V'mel shifted in his straps as the sounds of fire wooshing and dragons bellowing overhead filled the air. It was a cloudy day, but not a terrible one. A hand lifted, feeling the breeze at the same time that Aviroth lifted his wings just slightly. A bit gusty...not the easiest first threadfall for them, but not the worst. It could be much more windy, but that wouldn't stop them anyway. They had practiced drills in all sorts of weather, and in a few months, they'd have no choice about when or if they wanted to fight anyway. No. Better to blood the batch now, see it done, and get them ready for the next step.
And he'd already told his assistants to summon the Senior Weyrlings to the bowl's edge. There really was no going back.
It took mere moments for his weyrlings to assemble, all kitted out from head to foot in sturdy leathers lined with fur. Thick hide to buy them time from thread, fur to resist the cold of between. Goggles for clear sight, straps to hold them in place, each made by the dragon's own rider. They looked just like the riders already twirling in battle overhead, if a bit smaller in size. His greens and blues and even browns had all reached their full size, but they'd have some filling out to do yet. If they survived today.
In his past experience, not all of them had.
He gestured to his assistants—his seconds, today—to supply each young dragon with their own sack of firestone. This would be the first and last time they'd be given a calm moment to supply themselves. Once they took off, they would have to stoop to grab sacks themselves, chew them on the wing, and never miss a beat. The mood was rather akin to that at someone's last meal, not that anyone present had such a concept.
"Today," V'mel rumbled over the steady grinding of stone, "You are riders. Not in rank, perhaps, but in the eyes of all of Pern. Today you will rise on wing to burn back the threat to our world. You will shed flesh and blood to buy a better world for those unable to protect themselves. Some of you may even give your lives today for that safety. But this is what you were made to do. This is why you were chosen, and why I know that today, of all days, you will make me proud. Each and every one of you is well-trained, is capable, is primed to do your part for Weyr and Hold. Take pride in the scars you earn today, because they are your true rider's knots."
It was rare for the gruff man to wax so poetic, to be so inspiring.
"And for Faranth's sake, don't make a wher's a** of yourself, or you'll wish the thread'd gotten you when we land tonight."
Alright, so that was more his style.
"Ashlings Wing...rise!" With a pump of a fist in one of the gestures that had been drilled into them, Aviroth strode into a leaping flap, arcing upwards with an assistant in his wake on each side. The weyrlings would follow next, and the remaining assistants were stationed in the rear.
This was it.
This was Threadfall.
Posted: Thu Apr 12, 2018 3:39 pm
ALRIGHT BOYS AND GIRLS, TODAY'S THE DAY YOU'VE BEEN DREAMING OF AND DREADING! Today the Tarot Weyrlings finally join the fight against the Enemy, and help to defend Pern from its biting silver touch! At this point the weyrlings have been flying together for a good while, moving through aerial drills and practicing tossing the firestone sacks to each other to bring up their skills. Alumet and Zenobiath have also spent time with the Weyr's goldriders to master the flamethrower, and the others have all had plenty of experience chewing firestone, flaming, and losing the used up stone.
In all but age and experience, the weyrlings are fully grown, fully capable fighters at this point.
The weyrlings will fly as their own wing, with V'mel as wingleader, and his assistants acting as his wingseconds. In future threadfalls, V'mel may tap especially capable bronze or brownriders to try their hand as a wingsecond, but that is not the case today. This is first blood, and he's keeping the reins fully in his own hands.
Alumet will be flying with the queens' wing, and so her tasks/rolls will differ. The rest of the gold wing will be NPC'd for this.
———How This Works———
Each color has a set duration to participate. This number is based on the average stamina of each color. Though some dragons may have more stamina than usual, the panic and intensity of First Blood is expected to make the weyrlings perform more in line with the average.
EACH ROUND WILL LAST THREE OOC DAYS. Each round ICly lasts for about an hour.
Each color has an assigned HP statistic—be sure you're using the right one! Greens and blues have less HP, and golds and bronzes have the most.
Each color will have their own chart to roll on. This is because smaller colors are more likely to be able to dodge incoming thread and react quickly, and different responses are required for each type.
Some rolls will result in damage. Unless otherwise noted, the area of the rider/dragon affected is up to you, as well as the extent of the damage. Taking more damage for a plot point is fine.
Some rolls will allow you to save your teammates from damage. Unless otherwise noted, this will fully eliminate the damage they take this round.
Those who receive a 'save' from another dragon, you do not have to go back and edit your post. Just make sure to remove the damage taken at the start of the next round.
Each player is allowed up to TWO rolls per round, PROVIDED that the FIRST roll does NO damage. Additionally, you CANNOT roll two 20s in one round. A second 20 will automatically become a 19.
In the event that your dragon's HP reaches a low enough level, you will be forced to retreat to the Weyr to heal. If your dragon's HP falls to 0, permanent injury or death is POSSIBLE, but is OPTIONAL, and at the player's discretion. You will never be forced to permanently harm or kill your character.
IF YOU HAVE TO RETREAT: Lose one of your color's allotted turns to heal 1HP. You may use as many rounds as you like this way, and return to the fight after to use your remaining turn balance. If you reach 0HP you may NOT heal and return, you are DOWN FOR THE REST OF THE GAME!
I'm gonna roll a fistful of dice each round for the NPC weyrlings, so they'll be targets for saving rolls and stuff too.
———Color Stats/Roll Charts———
GREENS
Quote:
Greens will fly for THREE ROUNDS. Greens start with SIX HP. Greens will retreat when below THREE HP. Greens will roll a D20 each round.
Quote:
Green Rolling Chart 1. You duck! You dodge! You weave!...Right into a wind-tossed clump of thread. It tangles around your pair in a nasty mess! Take 3 damage!
2. You pop out of between at just the wrong moment, ending up face-to-face with a column of flame. You're forced to duck back between to cool the furious burns! Take 2 damage!
3 – 7. A stray thread slips past your flames. You twist away, but not in time to fully avoid it! Take 1 damage!
8 – 10. Actual combat is so much more stressful than drills! It's loud, it's hectic, and it has you off your game. You move to toss a sack of stone to one of the higher wings, but your aim is wide, and it plummets back to Pern. Better hope no one was below you!
11 – 13. It's a lot louder up here than you expected: dragons are roaring and screaming, fire is blazing. You hear V'mel call out a direction, but you're not certain which. Thankfully your instinct isn't bad, and though you're a bit wobbly, you turn just in time to match the rest. Whew! ...No one saw that, right?
14 – 16. Your blood is up, and you're scared as can be, but it feels really good to see thread crumble to your flame. You spy a stray clump and blast it to dust!
17 – 19. Nerves aside, it looks like you might be really good at this! You dart around your slower peers like a fiend, slinging sacks of stone and flaming thread when you see it. Any wing would be proud to have you!
20. Oh no!! A big clump slipped the gaps, and is falling directly towards one of your wingmates! They don't see it, but you stoop into a dive. You break formation...but you get it! A shower of harmless ash dusts your teammate, but no thread. Quote a teammate of your choice who took damage from thread in this round to nullify that damage!
BLUES
Quote:
Blues will fly for THREE ROUNDS. Blues start with SIX HP. Blues will retreat when below THREE HP. Blues will roll a D20 each round.
Quote:
Blue Rolling Chart 1. As you swoop upwards to toss a sack of stone to the wings above, you're stunned to see them instead open their jaws and spew flames...right towards you! It looks like you were a beat from colliding with thread...but that much flame hurts too! Take three damage!
2 – 3. You twist about to duck a stray clump, but the wind changes suddenly, flinging you back into it! You snap between to freeze the deadly strands! Take two damage!
4 – 8. Your nerves are getting the better of you, and you waiver as your wing beings the next pass. A thread you should have been in place to flame slips past, and you hurry to get it, ending up ducking right through a teammate's flame in the process! Take one damage!
9 – 11. You cut it a bit close as you swoop low to grab another sack of stone. Watch it! Next time you'd better come in a bit easier, or else you'll be short a claw or two!
12 – 15. You've got this, okay? Despite the chaos, you perform your role admirably, and people would almost think this isn't your very first time doing this!
16 – 19. You rise up to toss a sack of stone to a rider above, but over their shoulder—thread! You deftly launch a blast just over them, disintegrating it without hitting an inch of the rider. They toss you a salute as you heave up the sack, and you catch a glimpse of the wingleader's eye on you with pride!
20. You spot a teammate only moments away from flying into trouble! Thinking fast, you call out to them to between! They manage it just in the nick of time, popping out a moment later, unscathed. Quote a teammate of your choice who took any damage in this round to nullify that damage!
BROWNS
Quote:
Browns will fly for FOUR ROUNDS. Browns start with SEVEN HP. Browns will retreat when below THREE HP. Browns will roll a D20 each round.
Quote:
Brown Rolling Chart 1.A stray thread proves just too swift to dodge, despite all your efforts. It winds about you, tangling in a snare-like web, biting into your skin with white-hot pain. Take three damage!
2 – 3. A faster teammate darts right into your line of fire, searing the thread you were aiming at. You between to avoid a crash, but when you pop back, you fly right into a small clump, forcing you back between again! Take two damage!
4. You're moving through maneuvers just fine, you have no trouble flaming every thread you see. There's on now! You open your mouth to flame, line it up—! THWACK! A heavy bag of firestone lands on your head, cracking with blunt force before toppling off to finally thud to the ground below. Ow! Who dropped that...?! Take one damage!
5 – 10. A strong gust of wind heralds a change in weather, and thus pace. You strain to keep up with the wing's new, more energetic pace as more and more thread makes it to your level. You flame every piece you see, but one maneuver asks just too much, too fast from you. You feel the muscle of your wing wrench painfully as you turn, though it's not enough to ground you alone.Take one damage!
11 – 14. You're starting to get in the flow of things! This is still a bit more than you were ready for, but you manage not to make any huge blunders or set yourself (or anyone else!) on fire. This time, at least.
15 – 17. Okay, this is terrifying, but you're pretty bad-a** at it. The longer you fly, the more you feel the fear drop away, replaced by confidence in the fact that you're doing what you were made to do. You blast a clump of thread to ash! Take that, Red Star!
18 – 19. You're as cool and steady as the stones of High Reaches' peaks. Others might waver, but not you. You flawlessly execute each turn and swoop, almost seeming to anticipate the calls and directions V'mel dictates. You even manage to snag a sack of stone that someone up above you dropped! Nice job!
20. Yikes! You see someone on your team flying right into another dragon's flame! They're so focused on a patch of thread that they don't even see! You cry out at them in warning, and thanks to your quick actions and thinking, they're able to dodge! Quote a teammate of your choice who took damage from flame in this round to nullify that damage!
BRONZES
Quote:
Bronzes will fly for FIVE ROUNDS. Bronzes start with EIGHT HP. Bronzes will retreat when below THREE HP. Bronzes will roll a D20 each round.
Quote:
Bronze Rolling Chart 1. There's so much to keep track of! You know that one day you might be in charge of your own wing, and it has you on high alert for the condition of everyone else in your wing. Unfortunately, that distraction blinds you to a big clump of thread coming right at you! Take three damage!
2 – 4. You struggle to react as quickly as some others when thread comes your direction, and unfortunately, your green and blue wingmates are dealing with other strands at the moment! You twist away with a wrench, and manage to duck the thread, but you feel a sharp pain at the base of your wing that distressingly doesn't fade once you straighten out! Take one damage this round, and one additional damage in the next round!
5 – 11. A zippy teammate whisks by, blasting thread that nearly gets you...but their flame is a bit wide, and you feel it lick up your flank! Still, it's better than being threaded! Take one damage!
12 – 14. You narrowly dodge a falling clump, watching as your more agile teammates swoop past to sear it. Don't feel bad that you couldn't get it yourself—your wingmates return to your wake after darting after it, thankful to ride the air you cut for them. Looks like everyone has a role to play!
14 – 16. You see a massive clump of tangling thread fall into your line of fire. It must have been several smaller strands that the wind's caught and mixed up! A green and a blue swoop in to flame it, but it's so large that their efforts aren't enough! Thankfully your blaze is enough to tip the scale, and the three of you destroy it with just a bit more effort! Is that what the upper wings deal with all the time?!
17 – 19. As big as you are, you're able to carry multiple sacks of stone up to the higher wings at once. You sling both with ease, right on target! Success!
20. You see a wingmate in danger of taking a hit! Without hesitation you intercede, scorching the threat to nothing and giving them time to regroup in your wake. Great job! Quote a teammate of your choice who took damage from thread in this round to nullify that damage!
ZENOBIATH
Quote:
Zenobiath will fly for FIVE ROUNDS. She will start with TEN HP. She will retreat when below FIVE HP. She will roll a D20 each round.
Quote:
Zenobiath's Rolling Chart 1. As you watch your fellow weyrlings wheeling and flaming overhead, worried or maybe a bit jealous of the action they're seeing, you miss one of the rare stray clumps of thread. Your fellow golds cry out to warn you, but not before you feel the icy-hot bite of it! Take three damage!
2. Finally! Some action! You swing around to aim your flamethrower at a trailing piece of thread, just in time to realize one of the older, quicker queens has beaten you to it! You fly right into their line of fire, ducking between to cool the fresh burn. Take two damage!
3. Oh no! A dragon from one of the upper wings is falling from the sky! You duck into their path to help catch them, but you weren't expecting them to be so heavy! They land atop you awkwardly and heavily before they roll off and onto the next gold on the way down. Hopefully they'll be okay...! Take one damage!
4 – 8. It's your moment! You deftly work to sear a rogue batch of thread, but oh no! It's not fully charred before it connects with you! There's barely any left, but it still stings, and sends you between to freeze it away! Take one damage!
9 – 13. Honestly, this started out nerve-wracking, but now you're almost bored. Almost no thread makes it down to your level, and the wings seem in fighting shape this time, with few to no injuries. You keep yourself alert, but the want to do more to help thrums in your blood.
14 – 18. Your practice with the flamethrower has paid off! You sear a stray clump into ash, earning a praising look from one of your golden peers. Just because you're not a top-flight wing doesn't mean your work isn't just as important!
19 – 20. Danger! You glance up just in time to see one of your fellow weyrlings fall into the path of danger! You call out to them, and they avoid it at the last moment, much to your relief. Quote a teammate of your choice who took any damage in this round to nullify that damage!
——————————————————
-_Wish of Tevarae_-
BastetAmun
Tsunake
Teiha
Meepfur
DruidTigeress
Masterharper
Starwberri Stardust
demon_pachabel
magnadearel
Melomar
Mx Cherie
Dea and #Teddy#
Peppermint Coffee
ChaosTheories
Revel1984
***Info updated 4/13/18: I realized I phrased the retreat HP requirement wrong. Dragons will retreat if they fall BELOW a certain level (3HP, 5 for Zenobiath who has strict instructions to land sooner than the others if hurt). This level was altered slightly because I realized that the old phrasing did not allow any possible way for any dragon to actually hit 0HP and that seemed unrealistic. If you are a player currently AT 3HP, you CAN stay aloft, but if you roll a critical failure (a 1) it WILL put you at 0HP, so take risks at your own peril.
.::HP-10 || 14 – 18. Your practice with the flamethrower has paid off! You sear a stray clump into ash, earning a praising look from one of your golden peers. Just because you're not a top-flight wing doesn't mean your work isn't just as important! ::.
She'd gone with the others, knowing well that it was first threadfall. There was an air of gravity for both she and Zenobiath today. Her heart was in her chest, eyes on the skies as she looked at the threat, feeling the weight of the flamethrower, knowing well that one mistake could well mean some kind of disaster. Checking her beloved's straps one more time, she tightened and then swung up, feeling Zeno's own determination bolstering her own concern. Faranth help them all. Taking a breath, she gently rubbed the dark Gold hide, "Ready when you are, beloved. Let's go up, do what we can to help Pern. This is what we've trained for." Indeed it is, my heart. We shall fly with our Golden companions and stand for Pern itself. Trust in me, I swear we shall do well. At least one of them was confident.
Up in to the air, she couldn't help the feeling of exhilaration. There was still something about flying that took her breath away, even if there was really nothing delightful about WHY they were flying today. Leaning close to the dark neck, she studied the fall of the silvery threads, and with a soft breath, she let herself focus. They could talk about this later, and think on the others later. Right now....THERE! A blast from her flamethrower managed to catch a stray clump right out of the air, and she watched it ash, falling harmlessly now. A surge of pride filled dragon and rider both, as Zenobiath reached out to all of her Clutchmates at once, We and Ours have prepared for this. My hearts are with you all. Ah, for she loved her clutchmates so dearly. She would protect them with all she had.
She'd worn this gear before - mostly in drills and really to make sure that it fit right. The last thing she needed to be was distracted right then. Certainly, V'mel was a more than competent teacher and her understanding of what to do was far from pitiable. Now, if only her insides would stop twisting up into a very familiar nervous knot.
Straps are checked, gear is checked! I was born for this, myIchta and you know you can count on me! Aurinkoth's chipper and comforting voice nuzzled into the nooks and cranny's of his bonded's mind, filling her with reassurance. And you are certain I won't let you down? Ichta hesitantly asked back, only to be bowled over with a wave of confident affection. As far as Aurinkoth was concerned, his Ichta would never disappoint.
Still, she checked over the bag of stone she had packed. It was more than enough - of that she was certain. She'd asked older riders and checked repeatedly on what they felt the average use was. Still, she prepared herself to potentially have to come back for more.
Send G'ran and Nadry my best, Ichta requested, and Aurinkoth did so - though Elzebuth's message was laced with a bit more obvious affection than Menankith's. Not that Ichta didn't care about Nadry, simply not in the same way.
As V'mel and Aviroth took to the air, Aurinkoth followed after, oddly silent for once. But Ichta could feel it vibrating through him - boundless positivity and confidence that he radiated out as much as he could through his siblings. Once in the air, however, all bets were off. Ichta's mind fell into her dragon's, and his in turn, fell into hers. Since his birth they had become one and the same - but it was only times like this it really was felt.
No training could prepare anybody for how hectic things were up in the air - and Ichta knew it got worse from there. They were fortunate to be born when it was just starting - not in a few turns when it was falling every few hours. Belching flame was a noiser affair when more than a wing of Weyrlings was doing it, and Aurinkoth did his best to balance between reassuring Ichta's growing concern and actually flaming himself!
Aurinkoth!
The blue creeled with concern, but didn't need to be told that he'd let some of the silvery ribbons of DEATH go by, quickly moving to amend his error - and straight towards Dragonfire!
Ellain was the picture of a composed rider, ready to take on what was about to come. Of course, the trembling of her hands on her riding straps gave her away, but no one would have noticed unless they looked close. This was going to be their job from now on, and Ellain was ready! She went over everything they'd done, all their training, in her head. Yes, she knew what they needed to do, knew the motions... it was just that instead of a few harmless ropes, they were fighting Thread itself.
Ready to go, mine? Varionnith trilled in Ellain's head, the green not worried in the slightest. She wiggled underneath her rider in a way that she knew amused Ellain, which drew a small giggle from the usually serious woman. That was Varionnith for you, even facing danger, she was ready to take it on. Ellain tried her curb her worries for her sake, knowing that a discouraged Varionnith wouldn't be at her best.
Reassurances and wishes of luck came from around her clutchsibs, which Varionnith returned with kind affection. They were still young, but they could do this! She believed it wholeheartedly.
They took to the air as commanded, flowing with practiced motions into their given position. Ellain was immediately struck by the noise. There were so many more dragons in the air than they were used to, and there was fire and motion everywhere. Ash floated in the air, and then there was the shimmer of...
Thread! Varionnith subtly changed course and released a ball of flame, consuming the clump. Yes! That's how it was done. Ellain allowed herself a smile as Varionnith banked to avoid the ashes.
... Just to fly straight into a second clump.
ChaosTheories
Obsessive Streaker
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Meepfur rolled 1 20-sided dice:
3Total: 3 (1-20)
Meepfur Crew
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Posted: Thu Apr 12, 2018 4:19 pm
Nadry forced slow breaths in and out while V'mel spoke, gloved fingers digging into the straps she'd made with such painstaking care to hold more tightly than was strictly necessary. Everything about her gear and Menankith's was in perfect order, right down to her hair, securely tucked away just as Illa had showed her. But for all the preparations and checks, fear still sat like a weight in the pit of her stomach, a gnawing uncertainty that no amount of prior practice could soothe away; they had prepared for this, over and over, but this was the first time that it was real, and that changed everything. Not that drilling hadn't been dangerous in and of itself, and nothing had yet gone terribly amiss there, but this...this was Thread. She would have been a fool not to be afraid.
Not that that was going to stop them.
Nothing will stop us. Not ever, Menankith affirmed, a solid support of confidence and duty. This was what they had been working toward all along, and it was time to do what they had always been meant to.
He thrummed a wordless reply to Aurinkoth, and radiated out quiet support and strength for the rest of his chromatic siblings...with an undercurrent of affection for those he was fondest of, Aurinkoth among them but also Macuith, Cynosuth, Basanuth, and Elzebuth. There was time for little else before the signal was given to rise, and rise he did. They were up and into the midst of controlled chaos, but they were ready, and...there!
The brown took aim at a clump of Thread, fully prepared sear it from the sky, until someone swooped right into his line of fire - and his flight path! - and honked out alarm as he darted between to avoid what would have been a catastrophe...only to reappear too close to another clump to dodge or flame it. That...that hurt! Roaring, he flashed out of sight again.
[HP: 5/7]
Melomar rolled 1 20-sided dice:
4Total: 4 (1-20)
Posted: Thu Apr 12, 2018 4:27 pm
M'nick and Green Veledath HP Start 6 ... //
~ ~ ~ A stray thread slips past your flames. You twist away, but not in time to fully avoid it! Take 1 damage!
(working on a response. Hopefully have it up today. )
This was...the least fun thing. Ever. V'tre was a nervous wreck in his straps as Thanoth took her place in the lineup. It had all been fun and games, every day, all the way up to the moment the call went out that they were going to have to fight. Really, he'd known it was coming. It was what dragons did. It was the price they paid for the joy of the bond to a dragon. It just...it didn't seem fair.
He'd only just turned 15 turns old a few months ago.
But now he was staring death in the silvery streaming face. Below him, Thanoth gave a hum, a wave of...of somehow, almost lightheartedness washing through him. If we die, at least we'll die together though. It won't be that lonely.
And that was about the most reassurance he got as the green sprang up, taking to the wing with the rest.
Current HP: 6 Roll: 11 - Doing fine!
Uta rolled 1 20-sided dice:
10Total: 10 (1-20)
Posted: Thu Apr 12, 2018 4:44 pm
C'lusi & blue Macuith
The blue rider had tried hard to keep his cool, but even he couldn't shake the fear and dread that gnawed at his stomach. They had managed to make it through Between lessons, knew their aerial drills inside and out, and had worked hard at mastering flaming down moving targets. But this was Threadfall, and their first time up in the air. This was where Macuith might get hurt, where they both might lose their life, and could well be the last time he saw any of his fellow Ashlings again.
Threadfall was the enemy, and a terrible one at that... so even though he tried hard to hold onto his confidence, even the unshakable C'lusi found his hands trembling as he tightened Macuith's straps, and waited for V'mel's word to rise.
His blue, of course, was eager. Not foolish, no, but ready to rise up there and fight like a dragon should. Now don't make a show of things, Macuith. I know you want to. He reminded his blue firmly, his usual good-humor on low supply.
The blue gave a small snort. Don't fret so, Mine. We'll have this thing licked in no time! I will protect our clutchmates, and I will make sure we keep our pretty faces in tact. We'll be all right, Mine.
Though Macuith was full of confidence and ego, even C'lusi could tell some of it was a bit... forced. Today was going to be a hard day, and all the blue rider could hope was that they would make it out alive.
- - -
Once in the air, Macuith and C'lusi both found themselves so focused on Thread that they hardly had a chance to worry. On the one hand, they had yet to find themselves scored. Macuith dodged when he could, and kept himself clean. A few close calls, but the blue seemed to manage. Dropping down low to grab more stone, C'lusi found himself digging his heels in his dragon's side, and sucking in a breath. Mac! Knock it off. How close did your claws get to the surface!?
If V'mel saw that sloppy display, he'd have their hides later. The blue, of course, didn't apologize -- and was immediately back on wing, ready to continue the fight.
8 – 10. Actual combat is so much more stressful than drills! It's loud, it's hectic, and it has you off your game. You move to toss a sack of stone to one of the higher wings, but your aim is wide, and it plummets back to Pern. Better hope no one was below you!
Round: 1 Roll: 1 HP: 6
Although Aviroth and V'mel had made a very impressive speech, Cynosuth was so terribly anxious. It didn't seem... didn't seem... to be going well. She was very worried about her siblings, and both wanting to meet their ancient enemy, but still untried.
Cynosuth, we will be fine. We practiced for this so many times, darling. And don't forget, your instincts are strong. We will be fine.
Her rider's assurances did not stop Cynosuth from flinching slightly, and letting Dr'stan's toss of firestone... fall rather uselessly toward Pern.
Oh no! Did I hit someone? the little Green fretted, and it took a strong will on Dr'stan's part to keep her focused on the here and now and not craning her head to ensure that whomever might have been beneath her did not take a bag of firestone to the face.
This was everything that they had worked for. C'ryn stood rigid beside Aresoth, listening to V'mel as the man spoke before he was up in his riding straps, waiting for the signal.
Both rider and dragon moved their heads to look at their clutchmates around them, There was a chance that some of them didn't make it back to the weyr after fighting this threadfall and there was a very high likability that they would be scarred in some way.
There were nerves in C'ryn was he watched the wings above them, watching their movements and going over everything in his head. He could feel Aresoth reassuring them that they were going to do just fine. We were made for this C'rynmine. There is nothing we can't do. He patted the bronze as he sent the same wave of encouragement to all of his siblings.
Then they were in the air.
It was a lot different flying in the air and having to worry about dodging thread, chewing firestone and flaming. It was a lot to focus on in and of itself that C'ryn was doing his best to also keep up with what was going on with all the others. Aresoth was doing his best and trying to look out for his siblings just as much, it was probably why a piece of thread wasn't noticed.
Aresoth! The bronze turned his head to see it just as one of the blues went by quickly. The thread was gone but just as quickly Aresoth felt a searing sensation, as did C'ryn.
Blinking into between and then back, C'ryn leaned down near Aresoth's neck, taking a deep breath as he did so. Are you alright?
The pain had cooled thanks to the cold of between and Aresoth kept his focus on the silver strands of thread as he replied. It burned before going between but...it is better now. I will have to speak to that sibling about watching their flame. There was a disdainful tone, Aresoth was well aware he had missed that piece of thread that was coming towards him and they had only been wanting to help but, their flame should have been better controlled.
--------------------------------------------
[HP: 7/8]
5 – 11. A zippy teammate whisks by, blasting thread that nearly gets you...but their flame is a bit wide, and you feel it lick up your flank! Still, it's better than being threaded! Take one damage!
Thanoth started out somewhat wobbly—not from fear, asthe green seemed almost casual about the whole situation, but because she had begun to croon and hum under her breath. Th-Thanoth! Please focus! V’tre pleaded as he mentally nudged her into following the prescribed path. His breathing was coming harder and faster, nostrils flaring below his goggles to try to gulp air.
Oh fine, fine! But look! We’re doing just fine, aren’t we? If we worry about it we’ll just die anxious anyway! The morbid green trumpeted defiance at that thought as she turned on a wingtip, casually blasting thread like it didn’t take a thought. And maybe it really didn’t. Her steady uncaring presence slowly leeched into the boy, steadying him. They...thy could do this!
M'lan was terrified, this was THREAD .. this was his DRAGON! ... she was a small green, but she was still a much much bigger target than he was and that was the point. He wasn't afraid for himself... he was utterly petrified for his precious Xochith, she was his everything, his beginning and literally his end.
"Mine, don't worry, we've trained and trained for this, i'm way too fast for Thread... Thread will run away at the sight of my flame!" she reassured him, flooding him with comfort and love but also extreme excitement, she wanted to be up already, flaming, doing the very thing she was BORN FOR.
They lined up with the rest of the Werylings, Xochith craning her neck while she was on the ground, looking for her twin but forced to listen to V'mel as M'lan grouched at her through their bond. "Listen will you, we want to not get killed please" When V'mel's speech was over, M'lan quickly mounted Xochith, as smoothly as they'd practised and they were up, M'lan couldn't breathe for a few heartbeats, confusing Xochith enough that when they did get their heads together less than a second later, she had to flame very quickly, scorching a few strands to dust but one escaped the flames and caressed the tip of Xochith's Wing, she screamed at the sudden shock of it, Betweened, and reappeared a second later, Thread-less but with the score stinging, however they were both now much more alert. "Xochith? XoXo are you ok?" M'lan looked over at the score, shallow, not even bleeding, he knew she would be ok but he could feel the phantom pain from her, mild, tolerable, just an annoyance Mine
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