How You have Fallen (Gold Dementia's Run)

[Requiem]

A small body, coiled tight, perched in the coil of pure blue, clouded sky. A glowing sun. Burning, she murmured, wings shifting slightly. Her throne of sky - in truth, a blue wher curled up in a bed of feathers from the pillow she'd slashed for touching Hers - ducked his head further under his forelimbs to block out the light she was casting.

He moved through the tunnels, tugging absently at the single white fingerless glove with his teeth, pulling it taught against the skin of his scarred and twisted right hand. Too hot. Selenitas summers were much too hot. Though the suns were setting and the sky slowly darkening above its swathe of colors, the heat of the day lingered, sweltering. He couldn't even be bothered to cover the arm with its twist of scar tissue and fused flesh, could barely abide the sleeveless shirt of pale blue clinging to his thin frame. The wherhandler walked out into the open air, hoping that would cool him down a little. He naturally moved toward the spray of water at the base of the waterfall. Mist glistened on his skin, slowly soaking through the fabric of shirt and loose white cotton pants. He closed his eyes, tilting his head back. Better.

Dementia twitched restlessly. Of a sudden, her eyes slitted open, purple swirling swift through them and gradually coloring toward magenta. Her frill opened slowly, and she hissed. Not here. Dmisk didn't move, but the image of Theirs down below was projected into her mind. The gold didn't wait. She shot off the blue wher's tail, claws skittering. Her wings tucked tight and she threw herself through the small opening of the cracked door. Dementia didn't slow. She was a streak of molten gold, flashing past the other doors, into the common room, down the small length of tunnel and out onto the narrow ledge that served as a walkway behind the waterfall. An abrupt turn left, then right again when she'd passed the thundering water, and she launched herself into the air high above the gorge.

There the salamandyr hovered on her large wings for a few precious moments as water droplets coated her. Follow me, if dare, she broadcasted as her wings snapped shut, the gold plunging, a fallen star, for the swirling water and rocks below.

The tall boy glanced upwards, arms crossed and hands curled in the hem of his shirt. Dark blue eyes narrowed on the plummeting sun, and he pulled off the shirt with an abrupt gesture. It fluttered to the surface of the river before disappearing beneath the swirling waters. Dmitri stalked in a low crouch over the slick stones, reaching the largest directly by the sheeting water an instant before his 'mandyr did. Her wings flared, and she landed neatly in his cupped palm. He folded a leg beneath him, watching her with a distant look to his eyes as she rubbed against his wrist. Bad harperlove, she cooed lovingly. Wander far, now mind wander. The red had bled from her eyes, and now she took note of any brave enough to chase.

If she couldn't have Hers as her mate - silly thing, why did he always go away in the head when she was Running? - then one of these would have to do. Come, no stand like idiot. Show Dementia why worthy. It was clear from her tone that she believed none would be worthy. The gold gave Hers one more nuzzle, then darted down him, leaping out over the rocks further out toward the center of the river.

[Ruby]

"Why... mmph... why so early?" Piden demanded, turning over again so he could prop his head sideways, glaring at Pidesk. "Who is it this time? Eikask, jump starting her system out of jealousy? And can you please mention to your daughters next time you see them that this is not an appropriate time for anyone to be awake?"

Pidesk, amused, simply shook his head, directing his attention to the salamandyr Bronze comically twisted back on himself, head cocked as if he was listening carefully. Of course it had been the voice that had woken Piden - voice, so not a Wher, he realized. And not a quiet voice either, not the kind of voice anyone needed to listen carefully to. What exactly had it said? Why did he care, or need to pay attention? ... Because he already felt the desire building, that inexplicable, inescapable, impossible to ignore lust that came along with runs. So familiar now, even when applied to Dmitri. Well, at least that brightened Piden's morning significantly. So what, exactly, had Dementia demanded this time?

Says follow, dare dare, Shells 'clarified', then snapped his wings along his sides and flattened himself down, shimmying his big stocky body under the door, cooing, Combing, combing, beauty Menial, firegold, combing! Long, spindly legs ate up the dark path to the outside, the red Bronze sliding around turns and finally launching himself right off the cliff after her... totally forgetting that his wings were next to useless. He hung for a moment, glittering in the mist, before plummeting with an undignified squawk and string of curses at the air for failing to hold him up. Nothing was wrong with him, clearly, it was all the air's fault.

Instead of falling to his death, though (which seemed more than likely for a while there), Shells flared his frill, allowing the waterfall's air currents to push him out to the cliff wall, where he caught himself and scampered down to Dementia's eye level, crooning and complimenting all the way. Well, at least he was trying to compliment. O Menial me, where are go roamling? Lo, quay and steer, you true love's combing! That me! Trip no further, petty sweeting, journeys end in lovers sweeting! That me!

It was with hand to face that Piden emerged from the Apartments, wearing only sleeping shorts and his fuzzy slippers in the sticky, humid evening. It was really hard to embarrass Piden, but somehow Shells had managed, butchering that old love sonnet so dreadfully. 'Quay and steer' should have been 'stay and hear', and how the creature thought that 'Menial' and 'Dementia' were the same word was beyond the Handler. And, of course, the rest of the poem he'd picked spoke about how fleeting youth was, not about enduring love. Good choice, big red idiot. Then to put the icing on the cake: Firemine here too for BroiledYours! Piden, of course, had never been bothered by Dmitri's burns, but the man spent so much time covering them up that Piden figured he didn't like attention drawn to them. Shells had always misused 'fire' instead of 'hot', but 'broiled' was new, and perhaps not the most... delicate choice.

So, with that beautiful bit of poetry, Shells bolted down the wall, using his extra-long legs to propel him out over the river, hopping from slick, wet stone to slick, wet stone, only his momentum keeping him from slipping and falling on his face. Piden, for his part, had recovered from embarrassment (although he had the grace to continue looking slightly apologetic as opposed to just plain sexy), and headed down the path to where Dmitri waited at the bottom of the falls. As if to make up for Shells' incorrigible, unending speech, Piden himself remained mostly quiet, offering the Gold's owner a simple chin-lift and a "Hey" by way of greeting. For now.

[Rei]

A flash of polished copper caught the falling queen mandyr’s glow and reflected it. A passing bronze fire lizard had managed to catch sight of the glowing gold mandyr as he passed the waterfall. He had been on his way to find a perch for the evening but the glow of a female and a golden one at that was not something the small wild flit had been able to ignore. Trilling his adoration he snapped his wings shut and plummeted after her. When Dmitri caught Dementia he twirled around the harper and then shot upwards to hover near the twosome.

The color of a brand new penny he was certainly a handsome sort. Especially when one caught sight of the threads of gold running down his spine and through his wing membranes. Definitely a flashy fellow with a just as flashy personality. Not shy at all about the presence of a human he continued to sing the little weird looking gold’s praises. How simply divine she was. Such light she shown with. Perhaps he should have been put off with the fact that the little gold could speak. Or that she was simply bizarre in shape. But no. Gold was gold and a clutch was clutch. A chance to pass on his genes. Thus he flipped head over tail then buzzed Shells, snapping at the ugly before whirling around the harper and Dementia again. Another trill of amusement.

Oh he would dare. Hello beautiful~

[Rowana]

A flash of blue, almost invisible against the sky, danced over the waterfall. Hobbs watched the spark of gold, his eyes bright violet with excitement. This was the mean worm queen! The one brother Zellos had insulted and failed to catch. Well, he was much more polite and he would show Farryl-love that she would be fine without his lost siblings. He could do anything they could! He could sing, like Tille, and he could scream, like Isshun, and he would catch gold where Zellos had failed!

Trilling a lovely tune, the little blue tucked his wings and dropped after Dementia. He was coming, dear queen! He knew he was not worthy, but he would do his best to please her. Slipping easily through the water, twirling as he went. This was fun! Could she see him? He was good at flying! He could see her down below in her bonded's hand. Then she was off again and Hobbs blasted out of the waterfall over Dmitri's head. Chirping with delight, he zig zagged in her wake, delighted to be part of the game.

Out on a weyrledge high above, Farryl glanced out. What was that fool of a blue doing?! She frowned, her eyes getting pained. Hobbs liked chasing things, it was true. He treated it like a game and hardly ever won. Yet he'd never chased a gold before. If he was trying to impress her, it wasn't working. Farryl started to run down halls to reach the river. What if the larger males took offense? Or worse, the queen? She would never forgive herself if she lost Hobbs too.

[Ember]

Up. It was a silent command pulling at his mind and Eikane groaned. What? Couldn't he sleep for just a little while longer? Please? Nope, can't be late. Late...Eikane opened his eyes slowly, blinking at the sight of Nocturne sitting right in front of his face. The blue's stare as the first thing he was seeing was rather awkward. Dementia had just with a rather attractive glow. The blue didn't harbour any hope that he would be picked if he chased - no, he was actually rather indifferent to having a mate - but he probably wouldn't get anywhere without effort. And dragging His out of bed was the first part.

"No." He did not want to go through that again. He didn't really remember the last time Nocturne chased Dementia but he knew he didn't want to do it again. The blue tugged stronger on his mind, sure that he would succeed; the goldthing wasn't awake yet to help him. It was a little disloyal but...wasn't it also normal for a bonded to join in the chase? It's not like it would hurt His anyways. Eikane finally gave into the blue's mind and the pair quickly left the weyr, Eikane heading to the base of the falls and Nocturne heading to the top.

Had the blue known the gold would jump he would have simply gone directly there. His wings were useless for gliding and he didn't particularly welcome the idea even if he could have done it. With the salamandyr equivalent of an irritated sigh, the blue started leaping down the rock wall. He leapt from tiny ledge to tiny ledge, or tiny crack to tiny crack. He used his frill occasionally to help him not overshoot or to prolong his fall. Eventually he landed on the bottom and once there he wasted no more time scurrying over to his target.

He have no voice to his presence - he was simply there. As she moved from Hers he moved too, quickly putting himself within an acceptable range. Not too fast that he ran out of his limited energy and not too slow that he wasn't showcasing his own speed. He could, if he wanted to, run faster than the gold but that certainly wouldn't help him any. No, he'd run behind her for as long as he could hold out. It would help if His properly gave in though...

While definitely part of the chase, Eikane was also fighting the control the blue had. It was decidedly easier to fight him off than it was to fight Eikask off. Tighter bond with the gold than the blue. The goldhandler arrived at Dmitri's location only to see Piden there as well. Ah, yes...there were idio- others present too. The other two he knew ought to be there? Didn't really matter because...because, damnit it just didn't matter. The man's face was drawn in a slight grimace as he fought the desire to flee and the desire to touch.

[Requiem]

What was the Bronze Babbler babbling this time? Dementia wasn't certain that she actually cared. His mindless jump off the cliff amused her, yes, particularly because he didn't have the wings for it. She'd grant that he wasn't entirely stupid; he hadn't smashed himself to bits on the rocks, after all. So eager to follow then was he? Well, she'd let him. For now. The uglies were less amusing to her. Bronze flashing around, showing off his pretty hide like it should impress her. She'd tried uglies before. They put their eggs in her clutches. The blue ugly was even less welcome. Oh well. She noticed her silent fourth contemplatively. He was still blue, but he'd pleased her well enough last time to be nearly chosen. Not that it gave him an edge this time. She only believed in dwelling on the past when it was negative. Abruptly she decided the uglies could stay if the mandyrs' turned out to be unsuitable. She had no intentions of being saddled with an inferior mate.

Dementia accepted all four, some more grudgingly than others, as she darted over the rocks and disappeared behind the waterfall. That was when Shells said it. The gold's eyes slitted, tendrils of red working into the purple. Her mind snapped out to the bronze firelizard flying so near, words private for once. Good ugly. So shiny good. Dementia much like good ugly e- She leapt up onto the damp wall behind the waterfall, running straight up the wall and hissing at the sudden interference. Fine. Fine. No eating chasers. -take stupid bronzie for ride. Drop little, scare little. Dementia 'ward nicely, she concluded sweetly.

She flicked her tail coquettishly at Shells, then turned and leapt off the wall, landing on Hobbs with a welcoming - if decidedly amused - mental brush. The gold used him as a springboard to land on the wall right next to Nocturne. She brushed up along his side, allowing her tail to trail up the length of his, then turned abruptly perpendicular to her course. Dementia had plans.

Sitting with his arm wrapped lightly around a knee, the teenager eyed Shells for a long moment, a slow smile touching his lips. "Hi," he responded, drawing out the syllable teasingly. His foot dangled in the water, tracing gentle circles through it with his toes. He palmed the flat rock beneath him and rose smoothly to his feet with an arch of the back, dipping his head slightly to regard the bronze 'mandyr. "Shouldn't you be...talking...more?" Amusement in his eyes, he moved toward the man, lifting a hand as if to brush fingers over his face and stepping past him in the same movement. "Shame. Such pretty poetry." He pouted, never touching as he let his eyes travel down Eikane lingeringly, tongue sliding over his lower lip.

The silent blue, too, he didn't touch. His eyes had lighted on the running figure, and he moved to intercept her. His arms encircled the blue ugly, sweeping her in a wide circle with her momentum. "So eager to see me?" he questioned with a chuckle, gloved hand sliding to cup her cheek now that he'd halted her forward progress. He leaned down and brushed his nose with hers, reaching down to capture her hand in a firm grip. "Cute. Come." Dmitri turned, tugging his captured flyer after him.

"Isn't he?" His eyes fell on Eikane again. The sodden bluehandler slipped up to the goldhandler with the greenrider still in tow, his other hand catching the man's chin. His lips slid over the man's teasingly, one hip thrust forward just enough to put firm pressure against Eikane. He broke the kiss but didn't pull back, eyes sliding toward Piden mischievously. Was the bronzie watching?

[Rowana]

Hobbs purred with delight. Dementia accepted him! Maybe she didn't like him much yet, but he could fix that in time. He'd always loved pleasing people, particularly females like his Farryl and sweet Peppeth. Dementia would be a hard one, but he was determined. Were any of the others as sweet as he? Fluttering his wings, he bounced off a few rocks as he flew. He could even move as she did! Following a salamandyr was harder than following another fire lizard. Dementia's movements were harder to predict. This would be such fun!

As she turned back towards the waterfall and up the wall, Hobbs rose after her. That was something he couldn't do, but he could still follow. Then, quite suddenly she was on top of him. Hobbs crooned alluringly, floating down a little with her weight. He was sad when she left so quickly, but he knew the game was just beginning. Those shiny bronzes would see that he was not to be underestimated because of his color! Chirping with excitement, he dropped down onto the coppery bronze and back into the air, mimicking Dementia's move on him. Bronzes were good for something, he chorused.

Farryl came out close to the base of the waterfall. She could just see the flashes of color that were Hobbs and the other chases. Then a man had her in his arms. She gasped and blanched at him and his daring flirting. She vaguely knew him as one of the wherhandlers, but she didn't have time for this! She started for pull away, before she remembered the effect salamandyrs had on their owners when they Ran or Chased. Shards, she muttered to herself. What have you gotten me into, Hobbs?

She let Dmitri dragged her along. No sense arguing with him in this state. Hobbs was still enthralled and that might have effected her better judgment as well. She shook her head at the three handlers, trying not to laugh at their antics. "Wouldn't miss it," she answered with a quirky smile. Hobbs seemed safe enough and she could play along. Leaving now would probably ruin her foolish fire lizards chases, what little he'd had to start with.

[Rei]

The copper bronze trilled happily as Dementia gave him clearance to chase. Not that he needed it, but it was nice to have. Powering upwards on wings larger than any of the other chasers the bronze rode the air currents swirling about the falls with expert precision. The droplets of water reflected off his hide and made him beautiful to behold. Not quite as pretty as the golden object of his desires but well that was to be expected. Dancing on currents he watched Dementia and gave a chirp when she bespoke him.

Hovering in place the wild one hung on her words and with a pretty trill, just for her, passed her along an image of Shells being washed downstream and disappearing beneath the churning waters. She liked? He would gladly do such for her. If the deformed bronze happened to not come back up? Well that was one less competitor no?

Singing in happy whistles the bronze braced himself for Hobbs push off and with a hiss at the other flitter plummeted towards Shells. Back talons shot out towards the much smaller mandyr in an attempt to grab him. Should his first attempt work he planned to between and neatly drop the little loud mouth into the water below. Hopefully he could swim. Shrieking the copper bronze snapped his teeth together. Should he miss the flit planned to hassle the ugly the entire run till he succeeded. So his gold had commanded so he would obey. For her approval he would take care of this menace. Not that he needed the excuse anyway. He would have done it for free.

The blues where ignored. Blues did not catch golds. Hence the copper bronze viewed them as less threat than one would a annoying gnat.

[Ember]

Perhaps it was a bit arrogant of him, but Nocturne didn't doubt for one moment that he'd be allowed to Chase the queen. Dementia, after all, was a gold. Didn't they all like to have wroshippers, followers? Perhaps he didn't fall under the former but he would certainly be the latter. If for no other reason than to prove how inadequate he was in her eyes she would allow him to Chase. The scariest part about the blue was he understood others by watching them - and he watched everyone a lot.

The blue eyed the wet wall for a moment before picking out one of the easier routes up. Lots of places for his claws to catch and help him. Nocturne was used to high places or little cracks so climbing was easy for him, though he held little advantage over the flying ones. Feh. They were disgusting. No real effort. What salamandyr queen would be happy with them, fluttering about as if they were too good to climb? They deserved nothing.

Though he didn't express it their was the faintest feeling of disgust when Dementia touched him with her tail after having been in contact with one of the fliers. The emotion was largely over-shadowed by lust and he shivered just slightly from her touch. Oh...she had changed directions. He switched directions easily, wondering what kinds of games the queen would play with them.

Ugh. Eikane's hands fisted as he fought for some semblance of control. Why did it have to be Dmitri of all people? The boy's gaze sent desire through Eikane and the tongue was totally unfair. Just thinking about the better uses of that tongue...no, no. He didn't want to think about it. He felt regret and relief as the gold moved towards the newcomer. Such complicated feelings just shouldn't happen. Seriously.

As Dmitri's attention returned to him again he simply shrugged noncomittally. Even if the blue flier was cute - and with Nocturne's influence, that was debatable - he wouldn't have had any interest. He was there for Dmitri. For better or for worse.The kiss and the physical contact was both surprising and not. Eikane's logic fled as a shocking warmth passed through him and his hands came to rest on Dmitri's hips (the hips, why always the hips?), gently pulling towards him. A request, not a demand.

[Ruby]

Shells was bent on that tail flick, the one that was all for him. Sure, the others had been touched (except the ugly bronze flier, so distinctly not red, ugh) but in his world, a touch was little more than a consolation prize. No reason to strive for those when you were going for the whole package. He was doing well, keeping up even with the blues; seriously, though, BLUES?! Shells just couldn't let that one lie. Broadcasting on a high band, he voiced his displeasure in his usual backhanded nonsense. Dementia so bootyful, too kind-bind-fine, let uglies and dirty flow-color mini-worms run. So very grateful.

Occupied with this little speech, he only just barely saw the outstretched claws before the copper flit made impact. Shells might not have been the smartest Mandyr to ever hatch, but if he was anything, he was vicious. Instead of just waiting on the rock like any old prey, he too luanched himself, twisting in the air so the flit didn't catch him from behind, but rather got ahold of the Mandyr so Shells was facing him. With an audible hiss and a slash of his extra-long legs, he went straight for the wings, perfectly happy to cripple the ulgy flier forever. he even tried to wiggle out of the flit's claws to get up on his back, regardless of whatever harm might come to himself. Shiny was hiiiiis. Of course, being Shells, he also broadcasted the whole time. Sass-hall! Mania Mentia, look see! Ugly wormbait is thinking of Shells, not seething shiny sky-ball. Menail want mate abstracted, looking at any firetail-wormbait, chasing flying running left and wrong? Shells make him walk like mandyr, talk like mandyr, rock like mandyr my suuuun. I take wings for Mential!

No matter what happened next, Shells had managed to sink brutally sharp little claws into the flit, giving him a solid hold if the beast went between, or tried to shake him off. Even if he was big for a Mandyr, he was still only about half the size of the other Bronze, giving him an advantage when it came to wriggling out of tight situations. Shells was not going into that river unless he took Ugly here with him. End of story.

Piden, on the other hand, was having a war with his mouth. The thing wanted to open, to babble nonsense, to tell Dmitria (wait, that wasn't right...) how pretty her golden hide - no, bare chest - was. But Dementia asked for poetry... "I figure he's enough for the both of us," Piden muttered, then snapped his lips shut again only to watch the Gold slide by without touching, paying attention to a flier and a blue. Shiver. If it was poetry he wanted...

"He was trying to say 'hot', not 'broiled', he gets confused about words all the time, I mean I - He - We're not sure why 'hot' is something sexy, but hot things like fire and stoves aren't. Well I guess stoves can be, depends on what you're doing with 'em... argh, this isn't poetry at all. Dementia want more poetry? I have, um... 'Love you, and without you,/My soul would wilt like a flower in winter./Water me./Water me or will die.' Ugh, no, that was awful..." Glancing around suspiciously for the Bronze who was supposed to be attacking him (where WAS he??) Piden backed away from Dmitri a few steps, confused. WHY was all his poetry so bad right now??

[Requiem]

Oh, now wasn't he a clever blue flier, doing just as she had done, only to the wild bronze. These uglies were not the smartest of creatures, she'd determined. Not that this was a negative...Dementia was all for minions who couldn't even come close to matching her intelligence. (Of course, no one came close, except possibly Harperlove. He wasn't quite there yet, but they still had time to work on that. Along with mate training. She would get him to chase one day.) Good, good, no like ugly wings, Dementia returned to Shells cooingly, letting her delight be felt. He didn't have to know it was as much at the flit's success as Shells' rending of the wings.

The gold lined up neatly and launched, landing on the male's back and drawing her claws down in two sharp slashes, intending to shred any membranes that Shells might have missed. No listen well, the gold told him privately, sweetly. Said catch, short drop, scare. Can not do simple? Not worthy to live. Dementia leapt back off the male with a perfunctory command to the blue ugly to be where she wanted him to be so she could use him as a hopping stone back to the wall, then darted for the common room, out along the bottom of the ledge leading to the kitchens. Broil, broil, yes. If Shells managed to get away from the likely doomed bronze flit...

A hippity hop, a hip hop hop. She was all too cheerful at the idea of dooming little unworthy chasers. Try to sneak uglies into her clutch. The need to mate was growing, but not overwhelming yet. She still had time. Darting between feet, over shoes, up a stool, onto a counter and then through flashing knives which she barely avoided, Dementia began doing a queer dancing run with short little leaps forwards and sideways at seemingly random times. Hippity hop a hip hop hop. What a delightfully evil day. Come pretties, to Hobbs, Shells and Nocturne. Dance with the Mentia by moonlight? She skittered up a big boiling cauldron and leapt, gliding over the boiling water. Boil, boil, broil the trouble.

Hopping down with a neat spin she darted back the way she'd come over the table, brushing up against Nocturne again. No, she hadn't forgotten him.

Dmitri smirked. Good little ugly coming to play. He ground his hips lightly forward at Eikane's light tug, brushing over him teasingly and watching Piden the whole while. There it was, the lovely babbling. The Bronze Babbler should babble, should he not? Aching for lack of attention? Well, he could wait a moment longer. This one felt nice. Dmitri leaned down and nipped his ear, then gently twisted his hips from the man's hands. He slid an arm around Farryl's waist and drew her with him towards Piden, placing fingers over his lips. "No, it isn't poetry. Cute how hard you try." Yes, cute. He'd be rewarded for that.

The hand threaded up through hair and his lips went to the man's neck, trailing kisses lightly up to behind his ear. "Should be careful," he murmured, lips brushing the lobe and nibbling at it. "With those words." The arm around Farryl's waist tightened and he turned to plant one on her lingeringly, not bothering to let go of Piden's hair or back up to do so. He cocked a hip and a brow at Eikane when he broke the kiss. "Why so far off, handsome?" The smirk quirked on his lips again.

[Rowana]

It looked like the shiny males were stealing most of the attention. Dementia hadn't like his trick? Hobbs had been so sure it was clever jumping off the bigger male like that. Still, she didn't seem to dislike it either, so he took it as positive. Shell's words were ignored. Worm mandyrs were always talking and he had no interest in words that were not his gold loves' right then. Yes, only Dementia's words matter. The bronze one could talk all he liked and Hobbs still wouldn't care.

The violence had the little blue by surprise. His eyes flared with a touch of yellow. Was it necessary to go so far? Surely the copper bronze hadn't deserved that what ever he had done. Hobbs whistled sadly, but he didn't get a chance to see if the two shinies fell. Dementia was calling and she was still his first concern. With a little flip, he moved in so that she could hop off him again. He crooned in pleasure as she returned to the wall. If he was worried he might be the next "flyer" to meat her wrath, he didn't show it. It was enough for him to please her, even if obedience was all it took.

Hobbs trilled, singing as he flew after the delightful gold lady. He dodged around legs and between them, rolling and spinning as he went. He found it hard to fly straight anyway, so this twisty path was lots of fun! He ducked under the stool, coming up with a pop and a chirp of joy. All the violence of before was completely forgotten in the fun of this new game. He perched on the counter, and took to hoping of the knives one by one, flapping when he needed. Flying the whole time was tiring anyway, he could hop too! He leaped over the water, the steam giving him a rise and finished with a spinning dive back to the floor. Was he not a good dancer? Was Dementia pleased?

Farryl gave up trying to escape Dmitri's grip. She had had enough experience with dragon flights to know that forcing him probably wasn't a wise idea. Besides, he hadn't done anything horrible yet anyway. At least until he kissed her. She liked kissing as much as the next girl, but she wasn't even sure he was looking at her when he did. That was just rude! Farryl tried to turn her head away, eyes extremely annoyed. It was just as well she didn't have a weyrmate and she wasn't like to have to see these people often. Salamandyrs were sure making them do crazy things. Farryl shook her head, smirking at the picture they must make all together like this. Hobbs owed her big time after this mess.

[Rei]

The bronze shrieked in fury as Shells dug his tiny claws in. Thankfully however the mandyr was indeed quite a bit smaller and the damage was for the most part superficial in nature. At least for now. Talons slashing for the bronze mandyr’s belly the copper flit shrieked when Dementia assaulted him as well. Eyes previously a violet had gone to crimson and the flit writhed to attempt a few snaps at Dementia. But the gold had attacked and fled. Leaving the bronze fire lizard with only Shells to deal with. Suddenly very uninterested in actually mating the wild flit aimed for the rock wall. His only desire now was to scrape the other ugly off.

Lesson learned, ugly deformed golds and their kin not worth the pain or effort. He really hoped that both these little creatures ended up taking a long trip between. His wings barely able to hold him aloft the bronze aimed for a rocky outcropping and slowed his fall enough to allow a tumble onto it. Kicking for all he was worth at the little bronze ugly the entire time. Finally he managed to rip the leech out of his hide and the copper colored wilding hissed and gave a final air slash to the hideously deformed fellow bronze to keep him at bay long enough to take his leave. Dripping ichor the male slid off the rock shelf to haphazardly glide back towards the jungle and safety.

(and out bronze flit)

[Ember]

Bronzes were idiots. Plain and simple. It didn't matter if they were fliers or 'mandyrs. They were all too obviously full of themselves. If one had to say they were the best then they clearly weren't. What was it the two-leggeds said? 'Compensating for something'? Yes, that fit. Nocturne paid no attention to the fighting bronzes for the most part. Only when Dementia joined in did he bother to even look at them. Hmph. Well, that served the flying idiot right.

Nocturne mutely followed the queen into the kitchen area, crawling up a person and jumping over to the counter easily, sliding dangerously close to a knife before scurrying after Dementia. His energy was beginning to flag...soon enough he'd make a pass at Dementia but for that moment he was still able to follow her decently. While he didn't dance about about like she did, his movements were grateful and always deliberate, calculated.

He clambered up onto the edge of the cauldron and watched her glide across. He, with wings unable to hold him up long enough, ran along the rim instead. To him it was easy and he slid down the other side of the big pot and continued the chase. He paused as Dementia came his way, wondering if perhaps she would attack him. But no. She brushed agaisnt him instead and he let out a tiny little croon. She'd broken his silence. He turned to follow her, eyes sparking with determination. Just a little longer...

Ask and apparently you shall receive. Eikane couldn't say he was displeased with the queen. Still, he didn't break his silence since arriving. Dmitri would know his actions felt good and that he was the one in control of rewarding a 'lowly' blue. Actions spoke louder than words, the Nocturne influence told him.He responded to the ministrations in kind, happily ignoring the presence of anyone else. When the gold pulled away his eyes darkened slightly. Wanted that one, he did.

He simply watched as Dmitri pulled Farryl over to Piden. Queen, ugly, and idiot. Easy to see who shone the brightest. When Dmitri spoke to him he started moving towards him, saying only a word in response, "Admiring." It was pretty obvious who he was admiring, too, since his eyes were locked on Dmitri's.

[Ruby]

Gone, gone! Shells crowed, kicking out with his back feet and shreding whatever he touched. No more things for Ugly! Absolutely delighted, the Bronzed stayed locked on, wriggling and avoiding the flit's claws. For the most part. The other creature managed to land a few hits, damaging one of Shells' wings and leaving tracks of ichor down his back and sides. Shells didn't care, though, he was thrilled. Look see, Shells win Mential by shedding Ugly! Yes! he declared, hopping from the so-called Ugly's back to the wall as soon as it was within leaping distance, then dodging out of the way of the Flit's feet before darting off again - but not without a final insult. What Ugly think? Shells want to shred Flyer more than acquire Dementia? Ugly more idiot than think...

He was behind now, though. Squishing himself as close to the wall as he could, the Bronze skittered away from the downed flit, heading for the kitchen. Sure, the others had gotten a head start, but Shells had gotten a nice little rest while the ugly flew over to the cliff for him. He was on the correct wall, now, all he had to do was scamper down, through the kitchen door, and... yes, there they were. Shells behind! the Bronze declared, striking a dramatic pose just inside the door. I here to jive, to send Demanil off feet!

On the flip side, Shells knew he was too big to avoid the knives like Dementia had, too many limbs and flailing bits. Instead, he hopped up under the table, using tiny cracks in the wood to run beneath her, popping up at the far end to spin dramatically and land (heavily) on the table. But she'd already slid past him to hop out onto the pot of boiling water. Totally oblivious to whatever danger might come from that sort of heat, Shells leaped onto the edge, balancing along like Nocturne rather than jumping over. Good, broiling, boiling, fire like Dementia! Ow, fire, burns the claws!

Unconciously, Piden started shifting from foot to foot, stilling only when Dmitria (still not right...) put her fingers over his lips. While "Cute" normally would make Piden rage (he was not cute, he was sexy!) today it made him grin. If he was a canine, his tail would have been wagging uncontrollably. "No more words, then," he murmured, no longer worried about what he was trying to say. The kisses only made him look more pleased, and while he still scanned the immediate area for Ugly, he was much more interested in where Dmitria's lips were going next. To the flit. Well, that was a shame, but he still had a hand in Piden's hair, so he 'let' the gold pull him in closer as he leaned out to Farryl, pressing himself shamelessly against the bluehandler... while making it all seem like an accident. Success.