DCW: Alive and A Greenrider

Writers: Devin, Clancey
Date Posted: 20th June 2007

Characters: Dysali, D'ren
Description: Dysali tells D'ren she'll be flying Thread in a few days, a Turn earlier than they both expected.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 3, day 21 of Turn 4

Freshly bathed and scrubbed, she had Lillyth bespeak Menanth and ask
his rider to come to her weyr for dinner that evening, as she had
something to discuss with him. The Weyrleader had pulled her aside
a little more than a candlemark ago and told her she would be assigned
to his Wing, and she had been so stunned that she had not told anyone.
She had, instead, visited the bathing chambers, and then stopped by
the kitchens to gather dinner for her, and hopefully, D'ren.

She hoped he could make it, but in the meantime, she set out the food
she had begged, and then went out to sit by Lillyth.

**Can we do it, Lillyth? Fly against Thread?**

Her small, petite green let loose a throaty trumpet that sounded violent.

}:We can. I am able. You are able. We fly well together! We will
meet Thread and flame it from the skies!:{

Startled, Dysali smiled at her dragon. But she remembered being
Scored on that horrid day, last turn. And she did not want to ever
go through that again!

After a polite knock, D'ren entered the weyr. "Hi, love. You wanted to
discuss something with me?"

Thrilled he had been able to come, she moved quickly to his side and
kissed him in welcome. "Hello, love. I brought some dinner up for
us, because I was thinking it might be a long night..."

She waited for a moment, wondering if he'd heard rumors. She knew
the Wingleaders had kept it relatively quiet. But word did travel in
a Weyr.

"Yeah." D'ren sighed. "I have about a candlemark before Menanth and I
have to go hunt wherries for tomorrow's dinner."

Disappointed, but understanding, she shooed him to the table. "Thank
you for coming even more, love. I wanted to be the first to tell
you.. " She paused as he got settled and she scooted her own chair
around to sit next to him while they started scooping their small
dinner onto plates.

"The Weyrleader came to see me a little more than a candlemark ago.
He asked me something.."

She waited, looking at him.

A slight frown of worry creased his brow. "What?"

She set her plate down flat, her gaze intense. Her voice was soft and
scared, but firm with purpose. "He asked me to fly in his Wing in the
next Fall. And every Fall from now on." She took a breath.

"D'ren, he lowered the age limit to 15 turns to fly with the Wings."

"Next Fall?" he repeated. "That's only a few days away!"

"I know, D'ren. I'm scared. But J'darin told me he has to have
riders or more will die. We lost so many in the Fall yesterday.
We've been flying drills with the Weyrlings, and we know what Thread
is like.. firsthand.." She said quietly.

Lillyth bugled from her ledge. "She says she can do it." Now she smiled.

"You both can do it." He needed to be encouraging now, and put his
fears aside. "You've had much more training than Menanth and I."

"I suppose so; maybe just more of the same training!" She smiled
faintly. It was hard fighting the nervousness and worry. "You and
Menanth have flown very well though! I know its like no drill we've
ever done. But we know _what_ to do, now we just have to be able to
do it."

Softly she added, "Do you think the Weyrleader is doing the right thing?"

D'ren smiled sadly. "It's hard to be impartial about the idea when it
means you'll be in danger."

Dysali smiled warmly at him, tracing his sadder smile with her
fingers. "I know; I felt the same way the first time I knew you were
going up there." She waved toward the sky vaguely. "Up there with
_it_."

"He looked really worried, D'ren. We've had so many tragedies at this
Weyr this last turn; I'm surprised we're still here. We can do this,
I know we can! I have to believe it."

"Dragonriders must fly, when Thread is in the sky," he quoted. "You're
as much a rider as I am, Dysali. You'll do fine. And the Weyr needs
us, all of us." As much as he disliked J'darin, and as much as he
didn't want Dysali put in danger, he couldn't truly fault the man for
his decision. The Weyr was short on riders, and they wouldn't be able
to get enough transfers in on time.

Pleased, she let herself relax and grin at him. "Well, we're really
about half, or less, the pair you and Menanth are, but I swear Lillyth
has a bronze heart. As do almost all dragons." She squeezed his
hand. "Let's hope this is the beginning of a good time for the Weyr
and we are all done with the bad times."

D'ren squeezed back. "A little rain before clear skies."

She held onto him for a long time, wondering if he spoke the truth.
Would there ever be a time when tragedy did not hover about this Weyr?

Last updated on the June 21st 2007

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DCW: Alive and A Greenrider