Fort Weyr - Training Complex
The remnants of a historic collapse are apparent here, as the slope face of the bowl has a predominant downward curvature. It's likely long ago, that a cavern larger than any Fort currently has was where the training complex currently is. A probable cave in triggered a fissure on the bowl wall which lead to a great chunk of it dislodging, thus creating the rounded slope.

Yet, many centuries later, all that remains to give evidence is the pocket made into the bowl wall. It seems that the inhabitants of Fort Weyr have made best of the created space. Rock on the ground proper has long since cleared, but pebbles and loose shale are constantly underfoot. Still, the sprig of some green leafed vegetation isn't too out of the ordinary in these parts, as long as it doesn't get trampled by the comings and goings.

It's clear that this area has been designated for the training of young minds, whether human or dragon. Surrounded by rock on all side, it's like a personal weyr bowl for the youngsters to minimize distraction and danger. The candidate barracks have been built across from the Weyrling barracks, so that one group can educate the next. Finally, placed in the centre of the two entrances of the opposing barracks, near the rock face, is a statue with a memorial plaque.


The afternoon is progressing towards evening, and Rukbat casts a golden glow over the Weyr as she slowly sinks on her way across the sky. It's been a long day for the weyrlings, with most of them tuckered out in their couches already, or getting bathed and oiled within the barracks. Rhenesath, however, has Thys outside. The young gold is scratching gently at the dirt, quietly exploring, while Thys meanders alongside her. There's a look of concentration on the girl's face, as if often found on new riders who are still getting used to the mental bond - so while they may seem quiet, there's likely a conversation happening between the pair.

Aycheth observes from his preferred ledge that allows him a clear view of the fields. It has been a long day and with most of the weyrlings tuckered out and inside, the dark, dark blue silently keeps his eyes on Rhenesath while the young gold quietly explores with Thys close beside her. So it should be no surprise that M'icha will arrive, his limp not so pronounced tonight and his features not so grimly set. "Evenin' there Thys. Rhenesath." he greets, aware he may be interrupting a personal chit-chat between them and a faint apology given in the look sent their way. "What're you two doing out 'n not indoors with the rest? Figured you'd be as tuckered out as them… or are you rarin' to go for another spin?" He smirks and juts a thumb to the obstacle course, which has now progressed to narrower paths and more cleverly hidden objects, some of which involve puzzle work. How fun?

Rhenesath stops scratching the ground, turning to look at M'icha and rumbling a greeting to him. Thys smiles at the Weyrlingmaster, pressing her palm to her dragon's foreleg before taking a step towards him. "Evening, sir. I think we're both too caught up thinking about something to be tired yet. But if you'd like us to run the obstacle course again, we'd be more than happy to?" The young gold chuffs in agreement, flexing her wings and lowering her head to be able to look side-on at the Weyrlingmaster with one whirling, blue-green eye.

M'icha scratches his thumb along his jaw, rasping against the coarse stubble as he considers Thys' reply. "Well," he drawls, giving her a level look. "If yer not tired like the rest, then probably the easiest way to burn off a bit more energy 'n nip that restlessness. She seems in agreement," He'll smile crookedly to Rhenesath, giving the young gold a swift studious look while he's at it before nodding. Good, good. "Y'know how it works?" he prompts, though by now the weyrlings should be familiar with it. An item from the provided lists is chosen and with the rider blindfolded, work on projecting the image for their dragon to pick up on, locate themselves and then guide their rider to it without incident (which at worse means tripping over a hay bale or bumping into things). "Forwarning though, lass… won't do much good if yer head's muddled. Y'said you're both thinking…?" On what?

"Oh, yeah. It's been playing in our minds… well, mine, mostly, but because it's in mine Rhenesath is picking up on it." Thys frowns, running her tongue over her bottom lip with a hint of nervousness. "Sir, I know everyone's bond with their dragon is different - I can see the way Rhenesath and I work together is different to, say… Livanyth and Rav, or Cy and Jaicoureth. But is it healthy for the bond if one half seems to be distant? I don't know the proper way to describe it, but if there's a dragon at this age who seems to spend more time alone, is that healthy for the link between dragon and rider? Or is it just what works for them and I shouldn't be concerned about it?"

M'icha shifts his weight to one hip, easing off his bad side as he casually folds his arms over his chest. His head lowers, brows knit in thought and while his gaze turns to look down as well, he is listening attentively to Thys. He blows out his cheeks and gives her a slightly bemused look. "Good questions y'got there! And I can tell ya now that one side being distant ain't damaging. At least, I've never seen it?" A slight shrug then, but the look he gives is reassuring. "Might look ugly on the outside but it usually comes full circle in the end. The link is still there and so long as it comes together when needed, for the two to be apart in 'downtime' ain't so bad. I wouldn't say you shouldn't be concerned about it… it's never bad to be observant of your fellow weyrlings, but it could be just how they are." Now he smiles faint and crooked and perhaps there's a silent understanding too.

Rhenesath nudges her head against Thys reassuringly, perhaps in agreement with M'icha. "Alright," Thys says, nodding her head as she takes in what the Weyrlingmaster says. "That's fine, then. We were just… thinking it over." She looks at her lifemate for a moment, then nods to whatever conversation is passed between them. "But so long as it's normal and it isn't going to lead to any harm, we'll keep our noses out." One hand strokes over Rhen's nose while the other fluffs up her short hair, and she turns her contemplative look into a smile. "We're ready to do the obstacle course whenever you are, sir."

"Does it trouble you?" M'icha prompts Thys while a brow quirks up before he shakes his head and chuckles dryly. "Shouldn't. My job is to monitor you all as you grow up 'n part of that is makin' sure the bond is solid. If I even so much as doubt things haven't meshed as they ought to, y'get held back. Plain 'n simple! Every weyrling pair progresses at their own pace and some take a wee bit longer than others to just adjust 'n it's noble of ya lass to worry, but y'don't have to let it trouble you too much." he goes on to elaborate and when Thys states that she and Rhenesath are ready to try the course, he nods, pleased. "Go on and pick an item then and I'll get ya yer blindfold!" Which he'll let her tie on herself!

"It did, a bit. After what happened with Tovihasuth and Kainaesyth." Thys does as she's told, selecting an old stuffed dragon as the item of the day. "And then when Kainaesyth was alone again this morning," she continues when she's back by the Weyrlingmaster, "Ha'ze yelled at him for trying to fly. He was angry because he didn't want Kai to overstretch his wings, which I understand, but then he kind of yelled at us when I suggested that if he was around more he wouldn't have to yell at his dragon. It upset Rhenesath. That's why it's been playing over and over in my mind… but I'll keep out of it, sir. This is what we'll be using today." Thys holds up the stuffie, its wings drooping limply by its sides.

M'icha nods his head and scrubs his thumb under his jaw again. "Ahh, yes. Those two! Wouldn't be the first dragons to wander about without their riders. Some are just more independent than others, must like we are." There's a frown from the Weyrlingmaster when Thys mentions the yelling and the older bluerider just sighs, "See… while not best to yell, Ha'ze has — hmm. Let's just say he's one who has a bit more coping to do than most. He'll sort it out. Rhenesath is alright now?" He turns to dip his head politely to the gold, while Aycheth rumbles from his ledge. « Nothing to be troubled by. All grow and learn in their own ways. » M'icha chuckles, "Y'don't have to stay out of it, so much as just… heh, how to explain? Be quiet support." Wait, isn't that the same thing? The Weyrlingmaster just grins and doesn't elaborate further, taking the stuffy and nodding his approval. "Go on and slip that blindfold in place and work on the image. I'll go and stash this in course. When yer ready, let me know."

Rhenesath stretches out her wings, raising her head to look up at Aycheth as she speaks to him. « Kainaesyth isn't concerned, so we shouldn't be. » It would seem she's the less troubled of her pairing, as there's nothing but happily flickering flames in her mindvoice as she croons up at the older blue. Thys nods at M'icha, turning to look at her lifemate so she can't see where the stuffie is being placed before she lifts the blindfold up to her eyes, blocking her vision. "Quiet support it is, sir. I think Rhenesath's tougher than to let a raised voice worry her for long… she'd have forgotten it, I think, if I hadn't been going over it again and again…" She turns to face the course, hands held by her sides and fingers twitching. "We're ready whenever you are, sir."

Aycheth's mind is night and stars but he welcomes Rhenesath's flickering flames as he whuffles down to the young gold. All is well! "Aye, and there's another lesson for you when it comes to the bond. You're going to have to learn to shield if you don't want 'em picking up on every little detail that pops into your head. That'll come in time, too." Stashing the dragon stuffy in one of the puzzle sections, it'll be nestled in a small nook that is raised just a little above the ground and will have to result in Thys climbing up onto a hay bale to get to it at the end of a rather slanted and narrow path. Tricky, but a good challenge and one that M'icha feels is sufficiently distracting enough. "Yer clear to go!" he calls as he limps his way out and to a spot where he can perch and watch with a critical eye.

"She doesn't like it if I try blocking anything," Thys says before moving off, directed by Rhenesath. The going is mostly slow, with Thys tripping over and only just saying herself from going down on her knees by grabbing at a nearby bale of hay. Once she's reassured Rhen that she's alright they get moving again, with Thys making her slow way down that narrow path. She bumps into the hay bale at the end, climbing onto her knees on it - and then a few moments later she curls her fingers around the little stuffed dragon. "Good job, Rhen." With the plushie cradled in her arms she returns to M'icha, smiling. "It's amazing how that works, isn't it? How you can see for each other?"

M'icha chuckles dryly, "It'll be good if you can at some point. Trust me, you'll want to have some of your life private!" He's taking all of this to memory and she may not be surprised if his next lecture to them the following morning or the next after touches on the subject of shielding and balance in the bond, as we'll as elaborating on the various differences of bonds from rider to rider. Little escapes the Weyrlingmaster and he's not one to make examples into lessons. For now, he observes Rhenesath and Thys and nods his head, pleased with their success of the course. "You'd be amazed of what you can do with the bond," he tells her with a grin. "We'll be working on that trick until you can both see for each other as though it were the most natural thing in the world. Now, I think that's enough for one night. How're you feeling now?"

How they're feeling now is answered by Rhenesath's huge yawn; the gold drops her forequarters in a feline-esque stretch, then stands straight, wings flared wide, one back leg fully extended behind her, followed by the other. It's about as content a sleepiness as could be. Thys grins, looking up at her lifemate with an adoring gaze. "She's tired, now. About ready to turn in after a little oiling." In fact, the weyrling dragon is already making her way to the barracks, leaving Thys to wrap up. "Everything we've already learnt is amazing, sir. I had no idea there would be this much depth to it all, or that it would take so much work…" Standing by the entrance to the barracks, Rhenesath pipes up with her whining keen, calling for Thys. It makes the girl wince apologetically. "I'm sorry, sir - I need to go get her to shut up." Because it's an annoying sound at best! "Thank you for your time. We'll see you in the morning?" Before turning to leave she salutes smartly, getting in a quick smile before she jogs over to Rhenesath… who's quiet, once Thys is by her side.

"Just you wait, lass. There's a lot more to come! This is just to very start, the foundation." M'icha grins and when Rhenesath begins her keen, the Weyrlingmaster winces and gives a dismissive wave of his hand. Go, go! He knows by now of the gold's quirk and he doesn't hold Thys back. "Anytime, weyrling. And aye, you will and so will the others! Go on now, get some sleep. You'll need it!" No, that wasn't a threat. It was a very wise piece of advice. M'icha will be putting them through their paces, now that the first month is progressing on. Seeing them off into the barracks, he will move on to his office and stay within it for the night.