-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Moonflame Wing's First Threadfall Date: April 1, 1999 Places: Telgar Weyr's Southern Bowl and Airspace; Air Over Bitra 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: The time has come, the WLM said, to fly with Telgar's Wings, with gallant hearts and firestone sacks, which the good rider flings. Moonflame Wing, the latest (and newly-graduated) Weyrling Wing of Telgar, flies resupply in Fall for the first time, prompting at least one call of "Bomb's away!" And afterwards, of course, is the time for Wingleaders to descend like vultures... and Kassi picks out one particular carcass--err, new rider--for Thunderbolt. All in all, it was a good Fall, and many thanks are due to those who made it possible. :) -------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Log: You backwing for a landing on sands of the bowl. 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. Meli slips smoothly down from Juliath's neck to her foreleg and to the ground, giving her a gentle caress. S'dar walks out of the records cavern. Juliath whuffs at the studly bronze. Dossa comes out of the short tunnel from the living cavern. S'dar wanders out, cheerful as always, but his mind looks somewhat preoccupied. "Good afternoon," he bids as he wanders over to Chezroth. K'dar checks over Leventh's straps once more before heading for the firestone himself. "Afternoon, all" Meli settles Juliath into Shadowflame's section of the bowl, instantly turning to call out orders to her wing as she checks Juliath's straps and gives her a good looking over. M'rgan slings a few firestone sacks over each shoulder before trudging back across the bowl to join his lifemate. While he was away a few more Skyfire dragons landed in their section of the bowl and his eyes scan each one with a critical eye, making sure that all are ready for the Fall. Kassima swings down from her lifemate's neck, the green having parked herself neatly at the point of Thunderbolt's forming formation. "Looking good," she shouts to her Wingmates. "Grab plenty of stone sacks; you know the drill!" She heads to take her own advice, hefting two sacks of smallish medium sized stone over her shoulders. Dossa stands at the ring of activity, watching with clasped hands. Her gaze drifts to the sacks of firestone, watching as the supply is replenished by nearby drudges. K'dar grunts as he lifts some sacks himself, heading for Leventh. Grinning, he says to his wingleader, "Here I was, hoping that the rain would continue just one more day..." Meli pulls her gloves from her belt, snugging them securely on her hands before she heads off to collect some sacks as well. En route, she yells a word here and there to Shadowflame. Telgar Weyr> Meli idles briefly.... assume Sflame is being obnoxious and unruly. ;) Telgar Weyr> Syri arches a brow. Telgar Weyr> Trila doesn't wanna know. "Rain always senses an upcoming Fall," M'rgan replies back, his voice a near grunt as well as he's burdened under the heavy sacks of stone. "No change to the formation, by the way. Only Rilana's blue is still out and since we've been drilling without him as it is it doesn't affect the formation. We'll start off in the forward V. If you could pass that along." Dagazth lumbers north. K'dar nods. "Will do," he replies simply. "Faranth only knows Lev'll be talking to them all anyway.." The brownrider grins at a protesting rumble. "Well, you always are, lout." Kassima pulls her sacks of stone open, bringing out chunks and tossing them neatly to Lysseth, who crunches them with a sound not unakin to that of someone eating Pringles. "Good lass," Kassi tells her green, giving the dragon's shoulder an affectionate slug. "S'cot, you're going t'be needing more 'stone than just that! Faranth's fecud feces, lad, where's your *mind*? Honestly. R'huen, toss him an extra sack, would you?" Mutter, headshake, grumble. She claims two more sacks for herself, and works on securing them to her dragon's neck. Dossa spots a young drudge girl having difficulty balancing a large box of healing supplies, and rushes over to help her. "Here, let me carry that, dear," Dossa says to the grateful girl, who smiles and runs off to complete more of her pre-Fall tasks. Dossa turns to look around, and then looks woefully lost. "I have no idea where this goes," she grumbles to herself. M'rgan bobs his thanks to K'dar before veering away from the man and joining his lifemate who is still lounging on the floor of the bowl, idly chewing. A *scritch* and a *crunch* from Ularrith now and then shows that he's found a bit of firestone between his teeth to munch on. Dropping the firestone sacks at his feet, M'rgan sets to fixing Ularrith's fighting straps, adjusting the buckles and bracing. Dagazth lumbers here from the north. R'yn walks here from the north. Ansuth lumbers here from the north. Trila walks here from the north. "Jays," Trila murmurs softly, high-tailing it into the bowl on the heels of R'yn and Dagazth, Ansuth on her way in, too. "G'day," she adds. Dossa sets the heavy box of healing supplies down, and scratches her head, looking bewildered. She spots Dagazth's huge shape coming near and smiles, seeing R'yn nearby. Finally, she notices a small cluster of journeymen healers, and hauls the heavy box over to them. K'dar extends his hand to Leventh, who snuffles up the first bit of firestone. As the brown is chewing, his rider begins attaching other sacks of firestone to the straps, clambering over a helpfully extended foreleg. Absently, he waves to the arriving ex-weyrlings Syri walks here from the north. Hagalath lumbers here from the north. "No no no!!" Meli yells as she drops her sacks near Juliath's head. "Set up in th'altered formation, th'one we went over yesterday!" Several rider and dragon pairs in Shadowflame glance about and start maneuvering to their proper positions. R'yn salutes out of habit to everyone and immediately starts to work on the extra sacks of firestone that need to be loaded. M'rgan checks several times with his lifemate as he adjusts the dragon's straps. Only when Ularrith responds with a bright rumblewhuffle does his hands drop away from the lengths of leather. "Now for the stone." Scooping up two of the sacks, the brownrider clambers up the dragon's straps to carefully clip the sacks of 'stone to the D-rings near where he normally sits. Kassima tugs the last fastening into place, checks the last buckle, then steps away from her dragon and begins to walk briskly down the length of her Wing's formation--eyeing each rider's straps, and pausing an extra moment or speak with those most recently back from the inactive list. "If'n Servoth shows the least sign of favoring that wing, C'row, I want t'know about it at once. I've told Jal t'be keeping his eye on you." Trila stifles a grin as she offers a last pat to Ansuth, followiung R'yn to'ards firestone, bagging neatly. Hagalath crunches firmly, his wings tucked down around his hunched shoulders as he dips his head for another lump of stone. Already the rumblings in his belly with the gas production are clearly audible, but only when he pauses in his chewing. Syri tosses up another lump, snapped sharply out of the air. Dossa walks over to where R'yn is bagging, and smiles at him. "Nervous?" She asks him quietly. M'rgan jumps up onto Ularrith's back, using his foreleg as a step. R'yn smiles at Dossa, "Nervous?! Nawwww." he responds as any typical male would. With a huff, he lifts up another sack to get it fastened onto a D-ring for Dagazth. "So what are they having you work on?" Meli returns to Juliath, beginning the slow process of feeding her 'stone, Meli's face taking on a characteristic scowl as she helps her lifemate concentrate on her second stomach. Leventh chews, eyes slowing as he concentrates on the task at hand. Finally, the stone is crunched to dust, and he turns his head for the next. His rider is caught by surprise, scrambling down and providing another with a grin Dossa shrugs lightly. "Wherever I can help. I don't like to flame, because I can't keep up with everyone else. So I'll be helping here. Bagging, healing supplies, whichever." She smiles sadly. "I want you and Dagazth home in once piece, R'yn." Trila hefts, ties, fastens, methodically, orderly, Ansuth obliging by crouching low and watching, with slowly whirling eyes tinged with curiousity. S'dar watches over those riders that were once Weyrlings... they're full riders now, but he still can't help but poke his nose into how they're doing. Still, he lets them work autonomously unless they have questions of him. Syri strike that, reversits, and with Hagalath hovering in his protective way, carts sacks of 'stone about to those that need them, her jaw set and grim. Atop sturdy Ularrith, M'rgan, after attaching the last 'stone sacks to the straps - he always has Ularrith fly with more firestone than necessary -, remains perched atop the dragon's neck, his gaze torn between an examination of the former weyrlings and ensuring that everything is going well with Skyfire. He twists and turns in his seat, peering all about. R'yn stops for just a moment. "Don't worry bout us. We will be just fine. Dagazth here is in good hands with me, and I'm in good wings with him." he manages a nervous wink to the girl. Dossa bites her lower lip, but nods at R'yn and forces a smile. "All right. Just... take care." She moves to take a step back, but falters somewhat, glancing from R'yn to his lifemate and back again. Maylia walks here from the north. Once Juliath is prepared, Meli walks back to confer with her wingseconds on the weather and terrain they'll be facing. Trila lifts a hand, shoving back an errant curl 'fore hefting final sack of stone, balancing it neatly to tie, tug, and fasten. Bada bing, bada boom -- and they're done. S'dar smiles reassuringly at the recently graduated Weyrlings. Maylia heads into the southern area of the bowl, cajoling weyrlings of Beneth's clutch into assisting. "Moonflame!" She calls. "The wings leave soon! Hustle it up!" K'dar feeds Leventh one last bit of stone, then eyes the brown carefully. Satisfied, he hops up again, settling down and strapping in before pulling on his flying helmet. Both brown and rider look to M'rgan for instructions K'dar hops up onto Leventh's back, the dragon's sparkling eyes watching closely. Th'lon walks here from the north. Kassima finishes her inspection of her ranks, gives a satisfied nod to J'lyn, and reaches for Lysseth's straps in preparation to swing herself aboard. "Mount up!" she bellows to Thunderbolt in best Wingleader tones... read, *loud*. 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. <*> Algizth lumbers here from the north. <*> Syri hoists another sack up to a waiting rider and whirls back to stalk toward the piles, her blue trailing after. She darts a look at him, and he raises his head to examine the others of Moonflame with a duty- calls kind of expression. <*> R'yn smiles at her, but before anything else can happen between the two, Dagazth lets out a rumble. R'yn looks back at Dagazth, "Oh yes!" He starts to feed Dagazth firestone, letting the big brown slowly chew and swallow, chew and swallow. Dragon> Telgar Weyrlings sense that Hagalath inquires of the Moonflamers, << All is well? All others are prepared to flame, no more need firestone? >> <*> Dossa backs off reluctantly, and retreats quickly to help with hauling healer supplies. <*> Th'lon runs in late, pulling his riding jacket and gloves on as he makes his way across the bowl. <*> Meli finishes her conference, then jogs back to Juliath, giving her wing the signal to mount before she does so herself. <*> 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. Dragon> Telgar Weyrlings sense that Ansuth idly adds his query, mind reaching out to soothe, comfort; though at the same time it tingles with excitement as he wonders: << All are ready? You have done your jobs? >> <*> Atop sturdy Ularrith, M'rgan flashes his arms through the air to get his wingseconds attention. Once their eyes are on him he makes the form up gesture while shouting the words and the command ripples down the ranks. Skyfire dragons begin to rise to their feet and shift positions. Ularrith ends up behind the bronzes on the left flank, one slightly larger brown in front of him. Dragon> Telgar Weyrlings sense that Dagazth simply relays, <<I chew.>> <*> Syri dusts off her gloves, pulled up well over her elbows for protection's sake. She shoves her hair back off her forehead and yanks her helmet out of her belt to pull it on and fasten it. Hagalath dips his head to nip up another of the 'stones she's set aside for him, his eyes whirling quick and steady, excitement and concentration. <*> R'yn looks back to return his attention to Dossa, but she is gone. He lets out a sigh and returns to preparations. <*> Ansuth lowers his head, parting his maw and accepting the stone Trila feeds, munching lightly and swallowing, rumbling lightly as he prepares. Trila smiles dutifully, sending a gaze over the rest of Moonflame before relaying up another piece. Gloves are pulled on as the blue chews, and hair is tugged up in a wild sweep of curls, tied together with an elastic 'fore tugging on the helmet. That done, more firestone's relayed to her ready blue. Kassima settles back on Lysseth's ridges, pulling her goggles down over her eyes. The green, muscles tensed, lashes her tail with impatience as she waits the cue to fly--an impatience echoed by several more dragons down the Thunderbolt line. The formation steadies into solidity at a silent command from the leading greens. <*> Astride Juliath, Meli licks her lips, then unhooks her helmet from her belt and tugs it onto her head, tucking wisps of hair under the wherhide. Goggles she leaves for now on her forehead, as Shadowflame lines up and then all eyes center on M'rgan and Ularrith. <*> Th'lon grunts with the effort of trying to carry too many sacks of firestone at once to Algizth. He looks up at the bronze who is swallowing a chunk of stone, quickly popping another smaller chunk into the waiting maw before beginning the task of securing the extra bags for resupply to his riding straps. <*> Maylia moves amongst the preparing riders, snagging moonflame riders as they dash past her. "When you're ready, get your lifemates prepared." Are her instructions to them, and nervous recent weyrlings dash off to do so. <*> R'yn finishes attaching the last of the sacks to Dagazth for re-supply, then mounts up while getting his helmet fastened. <*> Atop sturdy Ularrith, From M'rgan's back, Phenix spreads her wings and dives from the narrow ledges on the wall. Dragon> Telgar Weyrlings sense that Hagalath takes his duties seriously, certainly; even while chewing -- which echoes through his thoughts, as well -- he keeps watch, and leaves a mild inquiry hanging, status required. <*> Algizth rumbles deep in his chest, looking between the sky and the other dragons scattered about with slowly whirling yellow-tinged eyes as his rider pulls on the last of his gear and mounts up. <*> Ansuth snaps up yet another piece of stone, excitement building in demeanor, manner, tail flicking furiously even as he chews obediently, Trila patting him lightly on the neck. <*> R'yn hops up Dagazth's foreleg nimbly to find his place between his neckridges. <*> Th'lon vaults to Algzith's neck, settling between the high neckridges. Dragon> Telgar Weyrlings sense that Ansuth is still ready -- even more so now, silvers and ices faded in favor of the crimson of excitement. << I am ready. >> <*> Trila lays a hand on Ansuth's deep-blue neck and, with a foreleg, vaults on up with a smile. <*> Lysseth gives a deep-throated rumble, swallowing the very last of her stone. "Patience, Sky-Lady," Kassi murmurs, stroking the dragon's neck soothingly. "We'll be kicking Thread's arse soon enough." Pause. "Nay that Thread *has* an arse." <*> Atop sturdy Ularrith, M'rgan scans the formation around him before lifting his fist high into the air. Suddenly he pumps it as Ularrith gives the Skyfire dragons the command to rise and the bronzes immediately in front of them lift into the air. <*> Ularrith 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. <*> Leventh rises up from the bowl. <*> Juliath rises up from the bowl. <*> The Skyfire dragons maintain their forward V formation as the rise higher into the air, making space for the dragons still on the ground. <*> Ularrith flies up and out of the bowl. <*> Leventh flies up and out of the bowl. The rim of the bowl falls away from you and you soar into the open skies. <*> Juliath flies up from the northern half of the bowl. Dragon> Threadfall Comm sense that Ularrith sends the image of Bitra Hold that his rider has provided him with. <*> Lysseth and Thunderbolt follow suit, soaring into the sky in a V of burnished bronze, gleaming brown, shimmering blue, and brilliant green, with one dark and one jade green at the fore. Kassi keeps her eyes trained on the Fall-leader, awaiting the signal to jump *between*. Dragon> Algizth bespoke Telgar Weyrlings with << We are ready. >> <*> Ularrith disappears into Between. <*> Leventh disappears into Between. <*> Juliath disappears into Between. <*> Lysseth disappears into Between. Between You gasp as the icy black nothingness of Between surrounds you! You hear nothing, see nothing, and feel nothing. The trip takes five heartbeats... Black... Blacker... Blackest! You suddenly emerge... <*> Lysseth emerges from Between with a blast of cold air! Dragon> Telgar Weyrlings sense that Hagalath checks, one and another, until he's marked in mind each and every member of the wing. <*> Leventh emerges from *Between*, almost palpably relieved at the lack of clouds. The brown maintains his position just inside of Skyfire's greens. With his ledgemate's rider still weyrbound, that's one fewer thing for his rider to think about... not that you'd know there are any distractions at all, the way the two are flying. <*> Solarith emerges from Between with a blast of cold air! <*> Kvasith emerges from Between with a blast of cold air! <*> Ularrith's and M'rgan's heads swing around at the same time to examine the formation of dragons streaming behind them. Minor shifts take place along the lengths of Skyfire dragons as they tighten the formation. <*> As Telgars' wings arrive over Bitra's skies, an oily grey slick mars the northeastern skies. The day is bright, sunshine lightly touching the valley and rivers below, sparkling off mountain peaks. Dragon> Threadfall Comm sense that Juliath forwards a ready indication from Shadowflame, as the wing finds its place in the sky and prepares to meet the oncoming wave of Thread. <*> Lysseth arrives in a puff of logic and a burst of cold air, wings stretched wide to cup the winds and make them hers. A resounding roar of fury escapes her throat at the sight of the Thread-mar *just* out of reach, one echoed by similar roars or bugles of challenge depending on the dragon. Kassi spends only a second looking back over the formation; it's flawless, and they are ready. Telgar Weyr> S'dar says, "Falls are always exciting :)" <*> Comfortably mounted on Solarith, T'saren looks back to check Dawnslight's formation as they come out of *between*, then nods to himself and gives the 'all ready' signal to M'rgan before turning back to watch the eastern skies for the impending glimmer of silver. Dragon> Threadfall Comm sense that Lysseth seconds the signal of readiness wordlessly, tense eagerness winding its way through her mindtone in streaks of fiery blood-carmine. <*> Shadowflame, for its part, brooks no challenge to the approaching silver, the somewhat smaller wing holding up its auxiliary position in near silence, near imobility, with just the passing clouds to mark their momentum through the sky. <*> An ill-timed swerve by a Starblaze blue causes a large clump to filter past he and his rider. Leventh is the closest to the rapidly-falling tangle. <*> On Leventh, K'dar drops low over Leventh's neckridges, as the pair spot the clump. A pale tongue of flame appears around the great teeth, as the brown closes on his first clump of the ancient enemy for this fall. A pass and a sheet of flame, and only dust is left to fall on to Bitra's fields Dragon> Telgar Weyrlings sense that Hagalath steadies, waiting as well, and 'listens.' There is little point, after all, to going until battle is engaged and supplies run low. He snaps another check, testing each Moonflamer in turn. << All bags are tied closely, straps checked, flame ready? >> <*> Ularrith's inborn eagerness is displayed in the constant surge and ebb of his forward push after he catches sight of the approaching silver curtain. He buglesnarls as the battle is joined, his instincts taking over immediately. Dragon> Dagazth bespoke Telgar Weyrlings with << Bags ready, straps checked, flame ready. I am ready. >> <*> Solarith gives a bugle of warning as the first tangles of thread begin descending suddenly, letting a small jet of flame trickle from his maw before waiting for his turn in the battle. <*> A large, thick clump is split in twain by a sudden gust, which sends one half veering towards Ularrith, and the other zooming rapidly nearer to green Lysseth. Dragon> Telgar Weyrlings sense that Algizth responds quickly, though his tone impatient his training prevailing as he awaits, << I have flame in my belly and my rider says everything is tied securely. We are ready. >> <*> Lysseth is anything but upset to see the leading edge finally within reach of dragonflame--she's ready to fight, more than ready! Her wingbeats quicken, her increasing speed urging her Wing onward as well, towards where the ancient enemy is falling. Flame blossoms from several throats towards the head of the formation--including Lysseth's--to wrap the Thread in tendrils of flame, an embrace which leaves the silvery coils only blackened crackdust. Telgar Weyr> Kassima waits to see whether the @emitter will declare war on Mart again. ;) <*> A brown dragon's bellow of pain is abruptly cut off as he and his rider seek the Thread-killing cold of *between*. By the time he reappears, it has gone beyond his range and crossed into the skyspace near Skyfire's Leventh. <*> Kvasith glides easily as he awaits the threat of thread. He snarls his threat. Telgar Weyr> T'saren chuckles. Looks like it's going to be a war on K'dar, actually. ;) <*> As his rider bends over his neck at his mental warning, Ularrith suddenly banks, veering off to chase the straying clump. His wings just start to fall into the airspace of the brown on his left flank when a ball of flame bursts from his wide maw. The force of his fire is so strong that first it breaks the clump into two before turning the silver lengths to char, the cloud of dust drifting over the dragons on the left. Dragon> Telgar Weyrlings sense that Hagalath readies, rises, and requires attention. << We go. Rise to formation, three lines as instructed. >> He lists off each dragon in turn, instructing them to positions. <*> Leventh roars, turning his head to incinerate the clump that dared to injure a /brown/. That clump is made ash, but another coming fast ahead requires the pair to blink between, allowing their nearest wingmate to flame through their position <*> Solarith lets out a burst of flame to char a strand of thread that drifts towards him, leaving only ash to rain down to the ground. <*> When dragon meets Thread, only one will survive the encounter unscathed; which it will be as a large clump falls perilously near Lysseth's green shoulder remains to be seen. Dragon> Telgar Weyrlings sense that Hagalath runs down the 'list' of Moonflame, adding in, << Dagazth flies with Rinath's line. Meara, Trila. Th'lon, here. >> He finishes off, then quiets-- <*> The leading edge finally reaches Juliath and the rest of Shadowflame, and the wing quickly begins its task of annihilating the offending substance, ash beginning to fill the otherwise pleasant sky, serving as a dusky backdrop for gouts of orange and yellow flame. <*> Lysseth intends it to be *she* who'll fly home with nary a mark on her hide, thank you, and twists in her flight-path to meet the clump head-on with another whiplash of flame. Even as Kassi ducks the cinders, Lyss banks back to the formation, just in time to greet another tangle with a most incindiery salutation. Dragon> Telgar Weyrlings sense that Hagalath checks the lines, then steadies his wings to soaring position and instructs, << We go to Bitra. >> He snaps up a crisp image of their destination, checking for readiness. << All remember that? >> <*> Though a blue at the foremost lines of formation targets a clump of Thread with accuracy and skill, the tangle is too large for his burst of flame to eradicate. Half-charred remains drift past, very near to brown Kvasith, as the front-line blue catches his breath enough to bugle a warning. <*> Kvasith shifts easily as he breaks off from his wing towards a stray clump. He blows a heavy blast of flame towards it, turning the entire thing to ash. Dragon> Telgar Weyrlings sense that Dagazth returns the message, <<I remember>> along with the image that was sent to him. Dragon> Telgar Weyrlings sense that Ansuth parrots the image back, more to make sure it's accurate for others than to check it. <*> Leventh and his rider reappear almost exactly in formation, rumbling a thank-you to their obliging green wingmate before being swept up in the 'fall again Dragon> Telgar Weyrlings sense that Hagalath acknowledges the return images. << My lifemate reminds that we fly resupply; you flame ONLY if Thread comes for you when you go to a rider with sacks, or falls to strike you. >> He pauses, holding the image steady, then says, << We go! >> <*> Hagalath emerges from Between with a blast of cold air! <*> Algizth emerges from Between with a blast of cold air! <*> Dagazth emerges from Between with a blast of cold air! <*> As the 'Fall goes up another notch in intensity, brown Ularrith seems to almost be targeted by two small patches at once, one above and the other coming in at a diagonal from the east. <*> Ansuth emerges from Between with a blast of cold air! <*> Hagalath checks his airspace, then over the three lines that snap into being behind, one headed by himself, the others by Saskia and Rinath, and Trila and Ansuth. All accounted for, he turns his attention forward again and leads the resupply wing up to take their positions and wait for their signals. Telgar Weyr> Meli says, "Well, gosh, Jul and I have it easy it seems. :)" "Tighten up that left flank!" Kassima roars to her Wingmates, as a glance over her shoulder proves a pair of blueriders to be a smidgeon out of place--but one enough so that a tangle fell through his position. The distraction causes her to be unmercifully jolted by Lysseth's next maneuver: the green's wings snap out to full length and push down once, sending her arrowing for a patch of spore. Whoosh! Ash feathers across the warm wind, some sprinkling her hide, but she takes no note of this new decoration, preferring to keep her attention on the Thread that falls more and more thickly as the Fall progresses. Telgar Weyr> Kassima grins at Meli. You're just asking for the @emitter to name you in the next three @emits. ;) <*> Algizth roars mightily as he see's thread for the first time. The ancient enemy stirring up feelings of wrath in him he never knew existed. Fighting the urge to go flame the tendrils to a crisp, he banks slightly to ease neatly into position with the rest of his wingmates. <*> Solarith waits until Kvasith is back in formation before peeling away from the tip of Dawnslight's V to take up a trailing spot for a few passes. Once there, he attacks a stray clump of silver death mercilessly, breathing out a gout of roiling flame that sends the entire bunch of thread crisping to its death. <*> Ansuth swivels his head, eyeing Isath and Meara only briefly to rumble an unspoken command, his line tightening up 'fore he hovers, waiting. <*> The almost hypnotic, spiralling shapes of separate Threads can be made out within the loosely-packed tangle that is heading in Kassima and green Lysseth's direction with considerable speed. <*> Ularrith bellows a cry to Leventh as he rises towards the smaller of the clumps, his wings beating furiously. The clump seems to be targeting his shoulder and the more he banks the more it twists as well. When the tendril starts to lick at his brown flesh the dragon suddenly goes *between* letting it fall to the dragons behind him. Three heartbeats later Ularrith pops back into the formation from *between*, unhurt. <*> With a roar, a blue at the edge of Shadowflame pops into *between*, the last of his flame dotting the sky a moment after he himself has disappeared. An eyeblink later, blue and rider re-emerge, the clump they'd jumped to dodge now a casualty of the ongoing battle. <*> Nestled 'tween Ansuth's midnight 'ridges, Trila sucks in a breath at Ularrith's disappearance -- which doesn't let out until the brown is seen again. Ansuth is stolid. As ever. Dragon> Telgar Weyrlings sense that Hagalath marks approval of the formation crispness, even his sendings clipped and sharp with the need to convey as quickly as possible. << Algizth, >> he directs. << Darrath's rider signals. >> <*> A medium-sized mass of silver Thread strands falls slowly towards brown Ularrith, wafted about by the winds to make its precise path unpredictable. <*> Lysseth bugles a warning to her rider, who bites back an oath and ducks closer to her dragon's neck--less resistance for Lyss as the green veers in an attempt to catch this incoming cluster. Half meets dragonfire and is in the process destroyed, but half remains, and Lysseth must dart *between* to save her wing a scoring. The unharmed portion falls to C'row and Servoth, and Lysseth's muted roar upon returning is one of great frustration. <*> Leventh turns at Ullarith's call, and a billow of flame shoots out. A second or two of heat, and the clump which had threatened so much is so much dust in the wind. Leventh turns his head for more firestone. It is supplied, but it depletes a bag, and K'dar looks to find the nearest resupply Telgar Weyr> M'rgan thinks it hates me. Telgar Weyr> Syri agrees. ;) Telgar Weyr> M'rgan says, "Feel free to ask the weyrlings for resupply, PC riders. :)" <*> At the rightmost tip of the Thunderbolt V, two riders of the smaller, more agile greens who've used up a lot of flame in catching what was missed by their less maneuverable brethren signal the resupply Wing for more stone. <*> Teiwazth emerges from Between with a blast of cold air! <*> Astride Juliath, Meli controls her wing with a combination of yells, hand signals, and projections from her lifemate, as the pair dance and twist and flame. A bank, a fast downward stroke of wingsails, a bellow... and they return to formation to wait for the next threat. <*> Kvasith winks between as a clump flies too close to him and his rider. As they return the brown follows through catching the thread into a little more than char. Its at this time Aurian raises her hand signaling for a weyrling pair to resupply. <*> Suddenly, a warning is cried out from above! A half-charred tangle of Thread falls with alarming speed towards brown Leventh and wingmates, helped along its way by a freak gust of wind. <*> Chezroth emerges from Between with a blast of cold air! Telgar Weyr> Kassima thinks it just hates browns. ;) Dragon> Telgar Weyrlings sense that Ansuth rumbles, command stern, swift: << Teiwazth. Kvasith's rider needs more firestone. >> <*> Atop sturdy Ularrith, M'rgan grabs a tighter hold on his lifemate's straps, his curse at the vagaries of Fall going unheard in the wind. This time though it's a simple matter as Ularrith only has to target the clump for a few seconds before the silver menace almost lazily drifts into his reach. With a puff of orange flame the clump is turned into ash. Ash that quickly covers M'rgan's face and goggles. Telgar Weyr> Aurian says, "Browns and leventh" Telgar Weyr> Aurian corrects herself, "Reachian browns." <*> Astride Algizth, Th'lon acknowledges Syri with a wave as he and Algizth break formation and wing up just above one of the Shadowflame riders. Quickly unhooking a sack, Th'lon deftly flips it to Darrath's rider before dropping slowly back into position in his wing. <*> On Leventh, K'dar glances up, quickly judging the speed of the clump. With a curse that should, if there were any justice, fry the Thread all on its own. He and Leventh disappear between, again allowing their wingmates to clear up the Thread that would have injured them <*> Solarith pulls up and out of the trailing position to resume his place at the forefront of the Dawnslight Wing, just as his rider tosses him the last bit of 'stone from his lefthand sack. The pair blink *between* to avoid three patches of thread whipped at them by a blue going by in the next tier above, then reappear quickly, T'saren waving his arm in the signal for a fresh sack of 'stone. Dragon> Telgar Weyrlings sense that Hagalath catches T'saren's signal and snaps it to Rinath, who relays to the nearest. << R'yn, Solarith. >> <*> A scream of pain from above serves as a warning as a Starblaze blue disappears into *between*, his wingtip scored. What Thread does not go *between* with him continues its descent towards K'dar and Leventh. Telgar Weyr> K'dar really hopes he's getting double-marks for this fall, let me tell you... Telgar Weyr> T'saren laughs! Did you buy a new cologne, K'dar? Something with thread pheremones in it? ;) Kassima opens one of Lysseth's spare sacks, tossing the chunks of stone into the green's maw; Lyss darts and veers to avoid Thread while crunching the new 'stone, and attacks it with renewed vengeance once her furnace is sufficiently stoked. With all the flakes of ash flying down out of the sky, you'd almost think the dragons had dandruff or something. The other members of the wing dip, swerve, and flame similarly, performing an aerial ballet that's the ultimate in pyromaniac indulgence. <*> Leventh has only just reappeared from the last dodge, but dragons who don't get their bearings quickly don't last long in fall. The frustration that the brown feels over having /had/ to dodge is shown in the somewhat extravagant burst of flame which converts the clump from silver to black Dragon> Telgar Weyrlings sense that Hagalath checks those not carrying currently, and those nearest, and indicates to Algizth: << Carry to Juliath. >> <*> Teiwazth sideslips, an unexpected maneouvour for her rider. A moment and Daffy recovers, deftly unfastening and tossing fresh stone to Kvasith. <*> As the 'Fall goes up another notch in intensity, green Lysseth seems to almost be targeted by two small patches at once, one above and the other coming in at a diagonal from the east. <*> Dagazth lets out a rumble and falls out of formation making for Solarith for re-supply. He fights the urge to swerve and attack a nearby clumb and follows orders per instructed. Winging up to Solarith, R'yn unhooks at bag of firestone and tosses it towards T'saren. He then turns to return to the Moonflame wing. As he arcs back, a clump of thread goes unanswered in his path.... <<Woooosh!>> Dagazth flames, sending chared remains of the thread all about. <*> From upon Kvasith, Aurian leans way over and makes the catch neatly. She lashes it down quickly and works it open, giving her brown a fresh peice immediatly. <*> After a particularly intense flame, blue Sherath's R'nus lifts a hand, waving wildly at the weyrling wing for resupply. Dragon> Telgar Weyrlings sense that Ansuth commands once more, his tone sharp, swift, though not uncaring: << Isath. Sherath calls. >> <*> Atop sturdy Ularrith, M'rgan finishes wiping his goggles clean just in time to see Leventh menaced by another clump. Commands are quickly sent down the formation and a brown and a blue move from one flank to the other, to back up the harried brown. <*> A heavy sheet of Thread drops from above, causing various wingriders near the silver menace to pick up the pace in order to deal with it. Among the flickers of flame, a previously unnoticed tangle can be seen falling towards Leventh. Dragon> Ularrith bespoke Threadfall Comm with << Leventh, do you need to resupply? >> <*> Lysseth rises to the challenge, whipping her neck about to fount an arc of flame out towards the two clumps--both of which are consumed in heat and gold-green light. Again, the pair blink *between*, this time to avoid the smouldering cinders, but must blink *between* again immediately upon re-entry; a clump, blown off course, was coming far too close to their position. The green snarls and fumes; her rider curses--and signals for another sack of firestone. Dragon> Threadfall Comm sense that Leventh's tone is tight. << If the Thread will give us a chance >> <*> Algizth's wings pound furiously as he wings higher into the sky, a small tendril of flame leaking from his snout though no thread is near to them. Getting to the position he wants, his rider tosses a sack of stone to Juliath's rider, before slowly decending out of the direct fall line. Dragon> Threadfall Comm sense that Ularrith's voice rises a notch, taking on an urgency. << Drop back. We will cover your spot. >> <*> Settled between Solarith's neckridges, T'saren easily catches the sack R'yn tossed him and waves his thanks, then buckles it into position and throws his lifemate two chunks rapidfire. The big bronze masticates them just in time, for a heavy patch of thread gets whipped towards the pair suddenly. A jet of flame from Solarith toasts it neatly to charred embers that float gently, and benignly, to the ground below. <*> Juliath uses her small size to great advantage, shifting and swerving easily to catch errant patches and sent them to oblivion. Orange-gold flame sends her gold highlights to shimmering, then ends as Algizth approaches. Meli leans to the side to catch the sack, the straps holding her securely in place as she opens it and turns to feed the first piece to Juliath. <*> Above, a Dawnslight bronze runs out of firestone at just the wrong moment. Yelled curses from the rider are carried by the wind to the ears of other fighters as he and his dragon disappear *between*, leaving brown Kvasith to deal with the Thread. Dragon> Telgar Weyrlings sense that Ansuth speaks swiftly, calmly: << I resupply Lysseth. >> <*> Hagalath rises abruptly from the line to attend green Luith's need, a tinyspat of flame wiping a bare handsbreadth of Thread from the air. Syri hoistsand flings a sack across to the greenrider, then holds as they drop rapidly back into line. <*> Leventh swings his great brown head up, with a roar of defiance. Not Between again! Glancing quickly around, to check his wingmates are clear, Leventh quickly and efficiently reduces this latest challenger to dust. Then, with a satisfied look, he drops back out of formation, and K'dar signals to the resupply wings for aid <*> Siuenth disengages from formation long enough to catch Lysseth's missed clump, backed up in turn by Miryenne and Guarith, though the latter dragon gives an undignified yelp as a strand of Thread wraps around his outstretched wingtip. A trip *between* takes care of the Thread, and the blue returns to fly... more cautiously, it may be noted. The Wing's formation widens on command, their breaths a net of flame intended to catch the dropping Thread. Dragon> Telgar Weyrlings sense that Hagalath signals Algizth sharply over to supply Leventh even as he steadies his wings to glide again at the head of their line. <*> Ansuth drops quickly out of position, rumbling a final command to one of the dragons he cares for, darting 'cross the sky to sidle up near Lysseth, Trila tossing a sack swiftly to'ards the rider, lip bitten in concentration. Ansuth rumbles, turns to return, and is met with a clump of Thread that is flamed with a hiss and a whoop from his rider. <*> Ularrith, as he experiences a brief lull in the Threadfall around him, twists his head around to take some more stone from M'rgan's hand. One bag is emptied and quickly tucked away and another sack is half depleted before the dragon once more faces forward. <*> The Skyfire dragons shift their positions as Leventh drops back, closing around the space he left. <*> Kvasith practically turns on his tail as he sears more thread. Silver strands turn quickly to blackest ash. <*> An unexpected gust of wind suddenly rises in the otherwise mild air, sending a writhing cluster of Thread past a brown in Shadowflame, angling back toward the resupply lines. Shifting, shimmering, it suddenly splits apart, one piece near Algizth and the other approaching Dagazth. <*> A brief gust of wind pushes two patches of Thread off their anticipated course, bringing them comfortably within green Juliath's range. <*> Lysseth adjusts her flight angle a trace to let Kassi catch the tossed sack neatly, which she proceeds to open and empty down her dragon's gullet after waving a hasty thanks to Trila and Ansuth. <*> Astride Algizth, Th'lon hangs tightly to his riding straps as Algizth breaks formation and wings up above Leventh. Giving K'dar a quick once- over, he flings a fresh sack of stone to the rider, probably grimmacing behind his goggles at the sight of the pair who have been in the path of much thread by their looks. <*> Juliath, now successfully resupplied, turns her head back toward the front and coughs out once with no result before a second attempt restarts her flame. *Whoooosh* and one clump is no more, ash all that remains. A bank, a downbeat, and the second clump evaporates in equally short order, followed closely by a sharp bugle of triumph. Dragon> Threadfall Comm sense that Ularrith joins the bellows as the wind shifts, the older dragons still protective of the younger ones. << Moonflame, look out! >> Dragon> Threadfall Comm sense that Hagalath seconds the warning sharply, particularly toward the pairs targeted by the Thread. << Keep formation! >> <*> The Fall lets up, but only briefly. The clear skies whose tranquility was broken only by the beating of dragon wings just a moment before become marred by the writhing silver strands of Pern's ancient enemy: Thread! These clumps are swiftly approaching the Weyr's Wings; one, thick with the deadly spiralling shapes, comes within range of brown Ularrith. Telgar Weyr> Meli says, "Stay on Target!" Telgar Weyr> T'saren laughs! I was just going to say the same thing, Meli. ;) Telgar Weyr> M'rgan laughs. Telgar Weyr> Syri snickers. Didn't /quite/ say that. That's Jaralth's line. <*> Dagazth splits formation to protect the group. R'yn holds on as the brown shoots up quickly to flame the menacing thread falling onto the Moonflame wing. As the thread burns and distentegrates, Dagazth falls quickly back into formation, per Hagalath's orders. <*> On Leventh, K'dar catches the sack, tossing Th'lon a thumbs-up in thanks. He quickly supplies Leventh with more stone, then the pair return to the thick of the action, watching the skies warily <*> Ansuth holds tight. Wings flap only briefly, propelling him upwards, a swift breath of flame incinerating silver death midair for the blue drops back in front of his line, head swiveling to check. <*> An ill-timed swerve by a Starblaze blue causes a large clump to filter past he and his rider. Juliath is the closest to the rapidly-falling tangle. <*> Algizth banks quickly, the appearance of thread in front of him obviously giving him a start. He quickly opens his mouth, a concentrated plume of fire snaking out that reduces the small clump that has driften in front of him to ashes. His rider waves his arms about as the ash clouds back around him but otherwise the pair escape unharmed as they make thier way back into formation. Dragon> Telgar Weyrlings sense that Hagalath sends tight approval as the Thread sears away to nothing, but snaps right back to business as he directs a few more of Moonflame up to signalling riders. << Dagazth, Gilarith requests 'stone. >> <*> Kvasith moves agily his wings pull tightly against himself as he pushes through after more thread. He roars another blast of flame before stretching through. Telgar Weyr> Aurian says, "That starblaze blue has been in more trouble" <*> Solarith banks slightly higher in the skies to give a bit of covering flame to Lorina and her dragon as the young pair fly their resupply duty. The threads streaming their way are singed to impotent blackness, but as a result, a small clump passes through where the Wingleader and his bronze should have been flying, drawing a loud curse from T'saren and a waved fist to indicate no catch. Telgar Weyr> Syri grins. Dragon> Telgar Weyrlings sense that Ansuth approves himself, elated filaments of silver and ice weaving to support tone even as he directs: << Teiwazth. Corveth needs firestone. >> <*> Ularrith's concern for the former weyrlings evaporates the instant that a clump falls towards him. All that he can be concerned with now is his own life and that of his rider. Caring for others will have to wait until after he survives this battle. If he survives. He and the clump spiral around each other in an ancient dance that can only end with the death of one partner. With a gout of orange-yellow flame, Ularrith declares that he is the victor. Kassima mutters under her breath as she crouches close to Lysseth's neck, "'Tis times like this methinks I'm glad I'm nay riding a brown." Whatever reply Lysseth might've ordinarily made to *that* statement is drowned out by the beating of somewhat wearied wings, the whoosh and hiss of flame, the roars and screams of the mildly injured and the slithering sizzle of Thread. <*> Astride Juliath, Meli's head snaps back to the front as she finishes signaling a formation adjustment, just in time to note the approach of the new tangle. She crouches low, Juliath flaming furiously, but there is not enough time and the pair must skip *between*, leaving a bit of the clump to fall past, still threatening. <*> Juliath disappears into Between. <*> Juliath emerges from Between with a blast of cold air! Telgar Weyr> Syri says, "Does the queens' wing fly above or below resupply?" Telgar Weyr> Meli says, "Below, I think...." Telgar Weyr> Trila says, "Below." Telgar Weyr> Daffela says, "Must be below..." Telgar Weyr> Syri says, "Gotcha." Telgar Weyr> T'saren nods. Below. <*> Dragonfire cuts blazing swaths through a thick curtain of Thread that is suddenly falling from above, but a few scattered patches manage to escape nonetheless. Green Lysseth of Thunderbolt might be near enough to catch one of these, but it would be a stretch.... Dragon> Telgar Weyrlings sense that Hagalath marks and warns: << Ansuth, Thread approaches. >> There was another, he saw it, but now he can't see it. << Another, as well. >> <*> From atop Dagazth, R'yn nods as Dagazth falls out of formation again, banking for Gilarith. He makes it over easily without threat and tosses stone over to the other rider. Dagazth turns back and slides into position. <*> A certain Starblaze blue, that one the Thread seems to love as much as it loves Leventh, bugles yet another warning--this time to Moonflame, as a tangle that managed to slip by him breaks apart to threaten ex-Weyrlings tendril by tendril. One can imagine that L'taru is going to have a lot to yell at this poor bluerider about later. <*> Ularrith, since he is already out of formation, continues on this path, leaving Skyfire Wing behind as his rider signals for re-supply. Tyroth takes his place in the formation, ensuring that the wing remains unbroken. Dragon> Telgar Weyrlings sense that Ansuth is urgent, furtive, waiting, ready: << Where? >> Pause. << Exactly, where? >> <*> Above, a Dawnslight bronze runs out of firestone at just the wrong moment. Yelled curses from the rider are carried by the wind to the ears of other fighters as he and his dragon disappear *between*, leaving brown Kvasith to deal with the Thread. Dragon> Telgar Weyrlings sense that Hagalath scans. << More. Flame ready, >> he snaps, his own boiling to get free; he's not as cold as all /that/. << Algizth, to Ularrith. Isath, to Benraith. Mind Thread, more falls through! >> <*> On Leventh, K'dar crosses his fingers, as Thread seems to be cured - for the moment - of its unholy fondness for him. He's only had to flame... oh... a clump every 30 seconds or so, these last few minutes. Of course, there's no wood to knock on in 'fall <*> There's the wind-up... and the pitch! It's a high, fast curve, but Lysseth swings her proverbial bat--read, another burst of acrid flame-- with a lot of skill and perhaps just a little luck, sending the Thread that threatened her back to the bleachers... or wherever Thread goes when it dies. Telgar Weyr> Syri says, "Thread heaven, of course." Telgar Weyr> Syri hmms. Must be the harpstrings. ;) <*> Ansuth's unspoken query would die upon his lips if he had seen it -- which he now does -- almost too late. He turns on his wingtip and his maw opens to flame. Flame cinders, the entire clump gone as he quickly slides back into position. Telgar Weyr> T'saren wonders if that's where all of Liberace's clothes went too? ;) <*> Kvasith bellows as he takes pursuit of the thread. IT comes to him but he has more than enough flame to take out that tangle of silver threads. Telgar Weyr> Kassima *groans*. ;) <*> As the Fall wears on, several greens appear out of *between*, just behind the ranks of Skyfire dragons. The smallest of the Skyfire greens, exhaustion showing in their slower wingbeats, fall back and disappear into *between* as their replacements move into position. <*> Algizth banks quickly, the appearance of thread in front of him obviously giving him a start. He quickly opens his mouth, a concentrated plume of fire snaking out that reduces the small clump that has driften in front of him to ashes. His rider waves his arms about as the ash clouds back around him but otherwise the pair escape unharmed as they make thier way back into formation. <*> Dagazth cranes his head around as R'yn tosses more stone in for him to chew. <*> With many of the front-line dragons busy clearing the sky of a sudden spurt of clumps, it is little wonder that a few ragged patches manage to make their way towards Kassima and green Lysseth. <*> Hagalath plumes a considerable bit of flame before him as one of the missed clumps falls directly toward himself and Syri, then bellows a warning to Teiwazth as some approaches on her off-side. <*> Astride Algizth, Th'lon watches the plumes of dragonfire above him and the ash rain down as the battle continues. Catching sight of brown Ularrith's rider, he and Algizth wing towards the pair at Hagalath's command. Soaring just above, he tosses a fresh sack to M'rgan before dropping back to into formation. This time wary of any stray clumps. <*> Seated upon Solarith's neck, T'saren lets Solarith drop back through the Dawnslight Wing again, giving the signal for the smaller dragons to return to the Weyr and their replacements to take up their place in the formation. Duty done, the bronze and his rider again take up point position, flaming a path through the deadly silver rain. <*> Thunderbolt follows Skyfire's lead, Lysseth silently signalling several of their own smaller dragons to return to the Weyr and be replaced by fresh reinforcements. Of course, there's no rest for the wicked, which means Lysseth must continue to deal with the unholy fondness Thread seems to have developed for *her*--does it have something against dragons whose names start with L?--and, ascending, meet small clump after small clump with controlled firebursts. Here some Thread, there some Thread, everywhere a Thread-Thread. Finally, she has no alternative but to disappear *between* again in order to regain her breath, leaving a tangle or two for Servoth and Lorieth to attend. <*> An ill-timed swerve by a Dawnslight blue causes a large clump to filter past he and his rider. Juliath is the closest to the rapidly- falling tangle. <*> Atop sturdy Ularrith, M'rgan grimaces as always as the sack thumps into his arms with almost bruising force. If not for the thick and padded leathers he wears his arms would constantly be black-and-blue. As he leans over to secure the sack to the straps, Ularrith drops his shoulder and banks back towards Skyfire Wing. As the brown dragon approaches, Tyroth pulls out of the formation, moving away to get his own re-supply of firestone. <*> Astride Juliath, Meli lets out a loud yelling curse as the Dawnslight blue's maneuver leaves her tired green facing an unexpected clump. Juliath flames, a flame long and wide and overzealous, adrenaline suddenly pumping through her veins again and rejuvenating her flagging energies. Meli gives the green a thump on the side of her neck, then the pair drop back from point to have a short rest while the rest of the wing continues. <*> The Fall lets up, but only briefly. The clear skies whose tranquility was broken only by the beating of dragon wings just a moment before become marred by the writhing silver strands of Pern's ancient enemy: Thread! These clumps are swiftly approaching the Weyr's Wings; one, thick with the deadly spiralling shapes, comes within range of brown Kvasith. Lysseth> Juliath senses that Lysseth remarks, sparing a brief second for impishness, << Not bad, Lard Legs. >> Dragon> Lysseth senses that Juliath sends back a very weary, gray-tinged sense of triumph. << You also do well, SkinnyButt. >> <*> Hagalath rises to another resupply jaunt, slipslide gliding over the signalling brown so Syri can drop the sack off as easily as possible. Keeping an eye to the sky, he drops, slides back, and retakes his position as another few rise from Moonflame to other waving pairs. <*> Though clumps still fall, the curtain of Thread no longer seems so stifling. Blue sky can be seen beyond the silver menace and the grey clouds of ash. <*> A large, thick clump is split in twain by a sudden gust, which sends one half veering towards Solarith, and the other zooming rapidly nearer to green Juliath. <*> Mounted upon Solarith, T'saren catches that swerve by one of 'his' riders and curses almost as loudly and vehemently as Meli. There's one rider he needs to talk to later, but right now he's got more important things, like having Solarith flame that tangle of thread that's racing towards them from below, caught in an updraft. The bronze's burst of flame turns the threatening patch to ash, accomplishing this part of their mission. <*> Juliath has no time and no energy to do more than skip *tween* abruptly, Meli on her neckridges thrown violently to the side as she swerves first to give them a scant extra millisecond to avoid the thread. The clump continues on, it must surely land right on Hagalath if not stopped first. <*> Algizth's sharp eye catches just a glint of thread that has escaped fire and started drifting below the main wings of dragons. As Hagalath sends the command to resupply Kukath's rider, he banks wide to intercept the small tangle. Charring it to ashes, he wings up through the remains before getting into position and tossing the fresh sack to the waving rider, giving a quick thumbs up before drifting back down. <*> Leventh may not be quite so persecuted as before, but that hardly means he's free from worry. Brown and rider have barely returned to the wing from chasing down one clumb when another appears, and by the time that has gone it takes a few moments for K'dar to notice that no more are falling. His brown looks decidedly grey <*> Solarith sideslips after firing the first clump that whipped up towards him to catch his half of the patch that split in two. Flame barrels from the bronze's mouth to wash over the thread, leaving only a dusting of harmless particles in their wake. <*> Hagalath cups his wings, slowing himself just enough to snap his head back and sear the Thread clump out of the air, his rider throwing up an arm against the cloud of ash that flutters back along her. The instant he drops back to a wary glide, he tips his head around to check her. Then the blue faces forward again, and breathes out again, casting off the last of his flame into the finally clear sky. <*> Dagazth drops out of formation making a b-line for Candeth. With little problem, R'yn tosses a sack over, but it was a bad throw. The sack goes barrellig down to the ground below. He picks up another sack and tosses it. This time it finds its mark. Dagazth arcs back and returns to the Moonflame wing. Dragon> Telgar Weyrlings sense that Hagalath checks, taking status. << Skies clear? All accounted? Injuries? >> Dragon> Telgar Weyrlings sense that Ansuth is fine. << I am wonderful. >> Telgar Weyr> Syri snickers. 'Ware below! Telgar Weyr> K'dar grins. The ground crews aren't out /during/ Fall, right? I can just see a sack of firestone being a /really/ unpleasant... GOMH, Syri! That's twice today Telgar Weyr> Meli grins. Bombs away :) Telgar Weyr> Syri laughs. <*> Lysseth's fire gutters and dies not long after the last straggles of Thread have gone to dust, her head beginning to droop as adrenaline is replaced by weariness. Already grey-marked by nature, she's much more so now by ash. And Kassi's not much of a picture either. Straightening, the greenrider looks back over her ranks in survey, nodding with a grim satisfaction to see most of them still flying with nothing more than a wingtip score or ash burn or two. Dragon> Dagazth bespoke Telgar Weyrlings with << My rider is safe. I am fine. >> Telgar Weyr> R'yn snickers. Dragon> Telgar Weyrlings sense that Hagalath is tired, that's quite clear, but has only a few spots of irritation from fallen ash; nothing serious. << Fall to line, >> he orders, checking his own, and then the other two as well. Dragon> Telgar Weyrlings sense that Algizth mentally checks himself over before replying, << We are well. >> <*> Kvasith glides downwards as he begins a sweep. He rumbles anxiously as his rider scans. <*> Leventh rumbles gratefully at his instructions, preparing to go home <*> Ansuth turns his head, rumbling softly to order an errant bronze into formation, 'fore twitching his tail in satisfaction. There. <*> Leventh disappears into Between. <*> Juliath returns to the front of Shadowflame's formation, as Meli checks her lines with a pleased but strained smile, then waits for the release signal. Dragon> Telgar Weyrlings sense that Hagalath waits, checks again, then in satisfaction flashes up the Telgar image of the Starstones. << On signal. Repeat the image back first. >> <*> Teiwazth glides for a moemnt, peering around her anxiously for a moment. Her rider too concerned with scrubbing away flecks of ash from the neckridge in front of her, that and listening. Dragon> Telgar Weyrlings sense that Ansuth parrots the image back with a swift rumble. ((OOCly: Telgarweyr, yes?)) Dragon> Dagazth bespoke Telgar Weyrlings with << Resends the image, exactly as it was received. <<I am ready.>> >> Dragon> Telgar Weyrlings sense that Teiwazth drops her own image into the air, edged with tiredness and but still vivid in it's clarity. Dragon> Telgar Weyrlings sense that Hagalath acknowledges each in turn, then says simply, << We go. >> (Telgarweyr, yes.) <*> Hagalath and the Moonflame wing vanish. <*> Hagalath disappears into Between. <*> Dagazth disappears into Between. <*> Ansuth disappears into Between. <*> Algizth disappears into Between. <*> As a few of the Skyfire dragons begin their sweeps, Ularrith disappears into *between*, to return to the Weyr and check on the injuries. <*> Ularrith disappears into Between. <*> Juliath disappears into Between. <*> Lysseth disappears into Between. Between You gasp as the icy black nothingness of Between surrounds you! You hear nothing, see nothing, and feel nothing. The trip takes five heartbeats... Black... Blacker... Blackest! You suddenly emerge... <*> Lysseth emerges from Between with a blast of cold air! <*> From the South, From the Telgar Star Stones, Requa's pale green Ninnenth rears on hind legs and bugles a greeting to green Lysseth and her rider, Kassima, welcoming them home. <*> Teiwazth emerges from Between with a blast of cold air! <*> From the South, From the Telgar Star Stones, Requa's pale green Ninnenth rears on hind legs and bugles a greeting to green Teiwazth and her rider, Daffela, welcoming them home. <*> Solarith emerges from Between with a blast of cold air! <*> From the South, From the Telgar Star Stones, Requa's pale green Ninnenth rears on hind legs and bugles a greeting to bronze Solarith and his rider, T'saren, welcoming them home. <*> Ularrith flies downward towards the southern end of the bowl. <*> Kvasith emerges from Between with a blast of cold air! <*> Solarith flies downward towards the southern end of the bowl. <*> From the South, From the Telgar Star Stones, Requa's pale green Ninnenth rears on hind legs and bugles a greeting to brown Kvasith and his rider, Aurian, welcoming them home. <*> Juliath flies downward towards the southern end of the bowl. You fly downwards towards the southern end of the bowl. You fly downwards towards the ground. You backwing for a landing on sands of the bowl. Dragon> Kvasith bespoke Threadfall Comm with << Good fall all >> <*> T'saren slides down from Solarith's neck, using the bronze's foreleg and riding straps for assistance. <*> Th'lon gives Algizth an affectionate thump on his leg before striding over to his wingmates, innefectually trying to dust himself off, "Shards, but this stuff is sticky." <*> Juliath backwings for a landing. <*> Kvasith backwings for a landing. <*> Aurian slides off Kvasith after unfastening her riding straps. She lands neatly on her feet this time. <*> Syri swings down from Hagalath's higher neckridges. <*> Ularrith lands heavily, the strain of the long Fall reflected in his slow, tired movements. <*> Juliath lands with an audible *thump*, her hide gray-tinged both from ash and from exhaustion. Meli unbuckles quickly, holding a hand lightly to her side as she dismounts. <*> Aurian leans heavily against Kvasith as she slides off the dragon. She oooofs. <*> Meli slips smoothly down from Juliath's neck to her foreleg and to the ground, giving her a gentle caress. <*> Lysseth drops, quite literally, to a landing, ash falling from her wings and hide to litter the sand of the ground below. Kassi, lips thinned in worry, spends a moment in silent commune with her mount before unbuckling herself from the straps. 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. Syri ides down from Hagalath's ridges, patting him in tired gratitude as the blue dips very low to help. Then with a grin, strained but honest, she tilts her head back and sighs. "Good fall, Moonflame." Definitely trying to fit that Wingleader mold, yes? Trila almost reluctantly dismounts, a leg swinging over before she slides down to make contact with the soft earth. A pat is given to his shoulder, and Trila turns away. T'saren tugs off his goggles as soon as his feet hit the ground, making a disgusted face as he inspects the filthy glass and leather. "Be needing another pair soon," he mutters to himself, then turns to give the rest of the Dawnslight Wing a once-over, looking for injuries. Meli pauses to bend over, catching her breath, before she straightens and tugs her goggles off along with her helmet. Reverse raccoon face, now. She moves to start checking over Juliath, rubbing idly at her side as she stretches to reach various places. Kassima gives her green's shoulder a brief caress, never mind that this gets her hand considerably ash-covered. "I know, lump, I know. A long and tough one, 'twas. But we didn't lose any this time." The green lowers her muzzle to treat Kassi to a whuff of firestone breath; lovely. Nose crinkled, Kassi checks over her straps rather than offer further comment. Hagalath lowers his muzzle to rest against his lifemate's shoulder very lightly. She leans on him in turn, her arm settled over his nose for support. She murmurs something softly to him with a smile at once relieved and triumphant. Trila sends a smile to'ards Syri. "That was awesome," she decides, removing goggles and helmet and hooking them onto straps, wiping slightly ashed face 'fore laying a hand on Ansuth's hide and turning around to look at her line. "Anyone hurt?" Aurian pushes her goggles off and her helmet. She lets them pile next to her as Kvasith snuffles her sweat dampened hair. Atop sturdy Ularrith, M'rgan unclips the empty and full firestone sacks from his lifemate's straps. Settling them on his lap, he leans over the straps once more, pulling a few things from one of the satchels there and tucking them inside his flight jacket. After peeling off his helmet and goggles and putting them into their proper satchel, he collects the firestone sacks and clambers down. R'yn immediately starts to check over Dagazth, examining his straps, checking for stress marks and possible burns. M'rgan clambers down Ularrith's side to the ground, using his foreleg as a step. T'saren tries to catch Aurian's eye as she strips off her headgear, waving her over to him. Th'lon drops his helmet and goggle to the ground as he begins untying the unused bags of stone from Algizth's straps, "I thought I packed too much on." Aurian stands awkwardly, she walks to T'saren with a grin, "Aye?" Syri, tired as she is, moves around to haul off Hagalath's straps, gloves shoved into her belt so she can work the buckles. "Yes, love. You did /wonderfully/." The straps come off in a heap, which she coils up as best she can to set aside, leftover sacks hauled into the pile over at the Bowl wall. "Of course we'll get you washed up." Meli unbuckles Juliath's straps, then tosses them into a messy pile. "Tha' set's seen it's last," she mumbles to herself, giving Juliath another thump before turning to watch the rest of her wing. Only when assured of Lysseth's well-being and the well-being of her straps does Kassi tend to her own, insofar as removing gloves and helmet goes. What a mess. The gear is hooked onto Lyss's straps; there are riders to be checked, dragonhealers to talk to. But her expression as she speaks with one of the latter who hovers over Guarith's wing is quite pleased. "Excellent," she says, then raises her voice to yell over to Mart, "Nice piece of leadership, brownie!" M'rgan rids himself of the firestone sacks, leaving them slumped on the ground, and starts to circle his lifemate, looking for any wound, even a scratch. Now and then he asks his lifemate to spread his wing or flex a muscle but Ularrith's constant whuffled reassurance lets him know that all is well. Peeking out from under Ularrith's wing, he chuckles at Kassima's cry. Cupping his grubby, glove-covered hands around his mouth, he shouts back, "Let's see if Lord Bitra agrees!" T'saren returns Aurian's grin, giving a nod in the direction of the weyrlings. He mutters to Aurian, "... well... it's..." R'yn unfastens Dagazths straps, carefully inspecting them in the process. He then looks around at all the other with a numb, but excited look. "That was something." is all he says softly. Aurian nods, "Sounds like an idea... before or after a bath?" Kassima yells back, "Want t'be wagering on it?" Yes, Kassi would wager even about the Lord of Casino Hold. No surprise here. Duties done, at least for the moment, she elects to amble in the direction of the *former* Weyrlings. "So," she asks, not sparing any time for pleasantries, "what'd you think of your first Fall?" "Wasn't it, just," Syri sighs, hauling off her flight jacket to drape over her shoulder. "Faranth, I can't believe we're through that." She glances up at Kassima's question, managing a tired, faintly amused salute. "Ask me when I'm not about to drop in my tracks, Wingleader?" "Shorter'n I expected," Trila replies, turning to grin at Kassi cheerfully, offering yet another pat to blue's hide. R'yn looks over at Kassi, still with a numb expression. "That was.... something." T'saren glances down at himself, then sighs. "Much as I'd like to say after, we'd probably do it now. Less headaches that way." He begins the slow walk in that direction as well, a few paces behind Kassi. Meli speaks with her wingseconds, getting a headcount and checking on injuries, jotting a note or two on a scrap of wherhide so that she can report to M'rgan and A'lex later. That done, she finally heads off toward the healers to speak to them as well. Th'lon finishes tugging the last of the straps off of Algizth as Kassi asks her question, "Sharding awsome!" he says loudly, stepping around the bronze, "Well, except for a time or two it was kinda scarey." "None of that saluting crap," Kassi scolds, too tired to watch her language. "You're nay Weyrlings anymore." A considering look is granted all four. "And how d'you think you did? How d'you think the Wings did? You're just out of training, after all--you've fresh eyes." Aurian walks next to T'saren, her eyes drifting over the various young riders. Syri shrugs, grinning wearily. "We're alive. Most of Moonflame is alive. We did our duties. I'd say we did... well, sharding good, Wingleader." After a moment of thought, Trila replies equably, thoughtfully: "Well," she says. "Some dragons were plagued with more Thread than others," and isn't that an understatement, "but no one was /really/ hurt. They did their jobs. And we?" she adds, a gloved finger tapping against her thigh, "We did well. None of us were hurt at all, I don't think." M'rgan's mouth twitches and curls up in a knowing smirk as he watches Kassima and T'saren and other wingleaders stroll over towards the members of Moonflame Wing. Leaning against Ularrith's side, he affectionatly strokes the dragon's hide as he watches the pleasantries. "Remember when that happened to us?" he asks, smiling at the dragon's rumbled reply. "Well, I do." Telgar Weyr> Trila is loving all this stuff. Th'lon looks a bit confused at the question and shrugs, "I'd say it was good if nothing hit the ground. And I didn't see any." R'yn looks around at the other riders. "I think we did well. We stayed in formation and followed orders as we should have. All the wings performed well in my opinion... watching each other back when things were missed." Meli gets her bruise attended to, then joins the rest in wandering over to hover around Moonflame. T'saren stops at the fringes of the group of former weyrlings, listening to their replies to Kassi's questions. "Just that one sack of 'stone, I believe," he interjects after Th'lon's words. "Like to know who the guilty party was for that one." A slightly upset look creeps across his lips, though his eyes hold a bit of a twinkle of humor. Syri adds after a pause, shoulder pressed into Hagalath's muzzle for support, "The Wings looked good. We were..." She rumples a hand through her hair, clearly seeking proper words for it. "Well, distracted. But I didn't see any real breaks for very long, 'cept a couple of blues who kept diving sideways." Hagalath protests, and she adds, "In the other wings." Kassima gives Syri and Trila a long, thoughtful look, silent a moment or two. "As it so happens," she finally says, "I agree. In part due t'your leadership--" That to Syri. "And in part due to the leadership of your 'seconds. It could almost make me regret that I'm going t'be taking one from you." She buffs her ash-coated nails against her jacket; when she opens that hand, there's a diamond-shaped Thunderbolt Wing patch in it. How'd she do that? Answer: it's maaaaagic. "That is, if'n you'd care t'be flying with us, Trila?" Syri glances sideways at R'yn and back to T'saren. "I'll deal with it, sir?" she says, more a question than anything, and cracks a sudden grin for Trila. R'yn coughs, hearing the stone comment. "T'was me sir." He owns up to the truth. "A gust of wind caught..." he looks over and smiles at Trila, words forgotten from before. Eyes widen, and Trila's eyebrows dart up in surprise, face flushing even under a thin coat of dust. "Me?" she asks, fingers lifting to press against her collarbone, voice a mere squeak as 'lashes flutter, the girl obviously recovering from her elated surprise in feigned innocence. Then: "Yes, Wingleader Kassima. I would like that very, very much." And Ansuth rumbles ever-so-lightly, head swiveling to gaze at Kassima with eyes of blue and green. Th'lon blinks at T'saren, "Sack of stone?" he looks between the other former weyrlings, "I guess I didn't see that." As R'yn speaks up, he grins slightly at his wingmate. T'saren shakes his head quickly in reply to Syri. "No, they're full riders now, so they should be treated as full riders would be if they err, and that includes words from a Wingleader." He turns to R'yn as the brownrider admits it was his doing. "So, you're the one that missed your throw? I expect you'll do better in the future, will you not?" Telgar Weyr> T'saren congrats Trila on her selection by the Thunderbolt Wing! :) Teiwazth backwings for a landing. R'yn nods quickly to T'saren. "I will sir. I need to take into account the winds changing and such... I should have earlier." Telgar Weyr> Trila woohoos!! Syri nods slightly, occupying herself in brushing ash flecks off her blue's muzzle. "Understood, sir." Hagalath settles heavily to the ground, his wings tucking up stiffly against his spine. Telgar Weyr> Syri echoes that. :) "On *one* condition." Kassi holds up a finger, and solemnly intones, "If'n you ever call me ma'am again, I'll kick your butt from here t'Boll. Agreed?" Without waiting for an answer, she flashes a tired grin and, straightening, hands Trila the patch before saying formally, "Then 'twill consider it an honor t'be flying with you. Welcome to the Wing." Daffela slides down to the ground from their perch on Teiwazth's neck, probably useing her foreleg as they do. Telgar Weyr> Kassima muwahahas. Caught another one! ;) Telgar Weyr> A'lex says, "WOOO HOO!" Telgar Weyr> R'yn holds up a little flag. "Yay Trila!" T'saren glances over at Aurian with a wink, then back to R'yn. "Then I take it Dawnslight will not have any repeats of that missed throw while you're flying for us?" He pulls a circular patch with the Dawnslight blazon from his beltpouch and holds it out to R'yn. Th'lon doesn't miss the exchange between Kassima and Trila, piping up quickly, "Yay Trila!" before chuckling at R'yn, "Blame the wind. Heh." Telgar Weyr> Syri grins. "Gratz, R'yn." Aurian smirks a touch at R'yn, "Don't you have anything to say brownrider?" Telgar Weyr> Th'lon says, "Way to go R'yn!" R'yn mouth drops then shuts. It drops again. "It will happ... I mean It won't happen again sir!" he says in shock. "I would be honored, as well as Dagazth to fly Dawnslight!" he takes the patch. Meli grins. "Dawnslight... s'where I started," she comments toward R'yn. "S'a great place t'start." Telgar Weyr> T'saren also congrats R'yn on his selection by the Dawnslight Wing! :) Dagazth lets out a croon. Dawn.... his favorite time of day.... Telgar Weyr> Syri reminds herself to trade with R'yn when she gets dawn sweeps. O:) "If'n nay as great a place as Thunderbolt," Kassi feels obligated to comment. T'saren grins and nods as R'yn takes the patch. "That's good. See that you do as good a job for us as you did for Moonsflame today." Aurian snorts at Kassima and then glances to Meli, "Not just a great place to Start." R'yn nods again. "I will!" he looks down to regard the patch. As the first of the riders with sweeps reports approaches him, M'rgan gets distracted from watching the wingleaders circle Moonflame like wherries and he turns his back as he takes the rider's report. Meli sighs as she straightens, groaning slightly as her muscles start to tighten up. "Time f'a nice soak...." Trila stifles a giggle, taking the patch and replying formally: "It will be an equally huge honor to be flying with you." Beam. "And I didn't call you ma'am, either." Grin. Th'lon claps R'yn good naturedly on the back, "Congrats R'yn." before turning back to Algizth, scooping up the heavy load of straps on the ground as the dragon whuffles him, "I know you need a bath. Lemme get this stowed and we'll go to the springs." "Soak sounds good," Syri muses, leaning away from Hagalath with a slap for the blue's neck. "What say I meet you in the springs?" she adds, retreating to reclaim their straps. "I don't think I could climb aboard again just now..." T'saren raises a brow in surprise at Aurian, then chuckles. "Aye, it's a great place to be at any time, not just to start." He turns away from the new Dawnslight rider, then stops and turns back. "Oh, and drills are at dawn tomorrow, brownrider. See that you're not late." With a wink, he strides off towards his lifemate and 'fall reports that are most likely waiting for him. Meli grins, chuckling at the graduates. "I feel s'old sometimes...." she mutters, stepping off. Carefully. T'saren uses the straps and Solarith's offered foreleg to mount the bronze. T'saren thumps Solarith's neck affectionately in thanks as soon as he is settled. Kassima suggests dryly, "Let's just wait until you've first flown dawn sweeps with L'cher a'fore you decide whether you're honored or nay--though I'm being merciful; you've dawn drills tomorrow, first light, but nay dawn *sweeps*. That, we'll save until day *after* tomorrow." "Thank Faranth for that," Trila says, tone equally dry as her nose wrinkles and she lifts a finger to scratch it. Ansuth rumbles lightly, and Trila smiles adoringly at the blue at whatever comment he made. Solarith takes flight, using the thermals rising from the bowl to carry him aloft. Lysseth rumbles a wearied congratulations of her own to her newest Wingdragon, then drops her head again to receive a chin-scratch from Kassi. "I try," the Wingleader answers breezily. "But when you see what our drills are like, I doubt you'll thank me. A'course, if'n you intend t'celebrate the tradition of going somewhere and getting sloshed t'celebrate your new rank... well, 'tis possible t'be surviving them with a hangover, I assure you." Th'lon vaults to Algzith's neck, settling between the high neckridges. Algizth takes flight, using the thermals rising from the bowl to carry him aloft. Sniff. "I don't think that'd be such a good idea," Trila says, lips curling in amusement. "At least not before a nap or a soak or a bath or /something/," she adds as she leans against Ansuth's foreleg. Kassima gives her ash-covered lifemate a wry look. "You do have a point," she acknowledges. "'Twould likely be best t'get this ash off m'beast a'fore m'nose becomes re-sensitized t'firestone stench." "I think that's what I'm going to go do," Trila decides with an affectionate thwap to Ansuth's shoulder. Telgar Weyr> Bronwynn waves, How'd the fall go? Telgar Weyr> Trila says, "It was spiffy!" Telgar Weyr> Kassima says, "Well! Mart did a good job leading it, the ex-'Lings did a good job with resupply, and the riders kicked arse, as ever. ;)" Aurian scowls, "R'yn had best not get sooo drunk I have to haul him out of his weyr... else he really will be afraid." Telgar Weyr> Bronwynn grins, Always good to hear. Kassima makes a grand gesture towards the Springs. "After you, Wingrider? I doubt he will, Auri. Drunk enough t'be getting up on a bar and wiggling his rump, now...." Aurian waggles a fist at Kassima, "Why I oughtta.." She grins and walks back towards Kvasith. "Stop, stop, my virgin ears," Trila complains amusedly, lifting her hands and waving them around as though to dispel such thoughts. And then she heads to the springs. Kassima sets her thumbs at her ears and wiggles her fingers, in an oh-so- mature retort. "You'd have to catch me first!" she catcalls to the brownrider. "Virgin ears, hah... if'n they're nay corrupt yet, they will be soon enough. Wait until you've gotten used t'hearing L'cher boast about his prowess over dinner!" 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. <*> Trila lays a hand on Ansuth's deep-blue neck and, with a foreleg, vaults on up with a smile. <*> Ansuth takes flight, using the thermals rising from the bowl to carry him aloft. <*> Aurian pulls herself up onto Kvasith, carefully. Her fingers grip at the straps as she eases herself onto his back. <*> Kvasith takes flight, using the thermals rising from the bowl to carry him aloft. Dragon> Kvasith bespoke Lysseth with << My rider said to tell yours that you are hard to catch.. its your rider who is easy >> <*> 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.