Hunting Practice [OPEN]

[Kitsuneko]

Dusanth did not like to leave her eggs, but she was still a growing dragon, and she was hungry. She looked at Aysel, who hardly needed to be told how long it had been since the grey had eaten. The girl stared thoughtfully at the eggs, her mouth frowning, and sighed. "Yes, you need to eat, so come on. We'll go to the feeding grounds quickly. The eggs should be alright as long as we hurry back." It was midmorning, and there were no shortage of Weyrfolk walking by or in and out of the area, so the eggs would be safe enough from mischief while they were gone. Aysel asked a few of the more trustworthy workers to keep an eye on the eggs, and then she and Dusanth were off.

Fortunately, the feeding grounds were not that far away from the Hatching Sands, an easy walk for the dragon and rider, even if Dusanth's over-sized wings made her a little clumsy on the ground. She leaped into the air as they got closer to the fence, and as the grey soared overhead to pick out a likely target from the nervous herdbeasts, Aysel took a seat on the grass beside the fence to watch.

It had only been a few months since Dusanth had started hunting and killing her own herdbeasts (her first mating flight had been a bit of a surprise, being earlier than most) and, well, she could use the practice. She circled over the herd a few times before abruptly dropping, sending the entire herd of cattle running in all directions. There was an awkward squawk from the grey; she had managed to miss her target entirely, and in the process stubbed her muzzle on the ground as she'd tried to pull up.

Aysel stood up in worry. "Dusanth, are you alright?" she yelled.

The grey gave a slight nod of her head and curled it under a wing. Her eyes eyes whirled with a sense of embarrassment. I think I bruised my pride more than my nose. I hope nobody saw that.

[grayson]

"That had to hurt."  Cefyn leaned against the fence not far away, watching Dusanth with a sympathethic wince, and then she turned to look at Aysel.  "Moreth is offering to watch the eggs for Dusanth, if Dusanth wishes."

Up on her ledge, the garnet's head lifted and she unfurled her wings.  I know my temper runs short when I have to sit on the Sands for sevendays at a time, Dusanth.  Ask Cefyn how I nearly broke my wing on the entrance one day.

"It's an arrangement that some of us have," Cefyn assured the Weyrling.  "Don't hesitate to take advantage of it, just repay the favour another time.  It was probably going to be mentioned in the next couple of sevendays, but..."

But the Weyrlingmaster probably never got the chance.

"...But things happened.  So, um.  How are you finding it?"

[Kitsuneko]

Aysel turned her head, regarding the older garnetrider with a look of faint surprise. There was no reason other riders should not have been out and about, but she had been rather focused on Dusanth and hadn't paid much attention to anyone who may have been around her. "Oh, that's nice of her," Aysel said simply. She glanced at her dragon. "I think she'd like that."

Dusanth's eyes whirled in embarrassment when she realized her blunder had been witnessed, but she collected herself quickly. Yes, thank you Moreth. But how does one break a wing in the Hatching Sands? she wondered.

Aysel nodded in understanding. "It's not something I thought to ask him about, either," she said with a shrug. "Oh well, Dusanth and I still have plenty to learn. But it's not so bad; the flamethrowers are tricky to use, but I'm sure it's not much harder than training with firestone must be. I suppose once we start flying against Thread, I'll be glad to not have to risk Dusanth more than necessary. Do you think it would be scary, fighting Thread in the main fighting wings?" Her voice was curious more than worried.

[grayson]

One loses ones' temper with something without realising where the entrance is. Cefyn reminds me every time I start looking annoyed. Moreth stood and stretched, then unfurled her wings and walked off her weyr's ledge, catching the wind and kiting down towards the entrance to the Sands.

"The flamethrowers look seven shades of unwieldy," Cefyn admitted. "Beautiful piece of engineering, but... well. Mechanical. Prone to faults and problems." The garnetrider of Icy Storm wing found a place to settle on the grass near the grey Weyrling. "Which would be one reason that you'll go into Rising Tides. Moreth and I are looking forward to fighting Thread. It's dangerous, but we'll win through." It's spoken with the firm assurance of someone who's used to fighting, and used to victory as well. "They wanted to stick us in Rising Tides as well, but we weren't having any of that. Moreth is a fighting dragon, and so we'll fight."

A rumble of agreement echoed down the mindlink as Moreth touched down by the Sands, followed by, All safe and sound, Dusanth. Take a little while to eat and bathe. The heat of the Sands was hell on still-growing dragonhide.

[Kitsuneko]

Dusanth's head tilted thoughtfully at Moreth's words. Her response brought up more questions in Dusanth's mind, but the garnet was already getting up and heading to the Hatching Sands, so she let it lie for now. Instead, the grey flexed her wings and eyed the herdbeasts again. Perhaps it was time to think about a second attempt.

Aysel watched Cefyn as she found a place beside her and sat down. She smiled. Some people gave her odd looks when she chose to sit on the ground; she was glad Cefyn was more practical. "I don't mind the flamethrowers," she said thoughtfully. "As long as we are making ourselves useful, it's nice. I'm not sure I'd mind, really, if we did fight in the regular wings, but Dusanth wanted to do her part by providing eggs, so..." She gave a shrug; her statement was pretty self-explanatory. Here they were. She had briefly wondered why Cefyn was determined to fly in Icy Storms when she rode a clutching dragon, but her explanation made sense.

Dusanth chirped happily when she heard that her eggs were still safe. Thank you, she told the garnet, and then shook herself as if the mention of a bath had suddenly made her itchy. She crooned softly, looking to Aysel. A bath would be nice, once I'm done... she said wistfully.

Aysel smiled. I promise I'll give you a good bath and oiling, now that Moreth's watching your eggs. Go eat now, we won't laugh at your hunting.

Dusanth gave a slight snort and gathered herself. The herdbeasts took off toward the other end of the feeding grounds at her sudden movement, and rather than chase after them on the ground clumsily, the young dragon leaped into the air again, circling high and wide and waiting for the herd to settle down a bit before trying to catch one again.