(Barracks, Q) When the Unstoppable is Stopped (open)

[arrow dnarrow]

Things seemed peaceful this evening. The mood in Minno's cot had lifted slightly when her brown firelizard Capna was returned to her a couple of days ago. Even though the brown flit had suffered severe muscle loss, it was good to know that he was alive. Ever since Tertiath became sick just over a week ago, things seemed so depressing and frightening. She had started out with coughing, and shortly after being moved to quarantine, she developed a high fever that seemed to come and go. She even fainted once. There was still hope that Tertiath would beat this disease. She was stubborn enough if that meant anything.

Minno was asleep, she really did need it. Tertiath's fever dreams were keeping her awake way too much, and the recent deaths as well. Capna and Quith were curled up beside her head, glad for the little bit of rest tonight.

As peaceful as it was in the room, Minno's dreams unfortunately were not. Thankfully they weren't Tertiath's (who was having a very high fever at the moment), or the firelizard's. But still, on such a peaceful night why'd it have to be a nightmare?

She was back in Fort Hold as a little girl, about five turns old. She was now cornered by some of the older boys. They were about two turns older than her, and they just loved to pick on people. She was their favourite.

"Aw, wook at the poor wittle fishy," a haughty brown-haired boy said. "The wittle Minno looks trapped. Do you think the tiny fishy can slip away?" His baby voiced caused the others to laugh.

A blond haired boy then spoke up, "Ha! Minno, that sounds like the name of a tiny. Little. Fish. I hope you don't get eaten up by a wherry."

Tears began to stream down her cheeks and she began to shake with fear. She'd call out for help, but she was too frightened. And who would be there to help?

"Aw, is the minnie Minno gonna cry?" the brown-haired boy said. One of the boys pushed her and Minno hit her head against the walled, the tears came down even heavier in response to the pain.

"Hey! Leave her alone!" a familiar voice spoke those words.

"Go away Carental! We're just having fun," said the leader of this little group. The sound of a fist meeting skull attracted even her attention. Carental and the brown-haired leader were in a brawl. The other boys were cheering their leader on, and some even considered joining in. Minno bolted down the hall.

One of the boys noticed and shouted, but didn't give chase. Why'd they have to bully her like that?

She kept running. It was becoming hard to breathe since she was still crying at the same time. She wiped the tears off her cheeks and forehead… wait, forehead?

She stopped and looked up. Now she was outside on a lush green hill at the same age she is now and it was beginning to drizzle. There was something about it that made her smile. It was so comforting. It reminded her of… something. It was on the tip of her tongue. It felt almost like a voice…

I love you. It was so quiet. Like a whisper on the wind. But she heard it.

I love you. It was still very quiet, like someone was straining just to say it this time, yet it was full of what it spoke.

Tertiath's love felt like a warm blanket wrapped around her. Minno closed her eyes, forgetting all about the plague and the beginning of the dream. I love you too my dear.

The moment of peace and love seemed to be forever before she was suddenly jerked awake.

"T-T-Ter?" Minno's voice was shaking and quiet. "Tertiath?"

She sat up and looked around the room. Tertiath wasn't on her stone couch. The yellow, frantic, whirling eyes of her firelizards brought back to memory everything that had happened over the past few weeks.

She searched out the mind of her dragon. She was awake, but something was terribly wrong. Terribly, terribly wrong.

Minno stood up, about to head out the door to comfort her lifemate, then stopped. "Tertiath?" Fear was in every inch of her voice and being. An immense heat seemed to sweep through her body as she touched her bonded's mind again. The young dragon's fever had become dangerously high.

Tertiath was fighting with everything she had. It was a vain effort. In only a minute (yet it seemed like forever), whatever weakened strength the green had left was spent, and she had to stubbornly, and unwillingly, yield to that which she was fighting.

I. Love. You. Tertiath meant every word. And with the last ounce of strength the little green still somehow had, she followed her instinct, leapt into the air, and went between.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Minno's voice was beyond blood-curdling. It rang through the barracks, waking many. It was a vain hope that her voice could work like Brekke's; bringing back the one she loved.

The cold of between was an immense relief. Death seemed to be an even greater.

"TERTIAAAAAATH!" A large part of Minno felt like it was brutally ripped out as Tertiath passed and the other dragons paid tribute. Those who rushed to the origin of the scream found Minno as a crumpled, sobbing mess on the floor.  

[Stark Raveling Mad]

Onie and

Yokaith

Onie had begun to take nightly walks along the corridor in an effort to exercise her legs and become more ready for bed. Lately she had been restless, possibly because the news of B'ron's illness had reached her. The sorrow and worry for her foster brother was written in the dark circles under her eyes, as she had not slept well since the dark blue firelizard, Gar, had appeared from between with a somewhat garbled message. Yokaith had managed to interpret it, however, and even let Gar rest with her when he wasn't at Hath's side.

Onie felt herself smile ever so slightly at the thought of Yokaith as she was right now -- curled up around the blue firelizard. For some reason the creature, which Onie found frankly scary, had taken to Yokaith. Perhaps it was because he could sense the underlying cunning that was infused in almost every action the gold dragonet took now. Onie could feel it, as well, and she couldn't say that she disliked it, either.

Suddenly, the most dreadful, piercing scream shot through Onie's mind and a second later she felt Yokaith rouse in a state of agitation and sadness. The hair-raising keen, the cry for Tertiath, could mean only one thing. Onie's pale hand clapped against her mouth as her wide eyes opened even further in horror.

Not a dragon. A human death was horrible, but a dragon's? The Weyr lost two lives when a dragon died ---

A realization dawned on Onie and she began to hurry, to flat out run, to the source of the scream. It was Minno, she knew, but she didn't know exactly where her room was. She opened a door that she thought to be the right one but it was empty. Frantically she opened another, looking around hastily. She was about to shut the door and disqualify the room when she spotted Minno, crumpled on the floor, sobbing.

The goldweyrling hurried to her side, kneeling beside the girl. "Minno? Minno, it's me, Onie. Someone is here," she said softly, but did not touch the girl. She did not know what to do. Biting her lips she prayed that Minno's closer friends would arrive soon, as they would be better able to take care of her than Onie. For now, she would stay at her side. Onie woke Yokaith and asked her to bespeak a healer.

 

[Aris the Squeak]

Aleerna lay half awake on her bed, she wasn't completely asleep, her mind was still too busy thinking; always thinking for she could do nothing else. She twisted her head on the pillow without lifting it up to look at Sidheth, the green was fast asleep on her stone couch, though her twitching tail showed her restlessness. Aleerna sighed as she went back to staring up at the ceiling of her cot, one hand absently stroking Majesty where he lay curled up in a little ball next to her, his tail too was twitching slightly. She was properly awake now, her mind not letting her drift to the confort of sleep.

Every night was the same, she spent a long time hoping to sleep but instead she lay awake thinking and worrying. Tonight, like so many night she though and worried about N'mar, she had found out recently he was sick, though she didn't know how bad and that made her worry more. She also worried because of M'leck's death; she shuddered as she remembered the dragon's keen as they mourned the loss of their kin. What was worse that until then she hadn't even known the rider was sick. She stroked Majesty again, thinking that without the man she would have never had to chance to have Majesty. She sighed, hearing the dragon's keen in her mind, the sound often invaded her dreams as well. M'leck's death would have affected N'mar she knew. He would be upset, the two men had been friends after all and it frustrated her that she couldn't do anything to help or comfort him.

The sudden piercing scream that shattered that slient night air had Aleerna on her feet and looking around before the noise had faded. Then she was running, her feet slapping against the ground as she felt Sidheth rouse, before hearing that dreadful keen fill the air, and she knew who it was for, and she ran faster.

Her feet carried her without hesitation straight to Minno's room, where she hurtled herself into the room, vaguely aware of Majesty suddenly appearing next to her, chattering in fear and sadness; all her attention was on her friend. Onie was already there, Aleerna recognised the other weyrling immediately but that piece of information was sent striaght to the back of her mind as she slide down onto the floor, reaching out to her friend, though she was unsure whether she should touch her.

"Minno, Minno? Minno it's Aleerna, I'm here, I'll always be here." she did not say it would be alright, for she knew that for her friend, it would never alright ever again. Tears began to slide down her cheeks as she grieved for her friend. Without thinking she grouped around and found Onie's hand and gripped it tightly.

Yokaith has called for a healer. Sidheth's voice was soft and sad and Aleerna mentally clung to it, needing that reasurance as much as she needed it physically.

Southernboll Hold Telgar Weyr Weavercrafthall

 

[arrow dnarrow]

Minno didn't notice or hear Onie and Aleerna come in. All that was on her mind, painfully on her mind, was Tertiath. Tertiath was gone.

Then bits of what Aleerna said made its way into her ear admits all her sobbing. It registered in the very back of her mind. "Liar," she mouthed, as the tears constricting her throat would not allow her to produce a sound. How would Aleerna always be here? Everyone dies. Even her most beloved. These thoughts were immediately pushed away as Tertiath's death overtook her again.

Capna and Quith looked with sorrow at their bonded. Touches of grey began to fill their eyes at the pain they felt through her. Quith moved off the bed and curled up under her chin, rubbing her head against her cheek, trying to be comforting. Capna would've came down too, but he was still too weak, so he watched from the edge of the bed. He really wanted to be with Minno, but knowing he couldn't, he asked Majesty to comfort her for him.

With one arm Minno hugged Quith very close as the tears streamed down her cheeks. She wanted to be held so dearly, but holding the green flit seemed to be the closest thing.  

[Aris the Squeak]

Aleerna had never felt so helpless, she didn't know what to do to help her friend, this was something they didn't teach you. They never told you how to help a friend who has lost the most important thing in their life, who has lost half of themselves. Tears stung at her eyes as she watched her friend, saw the pain and anguish on her face and realised that her friend would never be the same again.

She saw Minno's mouth move but no sound came out and wondered what she had said. She was slightly surprised when Majesty hopped down from where he had been perched on her shoulder and landed gently on Minno's arm, crooning softly. Aleerna was surprised but glad, Majesty often didn't take much notice of other people but she was glad that he was now.

She watched for another moment before it became to much for her. Still holding Onie's hand she threw her arms around Minno, hugging her as tightly and as firecely as she could. "I'm here, I'm here, I promise I'll be here." it was almost a chant as she vowed to always help her friend.

Sidheth hesitated slightly, unsure whether she would cause more pain but decided to try and comfort her rider's friend, after she too knew Minno and didn't want her to be sad. I too will be here, for you. her misty voice was full of sadness as she gently spoke to Minno.

Southernboll Hold Telgar Weyr Weavercrafthall

 

[arrow dnarrow]

The sudden feeling of another lizard on her arm made Minno open her teared eyes for a second. She abruptly closed them. She didn't want to see anything anymore. Tertiath, Tertiath. She vainly called, hoping for an answer. Tertiath. Fresher tears began to streak down her cheeks. TERTIATH!

The sudden hug from Aleerna was surprising and welcomed. Minno didn't know that there was anyone else here, but she didn't care. She clung to Aleerna not wanting to let go of anything anymore.

Sidheth's voice was also surprising, slightly comforting, yet unwelcomed. Her misty voice was like Tertiath's drizzle voice. And the sound of another dragon's voice was too much. You're not my Tertiath. She said weakly, yet she clung to the voice. Minno clung onto anything. The one thing that clung to her was now gone.  

[Stark Raveling Mad]

Onie and

Yokaith

Onie started at the unexpected pressure on her hand, and then returned the squeeze. Her wide eyes sparkled like emeralds with tears, and her heart seemed to flip over with pity for Minno. She reached out and found Yokaith's consciousness and held onto it, loving her gold with all of her heart and soul. She couldn't imagine losing her Yokaith. She couldn't grasp it. Even though the time between her Impression and now had been short it seemed as if Yokaith had always been there, merely a thought away.

She watched the flitts; she watched Minno and Aleerna. Wishing mightily that she had gotten to know Minno better, Onie backed away, letting Aleerna and Minno have their moment. She watched as the former greenweyrling held tightly to Aleerna even though she had little hope, even though she must have wanted to die. "We'll all be here, Minno," Onie said gently, and it seemed as if this was all that she could say.

To Onie's intense relief the healer soon came in, frantically pushing back red hair that had come gone astray in her mad rush. She carried a skin of wine and a much smaller skin of fellis juice. Onie did not recognize the healer, though she knew her to be a bluerider via Yokaith.

"Aleerna and I found her like this," Onie said, though the situation did not need an explanation. The girl simply wanted to do something, to be of some use. "Tertiath is . . is gone."

"I know," the healer said, somewhat sharply. "Consecreth told me. I heard the dragons keen, as well," she continued as she moved forward. "What is her name?"

"Her name is Minno," Onie answered, somewhat taken aback by the healer's stabbing tone.

"The best thing for her now will be sleep," the healer said to Aleerna and Onie. "I have fellis and wine right now. I will need one of you to stay with her, and help her when she wakes up. It may be necessary to give her more fellis but before you do so, send for a healer. Fellis can be dangerous, and one death is enough for today," she said, the last half of her last sentence being murmured in a very soft voice.

 

[Aris the Squeak]

Aleerna held onto Minno tightly as she realised that this was what the other girl wanted, someone to hold her and to hold onto, and she probably needed it as well, having lost the one thing she could always rely on. Fresh tears sprung to her eyes at the thought of life without Sidheth, she couldn't even comprehend how she had ever lived without the Green.

Majesty hopped up to Minno's shoulder so he could stroke his head against both girls, feelings of love spread out from him to them both.

Sidheth felt that he voice had caused Minno extra pain and was about to withdraw her presence from the girls mind when she felt Minno cling onto her, realising, as Aleerna had, that Minno simply needed to be able to cling on. We are here. her voice held a promise.

Aleerna was grateful when the healer arrived though she was surprised by the healers abrupt manner, thinking that she should be more sympathetic to Minno. She was about to protest before she realised that it would help nothing, and the healer was probably stressed enough without her adding to it.

Instead she spoke up quickly, "I will stay with her!" there was no denying the conviction in her voice. No one would make her leave her friend, no matter what.

Southernboll Hold Telgar Weyr Weavercrafthall

 

[arrow dnarrow]

Quith was still held in one of Minno's arms. Her grip was tight but the flit didn't complain. The firelizard crooned lovingly with her clutchmate, sending out affection and love as well. And so did Capna from his place on the bed.

Minno was in her own painful world. She could only cry to help relieve it, and it only did little. Garbled sounds is what she heard, not realizing it was talking. People talking. There were people here that cared yet she didn't know. Sure she responded a bit to them but she didn't know.

Sidheth's voice made Minno open her teary eyes. Who was here? That statement brought her back to reality and through blurred eyes she saw two more people and the one holding her now. She looked pleadingly at all of them. Then to the one still standing, the one that looked like she held some kind of authority, Minno pleaded in a choked, desperate voice, "Please help me."

By Faranth, she was still a child! This kind of thing shouldn't happen to her!  

[Stark Raveling Mad]

"Very well," Vay said to Aleerna. "You must stay with her all night. If you feel as if you're too tired, have your dragon wake up -- her," and here Vay gestured to Onie, not able to remember her name, "and I'm sure she'll be glad to take over for you. This girl must not be left alone, if you value her life." Vay's bluntness was startling but what she said was true. "Dragonriders often suicide when their dragons die. Take turns staying with her." She spoke to Aleerna, mainly, now. "Don't take this all on yourself. Your dragon needs you, as well as Minno. When you feel tired, ask for help."

The look from Vay's fierce brown eyes as they leveled on the goldweyrling was not a look to defy. Onie could not back out now, even if she had wanted to. Truthfully the girl was scared to stay with Minno by herself but she knew deep down inside that this was part of her duty as a future goldrider. It was also part of her duty as a compassionate human being. So the girl nodded, obediently.

Vay was busy mixing a few drops of fellis with some wine. As Minno pleaded for help the Healer knelt beside her. "Drink this and sleep, my dear," she murmured, showing more compassion toward Minno than she had shown to any of her patients (save for those in Minno's position). There was something about a dragonless person . . "Sleep is what you need. Get on your cot, and sleep."

 

[arrow dnarrow]

Minno shook with sobs. She didn't want the drink yet she took it anyways. Wine always tasted a bit nasty to her, and she almost spilt it with her shaking. Her choking tears made it harder to drink but she did it.

Sleep? Minno didn't want to sleep, she wanted her Tertiath beside her. Yet the Fellis juice took its hold and as her tears began to slow, she felt herself being helped up to the cot. Minno resisted slightly, but the fellis acted rather fast.

The flits took their place curled up beside her head. They'd be here too to comfort her when she woke up. Minno was still holding onto Aleerna's hand as her eyes closed. The last thing she said was, "Don't leave... me."

Sleep was a sweet embrace.