Catch and Fall

Writers: AL, Devin, Cali
Date Posted: 31st October 2009

Characters: T'kob, Meledei, Cosani, Sorsha
Description: Sorsha gets injured during rescue practices.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 5, day 14 of Turn 5

Cosani

T'kob watched as Meledei's group hovered in formation to his left. They were waiting for N'lev to arrive with the dummy so they could begin their rescue drills. It was dangerous business, catching dragons, so they always started off with the weighted dummy to get them used to doing the compensation drops. The blue rider winked from between and tossed the brightly colored dummy over the side.

Meledei glanced around her, checking to be sure no one got out of formation or hovered a little too close to someone. She could sense the nervousness, though it wasn't as poignant as it had been when they had prepared to take their first trips /between/. Every new exercise brought them closer to graduation, so there was the sense of excitement mingled in it as well. The young woman caressed the gold just as the dragon appeared. She was first and there wasn't really any time to think, just react.

Elleth shot out of formation and swerved after the dummy. They didn't just get underneath it, for if the dummy were a real person, that could cause even more damage. Elleth flew alongside, matching the speed of the dummy's fall and inched closer until dragon, human, and dummy met together in an awkward dance. The gold pulled up, then swirled gently to the ground.

It hadn't been perfect, but it could have been much worse and T'kob sent his approval through Embereth. He knew Cosani was waiting for N'lev to appear again so he sent the signal for the blue to appear in the same spot as before for the next drop.

Cosani had watched Elleth and Meledei, mentally taking notes on what the pair did right and what was sloppy. The next dummy slid off the side of the blue and tumbled through the air. Shalith went after it before her rider could finish the command. The green's dive was nearly perfect. Cosani reached out and pulled the dummy to her, holding it tight while Shalith slowed.

**Good, they're learning fast.** T'kob thought more to himself than to Embereth. **How are the other groups doing?**

}:Fine.:{ Embereth replied as he checked with the other instructor's dragons for an update. They were all spaced good distances apart across an empty plain so direct visuals were out of the question. }:Not as good as us though. We are better teachers.:{

Sorsha saw the bright blue hide appear in the sky and the brightly colored object fall for the briefest of moments before she felt herself jerked back as Roseth propelled herself forward. Her stomach flopped uncomfortably as the green dropped down and in that moment's distraction let the dummy fly past her. "Shards!"

**You spoke too soon.** T'kob teased his lifemate. **They'll all have their mistakes before the day is out. Just wait till they start popping /between/ to make the catch.**

Meledei wanted to shout encouragement to her friend but wasn't sure if the Weyrlingmaster would care for that. Instead, she asked Elleth to relay, **Tell Sorsha to keep going, she'll get it.**

Sorsha gave Meledei a small wave as she headed back into formation and the next weyrlings took their turn. She knew everyone wouldn't get their catches the first few times, but it was still embarrassing to have missed. She just didn't feel good today. Her stomach was all flip floppy and these dips and dives were almost more than she could bear. She wished the healers could figure out why the tea was making her so sick, but unless she wanted to risk a pregnancy she couldn't exactly stop taking it. She knew she'd just have to learn to deal with it.

**At least these are dummies and not the real thing,** Cosani thought as another weyrling missed a catch. Before long though, it _would_ be the real thing, and she wanted to make sure she knew what she was doing before then.

}:We will do well,:{ Shalith assured her.

Meledei's second catch went well though there was still some awkwardness in the moves. Still, she made her catch and did so a little earlier than she had previously. She was improving, even after only one time and practice would only help her to improve.

Cosani watched the others, hoping to mimic the successful weyrlings and avoid mistakes. Her second catch was a bit better than her first, although Shalith decided to put a flourish into their landing.

As the group continued, T'kob decided that they would do one more round and then progress to a short hop /between/ to the rescue instead of the straight flying. They were doing very well.

Sorsha saw that she was up and gave Roseth an encouraging pat while they waited for the blue dragon to appear again. He came and Sorsha saw the dummy drop over it's side. **Smoothly, we'll get it this time.**

Roseth didn't care about smoothly, she cared about catching it. She wanted to do it right this time. }:We will get it.:{

Sorsha closed her eyes for a moment as Roseth dropped quickly to get under the dummy. When she opened them again she could see it above them and quickly dropping towards them. Roseth realized her mistake at overtaking it and attempted to change speeds and swing out but it was too late. Sorsha didn't even have time change the position of her arms from catching to deflecting before the dummy slammed into her side and she felt fire surge through her arm.

She might have screamed, but if she did, it was while she was /between/ and no one heard her. When they blinked back, Sorsha realized they were landing near the entrance that led to the infirmary. Just like they'd practiced in case of Threadfall injuries.

T'kob was there to help her off of Roseth when he realized she was just sitting astride her green. Shock probably, though he had a moment of fear that she'd received a head injury. She was crying though, and that was a good sign. He saw that she was clutching her arm and did his best to undue her riding straps without knocking it too much. More people were around the green now and he gently lowered Sorsha down to them. He asked Embereth if Roseth was hurt, but he assured him that the green was fine.

He wanted to go with the healers, to sit with Sorsha and make sure she was okay. She was his responsibility after all, his weyrling. He knew he didn't have the luxury though. She was alive and would hopefully be okay, he had forty others to look out for and make sure they learned from Sorsha's mistake and didn't repeat it. He climbed back up onto Embereth and called the groups together to talk about what had happened before continuing their lessons. He would check on Sorsha when time allowed.

Last updated on the November 3rd 2009

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Catch and Fall