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What had started with a light rainfall seemed to continue for quite a few days as some rather unseemly weather passed through Rias. Although training in the rain was of little consequence to Farin- she did decide that it would be better to keep the Weyrlings indoors for most of the week rather then have a few bedridden from colds. This was not to say that the weyr bound Weyrlings had done nothing over the course of the three days- most of it had been spent going over some of the more preliminary functions of dragonriders, and the rest spend cleaning out the dorms.

But now the sun was bright, and there was little doubt that lessons would continue for the day. After releasing the students for lunch, following some running and ground formations, Farin sat waiting on the edge of the herd beast well, waiting for the remainder of the Weyrlings to return from lunch. Today would mark a shift in dragon and rider training- it was time to start preparing the dragonets for flight.

((second post!))

L'mur and Saranth made their way out towards the beasthold, just behind N'tren and Datiath. The boy waved and joined his friend, Saranth trotting over to greet the bronze.

L'mur was glad the rain had finally stopped; he, too, had been a bit short of temper lately, what with everyone all cooped up together. His green had been untroubled, but she was a cheerful sort in any case. He took a seat in the grass, hoping there wouldn't be too much residual wetness.

Trith and Remia trotted towards the others, Remia having to do more work now to keep up with the fast growing green. They'd finished with lunch, and Remia had returned to her bunk to get a scarf for her hair. She'd forgotten it earlier, and there is nothing more annoying than hair sticking to your face as you run.

Mine, I see others, and Datiath is there! And Saranth, too. I see no one else, yet. Trith reported, and Remia rolled her eyes tolerantly.

"Of course Datiath is here! He's a clutchmate, silly!" Remia replied as they neared the others. She waved at first N'tren, and then L'mur, greeting them both.

"Hello! Are we the first ones? It's so nice to have sun after all that rain!"

Trith's eyes were whirling blue, and she made a happy rumble in greeting. My rider says we will start learning how to use our wings now. I will enjoy seeing things from up high! She shivered her wings partly open, and she looked up at the sky.

The brown dragon opened his mouth wide in a draconic yawn as he and his rider ambled slowly towards the meeting place. Farin had almost threatened them if they did not turn up this time; apparently, the babes would be starting flight training, and he and Inath would have to help.

Lacing his fingers behind his head, Sh'karin grinned fondly as he looked up at his partner. He'd actually bothered to wake up before noon today, and had given the brown a good bath and clean, sand still caught under his fingernails. Despite the fact that it was effort, it felt good to spend so much quiet time together. Unfortunately, being in the weyrling barracks meant that Farin had manged to collar them to actually carry out his duties for once.

They grow, but I am much bigger than these others, Inath noted, a trace of smugness in his voice.
"Of course they do, silly beast. You did too, remember? And you have a year and a bit on them..."
I know. But it is our duty to teach them now...
"Some help we'll be," yawned Sh'karin, pausing to stretch his back and finally removing his hands from behind his head. "And time to be sociable. Go say hello, Inath."
Patronising today are we? Inath's voice was an amused rumble in his mind, and the teenager rolled his eyes slightly, shoving his hands into his pockets as he strolled towards the others, a vague frown crossing his fce. He didn't want to come across patronising; perhaps he should watch how he spoke for a change. Bah, so annoying...

"Good afternoon," he said as he came closer to the others, a laconic smile upon his face, mess of hair pulled back high on his head and whipping lightly in the wind.

Once a decent sized group seemed to be collected, Farin folded her fingers across the width of her knee, and somewhat furrowed her brow as she considered the task at hand. Spontaneously, she began to speak- but chances are most of the Weyrlings had by now picked up on her rather abrupt methods. "Today begins our climb towards preparing you and your dragonet for flight. I stress this- your dragon is not ready to fly you. If anyone is caught even attempting to ride their dragon across the field, there will be stern punishments." She snapped bitterly, and shook her head. "Your dragon cannot be trusted to make decisions for itself, if you are involved. From now on, you must think for both yourself and your dragon. Never tell it what it can and cannot do, for it will do whatever it can to please you. Almost all Weyrling injuries come from the rider's fault of coaxing their dragon, and not the rider."

"Today, your dragon will work independently of you. For some of you, this may be hard. You will need to separate yourselves. While you do your practices today- which will mostly consist of a flight demonstration, your dragonet is to exercise their wings. They will open and close them, flap, but they will not fly. They may then practice take offs- jumping, gliding, settling, resting- and doing it again. This will not be something limited to your classes either, as I expect you from now on to exercise your dragon before breakfast and after dinner, and in the middle of class. You are to instruct your dragon to do these things, but they will stop on their own. You are not to tell them when to stop, or if they can continue. They must be able to relay to you their status and their current health."

"Once that is done, we will talk about some flight mechanics today. These are things your dragonet will be learning once it starts carrying human passengers. But you must know them as well."

L'mur nodded at N'tren, and waved as Remia approached. "Definitely a relief," he replied, referring to the lack of precipitation. His (no longer so little!) green imitated her rider's nod, eyes whirling happily at Datiath and Trith. They were both just about to greet the senior weyrling and his brown when Farin abruptly began her speech.

Flight! Saranth trilled, thoroughly excited at the prospect.
Not quite yet, L'mur told her. You must obey Farin and Moth, alright?
Yes, yes, I know! But I will be good, and you will be good, and we will be good together. The dragonet's tone was full of certainty and goodwill, and she bumped roughly against L'mur's leg. The boy stumbled momentarily and rolled his eyes good-naturedly, thumping Saranth's smooth hide.

Sh'karin nodded amicably to N'tren as he peered around to find a decent place to sit. If he sat by that rock, he could lean his back against it...

Settling himself down, he did not reply, as Farin began talking before he had the chance to. He frowned slightly as he listened to the instructions; it had been a long time since he'd heard such instructions, and in a voice much more worthy of respect than this old woman and her green. But she had risen to the rank, and she was better than D'kin, by the Shell... he would have to tolerate these lessons, one felt.

Do I go across with the little ones also? Inath inquired lightly in his mind, the much larger brown peering his head around the bowl to where the other dragonets were gathering.
"Wait and see what the old woman says," murmured Sh'karin under his breath, lacing his fingers behind his head and leaning back, smiling vaguely at the others.

Trying his best to be unnoticed, V'dran ordered Tarvanth to go above the group and hover on the heights. If he could sneak in unnoticed, it was all well, and he could have the brown swing around.

If he were caught late, well...he could blame it on Tarvanth's laziness.

Laziness?! I have never been lazy at all in my life. You are the one that has overslept.

Wincing, the blonde boy nodded. Overeating was a habit, but unfortunately, it put him to sleep. And sleeping through weyrling lessons was not goo Especially since Farin threatened him.