Weyrling Lesson: Ryukith Learns to Fly
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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.


L'alie has collected up her 5 weyrlings from Avaeth's clutch as well as Delynni for today's lesson. "It's a good thing they're all about the same age," she confides in Adinaeth quietly as she waits for the bronze, brown, three blues, and green to assemble with their riders. When they're all in line she glances at their faces and smiles, spreading out her arms, "Welcome! To your first unmanned flight."

Delynni eyes Ryukith, and the blue wriggles his toes eagerly, perking up to eagerly watch L'alie and Adinaeth. The rainy blue croons, eyes rippling blue and green with eagerness and mischief. "Behave you." Delynni warns the blue quietly. "You're very strong and very agile, but please, if you show off you'll get us in trouble!"

L'alie just grins for the eager weyrlings. "I know, I know, it's very exciting! Now, I want you to break into pairs, if you could. If it's not your turn, I want you to make sure you're well out of the way. Accidents could be Very Messy. A'miss, you're with Allee. G'non and N'von, and D'eny and Delynni- hah, that kind of rhymes, doesn't it? Anyways, anyways, A'miss, Allee, you're up first." She waits for the bronzerider and brownrider to step forward and goes to join the three blueriders and greenrider on the sidelines. "Now, Adinaeth is going to show Rebeuth and Kreuth how to take off, and I want you two to watch as well." She casts an eye at her other charges to make sure they're paying attention. "Those of you back here with me, make sure you watch this. I've chosen the biggest dragons first because they're usually the ones who have the most trouble getting off the ground. Learn from their mistakes, right?"

Delynni nods and Ryukith's tail begins to thump, thump twitch in excitement. The blue watches intently, barely blinking so as to take it all in. His talons dig into the dirt, his wings hang limply at his side, he hunches over just a tad, arching his neck to get the right angle. It is quite clear that the dragon isn't just watching, but thinking. Delynni snorts, casting a glance at the blue and communicating something mentally with him, something definately along the lines of, 'be careful, do not show off or mess around.'

Adinaeth rumbles. "We're going to start off simple today. If you'll all look down the beach you'll see a long ramp. When it is your turn, your dragon is going to climb to the top of that, and when they're ready, they're going to start pumping their wings and then, with their rear legs, they're going to leap off the platform. It's okay if they don't get airborne. In fact, they probably won't. If they do, I'd like them to hover for a moment, and then come down. We're going to perfect our landings before we get too far off the ground. Tomorrow, if they've mastered getting into the air, we'll actually do some flying. But I think just that will be enough for their wing muscles tonight." She gives a nod to Adinaeth, "Alright, Adie's going to demonstrate the leap, hover, and land." And so the brown does, extending his wings and giving one hard downsweep at the same time as launching into the air. He sweeps twice and then at the highest point of his extension, he glides smoothly to land a few feet farther than where he started. "That's that. A'miss, Rebeuth, if you would?" She glances at the rest of her charges to be sure they're still paying attention.

Delynni pays careful attention to A'miss, and then looks along the ramp and Adinaeth and then back at A'miss and Rebeuth. But she's clearly having a little trouble trying to figure out what she and Ryukith should be doing. Not so Ryukith. The blue becomes rivited on the bronze, snorting in amusement that Bronzes and Browns might have more trouble than he at flying. His keen gaze inspects the ramp, then the bronze and his weyrling rider. He ruffles his wings, flexing the muscles almost imperceptibly as he watches.

L'alie nods approval as the bronze pair attempt flying, and then the brown after that with only limited success. Then she turns and nods, "Delynni, D'eny, your up next." As A'miss and Allee return with lifemates in tow, and L'alie ushers both blueriders forward. "Just like they did, now. Up the ramp, and jump." She nods firmly. "If they need another demonstration, Adinaeth can do that. Delynni, go ahead."

Delynni nods grimly and gulps, but Ryukith has been watching the others intently, and he knows exactly what he is going to do. He crouches, then takes the ramp at a run, leaping deftly into the air. He flaps his wings, hovering for a full minute and caroling his triumph before falling to earth with the grace of a cat. It takes a few steps for him to come to a stop, but when he does he lifts his wings gracefully behind him and bows dramatically with a mischievious twinkle in his whirling eyes. Delynni's eyes widen, and then she beams. "NICE ONE! That was brilliant! Brillian!!!" she exclaims as Ryukith trots over to his classmates at a slouching lope.

L'alie wrinkles her nose but doesn't comment. "He'll be feeling that one in the morning," she murmurs, but nods to the next pair to go. "Delynni, if you could try to be a little more… forceful about encouraging him not to show off. Not that he's not doing well and that's good, but straining himself now is only going to hurt him even more in the long run." Ever the cautious one, she goes back to watching the rest of her charges as they go through two by two. After everyone has had a turn she grins, "Good job everyone, good effort. If your lifemate didn't get it right today, no worries, and if they did, good job. You have the rest of the morning to yourselves to take care of your lifemates, but I expect you to spend this afternoon working on your straps. I'll be checking in with you after lunch to make sure you're on the right track. Congratulations, you guys, this is a really big step!"

Delynni nods and glares at Ryukith, with a huge grin on her face. The blue stretches his wings and eyes the ramp again. "Yes ma'am, Miss L'alie, is it alright if Ryukith tries again? He wants to keep practicing." Ryukith whistles, «Adinaeth sir, I will not show off in practicing. I wish simply to become stronger.»

L'alie shakes her head, "No, I think it really is enough for today. You have to understand, and make sure /he/ understands that we have to build these muscles up, and just like trying to lift too much weight, you have to work yourself up to it. He can do the wing excersizes we've been working on, but I want him to rest and stay firmly on the ground until tomorrow. He can stay up a little loynger each day. It's your job to enforce this, Del. Don't let him run over you or try to take advantage. They're children, and just like children, they need boundaries and a firm hand. You make sure he knows that if he pushes himself, he's going to pull a muscle and it will be months before he can fly. And if he doesn't pull a wing and I find out, I'm going to have to ground him for a week for endangering himself. I don't want to discourage him, or you, or come off sounding mean, but I wouldn't stress it if it wasn't so important."

Delynni nods and turns to Ryukith. "Did you hear that?" There is a defiant glare back at L'alie. "I MEAN it Ryukith." The blue subsides, seething and relenting. "He will rest and take it easy for today. I made certain of it, but I can tell he's planning what he's going to do at practice /tomorrow./ Don't worry ma'am, I'll keep an eye on him." Snort from Ryukith and the blue launches into some of the wing exercises given prior. Oh his feet are planted on the ground alright, but tomorrow is another day. "Goof, he's normally very cautious L'alie ma'am. He's just impatient. Don't worry, he'll obey me."

L'alie nods her head, "Good, because otherwise he'll have ADinaeth as a new best friend or a stay in the infirmiary. And neither of them could be pleasant. I should know, I have Adinaeth as a best friend." She grins cheekily and winks at the blueling and then sighs, "Ah, I think it's time for lunch, yeah? I'd better go check on the twins and the girls. No doubt Zee has hogtied the nannies and is spooning porriage into Alistaur's hair again.."

Delynni laughs and nods. "My brothers Sango and Naluti and Naluti's….. mate….. Ricton are coming to visit. Ricton's a tailor, promised me he had a surprise. And for manfriends they have a very good sense of style." Delynni beams, and Ryukith snorts. "and my tattoos need to be touched up." Ryukith purrs, eyeing the barracks. "Alright, I'll get the ink." She sighs. "But lunch first."

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