Earthquake Weyrling Wing Drills (1)

[Rei]

Sel’n was in a horrible mood. Vanity was glowing faintly upon his shoulder and he couldn’t get the sharding mandyr to leave. Her glowing was the reason for his foul mood. It meant she would run soon and he was not looking forward to that fact. Kaaoloth call the weyrlings. We might as well get this over with. As you wish Selmine.

Jaymith, Frosstyth, Rudolth, Kyssith, Mallowth, Cherilith, Garaeth, Irylth, Ebolath, Peppeth, Rioth, and Heith. You need to report to the field beyond the barracks we will be practicing wing drills. Do not be late or mine will make you run laps.

He turned to look at the barracks and called a greeting to the first arrival. Sel’n sat up in his riding straps as the first dragon arrived. It was Ebolath. He had yet to work out what he was going to do if Ebolath refused to take orders from Jaymith. He hoped the dragons were over their spat.

---

Ebolath trotted up to the brown pair her rider limping at her side. Her new riding straps were well oiled and she was a bit excited. Something different from lessons finally. The green had been grumpy when Raylin told her that Jaymith was wing second and so she would have to interact with him, if only to obey orders. Thankfully her dragon didn’t have a good memory when it came to things she disliked and so she had forgotten about that little problem. For now at least.

Ebolath crooned a greeting as her bonded spoke. “Raylin and Ebolath reporting for wing drills Weyrling Master Sel’n.” The brown rider nodded and motioned for the green pair to take a position behind Kaaoloth. “You will all line up there and then I will place you in the proper position.” The green weyrling nodded and passed the large brown her little green plodding behind. This was going to be interesting what did you practice when your dragon was unable to fly?



Earthquake Weyrling Wing
Wingleader- Sel'n of brown Kaaoloth
Wingsecond- Ke'rin of bronze Jaymith

C'oar of brown Frosstyth
A'fyr of brown Rudolth
N'lai of blue Kyssith
C'vin of blue Mallowth
Saeo of blue Cherilith
T'ke of blue Garaeth
Za'x of green Irylth
Raylin of green Ebolath
Farryl of green Peppeth
T'rea of green Rioth (APC)
Morea of green Heith (APC)

[Rowana]

This time T'ke was determined not to be late. He was dressed and ready to go long before Kaaoloth called for them. Happy as ever, Garaeth led the way outside where Ebolath and Raylin were already waiting. Garaeth was growing quite large now, though he wouldn't be the biggest of his siblings by far. Before long, they would be learning how to fly together. T'ke wasn't sure if he was looking forward to that, or dreading it. Knowing him, he was probably afraid of heights. "T'ke and Garaeth, sir," he reported in a serious tone.

~

Farryl were next to arrived, dashing out of the barracks to stand next to Raylin. Farryl greeted the other girl with a smile. Peppeth was still much smaller than her green sisters, but she was finally building on her agility and grace. "Good morning," Farryl said brightly. "Farryl and Peppeth are ready to go!"

[dragon]

Frosstyth arrived, soon after, though the burly brown weyrling was completely alone. He trotted right over to where Kaaloth was standing, and squared off, there. Wingleader! Mine cannot attend. The healers won't let him leave the infirmary yet, and I don't think he could walk straight if he did. Frosstyth informed the old brown. What shall I do? He asked, worriedly.

[nightingale]

(( Gale is very busy running the caravans. Both of her weyrlings are present, and will be properly posted in sort order. Thank you for understanding. >__> ))

[ladybug]

A'fyr did not want to run laps, so he and Rudolth arrived promptly. Well...not extra laps. A'fyr had a feeling there woul dbe running involved anyway.

"A'fyr and Rudolth," reporting for duty, he said with a small bow to the Weyrlingmaster. Greetings, brothers and sisters,[/color] Rudolth said softly, then waited for instructions from Kaaoloth.

((Urgh. Fail. But I posted.))

[nightingale]

Cherilith crooned a welcome to his clutchsiblings as he and Saeo trotted into view. The little blue was looking quite handsome, wearing both his new riding straps and his very best red bandanna knotted atop his freshly oiled hide. The girl on his back however, looked decidedly more...scattered than she usually did. Her runnertail and the absence of any makeup on her pale features suggested that she wasn’t quite accustomed to working the night shift yet. R’wign certainly hadn’t been exaggerating when he had said the infirmary needed all the help it could get.

“Saeo and blue Cheri...” Here she lifted a hand to her mouth for the sake of politeness as a particularly ambitious yawn fought it’s way between her words. “Saeo and blue Cherilith, reporting.” She murmured in conclusion, wiping at a burry eye as her dragon took his place next to Garaeth. She then set what little focus she could scrounge up toward dismounting. She hardly even noticed as Freckle clambered awkwardly out of her shirt and secured herself on her humanpet’s shoulder. The ‘mandyr glared in caustic silence at Vanity, the faint glow of her vibrant green hide displayed almost a challenge to the other female.

Jaymith and his rider were not far behind the bluepair and their hateful green tagalong. The bronze -who was quickly closing in on the size of an adult green and glowing just as vibrantly- walked with only the faintest trace of his former limp. His hind leg and neck were still copiously bound with gauze against infection, but he seemed all but oblivious to the fact as he surveyed his clutchsiblings with a regal arc in his neck. Wingsecond Ke’rin and bronze Jaymith, awaiting instruction. The weyrling announced to all present with a low rumble of pleasure in his voice.

Oddly enough, Ke’rin did not seem at all embarrassed by his dragon’s imperious attitude this morning. That was because he was well aware that being made wingsecond -even if it was just a weyrling wing, and even if it was only because he rode the only bronze of the clutch- was a huge responsibility. The determined expression he wore as they took up position next to A’fyr and Rudolth was proof enough that he wasn’t willing to botch the job that had been handed to him on account of his own nervousness.

[Rei]

Sel’n watched each weyrling pair approach with an unreadable expression on his face. Once almost everyone had arrived save three he dismounted and walked to Kaaoloth’s front. “Everyone gather around. This is our first day of wing drills. Your dragons may not be able to fly yet but it is important to practice these drills for the day when you will seer thread from the skies.” The brown rider pulled out a few rolls of parchment. “Frosstyth Kaaoloth tells me your rider is not well so today you will sit on the sidelines to watch. When he is better you will be allowed to participate. Please each of you take a sheet of parchment and try to commit it to memory this is the pattern we will be practicing today.”



Sel’n waited until each weyrling had gotten a good look. “You can see that some of you will be rotating in and out of thread fall. This is because your dragons have less stamina than the higher ranking colors. Wingleaders do rotations to keep the wing fresh. Before you rotate you will need to let your rotation partner know you are ready to pull out. Also inform the wing leader or wing second so we are aware as well. I caution you to pull your dragon out before total exhaustion sets in. You may be needed to rotate in again in case of an injury to a dragon or rider. We will be practicing the formation today while on the ground as your dragons cannot yet fly. Before we begin are there any questions?”

----
Raylin studied the wing plan carefully and noted that Ebolath and her were on the rotation side of the parchment. They were to replace Farryl and Peppeth when they were ready to pull out. The whole pattern looked straightforward enough. It would probably be easier to maintain on the ground. In the air you had wind and all sorts of things like varying wing lengths to keep in mind. The green weyrling scanned the rest of the group waiting for someone to speak up.

We are on rotation? Ebolath looked over her riders shoulder to study the parchment. Does this mean we are not as good as the rest of them? No darling it is done this way so we can replace Peppeth and Farryl when they get tired. What if they do not get tired? Thread fall lasts a long time love. I am sure they will get tired and then we will have our turn. Until then we wait and help those that have been injured, or deliver firestone, or something. I think.

[dragon]

Frosstyth drooped slightly. He couldn't participate, just because his was sick? That ... that wasn't fair! He almost protested. He could run along the ground just as well without his, as he could with! But, at the last moment, Frosstyth didn't say anything, instead slinking off to the sidelines with his head hung low and his wings dropping.

He looked like a puppy that had just been punished for piddling the floor. Indeed, Frosstyth deemed it quite shaming, to be kicked out of the wing thus. And to be kicked out in front of the whole wing, no less!

Taking a seat on the ground, the brown dragonet stared at everyone else balefully.

[Rowana]

Farryl nodded as she memorized the plan. She and Peppeth would be starting near the rear and Raylin and Ebolath were their replacements. She was actually quite relieved by the set up. She wasn't sure if she would have been able to get Peppeth to conserve her energy if she went second. This way she would probably be tired enough to rest before they might be called in again.

Look Ebolath! Peppeth declared happily. We get to be a team! She beamed up at her larger sister and Farryl smiled at Raylin. "At least someone is excited," she commented with amusement.

T'ke observed the formation quietly. It looked easy enough. He and Garaeth just had to wait until T'rea and Rioth called them to switch. He glanced at the male greenrider. He barely knew him, though that was true of many of the weyrlings, but as long as they could work together it didn't really matter. Garaeth crooned to Frosstyth in sympathy. He didn't like the idea of anyone being left out. Do not feel sad he encourage. I am sure Yours is proud of you for coming. He will be well soon and you will both fly strong!

[nightingale]

We are in the very center because we are the most important. Jaymith positively vibrated with pleasure as he examined the wing pattern, allowing his head to rest gently on his rider’s shoulder. Kei had his attention focused on committing the pattern to memory, just as Sel’n had instructed. Rudolth and Frosstyth on either side of him, Kyssith in the back, Heith and Peppeth on the rear corners...wait, but Frosstyth wasn’t participating today. So just Rudolth then, and Rioth and Mallowth up front...shells, was he really supposed to be able to memorize all this before they started drilling? He hoped not, because the pattern was not sticking in his memory as well as he would have liked it to. It is not so very difficult Ke’rin-mine. The little bronze encouraged him gently. You are smart, and I will help you! Now what do all these little scribbles beneath the pictures mean?

Saeo was nothing short of infuriated by the fact that she and Cherilith were on rotation, and her dragon couldn’t quite hide his disappointment from her. We are still important my Saeo. He told her, trying to stay optimistic. We only need to wait our turn. Oh score taking turns! C’vin and Mallowth are in for the entire flight! Perhaps there was not room in the pattern for us? Just who does Sel’n think he is anyway, calling us a lower colour? Blues fly out entire threadfalls all the time! Pest pest! Freckle agreed vigorously, scrabbling down her humanpet’s arm to frill at the offending flight pattern. Mine, do not be angery. The little blue crooned, nuzzling her cheek gently in an attempt to both slow her quickened heartbeat and soothe his own bruised feelings. Wingleader Sel’n must know what he is doing. Perhaps Mallowth is just growing faster than I am, and he does not want me to strain myself. We will prove ourselves to him when it is our turn to join the pattern. Sharding right we will...