Rise and Shine (2/2)
Dragonsfall Weyr
Amber Hills Hold
Vintner Hall
Healer Hall
Hidden Meadows
Dolphin Cove Weyr
Dolphin Hall
Emerald Falls Hold
Harper Hall
Printer Hall
Green Valley Hold
Leeward Lagoon Hold
Barrier Lake Weyr
Sunstone Seahold
Citrus Bay Hold
Writers: Sia, Shawna, Iluva, Heather, Francesca, Duskdog, AL
Date Posted: 11th November 2025
Characters: W'yel, Viseya, K'lin, N'mar, D'narion, T'erin, J'nic
Description: The Weyrlingstaff check in on the weyrlings the morning after the Hatching.
Location: Barrier Lake Weyr
Date: month 8, day 21 of Turn 12
“Now,” J’nic turned back to the slowly assembling group, “Can someone show me an example of a dry patch on a dragonet?”
A long, low moan escaped from the newborn bronze, who opened one eye, then another before opening his mouth in a wide, toothy yawn. Lifting his head, Zineth turned his whirling eyes in the direction of the girl’s area of the barracks, then to the Weyrlingmasters. }:Why are they being so noisy?:{ He had been quite happily asleep until all the racket.
**It’s time to get up. I am to learn how to care for you.**
}:Feed me and let me sleep. Then I will be happy.:{ Another yawn escaped the bronze, who would have preferred to return to slumber, but K’lin gently and lovingly mentally nudged him. “I need to learn how to oil you properly, or your hide will itch and you’ll be miserable.]]
}:That is important.:{ Zineth agreed, and deigned to sit up, though not without yet another yawn.
"I can't show you an example, my Ru here is perfectly oiled snout to tail. He looks almost shinier than that bronze over there." D'narion teased. "But I expect it'd look dry and patchy, yes? And we'd both be itchy as-"
Rusaeth snored.
“Yeah, you're right about that.” N'mar said with a rueful albeit irrepressibly cheerful grin, the handkerchief drifting away from his nose and rubbing fervently against the lower part of his neck. “This almost feels itchier than a sunburn.”
Sceorlath was not perfectly oiled and only partway through his breakfast, but his eyes whirled like he was being scratched simultaneously, which brought about the increasingly odd sensation of having an itchy neck but never feeling like it was _quite_ getting scratched. He shook his head mid-chew, flecks of meat flying. }:That feels… weird.:{ He half complained, half noted, using his back foot talons to scratch himself without a lick of finesse.
**It does.** N'mar agreed whole-heartedly. Still, he was beaming. He pointed to the itching spot on his brown's neck, equidistant down Sceorlath's body as it had been down his own. The mahogany hide itched and now flaked a little from the way talons had worked across the surface. To J’nic, he said, “This patch here is especially itchy, sir.”
T’erin stood beside Alemeth, who was oiled, but on the ground, oil was puddling underneath him. **Maybe I went a little too heavy with the oil…** But his blue _was_ very shiny, at least.
K’lin turned to study his dragonet seriously. From what he could tell, there were no dry patches, though that wasn’t necessarily due to his care of Zineth. Carefully, he caressed the hide, running it along the velvety skin in an effort to find any dry patches that simply escaped visual inspection.
“If you haven’t seen a dry patch before, come take a look at Sceorlath,” J’nic called out to the weyrlings. “Especially in these first sevendays, when they’re growing so quickly, you need to make sure to be diligent with your oiling. And don’t wait for your dragonet to complain about itching; do a full body scan in the morning and evening to check.” In a lower voice to T’erin, he added, “Less oil going forward.”
Viseya appeared with an arm load of soft towels, crouching down beside T’erin and Alemeth. “You know, I’ve been to gathers where they greased up a baby porcine and people had to try to catch it. You and,” a pause while she consulted Cholsinth, “Alemeth could probably put on a show. But for now let’s try to take a little of this off or things might start sticking to his hide.”
K’lin didn’t hesitate. It was very possible Zineth did have a dry patch, maybe one that didn’t itch, and he just didn’t know it because he didn’t know what he was looking for. If he didn’t take care of it sooner rather than later, then it would surely become itchy and irritate his draconic lifemate. He’d rather take preventive measures. Turning, he crossed over and approached J’nic. “Please show me.” He murmured softly and earnestly.
“Hello Zineth,” J’nic said, voice soft. “Let’s get a good look at you.”
}:Do you have any places that feel itchy, dry, or tight?:{ Raileth asked the young bronze.
}:No. My rider takes very good care of me.:{ Zineth stated matter of factly.
“Besides the obvious signs of dry skin, we’re looking for any place that’s wrinkly or looks like a slightly different color,” J’nic explained as he looked.
Sceorlath perked now that he was being featured in the lesson, sitting up a little straighter and holding his sharply-planed head high in the air as he fought to vigorously chew the rest of his meal. His reddish hide sat close to a bone-thin frame, looking weathered and aged with crinkly rust-toned flakes against the sharp column of his neck.
**Slow. Nice and slow.** N’mar encouraged. But the brown's eyes whirled happily, unstoppably happy. Proud to be patchy, but especially if it helped in some way. N’mar couldn’t help it. He reached out to scratch an eyeridge, and maybe it was just that new-bond bliss bleeding through his vision, but even with scraps of raw meat decorating his jaw N'mar couldn't help thinking how cute he looked.
~
“How are feedings going?” J’nic asked the group. “Any strategies you’ve figured out to make sure the dragonets take their time and chew each bite before swallowing?”
D'narion was beginning to think that his featherless chicken was actually one of the better ones. _He_ was more distracted in general than Rusaeth was, and he sat and waited (mostly) patiently while he slowly fed him his bits of meat. "Keeping the bucket close to me, I guess? He doesn't try to stick his nose in it or hork it down because he'll body check me."
“Smaller portions.” K’lin stated softly, more to his brother than anything, though after a moment, he lifted his gaze and nodded respectfully to J’nic. “And…I count how many times he chews. I won't give him more until he hits that number.”
:}You could still go faster.{: The bronze stated, just a thread of grumpiness in his mind voice.
**I don’t want you to get ill. I’d rather take extra time and make sure you’re eating at a good pace to keep you from getting sick.** A low groan rumbled from deep within Zineth’s belly, but he made no further complaints.
“I told him that it’s a game!” W’yel said, his voice shaking a little -- excited to share, but anxious that he might be wrong, or the others (most of them so much older than himself) might think it silly. “If he chews until I say stop, he wins.”
Indeed, Nymorith was sitting in front of him, practically vibrating with excitement as he looked up at W’yel proudly and expectantly, chewing a piece of meat. He chewed fast, but he _was_ chewing. }:I’ve won so many times. I’m a winner! We’re both winners.:{ He gently head-butted W’yel.
As the weyrlings shared questions and strategies, and he and Viseya guided the conversation, J’nic felt the strange sensation of having gone through all of this before while also being part of something new. With the latest weyrling class, there were bound to be surprises. He just hoped they were pleasant ones.
Last updated on the November 29th 2025