Why Me? (Tags :Plot)

[Rei]

Ebolath had been unusually quiet for days. Her normal happy-go lucky nature seemed to have vanished. The weyr suddenly seemed empty. Which was silly, considering how many dragon’s it boasted, but just the same it felt empty. After breakfast Raylin had decided to go swimming with Ebolath, something that normally cheered her up but today it would go horribly wrong.

Raylin was enjoying the sun, basking in it’s warmth when the cramps started. At first she thought it was just indigestion, then maybe monthly pains, although her cycle had stopped a few days ago. Perhaps lingering cramps? Soon the feeling intensified until it felt as if someone was thrusting a hot knife into her belly. She cried out and curled into a ball. Her head started swimming and she was finding it had to stay conscious.

The little green who had been playing in the shallows suddenly gave a distressed keen and barreled out of the water, clinging desperately to her bonded’s mind, as if to somehow pull her back from the brink. Raymine! Raymine! Do not go! No! The green weyrling desperately clung onto her bonded’s consciousness and sent a urgent call to anyone within mental calling distance. Help me! Help me please! Raymine is leaving! Please do not let her go! Ebolath curled around her bonded, trembling, eyes whirling in deep grays as she shared her pain.

Raylin was dimly aware of Ebolath’s presence and clung to it as a life preserver amongst a sea of black. If she could keep holding on perhaps there was hope. Ebolath…

[nightingale]

Please hurry Ke'rin-mine. Jaymith crooned, his tone wavering between impatience and contentment as the boy lovingly massaged oil into his glowing hide. I want to look my very best for when Oquith comes down for her bath. Despite the exhaustion brought on by first washing, then oiling a creature of Jaymith's size -and he really was getting huge, for he already dwarfed every runner in the stables- the boy managed to smile.

"Looking to impress her?” He chuckled “You realize that she's quite older than you I hope?" You are old and I love you. The bronze snorted defensively, lifting one of his forefeet to give the boy better access to it. This time he laughed in earnest. Kei knew that Jaymith couldn't really be interested in Oquith -at least not the way one would normally use the word. He was still far too young to really understand the mechanics of loving a creature of the opposite sex, but in and of itself that ignorance was quite adorable. He only hoped that Jaymith would shift his sights to another pretty female before he was old enough to chase. The idea of taking Tr'esn to bed was nothing short of absolutely horrifying.

All at once, the little bronze went very still.
Mine, someone is calling for help. He murmured tensely, twisting his great long neck so he could stare downstream. It is Ebolath. There is something wrong with Hers. Fighting past the innitial shock to gain meaning from the words, Kei felt a phantom claw raking across his insides. Raylin? What’s happened? Where is she? I will ask. Come Mine, we must hurry. The bronze lowered himself to the ground, allowing his rider to scramble onto his back before wheeling about and setting off downstream at a loping gallop.

Ebolath, we are coming. Tell me what has happened to Yours.

It was only moments before the greenpair came into view, but that was time enough for Ke’rin to work himself into a proper state of panic wondering what could have happened to her. Were the felines crossing the river now? He hadn't any sort of weapon with him...but if there were felines then surely Ebolath would have been injured as well? There, on the riverbank! She looked to have just collapsed...

Stumbling as he dismounted, the bronzeweyrling took a short moment to steady himself on inexplicably numb legs before bolting to the girl’s side.

“Raylin? Raylin it’s Kei." His voice was thin and breathless, as he lay a gentle hand on her shoulder. No blood. Thank Faranth. "Please, if you can hear me, say something.”Jaymith came to stand beside them, nuzzling Ebolath and crooning softly in an attempt to soothe the little green's fears.

[dragon]

Having also heard the call for help, Aonith turned from where she had been, and took off at a run down the river. I am coming! I am coming! She called in reply. Hers was busy taking care of someone else that had also fallen ill, but Dorava had also equipped Aonith to help out, as soon as she had realized what was gripping the Weyr.

Dorava had been mildly releived to know that it was only poison - most poisons could be survived, with timely intervention. And as such, she had harnessed Aonith up and tied bags to the harness. Lots and lots of small bags, where firestone normally hung. Inside those bags was a black powdery mess that could mean the difference between life and death for a goodly portion of the Weyr's people.

It was ground up charcoal, made from burned and extinguished hardwood. Dorava had been up all night making the stuff in mass quantities, knowing that they were going to be needing it. The staining, black powder was quite adept at absorbing poisons, when applied topically to infections or stings, and when ingested could keep a body from dying from food poisoning.

And having been instructed what to tell people to do with her cargo, Aonith was prepared to help the Weyr. She charged up the river as fast as she could go - thankfully after months and months of being ground bound, her leg muscles were well accustomed to moving quickly for prolonged periods without the use of her wings.

Skidding to a stop near the weyrlings, Aonith dropped to the ground so that the bags she carried could be easily accessed. Quick! Take one of these bags! Take the powder inside, wet it, and make her swallow it! As much as you can managed! Mine says she can't have too much. Quickly, now! Time is of the essence!! Aonith urged, hoping Ke'rin would act quickly. Hurry! Hurry! Before she passes out!

[Rei]

Ebolath, we are coming. Tell me what has happened to yours.

Ebolath recognized Jaymith's voice immediately. Jaymith mine is in pain. We were at the river and she suddenly fell and went silent. She hurts. How do I help her? Her voice was filled with shared pain and worry eyes whirling a deep gray, inter-dispersed with orange tones. She will not respond but I feel her faintly. The green raised her head from her curled position as the bronze pair galloped onto the scene.

Ebolath made no sound and merely curled tighter around her bonded as Kei dismounted. She numbly registered Jaymith’s nuzzle but gave no clue that she had even felt it.

Raylin fought to regain some light as Kei’s voice filtered through the black. She mumbled something completely incoherent, eyes rolling back into her head, body trembling violently. Ebolath screamed as her bonded moaned, the green swinging her head into Ke’rin, most likely sending him sprawling. As Aonith approached she gave a low hiss.

Why were they not helping her! Ebolath was quickly approaching full blown panic. Neither Jaymith or Aonith could calm her at this point, so far was she immersed in her bonded’s own agony. Aonith’s voice did not register. Nothing filtered through the haze of black, pain, and helplessness, and she snarled eyes adopting a slight red tinge.

[nightingale]

Kei was momentarily blinded as the wind churned up by Aonith’s landing drove sand into his eyes, but he hadn’t the time to curse or question before the dragon's voice entered his mind. He listened to her carefully, rubbing grit from his vision in the few moments he had to spare. A healer's dragon...and shells, if that was the case than he was ready and willing to do whatever she told him to.

Suddenly, he felt Raylin shudder beneath his fingertips, and turned to her just in time to catch Ebolath’s head squarely in the jaw.

The boy was aware of Jaymith standing next to him even before he recognized the taste of blood in his mouth. The bronzeweyrling's eyes flashed a dangerous yellow-orange as he shoved Ebolath backward a pace, squarely planting one of his large front feet between the green and her bonded. Ebolath calm yourself! He rumbled, watching her carefuly for signs of aggression. You must not strike at those who are trying to help you! The bronze wasn’t above taking a hit or two if it gave His enough time to treat Ebolath's. This was fortunate, because he was more than likely going to end up getting himself bloodied for daring to try and keep a dragon from her rider.

Numbly, Ke'rin untied one of the bags of charcoal dust from Aonith’s halter. He hadn't he faintest clue what good a bag of dust would do, but all the same he went to the river's edge and wet it until it was a dry, doughy paste. Returning to Raylin’s side, he carefully slipped one arm under her shoulders and lifted her into a seated position.

"Raylin, you have to try and eat this stuff, okay? No promises on it tasting very nice, but do your best to get it all down."

Trying in vain to keep his hands from shaking, he formed a small amount of the charcoal/water cookiedough into an unappealing black nugget and brushed it against her lower lip. If he was lucky, she was conscious enough to swallow the stuff without too help.

[dragon]

Aonith watched worriedly as Ke'rin worked with the dust, wishing she could do something ... anything ... to help. But then she noticed the weyrlings tusseling. That ... that was something she could handle easily.

Enough! Ebolath ... calm yourself. Jaymith ... get off her. Aonith ordered of the two young dragons. Aonith only dared to issue such orders to a bronze solely because he was still a baby. Had he been even half grown, she wouldn't have dared ... not after having grown up at Benden.

But as it was ... keeping the two dragonets occupied was key to allowing Ke'rin the time to help Raylin. So, she moved over to where the two young dragons were, and curled Ebolath up into her large, powerful forelegs, holding the younger green in a tight hug like embrace. There wasn't much that the young green could do from there, and Aonith was more than strong enough to contain her.

Just calm down. Yours will be fine. Just wait and see. She will live, she will be none the worse for the wear. Just be patient, and be calm, and support her. She doesn't need you flailing around like a sick puppy. Aonith said, issuing waves of calming emotion onto the younger green.

[Rei]

Ebolath snarled angrily as she was shoved backwards by Jaymith. His words didn’t even begin to penetrate the solid wall of anger that enveloped her as the bronze put himself between her and her bonded. How dare he! Eyes whirling a dangerous crimson she crouched reading herself to spring at the bronze offender. Her cry was cut short however as an offending green arm curled around her, locking her into place.

The small dragon shrieked her defiance like a creature possessed, struggling against the dragon who held her bound. Raymine! She shrieked at the prone woman in Ke’rin’s arms continuing to thrash about. She fixed Jaymith with a glare, eyes still whirling crimson. She would not forget this, oh no.

Raylin struggled against blackness, the force of Ebolath’s cry jarring it’s icy grip a little. She surfaced to a hazy image, of what she wasn’t sure, and a voice. "Raylin, you have to try and eat this stuff, okay? No promises on it tasting very nice, but do your best to get it all down." Eat? Eat what? She opened her mouth to ask and a foul tasting substance was thrust into her mouth. What in Faranth’s name? She couldn’t possibly swallow such horrid stuff, but she hadn’t the strength to gag so down it went albeit very reluctantly.

Ebolath began to relax a tiny bit due to Aonith’s interference, but with her bonded still out of easy contact the little green was plenty upset. At this point she was still near hysterics and would be quite happy to lit into Jaymith if only the older green would release her. She struggled again and finding such action fruitless, craned her neck to try to bite at the offending arm.

[nightingale]

Jaymith couldn’t very well get off of someone he had never been on top of in the first place, but the low growl he had been producing tapered off at the adult green’s command. Ebolath, now is not the time for us to be fighting with one another. He told his clutchsibling, eyes whirling a slow golden yellow that mirrored his bonded’s state of mind. The little bronze knew that he had crossed a line, and Ebolath was truly intent of punishing him for that at a later time, then so be it. However, until Hers was well again they needed to stay calm and avoid creating any other states of emergency.

It took several minutes for Raylin to swallow the entire contents of the charcoal bag. Ke'rin knew that the stuff was medicine, not magic, but that knowledge did nothing to rid him of the dull, aching fear in his gut. It would work, he told himself firmly, rubbing the chalky black coating his fingers had obtained onto the dark fabric of his pants. It had to work, simple as that. The sun rose in the east, dragons fought thread and Raylin would not die here in his arms.
He tugged the girl's pale form a little closer against his chest, suddenly finding it hard to breathe.

“Uh...” He murmured uncertainly, looking toward Aonith and trying to remember weather or not the green had told him her name. “How long until we know that it’s worked? I mean...what's wrong with her? Should we get her to the infirmary?” He was also concerned, of course, by the fact that Ebolath seemed ready to break free from the older dragon's grasp and tear his throat out given a fraction of a chance. Jaymith calmly reassured him that even if she did manage to escape from Aonith, she would never get by him, but it wasn't concern for his own wellfare that had the boy worried. Kei only wished there was something he could say to reassure the little green. He knew that she was the one suffering most from this situation.

[dragon]

Aonith held on tight to the little young green, keeping Ebolath snugged firmly - though gently - to her own chest. Aonith knew all to well the agony the little green was going through, watching helplessly as her rider teetered on the brink of oblivion. She continued to wash Ebolath's mind in waves of soothing calm and understanding tenderness, anxious to keep the green from flitting between when she didn't have to. If Ebolath went, there would be no stopping Raylin from giving up the fight with the toxins and succumbing to the darkness as well.

The effects should start tapering off immediately ... the more you gave her, the faster the recovery. The older green turned her gaze onto the sack that Ke'rin had been dipping from, and even on her draconic face, suprise was evident. You gave her the /whole bag/?? In that case ... she should be on her feet again in minutes. Aonith informed him ... and Ebolath too ... If that long.

And indeed, inside Raylin's belly, the charcoal started its work right away, absorbing toxins into is structures, and rendering them null and void to the girl's body. With the sheer mass of charcoal that Ke'rin had fed her, it was not long before the black mess had swept through her stomach, absorbing everything ... poison and bacterial excrement alike, leaving her innards quite clean of any foriegn contaminents that the body could not handle. Somewhat absorbed, itself, the charcoal also pulled toxins from her blood stream. Though this was a proccess that usually took a few minutes in normal doses, the volume of material at work sped the process up substantially.

Right away, even after having swallowed the first blob of grit, Raylin's system stopped having fits quite so badly, until ultimately, as she swallowed more and more, they subsided entirely, leaving her with nothing more than a vague stomach ache, headache from the pounding blood, and a gritty mouth that tasted like burnt wood. She'd need a drink to clear that away. The charcoal would pass through her digestive system harmlessly, when it reached the other end.

[Rei]

Ebolath began to stop struggling as Raylin’s mind started filtering back from the darkness. She crooned anxiously at the woman forgetting, for the moment, about the other dragons. Raymine? She asked cautiously, keeping her mind voice to a gentle whisper. Ebolath? Love it’s ok. Relax. What’s wrong?

An answer! Hers was answering! The green gave a warble of relief and struggled harder. You were going away. Don’t go please. Her voice was fraught with worry and held a pleading note Raylin had never heard before. The dark haired girl shifted in Ke’rin’s arms and slowly opened her eyes. Her head was still pounding but the horrible cold darkness was quickly fading away, along with the horrible cramps. The green weyrling gazed at the scene before her in confusion. “Aonith? Would you let Ebolath go?” The girl asked, puzzled as to why Ebolath was being restrained in the first place. Her sweet tempered dragon, what was going on?

Raylin turned towards Ke’rin then, and slightly stiffened when she realized how close they were. “Um Kei. I think you can let go now.” She paused to allow him to comply and shifted so she could sit upright when he withdrew. “What happened?” The confusion in her voice was evident. She searched her mind for something that made more sense. She had fed Ebolath, eaten her own breakfast and then convinced Ebolath to go for a swim. After that it was mostly a hazy, painful blur.

Vega gave a worried call from his perch in a nearby tree. Raylin’s fit and Ebolath’s reaction had confused him so badly that he had merely sat cowering in a tree. When Jaymith entered he had moved back to keep himself well hidden. He had wanted to protect his. Oh yes he had. But he hadn’t enough sense to work out what his actions should be. Now that things were starting to calm he voiced his worries. His was ok now?

[nightingale]

For one terrifying moment, Ke’rin was certain that he’d done something terribly wrong.

“But, you said to give her as much-”

And then she continued. It seemed that the green had only been surprised, not upset by the fact that he’d managed to get Raylin to swallow the entire bag...minutes? She was going to be alright then...thank Faranth...wait, had she just moved?
They boy’s husky-blue eyes widened sharply as he glanced down at the girl, drawing out a resemblance to their canine counterparts in a way that was almost startling to look at. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but found his mind blank. He released her wordlessly, hesitating a moment to make sure that she wouldn’t tip over before shifting backward a few inches.

“I’m not sure what happened really.”

He offered apologetically, giving his head a little shake.

“Jaymith and I were just upstream and he heard Ebolath calling for help. She was saying that you were leaving...we found you unconscious here on the bank, and then Aonith landed and told me how to help.”

He was sure that referring to the dragon who had just saved your friend’s life as ‘the healer’s green’ went far past rude right into contemptuous, and so he was relieved to finally be able to use her name. He turned to the green now. Maybe she would be able to tell them what exactly had gone wrong?

[dragon]

Aonith released Ebolath, letting her back down to the ground gently, urging her to -calmly- go back to hers. Settling back down onto all four feet on the ground, Aonith rose to her feet again. She was glad to see one disaster avoided, and at least two lives saved ... if not three.

Ebolath's? You are feeling well? She asked, of Raylin. And then she turned her head and looked at Ke'rin. After a moment of silcence and thought, Aonith gathered her haunches up again and sat down once more.

Mine says that certain portions of the food stores for the human portion of the Weyr population has been tainted. This is why our Weyrwoman died, thus taking our Queen with her. Not all of it is ... but enough of it to make it a problem. Ebolath's was poisoned toxically, as have been many many other people. Mine is trying to track down which stores are bad. What exactly, did you ingest, Ebolath's? Aonith asked, addressing all in thier little group. Mine would like to know, so that she can isolate those particular stores that have not yet been used.

It would be wise of both of you to take one of the bags I carry ... and keep it with you during and after your meals. If you feel bad, eat some of the contents. Direct and dry if you have to. It won't be pleasant, but it'll be better than dieing. If you see others suffering the affliction ... be sure the aid them, too. Aonith added.

[Rei]

Raylin nodded as Ke’rin spoke her eyes betraying her gratefulness. So Ebolath had called for help and he, Jaymith, and Aonith had come to her aid. The weyrling turned towards Aonith as she released Ebolath and began to speak. She listened intently to the older green as she spoke and searched her memories for an answer. “I’m feeling much better thanks to you Aonith. As far as what I ate. I had some wherrie eggs, a meat roll, some toast with grape jam and some red fruit juice. I think that was it. Do they know what foods are poisoned yet?” She trailed off as Ebolath started to make her way over to her current position.

When Aonith released her, Ebolath gathered her legs under herself and began to trot towards her bonded. On the way she lowered her head and hissed at Jaymith, her eyes still adopting a light red tinge. She had far from forgiven him. Oh, no he would pay for keeping her from hers, but first she must be sure hers was really alright. The green wound herself around Raylin and proceeded to poke her with her muzzle.

Raylin rubbed Ebolath’s eye ridges slightly puzzled as to why she felt the undertone of anger, directed towards Jaymith, in her emotions. It seemed Ebolath was not willing to divulge that information just yet so Raylin left well enough alone for now. The small green crooned to Ke’rin. Thank you for helping Raymine Jaymith’s. Her voice was pleasant enough, and although she felt no ill will towards Ke’rin the anger at Jaymith remained.

Raylin rubbed her eyes. She felt better but still weak. In fact she was not sure how well walking would go at the moment. Turning towards Aonith she managed a smile. “I would be more than happy to carry a bag or two for you. Anything to help. What about the dragon food? Is that tainted as well?” She couldn’t disguise the worried tone her voice had adopted. Poisoned food was not good at all. Was that what had killed Shmee? Did she feel the same pain?

[nightingale]

“Poisoned?”

The tone of Ke’rin’s voice might have suggested that he didn't understand what the word meant had he not seemed so clearly distressed by it. Weyrwoman Shmee had been poisoned, and she had died. The healers were saying that the poison had been in her drink.
Did that mean that someone was trying to kill the weyrlings too?

He offered Ebolath a small nod as she thanked him, but couldn’t quite force himself to smile properly -she had after all, just hissed at a great bronze part of himself. The unhappiness Jaymith refused to show transferred seamlessly onto his rider’s face.

“Well I owed you guys’ a favour, right?”

The boy offered lamely, giving a little shrug.

“I guess we can call it even now.”

I would not call it that. Jaymith told him sourly, giving his tail a little flick as he set about fetching one of Aonith’s charcoal bags for his bonded. She may have helped you to find sister Lamb, but she also shouted at you needlessly. You just saved her life. And you put Ebolath into a state of loathing. What were you thinking, stepping between them like that? I was thinking of you. The hurt edging his voice felt to Kei like a rapier stabbing him between the ribs. He rose silently, moving to his dragon's side and helping him unfasten a few of the bags on Aonith’s halter. Thank you Jaymith. He said after a moment, raising on arm to tug the weyrling's great bronze head onto his shoulder. It’s good to know that I always have someone looking out for me. I will always protect you Ke’rin-mine. The bronze told him, his forgiveness coming wordlessly.

“Most dragons catch their food while it’s still alive.”

Ke’rin offered in response to Raylin’s question, tossing a recently liberated bag of charcoal toward her.

“I don't know how somone would poison a living herdbeastand not kill it. Besides, it’s much easier to poison humans. I don’t think they’d go after the dragons if they had a choice.”

He took a moment to fasten a second bag of charcoal onto his belt, right next to the groove where his knife should have been hanging. He made a mental note to pick it up when he returned to the barracks, and not let it out of his sight until he was sure that things were safe again.

[dragon]

Aonith watched the tensions rise between the clutch siblings, and rumbled softly. Younglings ... do not be sour at each other. The both of you were thinking of and protecting your bondeds. There is no crime in this. Do not hold it against each other. Be kind, be forgiving. You have long lives ahead of you, do not taint it with hatred of your own. the old green admonished, hoping the two would listen.

She settled lower to the ground, to aid Ker'in in removing some of the bags of charcoal off her harness. She didn't care if he took several... she even wanted Raylin to have several. If she ever ran out of the bags, she'd just go back to hers, and request more to be attached. Aonith was quite glad that she had managed to save Raylin, and in turn, Ebolath. Two lives spared, this hour.

Take some for Ebolath's, too, Jamith's. I must be on my way, to see if anyone else needs some help, too. Aslath's was drinking wine when she died, I am told. I would suspect it's the drinks made from fruits that are tainted. But I am not certain. Mine says I am jumping to conclusions ahead of the herd.