Dragonhealer Checkup (1/2)
Dragonsfall Weyr
Amber Hills Hold
Vintner Hall
Healer Hall
Hidden Meadows
Dolphin Cove Weyr
Dolphin Hall
Emerald Falls Hold
Harper Hall
Printer Hall
Green Valley Hold
Leeward Lagoon Hold
Barrier Lake Weyr
Sunstone Seahold
Citrus Bay Hold
Writers: Corrin, Duskdog, Halyonix, Sia, Steel, Yvonne
Date Posted: 16th April 2025
Characters: M'thos, E'kirim, Sybana, Rh'din, Katora, Zaphare, Sanvi, Mirelka
Description: The weyrlings get a check-up to make sure they're ready to carry their riders
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 6, day 6 of Turn 12
Notes: Dragonets are 3 months old.
If this had been any other class, M'thos might have assured the weyrlings that this was just a routine check-up. After the shenanigans of a few sevendays ago, however, it was worth it to watch them squirm a little. "You'll be attempting your first flights in a few days." He told them once he'd gotten everyone's attention. "We've already gotten a few injuries due to overeagerness, and I'd like to prevent any more. Journeyman Mirelka is here to make sure your dragon is developing properly and that we won't see any issues later. Your first flight should be a special moment."
Mirelka nodded to the weyrlingmaster second, then looked out towards the group of weyrlings. She was short (and looked shorter standing next to M'thos), with flecks of grey in her hair. "When it's your turn, you're going to direct your dragon to follow my Vireth. She'll do a short circuit around the training ground, and will work all the muscles you've been building. We'll watch for any issues. If you feel pain through your bond, you tell me."
She smiled a little, trying to be encouraging. "This isn't a test. Every baby develops at their own rate, and dragons aren't any different. We want to prevent accidents and injuries that could set you further back. Now, who would like to go first?"
}: Come come, step up! :{ Vireth called happily, }: First we stretch, then we run, then we fly. And we'll stretch again. :{ She amended after a patient reminder.
Norrianth happily bounced from his place near E'kirim to join Vireth. He was about as big as her already, though she easily shoved him in the shoulder when he got a little too close. }: Mimic me, little one. :{ She instructed, and began a series of short exercises and stretches the weyrlings had been practicing before their little adventure. A short hop-run ending in a big stretch, sitting back on their haunches and flapping their wings. The test ended with a sprint into a short flight. It all took about ten minutes in total.
Despite not getting much air, Norrianth hit the ground hard and at a run, his claws pulling up clumps of dirt as he happily trotted back to E'kirim, chest puffed up and proud.
"Good, very good." Mirelka said, "He seems like he's doing well. He didn't have any injuries when he tried to fly, did he?"
"No, ma'am." E'kirim answered. He scritched the bronze's hide as his reward.
"He is getting a little hefty, beyond what we expect from bronzes of his size." Mirelka continued, "You should cut down how much dinner he's getting, and then limit him once he starts to hunt on his own. That should be in the next sevenday or so."
E'kirim's scritches stopped and Norrianth straightened up in surprise. The feeling of _audacity_ reverberated through E'kirim before he really understood it was Norrianth's, and the shocked expression quickly turned into one of amusement. "Well, looks like you've been getting extra dinner all this time, buddy."
}: Mad. :{
Galgaith usually wanted to go first in all things, but she was also typically less attentive when instructed by chromatic dragons. Oh, she liked them well enough--she was actually distracted chatting with Kiziolth--but she didn’t seem to attend them quite the way she did Domorth. Norriath had already started before she decided to care.
She waited for Vireth at the starting line, announcing her presence with a bugle. While Norrianth was nearly the same size as the green, Galgaith matched her tip to tail and was clearly broader and heavier besides.
As expected, she was less graceful going through the exercises than her svelte green instructor, but she did them all with enthusiasm and hearty vigor. Her flight was excessively long--just to show off--which added a bit to their time, but she came down when Sybana finally called her and breezed through the final stretches.
The new gold wasn't…graceful, by any means, nor pretty, but she was powerful, and her easy and thunderous pace around the grounds looked healthy. She'd be a big one once she was finished growing. The greenrider only frowned when Galgaith conti at allnued to show off and keep flying once Vireth had landed. "She needs work on listening to instructions…" she glanced down at her clipboard, "...Sybana, but otherwise she's developing wonderfully.”
“She listens alright,” said Sybana with an indulgent smile for the gold. Leading her back to the line of weyrlings she patted Galgaith’s broad neck. **You looked _beautiful_ out there.** She would have called her to task sooner, but it seemed like harmless fun and Galgaith had felt so happy.
“Who's next?"
}:Oh, me!! Me!!:{ Paskith announced, already bounding forward with outspread wings and a bugle, before Rh'din could even raise his hand or speak.
The blue rider tried an apologetic sort of smile to Mirelka-- and his nearest classmate. “He's just excited.” he offered, as Paskith nearly literally threw himself after Vireth, flapping energetically. He was smaller than the green, still-- but he _was_ seemingly bigger than his blue siblings.
"That's all right…" Mirelka checked her clipboard. "Rh'din. That's a hefty blue you have there. As long as he doesn't feel any pain, he's good to go. Although," she paused as Vireth had to give the eager blue a gentle shove to redirect his overeagerness and keep a safe distance between them for when they landed, "You'll need to watch he stays in his own space, or in formation. He's not turning as easily as other blues. It's his build, but you'll need to keep that in mind and his overeagerness in check."
Not to be outdone by her friend Paskith, Saoirth ambled up to the line with a calm grace. She mirrored Vireth’s instructions with observant precision. Katora watched proudly. “She has no problems doing what she’s told,” she said to the dragonhealer. “She didn’t try to fly with the others. She knew better than to endanger herself.”
"Good for her. Even still, everyone grows at a different rate, and we need to be sure she's fit for you to ride." Mirelka said mildly. Mirelka didn't hold the little adventure against them; despite all their sizes, they were still baby animals. She regarded Katora with mild amusement. The girl would likely go far with that kind of attitude, but she would not be well liked. "Well then, let's see what she can do."
}: Come come, little one! :{ Vireth called. }: Follow me. :{
There was an excited glint to Saoirth’s eyes. She unfurled her wings, hesitated just for a moment, and then followed Vireth as precisely as she could, even into the final hop that propelled her into flight. Katora could feel Saoirth concentrating, trying to balance weight and wing, and thought she heard a soft grunt as the dragonet landed. }: I will need more practice, :{ she remarked to her rider, }: but I think I have the basics down. :{ Her head swung around to look at Vireth. }: Did I get it correct? :{
}: You did very well, little one.:{ Vireth agreed gently as Mirelka nodded.
"She looks like she's progressing wonderfully, Katora." The dragonhealer said, "Make sure she keeps practicing before your first flight together. She'll need to carry your weight, too."
Zollarth had decided that he didn’t want to do this thing today, and resisted Zaphare’s mental bullying until she gave in to offering flattery and suggested this might be a good opportunity to show off, and perhaps the healer would award him a gold star badge.
He didn’t precisely know what a “star” was, but if it was shiny, he wanted it.
So he stepped up, sitting up proudly to go through his exercises.
“He complained about his neck hurting when the fall first happened, but I didn’t feel any pain from him and he checked out fine, and he hasn’t mentioned it since,” Zaphare told Mirelka. “He tends to be a little bit dramatic.”
}: I am _not_ dramatic! :{ Zollarth protested dramatically, and as he followed Vireth through his paces, he _did_ try to put a little extra flair into his performance here and there, eyeing both the green and her rider occasionally for signs of shock and awe.
He was a small blue at hatching and hadn’t reached any astounding growth spurts to change that -- he remained the smallest of his brothers, built long but also a bit on the delicate side. He showed no signs of pain or injury, but some discomfort as he flapped during his short flight, trying too hard to overcompensate for weakness.
}: Good job, little one. :{ Vireth encouraged.
"It's good that he's not in any pain." Mirelka said gently. "Though he's still quite small for age. He needs a bit more height and more muscle before he's able to carry you in the air. Doing it before he's physically ready to carry you both. I'll be back in a sevenday to check in on his growth, all right? We'll get you in the air in no time."
**You go next. Let’s get this over with,** Sanvi told Respellath.
The green dragonet hopped excitedly in place until Vireth called her forward and managed to follow instructions adeptly if not perfectly. She got side tracked at one point and snapped at a v-tol mid-hop, and Sanvi winced in sympathy as she flapped her wings.
"Good job, Respellath!" Mirelka said with a smile. "A little playfulness is fine, Sanvi. She's big now, but she's still a baby. As long as she's not feeling any discomfort or pain, you'll be ready to fly together."
Last updated on the April 25th 2025