Hatchling

Today, like most days J’ril was woken by his dragon’s voice. He rolled over but Delduwath persisted. J’ril it itches! His rider groaned. Can’t you wait till at least seven? There was a pause and then Delduwath said, I cannot. If I should wait that long my hide would fall off. J’ril put a hand over his eyes but slowly got out of bed, walking into his dragon’s

chambers half asleep. I am sorry to wake you again J’ril but it itches furiously and I do not wish it to go raw. J’ril nodded and rubbed his eyes while he walked to the cupboard with the hide oil in it. “This time I’m oiling your whole body,” he said as he unscrewed the lid. His dragon cocked his head. But it only itches in one spot. J’ril nodded. “Yes I know but if I oil everything it should be awhile before anything else cracks.”

After J’ril applied the hide oil to every inch of Delduwath he sat down next to him. “Does anything itch now?” The dragon stretched his wings and looked at his rider. It does not. J’ril smiled. “Good, you’re only a hatchling and I bet that took a good two hours. I’m glad dragons grow slower after they are considered a weyrling.” The black crooned and J’ril scratched his eye ridges for him. Delduwath rumbled his happiness and closed his eyes, leaning into the rubbing.

About a half-hour later Baleyah and Inharem swooped in and landed on their owner’s shoulders. J’ril stroked both of them and then turned back to his dragon. Inharem chirped irritably and tugged at J’ril’s ear. The blackrider sighed. “What do you want you two?” The firelizards chirruped and Baleyah pictured the weyrlingmaster in his mind. J’ril started to wave them away, not knowing what they were talking about but then it hit him. “Deld! We’ve got weyrling training this morning. Shells, I totally forgot about it!” He stood up and raced back into the bedchamber and changed his clothes. He pulled on his boots and then went back into the other room. Delduwath was already heading out the other door. J’ril brushed the firelizards

off his shoulders and rushed after his dragon. “You two stay here, and stay out of trouble!”

J’ril walked briskly down the hall, followed closely by Delduwath. The black wined a couple of times, telling J’ril to wait so that he could catch up but J’ril didn’t slow his pace by much. When they turned a corner Delduwath warbled in warning and J’ril walked straight into bronzerider A’zel. “Oh sorry,” J’ril said quickly. “I’m..” A’zel cut him off. “Late for weyrling training?” J’ril nodded. “How’d you know?” A’zel smiled. “Your dragon just told mine.” J’ril rolled his eyes and then walked down the hall. He could hear Delduwath’s heavy breathing and he knew he had to slow down before his dragon dropped from exhaustion. Everyone looked up as they finally reached the weyrling arena. Weyrlingmaster Y’tro looked over as well, and crossed his arms. J’ril knew this was a bad sign so he walked towards him with his head down. When he reached him Y’tro said, “Always walk with your head up boy, and get in line with the others.” J’ril looked at him in amazement. No punishment for being late like the other times? He thought this as he walked towards the rest of the jr. weyrlings. “Wow you’re lucky,” a girl named Azura said. “He’s already punished three people for being late today. They get to go mix the food for the watch-whers after class.” J’ril nodded and said “uh huh.” He didn’t want to get in trouble for talking after he was already late.

“Weyrling training wasn’t that bad today,” he told his dragon as they walked back to the weyr two hours later. His dragon warbled. Yes I know. He is preparing us to fly I believe J’ril. J’ril nodded. “Yeah I know. I can’t wait to fly. It gets so boring around here and it’d be fun to do something else then run around to classes.” Delduwath warbled again. I have a feeling they will put a restriction on the jr. weyrlings about the flying J’ril. J’ril frowned. His dragon was right again, and this time J’ril wished he wasn’t so intelligent. His dragon hissed and J’ril spun around and opened his mouth to speak but he thought better and closed it again. If you wish to have a wherry-brained creature for a lifemate, go bond a watch-wher. J’ril put his hands up as if to defend himself from Delduwath’s anger. “I’m sorry Deld, I… sometimes I wish you weren’t always right. It makes me feel stupid sometimes.” The black warbled and his eyes faded from red to a greenish yellow. I am sorry J’ril but you ask me questions that I have answers to and it helps in the end does it not? J’ril nodded and the two lifemates walked back to the weyr in silence.

When they reached the weyr, Delduwath went straight to his couch and slept. J’ril sat by him for awhile, rubbing the smooth eyeridges until his firelizards flew in. They were chattering about something, and all Inharem pictured was a small rat. J’ril stood up and walked into the main chamber, where he called down the service shaft for dinner and two large rats for firelizards. The food arrived almost immediately, the rats squeaking and running around in the little cage. J’ril took his food off the tray and placed it on the table before opening the small door to the rat cage. “Now I want you two to hunt them got it? Don’t just grab them from the cage ok?” The firelizards chirped and Inharem pulled that fatter of the two rats from the cage, which made Baleyah squawk in irritation. “Fight nice boys,” he said through a mouthful of tubers. He heard the squabbling of the firelizards die down and the squeaking of rats ended and he knew they’d finished them off. When he was done with his dinner he put the plate and the rat cage back on the tray and sent it back down the service shaft. J’ril stretched and changed into his sleeping clothes and got into bed. Inharem and Baleyah joined him and curled up by his head. J’ril fell asleep hoping Delduwath wouldn’t wake him at six the next morning.