Dragonhealer Checkup (2/2)
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: Aaron, Corrin, Duskdog, Halyonix, Iluva, Sia
Date Posted: 16th April 2025
Characters: M'thos, C'uren, L'kayric, M'rhas, Nosarre, S'yen, Z'renh, Halia, 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.
}: I’m not sure I should try, :{ Roeth remarked to C’uren as they watched the others. }: It still hurts a little. :{
“Pain is weakness leaving the body, my friend!” C’uren answered with unapologetic brightness. “Come on, let’s have the dragonhealer look at your wings and you’ll be fit to take a short flight too!”
"Let's take a look, Roeth." Mirelka said to the brown. She hadn't looked at the clipboard to remember his rider's name. "Stretch it out- there you go. It's good he mentioned that he's in pain. You two should stay after the checkup and we'll show you some exercises to loosen up that muscle. You'll be cleared to fly once that muscle heals."
Orysteth wasn’t in any hurry. He waited patiently for most of his siblings to take their turns, watching them and occasionally rumbling a soft reassurance when one of them seemed hesitant or anxious. His turn would come soon enough.
And when it did, he stepped up neatly. }:Hello Vireth, thank you for the guidance.:{
As he followed her through the routine, L’kayric watched proudly but anxiously. Orysteth hadn’t taken the cliff flight with Galgaith, and he hadn’t shown any signs of any other physical difficulties as he’d grown, so he knew there shouldn’t be any reason to worry. Yet he did.
“I’ve been told he looks disproportionate,” he told Mirelka, frowning. “I don’t think so. He looks perfect to me. And in perfect shape… look how sure he is!” He glanced at her, his stomach churning. “...Right?”
Oh, the sweet boy (the dragon). Orysteth did look a little awkward, but it was with the silliness of any adolescent. "He's doing just fine." Mirelka assured the weyrling. "He's got excellent control already. As long as he's not feeling any pain, you're good to fly."
Alzaryth began to pace the closer it got to his turn. Shifting uneasily from paw to paw, wanting to be anywhere else and doing anything but this, he _was_ eager to fly" just not in front of the entire class, not with his dear M’rhas this excited and hopeful for the result.
“He didn’t fly with the others, either.” M’rhas told Mirelka almost as an afterthought, sounding an odd mix of unimpressed and proud.
Like Saiorth and Jenith, the young blue had been more than happy to stay bound to the earth he’d hatched on during the test flights, firmly anchored in the feeling of ‘we are not supposed to be doing this’. But now he was supposed to be doing this: just jump into the air and follow Vireth with all eyes on him. Adamanth’s, Galgaith’s…
Alzaryth’s hop, hop, stumble, drag of his back leg forward therefore weren’t the result of injury, but a rather supreme case of awkwardness coupled with crippling anxiety. At Vireth’s prompting and M’rhas’ bright nod, he took a few hesitant steps toward her, head low, back arched and wings unfurling in the vague hope of hiding himself right before he had to show his entire self.
}: It's all right, little one. :{ Vireth tried to encourage as they worked through the paces. }: My rider is just making sure you're getting big and strong. Come on, follow me. :{
"As long as he isn't feeling any pain, he should be fine." Mirelka said, "A little nervousness is normal, but I'm worried he'll accidentally spook and throw you. Stay late, too, and we'll talk about how to keep reassuring him. And maybe a few exercises to prevent him from spooking, all right?"
“He wouldn't.” M'rhas began to assure her like she could actually be scared for them, “He'd never throw me.” But it was too late" he was getting instructions because he didn't know how to reassure his own dragon. His face flamed with the intensity of his embarrassment knowing it was true, even partially. “Alright.” He nodded in resignation, and, giving Alzaryth a soft pat, for the first time could admit he was glad that none of his brothers had Impressed with him.
Kiziolth was next, her happy chitchat with Galgaith stopping suddenly again when Nosarre's eyes fell on her. The green had a few scrapes from her midair collision with Kiziolth, and her sore muscles on the base of her wings and back still hurt when she moved.
**Go on.** Nosarre instructed. **Do as you're told.**
Kiziolth stumbled in her rush to listen, then lengthened her stride to try and keep up with the larger green. She extended her wings as far as she could, not quite reaching a full extension. She tried to run into a glide after Vireth, but the sudden pain of being airborne made her keen sharply and fall roughly back to the ground.
Mirelka was there in moments, hands on the green’s shoulder, checking the muscle with firm, practiced pressure. “Still tight. Tender. We might want to talk about putting her wing in a sling until the muscle heals. Absolutely no flying at all until we can clear you, do you understand?"
Nosarre frowned, the familiar disappointment making Kiziolth wilt.
“Your turn,” S’yen said to Jenith. The bubbly blue had been watching all of it with great interest and now stepped up to the line to show himself to the dragonhealer pair.
}: I think I’m ready. I’m confident I can do this, :{ he said to Vireth as he spread his wings.
}: Let's go, little one. :{ Vireth said, and took him through the paces.
Jenith followed mostly to the letter except that he misjudged the leap into flight. He wobbled dangerously, causing S’yen to hurry forward a few steps in concern. }: I got it, I got it! :{ he assured his rider. }: That was a weird angle, that’s all. I can do this. :{ It was a reverse of what should be happened -- Jenith was assuring S’yen instead of the other way around.
Mirelka didn't hear the reassurance, of course, but she caught S'yen's expression and the blue's shift in body language. "It's all right." She said, "They're learning, they make mistakes. It's like sitting on a runnerbeast, if you've done that before. They feel your anxiety and get stressed. He just needs a bit more practice before you fly together, all right?"
}:I have told you,:{ said Adamanth. }:I am unharmed. I am in perfect health. If I must go, then let the others go ahead of me.:{
**She’s here now,** said Z’renh. **It’s rude to make her come back for you later. You’re practically last as it is, and Arimith didn’t try to fly. You did. Just go now.**
}:I did not try. I flew. Very well, I will see the healer now:{
}: Come with me, little one. :{ Vireth said encouragingly, even though Adamanth was about her size. }: Follow along. Do you feel any pain? :{
Adamanth decided he would humor this healer’s dragon. She was, after all, only doing her job. He walked regally beside her.
}:I feel no pain.:{
}: Good. :{ Vireth took him through the paces, ending with a short flight.
Mirelka shook her head. What was it with the metallics of this clutch? "If you aren't feeling any pain from your bond, you should be good to fly." She said to Z'renh, "Watch out for any signs of strain leading up to it, or during. And," she looked critically at Adamanth, "You might want to start limiting his dinner, too."
Z’renh covered his smile with his hand. Adamanth _was_ a bit pudgy, but he was never going to have much success with convincing him to eat less.
“Yes, ma’am.”
Arimith went last. A pleaser, she was more than happy to let her more excited clutchmates go before her, and Halia was in no rush. Not after hearing several of the other pairs get denied clearance for paired flights.
Her Arimith hadn’t gotten caught up in Galgaith’s ill-fated adventure, (she had been napping at the time,) but she _was_ one of the smallest greens of the clutch. If Zollarth and Kiziolth couldn’t bear their riders yet then Halia had a sinking feeling Arimith wouldn’t make the cut either. She would miss out on the first day of flying herself-- a day she’d been waiting forever for.
}: Don’t worry, don’t worry! :{ Arimith crooned, nudging her hand. }: I won’t let you down! :{
Halia knew it wouldn’t be as simple as that, but she stroked the green’s muzzle and sent her on her way with all the feelings of love and support she could muster.
Arimith went through her paces well. She had been watching all the rounds before her and didn’t seem to have any trouble with the stretching, running or flying. Only after, during the examination, did she show any agitation, fluttering her wings anxiously as they waited for a verdict.
"Arimith is doing all right." Mirelka said after a beat, not noticing Halia's anxiety at first. "She's on the small size, but she's hitting all her milestones. You should be able to fly together on time, but you need to keep an eye on her in case she shows any signs of strain, okay?"
M'thos clapped his hands to get the kids attention. "That's it, thank you everyone. K'yne is waiting for you for your next lesson. Fianwyth has already let him know that some of you are staying late with us. This isn't a punishment. It's our job to make sure our dragons are healthy and fit to fly. We'll get there."
Last updated on the April 25th 2025