Disclaimer: Dragonriders of Pern (R) is a registered trademark of Anne McCaffrey. In other words, I'm playing in her sandbox!
A/N: I've been asked to keep writing, so I am. To anyone I couldn't send a PM to, thanks for the reviews guys, I appreciate it! This is set the morning after the Hatching. I'm not going to write a day-by-day account, just enough of a one to show how the world of the High Reaches works. I'll probably write from a Gold/Bronze perspective, then a Green/Blue perspective with my solo brown (no, I'm not sure how that came about) serving as filler or to share history.
The morning after the Hatching, Kentrith woke him up early, I'm hungry, mine, I know you sleep but my belly is oh so empty.
L'say opened his eyes to find Kentrith leaning over his cot from the platform, eyes tinged red from hunger. "I'm awake," he said softly and reached up to rub his bronze's eyebrow ridge. "Let me up, Kentrith."
Kentrith pulled back and L'say sat up. In the cot next to his, Jerrikai, J'kai, L'say corrected himself, was pulling on his clothes while his dragon looked on. "Morning," J'kai said, then yawned.
"Good morning," L'say replied. He grabbed his clothes from the press and dressed quickly, managing to tie his boots just as J'kai stood up. "Are you ready?" He asked Kentrith.
I've been ready, Kentrith replied, climbing off his bed. Good morning Genlith he added, bobbing his head at the other bronze.
L'say glanced at the other Weyrlings, all of whom were in various stages of waking up. One, a blue trailing him, was headed to the door same as L'say and J'kai. "Good morning," L'say said politely as they met up at the door.
"Morning," the bluerider said around a yawn. "I'm S'vero, this is Cyanth."
"I'm L'say," L'say replied, grabbing the door and pulling, "He's Kentrith."
"J'kai and Genlith," J'kai added as he joined his brother.
As the three boys stepped outside, R'kor, the Weyrlingmaster, strode up, looking furious, "You, bronzeriders, where have you been."
L'say stepped forward, shielding his brother automatically, "We were sleeping, sir, in the Barracks."
"And who told you that bronzeriders slept in the barracks?" R'kor asked, softly.
"Well, nobody," L'say replied, "but the other Weyrlings were there, and I don't understand why you put the female greenriders in among the men, I mean, isn't that waving temptation at us?"
R'kor cleared his throat and crossed his arms. L'say trailed off as the man's eyebrow rose. "Feed your dragons," he said, then he looked at S'vero, "you to, blue Weyrling." He pointed at a series of buckets near the door. "First day feedings are taken care of, but in the future you'll cut your own meat." He pointed towards the lake, "After you feed them, take them to the lake."
"Yes Weyrlingmaster," the trio replied in unison before heading for the meat.
Food! Kentrith exulted as L'say picked up a bucket.
L'say chuckled and pulled out a piece of meat, "Here you go," he said.
"So where are you from?" S'vero asked as he fed his blue.
"Nowhere in particular," L'say said casually, "You?"
"Telgar Smithcraft Hall," S'vero replied.
"Genlith, chew your food," J'kai said quietly.
"Our brother, Kenlay, is a Journeyman Smith," L'say said.
"Kenlay, tall, blond, strong, smiles and laughs?" S'vero asked.
"That's him," L'say said.
"My father was Kenlay's master," S'vero said.
"Easy, Kentrith," L'say said, "you'll choke."
But I'm hungry, Kentrith replied.
"There's plenty of food, partner," L'say chided him. "If you slow down a little, you'll enjoy it more."
Another pair joined them, this one a greenrider, "Good morning," he said with a little wave.
"Good morning," J'kai replied, as he was closest "I'm J'kai, this is Genlith."
"I'm J'ron," the boy said, "this is Adaleth," he caressed his green's head before giving her some meat.
"L'say, Kentrith," L'say said.
"S'vero," S'vero said, he gave J'ron a warm smile, "This is Cyanth, my blue."
L'say caught J'kai looking at him and they both smiled. Mine, can I sleep now? I'm tired. Kentrith said.
"First, we have to go to the lake," L'say said, smiling at his bronze. "Come on, partner."
With J'kai following, L'say headed for the lake. Why do we have to go to the lake? What's a lake? Is it good to sleep on? Kentrith asked as he followed.
L'say laughed, "No, silly. The lake is where I'll bathe and oil you later. The sand is going to be nice and warm, though. You and Genlith can lie down next to each other and sleep in the sun."
J'kai chuckled, "He sounds like you, always asking questions."
L'say glanced back at his brother, pleased, "Well, someone has to talk and it doesn't look like you want the job."
"But you're so good at it," J'kai replied, "why should I?"
The brothers reached the beach and as they watched Genlith and Kentrith curl up, they sighed. R'kor came up, "Boys, I need to speak with you."
"Yes sir?" L'say asked, sliding a glance at his brother, who was staring at the sand.
"You need to be careful about being friends with the blue and green riders," R'kor said.
"Why?" L'say asked.
"Because they ride inferior creatures," R'kor replied. "Who your friends are now will have a big impact on your future. R'nal would be someone you could make friends with, but those two you were talking to, I'd leave alone."
"Why?" L'say asked.
R'kor glared at him for a long moment, "Because I am your Weyrlingmaster and if you want to go anywhere in the Weyr you will do as I tell you."
"That's a stupid reason," L'say said.
R'kor's skin began to turn purple as he glared at L'say, "I will let that slide," he said softly. "Next time you speak without thought, you just might find yourself in a great deal of trouble."
"But I did think," L'say said, "that's why I said it. Why can't we be friends with green and blue riders? J'kai and I are the only bronzeriders and R'nal, well, we don't exactly have anything in common."
"Go to class, in the barracks, down the corridor," R'kor said, pointing back towards the barracks, "second classroom. Not the first."
L'say shrugged, "Yes sir." He walked away with J'kai right on his heels. "Can you believe that?" L'say demanded, "Telling us who to be friends with?"
"Maybe you should listen to him," J'kai said, softly, "so you don't get in trouble."
"But they're Weyrlings, just like us," L'say replied, turning to look at his brother as he walked backwards. "That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard."
"Please," J'kai said.
"No," L'say replied, "it's stupid, and it's wrong. I'm going to be friends with whomever I want. What do I care about rank?"
J'kai sighed, "If you must."
"You aren't going to listen to him are you?" L'say demanded as he ran into the door to the barracks, sending the female greenrider into giggles as she passed them.
"L'say," J'kai said, his voice trailing off.
"What's he going to do to me? He can't send me away while I have Kentrith." L'say said, turning to make his way through the hall just inside the barracks. "Right now, he can't beat me without hurting Kentrith. So I'll get extra chores, like that's going to be a trial."
"But, L'say," J'kai repeated.
"You shouldn't worry about him," L'say said, he entered the second classroom and let his brother pass him. "J'kai, look at me." He watched as his brother turned and made sure they were eye to eye. "Don't let that Weyrlingmaster tell you who to be friends with, ok?" He searched his brother's hazel eyes, "If you let him, then you'll let him win. You know the rule, you and I, we don't let anyone beat us, right?"
J'kai stared at him for a long moment before bowing his head, "Yes, L'say."
"Thanks," L'say said, he put his hand on his brother's shoulder, "You know I always need you to back me up, right?"
"Always," J'kai said with a shy smile.
"Oh!" A feminine voice declared, "I'm sorry, I didn't think anyone else was here."
L'say turned and straightened slightly, it was the dark haired woman who had Impressed the queen. "Lady," he said, the word grinding out of his teeth.
"I'm Iona," she replied, firmly. "I'm no lady." Iona smiled at them, "I was a kitchen worker who was literally picked because they wanted another girl on the sands."
"I'm L'say," L'say admitted, "Kentrith's my bronze. My brother's J'kai, his bronze is Genlith."
"Orlienth is my gold," Iona said, she chuckled, "but I think everybody knows that." She walked over to claim a seat. "I'm a Weyrbrat, really, what about you two?"
"Holdless," L'say said shortly.
"Oh," Iona said, "sorry."
"It was a long time ago," J'kai said. "I guess we'd better sit down. Wouldn't want R'kor to get snappy with us, now would we?"
"Too late," J'kai muttered.
The brothers claimed seats as another, tall young man walked in, "Good morning," Iona said, "who are you?"
"R'nal," the young man said, "brown Verdeth's rider."
"Iona," Iona replied.
"L'say," L'say added, "this is J'kai."
"We're brothers," J'kai said.
R'nal studied them a moment, "Twins?" He asked.
L'say looked at his brother, brown hair, hazel eyes, and then ran a hand through his shorter, blond hair, "Nope," he said. "Close in age, though."
"Oh," R'nal said, "sorry."
"If you would take your seats," R'kor said, making R'nal jump, "we can get started." R'nal hurried to claim a seat behind J'kai and L'say as R'kor walked to the front of the classroom. "Welcome to Weyrlinghood," R'kor said, looking over the four of them. "You are the leaders of your clutch, and thus, the most important. Iona one day might very well be your Weyrwoman." He glanced at a scrap of hide in his hand, "L'say or J'kai, you could be the Weyrleader. R'nal, you could even make WingSecond if you prove yourself diligent." He looked at each of them. "Blue and green riders, although numerous, could never aspire to the heights that now exist before each of you. They will have half the work you will, which is why, L'say, J'kai, you have a separate sleeping space, so that you will have room to study and your dragons to grow."
L'say crossed his arms as he stared at R'kor, because the man was trying very hard, it seemed, to convince them, and he wasn't going to be convinced. Not after the way the man had jumped all over them for talking to a blue and green rider. He glanced at his brother out of the corner of his eye and smiled slightly. J'kai had that slightly defocused look that meant he was totally focused on something, probably a prank of some sort. L'say looked back at the Weyrlingmaster, knowing he should at least pretend to listen to the man's words. After all, you had to know the rules before you could set out to shatter them utterly.