A/n: Hey guys… sorry this took me so long… -feels bad- Anyway, since Weyrling Lessons are kinda boring and repetitive, I'll just do one then next chapter will be graduation. This is the Weyrling chapter I guess… then the plot can more some more… And again, I do not own Pern or any aspect of it. The colors, except for my "odd men out" are Anne's and so are the rest of this, except Sutaketa Weyr and the characters in it… those are © me!

Flight with Rider

Kalinmine? Mine? MINE!

Kalin jerked awake and blinked several times. The sun was shining directly on her face and also, right in her face, was the head of a one-year-old green dragon. "Faith…" she groaned and shut her eyes again.

Mine! Myriath's rider says you need to get up! We'll be late! You're supposed to fly on me today!

At once Kalin was up and pulling on her pants and a comfortable shirt. It was in the middle of the Northern summer, so it would be warm enough not to have to wear a coat for normal activities, but then again, flying wasn't normal. She grabbed her coat, just in case. "Come on Faith!" she said as she hurried out of the door. Faith quickly followed her rider, with Kita, Sukai and Tort riding on her back. They found that the green dragon was a good perch.

Wait up mine! I was just making sure you got up on time! We won't be late at this pace! Kalin looked back at her dragonet. She grinned at her and waited for her to catch up. Though she was nearing maturity, Faith was much smaller than even her green counterparts.

But she will flourish! She is the fastest and one of the strongest fliers out of all her clutch mates, except of course those bronzes. They think they are so high and mighty. I prefer browns and blues. And those little odd men out, like D'ret's Turyth. Now there's a fine dragonet. I believe that they are calling him a striped. Brown and silver is it? Then again, I am like him, only I am all grey. They call me a shadow.

Yes Myriath, I know. Kalin replied, smiling. Sometimes it was good to here other dragons, but other times, they just rambled on, glad to tell things to other besides their riders. Myriath was one who did this.

While she and Faith were walking out of the Barracks, they met up with Nysil and her green Ikith. Faith looked at Ikith, who was much larger than she was and offered a greeting. Ikith returned it and the two young dragons started chatting at once. Kalin grinned at Nysil. Nysil and the others still didn't know that Kalin could hear what their dragons were saying, when they didn't disclose their thoughts.

"Do you think we will really get to fly today?" Nysil asked as they walked toward the Weyrbowl. The Weyrling Barracks was in a separate building and was connected to the Candidate Barracks by a small hallway which was off limits to Candidates and Weyrlings. It was there in case one of the masters had to be out for a while.

"Of course! Our dragons our big enough, even Faith, as small as she is," Kalin replied. Ever since Nysil had Impressed Ikith, she had started worrying more than she had before. She was always worrying that R'skel was doing his job and everyone's dragons were all right.

As they reached the Weyrbowl, Kalin was aware that another was following behind them. She looked back and saw Loan walking alongside with Quanoth. Kalin smiled and waved. Loan waved back. Quanoth was growing well and was already twice the size of the largest green hatchling, or maybe larger. Loan made sure to keep her well oiled and well fed.

"Hurry up Weyrlings! The sooner you're out here the sooner we can head to the plains to fly!" Kalin looked to see Orisia, their Weyrling Master, standing next to Myriath, her dragon. Kalin looked up at Myriath and smiled. One of their first lessons was on the "odd men out" of the Weyr. Every-so-often, a dragon with different coloring was born. Myriath and Turyth were two examples. Myriath was called a Shadow, since her coloring was dark grey with lighter wing membranes and neck ridges. However, she acted no differently than any other dragon, despite the lack of explanation why she was like this.

"Come on! Come on! I wanted you all here five minutes ago!" Kalin looked to see R'skel and D'ret hurrying, urging Verith and Turyth on.

But mine! I want to sleep! Kalin heard Verith say. She grinned. Verith was much like his rider.

When they finally got there, Orisia started speaking about how they would have their dragons start off, with good coordinates, to help them prepare for their first trip between and to help the dragonets get there quicker.

"Now when we get there, we will start by stretching your dragon's wings out. Then we will have them walk around a little to get used to your weight added to the riding straps, which I hope you all have oiled and adjusted to fit your dragon comfortably but not to loose. After that, we will start you out with just gliding down a hill. We'll do more later. All right, I'll fly above you to make sure none of you get lost. Head out!" Kalin gave a picture of the plain to Faith and sent her off with the others.

I'll stay by Ikith, Turyth, Kineth and Verith. Quanoth doesn't care for my "presence."

Kalin smiled and watched as Orisia mounted Myriath, then grinned and walked with D'ret, Nysil, R'skel, Ch'ser and Loan. The others walked ahead as she hung back with D'ret. He had changed since he Impressed Turyth. He had become more relaxed, yet more protective at the same time. He knew, since Kalin had Impressed a green, that older riders would take notice of her when Faith reached her full size, however small she might be. Both he and R'skel had made it their personal missions to protect Nysil and herself. Loan was a queen rider and only the bronze riders would be attracted when Quanoth was showing signs of rising. Still, they watched for her too.

"Shards and shells Kal, I thought Orisia would leave without us!" D'ret said. Kalin shook her head. More people were calling her "Kal" now. It seemed not only the boys had their names shortened. Some were calling Nysil "Ny" now, but they kept Loan's name the same, since her's was already short.

"I bet she would have if you hadn't been so close. Come on, we're falling behind!" Kalin grinned and started running toward the others. D'ret laughed and followed. Kalin suddenly felt herself in the air. D'ret had scooped her up and had thrown her over his shoulder. When had he gotten so strong? He laughed and kept running, catching up with Ch'ser and R'skel, who were both leaving the girls to chat.

"Look what I caught!" he said, grinning. Ch'ser looked at R'skel, raised an eyebrow. R'skel grinned and they both ran forward. R'skel grabbed up Nysil and Ch'ser scooped up Loan. They waited for D'ret to catch up. Kalin looked at the other two, raised an eyebrow and sighed.

"Well at least we don't have to walk there," Nysil said. Loan laughed. A few other Weyrlings looked back at them and laughed. The rest of the trip for the girls was spent flung over the shoulders of Ch'ser, R'skel and D'ret.

When then got to the plains, the boys let them down. Nysil fixed her hair at once, making sure it went in just the right spots. She had recently gotten it cut short, so it would fit better in her riding helmet. Kalin looked at her friend and smiled. Since they had Impressed, Nysil had fallen down the steps and gotten a nasty cut over her left eye, which, luckily, hadn't harmed her sight, but had caused a large scar.

"All right," Orisia said from Myriath's back. "I want you to find your dragon and stand by them. Have the stretch out and then, wait for me to tell you how to mount. Off with you!"

Kalin smiled. Faith darling?

I'm over by Turyth and the others. Kalin located Turyth's abnormal hide, then walked over to Faith.

Now dear heart, do you remember your stretches?

Yes. First I stretch my wings, then my legs, I know, I know. Kalin watched as Faith stretched as she was instructed, a small pile of unease growing in her stomach. Finally, Orisia gave the order to check the riding straps. Grateful for something to do, Kalin took her time, making sure they fit in the right places and weren't falling apart. Everything looked fine. She put a hand on Faith's neck.

"All right! It seems we are set to mount up. Now dragons, I want each of you to crouch down for your riders. There we go. Now If you are a bronze, or larger than a bronze, or if you are Quanoth, extend a leg for your rider to step up on. The rest of you, gently get onto their neck and strap into the riding straps. Now you bronze riders and Quanoth, strap in as well. We will have the greens go first. Any volunteers?"

Kalin didn't dare to raise her hand, by Nysil did, and Nysil rode the biggest green, meaning they would most likely go from largest to smallest. Shards. She looked over at Nysil and Ikith.

"Excellent. Now Nysil, I want you to tell Ikith to walk up to the top of that drop off. Yes. Now go." Kalin could hear Ikith complying and watched as the large green made her way over to the drop off.

"Now Ikith, extend your wings," Orisia said. Ikith did so. "And go!"

xxx

Nysil P.O.V.

"And go!"

I would have never imagined flying on my own dragon was like. I mean, sure, I had rode before. Ceth brought me to the Weyr, but this was entirely different. Ikith wasn't as large as Ceth, not by a long-shot, but she held my weight fine. After a few moments of falling, Ikith beat her wings and we were aloft, above the group.

Mine! We are flying! Together!

I know Ikith! I know!

Myriath says we must come down now.

Why?

So the rest of them can get a turn. Don't worry, I know how to land.

You'd better! I held on as tightly as I had done when I came here. Ikith gently spiraled down and landed, not so smoothly, on the ground, nearly throwing me off if it weren't for the safety straps. I looked around. The others were cheering. I grinned, offered a lofty, smug, but joking wave then unclipped myself and carefully dismounted Ikith. I patted her then move off, watching the others. There were a lot of green dragons I noticed. I knew a few personally because of the other lessons, but other than that, not many. Finally, after the rest had gone, it was Kalin's turn. I'll never forget her face as Faith took off and lifted into the air. Kalin was right, Faith was fine. The landed with ease, letting the others have their turns. R'skel did fine on riding Verith, as D'ret rode fine on Turyth. Ch'ser nearly fell off as well when Kineth when he landed.

After another long while of waiting for the bronzes to come back down, it was time for Loan to fly. Everyone was quiet as she mounted on Quanoth. She looked out at us. "Don't act like I am heading to my death!" she joked, laughing. We all laughed too, but knew that every bronze in the Weyr would have their eye on the newest queen. The sun was setting as Quanoth rose gracefully into the air, large wings not needing to beat as much as Ikith's or Faith's had. She rose in front of the setting sun, setting her hide ablaze. I could hear the bronzes rumble. Our dragons were nearly full grown.

"Good job Loan!" Orisia called up. "Now come on down!"

"All right!" Came the shouted reply. Just as Quanoth started to descend, I knew something was wrong. I racked my mind, thinking as hard as I ever had. Suddenly, the answer came in a burst of light, literally. I heard Quanoth's shriek and saw a large grey blue shoot past as Quanoth began to hurtle towards the ground…

A/N: And to my reviews, thanks again! I do promise to fix the mistakes later!

Pam: Impression is such a wonderful thing isn't it?

Ginalee: Why thank you! I try, I really do!

MusicalS377: I've already explained… yeah…

Amy: Thanks a lot!!

Wow… huh… well this is Neko, signing off!