see them all through plastic eyes [Yosk's run]

[Kisha-Ra]

It was early yet, from the unique point of view found in the wherhandler quarters, the sun had barely sunk below the horizon, the moons had hours yet to rise, even those with poor night vision would have no trouble wandering around under the twilight sky streaked with gaudy coloured clouds.

Yosk, naturally, was possessed of excellent night vision, and would normally have waited for the light to fade a little more before coming outside. The green wher stood uncertainly at one of the exits from the new wher quarters, shuffling her feet. She didn’t want to go out there yet. The day people shouldn’t have to endure her ugliness without any darkness to hide her from their weak eyes. Yosk’s head dropped lower than usual. They’d point at her, and laugh, she didn’t want to be laughed at, but she really couldn’t wait any longer. She’d just have to sneak that was all.

Yosk slunk carefully past all the wandering humans with her head down so they wouldn’t have to look at her too much, pressing close to the nearest surface to her the whole way along, giving the impression that the green was attempting to become one with a selection of rocks and greenery. Sadly she was betrayed by her obvious solidity, her pale colouration, and the growing glow to her hide. What had been a pale glow throughout the daylight hours was now growing brighter by the second, driving Yosk first to a faster slink, then to a trot, which became a full blown panicked run as a weyrbrat screamed somewhere nearby. Oh she’d known she was hideous but never that she was so horrible looking as to inspire cries of fear when she went out so early!

Once the last echoes of the child’s complaints were left behind Yosk slowed uncertainly. This wasn’t quite right. She should be running, yes, but something was missing. Oh there should be more whers here, that was right. Yosk crooned softly to herself, letting an array of blue and brown hides fill her minds eye, with the occasional bronze thrown in almost guiltily. Then the wher’s shoulders slumped despondently. No one would even want to come to for her, she was no beauty like her sisters, she was just clumsy, ugly Yosk.

Yoalla clawed her way to the surface of her dreams, filled with formless fear and desire. Why was everything blurred like that? Lao and The Devil were not normally blurred. Rubbing at her eyes the greenhandler was surprised to find tears filling them, but she hadn’t been dreaming anything particularly upsetting, in fact it had been an oddly sensual blur of clours, blues and browns with the occasional flash of glittering bronze. Startled by the thought Yoalla’s eyes flicked towards Yosk’s couch, only to find it empty.

Apparently this was the cue Lao and Devil had been waiting patiently for because the firelizard supplied an image of Yosk standing on the path by the waterfall and chirped enthusiastically. Time for Yosk to pick a mate, yes, yes. Maybe Lao could help her look after her eggs, he was good with eggs now. The Devil hissed and frilled violently at Lao. Stupid! Uglyuglyrunawayuglyface. Run ugly. she snarled derisively.

Was there something different about Yosk in that image Lao had sent? Yoalla frowned and ignored The Devil, reaching out to join her mind lightly with Yosk’s. The change that came over the handler was quite amazing, she went from a confident sprawl to cowering, almost completely under the blankets and whimpering softly.

Yosk welcomed her handler’s conscious presence, at last someone was here, someone cared for Yosk. Light amusement flooded the green’s mind; had she told anyone she meant to Run? Yosk sent back a nerve wracked negative, she couldn’t, then everyone would know and still no one would come for her. She didn’t want that. No…

However after several seconds consideration Yosk either changed her mind or her desire to start her Run finally won. Either way the green lifted her muzzle and gave voice to a howl, not a roar, not a challenge, a melodious, if faltering invitation tinged with hope and slight hysteria. No one was going to come, she just knew it!

[rii]

Nostrils flared, abruptly bringing Quintresk out of his sleep. The dark wher lifted his muzzle from the ground and scented the air again. A rising green, familiar – Yosk? Easing onto claws, Quintresk nosed open the door to his room and stepped out into the fading evening. Being born from a wild queen and sire made it easier for him to endure the small amount of light. The brown was.. mildly amused.. to say the least. His pale sister had snuck out so quietly. He hadn't even noticed her time of run peaking until the tell-tale scent on the wind caught his nose. So shy she was, not calling for them to join, did she think to run alone?

Moving further out onto the grounds, Quintresk kept his muzzle low to the ground to track Yosk's smell and determine where his sister had gone. Silently his dark form glided over the ground, wings tucked closely to his side and his tail making the occasional flick as he turned. Then her howl, Quintresk lifted his head to listen, calculating and.. broke into a quick lope to bring himself into the vicinity of his brilliantly glowing sister.

Favored this sister, he did, and Quintresk had his reasons but still he said nothing to Yosk. His nose was kept low to the ground to angle the sight of her against the backdrop of the darkening sky. A deep violent flooded into his eyes then..

Quintrell rolled out of bed, quite literally, upon feeling the strange mental blanket cloaking over his mind. The thief's first instincts were to fight it off and run but – feet tangled in with the sheets, he didn't make it very far before the eerie calmness stilled his motions. Quintrell extracted himself more easily from the binding fabric than any thrashing would, then raised up to pad out into the hall on bare feet and in a pair of shorts.

Where.. was.. she?

Curiously the blond tilted his head to the side, as if trying to hear his quiet sister as he strolled past the doors – going past Yoalla's room before suddenly turning on heel. It was slightly ajar, but he didn't enter, patiently standing outside with dark eyes trying to peer inside for his sweet sister.

[Rei]

The dark wild brown shifted and threw his head up to catch the scents of the jungle. Nothing amiss in this quarter. The tiger striped wher had done his best to carry out instructions given. He patrolled where he was asked to, reported what he found or saw, kept the more dominant males away through force and in return was allowed to share in that the weyr had to offer. It was not a bad arrangement at all. The best part about it was he got to keep his life.

Ambling through the brush he caught an interesting scent and reared up on hind legs to get a better hold on it. Female. One from the weyr. The nervous one. Rumbling low in his chest the brown began to slink in that direction, quickening his pace as her howl rang out. He added his voice to her own. His call louder, reassuring her that he was in fact coming.

The tiger striped wildling padded to a stop as the pale female came into view. Lovely she was. Her glow bright. Dropping his head he crooned at her. A soft caressing sound. Asking permission to join her chase. He remembered well the gold run. The smell of death, the taste of ichor. A pleasurable shiver ran down his spine. The brown was nothing if not intelligent. He knew that bravado and dominance would not be taken well by his tamer cousins.

He did not seek to own Yosk. Merely provide her with another male worthy of her shine. Giving a short bark he pulled up at a respectable distance and bowed his head again as he awaited her judgment. Quintresk was given a polite nod of greeting but little else. Not because the brown was rude but because there was a far more interesting thing to give his attention to. The small beautiful green in front of him.

[Ruby]

Piden was sleeping fitfully, plagued by tangled dreams interchanging Tira, Eikane, Cer'c, and oddly enough, Yoalla. He couldn't keep a good grip on what was happening, and couldn't figure out if they were good dreams or otherwise. Nothing scandalous, but then again, that might be what was wrong with them. Occupied as he was with the contents of his subconscious mind, he didn't notice that Pidesk had given up his own tossing long ago. The sandy bronze Wher was curled up and staring at the door he had nudged open twenty minutes ago, flicking his tail from curled to straight and back again. Waiting.

He knew it was Yosk he was waiting for, watching her glow gently over the past day or so. He also knew that this would almost certainly earn the displeasure of Eikask, if she ever found out. He didn't want to risk missing his clutch hatch, but... this was Yosk. She was an exception. He had had a bit of a crush on this shy, big-eyed Green since he met her, and he wanted her to know that he meant it. Eikask was lovely in her own way, but Pidesk had always liked greens best. He flicked his tail once again.

Thus prepared, he knew when she left her room, feeling the heat signature slink off down the hallway. He followed when she was clear of the hallway the Apartments were on, trotting after Quintresk into the dark. She hadn't called yet, so the chase wasn't on, as far as Pidesk was concerned. He ghosted along, making almost no noise, and then - she and Quintresk stepped out into the light. Pidesk was a domestic Wher, giving him a larger size, but that fading sunlight half-blinded him, startling him back down the hallway. He blinked rapidly, pawing at his muzzle and whining, trying to clear the stars in front of his eyes. Too bright.

And there they went, leaving Pidesk behind. He paced just out of sight of the opening, replying to her call with a deep moan, which echoed eerily down the empty hallways. That woke Piden, wrenching him out of dreams suddenly turned sensuous, causing him to flail in his tangled bedsheets. Red and Shells lifted their heads, but remained silent for once, shocked and startled. Piden growled, wriggling and confused, unable to get to her and unclear on what was stopping him. He knew where she was, could sense her as if he could feel her heat signature, but his legs wouldn't work. Why??

At the entrance, Pidesk squinted his eyes as tight as he could, trying to cut the glare. He shuffled out, mostly feeling his way, all of his senses overloaded. He was coming, Yosk! He was on his way, only she was early, and he was blind in the dusk. He tripped and stumbled his way to the place from which Yosk called. So far behind already, slowed to barely more than a shambling walk, and hobbled by his long, knobbly limbs in a way that he never was when running. Now did Yosk understand? Bronzes could be awkward and ugly, too, even Bronzes chosen by Queens. And he was here for her.

[Kisha-Ra]

For a few seconds Yosk trembled gently and shrank down, her nerves not even soothed by the answering call of the unfamiliar wher. Slowly though, as she heard others arriving the green’s head turned to seek them out. She spotted Quintresk first and favoured him with a low croon; Yosk genuinely liked her brown brother, trusted him even. A rare thing from the paranoid green.

Her second chaser was greeted with a delighted mental touch as Yosk curved her body around to face him. Yes! Of course he could join her! The green wher’s mood swung abruptly upward at having two browns to play with, which was two more chasers than she’d expected mere moments before, and her posture changed with it, her head rising proudly, wings furling neatly against her sides rather than being held out stiffly ready for a quick getaway. Her shoulders squared, and her tail flicked idly as Yosk examined both her males with eyes that, for once, were fully opened.

Who was that making so much noise? Yosk lifted her front paws of the ground and whirled around, only to drop hard back to all fours startled not only by Pidesk’s very appearance (hadn’t he caught her lovely goldsister?) but also by the way the bronze moved. Once she’d looked around and reassured herself that Eikask was not about to appear and eat her Yosk sidled closer to the bronze and voiced a low whine. Pidesk shouldn’t be out so early, it was still too bright for him.

Slowly Yosk moved away from Pidesk (he could heed her warning or not but she wouldn’t go easy on him any more than the others) and turned a full circle to look at the three males again, part of her was disappointed that no more had snuck up on her, another was amazed that these three had bothered to come at all. It was time. With that thought Yosk burst into motion, not her usual slink but a jaunty bouncing run that looked just a little undignified but still had all characteristic speed of a green.

This was quite fun really, Yosk decided, looking around a bit as she got into her stride, but also not very challenging, so far all she was doing was taking her chasers for a run, although maybe a faster one than they were used to. The sight of a pair of trees growing close together gave the green the idea. Could they do this? With a little bark that was both challenge and encouragement, Yosk bolted directly at the gap between the two trees, only to turn aside at the last moment, writhe around them and vanish into the dimness of the jungle with another of those quiet barks. Could they find her in here?

Yoalla quieted as her mindmate’s confidence grew little by little. The greenhandler emerged slowly from under the blankets and looked around, surprised to see no others around her, Quintresk and Pidesk should be here at least, although her subconscious warned her not to expect a counterpart to the strange brown. Slowly she unfolded herself from the defensive curl she’d fallen into and padded to the door. If they wouldn’t come for her, she’d just have to go to them.

Pulling the door open sharply Yoalla Darted out into the corridor, only to pull up short as she nearly ran right into Quintrell. ‘Oh you’re here’ she breathed, delighted to see her brown. Where were the others though?

[rii]

Quintresk swung his head toward the tiger brown in acknowledgment, pleased that the wild wher had given Yosk distance. Perhaps his wild brother remembered what happened to the bronze that had gotten too close to Eikask during her run. Yes, to say Quintresk was protective of his sisters would be a fair enough assumption. Didn't – couldn't – trust the wild ones. The dark wher turned his attention back onto his pale sister, eyes reflecting pleased hues when she relaxed enough to be lovely herself. Why Yosk thought herself ugly, amongst other unsavory traits, Quintresk would never understand.

Alas it was short lived, and the brown wher flicked his tail in mild annoyance that Pidesk's presence has caused his sister to momentarily shrink back into her overly-nervous demeanor. The feeling was fleeting, and Quintresk was quick to dismiss the useless emotion. Without hesitation Quintresk followed Yosk's lead, smoothly loping at her set pace. One long limb stretching out in front of the other in a calculated matter that made him glide over the ground instead of bounce.

The bark – challenge – earned an approving rumble from Quintresk. It was unusual for Yosk to invite such a thing. The brown increased his pace, head dipping a bit as he put on a bit of speed to chase after his pale sister. She darted one way around the trees, and Quintresk by default wound around the opposite side. The jungle helped to mask her heat signature from being spotted. But her scent was there; on the leaves she brushed with her body as she passed, on the ground where her feet found purchase..

Quintresk broke away from her scent trail, black claws digging into the half rotted wood of a fallen tree. He climbed the broad mass up where it still hung a short distance above the ground, suspended there by all the vines and branches of the living trees that had tried to catch their fellow tree from falling to the jungle floor. The new level of height allowed Quintresk to get a better view on the area and – there – her dancing glow just ahead. Quintresk leaped forward, angling his body to catch and coil his legs against the side of another tree. He left a fresh scrape in the bark as he pushed off, propelling himself back up to speed to chase after Yosk.

Quintrell didn't move, merely smiled softly at his dear sister. His head canted to the side, unruly blond hair slipping across his forehead as he regarded Yoalla as if asking her, in an amused fashion, if she thought he wouldn't show up. After a moment he nodded, "Of course I am," A single hand raised to brush feather-light against her chin. "Found you."

[Rei]

The tiger colored wilding gave a soft rumbling bark of happiness at the delight in Yosk’s mental touch. Oh wonderful pale beauty to allow him to accompany her. She would not regret it. The change in her mood was noted as well and the dark brown encouraged her openness with a soft croon and a soft mental caress. So lovely was this pale divine moon child. Titling his head he waited with Quintresk for the run to begin. He shifted his mass as the green whirled and then immediately dropped back down her attention snagged by a shuffling mass. His lips curled back in a silent snarl at the domestic bronze but Yosk’s clear approval of the shiny male had the wildling settling a bit. If she chose to allow him to run that was her right. He would give Pidesk no trouble.

As Yosk moved away the brown extended his small wings and gave them a flap before folding them again. His wings where not near as impressive as hers. They barely sustained a glide. But it was okay. He didn’t need them. As the green suddenly burst into motion the tiger brown threw his head up and loped after her. He kept his distance not wanting to crowd easily loping after her. She was quick. Very quick. Impressive speed she had and it would be hard to keep up with her. Because of such he looked for clues to her location. A whiff of her scent here a broken branch there. The wilding leapt over a log just as Yosk approached the pair of trees. He quickened his pace as she gave her bark of encouragement and bolted for the gap. Her sudden move was not expected and he barked back in appreciation of her move.

The wilding in turn ran straight for one of the trees. Leaping at it the brown hit it with force enough to rock the tree, sending leaves spiraling down through the air. Using his back legs and tail to spring off the object he twisted midair before landing heavily on the ground and continuing the chase. Talons digging into the soil the tiger brown strove to make up lost ground. He dove into the brush after Yosk following his nose as well as the little barks she so sweetly uttered for them. Such a clever girl this pale sister.

[Ruby]

Oh, thank Faranth, the sun was setting. With each of Pidesk's shuffling, squint-eyed strides the light faded, allowing his sun-dazzled gaze to clear a little more. He'd been out at sunset before, but only in a storm, where dark clouds blocked all the light. He had tried closing them entirely, navigating by heat signature, but everything was so hot this summer that it all glowed golden lined with red, and it was impossible to tell what was what. Smell helped a little, but smell didn't show you where rocks were, or roots that could trip you up. Pidesk was, simply, at a horrible disadvantage.

The heat abated a little as the Bronze moved further into the jungle's deep shade, and Pidesk started working off heat signatures a little more, making movement easier. Yosk's concern was touching, but the slits of his eyes still open to the light were a deep violet, whirling fast. Nothing could convince him to leave now, not until she picked a winner. He was hers, for the moment at least. He reached out and brushed her mind, soothing; he'd be alright.

He was quickly proved wrong, however. She was fast, faster than he expected after seeing her walk so carefully so often. Her run was bouncy (cute, Pidesk ammended mentally), but that green could cover ground. He was fast, for a Bronze, but Greens were still a challenge. Being half-blind didn't help. He followed her into the trees, quickly falling behind Quintresk and the wild Brown, relying on heat sense and smell much more than he would like. Curse his domestic genes.

Pidesk was focused mostly on the wildling, the closest Wher to him at the moment. Everything seemed straightforward, the three of them trailing Yosk in a line, winding through the trees. Not too bad. Then, suddenly, chaos. Like an explosion, the vague glow that was the three bodies in front of him seperated, one left, one right, one up. Startled, Pidesk pulled up short, skidding sideways as his claws scrabbled for purchase, slamming crosswise into the two trees. His shoulder ached as he stumbled back upright and took off after the Wildling again, but he seemed alright. For now, anyway. As soon as the sun was fully set, he would find her.

Piden finally freed himself, shoving his blankets down to the end of the bed. He'd kept the short pants he slept in, but had lost his shirt in the battle (not that it would matter later, if he had any say). Still half asleep, he stumbled against the doorframe as he left the room, scraping off a few layers of skin. That would smart later, but for now he ignored it. He could see her, half obscured by Quintresk, but there she was, his beautiful Yosk. He headed down the hall, mussed red hair in his face. With Pidesk's influence strong in his mind, Piden didn't attemt to seperate Yoalla and Quintresk, despite their closeness. He simply took a place next to the Brown, waiting for the Green's attention. She would give it when she saw fit, and he was happy to be patient.

[Kisha-Ra]

Something about Piden’s presence disturbed Yoalla, but she couldn’t quite recall what. He’d annoyed her somehow? Ah well no matter now, he was a handsome bronze, and he was here, that was what truly mattered. Yoalla’s eyes darted up and down the corridor, mirroring Yosk’s caution in checking for jealous queens. A lack of gold hides in the corridor was reassuring enough for Yoalla to slide past Quintrell, pressing against the brownhandler as she did so without any subtlety or shame at all. ‘It’s too bright for you.’ She scolded the bronze as she moved closer, though her voice was affectionate enough and her lips curved up in a wry smile.

Yosk lost track of her pursuers for a while, almost forgetting them as she wove her way between and around trees, under low hanging branches, and over a few troublesome fallen trees that blocked her path. Yosk was so caught up in the freedom of running, and running without guilt or fear to drive her, that she didn’t even think about the whers following her until she suddenly ran out of trees to hide amongst, and even then it was several paces into the clearing that Yosk slowed a little and took stock of her surroundings.

She could have vanished into the trees again and left her chasers guessing but she’d already tested them that way. The green looked around for inspiration, and found it in the form of a grassy slope leading back in to the dense jungle growth. As if she meant to return to her previous game Yosk went bounding joyfully across the clearing, and flung herself forward at the top of the slope, snapping her broad wings out to catch at the air in a low glide that quickly turned to a low flight that took Yosk back over the clearing, proud of her still new ability. However the green quickly realised she wouldn’t be able to land among the males, not unless she wanted to choose one now, and she didn’t, not yet.

Catching the breeze with her wings Yosk turned, and considered the problem. An answer occurred. With a speed and grace Yosk would never have dreamed of possessing The green flew at one of the older trees around the clearing, one with a single, thick low hanging branch. As she passed she folded her wings and caught that brach first with foreclaws, then hind, literally using the branch, which creaked quite alarmingly under her weight, as a stepping stone on her way to the ground.

As she moved back into the jungle the green’s eyes picked up pink tones to complement the violet hues. How mortifying, this was obviously not a good place to fly and she hadn’t realised it, and what a clumsy landing she’d been forced to make! They’d never believe she did it all on purpose either. Yosk risked a glance over her shoulder to make sure she still had chasers.

[Rei]

The wild brown tracked Yosk with the skill of one used to life in the jungle. The surrounding area he knew like the back of his forepaw. Every tree, every path. His tiger like stripping served to break up his background, making him near invisible as he followed behind her at a steady lope. He let her enjoy her wild run. Slowing down intentionally he tracked her with scent, heat signature, and sight. Testing himself as well as proving to her his skill. The other males chasing with him where mere shadows on the edge of his vision. He kept an eye on them just to be safe but most of his attention was all for the pale Yosk. Beautiful, kind, sweet sister. The wild blood flowing through her veins showed tonight. It showed in the confidence with which she moved through the jungle, as if she rightfully belonged there.

Whirling violet eyes traced her progress through the clearing. Yosk was still far ahead of them. Her small lithe form was able to navigate the dense jungle more easily than her larger pursuers. As the green slowed so to did the dark brown. He pulled to a stop and tossed his head up, tilting it as he watched her flight. Rearing up on hind legs the tiger brown outstretched his stubby wings and gave a bark of surprise and joy. Look at how lovely she was. A much better flyer than those large uglys who thought they ruled the skies. His eyes tracked her until she landed not too terribly far away on a large branch. As the slipped down the wilding gave a croon and gently brushed her mind with a feeling of joy and slight awe. Amazing she was. Beautiful in her flight. Compliment given he withdrew and broke into a trot after her again.

Catching her backwards glance the dark brown gave a bark of reassurance. He was still here and would remain until she made her choice.

[Requiem]

A little annoyed? Maybe. Perhaps just a little. Not that it was easy to tell with Dmisk. Or that there was anyone to witness it. None but Dementia, who watched with what might have been curiosity as the blue paced slowly behind the locked door. Locked because a certain thief lived in these apartments, and though the lock would hardly keep him out, it was more inconvenient than an unlocked door and might serve as some prevention, in any case. At the present time, Dmisk cared very little for the reasons that his way was barred, however, and His simply wasn't responding speedily to his mental nudging. At all. In fact, the harper very clearly was ignoring him. Why would the blue want out when it was still daylight anyway? Silly blue.

Sure, other males had gone to chase Yosk. He was aware. Pidesk and Quintresk had both left, and neither was likely (especially Pidesk) to go out for another reason. Not at this time. She had a couple of chasers. Dmisk had no screaming physical need to claim another wher for himself. Nautsk had been...quite...satisfactory. But he always ran for his sisters. They were his, and so he honored them with that. As he would no other wher, though none but him knew that yet. They were growing farther away. He could sense the striped brown he and Quintresk had 'adopted.' Running out of patience (if it had been any but Yosk, he might have stayed longer; she was so convinced of her inferiority, though, that he would never miss her Run) the male withdrew, turned, then streaked for the door, slamming his shoulder into it. The flimsy piece of wood shivered, cracking around the hinges, then slammed downward into the hall with a mighty thud and a resulting cloud of dust.

He didn't pause to admire his handiwork; the blue sprung forward over the felled door, streaking down the hallway and knowing it would take quite an effort to catch up to the swift Yosk and her males. If he could do it at all. He'd try, though.

Bother. Handlers in the way. The halls were not for lingering, or didn't they know that? It was fortunate they hadn't been standing in front of the door, fortunate indeed. He only hoped Pidesk's wasn't too tall. The muscles in his hind legs gathered, lengthening mightly, the leap high enough that his back barely scraped the ceiling. No, not too tall, though he must have felt the wind in Dmisk's passage as he cleared the crowd of humans, stretching into a full-out sprint. The blue wher burst from the tunnel leading up to the top of the cliff, wings flaring in reaction to the sudden light. But he managed, after allowing himself a brief writhing of discomfort. Then he was streaking in the direction of Yosk and her males, sprinting and gliding in a most efficient if somewhat odd-seeming gait.

The analytical mind sought for signs of passage, scents, broken twigs, dislodged bark, the telltale signatures of his clutchsiblings...all at high speed. Couldn't slow. He might make a mistake, yes, but better to make a mistake in an attempt to witness her choosing than to move too slowly and miss it solely due to too much caution. She deserved his best attempt.

And his best attempt did, in the end, prove good enough as far as locating them was concerned. He burst into the glade just as Yosk caught the branch directly before him, Dmisk throwing himself into a slide to pass beneath her and not trip her up, digging in his left foreclaws, feeling the swing of his body as the rest of it swung without the friction to help slow it. As he turned his wings flared, his right foreclaws joining the left in a swift, whiplashing 180. Then his hinds dug into the earth, the male springing forward. His cool mind brushed Yosk's briefly, complimenting the brilliant display of using the branch to land (and thereby letting her know he'd finally joined). There was just the barest hint of remorse that he'd been prevented from joining immediately, so that he could have seen the rest of her Run.

Dmitri was distinctly less...remorseful. In fact, he was a touch irritated to find a corridor coated in floating dust and his door taking a breather in the center of it. Highly inconvenient, that. Though the pull of Yoalla kept him from throwing a fit, it didn't stop the irritated narrowing of his eyes. An expression that fled the moment his focus fell on her, the male striding purposefully in that direction. There was nothing apologetic in his stance, though something did flicker in his eyes for the barest moment...He didn't speak, however.

[rii]

A primal thrill filled Quintresk as they continued to weave through the jungle at top speeds. The sound of clawed feet, his own and the other running whers, as they traversed the terrain was a driving drumline to his ears. Every brush of fern across his body, the way muscle coiled and released to propel him forward. Enjoyed the way his claws bit into the bark of fallen logs as he bounded over various obstacles barring his path. The longer they ran, the more the wild blood in Quintresk's veins sang.

The smell of lust on the air kept the dark wher on track, and he slowed to a stop just short of his wild brother. Absently mirroring the the other brown in the fashion of raising up on hindlegs to watch Yosk's impressive use of wings. Similar the two were with the striping, but while his wild brother barked with approval to Yosk's flight, Quintresk kept his silence. He could never use his wings for flight and always, always kept them tightly folded against his side to avoid their small wide shape to break the image of his sinuous frame.

From the bipedal position, Quintresk coiled and lept forward, landing on foreclaws and breaking back into a fast paced lope to chase after his pale sister and – the dark brown wher's eyes narrowed a touch upon realizing another wher had joined the chase that he had not noticed before. Close to Yosk too – Dmisk. Quintresk's protective flare diminished as he neared Dmisk. Finding no reason to slow to avoid collision, or turn to detour in path, Quintresk – moving more quickly at the time – jumped clean over his stalled blue brother in pursuit of their sister. His landing was just as smooth, body briefly sinking low to the ground as his legs evenly took the weight and kept him running.

Quintrell's dark eyes half-lidded as Yoalla slid against him. He made no motion to grab her, simply turning his head to follow her motions. His body turned to follow hers, but the thunderous noise filling the hall made him halt. Dmisk? Yes, he should be here but for some reason seeing the blue wher running toward them was wrong. Pouncing forward, Quintrell seized Yoalla's elbow and turned them both tot he edge of the hallway as the pale blue wher made his stunning leap over their heads.

[Ruby]

"I'll manage," he said, leaning in and just barely not touching. It was bright in here, especially for the Wherhandler's apartments, which Piden remembered as being usually very dim, dark even. It didn't worry him now, however... unless she was dismissing him. That tone didn't sound like she was, but then again... Piden didn't have any time to ask, however, as something wooshed over his head. Ducking convulsively, he aimed his shoulder at Yoalla, trying to get her out of the flying Wher's way. Quintrell had beat him to it, however, and all Piden shoved was air (probably all the better). Once the chaos and the dust had settled a little, he straightened, eying Dmitri with open suspicion. The disturbance was HIS fault. Nothing should disturb Yosk the first time she ran.

Deep among the trees, Pidesk found he could see a little better. The world was still bathed in white, with over saturated, high-contrast trees looming out amidst flickering grey and red afterimages. He still couldn't move full-speed, but Pidesk was an incredibly fast Wher under any condition. He was keeping up well enough, behind but not too far behind, using all his senses to keep track of the ghostly little Yosk. Good thing the bigger Browns were after her too, or Pidesk would have lost her long ago. Three trails were easier to follow than one.

Pidesk found the clearing as Yosk was catching the branch on the other side. He was impressed with her agility, and normally he would have come right after her, demonstrating his own ability to glide an maneuver in the air. Not tonight, though. Tonight he stayed in the trees, refusing to enter the empty space and blind himself again. He slunk around the outside, following Yosk's smell, mixed with Dmisk's now, to their location at the clearing's far edge. Then she was off again, and Pidesk began to despair. Sure, the sun was almost fully set now, and his eyes were adjusting to the lower light level, but he was hopelessly behind. While his competition showed off their speed and agility, performing tricks, Pidesk was stuck simply trying to catch up.

Well, at least he was here, and trying as best he could. He'd keep going until she picked someone else (which she would, of course, and should). All Pidesk really wanted was for the little Green to understand that she was pretty, and other Whers liked her. Futile? Perhaps. But Pidesk was still going to try.

[Kisha-Ra]

Yoalla turned on her heel away from Piden, startled by the felled door. She frowned petulantly, didn’t whoever that was know that was not the way they were supposed to open. Oh it was Dmisk, that was all right then, Yoalla was happy to forgive as soon as the blue wher emerged from the newly denuded doorframe. She didn’t worry about the sight of a fully grown wher bearing down on her either. Of course Dmisk had come to chase her, this was perfectly right. What was not right was the way she was yanked aside as her blue kept on going.

Bewildered Yoalla pulled away from Quintrell and frowned down the corridor. There as Dmisk again, she thought canting her head to one side as she caught sight of the blue’s human counterpart. Wordlessly she advanced on the bluehandler.

Yosk’s run took on a little more bounce again once she saw that not only did she still have her three but Dmisk had also appeared in his quiet way. The green acknowledged her new chaser with an outpouring of happiness, both her favourite brothers were here now! However there was something she didn’t quite trust… pivoting on her hind legs the green turned to face her pursuers for a moment searching both the blue’s stance and expression and the wild brown’s for a hint of mockery or derision. To her amazement both seemed sincere. They really liked her flying? Well!

Deciding that she’d spent quite long enough looking at her chasers, and it was partly Quintresk’s bound right over Dmisk that decided her, Yosk turned away with an inviting flick of her tail and moved off again, albeit at a slower pace, much as she’d enjoyed the feeling of sustaining her top running speed it had worn the green down without her even noticing she’d been so caught up in her Run. If she wasn’t careful now she could end up making her choice much sooner than she wanted to.

The pale green moved out onto a wide game trail for a few moments, more clearly visible than she had been anywhere other than the clearing. Here however Yosk did not spread her wings, it seemed her males thought her last landing had been supposed to go that way and she didn’t want to disillusion them. Instead the small female hopped sideways off the trail in mid stride and wove her way back into the undergrowth yet again. This time though she was careful to pay attention to what was going on behind her, even going so far as to turn her route into a series of curves and loops so she could keep an eye on the whers that followed her. She would have liked to choose them all, to reward every one for coming out so early just for her, but she couldn’t. She couldn’t, and since she had to pick just one, it was probably time to start deciding which one.

Back in the corridor Yoalla stalked around the counterparts of Yosk’s three bonded chasers, circling purposefully with the aim to drive all three back into her room. Such fine whers they all were, the greenhandler thought with a slight smile, and she was going to enjoy their company…

[Rei]

The dark wilding was loping after Yosk until she turned to face them. Digging in his talons he came to a complete stop and bobbed his head at her in acknowledgement as she examined him. Why she had stopped he didn’t know but he didn’t move to approach. Not unless she said he could. Tail tip twitching the brown examined her until she turned away and gave the flick of her tail. Clearly an invitation. Giving a bark he bounded after her glowing form. The tiger brown was glad for her slower pace. It made it not only easier to track her but gave his muscles a bit of a rest. She was a speedy thing and keeping up with her had been harder with his larger size. He fell into a slow lope weaving through the underbrush after the green. His claws churned up the soil and brought up all kinds of interesting scents. However he did not pause to shift through them. He snorted to clear his nostrils and fixed his violet eyes once more on Yosk as she moved onto the game trail. That was is current interest.

The green’s sudden hop off the trail in mid stride had the wilding digging his claws in and shifting to dart after her. This was where the dark brown again applied the set of skills he had been born with. Scent, heat sense, and eyesight went into tracking the pale beauty. A picture prefect memory of the jungle and a good sense of direction helped as well and he didn’t have much trouble in following. Every time the brown caught sight of her glow he gave a soft bark of excitement. Clever girl she was. Her wild blood showed well tonight. Head bowed the wild wher trotted through the jungle with ease after her. The wilding knew her choice would have to come soon. He could smell the anticipation that hung heavy on the air. She could only run for so long after all. Wonderful pale sister. Who would she find worthy?