OFF WITH THEIR HEADS!! (Rose Flight)

[dragon]

Any Queen worth her salt had loyal subjects. That followed her any and everywhere, doted upon her every whim, made sure that everything was just so. Granted, Rose was not a Rule-By-Charm lady, she was more the Rule-By-Terror type. Which might be why she didn't have any followers yet.

Time to amend that.

Abandoning her torture victims stalwart loyalists, Rose headed up the canyon, away from everything she knew, flying higher than she'd ever gone before. It was a thrilling feeling, to be shining as bright as the rays descending off of Rukbat, and flying just as high, the wind caressing her wing sails as she flew higher and higher. Never mind she was only about twenty feet up just yet.

Gosh this was a lot of work. But a noble effort for an even nobler cause! Rose flew higher until she made it all the way (amazing!) to the top of the drum heights. Perching there, she panted for a few, looking down on what was to be her kingdom Queendom. Time to summon her loyal subjects!!

She waited just long enough to get her wind back, and then she started screaming and hollering true to nature, calling all the flitters to her that she could deign to summon. And of course, those other little twerps, too, they could come. Small though they were, they could maybe be useful in her schemes. The sound of her own voice coming back at her off of nearby surfaces startled her into silence for a moment.

Who was yelling like that?!

She started screaming singing again, ever louder, trying to drown out the impertinent snot that was similarly trying to out-scream her. She was going to be the Queen! Not whoever it was that refused to show her ugly face!! Finally, getting so enraged at someone trying to upstage her, she started hopping up and down in place, spitting mad. Who ever it was had better come out just this instant, or she was going to go root them out and tear their wings off!!!

Naturally, only being her echo, not a single flitter showed to that demand.

So action had to be taken. Rose fluttered down to the top of the drum, where she fancied the sound was coming from, and started screaming into it with all her might. Of course this promptly deafened her in response, but it didn't stop her from screaming. Finally frustrated at this, she returned to the top and went back to demanding her victems loyal subjects to come to her. It was time for war! She would personally lead the charge!!! Hoping up and down on the roof, there was no silencing the unruly glowing Gold.

[Kisha-Ra]

It was a sight that no doubt would have amused Darya if she’d been there to see it, the arrogant little gold defying her own echo would probably have been a joke that would have kept the bluerider laughing well into the summer, until she realized the firelizard was glowing of course, then she would have turned cold with utter terror and proceeded to try and retrain her salamandyr and possibly lock him in a drawer. Fortunately for the little Imp, the assistant weyrling master had immured herself in her office to do war upon her paperwork again, leaving her dragon and her pets to amuse themselves for the day.

Azrath had disinterestedly tracked the little spot of gold through the air as far as he could from his supine position on the canyon’s edge, so starved for entertainment was the dark blue dragon the he even lifted his muzzle from his forelegs to track the goldling further. Being a blue, as well as a dragon, he had no reaction other than the predictable amusement mixed with annoyance when the creature started a screaming racket that probably echoed all over the Weyr.

However at that same shrieking and bellowing Imp stirred from the best sunning spot in the whole Weyr, to whit, the warmest part of Azrath’s hide that the salamandyr could curl up on. What? Who make loud why? the bronze inquired in a drowsy tone as he laboriously clambered his way up Azrath’s neck to settle between the head knobs.

There was an instant change in the salamandyr’s demeanour, from drowsy and dozy to awake, proud and commanding in less than a minute. Normally Imp ignored Rose if he encountered her, finding her obnoxious and, not to put too fine a point on it, rather silly compared to his queen (because Imp did consider Elegance his queen and one day he would catch her and prove it). However today these points mattered not, she was gold, and she was glowing, and Imp was a bronze, so he was going to chase her. I chase loud shinypretty. You fly I chase.

Azrath rumbled gently. I think not little one. If you want to chase that loud little beast, you must chase her yourself.[/color] the dragon refused, it was one thing not to warn his rider that the mandyr intended to chase, or to try and stop him, however it was entirely another thing to actually aid and abet the bronze, and considering this Flight/Run would undoubtedly leave his rider in a foul temper for days it was something Azrath wasn’t going to. Let Imp have that fury focused on him, Azrath wanted no part of it.

Imp huffed, raced down Azrath’s muzzle and sprang into the air from the end making Azrath blink in surprise. It had been such a perfect plan, the bronze lamented as he landed and bounded off as fast as he possibly could, clearly Azrath was too big and clumsy to properly compete for the gold’s attention but his giant wings could have carried Imp towards Loudshiny so very much faster than this.

[kat]

Zexion was busy darting about the tree above where Mayari was attempting to study some scrolls. As she was a Journeyman Dragonhealer, and not a Healer of humans, she had decided to do some extra studying in lieu of the fact that she worked more often in the Infirmary, with people,than with the dragons that she had been taught to work with. Besides, she was technically still as much a Journeyman as a candidate. She had stood twice now and not Impressed. She was aware she had many more turns in which to do so, and yet she had to make sure she kept up with her Journeyman duties, since she might very well end up a Master of her craft rather than a dragonrider. Both were possibilities, and she needed to be prepared for either.

Goldshiny mine! Zexion will has goldshiny mine![/color]

Startled so that she nearly dropped the scroll she was reading, Maya looked up to see that Zexion had puffed out his decisively large frill, his chest thrust out, his eyes had hints of purple in them. As a dragonhealer, she knew what purple in the eyes meant for both firelizards and dragons. She frowned, standing up and looking up at the bronze, who immediately followed this statement by pronouncing proudly,

ALL goldshiny MINE! Zexion will has goldshiny no one touch goldshiny Zexion's![/color]

Goldshiny? That could only mean one thing, and Maya groaned, watching as the large bronze Salamandyr darted up the tree so quickly her eyes could not follow, and then flung himself from its top. He was hardly capable of flight, and yet he had wide and long wings, that would have been good for it if he himself were not so large. As was, he could glide, and manage a few flaps before gliding some more. What was he chasing, then? Firelizard or Salamandyr? Whatever it was, it could only spell trouble!

So far as climbing went, the bronze 'mandyr could have been Weyr champion. Long, curved claws clung to literally everything, and trees could be dashed up so quickly that it would be akin to a Terran squirrel, if they had still existed. Gliding as far as he could, he still ended up on the ground. There were simply no trees close enough together here to allow for the gliding of one to the next. Howevr, up ahead there were! Zexion gave a shriek of triumph, frilling out--only to go tumbling end over end as his large frill impeded his darting across the ground. He smacked into a boulder, and was spun and dizzy for a moment. He quickly looked around, and once he was content no one had seen this unsightly err, he raced up the boulder, and over to the nearest tree, darting to the top to fling himself once more into 'flight', gliding this time to the next. He could hear his goldshiny! His goldshiny was just up ahead, and he gave what could be presumed some kind of 'mandyr roar--sounded more like a screeching hawk--and then tore for where she was.

Goldshinymine! Zexion I has come for you![/color] he announced, chest once again swelling with pride, as he frilled--less enthusiastically this time, so that he did not fall over!--and stood below where his goldshiny was. [/size]

[Rei]

The bronze burst from the foliage as the first echo of Rose’s cry died down. Craning his neck he trilled sweetly to her. Beautiful queen deserved such a magnificent creature as he. A rich coppery undertone made his normal mossy coloration glimmer beautifully in the sun and this bronze knew just how to turn to show it off. A regular participant in the wild flitter flights he was a seasoned veteran and at a glance he could tell this queen was new. Young, vibrate, and commanding she was as well however and this caught his interest. Winging up to her level he circled her once and gave another chirp. His muscles bunched under his unmarked hide. Handsome he was and he knew it.

Swirling violent eyes caressed her form appreciatively and he crooned again. This one was also quite large which was a plus. Plenty of room then for many eggs. The continuation of the species was his goal after all. Tucking his wings to the side he dropped below her and then flared his wings to all but stop his decent. Showing off was nothing new to him and some females liked it. Finally he flipped his position and latched onto the roof of the heights. Half furling his wings he waited, tail tip twitching in anticipation of the chase. Beginning an appreciative hum he watched. Wouldn’t the beautiful one fly soon?

[Tashe]

That screeching was starting to get annoying. Unfurling his wings, the large Bronze snapped at the Blue who was currently curled up closely beside him. Zor hissed. It wasn't him making all that noise after all! The Blue got up to find a less tense place to sleep, maybe on his's shoulder, or on the Redhead's lap. Who was making all that fuss? Picking himself off of the cushion Azaran took to the air, fully intent on chastising the screecher for disturbing the entire canyon. The drum heights were not a place to carry out... well, screeching. As he caught an updraft, the Bronze felt the familiar tendrils of lust take seed in his body. More screeching assaulted his senses and then... a challenge? Curious, Azaran crested the ridge and dropped to the ground, cocking his head to the side as he spotted the Gold. She was the screecher?

Folding his wings along his back, the older male swept his tail back and forth. He was angry yes, but she was Rising. She was too pretty, and she was young. He had never seen the newest gold before, but he had certainly heard some snippets about her. Chirping Azaran swept his gaze across the other chasers, but paused on the other Firelizard. He hissed. Him! Azzie knew him. Or at least another wild Bronze like him. Every time he chased a Queen, a annoying copper colored Bronze showed up to lessen his chance at catching the female. His anger flared, seething he lashed his tail harder to signal his annoyance. Wild Flitters infringing on his Weyr, trying to win females who should rightfully be caught by males from the Weyr! Fixing his gaze on the Golden One, Azaran rumbled.

--

"So anyways I... ugh." Rubbing her chest, Kaegan glanced at Saraina with a frown.

"What?"

"I guess Azzie is chasing." She shrugged and returned to watching the Bluerider play with Kai.

[glamourie]

The sound that carried through the canyon was loud enough to make even a sleeping firelizard wake. Said flitter happened to have been dozing on his weyr ledge the entire time (rather than be with His at the infirmary because His always was around boys and he didn’t understand that at all) so the screeching was rather like an alarm going off in his head but just the same – Crash roused with a startled peep. He flapped his wings awkwardly and righted himself, head cocking to the side. That loud screech was… almost familiar. Almost. He recognized the command – chase – but… Ellie wasn’t Rising? And Ellie was never so loud. Not even when she was close to Flying. Confusion blossomed through his eyes and Crash looked around, bouncing on his ledge. That sensation lasted only a second before instinct took over and Crash chattered quietly to himself. He bounced in his spot twice, looked back into the weyr, and then did a somersault – there was no other way to describe it – straight off the weyrledge. His wings spread, catching him into the air and he swept up and out of the canyon without another backward glance.

His wings spread and the bronze flitter was carried on a burst of wind up toward the drumheights, the echoing screams both enthralling and irritating at once. It was a very upset female, yes yes, he needed to help – but oh, did he miss how quiet Ellie was. He was distinctly reminded of Roxie when she was annoyed and love her though he did, she drove him insane with that racket. Yet… he couldn’t stop himself from being fascinated. Fascinated, interested, engrossed. He landed gracefully, perhaps appropriately, on the ground beneath her and looked up, head tilted back, at the mindbogglingly gorgeous golden form. Pretty, pretty, pretty. Loud pretty.

Even as others arrived, Crash made no move to leave his perch on the ground. He was busily staring up at Rose as if she was the single most interesting thing on all of Pern – and for the moment, she was. Yes, he could hear the arrival of one of the weird little runners (did it really fancy itself able to catch a firelizard queen? So silly) and saw from the corner of his eyes not one, but two firelizards having arrived, but none of them were worthy of his attention. Only she was, and her upset made Crash squirm uncomfortably. All of her screams were enough to make him flinch and duck his head. Upset pretty was very clearly upset. He swished his tail around, before bouncing forward one step. He wouldn’t climb onto the tower. It wasn’t his place. If she wanted him near her, she’d tell him, he was sure. Not his place, not his place. Crash wiggled awkwardly, the violet tones of his eyes being quickly replaced by something akin to worry.

Tentatively, as though he expected to have his head bitten off for it, Crash chirped. It was loud enough to carry upward toward Rose, but there was only one emotion carried in the sound: reassurance. Whatever was upsetting her wasn’t as important as she was, didn’t she see that? Silly, silly queenling…

[dragon]

Rose hopped up and down in place, still screaming at the top of her lungs as flitters and mandyrs alike arrived to assist her. So far, they were all bronze. How weird was that? Nevermind, clearly, she had a stout following amongst the larger more intelligent members of the lot! Which of course stroked her ego a lot, even though she was slightly deflated to think that she wasn't spectacular enough to earn the attention of the small-minded ones as well. Oh well, at least she had her strapping males to take care of her offender for her!!!

Arching her neck, she puffed up and hissed, fluttering her wings quickly enough to make a buzzing sound with the trailing edges on her sides. It was by far the most quiet sound she had made thus far. Naturally, this resulted in the death of the echo. Which startled Rose completely silent.

AH HAH!! All her reinforcements were enough to scare the intruder off! Ha ha! She hopped up and down, twirling around in place, cheeping happily. She was victorious!! Sitting down, she actually stilled as she gazed upon the assembled males that had come to her aid. Ahhh, what a nice collection!! All so handsome, too!! For a tense moment the gold was completely still and silent. It was almost foreboding, it was so unusual on her. A lot like a heavy silence that told of a coming storm.

All of a sudden, she burst into movement again, flinging herself off the drum and into the air with a shrill cry. Time to show the world what a powerful force she was!!! And her loyal bronzes-at-arms were to follow and herald her coming to the whole of Pern! Rose took a moment to fly in a crazy circle, passing by each of the five, dropping alarmingly low to blow air off her wings on the two mandyrs before arcing upward again and zipping past the two higher bronzes. Crash was the last, and she swooped low again as she buzzed over him with a haughty cheep. She accepted the reassurance he offered, and demanded he make sure it lasted. Time to make sure she was properly announced!!

Twirling sideways, she flicked her wings out and darted along the lip of the canyon, barely maintaining a rather crooked and uneven flight path that dodged just above the stony lip. It gave her a dual sensation; close to the security of the ground, yet so high and so grand! It helped also in allowing her flightless subjects to keep along. She would lead the charge, all the way to the horizon! They would find where the world ended and the sky began!

Twirling wing-over-wing, Rose opened her throat all the way and screamed as she zoomed along the ledge, creating a very strange echoing pattern in the Weyr below, coming off as a passing siren to quite a few ears even though her tone was actually quite even and consistent in volume. Granted, with that much air being put toward vocalizations, it hampered her speed just a bit. But all the better to allow them to see her as she passed over their heads in such a glorious fashion! All could pay homage to the best Queen of all!!

And if anyone dared to contradict her? She had this entirely capable and proven squad of bronzes to sick on them and bring back their heads!!

[Tashe]

He was extremely glad that the pretty Queen decided to stop screeching, Azaran was no longer annoyed but the sound made his head hurt because he was so close. As Rose stilled upon her tower the Bronze quieted the swishing of his tail. What now? Was there still something wrong? And then, she was gone. Twisting around so that he could track her flight path, Azaran trilled as she passed by him. Oh wasn't she such a pretty female, just look at how she flew. Ah, wait! She was leaving them, the chase was starting and that meant he needed to move. Darting toward the edge of the Drum heights, the Bronze launched himself into the air. He spun as the wind caught in his sails, leveling out he pumped his wings trying to make up the distance he had lost.

Veering to the side, Azaran drifted close to the edge of the canyon, the ridge sped by below him like a large brown wave. He rolled to avoid an outcropping of rock, but quickly fell back into place. The rock's surface was uneven and unforgiving, he knew from experience that if you clipped a wing on it, it was very likely that it will foul your flight up. Might even injure yourself if you didn't watch out. Dipping down, Azaran used a quickly moving breeze to aid in his speed. He hadn't had to expend much energy yet, so far Rose seemed happy to announce her glorious presence to the rest of the canyon. He hoped that she would get an audience, because she deserved all the attention she was demanding from the Weyr. She was a Queen, she was entitled to it! Trilling in encouragement, Azaran chanced a look behind him. He wanted to know where and how far away his competition was before turning his attentions back onto Rose.

[Rei]

As Rose flung herself from the drum the copper bronze cave a trill of happiness. Yes the chase was beginning. Unfurling his wings slowly he crooned to the young queen as she circled him. Yes magnificent was this one, and she would be his. Azaran’s presence was not ignored and as he flung himself from his perch, and into the air, he gave a challenging cry to the other male. His queen. This one would be his without fail. The cry was the only attention the other bronze got. He didn’t want to chance the golden one’s wrath. Most queens where not fond of their males fighting each other and not paying attention to them. He had learned that lesson once already. Crash was given a quick once over and ignored. He did not remember this one. It was Azaran who often sought to steal his queens.

Angling his wings the wild bronze dipped beneath Rose and followed closely as she buzzed the lip of the canyon. The non flyers weren’t given a moments notice. They where insignificant. They couldn’t really fly, so how did they expect to catch one as magnificent as this queen? Her flight path was a bit erratic but he kept his own level and smooth to better judge her movements. As Rose screamed her challenge he banked into a rolling maneuver, trying in vain to understand just what she was challenging. One thing was for certain this was the loudest queen he had ever chased.

Crooning in what he hoped would come across as reassurance, (obviously she had everyone’s attention so why must she be so loud?) he caught and updraft and sailed above her. Once he deemed himself a suitable height he craned his neck to track her flight path. Now he was ready for whatever she decided to throw his way. Other males be damned. This one would be his. He was a bit uncomfortable being so exposed. He was used to flights through the jungle or on the coast. This open air made him squirm but he would tolerate it for his lovely.

[Kisha-Ra]

Imp bolted along as if he had boundless energy, which to be fair, was pretty much the case for the bronze on the ground. He didn’t need to keep his eyes on the gold to know where she was, her screechingsong was plenty enough of a beacon for him, and as he approached she quieted. No wonder, she had the best bronze ever to come and chase her (and a few others but never mind them) she had no further need to call for males. Imp waited patiently as she hopped and twirled like a golden snowflake, albeit a large golden snowflake.

Argh. Darya put down her pen, a long way from the pile of note she’d written out, no way did she want ink dripping all over those, and flexed her hand until it felt mildly less stiff. With a kind of sinking feeling Darya noted several things now, the strange tingling of her skin, deepened breathing, a certain heat in her face that was undoubtedly a flush. Either she was so frustrated she was finding her paperwork arousing (okay she did spend more time with it than any human) and she needed more mental help than could be found at Selenitas, or one of her wayward mindmates was picking a very inconvenient time to pay attention to a Rising star. Imp, she’d wager, since Azrath would have had the wit to inform her and give her a good chance to get away from all the weyrlings. Speaking of, time to move before things got out of control. Darya pushed herself away from the desk and steeled herself to leave the relative safety of her office.

As Rose burst into the air and looped around to inspect her chasers Imp displayed his frill proudly and flared out his wings. See? He had both, he was clearly the greatest and worthiest. Then as she gained height and sped off along the canyon’s edge Imp faithfully followed, bounding along a way then suddenly bursting up and twisting and rolling in the air as only something as long as a salamandyr could, frequently it looked as if he was trying to tie himself in knot to impress the gold.

[dragon]

Rose twirled once, and glanced over her shoulder back at her captives glorious army. She was quite saddened ... and maddened ... to find that nearly half of it was gone. Where had they gone?! Only three of them were still with her! And that just wasn't right. Flapping her wings in a wild and crazy array as she braked mid air, she let out a curdling shriek of anger. This was not right, not right at all!!!

Turning back upon her tail, she wasn't nearly as aerially agile as a green was, but she managed to somehow do a fair imitation. Apparently some of her troops were too dense to know what a charge was. She hated leading from back, but if she had to herd them, she would! She flicker her tail at Azaran as she zipped right back past him again, dropping suddenly to scoot underneath the crooning wild bronze. He received a raucous cry in reply, bidding him to turn and follow her back. She had some AWOL troops that needed rounding up and possibly roughing up, after all!! If they hadn't already responded to her rally cry once already, she might well have been inclined to lop all their heads off!! Or have it done, anyway ... it would not do to have her beautiful hide marred by green streaks. It would be absolutely horrible if everyone suddenly thought she was a green, after all!!

The ballistic knot that was Imp gave the young gold pause, however, when she witnessed that happening as she swiftly re-arrived at his location along the rim. ... what ...? Recovering, she screeched at him, too, bidding him to turn around and rally back the other way. They had a new mission to accomplish!! Half her collection had gotten plumb away!! Rose had plenty of suspicions that it was that horrible-sounding impersonating twerp that she'd just run off. They had to have come back when she'd left, and had hypnotized her troops!! This would just not do! Off with their head!!

[kat]

Zexion had been slightly taken aback when the goldshiny suddenly darted off through the skies, and he gave a dismayed shrill squealing sound as he tore off after her, up the rocky face, using his climbing to his advantage, trying to get as high as he could before launching himself bravely out into the open air! However, as he was gliding as quickly as he could, a golden streak that could only be the marvelous and wonderful goldshiny darted back past him...going the other way! He was so startled that his wings closed. With a 'merp?' that sounded like all too much of an equivalent 'wtf?' of the Terran kind, he dropped like a stone. Screeching indignation, he flared his wings, which caught air, and jolted his large bronze body in a rather jarring mannerism. He flapped frantically but it hardly did him any good, and he finally landed atop a tree, cursing as he skittered back from whence he came, trilling at the goldshiny to come back!

He saw her order Imp to follow, and gave a confused chirp at the other bronze, before skittering after the pretty gold bauble in the skies, craning his head up so as not to lose sight of her--and smacking face first into a tree. Seeing stars, he frilled angrily and attacked the offending tree, sharp little claws rending bark and wood in a miniature tornado of fury. Suddenly, he remembered--his goldshiny!--and tore off once more, looking up and then down every so often in a comical 'nodding' mannerism. Stupid tree things! He would have his goldshiny, despite all her loudness and the confusion she inflicted on his small brain. None of them were worhty of her but he, the mighty, the brave, the wonderful Zexion! In his passionate conviction, he frilled proudly! And tripped, falling end over end down a short rocky incline, looking behind him to make sure no one had seen, before he continued racing after his goldshiny prize.

[Rei]

The wild bronze gave a startled cheep as Rose suddenly braked midair. The shriek she let loose caused him to search the air in confusion. What? Not seeing anything even remotely threatening the copper male trilled softly. What could make her so upset? He didn’t understand. Maybe this queen was ill? She sure was acting crazy. Momentarily indecisive he stilled his wings and watched as she circled back towards the drum tower. She was going back. With a flip of his copper tail he followed. Finding a decent thermal he slipped into it to rest his wings a bit. High altitude flying wasn’t his normal mode of travel.

Now the wildling was predominantly curious. There was still the lust yes but it had dampened. This female was surely the strangest he had ever chased. The command was brushed off by the bronze as yet another one of Rose’s quirks. This time as he followed he kept quite the distance from the bizarre queen. The other chasers where given a couple of looks. The little scampering creatures didn’t seem put out and neither did his flitter rival. Still the wild copper bronze was nervous and this displayed in his lack of vigor in this part of the chase. A sick gold was just not worth pulling out all the stops and if this one wasn’t sick then she sure was….different?

Trilling softly and carefully, he kept a few flitter lengths between himself and the gold. Normally he would have followed much closer but instinct made him leery. If she made a wrong move he would blink between.

[glamourie]

((Can you guys go on without me? I can't summon up muse to post anywhere and I don't want to hold things up. <3 Thanks. Sorry, Teddy.))

[Tashe]

He had to backwing and spiral downward to avoid hitting Rose when she preformed a snapturn, he'd seen Queen's do it before but not with such intention in their face. There was obviously something on the Gold's mind other than trying to avoid getting caught. Whipping his tail to the side to right himself, Azaran chirped in confusion before pumping his wings to catch the same current his wild rival was riding on. This Queen wasn't tiring physically, but emotionally. He had rarely ever experienced so many emotions in a flight other than the driving lust, but maybe... this was a good experience. The Bronze chirped again as the current buoyed him along, pumping his wings every so often to increase his speed.

Tilting his head, Azaran glanced over at Imp and Zexion as the ridge passed by underneath him. So there were the chattering annoyances, he thought they had lost them long ago. Was the Gold trying to include them into the flight? Is that why she had made that break neck turn? Although he didn't approve of that choice, he'd follow her diligently nonetheless. Queens did deserve all the attention they needed, for they were glorious, even if they had a few... issues? Like the wild Bronze, Azaran remained a little farther behind Rose. Drawing abreast with the other flitter, the male kept a good distance between them. He still despised the copper Bronze, but he would admit to a good idea when it showed itself.

Now where were they going to go? Back to the Drumheights? Well, it was one of the highest points in the Weyr... trying to pull forward a little more, Azaran pumped his wings to pick up speed. He didn't want to fall too far behind Rose, otherwise she'd probably forget about him! As he propelled himself forward, the Bronze flicked the end of his tail, drifting a further away from the other Bronze and closer to the Queen's right hand side. Where any good prince of flitters should be.