In The Midnight Moonlight [Yosk's Run]

[Kisha-Ra]

Moonlight fell silently, as moonlight often did, washing the jungles around Selenitas Weyr with a silver sheen and taking their colours in return, creating its own deeply shadowed mysterious world.

For some however, the night held very few mysteries so the moonlight fell into a jungle clearing full of life and, currently, sleep. The centrepiece was undoubtedly the green wher who lay out in the middle of the clearing, her muzzle down on her paws and her eyes totally closed. For some reason unknown the sleeping green had been surrounded with a criss crossing network of greenery bearing branches, most bearing colourful berries, and a handful of examples of the species of winter hardy nightflowers that grew in these jungles. This display fromed a horseshoe shape, broken directly in front of the green. She, however was the most striking thing in the clearing, and all the decoration was clearly only placed to display the pale softly glowing hide to its very best advantage.

Yoalla stepped back and considered the result of her labours carefully. She smiled gently an expression oftimes out of place on the rebellious minded wherhandler, on this occasion though, it seemed appropriate. ‘Good job, now come on you lot, we don’t want to scare off her gentleman callers.’ The words were spoken barely above a whisper but brought four small forms out of the branch and flower arrangement. Scare. repeated The Devil as she emerged as if she liked the sound, which she probably did. Not scare. Hide now Devil, scare bad ones later. The secret behind The Devil’s compliance wriggled free behind her. Once he’d had the concept explained to him Imp had been only too happy to help his friends, and The Devil only too eager to fawn to the bronze. I going now. Is done. Most pretty she is. Near Harmonylove pretty. With that the salamandyr ran off, quickly blending with the shadow. Going. The Devil repeated and vanished in the opposite directions Yoalla gave a one shouldered shrug to the firelizards that remained with her. Denial remained silent as she slithered out of hiding and wordlessly demanded to be picked up. Lao, the most willing member of this impromptu work team, trilled quietly and dropped a final flower onto Yosk’s head, right between her head knobs.

Yosk stirred restlessly, either reacting to the noise around her or the sudden touch to her hide, and her remaining companions took swiftly to the trees around the clearing, leaving the softly glimmering green alone.

Yosk lifted her head and snorted in surprise at a flower that had been placed before her nose. What was this? She didn’t remember it being here before, and where had all this stuff come from? She’d expected, expected… others? Silly thought, silly Yosk. Silly silly greenling. Who would be here with Yosk? But she thought she heard voices and footsteps. Who was spying on her then, was someone coming to laugh at her and run away?

Yoalla snorted in exasperation as Yosk began working herself into a fine state of paranoia within moments of opening her eyes. Silly indeed, the greenhandler chided, in her wordless way of communication with her wher. All was ready for Yosk to Run, whenever she chose.

The green raised her head to look at her handler, seated neatly at the fork of a tree, in sheer amazement. But Yosk hadn’t said anything, hadn’t want to be a bother to anyone. The burst of amused affection that came back to her comforted the wher immensely, so much so that when she stood her posture was very nearly straight and her wings were almost fully furled. She hesitated for a few moments, shuffled her feet, then finally lifted her head and voiced a melodious howl of invitation before falling back into her usual slumped posture.

[Requiem]

There was hardly any need to call him. The male was colored in such a way that blending in to his surroundings was difficult...but not impossible. At least he had no shiny sheen that he had to combat to keep from gleaming in the moonlight. His light-hued hide was sufficiently masked by a fine layer of dirt, as it was most nights, the steady glow of eyes dimmed by protective lid coverings.

Dmisk wasn't sure what all the activity involving flowers and whatnot was for. He chalked it up to human idiosyncrasies, the assumption one that Dmitri supported from his spot against a tree. The tall young man was systematically cleaning the dirt from beneath his fingernails. Their patrol had been cut short, which only meant one thing: one of Dmisk's clutchsisters was Running.

The blue stretched as Yosk climbed to her feet, as her voice lifted in the call. Yes. Time. Dmisk didn't actually move much. He was quite close to the green already. So close that it probably would make any creature uncomfortable that he'd been there so long without notice, but...well, no doubt it wasn't the first time. The male announced himself with a spread of wings and a suppine stretch. Hello, YoskSister, he greeted coolly. Pleased he was to see her awake.

Dmitri snorted softly at Dmisk and shoved the male's shoulder (ineffectually one might add) before stepping out of the trees and toward Yoalla, the knife finding its way back into its sheath. "We were wondering about the flowers," the harper commented, in that off-handed way of his that suggested a question but no great desire to ferret out the answer.

[Ivy]

While Swisk rarely chased - after all he didn't have the strength or stamina like the other whers did to actually catch anyone - he did, at times, choose to participate. Tonight was one such night, something which surprised Swithin to no end. The frail blue wher had taken leave from their dark apartment a good candlemark earlier, without his handler. This was unusual for Swisk but Swithin just shrugged it off - until he felt a surge of... admiration from his wher.

Cursing under his breath Swithin pushed the rosters he'd been going over off the desk and into a drawer before standing up. Straightening his half-unbuttoned beige shirt he took off out of the apartment as well - there was only one place Swisk could be if he were feeling that way. Heading out to the clearing Swithin stopped short of the others there, hanging back. Eyes flitted around the moonlight bathed clearing - he saw Yosk surrounded by flowers and berries - Dmisk lingering close to Yosk... where was his sharding blue?

Finally Swisk appeared, holding in his maw a bouquet of wild flowers from nearby. It was obvious he'd picked them himself, some were bitten in half and others had the roots and dirt still clinging to the end of the stem. He made his way awkwardly with his gift to the younger green and laid it down in front of her. They were beautiful, no? But not as beautiful as Yosk was.

Swithin rolled his eyes and leaned up against a tree, surely his wher wasn't intending to actually chase, was he? Ah but the surge of feelings he felt from his wher ensured him that indeed he had every intention of chasing the dashing green. Looking over to the other handlers - Swithin knew them in passing but was not especially close to any handlers, least of all these two - Siwthin gave a sigh.

You can't win..., he offered softly to Swisk. It wasn't that he didn't love and adore his wher, he did. But Swithin understood his blue's limitations better than the blue did. Swisk felt he could do anything he wanted to if he tried - unfortunately his body rarely agreed.

Swisk turned his eyes towards where his rider was lingering. Why was he so far away? Did he not think Yosk's was as beautiful as Yosk herself was? And what did he mean he couldn't win? He could, and he would! Hmph! Snorting in Swithin's general direction the male turned his attention back to the green. Her hide really did look beautiful, especially with the way the light shined down on her. A low croon was given to the female and his tail swayed behind him. Stretching his frail - ghostly appearing body stretched under his taught flesh. There was some musculature there but not much. He indeed was a sore sight when compared to the younger, healthier Dmisk. Still though, he was set on trying his hardest - Yosk deserved the attention of every male in the weyr tonight, after all.

[Ruby]

Evil, Three hissed when Pidesk's head went up, swiveling back the way they'd come. After seven turns bonded to the Bronze, Piden was pretty sure what those feelings meant, and obviously Three knew, too. She was the only one of his salamandyrs with him tonight; Red had elected to stay in the apartments, and Shells was off somewhere, hassling a gold no doubt. Likely Dementia, but who knew, maybe it was Harmony he was after tonight. Anyway, the Green turned on his shoulder, rubbing her side against his cheek like a feline might. No let Bronze-thing chase. Stay here, with Three, with best green. Only green. Love Dendenmine.

Piden sighed, gripping Pidesk's sides a little tighter with his knees as the bronze started trembling in anticipation. 'Denden' was not his favorite nickname, but Shells used it, and the others had picked it up. More exasperating, though, was Three's presence. Shells might be more verbal, but Three was infinitely smarter (and therefore more damaging), especially if it was Yosk that was running. And of course it was Yosk that was running, as Pidesk so helpfully informed him, a touch of desperation attached to his thoughts. Could they please go now? That was her, that howl, she wouldn't wait. Yosk wasn't one to wait around and see how many whers did - or didn't - come.

"Sorry, Three," he said aloud, not bothering with mental communication for the moment. Pidesk hesitated just long enough for Piden to give him permission to run, which the Bronze did, streaking though the trees. Luckily it wasn't far, and in less than a minute Piden was swinging off his Wher's back. They hardly ever opted for straps beyond a very basic harness for guard duty (really just something for Piden to use when mounting and dismounting), so the Bronze was ready to go without any additional buckling or maintenance. Ready he was, and he crooned back at Yosk, breath coming fast from his sprint. He waited on her pleasure.

Three, however, was not happy. Ugly, she whined at Yoalla and Yosk, twining herself actively around Piden's neck. Not for you, Denden for me. No chase, stay with Three! "Quiet," Piden murmured, absently placing the green on a nearby branch. He had eyes only for Yoalla, after all, and Three was annoying him. Looking generally stricken, the Green shot Yoalla and Yosk a venomous look, then disappeared into the trees. For now.

[Rei]

An answering howl came startlingly close. Nyssk stepped from the underbrush and out into the moonlight, his purple hide giving him a surprising advantage in blending in with the surrounding darkness. Large for a blue he was just under brown sized and nicely filled out too. Lithe and strong like the feline who his predatory movements so closely resembled. A soft call of appreciation was given Yosk. She should be honored that he chose to chase. Such a lovely thing she was. Not as lovely as he himself. But well she was lovely enough to stand at his side certainly. Green colored eyes panned to the other males in the clearing then. He had scented them all before he got here and now he was looking for one. Ah there he was.

A loud snarl left Nyssk’s throat as he caught sight of Dmisk. The blue flared his wings before showing all his teeth in a clear challenge. The other males were given the barest of glances. Bronze though Pidesk was the young blue was well aware of what wher really led the Night Sentinel that he wanted to claim as his own. The younger blue had every intention of overthrowing Dmisk one day to claim his rightful place as leader of the followers. The other blue, Swisk, was frail and not worth much. Right now Nyssk figured he only had to really worry about Dmisk. Decent grouping for the green one so far. Protected number two, follower number one and then there was his enemy, or was he a non entity? Yet to be decided.

Wings snapped back against Nyssk’s back then, his lips falling back over his teeth as he turned his attention briefly back to said green Yosk. She would be his. Glowing eyes narrowed on Dmisk then, talons digging into the soft soil as the other blue waited for the green to move so he could take her from under the older blue’s nose. Come beautiful one. Let the game begin.

Nysania pushed through the clearing with much more grace then she usually showed, her near golden eyes narrowing on Dmitri before she smiled a feral smile and circled to approach Yoalla. It was quite obvious as to who was running the show in this run and it sure wasn't the Weyrhealer.

[Kisha-Ra]

Yosk’s head rose a little as Dmisk announced himself and the green responded to her clutchbrother’s presence with a surge of affection, slightly tinged with gratitude. Of course Dmisk would be here, sneaky Dmisk was one of her favourite brothers. The pale green looked around again hopefully, were more whers hiding out there like Dmisk? Like the reward of hope Yosk spotted a pale blue shape trotting toward her, Swisk. What did Swisk have? Flowers? Yosk wasn’t sure why there were so many flowers around today but she wholeheartedly agreed with the small blue, they were beautiful. Yosk stepped forward and butted her head, gently, very gently, against Swisk’s shoulder.

Yoalla started as Dmisk stretched and flared his wings, how long had he been there? Knowing Dmisk, quite some time, he always was a stealthy sort, that blue. Dmitri seemed to have gained a bit of sneak too, Yoalla noted as the tall handler stepped out of the shadows. ‘I was hoping a bit of prettiness around her would make her feel better.’ Yoalla shrugged. ‘Doesn’t seem to have worked. Lao found the flowers.’ Abruptly Yoalla’s focus shifted, not to the second handler but to the second wher emerging from the treeline. ‘Isn’t he sweet?’ The skeletal blue was graced with the kind of smile that was normally reserved for her own mindmates.

Pidesk’s presence was not truly unexpected, though Yosk was always subject to doubts, he was a friend after all. His obvious and genuine pleasure in being here was unexpected though, startling an answering, hesitant, croon from the green before the salamandyr’s voice made her droop again. The little one was right, of course. Whatever hysterical reaction Three’s insults might have provoked were forestalled by the arrival of a fourth wher into the clearing. Nyssk confused her, was he here to chase or fight with Dmisk? The inquiry was nervously addressed to the younger blue. If he was here to fight could he come back later? Yosk had to Run, and because she wasn’t as beautiful as her pretty sisters she needed all her chasers.

Before anyone could change their mind about being here Yosk sprang forward with a little excited bark, bounded right over Swisk with a flare of her huge wings to keep her airborne, and picked up speed the moment she hit the ground, vanishing out of her clearing and into the shadows under the trees.

The green salamandyr’s retreating tail was shot a look that should have spontaneously combusted the little creature by all rights. Fortunately the laws of physics wouldn’t allow it and the force of Yoalla’s irritation with the salamandyr was spent quite uselessly. Piden was practically ignored, his presence noted and taken for granted. Nysania was also ignored for the present time, too clearly under Nyssk’s influence already. She’d better not cause trouble, not that Yoalla would much notice if she did once Yosk got going.

As abruptly as if she’d heard the thought the green was off, bounding over one of the blues and off into the night. In time with her green Yoalla bounded down from her perch in the tree, and made a face at having to look up at every single handler there. The next wher hatchlings should all pick short people.

In utter ignorance of her handler’s irrelevant thoughts Yosk concentrated on putting as much distance between herself and her chasers as she could. The green’s pace looked slightly undignified, a fact that would have mortified her at another point, but she liked to run and she was faster than she looked. At some point that looked no different to any other Yosk dug in her front claws, let her hindquarter slew around and bounded off among the closely packed trees, weaving her way between the trunks as fast as she could run.

[Requiem]

"Yes," Dmitri agreed, with no sign of his usual sarcasm coloring the word. The harper, barely taller and certainly not nearly as broad as the other bluehandler, drifted toward Swithin while Yoalla was still in her tree and grasped the man's shoulder warmly. "It's good to see the both of you out more often." The harper had a sharp tongue and not the best of personalities, but it was his penchant for getting involved with crazy emotional greenriders more than any intentional distancing from Swithin that had created this oddity of living and working with a handler for turns and hardly knowing him. Dmitri was a social creature. Kind of inevitable if a man was a harper.

Dmisk did not demonstrate his approval of Swisk so obviously as his handler. That's what his handler was for, after all, and the blue who more or less led the Night Watch by being the coldest and most ruthless of the whers - and the clutchbrother to Eikask and therefore first generation if you ignored the few older whers who were the sole survivors of their respective clutches - was not a demonstrative sort. His sisters he cared for, though, and Yosk's continued belief that she was ugly (though foolish) meant he was receptive to any male who might convince her otherwise.

Pidesk too was hardly a surprise. Though Dmisk's attitude didn't change, had he been more expressive, the male's reception of the bronze would certainly have cooled in comparison to that of Swisk. That bronze chased everything with a tail. It was only fit that he show up; if he had not, Dmisk might have visited him solely because he was perpetuating Yosk's inferiority complex. (But more likely not. Pidesk and Dmisk had worked too long together in the northern sector, even if 'together' only meant within communication distance, and Dmisk always put such matters before silly things like Runs.)

The male's head only turned slightly in response to Nyssk's growl, his wings mantling neatly by his sides. A cub come to challenge daddy lion, hm? Wrong time and place, young one. Dmisk didn't respond to Nyssk directly, instead yawning widely and returning his attention to Yosk. There wasn't even so much as a heartbeat between her leap and his, the large blue leaping Nyssk at the same time that Yosk leapt Swisk and timing his landing with a flare of wings to strike ground at the same moment as Yosk.

He proceeded much as he'd started, stretching into a lope that took him through a somewhat wider path almost constantly parallel to his clutchsister's own. The blue's run was a silent one short a few snapped branches that he didn't bother avoiding, the male using wings liberally in his characteristic gait that should have appeared more awkward than it did.

Dmitri smiled his quirky smile at Piden, amused to see him already half-buried in the mind of his bronze. Unsurprisingly. Nysania's approach though was greeted with a raised brow. Lovely. Already out, that one, and she had the vicious one. The harper took a page from Dmisk's book and slid hands into pockets, making no move to close with Yoalla despite a sudden protectiveness. The greenhandler could handle herself, and anyway, Nysania posed no real threat to the handler of the green her blue chased.

Well, other than asphyxiation if Yosk was caught by her. There was that. A half-smile tugged at his lips at the thought.

[Ivy]

Swisk crooned happily to Yosk when she offered him a bit of affection - it had been a long while since he'd been around a beautiful female. If whers had been able to blush, he would have. Instead the blush he felt, his rider wore - just as Dmitri came over and clasped a hand on Swithin's shoulder. Swithin looked at the other wherhandler and gave him a brief nod, "Its good to be out and about."

His attention was focused on the two women then, mostly on Yoalla though - after all Swisk was here for her green, not the blue that the other woman was bonded to. A tentative step was taken towards Yoalla as his blue's emotions began to get the best of him.

Yosk lept over him and his eyes flashed at this. Dmisk took off first after her but Swisk was next, surprisingly fast for his frail appearance - maybe it was because he had less bulk to him, so he was lighter on his feet? Either way he was only a few steps behind each of them, though to the opposite side of Yosk than Dmisk was. Already he was feeling a bit winded as Yosk led the males in between the trees.

Swithin's brows furrowed closer together and another step was taken towards Yosk. No. Yoalla. Shaking his head he was struggling to keep control of himself while being bombarded by Swisk's desires. He was honestly impressed his blue hadn't already fallen over, he couldn't remember the last time Swisk actually chased a female.

[Rei]

Nyssk’s eyes narrowed upon the older Dmisk as the wher yawned but any return gesture the young blue might have made was forestalled by Yosk’s contact. The purplish hued wher brought himself up to his full height and crooned softly to the female. No he was not here to fight. He was here to chase her. Beautiful she was. Her light drew them all didn’t she see? And she obviously deserved the best which was him. Dipping his head he stalked forward to get a little closer to her though he didn’t seek to crowd her just yet. Before Nyssk had gone more then a few small steps however Yosk suddenly barked and leap clear over Swisk disappearing into the forest. Only moments later Dmisk leapt him and the young male snapped his teeth in a gesture of irritation before he sprang forward after the frontrunners.

Nyssk lowered his head and loped after Yosk with a predatory grace few other whers could match. His speed could never match Yosk’s no but for a blue Nyssk had been gifted with quite a decent amount of stamina, so as long as he could keep close enough he could eventually outpace her providing the run went on that long. The young male was actually a bit surprised to see Swisk of all creatures as one of the front runners. Not for long. Winding through a few trees the purple hued male put on a burst of speed and sprang off a fallen log to leapt Swisk. Nyssk’s tail lashed for the other male’s face as his back feet hit the ground mere inches in front of the other blue. The older wher would have to think very fast to avoid being struck.

Nyssk offered no further hassling of Swisk however, instead surging forward to pursue Yosk with near single minded intensity, ending up somewhere about a couple wher lengths behind and to her right.

Nysania stopped her approach of Yoalla when she was a comfortable distance away, not seeking to intrude on the beautiful green’s space just yet. Instead she shifted to glance back at the other chasers as if sizing them all up for their worth. Seemingly unimpressed ‘Nyssk’ turned her attention back to the green handler and waited. For what ‘he’ wasn’t quite sure but surely the female wouldn’t just stand there and let herself be caught.

~~~~

Out of the underbrush to Dmisk’s left came a streak of near black brown with lighter striping. The tiger marked wildling really hadn’t meant to be late but he had been busy, as the ichor that decorated his talons clearly told. A brief flash of his unprotected neck was offered the younger Dmisk as a show of submission before he moved away from the other male and sang to Yosk. He was sorry he was so late. Hopefully she could forgive him his tardiness.

The male wher clearly remember this lovely one. Brighter then the moon she was. She was a clear favorite of his. He had chased her before, though Yosk had in the end chosen Quintresk instead of himself. Though the brown had always suspected that he might have been a close second. Nyssk was spared a brief show of teeth as warning when the young blue struck at Swisk, but no more then that. The wildling remembered not to mess with Eikask’s children but he would suffer no attack against himself without consequences.

Muscles bunching underneath scarred hide, the large brown surged forward as he effortlessly wound his way through the trees of the jungles he had been born in. Not as fast as the beautiful Yosk he chased nor even some of the blues, but he was strong enough to give her a good run definitely.

[Ruby]

Pidesk wasn't slow - in fact he was quite fast, for a Bronze - but that hardly meant anything when his competitors were almost all Blues. Yes, almost, he'd seen the tiger-striped one come out of the trees, but that hardly made a difference. The brown was big, but he was wild-born, and Pidesk was domestic. The bronze outsized him by a considerable amount, and the size difference already showed. He moved as soon as Yosk did, but she and her whole pack of chasers vanished into the trees while Pidesk was still picking up speed. Once he did get up to speed he was quite impressive, but it wouldn't matter if he lost them before the chase ever began.

Luckily, frail little Swisk was quickly left behind by the more powerful Nyssk, and Pidesk was able to keep the little Blue's tail in sight. On the straightaway the Bronze was able to really put on speed, slightly awkward walking gait smoothing out into a ground-eating lope as he passed first the Tiger Wildling, then Swisk and Nyssk. His triumph was short-lived, however; up ahead he saw Yosk, then Dmisk swing sideways. Attempting the same move was out of the question for Pidesk, who would most likely end up rolling over or damaging a leg. Instead, he jumped, flaring one wing and kicking off a tree to follow the others and keep his momentum. Not as quick as the sudden direction change the smaller whers were capable of, but not bad, for a Bronze. If it put him near the back of the pack again, Pidesk wasn't surprised, but neither was he discouraged. For a Bronze that liked chasing Greens as much as he did, you had to get used to being in the back.

Piden watched the exchange between Dmitri and Swithin with a half-smile, making an approving noise. It was good that Swithin and Swisk were coming out of hiding after so long, and good that Dmitri was acknowledging it. Piden didn't feel the need to add his own two cents for the moment, but he'd try to coerce the Bluehandler out to dinner or something, if he could. Later. Now, he dropped back a step or two, eying Nysania and Dmitri - Nyssk and Dmisk, really - with skepticism. Sure, they weren't fighting now, but Piden and Pidesk would prefer if they kept that sort of thing out of the Run. He wouldn't step in unless he had to, but either way being in between them seemed like a bad idea. Let them crowd in around Yoalla, he'd hang back for now.

[Kisha-Ra]

Yosk didn’t bother to look behind her as she left her chasers behind, though she was pleased that Swisk was so happy, she didn’t know the blue well but if he was happy to be here, Yosk was happy that he was too. A fifth set of footsteps and a familiar scent, though tainted with ichor Yosk noted with some distaste, was greeted with a shy mental touch. She was pleased the wildling had come. She was also rather grateful that Nyssk had chosen not to fight or leave, but beyond that Yosk was concerned far more with running than with the whers behind her.

Bored of her little game of weaving among the closest packed trees the green swung away from them, out onto one of the many criss crossing game trails, getting into her stride before she looked for something more interesting to do than take her collection of males for a run, had to do something clever before they all lost interest.

A recent deadfall that had been caught by the trees around it gave Yosk an idea and she bounded up it, leapt for a low, sturdy branch, though these trees weren’t giants by the standards of the jungle there were some few branches that could take her weight briefly and the green took advantage of them, bounding from branch to creaking branch like some huge salamandyr. That took her past three or four trees before she ran out of places to leap without going backwards so she regretfully used her leap off the final branch to take her back to the ground, her light footed landing assisted more than somewhat by the flaring of her wings.

Yoalla watched with a small smile as Yosk bolted off into the jungle with her males in tow, she too had noted the arrival of the striped brown and rather hoped that ichor on his claws wasn’t from another wilding attracted by Yosk’s imminent Run. Possibly, possibly not, only the brown knew for sure and he certainly wouldn’t be telling. All too soon every tailtip and flash of hide moved out of view, even Pidesk, who seemed rather slow compared to the blues.

The greenhandler leaned back against her tree and half closed her eyes seeing no reason to move, thought the amount of people close to her would normally have annoyed her. Under Yosk’s influence she just felt incredibly, almost pathetically grateful to see them all here. The nagging thought that she was going to have to do something to keep their attention stirred, but right now, she wasn’t, quite, Yosk. In truth she didn’t really feel comfortable letting herself merge entirely with the green around so many humans and didn’t want to fight Yosk’s influence off either.

[Ivy]

As the other blue jumped over him and thrashed his tail, Swisk tried to stop. He tried to move out of the way but he just wasn't very quick so his awkward run ran him right into Nyssk's back feet and got him a muzzle full of tail. The older and much frailer blue toppled forward, landing in a tumbling roll that left him on his back. His tail thrashed back and forth and his skeletal body flailed slightly until he managed to right himself. He was now behind everyone, even Pidesk.

A low keen of displeasure was given and he glared at the quickly disappearing tail end of Nyssk - Yosk obviously deserved much better than a bully. Picking on those weaker than him just because he could? Psh.

Back with the other handlers, Swithin cringed and his eyes darted away from the other humans to the shadows where he knew his blue was. Though he didn't know exactly what had happened, he knew Swisk had fallen and that it wasn't his fault. A low growl came from the handler as his eyes fell on Nysania - her blue seemed to be quite a little trouble maker.

Swithin was counting his wher out but then Swisk started up his awkward gait once more. True he probably couldn't catch up with Yosk and the others now, but he didn't know that - and no one could have convinced him of it either. Beautiful Yosk was the prize he was after, she deserved someone like him after all. He wasn't cold, cruel, or a womanizer. He was sweet Swisk who could do anything and would, for her.

[Requiem]

Had it been any other wildling (save the ghostly gold dam that sometimes appeared like a guardian of sorts to her offspring) Dmisk would have made short work of him. Much as he had during his golden sister's first Run, which was ironically when this particular striped brown had been accepted into the fold. The blue was not picky about who he allowed into the extended wher family so long as they knew their place. He didn't acknowledge the brown. But considering no ichor was flying, that was acknowledgment enough.

Dmisk was, however, growing quickly tired of the youngling. This was what was produced from an Eikask and Roisk pairing. Inferior quality. She should choose from her clutchbrothers, but she was too enamoured with shiny, something Dmisk found more amusing than irritating. Normally. The older blue decided to break his mental silence once and once only.

Sentinel whers are allowed to chase the sisters unmolested, he informed Nyssk coldly, without breaking stride. Yosk had taken to the trees above. He did not follow his clutchsister, however, instead winding about the trees and using their thick trunks as springboards and anchors, using claws and tail to tighten his turns and legs to propel him off the trunks at an even faster pace so he didn't lose much speed. Dmisk was not above removing Nyssk from the Chase if the male continued to disrespect Dmisk's clutchsister by interfering with her other chasers, the older blue concluded as he fell in behind Yosk directly and batted with unusual playfulness at her tail. Dear were his clutchsisters to him.

For Dmitri's part, he faded back further when it became clear that Yoalla didn't have any intention of moving. Grey-blue eyes were focused warily on Nysania, but he didn't remove his hands from his pockets, instead glancing toward where he felt eyes on him. Piden. The bluehandler flashed a rather grim smile at Piden, recognizing more of the wher in him than anything else. He wasn't quite sure why everyone seemed so easily overtaken by their whers...not sure at all...

[Ruby]

Yes, game trails were good for Pidesk. This was where he could shine, and he did (literally and figuratively) as long legs ate up ground, bringing him ever closer to Yosk. Not too close, of course; he was absolutely not one to crowd, if it could be helped. Nothing that would make the lady uncomfortable. But close enough... until Yosk leapt up into a tree, and Pidesk heard a keen from behind. Swisk? Skidding to a stop, the Bronze turned sideways, momentarily blocking the path for Nyssk and the Wildling and heading a bound or two back the way they'd come until he caught sight of his frail 'older brother'. Swisk was related to Pidesk's own mother, after all, and the Bronze had always loved those few left from his 'family'. Not to mention that there was no way he could get up into the trees like Yosk could.

No antagonism was offered to Nyssk - Dmisk seemed to be taking care of that, and Pidesk had never been an antagonistic Wher - but the Bronze collected Swisk, looping back behind the Blue with a gentle bark before taking off up the path again. Come, they would catch up. It took some work, but Pidesk managed it, although he didn't make it in time to truly show off among the trees. He still took to the air for the last few yards, complete with surprisingly agile dips in and around the trunks. Not that Yosk was likely to see, with Dmisk holding her attention, but he always tried to make an effort, when he could.

Piden raised a brow at Dmitri's look, questioning without words. Funny, that; sometimes people spoke during the Runs, but more often than not it was to the Wher's emotional and body-language communication that they all lapsed without even realizing. Even Demi, for all he clearly thought he was somehow above the rest of them in a way besides height (har har, yes, Piden actually snickered at his own mental pun).

Not important, though. Dmitri was backing up, Swithin was growling at Nysania, and Yoalla was still leaning against the tree, either annoyed or worried or maybe something else. Piden, somewhat outside the circle now, decided abruptly that standing around with a bunch of angry Whers was not something he wanted to do. Instead, he turned his back on the humans, moving out into the clearing Yosk had so recently vacated, flopping down near the Green's bower. Leaning back on an elbow and striking an especially inviting pose, he fixed his gaze on Yoalla, now, waiting for her eyes to open. When she did open them, he'd beckon; she'd be sure to see him, straight in front of her as he was. Better over here in the soft grass than on prickly leaves under the trees.

[Rei]

Nyssk was more then pleased that his minor assault against Swisk had gone so well. One down. The blue turned his attention back to the green in front of him and the chase. However he did offer a return snarl to the brown wildling that showed up. Never had liked that one. The wild ones should not be allowed so close. That this one was tolerated was….annoying. But the purplish colored blue was far more interested in the cold touch that brushed his mind. Dmisk. A loud growl met the older blue’s words. The noise drowned out by the sounds of the chase. Allowed? Even if they were inferior it seemed? Shame. He’d just have to catch Yosk to prevent her from being stuck with something so inferior then. He informed Dmisk with equal coldness before leaping into one of the game trails hot on Yosk’s tail. Unfortunately his path was soon cut off by the larger bronze and a loud angry snarl left his throat. He didn't strike out at the larger wher, instead leaping off the trail and out of the way before rejoining it. Annoyance. Now he had to make up for lost time.

With those thoughts in mind Nyssk strove to keep close enough to Yosk to be seen without invading her space all too much. But the green was a fast one and Nyssk found himself unable to keep her pace as well as he would have liked. Still he was still one of the front runners. With Dmisk. The older blue’s proximity to the green was rather irritating. When they came to the deadfall Nyssk chose to mimic Yosk’s moves and leapt up into the fallen tree and from there bounded to the tree beyond before springing off the trunk and back towards the ground. He pursued her then from underneath striving to make up for lost speed before the green finally hit the ground again. Beautiful one. She certainly deserved better then Swisk or the ungraceful bronze.

Nysania watched Yoalla with mild interest before returning Swithin’s growl with one of her own. She made no move to approach the pathetic one though. Hardly a challenge. Instead her eyes flitted from Dmisk to the now lounging Piden. Eventually the woman just settled for keeping close to Yoalla’s area and keeping an eye on the rest of her competition.

~~~

The striped wildling returned Yosk’s hesitant mind brush with clear warmth. He was all too happy to make her happy. He was only sorry that he was late. He would try and make up his tardiness for her. With that in mind the wild brown set himself to pursuing the glowing female, finding himself somewhere towards the middle of the pack between the front runners Dmisk and Nyssk and the trailing ones Pidesk and Swisk. Not that he minded so much. Being born in these jungles he had a clear advantage over at least the younger ones.

Slipping into a game trail parallel to Yosk’s the wilding used them to his advantage, making up lost ground by trying to predict what trail she’d head into next. There was a momentary hiccup when Pidesk moved to block his path temporarily but the male just bounded into a crossing tail and followed it briefly before bisecting back into the one he wanted. It wasn't that hard to negate the bronze's slight interference. The paths were well known to him after all. When the green started heading towards the deadfall the striped brown debated. His wings where not made for gliding. Not at all. Not able to follow her into the trees the male ducked under the fallen tree and ended up taking a path similar to Dmisk’s, winding through trees and underbrush with the ease of something well used to traveling the thick undergrowth nightly.

When Yosk finally descended back to the ground the striped brown gave her an appreciate bark the noise praise and at the same time a reassurance to her that he was still there. Springing off a fallen log the wildling placed himself off slightly to Yosk’s left even if he was still a bit behind her. Quick she was.