What a Way to Start the Day

Writers: Avery, Leigh M-F.
Date Posted: 2nd October 2015

Characters: A'kua, Talwynn
Description: Things get off to a bumpy start.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 2, day 8 of Turn 8
Notes: Mentioned: Tavia

In retrospect, the one thing Talwynn hadn't considered when she'd
decided to work with the weyrling class from beginning to end, like
Tavia had suggested, was that she'd have to become a morning riser.
Why did mornings exist? The only time she should see the sun rise was
when she was putting away her charts and going to bed like a good
Starsmith. That was how her life had been before she Impressed, and
ever since her accident. The idea of returning to a morning schedule
was awful.

Talwynn watched over the weyrlings staggering out of the barracks,
ready to hack up meat for the feeding. Her good hand held a cup of
extra-strong klah, and when she wasn't taking a sip, she was cradling
it against her chest like the fluid in it was precious gems. **None of
them better cause trouble,** she thought.

Riveth watched curiously from a nearby ledge, ready to talk to any
dragonets who seemed like they had a problem. }:They're hungry. As
long as they're fed they're okay,:{ she told her rider.

Everything felt hazy, not entirely real, especially since A''kua was
drained after the boisterous feast yesterday. Zeiranth had no such problem;
he was practically prancing as he chanted }:It''s morning,
good morning! Good morning everyone! Oh, look at all that meat! It
looks so good! Is that for us? Please say it''s for us.:{

"'"'S for ya, don'' worry none,"" A''kua slurred, and vaguely wondered how
on Pern he had ended up with a dragon who could be so perky in the
morning. Maybe it was because Zeiranth had slept so deeply. He picked
up one of the cleavers available and started carving off long strips
of meat from a large rib-bone.

}:Can you please hurry? I''m so hungry,:{ Zeiranth begged, eyes fixated
on the growing pile of food.

""Jus'' wait."" A''kua chopped one of the strips into thirds and picked up
a chunk with his left hand, holding it out. ""Here, this''ll take the
edge-""

Zeiranth pounced, and despite being newly hatched, his teeth were
apparently quite sharp.

""OW!"" A''kua dropped cleaver and meat and yanked his hand away,
grabbing his wrist. "Jays!"" Blood was beading on the tips of his index,
middle, and ring fingers.

}:I''m sorry! I''m sorry!:{ the little bronze immediately yelped, eyes
whirling in distress. }:I didn''t mean to bite you!:{

A dragonet yelped and Riveth immediately swiveled her head. }:Zeiranth,
what is wrong?:{ she asked the bronze, including her rider
in the question.

Talwynn pushed away from the wall and stepped over towards Alu- no, A'kua,
with the change, she remembered. "Let me see," she said, reaching out with
her bad hand.

}:I bit my partner!:{ Zeiranth reported, watching as Talwynn took the
redhead''s wrist. }:I didn''t mean to; I was just so hungry.:{

"'"'S not tha' bad,"" A'kua was saying, but the bites, while fairly shallow,
were still bleeding. """Jus'' need a wash an'' I''ll be fine.""

}:You''re not fine, you''re hurting,:{ Zeiranth insisted, and looked at
Talwynn pleadingly. She could make it better, right?

Small droplets of blood welled up, but no puncture clear through. She'd
seen that one happen before.

}:Zeiranth, my rider is going to take yours aside for a moment. Then he
will feed you,:{ the green said.

"Come over here," Talwynn said, gesturing with the hand holding the mug.
There were bowls of water for washing the blood off the weyrlings' hands
afterwards. They could rinse A'kua's hand off there. "The only worry would
be anything gross from the meat getting into it, so we'll wash and wrap."

A''kua tried and failed to remember what was so bad about meat and open
wounds. Zeiranth stayed put, fidgeting and watching every motion. }:I''m
sorry, A''kua,:{ he said again.

"'""'S okay. Accidents happen. Pain kinda helped wake me up, anyway,""
A''kua mumbled.

"Wash your hand in the small bowl, making sure to get the blood out of
it," she instructed.

Talwynn settled the precious klah cup on the table and reached for some of
the white wrap cloth, ready to hand it to him.

Then his words caught her attention, piercing through her own morning fog.
"Are you okay?"

""Huh?"" The new weyrling stared at her before the question registered. ""I
didn'' sleep,"" he finally admitted. ""I couldn''. I jus' stared at
Zeiranth all night. I cain' believe he''s real, but he is. He''s right
there, and here."" He motioned to the back of his skull with his right
hand, and lowered his voice. ""I''m petrified. I''m not s'posed t'' be a
bronzerider. I dunno what I''m gonna do.""

Zeiranth approached and pressed his head against his partner''s right side,
silently giving support despite his hunger, and was rewarded when A''kua
automatically scratched his headknobs.

Talwynn offered a little nod. "You're gonna be awful tired today, but
that's what klah is for. It's hard to believe it when they pick you. I'd
have been as surprised if Onnyth had chosen me," she told him. "Right now,
all you have to do is be a weyrling and learn your lessons. The fact that
you ride bronze doesn't mean a thing until you're graduated. So you have
six whole months to learn what to do."

"Aye. Sure." A'kua wasn't convinced. He was one of two bronzepairs in this
clutch. People would already be expecting greatness and leadership from
them. Too much pressure. But Talwynn obviously meant well, so he would
pretend he believed her. He drew a slow, deep breath, let it out just as
slowly, and finished cleaning and bandaging his fingers. "C'mon, Zeiranth,"
he said, making sure to enunciate a little better. "The sooner you get food
down your gullet, the sooner I can get klah in mine."

}:But what about your hand?:{ Zeiranth asked anxiously, even as he followed
his chosen back to the table.

"It's okay. See?" A'kua picked up the cleaver in his left hand and
continued chopping without any loss of dexterity.

}:I knew you were wonderful!:{ the baby bronze exclaimed, and made sure to
not bite his partner's right hand when an appropriately-sized chunk of
herdbeast was given to him. Lesson learned.

"The kitchen had better have extra klah for us if they want us to be up in
the morning," Talwynn said conspiratorally when she heard A'kua's
statement. They'd better, anyway.

Judging by the half-hearted half-smile A'kua gave her over his shoulder, he
agreed.

Last updated on the October 13th 2015

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What a Way to Start the Day