The Weyrlingmaster's Problem

Writers: Hunter
Date Posted: 17th August 2025

Characters: Xo'lo, Xu'ma, Xouga, Nephene
Description: Xophelo Impresses his new lifemate, green Thoth, as Xu'ma, Xouga and Nephene watch
Location: Barrier Lake Weyr
Date: month 8, day 20 of Turn 12
Notes: Mentioned: J'nic, unnamed guards

The egg had been rocking for some time, a twitchy, jittering sort of
movement that suggested either excitement or impatience. When it
finally split, it did so with little ceremony. A sudden crack, a sharp
burst of motion, and then a green blur spilled out onto the sands in a
tumble of limbs, wings, and enthusiasm.

Thoth came into the world not with a roar or a stumble, but with a
delighted warble that was all but a laugh. One of three greens
hatching almost simultaneously, she never gave the others any thought.
Siblings would be there later, it was her lifemate she had to find!
She shook the egg goo from her hide in a single brisk motion and
bounced upright, bright eyes whirling, tail twitching like a feline
about to pounce. Her green hide glistened like a beacon, vivid and
almost electric in its brightness.

Xu'ma leaned against the railing, watching the green hatchling stride
from her shell with surprising certainty, wings snapping wide as if
she'd been meant for this moment all along.

Vuth's voice slid into his mind, smooth and cool as twilight. }: Hah.
That one knows exactly what she wants. Reminds me of me. :{

Xu'ma chuckled, nudging his brother with an elbow as he pointed toward
the trio of green hatchlings tumbling free of their shells. "Just like
the 'triplets', hm?"

The Master Smith from Dragonsfall had arrived just in time to see his
own son enter the Sands, muttering under his breath that watching
Impressions never lost its thrill. His daughter Nephene had ferried
him on her green Neraith, and now the pair sat beside Xu'ma, all three
riveted by the scene unfolding below.

"I should have brought them with me," Xouga snorted. "They're yours after all."

"Hey now!" Xu'ma lifted his hands in mock defense, grinning. "They
earn their keep!"

"Dubiously at best," Xouga retorted, though there was no real bite to
it. This was hardly the time to argue over Xu'ma's brood, scattered
though they were.

Nephene only rolled her eyes, lips twitching with amusement. Nothing
ever changed between the two brothers.

From the galleries, cheers rose as one Impression followed another,
but their attention held fast to the bright little green. She moved
with a sense of purpose rare in one so newly hatched as she pressed
onward toward the one she sought. She didn't pause to get her
bearings, nor did she wobble unsteadily like some of her siblings. She
bounded forward with purposeful confidence and when two unhatched eggs
loomed in her way, she didn't turn aside. The stocky little hatchling
simply wiggled back a few steps, rump-first, and backed straight into
a tall dark-haired youth.

** Mhm.. No tripping, no faltering, straight to--** Xu'ma's thought to
Vuth was interrupted.

Xouga had lurched to his feet, leaning forward with wide eyes. "Is
that Xoph?!"

"Shards! It is!" Nephene and Xu'ma confirmed at once, laughing in delight.

Meanwhile, on the sands, Xophelo hadn't expected her. Not really. He
stood stiffly, heat prickling at the back of his neck, still carrying
the weight of bruised pride and the sting of being sent here. His
fists were clenched, shoulders taut, his expression carved in stone.
And then she was there. All brightness and boundless energy, eyes
whirling with unguarded affection and in that instant, everything he
thought he knew about the world tilted sideways.

}: Xo'lo! There you are! I'm Thoth! :{ her voice spilled into his
mind, bright and effervescent. }: I knew it was you. You’re perfect.
Let's do everything together! :{

He blinked, slack-jawed. "You--what--"

Thoth didn't wait for him to catch up. She pressed her head firmly
against his thigh, purring. He could feel her joy buzzing through his
bones: giddy, uncomplicated, and radiant. The sands, the crowd, the
expectations, all of it fell away in the face of this glorious, green
whirlwind.

From the edge of the crowd, the guards Xophelo had only just begun
serving alongside let out a chorus of whoops and hollers as if he'd
won a brawl, their voices managing to carry to him over the noise of
the Hatching.

"Could've told us you were trading your uniform for wings, lad!" one called.

"Guess guard duty wasn't tough enough for you, eh?" another added,
laughter rolling through the group.

Xophelo exhaled slowly, a reluctant, bewildered smile tugging at his lips.

Higher in the stands, Xu'ma and Xouga stood shoulder to shoulder, both
men visibly eased in a way they hadn't been for turns. Xu'ma leaned
forward, the corner of his mouth tugging upward as he watched his
nephew with his new bond. "Would you have bet on a green for him?" he
asked, voice pitched low.

Xouga gave a sharp exhale, halfway between a laugh and a sigh, "I'd
have bet on him not making it to the Sands without throwing a punch,"
he muttered, but the relief in his eyes belied his tone.

}: Will she grow as big as me? :{ Neraith mused to her rider, Nephene,
the thought tinged with quiet pride at her own robust size.

** She just might! ** Nephene replied, teasing her dragon lightly,
before adding her voice to the cheers.

"Oh, she's adorable! Look at her - so stocky and bright!" Nephene
clapped her hands together in delight. Then she cupped them to her
mouth, calling across the din toward her brother on the Sands.
"What's her name, Xoph!"

Xouga added his own deep voice, "Tell us!"

Xophelo glanced up, catching sight of his family waving excitedly from
the stands, and for a moment he looked like he might scowl. But then
Thoth pressed against his leg again, eyes spinning fast, and the
stiffness in his shoulders eased.

}: Tell them, Xo'lo! Tell everyone! I'm Thoth! :{

The words tumbled into his mind, bubbling over themselves with
excitement, and before he could stop himself he blurted it aloud,
voice carrying further than he meant. “Thoth!”

The chartreuse green gave a triumphant roar, wings flaring as though
the entire Weyr ought to be celebrating her name.

From the edge of the crowd, the guards erupted again, hollering and laughing.

“"Thoth, is it? She already sounds tougher than you!"

Nephene clapped furiously. "Thoth! She's perfect!" Neraith's pleased
hum resonated faintly in her chest, as curious and approving as her
rider.

Suddenly Thoth's triumphant trill broke off into a plaintive rumble,
her eyes snapping up at Xophelo with sudden urgency.

}: Xo'lo, I’m starving! So hungryyyyyy! :{ The words tumbled into his
mind, sharp and insistent, and for a moment he just stared at her -
this bright, living thing pressed to his side, claiming him with
absolute certainty.

Watching from above and recalling his own moment of Impression, Xu'ma
nudged his niece, "Look at him, stunned like a fish out of water."

She laughed, and once again shouted with palms cupped around her
mouth. "Go feed her you daft wherry!"

A half-laugh escaped Xophelo at this, thin and disbelieving. He laid a
hand on Thoth's shoulder, letting her bounce ahead, leading him off
the Sands while his feet moved on instinct alone.

Was he ready? He wasn't ready. Not for this. Not for _her_. The roar
of the crowd had dulled to a low hum in his ears, his thoughts still
scrambling to catch up. He had come to Barrier Lake to be watched,
corrected, maybe salvaged - not to be chosen so quickly! Not to be
bound. And now here she was, full of joy and hunger and unshakable
purpose, and he... he was still just trying to breathe.

And as Xophelo was led out by his new exuberant lifemate, Xu'ma leaned
back at last, amusement flickering across his face as the relief sank
in. Beside him, Xouga let out a long breath, muttering, "Well, he's
the Weyrlingmaster's problem now."

"J'nic's problem," Xu'ma agreed with a crooked grin.

Xouga squinted, trawling through his memory. "Greenrider from Dragonsfall?"

"The one and only," Xu'ma confirmed with a nod. "He was promoted to
Weyrlingmaster just last month.

"Oh really?" Xouga huffed, shaking his head with a wry smile. "I'll be
damned. Born and raised in the same Weyr and now here he is minding my
son. At least he won't be taken unawares."

Nephene, still glowing with excitement, clasped her hands together.
"You watch - Xoph will be a changed man. Thoth will see to that."

Last updated on the September 2nd 2025

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The Weyrlingmaster's Problem