New Apprenticeship

by Starsinger

For some reason I can't get away from Jarra and her friends. Just remember, this is an Alternate Universe. It takes place after the time of F'lar and Lessa. Aivas was never discovered so thread still falls. Oh, I still don't own them.

Jarra awoke at dawn, as usual. She wandered, half asleep, into the bathroom. For once she didn't bump into Kwila's bed on the way through. She washed quickly and once again pinned up her hair. Her morning routine hadn't changed in the three turns since she first came to the Weyr. She came out to get dressed and picked up her shoulder knots. With a start she realized what knots she now wore. Jarra shook her head, how could she forget? She suddenly realized that she woke up before her dragon.

Jarra pulled on her work clothes, and came to a firm decision about her hair. Yaneth, was just beginning to wake up as she wandered to the Queen's couch. The Queen stared up at her rider You're awake! I'm hungry!

Jarra laughed as she concentrated on speaking with Yaneth with her mind. Years of practice with Nolth ensured that she had this down pat, I knew you would be. Come on. They left the weyr, and suddenly were confronted by steps. Not many, but they housed the dragons in the caves in the cliff side. How a young dragonet, even a Queen, was expected to do this every day, she didn't know. She sighed as she coaxed Yaneth down the steps and out to the beach toward the other dragonets from her clutch.

Jarra was suddenly realized that everyone was watching her. She also realized that she would be the focus of many people's attention until Yaneth rose to mate in two turns. She hoped she would get used to it. At least she had friends like Reis in this weyrling class. She got to the beach where Ch'dins was standing with the buckets of meat for the dragonets. She and Yaneth were actually the third pair out to the beach.

Ch'dins grinned, "I'm the assistant Weyrlingmaster with your class. Here," he handed Jarra her bucket. "You know the drill, feed, bathe oil. You'll have to go to classes in the morning, but Daris and Alla will be handling most of your training. We don't have to worry about harness making, dragon anatomy, and firestone chewing with you at least."

"How long until you start chasing them out of their beds?" Jarra asked with a grin.

"About another hour," Ch'dins replied with a grin. "Depends on the dragonets!"

Jarra joined in the laughter as she coaxed Yaneth closer to water's edge. She knelt down and deposited the bucket of meat, sweetsand, and oil on the beach and opened the bucket. I need more than that. That's not enough food.

Jarra looked sternly at her new friend, Yaneth, do you trust me? If I feed you more than this now, you will get a tummy ache. As you get bigger, you'll get more food. For now, you'll just have to be patient.

Yaneth sighed, I'm the Queen. I need more.

Jarra grabbed her muzzle and made Yaneth look up at her, No, Yaneth, not now. You'll be surprised at how full you'll be when we're done. First, though, your bath. Another sigh issued from the youngster as she went into the surf and got wet. She came back as Jarra proceeded to scrub her with sweetsand. After she rinsed she oiled her and then fed her. She walked the tired gold back to the beach and situated her between Reis' Meganth and Ranna's Lith. Jarra knew as Yaneth got older, this routine would become important. Yaneth would quickly become too big to carry.

Jarra washed her hands and joined Ranna and Reis for breakfast. All three girls had witnessed weyrling classes over the past several turns and they waited. Soon, it came. Loud complaints issued forth from the dormitories as loud, banging metal noise woke up the sleeping. The creeling dragonets also could be heard the hungry young let their stomachs be heard. The three girls grinned at each other as they finished their breakfasts.

"I'm going to see the barber," Jarra said. "I'm going to need something a lot shorter for this new career." Ranna and Reis nodded soberly, and followed her to another cave.

Dolver, the Weyr barber, was setting up for the day as they entered. "Ah, yes, my first vict…volunteers. Did Ch'dins suggest this?"

Reis rolled her eyes, "No, Jarra did."

"Ah, the new Queen rider is already taking the lead," he waved to the chair as Jarra stepped forward. "I will cut this close to the head. You'll still have plenty of hair, it will be even curlier, believe it or not."

After he finished, Jarra ran her hand through her close cropped curls, "This is definitely going to take some getting used to." Ranna and Reis soon joined her. As they exited the cave, Ch'dins and X'por were escorting the rest of the Weyrlings to the cave. They all stared wide-eyed at the girls as they passed by. "I don't think they thought X'por was serious about the haircuts."

X'por stopped them as they passed, "Jarra, Reis check with J'lart and Segurd about your schedules for the infirmary. While you need to keep up with that, you have to be able to respond to your dragon's needs. As they get older this will be less of a problem, but for now…" he left the thought trailing. " Meet us in the classroom afterwards."

The three nodded and headed off, Ranna decided to follow Jarra to the dragon infirmary to see J'lart. J'lart smiled to see them. "Jarra, when Yaneth isn't eating and sleeping every day, we need to work with her. Queens have the ability to exert control over the lesser colors. That sounds awful, but they are Queens for a reason. Moreta's Orlith held injured dragons still while her rider worked on them. We've got a while before we can really work on that, but, hopefully, she'll be able to do that. That being said, the weyrlings are still expected to do chores. Yours and Reis' are obvious, you'll be here after the dragonets get their afternoon feed and bath."

"What about dragon anatomy and other such classes?" Jarra asked.

"You'll still attend classes such as harness making, and other equipment, but, you'll be teaching the anatomy classes, especially the 'worst injuries' class." Jarra nodded, not really surprised. As they exited the infirmary they heard a high-pitched squeal that set everyone's teeth on edge. It abruptly cut off. J'lart started running toward the beach where the dragonets of several clutches were spread out.

Jarra ran back into the infirmary and grabbed equipment. A dragon had been hurt, she didn't know who, although it probably wasn't Yaneth. Yaneth was oddly quiet. The horrible sound had quit as she reached the beach to encounter a scene for which no one was prepared. A bronze at about six months old had fallen and a large gash had opened in his shoulder. Instead of thrashing, as most dragonets would be doing, he was still. In front of him, Yaneth stood, eyes locked with the older dragon. Jarra continued onto the beach where E'cro had joined his bronze and J'lart on the beach.

Irith had rolled onto his side and allowed J'lart to examine the wound as Jarra dropped to her knees beside him. Together they got the wound stitched shut. Nolth assisted the dragonet to the infirmary, not wanting to rip open the stitches. Yaneth, for her part, curled back up and went back to sleep. J'lart approached the day old Queen and studied her. Jarra shook her head, "I didn't say anything to her about it."

"Well, it does settle that question. Although, I'm not sure she should try it with the older dragons, yet." J'lart smiled at her, "You need to get to class. I'll see you this afternoon." As Jarra ran off he suddenly realized, her hair was a lot shorter.

Okay, I've borrowed a few themes, like the tummy ache, from fellow authors that I admire. Don't be afraid to sound off in the reviews section if you recognize it. If anybody can think of a better title, let me know. I'm not all that good at it. Please R&R. I wasn't planning on a sequel to Dragon Healer, but, well, I finished English 1302 (hoping for an A), and the muse bug bit me. Everybody who reviewed that story, THANK YOU!