The Hike of Nightmares

[FaizahPandora]

Surth and Isath were soaring over head, enjoying the ability to fly without the fear of the sharp peaks that they were normally so much closer to. Surth kept giving her images of the landscape ahead of them, since even she and Kain were unfamiliar with this terrain. This was the furthest they had traveled in this direction. Reyna was perched comfortably on Faizah's shoulder, dozing slightly. Hobbs was off somewhere, hopefully harrassing animals rather than the other flitters and dragons on this hike.

Kain was leading the group in a brisk pace. Even Faizah had trouble keeping up with him, and they had about the same pace normally. He just seemed somewhat on edge...

Nakia groused at the back of the group. She couldn't believe she had been dragged along on this stupid hike. Faizah knew that she hated the outdoors! So why was she here?
"It will be good for you to get out of the Weyr." Faizah had told her. But either way she had not given Nakia a choice in the matter.
Just then Isath sent her a picture of a bird that was brown with specks of black with a yellow smudge over it's eyes. Nakia had never seen such a bird, and for all their unremarkable coloring, she found the bird to be beautiful. Even the sound they made was high pitched and music to her ears. Nakia sent back to Isath the fact that she liked the little birds. (She looked it up to find that the bird was called a Savannah Sparrow, and only there for summer breeding)

Faizah had almost caught up with Kain when a bear cub came running out of the surrounding forest. The little cub, a brown bear, completely froze as it saw Faizah nearly knock into it. Faizah put her arm out to stop everyone, and called out to Kain.
"Kain... Brown bear cub. Keep an eye out for mom?" When Kain nodded Faizah looked back at the others.
"This is a brown bear cub. Females normally birth a pair of cubs, and inexperienced females will easily lose one or both cubs within the first year. Now, for this little one to be away from it's mother, something must have happened to her or something must have scared this one very, very much." Faizah said. She took a look at her Weyrlings, focusing to see Nakia at the back, when a sudden and terrifying sound came to her ears.
It was a blood-curdling, animalistic yet human scream of sorrow, rage and fear.

Kain felt the hair on the back of his head stand on end in fear, and goosebumps arose on his arms. He got the greatest desire to turn back and take everyone home. He didn't know what had made that sound, and he didn't want to stay long enough to find out. He looked at Faizah and noticed she had turned chalk white, and it looked like she wasn't breathing. Her emerald eyes were focused on nothing and he knew she was trying to remember something from her past that the sound had reminded her of. After a few tense moments Kain began to worry for her.
"Faizah?" He asked.
It effectively knocked her back to the present. The color returned mutely to her face, and she turned back to the Weyrlings.

Nakia was shivering. Missy was crooning in her ear, worried and scared about the sound as well. Reyna was chirping at the other flits, but Missy wasn't calming. Hobbs was back, and without a sound he perched on Kain's pack, undoing the zipper and hiding inside it. Isath landed near her, coming up beside Nakia and pushing her head into the girl's hand. "Faizah? What was that?" Nakia asked, and she could have smacked herself for the fear in her voice as she asked that question.

[Topaz]

((Faizah, if you don't want Zed to be able to communicate, since he's at the Weyr, I can fix that.))

Caleth chirred merrily as she glided nearby Isath, big Surth on the opposite side of the green/gold weyrling. The weather had been cooling the past couple of weeks, but Caleth was quite grateful for the still warm sunshine beating down on her wings as they casually pushed her forward. It had been the most delightful idea of the Weyrwoman to gather them all for a trip around the mountains. Neither Caleth or Kiana had spent much time beyond the relative safety of the lake, and the pair were equally enjoying the experience.

Down below, Kiana happily walked behind Kain, managing to keep just a few paces behind the eager man; Kiana always had a bad habit of walking ahead of people, even when with a group of friends, so the Weyrleader’s pace only spurred her on. While at home or, more recently, in the Weyr, Kiana was lazy whenever she had the luxury, but the brunette also had a great love of the outdoors and it’s creatures. The fresh, crisp smell of pine and earth was invigorating and she hoped dearly that they might come across some interesting woodland creature.

As they walked on through the forest, Kiana noticed that their leader’s brisk pace seemed to betray an undercurrent of tension, or maybe annoyance. If he hadn’t wanted to go on the hike, wouldn’t he have simply not come? He was the Weyrleader after all. If he couldn’t skip out on trivial little excursions like this, what was the point of taking on such a post? Kiana’s thoughts meandered on as the troupe continued, interrupted briefly by an adorable burp from the recently fed Moe, curled around her neck.

---

L’gar wasn’t really the most outdoorsy of people, however, when queried by the Weyrwoman about a casual stroll away from the confines of the Weyr, he wouldn’t dare turn it down. The fresh, thicker air was good for the old-timer - as he often referred to himself and Zed - and a break from all of his preparations for the weyrling’s lessons was appreciated. He lumbered along in the back the entire way, just as he had expected he would, with all the damn kids sprinting around; the Weyrleaders were certainly included in his superficial gripes, the both of them being at least twenty turns his junior. The fact that they were so relatively inexperienced, and from Earth, made a ripple of irritation amidst the brownrider’s content thought pool, although he’d never make a comment towards it. L’gar took solace in the fact that he was entrusted with the upbringing of the young weyrlings, so that when they begin to lead the Weyr themselves maybe he would be more comfortable.

Gorth is a fine beast, if not somewhat incapacitated.. and I don’t like that Surth leads any more than you do, but for a white, he is more than capable. Now push the thoughts out of your mind. Your irritation sours my sunning.
L’gar gave a mirthful grunt. You and your sun. If you weren’t a beast, Zed, you’d be as dark as a seaman.
Zedoreth gave a deep rumble, delighted by the idea as he shuffled on his weyr ledge and drifted back into semi-consciousness.

---

As they trekked, Kiana noticed Faizah steadily coming up behind her, most likely trying to catch up to her runaway husband.. or, whatever they were to each other, Kiana didn’t really know for sure. She had remembered that Lessa and F’lar from Pern were certainly an item of some sort and they were Weyrleaders just like Faizah and Kain. Either way it made no difference to Kiana what they were to each other, it only mattered what kind of leaders they were for the Weyr. So far, they seemed to be doing just dandy.

Suddenly, a little brown bear cub came rushing out of the brush and nearly collided with Kiana and Faizah. The Weyrwoman quickly threw out her arms to block Kiana from going any closer to the creature, a notion which she highly respected. After watching numerous shows on television about bear attacks, Kiana knew better than to go anywhere near this little cub and stayed where Faizah indicated. As the Weyrwoman called to Kain, Kiana scanned the surroundings. If it were a black bear, an angry mom might run from such a large band of humans, but a brown bear was a bit more dangerous.

As Faizah relayed some facts about the bear to the rest of the group, whom had all caught up by now, a terrifying cry rang out through the trees. Kiana’s eyes darted to the direction of the sound, flickering intently between the conifers to try and spot the offending creature. She convinced herself it was the mother bear calling for her lost cub, but to be honest, Kiana had never heard any animal sound like that. She glanced from Faizah to Kain for some guidance, but she found much of the same shock and fear that dominated her own senses.

Moe was instantly awake, jewel facets bright orange with surprise and fear. He stared wide-eyed into the forest, completely ignoring the little bear cub nearby.

Mine! Are you in danger? What creature gave that scream? Caleth’s eyes mimicked Moe’s, wide and swirling a mixture of yellow, orange and red. I cannot see between the trees, Mine. Can you see it? The young gold’s voice was panicked and pleading.
I don’t know. I can’t see it. We need to get out of here Cal..
Caleth followed Isath’s example and swooped down into the trees, landing nearby the group. The pale queen trotted anxiously over to Hers, curling her big body around the girl as a cat would, nearly knocking her over.

“We need to go.” Kiana announced clearly to everyone nearby.

---

As the screech ran out, L’gar tensed and hesitated in is step, finally stopping. “Hey, stop.” He hissed urgently to the weyrlings in front of him. Even as he said it however, he began walking again with a brisk, purposeful stride, making his way to the Weyrleaders where everyone had now gathered.

”We need to go.”

“Faizah? What was that?”

“I admittedly know next to nothing about your Earthian animals, but I think the young lady is right.” L’gar said, indicating Kiana. “That didn’t sound happy.” He said, his gaze shifting between the Weyrleaders, Kiana, the bear cub, and the surrounding forest.

I heard that. From the Weyr. What is it? Zedoreth asked firmly, rising from his lounge on the ledge.
I don’t know. I think we’re turning back now though.
Good. If you make it to a clearing I will take you and some of the weyrlings the rest of the way. I’m sure Surth could handle everyone else.

[PhazonDragon]

Dressed in fairly casual clothes--old and worn jeans, a light leather jacket, and a dark brown fedora--Rafael already had his nose in a book. A field guide to the Rocky Mountains, as Rafael called it (that's what it was, anyway). He brought up the middle of the group, behind the Weyrleader and the Weyrwoman, but just ahead of the other three that were tagging along on this hike. Of course, this was a relative position. At times, Rafael would become engrossed in a certain section of his field guide, and fall back a few paces, only to jog back up. Or, he would even become excited at the prospect of studying one of the dragons flying ahead, and he would quicken his pace, neck arched back as he tried to catch a glimpse of a shimmering dragon above the trees. He didn't even know many of the people in this group. Maybe introductions would be in order.

"Hello, my name is--" Rafael started, his thick German accent echoing in his ears, slowing down to match the pace of the young girl in the back of the group. He was cut off by Faizah yelling back towards the group about bear cubs and their mothers. His mouth was open, and Rafael quickly snapped it shut, out of respect. "As I was saying before, I am--" This time, a scream cut him off. And not just any normal scream... This was something unnatural and creepy. It didn't belong in the wilderness here. Rafael Werden was sure. He double-checked with a quick flip through the field guide. Nope... What would cause that? Even Weyrleader Kain looked worried. This made Rafael worried.

"What was that?" he managed to force out of his mouth, the first complete sentence, and the historian stood up on his toes, twisting his neck around to survey the forest. The scream shook him to the core. It was so human, yet bestial at the same time. Rafael felt his blood chill at the thought of it again. He took his eyes off of the young weyrling (is that what they were called?) to look around at the others in the group. Everyone was phased, yes, and it seems the dragon of the girl very much so. Rafael turned back to see a green-gold dragon being comforted by her rider.

“I admittedly know next to nothing about your Earthian animals, but I think the young lady is right. That didn’t sound happy.”

"I live around here, and I have never heard anything like that before," Rafael chimed in. "I would have to say it'd be best to leave this area, and maybe head back to the weyr?" Rafael was worried, yes, but not for himself, for the two younger kids in the group. The historian shoved his nose back into the book. "Of course, we don't want to draw attention to ourselves..." Rafael commented, taking this chance to raise a scolding eyebrow toward the firelizards that were making a racket. "Weyrwoman, Weyrleader, what do you suggest?"

[phyrstyr]

Nomics was almost skipping he was so elated to be in the woods. He had meant to explore around here a while ago but never got around to it. So when Faizah suggested a hike he immediately said yes. His nerdie friends would always tell him he must be part wood elf, he fit into the forest so well. And it was indeed as if he was made for it. His lanky body fit well through the trees, he had a naturally silent step even in dead leaves, and the cool shade seemed to kiss his skin.

He was walking towards the back, watching everyone enjoy themselves, when he smelled something musky/sweet. Ahh, it must be a large creature coming this way. He was now on mild alert while studying the scenery. It was so lovely that it would not make him feel bad if he left everyone to sit alone and listen to the birds leaves. But as he considered it, Faizah pointed out the previously unnoticed baby bear. Had that been there the whole time? Most probably not. "Now, for this little one to be away from it's mother, something must have happened to her or something must have scared this one very, very much." Eh, close enough. That wasn't always the case, but in this case it was probably true, by the way it kept looking around shiftily and the whole 'not running away from the people' thing. He could smell a sickly sweet/salty scent in the air. Hmmm, animals are fearful here and now. Noted. He loosened the clasp on his ever present Bowie knife and joined everyone else. Then he was assailed by an unearthly sound straight from the times of ancient evils. After a moment of stunned silence, his mind freed itself from the jaws of apprehension. He called for Mari so as to have heightened senses and that animal premonition.

They were talking about leaving. He chuckled to himself. While he always enjoyed a good adventure, he was also a firm believer in self-preservation and hardily agreed with their sentiment. Taking out his knife and holding it in preparation for fight, he said, "Yes, let us be on our way. We can come back another day. With dragons."

The historian said, wisely, "Of course, we don't want to draw attention to ourselves... Weyrwoman, Weyrleader, what do you suggest?"

Nomics waited for their reply. They knew this place better than he and they made the rules. He moved to the back of the group and stood watch, just in case something tried to sneak up on them. He sent Mari into the trees to watch also. If the Weyrleaders wanted his advice they would ask for it.

[Samari]

Tahli had been straggling at the back of the group. She had been looking at all sorts of plants and bugs in the forest. Her two flits were on her shoulder. Freya and Darwin alerted her to the cry of the creature ahead. Tahli froze in fear. Relanth landed in a part of the forest just to the left of his bonded.




"Tahli, what was that? Why are you shaking? Tahli?!"[/color]



She shrugged it off and ran to catch up with the rest of the group. Her firelizards hissed and their eyes whirled white with panic. They could tell something was amiss, and it was rubbing off on Tahli.



"Does anyone know what made that sound?"

[Wesku]

T'sai followed the others in the group at a slow languid pace. Gruulath was back in their shared weyr, and for once, T'sai had no problems leaving him there alone. Gruulath had finally started talking to him again, and it was that revelation that had caused T'sai to be confident and excited enough to go on this hike when the Weyrwoman called them.

Glancing about at all the new and foreign plants and shrubs that could be spotted, T'sai decided that he would eventually have to return to this place, if only because it was quiet. His quiet theory was interrupted though when a loud and unearthly shriek filled the air. T'sai looked at the others he had been tailing to gauge their reactions. He was still fairly new to Earth. Maybe this happened all th time. It didn't appear to be a frequent occurrence, if the faces and comments of his fellow hikers were anything to go by.

Mine are you alright? I just sensed a wave of anxiety come from you.

T'sai waved off his dragon's words.

I am fine, Gruulath. If anything happens, you'll be the first to know.

Gruulath would know to. He sometimes got a tad 'overprotective.'

---

Gregory was doing a mixture of hiking and shuffling the way he had learned from his mother. She was a firm believer in physical exercise, and Gregory had learned from an early age to love the outdoors. When he had been told to come on this hike, he had jumped at the chance and prepared for a trip into the woods. He had taken care to pack a kit of essentials like bug spray, first-aid kits, compass, and antibacterial wipes so he could eat his snacks with clean hands.

The Green weyrling was humming happily and easily keeping pace with even the fastest of the group when a whole commotion started over some bear cub. Gregory didn't say anything, but he didn't think it was a good idea to be this close to the thing. I may have looked harmless, but it was still a wild animal with a possible mother out there somewhere.

Just as the bear cub incident was dying down, a horrifying and unholy shriek pierced the air and buffeted his ears. The sound gave him chills, and he involuntarily shivered.

Sensing his distress, Jadavath became alarmed.

What has scared you, Gregory?

Snorting at his dragon's worry, Gregory tried unsuccessfully to hide his trepidation.

I never get scared. As for that sound, I'm sure it was nothing but some wild animal that I've never heard of before.

[FaizahPandora]

Faizah held up her hand for silence as she closed her eyes and tried to think. There was something out here that hadn't been out here a few weeks ago. Of that Faizah was certain. But what bothered her was that she didn't know what it was which was out there. She had studied every book on these mountains and it's creatures she could get her hands on before she chose this for the Weyr site. And she had had the back up of millions of government dollars to back up that research. So what was out there?!

Kain could see Faizah was having trouble with something. Kain had brought Gorth here the year it had been forged, but he had also lived nearby for most of his life. And he had heard the stories. Until a few moments ago he had taken them all at face-value; stories told from fear clouded memories and clips from other stories like it. But now he wasn't so sure. That sound was unnatural. He wouldn't admit this to anyone, but it had sent shivers down his spine as well.

Nakia was standing close to Isath, taking comfort from the green/gold's presence. She hadn't been this unrattled in very many years, and Nakia didn't like it at all. But she would be damned if she continued walking through this forest with the animal that had made that sound. What Nakia did find comforting, other than Isath's proximity, was that Missy was telling her that almost all the others were just as frightened as she.

I would not suggest remaining still for much longer. Something follows from behind. Surth told Faizah. He was circling overhead.

Faizah's eyes snapped open at Surth's words. She glanced up, then to the back of the group to see if she might be able to spot the follower before they got too close. Is there a path ahead that will turn us around to get back to the Weyr? Faizah asked Surth. He assented. Faizah looked at the Weyrlings and others behind her.

"We keep going. There's a path that turns about and leads back to the Weyr." She told them, then continued forward.

[Topaz]

Kiana was glad that Faizah and Kain seemed to be taking the mysterious animal seriously and suggested an alternative route back to the Weyr. Taking another glance around, she scanned the trees for any movement. Finding none, she was all the more eager to get on the move and followed the Weyrleaders further down the path.

Get back up there. I'll be fine. We're leaving. Kiana said to her gold with a pat on the shoulder. Caleth was reluctant to go, taking a few more steps with Hers before launching back up into the sky, sticking close to big white Surth.

--

L'gar nodded, satisfied with the Weyrwoman's decision and moved along with the group. of course, he continued to look around himself into the forest for any signs of an angry animal. He probably looked quite paranoid for such a surly man, but he didn't care. Who wouldn't be after a bestial roar like that?!

[PhazonDragon]

"We keep going. There's a path that turns about and leads back to the Weyr."

That was the Weyrwoman's response to everyone's general concern. While it should have comforted Rafael and the other companions on the hike, the historian felt like the only comfort it brought was that the weyr could be reached again. There was a hollow ring to Faizah's directions, and Rafael definitely picked up on it. The German raised an eyebrow at the Weyrwoman.

"Are you sure?" he asked, worried a bit. His words fell on deaf ears again as his voice trailed off. "I would just like to get back to the weyr in one piece, thank you."

[FaizahPandora]

((Okay. Since this has gotten no where I am going to fast forward a bit.))

They had reached the path Surth had mentioned, only to find that it had been blocked by a mile on either side by a mud slide. And according to Surth they were still being followed. So Faizah, now desperate to get everyone back to the Weyr, had turned to walk along the mudslide until they could go around. But dark had fallen, and nocturnal hunter had begun to emmerge.

They set up a slight camp in a meadow large enough for Surth and Caleth to land and settle themselves in. Kain and Faizah had then divided the necassary tasks between everyone. She and Kain would get the supplies to make overnight shelters while the Weyrlings would go no more than a few feet into the brush to find wood for a fire. L'gar was sent with his choice of buddies to see if there was any game they could easily bring down for a dinner.

Faizah was highly glad that Caleth, Surth and Isath had all eaten before coming, and could go for a little longer without needing to feed.

((Okay people. We are camped, there is venison roasting and it's dark. Let's begin posting. ^-^))