A Little Fear

Writers: Devin, Vix
Date Posted: 22nd January 2009

Characters: N'vanik, Ch'bal
Description: N'vanik meets with Ch'bal and learns of some of the younger rider's fears.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 13, day 16 of Turn 4

N'vanik

"Ch'bal, have a seat." N'vanik smiled up at the young rider from his spot in the shade. He'd asked, via dragon, for Ch'bal to meet him on the beach. This was fast becoming his preferred spot for less formal meetings -- and to N'vanik, most meeting were less formal.

"Yes, Weyrleader," the youngster answered quickly, though the command increased his dismay at this meeting. There was no way he was going to meet with the Weyrleader in anything less than proper attire, though his jacket was slung over his arm in deference to the heat. He lowered himself to sit, biting his lip as he felt sand creeping into the top of one of his boots.

"I wanted to ask how you were settling into the Wing."

"Vaith and I are doing well," Ch'bal replied quickly, though he frowned. "You haven't heard differently, have you?"

"No."

"Oh." The young rider felt a wash of relief at that. "Good. We're settling in alright."

"You have any concerns or anything?" N'vanik shifted a little.

"Not really." He drew out the reply, hesitating as he made it.

"Sounds like you're not sure."

"It might not be anything." The young rider sighed. "I've already flown Threadfall several times – when will I stop being afraid?"

N'vanik chuckled softly. "Probably never. It does get easier, but a little fear helps keep you alive."

"It's normal? For everyone?"

"Yeah, even me," the Weyrleader admitted. "I suppose there's a few people that aren't afraid, but they're the exception."

"Oh." Ch'bal looked at the bronzerider in amazement. Who would have expected that any bronzerider, especially the Weyrleader, would be frightened? "I didn't know that. What do you do about it?"

"Try to focus on what I'm doing. Trust my dragon. And like I said, a little fear helps keep you alive. Too much fear will make you panic, but too much confidence will make you reckless. Get you killed." He tried to keep his fear in the back of his mind, aware of it just enough to keep him on his toes.

"I suppose that's what I'm already doing," the young greenrider told him, a note of incredulity in his voice. "I'm so scared I can barely strap myself onto Vaith's back, but I keep talking to her and we do what we were trained to do. Eventually we get into the rhythm as if it were a drill instead of the real thing."

"It should get better with time. The initial fear. Talk to your Wingmates, let them support you." N'vanik laughed inwardly. He hadn't followed that advice very often. "We were all new to this a few Turns ago."

"My wingmates." Ch'bal mulled over that advice. He had been loathe to admit any shortcomings to them – they all seemed so much more competent than he was. "I'll try."

"And I'm here, too, if you've got problems. I might not always have the ... best reactions to things," N'vanik said. "But I really do want you to be at your best."

This was certainly not the Weyrleader that the young rider had come to expect: this bronzerider seemed all too human. "Yes sir. I will be, sir."

"If there's nothing else, you're free to go." He made a mental note to check on Ch'bal in a month or so, to see if things had gotten any better.

"Yes, sir." In an effort to keep his boots as sand-free as possible – not likely here on the beach – the greenrider rose to his feet, escaping this meeting as quickly as possible.

Last updated on the January 22nd 2009

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A Little Fear