[Weyrling Thread] Into the Wild Blue Yonder

[The_Muffin_Puppy]

8 = A good run from start to finish. A clean take off, skilled turns, and a smooth landing leaves the Weyrlingmaster congratulating you on a good first paired flight. (+3 points)

Naturally they volunteered to go first. They should lead by example after all. Antolith was radiating confidence as Telleara did her last strap check under the watchful eyes of the Weyrlingmaster. The bronze had been flying for a month now and was already certain in his abilities. Perhaps he couldn't turn as sharply as his siblings, but he was always one of the last in the air. They weren't yet testing the limits of how much they could lift, but Antolith was certain he would be able to lift the most of his class. Telleara at least looked at it logically. Antolith was a strong dragon already, so with training they should reach his goals. Perhaps being the strongest or longest lasting dragon in the Weyr was pushing it, but really they only needed to best their classmates. Then their wingmates. Once a reputation was formed it could be defended. They just needed to be careful about it and Antolith needed to not rise to every challenge he was given. At this age his challenges to siblings could be seen as playful competition, but Telleara was careful to rein him in. They didn't need that kind of reputation.

Antolith rumbles when Telleara gives him the mental signal that she was ready. Being able to speak in their minds was a highly advantageous tool. It meant that the young woman looked completely prepared and unruffled as her dragon bent and pushed himself into the air with a strong beat of his wings. Tightening her legs on his sides was the only sign that Telleara was anything other than fine. Antolith drove them into the air, it was a steep climb that showed off his strength. Weyrlings trained with weights and he could carry more than Telleara easily. The bronze was already higher than he probably should be by the time he levelled out. Switching to a relaxed glide he reached out mentally for Telleara, who met him easily.

Looking around the young woman had to admit the mountains were beautiful. The snow capped mountains on the cold grey sky. Winter had a firm grasp on Fort, and were it not for the fur lined leathers she wore, Telleara would no doubt be freezing. Antolith tilted slightly, adjusting into a wide turn. An air current took them slightly higher. It was an oddly peaceful situation now they were in the air. Telleara actually managed to forget the class on the ground and what they thought, until she glanced down as saw them looking up. Guess they needed to return to that.

Sensing his rider's displeasure, Antolith rumbled once again. They could always make a show of it. A glance from his rider and he corrected himself. A dignified show. He knew what he was doing, Telleara just had to trust him. The young woman turned it over as they glided on, Antolith shifting in turns to keep them near where the Weyrlingmaster wanted them to be. Finally she relented, turning control over to Antolith. With a strong wingbeat the bronze surged forward and picked up speed. His turns became tighter. Still wide in comparison to his sisters, but showing a decent level of practice. He avoided anything too daring for Telleara's first ride. He wasn't trying to shake her up, just show how controlled he was. Turning into a dive the dragon opened his wings and pulled back to land smoothly back by the class, satisfied with his display.

Telleara slid of the dragon's back and lovingly stroked his face. Reaching up to unbuckle her helmet the weyrling smiled as the Weyrlingmaster congratulated the pair on their first flight together. Pulling of her helmet the young woman shook out her plait as the pair walked to the rest of their class.

"So, who's next?" Did she sound smug? It was Telleara, of course she did.  

[Earisa]

1 = You went up, you flew a short distance, you landed. All in all a good first effort. (0 points)

We will go next. Falxath volunteered before Lianly could refute, knowing her Rider would have been happy to wait for most of the class to go first. Lianly held her tongue and accepted the situation, they would have to go eventually so why not now. The young woman knew they were not stand outs in the class, not to her green's fault. Most of their failings had been because of the rider and not dragon, that devastating pop quiz and last month's rodeo disaster to name her worst blunders. Again she was expecting things to go bad, and it didn't help knowing a young pair had died taking this test this Turn.

Lianly had made every effort that the worst wouldn't happen. The straps had been checked with such scrutiny and care and no fault had been found in all three of her examinations. Her hands had healed well after being savaged by her brown firelizard, Bark, so they wouldn't hamper her like they had during the rodeo. Falxath was fit and healthy, so the only thing to worry about... was her. While her dragon was well sized for her age and colour, she would also be carrying one of the heaviest passengers. While not fat, all the hard work of caring for a growing dragon would have fixed that right quick, she was stocky for a girl and nearly a head taller then most the class. If Falxath was as small as Leucourth, she would have her doubts that they would have flown together this month.

Swinging up on to her green's neck she clipped her belt to Falxath's gear. If anything feels off, we come straight down The rider reinforced firmly, knowing Falxath would feel compelled to follow Antolith's path. Not today, there would be many more chances to fly longer and further but it was better to take it slow. Up, over, and down. Nothing more and nothing less.

Their take off wasn't graceful, Falxath's long and pointed wings having to work to gain altitude. Lianly had a hand on the green's neck, too engrossed in encouraging her dragon to look down. This was only her second time flying on dragon back, maybe she should feel nervous or ill much like the first time but the feelings never came. She wouldn't fall, Falxath wouldn't let it happen.

Leveling out to glide, they had a few brief moments of calm. They were really doing it, they were flying! The giddy feeling was more relief that everything had gone well up to now. There was nothing to worry about, I can do it Falxath reassured, but very little ever seemed to worry or fluster her. They still needed to land again, and then it would be over.

Obeying her rider the green turned to make their decent, but instead of gliding her wings curled as Falxath's instinct to dive took over. They had barely tilted before Lianly started to panic, she was not prepared for this! Falxath snapped back to attention and corrected herself, pulling back into a shallow swoop still high within acceptable altitude. With a brief hover and a few steps, the weyrling pair were back on solid ground. It hadn't been elegant, far from perfect, but they had done what they had been asked and returned safe and sound which was enough for a pass. That had been all Lianly had wanted and hoped for from the beginning.

I'm sorry I scared you... Falxath nosed her rider guiltily who just hugged the big nose. I'm not used to flying. After a bit more practice I won't be scared anymore.  

[TawnyAngel]

6 = A strong take-off sent the pair of you into the air. Your dragon’s confident flying allowed them to make a few safe turns with you on their back and land safely at their destination.

Shall we go next L'thor?

L'thor glanced away from Lianly and Falxath's progress for a moment to look down at his dragon and sent her a feeling of tentative agreement. Yeah, waiting's just making me more nervous I think. He'd done this before, with Raith, and that had gone fine so there was no reason to think that it wouldn't be fine with Musculuth. He was still nervous, anxious almost, but he had a feeling that it was much more to do with a different and currently looming milestone than it did with what they were doing today.

"You um, you did a really good job Telleara," L'thor offered with a small smile. "I think your display's going to be hard to beat but um, we'll do our best! Not that it's a competition of course but - you know what I mean." The bronzerider still intimidated him a little bit even after living alongside her for half a turn, she was just so confident about everything and seldom seemed to put a foot wrong.

In turning to his other classmate L'thor missed Falxath's initial steep stoop, but he turned back in time to witness her neat landing and gave the pair a little round of applause as Lianly hugged her dragon's nose. "Well done! Um, we're going to go next I think," nobody had objected so he supposed they were, "wish us luck!"

With that he swung himself up onto Musculuth's back, still an easy task thanks to her small stature, and after a final thorough check of his harness the green sprang into the air and began a confident climb to the height they'd been instructed not to exceed. L'thor's heart soared along with their ascent and a broad smile spread across his face even as tears welled in his eyes behind his goggles. I never thought I'd do this again.

And yet here we are, Musculuth hummed gentle as she made a steady loop up above the training grounds. I'm very proud of you, my dear.

After a few more careful turns, and moments of quiet contemplation, Musculuth angled her wings downward and glided in for a neat landing. Once safely on the ground L'thor pushed his goggles up on top of his head, and leaned down to wrap his arms tightly around his dragon's neck; he was still grinning, still crying, and he didn't care who saw. You were amazing.  

[The_Muffin_Puppy]

K'lir and Ostarath

8 = A good run from start to finish. A clean take off, skilled turns, and a smooth landing leaves the Weyrlingmaster congratulating you on a good first paired flight. (+3 points)

Now? Ostarath had wanted to go first. Not because she wanted to be in front of her siblings, but because she was so enthusiastic to get into the air. K'lir had made them wait though. He didn't want to cause a scene and a little patience wouldn't hurt Ostarath. Still waiting for not one, but three, of her siblings to go before her meant that the green was shivering with excitement.

Okay, now- K'lir had intended for them to step forward, ask the Weyrlingmaster to go next, and then take off in good time. That wasn't what happened. The moment that any kind of affirmative thought had entered his head Ostarath had surged forward. She didn't ask permission, didn't wait for any kind of all clear. Strong back legs kicked off the ground and launched speeding into the air. The pair were swallowed by elation so strong that it rolled off Ostarath in waves. She pulled K'lir with her. As high as she could get without a scolding. Despite his reservation K'lir found himself being swept along in the cascade of his dragon's feelings. Every beat of her wings, the sting of the wind in his face, it all fed the flames of excitement within him until the young man had no other option but to laugh aloud.

They weren't supposed to do anything excessive. They were too far gone to be restrained though. Ostarath's confidence mixed with K'lir's reasoning that excessive was a relative term. What was excessive for others wasn't necessarily excessive for them. With all the encouragement she needed Ostarath twisted in the air. She dove, she wheeled, she twisted as though escaping some unseen predator. K'lir pressed himself to her back, staying low so that each turn didn't wrench him back. Ostarath shared every intent with him and he gave himself over to it. Turning in the same heartbeat that she instructed, completely trusting that the dragon knew what she was doing.

Eventually their shenanigans had to come to an end. A firm command from below and Ostarath knew that time had come. There was always the descent though. Rolling her body the green dove, twirling in the air in a rolling dive. Opening her wings with a snap she pulled up later than was advisable. There was still speed in her even as they touched the ground, the green running a few steps as her momentum wore out. K'lir sat up and blinked, there wasn't much else he could do as his body tried to recover from what had happened. With shaking hands he unbuckled himself from the straps and slid from the saddle. Hitting the ground he found his balance gone, falling over like a newborn foal. It didn't matter though, he still had a grin on his face. Laughing at his own stumble, while Ostarath looked down and softly rumbled her own amusement.

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Telleara and Antolith

Antolith watched as Falxath took off, rumbling happily at the sight. The bronze was happy with their performance, but now happy to watch as his siblings experienced their own. Telleara was happy for a different reason. It had been a wonderful demonstration of their skill from her perspective. Looking to L'thor the young woman smiled. It should have looked friendly, but Telleara's smiles always seemed to be more reminiscent of a large predator looking at something it planned to eat. "Thank you, L'thor," Telleara practically purred back. Her smile stayed in place as he stumbled on his words. L'thor was lucky it wasn't a competition.

Falxath and Lianly landed and Telleara was unphased. It was a fine first showing, but she still felt they were the standout. Her thoughts didn't change as L'thor and Musculuth finished their flight either. Then a green blur took off. As Ostarath and K'lir did their run Telleara felt her smile fade to a look of neutrality. Anyone who knew Telleara on a personal level knew that this was not a particularly good sign. Beside her Antolith watched his small sister and felt jealousy bubble in him.