Baby Steps (All Weyrlings Mandatory)

[LyricalBlue]

The tall lanky form of the former Weyrleader leaned back against his bronze's leg. The sun had not yet crested over the rim of the Weyr, but its warm rays had broken through the night's rain. E'dian sighed and ran his hand though his hair habitually, behind him, Xialanth lowered his copperish head to look around at his rider. He blinked large, faceted eyes and rumbled from deep within his chest.
The little ones are waking up. They will be here soon.

E'dian patted the bronze's knee and nodded.
"Well and good. They have much to learn, and those hatchlings are going to be starving. You nearly outgrew your hide when you were that young."
I had to get big.


The Weyrlingmaster laughed and shook his head, big indeed. Aside from the Queens, the bronzes were the largest. Though that old time bronze Malekith had some wingspan on all of Ponaa's bronzes. E'dian did worry about the most recent addition to the group, but despite their mother's health and the painfully short flight, all the hatchlings seemed fine. Well, the bronze would show his growth in time. As would the rest of them.

Well, today would be their first day of many to come. And from now on, they would have an extra four feet beside their two. He smiled with the memory and beside him, Xialanth rumbled again. They will all do well and grow.
E'dian patted the bronze once more. Yes indeed, with all luck, they would.

[adhoc]

L'can beat Rasalath awake this time, although not by more than a few minutes. He was pulling a shirt over his head when he heard his companion let out a long low rumble. He felt the bronze's hunger even before the words entered his mind.

I am hungry.

As he was coming to understand was the norm for his dragon, that simple statement was accompanied by something he could only call solidity: it was as though when Rasalath spoke, he was establishing truth. L'can was caught between finding that hilarious and being overwhelmingly proud. Which was only right.

He hurried into his clothes, saying We'll just have to go get you some food then. He led the way out of the barracks, and found that there were no longer buckets of food simply waiting for them. Well, that only made sense, right? The bronze and his rider left the tunnels to find E'dian standing beside Xialanth.

L'can looked up at the older pair, steady in his posture.
Someday you will outgrow him, he said to Rasalath, raising a hand in greeting as he made his way over to the former Weyrleader.

The little bronze's eyes whirled a slow red in reply
But first I must eat!

L'can concurred silently, offering a verbal greeting to the Weyrlingmaster, "Good morning! Rasalath is hoping you've brought breakfast."

[hrsegrl]

Always an early riser, C'elo was up before many of the other Weyrlings. He knew they were going to have their first lesson and in all honesty he was too excited to sleep. This was the life he had dreamed about. Ainth slumbered lightly now, every so often a body part moved. He would wake soon. Finally one whirling blue eye opened looking directly at C'elo.
Do you never sleep?

"I do, however I need less sleep than you do right now." Why? "You are growing. Sadly I doubt I'll grow any taller. The only way I can grow now is out." Fascinating.He paused as if thinking and perhaps he was. How does one grow.. out? C'elo shook his head. "I promise I will explain later. We have to get to lessons."

The newest brownrider stood up and stretched watching his brown slide off of his couch with more grace than C'elo would have thought possible of the muscular brown. Lessons it is. The brown walked toward his rider with steady steps. He seemed so sure of himself, like every step was made on purpose. C'elo found he was staring at the dragon rather than walking to class.

He arrived after L'can and Rasalath but before the rest of the class which was fitting considering their future ranks. "Good morning Weyrlingmaster. Morning L'can." He smiled to each and waited for instruction. Rasalath eats. May I? "If Rasalath is eating you can too. I know you are hungry."
The brown responded by starting in on the meat provided him.

[E]

S’din had listened to voices talking in the barrack’s room for quite some time before he finally let out a sleepy yawn and stretched. He had fallen asleep on the same stone couch Ankath had been given as his own. Feeling the blue’s breath in his face, the small, blonde haired boy opened his eyes with a smile to find that white muzzle in front of his face. Reaching a hand up, he rubbed it gently and felt the belly of the blue he was leaning on give off a rumble of happiness.

Oh, S’din, that feels goooooooood. The blonde let out a laugh before giving the muzzle a push so he could sit up. He looked around in time to see C’elo and a few other weyrlings leave the barracks. Realizing he was probably going to be late, the boy jumped out of bed quickly and grabbed a nearby shirt without even really looking to see if it was his or if it was clean.

“Oh No Ankath, why didn’t you wake me up earlier, we are going to be late!”
Calm down, S’din. The blue said with a happy tone as he stood from the stone couch and carefully picked his way down. We won’t be late, we will arrive precisely when we mean to and not a minute too soon.

The young blonde found himself stopping to stare at the young blue with his mouth open and the shirt only half on. “You can’t be…”
Of course I’m not serious! Hurry up! Again, the tone in the blue’s voice was a happy one even as he attempted to bound to the door, though it was more of a hop and wabble affair as he was still not easy on his feet.

Laughing at his blue’s antics, he finished pulling the shirt down and chased after the wobbly blue and met beside the others outside near the old Weyrleader who was going to be their new Weyrling Master. S’din felt a certain amount of pride knowing that a man who was strong enough and smart enough to run the weyr would be teaching his class.
-------------------------------------------------

Deltontai had been dressed and speaking quietly with her Alioth for quite some time. It was so strange to feel the green’s voice in her head, and even stranger to think that voice came from a dragon. In her short time here at the Weyr, she had learned that each color tends to grow to a different size and what she had won herself was one of the smallest growing dragons in the Weyr. But even so, what other holdless could say they had a dragon at all?

You are no longer holdless, Del. The green said, her words were always short but they always had a point. “But the Weyr… It still doesn’t accept me. And now that I’ve impressed you –“ They will be left with no choice.

Lifting a corner of her lips to give her dragon a thoughtful look, Deltontai wasn’t so sure she would agree with her dragon on this one. Yes, Del had planned it out to stay until she was fully trained with Alioth, but she had never really factored in the idea of staying here forever. Already she was feeling almost trapped within the stone circle the Weyr created around her.

Hearing voices move in the common room, the dark green lifted her narrow head to look past her seated rider. They eat now. Deltontai smiled, almost wickedly as she looked at her dragon. “I suppose we should feed you too?” Yes.

Nodding at the answer, Deltontai stood up from where she sat and waited for the nearly snakelike green to make her way carefully down from the stone couch. Unlike little Somadin, Deltontai was not all comfortable with her dragon, though after some of the conversation she had, she was warming up to it all. Originally it was suppose to be her sister who impressed a dragon for the pair to have as protection… Del hadn’t expected to impress one of her own.

Making her way out, the pair found the group already nearly assembled. Eyes flashing among those there, she took stock in who was part of this class. She was still unsure if it would be a competitive thing, these lessons, but her confidence in her dragon had finally been sparked and for the first time since coming to the Weyr, she was able to step closer to the giant bronze dragon behind the Weyrling Master than she had been able to with any other dragon before the hatching.

Alioth by her side looked at her own clutchmates and their choosen’s in a similar fashion that Del had, though she took much longer to do so than the trained fighter needed. Even so, it was a calculating gaze.

[adhoc]

Unable to sleep in even after a night's revelry, D'ron had already been out in the Weyr Bowl for some time. Out of boredom, he decided to get a bit of wrestling practice in. In the predawn light, he sought out several rocks of increasing size. Eltanth, who it seemed had decided already to adapt to his rider's schedule, watched with a sense of amused curiosity as D'ron heaved the stones one by one into the sky, ran to fetch them back into a line, and repeated the process.

Why are you doing that? the radiant blue asked when D'ron paused to catch his breath.

D'ron considered this for a minute, and tried to convey to his dragon the idea of a wrestling match. It's a game, he explained, but a game where you need to be quick and strong to win. He grinned at the dragon, sharing a memory of victory. And I really like to win, so I practice.

Eltanth's eyes whirled a pleased blue, perhaps of affectionate pride, perhaps just amusement at his rider's antics, D'ron couldn't quite tell. That is sensible. I will become stronger as well. He flapped energetically in emphasis, then paused almost contemplatively. Mine, I itch and I hunger. My brothers and sisters are waking up to join Xialanth's.

D'ron looked up to where the sun was cresting the bowl, spilling sunlight across Eltanth's hide in a coruscating shock of color. It was breathtaking, but the dragon's needs helped keep him from being totally dumbstruck.

We had better go to them, then, he said.

The pair made their way to where the rest of the group was gathering.

[LyricalBlue]

As the last of the group gathered, E'dian found himself chuckling. Weyrlings were quite... excitable at the newness of the world, it reminded him of his own Weyrlinghood. The buckets of meat were brought out by some drudges and the former Weyrleader couldn't help but admire how fast the brown tore into the food. The rest seemed to show quite a bit more restraint and as the buckets were deposited in front of each waiting Weyrling, E'dian nodded to L'can.
"Let them eat all they will, they'll sleep most of the day away after."

Behind him, Xialanth lowered his head to study the small bronze Weyrling before him. Once he too had been that size, though he couldn't really recall such things. He trusted the images his rider sent to him. Those memories of the times before he was big enough to fly his rider. Their Impression he did remember though, and the little ones always reminded him of such.
They look good, mine. They will grow well.
Well of course they will. Each one is more precious than they will ever know.

With the dragon population still so dangerously low, each hatchling could make the difference between the end of the species or its survival. Pern had always had dragons and E'dian would be damned if these were the last. They still had a Queen, no matter how frail she was. She would fly again and with any luck, there wouldn't be as much time in between her flights. Desperation had prompted him to send the last class back in time so the Weyr would not be without a Queen. But this group... He looked over each one. There was a good healthy bronze and brown, but no Queen. These would have the chance to grow normally in the Weyr, he hoped.

"As soon as they are finished, we will get them oiled and off to bed. Then you all get to start working." E'dian chuckled dryly and ran a hand through his normally tousled hair. Oh yes, if they thought they had worked as Candidates, they would learn that there was a whole new level .

[adhoc]

As L'can began to hand up hunks of meet to Rasalath, he noted Xialanth's calculating gaze and saw the young bronze assessing his fellow in turn. Then his partner broke the shared look and accepted his food with considerable pleasure. He ate less quickly than some of the others, as though to show some measure of dignity, but he was hardly dainty and filled himself to the brim before L'can at last set the buckets aside.

He wondered what Rasalath's thoughts might be on the other hatchlings and their companions, and received and un-looked-for answer.

We are all very new, the bronze noted.

L'can understood his meaning. The dragons were hardly hatched, and would grow into themselves as they learned. After all, wasn't he changing as a result of his impression? Time would show what each of them would become. As always, he thought wryly. He did not need to ask Rasalath's opinions on Xialanth or the Weyrlingmaster. The swirl of deep respect laced faintly with competition resonated between him and his dragon: On that count, they were perfectly agreed.

~~~~~~~~~

It was so wonderful to eat.

Eltanth demolished his meal with vigor but also with joy. His belly groaning, he bumped his rider's shoulder. Powerful, obliging digits scratched in just the perfect place along his neck. His rider was of course the finest: such capable hands for scratching.

He turned his head to watch as D'ron began to dutifully oil his blue hide. All the goings-on about him fascinated him, and he tried to attend to everything at once. Already he had learned much of the broad span of the Weyr Bowl, and had selected for himself several fine places in which to feel the sun. As the food settled in him, he felt himself growing sluggish in mind and body. What an incredible thing! He poured contentment into the world, and felt the pleasing return of the same from his rider.

Soon he would rest, and his rider would learn, and then he would learn as well. Yes, all was good.

[Rowen]

Itona found Maiath hovering over her staying so close that Itona wondered when Maiath would fall over and squish her. Maiath had finished eating, and in this position Itona couldn't oil much of her. Frowning Itona turned to face Maiath and took a step back so Maiath wasn't hovering. Why are you hovering like that?

You don't feel safe around all these others, I will protect you. Itona blinked at her response then smiled and reached out a hand that Maiath willingly lowered her head to. I will be alright, none have hurt me here. You need to be oiled and to sleep, and I have to work. Didn't you hear E'dain?

Under Itona's scratching Maiath sighed her warm breath blowing over Itona making her smile. I'm going to worry. Itona finished scratching and gave a pat to let Maiath know she had finished scratching. I will be fine. But what if.. Maiath, if anything happens you will know. I will be fine. Now are you ready to let me oil you and then go rest? Maiath lowered her head to Itona's shoulder not quite putting her weight into it, but just resting it there a moment. When the others leave I will go too. Maiath lowered into a much easier position for oiling.

[FireThorne]

D’tan had always been an early riser. Not as early as some of his fellow weyrlings, perhaps, but he never slept in. From his days helping the beastcrafters, the boy was used to early hours. However, this morning, he was borderline late.

And it was all Charth’s fault.

He had woken to find his new, beloved green sound asleep, her abnormally long tail twitching slightly on occasion. The weyrling’s eyes traveled over her form, the awe of being her bonded still fresh within him. D’tan could hardly believe she had chosen him as her rider, and for a moment it all seemed too much like a dream. Reaching out, the boy laid a gentle hand on her side, feeling her warmth and the even motions of her breathing. No, this was real. He was D’tan now, and he was a dragonrider.
‘Well, maybe not just yet.’ He thought with a grin. ‘A weyrling, actually. But still.’ Reaching up to scratch her eyeridges, D’tan suddenly felt her mind stir, and Charth slowly opened one glistening eye.

Good morning, Mine. She said sleepily, raising her head to give a mighty yawn.

Good morning, dear one. D’tan replied, grinning as he stroked her side. As she finally wakened completely, the speckled green turned her jeweled eyes to the weyrling, and he felt the full weight of her love and adoration for him sweep across their bond. There was no doubt Charth absolutely thought the world of him.

Suddenly, she leapt to her feet. I hunger, Mine! My hatchmates eat, may I go eat? Her mindvoice practically chirped, and D’tan fell in love with his sunny dragon all over again. However, as her words registered in his mind, the ex-beastcrafter suddenly bolted to his feet too.

“Weyrling lessons!!” D’tan yelped. “We had better go!”

Do not worry, Mine. We will not be late. Others are still arriving. But let us go now! Rumbling happily, the oddly-colored green began padding out into the bowl, her stout legs making more noise than those of her color generally would. She was a bit awkward on the ground because of her strangely-proportioned neck and tail, but she managed to amble beside her bonded without too much difficulty.

In the sun, Charth’s hide blazed to life, the blues and greens shifting and shining in a gorgeous array. It was difficult to really tell her true color. She was built tougher like her blue brothers, but her lovely, dished face was certainly reminiscent of her green sisters.

They arrived before E’dian began speaking, but D’tan did not have time to really talk to any of his fellow weyrlings. Oh well, they would later. As Charth ravenously devoured her food, the boy listened to his Weyrling Master, curious as to what kind of work they would be doing. Work never bothered him though. He was used to it. He waited for Charth to finish before he began the oiling.

[hrsegrl]

(YAY Charth got adopted!)

The other Weyrlings all arrived in good time and he took that time to analyze those joining them. Ainth was busy eating and paid little attention to his clutchmates. In some ways he knew each of them though Charth's rider he had not met or perhaps had only seen about a couple of times. The Weyr was a large place even if there were fewer and fewer inhabitants.

Itona and Delontai were a suprise for most people, C'elo however felt that they would be great riders. They were not what one would expect of Holdless especially not Itona. Underneath the wariness was a deep feeling person. Delontai was also someone who held off from other people out of protecting herself. He had a more difficult time reading her but she was a very strong woman and perfect for a fighting dragon in that aspect.

The boy he met only days ago in the Kitchens, now D'ron, was an excellent choice as well. He was a solid, steady sort of person with a good sense of humor. Not too much unlike himself.
S'din he had known for a while now. The younger boy made him feel like an older brother and so he was happy they were in the same class together.

Of course he and L'can had gotten off to an excellent start which would make being in a Weyrling Class with a Bronze much easier. Havalie never had complained to him though about how the Gold and Bronze behaved in Weyrlinghood so perhaps they were more mature than one would think? Ainth certainly was the better part of himself.

The brown finished eating, lifting his head to look at his rider. "Time for an oiling. How do you feel?" Tired. C'elo did not point out that the dragon had only awaken less than a candlemark ago. Sleep meant that he would not be distracted during lessons.

He was smiling at the brown coming over to the dragons side. He was going to get a routine down so that he would never miss a spot. That was his plan. He would start at the head and work his way down the dragon's front then the right side including the wing down to the tail. Then he would move on to the left side and naturally the dragon's belly would be next and then he would do a check of everything to make sure he had not missed a spot.

Ainth was small enough now that it would not take him too much longer than the others but as the Brown grew, C'elo knew that it would change. Oil feels funny "Its just not something you are used to yet. We'll be doing this everyday till you are full grown." C'elo explained and finished up touching up any places he missed, which were few but he was glad he did a once over.

"Now off to bed with you..." I remember where we sleep you can stay. I go.

[LyricalBlue]

Once the Weyrlings had been properly fed and oiled and sent back to their beds, E'dian coughed and motioned for the assembled youngsters to gather together. He produced a skin from within his wher hide jacket.
"Right, so for today you will begin working as a class. First up are chores. Today you're helping in the stables. We got a new shipment of herdbeasts and they need to be culled into the proper groups, so you're helping the herders first. After that's done, you're to head to the Hall for breakfast." He glanced up, storm cloud eyes watching them with only a hint of amusement showing. Oh yes, they were going to find that being a rider was ever so much more than they had even imagined.

"For the rest of the day, you'll be helping in the kitchens, you are of course to keep an ear out for your new partners. They may wake up at odd times and demand food and oiling. This is fine and to be encouraged. We don't want cracked hide! You'll have a break after dinner to do as you please, behave. Tomorrow morning, we'll start lessons."
He nodded curtly to the group, there really was nothing like hard physical exercise to get young minds ready for the classroom. No doubt the Headwoman would have her hands full with this bunch.

"If you need anything, I will be in the office, no doubt you saw where that was on your way out this morning. And, " He paused and did truly smile this time. "Congratulations. Take care of your new charges. All of Pern rides on your shoulders." He folded the skin back and slipped it back inside his shirt. "Any questions?"

[hrsegrl]

C'elo's attention was brought to the WeyrlingMaster as he began to speak about what they were going to do today. As he listened he was not suprised that no one looked all that happy. Apparently the life of a Weyrling was not too far removed from that of a Candidate.

He was going to be doing more work with less gratitude except from Ainth who would always be happy for food and oiling. He hoped Ainth woke up several times. Then he could get out of the kitchen and the Weyrlingmaster was very serious that they should work in the kitchens all day. The herdbeast part would be easy enough for him but the kitchens were not a place he liked to go unless it were for food.

Despite the negative thoughts he put on a smile and decided he'd better just deal and get over it. This would be an excellent opportunity to get to know some of his classmates better. Besides, Ainth was bound to wake up more than a green to be fed. He was larger and required more maintenance.

[FireThorne]

D’tan looked around at his fellow weyrlings as he returned from settling his green down. Charth was his life and love now, and it was hard to keep his mind off her. But he had work to do, and that was something he was neither a stranger to, nor minded. As his dragon drifted off into sleep, it became easier to concentrate on his own. The boy moved closer as the weyrling master motioned to them.

Listening to E’dian tick off their assignments, the first thing he felt was relief. Herdbeasts? D’tan, back when he was Dastan, spent many turns working with those stubborn animals, and it was still second nature to him. Herding was going to be a breeze. However, he was not exactly thrilled with the prospect of kitchen duty, especially since he was a terrible cook and not very good at cutting vegetables either. But, the young greenrider wasn’t afraid of the work. He would do the best he could.

The weyrling briefly wondered how much Charth would awake during the day, but he doubt she would bother him often. She was completely out of it now, and he had a feeling it would take a bit for her to sleep off all that food. D’tan was eager to begin lessons, actually, and wanted to see tomorrow quickly. He was also glad he had a habit of wearing his heavy boots about the weyr, the same ones he wore when he was beastcrafting. Today, they would come in handy.

D’tan was silent as E’dian asked for questions. The assignments were straightforward, and he remembered seeing the weyrling master’s office. All the new greenrider needed was the command to get to work. He could at least talk to some of the others now, and get to know his fellow weyrlings.