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[The_Muffin_Puppy]

Foreyath gave a pleasant rumble of thanks, gently gliding down to the bowl. The blue backwinged, landing as softly as could be expected for something his size. Turning his head he regarded his rider as they fiddled with their straps. The old rider, J'hm, released what looked to be a ladder from the blue's straps. Slowly, the figure lifted themselves over and used the ladder to shakily climb down to the ground.

Shaky hands removed goggles and helmet, revealing a wrinkled, but otherwise non-threatening face. The rider rummaged in his pocket, pulling out thick spectacles which he then placed on his face, dramatically magnifying his murky brown eyes.

Blinking, the rider looked around, his eyes landing on D'lana and W'dol. The movement he made towards them was a sort of hunched waddle. The rider looked just as weathered and old as his dragon. He offered both Weyrleaders an almost completely toothless grin. "Weyrleaders D'lana and W'dol, I assume?" he asked in a raspy, yet cheerful, tone. "I am J'hm, and this handsome young scamp is my Foreyath. We've come on behalf of gold Julith, to offer you assistance. Dire times that these are."

TawnyAngel

 

[magnadearel]

M'li of Green Starelth

The blue looks old, Starelth kept her rider up to date. He is offering aid, but he doesn't say what kind. M'li came to stand beside her green. That's interesting. He's been given permission to land in the bowl and he is landing. "A little late on their offer aren't they?" M'li asked a bit sarcastically to her dragon after she relayed the information.




L'yan of Bronze Washawath

L'yan rested his hand on his bronze's shoulder. His lips quirking a slight smile as Sh'shi came to stand in front of the weyrling barracks in a clear posture of defense. He raised his eyebrow back at the rider in amusement at her clear order. He didn't intend to move and risk his dragon, despite how fast the bronze was growing.




Candidate Turanves

He glanced toward another candidate nearby who spoke up. "Huxali seems to think there's something special about a blue dragon hovering over the weyr. Judging by the noise, I'd say it's something big. I certainly want to see this." With his firelizard perched on his shoulder, Turan headed toward the nearest doorway. It took a bit to work his way outside, but all he was saw an old blue and an equally old rider. "Crackdust, I can't hear anything."

TawnyAngel

Lunathor

F'ked of Blue Lerenth

The pair moved to a suitable spot to observe. I wonder what aid he has to offer. A slight paused followed, I wonder what he will ask for in return for that aid. F'ked frowned slightly. A gold? He wasn't sure he'd heard of her. Was this just a ruse? To what purpose?

 

[Ruhane Chiisai]

A'sa of blue Dismath

The_Muffin_Puppy

Dismath raised his head towards Fiskernath, eyes half-shut and whirling gently. ~Oh, perfiffle.~ he grumped, rather enjoying how much was being oiled at once. He did, however, relay the instructions to his rider, who ducked her head at the dragon over the barracks and leaned up off her blue, shrinking under his watchful gaze and ushering the blue towards the barracks. She'd been close; perhaps, she'd thought, close enough. Apparently not. So, coated in oil from the hip down, she worked Dismath inside, and she could feel his mind begin spinning tails. No. We're in enough trouble now, you.




Careese of bronze Toplamath
Toplamath seemed to have no problem with rising to the sky and falling from it again. His landing was heavier than the blue's, if perhaps more graceful due to his relative youth. Careese dropped to the ground beside him, as Toplamath watched the new blue, Foreyath. ~Pretty...~ Actually, he wasn't, and as Careese tumbled without the dragon's stumpish leg behind her, she realized it, and hurried to redirect his great head with a tug at the reigns. "Nope. Hey look, there's a... uhm..." Her eyes hunted quickly for something... anything else. "Ladle," she managed finally, pointing at a nearby table. That seemed to work, too, as the little hoarder's nose wandered away from it's path towards the ladder to instead abduct an abandoned spoon. He then cradled it in his paws as he returned to Careese's side, and she just sighed and shook her head while she patted his shoulder.  

[Thaliawen]

What was going on? Tordare followed his brother confusedly. A stranger? Here? He frowned. In his head cycled possibilities. A raid? Were people after their dragons?

“Turny,” he whispered, leaning closing to his brother. “What do you hear? Nothing bad’s happening, is it?” Lunathor said it must have been big judging on all the noise. He fretted.

“Do you think they’ll take our resources?” He asked. He didn’t want to starve! And what about the dragons?

—

Tassiel was surprised—and honored, so honored!—to nearly run into D’io. The candidate had run pell-mell to find Bekah, and instead he’d found the weyrsecond. Shards! What a bucket of red fins this was. He was in trouble, wasn’t he?

“I’m—I’m sorry, Weyrsecond D’io sir!” He panted. “Do you know what’s going on? I—I mean of course you do! Uh. What is going on? I was looking for Bekah and then—noise?”

magnadearel

melomar

 

[TawnyAngel]

D'lana and Liarth

The bluerider, J'hm, was even older than she'd guessed from his dragon's hide. Then there was the way his hands shook and the fact that he climbed down via a ladder - what sort of an envoy was this?

An envoy from a goldrider?

The name wasn't one D'lana recognised instantly, the south had many golds and she could only be from the south, but the precise origin of the pair was of only secondary importance at this moment in time.

"You are correct J'hm, and we bid you welcome to Fort," D'lana said with a gracious incline of her head after only a momentary pause to process his message. "I must confess my surprise at seeing a stranger here," that was why he'd been sent with the message, because he was old, perhaps he had volunteered, "what assistance does Julith send? It is true that times are difficult," she exchanged a nod with W'dol, "but I am sure you have heard of the success of our green clutches. The future of the North is far from bleak, but we would not turn aside aid that could further reassure our Holders." Of course the advantage of talking to J'hm in private would have been that she needn't take quite so much care with her phrasing, still if half the Weyr was listening she was confident that she was doing well so far despite the decidedly unexpected nature of the message.  

[TawnyAngel]

Thaliawen

magnadearel

Lunathor

Lunathor nodded agreement and hurried off alongside Turnaves, trailed by young Tordare. Getting outside was no problem but joining the little crowd gathering around the blue dragon - a dragon he didn't recognise - seemed audacious for people of their rank and so he hesitated and sent Rukbat on ahead.

"I'm sure it's nothing like that," he said to Tordare with a faint smile, which he hoped looked reassuring. "The Weyrleaders wouldn't have let him land if they thought he was trouble, and he looks very old... Where has he come from?" He - he couldn't have come from the south could he? "He can't be from the south," Lunathor repeated aloud in a disbelieving murmur, "he must be from - I - I don't know, maybe he was lost or-? He can't be from the south, nobody would risk losing their dragon like that." If he and Raith had been so lucky as to be southern.... No, surely the pair were just stragglers, they couldn't have come from across the sea where it was safe.

"Um I'll see if I can catch anything through Rukbat, okay?"  

[TawnyAngel]

Thaliawen

melomar

V' and Lithustoth

//We're not good at careful about what we say, but I'll try,// Lithustoth replied as she alighted not too far from the old blue and listened in.

When she stepped out of the shadow of the Weyr and into the bowl V' spotted D'io almost immediately and hurried towards him just in time to see some idiot candidate almost run right into him. Naturally the candidate immediately started babbling.

"Who's Bekah?" V' snapped as she came alongside the weyrsecond, catching that from the candidate but nothing before. As for the rest, she hadn't been asked but she had a confusing answer via her dragon and so for everyone's benefit - mostly hers and D'io's - she frowned and said; "He claims some gold called Julith has sent him with a message about aid." Not just aid, aid from an oh-so worshipful gold? This definitely stank and she shot a sidelong glance at her mentor, he said to be careful what they said but holding back from saying this stank was a struggle.  

[Melomar]

Thank you for trying, D'io said to V' and Lithustoth through Amaryssoth. It was hard to know what was safe to say at this point in time, but he could be glad that they were as truthful as they were blunt. "Er, yes. What she said. You should be inside, not in the Bowl, am I right?" came D'io's almost cheerful reply. "Just as we should be going too, right V'?"

Without a backwards glance, the weyrsecond headed of toward the others had gathered around the ancient Blue and his rider. Up close they looked even older. May the First Egg take me, he thought impulsively. He did not want to live that long. Not that he thought he could. Heh. He arrived with a toothy grin.  

[Melomar]

T'layo and Bronze Ekeneth, Wingleader

T'layo stood back from those gathered around the bluerider. Mostly out of earshot, she was nevertheless present and available should she be needed.

F'wol and Brown Hinaniath

This brownrider stayed up on his ledge, watching the strange visitation from there. He could only hear what his dragon told him but it was enough. He did not want to make himself presentable unless he had to be. He yawned. "So a gold wants to give us aid... but she sent clearly her oldest rider? Why? In case he caught plague and died? It wouldn't be a huge waste, right? I just don't get that sort of mentality," he added with another yawn.

Al'zan and Bronze Conolloth

The young bronzerider was checking his riding gear for tears, loose buckles, and the like. He listened calmly to what his dragon told him as he moved on to oiling the leather. This was great, interesting material. No matter what this bluerider had to say, it would be the talk of the Weyr for a good sevenday or two. He was curious about this gold Julith, very curious. As was the whole Weyr, no doubt!

M'nick and Green Heimalth
M'deck and Green Verath

The brothers were out oiling their little Green beauties when the first order to clear out had been made.

"I'm just about done anyway," M'deck muttered. Verath was still so small that it did not take very long to get her hide well-oiled.

"I can finish up inside," M'nick replied with a sigh. He did not know why they couldn't just stay and go about their business.

I don't want to go inside, Heimalth groused. She was more crotchety lately thanks to the eggs growing in her belly. They were just noticeable in the curve of her belly.

"I know, my dearest love, but what the Weyrlingmaster says, goes. There must be a good enough reason for it." M'nick made sure his bucket of oil would be enough to cover what he had missed. "Shall we go?" This question was for all three of his companions.

I suppose there is no helping it, then.

M'deck was already leaving. "Hurry up," he said flatly, his tone completely unconcerned.

Nas'an and Bronze Bamoselth

The very young Bronzerider was also oiling her dragon's hide. He had gotten so big that it almost overwhelmed his rider. But then nothing about him was easy or came natural for her. She was beginning to get used to being out of her element and silently nervous all the time. She could also expect him to be among the biggest dragons in the Weyr due to his coloration if nothing else. So she had to figure out a way to make this particular chore less of a taxation of time.

When given the command to leave the Bowl, she packed up without concern. "Come on, Bamoselth."

No. I want to stay and see what happens.

"What?" She looked up from the bucket of oil at the young Bronze and stood, straight-backed. "Are you crazy? I do not want to clean latrines again just because you don't want to follow orders. This one was pretty clear and easy to follow."

No. You can't make me. I am bigger than you.

Nas'an looked around nervously. "Don't do this." Thankfully most people were concerned with their own matters, or the curious Blue, and not an unruly Weyrling.

But I like to make you squirm. You need to learn who is really the boss around here.

I am your boss. I tell you and you do it. And MY boss just gave me an order to follow. So you follow it.

Bamoselth seemed to consider it for a moment. No. I don't want to. I'm going to get a closer look, instead! He was still fairly small as dragons go, and snake-like in his movements. He inched his way closer and closer, intent on getting that better vantage point.

"Bamoselth!" Nas'an hurried after him, leaving the bucket behind. She had no idea how she would explain this.  

[Melomar]

Candidate Rothgar

Rothgar had finished his usual Candidate chores in good time this morning. Now he was due to help out with the Weyr herd. As he approached, the feisty herding dog ran out to meet him. They tussled about for a bit only to stop suddenly with a ruckus in the air. Rothgar stood up and straightened, momentarially forgetting the dog and where he was. "What..."

If he could recognize any dragons it was those of the leadership. Liarth and Amaryssoth (who could miss that orangey hide?) among others surrounded a frail-looking Blue. Was he sick or aged? No way to be sure from here. He shrugged and sighed. As much as he would love to find out the juicy details, he had work to do. He shook his head as he ducked into the stable, looking for his mentor. Outside, the dragons began to land in the Bowl.

Candidate Sonulobai

Sonulobai was first alerted that anything was amiss when Turanves' firelizard came with an excited flourish. But it could have been anything, judging by his response. He got back to work. Then Lunathor piped in. There was definitely something going on. Even Sonulobai could hear the many dragons calling out in challenge to a newcomer. He watched the other two curiously to see what they would do. Who knew, maybe he would follow them.

Turanves explained that there was a Blue dragon hovering over the Weyr. That was not so interesting but Sonulobai could agree that whatever it was about this dragon, it was causing a ruckus. Turanves had decided to check it out, his brother and Lunathor trailing behind.

Silently Sonulobai weighed the likelihood of them being caught and punished against his work ethic. The latter won out, but as soon as he was done scrubbing the floor, he put his supplies away and hurried outside. He left his classmates' things where they'd left them. They weren't his responsibility.

Outside, it was easy to see where the newcomer had landed. There was a growing crowd around them. Once he made it there, Sonulobai squeezed his way through in an effort to get a good look.

Candidate Chellemana

Chelle was helping out in the kitchens when word about the Weyrbowl and the Blue flew through one open mouth to the next. The Candidate felt no qualms leaving their station with the other curious gossipers through the tunnels that lead outside. Perhaps they would see their brother or sister out there too.

Oh, there was Bamoselth making a nuisance of himself. Poor Nas'an.

Chelle skirted the crowd until they made eye contact with their sister. To her credit Nas'an waved Chellemana away to save them from repercussions. But family was family and their slip of a baby sister needed their help.

"Bamoselth," they boomed out at the young Bronze. "What do you think you're doing to my little sister! Causing trouble?"

"Ah, Chelle, you don't have to--"

Oh, do you think you can boss me, too? Lowly Candidate! Learn your place! Bamoselth drew himself up and smugly showed Chelle that he was taller, and therefore ever more superior.  

[Ruhane Chiisai]

Melomar

Careese glanced sideways at the booming of candidate and weyrling dealing with an unruly whelp off to one side. She glanced at her little hoarder, fawning over his spoon, before making her way over as subtlely as she could. "Y'need a hand, there, kids?" she offered, looking up at the bronze. "Pretty sure Fiskernath called you back to the barracks, already."  

[Melomar]

Nas'an and Bronze Bamoselth
Candidate Chellemana

"Oh, no--" "Yes?!" No! Came the trio of replies.

With reinforcements, for now, Chelle waited to see what their sister would do. Even though Bamoselth was enough work for two riders, they did not want to undermine the rider-dragon dynamic. Well, not any more than they already had.

Nas'an was beside herself with embarrassment, flushed bright red. First her elder sibling and now a woman that she thought might be in her class. She had no control over her dragon, this she knew but did not know how to remedy. And he was acting up in the middle of a crisis, in front of half the Weyr. This was awful. Bamoselth was laughing at her.

He was. Laughing, taunting, planning future mischief to her utter horror. But for her mind only. It didn't matter what happened now, he'd won. He was the best. In your face Nas--

He'd made her cry.

Oh. Well. That wasn't as much fun. In fact it was a terrible development because it meant that he had broken her. Why'd you have to go and cry.

"It was you!" she shrieked. Then with a deep breath, spoke in a low, quiet tone: "Get in the barracks NOW." She had never been so furious. And he listened. He actually listened. He was going without another snide little word.

"Thank you." Before she left, she did a little curtsy for both Careese and Chelle before running off after her dragon, wiping her eyes dry. Of course that only left oil streaks down her face that looked suspiciously like tear tracks.  

[Revel1984]

Tininth visibly flinched when she was told off by Fiskenerath, F'rell a moment later, though he was less bothered, they hadn't been the ONLY weyrling pair looking at the stranger after all. Both dragon and rider did as they were told and went back inside, though F'rell really wanted to go and see what was going on, Tininth wanted to follow orders, cause that's what the team did, as they were told and co-operated.. yes? She flopped sadly down waiting to find out what was going to happen next.

~~~~~~~~~

Bekah had been finishing up a shift in the healers quarters when the hubbub over a stranger to the weyr reached her. Well well.. what was all this about... the rider and dragon were OLD.... strange such an old pair had been sent on the mission, strange that such an OLD dragon survived the plague.  

[Ruhane Chiisai]

Careese of bronze Toplamath

Melomar

The older rider chuckled at the display. Maybe the kid knew how to control the little beast, after all. or if she didn't, she'd learn soon enough, if she could master crocodile tears. Careese dragged her eyes back to Chelle and she gave a soft hum. "You should probably find yourself a place inside, too. Fiskernath may be overprepping, but it never hurts to do the same as a dragon that old, right?" Her eyes blinked with realization, and she turned back to her bronze. "'Scuze me..." she muttered, and grabbed something... Anything... off the nearest surface she could find to distract the great lug from that ladder again, mostly by throwing it in the opposite direction. The tactic worked, as the bronze's eye tilted to the motion, and his head followed the item. With a resounding mental chorus, the overlarge, dopey bronze loped after the... Fork. it was a fork. Great.  

[The_Muffin_Puppy]

"Oh, we've 'eard of your successes," J'hm replied, his smile unfaltering and by all appearances genuine. "Part of the reason we made the trek we did. Ah, but I'm getting ahead of myself." The old man waved a hand, frowning slightly, and behind him, his blue dragon crooned reassuringly.

"Yes, quiet right, Foreyath, at the beginning. You see, our Julith, she's a tough young lass. ...But her rider, M'rio, his name is, he's not well. Healers say he's not got more than a couple turns left." This is where the old rider's smile faded. A look of clear regret on his wrinkled face. "Terrible business that, with so much death already..." The rider trailed off, and it was only a few heartbeats before his dragon rumbled once again.

"Yes, my apologies Weyrleaders. It was Julith's idea, really, coming 'ere. With M'rio's health the way it is, he's not gonna see her clutch again. Not enough time, y'see. So, Julith thought she do what she could to help 'ere. Rose in the South, good, long, flight. Then came 'ere, with the rest of us. We've been camped out in Igen for her clutching. Twenty-six in total, reckon that'll be at least a strong dozen greens to add to your girls."

TawnyAngel