First Flights

Writers: AL, Devin, Cali, Francesca, Teresa
Date Posted: 27th July 2009

Characters: G'len, Meledei, Sorsha, Cosani, T'nel
Description: Several of the junior weyrlings take their first flights.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 3, day 2 of Turn 5

Cosani

G'len smiled at the nine weyrlings assembled in front of him. They were outside of the Weyr bowl, in an area cleared of people to avoid any collisions. "Make sure to get feedback from your lifemate as you tighten the riding straps," he ordered. "Then have the weyrling next to you check your dragon over as well. I will walk through for a third inspection." The weyrlings had been doing drills on dragonback for several sevendays and were very accustomed to putting riding straps on their dragonets. However, on this day they would not just be mounted. They would be flying. He would not risk any mistakes.

Meledei cast a glance in G'len's direction, then let her gaze slide over to Sorsha before she focused back on her straps. The young weyrling looped them over as the dragon helped her by shrugging them on while Meledei tugged them into place. Then she tightened them, conversing with her lifemate all the while. **It's not too tight, is it?**

}:No, that's just right.{ Elleth's neck arched to the side as she watched her rider prepare for their first flight together. She moved her wings slightly then settled them down. }:We are ready to fly.:{

**Not quite yet.** Meledei patted the eager gold and grinned. **Let me check them once more then have someone else do it too.**

"You look good." Sorsha said confidently, then added a grin. "Have fun!"

Cosani checked her straps a second time. She didn't want anyone to find fault with her preparations. Shalith was impatient, but the green stayed still while her rider worked.

}:How much longer?:{

**Not much. We just have to wait a little longer,** Cosani said.

T'nel checked his straps a third time. **They are not too tight are they** he asked the brown a second time.

}:No, they are not too tight. They are snug but not constricting. :{ Martilath suggested as he looked back to watch his rider fuss over the straps.

**Good, I think we are ready.**

Having assured himself that everyone's equipment was impeccable, G'len walked to stand in front of the row of weyrlings. "You can all put on your helmets now and mount." He waited to for everyone to comply. "Now, remember, this will be a short flight. Tomorrow you will be able to go a bit farther. As I said earlier, you will come up next to Tobereth where I will make sure you are strapped in correctly. Then, you will take off, fly to the red flag, turn around, and come back to land where you started. Don't go high, make a nice slow turn, and stay in control. This is not the time to show off." The last thing they needed was a careless mistake or cockiness leading to an accident. "Now, does anyone want to volunteer to go first?"

"I will" T'nel said as he took a deep breath, smiling nervously. He was ready for this ride. He and Martilath had been talking about it to the point of being impatient. But now that the time was here, he was just a little nervous.

"All right," the Weyrlingmaster Third said, glad someone was taking the initiative. He checked the weyrling's equipment over again, nodded, then stepped well clear of the brown's wings. "Whenever you're ready."

**OK Martilath, here we go, this is what we have been working hard for.** he told his lifemate as he stepped up on the leg up the big brown offered.

}:We are ready:{ Martilath replied rumbling softly looking back at his rider as he settled in.

T'nel gave his straps one last check, and Martilath gave a mighty leap. Tingles ran down T'nel's spine as Marilath flapped his huge wings to gain altitude, they were air born together at last. T'nel could feel the exhilaration he felt being echoed in Martilath's feelings.

}:This is what we were meant to do:{ Martilath told his rider, excitement and joy in his voice as they soared toward their goal. T'nel wanted to go higher, the thrill of being in the air with Martilath was almost as exciting as the day his lifemate hatched. Martilath started to soar higher, like his rider, he wanted to fly to the tops of the mountains. Martilath flew with his rider with ease, T'nel could feel the strength of his dragon with every flap of his wings.

**better take it a little lower Marti, not too high this time. We don't want to get into trouble on our first flight do we? Besides, we are almost to the flag.** Martilath did as his rider instructed and flew a little lower, even if it was with grumbles of disappointment.

** Just as G'len said, nice and easy around the flag, then head back home.** T'nel added with a hint of firmness in his voice. Like his dragon, he wanted to do so much more, but dared not on their first flight.

As they landed, T'nel slid down the big browns shoulder. He gave his dragon an affectionate slap on his leg **I think we did a good job.** he told his lifemate as the feeling of disappointment at their flight having to end so soon, creeped into the joy they had just shared. ** better make room for the next pair Marti** he suggested. He smiled from ear to ear as he walked toward the others waiting their turn.

G'len nodded at the brownrider, glad the first flight had gone well. It provided a good example to the rest of the weyrlings. "Next?"

"I'll go," Cosani said. Shalith's mental prodding was enough to make her volunteer even if she hadn't wanted to go. The green wasn't the most patient of her clutchmates.

Meledei flashed a smile of encouragement to her friend. She had been about to volunteer, but Cosani had beaten it to her. No matter, she would get a turn. Soon enough they would be flying together.

"All right," the Weyrlingmaster Third said after checking Cosani and Shalith.

Cosani's heart beat double time. **Alright, Shalith. Let's go!**

The large green spread her wings and ran forward. As soon as she had a bit of speed, she beat her wings once, twice, and she was no longer touching the ground. Shalith was very aware of the extra weight of her rider, but it felt good. It felt right. }:We are flying!:{

**Yes!** Cosani agreed, awed and elated. The ground fell away under them, her fellow weyrlings growing smaller. **Flying ... I'm flying on my own dragon!** All her life she'd dreamed of freedom, and here it was. The skies belonged to her and Shalith, and soon they would be able to go wherever they wanted.

}:The flag seemed farther away when we were on the ground,:{ Shalith said, her tone disappointed.

**We'll get another chance today, and we can fly again tomorrow,** her rider reminded her.

Shalith reached the flag and turned, dipping her wing a little lower than she should have, making the turn faster and sharper. The thrilling rush of it distracted Cosani, but a moment later, she scolded her dragon. **We weren't supposed to do anything fancy.**

}:That wasn't fancy. Not too fancy, anyway.:{ Shalith was clearly pleased with herself.

The flight was over all too soon, and Shalith made a smooth landing.

Meledei grinned broadly at her friend, silently congratulating her on a successful and beautiful flight. Elleth turned her head to gaze at her rider. }:We are next.:{ The gold insisted. Meledei nodded and turned to G'len. "Elleth wants to go next."

Once she was given permission, Meledei mounted her dragon and reached down to caress the gold's warm hide. **All right, love. Here we go.** Elleth snorted delicately. They had already been flying, the only difference now was that her rider was finally on her back.

As soon as Meledei indicated her readiness, the gold launched into the air. Meledei couldn't hold back a cry of delight as the two were propelled into the air, Elleth's powerful wings bringing them higher. So that was what it was like to fly. The wind whipped over her face and through the knot of her hair, trying to loosen it. Meledei closed her eyes and when she opened them, realized how far they had gone.

**Not too high now.** Meledei cautioned. Unfortunately, Elleth ignored her.

**Elleth, we're going to get into trouble.** Meledei looked down - they were much further from the flag than they should have been. The gold, however, decided to comply and turned heading back toward and around the flag. She landed much more gracefully than she had when they had first practiced flapping her wings. Those wings folded carefully against her and she cocked her head as she watched Meledei dismount.

G'len frowned as Meledei and Elleth went too far but the pair corrected their actions quickly. "All right, Sorsha," he said, indicating she was next.

"Remember, it's just like our jumping practices, only now you get to use those beautiful wings of yours more." Her excitement and nervousness made her forget to speak in her head.

}: I remember, this will be fun! :{ And it was. Sorsha felt Roseth take two small jumps as she moved forward and then they were being propelled in uneven bursts as Roseth's wings worked up and down. The young green's stokes weren't as smooth as I'lan's bronze or G'len's green, but she was sure that would change with practice.

With elation and pride in them both, the girls landed back with their group. Roseth took another hop as she landed, and Sorsha giggled as she dismounted, looking over at Meledei and grinning at her friend. She looked to see if she could see Ri'len anywhere in the bowl and wondered if he had seen her, but was quickly distracted by G'len calling to the next in their group.

After everyone had finished their first flight G'len gave a mental sigh of relief. Everything had gone smoothly. "Good job everyone. But, before you celebrate," he smiled, "each of you are going to do the exact same flight again. This time, stay focused the entire time, including during take-off." In the exhilaration of flying it was easy to forget what they were supposed to be doing. "I want to see a perfect flight from each of you." The dangers were just beginning for this class of weyrlings but those who survived training would always remember this day, their first flying as dragonriders were meant to do.

Last updated on the July 27th 2009

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First Flights