A Rescue in the Wilds

Xanadu Weyr – Clearing

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A wide clearing stretches from east to west, the ground packed hard although grass grows across most of it. Trees are strictly forbidden in this space, their danger to the constant draconic traffic reason enough to banish them to the forest that creates a this and sharp border to the north. Where the ground is less trampled, tiny flowers poke their delicate heads out from their shaded hiding places with upturned petals to wave to whoever may be looking.

The cliff looms imposingly on three sides, stretching upwards all the way up the side of the mountain where, high above, Xanadu's Star Stones and the ever present watchdragon sit on a lonely peak. Directly south is a massive tunnel, fully wide enough for even the largest dragon to fly down. Southeast are wide steps leading up to the Caverns and eastwards is the large entrance to the Infirmary. Somewhat north of the Infirmary is a human sized archway that has a frequent quantity of traffic — it leads to the Tavern. Southwest lies the low ledges currently belonging to Xanadu's queens while north and west a broad path cut by the side of the cliff leads to the Feeding Grounds and due north is the spacious trail that leads to the rest of the Weyr.


The sun's well up but it's still morning when the little group of people going in search of one missing person gather in the clearing. D'son's got his serious face on while he checks Inimeth's straps. "All set?" he calls over to D'had, who's the actual leader of the mission, but Dels volunteered as a former S&R rider.

Vivian is here with her clipboard or something, marking things off as she takes note of everyone who is here. "Do you all know which area you're going to be covering from?" She checks in to make sure people know which route Keziah was supposed to be on before she went missing.

Having earned himself a day off, one wouldn't expect to see Rogawani among those going along on the expedition, but there he is none the less. Rope coiled over his belt, and carry bag full of ever-prepared supplies. He tightens the bag's strap once, checking his belt knife before falling into place among riders and higher ranked members of the weyr. "I'll go wherever you need me at." He glances towards Vivian with a shrug, hand resting on his belt.

D'had nods, "Should be good to go," he replies to D'son, giving one last check of a buckle on Siebith's straps. "And yes sweetcakes," he continues towards Vivian as she goes on checking and doublechecking that list. "We've got it under control. Though," he adds, with a wink and a pat of the young woman's shoulder, "Could stand to toss that list every once in awhile."

Thea is on her way out of the Caverns, flight jacket tossed over one slim shoulder, a large wineskin filled with water over the other. It's quite heavy from the way she is walking, but she manages not to grimace and groan about it. She approaches the group, overhears Vivian's question and stops near her with a tinge of uncertainty in her face. "Not…really?" Not accustomed to Search and Rescue apparently, her eyes flicker towards the Weyrleader and she explains her presence here, "Was booted out of the office to help." She doesn't say by whom.

Grinning D'had's way, D'son picks up a last piece of equipment and tucks it into the pack on Inimeth's straps. "Good, get set to tell —" he breaks off and shoots a look over at Vivian. "Yeah, all clear here, Viv," he tells her. "You riding with me?" Thea's voice interrupts as well and Dels turns, salutes the goldrider. "Check with Vivian about any open spaces, D'had, low level for Seryth, you think?"

Vivian nods her head towards Rogwani when he speaks up. "Find someone to ride with." She instructs him in tones very much reminiscent of her mother. D'had on the hand earns himself the full sugary sweet smile. "Get your hand off me cupcake, or the next time I toss this list it'll be up your left nostril." You can fairly hear the acid dripping from her every word as she twists away to confront Thea. "Are you fit to be out?" Her acidic tones not quite gone by the time she's speaking so it comes out a lot harsher than she was meaning. "If so, get airborne and take Mr full of himself cupcakes instructions for your place in formation." Her head nods in D'had's direction before she stalks over to D'son. "If you don't mind me tagging along?" Her tone very much back to normal as the weyrleader gets a more genuine smile from the girl.

Someone to ride with? Well, Rogawani's eyes sweep the riders, looking from dragon to dragon before settling back on Vivian. "Right." He mutters, and then his eyes move upwards slightly, spotting Thea's arrival on the scene. Ahah. Edging around the Weyrwoman's daughter, he makes his way towards her with his best attempt at a relaxed gait. "Hey Thea?" He asks, keeping his voice down a bit. "Mind if I tag along with you and Seryth? I'd rather ride with her than…" His eyes shoot to D'had, but he doesn't continue the thought. "Well, she seems to know how to make me not lose my lunch." Sticking with this explination, the boy glances back towards the others, watching and listening curiously.

D'had chuckles, lifting the hand from Vivian's shoulder to hold it up in self defence. "Didn't mean nothing," which may or may not be complete truth. "Just like her mother," he comments to no one in particular with a grin and a slight shake of his head. "Yeah," he returns to D'son, "Low'd be good."

Thea nods once to D'son, then her attention returns to Vivian. The expression in Thea's eyes is unreadable and she answers the question mildly, "I am." Her eyes flicker over D'had's way and there's the merest glimmer of laughter in them and a nod to him as well. She turns to Seryth, grabs the flight straps to pull herself up when Rogawani speaks. "Oh, hey there, sure thing." She smiles warmly at him, scrambles up onto Seryth, then leans over to call down, "You're clear, come on up, Ro."

That tone on Vivian lifts D'son's brows right up and he clears his throat, says her name just once, quietly: "Viv. That'll do." When she approaches, that smile earns a brief look of askance, but he offers her a hand up onto Inimeth's broad back. A nod D'had's way again once Vivian is settled. "Should about take care of it. When you're ready, wingleader, give us the signal."

Vivian nods to D'son. "He doesn't get to call me things like that or touch me without my permission." She explains quietly, "Next time he does, that list will go up his nose and when he sneezes he can schedule an appointment with my mother." She doesn't quite growl at D'son though the idea of a caged feline is certainly lurking in her manner as she climbs up behind D'son in Inimeth. "Okay all set." As she straps herself in, ready.

A small smile finds it's way onto Rogawani's face, as he nods his head towards the Weyrwoman, shooting another furtive glance at the others before following her path towards Seryth. Making his way up the riding straps, the boy peeks up at Thea before asking. "Do you know if she disappeared on foot, or with a runner? Wonder why a stable-worker would be out that far anyways." He mumbles the last part to himself as he pulls himself into the riding straps, fastening them himself now that he's gotten used to the process.

D'had swings up into place on Siebith's back and once he's situated its not long before the signal is given and the blue launches. Everyone should have their directions already and so the search is on.

Thea passes Rogawani the straps after buckling herself in, shaking her head in response to his question, "I know less than you, Ro. All I was told was, 'Go help D'son and D'had and take along plenty of water.' So here I am." She takes a moment to secure that large skin of water, tying it tightly to Seryth's harness, then tilts her head to keep D'had in sight, her green eyes still silently amused. "Where are we going anyway and who are we searching for?" Quietly asked of her passenger rather than the group at large.

"Not D'had, Viv. Thea. No call for being rude," he murmurs. "One thing to fend a guy off, another to be insulting to a goldrider," he continues as he settles in place atop Inimeth and gets all the safety straps taken care of. He waits for D'had's signal and then the big bronze launches along with the others in the group he's assigned to, ready to head for the location indicated.

Vivian oohs, "That, no sorry, she was just right there after I'd growled at D'had. It may have been harsher than it was meant but it was still a valid question." She explains as she gets herself comfy, her jacket getting fastened up before she slips her arms around D'son for that extra safety and of course comfort in flight.

"Keziah's missing." Rogawani explains, shrugging his shoulders as he double checks the riding straps, leaning down to give an affectionate pat to Seryth's side. "Or lost at least." He includes at least as much as he's managed to hear about the situation. "My Da's been running double shifts to make up for it." He sighs to himself, probably getting the sour end of that situation. As for the location of the search, all he can do is shoot a look towards D'had and his blue. "Your guess is as good as mine, though. Somewhere off the beaten track, I'd guess. Maybe see if Seryth can bespeak Siebith or Inimeth?" It's the best suggestion he can offer, tightening his bag once more in preperation of the coming flight.

Thea nods to Rogawani, "Good to know. She is." That last meaning Seryth bespeaking the others. Her head turns briefly towards the Weyrleader for a moment, her glance flickering over Vivian with a hint of irritation before she gives D'son a nod of silent thanks. Then Seryth is springing up to join the others in the sky with several mighty flaps to gain altitude and takes her position in formation.

Inimeth shifts a little and once the order with the visualization is given, the Weyrleader's bronze holds it steady and relays for his group. A quick blink Between and it's out over a desolate bit of marsh to start the search, with D'son looking downward. There's some hand motions and the group he's with spreads out to start steadily combing their assigned bit of ground to cover.

Vivian has never been keen on the trips between and it's several moment after they reappear before she relaxes her hold on D'son, something muttered under her breath before she asks. "Which side do you want me keep a look out on?" She asks him.

Tightening his grip a bit on the riding straps, Rogawani braces as the gold dragon leaps into the air. He's gotten quite a bit better at riding than he had been a turn ago, and thus there's no sound from his lips as he looks down over the weyr below. Preparing for the leap between, he takes a deep breath, forcing his feet down into the straps as he holds on to his gear. "Ready." He murmurs, waiting for Seryth to join the others already having blinked out.


Wilderness - Western Marsh (Sky)

The ground in most places is a soupy, viscous grey mud that waits patiently to suck the unwary down. From the swampy ground, great stands of jointed bamboo-like reeds reach high for the sky, clogging the horizon and making it difficult to see what's behind and what's ahead, or even where the sun is. The sounds of birds over head play symphony to the eerie sound of things lurking in the murky water, waiting for the next meal to step off of solid ground.


Seryth pops out of *Between* at high altitude and in formation with the others, but folds her wings to drop in altitude. The dive is at dizzying speed, and as she is several dragonlengths above the ground, her wings flare, slowing her descent and she maintains a steady glide. Her golden neck twists slightly from side to side as she searches the swampy land below. Thea, who has leaned back slightly during the swooping dive, straightens and leans forward to peer over the young queen's left shoulder at the ground. "Ro, was Keziah riding, do you know?”

Inimeth cruises along at about a middling level of height, with D'son looking over his left flank. "Opposite from me Viv, please," the Weyrleader tells the Weyrwoman's daughter. "Know much about the person who went missing?" he asks as the dragons fan out and the searching gets underway in earnest.

Keziah isn't exactly making silent progress through the mud and the muck. In fact there's some decided grumbling to her mutterins. Seems she not only got herself turned around, drenched in a downpour but a bit of a twisted ankle as well that makes her progress all that much slower. She's not a happy camper. No she's not.

Vivian calls forward as the wind whistles past. "Stablehand, I'll recognise her when I see her." She tells D'son as she checks where he's looking and leans out a bit in the other direction, her hands still firmly planted round his waits for support as she starts her own looking.

Taking a breath once the rush of air returns and the chill of between vanishes like some cold nightmare. As his eyes open once more, the boy scans over the marshy area below, unfamiliar with the plantlife or the winding pathways that disappear into the bogs below. "Well, that's what I was wondering." Rogawani's voice calls out over the rushing wind, holding on tight as the gold dragon drops in altitude. "There weren't any runners missing, though. So She's probably on foot." He tallies through the runners in his mind, and then shakes the thought from his head, peering down over Seryth's neck, trying to spot something in the wilds that go sweeping by so quickly below.

Keziah pauses a moment to pull her compass out of her pocket and checks it a moment as she leans on her make shift crutch and then yelps as it sinks into the marshy ground. "Stupid, bloody." she mutters somewhere and then looks around, seeing reeds and more reeds.

Seryth tilts on a wingtip suddenly to avoid a passing flock of large avians. Just a brief dip, really although the queen's whole body tips along with her wing. The avians ignore the dragon and fly on by without so much as an eyeblink. The gold straightens out as soon as they are past her, keeping to her flight path. Thea goes with Seryth's movement, quite used to such things and nods to Rogawani, "Too bad. Would be easier to spot a runner than a lone person in all that stuff down there." She falls silent as she continues to search.

Siebith turns back from his brief survey ahead. Of course Siebith being who he is, no trip, business or pleasure is complete with out some sort of stunt. Thankfully perhaps today is kept to a minimum, at least for the time being. The blue slides lower in the sky until he's just barely skimming above the treetops - that is if the bamboo-like stuffs below could be called such.

Seryth and Siebith sense that Inimeth threads a light tendril of green out to the other dragons: « We see nothing yet, no tracks. »

Inimeth progresses onward, dipping a little lower when D'son asks. "Is that something moving over there?" he asks Vivian and draws her attention over to where he's pointing. Could just be some marsh critter rustling the low shrubberies though.

Vivian shifts to peer off in the direction that D'son is pointing in. "Something's moving." She murmurs, squinting to try and get a better look. "Doesn't Inimeth have better eyesight than the pair of us, why don't you ask him instead of me?"

The sudden change in motion from Seryth causes Rogawani to grip the riding straps harder, trying to adjust. It's quite a bit different than riding a runner, and it takes a bit of effort to maintain his balance. "Whew." He lets out a breath as the dragon returns to a steady flight pattern, picking a feather out of his hair as he looks back over his shoulder at the flock of avians. Eyeing the blip of blue moving in his vision, he smirks a bit and points with a hand. "That's why I'd much rather fly with Seryth." He says for Thea's benefit, and then squints, trying to focus his eyes for something that might look remotely human in the mush below. "This is hard. I can't imagine how sweepriders do this." He mumbles under his breath, half of the words fading out with the rush of wings.

Because he's saying that it's just something moving over there," D'son says to Vivian with a grin over his shoulder as they glide closer.

Goodness knows there's enough marsh critters out here to feed a whole hold. Keziah picks her way through carefully, every now and again hitting a nice wet spot as she moves off into a more watery portion, but mostl she tries to pick at the relativly more solid aspects. She does start a little when she startles some nesting birds that fly off and around her in a panic.

Seryth glides steadily, banking in large circles to give her passengers a chance to take in the topography. Thea peeks over her shoulder at Rogawani, her dark hair whipping all around her face as she chuckles at her friend, "Aw, it's fun to skim the trees sometimes," before turning back around. But Seryth isn't doing that today. "I don't see any smoke, do you Ro?" She points to a small flock of birds rising from the reeds. "What do you think made them fly so sudden-like?"

Vivian spies the avians scattering from the area their group is peering at. "Definitely something down there, you don't get felines out here so it'll be safe to skim down for a look." She calls out to D'son.

"Remember, I'm used to keeping my feet on the ground." Rogawani replies, raising his voice a bit as he blows a puff of air at the hair that comes dangerously close to his nose. "I usually don't even -see- trees from this point of view." He lets his voice trail off, sitting up a bit straighter as he shakes his head back and forth. "No smoke. I think that would be pretty easy to spot." The birds, on the other hand, he only catches as he looks down the line the goldrider forms with her arm. "Something startled them. This isn't the place for big predators so… worth checking out?" His eyebrows perk, winding his hands into the riding straps in advance of the movement he expects from the dragon.

No self-respecting feline would be out in this nasty stuff. Which is just as well for Keziah's sake, her body and her clothes have had more than enough of felines in her life time. "Dumb, stupid birds." she mutters as she picks herself up from the muck that she slipped on as she was startled. "You're all lucky I ain't hungry! You hear that! I'd eat the lot of you!" Hmmph.

Thea can't help but softly giggle at that, "I know. Once you get used to it, though…" She nods at Rogawani as Seryth tilts into a wide, curving turn. Being close to the ground, the queen doesn't do any more diving, but does drift slowly lower as they near the area where the birds startled. Her forward speed also drops as she half-hovers, half-glides on the low-level winds and Thea leans our further to peer more closely as the ground. What she can see of it among the reeds, that is.

Inimeth turns a little as those birds lift, coming at the disturbed flock from a slightly different direction as Seryth. "Yeah, worth checking it out," the Weyrleader agrees with Vivian and gives Inimeth a little thump.

Inimeth projects to Seryth and Siebith, «D'son says that perhaps we should check out those birds that just flew. Skim low and perhaps even land?»

Siebith projects to Seryth and Inimeth, «D'had agrees, but I haven't seen a place to land in this.»

Amongst the reeds, muck, muck, more muck and a muck covered asst. stablemaster who's mot much more colorful. Course, her compass occasionally catches a gleam of the sun and lets off a shine. Keziah is at the moment, consulting it again as she tries to keep on a fairly straight course, easy to veer off in these conditions.

Vivian bobs her head and leans out to see if she can see anything better but gives up and just goes back to cuddling into D'sons back, peeking out the correct side to keep an eye out for more movement in that area.

Biting his lip to force concentration, Rogawani eyes the forest as they fly over the area the birds had come from. "There!" He calls, pointing a han at a flash of something metallic. "The light caught on something there." He explains further, trying to spot the flash again, but it doesn't come. A trick of light? Even so, he looks towards Thea. "Is there anyplace to land nearby?" He asks, not knowing how to judge dragon landing places, especially in such an overgrown and marshy area. His eyes flick back towards the trees, trying to find the place he'd been looking before.

Seryth dips lower yet, her talons just barely skimming the tips of the reeds. The foliage flashes by underneath them in a blurring kaleidoscope of green, tan and mud-brown. Rogawani's cry has Seryth flapping n an awkward turn, being too low to bank now. Thea has bespoken her, and they draw directly over the area. "All I see are reeds and trees. Nowhere big enough to land for us. Ro, is Kassi with you? Can she go see?"

Inimeth swings around closer and some of that reflecting light catches D'son across the face briefly. His hand lifts to block it then it dances away. "Whoa, bright … huh, wonder what that was," the Weyrleader murmurs and tilts a look over his shoulder at some of the others. "There's a spot to put down over there," he points to what looks like it might be more solid ground a little ways to the side of where the birds took off. « Do you see? There, perhaps, where we could put down. D'son sees the flashing. Let's go lower. »

Keziah is oblivious to the dragons overhead. She's concentrating on the ground. Sweet Faranth but she's been lucky to not have been attacked by a snake so far. Vicious, foul beasts. Not even good for eatin out here.

Vivian just nods her head, "Can you ask Seryth to continue over the area, so that if it is Keziah she'll not miss a dragon hopefully and will at least know we're here and try and do more about being spotted." She stops then a few moments later adds. "How about this handsome bronze." She says it loud enough for Inimeth to hear her as well. "Gives us a loud warble?"

Seryth's back> A chirp rustles within the bag at Rogawani's side, followed by another from within his coat. A tiny gold head peeks itself out from the bag, looking around as her name is mentioned. "They don't like being too far." He explains, sheepishly as the firelizard crawls her way out of the bag, nearly knocking a few items free that Ro' has to quickly juggle to pack again. "She's still young though. Don't know how well she'll listen." Pulling the lizard's head towards himself, he looks at her seriously, "Go down below, look for Keziah." He instructs, closing his eyes tight enough to cause little wrinkles in his forehead as he tries to picture her. "Go on then." He says as his eyes pop open, tossing the lizard into the rush of air. With a squeek, she disappears, only to re-appear as a glint below, sweeping through the trees.

Seryth continues to circle the area without needing to be asked. She trumpets loudly, a carrying cry that reverberates across the swamplands. Apparently her rider has requested this. Just in case the flapping of wings isn't loud enough to be heard by whatever or whomever may be down there. Thea nods to Rogawani, peering after the tiny golden streak.

Inimeth answers that trumpet of Seryth's with one of his own and atop his back, D'son reaches back to give Vivian's hand a pat. « Siebith, do you have room to set down on that solid patch there? I think I am too big, but there seems to be /something/ there near where those birds took off, » Inimeth passes on to the smaller, acrobatic blue.

Keziah lets out quite the yelp at not just one, but /two/ loud trumpets of sound. She stops where she's at and then begins to scan the skyways. After all, those are sounds that are recognizable. "Blasted reeds." She mutters and then starts trying to bend them down. Wincing as she gets whacked by some that spring back up and not to mention the strain on the strained ankle. "Move you stupid suckers. Hello out there! Over here!" Okay, lets try waving the reed.

Vivian is apparently a happy bunny, she suggested something and her weyrleader, (her boss) patted her hand. "There's definitely someone down there." Emphasis on the 'someone' "Animals would have gone to ground instead of still moving around." She confirms as she leans her arm round D'son to point in the right direction.

Sweeping through the dense area, the small gold firelizard zooms here and there, actually gliding just above Keziah's head before disappearing. A long sweep around, and she returns to land on a nearby branch. With no other instructions but to 'find', she sits and chirps in a steady, repetative tempo, as if she were a tiny security alarm. Rogawani, still atop Seryth, nearly startles from his concentration when she bugles, taking an abrupt breath when Inimeth answers the trumpeting sound. His face scrunches again as he tries to focus on the image flashing back from his firelizard. "She's found her but… she doesn't know what to do now. She's just chirping." He scowls a little, opening his eyes. "Sorry." He mutters, "I told you she wasn't very well trained."

Thea hears that indrawn breath behind her and peeks over her shoulder, "Sorry Ro, I should've warned ya." Seryth's wings downsweep to lift her just a bit higher enough to do the less awkward wingtilt circling. The calling is faintly audible to Thea. "Hear that Ro?" She leans further out to look, pointing towards a clump of shaking reeds, "It came from over yonder I think." She makes a wide gesture with her arm to whomever is down there, pointing to the clearing. Cupping a hand to her mouth she shouts, "Can you get over to that spot? We cannot land here."

Seryth and Siebith sense that Inimeth forwards a tendril of thought out to the dragons: « D'son says that if we really can't land, that we might have to do a haul up with rope or the seat swing. »

Keziah pauses in her movements of the reeds as she gets buzzed by the gold. "Eirwyn?" she murmurs and then shakes her head, wrong coloring. She then catches the yelling and a few words here and there she thinks and starts moving carefully in the direction she percieved the yelling to be coming.

Inimeth flies lower and D'son leans out of the straps a little. "Keziah? Are you down there? If you can get clear of the reeds, someone can pick you up," the Weyrleader calls out, echoing Thea a little. Meanwhile he's turning to Vivian. "Get the rope out of his pack, huh?" And Inimeth projects the image of a rope let down for the lost person to climb up with to the others.

Vivian lets D'son go once they have a positive ID on Keziah, loosening her own straps she shifts so she can lean down into Inimeths pack. Well used to playing on her mum and dads dragons when she was younger she's not lost any of her agility as she pulls the end free and pulls it up to where she can start to tie it off securely to the main harness, then adds the safety as well.

Away from Inimeth, Seryth's back> When Keziah begins to move, so does the little gold firelizard, Kassi. She hops along the ground a few feet behind her, continuing her stream of steady chirps. "Firelizards." Rogawani murmurs under his breath, and then perks a little as Thea asks him to listen. His head tilts to the side slightly, and then he nods. "Yeah. That could be the place that Kassi's showing me." Nodding his head, he only winces slightly as Thea cups her mouth to yell. "What a place to get lost in." He comments, and frowns and looks over his shoulder towards the other dragons, "Guess this is where the rescue part starts, huh?"

Away from Inimeth, "Get clear of the reeds, get clear of the reeds. BLoody well what does he think I've been tring to do?" Keziah shakes her head and carefully makes her way through, turning after a moment at the sound of being followed by a chirper. An eye twitch. "You think you could make yourself more useful by showing the way instead of following." she mutters at the firelizard and then continues back on her track. Heading towards the first voice. No sense wandering in circles.

Seryth lifts to a bit of a higher level as she circles so she won't be in Inimeth's way. A half-smile back to Rogawani, "Kassi's adorable." Then it is back to the task at hand as they overfly D'son and Vivian, noting the rope that preparing to play out. It's not hard to figure out where the lost Keziah is going to wind up eventually. As they continue on their circling route, Thea speaks over her shoulder once again, "You have rope Rogawani?" A hand pats the waterskin lashed beside her calf. "We'll need to lower this to Inimeth for Keziah."

Inimeth cruises lower still towards where the reeds are still moving, then hovers. « Where exactly should we be? » he queries upwards of Seryth, since the little lizard might be able to guide them. D'son's got the rope Vivian passed over with the safety attached and he starts to play it out a little. "All secure back there?" he asks her with a smile of thanks, then peers downwards once more. "Sending a rope down, there's really no good place to land."

Seryth projects to Inimeth, water over rocks, bubbling and light, a musical sound, « You are almost right above the spot. Just a winglenth to your left. »

Vivian helps pass the rope round to where D'son needs it, playing it out of the bag. "All secure." He's the stronger of the pair by far. "Where do you want her once we've got her up, in front of you or behind and where do you want me? I can move in front of you if needed." She asks D'son.

The expression on Rogawani's face is nothing short of amused exasperation. "Yeah, yeah." He shakes his head, still a little frustrated with the fact that none of his lizards are old enough to really be dependable for much. Keziah's words towards Kassi cause her to pause and tilt her head. The small firelizard chirps once more, an then the alarm goes quiet as she hops forward, making little muddy lizard prints in the ground. With two flaps of her wings, she disappears into the direction of the clearing, appearing to those overhead as she comes free of the reeds. "Yeah, I've got rope." Rogawani replies, twisting the string that ties the rope to his side. "Here." He holds the rope out towards Thea, still being careful not to upset his own balance in the meantime.

Keziah watches the firelizard up and disappear forward on her. "Well. That's something I suppose." Onwards she trudges. Carefully placing her feet, and then frowning as she really looks at said feet. "What a sight I must be." she sighs. No help for it she supposes as she makes her way out towards the clearing. Woo.

"Thanks Ro" Thea leans down, ties the rope securely around the strap to the skin, balancing easily into Seryth's banking tilt. She unties the skin from the harness only when she is sure the other rope will hold. "Help me with this Ro?" She hands Rogawani the rest of the coil and slides the waterskin down Seryth's shoulder until it dangles. The queen drifts closer to Inimeth and her circles tighten. The rope with the waterskin drops slowly and steadily towards Inimeth's back. "Vivian, heads up!" Thea calls to her before speaking over her shoulder, "Can you play it out slow and easy?" She's holding the rope steady with one hand and bracing on the handhold of Seryth's harness with the other.

Inimeth banks a little in the correct direction and Keziah probably can't miss the sight of wide bronze wings as the dragon hovers right there in above that clear spot, the rope slowing going downward. "Stay put, Viv. There's space enough behind you," D'son explains as he waits for the stablemaster to make her way out. "Over here!" he calls out helpfully, something else for Keziah to key onto. He looks up as Thea lowers the water down and makes a thumbs up sign.

Vivian glances up and shifts her position, hands up to end off the water skin so neither D'son or her get battered in the head as it dangles down. Once she's got a hold of it, she lowers it down till she can tie off it's own straps onto Inimeths harness, then it's untying the rope to release it back to the control of the gold.

Seryth's back> As soon as Kassi finds her way out into the clearing, the little lizard does one circle around the edge, waiting for Keziah to follow. Then, once her job is complete, the chirping creature blinks out, only to appear once again up with Thea and Rogawani. She curls up, clinging to the riding straps, chest puffed out with pride. "Yeah you did good." Rogawani quips to the lizard, reaching down to scratch at eyeridges before being handed the end of the coil of rope. "Oh, sure." He blinks slightly, and begins to feed the length out slowly behind Thea as she lowers the waterskin. "I got it, nice and easy." He peeks over the dragon's neck, trying to get a view of the missing woman.

Keziah certainly doesn't miss the big bronze. Shards. It's that bronze. Just lovely. Rescued by the Weyrleader. How embarrasing. She limps lightly and is just covered head to tow in mug and vegetation. She offers a wave up to the one… two.. three? Dragons. Goodness.

As soon as the rope is untied Seryth stops hovering and veers off to avoid blasting Inimeth's passengers with the downdraft of her beating wings. Her higher altitude gained, she once again resumes her holding pattern. The rope had been left dangling, so Thea calls back to Rogawani, "Waterskin is clear." Then she is peering down at Keziah with a cheery wave. "I don't think they'll be needing our help, Ro. But we ought to stay just in case there's any trouble." The tone in her voice says she clearly hopes there won't be. "Heya, Keziah. You must be starved." This called down to the clearing, not really all that far, actually.

Once Keziah's actually in view, D'son waves downward and then his eyes widen. "Shells, Viv, toss the woman down a towel, huh? There's a couple in the packs." He continues to play the rope out though until it's within easy reaching distance. "Hot bath sound any good?" he calls down, good-natured at least.

Vivian shakes her head with a bit of a giggle. "We don't have enough towels to do her any justice. I'll get her wrapped up in them when we get her up here so she doesn't freeze between. Unless you happen to have a spare flight jacket in one of these?"

The motion of Seryth's body underneath him causes Rogawani to shift in the straps, still holding on to the ropes as the dragon moves. The call from her rider gets a nod, as he begins to bring the rope back up, winding it back into a loose loop. "I hope they won't need us." Ro's words seem to echo Thea's thoughts, although worry shows across his face. "Search and rescue isn't something we messengers get trained in, ya know. Just runners and trails." He chuckles, trying to ease his own stress, leaning once more over the dragon's neck, watching what the other dragons and their riders are doing.

Keziah glances up at Thea and waves back up "I'm just wanting a nice hot meal of something. You know how hard it is to start a fire when everything is soaked through? You can't! You just can't." she states as she watches the rope comes down "Bath? Hot, clean water?" she sighs blissfully "Oh that sounds so goood." she murmurs softly. Just imagine cleaning out the poor flight jacket if there is a spare. KEz reaches up for the rope and then grabs a hold onto it. "Shards but it'll be good to be home."

Inimeth continues to hover very steadily as D'son keeps the rope as steady as possible. "Haul yourself up, or do you want me to reel you in?" The weyrleader calls down, grinning. "And yeah, I think we should just fly right over the baths and drop you in," he jokes a little. "No spare jacket, but towels and there's a blanket," he tells Viv. He looks upward and shoots a wave to Seryth and her passengers. Inimeth reaches out to send the rest of the searchers home too now that things are being handled.

"You're taking her *Between* soak-" Thea bites that comment off with a soft growl and a shake of the head, muttering more quietly to herself, "He knows what he's doing." Seryth continues a smooth glide, flapping only once in awhile as the continue circling. "Me neither, Ro. I haven't had the time to train for it." She shrugs to that, then smiles down to Keziah, calling to her, "Check in that outer pocket of the waterskin. Cook stuffed a few cold meat pies in there." The signal is noted and Seryth swerves off to gain a higher altitude.

Vivian gets to work, checking where the blanket is so she'll be able to get it out easily once Keziah is up and settled. But otherwise she just sits and waits until ythje girl is closer to be able to help.

Meat pies? Oh my yes. Keziah digs in and stuffs them into her mouth as she starts to haul herself up, slowly, wraping her legs around the rope. She gets a few feet before she hangs there. Mrr. More embarrasement "Maybe, umm, haul me up?" she finally says after hanging there a bit. She has no pride left.

Rogawani's eyes search Thea's expression, listening to her words with one eyebrow lifted upwards. Rather than comment about the rescue attempt, he just holds on to the riding straps in a relaxed manner. Even when Seryth swerves, he seems to be better at keeping his balance steady. "I'm sure they know what they're doing." He tries to sound sure of himself, although this really is one of those situations where he's dragged along as an extra body, not for any specific skills. "Looks like she's okay though. At least we didn't have to trudge through muck for days at a time." Look on the bright side of things?

"Hauling away then," D'son warns. "Tie that around your waist first though, get a good grip too and we'll bring you up. Not that it's a /very/ long drop, but better safe than sorry. We'll get you wrapped up and mostly dried off." Good thing Dels has had plenty of practice hauling people out of water. Muck isn't all that different, right?

Seryth projects to Inimeth, «Does your Rider want us to remain or go once the girl is on?»

Thea snorts at the word 'they' but doesn't comment, so likely Rogawani won't know what the noise is all about. Further up now, they circle in wait. "We'll between as soon as they have her, unless D'son plans to fly straight. He may want a backup?" See, she's not sure and Seryth rumbles. Thea pats her hide. "She's asking." Nothing to do but wait.

Vivian is at least competent and listened to daddy when he explained how all of this stuff works. She's got her self standing up in the straps, ready to help take Keziah hands once D'son has her high enough up Inimeths side to keep her balanced till she can get her sat down and strapped in.

Keziah eases herself off the rope and then ties it around herself. "Sure. Mucks not much different, other than it sucks you down. Pulling you under until you're no more. But not this time. Securing herself she gives the rope a tug and then nods "Ready." she calls up and holds on. She's no wish to be hanging by her belly. That'd really be embarrasing. "Mostly dried?" she mrrs a little and wants to be all dry. Oh well. Soon enough she supposes, but least she can get home to Mirai.

D'son holds out a hand as Keziah gets up closer. "Walk up Inimeth's side," he tells her as the mucky woman comes into view, "and grab my hand. And yeah, all dry is better, but otherwise we have to fly long," Dels says with a wry turn of his mouth. "So you don't catch a chill from going Between too wet. Should be okay though if we get the worst off and wrap you up really well." Inimeth reaches out to touch Seryth's mind lightly. « If we fly long, please stay with us, otherwise, we will see you at the Weyr. »

Rogawani's head tilts, but he doesn't say anything further about what's going on below, watching carefully. If there had been a land rescue needed, at least then he'd have a bit more to do. "That's fine. I'm in no great rush to get back." It may be his earned day off, but sometimes being out of the weyr is more interesting than spending the day having to come up with his own entertainment. "I'm guessing Kav is doing okay?" He asks, making conversation to pass the time. "Otherwise I'm betting you wouldn't be out here." He quips, still watching the progress below.

Thea sits patiently still circling. Not much else to do. She heaves a sigh of relief once Keziah is up. "I would like to get back, work to do and all that." She shrugs, patiently waiting for the slow process to end. She chuckles in response to Rogawani, "He's out of the Infirmary and taking it easy. Still doesn't remember that runner showing him the door." She nods to something, relaying it aloud, "Seryth says if they fly straight we will flank them. Be a bit of a ride that way, but you'll see the area."

Keziah catches up the hand as makes it up to the dragon. Now, she's mounted many a dragon before in the past, but never up off of the ground. It's an experiance indeed. She winces just a little as she places her bad ankle wrong, but it ain't broken so no biggy there. "Well, I suppose iffen you think it won't kill me and give me my death of a chill. I don't favor gettin sick from being wet between, but iffen you've enough to do the trick." she remarks as she finishes coming up, ready to just collapse adragonback.

D'son helps to get Keziah up and over and nods at Vivian. "Give her hair a good scrub, okay Viv? Keziah, there's another towel there, wrap that around and you know, if you can, could even strip off some of those wet clothes, get your skin dry, then wrap up in the blanket. Promise, I won't look. Then we can hop Between and get you into that warm bath that much quicker." Inimeth's relaying to Seryth again: « We will go Between. We will see you back at the Weyr. Thank you ! »

Vivian is ready and waiting to catch a hold of her other hand and steady Keziah over into place. "Sit yourself down there." She orders the stablehand, the commanding tones a family trait it would seem as she starts to strap the girl in to one of the harnesses. "Get the top half off, your legs aren't as important we can wrap them in towels and give them a bit of a rub to heat them up but your torso is the priority to get dry and warm." She does know what she's talking about for some reason, but she's saying it all loud enough so that D'son can hear, either so he can hear and be impressed or just to make sure she's actually right and not recommending something dumb.

"Probably better that way." Rogawani replies, placing his hands into the riding straps once more once he sees Keziah safely atop the rescue dragon. "That's an experience I'd like to forget, too." He smiles, but it's a sheepish, somewhat embarassed look. "Glad to hear he's doing okay, though." Taking a deep breath, he straitens his shoulders and eyes the ground once more, another new area he hadn't seen before. The world is certainly a lot bigger place than the few trails between holds he's ridden. "I'd wager we'll go back between." He guesses, casting a look back before glancing at Thea. "Maybe I can get back before the meatrolls are all eaten up." And as if to give weight to this point, the boy's stomach rumbles.

"You and me both," Is Thea's heartfelt reply to that. Seryth is mid-circle when Thea salutes D'son, then mutters over her shoulder to Rogawani, "Take a breath and hang on, we're going *Between*. Be about a three second jump." Seryth pops out of sight a breath later and into *Between*.

Stablehand? Not likely. Asst. Stablemaster thank you. Keziah settles herself down as she's ordered about. She's not mindin' that too much. "Healer training girl?" she asks curiously as she starts to strip and eye on D'son. Well, he ain't bad enough lookin that she'd wouldn't mind a sneak of a peek, but i's nice enough of him to no. She bundles herself in. "I ain't leaving the Weyr for a turn." Right, like thats gonna happen.

"Yep, top half," D'son agrees with Vivian and keeps his eyes politely turned away and off somewhere in the distance. He coils up the rope neatly while the girls are doing the whole 'keep Keziah from freezing Between' thing. Once she's set he does tilt a look back and smiles. "D'son by the by, don't think we've met," he introduces himself. "And if you're both all set and clipped in, let's get home so you can have that bath and get some warm, dry clothes. I recommend holing up with your feet on a brazier if you've got one when we get back." Not healer trianing per se, but Search and Rescue in his case.

Vivian doesn't interact with runners, herdbeasts or those lowly serfs who deal with their care and needs within the weyr, frankly she wouldn't have a clue what the difference is between a stablehand, a stablemaster or the dung shoveller. She helps the girl out of the mudsoaked clothes and then wraps a towel round her. "I know it's cold up here, you got enough feeling left in your arms to rub yourself down or do you want me to do it?" She asks her even as she's stuffing the clothes into the pack the towels came out of and dragging the big blanket free from another. "I'll take care of your hair in a moment after I've got you wrapped up in the towel then just hug back into me for that extra bit of warmth." The lengths she'll go to, to impress the new Weyrleader, mud, ick!

Keziah gives a bit of a nod to D'son "I've seen ya 'round. And well, not been much cause to meet before." Pilots and ground troops don't often mix after all. "No yer the new 'leader round here." she adds with a smirk. She then nods to Viv "I think I can do that myself. I ain't infirm thank goodness. A glance back at D'son "Shame to be meetin' in such cirmcumstances, but that's the way things are." And that's Kezi for ya. She's not a troublemaker. Trouble just finds her. A look back at Viv and then a nod "You're Niva's oldest aren't ya?"

"Yeah, but D'son's just fine," Dels says with a friendly grin. "And yeah. Hopefully next time I run across you, it'll be with a lot less muck involved," he says sincerely. Her question to Vivian he answers with a laugh. "Vivian, yep. Most helpful secretary on Pern," he says fondly. "About set, back there?"

Vivian waits until Kez has finished drying off before she wraps the blanket round her, uses the spare towel to rub Keziahs's scalp before twisting any hair up into the towel to keep it away from her head. "Yeah, Moms eldest." She replies, once she's finished she wraps her arms around Keziah to help keep the blanket secured around her, wouldn't want that falling off somewhere above Xanadu. "All clear." She calls forward.

Keziah gives a nod "D'son it is then." she notes as she leans back against Viv. "Well, explains the training. Would expect the Weyrwomans daughter to know something useful." she remarks "Be a good catch you will be." she notes with a playful grin. "Yeah, all clear." she notes as she hunkers down into the blanket and towels.

If D'son's shoulders hunker a little at mention of 'good match', well maybe it's just the cool breeze that blows. "Okay then, all wrapped up and strapped in and off we go," he says cheerily enough and Inimeth's wings pump them up aloft, high enough for Between. It's a matter of moments and he calls out the warning for the jump. 3-2-1. And it's back to Xanadu and warm baths and dry clothes and Keziah safe home again.

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