Eventful Sweeps

Writers: Avery, Chelle
Date Posted: 6th February 2016

Characters: Talwynn, R'gelen
Description: R'gelen has an eventful sweepride.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr, Elsewhere on Pern
Date: month 3, day 5 of Turn 8
Notes: Mentioned: Lissath

He had checked his flight gear to make sure everything was buckled and
fastened right. Iroth's straps had gotten a few inspections. Now,
R'gelen was in the Bowl, ready and waiting. He knew which wing he was
following on his first sweepride but he didn't know which rider he was
going with. His eyes scanned the sky as he waited, hoping he didn't
mess this up. Sweeprides weren't hard, though, were they?

}:It's going to be fine. We just have to follow and watch:{
That was good because they couldn't do much more than that.

The classes for Lissath's clutch were still in the early, theoretical
stage, and Talwynn didn't need to sit through what she already knew.
Sweepriding sounded infinitely more interesting to her, so she'd
volunteered to go along with some of the last clutch.

She gave R'gelen a smile when she saw him. "How are you and Iroth today?"

"Oh fine! We're ready to go. Have my water canteen full and everything!"
**That sounded so stupid. Way to play it cool.** R'gelen sighed and wished
the earth would open and swallow him up.

}:Calm yourself. It is fine. Riveth is a nice green:{
If the young bronze weyrling had been any older he might have been worried
about that statement, but neither he nor Iroth were mature enough to know
what it could mean.

His enthusiasm was apparent, and infectious. Talwynn found herself
cracking a small smile. "Your class isn't /betweening/ yet, correct? I
see we're scheduled for a local sweep."

"Oh no...we're working on visualizations but...not yet." His mouth wrinkled,
but then he pushed off that looming prospect of things that could go
wrong. Right now, he needed to manage this sweepriding thing. Truth be told, it was
really just looking down and flying over and responding to signal flags right?

"So that's why we're doing local. Don't worry, it'll be fine - a good
day for it." She nodded and started clambering onto Riveth. It took
her some time, but she was getting faster.

Once they were ready, Iroth followed beside Riveth as they left the Weyr.
Flying like this was pleasurable, with other dragons. It was getting easier
and easier. R'gelen tried his best to watch down below them as they flew. He
didn't know when the sweepride was actually supposed to begin.

It was hard for the riders to make conversation in the air, but the
dragons weren't restricted. Riveth appreciated the chance to be flying
with another dragon for company, and she kept telling Iroth things she
found in her rider's mind about the land below.

}:And over there by that hill there's a small cothold. See that water?
It's a good lake for swimming in.:{

Up there in the thinner air, it was colder. R'gelen was bundled in full
winter flight gear which made him look a lot like a small brown thing atop
Iroth's back. Still, his eyes looked below, trying to spot anything through the goggles.

}:By the water, there's a flag. Mine says it's waving. Do we stop?:{
Iroth's eyes were trying to follow where R'gelen was looking.

Riveth looked and saw it. }:We stop,:{ she said, flying in that
direction and keeping stationary in the air as her rider assessed the
situation.

It was a trader caravan, stopped by the river. There was nothing
visibly wrong that Talwynn could see. But a person holding the flag
jumped up and down as they saw the dragons.

}:We should land a bit away and let our riders investigate,:{ Riveth told
Iroth.

}:You go first. I will follow:{ Despite being younger, Iroth was quite large
so the bronze felt a protective need toward Riveth. He was also cognizant of taking
this new experience slow and steady, to avoid mistakes. Not compulsive like some
of his siblings, Iroth liked to be patient.

Riveth spiraled down to a good landing site, waiting for Iroth to join
her. Talwynn slipped off the green, patted her side, and took off her
helmet. Once they were both afoot, she started walking over to the
caravan.

"What's going on?" she asked the man with the flag.

R'gelen followed her, a small shadow behind the greenrider. It would be hard
for the traderfolk to recognize him as a rider. Still, he looked around
and listening,
wondering if this would be really bad.

"We've got a sick child," the man immediately said. "We've given her all
the medicine we have but we won't be able to reach the nearest Hold in time. She may not make it through without some help. Can you help us rider, please?" They looked to Talwynn.

A sick child was a potential infection risk to other people. But to do
nothing was something Talwynn couldn't imagine. "We'll be able to help,"
she assured them. "Just give me a moment to coordinate."

She turned to R'gelen. "We're not far from Malachite Gulch. Maybe twenty
minutes flight the long way, but much faster than traveling it over
land. Depending on how sick the child is we won't be able to /between/
with her, and I wouldn't want to leave you here alone anyway," she added.

"Can we not between and get a healer and medicine and bring them here?"
R'gelen was thinking that would be faster than taking the child there.
He trusted Talwynn to make the right decision though.

"I could /between/ and get one, but I'd rather you wait here. I wouldn't
want Riveth to coach Iroth through /between/, when he hasn't been
before," she said cautiously, not wanting to lose the bronze weyrling.
"Would you be alright here with them for a few minutes?"

"I think so. I mean, they're just traderfolk worried about the kid." He had
more experience with farmers and vintners but they looked meek enough.
R'gelen hadn't ever planned on going between with her. He would wait to
cross that bridge when it was time.

It was true. She just worried about leaving the young weyrling alone
and being responsible for something if it happened. "Have Iroth call
Riveth immediately if something is amiss," she said to R'gelen.

She ran back to Riveth and climbed up, mentally worrying. Would the
Hold Healer be willing to go with a female greenrider? She hoped his
dedication to his craft would overwrite any prejudice people like her
faced. Would she be able to strap and secure him properly? Well, she
knew how and had extras, and maybe she'd be lucky and he'd have ridden
before. Once Riveth was aloft, she pictured Malachite Gulch and went
/between/ to the minor Hold. They dove fast and she slid down Riveth's
leg. People had come out to see the green, and she looked at the
nearest man who looked authoritative and not panicked.

"Take me to your Hold's Healer," she ordered him. "I'm here on urgent business."

"Right away, greenrider," the man said, gesturing for her to follow.
"What's happened?"

"Sick person on a trader train," she answered shortly.

"Well, our Healer can treat that," the man bragged. They arrived in
the Infirmary and he called down the hall. "Healer? You're needed to
travel."

The Healer came out carrying a bag and Talwynn smiled. It would only
be a few minutes before they were back to the caravan and the weyrling
she'd left behind. At least R'gelen wouldn't have had a boring lesson
in sweepriding...

Last updated on the July 29th 2016

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Eventful Sweeps