World of Pern
Latest Updates

2023/08/04 Hello loves! While I haven't been writing, I have been working on updating some issues that have been hanging around on the layout! The Character change box is now at the bottom of the page, beside the up/down arrows! Green and Gold dragon flight dates have been shifted to the bottom of the page, where the (useless!) discord widget was located. Where the dragon flights were in the header, is now replaced by a Monthly Event box! This will be updated at the start of each month, with a fun mini-event you can take part in, if you want to! Thistle!
2023/01/07 Welcome to the New Year! We are now ELEVEN years old! Thank you, all of you, for your love and writing! I am looking forward to spending another year with youall! In addition, a new Default colour scheme is in progress and will hopefully be available soon! All my love! ThistleProse
2022/07/29 Gold Malvayth and Bronze Xyxyth clutch is Hatching! Come and join the shenannigans 743.08.03 | NIGHT STALKERS HATCHING and bring the popcorn!
2022/05/11 Gold Malvayth has Flown, caught by Bronze Xyxyth of A'tay. Their Hatching will be PC, and take place in Telgar in August around the 20-22nd! Update your Candidate Applications and prepare for some fun!
2022/04/21 New default layout! I hope you enjoy it! If you find any bugs, please report them in the discord #bug-squishing channel!
05/JUL It’s Hatching time!! Come take part in the shenanigans here
30/JUN Gold Thallyath of Ista Weyr has laid a clutch! More information here
27/JUN A bluerider, and then a greenrider, are found dead. More information here
25/JUN The Touching is up! Take part here
30/MAY After the Touching, many Candidates found themselves preyed upon in the form of their food. More information here
18/MAY Another goldrider - Ameris of Benden - is attacked. More information here
05/MAY Multiple individuals are attacked whilest out of the Weyr! More information here
04/MAY Take a chance OOC and guess who you think the murderer is! You can win prizes! More information here
03/MAY Goldrider Cazan and her twin brother Cazelarias are attacked. More information here
24/APR Goldrider Ashara of Fort is murdered by two brownriders. More information here
12/APR Searchrider B’jin was attacked at Telgar Weyr, surffering a slash to his throat. While in Benden, bluerider B’dor is found dead in his weyr. More info here
05/APRMore attacks occurred today. More information here
03/APRMultiple individuals found their death this day; more information here and here
28/MAR Tragedy has struck again! Across all the Weyrs, multiple people - primarily dragonriders - have fallen ill after eating muffins. There have been multiple deaths, and others are in criticle condition. More information here
24/MAR Weyrwoman Ameris and her son, Rislan, poisoned! More information here
18/MAR Benden’s Weyrleader M’ris and his children have been poisoned! Resulting in sickness and death. More information here
18/MAROn 18.03.742 Bronzerider A’dris of Vyaniorth was found dead in his personal bathing pool. He appears to have drowned after drinking an excess of alcohol. Afterwards it was realized that Machiya of Gold Cameth from Telgar Weyr had disappeared. Having never arrived at her destination, it is suspected she had an accident between.
11/MAR Gold Racoth of Donmaline went between taking Bronze Beruth of T’rel with her shortly after she had been caught, due to T’rel strangling Donmaline. He did not survive. more info
25/FEB Congratulations and thank-you to Guest for taking on a moderator role! <3
14/FEB Stars Above PC Hatching Link
06/JAN :o new layout is a WiP. Please report bugs in Discord.
01/JAN Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year!




Currently: Spring 03.745 al
Monthly Event
2024-February
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Welcome to the Month of Lovetm! This month's Monthly Event is all about Romance, whether it is asking someone out on a date, or getting sweaty between the sheets! Anything and everything counts, if it even looks sideways like it could be related to Valentine Day -- including lover's spats, or breaking up, Flights Wins (or Flight Losses!). Honestly, this month has a huge opportunity for interpertation, so go wild!



2023-December
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Ahh, the fresh snow, the crisp air, the naked trees... welcome to Winter! Or, just the Colder Months for those in the more Northern Weyrs, while Ista is just... not as hot. But it is time to enjoy the end of the Turn, so folks should get together, spend some time gossiping, and drinking Hot Chocolate (alcohol and marshmallows opional)... does Pern even have marshmallows????? (they do now!)



2023-November
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Feel like bitching? Wanna take part in a brawl? Or bet on someone? Take part in Brawls and Bitching this month! Boo-yeah!



2023-October
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Thistle flunked this month; You can still post until the end of November as a result <3
Experience, tell or hide from a Spooky Story!



2023-September
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The flu is running rampant, colds are clogging noses, and someone might have lost a limb?



2023-August
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Partake this month by going fishing... or anything that occurs while fishing, or dealing with fish!



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Visitations [D'ren]

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Written By: ZZZ Deceased
#1
The healer hall was quiet enough that goosebumps stood up on R'ana's arms as she listened.  No healer.  Shouldn't there have been healers?  Then again she had often been left alone for long periods while she was recovering from her own child's difficult birth and the still birth before that...Maybe they were all on break or something?

She debated, hovering uncertainly, then slipping into the the area they were keeping D'ren in.  She paused a moment in the door, touching Shanith's mind with her own to make sure the only thing the dragon was up to was looking for Ronarth.  It was and R'ana relaxed, then padded to the room he was convalescing in. 

She let herself in, touching her knuckles to the door.  "Sir?  I hope you're decent, 'cause I'm coming in."  She would pause then enter, quietly, carrying a bag that she would lay on the bed beside him.  "I'm sorry, I won't bother you for long, I know you must have all kinda visitors popping in."  And she didn't want to be seen by Tsuen...or S'kef. 

She stepped back after a moment, not sure how one went about visiting the ill thing.  She had come bearing gifts, nothing that he could eat, but a few pots of paint in black, white, brown, and each of the primary colors.  Brushes.  A sketchbook.  Charcoals.  An eraser.  A cup, ever so mishapen, that he could use for water for the paints.  A small piece of sandstone to sharpen the charcoals up with.  And a few books and records on various crafts, and one book she had grown up with about dragons and their riders.  "I...rumor has it you like to make art, so I gathered some extra supplies I found." 

She didn't want to tell him they were from her own stores, wasn't sure she wanted anyone knowing her artistic skills went beyond copying from a book.  The less people knew of her, the less there was to use against her. 

She felt a spike of excitement from Shanith, froze, then relaxed as she realized she had simply found Ronarth. 

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Written By: ZZZ Archived
#2
It was funny, really. D'ren had always been a personable man, and in the days before the plague he'd always had many friends. He didn't have quite so many after becoming Weyrleader, when many had become intimidated by his rank or disgusted by his politics, but he'd been relatively popular. He was a human and he had many flaws, just like everyone else, but he liked to think that most of the Weyr saw his efforts as sincere in their intentions.

Of course, for all his friends and popularity, he'd been primarily alone since the incident. Many of his friends had been kept away by the staff or perhaps stayed away for fear of what would befall them if they lingered too much, or even to spare themselves what they knew they would find. Tsuen had done a good job ensuring that casual visits were few and S'kef intercepted the politically-motivated ones as skillfully as one would expect.

It was all well and good, though. It gave D'ren time to think about what happened and come to terms with it quietly, rather than worrying about putting on a brave face for those who might otherwise have surrounded him. D'ren liked to be alone when he was facing a troubled time, but even the perfect quiet of his room and Ronarth's sweet, worried presence wasn't enough to clear the bronzerider's mind in the days and weeks following the attack. Most of the Weyr supported him, but that still left plenty who hated him. There were so many possibilities, so many fingers to point and people to point them at...But D'ren himself wasn't caught up in the fervor of trying to catch the guilty party. It didn't matter who it was; the fact that it had happened at all meant that he'd  failed.

It was a hard pill to swallow. He spent his first days of consciousness thinking about his own foolishness as a distraction from the physical pain, but in the end perhaps the mental pain was greater. The healers kept him drugged and forced him to slept much of his time asleep or delirious, but his waking hours were spent combing his mistakes. It only became worse when he was told that his injuries were permanent. He would be on fellis for the rest of his life, and excessive stress would put his insides at risk. Something about stomach ulceration and acid reflux.

He wasn't surprised when S'kef made a move to replace him. He'd been furious, but well...it wasn't surprising. What did surprise him was Tsuen's approval, at least until he realized that it meant she could try and keep him to herself from now on. She hated how he always worked, and she hated being challenged, even though she was a fool with no head for politics or leadership.

As time passed, the healers backed off and D'ren got his first visitors. His friends and colleagues still stayed away; he didn't seen  Jada, B'jin, N'gelt..what he did see were quiet supporters, people in the weyr who wanted to show small gestures of support. He'd met most of them at least once, and remembered most of their names, and they helped more than they knew. His room was filled with small gifts and his days had been dotted with short, casual, but uplifting conversations with those who brought them. After two months of being shut up, it was nice to know that the Weyr hadn't forgotten him.

Today was no different. He was woken from a light nap by a knock at his door.  A female voice called out and a woman entered, carrying a basket. He sat up just enough to get a good look at her, clutching his sheets close out of modesty. He would have hated for her to see the scars from his burning; that was still one of his better-kept secrets.

"Oh, good day," he said, recognizing the girl as R'ana. He'd met her several times, and while he didn't consider women fit to be real dragonriders, she was polite and good company so he'd never called any attention to that fact. Today, he was surprised by her insight.

"I used to, at least," he said, managing a smile. He was uncomfortable and overdue for some of his medicine, but he was still pretty good at keeping a smile on his face for others. "I haven't had much time over the past few turns, but I suppose I will now." He winked. The joke was honest enough, but there was a hidden grimness about it. "Thank you very much. Have a seat..."

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Written By: ZZZ Deceased
#3
She looked around, startled more by what she didn't see.  No sign that any of those she had heard D'ren called friend had shown up.  Not even the Weyr second.  Well she could understand him staying away, if he didn't want to face D'ren over S'kef becoming weyrleader. 

She was quietly unhappy about that.  On one hand, looking at it objectively, it wasn't the grand catastrophe she thought it could be but...Personally she disliked that man being in control.  Especially with noone to temper him towards a more moderate leadership style...

If you're going to fret over politics can you do it another time?  You're distracting me!

From What?  Shanith was silent and R'ana jerked her attention to D'ren who looked...like he was trying to hide pain.  She met his eyes a moment before her own skittered away.  Shanith, can you pester a healer into coming and checking on D'ren?  Any healer, and make yourself a pest until they come?

It was a little unfair siccing Shanith on a poor innocent healer, but D'ren hurting meant his dragon was hurting and though she barely knew the man, she worried.  It was why she was here and seeing him alive and recovering eased her spirits a bit.  She had liked D'ren, his thoughts of women riding fighting dragons aside. 

Happily!  Joy at being useful filtered into the link between dragon and rider, and R'ana spared a thought of sympathy for the poor soul that was about to come check on D'ren.  Even though they probably didn't know it yet.

She sat down and absetly reached to grip his hand momentarily.  Hugging the man didn't seem to be a good idea, even if she personally thought he needed it.  She spoke quietly.  "Hobbies keep a man sane.  And maybe you can draw some pictures of your kid?  They grow almsot as fast as dragons."  She heard the grimness, had no clue how to adress it.  "You know, I heard there was a sudden rise in the supply of headache meds recently."

As jokes went, it was a horrendous one.  She winced in apology, and added, "Might not be entirely a bad thing.  Seems you've been seeing alot of the worst in people, I was told the higher ups always did.  It's why I'm glad I impressed Shanith and not a gold.  She's a permanent upset to the nervous system, but at least I don't have to worry too much about politics."  She bit her lip, trying to offer comfort and knowing she sucked mightily at it. 

I'm so rusty I creak.  Sorry about that

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Written By: ZZZ Archived
#4
D'ren decided to ignore the comment on preferring a green to a gold. D'ren couldn't conceive why any woman would; a green was an invitation to the roughest life a dragonrider could know, and it just wasn't something he felt women needed to be subjected to. If R'ana was happy, well...that was her business he supposed, but the idea of seeing his own daughter on a green dragon one day made his stomach lurch. He managed a smile in spite of the troubling thought and shook his head.

"I haven't seen Tsereni lately," he said. He was sure Jada was taking excellent care of her, but he did sorely miss his little girl. What he didn't miss, however, was the idea of Jada and his daughter seeing him like this. Tsereni was probably too young to understand, but Jada was just far enough through the door that she would probably understand all too well. Jada knew what some of the people in the Weyr were capable of, and she also would understand the dangers of a true power void. The fact that S'kef of all people had jumped into said void was perhaps the most sickening thing of all. The bastard always had been an opportunist.

D'ren straightened his back out and tried to relax. "Have I missed anything interesting out there?" he inquired, sounding as lighthearted as possible though in reality he dreaded news. He dreaded it, but he needed to know. Tsuen was infuriatingly tight-lipped, though rumors whispered in the hallways be healers suggested that fingers were being pointed all over. How annoying. D'ren wasn't even sure he wanted to know at this point, but he knew that was just his emotional side bleeding over. Logically, they had to find out. The culprit needed to be unmasked and taught a lesson for everyone's safety...but D'ren wasn't sure if he had the guts to do what S'kef and Tsuen, and indeed the Weyr seemed to think was necessary.

Did someone really deserve to die over this? Over him?

He frowned a little and rubbed the nape of his neck with one hand, blushing a little as he risked exposing the burn marks on his arms. He hated them so much, and right now they were just insult to injury. He was already pathetically weak. "Any leads?"

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Written By: ZZZ Deceased
#5
She wondered why he hadn't seen his child recently, but didn't ask.  She knew Jada helped out with her care, and figured it was between D'ren and Jada.  Jada seemed well meaning, and from the glimpses R'ana had seen of her with Tsereni, like she truly cared. 

She thought, then reached for Shanith.  It was hard for the green to do this with anyone but her, at least on purpose but...

Shanith?  She felt the dragons attention focus on her and asked. Can you show D'ren images as I talk?  It might help him a bit to see some of this, especially the happier things.

She felt her dragon's enthusiastic acceptance, and felt her reach for D'ren.  Gently Shanith.  He won't thank us if you give him a headache.

She debated what and how much to tell him, then settled on all that she knew.  "I don't know much.  But I'll tell you what I do know.  I'm sorry, I stay away from politics unless it looks like it will hurt Shanith if I ignore it.  But...you know S'kef is full on weyr leader now?  It seems Tsuen supports him, for the present moment."  She cast around for a bright spot, after that. 

Shanith helped there, showing a flash of a gold dragon silhouetted against the moonlit sky to both people.  "Krypth rose again, she was caught by N'gelt's brown.  Jada seemed fine after, though I only saw her from a distance the next day."  She smiled.  "I heard that Krypth gorged less this time, so there might be a better sized clutch."  She wasn't sure if that was wishful thinking hazed by dragonlust. 

She paused in thought.  Shanith dug around in her memories a moment, and then flashed an image to D'ren, this time of Tsereni, R'ana, several other young children and a toddler with R'ana's dark hair and eyes all playing with a large ball.  The love and protectiveness she had felt during the moment was sent along with the memory, the green not quite able to filter it out.  R'ana blushed and changed the subject, grateful for his question. 

"I don't know much about the investigation.  I...I spend alot of time out of the weyr, the upset causes Shanith to act up more than usual and I don't want to draw anyone's attention really."  She leaned forward.  "Alot of talk, alot of running around.  I seem to remember a bunch of riders caught near or in your hut looking for clues.  I think S'kef is really trying to find the person who did this.  A person willing to kill a rider and their dragon is someone we don't want running around the weyr, especially when you and Ronarth did nothing to deserve it."  She bit her lip.  "If you like, I can talk to people, they are afraid to come see you, and since so few have seen you, there's a bit of doubt you really are alive.  Some of them might know more."

Absently, wishing she could help more, she reached for his hand and squeezed it, the beads pressing into his hand and R'ana wracking her mind for something useful to say. 

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Written By: ZZZ Archived
#6
D'ren was mildly surprised when the images started to appear in his head. He didn't particularly mind, but the touch was alien and it was a bit much to take in with his current state taken into account. He didn't protest, but he was also not the only one in his head.

Ronarth, who'd been dozing lightly the entire time and trying his best to stay out of the way, suddenly roused. The playful bronze was generally good natured and loved the sweet nature of many of the Weyr's greens, but he'd kept to himself this time out of fear of his rider's condition. D'ren had been sedated for longer than necessary during this whole ordeal simply to keep the dragon calm. His rider's pain drove him half-mad, and he was not a particularly even-tempered beat without D'ren to keep a firm hand on him. The dragon had tried to doze off to get away from that nagging pain, but being woken, and in such an intrusive way, was upsetting.

]What are you doing?! Stop that! the dragon demanded, rising to his feet and letting out a deep, sorrowful hiss. Of course, Ronarth's outburst was as painful as anything else to D're,, who suddenly groaned and rubbed his forehead. Ronarth! Be polite!

But you're MY rider...she can't just do that!

D'ren set his jaw. For Faranth's sake, Ronarth! Stop it! Settle down or you'll-

His stomach lurched and he turned his head away from R'ana, suddenly concerned that he might vomit on her. Distressed, Ronarth curled into the smallest ball he could manage, which wasn't very small, and buried his head under one wing. The dragon's wingtips quivered and his body heaved as he received the scolding. This sort of dialogue had passed between the pair countless times during their lives together, but this was different. Ronarth's antics had never hurt D'ren before. Was he really so fragile now?

Ronarth's biggest fear was hurting him again.

Inside, D'ren sighed. He'd managed to pick up most of the news, and he really would prefer to keep the conversation going than explain the little outburst in the middle. "I see," he said, wiping his forehead and sighing. "N'gelt caught Krypth, huh? Would have been nice, if N'gelt had held his post." There was some serious disappointment in he bronzerider's voice. N'gelt had pretty much abandoned him, and while he didn't harbor a grudge towards the man, he certainly wouldn't be trusting him with anything else anytime soon.


At least it wasn't S'kef. He was a disappointment, too, and when R'ana commented on his supposedly dogged pursuit of justice, D'ren was visibly torn. He wanted very badly to believe that was true. "I think S'kef is really trying to find the person who did this" he repeated to himself, the corners of his mouth falling into a frown.

"What's the word on that, then? Have you heard if there are any...suspects?" The word was heavy on his tongue. He still wasn't sure if he even wanted to know.

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Written By: ZZZ Deceased
#7
Shanith's shriek was a sound that R'ana prayed was mental rather than physical, the dragon backpedaling mentally and physically so fast that she tripped over her tail. 

I'm sorry he's hurting and it's hurting R'ana to see it and be able to do nothing and we wanted to help and make him happy and I'm sorry, Ronarth, I'm sorry I won't do it again, I promise, please please don't be mad.

On her back she thrashed a moment, until R'ana forced a projection of reassurances to her dragon, going for forceful strength rather than subtlty.  R'ana stood by the closest window, half in, half out of it when her dragon stopped thrashing, and simply trembled.  She got her to come to her and stroked the elbow that was the only part of dragon she could reach. 

It took moments for Shanith to calm, and R'ana took a breath once she did, resting her head agaisnt the wall.  Her composure shattered, the fear of everything going on that she was trying to hide evident until R'ana slammed the pieces of her composure back together. 

It would have been better had anyone but her paid this visit.  She faced the knowledge head on and shook herself.  Stupid stupid stupid... 

Shanith broke in, calmer now, and letting out a croon to her rider.  R'ana whispered, "I'm okay.  Why don't you pick a good spot for us to camp tonight, away from the weyr.  I'll let you know when I'm done here, baby girl."

Shanith pulled away and gave a soft croon.  The healer you asked me to find?

"I'll look if he gets any worse.  I'm sure the commotion will bring someone along.  Go on!  Make sure there are no felines around!"  Shanith stepped away, gave one last apology and flew off, hopping between. 

She came back to Dren quietly, sitting and looking for her beads then pulling another set from her pocket.  She spoke quietly.  "Maybe he didn't think he could handle it?"  She offered the words quietly. 

She was trembling lightly but did not want to talk about it, she could see she had caused more harm than good.  and if she lingered on that Shanith could come back.  Really what had she been thinking?  "Noone that hasn't been cleared that I know of, but I've been away from the weyr mostly.  Cowardice I know, but...It helps keep Shanith calm not to be around stressed dragons."

She took a breath, cast around for a bit of conversation and offered up, "Do you know how many ceiling tiles there are yet?  I never did get an count that was the same each time I counted."  She heard some noise then and looked to the door hoping it was a healer. 

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#8
Ronarth rose from the ground, fanning his wings out and locking his anxious orange eyes on the frightened green. The bronze wasn't sure what frustrated him more, the invasion of his bonded's mind or the fact that he'd actually upset Shanith this much with his overzealous response. Roanrth hadn't meant to upset the pretty green! He was just trying to protect D'ren, who was so weak and fragile since the horrible incident. Ronarth hated the confusion and uncertainty and loomed over them since that horrible night. He hated worrying that his bonded might slip away from him at any moment. He hated that  there was nothing he could do. But this was something he could do, right? Right?

He creeled and slunk over to her, bumping at her with his snout. Please don't go! he implored. D'ren is so sick. He scares me when he holds his breath or goes to sleep. I'm afraid he's going to leave me! That's why. That's the only reason! I promise!

D'ren felt Ronarth's fear like a knife. He clutched his stomach and closed his eyes, quietly pleading with the dragon to be calm. Ronarth felt the soothing and firm voice in his mind, beckoning him to be still and quiet for both their sakes, and for their guests. Ronarth creeled again and settled into the grass, resting his head on top of his crossed paws and sighing. Don't leave me. Don't leave me! Please?

"I'm never going to leave you, Ronarth," D'ren reassured the dragon, not realizing at first that he'd spoken out loud. He sighed in surprise and then let out a mild laugh. "I...I apologize. It's been a trying few sevendays for us," he said, nodding apologetically to R'ana. "I hope he didn't upset her too much."

He shook his head slowly and started to speak, but he caught his words when the door opened and a healer entered. "Hello there," he said, recognizing the healer as one of his regular caregivers. There were so many of them, and they all had such varying ideas of how best to treat his condition. It was a pain, but at least he knew his life meant something to them. He smiled to R'ana, suspecting that she had summoned this healer to come at this unscheduled hour. They rarely showed up at unappointed times!

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Written By: ZZZ Deceased
#9
Shanith nosed Ronarth gently, mute understanding passing from her to the male dragon.  I'll come back and stay with you until you want me to go away.

We won't be allowed to spend the night here.

You don't have to.  I will if it helps.  Ronarth's my friend.

You call everyone friend.

R'ana felt her pop between, wondering what the heck her dragon was up to this time.  She didn't have long to wonder, D'ren interrupting her thought train.

She spoke quietly.  "I am sorry too.  I should have asked."  She looked down and away.  "Leaping before looking is more Shanith's style, not mine.  I don't know why I..."  She did know though.  She was spending too much time in Shanith's head and not enough time in her own. 

She added, "And don't worry about it.  She'll forget it by the time the sun sets.  For Shanith...things aren't good or bad.  They are either the worst thing to ever happen, or the best.  I'm usually better at buffering her a bit, enough so that she doesn't react like that to a simple reprimand." 

She saw the healer come in with relief.  Teh woman glared at her a moment, a glare that was matched.  Evidently Shanith had pestered her a lot.  She wasn't in the mood to be sympathetic.  The silent battle of wills was broken by R'ana being distracted when Shanith came back, her most battered ball in her jaws.  She nudged it through the open window.  It thunked as it hit the floor and rolled a bit. 

R'ana fetched it, confusion showing on her features.  The green padded to Ronarth, crooning to him and settling to lay down in the sun.  R'ana turned the ball in her hands over and over, trying to work out what the hell her dragon wanted. 

"You do realize Ronarth's a bronze right?"  Her dragon just kept pestering at her until she gave in, talking aloud.  "You get to explain to him why I'm making him a toy at a time like this, then."  She spoke with no real heat, shaking her head at her own folly in doing this.

She dug in her pocket for her sewing kit.  She kept it for emergency touchups of her leathers, or other people's.  She looked around, seeing a pile of dirty laundry.  An offer to pick up a chore of her choosing next time she had one she didn't like to the healer in exchange for one of dirty sheets was enough to net her one, the healer confused by the request.  R'ana pawed through the pile a moment and pulled out one of D'ren's used sheets.  She began to tear it into strips when she sat down. 

"When I was getting ready to have 'Rani, I remembered how frantic Shanith was, and how she attempted to tear the building down to get to me.  It's stupid, but I made her something with some of my old clothes, and the object helped her a bit, reminded her I was always close even if she couldn't feel me..."  She trailed off.  She had gotten the idea from Terken, who had used something similar with puppies he was weaning.

"I'm stepping out of line here, but why aren't you closer to a window?  Maybe if Ronarth could see you, he'd settle a bit, because he'd know you're still there even when you're asleep.  I know gawkers are a bad thing, but wouldn't he make sure noone looks into the window if you ask him?"  And it would give him something ongoing and useful to do.

Give her something useful to do and she's happy.  Shanith's words were soft, meant for Ronarth only, but R'ana growled, "I heard that, Shanith."

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Written By: ZZZ Archived
#10
D'ren watched with curiosity as R'ana picked the object up from the floor and began making her preparations to work on it. It looks like you're getting a new toy he said with some amusement to Ronarth, whose mood seemed brightened by the news. I haven't had a toy in a long time Ronarth said, mellow and somewhat embarrassed after his outburst. More than anything, he was tired. The aging bronze dragon, once filled with limitless energy and unrestrained positivity, had become somewhat subdued since this business began.

D'ren made a silent effort to comfort him and looked back to R'ana. "That sounds like Ronarth. His feelings get hurt pretty easily," he muttered, shaking his head a bit. Ronarth really was like a hatching sometimes, but he had provided endless hour of comfort over the turns.  D'ren would already be gray and perhaps dead without that sweet dragon to lighten his load here and there.

He lifted a brow at her next question. "The window? It has more to do with privacy than anything," he said patiently. "And the bright light bothers me, so it's just as well. Ronarth spends much of his time asleep since the incident." Ronarth had really hurt himself trying to take the building down. It was days before the poor dragon got any proper care, and ever since then he'd been lacking in energy. D'ren worried for him, but he imagined the lethargy had more to do with his own condition than with the since-healed wounds.

D'ren soon directed his attention to the healer instead. He quietly requested some pain medicine and watched as the woman bustled off to fetch them. D'ren sighed. "I suppose you called her?" he asked once the woman was gone. "I appreciate it. Tsuen has frightened many of them out of giving me anything extra for my throat and stomach...She's convinced that they're trying to kill me with 'too much medicine'." He tried to keep his tone even and pleasant, but his skepticism showed through.

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Written By: ZZZ Deceased
#11
As she listened, she worked, quickly stitching up the worst of the tears in the leather.  She began tacking strips of sheet to the leather, winding them around the ball quickly, tacking each new one down when she ran out of cloth to work with on the old one. 

She thought as she worked.  The Ronarth she remembered was as full of energy as Grith.  Now he slept often.  She hoped as D'ren got better, he would too.  She had been out of the weyr for the first few days after, hearing how long the dragon had gone untended had made her see red. 

She calmed before Shanith could pick up on her frustration over all of it, D'ren should be taken care of, checked.  He deserved better than this.  She spoke quietly.

"Asked Shanith to.  She's very good at making a pest of herself when needed, and most of the healers learned that if they hear her ask for something she will keep asking until she gets it."

Shanith spoke to Ronarth, creeping closer and laying her head on the ground.  Tail flicked, her eyes returning to green, shot through with flashes of lavender and yellow.  She finally nuzzled him, trying to offer comfort. 

Her next words slipped out, the woman not thinking them over before she spoke, R'ana picking up on the skepticism, perhaps.  "With a friend like that, who needs enemies?"  R'ana blanched after she spoke, saying, "My apologies.  I know you don't like to hear ill spoken of the Weyrwoman."  She worked a bit more, finishing tacking down the last of the strips to the ball.  She tugged at them, trying to rip them off and went about reinforcing the work.

It gave her time to gather her thoughts.  "How can I help.  I know I'm just a green rider and a woman at that, but there's got to be something, anything, I can do.  Right?"  Please?  She didn't speak the last word,and Shanith raised her head, tilted it then laid it back down, crooning softly though whether to her or Ronarth, R'ana couldn't say. 

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Written By: ZZZ Archived
#12
D'ren was getting used to hearing bad things about Tsuen. He frowned slightly, eyes down-turned and expression hardening almost invisibly, and sighed. "You needn't apologize. I'm hearing a lot of that these days," he remarked, though that was where his comment ended. How could he talk to someone he barely knew about his feelings concerning Tsuen? They'd been through a lot together. They shared the hard decisions and the painful guilt, they shared the same fears and the same hopes...at least that was how it had once been.

Times change, and so do people.

She wasn't the same anymore. He didn't need to tell anyone that himself. No one needed to be told that. She even looked different these days, and all of her old stoicism and enduring spirit seemed to have corroded away, leaving only the crumbling mortar behind. D'ren wasn't sure when it had happened. It happened while he wasn't looking, worrying as he did about the Weyr and it's people.  It happened when his back was turned, because he didn't have the presence of mind to turn around and check on her. Would she have done the same if he was the one going crazy? Would she be all right if he'd been more attentive? Would she have wanted him to worry about his job more than her own health, were she stable enough to comment?

All he knew was that someone needed to pity her and mourn her, even if no one believed in her anymore. He sure didn't, but he would mourn her just the same.

"Tsuen isn't important right now, though." That was all.  He had nothing else to say on the matter.

He paused and rubbed his temples for a moment, trying to think of a response to her question as he emerged from the confused haze left by the previous topic. "I...well, thank you," he said, pleasant but concerned. "I'm not really sure what to tell you, R'ana. I'm not the Weyrleader anymore." There wasn't any bitterness in his tone, but there was marked wariness and mistrust. The intensity lingering in his eyes was unmistakable. He believed with all his heart that he'd been intentionally removed and that he was supposed to be dead. By asking to help, this girl was putting herself in a dangerous position.

"I am worried for Tsuen. I expect whoever did this to me will target her eventually," he muttered. Or use her. But who knew? He still wasn;'t even sure who to blame. There were too many people in the Weyr that he didn't trust.

He sighed again, defeated. "I just don't know. I want to see this resolved, but I am...I am very uncomfortable with S'kef being in charge. I don't know what's really going on out there."

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Written By: ZZZ Deceased
#13
She nearly softened her words when his face hardened, tensing a bit and realizing her dragon was crooning to her.  I'm fine.

Liar.  Shanith's words held no censure, just quiet humor and R'ana looked down to hide the inappropriate smile. 

She did listen, flinching.  He had to be kidding.  She nearly told him not to worry about Tsuen, then stopped. 

The only gold rider on Pern.  For nearly ten years.  She stilled, her eyes locked forward.  Ten years of being the hope of the weyr, of all Pern, really, with your dragon not rising to mate.  Of whispers, rebellion and outright attempts on your life.  Of fear and distrust.  And when Nirinath does rise, a gold to replace her.  One that rises often, with a young rider.  Tsuen had to be feeling...in a way used and so very betrayed.  Even the best of women would have snapped under the pressure.

And Tsuen could only depend on D'ren.  Out of everyone, only a few had tried to shield her and help her.  She bit her lip, unhappy with her thoughts.  Shards, the weyr owed her better than this.

She looked to D'ren, her eyes thoughtful, the look showing she didn't like the conclusions she had reached.  She spoke quietly, eyes looking around, trying to make sure she wasn't overheard.  "I hate politics.  You know that?  S'kef or M'bal, that's the choice right now."  She leaned forward.  "I fear those in power.  It twists people, even the good ones.  But...I can try and help Tsuen."

She looked up, then at him.  "I know someone, he works with canines.  One of them had a litter with a few very small puppies.  He can probably train one of them to detect poisons and redfruit, and give the pup to Tsuen.  He said he was going to settle a few of the pups in places where they will be viewed as more than tools anyhow."  Terken was going to yell when he heard he was volunteered for this.  Oh well.  "And I can try and befriend her, though I don't know if it will work.  But she is owed more than this." 

She wanted to shake him for making her realize that.  She was happier seeing Tsuen as a symbol to fear, because if she was human, then so was everyone else at the top.  Faranth help her.

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Written By: ZZZ Archived
#14
He sighed slowly and shifted a cautious gaze to her. "Tsuen doesn't want friends," he said, not to deter her but to warn her. "I don't know. She's paranoid, R'ana. She's convinced that everyone who approaches her means her harm, unless that person is me or E'lore." He frowned just slightly. "I don't want to tell you that it's impossible, but I would be careful. She's suspect you're trying to get close to her to use her," he said.

He wanted to feel bad for Tsuen on this count as well, but it was hard to. Tsuen's paranoia had caused misery for so many...she'd ruined lives of northerners and riders alike with her galling desire to stay in the south no matter what. D'ren lost patience for it long ago, but he said nothing about it to R'ana. She was a civilian as far as he was concerned, and if she wanted to continue to support the much-hated goldrider, let her. D'ren was glad to see that someone did, even if Tsuen didn't deserve anything she was given. She was, after all, a human.

"S'kef and M'bal," D'ren muttered, his distaste obvious. "Neither of them are to be trusted, you hear me?" His 'Weyrleader' voice, always brimming with disapproval and worry, didn't get much use these days. He could still hardly believe he'd been ousted, though it was pretty obvious that the decision was a right one. He'd been told that he could no longer risk stressing himself out or overexerting himself. Not only was his career as the Weyrleader over, but as a dragonrider as well!

"You're wise to stay away from politics," he said at length. "I always did when I was younger, but sometimes these things have a way of sweeping us up..."


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Written By: ZZZ Deceased
#15
R'ana would think about it.  Shanith's presence, strong in her mind reminded her there were consequences for her actions, and Tsuen was free with a whip.  When she hurt so did Shanith.  But she would try.  "I'll try.  Carefully."  She shrugged a bit.  "Besides, what the hell would I use the weyrwoman for?  I have Shanith and her happiness is all I want or need." 

There was a simplicity to flying a green that suited her.  Faranth be thanked she hadn't impressed Gold!  Shanith was a dear, sweet and simple creature.  Keeping her happy, her daughter safe...that was all R'ana wanted.  She ignored the lie in her thoughts, she wouldn't let herself want more than her duaghter and Shanith.  Ever again. 

She looked to D'ren.  "I don't."  Greenriders were pawns, expendable to the higherups.  She wouldn't let her dragon be sacrificed.  "You at least saw green riders as people and dragons."  Her words were quiet.  She shook her head, returning a lighter tone to her voice, forcing her words to lighten the mood. 

"So what's the first thing you're going to do when you get out of here?  What are you looking forward to the most?"  She was trying to lighten his mood, not sure if she would succeed.

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Written By: ZZZ Archived
#16
"You may not think you have a use for her," D'ren said softly, "but not everyone lives as simply or thinks so kindly. There are plenty of greenriders - or anyone - who would use her in a heartbeat if they felt like they could," the bronzerider sighed sadly. "...And just as many people who would blame anyone who got close enough to her to even try. There's a lot of paranoia, R'ana...A lot of it. A lot of finger-pointing and mistrust, and it's not right." He spoke with the faintest hint of disgust, but he was far too tired to make a speech out of it.

He smiled a little at the comment she spoke under her breath. He wasn't sure if he was supposed to hear it, but he had. "...That's because you are people. I'm not sure how it is that people forget about that..." he mumbled. "Any one of us could have been on any color dragon, you know? The dragons choose, not us." The whole thing was silly. Of course, D'ren was highly paternal and tended to view that things belonged in their places, but that was no excuse for cruelty. His duty to a greenrider was to protect him...or her.

He smiled once more at the change of subject. "Holding  Ronarth again," he said without hesitation. "But Tsereni is a close second...Shards, I feel like I've taken so many simple things for granted. I imagine I'll spend the first few days giving them the proper attention they deserve," he commented. It would be nice to take a walk or sip a cup of klah and people-watch...or maybe do some drawing. That would be nice.

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Written By: ZZZ Deceased
#17
She reached for Shanith as he spoke, feeling a bit sad for Tsuen.  It must be horrible to be so paranoid and unable to live.  She leaned back as she thought, the chair shifting under her weight for a moment. 

She looked down and thought.  The fear was so thick sometimes she could taste it.  The whole weyr was beginning to feel like a drum with the skin stretched far to tight.  One wrong stroke and the whole thing would shatter.  It petrified her because she wanted to fix it and knew she couldn't. 

R'ana knew her place by now.  She might hate it, might disregard it when pushed hard enough, but for the most part she knew it, chapter and verse.  A female greenrider, and a crappy one at that could only do so much.  It might grate her, and it did grate her, but she accepted it the same way she accpeted that she would sleep with whoever nabbed her dragon from the skies next time she flew.  With grim resignation, occasional grumbles and quietness.

She listened to D'ren's words and blinked.  Ronarth.  In a way he symbolized all that had gone wrong.  Everyone who had tried to tend the bronze had been driven off and now it seemed noone tried, though she did note that someone had at least tended his wounds.  "Has he eaten lately?  Ronarth, I mean?"  She spoke quietly.

Shanith curled up close to the great bronze and rolled to scratch an itch on her back.  Looks like he'll have another friend when he gets out of that place.  That's good right?  The green was quieter now, asking permission for R'ana to befriend D'ren.  She wriggled until the itch faded then settled to lie down neatly again.  She tends to adopt strays.  It's why I picked her!

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Written By: ZZZ Archived
#18
D'ren wrinkled his nose. "Ronarth is fine.  He hasn't eaten much, though.  A green brought him a fresh herdbeast the other day, and that's the only full meal he's had," he muttered. A single herdbeast wasn't much for a big, hungry bronze dragon. Ronarth still stood as Pern's largest dragon. His appetite had been weak lately, though. D'ren hated it. He wished there was a way to make his poor beast feel better, but getting Ronarth to eat when he was upset had always been difficult.

"He will be fine," he said at length, doubt heavy in his voice. He frowned thoughtfully and shrugged. "...Ronarth can be fussy and overly-delicate when he's upset, but I'm feeling better myself. If nothing else...I can make him eat."  D'ren was well-known for the control he wielded over Ronarth, a fact that made that night's horrors all the more memorable. It was the night D'ren's hold on Ronarth slipped completely, demonstrating just how serious the situation had been.

"You're lucky in that regard, too," he said with mild humor. "Shanith doesn't eat nearly as much, I imagine...Ronarth is awfully high maintenance." It was a mild joke, one that he shielded from his delicate and extremely high-maintenance dragon. "I wish he would let some other humans get close to him, though. He needs to be oiled. I know his hide is bothering him, but he's not exactly admitting to it when I speak to him."

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Written By: ZZZ Deceased
#19
She heard the doubt and nodded softly.  R'ana listened and at his last words asked, "Is it Ronarth deciding, or someone else?" 

She could have slapped herself for that!  For a moment she nearly did, and looked down.  "Some tried to help early on.  When all this began.  It's why it took so long to get his wounds treated.  Nirinath chased them away, tried to tell him they wanted to hurt him."

She paused then and offered, "Tomorrow, Shanith will hunt.  If you like, she can haul a herdbeast or two to him...and after he eats, I can try to help with his hide.  I have something I used on Shanith to spot clean her hide without soap and water, and should be able to clean and oil the worst spots.  I would try now, but want you awake to reassure him.  You both deserve better." 

R'ana looked at him then, wanting to do it now, but knowing he was probably running low on the strength to stay awake.  Ronarth would react best to this with his rider reassuring him through this.  Shanith had let other touch her to care for her reluctantly and even then, it had been a damn few.

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Written By: ZZZ Archived
#20
D'ren was naturally disinclined to accept such offers, but as he opened his mouth to assure her that such efforts were unnecessary, he became aware of the pangs of hunger and discomfort that Ronarth was trying and failing to hide from him. Poor Ronarth had never been skilled at looking after himself, and D'ren knew without asking that the dragon felt lost right now. After taking a moment to silently nurse his pride, the bronzerider finally spoke.

"I would appreciate that very much," he said softly, feeling oddly humbled by making such a request, of not only a greenrider but also a woman. Ronarth stirred somewhere in the back of his mind, listening anxiously and fussing over the possibilities. He was hungry and he was in pain, and D'ren was ignoring his own discomforts to try and fix it. Ronarth's mind lightly touched that of his rider and a silent thank-you passed between them.

D'ren felt no need to elaborate on the matter.  He just smiled pleasantly at R'ana and sank back into his bed, exhausted after the long but pleasant talk. "I think I need to get some sleep," he said regrettably. He'd enjoyed the company and honestly wished for more, but his strength would only last for so long. "Thank you very much for coming to see me," he said. "It's nice to know that someone out there understands." He offered her one more lazy wink before yawning and sinking deeper into his covers. Shards, he felt so old...

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Written By: ZZZ Deceased
#21
R'ana nodded and felt Shanith relax a bit on the ground.  The green rustled her wings, then settled into place.  She nearly asked him if he wanted to get Ronarth something to eat now but when he said he needed to go to sleep she nodded. 

She would gather her beads and pocket them again, make sure that D'ren had a glass of water handy.  "No problem.  I'll come back tomorrow to see about Ronarth and pester you after a bit if you like."  It was said with a smile and R'ana picked up Ronarth's ball. 

Seh padded out of Healing Hall and to her dragon, stopping to lay the ball by one of Ronarth's paws and settling to relax on the ground with a book for however long her green felt Ronarth needed company.  Shanith wasn't going to move without the great bronze asking her to, so R'ana would stay with her. 

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#22
Sorry to interrupt!

I need a specific day so that the thread can be added to the Time Line.

If you could add one, that would be great.

Thank you!

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