A Sledding Trip (2)
Dragonsfall Weyr
Amber Hills Hold
Vintner Hall
Healer Hall
Hidden Meadows
Dolphin Cove Weyr
Dolphin Hall
Emerald Falls Hold
Harper Hall
Printer Hall
Green Valley Hold
Leeward Lagoon Hold
Barrier Lake Weyr
Sunstone Seahold
Citrus Bay Hold
Writers: AL, Cali
Date Posted: 29th January 2010
Characters: B'lamick, Briata
Description: B'lamick takes Briata sledding and the two get more than they bargained for.
Location: Elsewhere on Pern, River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 7, day 14 of Turn 5
As if to give weight to his words, the wind howled through the chimney and made the flames dance like wild firelizards upon the hearth. "A storm? But how? There were no signs of a storm when we were outside." Even as she spoke, Briata left the mugs of klah she had prepared and grabbed her second pair of pants and proceeded to dress for the cold once more.
"They can come in quick sometimes, stay hidden behind the mountains." B'lamick took the remainder of the water from the pot and doused the fire before throwing on his jacket again and walking out with Briata. He grabbed her hand as they made their way through the snow, it seemed like with each step the winds got stronger and stronger. Finally, they made it to Latarth who seemed unconcerend with the weather or the cold. "Strap in tight."
B'lamick didn't have to warn her. The wind whipped at their faces with unwavering ferocity. Briata was fairly blinded and could barely see B'lamick or the great dragon beneath her. "Can he fly in this?" She called out though she wasn't sure if B'lamick could hear her above the wail of the storm. Jewel chirped in alarm and Briata lifted one hand to lay protectively on her firelizard.
"Sure." he replied confidently as he crawled up behind her, though inside he wasn't sure. **Buddy, you up to this?**
}:I will try.:{
That didn't imbue much confidence, but B'lamick didn't have much time to think about it either. Latarth spread his wings and leaped into the air just as a gust hit him, lifting him back and then pressing himself back to the ground. B'lamick encouraged he bronze to try again, they only needed a few wing strokes worth and then they could wink /between/. Latarth tried again, this time, keeping his wings tucked at he lept, only then opening them. He was pressed down again before he could get any height, this time the wind turned him slightly and he found himself thrown close to a cluster of trees.
**That was too close buddy, we'd better just wait it out.** B'lamick tapped Briata on the shoulder to get her attention and shook his head when she turned to look at him. She nodded, and as one, they unhooked their straps and slid off the bronze into the snow.
So much for that idea, though it had been a valiant try. Briata spoke something soothing to the dragon, though he probably didn't need it. Her gloved hand slid into B'lamick's. Even so close she could barely see him. She didn't want to lose him on the way to the shelter. Where _was_ that shelter anyway?
Try as she might, Briata couldn't even see that with the swirling white all around them. She felt like she was blind...she _was_ blind in a sense. Her free arm lifted in an attempt to shield the worst of the wind and snow from her eyes. The effect was little, but little was better than none. "Where is it?" Briata leaned over and shouted. Even so close, she wondered how clear her words would be. For a moment, Briata thought about sending her firelizard, but if the dragon couldn't fly in such fury, how could a little firelizard expect to? No, she wasn't going to risk it.
B'lamick pulled Briata forward. He couldn't see the cot, but he knew where it was. He'd known exactly how far from Latarth the building had been, and he knew about how far away and what direction they'd been turned when he'd attempted to fly out. Plus he had Latarth, who had much better vision than he had. }:Not far enough, go left. :{
Finally, he saw it. The wind had pushed them back farther than he had thought, but it was there, nestled at the base of the trees. He felt Briata slip out of his grasp and turned to lift her up out of the snow where she'd fallen. The wind was drifting the snow, and once when he'd stepped, he'd fallen himself as it caught him up to his knee.
Once they made it to the door, B'lamick pulled it open and all but pushed Briata inside. "Did you see a candle? I can't leave the door cracked, the wind will yank it off."
"I think I saw one earlier." Briata was glad to be out of the wind. It had taken her breath away. She had been covered in snow from the storm and even more so with her fall. She fumbled around the dark until she found the little drawer she had seen earlier. She pulled it open and her fingers closed around a candle. "Got it." With careful movements, she made her way back to B'lamick. Her gloves were soaked, as were her pants. The snow upon her was melting she could even feel it through the multiple layers.
B'lamick waited until it was lit, then closed the door, leaving her inside while he felt his way to the back with the woodshed. He came back a few moments later, arms laden, and opened the door just long enough to let himself back in. It took awhile for his eyes to adjust, the bright brilliance of the snow versus the near total darkness of the cot, but he found his way to the hearth and deposited the logs on top of the ones he'd just put out.
Briata was shivering visibly when he returned, the candle's flame flickered more than was natural. Her teeth weren't chattering, but that was simply a matter of biting down to keep them from doing so. She was glad to see the wood. Get another fire, get the cot warm and get themselves warm. Once the door was closed, she turned from where she had hovered to shelter the fire from the wind that tried to tear inside when the door was open. "Here." Briata offered the candle to the bronzerider.
He'd used the kindling that had been set out in the bucket for the previous fire, and now he had nothing with which to get the flames going. He looked around, holding the candle carefully, but could find nothing with which to use. He saw the bed and went over to it, the linens might work, but he was loathe to burn them. "Anything we might use?"
Briata leaned over to look in the bucket and her face fell. It would be very difficult - if nigh impossible - to light the logs without kindling. "Maybe cut off some strips from the logs?" She suggested. Did they even have a knife?
Of course, the bark! B'lamick reached down into his boot to pull out his knife and found it filled with snow. He'd been so focused on the fire he hadn't even noticed. He pulled off the boot, revealing a soaking purple sock, and removed the knife that lay hidden inside. Carefully, but quickly, he started peeling away at the bark that was visible on a couple of the logs. By the time he was done, he had a small pile, but he didn't know if it was enough and they only had the one chance.
Pulling off his riding jacket, he removed his two shirts and began cutting strips from his dry undershirt. He removed the remainders of the soaked logs and set the bark and his shirt strips inside the arraignment of logs. He took the candle from Briata and used it to light several ends of his frayed shirt. "Here goes nothing."
"Hopefully something." Briata gave the young man a tentative smile. She was shaking more violently by then. The snow that hadn't melted upon her entry into the cot was almost completely melted by then. She shivered and shook and hugged herself. Jewel tightened her hold around her mistress' neck, as if in an attempt to add some warmth to the young woman. Briata nuzzled the gold with her cheek and watched silently as B'lamick attempted to light the fire and warm the cot.
B'lamick was focused on the fire until he was sure it was catching the other logs. Thank Faranth that they were dry, he couldn't imagine it working with green or wet wood. Somewhat satisfied, he turned back to Briata. "I think it's going to hold. Briata, are you alright? You're shivering." He moved over to where she stood and moved his hands over her jacket arms. "Why don't you get rid of those wet layers. We can put them next to the fire to dry them up a bit?"
"All right." Some of them anyway. Briata stripped of her outer breeches, her coat, and the secondary long sleeved tunic. Somehow, snow had managed to wiggle its way down the back of her neck, but her shirt wasn't nearly as wet as both pairs of pants. "Aren't you cold?" She eyed his own clothing which was almost as wet as hers, especially his socks. She smiled when she realized what socks he had worn.
Last updated on the January 31st 2010