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A Fall of Thread, a Jug of Wine, and Conflict


Date:  June(?), 1996
Places:  Benden Weyr's North Bowl, Skyspace, and Living Caverns; Sky 
Over Valley Hold
Game:  PernMUSH
Copyright Info:  The World of Pern is copyright(c) to Anne McCaffrey 
l967. The Dragonriders of Pern(r) is a registered copyright.

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Kassi's Note:  Lots of good stuff here.  We start with a summertime
Threadfall over Valley Hold, one of the earliest Kassi flew as a full
rider; it's chock full of injuries, which leads neatly to the two 
Dragonhealer exams which take place later on.  At the same time, 
there's a long Living Caverns discussion about how riders react to 
injuries in their ranks that I've left in despite the fact that Kassi
wasn't in the room at the time--it's interesting stuff.  A chat with
Jazmin's very young rider follows, and so does an explanation of Wing
formations and suchlike from N'ren; then the Weyr has a visitor and a
fight seems narrowly avoided.  And *then* Kassi drinks wine with N'ren
and Ella before falling back into talk about the Fall with Maarie and
Kethran.  I did say it was a fullish sort of log. ;)

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The Log:

T'lar shrugs. "I know, but I can always help."

Above, From the Benden Star Stones, M'nar's mint green Gelth rears on hind
legs and bugles a greeting to green Amrieth and her rider, Jerissa of Igen
Weyr.

Amrieth backwings for a landing.

Jerissa lithely jumps down off of Amrieth. Her eyes glaze for a brief
moment and she smiles, whilst the green whuffles her hair affectionately.

Benden Weyr> P'tran says, "People can assume NPC weyrlings are handing out
firestone, or some residents can come out and help :)"

T'fian chuckles. "Good lad," he says quietly and starts tossing in 'stone
into Meroth's gaping jaw one at a time.

Elyandra grabs a sack of firestone, running over to the Weyrleader, "Sir,
do you want me in the air on flank or on the ground?"

Aphrael glances up to K'nan, smiling over at her weyrmate as she and
Prefeth move over to join T'nnar and the other Skyfire riders.

Starratiel comes out of the short tunnel from the living cavern.

Jerissa nods as she slips off Amrieth and salutes, "Igen's duty" she calls
out.

T'lar walks the other two sacks to his own dragon and begins feeding the
stone to Nicoth.

Starratiel comes out into the bowl with a sack of firestone...

P'tran looks over to Elyandra and then hmms, and glances around. "I think
we have enough for this Fall. We're at full strength. Hang back here in
case we need a reserve or we get injuries."

K'nan flashes a brave grin back over to Aphrael as he heads for Veyath and
the rest of Skyfire, grabbing up two sacks of 'stone as he goes.

N'ren pauses, glancing up. His dragon lifts his head, and a short swath of
flame burns itself out on the stone wall already darkened by so many other
such emissions.

R'val comes out of the short tunnel from the living cavern.

Alyssa emerges from the infirmary.

P'tran gives a nod over to Jerissa. "Benden's duty to you. COme to give us
a hand?"

N'ren turns, calling for extra sacks.

R'val walksout after the others and glances towards P'tran.

Starratiel hands her sack to N'ren...

Meroth crunches, teeth scraping over rock as he moves into position behind
Prefeth.

Kassima grabs two sacks and moves back over to Lysseth, directing the green
to get into formation before she starts offering her the 'stone. Loud
crunches are heard as Lyss grinds the stone, fidgeting slightly.

P'tran takes a bag of firestone that he is handed and tosses a chunk into
Laerth's mouth in a casual gesture as he continues his discussion.

Jerissa grins as she strides over, "My pleasure, Sir" she directs to P'tran.

Elyandra looks between Jerissa and P'tran, then looks pointedly at P'tran,
"Sir, on the ground or in Dawnslight on flank? Where do you want me?" She
hugs the firestone sak to her.

Aphrael begins picking out bits of stone, feeding them to Prefeth
carefully, watching as the blue chews and crunches slowly.

P'tran repeats to Elyandra, "On the ground, Elyandra. We're at full
strength, but I think we may get a scoring or two from this. You'd be
better off here in that case."

R'val glances towardsP'tran, "Doesthe same apply to me, sir?"

Jerissa smiles as she looks to Elyandra, "Lets be hoping you don't get to
test none of those skills, eh?"

Alyssa tightens her braid as she strides out of the infirmary, easing out
of the way while two burly young men heft supplies for Portock and his
staff. She cannot help overhearing P'tran's comment, however, and she chews
on her lower lip worriedly.

N'ren nods to Starratiel, and affixes the sack to one side of his dragon's
fighting straps. He grins, calls for another sack, then asks, "So, was your
firelizard's Flight everything we said, Starratiel?" The scent of firestone
washes over the both of them as Kheveth turns his head towards his rider,
mouth closed.

T'fian tosses his empty sacks aside where a resident grabs them and starts
refilling from the large pile of firestone near the caldera wall.

K'nan runs a hand lightly along his lifemate's muzzle, reaching into the
sack he holds and beginning to feed her 'stone. Veyath crunches carefully
before swallowing and taking the next rock into her mouth.

Elyandra nods, then pats Laerth on the side, gently stepping onto his
forlimb to secure the firestone sack she was carrying to his riding straps,
"You get this today, bronze one. Zibrith will be none to pleased." She
smiles, dropping lightly to the ground and moving to Jerissa's side, "I
hope not." Her eyes fade and she looks off towards Zibrith, shaking her head.

P'tran hmms as he looks over to R'val. "I think you better come with us in
the air this time around," he says.

P'tran hands another chunk of 'stone to his dragon, who chews it slowly as
he glances critically at the other dragons

R'val nods to P'tran, and tightens his gloves around his wrists, "Ready to
go, then." He calls two nearby weyrlings towards Vidarth, with stone.

Skye walks here from the south.

T'lar accepts more firestone from a resident. The empty sacks are carried
back to be refilled. As Nicoth crunches, he buckles the straps a nudge
tighter for safety.

T'fian calls for some more sacks and starts affixing them to the loops
carefully worked into Meroth's riding straps. He glances over at Alyssa and
smiles reassuringly to her again.

Elyandra nudges Jerissa slightly, "Infirmary is this way...." She points,
then starts walking in that direction.

Aphrael watches Prefeth chew for a moment, then takes another sack of
firestone and climbs halfway up Prefeth's side to secure it to his riding
straps.

Skye skirts her way around the amassed riders and dragons, standing on her
toes, looking over the heads of short folk, and around the shoulders of the
tall.

Benden Weyr> P'tran says, "Ok, riders, get the vis from Laerth, but its the
same trhead room we used before, so you most likely have it. If not 'dtu
learn <alias>=laerth'"

Benden Weyr> Elyandra says, "Can it be watched?"

Kassima scritches Lysseth's eyeridge affectionately as the green swallows
another piece of 'stone, taking another hunk out of the sacks and passing
it to Lyss. She signals a weyrling for more stone and, upon receiving it,
starts to fix the sacks onto Lysseth's straps.

Alyssa returns T'fian's smile with more confidence than she feels, takes in
the organized chaos of pre-Threadfall preparations, then with a sigh from
the bottom of her soul she slips back into the infirmary to return to her
own duties.

Benden Weyr> R'val says, "What's the name of the place?"

Alyssa moves beneath the rocky overhang that protects the Infirmary entrance.

Elyandra moves beneath the rocky overhang that protects the Infirmary
entrance.

N'ren nods to a weyrling at another sack, which is then affixed to
Kheveth's opposite side.

Benden Weyr> P'tran says, "Yes, thank you for the reminder. It will be
audible to the south bowl. +watch on benden-bowl. Whatever name yuou want,
its your aliase, R'val, but its the EXACT same room we used before"

Benden Weyr> Aphrael says, "It changes every time, R'val. :) Just call it
thread or something."

Starratiel nods at N'ren's question. "Kinda..."

Skye disappears into the records cavern.

R'val gives Vidarth a smile and a scratch onthe forknobs ashefeeds the
dragon large hunks of firestone. Vidarth grinds loudly as he chews the
stone, his eyes whirling ecitedly.

Benden Weyr> R'val Okay:)

T'fian watches after Alyssa for a moment before turning to pat Meroth and
go over the straps once again, falling into his normal pre-fall neurosis.

P'tran finishes emptying one back of firestone and starts to attach full
bags to the loops on Laerth's straps on either side of the bronze's neck.

Aphrael moves around to Prefeth's other side, tugging at the straps and
checking them over almost instinctively as she hauls up another sack of
firestone.

N'ren grabs ahold of his fighting straps and swings up, beginning to buckle
himself in. "Oh? How so?"

N'ren steps up onto Kheveth's proferred foreleg, and swings himself up onto
his back with the help of the straps.

From atop Kheveth's back, N'ren buckles himself into Kheveth's straps.

Starratiel says "Well....it affected me, kinda...and I didn't really notice
what was going on..."

K'nan accepts another two sacks from a passing weyrling, reaching up to
fasten them onto her straps. As he moves to secure a few more to the other
side, he feeds Veyath another chunk as he passes, which is duly chewed and
crunched in time.

From Kheveth's back, N'ren grins fiendishly, "What *was* going on, and how
affected were you?"

T'lar looks up at Nicoth as he empties yet another sack of firestone.
"Pig.", he says affectionately.

From atop Kheveth's back, N'ren reaches down and gives a pull at each of
the sets of straps holding the full sacks.

Benden Weyr> P'tran faints as he realizes he may actually start a Fall *on
time*

Benden Weyr> Alyssa ssssshhhh, don't jinx it. :)

Benden Weyr> K'nan says, "Isn't that the sixth sign, sir? ;)"

Benden Weyr> T'fian blinks. "I've got a Bad Feeling about this."

Jerissa nods at Elyandra and a quick glance. She follows her to the
infirmary, running a little to catch up.

Jerissa moves beneath the rocky overhang that protects the Infirmary entrance.

Zibrith hauls herself up and moves closer to Amrieth. Her eyes flash dark
red and she BUGLES in frustration, knowing she will not be flying this time.

Benden Weyr> Kassima crosses her fingers (and Lysseth's talons, for good
measure).

P'tran confers with some of the other riders for a few moments as he goes
over last minute details of the formation

T'lar mounts Nicoth and straps in securely.

K'nan pulls himself up onto Veyath's neck using the flight straps and her
extended foreleg.

T'lar is catapulted up by a quick movement of Nicoth's snout. He gets the
bronze an affectionate slap.

Starratiel says "Ummmm....well, I could actually see what was happening
during the flight, and what was going on? Well, I was in the lc, and
someone was shouting...all I remember."

Kassima finishes lashing sacks to Lysseth's straps and pats her lifemate's
neck affectionately before swinging aboard.

You place one hand on Lysseth's neck and she warbles down at you fondly.
You grin and scratch her eyeridges once before climbing up onto her lower
neckridges, using the riding straps and Lysseth's thoughtfully offered
foreleg.

<*> From Veyath's back, K'nan straps himself in securely, pulling his
helmet and goggles on as he readies himself for Fall.

<*> Aphrael chuckles softly as she feeds a final bit of 'stone to her
lifemate, then moves around to mount up.

<*> Aphrael turns to Prefeth with a smile, eyes slightly faded as she
speaks silently to the blue dragon. She slaps at her lifemate's side with
affection, then uses his extended foreleg to climb up onto Prefeth's
neckridges.

<*> P'tran calls out after the brief conference, "Again, the Fall starts
out over the ocean east of Valley Hold, wind will be off the water. Then we
go over the hills, wind shift and comes from the south, maybe some
turbulence. Then past the hills we get a southwest wind all the way to
Bayhead, but that weather has been changeable all day, so watch it."

<*> Nicoth moves into position in Skyfire wing.

<*> R'val uses Vidarth's side straps to mount up agilely, settling onto the
little blue's back and straightening, petting his head once as Vidarth
thrums excitedly, ready to fly.

Kassima fastens her riding straps, checking and rechecking all the buckles
before pulling down her goggles. Lysseth rustles her wings impatiently.

<*> Veyath rumbles softly, looking around at the other Skyfire dragons. She
shifts a bit, into her correct position in the formation.

<*> T'fian smiles to himself. "Like we wouldn't be already," he mutters.

Benden Weyr> P'tran says, "Riders that are taking injuries, just give me a
brief page with you're about to do them"

Dragon> Juliath bespoke Threadfall Comm with << Oy >>

<*> Atop Kheveth's back, N'ren grins, "What's the next thing you remember,
Star?" He pauses, "We'll talk about it later." He murmurs, "Up, Kheveth,
and into formation."

<*> T'fian pulls himself up Meroth's foreleg, grasping the blue's riding
straps, and settles between his neckridges.

<*> From Prefeth's neckridges, Aphrael settles herself in, straping in
carefully and pulling her goggles down as she nods to P'tran.

<*> From Vidarth's back, R'val climbs up and strapshimself securely into
position, fastening on his helmet.

<*> Above, Juliath flies over from the south end of the bowl.

<*> Starratiel walks beneath the lintel and disappears into the living cavern.

Dragon> Laerth bespoke Threadfall Comm with << Tesing tesing ... OOC note
that Benden is flying Fall. Those not in it that are on the channel may get
spammed badly ;) >>

Dragon> Kheveth bespoke Threadfall Comm with << Juliath, the Jewish dragon. >>

<*> Astride his lifemate, T'fian pulls on his goggles and his helmet,
adjusting the chin strap.

<*> Juliath backwings for a landing.

<*> T'fian fastens Meroth's riding straps snugly about himself with the
ease of long practice.

Benden Weyr> P'tran says, "Riders in the Fall, 'dtu hear +fall'"

<*> Astride Juliath, Meli brushes her bangs back from her face before
pulling on her helmet, setting the goggles on her forehead. She sits
straight, watching quietly, one hand wrapped in the riding straps.

<*> P'tran takes another look at the formation and shouts orders to dress
it up a bit near the flank. "Very good," he calls out. "We actually got the
formation straight *ahead* of time. Good work."

<*> P'tran heads over to his dragon and checks the straps before mounting up

<*> P'tran climbs up onto Laerth in one smooth motion.

<*> From Veyath's back, K'nan chuckles at P'tran's comment, flashing a
brief, slightly nervous, grin around to the rest of the wing.

<*> From atop Laerth, P'tran glances about him and takes one last look
before raising his arm and letting it drop in the signal to launch.

<*> Laerth takes flight, using the thermals rising from the bowl to carry
him aloft.

<*> Meroth takes flight, using the thermals rising from the bowl to carry
him aloft.

<*> Prefeth takes flight, using the thermals rising from the bowl to carry
him aloft.

<*> Nicoth takes flight, using the thermals rising from the bowl to carry
him aloft.

<*> Lysseth spreads her wings to their full extent, bringing them down with
a rush of wind as she leaps nimbly into the air.

You spring into the air and catch the thermals rising from the bowl floor
to carry you aloft.

<*> Juliath rises up from the bowl.

<*> Kheveth rises up from the bowl.

<*> Veyath rises up from the bowl.

<*> Vidarth rises up from the bowl.

<*> From atop Laerth, P'tran watches the formation come into place around
them. He raises his arm again, pauses, then lets it drop as the signal to
go between.

<*> Laerth disappears into Between.

<*> Juliath disappears into Between.

<*> Prefeth disappears into Between.

<*> Veyath disappears into Between.

<*> Lysseth disappears into Between.

Between
You gasp as the icy black nothingness of Between surrounds you! You hear
nothing, see nothing, and feel nothing. The trip takes five heartbeats...
Contents:
Veyath(#3233JQaeqs)
Prefeth
Juliath
Laerth
Black...
Blacker...
Blackest!

You suddenly emerge...

Sky over Valley Hold(#8307RFJae$)
The skies above Valley Hold are largely clear, with winds off the water,
but threatening to shift and blow from the south near the hills behind the
Hold. Further westward, past the pine-forest covered hills, is a flat
low-lying area between the hills and Bayhead Hold near the coast of Nerat Bay.
Contents:
Veyath(#3233JQaeqs)
Prefeth
Juliath
Laerth

<*> Lysseth emerges from Between with a blast of cold air!

<*> Meroth emerges from Between with a blast of cold air!

<*> Nicoth emerges from Between with a blast of cold air!

<*> Nicoth blasts out of between and moves slightly to straighten up the
formation.

<*> Vidarth emerges from Between with a blast of cold air!

<*> Kheveth emerges from Between with a blast of cold air!

<*> Prefeth emerges from *between*, his eyes whirling redly as he spots the
grey mass that marks the leading edge of threadfall. His wing flare as he
settles into position, behind a slightly larger blue in the Skyfire formation.

<*> The Threadfall appears out over the ocean to the east, a dense wall of
silver-grey. It is already falling heavily over the water, and it is
advancing quickly towards shore. There is a steady but light breeze off the
water behind the thread.

<*> Astride Juliath, Meli leans forward briefly, resting a hand on her
green's neck before straightening to look out over the skyline. Near the
edge of the Dawnslight ranks, they wait.

<*> Vidarth pops out of between, and into formation. His red-whirling eyes
spot the Thread, and he emits a brassy challenge as he waits to sear it.

<*> Brynarth emerges from Between with a blast of cold air!

<*> Laerth gives a roar as the formation comes into position around them.
P'tran brings him up into his customary position in the Fall and looks out
over the approaching Fall.

<*> Meroth easily glides on the currents behind and slightly to the side of
Prefeth. He trumpets defiance at the silver-grey mass of thread ahead of
Laerth's wing.

<*> Kheveth remains utterly silent, much as when he flies in a mating
flight. He retains position, exactly where he was supposed to be.

<*> Lysseth rumbles as the Thread comes into view, settling smoothly into
formation. Her eyes are whirling a violent red as she waits impatiently.

Dragon> Laerth bespoke Threadfall Comm with << Everyone in position? The
Fall is going to be coming in fast! >>

Dragon> Juliath bespoke Threadfall Comm with << We are ready! >>

Dragon> Nicoth bespoke Threadfall Comm with <<  GO! >>

<*> Astride Prefeth, Aphrael straightens and watches the threafall levelly,
the slightest shiver her only reaction as she looks to the wings leader.

<*> The roar of the ocean where the threads hit the surface of the water
becomes loud as the leading edge rapidly aproaches shore. The line of the
Fall appears to be even, not concentrated in any given area, and the
threads fall steady and true. A few moments later, the Fall crosses over
onto dry land just east of Valley Hold.

<*> Nicoth bugles once as Thread comes over land. Staying in position with
the rest of Skyfire, he soars up to meet his enemy, flaming.

<*> Laerth gives a bugle as the Fall crosses over into land, and he is
immediately set upon to flame a large patch that descends near them.

Benden Weyr> Ursa says, "Am I too late to join in?"

<*> Vidarth rises with the Dawnslight wing, roaring as he sears a nearby
patch of the silvery rain that drifts into his sights.

<*> Thread falls thicky all over the forward lines, keeping much of the
main formation busy. A momentary gap lets a large patch fall through and
near brown Kheveth.

<*> Prefeth pushes forward with the rest of the formation, roaring as the
thread approaches fast. Opening his mouth, he begins flaming at the silvery
rain.

Benden Weyr> P'tran says, "Not at all, just come on in, we only just
started :)"

Benden Weyr> Ursa sighs at the +watch. Guess I am.

<*> Juliath takes a moment to give a challenging rumble just before the
pair move into the fray.

Benden Weyr> Meli says, "Neh, I'll pretend you were here ;)"

<*> a subtle change in the arc of Kheveth's wings begins his forward motion
- with his Wing - towards the approaching menace. Flame belches from the
brown, searing the dropping patch in half around him, cutting a wide swath
and leaving near nothing for those on the lower levels.

<*> Lysseth trumpets a clarion challenge to the Thread as it begins to fall
over the lands, staying closely in formation as she lets loose a bright
tongue of flame to sear a nearby tangle.

Benden Weyr> Alyssa says, "Flame on, Bear! :)"

<*> As the lines of dragons firm up, some thread presses in on the flank
near green Veyath.

<*> Laerth banks sharply to avoid some thread that he cannot come into
proper position to flame and then bugles a warning below!

<*> Meroth, now silent, flies into the wind, his wings beating in an easy,
light rhythm as he flames patches that manage to slide past the larger
dragons of the other wings.

<*> Nicoth swivels his neck to the right to catch a patch falling between
him and the next dragon. The other dragon responds to his unspoken command
and moves out of the way just in time.

<*> Veyath soars easily along with the rest of Skyfire as they fly to meet
their enemy, breaking her silence with an angry roar as Thread falls near
her, lifting her muzzle and unleashing a long, steady tongue of flame at
the patch falling near her.

Dragon> Laerth bespoke Threadfall Comm with << Watch it, we missed one!
*Grumble* >>

<*> A sheet of thread falls on several positions of the forward line at
once, but is centered around blue Vidarth.

<*> Vidarth snarls an angry call as he soarsthrough a patch of ash, where a
silvery curtain of Thread fell moments before. He flames a fast-moving
chunk that hurtles towardshim with haste.

<*> Brynarth lifts his head into the breeze, eyes whirling with a slow,
almost predatory gleam. He readjusts his pto the outside of his Wing,
behind the leaders, ready to dart forward, up, down or back, depending on
the need. A quick and maneuverable blue, he's ready for action and he finds
it to his left in the form of a windswept clump.

Dragon> Nicoth bespoke Threadfall Comm with <<  Good catch, Vidarth. >>

Dragon> Laerth bespoke Threadfall Comm with << Yes, that was *quite* good
... >>

Dragon> Threadfall Comm sense that Vidarth sounds only slightly smug. << I
do my best. >>

<*> Spineth emerges from Between with a blast of cold air!

<*> Lysseth lifts her head to meet an incoming patch, eyes wheeling redly
as she opens her mouth and chars it to a crisp with a violent blast of
fire. Kassi ducks ash as Lyss rumbles with satisfaction, redly whirling
eyes seeking out the next clump.

<*> A dragon is forced to wink *between* and out of the way when too much
thread converges at once, leaving a patch of sky uncovered! The closest
dragon in the area is blue Prefeth.

<*> Prefeth banks upwards slightly, trying to compensate for the wind as a
tiny gout of flame spouts from his maw, heading for a small patch that
falls past Prefeth's muzzle.

<*> From Vidarth's back, R'val can be seen to pet his dragon's headknobs
with a visible grin on his face as he and Vidarth soar throughthe cloud of
ash they just created. He hurriedly offers his dragon another chunk of stone.

<*> Prefeth turns tightly, bugling a warning to Meroth as he dives after
the thread moving past him, charing it with a large burst of flame.

<*> Laerth winks *between* briefly to skip a clump that heads at them too
fast, then immediately flame the next to ashes.

<*> Veyath twists in her flight as a patch falls too close to her, avoiding
it only narrowly. A quick burst of flame later, ash falls where once Thread
fell.

<*> From atop Nicoth, T'lar readies more firestone as Nicoth flames a large
patch directly ahead. He feeds his dragon's hungry maw as it swivels his way.

<*> Spineth skims down low enough to char a small patch missed from above,
then wings quickly back into formation.

<*> The Fall has reached the outskirts of Valley Hold, and beyond it are
the hills. The wind continues from the east, but it is not as steady, and
an occassional wind from the south blows. Thread continues to fall at a
fairly steady pace.

<*> Meroth responds to Prefeth's bugle, flaming to char a small patch of
thread descending towards Prefeth's temporarily vacated position, his rider
turning his head and watching in every direction.

<*> Lysseth turns her head to char a clump falling to her left, leaving it
naught but glowing ash and cinders. This done, she rumbles as Kassima
throws her a fresh chunk of firestone to chew.

<*> A glint of light reflects off Juliath's translucent wings as she banks
out and down, then cuts back swiftly to send a tightly controlled burst of
flame towards an errant patch, leaving only the blackest motes to float
downward on the wind.

Benden Weyr> Flannery waveeyhgus!

<*> Astride Prefeth, Aphrael hastily pulls some firestone from the sack
attached to the riding straps, feeding it to the blue's open muzzle as they
pull back in position.

Benden Weyr> Meli says, "Flanamamma!"

<*> The Fall crosses over the outlying fields just before the main entrance
of the Hold, several patches of thread falling near brown Spineth.

Benden Weyr> K'nan says, "FLAN! *hug* come join us for Fall!"

<*> Atop Kheveth's back, N'ren lays in the lee of the wind, char blowing
past him as the tongues of flame erupt from the brown's muzzle. A soft
thunderclap announces the dragon skipping Between, then again as he
reappears. He flames again. Into ash.

Benden Weyr> Kassima wafflethwaps a Flan. :)

Benden Weyr> Aphrael snuggleFlan!

Benden Weyr> N'ren reminds K'nan that Flannery is very pregnant. :)

Benden Weyr> Flannery is still nearly ready to give birth, so guesses it's
not icly possible, dears.;)

Benden Weyr> K'nan says, "Oh, right. ;)"

Benden Weyr> Flannery may give birth tonight, in fact, just to keep the
healers hopping.;)

Dragon> Laerth bespoke Threadfall Comm with << Watch it. The wind is
starting to shift a little earlier than expected. >>

Benden Weyr> N'ren says, "Then again, if she DID fly Fall, it could
trigger... nevermind."

Benden Weyr> Alyssa says, "Don't you DARE. :)"

<*> Brynarth wheels back into position, the clump of Thread now no more
than a puff of ash quickly blown into nothing by the swirl of wind off his
wingsails. As Danwslight moves forward in a perfectly spaced formation, he
flames another patch.

<*> Laerth gives a roar as his rider takes him into a slightly different
position. His rider starts to give orders to tighten up the southern flanks

Benden Weyr> N'ren says, "Do it. Do it. Do it. Or wait until later, after
the Healer think they're done for the night. ;)"

<*> Nicoth banks hard to the right as a rather large clump of Thread falls
through the Wing above. The wind shifts suddenly, blowing the silvery mass
right at him.

<*> Vidarth belches a long, hard blast of flame, a deep red in colour, to
sear a patch that shifts, to fly directly at him. He incinerates the patch,
and R"val ducks ashis dragon flies throughthe ash.

<*> Spineth banks outwards, letting out a mighty blast of flame. Charring
only half the patch, he dives, following it down with another mighty flame,
until it is nothing but soft ash trickling downwards.

<*> Nicoth disappears into Between.

<*> Nicoth emerges from Between with a blast of cold air!

Benden Weyr> Jerissa pokies Flan. We've enough, I'm just hoping the MUSH
Stays up :)

Benden Weyr> Elyandra says, "Think of the stories you can tell your children!"

<*> Meroth gets buffeted and fights to hold his position as the wind
changes and he finds himself no longer protected by the dragons in front of
him.

<*> A stiff breeze from the south blows up suddenly and causes a large
assault near the flank. One end of a long sheet of thread falls near green
Lysseth ...

<*> ... while the other end speeds quickly towards blue Meroth!

<*> Astride Juliath, Meli leans forward to replenish her green's stone
supply, and must quickly shift her balance as the green banks slightly in
the changing wind. Quickly moving back into position, the pair, ash
begrimed and grim of face, resume their job.

Dragon> Laerth bespoke Threadfall Comm with << Close call, Nicoth. You and
your rider all right? >>

Dragon> Benden dragons sense that Juliath bugles!

<*> Lysseth adjusts her position, roaring loudly as the Thread nears her.
She opens her mouth and flames violently, the brilliant golden-red flash
washing over the Thread and leaving only crumbling black dust and gray ash
behind.

Dragon> Nicoth bespoke Threadfall Comm with <<  Slight sting, but ok. >>

Dragon> Threadfall Comm sense that Vidarth rumbles. << Good aim, Lysseth.>>

<*> Prefeth fights to stay in position, wings beating furiously in the face
of the wind as his rider looks to Meroth and the thread near him.

<*> Meroth's rider yells involuntarily and Meroth turns just as the green
behind him bugles out a warning. He manages to turn towards the clump of
thread, fighting the wind the entire way and chars a portion of it ash and
then barely winks Between before scored by the remnants.

<*> As the Hold passes beneath, a large patch falls near green Juliath,
threatening an orchard field.

Dragon> Laerth bespoke Threadfall Comm with << Tighten it up a little. The
Fall is really thick here ... >>

Benden Weyr> Flannery heehee.

Dragon> Threadfall Comm sense that Lysseth rumbles in satisfaction. <<
Thank you. I do what I can. >>

<*> Nicoth dives from his position to catch a low, sideways blowing patch.
The flame is spectacularly large.

<*> Meroth winks back into existance and bugles to the greens behind him.

<*> Spineth wings quickly upwards, his Rider dipping into her firestone
sacks. As he levels out, he turns to chomp some firestone. The sudden
change of wind sends a patch right his way, and he has no choice but to
wink quickly between.

<*> Juliath and Meli, together in thought and deed, reach forward swiftly,
wings beating smoothly as a bright flash of orange lights the sky, searing
the Thread into char. As one, they move back into position, and seem almost
to send a glance out towards another.

<*> The Fall leaves the ramparts of Valley Hold and heads over the hills,
which are scattered with small cotholds and some pine forests. The winds
shift completely now and come out of the south, causing some turbulence as
they pass over the terrain below.

Dragon> Meroth bespoke Threadfall Comm with << Veyath. Get what I missed! >>

<*> Veyath turns in flight, lithe green form darting forward to take care
of the portion of the patch missed by Meroth. A bright flare of golden
flame licks out to engulf the rest of the clump, leaving black ash behind.

Dragon> Veyath bespoke Threadfall Comm with << Got it, Meroth. >>

<*> Vidarth grips his dragon's straps tight as the blue veers sharply toone
side, chasing after a patch that hurtlesby him in a blinding speed.He roars
frustratedly as it escapes.

<*> Kheveth, on Meroth's disappearance, surges upwards in the formation,
moving to take on a wider swatch to cover his sudden absence. As quickly as
they return, so do Kheveth and his rider.

Dragon> Vidarth bespoke Threadfall Comm with << I lost one, it moved too
fast! Lookout below! >>

<*> The southern flank is hit hard with the wind shift, and some patches
get through to fall near blue Brynarth.

Dragon> Laerth bespoke Threadfall Comm with << watch it! Cover the sky! >>

<*> Lysseth wings slightly to her left to firm up her position in the
formation, a patch swerving unexpectedly towards her. Blinking into
*between* to avoid it, she turns her head to flame the errant tangle to as
soon as she reappears. Kassi calls encouragement to her lifemate and throws
her a fresh supply of firestone, watching the Thread warily.

<*> Prefeth banks down, turning his head to watch the progress of the
thread, just as another patch moves towards them. He half turns to try and
tighten up the formation, winking between barely in time to avoid the thread.

Dragon> Threadfall Comm sense that Kheveth replies, terse << Leave it for
the queens. >>

<*> Laerth gives a roar of alarm as the winds shift, and his rider shouts
orders!

<*> From atop Nicoth, After a quick refuelling, Nicoth soars back into
position, wings shifting constantly to make up for the rough currents.

<*> Spineth emerges from between, skimming forward immediately to take care
of an errant patch.

<*> Prefeth reappears, only to be pushed away from the thread he was aiming
for by the unexpected wind. He bugles a warning as he moves to flame a
closer patch.

<*> Kheveth turns on his wing, almost immediately adjusting to the new
wind. Could it actually be that his rider is laughing in exultation?

<*> Vidarth crumblesa large chunk in his mouththat his rider gives him:
eyes whirling a violent shade of red, he banks upwards, tilting his lithe
blue body into the wind as a patch hurtles towardshim. He searsit with a
quick belch of flame.

<*> As some positions shift in the formation, some thread manages to sneak
by one of the forward tiers and drops very close to bronze Nicoth.

<*> Meroth turns around to face his rider, accepting more firestone into
his cavernous maw. Before his rider is able to get more than a stone into
his mouth, the blue is forced to turn, banking sharply to his left and
sending a lick of flame towards a smallish clump that has gotten through.

Benden Weyr> P'tran notes the correction was not from him, that patch is
headed for Nicoth

<*> On Brynarth, Sionelle leans forward against her dragon's neck, holding
a chunk of stone to his waiting teeth with one hand. Her other hand rubs at
her flight goggles. When her lenses are clear and Brynarth's flame is
ready, the pair dives for a scattering line of silver Thread.

<*> Nicoth moves forward with powerful sweeps of his wings. The errant
patch disappears in orange flame and emerges as black ash. T'lar swipes at
his shoulder as they blink out.

<*> Nicoth disappears into Between.

<*> Nicoth emerges from Between with a blast of cold air!

<*> A pocket of turbuence breaks up a sheet of thread, sending ragged
patches first near blue Prefeth ...

<*> ... and then very close to blue Brynarth.

Dragon> Meroth bespoke Threadfall Comm with << Nicoth, are you okay? >>

Dragon> Threadfall Comm sense that Laerth gives a snort << Someone was
injuried. Was it you, Nicoth? >>

Dragon> Nicoth bespoke Threadfall Comm with <<  My rider says it is
nothing. >>

<*> Atop Spineth, Ursa grabs for more firestone, and nearly loses her grip
on the sack as Spineth dives suddenly, trying to catch a patch with a long
sustained flame.

Dragon> Threadfall Comm sense that Kheveth's voice shares his rider's
exultation. << Wasn't us! >>

<*> Brynarth sends a jet of flame across his original target, turning to
rejoin the Wing just as the arning trumpet of the Weyrleader's bronze
reaches him. It's too late, and a redirected clump of Thread scours down
his flanks, scoring his left side at the straps. Sionelle cries out in
alarm, the sound cut off by *between*

<*> Prefeth bugles loudly, spotting the silvery thread before even his
rider does. His wings spread, he belches flame which trickles to nothing as
the silvery colour is turned to black ash. His rider hastily feeds the blue
more firestone as they move.

<*> Veyath struggles back into formation as the winds shift, returning from
the assist with Meroth. Reflections of red flame shining off her wings, she
snaps her head around to flame at a large clump of Thread heading directly
at her. A wide streak of ash passes over her as the flame ceases, perhaps
blinding her for a moment as she attempts to dodge out of the way of the
rest of the patch. An errant wind gives the rest of the patch a bit of
acceleration, and Veyath blinks *between* a moment too late, just as the
Thread slams into her from the side.

<*> Veyath disappears into Between.

<*> Veyath emerges from Between with a blast of cold air!

Kassima settles back on Lysseth's neckridges as the green swallows her
latest installment of 'stone, holding tightly to the straps as Lyss angles
upwards to meet an incoming clump. Lysseth roars angrily as the Thread
swerves diagonally, quickly turning her head to engulf it with a blaze of
fire. Smoking ash is all that remains once she has finished.

Dragon> Laerth bespoke Threadfall Comm with << Veyath! Are you ok? >>

<*> Prefeth BUGLES at Veyath in alarm!

<*> Realizing they are slightly out of position, Juliath and Meli adjust
back into formation, just in time to close a slight gap and char a tight
cluster of Thread to ash. She gives a trumpet as Brynarth is scored nearby!

<*> Meroth swings his neck around and bugles towards Veyath.

<*> Laerth gives a loud roar and flames a patch to ashes and banks sharply
to avoid a second when it follows them too quickly to flame.

<*> The Fall now heads past the hills and into the cleared terrain beyond.
The turbulence abates, but the wind direction shifts slightly again, and
now blows from the southwest, coming in off the bay to the far south. In
the distance to the west you can see the outskirts of Bayhead. Thread
continues to fall thickly, and at somewhat of a slant.

<*> Nicoth swings his head right for more stone and then moves his head to
the left where T'lar feeds him, lefthanded.

<*> Veyath blinks back in, some distance down from the rest of her wing.
She lets loose a loud shriek of pain and alarm, quickly beginning to loose
altitude.

Dragon> Prefeth bespoke Threadfall Comm with << Veyath! Go home, Veyath! >>

Dragon> Veyath bespoke Threadfall Comm with << We cannot fly...We return! >>

Dragon> Threadfall Comm sense that Laerth rumbles. << You are hurt, Veyath.
Return to the Weyr at once. Do you need assistance? >>

<*> Kheveth coasts forward again upon his wingmates disappearance. A belch
of flame, seared ash, char flies about him. That "YEEHAH!" couldn't have
come from N'ren, could it? He's still laying against his dragon.

<*> Veyath disappears into Between.

<*> From Vidarth's back, R'val sears a large, writhing patch that hurtles
towardshim at an angle. His neckcurves as he liftsit, and sprays the deadly
rain that hfalls so close to him with a blast of short, hot flame.

Dragon> Juliath bespoke Threadfall Comm with << Brynarth!! >>

<*> Meroth stops struggling against the wind now that it has turned and is
coming from the back. He does fall back slightly as the gaps in Skyfire
wing widens with Veyath's departure from formation

Dragon> Threadfall Comm sense that Vidarth rumblesin concern for Brynarth
and Veyath.

<*> Prefeth turns his head back around, plunged back into the battle with
thread as a silvery chunk falls past them, the blue flaming with precision.

Dragon> Laerth bespoke Threadfall Comm with << Brynarth, what is your
status? >>

<*> Thread is blown across the front line of the dragons, with several
patches near blue Vidarth and wingmates.

<*> Vidarth sears a large, writhing patch that hurtles towardshim at an
angle. His neckcurves as he liftsit, and sprays the deadly rain that hfalls
so close to him with a blast of short, hot flame.

<*> Nicoth remains in position, flaming directly ahead. He lets other
dragons go after the harder to catch patches. Black ash clouds the air
around him.

<*> Spineth adjusts his position quickly at the change in wing formation.
His rider finally manages to get more firestone down him, and the brown
surges forward with fresh flame, charring a long sheet to ash.

Dragon> Threadfall Comm sense that Kheveth does not waste time nor breath
on concern for Brynarth and Veyath. He coasts forward, wings working,
preparing to cover for the vanished green. All that experience flying at
high levels in shifting winds is showing. Blatantly, even.

<*> The wind causes the thread to fall a little more slowly, cause it to
clump. A large one descends upon brown Kheveth.

Benden Weyr> Meli says, "Did we lose Elle?"

Benden Weyr> P'tran thinks we did, yes ...

Benden Weyr> Alyssa ughs. Apparently. :P

Benden Weyr> P'tran says, "She was having net probs"

<*> Vidarth ROARS his furious indignation as a patch comes too close for
his liking, and he isforced to wink between. The patch hurtles downward
past him.

<*> Vidarth disappears into Between.

<*> Vidarth emerges from Between with a blast of cold air!

Benden Weyr> Jerissa okies. Then Alyssa will just have to heal T'lar. No
sweat :)

<*> Kheveth backwings for a moment, a braking and turning maneuver. Flame
blows. Char and ash result. He doesn't even go Between.

Benden Weyr> Alyssa awwwws. And I was so hoping to mangle Elle. :)

Dragon> Vidarth bespoke Threadfall Comm with << Someone get that patch! I
could not, it moved too fast! >>

Dragon> Nicoth bespoke Threadfall Comm with <<  I cannot. >>

<*> Prefeth pulls left sharply, roaring as a patch comes past his left
side, banking after it as flame shoots from his mouths, eyes whirling angrily.

Dragon> Laerth bespoke Threadfall Comm with << Brynarth, are you all right?
What is you status? Are you injured? >>

Benden Weyr> N'ren grins. N'ren loves shifting winds. Reminds him of home.

Dragon> Threadfall Comm sense that Meroth snorts at Kheveth. << Browns. >>

Benden Weyr> Jerissa ugs. OK. Back to Sionelle. (love it) :)

<*> Juliath suddenly gives a mighty Trumpet! of shared anguish, as Meli
cries out loudly over the wind 'Noooooo!!!' at the greying Nicoth and his
rider.

<*> Lysseth bugles as the wind blows a snarl of Thread directly towards
her, backwinging hurriedly and raising her head to singe it. Ash blows
backward over Kassima, who ducks, as Lyss resumes position and searches out
the next clump to blast.

<*> Laerth banks to one side to catch a patch of thread that missed some of
the other dragons, and reduces it to ashes.

<*> Nicoth begins to lose altitude and T'lar can be seen leaning forward
over his dragon's neck.

<*> There's a sudden break in the Fall to one side, only to concentrate a
little more near brown Spineth.

Dragon> Threadfall Comm sense that Laerth SNORTS << We have more injured.
The Fall is getting towards the end. The injured should withdraw to the
Weyr >>

Dragon> Nicoth bespoke Threadfall Comm with <<  I just tired. >>

Dragon> Kheveth bespoke Threadfall Comm with << Nicoth. Go home. Take the
destination from one of the other dragons if necessary. >>

Dragon> Threadfall Comm sense that Juliath projects a loud 'Nicoth! You
must go home! Now!'

<*> The Fall finally starts to show signs of lessening as Bayhead comes
into view. The air feels a little more moist as it blows in directly from
Nerat Bay. The wind is still steady from the southwest, and it causes some
more clumping of the Thread.

<*> Meroth flies with an agility unknown to browns and bronzes, a constant
flame exploding from his jaw as he breezes through ash that is the sole
remnants of clump after clump of coiling, menacing Thread.

<*> Spineth wings forward, adjusting position within formation again, only
to suddenly backwing to let out a furious blast of flame at the thick
patch. A small clump of thread escapes his flames, whizzing downwards in
the wind.

<*> Nicoth disappears into Between.

Dragon> Laerth bespoke Threadfall Comm with << Nicoth, you are too tired.
Go to the Weyr. That is an *order* >>

Dragon> Nicoth bespoke Threadfall Comm with <<  Yes, Laerth. >>

<*> Kheveth seems at home, moving in the high levels of the formation.
While certainly not as manueverable as the smaller dragons, he's
conservative with his flame and seemingly used to the shifts in the winds.

<*> Prefeth bugles over at his wingmate, watching Nicoth drop from the sky
in alarm, then is forced to dive down after a silvery patch which descends
close. He quickly winks between, this time able to return and flame it to
nothing.

<*> Some rather tangled patches drop from the sky in front of green Juliath.

<*> Vidarth lifts his head to flame a passing clump that whirs by his head.
He reduces it to harmless gray ash drifting townward inthe atmosphere
towarsd the farms below.

<*> Juliath and her rider cast a glance at the space left where Nicoth and
T'lar had been, almost seeming to lean towards the spot before rejoining
the formation and sending a particularly large blast of flame at a helpless
patch of Thread.

Benden Weyr> T'fian grins. Half of Skyfire deciminated in one night. ;)

Benden Weyr> Starratiel says, "Can a flit carry a numbweed pot?"

Benden Weyr> N'ren says, "And Kheveth loves it."

Benden Weyr> N'ren says, "I doubt it, Starratiel. It took nine to carry a
two-handed flute."

<*> Lysseth rumbles in concern as Nicoth drops, then returns her attention
to the task at hand. Wheeling swiftly on a wingtip, she shifts to her left
a bit to attack an entwined mass of the silver Threads with another torrent
of fire.

<*> Brynarth disappears into Between.

<*> Some of the sky starts to appear through the Fall. Some more diffuse
patches tumble lazily towards blue Prefeth.

<*> Atop Spineth, Ursa uses her sleeve to wipe the ash from her goggles. A
deep breath is her only acknowledgement of the injuries to her wing mates,
her attention riveted on the falling menace. "over there!" she shouts and
Spineth spreads his wings to catch the thread with a hot blast.

Benden Weyr> N'ren says, "Er, Kheveth and N'ren love it. Not that they're
hurt, but that they get the chance to 'save the day'. Or help, at least."

<*> The last strands of grey fall just as what was the leading edge of the
Fall pass over the ramparts of Bayhead Hold. The skies are now clear once
again.

<*> Prefeth is brought to attention by the warning bugle of another blue,
and barely avoids the thread, searing the clump heavily as the last of the
thread falls to char.

<*> Laerth looks up and gives a loud SNORT as he scans the skies for any
last strands of thread.

<*> Kheveth sounds an almost dissapointed bugle, searching the skies for
more to flame.

Dragon> Laerth bespoke Threadfall Comm with << The Fall is over. Do a sweep
to make sure nothing got past us. >>

<*> Juliath gives another *bugle* of anger, as she and Meli scan the skies,
but see no more enemy to flame.

<*> Meroth trumpets a call of victory, despite the greyish color his pale
hide has started to take on.

<*> Prefeth bugles tiredly, his voice that of pride, but tinged with
concern as he flies with the wing, scouting the skies for any more thread.

<*> Lysseth cranes her head this way and that to survey the skies, Kassima
doing the same after wiping ash away from her goggles. Lyss rumbles with
something approaching disappointment when the sky seems to be clear.

<*> Atop Spineth, Ursa tucks the now-emtied sack under the straps, wiping
ash of her goggles once again as she scans the skies.

<*> Kheveth begins to spiral down to move into formation for a sweep.

<*> Spineth bugles to his Rider, announcing for himself that the skies are
clear.

<*> Laerth draws himself back into his customary position and scans the
rest of the formation, looking with a critical eye as his rider takes an
assessment of the grounds below.

Dragon> Laerth bespoke Threadfall Comm with << If nothing has gotten by us,
come into formation for the trip home. Good work, all. >>

<*> Meroth wearily wings his way back upward, the strength in his wings
flagging but a self-satisfied rumbling can be barely heard over the roar of
the wind.

<*> Juliath wings back into her spot at the edge of the formation, waiting
for the signal to return home.

<*> Laerth gives a rumble as his rider looks about and watches the others
return to formation. He raises his arm and then lets it drop a bit tiredly
to signal the trip home.

<*> Laerth disappears into Between.

<*> Prefeth disappears into Between.

<*> Juliath disappears into Between.

<*> Lysseth disappears into Between.

Between
You gasp as the icy black nothingness of Between surrounds you! You hear
nothing, see nothing, and feel nothing. The trip takes five heartbeats...
Contents:
Juliath
Prefeth
Black...
Blacker...
Blackest!

You suddenly emerge...

<*> Lysseth emerges from Between with a blast of cold air!

<*> Meroth emerges from Between with a blast of cold air!

<*> From the North, From the Benden Star Stones, M'nar's mint green Gelth
rears on hind legs and bugles a greeting to green Lysseth and her rider,
Kassima, welcoming them home.

<*> From the North, From the Benden Star Stones, M'nar's mint green Gelth
rears on hind legs and bugles a greeting to blue Meroth and his rider,
T'fian, welcoming them home.

<*> Prefeth flies downward towards the north end of the bowl.

Benden Weyr> Alyssa waits for the welcome spam to end. :)

<*> Juliath flies downward towards the north end of the bowl.

Benden Weyr> Jerissa does too

<*> Spineth emerges from Between with a blast of cold air!

<*> Meroth spirals downward towards the bowl floor in large, sweeping circles.

<*> From the North, From the Benden Star Stones, M'nar's mint green Gelth
rears on hind legs and bugles a greeting to brown Spineth and his rider,
Ursa, welcoming them home.

Benden Weyr> P'tran thanks all for keeping the knot spam-free during the
Fall :)

<*> Meroth flies downward towards the north end of the bowl.

<*> Vidarth emerges from Between with a blast of cold air!

You fly downwards towards the north end of the bowl.

<*> From the Benden Star Stones, M'nar's mint green Gelth rears on hind
legs and bugles a greeting to blue Vidarth and his rider, R'val, welcoming
them home.

<*> Laerth glides down from above.

<*> Meroth flies downward to the ground.

<*> Laerth flies downward to the ground.

<*> Vidarth glides down from above.

You fly downwards towards the ground.

<*> Juliath backwings for a landing.

<*> Vidarth backwings for a landing.

<*> Above, From the Benden Star Stones, M'nar's mint green Gelth rears on
hind legs and bugles a greeting to brown Kheveth and his rider, N'ren,
welcoming them home.

Benden Weyr> Alyssa would like to see this trend continue, lest the
dragonhealers go mad. :)

<*> R'val slides down from Vidarth's back and lands in a crouch.

<*> Starratiel takes some numbweed and goes over to Brynarth...

<*> Above, Prefeth quickly glides downward, backwinging carefully and
peering over at the injured dragons as his rider hastily unstraps and
slides to the ground.

<*> Above, Spineth glides down from above.

<*> Astride Juliath, Meli unbuckles herself from the riding straps.

Benden Weyr> Jerissa says, "Lys -- Brynarth's all yours :) hee :)"

<*> Meli slips smoothly down from Juliath's neck to her foreleg and to the
ground, giving her a gentle caress.

<*> Above, Kheveth glides down from above.

<*> Kheveth backwings for a landing.

<*> Spineth backwings for a landing.

<*> Jarryl walks here from the south.

<*> From Meroth's neck, T'fian leans backward and wearily pulls off his
helmet and goggles, letting them fall to the bowl floor below Meroth.

<*> From atop Kheveth's back, N'ren settles back and begins unbuckling
himself.

<*> From atop Laerth, P'tran quickly unhooks the straps from about his
waist and then lets unused sacks of firestone (of which there are very few)
drop to the ground with a thud on either side of Laerth.

<*> T'fian reaches down, unbuckles the riding straps from around himself
and gives Meroth an affectionate pat.

<*> From atop Kheveth's back, N'ren unbuckles himself from Kheveth's straps.

<*> Alyssa watches T'lar and Nicoth again, worriedly, then she grimaces at
Brynarth's uncharacteristically graceless landing. She moves to them
quickly, her mood already shifting into the curiously calm mode of
dragonhealer, eyes scanning the blue with alacrity.

<*> T'fian quickly slides down Meroth's foreleg and jumps to the ground.

<*> Prefeth backwings for a landing.

<*> Davidon comes out of the short tunnel from the living cavern.

<*> Aphrael climbs down from Prefeth's neckridges with practised ease,
reaching up to give her lifemate a thankful scritch as the blue dragon
crooons.

Kassima frees herself from the flight straps before sliding down to the
ground.

<*> Veyath whimpers softly, nuzzling back weakly before resting her head
against the ground. As the ichor is washed from the wound, more starts to
fill it, the greenish liquid returning almost as quickly as it left and
running down her side to drip on the bowl floor.

<*> Meli lands quickly, rushing headlong towards Nicoth and T'lar before
stopping up short, out of the way. Behind her, Juliath gives a concerned
crooon.

<*> Elyandra waves to the drudge that has become her assistant, reaching
for the numbweed as she drops the pail to the ground. She glances at K'nan,
"You okay?" as she straightens up and examines the wound, letting out a low
whistle when she sees the tendons revealed, muscle cut that deeply. She
takes the large paddle and spreads numbweed on it, then slathers Veyath's
would with it.

You slide off of Lysseth's neck to land beside her easily. She rumbles,
cocking her head down at you, and you rub her eyeridges gratefully.

P'tran comes down from Laerth's neck in one smooth motion.

N'ren slides quickly down the brown dragon's back to the ground, after
hugging his shoulder lovingly.

Starratiel looks up at the blue and his rider. "I've numbweed...

N'ren slides down his dragon, and immediately heads towards the other side
of the brown.

T'lar is leaning against Nicoth struggling with the strap buckles.

T'fian pats Meroth's greyish hide and then quickly moves over to the
dragonhealers, concern on his face for K'nan and Veyath and T'lar.

Aphrael does a quick check of Prefeth, sighing. She turns towards the
dragonhealers, face pale and dark with ash as she moves closer, biting her
lip with worry at the sight of Nicoth, Brynarth then Veyath.

R'val lands besidehis dragon, and runs a ahand along his hide ashe walks
forward, to try and seethe injured, frowningin concern.

P'tran gives a tired sigh as he removes his helmet and runs his fingers
through his sweaty hair. "I counted three injured up there," he comments as
he leaves his dragon's side

Jerissa glances at T'lar in a moment of concern, "OK." she reassures him,
"HEALER?" she shouts out, "See to this man?" a point at T'lar again, "And
get him some sharding wine!"

K'nan swallows, looking back up at Elyandra and his lifemate. Quietly, "I'm
okay..Veyath...." Swallowing again, "Anything I can do to help, Ely?"

Atop Spineth, Ursa fumbles with her gloves and then the straps, watching
closely to see the status of the injured.

Ursa climbs carefully down with the assistance of Spineth's extended forelimb.

Benden LC> J'lor comes in from the bowl.
Benden LC> J'lor has arrived.

Jarryl rushes over to T'lar.

Ursa scampers down and stands at attention, waiting to see if there's
anything she should be doing.

Starratiel says "Ma'am?"
Elyandra covers the wound with Numbweed, blinking with worry, "You've done
a good job, m'girl. Very deep wound. Close to the bone. I can see your
tendons... but they look to be intact...." She looks at K'nan, offering a
slight smile, "Keep her still? You need some wine?" She hands the paddle
and numbweed to the drudge, glancing around for Jerissa quickly.

Kassima wearily pulls off her helmet and goggles, setting them beside
Lysseth, and brushes ash-covered bangs out of her face. She wearily scans
the Bowl, biting her lip as she sees those injured, then turns back to
check Lysseth and remove the empty sacks from her straps.

Starratiel looks nervously up at Sionelle, wondering if she's unconcious...

Meli moves forward now, reaching out her hands just short of grabbing
T'lar. "T'lar! Sit down!" She turns her head as Jarryl arrives, stepping
back and looking over Nicoth as well.

P'tran pulls off his riding gloves and tucks them hurriedly in his pocket,
then pulls off his goggles and wipes his brow. He scans the sands for
Jerissa and heads over to her when he finds her.

Davidon steps forward, wine bottle, and several glasses. He begins filling
one for those riders he sees, that need it.

N'ren slaps his hand against the brown's side and comes back out, removing
his helmet and goggles, hanging his gloves on his belt.

Aphrael looks between the injured dragonas, pulling off her helmet and
gloves. "Is there anything I can do to assist?" She asks, her voice steady.

T'lar says "Need to get the straps off."

Alyssa's eyes follow the garish drip of ichor as it puddles in an ugly mess
below Brynarth's left foreleg, and over her shoulder she calls quietly,
"Numbweed, please, and hurry." She is already motioning for a ladder, her
attention split between Brynarth and his rider. "Sionelle, are you all
right? I need to take a look at Brynarth."

Astride her blue Brynarth, Sionelle fumbles and tugs and struggles at her
straps, yanking the belt out of its buckle with enough force to send the
metal prong pinging off a nearby rock. She flings her leg over and slides
down her dragon's right side, crashing to the ground with a clumsy thump,
having taken Brynarth's remaining firestone sacks with her.

T'fian stops well away from where Elya is working with Veyath and K'nan and
then turns back towards Meroth, who's drop to the ground like a lump (and
crushing the goggles that lay underneath him).

Jerissa sees a healer running to T'lar and nods to her with a smile, "Thank
you" she comments. A moment later and she's washing her hands, scrubbing
them with redwort and covering them in oil, before hefting bucket and
paddle, slathering the belly wound on NIcoth.

Starratiel looks over at Sionelle. "Are you all right? Where is he hurt?"

Meli says "Sit DOWN! The dragonhealers will tend to Nicoth. I will watch
Nicoth. Sit DOWN!"

Veyath remains very quiet, wing shaking slightly with the effort to hold it
still. Her eyes whirl redly with traces of white as she does her best to
remain unmoving, supported silently by her lifemate. K'nan shakes his head
at Ely's offer, "No."

P'tran steps up to Jerissa but keeps a space between then so as not to get
in her way. "We have three injured altogether?" he asks.

Jarryl looks around for cold water, to wash T'lar's wound with. She clears
his clothing away from the area, and rinses it with cold water quickly,
then treats her hands with redwort and oil.

T'lar looks blearily up at Meli and a thin smile graces his face. He sits
and looks for that wine.

P'tran glances over at the sound of the shout from Meli ...

T'fian turns with surprise, blinking at Meli.

Benden Weyr> Meli just loves melodrama :)

Sionelle staggers to her feet, boot squelching with blood. "I'm fine," sha
snaps, shoving between Alyssa and her dragon. "Get his straps. Take off his
straps. His straps hurt." If she repeats it enough, even Alyssa will
understand. Her hands pull at the heavy buckles.

Benden Weyr> T'lar says, "She likes me."

Elyandra soon becomes covered in coppery ichor, "Shards.... K'nan? C'mere,
eh?" She gestures the rider over hurriedly.

Benden Weyr> Felinar thinks melodrama is better than harshdrama?

Felinar comes out of the short tunnel from the living cavern.

Benden Weyr> Davidon loves it here! :) :) This is great. :)

Jerissa nods as she looks up to P'tran, bent under the bronzes wing and
slathering numbweed everywhere. "Yes Sir. A shoulder, a flank and a belly
wound. All being dealt with."

N'ren looks about, notes things are well in hand, and heads into the Living
Cavern.

N'ren walks beneath the lintel and disappears into the living cavern.

Nicoth shifts as the numbweed cools his belly.

Felinar walks out from the caverns, holding a stack of hides in his arms,
"Well. Ah. Hmm."

K'nan mutters softly under his breath, eyes distant as he comforts his
lifemate. At Ely's beckoning, he blinks up and steps over quickly, "What?
What's wrong?!"

Alyssa nods once, following Sionelle's example and helping unstrap the
blue. "Look, Sionelle, I've got to get that flow of ichor stemmed..." she
says, eyes flickering with alarm at the puddling gore below the left foreleg.

Benden Weyr> Starratiel eeps at her account. Sionelle, did you pose?

P'tran finds T'lar and restates, "T'lar, let them attend to you ..." He
looks back to Jerissa and nods. "All right. I'll get a report later when
things are not as hectic." He notices Sionelle out of the corner of his eye
and looks over to her with concern.

Starratiel looks over to Alyssa. "Should I put some numbweed on it?"

Davidon glances around to see if anyone needs more wine, a small frown on
his face.

T'fian watches after N'ren momentarily, his eyes dark and his mouth open
just slightly, playing with his lower teeth with his tongue. He then shakes
his head, following N'ren into the living cavern.

T'lar nods to the Weyrleader and tries to be stil for the Healer. His
attention is on the grey/bronze bulk to one side.

T'fian walks beneath the lintel and disappears into the living cavern.

Aphrael lets out her breath slowly, moving back over to Prefeth, who
rumbles a comment. Aphrael nods slowly, in response, murmering something
inaudible as she unbuckles his straps, pulling down the empty sacks.

Jerissa shifts herself under the bronze, her small form able to stand there
and see the wound clearly. She nods, almost to herself and then to P'tran,
lost now in thought as she examines the injury. She wanders over to where
an apprentice stands with some equipment and starts loading up a sterile
tray with it.

Felinar quietly eases back into the caverns.

Felinar walks beneath the lintel and disappears into the living cavern.

Ursa watches a moment longer, then, deciding she's not very useful here,
follows her wingmates' lead.

Ursa walks beneath the lintel and disappears into the living cavern.

Meli hovers near T'lar and Jarryl, resisting the urge to move in and try to
help, unaware of the attention she'dbriefly gained. Finally, she takes a
mighty breath, arms wrapped around her chest, and steps away shaking her
head, struggling to regain some composure.

Jarryl looks at Davidon, and nods to T'lar who she is treating. "More wine.
Now."

Benden LC> N'ren plops down at the Skyfire table with a large glassful of
redfruit juice. He puts his feet up, a shit-eating grin on his face, eyes
bright. He runs a hand through his hair, and waves at his wingmates as they
arrive.

Alyssa shakes her head at Starr. "Don't touch him until he's expecting it,
Starr, please. If you can help unstrap him, I can get to work on his
injuries." Her hands are moving hurriedly but steadily, working on the
riding straps with the ease she's gotten from Turns as F'nar's weyrmate.

T'lar holds up his empty mug. He looks over to Meli. "If Jerissa needs a
hand with Nicoth's straps, would you...?"

Starratiel nods and begins to assist with the straps.

Davidon nods silently to Jarryl, and swiftly moves to fill the
bronzerider's mug.

Elyandra grabs a huge gauze from her drudge-helper, "Thank you." She shoves
it into K'nan's hand, "I need you to hold pressure on the wound. Here." She
takes his hands with the gauze and presses it firmly against Veyath, to the
left of the wound and where a vein would be, "We need to control this
bleeding. I have to sew her up. Do you need wine?" She repeats this,
smudging green ichor across her chin.

Benden LC> T'fian looks darkly at N'ren, sitting there as if there's not a
care in the world. He shakes his head, and says, simply, "Brownrider."

Benden LC> Felinar asks the riders,"Anything i may do to assist?"

Benden LC> N'ren shakes his head at Felinar, raising his glass by way of
indication. Then, to T'fian, "Is there a problem, T'fian?"

Kassima slumps against Lysseth for a moment, setting down the empty sacks,
before turning to dust ash off of her lifemate's shoulders and chest as
well as rechecking her straps. She casts worried glances over at the
injured dragons on occasion, but tries to concentrate on what she's doing.

At T'lar's words, Meli turns back, her face tight but controlled. "Yes, I
can help, if she needs it" and steps forward slightly.

Benden LC> Ursa runs her fingers over her helmet-mussed hair, then grabs
herself something to drink. She drops her jacket and helmet onto the
Skyfire table and plops onto the bench, her knees practically buckling
beneath her.

Brynarth's tail lashes from side to side and his head moves slowly up and
down with each breath he sucks in through his teeth and each rocking shift
of his feet. Silent, but for the sound of his breathing, he waits to be
attended. His eyes are fixed on Sionelle as she elbows Starratiel roughly
out of the way. "His straps. Take off his straps. His straps hurt." If she
says it often enough, even the healers might understand it.

Starratiel gets the straps undone.

Jerissa quickly and almost with methodical ease starts to clamp the injured
vein, watching each one carefully as she does so. She glances around at her
name, "Can someone get his straps?" A look a Meli, oh, she looks idle
enough! Gesturing with a elbow, "You, meli or whatever, get the straps, I
need to get this done fast. Thank you" she adds.

P'tran watches the healers at work for a few moments, his eyes tired and a
little distant, his expression a bit solemn. He mutters something about
heavy falls and formations, but it's hard to understand what he's saying.

K'nan presses down firmly, hands and gauze getting wet with the ichor
splattered across her hide. Gritting his teeth at the loud -warble- of pain
that briefly escapes Veyath, he shakes his head. "No...Jus' hold still,
love. Hold still.."

Benden LC> T'fian turns towards Felinar, startled. He shakes his head
before looking back at N'ren appraisingly for a moment and then shakes his
head. "No, there's nothing wrong," he says quietly and walks over to the
long Skyfire table and simply falls onto the bench.

Benden Weyr> Starratiel says, "Would they fall off or what?"

Benden Weyr> Starratiel says, "And to my side?"

Nicoth's head is drooping, his chin on the ground, but he holds his belly
clear.

Meli reaches up, giving Nicoth a warm caress briefly before working on the
straps methodically until they are loose, muttering softly under her breath.

R'val putsa hand casuallyon Kassima's shoulder, and sltans a reassuring
smile ather as he stands near her, watching he commotion.Hemurmurs,
'Youlook pale. yoU allright?"

Kheveth turns his head to watch the goings-on, but gives a curious
hop-skip-fly to get his bulk out of the way.

As Brynarth's straps come undone and fall away from the score, a gush of
ichor splatters from under the hide to cover the boots of the healers and
his rider. The blue's feet dance agitatedly against the sand.

Alyssa assists Sionelle with the straps, as the rider has demanded, but she
tells Sionelle quietly, "Sionelle, please. He's losing ichor quickly, and
I've got to see to that wound. Let Starr help you with the straps and let
me get to work on the score."

Benden Weyr> P'tran says, "They'd just fall where they are, Starr :)"

Veyath's painful warble dies off into more of a whimper, long, sinuous tail
twitching involuntarily. Her wing moves a bit closer to her, causing
another brief spurt of ichor in her wound, then she manages to hold it
still again.

Benden Weyr> P'tran says, "Don't worry about mathematical precision :)"

Benden LC> T'fian turns towards the Skyfire brownrider, opens his mouth,
shuts it, and then asks, "How do you look so unconcerned? Happy, even?"

Benden Weyr> Starratiel has to go...

Davidon glances at Veyath, and her rider as he starts to step forward, but
sees that the rider is busy, he leaves a full glass to one side, out of
harms way, most of his attention on what the dragonhealer is doing.

Elyandra nods with satisfaction, "Good, good." She gestures to the drudge
again, "Okay, needlethorn and sutures...." She glances at the wound again,
then mutters to the drudge, "Lots of sutures."

Kassima looks over at R'val and smiles back, tiredly. "Eh, I'm fine... and
so's Lyss, more importantly. Tired, dirty, but fine. Not like...." She
glances over at Veyath and the rest, then quickly back to Lysseth. "Just
making sure the straps don't need mending."

Jarryl cleans' T'lar's wound out with redwort, then begins applying numbweed.

Benden LC> Ursa watches the more experienced brownrider closely over her
tall glass of juice, silently awaiting an answer to T'fian's question.

Laerth 's eyes start to whirl a little slower as the other dragons are
attended to and appear to be coming out of danger.

T'lar downs the second mug of wine and holds his belly as if in discomfort.

Benden LC> N'ren blinks, "Unconcerned? You mean about K'nan, Sionelle, and
T'lar? I'm not unconcerned. But they are being treated well - they have
Healers practically crawling all over them. So I get out of the way. I'm
not sure what you mean by 'happy', though?" His sounds honestly quizzical.

R'val nods to Kassi and moves towards Vidarth, who is sitting at Lysseth's
side. He begisnto carefully check his dragon's straps and murmurs quietly
to the blue, who is gray with tiredness, his eyes whirling far more slowly
in the aftermathof the Fall.

Jerissa, satisifed that the clamps are holding, cleans the injury out with
redwort soaked onto a cotton pad of cloth, clearing the ichor away so she
can get a better look. She chews on her lower lip, eyes narrowed as she
examines, a hand and finger reaching in to clear the major one from the
smaller, at the moment less important ones. She spares a scritch for the
bronze as she works.

Zibrith wraps her neck around Veyath's and nuzzles her comfortingly,
crooning lightly.

Aphrael moves over to stand beside Davidon, murmering to him as she watches
the dragonhealers. She mutters to Davidon, "... and... it?" 

Benden LC> Ursa speaks up now, her voice unsteady, perhaps from exhaustion.
"Do you ever get used to it?" she asks, juice now set forgotten on the table.

K'nan continues to press down with the gauze on the wound, murmuring to his
lifemate softly. "You'll be all right, love...it'll stop hurting...just
hold still...." He glances up at Ely pleadingly, then bites his lip and
turns back to the wound, unwilling to interrupt the dragonhealer. "..hold
still...."

Benden LC> N'ren asks Ursa, suddenly serious, "Used to what? People getting
hurt? People dying?"

Nicoth croons lightly and looks down at the healer.

Benden LC> T'fian shakes his head. "That grin. Your feet. You have the aura
of something accomplished well. A job well done, as it were. You appear to
have no concern for those dragons and riders out there. I guess it's
different... I watched Veyath take her first flight... I taught Nicoth." He
looks at Ursa. "I guess that's what I'm asking. Fifteen Turns, and I've not."

P'tran takes a few steps back and confers quietly with some wingmates for a
few moments, but then shakes his head and says sharply, "No, no, I want
*more* coverage in that area. I'll go over the the whole thing tomorrow
morning ..."

Alyssa exclaims in alarm and surprise, fairly yanking a draconic-scale
bandage from a watchful apprentice. "Ladder here, please, and now," she
snaps, beginning to climb the ladder even as it's put into position.
"Faranth," she breaths, leaning her slight weight as pressure against the
wound while she presses the gauze into place.

Benden LC> Ursa nods numbly.

Meli calls over to Davidon for more wine for T'lar with a wave of her hand.

Davidon nods as he holds the winebottle against him, He mutters to Aphrael,
"Yes,..." 

Benden LC> T'fian pauses and adds, "A job well done is when all of us come
back together and the dragonhealers are unecessary. I guess it's
idealistic, though." He mutters this, mostly under his breath.

Benden LC> N'ren blinks at T'fian, confused, "But we *did* get something
accomplished well, and did the job well. We protected Pern. Think how many
lives would be lost if we didn't fly Fall?"

Benden Weyr> Triana says, "Good LORD! This place is PACKED with Benden folk!"

Elyandra nods to the drudge, looking around for Jerissa again. She frowns
when she sees the Dragonhealer is otherwise occupied. As she turns to the
drudge a clamp is shoved in her face, "I thought you might need some of
these...." the drudge states. She blinks in suprise, then nods. "You're
right, of course," She takes the clamp and turns to K'nan, "You're doing
great. She's doing great. Don't worry, she'll be fine. You trust me,
right?" She smiles faintly, clamping the torn gray muscle at the top, then
taking another clamp and putting it in the center, halfway down the gash.
She takes a third, putting it on the lower half and completely hiding the
sinewy tendons from site, thus holding the wound together for stitching.

T'lar smiles at Jarryl. "Thanks. Am I gonna be out of action long?"

Benden Weyr> K'nan snuggaTriana, was just fall. Dragon repairs right now. ;)

Lysseth warbles tiredly and whuffles her rider as she settles herself on
the ground with a thump, her already greyish hide moreso than usual. Kassi
perches herself on her lifemate's foreleg and checks the straps from there,
fetching her helmet from where it narrowly avoided being squished by the
dragon.

Jerissa grabs her needle, checks the thread is secured and starts to stitch
-- using small sutures, clamping the vein together with her fingernails,
she ties off the first end, passing thread through needle and knotting off.
Another and another stitch following suite, and slowly the vein starts to
regain some of its original structure.

Benden Weyr> Triana oooohhss. . . :)

Benden LC> T'fian shakes his head at N'ren. "I don't think that's enough,"
he says simply. "I'm just getting tired of this. It never seems to end.
I'll be over sixty when this ends. That's a long time..." He shakes his head.

T'lar holds very still at a silent command from his lifemate.

Benden LC> Felinar looks at T'fian and N'ren, and remains out of it

Benden LC> Jaeleka lifts her head sleepily from her chair, her thumb
falling from her mouth. "Where 'leka?" she asks, confused.

Benden Weyr> Jaeleka huggles all :)

Benden LC> N'ren then looks at Ursa, "You do get somewhat used to people
being hurt. It's a fact of a rider's life. Look. Average statistics in any
given threadfall indicate that at least one dragon and/or rider pair will
be injured enough to keep them down for at least two weeks. In any fall,
there will be incidentals. Wingtips, and things like that. But deaths? No,
you never get used to that. Never."

Benden LC> N'ren shrugs at T'fian, "I won't survive the Pass. I know that."

K'nan winces several times as Ely works, gnawing on his lip as he holds the
gauze down with all his might. He nods very slightly, a bit pale behind the
green-streaked dusty blackness of his face. Faintly, "I...do."

Jarryl smiles reasurringly at T'lar, "You'll recover fine. You'll need to
take it easy for a sevenday... Keep the wound moist that long, and
uncovered as much as you can.. I'll see that you're give a pot of Aloe to
treat it with."

P'tran sees that everything is in order here and that there is little he
can contribute at the moment, and quietly heads off.

P'tran starts up the long flight of stairs to the Weyrwoman's Ledge.

Alyssa's jaw clenches as she watches the green stain cover the bandage in
no time flat, soaking it. She holds down her hand toward an apprentice,
telling her, "Another bandage, please, and get some numbweed ready." She
uses pressure on the spurting vein to try to ease the flow of ichor,
worried continuously about the dragon's discomfort.

Aphrael nods slowly, eyes darkening as she turns back to tend to her lifemate.

Elyandra takes a threaded needle from the drudge, "Thank you, Dron." She
swiftly moves from the lower end of the torn muscle, now clamped together
firmly. Tying a knto in the suture she makes quick work of sewing the torn
muscle in small, practiced stitches. Practiced, of course, on redfruit...
pillows... embrodery... Though her stitches are all the same size, they are
not perfectly straight. She goes through one suture, tying it off and
taking a second threaded needle from Dron, "Don't worry, K'nan. She'll be
fine...."

Benden LC> Ursa nods numbly again, not really finding a lot of words right
now. "I guess... I mean, I know. Every time we fly fall I see ichor... But
still we have to fly..."

Davidon grabs up a bundle of bandages, moving close enough to Alyssa to
toss the tightly wrapped bunch to her.

Benden LC> Jaeleka sits back in her seat, watchign the adults quietly.

Benden Weyr> P'tran apologizes but must head off now. Excellent Fall
everyone. I think this was one of the best ones we've done yet. Nice work
everyone ...

Jarryl looks at T'lar, "Are you in anymore pain?"

T'lar reaches out with his good arm to Meli. Tears hang in the corners of
his eyes.

Benden Weyr> Felinar says, "Hey, don' forget the ground crew that was
there, honest ;) G'night bossman"

T'lar says "No, Jarryl. But Nicoth is."

Benden Weyr> Kassima zhaiwafflesalutes the Fearless Leader! :)

Benden Weyr> T'lar waves goodbye.

Benden Weyr> P'tran grins at Felinar and *did* say 'everyone' :)

Benden Weyr> F'nar wavers.

Benden Weyr> Aphrael waviers. :)

Benden LC> N'ren nods, "Ursa, how many times did Spineth char today? Think
about what might have happened if you weren't there to get those? Think
about people who might have died, about the Hold starving. Ursa, you
*saved* those people. I saved people. T'fian, you saved people. Even
Veyath, Nicoth, and Brynarth, being scored, saved people. It is a job well
done."

K'nan watches Elyandra's work anxiously, holding the gauze down as if
Veyath's life depended on it, silent. The green firstlids her eyes,
concentrating on holding her quivering, ichor-splattered wing still.

Benden Weyr> K'nan says, "Night, boss! :)"

Alyssa thanks Davidon softly and applies a fresh bandage as needed, calling
to him, "Can you find me some numbweed soon? Thanks." With that, her
attention returns to the messy wound high on the dragon's side, her fingers
shifting under the bandage a little.

Meli gently moves next to T'lar, careful of his shoulder, and sits quietly.

Alyssa then calls down to Sionelle, "Is he hurt anywhere else, Sionelle?"

Benden LC> T'fian shakes his head and traces a line with his fingertip over
the table. "I see those kids that I feel like I've helped doom. T'lar; you,
Ursa; Maarie... all of them. I thought I had worked this all out today, but
I've not." He looks at N'ren. "But they never seem like real people. I go
through this after every fall. They never seem like real people, N'ren. Not
like you, or Alyssa, or Felinar over there."

Jerissa with effiencient strokes of her needle, manages to close the vein,
releasing the clamps and for a moment, just stand there's and stares at the
injury. Almost an eternity passes and still she doesn't move, reasoning
becomes clear as a leak appears, pooling green ichor seeping outwards. She
swiftly adds a few more sutures, tying them off and snipping the ends with
her scissors.

Jarryl nods quietly to T'lar. "I could give you more wine... but I think it
is more important that you are there for your lifemate. Do you think you
can hold on until the Dragonhealers are done?" Her voice is gentle,
compassionate.

Benden LC> Felinar watches as a squad of residents come back in from
thrower cleaning, Felinar briefly inspects them and waves them on their
way. He looks at the rider, "Us on the ground with throwers appreciate you,
that's for sharding sure!"

Benden LC> Jaeleka pops her thumb out of her mouth. "Spimef hurt?"

Davidon nods and is off again, passing the bottle of wine to another
apprentice before grabbing up the numbweed and lugging it over to Alyssa.
He drops it off just close enough for her, without getting underfoot, and
he steps back to watch, his expression blank as he takes it all in.

T'lar nods to Jarryl and put the mug down. His free arm goes around Meli's
waist and he leans against her for support.

Benden Weyr> T'fian says, "Ah, the joys of post-fall melodrama. :)"

Benden LC> Ursa takes a deep breath, closing her eyes briefly. "That's just
it. I don't see the people we've saved, I just see the ichor out there, the
ichor and the blood. But we've still gotta flly. For the people we never
see." She leans back on the bench.

Jarryl looks to see if there are any other injured riders, keeping one eye
on T'lar.

Elyandra finishes the second length of suture, taking a third and suturing
all the way to the top of the torn muscle. She ties it off, dropping the
needles in a small pan that Dron has with him. She gingerly removes the
lower clamp, checking the sutures as they tighten a bit with the pressure
now on them. Seeming satisfied, she removes the second, then the third
clamp. She nods with satisfaction, "Okay, muscle is all sewn." She drops
the clamps into the pan that Dron is still holding. He's so helpful, isn't
he? Must be nice to have such a knowledgable drudge at your side....
Elyandra looks at K'nan momentarily, "How're you two holding up? Okay? Arms
tired? Need any wine yet?" She examines Veyath's torn flesh now, pulled
back from her grayis muscle.

Benden LC> N'ren nods, "I understand. I guess it's a matter of different
perspectives. I know those people. I mean, shells and shards, one of my
dearest friends is from Valley Hold, where we were flying. People live -
and thrive - while all we do is get injured and die. No one ever said our
jobs were easy."

Benden LC> Jaeleka slides off of her chair, and wanders over to Ursa.
"Lady, Spimef okay? You big fly?"

Alyssa reaches into the pouch at her side for an instrument she knows is in
there, rooting around a bit until she locates the gleaming piece of steel
she so badly needs. Removing it from the pouch, she clamps off the damaged
vein with care, never taking her eyes off the 'score. "Davidon, I'll need
that numbweed, please. And can you prepare sutures for me?"

Benden LC> Felinar nods to N'ren, "No offense, but I wouldn't want it."

Benden LC> N'ren asks, "Have you ever stopped in any of the Holds, Ursa?
Gotten to know the people?"

Benden LC> Ursa turns suddenly when she hears Jaeleka's voice, nodding her
head fondly at the lil'un. "Yeah, he's fine. He's tired, but he's fine."

Benden LC> N'ren grins at Felinar, "No offense taken. If nse taken. If I'd
known, I might not have wanted it either."

Benden LC> Jaeleka pats Ursa's leg softly, putting her thumb back into her
mouth.

Davidon pushes the numbweed that he fetched closer, making sure Alyssa sees
it before pushing past a rider or two for the sutures she needs. He grabs
them up carefully and holds them out for her as she needs them.

Benden LC> Felinar smiles at the rider

K'nan shakes his head tersely, "Not yet." He continues to put pressure down
on his lifemate's hide, a thin trickle of blood running along his lip where
he's chewing on it.

Benden LC> T'fian nods. "I know T'lar's family is from Bayhead, which ...
but still." He pauses. "I guess ... you're right, of course, N'ren. It's
just hard to swallow."

Benden LC> Ursa turns back to N'ren, shaking her head, "No, not around
here. But... shells, I mean, it could be my family out there. Just because
they look to Igen, it's the same thing here. Just some one else's mother."
Her owrds tumble out a little randomly.

Elyandra looks at K'nan, blinking in suprise. She grabs his chin leaving a
smudge of green ichor, "K'nan, stop. You've made yourself bleed." She
watches him closely for a moment, "Relax and take a deep breath." She takes
the gauze he's holding against Veyath, taking over the pressure herself,
"Stop and take a deep breath."

Benden LC> T'fian, having come to grips with this once again, withdraws
from the conversation and stares out towards the bowl entrance silently.

Benden LC> N'ren nods, "I think, maybe one of these days - after the others
are back in shape - that we should pop down to Valley Hold, and just visit.
Get to know the people." He grins, "Let the children stare in awe up at the
dragons. Let the dragons blow hot air all over the children."

Benden LC> N'ren says "It certainly can't hurt Weyr-Hold relations."

Benden LC> Felinar says "Be a good idea"

K'nan blinks at the other greenrider, and stops gnawing on his lip - but
doesn't let up pressing on the gauze. He shakes his head sharply, "I've got
this, take care of the wound itself...I can be of this much help, at
least....."

Elyandra looks around her, spying a familiar face, "Jarryl! I need some
help!" She gestures to K'nan, "Down. Get some wine. Do it now." She holds
pressure on the vein, waiting for Jarryl.

Benden LC> T'fian comes back to the conversation to mutter, "And then we
can top the day off by going to Bitra and letting the Lord Warder tell us
everything that's wrong with us," he mutters somewhat bitterly.

Benden LC> Ara walks here from the Inner Cavern.

Benden LC> Ara says "Hello."

Benden LC> Ursa nods slowly at N'ren. "I think that's a really smart idea."
She doesn't smile, her lips are drawn up in a tight line, though T'fian's
comment all but breaks a smile through.

Benden LC> N'ren nods at Felinar, then at T'fian, "Lord Warder of Bitra?"

Benden LC> Ara smiles at everyone and sits down.

K'nan snarls slightly, not budging from his position. "I'll get wine when
she's alright! So get back to it, if you want me down so badly!"

Jerissa seems to be at last satisfied with the vein, nodding to herself as
she examines it once more. She quickly sews up the other smaller veins,
leaving the capillaries to self heal as they should. She cleans the wound
out and then turns sparing a glance for T'lar. Seeing that he's doing fine,
she returns to her patient, working against the clock here, though its
slowing now that vein is stitched and Nicoth isn't loosing as much ichor. A
flicker of a glance at Elyandra and Alyssa. A nods, somewhat of
satisfaction and she turns back once more, needle in hand, fingernails
clamping the muscle together as thread loops over thread, knots with thread
as the vein is closed from sight.

Jarryl rushes over to Elyandra, keeping one eye on the dragon.

Benden LC> N'ren nods at Ursa, "I guess I have a different perspective too.
When I transferred here from Ista, I spent some time flying over - and
getting to know the land and the people. Because I didn't really know them."

Alyssa takes a deep breath and begins applying numbweed to the affected
area, her paddle smoothing the soothing salve over the charred lips of the
wound, never blinking as she watches and waits for signs that the pain,
which must be excrutiating, is easing at last. All the while, her eyes
stare and study, making certain the clamp is staying put.

Elyandra narrows her eyes at K'nan, "I don't want you or Veyath getting
hurt. I want you to be calm and go to Veyath's head and comfort her. Jarryl
will help me here, but you need to concentrate on Veyath. Can you do that
for her? Please?"

Benden LC> T'fian looks at N'ren. "Carow.
Lord-I'm-Bitter-For-Faranth-Knows-Why-At-All-DragonKind, and Ruler of the
Threadscored
Fields-That-Will-Not-Produce-Their-Harvest-For-Our-Tithe-We're-So-Sorry."

Davidon nods just slightly as he watches through narrowed eyes, paying
attention to the stitch work that's being done on the dragons.

Benden LC> Ara thanks Salless and begins to eat.

Benden LC> N'ren laughs, "Is *that* it? Oh, T'fian, he's *jealous* of you!"

K'nan glares briefly at the greenrider, but finally seems to relent,
relaxing and allowing Ely to put pressure on the vein instead.
"Fine...Fine!" He hops down, moving over to his lifemate's head.

Benden LC> N'ren grins, "Shells, he's probably jealous of ALL of us."

Benden LC> Ursa's eyes open wide, despite her apparent exhaustion. "-He- is
-jealous-?" she asks incredulously.

Elyandra nods to K'nan, calling to Dron, "Get him some wine, please! Benden
Red!" She motions for Jarryl to come up on Zibrith's forlimb with her, "I
need you to hold pressure on Veyath's wound while I sew the rest of her up.
Think you can do that?"

Benden LC> Ara glances around in bewilderment, shakes her head and
mutters"I thought I heard something...

Benden LC> Ara takes another sip of her juice and a bite of bread.

Alyssa mutters, almost to herself, "Got to redwort this thing after he
calms down," as she slathers the numbweed lower down the garish wound,
breathing, with Brynarth, a sigh of relief as he indicates that the pain is
becoming, if nothing else, more bearable. "I'll need another ladder,
Davidon," she comments gently, a calm that is juxtaposed to the situation,
"if you can lend me a hand up here, please. I'll need your assistance when
I can start suturing."

Benden LC> T'fian shakes his head. "Probably, but he could be a little more
graceful about it. I'd like his position, I think. There's no reason for
him to be jealous of us, those of the high mortality rate."

Benden LC> N'ren grins at Ursa, "Ursa, you said you're from the Igen area,
right? Do you remember how you felt when you saw dragons overhead? Before
you Impressed?"

Benden LC> Jaeleka puts her head down on Ursa's lap where her hand has been
patting, her thumb immeditely dipping into her mouth.

Benden LC> Ara smiles at the toddler.

Jarryl climbs up with Elyandra, with a murmur of thanks to Zibrith.
"Certainly, Elyandra." She holds pressure against the vein, leaning into it
a bit.

Benden LC> N'ren nods at T'fian, "Surely. But he doesn't know that. All he
knows is what *little* he gets from being Impressed to a firelizard. I'll
make a bet that he wanted, more than anything, to be a dragonrider. He
didn't get it, so he takes it out on us."

Davidon glances around, "oh," he spots a ladder and hurries it over to
Alyssa, murmering a sorry to another rider who he brushes past, "Where?" he
helps to set it up even before she points out the spot.

Benden LC> Felinar blinks, "Warder Bitra?"

Benden LC> Jaeleka blinks and smiles at Ara, eying the sandwich.

Benden LC> Ursa rests a hand on the lil'un, absently stroking her hair. She
leans back thoughtfully, then muses. "Riders? They were the high-n-mighty
ones who never bothered to ride Runners." She smirks slightly. "yeah, I was
jealous. But then I was just a stablehand. Not a Lord Warder."

Benden LC> Ara breaks off a piece of bread and offers it to Jaeleka.

Elyandra wipes her forhead against her shoulder, leaving a smudge of green
ichor now on her forhead. She releases the pressure to Jarryl, nodding with
satisfaction at the Healer and reaching down for clamps once again from
Dron, who has reappeared after sending some other drudge to get wine for
K'nan. She examines the wound, trying to assertain her next course of
action. She rubs a quick extra bit of numbweed over the wound to be sure
Veyath feels no pain, then clamp it quickly closed, pinching the lovely
green hide between the clamps neatly and hiding all grayish muscle from view.

K'nan doesn't look back behind him, wrapping his arms around Veyath's head
tightly. He murmurs softly to her as she attempts a weak croon in response.

Benden LC> Jaeleka takes the bread gratefully, munching on a corner of it
as her head is stroked. Her colouring is a little off, but she is not
complaining.

T'lar sits with Meli and silently watches his dragon.

Zibrith lowers her head to K'nan, whuffling him lightly before laying it
down on the ground next to Veyath's.

Benden LC> T'fian shakes his head and looks out towards the bowl entrance
again. He looks back at N'ren and asks, softly, "Why did you transfer out
here? I don't think I've ever asked that before."

Benden LC> Salless nods at Ara as she orders something.

K'nan glances up at the drudge bringing him wine, and snarls, "I'll drink
sharding bloody wine when I ask for th'sharding wine!" This said, he turns
back to his lifemate. He gives a startled glance over to Zibrith, then his
gaze softens a bit.

Benden LC> Salless takes a wheel of Fort's finest Stilton and cuts Ara a
slice.

Alyssa nods to her left and passes the numbweed down to the upraised hands
of a drudge. "You've prepared those sutures for me?" she queries of
Davidon. "Ah, good. Just stand there, and I'll let you know what we need to
do." Blowing an errrant lock of golden hair out of her eyes, she checks the
clamp again, swallowing. "Muscle damage too...what a mess..." she murmurs.

Benden LC> Yazric is still hiding far under a table against a wall, having
fallen asleep there earlier.

Silver muscle disappears under bronze hide, as Jerissa closes the wound
against infection. A slather of numbweed and she stands still more once.
Lots of standing and watching today. She nods. Satisfied after a moment or
two. She spins on her heel and, reaching a hand to pat the bronze, smile
wearily at his lifemate, "He'll be just fine" she reassures, "The important
thing now is to get him re-hydrated." She quirks an eyebrow, "Feeling a
little thirsty, T'lar?"

Benden LC> Felinar stands,'If you will pardon me?'

Benden LC> Felinar walks towards the inner cavern.

Benden LC> Jaeleka lifts her head slightly, looking ot Ursa. "Lady, 'leka
throat hurt."

Benden LC> Ara thanks Salless, breaks the slice of cheese up and offers a
piece to the child.

Benden LC> Ara frowns worriedly at Jaeleka.

Benden LC> Jaeleka turns as the cheese is offered, and grasps it with her
other hand, so that bread and cheese are both held in separate fists.

Benden LC> N'ren nods at Ursa, "You were just a stablehand, and had to work
for your meals, right? He's a Lord Warder, and can get anything his
considerable power grants him. Except he can't get a dragon. I'd be pretty
peeved too."

T'lar says "Actually, yes, I am." He smiles halfheartedly. "I was wondering
why.""

Elyandra takes some more pre-threaded needles from Dron, working quicker
this time to sew the formerly perfect green hide back together, "Oh, lovely
one. You will be fine, no worries..." Her brow creases in concentration as
she firmly and quickly sews the hide together, making her stitches tight
and neat. She quickly knots the first length of suture, dropping the
needlethorn into Dron's waiting pan and reaching for the next length.

Davidon nods silently, tilting his head back as he watches the dragonhealer
from her higher possition.

Benden LC> Yazric crawls out from under the table and tries to slip out of
the cavern without anyone noticing him.

Jarryl keeps steady pressure on the vein, her expression calm. She keeps an
eye on Elyandra, not budging until the dragon healer gives her say.

Benden LC> Ursa looks down at Jae, because who can resist a lil child. She
pulls the little girl up into her lap, giving her a hug. "Maybe we can get
you something to make that throat feel better," she murmers to the child
before returning her attention to the conversation. "That makes sense..."
she admits simply.

Benden LC> N'ren hms at T'fian, "Medical reasons, mostly. I refused to slow
down after my relapse of firehead. So they sent me hear, where the weather
would force me to slow down on occasion. If just to put on heavier
clothing." He grins.

Benden LC> Jaeleka lays her head upon Ursa's chest, taking tiny bites of
cheese, alternated with bites of bread. For Jae, she is unusually quiet.

Jerissa chuckles, "Well, Nicoth is the one dehydrated, not you. We need to
get a lot of liquid back in him. Thats why his hide is greyish. I would've
done it before, but getting him not to loose that ichor was more
important." She smiles, "All sorted now, though" she glances back, "He'll
not be airborne for a least 3 months. You understand me?"

Benden LC> N'ren then adds, "And, truth be told, Ista was changing. I won't
say falling apart, but I was no longer comfortable there."

T'lar looks up at the dragonhealer. "Three months? Not even to the weyr?"

Benden LC> Yazric walks towards the inner cavern.

Jerissa shakes her head, "Aboslutely not. Thats a nasty injury. After two
months we'll check and maybe, onlye _maybe_ will we let you fly back there.
You are grounded. Hear me?"

Elyandra smiles slightly at Jarryl, "You're doing a great job... sure you
want to heal humans?" She chides the Healer. She sews up the second length
of suture, leaving tight, neat stitches again as she moves around the
clamps. She glances at her dragon every so often, or Veyath. She finishes
the second length, tying it off quickly and taking the last, moving quickly
to finish the job and tying it neatly. She takes out her ichor covered
scissors once again, cutting the final suture and dropping the needlthorn
into Dron's ever-waiting pan.

Benden LC> Ursa listens with half her attention, watching the child resting
on her lap. "You want a warm drink?" She murmers, "Or some juice?"

Benden LC> Ara nibbles more bread and cheese and takes a drink, still eying
Jaeleka sympathetically.

Torin walks out of the records cavern.

Jarryl grins at Elya, "I prefer patience my own size. Less stitches to do."

T'lar nods. "Yes, ma'am. I wasn't disagreeing, just shocked. Didn't realize
it was so bad until Meli and Juliath yelled at us."

Benden LC> Jaeleka lifts her face. "'leka firsty."

Alyssa smiles encouragingly, albeit fleetingly, at Davidon and stretches
her neck a bit before glancing down at the wound. Her hands reach down
again for a bowl of redwort, and as quickly as she can but with the
gentleness borne of her love for these creatures she begins disinfecting
the area she's about to suture. "Davidon, you've good and sharp eyes," she
notes. "Help me make sure the area's worted properly, all right?" Even as
she speaks, she is applying the reddish fluid to the injury, preparing torn
muscle and damaged veins and capillaries to ensure they will not become
infected later.

Elyandra looks over at Jarryl, "Okay, you can release the pressure now....
that should have stopped the ichor flow...." She examines the wound
carefully, gingerly removing the first clamp and checking the stitches.

Veyath emits another soft whimper, quickly silenced by her lifemate so near
to her. K'nan runs a hand along her eyeridges very gently, voice silent but
eyes distant as he comforts her in a more intimate manner.

Benden LC> T'fian nods, thoughtfully. "I think I understand." He shakes his
head again and smiles. "Y'know, I keep thinking that it will all get
better, but you said earlier that you don't expect to outlive this Pass.
Neither do I, but I always find myself thinking of the younger riders.
Those who come after us. Who learn everything they know from us. And I
wonder... is it enough? I guess that's what I hate most about this knot."

Jerissa smiles and nods, "Thats quite alright. Now, into the infirmary with
you both. I need you close so he'll drink that water and not fall to sleep
straight off." She smiles, "I think he can make it on his own, but" a grin
at her lifemate, "Amy is always willing to help."

Davidon nods, still looking up, "Um, it's alright to give you a hand then?"
he begins to climb up the ladder as well.

Jarryl release the pressure slowly, keeping an eye on the wound herself.

Nicoth warbles tiredly and lifts his head to whuffle Jerissa.

Elyandra removes the second clamp and hears Veyath's whimper. She looks to
K'nan, "Is she in pain? Tell me where and I'll give her more numbweed....
It'll help at least...."

Benden LC> Ursa nods, "i'll get you some juice. It'll help your throat. She
rises, placing the child on the bench, whispering, "You wait here." She
walks off, some of the worry lines easing, as she finds it easier to forget
the paradox rather than come to terms with it.

T'lar says "He says thanks and I'm sure Juliath will help if needed. I'll
lay off the wine for a couple of hours."

Davidon nods to the blue respectfuly, and looks for his rider for her ok as
well.

Benden LC> Ara leans closer to Jaeleka."Are you feeling okay, little one?"

Jerissa smiles, a tired, but nonetheless bright smile at the bronze,
reaching out a hand to scritch him. She nods,"My pleasure Nicoth, just
don't be doing it often." A short bubble of laughter, "I suggest you do,
don't want you falling to sleep right off either" to comments to T'lar.

Benden LC> Jaeleka puts another bit of cheese in her mouth. "'leka sore, ub
hers have knot."

Benden LC> Ara shakes her head and puts her hand on the child's forehead.

Meli rises, leaning down to help T'lar if needed.

At Ely's call, K'nan looks up, shaking his head slightly. "Just..a few
scrapes and bruises from the landing, I think....It's more her remembering
that she's hurt..."

Davidon finishes the climb up and looks to see what Alyssa is doing before
lending a hand, his face expressionless.

T'lar chuckles as he stands and moves over to give his lifemate a one-armed
hug. "C'mon, you lunk, off to the infirmary.

Benden LC> Ursa comes back with some fresh juice for the little girl.
"Here, sweetie," she says gently. She salutes her wingmates wearily, and
makes her excuses, "I'm going to go bathe Spineth."

Nicoth moves beneath the rocky overhang that protects the Infirmary entrance.

Elyandra gingerly removes the third clamp, dropping all three into Dron's
waiting pan. The drudge scurries off now, pan full of greenish black ichor
covered medical supplies. Dron, however, remains unscathed as usual.

Benden LC> T'fian shakes his head and stands. "I will leave you be now,
Brownrider," he says formally. "If you will all excuse me, I am going to
tend to Meroth."

T'fian comes out of the short tunnel from the living cavern.

K'nan looks back to Veyath, giving her muzzle a brief, tender scritch.
"It'll pass soon, love..."

Ursa comes out of the short tunnel from the living cavern.

Benden LC> Jaeleka waves at Ursa "Bye Spimef lady."

T'lar moves beneath the rocky overhang that protects the Infirmary entrance.

Alyssa looks up.

Meli moves beneath the rocky overhang that protects the Infirmary entrance.

Meroth lumbers south.

T'fian walks south.

Benden LC> Jaeleka holds her glass of juice with both hands after carefully
placing bread and cheese down, and sips slowly at her drink.

Aphrael turns to Prefeth with a smile, eyes slightly faded as she speaks
silently to the blue dragon. She slaps at her lifemate's side with
affection, then uses his extended foreleg to climb up onto Prefeth's
neckridges.

Alyssa, after relinquishing the redwort container to the drudge below,
finally takes hold of the suture and needlethorn and prepares to begin
undoing the Thread's horrible damage. "Yes, please," she says to Davidon,
"I'll need to you hold down that pad of gauze and stave flow of ichor while
I sew. It's desperately important for him not to lose more than has already
been lost. We'll take this one step at a time, all right?" Hands poised
above the torn muscles, she begins working from the narrow end up, joining
the frayed ends of muscle together once more, attention riveted on her work.

Prefeth takes flight, using the thermals rising from the bowl to carry him
aloft.

Jarryl gets down off of Zibrath, giving her an affectionate pat.

Juliath moves beneath the rocky overhang that protects the Infirmary entrance.

Elyandra nods to K'nan, "Okay, good.... She'll forget soon enough. Dragon's
have very short memories...." She looks around for Jerissa, then Dron again.

Benden Weyr> Meli waves bye bye to Benden *sniffle* til she's resettled
(unless she sneaks on a work tomorrow, then she'll say bye bye again then)

Benden Weyr> T'fian waves and takes off. Later, all.

Benden LC> Ara looks shyly at N'ren."May I ask you a question?"

Benden Weyr> Yazric snugs all the leaving people..

Davidon nods, "right," his hands move to the thick gauze, gingerly holding
it down at first, and then appling more pressure. He looks up to see if
this is alright.

Alyssa ties off the first small series of sutures, rather quickly, as the
muscles beneath the ruptured vein are rejoiced, then she takes hold of the
clamped vein and uses the smallest, more carefully created stitches
possible to ensure that this highly important vessel is completely
repaired, not a hint of a leak possible.

K'nan snaps, "I know that..", and winces at his sharp tone. "Sorry..."

Jerissa nods as T'lar and Nicoth depart and then wanders over to Elyandra.
"Finished?" she asks.

Benden Weyr> T'lar whimpers as Meli leaves.

Benden Weyr> Kassima zhaiwafflesnugs a Meli and zhaicoffees to T'fian. :)

Benden Weyr> Aphrael snuggleMeliandTiffy and subsides into idleness.

Benden LC> N'ren nods, "The fact is, despite our almost constant exercise,
Kheveth and I are already slowing down some. We're not as spritely as we
were fresh out of Weyrlinghood. Shells, I even spotted some greying hair a
month ago. But the ones who follow us? I feel kind of sorry for them if
they *do* survive the Pass. I mean, you have to admit the exhiliration of
Fall. If they survive the Pass, what will they have."

Benden Weyr> K'nan HUGSAMELI!

Benden Weyr> N'ren ends up addressing T'fian's back. Gods, I hate lag.

Benden LC> N'ren nods, "Certainly."

Benden LC> Ara says "Is it true that Benden rides Search?"

Benden Weyr> T'lar says, "zhaicoffees???"

Benden LC> Ara nervously eats the last of the bread and cheese.

Elyandra smiles at Jarryl, "I think that's it...." She looks down at
Jerissa from her perch on Zibrith's forleg, "Yes, I think so...."
Skepticism is all over her voice, however.

Davidon watches, his face serious, as if taking notes at what the dragon
healer is doing.

Benden Weyr> Davidon says, "Waffles and coffee? It's not even sunday yet!"

Benden Weyr> Kassima says, "Sure, T'lar. T'fian doesn't like waffles, so I
give him coffee instead. :)"

Benden Weyr> T'lar says, "Can I have hot chocolate?"

Jerissa nods and pats Zibrith remarking to the green, "Mind if I come up
and peek a look?" she asks her.

Benden LC> N'ren lifts his eyebrows, "No, I'm afraid not. No Queen has
risen, yet. Though Leilanth will soon. Spomeaytroddy."

Benden LC> Ara glances at Jaeleka and murmurs"Are you okay, Leka?"

Benden Weyr> Kassima hrms. That's not strictly a breakfast food, but I
guess it could be done.... :)

Benden Weyr> T'lar says, "In Spain, it IS breakfast food."

Jarryl goes to the left over water, and begins washing herself off.

Benden LC> Jaeleka nods softly to Ara, sipping at her juice. Her colour
seems to be picking up, but she still remains awfully quiet for Jae.

Benden Weyr> Davidon says, "Can I have French Toast?"

Zibrith rumbles noncomittally, being Zibrith and all. Elyandra laughs, "She
says, "If you must," Jerissa." She grins.

K'nan finally can't take it any more, and hurries over to Veyath's foreleg,
looking up and trying to see the wound.

Benden Weyr> Meli says, "Spomeaytroddy?"

Benden LC> Ara says "I see...I heard that Leilanth was due to rise soon,
but I'd heard of a Search. Not Benden, then..."

Benden Weyr> Kassima blinks at the LC. Spomeaytroddy?

Benden Weyr> Kassima says, "Sure, Davidon. :)"

Benden LC> Ara gently pats the child on the head.

Benden Weyr> Davidon says, "Wow, Kassi must really love me! *swoon*"

Benden Weyr> Kassima snorts. :)

Benden LC> Ara sips the last of her juice and checks to see how much
Jaeleka has left.

Benden Weyr> Davidon makes eyes at Kassi.

Benden Weyr> N'ren says, "That's my line noise when I type too fast and
there's a lot of spam."

Benden Weyr> Kassima threatens to blacken them. :)

Jerissa chuckles and scrambles nimbly up, nodding her thanks and
commenting, "My thanks" to Zibrith too. She nods at the wound, running a
hand over the stitches, "Neatly done. Diagnosis?"

Benden Weyr> Tinya waves. Heya, folks.

Benden LC> N'ren nods, "Ista is Searching. Probably will have their
hatching soon."

Benden LC> Jaeleka's juice is barely touched, despite her frequent sippings.

Benden Weyr> K'nan says, "Heya Tinya!"

Benden LC> Ara says "Can you estimate when you think Leilanth will rise?"

Alyssa murmurs to Davidon, "Move your hand just a little to the left,
please...there, excellent," as she slowly rotates the vein, ever so
slightly and with the utmost care, to give her a perfect angle for the rest
of the suturing. "Ahhh," she sighs softly to herself, "this looks much,
much better." Needle moving through the tissue with as much speed as she
can risk, her work still neat and exceedingly careful, Alyssa reunites the
gaping lips of the vein's damaged wall and glances at the clamp. "Let's
ease up on that and make certain everything's repaired here..."

Elyandra smiles at K'nan, "She'll be fine. That wing cannot be extended for
quite a while, however. You will need to have her in the Infirmary....
unless you can find a ground weyr and can stay there with P'tran's
permission..." She blinks, turning to Jerissa, "She'd been scored through
to the sinew, clear through the muscle. Wing was not damaged."

Benden Weyr> Kassima tosses wild berry waffles to Tinya. :)

Benden Weyr> Tinya oohs! Wild berry, even. :)

Jerissa nods as she listens, eyes and hand working over the wound to check
it, "How long grounded?"

Davidon nods, moving his hands away a bit, "That was quite a score there--"
he murmers his voice hushed.

Benden Weyr> Jaeleka is jealous

K'nan swallows, nodding. Face streaked with ash, ichor, and blood, he wipes
the back of his arm across his forehead, making it worse. "Aye..how," his
voice falters a bit, "how long are we down for?"

Benden Weyr> K'nan looks through his fridge, and tosses a Green Stuff
Waffle to Tinya. ;)

Elyandra examines the wound again, "At least eight sevendays, probably alot
longer, though. She'll need rehabilitation for the tendons and the muscle
before she's in the air again. I'd say possible another four more sevendays
after that. Total probably of three months...."

Benden Weyr> N'ren switches from Procomm Plus for Windows to Procomm Plus,
which should clear most of it up.

Benden Weyr> Kassima tosses wild berry waffles in the shape of socks at
Jaeleka. :)

Benden Weyr> Jaeleka claps her hands at Kassi, happily even...and wavies
Sock at her

Benden Weyr> Tinya ewwws at K'nan and ducks. :)

Benden LC> Ara says "I wonder where Starratiel is today?"

Benden Weyr> Jaeleka wonders: If I get waffles in the shape of Socks, does
Sock get waffles in teh shape of me?

Benden LC> N'ren gestures outside, "She was outside before we went up for
Fall. Then again, that was several hours ago."

Jerissa smiles, "Yes" she comments, "That would be my thoughts too." She
smiles down at K'nan, "Hear the dragonhealer?"

Benden LC> Ara has left.

Benden Weyr> Kassima hrms. Well, sure, guess he would. :) Yuck, K'nan, save
those to throw on St. Patrick's Day. :)

Elyandra smiles at K'nan, dropping off Zibrith's forleg lightly to the
ground, covered from head to toe in green ichor and black streaks as well
as sweat, "Yeah, did you hear? I'll say again if you need."

K'nan winces, but grudgingly nods, "Aye..I hear her."

Alyssa holds her breath unconsciously as she unclamps the vein, easing the
flow of ichor through the newly repaired vessel. As the life-fluid shows no
signs of seeping out through the sutures, she lets the breath go, dropping
the green-smeared steel to an attendant below. "Better, much," she sighs,
reaching into the wound once more to begin working on the rest of the
wounded muscle. "Davidon, ease up for a moment on that gauze, will you,
please? I could swear he's still losing ichor from somewhere..."

Jerissa smiles and slids down, hitting the ground with a thump. "Good" she
says to K'nan and then turns to Elyandra. "Welcome to capable status. You
did rather well there."

Benden Weyr> Trelina says, "Eh beh eh!"

Benden Weyr> N'ren tickles Trelina under the chin.

Benden Weyr> Jerissa says, "CONGRATS TO ELY!! Your new capable dragonhealer
:)"

Davidon makes a face as he lightens up the pressure, his eyes flickering
over the nasty wound.

Benden Weyr> T'lar says, "Yeah, Ely!"

Benden Weyr> Trelina burbles.

Benden Weyr> Jaeleka cheers Ely!

Benden Weyr> T'lar hopes that Trelina doesn't need changing again.

Benden Weyr> Kassima whees! Congrats, Elyandra! :)

Benden Weyr> Tinya says, "YAY Ely!"

Benden Weyr> Davidon says, "Yeah, Congrats. :)"

Benden LC> Ara walks here from the Inner Cavern.

Benden LC> Ara says "That was a nice walk..."

Benden Weyr> Trelina bubbles at T'lar. "Eh eheh beh!"

Benden LC> Jaeleka sips at her drink, frowning as she swallows.

Elyandra turns and looks up at Jerissa, "Excuse me?" She blinks, then turns
back to K'nan, "Are you okay? REady for thaine now? I know I am."

Benden LC> Ara sits beside the child and murmurs"Do you feel any better?"

As Alyssa gingerly reaches into the wound to examine the long, gaping gash,
a spurt of ichor splatters greenish goo across Alyssa's cheek, spraying
onto Davidon too. "Two more clamps!" she cries out, reaching her hand down
into the injury to use pressure temporarily and turning her cheek away from
the spurt. "I see the other one now. Hurry, hurry, please!" With grateful
speed a clamp is placed in the free hand she held below and just as quickly
she applies the instrument to the previously hidden vein. A moment later
the second clamp is applied as well, shutting off the temporary geyser.
"Shards...hidden little creatures," she smiles thinly at Davidon.

K'nan leans heavily against a green, sticky foreleg, closing his eyes.
"Mmn. I'll stay here with Vey."

Starratiel waits, with numbweed, ready to assist...

Benden Weyr> N'ren says, "Hey. Does anyone have a log of the OOC search
meeting?"

Benden Weyr> Tinya thinks P'tran does, and there's a bbpost about it on the
general board.

Jerissa giggles, "I said congrats Elyandra. Here" she grabs hold of the
other greenrider, "Stay still a moment or two. Now," she rumages in her
pockets, "I have a " rumage, rumage, "Gift somewhere. Shadit! Hrm, Ah! Got
it" she holds out an equistively carved box, with a healer symbol and
dragons on it, a letter 'E' carved in the middle. "There. Somewhere to keep
yer needles!"

Benden LC> Ara stands up."I'll be back in a bit," she tells Jaeleka.

Benden LC> Ara walks towards the inner cavern.

Elyandra nods, waving Dron over one final time. How convenient that he has
a wineskin of Benden Red ready just for K'nan. Elyandra blinks in suprise
at Jerissa, "Oh, my.... I... I don't know what to say?" She blushes,
looking down at the box in Jerissa's hands. She wipes her own ichor stained
hands on her pants, then gently takes the box, "Oh, my...."

Jerissa smiles, "A simple thank you is acceptable. Its a little tradition I
started up with my own dragonhealers after my aunt gifted me one."

Elyandra nods silently, running a finger over the 'E' on the box, "It's
exquisite...."

Benden LC> Jaeleka sighs, and drinks a tiny bit more of her juice, then
puts the glass on teh chair bewteen her legs, reaching for more bread.

Alyssa wipes her splattered cheek on her shoulder and takes a fresh
needlethorn and suture, noting to her assitant, "At least that area's clean
enough still. Get some fresh bandage below there, will you?
Thanks...perfect, yes, just there." Her natural calm reasserting itself,
she reaches into the wound with steady hands and applies needle and suture
with the same care and practiced ease to repairing the second vein. A drop
of ichor rolls off of her straight, narrow nose, dripping onto her hand,
but she pays no mind to it, her full attention on guaranteeing that this
vein will allow no more ichor to flow outside its surprisingly strong but
delicate walls.

K'nan opens his eyes long enough to accept the 'skin from Dron and crack
the seal, tossing his head - and the 'skin - back.

Ara comes out of the short tunnel from the living cavern.

Benden LC> Jaeleka watches Ara come and go as she works on her bread.

Ara says "Hello..."

Starratiel smiles wearily. "Hi."

Ara says "Is everything all right?"

K'nan pauses briefly to breathe before taking another long draught of the
wine, walking over to sit down next to Veyath's head and lean against it.

Alyssa murmurs words of encouragement to Davidon as he bends over his work,
silently assisting her where assistance is so much needed. "Grand," she
sighs, leaning back once the vein is dotted with sutured material. Her eyes
leave, just for an instant, the wound to glance below at the ground, noting
with satisfaction that the flow of ichor seems to have slowed tremendously.
After stretching her neck once more, she makes another examination of the
long score and says in that quiet voice, "No more heavy damage to veins and
arteries...time to fix the rest of this Score, then..."

Benden Weyr> Alyssa says, "Oh, gee, THANKS to whomever did that. :)"

Benden Weyr> Alyssa HEES.

Benden Weyr> Elyandra will emit whatever dragon you're working on.

Benden Weyr> Kassima says, "The +Tidy Fairy was here, and has brought us
the gift of spam.... :)"

Benden Weyr> Alyssa says, "Nah. I've gone this far without him. :) :)
<giggle>"

Benden LC> Lal walks here from the Inner Cavern.

Ara says "Is there anything I can do to help you?"

K'nan wraps his spare arm around his lifemate, the other occupied with the
'skin. He murmurs quietly in between draughts, soft, comforting words to
Veyath.

Benden LC> Lal waves. "Allo!"

Ara looks worriedly at the others.

Benden LC> N'ren sits at the Skyfire table, dusty, dirty, scented of
firestone, and drinking a mug of something, "Hello, Lal."

As she is handed a fresh needlethorn and suture, this one larger than the
ones used to sew the veins, Alyssa blows out a breath and allows her hands
to relax and steady once more. "We're getting there, Brynarth," she says
encouragingly to the blue, drawing her needle again and again in even
stitches as she repairs the Scored muscles, working her way from the
deepest portion of the damage upward and outward, joining together what was
never meant to be separated.

Benden LC> Lal says "Watcha all messed up fer, N'ren.""

Ara stares in fascination as she's never seen a dragonhealer at work before.

Starratiel waits in case someone needs more numbweed, and looks at Ara.
"I'm not sure..."

Benden LC> Jaeleka sips at her juice after finishing off the remains of her
bread.

Ara says "If there is anything I can do..."

Ara watches carefully.

Benden LC> N'ren grins at Lal, gesturing vaguely outside, "Fall over Valley
Hold today. Three major injuries total, before you ask."

Benden LC> Lal whistles. "THat's nasty. Our people?"

Benden LC> N'ren nods, and fires off the names, "T'lar. K'nan. Sionelle."

Ara decides that she's just in the way and waves a quiet goodbye as she exits.

Alyssa's eyes, her attention, her entire being, is fixed on the damage.
Once she has reached a certain level of repair, she sets aside her needle
and suture and with great caution unclamps the second of the veins that had
been gushing ichor. It, too, seems to have been closed satisfactorially.
Nodding to herself, she exchanges clamps for fresh needle and suture to
complete the repair to that area.

Ara finds a spot well out of the way to observe.

Benden LC> Lal aghs! "I hope they fare okay....will they be awright? Tsk.
Master T'lar...."

Benden LC> Lal has a seat at a table.

Benden LC> Jaeleka munches quietly on her cheese.

Benden LC> N'ren mms, "I suspect that T'lar and Nicoth will be grounded at
least two or two-and-a-half months. We'll see how fast Nicoth heals."

Alyssa asks Sionelle, "He's doing all right, I hope? Still not too much
pain?" while she begins on yet another row of tidy suturing, this series
thankfully in one of the uppermost layers of tissue. She moves her hands
back to allow Davidon to blot some ichor out of her way, then she resumes
her work, eyebrows vaguely furrowed in the intense concentration this deed
requires.

Benden LC> Lal says "Wa.....that's terrible."

Benden LC> Lal puts her hand to the side of her face. "And th'other?"

Benden LC> Lal says "Er others, rather?"

Ara studies Starratiel, who looks exhausted."Are you a dragonhealer?"She asks.

Benden LC> N'ren considers, "I didn't get a close enough look at their
scores to tell. But bronzes show big scores real easily."

Ara keeps her voice low so as not to disturb the others.

Starratiel shakes her head. "No, I just help with numbweed, removing
straps, etc..."

Ara nods...

Benden LC> Lal nods... "I see. Shard tis a terrible thing when this happens."

Benden LC> N'ren nods, "Fact of a rider's life. Occupational hazard, you
might say. Like the possibility of a miner being trapped in a cave-in."

Jarryl cleans up the area, and directs drudges.

Elyandra grins at Jarryl, "YOu think I need a bath, eh?" She looks down at
herself.

K'nan finishes off the last of the wineskin, tapping it to make sure he
didn't miss any. He hurls the empty 'skin across the bowl, watches it as it
lands, then sighs, closing his eyes and leaning against his now-sleeping
lifemate's neck.

Benden LC> Lal ahhs. "That I cin relate to. I cin relate t'bein' trapped
outside in Threadfall ,too."

Benden LC> Lal shivers.

Jarryl says "I -know- you need a bath. And so do I."

Ara smiles at Starratiel."I have to go, but I'll see you later on."

Elyandra grins, "Well, it's been a while since you experienced the Hot
Springs, hasn't it?"

Starratiel waves. "I'll see you later..."

Ara waves and turns to go.

Ara walks beneath the lintel and disappears into the living cavern.

Benden LC> Jaeleka finishes the last of her cheese, and picks up her juice.

Kassima wakes up groggily as a wine skin goes skittering past. "Huh? Wha?"
She blinks up at Lysseth, whom she's been leaning against during her nap.
"Lump, you shouldn't have let me...." A low snore echoes from the green,
and Kassi chuckles. "Oh. Well, never mind." She gets up and stretches,
glancing around before heading into the Living Cavern.

You walk past the lintel and into the wide living cavern.

Lysseth> Starratiel grins. "Alyssa, do you need more 'weed?"

Lal waves. "Allo! Didya hear about th'Threadfall? Oh gracious."

Lysseth> Alyssa once more changes needlethorns out for a larger one, more
suited for suturing hide than muscle. She shows no signs of weariness as,
beginning from the narrowest end of the Score, she works the sharp threaded
object through the blue hide that is discolored badly by everything from
ichor to redwort to numbweed to the black hideousness of Threadscore.
Rubbing her forehead across her shoulder again, just once, her face smeared
with ichor, she uses her neatest sutures yet to bring together the charred,
gaping lips of the Score, swallowing once from a mouth gone dry from
fatigue and concentration. "Not just yet, Starr, thank you..." she murmurs
in response.

N'ren asks, "You've been out in Threadfall?"

Kassima yawns and waves to everyone. "G'deve, all," she says, making a
quick stop for a glass of Red before flopping into a seat at the
Thunderbolt table. She blinks at Lal. "Hear about it? Aye, I guess you
could say that...." She chuckles.

Lysseth> Jarryl walks south.

Lal ohs, and blushes. "You were prolly there, eh? Silly me...."

N'ren raises his glass in salute to the greenrider.

Salless nods at Lal as she orders something.

Jaeleka finishes her juice, and looks helplessly about for what to do with
the empty glass.

Salless pours a tankard of ale from a pitcher for Lal. It is one of
K'rick's brews, so the taste is excellent.

Lal taps a drudge and directs him to take Jaeleka's glass. He does so.

Lysseth> Alyssa waits once more for Davidon to wipe at the gooish mess
surrounding what is now beginning to resemble once more a shoulder rather
than an explosion of tissue and ichor. As he applies fresh numbweed to the
areas already sutured, she works lower and lower still, stepping once down
the ladder to allow herself a better angle. "I don't believe it," she
sighs. "I think we're done. Jerissa?"

Jaeleka hands her glass over, picking Sock out of her pocket, and looking
around quietly.

Kassima grins. "Not that silly. Aye, 'twas there, me and Lyss...." She sips
her wine and returns the salute to N'ren. "Fortunately, we dodged well
enough that she's not scored. Though her straps'll need a good mending
soon. How're things with you?"

Lysseth> Jerissa grins, and wanders over, looking up, "Finished? Sure?"

N'ren grins, "It was a great Fall, though I was a little disappointed there
weren't more wind shifts."

Benden Weyr> T'lar whacks N'ren for the wind shifts comment. :)

Lal blinks. "Oh. That's sarcasm." She pauses to think.

Lysseth> From Sionelle's helpful indication that more numbweed would be a
blessing, Alyssa cleans the area around the freshly sutured wound and
watches critically as Davidon renews the application of numbweed. "I've
checked...no more loss of ichor. After that gusher a little while ago, I
checked three times. But shards, the muscle damage is bad..."

Kassima blinks. "You wanted more of 'em? Seemed like more than enough to
me...."

Benden Weyr> N'ren says, "But that's honestly what he thinks. :)"

N'ren asks, "Sarcasm?"

Benden Weyr> <T'lar> <<Nicoth>> Seemed like a plenty ot me.

Benden Weyr> Alyssa thinks back on Sionelle slapping her and thinks she
might ground Brynarth through the end of this Pass. :) ;) <j/k>

Benden Weyr> T'lar smiles at N'ren. Just being sarcastic back. :)

Benden Weyr> Starratiel can someone fill me in on what happenedn I was
gone?whelx"

Lal says "Oh! I thought yeh were kiddin' about wantin' more Thread, Master
N'ren...."

Benden Weyr> N'ren would point out, Alyssa, that that would mean she'd
prolly be around to harass you after the Pass too. ;)

Lal looks slightly confused as she drinks her ale.

Benden Weyr> N'ren nods and grins at T'lar.

N'ren shakes his head, "No, no more Fall itself. Just more wind shifts.
That was barely a challenge."

Lysseth> Jerissa nods to Alyssa, and waits for Davidson to finish, once
finished she scrambles up the ladder, hand running over the injury. She
smiles down to Alyssa, "Diagnosis?"

Benden Weyr> T'lar thinks that a grounded Sionelle would be worse than a
flying one.

Benden Weyr> T'lar says, "Unless she was grounded at Southern"

Benden Weyr> T'lar :)

Benden Weyr> Lal says, "Heh."

Lal ohhhhs. "Why now? I've never been up on a dragon wi'wind shifts
before...."

Benden Weyr> N'ren | You are grounded at Southern. No, no, don't worry.
We'll ship you your dragon....

Benden Weyr> T'lar ROFL

Benden Weyr> Alyssa hees!

Benden Weyr> N'ren doesn't, however, want to calculate the S&H fees.

Benden Weyr> Tinya laughs!

Benden Weyr> T'lean chuckles

Benden Weyr> T'lar says, "They shipped that whale FedEx."

Kassima shakes her head in bemusement. "I'm sure three folk outside now
wish there'd been less. Though Lyss seemed to handle them well enough." The
last is said with pride as she swishes the wine around in her cup.
"'Course, that was probably mostly luck on our part."

Benden Weyr> Lal laughs!

Benden Weyr> Kassima says, "Shipping and Handling *not* included, of
course.... :)"

Benden Weyr> N'ren says, "Gee, what's the cost per pound? And just *how
much* does Brynarth (and all associated food) weight?"

N'ren nods, "Perhaps. But I cut my teeth on blows a lot nastier than this
one. This is nothing compared to what they get over the Big Island."

Benden Weyr> Starratiel snarfs.

Lysseth> Alyssa's hands are trembling just a little now as the adrenalin
begins to seep from her bloodstream. "Heavy loss of ichor, damage to three
major muscles, including that deltoid there. That's the one that worries
me, to be honest. There's no way he can fly for...shards, two months at the
least. Any wing movement will strain the shoulder pretty badly. On the safe
side, I would put him on the ground for three months, barring complications."

Lal says "Big Island?"

Kassima hrms. "I shudder to think of what *those* must've been like...."

Jaeleka dances Sock up and down on teh chair, making him hop over her legs
and back again.

Lysseth> Starratiel says "How did that happen?"

Lysseth> Starratiel says "Well, I know how, but...."

Benden Weyr> T'lean notes you can forget getting duzorth to help carry the
load...:)

Benden Weyr> T'lar says, "Use a couple of golds"

Lysseth> Jerissa smiles and nods, "Two months? OK, complications?"

N'ren nods, "Ista Isle, where Ista Weyr is." He nods at Kassima, "You have
to consider that any large enough expanse of water is going to shift the
winds. In addition, the higher you go, the faster the winds get. Ista is
already pretty high land-wise, and then you've got water all around it -
it's an island, after all. With the speed that Thread moves, it's *really*
nasty sometimes. Especially when you're flying during a storm."

N'ren adds, "Get a lot of casualties storm-flying."

Lysseth> Alyssa rests against the ladder and nods, a small smile creeping
onto her features. "Such as a stubborn bluerider trying to hasten recovery..."

Kassima winces. "Glack, I think I can imagine. Y'all must get more injuries
than we have here."

Lysseth> Jerissa chuckles, "How about the location of the score?"

Benden Weyr> N'ren forgot to mention the cost of building a
specially-reinforced ship. :)

Benden Weyr> T'lar says, "How would you get him to the sea?"

Benden Weyr> J'cob gets an extra-big FedEx mailer, "Would this help?"

Benden Weyr> N'ren says, "Wagons. Big honkin' wagons. ;)"

Benden Weyr> T'lar imagines a really big strong net, 4 golds and flying
straight.

Benden Weyr> Kassima says, "And one of those biiiiiiiiig wooden crates
marked 'Fragile' and 'This Side Up'? ;)"

N'ren nods, "And Ista gets Fall Turn-round. I think you can understand why
they thought sending me here was giving me a rest."

Lal wahs...she seems very impressed by all this talk.

Lysseth> Alyssa glances at the jagged wound, nodding with a frown. "Foreleg
and shoulder. Nasty but not nearly as critical to takeoffs and landings.
Again, I worry about this hide here," she motions toward the now-loose hide
running between wing and shoulder, "stretching and pulling before the
muscle below is adequately healed. And certainly no risking /between/ for
quite some time. Don't want to risk getting that intense cold in there."

Benden Weyr> Alyssa sees this test as proof positive she was a loon ever to
consider being a doctor RL. :)

Kassima nods with a grimace. "Aye. 'Twould never have thought of Benden's
'Falls as *restful*, but compared to that... aye. Thank Faranth the worst
we usually get is wind shifts like today's."

Lal sips her ale, listening.

Benden Weyr> J'cob laughs.

Lysseth> Jerissa smiles and nods, "How about the straps?"

Benden Weyr> T'lar has seen Alyssa dealing with RL medical stuff. She is
too caring and the body has too many icky fluids. :)

Benden Weyr> Jerissa has done all that stuff.

Benden Weyr> Lal is an art historian for a reason.

N'ren nods, "I remember one Fall, back when I was Ista's Weyrleader. Storm
fall, crossing right over the Island. The storm wasn't heavy enough - at
the beginning - to drown out the Thread. So we flew. It was hard to see the
thread in the overcast, and the winds were nothing to laugh at. I mean,
Kheveth and I are *used* to flying in storms, but those gales were blowing
us around like a child's miggsy. Luckily, the rain picked up and drowned
the Thread, but not before half the Wings that went up - and *all* of them
went up - came back damaged."

Lysseth> Alyssa winces and allows herself a quick glance at the
ichor-stained ground. "Given that the straps were right on the Score, as
Sionelle and Brynarth made clear when they landed, those things will chafe
like no one's business and might constrict the muscles before they're fully
healed. It's a good reason why Brynarth will be flying alone for a sevenday
or so, working out those muscles to strengthen them, before we can allow
riding straps on him again."

Jaeleka siddles off of her chair carefully.

Kassima gapes, horrified. "Shells! And if the rain *hadn't* picked up...."
She gulps. "Remind me never to have any reason to even contemplate a
transfer to Ista. Probable death isn't exactly my cup of tea."

Kethran walks here from the Inner Cavern.

N'ren grins, "Now you know why most Istans are slightly crazy." He winks.

Jaeleka bends and picks Sock up off of hte floor where he fells when she
got off of her chair.

Lysseth> Jerissa smiles brightly, hand running through herhair, leaving
patches of green there."Thats better" Placing her arms on either side of
the ladder, she grins. lifts her feet and slides off. "Well done with that.
Nasty score and you did marvevously. You need to inform Sionelle's
wingleaders, make a report to P'tran" she turns away, "Oh and I'd
appreciate a copy too."

Kethran stretches and blinks as he wanders in from the lower caverns, and
stifles a yawn as he waves to everyone. "Evening, all."

N'ren adds, "I do have to say that a full mobilization of the Weyr is *not*
something that happens often. I think it happened maybe twice in the 12
Turns I was there."

Kassima grins. "I'd always presumed it was 'cause dragons wouldn't Search
someone who was inclined to sanity. What sane person would do the job we do?"

Benden Weyr> Kethran urks and realizes he missed Threadfall due to work
foo. Sowwy.

Lal listens intently, eyes wide.

N'ren grins, "OK"

Lysseth> Alyssa lowers herself to the ground as well, patting Brynarth's
uninjured chest as she takes one last look at him. "Of course, of course.
I'll get the hidework done before I get on to bed tonight. I was very
grateful you were here, for all of us, for Nicoth."

N'ren grins, "OK, crazier than *most* riders. You know that a lot of the
patterns we fly here are based on Istan patterns? One or two are even based
on one of my patterns."

Kethran sighs and shakes his head to Kassima. "None that I know of," he
says to her as he manages to pour a mug of juice. "Jays," he says, shaking
his head in disbelief.

Lysseth> Jerissa grins, "Anytime, but now" she turns back, "I think you can
manage" hand stretches out, "on your own" and a matching box to Elyandra's
lies there, the 'A' in the middel framed by healer symbol and dragons, all
carved incritatly. "Congrats dragonhealer."

Jaeleka wanders over to Kethran, looking up.

N'ren shakes his head, "But you don't wanna hear an old uncle rider chant
about the old days."

Lal says "What're patterns supposed t'do?"

Lysseth> Alyssa adds with a grimace, "I'm in desperate need of a bath in
any event..." as she looks at the green splatters on her clothing, touching
the wet spots in her hair, on her face. Taking a towel from a drudge, she
begins what seems to be a hopeless attempt to clean up. "I'm sorry?"

Lal says "No no! I do! I wanna hear about it."

Benden Weyr> Jerissa snugsa. CONGRATS ALYSSA

Benden Weyr> T'lar says, "Yeah, Alyssa."

Benden Weyr> Alyssa faints here too. :)

Kethran smiles down at Jaeleka, though he's clearly shaken by what he saw
today. "Hiya," he says softly to the girl.

Jaeleka whispers back to the man. "Hi, Man."

Kassima hrms. "Didn't know that, actually... but if they're based on
patterns from a place used to flying wind shifts, 'twould explain muchly
why there were so relatively few injuries. Eh, it's rather interesting,
actually...." She nods to Kethran.

Benden Weyr> Kassima congratsnugs an Alyssa. :)

Lysseth> Jerissa smiles, taking Alyssa's hand in hers, puts the box there.
"I said congrats dragonhealer."

N'ren looks over at Lal, and considers, "When you've worked in a mine, have
you ever dug in a particular order? Like following a vein of firestone, or
anything like that?"

Kethran smiles to Jaeleka. "I'm Kethran," he tells her, then cringes as he
waits for her to mangle his name. He grimaces a bit at Kassima. "I just
heard about some of the injuries," he says with a slight shudder. "Is it
usually so bad?"

Lal says "Well, yah. O'course."

Benden Weyr> K'nan says, "Congrats, 'Lyssa! :)"

Jaeleka blinks, thinking to herself. "Kefran?"

Lysseth> Alyssa takes the box in hands freshly wiped of oil, ichor, and
other fluids, gazing at it with eyes widening. "You mean...I'm certified?"

Benden Weyr> Kethran grins. What're we congratulating 'lys about?

Kethran smiles. "Can you say 'Keth'?"

Benden Weyr> Alyssa is, after 8 RL months, a Real Dragohealer!

Benden Weyr> Jerissa says, "She's now a _proper_ dragonhealer :)"

Benden Weyr> Kethran cheers for his sister! C'mere and let me hug you! ;)

Benden Weyr> Jerissa says, "She has to see to her patient first :)"

Benden Weyr> Alyssa says, "ICly I look like an extra from the "Thriller"
video..."

Benden Weyr> T'lar ROFL

Jaeleka nods solemnly, her eyes wide. "Kef."

Benden Weyr> T'fian waves.

Benden Weyr> T'lar waves goodnight from the infirmary.

N'ren nods at Kassima, "Ask P'tran about it. Remember when I first got back
here, and kept flying astray? No, you're not Skyfire, so you probably
wouldn't. That was because I was more used to our patterns, and not
Benden's patterns. That they were *based* on Istan patterns made it worse,
because I was always expecting what didn't happen."

Benden Weyr> Alyssa snugs T'lar.

Benden Weyr> Caitria waves, looking TIRED. Who got hurt?

Kassima shakes her head at Keth. "Nay, things aren't usually this bad,
though they've certainly been so before. 'Least there weren't any deaths."

Benden Weyr> Kethran eeeeks! T'lar got hurt? ;)

Benden Weyr> T'lar holdsup his hand.

Benden Weyr> Tinya grins. Yay Lys!!

Benden Weyr> Kethran needs to go snugtackle a T'lar ;)

Benden Weyr> Kassima wafflethwaps a Tria! :)

Benden Weyr> T'lar says, "Also Brynarth and Veyeth"

Benden Weyr> Alyssa says, "Hey, Ely passed too!!! :)"

Benden Weyr> Alyssa says, "Better than me. :)"

Benden Weyr> N'ren says, "T'lar's grounded three months. :)"

Benden Weyr> Kethran peeeeers at 'rissa. "Can we keep her?" he pleads to
N'ren.

Benden Weyr> Jerissa grins evily at Kethran.

Benden Weyr> T'lar groans and mend straps for 3 months.

Benden Weyr> N'ren says, "Hey. Don't ask me. Ask *her*."

Benden Weyr> N'ren :)

Benden Weyr> Kethran grins. Hold up, T'lar.

Benden Weyr> K'nan whimpers to Caitria.

Benden Weyr> Jerissa grins and tickles a N'ren! :)

Kethran nods to Kassima. "I'm going to go check on them, unless there's a
problem..."

Benden Weyr> Caitria wonders why you're whimpering, K'nan?

N'ren nods at Lal, "It's the same kind of thing. Patterns refer to how we
fly. Here, c'mere, I'll show you."

Benden Weyr> K'nan says, "You asked who was hurt. ;)"

Benden Weyr> <T'lar> <Nicoth> Only if we get to keep Amrieth as well.

Benden Weyr> N'ren eeks and wriggles!

Benden Weyr> Kethran grins at T'lar.

Kassima chuckles. "And I was a Weyrling to boot, so nay. Hrm... kind of how
if something's familiar, and you're not concentrating, you follow the set
pattern of what it's familiar to." That sentence might not make sense, but
Kassi seems to understand it. "Aye, I hear you there."

Benden Weyr> Caitria ohs and snugs, and stuff.

Kethran walks towards the inner cavern.

Benden Weyr> Alyssa hugs Triababe.

Lal shuffles over to N'ren quickly. "Awright..."

Jaeleka watches Kethran leave, and sighs dejectedly, crawling under the
nearest table.

Benden Weyr> Jerissa laughs at N'ren and Nicoth

Lal is distracted by Jaeleka's action. "Hey there," she calls, "What's
wrong wi'yeh?"

Kassima peeks under the table. "Heyla, Jaeleka. What's wrong?"

Jaeleka sits heavily under the table. "Man go. 'leka throat hurt. 'leka sad."

Lysseth> Alyssa turns the box over and over, murmuring, "Thank you...very
much."

Benden Weyr> Kethran notes that Skyfire got hit pretty bad, it appears.

Benden Weyr> T'lar says, "Uh, yep."

Lysseth> Jerissa smiles, "My pleasure."

Benden Weyr> K'nan says, "Yepyep. We were rocked."

Lal awwws. "Yer throat hurts? WEll, have yeh seen th'healer about it?"

Lal gets on her knees and goe to the girl.

Kassima ohhhhhhhs. "Your throat hurts, huh? Is that why you're sad? Hmmm.
You know, I think I know what might help...." She stands up and goes over
to Salless, murmuring something to the woman. Salless sends a drudge into
the kitchen and she returns with a cup of something, which she hands to
Kassi. Kassima nods thanks, snares a spoon, and crouches on the floor so
she can see Jaeleka.

Jaeleka shakes her head back and forth. "No, 'leka sleep."

Kassima hands Jaeleka the cup and spoon. "Here you go. This is a fruit ice,
like they make at Boll--I like 'em, so I put some in cold stores. It
doesn't work too well, but well enough. It's cold--I think that'll help
your throat. And sweet, too. Want to try it?"

Jaeleka looks uncertain. "Yucky in it?"

Lal chuckles. "Prolly."

Jaeleka squinches up her nose. "'leka no eat Yucky."

Jaeleka swallows after this comment, grimacing.

Lal says "Well, would Leka rather have a sore throat then? See...s'naw
s'bad....."

Kassima shakes her head. "Nay, nay--it's a dessert, actually. Like I said,
it's really sweet. Nay any medicine in it."

N'ren watches Lal and Kassima with the child, playing with his writing stick.

Jaeleka looks from woman to woman, considering. "No yuck?" She holds out a
tiny hand for the treat, a hopeful look on her face.

Lal says "Miss Kassima says naw, so...."

Kassima smiles and shakes her head. "No yuck." She hands the cup and spoon
to Jaeleka. "Does Sock need a spoon, too?"

Benden Weyr> Caitria chuckles at Kassi's pose, and thinks it's bedtime.

Lysseth> Kethran emerges from the infirmary.

Jaeleka nods solemnly at Kassima. "Sock throat sore too."

Lysseth> K'nan is leaning against Veyath's neck, settled down to the bowl
floor. The dragon seems to be sleeping.

Benden Weyr> Kassima zhaisnugs a Tria. :)

Lysseth> Kethran comes out of the infirmary, shaking his head but smiling
gently. The smile vanishes as he surveys the scene in the bowl, and he
looks around to see if any assistance might be helpful.

Benden Weyr> Jaeleka says, "It is cute, eh? (Does Sock need a spoon?)"

Benden Weyr> Alyssa says, "Guys, I am way past my beddybye time. I gotta go
to bed. :)"

Benden Weyr> Caitria yay humoring kids' fantasies. ;) *snugbamf* to BDW.

Kassima nods and gets up with a slight wince, rubbing her back. "Okay, be
right back." She goes in search of a spoon and eventually finds one,
bending down again to hand the spoon to Sock.

Benden Weyr> N'ren types the pose for explaining the formation out. Whoa.
Gonna be a big pose. :)

Benden Weyr> K'nan snugsa Alyssa -and- a Tria!!

Jaeleka takes Sock's spoon and carefully dishes the first mouthful out into
Sock (the end you put your foot into).

Lal get up from her place on the floor. She goes back to N'ren. "Awright..."

Benden Weyr> Jerissa is too. I'm dead on my feet here!

Benden Weyr> K'nan ..and Jerissa. :)

Benden Weyr> Alyssa can imagine. Jerissa, I hope Benden appreciates that
we've finally gotten two new dragonhealers for the first time in...man, a
year, I think.

Benden Weyr> Alyssa says, "Thanks to you. :)"

N'ren grins at Lal, and pulls out a piece of hide, flattening it on the
table. He sketches out a large 'V'. "This is the first pattern any Weyrling
learns. Standard V formation. Depending on the size of the Wing that's up,
the number of dragons in the V differs. The smallest is usually 13 dragons,
spaced on this V each two dragonlengths apart. The point dragon is usually
a heavy dragon, a brown or a bronze, to give the V stability." Here he
pauses and writes two more Vs, each to the side of the others, "Now, the
point is that in a standard V formation, we fly triple-tiered. Three levels
of V's. High fliers tend to take the most damage, because they meet Thread
first - Kheveth and I fly high-level, for example. Usually the high-level
ends up breaking up the sheets. Then the middle level breaks it up more,
and the low level destroys most of it, leaving what little is left to the
lower-flying Queens."

Benden Weyr> Tinya snugs Alyssa and Tria and Rissa. Sweet dreams, y'all.

Benden Weyr> Alyssa says, "Now...guys, tie her up and we'll tell Shandra
Rissa's staying here"

Benden Weyr> Jerissa polishes her nails. <Amrieth> And she calls me vain?
Hrmf!

Benden Weyr> Kethran giggles ;) Hey, you tell her. Shandra can @toad me
with a thought ;)

Jaeleka proceeds to scoop one or two mouthfuls to herself, and then one
into Sock (who is sodden before long). After half hte cup is gone, Jae
actually begins to hum a little to herself.

Kassima grins at Jaeleka. "What do you and Sock think of it?"

Lal ahhhs, and watches with great interest. 'Where does t'gold go?"

Jaeleka says "Sock say 'fanks, Lady, 'leka too."

Lysseth> Alyssa motions Brynarth toward the infirmary, falling in behind
Sionelle as they move slowly, wearily, her new box clutched in her hand.

Lal says "Oh! On th'bottom."

Lysseth> Alyssa moves beneath the rocky overhang that protects the
Infirmary entrance.

Lysseth> Liath flips out of *between* and settles to the ground with a neat
backwing.

N'ren draws a line below all three of the V's, "Right, the bottom. They
usually don't fly V formation, but just straight out."

Lal says "Why's that?"

Kassima chuckles and nods. "Glad you like it. You and Sock are both
welcome. I hope it helps your throat." She pulls herself back up into the
chair and sips at her warm wine.

Lysseth> K'nan looks up from where he's seated on the bowl floor, against
Veyath's neck. Tiredly, he lifts a hand in greeting, "Heya, Tinya,
Liath...Benden's...whatever."

Lal says "I thought golds were th'biggest....."

Benden Weyr> Alyssa says, "Anyways..night everyone. Rissa, you are the one.
:)"

Lysseth> Jerissa smiles wearily, salutes in general and strides over to her
lifemate.

Jaeleka hum-mumbles to herself as she feeds Sock another mouthful.
"...Lessa....(hmm)...big fly..(hmmm).." Sock soddenly appreciates the treat.

Lysseth> From Liath's back, Tinya swings one leg over, sitting sideways on
her dragon's back, looking around from that vantage point for a moment
before she slides down. She looks worried.

Lysseth> Tinya swings her leg over Liath's back and drops to the ground,
landing lightly.

Benden Weyr> Kassima giggles at Sock in the LC.

Lysseth> Jerissa scrambles nimbly up onto Amrieth with the help of a
proffered foreleg, receiving a loving croon as she does so.

N'ren grins, "Well, the biggest reason is that there isn't enough of them
to fly a V formation. Not without all the Weyrs golds participating.
However, in addition to being largest, they're also heaviest. The golds
also serve an additional purpose, though."

Lal says "What's that?"

Kassima peers under the table again with a smile. "What're you singing?"

Lysseth> Tinya snaps a salute, a better one than she usually bothers with,
and says, "Eastern's duty to Benden." She looks up at Jerissa. "And Igen."

Jaeleka pats Sock, bending her head to it. She nods and puts his spoon down
on top of him. She looks up at Kassima. "'leka sing 'bout Lessa fly!"

Lysseth> Atop Amrieth, Jerissa nods, with a smile, "Igen's to Eastern."

Lysseth> Amrieth crouches, muscles tensing. She unfurls her wings and
launches herself into the air with a powerful thrust of her hindlegs.

Lysseth> Amrieth takes flight, using the thermals rising from the bowl to
carry her aloft.

Kassima ohs! "About Lessa's flight, or about her dragon?"

N'ren nods, "They're the only dragons that can support any other dragon in
freefall. If a dragon gets hit badly enough to knock out its wings, it's
usually a gold that has to keep them from crashing into the ground. And,
for that matter, to take them Between."

Jaeleka thinks. "Less fly big cold."

Lal ohhhhhs. "Well, I didna know golds could do that!"

Benden Weyr> Jerissa says, "Night Benden, thanks for the RP but 5am is dead
time for me. See ya :)"

Benden Weyr> N'ren says, "Lessa flies a big cold? HeeHee!"

Kassima ahs and nods. "Lessa's famous trip *between*, then. You like to sing?"

Benden Weyr> Kethran hugs a 'rissa!

Benden Weyr> Jaeleka phlts N'ren.

Benden Weyr> Kassima zhaiwaffles to a Jerissa. :)

Jaeleka nods at Kassima. "Yamommy sing. 'leka hear her."

Lysseth> Kethran smiles in K'nan's direction, letting the greenrider sleep.

Lysseth> K'nan sighs, starting to climb to his feet then thinking better of
it and sliding back down. "How goes, Tinya?"

N'ren nods, "They can. Any dragon can, actually. It's just that golds have
the bulk to slow a falling dragon, and no other dragon can. However, if
it's a bronze that's been taken out, it usually takes at least two golds to
do it."

Kassima smiles. "I didn't know Jazmin sang. Maybe you'll be a Harper when
you get big, and sing for lots of people. Is that what you want to do?"

Lal says "So....th'golds hold th'other dragons up, an'they also burn
th'last o'th'Thread?"

Jaeleka thinks. "Sing? 'leka can sing."

Kassima nods. "That's part of what Harpers do. They sing, and tell stories,
and play instruments... all kinds of things."

N'ren nods, "Right. Though holding dragons up doesn't happen very often.
Most dragons skip before they get damaged enough to get both wings taken out."

Lysseth> Tinya walks over in front of K'nan and Veyath, looking both over
carefully. She winces as she notes Veyath's score, and replies, "Better
than you two, it seems. Looks like you'll be out of the sky awhile, huh?"
Her voice is strongly sympathetic.

N'ren adds, "It happens most with new Weyrlings just becoming riders."

Lal nods. "But wait....I heard that golds cinna use fire."

Jaeleka sits up a little straighter. "Harple?"

N'ren nods, "Right. They use flame throwers."

Lysseth> Kethran realizes K'nan's still awake, and goes over to add his own
sympathies, plopping down on the ground a few meters away so he's on
eye-level with the rider.

Kassima giggles a bit at the odd pronunciation. "Harper, aye. Have you ever
met a Harper? There are some around here. Caitlyn and Melora are both
Harpers."

Jaeleka says "'leka no see them Harple. 'leka see?"

Lal nods again. "I see. Wah...that's interestin'."

Lal says "So...what's this wind draftin' stuff yeh said before?"

Lysseth> K'nan chuckles humorlessly, "Aye, eight sevendays at th'least...."
He sighs, running his hand through his hair, "If only we jumped between a
second earlier..." He's covered in ash, blood, and ichor, most of which is
now dry...not a pretty sight.

Kassima shakes her head. "I think they're likely to be in their rooms, and
'twould be rude to disturb them, especially this late. Tell you what--why
don't you ask your mother to let you see a Harper? I don't think she'd mind
that."

N'ren nods, "You ever lived near the water, Lal?"

Jaeleka says "Yammommy fly. Her no like take 'leka./"

Lysseth> Kethran nods to K'van. "Want something to drink?" he offers the
greenrider.

Jaeleka scoops up a last mouthful of cool treat, wiping her mouth on her
sleeve.

Lysseth> Tinya glances over at Kethran, spares a look around the bowl for
other casualties, looks back to K'nan and nods. "Ya always think that.
Probably true, too, but how were you to know beforehand? Nah, it happens."
She frowns a little, looking worried. "Who else was hit, you know?"

Kassima shakes her head. "You wouldn't have to fly to see one. She could
just introduce you to Caitlyn or one of the other Harpers who live here.
Would you like that?"

Lal nods..... "Tannerhall was kinda close t'water.."

N'ren nods, "Then you've felt the wind shift direction, lazily?"

N'ren clarifies, "I mean, first it was blowing in one direction, then
another?"

Jaeleka shuffles the cup to just where the shadow edge of the table falls.
"'leka find them. Yamommy no help."

Lysseth> K'nan shrugs lightly, "Mights'well, downed a 'skin of Red
earlier....oh, Brynarth and, ah, Nicoth, I think." He shrugs again, "I was
kinda distracted at th'time, might be more."

Lal says "Yah."

Lal says "Backbreeze, they called it at home."

Lysseth> Kethran nods. "I didn't see more in the infirmary," he remarks,
standing slowly and walking back toward the Living Cavern. He returns later
with a second skin of wine, which he hands to K'nan.

Lysseth> Kethran murmurs something to K'nan about 'numbweed for the mind'.

Lysseth> Tinya chuckles a little, at that. "Yeah, I know how it goes." Eyes
glaze, refocus; she smiles, "Li agrees, though, that's all. Not bad!"

Kassima hrms. "Well, you can maybe find them yourself. You might see Melora
around sometime."

N'ren nods, and points up, "It happens a lot faster up there. A lot more
abruptly. The wind shifts direction, which, of course, changes the
direction that Thread is falling in. In addition, the winds are generally
stronger the higher you go. Here on the ground, there are mountains and
things like that that block the wind. Up there, there aren't."

Jaeleka nods. "'leka like that Lady. No yuck."

N'ren says "That's another reason why high-level riders tend to take more
damage. The higher you go, the more abrupt the changes."

Lysseth> K'nan takes the 'skin thankfully, "Thanks, Keth...though, I
-should've- known...that patch was too big t'take out all at once..."

Lal ohhs.

Lal says "Well, that's very dangerous, isn't it?"

Lysseth> Kethran shakes his head at K'nan. "You're safe, K'nan, and so is
your lifemate. 'Sall that matters, really."

Kassima grins at Jaeleka. "You don't have to call me Lady, by the way. My
name's Kassima."

Lysseth> Tinya shrugs a little. "Beating yourself up after doesn't do any
good. Any fall you come back from is a good one."

N'ren nods, "Wind shear can be, yes. It can blow Thread into you, or you
into Thread. Like I mentioned to Kassima about that storm Fall. Gale force
winds pushing dragons and thread this way and that."

Lysseth> Kethran nods agreement with Tinya, and continues the tag-team
effort. "I'd hate to see anything happen to you, K'nan."

Jaeleka repeats slowly. "Kass-e-ma?"

Lal nods, fascinated.

Lysseth> K'nan snorts lightly, then mutters, "Well, s'pose yer right at
that..." He breaks the 'skin's seal, taking a long draw from the contents.
"Ahh...Aye, could've been worse."

N'ren considers, "However, when you're not flying against Thread, it can
also be good. Get a good wind behind you and you can cut time off your
direct flying time."

Lal nods again. "Must be nice."

Lysseth> Tinya adds, after a moment's pause, "And any Fall _everybody_
comes back from, is a _great_ one."

Kassima nods, smiling. "Kass-ee-ma, aye."

Jaeleka smiles. "Kasseema, hey Lady!"

N'ren grins, "Actually, flying straight is probably something you'll hear
riders cursing about." He calls over to Kassima, "Hey Kassima, what's your
impression of flying straight, say, to South Boll?"

Lal hmms....

Lysseth> K'nan sighs quietly, nodding. "Aye, you've th'right of it, Tinya.."

Lal says "An'why dontcha just go *between*?"

Jaeleka perks up when hearing Kassima's name being used by someone else.

Lysseth> Kethran chuckles. "Plus, imagine all the sympathy you'll get from
Aph!"

Jaeleka crawls from underneath the table. "Hey, man, that her name. Hers
Kasseema."

Kassima glances over to N'ren and wrinkles her nose. "I'd rather not do it,
if I don't have to! Too long a trip by far."

N'ren grins at Jaeleka, and nods, "That's right. And I'm N'ren. Can you say
that? Nuh-ren?"

Lal says "Yeh cinna go *between*?"

Jaeleka frowns at hte man, moving her mouth trying out his name. "Naa-ren?"

N'ren grins at Lal and Kassima, "Yes Lal. That's the *reason* why you'll
hear riders cursing. Flying straight is what ends up happening when you're
not allowed to go Between."

Lysseth> Tinya grins, nodding at Kethran, and adds, "And now you've an
_excuse_ for lying about in the sun. At least it's nice out, being summer
and all."

N'ren smiles at Jaeleka, "Almost. Nuh-ren."

Lal repeats: "NEH-ren."

Lysseth> K'nan chuckles slightly, "Bah. Can't get t'Boll now....and can't
even -get- t'my weyr to enjoy Aph's, um, sympathy." He smirks.

Jaeleka looks back and forth, blinking. "Ne-ren?" she offers a little
hesitantly.

N'ren grins, "Good enough. I'm not all that picky."

N'ren nods, "That's good!"

Kassima hrms? at Lal. "Not when you're injured or pregnant or something...
'tis a true pain to have to fly straight. Though I do sometimes fly
straight to close areas on my days off, just for the sake of flying. Never
to Boll or someplace; that's too much straight flying when you can just go
*between* and get there in a couple of heartbeats."

Jaeleka brightens. "Ne-ren, Ne-ren...!" She hops up and down, humming the
words to herself.

Lal nods at Kassima. "So...yeh cinna go between when yer pregnant er
injured? Why?"

N'ren taps his nose, and nods in Kassima's direction, "That's the normal
way a rider thinks. Sometimes I go for long straight flights, mostly for
exercise. But... we still end up going Between back to the Weyr."

Lysseth> Tinya laughs. "Point. But at least y've got the hot springs here.
Guess everyone'll just have to stick around home and keep you company for a
bit."

Lysseth> Kethran smiles. "Well, I guess Aph'd have to be coming down here,
then," he grins. "Always the Guest Weyr."

N'ren grins at Kassima, "How about if you explain the pregnant part, and I
explain the injured part."

Kassima grins at N'ren. "Sounds fair enough."

Lal shrugs, 'Awright..."

Benden Weyr> Lal says, "Look what ahppens when you get rider talking about
their jobs. :)"

Lysseth> Spineth backwings for a landing.

N'ren winks, "Well, I can't claim to have any kind of experience with
actual pregnancy. *Causing* it, sure. But actually BEING pregnant..."

Lysseth> K'nan looks down at all the ash and blood and ichor covering him
distastefully, "Speaking of the springs...."

Benden Weyr> Jaeleka is actually grateful, Iam learning a lot..

Lal slaps her forehead. She says nothing.

Lysseth> Tinya grins. "Yup, you could use a bath. Need a hand over?"

Benden Weyr> Lal says, "So am I."

Kassima explains to Lal, "See, a pregnant rider--or any woman--can only go
*between* in the second trimester of pregnancy. Otherwise, she chances
either miscarriage--that's the first trimester--or a premature birth in the
second. It's risky at any time, actually."

Lal ohhhs.

Lysseth> Atop Spineth, Ursa waves as Spimeth settles on the sand.

Benden Weyr> Kassima changes that second second to third. @set
me=Braindead. :)

Jaeleka wobbles as she tries to stand on one foot and hop.

N'ren nods, "Injuries, particularly those with open wounds, to either the
dragon or rider, are very dangerous when it comes to Between. You see,
Between is intensely cold. Subject a wound to that and you have problems.
Anyone ever tell you about making sure your lizards are oiled, lest their
hide crack Between? Same premise."

Lal says "Got it."

Jaeleka stops hopping. "Lessa go big cold!" she offers with authority.

Lysseth> K'nan reaches up to grab one of his lifemate's neckridges,
"Erm...yeah, I'd say so..."

Kassima grins at N'ren. "Feh. Drink enough of the water, and even that
might be possible... I think there's nothing that water *can't* do." She
glances down at the wine and hrms. "Wine and juice are safe enough, thank
Faranth."

Lal nods. "YAH! Very big cold!"

Lysseth> Pliarth backwings for a landing.

Lysseth> Tinya grins and holds out a hand to the other rider. "Here."

Lysseth> Ryialla undoes the buckles and straps tying her to Pliarth.

Lal chuckles.

Lysseth> Ryialla quickly slides down Pliarth's foreleg and jumps to the
ground. She turns to pet Pliarth's muzzle and grins as she gets soundly
whuffled.

N'ren smiles, lines about his face crinkling a little, "Yep. Very big cold!"

Lysseth> Ryialla nods in passing.

Ryialla walks in from the bowl.

Lysseth> Ursa climbs carefully down with the assistance of Spineth's
extended forelimb.

Jaeleka stretches her arms far and wide from one another. "Her fly big fly
in long long cold!" Jae's eyes widen to match the size of the tale she is
weaving.

Lysseth> K'nan takes Tinya's hand, using the additional leverage to pull
himself to his feet, though still unsteady. "Thanks..."

Lysseth> Ursa lays an affectionate hand on Spineth's side when she
dismounts, looking round the bowl with a heavy sigh.

Kassima listens with all appearance of fascination to Jaeleka's story.
"Aye, that she did! D'you know her big fly's name?"

Jaeleka nods at Kassima, her eyes growing even wider. "Her fly Ramof!"

Lysseth> Kethran smiles. "Need some towels?" he asks Tinya and K'nan,
waving to Ursa. He peers at Spineth and the brownrider with a bit of
concern, checking both for injuries.

Lal clicks her tongue.

Ryialla snags a mug of klah, and settles in at the Skyfire table. She
unwraps a bundle that had been stuck under her arm, revealing half-finished
riding straps.

Ryialla sits on a bench at the long table for Skyfire wing.

Kassima beams and nods. "Ramoth, that's right! Ramoth was her big gold
fly." She waves over to Ryialla.

N'ren's eyes glaze for a moment, "Aha!" He stands, "C'mon outside for a
moment."

Ryialla wave/salutes, now that she has a free arm.

N'ren heads for the bowl, quickly.

N'ren walks down the short tunnel and out into the bowl.

Jaeleka says "You know Lessa Lady?"

Lal walks down the short tunnel and out into the bowl.

Lysseth> N'ren comes striding out of the bowl, and looks this way and that,
"Ursa. Just the person I was looking for."

Ryialla looks at the retreating N'ren. "What's this?"

Lysseth> Lal blinks. "Huh? Oh--yeh wanted th'little t'follow yeh?"

Lysseth> K'nan chuckles softly, "Nah, I jus' need a few hours soaking, I
think..." Leaning a bit on Tinya, he starts to head towards the southern
part of the bowl.

Lysseth> N'ren shakes his head, "Not necessarily, Lal." He's squinting
upwards, into the sky."

Lysseth> Above, Miriath appears over the rim of the bowl from the direction
of Benden territory.

Lysseth> Lal looks up at the sky. "What's up there?"

Lysseth> N'ren points, "There she is!"

Lysseth> Lal says "Oh. Nevermind."

Kassima hrms? "Me? Nay, I didn't know her. She was alive a long time before
I was."

Lysseth> Above, Miriath glides down from above.

Lysseth> N'ren waves towards Miriath, "Ursa, c'mere."

Lysseth> Tinya looks over at the others emerging from the LC, and waves
sorta over her shoulder as she walks off with K'nan.

Jaeleka nods bending to pick a sodden Sock up.

Lysseth> K'nan walks south.

Lysseth> Tinya walks south.

Lysseth> Miriath backwings for a landing.

Lysseth> Ursa blinks, glancing up, "Hrm?" she asks wearily, then at the
summons, gives Spin one last pat and moves over curiously.

Lysseth> Kethran smiles, watching as Tinya seems to have K'nan well in
hand, and then walks over toward Ursa. "And if I thought you needed a
back-rub a few nights ago..." he murmurs to her, and then turns to regard
N'ren.

Kassima looks at Sock. "How's Sock been doing lately?"

Lysseth> N'ren grins up at the Istan green, and waves at her rider, "Ella,
c'mere a second?"

Ryialla chuckles quietly. She unwraps another, smaller, bundle, and looks
down at an assortment of leatherworking tools. She picks up one, and bends
over part of the straps.

Lysseth> From Miriath's neck, Ella waves spotting a familiar face. "N'ren
hello!"

Lysseth> Miriath trumpets greetings!

Jaeleka peers at sock, crinkling her nose. "Sock wet, lady."

Lysseth> Lal blinks. "Oh! Yeh musta wanted t'see her.....oh I get it."

Lysseth> Kheveth croons greetings to Miriath.

Lysseth> Ella climbs down from Miriath's neck.

Lysseth> Veyath cracks an eyelid open briefly, letting out a very muted
warble of greeting.

Lysseth> Ursa gives Kethran a wry grin, then turns her attention back to
N'ren, stifling a yawn.

Lysseth> Lal waves a little finger at Veyath upon seeing the dragon awaken.

Lysseth> N'ren moves straight towards the Istan greenrider, and draws her
into a hug, actually lifting her off the ground in the process, "Someone I
want you to meet, Ella."

Lysseth> N'ren adds, "Actually, someone who I want to meet you."

Lysseth> Ella struggles with the straps for a minute before turning.
"Greetings from Ista!" She's then drawn into a huge hug by N'ren.

Kassima hrms and wrinkles her own nose. "He looks very wet," she agrees.
"Probably not nice to be that wet."

Jaeleka scrunches her face in a serious look. "Nope, him not happy."

Lysseth> Ella grins her arm around N'ren's waist. "Meet?"

Lysseth> N'ren sets Ella down, and walks around behind her, placing his
hands on her shoulders. "Ursa, this is Ella, rider of green Miriath. Ella,
this is Ursa, rider of brown Spineth. Ursa, Ella is the ex-Headwoman of
Valley Hold. She's the one I was talking about."

Lysseth> Lal looks around the bowl with some curiosity, wondering why it is
so crowded...

Lysseth> Ella smiles in greeting. "Well met Ursa..and don;t believe a word
he tells you..unless it's all good of course."

Kassima taps her chin. "Maybe we should get some towels and help him dry off."

Lysseth> N'ren grins playfully, "She's also one of the two people that
*Kheveth* Searched, not any other dragon."

Jaeleka nods, handing the dripping mass of Sock over to Kassima.

Lysseth> Ursa exclaims with sincerity, "Oh! Well met, then," and she grins
a tired grin.

Lysseth> Ella chuckles. "And don't I remember that..I was pushed into a
tangle of arms and legs thanks to Kheveth and Kalendrith"

Lysseth> Kethran smiles, standing a few paces behind Ursa, in the
background but still present and listening.

Kassima gingerly accepts the sodden Sock, steeling herself, and gets up to
get some towels. Returning with some fluffy clean ones, she sits on the
floor and sets a towel down, putting Sock on it. "Okay. Just scrub Sock
with these towels--it won't get him all the way dry, but it should help."

Ryialla continues to work at the leather.

Lysseth> N'ren says, to Ella, "We flew Fall over Valley this afternoon,
Ella. And they wanted to know why I felt so strongly about the people of
Valley Hold. And you're that reason, Candella."

Lysseth> Lal fades into the background, looking around.

Lysseth> N'ren grins, and actually looks a little embarrassed, "I tripped
over Ella."

Jaeleka pats Sock gently with the fluffy towels, then, grimacing, scrubs
him in earnest, looking for all teh world like she is trying to put a hole
through him into the floor. When she has scrubbed for a long time (well,
long for a very little girl), she lifts Sock from the towelling and smiles
at Kassima. "Sock need bed now lady Kasseema."

Lysseth> Ella smiles a bit sadly. "Yes..it's a shame about the Hold.." she
tapers off softly.

Benden Weyr> Jaeleka must fly...very tired..and I forgot work in the morn!
EEP!

Lysseth> Ursa bursts out laughing, probably more at N'ren's expression than
the tale, commenting, "Search is always so hectic..." then more seriously.
"N'ren was saying we need to meet the folks we're protecting when we fly
Thread."

Lysseth> N'ren replies, "They seem to have rebuilt fairly well, Ella."

Kassima nods and smiles. "Okay, Jaeleka. I hope he gets a good sleep."

Lysseth> Ella nods turning her attention again to the group. "Oh yes..I've
been back several times. They are doing very well."

Jaeleka says "'fanks lady!"

Jaeleka toddles off.

Jaeleka walks off towards the kitchen.

Benden Weyr> Kassima zhaiwaffles to a Jaeleka! :)

Benden Weyr> N'ren smirks. Jaeleka disappears just as a Harper shows up.

Ryialla regards her strap solemnly, then takes the tool and etches anoter
part of the design into it.

Benden Weyr> Jaeleka wails..gods, thats almost worth coming back for!

Benden Weyr> Ryialla chuckles..who needs sleep?

Benden Weyr> N'ren says, "She's in the South Bowl. :)"

Benden Weyr> Jaeleka notes that her typing decreases correspondingly with
her tiredness.

Benden Weyr> Kethran thwaps Jaeleka with a new nickname! Henceforth, you
shall be known as the 'Princess of Wails!'

Benden Weyr> Jaeleka LOL,and collapses in a fit of giggles!

Benden Weyr> Lal says, "Oooh owww! But Jae's nice....unlike certain of
F'hlan's kids... :)"

Lysseth> Skye walks here from the south.

Lysseth> Kethran inclines his head to the Harper. "Evening, Journeyman>

Benden Weyr> Jaeleka wonders if Lal has seen Jae at her height (like this
afternon!)

Lysseth> N'ren smiles, "Yes. I was saying that we need to know who we're
working for. And I wanted to show them what can come of getting to know the
people in the Holds."

Benden Weyr> Lal missed it.

Lysseth> Skye walks through the bowl, careful not to bang her gitar on any
weyr-things. She smiles at Kethran, "Greetings to you," is her formal reply.

Benden Weyr> Jaeleka thought you were thinking Jae was too nice..she's a
cute kid and all, but take a poll on her..

Lysseth> N'ren flashes a smile at Skye. He's, of course, grundgy, dirty,
dusty, and smelling of firestone.

Lysseth> Lal calls out from her place near the edge of teh bowl, "Good
t'hear yeh say that Master N'ren! About time one o'yeh riders saw that!"

Benden Weyr> Jaeleka shall have to hope she meets the harpers another time.
for now though..bed calls my name insistantly.

Lysseth> Ella grins. "Oh of course..and you really should try some of the
wine they're making there..always said it was the best on Pern."

Lysseth> Skye sees N'ren and is state of dress. She looks away, silvery
grey eyes probably slightly hauty, despite the pleasant smile on her face.
She waves to him, putting both hands into her pockets, yet continuing on
her way.

Benden Weyr> Jaeleka gives the Royal Wave(tm) to all and hops off

Lysseth> Lal turns up her nose eeever so subtly at Skye.

Benden Weyr> Jaeleka expects a crumpet next time she logs on tho...

Benden Weyr> Brin says, "Perhaps a crumpet fanfare?"

Ryialla moves the position of her hand and tools another part.

Lysseth> N'ren grins at Ella's comment, "Yes, yes, I know. I know. That's
one thing we get more of here. Valley Hold wine."

Benden Weyr> Kethran starts to beat Brin for that pun... and then realizes
that he's even more guilty for starting the whole punny mess.

Lysseth> Skye is walking very casually mind you, casually. Except she sees
Veyath and stops in her tracks. By the first egg.

Benden Weyr> Lal never puns. Ever. Really

Benden Weyr> Brin nods agreement. "You should be punnished."

Benden Weyr> Kethran punders his fate. Not another stint in the
punitentiary, please!

Benden Weyr> Lal takes out a gun and shoots Kethran. Simple. Quick.
Relatively clean at higher calibers.

Benden Weyr> Kassima hates it when that happuns.

Lysseth> Veyath lays still, possibly once again asleep. The large,
recently-doctored score along her wingshoulder is still plainly visible,
however.

Benden Weyr> N'ren says, "I have found that being a prisoner agrees with
me. I meditate. I sing. // Oh. The residents thought we were torturing you."

Lysseth> Ella nods and sighs. "WHich unfortunately we get little of."

Benden Weyr> Lal uses poison on Kassi, just for dramatic effect.

Lysseth> N'ren grins, "You could always pop by the Hold and get some just
for yourself."

Benden Weyr> Kethran is, unfortuantely from Lal, immune to bullets. He
shrinks away from the weapon just before Lal fires it. A little pun-shy, he
is.

Lysseth> Skye asks a nearby rider who rides the dragon with the severe wing
score. She finds out quickly enough that it is K'nan. K'nan? She's met him
before. With her chin up, she glances over the collective gathering,
searching.

Lysseth> Ursa pipes up, "Sounds like another good reason to visit..."

Lysseth> Ella winks at N'ren. "Now would I hoard all that for myself?"

Lysseth> Kethran glances at Skye. "He's in the springs, getting cleaned up."

Lysseth> N'ren smirks at Ella, "In a flat minute."

Benden Weyr> Brin watches Kethran take straightlines and bend them.

Lysseth> Ella throws her head back and laughs. "Just don't tell anyone!"

Lysseth> Skye nods to Kethran, saying, "Would he mind if I interrupted
him?" She looks at the poor, scored dragon.

Benden Weyr> Kassima eeks! and hrms. "Did you say poison, or poisson? If
you said poisson, I'd guess that you did that just for the halibut, but
meanwhale I'm never one to carp on a subject..."

Lysseth> N'ren calls in Skye's direction, "And T'lar is probably in the
infirmary with his dragon." Teach her to look down at a rider.

Benden Weyr> Ryialla sits on Kassi and claps a hand over her mouth.

Benden Weyr> N'ren says, "Woo. Kinky."

Benden Weyr> Lal giggles.

Benden Weyr> Ryialla grins as N'ren. Room for two on here..:)

Lysseth> Lal scoffs.

Lysseth> N'ren affects total innocence, "Who me?"

Benden Weyr> N'ren says, "I'd prefer being beneath, Ryialla, thanks. :)"

Benden Weyr> Kassima heys! "Must y'all sit on me as though I'm a
Chesterfield sofa or something?"

Benden Weyr> Ryialla says, "Sure thing!"

Lysseth> Ella grins and then turns her attention to the green asking, "Were
many hurt?"

Benden Weyr> Ryialla says, "I always wanted to travel to a cricket green.."

Lysseth> Kethran glances at Veyath and then smiles sympathetically as he
returns his gaze to Skye. "I don't think he'd mind a visit from a friend,"
he says.

Lysseth> Skye looks at N'ren, arrogance still evident, but she doesn't say
much. She walks off, hands still casually in her pockets, toward where
K'nan is, hopefully.

Lysseth> Lal nods...."I was thinkin' o'seein' him meself, y'know..."

Benden Weyr> Kassima says, "But first we must bypass the Eddies in the
Space-Time Continuum, and you know how mean those Eddies can be... either
mean, or *too* helpful. I understand Eddie the Shipboard Computer used to
be one of them."

Brin walks here from the Inner Cavern.

Brin wanders in.

Lysseth> Skye walks south.

Lysseth> Lal bends down and picks up a pebble. She subtly FLINGS it at the
back of Skye's head. "Missed."

Lysseth> N'ren answers Ella's question, "Three bad scores. Veyath, as you
can see. Nicoth, who'll probably be out between two and three months, and
Sionelle. I don't know her status."

Brin smiles a quiet hello to the few occupants of the cavern, then starts
clearing tables.

Kassima nods to Brin, finishing off her glass of wine and taking it and
Jaeleka's cup and spoons to wherever it is that dirty dishes go.

Lysseth> N'ren also flashes a grin in Lal's direction.

Lysseth> Ella nods slowly and follows the harpers retreating form. She
mutters to N'ren, "... liked... she?" 

Lysseth> Lal walks over to Veyath, sighing. "That's musta hurt." She rubs
Veyath gently on her side, careful to avoid scores.

Lysseth> Kethran glances at Lal, and then at N'ren. "What's wrong?" he
asks, gazing after the Harper with a bit of concern.

Lysseth> N'ren mutters to Ella, "She's... bit... an attitude problem.
But... is... here.... used... be... still... with..."

Lysseth> N'ren pauses, then adds as an afterthought. He mutters to Ella,
"And... never... love..." 

Lysseth> Ella doesn't say anything, just nods her head slightly and shrugs.

Lysseth> Lal raises an eyebrow, but makes like she doen't wish to inquire.

Lysseth> N'ren grins, "Anyway, shall we head back inside?"

Lysseth> N'ren asks, "Or do you have to go, Ella?"

Lysseth> Ursa catches N'ren's eye before he leaves, saying, "Thanks for
introducing me..." and nods to Ella, "It was good to meet you."

Lysseth> Lal nods too, as she heads for the LC.

Lysseth> Ella smiles quickly and nods. "ANd here I thought I was just going
to come and bother my brother...I'll visit for a bit before I try and find
him."

Lysseth> Lal says "Thanks fer explainin', Master N'ren!"

Lal walks in from the bowl.

Lal trots in from the bowl, looking very pleased indeed.

Lysseth> N'ren grins, "Great! I was hoping you'd stay. Care to come in and
have some of that Valley Hold wine?" He winks, once at Ella, then again at
Ursa.

Kassima smiles and waves to Lal. "Heyla. What're you so happy about, if I
might inquire?"

Lysseth> Ella chuckles. "Now with an offer like that how could anyone refuse?"

Lysseth> N'ren grins, "That's the point."

Lysseth> N'ren asks, "Ursa, are you going to join us, or go to bed?"

Lysseth> Kethran blinks, almost speaking up that there is a third option,
but closes his mouth quickly. It wouldn't do to insult N'ren. Instead, he
simply smiles.

Lal says "Me? Master N'ren an' Miss Ursa was explainin' formations an'
wind--an' wind things--backbreezes in th'air. It was pretty interestin'."

Lal grins broadly. She really WAS interested. :)

Brin says "C-can I get anything fuh...for anyone?"

Lysseth> Ursa glances up at the sky, commenting lazily, "Actually, I was
going to enjoy the night, I think... I don't want to be inside right now."

Kassima grins. "Sounds like. There's lots to tell about those things...."
She shakes her head at Brin. "Nay, thanks; I'm fine."

Lal peers at Brin. "Do I know yeh?"

Lysseth> N'ren ahs, "Well, if you want to join us, feel free, Ursa." He
nods, "Later then, wingmate." He nods Ella towards the Living Cavern.

N'ren walks in from the bowl.

Lysseth> Ursa smiles her thanks and waves.

Lysseth> Ella waves. "Nice to have met you!"

Ella walks in from the bowl.

Ryialla rubs at her nose. "Can't concentrate on this." She abruptly picks
up her stuff and heads out of the cavern.

Ryialla stands and leaves the long table for Skyfire wing.

Ryialla walks down the short tunnel and out into the bowl.

Lysseth> Ryialla climbs up Pliarth's extended foreleg, giving her an
affectionate scritch as she settles between her neck ridges.

Lysseth> Ryialla straps herself securely into the riding straps.

Lysseth> Pliarth takes flight, using the thermals rising from the bowl to
carry her aloft.

Brin says "N...not sure, ma'am. I'm B...Buh..." Her face reddens slightly
with the effort of getting the word out. "Brin.""

Benden Weyr> Kassima aiyeeeees! Action Lag!

Lal jumps from the floor to a chair onto a table for no apparent reason.
She does it athletically, in one motion.

Lysseth> Kethran smiles at Ursa. "It is a nice night," he says softly to
her. "Even after everything that happened," he adds with a rueful glance at
Veyath.

Kassima waves to N'ren and the rider she doesn't know, blinking at Lal.

Lal grins. "An' I'm Lal." She holds her hand out from her place standing on
the table.

Skye walks in from the bowl.

Ella stares at the woman on the table bumping into N'ren as he stops.
"Oh..sorry" she mumbles.

Lysseth> Ursa jumps when Kethran speaks, but hides it with a quick smile.
She glances up again. "Yeah, I just wanna sit and watch the stars..." she
sighs.

Skye walks through the cavern, purposefully toward the kitchen.

Lysseth> Kethran nods. "You all right?" he asks. "Spineth's all right?"

Lal waves at Ella. "Oh sorry, I was bored. I'll get down now." She promptly
leaps onto the floor.

N'ren wanders in with the Istan, and smiles, "Ella, this is Kassima, one of
our greenriders. She rides green Lysseth. Kassima, this is Ella, rider of
green Miriath, out of Ista."

Lal sticks her tongue out at Skye behind her back.

Kassima grins at Lal. "Interesting way you've got to be curing boredom, I
must say." She nods to Ella with a smile. "Well met. Benden's duties to
Ista and her queens, and all that."

Ella grins at Lal and then turns towards the introductions. "Well met...and
ours to yours." Formality is lost on her.

Skye gets this funny feeling, the kind of feeling you get when people stick
their tongues out at you behind your back. This is reflected in a pause as
she helps herself to a sandwich of somesort, turning around to survey the
room.

Lal takes a chair and practices handstands with it.

Lysseth> Ursa nods, wandering back to her dragon instictively. "Yeah, we're
both fine. We're fine." She lays a hand on his side, and he rumbles softly,
not bothering to lift his sleepy lids.

Kassima chuckles and glances at Lal, blinking again at the handstands. She
gets up to acquire herself a fresh glass of Red, keeping an eye on the
chair-acrobatics.

Lysseth> Kethran breathes a slow sigh of relief. "I worried about you two,"
he says simply. "With all the injuries... I kept wondering if I'd look up
and see Spineth coming down, hurt."

Benden Weyr> N'ren is suddenly thinking it's good that Lal wears pants
instead of skirts. :)

Benden Weyr> N'ren says, "That'd be right embarrassing for her."

Benden Weyr> Lal says, "No, only for you. I'm more man than you'll ever be
N'ren. :)"

N'ren watches Lal for a moment, and says, droll, "Why, Lal, you seem quite
.... limber."

Benden Weyr> K'nan ROTFL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Benden Weyr> Kassima giggles madly.

Lal, from her handstand, says, "Well, I used t'be a bored kitchen drudge.
Needed somethin' t'do."

Benden Weyr> N'ren says, "Yeah? *You* make seven different women pregnant
all by yourself. :)"

Lysseth> Ursa leans heavily against Spineth. "But we didn't," she states
flatly.

Benden Weyr> Kassima hands Lal some water. "Just give this to seven
different women. Works like a charm."

Benden Weyr> Lal giggles.

Skye says to Lal, "You look like a drudge, that way."

Lysseth> Kethran nods. "I know," he says. "And I know you have to fight
Thread, and I respect you for that more than I'll ever be able to say," he
says, his mouth tugging upward in a proud smile. "But it doesn't mean it
doesn't scare me," he adds.

Brin sits down at the quiet table by the night hearth.

Lal gets down from her handstand. She looks at Skye. "You look like dead
meat in a a minute, Miss. But I was polite enough naw t'say anythin'."

Benden Weyr> N'ren said: 'All by yourself'. I did not say 'here, have this
water and...'

Brin takes a seat at an out-of-the-way table, carefully sliding her
battered gitar case out from under it.

Kassima hrms. "Don't think I could do that," she admits as she sits back at
the Thunderbolt table, wine in hand. "My only talent worth speaking of's
knife-throwing."

Lal smiles widely, showing teeth.

Skye puts her hand to her chest, "What?"

Lal asides to Kassima. "I juggle too."

Benden Weyr> N'ren says, "CATFIGHT! CATFIGHT! :)"

Benden Weyr> K'ti says, "Meow?"

Lal smiles sweetly at Skye. "Wha?"

Benden Weyr> Kassima sells tickets to the LC and wafflethwaps a K'ti. :)

Benden Weyr> Lal says, "Are you kiddin'? I can tear thsi girl in half. :)"

Skye looks at the giant hulk of a girl and says, "Did you just threaten
me?" She's suprised.

Benden Weyr> N'ren says, "Except she's a J'man, and you're an apprentice. :)"

Lal says "Threats're useless, Miss."

Lysseth> Ursa shrugs again, drawling. "Yeah. Well, you don't have to be the
only one scared."

Benden Weyr> Lal says, "Yeah, but she's a harper. I could care less. I'll
go stick her in a firestone vein or something. :)"

Lal goes back to her handstands.

N'ren decides to lead Ella to a seat, "Be right back with that wine. Gotta
sneak into Stores to get it."

Lysseth> Kethran blinks, not quite understanding. "I'm sure I'm not. Lots
of people care about you, Ursa," he says with a smile. "You're a good friend."

Benden Weyr> K'ti looks utterly curious. Who's arguing down there?

Brin carefully extracts the venerable instrument, lovingly cradling it in
her lap.

Benden Weyr> N'ren says, "Lal and Skye."

Skye blinks at Lal. "You've -got- to be a miner."

Benden Weyr> K'ti oooooohs understandingly.

Benden Weyr> Lal doen't argue. She'll just ignore her or kill her. Simplt.

N'ren heads, indeed, off towards the kitchen.

Ella nods and takes a seat.

Skye tries to see the knot, if any, that Lal is sporting.

N'ren walks off towards the kitchen.

Lal makes no effort to help Skye find it.

Lysseth> Ursa gives a careless shrug, slumping down to sit on Spineth's
forelimb. "Yeah?" she asks disinterestedly.

Brin begins to play, softly, trying to ignore the confrontation: a light
chamber-piece, quiet, soothing, and not too intrusive.

Lal says "Nice music Brin."

Lal scissors her legs in the air as she practices.

Skye makes a mistake, "Oh, that's s a smith knot. For a minute there I
thought you couldn't carry a tune." Grey eyes twinkle at Lal.

Benden Weyr> N'ren says, "Yo he ho..."

Kassima listens absently to the music as she drinks her wine, glancing
between Lal and Skye with interest.

Lysseth> Kethran smiles and decides to let the topic drop. He sits down on
the ground a few meters away from Ursa and Spineth and leans backward.

Lal gets up again. "I can't. Cinna sing worth a lick. But I cin throw
things quite well."

Lal balances a chair in her hand.

Skye says, "Well, there's no question then, you must be a miner. Probably
an apprentice to that crazy craft master or one of her equally crazy
followers."

Benden Weyr> Kethran ummms. Am I in the same Craft with this individual? ;)

Lal says "You're naw talkin' about Miss Lily, I hope Miss. Yeh might make
me a bit sore."

Benden Weyr> Lal says, "Not for long, if she keeps it up."

Benden Weyr> N'ren says, "She's talking about Master Susaen, of course. :)"

Benden Weyr> N'ren says, "Actually, I suspect Skye's spoiling to get
someone to wipe the floor with her. She's usually very docile, if a bit
angsty."

From the kitchen, N'ren walks out of the passageway that leads down to the
storerooms.

Brin says "P...please...d-duh-don't f-fight."

Skye says, "Lily!" She chokes, "Lily is perhaps the best singing miner I've
ever heard."

Benden Weyr> Lal says, "I would be the proper candidate, thought usually I
am veeeery patient. But she's gettin' Lal in a real sore spot."

Lysseth> Ursa leans her head against Spin,staring up at the stars with a
melancholy expression. Eventually she drawls. "The skies look so innocent
from here."

Lal smiles. "Yeeeees," she says, "I know."

N'ren walks in from the kitchen.

Skye sits down, lying from the bottom of her soul. A trait most good
harpers have. "Why, Master Lily should sing at a gather. I swear."

Lysseth> Kethran nods. "Indeed they do. Thread comes, makes people's lives
miserable for a bit, and then it's gone, as if it'd never been." He pauses
for a moment, contemplating. "'Course, without dragons, that wouldn't be
so," he adds softly.

N'ren gives the two Crafters a wide berth, and settles next to Ella, "Care
to join us, Kassima?" He sets the bottle - marked with the symbol of Valley
Hold - on the table.

Benden Weyr> Kethran giggles at Skye. She has, incidentally ;)

Benden Weyr> Lal says, "I know. :)"

Lysseth> In the skies above, Some thicker clouds begin to roll in, covering
the skies with a grey overcast.

Kassima raises one eyebrow and grins. "If that's wine I see, then aye,
thank you." She relocates herself next to the other two riders, glancing
back over at the quarreling Crafters.

Lal walks over to the table where Skye sits. She sits on it.

Lal says "She has."

Benden Weyr> Kethran says, "At the Harper Gather, no less ;)"

Skye says, with feigned curiosity, "Do tell."

Ella dusts off the bottle. "I see you were right N'ren..seems to be popular
around here.."

Lysseth> Ursa nods, watching the clouds with idle detachment. "Yeah. S'why
we fly," she shrugs.

N'ren grins at Ella, "Yes, it is. But I found one of the older ones too. I
thought you might like it. I think this might even be from before the
problems there." He pulls up three glasses, and asks, "Have you had Valley
Hold wine before, Kassima? If not, maybe you should explain what it's like
first, Ella?"

Lal rises slowly from her place on the table, and grabs Skye by the
shoulders, sitting her down at the place where Lal originally sat. She look
sat Skye. "I'll tell yeh this. I'd prefer yeh never speak ill o'Miss Lily
again."

Lysseth> Kethran nods. "And why all of Pern respects you. Takes a lot of
courage."

Brin sighs softly and puts away her gitar, unable to focus her attention on
playing. She gets up and makes her way to the Bowl entrance, glancing at
Lal and Skye with mingled sadness and worry.

Lal says "An' keep yer snotty shardin' yammerin' t'yerself."

Skye smiles at Lal. "She should be cross crafted." She is astonished as she
is airborn and blinks. "Put me down you ignorant idiot."

Benden Weyr> Kethran uh-ohs.

Benden Weyr> Kethran considers tporting Jereth up here ;)

Ella opens her mouth to speak but catches sight of the two women. "Oh umm.."

Benden Weyr> N'ren says, "That was a mistake. Not the 'idiot', but
'ignorant,' for sure."

Skye has her gitar strapped to her back and looks willing to use it. IN
fact, she has it by the neck.

N'ren shakes his head at Ella as she looks at the two, "Crafter business,
Ella."

Kassima hrms and shakes her head. "Nay, don't believe I have. I've had lots
of wines and liquors in my day, but not that one, methinks...." She glances
back over to the Crafters and winces.

Lal says "I'm naw that. I may naw be edicated liek yerself Miss, but at
least I learned manners. I could kill yeh if I wished. I'm just askin; yeh
nicely to please, leave it be."

Benden Weyr> N'ren hereby calls on Weyr/Craft/Hold autonomy. :)

Brin walks down the short tunnel and out into the bowl.

Lal smiles gently, and lets Skye go.

Lysseth> Jerethan walks here from the south.

Lysseth> Brin wanders out, definitely fretting, with a worried glance back
over her shoulder.

Lysseth> Ursa shrugs. "I'm not cut out for the job." she says quietly.

Lysseth> Jerethan comes in from the South Bowl, whistling cheerfully. He
waves at Ursa and Kethran. "Evening!" he calls cheerfully.

Skye says, "I didn't say anything bad about Lily you slow-pated miner."
Still armed, she imagines what the sound of a cracking gitar would be when
cracked over the wooden head of Lal.

Lysseth> Brin manages to smile a wan hello to Jerethan.

Lysseth> Ursa glances up to wave. "Jereth!" she calls out by way of greeting.

Lal turns around, and lets out a breath. She says to the room at large,
'She's naw worth it, right?"

Lysseth> Kethran blinks, stunned. "Of /course/ you're cut out for the job,"
he says to Ursa, reaching toward her for a moment before dropping his hand
to the ground. He waves at Jerethan with the other hand. "Heya, Harper."

Ella hrms. "Well it's a very sweet full wine. At least the older ones
are..the newest pressings don't tend to be as heavy"

Lysseth> Jerethan grins to Brin, and then smiles back to Ursa. "Can't stay
to chat. Got to get these delivered," he says, waving a sheaf of hides.

N'ren nods, first at Kassima, then Ella, "Care to pour, Ella?"

Lysseth> Brin says "W-wuh...ware the f-fight in the Cavern."

Lysseth> Jerethan's face falls. "Fight?" he says, glancing toward the
Cavern entrance warily. "Who?"

Ella shakes her head. "WHy don't you?"

Lal taps her foot gently on the cavern floor.

Lysseth> Ursa's attention is riveted to Brin. "Who's fighting?"

Lysseth> Brin says "A H...harper, I think, and Lal..."

N'ren shrugs his shoulders, then grins, "All right. First glass is for you,
though." He pours one glass, and places it in front of Ella. Then another,
for Kassima, and a third, for himself.

Skye drums her fingers on the neck of her gitar. Stupid miners. If thread
was ever eradicated, they'd be bred out of the population. She walks off
toward the kitchen, herself (keeping an eye on the miner at all times).

Benden Weyr> Lal says, "If you guys ignore me, I am going to smear Harper
on the LC floor....."

Skye walks off towards the kitchen.

Kassima hrms. "Anything like those Southern fruit wines? I've had some of
those...." She accepts the glass with a grateful smile at N'ren and raises
it, but waits for the others to drink first.

Lysseth> Jerethan frowns. "A /Harper/?" he blinks, and then walks toward
the Living Cavern, concerned.

Ella picks up her glass. "To Valley...and Benden that protects its hills."

Jerethan walks in from the bowl.

Lal lets out a breath, "If she does it again, I'll kill her."

N'ren lifts his glass, and toasts, "To new friendships."

Lysseth> Ursa finds herself chuckling dryly. "Doesn't sound like much of a
fight to me. Lal'll pound the fella."

Jerethan peers into the Living Cavern warily, looking around. He spots Lal,
whom he recognizes vaguely, and opens his mouth to ask who. His eyes rest
on Kassima and he pauses, looking her over. /She/ was fighting with Lal?

Kassima smiles and adds, "And to fine wines with which to toast those
friendships."

N'ren adds, after a moment, "And old, dear friendships."

Lysseth> Brin says "N...not a fella. A g-guh...girl. About my size.""

N'ren grins at Kassima, and touches glasses with her and Ella.

Lysseth> Kethran hmmms. "Well, Jereth's a Harper, too," he muses. "I'm sure
he'll get it straightened out."

Kassima clinks her glass with the other two, then glances over at Jereth
with a raised eyebrow as if to say, 'What?'

Jerethan steps fully into the Living Cavern and notices the eyes on him. He
inclines his head. "Harper Hall's duty to Benden Weyr, and her queens," he
says formally.

Lysseth> Ursa shakes her head. "The healers are all asleep, I'm sure. That
harper gal better have herself a silver tongue...""

Lal stomps over to an empty table and SLAMS her fist on it. The table
cracks in teh place she hit it. It makes a huge noise.

Lysseth> Kethran nods slowly. "Indeed," he says. "It seems it'd take a lot
to get Lal angry. Good thing," he adds absently.

Lysseth> Brin says "Uhm...I th-think she insulted M...master Lily."

Jerethan glances toward the kitchen and spots Skye. Uh-oh. This is the
Harper Brin mentioned? He inclines his head to her. "Evening, Journeyman,"
he says.

Ella jumps at the noise, a slight trickle of wine spilling down her front,
she sighs. "What a waste of a good wine.."she mumbles to herself.

Lysseth> Ursa rolls her eyes, "In front of Lal? I though Harpers had more
sense than that..."

From the kitchen, Skye waves to Jerethan, "Hiya." She's busy making a
sandwich.

Lysseth> Kethran pauses for a moment. "How could /anyone/ insult Master
Lily?" he asks, puzzled. "She's /sweet/!"

Lysseth> Maarie walks here from the south.

Lal walks out.

Lal walks towards the inner cavern.

Jerethan glances between Lal and Skye. "Is there a problem?" he wonders.

Benden Weyr> Lal says, "Good night. Pray for Skye. :)"

Lysseth> Brin shakes her head with a soft, fretful sigh. "D-don't know. I
j-just wish they wouldn't fight."

N'ren sips, then grins at Ella, "Well, hey, if things work out, we'll make
sure that there's no waste there." He winks playfully at the Istan
greenrider, then sips again.

Lysseth> Maarie blinks at all the people, straps in tow. She waves to Ursa
before ducking inside.

Maarie walks in from the bowl.

Lysseth> Kethran waves absently to Maarie. He's sprawled on the ground
beside Ursa, relaxing.

Jerethan turns at the sound of someone entering behind him, and grins.
"Heya, Maarie!"

Skye walks in from the kitchen.

Maarie throws down Zuseth's straps in a rather clear area of the cavern
floor. She then makes a beeline for the klah pot.

Skye says, "No problem. That miner just threatened to kill me."

Kassima starts a bit herself, eyeing the broken table, then just shrugs and
sips the wine. A slow smile crosses her face as she peers at her glass.
"Good stuff, I must say! Not so strong as some, but definitely good
nonetheless."

N'ren grins at Kassima, "I'd be careful. The first time I drank that, I
said the same thing. Sneaks up on you, though."

Salless notices who's arrived, and her normal expression fades. "As I live
and breathe. Jerethan!" She eyes him critically. "Been down with those
Harpers, I see," she says, shaking her head.

Lysseth> Brin sighs quietly and heads for the lake.

Lysseth> Brin walks south.

Lysseth> Ursa rises rather abruptly. "Wine.. nay, ale.. Yeah, ale.." And
she storms off towards the living cavern. Then, equally abruptly, she turns
around and stalks back to Spineth. "no ale," she sighs miserably.

Ella grins. "Just like those Valley people..always sneaking up on someone."

Jerethan gapes at Skye. "She /what/? Why?" he asks, so incredulous for a
moment that he almost fails to notice Salless. Hard to do, that. He turns
to her and grins. "I have indeed," he tells her, inclining his head. "Been
filling my head with all sorts of things I'll never use," he adds in a
murmur. Another glance at Skye, and the thought of reunions with the
resident Weyr-mother fade from his mind as he waits for her reply.

Maarie turns as she hears Jerethan's named called out by Salless,
"Jerethan?" Scanning the room until she finds him, then she waves.

Kassima chuckles. "Does it, now? Rather like the Sea Spike at Boll... seems
innocent, then it hits you powerfully hard. A delightful drink, that."

Lysseth> Kethran blinks. "What's wrong with ale? I'll get you some, if you
like," he says, standing slowly.

Skye seesm unconcerned, "Well, she thought I said something bad about
Master Lily, but of course I didn't. But, if she did kill me, Jerethan,
you'd have to promise me to have her sounded hanged."

N'ren slaps the side of his face with his other hand, "I shouldn't have
warned you. Now, you'll know, and I'll have a harder time seducing you up
to you my weyr." He winks, overly audaciously, at both greenriders, that
last sentence said somewhat louder than the first.

Jerethan's eyes widen, and his attention's focussed on Skye to the
exclusion of all else. "Have Lal hanged?" he says, in a high voice. "Ma'am,
are we talking about the same Lal?"

Lysseth> Ursa shakes her head emphatically. "Juice and water," she says
with a sigh, repeating like a litany, "Juice and water."

Skye grins at Jerethan, "Only if she murders me, Jerethan."

Salless tosses a glare over toward Skye, and then glances at Jerethan. "If
there's any hanging to be done in my Living Cavern, I'll be the one to do
it," she says tartly.

Jerethan shakes his head. "Lal doesn't get angry easily," he says,
contradicting the Journeyman. Perhaps not the best idea for his career as a
Harper, but... Lal? His expression is still incredulous.

Maarie makes her way over to N'ren and Kassi, "That's if you can convince
Zuseth to let me out of her sight when I am drunk, N'ren..."

Skye says to Salless, "I didn't say -I- wanted to hang her. I said, if she
murdered me."

Ella snorts. "Hard time you'll have doing that drunk or sober..N'ren you
had all the women after you at Ista..I'm sure you're doing the same here."
she winks at Kassima, taking another deep drink.

Lysseth> Kethran cracks a slow smile. "Well, I've heard about what the
water can do. Does it have to be that horrible sour stuff?" he asks.

N'ren bats his eyelashes, giving that totally-innocent look that blows
Tamma's attempt at it out of the water, "Who me?"

Skye says to Jerethan, "Well, I don't know what I could've done to make her
angry. I think she saw what she wanted to see." Skye shrugs. And she is not
a master, she is a journeyman.

Kassima merely chuckles, glancing over at Maarie with a wave and a smile.

N'ren grins at Maarie, "That mean you want to join us in sharing this
excellent wine?"

Lysseth> Ursa rolls her eyes. "I'll be fine with the water," she says
confidently. "And yeah, s'posed to be that sour stuff. Lots of it." She
shrugs. "By the end of the sevenday I should be fine. You can bring me that
ale then."

Jerethan shakes his head stubbornly. "I know Lal, ma'am, and she wouldn't
ever start a fight."

N'ren turns towards the Harpers for a moment, opening his mouth. Then he
closes it, and mutters, "Crafter business." Another sip from his glass.

Lysseth> Kethran smiles. "I'll consider that a promise. I'll grab some
water, for both of us," he says, inclining his head.

Skye says, "Well, Jerethan, it must be my bad temper then. And perhaps the
way I threw rocks at her."

Jerethan blinks. "You threw /rocks/ at..." He shakes his head. "Of course
not."

Skye says, "Yes. I threw rocks at her, and then clanged her over the head
wtih my gitar."

Maarie smiles, "I'm always willing to make sure Bendenites have bought
nothing but the best wine," she says as she sits down at the table.

Skye says, with more exaggeration, "I can't see what she was upset about."

Jerethan shakes his head. "I know you didn't, ma'am. A Harper would never
abuse an instrument," he says, cringing at the notion.

Lysseth> Ursa shakes her head, "Don't bother. I'm going to fall asleep
right here if I don't get myself up to bed."

Kassima grins at Maarie. "Now that's an excellent way to think of it," she
quips.

N'ren grins, "Bought? This is part of Valley Hold's tithe." He grins, "By
the way, Maarie, rider of green Zuseth, this is Ella, rider of green
Miriath, out of Ista. A dear friend of mine and the ex-Headwoman of Valley
Hold, over whom we flew this afternoon."

Jerethan glances at Kassima. "What happened?" he asks her quietly.

Ella smiles at Maarie. "Well met Maarie." and hands her a glass. "N'ren
didn't lie..this is from the first pressings several turns ago."

Skye continues, "Well, I did call her names when she lifted me up and
threatened me with death."

You whisper "I didn't see any rock-throwing or gitar-banging, but Lal
seemed rather peeved with yon Harper, and then Skye insulted her
appearance. Things grew rather ugly from there." to Jerethan.

Maarie takes the glass, "And well met, Ella."

Jerethan nods to Kassima, and then sighs. "No one was hurt, at least. That
can happen when Lal's involved." He glances over ruefully at the table,
which now bears a rather large crack from where Lal's fist impacted it.

Lysseth> Kethran smiles. "That offer of a back-rub's still open," he
reminds the brownrider.

N'ren sits back, sighs, and calls, "Telling her she looked like a drudge
was before she threatened you, Skye." And then goes back to his glass of wine.

Kassima sips at her wine, looking rather delighted with it. "Must say, I
wish I'd learned how good Valley wines are Turns ago. 'Twould have saved me
some time of drinking mediocre wines if I'd known what to look for." She
grins and then nods agreement with Jereth.

Maarie slowly sips the wine, savory its taste before finally swallowing.
She chuckles at N'ren's comment and falls silent once more.

Skye calls over to N'ren, "That's true, N'ren. I'm sure that I deserve a
death threat for that. And threatening a journeyman for making conversation
about a master? Oh..that deserves a death threat, too."

Jerethan glances down at his sheaf of hides. "Has anyone seen Caitlyn or
Melora?" he asks suddenly, making a strong effort to change the topic.

N'ren grins, "It *was* somewhat of a well-kept secret." He looks forlorn,
then brightens, his smiles turning absolutely evil.

Lysseth> Ursa smiles, "I appreciate it. But I honestly think I'd better
sleep." She rises and starts to rub Spin's eyeridges slowly, softly coaxing
him to wake up. "C'mon, lump. Take me home."

Benden Weyr> Kethran sighs. Jeez. I'm almost ashamed to admit my alt is a
member of the Harpercraft. :(

Lysseth> Kethran smiles gently to Ursa, watching her as she speaks with her
lifemate. "Sleep well, Ursa. And be well."

Kassima eyes that evil smile with suspicion. "I suppose we could take an
oath of secrecy... after all, the better the secret's kept, the more for
us, aye?"

Skye walks out, probably on her way to Harper Hall (incidentally where
power-playing is still considered to be rude).

Skye walks down the short tunnel and out into the bowl.

Benden Weyr> Maarie says, "Where did that side note come from?"

N'ren tells Jerethan, "I haven't seen Caitlyn. Melora is probably with
F'hlan. We had Fall this afternoon."

Benden Weyr> Ursa says, "call me confused. what did that refer to?"

Benden Weyr> N'ren is beginning to get a little worried about Skye's
player. This is *really* out of character for her.

Benden Weyr> Kassima blinks at that side note. Ooooooookay....

Lysseth> Ursa takes a good hold of the straps, turning to Kethran. "Thanks.
G'night..." she says simply, then pulls herself swiftly upwards.

Lysseth> Skye walks south.

Lysseth> Ursa clambers up onto Spineth's back with the assistance of an
extended forelimb.

Jerethan glances at Skye, and just shakes his head. "Were I more than a
simple apprentice, I would offer apologizes on behalf of my Hall, to you,
the Weyr, and my Hall," he says, his face turning red. Then he glances at
N'ren, and nods. "Were there any injured?" he asks, concerned.

N'ren considers, "Several minor scores. Three major. Two dragons grounded,
one rider most likely grounded."

Benden Weyr> Kethran shrugs. She and I are arguing back and forth on the
Harper knot right now.

Lysseth> Atop Spineth, Ursa waves again.

Lysseth> Spineth takes flight, using the thermals rising from the bowl to
carry him aloft.

Jerethan blinks at N'ren. "Who?" he asks, the worried expression on his
face becoming stronger.

N'ren hms, "The rider, you mean? Sionelle."

Kassima hrms. "Wasn't Brynarth injured as well? Seems to me I saw Alyssa
working on him...."

N'ren says "The grounded dragons are Veyath, K'nan's green, and Nicoth,
T'lar's bronze.""

Jerethan nods slowly. "I've met her. Veyath's hurt?" He glances out into
the bowl, and this time notices Veyath lying off to the side, sleeping.
"And jays, T'lar. They'll be all right?" he asks hopefully.

N'ren nods at Kassima, "Must not have been too bad. I didn't see Brynarth
around, and that infirmary may not be big enough for both Nicoth and
Brynarth."

Maarie hrms, "Hopefully they will be well enough to fly next Fall."

N'ren shakes his head, "I'd guess Nicoth to be out two, probably three
months at least. Veyath will probably only be out two."

Kassima sighs. "I hope not. With T'lar and Nicoth not even able to fly up
to their weyr for three months and Veyath out for two or so, that's more
than enough injuries for one Fall. Could've been much worse, though, so I
guess we were lucky."

Jerethan shakes his head. "Jays," he repeats. "Can I visit them?" he asks,
glancing around, then shakes his head again. "They'd surely be asleep," he
realizes. At the mention of Nicoth, he nods. "I haven't seen Nicoth since
he was a Weyrling," he says, and then sighs in agreement with Kassima.
"Could have been worse," he admits. "I didn't hear the watchdragon keening,
which is always good."

All the talk about Fall brings Maarie back to her original purpose of the
evening. She sets down her glass and brings Zuseth's straps closer to the
table so she will still be able to hear the conversation as she works on
bits and pieces.

N'ren replies, "That's a question for the dragonhealers."

Jerethan nods. "How's Alyssa?" he asks. "I saw Keth out in the bowl..."

Kethran walks in from the bowl.

Kethran waves to Jerethan as he enters. "Heya, Harper," he says, glancing
around worriedly.

N'ren gestures, "There he is. Ask him."

N'ren sips.

Jerethan glances back at Kethran. "Heya, Trader!" he returns, managing a
grin for his friend. "How's Alyssa?"

Kethran smiles. "I'm told she did wonderfully during Threadfall today, and
one of the dragonhealers told me she'd been promoted to full dragonhealer."

Kassima glances over at Maarie, setting down her wineglass for a moment.
"What happened to the straps? Just worn?"

Jerethan smiles, happy to hear some good news. "That's great!" he says,
beaming. "You must be proud!"

Kethran grins. "Ayup. That I am!"

Maarie nods, "That and some extra pull from some shipments I helped bring
from the healer hall over to Bitra. Thought I'd at least give them a good
once over up close rather than be dumped mid-air."

Noone notices that Ella has fallen asleep, wine glass in hand, till she
starts to snore softly.

Jerethan continues to whisper with Kethran in quiet tones, catching up on
the latest news with his friend.

N'ren finishes his glass of wine, and smiles at Ella. He says, to himself,
"Good to see that some things haven't things haven't changed."

Kassima hrms and nods. "Mine need work, too--nothing immediate,
fortunately, just regular wear-and-tear. I've a new set I can use in the
meanwhile, but if this set can be fixed, it'll be for the better. Thought I
might get T'lar's aid on them. It'll keep him from being bored."

N'ren stands up, slowly, and gathers the Istan greenrider into his arms.
It's clear he's done this before.

N'ren shifts her position slightly, so that her head is against his shoulder.

Kethran nods. "Maybe he'll be willing to teach me a bit more about it," he
says hopefully.

Maarie chuckles, "There is a nasty thing indeed. T'lar...bored."

N'ren grins at the other two greenriders, "I think that's my cue. Good
night, ladies. If you get drunk enough to wanna drop by, feel free." He
winks, playfully.

Kassima chuckles. "Oh, I'm sure he'll find something to do. I think he'd be
willing, Keth; he's got three months of mostly idle time, after all." She
grins at N'ren. "Night. Clear skies and all that stuff."

Maarie just shakes her head, "But you already have a girl in your arms. I'd
hate to intrude." she adds jokingly.

Maarie glances over towards Kethran, "Hmm? You have the patience to be with
T'lar?"

Kethran blinks at Maarie, and then nods. "Of course," he says. "T'lar's a
pretty good guy," he says firmly.

N'ren tilts his head slightly, to kiss the top of Ella's head. She curls up
a little more, "This time, it's true, I can't take her back to her weyr."
Then he aside, "He won't be idle. I guarantee, that much dragon, needing
that much healing, will be spending a lot of time hopping around scratching
where it itches."

Kassima laughs. "Hadn't considered that. Mayhaps he won't be so bored after
all."

Maarie drums her fingers, "Very big dragon with lots of itches. Yep,
Kethran, if you follow T'lar around it's undoubtedly what you'll be doing."

Kethran chuckles. "Indeed. Well, truth be told I don't think I'd mind
helping out. It'd be fun, for certain -- especially if I didn't have to do
it /every day/ like a rider," he winks.

Maarie raises a brow, "You wouldn't want to be a rider?"

N'ren turns and quietly walks out into the bowl, carrying Ella.

N'ren walks towards the inner cavern.

Lysseth> Kheveth takes flight, using the thermals rising from the bowl to
carry him aloft.

Kassima grins. "Eh, oiling a dragon's not really a chore--'course, I don't
need to oil one the size of Nicoth, either, so who am I to speak?"

Kethran smiles. "Well, I've heard how wonderful it is to have a lifemate.
But I also saw what happened to day... and all the work you riders have to
do." He shrugs. "It's not like it'll ever be a situation I have to worry
'bout, though," he chuckles. "I'm a Trader."

Maarie shrugs, "So was I. So was I."

Kassima smiles and shrugs. "I used to be a simple wandering Holderlass, and
was sure that was all I'd ever be."

Benden Weyr> N'ren says, ".... when a dragon swooped down and dragged you
onto the sands."

Kethran chuckles. "Still, how many thousands of people on Pern? And how
many Searched? I'd rather take odds from a Bitran."

Benden Weyr> Maarie heys, "We're not going to be at the bottom of the totem
pole much longer..."

Benden Weyr> Kassima says, "Nah. When a dragon swooped down and dragged me
to endless rounds of latrine cleaning. :)"

Maarie giggles, "Well, we could always pull M'kla in for odds."

Kassima chuckles. "Truth, they're not the best." She grins at Maarie.
"M'kla was a Bitran? Never knew that."

Benden Weyr> Maarie points to +bdwduty weyrlings for a good chuckle.

Benden Weyr> Kethran LOL. Ursa's still a weyrling? Does Spineth know this?

Maarie nods, "Jazmin too. Alls these Bitrans."

Benden Weyr> Jehrina says, "No, no one's bothered to update the duty rosters."

Benden Weyr> Maarie still gets a kick out of it. *snugs to Jehrina*

Benden Weyr> Jehrina says, "Hi."

Benden Weyr> Kethran waves to the big-knotted big-dragonned Weyrwoman.

Kethran smiles. "Well, Bitra's not that far off from the Weyr, really," he
points out.

Maarie rubs her hands together, "If proximity to the weyr had anything to
do with gettting Searched, then Faranth help us."

Kassima grins at Maarie.

Jerethan chuckles. "I actually heard someone say that -- that they were
going to the Weyr because they wanted to be a dragonrider," he says,
shaking his head. "As if dragons can't fly anywhere on Pern."

Benden Weyr> Kethran wonders if he's maved yet?

Benden Weyr> Maarie says, "You're asking the wrong people..."

Benden Weyr> Kethran grins. Hmmm? I don't think I have, and I'm sure Kassi
would bring it to my attention (amidst chuckles of laughter). BUt was
wondering. 2 alts in one room :(

Maarie picks up her straps, still left untouched, "I should be checking on
some other things." She hefts the straps over her shoulder.

Benden Weyr> Maarie says, "Goodnight Benden."

Benden Weyr> Kassima thinks, Keth, that to put yourself in a situation with
such high mav-risk, you must truly be a masochist. :)

Benden Weyr> Kethran waves to a Maarie ;) Grins. I cheat ;) Use one to
@emit the other ;)

Maarie makes her way outside.

Jerethan smiles and steps aside for Maarie. "Good to see you again,
greennrider."

Benden Weyr> Maarie says, "So do I, Keth. Of course, you don't see it
happen often in the first place."

Maarie winks, "It's still Maarie. Same as before." With that she disappears.

Maarie walks down the short tunnel and out into the bowl.

Kassima yawns and drains her wine glass, blinking a bit and shaking her
head. She stands up and nods to Kethran and Jereth, as well as to Maarie.
"Methinks I'll be heading up to my weyr to start work on Lyss's straps
m'self. G'night!"

You walk down the short tunnel and out into the bowl.