On Their Own

Writers: Ames, Avery, Chelle, Miriah
Date Posted: 14th August 2014

Characters: Eirlira, Riveenata, D'lorn, H'vack
Description: The young dragons fly for the first time.
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 8, day 24 of Turn 7

While H'vack's main responsibilities were with the senior weyrlings,
he did as much training as time allowed with the junior weyrlings. He
especially liked to be there for many of the big milestone moments.

Today was one such day. The young dragons would fly on their own for
the first time.

**Rilarth, are you ready to help the younglings?**

}:Just finished my meal. I'm on my way,:{ Rilarth replied. H'vack
could almost feel the juice from the bronze's meal as though it was in
his own stomach.

He moved towards the training grounds were many of the weyrlings and
weyrlingstaff had already gathered.

Riveenata stood in the throng of weyrlings next to her friend Selyna,
feeling nervous about the upcoming flight. She knew that Savith was
incredibly excited, and the green was chomping at the bit to get up
and go. She wanted to be first in the air!

Behind the group sat Villith, watching the young dragonets. Of course they
would be excited but a few of them might be more prone to overexerting
themselves. Her whirling blue eyes missed nothing. D'lorn, on the other
hand, stood there waiting for H'vack as he counted heads.

H'vack waited until the group was assembled.

"Weyrlings, today is a big day. Today your dragons will take flight
for the first time today. It is important to keep close contact with
your dragon at all times to make sure they are not jumping ahead too
quickly or overexerting themselves in their excitement." He looked
around, making eye contact with many of the weyrlings.

"D'lorn and Villith will be demonstrating a basic starting technique
for how to get airborne without causing strain or injury to the
wings." H'vack gestured to the green and his rider. Villith was often
better at teaching this skill because of her size compared to
Rilarth. Once the dragons were able to get airborne, the other dragons
would assist them as they started practicing short flights across the
Weyrbowl.

With Sasinth, Eirlira stood with the group, but seemed to be a part
from it at the same time. Her dark eyes followed H'vack's movements as
she stroked a hand over her green. She had no doubt that Sasinth would
do well.

The green came forward and shook her wings. She was doing it more for
the youngs' benefit than her own. Stretching them out, she climbed atop
the rise and then ran. Her wings lifted her up just enough without much
effort and she flapped them a few times before coming back down, though
she could have flown far longer. The younglings couldn't overexert
themselves
after all. }:There you have it lovelies. You need to get up for just a few
moments
then come back down. Then you can do it again!:{

"Thank you Villith," H'vack replied, complimenting the green on a
nicely done example.

"Riveenata, Savith, you're first. Remember Riveenata, keep close
contact, encourage and support Savith as she tries," H'vack reminded.

}:You will do well young one,:{ Rilarth added as they all waited for
her to take her first flight.

Savith's confidence swelled as she was picked to be the first. She!
Not any of the others.

**Just do what Villith showed you,** Riven thought at her dragon.

Savith was determined. She waddled up the rise and then ran, just like
Villith had. Her limbs bunched as she jumped and her wings flapped as
she tried to gain height. The green dragonet was airborne!

Riven's heart swelled with pride in her lovely dragonet, but then she
sensed Savith's desire to keep going and her mental voice grew firm.
**Come back down! You can stay up there once the others have gone.**

Savith grumbled, but obeyed. The ground came up faster than expected
and she stumbled when touching down, but didn't fall over.

}:I did it,:{ she said to all the dragons watching with a triumphant
little bugle.

}: Well done! :{ Sasinth bugled her congratulations while waiting her own
turn.

**You'll do even better.** Eirlira replied without a smile. Her eyes
flicked to Riveenata and she gave a slight huff.

}: But she did very well.:{ Sasinth countered.

D'lorn smiled at the young green, remembering his own weyrling days for a
moment. "Good job and well done! Now, who's next to give it a try?" He
looked at the pack to see who was next in line.

}:Well done little one,:{ Rilarth told Savith, }:You must learn to
listen well to your rider. Do not push yourself too far too fast or
you may find yourself in trouble,:{ The bronze coached having picked
up on the green's intentions to continue. He, too, recalled how joyous
it had felt to fly for the first time. Though he didn't recall the
memory itself, each time the young ones took flight he did remember it
was a _good_ feeling.

H'vack nodded to Riveenata, then waiting for D'lorn to lead the next
weyrling pair to the start.

"Allright, Sasinth, it's your turn lovely." The greenrider stepped up, ready
to show her where to stand. D'lorn would stay close in case something
happened on the top of the hill.

Sasinth bounded towards the rising and leapt off with a bugle of glee. The
green spread her wings and caught a thermal, lifting her higher in the air.
She beat her wings steadily, gaining altitude and with daring, banked
sharply. The wind caught her and buffeted her, but instincts kicked in and
she righted herself with only a bit of struggle. }: Look at me! Look at
me!:{

Eirlira crossed her arms, smug pleasure lighting her face as Sasinth whirled
happily in the air. **Alright, time to come down before you give someone
heart spasms.**

}: Okaaaay... :{ There was a mental pout as Sasinth angled her wings, coming
in fast.

**Slow down!** Eirlira stepped forward, brow knotted.

}: Ooops! :{ She landed with a scraping of talons, sending skittering stones
in her wake.

That had been more than a glide certainly. D'lorn frowned, leaving it to
H'vack since he was down at the bottom of the hill where Sasinth was.
The weyrlingmaster turned around and made the others waiting hold off a
bit until they made sure that the dragonet was allright. He walked forward
in
case he was needed.

H'vack stepped forward immediately.

"Is she alright?" He asked Eirlira approaching the girl as he eyed the
green dragon. His first concern was always for the health and safety
of the pair.

Eirlira looked down below as Sasinth preened and then pranced around
in circles. **Okay?**

Sasinth settled her wings over her back, her pride in her
accomplishment obvious. }: I'm perfect! :{

Eirlira grinned down at Sasinth and then turned back to H'vack. "She's
perfect."

"Glad to hear she wasn't hurt," H'vack started, then moving to stand
in front of Eirlira his tone completely changed, "but if you don't
learn to control her better than that then we might be looking at a
far worse situation in the future, _or_ a weyrling pair that finds
themselves _not_ graduating to the fighting wings when the time
comes." H'vack knew that that was a long while off, but he'd been
watching the pair and knew that their cocky attitude could lead to
trouble. Hence the need for the threat to be there, one he would
follow through on if necessary.

Eirlira had the gall to shrug. "Whatever."

}:Wasn't it amazing to be up there?:{ Savith shifted from foot to foot and
stared at Sasinth. }:You did a cool wiggle:{

H'vack rounded on Eirlira faster than a firelizard could pop
/between/. His eyes were full of the fire he felt at her callous
attitude.

"Excuse me?" He snarled, "Would you care to repeat that comment again
Eirlira."

}: I did didn't I?:{ Sasinth preened in front of Savith, proud. }:It
was amazing. I love flying. You did well too and... :{ her mental
voice trailed off. }: Uh oh. :{

Eirlira shrugged. "Not really."

"Glad to hear that you at least have _some_ sense in that head of
yours," H'vack coldly responded. "In the meantime, until you learn
that _you_ are not to take things so callously, you can spend all of
your free time cleaning out the barracks. Maybe _that_ will teach you
to mouth off to me." He paused, glaring at her, "and if _that_ doesn't
work to help you learn to control yourself _and_ Sasinth, then there
may not _be_ a first flight for you next sevenday. You have one
sevenday Eirlira. _One_ to show me that you're changing your ways or
you will find yourself _very_ unhappy." With a final evil eye directed
just at her, H'vack turned and called out for the next weyrling to
take flight.

As he turned, she rolled her eyes. If he thought she was going to
clean the barracks, he had another thing coming. She shrugged it off
and turned her attention back to Sasinth. **You did wonderful,
dearest.**

}: Are we in trouble?:{ The green eyed H'vack and shifted back and
forth on her feet. }: Did I do wrong? :{

**I'll handle it. You did fine.**

Once all the dragons had taken their first flight H'vack called the
group together and addressed them one last time.

"You all did excellent today. The dragons are growing strong and will
soon be ready to fly with you on their backs. We will be spending much
of the next sevenday working on preparing and checking riding straps
and gearing up for first flights together." His eyes roamed the group
and paused on Eirlira. He, and the rest of the staff had their work
cut out for them with her. The next sevendays and months would prove
to be very interesting indeed.

Last updated on the August 17th 2014

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On Their Own