Deadly Skies (THREADFALL. ATTN: All!)

E'zen didn't make a conscious decision. One moment Aliseth was landing, sharp amusement still edging her mind, and the next he was kneeling next to Eniseth, his hand on Teagan's back.

How had -?

He shook his head to clear it, more concerned with Teagan then the last few flooded moments. "Teag?" he asked, scrabbling a flask of water off his belt. "Can you stand up?" He could carry her inside, of course, but without having any idea what was going on, it didn't seem the best immediate reaction.

Teagan grasped greedily at the waterskin, taking a gulp and swishing it around in her mouth before she spit it out. The taste of sick was much weaker, and she took a few sips and swallowed carefully. The nausea had retreated as quickly as it came, and only the small tremors in her hands remained.

"I can stand," she said, voice a little shaky, and though she kept her hand on Ensieths' flank as she stood she didn't lean against her heavily. She shook her head, clearing the last of the cloudiness from her head, and stood up fully. With a slightly guilty look she handed E'zen back his waterskin, which was half empty now. She rubbed her face with both hands, hoping that she wasn't as deathly pale as she felt.

"Did anyone see that?" she asked in an undertone, a flush rising to her cheeks. That would definitely instill confidence, the Holders seeing one of the queenriders being sick all over the courtyard.

"Nah, Eniseth knows how to take up space." He was fairly sure that was true; he hadn't been in any position to know what happened between landing and getting here. "Here," he offered his arm and waved off the flask. "Keep that. Let's get you in the Hold to sit down, yeah?"

Hearing Eniseth's cry, Hesriath banked quickly and smoothly to where the shadow dragon had landed. Ashrah dismounted as swiftly as she was able without risk of falling, blond hair framing both sides of her face as she pulled off her rising helmet.

"Teagan?" Ashrah asked even ash she saw E'zen go to her.

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Some of the males peeled out in a hurry; The young bronze Manticath issued a challenging trumpet to answer Gaveth's roar but for his part, Maraxith made no sound. There was a tang in the air apart from ash and fire, lust and blood. The cobalt made a note of it as he slowly, almost lazily, banked to returno the Weyr. Let the young bronze wear himself out in the early part of the chase.
****
Keep an eye on Gaveth's and don't let Nolinth out of your sight. Do what you must to win Yllaveth! Casriel urged him as she pulled the last of the riding gear free. The cobalt rumbled wordlessly, his eyes whirling hotly.

"No, I'm okay," she said, voice stronger. She did hook the water skin on her own belt, though, just in case. "Let's do our jobs." She gave him a silent look of entreaty; it was bad enough that her age prevented her queen from rising, but appearing weak in front of the people they were supposed to be protecting? No, they couldn't allow that.

She looked to Ashrah and gave a sheepish smile that almost made things look normal. "I got sick," she said, matter of factly, "but I'm better now." She gave E'zen a particularly pointed look. It was over. Now it was time to fulfill their duties to the Hold, such as it were.

E'zen might have had something to say about what their job was, or wasn't, and that sitting and talking with the Lord and Lady was just as easily done as standing in the courtyard and doing so, but he already knew that look.

And here came the Lady herself, anyway.

"Queenriders, Weyrlingmaster," Gavana said graciously, moving as easily in her simple divided skirts as most would in pants - vanity and Threadfall, much like vanity and carving a hold out of jungle, rarely mixed. She held out her hands in greeting, but didn't smile. Fall seemed no time for levity, either.

"Was all well, in the air? Our drums have reported no damage, but I know sweeps and crews continue." Why was their Weyrsenior not there, she wondered, but forbore to ask in case the answer was unexpectedly tragic.

Teagan stood silently for a moment, expecting E'zen to step forward and deliver the report. He was the ranking rider, after all, not to mention older and generally the leader when it came to the pair.

Which was why she was so surprised when she felt the other shadow rider nudge her forward, tilting his head towards Gavana, indicating the duty was hers today. Resisting the urge to gulp, she stepped slightly ahead of the other two riders.

"Weyrleader Sidran is leading sweeps, and hasn't reported any signs of burrows," she said after returning the traditional greeting. She hoped her voice didn't truly sound so childish as it did in her head. "We suffer one casualty

L'thyr and cobalt Osgilath." She paled a bit at that, not knowing if that was information she should have kept to herself.

((No I don't knowant why it split this into two posts..)

Gavana kept hold of Teagan's hands, and squeezed ever so slightly at the news. "I am so sorry for your loss, and ours. We remain grateful for all you do as our partners. Please, can I bring you all in for some much deserved refreshments?" Without sound, a moltenly silver fire-lizard appeared from between, circled them with a delicate keen, and dropped to Gavana's shoulder, pressing his small ahead against hers.

E'zen might normally have said no to the offer, but he was all to aware of whatever had just struck Teagan, and Aliseth would as soon let something happen to Eniseth's rider as she would her own. Not to mention that if Yllaveth were in the midst of a chase, they weren't allowed back, anyway. So instead, he said, "That would be most appreciated, Lady. We won't stay long," he didn't have a graceful way to end that sentence, so he floundered off a bit.

At least he wasn't snapping at anyone, and the little silver fire lizard filled the silence with an intricate vocal run.

Gavana inclined her head to them. "Please then, come inside. Weyrlingmaster, should your charges join us, as well?"

((OOC: late to the party. But, you know, at least setting up for continuity's sake lol))

The sound Vorganth made at the loss of his clutchmate sent shivers up R'fariel's spine. The cobaltrider felt tears spring to his eyes but blinked them away.

Unfortunately, this wasn't the time. He wished they could stop right now, mourn their friend, rage at the Thread that had claimed L'thyr and Osgilath, but they couldn't. Pern wasn't yet safe-- for the day, anyway.

Yelling because he had no other way of releasing his pain at the moment, he fed more stone to his lifemate and let the rush of adrenaline and rage wash over them both.

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Later, Raf would find Kyabree and V'tayn and Z'ash and the others from their class. Later, they would pay their respects to L'thyr. Later, they would find some way to celebrate his life.

But not now. No, now, with 'Fall finally over, Yllaveth-- and Vorganth-- had other ideas.

R'fariel steadied himself a moment, not rushing, not wanting to jump without thinking.

And then they were following the titanium queen back home, joining the other males who wanted to chase, for the moment putting behind them the horrible events of the day.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Revel hadn't really gotten to know L'thyr well. The young man had been quiet, a little more hesitant than many of the older cobalt riders. But she still felt a pang of regret at his loss.

It also drove home how quickly any of them could be hit, how easily it could have been anyone. Classmates, friends, family… this was a dangerous job, never moreso than during Threadfall. We will spend time with the others when this is over, she promised herself and Sanovith. Just to reassure all of us that the other is safe.

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That chance would have to wait, of course, as her smoke dragon, the steady rock who'd carried her into the chaos to deliver firestone to a needy rider, was compelled by another fight just as the first seemed to finally be over.

Perhaps it was a chance to one-up Emanoth. Or perhaps Sanovith knew they could both use the release. Whichever the case, the smoke dragon, though young, wasn't going to pass up the opportunity to chase Yllaveth. And Revel wasn't about to stop him.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Treyath keened with the others, uncaring what color Osgilath had been. He was still a comrade, a wingmate, and now he was gone. They'd been too late to help, despite Nolinth's call to action.

For his part, J'ril knew they couldn't afford to lose any dragons, not with so few. Though perhaps it was another sign that the mutants were somehow defective, that they didn't have the ability to keep up, to split their attention the way they needed to in order to survive during 'Fall. If they couldn't cut it, if their numbers were thinned every time they were called to defend the land below them… what did it mean for the survival of Pern?

He didn't have time to contemplate it now, of course. They had to keep going, finish the fight. And come out on the other side still intact.

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Yllaveth rises.

Great, just what they needed, J'ril thought with a sneer. Not that golds hadn't been known to go up at the tail end of a 'Fall. But the timing here was horrible-- all of the males were tired, worn out, the day's toll already taken.

Then again, perhaps it left a bit more of a level playing field. Some wouldn't last through the flight, others would make stupid mistakes because they couldn't react as quickly as they could otherwise.

Maybe this was Treyath's chance, his chance, to take advantage of the situation. And come out on the other side not just whole… but triumphant.