Blazing Ahead

Writers: Ames, Heather K, KC Free, Len, Paula, Suzee
Date Posted: 12th April 2012

Characters: Pierka, T'aesh, X'ian, E'ril, Sh'del, T'nom
Description: The Sr Weyrlings have their first lesson in firestone
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 7, day 5 of Turn 6

Pierka

T'nom

Pacing between his lifemate and his coworker, E'ril went overthe
lesson again in his head. The practice was unnecessary but when
teaching such an important and potentially dangerous lesson a little
extra precaution couldn't hurt.

}: We have successfully taught many young ones how to chew stone and
breath fire. Everything will be fine.:{ Dawenth reassured his rider.
The blue laid peacefully beside his rider, one paw atop the other. The
very picture of patience and calm.

As the weyrlings began to file in, each carrying their own firestone
sack, E'ril approached Sh'del. "Are we taking bets on who loses the
most hair?"

X'ian and Camyth took their places. "This should be interesting,"
X'ian murmured with a look around him.

Pierka had surprised the other candidates with her strength when they
were practicing tossing the sacks of stone to each other. She credited
it to the thought she was from seafaring stock. She easily hefted her
sack and waited next to her lifemate. Liddith was nearly full grown
now and though she was over 22 feet she was medium sized for her
color.

T'aesh lounged next to the brown Raisheth, leaning on the large
shoulder of the young dragon. Though his posture was relaxed, inside
he was excited. He and Raisheth had done well with recognition
points, and this was just one more step before they became a fighting
pair, doing what they were born to do, fight Thread and protect Pern.

}:And we will do it well :{ Raisheth told his lifemate.

**Yes we will!** T'aesh said, responded to the love and encouragement
that his dragon was giving him.

Once the Weyrlingstaff confirmed that everyone was in attendance, E'ril
began the lecture. "Weyrlings, todayyour lifemate will have their first

lesson in chewing firestone. It may seem as if your dragon will be doing
most of the work but this is not true. You will need to be mindful of many
things including the rate of chewing, how much material was consumed, as well
as keeping an eye on your supply." He glanced over to Sh'del, waiting to see if
the Weyrlingmaster had anything to offer.

Pierka straightened and listened attentively to the lecture. She could
feel Liddith's barely contained excitement.

Sh'del nodded at E'ril when the man looked his way. He wanted to let
the bluerider take over the class, just to drill into the weyrlings
that colour didn't necessarily mean what a lot of Holders thought it
meant. The man was doing well and he saw no reason to step in and
take over.

"Alright, let's get started. From your sack grab a handful of rock and feed
it to your lifemate. Be sure to watch their posture and make sure their neck
is slightly extended so the stone will slide into their stomach chamber with
the least amount of resistance and residue." As he spoke, Dawenth coached the
dragonets.

}: Make sure you keep tongues out of the way and chew carefully. The rock is
soft to your teeth but very painful to your flesh. Once you feel gurgling in
belly tell your lifemate to stop.:{

X'ian took a handful of the stone and tossed it to Camyth's waiting
maw. He watched with fasination when his dragon processed the
firestone.
** Remember not to chew your tongue, ** he admonished.
For some reason, Camyth found that very hilarious and his amused snort
made firestone fragments fly out of his mouth.

T'aesh did as he was instructed to do, almost shaking as he did. Not
with fear, but with anticipation. Over the turns, T'aesh had seen
other weyrlings go through the same training. He had watched
jealously as his friends and former fellow candidates fed their
dragons firestone, and then saw that wondrous first flame. Now it was
T'aesh's time, and he was very excited and proud.

"Here we go," said Pierka as she pulled rock from her sack and tossed
it into Liddith's open maw. **Extend your neck a little more. You want
it to go into the right stomach.** She pointed at Dawenth. "Like
that," she said.

}: My insides are starting to move, a lot. I think that is enough
stone :{ Raisheth informed his rider.

T'aesh could barely make out the rumbling in his brown dragon's belly
but he stopped feeding the firestones to him, and began to wait
anxiously for that first gout of flame.

Camyth suddenly burped and a little curl of flame escaped from his mouth.
}: Ah, that's how it's done, :{ he murmured.

"Umh, I don't think the burp is part of the process," X'ian answered
and looked around. Should he gesture for the Weyrling staff? If Camyth
got the flaming process wrong, it might be hard to correct later.

Sh'del saw the anxious look and nodded encouragement to the boy. They
were doing fine, all of them. No one was on fire yet, which he saw as
good. He caught the amused snort from his Loranth in his mind. }:The
lesson is still young.:{

Pierka stood back as Liddith's breath took on a decidedly sulferous
smell. The rumbling in her middle was a dead give away. Then she
burped and a small ball of flame appeared and disappeared almost as
quickly. "Ohhh! You did it!"

}:I can do better than that:{

T'nom had been quiet throughout the lesson, intent on learning things
correctly and showing how he and Taldeth were suited for the job ahead
of them. As bronze and rider, Taldeth knew that much was always
expected of the pair.

Tossing the firestone into Taldeth's gaping maw, he waited,
**Remember, tell me when you feel that it's enough.** He watched the
massive jaws as they chewed the stone, tossing more and more until the
bronze gave word. }:I feel something different. I think that is all.:{
Taldeth waited and let forth a belch of his own that seemed to send a
puff of smoke, but no flame emerged. T'nom chewed his bottom lip,
waiting and wondering what to do next.

"How you feeling there big guy?" T'aesh asked his young brown dragon.

}:Fine, something is:{ Raisheth began before he opened his mouth. A
slight belch escaped before a nice length of flame came next. Though
the flame wasn't very sustained, it had a nice bit of power behind it.

T'aesh was so excited, he jumped in the air, and then hugged his
dragons neck, exclaiming "Yeah!"

X'ian heard Camyth inhale deeply through his nostril. The blue arched
his neck graciously, straightened his long, sleek body. Then he
flamed. A long, thin tendril of flame. X'ian managed to count five
before it died. "Beautiful! Well done Camyth!" he felt jubilant.
Camyth radiated smug proudness.

Taldeth asked T'nom for more stone. Tossing it into the bronze's
mouth, he waited. Taldeth chewed, and breathed in. Then, in a moment,
let forth a burst of flame.

"You did it!" T'nom declared excitedly, patting the bronze on the leg.
Clapping Sh'del on the shoulder, "Looks like they're getting the hang of it.
Time to make some rounds."

E'ril then took a walk around the group, encouraging
those who hadn't gotten flame yet, offering tips to those who had
managed burps of flame. Dawenth also joined the rounds and explained
to the dragons
about streams of flame rather than bursts which would be more accurate
during Threadfall.

Pierka clapped "Ha ha!" when the next gout of flame Liddith produced
threw a nice respectable distance. She did make a face and wave the
air in front of her nose. "Ugh," she said at the smell.

T'aesh waited, not so patiently, for Raisheth to produce more flame.
He thought that maybe his brown dragon needed more stone, and so bent over
to get some, just as Raisheth opened his mouth, and a stream of bright
and hot flame came rushing forward. This time the flame was much more
sustained, and a lot more purposeful. It also had the added effect of
heating the bent over your brownriders backside.

"Ah!" T'aesh yelled, and immediately flopped on the ground.

}:Sorry:{ Raisheth said, peering at his lifemate to make sure there
was no permanent damage.

Last updated on the April 30th 2012

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

Blazing Ahead