Shipwreck (Open)

[lokath]

((I'm writing this first part as more of an introduction))

It was supposed to have been a short trip, a simple trip. The route he had done ten, perhaps twenty times, from Southern to Lighttower and back. The skies were clear, the sun was shining, and the trip was to be fair. A due west wind assured that the small clutch of flit eggs carried in his hold, a gift from the Lord Holder of Southern to his Lighttower counterpart, would arrive long before their hatching was due. All of that changed when the sail was lost. During a particularly fierce gust of wind, the lookout stumbled and fell from the top of the main mast. The fall from such a height would likely have been fatal, had the man not managed to catch himself on the sail. Unfortunately for the man and the Quicksilver, some fool had not tied the knots true, and the added weight tore the rigging loose. It was pure luck that the man was not lost along with the mainsail.

Of course, now the ship was forced to continue it's course at what was a practical crawl. But the Quicksilver did not falter, and the crew was soon relieved to view the Lighttower on the horizon. The ship arrived not days before the clutch hatched. While in harbor, Lokath chose to repair the sail, waiting but a few days rather than making the return trip many sevendays longer. As it turns out, such was a foolish mstake, although one that could not be foreseen.

The delay in Lighttower, combined with the loss of the mainsail mid-trip, drove Lokath and his crew straight into the heart of a fierce storm. Battling with the winds and torrential rains, the crew nearly cleared the storm, but their lives would not be saved. The rain stopped for a moment, though the sky was still dark, and the crew took advantage of this time to fix the damage done to the ship. Looking to the south, Selenitas Weyr was just in sight on the horizon. The storm mush ahve driven the Quicksilver to the south, and Lokath internally debated anchoring by the Weyr, and waiting the storm out. But he chose to drive onwards, hoping the rain would not start again.

In fact, it did not, or at least it did not as far as he remembers. For it was soon after the decision to push on that a bolt of lightning stuck the newly-replaced sail, setting it and the mast alight. The bolt threw many of the crew overboard, and killed some others, including the first mate. In the resulting chaos, the ship burned to pieces, as the crew was nable to muster enough resources to stop it... the fire was even visible from the Weyr, far in the distance.

[lokath]

Lokath awoke, floating on his back in the water. The sky was clear, the sun was shining. It was quite peaceful. He must have dozed off while floating in the ocean off the coast of Southern. His mother was probably wondering what in the world he was doing... And he turned upwards, glancing about for the beach, a beach that was nowhere in sight. All he could see was ocean and sky. Suddenly he recalled what had happened. A storm, a great flash of light and... then nothing. Looking about again, he noted a floating timber, and swam over to the charred driftwood, once part of the Quicksilver's hull.

His head somewhat higher out of the water, he took another look about, trying to find some other survivors, but none were in sight, not even bodies floating. Perhaps the currents had dragged him off away from the ship, or it had sailed off not knowing he still lives... but it was far more likely the ship was scattered across the ocean in a litter of wood and canvas, and the bodies of his fellow sailors lay at the bottom of the deeps.

From within the depths of his memory, he remembered catching a glimpse of Selenitas Weyr in the distance to the south. If he could just swim far enough, the currents would bring him to shore... Orienting himself by the sun, he began kicking southward, a slow, efficient stroke, while he clung to the timber for support.

[Rowana]

G'tor reveled in the wind and the smell of the sea as Ruskeath winged through. Far below the ocean waves crashed against each other and churned with fish. Just after a storm was one of the former fisherman's favorite times to go flying. The fish were biting, and the air had a fresh, clean feel to it. G'tor sighed in contentment. Out here he could find peace. Away from the worries and turmoil back home. Away from cares and responsibilities. Freedom at last.

Look below, Ruskeath rumbled. He was already winging down as G'tor leaned to see what his brown had spotted. Scattered below were the remains of a ship. G'tor whistled in sympathy. "Poor souls." He shook his head sadly. There was hardly anything left. It was doubtful anyone had survived. Ruskeath circled the area a couple times, before he spotted the boy. He had drifted some ways away from the main wreck, but the dragon's sharp eyes had still spotted him.

Ruskeath drew closer, his shadow passing over the small form. He still lives, he observed. G'tor squinted at him, using Ruskeath's eyes to get a better look. "Not for much longer by the look of him. We'd better get him back quickly. Can you land without splashing him too much?" Of course! Ruskeath huffed indignantly. He was an expert swimmer. If anyone could do it, he could.

"Hey down there!" G'tor shouted to the boy. "Hang on just a bit longer! We're coming!" Ruskeath banked farther away, so he could dive without swamping the boy's tiny raft, if you could even call it that.

[lokath]

Lokath watched the horizon as he kicked, hoping to soon catch a glimpse of Selenitas. His hopes for survival, low in the first place, were beginning to dwindle, and he knew quite well that if he did not sight the Weyr in an hour, he likely never would. Yet he continued to kick, and he would until his body was drained of all it's energy. Even a little hope was enough for the lad to go on, and go on he did.

Until suddenly the sun was blocked out. Lokath suspected a cloud was the culprit, and did not look up, keeping his eyes focused on the horizon. But when the blockage was cleared but a second later, he glanced upwards to catch sight of a brown dragon flying above him! Though he heard the Rider's words, and was heartened by them, he had not the strength to call out in return, even though he had stopped his kicking and simply floated alongside his make-shift life preserver.

[Rowana]

Ruskeath flew a few hundred feet away before diving as gentle as he could into the water. Even so, giant ripples fanned out in all directions, included at the boy they were trying to rescue. No matter how hard he tried, Ruskeath's size always got the better of him. The brown dog paddled back until he was almost next to the boy. G'tor frowned, trying to assess the best way to get him on his dragon's back. It was pretty high up to pull him and he didn't want to injure him anymore than he might be already. It was hard to tell.

You may want to get off Ruskeath advised suddenly. G'tor looked puzzled. Why? I am going to come up under him the dragon explained. It would be easiest if you held him steady. G'tor grinned. Great idea! Then he jumped easily from Ruskeath's back into the water.

G'tor swam up to the boy, treading water next to him and waving. "Rusk is coming. Get ready." Even as he spoke the brown dragon squinted at them and disappeared under the water. Beneath them a dark shadow was looming closer. G'tor moved behind the boy to steady him in case he started to drift or fall under.

[lokath]

Lokath kept his eyes on the brown as it landed in the water, even as he bobbed up and down as the ripples passed by him. Even though he lost sight of the dragon once while in a valley, he continued to stare at the spot the dragon had been, trying to reassure himself that he was not, in fact, hallucinating from lack of food and water. The waves reassured him somewhat, be he truly did not believe what he was seeing until the brown was nearby.

As Ruskeath approached, Lokath's view slowly shifted from the dragon to the man riding it. As the brown approached, finally coming to a stop, Lokath spoke up, in a raspy voice that did not carry well, and was likely nearly inaudible to the man high above. "I can... hardly believe you are here." He paused for a moment, couighing as he nearly inhaled a wave of seawater. "You have no... idea how much of a... relief this is." He watched the man as he slid off and drew near. "I thought I was going to..." He trailed off, looking closely at G'tor as he began to speak. "Wait, Rusk? The... dragon?"

Lokath looked up at the dragon again, and was surprised, because the large brown beast had seemingly disappeared. He glanced around the horizon, hoping to catch sight of his rescuer's mount, but... Suddenly, as the water grew dark, Lokath gained an inkling of the dragon's location. As Lokath looked downwards, the dark and watery silhouette of a dragon began to draw nearer, and the youth muttered a few choice swear words learned from his time at sea as he braced himself for the impact.

[Rowana]

G'tor grinned widely at the boy's reaction. It was a relief that he was conscious enough to be aware of what was around him. Not to mention, it was funny to see the look on his face when he realized what was about to happen. Within moments, Ruskeath's dark shadow rose underneath them and G'tor could feel his ride under his feat. G'tor took a hold of the boy by his shoulders as the brown dragon surfaced, neatly placing them both onto his back.

Ruskeath purred with satisfaction as he twisted his head around to check on them. G'tor was busy fixing the straps to hold them both. "Hang on tight!" he advised and nodded to the dragon. Ruskeath Raised his wings and brought them down in a whoosh of water, drenching both of them. With several more wet flaps, they rose gradually into the air. G'tor whooped with delight and shook his hair free of droplets. "We'll have you back in no time, lad!" he declared brightly.

[lokath]

The dragon rose slowly, but not slowly enough to Lokath to get a good grip on it's water-logged hide. He would certainly had slid off had G'tor not had his hands steadying the boy's shoulders, and even with such aid Lokath nearly did in any case. Once he had been steadied, he was confronted with a new shock as the dragon wheeled it's head about to stare directly at him. Lokath was not unfazed. It could, in fact, be said that he was very fazed.

The youth continued to watch the dragon's head as it turned around, hardly taking notice of the straps tying him down, and completely ignoring G'tor's words. It took him by complete surprise as the dragon rose into the air, but luckily for him he was already holding on as tight as he could. Quickly realizing what was happening, Lokath looked down to see the water falling rapidly away...

[Rowana]

G'tor considered going between to Selenitas, but he wasn't sure what the severe cold would to to his passenger. He was already sufferering from exposure and adding hypothermia to that would not be healthy. Instead, he poked a small lump hiding in his shirt. Star was not at all happy with the days events. She did not approve of being dunked underwater without warning and she expected to to fed well to make up for it. Tervain, who had flow free of the water some time ago, returned to examine the boy curiously.

"Go to the infirmary and tell them I'm bringing a patient," G'tor was telling Star, pointing at the boy meaningfully. Star looked at him sulkily. Make Tervain go to the infirmary, she wanted to go to sleep, preferably in a blubbly pie. "Go," G'tor said firmly. "Ter will go with you and I'll reward you both later." Star obliged reluctantly. At least she would be away from water obsessed dragons and riders. The tiny salamandyr and her fire lizard friend winked between.

Now that that was settled, G'tor his attention to the boy. "We'll be at the weyr soon," he explained. "I'm G'tor by the way, and this," he patted the brown's back. "Is Ruskeath. Where are you from?"

[lokath]

Lokath kept his eyes on the horizon as G'tor gave directions to the lizards. He turned around to glance at the man when he spoke, though he kept an extremely firm grip on Ruskeath, nearly hugging himself to the dragon. "Uh, I'm... Lokath." He shivered slightly from the air rushing by. His clothes were still wet, and he had been floating in the freezing winter ocean for hours. "I... hail from Southern." He shivered again, turning forward to look at the horizon, catching a glimpse of Selenitas for the first time since his ship had been destroyed.

"I suppose... you're from there?" He turned back to look at G'tor for just a moment. He wanted to keep his eyes on the quite rapidly approaching Selenitas. "Thank you for... saving me." The boy still shivered, it was obvious he'd need quite a bit of time for recovery once he arrived...

[Rowana]

"Don't mention it." G'tor had never been one to ask for thanks. Especially when it was something any sane person would have done. He nudged Ruskeath to quicken the pace, but he didn't have to. The dragon could feel the boy's shivers and was already stretching his limit to get back as soon as possible. "We'll be there soon," G'tor told him. "Just a bit farther."

Star and Tervain appeared in the infirmary, both dripping wet and looking quite grumpy. The green fire lizard latched on to the first likely person she could see and shrieked demands into the hapless souls ear. Star glided to a corner to sulk, broad casting an annoyed imaged of her master and his charge and a definite feeling that she didn't care one way or the other.

Minutes later, Ruskeath landed outside the infirmary, dripping water on everyone and everything. He lowered himself as much as he could, so that G'tor could help lower their bedraggled passenger to the ground. "Hey! Could use some help here!" Hadn't he sent Star and Tervain ahead? Shouldn't they be waiting. He hoped his trouble making pets had gotten the message right and hadn't just gone to bed.