Important Milestone
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: Avery, Cali, Elaine, Emma, Paula, Shelly
Date Posted: 27th July 2006
Characters: E'naer, Teseada, Demalia, Talwynn, Kamira, Karri, Aryn
Description: A group of weyrlings perform their first solo-betweenings under E'naer's nervous eye.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 12, day 13 of Turn 3
E'naer wiped discreetly his hands to the hem of his shirt.
"So, everyone knows what they are to do?" The Weyrlingmaster's third checked once again. He couldn't remember last time he had been this nervous. He had never supervised weyrlings going to /between/ alone for the first time before either.
Talwynn nodded. Her eyes were half closed because she was keeping a constant mental contact with Riveth at the green's insistance- having somehow found Talwynn's nervousness, the green had herself become scared, and then demanded reassurance. "Take off, fly straight to the specified point, visualize and have the visualization checked, and then /between/, correct?" she asked. She knew the steps, but oh, what if things went wrong? No, she couldn't think of that!
"Yes, make sure your lifemates have received the okay from Eillispeth before you give the signal to go. Demalia is waiting you at the end-point," E'naer said. He knew he was repeating himself.
"Onnyth wants to know how long we should wait after the first one of us has jumped?" asked Teseada.
"Long enough that we know that the jump was successful. Just follow my signals," E'naer replied. He looked around. "Anymore questions? If not, let's get mount our dragons and go."
Talwynn nodded again. "I understand." she said. "I'm ready whenever you call me to go, sir." She looked around at the other weyrlings, trying not to wonder how many of them would come back. Teseada was one she stared at for a long moment before looking away. She hoped that the goldrider, most of all, would come back- Dragonsfall needed their golds.
Demalia and Tapheth were waiting for a signal that the weyrlings were on their way. It was hard not to remember when they themselves had been in that position, and she knew just how they felt.
Aryn was nervously checking the straps again and again. "I understand" she said fast, almost absently, hoping her lack of responses wasn't delaying the start. }:We are ready, don't worry:{ Viyanth crooned.
E'naer gave them a last look around. They looked ready. "All right, let's go!", he said and put his helmet on, closed his flying jacket and leaped up to Eillispeth's back. After he had got the staps secured, he gave the handsignal to take the air. Up in the air, he waited the weyrlings to gather into formation behind him. **Tell Tapheth were in start positions.**
}:They come,:{ reported Tapheth to her rider. The green sounded a little apprehinsive, picking up on the mood of her rider.
Talwynn had mounted and taken to the air with the others. She was so nervous, but kept that boxed away, away from Riveth. She watched E'naer like a wary avian, waiting for the signal and going over her visualization repeatedly.
**Eillispeth, as the first one to send her visualization for us,** E'naer asked and 'heard' his dragon reach out talk with the others.
Teseada watched the lad who settled himself nervously on his green. He reached out to give her neck a loving stroke seeking comfort before obviously swallowing and communicating with both her and Eillispeth.
After a moment or two, the pair winked out of existence.
**Onnyth?**
}:They are safe, with Tapheth and hers now.:{ She watched as another bronzerider went safely /between/, then she heard her own name called.
**Onnyth?** she questioned again.
}:We can do this.:{ The young gold showed her rider the visualisation, }:That's right?:{
**Check it with Eillispeth's, if she says so, then we go.**
The word was given, and the pair plunged into the cold of /between/, emerging three or four heartbeats later if full view of those of her class who had gone before her.
**We did it!** Teseada waved to the others as she and Onnyth settled into a landing.
Kamira resettled herself in her straps and sighed to steady herself. **Well they made it all right...** She patted Faylith twice. ** Let's go for it, then!** Kamira was never one to be left behind, but Faylith went /between/ so suddenly that she was hardly prepared for the intensity of the cold that awaited her there. The girl gasped, but in a moment the feeling was gone and she was beside Teseada, beaming her pleasure with her success.
Talwynn stroked Riveth's hide one last time with her left hand. **Okay, it's our turn...** She pictured the visualization very hard in her mind and asked Riveth to have it checked. It seemed like a long wait before...
}:We are good!:{ Riveth sounded excited, her earlier nervousness gone.
Talwynn focused on the visualization, wondering who would be there on the other side. Then she gave the word to go, and suddenly... suddenly everything was cold, and dark, and black. /Between./ She'd been there before, on her mother's green, but this was different somehow, so different. It was her in that blackness, her being relied on to bring her own dragon safely home... She gasped slightly, panicked, as she realized she couldn't feel- }:I am here, ridermine.:{ Riveth told Talwynn calmly. }:Here for you, here with you...:{ Reassured, Talwynn focused on the visualization, and a moment later, they broke out of /between/ and into the daylight. Relieved, Talwynn pumped a hand in the air and Riveth let out a small bugle of delight.
they had made it! And so had Kamira, and Teseada, and everyone. They were all safe. She wondered who'd be next to come through. E'naer watched weyrling after weyrling go /between/ and let a relieved sigh everytime when Tapeth informed Eilli that they had arrived safely.
But there were still more to go. ** Tell Elliath to prepare. Viyanth and Aaronth will go after her**, he told Eillispeth, who reached out to communicate with the young dragons.
Karri had been awaiting her turn, her stomach full of nerves. After watching Teseada and then Kamira complete their jumps, she had settled a bit, if her friends could do it, then so could she; but this was a big day and she couldn't help but worry something might go wrong.
}: Nothing will go wrong, I am with you. I know what to do, and Eillispeth is ready for us. :{ her lifemate, Elliath told her in a calm tone.
Taking heart with her dragon's assurances, Karri closed her eyes and pictured the image they had practiced. She felt the cold of between envelope her, and just as quickly felt it disappear as she opened her eyes and found herself just where she was supposed to be.
~*~
And then it was suddenly over. The last pair of weyrlings made it thru safely on their first solo-betweening. E'naer felt incredible relieved.
This was an important milestone in the weyrling's training and all under his care had made it, safely. No losses.
}: I told you, we're good at this :{, Eillispeth remarked smugly.
Last updated on the July 28th 2006