Date: Sat, 3 Dec 2005 04:17:11 -0800 (PST)
From: John Pepper <trissana@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
Subject: [DL-D] Skyrockets In Flight, No Wyvern's Delight... (JP)
Late evening, Day 130
When the trouble had begun down below, T'rell and his dragon had been
in exactly the wrong place. They'd been where they most expected
trouble to occur, up in the skies above the warren. T'rell had taken to
making late-night scouting flights over the warren, remembering all too
well what had happened when the former Gamma Wingleader - his
predecessor - had moved Gamma's patrols too far from the warren at a
time when both Alpha and Beta wings were elsewhere fending off wraith
attacks. T'rell had argued against this course of action at the time,
and had in the event been proved unfortunately right - rogues led by
Dan'tray, Jayleigh's former lover and Jadain's father, had attacked the
hatching cavern and stolen most of the eggs from two clutches that
happened to be on the sands, one each from Viktroy and from the junior
queen Kalindeth.
In due time the eggs were found and returned, most of them...but many
had not. Worse, both Kalindeth and her rider were lost, casualties of
the raid. Another casualty was the Gamma Wingleader, though he was a
casualty of Jayleigh's wrath rather than of the rogues. He had lost his
position and T'rell summarily named to replace him. That debacle had
been the reason why he had re-formed Gamma Wing's Elite Squadron, which
most people (for reasons he couldn't fathom) referred to as the Black
Coffee Squadron. That group was on alert 24 hours a day, and while he
would have liked to have some of them up here with him now, the
knowledge that they were ready for immediate takeoff in case any threat
suddenly appeared over the warren - as it had on that other occasion.
Gamma Wing would not be caught napping a second time, he vowed.
But when both he and Flerrion heard Galendriel's mental cry of alarm,
he realized what an idiot he'd been. Like everyone else he'd listened
with some amusement to Flerrion's tale of how he had assisted in the
rescue of two of the warrenfolk - along with several other dragons,
including Roxie's Zanne, Sharees' Chamelle, Akety's Ishtar, and
S'than's S'laze. But like everyone else, he had not - until now -
placed any significance on the fact that those tunnels were down there.
He'd just assumed that they were some natural feature of the warren.
Now, as he ordered Flerrion to come about and dive back down into the
warren, he wondered.
Flerrion dashed into the hatching cavern, with T'rell still strapped
to the saddle. He was ready to plunge into the gaping hole next to
where Samson stood, but T'rell stopped him. *Hang on!* he told the
crimson dragon as he unhooked the straps and vaulted down to the
ground. The next moment he was jumping out of the way as Almantha
almost stepped on him as she charged wildly out of the cave. "Now where
is she going?" he wondered. A sudden chill overtook him when he
realized Almantha's craziness could very well mean Pandora was in
trouble. Seeing that the angry parents had the hole 'covered' and
knowing parents of this size were not ones you wanted to mess with
especially when they were really angry. Motioning to his dragon T'rell
sprinted for the cavern entrance. "Follow Almantha!"
Flerrion blinked in surprise, but decided that his rider *must* have
some good reason for this. Without a further thought, he hurried after
the Wingleader.
[..] Inside the tunnels
The small group of unsure rescuers moved through the tunnels with
Pandora bringing up the rear clutching her bundle of fireworks tightly.
"My goodness! I never realized this was here!" She exclaimed in the
barest of whispers, more so to herself then the others. The labyrinth
of tunnels was extensive and the queenrider was surprised that the
warren hadn't fallen in on itself, she was just about to verbalize that
fact when Roxie stopped giving everyone the signal for quiet.
Samson's roars could be heard from above and ahead creating an eerie
echo as it drifted to the group. "This way." Roxie said in a hushed
tone waving her torch to one of the dark tunnels.
"Are you sure." Dante asked his voice still edged with irritation.
The torchlight illuminating Roxie's face reflected a turbulent mix of
emotions, first anger, frustration, then pain, as if the rippling mind
effects were hurting her and she shook her head as if to ward off the
affects. Pandora had hoped her presence might somehow be a sort of
buffer, something, anything, but it was plain she was of little help.
The Wyverns had never been able to affect her and Lexi, and neither
knew why. They weren't telepathic, they had no special abilities, yet
their minds and dreams had remained free of the evil that encroached on
so many in the warren. As to why they were immune she could only guess,
at first they thought it might be their sibling connection but that had
been a theory that had been quickly dispelled however as there were
other twins in the warren and either one or both had been affected.
Whatever the reason though Pandora considered it a blessing, she had
enough bad dreams as it was, she surly didn't need any from dark
creatures bent on
destruction..
Glancing from one face to another it was obvious each was fighting
their own inner turmoil, as well as each other. The only thing she
could feel or fight with at the moment was her rising fear, which was
growing by leaps and bounds with every step she took. She was scared to
death and most certainly wasn't afraid to admit it. But she had come
this far and couldn't turn back now.
[..]
T'rell wasted no time, but still it took him a few minutes -
especially carrying the heavy burden that he'd had to haul all the way
from the armory. The object was long, bulky, and very heavy, but if he
was correct in his assessment then it was just what they needed.
He dashed past the small knots of people scrambling for safety and
called to Flerrion. *Show me where she went!* He called out looking for
the place Flerrion had described to him during his 'heroic' rescue. The
crimson dragon's head suddenly popped out of what appeared to be a
tunnel entrance then disappeared and T'rell quickly followed plunging
into the dark tunnels..
If anything, the tunnel under the hatching barracks was quieter but
it didn't make T'rell feel any better, nor did the discovery of the
immense webwork of tunnels beneath the warren as Flerrion mentally
guided him along. Almantha had disappeared, and for whatever reason
wasn't answering either of their calls. This was no place for a queen
to be and he had every intention of giving the brat hell about it when
this was over! Though, he thought bitterly, if the ground beneath a
hatching cavern wasn't safe, what was? He knew though if Almantha was
here, then Panda must be too. It took him a few minutes but he managed
to locate the ragtag group, their small torches giving them away way in
the darkenss of the tunnels. Relief was in his eyes when he saw
everyone was okay and dashed over to her with his burden still in hand.
"What are you all doing down here?" he asked, even though his words
were for all, he was looking at only one. He arched a brow at the
bundle of rockets and other
fireworks in the queenrider's arms.
"We're fighting!" Pandora said with a false bravado looking at her
commrades in arms. At seeing him there was relief in her eyes as well
as her answer. "Or at least, trying a distraction."
"Those rockets won't stop a wyvern," he reminded her, though he
agreed that they might throw the monsters into temporary confusion.
"The wyverns hate the rockets, they are too bright for them! Maybe if
we could shoot some off behind the ones that made the hole, then
maybe..." Roxie replied falling silent as the hissing sounds of the
creatures pressed in on them making it hard to count their numbers, or
even know which direction they were coming from.
"Good idea!" T'rell answered quickly.
Pandora immediately started to follow the three and was pulled back
so sharply she gasped in surprise. "Oh no you don't Lady, you're
staying with me. You shouldn't even be down here!" Taking the bag from
her arms he shoved it at Dante. "Hurry!" Then snatched a couple of
rockets out for good measure.
As Roxie, Dante and Rayn raced off as best they could in the rough
confines of stone T'rell gave Pandora a comforting smile in hopes of
soothing some of the fear he saw in her eyes.
"Now this....." He unwrapped the bundle and showed Panda one of his
fire-lances, the armor-tipped rocket projectiles that he and Alexander
had designed specifically to kill wyverns. "Will take down some
Wyverns!" He exclaimed with a tinge of pride.
"You're going to fire one of those off in here?" Panda asked, wide
eyed, noticing that this was the 'experimental' lance with an explosive
head. "You'll bring down the roof!"
"Not if my aim is good," he answered, taking the spark-striker from
his pocket. Intent on readying the weapon T'rell didn't see Pandora
freeze, nor realize she had suddenly quit breathing.
A sound, barely audible, a sound so hideous her mind recoiled in
paralyzing fear, it was a sound she had never hoped to hear again. **My
pretty, pretty!**
Pandora began to tremble as she slowly turned her head to see a faint
pair of all too familiar eyes peering at her from the inky gloom.
**My pretty!** came the barely audible hiss. Fear seized her throat
as Pandora opened her mouth to scream.
"Ok, I got it!" T'rell said looking up, he blinked at the strange
stance of the queenrider then his gaze moved beyond widening in sudden
alarm, "Shit!" At the sight of the advancing wyvern he instinctively
jerked Panda behind him. He moved the lance to aim at its chest, his
fingers moving to strike the spark that would light the fuse...
Deafening roars split the air so loud it shook the ground beneath
their feet as a raging mass of copper fury emerged from a side tunnel
slamming into the hissing Wyvern. Almantha's attack revealed more of
the creatures hidden in the darkness. A snarling streak of crimson
appeared and Flerrion lit up the tunnel with his searing flames driving
them back. Cracks began forming in the walls from the heavy vibrations
of the dragon's enraged challenges the sound a strange symphony of odd
moans.
....it sputtered into flame, and T'rell knew that they had only about
five seconds before it ignited and the lance roared to its target.
Little did he know this could be the longest five seconds in his life.
The lead Wyvern staggered to its feet unwilling to give up its human
prize oblivious to the fact that what was once its throat was now
nothing more then shredded flesh and scales. It's glowing eyes never
leaving the couple the Wyvern started for them despite Almantha's razor
sharp claws tearing deep wounds across chest and back. Shaking her off
an eerie bubbling sound came from the creature as it inhaled to spew
it's deadly venom, an ear splitting screech of pain erupted from it as
the venom seeped from the gaping wound poring across the Wyvern's chest
into the open gashes.
"Get down!" T'rell yelling pushing Panda to the floor. The lance
blazed to life, launching itself through the air, as the Wingleader
dropped the launcher and hit the dirt himself to cover Pandora. The
lance found its mark striking the Wyvern directly in the chest.
Almantha quickly spun away following Flerrion down the one tunnel, the
blinding rage of her roars increasing the cracks in the stone as they
chased after the retreating Wyverns..
The tunnel walls began to groan louder under the strain as the black
powder in the head detonated, sending a shower of bloody flesh, bone
and sinew raining down onto the couple.
Another loud roar sounded, but this was not from anything living but
from Mother Nature herself as the tunnel gave one final groan before
collapsing, separating the dragons from their riders.
Raising her head at the last second to look for the dragons Pandora
was struck several times by flying gore and stone, a large splinter of
bone struck close to her temple penetrating the soft flesh and knocking
her face down into the tunnel floor. Gasping in pain and swallowing
dirt her only thought was for her queen "[Almantha]" she whispered
while bright colors and stars swam before her eyes. Surrounded in a
cloud of dust she began to cough and T'rell waiting for the haze to
settle pulled her up to a sitting position and began wiping away the
chunks of torn flesh and bloody entrails. The stench was almost
unbearable and combined with the dirt they were both a gooey disgusting
mess.
"Why are you hitting me?" Pandora asked, her speech slurred as if she
was drunk.
T'rell arched a brow and grabbed the fallen torch amazed that it was
even still lit. At first it was hard to tell if she was really injured
or if the bloody gore was from the dead Wyvrn. There were several cuts
on her face, that were bleeding quite profusely but looked mostly
superficial. Brushing the hair sticking to her cheek and lips his eyes
widened at the small piece of bone lodged in her head. Raising his hand
he lifted three fingers, "How many fingers am I holding up?"
Pandora blinked, unable to focus as she teetered towards the upright
appendages then jerked back when they got to close to her nose, "Ow!"
She uttered reaching to touch the strange stabbing pain in her head.
T'rell instantly grabbed her hand away.
"You're hurt! I have to get you to the Med Center!"
"We can't leave!" She cried out shaking her head, the motion bringing
a loud yelp as her head exploded in blinding pain. Gasping she blinked
trying to focus on his face,. "The others..Almantha..Flerrion?"
T'rell looked around him, and saw that with the tunnel sealed to
prevent any further wyverns from entering - and with the warren's
dragons arriving en masse - they could concentrate on getting through
to the dragons. *Byorn!* he called, and got an almost immediate
response. A moment later, the blue dragon appeared through the haze of
rock-dust that filled the cavern. Big Olaf was on his back.
"We's ready, Mr. T'rell!" the big man called down. T'rell saw Panda
wince when she saw who it was, but whispered in her ear, "He's just
what we need to get Almantha and Flerrion out...and you can watch *if*
you promise to stay absolutely still!"
Panda nodded after a moment's hesitation. "Can you get them out?"
she asked.
"With them and a few more dragons," he said, and began calling off
some dragons names in his mind.
* * * * *
Flerrion and Almantha
[This is YOUR fault!] Almantha told him, as they both blazed out at
once and drove back the wall of wyverns that seemed to be advancing at
them.
[Well, actually it was my rider's fault,] Flerrion corrected her, as
one of the wyverns suddenly sprang past the flames at them. Flerrion
met it head on, knocking the slightly smaller creature back. The two
of them wrestled around on the cavern floor, biting and clawing at one
another.
Almantha slipped up alongside them and used her tail to hit the
wyvern on the side of the head, stunning it momentarily and causing it
to roll backward toward the other wyverns.
[That was pretty good!] Flerrion panted, rolling back up and backing
into place alongside her. [Are you all right?]
The queen glared at him, then spared a quick glance at the blood that
was dripping from where she'd been bitten. [Wonderful,] she said
sourly. [Well, hero, I hope you have some great ideas, because the
rest of them look like they're about to jump us!]
[Um, well...I guess when they do, we should fight them?] Flerrion
asked.
[Oh, that's right, heroes don't need to be smart, do they?] Almantha
huffed, tensing as the wyverns prepared to attack.
Suddenly, there was a sound of stone breaking behind them, and a
dragon-voice erupted in both of their minds. [Duck!]
[A duck? Down here?] Flerrion wanted to know, looking around for
something small and white with feathers. [I don't think...] Almantha
knocked him over as a blast of flame erupted out of the hole that had
suddenly appeared in the stone. Byorn was there, grabbing a chunk of
rock in his mouth and tossing it back out of the way. Other dragons
from various wings were there with him, all trying to enlarge the hole.
The wyverns were trying to regroup, when suddenly the cave was lit by
the sparking trails of a dozen rockets. They spun around, some
exploding in showers of blinding light against the walls, others
bouncing off and landing on the wyverns themselves before detonating.
The attackers had had enough. They turned tail and fled down the
tunnel.
By now, the opening had gotten big enough that the dragons could get
through. Flerrion stood guard while Almantha went through, then went
through himself.
"We'll need to brick this up," T'rell told Big Olaf. "You ever do
anything like that on the farm?"
"Yup," the big man answered. "T'waren't too purty, but one time I
builded a..."
"Yeah, that'll do," said T'rell, gently helping Panda to her feet.
"I need to take our junior queenrider to the med center. "Just make
sure that hole gets plugged."
(Tag Tree)
Submitted by:
John (T'rell & Flerrion, Olaf & Byorn)
and
Tree (Pandora & Almantha)
Summary:Late Evening, Day 130 - T'rell and Flerrion join the battle
under the hatching cavern. T'rell arrives with one of his explosive
fire lances, which ends up collapsing the tunnel and preventing any
more wyverns from getting in. It also traps Almantha and Flerrion on
the other side, so T'rell and Panda organize a rescue effort to clear
the rocks away. T'rell leaves Olaf to oversee the re-sealing of the
tunnel while he takes Panda to the med center.
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