Study Break

Writers: Aaron, Steel
Date Posted: 15th April 2026

Characters: A'yan, O'rock
Description: O’rock nearly falls asleep during study time and takes a walk around the barracks to wake up.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 3, day 4 of Turn 13

O’rock sighed heavily through his nose as he chewed a fistful of dried meat. He had thought the book learning in Candidacy had been easy enough, but this Weyrling stuff had him well convinced that it only seemed easy because he had been doing it for seven or eight Turns. He felt like he had been staring at the same passage in his notes a hundred times, no, a great gross times or more.

He stood. It was time for a break. Shaegerith was fast asleep and dreaming of fantasies and adventures and if O’rock did not take a walk around the barracks, he was liable to join him in his reveries.

Before he had made it too far, he found himself running into one of his classmates, also up and about. Maybe he was on his way back from the latrine. Or maybe he was just as bored with studying and had decided to take a walk of his own. One way or another, there A’yan was.

“Oh, hey. Want a jerky? No meat hands, see?” O’rock held up his hands, which were covered instead with ink.

A'yan had been… well. Not _quite_ pacing. Nhaliviath was sound asleep, but he was starting to suspect she'd wake exactly at the most inconvenient moment. He'd finished the page he was working on, at least, and had decided to stretch his legs before moving to the next.

At the voice however, he looked up sharply, briefly startled. “... Ah. O'rock.” He greeted, and drew up slightly, straightening, offering a practiced smile. “Taking a break between assignments?”

“Yeah, I just… You know, I think I've read the same passage three or four or a dozen times in a row, and I still couldn't tell you what it was about. The third time I realized I was dreaming with my eyes open, I figured it was probably time to have a walk around the barracks,” said O’rock. “Maybe get a fresh cup of klah. You all right, you want one?”

“... Klah. Yes. Right.” A'yan responded. “I wouldn’t mind some klah.” He assured, and followed. “... What passages were giving you trouble? Perhaps I could help?”

“It’s the one on how to decipher the numbers they put on the Threadfall flight maneuvers,” said O’rock. “If it’s supposed to be simple and easy to remember in the air, I’m still not getting it. Riding runnerbeasts isn’t even a tenth as complicated as all this, even when you’re riding together to wrangle the herdbeasts.”

A'yan winced. “Runnerbeasts only go up or down if you're doing something very wrong.” He agreed cheerily. “Dragons…. Less so. Perhaps it's meant to tie in with the marching lessons?”

“Oh, I’m sure it is. My mind is just too fried to connect the dots,” O’rock grumbled. Having reached the break area, he poured two mugs of klah. “Cream? Sugar?” he asked.

“... Plain is fine.” A'yan declined. “You've been helping me, a little, with endurance training. Maybe… we should form a study group for the other stuff?”

“But I'll be burned if that wouldn't be the best, my friend,” said O’rock. “We never had that much need for book learning out on the range, and we all just Stand because it’s what weyrfolk do. We never think that anything’ll actually come of it. I’m the first one in my family for… well, I don't even know how long. My closest dragonriding relative is on my mom’s side-- not a herdsman like my dad and his dad and his dad and… well, you get the idea. We herdsmen give up on the math and the reading after we know which one's are letters and which are numbers, you know?”

An exaggeration, but not all that far from the proper truth in the end.

“Is that why R'zen called you names?” A'yan asked mildly. “I _like_ studying. I'll have to suggest it.”

O'rock handed over one plain klah and then sipped from his own.

“Eh, I think he's just cranky ‘cause he's hungry. Oh. That reminds me.” He pulled out a waxed paper pouch and offered A’yan a square of sponge cake.

“How do you _always_ have food?” A'yan said, amused, but shook his head. “... No thank you. I'll probably have to feed Nhaliviath soon.”

“Never know when you might get hungry,” said O’rock. “Well, what’s next, then? Study group can wait, eh, if it's dinner time for the dragons.”

“... Not yet. She's still asleep.” A'yan declined, sipped his klah. “Let her. She'll already wake ravenous.”

“They always do! I love anyone who can appreciate a good meal.” O’rock chuckled.

**Was raw meat really that appetizing?** A'yan wondered. At that, he felt Nhaliviath stir. Oops.

Last updated on the May 1st 2026

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