It's a sunny afternoon at Western and Lissi has issued the call for some training. Micha and Teniqua are out there along with their dragonettes who look a little sluggish but at least they showed up! Lissi is standing near her green, Damasth, who croons to the little dragons while they wait for everyone to get here and get settled. A wall stands ominously nearby and off to the side a large collection of neatly stacked sandbags, interesting
Sluggish? No! Loxiath has been up for hours now, and so consequently has V'ric. Though croons issued cause the brown to lapse out of his enjoyment of the sun, eyes unlidding to per over at Damasth. A low, melodic croon is given from the brown, even as V'ric comes to lean against the growing dragon. Wall? Sandbags? There's a faint squint against the sunlight as he looks, but does at least salute when he settles into place.
Lissi smiles as everyone assembles and she walks closer to the weyrlings, "Afternoon! The exercise we're gonna do today is not a race. It is not a test. This is a starting place. We want ta make sure ya have strong enough bodies to manage all the things ya need ta manage as riders." She gestures to the wall, which has ropes dangling down at different lengths then to the pile of sandbags, "Over on the sandbags is a pattern that shows how the bags need ta be restacked against tha wall, yes, moved and restacked. This is not a riddle to see if you can do it easier or faster, it's just about followin instructions and workin your muscles along with yer lifemate's."
The pattern is very precise as to how to stack each bag, overlapping certain ways, turned certain ways, etc.
There's a bit of movement from the brown pair, as Loxiath pushes to get V'ric to move and allow him to stand. Wings flap a few times before he starts forward, all curiosity. V'ric shakes his head, but at least moves after his dragon, thumping him on the hindquarters. "Nobody said to start yet. /Wait/ for a minute." He sighs when the dragon just…doesn't seem inclined on stopping, snout tipping one bag off the pile. "I..guess.. Can we begin then?"
Lissi nods some to V'ric, "Aye, ya can begin, the bags can be carried by a dragonette sa if they try ta help it won't hurt em.. otherwise they can run back and forth with ya.." and she waves her hand between the wall and the sandbags. The other little brown is up and on the move as is the green and their riders try to corral them a bit then they start moving bags.
"Would you hold /still/ a minute?" Really. V'ric just looks a bit miffed when Loxiath attempts to pick up one of the bags with his mouth. "You're going to rip it. Or your own neck. Here." He hefts one up to settle between the dragon's shoulders. Loxiath wobbles, but stands firm under the extra weight, simply starting to trot off toward the wall. The weyrling himself picks up two of the sand bags, one for each arm, hauling them as well.
Lissi grins and moves toward the wall to watch but doesn't interfere, making notes while the bags start getting stacked and the pattern starts taking shape. The ropes are set so that the weyrlings can pull themselves up the stack to set the higher bags then lower themselves again. The green noses a bag around and sand starts to leak out which annoys Teniqua and she has to stop carrying to scold her lifemate who droops and warbles then starts scrapping at the sand toward the bag, as if to try to put it back, which, won't work, but it's cute!
V'ric starts stacking. One bag here, one bag there.. "Lox…that's not where it's supposed to go." The brown just sits back a moment, staring at the slowly growing mound of bags. « This way is more pleasing, though. Is it not?» "No. It's not. Turn it the other way." There's a soft huff from the dragon at that, putting one paw down on the bag. « No. It is better this way, and this way it will remain! »
He starts a rebellion of sorts! Now the other brown does the same and turns a bag different than what the pattern says, much to his lifemate's dismay. Now the green too. Pretty soon they are turning bags like a game, amused at their riders who run behind them to straighten, it's not looking good. "Jest a reminder, the sooner ya get 'em put there tha sooner ya can put 'em back.. an' be done.." Did she say put them back!? She did.
V'ric just groans softly, bringing a hand over his face. "Look, if you do it..I'll let you do it however /you/ want when we're all done." The brown does seem..to consider this..and promptly goes back for another bag. In his absence, at least, V'ric fixes the wrongly-turned bag. « Yes, yes. Have it your way. So little imagination! »
It's starting to really take shape now, the shape of a dragon. The shortest rope is up near the shoulder and once they reach that height the formation will be almost done, all that's left to do is unstack them and put them back where they started in neat piles. Lissi grins, watching them, and Damasth moves to help carry a few and show the little ones how.
V'ric doesn't really have much problem with the ropes and climbing. He's…sturdy! Loxiath makes a small huff when all the /hard work/ is promptly dismantled though. He does in fact look a tad miffed about the whole thing, finally turning and veering away with one of the remaining bags. THIEF. "Wha.. Lox! Get back here with that!"
Lissi laughs when the brown runs off and once again, the other two follow suit, though the riders give chase. "Now then, this will be repeated again in a couple weeks and we'll time ya, then again in a couple weeks and we'll time ya again..pretty soon you'll see a real difference and be ready ta mount and dismount without any trouble."
V'ric ughs and does go after his dragon after a few moments, wrestling a bit to get the bag free. Once Loxiath does let go, there's a slight..glare from the young man before bringing it back to the pile. "Just building strength then."
Lissi nods her head, "Mostly..and getting used to sometimes having to direct them.. and work together..all of ya, with your mates and each other," she says with a smile. "It can teach a lot of different things. How are ya makin it, by the way? Everything goin alright?" she asks the weyrling. Damasth helps go after the two rogue dragonettes.
V'ric rubs Loxiath's head for a moment or two, the dragon rather easily forgetting the entire thing. Now then. Sunlight. Yes, blissful, wonderful sun. The brown sinks down, enjoying being able to bask in the light without interference. "We're..fine. Things are still a little…strange, but it's getting easier."
"Aye, it's different. Dun hesitate ta ask questions of me and of your mentor, have you had a chance to meet yet?" she asks. "I'm hopin that program will help ya'll adjust ta things," she comments.
V'ric shakes his head slowly, even as Loxiath rolls back onto his feet again, trotting for the barracks. "Haven't had too much of a chance between dealing with him and..well. Everything with that. And../Lox/! Don't you dare get into that bin by yourself." He..takes off running? Yes he does! The brown is likely to try and climb /into/ the meat containers!
Lissi grins and watches the brown run, "Oh dear, ya better see ta him.. If ya need annathing let me know," she says. "I'm gonna go write up some notes and such.. see ya soon in class," and she smiles then lifts a hand. Damasth is helping heard the two wanderers back then soon takes to the sky as Lissi heads inside, it's her time to go to the beach!