Langley: 16 July 2001

All references to worlds and characters based on Anne McCaffrey's fiction are copyright Anne McCaffrey, 1967, 2000, all rights reserved. The Dragonriders of Pern is registered U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, by Anne McCaffrey. This is a roleplay log from PernMUSH at pern.mccr.org port 4201.

The following is a log of roleplay from Pern MUSH (pern.mccr.org 4201). The world of Pern is copyright Anne McCaffrey, 1967. The Dragonriders of Pern is a registered trademark.
P'tod yells, "Everybody get yourselves and your lifemates and your straps out to the bowl now!
P'tod walks out of the huge opening and into the bowl.
Kyrola walks out of the huge opening and into the bowl.
Zaith lumbers off out into the bowl.
Ceres walks out of the huge opening and into the bowl.
Geez. Be a little grumpy about. With a sniff, Langley does as she's told. Now.
You walk out of the huge opening and into the bowl.
Ondeth emerges through cavernous opening of the Weyrling Barracks.
U'lyn walks out of the Weyrling Barracks to the north.
Ardenth heads towards you from the southeast.
Alaida stands beside Devath, scritching her eyeridge and smiling rather affectionately. She looks over at the barracks when everyone comes out, then smartly salutes P'tod and Ceres. "Afternoon, Sir, Ma'am."
U'lyn makes his way out, carrying Ondeth's straps with a curious look. Saluting P'tod, he asks, "Sir. May I ask what we're doing?"
Kyrola has Zaith's straps over her shoulder, and she finally lines up in her usual spot, saluting the weyrlingmasters sharply.
Carting her straps over her shoulder and moving off to one side to meet up with little Ardenth, Langley remarks petulantly, more to the dragon than anyone, "I hate carrying these stupid things all the time." It's about the best the green can do to offer a concillatory warble as she sits properly waiting to be decked out. "Braver person than I am," she adds in passing to U'lyn.
"Form up!" P'tod bellows at the weyrlings. "Straight lines!" He gestures to the spot where he wants them to be, and walks out in front. U'lyn gets a Look(tm). "You're getting in formation with your lifemates, weyrling," the brownrider snaps.
U'lyn winces ever so slightly, and forms up into a line, still looking curious, but trying to quell it with a neutral expression.
Alaida blinks then quickly jumps, dashing into the line with Devath lumbering to hover behind her.
Ceres smiles and returns Alaida's salute, "G'afternoon." She smiles at U'lyn as she moves past him on her way to Dalrianth.
P'tod sure does seem to be in a sour mood today. He fixes the weyrlings one by one with sour glares, especially those that take too long to get into line, or dare to talk to their neighbors.
Rhianwen walks out of the Weyrling Barracks to the north.
Holding the half-fastened straps in place, Langley ducks along beside Ardenth to find their place among the ranks, falling in somewhere near Alaida. Fortunately, the weyrling has the sense to keep any further complaints under her breath.
Winseth emerges through cavernous opening of the Weyrling Barracks.
Kyrola remains where she is, having picked her formational spot to begin with in anticipation. P'tod's cranky mood may be noted, but she gives only a mild frown for two seconds before it vanishes and she stares off into the middle distance.
Ceres looks Dalrianth over then heads back over to P'tod, she places a hand on his shoulder, a soft murmur, "It is going to be okay." She then looks out to the weyrlings to make sure everyone is in position.
P'tod mutters something quietly to Ceres.
U'lyn's glance gets even more curious as he looks at Ceres, but then immediatly focuses his eyes fowards, not daring to look at or talk to any of the weyrlings beside him.
Rhianwen bounces out, Winseth on her heels and already wearing her straps - seems someone is prepared.
Alaida tilts her head, looking over at P'tod and Ceres briefly before turning to look straight ahead and at an attention.
Semeth heads towards you from the southeast.
Semeth comes lumbering up behind his rider. Maybe P'tod mood has infected him, because there's a somber cast about the brown's movements, rather than his usual air of mischief and fun.
Ceres nods to P'tod, her voice doesn't seem to be as soft as she replied, "I will help.. but relax a little, don't want them all too jumpy."
Langley glances over at Alaida, perhaps taking a cue from the other weyrling as she finishes buckling a few loose ends. "I hope this doesn't take very long," she mutters before she dusts herself off and falls to looking straight ahead, just like everyone else. Patience is not among her many (?) virtues, and she fidgets with her clothes while standing there.
U'lyn nervously rubs his hands together behind his back, risking a glance over to his blue, and smiling in spits of the nervousness. When Ceres comments, he looks as if he's about to say something, but then thinks better of it.
P'tod nods to Ceres, and pushes his hair back from his eyes before turning to address the gathered weyrlings. "All right, listen up!" he shouts; his voice cracks, and he clears his throat, pausing before speaking again. "I know you've all been working hard on your visualizations. Today you get to put it into practice. Today you're going to go between for the first time." He waits for that to sink in, watching for their reactions.
Rhianwen doesn't seem all that nervous, just beaming as P'tod relates the lesson of the day, just managing /not/ to clap her hands together and jump up and down. "Oh, lovely! Did you hear, Win? All that practising with those boring visualizations is going to pay off!"
Alaida blinks in surprise, her eyes going wide as she now turns to look over at P'tod again then quickly schools her features and stares straight ahead. Behind her, Devath rumbles, russling her wings a bit anxiously as if to mirror what her lifemate is holding within.
Kyrola lifts her brows at the pronouncement but beyond a brief flash of happiness at the prospect, there is little reaction on her face. Zaith remains still, her attention on Semeth and his rider.
U'lyn's mouth falls open, though he tries to keep it shut. With a shocked expression on his face, he mutters to himself. "...turnday ...sheesh." Ondeth croons comfortingly towards his life mate, and reaches out to gently nuzzle his shoulder.
Langley lifts both brows, arching them up toward her forehead as she attends P'tod's pep talk. She swallows visibly whilst Ardenth seems unruffled, posing in her straps though the quickened whirl of her eyes is a sure betrayal of interest.
Dragon> Ista Weyrling dragons sense that Semeth rumbles for attention, and there's not a hint of his usual playfulness in his tone. << All of you must *listen* and *obey* what Dalrianth and I tell you. And you must be very careful, and pay attention. Also your riders must *listen* to *P'tod and Ceres*. >>
Dragon> Ista Weyrling dragons sense that Ondeth seems quite sure of himself. << I will, and I will make sure U'lyn does, too. >>
Winseth seems to share Rhianwen's excitement, although it is less muted aside from a soft rumble and a flick of her tail and shiver of her wings. Otherwise, her attention is directed towards Semeth and Dalrianth...mostly because they told her to pay attention.
Dragon> Ista Weyrling dragons sense that Ardenth doesn't believe in being afraid. << We will do it right. >>
Dragon> Ista Weyrling dragons sense that Devath complete and total attention is upon Semeth and Dalrianth. << Alaida and I know the importance of *listening* of this. We shall *comply* willingly. >>
Ceres stands back from P'tod a bit now to give him some room, she examines all the faces of the weyrlings as the class is announced.
Dragon> Ista Weyrling dragons sense that Zaith merely notes, << We will. >> Succinct, to the point.
Alaida looks serious, calm yet with determination. There is no doubt she understands the danger of this class.
P'tod plants his hands on his hips and goes on. "This isn't a game! This isn't for your or anyone else's amusement! This is deadly serious. And I don't use that word lightly. Each and every one of you had sharding well better pay attention to what we tell you tonight. And -concentrate- on what you're doing! Remember your drills. Do -not- let yourselves get distracted. By anything." He narrows his eyes slightly at Rhianwen, as if to say, this means you too.
Dragon> Ista Weyrling dragons sense that Qirith lets her thoughts rumble to vague life and through the weyrling class, a sense of demanding attention and seriousness. << Pay attention. >> She says in what could be a surprisingly forceful voice. Then she is quiet and back to her nap. *Yawn*
Langley watches P'tod continue his speech, the ook finishing to light upon Ardenth. Nope, not a sound from that little green, but she's definitely paying attention. Promptly, Langley lifts her chin, standing just a touch straighter - almost at proper attention.
U'lyn seems to absorb P'tod's words like a sponge, taking each one of them to heart. Obviously, he's got other motives for being concerned. A short nod shows he's heard, though he continues to wring his hands behind his back. "I /will/ concentrate, I /will/ be fine," he softly whispers, mantra-like.
Rhianwen looks highly offended that P'tod would look at /her/ while lecturing them. She frowns. "Of course it's not a game, sill....sir." she replies, shaking her head so that her curls wobble. "But it will be so much more exciting to do it finally! I've got everything memorized, honest!" She beams again..can't hold her back, nope. She looks at her fellow weyrlings, wondering why they look so serious.
Kyrola flicks her glance along the formation for a brief moment, a faintly concerned expression appearing on her face after a moment, but it's quickly wiped away, until Rhianwen speaks, and she shakes her head with a soft sigh.
Langley's dutiful posture is spoiled as she leans over, peering along the ranks toward U'lyn and his mumbling, unintelligible at this distance. Then it's another toss of her chin as she stands up straight again, looking almost smug in her certainty as she nods after Rhianwen. "Exactly!" she chips in.
P'tod closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, as if to calm himself. When he speaks again, it's in less strident tones, at least. "Now then. Semeth will give your dragons the visualization for the place we are going. We'll mount up and form up and take off, and when I give the signal, we'll all go between. To High Reaches Weyr," he adds, "only, if you've ever been there /don't/ think about how you remember it. Use the visualization we give you."
Uriketh emerges through cavernous opening of the Weyrling Barracks.
Salva walks out of the Weyrling Barracks to the north.
Dragon> Ista Weyrling dragons sense that Qirith lets her thoughts trickle out once again, << Come back to us safely, young ones. >> This time tenderness and adoration fill the touch of her mind.
U'lyn nods his understanding to P'tod, and takes off his glove for just a moment before clenching his hand together, and then puts the glove back on. He glances at Salva and gives her an unsure smile, then sighs softly.
Dragon> Ista Weyrling dragons sense that Devath croons softly to Qirith as if showing that she'll come back and reassure the elder queen. << We shall. >>
Langley's eyes get considerably wider and her expression actually falters for a moment. "We're supposed to use *your* image, sir?" She's not so much argumentative as doubtful, twisting her lips thoughtfully over this little conundrum.
Dragon> Ista Weyrling dragons sense that Ondeth sends a comforting, sure thought. << We will, do not *worry*. >>
Alaida takes a deep breath and glances back to the barracks before to P'tod. "Sir, may we get out heavy clothes? " she asks hesitantly.
P'tod fixes Langley with a steely glare. "You're supposed to use the image that Semeth will give Ardenth. But, strictly speaking, it's not /my/ image. It's the image we got from the 'Reaches watchrider half a candlemark ago."
Dragon> Ista Weyrling dragons sense that Ardenth's not worried about comforting. She's just positively *convinced* she's going to do this right and lets everyone else know as much.
Dragon> Zaith bespoke Ista Weyrling dragons with << We will return safely, Qirith. >>
Dragon> Uriketh bespoke Ista Weyrling dragons with << We shall return safely. >>
Ceres hmms at Alaida, "We won't be there that long.. unless you want something to wear for the cold of between.. you should be fine though."
Langley wrinkles up her nose at that unforgiving look, suddenly interested in tugging on a loose-looking bit of strap. "Of course, sir," she returns, not without an edge of complaint in her tone. Just a *little* one. "Understood, sir," with a nod as she looks back, composure in tow.
P'tod looks annoyed. "You didn't bring your flying jacket? Did anyone /else/ come to class unprepared?" His gaze sweeps over the group. "Alsa! Were you going to fly in that?" The blue weyrling's wearing a sleeveless top that's not even dry. "Even if we weren't going between, you'd catch cold. Go change. You can go too, Alaida. Hurry, both of you."
Dragon> Ardenth senses that Qirith lets her thoughts coil out towards your own. << Listen. And learn. Or you will not come back to me. To us. >> There is a sterness there that reflects on her earlier tone.
U'lyn suddenly holds up his left hand, showing off a ring. "Ma'am?" he says, a little hesitantly. "Should we take off jewelery? I mean, it might get pretty cold..."
Alaida nods and smiles to Ceres then to P'tod. "Thank you, Ma'am, Sir! " She pulls herself out of rank to dash back into the barracks.
Ceres mentions to P'tod, "You didn't tell them what the class was.. if you recall."
Salva fiddles with her glove as she stares at the ground. U'lyn's comment makes her look up, and she smiles hesitantly.
Ceres says "If you have gloves on it should be fine.."
"Well, no," P'tod says, "but I told them to bring straps, so they ought to have known we'd be flying." He gives U'lyn a rather odd look, as though he's trying not to laugh. "I think your ring will be fine." As if reminded by the mention of jewelry, one hand drifts to his wrist to touch the bracelet he wears.
Langley darts off after Alaida, heard to comment as she goes, "It's not like he told us ahead of time what we were going to be doing." She returns a moment or two later, shrugging on her jacket and pulling gloves out of the pockets.
U'lyn nods slowly, and smiles. "Okay," is all he says as he slips his glove back on, giving that hand a few soft pats.
Alaida comes back behind Langley with a large jacket. She jumps into it, then wraps a belt around her tiny waist. "Shards, this is hot. " She keeps the top flap open and hanging to give her some breathing room. In her hands are gloves that look rather new.
Rhianwen picks up her jacket from where she had dropped it in her initial excitement and puts it on, looking quite pleased at having done /something/ right - yay! U'lyn, however, gets an odd look when he mentions jewelry - but since P'tod answers him she just shrugs and buttons up nice and snuddly warm - too warm "Can we get this show started maybe? The jackets are all very fine for between, but I'm already beginning to...to glisten!" Yes, ladies don't sweat, nope.
Alaida gets back in line, looking as if she's never been in the cold weather before, therefore she's overdressing.
Alsa dashes into the barracks a few steps behind Alaida, and emerges several minutes later in a dry shirt and jacket. P'tod waits for them all to rejoin the ranks. "All right!" he barks out. "Now that we're all ready. Are there any other questions before we go?"
U'lyn shakes his head slowly, taking a deep, calming breath.
Salva shivers despite her riding jacket and gloves, then shakes her head. "No, sir."
Alaida shakes her head. "No, Sir. "
P'tod turns to Ceres. "Anything I left out, anything you wanted to say to them?"
Kyrola has her jacket on already, with the straps looped over it, and she shakes her head, reaching for her riding helmet, plonking it down over her hair, cinching it under her chin.
Langley wrinkles her brows as she looks at Alaida, leaning over just slightly toward the other greenrider to note, "You must be sweating buckets under all that." She quickly straightens up and shakes her head at P'tod while dusting off her second-hand-but-still-pretty riding jacket.
Alaida tilts her head, glancing to Langley and smiles. "Not really. Not yet at least. I made sure air holes were put into it to allow some cooling, but it is still hot. " She lifts her arms, showing the air holes under the arm.
Ceres nods a bit, "Yes.. This is the most difficult class for us as weyrlingmasters and you as riders.. even thread is not so dangerous because generally a small mistake in thread generally means a scar.. a small mistake in between can be instant death." She looks at P'tod, "That's all I have to say."
Duly impressed, Langley comments, "That's a great idea. You think - " She probably had more to say to that, but stops instead, clearing her throat. "We'll have to talk some more about this later." She nods to herself, raking her hair back out of her face as she listens to Ceres. Deep breath.
P'tod bites his lip. "Ceres is right," he says. "As you'll see. One way or the other," he adds cryptically. He looks like he's about to say something else, but then changes his mind, and calls out the order to "Mount up!"
Salva shudders and takes several deep breaths. "I can do this." She steps over to Uriketh and up on his foreleg.
Alaida turns to Ceres and P'tod to smile then glances to Langley. "Of course. I can also give you some ideas for jackets. " At P'tod's words, she moves to Devath and gracefully mounts up with the riding straps.
Salva grasps Uriketh's straps and swings up onto his neck.
Alaida grabs hold of the flight straps and hoists herself to Devath's back with practiced ease.
Langley takes a strap in one gloved hand and, with an easy pull, swings herself up to settle between Ardenth's neckridges.
You approach Ardenth just as the dainty green crouches for you, one elegant foreleg bent to allow you an easier mount.
** U'lyn smiles hesitantly at Salva before mounting up.
** U'lyn steps onto Ondeth's foot while being raised by him, then takes a seat on his neck.
** Ceres runs over to Dalrianth to mount up as well.
** From Ondeth's neck, U'lyn carefully buckles himself into the straps.
** P'tod grasps Semeth's straps firmly and swings himself up to perch atop the brown's neck.
** Mounted on Devath, Alaida buckles herself into the flight straps securely.
** Rhianwen climbs onto Winseth's neck.
** Ceres concentrates and Dalrianth pops out of *between*, and she backwings to land beside her.
** Ceres climbs up onto Dalrianth's back.
** Dalrianth croons to Ceres as she climbs up onto her back.
** Mounted on Devath, Alaida closes her jacket top before buckling herself in firmly, then slips her gloves on. "Shards, I've never been anywhere so cold as High Reaches. "
** Kyrola walks up Zaith's proffered foreleg and settles between two of her neckridges.
** From Ondeth's neck, U'lyn quickly puts his riding helmet on, and scans over his leathers, checking to make sure not much flesh is exposed. He isn't used to cold, you know.
** Atop Dalrianth, Ceres chuckles and shakes her head a bit at Alaida's words, "Just be glad it isn't winter."
** Perched on Semeth's neck, P'tod straps himself in and twists around to look at the weyrlings, making sure they're all ready. Then he drops his arm in the signal to take to the skies.
** Semeth flies up into the air.
** Above you, Semeth climbs higher toward the sky, his wings powerfully beating the air as he gains altitude.
** Dalrianth flies up into the air.
** Uriketh flies up into the air.
** Devath flies up into the air.
** Above you, Dalrianth climbs higher toward the sky, her wings powerfully beating the air as she gains altitude.
** Zaith flies up into the air.
** Above you, Uriketh climbs higher toward the sky, his wings powerfully beating the air as he gains altitude.
** Above you, Devath climbs higher toward the sky, her wings powerfully beating the air as she gains altitude.
** Ondeth flies up into the air.
** Above you, Zaith climbs higher toward the sky, her wings powerfully beating the air as she gains altitude.
** Above you, Ondeth climbs higher toward the sky, his wings powerfully beating the air as he gains altitude.
You rise into the air.
You climb with a powerful downbeat of your wings. The air is moist and scented with the sea, and the constant treacherous updrafts and cross-currents from the ocean blow around you as you climb higher above the bowl.
** Winseth soars upward on the changing air currents, her wings powerfully beating the air as she gains altitude.
Dragon> Ista Weyrling dragons sense that Semeth offers a crisp and detailed image of the sky above the High Reaches Weyr bowl. << This is where we are to go. Does everyone *understand*? You must show the image back to me as I have shown you. >>
** Ardenth darts a touch more quickly than she probably should have and, upon finding altitude, angles back down a little to keep pace with the rows. Once she finds her position, however, she holds it steadily, those elegant wings tracing anxious patterns as she hovers there. She's waiting.
Dragon> Ista Weyrling dragons sense that Ondeth pauses for a moment, then relays the exact same image back to Semeth. << We *understand*. >>
Dragon> Ista Weyrling dragons sense that Devath takes the image and passes it on to her rider then rumbles. << We *understand*. >>
Dragon> Ista Weyrling dragons sense that Devath relays the image /back/ to Semeth after she shows Alaida.
Ardenth> Semeth senses that Ardenth sends your own image back to you, embellished. << No. >> Her decided presence winks out momentarily and then returns, the image polished and then returned properly this time - crisp as she received it, a perfect mirror.
** Zaith easily holds her place in the formation, her large wings almost lazily beating as she looks around.
Dragon> Ista Weyrling dragons sense that Uriketh passes the image back to Salva, then to Semeth. << We *understand*. >>
Dragon> Ista Weyrling dragons sense that Ondeth passes the image to his rider, as well.
Dragon> Ista Weyrling dragons sense that Winseth sends her own affirmative response, holding the visualization firmly in her mind. <<Understood>>
** Ondeth stays patiently in one position, head craned around to look at the other dragons. U'lyn still looks inherantly nevous up there, but he seems /much/ more concentrated than before.
** Perched on Semeth's neck, P'tod turns his head from side to side, automatically checking and re-checking the formation. He makes eye contact with each rider to confirm that they're ready, then takes a deep breath.
Dragon> Ista Weyrling dragons sense that Ardenth, almost plaintively, << We can get there now. >> Please? Pretty please?
** Devath keeps in formation, her wings beating easily, powerfully. Alaida, on her neck and looking tiny against her, holds up a hand, showing thumbs up that she is ready.
** Perched on Semeth's neck, P'tod drops his arm once more, signalling the transfer between.
** Semeth disappears into Between.
** Devath disappears into Between.
** Uriketh disappears into Between.
** Ondeth disappears into Between.
** Ardenth disappears into Between.
Between
You gasp as the icy black nothingness of Between surrounds you! You hear nothing, see nothing, and feel nothing. The trip takes five heartbeats...
Black...
Blacker...
Blackest!
You suddenly emerge...
** Ardenth emerges from Between with a blast of cold air!
** On the Star Stones, Ulanoth warbles a greeting to Blue Ondeth of Ista Weyr.
** Winseth emerges from Between with a blast of cold air!
** On the Star Stones, Ulanoth warbles a greeting to Green Ardenth of Ista Weyr.
** Dalrianth emerges from Between with a blast of cold air!
** On the Star Stones, Ulanoth warbles a greeting to Green Winseth of Ista Weyr.
** On the Star Stones, Ulanoth bugles loudly, welcoming Green Dalrianth home.
** Dalrianth bugles to Ulanoth with excitement, she is home at least momentarily.
** Semeth hovers as his rider darts glances to this side and that, counting the other dragons as they appear.
** Zaith emerges from Between with a blast of cold air!
** On the Star Stones, Ulanoth warbles a greeting to Gold Zaith of Ista Weyr.
** Winseth appears from between on a breath of cold, trumpeting her triumph with all the glee of a child, Rhianwen gasping but beaming on her neck, eyes aglow with the thrill "Oh, wow! That was great! I thought it would be scary but it wasn't.." is babbled, half from relief and half from joy, mostly to Winseth as the green hovers.
** Ardenth trumpets triumphantly, the brassy ring of her voice laden with the delight of victory. Too excited to hold position very well, the little green circles on the fringes of the formation a moment before she darts back into place, warbling almost conversationally. Hah! Take that, between!
** Devath bugles suddenly, loudly in greeting to Ulanoth as Alaida is seen with large eyes of surprise. She takes a deep breath, obviously trying to calm herself of such the brief shock.
** Uriketh hovers in one position, warbling happily to Ulanoth and the other weyrlings. Salva is holding perfectly still, eyes wide and not looking at all happy.
** Below you, to the west, Dahlth rises up into the sky from the ground below.
** Below you, to the west, Dahlth backwings to a neat landing on Dahlth's ledge, low on the southern bowl wall.
** Semeth bugles jubilantly! He gives a greeting to Ulanoth, and warbles at each of the nearest weyrling dragons.
** Ondeth warbles a loud greeting back to Ulanoth, obviously quite pleased, though seeming like he knew this would happen already. U'lyn is visibly breathing hard, but seems to be relaxing, perched on Ondeth's neck. He still seems too shocked to smile, but he does gently pat Ondeth's neck.
Langley calps her gloved hands together, the sound mostly lost to the wind - just as her vocalizations. "Hah! I knew we'd be fine!" Even from a distance, the trademark toss of her chin is blatantly evident; hail the conquering hero...
Dragon> Ista Weyrling dragons sense that Devath comments rather matter of fact. << That is not *difficult*. Alaida is *surprised* at not *feeling* me, but I *reassured* her. >>
** Dalrianth moves to the front of the formation as she knows the way best.
** Dalrianth climbs higher, out of the bowl.
** Zaith bugles triumphantly to Ulanoth as she of course is exactly where she is supposed to be, and her rider leans over to get a first-person eyeballing of the Weyr below.
Dragon> Semeth bespoke Ista Weyrling dragons with << We will follow Dalrianth now. >>
** Semeth rises up, out of the bowl.
** Uriketh rises up, out of the bowl.
** Zaith flies higher, out of the bowl.
** Ondeth flies higher, out of the bowl.
** Devath climbs higher, out of the bowl.
Dragon> Ista Weyrling dragons sense that Ardenth's bubbling with triumph, absolutely teeming with pleasure at having conquered that nasty between so easily!
You wing upward, out of the bowl.
** Dalrianth circles lower outside the Weyr.
** In the clearing just outside the Weyr entrance below, Dalrianth swoops down to a landing on the soft grass in the clearing.
** Semeth circles lower outside the Weyr.
** In the clearing just outside the Weyr entrance below, Semeth swoops down to a landing on the soft grass in the clearing.
You circle lower outside the Weyr and glide to a swift landing on the soft grass in the clearing just outside the tunnel into the Weyr.
** High above the mountains, Ondeth circles lower outside the Weyr.
** Ondeth backwings to a neat landing on the soft grass in the clearing.
** High above the mountains, Uriketh circles lower outside the Weyr.
** Uriketh glides to a swift landing on the soft grass in the clearing.
** High above the mountains, Winseth flies lower into the High Reaches Weyr bowl.
** High above the mountains, Devath circles lower outside the Weyr.
** Devath wings down to a quick landing on the soft grass in the clearing.
Dragon> Semeth bespoke Ista training dragons with << Clearing. Then we're all going to dismount. And take the Old Mountain Trail on foot. >>
** P'tod swings his leg over Semeth's neck and slides to the ground.
** Ceres climbs down off of Dalrianth's back.
** Salva swings her leg over Uriketh's neck and slides to the ground.
** P'tod slides to the ground and waves for the weyrlings to dismount. "Everyone off your dragons!"
** From Ondeth's neck, U'lyn undoes the straps holding him in.
Deftly, you lower yourself to Ardenth's bent foreleg, pausing a moment as your lifemate crouches to allow you easier access to the ground.
U'lyn stands up and carefully walks to Ondeth's arm, where he is lowered down.
High above the mountains, Winseth circles lower outside the Weyr.
Winseth flies down to land gently on the soft grass in the clearing.
Mounted on Devath, Alaida attempts to dismount, only gasping when her straps hold herself in.
Mounted on Devath, Alaida unfastens herself from the riding straps, taking a second to unclip the straps from her belt.
Alaida grabs hold of the straps and slides down Devath's shoulder to the ground, landing with practiced grace.
Alaida gasps, sliding down Devath and wobbling a bit. "Oh shards. I couldn't feel, Devath! "
Salva leans against Uriketh, eyes closed. "I did /not/ like that at /all/." Her lifemate swings his head around to peer at her, concerned.
Langley hops down, landing in a tidy crouch beside her dragon and giving the jubilant green a quick pat on the sides. Chilled cheeks flushing with color, she tells Alaida quickly, "I couldn't feel *anything*! Wasn't it great?!"
Ceres smiles a bit, "The rest of the way is on foot for a little bit.. there is something P'tod and I want you to see."
Rhianwen climbs down from Winseth's neck.
P'tod looks around as the group gathers. "Everyone all right?" He doesn't give them any time to answer, but says, "We're going to take a bit of a hike." He points up the trail. "There's something we want you to see."
P'tod walks along the path leading to the nearby area.
U'lyn smiles widely at Salva, obviously /very/ happy to see her here, though it switches to concern at her remark.
Ceres wanders along the path leading to the nearby area.
Alaida blinks and glances to Langley as if she's insane. She groans, shaking her head and trembles with her cheeks a bright red from between.She reaches up to pat Devath before following the Weyrlingmasters.
Salva strides along the path leading to the nearby area.
Langley's face is a little humorous as she looks after P'tod for a minute. "Hiking? What a stupid thing to do after something like *this*!" she says, setting her chin even as she falls in after the weyrlingmasters.
You meander along the path leading to the nearby area.
U'lyn wanders out from the surrounding area outside the weyr.
Alaida walks out from the surrounding area outside the weyr.
Kyrola wanders out from the surrounding area outside the weyr.
P'tod stops a good ways up the path, leaving enough room for all the weyrlings to gather. He folds his arms across his chest and watches them.
Alaida suddenly stops, going pale under her tanned features.
Salva makes her way up the path, still shaky. At the sight in front of her she claps a hand to her mouth and closes her eyes, looking ill. "Oh, Faranth. What a horrible way to die."
Kyrola's eyes take in the cliff face, and her face pales. With a visible gulp, she shivers within her riding leathers.
"I can't believe we're hiking!" says Langley as she tromps up the path amid the pack of weyrlings, her hands shoved down in her pockets now. "I mean, after - " She actually stops short then, almost tripping over the girl in front of her as her blue eyes widen. "Uh."
U'lyn makes his way in, eyes on the ground until they stop. Slowly, he looks up at the bones, and shivers while clasping his hands together solemnly, eyes slowly scanning over the harsh details of the bones.
Ceres stands silently to one side for along time, she avoids looking at the rock as she has seen it before, her gaze on the weyrlings, finally she speaks, "Never take between for granted."
Langley only looks long enough to remember the picture, then promptly turns around completely and looks back down the path from whence she came as if it were suddenly the most interesting thing on the face of Pern. "Point taken, ma'am," she mutters.
Salva is taking deep breaths, trying hard not to throw up. "No fear there, ma'am." she murmurs, eyes still closed.
Alaida wraps her arms around her middle while still looking pale. She looks down, trembling. She says nothing but obviously not looking very well. She wobbles a bit, moving to lean against a wall. "I think I'm going to be sick." she murmurs.
Anyone watching P'tod closely would notice that he doesn't look at the bones. Not once. He watches the other weyrlings, instead; he's rather pale under his tan. As Ceres speaks, he steps up to her side. "We lost a pair from my weyrling group, you know," he tells them. "C'sus and bronze Vaolth. His robe came off at the hatching, and everyone laughed. And then a Turn later, he was gone." With that, he turns and strides back up the path toward the dragons.
U'lyn eyes Salva concernedly, and makes his way over to her, moving to rest a comforting hand on her back, taking calming breaths himself. "I definitely /won't/, ma'am."
Langley actually hurries to keep up with P'tod. In fact, she all but breaks into a run.
Alaida quickly dashes, almost running to leave that memorial. She runs over to Devath, who croons softly, snaking her head down to allow Alaida to hug her. She sighs softly and murmurs. "We will not make a mistake, Devath. You understand me? I swear. I don't want to loose you. "
Salva stumbles over to rest against Uriketh, trying to control her tears and the urge to throw up. Her hair conceals her face as the brown nudges her, trying to comfort.
A slightly subdued Langley jogs up to Ardenth, who really won't let even that put a damper on her buoyant attitude. "Of course there's nothing to be afraid of," the girl says, setting her jaw as she busily checks the fit of her dragon's straps. For the umpteenth time.
U'lyn is still taking deep, almost gulping breaths as he makes his way to Ondeth, obviously trying hard to stop himself from becoming emotional. He murmurs something as he lies his head against Ondeth's body, stroking him slowly.
Kyrola keeps her face strictly neutral, almost a bit... dignified, as she makes her way back to Zaith, to caress her eyeridges and comfort her. "No, love, we won't let anyone go."
Ceres heads over to P'tod, "Give them a minute to calm down and then we can go."
P'tod walks straight up to Semeth and leans against the brown's neck, waiting for the weyrlings to gather up again. He nods silently to Ceres.
Alaida trembles as she takes a deep breath while still hugging Devath, who still croons softly, obviously reassuring her rider. Alaida takes a few more deep breaths then pulls away with a rather steely expression that marks one with complete determination. She nods at some unspoken word from Devath then turns to look over at P'tod and Ceres. "Thank you for reminding us of our duties to keep ourselves safe and more so, to listen to everything you say, Sir, Ma'am. "
Alaida's words are /far/ from mocking, but are deadly serious.
Langley keeps up a pretty thorough if under-her-breath litany as she finishes checking over Ardenth to her satisfaction. "We *will* do it again, but you have to wait," is the end of that verbal stream of consciousness, put sternly to her lifemate as she affects a casual pose and a glance at Alaida's remarks.
Salva takes another deep breath and turns around, emotions once more under control, although her face is dead white and streaked with tears. She merely nods in agreement at Alaida.
Ceres smiles at Alaida, "You're welcome, sometimes we older riders need a reminder too.. we can get careless as well."
U'lyn sniffs softly, trying to hide it as he closes his eyes, obviously sliently sharing comfort with his lifemate. After a moment, he opens his eyes again, though not one tear mark is visible, and turns to P'tod and Ceres, offering a simple nod of agreement.
P'tod blinks at Alaida as if uncertain what to say to her. So instead, he turns his attention to Salva, walking over to speak quietly to her. He mutters to Salva, "... you going... until... calm... go..." 
Rhianwen isn't quite as happy as she comes back to where Winseth waits - in fact, she is downright subdued and even a little tearful at the thought of what she just saw, and brushes away a teardrop as she tries to smile at her suddenly concerned lifemate. "I'll - I'll tell you later." Best not to agitate right before betweening, nope.
Kyrola remains quiet, stroking Zaith, who isn't upset, just sort of comforting each other.
Salva nods to P'tod. "I'm fine. Honest." She seems to be convincing herself as well.
Testily, Langley says, "There's no point crying about it." Not that she's really speaking to anyone in particular; in fact, she's probably talking to herself.
Ceres says gently, "Everyone ready to go?"
Alaida nods and takes another deep breath. "Yes, Ma'am. "
U'lyn takes one final deep breath, then nods to Ceres. "I'm ready, ma'am."
P'tod nods, reaching out to lay a hand gently on Salva's shoulder if she'll allow it. "Good. Go on and get mounted up, now." He repeats himself a little louder for the rest of the weyrlings. "Let's all mount up and get ready to head back."
Salva smiles weakly at P'tod, glad of the steadying hand. "Yessir." She takes another breath and mounts up.
Alaida moves to Devath's side and smoothly mounts up.
P'tod grasps Semeth's straps firmly and swings himself up to perch atop the brown's neck.
Alaida grabs hold of the flight straps and hoists herself to Devath's back with practiced ease.
U'lyn wrings his hand together gently, then mounts up.
U'lyn steps onto Ondeth's foot while being raised by him, then takes a seat on his neck.
Salva grasps Uriketh's straps and swings up onto his neck.
From Ondeth's neck, U'lyn carefully buckles himself into the straps.
Ceres climbs up onto Dalrianth's back.
Dalrianth croons to Ceres as she climbs up onto her back.
Kyrola walks up Zaith's proffered foreleg and settles between two of her neckridges.
Langley nods adamently as she takes hold of her riding strap, gloved hand secure around it as she pulls herself back up into place. Doubly firm about it now, she pulls herself between neckridges, fastens herself securely, and waits. She mutters to herself, "All... them... crying is..." 
You approach Ardenth just as the dainty green crouches for you, one elegant foreleg bent to allow you an easier mount.
** Mounted on Devath, Alaida buckles herself into the flight straps securely.
** Semeth crouches, preparing to take off. On his neck, P'tod looks around to make sure everyone's ready, then signals for departure.
** Semeth rises effortlessly into the sky.
** Dalrianth rises up into the sky.
** Uriketh rises effortlessly into the sky.
** Ondeth rises up into the sky.
** Rhianwen climbs onto Winseth's neck.
** Winseth rises up into the sky.
You leap into the sky and circle high above the Weyr.
** Devath quickly rises up to a position high above the Weyr.
** Winseth soars higher and higher into the sky, far above the northern continent.
Dragon> Ista Weyrling dragons sense that Semeth calls for attention. << Now we will go back *home*. >> He provides a picture-perfect image of Ista's own skies.
Dragon> Ista Weyrling dragons sense that Ondeth relays the image to his rider, then sends back the same crystal-clear one to Semeth.
** Semeth disappears into Between.
** Ardenth disappears into Between.
Between
You gasp as the icy black nothingness of Between surrounds you! You hear nothing, see nothing, and feel nothing. The trip takes five heartbeats...
Black...
Blacker...
Blackest!
You suddenly emerge...
** Ardenth emerges from Between with a blast of cold air!
** Uriketh emerges from Between with a blast of cold air!
** Ondeth emerges from Between with a blast of cold air!
** Devath emerges from Between with a blast of cold air!
** Dalrianth emerges from Between with a blast of cold air!
** Semeth glides lower into the bowl, his huge size dwarfed by the immensity of the bowl around him.
** Ondeth glides lower into the bowl, his huge size dwarfed by the immensity of the bowl around him.
** Uriketh glides lower into the bowl, his huge size dwarfed by the immensity of the bowl around him.
** Devath bugles at the top of her lungs, making sure the entire Weyr hears that she is back before she glides down.
** Devath glides lower into the bowl, her huge size dwarfed by the immensity of the bowl around her.
** Ardenth, once again trumpeting her delight, executes a few tight acrobatics as she dives after the others, wings furled along her sides in her descent.
** Dalrianth circles silently down from the sky, and her huge wings hold steady as she rides the air currents below the rim of the bowl.
** Dalrianth manages the unruly updraft originating from the lower west part of the bowl, and backwings neatly to a landing directly below in the Center of the Bowl.
You manage the unruly updraft originating from the lower west part of the bowl, and backwing neatly to a landing in the Center of the Bowl.
** Above you, Winseth circles silently down from the sky, and her huge wings hold steady as she rides the air currents below the rim of the bowl.
Dragon> Semeth bespoke Ista Weyrling dragons with << It is very well done! You will practice often, now. But you must not do it without *weyrlingmaster* present. >>
** High above the bowl, Zaith emerges from Between with a blast of cold air!
** High above the bowl, Cevodnioth appears over the rim of the bowl to the south, tiny in the distance, but growing larger as he approaches you.
** High above the bowl, Cevodnioth glides lower into the bowl, his huge size dwarfed by the immensity of the bowl around him.
** Above you, Cevodnioth circles silently down from the sky, and his huge wings hold steady as he rides the air currents below the rim of the bowl.
** Above you, Cevodnioth glides lower into the bowl, eventually backwinging gracefully near the living caverns to the southeast, scattering several firelizards on his way.
There is no exit in that direction.
Deftly, you lower yourself to Ardenth's bent foreleg, pausing a moment as your lifemate crouches to allow you easier access to the ground.
Dragon> Ista Weyrling dragons sense that Ondeth offers a calm, collected thought. << Understood. We will practice as much as we can. >>
Dragon> Devath bespoke Ista Weyrling dragons with << We *understand*. >>
High above the bowl, Zaith glides lower into the bowl, her huge size dwarfed by the immensity of the bowl around her.
Above you, Zaith circles silently down from the sky, and her huge wings hold steady as she rides the air currents below the rim of the bowl.
Dragon> Semeth bespoke Ista training dragons with << PC. If you have a /really/ good reason to take off somewhere and we can't go with you, you can ask ahead of time. >>
Dragon> Uriketh bespoke Ista Weyrling dragons with << We *understand*. >>
Langley hops off Ardenth, once more flushing with delight and this time stripping off her riding jacket and gloves quickly. "Understood, sir! But we will get to practice more, right?" she asks. Apparently, she's finally found the part of training she likes.
P'tod swings his leg over Semeth's neck and slides to the ground.
P'tod grins wryly at Langley. "Yes. We'll be taking you in smaller groups to practice, and learn coordinates of important points all over Pern that you need to know. Not tonight, though. That's it for right now."
Ceres climbs down off of Dalrianth's back.