|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Fri Dec 14, 2012 6:36 pm
Yes, that had definitely been a bleat. Unfortunately. Iafri clamped one hand firmly but gently around the stolen kid's muzzle to keep it from making any more noise, but what was done was done - and were those voices she heard? It was faint, but she thought she heard voices. Oh, crackdust, what was she going to do now? She couldn't go back out into the main tunnel, that was probably where they were, but what if they came down here where she was?
Maybe...maybe if she timed it right, and made sure there wasn't anyone between her and the exit, she could run out before anyone noticed her. The bleating didn't seem to have drawn anyone's immediate attention - in that no one had come rushing down this passage to check it out - so maybe she still had a chance to get out of here.
Slowly, Iafri started to shuffle along the wall towards where she'd turned. If she could just get a little peek around the corner...
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Dec 14, 2012 7:53 pm
Tyalar had been poking around the mines, quite lost. His speed in entering and disregard of waiting for instructions had worked against him this time. He wasn't bothered by the dark, butt he silence was beginning to get to him. It was a state that wasn't going to last long, though, as the flits began to raise their voices. Tyalar jumped at first, then paused - what a beautiful noise. He continued to wander, this time trying to reach the direction of the noise instead of simply blundering about like a loon.
He turned the corner at some speed, not looking where he was going. This it turned out, was a mistake as he flailed to a stop, eyes wide as he observed someone carrying an animal?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Dec 14, 2012 7:56 pm
Pest started humming deep in the back of his throat. Coming to rest on V'tur's shoulder, he wrapped his tail around his owner's arm and sent pictures of shiny rounds cracking open. And then V'tur realized that the other flits were humming as well.
"Candidates! Everyone come together! Z'fer, B'nas... The eggs are hatching!" V'tur cursed angrily at those who had stolen the eggs from their safe haven. Away from the weyr and their mothers. They wouldn't be able to move the eggs or rather hatchlings now. "Pest, we need to find those eggs. Can you find the shiny rounds?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Dec 14, 2012 8:55 pm
For all her worry about encountering someone, Iafri was no less surprised when it actually happened...although surprised was putting it mildly. Terrified was more like it. She let out a small shriek and jumped backward, then continued to backpedal to put more distance between herself and the boy, still hugging the baby caprine tight - something the creature doubtless found uncomfortable, as it wriggled and gave an unhappy bleat, but she barely paid it any mind. No no no, this was all wrong, he'd found her and she didn't have anywhere to run to, nowhere but behind her to who-knew-where, and then she might get lost, but she couldn't just stand here and be caught!
Out of options, she made a run for it, trying to bolt out of the passage past the young stranger and towards the daylit exit of the mines, regardless of who else might be in the tunnel.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Dec 15, 2012 12:13 pm
B'nas resented being ordered about by a rider not of HIS Weyr but it was HIS Queen's eggs that had been stolen and B'nas wasn't likely to let that slight pass. He'd grudgingly accepted his role for the moment but he was one of the die hard Benden riders and rarely, if ever, mingled with riders of Malvren and Trine. He cursed Trine for allowing the theft.
He kept his mouth shut rather than snap back any comments to the other riders, he didn't trust his tongue... or his fist if they bugged him for any reason.
After a while Milnth began to hum and B'nas groaned then thumped a wall, causing him to curse as he grazed his knuckle on the walls of the mine. "Well great... because THAT is all we need" he sighed "We need to get the kids to wherever those things are ... NOW" he growled, his voice raising.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Dec 15, 2012 12:41 pm
"Well I don't see a lot of choice," A'nos muttered, bending to pick up the Play Nice egg, still in its bag and starting to wriggle. "My idea is this," he went on to the others as he shouldered the bag. "We go to the entrance. They won't attack us seeing we have an egg - hopefully - and we can barter our way past them with it, and with information on where we've left the big blue one."
Keller would be furious no doubt, but Keller (probably) wouldn't kill him. The Resistance faction might, and if they didn't then they would probably imprison him for his crimes. Oh, he was under no illusion about what he had done; his fellows could talk all they liked about justice and equality, but murder was still murder. It did not weigh too heavily on his conscience though; they had all been given a chance to flee Benden, and Malvren too, and they should have taken that chance. He and his fellows were murderers, but the Resistance were fools.
"Are you two in then?" he looked from green rider to handler and back again. "I doubt we have much time... I think I hear voices."
((Scouting firelizards may discover the Revolutionaries but not yet the eggs!))
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dragonflight Pern Captain
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Dec 15, 2012 1:50 pm
Red shot eyes began to swirl with green as Calanoth's chest rumbled and thrummed in welcome. He couldn't fit in the mines, couldn't see the eggs! they were there though, he felt their presences awakening as they began to struggle against their shells.
Z'fer swore as the group moved deeper into the caves. He had little concern for the sound of a caprine lost in the caves, at least, until a small girl holding the beast came bolting from out of the darkness. "Shells!" Z'fer was startled at first but then made a grab for the young girl. What if she was one of the egg thieves?! "Stop her!" He shouted to the riders. The candidates already seemed to be well off with their flits hunting for the eggs.
...................................
Ailin
Ailin had sent his beloved little Jerint to hunt as well, giving him clear images of the eggs he remembered and an order to 'Find'. He still wasn't sure how he'd been pegged for this mission other than perhaps his size. At least, if the eggs were hatching now, he wouldn't have to explain to Niyx that he was NOT scaring off any Impressions with his dark thoughts. He hadn't been there to Impress. It was almost a relief.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Dec 15, 2012 2:02 pm
When the stranger grabbed for her, Iafri tried to dodge out of the way, but there just wasn't enough room to do so effectively. She scraped against the rough wall and stumbled, and with the caprine in her arms, she didn't have any hope of keeping her balance or her feet. Rather than let her burden go, she hugged it closer and twisted as she fell to keep from falling on it. She hit the ground with a yelp - and the kid with further noisy protests - and quickly curled in on herself, pressing against the wall as though she hoped it might swallow her up and hide her.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Dec 15, 2012 2:58 pm
Tyalar had oustretched his hand towards the girl, but he had simply not been fast enough, too stunned by finding someone else. He ran after her, glad to finally find someone else in this maze of caves. However has he approached he heard voices and paused, slowing down. He looked around to corner to find her being grabbed by Z'fer. She curled against the wall, vunerable. She tugged on Tyalar's heartstrings. He took a deep breath, pausing for a few seconds before he plucked up the courage to come out of the dark.
"Hey, let her go!"
He was shaking slightly - taking a stand was not something Tyalar did often - but he couldn't leave her, or her baby animal, to suffer.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Dec 15, 2012 3:09 pm
Z'fer hadn't managed to grab her but his attempt at least prevented her escape. He closed in and loomed over where she curled around her young caprine. A grimace crossed his face. She didn't look like someone who'd just stolen dragon eggs, but she didn't look like a miner either and she certainly was terrified of being caught. His voice and eyes were hard as he demanded. "Who are you and what are you doing here?"
The candidate's yell distracted him and he turned his grey eyes on the young lad. "Nevermind her! You get going and find those eggs before they between or by the shell of my dragons egg you won't Stand for a single clutch!"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Dec 15, 2012 3:38 pm
The stranger had been frightening enough before he loomed over and started demanding answers, and when he did that, she pressed even harder against the wall, looking anywhere but directly at him. It took her a long pause and several panicked breaths before she answered. "I-I was just l-looking for her, th-that's all," she finally stuttered out. "I'm s-sorry."
Dragons. He mentioned his dragon. These were riders. She flinched and shivered.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Dec 15, 2012 4:48 pm
...The bag was moving. It was definitely moving. Had he just heard a cracking sound?
Oh shaff.
"Time's up!" A'nos hissed as the bag squirmed against his body. Not fancying dragon claws ripping into him he hastily set the bag down and stepped back. Only moments later the shell cracked completely and sharp talons tore easily through the bag. The dragon that emerged from the Play Nice egg was a tiny delicate little green... and a very confused on at that.
Blinking blue eyes she gave a questioning warble as she inspected her strange surroundings. She didn't seem distressed, not yet, but she was clearly rather lost. Having determined that none of the people she could see could be hers the dainty hatchling lifted her head and let out a long clear call; she was here, so where was Hers?
Muttering a curse under his breath A'nos gathered up the bag containing the Self Absorbed egg and hastened around a corner; he might yet have to deal with the Resistance fighters but he would rather not be in their immediate line of sight when they came to investigate the green dragon's echoing call.
((All Resistance people should have been able to hear the Play Nice's call!))
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dragonflight Pern Captain
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Dec 15, 2012 5:17 pm
And oh hey look scary yelling man who was telling Tyalar to scram. To give him credit he did pause for a few seconds, casting his eyes towards the curled up girl but then the man was a rider so as long as she wasn't a criminal she'd be fine. He nodded abruptly and ran back into the caves, hoping he'd find more than dark space this time - he heard something, though whether it was voices or just the call of a flit he couldn't say, but he headed towards it. And then it sounded again and Tyalar recognised the sounds - it was the sound of a hatchling! He picked up his pace, heading towards the noise - drawn towards the dragon both with excitement and perhaps a little hope.
It was different to be in close proximity to a hatchling, rather than watching from the stands.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Dec 15, 2012 5:20 pm
What...what was that? Never before had Iafri heard anything like the sound that echoed through the mines, and that not-knowing frightened her further still. Something that wasn't other people was in the mines with them! Was that why these riders were here? She glanced back to where the mine stretched on, and to where the boy who'd first surprised her had stood, having demanded her release - something she might puzzle over later, when there was room for something other than fear in her mind.
She still clung to her stolen caprine, though her hold had relaxed some, as she now held to it more for comfort than to keep it from escaping again.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Dec 15, 2012 5:44 pm
Oh Shells. "That's a hatchling!" A quick call to his little green flit had her chittering all through the mines, letting the scattered candidates know they needed to get back to the main shaft and follow the baby's call before it was too late.
At least the young boy could obey orders, even if he hesitated Z'fer was glad THAT had gone right. His lips pressed into a thin line as he made a rushed decision about the teenager at his feet. He held down a hand to her. "Get up, quick, you're coming with me." He didn't exactly believe her story. There wasn't a beastholding near enough for a baby caprine to escape this far into the mountains that he was aware of. He couldn't see any knots in the dark either.
In any case, he doubted she belonged in the firestone mines and he wasn't about to let her escape. The caprine could still be a cover, her shivering, an act. She could take his hand and come willingly... or not. Z'fer wasn't letting her go anywhere else though.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
