Winds of Change (Take two)

[hannah]

(Liresk is here guys! )


Hard, glinting brown eyes glared at the soft ground under foot like it was the cause of his discomfort. In a way it was, considering it had just started to dry out after the rain and the ground was still slippery, bumpy and uneven. Liresk plodded a few steps ahead, trying to find the most even and least mushy path. He streatched out a paw and it sank into mud, hissing in annoyance he hopped off to a new spot. Leftover mud splattered their feet and Liresk held his tail far away from the ground with disdain.

Each breath was a chore as it stretched the long, scabbed gashes on J’len’s back, and his vision wouldn’t focus properly. His thigh was horribly swollen where he was sure one of the monsters had bit him, but they weren’t monsters. Liresk was as innocent and eager to please as a dragonet. The first night after he’d had woken, the aqua hatchling had disappeared for a few candle marks and reappeared with a few tubers. Despite his initial revolt, Liresk looked so hopeful and the images he sent were reassuring and just a bit insecure, so J’len accepted the tubers and the hatchling watched and made sure the ex-dragon rider ate every bite. He’d refused anything offered and nudged it back toward J’len’s mouth instead. Must eat J’len. The twiggy dragon thing never strayed far from his side, and as his mind speech improved he chattered away distracting J’len from his pain.

As if sensing his thoughts his thigh gave a throb and he knew he had to stop, just for a moment, he was so tired. Whirling blue-green eyes turned on J’len when he leaned against a boulder to catch his breath. We’re almost there J’len! No stop now J’len! The pipsqueak was finally learning to speak more fluidly, though he still insisted on tacking J’len onto the end of nearly every sentence. The aqua hatchling walked over and gently placed his nose in J’len’s limp hand. No give up J’len. You never give up before. Liresk was right, he and Serneth had- Serneth. A different kind of pain weakened his knees. No sad thoughts J’len. Only thoughts of moving. Liresk showed him images of what was around the next corner. It was the Weyr bowl, so far away… No he would make it! With renewed resolve J’len pushed off the boulder and shuffled along behind Liresk.

No more than a dragon length away, J’len stumbled on a loose rock and felt his entire back burst into pain. His swollen thigh gave out and he fell, hard. The bones in his forearm snapped as he heard Liresk wail.

“Shells…” He moaned, trying stay conscious through the waves of pain. J’len! Feet thundered up and a nose prodded him. J’len get up! We’re almost there J’len! I’m sorry I didn’t see rock. Please up.

“Give me a second runt!” J’len snapped taking deep breaths as he gently moved his arm out from under his body. Sorry. Can you move, J’len? In answer the ex-dragonrider slowly pushed himself onto his elbows. J’len knew if he didn’t make it to the Bowl now, he wasn’t going to. Liresk crooned and rubbed his head against his bonded’s shoulder. Taking a deep breath and screwing his eyes shut, J’len lurched to his feet and nearly went down again. Liresk catch you. No falling, J’len. The hatchling murmured bracing the unsteady man, his large innocent eyes where whirling yellow and his wings drooped with worry.

“Get that look off yer face…” J’len mumbled, swaying.
They stumbled into the weyrbowl together. A few people were milling around and they turned to stare as J’len swayed. “What’r you starin’ at?” He glared.

Liresk crooned and stepped forward. Surely these would help his J'len. Help! He let loose a soft screech. J’len need help. He hurts! J’len’s legs suddenly folded underneath him. Liresk squealed and tried to prop him up. He mumbled something intelligible and tried to push the hatchling away. No! Stay awake J’len! I get help J’len! Don’t cause a ruckus. J’len was suddenly sounding too weak, too far away! Liresk quickly scanned the area. Lifting his head he let out a piercing, wailing shriek and shouted to anyone who could hear. Help! Someone help! Please!

[Jester]

Luna was walking over to where the resident weaver to the weyr was. She just needed some colored thread she had ran out of. Her mind had been on the thread as she walked through the bowl, not even noticing when everyone stopped. It was only when she heard the cry in her head. A cry like the one she had heard the day before. Luna whipped around to see an injured man and an aqua colored creature. A creature just like Dusk. No one in the weyr bowl moved to help the pair.

Luna could feel the anger bubbling up inside her. How could they just stand there and watch someone suffering in pain. She ran toward the two, glaring at everyone she past. When she reached their side she immediately grabbed onto the mans arm and pulled it over her shoulder She then turned back to everyone else and shouted as loud as she could "You worthless sharding fools! Someone get a healer NOW!" Luna's voice seemed to echo through the weyr bowl and got some of the people to started moving again. Some ran off to hopefully get some help. She just hoped they weren't just running away.

Luna turned to look at the two and smiled gently. "Don't worry, I'll make sure you get help. Just hold on until I do." Luna tried her best to take enough of the man's weight off his bad leg so he could walk. She then began to steer him toward the infirmary. "It won't be long. Just keep moving." Luna made sure both the man and the aqua hatchling were able to keep up. She didn't want anything else happening to them.

[hannah]

They weren’t helping! Why weren’t they helping? Liresk crooned and anxiously swung his head around trying to find someone. J’len get up. For the first time he cursed his lack of knowledge. J’len was slipping away and he didn’t know what to do or who would help. Growling Liresk gnashed his teeth and dug his claws into the mud. What was he supposed to do?!

He let his wings droop into the mud as any anger evaporated. It wasn’t fair, he was just a hatchling, and he only person who had taught him anything was leaning against his side barley conscious. Liresk lowered his head and sniffled, he couldn’t lose his J’len. Between couldn’t have him! He crooned sadly and shivered pitifully.

A movement to the side caught his attention. Was it help? A girl was approaching… She grabbed J’len’s arm and Liresk felt the pain her movements caused. He clenched his jaws shut to keep from growling or snapping. He had to remind himself that she was helping his J’len not hurting him on purpose. Wait she was yelling at the other people for not helping! Liresk, stepped forward and added his own growling rebuttal. How dare they ignore someone who was in need of help, especially his J’len. The girl turned to them and said something else. She was going to help them! Liresk’s tail swished happily back and forth. They just had to move? He nodded and got behind J’len’s legs and pushed one forward then the other making his bonded walk forward.
The sensation of something shoving his legs brought J’len back to consciousness. Someone was helping him walk. He should be doing that himself, especially with people still watching.

“I can walk.” J’len extricated himself from Luna’s grip and tried to walk a few stumbling steps. His leg gave out after three and both Liresk and Luna were there to catch him. “ M’fine.”

J’len not fine. Liresk growled and shook his head. J’len need… Luna and healer’s help. The ex-dragonrider, to tired to protest after his escapade, just closed his eyes and let himself be led. Make the people stop starin’ then. I don’t like it.

The aqua hatchling stood up straight, puffed his little chest out and pinned the gawkers with an angry red glare. When that didn’t work he lunged at the closest ones sending them scattering.

[Spiffy]

Ugh. Wings, tithes, supplies... J'thir was getting sick of the sight of hides now. Even with the help of V'lor, and some help that was, J'thir couldn't help but think that he was getting out of his depth with this. Even in the best case scenario, the only other bronzerider he currently had who had experience of leadership didn't want to lead, which left it with him, who until then had only been a Wingsecond at best, was left to sort out a Weyr in shreds. At least V'lor had taken up negotiations with the Hold, which in their current sat they desperately needed.

All that, and then not a day before one of the very creatures who'd caused all these problems had appeared, bonded to none other than one of his own riders! At the time, he hadn't known hat to do about it. Had it been anyone else he'd have more than likely left them for dead. But the man had been a rider, one of their riders, and so he couldn't. The man deserved more than that, especially after loosing his dragon... J'this shuddered at the thought. No, Adakhanyth wasn't going anywhere anytime soon. They'd had a lucky escape, of that he had no doubt.

But these were sobering thoughts, and not ones that he wanted bothering him when he was neck-deep in paperwork. He needed klah, he decided. Maybe that would take the edge off of it.

Exhaling deeply as he stood, he was thrown completely off balance by an exclamation from his bronze.

J'thir! There's another one of those creatures in the Weyrbowl! I can feel his distress... the bronze added, peering back into the weyr at his rider. J'thir pushed himself up from where he'd fallen against his desk, nursing his arm. He'd somehow managed to catch his elbow against the corner of the chair on the way down, sending a prickly twinge all the way down his arm from elbow to fingertips. "Shard it..." he muttered through gritted teeth, not another one, his thoughts completed. Somehow this one had made it all the way to the Weyrbowl, which means that he'd be in full view of the whole sharding Weyr. He had to get down there. Shea'd taken good care of the situation last time, but he didn't know who was there this time...

Finally regaining his full balance he lurched toward his dragon, who automatically bent a leg to allow his rider to vault up on his back. Without thinking, J'thir grabbed Ada's riding straps before mounting, though once he'd settled he forewent throwing them around Ada's neck, instead giving his bronze the silent command Down to the Weyrbowl. Try not to land on anyone, he aded a the bronze tipped off the weyr ledge, wings spread wide to catch himself. There, thought J'thir, spying an open spot on the ground where there weren't too many people. Probably because that was where the creature was, he spotted as Adakhanyth circled closer. He could see the little creature glaring at the crowd, running at the nearest ones, before he was close enough to hear anything.

And then, all too soon it seemed, Adakhanyth landed with a jolt that wold have sent his rider crashing forward into his neck ridge had J'thir not been ready for that sort of antic from his dragon. Subtlety's lost on you, he commented dryly as he slid from the dragon's neck. The bronze chose not to answer, instead saying You must go to him. He needs help, and the little one is worried. This time it was J'thir's trn not to answer as he strode toward the rider, or ex rider, seeing the girl with him for the first time. She looked familiar, but she was not important right now. He looked back at the man, looked through the blood and grime, trying to work out which of his fallen riders he was, if any of them. One could always hope.

It took him a second, but eventually he recognised him, stopped in front of them. Adakhanyth had lowered his wings, and by standing between the little group of figures and the gawking crowd, shielded them from most of the stares. He realised that he had no idea what to say. R'fel had been almost unconscious, and he'd got most of the story from Shea, so that had ben much easier.

"J'len," he managed the ex-brownider's name. Then, stating the obvious, he said "You need a healer, now." He laid a supportive (he hoped) hand on J'len's shoulder, looking him in the eye. "You'll not get there like this." He looked back at the girl then, and finally realised where he knew her from - other than being a candidate. "You do keep showing up in the oddest places, girl. What's your name?" he asked, fixing her with a searching look which soon turned to slightly glazed as he reached out to Adakhanyth. Would you carry three of us, Ada?

Of course, the bronze responded immediately, snaking his head forward to sniff at Liresk. The little one must come too, he said for them all to hear. He should be with his rider.

[hannah]

Liresk pulled his rampage up short and squeaked as a large shadow loomed over them. Ahh! Big creature! He plastered himself to J’len’s side, torn between fear and protecting his. When it shielded them from the crowd instead of eating him, Liresk warbled and shuffled his wings like he had never been scared in the first place. A man dismounted and began walking toward them. Liresk perked up. More help? Why was he staring at his J’len? He let loose an inaudible hiss. Stop it Liresk. I know him. Someone J’len knew? That was good. The hatchling watched the new rider with interest.

J’len was more than surprised to see a dragon land in front of him, and bronze no less. The attack had been nothing but a slaughter and he half expected to come back to an empty Weyr. How had a bronze managed to escape? Had a queen made it back too? J’len winced as his head throbbed, to many thoughts all at once. He’d sort it out latter.

Liresk stiffened at his side and he could hear a hiss in his mind. The bronze riders image gave him a clue as to what the pipsqueak was upset over, it also triggered something in his mind. Stop it Liresk. I know him. It was J’thir. They didn’t know each other well, but they had talked occasionally. It was good to see a fellow dragonrider alive and well. Only J’len wasn’t a dragonrider, not anymore. Pain and emptiness enveloped his mind and he leaned heavily against the girl. Liresk here. No be so sad J’len. I never leave J’len! Liresk reared up on his hind legs so he could look into J’len’s face. His eye swirled a anxious yellow-green. Please J’len.

“Git down.” The ex-dragon rider rasped and Liresk settled on his haunches.

J’thir laid a hand on his shoulder, luckily the only part of him not hurting. What did he mean not getting there like this? J’len was getting along just fine without help. Liresk no think so J’len. The hatchling squawked as the bronze dragon leaned forward to sniff him. Wait he got to go with J’len? Why wouldn’t he be going with J’len? J’len was his! Liresk wrapped his tail around one of his bonded’s legs. J’len was off kilter. Rider? What did the bronze mean that he was Liresk’s rider?

[Jester]

Luna looked up when she heard the dragon. She tightened her hod on J'len's arm as she watched the bronze and his rider land. They had better help or they would have to deal with a very angry Luna. She watched as J'thir seemed to know J'len. Good. It meant the rider would most likely help them.

She glanced at the few people in the bowl staring at them. She couldn't stand that they had just done nothing when they saw the man hurt. There as nothing wrong with helping the two. Luna looked up at the rider when he addressed her. "My name is Luna." She wondered why he was staring at her but brushed it aside when the bronze said they were going.

Luna stepped forward to take J'len closer to the dragon. He really needed to see a healer soon. "Come on. We need to get you to the infirmary fast."

[Spiffy]

J'thir was as stunned at his dragons proclamation as J'len. Rider?!

Adakhayth sniffed the basilisk again, before exhaling and bringing his head back up proudly. He is not a dragon, J'thir, that much we agree on. But he is not a wher, therefore Liresk's does not deserve the title 'handler.' He is more dragon than wher, therefore His should be his Rider, as you are my rider. Besides,[/i] the dragon added, tactfully keeping the ast to his rider only, he was a ride once, and deserves the respect he is due.

J'thir expelled what breath he had been holding while his dragon gave his speech. If he was not used to Ada's regular speech overloading he'd have been stunned by the length of it. But after the sigh came a lopsided grin. He often forgot just how much he needed his bronze to bring his back down to Pern sometimes.

He cleared his throat. "Come on, the girl's right. We need to get you to the infirmary. You look ruffed up," he said, gently squeezing J'len's shoulder (since it didn't see to hurt when he'd laid his hand on it) in what he hoped was a positive manner as he led the two of them toward his bronze, ready to take his weight if he should give way again. Part of him wanted to question J'len. He had so many questions he wanted answers to! But R'fel had been in no fit state to answer them and still wasn't, and now was not the time to question J'len. But he knew that he should keep the 'rider' talking as best he could, he didn't quite know why.

"Now J'len, we're going to try to get you up onto Ada's back here so that he can carry you to the infirmary, that way we'll get you there a lot quicker. But that will only work if we can get you up there. Now you need to tell me, where does it hurt?"

Looking briefly to Luna, he added to her "Get ready to help him up," as Ada took the remaining steps toward them and bent down as far as possible.

[hannah]

What a Wher? Liresk turned his fast whirling eyes toward J’len.

“You, only uglier.” J’len muttered, letting his eyes slip close.

The aqua hatchling gave a start adn turned his head to peer at his wings and long forked tail. I no ugly. It's I'm not. Not I no, we're going to have to work on that. J'len gave a tired sigh, but pried his eyes open when J'thir started talking again. The ex-dragonrider wasn't loosing consciousness per say, but everything was loosing focus and sharp edges were starting to blur. The faster he got to a healer the better.

J'thir looked uncertain as he gave a reassuring squeeze, though J'len was mildly perturbed by the fact they were treating him as if he couldn't walk. You can't. You fall over. Who asked you? No one. Was there supposed to? He didn't bother replying.

J’len dutifully, but irritably allowed the pair to lead him toward Adakhayth. Liresk seemed wary of the large bronze, but kept close to his bonded’s side. Dragon biiiig. The hatchling crooned uncertantly, but settled once the bronze gave him a reassuring rumble.

They wanted him to climb onto a bronzes neck? Not only was he not in the best of shape he was a brownrider- Was a brownrider and Adakhayth was probably the only one left. J'len had no right. Liresk felt his hesitation. J'len go. His tone was firm and broached no argument.

What hurt? Everything. J'len snorted, and shook his head. Before he could open his mouth to reply, Liresk did for him. Everything. His back, leg and head hurt worse. The basilisk ignored his bonded’s glare and skittered back as the big bronze moved closer.

J'len screwed his eyes shut. Apparently the choice had been made for him and it was going to sharding hurt.

[Jester]

(this shall be a failpost since im sick)

Luna listened to the bronze as he said the man was a rider. She looked over to the strange hatchling. She wondered how big it would grow since they man was going to be it's rider.

She squared her shoulders when they were about to lift him onto the bronze dragon. She hoped she had enough strength and that the man didn't get too hurt. She waited till he was ready before helping him onto the dragon. It took a bit of pushing and pulling but they were able to get the injured rider up onto the bronze.

[Spiffy]

Adakhanyth rumbled encouragement to the sapphire as the little one approached. Ada, at least, thought Liresk was cute. But then Ada thought anything smaller than him was cute, particularly something young.

J'thir, on the other hand, had his attention on J'len. He saw the doubt on his face when he said about climbing onto Adakhanyth's back, and tried not to wonder just how bad the man's injuries wqere. He'd not known J'len well, but he hadn't taken him to be one to complain overly. He was surprised, however, when liresk spoke into his mind.

Everything. His back, leg and head hurt worse.

Oh. That wasn't good. This could prove difficult. He saw Luna square her shoulders in readiness.

Lifting J'len onto Ada's back was, indeed, difficult. But they got him there eventually, Ada lowering himself as much as possible to the ground, so much so that he was almost lying on his side. He at least thought the move was immense fun.

You can climb up too, now, Liresk. Try not to scratch me too much, the bronze said once J'len was in place, lowering his wing so as to give the hatchling a boost up.

J'thir left it up to J'len to tie himself into the riding strapsl being a rider, once, he should be able to without any assistance. Instead, J'thir stayed on the ground and began walking toward the infirmary. Try not to jog J'len too much, Ada, he told his bronze, silently thanking that Adakhanyth was unusually graceful on the ground for a large dragon, having longer legs than was strictly neccessary.

[hannah]

(Sorry about the late reply. It suddenly acured to me that I hadn't done one yet. )

J’len appreciated the bronze’s effort, but as they all tried to get him situated him mind was filled with pain. He did his best to concentrate on breathing and not passing out. Once settled he reached out with shaky fingers for the riding straps.

Thank you. Liresk chirped and hopped on Adakhanyth’s wing and then his back, careful to keep his claws from scratching anything. J’len? The sapphire gently sat behind his bonded and touched his shoulder with his snout. You hurting much J’len. I help.

The pain pounding through J’len’s body seemed to be cut in half and he glanced over his shoulder and Liresk.

What are you doing? He winced at the fact even his mind voice was weak and breathy.

Help my J’len. As the bronze began to move Liresk wrapped his body around his rider’s to keep his steady as possible. Stay awake J’len.

“I am.” J’len replied weakly but with an edge of determination. Once he got to the infirmary however… that was a different matter entirely. Passing out sounded like a good option right now.

The ex-rider thanked Faranth that the bronze was actually quite graceful on the ground and he wasn’t being jared much.
We almost there J’len. Liresk was a calm reassurance in his mind.