Impending Danger [Dragon/Franny]

[Dragon]

She was tired of staying in the Weyr. She'd been in the Weyr for the last four days and hated it. Though she didn't really hate the Weyr, just being in it for so long. Her mother was in the Kitchens, cooking of course, and her father was with the new Weyrlings. She envied them very much for their dragonets.

She sighed as she walked into the forest. Though not before stopping and making sure that no one had seen her. She didn't want that Dragon Shield member, Kyrah, seeing her and diverting her attention with that pretty gold firelizard. She had a mission to find more pretty rocks! And she didn't want to stay in the Weyr much longer.

She'd been walking a long while already and found a small stream. She knelt down by the water's edge and began moving rocks and looking to find more. She put three in her pocket. One was all silver looking with a few flecks of black. The other two where brown and one had black streaks in it. She heard a rumble off to her left. She looked up, but didn't see anything. She shrugged her shoulders and turned back to the stream bed.

[franny]

Someone was in her territory! The feline sniffed the air and silently moved toward the intruder with the stealth that was bred into her kind. How dare they intrude her territory?!

She creeped up and climbed to a vantage point. She warned the intruder with a rumble in her throat, but the intruder didn't seem to care. What a stupid creature! Well, easy dinner was always appreciated.

With a snarl the feline launched herself from her rocky view point strate at the intruder creature with her claws fully extended. Her jump brought her raking a left claw down the human's face and her right claw missed the shoulder and neck. Instead it came down the girl's frot ripping cloth and skin. She had misjudged and come up short!

With a hiss of anger at not killing the girl immidiatly, the felind jumped on the girl trying to knock her over digging her claws into arms and air where there was no skin.

[Dragon]

Irinn screamed as she was attacked. Fear kept her from thinking of anything else. She gripped the animal's fur near the mouth, hoping to keep the animal's teeth from taking hold of her vulnerable neck. She screamed again, fear and terror contorting her voice.

Suddenly, back at the Weyr, a bronze screamed. It was H'nen's bronze Sarkith. He screamed again. Feline is attacking! he called out. He received an image of a young girl, and roared. H'NEN! Irinn is in danger! She is being attacked by a faline! Sarkith sent to every dragon in the Weyr.

At hearing the news, H'nen froze. He turned slowly to his bronze. "Weyrlings, dismissed!" He quickly ran for his bronze.

[anyone is welcome to join in!]

[Ise]

Akroma had been sitting in the Weyrhall, eating a quick meal and chatting with a few other people when she noticed Nalaar acting funny. The brown fire lizard had been eating a small tidbit of food but now he stopped, his head jerking up as if he heard something. Then the brown started letting out his worried trills. Akroma apologized to the people she had been talking with and quickly left the hall. Nalaar quickly started sending flashes of images into her mind. It took her a moment to figure out what Nalaar was trying to tell her, and no wonder the brown had been put into a panic by picking up the speech of a bronze dragon. A small girl was in trouble, attacked by felines outside of the weyr.

Once outside the hall, Akroma started running. Nalaar kept up with her for a moment before popping Between. She had sent the lizard to go try to find the girl then to return to her so she would know where she was going.

The brown went in and out of Between, showing up in different parts of the forested area around the weyr trying to find something. He finally heard the sound of the yowling feline and the screaming girl and took off flying. He darted between trees, a small brown blur until he found the two. They were next to the stream which would make it easier for them to be found. Nalaar flew in close to the two, chittering, trilling and making as much noise as he could as he zipped around in the air above them. He popped between once again, making the quick trip back to Akroma and giving her the images of the stream and the area around it and of the girl and the feline. Then he was gone again, back to the girl where he tried to get the attention of the feline again.

Akroma was thankful that she now knew where she was going and ran harder. Nalaar's pictures hadn't been very clear but she had picked up enough, the girl was hurt and bleeding. She also thought that she recognized the girl, Irinn the young daughter of one of the bronze riders. Akroma only hoped that her or someone else would be able to reach the girl before it was too late.

[HG]

Kyrah was always cautious in the woods. Eriol had her patrolling with him but they were at least half a mile from eachother. The other Shields were spread even farther. They had been tracking some feline activity in the area so it came as no surprise when Eve caught the images that brown Nalaar had been broadcasting. Crap! That was Irinn. Ky wasted no time, she kew this area of the forest well, well enough that even with the rough images the Gold had retrieved from the brown she was able to tell where it was.

The red head was fast and lithe as a feline herself. She ran through the forest like a sprite or a fae one as if the branches did not scratch her and the roots of trees could not trip her. She had made the forest partly her home where the Weyr was the other part. Little Irinn stood no chance against that feline and though Kyrah hoped to be there in time to save her, she was certain the little girl would not last long against a mature, hungry feline. A very courageous one at that. Most felines left humans alone unless very hungry. The Shield dealt more with them eating livestock than attacking humans. However a young girl in the woods was as easy of prey as that of an animal.

Irinn was a mile from her at least and though Kyrah was fast, she doubted she could get there in less than ten minutes. Running through the woods was not the same as running around the Weyr. Eve blinked Between suddenly though Ky knew where she had gone. All the terrain training was going to pay off. The Firelizard appeared above the little girl's face and flew at the feline's eye, little claws ready to distract the feline from its prey. Eve's claws did not tear out the eye but she had scratched it and the feline was obviously angered and distracted from the girl.

Eve's little plan had worked. It wasn't much longer before Kyrah arrived. The feline was gone. “Shard it!” She said outloud, slightly upset that the bold feline had run off. The little girl was obviously hurt and probably in shock. “Irinn, I'm going to take you home.” She said hoping the girl was still with them enough to hear her.

[Dragon]

Irinn fought off the feline as best she could, getting gouges and bleeding. The loss of blood was taking it's toll on her as she desperately tried to keep the feline's teeth from ripping into her flesh. A gold blurr appeared suddenly and drove off the feline. Irinn sank to the ground as exhaustion finally sank in. When she felt something grab her, she screamed. And then she recognized Kyrah's voice. The gold firelizard had to have been her Eve. She started to cry. She felt much better knowing that the feline was gone and Kyrah was there.

[HG]

Kyrah began the journey back to the Weyr which was not as far as it could be. Though Irinn was not heavy, Ky was not the strongest person in the Shield. She might have some speed to her but she certainly couldn't run and carry Irinn at the same time. Instead she used what she had available. Eve sent a message to the Weyrwoman's brown firelizard. They were inbound with an injured girl. Most women might care about their clothes being bled over and while, Kyrah did not enjoy the smell of the blood, she was more concerned about getting the little one to the Weyr.

The red head walked at the fastest pace she could manage. The Weyr took her a good half hour to get to, seeing as she was carrying the child and having been out of breath from running to her aid, she was not as fast as she normally was. As usual determination and stubbornness won out over fatigue. Kyrah did not know if the WeyrlingMaster knew that his daughter had been injured but she figured the Weyrwoman would tell him long before she got to the Weyr.

Upon arriving, Kyrah didn't hesitate or ask for assistance. She was hurrying to the Infirmary. Inwardly she was debating with herself as to whether she should feel responsible. The conversation she had with Irinn earlier in the week, she had promised not to go out alone. Another child even might have deterred the feline. A child alone, as she had tried to explain was risking too much. She should have been more strict on the girl it seemed. Eve flew just in front of her the whole way.

The infirmary had been informed by the time they arrived and the Healers were ready for them. She laid the girl gently on the table. For the first time realizing just how much blood had been transferred to herself when they asked if she had been hurt too. “No, no, its her blood. She's lost a lot of it...” Kyrah said quietly. She didn't want to stay here. “I'll be in later to check on her. If she wakes up tell her Eve and I will be back.” Ky needed to get washed up and then she would probably have to talk with Eriol. Abandoning him in the woods was not a way to stay on his good side however he would know she did the right thing.

[firethorne]

To say that the Weyrwoman was upset would be like saying the desert is sorta hot. Rather, a far more apt statement would be ‘the Weyrwoman is ready to rip someone’s head off and stick it up their butt.’ Standing in her weyr, fists planted firmly against her hips and her eyes narrowed into slits, Raelwyn stared at the weyrguard, her usually bright green eyes frosty and unforgiving. “How could you allow this girl to get outside the weyr, Seadryn?! I appointed a constant watch for this very reason! Children are not to be allowed outside the weyr alone, ever. And though I do partially blame the girl’s parents, you are our last line of defense, the eyes and reason when others fail. Care to explain to me how this happened on your watch?”

The man was apologetic as he tried to explain, but being sorry wasn’t going to fix anything here. Raelwyn pursed her lips, unsatisfied with the excuses he gave. Certainly, any weyrbrat was small, but that was no reason for him to overlook her. His gaze should have been sharper than that.

What a deadglow. I would never allow such harm to come to any of the younglings.

One corner of the queenrider’s mouth tilted upward at that, her mental voice wry as she replied. Ari, love, you know where they all are because of your mental links. I’d say that is cheating.

The mighty gold sniffed from her couch, causing the weyrguard to glanced towards her warily. Pointless, that. I still wouldn’t allow it.

Shaking her head, the Weyrwoman sighed deeply and dropped her arms, losing a bit of the harshness in her posture. “I have no more questions for you, Seadryn.” She said, voice almost weary. “We all make mistakes, but some are more grave than others. I will have you dropped two ranks and taken off guard duty until your captain deems it time for you to resume it.” Raelwyn had made her decision, and it was final, allowing no room for discussion or complaint. For a moment, the man looked as if he would argue, but then Aeriath growled lowly from her couch and he hastily bowed, face ashen and miserable. The goldrider’s heart twisted at that, but she kept her steely expression, waiting until he left. I hate doing that, but I can’t take this lightly. We have to make sure our perimeters are secure.

Rumbling, the queen stretched and stood, tail swaying as she stalked lithely out to her ledge. Failures are punished, and victories are rewarded. It is how our world works, Minelove.

I know. The woman replied softly. Then, she quickly sent a message to Eriol through her brown, asking him to keep the Shield on high alert and find that bloody feline. This wasn’t going to end with Seadryn; she was going to have the animal tracked down and slain as well. Raelwyn didn’t like that either, but if the creature was that close to Refuge, it had to be killed. Quickly making her way to the infirmary, the Weyrwoman passed the redhead, and smiled slightly. “Good day, Kyrah.” The queenrider said pleasantly, though her tone was edgy and tense. Her eyes quickly cut towards the form of the bloodied girl, noting the red stains upon the Shield’s clothing. “How is she? Will the girl live?”

[HG]

Why her? Kyrah was leaving to get washed up when the Weyrwoman greeted her. Eriol should be here to handle this, Ky was not so good at conversing with the higher ups. Eve sat on her shoulder chirping her greeting before Kyrah opened her own mouth. The Gold liked the Weyrwoman a good deal probably because she liked Aeriath though Kyrah could not hazard a guess as to why that was. “Umm. Good day Weyrwoman.” Maybe not such a good day really but what else could she say? Her blue eyes were troubled but looking at the Weyrwoman, she could see that she was not the only one who was.

The red head knew she looked completely unacceptable at the moment. Covered in blood, dirt and sweat she was hardly the person to be talking to the Weyrwoman. “Eve got the Feline off of her before I could reach her but I fear she has lost a lot of blood. When I got to her she was in shock.” She paused, wondering if after all her hard work the girl might still die. “The Healers really aren't sure at the moment whether she will make it or not.” Kyrah's mouth turned into a frown. This was her fault. She should have gotten her here faster, she shouldn't have let her wander around last time and given her a punishment for wandering alone. Although she really doubted the girl would have done anything differently.

“Weyrwoman?” She asked tentatively. “Do you find it strange that a Feline would attack a child? They usually avoid humans.” Even small humans. Ky would understand if maybe the feline was starving and this was a last chance at a meal. Maybe it was desperate or maybe the felines were growing less frightened of humans? Little girls were easy enough prey but the scent of human on her would have been enough in most cases for the feline to leave her alone. She had to wonder what sort of feline would risk it. Sure when humans were out with livestock the felines would attack them but they smelled like the livestock. The whole situation was odd. Of course the girl should never have been out of the Weyr by herself. Kyrah had even told her not to leave the Weyr without another person. No feline, no matter how desperate would attack a group of humans. Exceptions being defending itself or its cubs.

[firethorne]

Smiling at the firelizard, Raelwyn wiggled her fingers in greeting to the small queen before turning her attention back upon the redhead. It probably wasn’t the most dignified thing a Weyrwoman had ever done, but she had never put much stock into the whole ‘nose in the air’ thing. Noting the hesitancy before the Shield spoke, the goldrider knew that Kyrah wasn’t exactly comfortable with her, but there was nothing to be done about that. She needed a few questions answered, and the warrior was the best candidate at the moment. She would release the redhead as soon as she possibly could. No doubt she wished to get clean.

Nodding at the reply, Raelwyn pursed her lips as she listened to the Shield, worry gnawing at her. Of course, the flits had proven their usefulness once again, Eve having saved the girl as she did. Those creatures were more than just pets, certainly, and had many talents that could be put to use with the right training. Brow furrowing even further, the Weyrwoman watched the healers before her working furiously over the girl, standing discreetly in the corridor with Kyrah so as to not be in their way. Refuge might have been her weyr, but there were places that even she knew her place in. Shaking her head, the queenrider let out a heavy sigh, sounding far more weary than a woman her age should. Responsibility had a way of aging one before their time, that was certain. “I wish I knew how this girl could have gotten past the weyrguard. I set up a constant watch for this very reason, but the guard on duty said he never saw her.” Pursing her lips again, a dark look fluttered in the goldrider’s green eyes. There were only so many ways in and out of Refuge without a dragon, and each of them had a soldier stationed there. Seadryn had slipped, and now this girl would pay the price.

Pulled from her thoughts by the redhead’s voice, Raelwyn focused her attention again on Kyrah, nodding slowly. “From what I’ve read in Eriol’s reports, I find this extremely odd. He has documented the creature’s habits quite well, and though I wouldn’t profess to know as much as you or your fellow members of the DragonShield, I have a fairly good understanding of felines now.” Fingers tapping nervously against her leg, the Weyrwoman shook her head. “I can only hope this doesn’t mean they are growing bolder. Not only was she attacked, but she was attacked uncomfortably close to the weyr. I have already tasked Eriol with killing the feline. Though I don’t know why it attacked a child, I do know that it’s too close and too brave. I hate it, but it’s a threat that needs to be eliminated.”

Growing silent, Raelwyn then glanced over, mentally cringing at what she saw. Shards, the Shield was covered in blood, and she doubtlessly wanted to get clean. “My apologies, Kyrah, I shouldn’t be keeping you after what you’ve been through.” The Weyrwoman said, inclining her head slightly. Now that Eriol was tracking the feline, it wouldn’t be long until he called the others in and finished it off. The redhead would need to be back in the field soon. The goldrider did, however, sense one more thing bothering the girl before her, something that she could hopefully put to rest. “The quick actions you and Eve displayed gave this girl a fighting chance, at least. Your performances are quite commendable. You are both a credit to your Weyr.” Smiling, Raelwyn then turned, striding into the infirmary and waving aside one of the nurses that wasn’t busy with the girl, requesting constant messages sent to her weyr to inform her of the child’s status. The queenrider planned on visiting when she was well enough.

[HG]

The little Queen nodded her head as the Weyrwoman greeted her. She was very self important for a flit and expected the sort of attention she often received. Kyrah bit her lip at the Weyrwoman's mention at the girl getting past the Guards. She felt like they were kin, the other guards and her. Even her uncle was among them. Feeling that she must say something to perhaps help their cause she made herself speak. Raelwyn was right to worry but perhaps it was not the guard slipping up?

“Ma'am. If I may suggest something?” She asked hesitantly but not waiting for an exact response she added quickly, “ Weyrbrats are known for finding secret passages. It could be she found a way out of the Weyr that none of us thought to use. Perhaps some way that would be too small for an adult to get through? I've already caught this very same girl out of the Weyr once before.”

At this Kyrah began to look more nervous. She was now on the sides of her feet rather than having them planted firmly on the ground. Her eyes were locked on some invisible speck on the stony floor. “I don't think anything I could have said or done would have kept her from leaving the Weyr again. She said she went out all the time.” Perhaps her father knew of her escapades as well? Ky really didn't want to incur the Weyrwoman's wrath.

Kyrah nodded. There was no telling why the Feline would attack a human child but she was certain they wanted to avoid this happening again. “I will hurry then.” The worried look on her face had not diminished but she felt a sense of ease leaving the Weyrwoman's presence. There was a reason Eriol was supposed to be the one debriefed. Kyrah did not do well speaking to her superiors. Although she held a lot of respect for them she seemed to always make mistakes or say the wrong things. Her promise to come back on check on the child had not changed, but first they needed to track down that feline.

[Dragon]

He stormed into the infirmary. Tall and forboding. His hair tied behind his head in a runner's tail. His light amber eyes flashing in the light, his lips set in a hard line. "Where is my daughter?!" He stormed at the healers.

But one glance around the room showed him where his youngest daughter was. He rushed to her side, shoving a healer out of the way. Once look from him made the healer go quiet. He raised his hand gently to brush a feathering of Irinn's own hair out of her face.

There was a sob at the door to the infirmary. Selosyn ran in, grabbing up her youngest child. "How could this happen? How did this happen?" Tears streamed down the Cook's face as she sobbed over the damage the feline had done to her daughter. She huged her daughter to her chest, despite the healers asking her to leave her on the cot.

Irinn felt something grab at and she burst into crying and yowling like a wounded animal, unconciously struggling to get free from her mother's arms. "No!"

Outside, the large bronze roared. Be still, youngling, it is your mother holding you! The bronze encouraged the child.

Irinn relaxed at hearing the voice of her father's dragon in her mind. "Sarkith?" She said aloud, opening her eyes a bit and taking in her surroundings. "Father?Mother?"

"We're here, Irinn," H'nen replied to her. "How are you feeling?"

"Sore and tired. Did it hurt Eve?" The pain in her eyes were clouded with the thought that the nasty feline had managed to kill the lovely gold firelizard.