Stretching Their Wings

Writers: Avery, Chelle, Paula
Date Posted: 7th December 2015

Characters: R'gelen, E'naer, Norik
Description: R'gelen goes flying around the territory.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 3, day 7 of Turn 8

They had been flying for some time and R'gelen had gotten used to it
more or less. All the drills and the maneuvers were leading up to big
things-like going /between/. He tried not to think about it. It was a
big thing and he knew weyrlings died. He didn't want to die. He didn't
want to even think about dying. **I have so much life to live!**

Iroth's wings were developing and he was pretty sure they had grown
large enough to fly for quite some time. His bronze was aching to get
out of the Weyr and they had permission to fly unsupervised. **Opal
Cove is too far.** Some of the other riders had told him that. Still,
the young bronzerider was thinking maybe it was time to stretch their
wings and see what they could see. Elevator duty was done for the day.
Iroth had eaten. He was strapped and ready to go. And besides it
didn't help that the big bronze had been goading his rider to leave
the Weyr.

**Okay, if we do this, you have to stop if I say. And you need to listen.**
}:I always listen:{ Iroth admonished.
**Right, but you don't always obey me**
}:You're not always right:{

Knowing he wasn't going to win the argument, the small young man
capitulated and proceeded to mount. Their weyr ledge still didn't feel
like home yet but it was theirs. And a very small piece of wood
hanging from the top of it marked it so he could pick it out from the
others. They had landed on someone else's one day after dinner and
that hadn't gone well. Buttoning his flight jacket, buckling his
helmet, and checking the straps, R'gelen readied himself. He was so
small-most would find him hard to spot atop the bronze. He looked like
a dressed-up child trying to be a rider. But he could fly now. He was
almost there.

Spreading his large wings, Iroth settled any other arguments and the
bronze pulled a daring maneuver-dropping from their ledge. He glided
before using a few wingbeats to bring them upwards. The watchdragon
hailed them and he told them they didn't have a particular
destination-just an afternoon flight. Leaving the Weyr Rim behind, he
gloried in the freedom.

}:This is what it should be. You and I and the wind. It pushes my
wings but I can bend it to my will:{
**Don't get too cocky. It can get harder and blow us out of the sky.**
}:I am strong:{ Iroth was quiet then. And he stayed that way for a
long while as they kept going, leaving the Weyr behind.

Time passed by, though, and even Iroth had to admit he was getting
tired. The bronze was not quite fully grown yet and he didn't have the
time spent building up his wing muscles. He got farther than he might
have since his rider was such a light weight. Still, R'gelen began
searching the countryside for a place to land. His eyes searched over
the greensward, trying to find somewhere that looked like people had
been around. They weren't far from the foothills. He didn't want to
land out in the middle of nowhere after all. **Do you see anything?**

}:Not yet. I search with you. My wings can carry us a little farther:{

Knowing it would be worse if he let Iroth push himself too hard,
R'gelen seriously began to wish they had run into something already.
Surely there had to be something somewhere. He tried to remember the
lesson they had about the territory. **What did that map say?** If he
had been smart, he would have brought it with him. Making a frustrated
noise, he adjusted and leaned over to look down as Iroth flew lower.

~*~

Things had been looking grim when he managed to spot a small cothold
on the horizon. They hadn't been able to reach it exactly but had
landed some dragonlengths before it. The meadow was fairly clear and
that had been a stroke of luck.

**I can walk there and get some water.**
}:My forelegs are not sore like my wings. I can go with you. I protect
you.:{

The young weyrling was certainly not as scary as an older wingrider.
He didn't have the size to be scary. He could have changed his
clothing and masqueraded for a farmboy. The bronze dragon happened to
be the problem. **At least I packed food.** Reaching into the harness
bags, R'gelen rummaged for the sandwiches he had managed along with
some fruit pieces from the kitchens. He knew enough never to travel
without some provisions.

A young boy herding ovines spotted him first. "A dragon!" he cried and
tried to usher his flock farther away from him. He didn't want them to
get eaten.

A woman stepped outside from the cot and turned her gaze upwards,
shielding her eyes from sun.

"Not there, down in the meadow!" the herder-boy called and pointed.

The woman turned to look to the right direction. She was very
surprised to see a dragon _walking_ towards their small farmstead.

R'gelen didn't hear the boy at first since he still had his helmet on.
Removing it and unleashing his auburn curls (albeit shorter thanks to
weyrlinghood), he wolfed down one sandwich and bit into a fruit. Then,
he started walking beside Iroth. The two of them seemed to be
strolling though it was clear the bronze was far outstripping the
small weyrling and he would reach the homestead first.

Norik was working on weeding the field when he spotted the dragon
landing. He let out a groan, hoping it wasn't going to trample the
crops. Then he ran towards it. Why would riders stop here? They hadn't
put a signal flag up.

When he saw the rider, he was surprised. The boy looked more like his
son than a dragonriding man. "Ho there!" he called.

"Well met sir," the weyrling offered with a smile. His brown eyes were
warm. He had grown up on a farming cothold like this and it was making
him think of his parents and his siblings.

"How can I help you, dragonrider?" the woman asked, watching him warily.

Standing in front of them both with Iroth looking down and around at
the whole place, R'gelen looked from one to the other. "I wouldn't
want to impose. We just need to rest for a bit before we can head back
to the Weyr. I have food." He knew how little they might have and he
did have his own resources. Still, it was a bit cool and to go inside
might be nice.

"You can rest here in the porch, it's sheltered from the wind." The
woman was still wary when she pointed towards a wicker chair and small
table on the porch. She didn't want strangers inside her house. But
the rider looked so young and harmless that she was softening up. "I
can bring you freshly made fuit juice or klah," she offered.

Norik spoke next. "What's your name, rider? And that of your dragon?"

Climbing up the steps, R'gelen carried his carisak with him. He settled into
the chair easily even as Iroth laid down on the ground, curling up to rest,
but keeping a whirling eye on his small rider lest anyone get ideas. "Klah
would be very nice mam thanks." Turning his head over to Norik, R'gelen
answered easily, "I'm R'gelen and that's Iroth."

The holder's wife nodded and went inside to make the klah. The herder
boy crept carefully closer, his eyes fixed on the young bronze. The
dragon fascinated him, now that it was apparent he wasn't going to eat
their ovines.

"Pleased to meet you, R'gelen," Norik said. "Welcome to our home."

Back at Dragonsfall Weyr, Eillispeth contacted her rider. }: Iroth's been
away for a while now.:{

**What do you mean, away for a while?**

}: They went to fly, to stretch his wings, they haven't got back yet.:{
Eillispeth replied.

**Should we check on them?** E'naer was getting bit worried. R'gelen
was a good boy but seemed to have tendency to get into trouble without
meaning to. He wanted to ask Eillie how long they had been gone, but
knew how futile _that_ was. The passing of time was a concept dragons
had hard to grasp. A while was probably the best he would get. That
Eillispeth had even mentioned Iroth's absence was indication that the
pair had been gone long enough for Eillispeth to start to worry. She
was always keeping an eye on weyrling dragons. **Can you contact him?**

}: Iroth, where are you and yours? :{ Eillispeth reached out.

}:Resting at a cothold. They bring mine klah:{ Iroth answered
helpfully, his tone full of no worry. After all, R'gelen seemed to be
fine and he was able to rest without any bother. He was watching the
boy, though.

}: Do you need help? :{ Eillispeth asked.

}:I don't think so. I will be fine when I am done resting and I will
come home.:{ Confident in himself, Iroth didn't see any reason for them
to need assistance. R'gelen would have shelter and food. It was getting
rather chilly, though. Maybe the people might let him in if it got colder.

}: Stay in touch, :{ Eillispeth told him and reported her rider that the
pair was fine but she was following their situation.

}:Yes Eillispeth.:{ Iroth replied dutifully before paying more attention
to the boy approaching him.

"So how old is your boy? Doesn't look as big as some," Norik said,
trying to sound knowledgeable of things which he actually didn't know
much about.

"Oh umm... he hatched about four months ago." R'gelen grinned, realizing
that it wasn't that long ago when Iroth had been so small and now he was
far from it. Time flew.

"Oh, he's a baby!" the cotholder said. "And you're out on your own already?"

"Oh sure. We can fly now. Helps to know the territory." That would be
especially helpful since they were supposed to start memorizing recognition
points. R'gelen didn't think about that though.

The holder's wife brought out the promised klah as well as some cookies and
sandwich.

~*~

Waving to the folk at the cothold, the small weyrling climbed aboard his
dragon and checked all of his straps. He'd come away with a few goodies in
his pack and knowing a few more people. **I wonder if sweepriding is like
this.** Smiling to himself, he waited until Iroth launched to pull his
goggles
down. Now to get back to the Weyr.

Last updated on the December 10th 2015

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Stretching Their Wings