The first strike

[Lyrikitty]

((Just moving along plotting, which happened some time ago but only now do I have the chance to work on it. no replies are required, though they are welcomed.))


Silent. Night reighed, the moon above casting little light, clouds obscuring her pale face. The faintest glimmer of light shone, like a shooting star almost, or perhaps a Gold flying overheard. A far mroe sinister truth lurked behind that glimmer, revealed for what it was when true flight began. Only one creature on Pern could acheive such speed, hence why this flight occured by the cloak of darkness. A Wildfire, Black Sands' manipulative female, was violating the skies of Crystal Cavern.

This was not the only sin to occur, for not far behind her followed, unseen, two Illusions, faithful to the end to the female who had lured them into her allegiance. Nestled between the two males was what made Black Sands so vile, so dangerous, a Misery.

Were it only one or two of the dragons from the tainted Weyr, perhaps such indiscretion could be ignored, or accepted as something simple, something harmless. But then... When ever was Black Sands known for either quality?

Leaving her followers trailing after her, the Wildfire sped one, diving into the Weyr unseen by almost all, and shooting into the Weyr of the Gold Daisyth, her wings tucked quickly to her sides as she passed through the entrance, then flared to catch herself. Veseleth, no stranger to flight or to the art of stealth, landed, barely scraping the stone floor with her claws. ~Daisyth... Daisyth, sweet queen, awake.~ Veseleth's voice was honey-filled, alluring, and she watched as the Gold lifted her head, puzzled at the disturbance in her sleep. She knew who the wildfire was, had met her at the Gather not long back, at Solse Hold. What the creature was doing here was another matter entirely, and Daisyth shook her head, trying to clear sleep.

~Lla-~[/i]

~Hush, Daisyth. You do not want to wake your rider and spoil the surprise, now do you?~[/color] Veseleth scowled, and thanked her lucky stars for the veil of shadows hiding the expression. She padded closer to the Gold, tilting her head imploringly. ~Do you not recall what we discussed? I promise, your rider will love it... Follow me, dear Gold.~[/color] The Wildfire dipped her head, and turned, padding to the edge of the queen's ledge and dropping off, unfurling olnly the largest set of wings enough to glide gently down to the firestone bins. Daisyth followed, still foggy from sleep, and knowing only that she Wildfire seemed so certain, so confident in what she was talking about.

As both females settled to the ground, above circled the other three, watching for signs of disturbance, keeping close tabs on the progress of their plan.

~Now Daisyth, you must trust me. I am your friend, and would never diceive you, do you beleive this?~[/color] The Misery above reached out, testing Daisyth's mind and planting gentle thoughts there, subtle enough that the Gold would not know they were not her own. Daisyth nodded her wedge-shaped head slowly, her maw tilting up at the end and parting in a great yawn. ~Good, then chew the firestone.~[/color]

Daisyth took a slow step forward, and froze, eyes narrowing. ~Firestone cannot be chewed by queens... It makes us infertile.~[/color]

~Not at all Daisyth. I would notlie to you in this grave matter. I fear for this Weyr, you need larger clutches. It is only rumor, trickery, which says a queen cannot flame. The truth is that it makes you more fertile, not less. Chew this stone, and you will have the largest clutches on all of Pern.~[/color] Veseleth crooned encouragingly, pointing her muzzle at the stone, hre faceted eyes wheeling soft blues and greens. Daisyth remained motionless for another moment, and another gentle nudge was give by the Misery, before the Gold stepped forward, dropping her maw to scoop up great chunks of the stone and chew it. Over and over, peice by peice, the Gold filled her stomache with firestone, and the Wildfire whispered encouragement all the while.

When enough was consumed, Veseleth splayed her wings, stretching them above her and leaping to the air with a triumphant bugle, her wings pounding down as she shot into the sky, a rocket, uncatchable save for by another of her color.

The Illusions and the Misery vanished in a blast of cold air Between, headed for their next destination, the exhuberent cries of their riders echoing that of the Wildfire, and that of the woman astride the wicked creature.

[Dragonmage]

The Wildfire's pleased and proud bugle woke Mosyth. Coming awake all at once, fear rushed through the Spring like a flood. What had happened to make another dragon bugle with such triumph? She leapt from her weyrledge and took off, almost before seeing the distinctive silhouette of the Wildfire in the night sky. Try though she might, with only a single pair of wings, Mosyth could not catch up to the Wildfire, Illusions, and Misery that had invaded their Weyr. Shrieking in fury and hate, the Spring circled the Weyrbowl and caught sight of Daisyth by the bins of firestone.

Black Sands has attacked! They have made Daisyth chew firestone! This is war!

Nocia had not been woken by the Black Sands dragons, but there was not much that could have slept through the sharding racket her Spring was making. She rubbed her eyes in an attempt to wake herself up.

What the shards is going on, Mosyth? People and dragons are trying to sleep.

Mosyth ignored her rider and dove towards Daisyth. Despite her smaller size, the Spring was going to have it out with the Gold. Mosyth's eyes whirled a dark red, almost as dark as the scales of some Rubies. She landed hard, trying to smack into Daisyth's side and if not knock her away from the firestone, at least physically get her attention. The Spring yelled into the Gold's mind.

What in the name of Faranth are you doing? You can't chew firestone, if you do, then you won't be able to clutch. Don't you want to clutch?

[Lyrikitty]

~Doing? ... I... I...~[/color] the Gold blinked, puzzled, as she looked at the firestone by her paws, then to the small Spring who had collided with her. What was she doing? More importantly, what had she done? Her faceted eyes widened in horror, shocked, hurt colors wheeling through them, as she shook her head, backing away from the stone, visibly shaking. No... Surely... Surely she had not just...

In a voice all the Weyr could hear, she cried for Her's, a wailing tone which seemed more pained and mournful than even the sound made at the loss of a dragon. ~Llaina!!! Llaina, come to me!!!~[/color]

It took the Goldrider only seconds to rouse from her deep slumber at such a sound, for her sleep had already been disturbed by the rucus of the Black Sands dragons. As she peered down to the scene below, her gut fell. She wasn't certain what had happened, but she had a very bad feeling. why would Daisyth be near the firestone bins? There was no reason for it, none at all.

She rushed down to the weyrbowl, darting across the grassy expanse to the side of her beloved weyrmate, placing her hands on the metallic muzzle in horror, and removing them to stare at the dark, sooty coating they came off with. "Daisyth... Daisyth WHY?" Meekly, the Gold looked up at the sky, where the foriegn dragons had vanished, and creeled sadly. ~Black Sands, LlainaMineOwn... I did not... I would never...~[/color]

Llaina held out a hand for silence from the Gold, aware the queen was babbling, and was not bothering to tone herself down. Anyone in the Weyr who was listening would have heard every word spoken, and until things were sorted out...

Only then did Llaina see the Spring, and she scanned for the rider, not seeing her. "Mosyth, go fetch your rider, please. Do not tell anyone of what has just happened, Meet us at our weyr. Can you do that?' The Weyrwoman hoped the spring would not take offense that the Weyrwoman spoke directly to her, but Daisyth was in no condition to relay messages, and this was too urgent a matter to waste time with silly formalities. "Daisyth, get up to our weyr, and go inside. Do not come out for any reason, understand my love? We can't afford a panic, not with Nuath so recently gone... SHARD IT!" Fuming the woman kicked at the ground and spun, stamping back across the weyrbowl and making her way again to her weyr. She needed the few minutes to think, and by the time she arrived, Daisyth was on her couch, still trembling fearfully, her mental voice mumbling incoherently to Llaina. Poor dear, she had not a clue what she had done, and yet in one deft blow Crystal Caverns was placed in grave trouble. Anxiously Llaina paced, waiting for Mosyth and Nocia. This could not get out to the other Weyrs...

[Dragonmage]

Mosyth was a bit surprised by the Weyrwoman's speaking directly to her, but Daisyth was now too upset to think straight to relay messages and the Spring responded in kind.

Yes, Daisyth's. I will go get my Nocia now. We will be at your weyr in a moment.

With a rush of wings, Mosyth took off. There was no more time to waste and she swooped directly to her weyrledge. How would the Weyr survive without a Weyrwoman? Medeath and hers were right out as the Senior pair. Magmas did not make good leaders because of their short tempers.

Nocia stared at her dragon. What was going on? Her dragon's voice rushed into her mind.

No time to explain. We need to see Daisyth and hers in their weyr. You will find out there.

Nocia stared at her dragon, but climbed on anyway. The flight to the lower weyr was short and direct. Mosyth landed carefully and announced to Llaina.

My Nocia and I are here. What are we to do now? Mine is coming in.

Nocia swung off and hurried into the weyr, Mosyth padding behind her as if she were on an invisble leadline. The Spring's eyes still whirled with agitation and worry.

Nocia looked at the Weyrwoman with a very confused expression on her face. What in the world had happened to distress her dragon and the Weyrwoman so much?

[Lyrikitty]

When the Spring and rider appeared, Llaina turned to them, her honey-toned eyes somber, and she preyed neither would look too closely at Daisyth. "Nocia, we have a... situation, which could prove to be more gravid than even the issue of rouge in our Weyr. It seems that we were... Attacked, by another Weyr, and Daisyth..." she trailed off, looking at the Gold and fighting back the urge to either scream, or to cry.

"They did something to Daisyth, and made her chew firestone. This can not get out, I don't know how many know already, but the only one I saw near Daisyth was Mosyth. I need to know if you two can keep this secret until we can find a... A replacement, for Daisyth as sEnior Queen. Medeath will not do, unless she is overcome by some unexplicable change of mindset and personality. No... We may have to transfer a Gold from elsewhere in..."

Llaina rubbed her temples, trying to quiet the headache that was building in her skull. By the first egg, this was all wrong. Why would anyone sterilize a queen? It made no sense at all.

Daisyth curved her head away from the Spring and Nocia, tucking it underf her wing as if to hide her shame as she listened to Llaina speak, felt the distress of the Weyrwoman. Oh she had messed up big this time... She really had. It seemed as if nothing could go right for poor Llaina where her dragon was concerned, first losing the Magma, and then her Gold being tricked into chewing firestone. Soon, the Gold would need to leave the Weyr to expell the gas building in her, and then discard the pulp from her stomach, but there was time for it later, right now both she and Llaina needed to clear their heads, think things out.

They hoped, perhaps, the Weyrlingmaster could help as well, offer some suggestion, some sly cover to keep this secret from the rest of Pern.

[Dragonmage]

Nocia listened, forcing her face into the semblance of a calm expression. Someone needed to be rational here and Llaina, despite being the Weyrwoman, was clearly in no shape to do such a thing.

"We are going to have to assume the worst and that at least some people heard the commotion. If the other dragons and their riders woke Mosyth, which seems a reasonable guess, because she was the first to realize what happened, they could have woken others who did not react so dramatically. Mosyth was shrieking at the top of voice and mind before she hit Daisyth. That could easily have woken others too. So, damage control. How can we get another queen without making it obvious what happened and what are we planning to do until then? We can't just tell another Weyr what happened, because we don't have a Weyrleader and this would just make us a complete target."

Nocia could feel her dragon's distress and knew that at least part of it was because if Daisyth was unable to clutch, what eggs and hatchlings could Mosyth care for? Medeath guarded her eggs fiercely and trying to help would be suicide for the Spring. Saying that, however much her dragon wanted her to, would be utterly unproductive and upset the other pair even more.

[Lyrikitty]

Llaina shook her head. For all we know, the entire Weyr could have heard it, I wouldn't be surprised. Not to mention, Daisyth's state is going to be a big tip-off, she's too distressed to even think clearly to me! The rest of the dragons are going to pick up on it sooner or later..." She scowled and furrowed her brow, starting to pace restlessly, trying to keep herself busy.

"We haven't had a real Weyrleader in a long time, when Nuath went so did J'kal. That isn't what I worry about, we have plenty of Bronzes to fly a queen. What we don't have is a queen suited for my rank. For Daisyth's rank."

Her hands clenched and unclenched, and she spun on her heel, her ist finding refuge as it slammed into the stone wall, and she howled in pain. But the physical painwas bettre, it cleared her mind.

"We need to find out which dragons here heard, and how much they saw. I'll see if anything can be worked out with Talune, of all the Weyrs they are the most likely to listen to our cause and not take advantage or attack us while weak. Daisyth and I will go South as soon as we can... As soon as she is able. Perhaps even a short getaway for us is in order. If Daisyth isn't around to send off her distress in such strong waves we may be able to prevent a panic..." Her pacing resumed as she tenderly rubbed her hand where she'd connected to the wall.

[Desert]

There had been several others roused by Mosyth's shrieks: K'tal and his bronze Zhekalenearth, and the light-sleeping magmapair Diardi and Medeath. The bronze watched in alarmed confusion as first Mosyth dove angrily at Daisyth, who looked frozen in horror. He heard the gold's plaintive cry for her rider, and it was only K'tal's hand on his bronze shoulder that kept Zhek from leaving his ledge. The big bronze turned one eye, wheeling yellow and white, and gave his rider a look that begged him to explain what all this was about.

The bronzerider waited for everything to calm down before he made a move. Just calm down, Zhek. You've just been woken up in the middle of the night by an angry spring, with foreign dragons in the air, he told his dragon, unable to suppress a smirk. And by the looks of it, those strangers are from Black Sands. No good ever came from that lot. He ran a hand through his hair and sighed heavily. Once things settle down, we'll go see Llaina. He had spotted Mosyth's little body on the Weyrwoman's ledge and watched the Weyrlingmaster enter. This was not a situation he wanted to be involved in, but as a Wingleader, it was his duty.

Meanwhile, on her ledge, Medeath watched the chaos with an irritation that soon dissolved into a slightly smug understanding. She, too, had been woken by Vesaleth's cry, and was alert and listening closely through the ensuing mess. Diardi sat up from her bed, frowning blearily, and asked Dea what in Faranth's name was going on.

A few dragons from Black Sands have been here. Apparently, one of them tricked Daisyth into chewing firestone, if I heard correctly.[/color] Medeath's smugness intensified as she related that news. The magma held golds in low esteem, considering them more than useless since they could not flame unless they wished to be sterilized. Weak, pitiful creatures.

Diardi, however, was dismayed. "This isn't good, Dea. If Daisyth is sterile, she won't be Senior anymore. You'll be the only clutching queen we have, but that's not as much of a problem."

The magma queen eyes her rider scornfully over her shoulder. So? At least I can flame and clutch. We won't have a population crisis. And several of the other Weyrs are lacking one or both Leaders.[/font][/color] Look at Eden and New Cove! Besides, there had been few serious setbacks since Nuath broke with Rogue and died.

Diardi rolled her eyes at Medeath's unconcern. She seriously hoped that Llaina and whoever else were working through this crisis had the sense not to elevate Dea to Senior queen. Sure, she was their only clutching queen now, but neither magma nor rider were in any way suitable for that role. And Di knew herself and her dragon well enough to acknowledge that. Dea had no such doubts, but then again, Dea was a magma.

Medeath tossed her head and snorted at the tenor of Di's thoughts. You worry too much, m'love. Just go back to sleep. They'll figure something out soon enough.[/font][/color] She suited actions to words by resting her spiky head on scaled forelegs and let the inner nictitating lids close over her eyes.

Once the others in the Bowl who had been roused by the kerfuffle settled back down, K'tal hauled himself onto Zhek's neck and directed the huge bronze onto Daisyth's weyrledge. It was only a short glide, barely enough time for Zhek to hold his coppery wings outspread before cupping them to make a delicate landing on the Senior queen's ledge. He barely noticed the much smaller spring dragon; only enough to make sure he didn't run into her. The big bronze bobbed his head anxiously, eyes on Daisyth, while K'tal walked into the weyr itself.

The bronzerider bowed slightly to Nocia and Llaina. "Zhek and I were woken by all the racket," he said by way of explanation. "Though we still have no clue what the problem is. I saw the wildfire and misery above the Bowl just before they transferred between. If there's much I can do to help, let me know." He looked over at Daisyth and was not encouraged. The golden queen seemed to want to shrink into the stone of her couch, and though Zhek he could sense the turbulent emotions radiating from her.
[/font][/color][/size]

[Dragonmage]

Nocia sighed in defeat. What could they do? Forcing her voice as level as possible, she spoke.

"We can not elevate Medeath and Diardi to be the Senior Weyrwoman. With a Magma's temper, the idea is right out of the question. Despite the fact that we have no other clutching dragons, we must ask another Weyr for a transfer. I hate showing how badly we were affected but I can see no other options. You are right in saying that Talune Weyr would be the best option for asking for a queen."

Nocia faltered. Now that she had finished, she felt her uselessness almost as acutely as Llaina must. Without the gold's clutches, Mosyth would most likely either fall into a deep depression, at least while she remembered the fact that she would not be able to protect clutches for fear of Medeath's wrath, or start becoming even more obsessed with firelizard clutches in an attempt to keep from trying to help Medeath with her eggs. Mosyth would certainly be mauled at least and killed at worst should she try to assist the Magma. There hadn't been a clutch in a while and the Spring was getting as edgy as if she were still a hatchling with her hide itching as she grew.

[Lyrikitty]

As another pair arrived to investigate, Daisyth moaned and shivered. A Bronze, the dear sweet Zhek of all of them! Why him? ~I want to leave Mine, I want to go. I do not feel well, please...~[/color] Alarmed, Llaina went to the dragon, barely hearing what either of the riders said as she threw her arms over the Gold's neck and speaking softly, humming to her beloved. She'd wring the neck of the beast responsible for this herself, if ever the chance presented itself.

The Gold's next act sent Llaina tumbling back, as Daisyth swung her head to the side to toss the rider out of the way, and then tilted her head up as a trickle of flame leaked from her muzzle.

So much for keeping secrets. It was out, undeniable now. They had to get the Gold out of the Weyr and someplace where she could expell the gas quickly, or the weyr would be charred to a crisp. Llaina stared in horror for a moment, before turning to Nocia and K'tal. Quickly, we must get her out of here, do either of you know a place where none will see? Anywhere?"


((*starts stabbing Calliope viciously and screaming*))

[Desert]

ooc; you two go ahead and keep posting, i'm dropping out of this one. i've got a bit too much on my plate at the moment. it's still weird to me to show up and find so many threads open that i need to read. >_O;

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