Where Are the Children?

Writers: Ames, Chelle, Heather, Jelena, Paula, Suzee
Date Posted: 11th February 2014

Characters: Famell, Jylanya, Aslvor, Milga, Naton, Shilara, Thayde, Josene, Kleneria
Description: A hurricane hits the Dolphin Hall and a rescue must be mounted
Location: Dolphin Hall
Date: month 5, day 13 of Turn 7
Notes: Mentioned: Veerona

Jylanya

Thayde

Famell had been busy meeting with some of the dolphineers when the
warning bell sounded. He stopped what he was doing and prepared to
investigate. He didn't have to as a few journeyman dolphineers came
bursting in the Hall.

"Hurricane. Fast. Big. Coming on _quick_," Aslvor reported along with
her fellow journeyman.

Famell heaved a sigh. "Alright, let's prepare for _another_ hurricane
people. Move fast." This was their third hurricane in just a little
over a sevenday. He hoped things would settle down soon.

Those in the Hall immediately sprang into action readying the Hall to
take the brunt of the damaging winds.

Shilara came in to the hall in her no-nonsense fashion. As a rescue
and salvage specialist her real work sometimes did not begin until the
hurricane had passed. "Do you need me to do anything, Famell, before I
head out?"

Milga hurried to her assigned spot with the rest of the apprentices.
Their job was sandbag the doors and other places where the water could
seek it's way in. Good thing no one had move the sand bags away since
the last one, so they didn't need to lift them far.

"Markle? Has anyone seen Markle?" Kleneria ran along the corridors,
fervently looking for her son. The baby was tucked safely under her
arm. "Markle!" she looked outside and called. Where was that sharding
boy?

"Markle? No, I haven't seen him," Naton was making his way over to the
apprentices to give them more instructions when he noticed the frantic
mother. "When and where did you see him last?"

"He was heading out to play with group of other hall brats," Kleneria
fidgeted. With the baby, she just couldn't run outside to look for
him. "Could you check outside, please Naton?" she pleaded, concern in
her voice.

"I can't leave my post, to be honest, but I know just the person to go
and have a look," Naton replied seriously as he beckoned Milga closer.
"Milga, dear, Kleneria is terribly worried about Markle, he's gone
outside to play with some other brats and hasn't returned yet. Can you
run outside real quick and see if you can find them?"

"Yes, sir, ma'am!" Milga replied promptly and gave the woman
encouraging smile. Kleneria answered with a wane, worried one.

"Oh, thank you!" she said.
With a nod, Milga ran outside. First place to check was the beach
where the kids usually hang around.

Famell turned first to Shilara, "We need to make sure the upstairs
shutters are pulled closed. We were working on the third level and I'm
not sure anyone will think to check there. The damage from the winds
could harm more than that level if left unshuttered." He knew she
would take care of the project for him. Before he could add more, he
heard the frantic call of Kleneria. Famell frowned. Which children
were out? Could they have gotten far?

While they waited for Milga's return he inquired, "Does anyone know
who else might be out with Markle? What other children should we be
checking on?" He pointed to a few apprentices. "You, you, you. Go
check the lower levels by the infirmary in case the children are
playing there." He directed others to check other locations as well
inside the Hall. Children had a tendency to change their plans even if
they had stated they were heading outside. It was best to check all
possible avenues.

While the Hallmaster dealt with the crisis of the missing child
Shilara jogged from the room, her destination the upper levels. They
had procedures for hurricanes, of course, but you never knew where you
were going to be in the Hall when they hit and no matter how much they
prepared it always brought about a small sense of frenzy.

Thayde passed through long enough to clap Famell on the shoulder, "I'm
going to batten down the infirmary. I'll stay there with the
dolphins." He turned to Aslvor then, "Help me?"

"Vee's missing," Jylanya said breathlessly her eyes dark with worry. "I've
just gone through all the rooms on the first and second levels and
she's no where to be found."

Milga returned just then, already drenched. The rain had already started.
"No sign of children outside. I checked the beach and the docks and
all their usual playing places I know of," she reported.

"Oh, Faranth. Where's Merkle?" Kleneria was really scared now. The
baby sensed her distress and started to cry.

Aslvor made her way over to Thayde, ready to help prepare the
infirmary. It was becoming a habit of late.

Famell tried to keep everyone calm as they accounted for a handful of
missing children. One person finally recalled seeing them head up the
beach for something. Checking outside, he knew they would be unlikely
to find them even if he sent out massive search parties. It could just
jeopardize more lives.

"Firelizard. Does someone have a firelizard familiar with the
children?" He asked, thinking perhaps if the firelizard could pop in
and find them, then they might have a better chance of narrowing in on
the location of the children.

Josene spoke up, coming forward. "My blue knows some of the girls."
Firex chirped, sensing that he could help in some way. Helping would bring
treats. He would do anything for treats. The young dolphineer had found the
egg turns ago on the beach.

"Well, then let's see if Firex can find the children," Famell replied.

"Oh, please, we have to find them fast," Kleneria pleaded.

She was quiet for a moment as she tried to make the blue understand. It took
a lot of doing since Firex didn't want to go out into the awful weather, but he
disappeared and she waited. It was awhile after but finally her eyes
opened a bit
wider. "They're outside, in the weather!"

"Oh no! My son," Kleneria wailed.

Naton's gut clenched. Was Veerona with those kids? "Can you see
anything else, any idea on where we need to look?" he prompted Josene.

Jylanya hid her face in the middle of Naton's chest. "No, no, no, she
can't be gone. We have to find her."

"I'm sorry...his images aren't the best but..." She closed her eyes,
trying to concentrate on the pictures. "On the shore. There's a
cliffside and they're under it somehow huddling." Josene was trying,
but it all looked the same for the most part. "The wind is picking
up."

"We will find her, we will," Naton held Jylanya tight against him as
he whispered that to her. Meanwhile his mind raced to try and figure
out what cliff it could be. "Can you see a big overhanging tree above
the cliff?" he tried.

Firex was having a hard time keeping still. The wind was blowing him
everywhere. Still, the firelizard persevered until he latched his tail
onto a good bit of rock. Distressed since the weather was picking up,
he really didn't want to stay-not really. "Oh come on..." Josene tried
to cajole him with thoughts of food and rewards. "I can't get him to
look. The rock is pinkish colored though. There's a ledge and it
almost looks like stair steps."

Famell thought everything over. "I don't think we know enough to send
out search parties of our own. We'd just be looking blind. If,
however, we could get some bigger eyes, perhaps we could work
together. If the Weyr were able to send us some riders they might be
better able to find the children, but I'm not sure they could fly in
these conditions. We can try it though. It would be best if we sent a
firelizard, as the conditions are not great for people to make even
that trip. Could Firex return or does anyone else have a firelizard we
could send?"

~*~

"Firex says they've been found and taken to the Weyr!" Josene
announced. It was a relief to all. Thank Faranth the bronzeriders had
gotten to the children before things had gotten very bad. "They'll
bring them back when the storm is
over."

"Oh, thank Faranth!" Kleneria cried with relief.

Milga let out a breath of relief too. She had grown very fond of Vee,
like she was her little sister.

"Excellent," Famell replied. "Now let's make sure the _rest_ of the
Hall is ready for the onslaught that is hitting us as we speak." He
motioned to those who were not waiting for the children's return to
come with him to double check that all was secure. In the chaos of the
children, he was sure something would have been forgotten.

Jylanya continued to cling to Naton but now it was simple relief.

Last updated on the February 25th 2014

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