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Post by Kitari on Jun 15, 2009 16:40:27 GMT -5
Brinne hastily wiped away a drop of redfruit juice from her chin, strolling across her weyr to where Elinth was resting in her dragon couch. "Would you like a bath after breakfast, love?" she asked, taking another bite out of the redfruit she had hastily snatched for that purpose. With freedom from Sweepriding duties today, Brinne was determined to take advantage of every moment, and breakfast-on-the-go was a must.
Mmm, or we could go to a beach! Elinth replied as she raised her head, eyes whirling excitedly.
Brinne laughed, tossing the core of the redfruit into a waste bin for a drudge to take care of, and stroked the green's neck affectionately. "Doesn't going to a beach usually involve a bath for you, a soaking for me, and then a lovely sleep in the sun?"
Yes, and that way, we can do everything we like at once!
Her rider grinned, moving to the wall to snatch up her riding straps, when Elinth suddenly froze. Brinne turned quickly, sensing the tension in her dragon's form, and scarcely opened her mouth before the green's explanation blasted her.
Thread is falling, mineheart!
Brinne felt suddenly ill.
It was with mechanical hands and the encouragement of Elinth's soothing thoughts that Brinne somehow managed to attach the riding straps that would have gone on easily a moment before. Her gear went on with the same robotic motions, and the girl climbed woodenly into place on the dragon's back.
As Elinth leapt from the ledge to join the others in the Bowl, Brinne realized she wasn't breathing.
This was more than their first Threadfall. Brinne and Elinth had been selected as the new Rescue Riders for the Dawnflames Wing. That was more responsibility than the carefree girl had ever anticipated. It was going to be difficult enough to keep her darling protected without worrying about everyone else in the Wing!
Elinth sent wave after wave of love and reassurance, and it was only that constant support that kept Brinne moving, kept her picking up lumps of firestone, though her hand kept darting to the red hair tucked up into her helmet. Had she cut it short enough? Was she still at risk of having Thread catch in her hair? Sharding F'rallen for ever scaring her with such an idea!
And then they were up in the air, Brinne's eyes fixed nervously on her Wingleader, L'kas. He was one of the more experienced Wingleaders, and that made her feel slightly better. Still, the wind was cold as it whipped about Brinne's slender form, biting through her wherhide jacket most unpleasantly. The greenrider gritted her teeth and ignored it the best she could, leaning into Elinth for warmth.
The first eruption of flame from her darling green caused Brinne to gasp aloud, and she barely ducked in time as the charred bits of Thread flew by her face. Then the dragon was twisting to the side to catch another, flitting between to avoid a stray clump, and oh no! Brinne cried out, for a brown dragon was barrelling down on them, but then Elinth was between again, and the sky was clear where they came back out.
Sorry, mine, Elinth told her meekly. I did not see Rhobith. And then they were back in the thick of it, flaming, between, diving, swerving.
Brinne had only one thought: if she survived this, she was never getting out of bed early again.
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Post by C'lyn on Jun 15, 2009 17:03:23 GMT -5
Emberlyn coughed as she accidentally inhaled ash and she pulled up the scarf about her neck to cover her nose and mouth. She nodded as Ravyna flashed her a thumbs up signal to let her know that her green was ok.
She patted Emmith's neck gently I think we should go to the healers and just let them look you over quickly love. If you have a clean bill of health they will let us come back to the fight Emberlyn pleaded with her green, waiting to make sure she was ok and not at risk of injuring herself further.
Alright mine, it does pain me and they can make it better[/color] the green told her rider just as Ravyna called out to her. She looked over to the other green rider.
"She says it hurts and we're going back to let the healers look at it. If they give us the all clear we'll be back!" She shouted over the sound of rushing wind and flaming dragons. She gave the other woman a salute right before Emmith disappeared between
I will let you know what the healer tells me Ingrainth. Do not blame yourself, I did not swerve quick enough,[/color] Emmith told the older green.
Emberlyn called out for a healer as Emmith landed after the returned to the bowl, landing awkwardly on three legs.
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Post by M'kel on Jun 16, 2009 23:53:26 GMT -5
ROUND 2 K’nte and Shelath blundered into the path of Calysta and Luneth, but both pairs managed to avoid injuries through quick recoveries. B’rec and Dagonth also blundered slightly, almost sideswiping Toni and Mosawyth, but they managed to avert their trajectory in time. It wasn’t so lucky for K’mar and Raouth, however. They realized they had drifted into the Cloudbandits’ Wing a moment too late, and in swerving away, caused a minor injury to Myra (of Aglovth)’s rear end. The means how is quite a mystery… All riders flew quite well in avoiding Thread this round, but there were a few injuries. C’lyn of Greylith suffered a minor injury to his back from a clump of Thread tossed by the passage of his dragon, but they were between quickly enough to prevent more damage. L’kas and Seath, Toni and Mosawyth, and Kimber and Ferth all had a near miss incidents with errant strands. Myari and Valyiath were singed. D’rel’s Scherazoth was scored on her right wing, but it was only a minor injury. F’rallen’s Dacrith was also minorly scored by Thread falling across his back. The wind was calmer this round, so the injuries were less severe.
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Post by Tealah on Jun 17, 2009 10:57:50 GMT -5
P'neil was swiveling around constantly, peering anxiously at the dragons all around them. It was good that Artoneth was so reliable in Threadfall, because at this moment he couldn't get his attention off the Wings under their care. Every time a dragon winked between, he glanced around wildly, heart in his throat, until he could see them reappear somewhere.
Emmith is injured, Artoneth said suddenly as he flamed. She is going to the healers.
P'neil sat bolt upright, only to be jostled around when Artoneth dove for another clump. "Oomph... What happened? Is it serious?"
I do not know, Artoneth answered, she is in Syth's wing. He'd let us know if it required our attention. We should let the Wingleaders handle their wings unless they call for us. And to the brown, that was that. Dacrith and Gryth have been injured. They are not serious.
P'neil tried to take Artoneth's advice and concentrate on his own Wing, but it was difficult. At least he didn't see too many injuries, but they still had a lot of 'Fall to cover. He took a deep breath, calming himself. He just had to trust his Wingleaders. Most of them had more experience leading during 'Fall. No doubt they could handle an emergency better than he could. Just keep in touch with the other Wingleaders, please, I need to know if more of our dragons need to be grounded. And let me know how Emmith is.
Artoneth assented, but kept most of his attention on dodging and flaming. Worrying was P'neil's job, not his.
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Post by B'kay on Jun 17, 2009 14:09:22 GMT -5
Rhobith backwinged quickly, halting his forward progress and tossing C'train hard against his neck ridges.
The rider looked up to see a green dragon almost in front of them, swiftly adjust herself back into position.
C'train nodded briskly, and flashed a quick, nervous smile, toward Brinne.
This was much harder than the old stories told....
We fly well, Mine, the brown dragon reassured his rider. We learn with each wingstroke, and we fly well!
======
::Dive, flame, wink between, return, check on the Wing, dive, flame....:;
Thus it came to B'kay late that Emmith and Ingrainth had collided. He looked toward the two greens, wondering how a dragon from another Wing had injured one of his own, just as Syth dove to char a large tangle of thread that was trying to spread out and cover several dragon-spans of airspace.
The movement snapped B'kay's attention back to the Fall, and by the time he had a chance to have Syth bespeak the green, Syth was already telling him that Emberlyn was taking her to the healers.
Good, good! Better safe! he said to the bronze, and then bellowed aloud, "CLOSE THE GAP!'
Dragons shifted, spreading themselves out, as the Wing moved in unison toward a Thread-storm which had broken through the upper levels.
The satisfying sight of an entire Wing of dragons flaming in unison caused the bronzerider to grin with almost menacing fury. Take That! he thought to the enemy, as it was charred to blackened ash.
=====
Greylith says C'lyn--
Gayle spun toward Alabanth, who was watching the skies for Emmith's entry into the triosh area.
It is minor. Greylith is swift and agile. Between spared him worse.
"It had BETTER be minor!" the rider replied, wiping eyes hard against the sleeves of her tunic. Tears had no place -- not here, not now. She needed her eyesight and her mind both clear!
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Post by Kitari on Jun 17, 2009 14:48:30 GMT -5
B'kay's touch through their dragon-link was like sustenance; it breathed life into Kitari, warmth spreading with the knowledge that he understood her silent plea. He would be careful, but she must as well. The queenrider felt a sudden pang; when they took to the skies, she and Lefayeth would ride below, safe except for the rare clump of Thread to pass through all of the Wings above. All her life she'd worked alongside men, as at risk as the rest of them aboard Fishing vessels in high storms, but now she was guarded like a precious commodity, and it was most irksome now when she needed to protect someone flying above...
But as Lefayeth relayed Syth's own message, a touch of smugness and pleasure in her tone, Kitari was reminded of why they must fly low. Even if she and Lefayeth were willing to throw themselves into the thick of the 'Fall, the Weyr, nay, all of Pern needed the eggs growing inside her gold. They must fly more carefully today than ever before; in fact, she was lucky the bronzeriders hadn't teamed up to the ground the Queen's Wing entirely...
Thus, Kitari was quite eager to send Lefayeth into the sky at P'neil's signal, unwilling to give the bronzeriders the chance to realize that very thing. A blink between, and they were over a valley high in the mountains. Kitari's eyes strayed over the grassy slopes below, a sickening vision of a wasteland decimated by Thread flashing briefly in her mind, before she turned her gaze upward. The highest dragons were already looping and twisting; they had engaged the Thread. As she watched, the movement progressed downward through the Wings, until even she could see the Thread slipping past.
Finally, it was their turn.
Lefayeth drove herself forward towards a single strand that had been missed from an otherwise charred clump, and Kitari let loose the flame from her 'thrower. It was more than satisfying to watch the Thread shrivel and turn to dust. Then, it was onto the next.
Syth flies well, Lefayeth commented, as much to share her pride as to answer Kitari's unspoken query. There was no doubt about that matter: Lefayeth would be keeping her updated every moment of the 'Fall. So long as it wasn't too distracting.
-----------------
T'ryis was quite overwhelmed by the whole affair. Ravyna had taken flight with Igrainth with such confidence, while he felt like his trembling legs would shake him right loose from the riding straps. Wickhath had begun flaming with such intensity that fingers of fire were licking backwards and nearly singing his rider, until the pair learned to adjust for the direction of the wind. There was a chaos of moving colours all around him, and the brownrider could scarcely keep track of the occasional clump of Thread that Wickhath dove for, let alone the presence of other dragons swerving in front of them and away.
It was madness! How anyone was avoiding collisions was beyond him!
There have been a few, actually, Wickhath informed him offhandedly.
You always know how to cheer me up, T'ryis muttered sardonically, grunting in pain as he was snapped to the side by a sudden swerve.
Really, mine, you shouldn't worry. Your Wickhath will always take care of you. There was no teasing in that tone. Although the brown was too confident for his own good, he disliked and was unhappy with his rider's fear.
We should be doing this together, though, T'ryis thought miserably, only spotting a clump of Thread moments before Wickhath charred it.
We will learn! Wickhath replied, determined and cheerful all at once.
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Post by katalina on Jun 17, 2009 18:04:30 GMT -5
Tierelm
Tierelm was working with the Healers on a more advanced level than the other candidates. He had Healer training, so he wanted to do more than just carry bandages and stir the numbweed pot. He was nervous, but striving not to show it, and his face was blank and composed. When the first injured dragon came into the weyrbowl, he had a moment of apprehension, but quickly forced himself to move past it. He would do whatever he could do help.
He quickly moved over to the green and her rider, offering the greenrider a hand in case she needed it getting down. "I'm Tierelm. I'm an apprentice Healer, and I'll help you until the dragonhealer arrives," he said courteously. He glanced over the green dragon, noticing how she held her bad leg. It was probably a break or a sprain. "Bring a table over," he told the assistants before turning back to the rider. He knew enough from studying to know that part, and it wasn't any different for humans. "We'll have your dragon rest her leg on the table to keep the pressure off. What happened?"
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Post by D'gellin on Jun 18, 2009 14:34:37 GMT -5
Are you alright? You're shaking, Mine. I can't stop shaking. D'gellin gripped the riding straps tighter in an effort to ease the trembling of his hands as they blinked from between. His mind was focused, distracted by the job at hand, but his subconscious refused to let him settle, and the inherent fear of thread set him doubly on edge. But what if I mess up? What if you get hurt? What if someone gets tangled in the thread? What if- The unthought concerns were tangible on their mental link.
What if, what if![/i] Lancetoth snorted before launching a flame at a clump of oncoming Thread. We fly well together. That is all that matters. Else we would not be flying at all! The dragon's tone ended on a grim growl. I'm sorry. I'm distracting you. No, D'gellinmine is never a distraction, but it is difficult to fly without my other eyes.[/color] Lancetoth confided on a softer note. I only fly well when you fly well with me!
D'gellin hesitated a moment before nodding once, uneasy determination creasing his brows. They were flying well. Themselves as well as the rest of the wing. There was, however, the problem of the often erratic patterns the Thread fell in. D'gellin felt his scalp prickle as Igrainth expertly burned a clump, but nearly collided with another dragon to avoid the char. Igrainth appears to be alright. Lancetoth relayed immediately. Twice more two of his wing was endangered by thread, causing D'gellin to stand up in the saddle, eyes searing the sky not only for thread but the reassurance of his comrade's return. Basyth's was scored but it is minor. Greylith and hers are safe as well. The assurances shortly followed. D'gellin could only lick his lips anxiously and call out "We're flying well! The wind is on our side now!" as the air around them settled more. Occasionally he'd send a warning or praise to his Stromchasers, previous insecurities lost in the heat of this areal dance.
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Post by M'kel on Jun 19, 2009 18:49:01 GMT -5
ROUND 3 The Wings seemed to be settling into a successful rhythm this round, for there no collisions at all. Only Skye and Calith experienced a near miss, when they came out of between and almost struck Fallen and Vicroth. The Wings’ team coordination training finally seems to be paying off! Unfortunately, the same wasn’t true when it came to Thread. There were two significant incidents in the Stormchasers’ Wing, and anyone who knows those involved is likely to suspect these accidents were linked. First, Ravyna and Igrainth were buffeted by a gust of wind, and Ravyna was scored across the back. It was only a minor injury, however, since it involved only a single Thread and Igrainth took them quickly between. Not a split-second later, Wickhath and T’ryis flew directly into a clump of Thread, and Wickhath failed to char all of it. Thus, he received a minor Threadscore to the head. His rider was not as lucky; he received a major injury to his lower torso. There were also a number of near misses, including Brinne and Elinth, A’clayr and Atoth, and Q’tris and Minth. Luckily, their agility paid off! The final incident, and one that was felt throughout the Wings was when the young gold pair, Crown and Ezelth, approached a clump of Thread to flame it, and failed to notice a second clump descending directly towards them. Ezelth took the blow, as the entire clump struck her back right leg, causing a major injury. Hopefully that won’t upset the Wings too much for the next Round… The wind is beginning to pick up, and the Wings are beginning to tire. A cloud mass is moving in, obscuring Thread as it falls from above.
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Post by C'lyn on Jun 19, 2009 21:00:34 GMT -5
C'lyn scanned the skies as Greylith continued to give him a running play by play of dragons betweening and other mishaps so far in the fall. The routine was one that they knew very well. They had been partners for years. So far the worst injury was that to young Green Emmith. There was nothing he could do for the young pair right now, and he had complete faith in Gaylen.
Greylith sudden veer to the left jerked him in his straps, snapping him out of his reverie. Then he felt the burning sensation along his lower back and even before he has his mouth completely open to utter the shout of pain, Greylith was taking them between to kill the errant strand of Thread.
The green brought them back into formation and was turning her head to look at rider even as she was bespeaking Alabanth. Its minor love, I can continue. Let Gaylen know that I'm fine and she is more then welcome to scold me when I get home, he told his green, smiling behin the scarf over his mouth and nose. The stinging pain on his back was minor enough for him to ignore until the fight was over.
His smile faded quickly as he felt a shudder go through his green. Ezelth was hit![/color] she informed her rider and it was all C'lyn could do to keep his green from going to the young gold. They were needed in their wing and the healers back at the Weyr were more then capable to take care of her.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Kimber kept a death grip on her riding straps except when Ferth turned his head to request more firestone. She missed the incident with her sister, but turned to look quickly when her brown informed her.
Emmith said that she will let us know what the healers say. You must stay focused mine. The healers will take good care of Emmith. She said that your clutchmate suffered no injury,[/color] the brown informed his rider, turning his head to look at her. Kimber nodded and sighed, turning her attention back forward.
"Look out Ferth!" she cried out, spotting a strand of Thread heading straight for them. Ferth reacted quickly by going between. They reappeared and both kept their attention fully on the Fall.
~~~~~~
L'kas and Seath kept tabs on their wing, pleased with the way they were all acting together. L'kas nodded to himself and scanned the wing once more before turning his attention back forward.
He jerked in his straps as Seath veered suddenly to avoid a small tangle of Thread. The bronze rumbled angrily and maneuvered to flame the strands. "No, Seath!" L'kas yelled, seeing Myari on her blue heading for the small tangle.
Myari heard the shout, but too late. Valyiath roared loudly as he and his rider were singed. The blue went between to cool himself and his rider off. As they appeared back into the fight, Myari saluted to L'kas to let him know that she and Valyiath were alright and just singed and that there were no hard feelings.
L'kas saluted back and had just turned his attention back forward when Seath informed him of Ezelth injury. He felt the bronze's worry and did his best to sooth him, but he felt the hit as strongly as his dragon. He hoped the injury was not too bad.
~~~~~~
Emmith settled down into the bowl of the weyr, holding her leg close to her chest until the young healer had a table brought over. She carefully rested leg on the table. Emberlyn was grateful for the help down as she stood beside her green shakily, feeling the pain in her own right arm.
She took a shaky breath and looked at Tierelm. "We had a collision in the air with Igrainth. I'm not sure how it happened," she explained, looking up worriedly at her green.
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