Another glorious Spring day at Southern Weyr, the sun is bright, there are no clouds to be seen, and the temperature is not too hot or too cold, falling in that just right category. The training grounds see some activity, P'quil is there overseeing some weyrlings as they finalize their first straps of leathers. Amoung them are Ryott and gold Wrayth, who is fidgetting a bit restlessly but managing to hold mostly still while her weyrling rider is trying to untangle the mass of straps she's constructed in the last few sevens. « I think it goes the other way round. » the young queen offers with a smirking tilt of her head in Ryott's direction as the teen continues to pull that strap over this one, and this one under that, a growing look of frustration on her face. From over her shoulder, the Assistant weyrlingmaster pipes up, "And proper storage of your straps will be essential so you aren't spending time untangling them each time you go to put them on." That the comment is so blatantly aimed at her has the dark-haired goldling tensing her jaw against a smart ass reply.

It's hard to say just how many attempts Ulrika made before she, finally, settled on the set of straps that are now neatly arranged in front of her. Her hands and fingers show a fair amount of the trouble she's had; healed cuts and scrapes combined with some relatively recent bandaging suggest that she's been at this for longer than she'd care to admit - and it definitely hasn't been easy. But, they are done and, so far as she can tell, they're done right, though that remains to be seen. Theidith is nearby, fidgeting some; sitting still has never really been her strength, especially not when the weather is so glorious, she's well-rested, and there's a whole world (within walking distance!) to explore. By the time she settles into a comfortable posture, her tail twitches and lashes, all of her energy diverted to that dangerous whip. While Ulrika focuses on her situation, Theidith swings her head around to glance at the other weyrling pairs within range, studying their work and offering wordless coils of vines and flowers in encouragement.

Spring, and the straps he's been working so hard to make are complete. Do'rn closes his eyes as he tries to visualize how the straps should go. The mists that make up such a large portion of Kazuth's mindscape reaches to encircle Do'rn, « Breathe. We can do this, » the young bronze says in that infuriatingly calm tone. Do'rn finally opens his eyes to watch the rest of the weyrlings. The straps are being carefully held to help mitigate any tangling. Even with that, there is some tangling taking place, and an agravated sigh is given. Theidith earns a blast of gently warmed mists from Kazuth as Do'rn is still trying to keep his straps from becoming hopelessly tangled. Maybe a coil next time?

Rh'uan takes to this task like he does strapping up the herdbeasts they use in the mines to haul the carts. But a dragon is no herdbeast and herdbeasts don't tend to grow out of their straps… not the ones he worked with. Right now he's measuring Wahgerharth so that he can once again adjust straps to the growing bronze. He chuckles a little at the comment P'quil makes, because it's obvious who he's commenting on. If he can catch Ryott's eye, he'll give her a friendly wink, no harm meant.

Being the largest of the two clutch classes means that Wrayth's straps are just that much longer, and, at only 5'2", Ryott's arms just aren't long enough to stretch them out to mitigate the tangling. Catching that little chuckle, she shoots a glance in the direction of the sound in time to catch Rh'uan's wink. In response, she just narrows her eyes a bit and then gets back to the task at hand. With a huff of frustration, she tosses the leathers on the ground and starts to work them out there instead, getting down on her hands and knees to do so. « My future rider everyone, so dignified. » Wrayth lets her crimson glow seep into the other mindscapes present.

After another looking over of her straps, Ulrika grunts once, satisfied, then cuts a look to Do'rn and Rh'uan before finally looking to Ryott and her struggles. "Do you want a hand with your straps?" It's as gently-made an offer as she can make it; watching a fellow weyrling struggle with anything is difficult for her. Call her too helpful if you like; she'll wear that like a badge of honor. The light of Wrayth's mind brings crimson blossoms to flourish in a part of her mental jungle. « She is doing her best to get the work done, » Theidith observes with a glimmer of- yes, that would be pride for the shorter goldrider-to-be. « She cannot help that it will be more difficult for her to manage your straps. » Kazuth's warmed mists prompt a profusion of cherry blossoms; out of place, perhaps, but the jungle of her mind knows no limits to what can grow there.

Kazuth blinks towards Wrayth as he waits patiently, « Yours is indeed dignified. It is not her fault that she is as she is. Did you not chose her? » infuriatingly calm tones that is Kazuth's mindvoice for the last two days. Do'rn looks over towards Ryott, "I'm sure there are easier ways to get those sorted?" Do'rn looks towards P'quil, then down at his own straps. An idea slowly forming as he sits down on the ground, and begins to methodically roll the straps he holds. Each one rolled carefully, and precisely, "I'm going to try something, if it works, you can copy," because really, aren't they supposed to be helping one another out with this kind of stuff?

Wahgerharth lets his tail swish and thump upon the ground, the very picture of draconian boredom. «Why bother with dignity? It's so overrated.» The things that stalk the surface of Wahg's jungle planet seem to titter with amusement, broad Jurassic era leaves shaking with their jubliance. Rh'uan, on the other hand, is pushing at Wahg on one side. "Come on Wahg, stand up, I need to. measure you properly." The bronze does so with a loud yawn and shakes the dust off, covering Rh'uan in it. "Thanks." he responds sarcastically. «You're welcome» Ulrika and Do'rn are waved at and Ryott's narrowed eyes only receive a smile in return.

Every stubborn bone in Ryott's body tenses at the offer of help from Ulrika and then Do'rn, her lifemate's comment to the others is mostly ignored for the loving jab that it is. Her mindscape whips up a mini-cyclone of air rustling red flowers, mists and jurassic leaves in turn, « You all need to learn to take a joke. Mine knows I was only teasing, » she replies in husky overtones rather flippantly as her tail twitches with mild irritation. On the ground, the teen goldling grits her teeth to respond to Ulrika's offer of help, "I'm fine. I almost have it…" she mutters just loud enough to be heard as she un-twists the main belt and smoothes out the straps attached to it before sitting back on her feet with a short-lived look of triumph. "Now to get them on you…." Do'rn's technique with the rolling is watched out of the corner of her eye as she considers the next steps.

« Does she? » Theidith earnestly wonders of Wrayth, a vine twisting into a concerned question mark before the jungle turns inward slightly, leaves shielding against that miniature cyclone. « It would seem that it was a poor joke, if none of us saw it as such. » It's a mild observation, shimmering on those leaves, but clad in flowers of peculiarly neutral hues. The breeze that follows might have more, but an unseen force mutes the sound and the gold briefly glances at her rider. Ulrika, for her part, isn't even roused to shrug, a bland, "As you like," being neutrally offered. "How're you doing, Rh'uan? Do'rn?" It won't take her too long to get Theidith rigged up in her straps for a test fit - but that's more a matter of having been struggling with it earlier in the seven. And that's what she busies herself with soon enough, Theidith moving carefully to put herself in an easier position to rig things in place.

With the straps rolled, Do'rn stands to begin the process of getting the straps in place. With a little work, the straps do go into place with little difficulty. A grin is given as the straps are next fastened into place, and adjusted as need, "I think we're good here," Do'rn answers. Kazuth, for his part chosing to remain silent. Only the warm mists of his 'scape to give any clue to his mindframe.

Rh'uan snorts, brushing the dust off himself before moving to finish his work. "I don't know that I need help, but I reckon' I'd take it anyways. Adjusting the length of his straps can be a right bitch." Rh'uan jerks his fingers towards Wahgerharth and chuckles. The bronze himself just stands there looking smug. «It's not my fault you didn't leave enough give in them Rh'uan.»

If a dragon could roll her eyes, Wrayth would probably be doing so at Theidith's reply, her rose-masked face turned towards her sand sister in a tilt of contempt, « Yes, she does. I wouldn't have chosen someone without a sense of humor. » She seems almost insulted by that. To her credit Ryott looks up when Ulrika replies and offers a grudging, "Thanks for the offer though. I need to learn to do it myself, from the begining." She did tell the other goldling she would try, so that's her meager effort towards that. But one thing Ryott doesn't do is dwell, and seeing how Do'rn managed, she does a bit of a modified roll, rather folding the straps over each other and her arms. When she finally stands, a mental nudge at Wrayth has the gold lowering her long neck to allow her to drape the mass of leather over it.

"Aye, well. When they're growing as fast as they are, it's hard to figure how much to leave," Ulrika replies with a glance to Rh'uan. "I thought I left too much, but then it seems she grew another couple of inches at her shoulders." Once the straps are loosely in place, she cinches them a little, then furrows her brow as something or another is relayed. She passes her hand under the straps, where they meet hide, and sucks her teeth thoughtfully. They're kept loose for now and she steps away briefly to go look at what Rh'uan and Wahgerharth are doing. "Figure you could add some extenders?" It's a possibility, anyway, and she's no expert. But, whatever help the bronzerider wants, she'll offer. Theidith remains stoic and calm, her regard of Wrayth remaining neutral. « There is no need to be so sharp when someone asks an honest question, Wrayth. » Ulrika angles a warning look to Theidith before tipping a look to Ryott. There's a nod to that, "Aye, understood." And she'll leave off on that.

Do'rn is checking the straps he's just fastened onto Kazuth are neither too short, or tight. With a last tug, Do'rn steps back to give his handiwork a critical look. Kazuth cranes his neck to look at his bond, « They feel a little big, » is the young bronze's offered opinion, "We were told to make them big. You're still growing, and I'm probably going to have to make more later," Do'rn answers aloud, giving his dragon an affectionate slap to the shoulder, "Now shut up, and let me finish inspecting these things, hmm?" Do'rn gives Ryott a nod for her adaptation of his rolled straps. Rh'uan is already getting help from Ulrika, and he'd just be in the way anyway so Do'rn stays where he is.

Rh'uan shrugs. "Maybe…. though, at this point, I may have to do this all over again… Hey Ryott, did you have any extra strap leather when you finished? I may be a hair short." And her dragon is bigger than Rh'uan's…. he may have asked the wrong person. But, he likes keeping the young goldrider in the conversation loop. Do'rn's comment to his life mate earns a chuckle too.

Moving around the bulk of her gold, Ryott pulls straps into place, tapping the side of her neck to get Wrayth to lift her neck again so she can get to the buckles underneath. There's plenty of extra strap though, and with only a minor bit of huffing and puffing, she finally gets the secured harness on Wrayth's neck. Stop being snippy to Theidith and tell me if they are rubbing you anywhere they shouldn't? « Fine. » Wryath reluctantly agrees as she stands and starts to move around, testing the feel of the leather against her golden hide. « This feels sooooo weird… » she remarks as she slinks and turns, stretching her neck this way and that. While she's doing that, Ryott takes a surepticious look around at how the other weyrlings are doing.

There's a slight nod to Rh'uan at that, with Ulrika sucking her teeth again before she steps away to go back to what she was doing with Theidith's straps. "Aye, might be the best option, then," she reasons before she starts checking over her work again. It's the stitching that's troublesome and she works her fingers over a few bits that weren't hammered down quite right. A quick check of pockets yields a wax marking stick and she starts marking the straps up accordingly. Theidith likewise lapses into silence, testing the straps from time to time to help find those places that need to be worked on. It's slow and methodical; downright deliberate, if only to make sure all the issues are found so they can be corrected and prevented next time. While there are periodic glances at the others to see how they're faring, both Theidith and Ulrika are focused on their task with a familiar kind of single-mindedness.

Belatedly, Ryott calls out to Rh'uan with a light shrug of her shoulders, "Sorry, I used all I had."

Rh'uan sighs. Well. That's that. "Thanks anyway!" Is thrown Ryott's way before Rh'uan begins gathering the straps to an open work area to see if there's any way of saving them. Wahgerharth, free of the responsibility of model for now, stretches like a female and goes to see who he can bother. He spends a few moments leering over Ulrika's shoulder, watching her work before moving then over to Wrayth, where he slumps down and may or may not be in Ryott's footpath. He boops Wrayth with his snoot and rumbles. Mischief time is now, yes?

Lifting ato brush aside the thanks anyway from Rh'uan, Ryott watches as Wrayth moves around with her straps, and goes to check out any spot that she complains about. When she's made note of the trouble areas, Ryott goes to remove the straps when her gold gets a bit of a sheepish look, « I gotta go… » Now?! We're almost done! « NOW! » Wrayth replies definitively before she turns on her tail and starts to jog off quite urgently in the direction of the middens. Throwing her hands up in irritation, Ryott throws a look at P'quil before running after her gold, just hoping she makes it on time.

Theidith, at least, isn't easily bothered; though she does whuff a bit at Wahgerharth and cranes her head out to boop his nose or neck or wherever with her muzzle. But that contact is brief, with Ulrika moving to take the straps right back off of her lifemate and loop them carefully so she can haul them inside to work on them. "Not much to do with them, at least. Hopefully they'll last a while before you outgrow them, eh?" But who knows, really. Theidith will settle for walking around outside for a time, stretching her wings and also shaking out the feeling of strangeness where the straps sat. It's something she'll have to get used to but, for now, it's just odd! Eventually, she'll return to the barracks as well for food, oiling, or possibly a nap - or maybe all three!