A call to arms

[meggums]

R’dan entered the Lower Caverns hoping that he was not that late. At least not late enough to be walking in as a speech was going on. He sighed when he noticed the Weyrleaders had not started their speech yet. He glanced up at the High Table and wondered what this particular meeting was about. It had to be something big since they called together all the dragonriders and weyrlings. He searched the room for Akki, nothing had really changed except the fact that he had, for some reason, gotten really nervous around her again. Rather silly really, they were friends there was no reason he should be nervous.
~You’re right it is silly, but never mind that now, sit down before the Weyrwoman begins.~ Jesseth said.
R’dan sighed and sat down in the nearest seat and glanced up at the High Table again.

-~-~-~-~-~-~
Ronoth pushed B’kin into the Lower Caverns for once he was telling B’kin to hurry. The bronze dragon was usually the slug.
~Hurry up or we’ll be late.~ The bronze had grown a lot since the hatching but he was still trailing Amparath in size. B’kin glanced around the room and spotted the other Weyrling’s and joined them. Ronoth laid down behind B’kin’s chair hoping the meeting would end soon.

[Miki]

Kia continued to fume in her seat.
Kylath sighed.
Her Mine had more friends that were Riders than Weyrlings.
Most of the Weyrlings would find their own friend friends to sit with.
[shadow=red,left,300]Mine, can we go sit with others?[/shadow]Kia ignored her dragon, still very mad.

[kestral]

((Blah...I check in every second day or so, but I didn't see this! I need to check in a bit more often. *sigh* )

K'rael slunk into the Lower Caverns at the call, and went to the designated 'Weyrling' table.
As before Weyrling Lessons (despite Ioneth's encouragements to delve more into Weyr life) he had buried himself into caring for the blue, and when he had any spare time...practically lived in the records room.
He had never been much of an intellectual, at least in appearence, but now he was doing nothing but things of that nature.
It was driving his poor dragon to insanity.

But even this antisocial youth couldn't avoid a mandatory meeting called by the Weyrleaders. He had started to panic about it, however.
Perhaps not merely panic...he had gotten so worked up as to be nearly unintelligible were he required to speak.
His shaggy brown hair hung limply, and the Weyrling's shoulders sagged down as he slid into a seat, and stared sullenly at the tabletop.
He had arrived just on time, too. Ioneth had skittered through the halls shortly behind him, and was now sitting demurely beside K'rael, looking for all the world as if he was concentrating with intent interest on what the Weyrwoman had begun to say.
But his mind was, as it usual was now, on his shy Impressor.

You really ought to speak to...someone he scolded cautiously. You're just fading away out of Weyr life!
The young man tensed visibly as the topic he was trying desperately to avoid came up.
~Not now~ he told him urgently. ~We have to listen~
Fortunately, that sufficed as an excuse, and with an exhasperated snort, and worried glance at the young man, the dragonet settled down once more.

[Dragon]

K'dan turned and saw K'rael. "Hey K'rael. I trust you and your blue are doing well?", he asked simply. He understood the boy was a bit shy but a simple hello, how are you wouldn't hurt. Perhaps if he could get that much out of him he would be more prone to talk and be a bit more social.

[Kandarra]

T'rin turned, too, when he heard K'dan's greeting; it was K'rael! He hadn't seen the bluerider much at all since the Hatching, and he guessed K'rael kept to himself. T'rin smiled at him and said, "How have you been, and how is your blue Ioneth?"

[Miki]

Kia opened her eyes slightly and glanced at K'rael.
She hadn't seen him around often but she wasn't exactly in the mood to say hello.
She felt someone looking at her and glanced briedfly at Akki.
It was just yesterday (how is that?) that they had argued.
Kylath looked worriedly again at her Mine.

~-~

D'ran had been pretty quiet lately.
Aureth didn't much mind; he was tired.
D'ran figured he shouldn't talk since the meeting would probably soon start.

[nike]

Nike noticed Christae waving her over. She sighed, and walked over to the Weyrwoman.
"Yes Christae?" The Healer asked. Ruanth was still curled up at the foot of Nike's chair.
Nike looked quickly at Sh'iron who was looking through some hides he had infront of him.

[Spirithawk]

Christae looked at Nike. She had been speaking to Kaith when the Master Healer walked up. Her eyes lost their unfocused look and she smiled.

"Nike. I wanted to tell you that Ruanth is looking well. I have heard from Kaith that several people are hassling you and Kia about your dragons, especially you. I will do what I can to see that such nonsence is terminated. Also, this meeting is to speak of grave news to all of Pern. It is my hope that you will listen to this news and obey Sh'iron and my orders. Ruanth is not mature yet, nor will she mature as soon as your fellow Weyrlings. She is doing well in lessons but I do not think she will be ready to fly when the others do. It is of the utmost importance that you do not fly her before she is of age to. It will only be detrimental to her heath. When we tell our news I know that you will want to act but you must not." Christae stressed must.

Almost everyone is here beloved. Kaith's voice interrupted her thoughts.

~Thank you love.~

[kestral]

K'rael looked up like a startled rabbit when a voice interrupted his thoughts.
He started to push away, but at a firm glance from Ioneth, forced his tensed frame to relax. His fingers uncurled, and his shoulders sagged down again.
"Oh...hi..." he mumbled weakly as he beheld K'dan and T'rin.
"Umm..."
The blue-weyrling glanced over at the dragonet, and a ghost of a smile flickered over his features.
"He's d..d...doing great," he stammered after a moment of silence. "I...I'm fine."
Complete truth; all of it.
He was perfectly fine. He just wasn't quite sure what he was doing here, and even Ioneth couldn't find an answer to that, for he was as puzzled as His when it came to philosophy.
The youth managed a faint smile, and his dark green gaze darted towards the high table briefly.
"H...h...how are you both? I...I..I've h...heard some i...interesting th...th...things lately."
Curse that stammer, he thought despairingly. It betrayed too easily how nervous he was.

[nike]

Nike looked at Christae closely.
Then the Healer gave her Weyrwoman an almost untrusting, confused look.
"Alright." She said, still confused a bit. Then it hit her, all of Pern. But, no. It was suppossed to be like 60 Turns till it came back. "I will not try to fly Ruanth until she is mature."
Nike nodded to Sh'iron, F'tan and Miya then headed back to her chair.

When Nike sat back down she turned to K'rael.
"Have we met yet?" She asked, sure that she had met this boy.
K'rael of blue Ioneth. Ruanth informed her.
Nike looked back in her thoughts and was sure that she had met him, but when?

[Dragon]

K'dan gave a curious look. He didn't want to stress the boy out with having to talk to him more but he couldn't help but ask. "Oh have you now? I would be interested to know what interesting things you are talking about. If you would like to speak of them that is?", he asked.

[nike]

Nike shot a glance at K'dan, telling him not to stress the Weyrling out.
"What kind of things?" She asked K'rael after she glared at K'dan.
Ruanth turned her jeweled eyes towards Ioneth and Hydrath.
The glowingness of her eyes made her slightly matlic hide shine more than it normally would.
Hello Ioneth, Hydrath.

[kestral]

The youth raised one shoulder in a vague shrug, and stared at the table top.
"I d...dont believe so," he said at last, watching the white-weyrling warily. "B...but....you must be N..n...nike."
There was no mistaking this woman, though he hadn't (he didn't think) seen her before, though...he wasn't entirely certain on that point. But after all, there was only one white-rider in the weyr.
K'rael blushed and mumbled something unintelligible at their queries.
His remark had been only intended as a conversation filler, but it was mostly true.
"Oh...one hears things w...when one's not really listening," he stammered.
"Arguements. Other stuff."
He raised a shoulder in a shrug again.
Ioneth transfered his gaze between Ruanth and Hydrath.
Hello, Ruanth the blue said courteously, with a dip of his head. He hadn't met the white, but like his rider, had heard a great deal about her.
He had heard, at the hatching feast ((ooc: is that right?)) that this pair of hatchlings had been demeaned by the junior queen, but found the thought unlikely, unaware if there was any truth in it.

[Spirithawk]

Christae scanned the faces present. Four of the weyrlings and one or two of the riders were missing. They couldn't hold off the meeting any longer. Several of the riders were eyeing the entrance of the large cavern speculatively. The absent riders had better have a good reason for missing the meeting. If they did not, they would be punished.

She rose to her feet, stiffling a groan. "Riders of Dark Moon Weyr." She paused as silence settled over the large cavern. "We wish to thank you for responding to our summons. I trust that the contents of this meeting will be relayed to our absent compatriots."

Her strong voice carried over the heads of the riders. "In a few days' time there will be a meeting here between the Weyrleaders of Pern. We will be discussing Thread-fighting techniques. We will be participating in Weyr Games. There will be inter-Wing competitions and inter-Weyr competitions for the glory of the Weyrs. Each of you will be participating. There is even a Weyrling division. It is our hope that our Weyr will shine despite it's small size."

[Dragon]

G'han raised an eyebrow. Is what he was thinking perhaps a reality. Thread fall. He stood forward in his seat staring at the weyrwoman. He had to know something.

K'dan looked back and forth between the weyrwoman and G'han. He grew worried.

[Kandarra]

T'rin tried not to smile at K'rael's shyness; imagine, once he, himself had been that painfully shy! He had come a long way since then and gotten over his shyness, and he suspected K'rael would, too. He smiled carefully at the bluerider and said, "Yes, we'd like to hear some interesting things."

However, he was interrupted by the Weyrwoman's announcement. The other Weyrleaders? Weyr games? Thread?

---

Admin's Note:[/hr][/i] He whispered, "Does she mean that Thread will be coming soon? But I thought that it wasn't the Tenth Pass for another twenty Turns or so!"

[meggums]

R’dan stared up at the High Table, why would the Weyrleaders be coming to the Weyr to discuss Thread-fighting techniques if Thread was not returning? Sure he’d noticed the Red Star getting brighter in the sky, he wasn’t that oblivious, but for Thread to return so soon…

-~-~-~-~-~-
B’kin had been listening to the others talking to the shy K’rael with a slight smile on his face. He had just been about to introduce himself, because he had not met the fellow weyrling, but Christae started to speak. He’d have to introduce himself and Ronoth later. The weyrling’s eyes widened when Christae mentioned the Weyr games, he hadn’t really listened to the fact that the weyrleaders would be coming to talk about Thread-fighting tactics. How would he and Ronoth fare in the Weyr Games?
~We’ll win~Ronoth said confidently.
B’kin looked over at T’rin, Thread return? Thread wasn’t going to come so soon, was it? Hadn’t someone said that their children, or was it grandchildren, would be the first to fight Thread? He glanced at the other Weyrlings at the table to see what they said.

[nike]

Sh'iron stood up at all the muttering of the Riders.
"Yes, Thread will be coming soon. The thing is, we know that it is coming. Unlike our ancestors in the last Pass,
they knew, but not when. We do." He said, looking over the riders
They shut their mouths and turned their eyes to him.

"A Pass is a deadly time. A time when the Weyrs are asked to do things that seem impossible, but endup doing it.
We are the only ones who can save Pern. We are dragon riders. We are the ones who were granted the amazing flying beasts.
But with that gift comes a duty. A duty to protect our planet from death. During these future Turns, Christae and I will be asking things of all of you that you think you might not be able to do. But you can. Your dragon is a sign to you and others that you can do things others can not. One of those things is fighting Thread.
But I believe in you all. I know that you can do it. That is why you were chosen."

The Weyrleader took a breath then started to speak again.
"The other Weyrleaders need to know how we will be working during Thread Fall. They need to know about our two new colors,
copper Kylath, and white Ruanth. No one, but this Weyr, knows about the first copper and the second white.
The Weyr Games will be hard, and deadly. I know of dragons who have died.
But it will show us, the Weyrleaders, how you will work during Thread Fall.
But I have faith in you all. I know that you will live through this Pass. I know that all of you can do it.
You are the few, the proud, the Dragon Riders of Pern!"

-----------------------

Nike nodded and smiled to K'rael, but then turned up to Christae.
The Weyrleaders? Coming here? And Thread? Wow!
Then Nike's eyes were turned to Sh'iron when he spoke.
His words made her heat fill with pride. Yes, Ruanth or Tirith wouldn't have chosen her if she wasn't right.
She was a Dragon Rider of Pern!

((I got the "few, the proud" thing from a Marines thingy. -grins-))

[Tenma]

Miya smiled unlike the other when she heard of the coming thread. ~I can't wait to ride on your back, face thread, and come out with victory.~ Miya said happily. She had been waiting her whole life for this.
You know I listen in on your thoughts more then you know. You want a dragon that flames thread, which is something I can't do. Reinath sighed unhappily.
~Yes, I have always wanted to ride on a FLAMING dragon but apparently a flaming dragon just wasn't right for me. Besides, I got the highest ranking dragon possible. And unlike Ruanth my bonded has a backbone.~ Miya smiled.
Reinath stood up proudly. I will be the best dragon ever. Reinath bugled. Though the words were unheard her bugle was loud.
~Hush.~ Miya shouted firmly.
Sorry. The queen lay down with embarresment.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Nira looked shocked at CHristae's news. She knew thread would come but she didn't expect it to be so soon. And what a time, the weyr is short on food. Nira sighed.
Do not worry mine, together we will destroy the thread. Siarath said proudly.
~I know my green.~ Nira said happily.

[Dragon]

G'han gave a worried look. What he had feared was truth was indeed that, truth. Do not worry G'han we will fight thread and we will be victorious. Nothing will happen to you I promise. We are the best. G'han rolled his eyes at the dragon's words. He was definently proud, definently a bronze. ~We will have to depend on the others as well Gerenanth. It isn't all about us. I have faith that we can do this. Do not worry~, G'han said.

K'dan was worried now. He looked over at Hydrath, sleeping of course. Was his dragon up to it. I am not sleeping and ofcourse I am up to it. I am the smallest blue here which means I will be quick and nimble. The dragon tried to give confidence to his bonded. K'dan smiled but looked over at Miya. It was as if she wanted thread to fall, she seemed happy it was coming. K'dan looked away and looked at the weyrleader and weyrwoman.