A Hurricane at Dolphin Cove Weyr

Writers: AL, Ames, Devin, Chelle, Paula, Suzee
Date Posted: 2nd April 2011

Characters: Tavia, Aishara, N'mor, Janani, C'jex, Meledei, Qorri, N'vanik
Description: Hurricane at Dolphin Cove
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 13, day 30 of Turn 5

Tavia

Aishara

N'vanik

}:Big wind coming:{ said Sawauth. The Weyr had been warned by Dolphin
Hall that a hurricane was on its way. Tavia and her lifemate just
happened to be the lucky ones standing watch as part of her revised
duties so she told her lifemate **send the warning to the
Weyrleaders.**

Lucky for Tavia, her weyr was inside the bowl but it still faced the sea.
The skies were becoming darker as the wind whipped the normally warm
gentle air into a frenzy. There was no telling where this storm could go.
Dolphin Cove and all those holds and halls that were beholden to them
could be affected. "Lovely turn's beginning," she said thinking of the
festivities going on down in the dining hall and everywhere else nearby.

Qorri was overseeing the celebrations, but the Headwoman was also making
sure that preparations for the weather had been made. Livestock was secured
underground. There was extra water and food that wouldn't go bad. They had
tried to cook the things that might spoil for the feast. The upper weyrs
were being relocated for the time being. Projectiles were being lashed down.
She was busy, directing the Weyr's response. Everyone would sleep in the Lower
Caverns unless the place flooded. Then they would go higher.

Aishara gave her weyr one final look. Everything was secured as wind-
and watertight as possible. Her weyr was in such place she had to
evacuate herself to Lower Caverns.
}: It's coming. Soon I won't be able to fly :{ Auymith warned her.

**Coming. I hate hurricanes, ** she shivered. The last bad one was
still giving her nightmares. She deftly leaped into Auymith's waiting
back. At least in the lower caverns there would be klah, food,
blankets and company. Most of all, she wanted company.

"Do we need more sandsacks?" N'mor called out. He and other men were
barricading the Weyr's entrances with walls of sand filled sacks.
Kedvencth was sniffing the wind. }: I don't like this :{ he said.

** Who does? ** N'mor asked absently.

}: Fortunately, this time there are no eggs in danger :{

** You remember that? :{ N'mor was surprised.

N'vanik would rather be out helping with the last minute preparations,
but he was in the crowded dining cavern reassuring the many guests and
coordinating the efforts. The report from the Dolphin Hall said it
would be bad enough to keep dragons from flying, but not as bad as the
storm that had flooded the Hatching Grounds almost two turns ago.
Before he'd been Weyrleader, when Trae had to come with the eggs to
Dragonsfall ... He shook his head clearing out those thoughts. This
storm shouldn't be as bad, but weather could always change.

**Alright love, time for us to get under cover** she said and with
that Sawauth dropped off the heights almost like a stone toward the
floor of the bowl. Her wings spread at the perfect moment and they
glided into the dark opening. She'd done as much as she could before
her shift to get ready but she knew things would be a mess when she
got back.

Sliding off her back and running inside the dining cavern she bumped
right into someones shoulder. "Ooops, sorry," she said. The place was
absolutely crowded. Then she realized who she'd run into. "Sir," she
added to N'vanik quickly with a nervous giggle before she tried to
disappear into the crowd and find the other healers.

Janani was inside, doing her part to reassure the anxious guests that
all would be well. **Are you safe, love?** She reached out to her
golden dragon. }:I am settled in the lower weyr:{ Knowing Angdelouth
was safe, Janani went back to trying to keep the guests thoughts away
from the winds that were picking up outside. She pushed her way
through the crowds, looking for N'vanik or Qorri to see if there was
anything else that still needed done before the full front of the
storm blasted through.

N'vanik watched Tavia hurry away and spotted Janani. He waved her
over. "Hey, how's it going?"

She stopped and moved in his direction. "The winds are really picking
up. I think everything is in order. Qorri did a great job organizing
things, but I can tell the crowds are a bit restless. Even knowing
what's coming, we have no idea what to really expect." Janani paused
and looked at him, "Is there anything we still need to do before the
brunt of the storm hits?"

C'jex, meanwhile, had been part of the group that had seen to the
moving of the last of the non-riders to safer quarters. His job had
also entailed making sure that things were tied down for the storm.
Just moments before Ohoneth ducked into their temporary weyr on the
lower levels, which was rather crowded since they had to share to make
room for everyone. C'jex finally ducked into the lower caverns just as
the rains began to pelt down around them. "Rains are here!" He said to
no one in particular as he shook off the moisture.

N'mor followed C'jex in. "I could use some klah, it's getting chilly
out there," he remarked.

Tavia found where the healers had set up and dropped her small bag
near the back wall. She was tired and they didn't have any patients so
she sat down a moment and rubbed her temples. Someone shoved a cup of
klah into her hand and she looked up. "Thanks" she said.

"You're welcome," Aishara said with a friendly smile.

The press of people made the cavern quite warm and Meledei reached up
to rub the sweat that beaded on her brow. She needed to get some air,
but right now there were too many people who were nervous about the
storm for her to pull away and do so. The dining hall had been a rush
of activity before, but as soon as words of the storm passed through
the halls, those who hadn't already been to the dining hall and
weren't assigned to specific duties crowded in.

It was a large space and could certainly hold the entire Weyr, but
worried people had a tendency to press together and Meledei had been
among a crowd that had done just that. "It's going to be all right!"
She called out in effort to reassure those near by. She patted the
shoulder for a young woman who was wide eyed and white of face.
"Elleth tells me this storm isn't going to be that bad."

The goldrider murmured reassurances to all those clustered together
before she allowed herself the freedom to move away and breathe a
little easier. Her jade green eyes swept over the hallway, taking
note of those gathered. Then, with startlement, her eyes fell upon a
small form huddled in a shadow, looking around, face pinched as if she
were about to cry. Why was a child alone?

Meledei slipped over to the little one, a small thing who couldn't be
over two years in age. "Hey." She half whispered as the goldrider
crouched down beside her. The child turned her face to the goldrider,
eyes growing wide. "Hey, it's okay." Gingerly she reached out to pat
the child on the back.

"I can't find mommy." The child's lowered lip trembled and Meledei
dared to put her arm around the little one. "Hey, it's okay. She's
okay. I can help you find her." The child nodded and Meledei stood
up and held out her hand. The small hand slipped into it and together
the two plunged back into the crowds to search for the child's mother.

"We're as ready as we're gonna be," N'vanik told Janani. "Now we just
have to distract everyone as much as we can." Speaking of distractions
... **How is she?**

}:She is with the weavers. She'd rather be with you, but she's fine,:{
Loseth reported. N'vanik didn't like being away from Tal, but she was
in a familiar place and she was with friends.

Qorri had leaders for each team. Each team had a specific task. Leaving
them to their duties, she walked up to the Weyrleaders to report in.
"Everyone is accounted for. As much as possible has been secured or
brought underground. I've got enough food and water for everyone who
is staying. The harpers are supposed to be doing some music." She figured
if they made a party of it, it could be a good memory.

Tavia looked back at Aishara's friendly smile and sipped the hot klah.
"It's getting nasty out there." she said and as if the punctuate her
remark a loud bang resounded through the cavern. She stood and
strained to see but most of the people around were too tall. Then an
embarrassed voice came through din appologizing for dropping
something. "Wouldn't you know," she said "Just when everyone's on
edge."

Just then the sound of something banging around _outside_ could also
be heard. Janani looked around her at those gathered nearby. Something
was being thrown around outside by the high winds, and whatever that
something was it was loud enough to be heard deep inside. The room
seemed to settle into an uneasy silence as everyone waited and
listened, wondering what exactly was happening outside.

}:Winds getting worse:{ Angdelouth told Janani even as the queen made
sure to duck further into the safety of her weyr.

"I hate hurricanes," Aishara remarked.

"Thanks, Qorri," N'vanik said. Music would be a good distraction. As
if on cue, a few harpers stepped up on the stage.

The child clutched tightly to Meledei at the crashing thump that
resounded through the room. "It's okay." She murmured, running her
hand along the little boy's back as he fairly choked her. "The winds
just like to toss things around. They're just playing a game, like
when you play catch with a ball.

}*I have my ball. It is safe from the winds.*{ Elleth commented.

**Why am I not surprised?** Meledei laughed and the child sat up in
her arms and peered at her. "Why you laughing?"

"My dragon just informed me that her ball is safe." Meledei grinned
at the boy who sort of stared at her.

"Dagon has ball?"

"Oh yes. She loves that ball. I bet she would play with you some
time too. She likes others to play with her." The talk about her
dragon seemed to help calm the little boy.

"I pway wif dagon?"

Meledei laughed and nodded. "Yes. Real soon. Now...what does your
mommy look like?"

Aishara continued her round with tray full of klah mugs. She had
volunteered to do it. The hurricane was easier to bear if she was busy
doing something and feeling useful.

"Do you want klah?" she asked the Weyrleader and Weyrwoman.

"Thank you," Janani replied to the woman, taking a mug of the hot
klah. "Nothing better than a good cup of klah when there's a storm a
brewin' outside." She hoped it would blow over soon enough, but no one
knew for sure how long it would really last.

"No thanks, but I'd like some wine, if you don't mind," N'vanik told
Aishara. He was feeling a little on edge. Not so much from the storm
itself, but because he was in a crowded dining cavern where he had to
play Weyrleader for all the guests. He wanted to be curled up with
Tal.

"I'll get you some," Aishara promised. On her way to the serving table, she
nearly run into N'mor.

"Oops, sorry," N'mor said and helped her to steady the tray. "Hi, Aishara,"
he said and took one of the klah mugs. He had not forgotten who she had
given him a first kiss a Turn ago. "You still think I'm too young?" he
blurted out.

"N'mor," Aishara nodded in greeting. After the question she gave him a
scrutinizing, long look. "No, you've matured up nicely," she flashed him a
smile and went get the wine for N'vanik.

That comment filled N'mor with kind of fuzzy warmth.

Meledei thought she searched through over half of the dining hall before
finally locating the child's mother. It probably would have taken a lot
less time, except the mother was looking for her child and running from
place to place as much as Meledei was to find her! Eventually, though, they
were brought back together and the goldrider set about checking on other
people, though not before the boy extracted a promise from her that he would
get to play with her 'dagon'.

Eventually Meledei felt like there wasn't much left to do. People were
calmer, even with the occasional bang and had settled into acceptance of the
situation. She flopped down in a chair at a table and leaned her head
against her hand, wondering if she should go back to her own weyr.

Qorri saw Meledei and having seen to what she could do for the moment, she
took a seat at the same table. "You need to sleep. There are plenty of cots
and pallets set up in the corners."

N'mor leaned against a wall and sighed. This was the boring part, wait
inside, safe and snug, until it had blown over. He wasn't very excited of
the part when they would go outside to see the damage. He mentally checked
Kedvencth, but the bronze was sleeping. And Aishara was too busy playing
serving maid to flirt with.

Meledei grinned at the headwoman. "Actually, there's one way I can
get to my weyr without worrying about the storm. I might just head
there." She glanced around, noting all those who were going to be
forced to stay. "Unless you think it might be better if I stayed
here, help keep things calm."

Tavia found herself fidgeting as she sat even though she was quite
tired. She reached out to Sawauth but her green lifemate was sound
asleep cuddled up with a bronze. She shook her head and smiled. It had
always been browns before but since she'd been seeing U'kaiah it
seemed to have shifted a little. She looked across the room and smiled
at a few friends including Vandor and raised her cup, then fidgeted
some more as the storm raged outside. She was going to have difficulty
sleeping tonight.

N'vanik turned to Janani. "I hope this blows over soon." The harpers
started up with a lively song.

"I think with you having a low level weyr, it is very likely to flood first.
So I'd rather you stay here so I can keep an eye on you." Qorri stood
and brushed off her apron. "And I'm going to get some sleep myself while
I can." She had set up a nice little corner in her office behind the
kitchens.

That was a very good point and Meledei decided to take Qorri's
advice. "All right. See you later Qorri." She watched the Headwoman
leave, then turned her eyes to one of the cots. She wasn't quite
sleepy yet. So, instead, she rose and made more rounds, checking up
on any who might be upset and saying hello to those she knew before
tucking herself into bed.

"I hope so too. And here's to hoping we don't see too many more of
these in the coming days," Janani looked back towards N'vanik and
those gathered around her. Many of them shook their heads in
agreement.

Last updated on the April 27th 2011

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A Hurricane at Dolphin Cove Weyr