[Event] First Threadfall

[R'enh and Mnoranth]

He had been puzzled by the lack of Threadfall. The star stones had been in perfect alignment for days yet none of the sweepriders had reported a single thing.

It bothered him tremendously like an itch he couldn't scratch. The wings had been training hard as he drove them relentlessly. B'lor had been a pillar of strength with his wing. They'd both spent hours upon hours with the charts trying to find the hook, the thing that told them when it was going to happen.

Stockpiles of firestone sacks were ready and waiting from the mine Tobias and Chloe had discovered. Though he'd heard grumbles from the holders and miners recently he'd mostly let it slide. Preparation for this event fell squarely on his shoulders and he was NOT going to fail.

Eoraths comes, there is Thread.

"WHAT!" he yelled even as he heard the rapid footfalls and the yell from the rider as he pounded breathlessly into the council chambers.

"Thread!" he said excitedly. "Over the ocean but the leading edge will hit the northern tip of the island before its done."

"Mnoranth" he called with both his voice and mind.

I'm already calling them all to fight

He ran for Maram's office and breathlessly slid around the corner. "It's here." he said knowing full well Chalarath would have already told her.

Then he ran to grab his fighting leathers scanning them once more to make sure all was perfect even though he made the same check every day when he took them off.

Moving quickly to his lifemate he made a similar check of his well maintained fighting harness. Tobias' people had crafted some new supports for the firestone sacks to keep them from banging around against the big bronze's shoulders. Everything was in perfect condition and he nodded taking a deep breath.

He knew Maram was preparing herself to fly in the queen's wing and a moment of concern hit him but he set it aside. She would be far safer in the lower altitude queens wing with her flamethrower than any of them in the upper wings.

Scrambling aboard and belting in he told Mnoranth they needed their sacks. They fell off the edge of their Weyr and Mnoranth trumpeted to the occupants of the bowl.

R'enh could already see Darvin's ground crew scrambling around a handful of dragons strapping on their supply of stone. He had to just trust that all the planning and preparation would see them through this.

The first Thread fall in 450 turns was about to meet its match.

They leaped into the sky and hovered waiting for his wing to form up around him. He trusted R'gant to keep track of the stragglers.

Tag Any

(ooc: Healers can have a similar event ready to receive the injured)

[K'rill and Morisath]

K'rill had been preparing for this moment, for quite some time. He had planned, he had trained, and he had practiced. But now it was time.

Morisath trumpeted out a greeting and challenge both to the sky, wings spreading. Darvin's ground crews worked quickly to harness and outfit the dragons.

K'rill sprinted down to the base of the Bowl, speaking mentally with the men he still considered 'his' wing.

'Put on a good show. We're the best damn fliers in Pern, and they're all going to see that. Work within your wings. Cover your wingmates. No showboating... Just do the job a damned sight better than the rest of them. Pair off, double-sweep pattern. Quickbeat on the second sweep. Fit in our maneuvers whereever you can.'

A few moments later, the reply came from S'vet, already on his blue, Tirith, 'Air superiority, eh, K'rill?'

'Expected anything less?' Inquired N'vil, on Bronze Tsalanth, almost completely outfitted.

'Should've figured that out a while back, eh? We've been flying together long enough,' intoned K'rol, his brown, Sonth, stoically enduring the slow process of harnessing; His groundcrew seemed a bit off-tempo. Their Groundcrew leader was yet to be seen.

S'vet replied with a laugh, 'He always did have a taste for flash.'

K'rill finally reigned in their chatter with a sharp, 'Come on. Are we nearly ready? Make final preparations. Stick with your wings. Show good discipline, and great flying - We'll show these flits how to fight Thread.'

The various affirmatives echoed through the connection with his dragon, then all fell silent.

K'rill pulled his heavy goggles down over his eyes, and closed his hide jacket, forearms bared to the chill morning air.

Morisath crouched, coiling like a spring, wings extended, laid flat against his sides.

At a sharp gesture, the dragon shot up from the ground with a wingbeat like cannon-fire, carrying the Brown rapidly aloft.

Tag: Any

[Maram and Chalarath]

Maram who'd been busy poring over the reports from the Headwoman, jerked up the moment Chalarath's voice sounded in her head.

Thread falls! Chalarath rang out loudly, her body already feeling the urge to fight their mortal enemy.

Maram was on her feet in seconds and only nodded when R'enh came bursting in to announce what she'd already heard.

In mere minutes, Maram had donned her flying leathers and had gathered in designated spot for the queen's wing. Her flamethrower was already perched beside her as she noted the others arriving to join her. A few young weyrlings, not quite ready to fly with the full wings, a few unable to fly there for whatever reason. Normally, the wing Maram flew with glistened with the golden hides of the queens, but now, it was just her...where was Sorelle? Was she well enough to fly with them? Maram hoped so, as she could use the support of another well-trained queen.

Tell Mnoranth our wing will be ready. Maram told her lifemate as she completed a final check over her fighting gear. We follow you into battle, my mate.

Tag Any

[K'vys and Oneth]

Oneth's cry of Thread tore K'vys from his current duties. Hurrying back to gather his things, his hands shaking, K'vys was worried.

He would fly today. For the first time. Delivering sacks of Firestone to the riders. It was a thrilling task, but yet, why, then, did he feel that hint of fear as well.

We will fly well. We will aid my brethren to fight our enemy.

"Yes, yes we will Oneth," K'vys replied as he patted the Brown's leg and hurried beside him to the Weyrbowl. Yet, K'vys knew that this was not practice. This was the real thing. Perhaps his brush with death all those month ago when he'd pushed himself too hard on the way to their new home had made him more cautious.

"We will fly strong and fast," he told his lifemate with pride. K'vys would never back down from his chance to show the others he, had, in fact recovered from his injuries and his foolishness during the disaster.

In a matter of moments, K'vys stood beside the sacks of Firestone, and while Oneth watched and waited, he helped toss the sacks to the riders preparing to fight Thread once more.

Tag Any

[B'lor and Imahyth]

B'lor and Imahyth took their place at the head of Threadsbane Wing. They had been training all their lives for this, but practice could never match real Thread. For the first time, they would see the silvery parasite that had plagued Pern for years, in person. B'lor was proud, but he was no fool. He knew that this would be a challenge. Lives would be lost today, but they would be lost doing what they were born for.

Imahyth was twitching impatiently as B'lor carefully checked over the straps again. He wanted to make sure that no careless mistake caused their doom. He glanced over at K'rill, seeing that his Wingsecond was surrounded by a group of riders. B'lor wondered if the young rider would prove his words today.

I am ready, SO ready![/color] Imahyth told his rider. B'lor smiled and stroked his dragon's eye ridges. I know, my friend. Don't worry. Soon we'll fly. He mounted Imahyth, and the bronze jumped into the air, beating his wings to stay aloft. Let's make the Weyr proud today.

I want to make Sivarith proud,[/color] Imahyth replied. B'lor held back a smirk. Typical.

He turned to the riders. "Remember, check your straps and make sure nothing is loose. Is your hair tucked under your helmet completely? Do you have enough firestone?" Someone had to remind them of these things. He wasn't going to be the one blamed if some little thing went wrong and caused a disaster. "Good luck, and please, remember to work together." With that, he flipped his goggles over his eyes and waited for R'enh's signal. A new Wing was about to enter battle together, and B'lor could only hope that their training had brought the riders together enough to work cohesively.

Tag Threadsbane Wing/any

[R'gant and Xanith]

R'gant had heard the call and had gone about rounding up all the riders of the Dawn Strider's Wing. The chaos that ensued made even the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. Fear was clear in everyone’s eyes.

R'enh had been watching the signs and waiting for Thread. Now he'd finally gotten his wish.

With the help of a fellow rider, R'gant clambered into his riding leathers and rushed over to assist with suiting up Xanith. Xanith was practically trembling with excitement, adrenaline, and fear of the unknown. They were both on edge and, were it not for the need to prove himself, R'gant would have been scared shitless. He'd never fought Thread before. None of them had. None of the endless planning or drills could have prepared them for this moment.

All around him, riders climbed onto their dragon and took to the sky. Their expressions were serious, stoic even. The weyr folk moved around, their fears at rest because they knew that each and every rider who took flight would do all they could to protect them. They had once before and they would do it again. They're faith in them pushed R'gant forward. In one hearty stride, he climbed atop Xanith, patting his lifemate's hide as he strapped himself on.

"Ready mine?" Xanith said to him.

"You have no idea," he whispered to Xanith. The large dragon shifted beneath him and lifted slightly onto his hind legs preparing to take flight. All those in his wing who hadn't taken flight yet drew closer to their side, waiting for instruction, or perhaps validation that yes, this was real. He knew how they felt because he felt it too. The uncertainty--it weighed down on his shoulders almost as heavily as the guilt he had felt when he was forced to leave his family behind at Telgar. He hadn’t completely overcome that grief, but he would, with his comrades at his side, over come this obstacle.

“Let's do this!" He yelled out.

They took to the skies after R’enh and Mnoranth and sinuously grouped into formation along with B’lor’s wing. The beauty of their colors speckled against the darkening sky did not go amiss. It would be unwise to believe that they all would survive; that death would not touch each of their lives once again; but he clung to that belief.

They would fight and they would win. They had no other choice.

[Chloe and Alorath]

Chloe put on her new flying jacket that Tobias had made for her. Built in tethers that ran over her shoulders and crossed between her breasts left her stomach completely free. At six months her belly was beginning to get in her way and make some of her clothing uncomfortable in the extreme.

He had tried to ground her but she knew she wouldn't give up flying, not when thread was the whole reason she was a dragon rider. Finally he'd given up the arguments and made her a flying vest for under her jacket that covered the front of her down to her knees. The sides of the jacket buckled to it in an ingenious contraption that kept her strapped safely to Alorath without putting any pressure at all on the baby.

She checked all of Aloraths harness as she always had and chuckled as she saw little signs of Tobias all over the place. He'd embossed the chest plate with CA entwined. Her fingers traced the beautiful work.

He is very careful of your safety Chloemine, just as I am. "I know you are my beautiful girl." her voice filled with humor. "but if we're not careful we'll have the most beautiful harness in the whole Weyr and then they'll all be jealous. As they should be. Chloe laughed at her dragons vanity.

Today he was working in the craft hall when the call to flight had come. She'd sent an excited Dancer to tell him she was flying sweep so she wouldn't have to go /between/ . Truth be told she wished she could go with Dawn Striders but she needed and even Pern needed this life inside her. So instead she'd chase Phoenix along the shore without going between unless it was completely unavoidable.

They jumped into the air then landed in the weyrbowl, her heart beating like a harpers drum.

"Dragonmen must fly, when Thread is in the sky" came unbidden to her mind. Well Thread was certainly in the sky. The candidates loaded her up with firestone sacks and she took off flying straight to the north knowing the rest of the wings would jump between but she was certain she'd find them and then she and Alorath would flame thread from the sky.

"Please let Chalarath know we are on our way to the north." It is done said her beautiful green.

Tag Any

[sorelle]

Sivarith flew to the edge of the bowl and bellowed mournfully as the other dragons flew into formation. "I know," Sorelle soothed as she climbed down, "but you need to think of the big picture." The words sounded hollow, though, as Sorelle longed to be up there, too. However, with Sivarith carrying a clutch, the gold dragon was prohibited from flying. The ex-weyrwoman's eyes followed the riders. She had been trained for this and it was tearing her up inside to stay below. She would help out the healers and Sivarith would watch for falling dragons. It was their duty and they would do it with honor.

"Imahyth is looking handsome today."

Sorelle nodded, rubbing the suede-like hide. "He was lucky to catch you."

"I was not caught," Sivarith remarked, bristling slightly, "I let him have me."

"Of course you did."

As the Gold watched the big bronze, Sorelle looked for J'lor. He was probably giving last minute instructions to the younger riders.

"It's not fair, Sorellemine."

"I know."

Sorelle ran her hand along the strong jawline of her lifemate. "Your clutch will make strong dragons."

"The strongest."

Sorelle chuckled and Sivarith turned her massive head and placed her flat forehead against the length of Sorelle's body. The woman turned and leaned against her for a moment. "Come," she finally said, "let's not distract them with your beauty."

"I am rather magnificent," Sivarith admitted as Sorelle climbed back onto the dragon. It was just a short flight into the bowl and Sorelle spent it looking back and up at the riders. "Fly well," she thought.

End Sorelle

[E'dwyn and Yzarth]

As fate would have it, E’dwyn had just gotten done fastening a newly made harness on Yzarth’s body when the words he’d dreaded to hear ever in his life were uttered by his.

“Thread falls. We are summoned to fight it.”

“You have got to be kidding me,” E’dwyn said partially under his breath. “I assure you I kid you not, mine,” the big brown replied. E’dwyn smiled. “Well, good a time as any to try out your new harness, right?” he asked, climbing aback the brown dragon. He made sure the firestone sacks fastened to the harness wouldn’t sway his to one side or the other as they approached the edge of their room’s cliff into the weyr bowl. “Now or never, boy,” E’dwyn said, getting a bellowing cry back as Yzarth rolled back on his haunches and took to the skies. They joined the other members of their wing in formation.

Tag Any

[Eralynn and Liirith]

It had been a glorious few days since Eralynn was released from the Infirmary, given strict orders to train with the Queen’s wing for two sevendays by MasterHealer Garion. Liirith had eaten every day since, and had finally gotten back to her glamorous self; readily showing off in front of the resident browns and the occasional bronze that looked her way.

Today, Era and Liirith were on the ledge of their newly assigned weyr, and Eralynn was cradled in Liirith’s forelegs as they rested after training by taking their daily nap. That was, until they received the call to fight.

Eramine, we must go. Eorath tells of thread. Mnoranth is calling all to battle.

Eralynn’s eyes flew open as the image of Thread was relayed through Liirith, the sight of the silvery death chilling her to the bone. Seventeen years of training at Benden had prepared her physically for this…now she was just praying that she and Liirith were fit to help Maram and Chalarath.

I have rested well, Mine. I am fit as ever…and will do you and Sivarith proud.

'Then all the pressure is on me.'

No. It’s on us.

As Eralynn leapt up and got ready, she fell into the pattern that had been drilled into her mind year after year.
Riding chaps.
Check.
Harness.
Check.
Riding straps.
Check.
Goggles.
Check.
Tethering strap.
Check.

Just as she and Liirith had always done, in a tiny fraction of a candlemark they were geared up and ready to go. Checking the harness once more to ensure it wouldn’t slip, Era sent a silent prayer for the safety of all the riders. Era wouldn’t know what to do with herself if something happened to any rider or dragon today- she had just been reunited with her old Benden friends…and by the First Egg she was not ready to say goodbye again.

Once that was finished, she climbed atop Liirith and they took off; effortlessly gliding as they spiraled down to the weyr bowl to collect their supply of firestone from the candidates and stand ready with Chalarath and Maram.

As Era nodded her head to the Weyrwoman, Liirith did much the same to Chalarath.
'Can you relay to them that we are ready, my love?'
Done.

Tag All

[R'enh and Mnoranth]

R'enh waited and watched as the wing gathered. They were lucky the fall had started out over the ocean. They had time to form up.

As he watched he saw a green taking off straight north by herself.

Alorath and hers, they try not to go /between/ he nodded. He and Maram had discussed that. Chloe was pregnant and they needed the new human life almost as much as they needed more dragons. Even though it poked a hole in his wing structure he was willing to trade her to Phoenix for the moment.

He took a deep breath. Planting the picture of the northern coast spot firmly in his mind he ordered Mnoranth to share and then gave the order.

Dawn Striders blinked /between/ as one and reappeared three breaths later with the silver rain of Thread fall visible on the ocean ahead of them.

Almost as one dragon necks swerved around to their riders to receive fire stone and began to masticate the rock matrix.

His two wing seconds were above and behind him with their threes. He lifted his arm and they charged forward at a large wriggling clump falling through the skies.

Flame belched from Mnoranth's mouth and the clump fried mid air. They dodged away from another right behind that one and then wheeled to follow it down.

Looking up and around him he was heartened to see flames in all quarters. Their staggered formations gave the best coverage to get to the clumps around them.

Dragons winked in and out of /between/ and he turned back to dump more firestone into Mnoranth's gaping maw.

The phosphine stench strong on his breath.

Tag All

[K'rill and Morisath]

Morisath dropped into formation beside G'rin, on Brown Vith, and S'vet, on blue Tirith. The trio carefully arranged themselves in a triangle, with S'vet and Tirith in the lead, the two heavier Browns holding their fire until the last possible moment, Tirith breaking the Thread ahead of them into small clumps - And the Browns scorching it out of the sky effortlessly.

On the first pass straight through Thread, Tirith didn't time his burn correctly - He ran out of flame just before striking into the front edge of a clump of Thread. The blue vanished /Between/, and appeared a hundred yards ahead - Just beneath another clump. The blue shrieked and writhed, dropping from the sky, rapidly vanishing once more /Between./

Anguished, G'rin's Vith broke formation, and lunged ahead, scorching out of the air a torrent of Thread that fell through the space the blue had occupied a moment before.

The blue did not reappear.

'We are at Weyr,' Tirith spoke, after a long silence, to Morisath.

Morisath trumpeted the good news, and gathered himself, lunging up after a clump of Thread, scorching along one side of it, reducing the Thread to ashes - Before going /between/, and emerging in the space he'd occupied seconds before, completing a rapid second sweep of the same clump, burning away the rest of it swiftly.

Vith drew back into formation, and the pair swiftly began to dissolve larger clumps of Thread, using the swift double-sweep maneuver, and well-aimed puffs of flame.

K'rill paused, a moment, as he fed Morisath more Firestone, to review the information Morisath was gathering, about the state of the battle.

Rested by the momentary reprieve, Morisath bugled a cry, and Vith swept with him, diving toward another large cluster of Thread.

Tag: Any

[Maram and Chalarath]

With the agonothree ready, Maram was soon airborne. She received word of the others approaching, just as Chalarath blinked them into /between/.

When they emerged, she could see the water's edge not far away. Soon the Thread would fall. Their mortal enemy had returned and there were so few of them left now to fight it.

Then, glancing up, she saw the first of the dragons swoop and dive. Thread had arrived!

Be ready my love. It comes. Chalarath gave a mighty roar, announcing to all in her wing. Thread falls. None must reach the ground.

Flying low, Maram and Chalarath led the others. There were many clumps that fell through the attackers ranks.

Our numbers are so low. We must provide as much support for them as possible. Chalarath bugled her agreement even as Maram flamed another clump of thread. The pair dodged out of the way as the harmless burnt mass now fell to the ground.

Thread!

Chalarath roared to her wing. A large collection of Thread has been missed. The wing rose to flame it from the sky before it could reach the ground and wreck havoc on the life that blossomed there.

Tag Any

[L'yst and Woreth]

L'yst would soon join the fight against Thread. He was a second-string flier for this battle. Everyone knew the blues were fast, but could not sustain during a full fight against Thread.

So, for now, L'yst job was to see to the shelling out of firestone, delivery of new stone by the senior weyrlings and attend to the injured as the flew in.

Woreth, of course, was chomping at the bit to get airborne and fight his nemesis.

Soon, Woreth, soon. He heard the dragon's grumbled reply.

"K'vys," L'yst called out, moving closer to him and the other weyrlings gathered around.

"Those of you old enough will fly resupply. The fighting dragons out there need more firestone, but they can't take it all with them or they'd never be able to maneuver. K'vys, Jentra, H'trhall, you're the eldest of the Weyrlings. You're leading the resupply. Load up with sacks, now. Don't forget to fly in low, you want to avoid getting scored. Then get to the riders as fast as possible and get back here to do it all again. Now go!" L'yst had no time for coddling at this time. Lives and the land were at stake.

As he watched the weyrlings prepare for this, he tried not to think about what could happen. First flight into Threadfall for any was difficult, but weyrlings....he knew that some did not return. He hoped it would not happen on his watch.

Tag K'vys/Any

[J'lor and Tonuth]

Like generations of dragonmen before him J'lor rode a flaming dragon. Yet this time after 450 turns there was actual thread falling from the sky.

Time after time Tonuth dove and flamed and dodged before they heard a warning scream from above and blinked /between,/ but not before he felt the sear on his right forearm quickly extinguished by the bitter cold.

His scream of pain was torn away by the null of the black void Mine! screamed the dragon. I am ok, just a flesh wound he reassured his lifemate.

They came out again into safe air and regained their position in their three.

And continued the fight.

Tag Any