The Hardest Lesson

Writers: Suzee, Paula, Len, Anaria, Eimi, Clancey, Ames
Date Posted: 18th July 2011

Characters: Cardella, J'darin, E'naer, S'vin, K'ale, J'nor, T'mahl, G'wen, N'den, Rama, F'tarn
Description: The weyrlings go /between/ for the first time when tragedy strikes
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 2, day 15 of Turn 6

Cardella

J'darin

K'ale

The tension in the air was as thick as fog. In their ones and twos,
the Weyrlings of Dragonsfall had been converging in the bowl. Some,
like a little girl who had been from the Harper Hall, had been waiting
for a long time, so scared about missing anything that she was there
long before anyone else. A few boys tried to play with their bravado,
pretending this day was like any other day. The knot of youngsters
and their dragons grew larger and tighter, all waiting for their
Weyrlingmasters to come. They were all waiting for one thing. Today
was the day.

Today they would learn to go /between/.

Imalkyth spiraled down from his upper weyr with his rider on his back.
The pair was calm but confident. This was a big day for K'ale though
the brown didn't seem the least bit phased by the whole thing. It was
a natural act for him and he encouraged K'ale. They would do just
fine.

Rama clutched Cardella's arm as she gazed at the group already
gathered. Their greens, Awenth and Hillith walked behind them. "I am
_so_ excited!" Rama declared as she squeezed her friend.

Cardella grinned over at the fellow greenrider. The pair had bonded
over the months and become close friends. Beaming a smile to her
Cardella stated, "I'm excited, too." She hoped fervently that nothing
would go wrong for her and Awenth this time, or for any of the
weyrlings. Yet, even with that small hint of apprehension, she was far
too curious and eager. Today they would learn one of the greatest
dragon traits of all, flying /between/.

Rama spied K'ale and Imalkyth. She lifted a hand and waved even while
sending him a look that spoke volumes. She hoped he saw her. Perhaps
they could celebrate after the flight today. She knew _she_ would
enjoy that immensely.

K'ale lifted his chin in acknowledgement and smiled at Rama. He'd
thought about asking her to spend some time with him. She was great
company and they had fun together and now that they were Senior
Weyrlings the ban was lifted. He waved at them and winked.

Eillispeth drifted quietly with the air current. They observed the
gathering weyrlings in a apprehensive, silent mood. This was one of
the hardest times for a the Weyrlingmaster's staff. The only other
time they were more likely to loose one of their charges was when they
were Blooded. Neither dragon nor her rider was feeling happy or eager
or excited. They just wished they day would be over without any loses.

Glancing up at the green, S'vin studied her movements whilst half
listening to his friends around him. They were mostly confident,
being Weyrbrats and having grown up with visualization drummed into
them. He tuned them out and watched everyone around him. Cardella
looked confidant, as did K'ale. Rama looked like her mind was on
other things altogether, with that way she had looked at the young
brown rider. G'wen was leaning against Neath's head, gently rubbing
her eye ridges and talking to her.

"She's really getting lovely," he said to his friend. "I was watching
you two the other day on elevator duty, the sun was shining through
her wingsails..very pretty." A sudden lump caught in his throat and
he pulled the smaller lad into a tight hug. "You'd better be here
tonight you hear?" If he lost his best friend...

G'wen was wise enough not to protest even though he thought if S'vin
didn't let up soon, there would be no issue of what would happen to
them in flight as he was about to endure death by smothering.

F'tarn on his big brown sailed down into the bowl to join the others.
Today they would become fully dragonriders even if they weren't quite
yet fully mature. His hands caressed his lifemate, still gangly next
to a mature brown he was nearly full size and would fill out over the
next few months. Deep down where he didn't care to look, he just
wanted to get this over with.

J'nor stood off to himself nearby. He'd had a long talk with O'ryn the
night before, and he knew that the other boy would be worried for him
until he'd made it back to his weyr that night. J'nor was almost a
Senior Weyrling now, and while that meant they would have more freedom
to do as they wanted, there had been something hanging above them.
They were too worried about J'nor first trips /between/ to take
advantage of it. J'nor couldn't mess up. He couldn't be distracted. He
couldn't risk leaving O'ryn alone.

Rama was eager to return the waves and greetings, especially those
from a certain brown-rider. She tugged Cardella's arm and whispered.
"Hurry up, let's get a move on, I surely don't want to be the last
ones!" The greenrider grinned to her friend and darted over to
Hillith, mounting her dragon and preparing for what she knew was to
come.

Cardella returned the smile, though she still felt a bit of a heavy
feeling in her stomach. Hadn't they drilled into their heads how
dangerous this could be? Should she be worried? She swallowed and
looked around her at the others.

}:Come, mine, We will do amazing things today. I am ready. You have
nothing to fear.:{ Awenth always knew how to soothe away her worries.
Cardella moved to stand beside her green, still smaller than the
others, she had grown strong in other ways. Patting her hide, she
leaned her head against Awenth. **I love you Awenth. You are the best
thing that's ever happened to me.** Then, without another thought, she
climbed up and took her place, buckling in her riding straps with ease
after all the practice they'd had.

G'wen scrambled up onto Neath, his palms sweaty with nerves. When the
large green came over to nuzzle Awenth he leaned down and gently poked
Cardella on top of the head. "See you tonight, okay?" Telling her
good luck seemed a bit fatalistic, in his mind.

"You bet," Cardella replied to G'wen. "We'll _all_ be here tonight to
celebrate this moment. I know it!" She _had_ to say those words for
she just could not imagine anything else, nor did she wish to think on
what _could_ happen to any one of them. Cardella swallowed past the
lump she felt in her throat.

Rama edged Hillith closer to the others. "You two ready?" She asked
eagerly, grinning to G'wen and Cardella. "This is going to me awesome.
I just know it! I've dreamed about this moment my whole life! Maybe
I'll be the _first_. Now _that_ would be great!"

Cardella smiled and wondered how it was Rama was able to feel so at
ease and confident, when she felt her own stomach churning. "I'd
rather we _all_ got to go together, but I doubt that's how they do it.
I'd hate to be first, but yet, the thought of sitting here and
watching the others go, just makes me more nervous."

It was time. Oh how he hated this day.

Ellispeth was up in the air, but Hasaarth was on the ground and he
stood by his bronze. His bronze was not worried. But then, when
was he ever? }:They will learn. It will be well. :{ J'darin snorted
aloud and leaned back against the side of his dragon.

His eyes sought Cardella in the crowd of eager - but probably scared -
weyrlings. He knew the danger, the chances, of losing one of them was
strong today. Shards, please let it not be her, if one must be lost.
Selfish. He wanted nothing more than to lose none, and there had been
times they had _not_ lost weyrlings during this exercise.

Finally, he cleared his throat. "Are you all ready to begin? We
will do a very small jump /between/ first. We will go one at a time.
Ahh, that is, one pair at a time, with one of the Weyrlingstaff.
E'naer and T'mahl
will both take pairs as well. Here are the directions: the first
jump will be a small one, from the bowl up to the Summer lake. " He
pointed unnecessarily. They had practiced that one in class and it
should be familiar to everyone. "The first time, you will take your
visualization from the staff member helping you, and only on the jump
back will you be allowed to do your own visualization. Please send
your visual to either Eillispeth, Hasaarth, or Uluruth. ONLY jump
/between/ when giving the okay. Does everyone understand?"

T'mahl's eyes scanned the group, looking for anyone who seemed
uncertain. This was a dangerous time for all of them. He had worked
with weyrlings a long time. The bronzerider knew most of them were
anticipating the party they would have that night, knowing on some level
that it might also be a wake but not truly comprehending. T'mahl knew
too well, it could happen to any of them.

E'naer started to call his pairs to join him up in the air. There was
no need for him to land.

Hearing his name, S'vin nudged Kadeth to take flight. G'wen, left on
the ground, waved once to him and took one long look at his friend and
his blue. S'vin glanced once more at the small greenrider.
**You'd better be here tonight**

}:We'd better be here as well,:{ Kadeth observed dryly.

Cardella and Rama took their places as well, joining their groups and
waiting for further instruction and that first moment /between/.

K'ale and Imalkyth joined F'tarn next to T'mahl. }:I have the picture
from Uluruth:{ Imalkyth sent reassurance across the bond along with
the picture, they waited for the signal and jumped as one on command.
The blackness of /between/ engulfed him for the first time aboard his
lifemate. After what seemed like a lifetime but was no more than a few
moments, they emerged with a pop of displaced air exactly where they
were supposed to be.

F'tarn whooped and waved from the other side of the big bronze.
**Alright, now for the second half of the exercise.** He formed a
detailed picture of their destination and sent it to Nomith. **Send it
to Uluruth for confirmation.**

J'darin took G'wen and a couple other of the green and blue weyrlings.
He didn't really want Cardella in his group; his heart might burst
open. E'naer would take good care of her though.

"Alright G'wen. Let Neath take her visual from Hasaarth and go on up
to the summer lake." The Weyrlingmaster spoke to him, then hopped on
Hasaarth and joined the other dragons in the sky. They would pop
/between/ right after Neath and G'wen, to make sure they got there,
then wait to get a return image from Neath. "Then you do not return
here until Hasaarth okays Neath's visual. Clear?"

"Cardella, you go first," E'naer said when his group was hoovering in
the air around him. He created the visual and sent it to Eillispeth.
**Give this to Awenth, and make sure she has it right before giving
her the go.**

Nodding to J'darin, G'wen asked Neath, **you have the visuals then?**

}:Of course. Are you ready?:{

The summer lake firmly planted in his mind, G'wen nodded and then all
was black. No feeling, no sound, just a void. Before he could panic,
they popped out over the lake.

}:That was easy!:{

**Glad you thought so** The lad looked around for the other weyrlings
and J'darin.

K'ale and Imalkyth returned to the gathered weyrlings exactly as
intended. Then they glided to the back of the group to wait and watch
the others.

F'tarn popped in a moment later and glided after his friend. He
grinned at K'ale and gave him a thumbs up.

Cardella, intent on doing everything exactly as she was supposed to,
listened closely to E'naer.

**Are you ready Awenth?** She asked after Ellispeth sent the image.
The green replied simply, }:Yes:{.

Once they were given the go-ahead she directed Awenth to go.
Everything was black. Cold. Nothing. For a split second Cardella felt
her chest seize in panic thinking they would never emerge, then just
as quickly they were above the sky of the lake.

**We did it!** She grinned happily, patting Awenth's hide. Awenth
answered, }:Of course, it was easy.:{ The green then reached out to
Ellispeth with her own image of the Weyr, ready to return.

Back at the Weyr, Rama and Hillith waited patiently for their turn to
experience /between/ for the first time.

S'vin, beside her, nodded and tried to play that he wasn't nervous.
On his other side N'den looked as white as a sheet. "You'll be
alright," he called out to the greenrider. Rama looked so confidant
there was no need to give her any reassurance.

Cardella waited for Awenth to receive the okay to return. Then forming
their image and getting it approved, they made the jump back /between/
and found themselves once again above the Weyr. Beaming, Cardella
couldn't have been more pleased.

Soon it was Rama's turn. She and Hillith took their positions and
after getting the image, they made the jump. Everything was smooth
sailing so far. Rama was more than pleased, she was feeling a bit
cocky after the thrill of her first jump /between/.

Her image cleared by the weyrlingstaff, she couldn't resist a little
flying around, feeling elated that going /between/ was far easier than
she could have imaged. **Think about it Hillith, we could go
_anywhere_.** She pictured her favorite place to visit as a child and
smiled fondly. }:We could go there now,:( Hillith remarked, also
feeling a bit proud. **No, no, net yet, but soon. We'd best return.**

Rama sent the image of the Weyr once again to her dragon, yet
something else from her other memories was still lingering in her mind
and it had changed the image ever so slightly. They made the jump
/between/. Neither rider or dragon emerged on the other side.

** Something is wrong, where is Rama and Hillith? **
}: They are gone :{ Eillispeth lifted her muzzle to mournful keen.

"Shardit,shardit, shardit!", E'naer pounded his fist against Eillie's
neckridge in helpless anger and grief. He wasn't overly surprised,
with this class, something was bound go wrong. But loosing one of them
still hurt. He suddenly slumped forward so that his forehead was
resting against Eillie's neck. A mental fatigue filled him. ** I'm so
in need of vacation!** One more incident like this and he was ready to
hand J'darin his wingthird's knots. He just had to get away for a
while from all of them.

Imalkyth keened and everywhere the dragons were crying for the loss of
Rama and Hillith. "No!" he yelled

J'nor's blood chilled as a few moments passed, and all the dragons
around began to keen. **Oh Shards, Zora, who was it?:{ He asked,
knowing regardless of the answer that he would be upset.

}:Hillith,:{ Zoranaith responded sadly. J'nor felt tears streaming
down his face. Rama was gone. They would soon be practicing their
jumps. he was painfully aware how dangerous what they were about to do
was.

**Who? WHO?** S'vin all but screamed when Kadeth began keening.

}:Hellith. She's gone.:{

Neath had just been cleared to come back and had popped /between/ when
the keening hit them like a wave. She quickly landed to add her voice
to her clutchmates. As fast as he could, G'wen unbuckled himself and
ran to look for Cardella. She would be devastated, loosing her best
friend.

After clearing Neath to go back, Hasaarth suddenly lifted his bronze
voice in all-too familiar keening. One of their own.

One of _his_ own.

Rama and Hellith came through the keening, and J'darin swallowed
thickly. That was Cardella's best friend... "Oh lass... " his voice
was soft, laden with pain.

Oh no.. Rama had been so sweet.... the tears started to come and he
angrily dashed them away. He could mourn for her later. Now, now
there other people that would need them to be strong and brave and
sure.

He hurriedly had Hasaarth send to everyone to halt the flights
/between/. There
were still a few more to finish, but they could wait a bit while
everyone calmed down as much as possible. Not too long - it was
needful that they learn to deal with this pain, among many of the
other things they would learn during training. But they could halt
for a short time.

The keening finished at last, they rejoined the group down below. He
looked for E'naer and T'mahl, and then finally turned to address the
group.

It was quieter without the keening, but there were still plenty of
sniffles and soft crooning going on between lifemates.

"Listen to me, younglings. Take a moment and mourn your classmate,
and cherish your lifemates. Then we'll talk." They could do it -
they could get over this and go on - they would have to, he would make
them. Not one of his more pleasant jobs, but it was certainly
possible.

It would be hard, though.

Last updated on the August 3rd 2011

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The Hardest Lesson