
Xanadu Weyr - Feeding Grounds
A large portion of the eastern edge of the meadow has been fenced off, the corralling on three sides is located on the rolling meadow, while the fourth is located a short way up on the eastern hills. Within the large corral are a variety of beasts - ovines, bovines, and wherries - milling around, though the appearance of a dragon may send them one way or the other to try and escape. A small pond is set near one corner of the enclosure, and at times it reflects the low, bordering mountains.
Just at the forest's edge set under the tree line is a guest weyr for use in mating flights, a simple cottage made of weathered planking and grey stones.
Time to kill some animals with dragons! Or try, anyway. This gory lessons is one of the more interesting ones, at least to Mur'dah's thinking, as the AWLM limps his way down to the smaller pens, eying the calves and sheep and goats milling around. "Least they get a variety," he murmurs, leaning on the fence. Kalsuoth hop/limps along behind and halts, settling onto his belly. "No flying, remember," Mur'dah says to his dragon, which earns a low rumble. He knows. Turning, Mur'dah waits for Kera to show up, having called this lesson to be a one-on-one. Or perhaps two-on-one if another AWLM and/or V'dim show up.
Rysith loves these lessons but then the aging green loves anything to do with hunting, be it prey for food or hunting down an individual to find (obviously not eat). After all these Turns, the green's passion for the thrill of the chase has never lessened, much to the chagrin of Anoryn. She would like to slow down, thank you! Alas, it won't be for today. The greenrider makes her way slowly down towards the feeding grounds, arriving from the forests. The older AWLM has been scarce for awhile, thanks to Rysith's glowing hide (something else her rider wished would end). All that is passed now and it's with an amused chuckle that she walks up alongside Mur'dah by the fence. "So just the one Weyrling today?" she asks, while Rysith goes to settle herself by Kalsuoth, greeting him in a gruff and rumbly sort of way.
Kera moves along at a quick walk, the pace keeping up with Moncerath's waddling lope. Minimur's swaying some on her shoulder while she mutters half comments at random. Approaching the feeding pens, the brown lizard chitters and lifts up to find a railed perch and Kera waves to the aged greenrider and Mur'dah when she spots them ahead. Getting closer a quick salute is given "G'day ma'am, sir." Flipping her gaze from one to the other while Moncerath warbles a greeting to dragons already present. "I got a messege to come to the pens but…maybe I misread the time?" Since there don't seem to be other weyrlings showing up when she peers around. "Or I'm just early."
Mur'dah rests his weight on his left foot, keeping his right slightly off the ground with his temporary cane nearby. "Just the one for now," he says with a smile for Anoryn. "Didn't want too many dragons flocking to the pens at once…" That could just be a mess of smushed sheep and showing off dragons. Or pouting ones, since dragons very, very rarely start off good at hunting and there are a lot of embarrassing sumbles and misses. Kalsuoth rumbles happily back at Rysith, lowering himself even further. With the huntress green here, he won't even have to demonstrate. When Kera arrives, Mur'dah turns to return the salute. "No, you're right on time. These lessons are usually given in small groups, or one on one to keep the beasts from panicking too much. And. Well. You'll see why in a bit. How's she feeling?" he asks, nodding to the green. "Is she well limber? Stretched? Don't want any pulled muscles or injuries while running after a meal."
V'dim is here, lurking in the background as he usually is. He's particularly interested in seeing how well the Weyrlings follow directions and how well they communicate them to their dragons. He's taken the opportunity to allow the AWLMs to lead more lessons this time 'round because, well. He's not going to be around forever and training replacements is wise. So he watches silently, off away somewhere near the treeline. Not looming, not looming at all. No need to be nervous. Really.
Anoryn tilts her head a bit as she takes note of Mur'dah favouring one leg over the other and then that temporary cane. She'll nod her head in agreement with the decision, but when she speaks it is in a low, almost teasing tone. A bit of lighthearted joking among the AWLMs! "I'm supposed to be the one with the cane, y'know?" she drawls and with a chuckle as gruff as her life mate's she looks out to the pens. "Just let me know when you need Rysith to lead the demonstration. Is Kalsuoth to hunt as well?" Couldn't hurt to show the difference in how smaller and larger dragons may approach prey! Saluting back to Kera, Anoryn smiles warmly. "Afternoon, Kera." she greets and while Mur'dah asks after Moncerath, the older greenrider is passing a critical eye over the young greenling. And if she spies the looming V'dim, well… she'll just smile to herself and say nothing.
Kera ahs quietly at the explanation with a nod at the sense of less chaos with one young dragon at a time. Turning her attention to Mur'dah when he questions Moncerath's health. "We've just come from the training fields, she was having fun hopping over the spread out logs. She says she feels fine though." The young green lifts her muzzle just a bit and warbles her agreement along with Kera. Mon seems to be starting to hop in place with her attention canting towards the noisy animals beyond the fences. Kera chuckles and reaches out to try calming the young green and peers to Anoryn and Mur'dah.
Mur'dah is nervous, having his boss looming. Yes. Looming. Glancing at Anoryn, Mur'dah grins. "Healer's orders. I've messed it up pretty good, apparently." No, really? You mean running around on a bad sprain won't speed up the healing process? "I'd like it if Rysith handled it. Kalsuoth is so awkward it can sometimes be hard to tell what he's doing." Just a fact. Looking to Kera, the brownrider nods. "Excellent. Just make sure she knows today is not a flying day. That comes later. This is ground hunting, so she has to stay on the ground. Anoryn? If Rysith is ready to demonstrate?"
"Ah, well. You're young, you'll heal quick enough," Anoryn remarks with a crooked smile. "And it just means you get to teach lessons such as these!" The one's that require minimal movement on the rider and weyrlings! It's all about the dragons today! "Understood. Rysith enjoys teaching the younglings their hunting. Swear, if I let her, she'd hunt every day and not always for food." Not always to kill, just for the heck of it. Glancing to Kera, she chuckles at Moncerath's impatient hopping and to Mur'dah the green riding AWLM nods. "She is. Aren't you, love?" Anoryn has stepped back to turn and face her green and with a low croon Rysith stretches her wings and stands to her full height, her eyes whirling in a rapid and excited pace as she studies the pens. « I am always ready. » She boasts, speaking through Moncerath and Kalsuoth to pass on her message. "You and Moncerath best watch for now. Rysith is going to go in, stir up the herds and show how it's done. Then it'll be her turn, unless you've some questions to ask first?"
Kera listens to the Awlm's discuss how things will go and she takes a moment to look the brownrider over. More pointedly, the cane and his continued limp. So while the ptb's are distracted, Kera peers around and spots a some sturdy looking crates. Wandering that way briefly, she drags one over towards the fence where nothing blocks sight. Giving it another couple of shoves, she swipes the back of her wrist against her forehead then gestures to Mur'dah's ankle. "It'll heal quicker if you rest it whenever possible…sir." Nothing saying he can't work, just be smart about it. And she /is/ a healer, that didn't change. Kera shakes her head quickly to Anoryn "None at the moment ma'am. Mon's just over eager today." Moving a couple paces closer to Moncerath, she grins at her dragonmate's mood. "He said no, stay on the ground, Rysith will show you what to do.." Her head is already shaking "Hopping too." She frowns suddenly, unsure if hopping counts as flying or not. "Watch Rysith, if she does it, then it is allowed." Then both are watching the pens, Monceath stretching her wings out in a slow fluttering stretch.
Anoryn quirks a brow when Kera ventures off to fetch a crate as a makeshift seat for Mur'dah, though she's quick to bite back the grin that threatens to follow. Good thinking! "Be sure she keeps that overeagerness in check, Kera. Their first attempts at this often fail and the chance of injury greater. It's alright to encourage her, as you're doing and especially if her first try is unsuccessful." Rysith gives an impatient huff and her rider chuckles. "Alright, alright. Watch closely now." she warns, while the aged green carefully enters the pen. She doesn't have to hop over the fence, but Moncerath might and once Rysith is in the pens, the herds scatter as they catch her scent (and likely see her there too). Without hesitation, the green leaps forwards and while dragons are no graceful creatures on the ground, Rysith times her "attack" well and strikes with a swing of her forearm and neatly takes down a small sheep. Barely a snack for her, but she snaps it all up and exits the pens. See? Easy. … yeah right. "That's all that there is too it," Anoryn chuckles, motioning for Kera to have Moncerath go ahead when ready. "Have her watch the prey first, then when she feels confident send her in. She may have to work harder, but don't loose hope."
Kera doesn't comment further on the crate. The brownrider will either use it, or not. Kera leans against Moncerath shoulder, at first, then a wing nudges her back. Seems Moncerath is slowly creeping forward as she watches Rysith demonstrate how to hunt the squealy bleating things. "Pay attention." The silly little beasties start running around in a panic quickly, and the older green makes it look pretty simple to snag a passing snack. "They'll be quicker than you think Mon." Smirking with an amused roll of her eyes "Oh alright, but just to get over the fence. Be careful." The young green bounces in place a time or two and warbles excitedly in her enthusiasm. "Shh, won't help to make alot of noise Mon." An awkward hop and she scrambles over the fence, landing with paws spread. The already nervous beasties try to swarm this way and that to get away and Moncerath crouches down, muzzle darting about as first one then another bleating fuzzy thing flashes by. A couple of awkward swipes with one taloned paw, then her weight shifts to swipe out with the other. Miss, miss, and miss. With a little frown, Kera looks the fence over and turns her distracted attention to the young green. Said green sinks down to the ground after a few seconds, while Kera nods "See if they settle down Mon."
"Much quicker. Rysith is a mature green and she's had many, many Turns to perfect her skill." Anoryn points out for both Kera and Moncerath's benefit. Rysith has returned to settle beside Kalsuoth again, licking her talons clean and keeping a curious eye on the young weyrling green. So does her rider, once Kera sends Moncerath forwards. Here goes nothing! And it's a triple miss. Anoryn exhales softly, motioning for Kera to have the green try again. "Praise her, Kera! Keep her enthusiastic about it. Regroup and try again!" Rysith rumbles her encouragement as well, wings rustling against her side. Oh, how she /craves/ to hunt from the air! But that'd serve the little green no good to learn a skill she cannot emulate.
Mur'dah blinks in surprise at the crate but he does sit down, not /that/ stubborn. It feels weird, though. Quiet, he watches Rysith hunt with an approving nod, and then he watches the Weyrling going at it. "Yes, don't let her get discouraged. Keep her excited about the game." The game of DEATH.
Kera leans against the railing, watching her dragonmate and chewing almost nervously on her lower lip. Moncerath settles down, keeping her movements small while the bleaters hopefully settle back down. Peering to Anoryn, she nods her head at the advice and focuses on the goings on around her dragonmate "Good first tries Mon. Pick one out and wait for it to come closer. You'll get it!" Mur'dah's suggestion causes her to pause, A game? canting her head his way before she winces and rubs at her head 'I should have thought of that.' is muttered mostly to herself before climbing up on a portion of the fence to see the animals better. Shifting her gaze around, she chuckles "Hey Moncerath, that one with uppointed ears is trying to /hide/." The young green focuses right in on the one Kera mentions. Moncerath bunches herself up "No hop." is muttered by the greenling, which gets an annoyed snort from the young dragon. Instead, Moncerath surges forward, talons darting out to grapple one of the beasties. By the sounds of the increased noice, there is one worried sheep. Not for long though, the young green kills it pretty quickly, if not neatly. "Great job Monceath!!" Kera gestures her dragonmate out of the pen "Nono, bring it with you."
Anoryn steps back until she is standing, more or less, beside Mur'dah where he sits on his crate. "Not bad, for the first time." she murmurs quietly to the brownrider, her blue eyes sharp and missing little while Kera and Moncerath work together to bring the green her first successful kill. "There you go!" she calls out, grinning broadly and then lifting her hands up in a warding gesture. "Kera! Have her keep the kill in the pen! She can feed on the outskirts, away from the herds but don't bring it out here!" Apparently that's a no-no? Rysith chuffs, amused, from where she rests with Kalsuoth. « I'd not mind another snack? » the old green all but purrs in a deep, gravely voice like a wisened grandmother joking with her grandchildren.
Mur'dah applauds and then whistles at Moncerath's first successful catch. "There you go!" he praises, though quietly. "Yeah, keep it in the pens. No need to get…stuff everywhere." Gross. Kalsuoth rumbles in amusement, tilting his head towards the older green. « I'd think calves and goats were a bit too easy for you, » he teases playfully.
Kera looks over her shoulder very briefly at Anoryn's instructions an redirects her dragonmate towards the bit of fencing she is perched on. Moncerath approach is a bit clumsy, stumbling a couple of times when she steps on her kill rather than the ground. Getting to the fence though she proceeds to snuffle her kill and nudging it with her muzzle curiously before figuring out how best to get past the fluffy bits. "Careful, there are bones, not like the bits I cut up for you." Glancing back to the Anoryn and Mur'dah, who actually did have a seat on the crate. In her distraction over what was happening inside the fence, she hadn't even noticed. The young green pauses her little celebration to cant a happy whirling gaze to Rysith and Kalsuoth « Want me to catch you one too?! »
Anoryn wrinkles her nose at the prospect of having… messes outside of the pens to explain. Eew, no? Not that she's queasy over a dragon's kill. Been a dragon rider too long to even so much as bat an eyelash at such a thing. "Think she could go again?" she muses to Mur'dah, half listening in to her life mate's conversation with the other dragons. "How's she feeling, Kera?" The older AWLM asks the green weyrling. "And don't let her play with her food too much. A bit of bone and sheep fluff won't hurt her if she eats it. So long as she chews properly and does not gorge herself." Rysith snorts to Kalsuoth, lifting her head in a lofty and playful manner. « Too easy? I suppose! I do prefer far larger and trickier prey. But these hunts are not for us. » She sighs wistfully, only to chuckle again. « My dear, such enthusiasm! » she says to Moncerath, but shares with Kalsuoth. « See what your rider thinks first! »
Mur'dah shrugs at Anoryn, looking instead to Kera. "If she's feeling good and still hungry after that first one, she can go again. And yeah, adult dragons eat most everything - unless they're picky - so let her gnaw away on whatever she wants. She won't eat anything that'll hurt her. Dragons are smart." Not like a canine choking on a chicken bone. Kalsuoth rumbles in amusement, eying the little goats. « I am fine, but thank you. »
Kera think about the comments from both of Anoryn and Mur'dah while giving Moncerath a considering gaze. A few seconds later, she gives a little headshake "I don't think she needs another one. I fed her not too long ago, few candlemarks, so really, it's not like she is very hungry. Just excited." The young green has already gone back to eating, rather messily according to the smer over her muzzle and paws. The blood and bits don't really turn Kera's stomach, Hall lessons and shifts in the infirmary may have something to do with that. At the assurance that the bones wont hurt her dragonamte, Kera nods, but keeps an eye on the rate of feeding. The young green has been known to try eating too fast a few times.
"Excitement is good," Anoryn admits with a crooked smile to Kera, nodding her head to Mur'dah as she agrees again with the young brownrider. "Dragons are smart and as she grows you'll find you won't have to be here all the time when she hunts. For now, we ask that you join her at the pens. Once they learn to hunt from the skies though… by then they're more or less capable to feed on their own without a watchful eye." she murmurs. "And as always, be cautious. Moncerath did well today, but as she goes for larger and tougher prey… the more chance she has to injure herself." Especially if it's prey that fights back!
Mur'dah nods along in agreement with Anoryn's words, the young AWLM smiling in satisfaction. "But at the same time, congratulations on her first hunt. If she gets good at it, you could be done with cutting up meat for her, forever." Woo! One less chore!
Kera splits her attention between making sure Moncerath doesn't gorge on her first kill and paying attention to the advice given. A chuckle at the idea of one less task needing to be done "Don't tell Innes, she'll come up with some other task to take its place." Flashing a grin to the others, she spots a brown lizard winging in to land on her shoulder. Minimur chitters to and rubs his head against her cheek before hopping onto the fence and peering down to observe the young green with her kill. "You leave her be brat." Then to Anoryn, a nod is given "I'll try to keep her from causing too big of a disturbance when she comes to hunt."
"Oh yes, congratulations on the first hunt!" Anoryn amends, looking a touch sheepish when Mur'dah is the first to extend the gesture to Kera and Moncerath. "Is that so?" she muses at the mention of Innes cooking up some other task to replace the cutting of meat for hungry growing dragons. Eyeing the firelizard, the old greenrider chuckles gruffly. "Now, I'd not go saying he's a brat for eying a dragon's kill. Some of 'em don't mind a firelizard or two coming to pick off a few leftovers." Waste not, want not, right? "Good. You'll be surprised how fast they learn. Any questions? Concerns, maybe?" The feeding pens are usually a relatively busy place, with dragons of all ages coming and going to feed and not always with their riders in attendance. Today though, one of the smaller pens has been cordoned off for lesson purposes as one of Xanadu's weyrling pairs attempt their first ground hunt under the watchful eye of two Assistant Weyrlingmasters.
Kera nods agreeably with the Awlm's and peers between the railings "Good job Moncerath." The young green is currently inside the fence feeding on her kill in a messy manner, her muzzle and talons smeared red. The greenling smirks to Anoryn with a quick shake of her head "Oh, he does this when I cut up meat too. He's getting downright plump lately cause the other weyrlings keep tossing morsels too small to offer the dragons." Kera doesn't say it, but she's guilty of tossing bits to gathered lizards too when she cuts it up. Thinking briefly, she gives a little shake of her head, then pauses "Well, should I try and keep her to small ones for one? And how many is enough? Don't want to be …wasteful." which is what leaving half eaten beasties around would be. Tilting her head forward, she sighs and reaches up to nudge the brown lizard head from in front of her face so she can see.
"There's a reason why firelizards are often dubbed 'flying stomachs'," Anoryn chuckles and glancing out towards the pens again, she'll then turn to examine Moncerath briefly as she considers Kera's question. "Small for now since she's not quite big enough yet to take on the larger 'beasts. Once they learn to fly, we'll be moving them to bigger meals. And it'd never be wasteful! She'll learn how many are enough to satisfy her hunger. So she may eat one or two, or three! She's growing and depending on your day, she may eat more or less." She explains with a faint smile. "Just be mindful to watch for thick-tail from overeating. As I said before, you'll probably have to come with her for a time yet to be sure she doesn't overstuff herself. Sometimes they can get carried away." Most of the times, they don't!
Kera reaches forward and gently plucks Minimur from the railing before he totters over in his effort to stretch his neck out just a little further. Tucking him under her arm, she hops down from the fence railing. Nodding while scratching under the brown's chin, "Yes, ma'am, I'll make sure to try and keep that from happening. There have been a few cases of that, poor Prylith several times." She stops short of criticizing another weyrling and turns her attention back to Moncerath. The young green finishing up with her catch and turning energies to licking her paws and talons clean. "So far my biggest problem has been keeping her from jumping too much. She keeps wanting to flap her wings." Even now the young green's wings are still a bit too large for her dainty frame. "Been working on having her stretch her wings out then holding them up."
Anoryn grimaces and wrinkles her nose. "Oh I know. Don't need a reminder of that," she drawls. The old AWLM would know of any of the more "problematic" weyrlings by now. Likely she is not looking forwards to their turn at ground hunting! "Soon she'll be able to fly on her own. Just a little more to wait…" she remarks, eyeing Moncerath again before nodding in a satisfied manner. Even with the too-large wings, Anoryn does not seem concerned with the young green's growth and turning to face Kera, she smiles warmly. "You two are coming along nicely with your training. If she's done with hunting, you're welcome to return to the barracks. From now on, she hunts. No more chopped meat. Understood? Any last questions or concerns?"
Mur'dah has been here the whole time, promise, just sitting on that crate willing his internet to come back. Or staring thoughtfully into space as Anoryn the Amazing takes over the lesson. Win.
Kera smiles at the praise toward Moncerath and nods agreeably "She's been eager in all the new 'games'. I'm the one having problems some of the politic lessons." Turns out Kera isn't very diplomatic. "I can't think of anything right now ma'am." A quick nod given to both awlm's "I'll just slip by the beach and clean her up a bit first." Then of coarse the weyrling still needs food. A quick salute to the others "G'evening sir, ma'am." Then with Minimur tucked under her arm, she urges Moncerath out of the fence and the greenling pairs meanders towards the direction of the beach.