We All Fall Down (1/2)

Writers: Devin, Chelle, Heather K, Miriah, Paula, Suzee
Date Posted: 27th August 2012

Characters: N'vanik, R'enh, Pierka, E'ril, Cyradis, Sh'dori, X'ian, D'rid, Carnaplo
Description: What: Pierka and N'vanik are injured in Threadfall.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 9, day 17 of Turn 6

N'vanik

R'enh

Pierka

Cyradis

Clouds in the distance hinted at rain, but it was still dry here,
which meant Dolphin Cove still had to fly Fall. N'vanik had the Wing
at varying heights in a formation that had worked well in the past.
The wind gusted now and then, but otherwise the skies were fair.
Loseth took a deep breath and flamed, turning another clump to ash.
Through their bond they shared satisfaction. This was what they were
meant to do.

On his Weyrleaders right and stepped higher in the formation, R'enh
and Mnoranth flew at the head of their section. The fall was going
well with nothing but a single close call so far. They'd been training
the newest members hard and placed them where they were between steady
and seasoned riders. He watched everything closely and relayed orders
through his lifemate. But he could tell by the level of stone in his
sacks that they'd be needing resupply soon. Of course the higher
portions of the wing would run dry sooner. Then they'd switch places
in a smooth maneuver and get their new sacks of stone. **Please let
Loseth's know we're getting low**

On the ground E'ril and Dawenth prepared their Weyrlings for firestone
ferrying. Firestone ferrying was perhaps the most important duty a rider
could serve without actually flaming Thread and flying the 'Fall themselves.
E'ril did his best to ensure that his charges understood that there were
still risks to be taken with this job. Today, he tried to be as encouraging
as possible without discounted the amount of danger they would be coming
into.

For him, personally, this was a pre-Blooding anxiety attack. Even
after Turns of experience as a Weyrlingstaffer, he still worried that
he hadn't done enough to ready the young men, women, and dragonets.

}: They will be fine. They are ready. Thread will not win this day.:{
Dawenth assured his rider. His tone was unusually stern. Threadfall
days had that effect on the blue.

>From lower in the wings, D'rid and blue Hormith concentrated on flaming
to char a thick clump of thread that fell in front of them. Banking sharply
to catch another, Hormith threw his head back to receive another clump
of firestone to chew.

Moving back into their position in the rear, D'rid checked his firestone bag
quickly. **Tell Loseth we're ready to receive more stone at his order.**

On the ground, Journeyman Carnaplo was readying his supplies. Every
threadfall meant a few injuries. He just hoped they wouldn't be
severe. There was plenty of numbweed to go around though and fellis as
well. He looked up, watching the sky but tried to keep busy as he
waited for it to begin.

Pierka stood by her Liddith on the floor of the Weyrbowl as the line
of weyrlings gradually progressed. Her heart was beating like a drum
in her ears as they finally hit the head of the line. Liddith was
loaded with sacks of firestone to resupply the riders in fall. She
nodded at the Weyrling Master's encouragement but this time was for
real, it wasn't a drill. She climbed up the side of her pretty green
lifemate and settled in place checking all her straps for the final
time. She signaled ready and they were in the air.

Emerging from /between/ where they'd been shown she found herself
below the Weyrleaders wing. **up** she ordered her lifemate feeling
the fierce burning desire of Liddith to flame their ancient enemy.
**No, the stone is for them, Our turn will come.**

}:Hormith's calls for stone:{ They rose up slightly above the blue and
she called her warning and tossed three sacks in quick succession to
the rider. Dragon's flamed all around her and they dropped below to
await the next call which came from Mnoranth a moment later. Her
success on the first try made her braver when she approached the level
of the bronze Wingsecond. Once again she made her tosses successfully
and smiled at her success when a warning yell turned her head and then
incredible pain seared her back. Liddith screamed and the blackness of
/between/ took her.

R'enh caught his sacks of stone with the ease of long practice but
they were in the wrong position to flame the stray clump that caught
the Weyrling green and her rider. They winked out of existence and
back in a moment later but they were falling from the sky. }:Catch
Liddith:{ his bronze bellowed.

Loseth looked up to see the falling green. He sent the image to his
rider as he moved to catch her. N'vanik glanced around for nearby
clumps of Thread. They were clear, for the moment. His heart sped up,
thinking of the times he hadn't been fast enough, or in the wrong
place. Times when riders and dragons had died.

It all happened so fast. A gust of wind caught Loseth a second before
Liddith hit his back. N'vanik felt a huge impact and everything went
black.

Loseth kept his panic in check. His rider was hurt, but he had the
little green and her rider to take care of, too. }:Mine is hurt,:{ he
sent to Mnoranth, }:But I have Liddith.:{ Then he went /between/ to
the Weyr.

Landing as gently as he could, he called out to the dragonhealers for
help. }:Liddith and hers are hurt. So is my rider. The catch was bad
and he's unconscious.:{ He didn't know exactly how N'vanik had been
hurt, or how bad, and his eyes whirled with distress.

D'rid had caught the sacks with practiced ease and had waved
to the weyrling with thanks before he tossed more firestone into
Hormith's waiting maw. But only a moment later, he couldn't help
but hear the shrill cry of pain.

}: Liddith falls! :{ A quick pause as the blue charred a thick clump
of thread. }: Loseth caught her, but his is hurt. Mnoranth leads
now :{

**We can't think of N'vanik right now. Just concentrate, Hormith
and we'll know when we get back.**

There was a renewed rage in the blue as he let loose a ferocious
jet of flame at the falling thread around him.

}: Liddith and hers are hurt. They are with the Healers.:{ The blue
urgently informed his rider. His whirling red eyes snapped to the
direction of the green and her little rider.

"No," was all E'ril could say. It was too soon, he couldn't lose a
weyrling now. He commanded his group of weyrlings to stay put for
the moment as Dawenth gathered information about the fighting wings
and how they were recovering.

Even though E'ril wanted to run to Pierka's side and make sure she and
Liddith were fine, he had other duties. Fighting riders still needed
firestone and there was plenty of staff on hand to deal with what ever
injuries the young pair had received.

}:Loseth's rider is also injured. Mnoranth's leads now. More stone is
needed among the higher ranks.:{ Dawenth added forcing E'ril to snap back to
his task at hand. He order a blue and his rider to the front and made
certain
they had proper imaging before making the jump /between/.

As the dragonhealers rushed forward, so did the healers. And when the
news came that it was the Weyrleader who was down, things went from
controlled chaos to crazy. Carnaplo approached Loseth, but was cautious.
"I need to get your rider. Can you help me please?" As it was, he didn't
think it would be a good idea to climb such a huge bronze at that
particular time.

In the upper wings R'enh and Mnoranth exerted immediate control of the
confused dragons. He ordered a completely new formation and Mnoranth
blared the orders to reform and resume fighting thread. The Weyr
healers would take care of the fallen riders but for now the wing
still had another two hours of Fall and they wouldn't falter. They
routinely drilled the wing in switching leaders so the pairs knew
what to do when it happened for real.

}:Loseth's has been injured, he may need you:{ Mnoranth bespoke Panitath.

Of course Cyradis knew already as Panitath had sensed the bronze's
near panic. She threw control to her 'second and winked /between/ back
to the Weyrbowl. She was still aboard when her giant lifemate planted
herself snout to snout with the big bronze. }:Be still Loseth,:{ she
ordered with the undeniable will of her kind. }:The healers will help
yours. Be still:{

"Come slowly Carnaplo, he's controlled for the moment." Her head
swiveled looking for the little green. That one would panic for sure
when she came to, but Panitath was here now and could control her as
well. They weren't going to let either dragon go /between/ in panic.

}:I know,:{ Loseth told the gold. He lowered carefully as the
dragonhealers' dragons eased Liddith off his back. His eyes kept
whirling, but he would not panic. His rider needed help. Crouched low,
he offered a forelimb to Carnaplo to help him climb up.

Carnaplo wasn't as nimble as a rider would be, but he managed the climb.
Once he reached N'vanik, he didn't move him. Instead, he quickly tried to
assess the situation to see if the Weyrleader might have a concussion. Just
in case, he used a portable neck brace to minimize any effects while he got
him off the dragon and into a bed. Crawling around, he was satisfied that it
should be okay to move him. Handing him down to another journeyman waiting
below, they got him to a stretcher and towards the infirmary. Now, it
was the small greenrider's turn. Carnaplo wisely waited for the
Weyrwoman's intervention on this one. Weyrling greens were highly
unpredictable.

Thankfully Loseth was firmly in control even if he was distressed by
N'vanik's injury. Cyradis scrambled down from her gold lifemate's back
trusting her to handle the green as well. They were very experienced
with this kind of thing and everyone behaved as they should around an
injured pair. But she followed the stretcher bearers after the fallen
Weyrleader. **I'll keep an eye on N'vanik. You let Loseth know.**

Loseth desperately wanted to follow his rider to make sure he was
alright, but he knew he couldn't. }:Have yours tell you what the
healers say, so you can tell me,:{ he said. Restless, he shifted from
foot to foot. He kept reaching out for his rider, hoping he would wake
up.

The first problem was to get to Pierka. Then, he had to treat what he
could and minimize the damage and the pain. Once she was stabilized,
the healer got her moved. She needed to get to the infirmary right
away. They had to minimize the infection as well as probably perform
some skin grafts. It wasn't too deep or Carnaplo would have said she
wouldn't survive. She'd gotten /between/ quick enough. Detaching
himself from the situation to look at it clinically, he followed the
team into the infirmary so they could start working.

Last updated on the September 1st 2012

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We All Fall Down (1/2)