Christmas Weyrlings (Lesson 2)

[dragon]

Frosstyth stayed where he was on the beach, and guided C'oar across the river. C'oar listened carefully to the directions his dragonet gave him, as he rowed confidently. He could tell by feel which way the oars were pulling when he used them, and he could instinctively keep the boat balanced. But ... knowing whether or not he was angled right across the river was another matter. The current varied from spot to spot, and thus needed the oar pull adjusted accordingly to the speed of the water, or there was no telling where on the opposite shore one might end up.

As it was, C'oar ended up a few dozen yards down stream, but that really was better than he had expected to get, as he clambered out of the boat. Groping for the prow, he seized the boat and hauled it up onto the shore so that the current wouldn't whisk it away for him. Then he waited for further instruction.

Frosstyth guided him back up the river bank, toward him, dodging random bits of forest, until his was safely by his side again. Then the two of them walked together over to where Kaaoloth was waiting, and stopped.

Thanks, Frosst. C'oar told him. Always. Frosstyth replied, proud of his to have managed to get across so well. Despite the flowing river.

[topaz]

Mallowth waded into the river and turned back to His, flapping his wings happily in the water. Keep coming. A little to the left. Yeah, go. Okay a few more steps and the boat will be to your right. C'vin smiled as bent down and felt the edge of the wooden boat with his right hand. Good job Mal, now where are the oars? He asked, as he climbed inside the craft and settled himself in the middle. The blue waddled over to the boat and peered inside. Right in front of you. On the floor. Now, when I push you off, just go straight. Suddenly C'vin's boat was shoved forward and the Weyrling nearly fell backwards. Thanks for warning me Mal. He chuckled, once he had righted himself. Paddle already! We're losing!! C'vin laughed out loud at his dragon. Mal! It's a lesson, not a race. We don't have to be first. Well we should be! Now go! The blue said, giving the boat another push.

Rowing forward was not hard at all really. A stroke of equal force on each side, one after the other. Mallowth gave slight angle directions every now and again, but the pair made it over to the other side of the river in good time. We made it! Hurry and get out so you can see again! The blue said, shaking his body free of water. Look at that, I didn't even get w.. C'vin's thoughts were cut off as a shower of droplets were sprayed across his body. "Of course.." He mumbled through a slight smirk, and shook his still blinded head. "Can we take them off now?" C'vin asked curiously to the surrounding darkness, hoping that Sel'n or Kaaoloth were nearby to hear.

Mallowth nuzzled up against C'vin's leg, butting his hand for some affection. C'vin grinned and scratched his dragons eye ridges. You did excellent Mallowth. Best guide I could ask for. The dragon crooned to His in appreciation.

[nightingale]

Carefully now Ke'rin-mine. We are almost there. The boy grunted softly in acknowledgment of his dragon's voice, using the rhythmic splashing just to the left of his small vessel as a compass. Jaymith wasn't yet large enough to walk along the bottom of the river, but he was large enough to make swimming across a matter of hoping up and down on his back legs with his neck arced high. Rowing blindfolded was turning out to be only slightly less difficult than he had imagined. Kei was a realist after all, and so had neither dreaded nor underestimated the exercise -but he did let out a small sound of surprise as he suddenly felt something ram into him.

"Owie! Oh, sorry whoever you are! Oooooh, I hate boats..."

Saeo. The boy sighed ruefully, giving the water a few powerful strokes to distance himself from the living collision hazard. Distantly, he wondered how Farryl was making out. She had always seemed very ill at ease around boats...but he supposed there was nothing he could do to help her now. Kaaoloth would make sure nothing happened to her. Over here mine, a little toward me and then straight until you reach the shore. If you row quickly I think we might still beat Rudolth's!


Do not be discouraged my Saeo. Cherilith chirruped reassuringly, swimming out to fetch his bonded's runaway ore. We are almost halfway there. The blue weyrling rider growled low in her throat, slapping indignantly at the water she couldn't see. This is a stupid exercise! Why couldn't he just have us go through an obstacle course or something instead? She felt something wet nudging at her hand, and grasped the waterlogged ore her dragonet offered to her.

Sel'n knows what he is doing. Come now mine, it is an adventure! If you like, I can pretend to be a lake dolphin, and you can be a blind, shipwrecked holder's daughter trying to make her way back to shore. The girl attempted to growl once more, but couldn't quite manage it. Alright little dolphin. She sighed, bracing herself against the far seat to making rowing slightly less agonizing. Which way am I going? This way my lady...but please row quickly. We have drifted very far downstream and I fear that the others might think us drowned.

Ke'rin sighed breathlessly as Jaymith helped him drag his boat ashore, recognizing C'vin's voice asking if they were able to take off their blindfolds or not. He really see any reason why they shouldn't be able to. They were across the river after all. How could they cheat now that the lesson was over? Still, he wasn't about to earn himself a trip back to the other side of the river, and so left his in place, allowing his bronze to lead him farther up onto the bank.

Ebolath! The little bronze chirruped happily upon seeing his clutchsister. It is good to see that you and yours did not die! But how did you get here before us? Yours is certainly not stronger than my Ke'rin. [/i] Kei, blissfully ignorant to the conversation going on next to him, sat down and waited for their teacher to send further instructions. Who else had made it over, he wondered? The brownriders likely, and C'vin...if all the girls fared as poorly as Saeo though, he wondered if Sel'n wouldn't just give up on them.

[Rowana]

Following Garaeth's instructions proved to be much easier than T'ke had anticipated. His blue was actually quite intelligent, despite his childlike naivety. His images were clear and his orders logical. The pair soon made it outside and into a boat. T'ke, however, was not very good and boats and his haphazard course across the river was soon interrupted by an unsuspecting rock.

With a cry of dismay, he tumbled into the water. Grumbling loudly, he managed to climb back into the boat, but was now soaking wet. <Now T'ke went swimming too!> Garaeth said with a happy laugh. <I'm glad you're so happy> T'ke told him sourly. <I'll probably catch a fever and die.> <T'ke will not get sick> Garaeth declared. <I will keep him warm.> <Oh, joy> T'ke said sarcastically.

Despite the mishap, the blue weyrling pair made it across the river in decent time, arriving with the middle of the class. T'ke sat on the shore, waiting for the others and trying to wring some of the water from his clothes. What a terrific way to start the morning.

~

Getting to the shore wasn't as difficult as Farryl had anticipated. Peppeth actually managed to stay on task for the most part and with her encouragement, they reach the boats with minimal mishaps. But no amount of encouragement could get Farryl to step into one of the small crafts. Even blind, she could still hear the trickling water and the creaking of wood as her classmates set out. It drowned even the shouts of weyrlings as they tried to make their way across. The water seemed to consume her mind until she could hear or think of nothing else. Farryl froze for a long moment, and finally sank down, clutching her knees. She just couldn't do it.

Distressed by her rider's unease Peppeth curled next to her, crooning softly. <Farryl does not have to go,> she suggested hopefully. <Peppeth does not want Farryl to be afraid.> Farryl hugged the tiny green close, but shook her head. <I have to. Sooner or later. I will have to.> She took a deep breath and climbed shakily to her feet. <Help me get to a boat, Peppeth. Let's just start with that.> <This way!> Peppeth started off, keeping her pace to just in front of Farryl as they walked.

The firm dry wood was a comfort beneath Farryl's fingers. For a moment she could almost forget what it belonged to, but the lapping water still pounded in her ears. She had blocked all site from Peppeth's eyes. She might have to hear the water, but she did not have to look at it. It was several moments before Farryl drew upon enough courage to push the boat into the water, but the moment her foot splashed in the shallows, she yelped and let go. <It is getting away!> Peppeth cried in dismay and Farryl snatched for the boat without thinking. She got it, barely, and pulled it back close. Peppeth circled to her, already wet and ready to swim. <It is not deep> she assured Farryl. <Not far. Peppeth will lead you.>

Farryl gritted her teeth and nodded. She didn't trust herself to speak, even with her mind. One leg, and then the other. She had done it. She was in the boat. Unfortunately, that was not all she had to do. While she clung to the wood for dear life, the small craft began to drift downstream. <Farryl must row!> Peppeth cried. <Or she will drift away!> Panicked, Farryl groped about for the oars and began whipping them in what she hoped was rowing. This only proved to splash large amounts of water everywhere and did nothing to change her course. <Stop!> Peppeth ordered, surprisingly forceful for such a small dragon. She was watching the other weyrlings and learning what they were doing so she could relay it to hers. <Go slower.> she advised. <In circles.> Farryl shook her head fervently. <I can't do it! Take me back! Please!> <You can!> Peppeth pleaded. <Think of it as flying. Flap your wings!> Peppeth demonstrated with her own, though all that did was spray water everywhere.

Farryl tried it. Slowly but surely, her boat started to move towards the opposite shore. Peppeth continued to croon encouragement in her head until at last, they reached the other side. They were last to arrive, but Farryl didn't care. She tumbled out of the boat, practically crying to feel the firm earth beneath her. Still too shaky to stand again, she hugged Peppeth tightly. <Thank you> she whispered. Peppeth purred loudly. <Peppeth will always help Farryl> she declared firmly.