Chiroptophobia? *facepalms* (tag Req)

[Rei]

Curled up in front of the cave system Kaaoloth shifted, his head coming up to watch lazily as some mountain herdbeast clattered it’s way up the slope. Had he been hungrier he might have pursued but he had just eaten a few days ago. The need wasn’t pressing yet. Another wave of irritation from his had him huffing and curling himself into a tighter ball. You are interrupting my nap quite adequately. Can’t you play explorer in quiet? He teased lightly well aware that it would just set his off into another tirade of complaints. Fortunately Sel’n had enough sense to keep the complaints mental. The older rider may have been a lot of things but normally stupid wasn’t one of them.

Holding the torch a bit higher the brownrider ran a hand through his hair. He could have sworn something had just hit him in the head. Yet there was nothing. Perhaps he was imagining it. Caves had never been his thing. Sel’n would much rather be out in the open and he didn’t consider himself claustrophobic at all. His weyr had ever bothered him for instance. Nor the stone hallways that made up a weyr. However something about the area, whether it be the darkness, the stone walls, or the bizarre ‘watched’ feeling he had, was making his skin crawl. The brownrider’s eyes flicked briefly to S’rei. Idly wondering how the larger man was feeling at the moment. He required far more space than the slighter rider after all. Another sliver ran down his spine and Sel’n took a forced deep breath. It was ignorant to be this nervous but he really would much rather be above ground.

To be honest the rider had completely lost track of time anyway. They had been in there awhile however or so Kaaoloth was assuring him. Movement on the verges of the flickering torch light caused the rider to stop in his tracks. What the hell had that been? Okay so maybe the brownrider was getting a tad jumpy, but really he had not been fond of this whole cave exploring thing from the get go. Creeping forward towards the movement, and keeping his hand near his bet knife, Sel’n ducked his head to avoid hitting it on the low ceiling of the small passage. Holding up the torch as the rock further opened up he frowned as the light illuminated what looked like a large cavern yet…he couldn’t really tell how big it was since the flickering light only went so far.

“Uh S’rei?” The call was bit loud and it sounded louder still because of the quiet perhaps. Sel'n actually even flinched slightly at the echo his voice created. Definitely a large room. Stepping back from what looked like more movement to his left, he cast a worried gaze that direction. Yeah he so wanted out of here. Either there was something lurking in the shadows or his mind was being really creative at the moment. Hmm well given that I know your mind quite well I would choose the former. Creative does not describe you. Shut up.

[Requiem]

Though it hadn't taken the two riders very long at all to agree that they weren't about to find anyone they were looking for - if indeed there were any of the Selenitas riders who'd escaped in these mountains - in this particular cave system, the warren of passages had stymied them somewhat. Were they lost? S'rei would have said no a half candlemark ago. Now he wasn't so sure if they weren't just going in circles somehow. Absolutely no doubt that no one had disturbed this section of caves in quite awhile, though...and that it wasn't going to be hiding any dragons, even if the weyrlings weren't quite full-grown just yet.

S'rei noticed Sel'n duck, but not in time; the only light was from the man's torch and his body had been blocking most of it. His shoulders already scraping the edges of the narrow tunnel, he cursed, backing up and ducking low to follow Sel'n. The man rubbed at his head, snarling, "What do you want?" That had to be at least a dozen times now, between low ceilings and random stalactites. But as the torch cast shadows on the huge chamber, S'rei became certain they'd never been here before. The place was huge. Not only could he stand to his full height - he'd been at least partially bent for the last quarter candlemark at least and his back was protesting loudly - but he probably could stand on his own shoulders several times over and still not reach the ceiling disappearing into blackness far above.

Salenth was some distance off. Not quite out of range, but he'd never left the cache they'd brought with them from Blossom, the male curled beneath an overhang that could have housed three golds. From above and below he was invisible. With all the closer locations investigated over the last few months, they'd worked their way outward in an ever-growing radius. Kaaoloth. They're no closer, are they? You're still under cover of some sort? Salenth only asked because he found sunning so tempting in the chill. That or perhaps he didn't want to learn that Kaaoloth was enjoying it when he wasn't. The bronze's mood wasn't much different than that of His, a mounting frustration at the time it was taking to locate this band of supposed escapees. Granted, it was good they were so well-hidden, but the suspicion that they weren't here at all - or escaped at all - was steadily growing. You're still lost. Shut up, Sal.

The bronzerider had just noticed what probably had Sel'n sounding so uncertain. "The walls are...moving?" he murmured. Even so soft an utterance seemed to echo, and a sound that was suspiciously like rustling invaded the quiet. It seemed to be growing steadily louder. S'rei squinted past Sel'n, but whatever was moving, it was outside the flickering circle of light cast off by the torch. The walls themselves couldn't be moving. It had to be something on them. Right?

[Rei]

Kaaoloth lifted his head from where is had been resting on his forelegs. Looking back into the interior of the cave he snorted softly. No. I do not believe they are any closer. If anything they might gave unintentionally gone further back. His tail flicked nervously. Yes I am still under cover. To be precise a rocky overhang with a thin line of evergreen like trees on the left side. Blocked from above and the left. Although he would have longed to be out in the open the brown wasn’t quite stupid. Sweeps where likely still run and although it was doubtful they would fan this far out, there was always that slim chance. Rumbling disquietly he added. They are in a much larger section now. I am quite sure they have not been this way before. There had to be another exit somewhere. Hopefully. Backtracking didn’t seem to be working out so well for the two riders.

Sel’n opened his mouth to comment as S’rei growled but he didn’t have to it seemed. No the Weyrleader’s attention had already gone to the source of his question. The walls of the area. Or what he took to be a wall. Maybe? The chamber was really rather large. Perhaps big enough to fit both Kaaoloth and Salenth although it was really hard to tell with such little light. A chill ran down the older rider’s spine as the bronzer spoke though. Moving? Moving walls. Was that even possible? Mouth suddenly dry the brownrider took one tentative step forward in the desire to shine perhaps a bit more light on the wall in question. Except even that tiny step Sel’n’s mind rebelled against. Too close. There was something almost unnatural about that shifting. An odd noise emanated from the shifting mass then the noise growing louder until the torch light finally, sort of, illuminated the source of the sound.

Clinging to the walls in a massive mass where tiny furred creatures. Whatever the hell they where their beady little eyes gave the brownrider chills all over again. The light had seemed to have started one or two of them and they sprang from the wall, catching the air with thin leathery wings, before flitting off into the blackness. One of the creatures leaving soon prompted a few others to do the same, and before long the still air was filled with the sounds of beating wings. As a couple swooped past the torch Sel’n gave what sounded suspiciously like a shriek and stumbled back into S’rei. The noise echoed off the chamber and before long their the entire brood had been startled into flight. Perhaps it was less the sheik that caused the mass evacuation of bats though and some inward sense of self preservation instead because the ground had started to rumble. In fact the entire room seemed to be shifting as debris rained down from the ceiling.

Outside Kaaoloth’s head jerked upwards and he had to fight against the urge to give a cry of concern. His mind reached out for his even as the ceiling seemed to come crashing down on the rider pair. Or rather perhaps around them. Sometime in the ensuing chaos the torch had gone out and when silence finally reigned again there was little stirring. Sel’n coughed against the amount of dust in the air, his hand coming up to massage his head where he had been hit with something. Hand coming away slightly wet he frowned in the darkness and cast his hand about for the torch.

Just when had he ended up on the floor? Sometime as the world caved in around you. You either lost your balance, or it was the rock striking your empty head. His brown replied with some concern. The dragon's mental prodding was making the brownrider’s head ache worse and he coughed again. S’rei. Where was S’rei? “S’rei?” His tone did little to hide his concern. Damn it all. The bronzer had been behind him hadn’t he?

[Requiem]

Salenth huffed softly. Kaaoloth was verifying what he was already reading off His. Lovely. Well, they weren't likely to be lost forever, but it was still somewhat annoying. His tail flicked. I guess all you can really do is keep trying to guide Yours. A pause. There's something on the walls in there? What are they? He'd never seen the sort of creatures S'rei was getting a glimpse of. How queer.

The bronzerider blinked as the air suddenly filled with wingbeats as the wall creatures whirled around them in a mass of activity. He threw up his arms to protect his face, wings snapping against him. None of the creatures ran into him, though. Just brushed by. No, it was Sel'n who ran into him, with a shriek that made S'rei wonder if a woman wasn't living in these caves somewhere. He grabbed the man's shoulder in a gesture that was half reassurance and half restraint.

That was when the world began to disintegrate around them. He instinctively widened his legs to ride out the shifting ground, but that was as far as instinct took him. The rock that merely clipped Sel'n tore down the side of S'rei's face and slammed into his shoulder, throwing the large man to the ground beneath its weight. He might have inadvertently knocked Sel'n over, too, but the man couldn't make head nor tails of it as he found his chest and shoulders pinned beneath a rather large section of what was probably the cave ceiling.

Dimly, he heard a voice calling his name. S'rei opened his mouth, but all that came out was a pained cough. Cold stone against his face. He pushed with his free arm in an attempt to lever the slab of rock off his back and collapsed in another fit of coughing. "Here," he grunted. Even that much made his chest hurt. Damn rock. "Kinda stuck."

[Rei]

Trying to scramble to his feet Sel’n was hit with a wave of nausea and vertigo and promptly sank back to the stone. At least S’rei was speaking. But he didn’t sound good and where was the damn shard blasted torch? Nowhere around. Fuck. Closing his eyes he took a deep breath. The room had stopped spinning but there was still some dizziness when he moved. That’s cause you where hit in the head love. Just concentrate for a moment. The worried tone in Kaaoloth’s voice was almost painful in it’s intensity. Salenth’s. You have to help him. I don’t know how long it is good for a human to be ‘stuck’ as he says, but it cannot be good. The brownrider nodded. Yeah first things first he had to find out if he even could help the bronze rider. With another steadying breath the man got back to his feet and slowly made his way in the direction the other rider’s voice had come from. Boots hitting against a rough surface Sel’n sank back down to the ground and slowly felt his way forward. Hands touched the side of the bronzer’s head. Warm but wet. The copper smell in the air made it obvious why. Damn. How bad? Pinned as S'rei was it was hard to tell.

Swallowing Sel’n passed his hands over the large chunk of rock pinning the bronzer. Damn it. “Hang on. I’m going to try and lift his off you. If you feel any give try your best to get out if you can.” Wiping the blood from his hand the brownrider tried to get some leverage underneath the rock, and quickly found that wasn’t going to work. To be honest the strength in his previously injured arm wasn’t the greatest. Might as well have been working with one and possibly a half. That wasn’t going to work. Furrowing his brow he rider coughed. “Going to try something a little different hang on.” Sel’n wasn’t sure just how much weight S’rei was pinned under. Safe to assume either way it wasn’t a good thing.

Feeling his way around the rock he found a place to catch his boots against. Leaning against another fallen rock behind him as a brace he took another shuddering breath. “Alright get ready to move. This will probably be our best shot.” Providing he could even get S’rei loose there was no telling what damage the small cave in had wrought on the bronzer. Well he’d cross that bridge when, and if, he came to it.

Kaaoloth’s steadying presence in his head was helpful. You can do it Selarin. You have to. With a grunt he did his best to lever the rock up using his legs. Much more strength in those than in his arms after all. He felt a minimal shift and kept applying the pressure. Hopefully he could give the other man enough workable space that he could just slide himself out. That was the plan anyway.

Shifting his weight so he could rock himself up onto his feet Kaaoloth reached for Salenth’s mind. Mine is attempting to free yours. It probably was unnecessary to let the bronze know that, but the brown said the words anyway. Perhaps attempting to reassure himself as much as the other dragon. Even if mine does manage to free yours they are still trapped. The unspoken question hung in the air. What was their next step? The riders couldn’t live underground for very long and the extent of S’rei’s injuries where, as of yet, unknown. They had to do something. Get help perhaps. How or from who he hadn’t the faintest clue. But they where obviously running out of options.

[Requiem]

Salenth had gone silent, still on the ledge. He shuddered slightly as Kaaoloth's voice pierced through his mind. The bronze twitched again. Keeping S'rei conscious wasn't easy, especially when he could do little to block out the pain and dazed feelings that were pulling the man toward darkness to begin with. Sel'n wasn't the only one who'd gotten struck in the head, after all. It took a moment for Salenth to realize that Kaaoloth was asking him what to do. He could feel His slipping again and quickly pulled him back, forcing his own breaths steady in an attempt to get ReiHis to copy. Better. Now he could spare a moment for Kaao. If we attract the invaders now, it can't be worse than leaving them lost in the cave. I don't think Mine will be able to go very far. Or likely go anywhere at all, judging by the phantom pains felt through their bond.

S'rei wasn't fully registering much of what was going on. The hands brushing over his face were an odd sensation. It didn't elicit any response, though, if only because other things had his attention more than the skinned face. Whatever Sel'n was doing, though, he became very aware of the slight shiftings of the rock as it began scraping up and to the right. Every nerve ending in his shoulder and arm was screaming at him. "You're just fucking shifting it," he snapped tightly. Something else was snapping, too, but that part of his body hurt too much to tell what it was. Hopefully not a rib.

"Just...wait." At least the little bit of movement had taken some of the weight off the small of his back. His left side was already free. He moved his legs, pulling them up, then got all his limbs but the pinned arm beneath him at once. S'rei bit his lip hard as he levered himself up awkwardly. (More by force of will than through any physical strength.) The rock began to slide down the slope of his shoulder. "Now," he hissed. More of the weight was settling on his arm. But Sel'n proved somewhat helpful in the end and he managed to slide from beneath the rock before it could completely crush the limb. A glance was all it took to verify that it was more or less shattered. He felt faintly ill and was just glad that his eyes hadn't adjusted to the darkness enough to see any more than the vague outline of the arm.

He rolled onto his left side. More blood. Pretty, part of his collarbone had broken skin. S'rei closed his eyes and tried to force his swimming head to make sense of the situation. "You okay?" he finally managed. There was no real point in saying that he himself wasn't. "Do we have anything for light?" Without it they couldn't see there way out of here. If it wasn't blocked.

Salenth stood, stretching his wings. Don't broadcast. We'll have to hope one of ours sees us and contacts us. The bronze leapt, wheeling into the sky and climbing high, higher. Much higher than they'd flown to conceal their position whenever Betweening wasn't an option. Salenth executed a lazy roll to make the sunlight glint off his hide, forcing himself calm. S'rei's ability to keep from panicking helped a lot, too. Now if only there really were Selenitas dragons in these mountains close enough to see...

[Rei]

The words that came back from Salenth where ones that Kaaoloth was expecting. Yes. Even if they happened to attract the invaders now, it wouldn’t matter. Death by them or possible death from the cave in. He could tell by his bonded’s worry that Salenth’s was not good. So then attracting someone to help was really their only chance. They just had to hope they attracted the right people. Or someone at all. It was more up to luck and possibly fate than anything else now. I understand Salenth. With careful movements the brown walked out from his cover and tossed his head up towards the sky, at the same time speaking to his bonded. We are going to try and attract some type of help. Keep doing what you can for Salenth’s in the meantime. A pulse of quiet affection to his rider before the large male launched himself skyward with a loud roar. The noise echoing sharply through the still air.

Sel’n bit his lip at S’rei’s snappish comment, fighting against voicing a pointless apology. Orders however he could obey and the brownrider immediately stopped his forward movement, although he did do his best to hold his position, when he heard the bronzer shuffling around a bit. Good. At least the other man could move at all. That was perhaps a good sign but at the same time the movements didn’t sound exactly normal either. Swallowing in a futile attempt to clear his dry throat Sel’n waited until he heard the command to continue and then put all his effort into trying to move the shard blasted rock. When S’rei managed to clear the weight the brownrider stopped pushing, letting the rock fall back to the ground with a crunching noise. He was just glad that the bronzer wasn’t underneath it anymore.

Dark blue eyes seeking his companions form Sel’n winced and carefully made his way over to the other rider. Squatting down beside him he reached forward towards the other rider, but stopped himself just short of touching. Instead letting his hand push back slightly wet and bloodied locks. “I’ll be fine. Clocked in the head and bruised.” The unspoken much better off than you hung in the air unvoiced. Damn. From what he could make out in the darkness S’rei was really bad off and there wasn’t much that could be done at this point. Shock would settle in soon and Sel’n’s sluggish mind tried to work though what first aid procedure he had learned as a weyrling, and much more recently as part of the infirmary help staff. By force more than choice that position was but at least in might come in handy now.

Shrugging off his riding jacket he draped it over the bronzer’s form. It wouldn’t do that much to keep him warm but it was better than nothing. “Not sure what happened to the torch but I’m looking.” Swallowing against a lump in his throat the brownrider rose to his feet. The larger man obviously wasn’t going anywhere. So that meant he needed to find some light at the very least. All he could really do now was pray that the dragons came though because without medical treatment, and hopefully sooner rather than later, S’rei was in deep trouble. Doomed probably but that was hardly productive thinking now was it. “Just try and stay awake okay. I’ll be right here.” Because Sel’n wasn’t planning on getting lost in the dark. A small circle widening as he went out was his best bet. Now there had the damn thing gone? Not that he needed more light to tell him what he already knew.

The comment about not broadcasting was taken to heart. Instead Kaaoloth stove for altitude peppering his flight with slow rolls. Finally he also threw in the occasional ringing outcry. If he wasn’t seen then perhaps he could be heard, enough that someone would be curious enough to take a quick look perhaps. It was worth a shot at the very least. Either way the situation could hardly get any worse.

(Hi there lurkers ;D. Open from this point to a Burimyu pair who can post fairly quickly ^^ Helps!!!)

[Ember]

Out of Selenitas and her position as Weyrlingmaster yet Iskierka found herself still teaching weyrlings anyways. The bluerider wasn't exactly pleased about that fact, though at the very least she had grown accustomed to it. There were worse jobs out there. At least she didn't have to plan the new curriculum for the brats. Leave that to the Council and whoever they picked as Weyrlingmaster. In the meantime, Iskierka took out a weyrling with her on her sweeps for some hands on training. Fail the lesson and you could die. Iskierka thought it one of the best training methods.

This sweep it was Jazheera with her. A reasonable enough young woman, even if her dragon could give Ioth a bit of a metaphorical headache with his rhyming. It was an entirely uneventful sweep and while the younger bluepair was also entirely bored with it, Iskierka and Ioth knew to be grateful for that fact. Looking for trouble was never a good idea. In the case of Burimyu, they still couldn't really afford much trouble. Sadly their plan for a calm sweep was derailed when Ioth caught sight of dragons in the sky. Damn, Iskierka thought, friend or foe?

While her current mentor was cursing their luck, Jazz was blessing it. Look, look, something interesting! The small woman was throughly sick of being shut up in Burimyu with nothing much to do but bide her time. She didn't want to wait however long to give her brother a piece of her mind for him playing the hero and staying behind. For a bronze and...brown to unite...we'd best not fight, Dhavalth commented to Ioth. The older blue agreed. May you please hang back? I shall hail them. There is something odd here.

It could very well be a trap to lure them in, hence Ioth's caution, but at the same time they seemed familiar. Many of the Selenitas dragons left at the weyr would seem familiar but there weren't many - if any - Selentias bronzes left. To use a bronze in a trap seemed unlikely if they posed a risk of running away. What is your business in this area? No names given, no names asked for. It was up to them to prove they weren't a threat. Ioth circled carefully a good distance away.

[Requiem]

Salenth, fortunately, did not have to wait terribly long. He noted the approach of the blues almost immediately. The bronze's natural reaction was to wing closer to Kaaoloth since he couldn't make out the dragons well enough at this range to determine friend or foe. Blues were a danger without mindmates to aid with Betweening for the larger males. Not that S'rei had to be riding. He did have to be able to focus, however, for it to be more than minimally successful.

The mind that touched his was more than familiar. Salenth felt a small trickle of relief. Seems we're not as memorable as we'd like to think. Must be a lot of bronzes and three-legged browns flying about these days, he commented privately to Kaaoloth. Stay alert until the situation is clear. We don't know what's happened since you left. Or how likely Ioth was to act before questioning, though he seemed to just be playing it safe at the moment.

You are our business, Ioth. We've been looking for all the dragons that left, but the mountains are vast and it isn't safe to fly exposed. Ours have run into some difficulty, though, so we took the chance...A cave-in. Perhaps you can help? Salenth's words were calm enough, and even the colors shading his eyes for the most part, but slight shades of orange moved through them, too. Subtle.

"Mm." He'd heard Sel'n, and part of him knew that if he just put forth the effort to concentrate on the words they would fall into place. He really just didn't care enough to expend that sort of energy. Couldn't remember why it was even really necessary at this point. The man sat up without noticing the pain on his right side, noting the sound of something cracking from something of a mental distance. Odd. He brought his hand up in front of his face and moved fingers already swelling large. Or tried to. They weren't really moving much.

The jacket was hardly noticed. "That's a pain. Hard to write down notes like this. Been eating too much bread lately. Who knew it would all go to the fingers?" He tried to get them to move again.

[Rei]

Salenth was not the only one who had noticed the approach of the two blue dragons. His eyes a mixture of calm greens and soft yellows Kaaoloth adjusted his glide to bisect the path of his larger bronze companion. There was no way to tell yet if the dragons where friend or foe, but as they drew closer Ioth caught his attention first. After all they had once both taught weyrling classes at the same time. The large brown gave a soft snort to Salenth’s private words. Indeed. Can’t blame the blues for short memory spans I suppose. He remarked as he dipped under the bronze, talons flexing nearly imperceptibly. If it came down to a fight they where at a very distinct disadvantage being rider less and larger. However could they score a decent hit in the smaller dragons would be in trouble. They would have to play it carefully if it came down to a battle. Kaaoloth was rather hoping that it would not.

Even if they where from Selenitas, they had been comrades at some point. Not that that would count for anything in the long run. Not in times of war. Still…it was nice to think that perhaps there would be some small form of mercy. After Salenth spoke Kaaoloth replied although it was not Ioth’s mind he touched. Instead it was Dhavalth’s. Dhavalth it has been some time since I have last seen you. You have grown. Again Kaaoloth circled carefully around Salenth brushing the bronze’s mind only to inform him of his next location to prevent collision. Opening his mind to both blues he added. There is little time for proper explanation. I am sorry. Such can come later if you decide to aid us. But time is something that we currently have in small supply. There is little to waste. Slowly circling underneath Salenth the large brown waited for a decision from the two blues. Using the bronze as an extra set of eyes as he bespoke his, Kaaoloth rumbled. Selmine we have possible found assistance. Keep Salenth’s awake and quiet if you can.

Sel’n bit the inside of his cheek. What do you think I’m trying to do? Growling softly he resumed his search for the torch, cursing silently under his breath. Movement in the darkness to his left had him flinching but it was only S’rei. What was the bronzer doing? The sudden snap of something didn’t bode well and giving a sharp curse the brownrider started back in the other man’s direction his boot kicking something on the way. Something that rolled slightly away on impact. The torch? Crouching even as he listened to S’rei his fingers brushed against the wood. Yes it was. Damn. Other hand searching his pockets for the flint the carried he swallowed. The bronzer wasn’t making any sense. He was likely delirious. Whether from pain or blood loss it hardly mattered. It was a bad sign anyway.

S’rei would likely go into shock soon. Fuck. Kaaoloth. We’re going to need a actual healer and sooner rather than later. I hope your assistance pans out. There was little Sel’n could do on the healing front. Perform basic and battle field first aid only. Remembered some of the things he had learned while watching Kalierre perhaps, but that didn’t make him a healer. Still it would have to do for now, but light was what they needed first and foremost. Couldn’t help what you couldn’t see. The brownrider’s mind worked rapidly. A mental checklist. Didn’t have access to water beyond one skin that was still strapped around his shoulder. No clean bandaging, no type of pain killer… His fingers fumbled with the flint trying to strike enough of a spark to get the torch relit.

Finally it flared to life and Sel’n jammed the flint into his pocket making his way quickly back to S’rei and hissing sharply when the light fell on the bronzerider. Swallowing back rising bile, and perhaps a touch of fear, he jammed the torch handle in a crack between two rocks and crouched down next to S’rei a forced smile on his face. Hard to be reassuring when you weren’t sure you where speaking the truth. “S’rei. You need to stay still.” Taking his jacket that had slipped to the ground the brownrider laid it back over the larger man’s chest and gently pressed on the bronzer’s uninjured shoulder, trying to coax him back. “Lay down.”

His tone was calm but firm. Better to use less words and gentle commands when speaking to the injured. Asking for obedience would do neither of them any good. He had to command it. Damn what he wouldn’t give to have Kalierre here now.

[Ember]

Ioth relaxed some when the reply stirred vague memories of the bronze. A name came to mind and he quietly passed it on to Iskierka who nodded. Last she'd heard of S'rei he hadn't been at Selenitas at the time of the takeover. The brownriding companion must be Sel'n given Ioth's description of the brown. She didn't know any other three legged browns. Are we going to assist them? I think we have little choice. More dragonriders will be trouble to feed but we need them all the same. If one thing hadn't changed about Iskierka it was her selfish nature. People in need of help? Who cared. People in need of help who could be useful? Different story.

Besides, the younger bluepair was already closing in. Damn the youthful who charged in immediately after being told the situation. Kaaoloth, it is good to see you. I have indeed come into being a blue, the young blue replied proudly. He didn't see Kaaoloth as a threat at all and so, ignoring Ioth's request, moved past the older blue and towards the bronze and brown. Ioth, I insist that we assist, he said, broadcasting so that Salenth and Kaaoloth would not be excluded. Dhavalth saw not helping as the wrong thing to do. What kind of knight would refuse help to the metaphorical damsel in distress?

Time is, as you say, short. We shall help. It is a cave-in? Is the entrance Yours used block? The two blues and their riders worked with Salenth and Kaaoloth the find their way into the cave to locate S'rei and Sel'n. Jazz was somewhat excited, even though she and Iskierka had knowledge of the severity of S'rei's condition. Iskierka, on the other hand, was pretty grim. She had a somewhat grudging respect for S'rei and Sel'n had been the Weyrlingmaster when she'd been just and assistant.

When they found the pair Iskierka passed the torch to Jazz and unhooked a bag that held healing supplies. For someone like her who sacraficed her body during fights in order to take down the enemy knowing some basic first aid was vital. Having her own supplies, too, was kind of important. "I don't know enough to treat him but these should help until we can get him to a healer," she told Sel'n. Actually, it was more of a matter if than when they could get him to a healer. Iskierka was a little doubtful he'd survive.

((Sorry for jumping ahead a bit but I didn't think it was really necessary to play out them trying to get into the cave and such.))

[Requiem]

He accepted Kaaoloth's protectiveness for what it was. The bronze didn't find it necessary - or even right, really, when it came right down to it - but it wasn't like he was demanding that the brown run interference for him. Kaaoloth chose to do that on his own. So long as it wasn't going to hurt anything, Salenth would respect that choice and make no mention of it. Or argue with it.

It is not, but some of the route they took is. Salenth broke with Kaaoloth to allow Dhavalth into their grouping. He wanted to make it clear that there was nothing to be concerned about since Ioth was playing things so safe. Not that this was a bad thing, of course. Once they'd settled and the search was underway, however, he added to Ioth, Blossom Hold is eager to help. They gave Mine many supplies that should help. I can give the coordinates so they can be transported.

It helped to talk of business instead of worrying for his rider.

That first flare of fire had S'rei jumping slightly. His gray eyes went wide, and stayed that way. Entranced by the flames, apparently. A long arm stretched out toward it, fingers splayed. He hardly heard the man crouching near him. "It's pretty. Do they always dance like that for you? I heard that if a person could dance on the head of a pin, they might get whatever wish they wanted."

He submitted to the push, shrugging his uninjured shoulder to get the jacket to lie more completely around him. "She died with a smile, you know. I think that makes it okay. She never smiled those last months with me. And she tried to steal my daughter." There was a note of defensiveness in his voice. His fingers closed around Sel'n's wrist. Shivering, he half-curled up there.

By the time Iskierka and Jazheera showed up, he was semi-conscious.

[Rei]

Kaaoloth shifted uneasily as the small grouping of dragons landed, his head snaking about to watch as the rider left under their direction. Keeping predominantly beside Salenth the large brown kept silent only occasionally brushing against the mind of his or offering a direction to Dhavalth to pass on to his rider. In this fashion at least they where able to find the riders. The dragon, having already relayed everything to his rider so that he wouldn’t be caught unawares, still kept a careful gaze on the sky.

His eyes whirled in worried shades, the occasional thread of clam worming it’s way though the yellow. Worried for himself the brown was not. Instead he was worried about his and Salenth’s. No Kaaoloth did not normally like bronzes but his time in Selenitas had mellowed him towards the metallic males. Constant exposure to only Salenth also had him almost possessive of the larger male as odd as that sounded. The larger bronze was his leader and as such needed to be defended. Habits of war died hard.

Sel’n swallowed thickly as S’rei spoke and he gave a light if certainly strained smile. “They dance for anyone who has the knowledge to bring them about S’rei. Even you if you wish.” The brownrider felt completely out of his element and helpless and he hated it. As the bronzer continued he gave a serious nod and his gaze softened a little bit. Died with a smile. Tried to steal his daughter. Sel’n had been there when they had found Shmee. There was no doubt that that was what his injured companion was talking about. “Shhh S’rei.” But the bronze rider was already complying with his wishes curling but and the brownrider couldn’t help but be worried about how damn cold he was. Shock probably. Blood loss. They would just have to patch him up as best they could and make for wherever the others where with all haste. There was nothing more that they could do.

Silently Sel’n watched over S’rei until Iskierka and her companion got there. He greeted the woman with a stiff nod before reaching for her medical bag. “Between the two of us we’ll figure something out. I just hope we can buy him enough time. I spent months in the infirmary with Kalierre so with any luck he’ll pull though.” Luck and stubbornness. S’rei had the latter so all they could do was hope that luck was on his side as well. Jazheera was sent for materials to make a makeshift stretcher and between the three of them they where able to move the unconscious bronzer from the cave. Hopefully their destination wasn’t too far away. For S’rei’s sake.

(Figure we can end this here since there is really no need to play out the trip to Buri :3 Thankies Ember <333)