Jenna of Fort Weyr - Logs

Niyath Flies

After a tiff with F'niah, Niyath and Randoth fly for the first time.

Jenna - Monday, May 13, 2002, 11:10 AM
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Your location's current time: 12:03 on day 6, month 4, Turn 40, of the Tenth Pass. It is a spring afternoon.

Fort LC> K'fen strides in, still looking at the peering Saneth so he does bump in another rider who was looking at the blue as well. "Sorry," he mutters, looking up at the man and grinning appraisingly. Then he's on his way again and spots F'niah. "Ah, I was wondering what was -that- worth peering at."

Fort LC> F'niah looks up, startled, just as his palm discovers the tip of the awl. "Ow! Uh, um, h'lo, uh, sir." Hard to salute when you're distracted by pain, though Sef shakes out his insulted hand and gives a slapdash attempt. "Do I have to stand?" he adds plaintively, lengths of hide draped and curled over shoulders and chair, lap and tabletop. It kinda looks like someone dumped a bowl of really big noodles over his head.

Fort LC> K'fen covers his mouth quickly, stifling a giggle and saluting immediately afterwards. "No, no, don't stand, I don't want you stumbling," he says with a wide grin. "And please be careful with that awl, we don't want another weyrling in infirmary."

Fort LC> When Sef salutes, the scabby elbow is visible. "Uh, yes, sir." Confused, he lowers his hand again, this time watching as he fetches the awl. "It's.. um.. how's Tenkanoth?" Out in the bowl Saneth shifts his weight, continues to stare.

Fort LC> K'fen tilts his head and looks the weyrling up and down -- and you can be sure he's got good eyes. "Tenkanoth is very good and very full -- just ate a bit too much for once I think. But I'm more concerned about you," he says, reaching for a chair near Sef and casually dropping on it. "How're you and Saneth? And how're those straps going?" Honest, he doesn't giggle or chuckle as he asks about the straps.

Fort LC> F'niah says "Uh... me, sir?" No, the other 'you' at the table. "Um... we're both fine. Valry thought it'd be better for me - for us - if I worked on my straps in here, so he's not hovering over me all the time." Nope, Saneth has to hover at his boy from out in the bowl, instead. "They're going all right, the straps I mean. Only Saneth says they itch."

Fort LC> K'fen chuckles and casts a glance at Saneth. "Did you try to explain him he could support and watch you from afar, comfortably settled in yoru couch?"

Fort LC> F'niah shrugs at that, sending one length of hide slithering off his shoulder. "He knows, only... I dunno. He'd rather watch me with his eyes than know where I am." A pause. "If that made any sense?" He gestures with the awl toward the bowl. "He accepts it, when he has to, but he doesn't like it. So I try to keep him happy."

Fort LC> K'fen grins and slowly nods, scratching his chin. "Well, I think he's going to get used to it eventually, but if you can keep him happy until then, well, it's good." He frowns slightly and fondly smiles at the blue, for some untold reason. "And if he says straps are itching, you still have work, I'm afraid. And I'm sure you can ask some fellows for help if needed, eh?"

Fort LC> Sarin comes out of the Infirmary, shutting the stone door behind her.
Fort LC> Sarin has arrived.

Fort LC> Sarin saunters out from the infirmary, looking arather well-rested for once.

Fort LC> "I've asked R'dall," Sef nods, poking desultory holes at the hide. "Only he's made buckles and everything for Teth. I feel a little lost, 'cause he knows so much." He and K'fen are at a table close to the exit to the bowl, with Saneth clearly visible just outside. "Valry says it's not good for him to be so dependent on me. Only he /has/ to, doesn't he?"

Fort LC> Sarin pours out some water from the mealtable and moves to sit nearby, flashing both riders a brilliant grin.

Saneth's hunkered down just outside the entrance to the 'caverns. He's not taking up the /entire/ entrance, but one does need to move around the blue if you want to go into or out of the caverns.

Jenna snorts, sounding remarkably like Niyath. "Saneth, get your bloody big head out of the way. Sef's not going anywhere."

Fort LC> Sarin kicks her feet up onto the table infront of her, chair wobbling only a little. She returns the greenrider's salute jauntily. "What's going on?"

Niyath> Niyath placidly works on her wing exercises, slowly opening and closing her wings, some distance from the entrance to the barracks. She seems to be admiring the length of the span by the shadows cast on the ground below her.

Saneth turns his head the teensiest amount he can to bring Jenna into view. The blue returns the snort - of course he's not, not while Saneth's watching! - before quickly looking back to his boy. Did Sef disappear while Saneth wasn't watching? The horror!

Niyath> Saneth senses that Niyath says firmly, << You are in the way. Look through your boy's eyes, and allow others into the caverns. Other riders need refreshment. >>

Fort LC> F'niah salutes Sarin as well, a smidge belatedly. "Um, nothing, ma'am. Well, I'm working on straps," or the straps are working on him, "And K'fen's just keeping me company. Saneth's watching." He jerks a thumb toward his big blue shadow.

Niyath> Eishith lifts his head slightly, his eyes fixed on his golden sister, their myriad lenses whirling a soft blue -- until his lifemate comes into view. Deciding that R'tran is still somewhat more interesting, he bounds over to the young man, sending auburn locks a-flying with a burst of hot breath.

Dragon> Niyath senses that Saneth's surprisingly firm. << Won't. They can, I looked. He said so. >>

Jenna puts her hands on her hips. "Saneth. Come on now. At least move to one side so you're not as much in the way."

Fort LC> Sarin waggles her fingers at the blue, whether he can see her or not. "Nice of K'fen -- and speaking of which..." She turns to the transplaneted Igenite. "Do they have to call me ma'am? It makes me feel -old-." She very nearly pouts.

Niyath> Saneth senses that Niyath says reasonably, << Fine. But you are making your boy look as though he does not care for you properly. >> A pause and she adds deliberately artlessly, << Everyone is whispering about it. >>

Saneth hunkers down stubbornly. Lalala, I can't heeear you!

Niyath> R'tran chuckles, wheeling about to pat Eishith's foreleg before turning his attention on Niyath. He calls to her, "Even your shadow is radiant, lovely one." He gives her a wink, then extends his elbows, nodding for Eishith to follow suit. Once the growing bronzeling has complied, he commences oiling the sensitive skin under the wings.

Fort LC> K'fen sighs and shakes his head. "I'm really sorry Sarin. Personally I do hate to be called 'sir' by older guys, but those are rules." He grins wider and there is some mischief in his eyes. Talk with him about repect, yeah...

Dragon> Saneth bespoke Niyath with << Who says? He does not say so. Branath's Valry does not say so. What is whispering? Does your Jenna whisper? >>

Niyath> Niyath is still fanning her wings open and closed, though her eyes are wheeling a trifle more quickly, evidently disturbed by something.

Fort LC> Makai comes up the steps from the Inner Caverns.
Fort LC> Makai has arrived.

Fort LC> F'niah watches his two elders under lowered lashes - the kind of 'not watching watching' that doesn't fool anyone. "If you tll me I can't call you ma'am, I won't have to," he offers helpfully.

Niyath> Eishith is still holding his wings outstretched, patiently allowing R'tran access to their undersides, as he notices the shift in Niyath's expression. He warbles a little to her.

Dragon> Eishith bespoke Niyath with << What is wrong, sister? >>

Niyath> I bespoke Saneth with << My Jenna listens to whispers. She is worried for you and for your boy. Now. Move aside so that the other riders can enter. They must fight Fall. >>

Fort LC> K'fen shakes his head at F'niah. "Sorry, you're expected to 'sir' and 'ma'am' people, even if they don't like it." He pauses, clears his throat and winks at Sarin. "It wouldn't be fair for us weyrlingmasters and assistants to be the only ones called 'sir' or 'ma'am' eh?"

Fort LC> Sarin narrows her eyes at K'fen, very slightly. "No, no. I'm older than they are. I'd just rather not -feel- it." She looks hopeful as Sef speaks, then sighs melodramatically. "But I'm not even in the chain of command. I'm the -Healer-."

Fort LC> Makai smiles and walks over to them. "But you can call me plain Makai," he jokes to F'niah, budding in a little. He waves hello to everyone and looks around, finally finding a pot of klah and pouring himself a glass.

Saneth takes a reluctant step backwards, not taking his eyes from his all-important Boy.

Dragon> Saneth bespoke Niyath with << She should not listen to whispers. F'niah says they are only for hurting. >>

Fort LC> K'fen grins at F'niah. "And if you want to forget the 'ir' stuff, be careful there is no dragon or WLM around!

Fort LC> F'niah shrugs ruefully and offers Sarin a, "Sorry, ma'am. Um." Perhaps if he doesn't stare at her...? There's Makai, and the other gets a nod. K'fen's comment brings a smile. "Oh, I wouldn't do that. Valry always seems to pop up at just the wrong time."

Fort LC> K'fen giggles at F'niah and salutes Makai idly. "Well, I know the feeling. You know my 'masters had very inventive punishments for that." Experience talking there, obviously.

Fort LC> Sarin sighs, allowing herself to slump into a sulk. As for the staring - why - that why her legs are so nicely displayed, isn't it? She sips at her water, muttering, "Yet one more reason to count the days til graduation."

Fort LC> Makai just chuckles and sips from his mug. This is delighting him to no end.

Fort LC> "At least a Turn," comments Sef, glumly. "They're not even allowed to fly yet, even though they've been doing exercises for months. Yes, you," he adds, turning toward the entrance where Saneth's still hovering near the archway. "And you're /supposed/ to be doing them now."

Jenna shoves past Saneth, "Fine. If you want to look utterly ridiculous, go right ahead. But I'd suggest to the Weyrlingmasters that you not be allowed to fly, since you can't even let Sef out of your sight. How are you going to keep track of him when you're on the ground and he's in the air."

Niyath> I bespoke Eishith with << Saneth is being unreasonable. >>

You head into the Living Caverns.
Fort Weyr Living Cavern
Approaching half the size of the Hatching Grounds, this cavern echoes with voices during the day, and the soft patter of feet during the night. Dozens of tables are spaced throughout, each with open space around to provide small amounts of privacy for the discussions carried on at each. The night hearth, with a cluster of pots of stew and klah, is situated near the large entrance to the Bowl. Several other hearths are spaced around the huge chamber, lending light and some heat to the room.

Broad marble steps to the southwest lead up to the impressive Fort Weyr kitchen. At the moment however those broad steps are marred with soot, as are the walls and the ceiling of the living cavern all around and above the impressive kitchen entrance. Many items of severely damaged kitchen equipment are placed in slowly growing piles near the entrance as clean up crews continue work after the kitchen fire. Two burly men stand near the kitchen entrance, preventing the mere curious from having access to the damaged area. No cooking can be done in the kitchens at this time and to make up for it most of the hearths in the living cavern have been pressed into use as cooking places. The cavern sees even more bustle than usual as bakers take over most of the walkways near the walls for the business of providing food for the Weyr. Residents enter and leave in an almost constant stream near mealtimes, back and forth from the large cooking pit set up near the lake. Only half the tables are in the living cavern, room is needed for both the cooking work and the clean up operation. The other half of the living cavern's tables are out in the bowl.

To the east, a short flight of stairs leads to the hallway to the inner caverns. A stout door to the north has a healer's emblem on it, marking the Infirmary. To the south is a wide tunnel, leading out of the Weyr, and a wide opening to the west leads to the Weyr bowl.
Contents:
Makai(#10230PVace$)
Sarin
K'fen
F'niah
Meg and Peg
Fort Weyr Firelizard Perch

Jenna strides in from the bowl, her steps rather jarring and her jaw set. She heads for the serving table to pour herself a mug of juice.

Sarin folds her arms, noting, "Don't envy you, then. I culdn't follow the rules when I Stood - I can't imagine a -year-..."

K'fen gets up, lazily salutes Sarin, gives F'niah a more serious salute and stretches himself. "Anyway, make sure we don't catch you not saluting. And I'm sorry for that," he says, winking again at Sarin. "I -hate- giving orders or punishments." Jenna gets another salute -- see? Just practice! -- and the greenrider ambles out.

K'fen heads out the cavernous entrance to the bowl.
K'fen has left.

Jenna salures K'fen a trifle belatedly, giving him a wry smile, before offering a nod and smile around to others. She rather pointedly stares at Sef for a moment, before sliding into a chair.

F'niah begins to salute Jenna before he catches first himself, then the strap that's attempting to slide off his shoulder. "What's got your underthings in a knot?"

Sarin offers Jenna a quick wave, then returns to being moody, in a very forced way. When she hears Sef, she winces. Just what a woman loves to hear. This should be interesting.

Makai grins, ready to play referee if necessary, and idly sips from his cup once again.

Jenna says coolly to F'niah, "You do, but this isn't the time or the place to discuss it. When you have some time, I'd like to talk to you. Privately."

F'niah ffts at the other weyrling and sets his awl down. "You're not a weyrwoman yet, Jenna. There's no reason to go shoving rank you don't have up someone's nose." He glances at Sarin, then Makai before adding, "Maybe this is something you ought to bring to the Weyrlingmaster. /K'fen/ doesn't have any problems with me, and he was just here."

Makai doesn't like the way this argument is going. He doesn't want to upset anyone, so he keeps his mouth shut.

Sarin watches the exchange in a way that looks like she's not watching, honed over years of practice. She smiles slightly, not involving herself either, but for vastly different reasons.

Jenna has that same cool tone, "I plan to, But I wanted to do you the courtesy of talking to you first. I'm hardly shoving rank, F'niah. And I'm not going discuss it with you here and now. When you have time, I will. But the living caverns are hardly the place." She nods to Sarin, "Ma'am. Now, I need to get back to Niyath. If you all will excuse me." She starts back towrds the bowl, snagging a skin of juice along the way.

Makai takes Sarin's stance, listening, but not, busying himself with pouring more klah. Then, looks up at Jenna as she snags a skin of juice. "Don't run off angry," he says slowly.....

F'niah jeers after, "What's the matter, can't Niyath see out of your eyes? I thought you were so much better than that, Jenna!"

Jenna doesn't respond to the goading, instead heading on out into the bowl.

Fort LC> Sarin looks up, calling, "Try to have a good afternoon, Jenna." Makai gets a curious look, as does F'niah. Silly boys.

You head off towards the northwest.
Fort Weyr Bowl, by the weyrling barracks
The Bowl of Fort Weyr, a large, nearly featureless plain surrounded by steep mountain cliffs, stretches out before you. It is vaguely oval in shape, long from the southwest to the northeast; you are standing near the wall northwest of its center. To the west is a cavern, carved into the cliffside, where newly-Impressed dragonriders live with their young dragons before they have been fully trained. When they join a regular fighting Wing, the young riders are ready to inhabit weyrs of their own.
To the south is the fenced off area where the Weyr's herds are kept. Along the north rim of the bowl, to the east of here, are the junior queens and weyrleaders weyrs, and the entrance to the Hatching ground. The center of the bowl, off which is the entrance to the large living caverns, stretches out to the southeast.
Contents:
Niyath(#999OVep)
Eishith(#5656OVabepst$)
R'tran
Tenkanoth(#16972Vapst$)

Fort LC> F'niah slumps back into his chair, chin jutting out. At Jenna's silence, or something else? The boy picks up his awl and pokes it at the inoffensive straps once more. If he manages to poke a hole with what he's doing, it'll be a miracle.

Fort LC> Makai frowns again, and says slightly to himself. "Butting heads like herdbeasts..." and he frowns a little more.

Fort LC> Sarin shrugs at Makai, after draining her water. "And there wouldn't be gossip without it." She stands, walking over to pat Sef on the shoulder. "I wouldn't worry too much about it. I've never understood girls, and I am one. It'll all work out, but I'd suggest not - pushing the issue sometimes. When someone's in the mood to be in a rotten mood, poking at 'em doesn't help. Unless you want them to be angry. In which case, you should do that."

Jenna comes over from the caverns, bearing a skin of juice with her. She heads immediately to Niyath, and the queen lowers her head to her rider, crooning anxiously.

Fort LC> F'niah shrugs away from Sarin's hand. "She's just all... shells. It's like her nose is attached to Niyath - the bigger she grows, the more in the air it sticks. I used to be able to talk to her, but not now. You'd think she was Lessa, or something."

Fort LC> Sarin pauses, then offers, "Well. She's got alot she's trying to live up to. But I'm not a mind healer." She glances towards the door to the infirmary. "And I need to make my rounds. Good luck with it, anyway." Satisfied with amking the effort, she gived both rider and stablehand a little wave and goes sauntering off to her duties.
Fort LC> Sarin goes into the Infirmary, closing the door behind her.
Fort LC> Sarin has left.

Dragon> Niyath senses that Saneth's voice comes, an echo of distraction. << He says, What. He is still there - the.. the things hold him. >> A fuzzy image of Sef, draped in giant Sef-eating noodles. No, not noodles, straps.

Niyath> Saneth senses that Niyath's attention has already gone on to other things. << Excuse me? >>

R'dall steps out of the Weyrling barracks.
R'dall has arrived.
Teth steps out of the Weyrling barracks.
Teth has arrived.

Fort LC> Makai sighs. "Whatever happened to sweet "Lets have fun" Jenna?" Its a rhetorical question.

Dragon> Niyath senses that Saneth repeats patiently, << He says, What. >> This is accompanied by a picture of Jenna, also wrapped mummy-tight in straps. Then a curious, << Is her nose on you? >>

Fort LC> F'niah snorts and shoves the awl, heedless of fingers, into a pouch at his side. "S'like I said. Bigger Niyath gets, higher her nose goes into the air. Though she's never been /sweet/." He eyes the other man. "Unless you know something I don't?"

Jenna is by Niyath, her head buried in the queen's muzzle. Niyath has abandoned her wing exercises for the moment, though gives a mild croon to Teth as he and his boy arrive.

Eishith stretches first one wing - with its corresponding hind limb - then the other, giving a sort of greeting to his brother. He then settles back into his crouch, allowing R'tran better access to his ever-expanding back ridges.

Fort LC> Makai frowns, then chuckles. "Not really, she was always having fun every other time I saw her...Until today." then he pauses. "Have your dragons learned to start chewing firestone yet?" he asks seriously.

Fort LC> F'niah snorts drily. "Hardly. They're not even old enough to fly yet. Nah, all we're doing with firestone is cracking, sacking, and throwing. Though Jenna's too good for the last, apparently."

Fort LC> Raeche comes up the steps from the Inner Caverns.
Fort LC> Raeche has arrived.

Fort LC> Makai frowns. "If her Queen is maturing quickly, she, and you guys as well, will be experiencing mood swings, and..." he blushes a little. "Physical mood swings," he says under a covered mouth.

Fort LC> Raeche emerges from the inner caverns, stretching her arms over her head and smiling vaguely.

K'fen walks over from the center of the bowl.
K'fen has arrived.

Fort LC> F'niah's at one of the tables near the exit, a blue Saneth-sized shadowing hovering just outside. "Mood swings?" he repeats, squinting at Makai. "Hardly that. They're still babies. Anyway, this doesn't have anything to do with Niyath."

Jenna finally pushes away from Niyath, and moves to set down the skin of juice she dragged from the caverns by the barracks entrance. "Hey, R'dall. Teth." Niyath goes back to her exercises, keeping a close eye on her mate.

Niyath> Saneth senses that Niyath replies primly, << We will not discuss this with you until you and your rider are willing to listen. >>

Fort LC> Raeche makes her way over to the serving tables, picking up a slice of camp bread and a piece of fruit. She begins to nibble as she glances about.

K'fen strides from the center of the bowl, absently creasing hides between his hands -- though carefully enough, mind you. He leaves them alone a moment to salute the weyrlings there. "Hey!"

Dragon> Saneth bespoke Niyath with << He says he will not listen until her nose comes down from the Star Stones. What is it doing up there? >>

Niyath> I bespoke Saneth with << Her nose is not. Neither is she. She has already been in enough trouble because of his goading. She will not make that same mistake again. Alirath's rider yelled at her. >>

Dragon> Niyath senses that Saneth hunkers sulkily. << And she yelled at me. She should not yell at me. Branalth's Valry says I am /supposed/ to be here. >>

Niyath> I bespoke Saneth with << There is a difference between being there and being in the way. What are you to do when you start flying and he must stay on the ground? >>

R'tran salutes K'fen, grinning cheerily. "Assistant Weyrlingmaster!"

Dragon> Niyath senses that Saneth does sulky like nobody's business. <>

Jenna turns and salutes K'fen as well, on hearing his voice.

K'fen grins and stops by the gruop of weyrlings, bowing to the dragons. "Well, they look well," he remarks to himself. "So, how're you all and your lifemates?"

Niyath> Saneth senses that Niyath says quietly, <>

Dragon> Saneth bespoke Niyath with << Then what does it matter? He is there, I am here, and there is plenty of room. Only /your/ rider had problems moving around me. Perhaps something is wrong with your rider. >>

Fort LC> F'niah continues to gather up his strap-making goods, slinging the wherhide over his shoulder and stuffing the tools into a pouch at his belt. "Ah, I better go talk to her before she goes whining to the Weyrlingmaster."

Fort LC> Raeche meanders toward the bowl exit, nibbling on her fruit.

Fort LC> Raeche heads out the cavernous entrance to the bowl.
Fort LC> Raeche has left.

Niyath> I bespoke Saneth with << Because you are old enough to start behaving responsibly. You will never get to fly if you cannot leave your lifemate. >>

Raeche walks over from the center of the bowl.
Raeche has arrived.

Jenna nods to K'fen. "Well enough, thank you sir." She moves back over towards Niyath, though gives Raeche a half smile and a wave as the other woman arrives.

Dragon> Saneth bespoke Niyath with << Maybe I don't /want/ to fly. Anyway, your rider is pushy and mean. F'niah says so. >>

R'tran runs a hand across Eishith's flank, then gives it an affectionate pat. "This fellow's doing fine, sir! He's just had an oil-bath...."

Raeche puts up a hand to wave to Jenna, looking toward the activity by the barracks. She scopes out a rock to perch on. Camp bread and fruit in hand, she settles onto a stone and nibbles, all set to observe.

F'niah walks over from the center of the bowl.
F'niah has arrived.

F'niah's normal gait shifts to a stalk once he and Saneth are within easy eyeshot. Boy and blue take up positions ostentatiously far from the others, where Sef directs Saneth to begin his wing exercises.

K'fen looks down at the hides he's holding and then up again. "Well," he says, knotting his hands in his back, "how are those straps of yours then?" he asks arond, though looking at R'tran and R'dall rather than at Jenna.

Niyath> Saneth senses that Niyath says simply, << Perhaps. But your rider got angry first. It is not her fault if he does not want to listen. Perhaps he knows she is right. >>

Dragon> Saneth bespoke Niyath with << Perhaps she is just wrong. >> Irresistable force, immovable object. Hi. << He says we are here. If she wants to talk, she must do it now. >>

Jenna's brow furrows slightly at K'fen, and she does not turn her head to see F'niah and Saneth arrive. Instead, she watches Teth and R'dall, leaning against Niyath's side, as the gold continues her exercises. Shoulders up. Extend forestay, extend main. Down. Up. Down. Up. Fold. Shoulders down. Repeat.

Niyath> I bespoke Saneth with << Now is not the time either. She does not want to embarass him. >>

R'tran glances at Eishith's bare hide in alarm. "Uh...sir...well, first I bathed Eishith, then oiled him. The straps are back in the barracks. Why? Do we need them today?" His eyes glint with hope.

Dragon> Saneth bespoke Niyath with << She just knows she is Wrong. >>

K'fen slightly grins up at R'tran and erms, looking almost innocent -- well almost. "It depends. If Eishith wants to try flying today, he'll need perfect straps..." Turning to the others, the greenrider speaks louder. "It's the same for the others. If your straps are ready, your lifemate may try flying -- alone but not for much longer then."

Jenna brightens and then shoots a look under Niyath's head at F'niah and Saneth. Then she asks K'fen, "You'll need to inspect them, sir?"

R'tran gulps noisily. He raises one finger. "Just one moment, sir!" With that, the sand goes flying as he sprints toward the barracks.

K'fen turns to Jenna and slowly nods. "Yes. Before they can fly, we want to be sure they're used to straps, so they'll have to wear them. Your straps will be checked this time and before your first manned flight."

J'nas steps out of the Weyrling barracks.
J'nas has arrived.
Hanreth steps out of the Weyrling barracks.
Hanreth has arrived.

R'tran returns, huffing and puffings, with straps in hand. He holds them out for K'fen's inspection. "These ok?"

R'yat steps out of the Weyrling barracks.
R'yat has arrived.
Randoth steps out of the Weyrling barracks.
Randoth has arrived.

K'fen grins at R'tran and steps closer, looking at the straps and then reaching out. "Let me see?"

Jenna nods, and hurries on into the barracks. She is gone for a few moments, in J'nas and Hanreth's wake, and then comes out, a large set of coiled hide slung over one shoulder. She totes the mass of hide over towards Niyath, and dumps it before her mate, nervously rechecking it herself before K'fen can get to her on down the line.

Hanreth regards Eishith with a jealous huff. J'nas pats the brown, "Take it easy, love. You'll get your chance."

R'yat emerges, almost running and his shirt half out of his pants. Behind him, he tries to hide a quite huge piece of leather. He doesn't say anything, but smiles. Randoth hastily emits lots of funny sounds.

F'niah heard that - the important word: flight! He pokes his head around Saneth, who's still doing his exercises, and yells, "What?"

Raeche munches on her camp bread, fruit held in her other hand. She watches various Weyrlings scurry about with a look of mild interect on her face, perched as she is on a rock nearby.

R'yat is finally in line with his fellow weyrlings. He takes some time to discreetly but nonetheless happily nod to Jenna, R'tran, J'nas and F'niah. Raeche get a smile and K'fen a brisk salute. Phew. He's done. Now listen.

Niyath> Randoth senses that Niyath asks eagerly, << Are your straps ready? If your straps are ready, we may fly. >>

Niyath> I bespoke Saneth with << No. She is right. Even if he does not want to believe her, and thinks he still has time. >>

Dragon> Niyath senses that Randoth answers restlessly. << My rider did as yours said. It fits me now! >>

Dragon> Niyath senses that Saneth isn't liiiistening!

Jenna fidgets lightly as she uncoils the lengths of straps out, giving them a last minute check and tugging here and there on a seam. Niyath watches K'fen eagerly, tail lashing behind her, and straying towards Randoth's.

Niyath> I bespoke Randoth with << Good! We shall fly together today then! >>

Raeche inclines her head to R'yat and returns his smile, but remains quiet. Unobtrusive-likes.

K'fen is still standing in front of R'tran, fingering the weyrling's straps carefully checking the stitches, nose almost glued on the fabric, then he tries tearing the thing apart, energically. *hgnnnnnnnnnnnn* Let's see how strong they are.

R'tran jerks first at one end of the straps, then at the other, tilting them this way and that, the strong, well-tanned leather holding fast. He holds the straps up before his nose, perusing them closely for any errors in measurement. Squinting a bit, he murmurs to K'fen, "Hrm...Do you think that the belly straps will be taut enough? I tried to leave enough room for adjustment that they will be expandable as Eishith grows..."

R'yat's smile widens and he pulls the first set of straps he made, near Randoth. He catches R'tran's words and dares to answer. "As those straps will probably be temporary used, I guess we will have to adjust them when our lifemates get their full size?"

K'fen grins at the weyrling and turns at Eishith. "There is one way to know. Put the straps on him. They look strong enough. If they're comfortable too, Eishith can try flying."

Dragon> Randoth bespoke Niyath with <>

F'niah scowls at the interchange and lets Saneth's nowhere near done straps slide off his shoulder. "You just keep practicing," he tells his blue. "By the time K'fen says you're ready, I'll have your straps done." Ah, the enthusiasm of youth.

Jenna fidgets, clearly impatient, watching R'tran and Eishith. She gives a quick, tight and nervous grin to R'yat, "Shells, I'm hoping she doesn't get *that* much bigger. But thank Faranth! They'll be hunting soon!" The grin is then turned on J'nas as well. "How many pails of meat is Hanreth gulping down?"

R'tran nods briskly to K'fen, tossing the straps over Eishith's back, his eyes unfocusing briefly. At some unheard command, Eishith gallumphs to his feet, patiently allowing his lifemate to fasten the straps beneath his belly. As R'tran pulls the buckle fast, the straps conform with perfect snugness to Eishith's underside. The weyrling wheels about toward his comrades with a satisfied grin.

"Not nearly as much as he used to," J'nas says. "Of course, he still seems to have a cavernous belly." He watches R'tran fasten the straps and grins with approval.

R'yat nervously begins to fidget one of the strap's buckle.

Jenna nods to J'nas. "Niyath's up to seven pails, but down to just once a day with maybe a snack if she's been exercising a lot." She cranes her neck to watch Eishith's progress

K'fen tilts his head and looks at the bronze, then walks around him, peering, checking, tugging gently here and there until he stands in front of R'tran again. "That looks good. He can try now. Tenkanoth will show him and tell him how to do, then when I say 'go' he can take off. One turn of the field, no more." Now the rider sounds unusually strict. "If he feels the least bit tired, tell him to land. If anything goes wrong, tell him to land. If I say he must land, make him land. Right?"

Tenkanoth is far more hasty than her rider and she doesn't even wait for his order to show off. She prances her way in front of the others dragons, and then stops a second. Check left wing, okay. Right wing, okay. GO! The green starts dashing, hops twice, flaps and takes off. She powers her wings and almost immediately catches a thermal. Afterwards, she just lazily glides, slowly turns and neatly lands right where she was before taking off. See? It's terribly easy! K'fen grins and turns to Eishith. "Your turn!"

J'nas listens silently, taking mental notes for when it is Hanreth's turn to fly. "Will he tire quickly the first time, sir?" he asks K'fen.

R'tran's breath quickens as he nods excitedly to K'fen. Turning to his lifemate with an exultant grin, he bobs his head briskly again, patting Eishith's forelimb several times encouragingly. Eishith gives an enthusiastic bugle, and without hesitation, crouches once - then leaps skyward!

Raeche stops chewing as Eishith goes airborne. "Oh..."

K'fen watches Eishith, shading his eyes and smiling wide. "Good, very good. Remember R'tran, just a turn above the field..." To J'nas the rider shrugs. "Not very likely, he won't fly long enough to tire, but we never know."

Randoth echoes Eishith's bugle almost immediately. Near him, Rey gently pats the bronze's hide. "Be still, Rand." He grins.

Eishith throws first one great bronze foot then another against the soft sand, gathering his speed as a cloud begins to rise about his grasping hind-dactyls. He beats his wings firmly, steadily, eyes whirling the yellow-orange of excited determination. Then, finally, the synchronization of Eishith's wingbeats is complete, and he rises into the air.
Eishith has left.
Above the center of the bowl, Eishith rises into the air from near the Weyrling Barracks.

Hanreth and J'nas track the bronzes progress as he takes to wing. The young brown bugles triumphantly to his clutchmate.

Tenkanoth warbles happily sa the bronze takes off and she watches him carefully.

Jenna watches, shading her eyes and tilting her head back to watch. She leans forward a bit, as if body language can help the bronze get up into the sky and stay on course. Niyath's tail gives a violent lash and she outdoes the brown and bronze still on the ground with a stenatorian bellow which causes her mate to nearly jump out of her skin.

R'tran leaps, punching the air with one fist, as he runs along in the shadow cast by his lifemate, hollering, "That's it, lad! Steady....steady.....You're looking great! Ah, what a fine lad!" He lands on both feet, whirling about joyously toward his fellow weyrlings and their lifemates. "Look at him!"

R'yat lifts his fist just as R'tran did, smiling. "He's great!"

J'nas winces as Niyath out-bellows her clutchsibs. "Good show, Eishith!" he calls to the flying dragon. Hanreth turns up the volume with another encouraging bugle, not wanting to be shown up.

Niyath's eyes whirl with amusement, and she stretches out her neck towards Hanreth, crooning, before looking up herself to follow Eishith's progress. Jenna, meanwhile, is still trying to recover from the start.

Niyath> Eishith senses that Niyath's tone is rather admiring, shifting with greens and blues, << You look wonderful! >>

Randoth doesn't even move at Niyath's bellowing, his eyes are glued on his clutchsib, whirling with the blue of contentment.

Raeche looks to Niyath, grinning widely.

Dragon> Hanreth bespoke Niyath with << That is what fun is. >>

Above the center of the bowl, Eishith impetuously dips a wing, attempting to turn as he had seen Tenkanoth do only moments before. But in his effort to match the green's speed, he overshoots and finds himself momentarily facing the sky! He squawks in alarm, beating his wings frantically as he tries to right himself. Managing at last to do so, he stretches his wings to their fullest span, gliding downward...as if nothing unusual had happened.

K'fen frowns a bit, blinks and just nods slowly. "He's doing well..."

Niyath> Hanreth senses that Niyath's thoughts are terribly excited, mingling blue and green and a hint of violet. << Yes. You are very right. >>

Dragon> Niyath senses that Eishith crooons softly to his beautiful clutchmate, his eyes returning her blue-whirling gaze. <<Thank you, my lovely. Soon you will fly with me too. I look forward to meeting you in the air.>>

Niyath> Jinieth senses that Niyath sounds terribly excited. <>

Dragon> Jinieth bespoke Niyath with << Excellent! Be careful, young one! >>

Above the center of the bowl, Eishith spirals down towards the Center of the bowl, and backwings to a landing.

Niyath> Jinieth senses that Niyath promises, <>

Eishith backwings for a landing, stirring up perhaps more dust than he has to as he plops to his feet. He bugles triumpantly as R'tran, still shaking anxiously, hurries to his side. But Eishith, unwilling to acknowledge the near-mishap, merely flicks his wings closed against his back, then croons to his clutchmates.

K'fen strides toward the bronze. "R'tran, ask him how he feels, whether he's tired or not."

Niyath> Eishith senses that Niyath is clearly exhuberant. << Soon! Soon! I fly with you, and Randoth and Hanreth! >>

Saneth stops his exercises to watch Eishith, wings drooping as all his attention's focused on the larger bronze. "I see him," Sef breathes, his own chores forgotten in lieu of watching the first of them take flight. "He's wonderful." A headshake, as the bronze lands, and Sef gathers up his straps and such. "C'mon, you. Better get you oiled."
F'niah enters the weyrling barracks.
F'niah has left.

Jenna watches after F'niah for a long moment, her expression clouding momentarily.

Dragon> Niyath senses that Eishith warbles cheerfully once again. <<We shall all fly together soon! R'tran said we will be a....what was it? A /Dawn-storm/. Whatever that means.>>

Niyath> Jinieth senses that Niyath calms a bit to ask, << My Jenna would like to talk to your rider when she has time? She has... concerns. >>

Dragon> Jinieth bespoke Niyath with << Of course. My rider is always available for your rider. And the other Weyrlings, of course. Just tell me when you and she would like to talk. >>

Cerilla walks over from the center of the bowl.
Cerilla has arrived.
Varquith walks over from the center of the bowl.
Varquith has arrived.

Jenna fidgets, bouncing in place as Eishith gets back down to the ground. She chews on her lower lip, as Niyath extends her neck to warble to both bronzes.

R'tran salutes Cerilla crisply, the grin returning to his face. "RILL!" he hollers, forgetting protocol for a moment as he rushes toward his mother's old Benden colleague. "What are you doing here?!" he blurts.

Randoth is now eyeing his wings with great attention so he misses Cerilla and Varquith's arrival. So misses Rey too as the young weyrling comes closer his lifemate, frowning.

Niyath> I bespoke Randoth and Eishith with << It is good! We will fly. And we will fly well! >>

K'fen blinks and turns to Cerilla, tilting his head and perfunctorily saluting.

Niyath> Jinieth senses that Niyath consults and then returns with, << She says sometime after we fly. >>

Dragon> Niyath senses that Eishith bugles his agreement triumphantly!

R'yat winces hearing R'tran. He quickly comes from under Randoth's left wing and looks around.

Ry's yell grabs Jenna's attention, and she ducks under Niyath's outstretched neck, belatedly saluting the new arrival, and shrugging slightly at Rey with a quizzical sort of look.

Dragon> Niyath and Eishith sense that Randoth bugles his agreement as well as his excitation. << My wings are strong enough. I think I could now. We will fly! >>

Raeche perches on a stone, finishing off the last of her camp bread. She's apparently watching the Weyrlings quietly, and she looks toward this new arrival.

Dragon> Niyath and Randoth sense that Eishith bugles excited encouragement to both of you!

Cerilla quietly approaches from the center bowl, the older rider's stone-set features only shifting slightly as R'tran calls out her name. "Good evening, Weyrling," the woman greets formally, one dark brow arching. That mouth does quirk in a smile, though. "I'd heard you'd impressed. Your mother's proud. Isn't this a lesson you're interrupting here?"

R'tran gulps. His gaze drops, his shoulders sink. He winces to Cerilla, "Yes, Ma'am. Our lifemates are experiencing first flight!" His voice rises slightly with excitement.

K'fen waves at Cerilla a trifle less formally, beckoning her to come closer. "First flight indeed. Eishith did very well!" Then he gestures R'yat to come over as well. "Next. Bring your straps here please," he asks, all business-like again.

R'yat winces again, hearing his name. He quickly salutes as he comes closer as asked. Randoth is lumbering, well mostly hopping, near him. Rey hands the straps to K'fen. Should I put them on, or want you to look at them beofre?"

Cerilla returns salutes crisply as they're given, all business once more. She gives R'tran a gentle pat on the arm, an unspoken signal to return to his lifemate. "K'fen, I presume? I was told I'd find you here. I'm Cerilla, brown Varquith's. I'm here to help out, but don't let me get in your way at all." That critical gaze slowly turns to focus on the weyrlings again, one by one.

K'fen bows very low, idly reaching out with a hand to grab the straps. "Nice to meet you Carilla. I'd been told you'd arrive soon. Please settle yourself and you can just stop me when I'm saying something wrong?" Then he turns to R'yat again, fiddling the hide and tugging slightly. Then tugging harder. Then trying to tear all the stitches apart... He's doing it so that Cerilla can see and add comments if needed.

This time, it is Niyath that fidgets, eyes on Randoth, as yet another clutchsibling goes before her. Jenna soothes her almost absently ashs eh sizes up the new brownrider, though she doesn't make a sound.

Niyath> Randoth senses that Niyath is clearly jealous. << Tell me what it is like? I wish to fly with you! >>

R'yat's smile widens as the straps seems to resist K'fen's tortures. He nods to the greenrider and quickly winks at Jenna with a kind of thank-you-very-much glitter in his eyes. "Should I put them on now, for you to proceed with your testing?" The young bronze already crouches down, waiting.

Dragon> Niyath senses that Randoth rumble-croons. << You will know in a few. I am eager to fly with you too! >>

K'fen chuckles and agreeingly nods. "Right, you can put them on Randoth -- don't let him nibble on them, -he- could tear them apart, okay?" Then he'll do like Tenkanoth and Eishith did. Tenka will tell him how to do.

Varquith seems completely at odds with his rider's behavior, ambling over to one side of the group to play with a patch of snow left over from the winter frost. One claw dips into it, picking up a nice clump to flick at Tenkanoth, though when Cerilla glances his way he quickly makes an innocent display of examining the clouds in the sky. Hmm, there's a fluffy one, rather flower-shaped...

R'yat nods.
R'yat puts on Randoth's straps.

Niyath croons to the bronze, though she does glance aside to Tenka and the older brown. Her excited gaze comes back to Randoth after a bare moment or two, however, and Jenna leans against her neck. "Soon love. Our straps are fine, I promise you. Yes, I double check- yes, and that too."

Tenkanoth flicks a quick glance at Varquith and her eyes whirl green as she's apparently up to something as well. When K'fen speaks about her though, she looks at Randoth and settles down again. But her tail is still regularly twitching, mind you.

"Not at all," Cerilla inserts, after casting her lifemate a -look-. "You know what good straps look like as well as I do."

Raeche slips off the rock she was perched on, smoothing her skirts, and gives the Weyrlings another glance over her shoulder before heading back toward the Weyr proper.

Raeche begins the half-mile trip southeast, towards the center of the bowl.
Raeche has left.

K'fen lifts his arm. "Okay, ready Randoth? Follow Tenkanoth and..." A short pause, the rider eyes unfocuse and... "and Varquith advice. GO!"

Varquith straightens, more serious now that he's supposed to be contributing, and focuses his attention on Randoth.

Randoth begins to run. Increasing his speed he does hop twice, just as Tenkanoth did, and spreads his wings. The bronze's body slowly begins to rise but lowers immediately. Pulled down by a gust. With another push, Randoth finally takes off, under the pale look of his lifemate.
Randoth has left.
Above the center of the bowl, Randoth rises into the air from near the Weyrling Barracks.

K'fen slightly grins, shielding his eyes again and staring at the bronze. "Here we go!"

R'yat keeps his fists clenched. He's quivering as he watches every movements of Randoth.

Dragon> Niyath senses that Randoth warbles excitedly. << The wind help me to rise! >>

Cerilla walks slowly over to R'yat, her blue gaze never leaving the progress of the bronze in the sky. "Relax," she murmurs in a low, confident voice, leaning to be better heard. "Your Randoth knows what he's doing. If you're relaxed down here, he will fly better up there. Sometimes they tense, when you're tense. Get it?"

Zalkin walks over from the center of the bowl.
Zalkin has arrived.

Above the center of the bowl, Randoth seems to fully enjoy the new sensations that is offering to him. With wings spread, he slowly begins to glide, preparing to tunr.

Zalkin rushes from the center of the bowl, staring up at Randoth and thus violently bumping in K'fen. But he lad is quickly back to his feet, leaning against the assistant weyrlingmaster as he looks around and spots his brother.

R'yat turns to look at Cerilla and nods once. "Understood Ma'am." He answes, relaxing a bit.

K'fen oofs and looks down for a second and chuckles as he recognizes the brat and ruffles his hair. "Hello Zalkin," he says, but the boy is obviously too busy staring from R'yat to Randoth to notice anything.

R'yat swallows and finally catches sight of Zalkin. He quickly lift his thumb up and winks.

Above the center of the bowl, Randoth describes a large circle and lowers, emitting a croon.

"Slow down...Slow down..." Rey says aloud, his attention fully on the bronze again.

Zalkin slowly walks away from K'fen, slowly drifting toward the bronze weyrling until he's actually clutching the hem of R'yat's tunic. He mutters to R'yat, "... beautiful!... he's... Rey!... is..."

R'yat moves his gaze away from Randoth to ruffle Zak's hair gently. He mutters to Zalkin, "... I told... now... to... at..."

F'niah steps out of the Weyrling barracks.
F'niah has arrived.

Zalkin giggles and bounces on the spot. "Oooooooh with great pleasure!"

Above the center of the bowl, Randoth glides down to a gentle landing in front of the Weyrling barracks.
Randoth has arrived.
Randoth slow his course then lands, digging his talons in the ground. With a last croon he folds his wings and hops toward R'yat.

Jenna seems to be having quite the discussion with Niyath, her attention on the gold, and Niyath's on Randoth as he lands. As he does land, she interrupts Jenna's low whispers to give him an excited bugle, tail lashing back and forth.

K'fen claps softly and strides toward the bronze, looking at him. "He looks good. Nice flight!"

F'niah and his blue slink out of the barracks, straps - or the beginnings of same - still slung over Sef's shoulders. They stop to watch Randoth's flight, then landing, Saneth plainly torn, and F'niah doing his best to keep his expression shuttered.

Zalkin is going to follow R'yat right in the barracks but stops at once and reddens a bit, looking at K'fen and Cerilla. "S'rry," he mumbles and then drifts quickly enough toward... er... Jenna is quite close so...

Jenna grins a bit at Zak, and then asks, chewing on her lower lip, "We're next, sir?" she darts a look to Cerilla, and then back to K'fen.

K'fen glance at Cerilla as well and nods at her, then at Jenna. "I think so. Would you show me your straps again Jenna?" Zalkin gets a fond glance but no comment for now.

Jenna nods, crouching to heft up the lengths of hide and move them over K'fen. Niyath shadows her every step, alert eyes on the greenrider, clearly ready to get up into the sky.

"Looks like it, youngling," the older rider tells Jenna, Cerilla's critical gaze passing over Niyath for a long moment. "Do you find she outgrows the straps before you finish them? These straps, they're probably attempt five? Or six?"

K'fen grins and reaches for the straps. As before, he first carefully inspects the whole thing -- and those are hugs straps -- and tugs on the stitches. Cerilla gets an agreeing nod. "Right, they're growing so fast," he remarks, fiercely trying to tear a peculiar stitch apart.

Jenna grins, relaxing just a bit. The stitching holds, even if it's the rather peculiar knot typical of Fort Sea hold. "Well, four, actually, ma'am. I measured her first, and then watched her for two sevendays, to see how much she grows on average. Then I adjusted that for attempt three. We finally got it right this time, I think, and she shouldn't need another set for another month, month and a half. I hope. I used to sew my own shoes - I was a runner before - so I have a bit of experience. My feet never grew as fast as she does though. The chest padding was the worst. She kept saying it was rubbing her."

Zalkin straightens a little as he hears Jenna, looking up at her with obvious pride in his eyes, but he quickly cringes again -- unusual enough -- and looks between Cerilla and K'fen.

K'fen chuckles at Jenna's comments and gives her the straps back. "Looks perfect, indeed. Niyath can try them on and tell us how it feels," he says with an approving nod, and a bow at the gold. "Will you?"

"Mmm," Cerilla begins, not looking completely satisfied. But then, she almost never is, or so rumour would have it. "Well, your first sets will be servicible, but it won't be until set nine or ten -- by the time you're nearly done weyrlinghood -- that you'll be adept enough to make a real lasting, working set. So it works well that they outgrow them so fast, it's good practice."

F'niah shushes Saneth absently as he first pats, then leans against Saneth's chest, eyes fixed on the Niyath-centered tableau. No obvious emotion colors his face, though those watching closely might notice a small ingathering of cheek, as if he were chewing on it.

Niyath lowers her head and crouches, and Jenna gives a little hop, and a rather large heave, getting the straps over and around the queen's bulk. She scrambles up on her forelimb as she tightens buckles, fingers fumbling, clearly nervous about this whole process. Niyath headbutts her rider, and then looks around at those watching, eyes wheeling, unabashedly enjoying the attention. "She's ready sir." Cerilla's words get a grimace of agreement, "Least there's hope that I won't be spending most of my time stitching. F'niah is firmly ignored, as her blue eyes go back to K'fen.

K'fen casts F'niah a sidelong glance, though he doesn't say anything. His eyes are quickly on Niyath again. "Well well well. She surely saw how the others do. Tenkanoth will give her the explanations and then... you saw how it works, so I won't add anything." He quizzically glance at Cerilla. "Something to add?"

Zalkin breathes deeply and seemingly holds his breath...

Cerilla nods once, lips twisting to one side. "Something I should've mentioned to the bronzes. She's bigger, so she'll have a harder time adjusting to small movements. Large dragons tend to overcorrect before they're used to their own bulk. There's not much wind today, so that won't be a factor. Just tell her, small adjustments."

Jenna chews on her lower lip. She's clearly more nervous about this than her mate is. "Small movements. Yes ma'am. Right." She looks back to K'fen anxiously, "Now?"

Niyath's head swings back around to look at Tenkanoth, and she rumbles a query.

F'niah tilts his head back and up at Saneth, who's staring with half-closed eyes at K'fen's green. "What?"

"And relax," Cerilla inserts mildly. "They're made to do this, they don't often mess it up too badly on the first try."

Dragon> Tenkanoth bespoke Niyath with << You saw how Eishith, Randoth and I did. You run fast, spread your wings, leap and power your wings until you catch the warm wind which will bring you upwards. Then you keep your wings spread and glide. Be careful when you turn, you are a lot bigger than me, and slower. >>

Niyath> Tenkanoth senses that Niyath is clearly excited, <>

K'fen grins at Jenna and nods. "She can go if she's ready." Zak gets a wink. "Breathe lad, follow Cerilla's advice..." The rider's gaze eventually falls on F'niah. "Saneth is still full of questions today, Tenkanoth told me," he says with a soft smile.

Dragon> Tenkanoth bespoke Niyath with << That is perfect. You can go then, we are watching you! >>

Zalkin blinks and breathes indeed -- he was starting to get slightly pink. "Yessir!"

F'niah rubs awkwardly at his chin and steps forward, away from Saneth's protective hovering. Or perhaps he's provided the rock against which Saneth leans. "Uh, yessir. Ma'am," he adds quietly to Cerrilla, lest he break her concentration. "He told me - something about dunking his straps in the oil bin."

K'fen aaahs and nods at the blue weyrling, still keeping an eye on the gold. "Right, you can use oil -- carefully -- on the hide to make it more supple."

Jenna tries to give Cerilla a reassuring grin, but it comes out rather sickly. Niyath doesn't wait for any further words, instead taking two running steps and leaping up, trying to power her wings out hard - and utterly fails to make it into the air on the first try. Jenna chokes out a startled 'Oh! Niya, Wait!' But Niyath's already keeping momentum going. Finally, after another two steps and a jump with a bit more momentum behind her, she makes it up into the air as Jenna runs along behind her, yelling, "Be careful! Flap harder!"

Cerilla leans toward K'fen, a rare show of amusement -- not often shown near weyrlings -- lighting her eyes. Her voice remains hushed. "That weyrling runs fast. Do you think her rider will jump into the air after her?"

Niyath has left.
Above the center of the bowl, Niyath rises into the air from near the Weyrling Barracks.

Saneth's eyes open wide and he settles back onto his haunches, staring at Tenkanoth in plain surprise and glee.

K'fen chuckles at Cerilla. "Well, Jenna -is- a runner after all. I'd wager she could outrun any rider, even in very good shape." Then he looks up and grins. "But unless she flaps her arms very fast..." Then louder, "Very good Niyath!"

Tenkanoth warbles gently at Saneth -- she -is- a nice green you see?

Above the center of the bowl, Niyath wavers in the air, her head snaking back under one wing to bugle back at her rider, running along the ground behind her and managing to keep up fairly well. Shoulder joints move, pushing already massive wings hard, as she rises up higher. The thermal in the northern bowl is caught and it shoots her up with a startled exclaimation, even as Jenna is yelling something incomprehensible behind her.

Jenna seems to be yelling about the height, though she could be yelling at her to turn around. Hard to tell as fast as she's going.

Dragon> Niyath senses that Varquith's age-wizened mental tone still hints at colours of amusement, though his tone is serious. << Well done. Bank slowly, a gradual turn. Your wings are large, you will be able to glide a long way. Do not flap. See? You go up too far. Come back down, gently. Just incline your wings a bit. >>

Zalkin gapes at the sky at first, then he turns his head and looks at the gold. "She's... so..." The last word will never come out.

Cerilla folds her arms across her chest, critically observing this dragon's flight the same way she did the others. As Niyath arcs upward, the older rider glances wordlessly at Varquith, a silent request.

Saneth flares out his wings as he settles back still farther onto his hind legs, almost as if he's about to leap into the air as well. He wouldn't, would he? F'niah continues to watch the gold, teeth coming together with a snap to trap words behind.

Dragon> Tenkanoth bespoke Niyath with << Perfect, perfect. Are you tiring? >>

Above the center of the bowl, Niyath eyes that wall fast approaching, back feet skidding against the air in a moment of panic to try to slow her momentum, much as she would on the ground. Then she seems to steady, spars dipping down slightly and one shoulder joint dropping to bank her in a wobbly circle, and drop her lower into the bowl. There! Away from that wall. She zooms close enough back over her rider's head, that Jenna abruptly performs the same breaking maneuver, and drops to a crouch, arms coming up over her head.

K'fen has eyes everywhere. He's watching the flying gold, her rider, the little boy, Cerilla, F'niah and especially Saneth -- well, about half a dozen of eyes that is.

Niyath> Varquith senses that Niyath agrees. << Gliding is much easier! OOOh! >> a bit of a squeal. <> She sounds postively pleased with herself.

Niyath> I bespoke Tenkanoth with << No! I could glide forever! >>

Jenna comes out of the crouch and runs after her mate, back along the same path she just took. "Niyath! Now too low!" Picky, picky, picky!

Dragon> Tenkanoth bespoke Niyath with << -He- says you are not expected to glide that long. A turn around the field and then land. >>

Saneth slowly settles out of his air-ready crouch, eyes beginning to pick up a tinge of orange-y confusion.

Dragon> Varquith bespoke Niyath with << You have very little control. You look like a panicked *wherry*. >> Now that tone is stern, a definite rebuke, and there comes an image of a gold-toned wherry flapping wildly across it's pen to escape whatever comes after it, no logical direction to it whatsoever. << Control is important, particularly for one as large as you. You could have clipped your wing, or your rider. You do not yet have the experience to make such close judgement calls. Come down. Now. >>

K'fen frowns slightly at F'niah. "Sef?"

Cerilla lets out a soft snort, evidently not at all impressed with the young gold's wild manouvers. "Varquith has told her to come down," she murmurs to K'fen, arms folding firmly over her chest.

F'niah's snaps his attention away from whatever reverie had claimed it, drawing his eyes away from Niyath. "Sir?"

K'fen folds his arms over his chest as well -- funny how he looks compared to the older rider. "Did you explain Saneth that he can't fly without straps?"

Above the center of the bowl, Niyath's gleeful soaring faulters, and she looks down to the large brown by the barracks. She comes in for a landing, eyeing the ground coming up fast. To her credit, she at least manages a creditable touch down, wings still out and tilted down to cut down the air flow beneath them. However, she ends up running a couple of paces to get fully stopped, talons furrowing tracks in the sand and dirt of the bowl floor.

Above the center of the bowl, Niyath glides down to a gentle landing in front of the Weyrling barracks.
Niyath has arrived.

Dragon> Niyath senses that Tenkanoth warbles happily. << Nice flight! How are you feeling now? >>

Jenna comes up behind her mate, not really out of breath, already arguing, "Yes, you could have - well it scared the life out of me! Don't you dare argue with Varquith! He knows more than you do." Niyath rumbles, finally chastened just a bit, though she directs a faintly sulky look at the older brown.

F'niah's ears color. "Uh.. yes, sir." He shoots a glance over his shoulder at his blue, who is reluctantly settling down as if the whole thing were his idea in the first place. "I don't see why, though, since it's not like he'll be carrying me." He lets that sit for a moment before the rest bursts out, "And it's not fair to hold him back because of something I can't do!"

Niyath> Tenkanoth senses that Niyath says sulkily, <> She forwards on the image from the brown - a gold-toned wherry flapping wildly across it's pen to escape whatever comes after it, no logical direction to it whatsoever. << He says I must learn control. >>

K'fen slowly shakes his head at F'niah. "If you can't do it now, you won't be able to do it for mounted flight and you'll have the same problem. It wouldn't be fair not to let you both fly together either." He doesn't sound particularly stern, just his usual self. "You know you can ask us for help. You can ask R'yat, R'tran or Jenna too now."

Dragon> Tenkanoth bespoke Niyath with << He is right. You will learn. Do not rush, you have time. Now you will be allowed to fly every day, longer and longer. >>

F'niah's glare at Jenna, quickly turned away, suggests that perhaps he'd rather have Saneth sit on his chest. "Yessir. If you'll excuse me, sir? I've got to go get Saneth calmed down. He's fluttering about flying."

"And myself," Cerilla inserts, though it's a wonder anyone would dare ask the stony-faced ex-weyrlingmaster for help. It's more likely children's fright-tales would be made about the woman. "Don't question your weyrlingmaster, youngling. He's here to keep you and your lifemate alive." That's said to F'niah, and Cerilla walks to Jenna to speak quietly to her.

K'fen nods at f'niah. "And remember Sef, you and Saneth are a team. One can't progress without the other. You see what I mean?"

Jenna chews on her lower lip as Niyath crouches for her to inspect under the straps, to make certain there was no chafing. She keeps an ear on K'fen, though she glances aside at Cerilla's approach and grins just a bit. "A wherry?"

F'niah says again, "Yessir," though his face says 'No.' He turns back for the barracks, waving to catch Saneth's attention, though the blue'd rather ogle Tenkanoth and the sky. "C'mon, Saneth. Maybe next lesson'll involve something I -can- do." He doesn't sound hopeful, just sulky.

F'niah enters the weyrling barracks.
F'niah has left.
Saneth enters the weyrling barracks.
Saneth has left.

Cerilla shrugs a shoulder, a wry smile quirking her lips. "Varquith has a talent for coming up with whatever image works at the right time. Golds don't like being compared to wherries." More seriously, she adds, "I know you know this... but she could've lost control at the wrong moment and about killed you, or hurt herself. I don't know Niyath's temper, but some won't listen to any but their lifemates. So it'll help for you to impress the importance of control, too." Louder, she adds to Niyath, "Plus, you'll have more admirers if you actually look -good- in the air."

K'fen watches F'niah leave and mutters something. "Got to have a longer word with him..." Then he turns to Jenna again. "That was still a good flight eventually," he adds, agreeing with Cerilla. "Now she'll be allowed to train every day, and eventually hunt."

Zalkin is unobtrusively drifting a bit away, staring at the gold and trying a little tentative wave at her.

Jenna nods. "Yes ma'am. It's a lot of hide to have go wrong in the air. She's fairly even tempered, and not that vain, usually. And no. She most certainly didn't like being compared to a wherry." She grins at Cerilla for the conspiracy against her 'mate, as Niyath snorts faintly. To K'fen she sighs. "Thank *Faranth*. She's eating seven pails of meat at a sitting. *Seven*!" Then she grins at Zak and says softly, "But she did fly, didn't she?" And there comes the beaming smile.

Zalkin beams at Jenna and opens his mouth to say something when a loud voice calls him. "Darn, now I'm late for lessons," he guiltily says before rushing away. "Congrats Jenna!"
Zalkin begins the half-mile trip southeast, towards the center of the bowl.
Zalkin has left.

K'fen chuckles at Jenna. "Indeed, she did. Now, if you excuse me, I've reports to write."

Jenna starts tugging straps off of Niyath.