Virtue Wherlings Final Lesson

[Rei]

Nysania prodded Nyssk more harshly when the wher withdrew from her without an answer. She could feel the sharp pain racing through the bond but the blue had demanded that she cut herself from him. Protected Number One had a job to do. No distractions. He was fine.

Said wher however was not completely fine. Blocking his terrified and flailing sister, from losing herself deep in the mines, had cost Nyssk. Faolask had slashed out at him blindly and without hesitation and, smaller as his sister was, it had put her in a prime place to do considerable damage. The purple hued wher had nevertheless held his ground and quickly shifted to try and minimize the damage. Although he had acted when he first felt the pain of her talons slashing into him, most the damage had already been done. Long slashes arched down his left foreleg and his underbelly had been ripped up as well. The only thing that had kept his entrails from spilling out onto the ground was his quick movement to allow her claws to strike with less depth. But the first slash along his underside was deep enough and he felt his strength being sapped.

Trembling above his sister as his ichor dribbled onto her in hot drops Nyssk was grateful that Mothers command had worked on her. As Faolask questioned him the large male lowered his head to nudge the green gently. No worries Protected Sister Number Two. He was fine. With that he moved to let her up, his legs trembling as he stood beside her and quietly regarded the humans. A short bark was given to his present siblings. Were they all okay? Zemask's and Mother's were apparently hurt. Noted. Anyone else? Nostrils flared in the near pitch darkness as the blue began to piece together the scenario.

Nysania quickly made her way to her classmates and at Faolan’s words she nodded making for Portia before the greenhandler grasped at her arm. She felt the white hot pain mere moments later but as concerned as she was for her wher Nyssk was right. These people needed her now. She was no Dragonhealer anyway. Asking Nyssk to inform the dragons at the infirmary that they would need assistance she crouched in front of Portia. The girl and any other close injured first. Then she would tend to Nyssk and any other pressing injury as best as she was able.

“Portia? It’s Nysania. You hit your head pretty hard. Are you dizzy?” Reaching out for Portia she gently examined the wound and then took the scarf from around the young girl’s neck. It would have to do as they had no other supplies around. Tying it about the girl's head to try and slow the bleeding she sighed. “Portia I don’t know how much you are understanding right now. But I need you to take things slow and stay awake. Do you understand?” Using Nyssk to pass a message on to Posk to keep his awake she turned to Hinsero and Faolan. “We need to stay together, regroup with our whers and if possible find out if we can get to the other injured besides Portia.” A glance was given back to the younger bluehandler. “She may need help walking.” With that the Weyrhealer turned in the direction she knew Nyssk to be before glancing back at Hinsero. “Is Hinsesk okay?” Keeping busy was paramount to keeping herself calm, Nysania knew this, but all the same she was more than a bit worried.

~~~

Feyrianth had been curled up on the ledge connected to the dragon side of the infirmary when the call came. The touch of the wher was surprising and it took the green a few moments to work it all out before, confident that she had the message right, she reached for Phremath and her own bonded. There are people trapped in the place with the very shiny rocks. Some are injured. The cousin belonging to the chubby one tells me that they will need help.

[Requiem]

Phremath didn't bother replying to Feyrianth. Normally she was a supremely polite little small-winged dragon, and would have acknowledged the other green just so Feyrianth felt good, but Hers was in what Phremath liked to call "Super Mine" mode. Which was to say she was striding - or limping, rather - through the infirmary, issuing a flurry of commands to the apprentices and healers on hand, few though they were at this time of night.

"Erilena, you need to speed your pretty little ass up. I should not be able to out-hobble you," Kalierre snapped when she caught sight of said ass poking out of a doorway. (Who knew what the girl was up to? The dragonhealer didn't make a habit of micromanaging unless her healers proved to be complete imbeciles who needed their hands held.)

Stepping out of the infirmary, she grumbled, "Now where is that wherhandler?" Raising her voice, she shouted, "Konstantin! Kostya! Blondie! Boy otherwise known as a royal pain in my ass!" There, that should rouse him. Kalierre half-turned to wait impatiently for the two minions she planned to bring with her.

---

Faolask got up, lowering her head an scenting the dusty air, a soft whimper still in her throat. She was still scared. What if the ground shook again? The ceiling fell? But she was equally concerned with her clutchbrother, whom she had hurt quite seriously she now realized. Faolask nudged against his shoulder. He should not stand. Rest. Yes. If he moved around wouldn't he drip more ichor everywhere?

For the greenwherling's part, he was rubbing at the tip of his nose. Smelled funny in here. The man had drawn off to one side, careful to keep his head level so as to illuminate Porita for Nysania. He didn't really like what the older woman was saying. Yes, rejoining the whers, maybe, but...searching for the missing and injured when there were injured here? And help was coming. So Faolask kept relaying to him. Moving about would make it just that much harder to find them.

"I do-don't think that's a g-good idea. Moving injured to find injured." Hand fell to join the other in wringing together behind his back.

---

Ximesk acknowledged Nautsk, but he'd already moved to intercept the larger bronze. No, not that way. The tunnel was...wrong. It might slide and trap them, too. They should stay together and find a safer way. Only once the blue was certain that Roisk would follow did he turn to continue toward another tunnel, stepping gingerly down it and looking for any other signs of stress.

Hattie and Ximera had fallen curiously silent, until the small green in her brief ranges ahead found...a human. Perching near Zemaren, she fluted inquisitively at him, flashing a confused muddle of images including falling rocks, flash floods and the gaping maw of a giant monster wher before an apparent solar eclipse.

[rii]

Oh, he had heard the call for help shortly after wandering out to the ledge in curiosity about the earthquake. Aside from a few birds rising in the jungle, everything visually looked to be the same. Voices were rising all over with the same question floating around ledge to ledge. Kostya dismissed it before, wandering back into the weyr, when shortly after Konstask informed him of the call for help.

Was Vix and Ki in the mines?

The green didn't have an answer for him, she didn't know. Kostya quelled the small flutter of panic before it could shake him. He already had grabbed a pack from the storage room, filling it with various supplies when he heard Kalierre's yelling. He leaned just far enough away from the shelves, and out the door way, to catch her eye with a unamused look before going back to picking out the basic supplies. He might have grabbed a little more than necessary, but his mind was trying to spin off on a tangent.

He wanted to send Konstask off to find Tekivisk, but he'd need her to find his way into the mines. Mirage wouldn't be any better to send, as she was already nestled into his hair and preparing for an adventure that awaited them in the dark caverns. Konstask slunk off without them, following the silent command to wait for them outside the mine entrance - wait to guide them into the dark. Kostya slung the pack over his shoulder and stepped out and toward the impatient dragon healer, "What else do you want to bring?"

Stretchers?

Where was Nysania?

[Ember]

((You can go ahead and post without me now. ^^ Take it away guys! Eikane's just loopily singing to a firelizard and Eikask is pretending to be a sentinel until she can get to him, so I odn't have much to say))

[Rowana]

"Dizzy," Porita mumbled confirmation to Nysania's question. The voice was helping her keep her grounded in reality. She still had half a mind focused on Posk, keeping him from running too far and getting lost. She was still able to look at Nysania with bleary eyes. When the scarf came off, she gave a weak attempt to put it back, even though in the dark no one could probably see her scar. "I'm alright," Porita tried to insist, though her voice was barely a whisper. She didn't feel very alright, but she didn't want anyone to worry. Surly someone the others were hurt far worse than her.

Posk was getting agitated. He didn't like being separated from Porita when she wasn't make much sense anymore. Something was wrong with her. He was confident that it would be well, it always was. He still wanted to be with her, though, and with his friends. Being alone was so...lonely. Poking around again, this time he found a small gap in the rocks that he could just manage to wiggle through. Wincing a little as his wings scrapped and dragged, the blue's head emerged a short ways from two familiar forms. Oh Zemask! It was so good to see him! Posk pulled himself the rest of the way free and nuzzle up to the brown. Was Zemask's alright? Posk's wasn't very well either.

Porita frowning, trying to understand the images and feelings Posk was sending her. "Posk..." she tried to make the words come out right and it was proving difficult. "Not here. Found Zem. Hurt."

~

Roisk started a little at Ximesk's abrupt movement, but he was grateful for his and Nautsk assistance. He was not a mining wher and didn't mind deferring to those who knew these tunnels far better than he. Roi relaxed a little too. He was anxious to find the wherlings and Eikane, but he didn't fancy getting lost himself in the process. Some of the ceilings didn't look very safe anymore. Roisk fell into step behind Ximesk, following their lead. He still held out hope they would find the young ones safe and sound.

[Rei]

Alright Nysania had to admit that what Faolan said made sense. Still. It did not sit well with her to leave the other injured without help. Snorting softly she checked Portia again and spoke. “Makes sense.” She wasn’t making the best decisions it seemed but her head was getting all fuzzy and she was stressed so perhaps it was not surprising. Needed to relax. A glance was given Nyssk and the slowly spreading puddle of ichor beneath him. “Stay still you big lug.” She said gently before half stumbling over to him and did a quick examination her eyes widening as she tried to swallow down her fear. Not good. Not good at all. And she had nothing with which to help him. He was too big for her clothing to be of any use as bandaging even if she tore it. The wound too long and deep. Shards.

A trembling hand stroked the large blue’s head as he growled at her and shoved her roughly with his head. His sister and the others check them. He was fine. You are most certainly not fine. He woman shot back angry and exasperated a thread of what might have been desperation underlying in the tone but the large purple blue wher merely shrugged it away and moved away from Faolask. No worried Protected sister number two. He was fine. Nyssk limped away from his green sister and moved a few steps in the direction Portia indicated before his legs buckled and he hit the ground with a grunt. Taking a few heaving breaths he half lidded his eyes. Perhaps a short rest then. Just a small one.

Nysania managed to hold back the wave of shared pain his fall caused and only barely restrained herself from making her way over to her blue. Couldn’t do anything for him. Hovering was wasting energy. At least he was resting now. Instead she trembled and spoke softly to Portia. “Can you tell how badly Zem is hurt?” Helplessly she looked at her small group of companions. What now?

~~~~

Erilena had moved to gather supplies before Feyrianth had even finished informing her. Checking her bag for the third time she slung it over her shoulder right before Kalierre snapped at her. “Noted.” She called back to the other greenrider before half running to catch up with her. A glance and nod was given Kostya before the woman moved at a fast clip for the dragon side of the infirmary where Feyrianth was waiting a bit impatiently. The green had her four wings half flared, a rolled stretcher and medical bags at her feet, and straps dangling from her mouth. Smiling and taking only a minute to pat her dragon’s muzzle Erilena quickly worked to tack up the green, fixing the other items in place before swinging up on her.

All the nightly obsessive practice really helped. Guess there were advantages to obsessive occupation of your mind after all. Feyrianth stilled as she waited for the others, wings folding along her back as she made her way to the edge of the ledge. “Ready when you are Kalierre.” Erilena called stroking along her dragon’s neck before motioning to Kostya and mentally prodding Feyrianth to crouch for him. “You can ride with us?” The four wing green crouched offering Kostya her foreleg and a gentle croon before speaking to Phremath. Ready at your command Phre.

[Tashe]

Zemask as helping his human do everything to stay awake, he might not be a smart Wher but he knew what his knew. And if Hislove told him to keep him awake he would. Rumbling quietly as he sent the young man messages, the Brown noticed the arrival of the Flitter, its heat signature was nearly a neon color in comparison to the agitated purple/blue rocks around them. He grunted at the flitter as His groaned at trying to concentrate on what the little thing was trying to tell him. Zemask, took charge and wuffed at Hattie. His was injured on the head, littleone should not be flashing images so quickly. She should go tell her handler where they were. He snorted before nosing Zemaren, making the Human's eyes flutter open for they had closed without him noticing. Wakeup. Bad to sleep.

It was soon after he'd finished talking to the flitter when something large moved into his peripherals. Zemask barred his teeth until he recognized his Bluebrother among the wreckage that blocked their tunnel entrance. Reaching up to nuzzle back as Posk greeted him, the Brown looked down at his human. It was good to see Posk too. He was sorry Posk's was hurt. Yes... his was hurt. A big tree fell and trapped him. He saved his from the big tree, but Hislove's head had also been bonked, but he was not leaking. He was keeping His awake. He was hurt too, but he did not mind, His was more hurt. Zemask tapped his tail on the ground and gently licked the Harper, resting his head near Zemaren's leg. He could sense the Oldones, they were here or coming. Soon Their's would be unhurt.

In the darkness the Brownwherling narrowed his eyes, trying to discern who exactly the other Wher was. Zemask was slow in telling him, if only because many images at once hurt his head to process. "Oh...h-hi... Posk." He coughed again, which made the world swim again. It was like having a bad headache... but worse. Because instead of being light sensitive, he was just sensitive to everything.

-----

Nautic and Nautsk soon met up with the Bronzepair, quietly joining their run to the Mines. The Green was pushing herself to her limits, knowing full well that it would drain her of the energy needed to carry anyone (including Nautic) back anywhere. Not a big or important Wher by any standards, but mainly her own, she had the single task of getting there and guiding Her human to the babies. Dashing through the treeline that announced the area before the cave's entrance, Nautsk slowed down, pacing anxiously to cool herself not wanting to overheat now that she had gotten there. It was a minute or so before she was ready again, scuttling up into the cave, she left it to Pidesk to follow her.

Putting her nose to the ground, much like a Canine, the Green snuffed and huffed until she caught a particularly strong scent. Shuffling down a passage way (one in which Ximesk had not passed through) Nautsk followed the scent trail. Meanwhile, Nautic had pulled chalk out from his tool belt. Reaching out as they passed close to a wall he had his Green stop for a second so he could draw an arrow in the direction they were traveling. It was not so much for him as it was for those who would follow, particularly the healers that he knew would arrive. If he found people he could have Nautsk tell the Dragons which tunnels to follow. Pulling out another piece he dropped down out of his harness to give his Green some relief before slowing his walk so he ended up next to Piden's leg. "Here, in case Nautsk makes us split up." Nautic handed the man a stick of yellow chalk. A different color than his own. Once he'd handed it off to Piden Nautic pulled his light helmet out and gave it to Piden. He didn't need it, he had sightshared with Nautsk so often now that he didn't need the light. "In case you need it." Jogging as quietly as he could, the Greenhandler caught up with his wher who had reached a fork in the road and had paused in front of a partially blocked tunnel.

Whining Nautsk huffed and sniffed at the rocks, testing the supports with some of her weight before wuffing. She would push some of the rocks away it would be safe, if Pidesk could help her that would be good. But they needed to be careful, careful. This tunnel looked funny past the entrance. The Babies scents were strong. She could smell Eikask's too, but he was farther down. Sending her mind out to the young Whers, she offered them her encouragement. Soon babies, soon. She was bringing a big strong Bronze to help. They just needed to wait a little more. Reaching out to Eikask as she worked to move rocks (moving of course, certain ones before the others), Nautsk asked the Gold if she was near her children. If her Queen was not hurt and could find them, it would make it easier.

As Nautic waited for the tunnel entrance to be cleared enough for Pidesk to pass through, the Greenhandler marked the rock before the bend in the "Y" with an arrow and then again right before their tracks. Pulling back to where Piden was, he pulled out a map and moved into the field of light the light hat gave off. "We're here." He motioned. "Un... unfortunately... this tunnel..." Nautic was fighting off waves of anxiety and fear. He knew he should be worried about everyone, but Eikane was probably the most prominent worry in his mind. "...doesn't have another access until here." He moved his finger to the right and down a ways. "Nautsk thinks the babies are somewhere... around here." He moved his finger back up and then to the left, broadly circling three tunnels that ran parallel to each other to show the Green's uncertainty. "Once the entrance is cleared, we'll go in and access the safety. I hope we can pass through here..."

[Ruby]

Pidesk was plenty happy to change course for Nautsk - it made sense, after all, and he very much liked his green near-sister. Piden had mixed feelings. Nautic was certainly pretty, and Piden had never been anything short of perfectly nice to the greenhandler, but for absolutely unknown reasons Nautic always turned up his nose at Piden. It wasn't like they hadn't slept together; they'd gotten that out of the way during Nautsk's last run, and with Nautic dating Eikane, it certainly wasn't homophobia. Maybe it had to do with the fact that Nautic was dating Eikane? Interesting, that was a side Piden hadn't considered before. Monogamous relationships weren't really his thing.

Whatever. They had found each other, and the Bronze followed his distinctly smaller sister back into the mines after Piden dismounted. Pidesk was a small bronze, yes, but Piden would still take his head off trying to ride him in the smaller tunnels. They followed the Greenpair, trusting Nautsk's nose and Nautic's experience, perfectly aware that they were here for manual labor. He took the chalk with an almost sarcastically sexy "Thanks, Nautic," but strapped the glow-hat to Pidesk and left it off - no reason to ruin his night vision yet, even if it would be next to useless down here. He could sight-share too, even if he relied more on heat signatures than the rest of it.

Traveling in silence - for once, Piden had no idea what to say, especially since seducing Nautic right here (despite the excellently dark location) would probably put lives in danger - they soon came up against a blocked tunnel. Pidesk moved to help Nautsk clear the entry, moving only the stones she told him after pulling at the wrong one had caused the whole stack to shift, and Piden retrieved and flicked on the glow-hat so he could read Nautic's map. The greenhandler's voice was shaking, and so was the map in his hand. Not good, they needed all of the Minekeeper's attention to get them out of this.

While the Whers worked diligently on the wall of stone, Piden put a hand on Nautic's shoulder, turning the small man so Piden could look directly at him in the low, flickery light. "Hey," he said, his voice full of that sort of caressing softness that was pure Piden, "It's gonna be OK. If anyone was dead, we'd know already, and Pidesk and Nautsk are getting that passage cleared as fast as they can." He was holding Nautic at arm's length, not even attempting to move the gesture past friendly comfort. "Ximesk and Roisk are doing the same, somewhere else. Everyone's gonna be fine." With that, he let the greenhandler go, turning back to the blockage with hands behind his back. They were nearly through. And sometimes, you had to do the opposite of what people expected.

--

"Hinsesk?" For a second, Nysania's question threw Hinsero off; Hinsesk himself had taken to moderating his pain, conciously backing it off bit by bit so it was at tolerable levels. He would not panic, and he would not lose it; it simply wasn't in his DNA. Still, he'd stuck next to Hinsero, limping along to lie his head on Hinsero's lap whenever he could. "His fore-paw. It's sprained, I think, damaged but not broken. He can't put weight on it, but he can get out of here without making it worse. I'd rather we do that than try to splint it in the dark."

While the others moved off to worry about Nyssk and Faolask, Hinsero stayed with Porita, keeping a hand on her shoulder so she wouldn't try to prove how alright she was by moving. Settling into a more comfortable sitting position and pulling the slightly shaking but overall not too damaged Hinsesk's head into his lap, he asked Porita, "Tell me what Zemaren's wearing after you tell us how hurt he is, if you can. Or tell me about where you come from, your family, anything. Just don't stop talking, we need to make sure you don't have a concussion, and we can't do that until we're out of the dark. Ok?" He didn't want to scare her, but he didn't want to lose her, either. There were sounds coming from up the corridor, comforting sounds that meant Whers were coming for them. He couldn't let her sleep.