A Bad Fall

Writers: Chelle, Emma, Anaria, Len, Paula, Suzee
Date Posted: 12th April 2011

Characters: Jaylene, Uetia, Im're, K'sedel, J'klin, E'rae, Y'gel
Description: The Weyrleader's Wing fights thread.
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 1, day 14 of Turn 6

Jaylene

K'sedel

Y'gel

}:This is a bad Fall,:{ Reanth cautioned her rider just before she dove and
flamed a patch of Thread.

Jaylene sputtered as the ash doubled back onto her. To Faranth with
this wind! Of all the days to kick up, why today of all days? She just
wished that the heavy rain the strong wind was promising would come already.
Then they wouldn't all be out here, risking their lives.

It hadn't seemed too bad when the wings had assembled to take off. True, the
wind had been kicking up a bit, and to the east it had been a tiny bit dark,
but nothing like it was now. Jaylene took the risk and glanced back to the
east, which was threatening to open up and unleash the rain.

Uetia tried to shield the part of her face that wasn't covered by goggles
and helmet from the biting wind. ** I should have worn a neck scarf.**
Sirjath didn't reply her comment, busy battling the wind and flaming Thread.

Gormth was struggling. The blue was still young and although he had reached
his full size, he hadn't reached his full strength yet. }: I've never flown
a wind like this :{ Gormth nearly whimpered when a gust almost blew him
out of formation.

**Try to compensate, ** Im're tried to advise.

}:Compensate how?! :{ Gormth yelled, showing his lack of experience.
}:Where did that come from? :{ he twisted quickly and seared the Thread
clump with his flame.

Im're cried with horror. For two heartbeats' time, he was just
hanging by the straps, his body not touching Gormth. **Don't do that
again,** he asked when his body fell back to Gormth's neck.

}: Sorry, that was a close call :{ Gormth replied.

}:Hang on,:{ Reanth cried out as she folded her wings and dove. A clump was
heading straight for a tiny green that had just been blown off the
formation. Just before the clump could hit the dragon and her young
lifemate, Reanth flamed it. She didn't have time to contemplate it as there
was another clump just overhead. After neatly
flaming that, she turned her head for another piece of stone from Jaylene
before continuing her work. All her lifemate could do was stay out of
her way and encourage her.

J'klin was having a hard time focusing on Threadfall, despite how bad the
conditions were. His thoughts were on Roana. With the way the weather was
acting, he knew more clumps than usual were getting down to the Queen's
Wing.

}:Focus, mine,:{ Nimyth said, as he veered a slight bit out of formation to
flame a patch before angling back into position. }:Stone?:{ He asked,
turning his head back. J'klin threw the brown dragon another hunk of
firestone, and tried to clear his mind of his worries.

Leith was following his rider's orders. The blue had learned
from past threadfall scorings that if he tried to do things his way, he would
mess up. **Left, there** E'rae saw through his blue's eyes, directing their
fighting. They fought as one, rather than a pair. He was trying his best to
make up for all that the greens were missing as they tried to stay
where they were supposed to be. }:I have this one, Nimyth!:{ he yelled in
the brown's mind as he flamed the clump coming down.

Despite the weather, the wing was flying well, Jaylene thought to herself.
Her green was somehow managing not to blown off course. All those long sweep
rides that Reanth so enjoyed where showing their value, in weather like
this. She had the extra muscle to beat against the wind and stay in
formation. At that moment, the small green powered her way up to meet and
sear a large clump. Jaylene could feel her satisfaction at that. **You're
doing so well, love** The green couldn't respond, she was too busy.

K'sedel turned to feed Niikornath some more firestone. **Have the them ready
to bring up more, we'll need it soon,** he asked of Nikornath. The bronze as
was his habit, on the highest level refusing to let anyone fly where he
himself would not.

J'klin waved his thanks to E'rae, then turned his focus back to
the fight. They were nearly out of stone, as they were going through
it far faster than they normally would. He momentarily pitied
the inexperienced weyrlings that had to come to the wing to deliver
it. **Nimyth, let Niikornath know we're down to half a sack,**
J'klin said, and Nimyth passed it on obediently. Catching a firestone
sack would be an interesting feat on a day like today.

**Have the weyrlings come up now,** K'sedel told Nikornath as the bronze
relayed the comment.

Jaylene saw when a Weyrling tried to fly to her. Signaling, she and Reanth
dove down so that the child and her green were under the first wave of Thread.
"Now!" she shouted at the girl, holding out her hand for the sack that came
right into it.

}:Well done, Yirrith!:{ Reanth told the weyrling before rising up,
flaming to catch another clump.

E'rae refueled from the weyrling wing and found himself coming back into
formation quickly. And then he felt Leith shift right, with the wind blowing
hard on his left side. }:Mine, I can't hold:{ he said with distress.

Just before the bluerider was going to ask for help from one of his
bigger wingmates to block the heavy wind, he felt a drop on his forehead.
And then another one. Finally, the rain had come and the threads would drown!
**Thank you Faranth**

}: It's starting to rain, :{ Sirjath remarked.

**It's not enough yet, ** Uetia replied. It would take awhile until
the rain would be heavy enough to kill the Thread. Few drops wouldn't
do much yet. They couldn't let their guard down yet, that would be a
grave mistake. Being sturdy for a green, Sirjath was dealing
surprisingly well with the strong wind. She was still tiring quickly.
- Show quoted text -
Uetia leaned to pat her neck encouragingly. ** Tell Nikonarth that we
have to drop out after a half candlemark, if the wind doesn't calm
down or the rain turn heavier soon.

}: Done, :{ Sirjath reported after a pause.

Gormth really didn't know where to focus his attention. He needed more
firestone, he felt his drops of rain, the wind was still trying to
blow him off course and Thread was falling erratically, blown this way
and that by the wind.

}: Firestone! :{ He turned his head and opened his maw.

** Coming! ** Im're replied. The first fist sized rock missed Gormth's
waiting mouth and started to fall towards the ground. **Whoops, I hope
it won't hit anybody!** Im're tossed another one and this time Gormth
caught it. At the same moment, the wind caught them. Suddenly Gormth
was belly side up. Both rider and dragon screamed. Gormth was still
righting himself when he saw the tangled clump of silver filaments. He
tried to flame but instead spat out half chewn firestone.

Somehow the blue managed to pull his wing out of the way but the
Thread connected, splashing against his side just front of the wing.
Part of it landed on Im're's hip and thigh. Im're watched it writhing
in a shocked horror and tried instinctly brush it away, to only make
it spread to his hand too. **Between!** the training kicked in.

Sirjath and Uetia saw them take a hit and flash to /between/. They
were way too far to help. Only thing they could do was to inform
others. }: Gormth's hit, he needs help!:{

The blue came out again, Thread turned to a frozen crack dust. But it
had had enough time to burrow to his flesh, damaging the muscles and
sinews he need to move his wing. One wing limp and paralyzed, they
were falling without control.

}:Gormth,:{ Nimyth said, identifying the dragon who'd gotten hit. He
angled himself a bit better in formation to cover the hole left by the
injured blue. They managed to replenish their stock of firestone
without incident before turning their focus back to the fight.

No time for words, Reanth folded her wings and dove after the stricken
pair. She managed to get under them and, in a move that flattened her
rider to her neck, she twisted and rose to Gormth's injured side.
They connected, with the smaller green pressing just under his wing.
}:Hold on to me, Gormth!:{

Still pressed against Reanth's neck, Jaylene visualized the Weyr bowl,
close to the dragon infirmary. **Give him that that picture, love!**
Out loud, she screamed to Im're, "we're going /between/ on the count of
three!" By the egg, she just hoped the boy didn't panic at this
point.

In shock, Im're and Gormth were working on by pure training-induced
reflexes. Neither was really thinking at this point. Gormth grabbed
Reanth with a death grip. **On three!** Im're sent to him and
brought the visualization to his mind. He wrapped his arms around neck ridge
and hissed when the movement sent flashes of pain from his injuries.
Gormth was oozing green ichor. **Obey Reanth!** Im're said, feeling
like he was about to faint. That way, Gormth would listen to someone
if he did lose consciousness.

**Okay love, to the Weyr!** Still gripped onto Gormth, Reanth and her
burden flashed /between/. The last thing Jaylene saw before going
were the sky opening up and the heavy rain the winds were promising
finially coming down. **Why couldn't that have happened just a few
moments earlier?** she despaired, as they flashed over the bowl, only
a few wingspans above where the dragonhealers were waiting.

Aughashyth screamed something unintelligible as he launched to catch
the injured blue and his rider. Y'gel bellowed to the assistants who
scrambled out of the way. Aug managed to get under Reanth and Gormth
catching both as they strove not to crush the humans below. He grunted
with the effort of keeping them aloft for the few moments it took for
everyone to get safely out of the way.

Y'gel yelled the all clear and the three dragons dropped the rest of
the way and Aughashyth spoke }:Gormth's wing:{ "Gormnth's wing" Y'gel
repeated and the healers jumped toward the blue. Meanwhile Aug
untangled himself from the other two and Y'gel ran toward the green
"Reanth, are you ok?"

"We're fine, Y'gel, but that boy's not! See to him!" Jaylene all but
shouted as she jumped off her green. Poor Im're! She sunk to her knees, taking
in deep breaths as Reanth did the same beside her. **You are okay,
love, right?**

}:I'm fine:{ Reanth shivered, looking over to
Gormth. }:Tired but fine:{ Her lifemate held her head close to her and
tried not to cry as she watched the healers work on Im're and Gormth.

Uetia just hoped the young pair was all right, she thought Im're was
nice boy. But she had to concentrate what she was doing right now.

Last updated on the April 28th 2011

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A Bad Fall