Third Weyrling Lesson: Manned Flight

Monaco Bay Weyr - Exercise Yard
Sheltered from the direct heat of the day and the storms of the season by the rocky walls of the weyr, this exercise yard holds a thick layer of lush grass. The yard offers room enough for the entire class of weyrlings to stretch, romp, and practice behind a tall wooden palisade meant to keep the pre-flight dragons from wandering off too far. To the west, just against the palisade, a small coral of ovines and caprines has been erected for convenience. A freshwater pump is installed to the north, against the wall of the caverns, to provide just enough water flow to clean a weyrling dragon after a meal. When the palisade gate is open, there is a clear, stone-lined path leading towards the paradise river and the designated weyrling beach.


There is a ruckus at the exercise yard. Moreth and Aeldhiyth have squatted down with a large braided rope in their maws, with R'and at the Bronze's end looking all the world like a tiny figurine. Then the dragons to set pulling and Ael's pull cracks the whip and sends R'and upwards into the air, to land amongst sand and scrabble off to plop his head into Cinni's lap. Ysleth is attached at mid-way point as well briefly, before letting go in disgust.

Then the rope snaps and Brown and Bronze separated immediately upending and THUDDING into sand and spraying it everywhere like cannonballing swimmers.

And Xh'vyr, in the background, laughing. Aeldhiyth gives up his rope (hopefully Moreth doesn't have his own backlash from the sudden lack of tension) to nose over by the fallen brownling. Xh'vyr would help, but y'know, he's too busy being a right bloody bastard right now.

All is right, more or less, in the world, Xh'vyr laughs, Cinni cossets and R'and…she looks down at R'and who seems to have settled too well into her lap. "Well, you are not dead then? We must go and tend to those silly mountains. Did you hear Ysleth? She thinks it was fun so they will try it again." She pushes a bit at the ex-Smith trying to shoo him from her knees.

And suddenly, there is a J'en, leather-clad legs carrying him towards the disruption. He'd been in Xanadu up until a moment ago, no doubt visiting the borrowed weyrsecond. The assistant weyrlingmaster seems to have lost that too-tight and constricting jacket he'd worn since S'van departed, a black form-fitted tank top in its place. Wide golden eyes dart from one weyrling to the next, over rope-tugging dragons, and his lips are quickly drawn into a frown, "What the actual fuck…" he growls under his breath, "I'm gone for three fuckin' days an' ya'll are tryin' to kill one another?" An accusatory glare is sent towards R'and, who's head should not be where it is currently, and his eyes narrow. "Ya could 'ave broken yer fuckin' neck, R'and." Was that concern under all of that pissed? Maybe. He does appear to be making sure the brownling wasn't hurt, hands formed into tight fists at his sides, "…go…get…yer…straps…we're flyin' today…" is hissed through clenched teeth.

R'and is quite alright. Just….a brief tatse of freefalling and all. But J'en is there and he begins to scramble onto his feet with more grace than Moreth can manage. Moreth has to spin about like a cat trying to stretch out before righting himself and rising to all fours. "All is well!" A hasty salute, because that'll go over real well. And Moreth is fine at least. Ysleth may be a bit of squish but thats okay.

Aeldhiyth's proverbial ears perked the MOMENT J'en muttered something about straps and flying, and isn't it just a fantastic thing that Xh'vyr, whilst speaking of lemonade and cherry vodkas, has carted out his growth straps? These are getting close to being done with and needing a new pair, with several lengths of additions already strapped in, to the point that too many buckles are laying against soft dragonskin — but for now they are all covered with sheepskin, a hilarious sight against the argent-and-blue-washed bronze's deeply hued hide. Xh'vyr straps up with no drama, though he does give J'en a low, contemplative eyeballing for a moment before carrying on with his life. (He happens to look at R'and, once, and have a chuckle all over again. 'Cause he's a right bastard.) Aeldhiyth, meanwhile, stretches his neck out, stars gleaming in his steady eyes: « Today we fly. »

Pushing harder to get him out of her lap, Cinni finally just let's the man flop onto th ground. She points at her straps, neatly folded in the pile she had left them in and then thinks better of it. No Weyrling needs J'en's attention when he is in the mood he seems to be in. Before moving off, she asks in a whisper to the supine R'and who she offers a hand to, "I thought he would be in a good mood after visiting up there. What's up with him? Get up!" She trots to the straps, nearly as eager as Ysleth who yodels her joy in high piercing mind notes - the clearing would seem to reek of flowers. The two, green and Rider meet and begin the strapping process which has become if not routine, easier and easier to accomplish.

Secret whispers and not so secret eyeballing aside, as soon as the weyrlings have their straps secured onto their lifemates, he moves. A long legged gait transports him several paces away and then he stands, arms loose and at his sides. "This is 'ow this is gunna go. When I call yer name, yer gunna mount yer dragon an' strap yerself in. Only then is yer lifemate to move to the center of the exercise yard, extend 'is or 'er wings, an' flap 'em. They'll know when the time is right to push off the ground an' up into the air till even with the 'orizon. Fly once 'round the yard in a complete circle an' then land back in the same spot. Once on the ground, move off so I can call another name." He looks to them all, each in turn, and then squarely at Xh'vyr. Well, after he give those straps the sort of look that says they'd be having a chat after class, "Xh'vyr, ya an' Aeldhiyth are up first."

Moreth's straps were nearby as well, he had done a pratice fitting then removed them before /someone/ got the wild hair up in their butt to pull on a rope. Aeldiyth was just helping, honest. But Moreth is the last to get strapped up, probably from R'and brushing sand aside to ensure a nice fit. And having sand in his eyes.

But soon, he mounts up and they settle in for /the/ main event of this month. Or probably their entire weyrling time. A snapped look off towards Xh'vyr, and his getting to go first. To watch.

Xh'vyr will be more than happy to take an extra set of Leketh's straps off J'en's hands, they'd probably fit his baby monster. Just uh. Just saying. The ruddy-haired man seems quite surprised to be picked first, his attention shooting over toward Cinni and R'and momentarily before evening out on his lifemate. Aeldhiyth, unsurprisingly, has puffed his chest out with every ounce of pride in him (it's a LARGE amount) and seems entirely READY to aloft to the skies. « We fly. » In case anyone missed it, see, his whole body reverberating with the desire to feel the wind beneath his wings. Xhae scales up, settles in, buckles in, checks and rechecks the rider's mental checklist before patting his lifemate's shoulder in needless readiness.

Aeldhiyth unfurls his wings, brindled-brass and bold, and strikes while hot: the barrage of wind is excessive, two or three solid swats, before the thick coiled muscle of haunch is unspooling in a powerful launch that sends both bronze and his lifemate upwards into the heavens. (Xh'vyr's whoop is loud enough to filter back down to his clutchmates, regardless of the massive sound of Ael's wings.)

Head back, eyes shaded against the glare of the tropical sky, Cinni watches the powerful loft of the two in to the air with bated breath. Once she hears Xh'vyr whoop she releases the breath and grins ferousiously patting Ysleth's neck hard. "Soon, my beauty. That will be the two of us." Her mind voice is as fierce and high as the sea eagles that fly along their coast, «We fly»

Moreth and R'and both get squirmy and antsy waiting for the Bronze to just /do/ it. Then mouth gapes at the launch and hands patter child-like upon the curved horn of the saddle. "Look'at'em. /Look/." «I see! Look!» "I see, Moreth. I do." Finally, the brown can't withhold and CARRUUUMMMMM a trumpet as Aeldiyth's flutters overhead.

Crossing his arms loosely around his middle, J'en waits for Xh'vyr and Aeldhiyth to take the center of the exercise yard, nodding once to indicate that they should go up. Brows furrow a twitch for the gust called up by the powerful drift of brassy wings, lips curled down into the ghost of a frown. However, once the bronze pair are up and away? Well, it's a good thing that everyone's attention was set above, because that frown (oh so very briefly) is turned upside down in response to that whoop. A soft snort, much more on the amused side than not, and his expression is schooled back to even as golden eyes trace the path of the pair through the area around the yard. Moreth's trumpet does a fair job of startling J'en, shooting the brown pair a look that could curdle milk, before turning his face back towards the sky. « My J'en says to come down now. Be careful on the landing though, the first one can be a bitch. » Leketh sends directly to Aeldhiyth, his youthful tenor carried on the morning dew that glides refreshingly down silvery threads of spinner silk, quivering with his laughter.

It's a good thing that Aeldhiyth's own didn't see that smile, 'cause he'd roast J'en for it for at least the next couple turns. As it is, Xh'vyr's grin is shit-eatingly large, braced against the wind as he is: the bronze does a couple loops, wings shaky at first and then leveling out with full instincts. And now.. now the HARD PART. Landing? Landing? « This looks easier when someone else does it, » Aeldhiyth comments as he fumbles to a backwing, hovering a solid six feet over the area he's trying to park at before allowing his wings to slow. It's an uneven landing but not necessarily a rocky one, and the damned bronze beast preens, neck arched, wings half-mantled before pinning back against his side. Xh'vyr doesn't seem likely to dismount, still in the moment, strapped-in and resting with his palms against his lifemate's neck, head turning around to check out the next dragon's flightpath.

The wingbeats of the bronze are magnificient. Cinni cannot remove her eyes from the pair; she ignores them all, flying with Xh'vyr and Aeldhiyth as the image of what they are doing are shared through Ysleth to her. «Strong, my brother is so strong. But then I will be very fast» she chimes to her lifemate.

Of course nobody has said anything about Moreth's trumpeting happiness at the prospect of flight. R'and changes a glance towards J'en a moment, as if to investigate but can't see anything too well int he distance. "oh.Oh.OH….oh." The upcoming worry of the landing has R'and squirming and shifting atop Moreth until Aeldiyth's talons find ground and his wings flutter inwards to settle again. That doesn't look too hard. «We will do great!»

"Good job," J'en calls over to Xh'vyr and Aeldhiyth once they are back on the ground, jerking his head to indicate that they should move off to the side before sliding his eyes towards R'and and Moreth. "R'and, ya and Moreth are next. Remember, extend wings, flap, launch, one circle 'round the yard at 'orizan's level, then back onto the ground. Move off when yer done and form up with Xh'vyr and Aeldhiyth."

«Thats us» States Dragon Obvious, as he lifts himself up from his haunches and waits for Aeldhiyth's movement from the takeoff spot before striding out towards it. Moreth shakes his wings out, folding then unfolding and working them at the air half closed. "Calm down. Take a moment." Then the rest of their conversation goes inaudible.

Feet push and dig into the sand as if he were about to seize the land and lift it up when he goes, then wings extend out wide, far and wide before a cautionary sweep from high to low lifts them onto the balls of their talons. R'and's hands grip tight at straps and a quick unseen nod to encourage the movement before another spreads sand, then another then OFF TO THE RACES!

How can you manage to whoop when you must smile? Moreth's legs press then heave them into the air with all the grace of a wherry tumbling out of a tree, but they beat the air into submission and rocket towards the edge of the yard before arcing around and beginning a slow circuit of it.

«Our brothers are powerful flyers! The Weyr will know and be proud of them!» she bugles on a much higher register than her brown and bronze brother. "I know, I'm so proud of the two of them."

With Aeldhiyth moved and Moreth in his place, J'en gives the brown pair the single nod signal indicating that they could go, watching them with a narrowed focus. Whatever he sees is met with approval or at least the relaxation of his body, likely based on the fact that R'and takes charge of his lifemate and gets him to calm before attempting flight. Every move they make from here on out is scrutinized and while the assistant weyrlingmaster isn't taking obvious notes, the way his gaze travels suggests he's doing mentally. A fraction of a wince for that take off, but it smooths back out once they're off the ground. Exhaling the breath he'd been holding, J'en follows Moreth's progress and as soon as they come around for the closure of that single loop, « Isn't this fun? Of course it is! But now it's over and to the ground with you. » Pulses along that quivering thread of spinner silk, flashing silver in the darkness of the bronze's mindscape against the brown's, and then it's gone. Once Moreth is on the ground and moved off towards Aeldhiyth, "Good job, R'and and Moreth." A firm nod to them both, then turning towards the last of the troublemaking trio, "Cinni, Ysleth…yer up," he says, a sweeping gesture towards the center of the exercise yard. "Ya know the drill, and once yer down…ya'll are free to rest up. No more flying today, but tomorrow ya'll be assigned flight duties 'round the weyr. So, look forward to that…or whatever…" Awkward. Clearing his throat, his brows pop upward and then return to their original position, jerking his chin upwards to signal the greenpair to begin.

Moreth's wings lift and curl out of instinct, hugging around the air and braking them as talons sweep over the lines delinating the landing 'zone'. The flared wings catch and they hang in the air, floating in place before plummeting several feet to catch upon sand and tumble forward a few steps. Forepaws catch and the bit of gallop is reined in before it gets out of control. A loft of his chin towards J'en before they move off to join Aeldiyth and Xh'vyr and settling out of the way. «Oh. Ysleth. She goes now.»

They are called by the irrasible Weyrling second. Cinni aknowledge him with a wave of her hand. «WE ARE NEXT» makes Cinni gasp a little as she walks beside Ysleth to the spot. Too many eyes watch them for her comfort but it is Ysleth that really occupies her attention. She climbs into her saddle, now grateful for all those hours of practise. "My beauty, ready?"

There is power too in the haunches that bunch to spring. The sand moves under the powerful bats of her wings, three times before the coiled reserve of energy is released and they are in the air. Light glimmers along her hide as the muscles under her oiled skin move instinct driven into the higher reaches of the air. They circle, lower perhaps than her brothers but there is a promise of speed in her. Cinni's mouth is open in exhaltation, Ysleth's joy at coming into her own sings in high sweet notes, light and focused as light breaking through a cloud.

The landing is neat footed and light until the very end when Ysleth's head dips too low and Cinni's nose nearly meets the green neck. "Whoa, whoa. We are going to have to practice that, I'm afraid." With a little rustle of embarrassment, Ysleth tucks in her wings and goes to their spot in the yard, her eyes whirling contentedly at her clutchmates.

As with the other two, J'en observes every move that the green pair makes, likely to offer suggestions on what they can do to improve in the future. For now, there is a green on the ground and then one up in the air, all under watchful golden eyes. Around they go, one complete circuit, and Leketh is gently reminding Ysleth that she descend once more. That landing though, even it makes the assistant weyrlingmaster wince, almost taking a full step forward as his arms drop loose at his sides, but he catches himself at the last second. Fingers twitch, checking visually for any signs that either female is hurt before exhaling roughly. "Good, ya two. We'll work on landin's this sevenday." A firm nod and he pushes off, walking towards the three. "Next lesson we'll be preparin' for is flamin'. Yer dragons will be chewin' firestone and learnin' 'ow to make flame. There's some anatomy involved, so study up. It ain't exactly a pretty process towards the end though. Prepare for that." Another crisp nod, looking them over one by one, "Ya did a real good job out there today, be proud of yerselves. I know it'll be temptin' but keep her lifemate's on the ground today. If they push too 'ard too fast…they could strain a wing and that fuckin' 'urts, just ask Leketh if ya dun believe meh. Ya dun want that, trust meh." With that, he waves them off with a fanning gesture of his left hand, "Okay, get outta 'ere, enjoy yer day…no more fuckin' rough 'ousin'…"

They are like children let loose at the end of the day. Cinni almost springs into a run next to keep up with Ysleth whose hunger is getting the best of her. But they stop before leaving the ring, Cinni goes to each Xh'vyr and gives him a shy hug and then to R'and, who she pats on the shoulder awkwardly and then hugs quickly, stepping back. "Thank you, sir. Thank you," she calls to J'en.

They are like children let loose at the end of the day. Cinni almost springs into a run to keep up with Ysleth whose hunger is getting the best of her. But they stop before leaving the ring, Cinni goes to each of the Weyrlings. First to Xh'vyr to give him a shy hug and then to R'and, who she pats on the shoulder awkwardly and then hugs quickly, stepping back. "Thank you, sir. Thank you," she calls to J'en.

Sighing heavily, J'en rolls his eyes towards the sky and turns on his heels to go. Too much elation, too much weyrling hugging, he's out people. He's OUT. "Yeah, yeah…try not to kill each other…" he grumbles, heading back towards the barracks and his office.

R'and just /wonders/ who J'en might be talking about, with this roughhousing. «He is talking about us.» He is talking about /you/, Moreth. The rider dismounts and slips down onto booted feet in the yard before the dragons start to talk all about how many herdbeasts they are going to eat. "Just one, Moreth. You'll get yourself all grumbly stomached." A quick wave as Ysleth is dismounted and Cinni is in the small group headed towards food.


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