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Post by Tobias on Jun 23, 2010 22:23:14 GMT -5
Tobias had happily assisted the rather lovely looking green rider. He was happy to help any of the riders, but he had to admit she had had a way about her that he had found interesting. He would have to look her up again once they got settled.
And then, the word came that he was to meet up with the blue-rider who had visited him at the breaking of dawn. With a bit more a grimace, than a grin, he approached and hefted up his now meager belongings. The worst part, he thought with a gulp, was looking back down from atop the dragon's back.
Even after all the time they had spent flying in recent days, Tobias still found that first lurch from the ground doing strange things to his stomach. And then, as the hovered, he knew what was coming. And in a flash, there was nothing but icy cold touching him. He had panicked when he'd first went /between/ on a dragon years ago. Now, he managed to keep calm, but the sensation was downright nerve-wracking. He released his breath the moment he felt the warmth of real air touching his now clammy hands, which had gripped the riding strap with a vengeance. Tobias released his white knuckle grasp, and prepared for the landing.
He wanted to drop to his knees and kiss the ground around him, but that was not the dignified way to handle himself. He thanked both rider and dragon, whom he swore knew exactly how he felt, and then moved off into an area where he could be free of dragons to recover from the most recent flight. He vowed that once they made their new home, he would do whatever he could to avoid dragonflying whenever possible.
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Post by R'enh and Mnoranth on Jun 24, 2010 1:06:46 GMT -5
She had the oddest look in her eyes as though they were turned inward and that wasn’t a good sign today. Too much had happened to everyone and what he’d admired about the gold rider was her strength. His face whipped toward the dragons at almost the same instant as Maram as he heard a moan from their direction. When he looked back she seemed a little distracted. Yet she answered his last.
"Yes, I agree. Sorelle and B'lor have been most helpful. The first wave is ready. Once Chalarath detects that it is safe for the second wave, she will inform us."
He half smiled and nodded knowing there was more that she wasn’t saying. But then she moved them aside to talk privately.
"Chalarath mentioned hearing another Gold. Yet, they are not here. She felt that something was wrong, but couldn't explain what it was."
Chalarath is unsettled by the other voice it is faint and there is something not right with hers.
He could tell she was affected by whatever was happening and everything protective he’d ever felt for a Gold and her rider came to the fore. He took a step closer to her suddenly wanting to enfold her and protect her from whatever he could.
Reath and his lead the way for the first wave, they go now.
She told him the news at almost the same moment. ”we are ready when you say the word.”
All he could do was raise a hand to her shoulder. His eyes softening as they searched hers, she’d been so strong for such a very long time when everything was falling apart around her she’d had the fortitude to put her own grief aside and think for everyone else around her. One error in judgment in all that mess and he’d come unglued.
But then Sorelle slid under his arm and put her head against his chest. She was muttering under her breath about blackness and about someone lost in the blackness. He couldn’t quite make out the mumbles and his arms enfolded the dark eyed Weyrwoman instead. So much pain and loss, he had to save her and Maram and the others who were almost lost to them.
“I’m sorry” he said meaning to apologize for his earlier surliness “We’ll find them Maram, we should go.” then picking up Sorelle he carried her to Mnoranth and mounted with a lift from the dragon. Sivarith’s eyes swirled unhappily and he asked Mnoranth to beg her forgiveness but he had to be sure they got through safely.
The last wave is ready to depart and Chalarath is also ready as soon as hers arrives.
They launched into the air with Sivarith hovering nearby as Mnoranth once again broadcast the mind picture to all the dragons in this wave and sent them off. He assured his rider all were ready then he signaled the beautiful Chalarath and her rider and gave the order.
He looked once more down at the empty beach… there should have been so many more.
They all winked /between/ and the cold stabbed at him for the length of three coughs and they broke into the sun over the island where the others waited. Sivarith still in position and Chalarath safely nearby.
A choir of dragon voices bugled their welcome to the queens and for the first time his heart lifted and he thought it was actually possible they might make it.
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Post by Darvin on Jun 24, 2010 2:00:23 GMT -5
When D'vin came around, he clutched his head. He felt like he'd been drunk the night before, truly drunk, and hadn't had the foresight to drink water.
In fact, it felt so much like the feeling that he waited for his dragon's rebuking tone.
When it didn't come, he finally cracked open his eyes, to inspect the fading sunlight. One of the riders - B'ris, a Bluerider - held out a steaming cup of klah, which D'vin gratefully accepted. Everyone seemed to be tip-toeing around the former Wingleader, moving quietly, speaking quietly, even eating and drinking quietly. Even the Dragons seemed respectfully quiet.
As if waiting for a bomb to explode.
He drew himself to his feet, ignoring the pain of half-treated Threadscores he didn't quite recall receiving.
He worked out his shoulders and back, slowly, letting his eyes seem to wander randomly. Everyone was looking at him. Everyone. All activity had stopped. Their sudden attention seemed fearful, as if afraid he would simply go off on them at any - "Sir," B'ris spoke, softly, "We brought out as many men and dragons as we could manage. We've stopped our flights back to Ista... We can't find anyone else. The Weyr's... Gone." He swallowed, a lump caught in his throat. His voice broke as he tried to say something about the Hold. He coughed a few times, then looked up at the former Wingleader. "The Hold... We couldn't find anyone else."
He realized, abruptly, that fear wasn't the expressed emotion - It was respect. He was their leader, now, however he felt about it.
"How are our supplies," he began, softly, "And how long will they last us at this rate?" He looked around. "And where are we?"
He took charge with a louder tone. "I want four dragons airborn at all times, with four more on reserve. The rest, I want resting. Catalogue all material we've got, and sort it out. I want shelters established as soon as possible with whatever materiel we've got left. Get me an accurate headcount... Find out who we've lost. Hold and Weyr." He paused, briefly, "I want the patrols flying two miles out from the island, up high as you can see clearly. Look for anyone else. I want to investigate every Hold and Weyr... Find out who's left, and where they're going."
He clapped his hands, sharply, and everyone stirred to life, moving quickly.
He moved to sit beside the Weyrwoman, listening intently to B'ris's estimates as he checked the Weyrwoman for signs of either deterioration, or recovery. Unable to discern any change, or divine its' meanings, he sat back, asking a few pointed questions, seeming dissatisfied with the answers.
He apologized, briefly, to the Bluerider, indicating that his dissastisfaction lay with the numbers remaining, not his own work; He even congratulated the Bluerider on organizing things in his exhausted state. He urged the rider to bed, and sat back, against the tree, as he watched the first picket flight slowly drag themselves into the air, wearily.
It'd been a long day for everyone. Now all he had to do was sit, and wait - And hope that there was somewhere left to go.
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Post by Maram and Chalarath on Jun 24, 2010 7:32:09 GMT -5
“I’m sorry” he said meaning to apologize for his earlier surliness “We’ll find them Maram, we should go.” Maram gave a rather quick nod of her head at his words. She was still bothered by whatever Chalarath had detected with the other Gold. Her gaze softened a bit as she saw Sorelle approach. Maram enjoyed the other woman's company, even though she was still not quite right. And than a stab of something else seemed to hit her square in the chest as she watched R'enh carry Sorelle to his dragon. Maram shook her head to try and clear this new feeling, and then moved to mount Chalarath.
We are ready. And with those words, Chalarath's great golden wings unfolded and beat the air until they were floating high above the now deserted beach. Maram chanced a glance back to the west and gasped at what she saw. Black plumes, red sky, it was as though the world they had left was covered in an impenetrable darkness. What had happened to all the others?
Maram didn't have time to consider any longer as Chalarath blinked into /between/ and in a span of a few seconds, they appeared over the small island to the bugling of the other dragons. Maram was grateful for Chalarath's skills as she had been so distracted by what she had seen that she herself had not even tried to focus on their destination.
When the dragons finally landed on the island, Maram slid from Chalarath's back and wrapped her arms around the dragon's neck. The enormity of all that had happened over the past few weeks seemed to finally dawn on Maram as she stood there, clinging to Chalarath. She wanted to fall onto the ground and weep.
Do not worry, mine, Chalarath crooned. We are safe. The others are safe. We have succeeded. Maram's head bobbed as she agreed with her lifemate's words. Maram had not noticed in any way who was around her after they'd landed, so caught up in the feelings that were trying to overwhelm her.
End Maram -- Moving to New Thread on The Island Board
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Post by Chloe and Alorath on Jun 24, 2010 16:13:08 GMT -5
She had spent the entire day ferrying people and then hunting for the hungry crowd. The less of their limited supplies they used the better it would be. Or at tleast that was how they explained it to her when they told her to go hunting.
She brought back some fat wherries and even a herd beast. The herders were thrilled to know they could be found and wanted one live. “I’m sorry but asking a dragon to bring back a live one is next to impossible. They tend to struggle a lot and the dragon has to hold on harder” She smiled at the herder, “I suppose you could go and try to round some up yourselves?”
She was getting a bit tired and found where the dragons and riders had gone on one side of the camp. They’d beaten down some of the weeds and such but she liked the sand it was easier to get comfortable.
Alorath had eaten while they were hunting and was getting sleepier by the minute. So, they went to the beach and she watched the lovely green turn and wiggle until she was comfortable. She sat watching the sun set and listening to the voices of those nearby. She heard a harper tuning an instrument and children playing some sort of game.
She slapped a weed back and forth between her hands as her dragon drifted to sleep. Once her lifemate dozed off she rose and began to walk down the beach. She was amazed by the resilience of the people around her. She was amazed that she’d stayed so strong. But with Alorath asleep it began to well up inside of her and though she'd fought it and kept it locked away from her precious lifemate while she was awake it was almose overwhelming her now.
But now she walked down the beach with tears misting her eyes not seeing where she was going just the blurs of other people she passed. The magnitude of what they faced swept over her yet as much as she would have liked the comfort of her dragon she couldn’t bear to wake her.
She turned back to the sun tracking down the sky.
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Post by Tobias on Jun 24, 2010 18:49:33 GMT -5
Tobias had set up a small camp between where most of the holders and crafters were and the dragonfolk. He knew that his services were most needed amongst the riders who had taxed their harnesses to the point of breaking with all the hard-work.
As some animals were brought in to feed the crowds, Tobias made sure to let those preparing the kills that he needed all the hides in order to replenish his stores. It was as he was speaking with one of the master cooks that he caught sight of a figure that somehow he felt he recognized. Tobias turned and saw the dark hair flowing freely behind that back. Yes, it was the lovely green rider he had assisted earlier.
Thinking he would just check with her to see if the replacement strap had held up, Tobias walked over to where she had stopped. Then, she turned and he saw the look of despair that seemed to fill her eyes.
"I hope I'm not intruding," he spoke quietly, realizing perhaps she had wished to be left alone. "Are you alright?"
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Post by Chloe and Alorath on Jun 24, 2010 20:16:43 GMT -5
"I hope I'm not intruding," he spoke quietly, realizing perhaps she had wished to be left alone. "Are you alright?"
Chloe dashed a tear from her cheek and attempted a smile which failed miserably. Her lip trembled as she turned toward the voice. The nice tanner who had helped her earlier
“I’m sorry” she said a bit embarrassed “I’m sure I’ll be ok…” but by the last word she was anything but and her hands came up over her face. She was overwhelmed and without thinking turned her face directly into his chest her arms going around him as she cried.
Her fingers grasped at his shirt, it was all so much so many people and dragons, just gone and all of a sudden it was more than she could bear. She clung to the man until her storm passed finally taking a step back.
“I’m so sorry” she said wiping her eyes her breath coming in little gasps “I didn’t mean to do that.”
End Chloe/Tag Any
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Post by Tobias on Jun 24, 2010 20:30:18 GMT -5
He had not expected that reaction. His heart went out to the young dragon rider as his arms gave her support and he simply let her cry. Not really sure what to do, he tried patting her back, but when they didn't help, he simply stood there until she calmed.
All the while he gave curious passerbys a looked that said to stay away, and they did.
“I’m so sorry” she said wiping her eyes her breath coming in little gasps “I didn’t mean to do that.”
"It's alright," he said in his husky voice, "It's been a difficult time for all of us. Why don't we go somewhere more private," he added, giving a spectator a bit of a glare. Then, gently with his hand at her back, Tobias led Chloe further from the groupings of people into a stand of trees and some privacy so she would not be subjected to any more stares or looks of pity.
End Tobias - Tag Any
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Post by Darvin on Jun 25, 2010 11:46:24 GMT -5
Darvin quietly, quickly organized his men amongst themselves, and began the process of finding other survivors. Before long, however, it became quite obvious that it simply wasn't safe to fly back to the other Weyrs - The choking volcanic smoke and ash very nearly cost the lives of his already too-limited dragons.
At that point, he made the decision that they would try and conserve their supplies for as long as possible, and wait. For what, he wasn't certain.
End Darvin, moving to Southern.
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