Western Weyr - Center of the Bowl
This is the center of the huge oval crater of the Weyr. Standing here you can see how immense it is. The cliff sides rise up all around you, dotted with the caves of the dragon rider's weyrs. To the west you can see the arch open to the sea. North is the hatching grounds, south you see the cave entrance to the living caverns, and to the south east the entrance to the infirmary, raised a little from the weyr wall.
As summer has wound its rather dramatic finale of thunder, lightning and tempest to a close, and the balmy days of autumn have begun, the rain that descended so abruptly upon Western Weyr and the surrounding island is starting to slacken. While rain still falls most of a day, it's gentler, showers rather than outright drenching. Still, with so much rain, the ground can be considered to be quite saturated, and it can be no surprise when a call goes out, the people of the Weyr summoned to assist. Enka and Miraneith are making their way to the central bowl, the goldrider atop the queen's neck. "Got another crisis," she's hollering as the gold sets down. "Another place needs our help." Even now, it's the wings of Western rushing to the rescue — dragons lifting off and swooping away down the coast.
What a time to relocate to a new place. The big spotty brown known as Furuihaneth is laying down in the damp bowl, eyes focused toward the living caverns, where his rider soon emerges from. "What's happened?" Meo asks Enka, as she pulls on her gloves. She pauses to watch the wings already departing, before she clambers up to her browns back, strapping in.
Zusamenth doesn't even bother coming in for a landing. Instead, the malachite green hovers in the air above the bowl, Liandyn leaning awkwardly over her side to peer down at Enka with a slightly dissatisfied expression. However the greenrider feels about this, she doesn't appear willing to let the equally gravid goldrider go anywhere without her nearby - just in case. So, together they wait for their Senior's command, watching she and her rider with equal gravity.
Really, with things as wet as they have been, it's been nearly impossible for Shaveek to take his gryphhawk out the way he'd like. Of course, that doesn't mean he can't do his /other/ chores in the meantime. So it's from the direction of the pens that the teen comes running, boots squishing on the wet ground as he scurries about, starting to prod at people for information. Well /something's/ obviously up, what with alarm calls for aid and such. "What's going on? What happened? I can help! I can, if..wait, what's the problem again?"
Scurrying out of the caverns in oversized boots and coat, Patori is at least making an attempt to dress appropriately, though the weyrbrat's secondhand attire is obviously getting a bit threadbare again. Feet squelching in the mud, he hurries along at the call for assistance, even if it's just extra hands. He slows as he approaches the nearest dragons, eyes widening at Enka's hollering. He keeps going though, joining the rest of the gathering people, ending up near Meo and Furuihaneth, while echoing Shaveek's question with a less than certain, "What's happened?"
The continual rain generally puts a damper on anyone's mood, but the successful rescue at Riverside CotHold ought to hopefully lift the spirits of the weyrfolk as they prepare for another rescue of a sort. Miraneith flutters her wings, rumbling darkly as her short neck arches and she surveys the gathering crowd. "We've got a distress call," Enka explains. "A sweeprider overflying one of the little fishing settlements down the coast just saw a part of the hillside give way. If we can get there in time, there's hope, but if not …." her voice trails off, the weyrwoman grimacing. Being buried under the mud would be an awful way to go. "Anyone who can help dig or assist in triage is welcome." There's no doubt the goldrider is going, even in her condition. She's bundled up in a nice warm coat, and she could know to stay out of the way and just coordinate.
Meo frowns as she listens, and nods. "I could probably help whereever they need it." She says in agreement. "I can give a ride to non rders that need a lift as well." She adds, glancing at Shaveek, and Patori. Furuihaneth gives a rumble, and crouches, as if ready to go, butt he stays grounded for now, to wait for any possible passengers.
A'ven responds to the summons of his dragon and arrives ready to fly. Glyith must have filled him in because he doesn't ask many questions, only smiles at the gathered helpers. "Well now, that's encouraging."
Neither Liandyn nor Zusamenth show any change of expression at Enka's words, though the green rumbles softly, sliding one direction, then the other as they hover above the queen. Finally, the green gives in, landing in Miraneith's shadow as her rider begins to prepare the straps to take on any supplies, or non-riders, that need to be taken with them. "We're with you," she says shortly to the Weyrwoman.
Shaveek does look momentarily concerned, perhaps a bit disturbed by the very idea of being buried in mud..and dying. Shoulders do square somewhat though after a moment or two, and he straightens himself to stand at the tallest his diminutive height can manage. Patori is given a quick look, and a grin for being a fellow dweller of the caverns before he raises his hand, flapping it in Meo's direction at the offer of a ride. "Right! I'll take the lift, gonna need that..can't fly. Ready to go, ma'am!"
V'ine comes in for a quick landing on Rauxith fighting the weather to land near the group. "Sorry I'm late weyrwoman. I was making sure my family was safe. I'm ready to help in anyway that me and Rauxith can." His brown gives a nod of his head and gives a huff at the mud around his legs. "Yeah I'll clean you later."
Head lifted to listen to the goldrider, Patori briefly trapping his bottom lip between his teeth, nodding and glancing over his shoulder at the green's landing. Then, looking around, he catches Meo's glance and moves immediately to Furuihaneth, asking a, "Should I go with you, Ma'am?" all formal-like. Polite little weyrbrat, this one. Shaveek's grin is returned only with a vauge sort of half-smile, before returning to an attempted solemn expression. It's a bit ruined at the face he makes when one of his over-big boots sticks a little inthe mud, the boy tugging it out and squelching forward.
Enka nods slightly, gaze flickering over the volunteers as Miraneith crouches low to allow drudges to swarm about her, one clambering onto the queen's back to assist with the loading of supplies before Enka leans forward awkwardly, thumping a hand against the gold's neck for support before the arrival of Glyith and the Weyrleader are noted. "Never rains, but it pours," Well, that's an apt idiom for the goldrider to be using at this time. "At least the rain is stoppin' these days, hopefully this would be the last incident." Actually to be fair, there haven't been a lot of weather related incidents. "We'll need your help for sure," Enka nods then at Meo. "Dragons might be able to help dig too. So as many dragons as we can get, the better." There's a flicker of relief from pregnant goldrider to pregnant greenrider. "Glad you're with me, Lia," she grins a bit. "We'll stay out of trouble." The rider of the second brown — V'ine — gets a grateful smile. "Hope your family is all right," she says to him, before lifting her hand in the traditional take-off gesture. "Just down the coast, wouldn't even need to go /between/ to get there. If everyone's ready." Hopefully everyone is strapped in because Miraneith is already lifting off. Time is of the essence.
A'ven looks a little concerned for the pregnant ladies, "I suppose if you intend to fly straight it'd be better." "Are we it, or is another group already there too, I wonder." He climbs aboard Glyith and lifts off without much preamble, climbing slowly to wait for the others to form up.
V'ine nods his head. "They are safe up in my weyr. My family will be alright. Glad I can help though. I really want to save some lives and improve conditions. Ready when you are." He gives a salute to the weyrwoman and the weyrleader. "A'ven, Good to see you my old friend. Time for us to work together again." V'ine gives his brown a pat on the back. Rauxith does a slight run making squishy noises as he runs before flapping his wings and taking off into the air. Circling the weyr waiting for the others to join him. He joins A'ven in the air to the right by Glyith and just slightly back.
"I assure you, Weyrleader," Liandyn replies wryly, "My Zusa would not let me *between*, even should I wish to go." Not that she would risk it, not so late in her pregnancy. As more drudges swarm the green, tucking supplies into the straps and securing them, both dragon and rider fidget slightly, turning their heads as one to watch first Enka, then A'ven, and once the signal is given, they wait only long enough for the workers to scurry away before shoving off, moving to Miraneith's flank. « Riders of Archipelago await us there, » Zusamenth informs Glyith.
"It's straight down the coast," Enka calls out as Miraneith spirals upwards with steady wingbeats. "Wouldn't take any longer either way." Aside from the fact that she isn't betweening anyway. "Some dragons went on ahead," she explains in response to A'ven's question, "but we're the backup team." There's a brief nod from the goldrider at V'ine regarding his words, but then the queen is sheering off towards the coastline, her greater bulk providing a nice windbreak for the green behind her. It's not such a long flight after all, and soon anyone aboard the dragons would be able to see the scarred hillside below, and the river of mud created when it collapsed.
Muddy Hillside Above Eston Fishing Village
Damp dark soil forms the looming bulwark above the fishing village seemingly rising very nearly from the coastline of the island itself with just a narrow spit of sandy ground for the buildings of the little village itself. While no sheer-sided cliff the height of the hill is still quite impressive — a single anomaly of height upon a usually relatively flat area of coastline. At the crest of the hill the soil is dark saturated with water and very loose. The few sparse clumps of grass can't hold the soil together and it has become sticky and muddy clinging to boots and feet oozing puddles of dank brown-stained water that can be seen everywhere. Directly above the small village a huge gaping crater shows where the ground has given way to erosion a very river of mud that has cascaded downwards along the slope in a possibly fatal mess.
A'ven and Glyith arrive with the others, surveying the scene from the air for the moment. Finding a landing spot is a little tricky, but he points to one that looks promising. He shakes his head, "Looks pretty bad." "I hope the people are okay." The pair lands with some of the others. He expects Enka to have some ideas on where to go first and wants to consult with her.
V'ine and Rauxith follow A'ven in for the landing spot. "So A'ven what is our plan. I'm ready to help in anyway possible." Rauxith gives a rumble before giving a nod to the other dragons around.
Meo arrives with Patori, and any others that hitched a ride, on Furihaneth. She grimaces a little as she survey's the scene from the air. "Shards, hope there's survivors." She says, and signals for Furu to circle down, to land, coming to land in the landing spot after V'ine. "I think it's best you guys stay on for right now." She tells Patori, and the others. "Atleast until we know what we're doing."
Zusamenth hovers behind and slightly above her queen, whirling eyes surveying the land as she gives a discontented rumble, clearly none too pleased with what she sees. Liandyn soothes her lifemate with a stroke of fingers over neckridge and glances to Enka, watcing the Weyrwoman sharply to see what she intends. Clearly, her own intentions lie in keeping her word to the goldrider - she's sticking with her. Below, perched on whatever stable space they can find, the dragons of Archipelago already here voice their welcome to the reinforcements.
Patori is all wide-eyed and solemn-faced, having no smile left, though admittedly, the lad had little enough of one to beging with. He peers ovr Furuihaneth's side, and nods a little at Meo's words, mumbling, "..I hope so too." Ther's a further nod at Meo's suggestion to stay on, the lad curling fingers aroundthe staps holding him in place, "Yes Ma'am." He turns to watch the others that have arrived, gaze flicking over the others and drawn to the goldrider eventually, awaiting instructions with the rest.
Miraneith lands heavily, the queen settling atop the crest of the hill well clear of that treacherous crater of sunken soil. Enka's grimacing at the sight spread out below them. "Shells," she mutters, her expression suddenly blank. That's ugly down there." Ugly isn't half the word to describe it. There's some riders and dragons working below already, doing what they can to dig out the mud, but it's a messy job, and could take quite a while. "We'd better get down to the beach," Enka calls out to A'ven, waving down at the sands below. "No use stayin' up on this hillside." she's glancing around at Meo, and Liandyn, and V'ine and anyone else a-dragonback. "Especially since this could go too." Which would be really bad if the rest of the hill collapsed when several large dragons were perched on it. With that, Miraneith's going aloft again, but it's not so much as a launch as it is a glide down to the beach.
Mudslide - Eston Fishing Village
Erosion and constant rains have caused the hillside above the village to give way a thick soupy river of sand, mud and sparse weeds that have cascaded down over the slope of the hill and flowed treacherously into the village itself. Damage depends mostly where the buildings were located. The homes and storehouses closest to the base of the hill are now halfway buried beneath thick choking mud and damage has occurred to a number of other buildings. Only two or three structures stand undamaged splatters of mud that coast the walls the only sign of the narrowly averted catastrophe. Further down the water laps softly at the shore, small fishing boats are pulled up along the beach — overturned so as not to fill with water — interspersed with fishing nets hung out beneath covered awnings to protect them from the weather.
A'ven looks on in amazement, "This is what we have to clear? Even with dragons that's going to take a long time." His face is tight, "I hope nobody's trapped under that.." "We've got a lot of work to do." He nods to V'ine and says, "We should probably split up into teams or something… maybe you can take one and work on locating any survivors, some of us will dig and if you find someone alive, we'll shift our efforts to get them out…" "That's my idea anyway…" "If anyone else has ideas lets hear them… no reason to stand on rank or anything like that here… we've got to get this done and if you've got a good idea just speak up."
Carefully picking a place near the base of the slide, hopefully out of the way should more mud come pouring down, Zusamenth lands daintily, going to a crouch to help her gravid rider awkwardly dismount. « Mine will stay here, » the green relays to Glyith, as Liandyn keeps an eye on Enka, watching what the goldrider is up to. « Should you find anyone, or should anyone be injured or need a rest, bring them to her. We have been given many of the medical supplies - and we have food and fresh water, as well, » is added dryly. « And I will scout the air, and watch for sign of need. »
V'ine snaps his fingers before nodding at A'ven. "Well alright. Rauxith and I will work on finding survivors. He points at Meo and the group on her brown. "You guys come with me. We will look for survivors. It would be the advantage with all the people you got on your brown there." He looks back to A'ven. "I'll take my team through the small village."
Furuihaneth comes in for a landing, getting out of the way of anymore that may be coming down. "I can take a group as well." Meo says, but then V'ine says for them to go with him, and she nods. "Got it." She says, and waits for the signal to go, though she does look around. "Shards, we'll be at this for weeks." She says.
Patori turns where he's seated, to listen to the weyrleaders, eyes wider, if possible. There's a sort of head-bob for Aven's words, though the weyrbrat doesn't appear to have anything to offer for the moment, other than another set of hands to help. He glances at Meo and V'ine, agreeing in his own quiet way, "Yeah.. a long while. It doesn't look like it's going to be easy finding anything.." all that mud given a long look. Still, he takes a breath, and squares his shoulders for whatever's asked of him.
The big golden queen has landed with a heavy thump on the sandy beach, near the last remaining buildings that were left miraculously untouched, her rider sliding slowly and ponderously to the ground once the gold as flattened herself out to allow Enka to dismount. « Likewise, » Western's senior rumbles out a command for all the dragons. « My rider says we are setting up a place for team coordinations. We can take on wounded as well. » There's a few shaken residents of the fishing village — likely inhabitants of the undamaged buildings and Enka's gesturing them over, asking for assistance in unloading the gold dragon, and keeping them occupied while the rescue teams go to work. "Jays," Enka glances over at Liandyn, offering a tentative smile at the greenrider before she slumps for a moment against Miraneith's foreleg. "First Riverside Cothold, now this. I just hope the rain stops soon for good." They'll likely all wash away otherwise.
Tugging supplies from Zusamenth, with the help of some of the residents Enka has recruited, Liandyn finally gets her dragon stripped down and tucks the trailing straps securely against the green before sending her back up, where she'll make slow, steady sweep passes over the village and slide, watching for instabilities and any sign of need for aid. Rubbing fitfully at her back, the greenrider retreats to Enka once the supplies are stacked and ready, her smile more of a grimmace as she shakes her head at Enka. "You and me both," she murmurs, one hand curving protectively over her stomach. "Soon enough - well. You know. Thank you," she adds to one of the residents, as he approaches the two riders with a waterskin.
V'ine looks at Enka. "Alright well I'm going to have Rauxith start clearing some of the buried buildings looking for people. I've got telekinsis on my side so Rauxith should be able to clear some of the mud away quickly."
Meo nods to Enka. "Same here." She says, and looks to V'ine. "Where too." She says, wondering if she should let her passengers off yet.
Patori remains where he is for the moment, hands curling tighter around the straps holding him in place, the lad clearly a little disturbed by the sight of the destruction allthat mud has wrought. He swallows, eyes wide as he scans the various still-remaining buildings, absently chewing his lower lip. He'll remain following the group of riders and weyrfolk he's with, doing what he can to help.
"We'll just stay here," Enka says, looking pointedly at the gravid greenrider, and then at her own rotund self, "and keep out of the way." Oh, of course, they're going to work. Enka's already got some riders headed in her direction to report in. She braces her shoulders back, wincing at the strain, before once again using Miraneith as a backrest. "Thanks," the resident with the waterskin gets a slight nod, and a tentative smile. "Makes me wonder if comin' here was such a good idea," she notes to Liandyn, "but it just didn't seem right not to at least show up, and make the holderfolk more reassured that while their weyrwoman wasn't shovelin' dirt or anythin' at least I was here to make sure everyone made it out alive." She might say more, but the riders have arrived to report in, and there's a shout from a rider near the half-buried buildings. "I've got someone moving around over here." His blue dragon is craning his neck, looking down at the area he just dug out.
V'ine walks over to the edge of the village where it starts getting filled with mud. "Alright Raux, time to get cleaning." The rider focuses on the mud and soon a large group of it starts to shake and wiggle and soon a large group of mud was hovering above the ground before it got launched out towards the sea. Hearing a voice behind him he spots a area that seems to be moving slightly. Rushing over using his bare hands V'ine scoops dirt off the mound till a head can be seen. "Hang in there everything will be alright."
"I don't think this will be as pleasant a duty as the last," Liandyn murmurs soberly once the man who had brought them the waterskin is out of earshot. "Mudslide like this?" She merely shakes her head, large silver-blue eyes sad, even as she pushes away from the pile of bags she's leaning on, tilting her head to watch Zusamenth as the green hovers over one area for a long moment, sharp eyes - and mind - scanning the area. Then she shies away, moving towards another section. "You might want to consider evacuating some of the other coastal holdings," she says after a moment of silence.
Meo blinks at V'ine, and shrugs, heading off with her group to a part of the village. She helps her passengers down, before she climbs down as well, starting to dig at the mud. Furuihaneth starts digging at the mud here, being careful as he goes.
Miraneith drops her head, resting her muzzle just over her rider as Enka stretches up to brush a hand along her dragon's jaw, a faint thump from the queen's plump tail given. "No," Enka sighs heavily, turning her head to regard Liandyn for a moment or two. "The floods might have been a disaster, but at least people could swim, or climb a tree or somethin'. This…" she lifts a hand, and then drops it, a weak hapless shrug her only gesture as solemn gray eyes meet silver-blue. "You're right," the goldrider looks up at Miraneith, the queen rumbling softly. "Mir, tell some of the riders they are to fly up and down to coast, tell people to prepare to evacuate in case they have a mudslide too." There's a grunt from the queen, acknowledgment made. "How you holdin' up?" Enka asks then of the greenrider.
Meanwhile, the rider who's blue dragon had helped undercover movement is tentatively poking around with his shovel, checking to make sure he's not going to hit anyone while he digs. "We need somewhere to take this mud," he yells out for anyone who might hear. "Otherwise, we could just be burying more mud on top of other poor people under the mud." There's more riders coming, and a few residents as well, people moving to assist V'ine and Meo as they dig. There's a lot of mud. And a lot of digging that's going to have to happen.
V'ine get's to work using the team. "Alright I want buckets over here to carry the mud away so that we don't bury more people and I'll need a shovel over here. Rauxith you life the mud and throw it out to the sea. That will be much faster. Alright people let's get to work there's lives to be saved." He starts uncovering the man. Soon there was room to pull him out of the ground. "Try to clear doorways people may be trapped inside the building."
"Hopefully some of the interior holdings are willing to take a few people," Liandyn murmurs soberly as she twines her fingers over her belly, smoothing her hands down across the bulge beneath her shirt. "The Weyr won't be able to hold much more and continue to support itself. As it is, we might consider what we can offer in trade to some of our neighbors." Her eyes flicker over the mudslide again, hastily darting away when tears threaten to fill them, reaching up one hand to dash them away angrily before biting her lip, glancing sidelong at Enka, then drops her head. "I'm sorry - you know all of this better than I," the greenrider murmurs apologetically. Then her head snaps up, watching as Zusamenth moves to hover over one thin tongue of land, snapping irritably at an older brown until he collects his digging rider and pushes away, just in time to avoid joining the spit of dirt as it crumbles down, sliding towards the water. "Nothing in the way," she reports tonelessly.
Meo keeps digging with her shovel. "Furu, try to send the mud out to the water." She tells her brown, who gives a low rumble of acknowledgement. She heads for one of the houses, and starts digging there, working with other members of the team that she was on.
"Aint no reason to be sorry," Enka says reassuringly to Liandyn. "I'm … I'm not thinkin' about all that right now. I ought to, really, but it's … shells," the goldrider bites sharply at her lower lip, tearing her gaze away from the greenrider's before she pushes away from Miraneith, her eyes roving over the mud-covered landscape where once a small fishing village stood. "This is too much like Red Sands Hold." She's veering away from the memories, shuffling a little closer to Lia and tentatively patting at the greenrider's shoulder. "I'll have the holders who're away from the coast brought to the Weyr tomorrow. Maybe we can work out some agreements that have them take in refugees." Miraneith raises her head as that spit of dirt goes crumbling into the water. "This is not goin' to be easy," the goldrider observes.
Kyldar comes in, riding Sinasapelth on the ground, both of them covered with mud. "Hello, Weyrwoman," she greets Enka and salutes. "Hello everyone. Sorry if I missed anything, I was trying to get people evacuated downstream."
Reaching up to cover Enka's fingers with her own, the greenrider sends the goldrider a glance, then turns back to her silent vigil, watching as Zusamenth continues her aerial survellance of the area, hide flashing as she slips from side to side, directing various riders to possible rescuees, calling warning of two more minor slides. "It's horrible," Liandyn states flatly. "It's a senseless waste of land and people - but it's not something we can fight again. We certainly couldn't have anticipated this kind of weather," she sighs, "no matter how many people believe the Weyrs control the weather. So - we do /now/, when we can." Squeezing the Weyrwoman's hand, the girl slips out from beneath her grasp, moving to grab a blanket and offer it to one of the first returned of the newly found holders, wrapping it around the young man's shoulders.
Admist the calls of rescuers as they continue to dig, there's the occasional curse, people huddling close together for a moment, and then moving away again as they leave a blanket-covered form behind, efforts redoubled in the wake of failure. Enka nods mutely, a hand pressed to Miraneith's forearm for support as she glances soberly at Liandyn. "It's terrible," she agrees, "and senseless, but … it's like when Red Sands collapsed after the quake at Ista. Aint nothin' we can do but try and find people who need help. No way to prevent this kind of thing." And then as the greenrider is moving away, Enka is lifting a hand to return the salute from Kyldar. "Thank you for that," she says to the other greenrider. "Lettin' people know downstream. They might need to leave if they get 'slides too." And then it's the goldrider's turn to move, facing several riders and sending them out on errands.
There is little time for conversation, idle or otherwise, for Liandyn, at least - as more and more riders begin bringing in survivors plucked from the mud and wreckage, the greenrider begins to dole out supplies. Blankets for the rescued, cups of water, bandages as needed, all of it passed on by the girl's steady hands. Though she's allowed frequent breaks to rest her feet - and back - she still works tirelessly to handle the influx. Above, Zusamenth keeps her quiet vigil, reporting everything she sees not only to the affected riders, but to Miraneith as well.
Kyldar dismounts with a big heavy pack on her back, landing on the ground with a wet splat, and proceeds to retrieve another pack from the carry basket. "If anyone needs food rations or fresh water, I have it here. And if anyone needs some hot klah in this mess, I remembered to bring some extra this time."
Meo brings in a couple of survivors, with the help of others. "Here's a couple more." She tells Liandyn, and Enka, before she goes back to digging, the mud getting moved to out to the bay.
Enka retreats back to Miraneith's side, the gold passing along the reports from Zusamenth to her rider as Enka leans heavily against her dragon's supportive forearm. The goldrider's starting to look uncomfortable, muttering about sore feet and backache and rubbing fitfully at her forehead. "Thank you," she says abruptly to Kyldar, smiling faintly at the other woman. "We're goin' to need it." There's some more sounds from rescuers, people digging about, but at the rate they're going, it's going to take a very long time. More dragons begin to arrive, greens and blues to ferry the survivors back to the Weyr, and browns and bronzes to assist with the digging and relieve the first wave of responders. "It's goin' to be a long day," the goldrider sighs. "And we're spread thin with people still helpin' out back at Riverside. I'd better get back to the Weyr to deal with the response from this crisis." She pauses, patting the dragon beside her. "And Lia," she says, "thank you."
"I won't be far behind you," Liandyn replies quietly to Enka, glancing up from where she kneels next to one of the survivors, wrapping a bandage around a cut on her forehead. "I'm starting to feel a bit queasy out here, and Ae'gus won't thank me for overworking myself." Nor, it seems, will her unborn child, if the paleness of her complexion is anything to go by. Pale blue eyes flicker out over the wreckage, lips thinning into a firm line as the greenrider hauls herself to her feet, pressing both hands to the small of her back and wincing. "Go, Weyrwoman," she murmurs, making a shooing motion towards the goldrider. "And you never need to thank me." Her eyes warm, briefly, for her friend, before her expression shifts back to the rather wooden one she's been wearing to cope with the disaster, and she moves back to deal with yet another rescuee.
Kyldar sets the packs down in the mud and opens one, and begins distributing food packages to the survivors. "Here," she says to Enka, offering her an insulated tankard of hot klah. "Take this if you're going. Shards, take it in any case. Faranth knows you need it." She likewise offers one to Liandyn. "You too. Let's not have anyone collapsing here."
Meo moves back to the main group, as riders arrive to relieve her, though she has one last survivor with her, that she hands off to the transporters. "You guys alright?" She asks Enka, and Liandyn, a little worried, even if she does barely know them. "Hey Kyldar, you have any more klah to spare?" She asks the greenrider.
"Maybe you'd better come back with me," Enka says, glancing over with worry at Liandyn as she steps away from Miraneith to allow the gold to crouch as low, a forearm crooked out to allow her rider to walk right up, with a good hold on the riding straps. Before the goldrider does so, however, she accepts the tankard from Kyldar, but doesn't drink it right away. "Thanks." Kyldar gets a nod and a smile. "Wouldn't like collaspin' out here." It's then that she's looking back at Liandyn. "You fall down on me, and I'm sure that weyrmate of yours is goin' to be yellin' at me." Meo gets a reassuring look as Enka clambers up onto Miraneith's neck, moving slowly and heavily. "It's … part of havin' kids," she comments to the brownrider. "Aint the best part of life." The rewards however outweigh the toil.
"What I'd have to say to my weyrmate if he yelled at you for my stupidity doesn't bear repeating," Liandyn replies dryly, even as she nods her acceptance of the Weyrwoman's words. "I wager you're right, however," she adds with a sigh, even as she takes the tankard from Kyldar, raising it for a quick sip before wrinkling her nose. Peering down at the klah inside, she considers it for a while, before shooting a faint smile of thanks at the other greenrider. "Much appreciated," she murmurs, though she doesn't drink again, instead placing one hand surreptitiously on her belly. "Well - I'll come back with you then," she finally states, offering the tankard to Meo as the brownrider approaches. "Here, you'll make better use of that than I - klah hasn't agreed with me since I got pregnant. And we're fine," she adds, eyeing the ex-Fortian thoughtfully. "Just far enough along for it to start limiting us." Clearly displeased with that thought, she waits as Zusamenth lands daintily in Miraeith's shadow, moving to mount her lifemate.
Kyldar nods to Meo. "Sure," she says, reaching for another tankard and handing it over, and then noticing that Liandyn is already offering hers. "No klah in this mess? That's got to be the closest thing to hell this side of, well, hell." She contines to distribute a few more food packages, and then grabs some klah for herself, and takes a slow swig, which she ends in a satisfied "ah." Then: "I've been trying to move some refugees out of this. Great Faranth, some of them were armpit-deep in mud. YOu'd think people would be more educated in what to do when a flood hits."
Enka quirks a brow at Liandyn, managing a cheery enough smile as she settles into place along Miraneith's neckridges. "The nice thing about ridin' a big dragon," she remarks, "is there's always plenty of room." She pauses a moment, huffing a little as she fastens her riding harness "I'm sure we'd hear you yellin' at him at the top of your lungs," she remarks to the greenrider. "But I'd never forgive myself if somethin' happened to you because you insisted on stayin' with me till you fell over." Enka's aware of her own limits, and what she can and can't do, having been in this situation before, but it's a first for her friend. "If only it was as simple as a flood," the goldrider quips to Kyldar. "Mudslides, shells, aint easy. Well, neither's a flood." Face it, it's just been one disaster after another. Miraneith croons a little, turning her short neck to peer at Zusamenth for a moment before she looks up, several more dragons appearing. "Ah," Enka remarks, "reinforcements arrive. Are you comin' back to the Weyr with us?" this is asked of Meo and Kyldar. "You've been workin' hard enough, could probably do with a bath, and a chance to relax since the second wave is here."
Meo takes Liandyn's thing of klah. "Alright, if you're sure." She says, and takes a swig from it. "I know, I was just making sure you weren't pushing it." She says, and nods to Enka, as Furihaneth comes to settle down nearby. "Yeah, I'm headed back as well, I could use a good soak in a warm bath." She says, and keeps her tankard of klah with her, as she climbs up to her browns back, settling there. She takes another look around though. "Yes, mudslides, can be as bad, if not worse then floods sometimes." She says, and pickss up the folks that came with her, helping them to strap in.
Kyldar nods to the Weyrwoman. "Aye, we probably could. I know I could." She goes over to Sinasapelth and gives the big green a pat on the nose, and the dragon croons softly. "You were looking for some real action, girly. It looks like we got it." She hugs the dragon around the snoot and says, "Yeah, let's take a breather at least until it clears up again." With that, she takes one more sip of klah, and climbs up on to the great beast's shoulders.
"You and your plenty of room," Liandyn huffs, clearly a bit pinched between the much smaller green's neckridges. Still, she seems comfortable enough as she looks around, eyeing the incoming riders. "Looks like things are well enough in hand here," she sighs softly. "As much as can be expected, at any rate. We'll be back again soon enough - but right now, Weyrwoman, you and I - and our friends here," she adds, nodding to Kyldar and Meo, "have an appointment with the baths. Your little imp of an assistant will have a fit if he sees you all over mud. And my weyrmate won't appreciate me tracking it all over the weyr, neither." At her direction, the green surges into the air, hovering as she waits for Miraneith to join her - someone likes taking advantage of her larger friend's wake.
Miraneith's wings flare then, the queen extending her great pinions as her rider manages a teasing chuckle in response to Liandyn. "Mmm, lots and lots of room. Course," she pauses, "it aint all bubbly pie since there's more dragonhide to scrub." It's a trade-off, see. "I think we can leave things in the experienced hands of the search and rescue riders." Enka's brusque enough then, nodding over at one of the people in question. "You'll tell Mir if anythin' big comes up, yes." There's a nod of assent, and the goldrider's patting Miraneith's neck. "I need a loooong hot soak," she puts in. "And you're right, my assistant will be fit to be tied if he catches sight of me all muddy. That boy's goin' to be the stamp of his sire written all over him." Clearly Zsriston is a little L'ton-in-training. "I'd probably worry my weyrmate too. So, baths. Sounds good." There's a rumble from the queen, Miraneith looking first towards Sinasapelth and then to Furuihaneth before she's launching skywards. « We go back. » She'd certainly make a nice windbreak for the smaller dragons if they settled in behind her.
Kyldar says, "A long hot soak would be wonderful along about now." She takes a moment to get a couple people up onto her dragon's back, and get them secured. "Is everyone secure?" she says to her passengers. "Remember, don't be scared. Trust the dragon." She pats the green's neck affectionately. "Her name is Sinasapelth." To the other riders: "Let's get these folks to a nice warm, dry place—and do the same for ourselves. That and hot baths, yes. My clothes have more dirt than the courtyard back home at Harperhall."
Meo grins at Liandyn. "An appointment with the baths, indeed." She says, and helps a couple more people up onto her lifemate, one nice thing about a big dragon, can carry plenty of people. She makes sure they're secure, and gives the same reassurance as Kyldar for any that are new to riding a dragon. « We're coming. » Furihaneth answers Miraneith, and waits for his riders signal, before he crouches, and launches skyward after the queen.
"Home." Liandyn's single word is filled with feeling as Zusamenth slips nimbly into her normal position at Miraneith's flank, for all the world as if she truly belongs there. Amusement flickers briefly over the greenrider's face, and she shakes her head at the green's soft rumble. "Hush, you," is murmured, before she raises her voice in reminder to Kyldar and Meo, "We have to go straight, for obvious reasons, but don't fret if you guys prefer a quick jump *between*. We'll understand. And envy you," is added, with a smirk. Adjusting her straps slightly, she settles down into the embrace of the riding saddle and sighs, preparing for the relatively short flight back to the Weyr.
Kyldar, after making sure her passenger are safe, signdals Sinasapelth to get ready. « Let's get ourselves home. » "Yes, let's," the rider agrees, and the dragon crouches and opens her wings, ready for takeoff.
"Oh aye, home," Enka knows the feeling, her gaze deliberately turned upwards towards the sky above them rather than risk looking down at the disaster below. Indeed, from the air, it looks bleak, stark and terrible — the deep crater gouged out of the hillside, the impenetrable wall of mud that had come crashing down on the little buildings — could it be anything short of a miracle that anyone even survived that? From above, the dragons and riders still working to clear the mud are all blending into a morass of dark damp soil that's clinging to everything, coating everyone and making a general overall mess. There's a gust of wind, Miraneith's pinions making a downsweep before she lofts forwards, veering away from the chaos and mayhem below, and striking out for the Weyr. Home.
Kyldar signals for lift-off, and Sinasapelth launches herself into the air with an almighty splatter of mud, disappearing into the rain, and, after a moment, vanishing into _between_.