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Post by Shikai on Sept 15, 2008 1:28:03 GMT -5
A’clayr? A’clayr-mine?[/color] A’claryn slowly because conscious of the steady inquiries of his dragon in his mind, the brown’s voice growing more weary as he patiently persisted. A’clayr-mine, are you alright?[/color] Faranth, he’s going to kill me. He finally responded weakly. The seemingly innocent inflated sack had hit the Weyrleader right in the head, knocking him to the ground where he lay still.
The dragon snorted, but his tone was gentle when he replied. Of course not, don’t be silly. It was a mistake, and I’m sure he isn’t much harmed.[/color] However, Atoth’s voice trailed off slightly at his last words as he cast a glance at the motionless Weyrleader on the ground. It’s not possible to die from being hit by an inflated sack, is it? A’clayr wondered, and Atoth responded with a mental shrug. It would be a rather humiliating end, if you ask me. But I don’t think he is really hurt. Why don’t you go over there and see? You’ll be expected to apologize, at least.[/color]
A’clayr blanched slightly, but sighed, knowing his dragon was right. Best face the music now. He flashed a sheepish smile at Minelli and her dragon. “Sorry…oops. Guess I’ll, ah, go get the ball…” As he walked toward M’kel, he realized that Atoth was accompanying him, walking confidently beside the weyrling. Why shouldn’t I come with you? The Weyrleader probably won’t be happy with us, but it was only an accident. I’m sure it will all amount to very little.[/color] The dragon commented, sensing A’clayr’s thoughts. …Thanks, Atoth. He replied, still growing accustomed to having an inseparable companion, whose small displays of care weren’t lost on him.
His pace slowed as he drew near to the Weyrleader, but A’clayr resumed his confident pace, even if he felt anything but confident, as he composed himself. “Weyrleader M’kel, I am so sorry!” He began, his expression one of concern as he looked down at the fallen bronzerider. He nodded to the two lovely women that M’kel had been enjoying the day with thus far, send each his best conciliatory, apologetic smile. “I’m not sure how the inflated sack flew off at such an angle; it certainly wasn’t my intention! Are you alright?”
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Post by Skye on Sept 15, 2008 16:36:35 GMT -5
Skye smiled brightly as she listened to M'kel's words, her hands still smoothing the cream into his skin, purposely keeping her touch soft and almost teasing. She tilted her head and glanced at Calysta, smiling to the younger woman.
She wouldn't at all mind a respite from the sun, feeling her own skin beginning to redden from Rubats rays. "Oh, that sounds very nice M'kel. And you most certainly do deserve this attention and more, you work so hard as our Weyrleader," she cooed, looking up at his face just in time to see his eyes widen. She turned to look the direction he was just as the inflated sack hit him in the face.
Skye gasped and jumped back slightly as M'kel fell sideways. She blinked and looked at the inflated sack now laying nearby and struggled to keep a straight face as she turned to look at the young man approaching and speaking to M'kel. She bit her bottom lip lightly to keep from laughing as she nodded politely in return to A’claryn.
She knelt down beside M'kel and rubbed his back gently, shaking him gently. "It was just a inflated sack M'kel, it couldn't have hurt that badly," she said gently, managing to keep from laughing. She really didn't want to upset the Weyrleader by laughing at him.
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Post by Journye on Sept 15, 2008 16:50:10 GMT -5
Calysta smiled as she looked between Skye and M'kel, enjoying the company of the two. She usually wasn't attracted to other women, but Skye was a lovely woman and well, Calysta was open minded enough to give anything a try at least once.
She laughed softly at M'kel's comment and leaned slightly to look up at him, her hands resting lightly on his back. "You deserve a rest and to have fun," she said, nodding in agreement with Skye's words. He was the Weyrleader and deserved a day off as much, if not more then the rest of the riders. "Its not a tiresome task, but a rest in a nice shady spot does sound wonderful," she said with a bright smile.
She noticed his wide eyed expression, but before she could glance up to see what he was looking at he was struck by the inflated sack. She gave a small yelp of surprise and tried to step back as M'kel fell over, but stumbled slightly as the sand shifted awkwardly under her feet and fell, her right leg caught under him. Calysta frowned and looked up at Skye and A’claryn, nodding to the young man. She shook her head and laughed softly at the situation, patting M'kel gently on the back.
She could hear Luneth's mental laughter and smiled, shaking her head again. She could just imagine what she looked like, sitting on the sand with her leg trapped between the Weyrleader, she could imagine it was a humorous sight.
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Post by M'kel on Sept 15, 2008 23:33:08 GMT -5
A moment longer of lying prone, the bright spots flickering and dancing while his mind spun slowly away, succumbing to its inevitable death...
Oh, get up M'kelmine. You're embarrassing yourself.
Always a voice of reason. In an instant, M'kel's thoughts cleared and sensations returned. He was suddenly vividly aware of the grains of sand sticking roughly to his face and voices all around. And...was someone petting his back?
Abruptly, he sat up, remaining stock still for a moment. A second later, he frantically batted at his face and started spitting. Realizing the futility of this act, M'kel launched himself to his feet, stumbling right past the three concerned individuals standing around him. His stomach really hurt. Had he been lying on a leg?
And then he plunged into the ocean, dousing his head thoroughly in the salty surf and knocking the sand forcefully from his ears. Upon raising his head again, he shook the clinging blond strands from his face and glared at no one in particular.
There must still be sand in his ears. He was hearing a weird noise! M'kel batted at his head, even putting it under water again before standing up. Still, the hissing noise continued. A sudden chill gripped his limbs, and hazel eyes rose quickly to the horizon, where a grey cloud seemed to be approaching from the mainland.
And sanity collapsed.
A bugle erupted as a bronze shape leaped from the ocean, winging immediately to M'kel's side. Tirenth continued to bugle fiercely, calling to all on the island who could hear him. Thread had come. And they didn't have much time.
Briefly, M'kel considered the new Weyrlings. They could not fly to safety. But the safety of the many outweighed the few. The most important thing now was to get firestone in Tirenth and rally the Wings. Tell them to between times. We have to cover those who must return on foot. And check on the Hold. Tirenth relayed the message, as dragon and rider rose to the skies to disappear to the Weyr.
It was time.
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Post by B'kay on Sept 16, 2008 10:40:34 GMT -5
Alabanth Screamed.
Gaylen nearly choked on the slice of meat she was chewing, picked up the images from her dragon's mind, and spat the food into the sand. Before she could think, she was astride, and the aged blue and his even more seriously aging rider were heading for the fireheights. Crews had been working for ages piling firestone, firestone that went unused for so long that it was spilling out of bins and piled into rocky corners. The old blue filled his crop, and spouted a test flame ... strong and good, ready to fight!
Without instruction, he went between-times to their weyr, giving Gaylen enough time to harness him for fighting, and then back to the present-time air above the beach, where Tirenth was shouting mental orders to the dragons gathered.
Syth says we can not fight! the old blue shouted to his lifemate, angrily. He says we can not fight, we are too OLD!
Fury flashed in Gaylen's green eyes. Why, she and Alabanth had more thread-fighting experience than the rest of the sharding Weyr put together! But somewhere, in the back of her mind, reason intervened....
"Fine, then!" she shouted loudly, so that not only her dragon could hear, but hopefully the rest of those gathered on the beach as well. "If we can't fight, we can at least help shelter the new weyrlings and help them get safely back to the Weyr!" Then, she lowered her voice, as the magnitude of what was about to befall them sank in, "Once there, we can aid the healers.... " For the healers would surely be needed this day.
Alabanth rose high, circling above the first group to head for the slope, and awaited Tirenth's instruction. He was ready to flame if the Demon Thread came too close! He would protect the future of Araelen, the future of Pern ... or die trying!
---
B'kay, snoozing lazily in the crook of Syth's tail in the shallows of a shady alcove in the bay, was dumped abruptly into the brink as the dark bronze dragon leapt to his feet.
THREAD!!
The rider rose swiftly, and scanned the horizon. Surely, there it was, the ominous gray cloud, the sound of distant hissing, the roiling of the waters where fish were leaping to the feast!
Shards! SYTH, rally our wing!
Tirenth's says go Between Times. Prepare and fire-up. Protect those on foot! I will follow Tirenth, and our wing shall follow me!
As the pair leapt for the skies, Syth relayed Tirenth's instructions swiftly and efficiently to all dragons in their fighting wing.
SEABLADES UNITE! WE SHALL PROTECT PERN!
[[Reminder to all our wingmembers....
Seablades
Wingleader: B’kay and Syth Wingsecond: H’run and Gawyth Rescue Dragon: S’lem and Griflith A’idin and Gaelrith B’rec and Dagonth Minelli and Elainuth Larita and Seioth
]]
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Post by C'lyn on Sept 16, 2008 12:04:21 GMT -5
L'kas was still sulking about being slapped by his blue rider friend. He had missed seeing M'kel hit by the inflated sack, that would have brightened his mood to be sure. He was leaning against one of the trees along the back edge of the beach, watching the people gathered.
At Tirenth's sharp bugle L'kas looked up sharply, his eyes going wide at the sight of the gray cloud along the horizon, one he was all too used to seeing. He knew what was coming even before Seath relayed Tirenth's orders.
He ran the short distance to his bronze, leaping into position even before Seath was fully landed. Tirenth says to time it[/color] the bronze informed his rider as he leaped back into the air, even as he called out to their wing.
Dawnflames Wing to me! Thread has come and it is our duty to protect Pern![/color] He called to those assigned to his wing, sending them the image they needed to time it. He knew that his wing was mostly younger dragons and riders and that they probably hadn't betweened times.
(Dawnflames
Wingleader: L’kas and Seath Wingsecond: A’tair and Tristiath Rescue Dragon: Q’tris and Minth Shikai and Dinaedth T’ren and Owaith Calysta and Luneth)
~~~~
Myari was starting to feel bad about slapping L'kas, but he had more then deserved it. She huffed slightly and looked around the party, could her day get any worse?
Of course it could.
She looked up sharply as she head the loud bugle of a dragon, her eyes scanning the sky. She went perfectly still as she spotted the gray clouds on the horizon. She heard Valyiath land behind her and blinked. She shook her head and scrambled into place on her blue's back, holding on tightly as he leaped into the sky.
Myari and her blue had yet to be assigned to a wing, but they were here to fly Thread and she would show L'kas that they had every right to be here.
Valyiath bugled loudly, letting Tirenth know that he and Myari were more then ready to aid the Weyr against the 'Fall.
~~~
C'lyn was finishing up going through the stores of the Healing Cavern, nodding to himself as he checked his list. He hadn't been invited to the party, but he would have probably opted out of it anyway, there was too much that needed to be done.
He had just stepped out into the bowl when he heard Greylith's bugle. He frowned and looked up at his circling green, tilting his head.
Thread! Tirenth says there is Thread at the beach. He gives instructions to between times and get prepared then the wings are to gather at the beach.[/color] she informed her rider as she landed in the bowl. C'lyn shook his head and hurried to her side. They were already in the weyr, but they would need time for her to form the flame needed after chewing firestone.
Once settled on Greylith's back she leaped into the air, carrying them the short distance to their weyr where C'lyn harnessed her and changed into his flight jacket and gear. Gaylen and Alabanth? he asks of his green.
Greylith nudged him and knelt. They have already timed it, but Syth is not allowing them to fly,[/color] she assures him as he settles into place, strapping himself in. He sighed softly in relief as Greylith took to the air again.
The went between to earlier in the afternoon and made their way to the firestone area. Greylith ate her fill while C'lyn filled two sacks of stone for later. Once done they took to the air again, then time going between and appearing again in present time over the beach to join the Stormchasers Wing to await orders.
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Post by B'kay on Sept 16, 2008 14:46:34 GMT -5
Ravyna had spent a good part of the morning oiling her dragon. Recent emotional events, combined with the fact that the object of those emotions was suddenly a newly bonded weyrling brownrider, made her doubt the wisdom of running into Treylis ... No, T'ryis ... at a beach party.
Suddenly, the greenrider was dumped upon her backside in the water, and Igrainth had leapt to the skies, long wings outstretched, hovering in agitation.
It comes, it comes, we must go through time to chew and then to the beach, hurry, hurry!!
"What!?" Ravyna rose, about to thrust her hands to her hips, but stopped in mid-act. For Igrainth had shown her the image, relayed through Tirenth, of the gray smudge, fast approaching, in the sky. Insult gave way to terror.
"Oh shells!" she muttered as she scrambled aboard her green. She clutched tightly to Igrainth's neck ridges to stop her hands from shaking. They'd never traveled between times before, and fighting thread.... Ravyna felt like her insides were going to drop out.
We follow our leader's instructions, Mine. I can get us to the right time and back easily. And then, the cold of between freezing her wet clothes to her skin, they were indeed on the fireheights, and Ravyna was experiencing an odd, dizzy sensation.
Syth is here, he says that is because we are in this time twice, the dragon said, as she opened her maw for a chunk of stone. Others were there, though Ravyna was too frightened and disoriented to know who. She fed firestone to her dragon, and grabbed one of the filled sacks piled nearby. A quick trip to their weyr to harness up and get into dry clothes and fighting gear, and then, in what seemed like no longer than a breath, they were above the beach.
Ravyna glanced across their wing, which was gathering in the skies above Pern, watching the approach of destruction. She saw the Masterhealer, C'lyn, on his Greylith and nodded grimly. Fear roiled inside her, but determination and ... could it be instinct? ... was fast replacing it.
The instinct is mine, and I share it with you, Igrainth said. I am fast, I am agile, we are One. We shall fight well today.
---
On the sands below, C'train and young Rhobith scrambled up the path toward the Weyr. The Beastmaster/weyrling kept glancing over his shoulder at the approaching smudge of slimey gray. It seemed to be coming at them at a wicked pace. Though the dragons gathering above brought some comfort, the fear could not be quenched. He tried to run through Weyrling lessons about "in time of Thread" ... gathering firestone, tossing them to the fighting dragonriders, helping with ground crews, helping with the injured....
... at that thought, the fear grew, and, one hand on Rhobith's neck, his legs worked harder to carry him away from the danger.
But the danger pursued ... and anyone could see that it was heading directly for Araelen Weyr.
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Post by D'gellin on Sept 16, 2008 15:13:25 GMT -5
What D'gellin remembered most clearly was the hissing. Faint at first, like a buzz in the back of his head, then growing successively harder to ignore. He remembered glancing over his shoulder but seeing nothing out of the ordinary. He remembered Lancetoth asking what he was doing, and then asking What is that? What's what? That. In the sky. Is that...? The question was left hanging as D'gellin looked up, both dragon and rider sharing a perplexed expression. At first it didn't add up. The sky was beautiful; tropical blue, patched by inconsistent wispy white clouds. And yet something was falling. Gray and strangely menacing. Not rain. It was something different; something alien. An instinct in his very core made D'gellin freeze up, a shock of fear spiking through him like lightning. His mouth moved but he barely heard the words. "By the first egg, is that-?" And then Tirenth's bugle tore through the clear afternoon. Lancetoth's eyes abruptly whirled anxious dizzying colors as he looked to his rider. Thread! Tirenth says to time it. We must protect the others!
He couldn't move. D'gellinmine! Lancetoth nosed his rider, not altogether gently, to snap him out of it. "R...right...let's move." He wasn't entirely conscious of the fact that he'd pulled himself up to Lancetoth's back, winged quickly to shore, and slung the riding straps over the bronze's back until they were blinking out of between to their weyr. D'gellin gasped, slipping to the ground and diving at his clothes, teeth chattering and body shaking. Note to self: bad idea going between when you're wearing nothing but shorts and water. He shook out frost from his hair as he pulled his gear on, moving mechanically, willing an action-to-action process in order to distract his mind.
The stories had haunted his nightmares more than once, jolting him awake with shudders and gasps. Seasoned riders spoke of it with a dark sort of reverence. Even Weyrlingmaster B'kay, strong as he was, bore a mark of Pern's age old enemy. D'gellin really hoped he'd let the stories weave out of proportion, that the latent Harper in him imagined Thread as something much more monstrous than it really was. Even as he threw himself at an edgy Lancetoth and went to work properly securing the harness (had he just jumped between bare-back? Shards, he was rattled) he couldn't shake the sudden fear that gripped him. He pulled hard on the last strap, using it to hold himself up as he leaned into Lancetoth's soft hide. "...I'm scared..." There is nothing to fear, D'gellinmine! Your Lancetoth will protect you! The bronze promised, nosing the young rider affectionately. Heartened, D'gellin smiled weakly at His, threw his arms around the bronzen neck, then pulled himself onto Lancetoth's back.
Going to the fireheights and taking care of the firestone seemed to pass in a dizzying haze, like an out-of-body experience. And much too soon they were preparing to fly once more, D'gellin's mind reeling with fear and anxiety and, strangely enough, excitement. It was a fearful anticipation laced with a touch of eagerness. This is what they'd been training for since Impression.
Lancetoth was right. They needed to be brave. Today, they and only a few others, had a world to protect. D'gellin took a deep breath. You ready? D'gellinmine, I was born for this![/color] Lancetoth declared as he tore off into the skies. D'gellin's shaky laugh was lost between as they returned to the time of the battle.
Mine! Thread! Minth's rich voice tore into Q'tris' groggy mind. The effect was like electric. The rider jumped to attention from where he'd been relaxing in the shade. Tirenth's bugle followed only a half second later, wings flashing in the sun and riders rushing to their dragon's sides. "Trilia!"
"I've got her, Q'tris. Fly!" Brell called back, a confused Trilia already getting a leg-up on to Brueth's back. To think just a moment ago they'd all been relaxing at the party, Trilia still cranky about her failed attempt to Impress, Brell trying to get the little girl to cheer up, and Q'tris long lost to a warm nap against Minth's side.
Seath calls the Dawnflames, mine! Understood. Instinct ruled Q'tris' actions from then on out. Nodding to Brell, he pulled himself up to Minth's back, thanking Faranth that Minth and Brueth had been content to leave their harnesses on. With a rush of wings and sand they were airborne and between, blinking into the past to prepare themselves. Brueth says Trilia is safe in the Weyr and His will meet us back at the beach. Minth informed Q'tris as they later leaped into the sky once more. Thank you. Was the somewhat breathless reply, despite it being mental. Are you prepared, love? Always, mine. As long as there is a Pern to protect, we are ready. Q'tris nodded to himself as he directed Minth between. "We're ready."
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Post by Flamewolf on Sept 16, 2008 17:38:51 GMT -5
Minelli and Elainuth were ready. They set themselves to a comfortable, yet perfectly suitable stance, eyes trained on the sac. They watched as it was served, and then...
Elainuth watched as it soared over and proceeded to hit the weyrleader; right in the face. ...I can't get that.
Minelli burst out into laughter, backing up a few paces until she bumped into her green's leg. It didn't help that A'clayr had a horrified expression on his features. A moment later, she tried to curb it, hand over her mouth although her body was still shaking from her mirth.
I don't think Tirenth's will mind all that much, Elainuth told the brown gently, although amused herself.
Then suddenly the green's mood changed. She suddenly tensed and her head snapped over to the horizon over the beach. "What is it, El?" the green rider questioned, straightening herself.
Thread.
Her eyes widened. "WHAT?!" She whipped around, just to fall into the sand. But she saw the threatening substance as it fell in curtains towards them. Tirenth says to time it.
She took a deep breath before picking herself up and quickly climbing onto her dragon's back. "Then let's go! We have a world to protect." With one powerful, graceful leap, Elainuth was off, spraying up sand before winking into between.
*~*
Keldara wasn't at the beach. But that didn't mean that Galahanth hadn't heard it, for suddenly the link that connected them was blissfully alert and there, and it made her stumble as she was about to step up the steps to her weyr. "What in the name of Faranth-" she began, but cut herself off as she saw her brown landing not far from her. "I can walk up you know, it's not fa-"
Thread is falling! We have to time it!
Her blood ran cold and her eyes widened. "What? When-"
Just now. Tirenth's saw it at the beach. Come! We have to go!
Keldara bolted to his side as he leaned down, offering his leg to her. With on leap she was on it, grasping the hide and muscle to keep her balance. But before she went to his back, she paused, eyes locked onto his fastly whirling ones for a endless moment, one she'd never forget. "Are we ready?" It was a loaded question, for sure, one filled with doubts and misgivings, feelings that she had tried to escape for her whole time at the weyr.
Who is ever ready? But we have been trained, and we know what we have to do. We are strong together, and we will protect Pern. That's all that really matters, isn't it? The brown's response was firm but very gentle at the same time. It lighted a smile upon his rider's features as she climbed the rest of the length to his back.
"Then let's go and show them just how well we work together, Galahanth."
*~*
K'JI!! GET OUT HERE NOW!
Blancheurth's uncharacteristic roar made K'ji jump a mile, forcing his legs to bring him outside of the lower caverns to the doorway, grasping the frame with wide eyes. It was such a commanding sentence that it shocked him to death. "Great shells, what was THAT scare for?!" he exclaimed silently.
For once, my love, you can't be shy. Tirenth has just alerted us that the first thread has fallen.
His mouth dropped open in astonishment before he quickly closed it. "By the first egg! How'd he find out?"
The party, at the beach. Hurry! We must time it. Pern is at stake. The gentle green lowered herself as her rider rushed to her side, and in a moment, was on her back, she in the sky.
"Let's hope our best is good enough."
It'll always be good enough. And the pair winked into between.
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Post by Journye on Sept 16, 2008 22:45:08 GMT -5
Caylsta was startled when M'kel jumped to his feet and ran to the water. She frowned and shook her head, hearing a strange hissing sound in the back ground, but she thought it was perhaps fat from the meats roasting over the fire dripping into the coals, but no, this was an odd, sickening sound.
She jumped to her feet at Tirenth's bugle and looked toward the sky as she noted M'kel looking that direction. She gasped and went perfectly still as she noted the sickly gray on the horizon. She jumped again as she heard Luneth's answering bugle to Tirenth's and other other dragons trumpeting their anger to the enemy in the sky.
Calysta turned to look at her green wading out of the water. She glanced around and headed toward her green. What is it Luneth?! she asked her green, even the voice in her mind trembling with fear of what it might be.
It is Thread mine. Tirenth says we must between times to get prepared and to protect those that can not fly,[/color] Luneth informed her rider even as she shook herself dry. Calysta let out a little squeek of alarm and wrapped her arms about Luneth's muzzle as the green nuzzled her rider. We will be fine mine. We will be one in the sky and we will protect or home and friends![/color] Luneth declared as Calysta pulled the straps into place.
She jumped into place and strapped herself in tightly. Luneth leaped into the air, disappearing between as soon as they were high enough.
Calysta frowned as she felt nauseous as they arrived back at the weyr, having not timed it before. She rubbed her hands briskly up and down her arms as Luneth landed on the ledge of the their weyr. She slipped down to get dressed into her flight gear, Luneth shifting from foot to foot impatiently as she waited for her rider.
Once she was change Calysta settled back into her straps, tightening the straps as Luneth headed for the firestone. She took her fill and Calysta took a couple of sacks, attaching them to her straps.
Once that was done the two winged between to the present time to where their wing was gathering.
(I will post my other riders tomorrow, my mind is like blah at the moment.)
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