Candidate Lesson: Up close and personal with dragons

Looking up from the last bite of her breakfast Essi hurriedly scooped it up and swallowed it before running her bowl to the washer lady. "Sorry Deirra I have to go to lessons!" she smiled and ran off with her long dark plate swishing behind her. She had been smart enough to wear her hide pants and a short tunic so she wasn't overly warm in the summer air. If the lesson was at the lake it made her wonder what they would be doing. Generally the lake was for recreation and dragon bathing. Stopping dead in her tracks outside the weyr she gasped. "Dragon bathing...we are going to ...by the first egg we can tough one?" she said to herself before grinning wildly and taking off again.

Essi knew some of the candidates were nervous around dragons as they had been kidnapped but Essi didn't blame the dragons as it was the humans who had slung her up like a sack of potatoes. Besides the records said they were to save them from the approaching Red Star and anyone dense enough to ignore that was in for a rude awakening soon enough. Harper training had it's benefits and she was not about to question the need for dragon kind. Not to mention she really would like to be a rider. To be useful and do something for the good of the whole instead of the few was very important to the young woman.

Taking off at a fast clip she made it to the lake before the others it seemed and was not ashamed to gasp at the glorious creature in front of her. Bowing politely to the dragon she smiled at her warily. "Good day Auraveth you look lovely today." she said like a well bred lady ought to. "And to you as well rider Korra. Am I correct to assume we may get to bathe or touch Auraveth today? I would really really like to see her up close." she spit out before blushing and biting her lip.

Straight forward as always she couldn't help but be excited at the thought of getting a chance to examine a dragon up close. Most of the candidates would not impress such a large dragon if they did at all so the chance was priceless.

Being at the lake for lessons likely meant that they would be having a practical lesson, or at least Khetzar hoped so. He wasn't sure that, even with how much he enjoyed learning things, he'd be able to concentrate on a lecture. Not with the lovely water of the lake being right there, tempting him.

Luckily though, he noticed the very large red firey dragon waiting near the lake. Sweet. Maybe they'd get to wash her, or learn about anatomy, or... well there were lots of possibilities. He couldn't wait to find out. 

He bounded up, more excited than he had been, coming to stand next to Jenesys. "She's impressive," he commented, bouncing up and down on his heels. She was even bigger up close, and the boy knew that she wasn't even one of the largest dragons in the weyr. Some of the other females were bigger, and so were some of the males, and most importantly, the queen was too. And there was a queen egg on the sands. 

There was a good chance that some of them would be on dragons about her size, if not bigger, and being able to see a full grown one was kind of cool. 

.: Zurianna :.

Zuri was running late for lessons. She'd known that before the dragon call which had been the group reminder that they were meeting at the lake today. Of course, unlike most of the stragglers, Zuri had very good reason for being late. She had been feeling unwell since she had woken that morning and had gone to see the healers. She had been given a tea to drink, and instructions to take more that evening, and though her complexion was still rather pale, she had been deemed well enough to be allowed out into the wider world, and thus to go to her lesson.

The woman slipped quietly into the group, giving Itessi a greeting smile.
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.: Korra and Ichigo-Kin Auraveth :.

"Indeed you are" Korra grinned at the young woman who was the first to arrive and the only one brave enough to speak directly to her.

You do realize that I can hear you? Auraveth spoke to Jenesys and Khetzar as the candidates gathered. And that even if I could not, it is extremely rude to refer to me as male. I am Auraveth. I am female. To call me anything else is both incorrect and demeaning. Please do not do so again She paused for a moment and then then added to them That applies for everyone. To refer to any person, dragon or wher with anything other than their preferred pronouns is to offer grievous insult and to imply that what they feel and the struggles they will most likely have undergone to understand themselves and come to terms with what they are is unworthy of the respect which such a fight is due.

Korra had waited as long as she could, in truth far longer than she should have. Any new stragglers would at this point have to be declared late and thus be subject to the usual punishments for being late to or skipping lessons, should they not have a valid reason for doing so.

"Alright" Korra pitched her voice to carry over the group. "Listen up everyone. I'm Korra and this is Ichigo-Kin Auraveth. For those of you who are new here, we're assistants to the candidate master here at Sabishi. A number of you were late today. I'm giving you your first and only warning. Do not be late again. I don't care how important what you're doing seems to be, your lessons must always come first. There are consequences to not showing up if you do not have a very very good reason, and those punishments are enforced."

"On to a happier note" Korra waved a hand at her dragon, who was watching them all with am amused expression "Today's task is to help bath Auraveth. As you can see, she's a big dragon, equal to some of our Aoi in fact. This is especially important for you girls, because with any luck, one of you will be walking away with a Midori when the hatching happens" She fixed her gaze upon Zurianna, Itessi and Seyrn, the only ones in the group who had shown up who identified as female. "Midori's are the biggest dragons of all, so it is especially important that our future queen rider is comfortable with the fact that her dragon will likely be even bigger that Veth here"

"The rest of you lads have your own chances at big dragons, if you find yourselves chosen by an Aoi or Ichigo and there is certain to be a Gin or two who might pick out any of you as a rider." Korra's pale gazed looked them all over "I know this is going to be hard for some of you. Not everyone here came to the weyr in, ideal, circumstances. But we're all here now and it's time to make the most of your chance to get up close and personal with my lovely lady"

She waved a hand towards the buckets which lined the shore "There are cleaning brushes and cloths in there." As she said this, Auraveth turned and entered the water, settling herself in so that she could see the candidates on the shore. "Get to it" Korra made a shooing motion at them all.

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Kelyra had been out running when the call came. Her path had been a meandering one. Just out exploring the land around the weyr. Noting the creatures here and there, wondering when she would best find the time for a hunt between the lessons. She had much to learn it seemed. Dragons were unlike any other creature on Pern. Both intelligent and emotional, they needed a lot from their rider. But offered so much as well.

But the call interrupted her thoughts, her jogging coming awkwardly to a halt as she looked for the source of the voice. But she knew that source wasn't anywhere to be seen. It was so strange for a dragon to just call out, soundlessly. They truly were the most wondrous of creatures in all of Pern.

Then she remembered the reason for the call - her lesson. Taking her bearings, she turned & started to run to the lake. She'd be late - with no time to leave her bow in her room. She'd just have to hope this teacher wasn't so strange about such things. She already felt out of place in the weyr - let alone in the classes. At least dirty clothing wouldn't be so strange if they were beside the lake.

As Auraveth began to fill her view, Kelyra's breathe caught. The dragon was like fire itself - and so large you could never miss her, even from such a distance as this! She made Kelyra long to impress a dragon of her own - to have a chance to call such beauty as her own. Sometimes when she was trapped inside the weyr's tunnels, Kelyra forgot the splendor of it all. Then she'd step into the larger caverns or outside - and you couldn't deny the wonder of it all. Dragons. Giant beasts of beauty... Predators & companions... With you every day for the rest of your life! Who wouldn't want that?

Kelyra heard Auraveth's words before she was in earshot of the lesson. The dragon spoke of insults and pronouns - which left Kelyra wondering what a pronoun actually was. She'd have to ask - because she didn't want a fight with a dragon! Or their rider! Not after last time - not ever again! But she didn't have the chance yet. She arrived half way through the speech about being late - and knew she'd earnt herself another disapproving look. And from Korra too!

Kelyra's cheeks burned red as she settled herself near the back of the class. Though they flushed with her own embarrassment, not fatigue. Shyly, she kept her gaze on her teacher's, knowing she shouldn't have given to the temptation to explore so far just yet. But her shame was quickly forgotten as Auraveth's size & nature was drawn into focus. Her eyes were big & full of wonder as Korra finished. Auraveth was just so beautiful!

As they were shoo'd into the water, Kelyra's shyness fell away as she started moving. A strap came over her head, her bow & arrows being rushed to one side. Her belt & skirt soon followed, though she still had her leather pants & top in place to keep her modesty. She'd started to undo the lacing when she paused - looking at all the other students. She realized the first had just walked into the water. Normally she would of stripped off, but she was suddenly conscious of how this too was probably a social taboo, just like her dirty skirt always was.

Relieved she'd caught herself - even if it meant wearing wet leather for the next hour, she redid the lacing before slipping back through the nervous bodies of the class, following the lead of the first few. She gathered a brush & threw a cloth over her shoulder. Then she slipped out into the water. She waded out to Auraveth's front, excited & nervous all at once! She wanted to run her hand over Auraveth's neck, remembering just how smooth she had been when Kelyra had first met Auraveth on search. But she had to apologize first, not wishing to be mistrusted by the dragon ever again. Just in case she was the one who'd prompted that talk of insults & fighting dragons!

She spoke quietly to Auraveth, hoping that the splashing water & talkative candidates might cover her voice & embarrassing apology. Her cheeks flamed red, almost matching the intensity of Auraveth's hide "I'm sorry! I really am sorry, about before. This time I've just a brush - no arrows. I promise! I never wanted to hurt you... I just... When you took my kill, I was so angry - I lost my head. If you'd been anything else, I'd probably be dead. It was such a wherry headed thing to do - surprising a predator mid kill... I'm just... I'm so sorry... Will you ever forgive me?" Her eye's sought Auraveth's, looking for some reassurance before she dared move a muscle. Though all she really wanted to do was lean into that big neck, feeling the safety of her flaming hide & smooth touch.