Ribbon Dancer {Peppeth's Flight}

[Rowana]

The mid morning sun rose high over the crystal river. The air was sweet with the coming of spring. Darters sang for their mates, a light breeze ruffled new leaves, and a few puffy clouds floating in a clear blue sky. It was the kind of day to spend outside playing, or just laying on the grass and enjoying life. But today was even more special for one young green pair.

Farryl had been expecting this day for a long time. Ever since I'fael had told them to expect it, and even more so since Ebolath had already gone. She had been beginning to wonder if it would ever be their turn. Peppeth was already sixteen months old, and with her so small, it had occurred to Farryl that she might not have it in her. But when Farryl had woken up this morning and seen the glow of her dragons hide, she knew it had come at last.

Peppeth's bright green hide shown with life and vigor, making the dark stripes all the more clear. Her eyes sparkled with mischief and anticipation so much that she practically bounced in her place. She did not go right away, however, apparently waiting for just the right time. This was it. The sun was up and the sky was beautiful and the wind was perfect for flying.

It is time! she cried joyfully, proclaiming herself to all who would listen. Come everyone! Chase me! Play with me! She crooned as her blue eyes melted into purple hues. She bunched up her legs and shot into the air. Higher and higher, spinning as she went. Her stripes creating dizzying patterns in the sky. Oh the joy of it! The sky was hers alone! What fun it would be to see the males try and match her!

Farryl thought she was ready, but nothing could have prepared her for the onslaught of emotion. It so much stronger than anything her sweet Peppeth ever projected. She felt her mind loose control and with a deep breath, she let it happen. Barefoot, and dressed only in a light blouse and skirt, she jumped up with a cry of joy. Where were her males? Grinning playfully, she skipped down to the flight room. There she waited, watching the entrance. Would they come and play with her?

[Ember]

Dsoleth barely gave warning to his rider before launching his powerful bulk into the air after a Rising green. T'sanmine, you might want to get to those rooms, the brown said mildly. The brownrider looked up from the ball of fur curled on his lap that was Spice and frowned. "Now? C'mon Dsoleth...you won that first green...can't you wait a while?" The comment was lost though and the brownrider sighed.

Great, the big lug was convinced he'd win this one too. He almost hoped the green would show him that this weyr held no more luck than usual for the brown. He risked a look through the purple haze that was Dsoleth's eyes to see a particularily small green. Oh geez. He wouldn't be able to match that green in agility even if he wasn't so large a brown. Tough luck, big boy. Even as he thought it though the lust was beginning to worm its way through T'san's being and he began his dash for the flight rooms.

Hopefully there would be some cute flightmoths who wouldn't mind helping him out after the Flight. As his brown sensed his arrival at the special room the perky green's rider was in he let go of all restraint and T'san's own thoughts were pretty much obliterated. Ohh so cute and pretty! This was her toybox and he was a willing toy. Would he favour him this day?

Dsoleth trumpeted in response to the green's playful call. She was an enthusiastic one! He liked that. He wasn't much of one for actually words but the basic dragon vocals he would do. Still alone in the skies with her? His lucky day! Surely others would come seeking this petite green's attentions but for the moment he had her all to himself.

[Requiem]

This wasn't working. With a snort, he cast the crude stone knife he'd battered into shape with another stone aside. Of course he could just regress about eight turns and start thieving again, if he truly wanted his daggers that bad. Behruth. How am I supposed to make the seemings you like so much if you hide everything with a sharp edge? the rider griped to his absent dragon.

You can always just play with us...

The brown was in his usual role as couch to the lovely Jingth-shiny, sprawled out and crooning steadily to the delightful young creature with her glimmering hide. The prize of his hoard, she was. But today his attentions were divided, and there was a curious restlessness to him that it was shocking the weyrling hadn't noticed. Of course, she seemed to be quite asleep, at least for the moment.

It was P.M.S. who remained the biggest indicator to Behruth's unusal interest in the ground below. The salamandyr was currently on his fifth lap between the ledge and the lounging dragons, babbling excitedly in little poofs of sound that were entirely lost in translation. Oh, oh, oh they were finally going flying weren't they?! The salamandyr so wanted to fly again he did, like they had the first day. Wouldn't his favorite big shiny take him when he went to play?

M'ta stood slowly, frowning as he cast his gaze in the direction of the Weyr and the dragon spiraling high above. Too quiet, his Ruth. This time he expected the burst of powerful desire, as he hadn't when Behruth first chased, but the expectation did little good. The teenager was lost to Ruth in an instant, jogging through the trees...now sprinting, determined to make it to his shining beauty before the games started in earnest. Wouldn't do to be late! After all, then you couldn't win, and he would very much like to. That would be nice, wouldn't it?

The brown waited only long enough for P.M.S. to find a secure hold on his foot, slipping nimbly from beneath his golden ward. He nuzzled her in passing, but wasted no more time. We submit ourselves to your genious, fair gamemaster. The prize is known. What's the game? Behruth certainly didn't begrudge the large brown his own chance at the glowing jewel. The more the merrier. He burst into the air with a flurry of wingstrokes, whirling into a figure eight below Peppeth as he awaited her desire.

Stranger was the image of a certain dour brownrider skipping along the platforms along the cliff's face, before he disappeared into the tunnels leading to the flightrooms. His eyes found the delightful creature and he smiled, a smile that was the curious mixture of confidence, humility and earnestness that was entirely Behruth. He practically pranced through the door, waving at the other rider in friendly rivalry. Time to play!

***

Up to his chest in murky stagnant water, S'rei yanked at the dislodged wood from the last storm, feeling his feet slide as they lost their grip in the muck. The tree had fallen, blocking most of the pathway, and they'd cut it and removed it piece by piece over here near the hatching grounds. It was the roots, sunken in the muck, that were giving the men so much trouble. S'rei readjusted his weight and put more of his back into it, shifting the heavy piece of wood a ways before the mud gave beneath his feet entirely and he plunged beneath the surface, the tree rolling back and over one leg.

Before the man could so much as begin to grow concerned, the tree was lifted up and out by a massive bronze. Scrambling to his feet, S'rei ran a hand over his face to clear it of mud...and merely succeeded in smearing more all over him. Couldn't you have done that before I wasted a whole half-candlemark pushing at it like a deranged herdbeast? Not my fault you're deranged. S'rei cursed beneath his breath and waded toward the edge of the mudpit, scrambling up and out with quite a bit of difficulty. This earth wasn't made for a man nearly three hundred pounds if he was an ounce.

The bronzerider discarded his mud-caked shirt, ignoring the amused glances of passersby. A swim sounded like a good idea, now that the way was clear thanks to his fickle mindmate. If you must know, I was waiting for...yes. There she goes. S'rei rolled his eyes. Another one. How many had it been, over the last tenday? This will be four. But Peppeth has a good head on her shoulders...she'll choose the best of her suitors. No. Salenth, that's ridiculous. Genuine dismay tainted his thoughts for the first time since Salenth started chasing everything with a tail. She's far too small! I can catch her. Sharding beast...that's exactly what I'm worried about.

You're wasting my time. See? I'm already late.

Salenth suddenly veered upwards, tree and all, powering after the green on her maiden Flight. S'rei cursed again. This time he wasn't too worried about getting another bairn out of the Flight - Salenth was unlikely to win a creature so dextrous - but the bronze was downright unruly these days and what if, by some strange mischance, he did and that poor green...? Not to mention the fact that S'rei didn't much enjoy weyrling girls, who either had a tendency of latching on because they didn't know better or were completely traumatized, and with his streak of children of late...

No, Salenth would likely fail. I won't. And he'd just be there to watch the poor bloke who had to deal with the girl's first flight-induced tumble. You are beginning to anger me, Mine.

The bronze let out a bass bellow, earth-shattering, and the tree...fell... Sharding sharding bronze! S'rei plunged along the edge of the riverbank. The dragon hadn't even looked! Some part of S'rei desperately wished that Salenth would be successful, if not this time then soon thereafter, because the bronze was acting wholly unlike himself. This was ludicrous!

It was an unfortunate harper who found himself suddenly beset by a screaming gigantic mudmonster as trees started raining from the sky. Dmitri let out a startled yelp that quickly turned into a pained gasp for air when his body hit the ground after being flung wide. He stared at the branch that had nearly crushed him into a Dmitri pancake, blinking at the retreating figure that continued its mad dash down the river with a belated apology sounding faintly back to him. What the shards?!

Though Flightlust rarely got to him, S'rei's extreme annoyance with Salenth - anger was probably the better word - coupled with the bronze's own passion had the bronzerider running like a loon, screaming epithets at the dragon. Salenth merely laughed in the man's mind and blasted past Dsoleth and Behruth, the latter of which had to make a quick adjustment to avoid being smashed clear out of the sky. In a rare show of ill temper, the brown hissed at this newest contender. What was the bronze's problem?

Before S'rei fully realized it, he was standing in the doorway to the Flightroom, the surprised look on his face nearly as amusing as the caked mud clinging to a muscular frame that the passing of turns had done nothing to diminish. A long time it had been since he'd lost even part of himself to the emotions of a greenflight...though the danger was past. S'rei was entirely himself at the moment, and none too pleased.

If you, Faranth forbid, win her, I will not be pleased. Salenth flashed through a whisp of cloud cover, displaying his dark, glistening hide in a show of arrogance that was far more ostentatious than the bronze usually condescended to. If you're so worried about another hatchling, ReiMine, why don't you just find Ciceroth's? the dragon responded with ample venom. Peppeth will be mine.

[glamourie]

R’wignmine, you should not stay there.

Checkoth’s verbal warning was all that R’wign needed. Despite his proclamations of quitting, he was in the infirmary reorganizing the herbal jars (because he was neurotic and obsessive to the highest degree). The brown’s instruction made him set down the jar he was moving and he turned on his heel. His colorful fair all gave mild chirps (for all eight of them were in the infirmary in various places) before Ellie fluted a pleasant farewell. He didn’t bother to explain where he was going. Soon enough someone would notice and figure it out. That or Kalierre would browbeat him for leaving the infirmary on his shift and he’d be forced to explain it was because his wherryheaded dragon had decided to spontaneously chase a green. Though really, at a Weyr, that should’ve been obvious. He was just lucky in the respect that Checkoth didn’t Chase all that often. The brown tended to prefer ‘nice’ greens over just any -- Oquith, Amith, and now Peppeth -- and would not chase a dragon that he didn’t think was kind. He flat out wouldn’t chase Golds either (so he’d learned when Hepaticath went up). Overall, Checkoth was what could be referred to as ‘picky’ and it made R’wign’s life a little easier. A little.

Once he was sure that R’wign was out of the infirmary, Checkoth rose to his feet and stretched languidly out on his weyrledge. His eyes shifted to rapidly whirling violets as he lifted his head. Peppeth’s mental call surprised him; it seemed like greens preferred audible. He didn’t protest, though, instead actually flinging himself off the ledge with a sudden plummet that had him spiraling down the canyon toward the ground. Quickly pulling his wings out, he spun and twirled up and into the direction of the electrifying shade of mixed greens rising higher into the air. Hypnotic, she looked; there was something incredibly fascinating about hide with such markings, he’d never seen anything like that before. But then, he’d never met anyone like Peppeth before. He remembered her, he did, from the time when he was stuck in the door. She’d helped him, and they were friends. Of course he’d come play with her. She deserved as many playmates as could fill the skies, yes~

The sudden bronze blur that was Salenth just made Checkoth dodge out of the way - even though the larger dragon came no where near him. His ascent into the sky was characterized by quick loop-de-loops; his pathway was spiraled upward comically, and thus slower than his competitors, but perhaps more showy. Definitely more light-hearted. He happily wove large circles, spinning around as he went, his two tails twisting together to keep him balanced. ‘Play with me,’ she’d said. Well, Checkoth intended to play with her, and show her just how fun he could be. He liked playing, he did, and Peppeth was his friend. She deserved the best game ever. After all, if it wasn’t for her and Behruth, he’d still be stuck in a door somewhere and that would be very unfortunate. Curse the dusty place for trying to capture him and keeping R’wign from him. Sometimes he wished that it burnt down and not the smelly place.

Loop. Loop. Flip. Wee.

You’re not hurt are you, Behruthclutchbrothermine? Checkoth inquired privately of the other brown, though his gaze was all on Peppeth. Dazing beauty, she was. The sky didn’t do her justice. It should’ve been paler to let her brilliance shine unmarred. Hmpf. Cheating sky. Don’t be upset with him. Salenth’s had a bad run of luck~ I’m sure he didn’t mean it! Because Checkoth totally idolized Salenth, he did!

Meanwhile, Checkoth’s land bound half was subconsciously mimicking him in a comical display of spinning round and round in the direction of the flight rooms. As far as R’wign knew, he was just making sure no one was sneaking up on him (flight lust could be bad) - he was totally oblivious to how odd he must have looked…

[Sheari]

Oh no.

The look of shock on C'ryl's face was priceless.

no. No. NO!
Yes.

Why must they rise so often?! Why must Pagoth chase them?! C'ryl was about ready to scream at the brown but he only received an affectionate croon from him as the man withheld his noise. Too late. It was too late for him to convince Pagoth to remain behind and let another male catch her. He was already perched on the edge of his ledge; wings unfurled, feet collected, and muscles tight and ready to launch. C'ryl glowered at him as he stood next to his bed and stared out of his weyr. if one could truly glare daggers, then Pagoth would be a pin cushion full of little blades.

You can stay here and miss all the fun, but anything you do will not keep me grounded.[/color]
Not if I jump from the ledge?[/b]
You wouldn't.[/color]

Without missing a beat, C'ryl walked to where Pagoth was standing and edged his toes over the ledge. A queasy feeling took over him as he looked down, arms outstretched. Flying and doing tricky maneuvers on dragon-back didn't make him sick, in fact, he felt right at home in the skies. However, that didn't mean heights didn't scare him, he didn't have wings with which to catch himself.

Pressure was suddenly on C'ryl's chest and he was pushed back, landing firmly on his butt as Pagoth took off. The brown spiraled up, after the petite green that was dwarfed so by her pursuers. The brown ignored the other Chasers. Last time, when he'd Chased Amith, he'd been too concerned by the others that he had lost focus and lost. Now, his violet gaze was fixed on the striped green that danced in the morning light. oh, how he wished to dance with her!

He let out an enthusiastic and affectionate croon to her, as His made quick work of the hallways and arrived in the Flight rooms. The brownrider lost himself and saw only a beautiful green, and mimicked the croon.

[dragon]

Are you done with that? It can't possibly get much sharper. Frosstyth asked, as C'oar ran the whetstone down the length of his blade again. "I'd rather it be sharp, for when I need it. Besides ... whacking at wooden things tends to dull it out." Sticking it in the dirt dulls it faster. the brown commented, before lifting his head and looking up through the canopy.

"I know. And I try not to do that. But sometimes it happens." C'oar replied, unaware that his dragon's attention had just shifted, running his stone along the blade again. The ringing sound was slightly annoying, but slightly not ... the particular tone told him the mettle of the steel his blade was forged of. And that was a good sound.

After a few more strokes, C'oar looked up, finally aware that Frosstyth hadn't made some sort of snide comment in return. "Frosst?" He asked, after seeing the bottom of the brown's chin. "What are you looking at?"

She's pretty, isn't she?

"Who is?"

Peppeth. Some said she'd never fly, you know.

"Yeah, I heard." C'oar mentioned, turning his own head to look up. But past the canopy, he couldn't see anything. "She's flying?"

Yes, and no. She's Flying. Frosstyth corrected, getting to all four feet.

C'oar stumbled to his feet. "What?"

You heard me. You better start running. Frosstyth answered, lifting his wings off his back slightly.

"What? You ... don't you dare!" C'oar ordered, extending one thick arm at his dragon.

Frosstyth didn't even bother to look at him, when he snorted. You can't stop me. And with that, the brown launched upward with all his might, wings snapping closed about his body as he ripped up through the canopy. Once cleared of the clinging branches, he snapped his wings wide, filling the sails with air. With an enthusiastic bugle, Frosstyth beat his wings hard, climbing into the air, never noticing as C'oar had to duck and guard his head against the busted branches falling back down behind him.

"Shardit, Frosst!" C'oar protested, jamming his sword home into its sheath and stuffing the stone into a pocket. Aware that now that Frosstyth was on his way, there really was no stopping him, he turned and started sprinting. He had to find where Farryl was waiting, before he completely lost his sense of direction and started acting like he could fly. That, was why C'oar hated it when Frosstyth chased ... he got too wound up in his dragon and started thinking he was the dragon. One of these days it was going to get him killed, he just knew it.

Aware of that little problem, Frosstyth was kind enough to buffer C'oar long enough for him to find his way to the room where Farryl was waiting. And then he turned all his attention upon Peppeth, allowing his energy and desire to flow freely. Beating his strong wings quickly, he climbed up into the sky, flying in a more or less straight line toward Peppeth. Attracted to her shining form flitting about in the sky, ever higher, he simply for the moment flew toward her. She twisted left, he vaguely corrected course to still be flying toward her. Which made for a wobbly flight path, if one were to trace it back through the air. Thankfully he was starting from a different place from the other chasers, which meant he didn't have to contend with steering around them just yet.

C'oar stumbled into the room finally, completely blinded to what he was actually looking at. They all looked like dragons, to him... and shining in the midst of it all was Peppeth-Farryl. Gloriously beautiful, she quickly captured his attention away from every and all other things.

[Rowana]

Peppeth flicked her tail playfully at her chasers. How big and handsome they were! Peppeth crooned with delight as she turned lazily in the air, getting a good look at each one. Dsoleth and Pagoth she did not know well, but there was Checkoth and Behruth, her friends for the evil door incident. Salenth was the biggest and shiniest, though she would have preferred if Jaymith had come. She loved playing with her clutch brothers. Salenth was being a bully too, pushing poor Behruth and Dsoleth out of the way. Ah! Here was Frosstyth! He was good too.

Peppeth's violet eyes sparked with mischief. They were all so big. Not even an agile blue among them. Would they even be able to keep up with her? Peppeth didn't intend on going easy on them. They sky was her plaything, and she wasn't giving it up. With a swift wing beat, the tiny green looped in the air, coming in a dive. Spinning even as she dropped to the river below. She may be small, but she was fast. The water rushed to meet her and she was ready for it.

Barely a foot from the currents, Peppeth righted herself. Water splashed in the wake of her wings as she careened up river. The candidate's tree loomed in view, giving the agile green an idea. This would be fun! braking slightly, she zoomed around the tree, keeping herself between it's branches and the surface below. Water and leaves scattered in her wake and a stray candidate was blown away from a window in surprise. Peppeth laughed with delight and sped on, now facing back towards the waterfall again. How would her clever males deal with that trick?

Farryl hummed alluringly to the men as they arrived. She was pleased to see them. Had they come to play? Of course they had. The young woman twirled, sending her skirt spinning around her. Was she not beautiful? They would have to work hard to win her, she wasn't going to give in so easily. Eyes twinkled she surveyed each one. No favoritism yet, the game was still young.

[Requiem]

S'rei cast his eyes around at the quickly gathering riders. They made him feel old. Sniffing, he brushed at the drying mud on his arms with a look of distaste. He probably should...clean himself up, just in case. One less thing for her to freak out about. (And it meant he wouldn't have to stay with all these children, forced to acknowledge his age.) Now, there had to be some sort of washstand or basin or something around here...somewhere...right?

Thus the bronzerider wandered back out of the Flightroom, casting about for something that would do to clean himself up. Of course, they apparently hadn't prepared for the possibility that one of the dragonriders might want to clean themselves prior to Flight (which they really should, considering S'rei knew himself to be one of the few who did not require the services of a Flightmoth or chosen equivalent should Salenth not win Peppeth) and the bronzerider was more or less out of luck. Fidgeting at his neck - it was unbearable warm - he puzzled over which direction to head in, finally electing that, if he went back toward the ledges, should he not find what he was looking for he could always get a bath in the river.

Upon stepping out into the sunlight, however, he was riveted by the picture of the dragons above. It was strange, watching them and being there all at once. S'rei came to lean back against the stone wall that now stood between him and most of the rest of the human participants. You look...absolutely ridiculous. Tell me, Sal. What do you plan to do with Peppeth if you catch her? She might as well be a firelizard. I willcatch her.

The bronze wasn't at all thrown off by His. In fact, had S'rei not mentioned it, the male might well have decided to let this one go on his own. Now, though, he was irritated enough to pursue Peppeth out of spite for his rider, if nothing else. Yes, but what do you plan to do?I will Fly her. How many turns has it been since you became Mine, geezer? If S'rei responded to that, however, Salenth didn't notice. He'd come to claim the little one. And that he would. More dragons just meant there was a greater chance they'd get in each other's way. Not a single one of them could be even a fifth his age...he definitely had the advantage in that. Despite the fact that it was probably his only one.

He circled above the diving dragons for a moment, biding his time. Salenth knew better than to pursue a green directly, particularly so close to the ground. Instead, he climbed higher, the sun gleaming off his newly fire-scorched hide. A flash as he twisted above and suddenly plunged downward, wings folded tight. Gravity and mass combined to send the air screaming around him as it was displaced, the dragon twisting and lashing in different directions to avoid the other males following in Peppeth's wake, displaying his own manueverability. It could hardly match hers, but there was no doubt that he knew how to fly.

The other dragons were otherwise ignored. Salenth pulled up before coming in too close to the ground, flipping neatly in swift pursuit and angling down so as not to lose her when the green suddenly turned. He allowed the speed of his controlled dive to bring him directly above, casting his shadow upon her, before he rolled to one side and backstroked so as not to overshoot. She wouldn't lose him so easily.

***

Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! The mandyr's shout was broadcasted at such a decibel that likely all the dragons (and possibly a good number of weyrfolk) could hear his exclamation. His tail coiled around one of Behruth's polished talons, the rest of the salamandyr dangling below and clearly having the time of his life. P.M.S.'s sheer exuberance was making Behruth positively giddy, and the brown quite forgot about Salenth...even before the whirling loop-de-loop entrance of his favorite clutchbrother.

Wha-? Just fine, Checkbrother! Have you come to play with the beautiful shiny, too? He arced up and back, plunging downward and circling around within Checkoth's loops so that together they made an eight pattern for a couple of passes. They're all big, Behruth noted with some surprise, as he marked the others come to join in the fun. Strange it was, that the brown should be the smallest there, even if he was only the size of a large blue. Where were all the blues who should be chasing the jewel of the skies?

Wee!

Oh, dear. He'd allowed himself to get caught up, and Peppeth was running away! Hold on, Pretty Mandyr Shiny! We're going fast! The salamandyr had just enough time to curl his longish body and cling to the talon with all four legs as well as his tail before the brown plunged into a steep dive that was nothing short of daring. Weeeeeeeee! the creature squealed excitedly. What a lovely game of tag! And he'd help his large shiny win, he would.

Behruth, who was clever if not altogether that experienced given his age, took to the opposite bank as Peppeth to give her room and himself time to react, pulling up just moments before she did and weaving dangerously between the upper branches before he cleared the treeline and skimmed low over the riverbank. Seeing her intent immediately, he suddenly twisted toward the river, flapping strongly for the tree of peoples. Instead of coiling around it (where he was sure to lose time simply because he couldn't match her turn so tightly) Behruth instead seemed to charge directly at it. Moments before he slammed headfirst into the trunk, his body whipped upwards, spine stretching as his wings pulled hard. That one wingbeat was enough at his present speed to shoot him straight up the trunk of the tree, the young brown twisting in and out of the branches and bursting at last into the sky above with a shower of leaves and smaller twigs.

His body torqued, the brown twisting elegantly, and he again went into a dive, this one more shallow. Wingbeats propelled him at intervals, adding to his speed, as he fell in directly behind Peppeth with a croon. Had she seen the dance he'd performed for her? They needed to dance some more! (And maybe, if he was fortunate, Peppeth would choose him for the solo dance at the end.)

Ruth's human counterpart bounced on his toes with barely contained energy, the man watching his lovely prize through the fringe of half-lowered lashes. The temptation to catch her up and swing her about in a lively dance (even if he really had no idea how to dance) was nearly overwhelming, but there was some - reason - or other that he shouldn't do that. His nostrils flared. How bothersome. But he just had to dance with her!

Maybe for her would suffice for now? And, if he danced well enough, she might join him, and that would just be perfect. Dancing with the glowing jewel.

Reaching up, he loosened the ties at neck and wrists, half-baring a chest that, though narrower since his illness, was still possessed of admirable width. He just didn't want the constriction. Dancing was supposed to be loose. The brownrider moved lithely, undulating around Peppeth/Farryl in a curious quickstep that looked for all the world as if his upper body was detached from his lower. He crooned to her invitingly. Wouldn't she dance with him? Just a little?

[Ember]

The energy exhibited by the tiny green amused the brown and allowed him to loosen up. It was a game after all! He twisted in the air delightfully. He had endurance and strength to spare, should she choose to play with him over the other browns and bronze. As he finished his flip he called out with a playful bugle. Did she see? He was impressive, no? His eyes whirled happy lust coloured tones as he followed her path in the skies.

The large brown was somewhat dismayed with the speed at which she zipped off. Oh dear. He was simply not built to move that fast. Oh well, he could hardly be much slower than the bronze brute. He went as fast as he could go though he didn't match her dive. Dsoleth crooned for her clever use of the water. She did so shine next to the liquid. The use of the tree was even more clever. She was definitely mistress of agility and speed! Dsoleth was not able to follow her exact path but he did go around the tree in as tight a turn as he could to show he was at least trying.

She definitely was a special green. He felt somewhat how a little human hatchling feels when facing a delicate glass doll. So tempted to touch and feel but too afraid of damaging such a precious thing. Yes, that symbolized how he felt about the green at the moment. Not so taklative was he, but he attempted to express this feeling in another croon as he was set once again to chasing her towards the waterfall.

T'san mimicked his brown beast in the sky, a younger feeling energy overflowing him as he crooned at the land-bound green. He did an extravagant bow at her twirl, twisting his wrist in the air and bringing it down so he was bowing over it. An amused and appreciative grin on his face for her antics. She was a beautiful gamemistress, she was.

[dragon]

Frosstyth heaved a sigh. He'd just gotten up here into the sky to follow her ... and now she was down there again? He just sort of hung there in the sky for a moment, on his wings, watching as she dove and skimmed along the river. She sure was pretty to watch, but Frosstyth was not delusional. He knew he couldn't fly like that. To even try such a dive... he'd go splat before he could pull out of it. Or fly that low ...

He turned in the air, and started a slow glide back down toward the forest again, vaguely following her. He didn't want to lose sight of her, and surely didn't want her to think that he'd fallen out of the flight. Oh, no. He still wanted her ... and wanted her badly. But he was smart enough to know that breaking his fool neck wasn't going to win him the girl. He watched with some amazement ... and concern ... as she pulled that stunt around the tree, only to be followed by a brown that ended up blasting up through the branches of said tree.

Ow ... that looked like it was something that should have hurt. Alot. But now she was headed back his direction!! Frosstyth crooned to her, welcoming, inviting, trying to get her to come back above the tree tops, where he could chase her properly like. He couldn't fly down there! And he so badly wanted to. Turning again, even before she quite reached where he was cruising, he dropped his head low and watched her playing beneath the treetops. Again, he crooned, trying to convince her to come up to where he could play, too. Frosstyth wanted nothing more than to dance with the lovely beauty.

He paid the other chasers only enough attention to avoid crashing into them as everyone jockeyed for position, uncaring what they did otherwise. What he wanted was Peppeth. Not the other males! Though he did think it rather odd that one of them had gone wayyyy up there into the sky. Frosstyth didn't think that Peppeth was going to fly that high ... she wasn't a Gold, after all.

[glamourie]

I remember Peppeth, I do, Checkoth replied to his clutchbrother with no small amount of delight. Everything about Peppeth brought back cheerful memories, even though some of those recollections were tainted by the recollection of The Dusty Place. The brown gave a low croon to Behruth, circling back and forth to make wider, more elegant figure eights – look how pretty they were; he and Behruth were the best at dancing in the sky. After Peppeth, of course. See, see. Peppeth would surely recognize that and pick one of them. Although, Salenth was amazing – Salenth had saved His once upon a time. His remembered, he did. And Dsoleth and Frosstyth were… well, they were okay, weren’t they? He knew nothing about them but they were smart enough to be Chasing Peppeth and she was amazing, so they must’ve been pretty all-right. Checkoth broke out of the circling with an overabundant sense of glee. No matter who was picked, everyone won, because Peppeth was amazing and just getting the chance to see her glow, so wonderfully dazing in her beauty, was worth every ounce of energy spent. She deserved them all, and more, didn’t she? She did. Peppeth, his rescuer. He would never forget her.

His gaze turned to Peppeth, his focus entirely on her and he gave a low, melodious croon, encouraging. Her sudden dip had him spinning on his wings, long and thin as they were, to turn into a quick dive. It wasn’t a straight drop as some of the other dragons might have been able to pull off, simply because his wings weren’t designed for that – too long and thin, they were; drops hurt him. He spun rapidly in a dive toward the surface of the river, his two tails whipping behind him. Onto his side he turned, so that when he beat his wings, the tips brushed through the water, playing rainbows amidst the droplets that quickly covered his hide. He wasn’t as agile as her, but he was pretty; he’d been complimented enough on his autumn-colored hide to know that. So he settled for playing to his strengths, spinning about so that the water kicked up by his wingbeats sprayed over him to create an almost slick glistening edge to his skin. See, see. He could shine just as much as Salenth in his own way. He didn’t need to be a bronze to be shiny.

As her path took him toward the tree, Checkoth’s eyes lightened in dismay; he immediately recalled trying to chase Amith through the jungle, and how badly that turned out. He’d managed okay, except for the amount of broken branches all around his wings and how much it stung when R’wignHis cleaned all the little scrapes. He peeped, in obvious embarrassment, and regarded the tree as he came upon it closer. He wasn’t Behruth. He couldn’t look quite so agile. But he wasn’t one of the bigger browns either – surely he could do something to Impress his little rescuer? If he backed away, he was a coward, and Peppeth didn’t deserve a coward. He angled his wings, and made a decision: If he got hurt, it was okay, because His would take care of him, but he’d have to be careful, have to try. His eyes whirled with silent determination and then he dove, down closer to the base of the tree, just above ground level. With a wide, sharp turn, he circled, increasing the width of his path with every round, to avoid the growing branches, and as he came near the more dense vegetation, he jolted outward and flew around the canopy. He didn’t miss it entirely though – one of his tails smacked through the branches and sent a rain of leaves down onto the candidates wandering below, though the two-tailed brown hardly noticed.

Spinning out of his twist, Checkoth turned to beat his wings as fast as they would go in hopes of trying to regain his lost speed. He wasn’t Peppeth and could not come close to matching how fast she was flying, but he tried his best, his tails (one of which was throbbing) twisting together to make his body more compact and streamlined. The air ripped around him as he zoomed toward the waterfall, trying to keep his eyes on the vivid green before him – he wanted her to see that he wasn’t afraid to try. She needed to know that she was worth every effort to him. After all, she was nice enough to help rescue him from the evil door… she deserved it!

The spinning stopped, but it was replaced by R’wign scrunching his nose as he came slinking up behind the other Chasers present. He circled the exterior of the group, edging as far from everyone else as possible, his arms folding over his chest. In the back of his mind, he was aware of the excitement that Checkoth felt, but his own consciousness was winning out – as usual. As a result, he felt incredibly awkward, and did not want the other Chasers to see him. Last time both Behruth and Checkoth chased, M’ta had practically danced with him and it was… odd. Very odd. He was currently bouncing, which R’wign found absolutely hysterical… simply because it was such a different expression for M’ta. The rest, well, were ignored. Not worth paying attention to unless they came closer to him…

[Rowana]

Peppeth turned on her back and snaked her head to see how her chasers had managed. Salenth had been clever, for a bronze. It might have been amusing to see him try and follow her around the tree, but she had to give him credit. Not many dragons that big would have kept up with her at all. Behruth got a bugle of delight from her throat. What a clever brown! That trick had almost been as good as hers. And he was the smallest too, which was starting to look appealing. She like big dragons, like Jaymith, after a fashion. But today she wasn't so sure. That didn't mean she had decided already, by any means. Still much to come.

Dsoleth hadn't been so agile, but he was also trying hard. She crooned at him in gratitude. She looked around for Frosstyth and was sorry to see her clutch brother was lingering above. She cocked her head curiously. Didn't he like her games? Games were no fun if males didn't play along. Checkoth made her eyes sparkle with pleasure. She liked him. He was handsome and his two tails were so much fun! He flew well too, as daring as Behruth. Peppeth twirled again to right herself. The game was not over yet! She still had much to do!

The waterfall was coming up fast. Time for her next trick. With an alluring flick of the tail, she reached the lip and started another dive towards the canyon floor. When she was half way down, just long enough so that the males should be following her, she rapidly pulled up. Using the momentum, she climbed up the side of the canyon instead, dodging weyrledges and rocks with skillful flicks of her wings. She rounded the top and skimmed the ground towards the Hatching Grounds. Had she fooled them? Did they think she would dive to bottom again? She would soon see how many she had caught by surprise!

Farryl danced around the gathered men playfully. They were a handsome bunch. Even S'rei, covered with mud as he was, got a twinkle from her eyes. Farryl drew closer to M'ta for a second, before skipping out of reach to R'wign's side. Again she bounced away. She was far from ready to chose yet. There was still time for each of them to curry her favor. Which would she find worthy?

[dragon]

Frosstyth continued to croon toward Peppeth ... he really wanted to follow her, he did. But all the sturdy, burly brown could do was follow along above the trees. He watched her, wanted her. Longed for her, cruising on spread wings as he followed her gyrations beneath the trees with a far more sedate, straight-line path. Finally, she seemed to leave the trees behind, heading out over the waterfall. Pouring all the energy he had into his speed, he took off after her. Now, in the clear air, he could finally chase her! As she deserved! Crooning softly sweet nothings, he twisted once, wing over wing, in an effort to catch her attention before the last, sacrificing none of his speed in the process. Speeding past the waterfall, he plummeted after her, down into the canyon. Only to watch in dismay as she suddenly turned and climbed right up the rock face, leaving him far behind.

Backwinging for all he was worth, he almost crashed into the forest below, looking up and back, after her. Grunting from the strain of it, his wings snapped and popped, filling with air. But they held, and he managed to stall out all the momentum he'd just worked so hard to build. Turning in the air, he beat his wings hard and fast, triyng his level best to not get left behind the whole flight entirely. Grunting in rhythem with his powerful wing beats, Frosstyth gave it all he had to gain speed and catch up again, though he feared he'd only catch up to get left far behind again by another hairpin turn. He really wasn't cut out for those kinds of turns ... but he was going to try. For her ... he wanted to win her and for it he was going to give it his very best shot. He hadn't been able to participate in the tree games, so everything else was going to do to the best of his ability. For lack of any other trick he could do while trying to gain speed and catch up again, as he rose out of the canyon he twisted wing over wing again, flaring his sails in a showy bid for the pretty green's attention.

Cresting the canyon yet again, Frosstyth followed her toward the hatching grounds, rising up to get over the trees again. It was really going to be a bummer if he did something stupid like wrap himself around a tree after all that. Having caught up again as she slowed to see who had followed, Frosstyth took the moment to croon to her again, before arcing backward and up, pulling into a tight barrel roll that brought him out flying forward again just barely over the trees.

Inside the chambers, C'oar was subject to Frosstyth's whims and desires. Which meant he was talking to her, just the same as the dragon-proper was. Low, adoring noises that were barely audible, coming from his already unusually deep voice. His muscles bunched and coiled in an effort to mimic Frosstyth's straining to catch back up again, but C'oar had no where to actualy go, leaving him more or less motionless despite the clenching in his shoulders. She seemed to be ignoring him, though. Which at first was disconcerting ... but after a bit the emotion faded. She wasn't staying with those others ... she danced away from them quickly. She hadn't chosen yet, no. There was time, still. He just had to work harder!

[Requiem]

An old hand he was, at this game, and greens took a different set of skills than golds. Salenth was a long, lean bronze, one with enough staying power to keep up with other bronzes but generally more agile despite his size...and it served him well in gold flights. Green flights took more wits than anything else. Perhaps it was why he tended to prefer them (or maybe that had more to do with the fact that he chose who to chase in greenflights, whereas chasing a gold was mostly pure compulsion).

The bronze climbed back upwards, sweeping into a tight barrel roll that was, in and of itself, subtle invitation to join him up in the open air where his great wingspan was of more advantage. But that invitation was not made because he expected it to be accepted. No, the crafty bronze chose to do so because height was speed, and because height allowed him to change directions in ways that straight flight did not. Salenth never, ever chased greens directly. He couldn't and hope to keep up, unless he thought he could anticipate her moves precisely. If he'd known her well and flown with her often, maybe, but he hadn't, so that just left giving himself ample room to adjust to her schemes.

And scheme she most definitely did. He looped lower, banking tightly above the waterfall and there he decided to put on his own display. One wing folded, pitching him suddenly sideways, and he dove past as Peppeth streamed upwards, the bronze twisting about with the use of the one wing until his other had room. His back to the falls, his wings shot him back up in her wake with a few powerful strokes, tail lashing out at the water where he'd leveled out just above the surface. It jumped and barely caught the tip of her tail as she shot past, toward the trees. Salenth could play, too, in his own fashion. He flew upside down for a short time, the move itself rather dangerous in that, should he let his altitude fall, he'd crash rather spectacularly into the river.

But Salenth had flown for a good number of turns, and as he tucked his wings and spun he eased into the water slightly, throwing up spray for any dragons who passed low on Peppeth's tail. Another lash of his tail, another spray of water, and he was working for altitude again, looking for a chance to make another play for her attention.

S'rei wandered back into the Flightroom in time to see Farryl's approving glance, his mouth twitching slightly. Salenth apparently was holding his own, then. Rubbing at the mud with the cloth he'd scavenged, the man took another glance around and noticed that one of the riders - R'wign - didn't seem altogether taken up in the Flight either. S'rei turned and, in a moment, returned with what amounted to a lapboard and several pieces. He glanced at R'wign and nodded to the board in silent invitation.

Might as well play a game or two if this Flight decided to drag out, yes?

***

Ah, but he couldn't resist, and she passed so close. He reached out, not grabbing at her, but just brushing his fingertips along her arm. After all, it might be the only touch he ever got, right? So soft. Not pursuing it (certainly wouldn't do to anger her, now would it?) M'ta whined softly in his throat. She was dancing, but her dance was one that included everyone, and excluded all. Her own dance. She hadn't invited anyone to join her yet. The game was fun, but...his patience wasn't great.

Behruth was, in some ways, a very fortunate sort. He was distracted a bit by Checkoth, who he crooned to encouragingly and with some concern, as his clutchbrother had been just a bit rash and looked like he might have hurt himself. That kept him from following Peppeth too closely, and his own fivolity - bolstered by P.M.S., persuaded the brown to loop above the falls, displaying the hide that gleamed like freshly polished mahogany. If she saw, she saw, but he did it mostly to expend the gathering energy that demanded he pursue her closely. Behruth didn't want that. He wanted to dance and play for a little while longer.

At the top of his arc, however, she changed her trajectory, and he twisted on impulse into another circle, this one horizontal rather than vertical. The loop was started early, and he passed just in front of her as she shot up over the canyon and began going for the trees, the brown dropping in behind...and meeting up with Salenth's splash. Behruth rolled to one side, presenting his underbelly to the river. The wave rocked him slightly, pushing him towards the trees, but as soon as it cleared he angled upward and twirled into a tight barrel roll that sprayed water droplets in all directions. Trying to sabotage him, was the bronze? Ha!

Wings flared and slowed his rotations to a stop, where he hung for a few moments before dipping nose first and slashing his wings through the air, pushing him forward and slightly down at a goodly speed. He kept the dive shallow so as not to lose the beautfiul shiny that made his hoard seem dull in comparison.

[Sheari]

He had somehow wound up at the back of the pack, watching everyone do things before he did. It disappointed him that he would allow himself to gain such a position, but the other Chasers were nothing to him, and as Peppeth dived, so did he. Spiraling, with wings held tightly to the sides, the water rush up to him much like it had the agile green, but the brown wasn't so agile. Last minute came too late and as Pagoth snapped his wings open the ever-churning currents of air above the water tipped him off balance. The end of a wing, a back leg and the end of his tail became submerged in the cold river waters. Flapping hard to gain altitude and recover lost speed, the brown raced after the prize he desired.

Then, to his dismay, she swerved around a tree of people. The hole between branches and water was just small enough the he would meet water again if he attempted the maneuver. Pulling up and over the tree, spraying the water from his limbs into the open windows of the dwelling (and onto some of the people inside), Pagoth found the top of the tree and soared over it; nothing was broken by his passing.

With tail straight and his body streamlined, he beat his wings with a rhythm that matched the beat of Peppeth's dance. Yes, he would deviate from some of the steps in this game and find ways to make it elegant; but truthfully, if the glowing green took the Flight into the waters of the ocean, he would follow without pause and swim-fly until she made her choice.

The emotions from Pagoth erased away any agitation that C'ryl felt by being in the Flight Rooms again. He fixed Farryl/Peppeth with a violet gaze. Did she see that he would stop at nothing for her? Did she know that her tricks would not deter him and that he was clever enough to find ways to remain with her? C'ryl/Pagoth was only aware of the dawn-kissed green and refused to acknowledge the other males.

He crooned adoringly.

Dead last, he saw everything be done before it was his chance to try. Peppeth dove into the canyon and Pagoth followed. Wings open fully so he could pull up quickly, as rock was not as forgiving as water. At these speeds, the surface of the water would be like something solid, but it wasn't solid all the way through. Half way down, the gem turned up and climbed the crags and weyrs with her wings.

The less agile brown rose out of his dive later than she had and skimmed the water below. Close. As she climbed the cliff-face with her wings, he went after her. The stripped beauty was worth his giving chase.

C'ryl joined in the dance as Farryl moved around the room in an excited fashion. While other may remain stationary and wait for to come to them, he would go to her if she found him to be what she wants.