Leave the lost and dead behind (Plot)

[Ember]

It was an especially cold night in the new turn. Eikane drew the blanket over his shoulders a little closer while he squinted at the record he was looking over in the common room. He had the wherlings doing some bond excercises with their young charges in the same room and it actually looked a bit like they were camping out there. Blankets and pillows were strewn about everywhere and it was certainly late enough by regular standards to be a sleepover, what with it being half an hour to midnight. Eikask was split between offering suggestions or answering questions from her babies while keeping in contact with the leaders of the Watch and Guard. She just didn't have it in her to keep track of all the whers and her wherlings at once.

She quietly informed Hers that a disturbance had been noticed by one of the Watch and Darmori and Darmosk were en route to investigate before going back to watching over her babies. So it was that the sudden sharp broadcast of fear and pain directly from her bronze son caught her doubley by surprise. The wher queen stumbled to her feet with a screech as Darmosk completely vanished off her mental radar. Eikask searched for him mentally but found nothing aside from the other Watch and Guard whers. In short, whatever Darmosk had encountered had killed him.

Eikane was on his feet the moment his gold was, a headache slowly forming behind his eyes at the blast of information he got from his wher. Easy, girl, easy. "Looks like the lesson is ending early tonight, wherlings," he told his class. And because Eikane didn't believe in keeping people in the dark, "Darmori has run into trouble that needs my attention. You all are welcome to stay inside the common room and see how an emergency is dealt with first hand - maybe even help out a bit - or wait in your rooms until it's safe." He kept his tone even while he mentally had Eikask instruct the Cadres to have their members group up together. They had to find out what the threat was.

Eikane then had Eikask inform the other Council members that there was a threat and that he was dealing with it. Hopefully this time the whers alone could handle it. Eikask also had Hinsesk prepare the infirmary to receive potential injuries. "Serissa?" Eikane called out to the woman. "Can Sesk spare you for Healing?" If Darmori was still alive at the very least he would probably need a sedative or something. "If so, you can join Draik for Rescue if you're comfortable with that." Eikask checked on the status of the Watch and Guard coming together in the darkness of the jungle.

Eikask relayed orders to Nautsk and Roisk for their groups: Do not allow any to go alone, pairs at the minimum. More preferable. Locate Darmosk's body and attempt to discover what killed him. Rescue (and here she looped Draisk into the commands) will provide support at the tunnel entrances if needed. Priority to protecting the weyr. Commands over the gold settled on her haunches briefly, glancing at Hers. It will be a long night won't it, Mine? I suspect so.

----

Ohai thar. So, wherhandler plot. Dragonriders, candidates, weyrfolk randomly awake? DENIED. Infirmary staff on shift at 11:30pm or later may be brought in but most likely not. I reserve the right to rofflestomp but I won't maim/kill without permission, action will be left open regarding any injuries, etc.. Mainly just have fun loves! Feel free to explore, have your chars give suggestions and whatnot!

[Ivy]

Danger. They were needed.

Swithin sensed it from Swisk as soon as Eikask reached out to let all the whers know. He could sense it in the skeletal blue's body language - he'd gone rigid and tense. Then Swisk was bounding ahead of him down the hallway towards the common rooms, each quick step jarred his frail figure threatening to break him each time his feet made contact with the floor. Easy Swisk! I can't have you falling apart on me. Despite Swisk's usually positive can-do attitude, Swithin knew his blue had limits and didn't want him pushing himself too hard trying to help.

Quickening his own pace he entered the common room and looked around - convenient for him that all the wherlings were there since no doubt he'd get stuck babysitting them while all the other handlers were put to work. As much as he adored Swisk he sometimes wished the blue wasn't quite so frail, if he weren't they would have probably been given watch duty or even rescue duty in the Night Sentinel instead of domestic support.

"What's going on?" He stepped past some of the wherlings to speak in a low tone to Eikane - not knowing if the Whermaster was wanting the wherlings privy to whatever had happened. Swisk moved through the room and crooned soothingly to the younger whers, not wanting them to be too alarmed. The elder wher moved towards Eikask and gave a head bob in her direction, almost like a reassuring nod to let her know he would let nothing happen to her babies.

[Rowana]

Roisk roared in sorrow and Roivao felt the pain of loss. Darmosk gone? But they'd just been going to check a disturbance. Even felines shouldn't have been able to take such a strong bronze so fast and so quickly. Roi closed his eyes, pushing away the feelings of guilt and sadness. He needed to focus. Darmori might still be alive and he would need help. Roisk relayed Eikask's orders, even as Roi snatched up his knife and mounted.

Roisk burst outside, his nostrils flaring angrily. He didn't want to wait longer than necessary, but Eikask was right. Going alone was foolish, he needed to wait for the others. His mind reached out to the other guard whers: Pidesk and Dmisk. Meet him here and then they would avenge their friend. Roisk paced. If Nautsk and her helpers arrived first, however, he would not wait long for the others. They had to hurry, but they could not go alone.

~

Posk whined sadly, his sweet voice tinged with sorrow. He appeared in the common room following Swisk. He ventured among the wherlings, trying to perk up as he issued greetings. All would be well, he was sure of it. They need not worry. He was delighted they are all here too, just like a big family. Porita lurked behind her wher, hiding shyly in the doorway. So many new faces in one place. She had come because she wanted to help, though she didn't know what she could do. Yet she hadn't ventured to meet the new wherlings and there were so many of them. She glanced towards Eikane and Swithin, waving uncertainly. She was here, and whatever she could do, she would.

[Tashe]

Nautsk's little wings were flared, her tail was low to the ground and if she had animal like ears they would be plastered against her head. "Slowly Nautsk." His voice was barely above a whisper, not wanting to draw any more attention to themselves than a cautiously moving Wher could. They were in the jungle alone. They had been the ones who had let Eikask know there was a disturbance in the jungle, though they had been on a ledge a good distance away at that time. They had moved on once Darmosk had been sent to investigate and were now farther than they had been... but still. As they started to loop back toward the Weyr proper itself, Nautic instructed Nautsk to call Yosk , Tekivisk, and Cerysk to head back to the Weyr and if they are able, meet up with a Gaurdpair or a fellow Watchpair, but to move as swiftly and quietly as possible and to not engage anything.

With nerves all a flutter, the Greenpair swiftly made their way back to the Weyr letting their pace quicken when they saw Roisk and his handler. Quickly pulling up next to them, Nautic began trying to calm his Wher while talking to Roivao. "Whatever it was... it... it took out... a Bronze." His face was pale, paler than usual, and he couldn't help but blame himself a little for Darmosk's death. And none of the weapons he carried with him for duty, made him feel any more secure. "If you go out there... you... should take another upper color... or two lower colors. Yosk and Nautsk... aren't made for fighting. So even if we're here first... we're probably not the best ones you should take." He paused. "Not sure about Cerysk and Tekivisk... we've only done watch drills with those pairs... "

---

Zemask surged to his feet when Eikask screeched, looking wildly around and completely confused for a moment. He and Zemaren had joined the Weyrling class and the Goldhandlers in the common room for lack of anything better to do, since technically they didn't have any rounds to do this night. "Eikane?" Zemaren had subconciously mimicked his Wher by jumping up from his chair, sending the book he'd been reading skittering across the floor. He himself had felt Darmosk die, needless to say the feeling wasn't a welcome one and he'd rather not experience it again. Moving to stand by Zemask, who was trying to comfort anyone that needed it, Zemaren waited for orders. Either from Eikane or his Rescue commander.

---

(Ismaroth responded to Eikask with an affirmative, and to let them know if it suddenly gets out of hand.)

[Zephyr]

“ Maybe we should go introduce ourselves to the wherlings?” Draik asked his wher offhandedly as they lounged in his apartment. The pair of them didn’t have much to do on slow days like this and for once, Draik hadn’t stayed up all day trying to sleep with the daylight people. While Draisk was amused at his handler’s efforts, he quite liked it when his man was with him. Rumbling lightly, the large brown pushed his hand beneath Draik’s hand, chuckling lightly into his mind. Tell me that you aren’t going to do more than introduce yourself? Draik’s eyes widened and he feigned innocence for a moment. “ What do you take me for?” Though, he scratched the wher’s eye ridges, betraying his true feelings. A hand went to his chest. “ I’m hurt…really. You’ve wounded me, Draisk.” The brown grumbled lightly, the human equivalent of rolling his eyes. Stretching out his sinuous body, he flicked his tail. I know you. He intoned. “ Yes. And I know you.” Draik chuckled lightly, nudging the brown playfully. “ You do know there was a gold in this clutch, right? It wouldn’t hurt to introduce yourself.” The brown quieted and rubbed his head thoughtfully across his bonded’s hand. That wasn’t a bad idea, actually…but most of the time he didn’t want to admit that any ideas Draik had were good ideas. His ego was big enough already.

The wher might have been about to say something, maybe. That was, until something unexpected caught his attention. The wher stiffened, head lifting, completely disengaging himself from his handler from a moment. Draik frowned a little. “ What’s up?” The wher didn’t say anything…not for a long time. Without much warning, Draisk tore out of the apartment. Draik frowned for a moment, upset that his wher hadn’t said anything to him and seriously contemplating staying where he was until the wher spoke. Darkmosk is gone. Gone? The man perked up, for once, not worrying about his appearance and darting out behind his wher. Of course he was pretty immaculately dressed, he always was, but he just didn’t have time for the more gaudy aspects of his dress. Eikask wants us to take the healer wherling…the brown said, almost a bit distractedly, as he listened to the rest of his queen’s orders…and search out Darmosk’s. If he’s still alive, he will need rescuing and healing. Good thinking. The man said, coming to the common room immediately after his wher made an appearance.

Draisk snaked through the whers present, doing his best to calm the babies with Swisk and Posk. It wouldn’t do to get them all riled up. The brown eyed Zemask appreciatively for his promptness and ended up at Eikask’s side, taking orders silently until the end. Understood. The brown wher said, passing his orders to Draik as he searched for the wherling female who would be accompanying him into the field. This one. Draisk said, slinking his way to Serissa and shamelessly rubbing up against her affectionately. This is a nice human. Draisk informed Draik as the male made his way over to the healer. “ Hello, Miss. I wish we would have met under more favorable circumstances, but duty calls, no? You may ride on Draisk if you wish. He is more than happy to transport us into the field.” Whether or not Serissa mounted him, Draisk would croon lightly before turning and heading outside. He was pleased when he realized Zemask was following him out. One less wher to summon. Immediately he found the signatures of his remaining rescue whers. Maximisk, Emilisk, to me and Zemask, please. We must go find Darmosk’s, and any else who might be injured. Hurry please. We have little time.

He would wait for Maximisk and Emilisk before he issued further orders, standing silently near Zemask. The brown's tenseness would be apparent, however. Draik would nod to Serissa. “ We’re waiting for the rest of the rescue squad to gather before we go. It’s important that we don’t go out there alone. We have no idea what’s lurking in the dark.

---

Kaius had been chilling with Sena, Sydney, Kaiusk, Sensk and Sydsk. He never imagined himself as a wherhandler. Not once. However, being able to spend as much time around his two best friends was reason in and of itself to like this lifestyle, even if he had to sleep every day. That still bothered him, not being able to hang out with C’loy…or Lilu. Still, this was pretty good. He had always been told that being bonded with a wher wasn’t as good as being bonded with a dragon. Kaius didn’t mind it so much. He didn’t know what being bonded to a dragon was like, but his relationship with Kaiusk was pretty close, probably as close as the relationship between a dragon and rider.

One of the other wherlings seemed to be spending a lot of time around them, Serissa. The handler of the green twin to Sena’s Sensk. Kaius wasn’t upset at this, even If he hadn’t exactly met her properly yet. However, Kaiusk was slightly more put out. The gold had nominated herself as the mother of the entire clutch, and she saw comforting her siblings as her job. It was a good thing that Sesk and Sensk had such a tight knit bond, but she wanted to comfort the blue. She was sitting near Kaius, watching them carefully, thrashing her tail back and forth in silent irritation. Kaius was aware of her feelings, but tried not to acknowledge them yet. He yawned and stretched out from the arm of the couch he and the girls were leaning on, nudging Sena playfully in the ribs. “ Kaiusk is jealous of Sesk and Sensk’s relationship.” He said lightly, chuckling a little. Kaiusk looked in his direction, the irritation clear on her face at this point. I haven’t told them for a reason. She pointedly told her handler. What does it matter? They’d find out eventually. I’m just sparing you the humiliation of that eventual moment. The gold’s gaze was steady. Fine then. What if I just tell the girl about your feelings for her? Her voice was smug. Kaius straightened, face flushing as the implications set in. You wouldn’t dare… He stared into the amused eyes of his wher. Try me. Was all she said before all hell broke loose.

Eikask screeched, and Kaiusk was immediately on guard. Rising smoothly to her feet, she ignored her handler for the moment, instead focusing on the older gold in the room. Kaius started at the screech from the gold, and looked over, but was also decidedly unimpressed. “ What’s going on?” He lightly asked his wher, yawning a little. Mother? Kaiusk said, instantly at her mother’s side, crooning lightly as the older gold sent out orders. The baby was eager to not only comfort her mother for her loss, but she really wanted to find out what a gold did in an emergency. Get up, Kaimine. See if there’s anything you can do to help. Why are you so lazy? She hissed into his mind. Sighing lightly, he glanced to Sena and Syd, noticing a brown where cozying up to Serissa. “ Iunno what’s going on, but it’s got Kaiusk pretty agitated.” A wher has died. She told him sharply, not bothering to look at him. Something was able to kill a bronze wher with little difficulty. That caught his attention a little more and he rose to his feet, walking over to Eikane as Kaiusk regarded her mother seriously, crooning her concern. Is there anything I can do, mother? She asked, prompting Kaius to approach Eikane, much more reluctantly. “ I guess she wants me to try and help. Is there anything I can do?”

He still wasn’t completely sure what was going on, but Kaiusk would be damned if she was going to be left behind.

---

Vix hadn’t been too alarmed, at first. He and Tekivisk had been patrolling the jungle with Ceryl and Cerysk. The silence between the two pairs was palpable…awkward. Vix still wasn’t used to playing nicely with others, and no amount of patrols alone with someone was going to change that. At least Tekivisk was content, that contentedness bleeding into her handler’s subconscious as the two greens bounded on ahead, completely unperturbed by anything. Vix wondered if they knew that there could be potentially something dangerous up ahead and contemplated scolding Ki when the green suddenly froze, staring blankly ahead, not a muscle twitching. Vix paused in kind, hand reaching out to stop his partner. “ Something’s up.” He grumbled lightly, eyes never wavering from his wher’s form.

Suddenly, Ki screeched, the sound heart wrenching in the relative silence of the night jungle. “ KI?” Vix bellowed, heading towards the wher, which sagged in the aftermath of her vocalization. It’s Darmosk…the green said, causing Vix to pause in shocked silence. Mind rushed past the possible situations. Darmosk was a strong bronze. The boy doubted the wher was dead, but the feeling settled in the pit of his stomach like a rock. The green wouldn’t have screeched like that if Darmosk was still alive. “ D…Darmori?” Vix asked hesitantly, not sure if he wanted to know. I dunno. The green said sadly.

The idea that something could have happened to his friend never crossed his mind. Everyone he cared about had either died or disappeared…and Vix wasn’t one to make friends lightly. Darmori couldn’t be dead, he couldn’t be. Hardly motioning for Ceryl to follow him, Vix rushed past Ki, who wailed in the boy’s head. Vixloveeeee! Shock and fright bled through him as he heard footsteps behind him. He couldn’t discern if the foodsteps belonged to a wher or a Ceryl as he plowed blindly ahead. He heard yells from behind him, but ignored them. He couldn’t ignore the freezing pain of his wher’s insistence that he just stop! We can’t help if you get us killed, love! Though she was terrified and grief washed over her like a waterfall, Ki knew that a headlong charge into danger wouldn’t help. Despite himself, Vix knew this to be true. The green wher caught up and rubbed against her handler lightly, trying to push soothing waves of comfort into the boy’s brain.

Breathing hard, Vix turned and walked quickly towards the weyr, eyes wide. Heart beating like a drum, the wherpair found the forms of Nautic and Roivao. He was pale, far too pale as he regarded the two of them. “ What are we waiting for?” The greenhandler demanded. “ Darmori could be badly hurt out there for all we know!” He needed to go find him, now. For once, he welcomed Ki’s presence in his head, soothing and familiar. The green crooned sadly and rubbed against his legs.

[Sheari]

Emilisk had always sort of been aloof to a degree. She didn’t often like to be around people or whers…too many faults and things that could cause rejection. Perhaps that was why she had yet to Run; she was afraid she would have no suitors and her insecurities had managed to fault her even more. Nonetheless, despite her vague connections, she still kept a connection to the presence of the others, most notably her gold mother and the bronzes. There was no sharp shock of pain when suddenly Darmosk vanished, only the ache of loss. She knew he was gone for one couldn’t so easily simply vanish, and her heart broke a little. Another life lost to the abyss, though it meant something bad had happened for such a bronze to die and that meant that now was not the time to mourn.

Logic told her that Eikask, some of the whers, and the wherlings were in the common room. That was the most reasonable place to go and offer help. Rising from her couch, Emilisk nudged Hers. There is trouble and we must help. Emiliah looked up from the sketches she was making on her wall asking, “what do you mean?” It doesn’t matter, but let us go, and Emilisk walked to the door. Emiliah put on a pair of loose pants (for she’d been in just a loose shirt and socks) and her boots and followed. It was in the corridor that she received the message from Draisk.

I am coming, and she picked up her pace. Her typical shyness faded the closer she got to the common room, for duty called and she had a job to do. She felt privileged for Hers and herself to be the only females on the rescue team. It was this feeling of small pride that she held onto until she reached the common room and strode to Draisk. Now she waited for orders. While they waited for Zemask and Maximisk she nuzzled Emiliah’s hand for comfort. She wanted so badly to go look for Darmosk but she could not, and it was important that they found His.

[Avu]

Wait, what?

Sena had been paying attention (sort of—she was already sleepy, or still sleepy, whichever the case may be when her sleep schedule was all screwed up) and she was doing her best not to doze. It was hard, since the couch was comfortable; she had claimed a spot between Sydney and Kaius, leaning against Sydney with her knees pulled up in a loose curled position. She’d also stolen one of Kaius’s shirts, which essentially dwarfed her, the hemline hitting at mid-thigh and the sleeves flopping like mittens over her hands, and she was very tempted to pull her knees into the shirt and just go to sleep, but Eikane probably wouldn’t quite be down with that.

Sensk was listening, anyway; once Sena had unglued the blue from her lap, he’d promptly re-glued himself to Sesk, anxious at first and gradually relaxing until he was settled pleasantly enough beside his sister, focused with a tilted head on Eikane. Still close to Sena, but he wasn’t actively on top of her, so she figured that was good enough for progress. She watched him through half-closed eyes, lazily tipping her head towards Kaius when he nudged her, quirking a startled grin at him, “S’okay, I’ll be her best friend and buy her the prettiest dress next gather, betcha Sensk can’t do that.”

That…didn’t make sense? Sensk murmured anxiously, throwing her an owlishly confused glance. And well, no, she returned, it didn’t, but she just never made sense when she was sleepy, so it was a moot point wasn’t it, and—Eikask’s screech had her jumping visibly, eyes going wide as Sensk sat bolt upright by his sister, clearly struggling to keep from fleeing automatically to Sena. Sena sat upright, too, still clutching her knees, a bewildered “Hunh?” the only answer she could offer Kaius for time being, “What—” Eikane speaking quieted her, and the look she threw at the older goldhandler was utterly stunned.

Darmori…Darmori. Didn’t know him well but he was a bronzehandler. A kid, her age maybe. Sort of adorable, and he was in trouble? With what? Emergency, Eikane said. Kaius was already going to help, and Sena knew, very definitely, that she did not want Sensk anywhere near the emergency, whatever it was. Feline attack or—or whatever it was, he was her baby and he was terrified and there was just no way. She squeezed Sydney’s hand, and then uncurled from the couch, raising her voice slightly for Eikane and Serissa to hear, “I can take Sesk with me, I’m gonna take Sensk back to the room and she’s more’n welcome, they’ll be outta the way then.”

Sensk’s terror bled into her slowly, and since the blue remained by his sister’s side, nudging closer to her to offer comfort (and to gain it, really), Sena slid to her knees in front of both whers, immediately wrapping one arm around Sensk and pulling the blue against her. He melted instantly, scrambling up to butt closer to her—for the sake of her fear of course he added to Sesk. Sena muffled an affectionate snort, and then to both whers, “C’mon, your—Serissa—can keep us updated if y’all want but I figure we’re all just usin’ up space staying out here, what say we head back to our room?”

And yeah, she really wanted Kaius and Sydney to just come with—but she couldn’t tell them what to do, and she was pretty sure all the things her imagination was coming up with were much worse than the real thing…particularly since demons didn’t exist.

[Ember]

Eikane was rather pleased at the immediate reaction of the Night Sentinel (and it's future members, too) even if it did make the beginning of things a little chaotic. Swithin was the first to approach him and in low tones he answered, "Darmosk was attacked, he's dead. No word on Darmori until the Watch and Guard can check it out." He caught sight of Porita waving at them and he mustered a smile, beckoning the girl over. Zemaren was already close enogh to overhear any instructions although he was Rescue and would head out with Draik soon enough anyways.

Aha, see there. Eikane had picked competent leaders for each individual section apparently. A bit hard to really tell without an emergency to test their mettle though. If there was going to be one benefit of all this...and oh. Would you look at that, little Kaiusk all up next to her mom. Eikask wasn't showing it but the concern - and yeah, the singleminded attention too - was helping ground the older gold. There was something a little different about losing one of her whers to an attack than to falling earth. Eikask crooned down at her gold daughter when she was done sorting out the other whers.

She extended the croon to the rest of the room, too. Frightened babies were fightened, Momma Eikask was out to play. And again, the attention was all on her. Pretty awesome by her standards, minus the death thing. She stood and began weaving her way through the babies with Swisk and Posk, offering croons and don't worry Mine will take care of everything's. She turned her head back to look at Kaiusk and say, Just like that, help me comfort them, keep them calm. Eikask looped back to Hers and pressed against him briefly. All would be well. The goldhandler rubbed the gold's head before addressing Kaius. "I appreciate the help. If you could help keep the others calm? I might need to step out at some point and the others might need your help."

The yelling and crashing through the brush had evidently drawn the attention of whatever killed Darmosk. In the distance, roughly in the direction of where the bronze had been, a vaguely bird-like call could be heard. A moment later it was echoed by another few voices. Ceryl and Cerysk shuddered. "That is not something I have ever heard before. Perhaps caution would be a good idea?" The greenhandler offered in response to Tekivix's demand. Neither her or her green were particularly eager to meet whatever had made that sound and taken down a bronze.

((NPC!Ceryl whoo. Good idea Zeppy!))

[Tashe]

Good, good. Thank Farnath. Two more of his team showed up, albeit a little loudly. But Yoalla and Yosk had yet to appear, though their absence didn't mean they were dead or injured, for Nautsk would have reacted to any news. Nautsk relaxed a little when the other two Greens appeared. "Tekivix, Ceryl is right. Charging into Farnath knows what, isn't going to help anything... Whatever is out there is either smart enough, or powerful enough... to take down a Bronze Wher." Wobbling slightly as Nautsk shifted, he glanced down at his Green with a frown. The female, although worried about Yosk, had focused her attention on the jungle,and the noises coming from it. Whipping her tail too and fro nervously, the second oldest female crouched with a little but weak growl. "We have to proceed with caution."

Switching his attention onto Roivao, Nautic nervously itched his arm. "You're the Gaurd Cadre, so I think you should take lead on this. Nautsk and I can guide the group since we were the ones who saw the disturbance... But..." He glanced back at the two Greenhandlers by them. "... I wish we could have had another large wher. Where are Pidesk and Dmisk?" His little Green could only be so useful in battle. Nautsk reached out to Yosk again, trying to get a sense of where she was, hoping her friend would get to the Weyr before their group started out. To the group at large he said; "If you have weapons, it would probably be a good idea to get them out."

------

There was their captain. Quietly they waited until the other Brownpair had completed their business and started to head outside. After Zemaren swung up into his riding harness, they maneuvered around the people who had gathered and followed Draisk, Zemask's nose nearly touching the Brown's tail. He remained walking that way until they stopped to regroup near the tunnel entrance, moving then to stand side by side with the smaller male. It was then that Zemaren got the details from Zemask, making him turn to face Draik. "Zemask tells me that the Watch and Gaurd are just about to head out... are we supposed to wait for a report from them, or...?" He left the question trailing so that the Captain could fill in the blanks.

Zemask moved slightly to accommodate his clutchsister, crooning at her because he was glad to see she was safe and could make it here in time. He wished that whatever was out there would just go away and leave everyone alone, but he knew that wasn't going to happen, right? Even if they all wished really hard... still, probably not.

[Rowana]

Porita saw Eikane beckon and nodded slowly. She took a deep breath and started to walk across the room. She smiled nervously at the wherlings as she passed, though more clearly when she saw Posk was doing well. The small blue did love spending time with his fellow whers, though she sense the loss of one still pained him.

Porita reached Eikane fairly quickly, though she missed the explanation of events. One of her hands clutch at her skirt while the other toyed with a lock of dark hair. "Can I..." she started, swallowing hard. Eikane was not only a man, but their leader as well. She had yet to be at ease speaking with him. "Can I help?" She sounded doubtful. She was no healer or fighter and hardly brave in any situation.

~

Roivao nodded to Nautsk, his face grave. He wasn't a very talkative man and didn't feel the need to repeat what they both clearly already knew. He was really hoping to see Piden and Dmitri soon. Pidesk had a lot of experience and was a strong partner for Roisk and no one could deny Dmisk was a skilled fighter even with his size. Soon though, they were joined by two more greens: Cerysk and Tekivisk. Roivao regarded Tekivix and his outburst passively, letting the young man vent out his anger. They really didn't have time for such outburst.

"I know," Roi added quietly after Ceryl and Nautic had spoken. "Would you have us all die?" His voice wasn't hard, only sad. Roi's mind was torn. He knew rushing was foolish. He knew it far better than most people ever would. Yet he had sent Darmori and Darmosk to their doom. It was his responsibility. He couldn't just leave them. Roisk crooned and nudged his arm, sensing his discomforted.

Roivao took a deep breath. Unlike other times, he couldn't argue his authority now. Someone had to take charge. "Roisk has called for the others, they'll be here." He paused, gauging the others around him as he check his own knife was secure. He had hoped for more, but they couldn't wait any longer. He gave late comers a few more minutes than nodded. "Let's go. Nautsk with me. Tekivisk and Cerysk behind. Stay close and don't get separated. We're going to find Darmori and bring him home. No heroics." He truly hoped they wouldn't be necessary. Drawing his knife, he gestured for Nautsk to lead them in the right direction.

((Ruby, Reqqy, if you have time to join, you can just jump into the group with everyone. ^__^))

[Ruby]

Serissa was leaning against the wall awkwardly far from the Trio on their couch, especially considering Sensk and Sesk were glued so close together. Sesk liked her twin, and acquiesced every time he asked for her attention, which meant that she spent near as much time with Sydney, Kaius, and Sena as she did with Serissa. Serissa did not follow suit. If the Trio wanted her, they could just come talk to her. They hadn't yet, and she wasn't about to go out of her way to hang out with a pack of teens. Maybe Sydney, but the girl hadn't looked at her twice.

Lost in thought (and focusing on the bond exercises harder than many of the others, Serissa hadn't blooded Sesk and it showed), the Greenhandler started when Eikask screeched and Eikane asked for her. Mouthing 'me?' she narrowed her eyes and looked down at Sesk, who was nuzzled in to Sensk. "Um. Yes. Let me just get -" No, she didn't need to get anything, Rescue whers carried the same supplies she had in her emergency pack. It would have a scalpel, too, which was all Serissa needed to kill effectively. "Nevermind." Pulling her hand away from Draisk's nuzzle - more out of surprise than anything, although who knew if the brown would take it that way - she nodded at Draik and when ahead and mounted up. Once she was mounted, though, they didn't leave. "Alright," she answered Draik, attempting not to snap. Shey wasn't TRYING to be unpleasant, after all. "Just, the longer this takes, the less chance Darmori'll have if he's still alive." If she could even save him. If she should. Was losing a Wher as bad as losing a dragon?

Sesk, meanwhile, gently untangled herself from Sensk, nuzzling her twin. Serissa ignored Sena's offer, but Sesk did not; the Green had already established that she would make her own decisions, thank you very much. A rainbow of emotions flitted across her eyes, settling on a yellowy green shade that fluctuated with every blink. Nudging Sensk towards Sena (as if he needed any more encouraging), Sesk sent both Handler and Wher a polite thanks, but no thanks. She was going with Draisk, and that was that. Serissa would need a pair of eyes to watch her back while she was healing.

--

Piden was far out on patrol, nearly out of mental touch. He and Pidesk were hunting a lone male feline, but it looked like the male was scared enough of Pidesk that the Bronze would be able to run him off without a confrontation. That's why they hadn't called for backup; these males wandered in on occasion, but usually they'd and run-ins with Whers before, and knew to stay off of their territory. As they reached the point where contact faded, Piden let his grip on the bow relax, tucking the arrow back in to his quiver. He was a pretty bad shot, but he was better with a bow than with the larger, more useful weapons some of the Guard favored, and he could climb a tree like a beast. Bows were good if you could get up a tree.

That was when Pidesk pulsed pain and worry into his mind. Darmosk was gone, Eikask was calling. "Between. C'mon, we've got to do it," Piden said, swinging up onto his Wher's skinny back without hesitation. Indeed, Pidesk agreed, Roisk is calling now. Ready? "Ready."

The pair reappeared just outside the Weyr, and Pidesk started off after Roisk, easily tracking the familiar bronze through the night. Within minutes they caught up, and Piden asked apprehensively "What did I miss?" as he fell in with the other bronze and the greens. Pidesk's unease was seeping through the bond, making Piden far more anxious than he would have been otherwise - the Bronze was fine with running felines off the territory, would even take a swipe at one if he had to, but he'd been born a pacifist, not a fighter. He knew he'd been given Guard duty because he was big, but Watch had always suited him and his handler better. An unknown attacker in the jungle made the bronze supremely uncomfortable, and even the presence of greens couldn't sooth him. This was extremely rare. Piden fitted another arrow to his bow.

[Aftershock]

Cainith was lounging with Cainsk, alternating feeding himself a meatroll and feeding one to Cainsk, when the chaos began. Considering he was never well-connected to the other Candidates save Ivy, and didn't know the other handlers yet, he was left out of what was going on, beyond hearing what Eikane said and smatterings of conversation as other handlers began to arrive. Telling Cainsk to stay, he waited for an opening, then walked up to Eikane and said, "I know Cainsk is still young, and likely we do not want to risk him, but I'm able. If you need me to help with anything, please let me know."

---

Max and Maximisk were patrolling the lower sections of the Weyr, seeking out the leak that caused Sena's accident a week or so back, when the call from Draisk came. Maximisk suddenly stopped, nearly throwing Max forward off the wher with his unwarned braking. "Whoa, Maximisk, what's up?" Standing still for a moment to make sure he got the full message, Maximisk sent an image to His of Darmosk, then an image of Darmosk lying on the ground, bleeding and unmoving. He then sent an impression of a summons, with a picture of Draisk. "Ooh, man, this is bad. We'd better go, then. Lead the way."

With a snort of agreement, Maximisk tore down the hallways of the Weyr as quickly as possible, betweening as necessary when it was safe to shave off time, until he finally arrived at Draik and Draisk's location. Pulling up beside the two, Max said, "Max, reporting for duty. What's the situation so far?"

[Zephyr]

The brown blinked as the baby wher followed them outside. He looked to Zemask for a second, then back to the baby. Don’t you think you should wait with the others? The jungle is no place for a baby…mature or not. Your handler will come to no harm, we will make sure of it. He stretched out his limbs, fluttering his wings slightly before giving the baby one more look and turning away. If the baby felt like endangering herself, there wasn’t much he could do about it. There wasn’t time to force it back into the common room. They needed to get out and about and they needed to get out now.

Draik turned to Zemaren as the man asked his question. " Yeah. But we're waiting just long enough to make sure the coast is clear, but then we're going out to follow the guard and watch. If Darmori is alive, we need to get to him as quickly as possible to provide care. He might die if we have to wait for him to be brought back to us."

Draisk waited not-so-patiently for the others in his squad to arrive. The brown was a little antsy, to be honest. One of their own had been taken out by something…something, for all intents and purposes, shouldn’t have been able to take out a full grown bronze wher. He perked a little bit when Emilisk’s broadcast came to him, twisting his head to watch as she appeared. Crooning a greeting to the female (Along with a wing from Draik to her handler), he ached to continue on, but knew he had one more member of the team to wait on. Maximisk didn’t disappoint him, appearing soon after. The brown dipped his head in greeting to the blue, flexing his wings as Draik spoke to the humans first.

“ We don’t know much. Darmosk is down. That much we know for sure. We have no idea as to the whereabouts of Darmori. He is our main focus. This is Serissa.” He nodded to the girl astride Draisk’s back. “ She is one of the new wherlings, and a healer too. Eikask asked her to go with us to tend to Darmori should we find him.” He didn’t add on, if he’s alive. It would have probably been a good idea, but he didn’t really want to think that Darmori could be dead. Wasn’t good for group morale and everything. “ You can finish up, Draisk.” He said to his wher. The brown nuzzled his handler’s hand before addressing the whers at large. Please convey the seriousness of our mission to your handlers. We are to locate Darmosk’s. We have no orders to find Darmosk’s body, but if you happen to find it, call a guard. We do not know who else might be injured, so work quickly and quietly, and above all, do not get separated. We must stay connected at all times. Do not fight unless you absolutely have to. Keep in contact with the guard and watch whers…do not venture further until they have made sure the area is clear. We’ll go on my signal. For now, spread out and protect the tunnels. We don’t need whatever’s out there getting into the weyr.

With that, the brown searched for the minds of Nautisk and Roisk. He was relieved when he found them alive and well. Rescue is here if you need us. We’re venturing into the jungle to get aid to Darmosk’s as quickly as possible, but we want to make sure your whers have cleared the area beforehand. Please let us know when the way is clear for rescue.

Now all that was left was to wait. Draisk stared into the dark, all senses alert for whatever might be out there. Draik resed a hand on his wher's head. " Be extra careful. You never know what might be out there." The man's hand rested on his side blade, body tense.

---

Kaiusk was pleased that her mother was not angry with her. She greeted her mother happily when Eikask crooned at her. Perhaps there was something she could do, even if it was to comfort the older gold. Kaiusk stood steady when Eikask began making her rounds, her paws twitching with uncertainty. She brightened a little when her mother turned to her and spoke. Now, this was something she could do! Affirming enthusiastically, the little gold began to copy her mother. She gave a croon here and there, supplying loving nuzzles when allowed and speaking whenever she was spoken to. To particularly scared little Sensk, since she could see he was leaving, she crooned. Everything will be alright. The grown-ups will make sure of it.

The gold’s handler wasn’t exactly pleased that Eikask actually had something to do. Kaius wasn’t lazy, at least not anymore lazier than your average teenage boy, but he was apathetic. He hadn’t met Darmori or Darmosk, and he just didn’t want to care, but Kaiusk’s influence was seeping into him, causing him to care a little. Just enough to actually offer himself to Eikask as an aid. He nodded to the man as he spoke, turning his gaze to find Sena and Sydney. Sena was leaving. Making his way to her, he put a hand on her arm. “ Be careful, okay? Come back here if you see or hear anything weird?” It wasn’t likely that anything could actually get into the weyr with all the security, let alone make it to the candidate barracks, but one could never be too certain.

With that, he started to circulate the room. If anyone said anything to him, he muttered words of encouragement. The boy just couldn’t find it in himself to be particularly comforting. He just wasn’t good at it unless he was trying to comfort a friend. He tried, though, if for Kaiusk if no one else.

---

It was an understatement to say that Vix was frustrated at the moment. Ceryl’s words had him grumbling in irritation. This was mostly because deep down, he knew her words to be true. They would’t be able to help Darmori if they were all dead. Angry eyes shifted to Nautic as the man spoke, but he nodded, conceding. He knew they were right, but he didn’t like to admit it. Further irritation came when he realized that Nautic was waiting on larger whers. Larger whers?! Were he and Ki not good enough? He knew he had to let it go though. He was in one of his moods, compounded by the fact that one of closest friends was, at best, lost in the jungle alone, at worst (and this was the more likely scenario), already dead.

Vix got on Ki quickly, ignoring the green’s uneasiness. That was something he could deal with later. Gripping the wher’s straps in one hand, he unsheathed his blade and fiddled with it nervously, agitated that the others were waiting for so long.

Didn’t they know time was of the essence? They just want to make sure no one else dies on the way to rescue Darmosk’s, Ki piped in somewhat meekly. Vix just mumbled. He saw the sense in the plan, but that didn’t mean he liked just sitting here waiting. Not knowing what happened to his friend was the worst. He wouldn’t say it, but he was honestly relieved when Piden finally appeared. Now that the bronzehandler was here, they could get the show on the damn road. He didn’t speak to the other man, instead deciding that one of their fearless leaders could fill him in on what was happening.

Eyes jerked upwards when Roivao spoke. Eyes narrowed slightly as bitterness at being forced to bring up the rear overwhelmed him. Regardless, there was nothing more he could do. It would do Darmori little good if he held up the rescue party by fighting with the bronzehandler. Without a word, Vix and Ki fell behind with Ceryl and Cerysk, venturing into the dark jungle...silently seething.

[Sheari]

Emiliah had never properly met Maximilian or Maximisk, and her first impression was that he spoke oddly. After all, as far as she knew (from Emilisk) they both had the same amount of information everyone else had and that he would be told what he needed to know. Just as well, because of her wher, she did not shy away and try to hide as she would have so long ago. Instead, she gave him a cursory glance and turned her attention to Zemaren, to whom got a nod of greeting. Her main focus was Draik, however, and she paid the most of her attention to him so that she wouldn’t miss anything important.

Emilisk crooned back at Zemask. She was glad he was well and indeed, it would be great if whatever had killed Darmosk just went away. Sadly, however, she also felt that whatever it was needed to be killed for what it had done and for the safety of everyone else. Either way, at Draisk’s command, the green moved to one of the tunnels that lead in and out of the weyr. She peered into the dark, alert and aware, reaching her mind into the darkness to try and feel if anything was there as well as to those about her to keep the contact flowing.

The inactivity frustrated her, she relayed to Zemask. They should be out with the guard and the watch. What if one of them came across Darmosk’s or Darmosk’s body? The healer Serissa was with them, and what good was she here if someone needed her out there? The logical wher hoped that her clutchbrother would understand her and offer his opinion in turn. Having someone to talk to would be a comfort and she didn’t dare trouble Draisk with her thoughts, for he needed to keep most in touch with the other leaders. She sighed and Emiliah patted her shoulder, glad that Shrew was asleep in their room and not out where there was danger.

[Kisha-Ra]

Even before the call Yoalla had not been thrilled with the night, not when her light and lithe body was so wracked with shivers that no one would ever believe she spent most of her life in Bitra wearing either rags or the kind of flimsy revealing garments that were universal to the ancient profession of prostitution. Even so, the cold feeling that rushed over her body when Yosk lifted her muzzle and gave voice to a piteously distressed whine was far, far worse.

Darmosk… Yoalla actually really liked the ever playful bronze, promoting him to honorary chromatic in her mind, and now… the greenhandler’s mind shuddered away from what her wher told her. Of one accord they turned back toward the Weyr when Nautsk called them, something was going to catch hell as soon as they got back with their comrades. Unfortunately getting back might be a bit of a problem, since Yosk was the only wher that could really fly (those huge wings she sported were very useful at times) the greenpair customarily patrolled further out than other pairs. Returning with all stealth was going to take rather a long time, especially since Yoalla wanted Yosk ready to fly when they joined the team.

Full stealth mode did indeed expand the time the greenpair needed to return, and they joined the tag end of the group in silence, Yosk’s mental brush to her greensister being the only announcement of their presence. ‘What? No instructions for us?’ Yoalla inquired quietly, despite how sneakily she’d arrived there. Yosk didn’t seem to mind the lack of specific instructions and took it that she was to stay with Cerysk and Tekivix for now and slipped between the other two greens.


Vivano sat with Vivask, content to watch the other wherlings for a moment. Vivask was somewhat more coordinated than when he hatched, though he was still somewhat impaired by the lack of depth perception that came from being blind on one side.

Peace suddenly fled the room, chased away by an uproar of howls, whines and roars as the whers reacted to some unknown crisis, or at least it sounded like a crisis to Vivano, and it became more of one, for him, as his wher tried to climb into his lap. Rearranging himself and his wher slightly so that the bronze’s claws weren’t digging into his leg Vivano tried to get a grip on what was going on. Drawing comfort from his handler’s presence Vivask offered his information succinctly.

Running his hand over Vivask’s hide Vivano looked up. ‘We’re staying too.’ He announced. ‘Well, Vivask is, I’m going then returning, then staying. I have some knowledge of healing, enough to hold us until a real healer gets here if it’s needed. I’m going to get my things.’ Vivano shoved his wher off onto the floor with some effort and rose. ‘I only do injuries though, not anything to do with illness at all.’ He added firmly as he headed for the door, even though it probably wouldn’t be an issue he just wanted to make things clear. Hopefully his minor skills wouldn’t be needed at all but it never hurt to be prepared.