-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Threadfall Over Valley Hold Date: September 24, 1996 Places: Benden Weyr's Northern Bowl; 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. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Kassi's Note: Not every first Fall for Weyrlings goes smoothly. Eclipse Wing's turn sees more injuries than anyone can be happy with and the death of one of their number too. The Dragonhealers in training are provided with plenty of chances to practice, but that's cold consolation. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Log: You backwing for a landing on sands of the bowl. <*> Alyssa salutes P'tran crisply, her features composed in a calm expression. "That would be me, sir." <*> C'vadan looks to Alyssa at P'tran's question. <*> Aladis hangs a bit back from the weyrling group, silently checking and rechecking her own straps. <*> S'riv begins to put the straps on his dragon, mumbling and grumbling as he always does, but there is a ver yserious air to him this eve. <*> Prometh lumbers here from the south. <*> K'tyn walks here from the south. <*> Lal seems not to be listening as she puts the straps on her dragon, and checks her own leathers. <*> Prefeth backwings for a landing. <*> C'vadan tugs on his gloves several times. Kassima directs Lysseth to land a safe distance from the assembling Weyrlings, saluting P'tran swiftly as soon as her dragon touches the ground. Once Lyss is settled, she snaps her straps open and swings down. 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 looks over to Alyssa and nods, stepping up to her. "I have not decided whether T'fian will be with the Weyrlings or Skyfire tonight. I think I'd prefer the latter since that's his new assignment, so that means you'll be leading them." P'tran grins slightly. "'Them' meaning the weyrlings, naturally, not Skyfire" Kindre salutes riders as they arrive, her attention on the Weyrleader. C'vadan smiles, but remains still and quiet behind Alyssa. Aphrael climbs down from Prefeth's neckridges with practised ease, reaching up to give her lifemate a thankful scritch as the blue dragon crooons. Benden Weyr> Caitria hms. If Thread's falling over the Weyr, the runner pasture _might_ not be the smartest place to be. Laerth backwings for a landing. Alyssa smiles barely and nods, coming, if possible, more to attention. "The wing and my seconds and I are all ready, sir. We won't let you down." Benden Weyr> Kayne hides out in his armored wagon. ;) Aphrael slides down to the ground from Prefeth's back, moving over towards the Skyfire contingent as she pulls her goggles off. Laerth gives something of a snort as he looks over the other dragons beginning to assemble, peering over at the weyrlings' dragons especially. Dulath stands at attention as is his normal habit. Lal shuffles to the back of the bowl, near the stacked bags of firestone. She seems to inspect them, and goes through as many bags as she can. S'riv give P'tran a look, obviously not liking the idea of having a weyrling leading weyrlings in their first flgiht, but he says nothing K'tyn jogs over, sewing kit in hand. He looks well-rested and fit as he makes a minor repair to Prometh's straps. He listens intently to all that is going on. Adonith greets his sire with a thin bugle and raising of his chin in deference to the bronze. P'tran nods to Alyssa. "Naturally, you'll have experienced riders watching you and your group in case you get into trouble." Kassima waves to Aph in greeting before resuming her careful check of Lysseth's straps and the buckles thereon. "Looks good, Lyss," she murmurs to her dragon. "Should, though, since they're newly made... but shells, you're tough on straps. Be careful tonight, love." The green croons to her rider in response, eyes already beginning to pick up speed with anticipation. Lal says "Are we s'pposed t'carry stone fer our dragons?" Lal is carefully repacking a bag as she speaks. Juliath backwings for a landing. "Thank you, sir," Alyssa replies in a voice oddly subdued and bereft of any nervousness she must be feeling. "I know we feel comforted and supported...but we'll try our best not to be a burden to anyone. That defeats the purpose of us being there." Dragon> Laerth bespoke Benden dragons with << All Benden riders flying in the Fall today, please come to the north bowl now if you are not already there >> Meli slips smoothly down from Juliath's neck to her foreleg and to the ground, giving her a gentle caress. Aphrael flashes a grin over at Kassi as she runs her hands over Prefeth's hide, looking calm and comfortable. One ear is cocked to listen to any instructions given. T'lar comes out of the short tunnel from the living cavern. Aladis nods briefly to the others from her wing, continuing with her inspection of her green's straps. Satisfied, she tugs on her gloves, and turns to watch P'tran, expectantly. S'riv finds another strap he is unsure of, and begins to sew on it, grumbling all the time. He lends an ear to the conversations, but is intent on what he does. T'lar moves over to Nicoth and begins doublechecking straps, tightening where necessary. Alyssa looks over her shoulder at Lal and smiles, nodding. "Please do, brownrider, please do." P'tran pauses a moment to look over the other dragons assembling and calls out an order to dress up the line a bit, then returns to the Weyrlings. "Do not be afraid to ask for help," he says quite sternly. "Also, you will be coming in not at the start of the Fall, but a bit later as the riders start to need more 'stone." Benden Weyr> J'cob says, "Lookatall t'people!" Lal nods. "Good. Hate t'go up there wi'naw stone n'fire." Benden Weyr> Meli says, "Man, you'd think something was going on :)" Alyssa nods, soothed by the familiar orders that are so like what she was instructed to expect. "Yes, sir." Benden Weyr> K'tyn snickers. Caitria walks here from the south. Benden Weyr> Kayne says, "Yeah, like a Threadfall or something! Sheesh!" P'tran nods to Alyssa in agreement with her order to Lal. "Yes, you all should carry enough 'stone to supply the riders *and* feed your dragons. You never know when you'll need to flame your way out of something if you can't get out any other way" Zibrith backwings for a landing. Starratiel walks here from the south. Asrai comes out of the short tunnel from the living cavern. Kindre nods, "I'll need aa 'thrower then, Sir?" Caitria scoots through, pausing let the appropriate person know that the animals are under cover. Starratiel says "Hello." S'riv continues to work on his straps. He stands, brushing off his dirty hands and giving them one last look over. "No so bad." he says flatly. P'tran nods to Kindre. "You'll be flying as part of the Queens' Wing rather than resupply." C'vadan steps closer to Alyssa. "Start the wing in collecting their bags, wingleader?" Asrai blinks at all the people and dragons, shrinking back a little from old habits. Kassima slips her gloves over her hands once she's finished giving Lysseth's straps the thrice-over. She leads Lyss over to her proper place in the assemblage, rubbing the green's neck soothingly, before turning to listen with all attentiveness to P'tran. Alyssa inquires to P'tran, brow quirked, "Sir...how long do we usually wait before being called on to resupply the wings? I mean, that would affect how soon our dragons chew stone, would it not?" Elyandra swings gracefully from Zibrith's neck, using a thoughtfully extended forleg, she slides to the ground. Her eyes are distant as she speaks silently to her dragon before giving her an affectionate rub on her neck. Benden Weyr> Starratiel says, "Threadfall?" Nicoth moves into position in the forming Skyfire wing. His lifemate moves off to get some firestone sacks. Kethran smiles at Starratiel, and waves her over. "I think I've got everything," he says, gesturing the the supplies stacked neatly in the bowl. "Did I forget anything? Karise wanders back to Erinyth, gloved hands rubbing against the green's hide, the girl peering up with speculative eye. Starratiel looks over the supplies. "Nope, didn't forget anything. Good job." Dragon> Laerth bespoke Benden dragons with << OOC Ok, lets all do this once :) ... To get the visualization from Laerth, 'dtu learn <alias>=Laerth' where <alias> is anything you want. Other riders that have flown thread before, this is the SAME thread room, you have tha alias already :) >> Benden Weyr> Kethran also notes: any residents interested in helping out, please page me or Starr! Meli finishes her usual routine with Juliath, then starts to look for 'stone bags for the green. Starratiel smiles at the weyrlings. "I wish you luck...." Benden Weyr> S'riv says, "One quick suggestion to the weyrlings from the rope game....if you blink between, just pose it, don't actually /do/ it....it adds to the spam and the que command could take a while to get through on a night like tonight" P'tran turns back to Alysssa. "Wait for my instruction before you go aloft, but be ready to go the moment that command comes in. Laerth will bespeak your dragons" T'lar walks over and plops down a duo of firestone sacks next to Meli. "Luck, Meli." He moves off with an affectionate pat for Juliath. K'tyn looks up from his patching and smiles at those around him as he finishes the leatherwork and then tests the strap. Satisfied with it, he puts his strap stuff away and then turns to direct the loading of the weyrling dragons with stone. Aladis quickly moves to gather firestone bags for Asabeth, her expression grim. Meli waves at T'lar as he walks off. Elyandra jogs over to P'tran, strapping her helmet under her chin, "Where do you want us?" She shoves her long braid into her jacket and pulls on her riding gloves. Starratiel walks over to Prometh and K'tyn. "Is this your first fall? Nodding in response to C'vadan's inquiry, Alyssa then turns back to P'tran and smiles again, faintly. "We'll be ready, sir," she promises. C'vadan turns and directs his wingmates in the collection of the 'stone bags, making sure everyone carries plenty without being oveweighed. Lal finishes up the straps on Areseth. She walks over to R'tern and V'cet, and speaks to them about something. Asrai stands out of the way, knowing she won't be needed till after fall. Dragon> Adonith bespoke Benden Weyrlings with << Saer just told us to pose going between rather than using the commands to reduce system lags. :) Good idea. :) >> T'lar says "Asrai. You can help hand out the firestone sacks if you wish. Each rider knows how much their dragon needs." Dragon> Dulath bespoke Benden Weyrlings with << Understood :) >> Dragon> Erinyth bespoke Benden Weyrlings with << Sounds good from here. >> Kindre takes a long breath and then lets it out slowly, nodding at Alyssa, "We've been taught well, Weyrleader." P'tran grabs a bag of 'stone as it is handed to him and proceeds to feed firestone into his dragon's maw. He looks back over his shoulder to Elyandra. "I think Dawnslight should take the left flank this time." S'riv gives his dragon a pat and leans against his bronze hide. Even after all these years this time before fall is making him notably nervous. Kethran nods in Alyssa's direction. "Think that'll be enough?" he asks her, indicating the pile. "It's better to have too much out here than too little -- we can always carry it back." K'tyn slips into his fighting gear, then stands ready at Prometh's side. He assists Cav in directing and loading of 'stone on the dragons. Dragon> Herath bespoke Benden Weyrlings with << Same for here >> Kassima pins her long brown-streaked black braid into a coronet and pulls her riding helmet on top of it, fastening the chin-strap before heading over to pick up firestone sacks for Lysseth. Choosing an appropriate amount, she hauls them back to the green and carefully places the rocks in Lysseth's mouth for her to crunch. Dragon> Benden dragons sense that Laerth repeats for the weyrlings: 'dtu learn <something>=Laerth'. This is for the *initial* between to the Fall destination, which is a room we use for all Falls. Dragon> Benden Weyrlings sense that Prometh nods! I gotcha! Starratiel watches the activity, and looks over the supplies one more time. "Numbweed? Karise stars, moving quickly, putting a good mount of sack on Erinyth. She peers, nodding as she manages to get a decent load. C'vadan finishes securing the additional bags to Dulath's straps and checks once more on his wingmates. Elyandra nods and turns around, "DAWNSLIGHT, PREPARE FOR LEFT FLANK!" She grabs onto the riding straps and mounts her dragon as Zibrith's eyes swirl blood red and she BUGLES out orders of her own. Meli collects a bag from a weyrling, directing him to place another beside her. She busies herself feeding a few Juliath-sized chunks to her green. Dragon> Laerth bespoke Benden dragons with << I suggest using 'thread' as the alias, since its the same room we use over and over again >> T'lar begins to feed carefully selected pieces of stone to Nicoth. Benden Weyr> Starratiel says, "Where can we +watch?" Dragon> Benden dragons sense that Adonith woos! I did something right tonight! Aphrael begins selecting out stones as she's handed a bag by one of the weyrlings, popping them into Prefeth's maw. The blue chews contentedly, crunching the bits up and swallowing. P'tran calls out, "Skyfire will take center this time!" He finishes feeding 'stone too Laerth and calls out again. "Thunderbolt, right flank!" Aladis tugs her gloves on carefully, opening a bag up and carefully feeding firestone to her green. Alyssa smiles gratefully at Kethran and studies the pile before her. "Thank you...thank you very much." She then begins to fasten sacks to Adonith's straps, checking each strap to ensure the bags are secure but easily released. Benden Weyr> Kassima says, "+watch on Benden-Bowl, I think." Elyandra steps up on Zibrith's thoughtfully extended forleg and climbs quickly up on her neck, seating herself securly between her dragon's neckridges. Lal walks from R'tern and V'cet, then patpats Areseth. "I know yeh cin see it just fine, love. JUst wanna make sure." Melusine walks here from the south. Dragon> Benden Weyrlings sense that Dulath thinks this will not be the first thing you do right tonight, brother. Benden Weyr> P'tran says, "Yep, +watch on benden-bowl, the thread room will be audible to it as always" T'lar moves with Skyfire into the assigned position. He looks over at the weyrling wing with concern. S'riv feeds his dragon the first of the stone and winces a bit as he shifts. He continues to look over the straps, something still not looking right. Dragon> Benden Weyrlings sense that Adonith smiles and hopes you cover his butt if not! Aphrael lifts her head at P'tran's yell, and nods. "Center, center." She mumbles, mostly to herself, but to Prefeth as well as they both move with the rest of the wing. Starratiel looks through the supplies. "Numbweed...bandages...Keth, did you get wine? Meli mutters "-Other- stomach" under her breath, giving Juliath a slap on the flank as she checks the straps yet again. Dragon> Benden Weyrlings sense that Prometh is positive we'll all be awesome.:) Dragon> Dulath bespoke Benden Weyrlings with << Begin to chew 'stone? >> Caitria bends down to speak quietly with her apprentice, manner serious. The lad nods, and scoots into the living cavern. Asrai sees a drudge in need of help and rushes to her aid. Kassima and Lysseth obediantly shift along with the rest of the Wing into right flank position, resuming the feeding of firestone as soon as they're in place. Dragon> Nicoth bespoke Benden Weyrlings with << Cocky weyrling. :) >> Kethran nods. "S'my job, sister mine," he says, before getting distracted by yet another drudge with a last-minute question. He glances up at Starratiel, and snaps his fingers. "Shells! Knew I forgot something. The 'okay' stuff?" he asks her. "Or even worse, the Tillek?" Astride Zibrith, Elyandra calls down to her faithful drudge, Dron, "Dron! More firestone!" She buckles herself in as he tosses her a sack, then another and another. Zibrith turns her head around to accept piece after piece of firestone, her belly beginning to gurgle with acid. Starratiel says "Okay's fine...as long as it's strong..." P'tran inspects his straps scrupulously, tightening a strap along one side of the nexk, and tugging on it to make sure the connection holds. Meli climbs smoothly up Juliath's extended foreleg and settles herself between the neck ridges, as the green gives a welcome rumble from deep in her throat. T'lar is catapulted up by a quick movement of Nicoth's snout. He gets the bronze an affectionate slap. Aladis moves with the rest of the Thunderbolt dragons, preparing to take center flank, fastening bags to asabeth's riding straps. Aladis leaps up onto Asabeth's outstretched foreclaw, and vaults up onto her neck with practiced ease. Dragon> Benden Weyrlings sense that Erinyth OOCly warns she made lag out....just did it. Starratiel continues looking through. "Redwort...needles and thread...yep... 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. <*> Aphrael begins tying spare sacks of firestone to Prefeth's neck, making sure they are secure before she scrambles up. <*> Lal pulls out a bag of stone for herself, and begins to feed Areseth with it, "Yah, I picked th'best ones, BigBoy. I'm a Miner! Course I know!" She fusses at her dragon. <*> Alyssa looks behind her at the collection of weyrlings and sighs, taking a very deep breath before she double-checks Adonith's straps. <*> Astride Juliath, Meli busies herself attaching the straps between her belt and Juliath's rings, even as they maneuver to the left flank, back with the other greens. <*> 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. <*> C'vadan pulls open a sack and pulls out a large rock, feeding it to an eager Dulath. "Second stomach.... Don't be in so much of a rush, Duly." <*> S'riv mumbles a conversation with his dragon and motions Caitria over. <*> P'tran turns from his dragon and calls out loudly, "Mount up!! I'll go over the Fall pattern as you do! ..." <*> K'tyn finishes tying many bags to Prometh's straps, then looks after the others in his part of the wing, helping to ready the other weylings as fast as he may. <*> Karise peers over Erinyth's straps, over the bags, making sure each is secure. She feeds Erinyth firestone, wincing at the grating noices, concentrating with her green on the second stomach. <*> Caitria scoots over to Saer's side. "Aye, S'riv?" <*> Astride Prefeth, Aphrael settles down into place, strapping herself in carefully as she pulls on her helomet and goggles. Kassima buckles herself in and checks over the fastenings on Lysseth's firestone sacks, nodding as they seem secure. "Everything comfortable, Lyss?" she murmurs to the dragon, receiving an impatient rumble of assent. <*> Lal mumbles about the amount of quartz in the stone this time... <*> C'vadan gives Alyssa a thumbs up sign, then pulls on his helmet. <*> Kindre takes anotherlong breath as she tugs and checks Herath's straps before attempting to get the flame-thrower in place. <*> From atop Nicoth, T'lar securely fastens his jacket before buckling in. He checks the straps three times before satisfied. Helmet on his head, goggles around his neck, he waits and listens for instructions. <*> S'riv hands Caitria a bundle. An age old ritual it seems to him, after so many turns, "For Kerlyn, shoul anythin' happen ta m'.." He smiles just a bit. <*> Kethran nods to Starratiel. "I have just the stuff." He marches off to the inner caverns with several drudges in tow, returning with about four bottles of strong, sweet wine tithed by Valley Hold themselves. Too sweet, for most tastes, but it's certainly strong. <*> Atop Asabeth, Aladis leans down to reach another bag of firestone, securing the bag to Asabeth's straps. She fastens her helmet and straps herself in. <*> P'tran calls out, "THis fall is starting offshore and will come in over Valley, then head inland towards Bayhead. The winds are steady from the north, and its chilly. It looks like rain, but last report says it hasn't started yet. You'll have to watch for those winds over the hills behind Valley, they can get tricky!" <*> Zibrith snorts, a puff of smoke curling up from her nostrils before she lifts her head skyward and BUGLES! Elyandra looks behind her, making count of her wing. She notes who's in place and calls out, "V'pit! You and Draeth behind Maarie!" She points, "No! Maarie! Not Anikka!" She grumbles something rude as she turns her attention to P'tran, nodding and making mental notes. <*> Selecting the proper-sized stones for Adonith, Alyssa begins tossing the firestone into Adonith's mouth, watching him closely as he masticates and swallows. When her hand is free, she returns C'vadan's gesture and salutes him. Then turns to listen to P'tran's report and instructions, nodding at almost each word. <*> Caitria takes the bundle with a nod, and squeezes S'riv's hand, with a nod. "A'course." <*> Prefeth rustles his wings slightly, impatience in his quickly whirling eyes as he watches the other dragons in the wing. <*> K'tyn hears the Weyrleader's call then jogs back to Prometh, pulling helmet, gloves and goggles on." <*> Astride Juliath, *snap* the last strap is connected, and Meli tightens her helmet on her short hair, snugging her gloves close on her hands. Goggles on her forehead, she sits and listens. <*> Above, Liath flies over from the south end of the bowl. <*> P'tran looks over to Alyssa. "Alyssa, get the Weyrlings organized and be ready to go on a moment's notice, but stay put here for now when the rest of us go aloft ... <*> Liath backwings for a landing. <*> Lal sighs, putting on her helmet, gloves, and goggles. She continues to talk to Areseth. <*> Asrai walks beneath the lintel and disappears into the living cavern. <*> Tinya swings her leg over Liath's back and drops to the ground, landing lightly. <*> S'riv smiles, his thank genuine. he turns and goes over the straps again, feeding his bronze brute the last of the firestone in his hand, "Here we go again laddie." he mumbles. <*> C'vadan stands ready to mount up at his wingleaders command, confident his wingmates are ready, too. <*> Starratiel nods to Kethran. "Thanks." and waves to K'tyn, Alyssa, and the other weyrlings... <*> S'riv heaves himself up Cioth's massive forleg and settles himself between the dragons neckridges, as the big bronze bugles deafeningly. <*> Karise slips her helmet over dark locks, peering up at Erinyth for a long moment, then last stone whewas about to give the green denied. She smiles, slightly before buttoning up the rest of her jacket. <*> Tinya hurries over to get firestone, then brings it back and begins methodically feeding it to Liath. Kassima pulls down her goggles and then sits as still as a statue, listening silently to the description of the upcoming 'Fall. Lysseth is not so motionless; her wings rustle, belying her impatience, and her eyes pick up speed and flecks of crimson amongst the blue. Dragon> Laerth bespoke Benden dragons with << Last bit of OOC spam ... T'fian is not on, Weyrlings with approved injuries, page me. Also, regular riders planning injuries, let me know also now if you haven't already >> <*> Caitria smiles to S'riv, and gives the Weyrlings' wing an encouraging nod as she moves past, peering over Starr's shoulder at the supplies. "I'm almost getting used to this," she murmurs to the stewards." <*> Alyssa salutes P'tran and replies, "Yes, sir!" Turning on her heel, she looks over at the weyrlings and calls out in a clear voice that carries down her wing, "Eclipse Wing, check your supplies and your straps, feed your dragons!" <*> P'tran calls out again, "Final call, mount up!" and turns to his own dragon. <*> Lal chuckles as she checks her straps AGAIN causally. She feeds Areseth the last of his firestone ration. <*> P'tran climbs up onto Laerth in one smooth motion. <*> Alyssa tugs one last time on Adonith's straps, nods to herself, then, lowering her goggles, prepares to mount. <*> Asrai comes out of the short tunnel from the living cavern. <*> Alyssa uses the oiled straps and an extended foreleg to mount Adonith and, once settled between his neckridges, she rubs his hide adoringly and receives, in return, a loving warblecroon. <*> From atop Nicoth, T'lar checks position and straps one more time. Goggles and gloves go on and the last bit of firestone is chewed. <*> C'vadan climbs up onto his lifemate's shoulders and gives Dulath an affectionate pat on the shoulders before checking his straps. <*> Astride Zibrith, Elyandra looks over her shoulder and calls, "Meli! Would you be so kind as to show V'pit which one is Maarie?!" She waves and watches. <*> From between Cioth's neckridges, S'riv buckles himself in, slipping on both gloves and helmet. He gives the bronze a pat again and smiles, "Shells..we must be doin' seomthin' right laddie...we're still alive...lets just do the same again." <*> Kindre gives Herath a soft, loving pat on the side. Humbling her oft high-held muzzle, Herath dips close to the ground for her lifemate. Taking a moment to give the leathered harness a firm tug, Kindre keeps her hand there as she half-steps, half-tugs herself up with courtly ease. As her rider bestrides, you catch an unusually easy and contented glint in Herath's jeweled eyes. <*> Asrai waves to the riders as they take wing. <*> From Dulath's neckridges, C'vadan straps himself in, and pulls on his goggles. <*> Settled between Adonith's neckridges, Alyssa raises her voice once more and shouts behind her, "Eclipse Wing, mount up!" <*> Tinya swings quickly up to a seat on Liath's back. <*> Laerth gives a loud rumble to the other dragons and lifts himself up, unfolding his wings. His rider gives a final look at the formations around him ... <*> Astride Juliath, Meli waves back at Ely, nodding. She leans sideways to yell at V'pit, gesturing towards Maarie as she does so. <*> From between Cioth's neckridges, S'riv mumbles something about wanted to get aloft and away from all the shardin' noise. <*> Lal takes a flying leap towards Areseth, who cringes in anticipation of her approach. With a whoop and a yahoo, Lal lands on Areseth's shoulder, then scrambles up his side with reckless abandon. With a last heave, she lands on Areseth's neck ridges, having anticipated Areseth's FLINCH in her acrobatic manuever. Areseth SIGHS contentedly, Lal having succeeded again. <*> Lilith lumbers here from the south. <*> From atop Laerth, P'tran looks around a final time, then lifts his arm and lets it drop in a signal to go aloft. <*> From Liath's back, Tinya buckles into the straps, and hurriedly twists her hair up neatly, putting the helmet carefully on top of it. <*> Laerth takes flight, using the thermals rising from the bowl to carry him aloft. <*> K'tyn feeds Prometh a last chunk of stone, then pats the draon on the neck. He checks straps a final last time, then mounts. <*> 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. <*> Zibrith rises up from the bowl. <*> Lilith rises up from the bowl. <*> Liath rises up from the bowl. <*> Prefeth rises up from the bowl. Dragon> Benden Weyrlings sense that Lilith bugles! <*> Cioth rises up from the bowl. <*> From atop Laerth, P'tran looks around him again as the formation rises as one, then drops his arm to signal the move between <*> Laerth disappears into Between. <*> Juliath disappears into Between. <*> Prefeth 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: Prefeth Black... Blacker... Blackest! Dragon> Benden Weyrlings sense that Dulath reminds werylings we remain on the ground now. You suddenly emerge... <*> Lysseth emerges from Between with a blast of cold air! <*> Nicoth emerges from Between with a blast of cold air! <*> Zibrith emerges from Between with a blast of cold air! <*> Liath emerges from Between with a blast of cold air! Dragon> Benden Weyrlings sense that Erinyth baps her net. Drat!! Dragon> Benden Weyrlings sense that Prometh nods. << Until we are summoned! >> <*> Laerth gives a loud rumble as the others start to appear around them in formation. <*> Nicoth swings quickly into position with practiced ease. Dragon> Benden dragons sense that Zibrith 's rider needs to know who's getting injured (Dragonwise) this time, please? <*> Astride Juliath, Meli shudders slightly, asking Juliath to adjust slightly in the damp air. <*> Prefeth bursts out of between with the rest of the Skyfire wing, roaring happily as he settles into position, eyes towards the direction of threadfall. <*> Cioth emerges from Between with a blast of cold air! <*> Liath wobbles his wings, testing air currents carefully. <*> The air feels just a bit nippy in the cloudy skies just east of Valley Hold. Damp, cold autumn air blows in from the north, carrying with it the faint odor of rain, yet none is falling from the skies as yet. Occassionally, however, you think you feel a droplet strike you. It may be only wishful thinking, as one look at the line of dark silver grey rolling in from offshore and the churn in waters just beneathe it where the threads strike the ocean show that it is still not quite wet enough. <*> Laerth gives a loud snort and his rider frowns at the weather that is almost-rain but not quite. "We fight this one, it looks like!" he calls out. <*> Lysseth flicks out of *between*, bugeling stridently as she settles smoothly into formation. Eyes a-whirl with bright crimson, she focuses solely on the approaching Thread, sparing no thought for the uncomfortable damp. <*> From between Cioth's neckridges, S'riv nods slightly, having expected that, "I didna get dressed up for nothin'." <*> From atop Nicoth, T'lar signals his acknowledgment and readies for Threadfall. <*> Zibrith BUGLES and falls into the left flank with ease, diving for her correct spot at the front of the formation. She growls and rumbles, ordering her wing behind her as Elyandra turns to check the rest of the formation. She nods with satisfaction, keeping one eye on V'pit and Draeth as she watches Laerth and the Weyrleader for the signals. She turns to call out to Dawnslight, "Dawnslight! We fight! No rain!" Dragon> Adonith bespoke Benden Weyrlings with << My rider wants me to tell you all she is proud to ride with you. We will do well, she knows it. And we will! >> <*> From Liath's back, Tinya laughs, cupping hands around her mouth to call to S'riv, "Would you mind so much if you did?" <*> The winds blow steady from the north. Below, the ocean meets the shore and the first cothold appears only about twenty dragonlengths inland from the high tide mark, the first in a ragged line of cotholds leading westward to the main hold at Valley to the west. To the east, the leading edge of the Threadfall makes the transition from water to land, and the battle begins. <*> Juliath bugles a reply to Zibrith, settling into her own spot in formation, eyes increasing their whirl as she gazes at the approaching menace. <*> From between Cioth's neckridges, S'riv grins slightly and yells out, "Aye...this be far more fun." His sarcasm is most evident. Kassima nods wordlessly, glaring a bit at the overcast skies before taking a deep breath and turning that glare to the Leading Edge. <*> Nicoth bugles his challenge to the age-old enemy as the wings swoop in flaming. Dragon> Dulath bespoke Benden Weyrlings with << We will be the best of any of Leilanth's clutches. >> Dragon> Nicoth bespoke Benden Weyrlings with << Wishful thinking, Dulath. :) >> Dragon> Areseth bespoke Benden Weyrlings with << No sense talking about it, brother. Let's just DO it, shall we? >> <*> Laerth gives a loud roar as he surges forward to meet the thread as it heads onto shore! <*> Prefeth keeps his wings spread wide, gliding carefully on the winds as he swoops closer, flame trailing out of his mouth as he BUGLES at the oncoming thread. <*> As the thick of the Fall moves completely onto land, a diffuse sheet of thread descends on the front lines near green Zibrith. Dragon> Benden Weyrlings sense that Prometh trumpets agreement to that, Areseth! <*> Cioth rumbles, taking up his usual position behind the formation, ready to plug hooles in the formation as needed. <*> From Liath's back, Tinya's expression and posture show laughter lost to the winds, turning to a wordless shout as her dragon surges forward with Dawnslight wing. Dragon> Herath bespoke Benden Weyrlings with << I will be watching you all from below. >> <*> The shoreline passes to the east as the Fall advances inland. A large clump falls near bronze Nicoth and surrounding wingmates. <*> Astride Zibrith, Elyandra turns to glare at S'riv, "Keep your mind on the job at hand, Bronzerider!" She is cut off as Zibrith dives and flames, turning the sheet of Thread into a harmless spattering of ash. She BUGLES triumphantly, darting between the other dragons. <*> Nicoth banks right as Skyfire wing wheels in unison to meet the leading edge of the Fall. As one, the dragons rise up, red orange jets lighting the sky, black dust whirling onward to the ground. Dragon> Benden Weyrlings sense that Lilith sticks her tongue out at Herry. <*> From Prefeth's neckridges, Aphrael leans down closer to her dragon as the blue rushes upwards with the wing to meet the thread, maw agape and flaming as the slivery rain falls around them. <*> Juliath coughs out a small test-flame to get things rolling, followed by a more impressive *whoosh* of orange and red against the gray sky and the roiling mass of thread. She banks left, then right, cutting a path through a particularly annoying clump. <*> Laerth opens his mouth to spew a flame of thread at a ragged patch before banking into batter position to cover the sky and allow his rider to watch the rest ofthe Wing. <*> From between Cioth's neckridges, S'riv chuckles, attentive to his job as always, and in his usual position. He grumbles something about missing T'gar already and maneuvers his dragon to a point in the formation where the fall looks thickest <*> Lysseth TRUMPETS! as the Thread comes closer, tensed with excitement and fury both. Her jaw opens and a jet of orange-golden flame spurts out, to cinder a clump passing nearby. <*> Below, the sands of the shore give way to more fertile soil surrounding the Hold. Winds threaten the northern flank as thread falls quickly towards blue Liath. <*> Liath bugles readiness as he dives at a patch of thread, tilting one wing for a sweeping pass that chars the whole long clump, leaving only trailing ash. A flick of the tail, and he is tilted level again, turning his head back for another piece of 'stone. Dragon> Adonith bespoke Benden Weyrlings with << Since I was just asked by three people...to watch the fall +watch on benden-bowl >> <*> Laerth turns his head briefly to accept a lump of firestone from his rider and quickly chews it, ready moments later to flame another clump to ashes. <*> The Fall has reached the outskirts of Valley Hold. Below and slightly westward, last-minute preparations take place as shutters are closed and the fireheights are ignited in a blaze of light. Just as the threads start to fall over the orchard fields, the Hold doors are shut and all is still. Everything is anything but still in the skies, however, as the Fall thickens. The winds remain constant from the north, continuing to set up a strong crosswind that blows the thread at a steep angle. <*> Nicoth dives out of formation toward a clump of silver that spins out of pattern. Flaming strongly, he arrows downward. As the last of the silver grey fades to harmless black, he snaps open his wings, rising back to position. <*> Laerth banks sharply to avoid thread he has no time to aim at and bugles a warning behind him, then snorts as the wind hits him and he has to correct. His rider frowns and looks over the formations quickly. <*> With little warning, a thick patch of thread is driven across the front line. An initial burst of dragonfire misses it by a hair and it descends quickly towards green Lysseth. <*> Prefeth is buffeted slightly by the stronger winds, but sheer will of force keeps him in position, flaming a silvery clump to char. <*> From Liath's back, Tinya shouts! At her command, Liath flips between, just as a clump of thread passes through the spot they were at. An instant later, he is back, diving to catch that clump and leave it harmless char. <*> Lysseth turns to accept another chunk of 'stone from Kassima, swallowing the rock just in time to raise her head and meet a sharply descending tangle of Thread with a blaze of fire. Orange light flickers against the dull slate grey of the sky as a cloud of char and dust--the remnants of the patch--fall harmlessly on the winds. <*> Cioth moves quickly to a hole in the dawnslight formation, flaming several lingering strands of the silvery menace at his riders urging. As the brownrider gets back into formation, Cioth falls back and looks for more holes to plug. <*> Juliath and Meli, of one mind, methodically sear and char and shift and move as the fall continues, grim of face and quietly intense. Dragon> Laerth bespoke Benden dragons with << The wind is coming in a little harder here. We need to concentrate on the left flank a bit. >> <*> Near the southern flank, some dragons bank northward to better get at thread driven towards them, only to leave a hole that causes a clump to fall through towards the orchard fields below! Only blue Prefeth seems to be within reach. Dragon> Benden Weyrlings sense that Prometh hms. To Pro on the Weyr channel it's pro bdw= right? Dragon> Benden Weyrlings sense that Erinyth nods. Dragon> Benden Weyrlings sense that Brynarth DOHs! << Threadfall? >> <*> As the Hold courtyard comes into view, several patches of thread assault the formation at once, the thickest one nearest green Juliath, the rest near the dragon's wingmates. <*> Nicoth tosses firestone into the waiting bronze maw. Satisfied that Nicoth has enough, he turns his attention back to the business at hand. He gestures toward a missed clump even as the bronze angles toward it, searing most of it to ash. <*> Prefeth dives down towards the clump of silvery thread, moving sharply to the left in order to meet it. At the last moment though, the strong winds come into play, forcing Prefeth away. And the thread right into his left side. With a BUGLE he dissapears. Dragon> Benden Weyrlings sense that Prometh nods at Brynarth, <<YUP! Gonna join in on the fun?>> <*> Laerth pauses again to accept 'stone from his rider, who frowns slightly before tossing one in. <*> Juliath brings her wings in closer to her body, diving slightly and twisting towards the clump, flame jetting out in a tight arrow, til only dust remains. Quickly rising, she regains her position and turns her head for a bit more 'stone. Dragon> Nicoth bespoke Benden dragons with << Prefeth? >> Dragon> Laerth bespoke Benden dragons with << We are going to be needing 'stone shortly! >> Dragon> Adonith bespoke Benden dragons with << We will come, then! >> Dragon> Laerth bespoke Benden dragons with << Prefeth, are you all right? >> <*> Prefeth reemerges from between, his bugle louder now, and one of pain. He is far below the rest of the wings, and closer to left, banking sharply. <*> Lysseth swings herself more tightly into formation, nearly crowding another who does not move so quickly; fortunately, that's amended swiftly enough, with perhaps a few muttered curses on the other rider's part. Not that Lyss or Kassi notice. Intent on the Fall, they are of one mind in this as in almost nothing else, burning the nearby clumps and disappearing *between* when there's no other choice. As Lysseth sees Prefeth scored, though, she bugles in alarm and lets loose with a torrent of fire that could definitely be described as 'overkill' of a nearby patch. Dragon> Benden dragons sense that Prefeth sends his feelings of pain, and the images of the ground flying by. Nothing else. <*> Laerth suddenly shifts in his position in the formation as a strange gust of wind come up, and his rider curses. <*> As Juliath returns to position, she spots Prefeth below and to her left. A sudden gust of wind, and a large clump of the thread heads towards the injured blue. Diving, Meli hanging on tightly, they shoot out a mighty flame to sear the mass, sweeping upwards at the last moment to avoid a collision. Dragon> Benden Weyrlings sense that Brynarth was going to, but is apparently lagging too badly to do anything, since you all are posing about six times to my one. :P Dragon> Laerth bespoke Benden dragons with << If you are injured, head back to the Weyr immediately if you cannot continue the Fall! >> <*> The leading edge of the Fall is passing over the main part of the Hold. To the immediate west of the Hold loom the hills that surround Valley on three sides. The hills are peppered with clumps of evergreens, and several small cotholds lay nestled among them. The wind remains constant from the west, but as the hills approach, pockets of turbulence begin to develop. Dragon> Adonith bespoke Benden Weyrlings with << Everyone have the dtu dest for the 'fall? >> <*> Liath beats his wings mightily, rising higher than a green wingmate to sear one patch of thread without endangering her with his flame. Task done, he falls back to his proper position, turning his head for more stone. The sack strapped to his side is nearly limp now. Dragon> Laerth bespoke Benden dragons with << Weyrlings, prepare too ... *expressed his rider's frustration* Damn, wind shift! >> Dragon> Benden Weyrlings sense that Lilith doens, came late- where? <*> Prefeth pulls left to avoid crashing into green Juliath. Another bugle is heard before he heads Between again. <*> Prefeth disappears into Between. <*> From atop Nicoth, T'lar feeds more stone to his dragon, just as the tricky winds toss the bronze up sharply. A full sack of firestone breaks loose and tumbles toward the ground. Dragon> Erinyth bespoke Benden Weyrlings with << Ayup....rearin to go! >> Dragon> Dulath bespoke Benden Weyrlings with << Ready! >> <*> Astride Juliath, Meli hangs on tightly, her straps taut, as the pair angles sharply right. Juliath snaps out her wings again, giving several mighty beats to rise back into formation. Dragon> Laerth bespoke Benden dragons with << Weyrlings, we need more stone, but the winds are getting turbulent. Watch yourselves. Come! >> <*> Adonith emerges from Between with a blast of cold air! Dragon> Benden Weyrlings sense that Prometh is ready! <*> Dulath emerges from Between with a blast of cold air! <*> Prometh emerges from Between with a blast of cold air! <*> Areseth emerges from Between with a blast of cold air! <*> Herath emerges from Between with a blast of cold air! <*> Adonith bugles in fierce defiance of the ribbons falling in midair, his hate for the deadly Thread blatent in the clarion call of challenge he trumpets to them. Eyes blazingly red, he announces his arrival and readiness to Laerth and the others. <*> Laerth gives a loud bugle of warning as the Weyrlings appear just as the winds begin to get rather turbulent, sending some unexpected eddies and currents their way. <*> Erinyth emerges from Between with a blast of cold air! Kassima stares down at where Prefeth went *between* in shock for the barest moment, before the sudden violent shift in wind returns her attention to the hear-and-now. She clings tightly to her straps as Lysseth banks sharply to accomodate, forcing herself back into position with a bone-rattling snapping open of her wings. <*> Dulath bugles as C'vadan looks to make sure the wing is here. <*> Zibrith TRUMPETS in frustration as she misses the end of a clump and it falls past her. She swings upwards, beating her wings as Elyandra calls out, "Watch it below! Half-char coming down!" <*> Herath trumpets as she falls in behind the other golds. <*> Prometh bugles and gets into position behind Adonith. His eyes are a ruby red of hated for this ancient, inimical foe. <*> A contingent in the upper part of the formation is suddenly overwhelmed! Several dragons blink between, leaving two untouched clumps to fall. One speeds towards bronze Cioth ... <*> Nicoth bugles his need for stone to the arriving Eclipse wing. He spits a violent burst of flame into a thick clump of Thread straight ahead. Blinking between, he just missing flying directly into the remainder. <*> Erinyth comes out with a bugle, swingign wide and left, mauvering into position, looking ahread to make sure the others are there. <*> ... while the other hits a pocket of unsettled air and is deflected unexpectedly towards blue Liath. <*> Lilith emerges from Between with a blast of cold air! <*> Lilith snaps her wings open, and catches herself, winging down to her place in the wing. <*> Liath turns half upside-down, half inside-out, rolling nearly all the way over in a sudden violent twist to get the thread headed for his back. His rider yelps, audible even over the rushing wind, clinging tightly to the straining straps. <*> Areseth follows in line behind Prometh. Lal barks orders, lost on the wind, to R'tern and V'cet. <*> Adonith bugles to Nicoth as Alyssa calls out the bronze's need for resupply of stone. Dragon> Prometh bespoke Benden Weyrlings with << Instructions, Adonith! Where shall we flame, first? >> Dragon> Laerth bespoke Benden dragons with << Watch it! Several patches getting through at once! >> <*> Cioth hits a change in pressure and drops several meters without any lift. Intent on the thread he is chasing, he doesn't notice the one dropping on him and his rider until the last moment. He swerves violently, tossing S'riv tight into the straps with a curse. Ctioh blinks between with a roar and reappears a few meters away, the clump still unflamed. <*> Dulath follows Adonith, as C'vadan is ready to toss bags to riders in need. Dragon> Adonith bespoke Benden Weyrlings with << Do not flame yet! Wait to see if any come close to us! We are here to resupply! Flame only when thread comes near us. >> <*> Juliath expends some precious energy to *bugle* at Eclipse between gouts of fire, Meli giving a quick hand signal in the air for additional 'stone. <*> Laerth bugles loudly and his rider calls out to the Weyrlings for firestone .. Dragon> Benden Weyrlings sense that Prometh growls his assent, << Yes! >> <*> Nicoth winks back in, higher. He flames one errant patch to char as he descends back to his wing. His flame is definately weaker. <*> Dulath turns slightly as C'vadan tosses a bag to Meli with a deft throw. <*> From Liath's back, Tinya waves a hand for more firestone, as Liath bugles to gain attention for her. <*> Lilith hears Laerth's cry, and veers carefully upwards, within tossing range, sweeping along side, to throw a bag to Laerth's rider. <*> Settled between Adonith's neckridges, Alyssa directs the wing closer to the Thunderbolt riders to allow her riders to toss the important bags to P'tran, then to Meli. <*> Lysseth turns hear head to receive the last of the last bag of firestone, Kassi waving a fast signal to the Weyrlings for resupply. The green chews, swallows, and darts down to catch a patch of Thread just a little below her, catching it with a fireball that turns it to blackdust. <*> From between Cioth's neckridges, S'riv still has plenty of stone....and curses too judging by how fast his mouth is moving as Cioth continues to bugle flying the length of the formation and flaming everything in his way. Dragon> Nicoth bespoke Benden Weyrlings with << Stone. I need stone. >> <*> Areseth wings with powerful strokes towards the fighting wings. Lal readies a bag of firestone. The pair speeds to Nicoth. <*> Astride Juliath, Meli *oofs* slightly, catching the bag on her chest. With quick, deft movements she unties the rope around the bag, pulling out several pieces to feed into the green's maw, her knees clenches tightly around Juliath's neck as her hands are occupied. <*> Erinyth wings wider out, as Karise grabs on of the sacks strapped to the green. The dragon moves closer to Kassi and Lysseth, waiting for the green to rise, before tossing the bag. Dragon> Adonith bespoke Benden Weyrlings with << Dulath, your rider gets stone to Laerth! Lilith, to Juliath!!! >> <*> Lilith folds her wings in to drop down to Lysseth's side, banking in the wind, Thera hitches a bag to throw to her cousin... <*> From atop Laerth, P'tran catches the bag of stone flung at him easily and quickly resupplies his dragon, who then bugles in response and immediately sets to work. <*> Dulath bursts forward and his wings snap twice, bringing him close enough for his rider to toss a bag to P'tran. <*> Astride Areseth's back, Lal comes within tossing range of Nicoth, and steadies herself when buffetted by wind. She gives the bag an accurate, MIGHTY toss. <*> Prometh dives toward a waving brownrider that is very close. K'tyn tosses a bag to the needy rider, then veers upward, back into position. <*> Herath beats her large wings and steadily keeps up with the Queen's wing, her rider's arms tense and knuckles near-white around the wand of her 'thrower. <*> Several large clumps hit the forward part of the formation all at once in an uneven line as the air becomes turbulent. bronze Nicoth appears closest to the assault. <*> From atop Nicoth, T'lar catches the heavy bag deftly. Nicoth's great head swivels around, beggin for stone that is quickly tossed in. T'lar waves to Lal as Nicoth bursts into flame. <*> The formerly steady wind has turned somewhat erratic as it passes over the rolling hills below, the terrain and occassional updrafts disrupting what would otherwise have been a steady flow of air. The wind continues to orginate from the north, but it now has growing eddies and currents, making for a steadily rising degree of turbulence. <*> Lilith snaps her head at Adonith's call, and wheels away from the Lysseth sadly, following orders, and winging towards Juliath. <*> From Liath's back, Tinya feeds Liath another piece of 'stone, and then calls again, more urgently, for resupply. Kassima catches the sack neatly, calling a quick, "Thanks!" to Erinyth and Karise--just as a clump of Thread speeds towards Lysseth. The green blinks *between* and reappears to flame at the patch, catching all but the ragged ends; a deep breath, another flame, and even those are gone. <*> Dulath bugles again as C'vadan readies another bag for the experienced riders. <*> Nicoth is still chewing 'stone and dives under the patch, searing on the bottom edge. Riders behind him finish off the patch with ease. <*> Settled between Adonith's neckridges, Alyssa chances a glance behind her at the wing and downward at Herath, then she looses a bag from Adonith's strappings. As she urges her blue closer to Liath, she calls to Tinya and hefts the bag as soon as the older bluerider is ready. <*> Areseth sweeps back up to position, flaming a small patch of errant Thread near Nicoth as he does so. <*> Thread falls irregularly now, clumping thickly one moment, breaking into diffuse sheets the next. A twisted clump is blown violently about before falling in front of green Juliath. Dragon> Benden dragons sense that Brynarth's stalwart baritone echoes quietly through the Fall. << Weyrlings, you should be calm. To be alert is not to be excited. Do your jobs effiecently, and as you were taught. Do not let your excitement, or your riders' excitement, be overwhelming. >> <*> Erinyth makes her way back into position, eyes still whirrling the color of anger, peering at her 'enemy', only duty keeping from flaming. <*> Mounted on Dulath, C'vadan directs Dulath back behind Alyssa, glancing quickly at his wingleader. Dragon> Adonith bespoke Benden Weyrlings with << Good job, my rider says! Watch out for winds to carry Thread too close to us; this is *dangerous*! >> <*> Astride Zibrith, Elyandra calls out, "Weyrling! More firestone for Dawnslight!" She waves to them as Zibrith flames another clump of thread. <*> Cioth swerves and varies speed suddenly caught in what /should/ have been straight falling thread..but what is indeed a swirl of the deadly substance. He flames all around, catching many of the clumps before he dissapears between with an agonized bugle. He appears back near his formation, and flying a bit more irratically, a score blazened across his flank, near the tail. Kassima seems to be applying her notes from S'riv's cursing spates as the turbulence makes fastening the resupply sack to Lysseth's straps quite difficult. The green extends her wings and lets a current carry her back into formation, pushing against the opposing winds with a roar of frustration and anger. <*> Lilith swings around to Juliath, and her rider tosses a bag of stone towards Meli, with a silent cry. <*> Liath is tossed slightly upward just as the bag of firestone reaches him, with the net result that his rider has to let go the straps to grab for it. Injudiciously, she does so with her left hand first, a sharp cry wrung from her as it doesn't quite take the weight right and she has to hurriedly snatch with her right to keep the bag from plummeting. Dragon> Benden Weyrlings sense that Adonith bugles! << Erinyth, Areseth, to Dawnslight! They need stone! >> <*> Juliath turns her head for more stone from Meli, and as she begins to chew, turns back to find herself face to face with an erratic clump. Meli leans quickly sideways, urging the green right and down, flame flying in an awkward arc. Meli lifts her arm up to shield her face as the trailing edge of the clump reaches her. With a startled cry, reduplicated as the last bits of thread strike Juliath's wing, the pair disappears *between*. <*> Astride Areseth's back, Lal glances to see where V'cet and R'tern are. "Y'ALL get in line!" Dragon> Laerth bespoke Benden dragons with << *snorts* << Too many injuries! Tighten it up! Anticipate! >> <*> Prometh sees Ely waving. Looking for permission, he readies a bag of stone for Zibrith. Dragon> Nicoth bespoke Benden dragons with << Juliath?! >> Dragon> Laerth bespoke Benden dragons with << Juliath, report. Are you injuried? >> <*> Adonith BUGLES! in fury as he sees Juliath's wing laced. <*> Juliath and Meli emerge from *between* with a roar, out of position slighly. <*> Areseth sweeps to Dawnslight as Lal readies another bag. He banks left, avoiding another dragon. <*> Astride Zibrith, Elyandra watches the Weyrlings with one eye and moves a bit closer, "Here, K'tyn! Stone over here!" <*> Dragonfire punches some holes in a wide sheet of thread before the wind can twist it, sending some of the remaining patches near green Lysseth. <*> Atop Erinyth, Karise nods, mental command coming from Alyssa's Adonith, she pats Erinyth, who wheels up, making her way up to the Dawnslight wings. Four pairs of eyes are ever watching, making sure not to get Threaded , or let another dragon get threaded. Dragon> Juliath bespoke Benden dragons with << It burns! >> <*> Astride Juliath, Meli holds her arm awkwardly at her side, leaning over Juliath, yelling at her in the wind. <*> Other patches from that sheet are deflected wildy by the turbulent air and fall near green Zibrith. <*> From her place aboard Lilith, Thera stands up in her straps, looking around at the dragons, trying to estimate who will need 'stone next. Dragon> Nicoth bespoke Benden dragons with << Go home. Be safe. >> <*> Lilith wheels to find her place in formation, waiting for Adonith's next command. <*> Cioth continues to roar in pain, his rider looking equally uncomfortable. They continue to fight, however, although much slower and less maneueverable in the pain. S'riv motions for stone as he nears the end of his. <*> Nicoth uses a patch of turbulent wind to rise, flaming a lacey patch into oblivion. He banks around, his eyes searching for another dragon. <*> Dulath bugles loudly, enternal ememy in sight but held back from flaming it. <*> Lysseth's roar of frustration turns to one of anger and shock as she hears Juliath's cry, following so swift after Cioth's. Whipping her head about in a swift arc, she blazes once, twice, thrice against the patches, char-char-char. Not enough, though. Just before the patches might strike her, she disappears *between*, only to reappear a moment later with the patches sufficiently out of her reach to cause another roar. <*> Juliath disappears into Between. <*> Settled between Adonith's neckridges, Alyssa wheels Adonith back into position and directs Eclipse in a tenable position between the two fighting wings, her eyes flickering to one side and the other in rapt attentiveness. <*> As a deadly clump of Thread swirls underneath the fighting wing, one stiff breeze carries the brunt of the grouping upward and into the bodies of V'cet and Priceth, the horrid ribbons burying themselves deeply in Priceth's chest and V'cet's face and shoulder and chest to draw screams of mortal terror and agony from the weyrling and his young blue. <*> Nicoth roars! He wheels back over the heads of Skyfire, flaming brightly. Black ash rains down upon the heads of the dragons and riders below. <*> Laerth suddenly bugles and flashes *between*! A rather large clump passes through the air where rider and dragon were less than a second ago. They reappear, rider cursing. <*> Settled between Adonith's neckridges, Alyssa blinks, hearing both the mental and physical cries of the injured pair. "V'cet! Go between!!!" Dragon> Dulath bespoke Benden Weyrlings with << It comes to us! Be ready! >> Dragon> Laerth bespoke Benden dragons with << I missed one! Get it! >> <*> Gracefully astride Herath, Kindre cranes her head to gaze upwards, eyes wide as she watches the winds wreck havoc on their attempts. Herath bugels, her eyes ruby with hatred as she hears Priceth's screams. <*> Prometh dives with Areseth and Erinyth, he closes on Zibrith.K'tyn tosses the firestone to Ely, then returns to his previous position. Dragon> Laerth bespoke Benden dragons with << What is happening the weyrlings wing? >> <*> Settled between Adonith's neckridges, Alyssa turns about in a frenzy as Adonith trumpets in reply to Laerth; opening his mouth wide he belches fiery flame at the Thread, catching the heart of it and turning it to ash. <*> Nicoth's roar takes on the edge of a keen as Priceth disappears between. <*> Astride Areseth's back, Lal screams "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" as Areseth dives to offer stone to another rider. <*> Ichor and blood trails in the chilled air of Priceth's wake as they plummet toward the ground in a spiraling dive that no one can seem to stop. Then, in a heartrending instant of eternity, Priceth winks out of existance. And does not return. <*> Astride Zibrith, Elyandra looks over her shoulder, "Oh, shards." She catches a sack of firestone and yells, "Get out of the way, K'tyn! Dive! NOW!" She says this as Zibrith twists into a diving spiral, out of the way of the Thread. She blinks in and out, reappearing above the sheet of white to flame. She stops short with a frustrated bugle at the site of Draeth and V'pit flying right into her flame path and she scorches the blue's wing. "SHARDITALL, V'PIT!" <*> Erinyth sweeps, then dives, heading after a plumpeting clup, searing it to char, before racing back into position, bugle tearing from her maw. <*> Lilith bugles her frustration, and wheels in place wildly fighting the constrains of the formation, and the dragon wing tips blocking her in. <*> Dulath nearly comes to a complete stop., twisting around to flame the thread just behind him. The smaller brown flying just behind him is not so quick and they tangle wing and tail. Dragon> Benden dragons sense that Adonith bugles in frustration and loss. << There is still more Thread coming toward us! Behind me, behind me! >> <*> The hills slowly give way to more level terrain, the farmlands to the northeast of Bayhead, on the northernmost tip of Nerat Bay. The winds being to calm, returning to their formerly steady flow. A very light, cold drizzle starts to fall from the clouds, enough to dampen everything but not enough to drown the threads. The Fall itself has started to wane, however, though it continues to fall in ragged clumps. <*> Lilith is barely hauled in by her rider, to accept the offered stone. <*> From Dulath's neckridges, C'vadan struggles to maintain control as his lifemate and Jainie' <*> Lysseth glares at the falling Thread, eyes burning with new fire for every scream of pain. As Priceth disappears *between*, she shrieks in anger and hate, not unmixed with sorrow, and unleashes her fury at the death at the Thread clumps. For every patch blazed, her crimson eyes quickly seek out more to burn, to destroy! <*> Cioth falls farther behind the formation, part in his pain and part at his riders urging. He flames time and time again, his rider continueing to motion for more stone as his dragons flames get weaker and weaker. <*> Areseth bugles as he sees Prometh's predicament. Lal and he break formation after delivering firestone to FLAME Zibrith's clump. They sweep back into formation as quickly as possible, almost scoring themselves. <*> Prometh TRUMPETS then, flames the heart of the thread patch that is behind Adonith. <*> From Dulath's neckridges, C'vadan struggles to maintain control as his lifemate and Jainie's try to separate before any harm comes to either. <*> Nicoth returns to his proper position in the wing. His consistent, accurate flame rendering the falling Thread harmless. Dragon> Benden Weyrlings sense that Prometh eeps, I misread what was where. <*> Liath >bellows< frustration as an errant gust flicks a strand of thread away from his flame, tauntingly floating it just out of reach. Suddenly, from nowhere, a weyrling brown pops into his view, catching the clump, but only by sheer luck managing not to foul the blue's wings. Angrily, he half-snaps at the younger dragon, stern mental command ordering him back into place. <*> A few tired riders at the edge of the formation manage to miss what would have otherwise been an easy target. The patch falls on a diagonal towards blue Brynarth. <*> Lilith breaks formation to dart ahead, hauling precious stone to Cioth's rider, her rider tossing a heavy bag down to the bronze. <*> Zibrith bugles in frustration as Draeth and V'pit disappear *BETWEEN* She flames the clump finally, as Elyandra scans the skies for the reappearance of the bluerider and his injured dragon. Nowhere to be seen, she nods as Zibrith tells her they are safely back at Benden and turns her attention back to the Thread, "Alyssa!" <*> Dulath drops below the other brown, allowing both to regain flight speed. C'vadan is buffetted about as Kronoth flies by. Dragon> Laerth bespoke Benden dragons with << Weyrlings, fall back a little, the winds are starting to calm. >> <*> Areseth gets upended by a mighty gust of wind, Lal CURSING as she is buffeted, and loses a bag of firestone. Next to last. <*> Settled between Adonith's neckridges, Alyssa looks about her hurriedly for Priceth but cannot spend too much effort doing so, for Thread still falls. She glances at C'vadan to her right and rear, grimacing in worry, then Elyandra's cry startles her back to a frontward gaze. Adonith lunges upward and exudes a gout of searing flame that destroys the Threads before him. <*> From between Cioth's neckridges, S'riv catches the stone, although it catches him offguard and he slips in the straps at the force. He quickly feeds his dragon the stone and waves his arm in thanks as they speed forward to do battle once more. <*> Settled between Adonith's neckridges, Nodding as she hears Laerth's silent orders, Alyssa bids the wing to return to its safer position behind the fighting wings, each rider still vigilant for Thread and for a call for stone. <*> Lilith banks, and waits for her wing to catch up, rejoining her position. Suddenly, a clump of thread fall before her, and without a second's thought she incinerates it througly, sweeping sideways to flame it's entireity as it roils by. <*> A little more of the dank overcast appears through the falling threads. A diffuse patch starts to fall near bronze Cioth. <*> Erinyth wings back, winds tossing her slightly to the left, before she can reposition. She looks for another clump, before falling back on Laerth's orders. Karise hangs on, watching the skies. <*> Nicoth rumbles a warning as a patch of Thread mascaerading as rain appears before him and his wingmates. Three dragons flame as one and the threat is eliminated. <*> Prometh turns about, his strength seemingly endless as he makes his way back into prosition, veering suddenly and as he flames the deadly silver patch. <*> Dulath flames a patch of thread that falls near. C'vadan watches as Jainie and Kronoth fly erratically, the tender membranes of the brown's wing showing a tear from the collision. <*> Kronoth bugles and goes *between* to return to the weyr. <*> The end of the Fall can be seen in the distance as a loose sheet of thread falls on the front part of the formation. Most of it is flamed easily, but fatigue allows some to slip through and fall near blue Liath. Kassima notices the low level of her sack just as Lysseth's flames weaken quite perceptibly, and she whistles sharply into the wind as a call for another bag. Tossing the last stone of the sack into Lysseth's maw, she returns her hands to the straps and clings as Lyss continues her trademark sharp swerves in search of more to roast, toast, and burn to a crisp. <*> Herath falls out of position only a bit behind the other golds. Kindre's eyes are locked upwards. <*> Laerth flames a diffuse patch of thread, then swings lower to let his rider get a look at the formations. He calls out orders to loosen up a bit, as the Fall is starting to slacken. <*> Settled between Adonith's neckridges, Alyssa with a firm and steady hand holds Adonith in position, attentive to the dangers still at hand. She looks behind her once at the places Priceth and Kronoth vacated, then with a determined sigh she twists about again. <*> Seated upon Prometh, K'tyn veers over to Lysseth as K'tyn readies a bag. "Kassima!" he calls, knowing that she cannot hear, but tosses the bag when she sights him. <*> Kharoth emerges from Between with a blast of cold air! <*> Cioth gets the stone just in time to strengthen his flame. He banks, though not nearly as sharp as he usually would, flaming the clump as it falls. In the stress, the newly stitched strap breaks, the fluttering leather streaming out bwhind the big bronze like a second tail. His rider clings frantically to his lifemate as they drop out of fighting position. <*> Astride Areseth's back, Lal waits with her last bag of stone, stoically. <*> Lilith twists in the sky, trying to see all places at once. <*> The fall is quickly starting to dissipate now, the light grey clouds appearing through the darker silver-grey. Bayhead Hold appears in the distance, but it looks like the Fall is going to stop before it gets there. The northern wind is not as cold here as it was before, and not as strong, the warmer winds from the bay starting to influence the air patterns. <*> Dulath returns to his position behind Adonith, his rider looks about, his expression fortunately hidden by his goggles. <*> Kharoth skips back in after avoiding a patch of thread to finish out the fight <*> From Liath's back, Tinya blinks, shaking her head to clear rain and ash from her goggles. At the last minute, she sees the thread above herself and Liath, and only a sharp twist carries the pair of out danger -- thread skims _just_ past the tip of the blue's wing. Out of the line of fire, he flames the clump, diving after it, but misses a single strand, which falls toward brown Areseth. Kassima oofs as her catch of the bag isn't quite so neat as she might like, but raises one hand to wave thanks to K'tyn as she tears the bag open and feeds its contents to her lifemate. <*> From atop Laerth, P'tran gives a somewhat tired sigh and shakes his head slightly, then gestures to Kharoth to bring the reserves in to help shore up some of the upper tiers of the formation Dragon> Adonith bespoke Benden dragons with << Areseth, one thread before you! >> <*> Nicoth dives after a thin patch missed by the lead dragons. He circles back beneath the wing, searing the straggling bits that got through. <*> Areseth darts (as well as a big brown can dart) towards the clump, and overflames it. He sweeps up back to his position, trumpeting triumphantly. <*> Kharoth passes on the command as Teyal signals the small reserve wing, and they wing up to join the upper tiers. <*> Prometh returns to Adonith's flank, K'tyn's expression grim. Too far away, he shouts his fear, then triumph as Lal as Areseth handily defeat that patch. <*> Lilith tires some, making the most of every upwind to keep her aloft. <*> Cioth ROARS a parting challenge, turning gently and flaming one last clump before returning home...Saer still clinging desperately to his dragons back..only now realizing just how fall down it is. <*> Cioth disappears into Between. <*> Areseth does however, miss that weee bit by his wing, and it nicks him. With a yowl from dragon and rider, he winks between. <*> A very diffuse patch of thread falls, breaking up as it does and making it hard to hit. It is missed completely by one contingent, a second gets part of it, and the rest falls as a patchy sheet near the Weyrlings wing ... Benden Weyr> Teyal grrs at her connection as she gets there just in time to flame a last strand or two :> <*> Areseth winks back in a little weakened, greeted by a the errant clump. Dragon> Benden dragons sense that Nicoth envisions a continent flaming Thread in mid air. @Whee Dragon> Areseth bespoke Benden dragons with << I can't get that one! It's coming! >> Dragon> Benden Weyrlings sense that Herath warns quickly as she eyes the Thread << Watch! Coming for you! >> <*> Atop Erinyth, Karise peers about, blinking suddenly as Lal disappears, and Thread appears. With the space V'cet left, Erinyth moves to make up, swinging in the available space, charring a cump near her. <*> Settled between Adonith's neckridges, Alyssa winces as she sees the wingtip injury but has no further time for thinking about Areseth just now as the sheet of Thread falls toward her wing. A last-minute burst of wing carries it too close to Adonith, who immediately goes /between/ to avert it! <*> Lilith 's eyes alight on the patchy thread fall, and she turns her head quickly to take in abother dainty mouthful, should it be needed. Dragon> Benden dragons sense that Liath thinks it'd be an excellent trick, but we'd all be out of a job if the continent could do it itself. Dragon> Benden dragons sense that Laerth OOC whaps his rider's typist :p <*> Lysseth almost seems disappointed by the thinning of the Fall; her anger, and her rider's, aren't finished yet. What better to take it out on than this sharding menace? But, no matter. Golden tongues of flame lick out at the straggling patches that do approach, as she occasionally as to make abrupt wingtip turns avoid either a tangle or another tired dragon. <*> Promethturns his head and K'tyn tosses more 'stone down his deep gullet. Turning his head to the fore, the bronze dragon blasts part of the shining silver menace, then veers away to come for a second pass. <*> The last patches of Thread fall from the skies as the Fall comes to an abrupt end, short of the outshirts of Bayhead. Some more rain starts to fall in the threads' place. Dragon> Nicoth bespoke Benden dragons with << Aw, we needed the laugh. >> <*> Kharoth bugles in frustration, watching the missed thread as it threatens the Weyrlings. <*> Areseth twists violently out of the way of the clump towards him, and looks visibly relieved as Erinyth flames it. <*> Astride Zibrith, Elyandra watches the Threadfall dissapate, and looks to P'tran for orders as the greens and blues are obviously tiring. Dragon> Adonith bespoke Benden Weyrlings with << Good job! >> <*> From atop Nicoth, T'lar turns to his Wingleader for Sweep instructions. Dragon> Benden dragons sense that Lysseth rather likes the image, actually. A giant landmass flying through the air, spurting flame from the edges or something.... <*> Lilith snorts relivedly as the menance turns to dust in the distance, and looks back to her rider, while straining to keep her spot in the wing. <*> Erinyth BUGLES! as Karise gives anervous laugh. But she peers about, seeing way too many holes in the weyrling wing to her liking.... Dragon> Benden dragons sense that Laerth *snorts* << Naturally, it rains AFTER we're done ... Weyrlings, sweep the area for anything we missed. I believe we got everything. >> <*> Astride Areseth's back, Lal nearly collapses on her dragon. But quickly regains her composure. They fly to the formation. Dragon> Benden dragons sense that Adonith bugles his youthful agreement. << We will fly sweeps! >> Dragon> Kharoth bespoke Benden dragons with << My rider says the reserves are still fresh. They can sweep as well, if the weyrlings need rest. >> <*> From atop Laerth, P'tran glances up at the skies and frowns, wincing as some rain gets behind his goggles. He calls up the other dragons into formation for the return trip to the Weyr. Dragon> Laerth bespoke Benden dragons with << Good idea, Kharoth. >> Dragon> Benden dragons sense that Lilith croons, I tire, might i land? <*> Once the adrenaline of battle isn't rushing through her body and blocking any thoughts of weariness from her mind, Lysseth seems to droop noticeably, eyes slowing and wings seeking out the easiest currents to keep her aloft. The return to formation, signalling the end, is welcome to her and Kassima both. <*> Settled between Adonith's neckridges, Alyssa looks behind her at Areseth and Lal and shakes her head, motioning for her to follow with the others back to the Weyr. She looks for signs of fatigue in the others; her own mount, small as he is, flags only a bit. <*> Zibrith falls into the front of Dawnslight, turning back to check her wings. She makes a count, frowning at the numbers missing. <*> Prometh peers at Lal on Areseth, the lower half of his face pale, his mouth grim. Prometh bugles a question to the brown and his rider. <*> Erinyth mauvers back into position, head swinging warily, looking for any patch of thread that may have gotten through, Karise sitting high in her straps, peering where the dragon doesn't. Dragon> Laerth bespoke Benden dragons with << The dragons not on sweeps, prepare to head home. Those on sweeps, return when you have looked over the area. >> Lysseth> Prefeth senses that Lysseth warbles, her mind voice dense with extreme weariness, but still holding a sharp edge of concern. << My rider wants to know if you and your rider are all right? >> <*> Nicoth blows out the last of his flame, the fire trickling down to nothing. He looks to Laerth for the signal to return home. Dragon> Prometh bespoke Benden Weyrlings with << We all return? >> Dragon> Herath bespoke Benden dragons with << Very little came down past us... >> Dragon> Adonith bespoke Benden Weyrlings with << We fly sweeps. After that, we go home! >> <*> Astride Zibrith, Elyandra calls out over her shoulder, "Greens and blues, head for home! Browns and bronzes, finish up the sweeps and head for home!" Dragon> Prometh bespoke Benden Weyrlings with << Sweep! >> Dragon> Nicoth bespoke Benden dragons with << As it should be, Herath. Good work. >> Dragon> Adonith bespoke Benden Weyrlings with << Lilith, Erinyth, you go now. You are tired. >> <*> Lysseth holds her head high and maintains formation, eyes fastened on Laerth for the signal that means return. <*> From atop Laerth, P'tran looks around at the tired riders heading home and raises his arm. After a few moments, he lets it drop to signal the move between ... <*> Nicoth disappears into Between. <*> Laerth 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: Laerth Black... Blacker... Blackest! You suddenly emerge... <*> Lysseth emerges from Between with a blast of cold air! Dragon> Prefeth bespoke Lysseth with << She moans.. 'two months' she says, whatever that means. She hurts, but is being healed. >> He says nothing of his own pain. << She will be well. >> >> <*> 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. <*> Liath emerges from Between with a blast of cold air! <*> Zibrith emerges from Between with a blast of cold air! <*> Nicoth flies downward towards the north end of the bowl. <*> From the North, From the Benden Star Stones, M'nar's mint green Gelth rears on hind legs and bugles a greeting to blue Liath and his rider, Tinya, 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 green Zibrith and her rider, Elyandra, welcoming them home. Dragon> Adonith bespoke Benden Weyrlings with << OOCly, this won't take long. :) >> <*> Zibrith flies downward towards the north end of the bowl. <*> Kharoth 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 Kharoth and his rider, Teyal, welcoming them home. <*> Zibrith flies downward to the ground. You fly downwards towards the ground. You backwing for a landing on sands of the bowl. <*> T'lar slides precipitously down from Nicoth's back. <*> Elyandra swings gracefully from Zibrith's neck, using a thoughtfully extended forleg, she slides to the ground. Her eyes are distant as she speaks silently to her dragon before giving her an affectionate rub on her neck. <*> Laerth 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 green Lilith and her rider, Thera, welcoming them home. <*> Above, From the Benden Star Stones, M'nar's mint green Gelth rears on hind legs and bugles a greeting to green Erinyth and her rider, Karise, welcoming them home. <*> Cyrolin rapidly moves to clean the arm wound, and redworts it as well. "All right..we'll keep an eye on your vision." And then numbweed the arm. <*> Above, Erinyth glides down from above. <*> Meli, seated on the ground near Juliath, looks up as the wings return, blinking slightly even as Cyrolin finishes tending to her. <*> Erinyth backwings for a landing. <*> Above, Liath holds position till the wings break from between, then coasts to a landing position. <*> S'riv bleeds. <*> Liath backwings for a landing. <*> From atop Laerth, P'tran sighs and shakes his head as he removes the straps from his waist. He pulls off his goggles and wipes some sweat and ash from his brow before heading down. <*> Karise slides off of Erinyth with practiced grace. <*> Aphrael relaxes slowly, nodding at Mela, "It does feel better.." She agrees wearily as she watches. <*> T'lar checks Nicoth over quickly before running over to Meli and Juliath. He deftly avoids the Healers. "Meli?" <*> P'tran comes down from Laerth's neck in one smooth motion. <*> Kharoth backwings for a landing. <*> Stepping over to assist Starr and trhe Journyeman, Valaria begins to wash out the score <*> Elyandra gives Zibrith a slap and tugs off her helmet, calling out, "Who needs a Dragonhealer?!" She spies V'pit, tears running down his face and past him, Draeth, wing charred almost to the point of only bone, his wingsails either gone or black. She runs over to him calling out, "ALYSSA!" <*> P'tran removes his gloves and stuffs them into his pocket in one quick thrust. He definitely does not look very pleased. <*> S'riv bleeds more. <*> Cyrolin glances at S'riv. "Strange healer or no, Sir...you need help..and there he is...now please sit, and let him help you." <*> Kharoth lands far to the side of the ensuing chaos, uninjured. <*> "M'fine, m'fine" Meli says to T'lar, lifting her free hand up to gesture to him. "Jul's not too bad either. You an' Nicoth ok?" Dragon> Adonith bespoke Benden Weyrlings with << Any sign of burrows? >> <*> Teyal slides down from Kharoth's neck, stepping on his foreleg, and hopping to the ground. <*> Cyrolin says "Astin! Take care of S'riv." <*> Asrai runs around doing her best to be were needed, wether to fetch something or just hold a jar of numbweed. <*> Astin looks S'riv over and then grabs some redowort and numbweed to apply to the area, "This looks like a really bad cut" he says holding his arm. "I think I will use stitches" <*> Lysseth lands heavily, head lowered as Kassi fumbles with the fastenings of her straps and slides off. Her face is streaked thickly with ash, practically a mask of grey and black, and her leathers aren't much better. Her eyes immediately scan the bowl, looking for someone--or someones. Spotting Meli and Aphrael in the hands of the Healers, along with Juliath and Prefeth, she relaxes enough to give Lysseth's wings and straps a thorough check. Dragon> Herath bespoke Benden Weyrlings with << I have seen none...little even came down to us... >> <*> S'riv is sitting against his dragon, not going anywhere. <*> Karise winces, moving back against Erinyth, the final rush of endorphins gone. Whimpering silently to herself, she moves back, nearly hiding behind her dragon. <*> T'lar says "We're fine. It's you and Juliath I'm worried about. What? Where?" Dragon> Areseth bespoke Benden Weyrlings with << None in my area. >> <*> Starratiel walks over to S'riv. "Hold still..." and looks at Astin. "Do you need any help?" <*> Teyal checks Kharoth's left wing carefully, then pats his foreleg as he croons reassurance before heading over to help with the injured. <*> Melusine takes a closer look at the leg now that its cleaned up a little "You're going to have to get this stitched up" she tells the bluerider, looking around for the needle and thread to do so. Dragon> Prometh bespoke Benden Weyrlings with << See? Told you we'd be awesome. >> <*> Starratiel says "Karise, are you hurt?" <*> Cyrolin says "Meli, you'll be all right, but I want you to rest and wait on that eye a bit, ok?" Dragon> Areseth bespoke Benden Weyrlings with << Can we just go HOME now? >> Lysseth> I bespoke Prefeth with << My rider is glad to hear that, though she *hurts*... not pain for herself, but that so many were 'scored. And those who died... they *hurt* her too. >> Dragon> Adonith bespoke Benden Weyrlings with << Yes! >> Dragon> Herath bespoke Benden Weyrlings with << I watched...you all flew well! >> <*> Prefeth rumbles softly, his head bent over to watch the healer with Aphrael. He himself looks calm, despite the stitched up threadscore down his left shoulder. <*> Kethran moves rapidly among the injured riders, offering wine to them as needed, following along in the wake of the healers. Behind him, the drudges scurry to carry supplies to the Healers and dragonhealers. <*> Above, Adonith emerges from Between with a blast of cold air! <*> Meli nods to Cyrolin, then shifts slightly to look back at Juliath's wing. "Scored on th'wing, s'not too bad. Only took a couple stitches at one end." <*> Karise backs up further still, before bumping right into Kethran. She turns, face a mask of horror and tiredness. <*> After appling the redwort and numbweed which cleans up the wound he pulls out a needle and thread from his pouch and starts to stictch up S'riv's arm which is deeply cut. <*> P'tran loosens the straps from his dragon's neck and then spies something about a dozen handspans down from where the straps touch the neck. It is a very slight ash-burn. "Laerth, for Faranth's sake, don't tell me again 'it was nothing' if I sense something from you." <*> Starratiel hands S'riv a skin of very strong wine. "Here. Take a few sips." she says. <*> Melusine looks up to finding Cyrolin and waves her over "Cyrolin, can you just check up on this quickly?" <*> Aphrael winces. "Stitches." She mutters with a face. <*> Davidon looks around to see if he can assist with anything, and seeing nothing at the moment for him to assist with goes to at least give the riders glasses of wine, pushing wine into the hands of those riders who doesn't look quite with it. <*> T'lar looks Meli over worriedly. "Your eye?" He looks at a lose as to what to do. <*> Cyrolin smiles. "Good...you can sit by your Lifemate and rest." <*> Kethran pauses for a moment, pausing momentarily in his tracks, and then reaches out to Karise, laying a comforting hand on her shoulder. <*> Adonith backwings for a landing. <*> Meli nods again. "Thanks, Cyr" as he is called over to Aphrael's side. Lysseth> Juliath senses that Lysseth turns her tired grey-tinged blue eyes towards you, rumbling a question laced with concern. << Juliath! Are you and your rider going to be all right? >> <*> Above, Prometh emerges from Between with a blast of cold air! <*> Above, Herath emerges from Between with a blast of cold air! <*> Lathering numbweed on Cioth's score, Valaria threads a needle again..... <*> S'riv grumbles, accepting the wine and drinking it deeply. he spits it on the ground, "Shells..what be this swill?" He makes a point of not looking at the stitches being placed. <*> Above, From the Benden Star Stones, M'nar's mint green Gelth rears on hind legs and bugles a greeting to brown Areseth and his rider, Lal, welcoming them home. <*> Astin watches S'riv for any signs of chock while he is stiching <*> Liath moves to a position on one side of the bowl, near a wall, since he's not hurt and doesn't need to be in the way. His rider pulls off her goggles, then her helmet, shaking out sweat-soaked hair and rubbing soot off her face. <*> Melusine pats Aphrael's shoulder "You'll be fine" she prepares the needle and thread and starts to starts sewing up the score <*> Starratiel says "Valley hold." <*> Prometh backwings for a landing. <*> Elyandra stands next to Draeth and looks over his wing, "Numbweed! ALYSSA!" She calls out, standing on tiptoe and looking around for her second in command, "Alyssa!" <*> Starratiel says "Just drink it." <*> Herath backwings for a landing. <*> Teyal grabs a free pot of numbweed and heads for the closest injured pair. <*> Tinya swings her leg over Liath's back and drops to the ground, landing lightly. <*> Settled between Adonith's neckridges, Alyssa unstraps herself as fast as she can, looking behind her at the arriving dragons. "Elyandra! Right there!!!" <*> Above, Areseth glides down for a landing, with a little upsweep to get his bearings. <*> Areseth backwings for a landing. <*> Asrai grabs a jar of numbweed and a paddle, bringing iot over to P'tran,"Here sir, this will help him. <*> A drudge calls to S'riv as he passes, "T'from Valley! Same as me!" <*> Alyssa slides down the beautiful purplish blue flank of her lifemate to come to a rest on the ground, Adonith swinging his head around to regard her adoringly. <*> Cyrolin nods as she rises to go help. "No probs." And nods at T''lar. "She's got blurred vision. Just make her sit and rest..I'll check her again in a few moments." <*> Lal takes a LEAP off of Areseth's neck ridges with consummate ease, sliding down the last few meters on his legs. The dragon visibly flinches, fearing for his rider EVERY shardin' time she does that. <*> Cioth rumbles, laying his head on the ground next to his rider. <*> Kindre gives Herath's neck a loving rub before she slips down with the polished ease of familiarity. The gold's eyes seem to burn through Kindre until she is certain her lifemate is sure-footed on the ground, then turn equally as hot to the surroundings in a quick survey. <*> Aphrael greatfully takes the wine from Davidon as he passes her by, murmering a thanks to him. She bites her lip and looks away as Melusine begins to stitch. <*> Laerth gives a content rumble to his lifemate, probably repeating the same thing. P'tran sighs and rolls his eyes. He turns to Asrai and nods, taking the numbweed. "Thank you. This is probably all he needs." <*> Starratiel pushes the skin back into S'riv's good hand, then hurries over to Ely with a pot of numbweed. <*> Areseth whines plaintively. Lal says, "Needs lookin' to..." Lal is clearly weak as well. <*> Asrai nods then dashes off to help elsewhere. <*> Cyrolin heads for Aph, and stops...seeing Mel already stitching. <*> T'lar relaxes a bit. "Thank Faranth you're ok." He nods to Cyrolin. "I'll watch her. THanks." Grabbing a wineskin from a passing drudge. "Here, you need a drink." <*> Tinya steps on a loose piece of firestone as she dismounts, and stumbles. As she does, she puts out a hand - her left - to catch herself against Liath's side, and cries out sharply, almost a scream but tightly choked off. <*> Karise blinks, then sighs, wilting against Kethan, tears finally flowing from her eyes. <*> S'riv snorts to the drudge, "Well, take it back there." he throws the skin at him. <*> Astin pulls out a cloth and wraps the arm up after appling aloe to the wound <*> Elyandra points to Draeth and what's left of the sky blue dragon's wing, "Lys, take care of that, will you?" She turns to call out, "Who needs a dragonhealer?!" <*> Starratiel says "Lal, is she hurt?" <*> Juliath carefully settles her wing against her body, closing her eyes. Meli relaxes a bit more, grinning awkwardly up at T'lar. "Sit down an' join me then." <*> Cyrolin heads at a run for Tinya. "Hey, slow down. Hi again. What happened?" <*> Lal nods to Star. "Areseth's wing. It hurts." <*> Davidon starts to help with delivering numbweed, but finds it's already been done so he continues with the distribustion of wine. <*> Seated upon Prometh, K'tyn removes both goggles and helmet, stuffing one into the other. "Everyone okay?" he asks as he goes from one weyrling to the next. <*> P'tran glances over at the dragonhealers and sees them otherwise engaged with far more injured dragons. He applies some numbweed to Laerth's ash-burn, the dragon spending his time watching the others, appearing unconcerned about the rather minor injury. <*> S'riv snaps to Ely, "Make sure they take care o' Cioth...I donna trust the lot o' them save Alyssa." <*> Kindre pats Herath quickly before going over to Alyssa, "You guys alright? We didn't get anything, Herath nor I...any word on V'cit?" Herath warbles softly aat the hurt and weary dragons. <*> Areseth offers his wingtip, just a little scarred, but enough to make him whine. <*> Tinya cradles her left wrist in her right hand, wincing. "Wrist, I yanked it pretty hard, forgot about it." <*> Alyssa removes her goggles and helmet hurriedly, tossing them near Adonith before she begins to strip off her gloves, then her hide jacket. "Someone help Areseth's wing tip!" She calls as she eases from wingleader to dragonhealer. "Redwort, I need redwort here now, please!!!" <*> Valaria cuts the thread and, waved over by Starr, walks briskly to Areseth.... <*> Cyrolin nods. "Let me see." <*> Starratiel looks up at K'tyn. " Benden Weyr> Melusine says, "Okay..how many other injured are there from the fall?" <*> Teyal heads over to Lal and Areseth, carrying a numbweed pot and bandages. <*> Elyandra looks down at S'riv and blinks. She scowls, "Where's he hurt, bronzerider?" She moves over to the massive bronze, looking him over, starting at the head. <*> T'lar sits down next to Meli and leans against Juliath's uninjured flank. He carefully places an arm around her shoulder. Nicoth moves over to sit on the other side. He whuffles the green affectionately. <*> Lal shuffles over to Areseth, patting him gently, oddly enough, with her left hand. "That's me BigBoy..." <*> Starratiel says "Cioth, Juliath, Prefeth, and Areseth are the ones I know are hurt." <*> Kethran takes a moment to yell at a pair of drudges, "Get some wine out in the Living Cavern! It's going to be needed!" He pulls Karise into a comforting embrace, and, impulsively, kisses her cheek, his concern evident, before a drudge tugs on his arm, pulling him away. "From the storage caverns! Oh, we're out? Shardit, I /know/ there's some back there." His arm still on Karise's he moves toward the inner caverns at a rapid pace, adrenaline pumping, as always, by the aftermath of Threadfall. <*> Caitria obligingly brings a jar of redwort to Alyssa, holding it for her. <*> Asrai appears at Alyssa's elbow with a jar of redwaort. Kassima finishes her check of Lysseth's straps, gulping faintly at the long ash-burn lacing some of the chest-bands. "That was... close," she murmurs, then makes a face. "And of course, they'll have to be fixed. This always happens with *new* straps." Her babbling about straps seems more of a release of tension than anything else, and as soon as she's affirmed that Lysseth is--miraculously--unharmed, she heads over to the injured. "Aph?" she asks gently of the injured bluerider. "Could you use some company? Maybe as a distraction? I could always tell you that story about the tubers and the tunnelsnakes again...." The attempt at humor falls rather flat. <*> S'riv nods to the rear flank, "On the flank lass, from leg ta tail..I donna think it be bad, but still." <*> Kethran moves beneath the rocky overhang that protects the Infirmary entrance. <*> Astin looks down at the leg, "This is not too bad.." he says appling a redowort and numbweed mixture, "I am not going to stitch this, just keep it clean and wrapped up". Astin places some cloth and aloe to the leg after it is cleanes, "How are you feeling?" he asks <*> Karise moves beneath the rocky overhang that protects the Infirmary entrance. <*> Areseth flumphs down, whining and laying out his hurt wing. <*> Starratiel imitates S'riv at Kethran's statement and describes impossible acts... <*> Meli rests her head against T'lar's shoulder, her bandaged left arm cradled in her lap. After a moment, she lifts her head again and says "Said somethin' about wine?" Benden Weyr> P'tran says, "I decided at the last minute to give Laerth a very slight ash-burn. He can go dead-last, its minor, just something to vexate his rider :)" <*> Teyal starts on Areseth then looks Lal over quickly, "Are you hurt?" <*> Alyssa begins rolling up her sleeves as she orders Lal, "Get some redwort and some numbweed on Areseth's score, Lal, quickly, please." She nods to the two people beside her and redworts her arms quickly. Benden Weyr> Alyssa says, "Gee, thanks, P'tran. :)" Benden Weyr> Alyssa snugs. :) <*> Aphrael looks up from her wine glass, almost empty. She chuckles ruefully at Kassi and pats a spot next to her. "Tell me." She mumbles, closing her eyes again. Benden Weyr> S'riv awws at the self sacrifice <*> Starratiel looks at Alyssa. "Here's redwort... <*> Elyandra moves to the back of Cioth, looking at his flank. She grabs a pot of numbweed and a paddle and slathers the wound with the stuff. Then she looks closer at it, scowling. Benden Weyr> Meli and Juliath are all taken care of, too. <*> Lal bends down to get some redwort to help Teyal, then falls to her knees herself. She says simply, "OW." <*> T'lar uncorks the skin and holds it for Meli. "Here you go, luv. Drink all you want." <*> Wedged within Prometh's neckridges, K'tyn turns his head, an awkward movement catching his eyes. Nodding to Star, he strides over to Lal. "Lal. What's wrong with y'arm?" <*> Cyrolin nods. "All right, let me see. You're getting to be one of my most constant patients. we have to stop meeting like this, you know." And grins as she check the arm. Benden Weyr> Alyssa wows, redwort city. :) <*> Davidon walks to get the pot of redwort, but as he's turning to deliver it, finds the first person doesn't need it--and so walks over to Areseth and Lal with it instead, helping the Sr. Dragonhealer---oh, but then he finds it was too late afterall. Benden Weyr> T'lar says, "Anymore taking care of for Meli and Juliath is covered. :)" <*> Starratiel says "She's....can we have a healer over here?" <*> P'tran finishes covering the ash-burn, such that you can't even see it unless you stand close, and puts the numbweed pot aside. He heads over to where the Weyrlings are. <*> Lal mumbles, "I cinna believe I lost V'cet....I lost him...." <*> While on Prometh, K'tyn unbuckles the flying straps holding him in as he prepares to dismount. <*> K'tyn slides down Prometh's fiery bronze flank to come to rest on the ground. Prometh swings his head around to regard his lifemate gently. <*> Tinya laughs softly, though pain draws lines around her eyes. "Believe me, it's nothing personal, but I'd like very little more." <*> Kindre frowns, "It wasn't your fault, Lal..." Kassima settles down by Aphrael, Lysseth wearily trudging over to settle close to her rider. "All right. I'll tell you about the time the tunnelsnakes decided they needed hair, so started trying to make it from tuber peelings... now, naturally, the tubers objected to this...." <*> Elyandra looks closer at Cioth, then at the score on his hide. She looks at S'riv, "Is he hurting any more?" <*> Cyrolin says "Astin! See to Lal!" Benden Weyr> K'tyn sighs. Airhead bronzerider. <*> Melusine finishes stitching up Aphrael and losely bandages it lightly "Stay off this as much as you can and see a healer often to make sure everything is healing right" she instructs, leaving a small pot of numbweed for the rider "And use this to numb any pain" <*> Teyal , Alyssa and others are gathered around Lal and Areseth :) <*> Starratiel says "Of course not. Things like this happen every fall...." <*> Kethran comes out of the short tunnel from the living cavern. <*> Meli lifts the wineskin, swigging a moment, before letting it fall and leaning back against T'lar, closing her eyes. "Shells, tha' hurt before." <*> P'tran overhears Lal. "That what happens, Weyrling," he says somewhat sternly, perhaps more than intended. "It's something you have to get used to. You *will* lose wingmates." His eyes have a somber edge to them; he's used to it, but it doesn't mean he has to like it Benden Weyr> Kassima groans. You call yourself an airhead, Kiat? I forgot to get off my dragon. :P 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. Benden Weyr> Aphrael giggles. :) Lal tries with her left hand to take off her jacket and winces wisibly for the first time. "I KNOW! P'tran!" She huffs. Benden Weyr> K'tyn hees. So did I. Benden Weyr> Caitria laughs. Starratiel slaps her forehead. "That wasn't very reassuring, was it. Sorry, Lal..." Benden Weyr> P'tran says, "Big deal, every other fall I get off Laerth in midair above the bowl :)" Astin sighs making sure S'riv is fine then heads over to Lal, "Are you Ok?" he asks looking her over Melusine stands, looking around to find Cyrolin, and to see if there are any other injured that haven't been looked after yet. Kassima really dismounted quite awhile ago, you know. It was just... um... a trick of the light. Benden Weyr> Meli says, "Aerial ballet, P'tran?" Aphrael giggles helplessly at Kassi's words, sighing after a moment. "Two months." She says softly, reaching up to stroke the blue dragon behind her. Areseth looks to Lal, concerned. Teyal leaves Areseth's injuries to Alyssa, and heads for Lal, "You're scored?" Benden Weyr> <N'ren> Kheveth watches Laerth's rider plummet to his death over Valley Hold? Cyrolin smiles at Tinya. "Well..you've sprained it..." Benden Weyr> Kassima laughs! At least you don't keep trying to commit suicide by jumping off your ledge, I hope. :) Kethran darts back outside, a drudge in tow, carrying several wineskins each. He starts distributing them to all comers. "S'more in the Living Cavern, if anybody needs it." He quickly distributes the wineskins he's carrying, and pauses for a moment to survey the situation. Starratiel says "Keth, did you find any wine?" S'riv shakes his head to Ely, "Nay..thank ya." he leans, his arm newly stiched and bound. He snaps at Lal, "No now, rider. Care for the livin', morn the dead later." Benden Weyr> P'tran :p at N'ren :) T'lar kisses the top of Meli's head. He retrieves a cup from a healer apprentice, fills it with wine and lifts it to her lips. "Here. This will be easier." Tinya nods ruefully. "I was afraid of that." S'riv snaps to Kethran, "Now get m' some /real/ wine lad." Benden Weyr> K'tyn hees. Glad brains aren't required ALL the time in this profession. (I am referring to myself, of course!) Alyssa watches two young dragonhealers working on the hapless Draeth before telling Davidon, "Areseth's wingtip is Scored...here, get some redwort on it and numbweed it as quickly as possible." She looks worriedly at Lal before turning away again, putting personal worries behind her dragonhealer duties. Benden Weyr> Kassima would be in biiiiiiiiiiiiiiig trouble if they were, K'tyn. :) Meli sips at the wine, then pushes the cup away. "S'enough, thanks." Shutting her eyes again, she sighs, settling, lifting her hand up to rub at her forehead a moment. P'tran raises an eyebrow at Lal and frowns. "Don't take that tone with me, Lal," he responds. "Tend to your dragon now, he needs you the most right now." Benden Weyr> <N'ren> Kheveth consoles Leilanth during this time of trouble. ;) Dragon> Adonith bespoke Benden dragons with << OK, in the mass Chaos I am missing who's scored? >> Asrai moves in between the healers and riders, using her small size to her advantage as she fetches and carries for them. Benden Weyr> T'lar thinks back to the time he got off Nicoth in mid air and poses something and talked for 5 minutes before realizing where he was. Teyal checks Lal for injuries, redwort and numbweed ready. Caitria sighs, and, passing S'riv, extends a skin of Benden red, fairly decent vintage. "How's this? More drinkable than that Valley sludge." Astin looks to Lal, "Ah, a small burn..You hurt anywhere else?" he asks placeing some water to help cool it off. He takes out some redwort and numbweed solution to apply Benden Weyr> K'tyn LOL at N'ren/Kheveth. Lal growls at S'riv as she shrugs off her jacket, revealing a somewhat large score on her shoulder. "S'naw bad Astin. Just a scratch." Benden Weyr> <P'tran> Laerth snorts. << You wish :p :) >> Valaria looks over Davidon. "Redwort, boy, and numbweed..." Benden Weyr> Teyal sighs at the spam, NO one can See what the others are doing ;) Benden Weyr> Meli posed for five minutes to her empty weyr while her dragon was down in the bowl once. :) Kinda forgot to get on. S'riv struggles to his feet and begins to look over his dragon, heading in the direction of the weyrleader. His limp is obvious as he glares at Lal, daring her. Davidon gulps--oh jays, someone wants him to do something?? He blinks but glady moves to take the task, finaly feeling as though he's not underfoot as he moves to help Areseth. Kethran sighs as S'riv catches sight of him, and then marches back toward the Living Cavern. He returns with a skin of Benden Red, which he hands quietly to S'riv. "Your /real/ wine, sir," he announces, and then turns back to his other duties. A few drudges are standing idle, and Kethran directs them to begin cleaning up the mess created by the Healers and dragonriders in the aftermath of Fall. Benden Weyr> Caitria agrees, Teyal. Starratiel says "If that is just a scratch..." Lal blinks several times, her eyes watering. But she stands down from S'riv....today. "Where's some ale." Benden Weyr> P'tran agrees with Teyal and shuts up :) Benden Weyr> Melusine says, "Any other people need a healer who haven't already seen one?" Kindre sighs, feeling a little helpless and perhaps even guilty for being unscathed compared to her fellow weyrlings. "Alyssa?" she calls, "Can I help do something?" Benden Weyr> Alyssa dittos that. T'lar downs the wine himself. Shifting carefully, he cradles the injured rider tenderly. Wet streaks form on ash blackened cheeks. Benden Weyr> Teyal says, "Oh, the channel spam isn't the problem.. talking about the bowl ;)" Benden Weyr> Meli says, "Aw, it just gives you the sense of how chaotic it'd be in RL ;)" Elyandra looks at S'riv, putting her hands on her hips and scowling, "First, he won't need sutures. Minor score. Second, let the healers tend to you and stop your fussing." She moves past him, "Okay, who's next?" Kassima nods. "Lysseth told me," she murmurs quietly. "But two months... that's nay the end of things. You'll be up and about again before you notice it. And nay more dawn sweeps, right?" She smiles, faintly, and even that falters within a few seconds. "Well. About the tubers. After a few died of exposure from peeling-related injuries, they decided to take matters into their own roots and steal back the peeling-wigs. Or better yet, put a stop to the operation forever." Alyssa carries her numbweed rather directly to P'tran and says in a firm voice, "Sir, I've been told Laerth's been scored?" S'riv nods his thanks to the steward and sips the wine, his features softening a bit. he nods to Lal approvingly and comes to stand by the weyrleader, favoring a leg. he chuckles to Ely and shows her his sutured wounds. Melusine goes over to Astin, making sure he has everything is handled Davidon makes certain it's alright to come closer firs the checks the scoring to see that it's clean, then slathers a healthy amount of numbweed on the wing, glancing at the dragonhealer he's assisting to be sure he's doing it correctly. Astin smiles, "You can have the ale soon" he chuckles seeing if one will bring her some he applies a cloth and aloe to the burn to help heal.. The numbweed solution should be numbing it by now. Caitria flashes a quick, tired grin to Ely from her numbweed-holding spot. "You tell 'im," she murmurs. Teyal frowns, looking around at the usual after fall activity. Seeing all the injuries are being taken care of she heads over to Elyandra to make her report, then makes her way through the crowd to Kharoth. P'tran looks over to Elyandra and Alyssa. "When you have the chance, Laerth has a very minor ash-burn on the neck. I already coated it with numbweed." Kethran catches Lal's comment, and points toward the Living Cavern. "Plenty in there." He catches sight of K'tyn and spends a moment regarding his friend worriedly, looking for injuries. He then turns his attention to Alyssa, then to C'vadan, and sthen finally sighs in relief before a drudge catches his attention with a quesion. Valaria nods approvingly. "Good boy." Lal winces only a little as the aloe goes on. "Told yeh, s'naw bad." Aphrael chuckles ruefully and nods. "Aye that's true.." She leans forward and liberates a skin of wine from a drudge, then rolls her eyes at Kassi. Starratiel looks up at K'tyn. "You're unharmed, I hope?" Benden Weyr> Teyal grins, "Numbweed's Not aloe ;)" Teyal steps up onto Kharoth's foreleg, grabs the riding straps and pulls herself up, settling between his neckridges. P'tran sighs and shakes his head. "Damn, we lost a Weyrling," he mutters. Areseth looks much relieved as he and Lal are attended to. Benden Weyr> Alyssa says, "Who's @emitting Valaria?" Benden Weyr> Starratiel says, "Me." Benden Weyr> Alyssa says, "Okey." Kharoth launches himself into the air, going *between* as soon as he has clear airspace. Benden Weyr> Meli says, "And she did a great job on Juliath :)" S'riv gives the weyrleader a comraderly pat on the shoulder...he can do that after 11 turns of flying together, "Aye sir...but how many did we bring back? Includin' our sorry ole bones." he offers the wine. Kethran hears P'tran's comment, and turns his head. "Which one, sir?" he asks, looking around, trying desperately to take inventory of the Weyrlings present. Benden Weyr> Starratiel grins. Thanks. I was a healer on DF... Elyandra stands there with her hands on her hips, looking around with a serious frown. She blinks at the sight of Teyal, her face melting into one of relief. She smiles and pushes her hair out of the way, "Wingsecond." Lal uses her left hand to guzzle ale while being attended to. "That's medicine," she snorts. Caitria's head snaps towards P'tran, to hear his answer to Keth's question. Starratiel looks at Kethran, and says, quietly, "V'cet..." Astin smiles, "Lal.. You'll be fine.. " he grins, "Could of been worse.. You should do well!" Kethran cringes as he hears the Weyrling's name, and sighs quietly, steeling himself. "Jays. Could have been a lot worse, though," he admits, then has no more time for reflection as he gets nabbed for yet another question. P'tran looks over to S'riv and takes the wine from him, a tired look in his eyes. To no one in particular he says, "it was V'cet and Priceth." Kassima spares a single hopeful glance for the wine, then pulls her attention back to important matters. "Now, see, your stitching's all done. You'll be well--and a good thing, because if K'nan found out I'd let something bad happen to you, I suspect my blood would be decorating those knives of his within the hour." Her grin is more genuine this time, but it falls when she overhears the talk of V'cet and Priceth. Davidon nods over his shoulder and then continues to lather on the numbweed, until it's numb. Lal's eyes water anew. "V'cet." Alyssa hrms and peers up -- way up -- at Laerth's neck and at the doctoring job P'tran had done, until P'tran's comment catches her ear. A wave of misery washes over her, then she grits her teeth and looks up again at Laerth's neck. "Davidon," she calls in a strained voice, "You doing OK there?" Astin looks around to find Cyrolin and Melusine Alyssa of course calls that to Davidon at Areseth's side. S'riv forces a smile to the weyrleader, his eyes equally tired..for a variety of reasons, "Another day, another fall...wish it would shardin' end." His voice is sad. Elyandra moves over to Davidon and smiles, "How are you doing here?" She basically drags Teyal with her, talking to the Wingsecond while she watches the Trainee work. P'tran looks over to Laerth and snaps, "Lower your fool head for Alyssa." Laerth snorts and complies. Aphrael snorts and makes a face at Kassi, before following her glance. She sighs and takes another deep drink of her wineskin, ofering it over to Kassi. Caitria nods slowly, and turns a gives S'riv a faint smile, getting to her feet. She gathers up several empty wineskins, and murmurs something about taking them into the kitchen. Lal slumps to a sitting position, favoring her arm. Areseth stands very near her, breathing on her neck. Both seem pretty downtrodden. Caitria walks beneath the lintel and disappears into the living cavern. Davidon wipes his brow with the back of his hand as he's lathering on the redwort now, "I think I've got it now." he steps a side a bit to see what Elyandra things of his progress now that the wing is numbed and heavily coated with numbweed. Tinya waits patiently while Cyrolin splints her arm, and then nods. "Many thanks, and I'll try to stay out of your infirmary for a bit now." With a grin, relatively genuine though pain still shows a bit, she walks off, freeing the Healer for mer urgent tasks. Starratiel sits down by Lal and K'tyn... Asrai continues to dart this way and that, her small face serious as she works, adding years to her age. Alyssa thanks P'tran softly and looks at the bronze's neck, forcing a smile. "Sir, you could be a dragonhealer full-time if you wish. Well done indeed...no ichor showing, a smooth and even coat...and Laerth seems to feel the better for it." Cyrolin nods, a bit distracted, and looks to see if she is needed..then heads for the inf. Melusine scans around the mass of people..seeing that anyone who needed to see a healer has. She stands near the infirmary, watching in case there was one she missed Astin moves beneath the rocky overhang that protects the Infirmary entrance. Elyandra smiles and nods approval to Davidon, "Very good, keep going. Think he needs sutures?" S'riv gives Alyssa a weak smile. Cyrolin moves beneath the rocky overhang that protects the Infirmary entrance. Kassima snorts back. "What? You know he would've, just as you'd do the same if something happened to him. Let me tell you, you two are dangerous people to befriend...." She shakes her head in mock-remorse, and takes a small sip from the flask before handing it back to Aph. "You need it more." S'riv says "good work t'day lass...very good work." Kindre walks over and takes a seat with Lal and the others. A concerned wrinkle on her forehead, she wonders, "You're okaay, though, Lal? Want me to fetch you something to chew on?" Melusine with a bit of a look of regret, holds herself steady as Aimend takes to the air. P'tran nods to Alyssa. "Thank you. I thought it was minor. Certainly Laerth did since he didn't tell me about it until I pestered him." Davidon turns his attention back to the wing he's attending, then up at the dragon before shaking his head, "Ah, I would say no. But I'm just the trainee." he muremrs quietly. Aphrael wipes her head absently with her sleeve and laughs this time. "No more so than you, Kassi." She replies, taking back and skin and gulping some more down. T'lar sits quietly amid the chaos holding Meli. Alyssa steps away from Laerth and nods. "Just being honest, sir. I....Priceth's gone, isn't he?" Starratiel looks at the rest of her friends, seeing if there are any injuries... P'tran adds, "And then when you're done, Alyssa, with your dragonhealing duties, I want to speak with you." S'riv nods to the weyrling, taking another skin of benden wine form a passing drudge and drinking from it, "Welcome t athe weyr." he says to the weyrlings flatly, doing a head count in his mind and sighing. Alyssa nods again. "Yes, sir. Let me check up on Davidon and I'll be right back with you." P'tran nods to Alyssa. "Yes, Priceth is gone. That's something that happens in a Fall sometimes, unfortunately." Meli snuggles in next to T'lar, eyes closed. Lal doesn't say anything. She stares at the ground. Kethran sighs quietly, the adrenaline departing as the chaos settles into order. He glances around and spots nothing else that needs doing, and wanders over toward K'tyn. "How you holding up?" he asks softly. Seems to be his normal question of late. Starratiel stands up and looks at K'tyn, Kethran, and Lal. "I, for one, could use a drink. Anyone else?" Kethran nods to Starratiel. "I could use one... want me to finish things up out here? You've done a lot already tonight." P'tran looks at the wine in his hand and takes a small drink, not wanting to dull his senses right now. Elyandra smiles and nods at Davidon, then moves to P'tran, "May I speak with you a moment, sir?" P'tran glances over to Elyandra and nods. "Yes, certainly. I'm going to want an injury report anyway." K'tyn removes the last of Prometh's straps, coiling them over his shoulder. He says nothing, but guides Prometh out of the way, and toward the lake. Tinya nods to Starratiel as she goes by, on her way to sit near the weyrlings. "I could use one, Star." As she sits, she says to the young riders, "You doing okay?" Starratiel says "Nah....I'll help finish up...it's my job. Thanks anyhow...I'll get a drudge to bring out some wine...then prolly go up to the hot springs. I'm not up to facing the lc." Kindre quirks a brow, "K'tyn? You okay?" Davidon smiles and finishes up with the wing he's tending as a journeyrank dragonhealer looks on to give tips. He looks up and smiles faintly to Alyssa as she comes over. Alyssa strides in long-legged paces to Areseth as she towels redwort off of her arm, trying to remain business-like. She sees that Davidon's work has been checked over by Elyandra, then shoots Lal a very concerned and fond look. "I trust Davidon's taken care of everything well?" Kethran nods slowly as K'tyn departs, and turns his attention back to Starratiel. K'tyn has Prometh to take care of, of course. Asrai never pauses to rest, the healers always seeming to find something else for her to help out with. Kassima laughs shakily herself and uses her sleeve to wipe off her dusty and ash-covered cheek, only compounding the problem due to the ash already on her sleeve. "Maybe you're right. A shame dragons can't drink wine... Lyss will just have to use rest instead." The greenrider reaches out a hand to caress her lifemate's muzzle in an uncharacteristically loving gesture. "Love, you're more grey than green. If I didn't know 'tis mostly ash and your own hide...." She shrugs, then turns back to Aph with a wry smile. "Would you believe, the straps I *just* finished making got ash-singed all along the chest bands? Always happens with brand new straps, but the old ones were so worn I know they would've broken in the sort of winds we had today." S'riv nods to the weyrleader and his wingleader, saluting tiredly, "If ya will excuse m'...donna be hard on yerselves..that's m' job.." he grins slightly. Elyandra nods, "Aye, I'll do that as soon as I tally. However..." She gestures to V'pit and Draeth, "I think that it's time we keep V'pit and Draeth out of Fall. They haven't escaped on Fall in the past turn without some sort of major injury. I'd rather have him running errands than lose his dragon." Regal bursts out of *between*. K'tyn grits his teeth and nods at the queries. "Fine, I'm shardin' fine," he says as he stalks off after Prometh. Prometh lumbers south. K'tyn walks south. Lal nods absently to Alyssa. Starratiel gives orders to a drudge, who then comes out with four skins of wine. Starr hands out the others, takes one, and wanders toward the lake. Meli mutters to T'lar, "... grounded." P'tran grins very slightly at S'riv, then turns his attention to Elyandra as she starts to speak. He listens to her and nods, glancing behind them towards V'pit. He gives a soft sigh. "I'm going to have to agree with you there, much as I hate to." Starratiel walks south. S'riv follows K'tyn, actuallym needing a word with him. S'riv walks south. Lal rises slowly and a little painfully. She pats Areseth. "Let's go." Areseth lumbers south. P'tran adds, "I hate to have to tell a rider I'm taking him out of active duty like that." Alyssa rests a worried and red-stained hand on Lal's shoulder, shoots a glance at Cioth as she smiles tiredly, then she tells Davidon, "Very well done. It looks clean." Lal walks south. Aphrael turns to peer at Lysseth as Kassi speaks, frowning slightly. Tilting her head,, she asks. "How long since she last rose? I lost count." Maybe its the wine, or the score, but she usually wouldn't ask outright like that. Kethran sighs quietly at K'tyn, and then returns his attention to business. Slowly, he and the drudges get most of the supplies moved back into the shelter of the Weyr, and back in their proper places in the storage caverns. Inventory can wait until the next day, and he dismisses the drudges with a clap on the back and smiling compliments on the job they did. "Prolly helped save a few dragons," he tells them, perhaps exaggeating a bit, but, then, it doesn't hurt anything. Elyandra nods and looks at the scarred, burned and battered sky blue dragon, "With that wing injury, he'll be out for a Turn or more, anyway." She seems to think for a few moments, "We'll just have to find some 'special duty' for him. With the records or assisting T'garrick with the maps or some such chore?" P'tran nods to Elyandra, then hmms. "Well, T'gar finished those maps he spent Turns making, but certainly there is some other duty that he can be assigned to, and there's always watchdragon duty, though for him I think that would bore him too much if he had it all the time." Davidon wipes his hands and scans the area with a faint frown, then spot Kassima and smiles faintly. T'lar mutters to Meli, "... to... they're..." Alyssa gives Davidon a pat on the shoulder before she heads to check Juliath, a worried look crossing her features once more. Kassima blinks. "Huh?" she asks intelligently, obviously taken aback. "It's been, hrm...." She counts on her fingers. "About eight months. She's never been very predictable in her risings, y'know; I'd been anticipating it two months ago, but there wasn't even a sign of glow." Kassi shrugs and smiles crookedly. "Well, that's just Lyss. 'Least Tria's happy; her wherry flocks are still safe." Meli opens her eyes and looks up as Alyssa approaches. "She goin' t'be grounded for long?" she asks the dragonhealer. Elyandra shakes her head, "Draeth won't be able to fly for many, may months. Even to the Star Stones, sir." She frowns, "Not much left of that right wing." Aphrael giggles softly and nods. "Aye.. well, I guess its her preogative to go up when she wants to." Melusine moves beneath the rocky overhang that protects the Infirmary entrance. T'lar smiles up at Alyssa. "It's ok, Lys. You and Eclipse did well." Benden Weyr> Alyssa ooohs, more NPCs to add to the Star Stones! Benden Weyr> Kindre chuckles... P'tran glances back at the dragon and hrms, nodding slowly. "I guess it was wishful thinking on my part." He runs a hand through his hair. "Let me sleep on it. V'pit is going to be too distracted anyway to worry about duty right now until Draeth is better." Benden Weyr> Tinya missed exactly who V'pit is. Enlightenment, anyone? Elyandra points to the intoxicated bluerider, "He's going to be... sedated.. for a few days, sir." Benden Weyr> Melusine says, "Thishealer is leaving..anyone need her before she does so?" Benden Weyr> Alyssa says, "NPC schmuck. :)" Benden Weyr> Meli says, "Thanks, Mela :)" Benden Weyr> Davidon says, "I'd hate being an NPC in threadfall!" Benden Weyr> Kassima says, "Blue Draeth's rider, an NPC... yeah, what Lys said. :)" Benden Weyr> Tinya says, "Well, yes. But which wing?" Benden Weyr> Aphrael grins. "Thanks, Mel." P'tran nods to Elyandra. "Standard practice," he comments. "I'm rather surprise Draeth survived at all, to tell you the truth." Benden Weyr> T'lar says, "Dawnslight" Benden Weyr> Tinya says, "Aha, thanks." Benden Weyr> P'tran notes NPC riders in Fall are like security guards on the old Star Trek :) "Thank you, bronzerider," Alyssa says to T'lar as she examines Juliath's wing injury. "Shells, Meli, this could have been bad. Still, a winglace is a winglace...she has to remain in the infirmary for four days at the least and have a dragonhealer clear you to take her to your weyr. She'll have to be grounded from action for three sevendays." Benden Weyr> Kenai cries, "Red shirts!" Benden Weyr> Alyssa says, "Only we don't have red (shirted) dragons. :)" Benden Weyr> Tinya grins, and votes to deck 'em out in red flight jackets. :) Benden Weyr> Alyssa whees! Elyandra nods, "Well, he's got a strong heart. His link with the other dragons and his sense of duty is as strong as I've ever seen. And his link with V'pit even stronger. That's why he trusts him to the point of constantly injuring himself." "Three!" Meli replies, glancing at the injury again best she can from her seated position. Benden Weyr> Elyandra giggles :) Alyssa says a bit mildly to Meli, "It could have been much worse. Ask T'lar. I hedge very much toward caution where wings go, greenrider." T'lar smiles despite the concern in his eyes. "You can stay with Nicoth and me." P'tran overhears Alyssa and Meli and winces himself a bit, and then nods to Elyandra. "I'll think on this. I'll assign him something meaningful, and not just busy work. He'd never live it down if he knew he was just doing meaningless chores." Asrai walks over to Alyssa,"Do you need any help Alyssa?" She asks taking a moment to catch her breath, wiping a fine glistning of sweat from her forhead. Alyssa smiles, looking down at Asrai. "Thanks, no...you can see if the riders need anything to drink. As for me..." she smiles again, humorlessly, "I'm about to ground the Weyrleader." Meli nods, scratching at her arm above the bandage. "No, wouldn't wan' t'rush it. I jus' didn't think it was so long..." Elyandra smiles and nods. Aphrael looks over towards Alyssa and sighs. "I guess this means we have to stay in the infirmary for a while?" She asks. Kethran finally detaches himself, and heads southward. Kethran walks south. Kassima chuckles. "So she seems to think, aye. Just as well... there've been such a number of greens rising lately as 'tis, y'know." She shuts up and turns her head in synchronized motion with Aph's, to see what Lys will say. Aphrael glances back to Kassi and rolls her eyes. "Don't I know it.. Prefeth and I have managed to miss a lot of them, though." Kindre rubs her arm a little and walks up just behind Elyandra, "Ma'am? When you're done, can I talk to you, too?" P'tran manages a slight smile to Elyandra and then turns to Alyssa. Tinya stands quietly, surveying the injured dragons, with special attention to those from her wing. Her expression is mostly unreadable, but to the extent it's decipherable she's probably calculating the changes it will make in the wing. Davidon helps the other dragon healer trainees to 'mop up' the place, or at least clean up the worst of the mess that was made. "Yes, you will," Alyssa nods to Aphrael, frowning at how this must dismay her. "I'm sorry. Excuse me fora moment." She returns to P'tran's side, not bothering with a salute; she'd just get redwort on her forehead. "Sir?" P'tran says to Alyssa, "Before I go into what I wanted to talk to you about, anything you need to report on Laerth?" Meli levers herself up awkwardly, as Juliath lifts her lids at a silent word. "Off t'the infirmary, I guess." Kassima chuckles. "Lucky you. At least you weren't there to see me drunk out of my mind, a couple sevendays ago... so much wine in the Living Cavern, you know, and at the time, so few people to drink it! Anyway. At least Tria kept me from throwing a bottle in the hearth to make a fireball like I distinctly recall wanting to." She rubs her eyes, leaving marks that make her look like a demented racoon. T'lar jumps to his feet to help Meli. "C'mon. I'll show you the routine. Aphrael grimaces slightly, shaking her head. Laughing softly at Kassi, she replies, "I wish I'd been there.. sounds like fun." Alyssa glances once more at the Weyrleader's bronze and nods. "As a matter of fact, sir, yes. I'll have to see Laerth grounded...well, no going /between/...for two to three days to ensure the Score has started healing properly. He's fine to fly otherwise." Meli smiles at T'lar, nodding. "C'n you grab m'jacket?" she asks, as Juliath lumbers slowly towards the entrance. T'lar grabs said jacket and moves with Meli toward the infirmary. Juliath moves beneath the rocky overhang that protects the Infirmary entrance. P'tran hrms and frowns, but is not about to debate a point of dragonhealing with her and nods. "Fine," he replies crisply. "Now, then ... Who were your wingseconds during this Fall?" Meli moves beneath the rocky overhang that protects the Infirmary entrance. Alyssa replies in a tired voice, "K'tyn and C'vadan, sir." T'lar moves beneath the rocky overhang that protects the Infirmary entrance. Kassima chuckles. "Fun, aye...." She turns to survey the Bowl and the injured still gathered there, sighing. "So many, Aph... even more than usual, it seems. So many." P'tran nods to Alyssa and pauses before continuing. "For the most part, the Weyrlings handled themselves well. However you and C'vadan and K'tyn have a little project ahead of you." Alyssa tilts her head to one side, attentive despite her fatigue. "I'm listening, sir...?" Aphrael shakes her head ruefully. "I guess it just must be that certain time in a Turn.." She mutters as she looks around herself. "I suppose we'd better get out of the way." Palinth lumbers here from the south. Loki flits out of the infirmary. Elyandra looks up with relief as L'nay arrives, striding over to Palinth's side, "Hey, up there." Kassima nods. "Aye, you're likely right. Going to take Pref on into the Infirmary?" S'riv walks here from the south. Astride Palinth, L'nay nods curtly, settling back in his straps. "Hey," he calls down quietly as Palinth lowers his neck. S'riv limps back to stand near his lifemate, eyes watching the weyrleader with concern. P'tran folds his arms. "You lost a wingmate. Your job will be to find out why, if you can." He pauses a moment and then repeats. "*If* you can. If you *cannot*, that is not a black mark against you or the others. However, it's something that I do when something like this happens. If we find some tactic that we can do differently to prevent it in the future, it's best to find it now." Elyandra blinks at L'nay's greeting and hrms, "Is something wrong? You didn't get scored, did you?" Aphrael pulls herself to her face, wincing a bit as she leans on her leg. She nods as she looks up towards the blue. "You okay love? Can you move?" Tinya wanders over toward Draeth, examining the poor blue's injury silently from a slight distance. After a moment, she shakes her head a little and goes to kneel next to her wingmate. Though her words are inaudible to others, the tone sounds reassuring, so chances are she's lying through her teeth. Astride Palinth, L'nay shakes his head silently, watching the crowd carefully. "No, I'm all right," he says. P'tran does sound serious, but is NOT using a berating tone of voice Benden Weyr> S'riv grins, no he saves the berating tones for me:) Elyandra follows L'nay's gaze over the crowd, then looks back up at him, "Is something the matter, Leo?" Alyssa looks down at her feet, then raises her gaze and sets her chin. "We'll look into it, sir," she replies in a firm voice. "And if there's a cause we can determine, one that can be found, by Faranth we'll find it." Prefeth sits up a bit, shifting forward. He croons reassuringly to his lifemate as he begins to lumber towards the infirmary. Astride Palinth, L'nay shakes his head and continues to watch the weyrleader and the weyrlings. Asrai looks around for somewhere else to help. Prefeth moves beneath the rocky overhang that protects the Infirmary entrance. P'tran raises a hand. "As I said, *if* you can find it. Do not work on this to the exclusion of everything else. However, do look into it soon while the details of the Fall are fresh in your mind." Kassima nods, again, and looks up towards Pref herself. "Heal fast, Pref. If Lyss doesn't have you to drag her off to hatchings, why, she might lose the knack, and then where would we be?" Despite the light words, her tone is serious as she watches the blue move away. Aphrael starts to limp towards the infirmary, smiling at Kassi as she does. "He will try.." P'tran adds, "I find that this is often better than brooding too long over those that we lost. It helps turn it into a positive thing." Alyssa nods several times to indicate her comprehension, her eyes flooded with gratitude for the Weyrleader's astute assessement of her mental state. "That does seem the best idea, sir, thank you. We'll get on it tomorrow. I...I'm sorry. I feel like I failed." Aphrael moves beneath the rocky overhang that protects the Infirmary entrance. Nicoth moves beneath the rocky overhang that protects the Infirmary entrance. P'tran shakes his head. "No. Losing wingmates does NOT equate with personal failure. Yes, you can fail, and there are probably things you did today that you should have done better, but NEVER start blaming yourself for those that you lose. I know from personal experience, it gets you nowhere fast." "Yes, sir," Alyssa nods rapidly again. "I'll discuss it with the other wingriders to be certain they understand that." She takes a deep breath, then smiles faintly. "And it was an honour, sir, for our wing to fly 'Fall with you." Asrai starts to help with the cleaning, her movements starting to slow as she becomes more tired. Kassima hauls herself to her feet and pokes Lysseth's side. "Up, you. Time to get you and me both out of this cloak of dust." She salutes P'tran sharply as she and the green pass by, then pauses to look back at Lys. "'Tis naught but truth," she says quietly. "Brooding solves naught. Blaming solves naught. Now, if you'll excuse me...." She smiles, quickly, then heads South with her dragon. You walk south.