[Log] Rogue 'Fall
Who: Amilin, Amira, A'tan, Caitlyn, Charis, C'len, Fadra, H'rel, I'daur, Josilina, Kali, Melata, Mohria, P'draig, Shalyn, Shanlee, S'rist, Suraiya, T'mic, T'rien, Tzivya, V'lano, V'lien, Z'nal
When: Day 31, Month 3, Turn 11
Where: Above High Reaches Hold
What: I'daur and Zunaeth join the fight against a rogue Threadfall.
Zunaeth> Sky above High Reaches Hold
Zunaeth> This is the sky about High Reaches Hold...the Flagstone Verge, to be exact. Below you is a large slab of stone, with plenty of room to land a dragon.
Zunaeth> To the north you can see a road leading out to the sea, with a lighthouse near the cove. To the south lie the orchards and fields, as well as the road to High Reaches Weyr. To the east are the Main Gates into the Hold Proper, including the Great Tower and the Fireheights, both of which can be seen from this height.
Zunaeth> Contents:
Zunaeth> Oenoneth
Zunaeth> Xiabeth
Zunaeth> Vildaeth
Zunaeth> Kaylith
Zunaeth> Obvious exits:
Zunaeth> Flagstone Verge-High Reaches Hold Sky over High Reaches Area
Zunaeth> Zunaeth emerges from Between with a blast of cold air!
Zunaeth> A small brown and large blue veer downward toward a patch of Thread at the same moment. Swerving to avoid the collision that is looming, the patch of thread flies past untouched and heads at Oenoneth.
Dragon> High Reaches dragons sense that Vildaeth's frantic tones reach the weyr, from above the nearby hold. << Iseuth comes, and she is hurt! >>
Zunaeth> Xiabeth spots the small burst of flame from Iseuth and she veers to try to rescue the green, moments too late as the pair is scored. Kali lets out a soft screech as she tries to keep up with everything.
Zunaeth> An angry tangle of Thread writhes, slipping between the attention of a bronze and brown dragon who are busy flaming heavier patches. The Thread hurtles downard, moving with surprising speed at Xiabeth.
Zunaeth> A loud cry erupts from the lips of a rider of a bronze that is clipped on the wing by a swiftly descending clump of Thread. It continues to writhe and fall, heading directly for Xiabeth.
Zunaeth> Blocked by a sheet of writhing masses of Thread, three dragons blink between quickly to avoid scoring. This, however, lets the sheet fall uncharred to intercept Xiabeth.
Zunaeth> Oenoneth dives after the patch that the blue and brown missed, belching forth her flame she easily takes it out and heads out in search of another.
Zunaeth> Xiabeth bounces back into formation, nearly into the mess of thread hurtling down on them. The disappear between, emerging, just barely above one clump and remarkably just to the right of another. A burst of flame catches the one to the right, arching towards the lower one. Another sheet hurtling, still, towards the pair goes unnoticed at the moment.
Zunaeth> Zunaeth appears from /between/, immediately leery as he takes a moment to look around, to get his bearings before he throws himself into the fray, as much as he is able. He's not wild, not daring about it, but rather with the calculating experience his age gives him, as he gets to work himself, for the first time in a long time.
Zunaeth> A thick clump of Thread is split neatly as a green lets forth a burst of powerful flame. One part is charred into black ash while the unmarred half twists, zooming toward Kaylith.
Zunaeth> Kaylith bugles in alarm at Iseuth's scoring before the patches falling closer and closer are being dealt with as she wings upward, belching flame at it, narrowly missing a tumbling blue in a collision. Shan twists backward worry etched across her face as Iseuth disappears between but sets her mind to rather trying to control the panic stricken pairs in the air.
Zunaeth> Vildaeth wheels to the right to avoid a patch of thread that he cannot reach in time, and it's caught by another rider flying below. His rider squints in the direction where Iseuth was, visibly shaken by the first serious dragon scoring he's ever seen. Still, he works, as he's been trained, Vildaeth charring threads that fall in front of him as he's able.
Dragon> High Reaches dragons sense that Verenth calls, << Avalanche and Glacier come! We come to fight Thread! >>
Zunaeth> Five strands of Thread are bound together by the winds to form a thick, evil looking rope. Almost mesmerizing in its movements, the rope falls to the left of Kaylith.
Zunaeth> Trecherous thermals twist a pair of Thread clumps and push them toward the fighting wings. Bright colours of flame colour the sky and punch holes through the mass of writhing strands but another gust of wind blows the reamining uncharred thread directly at Xiabeth.
Zunaeth> Xiabeth turns her head to catch another set of firestone tossed in her direction. Though she misses the last piece thrown as the pair hear a warning from a nearby rider and blink between moments before the sheet of thread nearly hits them. Did Xiabeth's wing get caught on the way out? The tail end of a bugle is heard as the pair emerge yet again. Xiabeth turns to spot a clump being blown right at them, but she's becoming more alert and this clump is charred quickly.
Zunaeth> Swerving quickly to avoid a clump of Thread that has been upswept by a thermal, a bronze avoids a harrowing injury. However, the clump twists past and targets Oenoneth.
Zunaeth> Dzurath powers in, several extra sacks of firestone strung along his back behind S'rist, who is in a combination of old leathers, and a dress jacket normally only brought out for special occasions. Must have been the closest thing at hand.
Zunaeth> Kaylith bugles in alarm as the thick rope of thread falls toward her. Empty of firestone another rider is given the space to deal with it as she turns her head back to Shan for more stone. It's frightening moments of twisting and turning to avoid the silvery threads while the stone digests.
Zunaeth> Swerving quickly to avoid a clump of Thread that has been upswept by a thermal, a bronze avoids a harrowing injury. However, the clump twists past and targets Vildaeth.
Zunaeth> On Dzurath, S'rist shouts out as he forms up with the few members of Glacier wing that are in the sky, noticing how other spots in the forming wing formation are filled by riders from distant weyrs. "Who needs stone?!"
Zunaeth> Verenth leads Avalanche and a large chunk of Glacier from between.
Zunaeth> Oenoneth blinks into between to avoid the twisting clump. She re-emerges on the other side of it turning on wingtip and flameing forth to burn the silvery menace from the skies.
Zunaeth> A small brown and large blue veer downward toward a patch of Thread at the same moment. Swerving to avoid the collision that is looming, the patch of thread flies past untouched and heads at Xiabeth.
Zunaeth> Though it's been over a decade since his last experience in 'Fall, Zunaeth is steady as ever, businesslike as he wheels about. He's bulky, slow, clumsy, but watchful, and that enables him to veer around several clumps of Thread, flaming as he goes.
Dragon> Verenth bespoke High Reaches dragons with << We are here! We have come! >>
Zunaeth> A loud cry erupts from the lips of a rider of a bronze that is clipped on the wing by a swiftly descending clump of Thread. It continues to writhe and fall, heading directly for Zunaeth.
Zunaeth> Verenth drops down, leading Avalanche to a lower level until the chaos is sorted out.
Zunaeth> On Dzurath, The damage being done below is finally being minimized, enough dragons in the air to hold the fall at bay.... but the devastation on the ground from where it fell unchecked earlier, and only partially hindered for a while, is severe. The hold has suffered losses unheard off in many passes.
Dragon> Oenoneth bespoke High Reaches dragons with << We need more, we are not ready! >>
Zunaeth> Writhing in mortal-seeking anguish, a sheet of Thread cascades through the upper tier of flaming dragons and heads without hesitation towards Oenoneth.
Zunaeth> Xiabeth's eyes are whirling as the usually graceful dragon is putting her 'sky dancing' to work and keeping herself out of the line of thread. She spots a clump headed towards her and flames it, turing to catch more stone as she ducks and dodges, still trying to stay in the rough formation.
Zunaeth> Leonneth comes out from between bugling loudly, A'tan directing her towards the familiar of the Igen riders. The chaos seems to be just as severe on the ground as it is in the sky.
Zunaeth> Near a bronze, a burst of flame temporarily blinds the eyes of the bronze and his rider right at the moment a patch of Thread reaches him. A shout of pain from the rider is cut short as the dragon and rider disappear between only to reappear seconds later farther ahead. The clump of Thread continues on its way, heading to intercept Ozriadasoth.
Zunaeth> The flash of red and orange before the bugle of frustration of a green announces the miss. The Thread is left to fall freely, twisting in the winds, at Kaylith.
Zunaeth> Ozriadasoth arrives in place among the rest of the Glacier wing, having followed Avalanche from High Reaches. She rumbles in anticipation and, as soon as she arrives, calls out to her fellow dragons. Her small body is ready to avoid Thread and her stomach already full of chewed firestone. It does not take long for her to belch out a flame, thankfully catching the clump of Thread heading towards her. Just a bit in a panic, the small green swerves and flames again, making sure she catches any around her.
Zunaeth> Wait for it... Zunaeth notes the clump of Thread aiming for him, but it's out of reach, too far for him to go after just now, with his slow turns. So instead, he waits, letting it come closer until finally, it's in reach, and his head swings around to flame it while I'daur ducks his head against the ash that comes raining down on both. They continue onward, unphased and unhurt, for now.
Zunaeth> Vildaeth manages the clump coming toward him, but soon after must receive more firestone from his rider. As more members of Snowstrike arrive, the wing begins to form up into a less haphazard arrangement, tracing lines back and forth above High Reaches courtyard to defend the now-damaged hold below.
Zunaeth> With many of the frontline dragonic pairs focusing their attention on clearing the skies of the Thread clumps, it is not surprising that a few patches of the silvery-grey Thread make their way dangerously close to Vildaeth.
Zunaeth> Verenth starts to swing the blues and greens of Avalanche around into a stacked V-formation, aiming the point into the wind and towards the direction the Thread is falling from.
Zunaeth> Kaylith roars again in challenge of the ancient enemy. Shan raises an arm at S'rist in a call for more sacks the two she'd had emptied already. Breaking formation long enough to swoop in closer to Dzurath for her rider to catch it, Kaylith deftly takes her place again. Her mouth set in a grim line, the wingsecond seucres the bags to the straps, wincing as a bronze is hit. The familiar forms of dragons arriving from various wings a small comfort.
Zunaeth> Oenoneth again disappears between to emerge above the deadly sheet. Though she too has not faced the menace of thread in a decade she has always been ready should the need arise. Her flame reaches out to light the sheet ablaze. As the deadly rain is quickly ignited she disappears into it's eruption, unable to pull up she dives through coming out below none the worse for wear.
Zunaeth> In the skies directly above a small blue is more Thread. Before he can react, the clump is split into two grey patches by an uncooperative thermal. The reaction to flame these patches must be taken by Dzurath.
Zunaeth> Seated atop Xiabeth, Kali spots a few more familar riders but has no time to feel relieved. This is real thread! Xiabeth tries to tighten up her formation, flaming thread, trying to keep it from those flying lower than her. Suddenly Kali realizes she's out of stone, "Who had extra fire sacks?" she calls, near panic, though her stutter is luckly not hindering her today.
Zunaeth> As a green from the upper formations starts to go into a dive to get a missed patch of Thread, the bugle of her wingleader's dragon makes her return into position. The patch continues on its way to Jekzith.
Zunaeth> Wings from Fort burst forth from Between following the reference given and hang back a little until a signal is given for them to fly in where needed.
Zunaeth> Dzurath swerves away just after his rider tossed a bag of stone off to Shanlee and Kaylith. The bronze has been chewing stone almost eagerly, and lets loose with a huge gout of fire that sears one patch and with a twist of his long neck the second patch of thread twisting near him.
Zunaeth> Qeteth follows his wing, easily following into formation, the blue seeming to kick into another gear, automatically doing everything he needs to do.
Zunaeth> A thick clump of Thread is split neatly as a green lets forth a burst of powerful flame. One part is charred into black ash while the unmarred half twists, zooming toward Kaylith.
Zunaeth> Xiabeth swoops towards Jakenath and is quick to catch a stone sack thrown to her. That drill at least coming in handy. Kali quickly pulls a few large pieces out, feeding them to Xiabeth as they head back to take their place.
Zunaeth> Jekzith bugles in surprise at the suddenness of things, but twists in midair to avoid most of that clump of Thread and sends a gout of flame after it. A strand or two escape the inexperienced brown.
Zunaeth> Suddenly, a large clump of Thread is ripped asunder by a gust of wind that forms four patches of the silvery menace which proceeds to target a large brown. While he is able to deal with two of the strands with precise flaming, the second pair of Thread patches are coming too fast. With a roar of warning, the brown blinks between to let flaming commence by Xiabeth.
Zunaeth> Kaylith turns on a wingtip, narrowly missing a tangle of thread before blinking between to appear again just ahead of where she'd been a moment before. Her gut now refuelled, the flame that comes pouring out is strong and steady. Flaming, then twisting aside to avoid the hot char.
Zunaeth> Trecherous thermals twist a pair of Thread clumps and push them toward the fighting wings. Bright colours of flame colour the sky and punch holes through the mass of writhing strands but another gust of wind blows the reamining uncharred thread directly at Leonneth.
Zunaeth> Ozriadasoth turns her head for more firestone. Suraiya, fumbles with the sacks, reaching in to pull the clumps out and tossing it into her green's open maw. A little slower than needed in this crisis, but it gets where it should go and Ozri begins chewing frantically, ready once again. The arrival of more foreign wings is a relief, allowing more confidence to flow into the pair.
Zunaeth> On Verenth, As the chaos of arriving dragons continue, Verenth starts to lead Avalanche upward to the top of the formation. Her Wing follows behind, dodging through the mess of wings and flame and ash to reach the newly asigned location.
Zunaeth> The arrival of wings from Fort allows a small group of the 'Reaches dragons to fall back, situation themselves at lower elevations where fewer threads come through, while the Fortian wings are directed to the middle elevations.
Dragon> Midst all the chaos, somewhere Teonath recalls to slip her mental support to the aged bronze, the pale wisps of blue hoping to bolster the injured wing with mental coddling.
Zunaeth> Another thermal that refuses to cooperate with the fighting wings turns a clump from one heading into a another. This mass of Thread heads right at Oenoneth.
Zunaeth> A'tan looks down towards the ground, hearing Kali's question. He points, "I think S'rist down there. He just threw some up to another rider from Reaches." Leonneth settles into some rough formation, turning her head for more firestone, chewing and bringing a short burst of flame before taking more.
Zunaeth> Seated atop Cavoth, T'rien grips onto Cavoth's straps tightly, face tight as his brown chews the stone he managed to give him before coming *between*. They fall into formation, remembering their drills and holding steady, waiting for the signal to join the fight.
Zunaeth> Ista arrives in force: three wings, though sparingly filled, and the weyrling force for resupply with their 'master Fadra in the fore. Volath, with an uncommonly serious-seeming V'lano astride, is quick to send out a tendril of request for the 'Reachian leaders' dragons to hear. Ista has come, to support the northern Weyr, to fly against Thread; and Ista awaits the Reaches' command.
Zunaeth> Dasmareth steady in holding rank and file, at least as much as one can in the game of dodge and flame. Old habits returning, the green's diminutive size as ever in her favor as Ami disperses her extra stone to fellow riders while the green is flaming the partial remains of another's clump.
Zunaeth> Several greyish-silver patches drop from the skies at one time. Those that have not been flamed by the vigilant dragons in the forefront fall closer and closer to Dzurath.
Zunaeth> Xiabeth digests just as the brown before her disappears, spotting the broken thread, the dragon lets a large jet of flame out, turning her head and arcing the whole of the sky before her. Still, she misses a few strands and needs to pop between to escape being scored.
Zunaeth> Leonneth had turned her head to get more firstone from her rider when the clump of uncharred thread pushed towards her. Her rider spots it right before it reaches her, commanding her to go between immediately. The green winks out for just a moment, coming back in right after the patch, turning on her tail to come back from above it to flame it into ask.
Zunaeth> The crosswinds swirling around the fighting wings continue to pose a challenge to the dragons. Ragged from the gust of wind, a thick clump tumbles near Xiabeth.
Zunaeth> On Verenth, Avalanche Wing is now starting to flame strongly, to thin the high ranks of falling Thread as it filters down to lower levels. Verenth reaches over his shoulder for more firestone, and he is given it automatically.
Zunaeth> Coming down with the same merciless intent as a harsh winter blizzard, the Thread writhes through an unprotected air space. A nasty clump of silvery strands falls just above and ahead of Cavoth.
Zunaeth> Feryth comes out of between with her rider feeding her, rough stone being diligently ingested to the right stomach. They stay in their proper formation, eyes casting about for a rider in need of resupply; what Wyr they are from being unimportant so much as keeping the fighting wings fed.
Zunaeth> For the most part, Zunaeth stays lower himself, mopping up what slips through the wings--it's an easier task than the agility required by fighting higher. Still, it's not one without its own risks, and as the bronze stretches his neck out to flame one piece, another slips too close and slides a tendril around his rider's right arm and clips the dragon's side. They blink /between/, and then right back into the heart of things, undeterred and fighting on.
Zunaeth> From Jekzith's neck, Catching the signal, the wings from Fort fly into the middle of the formation, taking up the battle from the Reachian wings that are dropping back. Flame bursts forth here and there as the dragons clear more Thread from the skies.
Zunaeth> The falling silvery-grey patches of Thread form a swirling pattern in the gusts of wind that carry the meance through the skies. Charring as best as they can, patches of the ropey death make their way past the dragons and end up splitting to head toward the Queen wing while the other appear in front of Volath.
Zunaeth> Dzurath has his flame ready again for another small patch, flaming and then banking to avoid the hot ash left behind. Then the big bronze drops back a little, S'rist twisting to loosen and then toss two more bags of stone from the supply he brought with him.
Zunaeth> More and more dragons fill the skies above High Reaches Hold, as the momentous--hopefully fluke?--return of thread, unexpected and suprising, unites the weyrs for at least an afternoon. The leader of the 'Reaches wings directs Ista, too, to join in the fray in the mid-to-upper elevations, allowing a group from Igen who joined earlier to fly lower and take a moment's rest, as much as they can during threadfall in any case.
Zunaeth> Catching the signal, the wings from Fort fly into the middle of the formation, taking up the battle from the Reachian wings that are dropping back. Flame bursts forth here and there as the dragons clear more Thread from the skies.
Zunaeth> Riordanth appears with the wings from Ista, the little blue holding his position until he's directed otherwise.
Zunaeth> Blocked by a sheet of writhing masses of Thread, three dragons blink between quickly to avoid scoring. This, however, lets the sheet fall uncharred to intercept Uralth.
Zunaeth> Cavoth soars upward with such intensity that T'rien is momentarily jerked backwards, nearly losing his grip on his straps. With a fierce belch of flame, the young brown seers the offending clump of Thread falling toward him, quickly returning into formation.
Zunaeth> Seated atop Xiabeth, Kali is clearly not as experienced as some of the other riders, but the pair seem to be doign fairly well. Xiabeth turns to catch the clump headed in their direction. Kali offers a quick smile towards A'tan and his green, but it's likely missed in the fray of Thread.
Zunaeth> Myrienth appears in Ista's weyrling wing. Only two more firestone chunks go into her waiting maw, then she and Amira look out at the silvery thread that even now threatens their fellow dragons and riders. All off their eyes look for any signal for more firestone.
Zunaeth> Five strands of Thread are bound together by the winds to form a thick, evil looking rope. Almost mesmerizing in its movements, the rope falls to the left of Dasmareth.
Zunaeth> Aath, like her sister Feryth, is already twisting back for firestone when the young pair pop in from Between. On her back her rider is probably swearing up a storm as he swivels to gape at the cacophony of wings and Thread and screams. Even still he manages to keep Aath's firestone coming.
Zunaeth> Kintryth roars a greeting to his sisters and brothers all about, positioning himself, his Wing properly behind Volath/V'lano, awiting the orders as to where to go. The blue trembles not only with restrained gasses inside his belly, but with anger and need to fight the ancient menace.
Zunaeth> A flank is threatened by a patch of silvery-grey as the winds turn a sheet of thread into the formation of dragons. A patch manages to get through the initial defensive flaming line and head towards Volath.
Zunaeth> On Verenth, Melata looks over her shoulder as she hears a bellow of one of her newer riders become scored. Her words to the blue and rider to return to High Reaches Weyr are lost int he winds, but the unheard words from Verenth must have been heard because the pair blink between. Their hole is filled in as several Avalanche straggers arrive.
Zunaeth> Qeteth stays steady in his formation, flaming in short bursts. Charis reaches in the sack again, continuing to feed the blue firestone, twisting to try to keep her eye on any errant 'Thread' that might be blown in their direction. She looks up just in time, hearing the scream of one of her wingmates, clenching her jaw harder, setting her lips in a thin line of concentration.
Zunaeth> To the left, but soon there is nothing left, a twist of the wing, a shift of direction and the clump that came within striking distance of Dasmareth is struck instead with the flame that sears it to ash.
Zunaeth> A thick sheet of Thread falls from the sky, forcing dragons that are somewhat near the silvery strands to speed up to deal with the menace. Among the red-orange bursts of flame, a tangle of Thread falls through, heading amazingly fast towards Dasmareth.
Zunaeth> Ozriadasoth is working her small body at its best, twisting around clumps and flaming after them when they come within reach. Being green, she uses her agility to avoid any Thread falling to her and twisting around to flame the patches. But it isn't long until Suraiya is down to the last of her second sack, and she calls out among any nearby. "More firestone!" They watch as a nearby rider gets scored, blinking into between for a moment. Twisting away, Suri feeds the last bit of firestone to her lifemate as she looks for a new sack to be thrown her way.
Zunaeth> Jekzith turns his head for more firestone from P'draig's sack, chomping the stuff quickly before swinging his attention back to the swirling masses of Thread in the air.
Zunaeth> Volath crunches 'stone tossed him by his rider, whose other hand is busied leading the Istan group into the formation as directed by the Reachian 'leaders. So busy is Volath in the crunching that he has to drop a few barely-chewed bits out of his mouth unswallowed so he can hiccup out a gout of sudden flame, belly rumbling with a vocal accompaniment all, 'how dare you,' at the patch of Thread heading his way. He sears a rip in the roiling mass, and veers sideways, sending back warning into the pairs who follow him - << It's patching off, getting away from the attacking edge. Wary! >>
Zunaeth> An angry tangle of Thread writhes, slipping between the attention of a bronze and brown dragon who are busy flaming heavier patches. The Thread hurtles downard, moving with surprising speed at Leonneth.
Zunaeth> Feryth and her rider have fallen into a state of icy calm. A bronze from Igen is flown past, a sack of firestone sent hurling to them with precise aim; it is caught without comment, the stone immidiately being fed to the dragon he rides. Her load from the Weyr is light and quickly exhausted, and she dissapears soon into between to restock her own supplies. After a scant minute she is back, her eyes darting about looking again for sign of who needs her.
Zunaeth> In the skies directly above a small blue is more Thread. Before he can react, the clump is split into two grey patches by an uncooperative thermal. The reaction to flame these patches must be taken by Volath.
Zunaeth> Lhiannonth trumpets as she emerges from *between,* bringing a portion of the High Reaches Queens' wing with her. Teonath is notably absent - egg-heavy and bound to the Weyr - and so Lhiannonth leads, bringing them down to the lower levels of the formations, below the fighting wings.
Zunaeth> With many of the frontline dragonic pairs focusing their attention on clearing the skies of the Thread clumps, it is not surprising that a few patches of the silvery-grey Thread make their way dangerously close to Kintryth.
Zunaeth> One clump to the next, the warning in time, Dasmareth rumbles, her head swivels to flame then at the next batch as it falls. The green blinking between and skipping, returning in pace after the hot ash has fallen away. Her head turning then as she ask her rider for more stone to keep her fire burning.
Zunaeth> Dzurath shifts up at hearing Suraiya's call, S'rist calling to get her attention before he throws the last of his spare sacks to her. "Those tired should fall back to resupply! I don't think there are any weyrlings ready to fly resupply in conditions like this."
Zunaeth> Verenth drops back from point, allowing another of the older, more experienced dragon/rider pairs to take the front. Avalanche starts to shift from a V-formation to several flat stacks so as to present a more even line of flame and dragons.
Zunaeth> Sulizath appears in the sky and swings away - they will not be placed in the heat of the battle just yet, it seems. His guide is easy, and aims them swiftly towards the edges of the pack. Patches are breaking off here and there, and those she covers - while distributing her own wing carefully and strategically for resupply.
Zunaeth> On Oenoneth, Shalyn and her dragon make a note of foreign dragons, some of whom are family, though she does not break formation. Takeing a moment she tosses a couple more pieces of firestone into Oenoneth's waiting maw.
Zunaeth> The crosswinds swirling around the fighting wings continue to pose a challenge to the dragons. Ragged from the gust of wind, a thick clump tumbles near Cavoth.
Zunaeth> Myrienth is the one to spot their first call for firestone, and swoops after it quickly. Amira throws a sack down to Suraiya, and Myrienth circles quickly and speeds out of Thread's way to take their place in the resupply wing again.
Zunaeth> Leonneth rolls easily, the green able to twist from the hurtling thread coming quickly in her direction. She lets out three short bursts of flame at the sheet, flying through it, ash hitting A'tan in the face before he can duck out of the way.
Zunaeth> Does a dragon get a chance to -chew- here, Mr. Threadfall? No? All right then. Volath growls out another gout of flame, searing the entirety of the first of the two split patches and singeing off an ashy portion of the second. Again Volath veers, tucking in the wing on that side, unwilling to break formation to chase Thread his fellows from Ista can take just as easily.
Zunaeth> As if hearing S'rist's words, one of the wings held back at High Reaches Weyr appears with bags of firestone for resupply on orders from the absent Reachian Weyrleader. At first, Ice's wingleader looks shocked at the number of dragons, unknown and known before he begins to disperse his wings to those who need a resupply most.
Zunaeth> An angry tangle of Thread writhes, slipping between the attention of a bronze and brown dragon who are busy flaming heavier patches. The Thread hurtles downard, moving with surprising speed at Cavoth.
Zunaeth> On Verenth, Several greens peel off from Avalanche, dropping back. They are not injured, nor are they tired. Instead they go between, and return within a couple of minutes, ladden with firestone that is tossed to those of the Wing where it is needed.
Zunaeth> Aath wings up toward Volath, T'mic tossing a new sack of 'stone to the Istan Weyrleader. "Ahead of...!" he yells, his warning cut off as Aath blinks *between* and back to the relative safety of the lower level and her weyrling wingmates.
Zunaeth> Noteniath flies along with Ista's Timor wing, or what of it was able to assemble in time, flying a steady and careful course with the wing as a series of quick, efficient bursts of flame start to char clumps that tumble nearby. The experienced brown sticking with his wing and keeping a steady position.
Zunaeth> Kintryth is the aerial assassin, almost blended into the sky, were it not for his crazy, carmine eyes. Those runaway patches are spotted, and snuck up on - the blue angling behind and beneath them. A sudden gout of flaming breath, much like a flamethrower nozzle dialed to 'narrow,' and one patch is annihalated. The Istan blue pursues the next, again belching another deadly round of flame, crisping the second. Caught by a wayward cross-current, however, one small patch evades him.
Zunaeth> Several greyish-silver patches drop from the skies at one time. Those that have not been flamed by the vigilant dragons in the forefront fall closer and closer to Jekzith.
Zunaeth> Cavoth turns to avoid the clump, barely missing catching his wingtip in the seething mass. Unhelmeted, T'rien grits his teeth as Cavoth swerves back in an attempt to scorch the clump. He only manages to scorch part of it - and flies almost headlong into the patch that slipped through from above. With a yell from his rider, Cavoth barely manages to make it *between*.
Zunaeth> On Ozriadasoth, Suraiya catches the tossed sack with ease, snapping a salute after S'rist before tieing the sack and getting ready to feed more to Ozriadasoth. The second sack is rescued as well, Suraiya calling out her thanks as she focuses on the fight before her. Restocked, the green pair are ready for round two. Ozri avoids a patch, flaming, then turns over her shoulder to get some of the new firestone to chew.
Zunaeth> V'lano catches with a little huff of bemused exertion. With Volath's fire proven and not even up to full heft, the Istan weyrleader has managed to put on a certain improvement of mood, chiefed by a ferocious, not-at-all-lazy smirk. He hangs the new bag and hefts out stones for his mount to chew, keeping an eye out for more rogue patches that might deny him the chance. Again.
Zunaeth> Blocked by a sheet of writhing masses of Thread, three dragons blink between quickly to avoid scoring. This, however, lets the sheet fall uncharred to intercept Kaylith.
Zunaeth> Riordanth flies to Noteniath's right, turning his head for more stone before he lashes his tail to avoid some hot ash drifting down from a level above.
Zunaeth> High Reaches' Snowstrike wing seems to have lucked on an area of little thread, allowing the wing a little time to rest and recover, until they're turning back for another pass at the courtyard's airspace. The less-experienced members still look worried and nervous, while those who've fought thread before seem less anxious about dealing with the current situation.
Zunaeth> Xiabeth is on high alert, watching not only for clumps headed her way, but for those that are missed, trying to keep anything from the ground below. Though impossible, she seems determined to do so. Kali turns to try to wave down one of the weyrlings who are out dispersing more firestone. "Over here!" she calls out to get their attention, dropping to a safer lower altitude.
Zunaeth> Jakenath falls back, leading his wing down for a brief rest and resupply. Jakenath gives a sudden bugle, looking skyward as V'lien rips off his helmet to push back his sweat-slick hair. Spying the source of Jake's alarm, the bronzerider's face goes white behind his Igen tan. "T'rien!"
Zunaeth> Feryth is efficient and fast, living by a motto of 'see a need, fill a need'. Rider after rider is giften with stone from the pair, keen young eyes helpign her find those in need. Kali's call has her swining near Xiabeth, a sack launched for the greenrider with quick accuracy.
Zunaeth> Another thermal that refuses to cooperate with the fighting wings turns a clump from one heading into a another. This mass of Thread heads right at Verenth.
Zunaeth> A loud cry erupts from the lips of a rider of a bronze that is clipped on the wing by a swiftly descending clump of Thread. It continues to writhe and fall, heading directly for Uralth.
Zunaeth> On Verenth, Melata shouts for several smaller, less-experienced dragons to head back to High Reaches to rest. Then she is suddenly grabbing at her straps as Verenth whips his right wing around, slewing himself violently sideways and letting forth a gout of flame. Ash whips over his rider and into the wind as the clump is destroyed.
Zunaeth> Kaylith drops back down, battling the howling winds as the Istan and Fortian wings arrive. Shan looks quickly over her shoulder acknowledging their presence moments before the sky suddenly opens up in front of her when the three blues blink between leaving the little green to face the sheet of thread on her own. A sweeping side to side gout of flame is emitted, hot ash flying back in Shan's face but causing no real damage. "Dive! Kaylith Dive!" the greenrider shouts as portions of it are missed.
Zunaeth> A thick sheet of Thread falls from the sky, forcing dragons that are somewhat near the silvery strands to speed up to deal with the menace. Among the red-orange bursts of flame, a tangle of Thread falls through, heading amazingly fast towards Kaylith.
Zunaeth> Cavoth emerges from *between* a few dragonlengths ahead, with T'rien beating at a clump of frozen Thread on his leg and Cavoth's side. The brown hisses as his rider holds on with his other hand, his riding jacket having been ripped to shreds on the right side.
Zunaeth> Myrienth forays a few more times into the Thread before their supply is exhausted, and the pair dissappears *between* to get more. They reappear in their assigned place in the weyrling wing, searching for more calls. It isn't long before they're off into the wings again.
Zunaeth> As a green from the upper formations starts to go into a dive to get a missed patch of Thread, the bugle of her wingleader's dragon makes her return into position. The patch continues on its way to Dasmareth.
Zunaeth> Jekzith bugles as Cavoth and T'rien wink Between, and P'draig's head swivels that way. Distracted they nearly miss the clump heading their way. It's Jekzith rather than his rider who becomes aware and turns about to flame, flame, flame, but a wayward strand catches at him and he lets out a surprised bleat, going Between himself quickly, then popping back in a few moments later with a visibly shaken P'draig on his back.
Zunaeth> Seated atop Xiabeth, Kali catches the stone sack with ease and the pair quickly head back up to join formation again. Kali makes note of the young weyrling, reminding herself to thank them for their quick response once this whole mess is over. Xiabeth manages to flame a few random threads that had fallen through as the pair heads back up.
Zunaeth> Sulizath, between keeping an eye on his weyrlings, somehow manages to find time to swing downwards - his maneuvering is envious for a dragon his size, a corkscrew that drives him towards the patch that has gone awry from Kintryth's flame. It's seared with obvious relish, and Fadra's left wiping her goggles with her sleeve to clear it of the ash that they soar through.
Zunaeth> Five strands of Thread are bound together by the winds to form a thick, evil looking rope. Almost mesmerizing in its movements, the rope falls to the left of Jekzith.
Zunaeth> Jakenath leaps back into the fray after just a moment's rest. New sacks of stone hang from his straps as the bronze quickly resumes his formation. V'lien is gritting his teeth, his face blackened by char and smoke.
Zunaeth> The falling silvery-grey patches of Thread form a swirling pattern in the gusts of wind that carry the meance through the skies. Charring as best as they can, patches of the ropey death make their way past the dragons and end up splitting to head toward the Queen wing while the other appear in front of Oenoneth.
Zunaeth> Qeteth is close to the large patch of 'Thread' threatening to fall on Kaylith and her rider. He pushes quickly ahead, breaking formatin for only a moment to flame a piece above his clutchmate. When Dasmareth falls out of formation he takes up into her spot, spurting out another long burst to catch the 'Thread', Charis getting blasted with ash, wiping quickly at her goggles before reaching for some more firestone.
Zunaeth> A thick clump of Thread is split neatly as a green lets forth a burst of powerful flame. One part is charred into black ash while the unmarred half twists, zooming toward Verenth.
Zunaeth> Ozriadasoth has energy to spare as she moves closer in her formation. Gliding up higher, the small green's agile movements are put to better use to catch the larger clumps. The pair are more at ease with the Threadfall. Suraiya passes the firestone, Ozri takes the time to chew it thoroughly before erupting into a thick stream of flame that catches the silvery clumps.
Zunaeth> Riordanth winks *between* to avoid a spinning clump of thread moving too fast for even the experienced blue to catch. He emerges a few seconds later still in position, in time to flame another batch and spin to avoid the ash. Mohria clutches at his straps and signals for a resupply from one of Ista's weyrlings.
Zunaeth> Kaylith only just manages to avoid the tangle, flaming it bravely in her exhaustion as she puts out a call to the tiring greens and blues of Snowstrike to return home. A call for replacements put in as she blinks between behind the last stragglers and heads back to the weyr.
Zunaeth> Dasmareth's already responding to the direction of her Wing's leader. Angling over she moves to the left, leaving behind the clump that aimed for her so another might take it. In moments, she's paired up with Julieth as the wing's formation tightens.
Zunaeth> Still a bit shaken from the near miss, Jekzith is more wary this time about attacking the approaching strand of Thread. He coughs up a gout of flame that fizzles the whole rope to ash, the hot black flakes falling below.
Zunaeth> Upon Myrienth, Amira returns from the firestone call, and has to wipe the ash off of her goggles. Myrienth is in charge of watching until then, which she does well. She flies off for Mohria, her rider managing to throw the sack well when she is informed of it.
Dragon> High Reaches dragons sense that Teonath's reverberation of sorrow is held mainly for the dragons remnant at the Weyr, though even in grief, the senior queen is mindful to try to keep such news away from the front fighting lines. A loss.
Zunaeth> Writhing in mortal-seeking anguish, a sheet of Thread cascades through the upper tier of flaming dragons and heads without hesitation towards Cavoth.
Zunaeth> Feryth, in the process of giving a Fortian blue a sack, feels a small smattering of poorly-flamed thread land on her. A moment's time between kills it, leaving naught by a small dark patch on the dragon. Mohria is spotted signaling and she wings in that direction next, one of her few remaining sacks at the ready. Amira gets a salute as she beats her there, and the sack instead is winged to a brownrider near the front of the formations.
Zunaeth> On Oenoneth, Shalyn meets this patch head on lest it slip past her and harm one of the queens. Comeing very close to getting scored she exhales a gout of red hot flame, it dances out to completely engulf the silvery rope.
Zunaeth> Verenth is only able to cough a small tongue of flame upon the half-charred thread that angles towards him. Instead, he is forced to disappear *between*, blinking back into formation. Behind, the thread is flamed by a dragon in the next stack of the formation.
Zunaeth> On Riordanth, Mohria catches the sack deftly and salutes her thanks to Amira before fastening the bag to Riordanth's straps and feeding him a few stones as they angle back into formation.
Zunaeth> Coming down with the same merciless intent as a harsh winter blizzard, the Thread writhes through an unprotected air space. A nasty clump of silvery strands falls just above and ahead of Verenth.
Zunaeth> On Verenth, Melata feeds another several chunks of firestone to her dragon.
Zunaeth> Cavoth manages to shake off his discomfort for the moment, soaring forward to cough out an angry burst of flame from his maw. Thread ash rushes past both him and his rider and the brown dragon starts to take on an other-worldly color as he's coated in grey-white ash.
Zunaeth> Swerving quickly to avoid a clump of Thread that has been upswept by a thermal, a bronze avoids a harrowing injury. However, the clump twists past and targets Oenoneth.
Zunaeth> On Oenoneth, Shalyn bites her lip wondering who was lost, but now is no time for greif she must return and assist in tending to the wounded.
Zunaeth> A flank is threatened by a patch of silvery-grey as the winds turn a sheet of thread into the formation of dragons. A patch manages to get through the initial defensive flaming line and head towards Kintryth.
Zunaeth> Upon Aath, T'mic spots a brownrider's wave and signals Aath. She wings over, skipping neatly *between* to avoid a blue diving for Thread. "Here!" The bag spirals through the air, nearly slipping through the brownrider's fingers, but is caught and clutched at the last second. Aath's already dropped away, and doesn't see the near-miss.
Zunaeth> Verenth is ready this time, the newly swallowed 'stone renewing internal flames. This time is rider is also cognizant of the immediate danger, and ducks down as Verenth surges forward to turn the hated Thread into ash. A bit of the clump remains unburned as it falls away, but the flame running up its length soon turns it into ash.
Zunaeth> Xiabeth and Kali catch a patch of ash that is gusted towards them, still warm from the flame that hit it only moments before. Out of instict, the pair blink between, only to return to formation feeling sheepish.
Zunaeth> Uralth had chosen the wrong time to blink back into formation as the sheet of thread that three others had went between to avoid comes sweeping towards him. A half a breath's decision has him flaming the wall, searing what he can from his path, and using the last of his flame to widen the gap, before blinking between again himself...only to remerge with yet another clump coming his way. Hissing hatred at the silvery mass and unable to chew firestone quickly enough to flame again, he veers sharply to his left, nearly colliding with another dragon, but avoiding the mass that had threatened him.
Zunaeth> Lhiannonth shies away from a fall of hot ash, just as news from High Reaches Weyr hits, and her rider's wordless exclaimation mingles with her low keen - kept short for the task at hand, but mourning all the same.
Zunaeth> Upon Myrienth, Amira returns Tzivya's salute when they return to their place. It seems that she did notice it in the exitement. Myrienth swings her head left and right, scanning for signals. And maybe for just a little bit of stray Thread.
Zunaeth> Riordanth dips a wing to catch the thread Oenoneth left behind, searing it with a sweep of left to right flame before he twists sharply, slipping through the air at a diagonal to make sure he's gotten it all.
Zunaeth> Among the Fortians many of the younger riders who have never flown Thread are struggling to maintain formation under duress. Quick commands and support from the older, more experienced riders serves to bolster them and as the Fall progresses and the initial shock fades, the formations tighten up a little. Two of the youngest riders get sent back out of Fall, unable to pull it together.
Zunaeth> Noteniath backwings quickly as a clump of thread comes at him from above, the brown nearly standing on his tail in midair as a broad sheet of flame erupts from the brown's maw to incinerate the falling tangle, a beat of his wings driving the brown to push through the now incinerated ash and resume more level flight.
Zunaeth> Vildaeth closes in with the remaining browns and bronzes in his wing, until the replacements from home appear. His rider wipes at his goggles with the arm of his jacket, clearing them so that he can see again. The bronze lets out a low keen, knowing now the effects of of this surprise fall: one of the 'Reaches greens, scored early on, has gone between and not returned.
Zunaeth> On Dzurath, The last wisps of thread fall down from the sky, the density of the fall thinning rather suddenly as the dreadful menace comes to an end, leaving the skies clear of thread, but filled with smoke and clouds of cooling ash drifting down towards the ground. The flames of ground crews starting to work harder now to fight the infestation on the ground from earlier scores now grows in intensity that one eye doesn't always have to be turned upwards.
Zunaeth> Sulizath and Uralth don't collide - gratefully, the brown weaves his bulk around the other dragon, and a wavering flame catches the clump left behind. There and gone, the brown disappears again, appearing on the edge of the fight with the rest of his wing and signalling to those weyrlings close enough and available for another sack, even as she deftly loosens her empty sacks with one hand.
Zunaeth> Verenth starts to flame less as the fall thins.
Zunaeth> Qeteth stays fast in his formation, flaming a last bit of the menace that floats past him. He pulls his wings in and banks a bit, roaring as the 'Thread' diminishes.
Zunaeth> Seated atop Xiabeth, Kali blinks. "It... is... is it over?" she asks, the smoke starting to clear though a few stragling thread continue to fall. The girl looks utterly exausted, not to mention covered from head to toe in soot.
Zunaeth> Feryth courses through the air, letting loose her last bag of stone before disappearing between to resupply. She's gone a bit longer this time, and when she returns she is well burdened. One of the sacks goes to Fadra, even as the green banks away to sear a clump of Thread missed by a Benden green, her flame careful and precise. The ash smatters over them and goes ignored. And then there is nothing, the Fall winding down and only cleanup remaining.
Zunaeth> Kintryth lets loose a final gout of flaming breath as partially search ribbon of Thread skitters by him - the Istan blue reducing it to nothing but blackdust, which rains across Caitlyn's riding leathers - to be quickly brushed away.
Zunaeth> Ozriadasoth has exhausted her flame again and turns to catch more firestone. However, the news from back home causes the pair to hesitate long enough for a lingering rope of thread to fall close. In a moment they blink between, but not soon enough as they appear with a mark on the side and the thread falling lower only to be flamed by another. Ozri hisses out, catching a bit more stone to be ready for any last waiting surprises.
Zunaeth> On Riordanth, Mohria wipes her goggles and slumps a bit in the straps, feeling the weight of the sudden Fall settle upon her. Leaning forward she rubs Riordanth's shoulder as the blue flies the formation, still alert and ready should more thread present itself.
Zunaeth> On Verenth, Avalanche Wing starts to drop lower, to back off. Eyes whirl with excitement and adrenaline. Melata calls for her Wing to remain in formation, to not straggle, that more thread may still come from this rogue fall.
Zunaeth> Dzurath banks and circles, the bronze's eyes and his riders both scanning the sky steadily. "Shells and Shards, we were not supposed to see it again while we lived! By the first egg, how did this happen!"
Zunaeth> Upon Myrienth, Amira must take control for a second as Myrienth mourns for her sister. She is quick to recover though, and the green searches for more signals with renewed vigor. She dives after a call, and the sack is deftly thrown and caught. AA stragler Thread just touches the edge of her tail, and the pair dissappear and reappear in quick order.
Dragon> Verenth bespoke High Reaches dragons with << The thread ends! >>
Zunaeth> Cleanup is not what Ista came here for - and as the Threadfall thins, V'lano seems to be increasingly anxious. In a while he puts up his hand in a fist and jerks it backward, toward Volath's tail - and in a moment, with Reachian leadership's approval, the bronze is turning around in an arc. The Istans will be led out of formation, many of them to go home to prepare for the possible worst.
Zunaeth> Seated atop Jakenath, V'lien pulls off his helmet, letting the wind dry his hair as he takes a deep breath. Looking behind him, he does a quick assessment of Igen's dragons, taking a mental headcount. "Anything more, Jake?" he says aloud. The bronze rumbles disquietly, his faceted eyes tinged with yellow and red. "Yeah, I know. Looks like we were wrong."
Zunaeth> Kintryth warbles brightly once Volath/Vl'ano signals, leading Dawnsflame pairs into formation behind the bronze pair - his wings slicing through the cold 'Reachian air to arc his smaller frame into the proper plane.
Zunaeth> Seated atop Xiabeth, Kali is nearly shaking. "How... How did this... this happen?" she asks to no one in particular, her stutter returning now that the panic is gone.
Zunaeth> Riordanth dips a wing to follow his Weyrleader's direction, gliding on the currents and using as little energy as possible.
Zunaeth> When all is said and done, Zunaeth and I'daur linger in the air over the hold, looking up and waitng. They're coated in firestone soot and Thread ash, and both scored in a couple of places, but the injuries aren't enough to send them home. They say nothing, and only continue to look around and survey the sky, not assured yet that it's over.
Zunaeth> On Verenth, When it becomes clear that the Thread really has ended, and as dragons from other Weyrs start to leave, Melata leads Avalanche into a wide circling formation upon the thermals to wait for futher instruction.
Zunaeth> Lhiannonth hovers uncertainly as the Thread fades from the sky, and as no more appears Josilina signals for Aurora to return, leaving the rest of the fighting wings under the direction of who R'hin appointed to lead, while she and Lhiannonth circle down to land in the Hold's courtyard.
Zunaeth> As Fall draws to a close, Fort regroups, the wings called back into formation to head back to the Weyr.
Zunaeth> From Noteniath's back, H'rel removes his goggles, though the older rider's helmet remains firmly attached. "Never rest, what I've always said." he calls out with a scowl on his face, giving his lifemate a thump once more. Noteniath belches, and rider and dragon visibly relax as they prepare to depart with the Istan wings.
Zunaeth> Vildaeth's wings move him along in a slow glide, rather than the earlier fast pace, as the threads first dwindle then die. "There was a lot of burrowing in the forest, I think. We need more crews!" C'len calls out to several members of his wing.
Zunaeth> Qeteth roars, creeling now when the loss of one of their own is felt after the last of the thread falls. Charis pulls off her helmet, shaking visibly, eyes teared, streaming down her cheeks.
Zunaeth> Zunaeth, finally, seems soothed, and he disappears /between/ back to the Weyr, presumably to be tended and to rest: he and his rider look exhausted.
Zunaeth> Myrienth glances back at Volath and then looks to Sulizath for orders. When the order is given, they turn and disappears with her fellow Istan weyrlings.
Zunaeth> Kintryth belches his last breaths of flame onto the cold air, giving a victory warble when his second stomach is emptied, then following his Weyrleader *between*, back to paradise.
Zunaeth> Zunaeth disappears into Between.