Welcome to Gaia! ::

There are a lot of riders present Lyveana. Would you like me to make a second call to those who are still missing?

Diverted from smiling and greeting the latest arrivals, Lyv thought for a moment before sending her green the affirmative. Please do, and keep their dragons abreast of what we are discussing until they arrive. Best to start strong and allow for a little leeway for personal issues later, though this wasn't a formal meeting, she would compare notes with R'than later and locate whoever couldn't make it.

As you wish. Ruinnth replied, then dropped out of the 'public' part of their bond, signifying the start of her task.

Nodding a bit to herself, Lyveana took another moment to briefly take stock of those gathered. Somehow, it didn't surprise her to see that the two bronzes assigned to her wing were two of the mellowest riders... at least by reputation. She knew neither of them well, so she was going to withhold further judgment on their character and abilities until after a few drills. Of the other bluerider, P'ree, she thought his comment was quite inappropriate... but Lyv ignored it much the same way she had the wink. She wasn't here to babysit them and teach them manners, only make sure they did their jobs as dragonriders.

"Good evening everyone, and welcome to those who have just arrived." As she said that, she glanced at Z'ven and the recently arrived A'dan, smiling briefly before continuing. "Sadly, most of you are unfamiliar faces to me, but I look forward to working with all of you in the coming Turns as we prepare for the arrival of the Threads." Again she paused, mostly out of a common held reverence for the duty that was their profession, but also to allow for any of those still talking to finish. In the back of her mind, she could hear Ruinnth rumbling in her ancient instinctual reaction to the very thought of Thread. The green was unusually fierce whenever the topic was brought up, but those who knew rider and dragon well could see the resemblance between them... as Lyveana had a few deep-set hatreds of her own.

((ooc: Those players whose characters haven't joined us yet do not have to say they were late by the way. ^__~))

A'ras yawned as he snuggled comfortably against Carvaruth's warm hide and looked up at the stars from the edge of his weyr. He had stripped himself down to just a light loin cloth preferring the feel of flesh against dragon flesh in the warmth of the evening than the constraints of leathers; the edge of Cav's tail acting like a comfy pillow. It was so peaceful tonight that he had very little intention of doing anything else but curl up with Cavaruth and savor this quality time.

As A'ras drifted off in this quiet serenity, Cavaruth waited for about 30 minutes before his great head nestled down to the ground...content that his rider was blissful once more. Cavaruth heard the call from Ruinnth but didn't feel any such compelling reason to poke his rider too quickly out of his nap. Seriously, the announcement of a green rider as wing leader was rather a laughable joke in the big blue's eyes. Why put a troublesome girl in charge of the wing when there were quite capable men and male dragons? Oh it was probably one of the Queens that proposed such a farce because a bronze wouldn't be that foolish. Cavaruth rolled his eyes certain that this one would need saving one day and of course he'd oblige but really...she should know her place first!

All the blue's inner contimplations unwittingly stirred his rider from the peaceful sleep and soon A'ras was muttering against Cavaruth's tail, "Cav...something up?" He stretched and flexed his well toned muscles as he lazily peered up towards the dragon's big eyes in search of answers.

"Oh...some green requests your presence at the dining hall but it's nothing that can't wait."

"Mm...did she say what for?"

"A meet and greet with the new wingleader...that green rider." said Cavaruth with a slight toss of his nose.

"Really? Mm...well...." he returned with a bit of a reluctant sigh. A'ras wasn't quite sure of what he thought about having a green wingleader or being placed under one. It was a first as far as he knew and he had to wonder why the blues had been looked over for the job if they were going to give it to someone else! It all left a bad taste in his mouth as he considered why he got assigned to this group? Shards! What were the other riders going to think of him? Maybe a few leaders thought this would be a good show of "equality" but A'ras had serious doubts. Cavaruth didn't take this seriously, he wondered how he could. At times, he had to wonder what had gotten into the heads of those in charge.

But still he pulled himself up realizing that there was a duty to perform and with that noted his 1st rule briefly - "Don't flirt with the Wingriders!" For an instance that thought brought a chuckle to his lips as he dragged on a pair of thin leathers that caressed his toned a** like a smooth glove. "Alright Cav, just take me down to the bowl. I should at least meet the rest of the wing."

If you insist. But A'ras don't you think its bad form assigning you to such a lowly state under a female? She might be good in flight but how do they expect her to lead? By her tail?? questioned Cavaruth with a sheer sense of superiority. "You know we'll end up rescuing her when she can't keep up during thread fall."

A'ras shook his head thankful that others could not hear his dragon's chauvinistic thoughts. "Just take me down to the bowl. I really don't know what to think right now, Cav. Believe me, this wasn't my choice."

Cavaruth spread his wings with a displeased grunt as A'ras hopped up and settled on for a leisurely drift down to the bottom of the bowl. As A'ras slipped down from Cav's back he patted the blue's neck, "Don't worry Cav, I won't be long."

"Oh, I'll find something to occupy my time while I wait." chimed Cavaruth in such a way that A'ras was sure the dragon was grinning. As A'ras walked inside the Weyr, he barely caught a glimspe of his dragon moving off towards a young female candidate. A'ras sighed knowing that sometimes it was just...pointless to drag the dragon away from his new found...victim. So he continued on down the hall trying not to drudge up anymore stressors before finally arriving at the dining hall

Upon arrival, he strode purposely into the room and took a quick survey of the group keeping his confidence high and letting his friendly smile mask the edginess within. Most of them weren't people he had spent time with; which either was a really bad thing...or a great thing depending on the context. It wasn't hard to pick out the new "wingleader" within the small crowd but he made no move to insert himself into conversations because like any smart predator, he'd watch and learn first...then decide how to react.

There are many thing towards which Mella is ambivalent. People, for example: she’s just as content in a crowd as she is on her own. Admittedly, when she feels the urge to be social she prefers to interact with those she already knows,

Hearing new voices, Mella turned her head slightly, her dark eyes seeking out the newcomers. Two fair-haired riders, a male and a female had arrived. Her response to the female rider’s suggestive tone was the same she had given earlier: a slightly raised eyebrow. Although not her cup of Klah, she had long since become accustomed to the idea of females being attracted to females.

The newly arrived male had yet to say anything, and had yet to do anything to merit anything other then a cursory look-over, she glanced towards another rider that she had overlooked earlier.

‘ It would seem that my looks shall make up for my height in this crowd.’ She mused as she eyed his blonde hair. With black hair and dark skin that would only get darker with prolonged sun exposure, she stood out from the abnormal number of pale people running about the Weyr.

‘ You are easy to find in a crowd. I like that.’ Said Cresth. ‘ You are a brown, just like I am blue. Those other humans, they look burnt.’

Mella couldn’t help the snort that escaped her.

…I‘ver? Hallianth’s hesitant voice wiggled it’s way from the back of I’ver’s sleepy mind to the forefront, slowly waking him from what had been a lovely evening nap. She sounded a little nervous, giving him a second’s pause - but sleep was so nice, and in this heat who could possibly want to actually get up and move around, regardless of how much one was nagged?

I’ver! Her voice was more insistent now - and also definitely nervous, I’ver decided, slowly clambering up from the cool stone floor where he had been resting. Their new weyr was still in a state of disarray - sleeping furs bundled in a corner, hammock not yet strung up - but the summer nights were so unbearably hot of late that I’ver had no problem with sleeping on rock that had been worn smooth by countless turns of use.

What is it, my love I’ver found his feet and with them his voice, rubbing sleep away from his eyes as he stood. Looking around, he immediately saw his poor little Hallianth, her body half through the small doorway between the rider’s living area and the dragon’s larger cavern. She was swaying just a bit with agitation, although her eyes were still green, if whirling.Oh, love, what’s the matter? I’ver moved quickly to her, holding out his hands to her.

Hallianth butted her head gently against the proffered palms, finally resting her muzzle within them. While you were sleeping, Ruinnth asked for you to attend a meeting with Hers. In the dining hall. But I didn‘t want to wake you! Hallianth paused, and then launched into the rest of her thought, stumbling over words in her hurry to get them out. But you’ve been so tired, and other riders are sick and I’m worried you will be sick like them if you do not sleep more! And I don’t know what I would do if you were to be sick! You can‘t be sick, mine, you have to sleep and get better! Her tail lashed with frustration and she abruptly shot her neck forward, curling it protectively around her partner and pulling him forcefully against her.

I’ver shook his head, half amused and half worried over her state. While it made him unhappy to see her unhappy, he couldn’t help but secretly grin at her and everything she had said - what a classic Hallianth move! Clearly the little green had been brooding over his health for ages now, without ever letting on. And now his nap to avoid the summer heat had grown to monstrous proportions within active imagination!

Aw, love, I promise I’m not sick - it’s only the heat, and that will pass more easily than any sickness. I promise there’s nothing wrong with me! I’ver smiled affectionately at Hallianth, who had been slowly raising her head as he spoke. She looked him over appraisingly, head cocking a bit as she took him and his words in.

Are you sure, then? Hallianth finally asked - but she was already nosing him over and butting her head gently against him this way and that, confirming for herself that he was indeed in fine health. I’ver laughed and petted her worried forehead, until finally she let him go, conceding that he would be even more terribly late for the meeting than she had already made him, if he didn’t hurry.

I promise I’ll be back to you in no time though, love - and hopefully with a real, fighting assignment! No more drudgery for us, I promise. I’ver added the last bit firmly, and was happy to feel her excitement matching his over the thought. All you need to worry about, dear, is whether or not this new Wingleader will take us seriously…

~~~~

I’ver arrived more quickly than he had anticipated, quickly picking out the group of attentive riders among the tables, which were sparsely populated at this time in the evening. Weaving his way around benches and chairs, he was just able to catch a snippet of what was being discussed as he approached.

Thread? The word caused I’ver to perk up, as did the gist of the address - it must have been Ruinnth’s rider who was talking, the new Wingleader. I’ver took the woman in with interest, the oddness of a female greenrider in a position of power not escaping him. But, too each their own. And really, the matter of thread was much more important than the gender of any dragon or rider. Finally, an assignment worth following through on!

Do you hear that, Hallianth? The green dragon cut him off before he could continue, sending a wave of excitement that was mixed with just a hint of aggression - so unfamiliar in his little dragon! But it was only natural that the idea of thread would evoke such a response, was it not? I’ver knew he was not mistaken in thinking that his little green was going to be an excellent fighter of thread. If he could keep her focused, that is…

I’ver slipped in amongst a few other riders, his gaze traveling over those around him while he keeping his attention half on the other Greenrider’s words. All unfamiliar faces. And from the body language of most, no friends or acquaintances within the crowd. My, but this would be interesting.

"No matter what our personal beliefs are, we do have this common goal that links us as people and as dragonriders. I will never ask for more then you are capable of, but I will ask that when the times comes... each and every one of you rises to the challenge of meeting this imminent threat to our lives and to the lively hoods of the people we are bound to protect." She continued after the pause, scanning the faces around her. Unlike other riders, Lyveana had not only been holdbred, but she had been left completely without the benefit of traditional teachings during her younger years. All that she knew of the past, she had learned from the Weyr. Yet all that she knew of the current political climate outside of the Weyr, was firsthand experience dealing with the negligence and outright hostility. She'd recognized it as a growing problem turns ago, but she did not regard it with a distant arrogance as some riders did. Instead, she viewed the people of Pern as being as severely misinformed as she had been prior to Impressing Ruinnth. Time would tell of course, but Lyveana was confident their age old enemy would return again.

"I'm sure we will make mistakes, and for that, I will require that we meet as a Wing to drill ourselves and our dragons until that risk of injury during First Fall is diminished. These will not be drills like the ones we have used for the Spring Games, as it is not a game were are preparing for. Obviously we cannot hope to anticipate what Threadfall will be like firsthand, but our ancestors have left us copious notes and records regarding it. I can only hope that, by the shell of my dragon, we make it through that first encounter intact." There, she was being honest with them all on the topic of Thread. None of them had even a grandparent who remembered Thread, so in that, all of them were equal... however.

"These drills will be strenuous on both yourselves and your dragons. Failure will not be tolerated, as failure would equate to you losing your life and the life of your dragon." She paused, leveling a look at each and every rider in the little grouping to drive that point home. "I hope I have made myself clear on this point."

In the back of her mind, she heard Ruinnth rumbling on the public frequency to the other dragons, which earned the greenrider a little jolt of surprise. Rui was making sure that not just the riders had that final point engraved in their minds, but that their dragons did as well. Ruinnth never had been quiet or submissive when it came to other dragons, and she was apparently showing a new facet to that now.

She certainly knew how to speak, I’ver would give her that. There was no avoiding the skepticism on the faces of many of the riders present, as they assessed their new Wingleader - a female, and a greenrider no less. But it was clear that she was a born leader. Still, I’ver found himself paying more attention as she spoke, hands planted firmly on his knees as he surveyed the woman who would be commanding him.

Looking around, I’ver received a nod from one of the older members of the assembled group. His very bearing suggested that he also felt partially in charge of the situation. Perhaps he was to be Wingsecond? He looked so very grave. I’ver returned the nod, mimicking it’s gravity in a manner that he belatedly hoped was more friendly than mocking. Upsetting his superiors on the first day was generally unadvisable, although entirely likely. He’d have to remember to introduce himself later on, so that the old man wouldn’t think he was all bad… but his meandering thoughts were interrupted as his new Wingleader continued her prepared speech. His gaze jerked back to the Greenrider, once more appraising.

It was just weird, there was no getting around it. Really, it was too bad that this woman - Lyveana, was it? - had not impressed to something with more stamina, a large blue perhaps. But perhaps her dragon was larger than most greens? I’ver tended to forget that Hallianth was petite even for her color, so she was never a good example of size. But clearly the Weyrleaders knew what they were doing - the rider herself already seemed an excellent choice, and the dragon must measure up too, somehow.

She is rather… forceful Hallianth interjected, a hint of surprise creeping into her voice. Is everyone going to always be so… serious?

I’ver smiled quietly, hiding the gesture with a careless scratch of his hand. No, silly - there will be time for games too, I’ll make sure of it. But, now that you’re all grown up, I suppose we will have to be a bit more serious… I’ver didn’t intend to take away her playful side anytime soon, he was sure of that! They had too much fun together. But this was also there first Wing assignment. In the back of his mind, I’ver knew that at some point in the near future, they would have to get down to business.

A'ras stood there leaning against the cavern wall listening to the words that this green wingleader dropped from her tongue. The more he listened, the more displeased he became. Did she think they were weyrlings? Or maybe candidates? Did she have a sharding clue?! Even as he kept up a now neutral gaze he certainly couldn't find any redeeming quality here after the insults she had offered. To think that they weren't serious about their drills prior to this wing! Shells knew he was damn serious about surviving thread each time he training! He could only blink back his disgust but then...he felt the green trying to bully his blue and his eyes narrowed briefly.

Cavaruth yawned as he heard Ruinnth and rolled his eyes, as she tried to act above her 'station'. He...as confident as a bronze and with no respect for the opposite sex chose to ignore her. She could yammer all she wished upon his deaf ears. He'd follow a bronze, brown or blue...but green?? Oh she was no gold..but of course following a gold was a bit of a joke as well. He chuckled under his breath as he watched the young candidate he had been 'helping' finally escape his view.

A'ras licked his lips, and relaxed his face once more letting his dragon's temperament wash over him before speaking up; his words cool and clear; "Oh...your words are quite clear even though insulting as if we were weyrlings or candidates. I believe most of us here are very serious about our drills...and I know of myself, I have never treated training as a game. "

He paused for a brief second as he graceful pushed off from the wall and continued, "You talk about failure not being tolerated. In what way, won't it be tolerated?" His fingers casually drifted to the side as if he were catching rain from the air, "You're threat means nothing as thread is motivation enough for any rider to work hard because none of us wish to die nor want our family hurt on the ground. We may not have had thread in turns but it doesn't mean we are complacent. And what about you...should I hold you to the same standard? If you and your...green fail fly a full thread event because she's tired? Fail to lead because you cannot keep up?"

His predatory eyes took hold of hers; his wolfish smile never quite leaving his face. "Shouldn't you be giving assurances? Why a Green wingleader? What qualifies you when there are many bronze or browns that could do the job? Or maybe...even what you can do to make this group a better team? While I know you not, and have no qualms with greens, I do not see a leader here. I see a bully too tempted by new found power...a tyrant with a pushy dragon. "

He took a breath as his long locks cascaded around his face; the charms in his hair tinkling merry metallic sounds as they moved in his braids. "I'd really like to know...why I should have any faith in you?"

When the blue rider spoke up, his jaw almost physically dropped. Threads and shards! Goodness knew he had been wondering much the same things as A'ras, but to voice them so rudely, and right in front of the whole wing? That was not the way to behave, you did not attempt to show your wingleader up like that even if she was a green rider. A’ras was going to be trouble, he screamed it from his fussy-fancy hair right down to his boots. At least Lyveana coped a little better with his outburst than she had with her initial speech. In fact, almost everything she had said now took on a different meaning. Egh. Why had she tried so hard to come off as a tough b***h initially, phrased things in a way that made it seem as though she would scorn or punish anyone who slipped up in drill? Perhaps she was scared, if he was in her position he supposed he might be.

"If I were green, we would never be in her position," Garith told him privately. "We know our place. We would never accept such a post were I green. I am not certain we would be persuaded to accept it even in reality. I would rather we were following a bronze R'thanMine. That is how we are, how we should be. This green, this Ruinnth... she is not right."

Again he agreed but Lyveana, for now at least, was his wingleader and it was his duty to back her up no matter what. He was actually quite glad that A'ras had insisted on voicing his concerns like a proud little brat, it made things a lot easier for him. Lyveana had answered pretty well everything the too good-looking man had said, and adding anything himself would detract from what she had said, make it look as though she needed him to defend her. Rather than doing that, R'than moved away from Z'ven to stand beside where Lyveana sat and turned a look of rather disappointed disapproval onto A'ras.