The Rain Event [E]

[Kaya]

| 74.12.19 | All about the Weyr | About an hour before noon |

“I can’t find her!”

The summer rains were falling, that was normal. The amount of rain pooling up on the ground, that was not normal. The ground was soaked from other storms and days of never ending drizzle. Out on the edge of the Bowl, rippled brown water sat, muddy from the pounding raindrops that quickly soaked any who ventured outside. It was a bad cloudburst, not showing signs of letting up soon.

That made Rilora’s heart sink even further. Her precious feline, barely a Turn old, was missing. She hadn’t seen Bel in too long, not since the evening before yesterday. What if she was stuck out in this rain? Or hurt? Or lost? She made her way about the Weyr calling for the silvery feline and asking all passersby if they had seen her kitty.

---

It wasn’t just the Weyrwoman’s troubles that were making their rounds through the Weyr. Various leaks into the Weyr were being discovered, even one in the crèche and the babes were being swiftly relocated. It would take a while to move all the wiggling children, some excited and others upset by the rain. It would take even longer to notice that one particularly precocious boy had wandered off.

---

There was also a storage shelf that needed attending. Half its contents were already spoiled by the water pouring via the ceiling, since this store was mostly below ground level. Hopefully someone would discover it and save the remaining supplies among the sacks of flour, sugar and the like.

---

So the rain fell that day, relentless in its race to the Weyr below. Rivulets ran across the ground in unusual places and the rain storm threatened to make itself more than just a nuisance. The sea roared, the rivers gushed, and all about the Weyr people were needed to set things in order again.

[Nicole]

You're wet.
And you are black.

Evaine's hair, plastered to her head from the unfortunate leak right above her, stood still for a second as the water cascaded down her back. With a sigh, she stepped out from under it and turned her head to the side as the Weyrwoman came bustling through.

A missing kitten?

I will keep an eye out.

Evaine stepped forward and up to Rilora. Nevorousness flashed unexpectedly up at the pretty Weyrwoman in front of her. She hadn't talked to her personally, not really.

Still, she should help.

"I haven't seen her, but I'm happy to help you look. Do you have any idea of where she was last? Normally in the place you looked first. And she should be okay. Kittens are good at staying wet. I would know. Farm life and all. Um. Sorry for rambling. Don't run into you often."

[Moo]

With a wistful sigh, D'gan paused as he crossed through the Bowl. "Guess this means practice is cancelled today…" he noted, cupping a hand over his brow and glancing to the skies. It was no use, of course. The rain, which had seemed at first to be a passing shower, was quickly growing into something more, and was beginning to thoroughly drench his uniform.

Mosiliath's eyes swirled rich greens as he looked up, nictitating membranes flashing away the raindrops. He pulled his wings tighter against his body as the wind began to pick up. Good breeze for flying, but bad if you didn't know how to fly in it. Yes, but I wager they will still be working today. My![/i][/b][/color] The large Tiger stepped around a puddle - if it could still be called a puddle, more a small pond than anything - and shook his great head.

It never rained like this in Fort! Hmm. I don't like the look of it.[/i][/b][/color]

"Never like this," nodded D'gan, and spoke louder over the growing noise of the rainstorm. "Well, since flights are surely cancelled today, we should see if there's anyone who needs help."

Agreed. Now, let's hurry, before we have to swim instead of fly out of our own weyr,[/b][/i][/color] he gurgled, and turned his head away from the Bowl.

I suppose I shall see to the Southern fields. Check on the farmers and for damages in the fields. Can't have those herdbeasts escaping.[/i][/color]

Supressing a laugh, D'gan nodded. I'll find work to do inside. Patch leaks or move supplies to storage or something, he mentally replied, forehead wrinkling as the rain fell harder. Hah, and you wanted to live near the ocean. Imagine.

Readying his wings, Mosiliath shook the rivulets of water off, exposing his warm sides to the rain in the process. Ooh, it's cold![/i][/color] he rumbled, a shiver rolling over his striped hide.

Yes, well, I don't think I want to imagine what that Hold's dealing with, if we're flooding here, he said, and glanced back to D'gan. I'll take my leave now. See you later.[/i][/b][/color] Then, with single-minded determination, he took to the skies, wings beating the air hard to gain altitude, and sailed to the south.

D'gan turned and headed for the Weyr's inner halls, spying a distressed Weyrwoman and a friend of hers on the way over. He hesitated momentarily, then continued on his way. If there was one thing that needed to happen right now, it was work - not conversation. He passed through the bustle of people around the inner entrance and into the dining hall, surveying the quickly-pooling water coming from the kitchens.

Removing his riding jacket and placing it on one of the taller tables, D'gan pushed back his hair and rolled up his sleeves. Time to get to work.

[Ghost of Fire (Fëanáro)]

T’kar had had to call practice off no more than halfway through. The weather had gotten unbelievably bad. While all of them could have kept flying through it, it was clear from the state of things on the ground when they landed for their break that help was needed down there, so that was what the Wing had been doing for the past few hours.

T’kar was soaked to the skin, despite his flight jacket. He’d had to swim out to nearly the middle of the lake in pursuit of a little girl’s pet feline, which had gotten caught up in the flood and been washed out there. Ancalanath had stopped the girl from swimming out into the windswept lake, and held onto her until T’kar returned, but the upshot was that every piece of T’kar’s clothing was soaked. No sooner did he re-enter the Lower Caverns, dodging a pile of people and water near the kitchens, with the girl and kitten then he saw Rilora running through one of the halls.

“Rilora, what’s wrong?” he called, handing the girl and her kitten off to one of the crèche workers.

[Shoki]

Cyanee finished the knot with a tug, than tested the tarp. It was secure, so she nodded to the woman she had been helping out. Taking things back and forth was becoming a chore, especially if one wanted them to stay dry. Secure knots were a good thing, and Cyanee had been helping with the carts taking supplies out to the southern fields. Besides wood and tools to repair some fences there was also food under the tarp, which had to stay dry.

“Thank you dear. I can handle it from here.” She headed off with the supplies, and Cyanee smiled for a moment before naturally gravitating to Zigbrieth. The Blue had been nearby, supervising the affair. The pair had done their best to be as helpful as possible, but the dragon was starting to notice that Cyanee was not straying from him. Actually, this was becoming the norm, not the exception. She wouldn’t leave him if she could help it, and today it was becoming more and more obvious she wasn’t going to go anywhere that he couldn’t go. This had been acceptable thus far. However, Zigbrieth now saw an issue.

In you go. The Blue pushed his head against Cyanee and gave her a little push toward the kitchens. The rider was surprised but kept her balance. However, he could feel her rapid emotion switch from content to distressed.

“No, no, I can stay out here for a while-“

Nope. In you go. The Dragon threated another push but Cyanee slid away, looking sad.

“But why?”

We’re out of things to help with outside. You can go inside to see what needs doing. Get to it. Cyanee’s mood didn’t get any better, but she looked less rejecting of the idea. Zigbrieth seemed excessively supportive of her helping people around her, and had somehow viewed today as a gold mine of people willing to except help. ‘They remember who came to help when they were too busy to find their friends.’ He had said. So go. After, you come back and take a brief break. Quick, quick, the rain won’t wait Cyanee. The dark haired girl looked backa t him for a moment, before reluctantly heading inside. She didn’t want to leave Zigbrieth. She never wanted to leave Zigbrieth. She didn’t know why, she just knew that she wanted to minimize time spent away. She stepped into the kitchens, chaos abounding. Another set of hands would always be helpful, so within moments she was told to get to work or get out. She set about the former.
---
Cr’wean was looking for more dry towels. With all the leaks, the healers were running out. So he was hunting some more down. It seemed like everyone in the Weyr was looking for a dry towel, so the pickings were slim. He continued looking, meanwhile thinking on his sister’s condition of late. He’d seen her avoid any situation that required her to be away from Zigbrieth from too long. He knew that bonding a dragon would change her priorities, but he was beginning to suspect it wasn’t just bonding the Blue. It could be she was terrified to being away for too long, or more accurately, terrified to losing him. That hatching had been extremely rough, so maybe that had done something when combined with impressing…

Cr’wean sighed and continued walking. He wasn’t good with figuring people out, so it was only a guess. The reason he could guess though, was because he knew how Cyan was. She had been somewhat skitter of late, and she usually wasn’t. What to do about it was certainly something to think about. He couldn’t be sure though. He was broken off the thought when he spied a young boy moving through the halls, not quite directed enough to feel like he knew where he was going. He looked around, but no one around seemed to be focused enough to be a parent or guardian. Odd.

“Hey kid, where you headed?” Cr’wean walked closer, which apparently wasn’t the thing to do. The boy immediately bolted down a nearby passage, leaving Cr’wean stunned for a moment. He really wasn’t good with kids. Apparently he looked a bit intimidating. Which meant he really didn’t follow up well either. “Hey kid, come back here!” The Lifewing rider started to run after the boy, trying to figure out why he would be running about the lower caverns without someone watching him at his age.

[Ghost of Fire (Fëanáro)]

K’tar dodged about the bustling people, looking for some sort of snack. He supposed he should be helping, and he’d get right to it, as soon as he’d gotten something to snack on. He started to come out into the kitchen area, but there was a massive crowd out there, including Cr’wean, who was still on K’tar’s “most to be avoided” list, so the Sr. Weyrling slipped back against the wall. The LifeWing Rider didn’t seem to notice him, however, being absorbed in chasing a little boy around.

Run kid, run, K’tar silently encouraged the boy, grinning. He ducked under a table that a couple people were carrying, and emerged next to the hall that led to food store rooms. He walked a little ways down it, not wanting to be easily visible to the bustling crowd, opened the door, and sagged against the doorway. Not fair! There was water pouring into the room. To make matters worse, one of the flour sacks had tipped onto the floor and burst open, so that there was three inches of thick and gooey paste covering the floor.

Growling under his breath, K’tar stepped backward, only to get sideswiped by somebody, lose his balance and fall, face-first, into the flour-paste. It isn’t funny, he snapped at Viarth, but the Purple’s silent laughter still sounded. Silly dragon. Grabbing the flour sack, K’tar started to haul it out, though he scooped as much of the paste back into it as he could. He had an idea for this stuff, and it wouldn’t do to lose any more than he must.

[Kaya]

Every set of eyes helped, though she still felt the press of time as the girl spoke on. Rilora took a deep breath and steadied herself before replying. "I haven't seen Bel all of yesterday nor today. She's a light silver color, petite, about a Turn old, and she isn't normally gone this long. I'm worried she's stuck somewhere or hurt. And I have checked my quarters, she is not there." Rilora felt the anxious little shakes creeping back. She could hear the rain from outside and it didn't help. She took another deep breath. She had to stay on top of her feelings and find Bel Lin.

She caught T'kar out of the corner of her eye and Rilora wavered between feeling better and comfortable enough to feel worse. "Bel's missing. I haven't seen her today nor yesterday. I'm worried," she answered, watching the girl and another feline (younger it seemed) go by. "Have you seen her?"

[Ghost of Fire (Fëanáro)]

T’kar pulled up short. “No. She’s not just hiding in the drawer or something?” He doubted that was the case; the drawer, or any hiding place in Rilora’s weyr, would have already been searched any number of times.

I told you to get a flitt instead.

and I asked Lithena, and she said feline. Not to mention Rilora was talking about her feline back home.

“Have you checked the meat storage yet?” T’kar wasn’t clear on exactly how a kitten could have gotten in there, but it was worth checking, assuming that Rilora hadn’t done so already. Of all the days for Bel to have gone missing…

Thunder split the air, making T’kar glad that he was inside. On the other hand, if Bel wasn’t inside, it was probable that he’d be outside in the rain again, and very soon too. Concentrating, he focused on an image of the little silver feline. Find. Shadow, Boot, Star, find. He glanced up to see his three flitts leaving the room, towards the personal weyrs.

[Terayne]

The rain, and its effects, was being felt all throughout the weyr, even down to the Wher Quarters, and Terran was muttering under his breath but obediently removing wet bedding from the little Citrine's den. She'd not been put out, which had kind of surprised him, if he was honest, and everytime he got around her he could sense her pushing at him, trying again. Each time he gently refused her, and tried to stay away from her as much as possible, hoping she'd Bond to another of the UnBonded Wher Candidates instead. Shaking his head with a sigh, he blew a stray lock out of his eyes and kept on, watching his step carefully. He'd known the little beast to come and nom on his boot before trying to stop him moving.

Outside, strong arms lifted things that needed lifting, and scarred hands helped people out. Their owner was intent on helping, and didn't notice the rain pouring down the back of his shirt. His Bonded on the other hand was most distinctly aware of what was going on, but despite that was doing her best to help as well as she could. Aurora and rider were not the kind to shirk from doing what needed to be done, and those they assisted appreciated their aid...

Inside the Healer's Barrack, Adelia was fighting to keep her expression calm and collected, while inside she was struggling with concern. Her flitters were doing their best, Wave staying with the Dream to whom she was Bonded while Beam stayed with her, keeping the children who had been brought in to be watched over entertained. Every now and again the Weyrling touched to Scendath, wanting to be sure she was alright, only to find the silly creature thinking of ways to make the story sound 'SO MUCH BETTER MINE!'

Ylara was watching as her Wood moved some things around, the dragoness lifting the fallen trunks and pushing them aside, off the path and out of the way of the carts heading past. Once that had been done, the woman leapt to her shoulders and held on as Orylth leapt into the air, heading out to follow the caravan and keep an eye on them. Even with the weather, they were determined to protect their people...

Laria was inside, staying out of the way of people, while at the same time doing what she could to help. This involved sending her fire-lizards on errands people asked of her, for they had quickly become known to be quick and intelligent, fast with relaying messages and gathering items that were needed. Near her Querin was at a table, marking down records and tallying items that were being brought to him and claimed as ruined. These were mainly consisting of food and other things that could easily be destroyed by rain...

[summerrain]

Kokoro knew what rain meant. She was already in the fields with her Flame flit, knowing what needed to be done. She found the pots, the ones that were supposed to be planted within the sevenday, and pulled the tarp out of the shed nearby. Angeth wasn't old enough to fly in weather like this, so Kokoro was doing her best on her own. Suddenly, though, the wind wipped up and almost tore the tarp from her hands. One of the other farmers showed up just in time and helped her secure the tarp, thus protecting the potted crops from wind damage. There wasn't much else she could do, as the older farmers seemed to have it mostly under control. One of them told Kokoro that she could head back to the Weyr, so she did.

"Spark, go on ahead and see what Weyrwoman Rilora could use your help with," she told the RR Flame flit. He chirped and betweened while she kept walking through the downpour.

Spark appeared from between before the Weyrwoman, chirping. He flew around, trying to show that he wanted to help.
_______

Ayleneth looked at the sky through the window. Hers was sleeping, something she'd had trouble doing lately. Yuki hadn't been herself for a while. Ayleneth knew it had something to do with Mosiliath's Mine, but the details of it confused her. She wouldn't be of any help to anyone at the moment. When something like this happened, the two-legged were better off with the dragons out of the way. However, her intentions to not wake Hers were disregarded as the sounds of the storm woke the child from her slumber, thus waking Yuki.

"Oh, Yura, it's alright," Yuki told her baby daughter sleepily. Then she noticed the sounds from outside. "There's been so much rain already..." She sighed and got out from under the blankets, heading toward the crib the carpenters had made for her. Her father had attempted to give her one, but she'd known it wasn't going to last. "I bet you're hungry. It is getting around that time." She took the time to let Yura nurse before hading out. "Ayleneth, you can go with Mosiliath if you like." Ayleneth was thankful, but she still wanted rest. She had been watching over Hers, ready to wake Yuki if she was stuck in a nightmare.

Yuki left the new weyr she'd been given and made her way down into the lower caverns. She was surprised when a young boy collided with her legs. She was holding Yura in her arms, the baby girl still too young to support her own head. "Hello there," she said to the boy. "Are you alright? Did you get lost?" She smiled kindly at him, and he appeared soothed for a moment by the child in her arms. Until someone else came around the corner. It was Cr'wean, one of the Lifewing riders in the Weyr. He turned and saw Cr'wean, then darted around Yuki's legs and heading down the hall again.
_______

"Well hello there," Tera said, knealing down. She'd found a lovely feline, a brilliant silvery-colored pelt, and so young. Not quite a kitten any more, but still not entirely adult either. The feline purred as Tera stroked its head. "Did you get lost? I don't believe I've seen you aroud here before. Are you a new feline, or do you live somewhere else in the Weyr?" She gently picked up the silver feline, adjusting it in her arms to make it more comfortable.

Hey Picosith, will you let Archith know about this little one? I haven't seen it around here, but it looks familiar...

Of course, TeraMine, Picosith agreed readily. Archith-mother-queen, TeraMine has found something interesting. She wasn't sure how to describe the feline, so instead she sent a picture to the Queen.

"Now, how about we get you some food?" Tera asked the feline, starting to walk toward the kitchens. She'd been delivering something to one of the older Riders, and as such had been in the personal weyrs area. She saw the storm outside as she passed some windows. "You didn't want to get wet, did you? Well, you are a curious little thing." The feline was making noises in her arms.

Her blue flit, Rain, popped out of between beside her, startling the feline. Tera lost her grip on the frightened creature, who fell to the floor and darted away. "Good work Rain," Tera said sarcastically.