Once Alone, But Nevermore - [Feeding Area] {Open!}

Astraiath folded her wings back down. They were not entirely closed as she was still in the process of airdrying. It was a funny concept, dryness. She had been moist throughout her existance. Why she suddenly had the urge to be less you, she did not fully understand. Life outside of the egg was so very different than it had been inside of it. All of that space, and company and dryness.

The thought lingered only long enough for it to flicker across her mind before it was replaced by a new one. Did you see him run?, she asked. There was more than a hint of smugness in her mental tone. I scared him good. She had sent that mean old brown scurrying for cover. He had been under the mistaken impression that he was the most frightening, but he wasn't. It was just one more thing that she excelled at. She was the best there was at everything that she did and planned to do it all.

And then the next challenge arrived. Zelenyth claimed that she could fly right then. Oh no, she wasn't! Hey!  Watch me! Watch me! the Dragonet exclaimed. She was practicall bouncing for attention. I can fly sooner than Zelenyth can.  Watch, watch! Astraiath unfurled her wings again.

 "Naw, Astr'th," Teylarrin snapped. "Thuh dun toll ya nut tuh doe thet."

I can to do it.  Watch, watch!  The small Dragon began to pound her wings which, much to her lifemate's dismay, slapped against the stone floor. She ignored Teylarrin's warnings. She was not about to become second fiddle to Zelenyth. She was going to be the first. She had to be. Astraiath hopped in to the air. The rapid beating of her wings kept her aloft, although it was not a very steady aloft. She bobbed up and down, her fatten stomach never more than a pair of handlengths above the ground.

Look at me!  I'm doing it!  I'm doin--! Her cries for attention changed to a bugle of pain. Her weak, untested wing muscles cramped from the exersion. She dropped back to the ground. She landed on her stomach as her legs had been tucked against her body. Her left wing folded in but the knotted muscle in the right prevented it from closing.

 Teylarrin ran the three steps up to her, calling out for help as she did. She had no idea what was wrong with her Hatchling. She only knew that Astraiath was in pain. She threw her arms around the Dragonet's neck, calling again for the Weyrling Master.

Spoiler:

Syra

Syra heard the characteristic flapping of wings and the startled cry of the young lady she had been speaking to not long before. She rushed to Teylarrin’s side as she little green dropped to the ground, landing on her stomach and legs in a most uncomfortable position. The girl’s arms were around the neck of the greenling, but didn’t impede Syra’s ability to check that the wing hadn’t broken.

It was a lucky sight that the bones were intact, despite the awkward position it was held in. The Weyrlingmaster’s trained hands caressed the breast muscles and down the flexor muscles toward the wing as she carefully felt for further injury. A bit of warmth and a tight muscle told her the untested wings had cramped from the immediate overuse. “Shh, it’s okay now Astraiath, Tey. It’s alright. Nothing but a strain to keep our eyes on. She will be fine.” Syra crooned the words softly, pulling the girl to her side, “Look here, and watch what I do. You can help her, Teylarrin.”

Carefully unfurling the wing, Syra lay it out straight to the side of the dragonet and guided Tey’s hand to the cramped muscle, “See here where it’s warm? Small circles now…” she kept up the commentary of calm words, for the benefit of the green and her rider. “Press gently but firmly – you’ll uncramp that muscle in no time.” Letting go of the girls hand, Syra reached into her belt pouch and withdrew a small tub of numbweed which she scooped onto a couple fingers and deftly applied in motion with the girl’s hand. “This is numbweed. It will take the pain away and make Astraiath feel better.”

Letting the girl continue misistrations on her green dragonet, Syra murmured monosyllabic responses as she watched. It would be good for the girl to realize that she could ease her lifemates pain just as easily as the Weyrlingmaster could. It would be a good bonding experience as well, as she let the two comfort one another. Her quickened heart rate calmed as she realized the dragonet was not going to have permanent damage, and waited to see if she was needed further. She made a quick note to pull the jars of numbweed out for the new riders and gift them early, who knew what other aid they would need it for.

Sonadorath was not expecting to be tripped by her brother. She wasn't looking down at the ground, so it was to be expected that she would trip. Ungainly as the dragonets were at this stage it really wasn't much of a surprise that though her wings unfurled to balance her, she still fell forward onto her face. ooomf...what happened? That is...ouuuuuch. She lifted her head off the ground, crying piteously at Veyani.

Veyani was too preoccupied with her green to care to blame anyone. Typical they would both trip on their first full day at the Weyr. Of course she had been just as surprised and just as unhappy that no apology had followed. Reassuring Sonadorath was her first thought, "You're okay. It hurts to fall but every time we get back up, we are stronger."

With her own mishap occurring, she didn't see Astraiath attempt to fly and hurt herself but she did hear the green's painful wails afterward. I hope she is alright. The green had now forgotten her own pain in concern for her sister.

Veya smiled at the green, "Look, Weyrlingmaster Syra is already helping her." She reassured her new life mate. The green in response had begun to walk toward the barracks again. They soon found their private alcove in the Barracks, as assigned by the Weyrlingmaster. Sonadorath walked up onto her couch as if she had always known that was where she should sleep. Her thoughts were mostly happy as she began to drift off.

The newly Impressed blonde, felt better staying with the green and laid down between the green's front legs using the green's head as a pillow. No one would see her if they were to peek into the room.

---

Vaqueroth being first to enter the Barracks missed most of the goings on behind him. It did not take long for Bl'en to go in search of the very easy to find, oil. He'd never actually oiled a dragon before but he had seen his sister oiling Raidenth. How difficult could it be really?

Bl'en had the oil and the paddle he needed in order to spread the oil over the Bronze. Can you do my neck first? Oh that feels very good.

As Bl'en oiled the dragonet's entire body, he used the paddle to help the oil into areas that might need more. Then proceeded to rub the oil into the dragonet's hide. Starting with his head and working down the dragonet. Vaqueroth's eyes were half lidded through most of the experience, obviously enjoying the feel of the oil on his hide. You are the best person. How well you do this already.


The Bronze shifted a little in order to give Bl'en some direction as to where the itching was most severe. Once the Bronze was close to finished, it felt like candlemarks had passed. As the itching dissipated the dragonet became more and more sleepy. His eyes grew heavy lidded. Are we done? Can we sleep now? I'm tired. Very tired. Are you tired?

"I'm tired too. We just have to finish your tail and then off to your couch we'll go." He reassured.

[hahaha. I love all the weyrlings! They'resocuuuuuuuuute!!!]



Z'ren


The weyrling Brownrider had been contemplating dropping his things off at his room first, before carrying the oil back with him, when Lesera showed up. Glancing down first, to where his hands were full, carrying his bow and sword, he considered her words, "Not quite settled in. But I only have these things, so it won't take long." Since he referenced only the tools in hand and the quiver and bag of mostly clothes that was slung across his back, there wasn't much for him to have to move. Very few things at all, in fact.

"How about you?" The boy's eyes met her with faint curiosity, though not much changed from the apparently somewhat typical, un-moved expression to be had by him. The lilt in his voice and the glimmer in his eyes however, betrayed any disinterest in conversing with her.

Since Lesera had impressed from the stands, he wondered about whether or not she had any of her own personal belongings with her, here at the weyr already. Of course, it was unlikely... In that moment, Z'ren thought about if there was anything that he possessed which she might be able to use until her things were brought to her from her home. He highly doubted it though, that there was anything in his possession that she would find use in. Still, if he could help her in the mean time, he would try; in whatever way he could.

Lesera

Lesera was busy eyeing Z’ren’s bow and quiver when he asked about her own possessions. She grimaced a bit, but ended with a smile, “Well, I wasn’t expecting to Impress today. My mother has left to go pack my possessions for me to move here from home. I have to wait for her to return before I can move in. You’re looking at everything I own in the Weyr right here.” She gestured to her dress. “I hope she gets back soon. This dress isn’t made for the cold of these caverns.” The young woman shivered, the dress was very cold, in fact, and providing her very little by way of warmth. But then, the plan had been to wear it to the Hatching where it was hot and almost steamy.

“Do you need help carrying anything?” she offered, trying to be helpful since she was more or less standing around waiting for the other weyrling riders to get done with their dragonets. Assuming any came back to ask questions, she figured a few would probably take a nap with their dragonets. Lesera was tempted to curl up with Zelenyth as it was, but fought a yawn, determined to see her mother and get moved in before she slept.

The young woman dared Z’ren with defiance in her eyes to tell her something was too heavy, though, because she was stronger than she looked having worked as hard as she had in the Kitchens before coming here. Though thin, she was strong where it wasn’t obvious. Lesera briefly wondered how many of the other females who had Impressed had come from working backgrounds like she had. “I have to kill some time while mother is back home, anyway.”

Z'ren thought she was right. These robes they'd been made to wear were neither all that comfortable, nor warm. His eyes dropped to her bare arms then, thinking that he should at least do something for her until her mom returned with her things. The caverns could be damp sometimes too, and it would be no good letting her catch cold either.

Dropping to one knee, in the manner that a man usually proposed to a woman, The brownrider lay his weapons on the stone floor, letting the pack slide from his arms so that he could pull it around in front of him to open it. From inside of it, Z'ren procured a warm jacket. Though it was nothing like the snug coats that he'd seen some riders wear between, since he'd gotten to the Weyr, it was still warm.

Standing, Z'ren stepped toward Lesera and set the jacket around her shoulders. It would probably be a little bit big on her -because, though Z'ren was not grown to a man's size at maturity, he still had some height on him, and some breadth to his shoulders, that a girl would not posses.

"You can wear it... as long as you need." Suddenly the boy's eyes seemed shy, as he didn't wait for her to object, but bent back to one knee in order to close up his bag and gather his things back up. In moments, his pack was back on his shoulders over his back, and his sword and bow were in hand, and he was standing before her.

"Draugarth was needing some oil. If you want to help, maybe you can help bring some oil back to my room. When your mom gets here with your things, I can help you get moved in, too."

Z'ren paused for a breath, eyes averting somewhat shyly again. He felt somehow, as though the brown that had bonded to him was fast asleep and wouldn't need oil until he awoke, so he wondered if Lesera's green was doing the same, at the moment, or if Lesera wanted him to help her oil her green after they dropped his things off.

"Your Green, is she sleeping, too?"

A rather large draconic yawn accompanied the contented hum Nymeriath gave as Emberlynn scratched her eye ridges.  The gold's belly was clearly full, and lethargy was beginning to steal over her.

I would like to sleep now.  Where do we sleep?

"We'll get there soon, love," Ember reassured with a smile.  Or rather, a slightly more tender one, considering she probably hadn't stopped grinning since Nymeriath found her on the sands.  Such was the headiness of Impression, regardless of the color of the dragon.  "It looks like the others are all ready to go, so we should get in line."

Not that it was much of one-- small groups formed here and there as the dragonets moved faster or slower than others.  Nymeriath seemed not to care who she walked beside, and remained quiet for the trip to the barracks, plodding alongside a green and a blue.

Ember was just glad she didn't have to try to carry the gold all the way there.

Upon reaching their designated space, the former barmaid ushered Nymeriath inside.  She had to laugh when the gold eyed what was to be her rider's bed, sleepily contemplating how to climb onto it.

"Won't this couch over here be much easier to get to than trying to climb up there?  And much more spacious than that small bed, besides.  You'll have plenty of room to relax and sleep."

Tired as she was-- Ember had caught herself yawning a couple of times in response, despite the giddiness still flooding her system--, Nymeriath readily accepted her rider's encouragement towards the sleeping couch meant for dragonets and made herself comfortable.  The little queen was almost asleep before she put her head on her forepaws, but she was at least not in danger of slipping off the couch while she slept.

Stroking the dragon's head one last time, Emberlynn took mental stock of the newly formed bond between them.  Reassuring herself that she'd know the moment Nymeriath awoke, if it was somehow before she returned from the further instructions Syra told them she would give, as well as retrieving her things from the candidate barracks, the former barmaid slipped out to the common room to meet up with the rest of her new classmates.

--------------------

A few of the others were present when she arrived, but not many, so she decided to grab her personal items from where she'd been staying since being Searched.  Better now, than later, when she was too tired to think of it.

It didn't take long, of course-- she didn't own much.  But the enormity of what had occurred started to hit her as she looked around the small alcove.

She had Impressed.

Her trip to the Weyr, one that had started off as a jumping point for finding her siblings, was, at least for now, a permanent destination.

Not that she was in a hurry to leave.  Nor did she have any other plans, save for seeing her brother and sister.

But even those plans would be put on hold now, unless her siblings came to find her at the Weyr…

Of course, if they did, she'd try to convince them to stay.  As candidates, themselves, maybe, if the dragons seemed to think they'd be suitable as such?  And if both of them were old enough-- Tashin was surely almost there by now, wasn't he?  And certainly Flynn was, since she was only two turns younger than Ember herself.

Closing her eyes a moment, the newly Impressed queenrider drew in a long breath.  So many turns she'd missed with them...

But now wasn't the time to dwell on the past, especially given the infant mind now linked with hers.  Nymeriath stirred faintly, though Ember had thought the gold deeply asleep.

If her runaway thoughts were enough to rouse the dragonet, then they were best put to the back of her mind for now, and left there until she was sure no harm would come to the queen from them.

Giving her alcove one last glance to be sure she had everything, the former barmaid headed once again for the common area and the others that had Impressed today.

She was a dragonrider now, regardless of her origins.  The past wouldn't matter, given enough time-- only what she made of herself here and now.

And hopefully her siblings were in the same boat, or would find a similar fate, with or without her help.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

I'llium's training was probably the only thing keeping him awake at the moment.  Used to ignoring personal needs while on guard duty, he could stay awake as long as necessary.  But having another being linked with him that was clearly tired was wearing holes in his self control.

It was strange, feeling emotions he wasn't sure belonged to him or not.  He supposed he'd get used to it, but the sensation was still too new to understand.

Having settled Borsaioloth in their space, I'llium wandered back out into the common area.  They were supposed to join the Weyrlingmaster in the equipment room, but he wasn't sure if anyone was headed that way yet.  He thought he heard Syra talking to some of the girls, but it was possible he was mistaking her voice for someone else's.

Absently staring at the couches and cushions piled to one side of the room, the newly Impressed blue rider went to shove his hands into his pockets, only to realize he had none.  He was still wearing the robe he'd been given to Stand in, and had yet to change.

Perhaps it would be a good time to go fetch his clothes and personal effects from the candidate barracks, then… And see who he ran into along the way.

Teylarrin finished massaging the numbweed in to Astraiath's strained muscle. The hatchling curved her head around to examine it. She wiggled the wing at the elbow. It moved easily enough despite being a little stiff. It was also a bit soggy, but that was more from her recent egg-based experience than from her attempt at flight. It doesn't hurt no more. The wing dipped, the dragonet partially folding it back down but not so far as to have it resting against her side like the good one was. It stood out in more ways than just that. It now had a yellow smear that did not exactly blend well with her shimmery sea green.

"Whale, thads gud," Teylarrin said. "Weh doan wunt'id tuh hurd na mo." She looked around for where to return the bowl of numbweed. There was not a table in the hall. After a moment's consideration, she elected to set it next to the wall. There was less of a chance of getting spilt there. "Nay'ow ludz gid ya tuh bay'ud."

But I'm not sleepy no more. Astraiath assured her as she untucked her legs from beneath her waist. After her injury, she was quite awake. Moreover, she did not want to let Teylarrin out of her sight. What if it happened again? Who would be there to help her?

"Um." Again the Igen girl looked about for some kind of direction. She came up with the same result. which was little to none. "Ah gez ya cane comb." She did not see any problem with it. It was not like dragons were banned from being in the Weyr. Maybe if they stuck close together Syra would not even notice that Astraiath was with her. "Ah thin'ga idz ova hair." She waved the Dragonet along after her. The two headed toward the area where the Weyrlings were supposed to be gathering for the meeting. They moved slowly. Teylarrin did not want her Green to have such an embarrassing display of poor grace that some of the other Hatchlings had exibited.

There were not a lot of people in the wide chamber when they arrived. Everyone else was still busy doing whatever it was that they were doing. At her instruction, the pair settled down on the floor to wait. Astraiath laid down, this time in a more comfortable position than the last time. Teylarrin settled in alongside her, leaning back against the Dragonet's pudgy belly. The others should be there soon.

Spoiler:

Lesera

Lesera’s heart thumped in her chest when Z’ren went on one knee, but it was revealed quickly that he was hunting in his bags for something instead of coming up with a proposal. What a wherry brained idea that had been! She hardly knew the guy and as soon as he was on a knee she assumed a proposal? This had to be coming from her Zelenyth, this wasn’t something she would normally have thought. The weyrling rider almost took a step back when Z’ren came toward her brandishing a coat, but it was quickly slipped around her shoulders and she instinctively clutched at the edges of it. The fabric was cool to the skin, especially since she had no sleeves on her dress, but it quickly warmed to body temperature and made a huge difference in the young woman’s heat.

Carefully avoiding Z’ren’s eyes for the moment, afraid she would blush and embarrass herself more, Lesera put her arms through the sleeves and pulled the coat around her. It was a bit large, definitely made for a young man, but it was warm and it smelled of Z’ren. “You can wear it… as long as you need.” When the brownrider weyrling spoke, she looked up, noticing he was as shy as she herself was. It didn’t take long for him to repack his bag and sling it back into position over his shoulder.

“Thank you…” Lesera said quietly, “And yes, Zelenyth is asleep. She’s waiting for me to come back and move my things in, so I don’t want to wake her early. It’s exhausting, this Impressing stuff.” She commented. With a nod at his comment about oil, Lesera picked up a smaller bucket from beside the vats of oil made for the use on dragonets and filled it with a deep ladle. She set it aside and reached for a second one, for her green, though she didn’t think Zelenyth would need oiled until the next morning when they had their first lesson. The Weyrlingmaster had said that larger dragons tended to need it sooner, and as a green Zelenyth was definitely smallest.

“Let’s get you moved in.” Lesera said, a faint smile on her face. If she was going to be living at the Weyr now, the least she could do was try and be a little friendly to the one person who had decided she was worth speaking to. One friend couldn’t hurt, right? Since the boys had been roomed first, the young woman remembered the placement of Z’ren’s new weyrling weyr as well as her brothers. She quickly counted off the entrances to the alcoves, noting that many were empty around Z’ren’s and mentally lamented the lack of colored curtains that the woman Syra had promised them. Reaching the entrance to his rooms with the little brown, Lesera stopped and waited for him to enter first. It would not do to surprise a sleeping dragonet and be on the receiving end of the sharp little claws.

“Thank you…” Lesera said quietly, “And yes, Zelenyth is asleep. She’s waiting for me to come back and move my things in, so I don’t want to wake her early. It’s exhausting, this Impressing stuff.”


The newly impressed Brownrider was faintly smiling, seeming as shy as before. "I'm sure we'll get a chance to rest soon." After speaking the words though, the boy hesitated to wonder aloud, "I don't know exactly what time the hatching feast starts but there may be some time to rest between now and then. Maybe you should head back to your room soon so that you can sleep while Zelenyth does."

The girl was already fishing for which oil buckets would suit them, as Z'ren finished his thought to her. Watching her smile faintly then, he wondered if perhaps she were just as shy, or perhaps even more shy than himself around new people?

He didn't stop to dwell on it rather, the young man motioned to Lesera, leading them toward the boy's barracks.



Certainly appreciative of her assistance, the Brownrider entered the space provided for his weyr, noticing that Lesera had stopped at the door. Assuming that she didn't want to be rude and let herself i, only to wake the already aggressive Draugarth, he set his pack and weapons down quickly, returning to her side in the next breath.

"I can set this one by Drau, for later." The young man's hand reached for a bucket that he assumed was meant for Draugarth, wanting to relieve her of the burden of it. As his fingers wrapped around the bucket's handle though, the side of his hand touched her own. Z'ren felt his heart pounded loudly in his chest, his hand tingling where their skin brushed.

Afraid that the girl might think him improper, though the contact had been completely accidental, the young man's eyes lifted, regarding her with a measure of his own surprise and perhaps even apology. Z'ren took the bucket from her then, and placed it near his life-mate's sleeping spot, hoping that he hadn't made things awkward between them somehow.

When he'd stood back up, he posed a question to her, and though he was curious, it was also in hopes of defusing any sudden tension, "How long do you suppose it'll be until your mom returns with your things? Will your parents be staying for the feast?"

It seemed logical that her family would stay to celebrate she and her brother's impressions. Zairren however, had no one here waiting to see him or congratulate him. Honestly, he wasn't even sure that his Captain had known he'd been searched. He'd never heard of something like that happening to anyone from the Blood Moon Squad before; then again, as long as the Captain sent men to search for his body after the storm he'd been caught out in, it was likely they'd run into some cotholders who'd seen him and thereby could tell the story of his search. Caught up in his own thoughts for a moment, Z'ren's focus seemed lost briefly before giving a small shake of his head to bring himself back to the present.

In a way, he wished that Lesera didn't have anyone else to spend the feast with, either. It would be nice to be able to spend it with someone who might befriend him, but if she already had her family to go to, he would just be an interference in their congratulation party. Though,... perhaps it wasn't wise for him to seek female companionship given the ban on becoming intimate. Knowing what things could transpire between young men and young ladies, it might be best to play it safe. Still, Lesera had been nice to him and he couldn't ignore her after she'd shown him kindness.

Anyway, he thought that perhaps it would be a good opportunity to meet other weyrlings, but... on second thought, they may all be spending the evening with their own families. He might just be spending the evening alone with Draugarth.