Mossy choked her air supply off so many times that Emig finally banished the little green fire lizard to the heights. She felt a twinge of guilt doing so; Mossy was only reacting to her own state of high nerves. "Why," she muttered to herself as she checked Liranath's harness for the twelfth time in half as many minutes, "Did I volunteer to teach the Weyrlings today? Was I out of my mind?"

Liranath turned her brindled, green head back toward her rider. Her eyes whirled a mild green-blue, and her relaxed pose made her the exact opposite of her young rider. Because you were the best swimmer in your own weyrling class and could even beat the boys across the lake, she replied patiently. However, Emig caught more than the usual faint echo of her own voice in her dragon's mental tone. Liranath was repeating by rote Emig's own answers to herself. The green was teasing her!

Emig scowled at her dragon. "At least it's cold. They'll finish up this swim in a hurry, and I'll be off the hook."

Privately, she was glad that Liranath didn't voice the real reason she'd volunteered. When Nako had asked them all - every rider who wasn't on sweep duty or already a wingsecond - for volunteers during the first couple sevendays after the Hatching, Emig's fist had been first into the air. She'd glanced surreptitiously over at Ywain as she'd requested the swimming lesson, hoping the disdainful older girl would finally realize that Emig was a reliable and productive member of the Weyr. But Ywain just sat in her chair with her arms crossed and her long legs thrust straight out in front of her, ignoring Emig completely. Well, fine. She'd show her anyway that she could be a good teacher, even if nobody noticed.

Your lower lip is sticking out again, Liranath observed.

Emig pulled it in. "So what if it is?"

Liranath did not reply, just sent a wave of love, affection, and patience in her rider's direction. "Okay, okay." Emig softened. "It's time." She embraced her dragon's velvet-soft nose briefly, then vaulted up onto the reclining shoulder. "Let's go show 'em how it's done, big girl."

Liranath dropped effortlessly from their ledge to the short glide to the lake. Emig was glad she'd worn wherhide; the cold was raw, unusually so for an autumn day this far south. For a second she worried, but Liranath assured her, as she splashed down in the shallows, that the dragonets' skin was much more impervious to cold than humans'. They must fly between one day, she reminded Emig. This will help get them used to the cold there.

Perpetually late, Emig had taken special pains to arrive early at the lake's edge. Now she slid off Liranath's neck and onto the hardpacked wet sand of the beach. No one was there yet, but even so she resisted the urge to hide her curly black head in her dragon's foreleg for reassurance. She'd seen the new weyrlings up close yesterday, at the Hatching. Many of them were older than she was, and almost all of them were taller. How could she get them to respect her?

Be who you are, Liranath advised in her sweet voice, unasked. Be your usual happy, energetic self. They will love you as I do.

That was easy for Liranath to say, Emig thought, glancing uneasily across the empty shoreline toward the Weyrling Barracks. They'd be emerging soon; she'd set this lesson early, before breakfast, so that the dragonets wouldn't be too food-heavy to want to swim. Turning back to Liranath, she tugged the panniers off her dragon's shoulders, allowing the two dozen towels to spill out onto a large rock. After this lesson, weyrling dragon and rider alike would be glad of the chance to dry off from the cold.

Towels arranged, there was nothing to do now but wait.

I'm going to just throw this in here that I'd expect the dragonets to be.. almost a week old at this point... 5-6 days old, something like that. Just making sure everyone is on the same track =D

From the monotony that had followed the Hatching Feast to now, there was a huge difference between the eating and sleeping dragonets to what they had become. It had been only days, but slowly the dragonets were now doing much more than just sleeping. Now, they had the overwhelming urge to exercise and play. It seems that dragonriders knew about these things, because a chance for both dragon and weyrling to swim had been scheduled for that morning. Every dragonet was followed by a weyrling, some looking terribly sleepy while others actually looked prepared for the day.

Of them, Zaela followed after her own little dragon, who was rapidly growing as all her siblings were. Still easily largest green of the clutch, she was growing evenly. She was almost matched by Marowa's green a few days ago, but had shown growth since then. Zaela knew that the race to reach full size would vary from dragon to dragon, and truly wasn't too concerned whether her Neliyuth was to be the largest. Still, it was a fun thing to keep track of.

Neliyuth was anxious and full of energy that morning, more than willing to postpone the morning meal for a romp in the morning sun. Zaela followed willingly enough, though she had opted to wear short legged pants and a tunic instead of a more water-worthy bathing suit that they had been issued. Though she was no stranger to cold, she didn't wish to be out in the cold with hardly anything on!

The little green weyrling whistled excitedly as the green came into view. It was the first adult green she had seen, and was immediately intruiged. Zaela had to admit she was fascinated as well, but moreso with the rider, who was actually younger than herself. Younger yes, but the look of experience in her eye was not to be scoffed at; she was a dragonrider and knew far more than any of them.

Zaela was rather bemused that they were some of the first to arrive.. not that Neliyuth cared; she had her head craned back just to look up at the much larger green. Just as suddenly, the green turned and shoved her head into Zaela's hands, requesting reassurance. She was such a smart, mature little green, but even when her lifemate shows so much composure, it was times like this that Zaela was bluntly reminded that her green was still a baby.

"Come on, we don't want to be late!" Z'per prodded Obluth gently. Why? The blue queried. Z'per sighed. "Because being late to a lesson is bad. Now come on, walk!" He smiled as the tiny blue increased his pace slightly. It had been about a sevenday since he'd Impressed Obluth, and the dragon's personality already shone through like a beacon. One of the smallest dragons in the clutch, Obluth hadn't increased in size nearly as quickly as his siblings, which had worried Z'per at first. He had questioned the Weyrling Master to be sure the blue was eating enough, and he was reassured to find that Obluth was in perfect health; he was just a small dragon. And as for his demeanor.. Z'per was amused to discover that his lifemate was as easily distracted and absentminded as he was. And his never-ending curiosity was enough to make Z'per realize how irritating he had probably been to his own mother with his constant questions.

As they approached the lake, Obluth peered inquisitively at his larger sister Neliyuth, creeling a greeting before focusing his attention on Liranath, who seemed a giant next to him. Z'per grinned at Zaela and nodded toward the dragon who had buried her head in Zaela's hands. "Is she scared of the water?" He inquired. "I think Obluth here won't mind it too much, though he'll probably have to take it slower than everyone else." The blue snorted. "What? It's true. I won't have you overexerting yourself. If you think I'm diving down there to rescue you after you get tired, you're crazy." That was obviously false- there was nothing Z'per wouldn't do for Obluth.

Zaela was all too happy to have the company, smiling cheerfully towards the bluerider and his blue, who was dwarfed by her green. He was most certainly tiny, but then again Neliyuth was already bigger than some of the other blues as well.

Neliyuth gave a derisive sniff, composing herself before the bluerider. Zaela couldn't help but laugh, scritching her green in just the right spot on her eyeridge to melt her defensive demeanor immediately. "No, not afraid of water. Doesn't even mind the cold either. She's probably just intimidated by her first sight of an adult green. You would have thought if anything would cow them, it'd have been their golden mother. Ah well, I suppose they can just be needy sometimes. They're still just babies after all."

Zaela looked to the blue, considering what Z'per had said. "Well, he certainly looks healthy to me. Every dragonet grows at their own pace. He looks like he can very well hold his own." She offered her words encouragingly, smiling broadly.

Neliyuth too regarded the blue with cool scrutiny, almost snobbish. Then, with a roll of her shoulders, she proudly spoke out to her blue brother. You don't look like anything is wrong with you at all. Your rider worries too much.

---------------------------

Yunaleth gave a whistling croon as she pranced alongside her ridermine, who wore his swimming trunks, but also a heavy tunic. "Ooo, it's so cold!" He wailed exaggeratedly. "I hope it's just the dragons that have to swim, and not us!" As an afterthought, he threw a salute towards the greenrider before walking up to Zaela and Z'per. With a shiver, he rightly shoved himself between the two in an attempt to leech of their body heat.

The stone floor was freezing when Olly rose that morning, so when she scurried back from the washroom she layered over her bathing suit diligently. She stood at the door to the barracks looking a little bit like a puffed up mushroom, but at least she wouldn't be cold. She grinned at Zamuth as the green giggled and stuck out her tongue.

**I wish I had your hide,** Olly said fondly, keeping one hand on Zamuth's head as they walked to the lake. **So beautiful and thick!**

Zamuth beamed. //I'm so excited! We're going to do really well.//

**You think?**

//Mmhm!// Zamuth tossed her head regally in almost an exact mirroring of her rider's habit. Olly couldn't help but bend down to kiss the top of Olly's head, flushing with happiness. It hadn't been a sevenday yet since she'd Impressed Zamuth, but she couldn't help feeling that the green was the other half to her soul... or something corny and romantic like that.

She took a seat by one of the towels arranged on the rock, wrapping her arms around Zamuth to keep warm. Zamuth was happy enough to keep still to share her heat with Olly, but she couldn't help looking around excitedly at her siblings and their riders, then back at Emig and Liranath, eagerly awaiting instruction.

***

S'mer and Tedyluth were one of the first to arrive, and as the others began to trickle in around them, Tedyluth kept tipoeing to the edge of the water, placing his nose about an edge from the water's surface, and scampering back when the tide swelled up. S'mer found it hard to conceal his laughter, since it had been so long since laughter had come. His bonding to Tedyluth and his impromptu performance at the Hatching Feast had brought the brownrider out of his shell a little bit... just a little bit, but it was something. He still hid behind his sheaf of long blond hair, but he, too, peeked out excitedly at the lake.

Unlike some of his other weyrling peers, S'mer was no stranger to swims in near-freezing water. His few free mornings at the Harper Hall had been spent by the lake, and when his fingers were exhausted from plucking his harp strings, he would often exercise the rest of his muscles by diving into the lake and swimming often until he turned blue. He knew that he couldn't push himself that far now, because he had Tedyluth to look after at the brown would worry too much, but he was still excited to feel that rush of cold devouring him once again. S'mer had donned a pair of trousers and a shirt over his swimming trunks simply to keep a little warm while instructions were given, but truth be told, he was excited to get into the water.

**Had enough?** he asked Tedyluth, who came back from this particular adventure to the water with his nose wet.

//For now,// the brown replied coolly, though he flashed S'mer a bashful look as he tucked his head under the boy's arm. S'mer smiled and scratched Tedyluth's eye ridge as they waited for the lesson to begin.

Erein woke bright and early, feeling pleasantly rested. The blond candidate had quickly adapted to their high-activity lifestyle, thriving on everything they'd been learning about caring for their dragons. Although it was true Danoreth had done little more than eat, sleep, bathe, and request an oil almost as frequently as requesting a rest, the dailtily-built, average green had grown enough for the changes to be noticable. Erein had measured every day a mental tally, and the green was already a full palm's length higher at the shoulders than she'd been at hatching. Her coloration had changed little, her hide still that vivid, bright green.

~What do you think we're gonna do?~ The green padded along and twisted her head to look up at her weyrling, eyes whirling a placidly curious blue.

{Swim, by the sound of it. I think it'll be fun, right? We can eat after. You're not too hungry, are you?} Of course Erein was more than capable of waiting, but as soon as Danoreth showed the first signs of hunger, her resolve crumbled and she found her wants for food to be increasing.

~I can wait, I'm not hungry yet. Is it a bath?~

{No, silly. Playtime.}

Danoreth was quiet for a moment, then she snorted. ~Playtime before breakfast, this is strange.~

Erein sent the green dragon an affectionate tap before they rounded the last curve of the path and came upon the mighty green. Danoreth's eyes whirled brightly in interest, while Erein gave Zaela a vague wave of greeting and returned to Danoreth, who had picked a towel to sit next to.

---

Ro'lan was halfway through dressing when Vetusonth woke, yawning largely and stretching. As the weyrling pulled a pair of thick wherhide trousers over his swimclothes and selected a tunic, the brown shook himself vaguely and crooned at his bonded. ~We're going to the lake today?~

{Yes, that's this morning. After that we get breakfast,} said Ro'lan cheerfully, slipping his bare feet into sandals. If they would be swimming, it would be ridiculous to wear boots, since they absorbed water poorly and could be ruined if the craftsmanship wasn't as fine as had been promised. "Are you ready?" He said, slipping into speech momentarily.

~Yeah! Let's go!~ The swirled brown, who had been growing at an alarming rate with all the food he'd been eating, rose on his hind legs for a moment and flared his wings, before clambering off the couch to lope alongside the tall teenager's large strides, tongue lolling out through a draconic grin.

The air was chilly but not truly cold, and Ro'lan reveled in the way it awakened his senses further, still slightly muddy from the early rise. Looking over at Vetusonth, he couldn't stop the unexpected smile that spread over his face. He couldn't deny the brown anything, even if it meant rising early and returning to bed later. He hadn't talked to Selena since Hatching day, having been preoccupied with his success, and thinking perhaps a bit too much. Maybe he could talk to her today.

Ro'lan stopped beside a towel and gave a nod in the direction of the rider and her dragon. Rather nice of her to give them towels; it was bound to be fridgid in the lake, though of course the dragons wouldn't feel a thing. Vetusonth had taken to water like a fish, and loved the lake. Now, though, he rested his head on his weyrling's lap to wait for the lesson to start.

---

Kai had worn her swimclothes, though the thought of swimming in the cold lake made goosebumps erupt over her skin. She'd slipped on dark-colored, plant-fiber cloth pants with a drawstring, and tied them; on top she wore a tunic of pale green shade, so as not to wash out her pale skin. It did seem like it would be cold, if the temperature in the barracks was anything to judge by. Enorath was prancing excitedly; the blue loved going out with other weyrlings, and a meeting with all of the other weyrlings would be the most exciting, best thing that could have happened that morning. The blue wasn't even hungry; he was much to excited to go swim with his friends.

~We should meet some new people!~

Kai smiled and shrugged. {We'll see what happens, love.} The two set off, Enorath urging Mai to a brisker pace.

As the weyrling couple murmured a greeting to those next to the towels she settled upon, she glanced up at the rider, and was shocked to see a face younger than her own. Well, of course, some of the other weyrlings were younger than her, but she'd forgotten that when some of the youngest weyrlings graduated, they'd be young riders. She'd totally forgotten that young riders existed; she had expected all the riders to be old and wise, maybe with white beards on the men. Well, she'd forgotten some things, obviously. Like realism.

So she couldn't help it if her face reflected the hint of cynicism she felt at somebody, at least two years her junior, instructing her to take care of her precious Enorath. True, it was ironic, because many of he rpatients had questioned so young a healer until she'd proved her abilities, and here she was wondering at somebody's abilities because of her age. Ah, well. She *was* a graduated rider, so she had to know something. Even so, Kai's face still displayed that uncharacteristic cynicism and slight disbelief at having such a young rider.

---

L'vair was not fond of waking early.

Unfortunately, he still had over sixteen months of it coming at him.

Well, the first week had been dreadful, filled with the tan, messy-haired candidate struggling to wake and eventually getting pounced by Yulieth and attacked with the blue's stomach grumblies. Finally he was starting to get the hang of waking, but he was tired frequently. This morning was no exception, and he was stifling yet another yawn on his way back from the privies, having washed up and brushed his teeth and relieved himself. He vaguely wondered how dragons kept /their/ teeth healthy; after all, they ate raw meat, not even the cooked kind that humans consumed, and it wasn't as though their teeth ever needed brushing. He gave up his wonderings as he stripped his sleepclothes off and dressed himself in his swimclothes and plain shorts, with a well-fitting shirt that, rather than hanging from his frame, suited his thin stature.

Yulieth was busy preening, but whuffled affectionately as his weyrling attempted to fix his hair. The blond-brown strands remained as messy as ever, and so the boy shrugged and decided to head to the lake, Yulieth just about trotting alongside him in excitement to socialize with his fellow weyrlings.

Disbelief registered on his face, disbelief and mistrust, as he took in the ridiculously small rider, who was in no way older than him, standing beside the large green. He almost scoffed, but instead seated himself moodily on a towel, while Yulieth gamboled among the other weyrlings, touching noses with a green here, sniffing a brown there. There was no way a young and tiny "full-grown rider" could help him manage his dragonet better than anything he'd learned from his youth at Igen. Even so, he knew his place, and did grudgingly give her respect, though it was not visible anywhere on his countenance.

---

Mishaea perched on the edge of her cot, having pulled her soft, wavy hair into a bundle at the back of her head. She was flushing, having dressed in two layers over her swimclothes. "Do you think we really have to go swimming?"

~Of course,~ said Rovelth, with greeny eyes whirling. ~Why is that bad?~

"I just... don't want the boys to see me in my swimclothes," she continued aloud, gazing at her blurry relfection in her looking-tin across the room. "Well... maybe they won't notice..."

~Of course they won't. You'll be too busy playing with me, anyways.~ Rovelth cocked his head, and then gazed longingly toward the exit.

"Fine, let's go," Mishaea stammered, not quite restored to her regular skin tone.

By the time she reached the lake, she'd argued with Rovelth about not swimming, but each time the blue had convince dher he'd need her in the water with him, and she just couldn't say no. Her mouth opened slightly at the sight of the green dragoness, but Rovelth bumped her with his head. ~We've got to sit down, everybody else is.~

{Well, they're all talking,} gently amended Mishaea. {We're not quite started yet.} Even so, the girl found a seat, and Rovelth snuggled close to her, eyes whirling protectively, wedge-shaped head swaying slightly.

---

Dr'gon brushed his brown hair to neatness and frowned at his appearance; he was becoming more tan, as the weyrlings had been spending more time outside in their training thus far. Not that that had been much more than eating and bathing and oiling. Gerosuth gently rubbed his head against Dr'gon's tunic-covered stomach, as if sensing the boy's thoughts. Of course, the weyrling hadn't yet made any friends, but he had no secrets from Gerosuth. The bronze had urged the solitary boy to talk to others, but long-standing habit was hard to break, especially when the habit was created out of necessity. Then again, nobody had approached him, either. He straightened his tunic and turned a fond smile on Gerosuth, who-- had anybody seen it-- would have looked totally out of place on his normally bland-expressioned, unattached face. Yes, keeping a mild expression revealed little, but apparently warded others away. What had been a protective barrier before now served to isolate him. Well, he enjoyed solitude, but Gerosuth didn't, so Dr'gon had promised to try and talk to somebody. He never much liked others his age, feeling more mature than them-- for they were concerned with drinking and crafts and women, while he'd always been a detached harper with cynicism tainted by experience, close connections to heir apparent of Bitra.

But of course, all that was behind him. {Ready for a swim?} He asked affectionately, and the bronze responded with a croon. The two set off for the lake, exchanging thoughts without needing words. The pair arrived and Dr'gon immediately noticed the youth of their supposed instructior, but still his face gave nothing away. He simply took a seat and glanced about him once, trying to find somebody he could later approach, but remaining silent for now.

---

Selena had been one of the first to arrive, and she stretched on her seat at the towel while Chairth frolicked along the coastline. The icy-hued blue skipped a bit closer to the water, and the generally apathetic girl's brow creased. {Chiarth, to me!} She barked, perhaps a little more harshly than she'd intended, and the blue returned quickly, crooning apology and thrusting his head into Selena's hands for caresing.

~Sorry, Selena, the water just looked so nice...~

{I don't want you to get in trouble, and I really don't want you to bet hurt. Wait here with me until the green dragon says we're allowed to go in, alright?} Selena gently scratched the blue's eyeknobs, as she'd found he liked.

The pale blue-grey was growing slowly, but Selena found the misproportioned dragonet endearing, and worried little about the rate of growth. She remembered from Fort, they all grew from different rates, and of course Chiarth wouldn't look exactly like the other blues at this stage. She continued her caresses as more weyrlings began to arrive.

The raw morning found Segrunth in a state of ... intensity would be the best way to describe it, M'dak figured. He watched with scant patience while M'dak dressed and stuffed half a dry meatroll into his mouth. The young bronze's eyes were sparking with energy, their facets a brilliant green. Swim, he said. We're going to swim today!

"Lovely," muttered his less-enthusiastic rider, knuckles crunching out the sleep from his own eyes. He raked his fingers through his hair to give himself a semblance of grooming, and stomped off for the lake with a teeth-cleaning stick in one hand and his wherhide jacket, as protection from the cold, in the other.

M'dak was not a morning person.

Less so, when he saw the child who was to be teaching them. Emig - he knew her only by name, as a Tiazora transfer, and only because Nako had briefed them the day before - didn't look as though she could defend herself from a wherry chick, much less be a dragonrider. At least her dragon seemed capable, with her air of serene patience and confidence. A sensible green.

There were a few other early arrivals near him; Z'per and Zaela were engaged in conversation, so M'dak turned to S'mer, who was laughing at his blue Tedyluth for his wet nose. "How old d'you wager our instructor is?" he whispered, nodding in Emig's direction without looking at her.

Segrunth was gazing at Liranath without blinking, head cocked to one side. He took a few diagonal steps, getting himself closer both to the adult green and to the water. His focus was absolute; if M'dak didn't care whether he missed Emig's opening statements, his dragon certainly did.

** **

The plucky young blue clambered off his stone couch and stealthily up to the cot of his late-sleeping rider. Jaws unhinged the barest amount, latched onto the sleeping fur that covered the cot's occupant from nose to feet, and yanked. Then Colieth turned tail and ran, earknobs flat to his skull, wings tucked tight to his body, sleeping fur flapping between his feet and threatening to send him crashing to the floor with every step. With an oath, J'deryk was up and after him, clad only in underwear in the cave-cold barracks.

"Sorry...sorry...get back here, you!" He alternately apologized and bellowed, depending on whether he had a clear run at Colieth or had brushed one of his bunkmates in his hurry. Around the barracks ran Colieth, ducking, dodging, and weaving. The little blue had grown so much in his first sevenday of life, and was developing a compact, solidly-muscled little body with beautiful proportions. But he was still just a baby, and in the end, the moment J'deryk had been waiting for happened. Colieth's front feet became entangled in the fur, and he crashed to the floor. J'deryk went down with him, unable to stop his headlong rush. He rolled to prevent Colieth taking his full weight, but had the presence of mind to grab a corner of the sleeping fur as he did so. "Let go!" he hollered, and Colieth did at once, his eyes round with innocence.

All you had to do was ask, he said, and sounded so bewildered that J'deryk could only lean his forehead on his bare knees and howl with mirth.

By the time he and Colieth arrived at the lake, then, they were both warmed up and ready to go. J'deryk grinned hugely when he spotted Zaela, and waved to her and Z'per, not wanting to interrupt them. Colieth glanced over at Emig and Liranath, recognized them for what they were, and tranferred his attention to the lake. Do you think they'll let us swim all the way across it? he asked eagerly.

J'deryk looked down at his spotted blue friend, amused. "If you go across, can you make it back?" He was only teasing his dragon, but he still marveled at the earnest way in which Colieth regarded the lake, measuring the distance. There was doubt in his voice when he replied, but he still puffed out his chest and arched his thin neck in determination. It's a long way. But I think I can do it!

** **

Aeryn had woken in the dark, still hours before dawn, as she had done every day since Eagrith had Hatched. Taking her sleeping fur with her, she crept silently off her cot and burrowed up against her little blue's warm, soft hide, throwing the rug over them both. She knew Eagrith didn't need it, but he never complained, and it gave Aeryn a further sense of glowing certainty that she was taking the best possible care of her dragon. Plus, she loved to be close to him. The little blue sighed contentedly and moved his wedge-shaped head closer to hers, then fell asleep again.

So positioned, they woke with to the dawn chimes someone had so thoughtfully provided in the girls' barracks. "Eagrith," Aeryn whispered, tickling her blue under the chin. "Today we have our swimming lesson. Not just a bath, but a real swim. Are you ready?"

Eagrith yawned hugely. I am ready. I don't wish to swim too far, because I'm hungry.

Aeryn groaned. "You're always hungry."

And he was. Eagrith was growing at pace with his other blue brothers, but he was still the smallest of all of them. She worried about this, a little, but Nako had assured her that he would grow in his own good time, and pointed out the size of Eagrith's feet, earknobs, and tailtip. These were in obvious disproportion to the rest of him, and made him look very awkward because they were so big. Nako had stressed, again, the dangers of overfeeding just to make Eagrith grow. So that was that. Anyway, Aeryn's blue seemed perfectly content with his lot.

She dressed, plaiting her sheaf of silver-blonde hair down her back in imitation of her idol, Kai. She remembered to pull a woolly cap over her ears, after overhearing somebody mention that there was actually frost on the ground. Then she and Eagrith took their leave, walking in harmonious accord to the lake and arriving with the group of weyrlings. Aeryn studied Emig with frank curiosity. She didn't look to be much more than a weyrling herself, with her small size, unruly mop of black curls, and large, dark eyes. But her dragon was full-grown, and she had been thoughtful enough to bring big, outsized towels for everyone for after the swim. Maybe she knew what she was doing, after all.

Aeryn rested her hand on Eagrith's blue head, and waited for the lesson to begin.

Seeing that the entire complement of 23 young riders and dragons had arrived, Emig figured it was time to start. No sense wasting precious time, M'cail would have said. Thinking of her stalwart older brother gave her a boost of courage, and that and Liranath's gentle hum sent her forward smiling. She raised her hands to get everyone's attention.

"Good morning!" she said in her bright young voice, trying to remember not to smile too widely; Nako had coached her a bit, and informed her that too much smiling on meeting a group of people was an indication of nervousness. Problem was, it was in Emig's nature to smile. At everything and everyone. She hoped she could turn it into enthusiasm on the part of the weyrlings. They were all watching her, but some of them had doubtful or surly looks on their faces. Whether that was in reaction to her youth or to the cold morning, Emig couldn't be sure. She also couldn't let it faze her.

"I hope you don't hate me too much for dragging you out here on the coldest morning of the Turn, so far," she continued, making eye contact with a few of the weyrlings as Nako had told her to do. "But Liranath assures me that the lake water feels like a tropical inlet in high summer."

Liranath's snort at this teasing lie made the corners of Emig's mouth twitch; devoutly, she hoped for a similar response of humor from her class. It would go a long way toward them accepting her as a teacher. And if they didn't laugh, well, it was going to be a long morning for her.

Taking a deep breath, she continued. "So here's the deal, people. Listen up!" she glared at two male weyrlings, one with a bronze and one with a brown, who appeared deep in conversation and not paying the least attention to her, although the small bronze was watching her alertly. Funny, they reminded her a little of herself and Liranath at that stage. "We're going to use the buddy system; I'm going to send you out in pairs with another weyrling. If one pair gets in trouble, the other is to have his or her dragon contact Liranath at once for help. The help word is 'overboard,' and the dragon must identify himself and his rider. Got it?"

She paused, watching for the nodding heads. This would be important; the lake water was cold, for humans if not for dragons, and while Emig didn't plan to keep anyone in long enough to contract hypothermia, that was always a danger.

"Okay, I'm going to split you up now. Once you have your partner, you'll take your dragons out and back in relays. See those buoys?" Emig pointed at the four brightly-colored hide balls floating tethered at intervals along the cliff edge of the lake. They ran in a straight line perpendicular from shore, and were painted green, blue, brown, and bronze; one for each color dragon present. She was rather proud of her detail in that matter. "The green one's closest, so you'll swim to that, then back. Then to the blue, then the brown, then the bronze." She pointed at each buoy in turn. "You'll have a few minutes' rest between relays. If everyone does well at the end, we'll have a race: out to the bronze buoy and back. The race will be voluntary, and you should only do it if you and your dragon are feeling good." She fixed them with a level gaze. "Liranath and I will be checking you all before the race. If we say you're out, that's the final word. You don't race. So pace yourselves and your dragons, because the winner of the race gets a prize." She grinned, erasing her sternness of the previous moment.

"Okay, here we go." From her panniers, Emig removed a wax tablet and stylus. "I don't know all your names, so please give them to me as I pair you up. We'll start with you." She pointed at Ollyriale, who sat nearest on the towel-rock, then indicated Ro'lan. "You two together. What are your names?"

This went on, until at last Emig's roster read:

Ollyriale, green Zamuth x Ro'lan, brown Vetusonth
Zaela, green Neliyuth x De'loran, bronze Zeiloharth
E'nki, blue Cerboth x J'san, brown Ronuth
Marowa, green Zaloteth x S'mer, brown Tedyluth
Erein, green Danoreth x M'dak, bronze Segrunth
Acacia, green Gavaileth x J'deryk, blue Colieth
T'bai, green Yunaleth x Nerva, blue Erneth
Chrysania, green Joleth x Kai, blue Enorath
Aeryn, blue Eagrith x Dr'gon, bronze Gerosuth
Tracey, green Dinalith x Z'per, blue Obluth
L'vair, blue Yulieth x Selena, blue Chiarth

"And you," said Emig gently, coming at last to small and big-eyed Mishaea, "You and your lovely blue will come to me." She smiled to Rovelth and gave the little blue a bow. She'd picked out Mishaea from the start as the candidate with the least self-confidence and most fear, and figured it wouldn't do, this early in weyrlinghood, to throw the girl in with her louder, more competitive counterparts.

"Okay, one more thing." Emig had to raise her arms and voice to be heard over the buzz and shuffle of weyrlings moving around to find their partners. "Go at your partner's pace! I want to see fair play. You guys will need to fight Thread like this one day, and believe me, it's not all glory and acrobatics. You have to watch out for one another. Some of you'll be well-matched with your partners, and some will have one stronger and one weaker partner. Be fair! I want you to push each other, but you always have to go at the pace the weaker dragon can manage. If I see someone - anyone" - she glared at the three bronze riders - "Leaving their buddy behind, you'll be removed from the lesson and rate latrine duty for two sevendays." She put her fists on her tiny hips to let them know she meant business. "Okay, ready? What's the safe word again? All together!"

OOC: Oh, Fury, you and your dazzling weyrling lessons! :)

***

"Good morning," Olly said cheerily in surprise, honored at having been the first one that Emig spoke to (obviously not making the connection to her proximity to the Weyrlingmaster where she sat). "Ollyriale, or Olly, whichever you like. And this is Zamuth." Though they didn't make eye contact, Olly threw her red hair over her shoulder, and Zamuth gave a pretty toss of her head. It was hard to tell if it was dragon imitating rider or the other way around.

When Emig had moved on, Olly turned to Zamuth, speaking aloud in her excitement. "Four relays! That's a lot, love. Are you sure you can handle it? Greens haven't been known to exhibit the greatest stamina." She carressed Zamuth's eye ridge affectionately as she spoke so the green would know that she didn't mean any harm by simply stating that fact.

//'Course!// replied Zamuth, nudging Olly's hand as the girl rose from the towel to seek out Ro'lan and brown Vetusonth. //Greens may not have great stamina, but we've got spunk!//

***

"Hm? What? Oh," S'mer stuttered. Perhaps he was less out of his shell than he'd thought. He shook his head to get his hair out of his eyes, so as to have a better look at who was addressing him. He recognized M'dak from the boys' side of the weyrling barracks, and Tedyluth informed him that M'dak's bronze was named Segrunth. S'mer noticed that Tedyluth had tucked his chocolate brown head closer to S'mer's body as the boys began to talk; he wasn't the only shy one, then.

"I don't know," he replied awkwardly, glancing at Emig, then back to M'dak when he realized he shouldn't have been having this conversation at all, which was why M'dak hadn't looked at her, and oh, oh, oh, his first conversation was slowly but surely turning into a disaster. He hoped he wasn't blushing, and realized that with the thought, he had begun to do so.

"But, um, you know, it doesn't really matter," he continued, horrified at the hole he was digging himself into by continuing to speak, and wondering why he couldn't just shut his mouth. "There are lots of younger people that act in positions meant for older people. I, um, don't see why they shouldn't be allowed to be in those positions if they're capable of fulfilling the same actions, maybe even better than an older person might have. Maybe Emig will be better because she's closer to our age, you know?"

And finally he stopped. It was the most S'mer had spoken out loud probably since the Harper Hall, and poor M'dak had had to endure his endless babbling. He clamped his lips shut and peeked out at the bronzerider from behind his hair, hoping that he hadn't scared his fellow weyrling away.

Ronuth was downright pleasant this fine.. sharding cold morning. J'san on the other hand would follow begrudgingly after his brown with the mass of others making their way to the lake. His fine blond hair was loosely tied back, a hairstyle as prevalent as the hair color, obviously. Then again there was nothing odd about that; a lot of that blood was prevalent in the Northern Continent. A young man used to the cold weather of the mountains, he wore only his swimming trunks and a pair of hide sandals to keep his feet from getting too terribly chilled... but his love for the chill air did nothing to keep the gooseflesh from rising up along his arms and legs. Mornings were one thing when it was just feeding, since often after a morning feed one could go and sneak another hour of sleep before being kicked out of bed by an assistant Weyrlingmaster. This though, would be the start of his day, and he'd hold a grudge against having that taken away from him.

I'm happy to be awake. You should too, because it means getting out of the barracks to do something fun. Ronuth informed his rider, a lace of almost mocking surprise that he had not considered this. I've been so bored in the barracks, mine. They did well to give me something to do.

J'san's mouth curled into a grin at the dragon's conceit, however innocent it was. J'san was a selfish person by nature as well, but he wasn't heartless. "Now now, it's not just for you, but for all the other Weyrlings as well." Hah, teaching someone how to be considerate.. that was something he never thought he'd do.

Oh! Well yes, of course. They deserve it as well. There was a hint of contrite in his cool mental tone.

Both dragon and Weyrling stood amongst their peers... rather boring, really. Still, J'san would listen to the young dragonrider's words since he had no one to speak with, and certainly didn't want to be chastised by the young woman. The only thing worse than getting in trouble is to get punished by someone near your own age that outranks you. There were others though, that would show insubordination, and the harsh stare she gave them made J'san grin. Oh, so juvenile it was, but it was always a certain thrill to see others become bemused and embarrassed when they get in trouble. Maybe it was a base human nature to see things that disturb them?

That's awful. I wouldn't want to see any of my brothers and sisters hurt. J'san immediately flustered under the stern gaze of his dragon, but was unable to respond, for they were called up by Emig. Ronuth all but bounced forward when they were rather unceremoniously pointed out, and J'san had to jog to keep up with him. Well, at least it was a proper distraction, for the brown was far too excited about the prospect of swimming to think of such depressing things.

J'san now stood next to E'nki, a rather dispassionate expression on his face. Ronuth was similarly quiet, though his wings fluttered against his sides to bely his calm. Belatedly, he sounded out the safeword, a few paces out of sync with the pain group. He squeezed the sides of his crossed arms and stood up a bit straighter then, hoping not to be picked out amongst the group for his error.

Zaela was far more impressed by the greenrider than most people, listening intently with a smile on her face, smiling a little wider when the woman's gaze slid in her direction during the intense scan she sent over ever Weyrling. The women of the Weyr never ceased to amaze and intrigue Zaela. They were so confident, sometimes even a bit crude in their blunt and unhindered demeanor. Honestly she couldn't imagine herself becoming so forward.

When they were paired up, Zaela couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed. She would have much rather paired up with someone she knew well. Nevertheless, she kept a smile on her face, though it grew more hesitant as she now stood next to the bronze weyrling that was to be her partner. His dashing bronze was beside him, and Neliyuth was all but standing on her toes to size herself up against the bronze. She couldn't really call the green competitive, but she certainly didn't like to seem demure or easily overlooked. She was personally quite relieved when Emig actually looked directly to the bronzeriders when she gave the warning about leaving others behind. Already she was noticing the difference in personality and confidence that the bronzes played on their weyrling rider's minds. She'd dealt with cocky men in her life before, but never had she really had the opportunity to think of herself enough to actually admit to herself she -disliked- most men like that. Still, she'd try not to judge him too quickly. Besides, he was a rather funny jokester during candidacy so he couldn't be -that- bad.

"Overboard." She called out the safeword enthusiastically and obediently, her voice piping out over the others that hesitantly murmured, mostly out of harmony with one another. Realizing this, she blushed fiercely, busying herself to scratch an itch on Neliyuth's hide as if she had bidden her to do so. The slight jump of surprise that the green gave when she did that would be similar to that of a frightened cat. Thank you, but I was fine... But the mental tone softened as she realized that her rider needed comfort, abandoning her posturing in front of the bronze to lean against her rider's leg. Already the dragon had grown to her hip, sizing her up with the average blues, and had to take care not to bowl her rider over.

((Hee hee, I'm having the time of my life with this. Thank you for letting me run with it, Stormy! Hope I don't screw it up. I'm on my PC at work, having a late lunch, and wanted to check how things are coming along. Next post when I get home tonight - I'm afraid of getting busted writing when I'm supposed to be running GeoWizard analysis, lol.))

((I'd be surprised that you'd be able to do anything that we couldn't run with, Fury =P No worries! This is quite fun =D))

"Ro'lan," replied the weyrling promptly, who had been sitting alertly. Vetusonth lifted his head, and Ro'lan grinned. "And Vetusonth."

~We're going first!~

{I think so. We'd better go over to that girl, they called her first.}

Ro'lan clambered to his feet and Vetusonth loped over to the green Zamuth, briefly touching noses, before chirping delightedly. ~Remember, Ro'lan, say Overboard if our green and her weyrling get in trouble!~

Ro'lan had jogged to catch up with the brown, and how panted for a moment before extending a hand and flashing the bright-haired Ollyriale a charming smile. "Hey there Olly. Ready to go? If Vetusonth gets tired I'll let you know, but make sure to tell me if your Zamuth gets tired, too, alright?" He fell silent, exuding an air of amusement, perhaps at being selected as the first pair. Then, as if remembering himself, he held up a hand and jogged back to his towel, where he slipped out of his tunic and trousers and left them by his sandals, returning in just his swimclothes. He was actually looking forward to the stimulating, if chilly, water. Some discomfort would have to be borne throughout weyrlinghood, and this might just be one of those things. If it would help Vetusonth, he'd do it without complaining. After a quick stetch of his arms, he joined Vetusonth and Ollyriale, and her Zamuth, once more.

By now, J'deryk knew his fellow weyrlings by both sight and name. He'd made it a point to learn them all quickly, all too aware that his late arrival as a Candidate had him at a disadvantage. Which was not where he liked to be. So when Emig assigned him a partner, he looked around at once to find Acacia and her green, and made sure he and Colieth were first to approach. The tussle with his dragon, and Colieth's own sense of wonder and excitement, infected J'deryk to the point where he was in wildly high spirits. "Hey there, Acacia." He stopped next to the girl. "Ready to lose all feeling in toes and fingers?"

Beside him, Colieth was engaged in nose-touching with Acacia's Gavaileth. The beautifully speckled little green was subjected to thorough inquisitiveness from the mottled blue, and he spoke to her in the excited mind-link chatter used by dragons, that was almost too swift for human thought to follow.

** **

Belatedly, and with swift embarrassment, M'dak realized he was talking to the wrong person. S'mer was clearly distressed; he kept darting glances from beneath his sheaf of hair at Emig, then M'dak, then his brown dragon, whose head was hidden behind S'mer's shoulder. Segrunth was ignoring all three, his fierce gaze still fixed on Liranath and Emig.

With an effort, he bit back a derogatory laugh and sharp retort at S'mer's defense of younger riders. He wanted to point out that Emig, whoever she was, didn't look capable of feeding a kitchen canine. She had that whole defenseless waif look about her. As a result of controlling his outburst, M'dak's face became curiously contorted; his mouth thinned while his eyes bulged, and at the same time a thoughtful crease appeared between his eyebrows. He hadn't even thought that Emig had, perhaps, been chosen because she was of weyrling age, even if a full and graduated rider, and could maybe relate better to the class because of it.

The result, for anyone who looked at him, was quite comical. But he managed to contain himself, especially because at that moment he chanced to look at Emig and find the green rider scowling straight at him, her little face stern.

That set you back on your heels, Segrunth observed with an air of immense satisfaction.

Now M'dak glared at his bronze. What do you mean?

Segrunth turned his head and fixed his rider in a long gaze. You shouldn't judge people. There's more to Emig and Liranath than you think.

M'dak blinked. Then he blinked again. Then he spread his arms, grinning, and glanced over at S'mer as if to say, what can you do about that? But he paid attention, after, and as he stood to go in search of Erein, he sketched a farewell wave S'mer, who half looked as if he wished he'd never spoken to M'dak at all.

** **

Aeryn huddled inside her wherskin, moving her shoulders around to keep her circulation going. At least, she thought with relief, she wasn't going to have to swim alone. But her relief vanished the moment Emig assigned her to partner with Dr'gon and Verosuth. Casting a despairing look around for Kai, she saw the tall girl already engaged in conversation with her partner Chrysania. She was on her own, and she was going to have to buddy up with the most forbidding member of their class. Great.

A bump at her elbow reminded her that she wasn't alone. We will be fine, Eagrith told her, with more confidence than she felt. But either way, she had no choice. Mustering her courage, she checked the fasteners on her jacket and then walked toward Dr'gon and his dark-bright bronze, careful not to make eye contact lest he realize how afraid she was.

They shouted or they mumbled, but Liranath assured Emig that every weyrling had repeated the word "overboard" at her command. It made her weak with relief. More than anything, she wanted to sit down on the rock and have a quiet case of the shakes. She'd been called a natural showoff before, but Emig had never had so much attention fixed on her at once before - at least, not for something serious like this. She found it nerve-wracking.

You are doing beautifully, Liranath assured her. Many of the weyrlings are coming to respect you more than they did when they first saw you.

Emig wasn't sure whether Liranath meant weyrling dragons or riders, but she needed the reassurance and let it lie. Nodding at the class, she cast a practiced eye over the calm waters of the lake. The temperature was sharp, to be sure, but there was no wind in the valley. Once the sun was up over the canyon walls, the water should warm up quickly. Emig was counting on this for the final stretches of the swim. The absence of wind also meant safer wave conditions.

"Okay," she called. "That's great, guys. First team, line up!" She beckoned Ollyriale and Ro'lan forward, then asked Zaela and De'loran to stand behind them with their dragons. "Once the team ahead of you reaches the turnaround point at the buoy, next team goes. First team swims out to my left, second to my right, third to my left, and so on. Understand what I mean? We shouldn't have anyone crashing into anyone else if we do it like that." She paused for breath, looking around to make sure everyone was nearby and ready to get into line as she sent the teams into the water. "Remember, just the green buoy, first time out. Olly, Ro'lan, ready? Set ... Go!" Emig had raised her arm in the classic dragonrider signal to rise, and she dropped it on the word go, sending forth the first team of rider and dragon into the lake.

Ro'lan moved forward, castily Olly an oblique glance as Emig beckoned them both forward. If he had to match pace with a girl, then maybe it would be good exercise. She looked like she could hold her own, though, so he didn't worry too much. He gave Emig a vague wave of assent to show he understood, and at "go," jogged into the water. Vetusonth loped into the water until it was too deep for his feet to touch the sandy ground; he took off paddling quickly, streamlined, flowing through the water.

{Wait up for the rest of us!} Ro'lan was splashing through waist-deep water, his entire body covered in goosebumps. His toes were numb but the ground slipped out from under him and he began swimming, keeping abreast of the brown now that he'd caught up, and glancing back at Olly, making sure they were about even.

((Okay so Zaela and her partner are behind Olly and they'll go after they come back.. I think? =D ))

Emig watched as Zamuth and Vetusonth paddled out toward the center of the lake. She made sure they reached the green buoy and started to turn back before she sent out Zaela with Neliyuth and De'loran with Vetusonth. "That's good! Half done," she called, smiling and clapping for the first team.

"Okay Zaela, De'loran on the beach! Ready? Go!" She waved the green and bronze weyrlings over to her right side, so that the returning team would have clear swimming space. "In the water, and communicate!" Her voice cracked on the last word, and Emig wondered if she'd be too hoarse to yell before the end of the lesson, and have to resort to sending her orders through Liranath.

((We still have a lot of relays to get through, so I'm going to go ahead and send all the riders in for round one, in the interest of saving time.))

By now, most of the weyrlings had figured out which side they'd launch from by checking Emig's tablet, and arranged themselves and their dragons accordingly. That should make things go faster. Emig nodded to herself when she saw this; they obviously had a lot more discipline and initiative than she'd had as a weyrling.

** **

M'dak studied Erein as he lined up with the blond candidate to Emig's left. Their instructor was focused on the water, watching the teams already out swimming to the green buoy. "You gonna be warm enough?" he asked. He rubbed his own bare arms briskly; they were covered in gooseflesh. "I'm hoping that if we move a lot, the cold won't get to us as badly. How do you feel about making short, fast strokes out there?"

Just one more gust of cold would be all some of the still-stoic weyrlings needed to break out in goosebumps. A large bronze was circling relatively slowly, and landed near the green. ~Hello, Liranath. How are you this morning?~

The rider who slid from the bronze's offered forearm was the tall, graceful K'mav. Second Wing wasn't drilling until later in the morning, so he'd decided to stop by the lake and see how the Weyrlings were doing. He'd always had an affection for the young riders, although they were always a strange, mixed bunch-- some of them clinging onto every word a rider would say, others just moving through Weyrlinghood with an eye for lessons. He pulled his lined wherhide jacket a little tighter around his form, and brushed off some dust from the landing off his dark pants, before he brushed a hand through his short bronze hair and approached Emig, looking at the back of the girl's form with mild amusement. It never failed to amaze him that there were riders at least a full decade younger than him. "Good morning, Emig," announced the rider as he sidled into place next to her and stopped, crossing his arms. "The water must be cold today. Keeping their noses down to the grindstone, I see." He'd never had anything against younger riders, as long as they were competent and took their job seriously. "So, how have you and Liranath been doing?" He flashed the rider a charming smile, rubbing his hands together so as not to loose circulation.

Erein started when her name was written down right before a Bronzerider's. Surely Emig didn't expect her to keep up with a bronzerider? There was no doubt, Erein was definitely a physically active person, but there was no possible way... well, maybe she could give him a run for his money, but she doubted her own abilities. Wouldn't he look down on her?

~I don't look down on you, and I Impressed you. I'm sure he's going to be nice.~

{Well, I've never talked to him--!}

~It doesn't matter. We could make new friends, anyways.~

Erein shrugged and smiled in spite of herself. She wasn't ashamed of Danoreth at all, and the green clearly wanted to do her best. ~Alright, lets go find this M'dak. I will recognize him, though I can't say I know him at all...~ The two rose to their feet, and glanced about the throng of weyrlings.

Erein spotted the bronze rider near a brown rider, but then he turned away-- presumably, Erein hoped, to find her. The slim, pale-haired weyrling squeezed between two blue riders, before finally ending up next to M'dak.

"Sorry," she half-panted. "I was all the way on the other side, and..." She trailed off, and shrugged. Danoreth was gazing at Segrunth distantly, then she flared her wings and looked back at Erein. The weyrling almost laughed. {Danoreth, it's not a contest. We're going to help each other.}

The green dipped her head apologetically, but Erein could still sense her competitive nature lurking deeper. Erein grinned, then turned back to M'dak. "Yeah, I think so," she said uncertainly; the air was cold itself, and the water would be freezing. She had discarded her outer layer already, her form-fitting tunic and cropped plant-fiber pants, and they lay in a crumple next to her towel. Her swimclothes were neither modest nor showy, for she'd had them for the past few years, never finding a point in getting new clothes when the old ones fit just fine, and were athletic rather than decorative, which suited her just fine. The bottom hem was shorts rather than the v-shaped, contour-hugging material that had become popular; Erein felt comfortable even if her partner was a male, because she wasn't showing off too much skin, and because she wasn't ashamed of her body, though she didn't flaunt it. She was here to exercise, and didn't want to worry about how her partner would look at her while she did it. Even if she did get to show off more tan skin than pale, which was more than she could say for many of the other weyrlings. "I'm sure we'll be numb, but I'm fine with getting through it as quickly as we can." Well, he was actually rather pleasant; Erein couldn't help but smile a little. "I think it'll be good to go quickly, now that you mention it."

((Ollyriale, green Zamuth x Ro'lan, brown Vetusonth
Erein, green Danoreth x M'dak, bronze Segrunth
Chrysania, green Joleth x Kai, blue Enorath
Aeryn, blue Eagrith x Dr'gon, bronze Gerosuth
L'vair, blue Yulieth x Selena, blue Chiarth))

Dr'gon waited patiently until he was paired with a bluerider. A young bluerider. His face was devoid of anything but a mildly pleasant expression, though he was wondering if she was capable of holding her own. The blue, he noticed as he stood in just his trunks, was fine-looking, and dragons did reflect their riders.

~Let's wait and see. She's young, but maybe she'll surprise you.~

{She had quite a large family at the Feast last sevenday... hopefully she'd got a level head on her shoulders. Can't be much of a leader, but she may be loyal to her friends. We'll see.}

Gerosuth didn't comment on Dr'gon's mental analysis, criticisms, and suppositions. Instead, Dr'gon drew himself up to his full height-- which would only succeed in dwarfing the girl-- and approaching her.

{Look how she averts her eyes.}

~Maybe she's afraid of you. You haven't made any friends yet.~ There was reprimand in the dragon's tone.

{I prefer solitude, you know.}

Dr'gon stopped in front of Aeryn, with a comfortable space between them. "Aeyrn," he said abruptly. "I take it we're partners, or so it seems. I hope we can work well together. Are you a good swimmer?"

Gerosuth was tentatively sniffing Eagrith, eyes whirling a bright blue, before he sat back and gazed up at Dr'gon.

Zaela might have tried to stall, trying to make sure that the bronzerider and she jumped in at the same time, but her green would want otherwise. With a strong nudge, the young weyrling was sent with a yelp into the icy cold waters, three consecutive splashes sounding out behind her. She didn't have time to sputter about, for she felt Neliyuth slide past her, urging her on. The water was icy cold, but she'd have to ignore it and push onward. When she resurfaced, she could see the bronze weyrling and his dragonet beside her, and she could sense her green on her other side.

Zaela was a decent swimmer, but wasn't known for being speedy in the water. It was obvious that the weyrling she had paired up with had to pace himself. She was glad that he had heeded Emig's warning though; she hadn't been keen on the idea of having to struggle after someone faster than she was. Neliyuth too paddled alongside, whirling eyes colored with amusement. It is you that needs more practice than I. Hopefully you will get faster at swimming.

The lap was short, and Zaela was glad once she was able to drag herself out of the water. Shivering, she grabbed for a towel for herself and her dragon. "Aren't you cold?" She cried out with exasperation at how unphased her green was. She wrapped a towel around the green anyways, who now looked to her rider worriedly. Mine, why are your teeth chattering so much? You really need to get a thicker hide... Though the words had all the potential to be sarcastic, there was nothing but simple dragon logic behind them. Zaela shrugged it off, throwing a towel over her dragon to dry her off, even if she insisted on not being chilled. "I can't be giving up now, can I? We've still got three more laps to go!"

It was then that she finally looked to her swimming partner, who was tending to himself and his dragon in similar fashion. He seemed no worse for wear with blue lips . "Well, lets get to the back of the line and wait our turn I suppose."

Sending the weyrlings into the lake did not give Emig the rest she expected and hoped for. Now, instead of the strain of talking while trying to make sure everyone was really listening, she experienced the burden of trying to simultaneously watch all the swimmers and queue up the next ones. With a slight sinking of the heart, she realized that she wouldn't be able to let up her vigilance until the lesson was done.

Even Liranath's soothing voice was temporarily absent. Emig was too distracted to look back at her dragon to discover why, but she found out a moment later when a tall bronze rider with hair that matched his dragon's hide appeared, seemingly out of nowhere, and addressed her with all the formality due a rider of rank. But he's a wingsecond, she thought distractedly, her harried thoughts scattering like blown leaves as she gave a nod and a pat to the wet shoulders of Marowa and S'mer, newly emerged from the lake. "Make sure you get your towels, and keep moving with jumping jacks while you wait for the next round!" she called, as the wet pair trudged off to the rear of the line, dragons frisking around their heels. At least the rotation was going faster than she expected.

Then she realized that K'mav was waiting. "Oh!" Losing her composure, Emig's hands fluttered to her wild, curly hair, raking it into an even more unmanageable style. "I'm sorry, K'mav. I did see you, but ..." she cast wildly about her to indicate the many things going on at once, then cast a mutely appealing look at the wingsecond. He was calm, almost amused. "You don't, I suppose, have a few minutes to spare in your duties? I might be in a little over my head here." She phrased her request with the forthright, almost childlike honesty that had been her trademark since childhood. Ywain might have stung Emig's sense of correct etiquette, but the young rider was not and never had been overly proud.

Liranath, to Emig's acute embarrassment, was no help. She was being coquettish; preening her wings, arching her neck, and peering obliquely through half-lidded, sparkling eyes at K'mav's Daharenth; part flirt, part mischievous young green. If they had both been human, this would have been a fine time for Emig to kick Liranath under the figurative table. "Liranath!" she said sharply. "Are you watching for trouble?"

I am, came the dragon's instant reply, but Emig, watching her, saw Liranath turn her eyes, rather guiltily, back in the direction of the lake.

It took all of Aeryn's self-control to keep from kneading her palms with her thumbs, a habit she'd had for Turns whenever she was nervous. She felt her face grow warm at Dr'gon's questions; partly with horror and partly with indignation. Like her brothers, he didn't seem to expect very much from her.

Then again, she'd surprised her brothers by Impressing Eagrith, and look how they had changed. Aeryn was too much a realist to bemoan the fact that it seemed she must be forever trying to prove herself. Of course someone who hardly knew her would make a judgment based on her appearance. And no doubt she looked young and frightened.

But she had Impressed Eagrith. The little blue was standing quietly, stock-still while the much larger Gerosuth sniffed him over. Once the bronze's attention returned to his rider, Eagrith relaxed enough to turn his own wedge head in Aeryn's direction. I also hope you're a strong swimmer, he said softly to her, because I don't know if I am.

Curling her fingers and toes, Aeryn made herself look into Dr'gon's face. It wasn't an angry or disgusted face, just an impassive one. Like he was watching to see what she'd do. She opened her mouth, and was relieved when sound came out. "I know how to swim," she managed, with barely a quaver. "I'm not as fast as my brothers, but I once swam across the big lake at Izvand, and I only stopped once to float on my back." She swallowed, then, feeling as if she shouldn't sound so defensive, she added, "I-I hope we can work well together, too. I'll do my best." Her chin lifted, then she and Eagrith moved forward behind Chrysania and Kai. Aeryn took heart that her tall friend was in front of her. "I think we're next," she said softly, and squeezed Eagrith's neck ridge in her fingers.

** **

M'dak had been watching Erein throughout the girl's exchange, and he saw her confidence visibly lift at the end. He gave her a nod. "I'm not sure my Segrunth's much of a swimmer - too much skinny neck! But you look to be an athlete, and I've done a few winter laps in the sea on dares when I was young and stupid. So I think we'll do well together, and that should teach our dragons a lot about swimming and teamwork." He smiled cheerfully at Erein. "Glad you dressed more smartly than I did for a swim in this temperature. Maybe my youth and stupidity hasn't worn off all the way, hm?"

Before either of them could say anything else, Emig had beckoned them forward. Segrunth placed his feet carefully in the sand. Apart from a mental snort, he'd taken M'dak's jibe about his neck with total composure. The bronze watched his rider for the signal, and touched his mind to green Danoreth's. He could sense a stubborn, competitive streak in the little green that fascinated him. They're going to be a lot colder than us, and they don't really know it, he told his sister, with the draconic equivalent of a chuckle.

Then they were off and swimming. M'dak's breath left him in a rush as he plunged into the chilly water. "Oh Faranth, oh shells, Erein! It's freezing!" He knew from experience that the quicker they got moving, the quicker the shock would wear off and the water temperature become tolerable. But shard it, the shock never did get any better!

** **

J'deryk's skin felt like it was on fire when he emerged from the lake. Colieth shook himself from nose to tailtip, like a wet canine, then pranced along to the back of the line with little guidance, his eyes glowing. That was fun! Oh, let's go again!

Laughing, J'deryk relayed this comment to Acacia. "Don't worry, little one; we have three more to go, each longer than the next." He rubbed his arms and legs briskly, then jogged in place; he didn't feel cold now, but if he stopped moving for long a chill would set in. Just then, to undisguised groans of relief from the class, the sun burst over the eastern edge of the canyon wall. Its rays had not yet penetrated the shadow on this side of the lake, but within a few minutes all would be bathed in morning light. The lake should begin to grow warmer by the time they were done with the "brown" lap of the lesson, J'deryk judged.

...Now that they've got one lap left to go XD

((I know, it's not tomorrow, but you can check OOC if you really care.))

"Even so," said Erein with a fond glance down at Danoreth, "I get the feeling they'll both be better swimers than us!" She laughed. "Well, I think Danoreth's definitely got a lesson to learn about teamwork! I've never gone swimming in winter but I can imagine how cold it's going to be." She shrugged. "Well, you're older than me, so that must make me twice as foolish."

Danoreth pushed her head against Erein's stomach. ~I don't think you're foolish, Ereinmine! I wouldn't have picked you if I didn't.~

{We're just kidding, Danoreth.} The blond weyrling couldn't resist grinning, though.

As it was quickly their turn, Erein flushed with anticipation for the cold of the water. Danoreth gave Sengruth a draconic grin. ~And they think that this practice is to help us!~ She stepped closer to the water, too, eyes whirling more quickly.

As Erein splashed into the water, the cold water sent needles shooting up her calves, until she was submerged, slowly, from her hip to her waist and finally she could swim. The cold /was/ numbing-- she'd expected to be frozen but actually feeling it was altogether different from imagining it. She struck out quickly, hoping to keep a fairly fast pace while hoping M'dak wasn't too burdened by being paired with her. She was athletic, though, so they made good time, with Danoreth swimming right alongside and laughing colorful bubbles into Sengruth's mind at the humans' obvious discomfort with the cold of the water.


---


Gerosuth was busy watching the pairs, but he turned to Eagrith with a snort. ~Don't be silly. Of course you can swim well; you /are/ a dragon, aren't you?~ His tone held no reprimand, merely amusement. ~We'll be much warmer than those two, too,~ he added.

"Well, we'll swim together, so don't worry about going too fast. We're supposed to help each other, so you can keep an eye on me and I can keep an eye on you." He paused, glancing at the pair in front of them. "Alright, ready?" He inhaled softly, steeling himself. He never had much liked athletics, though he supposed this lesson would have to be some sort of turning point for him because dragons required athletics, a bronze more than many. As the two in front of him moved into the water, he glanced sideways at Aeryn.

---


K'mav was taken aback by Emig's request; he had come to watch, after all, not to help. But she /was/ asking for help; and he and Daharenth /were/ the most helpful pair in the Weyr... He grinned with an easy wave. "Sure, glad to stay and help."

Daharenth was enjoying Liranath's presence and coquettishness as much as any self-respecting bronze would; in addition, the fact that she was flirting with him rather than demanding something with him made him flex his wings deliberately and preen. ~You're looking beautiful today, Liranath. How have you been doing?~

K'mav grinned but ignored his dragon. He could flirt all he wanted, but K'mav would get at least a little work done, and it was obvious that there was no point in making a fool of yourself if there was obviously no returned interest. "So you're just having them swim out and back? I think you've got them divided up fairly well," he said, noticing the lines of weyrlings on either side of the bobbing markers, and the quick progression through the line.

Z'per scanned the crowd of Weyrlings as the teams were announced. He had a general idea of who everyone was, mostly thanks to Obluth's helpful hints. He finally spotted Tracey and her Dinalith, so he lost no time in trotting over. "Hiya!" He greeted her brightly as they lined up. "I'm not quite sure how I feel about this lesson.. it's a bit cold outside." He finished wryly. As their turn approached, he eyed the water more and more apprehensively. The Weyrlings exiting the water seemed far from invigorated. Suddenly, Obluth splashed in ahead of him and Tracey. "Hey! Wait up! Remember the rules?" Z'per called, diving in after the blue. Obluth paused in his swimming. No.. I wasn't listening. I got distracted. Z'per moaned and glanced back to Tracey and her green. "Sorry! He'll behave now." He fixed a stern eye on the blue, who crooned agreement, slightly abashed. As they began to swim, Z'per kept a watchful eye on the dragon. He had to work harder to keep the same pace the other dragonets had set, but he kept it. Z'per smiled proudly and scratched Obluth's eyeridges as they exited the water. "Nicely done, everyone!" He grinned at Tracey. "Although I'm freezing now. Where are the towels??"

((I'm taking advantage that most everyone I'm paired with isn't active at the moment, so my posting will be sporadic. I'll try to post all of my characters doing -something- every now and then just so they exist in the setting and can be poked around, etc. ))

"Good morning!" Olly replied cheerily to Ro'lan, giving him and brown Vetusonth a smile. Zamuth stood near Olly's legs, not being shy but merely observing with excitedly whirling eyes. She shook his hand, then began to remove her many layers of clothing to reveal her swimsuit.

She jogged forward with Zamuth to stand with their partners on the shore. "Ready?" she whispered, grinning. When Emig gave the signal, dragon and girl dove headlong into the water, swimming at full speed for the buoy ahead.

**You're so fast!** Olly exclaimed, though it was hard to even mind-speak when she was exerting herself so much. She'd swum, of course, in leisure at the Hold, but she hadn't exercised in quite a while. It was taking a lot of effort to keep up with Zamuth, who was gliding through the water without a second thought.

//You'll have to keep up, then!// the green replied, going even faster and eliciting a watery laugh from her rider. They seemed to be going at about the same pace as Ro'lan and Vetusonth, and Olly cast frequent glances to the side to make sure that neither of them encountered any problems.

***

S'mer curled up and blushed as M'dak gave him a dismissive wave and left. **That was disastrous,** he moaned. Tedyluth nudged his shoulder comfortingly.

//Don't feel bad. From what I could sense from his dragon, he wasn't listening anyway.//

S'mer gave a half smile. **I'm not sure if that makes me feel better or worse.** But he gave Tedyluth a grateful hug, and after patting his cheeks to see if he had at least stopped blushing as violently, he got up and tried to find... what was her name? Oh, yes, Marowa. **Tedyluth, could you see if you can find Zaloteth? She's a green, and she and her rider will be our partners today.**

Vetusonth snorted at Zamuth. ~You'd think they could swim a little bit faster. We're just babies and we're already so much quicker than them.~

As Ro'lan and Olly returned to the shallows, the male weyrling offered Olly a hand up and then splashed his way out of the water, to a towel. "Good job there," he said to the greenrider weyrling, teeth chattering. "Was the pace fine for you? We only have four laps left!"

((I'm gonna wait one more day for other replies, then I'll carry on with the lesson.))

They were on the bronze lap when it happened. The cold had been seeping increasingly into Aeryn's bones with each new lap, until she was shivering violently and her teeth were chattering. Being onshore didn't feel any warmer to her, not even when Rukbat's greeny-gold rays finally made it over the high canyon wall to shine down on the lake.

She had been gradually slowing Dr'gon and Gerosuth down; she knew she had, even though Dr'gon had been so kind and patient about it. The bronze rider seemed inured to the cold, while Aeryn's limbs felt sluggish, and a maddening stitch in her side did nothing to help the shortness of breath she felt when entering the frigid water each time. Eagrith was laboring also, which made Aeryn feel terribly guilty; she didn't know whether the gangly little blue was tired all on his own, or whether her incipient exhaustion was influencing him.

The pain in her side had been growing since the start of the third lap, but Aeryn miserably said nothing. She feared the kind of reprisal from Dr'gon that she'd always received from her brothers for being smaller, slower, and weaker; and she feared even more that her weakness would trouble Eagrith too much. And it was important that the little blue finish his swim - she felt that very strongly.

As they reached the halfway mark of the bronze lap, Aeryn began paddling around, grateful for the slowing pace. They were behind Dr'gon by a little way. Eagrith, his head above water and his wings spread to help him float, nosed Aeryn's cheek anxiously. She could hardly feel the contact, her face was so numb. It's okay if we slow down, Aeryn, her dragon said. I'm very tired. Gerosuth will understand.

No. Aeryn's reply was stronger than she felt. A number of thoughts flashed through her mind: she was too young to keep up, too skinny to keep warm - but she wouldn't be too weak and ask for a break. That would be the ultimate humiliation.

We keep going, she said firmly, fighting back the tears that threatened to rise. Her chest hitched with the effort just as she bent her body to complete the turn, and then it happened. The stitch in her side turned into an agonizing spasm. Aeryn cried out, taking a mouthful of water and beginning to choke, even as she curled around her stomach in pain. She couldn't think, and it hurt too much to try to move. Eagrith let out a high-pitched screech of fear and struggled to get beneath his rider to buoy her up. But Aeryn was still too heavy, and beneath her weight, they both began to sink under the water.

** **

Emig, on the shore, was unaware of the catastrophe. She was uneasy in K'mav's presence and kept throwing him nervous little smiles; he, on the other hand, was smooth and controlled, encouraging the weyrlings as if he'd been born to it. Emig felt hopelessly inadequate, and Liranath's fey glances at Daharenth weren't helping.

Thank you, she'd replied demurely to the big bronze, and arched her neck and stretched her wingtips before flipping them primly closed. I am glad of the company today; it is much better with you here. Her jeweled eyes gleamed lavender and gold, and she flattened her earknobs as she snaked her green head toward Daharenth. Engrossed in him, the green dragon completely forgot she was supposed to be watching for the weyrlings, and consequently was tuned away from Eagrith's panic-stricken calls far out in the water.

(Okay! I'm here, I'm sorry!)

They had to swim, in this weather? De'loran couldn't help but feel a bit of resentment towards the Green-Rider holding the lesson, since the idea of swimming had never really pleased him that much. Zeiloharth didn't seem too upset, prancing over to their partner with a happy air about him.
Don't worry Mine, if you start drowning, I'm sure I can help you. Well, that just made him feel so much better didn't it? Even with the feeling of dread about cold water, De'loran smiled slightly, laying his hand gently on the head of his Bronze. He couldn't imagine being without the Dragonet now, even though he'd thought about the possibility before hand...

"Hey! Isn't this just wonderful? I never wanted anything more than to freeze in the water while my dragon laughs at me." A grin from him at the other Weyrling, before he turned his head to examin Zeiloharth, who was... Busy touching his talons to the water. He had to bite back a laugh when Zaela was pushed in by her green, though managed to be concerned... Up until she surfaced, then he allowed himself the momentary hesitation, before jumping in after her.

Oh shards it was cold! De'loran would have loved to shiver, splutter and just genrally flail about, but couldn't, as Zeiloharth was already swimming. Not to mention his partners, so, he swallowed the shivers, and followed. At least, they weren't pushing them selves, determined to stay by his partner should anything happened, De'loran made sure that Zeiloharth slowed down enough for their partners. By the time they got out of the water, De'loran was definately sure his toes were numb. Short lap or not, the water was cold.
"Sharding dragon, don't laugh at me!" A grin was managed as the Bronze snorted softly, tilting his head at De'loran.
Your lips look like Colieth's hide. A snort of laughter followed that, before De'loran wrapped a towel around him.
"You alright Zaela? Is Neliyuth alright? Ready to go again?"

~

Oh joy, I don't know how to swim Acacia couldn't sound less pleased with the whole idea, looking at the water as though it were a tunnel snake, or something equally as horrid. She didn't blame Caeser for not wanting to come out to this lesson, even though Gevaileth had been excited.
Mine, why do we have to swim? Oh not more questions, not when Acacia's mind refused to work! Smiling slightly, the green Weyrling bent by her dragon, trying to explain the whole idea of fitness to her green, and trying to listen to the Green Rider leading the lesson as well. What would happen? She couldn't just say she couldn't swim! She could try, and well, flounder.
I'll help you. Why are we with Colieth's?
I don't know. A glance was spared for the blue-weyrling, Acacia glaring at the water afterwards.
"Not really, doesn't sound very nice if you ask me." There was a note of resignation in her voice, the girl shaking her head slightly as Gevaileth moved to greet Colieth.

Getting back on the beach was a relief, Acacia was almost certain she had swallowed half the lake in the short swim, even with Gevaileth doing her best to support her. Not fun, coughing slightly, Acacia shivered, rubbing her arms.
"H-he thinks i-it's fun?" Teeth chattering, Acacia was reluctant to follow their partners to go again, even if Gevaileth enjoyed it.
You could tell them you can't swim! I'm sorry I can't help much Mine! I'm too little, you should have told Colieth and His. I don't know if they noticed. Gevaileth sounded slightly annoyed with Hers, and snorted as Acacia only shook her head.

~

Joleth was certainly more excited than Crysania was, the water looked cold, and from the look of those coming out, it wasn't just cold. It was freezing. Sighing slightly, Crys pretty much focused on Joleth's chattering in her mind, it would help her relax, and that would be the biggest problem, if her muscles tensed up, she'd have more trouble trying to swim. It was as simple as that.
We'll be okay Mine. Of course we will be, I'm sure our partners will help if anything happens!

She was so reassuring, Crys bit back a laugh at the tone in Joleth's mind-voice, like she'd accepted something might go wrong, but she hoped it wouldn't, and oh well. Bending down to hug Joleth around the neck, she kept her eyes averted as the Green spoke with their partners. Joleth was certainly a vocal sort of green, protective of everything that she claimed as Hers, which included Crys. The water was certainly cold, definately cold, and Crys bit back a gasp as she swum beside her green. Cold. Cold. Cold.

~

Dinalith was no more pleased than Hers, Hers was getting used to her now, and that was good. She didn't refuse to look at her anymore, maybe Hers was finally going to start loving her. That... Would be nice. Snorting softly, the Green refused to get into the water until after their partners and Tracey.
Dinalith, in, now. Oh fine.

The water was cold, but at least Tracey knew how to swim, it was something to be grateful for. Shivering, Tracey refused to talk to their partners before she was greeted first, then she'd say hello, funny how time at the Weyr had changed her.
Stop complaining silly. You have me. Yes, she had Dinalith, maybe she should just accept that she was green rider material... Or, well, she'd Impressed a green at least.

(Sorry!)

Dr'gon was pushing himself to maintain a steady pace, which he knew would keep the blood circulating best. Each lap he was numb, but he felt physically fit and Gerosuth was doing well. He didn't mind going at a pace comfortable to Aeryn; if he had gone any faster, he probably would have been too tired by the end. A constant pace helped conserve his energy and maintain self-control.

D'rgon kicked out once more, reveling in the noticable difference between the pre-dawn water and the temperature of the lake now that the sun had risen. He noticed Aeryn was slowing a little bit more, so he modified his pace, mindful of Emig's warning. Gerosuth slowed vastly too, trembling.

{What is it, Gerosuth?}

The marker bobbed on the lakewater serenely as Dr'gon looked back at his bronze, treading water. Just then Aeryn cried out in what could only be pain, and her Eagrith let out a high keen of fear. Dr'gon's throat tightened as the blue tried to save the girl by swimming under her. His mind was as numb as his body; then all of the sudden--

{Overboard! Overboard! Shards, why isn't anything happening?} He took a deep breath and dove for Aeryn, reaching to catch something-- a piece of clothing, a wrist, anything he could drag her up with.

Gerosuth's eyes were whirling. ~Overboard! Overboard!~

As Dr'gon's hands finally tightened around her wrist, he mentally praised the bronze for speaking out when he was unable. But Aeryn /had/ sunk a little ways by the time Dr'gon had dove after her, so by the time he managed to grab her, there was even more water between them and the surface.

---

~I enjoy the mornings, especially this time of winter,~ replied the bronze, eyes glowing.

K'mav heard the distressed bronze's mental cry, as did everybody else within the immediate area, and probably within an eighty-dragonlength radius, thought the rider wryly. But his hand flew to Emig's shoulder. "Let me," he said shortly, stripping down to his breeches as he sprinted to the lake. Sure, Emig was technically running the lesson, but she was so small and delicate, he didn't know if she'd be able to truly help, though she would of course try. And anyways, he was much more efficient, if truth be told. {Daharenth!}

The bronze gave a snort. ~I'll be back,~ he promised the green, and with that contrite reply broke into a canter to the water. K'mav was already arrowing through it and was three-fourths of the way there when Dr'gon broke the surface, lungs bursting, and coughed spasmodically, reveling in the fresh air again.

The young weyrling pulled on the arm attached to the wrist he was holding, attempting to bring Aeryn to the surface. Eagrith was still pushing at the too-heavy burden, and Dr'gon thanked somebody that dragons could hold their breaths longer than humans. Had he had to get both a girl and a dragon, he wasn't sure he would've been able to return to the surface. Gerosuth, smartly, had stayed a few feet away to make sure to avoid complicating the matter further. Luckily, there was a bronzerider approaching them, so Dr'gon simply treaded water with difficulty while trying to hold her head above the water. He wasn't entirely successful.

K'mav gave Emig a wave to let her know he had arrived, and grabbed the girl from the weyrling. "Good job, kid. That was very smart of you. Swim back with these two," and he indicated Gerosuth and Eagrith, as Daharenth neared the two, mentally touching out to Eagrith and reassuring him, or exerting his will over the blue's to stop him from panicking. While talking, K'mav had gotten the girl on his back and he began to return to shore, slower but with just as much speed as you'd expect from a fit bronzerider.

K'mav deposited Aeryn's sodden form on the sand, up from the waves, and pulled a face. "I hate this type of rescue stuff," he said aloud.

"Well then, let me do it!"

K'mav looked up in surprise to see who had spoken; it was a tall, pale, blond-haired, blue-eyed, bluerider weyrling. When his look became bemused, she scowled and marched forward. "I'm from Healer Hall. Besides, she's /my/ friend." Kai roughly jostled the mildly amused bronzerider aside and placed her hands on top of each other, before pressing down heavily on the girl's chest.

Meanwhile Daharenth had sent a mental message to Healer Hall requesting a healer, and Dr'gon and Gerosuth had returned from the water, and now sat side by side, Dr'gon bundled in his towel after coughing up a minimal amount of water. {Gerosuth... I can't believe I let my partner almost drown...}

~You saved her, Dr'gon. You shouldn't feel bad.~

{But what if she had drowned? What if the healers can't get her breathing? And what if this had been Threadfall instead of just the lake?}

~Don't feel bad, Dr'gon. You did well.~

The weyrling morosely rested his chin on his knees. He couldn't help but feel responsible.

...Overboard! The cry for help reached Liranath's mind belatedly, and the young green dragon reared back on her haunches, wings spread and eyes whirling in alarm. Emig! Gerosuth calls us.

Emig whirled, eyes stretching wide as she caught her dragon's urgency. Her arms waved frantically as her sharp eyes caught the trouble: bronze and blue weyrlings, thrashing past the buoy. Guilt and fear warred within her. Here, she'd set up what she'd been so sure was a failsafe method of a safe lesson, and then she'd ignored her own rules in her fluster over K'mav. And when the tall bronze rider took command, stripping to the waist and arrowing into the water with his dragon not far behind.

Liranath added an impatient snort to her rider's inability to move, and launched herself after Daharenth. She reached the potential disaster just after Dr'gon surfaced with Aeryn, and touched her mind to Gerosuth's in approval. You did well, calling so soon, she told the little bronze, and offered him and Dr'gon a wingtip to cling to while she powered back to shore in Daharenth's wake.

Aeryn was dimly aware of someone grabbing on to her before she'd sunk too far. Weakly, she tried to cling to him, but the cramp that had hit her was so agonizing that she could hardly move or breathe. She could hear Eagrith's frantic cries, feel the little blue bumping her again and again, but it was all so confusing, and all she wanted to do was breathe. Her side hurt so! Then there was movement, more voices, and all at once she was dumped on the sandbar beside the lake. She gave a muffled whimper as the spasm renewed its grip, her mind reaching frantically for Eagrith and finding him in a state of near panic.

I'm ok, she thought, hoping her dragon could hear her.

There was an unbelievable pressure on her chest, but when it let up, the cramp lessened and Aeryn's stomach heaved, bringing up the water she'd swallowed. Her consciousness came fully back once the terrible pressure eased, leaving her feeling weak and ill. Someone blocking the sun. She blinked, and recognized first Eagrith's, then Kai's concerned faces peering down at her. "Hello," she said faintly to Kai, feeling foolish. She tried to sit up, but her friend's hands kept her down. "Where's Dr'gon? Gotta 'pologize. Gotta cramp, made us lose." Then, to her horror, Aeryn began to cry. Just a little bit, but she could feel the tears on her face and the tightness in her throat. "Oh no," she moaned, stricken that she would exhibit even more weakness, like she was some kind of bratling.

Emig stood to the side as K'mav brought the limp form of the girl to shore and began to minister to her. She felt useless, helpless, and toweringly angry with herself. How could she have been so stupid? How could she have let this happen? Ywain was right - she was a failure and couldn't be trusted with any responsibility.

Don't be stupid. The voice in her head was fierce. Emig blinked, realizing that Liranath had returned and was regarding her rider with studied intent. There are other weyrlings in the lake. Daharenth's rider is busy. You must take charge.

Emig blinked again, shook her curly head, and realized her dragon was right. By now, a knot of curious weyrlings had gathered on shore. The bronze lap was over. She had to do something before the whole lesson became a disaster. The young green rider firmed her resolve, and stepped over to K'mav just as Aeryn started moving. "She'll be all right?" she whispered, but she could see for herself that it would be so. Thank Faranth.

"Okay, everybody." Emig's voice quavered as she addressed the weyrlings, but only a little. "Aeryn's going to be fine. Just swallowed some lake water is all. She did great out there, and so did everyone else." She paused, turning her face into Rukbat's greeny-gold rays that now warmed the beach.

"Dry yourselves off, and your dragons, and congratulate yourselves on finishing the lesson. The race is still on for those who want to try for the prize." She nodded, feeling a little better now that she had something to do, and fished in her belt pouch for the thing she'd brought. Found it; held it aloft for them to see. "Kharasi's got a Gather coming soon. This five-mark piece goes to the winner, and should buy just about anything a weyrling could want from the Gather stalls."

Liranath gave an encouraging sort of croon, and Emig began going methodically from weyrling to weyrling, checking rider and dragon for signs of exhaustion just as Limaru had once taught her, asking if they wanted to compete in the race if their vitals seemed strong. J'deryk signed up at once, with a broad grin and a pat on the head for his enthusiastic roan blue. M'dak, the muscular bronze weyrling, declined; much to her surprise. She asked him why, head cocked to one side. "Aeryn's a friend of mine," he said briefly. "Want to make sure she's okay. Anyway, Segrunth here was hard put doing all he could to keep up with Erein and Danoreth." He favored his partner with an encouraging grin. The bronze dragonet's sneeze sounded suspiciously like a denial, but it didn't look to Emig as if Segrunth was upset at not going further. Rather, he was more interested in little Danoreth, nosing at damp patches on her neck and wings to dry them, murmuring concerned noises in his throat; for all the world like a coach checking over a star athlete after a competition.

Zaela was quick to deny that she was unable to finish the last lap. The cold made her feel downright horrid, and her nose was beginning to run. Still though, she felt her body was able to go on, and her green was already waiting anxiously to enter the water again.

"Neliyuth is better than fine. I'd do anything to have a hide like hers." Zaela remarked, waving off any need for rest as she stood back up again. With the chill wind hitting her body, she was almost wanting to get back into the icy water, for it felt much better than standing wet on the shore. The greenrider made a point to head towards the shore, urging the bronzerider after her. "It's the last lap anyways."

They were nearly to the shore, both riders pacing themselves as they swam when Neliyuth's panic swept over her mind. Eagrith is in distress! His bonded is in trouble! The green had made a turn as if to go back towards them, but the churning waters of bellowing as they went to the rescue of the younger dragonets and their riders. Water was splashed into her face and she spluttered, reaching out both mentally and physically to grab at her green. "Don't you dare! I won't have you drowning when the Weyrlingmaster is well capable of..." She stopped though, when she saw that it was instead a strong looking man and his bronze that had went to do the rescuing, and not the greenrider that she had expected. Urging her green on, she followed her partner out of the water, ignoring the blast of wind that wracked her entire frame with cold. Numbly, she hastened to grab a towel and swath her green with it. It was only in afterthought that she grabbed one for herself.

Zaela couldn't see what was going on from where she was, but it was obvious where the action was happening. Frustrated, the green weyrling hopped on her tippy toes to try and see what was going on amongst the tight cluster of weyrlings... and jumped backwards when the Weyrlings were pushed back as if by an invisible force. It was from Emig as she stood and turned to regard them. At that moment Zaela saw the girl, weakly moving.. but still alive. Relief flooded her, but her attention was turned back to the moment of fear and hesitation that graced the Weyrlingmaster's face before she regarded them. She frowned, perplexed. Something felt amiss, and she felt as if it had something to do with the appearance of this bronzerider.

A majority of the Weyrlings were distracted and placated by the great prize that was offered to them, and Zaela had to admit that her own heart gave a mighty jump as such a sum of money. I don't see what is so grand about a piece of wood. Neliyuth snorted.

"It's something you trade.. you can get things that you want with it... oh, it's complicated... but it's very important."

This piqued the green's curiosity. Could I have one?

Zaela hesitated. "Dragons have no need for them.. but later on I can use marks to buy you a pretty riding harness."

Placated, the green lost interest in acquiring these elusive marks for herself, gnawing at her forearm distractedly to attack an itch. Eagrith's rider is in good hands. Daharenth assures us all, as does Liranath. We may swim if you want.... I would like to swim more. It was moreso the pleading tone in Neliyuth's voice that made the girl wish to give the green what she wanted. Even though she was slowly drying off, she was shockingly cold, and the thought of getting back into the water seemed a warmer prospect than drying in the chill wind. She glanced around anxiously to see if anyone was stepping forward, but Neliyuth gave her an encouraging shove forward. Zaela gave a squeak and stumbled a bit, being shoved out of the general cluster of Weyrlings and out into the open. Belatedly, Zaela smiled sheepishly and raised her hand to volunteer for the race.

Daharenth returned to his previous location, looking with bright eyes at Liranath and the rest of the weyrlings. ~We make a good team,~ declared the bronze.

Dr'gon and Gerosuth remained after; Dr'gon had been thinking of racing, just for the sake of helping Gerosuth finish his exercise, but he was far too exhausted now. "Let's go thank Liranath and Emig for helping us safely back to shore."

The slightly tan weyrling picked himself up and approached the larger green dragon. "Thank you for letting us rest on your wing on the way back," said Dr'gon slowly, as if unsure how to address her. He gave a half-bow and nodded, turning to head over to Aeryn.

Gerosuth gave the green a look just as serious. ~We are thankful for your help in the lesson. I hope we did the right thing.~

The bronze padded after the weyrling, where Kai was detachedly watching Aeryn expel the lakewater.

"You're fine," said Kai unnecesarily, shaking her head. "Dr'gon's fine, Aeryn. It's not your fault, it really isn't. Don't blame yourself." Enorath looked at Kai and whuffled at the weyrling.

~You did well. I was watching from shore. You and Eagrith were faster than I was.~

Kai caressed the blue's eyeridges and moved back a bit, shaking her head at Emig's offer; she wanted to be on hand just in case Aeryn started to feel poorly, and Enorath was quite tired.

Dr'gon approached Aeryn, frowning at his mistake in the water, before bowing deeply to her. "I'm very sorry," he said solemnly. "I almost couldn't save you and it's my fault you were put in danger, since I was pushing you too hard. I should have been more thoughtful. I hope you can forgive me." The bronze weyrling felt truly miserable; never before had he actually been responsible for somebody and failed in his duties.


K'mav left his dragon, and walked briskly to Emig's side, hoping the chill wind would help dry his still-damp form. "Emig, I hope that was alright. I just thought I might be able to reach them faster, but I realize you were picked to run the class and it's more your job than mine." The thought had startled him, because apologizing was so out of character for K'mav, but it made sense the more he thought about it, even if he didn't entirely know why he should. But Emig just had looked a little upset, and maybe he could help comfort her.

But wait, he hadn't done anything wrong. Maybe she thought it was her fault? His eyes widened marginally in horror as the thought occured to him. Involuntarily he grabbed one of her arms, though gently. "Don't feel responsible," he added somewhat seriously. "It's not like it was your fault. She just pushed herself too hard. It'll be fine. You're doing a good job." He blinked once, but hoped that, gazing down at her, he could convey his meaning.


Erein grinned and gave M'dak a friendly shove; the bronzerider definitely knew how to set a pace. It was nice that she was able to have friendly competition with a fellow weyrling without anybody thinking of it as too competitive, or as a mask for hidden feelings for each other. Quite frankly, though it was her first time talking to him, Erein respected him. He'd proven himself more than just a mindless pretty-boy with a pretty-boy dragon.

She gave an apologetic grin, though. "Danoreth says she wants to go out again. She thinks she could beat any brown or blue who tried to swim for the race. Do you mind?"

Danoreth was crooning at Sengruth's behavior, flexing her wings. She had just done so well, she couldn't wait to go out and swim again. She could beat any of them! She could have beaten Sengruth, but it was been a working-together lesson, not a contest lesson. But this part was the contest, and she brushed noses with the bronze. ~We swam quite well! We're the best in the whole class,~ she declared.

Tedyluth's eyes were whirling with concern. He turned to S'mer, who was straining to look at what was going on closer to shore. //Will they be okay?// he asked, nuzzling against his rider.

**I think so...** S'mer patted his brown's head, breathing a sigh of relief as Emig began to speak.

As S'mer toweled off his hair, Tedyluth's mind reached out to Eagrith. //Brother... are you alright?//

When he had seen that Aeryn was fine, S'mer's attention went to the piece in Emig's hand. He hadn't earned much working as a journeyman at the Harper Hall, and most of his wages had gone towards new strings and his cherished case. Some spending money would be nice, especially with the Gather coming up.

***

Olly gratefully accepted Ro'lan's help out of the water, bundling up in towels onshore. She was freezing, but the movement and adrenaline were helping to keep her a little bit warmer.

She twisted the water out of her hair, eyes sparkling as they landed on the five-mark piece. Her father had said that he'd buy her anything she ever wanted, but it would be nice to have some money of her own, and to have earned it, too.

**What do you say, love?** she asked Zamuth, who had the same look in her eyes. **Think you're up for another race?**

//Yes, yes!// Zamuth stretched her legs. //Let's do it!//

Z'per hunched on the shore next to Obluth, his body trembling partly because of the cold and partly because of the unexpected strain on his untried muscles. He had never been particularly active due to his unavoidable clumsiness, so as he waited for the last lap to begin, his legs shook uncontrollably underneath him. Casting an anxious glance at Obluth, he saw that the tiny blue looked considerably more tired than his larger clutchmates, but the determination was plain to see in his multifaceted eyes.

Suddenly, the cry of Overboard! rang out intensely enough to reach every weyrling and dragon nearby. Z'per's head whippped around and he clapped his hands to his mouth in horror as he saw Aeryn and Eagrith struggling in the water. He watched silently, pulling Obluth protectively closer as K'mav dashed towards the lake. After a few moments it became apparent that Aeryn would be okay, and Z'per sighed in relief as he felt the tension drain out of the air.

Turning around, he watched as Emig began to collect her senses and try to call the lesson back to order. At the sight of the 5 mark piece in her hand, he bit his blue lips thoughtfully. He had very little money with him, and 5 more marks would ensure that he would not only be able to buy bubbly pies at the Gather, but also any small trinket that was guaranteed to catch his eye. His mind raced as Emig drew closer. What do you think, Obluth? He knelt down, scratching the dragonet's eyeridges fondly. The blue blinked. What? Z'per groaned. Do you ever pay attention? The blue snorted and headbutted Z'per lightly. When I feel like it..

Despite the gentleness of the blow, Z'per was forced off-balance and landed unceremoniously on his behind. Despite being off his feet, his legs still trembled and his arms felt like they were one wrong move from falling off. I guess that's my answer, then. Ob, do you mind not racing? He inquired carefully. The little blue crooned softly. Of course not, Mine. We could finish the race, I know. But winning would be more than you could handle, I think. He finished wryly. Z'per raised an eyebrow, a half-smile on his face. Oh fine, I probably couldn't win either. The blue finished. He was well-aware of how much harder he had to work to keep up, but that rarely bothered him. Mostly because he was too distracted by other things to notice. As Emig approached him, Z'per stood awkwardly and politely refused to race. "Wish I could, greenrider, but Obluth and I are exhausted. Thank you for the lesson, though!" He gave a small encouraging bow and led Obluth back to the Weyrling Barracks to change clothing and get warm.