Chattering About Greens

Writers: Ang, Avery
Date Posted: 20th April 2014

Characters: D'ret, Talwynn
Description: Talwynn gives some advice to a fellow greenrider.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 6, day 8 of Turn 7

Helping weyrlings wasn't a bad way to pass the day, Talwynn reflected. It wasn't so long ago she'd been one, and it was something useful she could do. Be an example for them of what not to do, was how she saw it on the days when her bitterness was strong and sharp. Help pass on what she did know how to do, she thought on days when she felt fine.

Today she was going to mentor a young green rider. She figured she'd see what his questions were, but she expected to talk some about flights. She knew she'd needed mentoring advice when it came up. She leaned against Riveth and waited for her assigned one.

D'ret knew pretty much everyone in the Weyr but couldn't remember the greenrider he was about to meet. Not that it mattered, he got along with just about everyone so he wasn't the least bit worried. Petrith, on the other hand was a bundle of nerves as she slunk awkwardly behind him. }: What if they're mean? They'll be bigger right? What if she picks on you ... I can't argue with a mentor ... :{

** Everyone is bigger than us, Petrith. I doubt they'll be mean. You won't have to argue, I won't get picked on ** he answered every concern with as much patience as he could. It was getting hard to do with her so much larger than he was.

As they neared the pair, he caressed Petrith's headknobs to calm her and studied the other rider. She seemed calm enough ... and tall. Shells, why was he so short? He stopped a few feet away and looked up. "Greenrider Talwynn? My duty to you and Yours ... I'm D'ret and this is Petrith," he said with a small bow. The small green sat, curled her wings around her and tucked her head inside until only an eye remained.

}:Welcome, Petrith,:{ Riveth said, eyes whirling a cheery blue-green as she looked at the smaller green. Even most full-grown greens were smaller than her.

"Hi, D'ret, my duty to Petrith." Talwynn waved with her left hand, figuring it wouldn't hurt for him to see the missing fingers and knots of scarred flesh. "How are the two of you today?"

Noticing the condition of her hand, a flicker of pity and then pride showed in his eyes. He knew plenty of riders with battle scars and he could only imagine the pain she went through. D'ret looked over at the dragon to see her scars as well then smiled brightly. "I'm great and she's ... well, Petrith is a bit ... different. Aren't they all though?" His naturally flirty nature bubbled up as he took another step closer to her.

If a dragon eye could widen, Petrith's did as she looked back at Riveth. }: Thank you? :{ she answered, unsure if the green really meant to welcome them. She didn't have the tact that her rider did as she asked }: Did that hurt? :{

"Petrith!"

The green shrunk inward even more as she glanced between her rider and the larger green.

Talwynn couldn't miss the tone of the boy or the way the weyrling green's body language shifted. **What did she say?**

}:She asked if it hurt.:{ Riveth said to her rider. }:Did it?:{ She turned her head to regard her flank as if seeing them for the first time.

**It did.** Talwynn tried to keep her mindvoice calm, but a part of her remembered - searing pain, then icy cold, struggling to stay awake as they worked on her arm, to not panic as she saw the rest of her future as a dragonrider ripped away.

She shook her head, trying to dislodge the sense-memory, and gave D'ret an apologetic smile. "How do you feel like she's different?"

Annoyed with his lifemate, D'ret crossed his arms over his chest and fought to keep his emotions in check. Petrith tended to take those emotions and run with them, far, far away. "First off, have you ever seen a dragon do *that*?" he asked with a nod toward his green who was still cowering.

"Seen a dragon be that shy? No. But I've seen people do it, and dragons are like people in that they come in a variety of ways. There are greens who are as confident as bronzes, and they're atypical, but not bad. Has J'darin said anything?"

}:Am I scary?:{ Riveth asked Petrith curiously.

Biting his lip and scuffing the ground with the toe of his boot, D'ret slowly shook his head. "It's not shyness ... and I haven't talked to him," he answered slowly. How could he explain without making him feel like a failure? They should have gotten over this fear long ago.

}: Everything is scary :{ Petrith peeked out from under her wings.

"He might know more about weyrlings than I do - but Riveth and I are happy to help, regardless," she added quickly.

}:Herdbeasts are food, not scary,:{ Riveth suggested.

Somehow, he knew she'd say that and simply nodded. "I promise, I'll talk to him. Thank you for helping. Is there ... can we do anything for you?"

}: You are kidding, right? They are big, stupid and unpredictable. They have *horns* :{ she shuddered and flashed a visual of a herdbeast gouging the ground to get at a root.

}:They are also food and scared of us.:{ Riveth sent the mental image of flying low over the pen and bugling until they ran in panic - then added one of blooding one before a Flight, with the blood hot and rich and the herdbeast dead and still.

**Someone's vicious today,** Talwynn thought, feeling the taste in her mouth.

"Is there anything about riding green specifically you want to know about? Flights? Role in Fall? Random Wing duties we wind up with?"

Petrith's wings lowered a bit at Riveth's visuals. }: They actually run from you? :{ Perhaps she would have to sit and watch some hunting for once. She'd been relying on D'ret but it was a secret between the two of them.

"What kind of random wing duties?" he asked since he'd always focused on the flights. Those he knew all about.

}:Would you like to hunt later?:{ Riveth asked. }:I can show you how to scare them well.:{

"Everybody thinks about the Wingleaders and their seconds and thirds, but every rider in a wing has regular duties as well. Has Petrith been tested for Search capaicty yet? Some blues and greens search. Everyone has to run sweeprides. Sometimes you wind up on elevator duty - I remember that as a weyrling -or couriering packages. Those aren't things a lot of non-riders remember, but they're useful. And sometimes fun."

}: I would like that. Thank you :{ Petrith's wing lowered a bit more as she regarded the older green. She wasn't as bad as the weyrling thought.

D'ret relaxed as Petrith's attention shifted and he caught visuals of running herdbeasts. He glanced at his green with a touch of hope before answering Talwynn. "She hasn't been tested yet but I highly doubt she has that skill. We've done a few of those things you mentioned and I don't find them tedious at all. What was your favorite task?"

"Sweepriding. I don't mind candlemarks alone with Riveth. I do miss carrying passengers a little - on the other hand, the holders don't treat green riders the best," she added. "So you have to be careful when bringing anyone or anything there."

Being a crafter himself, he only knew about Hold prejudices from the candidates that were brought in and there were several skirmishes that he'd gotten into trouble with because of them. "I understand. Sweepriding sounds wonderful and I look forward to it. Petrith is great in the air, being so small and all, but she doesn't have confidence to fly like her sisters. I have to continually nudge her to keep up."

"Do you think some one on work with others on restdays would help?" Riveth seemed to be getting along with the other green. "Maybe she just responds to a different kind of incentive from some other dragons."

D'ret watched the interaction as he thought about Talwynn's words. "She does seem to get along better with greens and one notable blue," he said as he tapped a finger on his chin. "I'll bring it up with J'darin and we'll see where it goes. It's a good idea."

"If Riveth or I can do anything, let me know." She rather liked this pair.

"Thank you, Talwynn. You may not like that you offered," D'ret said with a wicked little grin before he turned to look at Petrith. "Ready for that oiling, love?"

Last updated on the May 6th 2014

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