and so was his weyrling class. So long as the girl didn't become demanding or annoying, he would put up with her. The lesson would go faster without argument after all. He nodded curtly when she reached the top of the hill. "Yes," he answered simply.

Yeomenth regarded Gweneneveth with a bored look. She didn't necessarily dislike her, but her sister usually wasn't worth her time. Still, today they were partners and any audience to her greatness was better than none. Thank you, Yeomenth purred smugly. I believe I am. She began to stretch her wings, flexing the muscles so she would be at her best. Would you care to go first? It was no gracious request coming from her. Yeomenth figured if Gweneveth went first, she could learn from any mistakes her sister made.

[Zephyr]

The blonde was put off by the boy's response, his tone, his attitude. WHY did there have to be such unpleasant people in the world? She appealed to her dragon, her voice a lingering whine in the green's mind. Do we really have to do this? she said, mirroring her earlier thoughts. Again, Gweneveth didn't answer, busy with Yeomenth on her end of the bond. All of these reactions, these emotions stewed away inside the girl's head, though outwardly, she was as pleasantly genial as ever. If she let down her guard, showed him what she was thinking, then he would surely think even less of her than he already did. No need to alienate him anymore than he felt alienated. In fact, if she was nice enough, maybe he would come around.

Why did maybe have to be such a big word?

She didn't really have anything to say to his answer, and despite the rude tone in his voice, she shrugged, turning to watch Gwen and Yeomnth. The brighter green said nothing about her sister returning the compliment. She hadn't really expected her to. It would have been out of character for Yeomenth to compliment her in the first place.

Gweneveth was a little caught off guard when her sister suggest she go first, and it showed. Her sister wasn't one for friendly gestures, and Gwen had a hard time believing that there were any friendly undertones to the other green's suggestion. Still, it would make things worse if she turned down the suggestion, and she stood, spreading her wings out fully to stretch the delicate muscles in them. Of course. She said after rising, padding to stand atop the hill.

The brighter green eyed the ground in front of her, wings poised and ready. She had flew before, well, glided. Nothing like this though. She wasn't really in the mood to make a fool of herself in front of her elitist sibling, but there was no other choice. She looked to Vellani once, taking strength from her girl's gaze and bunched the muscles in her legs. Releasing them, she sprang into the air, wings snapping open to catch the air. Gweneveth was aloft, but she was wavering terribly, not keeping a straight line, and moving dangerously close to the ground. At last, she landed, paws striking the ground hard. She flailed her wings in the air for a moment, and she nearly toppled forward, but she was able to keep herself from faceplanting spectacularly.

Still, her screw up would have been obvious and she gathered herself, turning to walk back towards the humans. She tried not to walk back meekly. Yeomenth would pick up on any weakness on her part. So no matter what her sister would say, the brighter green walked tall, her tail thrashing behind her. I do believe it's your turn now, sister dear. She secretly wanted to see Yeo fall on her face, and watched avidly. She might do better than Gwen had, but she didn't think that she would do that much better. Yeo was a young dragon with underdeveloped wing muscles as well.

[Rowana]

Yeomenth scarcely hid her snorts of amusement as Gweneveth took her first try. She hadn't done bad at all, really, but she looked so clumsy and ungainly. It only would have been better if her sister had really landed on her nose. That image would have amused Yeomenth for weeks. Striding forward to her place, she waved her tail at Gweneveth as she passed. Not bad, sister. Your landing needs work, she offered coolly.

Kyr'n crossed his arms as he watched. Unlike his dragon, he didn't think Gweneveth had flown all that badly at all. He had some reservations about flying himself, but he wasn't about to confess them to a girl. Vellani didn't seem to want to talk anyway and that was just fine with him. You be careful, he told Yeomenth grudgingly. Or you'll end up on your face in the mud. He almost wished she would. It might teach the arrogant green some humility.

Yoementh flicked her tail at him too, and stretched her wings out in readiness. She poised carefully and launched herself into the air. It took her more effort to get airborn than her sister, but once there her glide was a touch smoother. Only a little though, as she had to correct herself several times and keep close to the ground for comfort. Her landing was hard though, as she hit with more momentum as she had expected. Like Gweneveth, she too nearly fell on her nose, though she she recovered with a few short hops. Raising her head, she trotted back to the others with a proud glint in her eyes. Maybe she hadn't done that much better, but even the greatest had to begin somewhere.