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Weyrlinghood: Month 3
Hunting & Preparation for Flight - March 27 - April 4
Overview
Life is busy. Dragon care, drills, physical training and academics will be filling up your time. The dragons are getting stronger, eating more but less frequently and exercises are starting to focus more and more on wing development in preparation for flying -- it's right around the corner! Part of this preparation has included practing leaps and jumps and once they get that under control, there will another big milestone: hunting. With the help of their weyrlingmasters to separate weaker animals from the herd and corral them or wound them so that the young dragons can get the hang of taking down a living beast, you'll no longer be dealing with meat in the barracks.
Meanwhile during this month, weyrlings will begin to learn the concept of strapmaking. While working with actual leather won't come until closer to the end of the month, Weyrlings will be introduced to the tools and techniques used in manipulating leather for straps. They will be encouraged to talk to other dragonriders about how they make and repair their own straps, and will have lessons with the tanners to learn more about the proper care of leather riding straps. By the end of the month, once the Weyrlingmaster is satisfied, weyrlings will be given a set of their own tools and allowed to put into practice what they have learned.
At the end of this month (the very end) and into the beginning of the next month, the dragons that are deemed developed enough will begin their first solo glides.
WLM/AWLM
Now that the weyrling have their dragon tending skills in hand and are used to life in the barracks, they'll be able to keep on top of those things themselves, though the WLM team should still keep an eye out for anyone who's slipping in these areas. Instead, the brunt of training has turned to drills and exercise.
The new material for this month will be hunting, which will require supervision and sometimes aid for the smaller members of the class. Separating a beast from the herd, keeping it confined and under control and guiding young dragons through the process of incapacitating dinner will be tasks largely for the WLM dragons, though the riders themselves may have to pat the shoulder of a young weyrling who hasn't seen this kind of carnage before.
As preparing for flight becomes the focus of life in the barracks and strapmaking is introduced, the WLM team will be tasked with helping weyrlings learn to construct and fit straps both to their dragon and themselves.
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 privileged 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 WLM team) 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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