Dangerous Game ~ (Open)

[Rei]

Feet pounded the dry earth, Sel’n taking advantage of every straight away presented him to lengthen his stride. He could almost feel the predator’s breath on his neck. Not good. He had gotten a little too close to this one. Breaking out from the cover of the tree’s the brownrider sprinted out into the grass, a half grown male feline hot on his heels. Unfortunately in the next two strides the man’s knee finally protested and he stumbled forward. Crap. Yeah anytime now Kaao. A rush of scorching air was felt at Sel’n’s back, the grass between man and feline bursting into flame. Took you long enough. The large brown’s talons impaled the feline as it screeched and backpedaled from the flames, the much larger dragon’s teeth burying themselves deep into the jungle cat’s back as well.

Turning back towards the scene just as Kaaoloth gave his prey a vicious shake Sel’n snorted. “You trying to get me killed? You where a little slow that time.” Wrong you where slow. Your knee is bothering you again. The brown dropped the limp carcass and tilted his head. Perhaps we should not be doing this anymore. "Tch. I’m fine." Pawing at the bloodstained earth the brown snorted. If it was physically possible he would have rolled his eyes. You want the hide or not? The brownrider snorted. “Of course I want it. I already told you that. It’s why we came out here in the first place. Don’t tell me you’re going senile wher face.” Kaaoloth snorted. No more than you yourself Crippled one. Eyeing his rider with mild amusement the brown was just formulating a proper teasing comment when a call rang out, a shadow briefly passing overhead. Throwing his head up the male returned the greeting. Seems we have company.

“Oh joy. Just what we need.” Oh stop it. You’re not fooling anyone. You like company and lately they seem to like you as well. Sel’n gave his dragon a frank look. “Really? I was under the impression that I was not desirable to company. Too sour.” Well lucky for you most people you meet clearly have no taste. The brownrider laughed at that and winced as Vanity emerged from his collar to latch onto his ear. Not taste sour no. Taste yucky. Snorting the man reached up to pry the green menace off his ear lobe. “Always have to but in your two marks eh harpy.” Lost without them. Smiling Sel’n allowed the green to twine herself through his fingers. “Well shall we say hello to our drop ins?” The little mandyr frilled. No. Well that settles that then doesn’t it? The older man gave a chuckle. “Apparently so.”

Eyes going to the descending dragon pair Sel’n gave a short wave of greeting. I say no. "I know that’s why I’m doing the exact opposite." Oh dear.

[dragon]

It was quiet way out here. No one to yell at her, no one to try and live up to, just her, and the sky, and the mountains below. Sometimes, a body just needed to get out, away from all the drama, to remember what the real world really was. A blue sky, a chill breeze, and a dragon beneath you. That, that was life. It was a temporary escape of course, but any escape could mean the difference between going crazy and keeping it together under the stress of the man-made world.

Aonith flew along peacefully, flying straight as she had when she'd left the Weyr so long ago. They had no destination in mind, just away. So there was no point in between. Speed wouldn't get them where they were headed any sooner than they were already going. If only simply because there wasn't anywhere to be.

Other than right here, right now. Sprawled out backward along Aonith's back, hands stretched over her head to hang onto a dorsal ridge that her torso was laying next to the brother of, Dorava had no fear of falling off. She wasn't expressly snapped in, though one of the two tethers was attached to her belt. Aonith was merely flying, smooth and easy. Fair sailing. The thump of muscles behind her back, the sky sailing past overhead, the wind whipping past her chest, and the sound of the green sails catching and moving air ... it was quite peaceful. Allowing her eyes to slide shut, Dorava smiled. A true smile, not an expression put on to appease superiors. An expression that smoothed out all the stress lines, and if they had been open, would have reached all the way to her eyes.

Aonith, too, lazed about in the cool air and the warm sunlight hitting her wings. At least, as much as a dragon in active flight could be said to laze around! She was enjoying herself, and certainly enjoying the lifting of the heart of Hers. It had been her idea to leave the Weyr for a span, and at first Dorava had protested, having entirely too much to attend to. Aonith finally convinced her to go, after a somewhat heated argument... the winning stroke had been saying that she could be Searching while they were out. They hadn't gone and Searched in a long time, due to all the things Dorava managed to embroil herself in.

At the sudden scent of firestone-fire, and the screams of an animal in pain barely heard, Aonith canted her wings slightly to slough slightly sideways through the air, following her dragon-senses. Breaking past the edge of some forest, she was quite surprised to see none other than Kaaoloth down there with a feline kill at his feet. Without really thinking about it, she called a greeting to the three-legged brown. Only after she did that did she belatedly remember that hers and his weren't exactly on speaking terms. So said hers, anyway. But Aonith could hardly be blamed for a short memory... it was exceptionally good, considering she was a green!! And what she had remembered was that he was a good enough companion as any, nice enough, and once upon a time theirs had been friendly enough, too.

Once upon a time.

Dorava sat up abruptly at the to-her-senses thunderous call, and blinked. "What?" She asked, sliding back into a properly seated position, reaching for that other harness tie. Without really thinking about it, she was fully snapped in. It also didn't take her long to spot and recognize the burly brown. "Faranth. What did you do that for??" She grumbled, smacking a fist off of the green's neck.

To say hi, of course. Aonith answered innocently, before canting her wings a little harder to swirl in for a landing. She had gone and announced herself already, it would be rude to just fly away, wouldn't it? Nevermind the protests she was getting barraged with from Dorava.

A strained expression finally settled on Dorava, along with mental silence as Aonith backwinged into a gentle landing. She didn't bother to make any motions toward getting off her dragon, however, watching as Sel'n moved about on the ground and apparently arguing with his pet. That's it, Vanity. Bite him. Harder!