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 Posted: Thu Jul 11, 2013 7:05 pm
Vinath hit the ground hard, his rider pitching against his own straps and wincing in a way he hoped wasn't visible to the ground crew. The blue snarled, lashing his tail, eyes still fixed on the sky. But for a moment - just the barest of moments, he spared attention for the weyrling dragons. So small. And His was attached to one of them - one of the blues.
You do well to help like this, he said, directing his words primarily to Nimith but not bothering to shield them from all the Weyrlings.
From his back, V'lay tossed the empty firestone sack to the ground, giving a brusque, impatient gesture before looking anxiously back up. Usually, they'd have a senior class or injured dragons ferrying firestone, but there simply wasn't anyone available this time. They were making do, but only barely.
"Quick as you please!" V'lay barked, twisting his hands hard into the riding straps to give him a distraction from the pain in his ribs.
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Tuatha De rolled 2 20-sided dice:
15, 1
Total: 16 (2-40)
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Posted: Thu Jul 11, 2013 7:11 pm
Nimith turned to gaze at Ellibreth with mild surprise when the green settled down next to him. As her tail entwined with his twitching one, the blue stilled, then settled along with her. Soon, he assured her solemly, his eyes an identical shade to her own. Soon enough it will be our turn. For now, we do what we can.
There was V’lay and Vinath! “Yes sir!” C’ross barked back in response to the bluerider’s call, quickly hefting a firestone sack over his shoulder.
And yet…
There were other riders coming. And despite Kleos’ warning, C’ross was among the bigger weyrlings. He could handle two at once, he was sure – they were heavy, but they weren’t impossibly heavy. And the break between waves was the opportune time to refuel – the faster they could get them all back up in the air, the better off everyone would be.
He hefted a firestone sack under each arm and raced out to V’lay’s side. With some effort, he tossed the first up to the bluerider – and a sharp stabbing pain shot all down his right side. He dropped the other sack, spilling a few chunks of firestone onto the ground. “Shaff!” he hissed, hastily stuffing the firestone back into the bag. Well, he had Nimith keeping an eye on the sky, and the weyrling blue hadn’t sounded an alarm yet… He would be fine, right?
C’ross ignored the hot, damp sensation spreading from the pain in his side, the old knife-wound from a cowardly wherholder. Under the dark, sturdy leathers he’d donned for protection in case he got scored, it wouldn’t be noticeable at first.
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Posted: Thu Jul 11, 2013 7:25 pm
"Don't overexert yourself, C'ross!" The call came too late, and too ironically, from V'lay's lips, as he caught the sack the weyrling tossed to him and realized just then how hard the Fall had so far been on his own injuries. "There'll be time enough for that once he's big enough to fly!" It was kind words to the young bluerider, and the gaze V'lay turned on C'ross was concerned, almost fatherly.
You're one to talk. Secure that. Vinath was twitching now, wings shuddering as he held himself back long enough for the weyrling to get clear.
V'lay wanted to say more - wanted to reassure the young man. But there wasn't more time for life advice. Tying off the sack, he slapped Vinath's neck sharply, and the blue threw himself skywards, yanking V'lay hard back against his straps as he pelted desperately to get far enough aloft to between back to the appropriate altitude.
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mewrose rolled 1 20-sided dice:
11
Total: 11 (1-20)
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Posted: Thu Jul 11, 2013 8:43 pm
Poth sat a little straighter at Vinath's praise. It is good to help where we can, she told him. It was always nice to hear someone say you did good.
She didn't keep her eyes away from the sky for long, though. The air had been clear of Thread for a bit, but already more was coming. She watched diligently, but the dragons above were doing a good job, and so far not a single strand had fallen near them.
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mewrose rolled 1 20-sided dice:
5
Total: 5 (1-20)
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Posted: Thu Jul 11, 2013 9:04 pm
T'lon grabbed another sack and turned to find a lot more dragons had suddenly landed. Why were there so many at once?
There is a break in the Threadfall, the skies are clear for a bit, Poth informed him.
Ah, that would do it. And made sense as a time to refuel. Hefting his sack, he ran out to deliver it to a waiting rider. Running wasn't needed to get out and back under cover as quickly possible, but speed would still be appreciated by riders who wanted to get back into the sky as soon as possible.
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Posted: Fri Jul 12, 2013 11:58 am
Etasha and Coryxoth - Refueling
The little black pulled out of his dive dazzlingly low, enough that the downdraft off his wing-beats stirred up the dust of the Weyrbowl below him. He landed neatly, warbling a greeting to the weyrlings carrying the stone.
Etasha whistled sharply, then called out, "We could use a refuel! Don't know if there's going to be another wave after this one!"
Her hands were clenched tightly on the straps, white-knuckled. Coryxoth did his best, but flying with the small agile dragons was rough at the best of times. After this was over, she was going to need a hot bath, a drink, and a good long nap. That thought, at least, could keep her going through the rest of the Fall.
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tetrachrome rolled 2 20-sided dice:
20, 12
Total: 32 (2-40)
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Posted: Fri Jul 12, 2013 11:59 am
[[First Ellibreth, second I'saak]]
He had seen the way C'ross stumbled, and I'saak had been up and moving toward him before the blackrider was even there. He wasn't thinking, really, just going to help his friend, firestone sack tossed haphazardly over his shoulder. "C'ross - Faranth, C'ross, are you all right? What happened?" The bluerider had taken off, and C'ross hadn't moved yet. He was - Faranth, I'saak had to pass off his sack of firestone first, approaching the blackrider who had just arrived and tossing her 'stone before changing his course and heading back in C'ross's direction. "You okay?"
I'saak! C'ross! Thread! Ellibreth's mental call was accompanied by a screech of warning. She had seen it, the thread of silver fluttering down. Get back under cover!
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Tuatha De rolled 2 20-sided dice:
15, 19
Total: 34 (2-40)
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Posted: Fri Jul 12, 2013 12:01 pm
C’ross heard V’lay’s admonishment not to exert himself, and he acknowledged it with a brief salute – but a moment later he was back to packing the firestone back into the bag and then closing it up securely. The blue was aloft, a blackrider was down, the weyrgrounds were a flurry of wings and motion…
I’saak was at his side. C’ross looked up into his friend’s concerned gaze. “Yeah, I’m fine, just dropped the bag. Everything’s fine.”
And of course, after the first wave with no incidents, that was when all between broke loose.
When Ellibreth screamed at them to get back under cover, C’ross’ good sense took over. He left the firestone sack where it lay – it was stone, Thread wasn’t going to hurt it any, but it sharding well would hurt him! “Come on!” he shouted, grabbing I’saak’s arm and racing back into the shelter.
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tetrachrome rolled 2 20-sided dice:
7, 14
Total: 21 (2-40)
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Posted: Fri Jul 12, 2013 12:03 pm
Ellibreth's screech in his mind sent I'saak scuttling - and C'ross's hand on his arm kept him in the right direction as they moved quickly in the direction of the shelter. C'ross outpaced him a little (strange, considering that I'saak was certainly in better physical health than he was, but C'ross had always been fast), and he ducked under the stone of the shelter with his friend quickly, and without anyone actually getting hurt.
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mewrose rolled 2 20-sided dice:
2, 15
Total: 17 (2-40)
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Posted: Fri Jul 12, 2013 1:05 pm
T'lon - running from Thread
T'lon heard Ellibreth's screech an instant before Poth warned, Thread spotted! Mine, get under cover!
T'lon needed no further urging. He was already on his way back, but he put on an extra burst of speed that got him into the shelter long before the Thread touched down. Then he grabbed a bucket and peered out, waiting to see where the Thread would land. If it didn't hit anyone, they had to be ready to drown it as quick as possible. Idly he wondered why no flamethrowers were assigned to the refueling station, then dismissed the thought as not important for the moment.
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Posted: Fri Jul 12, 2013 7:45 pm
I'saak all but crashed into T'lon, though, slowing up just in time not to plow into the fellow greenrider.
"Shards," he said quietly. "You always imagine you're never actually going to see it when you're on the ground, and then..."
He shook his head, looking at his two fellow weyrlings. "We're all still intact, so that's what matters, right?" he asked, quirking a half-smile. "Good job, Ell," he added, smiling warmly at his dragon. The green snorted, eyes whirling with contentment but returning to an anxious red-orange as she cast her gaze back out toward the thread. Her tailtip twitched like a hunting feline, every muscle in her little body quivering as she held herself back from attacking her kind's age-old foe.
I'saak shook his head. "We're supposed to drown it, right?" he asked quietly, looking at the buckets and the water barrel with an expression of concern. He didn't entirely want to head back out there, but if that was what it was going to take...
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Tuatha De rolled 1 10-sided dice:
7
Total: 7 (1-10)
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Posted: Fri Jul 12, 2013 8:19 pm
Thread left: 18/25
"Yeah," C'ross replied grimly, glancing back outside. To judge from the keening up above, someone's dragon had just gone between - and to judge from the exhausted, shaking dragons landing in the bowl, the Fall was over. But that didn't mean that the scrap of Thread out there magically went away. They had to drown the burrow before it was too late.
"Come on. Everyone grab a water bucket - don't get too close, just throw the water on it and get out of the way." Filling a bucket from the trough, C'ross jogged out to where the Thread had landed. Swinging the bucket in a short arc, he splashed water over the solidly packed earth of the Weyrbowl. It landed true, but the silver filament wasn't dead yet.
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mewrose rolled 1 10-sided dice:
10
Total: 10 (1-10)
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Posted: Fri Jul 12, 2013 8:25 pm
Thread left: 8/25
T'lon stumbled out of I'saak's way when the other weyrling dashed for cover. He regained his balance and nodded at the greenrider's sentiment, then looked out at the Thread. Nobody hurt, but it would burrow before long if left alone. Since he already had a bucket in hand, it took only a moment to scoop some water. Poth, watch out for any more? he asked his dragon.
No need, the Fall is done, she said with relief. Then her tone saddened and she began to keep as she relayed, Vorith and His have gone between. Thread got them at the end.
T'lon's bucket suddenly felt heavier. The Weyr had lost someone? ...There would be time to mourn the loss later, right now he had to make sure there wasn't more losses. Taking careful aim at the Thread, he threw his bucketload of water right at the heart of the stuff, drenching much of the strand. But it still wriggled, so he turned and trotted back for more water.
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tetrachrome rolled 1 10-sided dice:
9
Total: 9 (1-10)
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Posted: Fri Jul 12, 2013 8:25 pm
Well, if C'ross was going...
I'saak picked up the bucket and walked after him, gaze still skyward. There were dragons landing around them, but that didn't necessarily mean the Fall was over - just that some of the smaller dragons were bowing out. Still, he followed his friend to the burrow quickly, glancing furtively down it in an attempt to work out what Thread even looked like. It was silver, but...did it have a mouth? What did it use to burn things?
He poured the water after C'ross, aiming it as precisely as possible.
Thread HP: -1/25! Go Weyrlings!
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