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Canoake tapped her forefinger on the side of her cheek, slig. htly amused. "Perhaps, ridiculous is the wrong word. But you have to admit, if Iachixth had been any other color, the fuss would not have been so great. If it there had been any at all. And you can't tell me that you enjoy the constant headache of being fought over and worrying about who will show up next," she sighed. Giving a rueful smile, she looked almost apologetic. Looking at the gold riders who approached, Canoake fought to keep the smile on her face. "Perhaps, I am just not good at explaining how I feel about no longer being low woman on the end of the ladder? And if your third option actually allows all dragons to be treated equal and it stays that way.. Consider us signed up. But until that time, we have to do what is needed to ensure we are not just another faceless rider lost to time."

Tatath replied.

A'nos smiled pleasantly at Mercy. "You seem to have some unfortunate misinformation floating around in your mind. There's no shame in Impressing a dragon, and we don't suppress golds. Come to that," he glanced at C'ross, "we are not at the bottom of the totem pole, any of us. Any man or woman be they rider or handler or unbonded can rise through the ranks, and it's not about how vicious one is either. We have our warriors, and we have our thinkers and tinkers.... And white rider, we have very few surplus wher eggs. Those that we do have, well, we do the same with them as Trine and any other place on Pern. It's an unpleasant practice but not something you can take moral highground on. And you may prove all you like C'ross," A'nos inclined his head slightly to the weyrling, "but your system, which you admit the flaws of, will clip your wings before you can rise too high."

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It was almost more than he could take, standing here and talking with these bastards as if they could be reasoned with. For all he knew this was just a diversion, the wherholders might be planning to ambush them. The white rider and one of the junior golds, what valuable prisoners they would be! On the other hand maybe the handlers would just kill them and display their heads on pikes or whatever it was they did.

It was only Malcarreth's sense that kept him from taking his whip from his belt and lashing the bronze rider before him in the face.... The bronze rider who he agreed with and that was the worst of it. He agreed with everything the wherholders stood for, and he could put up with their violence (he was pretty good at it himself) but now they had taken Rochelle and that could never be forgiven.

A third option. Tch, wouldn't that be nice?

Mercy turned to look at Ralla, giving a slight laugh "Yes..a precious white, the only one of her kind..do you know what Aerith would give to be a green? Or a blue? Or anything else? To fight thread like a dragon is supposed to? Don't foolishly think you have the only claim in the whole 'If only' argument...fighting thread is an honor, its protecting your home and those you love, anyone who dies fighting thread is a hero..and hero's come in all colors. And yet fighting thread would be a selfish and irresponsible thing for us to do..and we are mature enough to realize the flaws in our physical bodies and not place others in danger by pursuing a glorified selfish desire to be 'more'. You are only a green in your own minds....to your fellow wing riders you would have been a comrade, a sister in arms, to those on the ground you would have been protector, savior...there is no only in any of that. If only I could be the only you seem to think yourself to be."

It was sad really that these people thought such things, that they would even voice them, how terrible they must think of themselves to self depreciate the so very important roles they played on Pern. Turning to A'nos she shook her head.

"i ave no misinformation..I was there when you and your miscreant fellows swooped in to shatter lives. I saw the blood and the death and horror, I saw helpless innocent people forced from their homes..Aerith and I were nearly killed simply because of what we are...though we had never harmed a single thing in our lives before that day...but I can see where that might be confused as 'equality' and 'justice'."

As Natai outlined her plan Mercy could see the hope in it, could see the points where it would be nice to think about - never mind that it was also somewhat a flawed fight against the natural disposition of dragons. Which of course she might not understand given how little time she had spent with them thus far. It was clear however that she was quite set in her ways and who was she to try and sway someone to her way of thinking? This third choice was certainly better then having her join the lying vicious mongrels on the other side of this mess. "Aerith and I won't try to stop you from pursuing that path, I even agree with some of it...not all of it,..some of it I think is good intentioned but ill fated...but if it works then its a far better way to see change brought about then the blood bath that happened before."

'You know Trine won't like it.' Aerith remarked to which Mercy gave the white a mental shrug. 'I know...but maybe they will see the wisdom of keeping an open mind and friendly relations over making another enemy...in time.' she shared with the dragon.

Sensing the distress in the young gold and being inclined to see to such thing's after spending so much time with the Weyr's youthful dragons Aerith crooned softly at Iachixth 'Do not worry sweet one, I do not think anyone here truly wishes to harm you or yours..they merely poke and puff themselves up like fowl trying to intimidate one another into go away.' Or at least Aerith hoped this was the case..she couldn't be entirely certain. With Cepheith's appearance however she was given hope, Ceph was a good hearted gold. Surely she would let nothing too terrible happen her and Aerith greeted her arrival with a cheerful chirp.

He thought of stepping back, away from the crowd. It was getting to him and the arguing was getting a bit worse. A glance at Natai, showed him that he wasn't the only one not really wanting to be here. A thought formed, one he wasn't sure about, but why not? It would be later, though.

They were getting no where, fast. Not that he could really blame the new gold rider. To be bothered by all of them, forced in a way to choose and be called traitor by the other. "That it would, but what if she finds an area that is not occupied?" Shaking his head, S'kiro continued. "Besides being a bluerider, we are accepted and duly noted on what we do." He really hadn't wanted to get into this argument. Colors of a dragons hide meant little to him. "Natai, to be surrounded like this." he waved his hand at all of them there. "Is not fun, nor should it have been done with pick this side or be an enemy."

“You’ve done a good job sidestepping the question of what you do with atypical colors,” C’ross observed to A’nos, but gave no further comment on that particular subject. His attention was primarily focused on Natai, who was…

Well. That was an answer to his question. That was… certainly an answer. An ambitious one, to boot. C’ross’ brow furrowed as he considered what she’d just put forward. It was certainly a nice idea, he didn’t think anyone there would disagree with the sentiments behind it. But there were practical obstacles to it. Obstacles which others were commenting on much more clearly than C’ross could articulate them. He was a soldier, not a weyrwoman; he had no real concept of the kind of administration that went into the construction of a new weyr.

It would require more than just her. It would require a great deal of cooperation from the existing weyrs. Hopefully Natai would realize that she at least needed the good will of her neighboring weyrs if she was to have any chance of succeeding.

But Ralla’s outburst was enough to draw a look of incredulous surprise from C’ross. “Do you see any Trine bronzes here? Because I don’t. I see ordinary Trine riders who weren’t willing to kill their kin over a question of personal ambition.”

---

Speaking of which, one of the aforementioned bronzeriders wasn’t exactly taking kindly to the current direction of the conversation. S’dekai cleared his throat and spoke up at last, for the first time since he’d introduced himself.

“I like Natai’s plan. You have my full support, and Pioth’s – perhaps the first step should be finding an area which won’t intrude too far on either of our sides’ territories? It’s a big continent. There must be an acceptable location somewhere.” He shrugged, hands extended broadly to indicate the expanse of land available. "If there's no Hold to tithe from, then find willing farmers and other crafters to come along. I'm sure the South has pioneers who would like their own holding."

If this could be solved without coming to blows… It was too soon to hope. But so far no one had been the first to draw weapons. Pioth began to relax, a hint of hopeful blue creeping into his eyes.

Canoake glanced over at her fellow Benden riders. The idea of a new weyr was very appealing but many others brought up good points about tithes and finding unoccupied land. She shrugged as the others spoke and she gave Ralla a full smile at her outburst. "Most of the land is already claimed but perhaps you have had the chance to go exploring? And while there are quite a few of us who are willing to work hard to get what they want, some others may merely be waiting for hand outs."

She wouldn't turn from Keller just yet. She had thrown in her support with the wherholders and she was enjoying that success. Both Tatath and she loved the fact that they were equals and not the bottom of the barrel. "It would be nice for those of us who are ambitious and want more to have more if we are willing to work for it. How many others are at the top just because their hides are shiny or of an unusual color? I don't mind the stranger colors so long as can they prove themselves just like the rest of us. And as A'nos said, he is just a wherholder just like Ralla and myself. We are all on equal footing."

Tatath snorted and spoke to Firith. We don't need her but Keller wants her so the others don't have her. This one is young, following her rider's dreams. The green was getting tired of all this talk, no matter how interesting the plot. Turning back to Iachixth, the dark green gave a mental shrug. I have quite a few friends. But while we may try to look out for each other, we are always looking out for ourselves first. Otherwise you can get injured or die. And if a green dies, the Weyr mourns but moves on easily. It is just the truth.

Everything is fine, Berath! She called, head canting up. Iachixth trilled towards the sky, tail tip flicking back and forth with Malcarreth's comment. She kept their conversation between them, staring up at Berath. We mean it! It will be fun. They have one of your people, right? That's what he said? It's why you roared? That's okay. You should get your people back and then you can help us with our place.

"Thank you for your kind words of support, Mercy," Natai said slowly, watching the Weyrlingmaster carefully. "Even though you believe it may not work. At least the attempt will be made. It's better than putting my fate in a place I do not trust. I trust the people - you, Narisa, C'ross, and Bereck. And you, Anali. I trust you." She young rider shrugged, her gaze moving from one rider to the other before fixing on S'dekai.

A Weyrhold.

She blinked, eyebrows furrowed together for just a second before smoothing out. Iachixth hummed when Natai broke out into a smile, wider than previously and tempered with a bit of happiness, the genuine sort. "You're right, Anali, a Weyr would take turns. I've already found a place suitable for our needs - especially for a Weyrhold. That's a good idea. It'd not require as many dragons, either, with no Holds to protect." Most of the Southern Continent she'd explored remained unclaimed by human hands. Holds and Weyrs lie to the very far shores of it but little in the center; she'd found a little place that would work for a Weyr - it would work for a Weyrhold as well.

This could work. The protests of the others only served to add their questions and concerns to the growing list of things she had to address before putting the plan into action. Iachixth settled down again, comforted by her riders gentling fear, but still unwilling to move away from her or squirm too much.

If they try to hurt her, I will bite their dragons noses, Iachixth informed Banshidheth privately, the usually pleasant gold matter-of-fact. No anger lurked, no bloodlust, but Iachixth would hiss and spit and bite if one of the riders tried to touch her precious Natai. Like a tunnelsnake bites a wherrie and then I will kick them with my feet.

She swiveled her head to look back to Nimith, eyes swirling an odd mixture of blue, green, and yellow. Oh, oh - could you tell your rider that we like Atypical colors? Once, a rider from where Cephieth is from told her that they didn't keep them and she got sick. I can't remember but she does. She's busy trying not to say something mean right now so I'm telling you. And even as she spoke privately to the young blue, Pioth was subjected to a wave of gratitude from both rider and gold.

Tatath she regarded with silence, uncharacteristic an awkward. Something told her (perhaps Natai's cynical thoughts) that anything she said to the green would be rebuffed with the same argument. So she shifted from claw to claw, tail still twitching, and turned her mind to Ceph. That's okay! Natai says thank you. Your support is more important! Are you being sent to kill and capture us too, like the other ones? Our friend said that they were sent from the wher-place to do that. Private, private, all of it. And she didn't mind a bit.

Blue filtered into Firith's otherwise orange eyes as she was deferred to by Acriculeth, as she should be. Mine, the decision to fight or withdraw is ours. What say you?

You know what I want to say. I want to kill them all. But our number is us, Tatath, Acriculeth, and Banshidheth. Pioth's has thrown in his lot with the rogue gold. They have Aerith, their big green, their gold, two blues, the Weyrling, the black that lingers...and there is Iachixth herself, of course. Ralla's lips pulled into a small frown. They had come here to fight, and that was what she wanted to do! Withdrawal might not go over well with Keller, but then, neither would fighting and losing. Blast it! Leave Iachixth, for now. Strike at Trine and focus on the weakest.

The green's mindvoice brimmed with savage delight as she replied to Acriculeth, including Tatath and Banshidheth in her projection. We will leave the rogue gold alone for now, but Trine will pay for taking wherholders! Focus on the white and the weyrling! Banshidheth, if their gold interferes, handle her.

No sooner had she spoken than she was leaping into action herself, attempting to strike Aerith.

Firith attacking Aerith
HP: 50/50
Attack: 2d4+2
Accuracy: -6
7+2=9 damage