Saving Family Pt 2

Writers: Miriah
Date Posted: 28th April 2016

Characters: Lanniya
Description: Lanniya follows through with her plan
Location: Elsewhere on Pern
Date: month 5, day 15 of Turn 8
Notes: This is actually happening in Turn 3 realtime; Mentioned: Pierka; Council Approved; Pt 2 0f 3

Lanniya

The ocean sloshed far beneath them as they flew and far ahead was the
darkness of an oncoming storm. They both felt the wind blowing towards the ever
darkening clouds, but Lanniya welcomed the aid in speed even as her heart
pounded with both nerves and excitement. Anaeryth focused on her flying and her
surroundings, eyes intently scanning the waves beneath them for
any sign of the ship they sought.

Lanniya was sure that she had arrived in the right time; she felt the odd
draining sensation shortly they arrived, a sign that she had been told meant
that she and her younger self were in the same time period. It wasn't bad right
now, but she could see why reports were that it caused a great deal of problems
for riders long term. But that wasn't important now; she wasn't planning on
staying that long. The small dock had been in the right place and though there
was a ship sailing from port, she had arrived far enough away that she was certain
that they hadn't taken notice. Taking Anaeryth at a higher altitude and into overcast
skies, she directed the gold out to sea.

It was difficult to check the map while the wind whipped the hide;
Lanniya had to grip it tightly and fold it into small sections that
wouldn't be caught in the wind that continually tried to rip it
away from her. Determination settled in her gut, refusing to be cowed
by the waves of nerves. She had to do this. Her brow knit in concentration,
she followed the line on the map that she had traced herself. That direction.
She looked up and peered towards the dark clouds. Directly in
there. Lanniya chewed on her lower lip, suddenly worried. Could
Anaeryth really make it into that storm? The storm was moving fast, the
waves were already being whipped up and the wind was getting strong…

}: I am stronger. :{ Anaeryth's own determination and confidence was clear.

**It looks really bad. I didn't think it would look so bad.** Lanniya
felt her first flutter of doubt, then jumped at a distant flash of lighting.

}: We can be quick as possible. :{

They'd have to be. Lanniya decided. The ship wouldn't have purposefully
sailed into the storm, would it? Surely not. Maybe it would be on the outer
edges…hopefully it would be on the outer edges.

As the storm approached them and they grew closer, Anaeryth had more
difficulty keeping her flight steady. Lanniya was jostled as they hit air
pockets and thermal drafts and more than once her teeth clicked together
painfully. Rain began pelting them; thunder was audible even over the
sound of the wind. Anaeryth, determined, strove against it, her protective
membrane sliding over her eyes to protect them from the growing power of the rain.

Lanniya had to repeatedly wipe off her goggles as she scanned the ocean below them. The
waves were so choppy, how could she be expected to…a sudden gust blew them backwards and
Anaeryth struggled to right herself. She had never flown in such harsh weather and only
instinct saved her from being tossed around by the sudden wind shear. Lightning crackled
overhead, causing Lanniya to hunch her shoulders, praying it wouldn't strike the
gold that was struggling to regain altitude. It was as the gold finally found an updraft
that Lanniya saw it.

The small, heavily laden trading vessel hadn't had enough speed to escape the fast moving
storm, though from the direction it was facing, it was clear that the captain had been attempting
to find a way into safety and away from the danger of the rocky coast line that drew nearer with
each gust of wind. The sails were flapping wildly, evidence that they had been torn violently loose
and were now causing the ship to rock as the wind and waves directed. It listed dangerously from
side to side, only righting itself at the last possible moment before being rocked again. The
smaller vessel hadn't been meant to take on a storm of this magnitude.

Lanniya had not been prepared for the time of the real crisis. In her
planning, she had thought to reach the ship before the storm struck it.
She had failed in that and was forced to see the ugly
truth of the ship in what seemed to be its last moments. It made
Lanniya's heart seize with fright. Her parents! Pierkanya! **There! I
see it! They're there! Anaeryth! **The last was both a vocal
and mental scream as Lanniya pointed towards the vessel. Even as
Anaeryth strove to reorient herself to make her way to the ship, Lanniya
watched in horror as a lightning bolt seared through the sky and stuck the
main mast of the ship, immediately splintering it and setting the ship alight.

Through the rain and wind, Anaeryth struggled and slowly grew closer
to the floundering vessel, urged on by Lanniya's mental pleas. Over the
roar of wind and rain, they could both hear the cries of fear from the ship,
then a sickly crack as yet another wave tossed the ship. The sides of the
ship split from the strain and from her quickly decreasing distance,
Lanniya could see figures in the waves, holding on to whatever they could to
stay afloat. Bits of timber from the split vessel began to litter the waves
and Lanniya frantically searched it as Anaeryth near the remains of the tossing ship.

She spotted a golden head and her heart creaked in protest. It was someone she couldn't save;
shouldn't save. She couldn't see the face, but she knew that blonde head like she knew her own.
Her eyes teared up behind her goggles and she forced her gaze away, knowing full well what the
future was for her sister. She had to find them. Where were they? Anaeryth battled the wind, but
she was growing tired. Lanniya was about to give up hope. Had they already drowned? Were they
still in the ship? Her eyes rapidly searched again, mentally pleading for some sort of miracle. Her eyes lit on a figure, floundering in the waves, but clearly striving to reach the golden head of her sister. The figure was trying to pull another limp body after him, but seemed intent on reaching Pierka. The waves kept forcing him farther away. Lanniya's eyes widened. Her father! It had to be! And the limp one…she prayed that it was her mother and she was still alive.

With a shout, Lanniya suddenly forgot her fear of the storm. Her whole word focused on to the
two figures. ** Get them! Get them!**

Anaeryth focused immediately and without a pause, dove, forearms extended. Lanniya's
stomach felt as though it was in her throat as her gold swooped, grabbed, and then struggled to
gain lift. }: I have them! :{ Her wings strained further and she grunted, her eyes closed with the
effort.

Desperate to get out of the howling wind and get her parents to safety, Lanniya silently urged on
the gold, who seemed to be weakening, but without complaint. **Go /between/! Out of the storm
just like in Thread!**

They blinked /between/.

Last updated on the May 20th 2016

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Saving Family Pt 2