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Post by archenstone on Feb 1, 2010 11:35:54 GMT -5
V'rael had kept a tight link with Taith so when he heard the orders Taith immediately obliged. Taith liked Whers too. He liked everyone indiscriminately actually. Move away from the stands. Hurry! He broadcasted towards the Whers. Once you're out of the fire's path throw sand on it with your tails and claws. If your humans fight the fire with blankets, make sure they are wet. Mine says fire eats blankets too. He added to the request of blankets....V'rael had thought dry blankets would only help the fire...and heard some other orders being relayed across the dragons but wasn't sure if they were relayed to the Whers. Mavenath has good ideas. Some of you can break wood very well and move it away from fire fast. He sensed appoval from V'rael as well as the term fire break but was too concerned about what was going on to ask its meaning. If a space at least half a dragon length can be made it should be sufficiant to keep the fire from jumping.
Fires jump?! If there's wind. Taith...see if you can assist the Whers fight fire. Your energy would be good for them to see.
V'rael noticed others nearby organizing medical supplies away from the fire and went over to help. He hefted a bundle that someone made and followed others carrying what was hopefully a safe distance from the approaching flames.
Taith, careful not to stomp on anything living, made his way hastily towards where Whers and others were trying to block the fire on one side of the hatching sands. It seemed the fire ate voraciously and refused to be quenched. He clamped his nostrils shut momentarily, hating the smell of smoke. What to do? Tossing sand by tail looked like it couldn't be aimed well and clawfuls of sand wheren't big enough. What to do? He twisted around a couple times in agitation. Then he remembered seeing some small thing burrow into the dirt. He turned his back to the stands and hiked his tail up. It had to look comical, a brown with his tail and butt in the air. He took his front claws and began digging, throwing the sand past his back legs into the stands. It seemed to go fast...but as he continued his arms were so tired. Not willing to give up he began kicking it back with his back legs. The more powerful back legs got more done...and he could move his tail to the side instead of holding it up. If you're having trouble dumping sand copy me! He directed the Whers. He believed they would be rather good at this.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
X'vier will be posted after work most likely....which is about 11pm EST
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Kisha-Ra
Rider Mo?rya Rider Darya Rider K?fuzzi Rider J?on Handler Vivano Handler Yoalla
Happier'n a pig in mud ABOUT WHERBABIES!
Posts: 1,109
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Post by Kisha-Ra on Feb 1, 2010 17:27:53 GMT -5
Yoalla tired to keep her imminent fear of being eaten or just stepped on out of her face and reminded herself that someone had to speak up for those people who didn’t have shiny dragons to order people around for them. An inner voice said she was being unfair, it was Jingth who was rude and dragons could think for themselves, but it was drowned out by the part of her that was being angry that everyone was so willing to dismiss the skills of ordinary people. Not that Yoalla’s particular set of skills was useful here but some else might have reasonable first aid skills to put to use or something.
Between the twin howling of rage and fear in her mind Yoalla barely noticed those people who spoke around her, or even directly to her. As if to draw a little comfort sh slipped a hand into her shirt pocket to touch The Devil, which, as ever, turned out to be a very bad idea. ‘Yoalla clenched her teeth together to kep from bellowing in pain as she withdrew her bleeding fingers.
WAY! Way baby Waywayayyy! The woken green salamandyr shot out of Yoalla’s pocket and glared around balefully, clearly furious with everything. What?what? A bigwingsshiny? Not her shiny! The Devil hissed spitefully at Jingth, partly because Yoalla didn’t like the dragon and partly because The Devil hated all dragons impartially and was prone to hissing at everything that wasn’t another salamandyr. The Devil way. Devil food. EAT BABY! The hostile little green threatened, raising frill and wings sharply before vanishing back into the pocket she came out of. Yoalla sighed heavily, why couldn’t Lao come with her instead? He didn’t bite, and he could fetch things with the green firelizard. Yosk might be able to get something substantial, the handler thought and looked down at… the total lack of a wher.
Yosk stopped and lifted her muzzle to look back over her shoulder even though she could make very little out behind her blindfold. Pidesk, a friend. She sent a regretful thought his way. There was no time to play today, Eikask wanted Yosk to guard the entrance with her clutchmates. Real work even though Yosk was small and ugly and not important. Pidesk should see what work Eikask wanted him to do, she was a pretty wher.
Now what? Oh Yoalla. Yosk sent much the same ideas on again and cringed as the fury fed back down the link. But Jingth said to move, and Eikask said to guard, and they must be right, mustn’t they? The others were getting ahead of her and she couldn’t see properly, wouldn’t Yoalla hurry up?
Yoalla let out a hissing breath that actually sounded a bit like The Devil’s defiant spitting and turned away. Stupid sharding golds! She was glad she had a green if a shiny hide gave a beast and bonded the right to throw unsutaible people into danger. That bronzerider was just as bad! Someone should tell him blind whers weren’t the best fighters but she was too far away to shout at him, and besides she had to get to Yosk. The greenhandler hauled herself up into the stands and bolted toward the entrance in an effort to intercept her wher. Only to find that suddenly the world was wrethed in bright flame and dark smoke. So beautiful…
For ever afterward Yoalla would swear that thought was Yosk’s influence on her but for long moments she watched the flames, until The Devil shot out of her pocket, climbed her body and bit her ear. EAT BABY! EAT DEVIL! EATEATBADEAT! The salamandyr howled frilling madly at the flames in between frenzied attacks on her humanpet’s ear. Stupid! Listen to The Devil, everyone should! Yoalla Swatted at her salamandyr and took another step forward. ‘Yosk! Yo-‘ the handler only managed to get her wher’s name out once before something grabbed her by the back of the shirt and dragged her bodily away from the stands. She struggled and fought until a mental touch told her it was Yosk and could she please face the right way?
The green wher snarled and clawed at the cloth over her eyes as she felt the edge catch in the flame. It fell behind her as Yosk raced down through the stands. For once in her life The Devil was useful, for though her eyes were tightly shut against the light and her nose near useless in the smoke she could still hear the salamandyr. With a lunge Yosk caught at the back of Yoalla’s shirt and yanked her away. Time to go!
Down on the sands, wher and handler slowed to a lope, letting other people take control of the blazing stands as Yoalla peered around, looking for other wherhandlers. Who else had they sent up there?
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Fire! The stands are burning.[/color]
Darya cursed quite fluently, she was now stuck in the middle of a potential mob, with a spreading fire and bad air. At least Azrath had kept his announcement private, although that wouldn’t last long, so she took advantage of the slight warning to plunge back through the crowd, faster than she’d been moving before, before the panic really hit.
Pretty soon the whole place erupted in the inevitable noise. With humans and dragons trying to get various efforts to slow or starve the flames underway, or just panicking needlessly. Darya vented her feelings on a few weyrfolk who were clinging together and babbling by pulling them apart, shaking the loudest until she was quiet and then directing them all to go and see what they could do with the infirmary corner thing, probably unfair to heap them on Meria and all hat, but that was what queenriders were for. Besides those women could probably manage a bandage between them.
Azrath, can’t see what’s going on. May have to knife the next whiner.
You wouldn’t do that, who’d clean up the mess?[/color] Azrath provided visuals to go with the comment from the vantage of his perch. Darya frowned, what efforts were going on, what would work? What were her weyrlings up to? Yes Darya had caught the young bronze’s orders, and they were senible enough so she didn’t have Azrath correct him or scold him. Dragons were supposed to be short sighted when it came to the future but they were certainly doing better than the majority of humans in this situation.
Get down from there. Help Maeventh’s group if you can. Get the stuff they’re wrecking further away, at least half you own body length away. Darya was never sure if Azrath knew how long a foot was but he knew how long he was. What was she going to do? Get there, yell a bit, thump a few panicking people into action. And possibly kiss the dragon the was trying to get the noise down a bit. Tell them not to breathe the smoke. she added to Azrath, recalling something about smoke being as bad as fire.
The dark blue looped around the sands and picked a place to drop, naturally in the middle of the firebreak efforts, because there were less humans there to avoid landing on, and drop he did, no neat backwinging, no style, no grace. A simple seven foot drop into the nearest space that would hold him.
If you have nothing useful to do please move yourselves out of this area. Azrath spoke to everyone impartially, the edge of Darya’s irritation making him curt with everyone. Darya asks that we follow Mavenath’s plan until other orders come. The fire will go out if we starve it but the pieces must be moved a long way off so it can’t jump for them. She adds that we shouldn’t breath smoke if we can avoid it. Azrath continued, adding his support to the young bronze dragon’s plans before he piled in, dragging ready destroyed benches further off and leaving a trail of destruction as he went taking pleasure in the amount of wood he could smash with blows of his tail and forelegs while his jaws were occupied with dragging bits of wood.
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As her wingmates did Rinagth emerged at Kierjaarth’s coordinates long enough for J’on to pick another place to go. She vanished again to emerge behind a straggling blue, snapping at his tail and slashing at him with her claws before she disappeared between again. For wild, free moments the green darted from location to location across the sky in a whiling, dancing blur of tooth, talon, and flame that sometimes connected and sometimes didn’t. Ringath wasn’t counting. She was enjoying herself.
At last, at last the fool of a bronze gave her orders she approved of! Rinagth put subtle pressure on J’on to hurry up and pick a place for them to, under the bellies of their foes would be nice, she could toast their undersides if idiot wanted them driven skyward for an attack.
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Post by glamourie on Feb 1, 2010 20:40:44 GMT -5
My name is Ysaloth, bronze Morreliath, and I am wingsecond of Fort’s Theta wing. Ysaloth thought it very polite to introduce himself in such a manner – far more polite than the bronze was being to him, not that he was unused to bronzes being disrespectful to him. As a rule, they assumed themselves superior to browns. It was really ridiculous, but he did not believe in lowering himself to the behavior of others. He was superior to that. As for how he knew that their numbers were revealed…? He didn’t. It was close enough that he was betting Morreliath was bluffing. For that reason, Ysaloth did not rise to the bait. He was not an easy dragon to antagonize. He also was not a creature that was prone to flights of fancy or guilt. The images of the burning sands did nothing to persuade him to back off and he was sure none of his riders would really care either. They had orders. Orders trumped personal feelings and biases. You are incorrect. You do indeed have one that we want. I saw Kaaoloth arrive with the dragons of Selenitas above. We have orders to bring He and His back to our Weyr alive. If what else you say is true, you have no reason to huddle inside in fear. Let us peruse your charges and should we find your words satisfactory, none will be harmed. Unless you are lying, you have little to fear from us.
He saw no reason to sit and argue pointlessly, though. Surely Morreliath would see the futility of his actions by keeping his charges inside the hatching grounds. He could already smell the flames from within and it was only a matter of time before they all realized that being captive inside was a good way to kill them all. Smoke poisoning was dangerous enough that, unless they were fools, they would quickly begin to vacate. And from there, there was nowhere to go but the path that he and His had burnt for them. Flames consumed the ground in a direct pathway to a clearing – a clearing that he and His could very easily control. They were in control, even if Selenitas was too foolish to understand that. All was going (mostly) as he’d expected. The brown watched Morreliath briefly before sweeping over to land at the very end of the flaming pathway that his riders had cut – in front of Morreliath but well out of reach of flames, if he decided to attack. Such would not be a very smart move.
Words reached Ysaloth and he cocked his head to the side. A little green was talking to him. Amusement and a hint of pity reached his eyes. Just a hint. Not enough to make him back off. Remorse was not an unfamiliar emotion, but he was a trained soldier. He wasn’t new to doing unpleasant things, and he would not apologize just because a baby green was asking.
Come outside, little one. The smoke is dangerous to breathe and will hurt You and Yours. We are talking to Morreliath. You may tell everyone inside what I have told him: We seek only those from High Reaches Weyr and Kaaoloth’s. If there are none of them among you, then you have nothing to fear from us. Please deliver the message, from Ysaloth of Fort Weyr’s Theta Wing, little green. I would be much obliged. The words were projected very carefully to the green that had spoken to him and her alone. He didn’t want the Selenitas dragons to know what he was doing. If being reasonable to Morreliath was getting him nowhere… he would try with those inside. And if it villainized their precious leader, the chaos that followed would be easier for he and His to manage. Either way, they would get what they came for. Of that, Ysaloth had no doubt.
Two of the blues from the Fort wing swept up to perch on the stone roof of the hatching sands, above and behind where Morreliath was. The third blue narrowly missed being snapped at by Rinagth, twisting out of the green’s way to fly circuits below. She remained in his gaze, but he didn’t attack. Yet, anyway. Two of the three greens swept around the perimeter, watching for any new arrivals, while the second brown flamed the ground – reinforcing the burning outside, and keeping the ‘path’ that they’d established prominent and impossible to escape without running the risk of burns. True, people could leap over them, but that would be difficult and still there was a chance of being set on fire. Carefully calculated, the entire ploy was… they were merely waiting for Selenitas to step out into it.
Dreamyth, on the other hand, flew twirls above Ysaloth. The pale green tilted her head up toward the clouds before bespeaking Kaaoloth privately – much the same way that Ysaloth had Eveyth. You could end all of this, she said sweetly; her voice was musical with its lack of emotion. You are what we are here for, Kaaoloth. You and Yours. You could make this all so much easier… save all the little babies inside… by handing yourself over to us. You could give yourselves up… if what bigmouth says is true, and there are no High Reaches people present, we would harm none further. Surely you can see the futility of it all? That you are soon to die otherwise…? How many must die for you, Kaaoloth? How many indeed?
To the casual viewer, it was obvious that the Fort wing was still defensive: all of them were perched, ready to strike back if they were attacked. The dragons flying around made that obvious, and the two perched were in the perfect position to launch another attack on the interior of the hatching grounds… just in case. Just in case. And if another Selenitas green attacked them again, that would be it – they would end it all. Ysaloth fixed Morreliath with a steady, calm stare. They were ready.
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Ember
Administrator
T'san Iskierka Dy'shi Jazheera Ae'on Nephele Qaena K'dem Eikane
FLAME GURU OF THE UNDERWORLD
Posts: 1,832
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Post by Ember on Feb 1, 2010 20:43:59 GMT -5
Charming was nothing short of amused by Bonnie’s flirting. He trilled back pleasantly but he posed magnificently. She had very good taste! Still, now wasn’t entirely the right time but he’d be more than willing to flirt back later. As he received an image from Erilena’s mind - and wasn’t that just a little weird? Not that he minded, since he liked the girl - and leapt off her shoulder. He chirped playfully at the green. First one back wins! He promptly disappeared to the infirmary in search of what he needed.
Nephele edged away from the flames even though she wasn’t all that close. As long as people put it out soon they would hopefully avoid any serious problems. Panic had always been a threat but now it was even more likely that everything would break into chaos. She couldn’t really blame the bronze rider guarding them either. No, the person who had suggested they go to the hatching grounds had been the Weyrleader. Ultimately they had him to blame for sending them to a place where they could easily be trapped. Trapped…oh shards! Nephele glanced at the smoke from the fire and an edge of panic entered her heart too. They could hardly go outside with the Fort dragons ready to flame them but if they didn’t the smoke would effectively suffocate them. At shouts of keeping heads down and covering the airways she got Nuoth to lower her head and pulled up her shirt. Just great.
Her concern grew as she felt Charming’s sudden confusion and worry when he returned with the numbweed. He squawked when he saw the flames dancing behind him and he fluttered over to where Erilena now was. Chaos! Not the good kind either. He flew in front of the girl with the jar of numbweed, fluting softly in encouragement. He’d brought the thing she needed. Now was not a time to lose her head, right?
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Eikane grinned at Piden’s sarcasm. He figured the other handler felt much the way he did about the situation. The grin quickly faded as he heard angry screaming. It was indecipherable but he thought he recognized it. The flaming boot confirmed it. Eikask growled blindly at the entrance, borrowing Hers’ eyes to see what was wrong. The gold was not pleased with what she saw. They had lit a fire in her weyr. They were hurting her whers! The one who had put them in the line of fire (quite literally) was that no good bronze rider who dared to order Hers around. She’d listened because of the situation but no more. There he went again! Ordering the whers again.
Eikane shook his head in bewilderment. He was getting a bit annoyed with S’kor. Just as they’d gotten at least some of the whers organized he was giving them a different task. Sure it was important but even his patience was tested since it was putting friends in danger. A good chunk of what he felt was Eikask’s anger. She was getting to be decidedly rebellious about the whole situation. The only reason she hadn’t run off to where the injured whers were was because she couldn’t see, though Ariya quickly had a solution to that. “Eikask. Shhh, shh. Now’s not the time…” he trailed off as the bronze handler from his class came up to him, her wher following behind seemingly without guidance. “Brilliant idea Ariya,” he said, taking the new blindfold.
Eikask allowed Hers to put on the new blindfold though she grumbled at his tone with Ariya. He was Hers, not that other female’s. She opened her eyes carefully under the new material and grudgingly admitted Ariysk’s had done well. Now that she wasn’t relying solely on Hers she stumbled through the crowd heedless of orders. “Eikask!?” Eikane called desperately, trailing after her belatedly. “C’mon girl…” The Harper was forced to stop trying to persuade her to be obedient when he saw the extent of Dmitri and Dmisk’s injuries. Okay, so she kind of had a point. She turned her head towards him as if to say ‘See what happens when you don’t listen to me.’
Eikask approached Dmisk slowly with a croon. Let the people help. No one in the cavern will deliberately hurt him, she assured him. Protective of this pair she was. She’d finally decided to claim them so they weren’t allowed to die yet so the blue needed to let the big man help the Loud One. Eikane felt the weight of guilt settle on his shoulders as he watched. He’d sent Dmitri there. It was his fault for letting the boy get hurt when he was supposed to protect him. He slipped away from the blue pair seeing nothing he could do unless Dmisk calmed down enough to let R‘ven help. Besides, he’d sent others into danger as well and he needed to find out where they were. He left putting out the fire for Piden to organize, seeing as he couldn’t get his wher to cooperate at the moment anyways. He searched through the mildly panicking crowd until he found Nautic kneeling on the ground with Nautsk nearby. As Eikane approached he could see the red in the blonde’s hair and he winced. His fault.
“Nautic?” He said aloud, to make sure he didn't startle the greenhandler or his wher. He marked the injury on Nautsk too and he continued to wither silently. She was a sweet wher from what he'd seen. "Mind a helping hand with your handler there, Nautsk?" He waited a moment to make sure she had no objections before crouching next to Nautic and muttering, "Hold on." He slipped one arm behind the other handler's back and another at the knees. Eikane didn't always look all that strong but he'd spent the better part of two turns travelling and so he wasn't a weakling, not to mention the fact that he was tall. So when he stood up from his crouch he merely grunted with the effort and bore with the weight. The sooner he got to the healers the better it would be for the both of them.
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Dy’shi tripped slightly as he moved away from the stands but Chakraith helped him regain balance. The dark blue kept her head low as she listened to an order from an older dragon. Put out the flames with sand. As Hers slipped the knife Eliah had given him into his boot (it was to dangerous to keep out) she nudged him gently and said I must put out the flames. Stay with your friend and stay safe. The boy didn’t want to leave his dragon but she was insistent on him not putting himself in danger. She turned back to the fire and approached it again. She helped throw sand on it as Dy’shi watched from a distance.
“Huh? Oh thanks.” He took the offered headband distractedly. He was far too worried about Chakraith being so close to fire. It was supposed to be a mutual bond yet she did all the protecting for the both of them. “Do you think we’ll stay in here, Eliah? Outside’s not exactly safe but there’s a wing outside that could guard us until we can get somewhere safer.”
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Rei
Administrator
Rider Cr'oph Rider Er'ani Rider Elysia Rider/Healer Erilena Wherhandler Sydney Holdbrat Emitre Holdbrat Dileina Weyrbrat Elias Weyrbrat Terilyn
Woooo~ I am a fox!
Posts: 3,021
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Post by Rei on Feb 1, 2010 21:50:43 GMT -5
Mavenath crooned appreciatively as dragon’s did as he asked. At least some could see the wisdom in his words. All was not lost. Redoubling his efforts the little bronze shoved and worked with all the muscle he had. Must protect those who would one day belong to him. The smoke was problematic. He knew that but…if they went outside. Fort would kill them. It made no sense for them to just let them go. They would become an example of what happened when Fort was not obeyed. That was what his knew and understood. They couldn’t leave the grounds. They shouldn’t.
Cr’oph wanted to help his bronze. However he knew such wasn’t wise. He would only get in the way. So sending a quick pulse of love and pride along the link he returned his attention to what he could do. Organizing those panicking.
~~~
Erilena grabbed the jar from Charming with a small smile she offered her arm for the brown. Good they could use this. Quickly she made her way to the queen’s couch. Once there she laid the numbweed and her bag down and knelt in front of her green. “Fey please tell them to move the wounded to the queens couch as quickly and carefully as possible. The healers are located here. Do you understand? The little four winged dragon nodded and raised her head touching all the minds she could in the grounds. Please move the injured to the queen’s couch. The healers are set up there. Move them as carefully as possible.
Pleased with her dragon Erilena stoked along the green’s neck. They would have to hurriedly patch them up before anyone could be moved anyway, providing they in fact had to evacuate. There was nothing she could do about the Fortians outside but she could still help in her own way. She may only be an apprentice right now but she knew the basics of dragonhealing. It would have to do for now. If she could help the whers even a little she would. Feyrianth moved behind her bonded and did her best to remain calm. Hers would need her to help with the whers. She needed to be calm.
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Kaaoloth started in surprise as he was addressed directly. Without needing to be told he looped his into the conversation. The guilt felt by both was staggering. They where to blame for this in part? The pain this caused Kaaoloth and Sel'n was sharp and staggering. They didn't understand it. Taking a deep breath to steady himself Sel’n gripped his straps tighter and watched the scene play out before him. They had to do something….but what? If they gave themselves over…what proof did they have that Fort simply wouldn’t kill them all anyway to send some type of message to any that might think to rebel. Argh! This was just too sharding difficult.
Kaaoloth’s mind was taking another track. The weyrlings…he was responsible for them. They where his. All of them. His priority. His students. He loved them all. The thought of being the one to cause them harm was too much for him to bare. The thought of being responsible for their deaths has he had been for Olanreth’s and his... Well it nearly had him obeying the other dragon immediately. The only thing holding him in pace was the firm grip his had on his mind.
Kaaoloth…forgive me. Tell them what I tell you word for word. We will see what the reaction is and go from there. Rumbling in acknowledgement he reached out to the green who had bespoken him.
Let your wingleader know this. I will end all of this now if I can. I do not know where the High Reaches dragons are hidden. However they are definitely not among those gathered here. The people would not permit it. Not after the attempt on our queens egg. He faltered for a moment. I propose a compromise. Mine and I will comply with your demands…but if we do this your wing must leave with me. If you can assure me that this will be done. We will comply completely with whatever you will have us do. Raising his head Sel’n stoked the neck of his dragon. We do not wish for our home to be destroyed because of us. I am sure our Weyrleader would be happy to hand over those from High Reaches. It was the truth. Kaaoloth was surely not happy with harboring those from High Reaches. If he and those from that weyr where all that was truly desired…well then Kaaoloth was more than happy to make the trade. As was his. There where not many who would miss their presence anyway.
To all his weyrlings, Junior and Senior, and Azrath there was time for a last message. Obey Morreliath. Please. I know he may not speak total sense but you have to trust him. Do not exit the grounds. Not yet. If you do so there will be no protection. He flashed an image of the flame walls to the dragons. You will be bottled up with no escape. Completely at Fort’s mercy. Do not trust them. We will end it now if we can. I am sorry.
Dipping his wings Kaaoloth and Sel’n left what safety the mist and smoke had given them, throwing themselves into full sight. Craning his neck the brown hovered in place and bugled to draw attention. Here they where. Sel’n kept a coordinate in his mind just in case. This was a risky game they where playing, but there was no way they could do nothing.
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Post by tarra on Feb 2, 2010 1:39:57 GMT -5
Frustration mounted. It made the bronze want to roar, to rumble and snarl and tear someone to shreds, beginning with the Fortian wing and that insolent little brown, then ending with those fools of his own Weyr who did not seem to have the sense to take care of themselves. Ask them to guard the entrances, ask them to take care of things for a bit whilst he tried to fend off the main onslaught up front, and what did they do? Complain, whine, get themselves into stupid tight spots a child might have avoided - and then come crying to him and His as if it were all their fault. The whers were the worst of all; a specis designed for survival, usually aggressive to a fault, and now acting like babies needing care. He would have believed more of them than this - it may have been daylight, but there was a nice fog present and they were weren't even in an open place, for Faranth's sake. Having never thought much of whers, what respect the big bronze might have had for them was fast disappearing. And the weyrlings, despite their numbers and their attempts at organisation, were not even fast or quick enough to put out a fire that had been small enough at first, but was now too large to contain. He had made himself a fool in front of everyone to try and save them; and now the idiots would blame him? What undeserving fools, indeed. S'kor, desparate to try and stop the panic now spreading through the Hatching Grounds, felt Morreliath tap his mind and paused, What think you, Mine? The Grounds are filling with smoke, and the Fortians will have them at their mercy if they exit. Should have had Kierjaath or Mirazeth at that other entrance, even if they died guarding it; but now we must decide. Fort, or smoke and die, or give Kaaoloth to them? Give Kaaoloth would be the ideal, of course, S'kor's reply was grim. He hated having to do this: give a comrade over to an enemy in such exchange. He hated even more the thought that everyone might otherwise die, though, However that...should be our last resport. Only if we cannot save everyone otherwise. If only Salenth hadn't chosen this place - I agree it's defensible, but a dead end too. Not for our dragons. Ah, yes, you're right. The weyrlings could make the exit. And Kaaoloth... He is giving himself up, Morreliath's tone echoed the brown's defeat, I hear him outside. What signal does this send - that Fort can come and take what they wish, with impunity? I will not permit it if I can. Let's do this then - the Feeding Grounds, the empty weyrs, or the coast. Aye, taking every weyrling dragon's mind in hold, the big bronze spoke, using clear-cut images and visions to show what he meant Weyrlings, I would that you had been faster to clear the flames, but we cannot stay here. Senior weyrlings - gather what Weyrfolk and whers you may, swiftly, and move them between to the coast. Once you get there, tell them don't wait! Flee into the surrounding forests or into the dunes! Bronzes may take 3 or 4 people at a time, brown 2 or 3, blues and greens no more than 2. Azrath, Jingth and Mavenath, help organise them
Juniors, do not attempt to between on your own - gather yourselves and spread your wings, fan at those flames to chase them away from the unburnt benches. Fan gently, or you will dive up the smoke. Your seniors will come back to help you. He took a second longer to send the Senior weyrlings a clear-cut image of the Coast, taking care to give them coordinates well above the ground so they wouldn't end up inside the sand on arrival. Given that all attention was focused on the weyr, there was a good chance they would avoid the Fortians by making straight to the coast. The whers he would have ignored, until S'kor prompted him with a thought. Whers, you are fighters and surviviors - behave it! Help the weyrlings to evacuate the Grounds - take people between to empty rider weyrs. Move quickly and use your own senses to tell you how much you can carry safely! he followed up with the coordinates of not one or two, but four empty weyrs along the canyon walls. Two were meant for bronzes, one was for a family of brown and blue riders and the last was a big space meant for a family of gold and bronze riders together. Tapping on what he knew of whers, this should not be a problem: they were often used in mines, were capable of betweening even in such confined spaces. He only hoped they would have the sense to spread themselves out amongst the four weyrs, and stay hidden once there. S'kor moved in to help organise the evacuation, calling for arrangments (OOC> People, pls feel free to RP him calling you to stuff, basically he's just getting Weyrfolk and wounded onto dragons and sending them off). The sight of Dmisk and his handler tore at him, in particular, and he slipped to Eikane's side. Truth be told, this whole scene broke his heart, no matter how he hid it beneath the mask of the bronzerider and the hard words of his dragon, and he hoped fervantly they would end it with no lost lives. He slipped up to them, hissing at the sight of Nautsk as well, and seized a moment to address Eikane and those around him.
"Anything I can do? If you need more bandages I think the healer's corner has - we can send someone to get it."
The trapped folk settled, Morreliath turned his attention back to the wing, and his first words were to Kierjaath. Would you prefer our dragons all dive on them, as had been done earlier, to have them between at once? he asked coolly, You know as well as I do that the Selenitas dragons have no chance against Fort's coordination; our place now is to delay them - the senior weyrlings are evacuating the Grounds. The land here is so burnt those fires will not last - if we had but held a while longer, there would be nothing left for them to burn and their herding tactic would fail. To Behruth he had only a cold reply, not even bothering to reveal the brown for the sulking coward he was, For a dragon who's not even getting involved, you have a big mouth. When you are done hiding, you may wish to come and help evacuate the Grounds to the coast. Or at least, help guard the area they are evacuating to. To his own wing, the bronze gave a private word, Kaaoloth offers himself, and the people are being evacuated to the coast. Let the Fortians think they are still inside. Rinagth, jump to the coast and help protect the evacuees, go in secret. The rest of us - I know one life is little to pay for many, but will you be willing to see them take Kaaoloth right under our noses? Will Fort think they can get away with anything with us? What if they come and ask for our golds next? Kierjaath, Inocenth, flank Kaaoloth, do not let them spirit him away. The rest, circle close but do not engage unless they harm any of us. Now, back to Ysoleth, to whom he had been presenting a thoughtful front, tail twitching agitation, as if he had been considering the other's words. And all the while the fires would be burning - burning down. He sprouted a hiss of smoke, his mind reaching calm as ever to the brown, Morreliath, Wingsecond of Cyclone. You see Kaaoloth there, do you not? I, too, know where the defectors are - I led them there myself. If you want them, I will take you to find them. However, if you wish to see the rest of the folk in the Grounds you will have to do better than raising fire all around and destroying our lands. Send two of yours down, to stand before me and the wing. I need a guarantee you will not harm the others when you have Kaaoloth - and me as guide, Morreliath, however, did not know of Ysoleth's private conversation with Eveyth. Sould the small green give them away, all might still be lost...
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Tashe
Shiny Hoarder
Weyrwoman Kaegan Dragonhealer E'rro Rider K'thay Woodcrafter E'iah Healer Raylanne Healer Ithanna Harper Zemaren [color=0BDA5
"When the Butterfly emurges, does the caterpillar no longer exist?"
Posts: 1,401
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Post by Tashe on Feb 2, 2010 1:57:38 GMT -5
Nautsk whined as she nosed her partner, he didn't feel right and he was hurting. She could feel his pain as if she had hit her own head, and the little Mandyr on her back wasn't doing anything for it. Snapping at Absinthe with a warning, the Wher stared at the two creatures until they shut up, she convinced them that by screeching they weren't helping one bit. Returning her attentions onto Nautic, the Green limped a little as she shifted her position around her Human. She kept trying to prompt him mentally to get up, he needed a healer. But he wouldn't move, and the one time he did was to sit back on his butt. Sniffing his head, Nautsk whined again as she smelled the blood. Why wasn't he getting up? Flicking her head up as someone approached, the Wher inhaled trying to pick up the person's scent through the smoke in the air. Tilting her head to the side as the human spoke, Nautsk hesitated before slowly moving aside. The scent on the man was of her clutchsister, and her Nauticlove had nice memories of the human, surely he could be trusted with Hers.
At this point, he wasn't thinking about anything or anyone but himself. Nautic had momentarily forgotten about his Bluehandler friend, too stunned to really remember. He didn't want to open his eyes and sitting seemed like a fine idea. A nice, safe idea that wouldn't cause him to become dizzy and very possibly throw up. Low to the ground as he was, the smoke didn't bother him much, but the smell made his nose twitch. Fire? There was fire? Oh... yes. The stands were on fire. Right. He knew that. But the nervousness he should have been feeling didn't register. Looking to the side as someone spoke to him, Nautic squirmed when he was picked up. "Noo... I'm... I'm good." The wiggling didn't last long though, because of two reasons. One, because it just made his head hurt even more and two, because he recognized who it was. Mumbling something, the Greenhandler let his cheek rest against Eikane's chest. In his arms, Nautic felt safer. "... warm..."
Nautsk stepped carefully behind the other Handler, using both Tizzy and Absinthe as guides since her Nauticlove couldn't help her see. At least her lovely felt a little less confused now that the tallone had come.
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"Hmm?" He paused mid-stride to look back at his friend. "Oh. Well... it depends. If they can put the fire out, then we'll most likely stay in here." Putting a hand to his mouth as he started coughing, Eliah blinked the tears from his eyes. He had never been good with irritants in the air. When his coughing receded, the Candidate continued. "But... if they can't, well there isn't much choice. Even with a wing of our own Dragons out there, there's also a Wing of Fort Dragons. They'd probably be too busy wi-" He started coughing again, pausing only long enough to recover from the attack. "...with repulsing the Fortians. Not to say, they wouldn't try and defend us. But look. There are so many of us." Pulling the makeshift mask onto his face, he made sure it fit snuggly over his mouth and nose. The smoke was really annoying him.
"But don't worry Dy. I think that either way, we'll be able to pull through." Giving the Weyrling a thumbs up, since a smile would be unreadable through the unrolled headband, Eliah glanced down at Rishin. Her ears were back and her head was down, but she didn't seem like she was going to run off in fear. Which was good, because he really didn't think he could run anywhere at the moment. "Chakraith will be okay." He gently clapped a hand onto the Weyrling's shoulder. "She's smart and best of all calm. If anyone could survive its her, cause she can keep her head." True or not, its what he felt like saying. "Come on, we need to get farther away." Pausing again, he listened to a particular voice shouting about something. "Hey, did you catch what that Rider is saying?"
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*Kaegan is helping move people, and Azzie has disappeared to grab some supplies.
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Requiem
Weyrleader S'rei WM M?ta Rider A'nd Harper/Handler Dmitri Weyrbrat Miguel
Posts: 2,861
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Post by Requiem on Feb 2, 2010 3:28:35 GMT -5
Oh! Wait, wait, wait! He stumbled after R'ven, ducking his head behind the bend of his arm to try to keep some of the superheated air from his lungs as the brownweyrling tugged at him. Flailing slightly, he could feel Eveyth's attention elsewhere, the green following along behind but not really with them mentally. She was talking to the nasty brown outside. Eveyth. Eveyth, you can't believe what he says. It seems to be the truth, she responded, an agitated anger coloring her mindvoice. They knew we were here all along, Mine. You were right. I'm sorry...I just...how could dragons do this? He wanted to snug his Eveyth, but R'ven still had a hold of his wrist.
He says he only wants the ones from High Whatchamacallit and Kaaoloth, brothers...that we have nothing to fear if they're not in here with us, Eveyth confided privately to Mavenath and Trilaranth, who would know what to do. Her own little mind had a few ideas, though, especially as Morreliath's orders came and she moved with Hers to help near the gold's couch until it was their turn to leave. Maybe she could help, if the brown would talk to her. Morreliath is big, she stated. Clearly getting past him would be difficult. The adult dragons must see that. You say we have nothing to fear, but I am afraid. The flames are hot and the smoke hurts to breathe. Friends have been hurt. Why did you not just ask us? Why do you hurt first and then ask? The words were in private to Ysaloth, a conversation others might not like or understand. But as long as he was willing to talk to her, Eveyth didn't see the harm. Talking was just talking, yes?
Dismissed. Behruth didn't much care, to be honest; Morreliath was doing what he'd asked, and that was all that mattered. They were evacuating. Quickly enough...who could know? But at least things were getting done. The brown coiled lightly around his tree back in the forest some small distance from the burning foliage, eyes almost fully lidded. He watched the patterns of the dragons. Without M'ta, Betweening wasn't an option, and when he'd first arrived they'd been too packed to fit another adult dragon on the sands. He was agile, was Behruth, but he was no fighter without His to guide him (and didn't like it much besides). There had to be another way to solve this puzzle. What had started as a mere retrieval of a certain goldweyrling who had gotten the wrong message had turned into being separated from His in the midst of the attack. He settled in to wait, biding his time.
M'ta had torn the sleeve from his tunic, fashioning it over mouth and nose to attempt to prevent too much smoke inhalation as he stuck to both goldriders closely. He watched the mingling, but already the smoke was gathering thickly enough that it hazed, making it impossible to see everything. Blinking his eyes against the stinging, he opened his jacket, offering the two firelizards relief from the smoke-encrusted air as well.
Glorified babysitter. Considering Morreliath seems to favor shiny hides, I'd consider it a compliment, Ino. Circling loosely around Kaaoloth, he fed his movements to both the older brown and Kierjaarth so as not to avoid entanglements. Flanking is very two dimensional. Moving constantly will wear you out at the speed this is going down. Bite me. I'd rather not, if it's all the same to you.
Back, back, stay back, came the imperious command from the small gold writhing along the side of the harper's jaw that hadn't felt the heat of flame. Crazy bluepet kill dead, spill nasty insides, make slippy and muddy and sucky and smelly. Not convenient. If stupid, come, be guest. Else stay back. Not that Dementia actually cared much about the mess or the death, but Harperlove would. So rather than sate her desire to rend and tear, she warned them. In her own...peculiar...manner. He moaned, stirring slightly, but he was not awake. Not at all. Dementia resisted tearing up the nearest anything in favor of trying to get the 'crazy bluepet' to be a bit less crazy.
Which proved not to be terribly hard. His hurt was bad, too, and his breaths were coming shallow. The snap at the one calling himself 'friend' was half-hearted. And because Eikask seemed to calm him, Dmisk's head falling to lie in the sands as he huffed weakly, Dementia tolerated her presence. Barely. You. Friend claimer. Tall, strong bonebag man, she stated with utter sweetness, probably not realizing her words weren't exactly flattering. Take like many wings say. Fix? Fix now. Then, as an afterthought, though she didn't much like the crazy blue pet, Big goldie. Soooo pretty. Looove big goldie. Goldie help little friend? Yes, yes, goldie want help little friend. Blue pet hurt. Help you? Good big goldie.
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Post by archenstone on Feb 2, 2010 10:30:24 GMT -5
Upon hearing the commands Mirazeth winked between to the higher altitudes they were sent. It didn't seem like a good idea....however he was loath to leave one dragon all alone here with no help. X'vier frowned.. it seemed Fort had their wing perfectly organized. How were they to break that? As Kierjaarth bespoke Mirazeth he knew since he had kept a constant contact with his bonded since the fight begun.
Well Mirazeth...we know dividing ourselves is not the answer but for now we need to protect each other. However, as good as Divide and Conquer would be such a tactic against disciplined warriors would be difficult. We would need them distracted.
As they were forming their reply to Kierjaarth they heard Kaaoloth bespeak the enemy....telling them they would hand themselves over. We can't let this happen. If they take Kaooloth it will show they take what they please. Perhaps his offer can be used as a distraction as he is sincere and they will believe him.
Kierjaarth, Mine thinks Divide and conquer would be difficult with out a distraction. However Kaooloth seems to be doing the distracting. Two have landed....if two dragons could between close enough to grab hold....it would be risky but we may be able to take them out. If another were to do the same to their brown leader. I would attempt to grab hold and between the leader elsewhere instead of out right fighting him here. He also relayed the attack idea to Morreliath.
Morreliath, do we have two other dragons in the wing skilled enough to between near ground or stone with out getting stuck? He only knew he thought he could. He had no clue about the others. It was so dangerous...but as flew he sensed X'vier think.
Where superior numbers hold the advantage the crazy unpredictable plans wreak havoc.
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Post by dragon on Feb 2, 2010 11:05:29 GMT -5
The fire, if anything, was not going out as quick as he'd hoped or liked. Emoyan threw more sand on the fire with his shovel, flinging it as far as he could so he could stay as far from the flames as he could. At least now it was just fire, and not firestone fire. A bit less ... dangerous. If one could really consider the raging inferno to really be less dangerous. He kept the heaps of sand localized to a single area until he managed to put out a section of the fire, before moving on down the edge. Emoyan didn't even bother with the heart of the fire ... it was a waste of time. The edges were what he worked on. Get it out, keep it from spreading further. The heart of the fire could just burn until it ran out of fuel - which it was liable to do in very short order, the way this thing was roaring. But those edges needed taming. Working quickly with no attention to anything else at the moment, he managed to get a fair section of the fire quelled where it would not spread any further. Moving on around the edge, he worked on squelching more of the fire with sand.
Hopefully, the Candidates would take care of themselves until he could get back to them. They should have the wits enough to do that much. But oh, how he wished for water. Even if dragons had to carry it in a mouthful at a time, that would be a lot of water!
L'nu blinked when he got shook, and then again when he got a chest full of sand. "Ah!" He staggered sideways, out of range of the grit that Paglieth was throwing. "What's going on?" He asked, bewildered. Yes, he knew they were getting attacked, and yes, he knew there was a fire. But why in the world were the two dragons digging like that? He let go of Rose, and she fluttered away from him, circling in tight arcs around him before going to rest between Paglieth's shoulders. Bumpy and unsteady as that was, it seemed like a good spot to try and hide. Nevermind it made it look like the dark blue dragonet had a chunk of gilded shoulder armor.
He stared blankly at what J'ash was doing, before catching on at least to what he was doing. Stripping off his own shirt, he tied the top end into a knot. Thus creating a sort of bucket, he scooped that full of the loose sand the dragons were throwing. Toting that (golly it was heavy!!) toward the fire, he sort of threw it at the flames, hoping it would work. He kept one hand on a sleeve of his shirt, to make sure it didn't go into the fire, too. The sand failed to spread out at all, landing in one large whoomph of a heap. But it did successfully put out about a square foot of fire. L'nu cheered, then hurried back for more sand.
Paglieth backed out of the hole he'd dug, and huffed, snorting sand back out of his nostrils. Mine! Get in the hole! I want you burnt!!
But then both of them paused as new orders came in from outside. Fan the fire? Wouldn't that make it, you know ... bigger? L'nu groaned. "You heard him, Paglieth. And no, I'm got getting in a hole so you can bury me. Get over here." He went back to filling his shirt, even as the blue shuffled across the sands. Turning his back on the fire and coiling his tail under his haunches protectively, he started flapping his wings, driving air onto the fire and trying to blow it away from the unburnt wood.
Frosstyth rumbled when Morreliath appeared. He continued to just drift on the currents for the most part, however, only beating his wings enough to stay in the general vicinity until he was allowed or ordered to do something. What am I thinking? Frosstyth asked, wondering vaguely if this was a trick question, if he was being felt out for insubordination. Or maybe it was a genuine prod for ideas? Frosstyth didn't know. I think we are wasting, here. That wing is not going to come back up here. They are going to do what they are going to do, and when they between, they will be going back home. Not here. I do not see why we are up here, where we can do nothing but watch our brothers burn and die. Frankly, I want to do something besides be a spectator to the end of my home. Frosstyth answered, even as C'oar listened. It was purely Frosstyth's sentiments voiced, but rider and dragon often shared sentiments, when it came to things of this nature. It was only on a more personal level that the two would be at odds and continuously pick on each other. C'oar wanted to go down there and be useful, too.
Divide and conquer! That sounded like a positive, pro active note! How does yours propose that we divide them? Frosstyth asked, willing to do it. It was time to show those foreign dogs a thing or two about barging in unwelcomed on someone else's home ground.
Frosstyth snarled, however, when he started getting conflicting orders. How was he supposed to do anything when no one could make up their minds, much less decide who was in charge? This whole thing was a mess. However - guarding Kaaoloth ... he had to agree with that. If that was the prize the enemy was after, that was what needed guarded. Even if the smoke and fire rising off the rest still made him quite irritated. Keep me informed, I will do what needs must when the time comes. Until then, I will guard Kaaloth. Frosstyth ground out, before vanishing between.
Once again, he reappeared off of Kaaoloth's flank, pulling in tight over the older brown and baring his teeth in a vicious snarl. If Fort wanted the old brown, they'd have to get past Frosstyth's fire and talons first. I am here, teacher. Frosstyth told Kaaloth, quietly. Not that the statement was really needed for announcing his presence ... it was more as a reassurement that Kaaoloth was not alone, and would not be let go lightly.
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Avu
Weyrleader Ce'thian Rider A'emi Handler Sena Harper Matteo Weyrbrat Riaren
Posts: 2,439
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Post by Avu on Feb 2, 2010 11:48:16 GMT -5
Love fixermine yes, Mimic replied to Dash optimistically; His could fix anything. He knew she could! Smalltime fixer good too, make real? But he didn’t wait for a response; Dash had just reminded him of Doppelganger and Lilitu and a wave of very real terror washed over him in that instant. He leapt from Meira’s shoulder onto Riaren and pressed himself nervously against the baby’s neck, a sudden shiver running down his spine as his tail coiled around Riaren’s hand. Lililove and Doppeleggmine – seen? he inquired anxiously of Dash. The pretty, pretty greenling and his favorite eggbrother; what if they went poof!
Meira felt her stomach drop, felt the sudden panic that was not hers, and mentally tried to soothe Mimic as she spun in response to another voice – or two, rather, one of them in her mind. Next to her, Jingth twitched her tail, the gold’s jaws gaping slightly open as she turned to look at Tuelzanth. They are /that/ young and they’re /guarding/ the entrance? the queen murmured privately to Hers, disbelief in her tone even as Meira nodded at Kiana. “Um – yes, please? That’d be great, if you’ve got anything we can use for bandages that’d be really helpful and I think the firelizards’ve gone to get some actual Healing stuff but if you’ve got any on you…”
MeiraMyLove – !
Jingth’s voice was urgent, and almost instantly, it seemed, everyone else decided to speak on a broadcast, and Mimic squealed softly next as he shivered anxiously. Riaren squirmed too, a faint whine of protest emerging from the babe’s throat; his fingers tightened on Meira’s shirt and tugged slightly to further emphasize his discomfort as the flames began. Jingth’s mind brushed against Meira’s again, quick and urgent, before the gold slid away from the Stands, hissing quietly at the sudden surge of panicked orders that was being thrown around every which way. Where was Millieth when you needed her – ?
Meira would have tried to soothe Jingth, normally, but she was busy with Riaren for a moment, pressing her lips against his forehead again and murmuring nonsensical reassurances before Kaegan’s suggestion made her look up. “We can’t stay in here though – ” she protested. “We won’t be able to breathe…” But she followed the other goldrider anyway, anxiously, as Jingth slithered after them. She would have gone to help Mavenath, but he’d requested two helpers and he seemed to have gotten both of them (although why he needed only two was beyond her). She preferred to stay near Hers anyway.
Kaaoloth, Jingth stated after a moment, and there was a cold irritation in her ‘voice’, Says that we mustn’t leave the Sands yet. Perhaps he has not noticed that we’re inhaling smoke? The hissing in her throat had grown louder; Jingth was typically a very pleasant creature but not now. Not here. She hated this, not knowing and not being able to do anything. Morreliath speaking, however, actually made her growl audibly before she twitched her tail. Stupid, stupid bronzes; and they wondered why she preferred the company of browns?
A minute later, though, she crooned again, a little more thoughtfully. We are evacuating the Weyrfolk, the gold reported. To the Coast, apparently. Why would we take /injured/ parties to the Coast? But never mind. She sighed, inwardly, and then uncoiled from the couch, lifting her head to scan the crowd. Where was Mavenath, again…? Oh, there. Well, she’d just leave him to that, for now. Meira was pressing against her mind, urgently, supplying the words. Weyrfolk with children left first, as well as the injured, and someone capable of basic Healing had to be with them, and this had to be organized, no stampeding for the nearest dragon and leaping at it like a crazy person.
Weyrfolk with children, and injured parties, please move to the queen’s couch. We are evacuating. The aforementioned leave first. Should you decide to panic and be stupid, you will be taken last. We do not need to be trying to go /between/ while simultaneously trying to calm someone. Continue trying to stop the flames for now. Her tail swished slightly against the stone as she ended the brisk broadcast, and then reached for the minds of her clutchsiblings. Siblings mine, come to the queen’s couch with Yours, we’re going /between/ from here. To the Coast, followed by a repeated image of the coast in question. Just in case. Go there, drop them off, tell them to hide, come back again. Do /not/ overload yourself.
Or she might have to eat their faces for being so stupid.
MeiraMyLove – anything else? Jingth inquired, leaning down to brush her muzzle affectionately against her Rider’s shoulder as Riaren whined again and grabbed at Jingth. Meira shook her head, moving around to Jingth’s shoulder to prepare to help people up – hopefully they wouldn’t just ignore Jingth. It was a possibility, given how many orders were being flung around so haphazardly. And then she hesitated as she hummed quietly at Riaren, and then brushed against Jingth’s mind again. The gold twisted to look around, before she bespoke M’ta.
Normally, she hated bespeaking other people. This would have to be an exception; it was too noisy to expect the brownrider to hear otherwise. MeiraMyLove wants you to take the Riaren-hatchling and be one of the first to leave. Come here, please?
(yeah, edited 'cause apparently the senior weyrlings do know how to go between and we just missed that lesson. yeah.)
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Post by rii on Feb 2, 2010 12:57:07 GMT -5
R'ven did just as the little gold commanded, stayed back. His hands were still up as if warding off her threat of harm – when really he was watching Dmisk for a reaction. Underneath the calm front R'ven felt his anger thrumming. His hatred for the weyrs and their damn war (no he was not going to involve himself into it) only strengthening with each passing moment. Upon receiving the go ahead, R'ven edged forward. His gazed skimmed over the wounds, noting with a touch of unease the extend of both of the burns on Dmitri and Dmisk. "Yes, like many wings says.." R'ven responded lightly to the gold while he eased and arm behind Dmitri's shoulders and the other under the back of thighs. Bracing over one leg, R'ven managed to stand back upright with the dead weight in his arms. Bonnie chose that moment to return, landing on his shoulder and holding out the bottle for inspection. Was this it? It had taken her a while to find it, and there was so much going on there, but this was color of red. R'ven would have patted her head if he had the spare hand. "You're not as a light as you look. Geez Dmitri, been putting on some weight?" He glanced at the unconscious face of the harper, half-expecting the wherhandler to snap to with some witty retort. A wing extended, shading Dmisk's face further from the sun and gleam of fire. Trilaranth looked down the length of the seared blue, mentally asking his again what he was suppose to do. His head turned to peer at the golden wher, intent to leave the task of tending to the whers up to her. It had taken him longer to wade through the crowrd and the brown only stuck around near the wher because that is what His wanted. Feysister, mine is bringing a burned one to the healers location. He says the wher is in bad shape and asks if there is anyone that could come here to help him, or should the wher try to come to the corner as well. He is too large to carry.. Then, hearing Eveyth's message, began to look around for his other little green sister. Mine says there is no believing a liar, even when he speaks the truth. He believes these dragons make false promises. We need to get out from under their control..R'ven suddenly paused, hearing one of the messages through Trilaranth's. "Don't flame the sharding flames. That's like putting bellows to a forge! It's makes it hotter, burn faster – just move away any unburnt wood. Just – Argh. Sharding dragons." Grumbling to himself, knowing he wouldn't be heard over all the commotion going on, R'ven sharply shook his head and moved back through the crowrd to the queen's couch. He laid Dmitri down on the stone, letting his hazel eyes snap around to seek out.. ".. Meira?" As far as he knew, the gold weyrling was the only one with the concrete experience. Dmitri's wounds looked bad and... well, no.. this was no time to be negative. R'ven's brow lowered in a partial scowl as he eased back, finally taking the bottle or redwort from his firelizard and passing it off to the healers. __________ All they had to do was stall. Benden would come – they had to come if they wanted to protect their investment in Selenitas. The wings here were too.. F'lix didn't want to say useless, but it seemed practicing together in false drills could never add up to the experience earned through real situations. Even Saboth was not that useful, they had never flown in the attacking wings. It had always been F'lix that was the fighter out of the pair. All this trouble, F'lix mused as he crouched down on one of the lower branches. He pressed his shirt more firmly around his mouth to ward of the growing amount of smoke. Saboth sent images of the inner hatching sands, along with distance images of the fire around the infirmary and the commotion on going at the Main Hall. All this trouble, for a few High Reach druggies and Sel'n. F'lix's curiosity was officially perked.
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Rowana
Hive Mind
Handler Roivao Rider G'tor Rider Merridan Rider T'ke Rider N'rik Handler Porita Rider Farryl Rider Kyr'n[/color
Posts: 1,550
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Post by Rowana on Feb 2, 2010 19:56:15 GMT -5
Hoayamae wasn't sure which was worse, being shipped off in the middle of fixing dinner or having to wait like a rat in a hole for some miracle to rescue them. It all reminded her too much of the Bendan Seige. That time she had lost her son. She had no one left now to worry about, but she wasn't going to take it lying down this time. This time she had a chance to fight back. Politics, enemies, allies; it meant nothing to her. Those thread-loving Fort monsters would harm these young people over her dead body.
Mae squared her shoulders and crossed her arms in irritation. That was how she felt anyway, but it wasn't like she was much for fighting. The enemy was just as likely to laugh at her than kill her, though they'd regret it afterwords. No time for the past. There was work to be done. The fire was spreading faster now and they were all in big trouble if it grew. The flames didn't worry her, it was the smoke that would choke them out.
"You lot!" She barked at a group of cowering drudges. "Stop your whining and get up! Throw sand on the flames! Move it! Or you'll wish the dung sucking Fortians got you before I'm through with you!" With a glare that could cause grown men to shudder, they scattered like ants. Whether from fear of the fire, or of her, they started piling sand on the fire. Mae was right there with them. She collected piles of sand in her apron, limped over to the fire, and dumped it on the edge. Being a cook, she was no stranger to flame, so it didn't bother her. At least so long as it was under control and she would fight to keep it that way.
~
Roivao couldn't focus. It was all happening too fast. First woken up in the middle of the day, then hustled off to the hatching grounds, and now complete chaos was breaking loose. He had never missed Iloth so badly as he did now. Besides his comforting nature, having a dragon might mean he'd have a better idea what was happening outside. Roisk could only give him a vague idea and with all the shouting, orders weren't coming too clearly. His mind was a whirl of mixed up emotions. This wasn't just any group of attackers, this was Fort. These were people he had flown with, grown up with, even had friendships. How could he fight them?
Sel'n and Kaaoloth were outside, and that worried him the most. He knew no love was lost between him and Fort and he was afraid of what might happen if they were forced into confrontation. He couldn't bear to lose anyone else the way he'd lost Iloth. He shook his head to clear it. He couldn't help Sel'n now, he had to focus on what he could do. Dmitri was hurt badly and the fire still raged over the stands. He was too far away to help his former student himself and he had never felt so useless. True, Dmitri had made teaching classes a nightmare, but he had no wish to see any of them die that day. Shards! He was so pathetic!
Roisk bite him. Roivao stared into the hard eyes of his wher. The bronze glared at him, his thoughts clear. Roi was wasting time with all this thinking. They needed to work now, or no one would be saved. Roi blinked and nodded dumbly. He focused his mind on putting out the fire. That was the first priority. With Roisk plowing through at his side, he started pulling wooden benches away from the fire. The less there was to feed the flames the better. Roisk touch Kaaoloth's mind privately as they worked. He meant no disrespect, but he hoped the dragon and His weren't doing anything stupid. He would have a few things to say if they made his bonded upset.
Meanwhile, Tiida glided around them in distress. She was confused, frightened, and unsure who to turn too. Bright hot! she wailed. Brown-love! searched wildly for Misfit. Maybe he would help. Where, Brown-love?
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Post by glamourie on Feb 3, 2010 1:12:49 GMT -5
Uh-uh. Not happening. Ysaloth swiveled his head in the direction of Kaaoloth, eyes whirling passively. A hint of amusement filled them. They thought they were in a position to bargain? Did they not realize they were defeated? It was highly tempting to point that out – but Ysaloth was not prone to gloating, nor did he feel it prudent to antagonize, even if it was definitely deserved. He flared one wing and bespoke the brown himself, picking up where Dreamyth’s careful antagonizing had left off (he did so value her for her manipulation skills – nothing could compare to a female where that was concerned). Hints of thought swirled into his eyes, and his wingmates kept careful gazes on the Selenitas dragons – just to be safe. Just in case. He didn’t think any of them were foolish enough to launch an all-out attack… yet, anyway.
You are incorrect, Kaaoloth. We have already requested the High Reaches riders to be turned over to us as well as you, and your Weyrleader refused to give them to us. That is why we are attacking. It is not a simple act of cruelty or a show of force; our numbers indicate that. Our goals are simple and when we are given what we’ve requested, we will rescind and leave Selenitas to peace. We will be happy to leave your Weyr as soon as we have all that we have come for. This, you have my word on. We fight merely to defend ourselves, not to cause the people of Selenitas harm.
Yes, it was Ysaloth who replied, not Dreamyth. Aside from the initial baiting, he did not trust her to deliver the message perfectly – and there was a trick to wording. One of those tricks was keeping his tone appropriate. He refused to outright lie. He couldn’t, not even with His baiting him. But he could twist his words, manipulate the truth to make an impact and that was what he did. It was obvious from Kaaoloth’s response that he intended to do just what they’d asked though. The option of appealing to the brown’s conscience was a good one, and Ysaloth intended to deliver to their wingleader the message of how well she performed. His tail flicked and he turned his head back toward Morreliath, cocking it to the side inquisitively. The request wasn’t entirely unfair, but compromise was out of the question.
You are too late to appeal to my sense of fair play, wingsecond Morreliath. You and Yours have already attacked me and mine, and before any of us launched any kind of attack on you. We came in peace; you sought aggression. The time for us to negotiate is over. We will look over your people in the path that we have burnt for them, and we will do it as a group; there will be no separations for you to attack us individually. That is our only offer; take it or leave it. Your word is not enough for me to accept, Ysaloth said simply; part of him was amused. He felt certain that he was being dismissed, heavily because he was a brown. It didn’t matter: he was used to that. Many Fort bronzes dismissed him as well. However, who was really in control of the situation? Selenitas bronzes… or him? It was fairly obvious, in his mind, who was keeping everything contained. And it wasn’t Selenitas in any way, shape, or form. They were lucky for his mercy.
Eveyth’s response made him twitch his tail and he silently instructed the dragons around to keep closer eye. The hurt in her mindvoice was tangible and part of him almost felt guilty – almost. Not quite. He didn’t voice his thoughts, instead lowering his head to nose at the ground beneath him, unburnt. The fire illuminated his pale hide to an almost glowing status, but the hints of scarlet in his eyes were undeniable. Where are they? he asked of his wing, to keep tabs on where the Selenitas dragons remained: above and around, but not approaching. Good. We will end up having to fight them. They are not smart enough to comprehend the gravity of their situation. Be prepared to attack. We strike as one and eliminate quickly. If they launch an attack, take their fighters out first. That green and that blue.
The brown spread his wings as the Fort dragons assembled in pairs. No one dragon left alone. It was a defensive tactic, but not outwardly one. They were prepared to move in perfect coordination. He addressed the baby green again, speaking simply, We did ask first, little one. We asked your Weyrleader and our requests were denied. Following that, sometimes it is necessary to do things to make a point. Hurting you is not my prerogative nor is it that of my wing. I hope that you understand that. We do not wish to see you harmed, and if Morreliath would just listen, that would become immediately obvious… but my hide does not glitter as a bronze’s, and that makes me not worth listening to for him. Perhaps if I was larger? Yes, his goal was to try and manipulate the ones inside against the dragons on the outside. He wasn’t lying though; he did think Morreliath would’ve listened more, were he a bronze. It is dangerous to stay inside there. Make sure Yours covers their mouth with a cloth of some kind, and your nose as well. Do not inhale the smoke. Have you delivered my message?
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Rei
Administrator
Rider Cr'oph Rider Er'ani Rider Elysia Rider/Healer Erilena Wherhandler Sydney Holdbrat Emitre Holdbrat Dileina Weyrbrat Elias Weyrbrat Terilyn
Woooo~ I am a fox!
Posts: 3,021
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Post by Rei on Feb 3, 2010 15:37:33 GMT -5
Mavenath snapped his jaws together in frustration. Fan the flames? Was the older bronze completely insane? They had gotten the fire under control and almost put out. Adding air to it would just cause it to flare up again. No. Just no. Bugling he thrashed his tail. Yes he should listen to his elders but this time he couldn’t because the orders did not make sense and Mavenath did not follow blindly. Clutch brothers and sisters listen to me. Do NOT do as Morreliath says. Keep throwing sand on the fire. The fire breaks have been put in place. Once we have the fire completely out we can try and blow the smoke away but to do so now would be hazardous. Copy me! Leaping down to the sands he proceeded to use tail and back legs to throw sand onto the flames.
Pulling his head up as Eveyth bespoke him he rumbled. Darling clutchsistermine the one you bespeak is the enemy. The enemy will do all he can to sway us against one another. Please trust me Evie. I promise you. I will not allow them to harm you or yours. You have to trust that we will be ok. Stepping forward he crooned encouragement to those clutch siblings who where obeying his orders. Good. To Eveyth he continued. You saw the picture Kaaoloth gave. They seek to trap us. Like we are naught but pests to destroy. If they get Kaaoloth and the others, what is to stop them from taking them and killing us all anyway? Trust the older dragon’s my dear sister. They will come up with a plan to help us. Mavenath himself had to trust them. After all he was still just a weyrling there where things he could not do yet….But if it came to it he would do his best to save his siblings. They where his. No one else’s and he refused to let harm happen to them. Turning back to his work he rumbled encouragement.
Cr’oph was aware of his bronze’s efforts and he couldn’t have been more proud of him. Mavenath really was something. Shaking his head and sending overwhelming feelings of pride and love his dragon’s way he made for the queen’s couch. Things where still unraveling but if they could put Morreliath’s plan into action, some of them might have a way out. Not all was lost. At least not yet. Now to help get people evacuated….
~~~
Erilena was busy organizing things when Feyrianth’s call came. Lenamine! I know you are just an apprentice, but a wher is badly hurt. Trilaranth’s is bringing the handler to the healers. However the wher is too big to move. We will go help as much as we can yes? Eye’s widening the young rider sent the mental affirmative to her dragon and mentally went over what they had and what she could use. Confident that she could at least ease the creature’s pain and perhaps buy him some time she threw a few objects into her bag and directed her green to clear a path.
Mentally on her way over to the injured party Erilena went over what she knew about burns. If the injured parties skin had been too badly burned they would dehydrate quickly due to fluid leaks from the tissue. The body would try and compensate for the lost fluid by leaching water from the circulatory system, sending the patient into shock. Besides fluid problems there was a high risk of infection from debris getting lodged in the tissue. It played over and over like some chant in her head. Thank heavens for the record room. Shells and shards. Please Faranth, let her not mess this up.
Skidding to a stop in the sand before the blue wher, she paused for a mere moment to examine him, blocking all else out. Entire right side singed. Partial thickness burn. Pretty bad but it could be worse. Minimal skin breakage and a few blistering areas. Slight shock likely. It was more painful than anything. Had to concentrate. “Fey try and keep him calm.” Opening her bag the rider took out a few items. The cloth would be used to bind his eyes again against any light. She would also have to use some cloth to apply the numbweed, to save her hands. As far as infection went…They would just have to be as clean as possible and hope they would get the wher to the infirmary soon. Between transport was out of the question for this one. Too much shock for the system. Way too risky.
Stepping forward she spoke clearly and calmly, letting her tone rather than words do the soothing. “It’s ok big guy. I’m Erilena. I’m here to help you. You can help yours by letting me help you.” Looking up she caught the gold wher’s eye. Hopefully the message got across. She might need the gold’s help. “This might hurt for just a moment love, but soon it will stop hurting completely." She drew closer. "After the hurt stops you will need to stay still. If you move to much you risk hurting yourself further.” Now she was in range to touch him.
Slowly she wound the cloth around the blue’s head, tucking it tightly to protect his sensitive eyes. Stroking his nose as she finished, Erilena wound a length of cloth around her hand and nodded to Feyrianth. The little green made her way over to Dmisk. Wrapping her mind gently with his she sent him soothing feelings. Relax my cousin. We are here to help you. Try and stay calm. The small dragon lay beside him being careful not to touch. The calmer you remain the better for you and yours. They are helping ours even as we speak. You can help yours by keeping yourself calm. Everything will be ok. Moving closer Feyrianth extended both wings on her left side and draped it over his head. It may hurt for a moment as mine applies the numbweed but it will all be over soon. We will be here with you. If you want me to check on yours all you have to do is ask. I will be glad to do so.
Dipping her hand into the jar of numbweed Charming had brought her earlier, Erilena set to smoothing it generously over the whers burns. Biting her lip she was as careful and light handed as was possible for her. It would help if she had aloe to mix in. Currently however she didn’t. Right now all she could do was soothe the pain, keep him calm, and pray to Faranth for minimal contamination of his burns. Had she known exactly who’s wher she was treating she might have been marginally less calm. Thank Faranth for ignorance.
~~~
Kaaoloth almost hissed as he suddenly found himself flanked by two dragon’s. Recognition stopped him however. Whirling yellow eyes regarded the others with acceptance. Yes Frosstyth. I see you. He assured the younger brown. Giving the younger dragon a pulse of grateful emotion, he continued to circle, doing his best to stay out of Inocenth’s way. What was going on now?
Sel’n was surprised. Kaaoloth’s own irritation clued him into the fact that they had been left out of orders yet again. What was Morreliath doing? Surrounding him with wingmates was probably not a smart move at the moment. It did not send Fort a good message. Not at all. Momentarily he debated having Kaaoloth dip and between away from the flanking riders but he dismissed it. No point. If there was a plan in action he didn’t want to be the one to ruin it. If things unraveled well... He would decide what to do then. The Weyrlingmaster settled back to watch as Kaaoloth brushed against the bronze wher’s mind. The sudden contact had startled him a bit but because he remembered the touch the brown allowed it . It is nice of you to worry Roisk but I assure you we will not do anything that does not need to be done. Do not fret. Most dragon’s would not have bothered to reply but Kaaoloth remembered Roivao. His Iloth had been a clutch sibling of his and the blue was still missed. It was kind of the bronze handler to worry so but there was nothing that could be done.
Sentimental thoughts where thrust aside however as he was bespoken by Ysaloth. The Fort brown’s words seemed sincere enough but…that’s all they really where. Words. You could use words however you wanted. For all Kaaoloth knew the other dragon could be outright lying to him. Perhaps he was…about certain things anyway. If Salenth had indeed refused to hand over the High Reaches dragons there had to be a reason. Rumbling the brown passed the reply to his rider. Sel’n mulled over the words before replying. I still don’t trust them. What’s to stop them from just killing us all anyway? This isn’t working. Try something else…stall. Then prod Morreliath for information about High reaches. If we can find where they are located we may be able to make a trade. Us and High Reaches for their withdrawal. The Wyerlingmaster stoked his dragon's neck in an attempt at comfort. If that's truly all they are after they should have no problem betweening to the location of the High Reaches dragons with us.
Kaaoloth snorted in mild agitation but spoke to Ysaloth as he was bidden by his rider. What guarantee do I have that you will not just kill my weyrlings anyway? Morreliath has control of the grounds not I. I have no authority to order anyone. To be honest my rider and I do not trust you. Perhaps if you let me know exactly what your goals are? The brown was trying to buy a bit more time as his said. It was all he could do right now. Maybe if he could get the location of the High Reaches dragons they could use that information to draw Fort away. Sel'n seemed to think it would work. Thoughts ran rampant through the brown's mind. Why did Fort keep insisting to be allowed look over the humans if they meant them no harm? Nothing was making sense right now. Especially the fact that it was them Fort sought….why?
Privately he touched the commanding bronze’s mind. Morreliath. If you know where the High reaches dragons are I suggest you tell me. There is no reason for further needless bloodshed. Our lives are not worth the countless that will be lost if we do not obey. Please tell me. You can perhaps prevent the death of all those we seek to protect. High Reaches is not a friend of Selenitas and we are but one pair of riders. There is no sense in it. The brown’s voice was soft and heavy with sorrow. Surely the bronze would see the sense in his words. It was the only way Sel’n and himself could see this ending well. Fort was too organized. Those left within the hatching grounds had little time left.
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