Falling Up (Phremath's Flight)

[Requiem]

"A little to the left. Further. Further. No, more toward the right." Kalierre sighed in exasperation. "If I could do it myself, I would. Right there." She jabbed at the jar she needed with the end of her cane. The apprentice apparently had some sort of mental disability, however. Maybe a good hard whack across the back of the thighs would improve his mental processes.

(It was a good theory, but upon testing it only resulted in yelps and a pile of limbs at the bottom of the ladder.) The dragonhealer couldn't resist a giggle. "Oh, stop your whining. You act like you've broken something. Up, up with you, you useless waste of space. Back to the bedpans and find me someone else who can follow simple directions." Kalierre brandished her cane and he was out the door quicker than you'd believe possible.

The woman leaned against her desk and took a pull directly from the wine bottle she kept stashed in her drawer. Kalierre didn't drink on the job, but technically her shift was already over. The greenrider simply was hiding out in her office. Phremath was sleeping. In the early afternoon. On their ledge. After a sevenday of glowing. It didn't take a genius to figure that one out, and she didn't want Rel around when she started getting...dragony. (Such a highly technical term, that. Dragony.)

Speaking of the devil.

Phremath lifted her head, half-sized wings aflutter. It was surprisingly similar to the fluttering of lashes when a person is having trouble waking up. A rosy pink infused her eyes, shading steadily toward the more vibrant violet. There was just one eensy teensy tiny little problem. Today there was absolutely no wind whatsoever. The green whined softly in her throat. However was she supposed to fly without wind?

But she had to Fly, and soon. The green slithered off the ledge and clung to the stone below it, tail whipping back and forth impatiently. Please...don't be mad. There's no wind but I really must... It was quite the queer broadcast from a Rising green, to be sure. Nor was it ever finished. Phremath suddenly sprung, all four sets of claws screeching before they found purchase in the rock of the cliff face. Then she began running straight up the canyon, sending up sparks with each step.

Kalierre giggled and plopped onto her desk, swinging her legs and gulping at the wine. Here we gooooo.

[Rei]

You promised.

Z’ves rolled over on his bed and eyed his blue one eyebrow raising slowly. “Promised what?” To let me chase. I missed the four winged one. This one I do not want to miss. Lucith’s maw parted, a soft hiss emerging from his throat as Phremath spoke. Getting to his feet the male gave a backwards glance to his rider. Please? There was a long stretch of silence before the man snorted and gave a wave of his hand. “Don’t know why you want her. She’s hideous. But fine. Go.” The bluerider smiled as his dragon scrambled to throw himself into the air, talons screeching against stone in the male’s haste. Such enthusiasm. This should be…interesting.

Rolling off the bed and grabbing Lancelot, Z’ves tossed the blue into a dresser drawer and then casually walked out of the weyr ignoring the mental questions and apologies the little mandyr sent after him. Didn’t need that annoyance around while Lucy was playing. The dragon was enough of a challenge to control as it was on the occasion. Pausing in the hallway the bluerider titled his head. Just where was she? Tapping Lucith’s mind briefly he turned on his heel and made his way down the stone corridors. So obviously not in a hurry. Just who did this deformed green belong to? Hmm. He couldn't remember.

His draconic other half though swung around in a tight bank and made for the green clawing her way up the canyon wall. With a hiss he zipped past her, talons slashing at the air just a length away as he pulled up to avoid crashing into the cliff face. Apologies Love? So unnecessary. Came the cold response, violet and red eyes fixed and the green as he tried to work out just how he could make a catch with her clinging to the rock like some massive crawler. Snarling he winged upwards and whipped around in a tight circle.

Hmmm.

[archenstone]

V'rael sat in his Weyr, knife and wood in hand. The miniature dragon had started to take semblance of his imagination instead of a chunk of wood. He whittled and carved, trying to get a likeness of a dragon. Meanwhile he could sense Taith swimming in the cool water.

As the morning turned into afternoon V'rael paused to look at his crude masterpiece. The block of wood was a rough semblance of a dragon with its wings half furled as if pouncing on something. He rubbed his thumb over the surface, feeling the smoothness of the carved then smoothed wood. As he gazed at it, trying to think of how to improve upon it, he felt a sudden stirring in Taith.

What are you up to? He asked feeling excitement flow across their bond. As he waited for Taith's response he felt desire, coursing hot through their bond. OH WHY NOW?! He groaned from not only his aggravation of being disturbed but also at his Brown's rising emotions. Taith didn't bother to respond, instead sending a mental image of a green racing up a canyon, her glowing skin a beacon of promise to him.

"Yes...yes you are." He said as he stood up, leaving the knife behind. The wood carving got placed in a pocket, already half forgotten as he made his way to hisgreen. He sighed, already Taith's emotions where merging with his He sent an inquiry where to Taith to find out the rider and got an impression of the infirmary. Oh Shells must be Kalierre. He had nothing against the woman. But he took her as a little unstable and aggressive.

While V'rael was making his way to Kalierre, Taith was flying through the canyon. The lack of wind sucked but he made his way through the twisting turns of looming rock wall to come upon the beautiful glowing green. His beauty was running up the canyon in a show of sparks. It looked like fun. What smart beauty was his? That the beauty Phremath would come up with something unusual and appealing. He started to pump his wings more vigorously so that he could rise up out of the canyon with her.

He paid the blue little heed until he dived at Phremath. Taith moved in hissing in warning. He wouldn't let the other male knock his precious off the rock. She could run up it she wanted to. Taith did his best to keep near her as she rose up. Determined to let her make it up the cliff without interference. The urge to join her in running up the cliff was strong [seeing as hes never tried that before]. However he opted to fly, thinking he'd use less energy that way.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

X'vier stopped dancing, forcing his partner to do the same. She gave him a 'WTF' look as she saw his face drop into the neutral expression of a rider focusing on his dragon. "Sorry but I need to go. We'll start in lessons in a day or two." He left her standing as he rushed back to where Mirazeth was impatiently waiting. You need to move Mine. He could tell when Mirazeth was set on Chasing. He sighed, the blond he was leaving was a hottie unlike what he normally came across. Those sweet hips rocking to the dance tune.....

His thought were dragged away from his prior engagement as he felt Between. One. Two. Three. Out they came.....much closer to the ground than X'vier would have wanted. Mirazeth was not in the most patient mood. Why are we....? Mirazeth had him at the infirmary. Kalierre? The answer seems obvious so Mirazeth didn't comment. He made sure his Mine was safely off his back and zipped away.

He flew over head, watching the glowing green run up the canyon wall. He noticed the other males but didn't care. Let them waste their energy in the canyon wall. He would be up here, nice and fresh, able to move in when she took flight....like her instincts would drive her too.

[Requiem]

Maybe it was naivety. Or maybe Phremath just instinctively knew that, despite the male's rather cold demeanor, he didn't intend her any real harm. (After all, he had the same urges as her and that didn't work so well if you got violent.) Whatever the reason, though, Phremath merely scurried sideways across the cliff. A rumbling croon was given the first of the males to respond to her and a tail trailed over his as he passed. Patience, she told him carressingly.

Oh, and wasn't that sweet?! One of the browns that came soon after Lucith was being protective. She sent him a reassuring pulse. While it was decidedly cute - and flattering - she really didn't want any of the other dragons to get hurt because of her. Thank you. I know it's a pain. The words were directed at all three of her chasers. Not yet as much as it would be...Phremath didn't have too many options with no wind.

The green put on speed, zipping up the wall on her strong legs. She launched herself upward over the lip of the cliff, high enough to curl into a ball, roll mid-air, flair her half-sized wings for a little bit of extra airtime and hit the ground running at speed. Phremath immediately plunged into the treeline, zig-zagging in and out as only a partially landbound green could. She played on the edge of the treeline teasingly. You might even be able to snag her in the few seconds she emerged. If you were willing to risk wing and limb to do so.

Kalierre's legs continued to swing, but the woman was getting decidedly impatient. She needed her three. They were there but not and really they should probably know better than to keep a girl waiting. Slipping down from her perch - and entirely forgetting her cane - the greenrider limped briskly for the door. It was Mirazeth who she saw first upon emerging from her office.

The woman ducked playfully behind a rack of drying herbs, taking another swig of the wine. She didn't notice the pain in her hip, not with Phremath's lust swamping her mind. Crouching, she crept along the racks and pounced at Mirazeth before darting off back into the tunnels behind the infirmary, giggling the whole while. Catch me if you can!

(Of course anyone else can join if they want. ^^ I know it's a busy time just want to get this done before that mystery pet thing the 28th lolz)

[Rei]

As Phremath bespoke him, complete with tail caress, Lucith gave a rather odd and confused chirp. Purple eyes momentarily bled with confused colors. The half wingless green had just sufficiently confused him. Kindness was not something Lucith often came across. Coldness, anger, hate, indifference, and fear. Those where the emotions dominated his life. True kindness or caring he had never had much contact with. All the greens he had chased while at Benden had always either given his aggression back or fled from him. The blue wasn’t completely sure how to react. Taith however decided his reaction for him. Violence and threats he knew how to deal with.

Spinning around almost on his tail tip the male zipped past the larger brown and slashed out with claws. The attack was first and foremost a warning as he looped under the much larger dragon, the outside of his claws briefly brushing hide in warning. Lucith was not above gutting Taith to prove a point. The blue wasn’t the least bit worried about retaliation either. He was far more agile than the larger male and had way more experience than this baby. A cold hiss offered the brown before he broke off to follow Phremath again. That would be his competitors only warning. Next time their would be ichor.

Spinning on a wing tip Lucith winged after the climbing Phremath. Patience she had said. Thanking them. For what. It made no sense to the blue and he wanted clarification. Shooting past the green as she flipped he coiled back and rolled above her coming out of the barrel roll as she hit the ground at a sprint. Winging after her he almost drew even before she plunged into the treeline and he was forced to pull up. A flash of white teeth followed that particular action. Hated trees.

The blue watched Phremath as she wove in and out, tempted to attempt a catch but not willing to risk that much to do so. Instead he simply danced on the outside of the tree line, sometimes daringly weaving in and out of the further spaced trees. All the while keeping an eye on the prize. Finally he spoke. Pain you mentioned. You know nothing of pain. The words where icy, a touch of anger coloring the tone.

Z’ves was predominantly uninterested in the dragon half flight. He only wanted to see who he would be playing with. The only moment he spared Lucith was a careful reigning when the blue considered just outright gutting Taith. Not allowed. Not yet. Let the brown do something stupid first. Speaking of browns doing something stupid… The bluerider blinked as he entered the infirmary. He had come in just as the gimpy woman had pounced at his competition and then proceeded to take flight. Hrum. Did no one at this weyr know how to control their dragon?

With a snort Z’ves made his way down the hallway, sedately following the running woman. Gimpy though she was she wasn’t bad to look at and he was curious. Never had met her before. Not that that ever mattered. Flight reactions could be terribly amusing depending.

[archenstone]

Taith felt pleased as he recieved a reassurance from Phremath. Feeling her appreciation for his actions emboldened him as he rose up with her. All to soon he was brought to the reality of his situation. The blue swung by, barely scraping his hide and he passed. Taith bared teeth and aimed to dragon-slap the smaller blue with his tail as the male passed. It seemed they both knew where they stood. Even so, he would not see his Green bullied. As long as the blue didn't instigate something more serious....he would focus on the chase.

And a chase it was! Something about her flipping in the air made his eyes whirl in excitement as he pursued her. No hesitation as she went into the forest. Two could play that game after all. He grinned, weaving his way through and using the edge of the forest when the trees were too dense behind her to follow. This unusual flight/chase appealed to his love of chaos. He bounded after her like a orangish-brown feline. A really big, really strange, feline. In the back of his mind he kept an awareness for the blue, from whom he expected trouble to arise.

V'rael walked into the infirmary, impatient to get who would hopefully be his green. He felt anxious, would the blue be violent here too? As he ventured into the infirmary he heard a sudden noise. Rushing in to the scene he felt a stab of jealousy mixed with relief. The blue hadn't done anything to her. She did have her hands on the other brown though. He groaned unhappily at the site. He should have been first. He chased after her as she ran. He would surely pass the blue if he darted ahead....at least...he was going to try. He grinned, this was definitely going to be to most interesting....and hopefully fun....flight he'd ever been in.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

X'vier walked into the infirmary, looking for his desired green. All seemed quiet, peaceful almost, but he suspected otherwise. He warily searched near the office, coming across a cane. "Is that...?" He had little time to wonder as weight suddenly pressed upon him! The warm curves of a woman made him glance back at Kalierre. He laughed, playing was decidedly fun. He reached back to tease her but she had already retreated. He chuckled and went after her. Warth spread from where she had touch him. She had touched him! That, and being first to get to Kalierre, made him chuckle as he raced after her. Normally he would have worried about her running....but with flight lust....he figured if she could run....she had to be okay.

Mirazeth lowered himself till he was barely skimming the ground in flight. He knew first hand that the forest and he did not mix well, however he greatly desired to be close to the green. He crooned happily at his Green Desire....she had eluded him in the past. That too simply made him want her more.

He dared to come close to the trees, weaving around before maneuvering back to almost touching the ground. It may not have looked as fancy as barrel rolls or dives....but flying inches above the ground was hard. So was weaving between trees. Sometimes he would fold his wings halfway, dropping to the ground only to use his powerful back legs to spring him up in the air once more as he passed through a particularly narrow obstacle. He paid no heed to how comical it might look, knowing that he would do just about anything if it meant entwining his neck with hers.

[Requiem]

Bother. Phremath regarded it with some amusment - no doubt Kalierre's influence in her head - and perhaps that's where the idea that they were acting like stupid males in a pissing contest came from, too. It was flattering to be fought over, but...You'd do better paying attention to me... the green told them all laughingly. Though of course the words were directed toward Lucith and Taith more than Mirazeth.

The browns were bolder than the blue. How unusual. Phremath noted Taith's eagerness, and Mirazeth was downright impressive, particularly for his size. Lucith, though, seemed very upset with these trees. Something odd there that had little to do with her, she could tell. Well, she didn't want her more eager chasers hurting themselves, either, and she had to Fly.

Are you mad at me? I'm sorry that I'm stirring up bad memories. I'll be more careful with my words, she told the blue gently, privately, even as she burst from the treeline right near him and brushed by with a carress of her tail. Poor dear. Sounded like he'd had a hard life. All thoughts of Lucith vanished beneath the need to Fly, though. And even though there was still no wind, though she risked being unable to stop, she leapt from the cliff. Leapt and plummeted downward, her wings struggling against the air to try to get the lift.

Fear never once touched her. Even as the ground loomed up bigger, bigger. Then, twenty feet above the ground, her wingsails finally filled and she shot up. Air pocket! Letting out a joyous cry, she corskcrewed tightly around the column of air, twirling on one wing while the other flapped to make her rise even faster. Now they would fly! The air streams above the canyon where Phremath's playground. The green rolled into one, looping out of it and into an opposite stream where she flipped and went upside down, changing direction in an eyeblink.

Kalierre ducked into the nearest empty weyr, allowing for just enough time that her lovely males would catch a glimpse of where she'd gone. Then she was sprinting across the empty, dusty space with an arm thrown up before her face. The woman let out a whoop and dove from the weyrledge at the precise moment that Phremath passed. For a moment it even looked like she might grab her dragon and ride the green. Instead she hit the water at a dive.

Here, even in her right mind - and Kalierre most certainly wasn't right now - the woman was in her element. Swimming was the only thing she could do with no worries for her hip, where the pressure of gravity and the jar from each step meant nothing. She streaked down the river, navigating the more treacherous waters easily.

[Rei]

Dancing in the air outside of the tree line Lucith dipped low to the ground to keep the green in his sight. Although he couldn’t really exactly see her he could tell by the idiotic browns where she was. The words gentle and soft in his head caused him to snarl viciously, lips pulling back to display all of his teeth, as the female burst out of her cover and straight towards him. The reaction was instantaneous and more because the blue was only further confused by her tone. The tail brush as Phremath swept past had a shudder running through the male’s frame that had little to do with lust. In fact the whirling violet of his eyes had been almost completely replaced by a mirad of confused shades. It didn’t make any sense.

With a hiss Lucith turned on a wing tip and pushed himself after her, coiling around the first of the browns that shot out of the forest. As she neared the lip of the cliff he overshot the green, passing close enough that she would feel the wind from his wings. The blue didn’t strike out with talons or teeth though. Made no move to catch. Merely shot out over the canyon and winged upwards keeping an eye on the plummeting half winged green. For a few almost heart stopping moments he expected Phremath to crash into the ground and his wings snapped shut as the male plummeted for all he was worth after her. Why Lucith wasn’t sure. He would be too late to stop her from crashing obviously and why would he even feel bad if she did? But his fears where unwarranted as she caught an air pocket and then swept upwards. Didn't need assistance.

With a curious sounding trill he banked away and headed in her direction. Now he could outperform those silly bumbling browns. And indeed the blue put much flair into his performance now. Built much like a green he didn’t have much in the way of stamina but in speed and aerial grace he excelled. Using the currents he slipped in and out to increase his speed, coiling around some and looping around others before entering one alongside her. As she flipped so to did the blue changing direction and then coiling around her, tail tip flicking against her hide as he leveled out above her.

Although Lucith knew that now it would be probably easy to force a catch he did not. Instead he rose above her and played in the wind currents peppering his flight with whatever trick came to mind next. Lust had been pushed back to almost negligent, right now he was curious. The urge to mate being overrode with a certain sense of massive uncertainty. Why did she not see him for the monster he was? Could he make her understand that he was to be feared?

Z’ves ended up having to follow the others at a steady jog. They had pulled ahead of him much too fast and as he turned the corner he barely caught sight of Kalierre slipping into the weyr. He followed at a sprint. Then however she was running for the ledge and his eyes brows rose as she simply flung herself off it just as her green passed. The hell? Peering out over the ledge he watched Lucith pass by as well, in a blur of slate coloration, sparing a few moments to watch his dragon pull out of his dive before looking again for the insane woman. Ah there she was. In the river. Well damn.

With a final glance about the weyr Z’ves unlaced his boots took off his shirt and then dove of the ledge after her. Why not? It was at least more interesting than the whole stand around in a room staring at her thing. Hitting the cold water was a shock to his system definitely but not enough to shake him up. Getting his bearings he swam after her playing no regard to where the other two brownriders where. No he didn’t exactly sign up for a damn physical fitness test but at the very least at least he’d expend some energy. Win or lose.

[archenstone]

Taith bounded through the trees, his wings tucked snug against him. As the tree lined thinned ahead he felt a profound relief. He hadn't run through trees like this since he was much smaller! As he heard Phremath's voice he gave a mental reassurance back. All eyes on you now!. He continued to follow her as she plummeted down the cliff. He had every confidence in her ability to fly. They got closer and closer, until even trustworthy Taith feared she wouldn't come back up. Is she going to let herself crash? Surely, she'd ask for help if she needed it right?

Oh yes! He rumbled in happiness as she filled her wings and rose up, up, up. Now he would have to work. He pumped his wings, following after Phremath as she danced upon the wind. Oh no! the blue, having dove later, was higher up. That meant he was closer to her! He rumbled in determination as he pushed his wings for what little extra speed he could get. Hitting a thermal, he allowed it push him higher. The warm air felt so good on his wings that he indulged in a wide barrel role, languidly rolling up....over...and around. His forelegs tingled from unusual exertion.

Noting the blue was now trying to outperform him....and doing it...he cork screwed, partly folding his wings for a tiny bit of extra maneuverability. Though not as tight as a blue by far, it was a rather tight maneuver for a brown. He banked back and forth with little playful dives around her. His whole demeanor playful. The thermal air currents where getting stronger...and he used them as best he could to impress her.

~

V'rael continued to run after her, pleased that he had moved ahead of the other rider. Now there was only one other in front. The one that touched Kalierre. e barely saw the woman duck into a weyr. What was she plotting. He felt a trmeor of trill from Taith. What was going on? He turned the corner only to see dragons passing by and Kallier leaping out, only to be followed by a slightly hesitant X'vier. Well, if the other brown rider could jump safely so could he right?

As he leaped, his eyes got wide at sight of the water. This is going to be- Sploosh! cold! He swam up to the surface, feeling the current push him down the river. He could do this. Having been captain of his own fishing vessel, he had to be an excellent swimmer in case some one went over board. He saw her sliding into more dangerous currents and followed. Did she know what she was doing? The maneuvers seemed practiced though.

So he pressed his legs tight together, regretting the clothes slowing him down. He swam, pushing forward to try and get closer. He wanted to be near her...not just because she was a flying green, but because he felt a desire to be near in case she got caught in a current she couldn't handle.

As his body adjusted to the temperature he grinned. The rushing waters where the closest thing to the waves of the ocean he adored. He decided he would have to make a trip to the sea in the near future. In the meantime, he rolled in the current, allowing water to resoak his hair. Then he shifted, pulling his shirt forward and away! V'rael now had nothing but pants, seeing as how he had left his Weyr barefoot.

~~~~
Mirazeth felt grateful as he could clearly see where the tree line ended and the canyon began. He had exerted quite a bite of energy to do this. He watched as the beautiful shining green burst from the trees and fell down the cliff. He felt worry trickle into his mind. He flew over the canyon, grateful for warm air currents pushing up on his large wings.

He watched her and other brown go down. Eventually even the blue dove. But as he watched near the top of the canyon he saw her wings flare. What a beautiful sight, To see the green flying up towards him...not really to him but still. He dipped down, careful not to get in the way of the air streams pushing her up.

He banked high to her right side and inverted, allowing his nose to tip slightly down. He let his body fall past Phremath before flipping over and working his way as close to her as possible between the two acrobats. He couldn't pull the same stunts like they did with out more room so he settled for tricky things like gliding sideways then flipping the other way.

~Xavier was struggling with the water.

He wasn't drowning or anything, but his body was not built for swimming. The ex-miner kicked his shoes off, feeling the release of weight. Bare toes wiggle free before he began kicking his legs. She seemed to know what she was doing. So he followed behind her, only to feel the currents tugging at him faster. His heart fluttered in mixed excitement and fear. Just what was she doing? He did his best to stay behind her. Hoping she didn't go into any rougher currents.

[Requiem]

She knew she was right about him. The snarls, the slashes, the cold, angry tones. They all meant nothing when he dove after her so desperately. Phremath was touched. The snarly Lucith was actually worried about her. It wasn't enough to make her choose him, of course, and neither was the aerial show he put on after. She would not embarrass him by choosing him when he'd gone to such lengths to prove to everyone that he was dangerous and bad. The green flicked her wings, coiling around Taith and trailing her tail along his flank the entire way before brushing against Lucith in a quick shift of direction. Go, bluefriend. Your secret is safe with me.

And so the first was dismissed.

All three followed! This made Phremath quite happy, the woman stroking through the currents surely. They stole her. Dragged her about and around, even pulling her under once or twice for enough precious seconds to be a touch frightening. But Phremath was never frightened. The waters were playing with her just like the air did and soon enough she was breathing air again. The green's legs were getting tired, though. Probably the boots.

Though her pretty males had shed some of their skins, Phremath didn't waste time pulling at the extra clothing. Her attention was drawn to the one following her exactly. Mirazeth was struggling. Pride might have driven her forward despite her need, but his need drew her back. Phremath slowed for the brown who was not so nimble with his wings. Even adjusted so the currents would carry the other two males past her if they got there first. Her arm slid around Mirazeth's waist. "Follow," she called to him above the sound of the raging river. The woman/dragon angled for shore.

Above, Phremath too noticed that Mirazeth was not riding the currents so well as Taith or Lucith. A soft croon of concern was gifted him. Poor thing. She should really end this. Though the green had energy left to fly - no doubt because she hadn't started in the air - Phremath didn't find it too terrible to end early when she still had a good deal of energy left. (Comparatively speaking.) Now it was just the matter of deciding.

Lucith was out. Mirazeth had impressed her greatly in the trees. It was a difficult feat even for a small dragon, but he'd managed it so well and he wasn't at all small. Of course, he came in third in the air. It was definitely a plus, though, that he hadn't gotten involved in the posturing the other two males had. Phremath didn't need all the attention on her but she couldn't deny that she liked it.

Kalierre was quick to pull back from the man she'd helped navigate back to the bank. Her clothes clung to her frame and her limp was pretty pronounced as she drew back toward a large boulder. Dark eyes moved toward the other men, then back to Mirazeth. Who?

The green coiled almost lazily in her air pockets, putting just enough flair into it to keep any impatient male from trying to dive and snatch her prematurely.Catch me, handsome, she purred to her chosen brown, right before her wings snapped shut and she plummeted.

The woman suddenly bounded away from the rock. She leapt at V'rael, plastering herself to him and wrapping her arms about his neck. "Carry me?" she asked him, her smile flirtatious.