On The Wing

Writers: Miriah, Suzee
Date Posted: 5th February 2019

Characters: N'call, Ninaine
Description: Luneth tries to fly again.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 9, day 14 of Turn 9
Notes: Mentioned: W'ser

N'call

Ninaine

Luneth stretched her wings slowly, her scarred wing joint a bit stiff,
despite the exercise that the dragonhealers had insisted upon. The
green looked over at Ninaine, and then at Haloth below her. It was
time and the little green was eager to attempt the first flight since
her injury.

Ninaine was far more concerned than her green. The healers had
cautioned her that the wing might bear Luneth for short glides and
flights eventually, this first attempt could only be a gentle glide.
She had to control Luneth's desire for taking to the air for a more
extended flight, nor could she add her weight in straps to encumber
the green. Her hand blindly sought N'call's as Luneth stretched her
wings again, nerves making her stomach queasy.

"Haloth's watching her," he said softly and gently squeezed her hand.
"He'll be right there if she even looks like she's teetering."

Ninaine nodded, chewing on her lower lip mindlessly and not noticing
when it grew raw. She went still as Luneth crouched, her hand
tightening on N'call's as the green launched into the air. She held
her breath as Luneth's wings flexed and strained to gain height. It
was clear that she was not as quick nor was it as easy as it was
before her injury; Luneth visibly struggled, but doggedly kept going
with stubborn determination.

}: I fly!:{ Luneth bugled, already sounding tired but still triumphant.

**That's enough. You'll hurt yourself. The healers said only a short
flight.** Ninaine caught her breath as Luneth gained in height, but
the wing strokes grew more ragged and uncoordinated. "N'call, get
Haloth under her. She's already tired and doesn't want to come down."

}: I fly. :{ Luneth insisted stubbornly, not wanting to stop. She felt
the strain as her joint began to ache with sharp pulses and cramped.
With a squawk of alarm, spread her wings to catch as much air as
possible.

Haloth pushed off beneath her ready to dodge into her path ):Carefully
beautiful one:{ he admonished. }:You worry yours and mine:{.

She couldn't beat her wings regularly, the joint was too stiff. But
Luneth caught a small gust of wind that allowed her to angle downwards
beside Haloth. Her landing was rough and graceless, scraping her
wingtips as she struggled to right herself with an audible grunt. With
visible exhaustion, Luneth sighed, her wings drooping.

}:You did well:{ Haloth rumbled his approval.

"See? N'call squeezed Ninaine's hand. "She got down in one piece."

Luneth looked up at the sky wistfully, slowly folding her aching wings
over her back. }:I want to fly more. :{

Ninaine squeezed his hand in return and nodded. "Maybe the Healers are
wrong." Her voice was laced with faint hope. "Maybe she'll be able to
fully fly once she gets her strength back?"

"You never know," he smiled. "You'd have to talk with Master Y'gel.
His dragon had a wing injury when he was young. I bet if there is
anyone who knows it would be him." The Master Dragonhealer's bronze
had an obvious issue with one wing but that didn't seem to stop him.
He'd even caught a young gold.

When Haloth landed, Luneth leaned against him, rubbing the side of her
jaw against his neck. Her lids closed and the green sighed, trying to
shift to a position that was more comfortable.

Ninaine followed Luneth's example and leaned against N'call's side,
her cheek pressed against his shoulder. "I'll speak to him." She fell
silent for a moment and gave a sad smile. "You know, my entire time as
a weyrling, I was terrified of flying Thread. Now, I want to be back
up there with her. I think I'm a bit crazy."

"Not any more than any other rider," he grinned kissing the top of her head.

Ninaine closed her eyes at the kiss and then opened them to watch
Luneth as she cuddled next to Haloth. "But even the Healers said she
would be lucky to rise even for a mating flight." She paused. "Not
that I'm really upset by that." She cleared her throat; she still
didn't like the periods of total abandon when Luneth rose. "She's
already missed two."

"Oh I don't know," N'call knew of course that Ninaine had struggled
with the thought of flights in general so it probably wasn't a big
loss to her. Yet he knew how much she loved her lifemate and how it
pained her to think Luneth might be missing something. "Has she said
anything to you about it?"

"No. I don't' think she even thinks about it right now. She's been so
focused on flying that I don't think it's occurred to her. She wants
to fly Thread again more than anything." Every time the Wings left,
Luneth paced the grounds and her moods worsened and Ninaine felt
useless. "I suppose…I suppose we'll have to find some use for us in
the Weyr now."

"Have you thought about crafting? I know there are some full time
riders who do it all the time."

Ninaine nodded. "Yeah. I just don't know what I'd do. I mean, I wasn't
taught much except about how to run a home for a husband." She rubbed
at her nose. "I have no idea what I'd want to do." She looked up at
N'call. "I'm kind of lost. Again." Her nose wrinkled. " Faranth, I
hate that feeling now."

"You don't need to worry. You'll find what you want to do. Why don't
you visit some of the crafters and see if anything interests you.
That's what I did when I first started."

She nodded. "I have to speak to W'ser first just to see what' she's
going to be able to do."

Last updated on the February 28th 2019

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On The Wing