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Post by B'kay on Feb 10, 2009 13:04:07 GMT -5
Well, there was nothing for it. Any hope that A'idin might pass up on the opportunity to use C'train's blunder as a teaching lesson died the moment the stand-in Weyrlingmaster spun toward them.
"I, I ... I thought he might choke," C'train said, starting in nearly a whisper. A nudge from his dragon, however, and a muffled chirp from his chest ... at that, he released his death grip on Rapture just a bit and allowed the flitter to poke his head out from the enfolded arms ... brought up a touch of bravery. He swallowed and repeated, loud enough for more than just A'idin to hear. "I thought he might choke. I admit it was a dumb thing to do," he accepted the handkerchief and wrapped it around his hand. The injury truly was just a scrape, for he'd yanked the hand out swiftly, before Rhobith's jaws had fully closed. "I just didn't think about myself when I thought my dragon might be in danger.... "
C'train frowned, recalling words repeated often in the classroom setting, when Rhobith was still waist-high and wet behind the wings. "But we need to remember that if our safety is endangered, then our dragon's is doubly so, because if something happens to us.... "
Though he'd heard the words a dozen times, C'train couldn't bring himself to speak them. Instead, he wrapped the arm with the bandaged hand around the neck of his brown in an affectionate hug.
"I'm sorry. I should have just demanded that he spit it out, I guess...."
Rhobith purred deeply in his throat, causing the vibrations to rumble through C'train's form like an earthshake.
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Post by D'gellin on Feb 16, 2009 23:11:40 GMT -5
Positively radiant. Vicroth agreed, perking up a little after Elinth assured him that he was no bother. His tail flicked contentedly, straightening up his posture. From then on, he made it a point to pay attention to their lesson, playing the part of studious pupil. Oh, but he'd done this before! Vicroth had helped the ground crew during the Fall. And he hadn't bitten his tongue once. Why, he was probably the most experienced one here. Cheered, Vicroth turned to address his, but was startled to realize that everyone else had moved on to the chewing without him.
Oh!Fallen! We have fallen so very far behind! Quick, the fire stone, if you please. Vicroth turned, opening his mouth expectantly. Fallen rolled his eyes in return. "Take it easy. Rushing isn't going to get us anywhere." It will make us first! "At what?" Vicroth hesitated, unable to comprehend how Fallen didn't comprehend this. At being first! Fallen stared at his dragon for a moment, then chuckled. Despite it all, he laughed, shaking his head. "Alright, fine, but don't go biting your tongue off. It's bigger than it used to be." He teased, reaching for some fire stone. His hand hesitated over the pile as his eyes sought out a particularly good rock.
It's not very hard to pick up. Vicroth prompted, head snaking around Fallen to look at the selection himself. Fallen quirked a brow at the overeager bronze, choosing a piece that he knew His could handle. "Sorry, love. Choking might be on your agenda, but it's not on mine." His mouth pulled up on one side as he tossed up and caught the rock like a baseball. Vicroth took the opportunity to snap it right out of the air, causing Fallen to recoil in surprise. "What was that for!" You were teasing me! Vicroth whined, ducking his head in embarrassment. I wasn't going to bite you. "And thank goodness you didn't." Fallen muttered, glancing over at the weyrling with a bloody arm. I would never. Vicroth insisted, sitting down and chewing his piece docilely. He seemed prepared to wait patiently for Fallen's next stone now, at least. Fallen sighed, selecting a few more stones. "It's fine." He assured the bronze, offering another rock. "Now let's try this again."
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Post by Kitari on Feb 19, 2009 18:21:35 GMT -5
As the steely gaze of the one-eyed, temporary Weyrlingmaster fell across her, Brinne flinched, casting her eyes downward. His cross-armed stance as he positioned himself directly in front of her did nothing to reassure the Weyrling, and she refused to meet his intense gaze. It was highly embarrassing to be chided in such a manner in front of the Weyrlings. And it wasn't her fault that Elinth refused to chew the stone! Nor was it Elinth's fault, she added quickly. The green was far too sweet to suddenly show a stubborn and malevolent streak. The dragonet must have a good reason for taking this stand...
The girl bit her lip until the dark man passed, moving quickly off to respond to a yelp across the group. Finally, she turned her gaze to Elinth, who gazed sorrowfully back.
I'm sorry, Brinnemine...I did not mean to get you into trouble... The pale colours in her whirling eyes mirrored her soft tone, and the girl quickly reached out to reassure, stroking Elinth's vibrant snout.
"I know, my heart, I just don't understand..."
It was then that Brinne spotted F'rallen, recently arrived, and with a relieved sigh, sidled immediately towards him. She cast wary glances in Fallen's direction, not wanting the handsome bronzerider to notice her discomfiture with Elinth, then turned fully to F'rallen and gripped his arm.
"F'rallen! You have to help me!" she murmured, as Elinth followed after her rider. "She's refusing to chew the 'stone. I don't know why, and she isn't saying." Duke warbled mournfully from his perch on Elinth's mid-back. "I don't know what to do," Brinne finished weakly, gazing at her friend hopefully. F'rallen had grown up in a Weyr, so if anyone could help, it would be him!
Dacrith, Elinth greeted the other Weyrling coolly. It seemed hers was friends with his, and it was likely they would be forced to interact rather frequently. The least she could do was be polite and hope for the same from him, whatever the bronze's reason for disliking her.
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Post by Shikai on Mar 4, 2009 0:56:34 GMT -5
F’rallen started at the sudden touch on his arm, whirling around to find himself face to face with Brinne. However, the surprise at having his concentration (watching Dacrith with the utmost care to ensure that his beloved dragon didn’t injure himself while chewing firestone, Faranth forbid!) interrupted evaporated instantly, replaced with a warm grin. Dacrith snorted in his mind, but F’rallen only replied with a mental eyeroll in his dragon’s direction, expression becoming edged with concern as Brinne spoke before he could utter a greeting.
“Refusing to chew firestone?” He repeated, looking at the green in confusion. He scratched absently at his head as he looked over the beautiful dragonet’s form, as though it would give him a clue what the problem was. It didn’t. “Well that’s unusual.”
F’rallen searched his mind for any recollection of even a mention of such an occurrence, but came up with nothing. His memory had never been very good, even if he had heard something. He mentally cursed himself, feeling strangely guilty for having no advice to offer his friend. Brinne looked so anxious and hopeful, and with good reason! A dragonet was the cause of enough worry for a weyrling already, and unfathomable issues like this must be very confusing and stressful. He remembered seeing the Weyrlingmaster talking to Brinne, and realized he must have been reprimanding her for her dragon’s behavior. Now that was hardly fair! F’rallen wanted desperately to help her, for perhaps more reasons than he realized.
“Well…you tried asking her? Dragons usually aren’t good at keeping secrets from their riders for long. If you don’t act upset with her, maybe you can get her to explain? Because…well, I can’t really think of why she would refuse to chew it unless she thought it would have some negative consequence.”
Mine![/color]
F’rallen turned as his dragon called, concern on his face for a moment, but Dacrith had not hurt himself. My stomach feels strange,[/color] he confided quietly, and he suddenly burped. A small flame, lasting but a moment but burning bright and hot, burst forth from the dragon’s mouth, much to his own amazement.
“Great job, Dacrith!” F’rallen cried, as in awe at seeing his own dragon breathe fire for the first time as the dragon was, although he quickly ceased his grin almost guiltily. Brinne ought to be sharing such a moment with her dragon…
Dacrith stared after where the flame had appeared and vanished for a moment, eyes whirling slowly, but was startled out of his reverie by the green’s cool voice in his mind. He at once tried to compose himself, hiding away his secret excitement at the flame he produced, although he couldn’t help but wonder if Elinth had noticed it.
Good day, Elinth. Quite a lesson today, hm?[/color] He inquired, mostly in the way of making polite conversation, not yet having realized that Elinth was not participating in the lesson. Just the effort was more than could usually be said for the bronze, but Dacrith was in a good mood, after all.
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Post by Kitari on Mar 13, 2009 20:18:28 GMT -5
An exclamation across the group drew T'ryis's and Wickhath's attention quickly. Another Weyrling was congratulating his dragonet, who had obviously been the first to produce flame. While T'ryis watched with relief, seeing that the dragonet seemed unharmed by the event, Wickhath gazed on with a flicker of jealousy and growing impatience.
Turning back to his rider, the brown gazed defiantly at T'ryis. I'm never going to flame anything if you don't give me more firestone! And quickly!
"It has nothing to do with speed," T'ryis chided, although he really didn't know. Ignoring Wickhath's pout, he placed another stone carefully in the brown's mouth. It was a bit of a struggle to keep the brown chewing slowly, but T'ryis was far too afraid of another mishap to allow Wickhath to chew too quickly.
After a few more stones, Wickhath froze. T'ryis, in turn, froze, watching his dragon with wary eyes. "Are you all right?" he murmured.
Yes...I just... And a flicker of flame burst forth from his open mouth. T'ryis jumped slightly, as did Wickhath. Neither moved for a moment, and then, That was amazing! More stone, mine!
"That was amazing," T'ryis replied, the awe evident in his tone. Eagerly now, he handed another piece to Wickhath, who chewed diligently, paused, and produced an even larger flame. "You're doing great, Wickhath!"
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Listening carefully to F'rallen's suggestions, Brinne's brow furrowed in thought. Her friend's concerned face was a slight reassurance; F'rallen was always there if she needed someone to turn to. His advice was slightly less reassuring, but Brinne supposed she could give it a try.
Elinth, love. Why don't you want to chew the firestone? Don't you want to be able to fight Thread? Perhaps appealing to her dragon's instincts would do the trick. No dragon could sit by while Thread was in the sky! Or at least so the Harper songs claimed...
Of course I do, Elinth replied quickly. She butted her head gently against Brinne, seeking her rider's forgiveness. I don't want to upset you...I'm just not ready.
Brinne responded immediately to her dragon's silent plea, reaching out to stroke along Elinth's snout and up to her eye ridge, where she scritched gently. "I'm not upset," she murmured. "I could never be upset at you. And if you're not ready, that's okay."
At that moment, both of them turned at the strange sound coming from Dacrith, just in time to see his flame. A smile broke out on Brinne's face, as she turned back to F'rallen. "That was incredible. I quite agree; you did very well, Dacrith!" It still irked that Elinth wasn't willing to give it a try, but Brinne was not going to push her dragon anymore today.
Elinth, however, was distracted by Dacrith's response to her greeting. She hadn't expected much, if anything, from him and was put off guard by his query. Yes, it's quite interesting, I suppose, she replied, tone slightly guarded. The green had been quite hurt by her last encounter with the standoffish bronze and wasn't interested in giving him that chance again. Congratulations on your flame. She was still quite cool, but a touch of warmth entered her voice. He must be very proud, and she couldn't quash that joy for him.
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Post by B'kay on Mar 14, 2009 15:17:36 GMT -5
After the reprimand from the interim Weyrlingmaster, C'train's focus was totally on his young brown. Rhobith, too, feeling bad for having gotten His into trouble, was being most diligent. C'train fed carefully selected piece after piece of firestone to the brown. The dragon chewed each stone cautiously, his eyes whirling with thoughtful lights, as Rapture, who was now freed from his human's grip, chirped encouragingly from his vantage point on C'train's shoulder. The young man was beginning to wonder just how much of the stuff he'd have to feed to his partner before they saw some results.
The burst of flame that appeared from Dacrith, followed quickly by a second success by Wickhath, however, caused the Beastmaster to turn with a grin.
He was about to call, "Good job!" when a strange sound to his left caused him to spin back to his own dragon, concern on his face. Images of Rhobith choking once again began to surface. Although Rhobith was showing no such signs, his jaw hung slack and his eyes had taken on a slight tinge of yellow. If a brown dragon could turn green, this one looked rather like he might.
Oh, this is rather uncomf-- BELCH!
And a brief burst of flame, about the length C'train's arm, appeared before him, rolled itself into a fist-sized fireball, and went out in a puff of foul-smelling smoke.
Rapture leapt into the air, chattering with excitement, and C'train gave his dragon a firm rubbing on the face.
"Good going, my heart!" he said, grinning from ear to ear, and not at all concerned that the gap in his teeth was showing.
Rhobith's eyes were still whirling with concern. Yes, I'm glad, I mean, but it still feels-- BELCH!
This time sulfurous fumes rather than flame emerged, and were followed by a smelly glob of of wet, gooey ash that rolled from his jaws and splattered at C'train's feet.
The little man tried to leap back, but was too late, and stood staring at the speckling of goo that decorated his boots.
Oh, dear, I'm so sorry. The big dragons make it look so easy....
"That they do, my one," C'train muttered. "That they do."
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