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Weyrlinghood: Month 2
Exercise & Ground Drills - June 9-17
Overview
Towards the end of month one, and into the beginning of month two, you will notice a subtle change in your routine: you'll start to have one. While the young dragons still have immediate needs, you'll be better able to anticipate them and settle into a schedule that allows you to tend them before all hell breaks loose, much as a mother anticipates their toddler needing a nap before they become over-tired. You'll also find that your dragon may be growing more independent and interested in the world around them, which should make it a little easier for you to be separated from them while they're awake. If you haven't mastered being able to differentiate with your lifemate, this is the time it will be hammered home, and those weyrlings who continue to show trouble with this skill will be pulled aside by the team for extra lessons and tips.
Part of your new schedule will include physical training, which will continue throughout weyrlinghood in various forms. By this time, young dragons should be able to manage their limbs and as such, lessons in ground drills will commence. Weyrling pairs will assemble in the bowl and begin to learn the routines side by side. These lessons will be relatively brief at first, as baby dragons do tend to have short attention spans, but the rudimentary drills act as both exercise and preparation for a lifetime of practiced formations. As the second month fades into the third, weyrlings are encouraged, when time permits, to watch the full Wings practice their drills in the air.
Also at this time, any weyrlings who are not comfortable with basic Harper skills will be given rudimentary lessons: reading, writing, arithmetic. And everyone will begin some history lessons (bullet-point fashion, with very little elaboration unless desired by the weyrling). The idea is that, as dragonriders of Ista, you should know a bit about your Weyr's history. At least past Weyrleaders and Weyrwomen, if nothing more.
WLM/AWLM
During this time, the job of the WLM team is to make sure that the weyrlings are on-track and meeting their milestones at the proper times. The weyrlings should be comfortable, and able, to care for their lifemate without instruction, and should be able to spot dry hide before it becomes a problem. Weyrlings that continue to show a lack of ability in caring for their lifemates, or seem unable to notice warning signs, should be pulled aside and given extra attention by the staff, if just for the dragon's comfort.
At the end of the first month, and the beginning of this one, the role of the WLM team will shift as they help the weyrlings transition into a routine. Up until now, life has run at the pace of the dragon, but as the dragon matures, it should slowly alter to a schedule, with the WLM team providing reminders of when and where proper activities should occur. Weyrlings should be able to act independently of their dragons, and anyone found struggling with this should be given extra attention, and kept under close watch, to ensure that no problems develop.
The WLM team should be facilitating physical activities, either in the form of swimming, running, games that requires endurance and strength (tag, tug of war, relay, etc) and learning and executing basic drill patterns. They should also be making sure that weyrlings are understanding their Harper lessons, and history, though this is less of a priority to the WLM than dragon care (the Harper should be keeping up with the weyrlings classroom lessons, and should/will alert the WLM's if a weyrling seems to be slacking off).
Rules
- No romantic interaction - Your schedule and lifestyle at this time really doesn't allow you to get romantically involved with anyone, and your attention should still be focused on your lifemate.
- No getting drunk - While there is no 'rule' against drinking now, getting intoxicated is definitely out. Weyrlings will be allowed to use their better judgment when consuming beer or wine (stronger beverages are highly discouraged) and anyone caught getting drunk (or if a dragon seems to be upset by the behavior) will find this privilege revoked.
Again, no curfew, but with the increase in a 'routine' and schedule, making sure you get plenty of sleep has become an even higher priority. It's discouraged to be out late, and sleeping-in is treated rather unpleasantly (cold bucket of water being a common reminder to wake up on time).
Also, while the weyrlings are given more time on their own (that is, without being under the watchful gaze of the WLMs) that doesn't mean they won't know what you are up to. This is a well-connected bunch of dragonriders, with friends and spies everywhere ;)
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