A Class on Distraction and Control

Writers: Ames, Eimi, Heather, Suzee
Date Posted: 26th May 2013

Characters: D'naz, Malyna, L'cor, Jeyme, C'baz
Description: The weyrlings have their first class with the new Weyrlingmaster Second
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 13, day 5 of Turn 6
Notes: Mentioned: Sh'del

L'cor

Jeyme

D'naz was pleased to be taking over the junior weyrling classes now
that he was the Weyrlingmaster Second. He had always enjoyed the time
he worked with the weyrlings in the past and now _he_ would be the one
actually leading their early training.

Smiling, he sat, waiting for the weyrling pairs to arrive.

Malyna was eager and ready to begin their classes for the day. She had
waited so long to actually _be_ a dragonrider, that now she was often
one of the first to arrive in class each day. As she and Cayleryth
entered, she stopped. There was another new face standing at the front
of class. The past few classes they had had different teachers as the
Weyr worked to replace the former Weryrlingmasters. She knew D'naz
from her time in the Weyr. He was a pleasant, easy-going fellow.
Malyna expected class to at least be more lively and vibrant than some
of their previous ones with him as the teacher.

"Good morning D'naz," she greeted him.

"Ah, Malyna," he replied. "You're bright an early. I'm pleased you
Impressed this time. Cayleryth is looking healthy and happy." He
smiled at her as he waited for the other weyrlings to come into class.

A few more started to filer in as Malyna went to take a seat with
Cayleryth by her side.

Tonuth tumbled in the door with L'cor not far behind. "Slow down," he
called. Then he apologized to the staff waiting in the room. "Sorry,"
he mumbled as he found his seat and made a face at the exuberant
bronze. **Come over here,** he mentally shouted when the little guy
took a moment to touch noses with the green on the way by.

Jeyme entered the classroom with Quinneth by her side, the jade green
dragonet was, as usual, more concerned about getting back outside and
playing hide-and-seek with the Weyr firelizards. Jeyme took a seat
near the front by herself, which wasn't unusual since she was the
oldest in the Weyrling group. There was also the fact that she had
only come to the Weyr three days before Impression and had only had a
very little time to get to know anyone.

Malyna smiled at the other weyrlings as they joined the class. She
turned towards D'naz, wondering what he would share with them today.

Nodding at each weyrling pair who entered, D'naz silently said each of
their names, making sure he knew them all. For those he didn't, he
planned to rectify that as soon as possible.

When it appeared that most had arrived, he began. "Good morning to you
all. For those who do not know me. I am D'naz, rider of blue Keluth.
As of yesterday I am not going to be taking over most of your early
training as the new Weyrlingmaster Second. I am here to teach you all
that you will need to know in order to survive and excel as
dragonriders. Weyrlingmaster Sh'del will still oversee all of the
training, but you will spent quite a bit of time with me as well. Now
before I delve too deeply into the list of topics we have yet to
cover, I need to find out what all you have learned so far. I
understand you've had many different teachers over the past sevendays.
So let's begin with a review."

"Let's start with the bond between you and your dragon. Who would like
to explain what you have learned about separating the thoughts and
sensations so you know whether it is yours or your dragons, and what
can you do to help control your dragon's impulses. They are younglings
still, but wise in a different way. What can you do if your dragon
begins to do something that must be stopped?" Here D'naz waited to see
who, if anyone would volunteer any information.

"Well," C'baz volunteered, "once I forgot to put the lid back on the oil
jar and I found Pawtinath reaching his tongue in to start licking it, so
I just distracted him with a good scratch behind his head nob and told
him that I couldn't give him a good scratch with his head in the jar.
He lost interest in it then."

"Distraction is one way to keep your weyrling from getting into too
much trouble. There will be other times you may simply have to be firm
and forceful. You cannot be afraid to stop them if something could
harm them or you," D'naz glanced around the room, noting that the
young riders were all paying attention.

"Good, now you should have already received some instruction on
etiquette in and out of the Weyr, Many of you I know are from the Weyr
and others from the Hold. Life for _all_ of you has changed now that
you are riders. So, tell me what you've learned about what you may
need to be aware of outside the Weyr? What issues might arise? What
must you avoid?" He glanced around at the group waiting for responses.

L'cor sat with Tonuth finally calm and curled up next to him slowly
fading into sleep. He smiled at his friend C'baz and the way he'd
distracted his little blue. He nodded at their teacher's words. "Some
holders are less than friendly with dragonriders. We need to avoid
conflict if possible?"

"There is that," D'naz replied, "It _is_ best to know which holders
will cause you the most problems. We'll share that information with
you when you are old enough to fly out on your own. However, there may
still be times you _have_ to deal with them regardless of their
feelings about riders. In those instances, you _must_ learn to control
your own emotions. _Do not_ let someone like that provoke you into
doing something that will only further their hatred or land you in
trouble. Most of all, remember that they do not understand us. Many of
them fear us or, truth be told, are jealous of what we have. Respect
them and their different feelings and emotions. Let them know you
won't listen if they insult you, but do so firmly and with patience.
Most importantly, do not strike them without just cause. We do not
need a war with any holders on our hands." He knew that his were heavy
words at the moment, but it was necessary based on the current topic
of discussion. D'naz looked more intently at L'cor during this talk.
As a bronzerider, he could one day lead the Weyr and it was vitally
important that he heed the advice being given.

"Alright then, I see your training has been going well so far. What
questions do you all have still?"

Malyna had sat and listened and watched during the whole class. She
didn't have any specific questions she could think of right now,
though she knew she would have many more later, as she _always_ found
something that surprised her.

With Tonuth's exuberance finally under control L'cor found a seat near
his friend C'baz and kept a hand on his growing bronze. "How do you
learn that control," he asked.

"Ah, yes, control. It is one of the most important things you will
learn, but often the hardest. You are one, you and your dragon, but
yet you still have two personalities, that may not always agree. You
must practice being firm. It can be harder than you think. Let's
practice with a partner first. You will pair up and I want you to
assume your human partner is your dragon and be firm and tell them to
stop whatever it is they might be doing." D'naz knew the young dragons
would not understand if their human rider became suddenly firm and
told them _no_ when they had not been acting out, so he had them work
with each other to practice their skills at being firm and in control
of a situation. As the students worked, he walked around the room,
offering a suggestion here or there.

"Stop laughing, L'cor. I'm serious," C'baz said, though he couldn't say
those words without cracking a smile himself. "Stop laughing or I'll
leave you for Malyna!"

L'cor grinned at his friend. "You'll leave me for her someday anyway,"
he joked and punched him in the shoulder.

With a bit more time spent finishing up the class, D'naz finally
called a halt to their current exercises. It was time to break for a
midday meal. Afterwhile they would continue with more drills and
strength training practices.

As class was ending, Malyna stood, Cayleryth stretching her jaws and
shaking off the slumber that had settled around her during part of the
class.

"You two better behave next time," she said with a wink as she passed
by L'cor and C'baz, "I wonder what duties D'naz will give you if you
don't, something unpleasant, I'm sure." She giggled and smiled. "Want
to grab some food together?"

"I'm game," C'baz said, quickly standing up and gathering his things.
Dinner with Malayna sure beat eating with a bunch of boys any day!

Last updated on the June 1st 2013

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A Class on Distraction and Control