I don't know what more I could have said

Writers: Chelle, Suzee
Date Posted: 1st January 2012

Characters: K'ale, P'nal
Description: K'ale is having difficulty with F'tarn's injuries, P'nal listens
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 5, day 10 of Turn 6
Notes: Mentioned: T'mahl, F'tarn, G'wen, J'darin, D'ale, Kenza

K'ale

The weyrlings, all of them, were still adjusting to the changes in
their wing since the blooding. With both of his friends, G'wen and
F'tarn, still in the infirmary he found it hard to just go through the
daily motions. Cardella had all but disappeared.

He didn't quite know how to break out of the depression and so he'd
thrown himself into his work. He tried harder and put extra time into
studying the flight formations and charts. He was determined to be the
best brownrider he could possibly be.

Sitting in the wing's room he studied the latest formation they'd been
handed that day.

P'nal didn't step on J'darin's toes, but he did watch the weyrlings in
preparation for graduation. These would soon be candidates for the
fighting wings and he was determined to know exactly which ones he
wanted. Seeing K'ale in there he couldn't help but take the opportunity
for a conversation. "You don't look so good, kiddo."

K'ale looked up and then stood at the approach of the Weyrleader's
Wingsecond. "Sir," he said. "I'm just..." he didn't quite know what to
say to the man. He was sure that P'nal already knew what was happening
with the weyrlings and the blooding. "It's just two of my best
friends..." His voice trailed off.

"Aye. I know. Let me tell you something, though, K'ale." He sat down beside
the young rider. "Now it's them. Later, it could be your brother, your sister,
your father, your Wingleader..It's something you have to learn about
dragonriding."

"Yes sir," he said. His father had said much the same thing but that
didn't really make it any easier. F'tarn would never fly thread but at

least he hadn't died. He needed to remember that at least. "Or my
mother," he murmured. Kenza had already been a brutal victim of
Threadscore. She still bore massive scars. In truth that had been what
had kept him from standing for the last five turns. But the addition
of Imalkyth in his life made all the difference.

"Aye. Usually the Weyrbred kids have an easier time of accepting it
since they see scores all their lives and hear the dragons keen. It's
just something that happens-often." He turned his face up, thinking.
"All part of life as a rider. We devote our lives to dragons, thread, and
our duty to Pern."

"Yeah," he said "But F'tarn's injury was my fault." K'ale had been
feeling guilty over his friend for days. "I was up there and knew
about the gusts, I should have made the warning more clear."

"Tell me the story." P'nal settled in, ready to hear what the boy had to
say.

A touch of humor lightened his thoughts as his first reaction was to
start with 'It was a dark and stormy night,' like so many harper tales
did. But, he discarded the idea and opted for, "Weyrlingmaster Second
T'mahl sent me up first," he started. "It was rough, there wasn't a
pattern to the winds but a lot of gusting. I made my delivery with one
close call and came back as he'd told us to do."

He took a deep breath the next part was what he dreamed about for
days. "I briefed F'tarn as T'mahl told me to. But when he got up there

the gusts blew him into a clump or the clump into him, I don't know
which...." his voice trailed off.

"When you briefed F'tarn, what did you tell him?" So far it sounded like

what could happen in threadfall when things were bad. Even an experienced
rider and dragon could have had a problem.

"I told him there were gusts but it was otherwise clear and visibility
was great." He shook his head. "I don't really know what more I could
have said."

"I don't either K'ale. You did what you were supposed to do so this is clearly
not your fault. Even a seasoned rider could have gotten caught in something
like that before being able to between in time." P'nal wanted to drive this
point home. "You will have enough as a rider to feel guilty about..you can't
start taking on things that you haven't done as well."

"Yes sir," he said. It was somehow different hearing those words from
P'nal than his father. Even though they were both wingseconds his
father's reassurance had seemed like simple parenting. He half smiled
and nodded at the Wingsecond. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. And even though I know you have plenty of ears, you know
where I am if you ever need. Everything else is going okay though?" He had to
ask, even though he knew the boy was doing well in lessons.

K'ale nodded and this time the smile reached his eyes. Life as a
dragonrider could be short if you weren't completely aware of your
surroundings and lucky. F'tarn had been unlucky that day and it could
just as well have been him.

Last updated on the January 18th 2012

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I don't know what more I could have said