Always a Trace....(Open)

[Rowana]

G'tor paced down one of the long halls and poked his head into a room. It was exactly the same as last time he had seen it. He sighed. What did he expect. More skilled people had already searched T'rid's weyr and everyone else's who had disappeared. If there had been any evidence they would have found it. He leaned against a wall, running a hand through his hair. There had to be something! His fists clenched in frustration. People didn't just vanish!

Tor? Ruskeath sounded worried in his mind. You should not work so hard. What if you get ill? But we're getting no where, Rusk! What about T'rid and Corinth? I can't just let this go. I know, his brown's voice was hard at the memory. It made him angry like nothing else could. But we can not solve this from the infirmary.

G'tor relented. Ruskeath was right. With so many growing ill, it was a small miracle he was still healthy. Everyone was so busy with the plague too, that he had taken it upon himself to discover what had happened to the missing riders and weyrfolk. And despite all his efforts, people were still disappearing. He was stressed, and he knew it. The only good news was he didn't have to worry about the Wing. Ka'rys had already set up the new leadership, and he couldn't say he was sorry to be left out. It gave him more time to stalk corridors, looking for clues that just didn't seem to be there.

We'll figure this out, G'tor thought. We have to.

[Avu]

There are people disappearing. Tr’esnLoveMine, LoveMine, please don’t go far. I don’t like it when you go far. I don’t, I don’t, what if you disappear?

The tiny green’s agitation was blatantly clear as she paced on the weyrledge, crooning occasionally, though the sound was not happy – it was very obviously upset. Tr’esn cringed at the mental wave of worry and fretfulness that washed over him, an emotion that seemed to have become much more intense since the latest disappearance. The sickness, too, bothered Oquith to no end; she was innocent enough that she couldn’t comprehend the idea that she could not personally protect Hers from either of the two that were plaguing Selenitas. In her mind, if she could just curl up around Tr’esnHers with Qualuth and Wymeth and Checkoth and Behruth and Theirs, everything would be happy and good and she would not have to worry about anything. But it didn’t work out like that, and R’wignCheck’s had almost died and that terrified her. She wanted to curl up and never wake up again if she could – it would make her feel so much better, it would…but she couldn’t, because the Mothfeline had run off again, and Hers had to, of course, go and fetch her back. Dolphin and Avia (whersport and firelizard respectively) were obedient enough, but the former had disappeared into the jungle, as was characteristic of her, and Avia was too prone to loosing track of her thoughts to be trusted.

I won’t disappear, Tr’esn consoled the green, an involuntary shiver making him hesitate as he padded barefoot across the corridors, pale gray eyes narrowed in concentration on the slim, small white feline that bounded ahead of him, agilely, flicking her tail playfully and casting a glance backwards every few steps to mrow at him encouragingly – her favorite game, this was! Tr’esn was pretty sure she was sterile – naturally; certainly he’d never tried to get her neutered (namely because the sight of blood had made him throw up previously; the mere idea of somebody doing something to his beloved Moth that involved blood made him physically sick), and she didn’t seem to have any mating drive. Anyway, she was over the age at which she should have first sought out a mate – but Tr’esn preferred it this way. The short boy frowned, skipping hurriedly forward and leaning forward to try and pick up Moth –

Who slid out of his grasp and flipped her tail happily at him.

“Moth!” he blurted in frustration, before the feline darted abruptly around a corner and Tr’esn followed without thinking, shooting around the corner and almost running into G’tor. His eyes flew wide in surprise and, instinctively – if he’d collided with someone ranking him at Lighttower, the consequences were not ones he’d liked – threw himself out of the way, managing to grab Moth along the way. Blurting, “Got her!” as he fell, Tr’esn froze, and then slowly turned his head sideways to look at G’tor. His eyes were still wide, apologetically, and, ignoring the white female’s ecstatic purring, the rubbing against his cheek and hands, the rasp of her tongue against her cheek, Tr’esn rolled over, still clutching the feline against his chest as his face flushed with embarrassment. How completely humiliating, how horrible – the brownrider probably thought he was an utter idiot now, didn’t he – it just wasn’t right, it wasn’t; he shouldn’t have been running and – and – purring. His gaze flicked down to Moth, who’d wriggled into his shirt (her favorite place to stay), and he curled his arms beneath her awkwardly. At least he’d gotten his feline back…?

“Sorry,” he said abruptly, scrambling to his feet and bowing his head instinctively. “I don’t – didn’t mean to – you know.” The greenrider gestured awkwardly with one hand, a vague attempt to display his headlong dash around the corner. “It just…yeah,” he said softly, and then nodded down at Moth. “She got out, and – and – um, I had to get her…she kept running…” Tr’esn squirmed visibly, discomfort clearly printed across his flushing face; he’d never done well with other people in general and this was no exception. The only two people he felt completely at home with were Vashti and K’iel – and M’ta and R’wign, but not as much so for the two brownriders as for green and blue riders. They were special – their dragons were special. They always spoke to him, without fail. Checkoth did occasionally, too, but not with the regularity that Wymeth and Qualuth did; their blatant affection for him and for his Oquith made him sure that Vashti and K’iel actually did like him. It felt nice, having friends. Unfortunately, the confidence he’d gained with them did not transfer to other people. It just – didn’t.

Mine LoveMine, what if he’s sick? He won’t make you sick, will he? Oquith’s agitation pressed in on him, and Tr’esn blinked twice before Avia, as if on cue, burst from between just above his head and twittered pleasantly at G’tor before she circled in to land shamelessly on top of Tr’esn’s head, leaning down to chirp happily at Hers before she went on to inform G’tor solemnly in a language he couldn’t possibly be expected to understand exactly how her day had gone. Surely he was interested!

[Rowana]

Lack of sleep and tension had put G'tor a bit more on edge than normal. Enough that when Tr'esn and the feline came barreling around the corner, he nearly jumped out of his skin. Ruskeath was actually first to recover. Jumpy, Tor? I think he is more afraid of you. His amusement was clear in his voice. Maybe you should be getting more sleep? G'tor rolled his eyes while he took a breath to calm his heart. Thank you, Healer Rusk. I'm so glad your paying attention, he returned sarcastically. Happy to help. Ruskeath answered cheerfully.

"It's alright," G'tor told Tr'esn. "No harm done." Tervain appeared, as if sensing something interesting was happening. She ignored the boy and the feline completely and surveyed Avia with interest. A fellow green, that was good. Tervain liked females much better than males. They were much more sensible. She returned Avia's conversation with a few polite chirps of her own. She was pleased to meet her after all.

G'tor remembered his manners then. He held out a hand. "You're Tr'esn, right?" He had searched his memory and seemed to recall he was a recent weyrling graduate. A green rider, if his memory was right. He was trying to keep better track of people. Partly so he would know who was disappearing, and partly so he could be sure who was still here. "I'm G'tor." He shifted slightly at the boy's nervousness. "I won't bite, you know." He sounded almost hurt. He wasn't used to people being uncomfortable around him. He thought he was fairly nice.

[Avu]

It was – all right? Was it really? Tr’esn wrapped both arms more securely around Moth, who squirmed happily, butting her head against the underside of his chin, watching G’tor anxiously. The brownrider really wasn’t upset at nearly being plowed down? The small greenrider’s head cocked to one side and he worried at his lip, the upset clear across his face before he nodded slowly. He was usually flighty to the extreme, ridiculously shy, self-conscious and sensitive – but now that people had started disappearing, it had heightened exponentially. Part of that was Oquith’s fear, given that he didn’t honestly think he was worth killing – what good was he? In the face of panic, he froze, couldn’t think, needed to be guided and needed a leader; otherwise, he still didn’t do. Oh, he’d helped in the Infirmary for a time, but otherwise he just grabbed K’iel and brought the bluerider with him to see Vashti at the Drumheights when he was bored. Previously, he’d sometimes gone up by himself when K’iel couldn’t, but now being alone with the greenrider made him squirm slightly; he much preferred it when K’iel came, or if not K’iel, then Oquith at the very least, and Avia – because he had a crush on Vashti, one he’d never own up to. Only Oquith knew, and she’d the sense to keep quiet about it, anyway.

His gaze flickered to Tervain at the green’s appearance. She ignored him, but he didn’t mind that. Moth squirmed out of his shirt halfway, draping her forepaws over his collar and batting one paw playfully towards Tervain, though the distance between them ensured that she missed; Tr’esn winced and brought one hand up to tuck Moth back into his shirt. Would she ever grow up? – he doubted it. She was still as playful as she had been as a kitten, and she’d never spawned – fortunately; Tr’esn didn’t think his lovely white feline was responsible enough to take care of a litter. Funny; of all his pets, Dolphin, the youngest, was by far the most mature, and fiercely independent – often he went days without the slightest flicker of an appearance from her, and her absences had increased in frequency of late. Pale gray eyes left Tervain (one flitter didn’t really register as special to him anymore; R’wign had – what? Seven, now?), but Avia’s surge of delight was obvious as the green twittered excitedly. She just loved company, she did! (No wonder she and Moth got along so well.)

Letting Avia leave his head to circle G’tor’s head before she swept in to land carefully on one of the glowbaskets nearby, Tr’esn wet his lips nervously before he nodded. “That’s me,” he agreed softly, flushing; he wasn’t used to being remembered. If he had it his way, only Vashti, K’iel, R’wign, M’ta, and their dragons would even acknowledge his existence – and their dragons and pets, as well as his own, of course. Everyone else: Scary. “I know,” he added quietly, as the brownrider introduced himself. “Wingsecond – I memorized – yeah.” His cheeks flushed for a moment before he raised one hand to gesture at Avia. “Come on – we’ve got to – let’s go…” The only response was a reproving chirrup, though – couldn’t he see she was talking?! “Um…” The greenrider’s head tilted, eyes darting back to G’tor. “So…this isn’t where your weyr is, is it? I thought greenriders and blueriders usually…?” His weyr was on this level, after all; it didn’t make sense that a Wingsecond brownrider would stay here.

Mine, Mine, Oquith whined, the agitation nearly making him want to bolt in its intensity: I can’t – you – I want you here. Please, please don’t stay away from me, I want you /here/. I can’t leave without Avia, I’m certain she’ll manage to get lost on her way back – go find Wymeth or Qualuth. Or – I don’t know, find Ruskeath if it makes you feel better to be in contact with his dragon. The green gave another low mental whine before she agreed reluctantly. The tiny emerald-green dragon was pacing the ledge restlessly, both wings fanning out and closing repeatedly, a blatant display of her agitation. Normally, she would have sought out one of her two favorite clutchsiblings, but Wymeth – she was more emotional than usual; upcoming Flight, perhaps? She thought so, and she didn’t want to take up Qualuth’s attention when Wymeth should have it, and Checkoth and Behruth were worried over R’wignCheck’s, so…Ruskeath? Ruskeath, may I speak to you? the green inquired nervously. I’m very sorry to bother you, I really am – but Mine is speaking to Yours and I do wish he was with me, but he won’t leave the little green cousin there and – and I don’t want him to disappear. Yours won’t let him disappear, will he?