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.


Autumn is creeping in slowly over the Weyr. The air is crisp and carries a coolness to it that promises of cold and winter to come. Today though the sun is out and the air is a little warmer than it has been the last few days. Perfect day for a lecture! Outdoors even. M'icha will send the dragon-half of the weyrlings off to the fields or at least the sidelines. It's only their riders he's interested in today. So there he patiently waits, an all knowing smirk curving his lips as he stands with his weight heavily to one hip to ease off his bad leg and his arms crossed over his chest. "Come on, come on you lot! I ain't going to bite. You should know that by now!"

Xianeth flies off to the sidelines, turning and sitting down, watching curiously. At least for a minute or two. B'yrl joins the other weyrlings, and heads on over to M'icha with the others. He's enjoyed the other training exercises. He wonders how this one will go.

"Alright, so we're going to keep this simple and painless. Most of you knew this was going to come to pass. The rest of you, well…" M'icha spreads his hands in an almost helpless gesture. "You're gonna learn. So park it and listen and we'll get to questions later. Don't!" He gives Ig'an and a few other weyrlings a levelled look of warning. "Interrupt me either. Wait your turns to gabber at me. Else we'll be here till nightfall. Okay?" He'll wait for their confirmations before nodding. "Okay. So." Those hands clap together this time and the Weyrlingmaster smirks. "Mating flights. Your dragons are all reaching maturity soon, which means for you riding females —" He gives a pointed look to B'yrl. "They'll be mature enough to go proddy and rise in their mating flights. For those of you riding males, it means you're boys are going to be chasing any glowing female." Have fun with that? "We'll focus on the females to start…"

B'yrl screws his mouth in slight tenseness when M'icha glances at him, mentioning riding females. He waits patiently while M'icha explains. He wouldn't change his dragon for anything. But mating flights? It's a potential in awkwardness salad, tossed with a side of possible gender confusion. Xia gives a snort in amusement at a thought from B'yrl.

"Females blood. It's important, as they need it for energy for a successful flight. Generally when a female starts to blood, the males will get in on the action too as they need it for the same reason." M'icha goes on to explain without skipping a beat. "If she eats, she'll be too heavy to fly high enough. Which is bad. Worse yet for a gold as a meat-laden, heavy gold won't fly high and the result is a poor clutch. But as we've no gold in this group, we'll focus back on greens 'n greens don't clutch, as you all know. They do rise more often though and will be chased by every blue, brown and bronze fit enough to fly her." Another smirk for that. "Generally you'll know when a green is about to rise. Their hides will begin to glow. Subtly at first but brighter the closer she is to rising. If you're the rider of a green, you'll notice a change perhaps in her behavior, be it minor or major. You may feel a bit different too — all riders are different. Some feel introverted, some feel flirty, others become temperamental… it goes on and on. I can't teach you what will happen to you, just warn you what to expect. Sadly this is where this delves more into personal experience." Sorry? "Any questions?"

B'yrl decides to speak up for this part. "Do we need to be there for the mating flight?" he inquires, perhaps for some obvious reason.

M'icha snorts softly as he gives B'yrl a lingering look. "Yup, afraid so, kid. There's no escaping this or locking yourself up somewhere and hoping it'll all pass by. When she," He nod his head to Xianeth. "Goes to blood, you're to get your butt to those feeding pens. It's a part of being a rider. Not saying you're gonna like it but most accept it. Some have tried to evade it, by either picking another partner to substitute or whatnot but it rarely works." He holds up his hand, "A dragon flies, the rider complies. You're going to be so wrapped up and consumed by the urges in Xianeth that it'll be next to impossible for you to think coherently. You'll want what she wants… to put it simply." And bluntly. Some of the other weyrlings shift uncomfortably. Awkward? You bet. "That answer your question, kid or do you have more?"

B'yrl shifts a bit, and glances over the other weyrlings here, then his gaze wanders back over to M'ich. "None that I wish to have answered at this time." He'll have to figure out a better time and way to ask other questions. For more awkwardness.

"Alright then," M'icha will pause to see if anyone else speaks up and when none do, he moves on. "So. Where were we? Oh right. You don't have to look on this as dreadful. Awkward? Yes. Won't lie to you there. But most riders understand that a flight is just that — a flight. It's a sort of mutual understanding, rather than something scorned and feared." He thinks back on everything he already covers and then shrugs his shoulders, "That's the short of it, really. Not much else I can tell you. Other than this is a natural thing. And that, if any of you are virgins… you may want to take care of that. Especially you ladies." Because THAT wasn't awkward at all! M'icha clears his throat, "Now. Let those questions fly or if you need time to absorb all of this go on and get to your exercises." If one is looking to have the Weyrlingmaster's ear privately, now is the time!

B'yrl glances back to Xia, who's still sitting there on the sidelines. She's finding something interesting. He turns back to M'icha. "Perchance I could have a moment, Weyrlingmaster, to inquire something of a less comfertable nature?"

Several, if not all, of the Weyrlings scatter and M'icha is left with B'yrl. His question is met with a brisk nod and a flick of his hand. "Go on. I'm listening."

B'yrl decides to get right to the point. "What occurs with male green riders during the mating flight?"

M'icha frowns for a moment as he tries to puzzle out the question. "What do you mean? The same thing happens to all riders, despite gender. We all are influenced by the mating flight urges, whether or not we ride a female dragon or a male dragon. As a greenrider, however, you'll feel the effects of proddiness, like I explained. How you'll react… I'm not sure. That depends on Xianeth. I've known some greenriders hardly change at all until the actual flight while others get entirely flirty and touchy-feely."

B'yrl gives a slow bob of his head at M'icha's words. "Then I shall await the time to learn what will be." he agrees. "I shall look foward to it, for the sake of Xia." he decides.

M'icha exhales softly and scratches along his jawline. Oh shells, this doesn't get any easier over the Turns! "Be honest with me, kid. Something got you spooked about her eventually rising?"

Log Incomplete — More to come!


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