A Tiring Problem

Writers: Jane, Vix
Date Posted: 15th March 2008

Characters: Tamaca, Tey
Description: Tamaca and Tey discuss the woes of caring for young dragons.
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 9, day 6 of Turn 4

"I could visualise this place in my sleep," Tey said as she ran a few paces to catch up with the other weyrling greenrider. Next sevenday they would be taking one of the huge steps forward in their weyrlinghood
- going /between/ for the first time - but this one was heavy with getting prepared. And in this case, being prepared meant knowing how to visualise their home Weyr.

And then practising until it seemed like the image of River Bluff Weyr from the air was stamped into their minds forever.

"I _do_ visualize it in my sleep," Tamaca told her. "At least, I do in what little sleep I get."

Tey surveyed the other woman. "Not settling in your new room?" She laughed. "Don't tell me you miss us all!"

"Not me - Jorth!" The older rider shook her head in laughter. "She misses the other dragons and thinks that I should stay awake and talk to her instead. I've reminded her that she doesn't need to be next to them to talk, but she tells me that it isn't the same."

"Really? Isleth hasn't said anything like that - and she certainly doesn't spend all night talking to me." Tey suspected that was because she was a good sleeper; when her head hit the pillow it took a lot to wake her. Possibly her dragon was chattering away all night and she was none the wiser.

"Apparently she does stay awake for a good deal of the night even when she lets me sleep," was Tamaca's reply. "But I've had to sleep right next to her while she chats with the others or sleeps."

"Now I'm going to have to check on Isleth in the night," Tey said mournfully. "You've got me worried that I'm neglecting her by going off to sleep."

"I don't think it's a matter of neglect," her friend told her. "I think it's just part of Jorth's personality to want that extra attention."

"And you're up all night giving it to her. You don't want to be a tired rider," Tey warned, mimicking the tone of the weyrling staffmember who made the comment repeatedly.

"That's right - I don't want to be a tired rider." Tam frowned thoughtfully. "Perhaps I should have another dragon talk to Jorth about this?"

"One of the Weyrlingmaster staff's dragons? Or how about your brother's?" Tey laughed. "I know my sister would have her dragon talk to mine in a flash if she thought I was doing something wrong!"

"It might be a good reason to visit L'car. It would give us something to talk about." She smiled at the other weyrling. "Though I think your sister has helped him to open up a bit."

"Which is strange, because Arateyka's probably the least open of all of us."

"Maybe that's the reason," Tam said softly. "She's probably more like him than most people, but her quietness doesn't allow problems to eat her away from the inside."

"Not that she's had the sorts of problems your brother has," Tey said, trying to be fair. "We've been lucky, in my family. Just Ykana." There was always the unspoken thought that none of them had found Ykana particularly likeable; her death had still been a shock, but it had been easier to get over than it might have been.

"Whatever the reason, I'm glad she was around. It's nice to have a brother again - even if we're both so busy we rarely have time to see each other."

"Weyrlinghood! I'm sure my father and sisters never warned me about it, though they swear they did."

"I watched my brothers go through it and still didn't get it," admitted Tam. "To me it was just exciting that they had Impressed and none of the work or the risk ever occurred to me."

Tey nodded. "I thought that too - that Impressing the dragon was the end of the story. Happily ever after, and all that."

Tamaca sighed. "Yes, there's a lot of happiness in Impressing a dragon but plenty of work to keep it that way."

"Well you sort out that tiredness thing," Tey said lightly, though she wasn't entirely joking, "Or you'll have a never-ending rest from it."

"I'll do that." The other weyrling reminded herself that there was much truth in Tey's words and that she should probably take them to heart.

Last updated on the March 19th 2008

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A Tiring Problem