Tidal Weyrlings (Lesson 8)

[Rei]

Lesson 8:
Classroom: Second Fighting Strap Inspection
Training Field: Individual Take Off from Level Ground; Flight Training Replaces Ground Drill; Learn Weyr from the Air



Sel’n drummed his finger on the desk. With the rain lessons today were going to be less than pleasant. Learning the weyr from the air was going to be a challenge with human eyes. They would just have to borrow their dragons for a clearer look. At least their was no lightning today. That was a blessing. The brown rider frowned at the sound of the drumming rain. Kaao you ready?

The large brown gave a huff and shook his rain splattered hide. Lets get this over with so we can go inside. Sel’n smiled, for once he agreed wholeheartedly with the big brown. Ok call the weyrlings. Kaao raised his head and reached out to the weyrlings. Tidal weyrlings are to report to lessons immediately. You will need your flight straps and please dress appropriately. We will be flying as long as there is no lightning.



Roll Call Tidal
Ki’ner of Bronze Aberath
M’ta of Brown Behruth
R’wign of Brown Checkoth
F’neth of Blue Kloth
Raila of Blue Imprith
K’iel of Blue Qualuth
V’neti of Blue Glenth (APC)
Vashti of Green Wymeth
Tr’esn of Green Oquith
Kalina of Green Uminth

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[Avu]

Tr'esnmine, you are squashing my pet Moth.

Oquith sounded more amused than anxious, and Tr'esn rolled over, blinking blearily as a squirming ball of fur slid up from where the kitten had been curled up just under his feet, huffing indignantly as she dropped to the ground and padded towards the dragon couch, warmed by the sun, where she promptly curled up. Tr'esn kneaded his eyes with his fists, giving his head a slight shake as a yawn nearly split his head open. "'S too early..." Kaaoloth and His do not think so. We're being called to lessons. Kaaoloth says to come with straps, and come adequately dressed -- we'll be flying today. The green's eyes gleamed in anticipation as she folded her forelegs neatly, glancing at the well-oiled straps dangling from the back of a chair where Tr'esnHers had left them.

"Flying? But it's raining." Tr'esn sat up, blinking the sleep from his eyes and running both hands through his hair with another yawn. Moth yawned right back at him, the kitten exposing pearly teeth, her pink tongue curling. Tr'esn grinned at her, pleased, as always, by her affectionate antics. It'd taken the kitten no time at all to become used to sharing her quarters with the Greenweyrling and his dragon -- and Ki'ner hadn't told on them, yet. Whether it had been simply because the other weyrling had been feeling kindly, or because Oquith had all but begged Aberath -- Tr'esn didn't know, but he didn't really care either.

Pulling himself out of the bed and grabbing for the wherhide tunic and pants that he'd borrowed from the Headwoman -- he hadn't the money to buy his own, and riding was painful without them; far too cold at the altitudes that they would surely be going up to, and in between -- Tr'esn hopped into the clothes and ran another hand through his hair, blinking questioningly at Oquith. "Ready?" As always, the green answered, flaring her wings as she slid lithely from the dragoncouch, nosing Tr'esnHers affectionately as she let him grab the riding straps and quickly rig them over her hide, jerking slightly at the buckles. Wymeth and Qualuth will be there, yes? The dragon's excitement was almost palpable, and Tr'esn smiled as he rubbed his fingers over her hide after checking the straps once more. "Sure of it, lovely. Let's go?" Ooh. Should we wake Aberath and His?

"...ah, okay..." Oquith paused to croon loudly to the bronze. Wake up, Aberath! Kaaoloth is calling for lessons. She nodded emphatically, and then, excitement overcoming caution, she shot for the door, grabbing Tr'esn by the nape of his shirt along the way. His yelp of startled irritation was echoed by Moth, who mrowed plaintively as she realized she was being deserted, but a flick of Oquith's tail made the door close in case the kitten decided to wander away. The green skidded to a stop as soon as rain began to splash down, however, wriggling through it with a faint whine, her teeth clamped gently around Tr'esnHers -- she'd adjusted him, somehow, so that he was actually /in/ her mouth -- as she pranced carefully towards the place with Kaaoloth and His were waiting.

Hello, Kaaoloth! she greeted the brown simply, and then, tilting her head, gently sat Hers right-side-up in the mud, crooning her amusement at his splutters as he ran both hands down the front of his tunic, grimacing at the dampness that had been left there. "You slobbered on me!" he protested indignantly. Oh, Mine, the green said, exasperated, I did not /mean/ to. With a slight huff, Oquith flared her wings to form an umbrella over Hers, letting the rain slip down the wet, slicked membrane and splatter onto the ground as Tr'esn scrubbed at his face, trying to rid it of the dampness. "At least your breath doesn't smell completely horrible..."

[Rei]

Sel’n walked out into the rain and smiled at Tr’esn. “Ah I should have known you would be the only one attending today. Kaaoloth and I are quite impressed with you and your green. You will make fine wing riders one day. Your Oquith may even prove herself a good search dragon.” The brown rider nodded as he regarded Oquith and Kaaoloth gave a happy croon in response, his eyes whirling a happy blue. Are you ready to fly today you two? We will be learning to identify the weyr from the air. This was the first time he had ever spoken to Tr’esn directly and Sel’n raised an eyebrow in surprise.

“Kaaoloth must like you.” He responded to Tr’esn. “He hardly ever bespeaks other riders. Anyway mount up lad. With the rain you may have to borrow Oquith’s eyes for this lesson.” He strode over to Kaaoloth as the brown crouched, and vaulted aboard. He strapped himself in and turned to wait for the weyrling. Once The green pair was ready Kaaoloth turned and spread his wings. Leaping into the air he was aloft with a few wing beats. He circled around the training field as he waited for the green pair to ascend.

When you get to our level Oquith, take a position a few dragon lengths behind me and to my left. We will follow the river to the rider weyrs and from there we will turn and I will let you and yours try to identify each structure below us.

[Avu]

Sel'n's compliments sent a wave of relief flooding through the pit of Tr'esn's stomach. Not the compliments, per se, but what it meant: The Weyrlingmaster had not seen their highly undignified approach. Oquith was currently still shielding him with her wings, and he ventured out from beyond one membrane, tugging at it to reposition the green's wing over his hair. A Searchdragon, Mine? Oquith asked him, nuzzling him as she ducked her head udner her wing for the scarce cover it offered. A Searchdragon? Tr'esn considered the concept, and then shrugged mildly, rubbing the offered muzzle that butted lightly against his hip. He didn't think personally that he could order the attention of so many at a Hold with the ease necessary, but it was something to be considered. Oquith would like it, maybe...

He was jarred out of his thoughts as Kaaoloth spoke to him -- he only recognized the brown's voice by its likeness to his Rider's -- and the already wide gray eyes shot towards the brown, a curious half-smile starting to curl his lip. He couldn't remember ever having another dragon bespeak him -- normally their messages were passed to him by Oquith -- except for, naturally, Wymeth and Qualuth. But by now, the bespeaking of the green and blue clutchsiblings was so common as to be almost taken for granted -- if that could ever be possible, to hear the voice of another's dragon in one's mind and accept it as an everyday happening, even if it was. Of course Wymeth and Qualuth speak to you -- I love you and they love you, was Oquith's input, the green speaking matter-of-factly.

Tr'esn nodded softly, his eyes flickering up to appraise the brown dragon one more time before he turned to Oquith, sighing reluctantly as he ducked out of the protective covering of her wing and grabbed the water-slicked straps -- fortunately they were well-oiled enough that he felt that nothing would happen to them -- and mounted. Oquith was small enough that he didn't have to "vault" up to her neck as most Riders did their dragons, but Tr'esn preferred it that way. The green pranced in the mud-slicked ground, though she executed great caution in the movement, for, lacking the talons to dig in should she slip, the green didn't want to risk faceplanting in front of her Weyrlingmaster.

As the brown leapt into the air, Oquith drew herself into a crouched position, her tail lashing in mild excitement, before she flared out her wings. Instantly, the wind and rain beset them, and the green hopped a step to balance herself before she launched, her wings pumping as hard as she could as the wind, fiercer as she struggled to follow Kaaoloth diligently. Fortunately, her small size minimized the target presented to the wind, and as she flailed, tail whipping to and fro in order to steer -- the lack of a spade was horribly obvious, for it made steering her body like trying to direct a rudderless boat -- and finally, Tr'esn scrunching his eyes shut and instructing the green to follow Kaaoloth, Oquith gave up trying to avoid the wind and instead, let it carry her, sliding from current to current until she'd managed to find a place three dragonlengths back from the brown, and a dragonlength to his left.

I am ready now, Kaaoloth. She could feel Tr'esn squeezing his eyes closed, ignoring the rain that slicked his face and hair, sliding in cold droplets down the collar of his neck, watching the world from her eyes, focused on the brown dragon ahead of them.

[Rei]

Kaaoloth rumbled and craned his neck to survey the landscape. Picking out a few structures he rumbled. Ok Oquith, Tr’esn what structures are directly below us? Please give me their names and functions. The large brown circled them as he awaited the answer and Sel’n looked up into the grey clouds. Rain was defiantly not one of his favorite things. He halfway wished he could have skipped this lesson but dragon riders did not get time off when the weather was bad. Better to instill good habits in the pair while he still could.

After the pair had identified the structures below Kaaoloth winged farther up the river to continue the lesson. It was important that they learn this now. They must get a feel for memorizing things from the air. Between training was fast approaching and the pair would have to learn to identify things from the air if they were to form safe coordinates. One did not want to appear from between to close to the ground. The older brown shuddered as he thought of the implications of such an act.

[Avu]

The River was visible to both of the greenpair as Oquith fanned her wings, pushing herself steadily to keep pace as much as she could with the older brown. Steering was increasingly difficult in the wind, and the green struggled to stay in her alloted position, a faint whistle of frustration escaping from her as she squirmed, ducking her head and narrowing her eyes against the battering rain. Tr'esn pressed himself flat against the dragon's shoulders and neck, the cold rain dampening his face and the droplets tickling, icy cold, along his neck and chest. The young man bit his lip, tongue emerging to gather the wetness that had clung to his upper lip, and sighed, closing his eyes as Kaaoloth's orders were recieved. Are you going to borrow my eyes, Tr'esnmine?

Giving a slight nod of assent, Tr'esn exhaled slowly, questing away from himself to slip into the dragon's mind. And then, though his eyes were closed, he could see clearly. Dragon's sight was superior to that of a human; he already knew that. But it was distinctly obvious now; each streak of rain was visible, though Oquith didn't linger on them, as they streaked from the sky; the details of the buildings below him were, too, easily defined. He could see the tree that served as Candidate Barracks, the branches waving, the leaves dipping and falling as the wind whipped around and at them. What are they, Tr'esnlovemine? Oquith questioned gently, her gaze locking on the building directly below her hovering position as she beat her wings, struggling to stay aloft and still focus on the building through the rain and wind.

Candidate Barracks.
You are sure of it?
Absolutely, Tr'esn assured the green, who peeked swiftly at the building in question and then bespoke Kaaoloth. Mine thinks it is the Candidates' Barracks. Tr'esn kept going, and the dragon echoed the boy's words, swiftly, confidently. And that is the Main Hall; the South Watchtower...oh, and the Weyrfolk's Apartments. Each name was emphasized with an image. Functions? Mine says...Candidate Barracks hold the Candidates; Main Hall has the Feasting, Welcome, and Dining halls, plus classrooms and kitchens...the Watchtower is where the watchdragon or watch-wher stays on their shift, and the Weyrfolk's Apartments are for the people at Selenitas who don't have a dragon, and also the wherhandlers live there.

Tr'esn rubbed the damp neck that arched trustingly towards him, grinning. He was entirely confident of his aerial "map" -- he remembered where the Candidate Barracks had been, and from there, it had been simple to remember the directions in which each of the buildings had lain. And the functions were more or less common sense. Lovely, Qui...c'mon. Tightening his legs and leaning forward again as the wind whipped his hair around his face almost painfully, the green flapped her wings, the wind making her wobble unsteadily as she struggled after Kaaoloth, her tail whipping from side to side to keep her balance.