Fort Weyr - North Bowl
The northern end of the bowl can be an intimidating area, being that Fort is the largest weyr. The far north wall contains the gigantic opening to the hatching caverns, and to the west of that can be seen the sprawling ledges and carved stair cases that mark the way to the weyrleader's complex and junior queens ledges. The west cliff wall towers up, dotted here and there by darker openings that mark individual weyrs before it tapers to a point at Tooth Crag. At ground level on the western wall is the opening to the weyrling barracks, occasional glimpses can be caught of newly paired mates. On the eastern wall of the bowl is the entrance into the living cavern, the heart of the weyr.
In the light spring drizzle, bright and early in the morning, the weyr's north bowl is just waking up with the start of day for most of the residents. However, there's not all that many dragons around, for Roc wing starts out early on the early shift and the late shift won't be coming on until mid afternoon. So it is, that X'an waits beside Izelth, wearing a stern kind of expression, with his arms folded over his chest. His foot taps the somewhat soggy floor as he looks at the barracks entrance. "You called them?" Izelth snorts in affirmation. "Good, well… we'll see who's coming and who's not…"
Caldoth emerges from the barracks at quite a pace, with A'mar trailing along behind. "Slow down Cal, I can't move as fast as you!" the young teen calls out, then waves when he notices X'an. "Hello, sir." the potter-turned-weyrling calls out, as he catches up with the blue weyrling, and the pair come to a complete stop in front of X'an and Izelth.
X'an nods lightly to Caldoth, but fixes more attention on A'mar. "Are you having a growthspurt kiddo?" he asks, edge of his mouth tucking up a little tiny amount in a grin as he pushes away from Izelth's side to come and prod at the youth, checking his legs, his arms and even his balance with a jostle. "You got your riding gear now? Should have been fitted for at least one set by now…" he comments. Izelth meanwhile, spreads his wings and makes a few warm-up beats, rumbling encouragement to Caldoth to follow suit. "And your blue, he's been doing his excersizes, right?"
A'mar blinks, and looks down at himself. "Well, I guess I am growing a bit more, now that I notice." he says, in awe. He's no doubt been too busy with Caldoth to really pay much attention to his own body beyond the basics of food health and hygiene. He tugs at his jacket sleeves, grimacing slightly as he discovers that they don't quite reach long enough anymore, then looks up at X'an. "Oh, riding gear. Yes, sir. And Caldoth has been doing his excercises." he adds, standing back as Caldoth starts to warm up like Izelth is showing him.
X'an aims a pat on A'mar's shoulder. Not a condescending kind… a thumping a'da'boy kind. "That's why they make hems to be let out at your age, A'mar. Anyway…" turning brusque again, he looks over to Caldoth and marches that way, letting the young rider catch up to his longer stride, he turns a critical eye to Caldoth's wing muscles as the blue performs his warmups. "I'm going to thump your muscle groups, Caldoth. I want to test their density… then if I'm pleased, you and yours will be skyborn with myself and Izelth."
A'mar grins up at X'an, then moves in to follow him over, watching carefully. "Is this something I'll need to do one day?" he wants to learn everything he possibly can, to be the best rider that he can be. Caldoth watches X'an also, but his gaze is more one of wariness. "No, I don't think he will hurt you terribly. If you check out, you'll need to be able to fly." a pause, "Yes, I -know- how badly you want to fly."
X'an looks over his shoulder at the young man. "Well, if you want to help out with the weyrlings of the future, then certainly… come here." he points to Caldoth's wing muscles. "Their hide is so thick, the only way you can really tell if there's good development underneath there is by a good thump. When they're newly hatched, there's almost no resistence to your effort… but if you get a solid feeling underneath, it's usually a good sign. Also, you just get adept at seeing what you're looking for after a few dozen classes…" and so saying, he proceeds to ball a fist and thump along Caldoth's shoulder joint, down across his barrel some and down his flank. It really won't hurt the dragon… it'd feel more like a massage, most likely. "Hmmm… good development dorsally, not quite as much laterally but no terrifically so. That usually comes when you have the air underneath your sails. To warn though: Air is harder than you think it is. If you feel any discomfort up in the skies, you let Izelth know immediately. The last thing we want is muscle strain on a maiden journey, no?"
A'mar nods, glancing over at Caldoth's head briefly before turning his attention back to the blue's wing muscles, and X'an's words on the subject. "Ah, interesting." At the first thump Caldoth makes a small noise, merely startled even though he knew it was coming. A'mar frowns almost seriously, and nods. "Okay, sir." he says, then glances to Caldoth. "Do we get to fly today, sir?" he asks, eagerly.
X'an nods slowly. "Yeah, I think you do. Before you mount up though, tell me the proceedures and checks you should do before ever taking off." he crooks a finger, leading A'mar back to Izelth's side as the bronze helpfully lifts his own wing, so that A'mar can do a thump down his own, very well developed muscles to get a feel for it, turning his head around on his neck to watch.
A'mar frowns slightly, then says, "Make sure the straps are on securely. Make sure everyone is buckled into the straps. Make sure pretty much everything is secure. Um. Check the dragons hide for cracks?" he says, glancing to Caldoth briefly. "Check… Check the air space above, so you don't bump into anyone? Make sure you have a clear visualisation for between?" the young teen looks to X'an, not feeling entirely sure he's remembered everything.
X'an smiles some, to himself and nods. "Absolutely. And once you've done it all, it pays to doublecheck. Both you and your dragon should check the skies before take-off. Their eyesight is less bifocal than ours, they see more." He claps his hands together. "Alright then rider… mount up!" and so saying, he does so himself, after doublechecking the straps.
[DTU/Project] Caldoth senses that Izelth clears his mental throat, rumbles of flames in a tropical aztec ruin. «A'right then… in a moment, we're gonna take off, fly high above fort, do one circuit above the bowl, then if yer feelin' alright, I'll take ya through *between*… return trip, I'll want -you- ta visualise home for us. I'll correct if it ain't quite right. Clear?» he waits for affirmation.
[DTU/Project] Izelth senses that Caldoth responds with a refreshing spring shower over grassy meadows, and a simple « Clear. »
Izelth's neck> X'an watches whilst A'mar gets himself settled, leaning to the side with an elbow on one knee. Goggles down and helmet on, he calls over. "Try and keep a half-length to the side of Izelth and mark your position there when we fly. It's good practice to fly in formation…" then he checks the skies, infront and behind, whilst his bronze does the same and signals clear for takeoff, waiting for the return signal from A'mar.
Caldoth's neck> A'mar nods, and signals his reply to X'an, then grabs hold of the straps, in preparation for launch. Caldoth tenses up slightly, like a coiled spring, ready to leap into flight at the signal.
Izelth does likewise, wings flicking up with the crack of sails catching the wind as he crouches down, there's a single hollar back of. "Brace yourself, the first launch tends to throw you back against their neckridge…" - then with the signal to fly, Izelth catapults himself like a bullet from a gun, up into the skies with two powerful downbeats.
Fort Weyr - North Sky
The northern sky of Fort Weyr, dotted in the cliffs are entrances to various 'weyrs' of all the posted riders. A larger opening leads the way into the hatching caverns upper viewing ledges. The large Tooth Crag is also visible, a single spire rising up to pierce the sky.
Caldoth follows Izelth, then pulls into formation position as instructed. A'mar certainly does get thrown back a bit, despite his best bracing efforts. "Ooh, that'll hurt tomorrow." he says, wincing slightly.
Outside of Caldoth's neck, Fort Weyr - North Sky: Izelth turns his head to look back at Caldoth, brassily bugling encouragement to his young blue son, then turns his attention back forward, looking upward as he angles his wings to catch the winds that come in from the lakeshore, balooning upward quite swiftly. Hand signals from X'an, exaggerated for distance, call the blue pair to do the same.
Sky Over Fort Weyr
Flying higher into the sky, the traffic lightens slightly. Dotted throughout the cliff walls are the 'weyrs' of the dragon pairs that make their homes here.
[DTU/Project] Caldoth senses that Izelth calls across the short distance. «This is the place we're gonna go.» Bringing an image to mind of a stony hold, austere looking in a somewhat dour landscape. «It's the place where mine was born… Bitra hold.» (ooc: dtu learn bit=izelth)
[DTU/Project] Izelth senses that Caldoth responds, « A'mar understands. We're ready. » with his thick Ruathan accent. He sends the image right back again to confirm that he has it correct, then waits for the command.
[DTU/Project] Caldoth senses that Izelth reaffirms the image, making it very vivid and clear in the mind's of both dragons. «Now, just let yourself slip inbetween here an' there. Like divin' in the lake…. instruct yours to take a deep breath and count to three whilst you do it.» - the instruction given, the bronze just vanishes. POOF!
Sky over Bitra Hold
Spiralling towards the courtyard, one can make out the various shapes of the Hold, and the people wandering to and from their daily tasks.
Izelth is circling around the sky above the hold, dreary and drizzly though it might be. At Caldoth's successful re-emergence, he once more bugles a brassy and enthusiastic support of the blue. From his neck, X'an pumps the air in triumph.
Caldoth's neck> A'mar gasps for air, and shakes his head. "Whoa. That was … whoa." Well, the boy was raised in Fort Weyr, and never had much need to go any place, so he'd probably not really been between much in his life. Most definitely never on his own dragon. "We're here? Are we here? Are you okay, Caldoth?" the young teen suddenly bursts into questions. Caldoth rumbles in mild amusement, then apparantly answers as his young rider relaxes, and turns slightly red.
Izelth's neck> X'an laughs, hearing only snippets of the gush of questions in the rush of air. He cups his hands around his mouth and bellows across the distance. "Everything alright? Nothing sore?"
Caldoth's neck> A'mar grins, and cups his hands around his mouth too, responding almost as loudly, "I don't think so!" meaning he doesn't think anything is sore. He has even more questions, but if he shouted them across he'd go hoarse, and the dragon relay system doesn't occur to him at this moment. Although, it does occur to Caldoth, who asks of Izelth, « What should we do next? » eager to continue the lesson.
Izelth's neck> X'an gives a nod and an exaggerated thumbs up, pointing upward into the broader vista of open sky. Izelth supplies though: «I want ya to bring home to mind. Picture nothin' as is moving though. Just the weyr, with the landscape around it. Practice with your one, then send me what ya come up with.»
[DTU/Project] Izelth senses that Caldoth has pooled his eyesight and his rider's eye for details as a sculptor of pottery, and comes up with an image of Fort that is not bad for a first try. He breaks off midway, then there is another long pause, and he sends a slightly better image. « It all looks so different from above » is how he tries to explain his second attempt. Better to try a hundred times and get a good image than to jump on the first, and never emerge.
[DTU/Project] Caldoth senses that Izelth studies the image, reinforcing the final offering and clarifying it for the first-time fliers. A triple bowl affair, with the lake spreading out from the south end, surrounded by the forests and the odd view of the mountains in the distance. «Not bad on yer first try. When we get back, you'll have ta fly around… you've got permission now we've done this with ya… to learn better, what all the local areas look like from the sky. You ready?»
Fort Weyr - Center Bowl
The wide center of the bowl is often bustling with activity as riders come and go. Off westward can be seen the entrances for the candidate barracks and the guest weyr, while to the east is a large opening that leads into the dragon infirmary. The bowl stretches off both to the north and to the south, where the sheer stone walls rise steeply to the sky.
X'an takes to the earth of the bowl again, under somewhat heavier rain than when they left, but at least it's not a downpour, right? As A'mar and Caldoth land, he starts applauding, though his expression is still reserved. "Well done, well done indeed." he calls over, looking at the blue. "You should check him over manually, for any stiffness… they're sometimes known to be too excited to tell you about a small knot or the like. Either way, it pays to be cautious. What did you think of it? And can you tell me why you should not put anything transitory in your images?"
A'mar slips down to the ground, a bit wobbly on his feet now. "That was … interesting." Then the boy looks to Caldoth, and laughs. "I know." he says, then explains to X'an, "He said the air tastes like freedom. I think that means he liked it." he says, with a grin. Though, when X'an talks of checking Caldoth over, the boy nods seriously, and moves over to do so. "Cal, you alright?" he asks as he does, frowning slightly at the blue. "We'll work on our visualisations soon." he says, then repeats, "Are you alright?" although he's not waiting for an answer, instead moving in to check manually as X'an said.
X'an turns to pat Izelth's neck, a fond look that's intensely personal, coming to his face at something exchanged on a private level. Then with a nod, he moves over to stand beside A'mar, watching as the weyrling works and apparently waiting for an answer to his question.
A'mar was distracted with Caldoth's well being, but of course the blue points out the question that he missed, and the boy blushes. "Oh, um. You shouldn't use stuff that changes, because it won't be there when you want to come back." When being the operative word here - that kind of visualisation can often result in timing. He frowns briefly at Caldoth. "Um, his wings are a little sore. Is that normal?"
X'an nods perfunctly at the response, when it comes. "Exactly. And if your lifemate cannot find the moment where things were exactly as you saw them in the image, you may well be lost forever, trying to find that moment." Spoken sagely and morosely, he looks up at the blue's sails. "Fairly normal. It's the first time he's used them over a length of time, with you on his back also. All you have to do is make sure they're rubbed with a numbweed linament of a mild dilution, then after that's done it's job, oil them. You'll also want to concentrate your oiling, over the next weeks, on his shoulder joints and flanks around the wing base… they'll be growing."
A'mar nods, glancing over at Caldoth. "Okay." he says, frowning slightly at the blue. "Caldoth wants to know if we can still fly around, like Izelth mentioned earlier." he asks. Then he frowns at X'an. "Do many people get lost between?" is his next question, soon followed by, "And is between always so cold?" he shivers at the thought. "It must be terrible to be stuck there. All cold and nothing."
X'an nods. "Yes, many people have been lost between. Still more have been lost in other ways." He doesn't explain what they are though, instead looking back at Izelth with a sad sort of look on his face. "There is no light, no heat, no air, no motion. Between here and there, is nothing but the fifth dimension that interlinks all time and space together. It's a dangerous and splendid thing to be able to teleport." very quietly. Then he claps his hands together. "You can fly… just make sure his wings are not stiff tomorrow… no more for today though. Just gliding around the bowl and all. You'll be asigned to do some local deliveries once you and he are used to the air."
A'mar nods slowly. "Okay." he says simply, glancing to Caldoth. "We'll work on getting a better view for visualisations soon enough. Before we need it, yes." the boy says, shaking his head at his eager lifemate. "You and your freedom… We'll be free soon enough."
X'an nods with a smile. "Soon enough indeed… I'm sure the time's flown by much quicker than you thought possible." He looks up at the sky then, sniffs and notes. "You are dismissed weyrling. Well done." And with a salute, he makes his way back to Izelth and presumably the call of paperwork.
