
Xanadu Weyr - Weyrling Barracks
A long and roughly oblong cavern, about a third of the space is open, used for classes or chores as required. The rest of the space is filled with couches of varying sizes, all with plenty of space between them. Some couches are obviously intended for the very young weyrlings while the largest ones at the back are for the older weyrlings.
Myra enters the barracks with a serious expression today, it's time for serious business. She heads right in, not hesitating for a moment. "Laera, Kereth, to the grounds." she says, adding, "And bring your straps." Normally this is where she'd smile that knowing smile, because it's a lesson the weyrlings have been looking forward to, and it /is/, but it's not one she looks forward to as a weyrlingmaster.
At the call from the Weyrlingmaster Laera looks up from her dragonhealer text and nods with a grin, "Here we go Kereth.." She murmurs to her lifemate as she hops up from the bed, grabbing his straps from a peg on the wall and a flight jacket that hangs next to it before the pair bound off after the weyrlingmaster. There is some nervousness of course, but mostly excitement about this final big step. Between. There is still her usual confidence, imaging was something they were good at and so there is little fear on this lesson.
Myra simply nods as Laera collects Kereth's straps, then strides out to the grounds. "For these first trips, between, you'll be getting the image from Ailath, though we will hold above the Weyr to get a good picture of it. The last jump, back home, will be on your own." she notes, with a small shudder. That's her least favourite one, having to trust the weyrlings to make it back on their own. It's the reason she pushes the imaging training so much. "For our first jump, I'll let you pick the place." Because a familiar place tends to make it easier. And then she's in the grounds, standing beside Ailath.
Xanadu Weyr - Weyrling Grounds
Cradled in a cup shaped bite out of the mountain, this wide, grassy flat has become home for Xanadu's weyrling dragons. It's set surprisingly high above the level of the beach, visible from the eastern side of the grounds where a long path snakes its way down the hill to the sand dunes below. All other sides to the grounds are bordered by the hard granite cliffs, two entrances clearly visible. One is merely human sized and leads deep into the mountain, to the Caverns. The other is broad and high, the entrance to the Weyrling Barracks.
Laera comes out of the barracks working up the zipper of her jacket, it is an older one from the looks of things. Perhaps one of her mother's jackets. Just a smidge short in the arms, nothing the gloves don't cover. As Myra gives the instructions, Kereth lowers his head to except the straps as Laera puts them on. Finally she turns back to Myra and nods, "Well perhaps my best images are Dolphincraft and Ista…and well of course here." Laera offers as choices to the woman before her. She notes the woman's nervousness and smiles, "We don't plan to become rock sculptures ma'am, we have been practicing every chance we get."
Myra manages a bit of a smile, though it's a fairly feeble one. "Ah, well, as long as you're /careful/, there'll be nothing to worry about, will there?" she rambles a little, nervously. But, she doesn't dwell on what might go wrong, instead moving over to give Kereth's straps a bit of an inspection. "Hmm, alright then, mount up!" she gives the order, jogging the short distance back to Ailath and climbing up onto the green's neck. "We'll get a good look at Xanadu from the air, then to the dolphin craft hall." she instructs, as she buckles herself into the straps.
You swing up onto Ailath's neck, gripping the straps tightly.
Away from Ailath, Kereth's neck> Laera gives a solid nod to the woman before she mounts up on Kereth's back, using his upraised leg to give her a boost up. She settles herself on his back and secures the buckle straps around herself before looking over to Myra. Yep this is easy. There is a wavering smile now on her own lips. A little more serious now, yes like her mother she can be serious when she needs to be. "Dolphincraft it is, there is a nice high cliff overlooking the hall from Rubicon, had my first kiss there." She winks over to the greenrider and leans forward to pat her dragons shoulder and he crouches before lifting off into the air with a few wingbeats.
You spread your mighty wings and leap into the air, surging upwards.
Xanadu Weyr - Weyrling Sky
A pocket of calmer air, this patch of airspace is dangerous for a very different reason: the presence of Weyrlings whose flying ability is exceedingly unpredictable.
Myra grins as Ailath rises into the air, she just can't help herself, Ailath's exhilaration about flying is felt by the woman as well. "Take a good look around, take your time. You'll need to know this by heart when we return!" She calls, adding, "I'll have Ailath share the dolphincraft image when you're ready to go." A bit of a smile at the first kiss remark, and she waves to the weyr caverns below, "Kitchens, I was an apprentice, he was a candidate… Mmm." she blinks suddenly, and blushes. "Ah, er, anyway. When you're ready, just give me a signal."
Away from Ailath, Kereth's neck> Laera just grins over at Myra at her own response ,"Sounds like a fun time in the kitchen, that was the first place I got felt up…" She winks before growing serious again. Laera closes her eyes a moment, of course thinking of the memory for a moment before shaking her head. That is all she needs to accidently time it. Winter…The light house…Simple images, no time reference point. "Ok Ready."
Myra glances over at Laera, then tilts her head at that something only she can hear again. Ailath reinforces the image for Kereth, essentially double-checking to make sure everything's right, no time clues, and so on. Finally, Myra nods at her dragon's confirmation, giving the order: "Alright, between! To the dolphincraft!" Ailath hangs in the air for just a moment, and then … is gone.
Away from Ailath, Ailath suddenly disappears -=* BETWEEN *=-
Between
Darkness and cold like you can't imagine. Nothing to see, feel or hear, except the beating of your heart.
<LUB> <DUB>
<LUB> <DUB>
<LUB> <DUB>
Then, as suddenly as you entered the emptiness…
Sky - over Rubicon River Hold - Dolphineer Hall
From the sky over Rubicon River Hold you can see to landing places:
The first is the Landing Cliff, from which you enter the hold from the inside.
The second is the CourtYard, which puts you on ground level.
Away from Ailath, Kereth's neck> The last time she went between was when Kereth was a few months old and it was not a good experience, no doubt for the reasons for it. When this time she and Kereth emerges, the blue gives a bugle of triumph as Leara pumps her arm in the air. Yes they made it. Sure it was a short simple leap, but it was their first leap on their own. "We did it!" She screams out to the weyrlingmaster. Nope not rock sculptures.
Myra pumps her arm in a little excited gesture, then composes herself, "Ah, excellent, excellent! How are you doing now, ready for another? Ista seems like a good place to go next!" she calls, already bringing an image of that Weyr to mind. "Then, back to Xanadu, that one on your own." Ailath warbles at Kereth, and transmits an image of Ista Weyr. "This time, you go first. We'll be right behind you!"
Away from Ailath, Kereth's neck> Laera grins over to Myra then nods as the next image is displayed this one, she is quite familiar with as well. One she has visited many a time in different seasons over the turns. As the images are shared with her dragon she melds them with her own and nods to Myra before her eyes close and she pats Kereth on the shoulder.
Away from Ailath, Kereth suddenly disappears -=* BETWEEN *=-
Away from Ailath, Ailath suddenly disappears -=* BETWEEN *=-
Ista Weyr - Southeast Sky(#3475RJe)
Above, the sky is a neverending canvas of blue - mixed with grey and white as the weather changes - but below, the view is just as breathtakingly stunning: Ista Weyr and her environs spreading out in rocky crevices and great peaks. Patches of greenery interrupt volcanic stone, jungles and areas of growth startling in contrast to that - and the great, blue waters that spread further away, against sable sands, visible thanks to the collapse of one wall of the bowl. To the northwest, the further curve of the bowl is visible, whilst beaches and forest spread to the southeast
The weyr walls rise up to the sky, the pock-marks of ledges and personal weyrs beyond visible about all sides of the great caldera. Nearest to the bowl floor are the ramps to the ground weyrs, and the larger entrances to caverns - not to mention the smaller area of the training grounds. Ista's Star Stones, a remnant of times past, sit high against the bowl wall: a sentinal against the peaks of the Weyr.
[Dragon/ISW] Kereth projects « Hello Ista! »
Away from Ailath, Ailath emerges from between with a triumphant bugle, as though /she/ were the weyrling only just learning how this between thing works. "Ah, Ailath, you do enjoy this, don't you?" she chuckles nervously, and scans the sky for Kereth and Laera, just in case… Soon she'll be able to relax, soon. Only one jump to go!
Away from Ailath, Kereth's neck> As soon as they arrived the flew down low over the beach, giving loud greeting to those there before flying back up to the sky over the bowls again. Laera signals to the weyrlingmaster and there is a big grin on her face. To go anywhere, to accomplish this final step in 'becoming' a rider, save the knot…can't be described. "Too easy…" She declares though her face looks a little pale from the cold.
[Dragon/ISW] Ailath slips in with a softer drawl than is customary for her, her tone quite amused. « Weyrlings, can't take them anywhere. »
Myra glances over at Laera, and frowns a little, eyeing her carefully. "Perhaps we should take a break here, unless you're ready to continue?" she seems concerned. If Laera is distracted by the cold, she may not image correctly, or, or, or… She'll probably be fine, but Myra does worry over this lesson. "There's just one final jump to go, remember, concentrate. We're back off to Xanadu, so this one should be easy. Remember flying over it? Just picture that… It wasn't long ago, but still, do be careful to avoid specific time references, just picture the things that are always there. The structures, the lay of the land, and so on. Like we've done twice already. And when we get there, we can go for a nice hot mug of klah!" she suggests, feeling the chill of between herself.
Away from Ailath, Kereth's neck> "I am fine ma'am, used to do this all the time with Ma, just takes getting used to again." Laera replies to the woman evenly. Kereth buggles his own reply. Yes they are fine, he would land right now if it were not the case. Finally Laera turns her attention back to Kereth and closes her eyes. Again imaging Xanadu, this time the newest image of right before they left. Just the general details, the bowl, the water the sky. And within a few moments she blinks between.
Away from Ailath, Kereth suddenly disappears -=* BETWEEN *=-
Away from Ailath, Ailath suddenly disappears -=* BETWEEN *=-
Xanadu Weyr - High Sky(#1616RJLae)
It is easy to see why the settlers of Xanadu chose this exact spot to live out their lives. Here high above the Weyr one gets a good perspective on the landscape that drew the eye of that rider long ago that sought out the home for a new Weyr. Mountains loom protectively above this pristine little valley, while an energetic river races headlong down the northern side, in a hurry to reach the lake that rests peacefully to the east. Grove after grove of trees dot the land, creating endless shade for the human or dragon.
As well-placed as the natural aspects of the Weyr are, the founders worked hard to keep with the uncontrived rhythms of the valley while destroying as little of it as possible. All of Xanadu opens up below you, welcoming the odd visitor into its friendly arms, or calling a cheerful 'Welcome Home' to the rider and dragon after a visit away.
Myra emerges from between with Ailath, the co-weyrlingmaster's face more than a little pale. Those few seconds of nothingness give one ample time to consider everything that might possibly go wrong… However, Ailath soon warbles at Kereth, and the woman calms down, glancing over towards the blue and his rider. "W…Well, I think we're about done here! Land in the grounds, again." she calls, with a more confident smile now.
Xanadu Weyr - Weyrling Grounds
Cradled in a cup shaped bite out of the mountain, this wide, grassy flat has become home for Xanadu's weyrling dragons. It's set surprisingly high above the level of the beach, visible from the eastern side of the grounds where a long path snakes its way down the hill to the sand dunes below. All other sides to the grounds are bordered by the hard granite cliffs, two entrances clearly visible. One is merely human sized and leads deep into the mountain, to the Caverns. The other is broad and high, the entrance to the Weyrling Barracks.
You release the straps, reluctantly, and swing down from Ailath's neck.
Laera dismounts with a grin on her face, even if her lips are a pinky blue colour, though mostly pink. She moves around to the front of Kereth who lowers his head to her, "No I am not too cold, I will be fine in a few minutes, how are you Kereth?" He warbles as her eyes unfocus and she smiles at whatever response is given before she opens her eyes and walks around Kereth to make sure there was no damage here. She finally smiles over to Myra, "We did it…all bits intact."
Myra dismounts from Ailath, and chuckles softly, clearly relieved to have her feet firmly back on solid land. She does feel Ailath's exhilaration regarding flying, and between, but she doesn't exactly /share/ it. Laera is grinned at, as she assures Kereth she's fine. "I never will get used to that cold, that nothingness, it's so … brr." she shivers at the thought, then shakes her head. "But, we do what we have to… Don't have to get out as much as some, which is a relief. We're only off between when we're with a class, or picking up needed supplies." Like that trip for straps leather that brought back a candidate.