A Needed Success
Dragonsfall Weyr
Amber Hills Hold
Vintner Hall
Hidden Meadows
Dolphin Cove Weyr
Dolphin Hall
Emerald Falls Hold
Harper Hall
Green Valley Hold
Leeward Lagoon Hold
Barrier Lake Weyrhold
Sunstone Seahold
Citrus Bay Hold
Elsewhere on Pern
NPC Weyr (NPC)
River Bluff Weyr
Seacraft Hall
Writers: Heather, Miriah
Date Posted: 27th February 2020
Characters: Ninaine, W'ser
Description: Luneth and Ninaine have a bit of success
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 2, day 12 of Turn 10
She'd finally began feel as though she'd recovered from the birthing,
had begun bathing again, and had finally felt more comfortable around
her two babies. Having all three of them together, the boys and
Callaine, however proved to be more stressful than she could handle.
So, like many in the Weyr, she'd found a suitable foster mother for
the twins, and returned Callaine to Yanley's capable care. She loved
her children, but she was also very aware that she couldn't be what
they needed, especially right now. She would take the J'lor's
advice and work on her. Now, Ninaine, thought, it was time to get
back to being _her_. And if she ever wanted to transfer, she'd have to
prove herself.
And that meant returning to her duties as a rider and working with
Luneth. Her green had improved and was flying with hardly any strain.
But she'd not been able to fly with her, something that she and her
green desperately wanted to feel again. As she approached W'ser, she
was nervous, bit outwardly calm. "W'ser, do you have a moment?"
W'ser looked up from his desk, a pair of spectacles perched on the end
of his nose, which he hastily whisked away with a slight smile for the
greenrider in the doorway. "Ninaine," he gestured for her to enter, "I
always have time for my favorite patient. Have a seat."
She stepped in and taking a seat, looked at the dragonhealer. Without
preamble, she spoke. "I want to ride Luneth. She's stronger. She's
exercised daily, is landing more smoothly and I'm recovered. I think
we should try. "
The Weyrdragonhealer did not reply immediately but studied the
determined expression on her face. There was a certain strength and
determination in her eyes that W'ser admired. "You are absolutely
right. It is time for the two of you to get back into the air... with
some precautions."
"What precautions? She's confident that she can carry me and I've
worked hard to lose some of the baby weight." She hadn't lost as much
as she wanted to, but the Healers had advised her to be slow about the
matter. She was tired of feeling pudgy and useless, pacing in circles in her
little weyr with little to do. She wasn't called on for helping the
weyrlings yet, and it didn't seem as attractive as actually being in
the air with her dragon again. "I've even made new straps."
W'ser ticked the precarious off on his fingers. "Branth and I will be
there. You will follow our instructions. You will take one short
flight, just like the first flight Weyrlings take, to test it out." He
put his hand down. "And just because you get back into the air once,
just know, that doesn't mean you're automatically back to flying
whenever you'd like."
"Small steps." Ninaine hid her frustration. She understood the need
and didn't want to risk her dragon, but it had been over a turn since
she'd been in the air with Luneth. "We're ready."
He looked her over. "Something tells me you are ready to do this today."
Ninaine nodded. "Yes. Luneth is waiting outside, strapped up." She had
hoped he would have agreed. but if he hadn't then Ninaine had planned
on trying anyway. The letter she received from Kapera, denying her
transfer to Barrier Lake had both infuriated her and had shamed her.
She was useless to any Weyr she lived in if she couldn't fly Thread or
between with Luneth, especially since she had no craft. She had to do
_something_. If only to prove to herself that she was useful.
W'ser pushed to his feet. "Alright then, then let's go." He grabbed
his coat from a peg on the wall and shrugged into while opening the
door for Ninaine.
Grateful, Ninaine slipped through the door and walked out to greet
Luneth. The green was indeed strapped, nearly quivering with
anticipation. She lowered her head, nudging Ninaine, then turned to
look at W'ser, eyes whirling rapidly with excitement. **Calm, Luneth.
It'll be just like when we were weyrlings. We'll be together again.**
}: Like we should be.:{ Luneth gently headbutted Ninaine and received
a scratch in return.
Branth flew down from the cliffside to be near in case his assistance
was needed. W'ser looked Luneth over with critical eyes, but he could
see no physical reason why she shouldn't be able to fly her rider that
day.
"Okay, you two can go up, do a lap around the Star Stones and then
come right back down so I can watch you land." W'ser instructed. "The
same thing you did as Weyrlings on your first flight."
Ninaine wasted no time in pulling herself up and settling between the
two ridges. She could feel her green vibrating beneath her in
eagerness as she strapped in. With Branth watching, Luneth shifted her
feet, bunched her back legs and leaped into the air. Gaining height
was the most difficult, especially from the ground level, and she
wasn't as quick as other greens. Ninaine kept steady though, a bright
smile spreading on her face. They were together again!
Luneth reached the top of the Weyr's ridges, then banked following
Ninaine's instructions to fly around in a single lap. }: This is
right. This is how it should be! :{ The green bugled her success, but
as they reached the Star Stones again, the green spoke to Branth. }:
We would go /between/, Branth. I can do it. We can do it! :{
W'ser studied them up in the air, noting the slow climb in altitude,
but also the steadiness. He gave a nod of his head, pleased at what he
saw.
}:Share your coordinates with me first, and then you may go for a
quick trip /between/,:{ Branth instructed.
Luneth eagerly relayed the image, then as her rider took a quick
breath, disappeared in a blast of chilly air. She reappeared after a
few minutes, right over the Star Stones and even from a distance,
Ninaine's smile could be seen, triumphant and proud.
W'ser was smiling as well, and Branth bugled a congratulations to the
green and her rider. }:Excellent job, Luneth. Let's see what your
landing looks like,:{ the brown encouraged.
Luneth swung around preparing in her pride to dive, but Ninaine held
her back. The last thing they needed was for Luneth to hurt herself in
an ill-advised dive that she might not recover from in time. **Maybe
in time. But not right now, Luneth. Just land and show him you can do
it without stumbling this time.**
The green grumbled, but complied, spilling air carefully from her
wings before backwinging into to a landing that wasn't quite graceful,
but left no scrapes or bumps from stumbling.
Ninaine slid down from Luneth's side, cheeks flushed with pride. She
patted and stroked her green's hide before turning to W'ser. "See? I
knew we could still do it. So...when can we rejoin the wings? A month
or so?"
"It was a beautiful landing," W'ser admitted, thinking that this was
exactly what Ninaine had needed, some success. "But the Wings?
Ninaine, if I'm honest, I don't know that I ever see Luneth rejoining
the fighting Wings. She's still too slow and with the fast-paced
nature of Thread, I'm afraid the both of you would be easy pray for a
clump of Thread, putting yourself at risk, and the other dragonriders
around you."
At first, a beaming smile shown from her face, but then that smile
faltered. "But, W'ser, you don't understand. We have to. If we don't
rejoin the wings, then I have to find a Craft that'll can contribute
to a Weyr before I can transfer. I got this letter and it said I gave
to be able to /between/ and if I'm not in a fighting wing...W'ser, I'm
not good at any craft I've tried. I did the rotations as a weyrling.
We need this."
"You can /between/ now, that's a start Ninaine." It pained him to
obviously disappoint her.
"Yeah." She looked up at Luneth, slowly stroking her hand along her
hide and unable to hide her disappointment. "But now what?"
"Now enjoy riding with your dragon, traveling places if you want, but
not pushing yourself too much. You need to be in constant harmony with
Luneth's body in case she is getting tired." W'ser said.
"How much is too much?" Deflated, she tried to concentrate on the
positive, like J'lor had insisted. She could fly now and she could
/between/ with Luneth. That was something at least, more than what
they'd had.
"Luneth will know, you have to force her to be honest and tell you.
When she's tired or if anything feels achy from overuse, then take a
break."
Ninaine slowly nodded. "Do you want to check her wing before we go?
Just in case?"
"Sure," W'ser said, motioning for Luneth to spread her wing.
Experienced fingers massaged their way over the green's wing,
searching for any signs of strain or stress. "She feels fine,
Ninaine." He put a hand on her shoulder. "Congratulations."
"Thank you, W'ser. Will you need to see her again?"
"I'll check in again in a fortnight, just to make sure that you two
haven't been overdoing it. Otherwise you can consider yourself cleared
by me." W'ser replied.
She nodded again. "Thank you, W'ser." She paused, then shifted on her
feet, blurting out something. "Is being a dragonhealer hard? I mean as
a Craft? Is it always ichor and wounds and injuries?"
"It's not always ichor and wounds," he admitted. "Sometimes it's
giving a new dragonet a physical, or helping dislodge some stuck
firestone from between dragon teeth. Sometimes it's physical therapy
like what I've done with you and Luneth."
She swallowed hard, considering it, then shook her head. It wasn't for
her and she couldn't imagine working in the infirmary every day. "I'm
pretty sure that I couldn't do what you do, but I'm glad you do it."
W'ser allowed a small smile. "That's fine, Ninaine, it isn't for everyone."
She nodded, accepting that. "Thank you. I'll bring Luneth to you in
two sevendays."
Last updated on the May 31st 2020