First Flights

Writers: Devin, Eimi, Estelle
Date Posted: 1st August 2005

Characters: T'moran, D'ren, D'cal
Description: T'moran supervises D'ren and D'cal as they make their first flights.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 6, day 22 of Turn 3

T'moran's weyrlings had a major milestone to face today; their first flights with their lifemates. The flights would be nothing very impressive - just a short hop and glide back to earth - but they had caused great excitement among the weyrlings. Since there was very little danger, with only a slight risk of injury, spirits were high and the young men and women were clearly impatient for the Weyrlingmaster to finish his lecture and let them fly.

"I'll want you all to remain close to the barracks until you're called, but the next three hours will otherwise be free. You can study, look after your dragons or talk amongst yourselves. Haldarth will contact you via your dragons when it's time to get ready." His gaze fell on one of the bronzeriders. "D'ren, you'll be first - and D'cal, you'll follow him, so make sure you and Aosorath are ready. Is everyone clear about what they're supposed to be doing?"

None of the weyrlings made any response. "Good. D'ren, go and get your riding straps - I'll meet you and Menanth here in five minutes' time."

"Yes, sir." D'ren hurried to retrieve the straps. The excitement of the day had been dampened by his conversation with Dysali, but he was determined to put such thoughts aside. Today was for him and his dragon. }: It is a good day! :{ Menanth insisted happily. D'ren smiled at his bronze's enthusiasm. Five minutes later, the pair stood before the Weyrlingmaster, D'ren's heart beating a little quickly. "We're ready, sir."

D'cal had also fetched his newly made riding straps and was fitting them on Aosorath when he while he watched his friend and the Weyrling Master. **Soon will be our turn, Aosorath. Are you ready?**

}:Of course. This is what I was born for. I was born to fly with you.:{ The little blue filled D'cal's mind with thoughts of love and excitement. The young man laid his head against the blue hide, echoing his lifemate's feelings and knew this was what he was born to do too.

T'moran checked over the bronze weyrling's riding straps carefully - this was no time to have them break or slip, even if the weyrling wouldn't have very far to fall. He took his time, but was pleased to find that they were well made and oiled, with no worn patches, and fitted the dragon well. Haldarth meanwhile reassured him that Menanth was in good health, understood what he was to do and enthusiastic about flying.

"As you know, your first flight will be very short," he said - repeating what he'd told all the weyrlings in the lecture, but there was no harm in reminding him. "Menanth will leap into the air, take a few wingbeats and then glide to the ground, remembering what you were told about how to land. No more than that - if Haldarth tells you you are to land, you need to do so at once. No matter how good it feels." He allowed himself the trace of a smile. "I know you probably won't want to land, but we mustn't push Menanth too far when he's still gaining strength. Do you have any questions before you fly?"

"No sir." D'ren replied, now barely able to contain his excitement. }:We will fly well! :{ Menanth assured him, though his rider had no doubt of that.

"Very well, then." T'moran gave the weyrling a brief, encouraging smile. "In your own time...and don't hesitate to have Menanth ask Haldarth if you're at all unsure." With that, he backed away, giving the weyrling pair plenty of room for their first flight. He doubted that squashing the Weyrlingmaster would make a good beginning to D'ren's career as a bronzerider!

D'ren mounted and made sure he was secure in the straps. **Ready Menanth?**

}: Ready!:{

**Then let's go!** The bronze jumped and pumped his wings. The ground began to fall away, and with a thrill D'ren realized they were airborne. He was flying on his very own dragon, something he had dreamed of from his earliest memories. **This is wonderful!**

}: It is much better having you with me. :{ Menanth agreed.

D'ren could have stayed up there all day, enjoying the freedom of the skies, but it was time for them to land. **All right, nothing fancy. Not today at least.** He cautioned his dragon. Menanth ended his glide and backwinged, landing neatly in almost the same spot they had taken off from.

** That's good, ** T'moran told Haldarth with relief, pleased that the day had got off to such a fine start. ** Tell Menanth they did well, and ask him how he feels - any pain in his wings or muscles? **

}: I am well. :{ Menanth told the older bronze. }: I want to do that again! :{

}: One more short flight, :{ Haldarth said, as if conveying a great favour. }: Just to prove it wasn't a fluke. But I want you to do just the same as before. No stunts! :{

}: We can fly again! :{ Menanth told his rider. When D'ren let him know he was ready, the young bronze took off, careful to do it as perfectly as he could. He wanted to impress the Weyrlingmaster. Dragon and rider soaked up every precious second of the flight and then reluctantly, but obediently, landed again.

D'cal and Aosorath cheered their friend's flight. The young man could feel his heart racing. He new in just a few moments it would be him in the sky with his perfect blue.

"That was good!" T'moran called approvingly as he returned to the weyrling pair. "Haldarth was impressed - you show good control at the landing for a first flight. You must both have been watching the older dragons fly to see what to do?"

D'ren smiled. "Menanth has been watching _everything_ the older dragons do since he hatched. He's determined to be the best." He patted the bronze affectionately.

}: I _am_ the best! :{ Menanth said smugly.

"He's certainly doing well, but he'll have to stay on the ground for a little longer," T'moran said. "You may both be thinking that flying is easy, but I don't want either of you to fly without supervision for now. As I explained earlier, anyone who does will be in serious trouble. When you're cleared to fly alone, I'll let you know." His stern tone lightened a little. "You've got the rest of the morning free, so enjoy it while you can. Now the two of you are really _dragonriders_, your training will only get more intensive."

"Yes, sir. I understand." D'ren was grinning widely. He was a _dragonrider_ now! The word thrilled him. He'd been waiting for this his whole life. D'ren dismounted and he and Menanth moved aside to make room for their friends.

T'moran didn't have to tell Haldarth to call Aosorath and his rider forward - they were already approaching - so he merely instructed the bronze to warn the next weyrling to make sure he was ready.

"D'cal, Aosorath," he said with slightly less warmth than he'd shown the bronzerider. "I'm going to check your riding straps first, and then I'll stand back so that you can make your first flight. It'll just be a leap into the air and a short glide back down to earth - no stunts, no showing off. Any questions?"

"No sir." T'moran's change in attitude did not go unnoticed, but it was also not unexpected.

The Weyrlingmaster checked over the bluerider's straps, again finding no weak places in the leather or buckles done up too loosely or too tight. He expected nothing less, of course. If there had been any problems, the weyrling would have been sent to correct them while the rest of the class flew before him, and none of them wanted that!

"That looks good," he said gruffly, and backed away. "You may fly whenever you're ready."

**All right, Aosorath. Just a few wingbeats off the ground and then we come back down.** D'cal reminded the little blue as he settled into his neck.

}: Yes, I know. But I want to fly more! :{ Aosorath complained.

**You know we can't. We don't want to get into more trouble than we are already in with the weyrling master.** D'cal said sternly.

}: All right, but I will make them my strongest wingbeats. :{

D'cal felt a rush of excitement as he could feel his lifemate bunching up his muscles for that first great leap, and then suddenly they were in the air. Aosorath had not been boasting when he said he would take strong wingbeats. His rider was surprised at his strength as he watched the people on the ground become smaller. **All right, Aosorath, that's enough. That's very good!**

}: I told you I am strong. I might be small, but I am not weak. :{ The blue proclaimed proudly as they came to land with only one small little bounce.

Even T'moran had nothing to complain about in D'cal and Aosorath's first flight together. The larger dragons often performed better at this stage, since the unaccustomed weight of a rider was less significant to them, but the blue pair had done just as well as the bronze.

}: My rider says that was good, :{ Haldarth commented approvingly once he'd checked that Aosorath had suffered no ill effects from the flight. }: You may try again, just to prove that you can! :{

}: They said we can try it again!:{ Aosorath relayed to his rider excitedly.

**Do you feel up to it?** His rider asked, though after his blue's performance he was sure they both were.

}: Yes! Let's go! :{ Aosorath sprung from the ground and flapped his wings in good strong beats.

Though they didn't travel quite as high this time, they both enjoyed for a brief moment the freedom that their new ability promised. The blue took his time gliding back down to the ground in a long lazy arch. **Don't show off now, Aosorath. We don't want to make T'moran angry.**

}: Don't worry. I am made to fly! :{ But Aosorath soon came in for a landing in front of the Weyrling master.

D'cal dismounted and walked over to the Weyrling master to hear his evaluation of their first flights. **Our first flights! I can't believe it!**

"Not bad," T'moran conceded. D'ren and Menanth had clearly not been the only ones watching the older dragons fly. He hoped that all of the weyrlings had been so diligent - it would make this sevenday's training much less risky! "Aosorath did well. I don't know if you overheard what I said to D'ren, but I'll repeat it - no flying without supervision for now, no matter how easy you think it is." He met D'cal's gaze. "I mean this, weyrling. Flying is an altogether more dangerous business than an unauthorised walk to the beach after curfew."

The weyrling bit back an angry reply before it could leave his lips. Just how stupid did the weyrling staff thinking he was? Instead he just answered in as polite a tone as he could muster, "Yes sir. I understand."

"Good." T'moran relented a little - D'cal had served out his punishment, after all, and had caused no more trouble. "You flew well, you and Aosorath. You can go and join D'ren now...I'm sure you've got much to talk about!"

"Thank you, sir." D'cal began to lead Aosorath back to where D'ren was waiting with Menanth. As he saw his friend waiting for him he gave the bronze weyrling his brightest smile.

Last updated on the August 20th 2005

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First Flights